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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..126a4f0 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #53244 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/53244) diff --git a/old/53244-8.txt b/old/53244-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 8c57586..0000000 --- a/old/53244-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,11969 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The King Country; or, Explorations in New -Zealand, by J. H. Kerry-Nicholls - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: The King Country; or, Explorations in New Zealand - A Narrative of 600 Miles of Travel Through Maoriland. - -Author: J. H. Kerry-Nicholls - -Release Date: October 10, 2016 [EBook #53244] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE KING COUNTRY--NEW ZEALAND *** - - - - -Produced by Steven Gibbs,Graeme Mackreth and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - -[Illustration: KING TAWHIAO.] - - - - - THE KING COUNTRY; - - OR, - - EXPLORATIONS IN NEW ZEALAND. - - _A NARRATIVE OF 600 MILES OF TRAVEL THROUGH - MAORILAND._ - - BY - - J.H. KERRY-NICHOLLS. - - [Illustration: THE AUTHOR.] - - WITH NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS AND A MAP. - - _SECOND EDITION._ - - London: - SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON, SEARLE, & RIVINGTON, - CROWN BUILDINGS, 188, FLEET STREET. - - 1884 - - [_All rights reserved._] - - - THIS WORK IS DEDICATED - - BY PERMISSION - - TO - - SIR GEORGE GREY, K.C.B., F.R.S., - - WHOSE CAREER - - AS GOVERNOR, STATESMAN, ORATOR, AUTHOR, AND EXPLORER, - - HAS SHED LUSTRE - - UPON - - THE HISTORY OF AUSTRALASIA. - - - - -PREFACE. - - -In publishing this record of travel, I have deemed it advisable -to arrange my narrative under four principal divisions. In the -introductory portion I refer to the leading physical features of that -part of the North Island of New Zealand known as the King Country, -relate the leading incidents connected with its history, describe the -condition of the native race, and explain the object with which my -journey was undertaken. The succeeding chapters deal with my visit to -the Maori King when presenting my credentials from Sir George Grey -at the tribal gathering held at Whatiwhatihoe in October, 1882. The -description of the Lake Country includes my route from Tauranga, on -the East Coast, to Wairakei, and which led me through the marvellously -interesting region familiarly termed the Wonderland of New Zealand, -while in the pages embracing my explorations in the King Country -I record events as they occurred from day to day over a lengthy -journey which was delightful on account of its novelty and variety, -and exciting by reason of the difficulties, both as regards natural -obstacles inseparable from the exploration of an unknown region under -the unfavourable conditions by which I was constrained to carry it out, -and the deep-rooted jealousy of the native race against the intrusion -of Europeans into a portion of the island which is considered by them -to be exclusively Maori territory. - -When it is considered that in company only with my interpreter, and -with but three horses--ultimately reduced to two--and with what scant -provisions we could carry, I accomplished considerably over 600 miles -of travel, discovered many new rivers and streams, penetrated almost -inaccessible regions of mountainous forest, found extensive areas of -open plains suitable for European settlement, traced the sources of -three of the principal rivers of the colony, examined the unknown -shores of its largest lake, ascended one of the highest mountains of -the southern hemisphere, experienced degrees of temperature varying -from 80° in the shade to 12° below freezing-point, and successfully -traversed from South to North, through its entire length, a territory -with an area of 10,000 square miles, and which had been from the early -history of the colony rigorously closed to Europeans by the hostility -of the native tribes, it may be readily seen that the explorations, by -their varied nature, disclose many important facts hitherto unknown -concerning a vast and beautiful portion of New Zealand; and while they -cannot fail to prove of practical utility to the colony, they will, I -venture to think, be a welcome addition to geographical science. - -The map appended to this work may be said to form the most complete -chart of the interior of the North Island as yet published. Up to the -present time the extensive territory embraced by the King Country has, -owing to the obstruction of the natives, never been surveyed, and -consequently many of its remarkable physical features have remained -unknown, the existing maps of this part of the colony being mere -outlines. As, therefore, considerably more than half of the country -traversed was through a region which was, to all intents and purposes, -a _terra incognita_ from the commencement of my journey, I adopted a -system of barometrical measurements and topographical observations, and -thus secured a supply of valuable material, which I mapped out from day -to day, while the names of mountains, rivers, valleys, and lakes were -obtained from the natives by the skilful assistance of my interpreter, -who was at all times unceasing in his endeavours to carry out this part -of the work with accuracy. - -The table of altitudes of the various camping-places and stations of -observation throughout the country explored will be found to be of -considerable interest and importance. By these results the conformation -of a large portion of the island may be arrived at. Thus, beginning at -Tauranga, and taking that place at ten feet above sea-level, it will -be seen that the land rises rapidly from the coast-line for a distance -of about twenty miles, when, at the Mangorewa Gorge, it attains to -an altitude of 1800 feet; from that point it falls towards the South -until the table-land of the Lake Country is reached, when, at Lake -Rotorua, it has an altitude of 961 feet. From the latter place, still -going southward, the table-land rises with an elevation varying from -1000 to 1500 feet, until it falls towards the valley of the Waikato, -when at Atea-Amuri it is not more than 650 feet above the level of the -sea. Further along it gradually rises until it reaches Oruanui, some -fifteen miles distant, where an altitude of 1625 feet is attained, -until the country again falls to the extensive table-land of Taupo, -where over a large area it maintains an elevation varying from 1000 to -1400 feet, the great lake itself standing at an altitude of 1175 feet. -Southward of Lake Taupo the Rangipo table-land varies from 2000 to 3000 -feet, until it falls towards the South Coast, giving an altitude at -Karioi, on the Murimotu Plains, of 2400 feet. Westward of this point -the country falls gradually to 560 feet to the valley of the Whanganui, -and from that region going eastward to the Waimarino Plains it attains -to an elevation of 2850 feet in a distance of about thirty miles. -Northward again along the western table-land of Lake Taupo it varies in -height from 1000 to 2420 feet, until the Takapiti Valley is reached, -where it is only 900 feet. In the Te Toto Ranges an altitude of 1700 -feet is attained, until at Manga-o-rongo, a deep basin-like depression -in the valley of the Waipa, the land is not more than 200 feet above -sea level. - -The wood engravings contained in this work are from original sketches -by the author, with the exception of that of the native village of -Lake Rotoiti, which is from a painting by the talented artist Mr. -Charles Bloomfield. They were engraved by Mr. James Cooper of Arundel -Street, Strand. The portraits of the native chiefs are from photographs -taken by E. Pulman and J. Bartlett of Auckland. They have been -reproduced by the Meisenbach process. - -In the Appendix will be found a synopsis of the principal _flora_ met -with during the journey, together with that of Mount Tongariro and -Mount Ruapehu, up to the highest altitude attained by plant-life in the -North Island. A synopsis of the _fauna_ is also added. Biographical -sketches are given of King Tawhiao and several noted chiefs, with a -list of the principal tribes and their localities. There is likewise a -brief reference to the Maori language, with a compendium of the most -useful native words. - -In bringing this volume to its completion, I desire to acknowledge -my indebtedness to Sir George Grey, K.C.B., for his letter of -introduction to King Tawhiao; to Mr. C.O. Davis, for the willing way -he at all times placed his scholarly knowledge of the Maori language -at my disposal; to Mr. T.F. Cheeseman, F.L.S., for the classification -of the _flora_ of Tongariro and Ruapehu; to Mr. James McKerrow, -Surveyor-General, for maps and charts of the colony; to Mr. Percy -Smith, Assistant-Surveyor-General, for a correction of altitudes; to -Mr. Robert Graham, of Ohinemutu, for voluntarily placing his best -horses at my disposal; to J.A. Turner, for an unceasing earnestness of -purpose in fulfilling his duties as interpreter; and to the Whitaker -Ministry, for their recognition of the usefulness of my work. - - - - -CONTENTS. - -INTRODUCTION. - - PAGE - - Geographical description of the King Country--Its political - state--Efforts made to open it--Condition of the natives--Origin - of the journey--Letter of introduction to the king 1 - - - THE FRONTIER OF THE KING COUNTRY. - - CHAPTER I. - - THE KING'S CAMP. - - Alexandra--Crossing the frontier--Whatiwhatihoe--The camp--King - Tawhiao--The chiefs--"_Taihoa_" 17 - - CHAPTER II. - - THE KORERO. - - The Kingites--Half-castes--An albino--The king's speech--Maori - oratory--The feast 27 - - CHAPTER III. - - ASCENT OF PIRONGIA. - - Mount Pirongia--Geological features--The ascent--A fair prospect 36 - - - THE LAKE COUNTRY. - - CHAPTER IV. - - AUCKLAND TO OHINEMUTU. - - The flank movement--Auckland Harbour--Tauranga--Whakari--The - _tuatara_--_En route_--The Gate Pa--All that remains--Oropi--A - grand forest--Mangorewa Gorge--Mangorewa - River--A region of eternal fire 46 - - CHAPTER V. - - HOT-SPRING LIFE. - - Ohinemutu and Lake Rotorua--Te Ruapeka--The old _pa_--Native - baths--Delightful bathing--A curious graveyard--Pigs--Area - of thermal action--Character of the springs--Chemical - constituents--Noted springs--Whakarewarewa--Te - Koutu--Kahotawa--"_Tenakoe, pakeha_"--Hot and cold 56 - - CHAPTER VI. - - TRADITION, IDOLATRY, AND ROMANCE. - - Origin of the Maoris--Te Kupe--First canoes--The _runanga_ - house--Maori carving--Renowned ancestors--Tama te - Kapua--Stratagem of the stilts--Legend of the whale--The - Arawa canoe--Noted braves--Mokia--A curious relic--Gods - of the Arawas--Mokia by night--Hinemoa--A - love song 68 - - CHAPTER VII. - - EN ROUTE TO THE TERRACES. - - Over the mountains--Rauporoa Forest--The _hotete_--Tikitapu--Rotokakahi - --Te Wairoa--The natives--Waituwhera Gorge--The boat--A distinguished - traveller--Sophia--Lake Tarawera--Mount Tarawera--Te - Ariki--Te Kaiwaka 81 - - CHAPTER VIII. - - THE TERRACES. - - Te Tarata--Beauty of the terrace--The formation--The crater--A - sensational bath--Ngahapu--Waikanapanapa--A weird gorge--Te - Aua Taipo--Kakariki--Te Whatapohu--Te Huka--Te Takapo--Lake - Rotomahana--Te Whakataratara--Te Otukapurangi--The - formation--The cauldron 94 - - CHAPTER IX. - - OHINEMUTU TO WAIRAKEI. - - Te Hemo Gorge--Mount Horohoro--Paeroa Mountains--Orakeikorako--Atea - -Amuri--Pohaturoa--The land of pumice--Te Motupuke--The glades - of Wairakei 109 - - CHAPTER X. - - WAIRAKEI. - - The first view--The Geyser Valley--Curious sights--Tahuatahe - --Terekirike--The Whistling Geyser--A nest of stone--Singular - mud-holes--The Gas and Black Geyser--The Big Geyser--The great - Wairakei--The Blue Lake--Hot mud-holes--Kiriohinekai--A valley - of fumaroles--Te Karapiti Te Huka Falls--Efforts to pass under - the falls--A cave--An enormous fissure--Another trial--A legend 115 - - - EXPLORATION OF THE KING COUNTRY. - - CHAPTER XI. - - THE START. - - Reason of the journey--How I succeeded--My interpreter--Our - horses--The Hursthouse difficulty--Departure from - Wairakei--Tapuwaeharuru--The natives--Release of Hursthouse, - and capture of Te Mahuki--The council of war 131 - - CHAPTER XII. - - THE REGION OF LAKE TAUPO. - - Natural phenomena--The great table-land--Position and dimensions - of the lake--Water-shed--Geological features--The lake an extinct - crater--Crater lakes--Areas of thermal action 139 - - CHAPTER XIII. - - EASTERN SHORE OF LAKE TAUPO. - - A grand view--True source of the Waikato--The river of "streaming - water"--Our first camp--Variation of temperature--Roto - Ngaio--Te Hatepe--Te Poroporo--The lake beneath us--A - canoe--Motutere--Tauranga--Southern shore of the lake--Delta - of the Upper Waikato 149 - - CHAPTER XIV. - - TOKANU. - - Scenery--The springs--The natives--Old war-tracks--Te Heuheu--A - Maori lament--Motutaiko--Horomatangi 161 - - CHAPTER XV. - - THE RANGIPO TABLE LAND. - - Along the delta of the Upper Waikato--Mount Pihanga--The - Poutu River and Lake Rotoaira--Boundaries of the Rangipo--Scenery--A - fine night--A rough time--A great storm--The _karamu_ as - fodder--Banks of the Upper Waikato--Another start--More bad - weather--Flooded creeks--Pangarara--Te Hau 168 - - CHAPTER XVI. - - ASCENT OF TONGARIRO. - - Physical and geological features--Legend of Tongariro--A break - in the clouds--The start for the ascent--Maories in the - distance--The Waihohonu valley--The ascent--The brink of - Hades--The great crater--The inner crater--The lower cones--Crater - lakes--The descent--A valley of death--Tongariro by moonlight--A - cold night--The start for Ruapehu 179 - - CHAPTER XVII. - - ASCENT OF RUAPEHU. - - (_First Day._) - - Approaching the mountain--A field for research--Physical and - geological features--Plan of attack--Curious icicles--A - lava barrier--Natives in the distance--Horse camp--Scoria - hills and lava ridges--The start for the snow-line--Up the - great spur--Head of the spur--Our camp--A wind-storm--Ruapehu - by night--A picture of the past--Waiting for sunrise--Sunrise 199 - - CHAPTER XVIII. - - RUAPEHU. - - (_Second Day._) - - ASCENT OF THE GREAT PEAK. - - The start--A lava bluff--Last signs of vegetation--Wall of - conglomerate rock--The Giant Rocks--Ancient crater--Difficult - climbing--A frightful precipice--The ice crown--Cutting - our way over the ice--The summit--Peaks and crater--A grand - _coup d'oeil_--The surrounding country--Taking - landmarks--Point Victoria 217 - - CHAPTER XIX. - - THE KAIMANAWA MOUNTAINS. - - Further plans--Across the plains--_In memoriam_--The Onetapu - Desert--Mamanui camp--Grilled _weka_--A heavy frost--The - Kaimanawas--Geological formation--A probable _El - Dorado_--Reputed existence of gold 229 - - CHAPTER XX. - - SECOND ASCENT OF RUAPEHU. SOURCES OF THE WHANGAEHU AND - WAIKATO RIVERS. - - Curious parterres--Supposed source of Whangaehu---A gigantic - lava bed--A steep bluff--The Horseshoe Fall--The Bridal Veil - Fall--The Twin Falls--A dreary region--Ice caves--Source of - the Waikato--The descent--Our camp on the desert 237 - - CHAPTER XXI. - - KARIOI. - - Our commissariat gives out--The Murimotu Plains--The settlement--The - homestead--The welcome--Society at Karioi--The natives--The Napier - mail 252 - - CHAPTER XXII. - - FOREST COUNTRY. - - The start from Karioi--On the track--Te Wheu maps the - country--The primeval solitude--Terangakaika Forest--The - _flora_--Difficulties of travel--The lakes--Birds--Pakihi--Mangawhero - River--Gigantic vines--Fallen trees--Dead forest giants--Mangatotara - and Mangatuku Rivers--A "Slough of Despond"--Dismal swamp 258 - - CHAPTER XXIII. - - RUAKAKA. - - The _wharangi_ plant--Enormous ravines--Ruakaka--Reception - by the Hauhaus--The chief Pareoterangi--The parley--Hinepareoterangi--A - repast--Rapid fall of country--The Manganui-a-te-Ao--Shooting the - rapids--The natives--Religion--Hauhauism--Te Kooti's lament--A - Hauhau hymn 269 - - CHAPTER XXIV. - - NGATOKORUA PA. - - Departure from Ruakaka--A legend--Rough forest--Crossing the - Manganui-a-te-Ao--Scenery of the river--Mount Towai--The plains - in sight--Rapid rise in the country--Ruapehu from the west--The - Waimarino plains--Arrival at the _pa_--The chief's family--A - Hauhau chief--_Inter alia_--Pehi on the decay of the - Maoris--A war-dance--The mere 281 - - CHAPTER XXV. - - HOT SPRINGS OF TONGARIRO. - - Departure from Ngatokorua--Okahakura Plains--Tongariro from the - north--Source of the Whanganui--The hot springs--A marvellous - sanatorium--Crater of Ketetahi--Te Perore--A strategic - position--Kuwharua--Maori cakes--A grand region--Site for - a public park 295 - - CHAPTER XXVI. - - WESTERN TAUPO. - - Supposed forest country--The western table-land--Soil and - _flora_--Terania--Okarewa--Te Kaina Valley--Maoris on the - track--Pouotepiki _pa_--A tangi--The natives--A friendly - invitation--An old warrior--The women--Our quarters 304 - - CHAPTER XXVII. - - THE NORTHERN TABLE-LAND. - - The Whanganui stream--Oruapuraho Valley--Waihaha River--Kahakaharoa--The - sweetbriar--The kiwi--The moa--A gigantic lizard--Waikomiko and Waihora - Rivers--Te Tihoi Plains--Scenery--Mount Titiraupenga--Mangakowiriwiri - River--Mangakino River--Swimming horses--Our camp--The Maoris as - travellers--A Maori joke--Good horsemen--Their knowledge of the - country--Their endurance--The Waipapa--Te Toto Ranges--The Waipari--Te - Tauranga--The Upper Puniu--A fine specimen of tattooing--A night - at Hengia 315 - - CHAPTER XXVIII. - - THE AUKATI LINE. - - Manga-o-rongo--Mangatutu River--The encampment--A sumptuous - repast--The _kainga_--Surrounding scenery--Old - warriors--The tribes--The Korero--Arrival of Te Kooti--His - wife--His followers--A _tête-à-tête_--A song of welcome--A - _haka_--Departure from Manga-o-rongo--Waipa River--Valley - of the Waipa--Our last difficulty 328 - - APPENDIX. - - Potatau II. 345 - Major Te Wheoro, M.H.R. 348 - List of the New Zealand Tribes, with their localities 351 - The Flora 352 - The Fauna 360 - The Maori language 366 - - LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. - - King Tawhiao _Frontispiece_ - The Maori Queen, Pare Hauraki 21 - Wahanui, chief of the Ngatimaniapoto tribe 24 - Manga Rewi, a chief of the Ngatimaniapoto tribe 25 - Major Te Wheoro, M.H.R. 28 - Te Tuhi, a chief of the Waikato tribe 29 - Albino woman 30 - Whitiora Wirouiru te Komete, a chief of the Waikato tribe 32 - Paora tu Haere, head chief of the Ngatiwhatua tribe 34 - Hati Wira Takahi, chief of the Ngapuhi tribe 37 - Tawhao Ngatuere, a chief of the Ngatikahunu tribe 38 - A chief of the Ngatiproa tribe 39 - Paratene te Manu, a chief of the Ngatiwai tribe 40 - Tukukino, head chief of the Ngatitematera 42 - Te Raia Ngakutu te Tumuhuia, head chief of the Ngatitematera - tribe. Last of the New Zealand Cannibals 43 - Whakari, or White Island 48 - The Tuatara 49 - Native woman and child, Ohinemutu 58 - Native village (_Lake Rotoiti_) (_Page_) 62 - Specimen of Maori carving 72 - Native woman, Lake Country 86 - Pohaturoa 113 - Section of valley of Waikato River at Huka Falls 126 - Transverse section of North Island from S.W. to N.E. 140 - Terrace formation and hot springs (_Valley of the Waikato_) 146 - Lake Taupo (_Page_) 150 - Source of the Waikato at Lake Taupo 153 - Tongariro (_Page_) 180 - Tongariro by moonlight (_Page_) 197 - Mount Ruapehu (_Page_) 200 - Summit of Ruapehu 204 - Waiting for sunrise 213 - Wall of lava conglomerate 219 - The ice crown, Point Victoria 227 - Great trachytic lava bed 240 - The Bridal Veil Fall 245 - Ruakaka (_Page_) 272 - A chief armed with "mere" and "huata" 293 - A "mere" 294 - Native girl 312 - Moa and apteryx 317 - Native girl 330 - Woman of the Waikato tribe 333 - Te Kooti, from a sketch by the author 335 - Te Kooti's wife 336 - - - - -THE KING COUNTRY. - - - - -INTRODUCTION. - -Geographical description of the King Country--Its political -state--Efforts made to open it--Condition of the natives--Origin of the -journey--Letter of introduction to the king. - - -That portion of the North Island of New Zealand known as the King -Country extends (as near as the boundary can be defined) from lat. -38° to 39° 20' S., and from long. 174° 20' to 176° E. Its approximate -area is equivalent to 10,000 square miles. In the north the _aukati_, -or boundary-line--separating it from the European portion of the -colony--passes by the southern shores of Aotea Harbour, thence easterly -through the Pirongia Ranges in a direct line to the Waikato River, -along which it follows nearly to Atea-amuri, from which point it -strikes directly south to Lake Taupo. It takes in the whole of the -western half of that lake; it then stretches south along the Kaimanawa -Mountains to the Murimotu Plains, whence it goes westerly, round the -southern base of Mount Ruapehu to the mouth of the Manganui-a-te-Ao -River, and thence north-westerly until it joins the coast at a point a -little to the north of Pukearuhe. - -The physical features of this vast region present not only many -beauties, but many natural advantages for European settlement, while it -is one of the best watered parts of the island. In its southern portion -the Whanganui River passes through it in a long winding course to the -sea, fed by many tributaries flowing from the high mountain-ranges, -both in the south and central divisions of the island. In the west -the Mokau River and its affluents flow from its central region to -the coast. In the north the Waipa Puniu and various other streams, -having their sources in the Titiraupenga and Rangitoto Mountains, wind -through it to the Waikato River; the high, wooded ranges of the central -table-land form the sources of many watercourses disemboguing into Lake -Taupo; while in the south-east the snow-clad heights of Tongariro and -Ruapehu pour down their rapid waters in a perfect network of creeks and -rivers. In the west it has a coast-line of over sixty miles, and it -possesses one of the largest harbours in the island. Extensive forests -cover a large portion of its southern area, and extend northerly over -the broken ranges of the Tuhua to Mount Titiraupenga and the Rangitoto -Mountains. Westward of this division there is a considerable area of -open country, including the valley of the Waipa, which in its turn is -bounded in the west by high, fern-clad hills and wooded ranges. In the -vicinity of the high, snow-clad mountains in the south, there are vast -open table-lands; while immediately to the west of Lake Taupo and north -of Titiraupenga to the banks of the Waikato, there are again extensive -open plains. - -Geologically considered, the King Country possesses in extensive -depositions all the strata or rock-formations in which both gold, -coal, iron, and other minerals are found to exist, while its extensive -forests are rich in timber of the most varied and valuable kind. -Geysers and thermal springs possessing wonderful medicinal properties -are found in the vicinity of its many extinct craters; and, while -it possesses one of the largest active volcanoes in the world, its -grand natural features are crowned by the snowy peaks of some of the -highest mountains of Australasia. In the north the trachytic cones -of Titiraupenga and Pirongia rise to an elevation varying from 3000 -to 4000 feet, near to its south-western boundary the snowy peak of -Taranaki, or Mount Egmont, attains to an altitude of 8700 feet, on its -eastern confines the rugged crater of Tongariro sends forth its clouds -of steam from a height exceeding 7000 feet, while on its southern side -the colossal form of Mount Ruapehu rears its glacier-crowned summit to -an altitude of over 9000 feet above the level of the sea.[1] With these -important features nature has endowed it with scenery of the grandest -order, and with a climate unsurpassed for its variety and healthfulness. - -The political state of the King Country forms one of the most -interesting chapters in the history of New Zealand. In the early days, -before the colony was founded in 1840, and long after that event, there -were no such obstacles to travelling through the island as existed -in later times. The Maoris rather welcomed Europeans, who were free -to go anywhere, except on places which were _tapu_,[2] or sacred in -their eyes, and in consequence what little has been hitherto known -of the King Country has been derived from the experiences of one or -two travellers who penetrated into portions of it some thirty years -ago. Among the most active of the early travellers was Ferdinand Von -Hochstetter, a member of the Austrian Novara Expedition, who, in 1859, -at the instance of Sir George Grey, at that time Governor of the Cape -of Good Hope, made a tour through a portion of the North Island in -company with Drummond Hay, Koch, Bruno, Hamel, and a number of European -attendants and natives. At this time the Maoris were ready to welcome -Europeans; hostilities between the two races had never broken out, and -Hochstetter and his party were received and _fêted_ everywhere with -almost regal honours. But in the course of years, as it was evident -to the natives that the Europeans were the coming power in the land, -suspicion and distrust were excited, and at last the tocsin sounded. - -The native chiefs, seeing that their influence was declining, and that -in proportion to the alienation of the land, their _mana_ or authority -over the tribes decreased, began to bestir themselves in earnest. It -was considered that a head was needed to initiate a form of Government -among the tribes to resist the encroachments daily made by the -Europeans, and which seemed to threaten the national extinction of the -native race. - -The first to endeavour to bring about a new order of things was a -native chief named Matene Te Whiwi, of Otaki. In 1853 he marched to -Taupo and Rotorua, accompanied by a number of followers, to obtain -the consent of the different tribes to the election of a king over -the central parts of the island, which were still exclusively Maori -territory, and to organize a form of government to protect the -interests of the native race. Matene, however, met with but little -success. Te Heuheu, of Taupo, the great chief of the Ngatituwharetoa, -at that time the most warlike tribe in the island, had no idea of any -one being higher than himself, and therefore refused to have anything -to do with the new movement, nor did Te Whiwi meet with much greater -encouragement at Maketu and Rotorua. The agitation, however, did not -stop, the fire once kindled rapidly spread, ardent followers of the -new idea sprang up, and their numbers soon increased, until finally, -in 1854, a tribal gathering was convened at Manawapou, in the country -of the Ngatiruanui tribe. Here a large _runanga_, or council-house, -was erected, which was called _Tai poro he nui_, or the finishing of -the matter, and after many points had been discussed, a resolution was -come to among the assembled tribes that no more land should be sold -to Europeans. A solemn league was entered into by all present for the -preservation of the native territory, and a tomahawk was passed round -as a pledge that all would agree to put the individual to death who -should break it. In 1854 another bold stand was made, and Te Heuheu, -who exercised a powerful sway over the tribes of the interior, summoned -a native council at Taupo, when the King movement began in earnest. It -was there decided that the sacred mountain of Tongariro should be the -centre of a district in which no land was to be sold to the government, -and that the districts of Hauraki, Waikato, Kawhia, Mokau, Taranaki, -Whanganui, Rangitikei, and Titiokura should form the outlying portions -of the boundary; that no roads should be made by the Europeans within -the area, and that a king should be elected to reign over the Maoris. - -In 1857 Kingite meetings were held at Paetai, in Waikato, and -at Ihumatao and Manukau, at which it was agreed that Potatau Te -Wherowhero, the most powerful chief of Waikato, should be elected king, -under the title of Potatau the First, and finally, in June, 1858, his -flag was formally hoisted at Ngaruawahia. Potatau, who was far advanced -in life when raised to this high office, soon departed from the scene, -and was succeeded by his son Matutaera Te Wherowhero, under the title -of Potatau the Second. - -The events of the New Zealand war need not here be recited, but it -may be easily imagined that during the continuance of the fighting -the extensive area of country ruled over by the Maori monarch was -kept clear of Europeans. But in 1863 and 1864 General Cameron, at the -head of about 20,000 troops, composed of Imperial and Colonial forces, -invaded the Waikato district, and drove the natives southward and -westward, till his advanced corps were at Alexandra and Cambridge. -Then followed the Waikato confiscation of Maori lands and the military -settlements. The King territory was further broken into by the -confiscations at Taranaki and the East Coast, but no advance was, -however, made, by war or confiscation, into the country which formed -the subject of my explorations. The active volcano of Tongariro is -_tapu_, or strictly sacred, in the eyes of the Maoris, and several -persons who had attempted to ascend it were plundered by the natives, -and sent back across the frontier. On the west of Taupo Lake lies the -Tuhua country, whose people had from the first, from the nature of the -district, been much secluded from European intercourse, and who besides -had given refuge to many of the desperadoes of the other tribes; while -to the south-west of Taupo Lake were the people of the Upper Whanganui -country, who have always been suspicious and hostile, while for some -considerable time, too, the whole district was in terror of Te Kooti -and his marauding bands. It is from these causes that the vast and -important area embraced by the King Country has remained closed to -Europeans, and, all things considered, it is a fact which must ever -remain one of the most singular anomalies of British colonization, -that, after a nominal sovereignty of forty years over New Zealand, -this portion of the colony should have remained a _terra incognita_ up -to the present day, by reason of the hostility and isolation of the -native race. - -Having pointed out the leading causes which resulted in the closing -of the King Country to European settlement, it will be interesting -to glance at the endeavours which have been made by the different -governments to break down the barrier of native isolation, and thus -to throw open to the colonists an extensive area of the island, which -is, in reality, as much a portion of British territory as is the -principality of Wales. As is well known, since the termination of the -lamentable war between the two races, the King natives have, on all -occasions, jealously preserved their hostile spirit to Europeans; while -the peculiar state of matters involved in the whole question, while -unexampled in the history of any other part of the British Empire, has -been naturally a source of annoyance and even danger to the several -governments of the colony who have attempted from time to time to -grapple with the native difficulty. - -The New Zealand war concluded, or rather died out, in 1865, when the -confiscated line was drawn, the military settlements formed, and the -King natives isolated themselves from the Europeans. For ten years -it may be said that no attempt was made to negotiate with them. They -were not in a humour to be dealt with. About 1874 and 1875, however, -it became evident that something would have to be done. The colony -had greatly advanced in population, and a system of public works had -been inaugurated, which made it intolerable that large centres of -population should be cut off from each other by vast spaces of country -which Europeans were not allowed even to traverse. From time to time -during the whole period the awkward position of affairs had been forced -on public attention by outrages and breaches of the law occurring on -the border, the perpetrators of which took secure refuge by fleeing -to the protection of Tawhiao, who then--as now--defied the Queen's -authority within his dominions. - -Sir Donald McLean, while Native Minister, had several important -interviews with the Kingites, with a view to bring about a better -relationship between the two races, and as he was well known to the -natives both before and during his term of office, his efforts had -considerable effect in promoting a more friendly intercourse. - -Again, Sir George Grey, when Premier of the Colony, attended two -large native meetings in the King Country, in 1878, and opened up -communication with the chiefs of the Kingites. At the second meeting at -Hikurangi about seventeen miles beyond Alexandra, Sir George Grey laid -before the natives definite terms of accommodation. He offered to give -back to them the whole of the land on the west bank of the Waipa and -Waikato rivers, and to confer certain honours on Tawhiao, the son of Te -Wherowhero, who had succeeded to the kingship. At a subsequent meeting -held at Te Kopua, in April, 1879, these offers were again made, but -Tawhiao, for some reason which has never been satisfactorily explained, -declined to accept them, and they were distinctly withdrawn. - -With the advent of the Whitaker ministry into power, it was felt -that another attempt should be made to deal with the Maori king, and -accordingly, during the session of 1882, acts were carefully framed so -as to facilitate the object. A Native Reserves Act was passed, under -which natives could have placed any blocks of land they chose under a -board which would have administered the property for the benefit of -the owners. An Amnesty Act was also put on the statute-book, under -which the government could have issued pardons to those natives who -had committed crimes and taken refuge among the Kingites. The most -sanguine hopes were entertained that this difficulty would at last be -settled, and in a way which would be satisfactory for both peoples. The -terms which Mr. Bryce, as Native Minister, laid before Tawhiao and his -people at the Kingite meeting, held at Whatiwhatihoe in October of the -same year, were so liberal as to surprise the whole country. A large -tract of the confiscated land on the west bank of the rivers Waipa and -Waikato was offered to be restored, while Tawhiao was to be secured -in all the lands which he could claim in the King Country, and the -government were to endeavour to procure for him and his people a block -of land from the Ngatimaniapoto tribe, the most extensive landowners in -his dominions. Altogether the amount of land to be restored amounted -to many thousands of acres, most of it fertile and well suited for the -purposes of the natives, or that section of them known as the Waikatos, -of whom Tawhiao was the hereditary chief. - -What the government proposed to do was that the king's _mana_, or -sovereign authority, should be removed by the best means, and that in -doing so the utmost care should be taken that all of the natives of the -king's tribe should be provided for. This step was the more necessary -from the fact that Tawhiao, although the acknowledged head of the Maori -race, and exercising a supreme authority over the King Country, was, -owing to the confiscation of his tribal lands which had taken place -after the war, a comparatively landless monarch. - -At the Kingite gathering at Whatiwhatihoe, Tawhiao, in view of the -proposals made, was willing to take back the land, but objected to -receive a salary from the government, to be called to the legislative -council, or to be made a magistrate.[3] He, and those around him, saw -that to have accepted these terms would have been equivalent to saying -that he abdicated his position as king. That being, from the Native -Minister's point of view, the all-important matter, the negotiations -could go no further, and the memorable meeting at Whatiwhatihoe broke -up with Tawhiao still reigning as absolute monarch over one of the most -extensive and fertile portions of New Zealand. - -With my reference to the geographical, historical, and political -features of the King Country, I will here allude briefly to the -physical and social position of the native race as I found it during -my travels through that portion of the island where the inhabitants -dwell in all their primitive simplicity. - -There can be no doubt whatever that the Maori race is greatly on the -decrease,[4] and that the three principal diseases conducing to this -result are phthisis, chronic asthma, and scrofula; the two first -principally brought about, I believe, by a half-savage, half-civilized -mode of life, and the latter from maladies contracted since the first -contact of the people with Europeans. It is, however, clear that -there is a large number of natives yet distributed throughout the -King Country, and among them are still to be found, as of old, some -of the finest specimens of the human race. A change of life, however, -in every way different from that followed by their forefathers, has -brought about a considerable alteration for the worse among the rising -population, and, although during my journey I met and conversed with -many tattooed warriors of the old school, and who were invariably both -physically and intellectually superior to the younger natives, it was -clear that this splendid type of savage would soon become a matter of -the past. - -I found the natives living much in their primitive style, one of the -most pernicious innovations, however, of modern civilization amongst -them being an immoderate use of tobacco among both old and young. -Although most of the native women were strong and well-proportioned -in stature, and apparently robust and healthy, there appeared to be -a marked falling off in the physical development of the younger men, -when compared with the stalwart, muscular proportions of many of the -older natives--a result which may, no doubt, be accounted for by their -irregular mode of life when compared with that usually followed by -their forefathers, combined with the vices of civilization, to which -many of them are gradually falling a prey. It is a notable fact, which -strikes the observer at once, that many of the old chiefs and elders -of the various tribes, with their well-defined, tattooed features and -splendid physique, have the stamp of the "noble savage" in all his -manliness depicted in every line of their body, while many of them -preserve that calm, dignified air characteristic of primitive races in -all parts of the world before they begin to be improved off the face -of the earth by raw rum and European progress. On the other hand, the -rising generation has altogether a weaklier appearance, and, although I -noticed many buxom lasses with healthy countenances and well-developed -forms, not a few of the younger men were slight of build, with a -thoughtful, haggard, and in many instances consumptive look about them. - -In both their ideas and mode of life they appeared to cling to their -old customs tenaciously, and seemed to know little of what was going -on in the world beyond their own country, while their religion, what -little they possessed, evidently existed in a kind of blind belief in a -species of Hauhauism, in which biblical truths and native superstition -were curiously mixed. In matters of politics affecting their own -territory they invariably expressed a desire that matters might remain -as they were, and that they might be allowed to live out their allotted -term in their own lands. From one end of the country to the other they -seemed to entertain an almost fanatical faith in the power of Tawhiao, -and they appeared to regard his influence in the light of our own legal -fiction, "that the king could do no wrong." - -When I undertook to explore the King Country--being at the time only a -new arrival in the colony--I found that it was a part of the British -Empire of which I knew very little. I soon, however, learned that the -extensive region ruled over by the Maori king was, to all intents -and purposes, an _imperium in imperio_, situated in the heart of an -important British colony, a _terra incognita_, inhabited exclusively -by a warlike race of savages, ruled over by an absolute monarch, who -defied our laws, ignored our institutions, and in whose territory the -rebel, the murderer, and the outcast took refuge with impunity. This -fine country, embracing nearly one half of the most fertile portion of -the North Island, as before pointed out, was as strictly tabooed to the -European as a Mohammedan mosque, and all who had hitherto attempted -to make even short journeys into it had been ruthlessly plundered by -the natives, and sent back across the frontier, stripped even of their -clothes. - -At this time--in the early part of the year 1882--Te Wetere, Purukutu, -Nuku Whenua, and Winiata, all implicated in the cruel murders of -Europeans, were still at large, bands of native fanatics, excited to -the point of rebellion against the whites, were massing themselves -together in large numbers at Parihaka, and singing pæans to the -pseudo-prophet, Te Whiti, who had for some time been inciting his -followers to resist any attempt at incursion into their territory on -the part of the European colonists who had acquired land and built -settlements near the frontier. Thus it was that wars and rumours of -wars were fast gathering around what was generally alluded to as the -vexed Maori Question, while, to make matters still more unsatisfactory, -it was known that the rebel Te Kooti, who had carried out the Poverty -Bay massacre, after his marvellous escape from the Chatham Islands, and -who had more than once played the part of a New Zealand Napoleon during -the war, was hiding, with a price set on his head, in his stronghold -in the Kuiti, ready, it was believed, to take up arms at any moment. -This was the state of the country which I then and there volunteered to -explore. - -The next point to consider was how the journey could be best set -about. The matter was laid before Sir George Grey during the session -of Parliament of 1882, and he, with a characteristic desire to advance -an undertaking calculated to promote the interests of the colony, -wrote a letter of introduction in my behalf to King Tawhiao, asking -him to grant me his _mana_, or authority, to travel through the Maori -territory. The letter was presented at a moment when the native mind -was much disturbed in connection with the political relationship -existing between the Kingites and the Europeans, and just at the time -when the meeting at Whatiwhatihoe, before referred to, was about to -be held between the Native Minister and Tawhiao, with a view to the -opening of the country to settlement and trade. It is only right to -state that the king received me on this occasion with every token of -good feeling, and spoke, as indeed did all the natives, in the highest -terms of Sir George Grey; but he advised me, as the native tribes were -much disturbed in connection with the question about to be discussed -between the Maoris and Europeans, not to set out on my journey until -the meeting should be over. - -Leaving Whatiwhatihoe before the termination of the gathering, I made -no further appeal to Tawhiao, who subsequently left for an extended -tour through the island. The assemblage of the tribes broke up, as -before shown, without any solution being arrived at with regard to -the settlement of the native difficulty, and the question of the -exploration of the King Country lay in abeyance for a few months, but -the idea was always firmly fixed in my mind, although it was not until -the 8th of March, 1883, that I left Auckland, _en route_ for Tauranga, -to explore the wonders of the forbidden land at my own risk. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote 1: For the altitudes of the various mountains, see map.] - -[Footnote 2: The word _tapu_ is applied to all places held sacred -by the Maoris; it is synonymous with the _taboo_ of the South Sea -Islanders. To interfere with anything to which the _tapu_ has been -extended is considered an act of sacrilege.] - -[Footnote 3: A justice of the peace.] - -[Footnote 4: In Cook's time the whole native population was estimated -as exceeding 100,000; in 1859 it only amounted to 56,000, of this -number 53,000 fell to the North Island, and only 2283 to the Middle -Island; in 1881 the number had decreased to 44,099, of which 24,370 -were males, and 19,729 females.] - - - - -THE FRONTIER OF THE KING COUNTRY. - - - - -CHAPTER I. - -THE KING'S CAMP. - - Alexandra--Crossing the frontier--Whatiwhatihoe--The camp--King - Tawhiao--The chiefs--"_Taihoa_." - - -Alexandra, the principal European settlement on the northern frontier -of the King Country, lies about one hundred miles distant from -Auckland, and a little less than eight miles to the west of the Te -Awamutu terminus of the southern line of railway. - -I reached Alexandra along a delightful road lined with the hawthorn and -sweetbriar, and through a picturesque country, where quiet homesteads, -surrounded by green meadows filled with sleek cattle and fat sheep, -imparted to the aspect of nature an air of contentment and quiet -repose. Indeed, when doing this journey in a light buggy drawn by a -pair of fast horses, it seemed difficult to realize the fact that I was -fast approaching the border-line of European settlement, and that a few -minutes more would land me on the frontier of a vast territory which -formed the last home of perhaps the boldest and most intelligent race -of savages the world had ever seen. In fact, when approaching Alexandra -from the Te Awamutu road, with its neat white houses, embowered amidst -gardens and groves of trees, and with its church-spire pointing towards -heaven, I seemed to be entering a quiet English village; and had it not -been that the eye fell now and again upon a dark, statuesque figure, -wrapped in a blanket, and with a touch of the "noble savage" about it, -it would have been somewhat difficult to dispel the pleasant illusion. - -The township was not large, and a school-house, two hotels, several -stores, a public hall, commodious constabulary barracks surrounded -by a redoubt, a postal and telegraph station, a blacksmith's forge, -and about fifty houses, built for the most part of wood, formed its -principal features of Anglo-Saxon civilization. - -On the day following my arrival at Alexandra I left, in company with -a native interpreter, for Whatiwhatihoe, to present my credentials to -the Maori king. Our ride across the frontier into Maoriland was a most -delightful one. The steep, wooded heights of Mount Pirongia had cast -off their curtain of mist, and stood revealed in their brightest hues; -while the green, rolling hills at its base formed a pleasant contrast -with the more sombre, fern-clad banks of the Waipa River, as it wound -its devious course from the direction of Mount Kakepuku, which rose -above the plain beyond in the form of a gigantic cone. The country for -miles around lay stretched before the gaze, forming a varied picture -of delightful scenery, and all nature appeared budding into life; -while the prickly gorse, with its golden-yellow flowers, encircled -Whatiwhatihoe like a _chevaux de frise_. The primitive _whares_[5] of -the natives imparted a rustic appearance to the scene, as they stood -scattered about the country to the south, while, as the eye wandered in -the direction of the north, the white homesteads of the settlers served -to mark the _aukati_[6]--frontier-line--separating the King Country -from the territory of the _pakeha_.[7] - -The king's settlement of Whatiwhatihoe was situated on the west or -opposite bank of the Waipa from Alexandra, and on a broad alluvial -plain running along the base of a range of fern-clad hills. As a rule -the _whares_ were built entirely of _raupo_,[8] and were scattered -about the flat and on the low hills in its vicinity without any regard -to regularity, and while some had a neat and even a clean look, others -were less attractive both in their designs and general surroundings. -They were mostly oblong in shape, with slanting roofs, which projected -a few feet at one end of the building in the form of a recess, where -the entrance, consisting of a low narrow doorway, was placed. Windows, -in the form of small square apertures, were the exception and not the -rule, and consequently the interior of these primitive domiciles was -badly ventilated. A few blankets and native mats formed the principal -articles of furniture, save where the owner, profiting by the advance -of civilization, had gone in for _articles de vertu_ on which the -"Brummagem" hall-mark might be distinctly traced. - -As we approached the camp the whole place presented a very animated -appearance; horsemen were riding about in every direction; long -cavalcades of natives, men, women, and children, were arriving from -all parts of the country, to take part in the _korero_[9] to be held -on the morrow; while many old tattooed savages, swathed in blankets, -and plumed with _huia_ feathers to denote their chieftainship, were -squatting about, puffing at short pipes with a stolid air, as they -listened in mute attention to one of their number as, gesticulating -wildly, and walking to and fro between two upright poles set a few -paces apart, he delivered a fiery harangue upon the momentous question -of throwing open their country to the advancing tide of civilization. -Bevies of women and girls were busily engaged in preparing for the -coming feast, and troops of children played and fought with countless -pigs and innumerable mongrel dogs. - -While pushing our way among the assembled crowds we were met by the -king's henchman, a half-caste of herculean proportions, who conducted -us to the _whare runanga_, or meeting-house, an oblong structure about -eighty feet long by forty broad, solidly built out of a framework of -wood, and thatched with _raupo_. It was capable of holding a large -number of people, and the white rush mats covering the floor gave it a -clean and comfortable appearance. - -In the centre of this spacious hall sat the king flanked by his four -wives, the principal and most attractive of whom was Pare Hauraki, a -fine buxom woman with oval features and artistically tattooed lips, -habited in native costume, with a _korowhai_, or cape, bound with -_kiwi_ feathers, thrown carelessly across her shoulders, over which her -dark raven hair fell in thick, waving clusters. A number of chiefs of -the various tribes assembled, squatted in a semicircle in front of the -king, who rose from his seat--a rush mat--as I approached, and motioned -for me to be seated in front of him. - -[Illustration: THE MAORI QUEEN PARE HAURAKI.] - -Tawhiao was habited in European attire, consisting of a pair of dark -trousers, patent leather boots, and a grey frock-coat trimmed with red -braiding about the sleeves, and which at the first glance reminded me -of the _redingote gris_ affected by Napoleon I., and which obtained -for him the sobriquet of the "little corporal." A black _huia_ feather -tipped with white adorned his hair, and in his left ear he wore a -large piece of roughly polished greenstone,[10] and in his right a -shark's tooth. In stature he was a little below the medium height, -sparely made, but keenly knit, with a round, well-formed head; while -his features, which were elaborately tattooed in a complete network -of blue curved lines, were well defined in the true Maori mould; and -although he had a cast in the left eye, his countenance was pleasant, -and as he spoke in a slow deliberate way, he invariably displayed in -his conversation a good deal of cool, calculating shrewdness. - -Among the principal _rangatiras_, or chiefs, present were Tu Tawhiao, -the king's son, Major Te Wheoro, Manga Rewi, Te Tuhi, Te Ngakau, -Wahanui, Whitiora, Hone Te Wetere, and Hone Te One. Tu Tawhiao was -a tall, slim youth, with a thin, sleek face and dark moustache, and -with a meek expression of countenance. He affected European costume, -and had none of the strong Maori type of feature so characteristic -of his father. He did not appear to be a very gifted youth, but he -had a pleasing manner, and might be considered as a fair type of the -anglicized Maori. Major Te Wheoro was a short, thick-set man, with -heavy features and a somewhat shrewd look. He ranged himself on the -European side during the war, when he gained his commission, and at -the time of which I write he was one of the four Maori members of the -House of Representatives. Manga Rewi, like Tawhiao, was a Maori of the -old school, and with all the physical characteristics of the race about -him. His chief influence appeared to arise from the fact that during -the war he was one of the principal Kingite leaders. Te Ngakau was -remarkably thick-set and muscular, with a firm-looking yet intelligent -face. He was dressed half as a Maori and half as a European, and was -remarkable for nothing so much as for the enormous development of the -calves of his legs. Whitiora was an antiquated, tattooed warrior, -who during the war had won his laurels when gallantly defending the -Rangiriri Pa against the Imperial forces, while Hone Te Wetere was -known to fame in a somewhat doubtful way in connection with the White -Cliffs massacre. - -The most notable, however, of all the chiefs present was undoubtedly -Wahanui, of the Ngatimaniapoto tribe. Standing over six feet, and of -enormous build, he had a peculiar air about him which seemed to mark -him as one born to command. His features, slightly tattooed about -the mouth--which was singularly large--bore a remarkable appearance -of intelligence, while his head, covered with thick white hair, was -round and massively formed. He impressed me very favourably during -the interview, and when speaking, as he did at some length upon the -political condition of the King Country, he seemed to possess not only -a great power of language, but a singularly persuasive manner which was -at once both courteous and dignified. He appeared to exercise a weighty -influence over the king, and to act in all matters as the "power -behind the throne," but he had evidently a conservative turn of mind, -and had he been born in England, I think he would have developed into a -nobleman of very pronounced Tory principles. - -[Illustration: WAHANUI. - -(_Chief of the Ngatimaniapoto Tribe._)] - -When the king had learned the object of my mission, and that I had -come to obtain his authority to explore the Maori territory, he was -careful to inquire what other countries I had visited, and whether I -had before travelled in other parts of the world with no other view -than to see mountains, rivers, and plains. "The Maori," he remarked, -"never undergoes fatigue for such a purpose as that, but I know," he -continued, with a slight touch of _naïveté_, "the _pakeha_ is different -to the Maori, he has the 'earth hunger,' and likes to see new places. -If you wish to go into the country, you may do so when the meeting is -over, but it is not good that you should go until the Maori has spoken -with the _pakeha_ at the _korero_, therefore I say wait, '_taihoa_.'" - -[Illustration: MANGA REWI. - -(_A Chief of the Ngatimaniapoto Tribe._)] - -The latter word sounded somewhat unpleasant to my ears, as I knew with -the Maoris it was their gospel, and was synonymous with the Spanish -proverb, "Never do to-day what may be done to-morrow." I took the -king at his word, but before I left his presence I mentally recorded -a vow that, if I could not get into the King Country at the north, I -would get into it at the south, which I eventually did a few months -afterwards, as the sequel of this narrative will show. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote 5: _Whare_ is the native name for a house or hut.] - -[Footnote 6: The _aukati_ signifies the boundary of a _tapued_ or -sacred district.] - -[Footnote 7: _Pakeha_ is a term used by the Maoris to designate -Europeans; it means a stranger, or a person from a distant country.] - -[Footnote 8: For a synopsis of the principal _flora_ met with during -the journey, see Appendix.] - -[Footnote 9: The word _korero_ (to speak) is here applied as a general -term to the meeting.] - -[Footnote 10: The _pounamu_, or greenstone (nephrite), a species of -jade, is much prized by the Maoris as an ornament, either for the neck -or ears. It is only found on the west coast of the Middle Island, the -native name for which is _Wahipounamu_, or Land of the Greenstone.] - - - - -CHAPTER II. - -THE KORERO. - - The Kingites--Half-castes--An albino--The King's speech--Maori - oratory--The feast. - - -On the morrow after my interview with the king the meeting between the -Native Minister and Tawhiao, with a view to bring about more friendly -relations between the two races, was arranged to take place. - -At the time fixed for the _korero_ the Kingites, headed by their -chiefs, assembled on the flat within the settlement. They squatted -about in attractive groups, and the entire assembly formed a compact -semicircle composed of men, women, and children of all ages; while -the bright and almost dazzling colours of their varied, and, in many -instances, eccentric costumes formed an interesting picture, in which -were blended the most singular and striking contrasts. Some of the men -were habited entirely in European attire, others affected more becoming -native costumes, and had their heads decked with feathers, while not -a few were got up in a style which seemed to indicate that they were -undergoing what might be considered, from a Darwinian point of view, -the "transition period" between savage and civilized life. The women, -of whom there were many, had donned their holiday finery, and although -their flowing skirts were evidently not designed after the most -fashionable model, this defect was made up in no small degree by the -glowing effects of the bright colours of the variegated material out -of which they were made. Crimson, yellow, and blue were the prevailing -tints, and one by no means unattractive damsel had her lithe form -swathed in a shawl on which were depicted all the various designs of a -pack of cards. - -[Illustration: MAJOR TE WHEORO, M.H.R.] - -There were many half-castes of both sexes among the throng, and the -strain of European blood, which in most cases might be distinctly -traced, had evidently, by one of those singular processes of nature -which it is difficult to understand, aided to produce in them here, -as elsewhere, a robust and healthy race of people. Many of the girls -of this class, with their swarthy complexions and well-rounded limbs, -were very comely-looking, and one young lady, habited in a well-fitting -purple silk dress, and with a very handsome native shawl of many -colours thrown artistically across her gracefully formed shoulders, -attracted the admiring glances of all present. She spoke English -fluently, and with her fascinating air, dark eyes, and remarkable -Spanish cast of countenance, she appeared more suited to grace the -_Prado_ of Madrid than the primitive _marae_[11] of Whatiwhatihoe. In -singular contrast to this attractive daughter of the King Country was -an albino woman, with light flaxen hair, pink eyes, and a complexion -which, if it had been washed, might have rivalled the snowy whiteness -of alabaster. Her lips were marked in the ordinary Maori fashion, and, -so far as her outward appearance went, she was stout and well-built, -and appeared to be as fine a specimen of her kind as I had seen in any -part of the world. - -[Illustration: TE TUHI. - -(_A Chief of the Waikato Tribe._)] - -When Tawhiao appeared in the midst of his people, he had cast aside -his European costume, and had swathed himself after the native fashion -in a white blanket, with broad pink stripes upon it. At the moment of -the arrival of the Native Minister the king was seated by the side of -his wife Pare Hauraki, and in the centre of the semicircle formed by -the Waikato chiefs and other natives, and as Mr. Bryce drew near he -raised himself from the ground and approached to welcome him. As soon -as the friendly greetings were over, the Native Minister and the king -seated themselves upon the ground face to face, and, having regarded -each other for some time with an air of mutual satisfaction, Tawhiao -arose, and, resuming his original position in the midst of the natives, -arranged his blanket in _toga_ fashion across his breast, and raising -his bare right arm, began his speech in slow, but well-delivered tones, -and with the calm, confident air of one who had been accustomed to -sway the multitude and to speak, as he expressed it in the figurative -language of his race, "straight from his breast." His short harangue, -however, was carefully framed with all the customary art of Maori -diplomacy, and with a view to show that the occasion was simply one -for the mutual expression of goodwill on both sides. Not the faintest -reference at this time was made to his future line of policy, nor was -there a single hint to indicate that any new departure was about to -be initiated calculated to alter the political relationship existing -between the Maori and Pakeha. It was in every sense a carefully -worded discourse, and proved beyond a doubt that the trite saying of -Voltaire, that language was invented to disguise our thoughts, was -equally appreciated by savage as by civilized races. - -[Illustration: ALBINO WOMAN, KING COUNTRY.] - -Tawhiao's speech, however, when finally declining the proposals of the -Native Minister, when, in face of all the inducements held out to him, -he stoutly refused to resign his _mana_, or sovereign authority, is -worthy a place here, not only as an interesting example of the Maori -style of oratory, but likewise as a touching proof of the deep-rooted -desire of the old king to remain at the head of his decaying race. - -[Illustration: WHITIORA WIROUIRU TE KOMETE. - -(_A Chief of the Waikato Tribe._)] - -Tawhiao, who spoke with evident emotion on this occasion, said: "My -word is, do not speak at all; only listen" (addressed to his people). -"The best way of speaking is to listen. If this European" (the Native -Minister) "rises, the best thing to do is to listen. This is my word, -hearken you" (to Mr. Bryce). "I approve of you administering affairs -on that side--the European side. But my word is, I will jump on that -side, and stand. I have nothing to say. My only reason for going on -that side is to hear--to listen, so that I may know. I say I will -remain in the positions of my ancestors and my parents in this island -of Aotearoa.[12] I will remain here; and as for my proceedings, let -me proceed along my own line. I have nothing to say; I have only to -listen, so that I may know. After I have listened I will come back -to this side of our line.[13] Say what you have to say. That is my -thought, that I will remain here, in the place where my ancestors and -fathers trod; but if I had trodden anywhere else, then I could be -spoken to about it. I still adhere to the word that existed from the -commencement. The queen was not divided; her rule has been obeyed. Now, -say what you have to say. With me there is no trouble or darkness. What -I have said to you is good; it has been said in the daylight, while -the sun is shining. I do not mind falling, if only I do not fall as my -cloak would fall. I can traverse all the words. This is another word of -mine. I am teaching; I will remain here. You can remain on your side -and administer affairs, and I will remain on my side. Let me be here, -on this side of our own line. Speak while the sun is shining. It has -been said for a long time that the Europeans are against me. My reply -to that is, that the _pakeha_ is with me. But let me remain here at -Aotearoa. I will direct my people this very day as we sit here. I will -not go off in any new direction, but will be as my ancestors were." - -[Illustration: PAORA TU HAERE. - -(_Head Chief of the Ngati Whatua Tribe._)] - -After the Native Minister had replied to the king's speech, the -present of provisions given by the government, consisting of beef, -flour, sugar, and biscuits, was hauled to the front in bullock drays, -and, after being piled into a heap, Major Te Wheoro stepped forward -and acknowledged the donation on the part of the natives. When this -ceremony was concluded, loud shouts of joyful voices were heard in -the distance, and from each side of the _marae_ two separate bands of -about 200 women and girls came dancing along in variegated costumes, -with small baskets in their hands made of plaited flax, and filled with -cooked potatoes, roasted pork, and fish. They rounded up in front of -the meeting with a measured step, between a skip and a hop, and when -they had deposited their burdens in a heap, and grinned immensely, as -if to show their white teeth, half a dozen stalwart men came forward -with roasted pigs cut in twain, or rather amputated down the centre of -the spine. When these sweet luxuries had swelled the dimensions of the -_kai_,[14] Te Ngakau stepped forward, and, taking up a pronged stick, -or roasting-fork, formally presented this token of hospitality to the -government, which in its turn, according to custom, and to avoid the -incubus of a "white elephant," returned it with thanks to the natives. - -Feasting then became the order of the day, and joining the king's -circle, we partook of the kindly fruits of the earth with unalloyed -satisfaction; and as table requisites were not plentiful, we dispensed -with those baubles of modern progress, and ate after the primitive mode -of our forefathers. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote 11: _Marae_, an open space in front of a native settlement.] - -[Footnote 12: _Aotearoa_ is the ancient native name for the North -Island; it is equivalent to "_land of bright sunlight_."] - -[Footnote 13: Meaning the _Aukati_ or boundary-line separating the King -Country from the European portion of the colony.] - -[Footnote 14: _Kai_, Maori word for food.] - - - - -CHAPTER III. - -ASCENT OF PIRONGIA. - - Mount Pirongia--Geological features--The ascent--A fair prospect. - - -[Illustration: HATI WIRA TAKAHI. - -(_Chief of the Ngapuhi Tribe._)] - -The steep, rugged heights of Mount Pirongia are at all times an -attractive feature in the splendid landscape which stretches along -the course of the Waikato River and thence through the valley of the -Waipa to the very borders of the King Country. Rising to a height of -3146 feet above the level of the sea, the conical peaks of this grand -mountain stand boldly out against the sky as they change and shift, -as it were, with magical effect, when viewed from different points -of vantage, now assuming the form of gigantic pyramids, now swelling -into dome-shaped masses connected by long, sweeping ridges which lose -themselves in deep ravines, and rolling slopes whose precipitous sides -sometimes end in steep precipices, or open out into broad valleys -covered from base to summit by a thick mantle of vegetation. When -beheld from a distance, Pirongia appears to have been moulded by the -hand of nature into the most subdued and graceful proportions, over -which are constantly playing the most enchanting effects of light and -shade, and it is not until one stands at the base of this stupendous -mountain of eruptive rock that one fully realizes the bold features -of its rugged outline, as one contemplates in wonder the work of those -terrific subterranean forces which, at some period or another, caused -this volcanic giant to rear its rugged head above the surrounding -plains. Beneath the bright morning light, or when evening spreads -its mellow tints over the heavens, the mountain is seen to its best -advantage; but when the heavily laden clouds from the west sweep in -from the sea, they gather round the lofty summit of Pirongia in a thick -pall of vapoury mist, and then, bursting into a flood of rain, roll -down its steep sides to swell the current of the Waipa. - -[Illustration: TAWHAO NGATUERE. - -(_A Chief of the Ngatikahunu Tribe._)] - -When viewed from a geological point of view, Pirongia formed evidently -at some remote period of its history the centre of an extended volcanic -action to which the extensive ranges stretching from this point in -many ramifications to the west coast, and thence in the direction of -Whaingaroa harbour in the north and Kawhia harbour in the south, owe -their origin. When standing upon the summit of the mountain, it may be -plainly seen that the Pirongia ranges diverge in all directions from -a common centre, formed by the most elevated portion of the volcanic -cone which constitutes the highest point of the mountain chain. For a -considerable distance to the north and south, and as far west as the -coast, this mountainous system extends in an almost continuous line, -and assumes an elevation which varies from nearly 2000 to 3000 feet -above the level of the sea, but it gradually diminishes in altitude -towards the east, in the form of low hills and undulating slopes which -finally merge into the broad plains which mark the upper and lower -valleys of the Waipa. Throughout these extensive ranges there is little -or no open country, but mountain top after mountain top, ridge after -ridge, ravine after ravine, stretch away as far as the eye can reach -in a confused rugged mass covered with a dense and almost impenetrable -vegetation. The summit or highest point of Pirongia, which assumes -the form of a large oval-shaped, though now much broken, crater, was -evidently the central point of eruption of the volcanic forces which -caused the various higher ranges and lower hills to radiate from this -point and assume their serrated and disjointed form, and it is here, as -well as in the numerous gullies and ravines which spring from it, that -the geological features of the various rocks may be more distinctly -traced. As in all formations of the kind in its vicinity, the igneous -rocks predominate, and of these trachyte is the most common; huge -masses of this rock cropping up everywhere above the surface of the -mountain. Scoria, obsidian, pumice, and other volcanic rocks likewise -occur, their gradual decomposition serving to form a dark rich soil, -which covers the sides of the mountain and gives life to its splendid -vegetation. - -[Illustration: A CHIEF OF THE NGATIPROA TRIBE.] - -When I made the ascent of Pirongia it was in the pleasant company of -Mr. F.J. Moss, Member of the House of Representatives. The country -around the eastern base of the mountain was composed of a series of -low, fern-clad hills, intersected by small swamps and watercourses fed -principally from the mountain springs. - -[Illustration: PARATENE TE MANU. - -(_A Chief of the Ngatiwai Tribe._)] - -The moment we left the fern hills and entered the forest all the -varied beauties of its rich growth burst upon the view. The steep -ascent of the mountain began almost at once, and our path lay along -the precipitous ridges which sweep down on every side from its summit, -clothed with a thick growth of enormous trees, and rich in all the -wondrous creations of a primeval vegetation. Among the many giants of -the vegetable world was the _rata_, which, clothed with its curious -growth of parasitical plants, towered high above its compeers of the -forest. Many of these trees were of enormous size, especially when -they grew in the low, damp gullies, where they attained to a height -of considerably over a hundred feet, with a girth of from thirty to -forty feet at their base. A few of these giants were scattered about -the high ridges, but they appeared to thrive best, and to attain their -greatest girth, near the low, damp beds of the small watercourses, -which, bursting from the adamantine sides of the mountain, and leaping -along their rocky course, formed the only music that enlivened these -bush-bound solitudes. - -[Illustration: TUKUKINO. - -(_Head Chief of the Ngatitematera._)] - -When we reached the summit of the mountain, we emerged from the thick -forest on to an open spot which commanded a delightful prospect. -Turning towards the west, we stood on the brink of a precipice which -fell in a clear descent of 1000 feet into the ravine below; here and -there a jutting mass of rock stood out in rugged grandeur from the -adamantine wall of stone, but otherwise a thick growth of matted scrub -covered the sides and bottom of this enormous fissure, and so dense -and entangled was the vegetation as we looked down upon it, that it -appeared quite possible to walk upon the tops of the trees without -falling to the ground. Far beyond this, mountain after mountain rolled -away in the distance, until the eye rested on the grand expanse of -Kawhia Harbour, dotted with its broad inlets and numerous headlands, -which rose in picturesque beauty above the deep-blue outline of the -distant sea. North-westerly from this point the bright waters of Aotea -Harbour lay embosomed in a semicircle of hills, and, beyond again, -Mount Karioi rose from the borders of the ocean to an altitude of 2300 -feet. East and south of this the Whanga Ranges bounded the horizon, -and right opposite to Pirongia the bold peaks of Maungakawa and -Maungatautari rose into view. Between this wide area there were lower -hills which radiated from the mountain ranges, but it could be plainly -seen that the greater portion of the country was formed of level plains -dotted here and there with small lakes and extensive swamps, through -which the Waikato and the Waipa, with their numerous tributaries, could -be traced as they wound for miles away in the distance. Here and there -upon the cultivated flats the white houses of the settlers, embowered -amidst orchards and gardens, dotted the landscape, while Alexandra, -Kihikihi, Hamilton, and Cambridge, and numerous other settlements, -served to mark the spots where future cities may ere long grow into -existence, and add wealth and prosperity to this fertile land. It was, -however, when gazing in the direction of the south, where the King -Country lay stretched for miles before us in all the wide, rich beauty -of a virgin country, that the grandest natural scenery burst upon the -view, and charmed the imagination with the thought of a bright future. -The _aukati_ or boundary-line could be distinctly traced, on the one -side by farms and homesteads, and on the other by the huts of the -natives; but beyond these features there was nothing to denote that -the territory to the north was the abode of enlightenment, and that -the land to the south was a primeval wilderness still wrapped in the -darkness of primitive barbarism. - -[Illustration: TE RAIA NGAKUTU TE TUMUHUIA. - -(_Head Chief of the Ngatitematera tribe. Last of the New Zealand -Cannibals._)] - - - - -THE LAKE COUNTRY. - - - - -CHAPTER IV. - -AUCKLAND TO OHINEMUTU. - - The flank movement--Auckland Harbour--Tauranga--Whakari--The - _tuatara_--_En route_--The Gate Pa--All that remains--Oropi--A - grand forest--Mangorewa Gorge--Mangorewa River--A region of eternal - fire. - - -A little short of five months after the events which I have recorded -in the previous chapters took place, I embarked on board the S.S. -_Glenelg_, for Tauranga. I had selected to travel by this way as I had -determined to reach the Lake Country by the East Coast, pass through -the centre of the island, enter the King Country at its southern -extremity, and, if possible, carry on my explorations northward to -Alexandra. Owing to the unsatisfactory condition of the Native Question -at that time, the undertaking appeared to be a hopeless one, but I -resolved to give it a fair trial, and as the _Glenelg_ glided over -the calm waters of Auckland Harbour, half the difficulties which had -previously presented themselves to my mind seemed to disappear with -the fading rays of the sun as they played over the water, cast fitful -shadows athwart the romantic islands of the bay, and lit up the tall -spires of the receding city. - -As we sped on in the golden twilight, some of the most attractive -views were obtained of the renowned harbour which places the northern -capital of New Zealand at the head of all antipodean cities for -grandeur of scenery, and as a mart for commerce, and which, in time -to come, should transform it into the Naples of the Pacific. On every -side the most delightful prospects unfolded themselves; the city with -its forest of houses rising and falling over hill and valley, and -clustering around the tall, grassy cones, once the scene of raging -volcanic fires, next crowned with Maori _pas_, and now dotted with neat -villas. Small inlets and jutting points of land came constantly before -the gaze; the forest-clad mountains of Cape Colville and Coromandel -mounted boldly above the sea; in the east, Kawau, the island home of -Sir George Grey, rose in the north, backed by the rugged peaks of -the Barrier Islands; while right in the centre of this grand picture -the volcanic cone of Rangitoto towered to a height of 800 feet above -the wide expanse of water. Every point, each sinuous bay and jutting -headland, was rich in a varied vegetation of the brightest green, -and as the softly tinted light--violet, crimson, and yellow--so -characteristic of New Zealand sunsets, mingled with the deep blue of -the sea as the shades of evening crept on, and the stars shone forth -from above--the whole surroundings, as our vessel glided rapidly on her -way, combined to form an ever-changing panorama of unrivalled beauty. - -When, early on the following morning, we steamed into Tauranga Harbour, -the sea was as smooth as a sheet of glass, the heavens were blue and -cloudless, and the town, the fern-clad hills, and the mountains in the -distance, completed one of the most attractive pictures of New Zealand -scenery I had ever beheld. In front the neat white houses of the -settlement rose from the very edge of the lake-like expanse of water, -the country beyond lay stretched before the gaze in a broad expanse -of green, whilst the bold outline of the coast, with its jutting -headlands, extended for miles on either side. - -[Illustration: WHAKARI, OR WHITE ISLAND.] - -Tauranga is not a large place, but its situation is delightful. It -is built mostly along the west shore of the harbour, and commands a -splendid view of the great ocean beyond, with its picturesque islands, -which rise in fantastic shape, from the broad surface of the Bay of -Plenty. The harbour, which is completely landlocked, and safe in all -weathers, stretches out before the town in the form of an inland lake. -The rugged islands of Tuhua, Karewha, and Motiti rise abruptly from the -surrounding sea, while in the distance, towards the east, the geysers -and boiling springs of Whakari send up their clouds of steam. - -[Illustration: THE TUATARA.] - -Whakari, or White Island, which lies about thirty miles from the shore -in the Bay of Plenty, is a cone-shaped mountain rising abruptly from -the sea to an altitude of 860 feet. The crater, about a mile and a half -in circumference, is in the condition of a very active solfatara, whose -numerous geysers and boiling springs evolve at all times dense volumes -of steam and sulphurous gases. There are large deposits of sulphur -surrounding the crater, and several small warm lakes of sulphurous -water. It lies in the line of active thermal action which stretches -across the North Island through the Lake Country to the volcano of -Tongariro, with which, according to native tradition, it is supposed to -be connected by a subterranean channel. - -The small rocky island of Karewha in the Bay of Plenty is remarkable -as being the only remaining abode of the _tuatara_ (_Hatteria -punctata_,[15]) the largest lizard in New Zealand. It is a -non-venomous reptile, about eighteen inches long, with a ridge of -sharp-pointed spines like a fringe down its back, and which it raises -or depresses at pleasure. - -When I left Tauranga, well mounted, _en route_ for the Lake Country, -the air was delightfully fresh and balmy, and the fervid glow of the -sun soon dispelled the vapoury mist that hung around. All the roads -leading out of the town were white with shell, and fringed with trees, -among which the tall poplar and weeping willow were conspicuous by -their luxuriance, while the bright verdure contrasted pleasantly with -the picturesque villas, around which all the beauties of the floral -world flourished in luxuriance. Here the grass was of an emerald green, -the trees looked as fresh as if growing under the influence of an -English spring, the jasmine, the clematis, and the honeysuckle wound -their graceful tendrils about, and whole acres of sweetbriar scented -the air with its delightful perfume. The country soon opened out into -broad plains and undulating hills, which rose in the form of a bold -amphitheatre to the forest-clad heights beyond, until suddenly there -appeared right in front of me an extensive expanse of fern. - -Away over the plains, down the slopes of the ravines, over the distant -hills and into the valleys beyond, fern, fern, nothing but fern, rolled -away in every direction as far as the eye could reach, its green, -waving surface losing itself in the distance like a boundless sea. I -had beheld many bits of scenery in the colony similar to this, but -this wild fern-clad region had a special charm about it, for it had -gained for itself a place in the history of New Zealand which will be -as memorable, perhaps, in time to come as are the plains of Hastings, -where Norman and Saxon fought for the mastery of Britain. - -The road hereabouts passed over a slight elevation which assumed the -form of a circular hill about fifty feet high, but the ascent to which -was very gradual from the plain below, while it was naturally flanked -by deep gullies down to which the sides of the hill fall in a long -sweep. There was nothing in this place to render it remarkable other -than the fact that it was formerly the site of the celebrated Gate -Pa,[16] and it was to the east of it, in the fern-clad flat below, -just eighteen years ago, that General Cameron, with two regiments of -infantry and a body of marines, numbering in all 4000 men, took up his -position to storm one of the most formidable of Maori strongholds. -Thoroughly equipped with all the appliances of modern warfare, the 43rd -and 68th Regiments manoeuvred into position to attack a force of 500 -natives armed only with the rifle and tomahawk, and entrenched behind -a rude stockade of _manuka_ and fern. At first victory seemed easy for -the Imperial forces, and, with such powerful allies as the bayonet -and Armstrong gun, there appeared little more to do than to scale the -redoubts, storm the rifle-pits, and place their colours on the summit -of the Gate Pa. But with that cunning strategy which characterizes -savage races in the art of war, the Maoris had hit upon a grand idea -to deceive their enemies. They did not place their red fighting-flags -in the _pa_ where their main forces were, as the _pakeha_ would -have done, but they distributed them in outlying positions below -the stockade, and then they surrounded their false encampments with -barricades of plaited twigs, and covered their rifle-pits with roofs -of fern. The stratagem was successful, and Cameron directed his -fire against these decoys, but of course without effect. The firing -continued from daylight until late in the afternoon, when a storming -party was told off to rush the place. The gallant 43rd were the first -to scale the stockades of the _pa_, but their leader was immediately -shot down, and they retreated in disorder; while the 68th, charging the -right flank of the enemy's position, were thrice repulsed and driven -back under a galling fire. It was now found, just as at Balaclava, that -"some one had blundered," and that the British were firing upon one -another instead of upon the enemy. The natives now, surrounded within -the _pa_, rallied their forces, and as the dark masses swept down upon -the thin red line fighting with the bravery of despair, a panic seized -the Imperial troops, and then began one of the most terrible repulses -and massacres ever experienced by British arms. - -Every vestige of the Gate Pa has now disappeared, and nothing but a -small homestead, a ploughed field, and a few Australian gum-trees -mark the spot where this most disastrous of Anglo-Maori battles was -fought, and yet, although peace and prosperity seemed to smile around -as I passed over the old battle-field, I could imagine that I beheld -the rude stronghold intact, the red coats crowding up the heights, and -the flash of bayonet and tomahawk as the bullets whistled overhead -and the shells burst in the air, as the fierce savages dashed forward -massacring their foes with a deadly and cruel hatred, and shouting -loud war-cries which drowned the British cheers in sounds of agony -and death. And I could imagine all this the more vividly since it was -only the night before that I had wandered past the redoubt hard by -Tauranga to the small graveyard which crowned the summit of a cliff -that looked out over the clear waters of the bay. Here a tall monument -of pyramidal shape rose up at the further end, sacred to the memory of -the officers, non-commissioned officers, and privates who had fallen -in the East Coast campaign, while other smaller gravestones stood -about like sentinels. Most of these monuments were simple in design, -some were flat, some stood erect, and some were fashioned in the shape -of crosses, but each told its glorious tale; and as I traced out the -inscriptions by the light of the moon, I could read how one brave man -had met death at Te Ranga, and another at the Gate Pa. - -About thirteen miles from Tauranga I ascended to Oropi, which stands -at an elevation of over 1000 feet above the level of the sea, and at -the edge of the elevated table-land which extends for a considerable -distance beyond. Looking back along the road I had come, from this -point a delightful view was obtained of the surrounding country, with -Tauranga and its splendid harbour in the distance, while along the -coast might be traced the winding outline of the Bay of Plenty, with -its picturesque islands rising in rugged grandeur from the sea. The sun -blazed warm when I reached Oropi, and it was a delightful change from -the treeless, fern-clad country to enter the cool refreshing shade of -a magnificent forest, where giant trees, tall ferns, and myriads of -creeping plants and curious mosses and lichens charmed the eye by their -grandeur and variety at every turn. - -For a long distance the road took a gradual rise of about 400 feet from -Oropi, and then from a certain point at this elevation, that is to -say, at an altitude of about 1500 feet above the level of the sea, it -gradually descended 200 feet in the direction of the Mangorewa Gorge. - -It is not easy to convey an idea of the Mangorewa Gorge; but one must -imagine a mighty chasm some 200 feet deep, sunk like a pit on the top -of the mountains, which here rise to an altitude of about 1600 feet -above the sea, the adamantine sides of the gorge falling with a clear -descent of nearly 200 feet from their summit level. A sparkling stream, -the Mangorewa, fringed with colossal trees, wound at the bottom of -this walled ravine, and towering masses of rock rose up in the form of -bold bluffs and jutting buttresses along its wild and rugged course, -forming, as it were, the outline of a colossal stronghold built by the -gods to guard the entrance to the wondrous country beyond. - -As I gained the bottom of the ravine the steep, rocky crags stood -out in bold relief against the sky, the walls of rock gleamed white -beneath the rich growth of mosses, trees, and ferns that fought, as -it were, for life up the steep sides, while gay festoons of curious -creeping plants hung from their rugged edges high in the air above. The -Mangorewa River wound on its way from out a rich canopy of overhanging -trees, where the ferns, mosses, and curious parasitical growth, all -mingling together, shut out the rays of the sun from the vistas beyond, -and where the dark, dank groves, with their gnarled branches and -coiling vines, appeared like the realms of a deserted land. From the -bottom of the gorge the road ascended to an altitude of 210 feet to the -opposite crown of the range, and from this point a descent of 800 feet -was made to the great table-land of the Lake region. - -It was evening when I finally emerged from the forest, and then -the road descended rapidly as if into a basin surrounded by hills -and mountains, among which the sharp peaks of Mount Tarawera were -conspicuous by their rugged grandeur. Right in front the shining -surface of Lake Rotorua caught the last rays of the setting sun, while -on its shores the native _whares_ of Ohinemutu stood clustered about -amidst vapoury clouds of steam, when suddenly even the water flowing -from the side of the road bubbled up and smoked, and as the mists of -night mingled with the vapours around, I seemed to have arrived at a -region of eternal fire. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote 15: For a synopsis of the New Zealand _fauna_, see Appendix.] - -[Footnote 16: This word is often written _pah_, but, as a consonant is -never used as a terminal in the Maori language, the addition of the _h_ -is an innovation.] - - - - -CHAPTER V. - -HOT-SPRING LIFE. - - Ohinemutu and Lake Rotorua--Te Ruapeka--The old pa--Native - baths--Delightful bathing--A curious graveyard--Pigs--Area - of thermal action--Character of the springs--Chemical - constituents--Noted springs--Whakarewarewa--Te Koutu - Kahotawa--"Tenakoe, pakeha"--Hot and cold. - - -The township of Ohinemutu occupies one of the grandest situations -in the whole of the Lake district. It is built on a slight eminence -called Pukeroa, which rises with a gradual slope from the shores of -Lake Rotorua, whose bright blue waters add a romantic charm to the -surrounding country. - -In front the broad surface of the lake spreads itself out in a circle -of nearly twenty-five miles in circumference, and along the bright, -sandy shore of this beautiful sheet of water small bays, fringed with -trees, and jutting points, clothed with the greenest vegetation, add -variety to the attractive scene; beyond these again, wide, fern-clad -flats roll away to the base of the distant hills, which, rising in the -form of a complete semicircle around, seemed to have formed at some -period or another the area of an immense lake-basin, until the waters, -bursting into the rugged gorges, swept into the valleys of the country -beyond. Some of the hills fall with a gentle slope to the very brink of -the water, others send out their rock-bound spurs, while some, again, -mounting high above the rest, have their tall summits clothed with -dense forests; while deep ravines, thick with a marvellous growth of -vegetation, send down their crystal streams to mingle with the fierce -waters of the boiling springs, which skirt the lake and send forth -their jets and clouds of steam for miles around. - -The native settlement, Te Ruapeka, is situated on a long peninsula, -about 100 yards wide at its broadest part, narrowing gradually towards -its end, where it terminates in a sharp point, as it runs flatly out -almost on a level with the waters of the lake. - -Every part of this strip of land, from one end to the other, is dotted -about and riddled with thermal springs, some of which shoot out of the -ground from small apertures, while others assume the form of large, -steaming pools. They are of all degrees of temperature, from tepid heat -to boiling-point; and while you may cook your food in one, you may take -a delicious bath in another, and get scalded to death in a third. - -In former times a _pa_ stood at the further end of the peninsula, but -one stormy night a rumbling noise was heard, then a sound of hissing -steam, the trembling earth opened, and the _pa_ with all its people -sank bodily into the depths of the lake. - -All the _whares_ of the settlement are built, after the native fashion, -of _raupo_, with large recesses in front of the doorways, the woodwork -of which is curiously carved, and forms a very good specimen of the -Maori order of architecture. The _whares_ are clustered promiscuously -about the springs, and it is no unfrequent occurrence to see a stalwart -savage, a buxom woman with a baby in her arms, a sprightly youth, or -a dark-eyed damsel come out from the carved portals of a hut in the -primitive costume of our first parents, and jump into one of the many -square stone baths dotted about, and with no other regard for their -neighbours who may be standing or squatting around than if they were so -many carved images. - -[Illustration: NATIVE WOMAN AND CHILD. - -(_Ohinemutu._)] - -The natives use these baths at all times of the day, and even at all -times of the night--that is to say, if a man feels chilly in bed, he -gets up and makes for his bath in order to get warm again. Bathing here -seems to be a second nature, and the women and girls arrange afternoon -bath-parties just as we might assemble our friends at an afternoon tea. - -There is something very delightful in bathing in the open in one -of these thermal springs. I had my first and last Turkish bath in -Constantinople, where the whole process had been so elaborately -improved upon by all that Eastern art for luxury could devise, that to -go through the ordeal was positively painful, by reason of the state -of luxuriousness to which it had been wrought. Here all is primitive -simplicity, ceremony is dispensed with, perfumes--at least of "Araby -the blest"--are unknown. You sniff the fresh air, which in these parts -feels like the elixir of life, plunge in, and sit for hours, mooning -the time away in a soft, stimulating heat, beneath the glowing rays of -the sun; and if you are not satisfied with this, to complete the luxury -you may leave the bath, and sit down, naked as you are, on a seat of -heated slabs, where you may be steamed and "vaporized" on the coldest -day or the most frigid night without fear of taking cold or of being -doubled up by rheumatism. - -Not only do the natives use the springs for bathing and curative -purposes, and not only do they warm their houses by their means, and -perform all their culinary duties by their aid, but they actually bury -their dead among them. I went down to the further point of the native -settlement, where there is a small graveyard situated among boiling -springs and steaming fissures that crop up everywhere over the ground, -as if the volcanic fires below were just ready to burst forth and -swallow up the living with the dead. Portions of curious carvings, old -canoes, and grotesque figures in wood lay scattered about in every -direction, and one was apt to wonder how it was that they had not long -since been destroyed or carted off to grace some antiquarian museum -as relics of a rude art which is fast falling into decay. But these -remnants of native industry were all _tapu_, and were as sacred in the -eyes of the Maoris as would be a piece of the "true cross" on the altar -of a cathedral in Catholic Spain. There was a small, dilapidated hut -here filled with coffins containing the remains of several celebrated -chiefs, and not far off was an oblong tomb, built of wood, surmounted -by a cross, and as I gazed upon it and then upon the grotesque figures -lying around, it seemed as if the darkness of heathenism had grappled -here with the light of Christianity. It was sacred to the beloved wife -of Rotohiko Haupapa, the giant chief of Rotorua. Immediately behind -it was a spring with a temperature a little over boiling-point--in -fact, anywhere in the vicinity it was only necessary to sit upon the -grass, and you would find the heat from below rise up at once, or to -put your finger beneath the roots, when the soil would feel hot enough -to boil an egg. It appeared strange that the dead should be buried in -so singular a spot (unless they had done something very naughty when -in the flesh), and as the hot water bubbled up and hissed through the -fissures of the rocks, it seemed to whisper forth the sighs of those -below. - -When walking around the _whares_, and noticing the various phases -of Maori hot-spring life, I saw half a dozen members of the porcine -tribe come quietly along with an easy, self-satisfied air, as if they -had just gone through their morning ablutions in the warm, bubbling -fountains, and were going to root round for steamed potatoes, boiled -cabbage, and other delicacies. Suddenly a half-naked Maori slunk out -of his hut, with a long knife between his teeth. Quick as thought, -and with the skill of a champion assassin, he seized the foremost pig -by the hind leg. A prod from the knife, and the crimson blood of the -murdered animal mingled with a rill of boiling water, which was running -past in a hurry, as it were, to cool itself in the lake. A twist of the -wrist, and the pig was jerked into a steaming pool, where the heated -waters twirled and hissed as if in a red-hot cauldron. Out again in an -instant, and then he set to work to scrape off the bristles, which came -away in flakes, as if they had simply been stuck on by nature by the -aid of a little glue, and the skin of the porker gleamed white as snow -beneath the sun. In two minutes more he was disemboweled, and then he -was placed over a steam-hole, with a couple of sacks over him, to be -cooked for the evening meal. From the time that pig gaily walked the -earth until the end of that terrible process, about fifteen minutes -expired. - -The area in the immediate vicinity of Lake Rotorua where the action -of the thermal springs is most active may be said to extend from -Whakarewarewa on the one side to Te Koutu on the other. The distance -between the two points is about three and a half miles, the thermal -action extending inland for about a mile from the border of the lake to -Ariki Kapakapa, celebrated for its big holes of black, boiling mud. A -short distance from the eastern shore of the lake is Tikitere, a narrow -valley in the centre of which is a boiling-water basin, about seventy -feet in diameter, and which is surrounded in every direction by hot -mud-pools and boiling springs. Close to Tikitere is Lake Rotoiti,[17] -whose deep bays and jutting headlands impart to it a very beautiful -appearance. Hot springs occur on its southern shore, while still -further to the east of it, again, are the warm lakes known as Rotoma -and Rotoehu, the waters of the two latter being rendered of a greyish, -opaque colour by the action of the subaqueous springs. - -All the country within the existing range of thermal action, and, in -fact, considerably beyond it, bears the distinctive traces of the -combined work of fire and water, while the ground for miles around is -covered with silicious and sulphurous deposits, together with pumice, -scoria, obsidian, alum, oxide of iron, and various other products, the -result of the igneous and aqueous action which is everywhere observable -in the form of geysers, hot springs, boiling mud-holes, _solfataras_, -and _fumaroles_, and which are known to the natives under the more -general terms of _ngawha, puia_, and _waiariki_.[18] All the geysers -and most of the springs are intermittent, while not a few are very -erratic in their movements, subsiding in one place and breaking out -in another with wonderful rapidity. The water of some of the springs -is as blue and as bright as crystal, in others it is of a greenish -tint, while in not a few it assumes a dirty yellow colour. Nearly -every spring possesses properties peculiar to itself, and mostly all -are more or less efficacious in the treatment of rheumatic and nervous -complaints, and cutaneous and spinal disorders. - -[Illustration: NATIVE VILLAGE. - -(_Lake Rotoiti_). - -_Page 62._] - -Upon analysis, the springs are found to contain various chemical -ingredients, but in different proportions, according to the quality or -properties of the water. Among the principal chemical bodies may be -mentioned the chlorides of sodium, potassium, lithium, calcium, and -magnesium; the sulphates of soda, lime, potash, magnesia, alumina, -and iron; the silicates of soda, lime, and magnesia. In the acids, -hydrochloric, sulphuric, and muriatic are found in abundance, while -both sulphuretted hydrogen and carbonic acid gas are largely evolved. - -The most important springs are situated at Sulphur Point--a small -peninsula at the southern end of Lake Rotorua. One of the most noted -is Whangapipiro, a large circular pool of hot saline water, with -silicates, and with an alkaline reaction. The water, which is only a -few degrees below boiling-point, is perfectly blue, and as clear as -crystal, and when you look down into its deep and apparently fathomless -basin, the white, alabaster-like deposits of silica hanging around its -sides make it appear like a picturesque grotto formed of coral rock. -Near to this bath is Te Kauhanga, or the "Pain-killer," the water of -which is saline, with excess of acid and acid reaction. It is very -efficacious in cases of acute rheumatism, and many marvellous cures -are said to have been effected by it. Not far distant is Te Kauwhanga, -a large, muddy basin, with a constant discharge of gas, which rises -in the form of large bubbles upon the slimy-looking surface. The -waters of this bath are slightly saline, with excess of acid and acid -reaction, while the gas which is constantly evolved produces upon -many, when inhaled, similar effects to those of laughing-gas. Nearer -to the lake is Te Pupunitanga formed by a warm spring of transparent -water, the properties of which are aluminous, and strongly acid, with -acid reaction. The water of this spring is very beneficial in cases -of acute rheumatism and cutaneous disorders, and when used in its -natural state--that is to say, without the admixture of fresh water--it -produces a tingling sensation, and causes the skin to assume for a -short time the redness of a boiled lobster. The "Coffee-pot" is a -hole about twelve feet in diameter, full of hot, bubbling mud of the -colour of coffee, and which rolls and splutters about in a constant -state of ebullition. The "Sulphur Cups," not far distant, are formed -by small sulphurous springs of various degrees of temperature, which -flow out of circular, cup-shaped basins, about four feet in diameter, -around which the bright yellow mineral is deposited in the form of -glittering crystals, while the "Cream Cups"--delicate and beautiful in -formation--are fashioned out of cup-shaped craters, from the centre of -each of which shoots forth a jet of sulphurous gas and steam. - -From Sulphur Point I rode across to Whakarewarewa. Situated about two -miles to the south-west, and at the base of a range of bare hills, -was a native settlement, surrounded by a wide area of thermal action. -Here the geysers, hot springs, mud-holes, mud-cones, and _solfataras_ -were scattered about in every direction, while the ground hissed and -seethed, as it were, in fury beneath one's feet. It was just such a -place where you would expect at any moment to go head-first into a -mud-hole or boiling spring, or be scalded to death by a shower of hot -water from the big geysers as they threw up their steaming columns -of silvery liquid high into the air with a loud, rumbling sound like -distant thunder. One of the largest geysers here, called by the -natives Waikite, issues from a cone of silicious rock nearly fifty -feet high and over a hundred feet in diameter, and in its most active -moments throws up an enormous column of boiling water to a height of -sixty feet. Many of the numerous springs here possess great curative -properties, while the mud-holes and fumaroles are amongst the largest -and most active in the district. - -At Te Koutu, which lies on the shores of the lake, about a mile on the -north side of Ohinemutu, there is a very interesting chain of warm -springs and mud-holes. This is one of the most beautiful situations -on Rotorua, of which a splendid view is obtained, with the island of -Mokoia in the distance, and the forest-clad mountain Ngongotaha, rising -to a height of 2554 feet above the level of the sea, and just in rear -of the small native settlement, which here skirts the margin of the -wide expanse of water. There is one beautiful spring here, called -Tupuhi, of clear, hot water, which fills a snow-white silicious basin, -about ninety feet long, while within a few feet of it is a circular -basin of the same kind, in which the water is only of tepid heat. It -is surrounded by a mantle of green grass, and the water of the darkest -blue makes it look like a big turquoise set in a border of alabaster -and emeralds. - -I was shown round this locality by a native guide, who took me to -a large hole where a warm spring, called Kahotawa, bubbled up in a -mixture of greenish mud and scum. Its black sides were overgrown with -ferns, and a few sticks were placed across it in a mystic, cabalistic -kind of way. When we got near to it, I noticed that my guide drew back, -and when I motioned for him to follow me, in order to explain the -mystery, he informed me in the most solemn way that it was _tapu_ for -the Maori, but not for the _pakeha_. He afterwards stated that it was -sacred to an aged chief, or _rangatira_, who had been buried in it. I -did not envy the old man his last resting-place, for I had never seen a -grave that looked so much like a cauldron of hot turtle soup. - -Soon afterwards I passed in front of a _whare_ built within a few -feet of the lake, where there was an open bath right in front of the -doorway. It was formed of a few slabs let into the ground, like a -square box, to hold the water. A small warm spring filled it, and then -ran over its sides into the lake. I should not have taken any notice -of this simple contrivance, had it not been for the fact that a maiden -of some seventeen summers was reclining at full length in it, in the -simple yet attractive costume of Eve, and with a short black pipe in -her mouth. I had stepped round the corner of the hut, and was within -a foot of going head-first into the bath before her well-rounded -form met my gaze. She was, however, in no way disconcerted by this -_contretemps_, but, fixing her dark eyes upon me, said, in the most -unconcerned way imaginable, "_Tenakoe, pakeha_."[19] There was not the -slightest tinge of immodesty in her manner; she simply lay shining -beneath the sun, with all the grace with which nature had endowed her, -looking like a beautiful bronze statue encased in a block of crystal. - -At some distance further on I got into a warm bath myself, which caused -a delightful sensation of glowing warmth, and when I was tired of this -I plunged into the cool water of the lake, which produced an effect -which seemed to brace up every nerve and muscle. There is nothing which -strings up the system so well as a mixed bath of this kind, and there -is no place where it can be enjoyed with greater comfort or pleasure -than at Te Koutu, where the springs are close to the shore, and where -the waters of the lake shallow gradually over a white bed of sandy -pumice. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote 17: The word _roto_ in Maori is equivalent to lake. Hence -Roto-rua, "lake number two;" Roto-iti, "small lake;" Roto-ma, "white -lake;" Roto-ehu, "muddy lake;" Roto-mohana, "warm lake," &c.] - -[Footnote 18: The term _ngawha_ is used to designate non-intermittent -springs and _solfataras; puia_ is applied to geysers and hot fountains; -_waiariki_ means a spring suitable for bathing.] - -[Footnote 19: _Tenakoe, pakeha_, "I salute you, stranger," is the usual -Maori salutation addressed to Europeans.] - - - - -CHAPTER VI. - -TRADITION, IDOLATRY, AND ROMANCE. - - Origin of the Maoris--Te Kupe--First canoes--The _runanga_ - house--Maori carving--Renowned ancestors--Tama te Kapua--Stratagem - of the stilts--Legend of the whale--The Arawa canoe--Noted - braves--Mokia--A curious relic--Gods of the Arawas--Mokia by - night--Hinemoa--A love song. - - -When I went to Te Ruapeka to view the _runanga_ house, it was in -company with Mr. C.O. Davis, a gentleman well-known throughout the -colony as an accomplished Maori scholar, and as one who has done much -to advance the spiritual welfare of the natives; and it was to his -kindly assistance I am indebted for much of the information I gained -on that occasion respecting the singular history of the Maori race, -and the remarkable legends connected with the graven images of their -curious temple of ancestor-worship. - -From the earliest period of Maori history Te Ruapeka has been the -principal home of the Ngatiwhakaue, a section of the great Arawa tribe, -whose territory extends over the Lake Country to the East Coast. -Attracted, as it were, from their first landing upon the island to -the magnificent scenery of this portion of the newly discovered land, -the Arawas made their homes among the lakes, whose very shores and -mountains echo even to the present day with their songs and legends. -Whence they and the remainder of their race came, or at what period -they arrived from their mysterious dwelling-place beyond the sea, is -one of those interesting events in connection with their history which -have been lost in the dim vista of the past. The Maoris of the present -day refer to Hawaiki as the fatherland of their race, and hence the -proverb: _I kune mai i Hawaiki te kune kai te kune tangata_, "the seed -of our coming is from Hawaiki, the seed of man"; but of the locality of -this place, beside the belief that it was an island somewhere in the -broad waters of the Pacific, absolutely nothing beyond conjecture is -known. They have, however, a distinct tradition that their ancestors -migrated to New Zealand in certain canoes, the names of which, with -the principal historical events connected with them, have been handed -down from father to son through countless generations,[20] and although -these ancestral reminiscences may appear to the ordinary mind like -a labyrinth of mythical fancies, since many of the incidents upon -which they have been founded appear to have been dimmed and distorted -by the march of time, yet when considered in connection with the -rude monuments which serve to perpetuate their memory, they form, as -it were, the missing links in the unwritten annals of a splendid, -albeit savage, race of people, who by their singular intelligence and -chivalrous valour will be remembered in the history of the world so -long as the brilliant record of the rise and progress of the British -Empire shall endure. - -According to general tradition, the first of the Maori race to reach -Aotearoa, as the North Island was termed by its original discoverers, -was Te Kupe. This hero, who may be looked upon as a kind of Maori -Columbus endowed with supernatural power, is said to have severed the -North Island from the Middle Island, and thus to have formed the wide -channel of water now known as Cook's Strait. His achievements are thus -commemorated in a characteristic native song:-- - - I'll sing, I'll sing of Kupe, great and brave, - Who launch'd his bark and cross'd the mighty wave; - He--when the world from chaos rose to birth-- - Divided into continents the earth; - He form'd the valleys, and the mountains too, - And gave the fruitful earth its vernal hue; - Alighting as a bird upon the deep, - He call'd the islands from their death-like sleep; - Then Kapiti and Mana[21] kiss'd the wave, - And Aropaoa[22] left its ocean grave; - These are the signs which my ancestor wrought, - When Aotearoa first his vision caught, - And now will I explore each nook and strand, - And take possession of this fertile land.[23] - -When Te Kupe returned to Hawaiki, he gave such a glowing account of -the size, beauty, and products of Aotearoa, that a fleet of canoes was -immediately raised by his people to proceed to the newly discovered -country.[24] Each canoe was under a separate navigator, and contained -representatives of the principal Hawaikian tribes with their head -chiefs and _arikis_, or high priests, and it was the final dispersion -of these canoes to different parts of the North Island which gave rise -to the great tribal divisions of the race as resented at the present -day by the Arawas, the Ngapuhi,[25] the Waikatos, Ngatimaniapoto, -Ngatituwharetoa, Ngatiawa, Ngatiruanui, Ngatihau, and others, with -their various intertribal _hapus_, or families. - -We found the _runanga_ house to be a well-built structure, about -seventy feet long, by forty feet in breadth. The carving about the -portals was of a very elaborate kind, and formed an interesting -specimen of native decorative art. On the left-hand side of the -entrance was a grotesquely carved figure, about twenty feet high, of -Pukaki, of the fifth generation of ancestors, and on the right-hand -side was an equally remarkable one of Pimiomarama, also of the fifth -generation.[26] At a short distance in front of the entrance was a tall -square flag-staff of singular design, and at the bottom of it a figure -of the chief Puruohutaiki elaborately tattooed in pink and white. -He is represented as grasping a _mere_, and is said, according to -Maori legend, to have been a noted ancestor in the mysterious land of -Hawaiki, and to have lived three generations before Tama te Kapua, to -whom the temple is dedicated. - -[Illustration: SPECIMEN OF MAORI CARVING.] - -Stepping inside the _runanga_ house, a very curious sight presented -itself. The roof, high and slanting, was supported by a decorated -ridge-pole, while the rafters, painted in bright colours of red, black, -and white, presented all those singular varieties of curved and twisted -lines which form one of the most remarkable features in the varied -designs of Maori decoration. In fact, it is the wonderful blending of -the circle and sweeping curve which adds to the carving and painting of -this ingenious race its special and most attractive charm, and places -it far beyond that of any other savage people for beauty combined with -a unique and graceful simplicity. - -The lower walls of the temple were entirely surrounded by grotesque -figures, representing renowned ancestors of the Arawa tribe, and whose -genealogy dated back both before and after the landing of the first -immigrants. All these singular effigies appeared at the first glance to -have been carved after the same model, but, upon closer examination, -it could be seen that each one had some peculiarity of feature, some -distinctive turn or twist in the singular design of its elaborate -carving, while each had some facial expression or bodily characteristic -for which the particular hero represented was supposed to have been -remarkable when in the flesh. One and all were depicted with distorted -features, protruding tongues, and defiant mien, while their big staring -eyes were formed of the pearly shell of the fresh-water mussel. - -As already stated, the _runanga_ house is dedicated to the memory of -Tama te Kapua, the captain of the _Arawa_ canoe. Before the canoe -landed, he acted the part of a primitive Lothario, and won the favours -of the wife of Ngatoroirangi, the _ariki_,[27] or chief priest of the -war craft. Indeed, he would appear to have been both a "gallant captain -and a bold." The effigy of this warrior occupies a central position -on the left on entering, and, curious to relate, he is represented as -standing on _poutoto_, or stilts. Now one of the legends connected with -the eventful life of this adventurous navigator is very remarkable. - -Ages ago there lived on the island of Hawaiki a chief named Uenuku, -who had a garden filled with a fruit called _poporo_. Tama te Kapua -went for that fruit at night-time on stilts. The tribe could not find -out who it was that committed these midnight depredations. There were -no foot-prints around. Taipo[28] was the man. At last they found Tama -te Kapua up a tree _in flagrante delicto_, stilts and all. The natives -cried out in exultation, "Ah, we will fell the tree, and catch him." -Tama te Kapua replied with the greatest _sangfroid_, "If you fell the -tree, and it falls on land, I shall escape; if it falls in the water, -you will be able to capture me." He had, however, studied the question -from a strategic point of view, and knew that it was "heads," he won; -"tails," they lost. The tree fell into the water, but Tama te Kapua -dodged his pursuers, and, striking out with his stilts, got off with a -clean sheet. - -It is not, however, for the above youthful escapade that the memory -of Tama te Kapua has been handed down to posterity in Maori song and -legend, but rather for what may be called the "stratagem of the whale," -and which in its inception appears to have been quite equal to that of -the "wooden horse" of classic memory. - -When the crew of the _Tainui_ canoe parted company with the crew of -the _Arawa_ canoe on the voyage from Hawaiki, the former came across -a whale. They captured the whale, and secured it by means of a rope -to a _pohutukawa_ tree on the coast, hard by Whangaparaoa. Early on -the morrow the _Arawa_ canoe came along, and sighted the whale. Tama -te Kapua resolved to annex the monster mammal. He could only do that, -however, with any show of justice, by establishing a preemptive right -to it. He was equal to the occasion. He fixed another rope to the -whale, but in so subtle and crafty a way as to leave no room for doubt -that the monarch of the sea had been first captured by his own crew. On -the following day a dispute arose between the two crews as to who had -captured the whale first, but Tama te Kapua pointed triumphantly to the -way his own rope was "bent on," whereat the Tainui braves struck their -colours, and sheered off. The _Tainui_ canoe passed along the coast to -the Tamaki River, where it was taken across the land to the Manukau, -and thence by sea to Kawhia, where it was drawn up. The _Arawa_ crew -landed at Maketu, where they ate the whale. - -The _Arawa_ canoe is represented by a somewhat rude design upon the -wall, fully manned with crew and fuglemen in full war-costume, while -the prow is plumed and carved like those of the present day. The sun -and moon are depicted in the heavens, and right ahead is a bright star, -representing the brilliant constellation which is said to have guided -Tama te Kapua and his followers to the shores of Aotearoa. Two trees, -presumably intended to represent _pohutukawas_, are ahead of the canoe, -and to one of these a whale is attached by a rope. - -There were many grotesque warriors and noted braves, around and among -them was a curious carved figure of Tutanekai, the lover of Hinemoa, -with his _putorino_, or flute, in his mouth, and by the magic strains -of which he caused the dark syren to swim, nymph-like, to his island -in the lake. It was a singular instrument, about a foot long, pointed -at both ends, and flattened out in the centre like a fish. Near to him -was the effigy of Uenukukopako, father of Whakatira, who was in his -turn father of Tutanekai, and with his tongue hanging far out of his -mouth, his eyes glaring wide, and his enormous hands pressed across his -stomach, he looked as if he were still suffering from the effects of -his adventures in the _Arawa_ canoe. Opposite was Whakatira, brother to -Tama te Kapua. He is also represented on stilts, and is said to have -been in partnership with his brother in the orchard-robbing business. -Here also was Tiki, with a flute in his mouth. He was the friend and -companion of Tutanekai. Near to him was Hurutirangi, grandson of -Tutanekai. He is represented as grasping a curious weapon, the top of -which was shaped like a bird's head. With this instrument he is said to -have killed a chief called Wahiao, of another tribe. Near to the top of -the central ridge-pole of the building was a curiously carved figure of -the warrior Whakarra, with his feet resting on the head of a dog called -_potokatawhiti_, and whose memory is curiously blended with the history -of the tribe. At the bottom of the pole was a squat, dwarf-looking -effigy, with slanting eyes and elongated, tattooed visage, and whose -general appearance represented nothing so much as an ugly, ill-formed -baby. This was Kuruaro, a chief who is said to have walked the earth -six generations after Tutanekai. There were many other noted ancestors -of the tribe, all hideous in appearance, yet all elaborately and -marvellously carved, but it would require a volume to repeat their -histories. - -It was on a bright morn, when in company with a native youth I stepped -into a canoe and headed across Rotorua to the island of Mokia, which -rose to a height of over five hundred feet from the centre of the lake. - -As soon as we had landed, my guide took me to a tree, into the hollow -part of which the skeleton of a chief had been placed ages ago, but -the forest giant, continuing to grow, had clasped the grim remnant of -humanity in its firm embrace, and thus preserved the bones from decay -in a very remarkable manner. - -We mounted through the thick fern to the summit of the island, where -formerly stood a _pa_, but nothing of this remained save the graves, -where some of the principal chiefs of the Ngatiwakaue await the coming -of the great day, and the subterranean caves wherein the stone idols, -said to have been brought from Hawaiki by the Arawas, dwell in a kind -of pagan solitude, as if anxious to hide their diminished heads from -the light of Christianity. - -There are few more delightful places in the Lake Country than -Mokia--rich in Maori legend, and renowned far and wide as the scene of -one of the most interesting of the many love romances of the Arawas. It -rises boldly from the water, has hills and deep valleys, is rock-bound -and fringed with trees, and is all that is enchanting, fairy-like, and -beautiful. To view it with the sunlight playing over the glittering -surface of Rotorua and sweeping over its rounded, fern-clad hills -with the most charming effects of light and shade, is pleasing in -the extreme, but it is at night, when the lake is as calm as the sky -above, and the pale moon floats over its surface in a silvery sheen, -and countless stars are mirrored forth in the depths below, that the -picture is the most enchanting; for it is then the spirit of romance -steals over one, and leads the imagination back instinctively as it -were to the dark days of Maori history, when tattooed warriors glided -over the water in swift canoes on some midnight raid, and made the -welkin ring with their war-cries, when Hongi "the terrible" gladdened -the hearts of his conquering Ngapuhi with cannibal feasts at the -expense of the vanquished Ngatiwhakaue, when song and legend resounded -from hill and dale, and when Tutanekai, by the magic of his flute, -wooed the dark-skinned Hinemoa, and caused the heroine of Rotorua to -act the part of a primitive Leander by swimming _in puris naturalibus_ -across the lake to his island home. - -Now, be it known that the spirit of Hinemoa hovers around Mokoia like -unto a bright halo around the sun, and the hills and the vales, the -rocks and the stones, the trees, and the hot and cold springs, all -whisper tales to her memory. Her home was at Ouhata, a jutting point on -the shores of Rotorua, where stood a village of her tribe. She was the -daughter of the chief Unukaria, and the fame of her beauty spread far -and wide over the country, and poets sang of her charms, and warriors -plighted their troth in her honour. Never was maiden so talked of in -prose and sung of in verse. At Mokoia lived Tutanekai, a foster son of -the chief Whakane, who fell sick for love of the beautiful maiden of -Ouhata. The two hearts beat as one. Then, as now, the adage that "All -is fair in love and war" held good, and it was agreed that Hinemoa -should flee to Tutanekai, to whom she had been forbidden, under pain -of death, to give her hand. The strains of his flute were to herald the -beginning of operations, when the maiden was to paddle her own canoe -across the water. Now when the night was calm Tutanekai took his flute, -and seating himself upon a rock hard by Kaiwaka on the shore of Mokoia, -the sound of his music was wafted by the breeze to the home of Hinemoa. -Then Hinemoa came down to the lake to step into her canoe, but, alas! -the frail craft had been hauled up high and dry upon the land. To -launch it herself was impossible, and to seek assistance would be but -to divulge her movements. There was no course open but to swim, and, -with the innate courage of her race, she was equal to the occasion. She -took six empty gourds and fastened them to her body, on either side, -and then plunged from a rock into the lake. The stars and the moon -shone upon her from above, but the waters were wide, and there was no -guide save the music of Tutanekai, but with love at the prow she shaped -her course bravely until she landed on the shores of Mokoia, at a point -where a warm fountain bubbled up amidst the rocks, and which is known -even unto this day as "Hinemoa's Bath." - -A LOVE SONG. - - Far o'er the lake slept romantic Mokoia, - While the pale moon shone bright from above, - And on a rock the brave Tutanekai - Tootled his flute to the gay song of love. - Softly lamenting sings he to his darling, - "Come to my arms, O my sweet Hinemoa, - Let not the sorrow of anguish divide us; - Come, that we never may part any more." - Gently the echo sped on the night air, - Till spell-like it broke on the glad maiden's ear; - Lightly she came to the brink of the water, - And swam o'er its surface so limpid and clear; - Brightly the stars shone forth from the heavens, - Glittering like gems in a mantle of blue, - And the strains of the flute seem'd to ripple the water, - Wafted on by the wings of the wind as it blew. - Swift the dark beauty swept o'er the wavelets - Till she kiss'd the white sand of Mokoia's fair shore; - When brave Tutanekai, ceasing his music, - Cried, "Come to my arms, O my sweet Hinemoa," - Lock'd in embraces, the lover and maiden - Were wedded by Cupid, who flew from above, - And dark Hinemoa and brave Tutanekai, - 'Neath the light of the moon sang their anthem of love. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote 20: As the natives had no written language, their numerous -legends, fables, songs, and proverbs were transmitted by oral -tradition.] - -[Footnote 21: Islands in Cook's Strait.] - -[Footnote 22: The Middle Island.] - -[Footnote 23: Translated from the original by Mr. C.O. Davis.] - -[Footnote 24: The canoes were named the _Aotea_, _Arawa_, _Tainui_, -_Mata-Atua_, _Takitumu_, _Tokomaru_, and _Kurahaupo_. According to -tradition, the _kumara_, sweet potato, the _taro_, the _karaka_ tree, -the rat, _kiore_, and the green parrot, _kakariki_, were brought in -them from Hawaiki. The _Aotea_ canoe was the first to reach the land, -hence the Maori name Aotearoa was applied to New Zealand. The list of -canoes, as here cited, was given to the author by Topia Turoa, head -chief of the Whanganui tribes.] - -[Footnote 25: When a noun in the Maori language has the prefix _nga_ it -refers to the plural number.] - -[Footnote 26: The Maoris divide their genealogical history, both before -and after their migration from Hawaiki, into various generations, -the duration of each of which, however, appears to be uncertain, -consequently the period of their arrival in New Zealand, even by their -own traditions, cannot be fixed with any degree of accuracy.] - -[Footnote 27: The word _ariki_ means, literally, a chief priest, or -deified man; the head of a tribe is an _ariki_ by birth.] - -[Footnote 28: _Taipo_, the name given to an evil spirit or devil.] - - - - -CHAPTER VII. - -EN ROUTE TO THE TERRACES. - - Over the mountains--Rauporoa Forest--The - _hotete_--Tikitapu--Rotokakahi--Te Wairoa--The natives--Waituwhera - Gorge--The boat--A distinguished traveller--Sophia--Lake - Tarawera--Mount Tarawera--Te Ariki--Te Kaiwaka. - - -The terraces, which are the most marvellous of all the wonders of the -lakes, lie about twenty miles as the crow flies, in a south-easterly -direction from Ohinemutu. From the latter place to Te Wairoa the -distance is about thirteen miles; the other part of the journey being -by water across Lake Tarawera. - -I found the route to be one of the most beautiful that I had ever -travelled in any part of the world. Leaving Ohinemutu mounted on a -good horse, my road lay along the southern shore of Lake Rotorua and -thence over the mountains, through which it wound by a gradual ascent, -formed by a zigzag cutting. A short distance above the mountain pass -on the right was a bold gorge, formed between two fern-clad mountains, -whose precipitous sides swept abruptly into the valley below, which was -covered with low, round-topped hills. Through this gorge a grand view -was obtained of the huge dome-shaped form of Hapurangi, farther in the -distance the flat-topped, forest-clad summit of Mount Horohoro stood -boldly out against the sky. Beyond this point the road passed through -a fern-clad country, with mountains in the background, and from the -midst of which the grand serrated peak of Mount Tarawera loomed like a -grim colossus above the surrounding heights. After passing over open, -undulating plains, the road entered the Rauporoa forest, one of the -grandest gardens of primeval vegetation in the North Island. Whilst the -trees here attained to an enormous size and the shrubs to a marvellous -luxuriance, many of the rarest and most beautiful ferns of the country -formed a dense undergrowth, which covered every foot of ground like a -variegated carpet. Countless orchids and lichens, and creeping plants, -struggled to the tops of the tallest trees which spread their giant -branches over the roadway in an arched canopy of vivid green, and -appeared to touch the sky as they mounted upwards to the very summits -of the steep mountains which rose on every side, beneath the thick -impenetrable growth which covered their rugged slopes without a single -break. - -On my return from the terraces I rode through this grand forest alone -by night. The stars shone brightly, the moon lit up the giant trunks of -the trees in a soft, silvery sheen, and cast deep shadows that flitted -about like spectres in the gloom; the twisting vines hung in fantastic -coils overhead, and countless myriads of glowworms[29] sparkled and -glittered in a thousand brilliant coruscations on every side, on the -trees, among the rocks, and in the ferns, and in a way which reminded -me of the gorgeous fireflies I had often admired when in the jungles of -Ceylon. - -It was while admiring the beauties of the Rauporoa forest that I came -across a specimen of what I may term one of nature's most paradoxical -works; it was the _hotete_--the grub of the large night-butterfly--the -_Sphæria Robertsi_, or "vegetating caterpillar." - -To give an idea of this singular curiosity, one must imagine a grub or -caterpillar from two to three inches long, with a dark brown body, in -appearance not unlike a piece of dried leather, while the legs, the -feet, the eyes, and the mouth are perfect in every detail, as if the -insect had been carefully stuffed and preserved. But most curious of -all, from the tail end there shoots out the thin stem of a plant from -six to eight inches long, perfectly rounded and smooth in form, with a -rounded point, and of the same colour as the caterpillar. To explain -this, it is clear that the grub, when alive, eats the seed of some -unknown plant or tree, and which, germinating in its inside, when the -insect buries itself in the ground for the purpose of changing into a -chrysalis, gradually kills it, as it grows and feeds, as it were, upon -the vitality of its body. - -The most remarkable feature, however, in the whole metamorphosis is not -that the grub eats the seed, nor that it germinates within its body, -but that the process should go on whilst the outward form of the grub -remains intact, as if it underwent during the time some peculiar mode -of preservation. The grub is found in this state underground, with the -plant growing above the surface. It should be remarked that the latter -has neither branches nor leaves, but partakes more of the character -of a creeping vine. Some of the natives are of opinion that it is the -seed of the _rata_ which the grub eats in this way, but the question -appears to be undecided. - -When I suddenly emerged from the deep gloom of the forest, the azure -waters of Tikitapu, or the "Blue Lake," came suddenly before my view -with the most enchanting effect. Nearly circular in form, and fringed -below the level of the road with a dense growth of vegetation, the tall -mountains rose up above it on one side to a height of 800 feet, and -cast their dark shadows upon its tranquil bosom, which lay shining in -the sunlight, without a breath of wind to stir the smooth and deeply -blue expanse of water. It is only about half a mile long, but for calm, -picturesque beauty, it is one of the most attractive sights of this -wondrous region. The road skirts it on its eastern side to its farther -end, where a narrow saddle, falling from a range of bold hills, divides -it from Rotokakahi, or the "Green Lake." - -It was sunset when I reached Rotokakahi, and the effect of the rich -golden light falling upon the green-tinted waters of the lake afforded -one of the grandest sights imaginable. It was one of those sunsets -when the heavens assume an ethereal blue, and when the fierce orb of -day is mellowed by amber mists and vapouring clouds with streaks of -crimson and carmine. It was, in fact, just such a sunset as Turner or -Horace Vernet would have loved to paint in brilliant and vivid tints. -The lake shone out before me in a long sheet of deep-green colour, -wild fern-clad mountains rose up along its course, miniature bays -swept in graceful curves round their base, and high peaks and jutting -headlands, fringed with spreading trees, cast their fantastic shadows -upon the limpid surface of the water, around which the bright pumice -rock contrasted pleasantly with the deep foliage of the vegetation as -it wound along the serpentine shores of the lake. At the farther end, -and right in the centre of the beautiful expanse of water, the small -flat-topped island of Motutawa rose from a dense growth of _pohutukawa_ -trees, and as the fleeting rays of the sun flashed over it, and the -darkness came marching along, the gold and the blue and the crimson -and carmine of the sky seemed to mingle with the deep-green water and -variegated hues of the lake, and to produce a picture which would have -enchanted the eye of the beholder even on the plains of heaven. This -sunset on Rotokakahi was certainly one of the grandest effects of light -and shade I have ever beheld. - -It was evening when I reached Te Wairoa, a native settlement situated -in a deep gorge, which appeared at some time to have formed a -connection between Rotokakahi and Lake Tarawera. It is hemmed in on all -sides by rugged ranges, and it now only serves as a gate as it were to -the wonders of the lakes beyond, and over which the great mountains -known as Moerangi and Tokimiha stand as sentries. The Wairoa River, -flowing out of Rotokakahi, winds through the old native settlement -of Kaiteriria, and flowing in the direction of Lake Tarawera, leaps -over a precipice of nearly a hundred feet in the form of a foaming -cascade, about which the greenest of ferns and mosses grow in wonderful -luxuriance. The settlement is small, and consists of clusters of native -huts surrounded by small gardens and deep thickets of sweet-briar. - -[Illustration: NATIVE WOMAN, LAKE COUNTRY.] - -The natives of this place appeared to be robust and healthy, and I -noticed among the men some very fine specimens of the noble savage. In -fact, from time immemorial the men of these parts have been noted for -their giant physique. At one time they were among the most warlike of -the great Arawa tribe, but in these degenerate days they have a marked -predilection for raw rum and strong tobacco. They formerly tilled the -soil, but now they are not by any means industrious, although they -fish in Tarawera sometimes, when all other food is scarce, and in the -proper season they reap a fair harvest by "interviewing" tourists, -whom they are fond of coaxing into their _runanga_ house, where they -will undertake to sing hymns or dance the _haka_,[30] according to the -inducements held out by the travelling _pakeha_. - -At daylight I left Te Wairoa, to cross Lake Tarawera to the Terraces. -Up to this time I had been travelling only with a native guide, but a -party had been formed at one of the hotels to hire the boat which is -used to convey visitors across the lake, so I joined it. There were -four ladies and three of the sterner sex. We strolled through the -native settlement, where most of the _whares_ were hidden from view by -a dense growth of sweet-briar, which wafted its pleasant odour through -the balmy air, and then we followed down a steep pathway fringed with -spreading trees, which led through the Waituwhera gorge to a narrow -inlet of the lake, where we embarked. - -I had hoped to find a big war-canoe ready manned by half-naked -warriors, waiting to convey us to the greatest wonder of the lakes, -but, in place of that, we got into a craft built like a whale-boat, -and manned by a stalwart crew of Maoris, some of whom affected striped -calico shirts and white trousers, while others were satisfied with -scant garments of a less attractive kind. With crew, or rather "all -told," we mustered sixteen souls. - -There was at least one distinguished personage among the crowd, and -whom I at first took to be "chief fugleman" or captain, but I soon -found out that he had only come on board to get a lift across the lake. -This individual was a tall, well-built old man of some seventy summers, -with splendidly defined Maori features, which were elaborately tattooed -after the most improved native fashion, the thin blue lines and curves -running round his mouth, over his nose, and across his forehead to -the very roots of his hair, and I could see at a glance that he was a -grand type of a savage of the old school which is now unfortunately -fast passing away. His only covering was a scant shirt, and a tartan -shawl swathed tightly round his gaunt form. In one hand he carried a -big hunk of bread, at which he munched as we glided along, varying the -operation now and again by a drink of water from the lake, which he -scooped into his mouth with the palm of his hand; while in the other -he grasped, not a _mere_, as he might have done of old, but a copy of -the Maori newspaper, _Te Korimako_, and which he seemed to guard with -as much jealousy as a Londoner might do a copy of the _Times_ when -travelling on a penny steam boat on the Thames. If the old man had -guarded a _pakeha_ paper in the same way I would have taken no notice -of it, because I would have imagined that he had brought it along with -him to wrap up what he could not eat of his frugal repast. But the -_Te Korimako_ was in his own language, and I make no doubt that the -antiquated heathen knew of one or two tidbits in it that he would read -and discuss round the camp fire of his tribe. He sat alongside me in -the prow of the boat, and Sophia, the guide, sat crouched at my feet, -and when I asked her what his name was, she replied, "Rangihewa," at -which the old man smiled and said, "No, no! me Georgi Grey." At the -time of the war, Rangihewa was a noted chief, and a great fighting-man. - -As I have already mentioned Sophia's name, which is echoed over the -hills of Tarawera with as much frequency as is that of Hinemoa at -Rotorua, but perhaps not with quite as much of romance, I think I -cannot do better than to give a sketch of her here. In appearance, -at first glance, Sophia was remarkable. She was about medium height, -comely of form, with well-modelled features, a nose slightly aquiline, -lips slightly tattooed, a pair of big dark eyes, and a thick cluster -of raven hair, which fell in a weird way over her well-formed head -and shoulders. She walked with a firm step, and with the gait of -a drum-major. When she came into the boat she was shoeless and -stockingless, and just below the knees fell a bright scarlet flannel -petticoat, and over this again a blue skirt tucked up about her waist, -a _korowhai_ or native shawl was swathed round her ample bust, her hat -of plated rush was lined with pink, and turning up on one side suited -her _à merveille_. In her mouth was a short black pipe, while round her -neck was a cord from which depended a greenstone _tiki_,[31] and which -like all other tikies I had ever seen, was modelled after the fashion -of a small, flattened-out, lop-sided baby. She was a half-caste of the -Ngapuhi tribe, was born at Russell, spoke English with much fluency -and grace, had been twice married, and had assisted in a small way to -replenish the earth by becoming the mother of fifteen children. For -the past twelve years Sophia has acted the part of guide, philosopher, -and friend to thousands of tourists who have visited these parts, and -in this way her history has become identified with the place where she -reigns almost with the power of a petty queen. - -As our boat glided onward to the wild chants of the Maoris, all the -varied beauties of Tarawera unfolded themselves with magical effect -before the view. We passed out of an arm of the lake with a picturesque -headland on our port side, clothed in the greenest hues, and which was -formerly the site of an old _pa_ known as Ruakiria. From this point, -the broad waters of the lake opened out before us; the sun shone -brightly from the cloudless sky, and the golden rays gilding the calm -blue surface, and shooting through the overhanging trees that fringed -the lake, reflected their gnarled branches and plumed heads in a -thousand fantastic forms in the depths below. - -The water of Tarawera was so limpid and transparent that we could see -far down below the surface and discern the big rocks and decaying -giants of the forest which lay scattered about its bed as if hurled -there by the throes of an earthquake, while every now and again we -could behold the gleam of the shoals of fish indigenous to the lake, -or the flash of the golden carp, introduced by Sir George Grey, and -which here attain to a wonderful size. The lake, which is seven miles -long by about five miles broad, was evidently at some period or another -the centre of a widely extended volcanic action, as evidenced by the -igneous rocks which line its shores, as well as by the rugged peaks -which add grandeur to its scenery. - -On every side of the lake bold mountains, with conical peaks and -serrated ridges, rose up from the very edge of the water, covered to -the summits with a rich growth of giant-like vegetation, whose varied -tints of green were resplendent with the bright crimson blossom of the -_pohutukawa_ tree, which here attains to a colossal size. Picturesque -headlands jutted out into the water, deep bays, broad valleys, and -weird gorges came before the view at every turn, and the scenery was so -wild, so grand, and so varied that one hardly knew which part of it to -admire the most. - -The eastern arm of the lake formed the outlet to the Tarawera -river--the Awa-o-te Atua, or "river of the gods;" beyond the grand -volcanic cone of Putauaki rose to a height of over 2000 feet, while -right in front of our course the majestic outline of Mount Tarawera -towered in the form of a colossal, truncated cone, with steep, sloping -sides, tinted with red oxide of iron and shining obsidian, which made -it look as if it were just cooling from the terrific heat of volcanic -fires. It appeared as if, at some period or another, this rock-bound -mountain had been much higher than now, but that nature, being -dissatisfied with her work, had snapped it in twain by one tremendous -blow, and caused the rugged fracture to assume the shape of a gigantic -spiked crown. The stupendous form of this giant mountain not only -adds grandeur to Tarawera, as it rises in sublime majesty a thousand -feet above the lake, but it is a beacon for miles around the lake -district, over which it presides like a mighty monarch, and when "King -Tarawera" frowns dark beneath his craggy diadem the natives "look out -for squalls." Since time immemorial Mount Tarawera has been renowned -in Maori song and legend, and, among other tales connected with it, -a monster _taniwha_, or fabulous green dragon, gifted with cannibal -proclivities, is said to haunt it, while in its dark caves the bones of -countless warrior chiefs of the Arawas lie guarded by the mystic _tapu_. - -Steering our light craft, which seemed to quiver under the firm, steady -stroke of her dark crew, so as to bring Mount Tarawera on our "port -quarter," we entered Te Ariki, a wide inlet at the southern end of the -lake, and when we had rounded the rocky headland known as Moura, the -hills and valleys spread themselves out in a splendid amphitheatre of -enchanting scenery, the trees and creeping vines mirrored themselves in -the water, where they seemed to glide beneath us like a fairy forest as -we swept along, while a cloud of steam rising in the distance told us -that we were fast approaching the wonders of Rotomahana. - -We hauled up in front of a native village where there were one or two -_whares_, and here old Rangihewa got out of the boat to wade ashore, -and, wrapping his shawl about his neck, pulled up his shirt to prevent -it from getting wet, but utterly regardless of consequences, and then -bidding us farewell by a wave of his hand, and a tremendous grin -which made his tattoo marks double up into a curious network over his -face, he entered the door of a hut with a majestic gait, and with the -_Te Korimako_ under his arm. Here we purchased a couple of _kits_ -of _kouras_[32] from a native woman who waded into the water almost -alfresco, with an india-rubber-looking baby on her back, and then we -headed for the farther end of the bay, where a picturesque-looking -Maori settlement added a pleasant charm to the beauties of the -surrounding landscape. We landed at this point, and an attenuated, wiry -old chief, as thin as a match, and with a very scant wardrobe, put -off in a dilapidated canoe to bid us welcome, and to annex any stray -bawbees or figs of tobacco that might fall in his way. Here the party -was divided, the ladies embarking in the canoe to go up the Kaiwaka -stream, and to join us at Rotomahana, while we, the sterner sex, -walked a mile through the _manuka_ scrub, following the attractive red -petticoat of Sophia. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote 29: The New Zealand glowworm, called by the natives -_Piritana_, is a small grub, inhabiting caves and damp places; it is -surrounded by a slimy coating, through which radiates a brilliant -phosphoric light.] - -[Footnote 30: _Haka_, a lewd dance, in which both men and women take -part.] - -[Footnote 31: The _tiki_ is worn by Maori women as a kind of sacred -charm.] - -[Footnote 32: _Koura_, a small cray-fish, common in the lakes, and much -prized by the natives as an article of food.] - - - - -CHAPTER VIII. - -THE TERRACES. - - Te Tarata--Beauty of the terrace--The formation--The crater--A - sensational bath--Ngahapu--Waikanapanapa--A weird gorge--Te - Aua Taipo--Kakariki--Te Whatapohu--Te Huka--Te Takapo--Lake - Rotomahana--Te Whakataratara--Te Otukapurangi--The formation--The - cauldron. - - -When we had walked about a mile through the scrub, guided by the -stately strides of Sophia, we ascended the summit of a low hill -which looked down upon Lake Rotomahana, whose green-tinted waters, -surrounded by clouds of steam, shone with an emerald-like brightness -in the sunlight, while immediately in front of us the White Terrace, -or famed Te Tarata, burst upon the view like a glittering heap of -frozen snow just fresh from heaven. We were still some hundreds of -yards from it, with the Kaiwaka flowing below, and although at first -glance fair Te Tarata looked chaste and beautiful enough beneath the -golden light, it appeared as if her proportions were somewhat cramped -and stunted, and I began mentally to question the wisdom of Nature in -not placing the wondrous monument of her handiwork higher up on the -slope of the mountain which decked the delicate outline of the terrace -in a variegated fringe of green. To my eye, the crystallized structure -of pure white silica as it fell in congealed waves, as it were, from -the steaming cauldron above, appeared too flat, and required height -to add more effect to its grandeur, while the rugged mountain, which -formed its background, as it rose above a vapoury cloud of steam, -looked dwarfed and insignificant in comparison with the giant form of -Mount Tarawera, which frowned in silent majesty from beneath its spiked -crown, as if eager to annihilate everything that failed to come up to -its own idea of ponderous beauty. Presently we descended the hill on -which we stood, and crossed Kaiwaka by the canoe which had brought -up the ladies, and, after picking our way through a small scrub, we -suddenly came into the open, when, as if by the magic touch of an -enchanter's wand, the whole scene changed, and Te Tarata, gleaming -still whiter in the sun, rose in grand, yet delicate proportions high -above our heads. The white ethereal vapour wreathed its summit, like -a graceful summer cloud, the rugged hill which held Te Tarata, as it -were, in its arms, stood out in bold relief against the clear blue sky, -and Nature, true to the inspired genius of her marvellous creative -power, stood revealed in all her pristine loveliness. - -I had seen the Himalayas and the Alps, the Blue Mountains of Tartary, -the Rocky Mountains, and the Sierra Nevadas--all these were ponderously -grand and awe-inspiring. I had sailed over the principal lakes of -Europe and America, floated down the Nile, the Ganges, the Yangtze -Kiang, the Missouri, and the Mississippi, through the thousand islands -of the St. Lawrence, and up and down innumerable other rivers, all -fair and beautiful. I had beheld the giant marvels of the Yosemite, -and stood by the thrilling waters of Niagara; but for delicate, unique -beauty, for chaste design, and sublime detail of construction never had -I gazed upon so wonderful a sight as Te Tarata. It seemed as if Nature -had created the wonders of the lakes and mountains of this fair region -with all the marvels of fire and water after the most enchanting design -of earthly beauty, and had then gone into the realms of fable and -romance, and thrown in a piece of Fairyland to complete the picture; or -as if the gods, when they called these sublime works into being, had -fashioned Te Tarata as a throne to recline upon whilst they gazed in -admiration upon the beauties of their wondrous creations. - -As we looked upwards the whole outline of the terrace assumed a -semicircular form, which spread out at its base in a graceful curve of -many hundreds of feet, as it sloped gently down to the margin of the -lake. Then broad, flat, rounded steps of pure white silica rose tier -above tier, white and smooth as Parian marble, and above them terrace -after terrace mounted upward, rounded and semicircular in form, as if -designed by the hand of man, guided by the inspiration of the Divine -Architect. All were formed out of a delicate tracery of silica which -appeared like lacework congealed into alabaster of the purest hue. -Each lamination, or fold, of this beautiful design was clearly and -marvellously defined, and as the glittering warm water came rippling -over them in a continuous flow, Te Tarata sparkled beneath the sun -as if bedecked with diamonds and myriads of other precious gems. -Crystal pools, shaped as if to resemble the form of shells and leaves, -and filled to their brims with water, blue and shining as liquid -turquoise, charmed the eye as we mounted to every step, while around -the edges the bright crystals of silica had formed encrustations which -made them appear as if set in a margin of miniature pearls. Every -successive terrace seemed to spring up in grander proportions from the -one immediately below it as we approached the summit, not in formal -angular-shaped steps, but in flat-topped elevations, with rounded edges -and sweeping curves, from which the wet, glittering silica hung in -the shape of sparkling stalactites, which, interlacing themselves and -mingling together, formed a delicate and almost transparent fringe -which looked like a fantastic network of icicles, so exquisitely -beautiful in appearance and so delicately formed as to appear as if -fashioned by the magic touch of a fairy hand. Mounting upward and -upward where it seemed sacrilege for the booted foot of man to tread, -and where the snowy, crisp, silicious crystal formed a carpet-like -covering beneath the feet, we reached the summit, and sat down upon a -cluster of rocks which rose in fantastic shape upon the very margin of -the cup-shaped crater. - -I found the crater of Te Tarata to be formed by a milk-white circular -basin, of 200 feet in diameter, filled to overflowing with boiling -transparent water, in which the clear azure tints seemed to vie in -splendour with the ethereal blue of the heavens. Here the hissing -liquid, in a constant state of ebullition, bubbled and seethed in the -form of a boiling fountain, from which a waving cloud of steam floated -constantly upward, tinted with the golden rays from above, and the deep -blue from beneath, while immediately behind the pool rose the steep -sides of the adjacent mountain, shaped so as to form a semicircular -wall, which rose from the opposite margin of the pool, striped by the -action of fire and water in red and white rock, and steaming as if from -the heat of the boiling fountain below. Around on every side a thick -vegetation of variegated hues bordered the splendid terrace on every -side; ferns, mosses, and wild flowers fringed every line and curve of -its graceful outline, and the crystal white, the azure blue, the vivid -green, and the golden light all mingling together, and reflecting their -tints over fair Te Tarata and the lake below, produced one of the -grandest and most charming scenes ever designed by the divine hand of -the Creator. - -When we had feasted our eyes upon the chaste marvels of Te Tarata, -the ladies filed slowly away, as if spellbound, while we (the sterner -sex) walked leisurely down the crystal steps to about the centre of -the terrace, where lay an oval-shaped basin, about forty feet long by -twenty feet broad, filled to the brim with water of the purest blue. -In the midst of a small clump of _manuka_, which clustered on the -very margin of the terrace, as if eager to participate in its beauty, -we divested ourselves of our outward garb of civilization, and stood -beneath the glowing rays of the sun in the primitive costume of man -free and untrammelled, as when "wild in the woods the noble savage -ran." It was now that I fully realized that soft, soothing, magical -effect which one invariably experiences when devoid of all restraint, -one is about to partake of a pleasure which one has never experienced -before. To look around at the sublime wonders of Te Tarata, and then -plunge head first into the alabaster pool of liquid turquoise, and -to feel that the soft, pellucid liquid that had been for thousands -of years, nay, countless ages, building up that wondrous monument of -unrivalled splendour would wrap me in its warm embrace, and impart, if -only for a moment, its soft, soothing influence to the heated body, was -a pleasure, the anticipation of which only seemed to make me the more -eager to revel in its enjoyment. There was not a single speck to mar -the delicate beauty of the crystal basin, the blue lustre of the water, -nor the white virgin purity of the silicious pearls around its brink. -One glance at the enchanting scene around me, and, as I shot beneath -the shining surface, like an arrow from a bow, the soft, heated water -closed over me, and for the instant I seemed to be gliding into the -realms of eternal bliss, - - Where the wicked cease from troubling, - And the weary are at rest. - -The illusion, however, was only momentary, but I would have liked it -to continue for the rest of my natural life, and then, in default of -a better place hereafter, I would have been content to paddle in that -pool to all eternity, floating on its surface, diving into its depths, -and basking on the pearly margin of its brink. Its water was just -warm enough to render it delightfully pleasant, and it seemed to wrap -itself round the body in gently waving folds, while, as I glided from -point to point, streaks, as it were, of cold water would bathe the skin -with refreshing effect, and then a soft, tepid wave would impart a -voluptuous sensation of glowing warmth.[33] - -When we had enjoyed the luxuries of the bath, we went along a winding -path fringed with bush, at the back of Te Tarata, when we came suddenly -upon Ngahapu, an intermittent boiling geyser, which burst forth with -a loud noise from the farther side of an oval-shaped basin, about a -hundred feet in circumference, and in which the heated, steaming water, -in a constant state of ebullition, kept rising and falling in great -hot waves, which lashed themselves into fury against the rugged sides -of the cauldron with a loud hissing sound, as a column of boiling -water shot high into the air. Right above this spring, on the side of a -hill, a transparent jet of steam burst forth from a narrow fissure with -a loud screaming noise, as if anxious to escape from its rock-bound -prison-house, and blow up the surrounding country. It blew, whistled, -steamed, and hissed, and shrieked away, like a fifty-horse-power -engine, and the terrific pressure, acting in some way upon the rocks -below, made them send forth a sound like the "thud" of a great -steam-hammer. - -Passing along by Te Tokapo, a region of small hot springs, on the -margin of Lake Rotomahana, we came to Waikanapanapa, a small lake, -surrounded by gaunt-looking _manuka_ scrub, and whose thick, slimy -water, of the colour of green sealing-wax, gave it the appearance of a -veritable slough of despond. - -Just beyond Waikanapanapa we entered a rocky, desolate gorge, seamed -and fissured in every direction with streams of hot water, while -jets of hissing steam, bursting from its sides, marked the site of -subterranean fires. The heated, quaking soil was covered with thick -deposits of silica, sulphur, oxide of iron, pumice, obsidian, scoria, -and other volcanic products, and, with its sulphurous atmosphere, -fierce heat, and shrieking sounds, it appeared as we entered it like -a short cut to Pandemonium. The high hills on each side of the gorge -rose up in quaint, fantastic shape, and their rugged sides, composed -of shattered volcanic rock, sent forth water and jets of steam from -a thousand fissures. There was something very wild, weird, and -fascinating in this strange place. All the huge rocks, boulders, and -stones had been pitched and tossed about by the tremendous action of -fire and water into a wild and endless confusion, and when we had so -recently gazed in admiration upon the delicate, tranquil beauty of -the White Terrace, it seemed as if we had got behind the scenes and -into the laboratory and mysterious manufactory where all the wonders -of Te Tarata had been evolved before Nature had sent them through the -subterranean depths below to rise on the other side of the hill in the -form of the marvellous "transformation scene" we had so recently beheld. - -One of the most remarkable wonders of this singular region was Te -Ana Taipo, or the "Devil's Hole," a deep, circular aperture in the -rocky gorge, about forty feet in diameter, from which a column of -transparent steam burst from a small aperture at the bottom of the -deep, funnel-shaped hole with a deafening screeching sound, like -the voices of a thousand fiends. Never had I heard anything so wild -and so dismal as the human-like wailings of Te Ana Taipo, and, as -the thrilling noise went echoing over the hills, one expected to -see an army of evil spirits spring up around, headed by his Satanic -Majesty himself. Near to this was Kakariki, a boiling geyser which, -beneath a cloud of steam, lashed its hot waves about and foamed with -a furious sound in a rock-bound basin about sixty feet in diameter, -while in close proximity Te Whatapohu, or "Pain in the Belly," a noisy -intermittent spring, sent up its seething waters with a rumbling sound, -which seemed to suggest that even the "bowels of the earth" had their -pains and trials sometimes. - -Scattered over a greater portion of this fiery wilderness were -innumerable _fumaroles_, all hard at work shooting out steam and -vomiting black streams of liquid mud. Some of these were round, some -flat, and others cup-shaped, while not a few assumed the form of a -miniature volcanoes. One of the latter formation, known as Te Huka, -spewed up a soapy kind of clay, which the natives eat as _kai_, and -pronounce it to be very good, both as an ordinary article of diet and -as a medicine in cases of diarrhoea, and I was solemnly informed by -Sophia that a native in want of a meal would make a splendid repast -from it. I tasted some of it off the end of a stick, and if one ground -up a slate pencil, mixed it with water to the consistency of thick pap, -and threw in a dash of sulphur and a little cinder grit, one would -have a very good idea of what Te Huka _kai_ is like. - -When we had seen the wonders of the fiery region of Waikanapanapa we -came back to Te Takapo, a kind of platform of silicious rock which -bathed its white feet in the dark-green waters of Rotomahana. It was a -very picturesque spot, dotted about with springs, some tepid, some hot, -some boiling, and fringed with _manuka_ scrub. Here the natives had -constructed small baths, and there were rude seats formed of slabs of -rock where they could take their _siestas_ in comfort, after undergoing -the soothing effects of the warm mineral water. At this point we -embarked in a canoe, and headed across the lake in the direction of the -Pink Terrace. - -Lake Rotomahana, like Tarawera, stands at an elevation of a little -over 1000 feet above the level of the sea. It is one of the smallest -of the group, and is about a mile long by a quarter of a mile wide. It -is, however, very picturesque, not only by reason of the unequalled -features presented by the terraces, but likewise on account of its -steaming shores, with their countless marvels, as well as by the bold, -rugged scenery which surrounds it on every side. It is the seat of -a vast thermal action, which spreads out to the base of the conical -hills which encircle it, and beyond which the towering mountains, as -they rise thousands of feet in height, appear to have been heated and -twisted about by the terrific action of volcanic fire, while the deep -gorges and dark ravines seem to have formed at some period or another -the channels for the streams of boiling lava. Everywhere around one -sees the wondrous working of fire and water, and, although these -tremendous forces appear to have nearly expended their strength in the -geysers, mud-holes, and _fumaroles_, and other active evidences of -subterranean work to be seen at the present day, there was no doubt -a time when the whole region surrounding this curious lake was the -scene of a widely extended volcanic action. There was a soft balmy -stillness in the air as we glided over its singularly dark green water, -which was in many places covered with large air-bubbles sent up by the -hot springs from the depths below, and it was interesting to reflect -that a capsize into one of these places would have resulted in one or -two of us, at least, being hauled out parboiled.[34] Our primitive -canoe, however, which was literally freighted to her gunwale, behaved -admirably. This craft, which had been fashioned, some sixty years ago, -out of a solid log of _totara_, about thirty feet long, was as staunch -as the day she was launched, notwithstanding the fact that she had done -good service as a kind of first-class privateer on the troubled waters -of the lakes during the Maori War. - -We rounded a low point where was a large _solfatara_ named Te -Whakataratara, whose greenish, slimy water boiled up from between -enormous blocks of pure yellow sulphur and redhot-looking rocks of -pumice and silicious sinter. - -At this moment the orb of day was shining warm and brightly over our -heads, when suddenly a pink halo in front of us seemed to dazzle the -eye, and in another moment Te Otukapurangi, the "Fountain of the -Clouded Sky," or the Pink Terrace, rose majestically from the very edge -of the shining green water of the lake in all its gorgeous beauty. -Now, I have attempted to describe Te Tarata, albeit but faintly, and -now that I have Te Otukapurangi before my mind it seems difficult as -to which to assign the palm of beauty. Both terraces are unique in -their way; both wonderful monuments of nature's grandest handiwork. It -seems to me, however, that in Te Tarata we have all that is divinely -sublime, ethereal, fairy-like, and lovely--a structure chaste and grand -enough to serve as steps to heaven. Te Otukapurangi, on the other -hand, has a rich, gorgeous, oriental look about it, which reminds one -of those fanciful creations we read of in Eastern tales, and which -were constructed of chalcedony, agate, alabaster, onyx, jasper, and -lapis-lazuli, studded with precious gems, and inhabited by beautiful -princesses, gnomes, and genii, and evolved from the fanciful minds -of those gaunt, dark-skinned men who, reared on the sandy deserts of -"Araby the Blest," carried fire and sword over the Eastern world, and -built up an empire which rivalled in splendour even the most wondrous -of their fabulous tales, which still take the mind captive, as it were, -and lead it away like an _ignis fatuus_, a fleeting mirage, or a fitful -dream. But there is nothing evanescent in the Pink Terrace; it is -adamantine in construction, and grandly beautiful enough to have graced -the approach to the Temple of Solomon the Magnificent, the Palace of -the Queen of Sheba, or the Mosque of Haroun Al Raschid the Superb. - -The formation of Te Otukapurangi differs somewhat from that of the -White Terrace, but, like Te Tarata, it is semicircular in general -outline; but the successive terraces of which it is built up rise -more abruptly from the lake, while they are, as a rule, higher above -each other and more massive in appearance. Hence the deposits of -silica have assumed the same general formation, and each terrace is -gracefully and marvellously shaped, with rounded edges, which sweep -about in waving curves, as if they had been fashioned after one grand -and unique design. The various buttress-like masses which support -the fringed edges of the terraces bend over, as it were, and form -miniature grottoes, resplendent with festoons of pink-tinted silica and -rose-coloured stalactites, which appear to have been woven together -by nature into an intricate network, and then crystallized into their -present shape, which, when examined closely, is as varied as is the -whole design symmetrical and beautiful. Here the successive deposits -or layers of silica rock do not assume, like those of Te Tarata, a -wonderful combination of delicate lacework around the edges of the -terraces, but the silicious laminations appear even thinner, and remind -one of the corrugated surface of pink satin rep. On the wide platform -of each succeeding terrace there are flat, irregularly-shaped tablets -set in a fretwork of silica-like cords, while innumerable pools or -salmon-coloured basins, all exquisitely and quaintly formed, with -curving, shell-shaped margins, are resplendent with water of the purest -and darkest blue. It is, however, the variegated tints of this wondrous -structure which render it even more remarkable than the gracefully -symmetrical proportions of its incomparable designs. As we gazed upon -it, and the blue-tinted water came rippling and falling from terrace to -terrace in miniature cascades, Te Otukapurangi looked radiant in its -sparkling mantle of delicate pink; and as the golden rays of the sun -shot far and wide, it changed with every shade of light, with brilliant -hues of pink, amber, carmine, and yellow, which shone with a dazzling -and almost metallic lustre as they flashed and palpitated, as it were, -in the warm, glowing air, and seemed to vie in splendour with the blue -of the heavens, the green tints of the lake, and the countless bright -colours of the surrounding vegetation, which spread out far and wide -over the surrounding hills. - -As we mounted terrace after terrace the mountains unfolded themselves -beyond, and Kakarama, and Maungaonga-onga, and bold Tarawera, towering -into the air, cast their fantastic shadows on the lake below, and as -we mounted still higher and higher towards the steam-clad summit, we -seemed to be ascending to some enchanted land of fable and romance; -and when suddenly the vapoury cloud from the boiling cauldron rolled -over our heads, tinted with all the prismatic hues of the terrace -beneath, and wrapped us in its warm embrace, it seemed as if we were -really entering some brilliant "castle in the air." Then, when we had -struggled through the steam, and hopped in and out of pools of hot -water, we reached a broad, circular platform, some seventy feet above -the lake, and stood on the brink of the steaming cauldron, formed by -a round alabaster-like basin, about a hundred feet in diameter. Here -the deep, dark-blue water, within a few degrees of boiling-point, lay -without a ripple upon its surface, which shone with the brilliancy of -transparent crystal, and beneath which the silicious deposits which -encrusted the sides of the crater, and assumed all the marvellous -and fantastic designs of a coral grove, tinted in glowing colours of -yellow, blue, and pink, looked exquisitely delicate and brilliant -beneath the golden light of the sun, which, shooting through the clear, -transparent liquid with a vivid power, sent its glittering shafts far -down into the grotto-like recesses, which appeared beautiful and -fantastic enough to serve as the abode of fairies, gnomes, and genii. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote 33: The spring of Te Tarata is an intermittent geyser, which, -during its active intervals, throws up a column of water to a height -of over 100 feet. The crater is, however, always overflowing, and the -water, which is highly charged with silica, has by a gradual process -of deposition, extending probably over a long period, formed the -present system of terraces. The temperature of the water varies from -boiling-point to 70° Fahr. at the foot of the terrace, the summit of -which is about 80 feet above the level of the lake. The geyser is said, -by the natives, to be most active during the prevalence of easterly -gales.] - -[Footnote 34: The term _Rotomahana_ means, literally, "hot lake." The -mean temperature of the water is about 80° Fahr. In the vicinity of the -hot springs, beneath its surface, it rises frequently to 100° Fahr.] - - - - -CHAPTER IX. - -OHINEMUTU TO WAIRAKEI. - - Te Hemo Gorge--Mount Horohoro--Paeroa - Mountains--Orakeikorako--Atea-Amuri--Pohaturoa--The land of - pumice--Te Motupuke--The glades of Wairakei. - - -Having visited the various lakes and other localities of interest -around Ohinemutu, I started with my guide for the extensive geyser -and hot-spring region of Wairakei, situated about fifty miles to the -southward of the former place. As this part of the Lake Country was -but little known, I determined to examine its many thermal phenomena, -and afterwards to make it the final starting-point for my journey of -exploration through the King Country. - -Our course lay along the Taupo road, which traverses a flat country -up to the base of the hills which form the basin-like formation -surrounding Lake Rotorua. We passed through Hariki Kapakapa, a locality -of warm springs and boiling mud-holes, that spluttered and hissed at -us as we rode along; while on our left dense volumes of snowy-white -steam, rising from the base of the range of bare hills, marked the site -of the great geysers of Whakarewarewa. From this point the road wound -up the mountains to the Hemo Gorge, about two and a half miles from -Ohinemutu. Looking back from the summit of the gorge, a splendid view -was obtained of the Rotorua country, with the broad lake shining like -a mirror beneath the morning sun, and the island of Mokoia rising from -its centre radiant with vivid tints of green and gold. The ascent to -the gorge was very steep, and while the fern-clad hills rose high above -us on our right, on our left was a deep precipitous ravine, at the -bottom of which a mountain stream rushed along its rocky bed to join -the waters of Rotorua, while on its further side the rugged mountain -known as Parikarangi rose high above the surrounding hills. - -Beyond this point the country opened out into broad valleys, fringed -with conical-shaped hills, while in front the bold mountain mass of -Hapurangi, swelling like an enormous dome from a grassy plain, formed a -conspicuous feature for many miles around, until the gigantic mountain -of Horohoro towered above a broad pumice plain. - -In appearance Mount Horohoro was one of the most remarkable mountains -I had seen in the North Island. It rose in the form of an enormous -wall, or long barrier of rock, to a height of 2400 feet above the -level of the sea. Its summit, formed by a broad plateau, was clothed -with a dense forest at its base, green, fern-clad slopes rolled down -to the plain beneath, above them the thick bush[35] clustered like a -dense fringe, as it mounted, tree above tree, to the topmost heights; -while here and there enormous patches of grey rock, rugged and bare, -stood out in conspicuous relief from the dark foliage of the varied -vegetation. At its southern end the stupendous mountain ended abruptly -in the form of a bold bluff, at the top of which was a curious mass of -stone like a gigantic pillar, famed in Maori legend as "Hinemoa's rock." - -Across the Niho-o-te-kiore plains to the south-east of Horohoro rose -the Paeroa mountains to a height of over 1000 feet, hot and quaking -with internal fires, boiling mud-pools, and coiling jets of steam that -burst with a hissing sound from the deeply-scarred hills. The base -of this range, where the thermal action was greatest, was formed of -a burnt, fiery-looking earth, broken here and there into enormous -fissures, and dotted about with boiling pools and deep holes of hot, -seething mud, while clouds of vapoury steam burst forth from the -highest peaks. - -Our route continued across the plains to the native settlement of -Orakeikorako, where the swift Waikato wound with many bends through a -terraced valley, backed by tall, forest-clad mountains in the distance. -Here both sides of the stream were thickly studded with countless -steam-jets and hot springs, which produced a singular and beautiful -effect as they bubbled and hissed above the sparkling course of the -clear, rolling river, whose banks were fringed with thick, clustering -masses of pure white silica. Here, too, every foot of ground told of -a fiery, subterranean heat. The very rocks around were coloured with -the most delicate tints, formed by the chemical deposits of the hot -mineral waters, while the great geyser Orakeikorako, from which the -village derived its name, just as we were leaving, threw up a column of -boiling water to a height of fifty feet, as if to salute our departure. -It burst forth, without any previous warning, from a funnel-shaped -aperture within a few feet of the margin of the river. - -From Orakeikorako we passed over pumice plains fringed with rugged -mountains and deep gorges. Some of the former were very quaint and -fantastic in shape; not a few rose up in the form of pointed cones, -while some were flat-topped, with deep sides, from which the white -pumice gleamed with a dazzling intensity. The country fell with a -gradual incline into the valley of the Waikato; and, after descending -into a clear stream by a steep, narrow pass, just wide enough to -allow our horses to move along, we crossed the eastern spur of Mount -Ngautuku, and reached Atea-Amuri. - -Here the Waikato, deeply and beautifully blue, wound through a rocky -valley, fringed with bold mountains which rolled away as far as the eye -could reach along the course of the stream. At the crossing-place the -whole volume of the river rushed over enormous rocks with a roar like -thunder, while on the south bank of the stream, and right above the -seething waters, a gigantic pinnacle of rock, called Pohaturoa, towered -in solitary grandeur to a height of 400 feet. This curious natural -monument was a striking feature for many miles around. It sprang from a -level base, with steep, rolling, buttress-like sides, above which its -adamantine walls shot perpendicularly upward to its rounded summit. -Around it, in every direction, lay enormous boulders, some of many tons -in weight, but all scattered about in the direst confusion, as if a -regiment of giants, offended at its defiant look and colossal form, had -endeavoured to hurl it from its pedestal by a shower of stones, but, -giving up the task as hopeless, had slunk off, leaving their ponderous -missiles upon the field. In former times the summit of this impregnable -rock was occupied by a tribe of the Arawas, who built a formidable _pa_ -there, whence they kept watch and ward over their surrounding lands. - -[Illustration: POHATUROA.] - -From the deep, trough-like valley of the Waikato we mounted to the -great table-land of Taupo, and rode over level plains where the -snow-white pumice gleamed bare and desolate beneath the fierce rays of -the sun. - -Pumice, pumice, nothing but pumice, rolled away as far as the eye could -discern, now stretching out in a broad and flat expanse, now rising -in the form of hillocks, now towering high in the shape of conical -mountains, now winding away in deep ravines--white, bare, and sterile -as a boundless desert, save when the stunted tussock grass struggled, -as if it were for life, with enormous stones and boulders fashioned -from the white, porous rock, or where a crystal stream shaped its -devious course beneath a dense growth of broad-leaved flax and waving -_toetoe_ grass. At one point of the road we passed a tall peaked -mountain, with pumice sides, which rose from the bottom of a deep -gorge, like the bed of an ancient river, while right opposite to this, -on the slope of a hill, was a curious rock, shaped like a mushroom. - -Through a level tract of country we reached the native settlement of Te -Motupuke, with densely wooded hills in the background, which stretched -out to the tall summit of Otuparataki. The forest-crowned peak of -Puketarata soon rose up on our right; and passing the Maori settlement -of Ouranui, we reached the steaming hills and glades of Wairakei. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote 35: This term is applied by the colonists to forest country.] - - - - -CHAPTER X. - -WAIRAKEI. - - The first view--The Geyser Valley--Curious - sights--Tahuatahe--Terekirike--The Whistling Geyser--A nest - of stone--Singular mud-holes--The Gas and Black Geyser--The - Big Geyser--The great Wairakei--The Blue Lake--Hot - mud-holes--Kiriohinekai--A valley of fumaroles--Te Karapiti--Te - Huka Falls--Efforts to pass under the falls--A cave--An enormous - fissure--Another trial--A legend. - - -Within the extensive area of country known as Wairakei are situated -the principal thermal wonders of this portion of the Lake Country. By -reason of the terrace formation, so remarkable in this part of the -valley of the Waikato, the whole place appeared as if it had been -artificially designed by the hand of man. Small pumice terraces, with -flat tops and shelving sides, so regular and distinct in outline that -they seemed as if they had been fashioned but yesterday, wound about -on every side, while the trees and wide patches of _manuka_ scrub -imparted to the whole surroundings the appearance of an English park. -Beyond, to the east, Mount Tauhara, the "Lone Lover" of the Maoris, -rose forest-clad to its summit, while in the background a prairie-like -expanse of open country rolled away to the distant ranges. High conical -mountains, clothed with a luxuriant growth of bush, mounted up in the -north, rolling hills stretched away to the west, while in the centre -of the attractive landscape the Waikato River wound through its grand -terraced valley to leap with a terrific roar over the Huka Falls. - -The Geyser Valley of Wairakei is one of the most marvellous creations -of its kind to be found perhaps in any part of the world. It forms, as -it were, one of the principal arteries of thermal action which would -seem to extend from the volcano of Tongariro in the south through -the Lake region to Whakari, the active crater in the Bay of Plenty, -in the east. The bottom of the valley is situated at an elevation of -1000 feet above the level of the sea, while down its centre, which -has a gradual fall to the east, a warm stream of water, known as Te -Wairakei, flows rapidly on its course to join the Waikato. Its steep, -winding sides rise in some places to a height of over 200 feet, and -above these again flat terraces spread out, bounded by clusters of -conical, fern-clad hills, which mount upward, as it were, in increasing -elevation to the heights beyond. Looking down the valley from one of -the elevations, one sees the winding course of the great fissure filled -with a dense growth of vegetation, forced into vigorous life, as it -were, by the white clouds of steam that mount into the air on every -side. There is one great charm about the Geyser Valley of Wairakei, -and that is that it is not a melancholy, dismal-looking place. It has -not the Hades-like appearance of Tikitere nor the Valley-of-Death-like -look of Whakarewarewa. One is at once struck with the varied growth -of vegetation which everywhere abounds, the luxuriance of the trees, -the rich beauty of the ferns, and the vivid green of the thick carpet -of rare and beautiful mosses which spreads itself everywhere about, -from the margin of the stream below to the very tops of the steep, -smoking cliffs. Every geyser, spring, and mud-hole has its clustering -vegetation, and as you grope your way through the thick undergrowth -along the tortuous stream, each thermal wonder bursts suddenly upon the -view with a fresh and startling beauty. - -As we descended into the valley by a tortuous pathway we heard the -rushing of waters below, as the turbulent stream beneath swept onward -over a series of miniature cascades; then the noise of hissing steam -burst upon the ear, the heated ground seemed to quake beneath our feet, -the boiling mud-holes sent forth a noise like the incessant "thud" of -a steam-hammer, which mingled in a weird way with the loud roar and -splashing of the geysers as they threw up their columns of boiling -water above the trees. - -Gazing anywhere, up and down the valley, some of the most beautiful and -curious sights presented themselves. The warm stream which gathered its -waters from the overflowing geysers and springs wound its course amidst -the trees, sparkling and glittering beneath the sun. In some places -its sides were entirely fringed with silicious deposits, some white -and beautiful like overhanging folds of lace, some dipping down into -the water in the form of enormous stalactites, while others, assuming -a rounded buttress-like formation, were green with ferns and dank -mosses of varied hue. At another moment a rocky point came into view, -and above the clustering ferns, brilliant in the soft rays of light, -the tall _manuka_ trees, which here attained to wonderful proportions, -cast their gnarled branches in a dense canopy overhead, and from the -very water's edge, where the warm springs bubbled and hissed, to the -very summit of the valley on either side the heated soil gave life to -countless wonders of the vegetable world. - -Threading our way through the scrub over the hot, spongy soil, we came -to Tahuatahi, a powerful intermittent geyser, with steep, rugged sides, -flanked by enormous buttresses of white silica rock. The cauldron was -formed by a deep hole, about twenty feet in circumference, from which -a column of boiling water shot up now and again from a dense cloud of -steam as it overflowed into the stream below. At a short distance from -this point we crossed the creek, the sides of which were here covered -with a thick growth of moss, which luxuriated in a kind of tropical -heat, caused by the jets of steam which coiled out from small fissures -in the soil on which it grew. When I inserted the thermometer about a -foot beneath the soil at this spot, and right under the very roots of -the moss, it rose rapidly to 210° Fahr. Further along was Terekirike, a -large geyser, situated on the very margin of the stream. Its cauldron -was of irregular formation, but rugged and beautiful in appearance, -the rounded, boulder-like masses of which it was built up being of a -delicate cream-colour, while the silicious crystals, assuming the most -fantastic forms, tinged here and there with a pinkish hue, imparted -to the whole a singularly beautiful and delicate appearance. Next to -this was the "Whistling Geyser," which threw up a column of boiling -water at the summit of a terrace of silicious rock, while next to this -again was a boiling cauldron where the heated water burst forth with -a loud bubbling sound. All these three geysers formed a terrace-like -formation of silicious rock, which was tinted in colours of white, -pink, and yellow, while the gnarled roots of the trees, and branches -which had fallen to the ground, within the action of the water had -been completely covered and cemented, as it were, to the rock by the -silicious deposits. Here the thermal action appeared to be very active, -and as soon as one geyser subsided, another would burst forth, as it -were, with redoubled vigour. - -Passing this point we entered a thick scrub, where the ground was in a -highly heated condition, and came suddenly into a bend in the creek, -where the opposite sides of the valley rose perpendicularly from the -water. In the centre of the place where we stood was a deep hole, from -which shot up now and again a column of boiling water. Around the -deep, cavernous aperture the dead branches of _manuka_ had fallen in -a circle, and had interlaced and spread themselves around in the form -of a large nest of the most delicate construction, while the water, -falling upon the netted twigs and branches, had covered them completely -with a pearly incrustation of snowy silica, converting the whole into -a pure white nest of stone. Nothing but spreading trees and mosses -grew around this secluded spot, and the singular structure, when we -first came upon it, looked like the petrified nest of some gigantic -antediluvian bird. - -From this curious structure, which we named the Eagle's Nest, we -mounted the hot, treacherous sides of the valley to where a number of -boiling mud-holes vomited forth vast quantities of white, silicious -mud, of the consistency of thick gruel. All were nearly circular in -form, and about six feet deep by twenty in circumference, and, while -one had a pinkish tint, caused evidently by red oxide of iron, another -next to it was of a milky-white colour. When the mud had become -hardened, it was of the consistency of cheese, with a greasy feel, -while it could be fashioned by the aid of a knife into any form. All -the pools were in a constant state of ebullition, and emitted a strong -odour of sulphuretted hydrogen. Close to them was a small lakelet of -green, silicious water, warm and steaming. The sides of the valley -in this vicinity were everywhere very hot, and when I inserted the -thermometer about two feet below the surface it registered 215°, and -yet on this heated soil the mosses grew luxuriantly, but all other -vegetation had a somewhat stunted appearance. - -Lower down the valley we came upon another geyser, throwing up boiling -water from a funnel-shaped hole, around which big masses of silica rock -clustered in fantastic form. At the foot of this geyser, and within a -yard or two of the stream, was a small pool, apparently of great depth, -in which big balls of gas flashed constantly in the sun as they rose -rapidly to the surface and exploded. This only occurred when the geyser -was quiescent, but as soon as it became active, the pool became less -troubled, as the water from above rolled over it. At a short distance -from this was a geyser formed by a circular hole, which threw up -constantly a big jet of hot water from a basin where the crystallized -rock was covered with a black deposit. Here we jumped the stream at a -very treacherous point, and again fought our way through the scrub, and -round about a perfect network of hot springs and mud-holes, so close -and so intricately laced together that the greatest care was necessary -to prevent being boiled alive. - -On the southern side of the stream, we came suddenly up to the Big -Geyser, which every now and again threw up vast volumes of boiling -water from an oval-shaped cauldron of pure white, crystallized silica. -The water, of the purest blue, flowed over a terrace-like formation, -which was being gradually built up just as the famed terraces of -Rotomahana must have been, each fold, or lamination, of the rock -being distinctively formed with tablets beautifully designed by the -silica-charged waters. Climbing up a ridge by the side of this big -fountain, we peered over a precipice, which opened out beneath in a -semicircular form, and at the bottom of which was a large oval-shaped -spring--dark water, shining, and steaming hot, while the silicious -rocks which walled it in were tinged a deep red by oxide of iron. This -was a very warm though interesting region. The red and white-streaked -walls of the chasm steamed and bubbled, the boiling mud-springs -displayed a wonderful activity, while the green lakelet on the opposite -side of the valley sent down its emerald-coloured water to mingle with -Te Wairakei, which foamed and hissed as it rushed furiously over its -rocky bed below. - -Not far from this point was the geyser known as the Great Wairakei, -from which the district takes its name. According to Maori legend, it -is said to have been called after an old woman who plunged into its -boiling cauldron to end her days. It was formed of an oblong basin of -about forty feet long by thirty feet wide, and almost circular, while -at its farther end the steep sides of the steaming pool rose to a -height of sixty feet, rock-bound, black, and adamantine in appearance. -Perhaps, however, one of the most curious features of this geyser -was that the edges of the pool were beautifully fringed with white -incrustations of silica, pointed and fretted in the form of the most -delicate lacework, while down beneath the water might be seen huge -masses of silica rock, which had the appearance of the most fantastic -coralline formations. White, yellow, and pink were the prevailing -colours of these splendid incrustations, and when shining beneath the -sun the contrast of the deep blue of the water and the white foam of -the geyser, as it threw up its column of steaming water, was very -attractive. Right in the centre of the broad basin the hot fountain -surged and rolled, bursting up now and again in the form of a sparkling -column, and subsiding with a loud, rumbling sound, as if in fury at the -disturbing agency below. Enormous volumes of steam circled in the air, -but everywhere around its hot sides a clustering vegetation struggled -for life upon the heated soil. - -Within a short distance to the west of the Geyser Valley, and at the -summit of a high range of hills, we explored another interesting region -of thermal action. It was principally formed by a deep, crater-like -depression, with rugged sides, composed of huge masses of trachytic and -pumice rock and volcanic earth, from the numerous fissures of which -issued white jets of steam. The country hereabouts bore traces of -having undergone, at some period or another, considerable subterranean -disturbance, and it appeared as if the crater-like depression had -formed the principal seat of action. In the centre of this remarkable -locality was situated a small lake of oblong shape, with steep, -rock-bound, precipitous sides, which rose perpendicularly from the -edge of the water to a height of about sixty feet. The water, of a -thick, opaque blue, like cloudy turquoise, lay undisturbed, without -a ripple upon its surface, save where innumerable gas-bubbles rose -from the depths below to give off their sulphuretted hydrogen. At its -western end, embowered amidst a dense growth of fern and mosses, was -a picturesque cave, through which ran a cold, icy spring of delicious -water. - -Near to the lake were several large mud-pools in a state of great -activity, and still further along, close under a steep, rocky bluff, -whose hot, quaking sides sent forth innumerable jets of steam, was an -extensive chain of sulphur-pools, one of which was over 100 feet in -diameter. In the vicinity of these pools were large deposits of bright -yellow sulphur, with hematite iron, the red oxide, silica, alum, and -other mineral products peculiar to thermal action. All these pools were -so disposed that they formed, as it were, natural baths, and, from -various tests I made, I found that the temperature averaged from 100° -to 206° Fahr. The colour of the water varied in appearance from dark -green to steel-grey, but all were evidently highly charged with sulphur -and other minerals, and I believe that their curative properties would -be found very efficacious in cutaneous and rheumatic affections. - -It was from the Blue Lake and the sulphur and mud-pools in its -vicinity that a very remarkable spring took its rise. After passing a -considerable distance underground, it wound on its way to the Waikato -River. Along its entire course the country fell rapidly from the lake, -and the stream in many places--which had a channel from three to six -feet in width--descended at various intervals into small cascades -which, falling into broad pools, formed natural baths. We bathed in one -of these fountains where the water had a temperature of 110° Fahr., -and as the whole volume of the stream passed over the body, it produced -the most delightful sensation. The efficacy of this water for curative -purposes has been long known to the Maoris, who have given it the name -of Kiriohinekai, or "New Skin," from the singular properties which it -possesses in the cure of cutaneous and rheumatic disorders. The water -in colour was of a bluish green, and we found that our horses drank -readily of it, even when in its warm state. - -To the south of the Kiriohinekai stream, and about a mile distant, -there was another broad valley, the bottom of which was covered with -innumerable _fumaroles_ that sent up their coils of steam in every -direction. Here the soft, spongy, heated soil was covered with a dense -growth of moss and stunted _manuka_ scrub. All the springs running over -this valley were warm, and most of them were impregnated to a high -degree with sulphur and alum. - -Here at the foot of a hill sloping towards the south was situated Te -Karapiti, the largest _fumarole_ in the Lake Country. It was formed by -a deep and apparently fathomless aperture, rounded like a funnel, and -from which issued with a terrific force and unearthly screeching noise, -a spiral column of transparent steam, which mounted high into the air -as if forced upward from below by a 100-horse-power engine. So great -was the force of this column of steam as it issued from the earth, that -the branches of trees we threw into the funnel were at once ejected -and hurled upwards with tremendous power. When I tested its heat, the -thermometer rose to 220° Fahr. This curious steam-hole, which carries -on its eruptions incessantly, may be distinctly seen all over the Taupo -country.[36] - -The Huka[37] Falls form, without doubt, the most attractive sight to -be seen along the whole valley of the Waikato, and there is no better -way to view them than by an approach from the north through Wairakei. -Journeying this way, one gets a splendid view of the deep valley of -the river, as it meanders for miles on either side, and when the falls -burst upon the gaze they produce a magnificent _coup d'oeil_. The -river pouring out of Lake Taupo, at an elevation of 1175 feet above -the level of the sea, rolls onward in a serpentine course down a -picturesque terraced ravine for about five miles, when it suddenly -breaks into a series of eddying cascades, and then, sweeping with a -rapid current round an abrupt curve, the vast volume of water enters a -channel about 150 feet long by 60 feet broad, and with perpendicular, -rock-bound sides. The foaming stream thus confined shoots onward with -tremendous fury into bounding rapids, until the mass of water leaps -from a height of 50 feet into a circular basin below, whence it rushes -onwards in its course to the sea. The fine basin into which the river -falls is about 150 feet broad in its widest part; its precipitous sides -rise to a height of about 60 feet, and above these again the terraced -hills of pumice rise hundreds of feet higher. Around this pool the -greenest and most varied vegetation clusters to the very edge of the -water; enormous boulders lie scattered beneath, as if hurled into -their present position by the fury of the stream, and as the bright, -bluish-green water comes thundering in a glittering, foaming wave -over the rocky precipice, and falls shining beneath the sun in wild, -seething eddies below, amidst a cloud of diamond spray, the effect is -beautiful in the extreme. - -[Illustration: SECTION OF VALLEY OF WAIKATO RIVER AT HUKA FALLS. - - A A. Table-land of pumice drift 1400 feet above sea-level. - - B B. Flat terrace. - - C. Channel cut by river through dyke of trachytic rock. - - D. Fall of river into lower terraced valley, 50 feet.] - -When I had gazed with admiration at the beauty of the Huka, I -determined to ascertain whether it would be possible to pass underneath -the shoot of water from one side to the other. I had done this under -the Falls of Niagara, and it seemed to me that the same thing might be -accomplished at the Huka, only on a smaller scale. When I suggested -to my guide that we should make this trial at the risk of our necks, -he did not hesitate, but, on the contrary, entered with spirit into -what appeared an almost impossible undertaking. To get down on a level -with the seething pool below, it was necessary for us to descend a -perpendicular precipice of rock of some sixty feet in height. The only -way down was by clinging on to the roots of the trees, and in this way -we gained the rugged rocks beneath. Once on the margin of the river, -we crept through the thick growth of fern and _manuka_, and then -along steep, slippery, moss-grown boulders that bordered the eddying -whirlpool. There was just sufficient room at each step to put the toes -of our boots. One false step and all was over. As we crept cautiously -along towards the fall, and looked upwards, it appeared much higher and -grander than when we had beheld it from the precipice above, and as it -came thundering towards us from a cloud of spray the effect was not -only beautiful, but thrilling to a degree. With the cautious tread of -a couple of cats, we crawled round the edge of the fall, so close that -the outside water of the grand cascade caught us and drenched us to -the skin, but it soon became apparent as we progressed under the fall -that our way was barred by a barrier of rock which rose vertically up -under the centre of the shoot. We discovered, however, a small cave, -which extended right under the bed of the rocky channel over which the -river passed, and, as we squatted down inside, the vibration caused by -the terrific flow of water over our heads was so great that not only -did the rocks above and around us shake, but the delicate and beautiful -ferns which grew about the walls of the cave trembled like aspen leaves -as they grew. As we gazed from the recesses of the cave through the -falling water the effect produced by the sunlight was very beautiful, -as it lit up the foaming cataract in all the colours of the rainbow. - -Thus baffled, I determined to try the opposite side of the fall, and -on the following day we crossed the Waikato at Tapuwaeharuru, and rode -across the wide pumice plain between the valley of the river and the -great mountain Tauhara. It was when crossing this level tract of weird -pumice country, where nothing could be seen but stunted _manuka_ and -tussock grass, that we came across, and, in fact, nearly galloped into -an enormous fissure, which we did not perceive until we were right -on its brink. It was about three quarters of a mile long, running at -right angles to the river, and over 100 feet in depth. Now, although -on the hard dry plain over which we rode the vegetation was sparse and -stunted, down in this chasm there was a beautiful and varied growth of -mosses, trees, and ferns, all growing in unsurpassed luxuriance upon -the hard pumice soil. A small stream, which came out from under the -ground at the head of this deep valley, wound down its centre; and as -we gazed upon the varied growth below, it looked like a veritable oasis -in a wilderness. To any one anxious to act the part of a modern Quintus -Curtius, I know of no better place. - -When we gained the Huka Falls on this side, we crawled down a steep, -precipitous cliff, and by the aid of a rope let ourselves down a wall -of rock some fifty feet in height, until we reached a dense growth of -scrub and fern, which fringed the rocks on this side of the pool. We -came suddenly into a rustic-looking spot in a cluster of bush, where -the water from a spring in the cliff above dropped like a shower-bath -upon our heads, and from this point we again got out to the moss-grown, -slippery rocks on the margin of the river. The wind, too, being across -the falls, blew clouds of spray all around us, and it was with great -difficulty we crept round the body of water and right under the centre -of the shoot, where the full volume of the Waikato rolled over our -heads. On this side a series of rocky ledges, each about a foot wide, -formed the inner wall, and these were covered everywhere with a thick -growth of bright-green mosses, and there was just sufficient room for -us to stand without being caught by the fall and drawn into the vortex -that hissed below like a steaming cauldron, as the millions of tons -of bright-blue water fell with echoing roar at our feet. So far our -adventures beneath the waters of the Huka were satisfactory, but I -could not recommend any one to repeat the experiment. Our researches, -however, proved beyond a doubt that it is not possible to pass under -the Huka Falls from one side to the other. - -I found that almost every object of interest in these wild regions had -some weird legend attached to it, and Te Huka was not an exception to -the rule. Ages ago, so the tradition goes, a number of the tribe of the -Ngatihau came on a visit to the Ngatituwharetoa of Taupo. The former, -being experienced canoemen, boasted of the rapids they were accustomed -to shoot when navigating the Whanganui, pointing out at the same time -that the Taupo natives might well sail with ease over their beautiful -lake. But the Ngatituwharetoa gave their visitors to understand that -they could boast of rapids that no canoe could shoot. "If you show -them, we will navigate them," exclaimed the Ngatihau; and the challenge -was taken up, the only stipulation being that the Taupo tribe should -furnish a pilot to the head of the rapids. A war-canoe was launched, -and seventy of the Ngatihau getting into it, the swift craft shot down -the Waikato, then over the first rapid and over the second, when at a -jutting point of rock the pilot of the Ngatituwharetoa leapt ashore, -and in a second more the Ngatihau swept onward to their doom over the -falls. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote 36: When making the ascent of Ruapehu, Te Karapiti was -distinctly visible at a distance of nearly fifty miles. It acts as a -kind of weather glass to the Maoris when navigating the treacherous -waters of Lake Taupo.] - -[Footnote 37: _Huka_ is a general term applied by the natives to the -foam of the sea, and to ice and snow; it here refers to the foaming, -snowy appearance of the falls.] - - - - -EXPLORATION OF THE KING COUNTRY. - - - - -CHAPTER XI. - -THE START. - - Reason of the journey--How I succeeded--My interpreter--Our - horses--The Hursthouse difficulty--Departure from - Wairakei--Tapuwaeharuru--The natives--Release of Hursthouse, and - capture of Te Mahuki--The council of war. - - -In undertaking my journey of exploration through the King Country, I -was prompted by no other desire than to advance the general interests -of New Zealand, by making known more fully that portion of it which -was virtually a blank on the maps, and thus to add, as far as lay in -my power, to the geographical and geological knowledge of a vast and -important region, which was reputed to be rich in natural resources -of a valuable and varied order. The object was, in fine, of a purely -scientific nature, and was prosecuted throughout solely in conformity -with that view. - -In setting out upon the undertaking--as I had selected to do the -journey only in company with an interpreter, and without the -protection of friendly natives, whose aid, in fact, it would have been -impossible to obtain--I was aware that a difficult and, by reason of -the unsatisfactory state of the native question, a dangerous task -lay before me, but I was likewise aware that I was no novice in the -matter of travel. I had penetrated into some of the wildest parts of -Australia, explored the principal islands of the Coral Sea, been into -the interior of China and of Japan, crossed the United States, visited -Mexico, travelled in Canada, voyaged up the Nile, camped with the -Bedouins on the plains of Arabia, and hunted in the forests of Ceylon. -In all these countries, whilst exploring their natural beauties and -varied resources, it was my practice to mix freely with the native -races, while I made their habits and customs my special study, and with -the knowledge thus acquired, it seemed to my mind that it would not -be altogether impossible for me to get along with the Maoris, whose -intelligence and courage had been a general theme for admiration ever -since the arrival of Cook. - -When entering upon the journey, I determined to follow a certain line -of action throughout. I resolved to ascend Tongariro, to scale the -summit of Ruapehu, and then to enter the King Country at its furthest -extremity, and return northward to Alexandra by the best route by -which I could secure the most extended knowledge of the region to be -traversed. If turned back by the natives at one point, I was prepared -to try another. I was determined that no efforts should be spared to -accomplish my object, and that no obstacle should impede my progress, -save forcible opposition. To guard as much as possible against an -occurrence of the latter kind, I resolved, above all when in contact -with the tribes, to go fearlessly among them, to respect their customs, -and follow, as near as possible, their mode of life, and, in fact, for -the time being to become a Maori. Only in one instance was I forced to -break through this rule, and that was in order to accomplish the ascent -of Tongariro. This mountain, as before pointed out, is strictly _tapu_, -and I was aware that all the persuasive diplomacy in the world would -not secure me permission to ascend it, I therefore had to accomplish -this task unbeknown to the Maoris having settlements in its vicinity. -Following strictly the natives' habits, when camping with the tribes, -we would at sundown turn into the _wharepunis_, or assembly-houses, in -which the members of the _hapu_ meet to eat and sleep, when the small -door would be closed, the solitary window scrupulously fastened up, the -charcoal fire lit, and when the dismal slush lamp would give forth its -flickering light, as if struggling for existence amidst the clouds of -smoke which mingled with the stifling air of the apartment; then men, -women, and children would squat down in their blankets, and, lighting -their pipes, conversation would begin. It was on these occasions that -we gained most of our information about the country and the habits and -customs of the interesting people among whom we were travelling. They -were always desirous of ascertaining what countries I had visited, and, -with the able assistance of my interpreter, I related to them some -of the principal features of interest I had seen in various parts of -the world. During these descriptions not a word was ever spoken--men, -women, and children sat in silence--but at the conclusion of my -narrative the most extraordinary and often ludicrous questions would be -asked. In turn the natives would tell us all we wished to know about -their country and indicate the mineral deposits[38] which they knew to -exist in various localities, while they would likewise recite legends, -and sing songs in a mournful, melancholy way. Then, one by one, they -would gradually settle down to sleep, and in this way, amid loud -snoring and a stifling heat, we would pass away twelve dreary hours, -until the cool breath of morning came and gave us relief. It was, in -fact, by following this course that we gained the confidence of the -natives, and made them our friends. - -When I was fully prepared to set out on my journey, as I could not -speak a word of the native language, my next desire was to secure the -services of an efficient interpreter. During my travels through the -Lake Country I had become acquainted with Mr. J.A. Turner, a younger -member of a family of European extraction, who from the early days -of the colony had been settled near Whatiwhatihoe. It was in company -with Mr. Turner that I examined the wonders of Wairakei, and made -the descent under the Huka Falls. It was on that occasion, too, that -I remarked his spirited love for travel and adventure, his quick -perception as a guide, his thorough knowledge of the Maori language, -and of native habits and customs; and while I admired his genial -manner, I secretly determined that when I started on my journey to -explore the King Country he would be the first man whose services I -would endeavour to secure. In this I was fortunately successful. - -As I shall have occasion to refer frequently to the horses we took on -our journey I will give their names, with a brief description of each. -Charlie, the horse which I rode, was bred on the Kaingaroa Plains, east -of Lake Taupo, and was caught by Turner from a mob of wild horses. -He stood about fifteen hands, was of a dark iron-grey colour, and -possessed good points. Tommy, ridden by Turner, was a black pony, of -about fourteen hands, bred near Auckland, and, although his points -were not perfect, he was strongly built, and plucky to a degree. Our -sumpter-horse, also bred near Auckland, was a gaunt, white-coated -animal, well built, but somewhat long in the legs, and narrow-chested. -His principal failing was an inordinate appetite. Moreover, although -a fine-looking horse in many ways, he had the gait of a camel, and, -I think, like the "ship of the desert" is said to do, he cursed his -father when going up a hill, and his Creator when coming down. - -When everything was in readiness, and just as we were about to start -from Wairakei, an event mingled with alarm occurred in connection -with the native difficulty. Several of the principal Kingite chiefs, -who had up to this time remained in sullen isolation, agreed to allow -Mr. Hursthouse, a government surveyor, and his assistants, with a -body-guard of friendly natives, to enter a part of the northern portion -of the King Country, but immediately upon the party reaching the -small settlement of Te Kumi, a few miles across the frontier-line, -they were set upon and made prisoners by a band of Maoris headed by -Te Mahuki, a fanatical follower of Te Whiti, the Maori prophet. No -sooner were the surveyors in the hands of the desperadoes, than they -were taken prisoners into the settlement, stripped of every particle -of clothing, brutally maltreated, and chained up in a hut where they -were detained until intelligence of their capture reached Alexandra. -This brutal outrage upon a government officer in the face of the many -delicate phases of the Maori difficulty, was naturally received with -consternation throughout the colony, as at first glance it appeared -little short of an act of open rebellion on the part of the natives. - -A few days after this event, on the 5th of April, we set out from -Wairakei, and following along the banks of the Waikato for about six -miles, reached Tapuwaeharuru, a small township at the northern end -of Lake Taupo. Situated far from the centres of population, this -settlement is not an important place, beyond its being one of the -principal strategic positions of the armed constabulary. The flat, -elevated plain upon which the township is situated, is formed entirely -of pumice, and has a hollow, cavernous-like sound when riding over -it, a circumstance which no doubt gave rise to its native name, which -signifies "the place of sounding footsteps." - -From time immemorial Tapuwaeharuru has been the centre of a large Maori -population, and all around this portion of the lake may yet be seen the -remains of old _pas_ and other evidences of the fast-decaying native -race. There is still a considerable number of natives living in the -vicinity, and the township is usually full of them. Many of the men are -tall and finely built, and, in fact, this portion of the country has -been at all times renowned for the splendid physical development of the -native race, some of the tallest and most powerful men in the island -hailing from these parts. The women, likewise, are comely in appearance -and strongly built, while they follow the peculiar custom, which I have -not seen elsewhere, of tattooing the legs as well as the lips in thin -cross-lines of a dark-blue colour. - -We reached Tapuwaeharuru early in the day, and noticed as we -entered the township that a body of the armed constabulary were at -work repairing the earthwork of the redoubt. We soon learned that -Hursthouse and his party had been released by a body of armed natives -under Wahanui, the principal chief of the Ngatimaniapoto, and that -Te Mahuki and his band had been taken prisoners to Auckland.[39] It -was evident that the natives were much excited over the latter event, -and the armed constabulary had received orders to hold themselves in -readiness to take the field at any moment. Tawhiao, the Maori king, -was on his way from the East Coast with 300 mounted Waikatos, and was -expected to arrive on the following day, and it was reported by the -natives that he would enter the King Country by the northern shore of -the lake, and call a meeting of all the tribes to discuss the situation. - -At this juncture I sent Turner to sound the natives whether they -thought that he could enter the King Country at Tokanu, and pass -northward to visit his family at Whatiwhatihoe. Two of the natives whom -he knew from Tokanu told him that he might by chance get through, but -if he happened to come across any of Te Mahuki's followers or other -unfriendly natives, he would probably be treated in the same way as -Hursthouse, or perhaps get a bullet through him. The general impression -was that the Hursthouse affair, and the imprisonment of Te Mahuki and -his band, would cause a serious disturbance between the Europeans and -natives. At this stage we held a council of war. It was clear there -were only two alternatives--either to go on and chance everything, or -beat an ignominious retreat. I made a firm stand against the latter, -and Turner, realizing the position at once, said, "Wherever you go, -I'll follow." That settled the question, and that night, when the moon -was high, we pitched our first camp on the eastern shore of Lake Taupo. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote 38: The natives at Ruakaka told us of the existence of gold -in the Kaimanawa Mountains, and in the Tuhua country, as likewise of -extensive deposits of coal on the Upper Whanganui River.] - - - - -CHAPTER XII. - -THE REGION OF LAKE TAUPO. - - Natural phenomena--The great table-land--Position and dimensions - of the lake--Watershed--Geological features--The lake an extinct - crater--Crater lakes--Areas of thermal action. - - -As during my journey through the King Country the widely extended -region surrounding Lake Taupo will of necessity be brought prominently -forward as being the principal centre around which my explorations -were prosecuted, I will endeavour to define in general terms the -leading features of this important area, in order that all my future -descriptions of the country traversed may be more readily understood by -the general reader. - -This portion of the North Island, by reason of the varied features of -its natural phenomena, is without doubt one of the most wonderful and -interesting fields for geographical exploration and geological research -to be found in any part of the world. It is, in fact, a portion of the -earth where some of the most marvellous works which mark the progress -of a Divine Creation may be viewed in singular and varied contrast, -and while one beholds in wonder the stupendous action of volcanic -fires, one may trace the no less potent force of the snowy glacier and -bounding river. Here nature, with her mighty forces of fire and water, -has formed and moulded a region of extended plains pierced by colossal -mountains which raise their giant heads to the region of eternal snow, -while countless rivers pour down their waters into a lake possessing -the dimensions of an inland sea. - -[Illustration: TRANSVERSE SECTION OF NORTH ISLAND FROM S.W. TO N.E. - -AA. S.W. fall of great central table-land to coast, geological -formation near surface, pumicious grit and decomposed trachytic rock, -in form of light earth, resting on strata of pumice and fluvial drift. -Vegetation various native grasses, low fern and forest. - -B. Onetapu scoria desert, highest point of table-land, dividing -northern and southern watershed. - -CC. Sources of Whangaehu and Waikato rivers, flowing south and north -respectively. - -DD. Centres of volcanic upheaval. - -EE. General direction of great pumice deposit, forming extensive open -plains. Vegetation principally tussock grass and _manuka_ scrub.] - -The middle portion of the North Island is formed of an extended -table-land, which towards its central point, that is to say, in the -vicinity of the lake margin, attains to a mean altitude of nearly 2000 -feet above the level of the sea. Beyond this radius, which I may term -the inner circle of the great lake basin, the plane of elevation varies -in altitude, and attains its highest point at its southern division, -where, on the Onetapu desert, at the eastern base of the great mountain -Ruapehu, it rises to a height of over 3000 feet, from which place it -inclines gradually towards the south coast, and divides the northern -and southern watershed of this portion of the country. Easterly of this -the table-land is intersected by the Kaimanawa mountains, and from the -western base of Ruapehu it falls with a rapid descent into the valley -of the Whanganui. To the north of the lake, along the upper valley of -the Waikato, it has an average elevation of from 1500 to nearly 2000 -feet, until it descends into a broad valley near Atea-amuri, where -the river flows round to the north-west to enter the plains of the -lower valley of the Waikato. Eastward of the lake the highest point of -the plateau is attained near to the northern slope of the Kaimanawa -mountains, whence it dips in a north-easterly course, in the direction -of the Bay of Plenty. Over a large area, along the western shore of -the lake, the table-land maintains a more equal elevation than near -the eastern shore-line, until it reaches the head of the Waihora -river, whence it inclines north-westerly, around the high mountains of -Titiraupenga, until it gradually merges into the broad, low valley of -the Upper Waipa. - -It is as near as possible in the centre of this vast area of elevation, -that the enormous sheet of water forming Lake Taupo is situated. The -position of the lake is in lat. 38° 37' to 38° 58' S.; long. 175° -46' to 176° 5' E. Its mean altitude above the sea, by barometrical -measurements, I ascertained to be 1175 feet. The margin, or shore-line, -assumes a somewhat oval shape, with a broad bay on the western side. -It is twenty-four miles long in a north-easterly and south-westerly -direction, and fourteen miles broad from east to west, and with a -superficial area of over 300 square miles. It possesses one small -island, which is situated near to its south-eastern shore, and its -coast is surrounded with beautiful bays and headlands, which in some -instances rise many hundreds of feet above the white pumice shore. -Although the waters of the lake are comparatively shallow around a -greater part of the margin, there are places where it is of an enormous -depth, especially near its centre in the direction of the western bay. - -In describing the watershed of this wide region, I may point out -that the area of the lake basin may be defined by those divisions of -the country which give rise to the rivers, creeks, and other waters -flowing into it, and which have their origin for the most part in -the extensive mountain ranges scattered over various parts of the -table-lands. - -Although on the most recent maps of the colony only about eight rivers, -namely, the Waitahanui, Hinemaiai, Tauranga, Waimarino, Upper Waikato, -Waihaha, and Waihora, are represented as flowing into the lake, I -found on the western shore, in addition to other smaller streams, the -Kuramanga, Kuratao, Whareroa, Mangakara, Whanganui,[40] Waikino, and -Waikomiko, besides three other streams on the northern shore, the names -of which I was unable to obtain. - -It will therefore be seen that there are not less than seventeen rivers -running into this lake, with innumerable smaller streams, while it -should be remarked that the only river or stream of any kind flowing -out of this immense area of water is the Waikato, at the north-east -end. Most of the rivers on the eastern side of the lake receive their -waters from the north-western slope of the Kaimanawa mountains, and -those from the west, from the Tuhua, Hauhungaroa and Hurakia ranges. -Comparatively little water flows into the lake at the northern end, -since the country thereabouts dips mostly in the direction of the -valley of the Waikato. It is in fact at its southern end that the lake -receives its greatest volume of water from the Upper Waikato river, -and its numerous tributaries. This river, rising at an altitude of -7000 feet on the eastern side of Ruapehu, is fed by the snows of that -mountain, and of Tongariro, as well as by the enormous watershed of a -large portion of the Kaimanawa mountains, along the western base of -which it runs in its winding course to the lake, receiving likewise -on its way the eastern streams of the Kakaramea ranges, and the -overflowing waters of Lake Rotoaira, as they descend by the Poutu -river. With but one outlet to relieve it of this tremendous watershed, -it is not surprising that the waters of the lake rise rapidly during -the rainy season, while with the continuance of heavy winds its waves -are lashed into fury, and break upon its shores with the force and roar -of a raging sea. - -In considering the geological features of the region of Lake Taupo, -it may be imagined here, as in other cases, that the primary volcanic -eruptions were submarine, and that when first that portion of New -Zealand now known as the North Island appeared above the surrounding -sea, forced upwards by some volcanic freak of nature, the Taupo -table-land rose perhaps rapidly, perhaps by slow degrees, to its -greatest elevation. The volcanic eruptions which produced this -phenomenon may, in short, have been instantaneous or slow in their -action; but be that as it may, their work has been indelibly impressed -upon the face of Nature in a way which has caused its wonderful results -to last through vast periods of time. The volcanic agencies, however, -did not rest here. The Plutonic fires, still active in the interior of -the earth, burst through the elevated plane, and caused big mountains -to rise up in the form of serrated ridges and truncated cones, which -poured out their streams of lava and other kindred products over the -surrounding country. Hence dotted along the Taupo volcanic zone are -stupendous mountain ranges and graceful trachytic cones standing alone -or rising from amidst a cluster of minor elevations to heights which -vary from 1200 to nearly 10,000 feet above the level of the sea. Of -the former class the most extensive are the Kaimanawa mountains and -the kindred systems, with the Tuhua ranges and the wooded heights of -Hauhungaroa and Hurakia, while the cone formation is exemplified in -the grandest proportions in Ruapehu, Tongariro, Pihanga, Tauhara, -Kakaramea, Kuharua, Puke kai-kiore, Karangahape, Haurungatahi, -Hikurangi, Hurakia, and Titiraupenga, all of which indicate various -centres of volcanic action. - -The existence of a body of water of the area of Lake Taupo, and of its -form and depth in the centre of this elevated region, may be accounted -for in several ways. It may have originated in the terrific throes -of an earthquake, or by a fracture or break in the plateau. I am, -however, of opinion that the present basin of the lake was at one time -an active crater, which had its existence long prior to the period -when the volcanic cones surrounding it sprang into existence, and that -at the time of its activity it was considerably higher than it is at -the present day, its subsidence or depression having been caused by -one of those sudden changes peculiar to regions subject to volcanic -disturbance. Moreover, many of the leading geological phenomena, as -exemplified throughout the surrounding country, would seem to point to -this conclusion. Perhaps one of the most remarkable features of the -Taupo volcanic zone at the present day is its vast pumice plains, -which radiate, as it were, from a common centre over an extensive area -of country. The largest of these plains stretches in a north-easterly -direction from the lake shore, with a gradual fall or incline in the -same direction. It is through the western margin of this plain that the -Waikato winds through its terraced valley, and it is around this valley -that may be more distinctly seen the enormous deposits of pumice, -which have been distributed far and wide, as it were, by the action of -rapidly rolling waters. - -From every outward indication it would appear that this vast deposit -of pumice rock had its origin in the once active crater forming the -basin of the great lake, and that both Ruapehu and Tongariro rose -above their still higher planes long after the period when the great -Taupo crater now forming the cup of the lake was the principal outlet -of volcanic fires in this wide field of Plutonic action. As a matter -of fact the distribution of pumice drift around the enormous base of -Ruapehu and Tongariro is as nothing when compared with the great pumice -formation of North-Eastern Taupo, and this statement will apply equally -to the plains westward and south-westward of the lake. The greatest -overflow or distribution of pumice appears to have been, as before -pointed out, at the north-eastern division of the lake basin, where the -area of depression is greater than at any other part, and at a point -over thirty miles distant from either Tongariro or Ruapehu. It was, I -believe, when the fires of the great lake volcano died out that the -waters rose from the subterranean springs below, and overflowing the -then more elevated crater, distributed the light pumice rock over the -area of country which had a gradual fall then as now in the direction -in which the extensive deposits of pumice are still to be found. This -enormous crater was, no doubt, at one time the highest point of the -island, until its period of volcanic extinction and subsidence set in, -after which stage the pent-up fires burst forth in the stupendous form -of Ruapehu, and when the latter in its turn became extinct, Tongariro, -with its minor system of volcanic cones, sprang into existence. - -[Illustration: TERRACE FORMATION AND HOT SPRINGS. - -(_Valley of the Waikato._)] - -I am not aware whether this theory of the crater basin of Lake Taupo -is a new or an old one, and I only endeavour to exemplify it as it -presented itself to my mind, after a careful examination of the -country for many miles around the lake, and from data gained during my -ascent of the highest mountains of this great volcanic centre. I may, -however, likewise point out that the Taupo natives still have a well -authenticated tradition, which would seem to show that even during the -history of the race upon the island, the lake basin was at one period -considerably higher than it is at the present day. But, beyond the -above fact to support this theory, it is well known that the formation -of lakes in extinct craters is common throughout the volcanic regions -of the island. Lake Takapuna, near Auckland, may be taken as a notable -instance. The blue lake at Wairakei, near Lake Taupo, is situated in -a depressed crater, and Rotokawa, a little further to the east, is of -the same formation. Lake Rotoaira, south of Taupo lake, is nothing more -than a depressed crater, while there are no less than four lakes on the -Tongariro mountains formed in the same way. There is likewise a lake -formed by a crater on the summit of Ruapehu, while the two lakes which -I discovered to the south-west of that mountain, and named respectively -Rangitauaiti and Rangitauanui, were nothing more than depressed craters -filled with water from subterranean springs. - -When treating of the many wonderful natural phenomena presented by the -Taupo volcanic zone, it may not prove uninteresting to refer, if only -in brief terms, to the several centres of thermal action within the -immediate region of the lake. Both at its northern and southern end -considerable areas of country are covered with geysers, solfataras, -fumaroles, and hot springs. At a short distance below the point where -the Waikato leaves the lake, the banks of the river are studded with -boiling springs and fumaroles in a very active condition, while not far -from its eastern margin is situated a large geyser which is constantly -throwing up boiling water and emitting vast volumes of steam. At -Wairakei, still further down the valley of the Waikato, these wonderful -phenomena cover nearly 4000 acres of country, and take the form, as -before shown, of enormous intermittent geysers, steam-holes, fumaroles, -solfataras, and hot mineral springs of the most varied order; while to -the north-east of Lake Taupo, Lake Rotokawa forms the centre of a wide -circle of hot springs and fumaroles. On the south side of Lake Taupo, -the mineral springs and geysers of Tokanu spread over a wide surface, -and on the northern slope of Tongariro are some of the largest and most -active boiling springs in the country, while the crater of the great -mountain itself is the seat of a tremendous thermal action. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote 39: A few days subsequent to the release of Mr. Hursthouse Te -Mahuki marched with his band into Alexandra, and after threatening to -burn down the town and to destroy the whites, both he and his followers -were captured by the armed constabulary.] - -[Footnote 40: This river must not be confused with the Whanganui of the -south, which does not flow into the lake.] - - - - -CHAPTER XIII. - -EASTERN SHORE OF LAKE TAUPO. - - A grand view--True source of the Waikato--The river of "streaming - water"--Our first camp--Variation of temperature--Roto - Ngaio--Te Hatepe Te Poroporo--The lake beneath us--A - canoe--Motutere--Tauranga--Southern shore of the lake--Delta of the - Upper Waikato. - - -When we set out from Tapuwaeharuru our course lay around the eastern -shore of the lake, and as the bright blue heavens were unflecked by -a single cloud, we obtained an uninterrupted view of the magnificent -and varied scenery that unfolded itself like an ever-changing panorama -before the gaze. I had admired the beauties of Lake Taupo on several -occasions, but never before had they been presented in so clear and -defined a light as on this occasion. As far as the eye could reach, -the grand sheet of water stretched away in the distance in a wide -expanse of blue, which appeared just a shade deeper than the sky above, -while the golden rays of the sun, shining over the lake and lighting -up the surrounding country with a vivid power, made the snow-capped -mountains in the south stand out in bold and beautiful relief. On -every side the scenery was both varied and attractive. To the west, as -far as the eye could see, were the densely wooded heights of the King -Country--the forbidden land we were about to enter. To the north was -a level plain, above which the crater-shaped cone of Tauhara rose in -rugged grandeur. To the east rolled away the wide expanse known as the -Kaingaroa Plains, clothed in a mantle of waving tussock grass; while -south-easterly the long line of the Kaimanawa mountains stretched -across the country, their tall, pointed peaks looking like the Sierras -of Southern Spain. It was, however, immediately to the south of the -lake that the most enchanting _coup-d'oeil_ was to be obtained. -Rising above the calm water was the solitary island of Motutaiko; -beyond it the lake shore was indented with the most romantic-looking -bays, above which a cluster of cone-shaped summits rose in a confused -but picturesque group, overtopped by the tall form of Mount Pihanga. -Beyond, in the background, the graceful cone of Tongariro, capped with -a feathery cloud of steam, stood out in grand proportions; while high -above all towered the stupendous form of Ruapehu--its rugged-peaked -summit radiant in its fleecy mantle of snow. Although the nearest -of these mountains was over twenty miles distant, they were all so -clearly defined in outline as to appear not half that distance away. -Taking into consideration the grand expanse of lake, the varied form of -the surrounding mountains, with the active crater of Tongariro and the -colossal proportions of Ruapehu--in fine, water, snow, mountain, and -volcanic fires--never had I gazed upon, in any part of the world, so -varied and so beautiful a scene. - -[Illustration: LAKE TAUPO. - -_Page 150._] - -The bay upon which Tapuwaeharuru is situated, and around which our -journey began, is one of the most remarkable parts of the lake, for it -is here that the Waikato River rolls out of the broad expanse of water -to pursue its long, winding course to the sea. At the point where the -river leaves its great natural reservoir--that is to say at the top of -the lake--the depth of water is not more than from four to six feet, -but a few feet beyond where the eddying waters burst forth in the form -of miniature cascades, the river gradually deepens as it flows onward -in a rapid course through a winding narrow valley, with wide, sloping -sides, which gradually become higher and steeper until they form a -precipitous terraced gorge as the stream cuts its way through the -pumice table-land in a devious course to the Huka Falls, over which -it plunges, to dash onward again through a still deeper valley, the -bed of which at the base of the falls is a little over 100 feet below -the water level of Lake Taupo.[41] The point where the river takes -its rise is the only outlet of any kind around the vast margin of the -lake, and it is this spot which forms, as a matter of fact, the true -source of the Waikato. The great river, which enters the lake to the -south, and which is supposed, by a romantic fiction of the natives, -to flow through the lake without mingling with its waters, and which -is erroneously styled the "Upper Waikato," is, without doubt, when -considered geographically, a distinct stream of water, which is no more -connected with the Waikato proper than are the numerous other streams -which all add their quota to the lake waters. From the narrow outlet -where the Waikato leaves the lake, it takes an almost north-easterly -course for about thirty miles, when it flows north-westerly to -Ngaruawahia, where, after its junction with the Waipa, it runs in an -almost northerly direction until it bends again abruptly to the west, -to disembogue at the West Coast. During its long winding course, it -receives the waters of countless tributaries which form the great -central watershed of a large portion of the island. The river in its -rapid flow is still slowly but surely cutting its way through the great -pumice formation, and as an evidence of this work it is no infrequent -occurrence to see disintegrated masses of rock in the form of pumice -drift floating upon its waters, to be carried out to sea, or deposited -to form fresh strata along its winding banks. The colour of the water -of the Waikato here, as elsewhere wherever the stream traverses the -pumice country, is, like that of the lake, of a transparent opaline -blue tint, and so clear is it that the coraline-like formation of the -rocky bed--an appearance caused by the silicious encrustations upon the -rocks--is distinctly visible to a great depth below the surface of the -stream. Indeed in the transparent beauty of its head waters I believe -this river has no equal, and while the peculiar terrace formation of -its upper valley imparts to it a singularly beautiful appearance, the -high wooded ranges of its lower basin are no less remarkable for their -wild and rugged grandeur. - -[Illustration: SOURCE OF THE WAIKATO AT LAKE TAUPO.] - -With so many natural features, then, in its favour, it is no matter for -wonder that the Waikato has from time immemorial been renowned in Maori -fable and romance. Since time out of mind the rich lands surrounding it -have formed the dwelling-places of the most important native tribes, -whose history is linked with its name, and whose songs and legends are -echoed even to this day from every hill and valley along its course. -The dark race is, however, fast disappearing from its banks, the -stroke of the paddle is now almost unheard upon its bosom, but the -Waikato, or river of "streaming water," still shapes its swift course -over its bounding rapids, and with an echoing sound which would seem to -say,-- - - Men may come and men may go, - But I go on for ever. - -As we proceeded on our way around the north-eastern shore of the lake, -we crossed a small stream called Waipahihi, which flows across a level -plain from the direction of Tauhara Mountain. Here was a small native -settlement, composed of a _runanga_ house and a few _whares_, in front -of which some half-dozen natives were sunning themselves, while several -laughing, dusky children paddled about in the clear blue water. We -passed along the shore until the western side of the lake opened out -into a deep bay with bold, rugged cliffs shooting up perpendicularly -from the water, while the mountain scenery to the south became still -more attractive towards sundown, when the heavens assumed a beautiful -green and carmine tint. We kept on our course until the last ray of -sunlight had died away, and the moon was already high when we pitched -our first camp on the banks of the Waitahanui River, with the broad -lake on one side of our tent, and a _raupo_ swamp on the other. - -At this camping-place, which stood on a level with the lake, we -experienced for the first time one of those sudden changes of -temperature which afterwards became one of the most remarkable -features of the journey. At 4 p.m. the thermometer registered as -high as 80° Fahr. in the shade, and at midnight it stood at 2° below -freezing-point, being a variation of no less than 50° in eight -hours. When we awoke in the morning the thermometer marked 4° below -freezing-point. The ground was coated with a thick frost, and the water -we had left standing overnight was covered with a coating of ice. The -sun, however, as it swept over the lake, soon clothed us with its -genial warmth, and nature looked more radiant than ever. - -We struck camp soon after daybreak, and forded the Waitahanui, which -flowed with a very rapid current into the lake, the water, which was -very clear and cold, reaching nearly over our horses' backs. The -country around our track at this point consisted principally of broad -flats, with here and there low ranges of pumice terraces covered with -fern and _manuka_ scrub, until we came to Roto Ngaio, a small native -settlement situated in a semicircle of the lake shore, which was -surrounded by pumice cliffs, completely flat-topped and level, with -steep, clean-cut gorges. In the centre of the settlement was a small -lake, the water of which, of an intensely blue colour, reflected on -its calm surface the luxuriant vegetation that grew around. Everywhere -along its border were deep clusters of willow and acacia-trees; in -the thick sedges which fringed the water on every side were flocks of -water-fowl, while the native _whares_, dotted about beneath the trees, -imparted to the whole scene a singularly picturesque appearance. - -From Roto Ngaio we rounded Te Kohae Point, where the shore was covered -with various kinds of drift washed up by the lake, and by which it -could be plainly seen that the water-line during the rainy months -was considerably higher than during the dry season. The shore-line -hereabout was walled in by tall cliffs of pure white pumice, which -rose up perpendicularly from 200 to 300 feet in height, and there were -no signs of vegetation, save the scanty growth of fern that seemed to -struggle for existence along the tops of the precipices. - -We crossed the Hinemaiai River, which cut its way through a valley -of flat-topped terraces, and at midday we camped for an hour at -Tehatepe, a deserted Maori settlement, where peach, cherries, and other -fruit-trees grew in picturesque confusion in a garden-like expanse of -bush. At every settlement along the lake, whether occupied or deserted, -we found extensive peach groves growing in the greatest luxuriance, -many of the finest kinds of this delicious fruit being produced from -the sterile-looking pumice lands. - -The view from this place, looking across the lake towards the western -bay, was most charming. The day was singularly warm and bright for the -season of the year, and as we sat under a deep cluster of acacia-trees, -and admired the beauties of the wide expanse of calm blue water before -us, there was nothing to mar the quiet tranquillity of the spot, -save innumerable blowflies that swarmed around us in an unpleasantly -familiar kind of way. - -After leaving Tehatepe, we crossed the Totara and Waipehi streams, -flowing into the lake from pumice hills in the distance, and came to -a jutting point, where the cliffs rose to a height of several hundred -feet above us. The track led over the tops of these, but, in order to -avoid taking our horses by that way, we waded into the lake amidst the -boulders and rocks, with the water over the horses' backs, and after -rounding several huge masses of rock and jutting points, we gained the -foot of another high headland, called Te Poroporo, up which we had to -climb from the water by steep and dangerous rocky ledges, over which -our horses had to scramble as if going up a slippery flight of steps. -Over this steep cliff the path wound higher and higher until for a long -distance it attained an elevation of over 100 feet above the water, -with a high cliff wall on one side and a precipitous descent into the -lake below on the other. - -The view of the grand surroundings obtained from this elevation was -beautiful in the extreme. The lake, like a vast inland sea, was spread -out beneath us, while immediately below our track the shore-line was -dotted with gigantic boulders, among which innumerable wild duck were -disporting themselves in the pellucid water. Beyond, towards the south, -the mountains towered to the skies, and Tongariro appeared to be giving -off a greater cloud of steam than it had done at any time during the -previous day. The picturesque island of Motutaiko lay right beneath -us, the _whares_ of Tokanu could be plainly seen, backed by a cloud -of vapour from the hot springs; while on the other side of the lake, -in the direction of the north-east, we could discern a vapoury column -rising from Te Karipiti, and big, white clouds of steam floating over -the geyser valley at Wairakei. - -When we gained the level shore-line the country became very -picturesque, the low flats ending in small valleys and low hills, -many of which partook of the flat terrace formation so remarkable in -the pumice country. A large canoe, filled with natives, passed by -us, speeding in the direction of the western shore, the frail craft -shooting rapidly over the water, with the well-timed stroke of the -paddles, which moved with the regularity of clockwork to the loud -refrain of the dusky voyagers as they sped on their way. - -At Motutere, a small, low peninsula jutting out into the lake, we -found the remains of an extensive _pa_, with burial-places, and carved -palisading, which lay scattered about the ground. There were likewise -the remains of a _wharekarakia_, or church, a ruined monument where -the first light of Christianity had dawned upon a heathen people. -This place, which was most delightfully situated, bore evidence of -having been at one time a populous native settlement, which had -gradually dwindled away until it had become the haunt of a few wild -pigs that squealed and grunted at us as we passed through the deserted -cultivations, which were still marked by the peach and the rose-tree. - -Beyond Motutere the shore-line took a graceful curve in the form -of a wide bay, with a white pumice shore, picturesque hills rising -gracefully on our left, and jutting points running out in the direction -of the lake. Here, too, the vegetation was more green and luxuriant, -and the soil of a better quality than towards the north. We forded the -Waitotaka River, a clear, rapid stream, flowing from the direction of -the Kaimanawa Mountains, and a short distance farther on we came to -Tauranga Taupo, a native settlement on the banks of the river of that -name. Beyond, the country opened out into low, fern-clad plains, backed -by low ridges of hills. The shades of evening closed around us near to -this point, so we pitched our camp for the night hard by a flax swamp -which here bordered the lake.[42] - -We struck camp soon after the first streak of dawn had swept over the -snows of Ruapehu, and passed around the southern end of the lake in -the direction of Tokanu. We soon reached the peninsula Motuoapa, a -bold, rocky promontory connected with the mainland by a low, narrow -neck. At one time a formidable _pa_ stood on this place, and many of -the old earthworks may yet be distinctly traced. Its position is a -most beautiful one, jutting out into the lake over a wide bay, and it -reminded me at the first glance of the bold, rugged peaks one sees -crowned by feudal strongholds around the lakes of the old country. At -a short distance from Motuoapa we crossed the Waimarino River, which -flows through a flat, swampy plain, which extends for a considerable -distance inland from the southern shores of the lake. - -The next point of interest was the delta of the Upper Waikato, where -that river flows into the lake. Here the strand was covered with a -light fluvial drift and pumice sand, through which our horses struggled -fetlock deep. At this point the river flows into a semicircular bay, -formed by a bend in the lake shore, which was here covered with -flocks of a small graceful species of seagull, called by the natives -_tarapunga_. The head and breast and under part of the body of this -bird were snow white, the wings of a light grey, tipped with black, and -the tail white with black bars. It frequents all parts of the lake, but -is found more generally at its southern end. We forded the river some -little distance above the extreme point of the delta, where the bed of -the stream was about forty yards in width, and where the overhanging -banks, worn away by its perpetual energy, were evidently in a constant -state of transition. The river, owing to the melting of the snows at -Ruapehu, was coming down at a rapid rate, and the water sweeping over -our horses' backs nearly carried them from under us. The bed of the -river was moreover covered with large boulders, and the animals plunged -desperately in their endeavours to keep their footing against the -strong stream. The banks hereabout were covered with _toetoe_ grass -and strewn with drift timber in those parts where the river during the -heavy floods had burst its boundary and swept over the surrounding -country. This is one of the most dangerous crossing-places around the -lake at the time of a strong fresh, as the waters in their rapid -descent from the highlands to the south carry everything in their -course into the broad lake beyond. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote 41: The river, after leaving the falls, flows through a deep -valley, which would seem to indicate, by its peculiar trough-like -character, that the bed of the stream must, at some age or another, -have been considerably higher than it is at the present time, and that -the river gradually cut its deep channel through the yielding pumice -formation, until the great barrier of rock forming the falls was met -with, since which period it has cut its lower bed some fifty feet -beneath. In this lower valley the shores rise abruptly from the margin -of the water to a height of from forty to sixty feet, and then merge -into a series of level plateaux or terraces, which, stretching inland -for some distance, are again succeeded by others of a similar kind, -which, in many places, rise in regular gradations above each other, -like giant steps. For miles down the valley of the river the wonderful -terraced elevations, formed entirely of disintegrated pumice rock, -which is everywhere rounded by the action of water, form the principal -features of the country, and some of the hills which compose them are -so symmetrical in form, and level and angular in outline, that they -appear to have been built up by artificial means.] - -[Footnote 42: Throughout this day's travel we likewise, as on the -previous day, experienced a great variation of temperature. At 6 a.m. -the thermometer indicated 4° of frost; at 1 p.m. it registered 84° in -the shade; at 3 p.m. it had fallen to 80°; at 7·30 p.m. to 64°, giving -an extreme variation of 56° in seven hours.] - - - - -CHAPTER XIV. - -TOKANU. - - Scenery--The springs--The natives--Old war-tracks--Te Heuheu--A - Maori lament--Motutaiko--Horomatangi. - - -Our journey of about thirty miles around the eastern shore of Lake -Taupo brought us to the native settlement of Tokanu, which is situated -at the extreme south-western end of the lake, and on the shores of -a picturesque bay, formed on the one side by the delta of the Upper -Waikato, and on the other side by a line of precipitous cliffs which -rose like a solid wall of rock from the edge of the water, their tops -rolling inland in the form of conical-shaped hills. To the south of -the bay, and behind the native settlement, rise the Kakaramea Ranges, -in a cluster of volcanic cones, in some parts clothed with a dense -vegetation, while in other places the mountain sides are entirely -bare, especially in the vicinity of the hot springs and _fumaroles_, -which may be seen sending up their clouds of steam from various parts -of the slopes. As we looked across the bay of Tokanu the scenery was -resplendent in all the rich, wild beauty of this part of the country. -The bay presented a wide expanse of water, broken only by the small -island of Motutaiko, which seemed to rise with fairy-like beauty from -the depths below. Beyond, to the east, was the bold promontory of -Motuoapa and the winding sinuations of the eastern shore. To the west, -on the margin of the lake, rose a green terrace-like formation, marked -by the conical mountain Pukekaikiore, beyond which, again, the bold -form of Karangahape rose to a height of over a thousand feet above the -calm, blue water, which shone beneath the sun, without a breath of wind -to disturb its surface; while right abreast of the settlement a small -river, known as the Waihi, fell over a precipitous wall of rock in -the form of a foaming cascade. Here, upon the sides of the fern-clad -slopes and upon the level flats, amidst boiling fountains, hot springs, -and _fumaroles_, the primitive-looking _whares_ of the natives were -scattered about in the most picturesque confusion, but all looking out -upon the lake and its beautiful surroundings, which render this curious -region of thermal action one of the most charming spots in the world. - -The Tokanu River runs through the settlement, and it is in the vicinity -of this stream that the principal springs are situated. All the -springs, _solfataras_, and _fumaroles_ hereabout partake of the same -character as those of the other centres of thermal action around the -lake, and are used by the natives in the same way for the curative -properties they possess, as well as for cooking, bathing, and other -purposes. The largest and most remarkable hot spring is Te Pirori, -which, from a deep, round hole, throws up a column of boiling water to -a height of ten to fifteen feet, amidst dense volumes of steam. For -a space of nearly three square miles one may walk over quaking soil, -where bubbling springs of hot water flowing into basins of white, -silicious rock, and jets of hissing steam bursting from the ground, -meet one at every turn. - -The whole region of the Kakaramea Range to the rear of the settlement -was, without doubt, at one time the scene of a vast volcanic action, -and it is from the still active agencies observable in certain parts -of these mountains that the existence of the present springs may be -traced. Indeed, Tokanu may be said to be situated at the very foot -of some of the principal extinct volcanic cones of this part of the -island, and although their craters are now inactive, their steaming -sides still indicate that an extensive thermal activity is yet going on -within them. - -There is a considerable Maori population at Tokanu and in its -neighbourhood, and many of the natives are remarkable for their -stalwart build, a condition which no doubt arises, in no small degree, -from the healthfulness of the climate, as well as from the fact that -they secure the choice of a greater variety of food than that obtained -by many of the less favoured tribes of the interior. The principal -staple of diet, here as elsewhere, is pork and potatoes, but besides -this the lake yields several varieties of fish, which are held in high -esteem. The golden carp, introduced some years ago, is very plentiful, -and besides it there are three distinct species common to the lake--the -_kokopu_, the _koaro_, and the _inanga_, while the _koura_, or -crayfish, likewise abounds. - -From the earliest period of Maori history Tokanu has been an important -place of native settlement, and it is still one of the principal -strongholds of the Ngatituwharetoa. It is likewise, at the present -time, one of the most jealously-guarded entrances to the King Country. -Situated, as it is, in the very centre of the island, it formed in -former years the point at which the chief war-tracks converged. During -the early days, when tribal wars were frequent, there were three -main tracks (existing to this day) which were principally used for -conveying intelligence throughout the island. One came from Whanganui, -in the south, across the Rangipo table-land to Tokanu, while two -others diverged from the latter place, one striking west, through that -portion of the island now known as the King Country, and thence to the -north. The other passed along the eastern shores of Lake Taupo, and -thence to Maketu. The natives told us that in war-time men belonging -to the various tribes through whose territory the tracks passed, were -stationed at different points, and they, by moving rapidly from place -to place when in receipt of information, conveyed it thus from one end -of the island to the other in an incredibly short space of time. - -Besides its many other historic associations, Te Rapa, an old _pa_ -near Tokanu, was the scene of the terrible catastrophe by which Te -Heuheu, the great warrior chief of the Ngatituwharetoa, met his death, -with sixty of his followers, by a land-slip, which overwhelmed his -_pa_ during the night, in the month of May, 1846. The site of this -terrific fall of earth may still be traced, while the name and fame -of Te Heuheu still resounds from Tokanu even unto the lofty peaks of -Tongariro, where the Maori hero, armed even in death with his spear and -_mere_, awaits the sound of the last trumpet. It was in memory of Te -Heuheu's untimely end that his brother, Iwikau, composed the following -lament, which for poetic diction and pathos has no equal in the Maori -language:[43]-- - - See o'er the heights of dark Tauhara's mount - The infant morning wakes. Perhaps my friend - Returns to me, clothed in that lightsome cloud!-- - Alas! I toil alone in this lone world. - Yes, thou art gone! - Go, thou mighty! go, thou dignified! - Go, thou who wert a spreading tree to shade - Thy people when evil hover'd round! - And what strange god has caused so dread a death - To thee and thy companions? - - Sleep on, O Sire, in that dark, damp abode! - And hold within thy grasp that weapon rare, - Bequeath'd to thee by thy renown'd ancestor, - Ngahuia, when he left the world. - - Turn yet this once thy bold, athletic frame! - And let me see thy skin carved o'er with lines - Of blue; and let me see thy face so - Beautifully chisell'd into varied forms;-- - Ah! the people now are comfortless and sad! - - The stars are faintly shining in the heavens! - For "Atutahi" and "Rehua-Kai-tangata" - Have disappear'd, and that fair star that shone - Beside the milky way. Emblems these - Of thee, O friend beloved. - - The Mount of Tongariro rises lonely - In the South; while the rich feathers that - Adorn'd the great canoe "Arawa," - Float upon the wave, and women from the - West look on and weep! - - Why hast thou left behind the valued treasures - Of thy famed ancestor Rongomaihuia, - And wrapp'd thyself in night? - - Cease thy slumbers, O thou son of Rangi! - Wake up, and take thy battle-axe, and tell - Thy people of the coming signs; and what - Will now befall them. How the foe, tumultuous - As the waves, will rush with spear uplifted; - And how thy people will avenge their wrongs, - Nor shrink at danger. But let the warriors - Breathe awhile, nor madly covet death! - - Lo, thou art fallen, and the earth receives - Thee as its prey! But thy wondrous fame - Shall soar on high, resounding o'er the heavens![44] - -The small, picturesque island of Motutaiko, which forms one of the most -conspicuous and attractive features when looking from Tokanu over the -lake, is formed by an oblong mass of rock, with precipitous sides, -which arise abruptly from the water. It is mostly covered with a dense -vegetation, which casts its fantastic shadows upon the shining surface -below, and altogether it is a very pretty and a very romantic-looking -place. It is accessible only on one side, and the water surrounding it -is said by the natives to be of enormous depth. - -As with most remarkable places situated in solitary positions, the -superstitious mind of the Maori has made this curious island the abode -of an evil spirit or _taniwha_, one Horomatangi, who appears to act -the part of a kind of Neptune of the lake. He is said by the natives -to live in a submerged cave on the western side of the island, where -the rocks are steepest. Ever on the alert, in fine or foul weather, -whenever a passing canoe goes by, he stirs up the elements, and, -causing the water to surge and roll, upsets the frail bark, and carries -off its living freight to his abode beneath the lake. On this account -natives, when navigating the lake, steer clear of this island. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote 43: Te Heuheu was the most powerful chief of his time, and -exercised a widespread influence over the Maori race, who regarded -him in the light of a deified being. He is said to have been a man of -herculean proportions, standing seven feet high.] - - - - -CHAPTER XV. - -THE RANGIPO TABLE-LAND. - - Along the delta of the Upper Waikato--Mount Pihanga--The Poutu - River and Lake Rotoaira--Boundaries of the Rangipo--Scenery--A fine - night--A rough time--A great storm--The _karamu_ as fodder--Banks - of the Upper Waikato--Another start--More bad weather--Flooded - creeks--Pangarara--Te Hau. - - -From Tokanu we followed up the delta of the Waikato River, and passed -through a swamp nearly three miles across, and where many of the muddy -creeks and crossing-places were up to our horses' girths in thick -black mud. The swamp, composed of a black alluvial soil of the richest -kind, covered a large area to the south of the lake, and stretched far -inland to the base of the low hills beyond. It was mostly covered with -a dense growth of flax and _raupo_, the less swampy parts giving life -to a luxuriant growth of _toetoe_ grass, which waved its feathery tufts -far above our heads. Further along our track the country rose rapidly -to a height of 200 feet above the delta in the form of a long ridge of -barren hills. From the summit of these elevations the land fell rapidly -along our course 100 feet into a hollow depression. This large area, -which had the appearance of having formed at some time a portion of -the lake basin, was covered with fluvial drift and enormous trachytic -boulders, but wherever vegetation could spring up the tussock grass -grew luxuriantly. Through the centre of this broad expanse the Waikato -rolled onward with many twists and turns over its boulder-strewn bed, -its winding course being marked by a luxuriant growth of tall trees and -other vegetation. - -We passed close to the base of Mount Pihanga, which rose majestically -on our right to an altitude of nearly 4000 feet, and formed a -conspicuous landmark for many miles around. This splendid mountain, -springing from an almost level base, is the largest volcanic cone of -the Kakaramea ranges, and while its form is wonderfully symmetrical in -its proportions, it is clothed from base to summit with a dense forest -growth, save here and there where its clear-cut sides roll down into -the plains beneath in the form of fern-clad slopes. Immediately at the -summit of Pihanga is an extensive crater, the northern lip of which -comes considerably down the slope of the mountain, appearing like an -extensive land-slip. This mountain is personified by the Maoris as the -wife of Tongariro. - -We had to cross the Waikato twice on its winding course, and next we -forded the Poutu River, a rapid stream with deep broken banks flowing -out of Lake Rotoaira, which lay a considerable distance further to our -right at the southern base of Pihanga, and between that mountain and -Tongariro. We had now entered upon the Rangipo table-land, and were -gradually ascending that portion of it known to the natives as the Te -Henga, a large tract of country covered with good soil and a luxuriant -growth of low fern and native grasses. - -As the Rangipo table-land and the plains in its vicinity will enter -largely into my description of this portion of the country, I will -point out its boundaries, with a few of the grand natural features -which render it one of the most remarkable regions in the world. - -The Rangipo plateau, which may be said to form the central division -of the great highland of the interior of the island, is in reality -considerably higher than the extensive elevated region immediately -surrounding Lake Taupo. While the latter has a mean elevation of about -2000 feet above the level of the sea, the height of the Rangipo is -over 3000 feet at its highest point on the Onetapu desert, on the -eastern side of Ruapehu. This extensive plane of elevation takes its -rise a short distance from the southern end of the lake, and extends -in the form of broad open downs for a distance of over forty miles, -when it merges into the Murimotu Plains as it falls to the south. On -its eastern margin are the Kaimanawa Mountains, at the extreme base -of which the Upper Waikato rolls in its winding course to join the -great lake. Beyond, to the north-west, the cone-shaped summits of the -Kakaramea ranges rise up, clothed with a dense vegetation, as they -slope gracefully to the shores of Lake Rotoaira in the west, and beyond -which there are again extensive plains fringed with dense forests, -which slope gradually to the valley of the Whanganui. Right in the very -centre of the table-land towers the magnificent cone of Tongariro, -situated in the midst of a cluster of lower mountains, whilst close -to it and separated only by a narrow valley, stands the colossal form -of Ruapehu, peak rising above peak to the region of eternal snow. The -greater portion of the soil of this extensive table-land is of volcanic -origin, and is formed principally by the decomposition of the trachytic -rocks forming the extensive volcanic system of mountains which border -it on its western side, and, with the exception of the desert tract -above alluded to, which is about eight miles across, it is covered -for the most part with a luxuriant growth of native grasses; while it -is intersected from one extent to the other by a perfect network of -streams and rivers, which flow generally in an easterly direction and -form tributaries of the Upper Waikato. - -The scenery of this splendid tract of country burst so suddenly upon us -after rounding the broad base of Mount Pihanga that we seemed to have -entered a wild, romantic land blessed with the grandest and most varied -features of nature. To the north was Lake Taupo, with the island and -bold headlands tinged with the golden rays of the setting sun; in front -of us were the tall Kaimanawa Mountains clothed to their summits with -sombre forests, over which the shades of evening played in a fitful -kind of way, now lighting up the broad ravines, now clothing them with -darkness. The wide, rolling sides of the Tongariro Mountains swept -down to the plains in a series of terrace-like slopes, green with a -dense growth of fern and native grasses, which, mingling with the trees -on the higher ridges, gave the hills a park-like look, while, as we -rode onward, the white glittering summit of Ruapehu assumed a pink rosy -tint as the orb of day sank slowly to rest in the west. - -Our course was along the Rangipo in the direction of Tongariro, some -fifteen miles distant by the way we were going to attack it, and as we -were acting a kind of strategic movement we kept out to the east along -the Waikato River, to avoid, if possible, being seen by the natives of -Rotoaira, who keep watch and ward over the tapued mountain. Everything -looked propitious for the assault which we had intended to make on the -following day. When we took up our quarters for the night, the moon -rose bright and clear, the stars shone brilliantly, and the snow on -the dark mountains gleamed white and beautiful. By this time we were -already 850 feet above Lake Taupo, or a little over 2000 feet above the -level of the sea; the air was singularly clear, and the thermometer, -which had marked 48° in the shade at 6 a.m., at midday had risen to -72°, and had fallen to 64° at 5 p.m., and as the wind was still from -the south, and there appeared every prospect of fine weather on the -morrow, we determined to start at daybreak to make the next stage for -Tongariro; but alas! "the best laid schemes of mice and men gang aft -a-gley." - -The name Rangipo means, in the native language, "black, cloudy sky," a -term which in former years may have had some allusion to the volcanic -fires, with their clouds of smoke and ashes, which must at some period -have made this place appear like a veritable Pandemonium--or it may, -on the other hand, have originated in the terrific storms which still -break with unabated violence on this elevated region, just as they must -have done countless ages ago, when the elements above waged war with -the plutonic fires below. Be that, however, as it may, the "black, -cloudy sky" cast its dismal mantle around us, and our first night was -ushered in with a tremendous storm of wind from the north-east, and -a perfect deluge of rain. The creeks and rivers rose around us, the -Waikato rolled through its rocky gorge with a sound like the roaring of -a distant sea, and when daybreak came and we looked anxiously in the -direction of Tongariro, both it and Ruapehu were blotted completely -out of view by a dense black cloud, which hung around them like a -funeral pall. Up to the time when we arrived at the Rangipo, we had -enjoyed throughout our journey the most delightful weather, but this -sudden break was the prelude to some of the hardest experiences of -our journey. The rain poured down incessantly without a single hour's -intermission, and without a single break in the clouds, the wind -blowing a hurricane most of the time, and veering round to all points -of the compass, but invariably coming back to the north-east or north. - -During the six days and nights which this storm lasted without a single -intermission, we lived on from day to day in hope, which was sustained -by scanty feeds of porridge and hard biscuit. We, however, managed to -keep body and soul together, but our poor horses suffered severely, -and it was the privations which they underwent on this occasion that -told greatly upon them during the whole of the journey. The constant -cold and wet to which they were exposed reduced their general tone to -the lowest, and while the grass at that season possessed little or -no nourishment, they had to seek their food always at the end of the -tether rope. To aid them a little, we would go into the bush which -skirts the Waikato, and cut the branches of the _karamu_,[45] which -bears a dark green leaf and clusters of bright red berries. Of this -the half-starved animals would eat voraciously, but unfortunately the -supply was limited in this locality, although we afterwards met with -this tree frequently throughout our journey. - -During our unwilling sojourn on the banks of the Waikato the long wet -days and nights passed drearily and slowly away. Even on foot we could -not travel far, owing to the swollen creeks, but we used sometimes to -go out with the gun, and range over the splendid forests which border -the Waikato along its entire length and extend over the Kaimanawa -Mountains in the form of a thick and almost impenetrable growth. Here -we found all the varied _flora_ peculiar to this region growing in -the most luxuriant way down to the edge of the boulder-strewn river -and upwards for thousands of feet to the summits of the highest -mountains. Whenever we came to the many bends of the river the scenery -was beautiful beyond description, by reason of its rugged grandeur, -and the wonderful growth of vegetation that spread itself everywhere -around, as if gaining life and strength from the rapid waters as -they careered madly along. The river, in most places about 100 feet -wide, descended from the steep table-land in the direction of Lake -Taupo, with a rapid current, over enormous boulders of trachytic rock. -Gaining force and rapidity at almost every bend, its bright foaming -waters fed by the steep gorges of the Kaimanawa Mountains, the snows -of Ruapehu, and the rapidly-rolling creek of Tongariro, it pursued a -perfectly snake-like course at the base of the tall mountains, which -rose up almost perpendicularly for thousands of feet on its eastern -side, while precipitous walls of pumice rock and volcanic conglomerate -formed its western boundary along the table-land. The Upper Waikato -forms, in fact, the main channel for the watershed of the whole of the -Rangipo table-land and the western side of the Kaimanawa Mountains -for a distance of over thirty miles, and every creek and river in the -country through which it passes flows into it. At one point we came -to a splendid gorge through which the river dashed in low, silvery -cascades. On the opposite side from where we stood, the mountains rose -steeply upwards to a height of about 6000 feet, forest-clad to their -summits, with a dense and beautifully varied growth, where shrubs, -trees, and parasitical plants mingled themselves together in a perfect -network of vegetation. The banks of the river below us fell almost -perpendicularly to a depth of 300 feet, but so thick was the forest -verdure as we looked down to the bottom of the deep gorge below over -the tops of the gigantic trees which grew beneath, that it was only -now and again that we caught a glimpse of the rushing stream as it -flowed over its boulder-strewn bed. Here tree-top rose over tree-top -until the beautiful vegetation mounting upwards in a dense mass mingled -with the vapoury clouds that hung around. - -When the storm had spent its force, a gleam of sunshine dispelled the -mists, and just for a time the summit of Ruapehu shone white and clear -beneath the rolling clouds. We had carefully marked our intended course -upon the map, and had resolved as soon as the weather should break to -make direct for the southern side of Tongariro, and ascend the tapued -mountain as quickly as we could, in order to give the natives, if they -fell across our tracks, as short a time as possible to run us to earth. -With the hope, if not altogether the prospect, of a fine day, we made -another start, but not before we had been compelled, owing to the weak -condition of our horses, to abandon half our provisions, and reduce our -whole commissariat to the lowest proportions. - -Before we had journeyed a mile the bright sun disappeared; the "black, -cloudy sky" of the Rangipo again gathered around us; the winds swept -across the wide plains in terrific gusts; the rain poured down heavier -than before; the white snow-clad summit of Ruapehu disappeared from -view with the quickness of a phantom, and again the vapouring mists -obscured the great mountains towards which we were travelling. - -We had to cross no less than five large creeks, besides smaller -streams, in about four miles. The tracts down to the creeks, which had -a steep fall of 200 to 300 feet below the plains, were broken about -and washed away into big holes and dangerous and slippery places, and -the horses were as chary of facing these treacherous inclines as they -were of going into the flooded waters of the creeks themselves. The -amount of water poured out by these creeks into the Waikato from the -Tongariro Mountains during a flood must be seen to be fully realized. -At all times the natural springs of the mountains keep them well -supplied, but when heavy rains descend, the whole watershed comes down -with tremendous force and volume. Wherever we crossed these rugged, -boulder-strewn streams, the banks were clothed with a splendid and -varied vegetation, which got denser and denser as their deep gorges -led up the steep mountain sides. I noticed in these creeks that the -boulders were mostly of trachytic formation, with smaller drift -composed of the various volcanic rocks peculiar to the district, while -embedded in their steep pumice sides might often be seen the charred -remains of enormous trees, which must have lived ages ago, when some -volcanic eruption swept over them. - -We pitched our camp at Pangarara, a deserted Maori _pa_, situated some -distance off the plains, and at the edge of a secluded bush about two -miles from the south-eastern foot of Tongariro. The rain still poured -down as heavily as usual, and although the country was entirely open -between us and the big mountain that was to be the next scene of our -operations, not a vestige of it could we see. - -We had up to this time been detained exactly ten days, through stress -of weather, whilst waiting to ascend the tapued mountain, the dull -monotony of our position being only relieved by the somewhat exciting -expectation that the Maoris might be down upon us at any moment. The -place where we were camped formed part of a wide area of country, -extending from the base of Tongariro in an easterly direction to the -Waikato, and embracing a large and fertile portion of the Rangipo -Plains. For time out of mind this part of the country had been a -native game reserve, principally for the hunting of the _weka_ and -a small white bird (I believe of the gull species) which frequents -the mountains of Tongariro at certain seasons of the year. This wide -territory, and a great deal more besides, was under the _mana_ of a -noted chief named Te Hau, whose _pa_, was at Ruaponga. This native -dignity was renowned throughout this part of the country as a man -of singular intelligence; but, like most Hauhaus, he entertained an -intense hatred for Anglo-Saxon laws and institutions. He appeared to -act the _rôle_, among the tribes of these parts, of a Napoleon the -Great, in the matter of territorial aggrandizement, and it is darkly -hinted that, during the war, Te Hau and many of the rebel chiefs -were in league, and that one day a terrible massacre occurred over a -disputed title to an extensive area of land over which Te Hau now rules -as lord and master. - -A strict Conservative in all matters relative to Maori laws, customs, -and traditions, to have fallen in with Te Hau on his "native heath," -and under the very shadow of Tongariro, which he guards with the -sacred jealousy of a fanatic, would have been about as pleasant as -meeting with his Satanic Majesty himself just fresh from the fires of -the burning mountain. We therefore had to keep not only a keen but an -anxious look-out, the more so as we had learned at Tokanu that Te Hau -was on his way from the south with a large party of his followers to -attend a native gathering at Rotoaira, which had been convened by some -of the leading chiefs to inquire into a disputed land title; and as -Pangarara was one of his usual camping-places, we were naturally the -more anxious to get away from the locality as soon as possible. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote 44: This lament will be found in Sir George Grey's invaluable -collection of Maori songs and legends.] - -[Footnote 45: For this tree, see Appendix.] - - - - -CHAPTER XVI. - -ASCENT OF TONGARIRO. - - Physical and geological features--Legend of Tongariro--A break in - the clouds--The start for the ascent--Maories in the distance--The - Waihohonu valley--The ascent--The brink of Hades--The great - crater--The inner crater--The lower cones--Crater lakes--The - descent--A valley of death--Tongariro by moonlight--A cold - night--The start for Ruapehu. - - -The cluster of trachytic cones constituting the Tongariro group forms -collectively an almost complete circle rising from a level plateau, -which near the base of the mountains has a general elevation of about -3000 feet above the level of the sea. The enormous cone with its active -crater, which forms the central point of the group, springs from an -almost level base, and is flanked on its western and north-eastern -sides by minor conical mountains, which are connected with each other -by high ridges. To the north-west a series of undulating hills roll -down to the plains, while to the south a steep, flat-topped spur juts -out into the plateau which bounds the mountain in that direction. With -the higher mountains are connected lower undulating hills, formed -principally of scoria, and covered, especially towards the plains, -with a luxuriant growth of native grasses, low fern, and dwarf shrubs. -Right in the very centre of this great circle of cones and extinct -craters, the graceful, tapering form of the burning mountain rises from -the bottom of an extensive basin-like depression, which, encircled -as it is by the rugged sides of the surrounding ranges, has somewhat -the appearance of an ancient crater. This beautiful mountain, as it -rears its tall head high above the less elevated cones, especially -when viewed from its southern side, at once strikes the beholder by -its wonderfully symmetrical proportions. With a slope of about thirty -to thirty-five degrees, it assumes as near as possible the exact form -of a sugarloaf, without a twist or a bend to mar the grand effect of -its outline. To describe it, one must imagine this huge mass built up -of trachytic rock, ridges of lava, scoria, volcanic conglomerates, -enormous boulders, and other igneous accumulations to a height of -thousands of feet, tapering off gracefully at the summit as if moulded -by the hand of man. It is not a crater of elevation in the ordinary -acceptation of the term, like its colossal neighbour Ruapehu, but a -complete trachytic scoria cone, which may have originated from some -sudden outbreak of plutonic forces, or from a small aperture in the -earth's crust throwing up particles of volcanic rock similar to those -of which the mountain is composed, until, through countless ages, its -action becoming by degrees more extended, it gradually built itself up -to its present proportions from the matter it ejected from its fiery -mouth, and thus, phoenix-like, rose into being from its own ashes. -When examining the great mountain, it may be plainly seen that the -ridges of trachytic lava, which form, as it were, the skeleton upon -which the whole structure is raised, have generally a vertical strike -from the summit to the base of the cone, converging, however, gradually -towards the top, and while the edges of some are inclined so as to form -an almost horizontal stratum, as shown in many of the gorges, the edges -of the others stand out perpendicularly, like enormous buttresses. -Although the whole mountain is covered with scoria and other volcanic -_débris_, the largest deposits of the former appear to be between the -lava ridges, and this is especially the case on the eastern side of -the mountain, where these extensive accumulations cover a considerable -area of country. Besides the active crater at the summit of the great -cone, there is another to the north-eastern side of the group, known -as Ketetahi, near to which there is likewise an extensive system of -boiling springs. But as I visited these two latter points during -another stage of my journey, I will refer more fully to them in their -proper order. - -[Illustration: TONGARIRO. - -_Page 180._] - -After our ascent of Tongariro, and during our subsequent intercourse -with the natives, we made it a practice to learn as much as we could of -their many interesting legends. The legend of Tongariro was more than -once repeated to us by the tribes both resident near and at a distance -from the sacred mountain, and it is a remarkable fact, as showing the -correctness of the oral traditions of the Maoris, that each one -agreed in all particulars with the current stories. - -It would appear, then, that when the _Arawa_ canoe touched the newly -discovered shores of Aotearoa there was among the dusky adventurers a -chief who bore the title of Ngatoroirangi, a name which signifies in -the Maori mythology a high priest or deified man. After the natives had -formed a settlement at Maketu, Ngatoroirangi was the first to set out, -in company with his slave, Ngauruhoe, to explore the new land. Striking -into the interior, he crossed the plains of Taupo, and then along the -lake, into which he cast his staff, which the natives state became a -great _totara_ tree. He also shook his mat over the waters, and from -the strips which fell from it sprang the _inanga_, a small fish which -now abounds in the lake. It was dark and stormy when Ngatoroirangi -came to the lake, but suddenly the clouds broke, and he beheld for the -first time the giant form of Tongariro. With the keen instincts of a -heaven-born explorer, the chief resolved to ascend the great mountain, -in order to get a better view of the surrounding country; but the -snow was deep, and the ice-bound summit of Tongariro was too much for -the adventurous travellers, fresh from the sunny islands of the South -Seas. Prompted by the unpleasant prospect of being frozen to death, -Ngatoroirangi shouted lustily to his sisters who had tarried at Whakari -(White Island), some hundred and sixty miles distant, to send him some -fire. The summons was obeyed in quick time, and the sacred fire was -entrusted to the hands of two _taniwhas_,[46] named respectively Te -Pupu and Te Haeata, who conveyed it by a subterranean channel which is -yet supposed by the natives to connect Tongariro with the still active -volcanic island in the Bay of Plenty. It is related that the fire -arrived in time to save the life of the adventurous Ngatoroirangi, but -when he turned to comfort his slave, he found to his horror that his -trusty follower had given up the ghost. At this juncture Ngatoroirangi -took the sacred fire, and casting it into the extinct crater of -Tongariro, the subterranean fires burst forth. On this account -Ngatoroirangi named the crater Ngauruhoe, in honour of his slave--a -term by which it is generally known to the natives even unto this -day. The great mountain itself, however, with its surrounding cones, -is more usually called Tongariro--a term which means in the native -language "towards the south"--and it is a remarkable fact, as showing -the significant nomenclature of the Maoris, that the compass-bearing of -the volcano is as nearly as possible due north and south.[47] There can -be no doubt that Tongariro is one of the largest, grandest, and most -perfect volcanic cones of its kind in the world, and little wonder, -therefore, that the Maoris, when gazing upon its mysterious fires, -should have linked its name with their songs and legends, and have -rendered it a sacred object in their mythology, just as the Japanese -have done their no less beautiful Fusiyama. - -The morning of the 18th of April broke dull and cloudy. We were now -over 3000 feet above the level of the sea at our camp at Pangarara, -waiting, nay, almost praying that the dreary, dismal clouds would break -and give us a gleam of sunshine. We had up to this time been detained -exactly ten days through stress of weather whilst waiting to ascend the -tapued mountain, the dull monotony of our position being only relieved -by the somewhat exciting expectation that the Maoris might be down upon -us at any moment. - -The thermometer, which for the three previous days had given a mean -average of 57° Fahr. in the shade, suddenly fell to 43°. The omen -was a good one, and we waited patiently.[48] At about ten o'clock -an invigorating breeze blew direct from the south, the sun shone -brilliantly, the sky was dotted here and there with bright patches -of a vivid blue, and as we looked in the direction of Tongariro, the -whole scene changed before our eyes like a magnificent panorama. The -dark, funereal, pall-like cloud which had up to this time entirely -obscured the mountain, rolled gradually away as if by enchantment, -and the magnificent tapering cone, glittering with ice and snow, and -crowned with its waving cloud of steam, stood out against the azure -sky in grand and beautiful relief. Tongariro to be seen to advantage -should be viewed from its southern side. When beheld from the north -it is to a certain degree dwarfed by the mountains surrounding it in -that direction, while the crater on the north and west is likewise -more depressed, and coming consequently lower down the mountain, thus -detracts from its apparent height. On the other hand the country to the -southward is more open, and the symmetrical cone rises boldly defined -above the lower scoria ridges, which rise in gradual undulations around -the great volcano in that direction. I had seen many grand mountains in -different parts of the world, but never had I gazed upon anything so -sublimely beautiful as Tongariro appeared on this occasion; ice, snow, -and steam all combining, beneath the bright sunlight, to add a magical -effect to this wonderful monument of nature's handiwork. - -Although we did not imagine that the weather would clear so rapidly we -determined to seize this, the first opportunity, and to start at once -for the ascent. - -We were about two miles away from the base, and we had previously -determined to hide our packhorse away in the bush, and to ride to the -foot of Tongariro with our blankets and tent, make the ascent, and camp -at the foot of the mountain at night. - -It took just half an hour to saddle up, and get everything prepared, -and then, skirting the forest near to which we had been camped, we -ascended a hill some 400 feet high, to gain the Waihohonu Valley beyond. - -The sun now shone warm and brightly, our course seemed clear, and all -was going as merrily as the proverbial marriage-bell, when Turner -hastily directed my attention to four mounted Maoris coming across -the plains to our rear; but just at the moment we caught sight of -them they disappeared behind a low hill. They were some distance off, -but they were quite near enough to easily discern us, especially as -Turner, with the white tent on his dark pony, formed a conspicuous -object. Fortunately we saw no more of the natives, although we watched -carefully for some time, but they nevertheless haunted us for days -afterwards--during our ascent both of Tongariro and Ruapehu--as we -felt fully convinced that they must have seen us, and we were likewise -equally sure that they could, if they so wished, follow up our tracks, -when, by the marks of the shod horses, they would have at once -discovered that we were Europeans. If we had been going in any other -direction the circumstances would have been as nothing, but riding -as we were straight for Tongariro, we knew that that fact alone was -sufficient to excite their suspicion. When we had ridden across the top -of the hill we were at once out of sight, and we rode as fast as our -weak horses would allow over the scoria ridges which surrounded the -base of the cone. We passed on our right an enormous bluff of volcanic -rocks, and then descended a steep, precipitous incline strewn with -enormous boulders which at some remote age had evidently been hurled -from the fiery crater. It was impossible for our horses to walk down -this treacherous place with their heavy burdens on their backs, even -whilst we led them, so taking them off and putting them on our own -shoulders we made the animals follow us, when they picked their way -over and around the big stones like cats. - -At the foot of the incline we gained the Waihohonu Valley, a wild, -desolate-looking ravine with a winding stream running down its -centre. To the left, on the opposite side of this watercourse, was -a dense forest growth, while on the ground around the tussock grass -and dwarfed alpine plants peculiar to this region struggled for life -amidst the huge stones and small low scoria hillocks which were -dispersed about in a confused but picturesque way. At the end of the -cluster of forest towards the mountain a steep wall of lava-like rock -rose abruptly up, and ended in high scoria ridges which closed in the -valley to the south-west. Looking in a north-easterly direction, the -rugged promontories and jagged edges of the broken extinct craters of -the lower mountains rose high in the air, piled about in a confused -mass, and coloured dark red and black by the effects of the volcanic -fires which appeared to have rent and torn them asunder until they -had assumed the appearance of embattled walls and crumbling ruins. -The whole conformation of this valley, which was nearly two miles in -length, assumed a somewhat semicircular appearance, as if, at some -period or another, it had formed part of an enormous crater, out -of which the gigantic cone that towered thousands of feet above us -had ultimately reared its lofty summit. Although the sun shone with -a dazzling splendour over us, and a light-green vegetation clothed -many of the hills around, and even crept up the steep scoria sides of -the great mountain itself, the Waihohonu Valley had a wild, dreary, -and parched-up look, as if some fiery breath had but recently swept -over it, and it was only just getting cool from the effects of the -volcanic fires, which had left stupendous monuments of their work in -the enormous lava ridges, which seemed to have cooled suddenly in their -molten course down the steep precipices; while the gigantic boulders -of black, shining, volcanic rock, which lay scattered about in every -direction, looked like tremendous thunderbolts just newly hurled to -earth by the hand of Titan. Not a few of these enormous stones appeared -to have been rounded by the action of fire, and in some cases to have -been partially melted before being sent high into the air from the -fiery mouth of the crater, to fall with terrific force into their -present positions. - -Securing our horses in the scrub, we scrambled for about a mile over -huge boulders, and up rough, narrow watercourses, when, ascending a -steep spur of the mountain, we reached the base of the great cone near -to its south-eastern side, at a point which marked 4000 feet above -the level of the sea. Gazing upwards, the steep, clean-cut sides of -the tall mountain looked almost precipitous, and it was clear, at a -glance, that the task to reach the summit and make the descent by -nightfall would be no easy matter. Just at this part of the cone some -volcanic disturbance, which had occurred probably ages ago, had poured -down a stream of liquid lava, which, cooling, as it were, by some -sudden blast, had congealed into a rugged and almost perpendicular -ridge of dark, lustrous, adamantine-like rock in its overflow from -the summit of the mountain. It was up this precipitous ridge that we -had determined to fight our way. When we first began the ascent, the -steep climbing told severely on our backs and legs, while the enormous -protruding masses of porous lava which fringed the outside portion of -the ridge, and over which we had to climb as much by our hands as by -our feet, were as sharp as if they had cooled and crystallized but -yesterday. Besides the cautious and often dangerous way we had to pick -our footing, it was necessary to be careful, in order to avoid the many -holes in the lava formation, which were just large enough to receive -a man's body, and which, when we threw stones into them, appeared to -be of enormous depth. As we climbed higher and higher, the shelving, -colossal sides of the mountain seemed to become steeper and steeper, -while the summit appeared to get further away at every step we took. - -Fortunately the weather kept beautifully clear, and as we mounted -gradually upwards, each hundred feet or so disclosed some new and -enchanting view of the surrounding country, which lay mapped out -beneath us radiant in all the beauties of the creation. At an altitude -of 5000 feet we obtained a magnificent view of Mount Egmont, its -peaked, snow-clad summit rising like a glittering island above the -vapoury cloud that hung around the lower portion of the mountain, which -was a little over eighty miles away from our point of observation, -the intervening country being formed of a wide expanse of broken, -forest-clad ranges of minor elevation, and which appeared, judging -from their numerous valleys, to have a general north-westerly and -south-easterly bearing. At an altitude of 5900 feet the climbing was -very steep, and at 6400 feet we could see open plains in the distance, -towards the west, with patches of forest, which gave them a park-like -appearance. At 6600 feet, two small blue lakes were distinctly visible -immediately below us, situated on the summit of a flat-topped spur, -which stretched out from the base of the great cone in the direction -of the open plains beyond, while about six miles distant, in the -same direction, rose the colossal form of Ruapehu, brilliant in its -fleecy mantle of snow, above which its glacier-bound peaks, rising one -above the other, shot up in the form of glittering cones high into -the calm, clear air. This was the most extended view we had, up to -this time, obtained of the mountain king of the North Island, and we -gazed upon its stupendous form with increased interest, as it was to -be our field of operations for the morrow. Indeed, it was from this -elevated point that we carefully observed all the principal physical -features of the giant mountain, and laid down our plan of the ascent, -which we successfully carried out two days afterwards. At this point, -too, we found the last sign of vegetation in the small alpine plant, -_Gnaphalium bellidioides_.[49] At 6950 feet we found enormous icicles -adhering to the rocks, the lava ridge up which we had with great -difficulty kept our course, became very steep and rugged, while the -climbing was exceedingly difficult and tiring. The mass of dark, black -lava stood out in some places like a huge wall, and while on one side -the thermometer marked 48° Fahr., on the other, where there were big -clusters of icicles over a foot long, it indicated 30°. In this way -we could enjoy a great variation in temperature at any moment. During -the whole ascent we never allowed ourselves more than five minutes' -rest at a time, as we knew that a shift of wind, which might occur -at any moment, would sweep the clouds over the mountain again, when -its steaming vapours would soon envelop it in an impenetrable mist. -Tongariro at all times indicates sudden changes in the weather with -the accuracy of a well-balanced barometer. When its vapour-cloud coils -upward in the form of a feathery palm, the gods are propitious, and -sunshine will be the order of the day; when it shoots out in a long -streak horizontally from the crater, a change is impending; and when -the vapoury cloud gathers round the summit and coils rapidly down the -sides of the cone, as it does often with singular rapidity, it is -time to look out for squalls. For a long distance up the mountain its -rugged sides glittered with icicles, which clustered about the enormous -masses of trachytic lava which cropped up everywhere around, while the -ground was covered in every direction with a thick coating of frost -and frozen snow. At a height of 7000 feet the whole aspect of the cone -had a very bare and desolate look, and, besides the enormous boulders -we encountered, we passed over a steep slope covered with volcanic -conglomerate, which was very treacherous and slippery with sheets of -ice. Here we had to go on all fours, and even in this way it was very -difficult to keep our equilibrium sufficiently to prevent ourselves -from rolling down the precipitous slopes below. We could now smell the -sulphurous fumes of the crater as the clouds of steam rolled over us -while we clambered over the enormous ice-bound rocks in the direction -of the yawning chasm. - -We crawled up a frozen, steep incline on to the hot, quaking edge of -the great crater, where a grand and curious sight burst upon the view. -We gained the rugged summit of the cone at its highest side, but just -as we did so the great cloud of steam rolling up from the enormous -basin beneath us swept over us in a dense white cloud, and what with -the loud bubbling of the boiling springs, the hissing, screeching sound -of the great columns of steam as they burst with terrific force from -the rocky vents, the unearthly gurglings of the jets of boiling mud as -they shot into the air, and the strong sulphurous fumes that pervaded -the atmosphere in every direction, we seemed for once in our lives to -be standing on the brink of Hades. Mounting a little to the right along -the hot soil that smoked beneath our feet, we gained the very topmost -point of the mountain, formed by a broken, rugged peak that fell on the -inner side with a precipitous descent into the boiling crater below. We -were now on the windward side of the steam-cloud, and at an altitude of -7376 feet above the level of the sea. - -From this elevated position we had a clear and well-defined view of -the whole summit of the mountain, which appeared to be permeated in -every direction by a vast thermal action. The steep, broken sides -of the enormous crater wound before us in the form of an almost -complete circle of nearly a mile in circumference; and it could be -plainly seen that, towards its north-western and western sides, it -was considerably lower than on the side upon which we stood. Within -the great circle, at its northern side, there was a smaller or inner -crater of an almost complete rounded form, the sides of which inclined -gradually towards its centre in the form of a complete funnel. This -minor crater was separated from the larger one only by a narrow ridge -or lip. Looking down into the main crater, which appeared to be about -400 feet in depth, its sides, rugged and broken, as it were, by the -force of volcanic fires, were built up principally of enormous masses -of trachytic rock, lava ridges, and beds of conglomerate, formed mostly -of rounded stones and boulders fused together into a compact mass -by what must, at some period or another, have been a very powerful -igneous action. In fact, it could be plainly seen that the whole -volcano when at the height of its eruptive force must have been the -seat of a powerful volcanic activity, until gradually its exhausted -fires subsided into their present state. In some places the sides of -the crater were perpendicular and fell with a sheer descent, while -in others they were more disturbed and broken. At the bottom of the -crater there were scattered about huge rocky ridges, from the large -crevices and fissures of which enormous jets of steam burst forth with -a roaring, screeching noise, which echoed from the depths below like -the wailings of the condemned. Hot springs sent up streams of boiling -water, which ran over the rocks and then lost themselves in the hot, -quaking soil, which sent them high into the air again in the form of -coiling jets of vapour. Miniature cones of dark, smoking mud rose up -in every direction, while around all was a seething, fused mass of -almost molten matter, which appeared to require just one or two degrees -more of heat to transform it into a lake of liquid lava. In every -direction were large deposits of pure yellow sulphur, some of which -assumed a rock-like formation; at other places it formed a crust over -the steaming earth, and where the thermal action was less intense, the -glittering yellow crystals covered the ground like a thick frost. No -fire was visible in the crater, nor was there any indication of a very -recent volcanic eruption. The whole crater of the mountain was in the -state of a very extensive _solfatara_, which was evidently more active -at some periods than at others. The inner or second crater, which -likewise sent forth a vast volume of steam from its boiling depths, -was in much the same condition of activity as the larger one, only -that the deposits of sulphur literally lined its sloping sides with a -bright-yellow coating, which came up to the very summit of its rim and -looked like a circle of gold beneath the bright rays of the sun, which -lit up the feathery steam-clouds in the most brilliant prismatic hues. - -We obtained a complete view of all parts of the great mountain, as -likewise of the smaller volcanic cones and ridges which lay below. -Looking in the direction of the north-east, and down upon the rugged -clusters of minor elevations, we could see several extinct craters of -considerable size; some perfect in their formation, while others had -been rent and distorted by the action of volcanic fires, which had left -their marks upon them in the form of enormous lava ridges and extensive -deposits of scoria. - -In the midst of these extinct craters we could see two small blue -lakes; one of a complete circular form, the other, which was only a -short distance away from the first, being nearly oblong in shape. The -lakes, like those on the southern side of the mountain, were evidently -nothing more than extinct craters filled by subterranean springs. -Beyond these lakes we could see the steam rising from the Ketetahi -crater, while further along to the north was a white cloud marking the -position of the boiling springs.[50] - -We left the summit of the cone towards sundown, but in place of -descending by the route we had ascended, we came down a very steep part -of the mountain on its eastern side. This precipitous slope, covered -thickly with loose scoria, and strewn in parts with enormous boulders -and rounded stones, was walled in on either side by two stupendous -lava ridges, which ran down the mountain-side and gradually opened out -towards the base in the form of a triangle. The slope of the cone was -here very steep, and the scoria being fine and very loose, gave way -under our feet, and caused us to slide rapidly forward for many feet -at every step. Taking hold of each other's arms to better maintain -our equilibrium, we took gigantic strides, each one, as the scoria -slid down with us, carrying us forward from ten to fifteen feet at a -time. In this way many large and small stones were set loose, until we -had a whole regiment of them bounding on in front of us, and as their -momentum increased at a terrific rate with every foot they rolled down -the steep incline, they soon attained the velocity of cannonballs, and -went crashing with tremendous force into the rock-bound valley below. -So rapid, in fact, was our progress in this way, that, although our -ascent from the bottom to the top of the cone had occupied us nearly -six hours in hard climbing, we made the descent in a little over an -hour and a half. - -It was dark when we reached the base of the mountain, but we managed by -slow degrees to find our way over the stupendous masses of rock which -lay scattered over the deep ravine forming the head of the Waihohonu -Valley. Here an enormous fissure ran down along the course of the -dreary-looking gorge, and as it wound along in a snake-like course, it -appeared as if it had been formed by a river of lava, which had been -suddenly cooled, and then as suddenly cleft in twain. We picked our way -for about a couple of miles along its rugged, boulder-strewn banks, and -as the shades of night closed round us the whole surroundings looked -so dismal that we appeared to be passing through a veritable valley of -death. When we arrived at our camping-place our first anxiety was to -see that the natives had not swept down and taken our horses. Luck was, -however, on our side, and we found the animals where we had left them, -but very poorly off for feed. It was evident from the keen feeling of -cold in the air that we were going to have a severe night, as the -temperature was falling rapidly, and as the moon rose bright and clear -a heavy frost set in. We lit a fire, and made a scanty meal of tea and -biscuit; and as we were anxious to get clear of the tapued mountain -with the first streak of dawn, we resolved not to erect our tent, in -order that we might not be delayed in our rapid retreat. We therefore -spread our blankets upon the ground, and made a tolerably comfortable -bed on the scoria. - -[Illustration: TONGARIRO BY MOONLIGHT. - -_Page 197._] - -When we lay down to rest in the dreary valley with its lava-walled -sides, the full moon shone brilliantly, the great cone of Tongariro, -with its feathery cloud of steam, looked grandly beautiful beneath -the clear silvery light, the stars hung like lamps from the cloudless -heavens, and the magnificent constellation of the Southern Cross shone -directly over our heads. Never in any part of the world had I seen -the heavens appear so clear and radiant as when gazing upon them from -the depths of this dark valley. Around us, however, on every side the -whole place had a singularly wild, weird look, and a strange sense of -loneliness seemed to hover around us. We were in a tapued region, which -the superstitious minds of the natives had made the abode of _taniwhas_ -and other evil demons. The bones of the ill-fated Te Heuheu lay -somewhere upon the great mountain, and Turner suggested that the ghost -of the great Maori chief might slink down upon us in the night just to -test the thickness of our skulls with his greenstone _mere_. It was, -however, the living which concerned us most, as we still had a kind of -secret conviction that the natives we had seen in the morning had laid -some plan to entrap us. - -Sleep, however, came at last, but the cold soon awoke us, and by -midnight the whole valley was covered with a thick coating of white -frost, which glistened like snow beneath the pale moonlight. I had -placed my thermometer close handy, so that I might observe it during -the night, and I now found that it stood at 27°; at four o'clock it -marked 22°; and at six o'clock, just before sunrise, it indicated -exactly twelve degrees of frost. The plants around us were completely -matted together with white incrustations; the icicles rose from the -ground over an inch in length, and in a way that I had never seen -before; the breath froze upon the moustache and beard; the manes of our -horses stood erect, the bristles about their nostrils were transformed -into needle-like icicles, and their backs were covered with a crisp, -white coating of frost. - -It did not take us long to saddle up, although we experienced some -little difficulty with the buckles, owing to our fingers being numbed -with the cold; but once on our horses, we rode rapidly away from -Tongariro, and just as the first ray of sunlight swept over the hills -we gained the plains beyond, to begin the ascent of Ruapehu. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote 46: _Taniwha_, native name for a fabulous reptile supposed to -inhabit deep water.] - -[Footnote 47: - - The exact position of Tongariro is-- - Lat. 39° 9' 45" S. - Long. 175° 38' 20" E.] - -[Footnote 48: Throughout the journey we found that the cold winds from -the south invariably brought fine weather.] - -[Footnote 49: For _flora_ of Tongariro, _vide_ Appendix.] - -[Footnote 50: It is supposed by many that Tongariro and Whakari (White -Island) are the only two remaining centres of active volcanic action -in what may be termed the Australasian division of the Pacific. This -in reality is not the case. The great volcanic belt which appears to -extend through the Malay Archipelago may be said to stretch as far -south as the New Hebrides. Thus on the island of Tanna there is an -active volcano which attains to an altitude of 1500 feet above the -sea. It is in a constant state of eruption, emitting vast volumes -of smoke, with ashes and lava, from a crater 500 feet in depth. On -the island of Ambrym, of the same group, there is likewise an active -volcano, nearly equal in size to that of Tanna, while on the island of -Vanikoro still further to the north, in the Santa Cruz group, there -is a cone-shaped mountain in a constant state of activity. During a -journey of exploration in the New Hebrides and other islands of the -Coral Sea, the volcano of Tanna was ascended by the author, who read -papers descriptive of the islands before the British Association, at -its meeting held at the University of Glasgow in 1876.] - - - - -CHAPTER XVII. - -ASCENT OF RUAPEHU. - -(_First Day._) - - Approaching the mountain--A field for research--Physical and - geological features--Plan of attack--Curious icicles--A lava - barrier--Natives in the distance--Horse camp--Scoria hills and lava - ridges--The start for the snow-line--Up the great spur--Head of the - spur--Our camp--A wind-storm--Ruapehu by night--A picture of the - past--Waiting for sunrise--Sunrise. - - -When we were clear of the rugged gorges of Tongariro, we rode leisurely -across the beautiful open plain which separates the tapued mountain -from its colossal neighbour, Ruapehu. The calm, blue heavens were -unflecked by a single cloud, the sun rose bright and clear, and we -heartily welcomed its genial warmth, after the terrific cold we had -experienced during the previous night. Nothing could exceed the grand -and unique scenery as we rode on our way. On our right rose Tongariro, -its great steam-cloud radiant with tints of gold beneath the morning -light, the dark reddish hue of its scoria-strewn sides mingling with -the bright green of the vegetation, and producing the most charming -effects of light and shade. The plain over which we rode sparkled with -glittering icicles; the Mangatoetoe, a broad, rapid, boulder-strewn -stream, wound rapidly down its centre, like a silver snake, on its -course to join the Waikato; while right in front the long scoria slopes -of Ruapehu, rising gradually from the plains around, swept upward, -and upward, and upward, until they joined the ice-bound pinnacles -above, and mingled with the broad expanse of frozen snow which clothed -the summit of the stupendous mountain, and stretched far down its -rock-bound sides. The level plain separating Tongariro from Ruapehu was -not more than five miles across between the wide-spreading bases of -the two mountains, and, as we gradually approached towards the latter, -its gigantic proportions became every moment more distinctly visible. -The low scoria slopes which stretched far and wide around its enormous -base, and swept for miles out into the adjacent plains, merged, as we -approached nearer, into high, undulating hills, which changed, as they -rose higher and higher, into rocky spurs. The winding valleys were -transformed, as they mounted up the mountain, into enormous, lava-bound -ravines. Above these, again, steep precipitous slopes rose one above -the other. Jagged rocks, which marked the site of ancient craters, -stood out against the sky, until colossal peaks, shooting high above -all, stretched themselves across the towering summit of the mountain. -The whole aspect of Ruapehu, as it rose in all its grandeur above the -surrounding table-land, beautiful in ice, snow, and sunshine, was so -stupendous and romantically beautiful that we felt as if we had been -suddenly transported among the Alps of Switzerland. - -[Illustration: MOUNT RUAPEHU. - -_Page 200._] - -In describing the physical and geological features of Ruapehu, I will -only treat these subjects briefly at this stage, and only with a view -of affording a general idea of the great mountain, the description of -which will be more fully dealt with when describing the ascent of its -northern peak and the exploration of the sources of the Wangaehu and -Waikato Rivers on its eastern side. As during these two ascents we -accomplished considerably over 10,000 feet of actual climbing over its -surface, we had a good opportunity of examining this colossal monument -of plutonic fires, and judging from the magnitude of the results of -igneous action we then beheld, both in wonder and admiration, there -can be no doubt that there is no better or more interesting field for -geological research than that afforded by this marvellous centre of -extinct volcanic forces. - -Ruapehu is situated immediately in the centre of the great table-land -which forms the most elevated portion of the North Island, and in the -very heart, as it were, of the extensive system of extinct volcanic -cones, which constitutes one of the most remarkable and interesting -features of this division of the country. The mountain, which takes -rank among the largest extinct volcanoes in the world, assumes the -form of an enormous truncated cone, with a far-reaching base of oblong -form, and which gradually narrows towards the summit, at which point -the mountain is nearly a mile in length from its northern to its -southern peak. Its base, if calculated from where it springs from the -level plains, may be estimated at about sixty miles in circumference. -At each end of the mountain are two colossal cone-shaped peaks, and -between them the minor peaks rise up in fantastic shapes, which change -in outline and assume varying proportions with almost magical effect, -as the mountain is beheld from different points of view. In fact, it -is the succession of magnificent scenery thus produced which forms -one of the grandest features of this marvellous monument of volcanic -forces. For the greater part, the country surrounding Ruapehu is -entirely open, and consequently the grand mountain is seen to wonderful -advantage as it towers majestically to the skies. Immediately to the -north are the Tongariro and Waimarino Plains, to the east is the -Rangipo Table-land, in the centre of which, and stretching down the -sides of the huge mountain, is the Onetapu Desert--a vast expanse of -scoria, covering some fifty square miles--while to the south are the -Murimotu Plains. On its lower northern and eastern slopes the mountain -gives life to a vegetation in all respects similar to that found on -Tongariro, but on its southern and western sides a primeval forest, in -which the trees are of colossal growth, creeps almost up to the edge of -the snow-line. To really realize the magnitude of this mountain king -of the North Island, one must stand on its summit and look down upon -its scoria-strewn base, covering millions of acres, explore its deep, -rugged gorges, and examine the stupendous deposits of trachytic lava -which lie in a strata of enormous thickness upon its sides, or roll -down like crystallized rivers of rock from the extinct craters of the -mountain, now spreading over the plains, now rising above the surface -of the ground in the form of enormous, crenated ridges, which look like -the walls of embattled strongholds. There can be no doubt whatever that -at some remote period Ruapehu must have formed the principal centre -of volcanic action in the North Island. It is of course impossible to -define at what period the enormous mountain began, or even terminated, -its eruptive state; but I am of opinion, as suggested in a previous -chapter, that it rose into being after the extinction and subsequent -subsidence of the great crater-basin now occupied by Lake Taupo. -Ruapehu, unlike Tongariro, is not a true scoria cone in the sense in -which the latter mountain may be classed, but a gigantic crater of -elevation, which during its volcanic outbursts sent forth showers of -ashes and rivers of lava which spread themselves for miles around the -base of the mountain, while the surrounding region over a vast area -was upheaved by the elevatory force of the stupendous fires as they -burst forth from the great volcanic vent now crowned with glaciers and -perpetual snow. - -[Illustration: SUMMIT OF RUAPEHU.] - -Whilst we were resting to give our half-starved horses a feed of -tussock grass, I went out into the plains to sketch the great mountain, -as from the position where we were it presented one of its most -beautiful aspects. From this point it bore exactly ten degrees east -of south, the altitude of the Mangatoetoe stream at the foot of the -mountain where we were being 3450 feet above the level of the sea. We -had selected this position from which to make the ascent as it was the -best place to reach the great northern peak, which forms the highest -point of Ruapehu. This grandly beautiful pinnacle, with its glittering -mantle of snow sweeping down its sides, towered far up to the skies, -its summit being crowned with what appeared to be an oblong mass -of rock, which assumed, from the aspect from which we viewed it, a -singular resemblance to what is known in heraldic science as the "cap -of maintenance." This grand crown, placed dexterously by the hand of -nature upon the very topmost summit of the great peak, was a remarkable -and conspicuous object, and as its ice-bound sides glittered beneath -the sun, it appeared as if set with gems. Right from the very top of -this portion of the mountain, its precipitous sides and long, rolling -slopes stretched down to the very foot of the plains, and it did not -take us long to see that it would be impossible to make the ascent and -descent from where we were in a single day. We therefore determined to -ride our horses as far up the low spurs as we could, tether our animals -in a convenient spot, carry our tent and other necessary equipage up to -the snow-line, camp there for the night, and make the final ascent on -the following day. - -There was a small clump of forest growing a considerable distance up -the scoria ridges, and as this was the only belt of vegetation of the -kind on our track, we determined to direct our course to it, in the -hope of finding water and a suitable camping-place for our horses. Our -route now lay over low scoria ridges, which were intersected in every -direction by winding, boulder-strewn gullies, which evidently during -the wet season and the melting of the snows formed, with the deep -creeks, the principal channels of the watershed of the mountain, as it -distributed itself from the heights above over the low country. Upon -the sides of these gullies, and clustering about the vast deposits of -scoria, grew a luxuriant vegetation of dwarfed alpine shrubs, while -wherever the sides of the gullies were obscured from the sun the thick -white frost, which had wrapped the country in its icy mantle on the -previous night, rose up from the ground in the form of thick icicles, -from two to three inches in length. These icicles, like those which -covered the Waihohonu Valley, were the most curious I had ever seen. -They rose from the small, disintegrated scoria, which everywhere -covered the ground, almost in the shape of a plant with a straight stem -and a fringed top; and, while some stood alone, others were clustered -together, forming a thick mass of ice. It seemed, indeed, as if the -moisture which had literally saturated the ground during the heavy -rains we had experienced had been drawn up to the surface by the frost -by a kind of capillary attraction, which had produced these miniature -plants of ice. - -When we arrived at the small picturesque bush of _towai_-trees, we -found that there was but little or no feed in its vicinity, so we only -halted here for a short time to explore the surrounding country. On -our right were the level plains and sinuous ridges over which we had -ridden, while at some distance to our left an enormous lava ridge, like -a ruined wall, cut off all further view to the south. We cut a couple -of alpenstocks and a flagstaff, and next determined to take our horses -still further up the mountain, to a a point where we could see the last -sign of the dwarf vegetation, some of the plants of which we found our -animals would eat, in default of anything better. - -As we made a fresh start, we saw a party of mounted natives riding -along the track below, and whilst we hid our horses in a gully, we -crawled to the top of a ridge and watched carefully, to see whether -they would pick up our tracks. Fortunately, however, they passed on, -riding hard along the track which passes through the Tongariro Plains -into the heart of the King Country. - -At an elevation of 4450 feet, and at the very edge of the last patch of -dwarfed plants that grew upon the desert-like expanse, we found a small -oasis between two scoria hills, bounded on the left by the rugged lava -ridge which formed the backbone, as it were, of the long, sweeping spur -up which we had come. Here a few stunted shrubs and clumps of tussock -grass struggled for life amidst masses of lava and scoria sand. We knew -that we would have to leave our horses tethered here for something -like thirty-six hours without water, whilst we did the rest of the -mountain, and we calculated that, with the aid of the few straggling -shrubs and bunches of tussock, there would be just sufficient food to -keep the animals from starvation during that time, although we had a -kind of secret conviction that the chances were immensely in favour of -the latter result. - -After we had secured our horses in the small oasis, we went out to -explore the country ahead. In every position along the steep incline up -which we had to make our way we saw nothing but enormous scoria hills, -stretching far and wide on every side, and which rose in long, steep -ascents to the snow-line of the mountain. In every direction stupendous -ridges of black trachytic lava cropped up above the surface, broken, -rugged, and sharp, as if they had boiled up during some terrific -volcanic convulsion, and then suddenly congealed into the most curious -and fantastic shapes. Some of the enormous lava ridges, of a black -metallic lustre, flowed down, as it were, from the very summit of the -mountain, and stretched for miles in length over the desert below. - -At an altitude of 5500 feet we came to an enormous deposit of lava -raising up the surface of the spur in the form of a large cluster -of rocks, and on one side of which there was a sheer descent into a -lava-bound ravine of 200 feet. This was a good mile and a half away -from where we had left our horses, but as the ascent was gradual -we determined to pack the animals with the tent and blankets up to -this point, and, after taking them back to the oasis, carry the camp -equipage on our own shoulders up to the snow-line, where we had -resolved to camp for the night, in order to be able to begin the final -ascent to the summit of the great peak at daylight on the morrow. It -was late in the day when we had finally carried out this arrangement, -and, after packing ourselves with the tent, blankets, and all other -necessaries to the extent of about twenty-five pounds each, we set off -to climb the long, dreary spur, which mounted steeply upward until it -lost itself in the region of eternal snow. - -Heavily laden and unused as we were to the burdens of professional -pack-horses, we found the climbing both trying and monotonous. The -long, dismal expanse which formed the spur up which our course lay -was devoid of all vegetation. Our feet sank deeply into the shifting -scoria, which, fractured into small pieces, covered the sides of -the mountain for miles around in a dark-grey deposit, which looked -intensely dreary as the sun sank to rest and a cold, cutting wind swept -down from the snow-crowned glaciers above us. - -At 5800 feet enormous stones lay strewn about the ground, and we -crossed the lower part of a deep lava ravine which wound high up into -the side of the great peak above, and ended in a precipitous bluff, -where we saw what at first sight appeared to be enormous caves, with a -frozen waterfall sticking out of them. It occurred to us that if they -were really rocky caves, as they seemed to be, we might find shelter in -them for the night from the freezing blast, so we toiled onward with -our heavy burdens to an altitude of 6200 feet, when the caves turned -out to be nothing more than two enormous holes in the rocky side of -the mountain, and to reach which it would have required the skill of -a well-trained monkey, as they had been placed by the fickle hand of -nature high up at the end of a tremendous ravine, which fell with a -sheer descent of hundreds of feet beneath the precipice on which we -stood, and whose steep, rugged sides, built of horizontal layers of -lava rock, appeared to have been twisted and distorted by some terrific -volcanic convulsion. - -At this elevation the whole canopy of snow which covered the summit -of the mountain came down almost to our feet, while enormous masses -of ice and long, ponderous icicles hung in shining festoons over the -frowning precipices above. We were now nearly at the head of the great -spur along which we had come, and beyond which the tall peaks of the -mountain still shot up to a height of nearly 4000 feet above us. The -spur at this point was bounded by the great ravine before alluded to, -while on the other it fell with a steep descent into a deep, winding -valley, beyond which the scoria hills rolled in endless confusion down -to the wide plain below. At this point the mountain was strewn in -every direction with dark boulders of trachytic rock, many of which -were of stupendous size, and as they were scattered about pell-mell in -the most fantastic way, we seemed to have entered a weird graveyard -sacred to the memory of mountain giants. The scoria ridges around us -were absolutely bare, and their dark outline had a desolate look, as -if some fiery wind had swept over them and blasted every sign of life. -The shades of evening now closed around us, and although the wind blew -in strong blasts from the south, which chilled our blood, we hailed -its icy breath with as much cheerfulness as we had done the genial -warmth of the sun during the day, as we knew that whilst it remained -in that quarter we should have fine weather, and would be able to make -the long-wished-for ascent to the summit on the morrow; but if, on -the other hand, it should happen to shift into its old quarter, the -storm-clouds would sweep down upon us, and put us in an unpleasant and -even dangerous predicament. - -We determined to make this dreary locality our camping-place for the -night, and by the aid of the alpenstocks and the flagstaff we had -brought up with us we managed to partially erect our tent under the -lee of a big boulder. But before doing so, in order to prepare a space -in which to lie down, we had to clear away the snow and thick coating -of frost-like icicles that covered the ground, and then, in order to -keep ourselves in position, as the ground was so steep, we formed a -square of large stones just big enough to hold us, and in this we laid -our blankets. The alpenstocks were arranged in the form of a triangle -at the outside end, the flagstaff was placed at the apex, and then -jammed down in a sloping way under the boulder, and over this the tent -was thrown, its sides being secured by a border of heavy stones. In -this way there was just room enough for us to crawl inside. I mention -these particulars because thereby hangs a tale. We had carried up just -sufficient wood to make a small fire to boil the tea, and which we -accomplished, after great difficulty, behind the lee of a boulder. In -fact, nothing could be done unless under the shelter of one of these -enormous stones; to go to the windward side was simply to have the -chilling blasts pass through one like a knife, and to be half blinded -with scoria sand. - -If I were to live for a thousand years, no waning of the intellectual -powers could cause me to entirely forget the night we passed on -Ruapehu. It is true we felt more secure than when camped in the wild -regions of Tongariro, for we knew that the natives would not molest -us at that altitude, as they have a tradition that when a man goes -up Ruapehu he never comes down again; but, so far as comfort was -concerned, the weird lava-bound Waihohonu Valley, with its legends -of _taniwhas_ and evil demons, was a perfect paradise and "happy -hunting-ground" in comparison with the wild, snowy region, where we -were now camped. Our bed was, of course, very rough, and two big -particles of trachytic rock formed our pillows; but all this would have -passed muster, and calm, refreshing sleep would have come to us, if it -had not been for the fact that the loose scoria would keep slipping -and sliding from under us as we lay on our steep incline. Although the -moon shone as bright as day, the wind still continued to blow in heavy -gusts, which seemed to increase in violence after every lull, and as -it had already shifted a point or two still further southward, it was -colder than ever, while what was at one time the lee of the boulder -now became almost its windward side. Our tent at this stage swayed and -flapped about in an incessant way, the icy blasts blew round about and -underneath us, and in such a way that it was impossible to keep warm. -At midnight the terrible climax came; with a noise like the howling of -a thousand fiends, a terrific gale of wind swept over the mountain. -In an instant our tent was carried away from over us, the flag-pole -struck Turner a frightful blow on the head, and our blankets went -flying right and left. So great was the force of the wind that it was -impossible to stand against it. Blinding showers of sand and scoria -filled the air almost to suffocation as each successive blast swept -onward with terrific force, and everything was covered with a fine -scoria dust, which got into the hair, filled the eyes, caused a choking -sensation about the throat, and permeated every article of clothing. It -was useless to endeavour to erect our tent again, so we squatted down, -Maori fashion, in our blankets behind another enormous boulder, which -served to break the force of the wind. The thermometer now stood at -27°, and the gale continued to blow throughout the night with terrific -fury, sweeping over the ice-bound summit of the mountain, and then down -into the valleys below, carrying along in its course its dark clouds of -scoria and showers of gritty sand. - -[Illustration: WAITING FOR SUNRISE.] - -It was only a few minutes past midnight when our tent blew away, and -we therefore had to pass six hours under the boulder before sunrise. -The thermometer now indicated six degrees of frost, which was just six -degrees less than we had experienced on the previous night, but then -we had no wind, and we were now 2200 feet higher than then. Unpleasant -as our situation was, it had its attractions. Looking down upon the -surrounding country from the great height upon which we were placed -(6200 feet above the sea), a weird and curious picture presented itself -to the gaze. Immediately below us, and far and wide around, in front -and to the right and to the left, rolled an apparently endless expanse -of boulder-strewn scoria ridges, tossed about like the wild, chaotic -waves of a frozen sea, and covered with a complete network of dark -hues, which marked the winding course of gullies and ravines. Still -further in front, and stretching in a broad expanse far below us, was -a flat, white surface, like a snowy sheet of ice. This was the Rangipo -Table-land, covered with a thick coating of frost. Beyond, again, rose -a dark, frowning barrier, whose rugged outline lost itself in the -distance as it stretched away to the north and to the south. These were -the Kaimanawa Mountains, mantled in a cloud of mist. From the broad, -white plain deep down to the left rose the dark, majestic form of -Tongariro, around the summit of which its white steam-cloud coiled in a -feathery circle, looking like a silvery diadem beneath the light of the -moon, which shone with a glittering lustre upon the snows of Ruapehu, -whose lofty summit seemed to touch the star-lit canopy above, while a -magnificent _aurora australis_, the most brilliant I had ever beheld, -shot across the heavens from the southward, and lit up the sky with its -tongue of silvery fire. It was worth all the hardships we had undergone -to gaze on this grand sight alone and to commune, as it were, with the -colossal wonders of nature, wrapped in the stillness and beauty of -night. - -The whole scene, and the peculiar circumstances under which we viewed -it, was one never to be forgotten, while it brought, as all grand and -impressive sights will, the most vivid associations before the mind. I -pictured to myself the many and extraordinary changes this wild region -had gone through to arrive at the condition under which we beheld it. -What singular and stupendous results had been brought about by forces -and agencies now almost extinct! Time was when the colossal mountain -on whose fire-scorched sides we were crouching, was made desolate by -tremendous volcanic eruptions, which sent forth clouds of smoke and -sulphurous gases, showers of rocks and ashes, and streams and rivers -of lava. Then lurid flames lit up the hills for miles around, and -darkening clouds of fiery sand swept far and wide over the surrounding -country. Then a line of volcanic vents, like beacon-fires, illuminated -the rocky headlands of the great mountains around, and every towering -fastness rose hot and quaking with subterranean heat. Then a change -came about--one of those mysterious convulsions of which we only -dream--the volcanic fires ceased, and the yawning craters were filled -with snow and the peaks crowned with ice, and, as the earth gradually -cooled down, a glorious vegetation, moulded in the most beautiful and -varied forms of the creation, spread itself far and wide over the -country, and nature smiled in all her radiance upon this magnificent -and romantic land. - -At five o'clock in the morning the thermometer indicated seven degrees -of frost, and the wind still blew in fitful gusts, which covered us -with sand. The cold now was intense, and, as the moon had set, the wide -scope of country around us looked unpleasantly dismal beneath its pall -of darkness. Our outlook was towards the east, and as the time for -daylight approached we watched anxiously for the first streak of dawn. - -Just before six the thermometer went down half a degree, and a damp, -chilly feeling pervaded the air. Darker, colder, and more dismal it -grew, until suddenly, as if by enchantment, the black clouds opened -in the east, and a fiery streak shot upward, bathing with its golden -hues the darkened sky. At first everything around--the sky, the -mountains, and the plains, the valleys, the rivers, and the lakes, the -shining glaciers and the frozen snows--appeared one uniform creation -of brilliant light, so brightly dazzling that the eye could scarcely -bear the splendour, but as the clouds of night rolled swiftly away the -glow became still more vivid, and as the blue mists rose in the valleys -the tops of the distant mountains looked like islands rising from a -vapoury ocean--an archipelago in a sea of gold. By degrees the bright -lustre of the sun was softened with tints, first of red, and then light -transparent crimson, changing through different hues, until the sky -assumed a deep pure blue, which merged towards the east into glowing -violet. The towering summit of Ruapehu took the colour from these -changes, and every portion on which the varied tints fell appeared more -beautiful than it had ever appeared before. The whole aspect of this -sudden transformation from night into day was indescribably grand, -and as the glowing sun warmed our nearly frozen limbs we seemed to -gain fresh life and energy from the fact that another glorious day had -dawned upon the earth. - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII. - -RUAPEHU. - -(_Second Day._) - -ASCENT OF THE GREAT PEAK. - - The start--A lava bluff--Last signs of vegetation--Wall of - conglomerate rock--The Giant Rocks--Ancient crater--Difficult - climbing--A frightful precipice--The ice crown--Cutting our - way over the ice--The summit--Peaks and crater--A grand _coup - d'oeil_--The surrounding country--Taking landmarks--Point - Victoria. - - -As soon as we had made a hearty but very light breakfast, we started -at once to make the ascent of the great peak, whose steep, snow-clad -sides rose up at the end of the spur on which we had been camped. We -got ourselves up as warmly as circumstances would allow. Our boots -were stout, and capable of withstanding snow and ice; we wore thick -overcoats belted round the waist, thick comforters round the neck, fur -caps with flaps to protect the ears, while alpenstocks with flagstaff, -and tomahawks to cut our way over the ice, completed our accoutrements. - -At an altitude of 6480 feet we wound along a steep scoria ridge, and -as the wind was still blowing hard from the south, we found it very -difficult to make headway. Even the light pole we had brought with us -to place upon the summit became a great burden, and we each had to -take spells every quarter of an hour to carry it. At 6800 feet the -spur became steeper and steeper, and on one side it fell with a rapid -descent of about 400 feet into a ravine below, while on the other it -inclined abruptly towards the valley on our right. At 7000 feet we -gained a lava bluff, which formed rugged giant steps of rock, over -which we climbed with great difficulty. - -At 7400 feet we came to another lava ridge, which rose above a steep -scoria incline, covered with small particles of trachytic rock, pumice, -and obsidian. From an altitude of a little over 6000 feet we had found -no vegetation, save that represented by the two small plants known -as the _Ligustrum aromaticum_ and the _Gnaphalium bellidioides_, -which everywhere grew side by side in sheltered positions beneath the -rocks and boulders, forming, as it were, the crowning garlands of the -splendid vegetation of the North Island. These small delicate plants -held undisputed sway in this elevated region, and not even a clump of -moss grew beyond the line which nature had defined as their snow-clad -habitat. - -At an elevation of 8000 feet the wind blew boisterously, and swept over -the steep slopes of the mountain with terrific force. Here the whole -geological formation was very curious, and we came on an immense ridge -of lava and scoria conglomerate, containing big stones and boulders, -which appeared to have been melted and fused together by a terrific -heat. Here likewise scattered about in every direction were huge masses -of rock, some of which were from ten to twenty feet in height. At this -elevation on our left was a stupendous mass of lava conglomerate, which -rose up in the form of a solid wall over fifty feet in height, and so -regular was its formation that it appeared to have been artificially -formed. - -[Illustration: WALL OF LAVA CONGLOMERATE.] - -At an altitude of 8200 feet a tremendous trachytic bluff rose up for -100 feet on our right. Above this again towered a series of pointed, -jagged rocks, whose dark-red sides appeared to have been rent and -torn asunder by some terrific volcanic force. These curious peaked -elevations, which we named the "Giant Rocks," are conspicuous features -in the outline of the great mountain when viewed from the plains to the -east and north. All round this region the mountain was clad with snow, -and festoons of icicles glittered from every rock and precipice. - -When we reached 8400 feet we experienced great difficulty in climbing -up a frozen scoria incline covered with great boulders of volcanic -conglomerate. Looking down from this point the whole mountain had a -singularly wild and rugged look, and the giant, peaked rocks shot up in -the form of bold pinnacles, and seemed to mark the site of an ancient -crater, where the raging volcanic fires had rent the rocks into a -thousand curious forms, and turned them into a deep-red colour. - -At 8600 feet, we climbed up a precipitous slope of lava conglomerate, -in the form of a rude terrace, upon which were gigantic boulders and -masses of broken rock covered with a thick coating of ice and snow. -Here it was almost impossible to stand against the wind, and we came -to a steep scoria incline, covered with frozen snow as hard as ice. -Up this we had to crawl on our hands and knees, as the wind sweeping -around the mountain from the right, fearfully cold, and with unabated -force, made it impossible to stand. The scoria ridge and masses of -rock and gigantic boulders that rose up around, were covered with -festoons of ice, and the whole mountain shone and glittered with a -dazzling splendour. Above the white snow, the dark ridges of lava rose -like stupendous walls, rugged, bare, and desolate, but adamantine and -colossal in structure, as if the Architect of nature had intended -them to endure for all time. All about this part of the ascent the -sides of the mountain were steep and broken, and the climbing along -the frozen surface was so difficult that we had to creep along the -edge of the great conglomerate walls and hang on to the big stones -that jutted out from their surface. We could now only go on for about -five minutes at a time without stopping to rest, as we had not only to -combat the difficulties of our own track, but the force of the wind, -which, blowing with increased force as we mounted higher and higher, -threatened at places to blow us over the precipices. Fortunately there -was not a single cloud to be seen; nothing but a bright sun and a clear -blue sky, from which the wind swept down cold, yet invigorating, but -with tremendous force; and, indeed, so steep and slippery with ice was -this part of the mountain that it was only by carefully navigating our -own course, as it were, by keeping to leeward of the projecting peak -above, that we were enabled to make headway. - -At an altitude of 8900 feet, after a hard struggle, we gained the -rounded top of the great peak, and when, under the shelter of a rocky -projection, we lay flat down, and peered over the frightful precipice -on our left, the whole aspect of the giant mountain, as it swept with -its rugged, ice-bound sides down to the wide expanse of bare scoria -ravines and black lava ridges, as they wound into the dreary Onetapu -Desert below, appeared grand and beautiful, as much by reason of its -vast incomprehensible proportions as by the wonderful effects of light -and shade produced by the brilliant sunlight as it swept from the -bright glacier above into the deep gorges and winding valleys below. - -Even at this stage we were not yet at the summit of the mountain, -for the great rocky crown which we had remarked from the plain below -still towered above our heads to a height of 150 feet. We now found -that this singular monument was formed by a large outcrop of lava and -conglomerate rock, which appeared at some remote period, when the -volcanic fires were at their fiercest stage, to have oozed up above the -surface of the surrounding rocks, and then congealed into a craggy mass -with a symmetrical outline, which assumed the form of a rounded bluff -towards the east, and tapered gradually off towards the west. Covered -with a thick crown of snow that overhung its summit like a fringe, and -glittering from base to top with sheets of ice and shining icicles, -it sparkled with an almost dazzling effect beneath the golden rays as -they shot from above, forming a grand and befitting crown to the grand -mountain. - -To scale this ice-bound pinnacle was our next task. Even to approach -it at some parts was dangerous, for nature, in her certain but -mysterious way, was doing her work as we looked on; and as the midday -sun reflected its warm rays upon the icy festoons, they melted and fell -with a crash at our feet, but where, at its further and shaded end, the -wind blew with its cool breath the ice was as firm and as solid as iron. - -With the cold blasts coming now and again with the force of a perfect -hurricane, we crawled on our hands and knees along the steeps of the -lower end, and cut footsteps with our tomahawks in the snow and ice, -which spread itself like a white sheet over the precipitous inclines -over which we had to make our way before we could reach the base of -the rocky mass. Up every yard we had to crawl with great caution, -and, in order to steady ourselves, we linked ourselves together by -holding on to the flag-pole, as in many places a single slip of the -foot would have sent us rolling down the frozen steeps into eternity. -The thrilling sensation caused by these adventures acted as a kind -of stimulus, which was heightened by the fact that we knew when once -on the summit of the ice-bound crown, not only the whole mountain, -but the whole country would be beneath us. Cutting away the enormous -icicles that impeded our progress, we climbed step by step up the -treacherous, craggy sides of the towering mass of rock, but as we -neared the top the gusts of wind swept round like a whirlwind on every -side, so as to render it impossible at some points to approach the -edge. Notwithstanding the wintry blasts, however, this day might be -considered as a grand and a beautiful one for Ruapehu, but what the -lofty crest of the great mountain must be like when storms break over -it with terrific violence, when the wind howls from peak to peak, -when the lightning leaps from crag to crag, when the thunder rolls -and resounds through valley and ravine, when the snows descend, and -darkening showers of hail and rain form bounding cataracts, no soul can -tell. - -Once upon the summit of the rocky crown, a glorious sight burst upon -the view--one unique in itself, and unequalled in sublimity. It was now -one o'clock, and since the time we had left the base of the mountain -on the previous morning it had taken us nearly twenty hours of actual -climbing to reach this spot; and now we seemed to have entered a new -world--a world where there was no sound but the sigh of the wind, -where there was no sign of life; a world placed high in the sky, made -up of golden sunshine, azure blue, and glittering snow and ice, but -encircled as it were, by a broad expanse of green, bordered by the blue -waves of the distant sea. - -Looking towards the south, along the summit of the mountain, which -stretched away for nearly a mile in length, peak rose above peak in -colossal proportions from the dazzling expanse of snow. Each grand -and towering mass of rock, tinted by the extinct volcanic fires of -a reddish hue, standing out clearly defined against the light-blue -sky, each pointed summit shining with ice beneath the bright light -with grand and almost magical effect. Immediately beneath where we -stood was a steep precipice which fell perpendicularly for hundreds -of feet below, and beneath this again was a wide circle of jagged -rocks, marking the outline of a gigantic crater, filled to its craggy -brim with snow, which was furrowed into chasms of enormous depth, the -clean-cut sides of which looked white and beautiful in their winding -outline. The furthest southern peak of the mountain stood out in grand -relief in the distance, its rounded, cupola-shaped summit being perfect -in outline, as if artificially fashioned to serve for the dome of a -Mohammedan mosque. - -Turning from the wonders of the mountain, and looking out over the -grand expanse of country which stretched far and wide on every side in -all its pristine loveliness until it lost itself, as it were, in the -wide expanse of ocean, just visible in the distance to the east and -west, a wondrous panorama presented itself. Never had I seen a more -varied and enchanting scene. I had beheld a wider expanse of country -from the summit of the Rocky Mountains, gorges and precipices more -stupendous in the valley of the Yosemite, and I had gazed over a land -very similar in outline from the summit of Fusiyama in Japan, but -never before had I stood upon a glacier-crowned height in the region -of perpetual snow with an active volcano, rising thousands of feet, -beneath me, nor had I ever beheld so wide an expanse of lake, mountain, -and rolling plain mingling together, as it were, and forming one grand -and glorious picture. This wondrous Elysium, for in its primeval -beauty it looked like nothing else, with its colossal, glacier-scored -mountain, had not the cold frigidity of the Alpine districts of the -South Island, where Nature looks awful in its grandeur; but here was -the mingling, as it were, of the torrid and the frigid zone--a land -where the snow-field and the glacier rose in all their impressive -sublimity above a romantic-looking country clothed in a semi-tropical -vegetation, where the choicest and most varied of trees and plants grew -spontaneously in an atmosphere which might rank as the most healthful -and invigorating in the world. The sight was, indeed, one calculated -to overawe the mind and to impress the imagination with a sense of the -omnipotence of the Creator. - -For a radius from where we stood of over 100 miles the whole country -was mapped out and clearly defined beneath us. In the north, towering -to the skies, we could discern the familiar forms of Pirongia, Karioi, -Maungatautari, Te Aroha, Ngongotaha, Hapurangi, and flat-topped -Horohoro, with Tarawera, Putauaki, and Tauhara standing further to the -east. The forms of Titiraupenga, Rangitoto, Haurakia, Tapirimoko, and -Haurungatahi rose above the forests of the King Country; the pointed -summit of Hikurangi shot upward from the East Coast, and snow-clad -Taranaki stood like a sentinel in the west, while Pihanga and Tongariro -rose majestically from the plains below--all grand, isolated peaks, -standing alone, and whose united altitudes, together with that of -the giant mountain on which we stood, would exceed twice the height -of Himalayas above the sea. All the intervening space was covered -with mountain, valley, river, plain, and lake, and was so clearly -defined, that we could trace all the grand features of the country -as if delineated upon a plan. In the centre of all shone the broad -waters of Taupo as they stretched away like an inland sea--the winding -form of Lake Rotoaira shone like a mirror in the plain below--and the -miniature lakes on Tongariro looked like big turquoise set in a circle -of adamant. Indeed, every feature of this wide expanse of country was -both varied and beautiful. The broad, rolling expanse of plain which -we had beheld during the night, with its coating of frost, was now -radiant in its vivid mantle of green, which was relieved here and there -by the winding rivers and rushing streams which burst from the sides -of the great mountain and sped onward to join the Waikato as it wound -along the base of the Kaimanawa Mountains, which rose like a series -of undulating terraces, clothed with dark forests, above which their -serrated peaks stood out in bold relief against the sky. Beyond the -far-reaching mountains stupendous heights arose in the direction of -the south-east, range after range, rolling away as far as the eye could -reach to the distant Ruahine Mountains, whose stupendous outline bound -the horizon in that direction. - -[Illustration: THE ICE CROWN, POINT VICTORIA.] - -It was, however, the vast country to the west that most attracted our -attention. It was the forbidden land we had already entered, whose -hidden wonders we were unmasking--a mysterious region which now lay -stretched before us in all its primeval grandeur. We could mark its -valleys and its plains and its forests and its towering mountains, and -get glances of its rivers as they gleamed in the sun. To enter this -unknown region, as we intended to do, at its extreme southern end, -pass through the enormous forest which covers it in that direction, -and thence northward to Alexandra, we knew would be just 100 miles in -a direct line, but we could now plainly see by the natural features of -the country that by ordinary travel it would be at least twice that -distance, and would require many a hard day's journey to accomplish. We -therefore, from our elevated position, took careful note of the more -prominent outlines of the country, and especially of the known high -mountains, which we afterwards found to be splendid guides, as many of -their peculiar features could not be mistaken. - -When we had laid off on our map the leading features of the country -through which we intended to pass, we set to work and built a cairn -of rock, about four feet high, at a point which exceeded 9000 feet -above the level of the sea, and on this we hoisted our flag. As this -magnificent peak of Ruapehu, with its rocky crown of ice and snow, was -not only the highest point of the mountain, but the very topmost summit -of the North Island, we named it "Point Victoria," in honour of her -Majesty the Queen. - - - - -CHAPTER XIX. - -THE KAIMANAWA MOUNTAINS. - - Further plans--Across the plains--In memoriam--The Onetapu - Desert--Mamanui camp--Grilled _weka_--A heavy frost--The - Kaimanawas--Geological formation--A probable El Dorado--Reputed - existence of gold. - - -As we had now successfully accomplished the ascent of the two great -mountains, I determined to leave the tapued district as soon as -possible, and strike a south-easterly course across the Onetapu -Desert to the southern base of the Kaimanawa Mountains, in order to -examine the geological formation of that region. I had noticed when -examining the western banks of the Waikato River, that on its opposite -side, where the mountains rose in all their grandeur, the geological -aspect of the country was entirely different from that of the Rangipo -table-land, the geological formation of which was principally composed -of fluvial drift, with a deep superimposed stratum of pumice, and over -which again was a final stratum of volcanic earth, formed principally -by the decomposition of the trachytic rocks forming the numerous -volcanic cones which bounded the table-land on the west. Owing, -however, to the flooded state of the Waikato, it was impossible to -reach its opposite side, where the Kaimanawa Mountains rose in the form -of a stupendous wall. I therefore resolved to head the river at its -upper waters, in order to get into the Kaimanawa country in that way. - -On the day following our ascent of Ruapehu, we started across the -plains in the direction indicated above, and as the day was fine we -rode leisurely along, coaxing our half-starved horses on their way by -occasional feeds from the luxuriant growth of native grasses which -covered that part of the Rangipo. In this portion of the plains there -was a great variety of native grasses, and among them were those known -to the natives as the _parakerake_ and _pekipeki_, while the tussock -grass grew in clumps often three feet in height. Dotted all over the -plain likewise was a curious spiked plant, which our horses carefully -avoided whenever they came in its way. This singular plant grew at -the bottom, in the form of a widespreading circular tuft, composed of -narrow sword-edged leaves, the ends of which were as pointed and as -sharp as a lancet. From the centre of the tuft rose a stem varying -from a foot to two feet in height, which bristled at the top with a -spike-like thorn, while clustering all over its sides were long thin -thorns, pointed, and as sharp as needles. So strong and sharp are the -thorns of this plant, that the natives often use them as spurs. - -We had been told at Tokanu that at a certain point on these wide plains -if we struck a certain native track hard by a certain stream flowing -from the rugged gorges of Tongariro, we could see a pole which was -strictly _tapu_ in the eyes of the Maoris. When we came to the spot, -the pole was there in the form of a portion of a dead tree. Now, a -melancholy tale was attached to this singular relic. During the time -of the war, when the Hauhaus under Te Kooti carried fire and sword -among the loyal tribes of this part of the country, a native girl, -it is said, of singular beauty, was passing alone by this very spot, -when one of the rebel chief's followers approaching at the same time, -brutally attacked her, and having accomplished his villainous purpose, -cut her throat, and rode on his way. Even the very name of this man -is lost in oblivion, and his soul--well, never mind. When the girl's -relatives came to search for her they found her body, and taking off -her collaret, placed it on the pole, and tapued the place sacred to -her memory, and this pole still standing on the wild plains now forms -her only monument. But, strange to say, the collaret, rounded, tied -in a knot, and in form as perfect as if taken from the blood-stained -neck but yesterday, was likewise there, and Nature, as if anxious to -preserve this sad relic, had covered it with a coating of fine spiral -moss, which made it look not unlike one of those wreaths of immortelles -we sometimes see placed on Christian graves to invoke, as it were, the -blessings of Heaven. I made a sketch of this lonely monument, and when -the ravages of time shall have effaced it from all ken, these simple -words may serve to recall the memory of one who was loyal to her queen, -and who met death at a time when war and rapine swept over the land, -and when the white and the dark race fought with a deadly and cruel -hatred for the mastery of these fair and attractive regions. - -The Onetapu Desert, or "desert of sacred sand," as its name implies, -forms one of the most curious features of this region. It stretches -from the eastern slope of Ruapehu to the banks of the Waikato River, -across the centre of the great table-land, and covers an area of -over fifty square miles. In summer it is parched and dried, and in -the winter months when the snows cover it, it is both dangerous and -difficult to traverse. As we neared this trackless waste, the rich -vegetation of the plains gradually died away, and gave place to the -stunted plants and shrubs which we had always found growing on the -lower scoria deposits. This vegetation did not cover the ground in -every direction, but grew in patches here and there, and often in a -very attractive way. The desert, at the surface, is composed entirely -of a deposit of scoria, with rounded stones and trachytic boulders -above, while, in some places, rise enormous lava ridges. Here and -there a trickling watercourse winds over it, but taken altogether it -is a dreary, monotonous expanse, which the superstitious minds of -the natives have peopled with _taniwhas_ and evil spirits. By its -formation, it would appear as if Ruapehu, when in a state of activity, -had distributed its showers of ashes and lava over this wide region, -and it would also appear that, at the period at which this extensive -deposition of scoria occurred, there must have been growing upon this -very spot an extensive forest similar to that now to be found on the -western side of the mountain, for, as we rode over the dreary expanse, -we found the remains of enormous trees which had been converted into -charcoal, as it were, at the time when the fiery ashes swept over -them, and which had since become exposed, as the upper surface was -denuded by the action of the water flowing down from the mountain. - -Towards sundown we gained the upper waters of the Waikato, which here -wound across the desert in the form of a small stream coming from the -direction of Ruapehu. After crossing this we struck up towards the -Kaimanawa Mountains, to the Mamanui stream, where there was a deserted -Maori camping-place, and where we found excellent feed for our horses. -The spot where we pitched our camp stood at an elevation of 3727 feet -above the sea, on the banks of the Mamanui, which wound from the -mountains to form one of the many tributaries of the Waikato which -have their rise in these extensive ranges. The moon shone brightly -by the time we had pitched our tent, and the tall heights, towering -around us with their splendid vegetation, sheltered us from the chilly -blasts that swept across the plains, and, taken altogether, it was a -comfortable and pleasant spot in comparison to the weird mountains upon -which we had been recently camped. - -This night we indulged in a delicacy which up to this moment we had -neither time nor opportunity to cook. When we rode out to make the -ascent of Tongariro we had the good fortune, as we then deemed it, to -knock over a small _weka_ or wood-hen. This diminutive bird Turner -seemed to look upon as a kind of sacred offering from the gods, and -he tied it to his saddle-bow, and kept a keen eye upon it, with the -view of making the final sacrifice whenever we should have time to -light a fire. We had now had it nearly six days in our possession, but -this was in reality the first opportunity we had had of cooking it. -We soon, however, had it grilling over our fire, and we ate it with -avidity, regretting the while that Providence had not provided us with -a full-grown bird in place of a mere fledgling. The _weka_ (_Ralus -Australis_) is very plentiful in the plains around Tongariro. - -We passed a fairly comfortable night in this secluded spot, but it -was one of the coldest we had experienced. Before midnight the whole -country was covered with a thick white frost, and at four in the -morning the thermometer stood as low as 27°. - -The Kaimanawa Mountains are situated in almost the very centre of the -island, with a general north-easterly and south-westerly bearing, and -attain to an elevation of about 6000 feet above the level of the sea. -Stretching across the great central table-land in an extent of about -eighty miles, their tall serrated peaks form a grand and beautiful -feature in the many natural wonders of the surrounding country, while -the primeval forests which clothe them to their summits are among the -finest in the country. From whatever point of view they are beheld, -they disclose the most delightful views, and when their pointed peaks -are covered with the winter snows they afford the most beautiful Alpine -scenery to be found in the North Island. Clothed everywhere with a -dense growth of vegetation, they tower one above the other in a series -of mountain terraces, whose stupendous sides are broken by enormous -gorges which form the outlets of innumerable streams, while winding -valleys open to the view the most romantic and attractive prospects. - -It is, however, the geological formation of this extensive mountain -range, covering many hundreds of square miles, which is of especial -interest. Unlike the volcanic cones, which form one of the most -remarkable features of this division of the country, and which have -their origin in a trachytic formation, the rocks comprising the -Kaimanawa Mountains belong to the paleozoic order, and are composed -principally of clay slate with quartz veins, brownish semi-crystallized -sandstones, silicious schists, and diorites as intrusive rocks. - -When, upon the day after our arrival at Mamanui, we followed up the -creeks where we had been camped, and ascended these mountains to a -height of 4000 feet, I found all these rocks _in situ_, but, owing to -the densely wooded nature of the country, it was only in the ravines -that the geological formation could be examined. The clay slates were -placed more or less vertically, by reason of the intrusion of the -diorite bars through their plane, while the quartz I found on the -slopes of the hills and in abundant quantities in the creeks, and -from the auriferous indications which I noticed on all sides, I much -regretted that, owing to the necessity to press on our journey, I was -prevented from examining this country more closely. I am, however, -firmly of opinion that this extensive range, which presents many -features in common with the Sierras of California, offers to the -geologist a rich field for research, and to the miner a probable El -Dorado where, I believe, great treasure will be brought to light in -years to come. It is more than likely that the whole of this extensive -mountain range will be found upon examination to be rich in all the -mineral products common to geological formations of a like kind, and -that not only gold but other minerals will be found. - -It is likewise worthy of note that the natives of this district with -whom we afterwards came in contact assured us of the existence of gold -in these mountains, as likewise of a mineral which, by the description -they gave of it, I judged to be silver. Although it is impossible to -define by any theoretical course of reasoning what hidden treasures may -exist in the fastnesses of the Kaimanawas, there can be no doubt that -the whole region is well worthy an extended examination. The discovery -of a payable gold-field in this locality could not fail to confer a -material benefit upon the whole country. Situated as these mountains -are in the centre of the island, they are easily accessible from all -points; and if once the existence of remunerative auriferous deposits -were established, the spread of population would follow, and in this -way the vast and varied resources of an extensive portion of the colony -would be developed. - - - - -CHAPTER XX. - -SECOND ASCENT OF RUAPEHU. SOURCES OF THE WHANGAEHU AND WAIKATO RIVERS. - - Curious parterres--Supposed source of Whangaehu--A gigantic lava - bed--A steep bluff--The Horseshoe Fall--The Bridal Veil Fall--The - Twin Falls--A dreary region--Ice caves--Source of the Waikato--The - descent--Our camp on the desert. - - -Having satisfied myself as to the geological formation of the Kaimanawa -Mountains, I next determined to trace up the Whangaehu and Waikato -Rivers to their source in Ruapehu. Striking our camp at Mamanui, we -took a south-westerly course for some distance, until we struck the -Whangaehu River, which we found winding across the desert in the form -of a wide, rushing stream. Once on the opposite side, we were again -fairly on the Onetapu Desert, and we shaped our course in the direction -of the eastern side of Ruapehu, where a tremendous ravine seemed to -lead right into the very heart of the mountain. - -When passing over some portions of the great scoria plain, we found -all of the plants and shrubs peculiar to the region growing together -with dwarf trees, but all so artistically dispersed by the hand of -Nature as to appear like miniature gardens, with winding walks that -formed a perfect labyrinth. In fact, so beautifully and carefully -designed were some of these parterres, that it was almost impossible -to believe that they had not been artificially formed. Every species -of plant that we had hitherto found in the district grew in them, with -a vast variety of shrubs we had not before observed, while the scoria -winding about the clumps of vegetation was so even as to appear as if -it had been artificially rolled down. - -The Whangaehu River, which takes its rise in the eastern side of -Ruapehu, is one of the largest streams in the colony. Bursting forth -high up in the snows of the mountain, it crosses the desert in an -easterly direction, and then, with the fall of the country, takes a -swift bend towards the south in its course to the coast, where it joins -the sea, in a distance of about sixty miles from its source. From the -point where it issues from the mountain, and for many miles as it -winds through the plains, its waters are rendered perfectly white from -the enormous amount of alum with which they are charged. We had been -informed by the natives at Tokanu that the source of this river rose -in an enormous black rock, or dark bluff, which forms a conspicuous -feature near the eastern base of the mountain, and it was therefore -towards this point we directed our course. - -The whole of this side of Ruapehu appeared singularly rugged, and -above the deep gorges the enormous bluffs and precipices seemed to -mount one above the other to the glacier-crowned peaks above. We -struck into a boulder-strewn ravine, and, after following this along -for a considerable distance, we found that it brought us to the dark -mass of rocks which the natives had indicated to us. It was, however, -clear at once that the true source of the river was a long distance up -the mountain from this point. The dark rocks, which were nothing more -than enormous outcrops of lava, formed the portals, or entrance, as it -were, to a still deeper gorge, which led further into the mountain, -and which looked as weird and as dismal as anything Dante or Doré had -ever created. When we had got fairly into this tremendous chasm, a -most curious sight presented itself. Below our feet was the bed of -the ravine, strewn with boulders of all sizes, which lay scattered -about in endless confusion, as if hurled from the heights above by -the hands of mountain giants. On our left rose an immense lava wall, -over 100 feet in height, and on our right, rising from the bed of the -ravine, was a wide stratum of alluvial drift, composed of sand and -water-worn boulders. Resting on this stratum, just as it had cooled, -was a lava stream, about 200 feet in perpendicular height, as sharp -and as clear in all its proportions as if it had been cast out but -yesterday from the fiery craters of the mountain. Dark, bright, and -shining with a metallic lustre, it looked like a solid wall of bronze -built by Cyclopean hands, the stupendous jagged ridge which crowned -it resembling the rampart of an embattled fortress. This appeared to -be one of the grandest specimens of a trachytic lava bed to be found -in any part of the world, and it formed one of the most interesting -geological phenomena I had ever beheld. Looking at this stupendous -mass, one could fairly realize how widespread and how tremendous in -its proportions must have been the volcanic action of Ruapehu. The -stream of lava which had formed this great deposit had evidently come -from one of the many central craters of the mountain, and had rolled -down in a molten stream for a distance of several miles, until it had -gradually cooled into its present form. When gazing up at this singular -monument, it could be seen that there was not a single flaw in its -whole surface to mar the general outline of its colossal proportions. -Here and there from the hard metallic surface, which shone like -bronze by some powerful agency difficult to comprehend, blocks of the -adamantine rock had fallen into the ravine below, but even every line -of their surface was as sharp and as angular as if they had been just -wrought into form under our eyes. - -[Illustration: GREAT TRACHYTIC LAVA BED.] - -When we had travelled a considerable distance up to the head of this -wild gorge, we found it impossible to get out of it except by the -way we had come, so we headed back again, and climbed, with great -difficulty and at considerable risk, up the enormous bluff forming the -entrance to the gorge, the sharp edges of the lava being particularly -rough on our hands. Once at the summit of the bluff, we gained a long -spur which formed the top of the great bed of lava we had examined -in the ravine below, and which was here about 600 yards in width, as -evidenced by the rugged outcrops of black rock that rose above the -surface of the ground on every side. Travelling for a short distance -up this steep ridge, we descended a rocky precipice to the right into -another weird gorge, where the milky waters of the Whangaehu came -bounding in a rapid descent over boulders and rocky precipices. We -crossed the river at this point, and we kept the stream on our left for -a considerable distance up the mountain. - -When we had followed up this ravine for a long distance we came to -another scoria spur, mounting upwards towards the mountain. About two -miles up this the ravine widened out, with high lava walls on either -side, while right in the centre rose a high ridge of lava, which ended -in steep, sloping ridges of fine scoria. The great snow peaks beyond -now came into full view, and at a height of 5300 feet the ravine opened -out on our left, and over the flat terrace above a large waterfall fell -from a height of 150 feet over a semicircular precipice into a deep, -rocky basin, and, as the vast volume of water poured on to the great -rocks beneath, it resounded through the ravine like the echo of distant -thunder. We named this the "Horseshoe Fall" from the shape of the -precipice over which the water fell. - -From the Horseshoe Fall we mounted still higher up a very steep ascent -on to a flat-topped scoria spur, which immediately to the right -descended into a rugged ravine over a sheer precipice of 400 feet, -while to the left of the ridge, which we followed up, rolled the -Whangaehu, at a depth of about 300 feet in the gorge below, and beyond -which the giant form of one of the principal spurs of the mountain, -built up of scoria and layers of lava, rose to a height of about 1000 -feet above us. We were now high up in the mountain, and the cold wind -from the snow-crowned glacier above swept over us with a chilly blast, -while the colossal walls of rock, towering above on every side, cast -their weird shadows around, and blocked out every ray of sunlight. -We climbed for about three miles further up the dreary scoria spurs, -the monotonous appearance of which was only relieved by the fantastic -outcrops of lava rock, which jutted up above the surface in every -direction, as if still hot and quaking with subterranean heat. One of -the most remarkable features about these fantastic outcrops of lava -was that time and the devastating effects of the elements to which -they must have been subjected for hundreds, nay, thousands, of years, -appeared to have left no traces upon them, the hard, metallic-looking -surface of the rock being as sharp in outline as if it had but just got -cool from the terrific heat of the stupendous fires, which had left -their impress in every direction over the face of the mountain. Not a -sign of vegetation was to be seen anywhere. We could not even get a -glimpse of the country around, as the windings of the enormous gorge -had led us, as it were, into the very heart of the mountain, and had -surrounded us with its high, rugged walls. As we climbed still further -to the glacier-crowned heights above us, the appearance of this wild -ravine became still more desolate; rugged, craggy boulders of black -rock were scattered about the slopes in every direction, and we had to -climb over huge masses of rock that barred our pathway. Thick icicles -now covered the ground, hung in festoons from the rocks, and bedecked -the high precipices in the form of a glittering fringe, while the snow -was not only on the heights above, but in the deep ravines beneath us. -In the distance we could hear the loud roaring of a cataract, and, -as we pressed on, the sound of the falling water resounded louder -and louder, and at an altitude of 6250 feet another waterfall, far -larger and more beautiful than the one we had previously discovered, -burst into view. We had hoped that this would prove the source of -the river, as it was now late in the day, and it was clear that we -would not have much more time for climbing if we wished to gain our -camp before nightfall. We soon found, however, that the great gorge -still wound into the mountain for 1000 feet above, and that the true -source of the river was yet further ahead. We took our first rest at -this stage, and gazed in admiration at the leaping volume of water in -front of us. Here, on our right, rose a gigantic bluff of lava and -conglomerated rock, while round this frowning point and coursing down -the steep incline of the gorge, up which we were ascending, swept the -white waters of the Whangaehu, until the whole volume, concentrated -into a narrow rocky channel, burst over a precipice with a fall of 300 -feet into the rocky gorge below. This was one of the most beautiful -and unique cascades I had ever seen. All around the craggy rocks were -white with a deposit of alum from the spray of the fall, while the -water, of a milky hue, poured over the precipice in a continuous frothy -stream, which appeared by its whiteness like folds of delicate lace. -This beautiful cascade had not the sparkle and glitter of ordinary -waterfalls, but a soft, milky appearance different to anything I had -ever beheld before. The big, circular, rock-bound basin, into which the -water fell, was decorated around its sides with fantastic clusters of -icicles, all of the same milky whiteness, and mingling as they did with -the still whiter snow, they served to complete one of the most singular -and attractive features of this weird ravine. We named this the "Bridal -Veil Fall" on account of its peculiar lace-like appearance. - -[Illustration: THE BRIDAL VEIL FALL.] - -Leaving the Bridal Veil Fall to dart over its echoing rocks, we struck -up the steep, precipitous ridge ahead, where we could still see the -white waters of the river coming down, as it were, from the very summit -of the mountain. Here the whole surroundings had a most wild and -romantic appearance, and we seemed to have entered a dismal solitude -where there was no sound but the rushing of waters as they dashed over -the rocky precipices, or rolled among the stupendous boulders which lay -scattered about the winding channels of the deep ravines. We pushed on -as fast as we could over an enormous outcrop of lava, and when we had -reached 6750 feet fresh wonders still seemed to call us onward. At this -elevation we discovered two cascades falling over a steep, bluff-like -precipice, and only at a short distance apart from each other. These -two shoots of water, which appeared to be of the same proportions, fell -from a height of about 100 feet into the ravine below, and then dashed -onward to leap over the precipice of the Bridal Veil. All around the -rocks were resplendent with icicles, and with the white coating of -alum appeared like alabaster. We named these the "Twin Waterfalls" on -account of their singular resemblance to each other. - -From this point of the great ravine we again mounted up precipitous -rocks and lava ridges, one of which we had to climb hand over hand for -a height of fifty feet. The river now, as far as we could discern, -appeared to pour out of the snow as it came down in a rapid torrent -through a precipitous ravine, along the side of which we crawled with -difficulty. As we mounted higher the stupendous rocks, over which we -had to make our way, were piled about in the most intricate confusion, -and in one place we had to pass over an outcrop of trachytic rock which -was broken into angular pieces, as sharp as flint, and fractured in -every direction, as if it had been subjected at some period to the -force of a terrific explosion. It required great care to get over this -difficult point, as there was only room enough to crawl along between -the wall of rock on one side, and a precipice of 200 feet on the other, -which fell with a sheer descent into a big, circular, ice-bound pool, -into which the milky waters of the Whangaehu poured in the form of -foaming cascades. Here, around on every side, rose steep precipices, -great buttresses of black lava mounted up in the form of stupendous -bluffs that supported, as it were, the rampart-like heights above, -while right in front of us, and towering to an altitude of over 1000 -feet, was a glacier slope crowned with craggy peaks, which stood out -in bold relief against the sky. This rugged locality was one of the -most singular of the whole mountain. No region could be wilder or more -desolate in appearance. There was nothing but the blue heavens above to -relieve the frigid glare of the ice, the cold glitter of the snows, and -the dreary tints of the frowning fire-scorched rocks. We now seemed to -be in a new world, where solitude reigned supreme, and where Nature, -casting aside her most radiant charms, looked stern and awe-inspiring -in her mantle of ice and snow. - -Right under the snowy glacier above us were wide, yawning apertures, -arched at the top, and framed, as it were, with ice, in the form of -rude portals, through which the white waters of the river burst in -a continuous stream. These were ice caves. Climbing over the rough -boulders, and then descending into a rocky channel, where the water -mounted over our knees, we entered the largest of these singular -structures, when a wonderful sight met the gaze. We found ourselves in -a cave of some 200 feet in circumference, whose sides of black volcanic -rock were sheeted with ice, and festooned with icicles, all grandly and -marvellously designed. At the further end from where we entered was a -wide, cavernous opening, so dark that the waters of the river, as they -burst out of it in a foaming, eddying stream down the centre of the -cave in which we stood, looked doubly white, in comparison with the -black void out of which they came. We were now right under the enormous -glacier that covered the summit of the mountain, and the roof of the -cave was formed of a mass of frozen snow, which had been fashioned -by some singular law of Nature into oval-shaped depressions of about -two feet in height, and a foot and a half broad, all of one uniform -size, and so beautifully, and so mathematically precise in outline, -as to resemble the quaint designs of a Moorish temple; while, from -all the central points to which the edges of these singular designs -converged, a long single icicle hung down several inches in diameter at -its base, perfectly round and smooth and clear, tapering off towards -its end with a point as sharp as a needle. High up on our left, in the -walls of the cave, were two apertures like the slanting windows of a -dungeon, through which the light streamed, giving a soft, mysterious -halo to the whole scene, which looked weird and indescribably curious. -We had brought candles with us, and lighting them, we pressed forward -to explore the deep cavern beyond, but to do so we had to climb over -sharp, slippery rocks, which were covered with a coating of ice, as -if they had been glazed with glass, while the white waters streaming -beneath us fell into a deep, eddying pool. We managed, after some -difficulty, to cross the stream in the second cave, and to penetrate -a considerable distance along the treacherous rocks into the very -centre, as it were, of the great mountain; but, just as we were winding -along a kind of subterranean passage, which looked like a short cut -into eternity, our lights went out, owing to the water falling from -above, and, as we could hear nothing but rushing waters ahead, we, -with some difficulty, beat a retreat into the first cave, which looked -like a fairy palace in comparison with the dark cavern we had just -left. These caves were at an altitude of 7000 feet above the level of -the sea, and we were now at the true source of the remarkable river. -Wherever the water poured over the rocks it left a white deposit, and -when we tasted it, it produced a marked astringent feeling upon the -tongue, leaving a strong taste of alum, sulphur, and iron, with all -of which ingredients, especially the two former, it appeared to be -strongly impregnated.[51] - -It is a remarkable and interesting geographical fact that the waters -which form the source of the Waikato River burst from the sides of -Ruapehu, within a short distance of the Whangaehu, and at almost the -same altitude. Both streams run almost parallel to each other for a -long distance from their source, and then, as they reach the desert, -they gradually diverge and divide the two great watersheds of this -portion of the country, the Waikato flowing to the north into Lake -Taupo, and the Whangaehu to join the sea in the south. There is, I -believe, no place in the world where two great rivers may be seen -rising at an altitude of over 7000 feet in the sides of a glacier-clad -mountain, and rolling for miles, side by side, down its rugged slopes, -the waters of the one of alabaster whiteness, and the waters of the -other as pure and as limpid as crystal, and each forming the dividing -waters of an area of country of nearly 100 miles in length. - -It had taken us nine hours to reach the ice caves, and as it was -now late in the day we began to descend with all haste, in order, -if possible, to reach the point where we had left our horses before -nightfall. - -As the sun went down the wind blew with a freezing blast, and as -we descended precipice after precipice, and ridge after ridge, and -the tints of evening crept gradually over the dismal sides of the -mountains, our course appeared long beyond measure. When we got near -to the immense mass of lava we had beheld in wonder in the morning, -the shades of night overtook us, and it was with great difficulty we -could pick our way over the rough boulders of the dark, weird gorge, -which now looked like Dante's Inferno with the fires put out. We again -struck the waters of the Whangaehu, and shining as they did like a -white streak in the darkness, we were enabled to follow them up until -we came to our camp. - -We soon had our tent erected under the lee of a cluster of scrub, -which served to protect us from the fury of the wind, which now swept -in strong blasts across the scoria plains. Our camping-place was as -near as possible in the centre of the desert, and at a point which -indicated an elevation of 3000 feet above the level of the sea. It -might, in fact, be considered as the highest point of the great central -table-land, for it was here that the watershed divided, and flowed on -the one hand to the north, and on the other to the south, as previously -described. A drink of tea and a biscuit formed our only meal, and then -we lay down to pass one of the roughest and most uncomfortable nights -we had ever experienced. About midnight a great storm of wind swept -over the plains, and dark clouds gathered over the heavens, and the -rain continued to descend in torrents throughout the night. Fortunately -for us, the few straggling bushes around served to break the force of -the blast, otherwise everything would have been blown away. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote 51: Near to this point, on the summit of the mountain, there -is a lake formed by an extinct crater, filled by subterranean springs, -and it is likely that the Whangaehu may in some way be connected with -it. It is, however, clear that there must, of necessity, be strong -subterranean springs in this portion of the mountain, to account for -the large volume of water forming the source of this river, as likewise -extensive deposits of alum, of some form or another, to cause the -complete discoloration of the waters by that mineral. I believe that -this singular river will be found to possess great medicinal properties -for the cure of rheumatic affections and cutaneous disorders.] - - - - -CHAPTER XXI. - -KARIOI. - - Our commissariat gives out--The Murimotu Plains--The - settlement--The homestead--The welcome--Society at Karioi--The - natives--The Napier Mail. - - -When morning broke over our camp on the Onetapu Desert the rain poured -down without intermission, the flood waters of the great mountain swept -over the plains in every direction, and the whole country, obscured for -the most part by heavy mists, looked indescribably desolate. To remain -camped where we were was simply to court starvation. We were now nearly -100 miles from where we had started, and, while our horses were so weak -as to be hardly able to walk, through exposure and want of proper food, -our own commissariat was reduced to its lowest. Yet, up to this point, -we had not accomplished one-half of our intended journey. It is true we -had ascended the great mountains, and had seen their wonders, but there -were still dense forests and unknown regions to be traversed. We had -been told before setting out from Tapuwaeharuru that a sheep-station -known as Karioi could be reached by travelling in the direction of -Whanganui. This was out of our course, but there was no alternative -but to make for it, in order to recruit our horses and replenish our -commissariat. We therefore looked towards this place as a kind of Land -of Promise, flowing with the proverbial milk and honey. - -Once clear of the sterile desert, we took a southerly course along the -Whangaehu River, until we reached the magnificent tract of open country -known as the Murimotu Plains. This wide district, which forms, as it -were, the southern slope of the great central table-land, stretches -in the west to the borders of the forest country which extends to the -valley of the Whanganui, while to the eastward it is bounded by the -lower hills which branch out in the form of extensive ridges from the -southern end of the Kaimanawa Mountains. These plains, which resemble -in general features those to the north of the desert forming the -Rangipo plateau, are covered with a network of streams and rivers, -and, for the most part, with a luxuriant growth of native grasses, the -ridges and lower hills which dot them towards the east being carpeted -with low fern. We travelled across the plains principally by compass -bearing, and we had to cross many swollen streams in our course, the -waters of one pouring in the form of a cascade into a deep circular -basin. Beyond this point we again struck the Whangaehu, which had now -become a wide stream, but its waters were still quite white. After -a journey of nine hours, during which time the rain and wind never -ceased, we sighted a "three-rail fence," which we joyously hailed as -the first sign of civilization we had seen for some time. - -The fence proved to be the horse-paddock of the station, and following -it along, we soon came to our destination. We found the various -_whares_ and rustic huts composing the settlement of Karioi scattered -promiscuously about the banks of the Tokiahuru River, a tributary of -the Whangaehu, which wound through the station in its course to the -south. The site of the settlement was most delightfully chosen, and the -views from every part of it were most attractive. - -Upon arrival at the homestead all hands came to greet us, although -nobody knew who we were, nor where we had come from; nor were we asked -whether we were hungry. With true bush etiquette, that was taken as a -matter of course, and we were soon invited to partake of what was to us -a magnificent repast. - -We found the good people of Karioi true cosmopolites, ready to enter -into conversation and to furnish all the news in their power in -exchange for what we could tell them of the country we had passed -through. Strange as it may appear, in this small settlement of whites -and natives, which formed the last link in the chain of European -settlement stretching from the East Coast into this portion of the -country, our pleasant party at Karioi was composed of representatives -of many nations. A Mr. Rees, who had come up from Whanganui, was a -native of Australia, and had served in the armed constabulary at -Parihaka; Mr. Newman, our host, hailed from the South of England; one -of the "hands" was a New Zealander, another an Austrian, a third came -from the Alpine districts of the Tyrol, and another from the Land o' -Cakes, while the native race was here represented by several _hapus_ -of one of the principal Whanganui tribes. To listen to the spirited -description given by Mr. Rees of the Parihaka campaign, and to his -delineation of Te Whiti[52] and other notable chiefs, to participate in -the varied conversation upon the wonders of the surrounding country, -to chat with the Tyrolese in his native tongue, and to feel that a -great vacuum had been filled in our insides, was so great a change to -what we had recently experienced, that we now seemed to be partaking -of the pleasures of the varied society and seductive luxuries of a -first-class antipodean caravansary, where hospitality was boundless and -good-fellowship the order of the day. - -In the evening we visited the native _kainga_, and spent some time -with the Maoris in the _wharepuni_. There were about twenty natives -present, men, women, and children, and in the centre of the primitive -apartment blazed a huge fire, which threw out a terrific heat, and -rendered the place almost unbearable. The natives were mostly short -of stature, with hard features, and I remarked that they spoke with -a much harsher accent than those further to the north, and that they -clipped many of their words in a remarkable way. When Turner inquired -for an explanation of this habit, they stated that their great -ancestor, Ngatoroirangi, when he came over in the _Arawa_ canoe was -engaged in baling out that craft during a storm, and that whilst so -doing he caught a severe cold, which caused him to speak in a sharp, -halting kind of way, which has been imitated ever since by many of the -Whanganui tribes, who claim descent from that celebrated chief, and who -has been before alluded to in a previous chapter as the first explorer -of the country. - -On the second evening after our arrival at Karioi, and when all hands -were assembled in the homely _whare_ watching the big pots boiling for -supper, in fact, when everything looked _couleur de rose_, a horseman -rode up bespattered with mud from head to foot, bringing a packet of -papers and a handful of letters. This was the Napier mail, and we -hailed it with delight, as it was the first tidings of civilization we -had obtained since we left Tapuwaeharuru, over twenty-four days past. -We anxiously scanned the telegrams, to see what had arisen with regard -to the Mahuki difficulty, when we learned that the native minister -was about to leave Alexandra to travel by way of the Mokau River to -Taranaki, in company with a body-guard of armed natives, under the -chief Hone Te Wetere, that Mahuki's tribe was going to oppose his -journey through that portion of the country, and that a gallows had -been erected at Te Kumi, to hang the native minister and all other -whites that might be caught across the _aukati_ line. This news, which -was about the most exciting item of intelligence the papers contained, -was discussed with much gusto. The mere idea of war in the King -Country--Alexandra in flames and a minister hanged--seemed to act like -magic upon the heroic hearts of the cosmopolitan community at Karioi. -This new phase of the native difficulty Turner and myself treated with -apparent indifference, but in reality, coming as it did at that moment, -we secretly deemed it of no small concern, as we had determined to -leave Karioi on the following day, re-enter the King Country at its -southern end, and come out somehow across the northern frontier. In the -suggestive words of the schoolboy, we never "let on;" but, as a matter -of fact, from the time we left Karioi until we crossed the _aukati_ -line at Alexandra, five weeks afterwards, this significant item of -intelligence was our _bête noire_, as during our progress northward we -could never tell from day to day what difficulties we might run into -with the natives by reason of the Hursthouse-Mahuki episode. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote 52: Te Whiti and Tohu, the Maori prophets, were captured in -1882, at the instance of the Government, by the armed constabulary at -the native settlement of Parihaka, for inciting their followers to -commit acts of lawlessness against the European settlers.] - - - - -CHAPTER XXII. - -FOREST COUNTRY. - - The start from Karioi--On the track--Te Wheu maps the country--The - primeval solitude--Terangakaika Forest--The flora--Difficulties - of travel--The lakes--Birds--Pakihi--Mangawhero River--Gigantic - vines--Fallen trees--Dead forest giants--Mangatotara and Mangatuku - Rivers--A "Slough of Despond"--Dismal Swamp. - - -We were invited to stay as long as we liked at Karioi, but as we were -anxious, as the weather was breaking, to push forward as soon as -possible, we had to content ourselves with two days' rest, and on the -morning of the 24th of April we again set out. Having examined all the -principal natural features of the country for over 200 miles northward -of this point, I determined to traverse the plains to the southward of -Ruapehu, and then pass through the great forest to the westward of that -mountain, in order to reach the Manganui-a-te-Ao River near to its -junction with the Whanganui, and afterwards proceed northward through -the King Country, by the best route we could find. - -We had heard from the Maoris that there was an unfrequented native -track, leading somewhere in the direction of the Manganui-a-te-Ao -River, through the region we were going to explore, but it was at all -times difficult to travel, and still more difficult to find, unless by -those well acquainted with the country. We were told that it led over -high mountains and steep hills, and across rivers and boggy creeks -innumerable. With these difficulties ahead, we endeavoured to secure -the services of a native guide to accompany us as far as Ruakaka, the -Maori settlement on the Manganui-a-te-Ao, but no one among the many -natives we treated with was willing to make the journey; all excusing -themselves upon the plea that they did not like to undertake the -responsibility of introducing Europeans into the country. At last, -after considerable parleying, a native, named Te Wheu, agreed to put us -on to the track for a consideration, so we set out without delay. As -it was clear that we should have to traverse the great forest on foot, -and have much difficult travelling, we abandoned our sumpter-horse at -Karioi, together with our gun, which, up to this time, had been of -little service, and reducing our camp equipage to the lowest, packed -our horses with the tent and blankets, and carried just sufficient -provisions to last us for three days, by which time we hoped to reach -Ruakaka. - -We picked up our guide Te Wheu at the Whakahi _kainga_, and took a -westerly course across the Murimotu Plains, which extended, in the form -of a well-grassed tract of country, as far as the southern base of -Ruapehu, and beyond which a thick, and apparently impenetrable, forest -rose, in the form of a barrier of varied and beautiful vegetation. -Near to the southern end of the great mountain we passed the Maori -settlement of Ohinepu, situated on a slope, with low mounds on its -western side, on which were several tombs. - -We crossed the Waitaki Creek, flowing southerly from the mountain, and -near to a native _kainga_, situated on a rock-bound hill, beneath which -the Mangaehu stream flowed like a moat. - -From this point, after passing a swamp, we soon hit the so-called -track, which would have been impossible to find without native -assistance, hidden as the entrance to it was away in the winding of the -dense forest. Here the colossal trees rose up on every side, a thick -undergrowth of the most varied shrubs hedged us in wherever we turned, -and coiling roots of trees, and black, swampy mud, with here and there -a blazed tree, was the only indication of our course. To ride through -this was impossible, and we therefore had to dismount and lead our -horses. - -Te Wheu accompanied us to the summit of a densely-wooded hill, which -rose 500 feet above the plain we had recently left. Before leaving us, -however, we induced him to sketch out roughly, on the ground, the lay -of the country we were about to traverse, when he gave us the names and -directions of the principal rivers and creeks we should have to cross. -He then told us that as he was known at Ruakaka we might mention his -name to the natives, but that he could not guarantee our safety, as the -Maoris of that part were true Hauhaus, and objected to _pakehas_ going -into their territory. - -As soon as Te Wheu had disappeared on his homeward track we bent on -our way through the great primeval solitude. We had been so much out -in the open country hitherto, that the scenery of the forest seemed -at first like a pleasant change, but this idea was completely altered -after a journey through it of seventy miles. - -The Terangakaika Forest, which extends from the western slope of -Ruapehu, forms part of the wide expanse of bush country which stretches -into the valley of the Whanganui, and thence, westerly, to Taranaki. It -grows to within 1000 feet or so of the snow-line of the great mountain, -and covers nearly the whole of its western side, as well as the wide -plateau near this portion of its base. When we had got well on our way, -we found this enormous wilderness spreading itself out over a perfect -network of broken, rugged ranges, which in many places appeared to have -been hurled about by the terrific throes of an earthquake. The soil was -everywhere of the richest description, and many of the colossal trees -averaged from thirty to forty feet in circumference at the base, and -towered above us to a height of considerably over 100 feet, forming a -grand canopy of foliage, above and beyond which nothing could be seen -but the blue of the sky and the golden rays of sunlight as they lit up -the bright-green tints of the splendid vegetation. - -Among the largest trees was the _towai_, which here attained to a -larger growth than any we had previously seen, its enormous branches -supporting a canopy of small, shining, green leaves, giving it a very -beautiful appearance. Next to the _towai_ in size was the _rimu_, its -pendulous branches making it everywhere a conspicuous and attractive -feature, but it is worthy of remark that where on the volcanic soil, -formed by the decomposition of rocks of that kind, the _towai_ -attained to its largest size, we found that the _rimu_ grew to larger -proportions on the marly soil we afterwards met with as we approached -the valley of the Whanganui. It was also in the latter locality that -the _rata_ likewise attained to its most colossal proportions; many of -these parasitical giants clasping the enormous _rimus_ in a death-like -struggle for existence. Besides these grand representatives of the -vegetable world, which formed by far the greater part of the forest -growth, we also found many noble specimens of the _hinau_, the _tawa_, -the _miro_, and _matai_, the berries of the three former trees being -scattered over many parts of our track in enormous quantities. In -fact, almost all the principal trees peculiar to the forests of the -North Island here flourished in wonderful luxuriance, together with -an extensive variety of shrubs and ferns, while mosses, lichens, and -trailing vines clothed the tall trees to the topmost branches in -gay festoons of vegetation, which presented the brightest and most -variegated hues. - -With all these marvellous creations of the vegetable world around -us, we soon, however, found that travelling through the great forest -wilderness was both fatiguing and difficult. There was not 100 yards of -level ground, and the native track, what little there was of it, led -over steep precipitous ridges, from 200 to 400 feet in height, which -were constantly ascending and descending in a way which rendered our -progress not only slow, but difficult and tedious. The steep ascents, -up which we had to drag our animals at every turn, were as slippery as -glass with the dank humidity of the surrounding vegetation, and were -encumbered with the gnarled roots of trees in every direction, while -the descents were in many places so precipitous that it was impossible -for us to lead our horses without the risk of them rolling over on -us, so we were compelled to let them go their own way down, when they -would, owing to the slippery nature of the soil, slide down on their -haunches and never stop until they were pulled up by a boggy creek -below. These creeks, filled with thick, black mud, impeded our progress -at every descent, and struck terror into our animals, so that we would -often have to flog them across, when their struggles to climb the -slippery ascents on the opposite side fatigued them fearfully. It was -not as if we had only to encounter these difficulties now and again, -but they presented themselves in the most aggravated forms at every few -hundred yards of our journey, from morning until night, and for day -after day. Thus, amid solitude and shade, we pursued our onward way, -now plunging into the deep and gloomy chasms of the mountains, and anon -rising to the opposite ascent, till the distant openings in the forest, -restoring the welcome sunlight, revealed mountain and valley yet to be -traversed. - -Our first day's journey brought us to two lakes, which Te Wheu told -us we would find somewhere along our track, and which would serve as -our first camping-place. A little before dusk we came suddenly out of -the forest into a small, circular, open flat, fringed with _toetoe_, -and covered with a luxuriant growth of native grass. On our left, a -grassy ridge rose in a semicircle, and all around the open space the -trees rose one above the other in the most attractive way, while a -variety of shrubs dispersed about in the most picturesque order, made -the place appear like a perfect garden. Right in the very centre of the -natural _parterre_ was Rangitauaiti, a beautiful lake of a complete -circular form, and the water of which, looking like a polished mirror, -was of the deepest blue. Beyond this flat, the native name of which was -Rangitanua, and separated only by a low ridge crowned with a luxuriant -growth of vegetation, was another open space, in the centre of which -was Rangitauanui, an oval-shaped lake larger than the former, but in -which the water was of the same limpid blue. The trees on the further -side rose in a dense forest growth, and as they came close down to the -water, they were reflected in the depths below with grand and beautiful -effect. In fact, the whole surroundings of these lakes appeared so -attractive after our long journey through the forest, that we seemed to -have got into a quiet corner of paradise. - -We remained here the following day, as much to rest ourselves as our -horses, and we enjoyed the quiet romance of the place immensely. The -primeval region was a perfect elysium for birds of all kinds, and at -daylight the forest was alive with their warblings, and with the soft -note of the _tui_ came the harsh screech of the _kaka_; flocks of -pigeons circled about the tree-tops, and gaily-plumed parrots winged in -a rapid flight through the air. One of the latter birds, which we found -dead, had a green body and a light green breast, with a dark crimson -patch on the head, and a small patch under the eye of the same colour. -This was the first bird of the kind I had seen in New Zealand, and it -resembled very much one of the green mountain-parrots of Australia. - -When we left our camp at Rangitanua it was in the hope that we should -be able to reach the Manganui-a-te-Ao by nightfall, but in this -calculation we were greatly out. We passed round the western end of -Lake Rangitauanui and entered a boggy, densely-wooded country, where -the trees, especially the _rimu_, were larger and more gigantic in -proportions than any we had yet seen. The dense forest here literally -rained with moisture, and, as we had to lead our horses, we were at -places compelled to plunge through swamps where the big roots of trees -threatened to break our legs and those of our struggling animals. We -crossed a branch of the Mangawhero, and towards sundown came to a -small open flat called Pakihi, surrounded entirely by the forest, and -where we found excellent feed for our horses. It had taken us seven -hours of hard travelling to reach this spot, and during that time we -had to cross no less than ten boggy creeks, besides other streams. The -Mangawhero River ran round the western side of this small oasis, the -_towai_-trees forming a conspicuous feature along the banks of the -stream. We camped at Pakihi for the night, the stillness of the place -being only broken now and again by the shrill note of the whistling -duck. - -We struck camp at Pakihi early on the following day, but had some -difficulty in crossing the Mangawhero, which we found to be a broad, -rapid, boulder-strewn stream. The banks were very steep and slippery, -and when we had our horses down on one side we had great difficulty in -getting them up the other. - -As we got again into the thick of the forest the vegetation became -denser, and the _rimu_-trees, seeming to increase in size, shot up -for over a hundred feet as straight as gun-barrels. Where some of -these giants of the forest had fallen across our track, we had often -to cut a way round them for our horses, through the thick shrub and -tangled vines, the latter of which impeded our progress at every -turn, by tripping us up, and winding round the legs and necks of -our animals like treacherous snares. The enormous _rata_-vines had -been very troublesome up to this point, but now we had to do battle -not only against them, but against the supple-jacks, which we found -growing everywhere in a perfect network of snakelike coils on the -soft, marly soil of the country we were now in. It was nothing to have -a supple-jack round the neck and a _rata_-vine round the legs at the -same time, while our horses would often get so entangled that they -would refuse to move until we had cut them a clear passage out of their -difficulties. - -In many instances, owing to surrounding obstacles, there was no -alternative but to make them leap over the fallen trees in our way, -and when not able to do this, the animals would jump on to them and -leap down like dogs. Indeed, the tricks that they had to go through to -get over these and other impediments rendered them almost as clever as -circus-horses. - -Another frequent feature we noticed was that where the great trees -had apparently been lying for some time, the seeds of other trees had -fallen upon them, and, germinating into life, had sent their roots -down into the very heart of these decaying vegetable monsters. In this -way it was no uncommon sight to see three or four different species of -large trees living and flourishing upon the dead trunks of these forest -giants. - -We crossed the Mangatotara River twice, and after passing through a -very rough and broken portion of the great wilderness, we fell in with -another river, called the Mangatuku, and which we had to cross three -times in its winding course. Both of these streams appeared to drain -a large area of country, and so dense was the vegetation along their -banks that it was only here and there that a ray of sunlight shot -through the thick canopy of green upon them. - -During this portion of our journey we came across a complete network -of tracks made by herds of wild cattle, and which led us about to all -points of the compass, until we found it impossible to make out in what -direction we should shape our course. We climbed a tree on the summit -of a high ridge, but we could see nothing but the snowy summit of -Ruapehu in the distance, while all around us, in every direction, was -an apparently endless expanse of forest. From this point the country -began to fall rapidly, and it was evident that we were descending into -the valley of the Whanganui. After nine hours of incessant travelling, -from the time we left our camp in the morning, we had crossed no less -than thirty boggy creeks, besides other streams, and now that dusk had -overtaken us, we found it impossible to proceed any further. We were -now in the midst of a swampy portion of the forest, which seemed like -a veritable "Slough of Despond," and which, judging from the way the -ground had been rooted up in every direction, appeared to be a kind -of wild-pig elysium. Throughout the whole distance we had come, the -country had been grubbed up by these animals, many of which we saw of -great size, and apparently of true wild-boar ferocity. - -We were compelled to pitch camp in this uninviting spot, our horses -faring badly, as there was little or no food for them beyond what they -could get from the trees and shrubs. This was one of the most dreary -places in which we had camped during our journey. The night was dark -and wet, the colossal trees rose like spectres around us, the enormous -vines that twisted and twirled about them like coils of vipers, were -covered with grey moss, which hung in dank festoons often over two feet -in length, like enormous spider-webs, and as the rain poured down from -the branches above, the whole place looked as if it had been saturated -with moisture for centuries. We cut down branches of the _nikau_, -and made a tolerably good bed for ourselves after smoothing down the -ground where the pigs had been rooting; and we named the place "Dismal -Swamp" on account of the swampy nature of the country and the truly -dismal character of the whole surroundings. This camp was situated at -an altitude of 1700 feet above the level of the sea, or just 560 feet -lower than our camp at the lakes. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIII. - -RUAKAKA. - - The _wharangi_ plant--Enormous ravines--Ruakaka--Reception by the - Hauhaus--The chief Pareoterangi--The parley--Hinepareoterangi--A - repast--Rapid fall of country--The Manganui-a-te-Ao--Shooting the - rapids--The natives--Religion--Hauhauism--Te Kooti's lament--A - Hauhau hymn. - - -We struck camp at Dismal Swamp at daybreak, and travelled on for many -miles through the same character of country we had been traversing -for the past five days. Before leaving us, at the entrance to the -forest, Te Wheu had warned us not to allow our horses to eat a certain -shrub, called by the natives "_wharangi_," which we found growing for -many miles along our course, with broad, oval-shaped, light-green -leaves. This plant, when eaten by horses or cattle, is said to produce -stupefaction, followed by convulsions and death, the only known cure -being instant bleeding from the ears. Our own animals were now ready -to eat anything, and made desperate efforts to devour the foliage of -the trees, and, as we went along, we had great difficulty in keeping -them away from this poisonous shrub, which they would devour greedily. -During this journey the boggy creeks and fallen trees became more -troublesome than before, and the hills steeper and more difficult to -climb. We passed along one ridge, with enormous ravines below, some -of which were of circular shape, and in appearance not unlike extinct -craters, while deep down in their depths, all around their sides, and -up to their very topmost ridges, nothing was to be seen but a luxuriant -growth of the most varied and beautiful vegetation. Here, too, the -geological character of the country changed, the trachytic rocks giving -place to a sandstone formation, covered with a stratum of thick, marly -earth, which was so slippery in places that we could hardly manage to -get along. - -During the greater part of the morning the rain had been pouring down -in torrents, and what with the swollen condition of the creeks, the -slippery nature of the soil, and the starved condition of our horses, -our prospects of ever reaching Ruakaka seemed to be hopeless. At -last, about two o'clock in the afternoon, we hailed with delight a -break in the forest, and we came suddenly into a hilly region, where -the tall fern grew higher than our horses' heads. After travelling a -considerable distance through this country, we mounted to the top of a -high hill, when we beheld, 200 feet beneath us, a fine, open valley, -sunk like a pit, as it were, in the heart of a mountainous region, -where enormous forests stretched away as far as the eye could reach on -every side. Right down the centre of the valley, as far as we could -see, we could trace the winding course of the Manganui-a-te-Ao, marked -by precipitous cliffs of grey rock, which rose perpendicularly from the -waters of the river to a height of 300 feet, while above these, again, -on the further side of the stream, were terraces of rounded hills, -backed by conical mountains, which mounted, one above the other, to a -height of 3000 or 4000 feet, covered from base to summits with a thick -mantle of luxuriant vegetation. On the side where we had emerged from -the forest the valley was bounded by round-topped, fern-clad hills and -flat, terrace-like formations that descended, in the form of gigantic -steps, into the plain below, where the _whares_ and cultivations of the -natives, stretching for miles along the course of the stream, appeared -dotted about in the most picturesque way. Taken altogether, the whole -place had a singularly wild appearance as we gazed upon it, and now -that we could see everything from our point of vantage without being -seen, we wondered what kind of a welcome we should meet with from the -natives. - -We led our horses down the steep, slippery track into the valley, and -as we were now seen by some of the Maoris, there were loud shouts that -_pakehas_ had arrived, and the natives came out of the _whares_ and -awaited our approach in front of the _wharepuni_. We could see at a -glance that the words of Te Wheu were correct, and that the natives, so -far as we could discern by outward signs, were veritable Hauhaus, alike -in dress and bearing, while both men and women had a singularly wild -and even savage appearance when compared with all other tribes I had -seen in different parts of the country. It was likewise clear that they -did not welcome us at first with any demonstrations of cordiality, and -upon Turner inquiring for the chief, they replied that he was away at -a wild-pig hunt, and that we must wait till he came. The natives then -squatted around us, and scanned us narrowly, while we looked on with -an air of apparent indifference. - -In the meanwhile a messenger had been despatched for the chief, -whose name, we now learned, was Te Pareoterangi, and after a short -delay he appeared before us, with half a dozen wild-looking natives, -carrying a double-barrelled gun over his shoulder. He was a man below -medium height, but of singularly massive build, broad-chested and -broad-shouldered, with a well-formed head, and singularly well-moulded -features. Indeed, his heavily-knit frame, intelligent air, and almost -oriental cast of countenance made him stand out in marked contrast to -the other natives, who were, for the most part, unlike the generality -of their race, remarkable for their diminutive stature and ungainly -appearance. - -When Te Pareoterangi came up, he squatted down with a sullen air, -without going through any form of salutation, and then, after a pause, -asked us what we had come for, and upon Turner telling him that he had -brought the _pakeha_, who was travelling for pleasure, a titter ran -round the circle, for, if we did not look it, we felt half-starved, -we were drenched to the skin, and covered from head to foot with mud, -and the chief, evidently realizing all the unpleasant features of our -position, naively remarked, "How can the _pakeha_ travel for pleasure -through such a forest as you have come?" At which an old tattooed -savage observed, "Their horses are only rats; how did they get here? -These _pakehas_ have singular ways." This was said with a sinister -smile from the old man, and in anything but a complimentary tone. Many -other questions were put to us, and the parleying kept on, by fits and -starts, for a good half-hour, during which time the natives displayed -no token of friendship, the only manifestations we received in this -respect being from the dogs and pigs, the latter even going so far as -to scratch their backs against our legs. - -[Illustration: RUAKAKA. - -_Page 272._] - -At last an old woman, who had been watching the proceedings keenly, -and whose appearance reminded me of one of the witches in "Macbeth," -suddenly rose, and stepping with an excited air into the middle of the -circle, waved her bare right arm round her head, and shouted at the top -of her voice, "_Haeremai! Haeremai! Haeremai!_"[53] And then turning to -the natives, in an equally excited way, said, "The _pakehas_ have been -following up the rivers of great names, and have come to our homes; -they are hungry, and we must give them food." The words of this weird -dame, whom we afterwards found was the chieftainess Hinepareoterangi, -and mother of the chief of the _hapu_, acted like magic upon the -natives, who at once took charge of our horses, while the women -hastened to prepare a meal, old Hinepareoterangi opening the feast by -presenting us with some of the finest apples I had ever tasted.[54] In -a short time we were invited into the _wharepuni_, and a big tin dish -of potatoes and pork was set before us, the old chieftainess remarking, -"You are now in a 'Tongariro country,' and must not look for such -delicacies as bread." As we had only had two meals for the past two -days, and those of the most visionary description, we found this repast -most acceptable. The pork, which had been preserved by being rendered -down in its own fat, was delicious, while the potatoes were of the -finest kind. - -Owing to the heavy rain and the flooded state of the Manganui-a-te-Ao, -we were compelled to wait at Ruakaka for two days, during which time -we visited many parts of the district. I found that the altitude of -Ruakaka was 800 feet above the level of the sea, and it is worthy of -remark, as showing the rapid fall of the country in this direction, -that, in order to reach this place from the great central table-land -where we had at first entered the forest, we had descended by the -circuitous way we had come no less than 1600 feet in about forty miles. - -These figures will give some idea of the swift current of the -Manganui-a-te-Ao, which, taking its rise near the north-western -side of Ruapehu, cuts its way through a mountainous country in a -deep, rock-bound channel, and receives the waters of innumerable -tributaries along its entire course. The volume of water poured -down by this impetuous stream, especially in the rainy season, and -during the melting of the snows of Ruapehu, is something prodigious, -while I believe the rapidity of its current is unequalled by any -other river in New Zealand. Along its entire length its rocky bed -is strewn with large boulders and masses of rock of colossal size, -while its precipitous cliffs, crowned with towering, forest-clad -mountains, impart to it a singularly grand and wild appearance. Besides -its rapid course, it is remarkable for its windings and dangerous -rapids. We found that the river was known by three native names--viz. -Manganui-a-te-Ao, or "great river of light;" Te Waitahupara, and Te -Wairoahakamanamana-a-Rongowaitahanui, or "the river of ever-dancing -waters and steep, echoing cliffs"--while the Whanganui, into which -it fell, was not only known by the latter name, but likewise as Te -Wainui-a-Tarawera, or the "great waters of Tarawera." - -The two rivers form the principal means of communication for the -natives of Ruakaka with the outer world. From the Manganui-a-te-Ao they -travel in canoes to the Whanganui, and thence southward to the coast. -The distance is accomplished in a few days, owing to the rapid current, -but the journey up stream often takes over a month. The natives are -experienced "canoemen," as they must be in order to navigate their -frail canoes over the many rapids and winding turns that mark the -whole course of the river, as well as that of the Whanganui. At most -of the rapids the water shoots over enormous boulders and between -narrow channels, and the canoes, guided by poles, are carried over the -treacherous places with wonderful dexterity. As may well be imagined, -the frail craft often gets upset, but the natives, who are expert -swimmers, right them again with little difficulty. - -During our stay at Ruakaka we were guests of Pareoterangi and his -family, which consisted of the old chieftainess, Hinepareoterangi, or -the "woman of the heavenly crest," as her name implied; Ani, wife of -Pareoterangi, a tall, gaunt woman with blunt features, and who wore her -hair in short, thick ringlets about her head; Te Ahi, her daughter; and -Toma, the tattooed savage who had called our horses "rats." We took up -our quarters in the _wharepuni_ with these people, but the dismal, and, -I may say, dirty, tenement was constantly filled with the natives, who -kept continually dropping in to chat or to have a look at us. In this -way we had a good opportunity of studying the manners and customs of -the Hauhaus of Ruakaka, and, all things considered, they seemed to be -following about the same mode of life as they must have done before the -arrival of Cook, their manners still presenting that mixture of rude -freedom and simplicity suggestive of the infancy of society, before -art had taught men to restrain the sentiments of their nature, or to -disguise the original features of their character. Shut up in the midst -of their forest wilderness, and having little or no connection with the -outer world, they seemed to know nothing or to care for nothing beyond -their own day-to-day existence. We learned that since time immemorial -this wild and secluded valley had been a place of settlement for -different _hapus_ of the tribes inhabiting the region of the Whanganui -River, and that those at present dwelling there were the Ngatihau, -Ngatiapa, Ngatimaringi, Ngatitamakana, Ngatiatamira, Ngatiruakopiri, -Ngatiikewaia, and Ngatitara. We were informed that their common -ancestor was Uenuku, and that their forefathers came from Hawaiki in -the _Tainui_, _Arawa_, and _Aotea_ canoes. In former times the whole -valley of the Manganui-a-te-Ao was fortified with formidable _pas_, so -that it was impossible for an enemy to get up the river. During the -troubled times of the great war with the Europeans Ruakaka was always -considered as a safe meeting-place for the Hauhau tribes of this part -of the country, since the _pakehas_ did not know of its existence; and -even if they had, as the natives reasonably remarked, they would never -have attempted to penetrate into its fastnesses with any prospect of -returning alive. - -I was anxious to test the religious principles of our Hauhau friends, -just to see whether a ray of Christianity was to be found in this -wild valley, and during an evening sitting, when the _wharepuni_ -was heated like a furnace, and all the motley crowd were assembled -together, I got Turner to sound the old tattooed man, who had been a -noted fighting-chief during the war, upon the present and upon the -hereafter. This grim, antiquated warrior would sit and listen for hours -to everything that was said, but he would never venture a remark. Now -and again a diabolically sinister smile would pass over his blue-lined -countenance, and he would mutter a word with a puff of smoke, but -beyond this he was silent. When, however, the question as to his -religious scruples was put straight to him, he spoke out frankly, and -said, with an air of singular _naïveté,_ "At one time I thought there -were two saints in the island--Tawhiao and Te Whiti--and I waited a -long time to see if they would be taken up to heaven in a chariot of -fire, but I have waited so long that I am tired, and now I think that -there are no saints in heaven or on earth." Old Hinepareoterangi, -who was always a good talker, and displayed at all times a facetious -spirit, laughed heartily at the admission of the old man, and then, -looking us full in the face, she exclaimed in her wild, weird way, -"We believe in nothing here, and get fat on pork and potatoes." This -brought down roars of laughter from the assembled Hauhaus, and we -dropped the religious question. - -It was, in fact, very clear that these natives were as deeply wrapped -in the darkness of heathenism as were their forefathers centuries ago, -and beyond a superstitious species of Hauhauism, no germ of religious -teaching appeared to have found its way into their breasts. They were, -however, always ready to sing Hauhau chants to the glorification of -Te Whiti and Te Kooti, who appeared to be the presiding deities of -these wild tribes. At night, when the wind and rain raged without, -and the river rushed through its rock-bound channel with a noise like -thunder, both men and women would chant these wild refrains in droning, -melancholy notes, but in perfect harmony, the airs in most cases being -exceedingly pretty and touching. - -The two following chants were sung to us by Te Pareoterangi and other -natives in chorus, and were taken down in Maori verbatim by Turner. I -am indebted for their spirited translation to the able pen of Mr. C.O. -Davis. - - -TE KOOTI'S LAMENT. - - I stood alone awhile, then moving round - I heard of Taranaki's doings. The rumours - Reached me here, and then I raised - My hand to Tamarura,[55] that deity - Above. Ah me! 'twas on the third - Of March that suffering came, - For then, alas! Waerangahika[56] fell; - And I was shipped on board a vessel, - And borne along upon the ocean. - We steer for Waikawa,[57] and then we bear - Away to Ahuriri,[58] to thee, McLean.[59] - Ah, now I'm seated on _St. Kilda's_[60] deck, - And looking back to gaze upon the scene - My tears like water freely flow; now - Whanganui's[61] shore is seen, now Whangaroa,[62] - Where mountain waves are raising up their crests - Near Wharekauri.[63] O, my people, - Rest ye at home; arise and look around, - And northward look. The lightsome clouds - Are lingering in the sky, and wafted hither - Day by day, yes, from my distant home, - Turanga, from which I now am separated, - Separated now from those I love. - - O, my people! respect the queen's authority, - That we may prosper even to the end. - Suffice the former things thrown in our path - As obstacles. Uphold the governor's laws - To mitigate the deeds of Rura, who brought - Upon us all our troubles. - - -HAUHAU HYMN. - - Let us arise, O people!--the whole of us arise. - Lo, Tohu and Te Whiti now have reached - The pits of darkness--the house of Tangaroa,[64] - And gateway of the spirit-world of Miru,[65] - Where men are bound all seasons of the year. - The offspring, too, of David they would bind. - The bright and morning star, Peace, at the end - Will come, and in the times of David - Feelings of vindictiveness will cease. - 'Tis not from thee; it is from Moses - And the Prophets--from Jesus Christ - And His Apostles, that lines of demarcation - Were set up to shield thee from man's wrath. - The termination comes by thee, O Tohu! - And while it wears a pleasing aspect, - I am lighted into day. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote 53: _Haeremai_ is the usual cry of welcome with the Maoris.] - -[Footnote 54: When afterwards we asked the natives how it was they -appeared to be mistrustful of us when we first arrived, they replied -that they had always been suspicious of half-castes and _pakehas_, -especially since the capture of Winiata by Barlow. That Te Takaru, the -murderer of Moffat, came there sometimes, and they thought we were -after him. They then related to us the circumstances of Moffat's death. -It would appear that the murdered man, on his last journey, came to -Ruakaka, and induced several of the natives to accompany him to the -Tuhua country. Moffat, who had been driven from that district by the -natives, had been warned not to enter it again; but, notwithstanding -this caution, he determined to revisit it, in order to prospect for -gold. The party left by one of the bush tracks, and when it had nearly -reached its destination, Moffat was fired upon by a native from behind -a tree, and mortally wounded in the back. At the same moment he fell -from his horse, when another native jumped forward, and split his skull -open with a tomahawk.] - -[Footnote 55: Tamarura--probably a supposed angel recognized by the -Hauhau parties.] - -[Footnote 56: Waerangahika--one of the _pas_ at Poverty Bay, which was -taken by our forces.] - -[Footnote 57: Waikawa--now known as Open Bay.] - -[Footnote 58: Ahuriri--the great Maori name of Hawke's Bay.] - -[Footnote 59: The late Sir Donald McLean, the Superintendent of the -province of Hawke's Bay (Napier).] - -[Footnote 60: _St. Kilda_ was the name of the vessel in which Te Kooti -was transported to the Chatham Islands.] - -[Footnote 61: Whanganui--name of a places on the Chatham Islands.] - -[Footnote 62: Whangaroa--name of a place on the Chatham Islands.] - -[Footnote 63: Wharekauri is the native name of the Chatham Islands.] - -[Footnote 64: The god of the sea, and guardian of fishes.] - -[Footnote 65: Supposed being armed with authority in Hades.] - - - - -CHAPTER XXIV. - -NGATOKORUA PA. - - Departure from Ruakaka--A legend--Rough forest--Crossing the - Manganui-a-te-Ao--Scenery of the river--Mount Towai--The plains - in sight--Rapid rise in the country--Ruapehu from the west--The - Waimarino plains--Arrival at the _pa_--The chief's family--A - Hauhau chief--_Inter alia_--Pehi on the decay of the Maoris--A - war-dance--The mere. - - -We left Ruakaka with the best wishes of the natives, Te Pareoterangi -riding out some distance with us to put us in the right direction. -Our course now lay easterly up the valley of the Manganui-a-te-Ao, -and for thirty miles through another portion of the dense forest by -which we had come to reach the settlement, but by a route far more -difficult to travel, according to the account given to us of the -country by the natives, who informed us that we should have to cross -the Manganui-a-te-Ao ten times at various points, besides other streams -and innumerable creeks, before we could again reach the open country to -the north of Ruapehu. The river was still so flooded that the natives -earnestly advised us to remain, old Hinepareoterangi remarking, in her -jocose way, "If when you are gone the skies open and the great rains -descend, I will sit by the rushing waters and wait for your horses and -saddles; you will make splendid food for the eels." Notwithstanding -this grim joke of the chieftainess of the "heavenly crest," as the -clouds were still gathering, and another flood might detain us a week -or perhaps a month at Ruakaka, and possibly prevent us from ever -reaching Alexandra by the course we had planned, we determined to make -a desperate effort to push through. We therefore set out without delay, -and crossed the Manganui-a-te-Ao for the first time about a mile below -the settlement, at a very picturesque spot, but we had to descend -nearly 100 feet to the crossing-place, beyond which a higher bend of -the river appeared to be nearly 100 feet above us. - -After gaining the opposite side we mounted above the stream to a bold -bluff, where once stood a _pa_ called Rotua, which was formerly one of -the most formidable strongholds of the valley, and Te Pareoterangi, -when he pointed it out, told us of an interesting legend connected -with it. On one occasion in years gone by the _pa_ was occupied by two -tribes, named respectively the Ngatitamakana and Ngatiatamire. Being at -war with other tribes, on one stormy night they were suddenly surprised -by the enemy under a noted chief named Tama Turaki, when, seeing all -chance of escape hopeless, they made a rope of native flax, and letting -themselves down the steep cliffs into the river, took up their position -in a stronghold further down the stream called Pukeatua. When, on the -following day, Tama Turaki found how the enemy had escaped, he followed -them with his tribe down the river in canoes, but the Ngatitamakana and -Ngatiatamire, being alive to his movements, conceived the bold idea -of consigning their savage pursuer into eternity by one fell swoop. -With this chivalrous aim in view, they hauled an enormous mass of rock -to the edge of the cliff on which the _pa_ was situated, and below -which the canoes of the enemy would pass, and just as they appeared -underneath the precipice the rock was hurled from above, and with a -thundering crash completely annihilated Tama Turaki and his band. -This enormous mass of rock, which may still be seen in the river, is -known to the natives as Parekura Huripari,[66] and is looked upon by -them even unto this day with that singular display of superstitious -veneration which forms one of the most marked characteristics of the -Maori race. - -When Te Pareoterangi left us, which was about two miles out of the -settlement, he told us that we had a dangerous and difficult road -to go, and that it would be necessary to make all speed, lest the -flood should overtake us, and in that event he added, with true Maori -lightheartedness, "If the river don't land you again at Ruakaka you may -have to eat your horses." At the fourth crossing-place we had already -mounted to an altitude of 1200 feet, but to get to this point we had -traversed a hilly, broken region, covered in every direction with a -dense growth of _rimu_-trees. Throughout this portion of the country, -not only did the _rata_-vines coil about the giants of the forest in -every direction, but the "supplejacks" kept pulling us up at every -turn, while the rain, now descending in torrents, rendered the ground -and enormous roots of the trees which formed a complete network beneath -our feet, as slippery as glass. - -Although we could only lead our horses through the forest, it was -necessary to ride them whenever we came to the crossing-places of the -Manganui-a-te-Ao, since at these points the water was in most places -over their backs, and often nearly over their heads, when they got -into the big holes that everywhere dotted the rugged channel of the -river. At the sixth crossing-place we had mounted to an altitude of -1460 feet, and here we were nearly coming to grief. The course across -the river was, like all other places, strewn in every direction with -enormous masses of rock, and the water came sweeping swiftly round -a great bend, where the cliffs rose up like a stupendous wall on -each side. The river here was about 100 feet wide, and in order to -get across, it was necessary for our horses to climb over a series -of huge boulders, and then on to the top of a big rock with a flat -top, from which they had to plunge off into a deep water-hole, with -a rapid only a few feet distant on the lower side. Turner, on his -plucky pony, took the first leap, and my own horse following, the snowy -waters, fresh from the glaciers of Ruapehu, nearly swept us out of -our saddles, and, for a moment, it seemed as if the ominous joke made -by old Hinepareoterangi before our departure, were about to become -true. At the seventh crossing-place the bed of the river was at an -altitude of 1541 feet, and here, as usual, we had fresh difficulties to -encounter. The masses of rock were of great size, and, while most of -the larger impediments of this nature were of trachytic formation, I -noticed several water-worn boulders, composed of a fossiliferous rock, -containing particles of shells, but all of which were too broken to be -easily recognizable. These boulders appeared to have been washed down -by the river for some distance. - -All along the course of the Manganui-a-te-Ao the scenery was of the -wildest description; the steep cliffs and mountains towering above us -in the grandest confusion. In many places the colossal trees reached -their broad branches over the precipices that bordered the stream, in a -vivid canopy of green, while the foaming cascades beneath echoed with -a roaring sound through the deep valleys as the blue, dancing waters -swept onward in their precipitous course along the winding, rock-bound -ravine that formed the channel of this remarkable river. - -Leaving the course of the river for a time, we made a wide _détour_ -to the north, and passed along a range of rugged mountains which -marked an altitude of 2900 feet above the level of the sea. Here the -whole country was very broken, and it was nothing but one continuous -ridge after ridge and gully after gully, while we had to take our -horses along precipices where there was scarcely room for them to move -along, especially where they had to round the trunks and roots of the -stupendous _towai_-trees, which grew in wonderful luxuriance in this -elevated region. Night fairly overtook us on the mountains at a point -which marked an altitude of 3500 feet above the level of the sea. The -rain poured down incessantly, and we could hear the river roaring in -the distance somewhere beneath us, although we had not the remotest -idea where we were. We named this elevated point "Mount Towai," on -account of a magnificent tree of that species which grew close to the -spot where we pitched our tent. - -We were up by the first streak of dawn, and, climbing a tree that -stretched out its trunk over the precipitous sides of Mount Towai, -looked anxiously to see whether we could get a glimpse of the open -plains, which we knew to be somewhere in the east. Beneath us wound the -deep ravines, covered with their primeval forests, and above the hills -in the distance we got a glance at a patch of open country through the -dense foliage. This seemed to us like a bright oasis, which had at last -come to break the dull monotony of the forest wilderness. We struck -camp at once, and descending 500 feet by a steep and slippery incline, -we gained the margin of the Manganui-a-te-Ao, and crossed the winding -stream for the ninth time, as it rolled down a deep gorge from its -source in the regions of eternal snow, as rugged and as rapid as ever. - -Once on the opposite side, we climbed a steep ascent, and gained the -broad, open table-land at an altitude of 2850 feet. Thus, to arrive at -this elevation from Ruakaka, we had travelled over hills and mountains -the whole way, and yet in a distance of about thirty miles the country -had risen over 2000 feet from our point of departure, which stood at an -altitude of 800 feet. - -Now that we had done eighty miles of forest travelling since we had -left the Murimotu Plains to reach the valley of the Whanganui, and -had spent eight days in the primeval wilderness, it is impossible to -describe with what delight we hailed the grand open country before -us. During our journey through the forest--that is to say, since we -first entered it from the Murimotu Plains--the weather had been mostly -wet, and even when the sun shone, the moisture kept dripping from -the trees like a perpetual shower-bath, and the dank, heavy feeling -of the air, caused by the endless vegetation through which we could -never see a hundred yards ahead, produced in the long-run a feeling -of intense weariness. Now, however, all nature looked radiant before -us, and the colossal form of Ruapehu, rising close to us on our right, -looked grander than ever. We now viewed the great mountain from the -north-west, an aspect from which we had not beheld it before, and the -forests on its sides were interspersed with patches of open country, -while the snow since last we had beheld it had crept down almost to -the base, and, mingling with the green of the vegetation, produced the -most beautiful effect as the mists of morning rolled away beneath the -glowing power of the sun. - -The fine grassy expanse covered with a thick coating of white frost we -had now entered, we afterwards found was known to the natives as the -Waimarino, from the name of the river running through it, and which had -its source in Haurungatahi, a large, densely wooded mountain which we -could see in the distance to our right, and which formed an attractive -and beautiful object in the surrounding scenery. These plains -immediately to the north-west of Ruapehu were the same we had seen in -this direction some weeks before, when making the ascent of Tongariro. -We had been told by the natives at Ruakaka that if we kept across the -plains to the south-east for about ten miles in the direction of Mount -Haurungatahi, we should reach Ngatokorua, the _pa_ of Pehi Hetau Turoa, -one of the principal chiefs of the Whanganui tribes. We therefore -directed our course towards this place, the plains as we rode along -opening out into park-like expanses, fringed with dense forests on -either side. - -When we arrived at the _pa_, early in the day, we were received by Pehi -and his people with a true Maori welcome. - -One of the most remarkable features in connection with this place was -that everything about it had a neat and tidy appearance, unlike all -other settlements we had seen. It was situated at the foot of Mount -Haurungatahi, whose steep sides, clothed with dense forests, towered up -behind it. This mountain, we learned, was personified by the Maoris as -the wife of Ruapehu. The view in every direction from the settlement -was most enchanting, forest, plain, and mountain all combining to add -variety to the surroundings. - -We were given comfortable quarters in the _wharepuni_ in which the -chief's family dwelt, and which consisted of a spacious building -constructed of _totara_, and spread about with clean white mats. We -found Pehi's family to consist of Ngaruma, his wife, a pleasant woman -with an almost Grecian cast of countenance, although a pure Maori; -Te Wao, the chief's henchman, and his wife Ngawini; Turongoiti, with -his wife Rauia; Rene, another native; and Hinekura, Rora, and Pureti, -the chief's three daughters. We were invited by Pehi to remain as -long as we liked, and the three days we sojourned with the old chief -formed the most agreeable stage of our long journey. There was only -one drawback, and that was that we had to sleep with thirteen others -in the _wharepuni_, and as there were always two charcoal fires kept -burning, the heat was at times--especially during the first part of -the night--intolerable, the thermometer often reaching as high as -100° Fahr., while outside it indicated from four to six degrees below -freezing-point. Unfortunately, it was always dark by six o'clock in the -evening, when the _wharepuni_ was closely fastened up, and we would -have to remain twelve hours in the stifling atmosphere until daylight. - -At the first glance it struck me that Pehi Hetau Turoa looked and -walked a chief. Taken altogether, he was the finest specimen of his -race I had ever seen. In age he appeared to be sixty, or thereabouts, -but his stature was that of a well-conditioned athlete. He stood about -six feet three, as upright as a dart, big-boned and muscular, and in -his younger days he had the reputation of being one of the strongest -men of his time. His well-formed features were cast in the true Maori -mould, and he had a singularly massive and well-shaped head. Over his -closely clipped beard hung a thick moustache, and above this, again, -the blue tattooed lines wound round his nostrils, then over his face, -and ended in small circles over his brows. During the war Pehi had been -a noted Hauhau leader, but, unlike most of the warriors of his race I -had met with, he, as if anxious to preserve his military renown, moved -about with the air of a well-drilled soldier, while he possessed at all -times and in all his actions that genial yet dignified tone of manner -so characteristic of the Maori of the old school. - -Pehi was at all times a host in himself, and being a man of singularly -original and witty train of thought, his conversation was very amusing. -Of an evening, when the _wharepuni_ was closed in, the whole _hapu_ -would assemble, and squatting down on their mats round the small -charcoal fire, the old chief would relate the most singular tales, -and ask the most extraordinary questions. He recounted to us some -of his experiences in the Maori war, and then asked what nation was -at present at war with England? When informed that we were at that -time having a brush with Egypt, he inquired if that was not the place -where Christ was crucified, and when told that that incident occurred -in a neighbouring country, he ejaculated, "Ah, I know I was not far -out; a mile or two make no difference in a big event like that." He -next inquired what manner of men the Egyptians were, and whether they -danced the _haka_; and when I stated that the Egyptian dancing-girls -went through gyrations very similar to those of their dark sisters -at the antipodes, he replied, "Then if they dance the _haka_ we must -be descended from them. I believe the Maoris are one of the lost -tribes of Israel." He asked many questions about England, and the -descriptions of London especially amused him, and when told that they -had a railway there running underground, he expressed great surprise, -and asked how it was that the _taniwha_ we called the devil didn't -object to underground railways. He appeared very anxious to learn all -about the government of England, and when I had given him a _résumé_ -of parliamentary procedure, he pointed towards Te Wao, his henchman, -who, strange to say for a Maori, was perfectly bald, and demanded, -in a serio-comic way, whether bald-headed men were allowed to sit in -the British Parliament, and when I pointed out that a bald-headed man -enjoyed equal parliamentary privileges with one having his head covered -with hair, he replied that the Maoris always looked with suspicion -on bald-headed men. All joined in the laugh at this remark, with the -exception of Pehi, who always looked particularly fierce and grim when -he cracked his jokes or hurled his shafts of satire. - -Although Pehi was singularly jocund for a man of his age, yet when a -serious question was put to him he knew how to answer it in a clear and -deliberate way; and when I got Turner to induce the _rangatira_ to give -the apparent reason for the rapid decay of his race, he spoke thus: -"In former times we lived differently; each tribe had its territory. -We lived in _pas_ placed high upon the mountains. The men looked to -war as their only occupation, and the women and the young people -cultivated the fields. We were a strong and a healthy people then. -When the _pakeha_ came, everything began to die away, even the natural -animals of the country. Formerly, when we went into a forest and stood -under a tree, we could not hear ourselves speak for the noise of the -birds; every tree was full of them. Then we had pigeons and everything -in plenty; now many of the birds have died out. A few years ago there -was a big green parrot in these forests; now it is gone, and lots of -other things have gradually faded away. In those times the fields were -well tilled, there was always plenty of provisions, and we wore few -clothes, only our own mats of feathers. Then the missionaries came and -took our children from the fields, and taught them to sing hymns; they -changed their minds, and the fields were untilled. The children came -home and quoted Gospel on an empty stomach. Then came the war between -the _pakeha_ and the Maori that split up our homes, and made one tribe -fight against another; and after the war came the _pakeha_ settlers, -who took our lands, taught us to drink, and to smoke, and made us wear -clothes that brought on disease. What race," said the old chief, "could -stand against that. The Maori," he continued, "is passing away like -the _kiwi_, the _tui_, and many other things, and by-and-by they will -disappear just as the leaves of the trees, and nothing will remain to -tell of them but the names of their mountains and their rivers." - -[Illustration: A CHIEF ARMED WITH "MERE" AND "HUATA."] - -One morning, when we were sunning ourselves in front of the -_wharepuni_, I asked Pehi how the Maoris fought in battle. Without a -moment's hesitation he jumped up from where he had been seated, and, -casting aside his cape and appearing in nothing but a cloth around -his loins, entered a small _whare_, and emerged an instant afterwards -with a _huata_, or short spear, beautifully carved at the top to -represent a grotesque human head, from the mouth of which the tongue -protruded about three inches in the form of a spear-blade, while just -below the head was a long tuft of white dog's-hair bound with flax -stained a bright red. The shaft of the implement, made of _totara_ -wood, and highly polished, was rounded at the top part, but widened -out in an oval form with sharp, bevelled edges towards the bottom -end. Flourishing this weapon about in the wildest way, jumping into -the air, making the most hideous grimaces, thrusting out his tongue, -and turning up his eyes till nothing but the whites were visible, the -old warrior yelled and danced about like a madman, now throwing up -his _huata_ in the air and catching it again, now sweeping it round -in a way that seemed to carry death in every stroke, the savage, -tattooed countenance of the old _rangatira_ working the while in a most -diabolical fashion. He made terrific and frantic cuts at each of our -heads, but so dexterous was he in the manipulation of his weapon that -he arrested it in every instance when within the eighth of an inch of -our skulls--which he jocosely told us were not thick enough to hurt the -_huata_. - -[Illustration: A "MERE."] - -When questioned as to the use of the _mere_, he informed us that it -was seldom used in war, except by the chiefs, and that it was more an -emblem of rank which was handed down as an heirloom in a tribe. The -greenstone _mere_ was so highly prized that to secure one in battle -appeared to be considered as an act of glory, just as the taking of -a stand of colours might be with us. The _mere_ was, however, always -considered as a formidable weapon in fight, as a blow from it, if -properly dealt, would break any bone in a man's body. When using it, -it was customary to aim at the head. It was also used by the chiefs to -cleave the skulls of the captured. He told us that the Maoris had never -accustomed themselves to the use of the bow and arrow, and that, when -fighting, they depended principally upon the _huata_ and other spears, -until the Europeans taught them the use of fire-arms. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote 66: Literally, the battle-ground where the rock was thrown.] - - - - -CHAPTER XXV. - -HOT SPRINGS OF TONGARIRO. - - Departure from Ngatokorua--Okahakura Plains--Tongariro from the - north--Source of the Whanganui--The hot springs--A marvellous - sanatorium--Crater of Ketetahi--Te Perore--A strategic - position--Kuwharua--Maori cakes--A grand region--Site for a public - park. - - -We left Ngatokorua with a pressing invitation to return again, and -took an easterly course across the Waimarino Plains, in the direction -of Tongariro, with the view of tracing up the source of the Whanganui -River, which, we had learned from the natives, rose somewhere in the -northern side of the volcano, and after that I had determined to -examine the tapued springs and the crater of Ketetahi, which were -situated a short distance further to the east on the same mountain. - -The whole country we passed through to reach Tongariro consisted of a -series of magnificent plains, richly grassed, surrounded for the most -part by forest, and dotted here and there with patches of bush that -grew in the centre of the plains and bordered many of the streams. We -crossed the Mangahuia and Whakapapa rivers, both swift streams, flowing -in a north-westerly direction to join the Upper Whanganui. Beyond the -Waimarino Plains was an equally attractive stretch of country of the -same description, known as Okahakura, and through the centre of which -wound the Mangatepopo River, likewise a tributary of the Whanganui. - -When we ascended the hills and rugged spurs which surrounded the great -volcano of Tongariro on the north, we found them to be composed mostly -of scoria and trachytic rock, but covered for a long distance up their -sides with a thick vegetation of native grasses and dwarf shrubs. The -tops of the larger spurs were, however, very rugged and barren, while -the depression round the lip of the crater, which we had observed when -at the summit of the great cone, was distinctly visible, and naturally -made the mountain appear less elevated on this than on its southern -side. The splendid cone was, however, now covered with a white canopy -of snow almost to its base, while the summit here and there was tinged -of a bright yellow with deposits of sulphur crystals, and as its white -coil of steam floated over its gracefully pointed top the effect was -beautiful in the extreme. - -On one of the principal spurs to the north-west of the great cone we -found the source of the Whanganui bursting out through a narrow rocky -gorge at an altitude of 3700 feet above the level of the sea, the water -evidently arising from mountain springs, and at certain times from the -melting of the snows. The river from this point runs rapidly down the -winding gorges of the mountains, and, after receiving in its course the -waters of numerous other streams, winds across the Okahakura Plains, -and afterwards enters the dense forests of the Tuhua, and then taking -a bold sweep to the north-west receives the waters of the Ongaruhe and -numerous other streams, as it flows in its long course to join the sea -in the south. The Whanganui, which, after the Waikato, forms the most -important river of the North Island, receives the whole of the western -watershed of the great central table-land, besides that of other -divisions of the country. - -Leaving the source of the Whanganui, we took an easterly direction, -and, after a long climb through the thick shrubs and boulder-strewn -sides of the mountain, arrived at the great _solfatara_, the steam -from which, constantly arising in the form of a dense white cloud, -forms a conspicuous feature when looking towards Tongariro from the -north. We ascended to an altitude of 5600 feet on to the spur where the -renowned chief Te Heuheu is said to be buried, and on the summit of -which were the small blue lakes we had seen from the top of the great -cone, and which were now surrounded by their winter mantle of snow. -Lower down on the same spur, at an altitude of 4900 feet, we found the -hot springs roaring beneath us, deep down in a semicircular gorge, -which was strewn about in every direction with huge boulders, as if a -great flood of water had recently passed through it. We got with some -difficulty down the rugged sides of this strange chasm, and soon stood -in the centre of a region where boiling springs burst from the earth, -where jets of steam shrieked and hissed from innumerable fissures, -where enormous boiling mud-holes bubbled like heated cauldrons, and -where the hot, steaming soil, covered in every direction with yellow -crystals of sulphur, and glistening silicious deposits, quaked beneath -our feet, as if anxious to swallow us up, so that we had to pick our -way cautiously amid clouds of steam and sulphurous fumes for fear of -coming to an untimely and unpleasant end. In many places fountains of -hot water shot high into the air. Some of the warm springs were of a -dark coffee-colour, caused apparently by the admixture of iron; others -were yellow with excess of sulphur; others white with alum; while not -a few were of the purest blue. Taken altogether, this weird place had -an unpleasant, pandemonium-like air about it, while the noise of the -hissing steam-jets was so great, as they burst with terrific force from -their rocky vents, that it was impossible to hear oneself speak when -near to them. Indeed, a dozen or so of railway engines letting off -steam and blowing their whistles at the same time would only serve to -convey a slight idea of the tremendous din. - -These springs, as the Maoris afterwards informed us, possessed -wonderful curative properties in all cases of chronic rheumatism and -cutaneous disorders, and many natives suffering from ailments of that -kind come long distances to avail themselves of the thermal waters, -which it would appear never fail to effect a cure. This portion of -Tongariro, like all other parts, is strictly tapued against Europeans, -and the natives of Rotoaira and the surrounding district guard this -marvellous sanatorium with a jealous eye; but as we attacked it from -the rear, they were none the wiser for our visit. - -A short distance beyond the springs, and near to the end of the great -spur, we found the small crater known to the natives as Ketetahi, which -was formed of a circular aperture emitting vast volumes of steam. We -obtained a splendid view of the country towards the north from our -elevated position, the rugged ranges of Te Tuhua being crowned by -Hikurangi, a beautiful pyramidal-shaped mountain, with a flat top, -while to the westward of it could be distinctly traced the winding -course of the Ongaruhe River. - -We crossed the Mangatepopo River, flowing from Tongariro, and then the -Whanganui, the winding course of which we had to traverse three times. -Near to the second crossing-place a picturesque headland jutted out -from the dense forest that bordered the plain, and upon its summit -could be plainly traced the outline of rude earthworks, which were -as solid as if they had been but recently erected. This was all that -remained of Te Perore, which during the war formed one of Te Kooti's -most formidable strongholds, and it was here that the memorable battle -was fought in which Captain St. George lost his life. The Maoris are -said to have suffered severely during the engagement, Te Kooti himself -being wounded in the left hand by a rifle-ball. - -When examining this decaying remnant of the great struggle between -the white and the dark race, I could not but admire the judgment -which had been displayed by the Maoris in choosing this point as -a strategic position. It was about 100 feet above the plain, the -Whanganui River wound round it to the east, while the formation of -the surrounding country was such that the enemy would be open to the -fire of the besieged from every side of the _pa_ save at the rear, -where the latter, if beaten, would have a splendid retreat open in the -dense forests of the Tuhua, which backed the fortification at that -point. Nature appeared to have done her utmost to efface all traces -of the struggle, and upon the rude earthworks, once alive with the -forms of tattooed warriors, now shrubs and trees waved their heads to -the passing breeze. Never was there a more beautiful spot chosen for -a battle, and it must have been a truly impressive sight to see the -valiant Maori warriors fighting for their country under the very shadow -of their sacred mountains, driving back the _pakeha_, and erecting a -barrier of isolation around the grand region whose wonders we were now -exploring. - -As we were riding on our way along the plain near to the edge of the -forest we noticed that on the small elevations on our left, which -fringed the bush, several _whares_ were dotted about in the most -picturesque situations. When we were passing one of these rustic -homesteads some natives hailed us, to know where we were going. At this -we rode up the steep elevation upon which their _whare_ was placed, to -have a _korero_, and to gain what information we could with regard to -our future course. An old woman with a goitre upon her neck hailed us -with the usual cry of welcome, while her tattooed lord, who was engaged -making a trap to catch pigeons, invited us to put up our horses and -rest. We were willing enough to do this, especially as there was a -smell of cooking about, and our cool ride across the plains had given -us our usual wolfish appetite. We were soon invited to partake of a -repast of pork and potatoes, together with some cakes, made evidently -of flour and water, but so hard that it was impossible to bite them, -and so heavy that Turner, with every show of reason, remarked that if -we happened to get unhorsed when crossing a river, we should never rise -to the surface with one of those cakes in our insides. - -We did not take our meal in the smoky _whare_, but sat with the Maoris -outside in the sun. The day was one of the finest we had experienced, -and all nature appeared as if wrapped in a mantle of eternal spring. -The small _kainga_ where we now were was known to the natives as -Kuwharua, and stood at an elevation of 2420 feet above the level of the -sea. The view from this place when looking towards the south was the -finest we had beheld during our journey, if I except the marvellous -panoramas beheld from the top of the Ruapehu and Tongariro. For the -variety of the scenery to be obtained within the radius of ten miles -from where we were, no view in the world could equal it. Beneath us -was the Te Pakaru Plain, with an area of some twenty square miles, -covered with a green growth of native grass, and intersected by winding -mountain streams. In the south-east were the blue waters of Lake -Rotoaira, backed by the cone-shaped summits of the Kakaramea Ranges, -clothed with dense forests of tall trees; while beyond, stretching like -a grand barrier across the country to the south, were the serrated -peaks of the Kaimanawa Mountains, at whose base rolled the broad open -downs of the Rangipo Table-land. Rising right in the centre of this -grand picture were the wonderful mountains of Tongariro, heaped and -piled about in the most fantastic and curious way, and from the midst -of which shot up the white, glittering cone of the volcano crowned -with its perpetual cloud of steam, while, to complete the attractive -scene, the stupendous form of Ruapehu towered to the skies, peak -rising above peak beneath its deep mantle of winter snow. Here was -a view which, taken in as it was at one glance, exceeded in grandeur -and sublimity even the most glowing creations of fairyland. Here were -park-like plains of vivid green stretching from the borders of an -inland sea to the shores of a romantic-looking lake, where the waters -were of the deepest blue; around were steaming craters and thermal -springs, colossal cone-shaped mountains towering to the regions of -eternal snow, and lesser heights rising from amidst primeval forests of -the grandest description, glowing and palpitating as it were, in all -their beauty beneath the sunlight; and yet, singular to relate, this -marvellous country, this wonder-land, as we gazed upon it, was to all -intents and purposes a _terra incognita_. Here was in reality a model -Switzerland under a semi-tropical sky--a region designed, as it were, -by the artistic hand of nature for a national recreation-ground, where -countless generations of men might assemble to marvel at some of the -grandest works of the creation. - -With the Te Pakaru Plain proclaimed as a public domain, New Zealand -would possess the finest and most unique park in the world. For -healthfulness of climate, variety of scenery, and volcanic and thermal -wonders, there would be no place to equal it in the northern or -southern hemisphere, no spot where within so small a radius could be -seen natural phenomena so varied and so remarkable. It would embrace -within its boundaries the hot springs of Tongariro and those of Tokanu, -and would stretch from the waters of Lake Taupo to the shores of -Rotoaira. The surrounding table-land, with its millions of acres of -open plains covered with rich volcanic soil, should eventually become -the granary of the North Island; while the Kaimanawa Mountains and the -Tuhua should give forth their mineral treasures on either side. - - - - -CHAPTER XXVI. - -WESTERN TAUPO. - - Supposed forest country--The western table-land--Soil and - _flora_--Terania--Okarewa--Te Kaina Valley--Maoris on the - track--Pouotepiki pa--A tangi--The natives--A friendly - invitation--An old warrior--The women--Our quarters. - - -From Kuwharua our course lay along the northern portion of the Te -Pakaru Plain, and between the Kakaramea Ranges and the eastern boundary -of the Tuhua Forest. The whole country hereabouts had a park-like -appearance, and was everywhere covered with native grasses, save the -lower hills, which were mostly clothed with fern. We had now reached -the western watershed of Lake Taupo, the first stream flowing in that -direction being the Koromanga. Near to this point the native track by -which Hochstetter passed in 1859, on his journey to Maketu by way of -the eastern side of Lake Taupo, leads to Tokanu, and if we had followed -it to the westward it would have been our nearest route to Alexandra; -but as the country along its course had already been described by that -traveller, I determined to take a different direction, in order to -explore the great table-land of Western Taupo, and thence to penetrate -to Alexandra by the country to the northward of the great central -mountain chain ending in Titiraupenga, and which was represented -on the maps of the colony as covered with forest, and on that of -Hochstetter as a volcanic table-land "thickly covered with forest, -and unexplored." Indeed, so little was this portion of the country -known, that even at Tapuwaeharuru, where Turner questioned the natives -upon the natural features of this region, he was informed that it was -covered with dense bush, and that it would be impossible to travel -through it for any distance, and especially on account of the numerous -rivers and creeks that would have to be crossed. The information we -thus gained proved to be erroneous so far as the forest was concerned, -since we afterwards discovered that a broad, open table-land, averaging -in height from 1700 to 2200 feet above the level of the sea, extended -far inland along the whole western shore of Lake Taupo, while the -enormous area of country still further to the north and westward, -and described on the maps as before alluded to, turned out to be a -perfectly open table-land, covered with some of the finest grassed -plains in the country, and watered by numerous streams, some of which -were among the largest tributaries of the Waikato River. - -The western table-land of Lake Taupo is bounded on the land side by -the Haurungaroa and Hurakia Mountains, which stretch in a northerly -direction as far as Mount Titiraupenga, and form the eastern boundary -of the mountainous region which covers a large area of the central -portion of the King Country. These two mountain chains attain to -an altitude of 2300 to 2500 feet above the level of the sea, their -eastern slopes forming the principal source of the watershed of the -western division of the lake, while the inland waters, with those of -the other mountains of the same system, are received mostly by the -Ongaruhe River, one of the principal tributaries of the Whanganui. -The whole of these ranges, which present a very broken appearance, -are densely covered with luxuriant forests. The country from the -eastern slopes of the Haurungaroa and Hurakia Mountains stretches in -a series of open plains to the shores of the great lake, the whole -western shore of which is bounded by steep, rugged cliffs, which rise -perpendicularly from the water, and assume in many places the form -of bold headlands, the highest of which, Mount Karangahape, attains -to an altitude of about 2300 feet, while Rangituku and Pukeakikiore -are volcanic cones of lesser height, still further to the south. This -portion of the Taupo Table-land was in every way different, so far as -its soil was concerned, from that on the north-eastern and eastern -sides of the lake. The enormous deposits of pumice so remarkable in -the two latter localities were absent here, the soil resembling in -every respect that of the Rangipo Table-land, and this feature will -apply equally to the open plain country we afterwards discovered to the -north of Titiraupenga. Here, too, there was a greater variety of native -grasses, while the soil, formed principally from the decomposition -of the trachytic rocks of the adjacent mountains and the gradual -disintegration of the stratum of pumice upon which it was deposited, -was in every respect of a better kind, and, under proper cultivation, -might be made to grow almost anything suited to the climate. In all -the native settlements in this part of the country we found such trees -as the peach, apple, acacia, and weeping willow growing in great -luxuriance, while the _flora_ indigenous to the island was represented -in its most varied forms. - -After passing many miles through an open, undulating, fern-clad -country, we came to a region called Terania, surrounded by low conical -hills, and traversed in every direction with well-beaten tracks, which -had been made by the herds of wild horses frequenting the district, and -which led over the hills and through the valleys wherever we turned. - -Darkness overtook us as soon as we crossed the Kuratao River, and we -camped for the night near to a small stream called Okarewa, on the open -table-land, which at this point had an elevation of 1700 feet above the -level of the sea. - -We started at daylight from Okarewa, and continued a northerly course -along the table-land, which was for some distance dotted about with low -fern hills. We crossed the Whareroa River, and beyond this point the -bold outline of Karangahape came into view in the east, in the form -of a huge dome-shaped mountain, surrounded by lower hills of conical -formation. The table-land now indicated a general elevation, varying -from 2000 to 2200 feet, and kept very level between the two heights for -a long distance, the country rising gradually in the form of undulating -hills towards the dense forests to the west of our track. We forded -the Mangakara, flowing from the Haurungaroa Mountains, the river being -fringed at the point where we crossed it by a dense growth of bush, -which grew along the precipitous sides of the stream, down which we had -to ride before we reached the torrent below. Beyond the river we gained -the Te Kaina Valley, which wound through the table-land, here dotted -about with enormous outcrops of trachytic rock. Here the whole broad -expanse of the country had a beautifully picturesque appearance, which -was heightened in no small degree by the broad, shining waters of Lake -Taupo in the distance. - -It was now clear that we were getting into a more densely populated -portion of the country, and we met many Maoris of all ages and sexes -along this portion of our track. Most of them were well mounted, and -were journeying from the north in the direction of Tokanu and other -settlements in the south. Each party greeted us, and asked us where we -were from, and when told that we had come up from the Manganui-a-te-Ao, -they one and all expressed surprise, and asked us how we had got -through at that season of the year. Some natives travelling in our -direction now joined us, and we learned from them that a _tangi_ was -being held at Pouotepiki, the _pa_ which we would have to pass on the -way, and that we would meet Te Heuheu there, and a number of other -chiefs. - -We arrived at Pouotepiki late in the afternoon, and found the _pa_ -situated in a beautiful position on an elevated portion of the -table-land overlooking the western bay of Lake Taupo, whose rugged -shores here rose up to a height of hundreds of feet above the water, in -the form of precipitous cliffs, and rugged headlands which flanked the -entrance to picturesque bays. - -As we rode up a wild and curious sight presented itself. Our approach -was hailed with dismal wailing from the women, loud barking from the -packs of mongrel dogs, and by the grunting of innumerable pigs. -A crowd of natives at once gathered round us, and among them were -some of the wildest and most villainous-looking men I had ever seen. -They were not like the untutored savages we had found at Ruakaka, -but in appearance a desperate, half-savage, half-civilized race of -beings. There were natives from Tokanu, natives from Tuhua, from -Kahakaharoa, and all the various settlements for miles around. Some -wore only the blanket, others ragged clothes and battered hats, -while some of the younger men, as if anxious to make a show of their -smattering of civilization, were got up quite in a dandified way. -When the _hongi_[67] had been performed amid tears and lamentations, -half a dozen weird-looking hags stood up in a row and went through -a _tangi_,[68] which lasted an hour, during which time we stood in -front of them, beside the natives who had joined us on the way to the -_pa_. When this part of the performance had ended, one of the new -arrivals stepped to the front and delivered a long speech in honour -of the deceased chief, for the repose of whose soul the _tangi_ was -being held, interlarding his remarks now and again with snatches of -verse, which he sang in a doleful, melancholy tone, and what with the -wailing of the women, the barking of the curs, who seemed to object -immensely to our presence, the grunting of the pigs that sniffed -familiarly round us, and the noise made by the children, who laughed -just as loudly as their elders cried, the discordant sounds became in -the long-run indescribably unpleasant; still, as we were in Maoriland, -and had determined to do as the Maoris did, we went through the ordeal -of the _tangi_ with a reverential and solemn air. It is true we shed -no tears--probably because we hadn't got them to shed--but there was -no doubt about the crying so far as the women were concerned, for I -watched them carefully, and I noticed that the big round tears trickled -down their noses and then in a miniature cascade over their lips in -the most orthodox way, but whether these tears were what we callous -Christians call "crocodile tears" it is impossible for me to say. - -When the formal greeting was over, we were invited into the -_runanga_-house, a spacious building about sixty feet long by -thirty broad, in which a number of natives were squatting about in -small circles, smoking and playing cards. Te Heuheu of Tokanu, the -great _rangatira_ of the Ngatituwharetoa was there--a thick-set, -broad-shouldered man, with an austere countenance. He was dressed in -European costume, and wore a wide collaret of _kiwi_ feathers round his -neck, while beside him sat his two wives, who were likewise habited -in what is recognized as the attire of civilized society. I noticed -that their dresses were not after the latest Parisian models, but -their round hats, made entirely of _kiwi_ feathers, suited their dark -countenances admirably. Both had pleasant features, and, like all the -women I had seen in the country, were remarkable for their splendid -teeth, which were as white and as perfect as Cleopatra's pearls, and -seemed to shine in marked contrast to their blue tattooed lips. The -chief Mohi, a herculean man, standing about six feet four inches, stood -like a statue, wrapped in a blanket, nursing a child, and beside him -was Patoro, a chief of the Ngatiraukawa, and, besides these, there -were many representative men of the Ngatituwharetoa, Ngatikohera, -Ngatiarekawa, Ngatitakaiahi, and Ngatihikera. Besides the natives -located in the _runanga_-house there were many camped outside, both -in _whares_ and tents, the principal occupation of all being smoking -and playing cards, and performing the _tangi_ whenever a new arrival -appeared. - -There was one tall, gaunt old man among the throng, with a -fierce-looking, tattooed countenance, and a pointed grey beard, who -never moved about without a greenstone _mere_ in his hand, and when -afterwards we got into conversation with him, to ascertain the -history of this implement, he told us it was the last relic of his -tribe, and that the notch at the end of it had been made by cracking -an enemy's skull. Judging from the impression made upon the hard stone -by the skull, it occurred to me that its owner must have ranked during -lifetime as a kind of champion thick-headed savage. - -Many of the women at this gathering were the finest, both as regards -appearance and stature, we had seen during our journey, some of them -being perfect giantesses in build. Among the finest and most attractive -was Tapare Huia Tauaiti, the daughter of Heure Harawira, a native chief. - -[Illustration: NATIVE GIRL.] - -When the natives learned that we had travelled alone, as they termed -it, "from the big mountains in the south," they invited us to remain -over night, but not before they had asked us many questions as to the -object of our journey, and how it was we had chosen so roundabout a way -when the Maoris always made it a rule to take the shortest cut between -two points. We several times felt pushed to find a reasonable reply to -their queries in this respect, but Turner, with his usual diplomatic -tact, invariably got out of the difficulty by remarking that when a -_pakeha_ got on to a horse, like the proverbial tailor, there was no -telling where he would ride to. - -After a very acceptable meal of pork, potatoes, and thistles,[69] -which was served out to the assembled crowd in small plaited flax -baskets, we were allotted quarters in the _runanga_-house, where fifty -men, women, and children lay huddled together in the most promiscuous -way. Never during the whole of our journey did we spend so unpleasant -a night. At sundown the _runanga_-house was firmly closed, four big -charcoal fires were lit, and men, women, and children smoked until -the atmosphere became so stifling that it was almost impossible to -breathe. The great subject of conversation was the question of native -boundaries, the projected government survey through the country, and -the iniquities of the Native Land Court. More than a dozen speeches -were delivered on these topics, and it was amusing to see one gaunt -figure after another get up in the dim light, swathed in a blanket, -after the fashion of a _toga_, and deliver a long and fiery oration, -to which every one would listen in rapt attention, without questioning -a single statement of the speaker until he had delivered himself of -all he had to say. These expressions of opinion were carried on from -either side of the house far into the night, until one by one the dark -forms fell off to sleep, when the snoring, coughing, and wheezing, -coupled with the stifling heat, transformed the place into a veritable -pandemonium. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote 67: The _hongi_ is to salute by the nose. Two individuals -saluting in this way grasp the right hands, and, bending forward, press -the end of their noses together, uttering at the same time a whining -sound.] - -[Footnote 68: A _tangi_ (to cry) is a lamentation for the dead. -Assemblages of this kind often last over many days, during which time -the corpse is laid out ready for interment. It is also a form of -salutation, upon the meeting of friends, intended to lament departed -kindred. The cry is a most doleful one, and when uttering it the -mourners express all sorts of convulsive movements to betoken their -anguish.] - -[Footnote 69: The sowthistle is much esteemed by the Maoris as a -vegetable.] - - - - -CHAPTER XXVII. - -THE NORTHERN TABLE-LAND. - - The Whanganui stream--Oruapuraho Valley--Waihaha - River--Kahakaharoa--The sweetbriar--The kiwi--The moa--A - gigantic lizard--Waikomiko and Waihora Rivers--Te Tihoi - Plains--Scenery--Mount Titiraupenga--Mangakowiriwiri - River--Mangakino River--Swimming horses--Our camp--The Maoris - as travellers--A Maori joke--Good horsemen--Their knowledge of - the country--Their endurance--The Waipapa--Te Toto Ranges--The - Waipari--Te Tauranga--The Upper Puniu--A fine specimen of - tattooing--A night at Hengia. - - -We left Pouotepiki early on the following morning, and, as the _tangi_ -was at an end, about a dozen mounted natives, who were going in the -same direction as ourselves, invited us to join them. Leaving the -_pa_ in a long cavalcade, we descended into a valley, and crossed the -Whanganui stream flowing into Lake Taupo. - -Further to the north, we crossed the Waikino stream, and after passing -over steep, fern-clad hills we reached the Oruapuraho Valley, formed by -a wild ravine sunk like an enormous pit in the table-land. This curious -place, which was about two miles long, was exactly 200 feet in depth, -and was walled in on every side with perpendicular masses of trachytic -and white pumice rock, which were broken here and there into the form -of enormous bluffs, which jutted out in the most fantastic shapes. -Winding, precipitous ravines opened out now and again in the direction -of the lake and towards the mountainous country on the west, but beyond -these wild gorges nothing could be seen beyond the towering walls of -the deep valley, the sides of which appeared to attain, all along the -course, to a general height of 200 feet, the altitude of the table-land -being, both at the entrance and exit of the valley, exactly 2000 feet -above the level of the sea. A small stream wound through the centre of -this rock-bound ravine, about the sides of which the tussock grass and -fern grew in great luxuriance, together with the _koromiko_, of which -our horses ate greedily. - -The table-land fell to 1700 feet as we gained the Waihaha River, the -name of which literally means "still waters." There was a very deep -descent to it, and looking from the top of this down upon the stream, -there was not a ripple upon its surface. It was, however, some hundred -feet wide at the fording-place, and as the water was deep, we had -to swim our horses. On the opposite side of this river, towards the -east, a castellated bluff rose up to a height of nearly 200 feet, in -appearance not unlike a fortified stronghold, while beyond this point -the river fell in the form of a small waterfall, as it wound on its way -to Lake Taupo. - -[Illustration: MOA AND APTERYX.] - -At about a mile distant from the Waihaha River, after passing through -a wild, rocky gorge, where fantastic masses of rock stood up above -the conical hills like monuments, we arrived at Kahakaharoa, a small -_pa_ situated on a winding mountain stream called Te Pikopiko. At one -time there had been a considerable native settlement here, but now -the whole place was nearly abandoned. We were detained here all the -following day by an incessant rain that came down in a perfect deluge, -the streams rising all round us with marvellous rapidity. This was a -very wild, dreary-looking place, situated in a rock-bound, inaccessible -spot, right at the base of the Hurakia Mountains, and the appearance -of the inhabitants seemed quite in keeping with the locality. Our -horses fared badly at this camping-place, and were compelled to subsist -upon the ripe berries of the sweetbriar, which here grew in wonderful -luxuriance, so much so that our animals, following out the laws of -natural selection, would often have to stand on their hind legs to -reach the bright red fruit. - -Here, besides the usual diet of pork and potatoes, we were treated to -roast _kiwi_. This bird (_Apteryx Australis_) is the only remaining -representative of the great family of New Zealand _Struthionidæ_. It is -a dwarf form of the moa, not larger than a fair-sized hen, with short, -rudimentary wings, totally unfit for flying, and without a tail; it has -four toes on each foot, a long bill resembling that of a snipe, while -its body is covered with pendulous feathers resembling hair. Its habits -are nocturnal; it lives in recesses under the roots of trees, and feeds -upon insects, grubs, and the seeds of various plants; the hen lays but -one egg, which for the size of the bird is extraordinarily large. These -birds, which live in pairs, are still very plentiful in the dense, -unfrequented ranges of the King Country.[70] - -Throughout the journey we always made it a practice to inquire of the -natives as to whether they had ever discovered any remains of the -moa,[71] but, beyond a reference to it in their traditions, little -appeared to be known of it. The natives, however, at Kahakaharoa -informed us that in former times the bones of this bird had been found -in the swamps around Lake Rotoaira. - -It is also worthy of remark that we ascertained that there was a -tradition among all the tribes of the existence at one time of a -gigantic lizard, which is said to have inhabited the caves and rocky -places of the North Island, but whether this was in fact a real or -fabulous reptile, it would seem impossible to determine. - -We left Kahakaharoa as soon as the swollen state of the rivers would -allow us, and, after crossing the Waikomiko River, continued our course -in a northerly direction along the table-land which here opened out -into a broad expanse of rolling plains, stretching away to the north as -far as the eye could reach. We passed by the head-waters of the Waihora -River, which was the last stream of any importance, forming the western -watershed of Lake Taupo. - -Journeying still further on, we crossed the Te Tihoi Plains, a fine -tract of open country extending around the mountains of Titiraupenga as -far north as the banks of the Waikato River, and thence north-westerly -to the Te Toto Ranges. This large area, comprising nearly 1000 square -miles, was the country described upon the maps as covered with dense -bush; and where we had expected to travel through primeval forests we -found magnificent open plains, clothed with a rich vegetation of native -grasses, and composed of some of the best soil we had met with during -our journey. - -As we rode over these plains, the scenery was magnificent, as much by -reason of the vast scope of country that stretched before us as by -the variety of mountain scenery that surrounded the plains in every -direction. To the north-east high, forest-clad mountains rose up one -above the other in the direction of Ouranui and the valley of the -Waikato, while to the west were rugged, forest-clad ranges, crowned by -the towering form of Titiraupenga. - -This magnificent mountain, which is one of the highest peaks in the -northern portion of the King Country, rises to an altitude of some 4000 -feet above the level of the sea. It assumes in general outline the -formation of an extensive cone, with a broad base and long sweeping -sides, while its summit is surmounted by a gigantic pinnacle of rock, -of a pointed form, and which serves with the great mountain as a -conspicuous landmark all over the surrounding country. It is covered -from base to summit with dense forests, and its enormous gorges and -deep ravines give rise to many streams and rivers. - -For a considerable distance along our course the altitude of the -table-land varied from 2000 to 2450 feet, until we struck the -Mangakowiriwiri, a curious underground river flowing from Titiraupenga. -This river burst through a tremendous gorge of the mountain, flanked on -either side by tall precipices of rock, and then cut its way through a -narrow, rocky chasm. Looking down into the deep fissure, we could just -see the silver streak of water foaming nearly a hundred feet below, but -in many places it passed entirely out of sight when the channel ran -underground. This stream, which was 2200 feet above the sea, we were -enabled to cross by means of a very narrow and very primitive footway, -which the natives told us was known as the "bridge of God." - -From the Mangakowiriwiri, our course lay through an open, undulating -country covered with a luxuriant growth of tussock and other native -grasses. Here the table-land began to fall perceptibly towards the -north-west, and for a long distance it averaged in altitude from 1000 -to 1150 feet, and when we reached the valley of the Mangakino River -it had fallen to 1000 feet. This was one of our longest journeys, the -distance travelled during the day being over forty miles, so that it -was moonlight when we arrived at the banks of the river. The Mangakino -ran through a deep mountain gorge, and formed one of the many streams -issuing from the Titiraupenga Ranges, and flowing into the Waikato. - -We soon found that the river was much swollen by the recent rains, and -that it would be necessary to swim our horses. Four of the natives -who had accompanied us from Pouotepiki were still with us, so that -altogether we had to get six horses across, but the animals behaved -splendidly, and swam through the icy cold water like ducks, the Maori -horses showing their bush knowledge by taking the lead. Altogether it -was a very dangerous crossing-place to take, especially at night-time, -as the river just below the ford fell over a deep precipice with noise -like thunder. - -Once on the opposite bank, we pitched camp for the night, and made a -meal out of what we could muster between us. All we could boast of was -a little flour, some of which the natives worked up into a dough in a -"pannikin," and then rolling it up into long pieces between the palms -of their hands, wound the pieces round sticks in a spiral fashion, and -baked them in front of the fire. A few potatoes the Maoris had with -them were likewise spitted and roasted in this way. The place where we -camped was an exceedingly wild-looking spot, and during the night we -experienced a severe frost, the thermometer descending to 28°. - -We struck our camp at the Mangakino before daylight, and set out on -our journey at once, but, unpleasant to relate, without any breakfast, -as our commissariat was now reduced to a few potatoes, which we had -determined to cook when we should get further on the road. We rose from -the valley of the river on to the level plains just as the first rays -of the sun swept over the country in a flood of glowing light, and the -air was so pure and buoyant that we soon forgot that we were journeying -on an empty stomach, until we came to a stream, where we found an -abundant growth of watercress, of which we ate heartily, one of the -Maoris remarking with a broad grin that we had at last come "to feed -like the cows." When travelling with the Maoris I could not but admire -the easy, good-natured way in which they took everything--nothing -disconcerted them. When impediments to travel presented themselves, -the bigger the difficulties to overcome, the more ardent they appeared -to surmount them. When crossing the swollen rivers, if one got a bigger -ducking than the rest, they would laugh and joke at the ill-luck of -their comrade, while he in his turn would enjoy the amusement as much -as they did. - -On one occasion, when we were ascending a steep, slippery hill, the -saddle-girth of one of the horses broke, and the saddle slipping aside, -the rider fell heavily and rolled down a muddy bank. This brought down -roars of laughter from the others, who told him not to mind himself, -but that it was a pity to spoil a good horse by letting him know how -easily a man could fall off his back. - -I always found the natives to be expert and fearless horsemen, and -I believe that a cavalry regiment of well-trained and well-mounted -Maoris, both for courage, endurance, and _élan_, would form one of -the finest body of troops ever marshalled upon a parade-ground or a -battle-field. - -When travelling with them, another interesting fact was that they -seemed to take a pride in being able to define thoroughly all the -natural features of their country. Each mountain and hill had its -special name, and every valley and plain and river, down to the -smallest stream, each being called after some characteristic feature or -legendary tale connected with it; while every tree, plant, bird, and -insect was known by a designation which betokened either its appearance -or habits. - -A remarkable feature indicative of the endurance of the natives, -was that one night they would be sleeping in a _wharepuni_ with the -thermometer over 100°, and the next night they would not hesitate to -lie down upon the damp ground with only a blanket over them, and with -the thermometer at several degrees below freezing-point. It is true we -often went through the same ordeal ourselves during the journey, but it -appeared to me to be more remarkable on the part of the Maoris, as they -seemed to enjoy the stifling heat of their _wharepunis_ as a positive -luxury, while we looked upon it as being very much akin to a sojourn in -Hades. - -We reached the Waipapa River near its junction with the Mangatete, and -descended from the table-land, over 100 feet, to the crossing-place. -This river, which was one of the largest we had met with, rushed with -a rapid current through a deep rock-bound gorge from the mountains -of Titiraupenga to join the Waikato, of which it formed one of the -principal tributaries. We gained the crossing-place by a steep, winding -descent, the mountains with their rocky bluffs on the opposite side -of the river being clothed with a dense vegetation of giant trees, -while to the right of the track by which we had to descend was a small -mountain forming a complete cone, and which was clothed from base to -summit with a luxuriant growth of fern and tall _manuka_. The whole -gorge through which the river wound had a very wild and beautiful -appearance, while the water, like that of the Waikato, into which it -fell after crossing the plains, was as clear as crystal. Beyond the -Waipapa we passed through more open country until we neared the Te Toto -ranges, when mountain, hill, and valley mingled together in a most -picturesque way. - -It took us several hours to traverse the Te Toto ranges, the track -winding about in every direction, with deep ravines on either side. -Here the vegetation was of the most luxuriant and varied order, but the -enormous roots of the great trees made riding very difficult. - -We crossed the Waipari River, a large stream flowing from the Rangitoto -ranges into the Waikato. The descent to the crossing-place of this -river was no less than 500 feet, and we had to mount a slippery incline -on the opposite side of equal altitude. Our course now lay over high -fern-clad ridges, and now, for the first time, the broad valley of the -Waipa was before us, with Maungatautari to the north, and Pirongia to -the north-west. - -Towards sundown we passed along a ridge, with a tremendous rock-bound -gorge beneath us, and where the enormous rocks were dispersed about -in a way which resembled the ruins of a feudal stronghold. This -place was formerly occupied as a _pa_, and on one occasion a great -battle was fought there by the Ngatiraukawa, who were defeated by the -Ngatituwharetoa and Ngatimatakore, who, it is said, feasted for days on -the bodies of their enemies. - -A few miles beyond Tetauranga we arrived at a low hill, upon the summit -of which a number of Maoris were camped in tents. As luck would have -it, feeding was just going on, and we were invited to partake of a -welcome meal. Although it was now evening, we determined to push on our -way, and when the moon rose we started, and gained the head-waters of -the Puniu River, which we crossed with the intention of camping on the -opposite side; we, however, got wet in the operation, and as the place -was swampy, and the night fearfully cold, we determined to ride several -miles further, to Hengia _pa_, which we reached at ten o'clock, after -a journey of over sixty miles, and which had kept us in the saddle for -about seventeen hours. Before arrival at the settlement, the whole -country was covered with a white frost, and the damp, chilly cold of -the low valley of the Waipa seemed to go right into the marrow of one's -bones. - -The natives appeared much surprised at our nocturnal raid upon them, -but we were soon invited into a _whare_, where a big fire was burning, -and where four men and an old woman were located with three or four -mongrel dogs. One of the men, although apparently very old, was yet -wiry and active, while his pinched, sharp features were tattooed in -the most elaborate way up to the very roots of his hair, the thin blue -lines forming a complete network over his countenance. This was the -most artistically tattooed savage we had met on the journey, and Turner -remarked to me that he would much like to have the old man's head to -preserve as a _mokaikai_,[72] but he was cautious enough not to express -this desire to the antiquated Hauhau. - -After we had talked over matters for some time, and the surprise -occasioned by our visit had somewhat abated, our tattooed friend -produced a newly-slaughtered pig from a dark corner of the _whare_, and -when this was dismembered and some potatoes had been peeled by the old -woman, there was soon a good meal cooking for our benefit. After we had -partaken of our repast, we were invited by our entertainers to remain -the night, and being only too glad to take advantage of their proffered -hospitality, we took up our quarters in a corner of the primitive -_whare_, which, unpleasant to relate, was literally alive with fleas. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote 70: For wingless birds, see Appendix.] - -[Footnote 71: There were no less than six species of this extinct -wingless bird-- - - The _Dinornis Giganteus_, height 11 feet. - " _Robustus_, " 8 feet 6 in. - " _Elephantopus_" 6 feet 8 in. - " _Casuarinus_ " 5 feet 6 in. - " _Crassus_ " 5 feet. - " _Didiformus_ " 4 feet 8 in.] - -[Footnote 72: _Mokaikai_, a process of embalming heads, by saturating -them with the pyroligneous acid of wood. This custom was at one time -very common with the Maoris, who thus preserved the heads of their -ancestors, the skin and tattoo marks of the face remaining perfect for -many years.] - - - - -CHAPTER XXVIII. - -THE AUKATI LINE. - - Manga-o-rongo--Mangatutu River--The encampment--A sumptuous - repast--The _kainga_--Surrounding scenery--Old warriors--The - tribes--The _Korero_--Arrival of Te Kooti--His wife--His - followers--A tête-à-tête--A song of welcome--_A haka_--Departure - from Manga-o-rongo--Waipa River--Valley of the Waipa--Our last - difficulty. - - -The nearest way for us to have reached civilization from Hengia would -have been to travel straight to Kihikihi; but there was great talk of a -native meeting to be held at Manga-o-rongo, a settlement situated at -some distance further south from where we were, and as it was stated -that Te Kooti and a large number of natives from all parts would be -there, I determined to attend the _korero_, as much as anything to see -the ex-rebel chief of whom I had heard so much, and afterwards pass to -Alexandra by way of the valley of the Waipa. - -We left Hengia at daybreak with a party of natives, who were going in -the same direction as ourselves, and took a southerly course through -a district known as Wharepapa, and which led us in the direction of -the Rangitoto Mountains. As we approached the valley of the Mangatutu -River, the country became more undulating, until we gained the bed of -the stream, which wound in a remarkably serpentine course from the -Rangitoto Mountains. In the bed of the river the natives pointed out -several curious kinds of stone, in form not unlike the blade of an axe, -and which were formerly sharpened and used as tomahawks by the tribes -of the district. The country hereabouts fell rapidly from 500 to 300 -feet, and gradually became of a lesser altitude as we went on. Crossing -the river, we continued our course through the open, fern-clad plains -known to the natives as Manutarere, passing on our right a rock which -rose like a rude monument from the centre of a circular basin of low -hills. - -Beyond this point we passed through a native _kainga,_ known as -Patokatoka, and soon afterwards reached Manga-o-rongo. A large -encampment of natives was already formed, and great preparations were -being made for the gathering; pigs were being slaughtered by the dozen, -bevies of women and girls were busy at work with delicacies intended -for the feast, while mounted natives were riding to and fro in every -direction. - -We rode into the _kainga_ with the natives who had accompanied us -from Hengia, and were received with loud shouts of _haeremai_ from -the women, who danced about and circled their arms in the air in the -wildest way. - -When the _hongi_ had been performed, and a _tangi_ had been held--for -they wept here as they had done at Pouotepiki--we were invited to sit -down in a circle with the natives who had accompanied us, and soon -afterwards a number of women and girls, who came tripping along in -Indian file, singing a wild refrain, brought us pork and potatoes and -bread and _kumaras,_ in plaited flax baskets, each _hapu_ present -contributing according to custom, a certain quantity, so that in a -short time we had food enough around us to last us for a month. We ate -heartily of the good things placed before us, but we had great fights -over our banquet with the half-starved dogs assembled from all parts -of the country, and which became so audacious in their efforts to -obtain our luxuries, that we had to keep our whips going right and left -all the time. - -[Illustration: NATIVE GIRL.] - -We remained at Manga-o-rongo for three days, during which time we -had a good opportunity of examining the settlement and the general -features of the surrounding country. The _kainga_, composed for the -most part of a number of scattered _whares_ separated by broad patches -of cultivation, was situated in a deep, basin-like depression in the -upper valley of the Waipa, and upon the banks of a small river called -the Manga-o-rongo, one of the principal tributaries of the Waipa. The -scenery of the adjacent country was very attractive, the Rangitoto -Mountains forming a beautiful and conspicuous feature to the south. - -The Rangitoto Mountains, the highest points of which attained to an -altitude of about 2500 feet, were clothed to their summits with a dense -vegetation, and flanked with lower hills covered with a luxuriant -growth of fern, while winding valleys and deep ravines stretched far -into the rugged fastnesses beyond. To the westward of the Rangitoto -ranges were the mountains of the Kuiti, where the deep green forests -were interspersed with wide stretches of open fern, which swept down -to the undulating hills at their base. On all other sides the country -around Manga-o-rongo was open, and presented a series of broad, rolling -plains, covered with low fern, and where the dark alluvial soil was of -the richest description. - -We were given quarters in one of the principal _wharepunis_ in the -centre of the _kainga_, which was dotted around with _whares_, tents, -and other contrivances for the accommodation of the various hapus -attending the _korero_. In a large _whare_ close to our location were -about a dozen or so of old men, who had formed a kind of headquarters -of their own. They were all true-bred Maoris of the old school, of -Herculean build, and they appeared to be from eighty to ninety years -of age, and it occurred to me that one or two among them could have -counted their moons[73] even further back than that; and as they sat -squatting about in the sun, with their blankets wrapped round them, -their weazened, tattooed features looked remarkably grim, surmounted, -as they were in every case, by a thick growth of snow-white hair. Each -one of them wore a piece of greenstone in his left ear, and all had -wooden pipes, which they puffed at incessantly. It was remarkable to -observe the difference in physique between these old warriors--for -they had all been great fighting men during the war--and the younger -natives. Although there were many stalwart and powerful fellows among -the latter, in general they had not the same square build and muscular -frames of the old men, who appeared to be perfect and well-conserved -types of the primitive Maori race. - -There were many representatives of the principal tribes of the -surrounding country in camp, and especially of the Waikatos and -Ngatimaniapotos; but, besides these, there were sections of the -Ngatiwhakatere, Ngatiraukawa, Ngatituwharetoa, Ngatihaua, and Ngatiawa. -All these various tribal divisions were represented by the principal -chiefs and notables, both men and women, and, when assembled together, -it was easy to trace their different physical characteristics. -There were many tall and powerfully-built men among the Waikatos -and Ngatimaniapotos, but the women of the two latter tribes were -not as sturdy in frame, nor as robust in appearance as those of the -Ngatituwharetoa tribe of Taupo. In fact, the natives of the latter -district were, all things considered, the finest tribes we had come -across during our journey, the chiefs, especially of this division of -the Arawas, being remarkable for their tall stature. - -[Illustration: WOMAN OF THE WAIKATO TRIBE.] - -The principal business of the meeting, which had brought the tribes -together, was to consider a petition of the Ngatimaniapoto to -Government, respecting the lands, and in which the chief Taonui, with -Wahanui, had taken a leading part. Another important question was -the settlement of certain tribal boundaries, and the consideration -of the claim of the Ngatihaua, to a large tract of country near to -the Rangitoto Mountains, and which they claimed to have acquired by -conquest over the Ngatiwhakatere, a _hapu_ of the Ngatiraukawa. At -this meeting the _kaingatautohe_, or debateable land, was formally -surrendered to the Ngatiwhakateres, the originally conquered tribe, -by the chief Hauauru, who claimed to be the direct descendant of the -warriors who conquered the Ngatiwhakateres, when the territory in -dispute was acquired. - -On the second day after our arrival at Manga-o-rongo, there was great -excitement in camp as a body of about fifty horsemen, headed by a -woman, were seen galloping as hard as they could come across the plain -leading to the settlement. There were loud cries of _haeremai_ from the -women, and shouts of Te Kooti from the men as the ex-rebel chief and -his wife rode into camp at the head of a band of well-mounted though -wild-looking horsemen. - -[Illustration: TE KOOTI. - -(_From a Sketch by the Author_.)] - -When the new arrivals had pitched the tents they had brought with them, -and were squatting in a circle round the hero of Poverty Bay, I went -into the camp, when Te Kooti saluted me with "_Tena koe, pakeha_," and -invited me to be seated. I took in his outward appearance at a glance. -He was a man apparently of about fifty years of age, over medium -height, of athletic form, broad shouldered and keenly knit, and with -a remarkably stern expression of countenance, which imparted to his -whole visage a hard and even a cruel look. His features, cast in the -true native mould, were strongly defined. His head was well formed, -with a high arched forehead, and his lips were well cut and firm, while -his quick, dark, piercing eyes had a restless glance about them as if -their owner had been kept all his life in a chronic state of nervous -excitement. He wore a moustache and long pointed beard, which, for the -apparent age of the man, appeared to be prematurely grey. There were -no tattoo marks about his face, but when he smiled in his sinister -way every line of his expressive features seemed to be brought into -play. Taken altogether, Te Kooti had a decidedly intelligent cast of -countenance, in which the traits of firmness and determination appeared -to be strongly marked. - -[Illustration: TE KOOTI'S WIFE.] - -His wife, who was apparently a few years younger than himself, was -a strongly built, gaunt woman, with a remarkably bold expression of -countenance, and I could well imagine that during the troubled times -of the war she must have proved a daring and willing helpmate to her -desperate lord. - -The followers of Te Kooti, who sat around, were mostly men of over six -feet in height, powerful in build, and stern and savage-looking in -countenance, and with the same air of watchfulness about them as was -observable in the manner of Te Kooti, as if they, like their chief, -had been ever on the _qui-vive_ for their lives during their long -sojourn of outlawry in the fastnesses of the King Country. - -The first question put to me by Te Kooti was to inquire where I had -come from, and when Turner explained to him the course of our journey -he replied, "They told me as soon as I arrived that a _pakeha_ was in -camp, and that he had travelled through the country; and I said, now -that he has been through and seen all, let him remain. I did many a -long journey," he continued, "during the war, but I never did a ride -like that on one horse. I was always careful to have plenty of horses." -I told him that I had seen the remains of his _pa_ at Te Perore, near -Tongariro, where one of his great battles was fought; and taking his -left arm out of a sling, he said, "This is what the _pakehas_ gave me -there," and he showed me how a rifle-ball had struck him between the -knuckle joints of the two first fingers, crippling them both. Ever -since he was wounded in this way, he has always made it a rule to hide -this hand as much as possible, and for that purpose he carries it -constantly in a sling. He asked me whether I came from England, and -when answered in the affirmative, he put many questions to me about the -country, and was especially anxious to know whether the Queen was still -alive, as he stated that he had often heard of her when at war with the -Europeans. He then said that the Maoris did not want that war, but the -_pakehas_ would fight, and the Maoris fought them. I remarked that it -was now time for the two races to be as one, and that all the troubles -of the past should be forgotten, and that the King Country should be -opened by roads and railways. "I do not object," said Te Kooti, "to -roads and railways; but," he continued, "we must hold the lands; it -will not do for the natives to lose everything." I pointed out that in -India a handful of _pakehas_ ruled over 200,000,000 of people, and that -roads and railways had been made in that country, and the natives had -benefitted. Te Kooti, without a moment's hesitation, replied, "In India -the _pakeha_ rules justly; here the governments have not treated the -Maoris fairly: one government has promised one thing and one another, -and they have all broken faith." - -When I stated to him that since the formation of the colony one law and -one sovereign reigned from one end of New Zealand to the other, and -that that applied to the King Country as well as to any other part of -the island, he replied, "That may be so. But," he continued, "you have -your queen, and Tawhiao is our king. Whatever Tawhiao says, we must do." - -At this stage Te Kooti burst forth with a wild chant--a kind of song of -welcome, which was intended as a compliment to our visit. As Te Kooti -sang, his voice was singularly clear and mournful, and his intonation -very distinct, while every word, as it fell from his lips, appeared to -be uttered with the wild impulse of a fanatic. During this time his -followers, as they had in fact done all along, sat listening in mute -attention, as if anxious to hear the words of one whom they appeared to -look upon as a kind of deified man, or as one endowed with a charmed -life that had made him the hero of brave and extraordinary exploits, -which recalled to mind some of the most daring and bloody deeds of -Maori warfare, and as I listened to his wild refrain, and marked the -earnest yet animated expression of his features as he sang, I could -well realize the influence which such a man would exercise over the -superstitious minds of the Maoris, and yet when I recalled to mind his -remarkable career, his marvellous escape from the Chatham Islands with -his devoted band, his desperate and bloody raid upon the settlers of -Poverty Bay, and the series of daring achievements which rendered the -name of Te Kooti a terror and a menace during the war that followed, I -could not but help thinking that many of the Cæsars and Napoleons of -history must have been made of much the same stuff as this fanatical -Hauhau leader. - -Our last night in the King Country was celebrated by a _haka_ in Te -Kooti's camp. Never had I seen anything so wild or so exciting. When -the moon was up we went to a secluded spot surrounded by forest, where -huge fires had been lit to assist the doubtful light of the Queen of -night. The spectators squatted about in a semicircle, the ex-rebel -chief taking up his position in the midst of his swarthy followers. At -a signal given about fifty men entered the arena and nearly as many -women. All were lightly clad; so lightly indeed that the costume of -our first parents had not been greatly encroached upon. At a signal -given from the leader the dancers formed themselves into ranks, and -the first step was made by striking the feet heavily upon the ground, -and, as the excitement produced by this movement gradually increased, -the limbs trembled from the feet upwards, until every muscle in the -body appeared to shake and twist, as if from the thrilling effects of -a galvanic current. Then they turned their bodies to the right with a -swinging jump, keeping the elbows close to the ribs and stretching out -the fore-part of the arm until the hands and fingers shook and trembled -as if strung together by wires. Then, they swung the body to the left -in the same attitude, and then, facing to the front, threw back their -heads, thrust out their tongues to the fullest extent in a menacing -way, and turned up their eyes until nothing but the whites could -be seen, and which, gleaming beneath the bright glow of the fires, -imparted to their distorted countenances a singularly ghastly look. -Next a wiry, tattooed savage jumped to the front with a loud yell, -thrusting out his tongue, and distorting his features until the blue -lines formed a quivering network over his face. He challenged the best -dancer in the throng, at which a woman appeared upon the scene, when -the pair performed a dance which no pen or pencil could describe. Then -they returned into the ranks, and another couple followed, and then a -third, and a fourth, until the whole crowd mingling together danced -and yelled in a marvellous yet diabolical way. The dark, streaming -hair of the women fell over their well-turned shoulders or swept round -their heads in a circle, as the dark syrens went through the most -extraordinary gyrations, with the rapidity of electrified humming-tops, -while the men, twirling their weapons furiously in the air, yelled -in a loud chorus which terminated in a long, deep, expressive sigh. -Again and again these movements were enacted with protruding tongues, -distorted faces, and fixed, staring eyes, time being marked by -striking the thigh with the open left hand, so as to produce a sound -which, mingling with the loud shouting of the furious dancers, added a -curious effect to the wild and boisterous scene. - -It was a bright morning when we left Manga-o-rongo to do the last -stage of our eventful journey. Although our horses had rested for two -days, it was clear that they were utterly exhausted from their past -fatigues, while their legs were so swollen that we could hardly get -them to move along. Leaving the settlement, the whole broad valley of -the Waipa lay stretched before us in the form of a wide expanse of open -plain, through which the winding river, from which it derives its name, -meandered in the direction of the north. - -The Waipa has its source on the southern side of Mount Pukeokahu, which -is situated a little to the eastward of Mount Rangitoto. It winds -round the western end of the Rangitoto ranges, and finally pursues -its way along the Waipa Valley. Besides receiving, however, a large -portion of the watershed of the Rangitoto Mountains, most of the -streams from the ranges of the Kuiti flow into it, while to the west -it is fed by numerous watercourses from the high coast ranges. Its -principal tributaries are the Mangapu, Manga-o-Rewa, and Mangawhero, -with the Puniu as the chief. Beyond the head of the river the watershed -falls towards the Mokau, south of which the country is open for a -considerable distance in the direction of the Tetaraka Plains, until -the great central belt of forest country is reached. - -The whole wide valley of the Waipa lies very low, its altitude near the -margin of the stream being scarcely 100 feet above the level of the -sea; but the country rises gradually towards the west into undulating -fern-clad hills, which mount in a kind of terrace formation, one above -the other, until they reach the high wooded ranges which border the -West Coast. The plains of this valley are composed for the most part -of rich alluvial soil, which is everywhere covered with a dense growth -of low fern. Many native cultivations and settlements are dotted about -along the whole course of the river, and, taken altogether, this valley -is one of the most densely populated portions of the King Country. -From every point of view the scenery is most attractive, especially -when looking in the direction of the north, where the tall forms of -Pirongia, Maungatautari, and Kakepuku tower high above the surrounding -plains. - -It was already night when we had nearly reached the end of our journey, -and just as we drew rein at a native _whare_ to inquire the best -point at which to cross the Waipa, my horse sank under me from sheer -exhaustion as I sat on his back. A little coaxing got "Charlie" on to -his legs again, and we hastened down to the banks of the Waipa to find -that the river was almost at high flood. There was a canoe at the ford, -but, as ill-luck would have it, it happened to be on the opposite side -of the stream. We shouted lustily, in the hope that some one would hear -us, and come and ferry us across, but there was no response but the -echo of our voices, and it seemed that we would have to pass another -night in the open, or swim our horses at the risk of our lives. The -night was bitterly cold, and we were naturally anxious to reach our -long looked-for goal, and, just as we were making preparations to swim -the river, voices were heard on the other side, and in a few moments -more the canoe shot across the water under the skilful guidance of -three young Maori girls. It did not take us long to unsaddle, and, -putting everything into the canoe with ourselves, we swam our exhausted -animals across, but not before "Tommy," by being swept under the frail -craft, by the force of the current, had nearly succeeded in upsetting -it in the centre of the rapid stream. Once on the opposite side, -we pressed upon our dark deliverers all the money we could muster, -and, entering the King's settlement at Whatiwhatihoe, we crossed the -_aukati_ line forming the northern boundary of the King Country, when -the moon was high, on the night of the 18th of May, after a journey, -which, taking all distances traversed into account, was not short of -600 miles. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote 73: The Maoris count time by nights, moons, and stars. There -appears to have been a kind of division of the nights into decades, as -ten nights to the full moon, ten to its disappearing. The Maori year -begins with the first new moon after the star _Puanga_ is seen in the -morning, which is in May.] - - - - -APPENDIX. - -POTATAU II. - - -The ancestry and tribal connections of Matutaera Te Pukepuke Te Paue Tu -Karato Te-a-Potatau Te Wherowhero Tawhiao, or Potatau II., render him -the most illustrious and influential chief in New Zealand. No Maori -chief is truly great unless he can trace his descent to some of those -who came in the first canoes from Hawaiki. Tawhiao can do this, his -ancestor being Hotonui, who came in the canoe Tainui, which made the -land at Kawhia. The ancestor, however, who makes the greatest figure in -the history of the family is Tapaue, who had a number of children who -did well in the world, and founded quite a number of tribes who exist -to this day. These children were--Te Rorokitua, who was the ancestor -of the Ngatipaoa, Te Putu, Tahau, Te Apa, Huiarangi, Ratua, Hikaurua. -The son of Te Putu was Tawhia, whose son was Tuata, whose son was Te -Rauanganga, whose son was Te Wherowhero, whose son was the present -Tawhiao. The name of Tawhiao's mother was Whakaawi, a woman of high -birth of the Ngatimahutu tribe. - -Tawhiao's autobiographical narrative is as follows:-- - -"I was born at a place called Orongokoekoea, at Mokau. The whole of -the Waikatos had been driven from Waikato by the invasion of Hongi, -with his muskets, and the tribes had suffered greatly when the pa was -taken at Matakitaki. The whole of the Waikatos were living at Mokau -when I was born, from fear of Pomare. [The fall of Matakitaki took -place in 1823, and Tawhiao would probably be born a year or two later.] -We did not remain long at Mokau after the death of Pomare. We came -back to Haurua, Kopua, and other places. I lived at Honipaka, in the -Waipa. The Ngatitipa were at Haurau. Te Rauparaha had gone south long -before that time, in prosecution of his conquests at Cook's Straits. -Some of Rauparaha's people, however, the Ngatitoa and Ngatikoata, -came to Matakitaki, and were slain there. Te Waharoa was then living -at Horotiu, and did not move. The Ngapuhi did not attack him. Pomare -made peace with Takurua. Waikato heard that peace had been made. At -this time Te Wherowhero had gone to Taupo. Rauroha said to Pomare, -'Go back to your own country,' but Pomare would not consent. Rauroha -said, 'You have made peace with me; look at Matire.' [Matire Toha -was subsequently married to Kati, Te Wherowhero's brother, on the -peace-making between Waikato and Ngapuhi.] Te Wherowhero wished to go -to Pomare, but Te Kanawa resisted his desire, thinking there would be -treachery. Pomare insisted upon going up to Waikato. He was met in -battle by the Ngatitipa, the Ngatitamaoho. Te Aho, a son of Kukutai -shot Pomare's fingers off, and when his people discovered that Pomare -was wounded, they fled. The fight took place at Te Rore, on the Waipa, -and the Ngapuhi fled to Whaingaroa. The chase continued to Te Akau, and -as far as Awhitu. I remember when Matire Toha was brought to Waikato -to be married to Kati. I remember the great crowds that were assembled -at the time. Te Kihirini brought Matire to Waikato. She was very young -then. The first Europeans we saw were at Kawhia. The first I remember -was Captain Kent. The first missionaries in Waikato were Stack, Hamlin, -Williams, and Morgan. The missionaries told us that we should be burned -up unless we believed. I myself was baptized by the name Matutaera, at -Mangere, by Mr. Burrows. - -"I remember a European coming to ask Te Wherowhero to sign the treaty -of Waitangi. That European was the missionary, Mr. Maunsell. [The Ven. -Archdeacon Maunsell.] The Maori he had with him was Tipene Tahatika. -Te Wherowhero said he would not sign. Mr. Maunsell remarked to Tipene, -'This ignorant old man, if he had signed, I would have given him a -blanket.' Te Wherowhero was then at Awhitu. Te Wherowhero's name was -afterwards put to the treaty, but it was written by Te Kahawai, not -by himself. I was at the great meeting at Remuera. That was when -Fitzroy was Governor. The principal speakers were Wetere te Kauae and -Te Katipa. Governor Fitzroy visited Kawhia. The Rev. Mr. Whiteley and -the missionaries had been there long before that time. When Sir George -Grey came, he visited Rangiawhia, Te Awamutu, and other settlements in -Waikato. He had thirty Maoris as his following. Sir George Grey pointed -out Mangere as a place for Te Wherowhero. He said to my father, 'Come -to Mangere, the land is for you.' I never attended any of the Mission -schools." - -In reference to the beginning of the New Zealand war, after Te -Wherowhero's death, and when Tawhiao had succeeded his father as king, -he narrates:-- - -"I was at Rawhitu, a few miles above Rangiriri, when I heard that the -soldiers had crossed the Mangatawhiri. Heta Tarawhiti and a few others -were with me. The Waikatos were then at Rangiriri and other places. I -warned them to avoid the soldiers. When I heard that the soldiers had -crossed the Mangatawhiri, I warned the Maoris to avoid the soldiers. I -told them they should not meet the soldiers on the line of the Waikato -river, but should go inland by Whangamarino to Paparata, and then to -the Kirikiri. [Apparently this was Tawhiao's military plan, instead -of constructing _pas_ on the river, like Meremere and Rangiriri. -If his advice had been taken, the line of our advance, would have -been threatened, and the settlements around Auckland placed in great -danger.] The next thing I heard was that a battle had been fought at -the Koheroa, and that the people I had sent to evade the soldiers had -also gone and fought at the Koheroa. Tapihana was the chief man whom I -had charged. I sent a message also to Mohi and Ihaaka (occupying the -settlement at Pukekohe, the Kirikiri and adjacent places), telling them -to come out from their villages. The engineer of the _pa_ at Rangiriri, -who directed its formation, was Te Wharepu. I told the people that -they should retire to the depth of the forest to evade the troops. The -others would not consent. Te Wharepu was the leader of the others. They -said, 'We will not agree; if our blood must be shed, let it be shed -on our own land at Waikato.' I was at the fight at Rangiriri. Wiremu -Tamehana and myself went to Rangiriri, and requested the people to -move away from that place. That was the object of both Thompson[74] -and myself in going. A dozen times I tried to persuade them to break -up from Rangiriri, but finding that our efforts were unsuccessful, -we left. The balls were then flying in all directions. I took refuge -behind a flax bush. A bullet passed close to me, and struck the bush. -I was not injured. I had a gun and cartridge-box. I saw some of my -people escaping. I told them to be swift, and move on. They said, 'You -must look after yourself; are you not in danger?' I said, 'No, I will -rest a while here.' I took off my coat and vest, and, after a while, I -succeeded in getting on board a canoe belonging to the Ngatitamaoho, -and in making my escape. Previously ten guns were levelled at me, and -a big gun also. Messengers had gone before, and told the people that I -was safe." - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote 74: A native known as The King Maker.] - - - - -THE CHIEFS. - - -WIREMU TE WHEORO Te Morehu Maipapa comes from a distinguished -line of ancestors. From a woman of celebrity, named Hourua, after -whom the tribe was called, and whose worthy chief was that famous man -Wiremu Te Awatora, of Raglan. Then from the renowned ancestor Tapoue, -Te Wheoro becomes a near relative of Tawhiao, the present Maori King, -which circumstance accounts for the fact of his taking possession -of the Tiwai canoe, which conveyed the late Maori King, Potatau Te -Wherowhero, from Manukau to Ngaruawahia. - -The father and mother of Te Wheoro resided in the earlier times at -their settlement, Kaniwhaniwha, on the Waipa River, but, as was the -custom, they would remove to other places, being interested in other -lands, thus verifying the old Maori proverb, "_Ka mete kainga tahi; ka -ora kaingarua_" (he that has but one home will be subject to failure; -he that has two homes will prosper). The name of Te Wheoro's father was -Te Kaingamata, and his mother's name was Ngapaoa of the Ngatihinetu -tribe of Rangiaowhia. Te Wheoro's grandfather was Te Whakaete, who -was acknowledged to have been of great power among the Waikatos. Te -Whakaete was killed at Maungatautari by the Ngatipukenga, a war party -on its way to Te Wairoa, east coast, and headed by the chief Naunau. -Te Wheoro's own settlement was at Te Kohekohe, Lower Waikato, and he -was always a faithful adherent of the Europeans. His valuable services -were brought into requisition by General Cameron when war was declared -against the Waikatos. The calamities which befell his people arising -out of the war must have greatly afflicted him, for he tried very -hard to divert war during the Civil Commissionership of Mr. Gorst, -M.P., in the Waikato, when Sir George Grey's _Runanga_ system was -introduced, and when the two Maori newspapers--the Government organ, -_Te Pihoihoi_, and the Maori King organ, _Te Hokioi_--were waging a -hostile war, which unhappily culminated in a breach of the peace, -Manga Maniapoto having instructed his partisans to seize the press and -type, which was duly carried out. Te Wheoro is called by the Maoris -"_he tangata rangatira_"(a man of noble extraction), and although he -is a Ngatihourua of Whaingaroa, a Ngatimahuta of Waikato-nui, and a -Ngatihinetu of Rangiaowhia, his particular tribe is the Ngatinaho, -the members of which acknowledge his chieftainship and _mana_, and -these people acted under him during the Waikato war. Of his fidelity, -friendship, and singular loyalty to Europeans before the war, during -the war, and subsequently up to the present time, abundant evidence may -be adduced both by Maoris and Europeans, while Government despatches -and military records simply corroborate facts well known to reliable -settlers. Te Wheoro is in great favour with the King party, and -besides being decorated with the New Zealand war-medal, and holding a -commission as Major in the Colonial forces, he is a member of the House -of Representatives for the Southern Maori Electoral district of the -North Island. - -WAHANUI, the most influential chief of the Ngatimaniapoto -tribe, is a man of giant proportions, considerably over six feet in -height. His name in the Maori language signifies "broad," and was -given to him in reference to his enormous stature. He was educated at -the "Three Kings," and was originally intended for the Church, but -returning to the King Country, he took up his home at Te Kopua in the -centre of his tribe, where he has remained, watching over the interests -of his race. For many years he was the king's principal minister and -staunchest supporter. With a singularly dignified and courteous manner, -he displays a remarkable intelligence, which is heightened in no small -degree by a wonderful power of oratory which he usually employs with -remarkable effect at the councils of the native tribes. He is one of -the largest native land-owners, the territory of his tribe extending -over the most fertile portion of the King Country. - -MANGA REWI, a chief of the Maniapoto tribe, descended from a -long line of ancestors, is a man of great intelligence, and, although -now aged, is one of the most influential and respected representatives -of his race. He has been throughout a strong supporter of the King -Movement, and during the war was one of the most valorous and daring of -Maori leaders. - -PATARA TE TUHI belongs to the same tribe as Tawhiao, namely, -the Ngatimahuta, and is, besides, his brother-in-law. He is a clever -man, and being ready with his pen, he was selected by the Kingites to -edit the _Hokioi_, the newspaper which they established to advocate the -Kingite cause. This paper was printed by types and a press obtained -by the Maoris who went to Europe with Dr. Hochstetter and which was -given to them by the Archduke Maximilian, who afterwards had such an -unfortunate career in Mexico. This powerful organ came to an untimely -end, the printing-office having been smashed up by an armed party under -Rewi, and the plant thrown into the Waipa river. - -WHITIORA WIRIMU TE KOMETE, a chief of the Waikato tribe, -is renowned for his bold defence of the Rangiriri _pa_ against the -imperial troops. He narrates his capture with ninety of his men as -follows:-- - -"A white flag was hoisted on board the steamer, at the Waikato river, -in consequence of which he ordered the flag of truce to be hoisted in -the Rangiriri _pa_, which act he supposed would have led to a parley; -but, to his great astonishment, General Cameron and fifty of his men -came into the _pa_, and commanded the Maoris to deliver up their arms. -We could easily have shot the fifty soldiers, including the General, if -we had known that their coming into the _pa_ was to deal treacherously -with us. We could have maintained our post in the _pa_, and we had made -up our minds to fight to the death. After admitting the soldiers into -the fortress we discovered for the first time we were prisoners." - -PAORA TU HAERE is a chief of the Ngatiwhatua tribe. - -HATI WIRA TAKAHI, chief of the Ngapuhi tribe. - -PARATENE TE MANU, chief of the Ngatiwai tribe. - -TUKUKINO, head chief of the Ngatitematera, was one of the -principal Hauhau leaders during the war, and one of the most active -obstructionists to European Settlement. He is at present one of the -most aged natives in New Zealand. - -TE RAIA NGAKUTU TE TUMUHUIA, chief of the Ngatitematera tribe, -was the last of the New Zealand cannibals. He attacked a _pa_ at -Katikati, in 1842, belonging to the Ngatiterangi, defeated the powerful -chief Te Whanake, and feasted his own followers upon the slain. - -TE KOOTI is well known as the great Hauhau leader during -the war. He is a man of singular intelligence, and still exercises a -widespread influence over the tribes. He was sent as a prisoner of war, -with other natives, to the Chatham Islands, and his escape from that -inhospitable region with his followers, together with his massacre -of the settlers at Poverty Bay, form one of the most remarkable and -stirring events connected with the campaign. - - - - -LIST OF THE NEW ZEALAND TRIBES, WITH THEIR LOCALITIES. - -These tribes, which constitute the principal divisions of the Maori -race, are all subdivided into _hapus_, or tribal families, bearing -often a different appellation to that of the parent tribe, to which, -however, each _hapu_ claims a direct relationship. - - - Name of Tribe. Locality. - - Aopouri and Rarawa North Cape to Hokianga. - Ngapuhi Bay of Islands. - Ngatiwhatua and Uriohau Manukau Kaipara and Waitemata. - Ngatitai Firth of Thames and Auckland. - Ngatipaoa Thames from Cape Colville to Katikati. - Ngatierangi Katikati to Maketu and inland. - Ngatiwhaka-aue Maketu and Lake Country. - Ngatiraukawa Otaki Arowhenua. - Waikato Valley of Waikato to Manukau. - Ngatimaniapoto Valley of Waipa to Mokau. - Ngatiawa West Coast from Mount Egmont to - Mount Taupiri, Waikanae, Wellington, - &c. - Te Whakatohea Bay of Plenty and inland. - Ngatipouri Cape Runaway and inland. - Ngatituwharetoa Lake Taupo and centre of North - Island. - Ngatitama From Mokau inland. - Taranaki West Coast near Mount Egmont. - Ngatiruanui Waitotara and inland. - Ngarauru Waitotara to Whanganui and inland. - Ngatihau Whanganui and inland. - Ngatiapa Rangitane, Whanganui River, and - inland. - Ngatitoa Near Wellington. - Ngatikahungunu Table Cape to Palliser Bay, and inland. - Te Urewera Taupo to Poverty Bay. - Whanauapanui Cape Runaway to Bay of Plenty and - inland. - Rangitane Admiralty Bay and vicinity. - Ngahitao South and Middle Island. - - -THE FLORA. - -Synopsis of the principal _flora_ met with during the journey, arranged -alphabetically in accordance with native names. - - -TREES. - - Hinau.--_Eloecarpus dentatus._ A graceful tree, 20 to 30 feet high; - blossoms with a white flower; produces an edible berry 1/2 inch - long, pulp astringent, stone deeply furrowed; bark furnishes a - black dye, common throughout the interior of the island; finest - specimens met with in the Teranga forest, west of Ruapehu, at an - altitude of about 2000 feet. - - Horoeka.--_Aralia Crassifolia._ A small tree with a narrow leaf; - frequent in the forests of the Lake Country and other parts of - the interior. - - Kahikatea.--_Podocarpus dacrydioides._ The white pine, growth 50 - to 120 feet; found on the swampy lands and river-banks; berry - edible, wood soft; largest trees seen in Valley of Whanganui. - - Karaka.--_Corynocarpus loevigatus._ A beautiful tree, 30 to 40 feet - high, with glossy ovate leaves and oblong berries, which, when - ripe, are of a bright red colour. The natives affirm that this - tree was brought by their ancestors from Hawaiki. Seen near - Tauranga and in Lake Country. - - Karamu.--_Coprosma lucida._ A handsome tree with dark, shining - ovate leaves; growth 20 to 30 feet; berries small, bright red, - and edible; foliage eaten readily by cattle and horses; widely - distributed all over the central portion of North Island, especially - in forests of Kaimanawa Mountains and Western Taupo; grows - up to altitude of 3000 feet. - - Mahoe.--_Melicytus ramiflorus._ A bushy tree; growth 15 to 30 feet; - frequent in forests of the interior; foliage eaten by cattle. - - Makomako.--_Aristotelia racemosa._ A small tree, 10 to 20 feet high; - bark black; bears a small berry; bark used by natives to produce - a black dye; plentiful in forests of Whanganui. - - Manoa.--_Dacrydium Colensoi._ Growth 10 to 50 feet; leaves an inch - in length, those of the upper branches overlapping each other; - wood very hard, formerly much prized by natives for the manufacture - of spears and clubs; frequent in valley of Manganui - a-te-Ao. - - Mataii.--_Podocarpus spicata._ Growth 80 to 100 foot; berries edible; - common in all the forests of the interior; finest trees found in - Valley of Whanganui. - - Miro.--_Podocarpus ferruginea._ Growth 60 to 120 feet; produces a - red berry, the favourite food of the wood-pigeon; frequent - throughout the interior; finest specimens met with in forests - west of Ruapehu, at altitude of about 2000 feet. - - Nikau.--_Areca Sapida._ A beautiful and graceful palm, with ringed - trunk, and bright green pinnate leaves 4 to 6 feet long, the sole - representative of its genus in New Zealand; the pulp of the top - portion of the stem is edible, and when young is a favourite - article of food with the natives; very frequent in the forests of - the interior, but appeared to attain its greatest growth and - development in the damp marly soil of the Valley of the Whanganui. - - Pohutukawa.--_Metrosideros tormentosa._ A grand, wide-spreading - tree, with gnarled trunk and twisting branches, growth 30 to 50 - feet; bears in the month of December a large crimson flower; - inner bark used by the natives for diarrhoea; wood hard and - red; grows usually near the sea, but also inland at Lake Tarawera - at altitude of over 1000 feet. - - Pukatea.--_Atherosperma Novæ Zelandiæ._ A straight-growing tree, - with a buttressed trunk, growth 50 to 150 feet; grows to a large - size in the forests west of Ruapehu, at an altitude of about 2000 - feet. - - Rata.--_Metrosideros robusta._ A gigantic tree from 60 to 160 feet in - height, base of trunk often exceeds 40 feet in circumference; - blooms with a crimson flower; the trunk gives life to innumerable - parasitical plants; wood hard, but not durable; inner bark - powerful astringent, used by natives for diarrhoea; frequent in - all the forests of the interior, the largest trees found being on - the eastern side of Mount Pirongia and in the dense low-lying - forests of the Valley of Whanganui. - - Rewarewa.--_Knightia excelsa._ A handsome tree, growth 80 to 100 - feet; bears large clusters of red flowers; frequent in the Lake - Country. - - Rimu.--_Dacrydium cupressinum_, the red pine. A noble tree, growth - from 80 to 150 feet; branches pendulous; wood red, heavy, and - handsome. This tree attains to its largest size in the Terangakaika - Forest, west of Mount Ruapehu, where it flourishes in great - abundance at an altitude varying from 2000 to 2500 feet. - - Tanekaha.--_Phyllocladus trichomanoides._ A celery-leaved pine, - producing a tough timber-growth, from 20 to 30 feet; the bark - affords a red dye which is fast becoming a valuable article of - export for the purpose of colouring kid gloves; frequent in - forests of Western Taupo and Te Toto ranges.[75] - - Tawa--_Nesodaphne Tawa._ A fine tree, growth 60 to 80 feet; leaves - lance-shaped; produces an edible berry; common throughout - the interior. - - Ti.--_Cordyline Australis._ Growth 10 to 30 feet; leaves uniform, from - 2 to 3 feet long; flowers white and drooping; root edible; frequent - throughout the interior, grows at an altitude of 3000 feet; - frequent on Rangipo table-land. - - Towai.--_Fagus fusca._ One of the most beautiful of New Zealand - trees, growth 80 to 140 feet; leaves 1 to 1-1/4 long, deeply - serrate; forms dense forests on the Kaimanawa Mountains and other - parts of interior; attains to its greatest growth on the western - slopes of Mount Ruapehu, where it grows at an altitude of over - 4000 feet. - - Totara.--_Podocarpus totara._ A fine forest tree; growth from 60 to - 100 feet; met with in all parts of the interior. - - -SHRUBS, FLOWERS, AND PLANTS. - - Anata.--A buttercup. - - Hanea.--A cress. - - Harakeke.--_Phormium tenax._ A New Zealand flax; flowers dark - red; leaves long, drooping and narrow; the seeds may be used - as a substitute for coffee; the root is employed by the natives as - a purgative and worm medicine; the gum is applied to wounds - and sores; the fibre of the leaf is used for rope-making and the - manufacture of paper. Common throughout the interior in - swampy places; growth from 4 to 8 feet. - - Heruna.--_Polygonum adpressum._ - - Kaikaiatua.--_Rabdothamnus solandri._ A plant. - - Kokota.--_Epilobium minuta._ A small willow-herb. - - Korikori.--A species of ranunculus. - - Koromiko.--_Veronica salcifolia._ A common shrub, with lilac or - white flowers, lanceolate leaves; frequent all over interior; grows - luxuriantly around southern and western region of Lake Taupo. - A decoction of the leaves is valuable in dysentery. The foliage - is eaten readily by cattle. - - Koropuku.--A plant with a red berry, common in the vicinity of - Tongariro. - - Koru.--A blue and white flower. - - Kotukutuku.--_Fuchsia excorticata._ A spreading tree-like shrub, - leaves ovate lanceolate; bears a purple berry, yields a dye of the - same colour; met with in all parts of interior. - - Kowhitiwhiti.--Watercress. - - Kalakuta.--A white flower. - - Manuka.--_Leptospermum ericoides._ A tree-like shrub, widely distributed - all over interior; finest specimens met with in the - Geyser Valley, Wairakei. - - Mataroa.--A flax-plant. - - Matuakumara.--A plant. - - Nahui.--_Alternanthera denticulata._ - - Nene.--_Dracophyllum latifolium._ - - Outatoranga.--_Pimelia arenaria._ - - Panahi.--_Convolvulus._ - - Panara.--Taupo primrose. - - Papataniwhaniwha.--_Lagenophora Forsteri._ A plant like a daisy. - - Pototara.--_Cyothodes oxydrus._--A plant with a small white fragrant - flower, found growing on Rangipo table-land. - - Piripiri whata.--_Carpodetus serratus._ - - Poipapa.--_Chenopodium triandrum._ - - Poroporo.--An edible nightshade with a white flower. - - Puatea.--A yellow daisy. - - Puwha.--_Sonchus oleraceus._ Sowthistle, much used by the natives - as a vegetable. - - Rengarenga.--_Anthropodium cirrhatum._ A lily. - - Rongotainui.--A flax used for cordage and fishing-lines. - - Taihinu.--A white flower found at Taupo. - - Taretu.--A plant with blue berries. - - Tataramoa.--_Rubus australis._ A climbing bramble, armed with - prickles, branches pendulous, leaves coriaceous; berry, red or - amber-coloured; known to the colonists as the "bush lawyer;" - found in all the forests of the interior; most frequent in Valley - of Whanganui. - - Tikupenga.--_Cordyline stricta._ - - Titirangi.--_Veronica speciosa._ - - Totaratara.--A small shrub with a white flower. - - Tupapa.--_Lagenophora Forsteri._ Native daisy. - - Tutu.--_Coriaria ruscifolia._ A frequent shrub with glossy leaves - and pendulous clusters of purple fruit, the seeds of which are - poisonous as well as the foliage; produces a black dye. - - Waewaekaka.--_Gleichenia hecystophylla._ - - Wharangi.--_Melicope ternata._ A broad-leaved, poisonous shrub, - very common in the forests of the Whanganui and Western - Taupo. - - -CREEPING, CLIMBING, AND PARASITIC PLANTS. - -(_Common throughout the interior._) - - Aka.--_Metrosideros buxifolia._ - - Kareao.--_Rhipogonum scandens._ A climbing wiry vine, the "supple - Jack" of the colonists; leaves three to five inches long, linear, - ovate; often grows in entangled masses, abundant in all the - forests; largest specimens found in the swampy forests of the - Whanganui. A decoction of the root forms a good substitute - for sarsaparilla. - - Kiekie.--_Freycientia Banksii._ A plant producing an edible flower - and fruit. - - Kohia.--_Parsiflora tetrandra._ A climbing plant. - - Kowharawhara.--_Astelia Banksii._ A parasitical broad-leaved grass, - growing in tufts on trees, bearing an edible berry. - - Kowhaia.--_Edwardsia microphilla._ A passion-flower; colour, green - and orange, with fragrant fruit. - - Mawhai.--_Sicyos Australis._ A creeping plant. - - Patangatanga.--_Freycientia Banksii._ - - Pikiarero--_Clematis_, bearing a beautiful white flower. - - Puawananga.--_Clematis indivisa_, bearing a white flower. - - -FERNS. - - Hiaue.--Creeping _lycopodium._ - - Huruhuruwhenua.--_Asplenium lucidum._ - - Kiokio.--_Polypodium._ - - Kopakopa.--_Trichomanes._ A round-leaved fern. - - Korokio.--The smallest tree-fern. - - Kotote.--A small-leaved fern. - - Kurakura.--A small kind of _lycopodium_. - - Maerere.--A small-leaved fern. - - Makaka.--_Adianthum._ - - Mangapowhatu.--_Polytrichum cyphoma._ - - Mangemange.--_Lycopodium articulatum._ A creeping fern. - - Mokimoki.--Long-leaved fern. - - Mouku.--An edible fern. - - Ngutu-Karkariki.--Parrot's bill fern, so called from the form of its - foot-stalk; the fronds are plume-shaped. - - Panaka.--_Asplenium._ A very graceful fern. - - Para Marattia.--_Salicina._ A large fern. - - Paretau.--_Asplenium obliquum._ A large-leaved fern. - - Puaka rimu.--The tree _lycopodium._ - - Raorao.--_Pteris esculenta._ A common edible fern, the root of which - formed at one time the principal food of the Maori. - - Raumanga.--_Polypodium._ A broad-leaved fern. - - Tapui kotuku.--Creeping _lycopodium_. - - Tarakupenga.--Creeping _lycopodium_. - - Waewaekoukou.--_Lycopodium volubile._ A running fern. - - Ti Taranaki.--A fern growing on the plains, having its fructification - on a separate stalk. - - -TREE FERNS. - -CYATHEA. - - Tote.--_C. dealbata._ The "silver-tree fern;" growth, 10 to 20 feet; - trunk slender and black; fronds lanceolate, 8 to 12 feet long, - dark green above, silvery white below. Abundant in the interior; - finest specimens seen in forests of the Lake Country. - - Ponga.--_C. medullaris._ The "black fern;" trunk very stout, 12 to - 40 feet high, and covered with matted fibres; fronds very - numerous, from 10 to 15 feet long; deep green above, pale - below; abundant throughout the interior. - - _C. Cunninghamii._ Trunk, 12 to 15 feet high; fibrous at - base; fronds, 20 to 30 in a crown, 6 to 9 feet long; bright - green; frequent in the Lake Country. - - -FLORA OF TONGARIRO AND RUAPEHU. - -The _flora_ of Tongariro and the surrounding region partakes of an -alpine character, and is both varied and beautiful. Indeed, not only -are many of the mountains forming the group clothed with a dense and -attractive vegetation, but where the forests spread down to the plains, -the trees and shrubs are often so disposed by Nature as to form perfect -gardens, which appear to have been artificially planted. During the -exploration of both Tongariro and Ruapehu, I had an opportunity of -examining the varied growth of trees, shrubs, and plants; and although -I was unable, under the circumstances, to make a very extensive -botanical collection, I secured some of the choicest specimens of -mountain plants, and afterwards obtained their native names from the -Maoris. - - Houhou.--_Panax Colensoi_ is an abundant plant in hilly districts. - - Huripo.--A tall shrub, common around Tongariro, and remarkable - for its foetid smell. - - Manao.--_Pittosporum fasciculatum_ is found in both islands. - - Monao.--_Cyathodes acerosa_ is plentiful throughout the whole country. - - Papauma.--_Griselima littoralis_ is a plentiful tree, especially in the - high interior districts. - - Patotara.--_Leucopogon Colensoi_ is a common mountain plant found in - both islands. - - Peki Peki.--_Clemisia spectabilis_ is an alpine plant, abundant on the - open mountains of the South Island, but is seldom found in the north. - - Purea.--_Cassinia fluvida_ is a plentiful mountain plant on both islands. - - Rimu.--_Dacrydium laxifolium_ is abundant on the high mountains. - It is the smallest known pine in the world. - - Taubinu.--_Olearia nummularifolia_ is plentiful on the mountains of - the South Island, but is found less frequently in the north. - - Toatoa.--_Phylloctadus Alpinus_ is a sub-alpine tree, frequently met - with in both islands. - - Towai.--_Fagus fusca._ This is the largest and by far the most - attractive tree growing in the vicinity of the high mountains - of this portion of the island. It is somewhat stunted around - Tongariro, but attains to colossal size on the western slopes - of Mount Ruapehu. - - Tumigi.--_Leucopogon fasciculatus_ is a shrub having small, thick - leaves, with white underneath. It is very plentiful at Tongariro. - - Tutu.--_Coriaria mystifolia_ is common in mountains and dry places. - - Waewaekohu.--_Gleichenia dicarpa_ is a widely distributed mountain - plant. - -The _Gnaphalium bellidioides_ is a mountain plant met with in both -islands. This plant was the last sign of vegetable life on Tongariro, -where it grew up to an altitude of 6000 feet. I also found it growing -on Ruapehu, with the _Ligusticum aromaticum_, at an altitude of -7000 feet, where both these plants likewise formed the last sign of -vegetation. It is worthy of remark that the natives could give no names -for these latter species. - - -GRASSES. - - Kakaho.--_Arundo Australis._ A tall grass or reed, very common - around Lake Taupo. - - Karetu.--_Torresia redolens._ A sweet-smelling grass. - - Kopoupou.--_Scripus lacustrina._ A rush, frequent in the Lake - Country. - - Kurikuri.--A grass with a prickly flower-head, Western Taupo. - - Mata.--A reed-like grass. - - Matarauriki.--A tussock grass, Rangipo table-land. - - Mouka.--A wide-leaved grass. - - Ngawha.--Native bulrush, frequent in Lake Country. - - Oioi.--_Leptocarpus fasciculus._ A common rush. - - Otaota.--A thin grass. - - Parakerake.--A fine grass, frequent at Taupo and Rangipo table-land. - - Pouaka.--A fine grass, emitting, when bruised, a foetid smell; - found at Western Taupo. - - Pureirei.--A swamp-grass. - - Raupo.--_Typha latifolia._ A flag-rush, common everywhere in swamps - and banks of rivers; used by natives for building. - - Tarareke.--A flax-grass. - - Tarapuarere.--A flowering grass. - - Toetoekiwi.--A low, rush-like grass, frequent in swamps. - - Toetoe.--_Epicacris pauciflora._ A handsome cutting grass, common in - swampy places. - - Tupari.--A broad-leaved grass. - - Tutaikuri.--A swamp-grass, the native couch. - - Wi.--A fine grass, frequent around Lake Taupo. - - Wiwi.--A small swamp-rush. - - -MOSSES, FUNGI, AND LICHENS. - - Hakekakeka.--A brown, edible fungus. - - Harori.--A white, edible fungus. - - Haroritui.--A tree-fungus. - - Hawai.--A tree-fungus. - - Karerarera.--A slimy plant. - - Karengo.--A slimy plant, growing on stones in the water. - - Koukou.--A tree-moss. - - Kokirikiri wetu.--A globular fungus. - - Kopura.--A scented moss, frequent in forests of Whanganui. - - Maru.--Stag's-horn moss. - - Pukurau.--_Lycopodon fontainesii_. A fungus. - - Tikitiwhenua.--A toad-stool. - - -THE FAUNA. - -The almost total absence of land mammalia forms one of the most -remarkable features in the _fauna_ of New Zealand. Of this class New -Zealand can boast of only two genera: the bat--_pekapeka_ of the -natives, two species--and a small indigenous rat, the _kiore_, now -almost extinct. The author met with one or two specimens of the latter -animal at Ruakaka, in the King Country, but there, as in other parts of -the island, it has been mostly exterminated by the Norwegian or grey -rat. The _kararehe_, a native dog, the origin of which is uncertain, -has entirely passed away. Its remains, however, have been found with -those of the _moa_ in the limestone caves of the South Island. The -natives claim to have brought the _kiore_ with them on their migration -from Hawaiki, and it is likely that they may have imported the dog -at the same time, as a reference to it is made in connection with -their earliest traditions. Of the maritime mammalia both whales and -seals were formerly very numerous on the coast of the islands. There -are known to be eight kinds of whales, and three of seals. The total -absence of serpents and tortoises is again another notable feature. - - -BIRDS. - -By far the most attractive part of the New Zealand _fauna_ is the -birds, which include some of the most beautiful species of the -feathered tribe. Of these the following are among the most remarkable:-- - - Hihipopokero.--_Turdus albifrons._ A small brown bird with a white head. - - Hioi.--_Ptilocinctatis._ A ground-lark, very common on the plains of - the interior of North Island. - - Huia.--Genus _Melliphagus._ A black bird, about the size of a jay; it - has two little fleshy lappets under the beak: its tail feathers, - tipped with white, are much prized by the Maories as ornaments - for the hair. - - Hurukiwi.--A wild duck. - - Kahu.--_Falcon harpe._ A large hawk. - - Kaiaia.--A sparrow-hawk. - - Kaka.--_Nestor, meridionalis._ A largo greenish-brown parrot. The - author found this bird to be very common in the forests of the - Whanganui, where its harsh note was the first sound to break the - morning stillness. This family of parrots is characterized by an - aquiline or overlapping beak. - - Kakapo.--_Strigaps habroptilus._ A ground-parrot; colour, green and - yellow; it does not fly, although it has wings, but hops from branch - to branch; it is nocturnal in its habits. - - Kakariki.--_Platycerus Novæ Zealandiæ._ A pretty, green parrot. - - Karewarewa.--_Falco brunnea._ A quail-hawk. - - Katatai.--_Ralus assimilus._ A kind of rail. - - Kauau.--_Graculus carunculatus._ A shag or cormorant. - - Kea.--A large parrot, common in the South Island. It was formerly a - vegetarian, but in recent times it has developed a strong taste for - flesh, and has wrought great destruction among sheep flocks. The fat - surrounding the kidney appears to be its chief delight. Planting its - strong claws into the woolly loins of the live sheep, it, by the aid - of its powerful beak, pierces through those parts of the flesh and - fat around the kidney, which it greedily devours, while the animal - is powerless to resist its attacks. - - Kereru.--_Columbus spadicea._ A wood-pigeon. - - Kiwi.--Fam. _Struthionidæ._ (See Wingless Birds.) - - Kohihi.--_Endynamys taitensis._ A bird. - - Kohaperoa.--A bird of passage, the New Zealand cuckoo; it is a handsome - bird, spotted like the sparrow-hawk. - - Kokako.--The New Zealand crow. - - Kororeke.--The New Zealand quail. - - Koriniako.--Genus _Melliphagus._ The bell-bird, one of the sweetest - songsters. - - Kotare.--_Halcyon vagrans._ The king-fisher. - - Kotuku.--_Ardea flavirostris._ A large white crane. - - Koukou.--A small nocturnal owl, the "morepork" of the colonists. - - Kuruengo.--The shoveller, a duck of Lake Taupo. - - Mata.--A swamp-sparrow, a small brown bird with long tail feathers. - - Matuku.--_Botaurus melanotus._ A bittern. - - Mirmiro.--_Miro albifrons._ A small, graceful bird. - - Moa.--Fam. _Struthionidæ._ (See Wingless Birds.) - - Moakeroa.--A black bird with red bill and feet. - - Ngirungiru.--_Petroica macrocophala._ A tomtit. - - Parera.--_Anas superciliosa._ A wild duck. - - Pihana.--A little black and white bird. - - Pihoihoi.--The New Zealand ground-lark. - - Piwakawaka.--_Rhipidura flabellifera._ The fantail fly-catcher, a small - graceful bird with a spreading tail. - - Poaka.--_Himantopis._ Pied stilt. - - Popokatea.--_Orthornyx heteroalytus._ The New Zealand canary bird. - - Poporoihewa.--A snipe-like bird. - - Puetoeto.--A bird living in swamps. - - Pukeko.--_Porophyrino melanotus._ The swamp-hen; red bill and feet, - back black, breast bright blue. - - Putaugitange.--_Casarca variegata._ The paradise-duck. - - Riroriro.--Fam. _Luscindæ._ A small wren. - - Ruru.--_Strigidæ Athene._ An owl. - - Takupu.--A white gull. - - Tarapunga.--A small gull, frequenting Lake Taupo. - - Tatarihuka.--A small bird, held sacred by the Maories. - - Tatariki.--Fam. _Luscindæ._ A small bird. - - Tewakawaka.--Fam. _Rhipidura fuliginosa._ The black fantail. - - Titi.--_Palecanoides urinatrix._ The mutton-bird. - - Toetoe.--_Certhiparus Novæ Zealandiæ._ A small bird. - - Totoara.--The robin. - - Tui.--_Prosthemadera Novæ Zealandiæ._ The parson-bird. A beautiful - black bird, the size of a thrush; plumage a lustrous blue-black, - irradiated with green hues, pencilled with silver-grey, and white - delicate hair-feathers under the throat, suggestive of a parson's - tie. It has a melodious, clear note, and mocks other birds. It is - easily domesticated, and may be taught to talk. - - Weka.--_Ralus Australis._ A large rail, the wood-hen, frequently met - with on the high land of the interior. - - Wio.--The blue mountain duck. - - Wiorau.--A small grey duck, frequenting the forest streams. - - -SEA BIRDS. - -The sea birds inhabiting the coasts of New Zealand are fairly numerous, -and among them are two small kinds of penguin. - - Hawe.--A large gull, the tail-feathers of which are highly prized by - the natives. - - Hoiho.--_Eudyptes antipodes._ A small penguin, inhabiting the coasts of - the South Island. - - Kao.--A gull frequenting the shores at night. - - Karoro.--A gull. - - Kawan.--_Graculus carruculatus._ A shag or cormorant. - - Kuaka.--A small sea bird. - - Pekeha.--A gull. - - Pitoitoi.--A small sea bird. - - Taiko.--A gull. - - Takahikahi.--A sea-shore bird. - - Takupu.--A white gull. - - Tara.--_Lula Australis._ A sea swallow. - - Tarapunga.--A small, graceful gull, inhabiting Lake Taupo; very - numerous in the vicinity of Tokanu. - - Titipu.--A gull. - - Torea.--_Hæmatopus picatus._ The oyster-catcher; has red legs and beak. - - Toroa.--_Diomedia exulans,_ The albatross. - - -WINGLESS BIRDS. - -The almost extinct family of the _Struthionidæ_, or wingless birds, of -New Zealand, forms one of the most interesting features in the _fauna_ -of the country. All the members of this genus are wholly different from -the common types of birds. They are remarkable for short rudimentary -wings, entirely unfit for flight, and for bones nearly devoid of air -cells; the leg muscles are of unusual strength and thickness; the feet -are powerful and long, with three toes, while the plumage is composed -of light, shaggy feathers, almost resembling hair. Before its period -of extinction, the largest member of this family, known by tradition -to the natives as the _moa_, was the giant of the feathered tribe, -the height of the several species of this bird, as computed from its -remains, being as follows:--- - - Feet. Inches. - Dinornis Giganteus 11 0 - " Robustus 8 6 - " Elephantopus 6 8 - " Casuarinus 5 6 - " Crassus 5 0 - " Didiformus 4 8 - -Although the remains of all those birds are of extraordinary -proportions, the _Dinornis elephantopus_, or elephant-footed _moa_, -is distinguished by the singularly massive construction of its leg -bones. The sole remaining representative of these colossal birds is the -_apteryx_ or _kiwi_ of the natives. Of this genus there are several -species. The _Apteryx Australis_ was the first made known to science, -in 1812. The _Apteryx Mantelli_ differs from the former kind in its -smaller size, shorter toes, and longer bill and less developed wings, -while its plumage is of a somewhat darker colour. The _Apteryx Owenii_ -is slightly smaller than the former species, with a greyish plumage. -During his journey through the interior the author found the _kiwi_ to -be yet common in the Kaimanawa Mountains, the forests of the Whanganui, -in the mountainous districts of Western Taupo, and at Mount Pirongia. - - -REPTILES. - -In New Zealand the lizards are represented by eleven species, five of -which belong to the neat genus _Naultinus_. - - Kakariki.--_Naultinus elegans._ A beautiful green lizard, now rarely - found. - - Kakawariki.--_Naultinus punctatus._ A green lizard with yellow spots on - the back. - - Mokonui.--A large lizard, said by the natives to be common on the Upper - Whanganui. - - Tuatara.--_Halteria punctata._ A great fringed lizard, about eighteen - inches long. It is now only found on the small island of Karewha, - in the Bay of Plenty. - -Around Lake Taupo the author found small brown lizards, about two -inches long; and at Pangarara, near Tongariro, lizards eight inches -long, of a dark-brown colour. - - -INSECTS. - -The insect life of New Zealand is represented by many curious forms. - - Anule.--A large caterpillar. - - Aweto.--A caterpillar which feeds on the _kumara_. - - Hara.--A large centipede, nearly six inches long. - - Hataretare.--Slug-snail. - - Hawate.--Caterpillar. - - Heire.--Maggot. - - Hotete.--_Sphæria Robertsi._ The vegetating caterpillar. - - Howaka.--A cerambyx. - - Huhu.--A boring grub. - - Huhu.--A moth. - - Hurangi.--A fly. - - Kukaraiti.--A grasshopper. - - Kapapa.--A large cerambyx. - - Kapokapowai.--A dragon-fly. - - Katipo.--A venomous spider, one kind red and one black, with a red spot - on the back. - - Keha.--A flea. - - Kekeriru.--_Cimex nemoralis._ A large black wood-bug. - - Kekerewai.--A small green beetle. - - Kihikihi.--A grasshopper. - - Kiriwhenua.--A garden bug. - - Kopi.--Chrysalis. - - Kowhitiwhiti.--A small grasshopper. - - Kurikuri.--A grub which turns into a green, bronzed beetle. - - Kutu.--Louse. - - Mokoroa.--A large caterpillar. - - Mumatana.--A large brown beetle. - - Naenae.--Mosquito. - - Namu.--Sand-fly. - - Ngata.--Leech. - - Ngaungau.--Midge. - - Papapapa.--Small brown beetle. - - Pepeaweto.--The grub which begets the _hotete_, or vegetating - caterpillar. - - Pepeatua.--Butterfly. - - Pepeturia.--Large green moth. - - Puawere.--Spider. - - Purehurehu.--Large butterfly. - - Puwerewere.--Spider. - - Rango.--Large meat-fly. - - Tarakihi.--Locust. - - Titiwai.--Small luminous earthworm. - - Toke.--A very long worm. - - Kokoriro.--Large red _weta_. - - Weta.--_Deinacrida heteracantha._ A beetle two and a half inches in - length. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote 75: Mr. G.W. Griffin, United States' Consul at Auckland, -whose valuable reports upon the various commercial products of New -Zealand have been recently printed by authority of the New Zealand -Government, is the author of a very interesting paper upon the economic -uses of this tree.] - - - - -A BRIEF REFERENCE TO THE MAORI LANGUAGE. - -The Maori alphabet is composed of fourteen letters, namely:-- - -_Consonants._ - -H, K, M, N, P, R, T, W, NG. - -_Vowels._ - -A, E, I, O, U. - -_Diphthongs._ - -aa, ae, ai, ao, au, ee, ei, ii, oo, ou, uu. - - _Vowels._ _Sound._[76] - a as _a_ in f_a_ther - e as _a_ in f_a_re. - i as _ee_ in sl_ee_p. - o as _o_ in m_o_le. - u as _oo_ in sh_oo_t. - - _Consonants._ _How named._ - h _ha._ - k _ka._ - m _ma._ - n _na._ - p _pa._ - r _ra._ - t _ta._ - w _wa._ - ng _nga._ - - -THE PARTS OF SPEECH. - - -_The Article._ - -_Te_ is the definite article, _nga_ is its plural; as, _te whare_, the -house; _nga whare_, the houses. - -The indefinite articles are _he_ and _tetahi_, a, an, or some; the -plural of _tetahi_ is _etahi_, as _he kuri_, a dog; _tetahi hoe_, a -paddle; _etahi waka_, canoes or some canoes. - - -_The Noun._ - -The noun has two numbers, the singular and the plural, the plural being -formed by the article _nga_ prefixed to the singular; as, _Te tamaiti_, -the child; _nga tamaiti_, the children. - - -_Adjectives._ - -The adjective does not precede the noun, as in English, but is placed -immediately after it; as, _he rakau roa_, a tree long. - - -_Pronouns._ - -The personal pronouns are:-- - - {1st person, _ahau_ or _au_, I. - Singular {2nd " _koe_, thou. - {3rd " _ia_, he, she, or it. - - {1st person, _tatau_ or _matou_, we. - Plural {2nd " _koutou_, ye. - {3rd " _ratou_, they. - - -_Possessive Pronouns._ - - _Tahu_, mine or my. - _Ta taua_, _ta maua_, _ta tatou_, or _ta matou_, ours. - _Tau_, thine or thy. - _Ta korua_, or _ta koutou_, yours. - _Tana_, his. - _Ta raua_, or _ta ratau_, theirs. - - -_Relative Pronouns._ - -In the Maori there is no distinct form. - - -_Demonstrative Pronouns._ - - _Singular._ _Plural._ - _Tenei_, this. Enei or _anei_. - _Tena_, that (next). _Ena._ - _Tera_, that (farther off). _Era._ - _Taua_, that (before mentioned). _Ana._ - _Ia_, that. - - -_Interrogative Pronouns._ - -There are three, viz.:-- - -_Wai_, who; _Aha_, what; _tehea_ or _ehea_, which. - - -_Verbs._ - -These are of three kinds, active, neuter, and causative, each of which -admits of the passive voice. - -The passive is formed by adding to the active one of the following -terminations:--_a_, _ia_, _tia_, _hia_, _kia_, _ria_, _na_, _ina_, -_ngia_. - -The causative verb is formed by the prefix _whaka_. - -_Tenses._ - -The present tense is formed by _ka_ before the verb, or by _e_ before -and _ana_ after it. - -The past tense is formed by the prefix _i_. - -The future tense is formed by the prefix _ka_, _e_, and _tera_. - - -_Adverbs._ - - _Ae_, yes, affirmation. - _Kahore_, no, not, on the contrary. - _Ekore_, not. - _Au_ or _aua_, I do not know. - _Inakaura_, a little while ago. - _Inapo_, last night. - _Inanahi_, yesterday. - _Inaoake_, day before yesterday. - _Aianei_, to-day, now, presently. - _Pea_, perhaps, indeed, of course. - _Ko_, then, thither. - _Konei_, here, this place, this time. - _Ake_, upwards, onwards. - _Atu_, onwards, away. - _Iho_, downwards, up above, from above. - _Mai_, hither. - _Tua_, behind, rather. - _Mua_, before. - _Roto_, within, the inside place, inland. - _Waho_, without, the outside. - _Puku_, secretly, without speaking. - _Niamata_, in former times. - _Meake_, soon, presently. - _Ahea_, when, at what time. - _Pehea_, how, in what way. - _Oti_ else, in question, then. - _Ata_, gently, deliberately. - _Marie_, quietly. - _Hanuga_, besides, not. - _Kau_, only, alone. - _Ki_, very. - _Ara_, namely. - - -_Prepositions._ - - _E_, by. - _O_, of, belonging to. - _Whaka_, towards, in the direction of. - _To_, up to, as far as. - _U_, according to. - _Kei_, at, on, in, with. - _Hei_, for, at; of time or place, to. - _No_, from, belonging to. - _Mo_, for, because of, on account of. - _Roto_, inside, within. - _Waho_, outside, without. - _Tua_, other side. - _Tata_, near. - - -_Conjunctions._ - - _A_, and, as far as, there. - _Koia_, therefore. - _Oti_, or _Otira_, but, at the same time. - _Ahakoa_, although, nevertheless. - _Hoki_, also, for, because. - _Notema_, because. - - -_Interjections._ - - _Na_, or _nana_, behold! see! - _E_, or _O_! oh! - _Aue_, alas! - _Taukiri_, exclamation of surprise. - - -_Numerals._ - - _Tahi_, one. - _Rua_, two. - _Toru_, three. - _Wha_, four. - _Rima_, five. - _Ono_, six. - _Whitu_, seven. - _Waru_, eight. - _Iwa_, nine. - _Tekau_, or _nga huru_, ten - _Tekau ma tahi_, eleven. - _Tekau ma rua_, twelve. - _Tekau ma toru_, thirteen. - _Tekau ma wha_, fourteen. - _Tekau ma rima_, fifteen. - _Tekau ma ono_, sixteen. - _Tekau ma whitu_, seventeen. - _Tekau ma waru_, eighteen. - _Tekau ma iwa_, nineteen. - _Rua tekau_, twenty. - _Rua tekau ma tahi_, twenty-one. - _Toru tekau_, thirty. - _Toru tekau ma tahi_, thirty-one. - _Wha tekau_, forty. - _Wha tekau ma tahi_, forty-one. - _Rima tekau_, fifty. - _Rima tekau ma tahi_, fifty-one. - _Ono tekau_, sixty. - _Whitu tekau_, seventy. - _Waru tekau_, eighty. - _Iwa tekau_, ninety. - _Ko tahi rau_, one hundred. - _Ko tahi rau ma tahi_, one hundred and one. - _Rua rau_, two hundred. - _Toru rau_, three hundred. - _Wha rau_, four hundred. - _Rima rau_, five hundred. - _Ono rau_, six hundred. - _Whitu rau_, seven hundred. - _Waru rau_, eight hundred - _Iwa rau_, nine hundred. - _Ko tahi mano_, one thousand. - _Ko tahi mano ma tahi_, one thousand and one. - _Rua mano_, two thousand. - - -_Ordinal Numbers._ - - _Te tahi_, or _tuatahi_, the first. - _Te rua_, or _tuarua_, the second. - _Te tekau_, the tenth. - _Te tekau ma tahi_, the eleventh. - _Te rua tekau_, the twentieth. - _Te toru tekau_, the thirtieth. - _Te rau_, the hundredth. - _Te rua o nga rau_, the two hundredth. - - -_Useful Verbs._ - - To be able, _ahei_. - To add, _hono_. - To assemble, _huihui_. - To ask, _inoi_. - To believe, _whakapono_. - To boil, _koropupu_. - To burn, _tahu_. - To call, _karanga_. - To carry, _kawe_. - To be calm, _aio_. - To clean, _horoi_. - To clear, _para_. - To count, _tatau_. - To curse, _kanga_. - To cut off, _tope_. - To cut (in two), _pounto_. - To desire, _hiahia_. - To dig, _ko_. - To dive, _ruku_. - To divide, _wehewehe_. - To drive, _whiu_. - To drink, _inu_. - To eat, _kai_. - To enter, _tomo_. - To entrap, _reti_. - To exchange _hokohoko_. - To fetch, _tiki_. - To fell (timber), _tua_. - To fish, _hi_. - To float, _taupua_. - To gather, _kohikohi_. - To go, _haere_. - To be healed, _mahu_. - To hear, _rongo_. - To hide, _huma_. - To imitate, _whakatau_. - To jest, _hangarau_. - To kill, _patu_. - To lead, _arabi_. - To light, _whakamarama_. - To light up, _hopai_. - To listen, _whakarongo_. - To look, _rimi_. - To make, _hauga_. - To measure, _wharite_. - To murder, _kohuru_. - To pay, _utu_. - To plant, _whakato_. - To play, _takaro_. - To plunder, _muru_. - To pray, _muru_. - To run, _oma_. - To rest, _okioki_. - To see, _kite_. - To sell, _hoko_. - To sew, _tui_. - To shine, _tiaho_. - To sing, _waiata_. - To speak, _ki_. - To stop, _whakamutu_. - To be able, _ahei_. - To sow, _rui_. - To swim, _kaukoe_. - To take, _tango_. - To teach, _ako_. - To undo, _wewete_. - To watch, _mataara_. - To wash, _horoi_. - To work, _mahi_. - To understand, _mohio_. - - -_Useful Nouns._ - - Abyss, _torere_. - Anger, _riri_. - Boundary, _rohe_. - Bridge, _arawhata_. - Canoe, _waka_. - Carving, _whakairo_. - Child, _tamahiti_. - Council, _runanga_. - Dance, _haka_. - Daylight, _awatea_. - Dog, _kuri_. - Door, _tatau_. - Dust, _nehu_. - Egg, _hua_. - Eel, _koiro_. - Feather, _how_. - Fence, _taiepa_. - Firewood, _ahi_. - Floor-mat, _takapau_. - Ford, _kauranga_. - Girdle, _tatua_. - Hand, _ringaringa_. - Heat, _pukaka_. - Hatchet, _patiti_. - Jealousy, _hae_. - Lake, _roto_. - Landing-place, _tauranga_. - Man, _tangata_. - Mind, _hinengaro_. - Plain, _raorao_. - Precipice, _pari_. - Proverb, _whakatauki_. - Priest, _ariki_. - Rope, _whakaheke_. - Row, _rarangi_. - Seaside, _tatahi_. - Ship, _kaipuke_. - Shoal, _tahuna_. - Skin, _hiako_. - Sky, _rangi_. - Smoke, _auahi_. - Song, _waiata_. - Spear, _tao_. - Speech, _reo_. - Sport, _takaro_. - Spring of water, _puna_. - Steam, _korohu_. - Summit, _teitei_. - Tree, _rakau_. - Valley, _wharua_. - Verandah, _whakamahau_. - Water, _wai_. - Waterfall, _wairere_. - Woman, _wahine_. - Year, _tau_. - - -_Useful Adjectives._ - - Abundant, _ranea_. - Afraid, _wehi_. - Aged, _kaumatua_. - Ashamed, _whakama_. - Bad, _kino_. - Bald, _pakira_. - Black, _pango_. - Blind, _matapo_. - Brave, _maia_. - Bright, _kanapa_. - Broad, _whanui_. - Calm, _marino_. - Carved, _whakairo_. - Concealed, _huna_. - Conceited, _whakahihi_. - Confused, _porauraha_. - Damp, _maku_. - Dark, _pouri_. - Deep, _hohonu_. - Deceitful, _hangarau_. - Dry, _maroke_. - Fat, _momona_. - False, _horihori_. - Good, _pai_. - Great, _Nui_. - Hard, _pakeke_. - Heavy, _toimaha_. - High, _teiti_. - Hot, _wera_. - Idle, _mangere_. - Light, _mama_. - Loose, _korokoro_. - Narrow, _whaiti_. - Near, _tutata_. - New, _hou_. - Noisy, _turituri_. - Open, _tuwhera_. - Playful, _takaro_. - Quarrelsome, _pakani_. - Quick, _kakama_. - Quiet, _marie_. - Red, _whero_. - Ripe, _pakari_. - Round, _porotaka_. - Salt, _mataitai_. - Shallow, _pakupaku_. - Sharp, _koi_. - Short, _poto_. - Slippery, _pahekeheke_. - Slow, _ngoikore_. - Small, _iti_. - Soft, _ngawari_. - Sour, _kawa_. - Strong, _kaha_. - Tall, _roa_. - Tame, _rarata_. - Thick, _matotoru_. - Thin, _heroki_. - Timid, _wehi_. - True, _pono_. - Uncooked, _kaimata_. - Wasteful, _maumau_. - Weak, _iwikore_. - Wet, _maku_. - White, _ma_. - Winding, _awhiowhio_. - Wild, _maka_. - Wearisome, _hoha_. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote 76: It may be set down as a general rule, to which there are, -however, some few exceptions, that Maori words are always accented -on the _first_ syllable, but compound words, or words which have the -dissyllabic root doubled, have a secondary accent on the second portion -of the word.] - - - - -INDEX. - - - Alexandra, 17, 44. - - Amnesty Act, The, 10. - - Animals introduced by the Maories, 71. - - _Aotea_ canoe, The, 70. - - AOTEA Harbour, 44. - - AOTEAROA, Meaning of, 33 - - Apteryx, The, 317. - - _Arawa_ canoe, The, 70. - - ARAWAS, The, 68. - - Area of the King Country, 1. - - ARIKI KAPAKAPA, 62. - - Ascent of Pirongia, 36. - - ---- Ruapehu, 199, 237. - - ---- Tongariro, 179. - - Atea-Amuri, 112. - - AUCKLAND, 46. - - Aukati, The, 1, 44, 328. - - Australasian volcanoes, The, 195. - - - Bathing at the hot springs, 58. - - ---- at Te Koutu, 67. - - ----, the pleasures of, 98. - - Bay of Plenty, The, 48. - - Big Geyser, The, 121. - - Birds, 358. - - Birds, Measurements of, 318. - - Botany, 350. - - Boundaries of the King Country, 1. - - Bridal Veil Fall, The, 244. - - Bryce, Mr., 10. - - - Cambridge, 44. - - Cameron, General, 6. - - ---- at the Gate Pa, 51. - - Camp of TAWHIAO, The, 20. - - ---- on Ruapehu, 210. - - Canoes, The seven, 70. - - Caterpillar, The vegetating, 83. - - Chemical constituents of the springs, 63. - - Coast-line of the King Country, 2. - - Coffee-pot, The, 64. - - CONFISCATIONS, The, 7. - - Crater lakes, 147, - - ---- of Te Tarata, 97. - - ---- of Tongariro, The, 191. - - Cream Cups, 64. - - Crown of Ruapehu, The, 221. - - - Davis, Mr. C.O., 68. - - Descent of Tongariro, 195. - - Devil's Hole, The, 102. - - Discoverer of New Zealand, The first Maori, 70. - - Dismal Swamp, 268. - - Distribution of the tribes, 349. - - - Eagle's Nest, The, 119. - - Earliest discoverers, The, 68. - - Entomology, 364. - - EXPLORERS OF THE KING COUNTRY, 4. - - - Fauna, 358. - - Ferns, 354. - - Flora, 350. - - Flute of Tutanekai, 76. - - Fungi, 357. - - - Gas in the pools, 120. - - Gate Pa, The, 51. - - Genealogy of Tawhiao, 343. - - Generations, The Maori, 71. - - Geology of the King Country, 3. - - ---- of Pirongia, 40. - - ---- of the Taupo region, 140. - - Geysers, 49, 62, 100, 109, 111, 116, 162. - - Giant Rocks, The, 219. - - Glacier on Ruapehu, The, 247. - - Glowworms, The, 82. - - Grasses, 357. - - Greenstone, The, 22. - - Grey, Sir George, 9, 15, 47. - - - Hamilton, 44. - - Hapurangi, 110. - - Hariki Kapakapa, 109. - - HATI WIRA TAKAHI, 37. - - Hauhaus, The, 276. - - Haurungaroa Mountains, The, 305. - - Haurungatahi, 287. - - Hawaiki, The fatherland of, 69. - - Hemo Gorge, The, 110. - - Hengia, 326. - - HIKURANGI, The meeting at, 7. - - Hinemoa, The legend of, 78. - - Hinepareoterangi, 273. - - HOCHSTETTER'S EXPLORATION, 4, 304. - - HONE TE WETERE, 23. - - Hongi, The, 309. - - Horohoro, 110. - - Horomatangi, 166. - - Horses, Our, 135. - - Horseshoe Fall, The, 242. - - Hot springs, 56, 98, 101, 107, 109, 111, 117, 162, 193, 297. - - Hotete, The, 83. - - Huata, A, 292. - - Huka Falls, The, 116, 125. - - Hurakia Mountains, The, 305. - - Hursthouse affair, The, 135. - - Hurutirangi, 76. - - Hymn of the Hauhaus, 280. - - - Insects, 364. - - - Jade ornaments, 22. - - - Kahakaharoa, 316. - - KAHOTAWA Spring, The, 66. - - Kai, 102. - - Kaimanawa Mountains, The, 229. - - Kainga, A, 329. - - Kakaramea Ranges, The, 161. - - Kakariki Geyser, The, 102. - - Kakepuku, 18. - - Karangahape, 306. - - Karioi, 254. - - Karioi, Mount, 44. - - KAWAU, 47. - - KAWHIA Harbour, 43. - - Ketetahi, 299. - - Kihikihi, 44. - - King's address, The, 33. - - Kings of the Maories, The, 343. - - Kiriohinekai, The, 124. - - Kiwi, The, 317. - - Korero at Manga-o-Rongo, 329. - - ----, The, at Whatiwhatihoe, 27. - - Kuiti Mountains, The, 331. - - _Kurahaupo_ canoe, The, 70. - - Kuruaro, 76. - - Kuwharua, 301. - - - Lake Country, The, 46. - - Lament for Te Heuheu, 165. - - ---- of Te Kooti, 279. - - Land Court, The, 313. - - Language, The, 364. - - Legend of the Huka Falls, 130. - - ---- Rotua, The, 282. - - ---- Tongariro, The, 181. - - Lichens, 357. - - Lizard, A gigantic, 319. - - Lizards, 364. - - Love song, A, 80. - - - McLean, Sir Donald, 9. - - Mamanui, 233. - - Mammalia, 358. - - MANAWAPOU, RUNANGA at, 5. - - Mangakara, The, 307. - - Mangakino, The, 321. - - Mangakowiriwiri, 320. - - Manganui-a-te-Ao, The, 270, 284. - - Manga-o-Rongo, 329. - - MANGA REWI, 23, 25, 347. - - Mangatotara, The, 267. - - Mangatuku, The, 267, 329. - - MANGOREWA Gorge, The, 54. - - Manuka-trees at Wairakei, 119. - - Manutarere, 329. - - Maories, The, 11. - - ----, their cheerfulness, 322. - - ----, cause of their decay, 291. - - ----, fatherland of the, 69. - - ----, their language, 364. - - ----, their life, 133. - - ----, their mode of fighting, 292. - - ----, murder of a girl, 231. - - ----, their origin, 68. - - ----, their numbers, 11. - - ----, a typical speech, 33. - - ----, tribes of the, 71. - - _Mata-Atua_ canoe, The, 70. - - MATENE TE WHIWI, 5. - - MAUNGAKAWA, 44. - - MAUNGATAUTARI, 44. - - Maunsell, Archdeacon, 344. - - Mere, use of the, 294. - - ----, sketch of a, 311. - - Mineral wealth of the Kaimanawas, 236. - - Moa, 317. - - Moffat, the murder of, 273. - - Mohi, 311. - - Mokaikai, The, 326. - - Mokia, Island of, 77. - - Morning on Ruapehu, 214. - - Moss, Mr. F.J., 41. - - Mosses, 357. - - Motuoapa, 159. - - Motutaiko, 166. - - Motutere, 158. - - Murimotu Plains, The, 253. - - - Napier mail, The, 256, - - Natives Reserves Act, The, 9. - - New Zealand War, The, 6, 51, 345. - - Ngahapu, 100. - - NGAPUHI, a chief of the, 40. - - Ngatihau legend, 130. - - NGATIPROA, chief of the, 39. - - NGATIRUANUI, The, 5. - - NGATITEMATERA, a chief of the, 42. - - NGATITOA, a chief of the, 38. - - Ngatituwharetoa, The, 130, 164, 333. - - Ngatiwhakaue, The, 68. - - Ngatoroirangi, 181, 255. - - Ngatokorua Pa, 281. - - Ngauruhoe, 182. - - Ngongotaha, 65. - - - Ohinemutu, 56. - - Okarewa, 307. - - Onetapu Desert, The, 232. - - Orakeikorako, 111. - - Origin of the Maories, 68. - - Ornithology, 358. - - Oropi, 53. - - Oruapuraho Valley, The, 315. - - - Paeroa Mountains, The, 111. - - Pakihi, 265. - - Pangarara, 177 - - PAORA TU HAERE, 34. - - PARATENE TE MANU, 40. - - Parekura, 283. - - Patara te Tuhi, 347. - - Pehi Hetau Turoa, 288. - - PIG, Tragedy of a, 61. - - Pihanga Mount, 169. - - Pink Terrace, The, 105. - - Piritana, The, 82. - - PIRONGIA, 3, 18. - - ----, ascent of, 36. - - Plants of New Zealand, 352. - - ---- introduced by the Maories, 71. - - POHAERE, 20. - - Pohaturoa, 112. - - Point Victoria, 227. - - Political State of the King Country, 3. - - POTATAU I., 6. - - POTATAU II., 6. - - Pouotepiki, 308. - - Pukaki, 71. - - Pukeakikiore, 306. - - PUKEROA, 56. - - Pumice plains, The, 114. - - Puniu, The, 325. - - Puruohutaiki, 71. - - Putauaki, 91. - - - Rangihewa, 88. - - Rangipo table-land, The, 169. - - Rangariri Pa, 345, 348. - - Rangitanua, 264. - - Rangitauaiti, 264. - - Rangitoto, 47. - - ---- Ranges, The, 331. - - Rangituku, 306. - - RATA Trees, The, 41. - - Rauporoa Forest, The, 82. - - Reptiles, 364. - - Rivers of Lake Taupo, The, 142. - - ROTOHIKO HAUPAPA, 60. - - Rotoiti Lake, 62. - - Rotokakahi, 84. - - Rotomahana, 94, 103. - - Roto Ngaio, 155. - - ROTORUA, Lake, 56. - - Rotua, The legend of, 282. - - Ruakaka, 269. - - RUAPEHU, 3, 287. - - ----, first ascent of, 199. - - ----, second ascent of, 237. - - ----, flora of, 355. - - Runanga at Pouotepiki, 310. - - ---- at Te Ruapeka, 71. - - - Salute, The, 309. - - Sheep station at Karioi, 254. - - Shrubs, 352. - - Silica formations at Te Otukapurangi, 106. - - ---- at Te Tarata, 95. - - Skeleton buried in a tree, 77. - - Sophia the guide, 89. - - Sowthistle as food, The, 313. - - Springs, Hot, 56, 98, 101, 107, 109, 111, 117, 162, 193, 297. - - Stations of the tribes, 349. - - Stone axes, 329. - - Storm on Ruapehu, 211. - - Struthious birds, heights of, 318. - - Sulphur Cups, The, 64. - - ---- Point, 63. - - ---- pools, 123. - - Summit of Ruapehu, The, 223. - - Sunrise on Ruapehu, 213. - - - Tahuatahi, 118. - - _Tainui_ canoe, The, 70. - - _Takitumu_ canoe, The, 70. - - Tama te Kapua, 73. - - ---- Turaki, 282. - - Tangi, The, 309. - - TAPU, its meaning, 4. - - Tapuwaeharuru, 136. - - TARANAKI, 3. - - ---- confiscation, The, 7. - - Tarawera, Lake, 87. - - ----, Mount, 91. - - Taupo, Lake, 139, 304. - - TAURANGA, 48. - - ---- Taupo, 159. - - TAWHIAO, King, 9, 15, 20, 343. - - Te Ana Taipo, 102. - - Te Ariki, 92. - - Tehatepe, 156. - - Te Hau, 178. - - Te Henga, 169. - - TE HEUHEU, 5, 6, 164, 297. - - Te Heuheu of Tokanu, 310. - - Te Huka, 102. - - Te Kaina Valley, The, 308. - - Te Karapiti, 125. - - Te Kauhanga, 63. - - TE KAUWHANGA, 64. - - Te Kohae Point, 156. - - TE KOOTI, 7, 14, 278, 334, 348. - - TE KOPUA, Meeting at, 9. - - Te Koutu, 65. - - Te Kupe, 70. - - Te Mahuki's outbreak, 136. - - Temple at Te Ruapeka, 71. - - TE NGAKAU, 23. - - Te Otukapurangi, 105. - - Te Pakaru Plain, The, 301. - - Te Pareoterangi, 272. - - Te Pirori, 162. - - Te Porere, 299. - - Te Poroporo, 157. - - Te Pupunitanga, 64. - - TE RAIA NGAKUTU, 43, 348. - - Terangakaikha Forest, The, 261. - - Terania, 307. - - Terekirike, 118. - - Terraces, The, 94. - - TE RUAPEKA, 57, 68. - - Te Takapo, 103. - - Te Tarata, 94. - - Tetauranga, 325. - - Te Tihoi Plains, The, 319. - - Te Tokapo, 100. - - Te Toto Ranges, The, 324. - - TE TUHI, 30. - - Te Wairoa, 85. - - Te Whakataratara, 104. - - Te Whatapohu, 102. - - TE WHEORO, Major, 22, 28, 346. - - TE WHEU, 259. - - TE WHITI, 14, 278. - - Thorny plant, A, 230. - - Tikitapu, 84. - - Tikitere, 62. - - Time, Maori method of reckoning, 332. - - Titiraupenga, 3, 320. - - _Tokomaru_ canoe, The, 70. - - Tokanu, 161. - - TONGARIRO, 3, 7, 179, 296. - - ----, flora of, 355. - - Towai, Mount, 286. - - Trachytic lava bed, 240. - - Traditions of the Maories, 68. - - Tree ferns, 355. - - Trees, 350. - - ---- in the pumice, 177. - - ---- in the Terangakaikha Forest, 261. - - Tribes of the Maories, 70. - - ---- at Manga-o-Rongo, 332. - - ---- on the Whanganui, 276. - - ---- and their localities, 349. - - TUATARA, The, 49. - - TUKUKINO, 42, 348. - - TUPUHI Spring, The, 65. - - Turner, Mr. J.A., 134. - - Tutanekai, 76. - - TU TAWHIAO, 22. - - Twin Waterfalls, The, 246. - - - Uenuku, 277. - - Uenukukopako, 76. - - Upper Waikato, The, 143, 160, 174, 249. - - - Vegetating caterpillar, The, 83. - - Victoria Point, 227. - - View from Ruapehu, The, 225. - - Vocabulary, 364. - - Volcanic origin of the rocks, 144. - - Volcanoes in Australasia, 195. - - - Wahanui, 23, 347. - - Waihaha, The, 316. - - Waihohonu Valley, The, 186. - - Waihora, The, 319. - - Waikanapanapa, 101. - - Waikato, The, 115, 146, 151. - - ----, The Upper, 143, 160, 174, 249. - - ---- confiscation, The, 6. - - Waikite Geyser, The, 65. - - Waikomiko, The, 319. - - Waimarino, The, 287. - - Waipa River, The, 2, 339. - - Waipapa, 324. - - Waipahihi, The, 154. - - Waipari, The, 325. - - Wairakei, 115. - - Wairoa, The, 85. - - Waitahanui, The, 154. - - Waitangi, The treaty of, 344. - - Water-shed, A curious, 249. - - Weapons, 292. - - Whakarewarewa, 64. - - WHAKARI, 48. - - Whakarra, 76. - - Whakatira, 76. - - Whale, Legend of the, 74. - - WHANGA Ranges, The, 44. - - Whangaehu, The, 237. - - Whanganui River, The, 2. - - ---- ----, source of the, 296. - - ---- tribes, The, 276. - - Whangapipiro, 63. - - Wharangi shrub, The, 269. - - WHARES at Ohinemutu, The, 57. - - WHATIWHATIHOE, Meeting at, 10, 19. - - Whistling Geyser, The, 119. - - White Island, 48. - - ---- Terrace, The, 95. - - WHITIORA, 23, 348. - - - - - LONDON: - - PRINTED BY GILBERT AND RIVINGTON, LIMITED, - - ST. JOHN'S SQUARE. - - -[Illustration: - - SKETCH MAP - OF - EXPLORATIONS - MADE IN THE - KING COUNTRY - BY - J.H. KERRY-NICHOLLS - 1883] - -Transcibers note: -The folowing printers errors have been corrected; -turqoise/turquoise -varions/various -puposes/purposes - -The following place/proper names have been corrected on the advise of -proofreaders and after cross-referencing within the text and on-line. - -tangate to tangata -Kamianawa to Kaimanawa -Perongia to Pirongia -Tuatard to Tuatara -Te Motopuke to Te Motupuke -Kakaramia Ranges to Kakaramea Ranges - -Other possible errors, because of doubt, have been left unaltered. -We hope our kiwi cousins will forgive us. - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The King Country; or, Explorations in -New Zealand, by J. H. 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H. Kerry-Nicholls - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: The King Country; or, Explorations in New Zealand - A Narrative of 600 Miles of Travel Through Maoriland. - -Author: J. H. Kerry-Nicholls - -Release Date: October 10, 2016 [EBook #53244] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE KING COUNTRY--NEW ZEALAND *** - - - - -Produced by Steven Gibbs,Graeme Mackreth and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - -</pre> - -<div class="hidehand"> -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/cover.jpg" alt="cover" /> -</p> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/king_tawhiao.jpg" alt="KING TAWHIAO." /> -<a id="king_tawhiao" name="king_tawhiao"></a> -</p> -<p class="caption">KING TAWHIAO.</p> - - - - - -<h1> -THE KING COUNTRY;</h1> - -<p class="ph5">OR,</p> - -<p class="ph2">EXPLORATIONS IN NEW ZEALAND.</p> - -<p class="ph3"><i>A NARRATIVE OF 600 MILES OF TRAVEL THROUGH -MAORILAND.</i></p> - -<p class="ph5">BY</p> - -<p class="ph4">J.H. KERRY-NICHOLLS.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/title.jpg" alt="author" /> -<a id="title" name="title"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption"> THE AUTHOR.</p> - -<p class="ph4">WITH NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS AND A MAP.</p> - -<p class="ph5"><i>SECOND EDITION.</i></p> - -<p class="center" style ="margin-top: 5em;"> -<img src="images/illus01.jpg" alt="london" /> -</p> - - -<p class="ph5">SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON, SEARLE, & RIVINGTON,</p> -<p class="ph5">CROWN BUILDINGS, 188, FLEET STREET.</p> - -<p class="ph5">1884</p> - -<p class="ph5">[<i>All rights reserved.</i>] -</p> - - -<p class="ph4" style="margin-top: 10em;"> -THIS WORK IS DEDICATED<br /> -BY PERMISSION<br /> -TO</p> - -<p class="ph3">SIR GEORGE GREY, K.C.B., F.R.S.,</p> - -<p class="ph4">WHOSE CAREER<br /> -AS GOVERNOR, STATESMAN, ORATOR, AUTHOR, AND EXPLORER,<br /> -HAS SHED LUSTRE<br /> -UPON<br /> - -THE HISTORY OF AUSTRALASIA. -</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_vii" id="Page_vii">[Pg vii]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2><a name="PREFACE" id="PREFACE">PREFACE.</a></h2> - - -<p class="drop"><span class="uppercase">In</span> publishing this record of travel, I have deemed it advisable -to arrange my narrative under four principal divisions. In the -introductory portion I refer to the leading physical features of that -part of the North Island of New Zealand known as the King Country, -relate the leading incidents connected with its history, describe the -condition of the native race, and explain the object with which my -journey was undertaken. The succeeding chapters deal with my visit to -the Maori King when presenting my credentials from Sir George Grey -at the tribal gathering held at Whatiwhatihoe in October, 1882. The -description of the Lake Country includes my route from Tauranga, on -the East Coast, to Wairakei, and which led me through the marvellously -interesting region familiarly termed the Wonderland of New Zealand, -while in the pages embracing my explorations in the King Country -I record events as they occurred from day to day over a lengthy -journey which was delightful on account of its novelty and variety, -and exciting by reason of the difficulties, both as regards natural -obstacles inseparable from the exploration of an unknown region under<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_viii" id="Page_viii">[Pg viii]</a></span> -the unfavourable conditions by which I was constrained to carry it out, -and the deep-rooted jealousy of the native race against the intrusion -of Europeans into a portion of the island which is considered by them -to be exclusively Maori territory.</p> - -<p>When it is considered that in company only with my interpreter, and -with but three horses—ultimately reduced to two—and with what scant -provisions we could carry, I accomplished considerably over 600 miles -of travel, discovered many new rivers and streams, penetrated almost -inaccessible regions of mountainous forest, found extensive areas of -open plains suitable for European settlement, traced the sources of -three of the principal rivers of the colony, examined the unknown -shores of its largest lake, ascended one of the highest mountains of -the southern hemisphere, experienced degrees of temperature varying -from 80° in the shade to 12° below freezing-point, and successfully -traversed from South to North, through its entire length, a territory -with an area of 10,000 square miles, and which had been from the early -history of the colony rigorously closed to Europeans by the hostility -of the native tribes, it may be readily seen that the explorations, by -their varied nature, disclose many important facts hitherto unknown -concerning a vast and beautiful portion of New Zealand; and while they -cannot fail to prove of practical utility to the colony, they will, I -venture to think, be a welcome addition to geographical science.</p> - -<p>The map appended to this work may be said to form<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_ix" id="Page_ix">[Pg ix]</a></span> the most complete -chart of the interior of the North Island as yet published. Up to the -present time the extensive territory embraced by the King Country has, -owing to the obstruction of the natives, never been surveyed, and -consequently many of its remarkable physical features have remained -unknown, the existing maps of this part of the colony being mere -outlines. As, therefore, considerably more than half of the country -traversed was through a region which was, to all intents and purposes, -a <i>terra incognita</i> from the commencement of my journey, I adopted a -system of barometrical measurements and topographical observations, and -thus secured a supply of valuable material, which I mapped out from day -to day, while the names of mountains, rivers, valleys, and lakes were -obtained from the natives by the skilful assistance of my interpreter, -who was at all times unceasing in his endeavours to carry out this part -of the work with accuracy.</p> - -<p>The table of altitudes of the various camping-places and stations of -observation throughout the country explored will be found to be of -considerable interest and importance. By these results the conformation -of a large portion of the island may be arrived at. Thus, beginning at -Tauranga, and taking that place at ten feet above sea-level, it will -be seen that the land rises rapidly from the coast-line for a distance -of about twenty miles, when, at the Mangorewa Gorge, it attains to -an altitude of 1800 feet; from that point it falls towards the South -until the table-land of the Lake<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_x" id="Page_x">[Pg x]</a></span> Country is reached, when, at Lake -Rotorua, it has an altitude of 961 feet. From the latter place, still -going southward, the table-land rises with an elevation varying from -1000 to 1500 feet, until it falls towards the valley of the Waikato, -when at Atea-Amuri it is not more than 650 feet above the level of the -sea. Further along it gradually rises until it reaches Oruanui, some -fifteen miles distant, where an altitude of 1625 feet is attained, -until the country again falls to the extensive table-land of Taupo, -where over a large area it maintains an elevation varying from 1000 to -1400 feet, the great lake itself standing at an altitude of 1175 feet. -Southward of Lake Taupo the Rangipo table-land varies from 2000 to 3000 -feet, until it falls towards the South Coast, giving an altitude at -Karioi, on the Murimotu Plains, of 2400 feet. Westward of this point -the country falls gradually to 560 feet to the valley of the Whanganui, -and from that region going eastward to the Waimarino Plains it attains -to an elevation of 2850 feet in a distance of about thirty miles. -Northward again along the western table-land of Lake Taupo it varies in -height from 1000 to 2420 feet, until the Takapiti Valley is reached, -where it is only 900 feet. In the Te Toto Ranges an altitude of 1700 -feet is attained, until at Manga-o-rongo, a deep basin-like depression -in the valley of the Waipa, the land is not more than 200 feet above -sea level.</p> - -<p>The wood engravings contained in this work are from original sketches -by the author, with the excep<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xi" id="Page_xi">[Pg xi]</a></span>tion of that of the native village of -Lake Rotoiti, which is from a painting by the talented artist Mr. -Charles Bloomfield. They were engraved by Mr. James Cooper of Arundel -Street, Strand. The portraits of the native chiefs are from photographs -taken by E. Pulman and J. Bartlett of Auckland. They have been -reproduced by the Meisenbach process.</p> - -<p>In the Appendix will be found a synopsis of the principal <i>flora</i> met -with during the journey, together with that of Mount Tongariro and -Mount Ruapehu, up to the highest altitude attained by plant-life in the -North Island. A synopsis of the <i>fauna</i> is also added. Biographical -sketches are given of King Tawhiao and several noted chiefs, with a -list of the principal tribes and their localities. There is likewise a -brief reference to the Maori language, with a compendium of the most -useful native words.</p> - -<p>In bringing this volume to its completion, I desire to acknowledge -my indebtedness to Sir George Grey, K.C.B., for his letter of -introduction to King Tawhiao; to Mr. C.O. Davis, for the willing way -he at all times placed his scholarly knowledge of the Maori language -at my disposal; to Mr. T.F. Cheeseman, F.L.S., for the classification -of the <i>flora</i> of Tongariro and Ruapehu; to Mr. James McKerrow, -Surveyor-General, for maps and charts of the colony; to Mr. Percy -Smith, Assistant-Surveyor-General, for a correction of altitudes; to -Mr. Robert Graham, of Ohinemutu, for voluntarily placing his best -horses at my disposal; to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xii" id="Page_xii">[Pg xii]</a></span> J.A. Turner, for an unceasing earnestness of -purpose in fulfilling his duties as interpreter; and to the Whitaker -Ministry, for their recognition of the usefulness of my work.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xiii" id="Page_xiii">[Pg xiii]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2><a name="CONTENTS" id="CONTENTS">CONTENTS.</a></h2> -<table summary="toc" width= "90%"> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><a href="#INTRODUCTION">INTRODUCTION.</a> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -</td> -<td align="right"><small>PAGE</small> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="hang">Geographical description of the King Country—Its political -state—Efforts made to open it—Condition of the natives—Origin -of the journey—Letter of introduction to the king -</td> -<td align="right"> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -</td> -<td align="right">1 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><hr class="tb" /> -</td> -<td align="right"> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><a href="#THE_FRONTIER_OF_THE_KING_COUNTRY">THE FRONTIER OF THE KING COUNTRY.</a> -</td> -<td align="right"> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -</td> -<td align="right"> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I.</a> -</td> -<td align="right"> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><small>THE KING'S CAMP.</small> -</td> -<td align="right"> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="hang">Alexandra—Crossing the frontier—Whatiwhatihoe—The camp—King -Tawhiao—The chiefs—"<i>Taihoa</i>" -</td> -<td align="right"> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -</td> -<td align="right">17 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II.</a> -</td> -<td align="right"> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><small>THE KORERO.</small> -</td> -<td align="right"> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="hang">The Kingites—Half-castes—An albino—The king's speech—Maori -oratory—The feast -</td> -<td align="right"> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -</td> -<td align="right">27 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III.</a> -</td> -<td align="right"> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><small>ASCENT OF PIRONGIA.</small> -</td> -<td align="right"> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="hang" >Mount Pirongia—Geological features—The ascent—A fair prospect -</td> -<td align="right"> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -</td> -<td align="right">36 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><hr class="tb" /> -</td> -<td align="right"> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><a href="#THE_LAKE_COUNTRY">THE LAKE COUNTRY.</a> -</td> -<td align="right"> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -</td> -<td align="right"> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"> <a href="#CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV.</a> -</td> -<td align="right"> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><small>AUCKLAND TO OHINEMUTU.</small> -</td> -<td align="right"> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="hang">The flank movement—Auckland Harbour—Tauranga—Whakari—The -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xiv" id="Page_xiv">[Pg xiv]</a></span><i>tuatara</i>—<i>En route</i>—The Gate Pa—All that remains—Oropi—A -grand forest—Mangorewa Gorge—Mangorewa -River—A region of eternal fire -</td> -<td align="right"> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -</td> -<td align="right">46 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V.</a> -</td> -<td align="right"> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><small>HOT-SPRING LIFE.</small> -</td> -<td align="right"> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="hang">Ohinemutu and Lake Rotorua—Te Ruapeka—The old <i>pa</i>—Native -baths—Delightful bathing—A curious graveyard—Pigs—Area -of thermal action—Character of the springs—Chemical -constituents—Noted springs—Whakarewarewa—Te -Koutu—Kahotawa—"<i>Tenakoe, pakeha</i>"—Hot and -cold -</td> -<td align="right"> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -</td> -<td align="right">56 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI.</a> -</td> -<td align="right"> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><small>TRADITION, IDOLATRY, AND ROMANCE.</small> -</td> -<td align="right"> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="hang">Origin of the Maoris—Te Kupe—First canoes—The <i>runanga</i> -house—Maori carving—Renowned ancestors—Tama te -Kapua—Stratagem of the stilts—Legend of the whale—The -Arawa canoe—Noted braves—Mokia—A curious relic—Gods -of the Arawas—Mokia by night—Hinemoa—A -love song -</td> -<td align="right"> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -</td> -<td align="right">68 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII.</a> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><small>EN ROUTE TO THE TERRACES.</small> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="hang">Over the mountains—Rauporoa Forest—The <i>hotete</i>—Tikitapu—Rotokakahi—Te -Wairoa—The natives—Waituwhera Gorge—The boat—A distinguished -traveller—Sophia—Lake Tarawera—Mount Tarawera—Te -Ariki—Te Kaiwaka -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -</td> -<td align="right">81 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII.</a> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><small>THE TERRACES.</small> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="hang">Te Tarata—Beauty of the terrace—The formation—The crater—A -sensational bath—Ngahapu—Waikanapanapa—A weird gorge—Te -Aua Taipo—Kakariki—Te Whatapohu—Te Huka—Te Takapo—Lake -Rotomahana—Te Whakataratara—Te Otukapurangi—The -formation—The cauldron -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -</td> -<td align="right">94 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX.</a> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><small>OHINEMUTU TO WAIRAKEI.</small> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="hang">Te Hemo Gorge—Mount Horohoro—Paeroa Mountains—Orakeikorako—Atea --Amuri—Pohaturoa—The land of pumice—Te Motupuke—The glades -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xv" id="Page_xv">[Pg xv]</a></span>of Wairakei -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -</td> -<td align="right">109 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X.</a> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><small>WAIRAKEI.</small> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="hang">The first view—The Geyser Valley—Curious sights—Tahuatahe -—Terekirike—The Whistling Geyser—A nest of stone—Singular -mud-holes—The Gas and Black Geyser—The Big Geyser—The great -Wairakei—The Blue Lake—Hot mud-holes—Kiriohinekai—A valley -of fumaroles—Te Karapiti Te Huka Falls—Efforts to pass under -the falls—A cave—An enormous fissure—Another trial—A legend -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -</td> -<td align="right">115 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><hr class="tb" /> -</td> -<td align="right"> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><a href="#EXPLORATION_OF_THE_KING_COUNTRY">EXPLORATION OF THE KING COUNTRY.</a> -</td> -<td align="right"> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -</td> -<td align="right"> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI.</a> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><small>THE START.</small> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="hang">Reason of the journey—How I succeeded—My interpreter—Our -horses—The Hursthouse difficulty—Departure from -Wairakei—Tapuwaeharuru—The natives—Release of Hursthouse, -nd capture of Te Mahuki—The council of war -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -</td> -<td align="right">131 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII.</a> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><small>THE REGION OF LAKE TAUPO.</small> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="hang">Natural phenomena—The great table-land—Position and dimensions -of the lake—Water-shed—Geological features—The lake an extinct -crater—Crater lakes—Areas of thermal action -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -</td> -<td align="right">139 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIII">CHAPTER XIII.</a> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><small>EASTERN SHORE OF LAKE TAUPO.</small> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="hang">A grand view—True source of the Waikato—The river of "streaming -water"—Our first camp—Variation of temperature—Roto -Ngaio—Te Hatepe—Te Poroporo—The lake beneath us—A -canoe—Motutere—Tauranga—Southern shore of the lake—Delta -of the Upper Waikato -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -</td> -<td align="right">149 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIV">CHAPTER XIV.</a> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><small>TOKANU.</small> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="hang">Scenery—The springs—The natives—Old war-tracks—Te Heuheu—A -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xvi" id="Page_xvi">[Pg xvi]</a></span>Maori lament—Motutaiko—Horomatangi -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -</td> -<td align="right">161 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_XV">CHAPTER XV.</a> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><small>THE RANGIPO TABLE LAND.</small> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="hang">Along the delta of the Upper Waikato—Mount Pihanga—The -Poutu River and Lake Rotoaira—Boundaries of the Rangipo—Scenery—A -fine night—A rough time—A great storm—The <i>karamu</i> as -fodder—Banks of the Upper Waikato—Another start—More bad -weather—Flooded creeks—Pangarara—Te Hau -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -</td> -<td align="right">168 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVI">CHAPTER XVI.</a> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><small>ASCENT OF TONGARIRO.</small> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="hang">Physical and geological features—Legend of Tongariro—A break -in the clouds—The start for the ascent—Maories in the -distance—The Waihohonu valley—The ascent—The brink of -Hades—The great crater—The inner crater—The lower cones—Crater -lakes—The descent—A valley of death—Tongariro by moonlight—A -cold night—The start for Ruapehu -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -</td> -<td align="right">179 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVII">CHAPTER XVII.</a> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><small>ASCENT OF RUAPEHU.</small><br />(<i>First Day.</i>) -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="hang">Approaching the mountain—A field for research—Physical and -geological features—Plan of attack—Curious icicles—A -lava barrier—Natives in the distance—Horse camp—Scoria -hills and lava ridges—The start for the snow-line—Up the -great spur—Head of the spur—Our camp—A wind-storm—Ruapehu -by night—A picture of the past—Waiting for sunrise—Sunrise -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -</td> -<td align="right">199 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVIII">CHAPTER XVIII.</a> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><small>RUAPEHU.</small><br />(<i>Second Day.</i>)<br /> -<small>ASCENT OF THE GREAT PEAK.</small> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="hang">The start—A lava bluff—Last signs of vegetation—Wall of -conglomerate rock—The Giant Rocks—Ancient crater—Difficult -climbing—A frightful precipice—The ice crown—Cutting -our way over the ice—The summit—Peaks and crater—A grand -<i>coup d'œil</i>—The surrounding country—Taking -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xvii" id="Page_xvii">[Pg xvii]</a></span>landmarks—Point Victoria -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -</td> -<td align="right">217 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIX">CHAPTER XIX.</a> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><small>THE KAIMANAWA MOUNTAINS.</small> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="hang">Further plans—Across the plains—<i>In memoriam</i>—The Onetapu -Desert—Mamanui camp—Grilled <i>weka</i>—A heavy frost—The -Kaimanawas—Geological formation—A probable <i>El</i> -<i>Dorado</i>—Reputed existence of gold -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -</td> -<td align="right">229 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_XX">CHAPTER XX.</a> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><small>SECOND ASCENT OF RUAPEHU. SOURCES OF THE WHANGAEHU AND -WAIKATO RIVERS.</small> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="hang">Curious parterres—Supposed source of Whangaehu—-A gigantic -lava bed—A steep bluff—The Horseshoe Fall—The Bridal Veil -Fall—The Twin Falls—A dreary region—Ice caves—Source of -the Waikato—The descent—Our camp on the desert -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -</td> -<td align="right">237 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXI">CHAPTER XXI.</a> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><small>KARIOI.</small> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="hang">Our commissariat gives out—The Murimotu Plains—The settlement—The -homestead—The welcome—Society at Karioi—The natives—The Napier -mail -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -</td> -<td align="right">252 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXII">CHAPTER XXII.</a> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><small>FOREST COUNTRY.</small> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="hang">The start from Karioi—On the track—Te Wheu maps the -country—The primeval solitude—Terangakaika Forest—The -<i>flora</i>—Difficulties of travel—The lakes—Birds—Pakihi—Mangawhero -River—Gigantic vines—Fallen trees—Dead forest giants—Mangatotara -and Mangatuku Rivers—A "Slough of Despond"—Dismal swamp -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -</td> -<td align="right">258 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXIII">CHAPTER XXIII.</a> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><small>RUAKAKA.</small> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="hang">The <i>wharangi</i> plant—Enormous ravines—Ruakaka—Reception -by the Hauhaus—The chief Pareoterangi—The parley—Hinepareoterangi—A -repast—Rapid fall of country—The Manganui-a-te-Ao—Shooting the -rapids—The natives—Religion—Hauhauism—Te Kooti's lament—A -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xviii" id="Page_xviii">[Pg xviii]</a></span>Hauhau hymn -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -</td> -<td align="right">269 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXIV">CHAPTER XXIV.</a> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><small>NGATOKORUA PA.</small> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="hang">Departure from Ruakaka—A legend—Rough forest—Crossing the -Manganui-a-te-Ao—Scenery of the river—Mount Towai—The plains -in sight—Rapid rise in the country—Ruapehu from the west—The -Waimarino plains—Arrival at the <i>pa</i>—The chief's family—A -Hauhau chief—<i>Inter alia</i>—Pehi on the decay of the -Maoris—A war-dance—The mere -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -</td> -<td align="right">281 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXV">CHAPTER XXV.</a> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><small>HOT SPRINGS OF TONGARIRO.</small> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="hang">Departure from Ngatokorua—Okahakura Plains—Tongariro from the -north—Source of the Whanganui—The hot springs—A marvellous -sanatorium—Crater of Ketetahi—Te Perore—A strategic -position—Kuwharua—Maori cakes—A grand region—Site for -a public park -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -</td> -<td align="right">295 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXVI">CHAPTER XXVI.</a> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><small>WESTERN TAUPO.</small> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="hang">Supposed forest country—The western table-land—Soil and -<i>flora</i>—Terania—Okarewa—Te Kaina Valley—Maoris on the -track—Pouotepiki <i>pa</i>—A tangi—The natives—A friendly -invitation—An old warrior—The women—Our quarters -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -</td> -<td align="right">304 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXVII">CHAPTER XXVII.</a> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><small>THE NORTHERN TABLE-LAND.</small> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="hang">The Whanganui stream—Oruapuraho Valley—Waihaha River—Kahakaharoa—The -sweetbriar—The kiwi—The moa—A gigantic lizard—Waikomiko and Waihora -Rivers—Te Tihoi Plains—Scenery—Mount Titiraupenga—Mangakowiriwiri -River—Mangakino River—Swimming horses—Our camp—The Maoris as -travellers—A Maori joke—Good horsemen—Their knowledge of the -country—Their endurance—The Waipapa—Te Toto Ranges—The Waipari—Te -Tauranga—The Upper Puniu—A fine specimen of tattooing—A night -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xix" id="Page_xix">[Pg xix]</a></span>at Hengia -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -</td> -<td align="right">315 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXVIII">CHAPTER XXVIII.</a> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><small>THE AUKATI LINE.</small> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="hang"> Manga-o-rongo—Mangatutu River—The encampment—A sumptuous -repast—The <i>kainga</i>—Surrounding scenery—Old -warriors—The tribes—The Korero—Arrival of Te Kooti—His -wife—His followers—A <i>tête-à-tête</i>—A song of welcome—A -<i>haka</i>—Departure from Manga-o-rongo—Waipa River—Valley -of the Waipa—Our last difficulty -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -</td> -<td align="right">328 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><hr class="tb" /> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><a href="#APPENDIX">APPENDIX.</a> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#POTATAU_II">Potatau II.</a> -</td> -<td align="right">345 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#THE_CHIEFS">Major Te Wheoro, M.H.R.</a> -</td> -<td align="right">348 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> <a href="#LIST_OF_THE_NEW_ZEALAND_TRIBES_WITH_THEIR_LOCALITIES">List of the New Zealand Tribes, with their localities</a> -</td> -<td align="right">351 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#THE_FLORA">The Flora</a> -</td> -<td align="right">352 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#THE_FAUNA">The Fauna</a> -</td> -<td align="right">360 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#A_BRIEF_REFERENCE_TO_THE_MAORI_LANGUAGE">The Maori language</a> -</td> -<td align="right">366 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><hr class="tb" /> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center">LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#king_tawhiao">King Tawhiao</a> -</td> -<td align="right"><i>Frontispiece</i> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#illus-p021">The Maori Queen, Pare Hauraki</a> -</td> -<td align="right">21 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#illus-p024">Wahanui, chief of the Ngatimaniapoto tribe</a> -</td> -<td align="right">24 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#illus-p025">Manga Rewi, a chief of the Ngatimaniapoto tribe</a> -</td> -<td align="right">25 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#illus-p028">Major Te Wheoro, M.H.R.</a> -</td> -<td align="right">28 -</td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td><a href="#illus-p029">Te Tuhi, a chief of the Waikato tribe</a> -</td> -<td align="right">29 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#illus-p030">Albino woman</a> -</td> -<td align="right">30 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#illus-p032">Whitiora Wirouiru te Komete, a chief of the Waikato tribe</a> -</td> -<td align="right">32 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#illus-p034">Paora tu Haere, head chief of the Ngatiwhatua tribe</a> -</td> -<td align="right">34 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#illus-p037">Hati Wira Takahi, chief of the Ngapuhi tribe</a> -</td> -<td align="right">37 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#illus-p038">Tawhao Ngatuere, a chief of the Ngatikahunu tribe</a> -</td> -<td align="right">38 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#illus-p039">A chief of the Ngatiproa tribe</a> -</td> -<td align="right">39 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#illus-p040">Paratene te Manu, a chief of the Ngatiwai tribe</a> -</td> -<td align="right">40 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#illus-p042">Tukukino, head chief of the Ngatitematera</a> -</td> -<td align="right">42 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#illus-p043">Te Raia Ngakutu te Tumuhuia, head chief of the Ngatitematera tribe. Last of the New Zealand Cannibals</a> -</td> -<td align="right"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xx" id="Page_xx">[Pg xx]</a></span>43 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#illus-p048">Whakari, or White Island</a> -</td> -<td align="right">48 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#illus-p049">The Tuatara</a> -</td> -<td align="right">49 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#illus-p058">Native woman and child, Ohinemutu</a> -</td> -<td align="right">58 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#illus-fp062">Native village (<i>Lake Rotoiti</i>)</a> -</td> -<td align="right">62 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#illus-p072">Specimen of Maori carving</a> -</td> -<td align="right">72 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#illus-p086">Native woman, Lake Country</a> -</td> -<td align="right">86 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#illus-p113">Pohaturoa</a> -</td> -<td align="right">113 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#illus-p126">Section of valley of Waikato River at Huka Falls</a> -</td> -<td align="right">126 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#illus-p140">Transverse section of North Island from S.W. to N.E.</a> -</td> -<td align="right">140 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#illus-p146">Terrace formation and hot springs (<i>Valley of the Waikato</i>)</a> -</td> -<td align="right">146 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#illus-fp150">Lake Taupo</a> -</td> -<td align="right">150 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#illus-p153">Source of the Waikato at Lake Taupo</a> -</td> -<td align="right">153 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#illus-fp180">Tongariro</a> -</td> -<td align="right">180 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#illus-fp197">Tongariro by moonlight</a> -</td> -<td align="right">197 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#illus-fp200">Mount Ruapehu</a> -</td> -<td align="right">200 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#illus-p204">Summit of Ruapehu</a> -</td> -<td align="right">204 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#illus-p213">Waiting for sunrise</a> -</td> -<td align="right">213 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#illus-p219">Wall of lava conglomerate</a> -</td> -<td align="right">219 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#illus-p227">The ice crown, Point Victoria</a> -</td> -<td align="right">227 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#illus-p240">Great trachytic lava bed</a> -</td> -<td align="right">240 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#illus-p245">The Bridal Veil Fall</a> -</td> -<td align="right">245 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#illus-fp272">Ruakaka</a> -</td> -<td align="right">272 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#illus-p293">A chief armed with "mere" and "huata"</a> -</td> -<td align="right">293 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#illus-p294">A "mere"</a> -</td> -<td align="right">294 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#illus-p312">Native girl</a> -</td> -<td align="right">312 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#illus-p317">Moa and apteryx</a> -</td> -<td align="right">317 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#illus-p330">Native girl</a> -</td> -<td align="right">330 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#illus-p333">Woman of the Waikato tribe</a> -</td> -<td align="right">333 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#illus-p335">Te Kooti, from a sketch by the author</a> -</td> -<td align="right">335 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><a href="#illus-p336">Te Kooti's wife</a> -</td> -<td align="right">336 -</td> -</tr> -</table> - - - - - -<p style="margin-top: 5em;"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[Pg 1]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<p class="ph2" ><a name="THE_KING_COUNTRY" id="THE_KING_COUNTRY">THE KING COUNTRY.</a></p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - - -<h2><a name="INTRODUCTION" id="INTRODUCTION">INTRODUCTION.</a></h2> -<blockquote> -<p class="hang">Geographical description of the King Country—Its political -state—Efforts made to open it—Condition of the natives—Origin of the -journey—Letter of introduction to the king.</p></blockquote> - - -<p class="drop"><span class="uppercase">That</span> portion of the North Island of New Zealand known as the King -Country extends (as near as the boundary can be defined) from lat. -38° to 39° 20' S., and from long. 174° 20' to 176° E. Its approximate -area is equivalent to 10,000 square miles. In the north the <i>aukati</i>, -or boundary-line—separating it from the European portion of the -colony—passes by the southern shores of Aotea Harbour, thence easterly -through the Pirongia Ranges in a direct line to the Waikato River, -along which it follows nearly to Atea-amuri, from which point it -strikes directly south to Lake Taupo. It takes in the whole of the -western half of that lake; it then stretches south along the Kaimanawa -Mountains to the Murimotu Plains, whence it goes westerly, round the -southern base of Mount Ruapehu to the mouth of the Manganui-a-te-Ao -River, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[Pg 2]</a></span> thence north-westerly until it joins the coast at a point a -little to the north of Pukearuhe.</p> - -<p>The physical features of this vast region present not only many -beauties, but many natural advantages for European settlement, while it -is one of the best watered parts of the island. In its southern portion -the Whanganui River passes through it in a long winding course to the -sea, fed by many tributaries flowing from the high mountain-ranges, -both in the south and central divisions of the island. In the west -the Mokau River and its affluents flow from its central region to -the coast. In the north the Waipa Puniu and various other streams, -having their sources in the Titiraupenga and Rangitoto Mountains, wind -through it to the Waikato River; the high, wooded ranges of the central -table-land form the sources of many watercourses disemboguing into Lake -Taupo; while in the south-east the snow-clad heights of Tongariro and -Ruapehu pour down their rapid waters in a perfect network of creeks and -rivers. In the west it has a coast-line of over sixty miles, and it -possesses one of the largest harbours in the island. Extensive forests -cover a large portion of its southern area, and extend northerly over -the broken ranges of the Tuhua to Mount Titiraupenga and the Rangitoto -Mountains. Westward of this division there is a considerable area of -open country, including the valley of the Waipa, which in its turn is -bounded in the west by high, fern-clad hills and wooded ranges. In the -vicinity of the high, snow-clad mountains in the south, there are vast -open table-lands; while immediately to the west of Lake Taupo and north -of Titiraupenga to the banks<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</a></span> of the Waikato, there are again extensive -open plains.</p> - -<p>Geologically considered, the King Country possesses in extensive -depositions all the strata or rock-formations in which both gold, -coal, iron, and other minerals are found to exist, while its extensive -forests are rich in timber of the most varied and valuable kind. -Geysers and thermal springs possessing wonderful medicinal properties -are found in the vicinity of its many extinct craters; and, while -it possesses one of the largest active volcanoes in the world, its -grand natural features are crowned by the snowy peaks of some of the -highest mountains of Australasia. In the north the trachytic cones -of Titiraupenga and Pirongia rise to an elevation varying from 3000 -to 4000 feet, near to its south-western boundary the snowy peak of -Taranaki, or Mount Egmont, attains to an altitude of 8700 feet, on its -eastern confines the rugged crater of Tongariro sends forth its clouds -of steam from a height exceeding 7000 feet, while on its southern side -the colossal form of Mount Ruapehu rears its glacier-crowned summit to -an altitude of over 9000 feet above the level of the sea.<a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a> With these -important features nature has endowed it with scenery of the grandest -order, and with a climate unsurpassed for its variety and healthfulness.</p> - -<p>The political state of the King Country forms one of the most -interesting chapters in the history of New<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</a></span> Zealand. In the early days, -before the colony was founded in 1840, and long after that event, there -were no such obstacles to travelling through the island as existed -in later times. The Maoris rather welcomed Europeans, who were free -to go anywhere, except on places which were <i>tapu</i>,<a name="FNanchor_2_2" id="FNanchor_2_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_2_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a> or sacred in -their eyes, and in consequence what little has been hitherto known -of the King Country has been derived from the experiences of one or -two travellers who penetrated into portions of it some thirty years -ago. Among the most active of the early travellers was Ferdinand Von -Hochstetter, a member of the Austrian Novara Expedition, who, in 1859, -at the instance of Sir George Grey, at that time Governor of the Cape -of Good Hope, made a tour through a portion of the North Island in -company with Drummond Hay, Koch, Bruno, Hamel, and a number of European -attendants and natives. At this time the Maoris were ready to welcome -Europeans; hostilities between the two races had never broken out, and -Hochstetter and his party were received and <i>fêted</i> everywhere with -almost regal honours. But in the course of years, as it was evident -to the natives that the Europeans were the coming power in the land, -suspicion and distrust were excited, and at last the tocsin sounded.</p> - - - -<p>The native chiefs, seeing that their influence was declining, and that -in proportion to the alienation of the land, their <i>mana</i> or authority -over the tribes decreased, began to bestir themselves in earnest. It -was considered that a head was needed to initiate a form of Government -among the tribes to resist the encroachments daily made by the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span> -Europeans, and which seemed to threaten the national extinction of the -native race.</p> - -<p>The first to endeavour to bring about a new order of things was a -native chief named Matene Te Whiwi, of Otaki. In 1853 he marched to -Taupo and Rotorua, accompanied by a number of followers, to obtain -the consent of the different tribes to the election of a king over -the central parts of the island, which were still exclusively Maori -territory, and to organize a form of government to protect the -interests of the native race. Matene, however, met with but little -success. Te Heuheu, of Taupo, the great chief of the Ngatituwharetoa, -at that time the most warlike tribe in the island, had no idea of any -one being higher than himself, and therefore refused to have anything -to do with the new movement, nor did Te Whiwi meet with much greater -encouragement at Maketu and Rotorua. The agitation, however, did not -stop, the fire once kindled rapidly spread, ardent followers of the -new idea sprang up, and their numbers soon increased, until finally, -in 1854, a tribal gathering was convened at Manawapou, in the country -of the Ngatiruanui tribe. Here a large <i>runanga</i>, or council-house, -was erected, which was called <i>Tai poro he nui</i>, or the finishing of -t<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span>he matter, and after many points had been discussed, a resolution was -come to among the assembled tribes that no more land should be sold -to Europeans. A solemn league was entered into by all present for the -preservation of the native territory, and a tomahawk was passed round -as a pledge that all would agree to put the individual to death who -should break it. In 1854 another bold stand was made, and Te Heuheu, -who exercised a powerful sway over the tribes of the interior, summoned -a native council at Taupo, when the King movement began in earnest. It -was there decided that the sacred mountain of Tongariro should be the -centre of a district in which no land was to be sold to the government, -and that the districts of Hauraki, Waikato, Kawhia, Mokau, Taranaki, -Whanganui, Rangitikei, and Titiokura should form the outlying portions -of the boundary; that no roads should be made by the Europeans within -the area, and that a king should be elected to reign over the Maoris.</p> - -<p>In 1857 Kingite meetings were held at Paetai, in Waikato, and -at Ihumatao and Manukau, at which it was agreed that Potatau Te -Wherowhero, the most powerful chief of Waikato, should be elected king, -under the title of Potatau the First, and finally, in June, 1858, his -flag was formally hoisted at Ngaruawahia. Potatau, who was far advanced -in life when raised to this high office, soon departed from the scene, -and was succeeded by his son Matutaera Te Wherowhero, under the title -of Potatau the Second.</p> - -<p>The events of the New Zealand war need not here be recited, but it -may be easily imagined that during the continuance of the fighting -the extensive are<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span>a of country ruled over by the Maori monarch was -kept clear of Europeans. But in 1863 and 1864 General Cameron, at the -head of about 20,000 troops, composed of Imperial and Colonial forces, -invaded the Waikato district, and drove the natives southward and -westward, till his advanced corps were at Alexandra and Cambridge. -Then followed the Waikato confiscation of Maori lands and the military -settlements. The King territory was further broken into by the -confiscations at Taranaki and the East Coast, but no advance was, -however, made, by war or confiscation, into the country which formed -the subject of my explorations. The active volcano of Tongariro is -<i>tapu</i>, or strictly sacred, in the eyes of the Maoris, and several -persons who had attempted to ascend it were plundered by the natives, -and sent back across the frontier. On the west of Taupo Lake lies the -Tuhua country, whose people had from the first, from the nature of the -district, been much secluded from European intercourse, and who besides -had given refuge to many of the desperadoes of the other tribes; while -to the south-west of Taupo Lake were the people of the Upper Whanganui -country, who have always been suspicious and hostile, while for some -considerable time, too, the whole district was in terror of Te Kooti -and his marauding bands. It is from these causes that the vast and -important area embraced by the King Country has remained closed to -Europeans, and, all things considered, it is a fact which must ever -remain one of the most singular anomalies of British colonization, -that, after a nominal sovereignty of forty years over New Zealand, -this portion of the colony should have remained a <i>terra incognita</i> up -to <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span>the present day, by reason of the hostility and isolation of the -native race.</p> - -<p>Having pointed out the leading causes which resulted in the closing -of the King Country to European settlement, it will be interesting -to glance at the endeavours which have been made by the different -governments to break down the barrier of native isolation, and thus -to throw open to the colonists an extensive area of the island, which -is, in reality, as much a portion of British territory as is the -principality of Wales. As is well known, since the termination of the -lamentable war between the two races, the King natives have, on all -occasions, jealously preserved their hostile spirit to Europeans; while -the peculiar state of matters involved in the whole question, while -unexampled in the history of any other part of the British Empire, has -been naturally a source of annoyance and even danger to the several -governments of the colony who have attempted from time to time to -grapple with the native difficulty.</p> - -<p>The New Zealand war concluded, or rather died out, in 1865, when the -confiscated line was drawn, the military settlements formed, and the -King natives isolated themselves from the Europeans. For ten years -it may be said that no attempt was made to negotiate with them. They -were not in a humour to be dealt with. About 1874 and 1875, however, -it became evident that something would have to be done. The colony -had greatly advanced in population, and a system of public works had -been inaugurated, which made it intolerable that large centres of -population should be cut off from each other by vast spaces of country -which Europeans were not allowed even to traverse. From time to time -during the whole period the awkward position of affairs had been forced -on public attention by outrages and breaches of the law occurring on -the border, the perpetrators of which took secure refuge by fleeing -to the protection of Tawhiao, who then—as now—defied the Queen's -authority within his dominions.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span></p> - -<p>Sir Donald McLean, while Native Minister, had several important -interviews with the Kingites, with a view to bring about a better -relationship between the two races, and as he was well known to the -natives both before and during his term of office, his efforts had -considerable effect in promoting a more friendly intercourse.</p> - -<p>Again, Sir George Grey, when Premier of the Colony, attended two -large native meetings in the King Country, in 1878, and opened up -communication with the chiefs of the Kingites. At the second meeting at -Hikurangi about seventeen miles beyond Alexandra, Sir George Grey laid -before the natives definite terms of accommodation. He offered to give -back to them the whole of the land on the west bank of the Waipa and -Waikato rivers, and to confer certain honours on Tawhiao, the son of Te -Wherowhero, who had succeeded to the kingship. At a subsequent meeting -held at Te Kopua, in April, 1879, these offers were again made, but -Tawhiao, for some reason which has never been satisfactorily explained, -declined to accept them, and they were distinctly withdrawn.</p> - -<p>With the advent of the Whitaker ministry into power, it was felt -that another attempt should be made to deal with the Maori king, and -accordingly, during the session of 1882, acts were carefully framed so -as to facilitate the object. A Native Reserves Act was passed, under -which natives could have placed any blocks of land they chose under a -board which would have administered the property for the benefit of -the owners.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span> An Amnesty Act was also put on the statute-book, under -which the government could have issued pardons to those natives who -had committed crimes and taken refuge among the Kingites. The most -sanguine hopes were entertained that this difficulty would at last be -settled, and in a way which would be satisfactory for both peoples. The -terms which Mr. Bryce, as Native Minister, laid before Tawhiao and his -people at the Kingite meeting, held at Whatiwhatihoe in October of the -same year, were so liberal as to surprise the whole country. A large -tract of the confiscated land on the west bank of the rivers Waipa and -Waikato was offered to be restored, while Tawhiao was to be secured -in all the lands which he could claim in the King Country, and the -government were to endeavour to procure for him and his people a block -of land from the Ngatimaniapoto tribe, the most extensive landowners in -his dominions. Altogether the amount of land to be restored amounted -to many thousands of acres, most of it fertile and well suited for the -purposes of the natives, or that section of them known as the Waikatos, -of whom Tawhiao was the hereditary chief.</p> - -<p>What the government proposed to do was that the king's <i>mana</i>, or -sovereign authority, should be removed by the best means, and that in -doing so the utmost care should be taken that all of the natives of the -king's tribe should be provided for. This step was the more necessary -from the fact that Tawhiao, although the acknowledged head of the Maori -race, and exercising a supreme authority over the King Country,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span> was, -owing to the confiscation of his tribal lands which had taken place -after the war, a comparatively landless monarch.</p> - -<p>At the Kingite gathering at Whatiwhatihoe, Tawhiao, in view of the -proposals made, was willing to take back the land, but objected to -receive a salary from the government, to be called to the legislative -council, or to be made a magistrate.<a name="FNanchor_3_3" id="FNanchor_3_3"></a><a href="#Footnote_3_3" class="fnanchor">[3]</a> He, and those around him, saw -that to have accepted these terms would have been equivalent to saying -that he abdicated his position as king. That being, from the Native -Minister's point of view, the all-important matter, the negotiations -could go no further, and the memorable meeting at Whatiwhatihoe broke -up with Tawhiao still reigning as absolute monarch over one of the most -extensive and fertile portions of New Zealand.</p> - -<p>With my reference to the geographical, historical, and political -features of the King Country, I will here allude briefly to the -physical and social position of the native race as I found it during -my travels through that portion of the island where the inhabitants -dwell in all their primitive simplicity.</p> - -<p>There can be no doubt whatever that the Maori race is greatly on the -decrease,<a name="FNanchor_4_4" id="FNanchor_4_4"></a><a href="#Footnote_4_4" class="fnanchor">[4]</a> and that the three principal diseases conducing to this -result are phthisis, chronic asthma, and scrofula; the two first -principally brought about, I believe, by a half-savage, half-civilized -mode of life, and the latter from maladies contracted since the first<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span> -contact of the people with Europeans. It is, however, clear that -there is a large number of natives yet distributed throughout the -King Country, and among them are still to be found, as of old, some -of the finest specimens of the human race. A change of life, however, -in every way different from that followed by their forefathers, has -brought about a considerable alteration for the worse among the rising -population, and, although during my journey I met and conversed with -many tattooed warriors of the old school, and who were invariably both -physically and intellectually superior to the younger natives, it was -clear that this splendid type of savage would soon become a matter of -the past.</p> - -<p>I found the natives living much in their primitive style, one of the -most pernicious innovations, however, of modern civilization amongst -them being an immoderate use of tobacco among both old and young. -Although most of the native women were strong and well-proportioned -in stature, and apparently robust and healthy, there appeared to be -a marked falling off in the physical development of the younger men, -when compared with the stalwart, muscular proportions of many of the -older natives—a result which may, no doubt, be accounted for by their -irregular mode of life when compared with that usually followed by -their forefathers, combined with the vices of civilization, to which -many of them are gradually falling a prey. It is a notable fact, which -strikes the observer at once, that many of the old chiefs and elders -of the various tribes, with their well-defined, tattooed features and -splendid physique, have the stamp of the "noble savage" in all his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span> -manliness depicted in every line of their body, while many of them -preserve that calm, dignified air characteristic of primitive races in -all parts of the world before they begin to be improved off the face -of the earth by raw rum and European progress. On the other hand, the -rising generation has altogether a weaklier appearance, and, although I -noticed many buxom lasses with healthy countenances and well-developed -forms, not a few of the younger men were slight of build, with a -thoughtful, haggard, and in many instances consumptive look about them.</p> - -<p>In both their ideas and mode of life they appeared to cling to their -old customs tenaciously, and seemed to know little of what was going -on in the world beyond their own country, while their religion, what -little they possessed, evidently existed in a kind of blind belief in a -species of Hauhauism, in which biblical truths and native superstition -were curiously mixed. In matters of politics affecting their own -territory they invariably expressed a desire that matters might remain -as they were, and that they might be allowed to live out their allotted -term in their own lands. From one end of the country to the other they -seemed to entertain an almost fanatical faith in the power of Tawhiao, -and they appeared to regard his influence in the light of our own legal -fiction, "that the king could do no wrong."</p> - -<p>When I undertook to explore the King Country—being at the time only -a new arrival in the colony—I found that it was a part of the British -Empire of which I knew very little. I soon, however, learned that the -extensive region ruled over by the Maori king was,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span> to all intents -and purposes, an <i>imperium in imperio</i>, situated in the heart of an -important British colony, a <i>terra incognita</i>, inhabited exclusively -by a warlike race of savages, ruled over by an absolute monarch, who -defied our laws, ignored our institutions, and in whose territory the -rebel, the murderer, and the outcast took refuge with impunity. This -fine country, embracing nearly one half of the most fertile portion of -the North Island, as before pointed out, was as strictly tabooed to the -European as a Mohammedan mosque, and all who had hitherto attempted -to make even short journeys into it had been ruthlessly plundered by -the natives, and sent back across the frontier, stripped even of their -clothes.</p> - -<p>At this time—in the early part of the year 1882—Te Wetere, Purukutu, -Nuku Whenua, and Winiata, all implicated in the cruel murders of -Europeans, were still at large, bands of native fanatics, excited to -the point of rebellion against the whites, were massing themselves -together in large numbers at Parihaka, and singing pæans to the -pseudo-prophet, Te Whiti, who had for some time been inciting his -followers to resist any attempt at incursion into their territory on -the part of the European colonists who had acquired land and built -settlements near the frontier. Thus it was that wars and rumours of -wars were fast gathering around what was generally alluded to as the -vexed Maori Question, while, to make matters still more unsatisfactory, -it was known that the rebel Te Kooti, who had carried out the Poverty -Bay massacre, after his marvellous escape from the Chatham Islands,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span> and -who had more than once played the part of a New Zealand Napoleon during -the war, was hiding, with a price set on his head, in his stronghold -in the Kuiti, ready, it was believed, to take up arms at any moment. -This was the state of the country which I then and there volunteered to -explore.</p> - -<p>The next point to consider was how the journey could be best set -about. The matter was laid before Sir George Grey during the session -of Parliament of 1882, and he, with a characteristic desire to advance -an undertaking calculated to promote the interests of the colony, -wrote a letter of introduction in my behalf to King Tawhiao, asking -him to grant me his <i>mana</i>, or authority, to travel through the Maori -territory. The letter was presented at a moment when the native mind -was much disturbed in connection with the political relationship -existing between the Kingites and the Europeans, and just at the time -when the meeting at Whatiwhatihoe, before referred to, was about to -be held between the Native Minister and Tawhiao, with a view to the -opening of the country to settlement and trade. It is only right to -state that the king received me on this occasion with every token of -good feeling, and spoke, as indeed did all the natives, in the highest -terms of Sir George Grey; but he advised me, as the native tribes were -much disturbed in connection with the question about to be discussed -between the Maoris and Europeans, not to set out on my journey until -the meeting should be over.</p> - -<p>Leaving Whatiwhatihoe before the termination of the gathering, I made -no further appeal to Tawhiao, who subsequently left for an extended -tour through the island.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span> The assemblage of the tribes broke up, as -before shown, without any solution being arrived at with regard to -the settlement of the native difficulty, and the question of the -exploration of the King Country lay in abeyance for a few months, but -the idea was always firmly fixed in my mind, although it was not until -the 8th of March, 1883, that I left Auckland, <i>en route</i> for Tauranga, -to explore the wonders of the forbidden land at my own risk.</p> - -<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_1_1" id="Footnote_1_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> For the altitudes of the various mountains, see map.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_2_2" id="Footnote_2_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_2_2"><span class="label">[2]</span></a> The word <i>tapu</i> is applied to all places held sacred -by the Maoris; it is synonymous with the <i>taboo</i> of the South Sea -Islanders. To interfere with anything to which the <i>tapu</i> has been -extended is considered an act of sacrilege.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_3_3" id="Footnote_3_3"></a><a href="#FNanchor_3_3"><span class="label">[3]</span></a> A justice of the peace.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_4_4" id="Footnote_4_4"></a><a href="#FNanchor_4_4"><span class="label">[4]</span></a> In Cook's time the whole native population was estimated -as exceeding 100,000; in 1859 it only amounted to 56,000, of this -number 53,000 fell to the North Island, and only 2283 to the Middle -Island; in 1881 the number had decreased to 44,099, of which 24,370 -were males, and 19,729 females.</p></div></div> - - - - -<p class="ph2"><a name="THE_FRONTIER_OF_THE_KING_COUNTRY" id="THE_FRONTIER_OF_THE_KING_COUNTRY">THE FRONTIER OF THE KING COUNTRY.</a></p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I.</a></h2> - -<p class="center">THE KING'S CAMP.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span></p> - -<blockquote> - -<p class="hang">Alexandra—Crossing the frontier—Whatiwhatihoe—The camp—King -Tawhiao—The chiefs—"<i>Taihoa</i>."</p></blockquote> - - -<p class="drop"><span class="uppercase">Alexandra</span>, the principal European settlement on the northern frontier -of the King Country, lies about one hundred miles distant from -Auckland, and a little less than eight miles to the west of the Te -Awamutu terminus of the southern line of railway.</p> - -<p>I reached Alexandra along a delightful road lined with the hawthorn and -sweetbriar, and through a picturesque country, where quiet homesteads, -surrounded by green meadows filled with sleek cattle and fat sheep, -imparted to the aspect of nature an air of contentment and quiet -repose. Indeed, when doing this journey in a light buggy drawn by a -pair of fast horses, it seemed difficult to realize the fact that I was -fast approaching the border-line of European settlement, and that a few -minutes more would land me on the frontier of a vast territory which -formed the last home of perhaps the boldest and most intelligent race -of savages the world had ever seen. In fact, when approaching Alexandra -from the Te Awamutu road,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span> with its neat white houses, embowered amidst -gardens and groves of trees, and with its church-spire pointing towards -heaven, I seemed to be entering a quiet English village; and had it not -been that the eye fell now and again upon a dark, statuesque figure, -wrapped in a blanket, and with a touch of the "noble savage" about it, -it would have been somewhat difficult to dispel the pleasant illusion.</p> - -<p>The township was not large, and a school-house, two hotels, several -stores, a public hall, commodious constabulary barracks surrounded -by a redoubt, a postal and telegraph station, a blacksmith's forge, -and about fifty houses, built for the most part of wood, formed its -principal features of Anglo-Saxon civilization.</p> - -<p>On the day following my arrival at Alexandra I left, in company with -a native interpreter, for Whatiwhatihoe, to present my credentials to -the Maori king. Our ride across the frontier into Maoriland was a most -delightful one. The steep, wooded heights of Mount Pirongia had cast -off their curtain of mist, and stood revealed in their brightest hues; -while the green, rolling hills at its base formed a pleasant contrast -with the more sombre, fern-clad banks of the Waipa River, as it wound -its devious course from the direction of Mount Kakepuku, which rose -above the plain beyond in the form of a gigantic cone. The country for -miles around lay stretched before the gaze, forming a varied picture -of delightful scenery, and all nature appeared budding into life; -while the prickly gorse, with its golden-yellow flowers, encircled -Whatiwhatihoe like a <i>chevaux de frise</i>. The primitive <i>whares</i><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span><a name="FNanchor_5_5" id="FNanchor_5_5"></a><a href="#Footnote_5_5" class="fnanchor">[5]</a> of -the natives imparted a rustic appearance to the scene, as they stood -scattered about the country to the south, while, as the eye wandered in -the direction of the north, the white homesteads of the settlers served -to mark the <i>aukati</i><a name="FNanchor_6_6" id="FNanchor_6_6"></a><a href="#Footnote_6_6" class="fnanchor">[6]</a>—frontier-line—separating the King Country -from the territory of the <i>pakeha</i>.<a name="FNanchor_7_7" id="FNanchor_7_7"></a><a href="#Footnote_7_7" class="fnanchor">[7]</a></p> - -<p>The king's settlement of Whatiwhatihoe was situated on the west or -opposite bank of the Waipa from Alexandra, and on a broad alluvial -plain running along the base of a range of fern-clad hills. As a rule -the <i>whares</i> were built entirely of <i>raupo</i>,<a name="FNanchor_8_8" id="FNanchor_8_8"></a><a href="#Footnote_8_8" class="fnanchor">[8]</a> and were scattered -about the flat and on the low hills in its vicinity without any regard -to regularity, and while some had a neat and even a clean look, others -were less attractive both in their designs and general surroundings. -They were mostly oblong in shape, with slanting roofs, which projected -a few feet at one end of the building in the form of a recess, where -the entrance, consisting of a low narrow doorway, was placed. Windows, -in the form of small square apertures, were the exception and not the -rule, and consequently the interior of these primitive domiciles was -badly ventilated. A few blankets and native mats formed the principal -articles of furniture, save where the owner, profiting by the advance -of civilization, had gone in for <i>articles de vertu</i> on which the -"Brummagem" hall-mark might be distinctly traced.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span></p> - -<p>As we approached the camp the whole place presented a very animated -appearance; horsemen were riding about in every direction; long -cavalcades of natives, men, women, and children, were arriving from -all parts of the country, to take part in the <i>korero</i><a name="FNanchor_9_9" id="FNanchor_9_9"></a><a href="#Footnote_9_9" class="fnanchor">[9]</a> to be held -on the morrow; while many old tattooed savages, swathed in blankets, -and plumed with <i>huia</i> feathers to denote their chieftainship, were -squatting about, puffing at short pipes with a stolid air, as they -listened in mute attention to one of their number as, gesticulating -wildly, and walking to and fro between two upright poles set a few -paces apart, he delivered a fiery harangue upon the momentous question -of throwing open their country to the advancing tide of civilization. -Bevies of women and girls were busily engaged in preparing for the -coming feast, and troops of children played and fought with countless -pigs and innumerable mongrel dogs.</p> - -<p>While pushing our way among the assembled crowds we were met by the -king's henchman, a half-caste of herculean proportions, who conducted -us to the <i>whare runanga</i>, or meeting-house, an oblong structure -about eighty feet long by forty broad, solidly built out of a framework -of wood, and thatched with <i>raupo</i>. It was capable of holding a large -number of people, and the white rush mats covering the floor gave it a -clean and comfortable appearance.</p> - -<p>In the centre of this spacious hall sat the king flanked by his four -wives, the principal and most attractive of whom was Pare Hauraki,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span> a -fine buxom woman with oval features and artistically tattooed lips, -habited in native costume, with a <i>korowhai</i>, or cape, bound with -<i>kiwi</i> feathers, thrown carelessly across her shoulders, over which her -dark raven hair fell in thick, waving clusters. A number of chiefs of -the various tribes assembled, squatted in a semicircle in front of the -king, who rose from his seat—a rush mat—as I approached, and motioned -for me to be seated in front of him.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus-p021.jpg" alt="maori queen" /> -<a id="illus-p021" name="illus-p021"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption"> THE MAORI QUEEN PARE HAURAKI.</p> - -<p>Tawhiao was habited in European attire, consisting of a pair of dark -trousers, patent leather boots, and a grey frock-coat trimmed with red -braiding about the sleeves, and which at the first glance reminded me -of the <i>redingote gris</i> affected by Napoleon I., <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span>and which obtained -for him the sobriquet of the "little corporal." A black <i>huia</i> feather -tipped with white adorned his hair, and in his left ear he wore a -large piece of roughly polished greenstone,<a name="FNanchor_10_10" id="FNanchor_10_10"></a><a href="#Footnote_10_10" class="fnanchor">[10]</a> and in his right a -shark's tooth. In stature he was a little below the medium height, -sparely made, but keenly knit, with a round, well-formed head; while -his features, which were elaborately tattooed in a complete network -of blue curved lines, were well defined in the true Maori mould; and -although he had a cast in the left eye, his countenance was pleasant, -and as he spoke in a slow deliberate way, he invariably displayed in -his conversation a good deal of cool, calculating shrewdness.</p> - -<p>Among the principal <i>rangatiras</i>, or chiefs, present were Tu Tawhiao, -the king's son, Major Te Wheoro, Manga Rewi, Te Tuhi, Te Ngakau, -Wahanui, Whitiora, Hone Te Wetere, and Hone Te One. Tu Tawhiao was -a tall, slim youth, with a thin, sleek face and dark moustache, and -with a meek expression of countenance. He affected European costume, -and had none of the strong Maori type of feature so characteristic -of his father. He did not appear to be a very gifted youth, but he -had a pleasing manner, and might be considered as a fair type of the -anglicized Maori. Major Te Wheoro was a short, thick-set man, with -heavy features and a somewhat shrewd look. He ranged himself on the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span> -European side during the war, when he gained his commission, and at -the time of which I write he was one of the four Maori members of the -House of Representatives. Manga Rewi, like Tawhiao, was a Maori of the -old school, and with all the physical characteristics of the race about -him. His chief influence appeared to arise from the fact that during -the war he was one of the principal Kingite leaders. Te Ngakau was -remarkably thick-set and muscular, with a firm-looking yet intelligent -face. He was dressed half as a Maori and half as a European, and was -remarkable for nothing so much as for the enormous development of the -calves of his legs. Whitiora was an antiquated, tattooed warrior, -who during the war had won his laurels when gallantly defending the -Rangiriri Pa against the Imperial forces, while Hone Te Wetere was -known to fame in a somewhat doubtful way in connection with the White -Cliffs massacre.</p> - -<p>The most notable, however, of all the chiefs present was undoubtedly -Wahanui, of the Ngatimaniapoto tribe. Standing over six feet, and of -enormous build, he had a peculiar air about him which seemed to mark -him as one born to command. His features, slightly tattooed about -the mouth—which was singularly large—bore a remarkable appearance -of intelligence, while his head, covered with thick white hair, was -round and massively formed. He impressed me very favourably during -the interview, and when speaking, as he did at some length upon the -political condition of the King Country, he seemed to possess not only -a great power of language, but a singularly persuasive manner which was -at once both courteous and dignified.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span> He appeared to exercise a weighty -influence over the king, and to act in all matters as the "power -behind the throne," but he had evidently a conservative turn of mind, -and had he been born in England, I think he would have developed into a -nobleman of very pronounced Tory principles.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus-p024.jpg" alt="wahanui" /> -<a id="illus-p024" name="illus-p024"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption"> WAHANUI.<br /> - -(<i>Chief of the Ngatimaniapoto Tribe.</i>)</p> - -<p>When the king had learned the object of my mission, and that I had -come to obtain his authority to explore the Maori territory, he was -careful to inquire what other countries I had visited, and whether I -had before travelled in other parts of the world with no other view -than to see mountains, rivers, and plains. <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span>"The Maori," he remarked, -"never undergoes fatigue for such a purpose as that, but I know," he -continued, with a slight touch of <i>naïveté</i>, "the <i>pakeha</i> is different -to the Maori, he has the 'earth hunger,' and likes to see new places. -If you wish to go into the country, you may do so when the meeting is -over, but it is not good that you should go until the Maori has spoken -with the <i>pakeha</i> at the <i>korero</i>, therefore I say wait, '<i>taihoa</i>.'"</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus-p025.jpg" alt="manga rewi" /> -<a id="illus-p025" name="illus-p025"></a> -</p> - - -<p class="caption"> MANGA REWI.<br /> - -(<i>A Chief of the Ngatimaniapoto Tribe.</i>)</p> - -<p>The latter word sounded somewhat unpleasant to my ears, as I knew with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span> -the Maoris it was their gospel, and was synonymous with the Spanish -proverb, "Never do to-day what may be done to-morrow." I took the -king at his word, but before I left his presence I mentally recorded -a vow that, if I could not get into the King Country at the north, I -would get into it at the south, which I eventually did a few months -afterwards, as the sequel of this narrative will show.</p> - -<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_5_5" id="Footnote_5_5"></a><a href="#FNanchor_5_5"><span class="label">[5]</span></a> <i>Whare</i> is the native name for a house or hut.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_6_6" id="Footnote_6_6"></a><a href="#FNanchor_6_6"><span class="label">[6]</span></a> The <i>aukati</i> signifies the boundary of a <i>tapued</i> or -sacred district.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_7_7" id="Footnote_7_7"></a><a href="#FNanchor_7_7"><span class="label">[7]</span></a> <i>Pakeha</i> is a term used by the Maoris to designate -Europeans; it means a stranger, or a person from a distant country.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_8_8" id="Footnote_8_8"></a><a href="#FNanchor_8_8"><span class="label">[8]</span></a> For a synopsis of the principal <i>flora</i> met with during -the journey, see Appendix.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_9_9" id="Footnote_9_9"></a><a href="#FNanchor_9_9"><span class="label">[9]</span></a> The word <i>korero</i> (to speak) is here applied as a general -term to the meeting.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_10_10" id="Footnote_10_10"></a><a href="#FNanchor_10_10"><span class="label">[10]</span></a> The <i>pounamu</i>, or greenstone (nephrite), a species of -jade, is much prized by the Maoris as an ornament, either for the neck -or ears. It is only found on the west coast of the Middle Island, the -native name for which is <i>Wahipounamu</i>, or Land of the Greenstone.</p></div></div> - - - - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II.</a></h2> - -<p class="center">THE KORERO.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span></p> - -<blockquote> - -<p class="hang">The Kingites—Half-castes—An albino—The King's speech—Maori -oratory—The feast.</p></blockquote> - - -<p class="drop"><span class="uppercase">On</span> the morrow after my interview with the king the meeting between the -Native Minister and Tawhiao, with a view to bring about more friendly -relations between the two races, was arranged to take place.</p> - -<p>At the time fixed for the <i>korero</i> the Kingites, headed by their -chiefs, assembled on the flat within the settlement. They squatted -about in attractive groups, and the entire assembly formed a compact -semicircle composed of men, women, and children of all ages; while -the bright and almost dazzling colours of their varied, and, in many -instances, eccentric costumes formed an interesting picture, in which -were blended the most singular and striking contrasts. Some of the men -were habited entirely in European attire, others affected more becoming -native costumes, and had their heads decked with feathers, while not -a few were got up in a style which seemed to indicate that they were -undergoing what might be considered, from a Darwinian point of view, -the "transition period" between savage and civilized life. The women, -of whom there were many, had donned their holiday finery, and although -their flowing skirts were evidently not designed after the most -fashionable model, thi<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span>s defect was made up in no small degree by the -glowing effects of the bright colours of the variegated material out -of which they were made. Crimson, yellow, and blue were the prevailing -tints, and one by no means unattractive damsel had her lithe form -swathed in a shawl on which were depicted all the various designs of a -pack of cards.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus-p028.jpg" alt="MAJOR TE WHEORO" /> -<a id="illus-p028"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption"> MAJOR TE WHEORO, M.H.R.</p> - -<p>There were many half-castes of both sexes among the throng, and the -strain of European blood, which in most cases might be distinctly -traced, had evidently, by one of those singular processes of nature -which it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span> is difficult to understand, aided to produce in them here, -as elsewhere, a robust and healthy race of people. Many of the girls -of this class, with their swarthy complexions and well-rounded limbs, -were very comely-looking, and one young lady, habited in a well-fitting -purple silk dress, and with a very handsome native shawl of many -colours thrown artistically across her gracefully formed shoulders, -attracted the admiring glances of all present. She spoke English -fluently, and with her fascinating air, dark eyes, and r<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span>emarkable -Spanish cast of countenance, she appeared more suited to grace the -<i>Prado</i> of Madrid than the primitive <i>marae</i><a name="FNanchor_11_11" id="FNanchor_11_11"></a><a href="#Footnote_11_11" class="fnanchor">[11]</a> of Whatiwhatihoe. In -singular contrast to this attractive daughter of the King Country was -an albino woman, with light flaxen hair, pink eyes, and a complexion -which, if it had been washed, might have rivalled the snowy whiteness -of alabaster. Her lips were marked in the ordinary Maori fashion, and, -so far as her outward appearance went, she was stout and well-built, -and appeared to be as fine a specimen of her kind as I had seen in any -part of the world.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus-p029.jpg" alt="TE TUHI" /> -<a id="illus-p029"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption"> TE TUHI.<br /> - -(<i>A Chief of the Waikato Tribe.</i>)</p> - - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span>When Tawhiao appeared in the midst of his people, he had cast aside -his European costume, and had swathed himself after the native fashion -in a white blanket, with broad pink stripes upon it. At the moment of -the arrival of the Native Minister the king was seated by the side of -his wife Pare Hauraki, and in the centre of the semicircle formed by -the Waikato chiefs and other natives, and as Mr. Bryce drew near he -raised himself from the ground and approached to welcome him. As soon -as the friendly greetings were over, the Native Minister and the king -seated themselves upon the ground face to face, and, having regarded -each other for some time with an air of mutual satisfaction, Tawhiao -arose, and, resuming his original position in the midst of the natives, -arranged his blanket in <i>toga</i> fashion across his breast, and raising -his bare right arm, began his speech in slow, but well-delivered tones, -and with the calm, confident air of one who had been accustomed to -sway the multitude and to speak, as he expressed it in the figurative -language of his race, "straight from his breast." His short harangue, -however, was carefully framed with all the customary art of Maori -diplomacy, and with a view to show that the occasion was simply one -for the mutual expression of goodwill on both sides. Not the faintest -reference at this time was made to his future line of policy, nor was -there a single hint to indicate that any new departure was about to -be initiated calculated to alter the political relationship existing -between the Maori and Pakeha. It was in every sense a carefully -worded discourse, and proved<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span> beyond a doubt that the trite saying of -Voltaire, that language was invented to disguise our thoughts, was -equally appreciated by savage as by civilized races.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus-p030.jpg" alt="albino woman" /> -<a id="illus-p030"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption"> ALBINO WOMAN, KING COUNTRY.</p> - -<p>Tawhiao's speech, however, when finally declining the proposals of the -Native Minister, when, in face of all the inducements held out to him, -he stoutly refused to resign his <i>mana</i>, or sovereign authority, is -worthy a place here, not only as an interesting example of the Maori -style of oratory, but likewise as a touching proof of the deep-rooted -desire of the old king to remain at the head of his decaying race.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus-p032.jpg" alt="te komete" /> -<a id="illus-p032"></a> -</p> -<p class="caption"> WHITIORA WIROUIRU TE KOMETE.<br /> - -(<i>A Chief of the Waikato Tribe.</i>)</p> - - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span>Tawhiao, who spoke with evident emotion on this occasion, said: "My -word is, do not speak at all; only listen" (addressed to his people). -"The best way of speaking is to listen. If this European" (the Native -Minister) "rises, the best thing to do is to listen. This is my word, -hearken you" (to Mr. Bryce). "I approve of you administering affairs -on that side—the European side. But my word is, I will jump on that -side, and stand. I have nothing to say. My only reason for going on -that side is to hear—to listen, so that I may know. I say I will -remain in the positions of my ancestors and my parents in this island -of Aotearoa.<a name="FNanchor_12_12" id="FNanchor_12_12"></a><a href="#Footnote_12_12" class="fnanchor">[12]</a> I will remain here; and as for my proceedings, let -me proceed along my own line. I have nothing to say; I have only to -listen, so that I may know. After I have listened I will come back -to this side of our line.<a name="FNanchor_13_13" id="FNanchor_13_13"></a><a href="#Footnote_13_13" class="fnanchor">[13]</a> Say what you have to say. That is my -thought, that I will remain here, in the place where my ancestors and -fathers trod; but if I had trodden anywhere else, then I could be -spoken to about it. I still adhere to the word that existed from the -commencement. The queen was not divided; her rule has been obeyed. Now, -say what you have to say. With me there is no trouble or darkness. What -I have said to you is good; it has been said in the daylight, while -the sun is shining. I do not mind falling, if only I do not fall as my -cloak would fall. I can traverse all the words. This is another word of -mine. I am teaching; I will remain here. You can remain on your side -and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span> administer affairs, and I will remain on my side. Let me be here, -on this side of our own line. Speak while the sun is shining. It has -been said for a long time that the Europeans are against me. My reply -to that is, that the <i>pakeha</i> is with me. But let me remain here at -Aotearoa. I will direct my people this very day as we sit here. I will -not go off in any new direction, but will be as my ancestors were."</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus-p034.jpg" alt="PAORA TU HAERE" /> -<a id="illus-p034"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption"> PAORA TU HAERE.<br /> -(<i>Head Chief of the Ngati Whatua Tribe.</i>)</p> - -<p>After the Native Minister had replied to the king's speech, the -present of provisions given by the government, consisting of beef, -flour, sugar, and biscuits, was hauled <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span>to the front in bullock drays, -and, after being piled into a heap, Major Te Wheoro stepped forward -and acknowledged the donation on the part of the natives. When this -ceremony was concluded, loud shouts of joyful voices were heard in -the distance, and from each side of the <i>marae</i> two separate bands of -about 200 women and girls came dancing along in variegated costumes, -with small baskets in their hands made of plaited flax, and filled with -cooked potatoes, roasted pork, and fish. They rounded up in front of -the meeting with a measured step, between a skip and a hop, and when -they had deposited their burdens in a heap, and grinned immensely, as -if to show their white teeth, half a dozen stalwart men came forward -with roasted pigs cut in twain, or rather amputated down the centre of -the spine. When these sweet luxuries had swelled the dimensions of the -<i>kai</i>,<a name="FNanchor_14_14" id="FNanchor_14_14"></a><a href="#Footnote_14_14" class="fnanchor">[14]</a> Te Ngakau stepped forward, and, taking up a pronged stick, -or roasting-fork, formally presented this token of hospitality to the -government, which in its turn, according to custom, and to avoid the -incubus of a "white elephant," returned it with thanks to the natives.</p> - -<p>Feasting then became the order of the day, and joining the king's -circle, we partook of the kindly fruits of the earth with unalloyed -satisfaction; and as table requisites were not plentiful, we dispensed -with those baubles of modern progress, and ate after the primitive mode -of our forefathers.</p> - -<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_11_11" id="Footnote_11_11"></a><a href="#FNanchor_11_11"><span class="label">[11]</span></a> <i>Marae</i>, an open space in front of a native settlement.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_12_12" id="Footnote_12_12"></a><a href="#FNanchor_12_12"><span class="label">[12]</span></a> <i>Aotearoa</i> is the ancient native name for the North -Island; it is equivalent to "<i>land of bright sunlight</i>."</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_13_13" id="Footnote_13_13"></a><a href="#FNanchor_13_13"><span class="label">[13]</span></a> Meaning the <i>Aukati</i> or boundary-line separating the King -Country from the European portion of the colony.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_14_14" id="Footnote_14_14"></a><a href="#FNanchor_14_14"><span class="label">[14]</span></a> <i>Kai</i>, Maori word for food.</p></div></div> - - - - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III.</a></h2> - -<p class="center">ASCENT OF PIRONGIA.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span></p> - -<blockquote> - -<p class="hang">Mount Pirongia—Geological features—The ascent—A fair prospect.</p></blockquote> - - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus-p037.jpg" alt="HATI WIRA TAKAHI" /> -<a id="illus-p037"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption"> HATI WIRA TAKAHI.<br /> - -(<i>Chief of the Ngapuhi Tribe.</i>)</p> - -<p class="drop"><span class="uppercase">The</span> steep, rugged heights of Mount Pirongia are at all times an -attractive feature in the splendid landscape which stretches along -the course of the Waikato River and thence through the valley of the -Waipa to the very borders of the King Country. Rising to a height of -3146 feet above the level of the sea, the conical peaks of this grand -mountain stand boldly out against the sky as they change and shift, -as it were, with magical effect, when viewed from different points -of vantage, now assuming the form of gigantic pyramids, now swelling -into dome-shaped masses connected by long, sweeping ridges which lose -themselves in deep ravines, and rolling slopes whose precipitous sides -sometimes end in steep precipices, or open out into broad valleys -covered from base to summit by a thick mantle of vegetation. When -beheld from a distance, Pirongia appears to have been moulded by the -hand of nature into the most subdued and graceful proportions, over -which are constantly playing the most enchanting effects of light and -shade, and it is not until one stands at the base of this stupendous -mountain of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span> eruptive rock that one fully realizes the bold features -of its rugged outline, as one contemplates in wonder the work of those -terrific subterranean forces which, at some period or another, caused -this volcanic giant to rear its rugged head above the surrounding -plains. Beneath the bright morning light, or when evening spreads -its mellow tints over the heavens, the mountain is seen to its best -advantage; but when the heavily laden clouds from the west sweep in -from the sea, they gather round the lofty summit of Pirongia in a thick -pall of vapoury mist, and then, bursting into a flood of rain, roll -down its steep sides to swell the current of the Waipa.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus-p038.jpg" alt="TAWHAO NGATUERE" /> -<a id="illus-p038"></a> -</p> - - -<p class="caption">TAWHAO NGATUERE.<br /> - -(<i>A Chief of the Ngatikahunu Tribe.</i>)</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span>When viewed from a geological point of view, Pirongia formed evidently -at some remote period of its history the centre of an extended volcanic -action to which the extensive ranges stretching from this point in -many ramifications to the west coast, and thence in the direction of -Whaingaroa harbour in the north and Kawhia harbour in the south, owe -their origin. When standing upon the summit of the mountain, it may be -plainly seen that the Pirongia ranges diverge in all directions from -a common centre, formed by the most elevated portion of the volcanic -cone which constitutes the highest point of the mounta<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span>in chain. For a -considerable distance to the north and south, and as far west as the -coast, this mountainous system extends in an almost continuous line, -and assumes an elevation which varies from nearly 2000 to 3000 feet -above the level of the sea, but it gradually diminishes in altitude -towards the east, in the form of low hills and undulating slopes which -finally merge into the broad plains which mark the upper and lower -valleys of the Waipa. Throughout these extensive ranges there is little -or no open<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span> country, but mountain top after mountain top, ridge after -ridge, ravine after ravine, stretch away as far as the eye can reach -in a confused rugged mass covered with a dense and almost impenetrable -vegetation. The summit or highest point of Pirongia, which assumes -the form of a large oval-shaped, though now much broken, crater, was -evidently the central point of eruption of the volcanic forces which -caused the various higher ranges and lower hills to radiate from this -point and assume their serrated and disjointed form, and it is here, as -well as in the numerous gullies and ravines which spring from it, that -the geological features of the various rocks may be more distinctly -traced. As in all formations of the kind in its vicinity, the igneous -rocks predominate, and of these trachyte is the most common; huge -masses of this rock cropping<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span> up everywhere above the surface of the -mountain. Scoria, obsidian, pumice, and other volcanic rocks likewise -occur, their gradual decomposition serving to form a dark rich soil, -which covers the sides of the mountain and gives life to its splendid -vegetation.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus-p039.jpg" alt="A CHIEF" /> -<a id="illus-p039"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption"> A CHIEF OF THE NGATIPROA TRIBE.</p> - -<p>When I made the ascent of Pirongia it was in the pleasant company of -Mr. F.J. Moss, Member of the House of Representatives. The country -around the eastern base of the mountain was composed of a series of -low, fern-clad hills, intersected by small swamps and watercourses fed -principally from the mountain springs.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus-p040.jpg" alt="PARATENE TE MANU " /> -<a id="illus-p040"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption"> PARATENE TE MANU.<br /> - -(<i>A Chief of the Ngatiwai Tribe.</i>)</p> - -<p>The moment we left the fern hills and entered the forest all the -varied beauties of its rich growth burst upon the view. The steep -ascent of the mountain began almost at once, and our path lay along -the precipitous ridges which sweep down on every side from its summit, -clothed with a thick growth of enormous trees, and rich in all the -wondrous creations of a primeval vegetation. Among the many giants of -the vegetable world was the <i>rata</i>, which, clothed with its curious -growth of parasitical plants, towered high above its compeers of the -forest. Many of these trees were of enormous size, especially when -they grew in the low, damp gullies, where they attained to a height -of considerably over a hundred feet, with a girth of from thirty to -forty feet at their base. A few of these giants were scattered about -the high ridges, but they appeared to thrive best, and to attain their -greatest girth, near the low, damp beds of the small watercourses, -which, bursting from the adamantine sides of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span> the mountain, and leaping -along their rocky course, formed the only music that enlivened these -bush-bound solitudes.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus-p042.jpg" alt="TUKUKINO " /> -<a id="illus-p042"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption"> TUKUKINO.<br /> - -(<i>Head Chief of the Ngatitematera.</i>)</p> - -<p>When we reached the summit of the mountain, we emerged from the thick -forest on to an open spot which commanded a delightful prospect. -Turning<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span> towards the west, we stood on the brink of a precipice which -fell in a clear descent of 1000 feet into the ravine below; here and -there a jutting mass of rock stood out in rugged grandeur from the -adamantine wall of stone, but otherwise a thick growth of matted scrub -covered the sides and bottom of this enormous fissure, and so dense -and entangled was the vegetation as we looked down upon it, that it -appeared quite possible to walk upon the tops of the trees without -falling to the ground. Far beyond this, mountain after mountain rolled -away in the distance, until the eye rested on the grand expanse of -Kawhia Harbour, dotted with its broad inlets and numerous headlands, -which rose in picturesque beauty above the deep-blue outline of the -distant sea. North-westerly from this point the bright waters of Aotea -Harbour lay embosome<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span>d in a semicircle of hills, and, beyond again, -Mount Karioi rose from the borders of the ocean to an altitude of 2300 -feet. East and south of this the Whanga Ranges bounded the horizon, -and right opposite to Pirongia the bold peaks of Maungakawa and -Maungatautari rose into view. Between this wide area there were lower -hills which radiated from the mountain ranges, but it could be plainly -seen that the greater portion of the country was formed of level plains -dotted here and there with small lakes and extensive swamps, through -which the Waikato and the Waipa, with their numerous tributaries, could -be traced as they wound for miles away in the distance. Here and there -upon the cultivated flats the white houses of the settlers, embowered -amidst orchards and gardens, dotted the landscape, while Alexandra, -Kihikihi, Hamilton, and Cambridge, and numerous other settlements, -served to mark the spots where future cities may ere long grow into -existence, and add wealth and prosperity to this fertile land. It was, -however, when gazing in the direction of the south, where the King -Country lay stretched for miles before us in all the wide, rich beauty -of a virgin country, that the grandest natural scenery burst upon the -view, and charmed the imagination with the thought of a bright future. -The <i>aukati</i> or boundary-line could be distinctly traced, on the one -side by farms and homesteads, and on the other by the huts<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span> of the -natives; but beyond these features there was nothing to denote that -the territory to the north was the abode of enlightenment, and that -the land to the south was a primeval wilderness still wrapped in the -darkness of primitive barbarism.</p> - - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus-p043.jpg" alt="TE RAIA " /> -<a id="illus-p043"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption"> TE RAIA NGAKUTU TE TUMUHUIA.<br /> - -(<i>Head Chief of the Ngatitematera tribe. Last of the New Zealand -Cannibals.</i>)</p> - - - - - - - - -<p class="ph2"><a name="THE_LAKE_COUNTRY" id="THE_LAKE_COUNTRY">THE LAKE COUNTRY.</a></p> -<hr class="chap" /> - - - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV.</a></h2> - -<p class="center"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span>AUCKLAND TO OHINEMUTU.</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p class="hang">The flank movement—Auckland Harbour—Tauranga—Whakari—The -<i>tuatara</i>—<i>En route</i>—The Gate Pa—All that remains—Oropi—A -grand forest—Mangorewa Gorge—Mangorewa River—A region of eternal -fire.</p></blockquote> - - -<p class="drop"><span class="uppercase">A</span> little short of five months after the events which I have recorded -in the previous chapters took place, I embarked on board the S.S. -<i>Glenelg</i>, for Tauranga. I had selected to travel by this way as I had -determined to reach the Lake Country by the East Coast, pass through -the centre of the island, enter the King Country at its southern -extremity, and, if possible, carry on my explorations northward to -Alexandra. Owing to the unsatisfactory condition of the Native Question -at that time, the undertaking appeared to be a hopeless one, but I -resolved to give it a fair trial, and as the <i>Glenelg</i> glided over -the calm waters of Auckland Harbour, half the difficulties which had -previously presented themselves to my mind seemed to disappear with -the fading rays of the sun as they played over the water, cast fitful -shadows athwart the romantic islands of the bay, and lit up the tall -spires of the receding city.</p> - -<p>As we sped on in the golden twilight, some of the most attractive -views were obtained of the renowned<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span> harbour which places the northern -capital of New Zealand at the head of all antipodean cities for -grandeur of scenery, and as a mart for commerce, and which, in time -to come, should transform it into the Naples of the Pacific. On every -side the most delightful prospects unfolded themselves; the city with -its forest of houses rising and falling over hill and valley, and -clustering around the tall, grassy cones, once the scene of raging -volcanic fires, next crowned with Maori <i>pas</i>, and now dotted with neat -villas. Small inlets and jutting points of land came constantly before -the gaze; the forest-clad mountains of Cape Colville and Coromandel -mounted boldly above the sea; in the east, Kawau, the island home of -Sir George Grey, rose in the north, backed by the rugged peaks of -the Barrier Islands; while right in the centre of this grand picture -the volcanic cone of Rangitoto towered to a height of 800 feet above -the wide expanse of water. Every point, each sinuous bay and jutting -headland, was rich in a varied vegetation of the brightest green, -and as the softly tinted light—violet, crimson, and yellow—so -characteristic of New Zealand sunsets, mingled with the deep blue of -the sea as the shades of evening crept on, and the stars shone forth -from above—the whole surroundings, as our vessel glided rapidly on her -way, combined to form an ever-changing panorama of unrivalled beauty.</p> - -<p>When, early on the following morning, we steamed into Tauranga Harbour, -the sea was as smooth as a sheet of glass, the heavens were blue and -cloudless, and the town, the fern-clad hills, and the mountains in the -distance, completed one of the most attractive pictures of New Zealand -scenery I had ever beheld. In fro<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span>nt the neat white houses of the -settlement rose from the very edge of the lake-like expanse of water, -the country beyond lay stretched before the gaze in a broad expanse -of green, whilst the bold outline of the coast, with its jutting -headlands, extended for miles on either side.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus-p048.jpg" alt="WHITE ISLAND" /> -<a id="illus-p048"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption"> WHAKARI, OR WHITE ISLAND.</p> - -<p>Tauranga is not a large place, but its situation is delightful. It -is built mostly along the west shore of the harbour, and commands a -splendid view of the great ocean beyond, with its picturesque islands, -which rise in fantastic shape, from the broad surface of the Bay of -Plenty. The harbour, which is completely landlocked, and safe in all -weathers, stretches out before the town in the form of an inland lake. -The rugged islands of Tuhua, Karewha, and Motiti rise abruptly from the -surrounding sea, while in the distan<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span>ce, towards the east, the geysers -and boiling springs of Whakari send up their clouds of steam.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus-p049.jpg" alt="THE TUATARA" /> -<a id="illus-p049"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption">THE TUATARA.</p> - -<p>Whakari, or White Island, which lies about thirty miles from the shore -in the Bay of Plenty, is a cone-shaped mountain rising abruptly from -the sea to an altitude of 860 feet. The crater, about a mile and a half -in circumference, is in the condition of a very active solfatara, whose -numerous geysers and boiling springs evolve at all times dense volumes -of steam and sulphurous gases. There are large deposits of sulphur -surrounding the crater, and several small warm lakes of sulphurous -water. It lies in the line of active thermal action which stretches -across the North Island through the Lake Country to the volcano of -Tongariro, with which, according to native tradition, it is supposed to -be connected by a subterranean channel.</p> - -<p>The small rocky island of Karewha in the Bay of Plenty is remarkable -as being the only remaining abode of the <i>tuatara</i> (<i>Hatteria -punctata</i>,<a name="FNanchor_15_15" id="FNanchor_15_15"></a><a href="#Footnote_15_15" class="fnanchor">[15]</a>) the largest lizard i<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span>n New Zealand. It is a -non-venomous reptile, about eighteen inches long, with a ridge of -sharp-pointed spines like a fringe down its back, and which it raises -or depresses at pleasure.</p> - -<p>When I left Tauranga, well mounted, <i>en route</i> for the Lake Country, -the air was delightfully fresh and balmy, and the fervid glow of the -sun soon dispelled the vapoury mist that hung around. All the roads -leading out of the town were white with shell, and fringed with trees, -among which the tall poplar and weeping willow were conspicuous by -their luxuriance, while the bright verdure contrasted pleasantly with -the picturesque villas, around which all the beauties of the floral -world flourished in luxuriance. Here the grass was of an emerald green, -the trees looked as fresh as if growing under the influence of an -English spring, the jasmine, the clematis, and the honeysuckle wound -their graceful tendrils about, and whole acres of sweetbriar scented -the air with its delightful perfume. The country soon opened out into -broad plains and undulating hills, which rose in the form of a bold -amphitheatre to the forest-clad heights beyond, until suddenly there -appeared right in front of me an extensive expanse of fern.</p> - -<p>Away over the plains, down the slopes of the ravines, over the distant -hills and into the valleys beyond, fern, fern, nothing but fern, rolled -away in every direction as far as the eye could reach, its green, -waving surface losing itself in the distance like a boundless sea. I -had beheld many bits of scenery in the colony similar to this, but -this wild fern-clad region had a special<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span> charm about it, for it had -gained for itself a place in the history of New Zealand which will be -as memorable, perhaps, in time to come as are the plains of Hastings, -where Norman and Saxon fought for the mastery of Britain.</p> - -<p>The road hereabouts passed over a slight elevation which assumed the -form of a circular hill about fifty feet high, but the ascent to which -was very gradual from the plain below, while it was naturally flanked -by deep gullies down to which the sides of the hill fall in a long -sweep. There was nothing in this place to render it remarkable other -than the fact that it was formerly the site of the celebrated Gate -Pa,<a name="FNanchor_16_16" id="FNanchor_16_16"></a><a href="#Footnote_16_16" class="fnanchor">[16]</a> and it was to the east of it, in the fern-clad flat below, -just eighteen years ago, that General Cameron, with two regiments of -infantry and a body of marines, numbering in all 4000 men, took up his -position to storm one of the most formidable of Maori strongholds. -Thoroughly equipped with all the appliances of modern warfare, the 43rd -and 68th Regiments manœuvred into position to attack a force of 500 -natives armed only with the rifle and tomahawk, and entrenched behind -a rude stockade of <i>manuka</i> and fern. At first victory seemed easy for -the Imperial forces, and, with such powerful allies as the bayonet -and Armstrong gun, there appeared little more to do than to scale the -redoubts, storm the rifle-pits, and place their colours on the summit -of the Gate Pa. But with that cunning strategy which characterizes -savage races in the art of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span> war, the Maoris had hit upon a grand idea -to deceive their enemies. They did not place their red fighting-flags -in the <i>pa</i> where their main forces were, as the <i>pakeha</i> would -have done, but they distributed them in outlying positions below -the stockade, and then they surrounded their false encampments with -barricades of plaited twigs, and covered their rifle-pits with roofs -of fern. The stratagem was successful, and Cameron directed his -fire against these decoys, but of course without effect. The firing -continued from daylight until late in the afternoon, when a storming -party was told off to rush the place. The gallant 43rd were the first -to scale the stockades of the <i>pa</i>, but their leader was immediately -shot down, and they retreated in disorder; while the 68th, charging the -right flank of the enemy's position, were thrice repulsed and driven -back under a galling fire. It was now found, just as at Balaclava, that -"some one had blundered," and that the British were firing upon one -another instead of upon the enemy. The natives now, surrounded within -the <i>pa</i>, rallied their forces, and as the dark masses swept down upon -the thin red line fighting with the bravery of despair, a panic seized -the Imperial troops, and then began one of the most terrible repulses -and massacres ever experienced by British arms.</p> - -<p>Every vestige of the Gate Pa has now disappeared, and nothing but a -small homestead, a ploughed fiel<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span>d, and a few Australian gum-trees -mark the spot where this most disastrous of Anglo-Maori battles was -fought, and yet, although peace and prosperity seemed to smile around -as I passed over the old battle-field, I could imagine that I beheld -the rude stronghold intact, the red coats crowding up the heights, and -the flash of bayonet and tomahawk as the bullets whistled overhead -and the shells burst in the air, as the fierce savages dashed forward -massacring their foes with a deadly and cruel hatred, and shouting -loud war-cries which drowned the British cheers in sounds of agony -and death. And I could imagine all this the more vividly since it was -only the night before that I had wandered past the redoubt hard by -Tauranga to the small graveyard which crowned the summit of a cliff -that looked out over the clear waters of the bay. Here a tall monument -of pyramidal shape rose up at the further end, sacred to the memory of -the officers, non-commissioned officers, and privates who had fallen -in the East Coast campaign, while other smaller gravestones stood -about like sentinels. Most of these monuments were simple in design, -some were flat, some stood erect, and some were fashioned in the shape -of crosses, but each told its glorious tale; and as I traced out the -inscriptions by the light of the moon, I could read how one brave man -had met death at Te Ranga, and another at the Gate Pa.</p> - -<p>About thirteen miles from Tauranga I ascended to Oropi, which stands -at an elevation of over 1000 feet above the level of the sea, and at -the edge of the elevated table-land which extends for a considerable -distance beyond. Looking back along the road I had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span> come, from this -point a delightful view was obtained of the surrounding country, with -Tauranga and its splendid harbour in the distance, while along the -coast might be traced the winding outline of the Bay of Plenty, with -its picturesque islands rising in rugged grandeur from the sea. The sun -blazed warm when I reached Oropi, and it was a delightful change from -the treeless, fern-clad country to enter the cool refreshing shade of -a magnificent forest, where giant trees, tall ferns, and myriads of -creeping plants and curious mosses and lichens charmed the eye by their -grandeur and variety at every turn.</p> - -<p>For a long distance the road took a gradual rise of about 400 feet from -Oropi, and then from a certain point at this elevation, that is to -say, at an altitude of about 1500 feet above the level of the sea, it -gradually descended 200 feet in the direction of the Mangorewa Gorge.</p> - -<p>It is not easy to convey an idea of the Mangorewa Gorge; but one must -imagine a mighty chasm some 200 feet deep, sunk like a pit on the top -of the mountains, which here rise to an altitude of about 1600 feet -above the sea, the adamantine sides of the gorge falling with a clear -descent of nearly 200 feet from their summit level. A sparkling stream, -the Mangorewa, fringed with colossal trees, wound at the bottom of -this walled ravine, and towering masses of rock rose up in the form of -bold bluffs and jutting buttresses along its wild and rugged course, -forming, as it were, the outline of a colossal stronghold built by the -gods to guard the entrance to the wondrous country beyond.</p> - -<p>As I gained the bottom of the ravine the steep, roc<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span>ky crags stood -out in bold relief against the sky, the walls of rock gleamed white -beneath the rich growth of mosses, trees, and ferns that fought, as -it were, for life up the steep sides, while gay festoons of curious -creeping plants hung from their rugged edges high in the air above. The -Mangorewa River wound on its way from out a rich canopy of overhanging -trees, where the ferns, mosses, and curious parasitical growth, all -mingling together, shut out the rays of the sun from the vistas beyond, -and where the dark, dank groves, with their gnarled branches and -coiling vines, appeared like the realms of a deserted land. From the -bottom of the gorge the road ascended to an altitude of 210 feet to the -opposite crown of the range, and from this point a descent of 800 feet -was made to the great table-land of the Lake region.</p> - -<p>It was evening when I finally emerged from the forest, and then -the road descended rapidly as if into a basin surrounded by hills -and mountains, among which the sharp peaks of Mount Tarawera were -conspicuous by their rugged grandeur. Right in front the shining -surface of Lake Rotorua caught the last rays of the setting sun, while -on its shores the native <i>whares</i> of Ohinemutu stood clustered about -amidst vapoury clouds of steam, when suddenly even the water flowing -from the side of the road bubbled up and smoked, and as the mists of -night mingled with the vapours around, I seemed to have arrived at a -region of eternal fire.</p> - -<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_15_15" id="Footnote_15_15"></a><a href="#FNanchor_15_15"><span class="label">[15]</span></a> For a synopsis of the New Zealand <i>fauna</i>, see Appendix.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_16_16" id="Footnote_16_16"></a><a href="#FNanchor_16_16"><span class="label">[16]</span></a> This word is often written <i>pah</i>, but, as a consonant is -never used as a terminal in the Maori language, the addition of the <i>h</i> -is an innovation.</p></div></div> - - - - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V.</a></h2> - -<p class="center">HOT-SPRING LIFE.</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p class="hang"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span>Ohinemutu and Lake Rotorua—Te Ruapeka—The old pa—Native -baths—Delightful bathing—A curious graveyard—Pigs—Area -of thermal action—Character of the springs—Chemical -constituents—Noted springs—Whakarewarewa—Te Koutu -Kahotawa—"Tenakoe, pakeha"—Hot and cold.</p></blockquote> - - -<p class="drop"><span class="uppercase">The</span> township of Ohinemutu occupies one of the grandest situations -in the whole of the Lake district. It is built on a slight eminence -called Pukeroa, which rises with a gradual slope from the shores of -Lake Rotorua, whose bright blue waters add a romantic charm to the -surrounding country.</p> - -<p>In front the broad surface of the lake spreads itself out in a circle -of nearly twenty-five miles in circumference, and along the bright, -sandy shore of this beautiful sheet of water small bays, fringed with -trees, and jutting points, clothed with the greenest vegetation, add -variety to the attractive scene; beyond these again, wide, fern-clad -flats roll away to the base of the distant hills, which, rising in the -form of a complete semicircle around, seemed to have formed at some -period or another the area of an immense lake-basin, until the waters, -bursting into the rugged gorges, swept into the valleys of the country -beyond. Some of the hills fall with a gentle slope to the very brink of -the water, others send out their rock-bound spurs, while some, again, -mounting high above the rest, have their tall summits clothed with -dense forests; while deep ravines, thick with a marvellous growth of -vegetation, send down their crystal streams to mingle with the fierce -waters of the boiling springs, whi<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span>ch skirt the lake and send forth -their jets and clouds of steam for miles around.</p> - -<p>The native settlement, Te Ruapeka, is situated on a long peninsula, -about 100 yards wide at its broadest part, narrowing gradually towards -its end, where it terminates in a sharp point, as it runs flatly out -almost on a level with the waters of the lake.</p> - -<p>Every part of this strip of land, from one end to the other, is dotted -about and riddled with thermal springs, some of which shoot out of the -ground from small apertures, while others assume the form of large, -steaming pools. They are of all degrees of temperature, from tepid heat -to boiling-point; and while you may cook your food in one, you may take -a delicious bath in another, and get scalded to death in a third.</p> - -<p>In former times a <i>pa</i> stood at the further end of the peninsula, but -one stormy night a rumbling noise was heard, then a sound of hissing -steam, the trembling earth opened, and the <i>pa</i> with all its people -sank bodily into the depths of the lake.</p> - -<p>All the <i>whares</i> of the settlement are built, after the native fashion, -of <i>raupo</i>, with large recesses in front of the doorways, the woodwork -of which is curiously carved, and forms a very good specimen of the -Maori order of architecture. The <i>whares</i> are clustered promiscuously -about the springs, and it is no unfrequent occurrence to see a stalwart -savage, a buxom woman with a baby in her arms, a sprightly youth, or -a dark-eyed damsel come out from the carved portals of a hut in the -primitive costume of our first parents, and jump into one of the many -square stone baths dotted about, and with no other<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span> regard for their -neighbours who may be standing or squatting around than if they were so -many carved images.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus-p058.jpg" alt="NATIVE WOMAN " /> -<a id="illus-p058"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption"> NATIVE WOMAN AND CHILD.<br /> - -(<i>Ohinemutu.</i>)</p> - -<p>The natives use these baths at all times of the day, and even at all -times of the night—that is to say, if a man feels chilly in bed, he -gets up and makes for his bath in order to get warm again. Bathing here -seems to be a second nature, and the women and girls arrange afternoon -bath-parties just as we might assemble our friends at an afternoon tea.</p> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span></p> - -<p>There is something very delightful in bathing in the open in one -of these thermal springs. I had my first and last Turkish bath in -Constantinople, where the whole process had been so elaborately -improved upon by all that Eastern art for luxury could devise, that to -go through the ordeal was positively painful, by reason of the state -of luxuriousness to which it had been wrought. Here all is primitive -simplicity, ceremony is dispensed with, perfumes—at least of "Araby -the blest"—are unknown. You sniff the fresh air, which in these parts -feels like the elixir of life, plunge in, and sit for hours, mooning -the time away in a soft, stimulating heat, beneath the glowing rays of -the sun; and if you are not satisfied with this, to complete the luxury -you may leave the bath, and sit down, naked as you are, on a seat of -heated slabs, where you may be steamed and "vaporized" on the coldest -day or the most frigid night without fear of taking cold or of being -doubled up by rheumatism.</p> - -<p>Not only do the natives use the springs for bathing and curative -purposes, and not only do they warm their houses by their means, and -perform all their culinary duties by their aid, but they actually bury -their dead among them. I went down to the further point of the native -settlement, where there is a small graveyard situated among boiling -springs and steaming fissures that crop up everywhere over the ground, -as if the volcanic fires below were just ready to burst forth and -swallow up the living with the dead. Portions of curious carvings, old -canoes, and grotesque figures in wood lay scattered about in every -direction, and one was apt to wonder how it was that they had not long -since been destroyed or carted off to gra<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span>ce some antiquarian museum -as relics of a rude art which is fast falling into decay. But these -remnants of native industry were all <i>tapu</i>, and were as sacred in the -eyes of the Maoris as would be a piece of the "true cross" on the altar -of a cathedral in Catholic Spain. There was a small, dilapidated hut -here filled with coffins containing the remains of several celebrated -chiefs, and not far off was an oblong tomb, built of wood, surmounted -by a cross, and as I gazed upon it and then upon the grotesque figures -lying around, it seemed as if the darkness of heathenism had grappled -here with the light of Christianity. It was sacred to the beloved wife -of Rotohiko Haupapa, the giant chief of Rotorua. Immediately behind -it was a spring with a temperature a little over boiling-point—in -fact, anywhere in the vicinity it was only necessary to sit upon the -grass, and you would find the heat from below rise up at once, or to -put your finger beneath the roots, when the soil would feel hot enough -to boil an egg. It appeared strange that the dead should be buried in -so singular a spot (unless they had done something very naughty when -in the flesh), and as the hot water bubbled up and hissed through the -fissures of the rocks, it seemed to whisper forth the sighs of those -below.</p> - -<p>When walking around the <i>whares</i>, and noticing the various phases -of Maori hot-spring life, I saw half a dozen members of the porcine -tribe come quietly along with an easy, self-satisfied air, as if they -had just gone through their morning ablutions in the warm, bubbling -fountains, and were going to ro<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span>ot round for steamed potatoes, boiled -cabbage, and other delicacies. Suddenly a half-naked Maori slunk out -of his hut, with a long knife between his teeth. Quick as thought, -and with the skill of a champion assassin, he seized the foremost pig -by the hind leg. A prod from the knife, and the crimson blood of the -murdered animal mingled with a rill of boiling water, which was running -past in a hurry, as it were, to cool itself in the lake. A twist of the -wrist, and the pig was jerked into a steaming pool, where the heated -waters twirled and hissed as if in a red-hot cauldron. Out again in an -instant, and then he set to work to scrape off the bristles, which came -away in flakes, as if they had simply been stuck on by nature by the -aid of a little glue, and the skin of the porker gleamed white as snow -beneath the sun. In two minutes more he was disemboweled, and then he -was placed over a steam-hole, with a couple of sacks over him, to be -cooked for the evening meal. From the time that pig gaily walked the -earth until the end of that terrible process, about fifteen minutes -expired.</p> - -<p>The area in the immediate vicinity of Lake Rotorua where the action -of the thermal springs is most active may be said to extend from -Whakarewarewa on the one side to Te Koutu on the other. The distance -between the two points is about three and a half miles, the thermal -action extending inland for about a mile from the border of the lake to -Ariki Kapakapa, celebrated for its big holes of black, boiling mud. A -short distance from the eastern shore of the lake is Tikitere, a narrow -valley in the centre of which is a boiling-water basin, about seventy -feet in diameter, and which is surrounded in every direction by hot<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span> -mud-pools and boiling springs. Close to Tikitere is Lake Rotoiti,<a name="FNanchor_17_17" id="FNanchor_17_17"></a><a href="#Footnote_17_17" class="fnanchor">[17]</a> -whose deep bays and jutting headlands impart to it a very beautiful -appearance. Hot springs occur on its southern shore, while still -further to the east of it, again, are the warm lakes known as Rotoma -and Rotoehu, the waters of the two latter being rendered of a greyish, -opaque colour by the action of the subaqueous springs.</p> - -<p>All the country within the existing range of thermal action, and, in -fact, considerably beyond it, bears the distinctive traces of the -combined work of fire and water, while the ground for miles around is -covered with silicious and sulphurous deposits, together with pumice, -scoria, obsidian, alum, oxide of iron, and various other products, the -result of the igneous and aqueous action which is everywhere observable -in the form of geysers, hot springs, boiling mud-holes, <i>solfataras</i>, -and <i>fumaroles</i>, and which are known to the natives under the more -general terms of <i>ngawha, puia</i>, and <i>waiariki</i>.<a name="FNanchor_18_18" id="FNanchor_18_18"></a><a href="#Footnote_18_18" class="fnanchor">[18]</a> All the geysers -and most of the springs are intermittent, while not a few are very -erratic in their movements, subsiding in one place and breaking out -in another with wonderful rapidity. The water of some of the springs -is as blue and as bright as crystal, in others it is of a greenish -tint, while in not a few it ass<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span>umes a dirty yellow colour. Nearly -every spring possesses properties peculiar to itself, and mostly all -are more or less efficacious in the treatment of rheumatic and nervous -complaints, and cutaneous and spinal disorders.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus-fp062.jpg" alt="NATIVE VILLAGE " /> -<a id="illus-fp062"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption"> NATIVE VILLAGE.<br /> - -(<i>Lake Rotoiti</i>).</p> - -<p>Upon analysis, the springs are found to contain various chemical -ingredients, but in different proportions, according to the quality or -properties of the water. Among the principal chemical bodies may be -mentioned the chlorides of sodium, potassium, lithium, calcium, and -magnesium; the sulphates of soda, lime, potash, magnesia, alumina, -and iron; the silicates of soda, lime, and magnesia. In the acids, -hydrochloric, sulphuric, and muriatic are found in abundance, while -both sulphuretted hydrogen and carbonic acid gas are largely evolved.</p> - -<p>The most important springs are situated at Sulphur Point—a small -peninsula at the southern end of Lake Rotorua. One of the most noted -is Whangapipiro, a large circular pool of hot saline water, with -silicates, and with an alkaline reaction. The water, which is only a -few degrees below boiling-point, is perfectly blue, and as clear as -crystal, and when you look down into its deep and apparently fathomless -basin, the white, alabaster-like deposits of silica hanging around its -sides make it appear like a picturesque grotto formed of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span> coral rock. -Near to this bath is Te Kauhanga, or the "Pain-killer," the water of -which is saline, with excess of acid and acid reaction. It is very -efficacious in cases of acute rheumatism, and many marvellous cures -are said to have been effected by it. Not far distant is Te Kauwhanga, -a large, muddy basin, with a constant discharge of gas, which rises -in the form of large bubbles upon the slimy-looking surface. The -waters of this bath are slightly saline, with excess of acid and acid -reaction, while the gas which is constantly evolved produces upon -many, when inhaled, similar effects to those of laughing-gas. Nearer -to the lake is Te Pupunitanga formed by a warm spring of transparent -water, the properties of which are aluminous, and strongly acid, with -acid reaction. The water of this spring is very beneficial in cases -of acute rheumatism and cutaneous disorders, and when used in its -natural state—that is to say, without the admixture of fresh water—it -produces a tingling sensation, and causes the skin to assume for a -short time the redness of a boiled lobster. The "Coffee-pot" is a -hole about twelve feet in diameter, full of hot, bubbling mud of the -colour of coffee, and which rolls and splutters about in a constant -state of ebullition. The "Sulphur Cups," not far distant, are formed -by small sulphurous springs of various degrees of temperature, which -flow out of circular, cup-shaped basins, about four feet in diameter, -around which the bright yellow mineral is deposited in the form of -glittering crystals, while the "Cream Cups"—delicate and beautiful in -formation—are fashioned out of cup-shaped craters, from the centre of -each of which shoots forth a jet of sulphurous gas and steam.</p> - -<p>From Sulphur Point I rode across to Whakarewarewa. Situated about two -miles <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span>to the south-west, and at the base of a range of bare hills, -was a native settlement, surrounded by a wide area of thermal action. -Here the geysers, hot springs, mud-holes, mud-cones, and <i>solfataras</i> -were scattered about in every direction, while the ground hissed and -seethed, as it were, in fury beneath one's feet. It was just such a -place where you would expect at any moment to go head-first into a -mud-hole or boiling spring, or be scalded to death by a shower of hot -water from the big geysers as they threw up their steaming columns -of silvery liquid high into the air with a loud, rumbling sound like -distant thunder. One of the largest geysers here, called by the -natives Waikite, issues from a cone of silicious rock nearly fifty -feet high and over a hundred feet in diameter, and in its most active -moments throws up an enormous column of boiling water to a height of -sixty feet. Many of the numerous springs here possess great curative -properties, while the mud-holes and fumaroles are amongst the largest -and most active in the district.</p> - -<p>At Te Koutu, which lies on the shores of the lake, about a mile on the -north side of Ohinemutu, there is a very interesting chain of warm -springs and mud-holes. This is one of the most beautiful situations -on Rotorua, of which a splendid view is obtained, with the island of -Mokoia in the distance, and the forest-clad mountain Ngongotaha, rising -to a height of 2554 feet above the level of the sea, and just in rear -of the small native settlement, which here skirts the margin of the -wide expanse of water. There is one beautiful spring<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span> here, called -Tupuhi, of clear, hot water, which fills a snow-white silicious basin, -about ninety feet long, while within a few feet of it is a circular -basin of the same kind, in which the water is only of tepid heat. It -is surrounded by a mantle of green grass, and the water of the darkest -blue makes it look like a big turquoise set in a border of alabaster -and emeralds.</p> - -<p>I was shown round this locality by a native guide, who took me to -a large hole where a warm spring, called Kahotawa, bubbled up in a -mixture of greenish mud and scum. Its black sides were overgrown with -ferns, and a few sticks were placed across it in a mystic, cabalistic -kind of way. When we got near to it, I noticed that my guide drew back, -and when I motioned for him to follow me, in order to explain the -mystery, he informed me in the most solemn way that it was <i>tapu</i> for -the Maori, but not for the <i>pakeha</i>. He afterwards stated that it was -sacred to an aged chief, or <i>rangatira</i>, who had been buried in it. I -did not envy the old man his last resting-place, for I had never seen a -grave that looked so much like a cauldron of hot turtle soup.</p> - -<p>Soon afterwards I passed in front of a <i>whare</i> built within a few -feet of the lake, where there was an open bath right in front of the -doorway. It was formed of a few slabs let into the ground, like a -square box, to hold the water. A small warm spring filled it, and then -ran over its sides into the lake. I should not have taken any notice -of this simple contrivance, had it not been for the fact that a maiden -of some seventeen summers was reclining at full length in it, in the -simple yet attractive costume of Eve, and with a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span> short black pipe in -her mouth. I had stepped round the corner of the hut, and was within -a foot of going head-first into the bath before her well-rounded -form met my gaze. She was, however, in no way disconcerted by this -<i>contretemps</i>, but, fixing her dark eyes upon me, said, in the most -unconcerned way imaginable, "<i>Tenakoe, pakeha</i>."<a name="FNanchor_19_19" id="FNanchor_19_19"></a><a href="#Footnote_19_19" class="fnanchor">[19]</a> There was not the -slightest tinge of immodesty in her manner; she simply lay shining -beneath the sun, with all the grace with which nature had endowed her, -looking like a beautiful bronze statue encased in a block of crystal.</p> - -<p>At some distance further on I got into a warm bath myself, which caused -a delightful sensation of glowing warmth, and when I was tired of this -I plunged into the cool water of the lake, which produced an effect -which seemed to brace up every nerve and muscle. There is nothing which -strings up the system so well as a mixed bath of this kind, and there -is no place where it can be enjoyed with greater comfort or pleasure -than at Te Koutu, where the springs are close to the shore, and where -the waters of the lake shallow gradually over a white bed of sandy -pumice.</p> - -<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_17_17" id="Footnote_17_17"></a><a href="#FNanchor_17_17"><span class="label">[17]</span></a> The word <i>roto</i> in Maori is equivalent to lake. Hence -Roto-rua, "lake number two;" Roto-iti, "small lake;" Roto-ma, "white -lake;" Roto-ehu, "muddy lake;" Roto-mohana, "warm lake," &c.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_18_18" id="Footnote_18_18"></a><a href="#FNanchor_18_18"><span class="label">[18]</span></a> The term <i>ngawha</i> is used to designate non-intermittent -springs and <i>solfataras; puia</i> is applied to geysers and hot fountains; -<i>waiariki</i> means a spring suitable for bathing.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_19_19" id="Footnote_19_19"></a><a href="#FNanchor_19_19"><span class="label">[19]</span></a> <i>Tenakoe, pakeha</i>, "I salute you, stranger," is the usual -Maori salutation addressed to Europeans.</p></div></div> - - - - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI.</a></h2> - -<p class="center">TRADITION, IDOLATRY, AND ROMANCE.</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p class="hang"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span>Origin of the Maoris—Te Kupe—First canoes—The <i>runanga</i> -house—Maori carving—Renowned ancestors—Tama te Kapua—Stratagem -of the stilts—Legend of the whale—The Arawa canoe—Noted -braves—Mokia—A curious relic—Gods of the Arawas—Mokia by -night—Hinemoa—A love song.</p></blockquote> - - -<p class="drop"><span class="uppercase">When</span> I went to Te Ruapeka to view the <i>runanga</i> house, it was in -company with Mr. C.O. Davis, a gentleman well-known throughout the -colony as an accomplished Maori scholar, and as one who has done much -to advance the spiritual welfare of the natives; and it was to his -kindly assistance I am indebted for much of the information I gained -on that occasion respecting the singular history of the Maori race, -and the remarkable legends connected with the graven images of their -curious temple of ancestor-worship.</p> - -<p>From the earliest period of Maori history Te Ruapeka has been the -principal home of the Ngatiwhakaue, a section of the great Arawa tribe, -whose territory extends over the Lake Country to the East Coast. -Attracted, as it were, from their first landing upon the island to -the magnificent scenery of this portion of the newly discovered land, -the Arawas made their homes among the lakes, whose very shores and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span> -mountains echo even to the present day with their songs and legends. -Whence they and the remainder of their race came, or at what period -they arrived from their mysterious dwelling-place beyond the sea, is -one of those interesting events in connection with their history which -have been lost in the dim vista of the past. The Maoris of the present -day refer to Hawaiki as the fatherland of their race, and hence the -proverb: <i>I kune mai i Hawaiki te kune kai te kune tangata</i>, "the seed -of our coming is from Hawaiki, the seed of man"; but of the locality of -this place, beside the belief that it was an island somewhere in the -broad waters of the Pacific, absolutely nothing beyond conjecture is -known. They have, however, a distinct tradition that their ancestors -migrated to New Zealand in certain canoes, the names of which, with -the principal historical events connected with them, have been handed -down from father to son through countless generations,<a name="FNanchor_20_20" id="FNanchor_20_20"></a><a href="#Footnote_20_20" class="fnanchor">[20]</a> and although -these ancestral reminiscences may appear to the ordinary mind like -a labyrinth of mythical fancies, since many of the incidents upon -which they have been founded appear to have been dimmed and distorted -by the march of time, yet when considered in connection with the -rude monuments which serve to perpetuate their memory, they form, as -it were, the missing links in the unwritten annals of a splendid, -albeit savage, race of people, who by their singular intelligence and -chivalrous valour will be remembered in the history of the world so -long as the brilliant record of the rise and progress of the British -Empire shall endure.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span></p> - -<p>According to general tradition, the first of the Maori race to reach -Aotearoa, as the North Island was termed by its original discoverers, -was Te Kupe. This hero, who may be looked upon as a kind of Maori -Columbus endowed with supernatural power, is said to have severed the -North Island from the Middle Island, and thus to have formed the wide -channel of water now known as Cook's Strait. His achievements are thus -commemorated in a characteristic native song:—</p> - -<p style="margin-left: 30%;"> -I'll sing, I'll sing of Kupe, great and brave,<br /> -Who launch'd his bark and cross'd the mighty wave;<br /> -He—when the world from chaos rose to birth—<br /> -Divided into continents the earth;<br /> -He form'd the valleys, and the mountains too,<br /> -And gave the fruitful earth its vernal hue;<br /> -Alighting as a bird upon the deep,<br /> -He call'd the islands from their death-like sleep;<br /> -Then Kapiti and Mana<a name="FNanchor_21_21" id="FNanchor_21_21"></a><a href="#Footnote_21_21" class="fnanchor">[21]</a> kiss'd the wave,<br /> -And Aropaoa<a name="FNanchor_22_22" id="FNanchor_22_22"></a><a href="#Footnote_22_22" class="fnanchor">[22]</a> left its ocean grave;<br /> -These are the signs which my ancestor wrought,<br /> -When Aotearoa first his vision caught,<br /> -And now will I explore each nook and strand,<br /> -And take possession of this fertile land.<a name="FNanchor_23_23" id="FNanchor_23_23"></a><a href="#Footnote_23_23" class="fnanchor">[23]</a><br /> -</p> - -<p>When Te Kupe returned to Hawaiki, he gave such a glowing account of -the size, beauty, and products of Aotearoa, that a fleet of canoes was -immediately raised by his people to proceed to the newly discovered -country.<a name="FNanchor_24_24" id="FNanchor_24_24"></a><a href="#Footnote_24_24" class="fnanchor">[24]</a> Each canoe was under a separate navigator, and contained -representatives of the principal Hawaikian tribes with their head<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span> -chiefs and <i>arikis</i>, or high priests, and it was the final dispersion -of these canoes to different parts of the North Island which gave rise -to the great tribal divisions of the race as resented at the present -day by the Arawas, the Ngapuhi,<a name="FNanchor_25_25" id="FNanchor_25_25"></a><a href="#Footnote_25_25" class="fnanchor">[25]</a> the Waikatos, Ngatimaniapoto, -Ngatituwharetoa, Ngatiawa, Ngatiruanui, Ngatihau, and others, with -their various intertribal <i>hapus</i>, or families.</p> - -<p>We found the <i>runanga</i> house to be a well-built structure, about -seventy feet long, by forty feet in breadth. The carving about the -portals was of a very elaborate kind, and formed an interesting -specimen of native decorative art. On the left-hand side of the -entrance was a grotesquely carved figure, about twenty feet high, of -Pukaki, of the fifth generation of ancestors, and on the right-hand -side was an equally remarkable one of Pimiomarama, also of the fifth -generation.<a name="FNanchor_26_26" id="FNanchor_26_26"></a><a href="#Footnote_26_26" class="fnanchor">[26]</a> At a short distance in front of the entrance was a tall -square flag-staff of singular design, and at the bottom of it a figure -of the chief Puruohutaiki elaborately tattooed in pink and white. -He is represented as grasping a <i>mere</i>, and is said, according to -Maori legend,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span> to have been a noted ancestor in the mysterious land of -Hawaiki, and to have lived three generations before Tama te Kapua, to -whom the temple is dedicated.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus-p072.jpg" alt="MAORI CARVING " /> -<a id="illus-p072"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption"> SPECIMEN OF MAORI CARVING.</p> - -<p>Stepping inside the <i>runanga</i> house, a very curious sight presented -itself. The roof, high and slanting, was supported by a decorated -ridge-pole, while the rafters, painted in bright colours of red, black, -and white, presented all those singular varieties of curved and twisted -lines which form one of the most remarkable features in the varied -designs of Maori decoration. In fact, it is the wonderful blending of -the circle and sweeping curve which adds to the carving and painting of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span> -this ingenious race its special and most attractive charm, and places -it far beyond that of any other savage people for beauty combined with -a unique and graceful simplicity.</p> - -<p>The lower walls of the temple were entirely surrounded by grotesque -figures, representing renowned ancestors of the Arawa tribe, and whose -genealogy dated back both before and after the landing of the first -immigrants. All these singular effigies appeared at the first glance to -have been carved after the same model, but, upon closer examination, -it could be seen that each one had some peculiarity of feature, some -distinctive turn or twist in the singular design of its elaborate -carving, while each had some facial expression or bodily characteristic -for which the particular hero represented was supposed to have been -remarkable when in the flesh. One and all were depicted with distorted -features, protruding tongues, and defiant mien, while their big staring -eyes were formed of the pearly shell of the fresh-water mussel.</p> - -<p>As already stated, the <i>runanga</i> house is dedicated to the memory of -Tama te Kapua, the captain of the <i>Arawa</i> canoe. Before the canoe -landed, he acted the part of a primitive Lothario, and won the favours -of the wife of Ngatoroirangi, the <i>ariki</i>,<a name="FNanchor_27_27" id="FNanchor_27_27"></a><a href="#Footnote_27_27" class="fnanchor">[27]</a> or chief priest of the -war craft. Indeed, he would appear to have been both a "gallant captain -and a bold." The effigy of this warrior occupies a central position -on the left on entering, and, curious to relate, he is represented as -standing on <i>poutoto</i>, or stilts.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span> Now one of the legends connected with -the eventful life of this adventurous navigator is very remarkable.</p> - -<p>Ages ago there lived on the island of Hawaiki a chief named Uenuku, -who had a garden filled with a fruit called <i>poporo</i>. Tama te Kapua -went for that fruit at night-time on stilts. The tribe could not find -out who it was that committed these midnight depredations. There were -no foot-prints around. Taipo<a name="FNanchor_28_28" id="FNanchor_28_28"></a><a href="#Footnote_28_28" class="fnanchor">[28]</a> was the man. At last they found Tama -te Kapua up a tree <i>in flagrante delicto</i>, stilts and all. The natives -cried out in exultation, "Ah, we will fell the tree, and catch him." -Tama te Kapua replied with the greatest <i>sangfroid</i>, "If you fell the -tree, and it falls on land, I shall escape; if it falls in the water, -you will be able to capture me." He had, however, studied the question -from a strategic point of view, and knew that it was "heads," he won; -"tails," they lost. The tree fell into the water, but Tama te Kapua -dodged his pursuers, and, striking out with his stilts, got off with a -clean sheet.</p> - -<p>It is not, however, for the above youthful escapade that the memory -of Tama te Kapua has been handed down to posterity in Maori song and -legend, but rather for what may be called the "stratagem of the whale," -and which in its inception appears to have been quite equal to that of -the "wooden horse" of classic memory.</p> - -<p>When the crew of the <i>Tainui</i> canoe parted company with the crew of -the <i>Arawa</i> canoe on the voyage from Hawaiki, the former came across -a whale. They captured the whale, and secured it by means of a rope -to a <i>pohutukawa</i> tree on the coast, hard by Whangaparaoa. Early on -the morrow the <i>Arawa</i> canoe came along, and sighted the whale. Tama -te Kapua resolved to annex the monster mammal. He could only do that, -however, with any show of justice, by establishing a preemptive right -to it. He was equal to the occasion. He fixed another rope to the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span> -whale, but in so subtle and crafty a way as to leave no room for doubt -that the monarch of the sea had been first captured by his own crew. On -the following day a dispute arose between the two crews as to who had -captured the whale first, but Tama te Kapua pointed triumphantly to the -way his own rope was "bent on," whereat the Tainui braves struck their -colours, and sheered off. The <i>Tainui</i> canoe passed along the coast to -the Tamaki River, where it was taken across the land to the Manukau, -and thence by sea to Kawhia, where it was drawn up. The <i>Arawa</i> crew -landed at Maketu, where they ate the whale.</p> - -<p>The <i>Arawa</i> canoe is represented by a somewhat rude design upon the -wall, fully manned with crew and fuglemen in full war-costume, while -the prow is plumed and carved like those of the present day. The sun -and moon are depicted in the heavens, and right ahead is a bright star, -representing the brilliant constellation which is said to have guided -Tama te Kapua and his followers to the shores of Aotearoa. Two trees, -presumably intended to represent <i>pohutukawas</i>, are ahead of the canoe, -and to one of these a whale is attached by a rope.</p> - -<p>There were many grotesque warriors and noted braves, around and among -them was a curious carved figure of Tutanekai, the lover of Hinemoa,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span> -with his <i>putorino</i>, or flute, in his mouth, and by the magic strains -of which he caused the dark syren to swim, nymph-like, to his island -in the lake. It was a singular instrument, about a foot long, pointed -at both ends, and flattened out in the centre like a fish. Near to him -was the effigy of Uenukukopako, father of Whakatira, who was in his -turn father of Tutanekai, and with his tongue hanging far out of his -mouth, his eyes glaring wide, and his enormous hands pressed across his -stomach, he looked as if he were still suffering from the effects of -his adventures in the <i>Arawa</i> canoe. Opposite was Whakatira, brother to -Tama te Kapua. He is also represented on stilts, and is said to have -been in partnership with his brother in the orchard-robbing business. -Here also was Tiki, with a flute in his mouth. He was the friend and -companion of Tutanekai. Near to him was Hurutirangi, grandson of -Tutanekai. He is represented as grasping a curious weapon, the top of -which was shaped like a bird's head. With this instrument he is said to -have killed a chief called Wahiao, of another tribe. Near to the top of -the central ridge-pole of the building was a curiously carved figure of -the warrior Whakarra, with his feet resting on the head of a dog called -<i>potokatawhiti</i>, and whose memory is curiously blended with the history -of the tribe. At the bottom of the pole was a squat, dwarf-looking -effigy, with slanting eyes and elongated, tattooed visage, and whose -general appearance represented nothing so much as an ugly, ill-formed -baby. This was Kuruaro, a chief who is said to have walked the earth -six generations after Tutanekai.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span> There were many other noted ancestors -of the tribe, all hideous in appearance, yet all elaborately and -marvellously carved, but it would require a volume to repeat their -histories.</p> - -<p>It was on a bright morn, when in company with a native youth I stepped -into a canoe and headed across Rotorua to the island of Mokia, which -rose to a height of over five hundred feet from the centre of the lake.</p> - -<p>As soon as we had landed, my guide took me to a tree, into the hollow -part of which the skeleton of a chief had been placed ages ago, but -the forest giant, continuing to grow, had clasped the grim remnant of -humanity in its firm embrace, and thus preserved the bones from decay -in a very remarkable manner.</p> - -<p>We mounted through the thick fern to the summit of the island, where -formerly stood a <i>pa</i>, but nothing of this remained save the graves, -where some of the principal chiefs of the Ngatiwakaue await the coming -of the great day, and the subterranean caves wherein the stone idols, -said to have been brought from Hawaiki by the Arawas, dwell in a kind -of pagan solitude, as if anxious to hide their diminished heads from -the light of Christianity.</p> - -<p>There are few more delightful places in the Lake Country than -Mokia—rich in Maori legend, and renowned far and wide as the scene of -one of the most interesting of the many love romances of the Arawas. It -rises boldly from the water, has hills and deep valleys, is rock-bound -and fringed with trees, and is all that is enchanting, fairy-like, and -beautiful. To view it with the sunlight playing over the glittering -surface of Rotorua and sweeping over its rounded,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span> fern-clad hills -with the most charming effects of light and shade, is pleasing in -the extreme, but it is at night, when the lake is as calm as the sky -above, and the pale moon floats over its surface in a silvery sheen, -and countless stars are mirrored forth in the depths below, that the -picture is the most enchanting; for it is then the spirit of romance -steals over one, and leads the imagination back instinctively as it -were to the dark days of Maori history, when tattooed warriors glided -over the water in swift canoes on some midnight raid, and made the -welkin ring with their war-cries, when Hongi "the terrible" gladdened -the hearts of his conquering Ngapuhi with cannibal feasts at the -expense of the vanquished Ngatiwhakaue, when song and legend resounded -from hill and dale, and when Tutanekai, by the magic of his flute, -wooed the dark-skinned Hinemoa, and caused the heroine of Rotorua to -act the part of a primitive Leander by swimming <i>in puris naturalibus</i> -across the lake to his island home.</p> - -<p>Now, be it known that the spirit of Hinemoa hovers around Mokoia like -unto a bright halo around the sun, and the hills and the vales, the -rocks and the stones, the trees, and the hot and cold springs, all -whisper tales to her memory. Her home was at Ouhata, a jutting point on -the shores of Rotorua, where stood a village of her tribe. She was the -daughter of the chief Unukaria, and the fame of her beauty spread far -and wide over the country, and poets sang of her charms, and warriors -plighted their troth in her honour.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span> Never was maiden so talked of in -prose and sung of in verse. At Mokoia lived Tutanekai, a foster son of -the chief Whakane, who fell sick for love of the beautiful maiden of -Ouhata. The two hearts beat as one. Then, as now, the adage that "All -is fair in love and war" held good, and it was agreed that Hinemoa -should flee to Tutanekai, to whom she had been forbidden, under pain -of death, to give her hand. The strains of his flute were to herald the -beginning of operations, when the maiden was to paddle her own canoe -across the water. Now when the night was calm Tutanekai took his flute, -and seating himself upon a rock hard by Kaiwaka on the shore of Mokoia, -the sound of his music was wafted by the breeze to the home of Hinemoa. -Then Hinemoa came down to the lake to step into her canoe, but, alas! -the frail craft had been hauled up high and dry upon the land. To -launch it herself was impossible, and to seek assistance would be but -to divulge her movements. There was no course open but to swim, and, -with the innate courage of her race, she was equal to the occasion. She -took six empty gourds and fastened them to her body, on either side, -and then plunged from a rock into the lake. The stars and the moon -shone upon her from above, but the waters were wide, and there was no -guide save the music of Tutanekai, but with love at the prow she shaped -her course bravely until she landed on the shores of Mokoia, at a point -where a warm fountain bubbled up amidst the rocks, and which is known -even unto this day as "Hinemoa's Bath."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span></p> - -<p style="margin-left: 40%;">A LOVE SONG.</p> - -<p style="margin-left: 30%;"> -Far o'er the lake slept romantic Mokoia,<br /> -While the pale moon shone bright from above,<br /> -And on a rock the brave Tutanekai<br /> -Tootled his flute to the gay song of love.<br /> -Softly lamenting sings he to his darling,<br /> -"Come to my arms, O my sweet Hinemoa,<br /> -Let not the sorrow of anguish divide us;<br /> -Come, that we never may part any more."<br /> -Gently the echo sped on the night air,<br /> -Till spell-like it broke on the glad maiden's ear;<br /> -Lightly she came to the brink of the water,<br /> -And swam o'er its surface so limpid and clear;<br /> -Brightly the stars shone forth from the heavens,<br /> -Glittering like gems in a mantle of blue,<br /> -And the strains of the flute seem'd to ripple the water,<br /> -Wafted on by the wings of the wind as it blew.<br /> -Swift the dark beauty swept o'er the wavelets<br /> -Till she kiss'd the white sand of Mokoia's fair shore;<br /> -When brave Tutanekai, ceasing his music,<br /> -Cried, "Come to my arms, O my sweet Hinemoa,"<br /> -Lock'd in embraces, the lover and maiden<br /> -Were wedded by Cupid, who flew from above,<br /> -And dark Hinemoa and brave Tutanekai,<br /> -'Neath the light of the moon sang their anthem of love. -</p> - -<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_20_20" id="Footnote_20_20"></a><a href="#FNanchor_20_20"><span class="label">[20]</span></a> As the natives had no written language, their numerous -legends, fables, songs, and proverbs were transmitted by oral -tradition.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_21_21" id="Footnote_21_21"></a><a href="#FNanchor_21_21"><span class="label">[21]</span></a> Islands in Cook's Strait.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_22_22" id="Footnote_22_22"></a><a href="#FNanchor_22_22"><span class="label">[22]</span></a> The Middle Island.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_23_23" id="Footnote_23_23"></a><a href="#FNanchor_23_23"><span class="label">[23]</span></a> Translated from the original by Mr. C.O. Davis.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_24_24" id="Footnote_24_24"></a><a href="#FNanchor_24_24"><span class="label">[24]</span></a> The canoes were named the <i>Aotea</i>, <i>Arawa</i>, <i>Tainui</i>, -<i>Mata-Atua</i>, <i>Takitumu</i>, <i>Tokomaru</i>, and <i>Kurahaupo</i>. According to -tradition, the <i>kumara</i>, sweet potato, the <i>taro</i>, the <i>karaka</i> tree, -the rat, <i>kiore</i>, and the green parrot, <i>kakariki</i>, were brought in -them from Hawaiki. The <i>Aotea</i> canoe was the first to reach the land, -hence the Maori name Aotearoa was applied to New Zealand. The list of -canoes, as here cited, was given to the author by Topia Turoa, head -chief of the Whanganui tribes.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_25_25" id="Footnote_25_25"></a><a href="#FNanchor_25_25"><span class="label">[25]</span></a> When a noun in the Maori language has the prefix <i>nga</i> it -refers to the plural number.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_26_26" id="Footnote_26_26"></a><a href="#FNanchor_26_26"><span class="label">[26]</span></a> The Maoris divide their genealogical history, both before -and after their migration from Hawaiki, into various generations, -the duration of each of which, however, appears to be uncertain, -consequently the period of their arrival in New Zealand, even by their -own traditions, cannot be fixed with any degree of accuracy.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_27_27" id="Footnote_27_27"></a><a href="#FNanchor_27_27"><span class="label">[27]</span></a> The word <i>ariki</i> means, literally, a chief priest, or -deified man; the head of a tribe is an <i>ariki</i> by birth.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_28_28" id="Footnote_28_28"></a><a href="#FNanchor_28_28"><span class="label">[28]</span></a> <i>Taipo</i>, the name given to an evil spirit or devil.</p></div></div> - - - - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII.</a></h2> - -<p class="center">EN ROUTE TO THE TERRACES.</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p class="hang">Over the mountains—Rauporoa Forest—The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span> -<i>hotete</i>—Tikitapu—Rotokakahi—Te Wairoa—The natives—Waituwhera -Gorge—The boat—A distinguished traveller—Sophia—Lake -Tarawera—Mount Tarawera—Te Ariki—Te Kaiwaka.</p></blockquote> - - -<p class="drop"><span class="uppercase">The</span> terraces, which are the most marvellous of all the wonders of the -lakes, lie about twenty miles as the crow flies, in a south-easterly -direction from Ohinemutu. From the latter place to Te Wairoa the -distance is about thirteen miles; the other part of the journey being -by water across Lake Tarawera.</p> - -<p>I found the route to be one of the most beautiful that I had ever -travelled in any part of the world. Leaving Ohinemutu mounted on a -good horse, my road lay along the southern shore of Lake Rotorua and -thence over the mountains, through which it wound by a gradual ascent, -formed by a zigzag cutting. A short distance above the mountain pass -on the right was a bold gorge, formed between two fern-clad mountains, -whose precipitous sides swept abruptly into the valley below, which was -covered with low, round-topped hills. Through this gorge a grand view -was obtained of the huge dome-shaped form of Hapurangi, farther in the -distance the flat-topped, forest-clad summit of Mount Horohoro stood -boldly out against the sky.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span> Beyond this point the road passed through -a fern-clad country, with mountains in the background, and from the -midst of which the grand serrated peak of Mount Tarawera loomed like a -grim colossus above the surrounding heights. After passing over open, -undulating plains, the road entered the Rauporoa forest, one of the -grandest gardens of primeval vegetation in the North Island. Whilst the -trees here attained to an enormous size and the shrubs to a marvellous -luxuriance, many of the rarest and most beautiful ferns of the country -formed a dense undergrowth, which covered every foot of ground like a -variegated carpet. Countless orchids and lichens, and creeping plants, -struggled to the tops of the tallest trees which spread their giant -branches over the roadway in an arched canopy of vivid green, and -appeared to touch the sky as they mounted upwards to the very summits -of the steep mountains which rose on every side, beneath the thick -impenetrable growth which covered their rugged slopes without a single -break.</p> - -<p>On my return from the terraces I rode through this grand forest alone -by night. The stars shone brightly, the moon lit up the giant trunks of -the trees in a soft, silvery sheen, and cast deep shadows that flitted -about like spectres in the gloom; the twisting vines hung in fantastic -coils overhead, and countless myriads of glowworms<a name="FNanchor_29_29" id="FNanchor_29_29"></a><a href="#Footnote_29_29" class="fnanchor">[29]</a> sparkled and -glittered in a thousand brilliant coruscations on every side, on the -trees, among the rocks, and in the ferns, and in a way which reminded -me of the gorgeous fireflies I had often admired when in the jungles of -Ceylon.</p> - -<p>It was while admiring the beauties of the Rauporoa<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span> forest that I came -across a specimen of what I may term one of nature's most paradoxical -works; it was the <i>hotete</i>—the grub of the large night-butterfly—the -<i>Sphæria Robertsi</i>, or "vegetating caterpillar."</p> - -<p>To give an idea of this singular curiosity, one must imagine a grub or -caterpillar from two to three inches long, with a dark brown body, in -appearance not unlike a piece of dried leather, while the legs, the -feet, the eyes, and the mouth are perfect in every detail, as if the -insect had been carefully stuffed and preserved. But most curious of -all, from the tail end there shoots out the thin stem of a plant from -six to eight inches long, perfectly rounded and smooth in form, with a -rounded point, and of the same colour as the caterpillar. To explain -this, it is clear that the grub, when alive, eats the seed of some -unknown plant or tree, and which, germinating in its inside, when the -insect buries itself in the ground for the purpose of changing into a -chrysalis, gradually kills it, as it grows and feeds, as it were, upon -the vitality of its body.</p> - -<p>The most remarkable feature, however, in the whole metamorphosis is not -that the grub eats the seed, nor that it germinates within its body, -but that the process should go on whilst the outward form of the grub -remains intact, as if it underwent during the time some peculiar mode -of preservation. The grub is found in this state underground, with the -plant growing above the surface. It should be remarked that the latter -has neither branches nor leaves, but partakes more of the character -of a creeping vine. Some of the natives are of opinion that it is the -seed of the <i>rata</i> which the grub eats in this wa<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span>y, but the question -appears to be undecided.</p> - -<p>When I suddenly emerged from the deep gloom of the forest, the azure -waters of Tikitapu, or the "Blue Lake," came suddenly before my view -with the most enchanting effect. Nearly circular in form, and fringed -below the level of the road with a dense growth of vegetation, the tall -mountains rose up above it on one side to a height of 800 feet, and -cast their dark shadows upon its tranquil bosom, which lay shining in -the sunlight, without a breath of wind to stir the smooth and deeply -blue expanse of water. It is only about half a mile long, but for calm, -picturesque beauty, it is one of the most attractive sights of this -wondrous region. The road skirts it on its eastern side to its farther -end, where a narrow saddle, falling from a range of bold hills, divides -it from Rotokakahi, or the "Green Lake."</p> - -<p>It was sunset when I reached Rotokakahi, and the effect of the rich -golden light falling upon the green-tinted waters of the lake afforded -one of the grandest sights imaginable. It was one of those sunsets -when the heavens assume an ethereal blue, and when the fierce orb of -day is mellowed by amber mists and vapouring clouds with streaks of -crimson and carmine. It was, in fact, just such a sunset as Turner or -Horace Vernet would have loved to paint in brilliant and vivid tints. -The lake shone out before me in a long sheet of deep-green colour, -wild fern-clad mountains rose up along its course, miniature bays -swept in graceful curves round their base, and high peaks and jutting -headlands, fringed with spreading trees, cast their fantastic shadows -upon the limpid surface of t<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span>he water, around which the bright pumice -rock contrasted pleasantly with the deep foliage of the vegetation as -it wound along the serpentine shores of the lake. At the farther end, -and right in the centre of the beautiful expanse of water, the small -flat-topped island of Motutawa rose from a dense growth of <i>pohutukawa</i> -trees, and as the fleeting rays of the sun flashed over it, and the -darkness came marching along, the gold and the blue and the crimson -and carmine of the sky seemed to mingle with the deep-green water and -variegated hues of the lake, and to produce a picture which would have -enchanted the eye of the beholder even on the plains of heaven. This -sunset on Rotokakahi was certainly one of the grandest effects of light -and shade I have ever beheld.</p> - -<p>It was evening when I reached Te Wairoa, a native settlement situated -in a deep gorge, which appeared at some time to have formed a -connection between Rotokakahi and Lake Tarawera. It is hemmed in on all -sides by rugged ranges, and it now only serves as a gate as it were to -the wonders of the lakes beyond, and over which the great mountains -known as Moerangi and Tokimiha stand as sentries. The Wairoa River, -flowing out of Rotokakahi, winds through the old native settlement -of Kaiteriria, and flowing in the direction of Lake Tarawera, leaps -over a precipice of nearly a hundred feet in the form of a foaming<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span> -cascade, about which the greenest of ferns and mosses grow in wonderful -luxuriance. The settlement is small, and consists of clusters of native -huts surrounded by small gardens and deep thickets of sweet-briar.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus-p086.jpg" alt="NATIVE WOMAN " /> -<a id="illus-p086"></a> -</p> - - -<p class="caption"> NATIVE WOMAN, LAKE COUNTRY.</p> - -<p>The natives of this place appeared to be robust and healthy, and I -noticed among the men some very fine specimens of the noble savage. In -fact, from time immemorial the men of these parts have been noted for -their giant physique. At one time they were among the most warlike of -the great Arawa tribe, but in these degenerate days they have a marked -predilection for raw rum and strong tobacco. They formerly tilled the -soil, but now they are not by any means industrious, although they -fish in Tarawera sometimes, when all other food is scarce, and in the -proper season they reap a fair harvest by "interviewing" tourists, -whom they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span> are fond of coaxing into their <i>runanga</i> house, where they -will undertake to sing hymns or dance the <i>haka</i>,<a name="FNanchor_30_30" id="FNanchor_30_30"></a><a href="#Footnote_30_30" class="fnanchor">[30]</a> according to the -inducements held out by the travelling <i>pakeha</i>.</p> - -<p>At daylight I left Te Wairoa, to cross Lake Tarawera to the Terraces. -Up to this time I had been travelling only with a native guide, but a -party had been formed at one of the hotels to hire the boat which is -used to convey visitors across the lake, so I joined it. There were -four ladies and three of the sterner sex. We strolled through the -native settlement, where most of the <i>whares</i> were hidden from view by -a dense growth of sweet-briar, which wafted its pleasant odour through -the balmy air, and then we followed down a steep pathway fringed with -spreading trees, which led through the Waituwhera gorge to a narrow -inlet of the lake, where we embarked.</p> - -<p>I had hoped to find a big war-canoe ready manned by half-naked -warriors, waiting to convey us to the greatest wonder of the lakes, -but, in place of that, we got into a craft built like a whale-boat, -and manned by a stalwart crew of Maoris, some of whom affected striped -calico shirts and white trousers, while others were satisfied with -scant garments of a less attractive kind. With crew, or rather "all -told," we mustered sixteen souls.</p> - -<p>There was at least one distinguished personage<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span> among the crowd, and -whom I at first took to be "chief fugleman" or captain, but I soon -found out that he had only come on board to get a lift across the lake. -This individual was a tall, well-built old man of some seventy summers, -with splendidly defined Maori features, which were elaborately tattooed -after the most improved native fashion, the thin blue lines and curves -running round his mouth, over his nose, and across his forehead to -the very roots of his hair, and I could see at a glance that he was a -grand type of a savage of the old school which is now unfortunately -fast passing away. His only covering was a scant shirt, and a tartan -shawl swathed tightly round his gaunt form. In one hand he carried a -big hunk of bread, at which he munched as we glided along, varying the -operation now and again by a drink of water from the lake, which he -scooped into his mouth with the palm of his hand; while in the other -he grasped, not a <i>mere</i>, as he might have done of old, but a copy of -the Maori newspaper, <i>Te Korimako</i>, and which he seemed to guard with -as much jealousy as a Londoner might do a copy of the <i>Times</i> when -travelling on a penny steam boat on the Thames. If the old man had -guarded a <i>pakeha</i> paper in the same way I would have taken no notice -of it, because I would have imagined that he had brought it along with -him to wrap up what he could not eat of his frugal repast. But the -<i>Te Korimako</i> was in his own language, and I make no doubt that the -antiquated heathen knew of one or two tidbits in it that he would read -and discuss round the camp fire of his tribe. He sat alongside me in -the prow of the boat, and Sophia, the guide, sat crouched at my feet, -and when I asked her what hi<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span>s name was, she replied, "Rangihewa," at -which the old man smiled and said, "No, no! me Georgi Grey." At the -time of the war, Rangihewa was a noted chief, and a great fighting-man.</p> - -<p>As I have already mentioned Sophia's name, which is echoed over the -hills of Tarawera with as much frequency as is that of Hinemoa at -Rotorua, but perhaps not with quite as much of romance, I think I -cannot do better than to give a sketch of her here. In appearance, -at first glance, Sophia was remarkable. She was about medium height, -comely of form, with well-modelled features, a nose slightly aquiline, -lips slightly tattooed, a pair of big dark eyes, and a thick cluster -of raven hair, which fell in a weird way over her well-formed head -and shoulders. She walked with a firm step, and with the gait of -a drum-major. When she came into the boat she was shoeless and -stockingless, and just below the knees fell a bright scarlet flannel -petticoat, and over this again a blue skirt tucked up about her waist, -a <i>korowhai</i> or native shawl was swathed round her ample bust, her hat -of plated rush was lined with pink, and turning up on one side suited -her <i>à merveille</i>. In her mouth was a short black pipe, while round her -neck was a cord from which depended a greenstone <i>tiki</i>,<a name="FNanchor_31_31" id="FNanchor_31_31"></a><a href="#Footnote_31_31" class="fnanchor">[31]</a> and which -like all other tikies I had ever seen, was modelled after the fashion -of a small, flattened-out, lop-sided baby. She was a half-caste of the -Ngapuhi tribe, was born at Russell, spoke English with much fluency -and grace, had been twice married, and had assisted in a small way to -replenish the earth by becoming the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span> mother of fifteen children. For -the past twelve years Sophia has acted the part of guide, philosopher, -and friend to thousands of tourists who have visited these parts, and -in this way her history has become identified with the place where she -reigns almost with the power of a petty queen.</p> - -<p>As our boat glided onward to the wild chants of the Maoris, all the -varied beauties of Tarawera unfolded themselves with magical effect -before the view. We passed out of an arm of the lake with a picturesque -headland on our port side, clothed in the greenest hues, and which was -formerly the site of an old <i>pa</i> known as Ruakiria. From this point, -the broad waters of the lake opened out before us; the sun shone -brightly from the cloudless sky, and the golden rays gilding the calm -blue surface, and shooting through the overhanging trees that fringed -the lake, reflected their gnarled branches and plumed heads in a -thousand fantastic forms in the depths below.</p> - -<p>The water of Tarawera was so limpid and transparent that we could see -far down below the surface and discern the big rocks and decaying -giants of the forest which lay scattered about its bed as if hurled -there by the throes of an earthquake, while every now and again we -could behold the gleam of the shoals of fish indigenous to the lake, -or the flash of the golden carp, introduced by Sir George Grey, and -which here attain to a wonderful size. The lake, which is seven miles -long by about five miles broad, was evidently at some period or another -the centre of a widely<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span> extended volcanic action, as evidenced by the -igneous rocks which line its shores, as well as by the rugged peaks -which add grandeur to its scenery.</p> - -<p>On every side of the lake bold mountains, with conical peaks and -serrated ridges, rose up from the very edge of the water, covered to -the summits with a rich growth of giant-like vegetation, whose varied -tints of green were resplendent with the bright crimson blossom of the -<i>pohutukawa</i> tree, which here attains to a colossal size. Picturesque -headlands jutted out into the water, deep bays, broad valleys, and -weird gorges came before the view at every turn, and the scenery was so -wild, so grand, and so varied that one hardly knew which part of it to -admire the most.</p> - -<p>The eastern arm of the lake formed the outlet to the Tarawera -river—the Awa-o-te Atua, or "river of the gods;" beyond the grand -volcanic cone of Putauaki rose to a height of over 2000 feet, while -right in front of our course the majestic outline of Mount Tarawera -towered in the form of a colossal, truncated cone, with steep, sloping -sides, tinted with red oxide of iron and shining obsidian, which made -it look as if it were just cooling from the terrific heat of volcanic -fires. It appeared as if, at some period or another, this rock-bound -mountain had been much higher than now, but that nature, being -dissatisfied with her work, had snapped it in twain by one tremendous -blow, and caused the rugged fracture to assume the shape of a gigantic -spiked crown. The stupendous form of this giant mountain not only -adds grandeur to Tarawera, as it rises in sublime majesty a thousand -feet above the lake, but it is a beacon for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span> miles around the lake -district, over which it presides like a mighty monarch, and when "King -Tarawera" frowns dark beneath his craggy diadem the natives "look out -for squalls." Since time immemorial Mount Tarawera has been renowned -in Maori song and legend, and, among other tales connected with it, -a monster <i>taniwha</i>, or fabulous green dragon, gifted with cannibal -proclivities, is said to haunt it, while in its dark caves the bones of -countless warrior chiefs of the Arawas lie guarded by the mystic <i>tapu</i>.</p> - -<p>Steering our light craft, which seemed to quiver under the firm, steady -stroke of her dark crew, so as to bring Mount Tarawera on our "port -quarter," we entered Te Ariki, a wide inlet at the southern end of the -lake, and when we had rounded the rocky headland known as Moura, the -hills and valleys spread themselves out in a splendid amphitheatre of -enchanting scenery, the trees and creeping vines mirrored themselves in -the water, where they seemed to glide beneath us like a fairy forest as -we swept along, while a cloud of steam rising in the distance told us -that we were fast approaching the wonders of Rotomahana.</p> - -<p>We hauled up in front of a native village where there were one or two -<i>whares</i>, and here old Rangihewa got out of the boat to wade ashore, -and, wrapping his shawl about his neck, pulled up his shirt to prevent -it from getting wet, but utterly regardless of consequences, and then -bidding us farewell by a wave of his hand, and a tremendous grin -which made his tattoo marks double up into a curious network over his -face, he entered the door of a hut with a majestic gait, and with the -<i>Te Korimako</i> under his arm. Here we<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span> purchased a couple of <i>kits</i> -of <i>kouras</i><a name="FNanchor_32_32" id="FNanchor_32_32"></a><a href="#Footnote_32_32" class="fnanchor">[32]</a> from a native woman who waded into the water almost -alfresco, with an india-rubber-looking baby on her back, and then we -headed for the farther end of the bay, where a picturesque-looking -Maori settlement added a pleasant charm to the beauties of the -surrounding landscape. We landed at this point, and an attenuated, wiry -old chief, as thin as a match, and with a very scant wardrobe, put -off in a dilapidated canoe to bid us welcome, and to annex any stray -bawbees or figs of tobacco that might fall in his way. Here the party -was divided, the ladies embarking in the canoe to go up the Kaiwaka -stream, and to join us at Rotomahana, while we, the sterner sex, -walked a mile through the <i>manuka</i> scrub, following the attractive red -petticoat of Sophia.</p> - - - -<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_29_29" id="Footnote_29_29"></a><a href="#FNanchor_29_29"><span class="label">[29]</span></a> The New Zealand glowworm, called by the natives -<i>Piritana</i>, is a small grub, inhabiting caves and damp places; it is -surrounded by a slimy coating, through which radiates a brilliant -phosphoric light.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_30_30" id="Footnote_30_30"></a><a href="#FNanchor_30_30"><span class="label">[30]</span></a> <i>Haka</i>, a lewd dance, in which both men and women take -part.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_31_31" id="Footnote_31_31"></a><a href="#FNanchor_31_31"><span class="label">[31]</span></a> The <i>tiki</i> is worn by Maori women as a kind of sacred -charm.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_32_32" id="Footnote_32_32"></a><a href="#FNanchor_32_32"><span class="label">[32]</span></a> <i>Koura</i>, a small cray-fish, common in the lakes, and much -prized by the natives as an article of food.</p></div></div> - - - - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII.</a></h2> - -<p class="center">THE TERRACES.</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p class="hang"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span>Te Tarata—Beauty of the terrace—The formation—The crater—A -sensational bath—Ngahapu—Waikanapanapa—A weird gorge—Te -Aua Taipo—Kakariki—Te Whatapohu—Te Huka—Te Takapo—Lake -Rotomahana—Te Whakataratara—Te Otukapurangi—The formation—The -cauldron.</p></blockquote> - - -<p class="drop"><span class="uppercase">When</span> we had walked about a mile through the scrub, guided by the -stately strides of Sophia, we ascended the summit of a low hill -which looked down upon Lake Rotomahana, whose green-tinted waters, -surrounded by clouds of steam, shone with an emerald-like brightness -in the sunlight, while immediately in front of us the White Terrace, -or famed Te Tarata, burst upon the view like a glittering heap of -frozen snow just fresh from heaven. We were still some hundreds of -yards from it, with the Kaiwaka flowing below, and although at first -glance fair Te Tarata looked chaste and beautiful enough beneath the -golden light, it appeared as if her proportions were somewhat cramped -and stunted, and I began mentally to question the wisdom of Nature in -not placing the wondrous monument of her handiwork higher up on the -slope of the mountain which decked the delicate outline of the terrace -in a variegated fringe of green. To my eye, the crystallized structure -of pure white silica as it fell in congealed waves, as it were, from -the steaming cauldron above,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span> appeared too flat, and required height -to add more effect to its grandeur, while the rugged mountain, which -formed its background, as it rose above a vapoury cloud of steam, -looked dwarfed and insignificant in comparison with the giant form of -Mount Tarawera, which frowned in silent majesty from beneath its spiked -crown, as if eager to annihilate everything that failed to come up to -its own idea of ponderous beauty. Presently we descended the hill on -which we stood, and crossed Kaiwaka by the canoe which had brought -up the ladies, and, after picking our way through a small scrub, we -suddenly came into the open, when, as if by the magic touch of an -enchanter's wand, the whole scene changed, and Te Tarata, gleaming -still whiter in the sun, rose in grand, yet delicate proportions high -above our heads. The white ethereal vapour wreathed its summit, like -a graceful summer cloud, the rugged hill which held Te Tarata, as it -were, in its arms, stood out in bold relief against the clear blue sky, -and Nature, true to the inspired genius of her marvellous creative -power, stood revealed in all her pristine loveliness.</p> - -<p>I had seen the Himalayas and the Alps, the Blue Mountains of Tartary, -the Rocky Mountains, and the Sierra Nevadas—all these were ponderously -grand and awe-inspiring. I had sailed over the principal lakes of -Europe and America, floated down the Nile, the Ganges, the Yangtze -Kiang, the Missouri, and the Mississippi, through the thousand islands -of the St. Lawrence, and up and down innumerable other rivers, all -fair and beautiful. I had beheld the giant marvels of the Yosemite,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span> -and stood by the thrilling waters of Niagara; but for delicate, unique -beauty, for chaste design, and sublime detail of construction never had -I gazed upon so wonderful a sight as Te Tarata. It seemed as if Nature -had created the wonders of the lakes and mountains of this fair region -with all the marvels of fire and water after the most enchanting design -of earthly beauty, and had then gone into the realms of fable and -romance, and thrown in a piece of Fairyland to complete the picture; or -as if the gods, when they called these sublime works into being, had -fashioned Te Tarata as a throne to recline upon whilst they gazed in -admiration upon the beauties of their wondrous creations.</p> - -<p>As we looked upwards the whole outline of the terrace assumed a -semicircular form, which spread out at its base in a graceful curve of -many hundreds of feet, as it sloped gently down to the margin of the -lake. Then broad, flat, rounded steps of pure white silica rose tier -above tier, white and smooth as Parian marble, and above them terrace -after terrace mounted upward, rounded and semicircular in form, as if -designed by the hand of man, guided by the inspiration of the Divine -Architect. All were formed out of a delicate tracery of silica which -appeared like lacework congealed into alabaster of the purest hue. -Each lamination, or fold, of this beautiful design was clearly and -marvellously defined, and as the glittering warm water came rippling -over them in a continuous flow, Te Tarata sparkled beneath the sun -as if bedecked with diamonds and myriads of other precious gems. -Crystal pools, shaped as if to resemble the form of shells and leaves, -and filled to their brims with water,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span> blue and shining as liquid -turquoise, charmed the eye as we mounted to every step, while around -the edges the bright crystals of silica had formed encrustations which -made them appear as if set in a margin of miniature pearls. Every -successive terrace seemed to spring up in grander proportions from the -one immediately below it as we approached the summit, not in formal -angular-shaped steps, but in flat-topped elevations, with rounded edges -and sweeping curves, from which the wet, glittering silica hung in -the shape of sparkling stalactites, which, interlacing themselves and -mingling together, formed a delicate and almost transparent fringe -which looked like a fantastic network of icicles, so exquisitely -beautiful in appearance and so delicately formed as to appear as if -fashioned by the magic touch of a fairy hand. Mounting upward and -upward where it seemed sacrilege for the booted foot of man to tread, -and where the snowy, crisp, silicious crystal formed a carpet-like -covering beneath the feet, we reached the summit, and sat down upon a -cluster of rocks which rose in fantastic shape upon the very margin of -the cup-shaped crater.</p> - -<p>I found the crater of Te Tarata to be formed by a milk-white circular -basin, of 200 feet in diameter, filled to overflowing with boiling -transparent water, in which the clear azure tints seemed to vie in -splendour with the ethereal blue of the heavens. Here the hissing -liquid, in a constant state of ebullition, bubbled and seethed in the -form of a boiling fountain, from which a waving cloud of steam floated -constantly upward, tinted with the golden rays from above,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span> and the deep -blue from beneath, while immediately behind the pool rose the steep -sides of the adjacent mountain, shaped so as to form a semicircular -wall, which rose from the opposite margin of the pool, striped by the -action of fire and water in red and white rock, and steaming as if from -the heat of the boiling fountain below. Around on every side a thick -vegetation of variegated hues bordered the splendid terrace on every -side; ferns, mosses, and wild flowers fringed every line and curve of -its graceful outline, and the crystal white, the azure blue, the vivid -green, and the golden light all mingling together, and reflecting their -tints over fair Te Tarata and the lake below, produced one of the -grandest and most charming scenes ever designed by the divine hand of -the Creator.</p> - -<p>When we had feasted our eyes upon the chaste marvels of Te Tarata, -the ladies filed slowly away, as if spellbound, while we (the sterner -sex) walked leisurely down the crystal steps to about the centre of -the terrace, where lay an oval-shaped basin, about forty feet long by -twenty feet broad, filled to the brim with water of the purest blue. -In the midst of a small clump of <i>manuka</i>, which clustered on the -very margin of the terrace, as if eager to participate in its beauty, -we divested ourselves of our outward garb of civilization, and stood -beneath the glowing rays of the sun in the primitive costume of man -free and untrammelled, as when "wild in the woods the noble savage -ran." It was now that I fully realized that soft, soothing, magical -effect which one invariably experiences when devoid of all restraint, -one is about to partake of a pleasure which one has never experienced -before. <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span>To look around at the sublime wonders of Te Tarata, and then -plunge head first into the alabaster pool of liquid turquoise, and -to feel that the soft, pellucid liquid that had been for thousands -of years, nay, countless ages, building up that wondrous monument of -unrivalled splendour would wrap me in its warm embrace, and impart, if -only for a moment, its soft, soothing influence to the heated body, was -a pleasure, the anticipation of which only seemed to make me the more -eager to revel in its enjoyment. There was not a single speck to mar -the delicate beauty of the crystal basin, the blue lustre of the water, -nor the white virgin purity of the silicious pearls around its brink. -One glance at the enchanting scene around me, and, as I shot beneath -the shining surface, like an arrow from a bow, the soft, heated water -closed over me, and for the instant I seemed to be gliding into the -realms of eternal bliss,</p> - -<p> -<span style="margin-left: 30%;">Where the wicked cease from troubling,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 32%;">And the weary are at rest.</span><br /> -</p> - -<p>The illusion, however, was only momentary, but I would have liked it -to continue for the rest of my natural life, and then, in default of -a better place hereafter, I would have been content to paddle in that -pool to all eternity, floating on its surface, diving into its depths, -and basking on the pearly margin of its brink. Its water was just -warm enough to render it delightfully pleasant, and it seemed to wrap -itself round the body in gently waving folds, while, as I glided from -point to point, streaks, as it were, of cold water would bathe the skin -with refreshing effect, and then a soft, tepid wave would impart a -voluptuous sensation of glowing warmth.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span><a name="FNanchor_33_33" id="FNanchor_33_33"></a><a href="#Footnote_33_33" class="fnanchor">[33]</a></p> - -<p>When we had enjoyed the luxuries of the bath, we went along a winding -path fringed with bush, at the back of Te Tarata, when we came suddenly -upon Ngahapu, an intermittent boiling geyser, which burst forth with -a loud noise from the farther side of an oval-shaped basin, about a -hundred feet in circumference, and in which the heated, steaming water, -in a constant state of ebullition, kept rising and falling in great -hot waves, which lashed themselves into fury against the rugged sides -of the cauldron with a loud hissing sound, as a column of boiling -water shot high into the air. Right above this spring, on the side of a -hill, a transparent jet of steam burst forth from a narrow fissure with -a loud screaming noise, as if anxious to escape from its rock-bound -prison-house, and blow up the surrounding country. It blew, whistled, -steamed, and hissed, and shrieked away, like a fifty-horse-power -engine, and the terrific pressure, acting in some way upon the rocks -below, made them send forth a sound like the "thud" of a great -steam-hammer.</p> - -<p>Passing along by Te Tokapo, a region of small hot springs, on the -margin of Lake Rotomahana, we came to Waikanapanapa, a small lake, -surrounded by<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span> gaunt-looking <i>manuka</i> scrub, and whose thick, slimy -water, of the colour of green sealing-wax, gave it the appearance of a -veritable slough of despond.</p> - -<p>Just beyond Waikanapanapa we entered a rocky, desolate gorge, seamed -and fissured in every direction with streams of hot water, while -jets of hissing steam, bursting from its sides, marked the site of -subterranean fires. The heated, quaking soil was covered with thick -deposits of silica, sulphur, oxide of iron, pumice, obsidian, scoria, -and other volcanic products, and, with its sulphurous atmosphere, -fierce heat, and shrieking sounds, it appeared as we entered it like -a short cut to Pandemonium. The high hills on each side of the gorge -rose up in quaint, fantastic shape, and their rugged sides, composed -of shattered volcanic rock, sent forth water and jets of steam from -a thousand fissures. There was something very wild, weird, and -fascinating in this strange place. All the huge rocks, boulders, and -stones had been pitched and tossed about by the tremendous action of -fire and water into a wild and endless confusion, and when we had so -recently gazed in admiration upon the delicate, tranquil beauty of -the White Terrace, it seemed as if we had got behind the scenes and -into the laboratory and mysterious manufactory where all the wonders -of Te Tarata had been evolved before Nature had sent them through the -subterranean depths below to rise on the other side of the hill in the -form of the marvellous "transformation scene" we had so recently beheld.</p> - -<p>One of the most remarkable wonders of this singular region was Te -Ana Taipo, or the "Devil's Hole," a deep, circular aperture in the -rocky gorge, about f<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</a></span>orty feet in diameter, from which a column of -transparent steam burst from a small aperture at the bottom of the -deep, funnel-shaped hole with a deafening screeching sound, like -the voices of a thousand fiends. Never had I heard anything so wild -and so dismal as the human-like wailings of Te Ana Taipo, and, as -the thrilling noise went echoing over the hills, one expected to -see an army of evil spirits spring up around, headed by his Satanic -Majesty himself. Near to this was Kakariki, a boiling geyser which, -beneath a cloud of steam, lashed its hot waves about and foamed with -a furious sound in a rock-bound basin about sixty feet in diameter, -while in close proximity Te Whatapohu, or "Pain in the Belly," a noisy -intermittent spring, sent up its seething waters with a rumbling sound, -which seemed to suggest that even the "bowels of the earth" had their -pains and trials sometimes.</p> - -<p>Scattered over a greater portion of this fiery wilderness were -innumerable <i>fumaroles</i>, all hard at work shooting out steam and -vomiting black streams of liquid mud. Some of these were round, some -flat, and others cup-shaped, while not a few assumed the form of a -miniature volcanoes. One of the latter formation, known as Te Huka, -spewed up a soapy kind of clay, which the natives eat as <i>kai</i>, and -pronounce it to be very good, both as an ordinary article of diet and -as a medicine in cases of diarrhœa, and I was solemnly informed by -Sophia that a native in want of a meal would make a splendid repast -from it. I tasted some of it off the end of a stick, and if one ground -up a slate pencil, mixed it with water to the consistency of thick pap, -and threw in a dash of sulphur and a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span> little cinder grit, one would -have a very good idea of what Te Huka <i>kai</i> is like.</p> - -<p>When we had seen the wonders of the fiery region of Waikanapanapa we -came back to Te Takapo, a kind of platform of silicious rock which -bathed its white feet in the dark-green waters of Rotomahana. It was a -very picturesque spot, dotted about with springs, some tepid, some hot, -some boiling, and fringed with <i>manuka</i> scrub. Here the natives had -constructed small baths, and there were rude seats formed of slabs of -rock where they could take their <i>siestas</i> in comfort, after undergoing -the soothing effects of the warm mineral water. At this point we -embarked in a canoe, and headed across the lake in the direction of the -Pink Terrace.</p> - -<p>Lake Rotomahana, like Tarawera, stands at an elevation of a little -over 1000 feet above the level of the sea. It is one of the smallest -of the group, and is about a mile long by a quarter of a mile wide. It -is, however, very picturesque, not only by reason of the unequalled -features presented by the terraces, but likewise on account of its -steaming shores, with their countless marvels, as well as by the bold, -rugged scenery which surrounds it on every side. It is the seat of -a vast thermal action, which spreads out to the base of the conical -hills which encircle it, and beyond which the towering mountains, as -they rise thousands of feet in height, appear to have been heated and -twisted about by the terrific action of volcanic fire, while the deep -gorges and dark ravines seem to have formed at some period or another -the channels for the streams of boiling lava. Everywhere around<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span> one -sees the wondrous working of fire and water, and, although these -tremendous forces appear to have nearly expended their strength in the -geysers, mud-holes, and <i>fumaroles</i>, and other active evidences of -subterranean work to be seen at the present day, there was no doubt -a time when the whole region surrounding this curious lake was the -scene of a widely extended volcanic action. There was a soft balmy -stillness in the air as we glided over its singularly dark green water, -which was in many places covered with large air-bubbles sent up by the -hot springs from the depths below, and it was interesting to reflect -that a capsize into one of these places would have resulted in one or -two of us, at least, being hauled out parboiled.<a name="FNanchor_34_34" id="FNanchor_34_34"></a><a href="#Footnote_34_34" class="fnanchor">[34]</a> Our primitive -canoe, however, which was literally freighted to her gunwale, behaved -admirably. This craft, which had been fashioned, some sixty years ago, -out of a solid log of <i>totara</i>, about thirty feet long, was as staunch -as the day she was launched, notwithstanding the fact that she had done -good service as a kind of first-class privateer on the troubled waters -of the lakes during the Maori War.</p> - -<p>We rounded a low point where was a large <i>solfatara</i> named Te -Whakataratara, whose greenish, slimy water boiled up from betwee<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span>n -enormous blocks of pure yellow sulphur and redhot-looking rocks of -pumice and silicious sinter.</p> - -<p>At this moment the orb of day was shining warm and brightly over our -heads, when suddenly a pink halo in front of us seemed to dazzle the -eye, and in another moment Te Otukapurangi, the "Fountain of the -Clouded Sky," or the Pink Terrace, rose majestically from the very edge -of the shining green water of the lake in all its gorgeous beauty. -Now, I have attempted to describe Te Tarata, albeit but faintly, and -now that I have Te Otukapurangi before my mind it seems difficult as -to which to assign the palm of beauty. Both terraces are unique in -their way; both wonderful monuments of nature's grandest handiwork. It -seems to me, however, that in Te Tarata we have all that is divinely -sublime, ethereal, fairy-like, and lovely—a structure chaste and grand -enough to serve as steps to heaven. Te Otukapurangi, on the other -hand, has a rich, gorgeous, oriental look about it, which reminds one -of those fanciful creations we read of in Eastern tales, and which -were constructed of chalcedony, agate, alabaster, onyx, jasper, and -lapis-lazuli, studded with precious gems, and inhabited by beautiful -princesses, gnomes, and genii, and evolved from the fanciful minds -of those gaunt, dark-skinned men who, reared on the sandy deserts of -"Araby the Blest," carried fire and sword over the Eastern world, and -built up an empire which rivalled in splendour even the most wondrous -of their fabulous tales, which still take the mind captive, as it were, -and lead it away like an <i>ignis fatuus</i>, a fleeting mirage, or a fitful -dream. But there is nothing evanescent in the Pink<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span> Terrace; it is -adamantine in construction, and grandly beautiful enough to have graced -the approach to the Temple of Solomon the Magnificent, the Palace of -the Queen of Sheba, or the Mosque of Haroun Al Raschid the Superb.</p> - -<p>The formation of Te Otukapurangi differs somewhat from that of the -White Terrace, but, like Te Tarata, it is semicircular in general -outline; but the successive terraces of which it is built up rise -more abruptly from the lake, while they are, as a rule, higher above -each other and more massive in appearance. Hence the deposits of -silica have assumed the same general formation, and each terrace is -gracefully and marvellously shaped, with rounded edges, which sweep -about in waving curves, as if they had been fashioned after one grand -and unique design. The various buttress-like masses which support -the fringed edges of the terraces bend over, as it were, and form -miniature grottoes, resplendent with festoons of pink-tinted silica and -rose-coloured stalactites, which appear to have been woven together -by nature into an intricate network, and then crystallized into their -present shape, which, when examined closely, is as varied as is the -whole design symmetrical and beautiful. Here the successive deposits -or layers of silica rock do not assume, like those of Te Tarata, a -wonderful combination of delicate lacework around the edges of the -terraces, but the silicious laminations appear even thinner, and remind -one of the corrugated surface of pink satin rep. On the wide platform -of each succeeding terrace there are flat, irregularly-shaped tablets -set in a fretwork of silica-like cords, while innume<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</a></span>rable pools or -salmon-coloured basins, all exquisitely and quaintly formed, with -curving, shell-shaped margins, are resplendent with water of the purest -and darkest blue. It is, however, the variegated tints of this wondrous -structure which render it even more remarkable than the gracefully -symmetrical proportions of its incomparable designs. As we gazed upon -it, and the blue-tinted water came rippling and falling from terrace to -terrace in miniature cascades, Te Otukapurangi looked radiant in its -sparkling mantle of delicate pink; and as the golden rays of the sun -shot far and wide, it changed with every shade of light, with brilliant -hues of pink, amber, carmine, and yellow, which shone with a dazzling -and almost metallic lustre as they flashed and palpitated, as it were, -in the warm, glowing air, and seemed to vie in splendour with the blue -of the heavens, the green tints of the lake, and the countless bright -colours of the surrounding vegetation, which spread out far and wide -over the surrounding hills.</p> - -<p>As we mounted terrace after terrace the mountains unfolded themselves -beyond, and Kakarama, and Maungaonga-onga, and bold Tarawera, towering -into the air, cast their fantastic shadows on the lake below, and as -we mounted still higher and higher towards the steam-clad summit, we -seemed to be ascending to some enchanted land of fable and romance; -and when suddenly the vapoury cloud from the boiling cauldron rolled -over our heads, tinted with all the prismatic hues of the terrace -beneath, and wrapped us in its warm embrace, it seemed as if we were -really entering some brilliant "castle in the air." Then, when we had -struggled through the steam, and hopped in and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</a></span> out of pools of hot -water, we reached a broad, circular platform, some seventy feet above -the lake, and stood on the brink of the steaming cauldron, formed by -a round alabaster-like basin, about a hundred feet in diameter. Here -the deep, dark-blue water, within a few degrees of boiling-point, lay -without a ripple upon its surface, which shone with the brilliancy of -transparent crystal, and beneath which the silicious deposits which -encrusted the sides of the crater, and assumed all the marvellous -and fantastic designs of a coral grove, tinted in glowing colours of -yellow, blue, and pink, looked exquisitely delicate and brilliant -beneath the golden light of the sun, which, shooting through the clear, -transparent liquid with a vivid power, sent its glittering shafts far -down into the grotto-like recesses, which appeared beautiful and -fantastic enough to serve as the abode of fairies, gnomes, and genii.</p> - -<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_33_33" id="Footnote_33_33"></a><a href="#FNanchor_33_33"><span class="label">[33]</span></a> The spring of Te Tarata is an intermittent geyser, which, -during its active intervals, throws up a column of water to a height -of over 100 feet. The crater is, however, always overflowing, and the -water, which is highly charged with silica, has by a gradual process -of deposition, extending probably over a long period, formed the -present system of terraces. The temperature of the water varies from -boiling-point to 70° Fahr. at the foot of the terrace, the summit of -which is about 80 feet above the level of the lake. The geyser is said, -by the natives, to be most active during the prevalence of easterly -gales.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_34_34" id="Footnote_34_34"></a><a href="#FNanchor_34_34"><span class="label">[34]</span></a> The term <i>Rotomahana</i> means, literally, "hot lake." The -mean temperature of the water is about 80° Fahr. In the vicinity of the -hot springs, beneath its surface, it rises frequently to 100° Fahr.</p></div></div> - - - - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX.</a></h2> - -<p class="center">OHINEMUTU TO WAIRAKEI.</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p class="hang"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</a></span>Te Hemo Gorge—Mount Horohoro—Paeroa -Mountains—Orakeikorako—Atea-Amuri—Pohaturoa—The land of -pumice—Te Motupuke—The glades of Wairakei.</p></blockquote> - - -<p class="drop"><span class="uppercase">Having</span> visited the various lakes and other localities of interest -around Ohinemutu, I started with my guide for the extensive geyser -and hot-spring region of Wairakei, situated about fifty miles to the -southward of the former place. As this part of the Lake Country was -but little known, I determined to examine its many thermal phenomena, -and afterwards to make it the final starting-point for my journey of -exploration through the King Country.</p> - -<p>Our course lay along the Taupo road, which traverses a flat country -up to the base of the hills which form the basin-like formation -surrounding Lake Rotorua. We passed through Hariki Kapakapa, a locality -of warm springs and boiling mud-holes, that spluttered and hissed at -us as we rode along; while on our left dense volumes of snowy-white -steam, rising from the base of the range of bare hills, marked the site -of the great geysers of Whakarewarewa. From this point the road wound -up the mountains to the Hemo Gorge, <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</a></span>about two and a half miles from -Ohinemutu. Looking back from the summit of the gorge, a splendid view -was obtained of the Rotorua country, with the broad lake shining like -a mirror beneath the morning sun, and the island of Mokoia rising from -its centre radiant with vivid tints of green and gold. The ascent to -the gorge was very steep, and while the fern-clad hills rose high above -us on our right, on our left was a deep precipitous ravine, at the -bottom of which a mountain stream rushed along its rocky bed to join -the waters of Rotorua, while on its further side the rugged mountain -known as Parikarangi rose high above the surrounding hills.</p> - -<p>Beyond this point the country opened out into broad valleys, fringed -with conical-shaped hills, while in front the bold mountain mass of -Hapurangi, swelling like an enormous dome from a grassy plain, formed a -conspicuous feature for many miles around, until the gigantic mountain -of Horohoro towered above a broad pumice plain.</p> - -<p>In appearance Mount Horohoro was one of the most remarkable mountains -I had seen in the North Island. It rose in the form of an enormous -wall, or long barrier of rock, to a height of 2400 feet above the -level of the sea. Its summit, formed by a broad plateau, was clothed -with a dense forest at its base, green, fern-clad slopes rolled down -to the plain beneath, above them the thick bush<a name="FNanchor_35_35" id="FNanchor_35_35"></a><a href="#Footnote_35_35" class="fnanchor">[35]</a> clustered like a -dense fringe, as it mounted, tree above tree, to the topmost heights; -while here and there enormous patches of grey rock, rugged and bare, -stood out in conspicuous relief from the dark foliage of the varied -vegetation.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</a></span> At its southern end the stupendous mountain ended abruptly -in the form of a bold bluff, at the top of which was a curious mass of -stone like a gigantic pillar, famed in Maori legend as "Hinemoa's rock."</p> - -<p>Across the Niho-o-te-kiore plains to the south-east of Horohoro rose -the Paeroa mountains to a height of over 1000 feet, hot and quaking -with internal fires, boiling mud-pools, and coiling jets of steam that -burst with a hissing sound from the deeply-scarred hills. The base -of this range, where the thermal action was greatest, was formed of -a burnt, fiery-looking earth, broken here and there into enormous -fissures, and dotted about with boiling pools and deep holes of hot, -seething mud, while clouds of vapoury steam burst forth from the -highest peaks.</p> - -<p>Our route continued across the plains to the native settlement of -Orakeikorako, where the swift Waikato wound with many bends through a -terraced valley, backed by tall, forest-clad mountains in the distance. -Here both sides of the stream were thickly studded with countless -steam-jets and hot springs, which produced a singular and beautiful -effect as they bubbled and hissed above the sparkling course of the -clear, rolling river, whose banks were fringed with thick, clustering -masses of pure white silica. Here, too, every foot of ground told of -a fiery, subterranean heat. The very rocks around were coloured with -the most delicate tints, formed by the chemical deposits of the hot -mineral waters, while the great geyser Orakeikorako, from which the -village derived its name, just as we were leaving, threw up a column of -boiling water to a height of fifty feet, as if to salute our departure. -It burst forth, without any previous warning,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</a></span> from a funnel-shaped -aperture within a few feet of the margin of the river.</p> - -<p>From Orakeikorako we passed over pumice plains fringed with rugged -mountains and deep gorges. Some of the former were very quaint and -fantastic in shape; not a few rose up in the form of pointed cones, -while some were flat-topped, with deep sides, from which the white -pumice gleamed with a dazzling intensity. The country fell with a -gradual incline into the valley of the Waikato; and, after descending -into a clear stream by a steep, narrow pass, just wide enough to -allow our horses to move along, we crossed the eastern spur of Mount -Ngautuku, and reached Atea-Amuri.</p> - -<p>Here the Waikato, deeply and beautifully blue, wound through a rocky -valley, fringed with bold mountains which rolled away as far as the eye -could reach along the course of the stream. At the crossing-place the -whole volume of the river rushed over enormous rocks with a roar like -thunder, while on the south bank of the stream, and right above the -seething waters, a gigantic pinnacle of rock, called Pohaturoa, towered -in solitary grandeur to a height of 400 feet. This curious natural -monument was a striking feature for many miles around. It sprang from a -level base, with steep, rolling, buttress-like sides, above which its -adamantine walls shot perpendicularly upward to its rounded summit. -Around it, in every direction, lay enormous boulders, some of many tons -in weight, but all scattered about in the direst confusion, as if a -regiment of giants,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</a></span> offended at its defiant look and colossal form, had -endeavoured to hurl it from its pedestal by a shower of stones, but, -giving up the task as hopeless, had slunk off, leaving their ponderous -missiles upon the field. In former times the summit of this impregnable -rock was occupied by a tribe of the Arawas, who built a formidable <i>pa</i> -there, whence they kept watch and ward over their surrounding lands.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus-p113.jpg" alt="POHATUROA " /> -<a id="illus-p113"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption"> POHATUROA.</p> - -<p>From the deep, trough-like valley of the Waikato we mounted to the -great table-land of Taupo, and rode over level plains where the -snow-white pumice gleamed bare and desolate beneath the fierce rays of -the sun.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</a></span></p> - -<p>Pumice, pumice, nothing but pumice, rolled away as far as the eye could -discern, now stretching out in a broad and flat expanse, now rising -in the form of hillocks, now towering high in the shape of conical -mountains, now winding away in deep ravines—white, bare, and sterile -as a boundless desert, save when the stunted tussock grass struggled, -as if it were for life, with enormous stones and boulders fashioned -from the white, porous rock, or where a crystal stream shaped its -devious course beneath a dense growth of broad-leaved flax and waving -<i>toetoe</i> grass. At one point of the road we passed a tall peaked -mountain, with pumice sides, which rose from the bottom of a deep -gorge, like the bed of an ancient river, while right opposite to this, -on the slope of a hill, was a curious rock, shaped like a mushroom.</p> - -<p>Through a level tract of country we reached the native settlement of Te -Motupuke, with densely wooded hills in the background, which stretched -out to the tall summit of Otuparataki. The forest-crowned peak of -Puketarata soon rose up on our right; and passing the Maori settlement -of Ouranui, we reached the steaming hills and glades of Wairakei.</p> - -<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_35_35" id="Footnote_35_35"></a><a href="#FNanchor_35_35"><span class="label">[35]</span></a> This term is applied by the colonists to forest country.</p></div></div> - - - - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X.</a></h2> - -<p class="center">WAIRAKEI.</p> - - - -<blockquote> - -<p class="hang"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</a></span>The first view—The Geyser Valley—Curious -sights—Tahuatahe—Terekirike—The Whistling Geyser—A nest -of stone—Singular mud-holes—The Gas and Black Geyser—The -Big Geyser—The great Wairakei—The Blue Lake—Hot -mud-holes—Kiriohinekai—A valley of fumaroles—Te Karapiti—Te -Huka Falls—Efforts to pass under the falls—A cave—An enormous -fissure—Another trial—A legend.</p></blockquote> - - -<p class="drop"><span class="uppercase">Within</span> the extensive area of country known as Wairakei are situated -the principal thermal wonders of this portion of the Lake Country. By -reason of the terrace formation, so remarkable in this part of the -valley of the Waikato, the whole place appeared as if it had been -artificially designed by the hand of man. Small pumice terraces, with -flat tops and shelving sides, so regular and distinct in outline that -they seemed as if they had been fashioned but yesterday, wound about -on every side, while the trees and wide patches of <i>manuka</i> scrub -imparted to the whole surroundings the appearance of an English park. -Beyond, to the east, Mount Tauhara, the "Lone Lover" of the Maoris, -rose forest-clad to its summit, while in the background a prairie-like -expanse of open country rolled away to the distant ranges. High conical -mountains, clothed with a luxuriant growth of bush, mounted up in the -north, rolling hills stretched away to the west,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</a></span> while in the centre -of the attractive landscape the Waikato River wound through its grand -terraced valley to leap with a terrific roar over the Huka Falls.</p> - -<p>The Geyser Valley of Wairakei is one of the most marvellous creations -of its kind to be found perhaps in any part of the world. It forms, as -it were, one of the principal arteries of thermal action which would -seem to extend from the volcano of Tongariro in the south through -the Lake region to Whakari, the active crater in the Bay of Plenty, -in the east. The bottom of the valley is situated at an elevation of -1000 feet above the level of the sea, while down its centre, which -has a gradual fall to the east, a warm stream of water, known as Te -Wairakei, flows rapidly on its course to join the Waikato. Its steep, -winding sides rise in some places to a height of over 200 feet, and -above these again flat terraces spread out, bounded by clusters of -conical, fern-clad hills, which mount upward, as it were, in increasing -elevation to the heights beyond. Looking down the valley from one of -the elevations, one sees the winding course of the great fissure filled -with a dense growth of vegetation, forced into vigorous life, as it -were, by the white clouds of steam that mount into the air on every -side. There is one great charm about the Geyser Valley of Wairakei, -and that is that it is not a melancholy, dismal-looking place. It has -not the Hades-like appearance of Tikitere nor the Valley-of-Death-like -look of Whakarewarewa. One is at once struck with the varied growth -of vegetation which everywhere abounds, the luxuriance of the trees, -the rich beauty of the ferns,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</a></span> and the vivid green of the thick carpet -of rare and beautiful mosses which spreads itself everywhere about, -from the margin of the stream below to the very tops of the steep, -smoking cliffs. Every geyser, spring, and mud-hole has its clustering -vegetation, and as you grope your way through the thick undergrowth -along the tortuous stream, each thermal wonder bursts suddenly upon the -view with a fresh and startling beauty.</p> - -<p>As we descended into the valley by a tortuous pathway we heard the -rushing of waters below, as the turbulent stream beneath swept onward -over a series of miniature cascades; then the noise of hissing steam -burst upon the ear, the heated ground seemed to quake beneath our feet, -the boiling mud-holes sent forth a noise like the incessant "thud" of -a steam-hammer, which mingled in a weird way with the loud roar and -splashing of the geysers as they threw up their columns of boiling -water above the trees.</p> - -<p>Gazing anywhere, up and down the valley, some of the most beautiful and -curious sights presented themselves. The warm stream which gathered its -waters from the overflowing geysers and springs wound its course amidst -the trees, sparkling and glittering beneath the sun. In some places -its sides were entirely fringed with silicious deposits, some white -and beautiful like overhanging folds of lace, some dipping down into -the water in the form of enormous stalactites, while others, assuming -a rounded buttress-like formation, were green with ferns and dank -mosses of varied hue. At another moment a rocky point came into view, -and above the clustering ferns,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</a></span> brilliant in the soft rays of light, -the tall <i>manuka</i> trees, which here attained to wonderful proportions, -cast their gnarled branches in a dense canopy overhead, and from the -very water's edge, where the warm springs bubbled and hissed, to the -very summit of the valley on either side the heated soil gave life to -countless wonders of the vegetable world.</p> - -<p>Threading our way through the scrub over the hot, spongy soil, we came -to Tahuatahi, a powerful intermittent geyser, with steep, rugged sides, -flanked by enormous buttresses of white silica rock. The cauldron was -formed by a deep hole, about twenty feet in circumference, from which -a column of boiling water shot up now and again from a dense cloud of -steam as it overflowed into the stream below. At a short distance from -this point we crossed the creek, the sides of which were here covered -with a thick growth of moss, which luxuriated in a kind of tropical -heat, caused by the jets of steam which coiled out from small fissures -in the soil on which it grew. When I inserted the thermometer about a -foot beneath the soil at this spot, and right under the very roots of -the moss, it rose rapidly to 210° Fahr. Further along was Terekirike, a -large geyser, situated on the very margin of the stream. Its cauldron -was of irregular formation, but rugged and beautiful in appearance, -the rounded, boulder-like masses of which it was built up being of a -delicate cream-colour, while the silicious crystals, assuming the most -fantastic forms, tinged here and there with a pinkish hue, imparted -to the whole a singularly beautiful and delicate appearance. Next to -this was the "Whistling Geyser," <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</a></span>which threw up a column of boiling -water at the summit of a terrace of silicious rock, while next to this -again was a boiling cauldron where the heated water burst forth with -a loud bubbling sound. All these three geysers formed a terrace-like -formation of silicious rock, which was tinted in colours of white, -pink, and yellow, while the gnarled roots of the trees, and branches -which had fallen to the ground, within the action of the water had -been completely covered and cemented, as it were, to the rock by the -silicious deposits. Here the thermal action appeared to be very active, -and as soon as one geyser subsided, another would burst forth, as it -were, with redoubled vigour.</p> - -<p>Passing this point we entered a thick scrub, where the ground was in a -highly heated condition, and came suddenly into a bend in the creek, -where the opposite sides of the valley rose perpendicularly from the -water. In the centre of the place where we stood was a deep hole, from -which shot up now and again a column of boiling water. Around the -deep, cavernous aperture the dead branches of <i>manuka</i> had fallen in -a circle, and had interlaced and spread themselves around in the form -of a large nest of the most delicate construction, while the water, -falling upon the netted twigs and branches, had covered them completely -with a pearly incrustation of snowy silica, converting the whole into -a pure white nest of stone. Nothing but spreading trees and mosses -grew around this secluded spot, and the singular structure, when we -first came upon it, looked like the petrified nest of some gigantic -antediluvian bird.</p> - -<p>From this curious structure,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</a></span> which we named the Eagle's Nest, we -mounted the hot, treacherous sides of the valley to where a number of -boiling mud-holes vomited forth vast quantities of white, silicious -mud, of the consistency of thick gruel. All were nearly circular in -form, and about six feet deep by twenty in circumference, and, while -one had a pinkish tint, caused evidently by red oxide of iron, another -next to it was of a milky-white colour. When the mud had become -hardened, it was of the consistency of cheese, with a greasy feel, -while it could be fashioned by the aid of a knife into any form. All -the pools were in a constant state of ebullition, and emitted a strong -odour of sulphuretted hydrogen. Close to them was a small lakelet of -green, silicious water, warm and steaming. The sides of the valley -in this vicinity were everywhere very hot, and when I inserted the -thermometer about two feet below the surface it registered 215°, and -yet on this heated soil the mosses grew luxuriantly, but all other -vegetation had a somewhat stunted appearance.</p> - -<p>Lower down the valley we came upon another geyser, throwing up boiling -water from a funnel-shaped hole, around which big masses of silica rock -clustered in fantastic form. At the foot of this geyser, and within a -yard or two of the stream, was a small pool, apparently of great depth, -in which big balls of gas flashed constantly in the sun as they rose -rapidly to the surface and exploded. This only occurred when the geyser -was quiescent, but as soon as it became active, the pool became less -troubled, as the water from above rolled over it. At a short distance -from this was a geyser formed by a circular hole,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</a></span> which threw up -constantly a big jet of hot water from a basin where the crystallized -rock was covered with a black deposit. Here we jumped the stream at a -very treacherous point, and again fought our way through the scrub, and -round about a perfect network of hot springs and mud-holes, so close -and so intricately laced together that the greatest care was necessary -to prevent being boiled alive.</p> - -<p>On the southern side of the stream, we came suddenly up to the Big -Geyser, which every now and again threw up vast volumes of boiling -water from an oval-shaped cauldron of pure white, crystallized silica. -The water, of the purest blue, flowed over a terrace-like formation, -which was being gradually built up just as the famed terraces of -Rotomahana must have been, each fold, or lamination, of the rock -being distinctively formed with tablets beautifully designed by the -silica-charged waters. Climbing up a ridge by the side of this big -fountain, we peered over a precipice, which opened out beneath in a -semicircular form, and at the bottom of which was a large oval-shaped -spring—dark water, shining, and steaming hot, while the silicious -rocks which walled it in were tinged a deep red by oxide of iron. This -was a very warm though interesting region. The red and white-streaked -walls of the chasm steamed and bubbled, the boiling mud-springs -displayed a wonderful activity, while the green lakelet on the opposite -side of the valley sent down its emerald-coloured water to mingle with -Te Wairakei, which foamed and hissed as it rushed furiously over its -rocky bed below.</p> - -<p>Not far from this point was the geyser known as the Great Wairakei,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</a></span> -from which the district takes its name. According to Maori legend, it -is said to have been called after an old woman who plunged into its -boiling cauldron to end her days. It was formed of an oblong basin of -about forty feet long by thirty feet wide, and almost circular, while -at its farther end the steep sides of the steaming pool rose to a -height of sixty feet, rock-bound, black, and adamantine in appearance. -Perhaps, however, one of the most curious features of this geyser -was that the edges of the pool were beautifully fringed with white -incrustations of silica, pointed and fretted in the form of the most -delicate lacework, while down beneath the water might be seen huge -masses of silica rock, which had the appearance of the most fantastic -coralline formations. White, yellow, and pink were the prevailing -colours of these splendid incrustations, and when shining beneath the -sun the contrast of the deep blue of the water and the white foam of -the geyser, as it threw up its column of steaming water, was very -attractive. Right in the centre of the broad basin the hot fountain -surged and rolled, bursting up now and again in the form of a sparkling -column, and subsiding with a loud, rumbling sound, as if in fury at the -disturbing agency below. Enormous volumes of steam circled in the air, -but everywhere around its hot sides a clustering vegetation struggled -for life upon the heated soil.</p> - -<p>Within a short distance to the west of the Geyser Valley, and at the -summit of a high range of hills, we explored another interesting region -of thermal action. It was principally formed by a deep, crater-like -depression, with rugged sides, composed of huge masses of trachytic and -pumice rock and volcanic earth, from the numerous fissures of which -issued white jets of steam. The country hereabouts bore traces of -having undergone, at some period or another, considerable subterranean -disturbance, and it appeared as if the crater-like depression<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</a></span> had -formed the principal seat of action. In the centre of this remarkable -locality was situated a small lake of oblong shape, with steep, -rock-bound, precipitous sides, which rose perpendicularly from the -edge of the water to a height of about sixty feet. The water, of a -thick, opaque blue, like cloudy turquoise, lay undisturbed, without -a ripple upon its surface, save where innumerable gas-bubbles rose -from the depths below to give off their sulphuretted hydrogen. At its -western end, embowered amidst a dense growth of fern and mosses, was -a picturesque cave, through which ran a cold, icy spring of delicious -water.</p> - -<p>Near to the lake were several large mud-pools in a state of great -activity, and still further along, close under a steep, rocky bluff, -whose hot, quaking sides sent forth innumerable jets of steam, was an -extensive chain of sulphur-pools, one of which was over 100 feet in -diameter. In the vicinity of these pools were large deposits of bright -yellow sulphur, with hematite iron, the red oxide, silica, alum, and -other mineral products peculiar to thermal action. All these pools were -so disposed that they formed, as it were, natural baths, and, from -various tests I made, I found that the temperature averaged from 100° -to 206° Fahr.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</a></span> The colour of the water varied in appearance from dark -green to steel-grey, but all were evidently highly charged with sulphur -and other minerals, and I believe that their curative properties would -be found very efficacious in cutaneous and rheumatic affections.</p> - -<p>It was from the Blue Lake and the sulphur and mud-pools in its -vicinity that a very remarkable spring took its rise. After passing a -considerable distance underground, it wound on its way to the Waikato -River. Along its entire course the country fell rapidly from the lake, -and the stream in many places—which had a channel from three to six -feet in width—descended at various intervals into small cascades -which, falling into broad pools, formed natural baths. We bathed in one -of these fountains where the water had a temperature of 110° Fahr., -and as the whole volume of the stream passed over the body, it produced -the most delightful sensation. The efficacy of this water for curative -purposes has been long known to the Maoris, who have given it the name -of Kiriohinekai, or "New Skin," from the singular properties which it -possesses in the cure of cutaneous and rheumatic disorders. The water -in colour was of a bluish green, and we found that our horses drank -readily of it, even when in its warm state.</p> - -<p>To the south of the Kiriohinekai stream, and about a mile distant, -there was another broad valley, the bottom of which was covered with -innumerable <i>fumaroles</i> that sent up their coils of steam in every -direction. Here the soft, spongy, heated soil was covered with a dense -growth of moss and stunted <i>manuka</i> scrub.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</a></span> All the springs running over -this valley were warm, and most of them were impregnated to a high -degree with sulphur and alum.</p> - -<p>Here at the foot of a hill sloping towards the south was situated Te -Karapiti, the largest <i>fumarole</i> in the Lake Country. It was formed by -a deep and apparently fathomless aperture, rounded like a funnel, and -from which issued with a terrific force and unearthly screeching noise, -a spiral column of transparent steam, which mounted high into the air -as if forced upward from below by a 100-horse-power engine. So great -was the force of this column of steam as it issued from the earth, that -the branches of trees we threw into the funnel were at once ejected -and hurled upwards with tremendous power. When I tested its heat, the -thermometer rose to 220° Fahr. This curious steam-hole, which carries -on its eruptions incessantly, may be distinctly seen all over the Taupo -country.<a name="FNanchor_36_36" id="FNanchor_36_36"></a><a href="#Footnote_36_36" class="fnanchor">[36]</a></p> - -<p>The Huka<a name="FNanchor_37_37" id="FNanchor_37_37"></a><a href="#Footnote_37_37" class="fnanchor">[37]</a> Falls form, without doubt, the most attractive sight to -be seen along the whole valley of the Waikato, and there is no better -way to view them than by an approach from the north through Wairakei. -Journeying this way, one gets a splendid view of the deep valley of -the river, as it meanders for miles on either side, and when the falls -burst upon the gaze they produce a magnificent <i>coup d'œil</i>. The -river pouring out of Lake Taupo, at an elevation of 1175 feet above -the level of the sea, rolls onward in a serpentine course down a -picturesque terraced ravine for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</a></span> about five miles, when it suddenly -breaks into a series of eddying cascades, and then, sweeping with a -rapid current round an abrupt curve, the vast volume of water enters a -channel about 150 feet long by 60 feet broad, and with perpendicular, -rock-bound sides. The foaming stream thus confined shoots onward with -tremendous fury into bounding rapids, until the mass of water leaps -from a height of 50 feet into a circular basin below, whence it rushes -onwards in its course to the sea. The fine basin into which the river -falls is about 150 feet broad in its widest part; its precipitous sides -rise to a height of about 60 feet, and above these again the terraced -hills of pumice rise hundreds of feet higher. Around this pool the -greenest and most varied vegetation clusters to the very edge of the -water; enormous boulders lie scattered beneath, as if hurled into -their present position by the fury of the stream, and as the bright, -bluish-green water comes thundering in a glittering, foaming wave<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</a></span> -over the rocky precipice, and falls shining beneath the sun in wild, -seething eddies below, amidst a cloud of diamond spray, the effect is -beautiful in the extreme.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus-p126.jpg" alt="SECTION OF VALLEY " /> -<a id="illus-p126"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption"> SECTION OF VALLEY OF WAIKATO RIVER AT HUKA FALLS.<br/> - - -A A. Table-land of pumice drift 1400 feet above sea-level.<br /> - -B B. Flat terrace.<br /> - -C. Channel cut by river through dyke of trachytic rock.<br /> - -D. Fall of river into lower terraced valley, 50 feet. -</p> - - -<p>When I had gazed with admiration at the beauty of the Huka, I -determined to ascertain whether it would be possible to pass underneath -the shoot of water from one side to the other. I had done this under -the Falls of Niagara, and it seemed to me that the same thing might be -accomplished at the Huka, only on a smaller scale. When I suggested -to my guide that we should make this trial at the risk of our necks, -he did not hesitate, but, on the contrary, entered with spirit into -what appeared an almost impossible undertaking. To get down on a level -with the seething pool below, it was necessary for us to descend a -perpendicular precipice of rock of some sixty feet in height. The only -way down was by clinging on to the roots of the trees, and in this way -we gained the rugged rocks beneath. Once on the margin of the river, -we crept through the thick growth of fern and <i>manuka</i>, and then -along steep, slippery, moss-grown boulders that bordered the eddying -whirlpool. There was just sufficient room at each step to put the toes -of our boots. One false step and all was over. As we crept cautiously -along towards the fall, and looked upwards, it appeared much higher and -grander than when we had beheld it from the precipice above, and as it -came thundering towards us from a cloud of spray the effect was not -only beautiful, but thrilling to a degree. With the cautious tread of -a couple of cats, we crawled round the edge of the fall, so close that -the outside water of the grand cascade caught us and drenched us to -the skin, <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</a></span>but it soon became apparent as we progressed under the fall -that our way was barred by a barrier of rock which rose vertically up -under the centre of the shoot. We discovered, however, a small cave, -which extended right under the bed of the rocky channel over which the -river passed, and, as we squatted down inside, the vibration caused by -the terrific flow of water over our heads was so great that not only -did the rocks above and around us shake, but the delicate and beautiful -ferns which grew about the walls of the cave trembled like aspen leaves -as they grew. As we gazed from the recesses of the cave through the -falling water the effect produced by the sunlight was very beautiful, -as it lit up the foaming cataract in all the colours of the rainbow.</p> - -<p>Thus baffled, I determined to try the opposite side of the fall, and -on the following day we crossed the Waikato at Tapuwaeharuru, and rode -across the wide pumice plain between the valley of the river and the -great mountain Tauhara. It was when crossing this level tract of weird -pumice country, where nothing could be seen but stunted <i>manuka</i> and -tussock grass, that we came across, and, in fact, nearly galloped into -an enormous fissure, which we did not perceive until we were right -on its brink. It was about three quarters of a mile long, running at -right angles to the river, and over 100 feet in depth. Now, although -on the hard dry plain over which we rode the vegetation was sparse and -stunted, down in this chasm there was a beautiful and varied growth of -mosses, trees, and ferns, all growing in unsurpassed luxuriance upon -the hard pumice soil. A small stream, which came out from under the -ground at the head of this deep valley, wound down its centre;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</a></span> and as -we gazed upon the varied growth below, it looked like a veritable oasis -in a wilderness. To any one anxious to act the part of a modern Quintus -Curtius, I know of no better place.</p> - -<p>When we gained the Huka Falls on this side, we crawled down a steep, -precipitous cliff, and by the aid of a rope let ourselves down a wall -of rock some fifty feet in height, until we reached a dense growth of -scrub and fern, which fringed the rocks on this side of the pool. We -came suddenly into a rustic-looking spot in a cluster of bush, where -the water from a spring in the cliff above dropped like a shower-bath -upon our heads, and from this point we again got out to the moss-grown, -slippery rocks on the margin of the river. The wind, too, being across -the falls, blew clouds of spray all around us, and it was with great -difficulty we crept round the body of water and right under the centre -of the shoot, where the full volume of the Waikato rolled over our -heads. On this side a series of rocky ledges, each about a foot wide, -formed the inner wall, and these were covered everywhere with a thick -growth of bright-green mosses, and there was just sufficient room for -us to stand without being caught by the fall and drawn into the vortex -that hissed below like a steaming cauldron, as the millions of tons -of bright-blue water fell with echoing roar at our feet. So far our -adventures beneath the waters of the Huka were satisfactory, but I -could not recommend any one to repeat the experiment. Our researches, -however, proved beyond a doubt that it is not possible to pass under -the Huka Falls from one side to the other.</p> - -<p>I found that almost every object of interest in these wild regions had -some weird legend attached to it, and Te Huka was not an exception to -the rule. Ages ago, so the tradition goes, a number of the tribe of the -Ngatihau came on a visit to the Ngatituwh<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</a></span>aretoa of Taupo. The former, -being experienced canoemen, boasted of the rapids they were accustomed -to shoot when navigating the Whanganui, pointing out at the same time -that the Taupo natives might well sail with ease over their beautiful -lake. But the Ngatituwharetoa gave their visitors to understand that -they could boast of rapids that no canoe could shoot. "If you show -them, we will navigate them," exclaimed the Ngatihau; and the challenge -was taken up, the only stipulation being that the Taupo tribe should -furnish a pilot to the head of the rapids. A war-canoe was launched, -and seventy of the Ngatihau getting into it, the swift craft shot down -the Waikato, then over the first rapid and over the second, when at a -jutting point of rock the pilot of the Ngatituwharetoa leapt ashore, -and in a second more the Ngatihau swept onward to their doom over the -falls.</p> - -<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_36_36" id="Footnote_36_36"></a><a href="#FNanchor_36_36"><span class="label">[36]</span></a> When making the ascent of Ruapehu, Te Karapiti was -distinctly visible at a distance of nearly fifty miles. It acts as a -kind of weather glass to the Maoris when navigating the treacherous -waters of Lake Taupo.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_37_37" id="Footnote_37_37"></a><a href="#FNanchor_37_37"><span class="label">[37]</span></a> <i>Huka</i> is a general term applied by the natives to the -foam of the sea, and to ice and snow; it here refers to the foaming, -snowy appearance of the falls.</p></div></div> - - - - -<h2><a name="EXPLORATION_OF_THE_KING_COUNTRY" id="EXPLORATION_OF_THE_KING_COUNTRY">EXPLORATION OF THE KING COUNTRY.</a></h2> - - -<hr class="chap" /> - - - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI.</a></h2> - -<p class="center">THE START.</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p class="hang"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</a></span>Reason of the journey—How I succeeded—My interpreter—Our -horses—The Hursthouse difficulty—Departure from -Wairakei—Tapuwaeharuru—The natives—Release of Hursthouse, and -capture of Te Mahuki—The council of war.</p></blockquote> - - -<p class="drop"><span class="uppercase">In</span> undertaking my journey of exploration through the King Country, I -was prompted by no other desire than to advance the general interests -of New Zealand, by making known more fully that portion of it which -was virtually a blank on the maps, and thus to add, as far as lay in -my power, to the geographical and geological knowledge of a vast and -important region, which was reputed to be rich in natural resources -of a valuable and varied order. The object was, in fine, of a purely -scientific nature, and was prosecuted throughout solely in conformity -with that view.</p> - -<p>In setting out upon the undertaking—as I had selected to do the -journey only in company with an interpreter, and without the -protection of friendly natives, whose aid, in fact, it would have been -impossible to obtain—I was aware that a difficult and, by reason -of the unsatisfactory state of the native question, a dangerous task<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</a></span> -lay before me, but I was likewise aware that I was no novice in the -matter of travel. I had penetrated into some of the wildest parts of -Australia, explored the principal islands of the Coral Sea, been into -the interior of China and of Japan, crossed the United States, visited -Mexico, travelled in Canada, voyaged up the Nile, camped with the -Bedouins on the plains of Arabia, and hunted in the forests of Ceylon. -In all these countries, whilst exploring their natural beauties and -varied resources, it was my practice to mix freely with the native -races, while I made their habits and customs my special study, and with -the knowledge thus acquired, it seemed to my mind that it would not -be altogether impossible for me to get along with the Maoris, whose -intelligence and courage had been a general theme for admiration ever -since the arrival of Cook.</p> - - - -<p>When entering upon the journey, I determined to follow a certain line -of action throughout. I resolved to ascend Tongariro, to scale the -summit of Ruapehu, and then to enter the King Country at its furthest -extremity, and return northward to Alexandra by the best route by -which I could secure the most extended knowledge of the region to be -traversed. If turned back by the natives at one point, I was prepared -to try another. I was determined that no efforts should be spared to -accomplish my object, and that no obstacle should impede my progress, -save forcible opposition. To guard as much as possible against an -occurrence of the latter kind, I resolved, above all when in contact -with the tribes, to go fearlessly among them, to respect their customs, -and follow, as near as possible,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</a></span> their mode of life, and, in fact, for -the time being to become a Maori. Only in one instance was I forced to -break through this rule, and that was in order to accomplish the ascent -of Tongariro. This mountain, as before pointed out, is strictly <i>tapu</i>, -and I was aware that all the persuasive diplomacy in the world would -not secure me permission to ascend it, I therefore had to accomplish -this task unbeknown to the Maoris having settlements in its vicinity. -Following strictly the natives' habits, when camping with the tribes, -we would at sundown turn into the <i>wharepunis</i>, or assembly-houses, in -which the members of the <i>hapu</i> meet to eat and sleep, when the small -door would be closed, the solitary window scrupulously fastened up, the -charcoal fire lit, and when the dismal slush lamp would give forth its -flickering light, as if struggling for existence amidst the clouds of -smoke which mingled with the stifling air of the apartment; then men, -women, and children would squat down in their blankets, and, lighting -their pipes, conversation would begin. It was on these occasions that -we gained most of our information about the country and the habits and -customs of the interesting people among whom we were travelling. They -were always desirous of ascertaining what countries I had visited, and, -with the able assistance of my interpreter, I related to them some -of the principal features of interest I had seen in various parts of -the world. During these descriptions not a word was ever spoken—men, -women, and children sat in silence—but at the conclusion of my -narrative the most extraordinary and often ludicrous questions <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[Pg 134]</a></span>would be -asked. In turn the natives would tell us all we wished to know about -their country and indicate the mineral deposits<a name="FNanchor_38_38" id="FNanchor_38_38"></a><a href="#Footnote_38_38" class="fnanchor">[38]</a> which they knew to -exist in various localities, while they would likewise recite legends, -and sing songs in a mournful, melancholy way. Then, one by one, they -would gradually settle down to sleep, and in this way, amid loud -snoring and a stifling heat, we would pass away twelve dreary hours, -until the cool breath of morning came and gave us relief. It was, in -fact, by following this course that we gained the confidence of the -natives, and made them our friends.</p> - -<p>When I was fully prepared to set out on my journey, as I could not -speak a word of the native language, my next desire was to secure the -services of an efficient interpreter. During my travels through the -Lake Country I had become acquainted with Mr. J.A. Turner, a younger -member of a family of European extraction, who from the early days -of the colony had been settled near Whatiwhatihoe. It was in company -with Mr. Turner that I examined the wonders of Wairakei, and made -the descent under the Huka Falls. It was on that occasion, too, that -I remarked his spirited love for travel and adventure, his quick -perception as a guide, his thorough knowledge of the Maori language, -and of native habits and customs; and while I admired his genial -manner, I secretly determined that when I started on my journey to -explore the King Country<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[Pg 135]</a></span> he would be the first man whose services I -would endeavour to secure. In this I was fortunately successful.</p> - -<p>As I shall have occasion to refer frequently to the horses we took on -our journey I will give their names, with a brief description of each. -Charlie, the horse which I rode, was bred on the Kaingaroa Plains, east -of Lake Taupo, and was caught by Turner from a mob of wild horses. -He stood about fifteen hands, was of a dark iron-grey colour, and -possessed good points. Tommy, ridden by Turner, was a black pony, of -about fourteen hands, bred near Auckland, and, although his points -were not perfect, he was strongly built, and plucky to a degree. Our -sumpter-horse, also bred near Auckland, was a gaunt, white-coated -animal, well built, but somewhat long in the legs, and narrow-chested. -His principal failing was an inordinate appetite. Moreover, although -a fine-looking horse in many ways, he had the gait of a camel, and, -I think, like the "ship of the desert" is said to do, he cursed his -father when going up a hill, and his Creator when coming down.</p> - -<p>When everything was in readiness, and just as we were about to start -from Wairakei, an event mingled with alarm occurred in connection -with the native difficulty. Several of the principal Kingite chiefs, -who had up to this time remained in sullen isolation, agreed to allow -Mr. Hursthouse, a government surveyor, and his assistants, with a -body-guard of friendly natives, to enter a part of the northern portion -of the King Country, but immediately upon the party reaching the -small settlement of Te Kumi, a few miles across the frontier-line,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[Pg 136]</a></span> -they were set upon and made prisoners by a band of Maoris headed by -Te Mahuki, a fanatical follower of Te Whiti, the Maori prophet. No -sooner were the surveyors in the hands of the desperadoes, than they -were taken prisoners into the settlement, stripped of every particle -of clothing, brutally maltreated, and chained up in a hut where they -were detained until intelligence of their capture reached Alexandra. -This brutal outrage upon a government officer in the face of the many -delicate phases of the Maori difficulty, was naturally received with -consternation throughout the colony, as at first glance it appeared -little short of an act of open rebellion on the part of the natives.</p> - - - - - -<p>A few days after this event, on the 5th of April, we set out from -Wairakei, and following along the banks of the Waikato for about six -miles, reached Tapuwaeharuru, a small township at the northern end -of Lake Taupo. Situated far from the centres of population, this -settlement is not an important place, beyond its being one of the -principal strategic positions of the armed constabulary. The flat, -elevated plain upon which the township is situated, is formed entirely -of pumice, and has a hollow, cavernous-like sound when riding over -it, a circumstance which no doubt gave rise to its native name, which -signifies "the place of sounding footsteps."</p> - -<p>From time immemorial Tapuwaeharuru has been the centre of a large Maori -population, and all around this portion of the lake may yet be seen the -remains of old <i>pas</i> and other evidences of the fast-decaying native -race. There is still a considerable number of natives living in the -vicinity, and the township is usually full of them.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[Pg 137]</a></span> Many of the men are -tall and finely built, and, in fact, this portion of the country has -been at all times renowned for the splendid physical development of the -native race, some of the tallest and most powerful men in the island -hailing from these parts. The women, likewise, are comely in appearance -and strongly built, while they follow the peculiar custom, which I have -not seen elsewhere, of tattooing the legs as well as the lips in thin -cross-lines of a dark-blue colour.</p> - -<p>We reached Tapuwaeharuru early in the day, and noticed as we -entered the township that a body of the armed constabulary were at -work repairing the earthwork of the redoubt. We soon learned that -Hursthouse and his party had been released by a body of armed natives -under Wahanui, the principal chief of the Ngatimaniapoto, and that -Te Mahuki and his band had been taken prisoners to Auckland.<a name="FNanchor_39_39" id="FNanchor_39_39"></a><a href="#Footnote_39_39" class="fnanchor">[39]</a> It -was evident that the natives were much excited over the latter event, -and the armed constabulary had received orders to hold themselves in -readiness to take the field at any moment. Tawhiao, the Maori king, -was on his way from the East Coast with 300 mounted Waikatos, and was -expected to arrive on the following day, and it was reported by the -natives that he would enter the King Country by the northern shore of -the lake, and call a meeting of all the tribes to discuss the situation.</p> - -<p>At this juncture I sent Turner<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[Pg 138]</a></span> to sound the natives whether they -thought that he could enter the King Country at Tokanu, and pass -northward to visit his family at Whatiwhatihoe. Two of the natives whom -he knew from Tokanu told him that he might by chance get through, but -if he happened to come across any of Te Mahuki's followers or other -unfriendly natives, he would probably be treated in the same way as -Hursthouse, or perhaps get a bullet through him. The general impression -was that the Hursthouse affair, and the imprisonment of Te Mahuki and -his band, would cause a serious disturbance between the Europeans and -natives. At this stage we held a council of war. It was clear there -were only two alternatives—either to go on and chance everything, or -beat an ignominious retreat. I made a firm stand against the latter, -and Turner, realizing the position at once, said, "Wherever you go, -I'll follow." That settled the question, and that night, when the moon -was high, we pitched our first camp on the eastern shore of Lake Taupo.</p> - -<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_38_38" id="Footnote_38_38"></a><a href="#FNanchor_38_38"><span class="label">[38]</span></a> The natives at Ruakaka told us of the existence of gold -in the Kaimanawa Mountains, and in the Tuhua country, as likewise of -extensive deposits of coal on the Upper Whanganui River.</p></div></div> - - - - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII.</a></h2> - -<p class="center">THE REGION OF LAKE TAUPO.</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p class="hang"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[Pg 139]</a></span>Natural phenomena—The great table-land—Position and dimensions -of the lake—Watershed—Geological features—The lake an extinct -crater—Crater lakes—Areas of thermal action.</p></blockquote> - - - -<p class="drop"><span class="uppercase">As</span> during my journey through the King Country the widely extended -region surrounding Lake Taupo will of necessity be brought prominently -forward as being the principal centre around which my explorations -were prosecuted, I will endeavour to define in general terms the -leading features of this important area, in order that all my future -descriptions of the country traversed may be more readily understood by -the general reader.</p> - -<p>This portion of the North Island, by reason of the varied features of -its natural phenomena, is without doubt one of the most wonderful and -interesting fields for geographical exploration and geological research -to be found in any part of the world. It is, in fact, a portion of the -earth where some of the most marvellous works which mark the progress -of a Divine Creation may be viewed in singular and varied contrast, -and while one beholds in wonder the stupendous action of volcanic -fires, one may trace the no less potent force of the snowy glacier and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[Pg 140]</a></span> -bounding river. Here nature, with her mighty forces of fire and water, -has formed and moulded a region of extended plains pierced by colossal -mountains which raise their giant heads to the region of eternal snow, -while countless rivers pour down their waters into a lake possessing -the dimensions of an inland sea.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus-p140.jpg" alt="TRANSVERSE SECTION" /> -<a id="illus-p140"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption">: TRANSVERSE SECTION OF NORTH ISLAND FROM S.W. TO N.E.<br /> - -AA. S.W. fall of great central table-land to coast, geological -formation near surface, pumicious grit and decomposed trachytic rock, -in form of light earth, resting on strata of pumice and fluvial drift. -Vegetation various native grasses, low fern and forest.<br /> - -B. Onetapu scoria desert, highest point of table-land, dividing -northern and southern watershed.<br /> - -CC. Sources of Whangaehu and Waikato rivers, flowing south and north -respectively.<br /> - -DD. Centres of volcanic upheaval.<br /> - -EE. General direction of great pumice deposit, forming extensive open -plains. Vegetation principally tussock grass and <i>manuka</i> scrub.</p> - -<p>The middle portion of the North Island is formed of an extended -table-land, which towards its central point, that is to say, in the -vicinity of the lake margin, attains to a mean altitude of nearly 2000 -feet above the level of the sea. Beyond this radius, which I may term -the inner circle of the great lake basin, the plane of elevation varies -in altitude, and attains its highest point at its southern division, -where, on the Onetapu desert, at the eastern base of the great mountain -Ruapehu, it rises to a height of over 3000 feet,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[Pg 141]</a></span> from which place it -inclines gradually towards the south coast, and divides the northern -and southern watershed of this portion of the country. Easterly of this -the table-land is intersected by the Kaimanawa mountains, and from the -western base of Ruapehu it falls with a rapid descent into the valley -of the Whanganui. To the north of the lake, along the upper valley of -the Waikato, it has an average elevation of from 1500 to nearly 2000 -feet, until it descends into a broad valley near Atea-amuri, where -the river flows round to the north-west to enter the plains of the -lower valley of the Waikato. Eastward of the lake the highest point of -the plateau is attained near to the northern slope of the Kaimanawa -mountains, whence it dips in a north-easterly course, in the direction -of the Bay of Plenty. Over a large area, along the western shore of -the lake, the table-land maintains a more equal elevation than near -the eastern shore-line, until it reaches the head of the Waihora -river, whence it inclines north-westerly, around the high mountains of -Titiraupenga, until it gradually merges into the broad, low valley of -the Upper Waipa.</p> - -<p>It is as near as possible in the centre of this vast area of elevation, -that the enormous sheet of water forming Lake Taupo is situated. The -position of the lake is in lat. 38° 37' to 38° 58' S.; long. 175° -46' to 176° 5' E. Its mean altitude above the sea, by barometrical -measurements, I ascertained to be 1175 feet. The margin, or shore-line, -assumes a somewhat oval shape, with a broad bay on the western side. -It is twenty-four miles long in a north-easterly and south-westerly -direction, and fourteen miles broad from east to west,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[Pg 142]</a></span> and with a -superficial area of over 300 square miles. It possesses one small -island, which is situated near to its south-eastern shore, and its -coast is surrounded with beautiful bays and headlands, which in some -instances rise many hundreds of feet above the white pumice shore. -Although the waters of the lake are comparatively shallow around a -greater part of the margin, there are places where it is of an enormous -depth, especially near its centre in the direction of the western bay.</p> - -<p>In describing the watershed of this wide region, I may point out -that the area of the lake basin may be defined by those divisions of -the country which give rise to the rivers, creeks, and other waters -flowing into it, and which have their origin for the most part in -the extensive mountain ranges scattered over various parts of the -table-lands.</p> - -<p>Although on the most recent maps of the colony only about eight rivers, -namely, the Waitahanui, Hinemaiai, Tauranga, Waimarino, Upper Waikato, -Waihaha, and Waihora, are represented as flowing into the lake, I -found on the western shore, in addition to other smaller streams, the -Kuramanga, Kuratao, Whareroa, Mangakara, Whanganui,<a name="FNanchor_40_40" id="FNanchor_40_40"></a><a href="#Footnote_40_40" class="fnanchor">[40]</a> Waikino, and -Waikomiko, besides three other streams on the northern shore, the names -of which I was unable to obtain.</p> - -<p>It will therefore be seen that there are not less than seventeen rivers -running into this lake, with innumerable smaller streams, while it -should be remarked that the only river or stream of any kind flowing -out of this immense area of water is the Waikato,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[Pg 143]</a></span> at the north-east -end. Most of the rivers on the eastern side of the lake receive their -waters from the north-western slope of the Kaimanawa mountains, and -those from the west, from the Tuhua, Hauhungaroa and Hurakia ranges. -Comparatively little water flows into the lake at the northern end, -since the country thereabouts dips mostly in the direction of the -valley of the Waikato. It is in fact at its southern end that the lake -receives its greatest volume of water from the Upper Waikato river, -and its numerous tributaries. This river, rising at an altitude of -7000 feet on the eastern side of Ruapehu, is fed by the snows of that -mountain, and of Tongariro, as well as by the enormous watershed of a -large portion of the Kaimanawa mountains, along the western base of -which it runs in its winding course to the lake, receiving likewise -on its way the eastern streams of the Kakaramea ranges, and the -overflowing waters of Lake Rotoaira, as they descend by the Poutu -river. With but one outlet to relieve it of this tremendous watershed, -it is not surprising that the waters of the lake rise rapidly during -the rainy season, while with the continuance of heavy winds its waves -are lashed into fury, and break upon its shores with the force and roar -of a raging sea.</p> - -<p>In considering the geological features of the region of Lake Taupo, -it may be imagined here, as in other cases, that the primary volcanic -eruptions were submarine, and that when first that portion of New -Zealand now known as the North Island appeared above the surrounding -sea, <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[Pg 144]</a></span>forced upwards by some volcanic freak of nature, the Taupo -table-land rose perhaps rapidly, perhaps by slow degrees, to its -greatest elevation. The volcanic eruptions which produced this -phenomenon may, in short, have been instantaneous or slow in their -action; but be that as it may, their work has been indelibly impressed -upon the face of Nature in a way which has caused its wonderful results -to last through vast periods of time. The volcanic agencies, however, -did not rest here. The Plutonic fires, still active in the interior of -the earth, burst through the elevated plane, and caused big mountains -to rise up in the form of serrated ridges and truncated cones, which -poured out their streams of lava and other kindred products over the -surrounding country. Hence dotted along the Taupo volcanic zone are -stupendous mountain ranges and graceful trachytic cones standing alone -or rising from amidst a cluster of minor elevations to heights which -vary from 1200 to nearly 10,000 feet above the level of the sea. Of -the former class the most extensive are the Kaimanawa mountains and -the kindred systems, with the Tuhua ranges and the wooded heights of -Hauhungaroa and Hurakia, while the cone formation is exemplified in -the grandest proportions in Ruapehu, Tongariro, Pihanga, Tauhara, -Kakaramea, Kuharua, Puke kai-kiore, Karangahape, Haurungatahi, -Hikurangi, Hurakia, and Titiraupenga, all of which indicate various -centres of volcanic action.</p> - -<p>The existence of a body of water of the area of Lake Taupo, and of its -form and depth in the centre of this elevated region, may be accounted -for in several ways. It may have originated in the terrific throes -of an earthquake,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[Pg 145]</a></span> or by a fracture or break in the plateau. I am, -however, of opinion that the present basin of the lake was at one time -an active crater, which had its existence long prior to the period -when the volcanic cones surrounding it sprang into existence, and that -at the time of its activity it was considerably higher than it is at -the present day, its subsidence or depression having been caused by -one of those sudden changes peculiar to regions subject to volcanic -disturbance. Moreover, many of the leading geological phenomena, as -exemplified throughout the surrounding country, would seem to point to -this conclusion. Perhaps one of the most remarkable features of the -Taupo volcanic zone at the present day is its vast pumice plains, -which radiate, as it were, from a common centre over an extensive area -of country. The largest of these plains stretches in a north-easterly -direction from the lake shore, with a gradual fall or incline in the -same direction. It is through the western margin of this plain that the -Waikato winds through its terraced valley, and it is around this valley -that may be more distinctly seen the enormous deposits of pumice, -which have been distributed far and wide, as it were, by the action of -rapidly rolling waters.</p> - -<p>From every outward indication it would appear that this vast deposit -of pumice rock had its origin in the once active crater forming the -basin of the great lake, and that both Ruapehu and Tongariro rose -above their still higher planes long after the period when the great -Taupo crater now forming the cup of the lake was the principal outlet -of volcanic fires in this wide field of Plutonic action. As a matter -of fact the distribution of pumice drift around the enormous base of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[Pg 146]</a></span> -Ruapehu and Tongariro is as nothing when compared with the great pumice -formation of North-Eastern Taupo, and this statement will apply equally -to the plains westward and south-westward of the lake. The greatest -overflow or distribution of pumice appears to have been, as before -pointed out, at the north-eastern division of the lake basin, where the -area of depression is greater than at any other part, and at a point -over thirty miles distant from either Tongariro or Ruapehu. It was, I -believe, when the fires of the great lake volcano died out that the -waters rose from the subterranean springs below, and overflowing the -then more elevated crater, distributed the light pumice rock over the -area of country which had a gradual fall then as now in the direction -in which the extensive deposits of pumice are still to be found. This<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[Pg 147]</a></span> -enormous crater was, no doubt, at one time the highest point of the -island, until its period of volcanic extinction and subsidence set in, -after which stage the pent-up fires burst forth in the stupendous form -of Ruapehu, and when the latter in its turn became extinct, Tongariro, -with its minor system of volcanic cones, sprang into existence.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus-p146.jpg" alt="TERRACE FORMATION " /> -<a id="illus-p146"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption"> TERRACE FORMATION AND HOT SPRINGS.<br /> - -(<i>Valley of the Waikato.</i>)</p> - -<p>I am not aware whether this theory of the crater basin of Lake Taupo -is a new or an old one, and I only endeavour to exemplify it as it -presented itself to my mind, after a careful examination of the -country for many miles around the lake, and from data gained during my -ascent of the highest mountains of this great volcanic centre. I may, -however, likewise point out that the Taupo natives still have a well -authenticated tradition, which would seem to show that even during the -history of the race upon the island, the lake basin was at one period -considerably higher than it is at the present day. But, beyond the -above fact to support this theory, it is well known that the formation -of lakes in extinct craters is common throughout the volcanic regions -of the island. Lake Takapuna, near Auckland, may be taken as a notable -instance. The blue lake at Wairakei, near Lake Taupo, is situated in -a depressed crater, and Rotokawa, a little further to the east, is of -the same formation. Lake Rotoaira, south of Taupo lake, is nothing more -than a depressed crater, while there are no less than four lakes on the -Tongariro mountains formed in the same way. There is likewise a lake -formed by a crater on the summit of Ruapehu, while the two lakes which -I discovered to the south-west of that mountain,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[Pg 148]</a></span> and named respectively -Rangitauaiti and Rangitauanui, were nothing more than depressed craters -filled with water from subterranean springs.</p> - -<p>When treating of the many wonderful natural phenomena presented by the -Taupo volcanic zone, it may not prove uninteresting to refer, if only -in brief terms, to the several centres of thermal action within the -immediate region of the lake. Both at its northern and southern end -considerable areas of country are covered with geysers, solfataras, -fumaroles, and hot springs. At a short distance below the point where -the Waikato leaves the lake, the banks of the river are studded with -boiling springs and fumaroles in a very active condition, while not far -from its eastern margin is situated a large geyser which is constantly -throwing up boiling water and emitting vast volumes of steam. At -Wairakei, still further down the valley of the Waikato, these wonderful -phenomena cover nearly 4000 acres of country, and take the form, as -before shown, of enormous intermittent geysers, steam-holes, fumaroles, -solfataras, and hot mineral springs of the most varied order; while to -the north-east of Lake Taupo, Lake Rotokawa forms the centre of a wide -circle of hot springs and fumaroles. On the south side of Lake Taupo, -the mineral springs and geysers of Tokanu spread over a wide surface, -and on the northern slope of Tongariro are some of the largest and most -active boiling springs in the country, while the crater of the great -mountain itself is the seat of a tremendous thermal action.</p> - -<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_39_39" id="Footnote_39_39"></a><a href="#FNanchor_39_39"><span class="label">[39]</span></a> A few days subsequent to the release of Mr. Hursthouse Te -Mahuki marched with his band into Alexandra, and after threatening to -burn down the town and to destroy the whites, both he and his followers -were captured by the armed constabulary.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_40_40" id="Footnote_40_40"></a><a href="#FNanchor_40_40"><span class="label">[40]</span></a> This river must not be confused with the Whanganui of the -south, which does not flow into the lake.</p></div></div> - - - - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIII" id="CHAPTER_XIII">CHAPTER XIII.</a></h2> - -<p class="center">EASTERN SHORE OF LAKE TAUPO.</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p class="hang"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[Pg 149]</a></span>A grand view—True source of the Waikato—The river of "streaming -water"—Our first camp—Variation of temperature—Roto -Ngaio—Te Hatepe Te Poroporo—The lake beneath us—A -canoe—Motutere—Tauranga—Southern shore of the lake—Delta of the -Upper Waikato.</p></blockquote> - - -<p class="drop"><span class="uppercase">When</span> we set out from Tapuwaeharuru our course lay around the eastern -shore of the lake, and as the bright blue heavens were unflecked by -a single cloud, we obtained an uninterrupted view of the magnificent -and varied scenery that unfolded itself like an ever-changing panorama -before the gaze. I had admired the beauties of Lake Taupo on several -occasions, but never before had they been presented in so clear and -defined a light as on this occasion. As far as the eye could reach, -the grand sheet of water stretched away in the distance in a wide -expanse of blue, which appeared just a shade deeper than the sky above, -while the golden rays of the sun, shining over the lake and lighting -up the surrounding country with a vivid power, made the snow-capped -mountains in the south stand out in bold and beautiful relief. On -every side the scenery was both varied and attractive. To the west, as -far as the eye could see, were the densely wooded heights of the King -Country—the forbidden land we were about to enter.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[Pg 150]</a></span> To the north was -a level plain, above which the crater-shaped cone of Tauhara rose in -rugged grandeur. To the east rolled away the wide expanse known as the -Kaingaroa Plains, clothed in a mantle of waving tussock grass; while -south-easterly the long line of the Kaimanawa mountains stretched -across the country, their tall, pointed peaks looking like the Sierras -of Southern Spain. It was, however, immediately to the south of the -lake that the most enchanting <i>coup-d'œil</i> was to be obtained. -Rising above the calm water was the solitary island of Motutaiko; -beyond it the lake shore was indented with the most romantic-looking -bays, above which a cluster of cone-shaped summits rose in a confused -but picturesque group, overtopped by the tall form of Mount Pihanga. -Beyond, in the background, the graceful cone of Tongariro, capped with -a feathery cloud of steam, stood out in grand proportions; while high -above all towered the stupendous form of Ruapehu—its rugged-peaked -summit radiant in its fleecy mantle of snow. Although the nearest -of these mountains was over twenty miles distant, they were all so -clearly defined in outline as to appear not half that distance away. -Taking into consideration the grand expanse of lake, the varied form of -the surrounding mountains, with the active crater of Tongariro and the -colossal proportions of Ruapehu—in fine, water, snow, mountain, and -volcanic fires—never had I gazed upon, in any part of the world, so -varied and so beautiful a scene.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus-fp150.jpg" alt="LAKE TAUPO " /> -<a id="illus-fp150"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption">LAKE TAUPO.</p> - -<p>The bay upon which Tapuwaeharuru is situated, and around which our -journey began,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[Pg 151]</a></span> is one of the most remarkable parts of the lake, for it -is here that the Waikato River rolls out of the broad expanse of water -to pursue its long, winding course to the sea. At the point where the -river leaves its great natural reservoir—that is to say at the top of -the lake—the depth of water is not more than from four to six feet, -but a few feet beyond where the eddying waters burst forth in the form -of miniature cascades, the river gradually deepens as it flows onward -in a rapid course through a winding narrow valley, with wide, sloping -sides, which gradually become higher and steeper until they form a -precipitous terraced gorge as the stream cuts its way through the -pumice table-land in a devious course to the Huka Falls, over which -it plunges, to dash onward again through a still deeper valley, the -bed of which at the base of the falls is a little over 100 feet below -the water level of Lake Taupo.<a name="FNanchor_41_41" id="FNanchor_41_41"></a><a href="#Footnote_41_41" class="fnanchor">[41]</a> The point where the river takes -its rise is the only outlet of any kind around the vast margin of the -lake, and it is this spot which forms, as a matter of fact, the true -source of the Waikato.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[Pg 152]</a></span> The great river, which enters the lake to the -south, and which is supposed, by a romantic fiction of the natives, -to flow through the lake without mingling with its waters, and which -is erroneously styled the "Upper Waikato," is, without doubt, when -considered geographically, a distinct stream of water, which is no more -connected with the Waikato proper than are the numerous other streams -which all add their quota to the lake waters. From the narrow outlet -where the Waikato leaves the lake, it takes an almost north-easterly -course for about thirty miles, when it flows north-westerly to -Ngaruawahia, where, after its junction with the Waipa, it runs in an -almost northerly direction until it bends again abruptly to the west, -to disembogue at the West Coast. During its long winding course, it -receives the waters of countless tributaries which form the great -central watershed of a large portion of the island. The river in its -rapid flow is still slowly but surely cutting its way through the great -pumice formation, and as an evidence of this work it is no infrequent -occurrence to see disintegrated masses of rock in the form of pumice -drift floating upon its waters, to be carried out to sea, or deposited -to form fresh strata along its winding banks. The colour of the water -of the Waikato here, as elsewhere wherever the stream traverses the -pumice country, is, like that of the lake, of a transparent opaline -blue tint, and so clear is it that the coraline-like formation of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[Pg 153]</a></span> -rocky bed—an appearance caused by the silicious encrustations upon the -rocks—is distinctly visible to a great depth below the surface of the -stream. Indeed in the transparent beauty of its head waters I believe -this river has no equal, and while the peculiar terrace formation of -its upper valley imparts to it a singularly beautiful appearance, the -high wooded ranges of its lower basin are no less remarkable for their -wild and rugged grandeur.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus-p153.jpg" alt="LAKE TAUPO " /> -<a id="illus-p153"></a> -</p> - - -<p class="caption"> SOURCE OF THE WAIKATO AT LAKE TAUPO.</p> - -<p>With so many natural features, then, in its favour, it is no matter for -wonder that the Waikato has from time immemorial been renowned in Maori -fable and romance. Since time out of mind the rich lands surrounding it -have formed the dwelling-places of the most important native tribes, -whose history is linked with its name, and whose songs and legends are -echoed even to this day from every hill and valley along its course. -The dark race is, howev<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[Pg 154]</a></span>er, fast disappearing from its banks, the -stroke of the paddle is now almost unheard upon its bosom, but the -Waikato, or river of "streaming water," still shapes its swift course -over its bounding rapids, and with an echoing sound which would seem to -say,—</p> - -<p> -<span style="margin-left: 30%;">Men may come and men may go,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 32%;">But I go on for ever.</span><br /> -</p> - -<p>As we proceeded on our way around the north-eastern shore of the lake, -we crossed a small stream called Waipahihi, which flows across a level -plain from the direction of Tauhara Mountain. Here was a small native -settlement, composed of a <i>runanga</i> house and a few <i>whares</i>, in front -of which some half-dozen natives were sunning themselves, while several -laughing, dusky children paddled about in the clear blue water. We -passed along the shore until the western side of the lake opened out -into a deep bay with bold, rugged cliffs shooting up perpendicularly -from the water, while the mountain scenery to the south became still -more attractive towards sundown, when the heavens assumed a beautiful -green and carmine tint. We kept on our course until the last ray of -sunlight had died away, and the moon was already high when we pitched -our first camp on the banks of the Waitahanui River, with the broad -lake on one side of our tent, and a <i>raupo</i> swamp on the other.</p> - -<p>At this camping-place, which stood on a level with the lake, we -experienced for the first time one of those sudden changes of -temperature which afterwards became one of the most remarkable -features of the journey. At 4 p.m. the thermometer registered as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[Pg 155]</a></span> -high as 80° Fahr. in the shade, and at midnight it stood at 2° below -freezing-point, being a variation of no less than 50° in eight -hours. When we awoke in the morning the thermometer marked 4° below -freezing-point. The ground was coated with a thick frost, and the water -we had left standing overnight was covered with a coating of ice. The -sun, however, as it swept over the lake, soon clothed us with its -genial warmth, and nature looked more radiant than ever.</p> - -<p>We struck camp soon after daybreak, and forded the Waitahanui, which -flowed with a very rapid current into the lake, the water, which was -very clear and cold, reaching nearly over our horses' backs. The -country around our track at this point consisted principally of broad -flats, with here and there low ranges of pumice terraces covered with -fern and <i>manuka</i> scrub, until we came to Roto Ngaio, a small native -settlement situated in a semicircle of the lake shore, which was -surrounded by pumice cliffs, completely flat-topped and level, with -steep, clean-cut gorges. In the centre of the settlement was a small -lake, the water of which, of an intensely blue colour, reflected on -its calm surface the luxuriant vegetation that grew around. Everywhere -along its border were deep clusters of willow and acacia-trees; in -the thick sedges which fringed the water on every side were flocks of -water-fowl, while the native <i>whares</i>, dotted about beneath the trees, -imparted to the whole scene a singularly picturesque appearance.</p> - -<p>From Roto Ngaio we rounded Te Kohae Point, where<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[Pg 156]</a></span> the shore was covered -with various kinds of drift washed up by the lake, and by which it -could be plainly seen that the water-line during the rainy months -was considerably higher than during the dry season. The shore-line -hereabout was walled in by tall cliffs of pure white pumice, which -rose up perpendicularly from 200 to 300 feet in height, and there were -no signs of vegetation, save the scanty growth of fern that seemed to -struggle for existence along the tops of the precipices.</p> - -<p>We crossed the Hinemaiai River, which cut its way through a valley -of flat-topped terraces, and at midday we camped for an hour at -Tehatepe, a deserted Maori settlement, where peach, cherries, and other -fruit-trees grew in picturesque confusion in a garden-like expanse of -bush. At every settlement along the lake, whether occupied or deserted, -we found extensive peach groves growing in the greatest luxuriance, -many of the finest kinds of this delicious fruit being produced from -the sterile-looking pumice lands.</p> - -<p>The view from this place, looking across the lake towards the western -bay, was most charming. The day was singularly warm and bright for the -season of the year, and as we sat under a deep cluster of acacia-trees, -and admired the beauties of the wide expanse of calm blue water before -us, there was nothing to mar the quiet tranquillity of the spot, -save innumerable blowflies that swarmed around us in an unpleasantly -familiar kind of way.</p> - -<p>After leaving Tehatepe, we crossed the Totara and Waipehi streams, -flowing into the lake from pumice hills in the distance<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[Pg 157]</a></span>, and came to -a jutting point, where the cliffs rose to a height of several hundred -feet above us. The track led over the tops of these, but, in order to -avoid taking our horses by that way, we waded into the lake amidst the -boulders and rocks, with the water over the horses' backs, and after -rounding several huge masses of rock and jutting points, we gained the -foot of another high headland, called Te Poroporo, up which we had to -climb from the water by steep and dangerous rocky ledges, over which -our horses had to scramble as if going up a slippery flight of steps. -Over this steep cliff the path wound higher and higher until for a long -distance it attained an elevation of over 100 feet above the water, -with a high cliff wall on one side and a precipitous descent into the -lake below on the other.</p> - -<p>The view of the grand surroundings obtained from this elevation was -beautiful in the extreme. The lake, like a vast inland sea, was spread -out beneath us, while immediately below our track the shore-line was -dotted with gigantic boulders, among which innumerable wild duck were -disporting themselves in the pellucid water. Beyond, towards the south, -the mountains towered to the skies, and Tongariro appeared to be giving -off a greater cloud of steam than it had done at any time during the -previous day. The picturesque island of Motutaiko lay right beneath -us, the <i>whares</i> of Tokanu could be plainly seen, backed by a cloud -of vapour from the hot springs; while on the other side of the lake, -in the direction of the north-east, we could discern a vapoury column -rising from Te Karipiti,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[Pg 158]</a></span> and big, white clouds of steam floating over -the geyser valley at Wairakei.</p> - - - -<p>When we gained the level shore-line the country became very -picturesque, the low flats ending in small valleys and low hills, -many of which partook of the flat terrace formation so remarkable in -the pumice country. A large canoe, filled with natives, passed by -us, speeding in the direction of the western shore, the frail craft -shooting rapidly over the water, with the well-timed stroke of the -paddles, which moved with the regularity of clockwork to the loud -refrain of the dusky voyagers as they sped on their way.</p> - -<p>At Motutere, a small, low peninsula jutting out into the lake, we -found the remains of an extensive <i>pa</i>, with burial-places, and carved -palisading, which lay scattered about the ground. There were likewise -the remains of a <i>wharekarakia</i>, or church, a ruined monument where -the first light of Christianity had dawned upon a heathen people. -This place, which was most delightfully situated, bore evidence of -having been at one time a populous native settlement, which had -gradually dwindled away until it had become the haunt of a few wild -pigs that squealed and grunted at us as we passed through the deserted -cultivations, which were still marked by the peach and the rose-tree.</p> - -<p>Beyond Motutere the shore-line took a graceful curve in the form -of a wide bay, with a white pumice shore, picturesque hills rising -gracefully on our left, and jutting points running out in the direction -of the lake. Here, too, the vegetation was more green and luxuriant, -and the soil of a better quality than towards the north. We forded the -Waitotaka River, a clear, rapid stream, flowing from the direction of -the Kaimanawa Mountains, and a short distance farther on we<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[Pg 159]</a></span> came to -Tauranga Taupo, a native settlement on the banks of the river of that -name. Beyond, the country opened out into low, fern-clad plains, backed -by low ridges of hills. The shades of evening closed around us near to -this point, so we pitched our camp for the night hard by a flax swamp -which here bordered the lake.<a name="FNanchor_42_42" id="FNanchor_42_42"></a><a href="#Footnote_42_42" class="fnanchor">[42]</a></p> - -<p>We struck camp soon after the first streak of dawn had swept over the -snows of Ruapehu, and passed around the southern end of the lake in -the direction of Tokanu. We soon reached the peninsula Motuoapa, a -bold, rocky promontory connected with the mainland by a low, narrow -neck. At one time a formidable <i>pa</i> stood on this place, and many of -the old earthworks may yet be distinctly traced. Its position is a -most beautiful one, jutting out into the lake over a wide bay, and it -reminded me at the first glance of the bold, rugged peaks one sees -crowned by feudal strongholds around the lakes of the old country. At -a short distance from Motuoapa we crossed the Waimarino River, which -flows through a flat, swampy plain, which extends for a considerable -distance inland from the southern shores of the lake.</p> - - - - - -<p>The next point of interest was the delta of the Upper Waikato, where<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[Pg 160]</a></span> -that river flows into the lake. Here the strand was covered with a -light fluvial drift and pumice sand, through which our horses struggled -fetlock deep. At this point the river flows into a semicircular bay, -formed by a bend in the lake shore, which was here covered with -flocks of a small graceful species of seagull, called by the natives -<i>tarapunga</i>. The head and breast and under part of the body of this -bird were snow white, the wings of a light grey, tipped with black, and -the tail white with black bars. It frequents all parts of the lake, but -is found more generally at its southern end. We forded the river some -little distance above the extreme point of the delta, where the bed of -the stream was about forty yards in width, and where the overhanging -banks, worn away by its perpetual energy, were evidently in a constant -state of transition. The river, owing to the melting of the snows at -Ruapehu, was coming down at a rapid rate, and the water sweeping over -our horses' backs nearly carried them from under us. The bed of the -river was moreover covered with large boulders, and the animals plunged -desperately in their endeavours to keep their footing against the -strong stream. The banks hereabout were covered with <i>toetoe</i> grass -and strewn with drift timber in those parts where the river during the -heavy floods had burst its boundary and swept over the surrounding -country. This is one of the most dangerous crossing-places around the -lake at the time of a strong fresh, as the waters in their rapid -descent from the highlands to the south carry everything in their -course into the broad lake beyond.</p> - -<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_41_41" id="Footnote_41_41"></a><a href="#FNanchor_41_41"><span class="label">[41]</span></a> The river, after leaving the falls, flows through a deep -valley, which would seem to indicate, by its peculiar trough-like -character, that the bed of the stream must, at some age or another, -have been considerably higher than it is at the present time, and that -the river gradually cut its deep channel through the yielding pumice -formation, until the great barrier of rock forming the falls was met -with, since which period it has cut its lower bed some fifty feet -beneath. In this lower valley the shores rise abruptly from the margin -of the water to a height of from forty to sixty feet, and then merge -into a series of level plateaux or terraces, which, stretching inland -for some distance, are again succeeded by others of a similar kind, -which, in many places, rise in regular gradations above each other, -like giant steps. For miles down the valley of the river the wonderful -terraced elevations, formed entirely of disintegrated pumice rock, -which is everywhere rounded by the action of water, form the principal -features of the country, and some of the hills which compose them are -so symmetrical in form, and level and angular in outline, that they -appear to have been built up by artificial means.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_42_42" id="Footnote_42_42"></a><a href="#FNanchor_42_42"><span class="label">[42]</span></a> Throughout this day's travel we likewise, as on the -previous day, experienced a great variation of temperature. At 6 a.m. -the thermometer indicated 4° of frost; at 1 p.m. it registered 84° in -the shade; at 3 p.m. it had fallen to 80°; at 7·30 p.m. to 64°, giving -an extreme variation of 56° in seven hours.</p></div></div> - - - - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIV" id="CHAPTER_XIV">CHAPTER XIV.</a></h2> - -<p class="center">TOKANU.</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p class="hang"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[Pg 161]</a></span>Scenery—The springs—The natives—Old war-tracks—Te Heuheu—A -Maori lament—Motutaiko—Horomatangi.</p></blockquote> - - -<p class="drop"><span class="uppercase">Our</span> journey of about thirty miles around the eastern shore of Lake -Taupo brought us to the native settlement of Tokanu, which is situated -at the extreme south-western end of the lake, and on the shores of -a picturesque bay, formed on the one side by the delta of the Upper -Waikato, and on the other side by a line of precipitous cliffs which -rose like a solid wall of rock from the edge of the water, their tops -rolling inland in the form of conical-shaped hills. To the south of -the bay, and behind the native settlement, rise the Kakaramea Ranges, -in a cluster of volcanic cones, in some parts clothed with a dense -vegetation, while in other places the mountain sides are entirely -bare, especially in the vicinity of the hot springs and <i>fumaroles</i>, -which may be seen sending up their clouds of steam from various parts -of the slopes. As we looked across the bay of Tokanu the scenery was -resplendent in all the rich, wild beauty of this part of the country. -The bay presented a wide expanse of water, broken only by the small -island of Motutaiko, which seemed to rise with fairy-like beauty from -the depths below. Beyond, to the east, <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[Pg 162]</a></span>was the bold promontory of -Motuoapa and the winding sinuations of the eastern shore. To the west, -on the margin of the lake, rose a green terrace-like formation, marked -by the conical mountain Pukekaikiore, beyond which, again, the bold -form of Karangahape rose to a height of over a thousand feet above the -calm, blue water, which shone beneath the sun, without a breath of wind -to disturb its surface; while right abreast of the settlement a small -river, known as the Waihi, fell over a precipitous wall of rock in -the form of a foaming cascade. Here, upon the sides of the fern-clad -slopes and upon the level flats, amidst boiling fountains, hot springs, -and <i>fumaroles</i>, the primitive-looking <i>whares</i> of the natives were -scattered about in the most picturesque confusion, but all looking out -upon the lake and its beautiful surroundings, which render this curious -region of thermal action one of the most charming spots in the world.</p> - -<p>The Tokanu River runs through the settlement, and it is in the vicinity -of this stream that the principal springs are situated. All the -springs, <i>solfataras</i>, and <i>fumaroles</i> hereabout partake of the same -character as those of the other centres of thermal action around the -lake, and are used by the natives in the same way for the curative -properties they possess, as well as for cooking, bathing, and other -purposes. The largest and most remarkable hot spring is Te Pirori, -which, from a deep, round hole, throws up a column of boiling water to -a height of ten to fifteen feet, amidst dense volumes of steam. For -a space of nearly three square miles one may walk over quaking soil, -where bubbling springs of hot water flowing into basins of white,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[Pg 163]</a></span> -silicious rock, and jets of hissing steam bursting from the ground, -meet one at every turn.</p> - -<p>The whole region of the Kakaramea Range to the rear of the settlement -was, without doubt, at one time the scene of a vast volcanic action, -and it is from the still active agencies observable in certain parts -of these mountains that the existence of the present springs may be -traced. Indeed, Tokanu may be said to be situated at the very foot -of some of the principal extinct volcanic cones of this part of the -island, and although their craters are now inactive, their steaming -sides still indicate that an extensive thermal activity is yet going on -within them.</p> - -<p>There is a considerable Maori population at Tokanu and in its -neighbourhood, and many of the natives are remarkable for their -stalwart build, a condition which no doubt arises, in no small degree, -from the healthfulness of the climate, as well as from the fact that -they secure the choice of a greater variety of food than that obtained -by many of the less favoured tribes of the interior. The principal -staple of diet, here as elsewhere, is pork and potatoes, but besides -this the lake yields several varieties of fish, which are held in high -esteem. The golden carp, introduced some years ago, is very plentiful, -and besides it there are three distinct species common to the lake—the -<i>kokopu</i>, the <i>koaro</i>, and the <i>inanga</i>, while the <i>koura</i>, or -crayfish, likewise abounds.</p> - -<p>From the earliest period of Maori history Tokanu has been an important -place of native settlement, and it is still one of the principal -strongholds of the Ngatituwharetoa.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[Pg 164]</a></span> It is likewise, at the present -time, one of the most jealously-guarded entrances to the King Country. -Situated, as it is, in the very centre of the island, it formed in -former years the point at which the chief war-tracks converged. During -the early days, when tribal wars were frequent, there were three -main tracks (existing to this day) which were principally used for -conveying intelligence throughout the island. One came from Whanganui, -in the south, across the Rangipo table-land to Tokanu, while two -others diverged from the latter place, one striking west, through that -portion of the island now known as the King Country, and thence to the -north. The other passed along the eastern shores of Lake Taupo, and -thence to Maketu. The natives told us that in war-time men belonging -to the various tribes through whose territory the tracks passed, were -stationed at different points, and they, by moving rapidly from place -to place when in receipt of information, conveyed it thus from one end -of the island to the other in an incredibly short space of time.</p> - -<p>Besides its many other historic associations, Te Rapa, an old <i>pa</i> -near Tokanu, was the scene of the terrible catastrophe by which Te -Heuheu, the great warrior chief of the Ngatituwharetoa, met his death, -with sixty of his followers, by a land-slip, which overwhelmed his -<i>pa</i> during the night, in the month of May, 1846. The site of this -terrific fall of earth may still be traced, while the name and fame -of Te Heuheu still resounds from Tokanu even unto the lofty peaks of -Tongariro, where the Maori hero, armed even in death with his spear and -<i>mere</i>, awaits the sound of the last trumpet.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[Pg 165]</a></span> It was in memory of Te -Heuheu's untimely end that his brother, Iwikau, composed the following -lament, which for poetic diction and pathos has no equal in the Maori -language:<a name="FNanchor_43_43" id="FNanchor_43_43"></a><a href="#Footnote_43_43" class="fnanchor">[43]</a>—</p> - -<p style="margin-left: 30%;">See o'er the heights of dark Tauhara's mount<br /> -The infant morning wakes. Perhaps my friend<br /> -Returns to me, clothed in that lightsome cloud!—<br /> -Alas! I toil alone in this lone world.<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 25%;">Yes, thou art gone!</span><br /> -Go, thou mighty! go, thou dignified!<br /> -Go, thou who wert a spreading tree to shade<br /> -Thy people when evil hover'd round!<br /> -And what strange god has caused so dread a death<br /> -To thee and thy companions?<br /> -<br /> -Sleep on, O Sire, in that dark, damp abode!<br /> -And hold within thy grasp that weapon rare,<br /> -Bequeath'd to thee by thy renown'd ancestor,<br /> -Ngahuia, when he left the world.<br /> -<br /> -Turn yet this once thy bold, athletic frame!<br /> -And let me see thy skin carved o'er with lines<br /> -Of blue; and let me see thy face so<br /> -Beautifully chisell'd into varied forms;—<br /> -Ah! the people now are comfortless and sad!<br /> -<br /> -The stars are faintly shining in the heavens!<br /> -For "Atutahi" and "Rehua-Kai-tangata"<br /> -Have disappear'd, and that fair star that shone<br /> -Beside the milky way. Emblems these<br /> -Of thee, O friend beloved.<br /> -<br /> -The Mount of Tongariro rises lonely<br /> -In the South; while the rich feathers that<br /> -Adorn'd the great canoe "Arawa,"<br /> -Float upon the wave, and women from the<br /> -West look on and weep!<br /> -<br /> -Why hast thou left behind the valued treasures<br /> -Of thy famed ancestor Rongomaihuia,<br /> -And wrapp'd thyself in night?<br /> -<br /> -Cease thy slumbers, O thou son of Rangi!<br /> -Wake up, and take thy battle-axe, and tell<br /> -Thy people of the coming signs; and what<br /> -Will now befall them. How the foe, tumultuous<br /> -As the waves, will rush with spear uplifted;<br /> -And how thy people will avenge their wrongs,<br /> -Nor shrink at danger. But let the warriors<br /> -Breathe awhile, nor madly covet death!<br /> -<br /> -Lo, thou art fallen, and the earth receives<br /> -Thee as its prey! But thy wondrous fame<br /> -Shall soar on high, resounding o'er the heavens!<a name="FNanchor_44_44" id="FNanchor_44_44"></a><a href="#Footnote_44_44" class="fnanchor">[44]</a> -</p> - -<p>The small, picturesque island of Motutaiko, which forms one of the most -conspicuous and attractive features when looking from Tokanu over the -lake, is formed by an oblong mass of rock, with precipitous si<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[Pg 166]</a></span>des, -which arise abruptly from the water. It is mostly covered with a dense -vegetation, which casts its fantastic shadows upon the shining surface -below, and altogether it is a very pretty and a very romantic-looking -place. It is accessible only on one side, and the water surrounding it -is said by the natives to be of enormous depth.</p> - -<p>As with most remarkable places situated in solitary positions, the -superstitious mind of the Maori has made this curious island the abode -of an evil spirit or <i>taniwha</i>, one Horomatangi, who appears to act -the part of a kind of Neptune of the lake. He is said by the natives -to live in a submerged cave on the western side of the island, where -the rocks are steepest.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[Pg 167]</a></span> Ever on the alert, in fine or foul weather, -whenever a passing canoe goes by, he stirs up the elements, and, -causing the water to surge and roll, upsets the frail bark, and carries -off its living freight to his abode beneath the lake. On this account -natives, when navigating the lake, steer clear of this island.</p> - -<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_43_43" id="Footnote_43_43"></a><a href="#FNanchor_43_43"><span class="label">[43]</span></a> Te Heuheu was the most powerful chief of his time, and -exercised a widespread influence over the Maori race, who regarded -him in the light of a deified being. He is said to have been a man of -herculean proportions, standing seven feet high.</p></div></div> - - - - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XV" id="CHAPTER_XV">CHAPTER XV.</a></h2> - -<p class="center">THE RANGIPO TABLE-LAND.</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p class="hang"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[Pg 168]</a></span>Along the delta of the Upper Waikato—Mount Pihanga—The Poutu -River and Lake Rotoaira—Boundaries of the Rangipo—Scenery—A fine -night—A rough time—A great storm—The <i>karamu</i> as fodder—Banks -of the Upper Waikato—Another start—More bad weather—Flooded -creeks—Pangarara—Te Hau.</p></blockquote> - - -<p class="drop"><span class="uppercase">From</span> Tokanu we followed up the delta of the Waikato River, and passed -through a swamp nearly three miles across, and where many of the muddy -creeks and crossing-places were up to our horses' girths in thick -black mud. The swamp, composed of a black alluvial soil of the richest -kind, covered a large area to the south of the lake, and stretched far -inland to the base of the low hills beyond. It was mostly covered with -a dense growth of flax and <i>raupo</i>, the less swampy parts giving life -to a luxuriant growth of <i>toetoe</i> grass, which waved its feathery tufts -far above our heads. Further along our track the country rose rapidly -to a height of 200 feet above the delta in the form of a long ridge of -barren hills. From the summit of these elevations the land fell rapidly -along our course 100 feet into a hollow depression. This large area, -which had the appearance of having formed at some time a portion of -the lake basin, was covered with fluvial drift and enormous trachytic<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[Pg 169]</a></span> -boulders, but wherever vegetation could spring up the tussock grass -grew luxuriantly. Through the centre of this broad expanse the Waikato -rolled onward with many twists and turns over its boulder-strewn bed, -its winding course being marked by a luxuriant growth of tall trees and -other vegetation.</p> - -<p>We passed close to the base of Mount Pihanga, which rose majestically -on our right to an altitude of nearly 4000 feet, and formed a -conspicuous landmark for many miles around. This splendid mountain, -springing from an almost level base, is the largest volcanic cone of -the Kakaramea ranges, and while its form is wonderfully symmetrical in -its proportions, it is clothed from base to summit with a dense forest -growth, save here and there where its clear-cut sides roll down into -the plains beneath in the form of fern-clad slopes. Immediately at the -summit of Pihanga is an extensive crater, the northern lip of which -comes considerably down the slope of the mountain, appearing like an -extensive land-slip. This mountain is personified by the Maoris as the -wife of Tongariro.</p> - -<p>We had to cross the Waikato twice on its winding course, and next we -forded the Poutu River, a rapid stream with deep broken banks flowing -out of Lake Rotoaira, which lay a considerable distance further to our -right at the southern base of Pihanga, and between that mountain and -Tongariro. We had now entered upon the Rangipo table-land, and were -gradually ascending that portion of it known to the natives as the Te -Henga, a large tract of country covered with good soil and a luxuriant -growth of low fern and native grasses.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[Pg 170]</a></span>As the Rangipo table-land and the plains in its vicinity will enter -largely into my description of this portion of the country, I will -point out its boundaries, with a few of the grand natural features -which render it one of the most remarkable regions in the world.</p> - -<p>The Rangipo plateau, which may be said to form the central division -of the great highland of the interior of the island, is in reality -considerably higher than the extensive elevated region immediately -surrounding Lake Taupo. While the latter has a mean elevation of about -2000 feet above the level of the sea, the height of the Rangipo is -over 3000 feet at its highest point on the Onetapu desert, on the -eastern side of Ruapehu. This extensive plane of elevation takes its -rise a short distance from the southern end of the lake, and extends -in the form of broad open downs for a distance of over forty miles, -when it merges into the Murimotu Plains as it falls to the south. On -its eastern margin are the Kaimanawa Mountains, at the extreme base -of which the Upper Waikato rolls in its winding course to join the -great lake. Beyond, to the north-west, the cone-shaped summits of the -Kakaramea ranges rise up, clothed with a dense vegetation, as they -slope gracefully to the shores of Lake Rotoaira in the west, and beyond -which there are again extensive plains fringed with dense forests, -which slope gradually to the valley of the Whanganui. Right in the very -centre of the table-land towers the magnificent cone of Tongariro, -situated in the midst of a cluster of lower mountains, whilst close -to it and separated only by a narrow valley, stands the colossal form -of Ruapehu, peak rising above peak to the region of eternal snow.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[Pg 171]</a></span> The -greater portion of the soil of this extensive table-land is of volcanic -origin, and is formed principally by the decomposition of the trachytic -rocks forming the extensive volcanic system of mountains which border -it on its western side, and, with the exception of the desert tract -above alluded to, which is about eight miles across, it is covered -for the most part with a luxuriant growth of native grasses; while it -is intersected from one extent to the other by a perfect network of -streams and rivers, which flow generally in an easterly direction and -form tributaries of the Upper Waikato.</p> - -<p>The scenery of this splendid tract of country burst so suddenly upon us -after rounding the broad base of Mount Pihanga that we seemed to have -entered a wild, romantic land blessed with the grandest and most varied -features of nature. To the north was Lake Taupo, with the island and -bold headlands tinged with the golden rays of the setting sun; in front -of us were the tall Kaimanawa Mountains clothed to their summits with -sombre forests, over which the shades of evening played in a fitful -kind of way, now lighting up the broad ravines, now clothing them with -darkness. The wide, rolling sides of the Tongariro Mountains swept -down to the plains in a series of terrace-like slopes, green with a -dense growth of fern and native grasses, which, mingling with the trees -on the higher ridges, gave the hills a park-like look, while, as we -rode onward, the white glittering summit of Ruapehu assumed a pink rosy -tint as the orb of day sank slowly to rest in the west.</p> - -<p>Our course was along the Rangipo in the direction of Tongariro,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[Pg 172]</a></span> some -fifteen miles distant by the way we were going to attack it, and as we -were acting a kind of strategic movement we kept out to the east along -the Waikato River, to avoid, if possible, being seen by the natives of -Rotoaira, who keep watch and ward over the tapued mountain. Everything -looked propitious for the assault which we had intended to make on the -following day. When we took up our quarters for the night, the moon -rose bright and clear, the stars shone brilliantly, and the snow on -the dark mountains gleamed white and beautiful. By this time we were -already 850 feet above Lake Taupo, or a little over 2000 feet above the -level of the sea; the air was singularly clear, and the thermometer, -which had marked 48° in the shade at 6 a.m., at midday had risen to -72°, and had fallen to 64° at 5 p.m., and as the wind was still from -the south, and there appeared every prospect of fine weather on the -morrow, we determined to start at daybreak to make the next stage for -Tongariro; but alas! "the best laid schemes of mice and men gang aft -a-gley."</p> - -<p>The name Rangipo means, in the native language, "black, cloudy sky," a -term which in former years may have had some allusion to the volcanic -fires, with their clouds of smoke and ashes, which must at some period -have made this place appear like a veritable Pandemonium—or it may, -on the other hand, have originated in the terrific storms which still -break with unabated violence on this elevated region, just as they must -have done countless ages ago, when the elements above waged war with -the plutonic fires below. Be that, however, as it may, the "black, -cloudy sky" cast its dismal mantle around us, and our first night was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[Pg 173]</a></span> -ushered in with a tremendous storm of wind from the north-east, and -a perfect deluge of rain. The creeks and rivers rose around us, the -Waikato rolled through its rocky gorge with a sound like the roaring of -a distant sea, and when daybreak came and we looked anxiously in the -direction of Tongariro, both it and Ruapehu were blotted completely -out of view by a dense black cloud, which hung around them like a -funeral pall. Up to the time when we arrived at the Rangipo, we had -enjoyed throughout our journey the most delightful weather, but this -sudden break was the prelude to some of the hardest experiences of -our journey. The rain poured down incessantly without a single hour's -intermission, and without a single break in the clouds, the wind -blowing a hurricane most of the time, and veering round to all points -of the compass, but invariably coming back to the north-east or north.</p> - -<p>During the six days and nights which this storm lasted without a single -intermission, we lived on from day to day in hope, which was sustained -by scanty feeds of porridge and hard biscuit. We, however, managed to -keep body and soul together, but our poor horses suffered severely, -and it was the privations which they underwent on this occasion that -told greatly upon them during the whole of the journey. The constant -cold and wet to which they were exposed reduced their general tone to -the lowest, and while the grass at that season possessed little or -no nourishment, they had to seek their food always at the end of the -tether rope. To aid them a little, we would go into the bush which -skirts the Waikato, and cut the branches of the <i>karamu</i>,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[Pg 174]</a></span><a name="FNanchor_45_45" id="FNanchor_45_45"></a><a href="#Footnote_45_45" class="fnanchor">[45]</a> which -bears a dark green leaf and clusters of bright red berries. Of this -the half-starved animals would eat voraciously, but unfortunately the -supply was limited in this locality, although we afterwards met with -this tree frequently throughout our journey.</p> - -<p>During our unwilling sojourn on the banks of the Waikato the long wet -days and nights passed drearily and slowly away. Even on foot we could -not travel far, owing to the swollen creeks, but we used sometimes to -go out with the gun, and range over the splendid forests which border -the Waikato along its entire length and extend over the Kaimanawa -Mountains in the form of a thick and almost impenetrable growth. Here -we found all the varied <i>flora</i> peculiar to this region growing in -the most luxuriant way down to the edge of the boulder-strewn river -and upwards for thousands of feet to the summits of the highest -mountains. Whenever we came to the many bends of the river the scenery -was beautiful beyond description, by reason of its rugged grandeur, -and the wonderful growth of vegetation that spread itself everywhere -around, as if gaining life and strength from the rapid waters as -they careered madly along. The river, in most places about 100 feet -wide, descended from the steep table-land in the direction of Lake -Taupo, with a rapid current, over enormous boulders of trachytic rock. -Gaining force and rapidity at almost every bend, its bright foaming -waters fed by the steep gorges of the Kaimanawa Mountains, the snows -of Ruapehu, and the rapidly-rolling creek of Tongariro, it pursued a -perfectly snake-like course at the base of the tall mountains,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[Pg 175]</a></span> which -rose up almost perpendicularly for thousands of feet on its eastern -side, while precipitous walls of pumice rock and volcanic conglomerate -formed its western boundary along the table-land. The Upper Waikato -forms, in fact, the main channel for the watershed of the whole of the -Rangipo table-land and the western side of the Kaimanawa Mountains -for a distance of over thirty miles, and every creek and river in the -country through which it passes flows into it. At one point we came -to a splendid gorge through which the river dashed in low, silvery -cascades. On the opposite side from where we stood, the mountains rose -steeply upwards to a height of about 6000 feet, forest-clad to their -summits, with a dense and beautifully varied growth, where shrubs, -trees, and parasitical plants mingled themselves together in a perfect -network of vegetation. The banks of the river below us fell almost -perpendicularly to a depth of 300 feet, but so thick was the forest -verdure as we looked down to the bottom of the deep gorge below over -the tops of the gigantic trees which grew beneath, that it was only -now and again that we caught a glimpse of the rushing stream as it -flowed over its boulder-strewn bed. Here tree-top rose over tree-top -until the beautiful vegetation mounting upwards in a dense mass mingled -with the vapoury clouds that hung around.</p> - -<p>When the storm had spent its force, a gleam of sunshine dispelled the -mists, and just for a time the summit of Ruapehu shone white and clear -beneath the rolling clouds. We had carefully marked our intended course -upon the map, <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[Pg 176]</a></span>and had resolved as soon as the weather should break to -make direct for the southern side of Tongariro, and ascend the tapued -mountain as quickly as we could, in order to give the natives, if they -fell across our tracks, as short a time as possible to run us to earth. -With the hope, if not altogether the prospect, of a fine day, we made -another start, but not before we had been compelled, owing to the weak -condition of our horses, to abandon half our provisions, and reduce our -whole commissariat to the lowest proportions.</p> - -<p>Before we had journeyed a mile the bright sun disappeared; the "black, -cloudy sky" of the Rangipo again gathered around us; the winds swept -across the wide plains in terrific gusts; the rain poured down heavier -than before; the white snow-clad summit of Ruapehu disappeared from -view with the quickness of a phantom, and again the vapouring mists -obscured the great mountains towards which we were travelling.</p> - -<p>We had to cross no less than five large creeks, besides smaller -streams, in about four miles. The tracts down to the creeks, which had -a steep fall of 200 to 300 feet below the plains, were broken about -and washed away into big holes and dangerous and slippery places, and -the horses were as chary of facing these treacherous inclines as they -were of going into the flooded waters of the creeks themselves. The -amount of water poured out by these creeks into the Waikato from the -Tongariro Mountains during a flood must be seen to be fully realized. -At all times the natural springs of the mountains keep them well -supplied, but when heavy rains descend, the whole watershed comes down -with tremendous force and volume.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[Pg 177]</a></span> Wherever we crossed these rugged, -boulder-strewn streams, the banks were clothed with a splendid and -varied vegetation, which got denser and denser as their deep gorges -led up the steep mountain sides. I noticed in these creeks that the -boulders were mostly of trachytic formation, with smaller drift -composed of the various volcanic rocks peculiar to the district, while -embedded in their steep pumice sides might often be seen the charred -remains of enormous trees, which must have lived ages ago, when some -volcanic eruption swept over them.</p> - -<p>We pitched our camp at Pangarara, a deserted Maori <i>pa</i>, situated some -distance off the plains, and at the edge of a secluded bush about two -miles from the south-eastern foot of Tongariro. The rain still poured -down as heavily as usual, and although the country was entirely open -between us and the big mountain that was to be the next scene of our -operations, not a vestige of it could we see.</p> - -<p>We had up to this time been detained exactly ten days, through stress -of weather, whilst waiting to ascend the tapued mountain, the dull -monotony of our position being only relieved by the somewhat exciting -expectation that the Maoris might be down upon us at any moment. The -place where we were camped formed part of a wide area of country, -extending from the base of Tongariro in an easterly direction to the -Waikato, and embracing a large and fertile portion of the Rangipo -Plains. For time out of mind this part of the country had been a -native game reserve, principally for the hunting of the <i>weka</i> and -a small white bird (I believe of the gull species)<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[Pg 178]</a></span> which frequents -the mountains of Tongariro at certain seasons of the year. This wide -territory, and a great deal more besides, was under the <i>mana</i> of a -noted chief named Te Hau, whose <i>pa</i>, was at Ruaponga. This native -dignity was renowned throughout this part of the country as a man -of singular intelligence; but, like most Hauhaus, he entertained an -intense hatred for Anglo-Saxon laws and institutions. He appeared to -act the <i>rôle</i>, among the tribes of these parts, of a Napoleon the -Great, in the matter of territorial aggrandizement, and it is darkly -hinted that, during the war, Te Hau and many of the rebel chiefs -were in league, and that one day a terrible massacre occurred over a -disputed title to an extensive area of land over which Te Hau now rules -as lord and master.</p> - -<p>A strict Conservative in all matters relative to Maori laws, customs, -and traditions, to have fallen in with Te Hau on his "native heath," -and under the very shadow of Tongariro, which he guards with the -sacred jealousy of a fanatic, would have been about as pleasant as -meeting with his Satanic Majesty himself just fresh from the fires of -the burning mountain. We therefore had to keep not only a keen but an -anxious look-out, the more so as we had learned at Tokanu that Te Hau -was on his way from the south with a large party of his followers to -attend a native gathering at Rotoaira, which had been convened by some -of the leading chiefs to inquire into a disputed land title; and as -Pangarara was one of his usual camping-places, we were naturally the -more anxious to get away from the locality as soon as possible.</p> - -<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_44_44" id="Footnote_44_44"></a><a href="#FNanchor_44_44"><span class="label">[44]</span></a> This lament will be found in Sir George Grey's invaluable -collection of Maori songs and legends.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_45_45" id="Footnote_45_45"></a><a href="#FNanchor_45_45"><span class="label">[45]</span></a> For this tree, see Appendix.</p></div></div> - - - - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVI" id="CHAPTER_XVI">CHAPTER XVI.</a></h2> - -<p class="center">ASCENT OF TONGARIRO.</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p class="hang"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[Pg 179]</a></span>Physical and geological features—Legend of Tongariro—A break in -the clouds—The start for the ascent—Maories in the distance—The -Waihohonu valley—The ascent—The brink of Hades—The great -crater—The inner crater—The lower cones—Crater lakes—The -descent—A valley of death—Tongariro by moonlight—A cold -night—The start for Ruapehu.</p></blockquote> - - -<p class="drop"><span class="uppercase">The</span> cluster of trachytic cones constituting the Tongariro group forms -collectively an almost complete circle rising from a level plateau, -which near the base of the mountains has a general elevation of about -3000 feet above the level of the sea. The enormous cone with its active -crater, which forms the central point of the group, springs from an -almost level base, and is flanked on its western and north-eastern -sides by minor conical mountains, which are connected with each other -by high ridges. To the north-west a series of undulating hills roll -down to the plains, while to the south a steep, flat-topped spur juts -out into the plateau which bounds the mountain in that direction. With -the higher mountains are connected lower undulating hills, formed -principally of scoria, and covered, especially towards the plains, -with a luxuriant growth of native grasses, low fern, and dwarf shrubs. -Right in the very centre of this great circle of cones and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[Pg 180]</a></span> extinct -craters, the graceful, tapering form of the burning mountain rises from -the bottom of an extensive basin-like depression, which, encircled -as it is by the rugged sides of the surrounding ranges, has somewhat -the appearance of an ancient crater. This beautiful mountain, as it -rears its tall head high above the less elevated cones, especially -when viewed from its southern side, at once strikes the beholder by -its wonderfully symmetrical proportions. With a slope of about thirty -to thirty-five degrees, it assumes as near as possible the exact form -of a sugarloaf, without a twist or a bend to mar the grand effect of -its outline. To describe it, one must imagine this huge mass built up -of trachytic rock, ridges of lava, scoria, volcanic conglomerates, -enormous boulders, and other igneous accumulations to a height of -thousands of feet, tapering off gracefully at the summit as if moulded -by the hand of man. It is not a crater of elevation in the ordinary -acceptation of the term, like its colossal neighbour Ruapehu, but a -complete trachytic scoria cone, which may have originated from some -sudden outbreak of plutonic forces, or from a small aperture in the -earth's crust throwing up particles of volcanic rock similar to those -of which the mountain is composed, until, through countless ages, its -action becoming by degrees more extended, it gradually built itself up -to its present proportions from the matter it ejected from its fiery -mouth, and thus, phœnix-like, rose into being from its own ashes. -When examining the great mountain, it may be plainly seen that the -ridges of trachytic lava, which form, as it were, the skeleton upon -which the whole structure is raised,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[Pg 181]</a></span> have generally a vertical strike -from the summit to the base of the cone, converging, however, gradually -towards the top, and while the edges of some are inclined so as to form -an almost horizontal stratum, as shown in many of the gorges, the edges -of the others stand out perpendicularly, like enormous buttresses. -Although the whole mountain is covered with scoria and other volcanic -<i>débris</i>, the largest deposits of the former appear to be between the -lava ridges, and this is especially the case on the eastern side of -the mountain, where these extensive accumulations cover a considerable -area of country. Besides the active crater at the summit of the great -cone, there is another to the north-eastern side of the group, known -as Ketetahi, near to which there is likewise an extensive system of -boiling springs. But as I visited these two latter points during -another stage of my journey, I will refer more fully to them in their -proper order.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus-fp180.jpg" alt="TONGARIRO " /> -<a id="illus-fp180"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption"> TONGARIRO.</p> - -<p>After our ascent of Tongariro, and during our subsequent intercourse -with the natives, we made it a practice to learn as much as we could of -their many interesting legends. The legend of Tongariro was more than -once repeated to us by the tribes both resident near and at a distance -from the sacred mountain, and it is a remarkable fact, as showing the -correctness of the oral traditions of the Maoris, that each one -agreed in all particulars with the current stories.</p> - -<p>It would appear, then, that when the <i>Arawa</i> canoe touched the newly -discovered shores of Aotearoa there was among the dusky adventurers a -chief who bore the title of Ngatoroirangi, a name which signifies in -the Maori mythology a high priest or deified man. <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[Pg 182]</a></span>After the natives had -formed a settlement at Maketu, Ngatoroirangi was the first to set out, -in company with his slave, Ngauruhoe, to explore the new land. Striking -into the interior, he crossed the plains of Taupo, and then along the -lake, into which he cast his staff, which the natives state became a -great <i>totara</i> tree. He also shook his mat over the waters, and from -the strips which fell from it sprang the <i>inanga</i>, a small fish which -now abounds in the lake. It was dark and stormy when Ngatoroirangi -came to the lake, but suddenly the clouds broke, and he beheld for the -first time the giant form of Tongariro. With the keen instincts of a -heaven-born explorer, the chief resolved to ascend the great mountain, -in order to get a better view of the surrounding country; but the -snow was deep, and the ice-bound summit of Tongariro was too much for -the adventurous travellers, fresh from the sunny islands of the South -Seas. Prompted by the unpleasant prospect of being frozen to death, -Ngatoroirangi shouted lustily to his sisters who had tarried at Whakari -(White Island), some hundred and sixty miles distant, to send him some -fire. The summons was obeyed in quick time, and the sacred fire was -entrusted to the hands of two <i>taniwhas</i>,<a name="FNanchor_46_46" id="FNanchor_46_46"></a><a href="#Footnote_46_46" class="fnanchor">[46]</a> named respectively Te -Pupu and Te Haeata, who conveyed it by a subterranean channel which is -yet supposed by the natives to connect Tongariro with the still active -volcanic island in the Bay of Plenty. It is related that the fire -arrived in time to save the life of the adventurous Ngatoroirangi,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[Pg 183]</a></span> but -when he turned to comfort his slave, he found to his horror that his -trusty follower had given up the ghost. At this juncture Ngatoroirangi -took the sacred fire, and casting it into the extinct crater of -Tongariro, the subterranean fires burst forth. On this account -Ngatoroirangi named the crater Ngauruhoe, in honour of his slave—a -term by which it is generally known to the natives even unto this -day. The great mountain itself, however, with its surrounding cones, -is more usually called Tongariro—a term which means in the native -language "towards the south"—and it is a remarkable fact, as showing -the significant nomenclature of the Maoris, that the compass-bearing of -the volcano is as nearly as possible due north and south.<a name="FNanchor_47_47" id="FNanchor_47_47"></a><a href="#Footnote_47_47" class="fnanchor">[47]</a> There can -be no doubt that Tongariro is one of the largest, grandest, and most -perfect volcanic cones of its kind in the world, and little wonder, -therefore, that the Maoris, when gazing upon its mysterious fires, -should have linked its name with their songs and legends, and have -rendered it a sacred object in their mythology, just as the Japanese -have done their no less beautiful Fusiyama.</p> - -<p>The morning of the 18th of April broke dull and cloudy. We were now -over 3000 feet above the level of the sea at our camp at Pangarara, -waiting, nay, almost praying that the dreary, dismal clouds would break -and give us a gleam of sunshine. We had up to this time been detained -exactly ten days through stress of weather whilst waiting to ascend the -tapued mountain, <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[Pg 184]</a></span>the dull monotony of our position being only relieved -by the somewhat exciting expectation that the Maoris might be down upon -us at any moment.</p> - -<p>The thermometer, which for the three previous days had given a mean -average of 57° Fahr. in the shade, suddenly fell to 43°. The omen -was a good one, and we waited patiently.<a name="FNanchor_48_48" id="FNanchor_48_48"></a><a href="#Footnote_48_48" class="fnanchor">[48]</a> At about ten o'clock -an invigorating breeze blew direct from the south, the sun shone -brilliantly, the sky was dotted here and there with bright patches -of a vivid blue, and as we looked in the direction of Tongariro, the -whole scene changed before our eyes like a magnificent panorama. The -dark, funereal, pall-like cloud which had up to this time entirely -obscured the mountain, rolled gradually away as if by enchantment, -and the magnificent tapering cone, glittering with ice and snow, and -crowned with its waving cloud of steam, stood out against the azure -sky in grand and beautiful relief. Tongariro to be seen to advantage -should be viewed from its southern side. When beheld from the north -it is to a certain degree dwarfed by the mountains surrounding it in -that direction, while the crater on the north and west is likewise -more depressed, and coming consequently lower down the mountain, thus -detracts from its apparent height. On the other hand the country to the -southward is more open, and the symmetrical cone rises boldly defined -above the lower scoria ridges, which rise in gradual undulations around -the great volcano in that direction. I had seen many grand mountains in -different parts of the world,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[Pg 185]</a></span> but never had I gazed upon anything so -sublimely beautiful as Tongariro appeared on this occasion; ice, snow, -and steam all combining, beneath the bright sunlight, to add a magical -effect to this wonderful monument of nature's handiwork.</p> - -<p>Although we did not imagine that the weather would clear so rapidly we -determined to seize this, the first opportunity, and to start at once -for the ascent.</p> - -<p>We were about two miles away from the base, and we had previously -determined to hide our packhorse away in the bush, and to ride to the -foot of Tongariro with our blankets and tent, make the ascent, and camp -at the foot of the mountain at night.</p> - -<p>It took just half an hour to saddle up, and get everything prepared, -and then, skirting the forest near to which we had been camped, we -ascended a hill some 400 feet high, to gain the Waihohonu Valley beyond.</p> - -<p>The sun now shone warm and brightly, our course seemed clear, and all -was going as merrily as the proverbial marriage-bell, when Turner -hastily directed my attention to four mounted Maoris coming across -the plains to our rear; but just at the moment we caught sight of -them they disappeared behind a low hill. They were some distance off, -but they were quite near enough to easily discern us, especially as -Turner, with the white tent on his dark pony, formed a conspicuous -object. Fortunately we saw no more of the natives, although we watched -carefully for some time, but they nevertheless haunted us for days -afterwards—during our ascent both of Tongariro and Ruapehu—<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[Pg 186]</a></span>as we -felt fully convinced that they must have seen us, and we were likewise -equally sure that they could, if they so wished, follow up our tracks, -when, by the marks of the shod horses, they would have at once -discovered that we were Europeans. If we had been going in any other -direction the circumstances would have been as nothing, but riding -as we were straight for Tongariro, we knew that that fact alone was -sufficient to excite their suspicion. When we had ridden across the top -of the hill we were at once out of sight, and we rode as fast as our -weak horses would allow over the scoria ridges which surrounded the -base of the cone. We passed on our right an enormous bluff of volcanic -rocks, and then descended a steep, precipitous incline strewn with -enormous boulders which at some remote age had evidently been hurled -from the fiery crater. It was impossible for our horses to walk down -this treacherous place with their heavy burdens on their backs, even -whilst we led them, so taking them off and putting them on our own -shoulders we made the animals follow us, when they picked their way -over and around the big stones like cats.</p> - -<p>At the foot of the incline we gained the Waihohonu Valley, a wild, -desolate-looking ravine with a winding stream running down its -centre. To the left, on the opposite side of this watercourse, was -a dense forest growth, while on the ground around the tussock grass -and dwarfed alpine plants peculiar to this region struggled for life -amidst the huge stones and small low scoria hillocks which were -dispersed about in a confused but picturesque way. At the end of the -cluster of forest towards<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[Pg 187]</a></span> the mountain a steep wall of lava-like rock -rose abruptly up, and ended in high scoria ridges which closed in the -valley to the south-west. Looking in a north-easterly direction, the -rugged promontories and jagged edges of the broken extinct craters of -the lower mountains rose high in the air, piled about in a confused -mass, and coloured dark red and black by the effects of the volcanic -fires which appeared to have rent and torn them asunder until they -had assumed the appearance of embattled walls and crumbling ruins. -The whole conformation of this valley, which was nearly two miles in -length, assumed a somewhat semicircular appearance, as if, at some -period or another, it had formed part of an enormous crater, out -of which the gigantic cone that towered thousands of feet above us -had ultimately reared its lofty summit. Although the sun shone with -a dazzling splendour over us, and a light-green vegetation clothed -many of the hills around, and even crept up the steep scoria sides of -the great mountain itself, the Waihohonu Valley had a wild, dreary, -and parched-up look, as if some fiery breath had but recently swept -over it, and it was only just getting cool from the effects of the -volcanic fires, which had left stupendous monuments of their work in -the enormous lava ridges, which seemed to have cooled suddenly in their -molten course down the steep precipices; while the gigantic boulders -of black, shining, volcanic rock, which lay scattered about in every -direction, looked like tremendous thunderbolts just newly hurled to -earth by the hand of Titan. Not a few of these enormous stones appeared -to have been rounded by the action of fire, and in some cases to have -been partially melted before being sent high into the air from the -fiery mouth of the crater,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[Pg 188]</a></span> to fall with terrific force into their -present positions.</p> - -<p>Securing our horses in the scrub, we scrambled for about a mile over -huge boulders, and up rough, narrow watercourses, when, ascending a -steep spur of the mountain, we reached the base of the great cone near -to its south-eastern side, at a point which marked 4000 feet above -the level of the sea. Gazing upwards, the steep, clean-cut sides of -the tall mountain looked almost precipitous, and it was clear, at a -glance, that the task to reach the summit and make the descent by -nightfall would be no easy matter. Just at this part of the cone some -volcanic disturbance, which had occurred probably ages ago, had poured -down a stream of liquid lava, which, cooling, as it were, by some -sudden blast, had congealed into a rugged and almost perpendicular -ridge of dark, lustrous, adamantine-like rock in its overflow from -the summit of the mountain. It was up this precipitous ridge that we -had determined to fight our way. When we first began the ascent, the -steep climbing told severely on our backs and legs, while the enormous -protruding masses of porous lava which fringed the outside portion of -the ridge, and over which we had to climb as much by our hands as by -our feet, were as sharp as if they had cooled and crystallized but -yesterday. Besides the cautious and often dangerous way we had to pick -our footing, it was necessary to be careful, in order to avoid the many -holes in the lava formation, which were just large enough to receive -a man's body, and which, when we threw stones into them, appeared to -be of enormous depth.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[Pg 189]</a></span> As we climbed higher and higher, the shelving, -colossal sides of the mountain seemed to become steeper and steeper, -while the summit appeared to get further away at every step we took.</p> - -<p>Fortunately the weather kept beautifully clear, and as we mounted -gradually upwards, each hundred feet or so disclosed some new and -enchanting view of the surrounding country, which lay mapped out -beneath us radiant in all the beauties of the creation. At an altitude -of 5000 feet we obtained a magnificent view of Mount Egmont, its -peaked, snow-clad summit rising like a glittering island above the -vapoury cloud that hung around the lower portion of the mountain, which -was a little over eighty miles away from our point of observation, -the intervening country being formed of a wide expanse of broken, -forest-clad ranges of minor elevation, and which appeared, judging -from their numerous valleys, to have a general north-westerly and -south-easterly bearing. At an altitude of 5900 feet the climbing was -very steep, and at 6400 feet we could see open plains in the distance, -towards the west, with patches of forest, which gave them a park-like -appearance. At 6600 feet, two small blue lakes were distinctly visible -immediately below us, situated on the summit of a flat-topped spur, -which stretched out from the base of the great cone in the direction -of the open plains beyond, while about six miles distant, in the -same direction, rose the colossal form of Ruapehu, brilliant in its -fleecy mantle of snow, above which its glacier-bound peaks, rising one -above the other, shot up in the form of glittering cones high into -the calm, clear air. <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[Pg 190]</a></span>This was the most extended view we had, up to -this time, obtained of the mountain king of the North Island, and we -gazed upon its stupendous form with increased interest, as it was to -be our field of operations for the morrow. Indeed, it was from this -elevated point that we carefully observed all the principal physical -features of the giant mountain, and laid down our plan of the ascent, -which we successfully carried out two days afterwards. At this point, -too, we found the last sign of vegetation in the small alpine plant, -<i>Gnaphalium bellidioides</i>.<a name="FNanchor_49_49" id="FNanchor_49_49"></a><a href="#Footnote_49_49" class="fnanchor">[49]</a> At 6950 feet we found enormous icicles -adhering to the rocks, the lava ridge up which we had with great -difficulty kept our course, became very steep and rugged, while the -climbing was exceedingly difficult and tiring. The mass of dark, black -lava stood out in some places like a huge wall, and while on one side -the thermometer marked 48° Fahr., on the other, where there were big -clusters of icicles over a foot long, it indicated 30°. In this way -we could enjoy a great variation in temperature at any moment. During -the whole ascent we never allowed ourselves more than five minutes' -rest at a time, as we knew that a shift of wind, which might occur -at any moment, would sweep the clouds over the mountain again, when -its steaming vapours would soon envelop it in an impenetrable mist. -Tongariro at all times indicates sudden changes in the weather with -the accuracy of a well-balanced barometer. When its vapour-cloud coils -upward in the form of a feathery palm, the gods are propitious, and -sunshine will be the order of the day; when it shoots out in a long -streak horizontally from the crater,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[Pg 191]</a></span> a change is impending; and when -the vapoury cloud gathers round the summit and coils rapidly down the -sides of the cone, as it does often with singular rapidity, it is -time to look out for squalls. For a long distance up the mountain its -rugged sides glittered with icicles, which clustered about the enormous -masses of trachytic lava which cropped up everywhere around, while the -ground was covered in every direction with a thick coating of frost -and frozen snow. At a height of 7000 feet the whole aspect of the cone -had a very bare and desolate look, and, besides the enormous boulders -we encountered, we passed over a steep slope covered with volcanic -conglomerate, which was very treacherous and slippery with sheets of -ice. Here we had to go on all fours, and even in this way it was very -difficult to keep our equilibrium sufficiently to prevent ourselves -from rolling down the precipitous slopes below. We could now smell the -sulphurous fumes of the crater as the clouds of steam rolled over us -while we clambered over the enormous ice-bound rocks in the direction -of the yawning chasm.</p> - -<p>We crawled up a frozen, steep incline on to the hot, quaking edge of -the great crater, where a grand and curious sight burst upon the view. -We gained the rugged summit of the cone at its highest side, but just -as we did so the great cloud of steam rolling up from the enormous -basin beneath us swept over us in a dense white cloud, and what with -the loud bubbling of the boiling springs, the hissing, screeching sound -of the great columns of steam as they burst with terrific force from -the rocky vents, the unearthly gurglings of the jets of boiling mud as -they shot into the air,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[Pg 192]</a></span> and the strong sulphurous fumes that pervaded -the atmosphere in every direction, we seemed for once in our lives to -be standing on the brink of Hades. Mounting a little to the right along -the hot soil that smoked beneath our feet, we gained the very topmost -point of the mountain, formed by a broken, rugged peak that fell on the -inner side with a precipitous descent into the boiling crater below. We -were now on the windward side of the steam-cloud, and at an altitude of -7376 feet above the level of the sea.</p> - -<p>From this elevated position we had a clear and well-defined view of -the whole summit of the mountain, which appeared to be permeated in -every direction by a vast thermal action. The steep, broken sides -of the enormous crater wound before us in the form of an almost -complete circle of nearly a mile in circumference; and it could be -plainly seen that, towards its north-western and western sides, it -was considerably lower than on the side upon which we stood. Within -the great circle, at its northern side, there was a smaller or inner -crater of an almost complete rounded form, the sides of which inclined -gradually towards its centre in the form of a complete funnel. This -minor crater was separated from the larger one only by a narrow ridge -or lip. Looking down into the main crater, which appeared to be about -400 feet in depth, its sides, rugged and broken, as it were, by the -force of volcanic fires, were built up principally of enormous masses -of trachytic rock, lava ridges, and beds of conglomerate, formed mostly -of rounded stones and boulders fused together into a compact mass -by what must, at some period or another, have been a very powerful -igneous action. <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[Pg 193]</a></span>In fact, it could be plainly seen that the whole -volcano when at the height of its eruptive force must have been the -seat of a powerful volcanic activity, until gradually its exhausted -fires subsided into their present state. In some places the sides of -the crater were perpendicular and fell with a sheer descent, while -in others they were more disturbed and broken. At the bottom of the -crater there were scattered about huge rocky ridges, from the large -crevices and fissures of which enormous jets of steam burst forth with -a roaring, screeching noise, which echoed from the depths below like -the wailings of the condemned. Hot springs sent up streams of boiling -water, which ran over the rocks and then lost themselves in the hot, -quaking soil, which sent them high into the air again in the form of -coiling jets of vapour. Miniature cones of dark, smoking mud rose up -in every direction, while around all was a seething, fused mass of -almost molten matter, which appeared to require just one or two degrees -more of heat to transform it into a lake of liquid lava. In every -direction were large deposits of pure yellow sulphur, some of which -assumed a rock-like formation; at other places it formed a crust over -the steaming earth, and where the thermal action was less intense, the -glittering yellow crystals covered the ground like a thick frost. No -fire was visible in the crater, nor was there any indication of a very -recent volcanic eruption. The whole crater of the mountain was in the -state of a very extensive <i>solfatara</i>, which was evidently more active -at some periods than at others. The inner or second crater, which -likewise sent forth a vast volume of steam from its boiling<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[Pg 194]</a></span> depths, -was in much the same condition of activity as the larger one, only -that the deposits of sulphur literally lined its sloping sides with a -bright-yellow coating, which came up to the very summit of its rim and -looked like a circle of gold beneath the bright rays of the sun, which -lit up the feathery steam-clouds in the most brilliant prismatic hues.</p> - -<p>We obtained a complete view of all parts of the great mountain, as -likewise of the smaller volcanic cones and ridges which lay below. -Looking in the direction of the north-east, and down upon the rugged -clusters of minor elevations, we could see several extinct craters of -considerable size; some perfect in their formation, while others had -been rent and distorted by the action of volcanic fires, which had left -their marks upon them in the form of enormous lava ridges and extensive -deposits of scoria.</p> - -<p>In the midst of these extinct craters we could see two small blue -lakes; one of a complete circular form, the other, which was only a -short distance away from the first, being nearly oblong in shape. The -lakes, like those on the southern side of the mountain, were evidently -nothing more than extinct craters filled by subterranean springs. -Beyond these lakes we could see the steam rising from the Ketetahi -crater, while further along to the north was a white cloud marking the -position of the boiling springs.<a name="FNanchor_50_50" id="FNanchor_50_50"></a><a href="#Footnote_50_50" class="fnanchor">[50]</a></p> - -<p>We left the summit of the cone towards sundown,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[Pg 195]</a></span> but in place of -descending by the route we had ascended, we came down a very steep part -of the mountain on its eastern side. This precipitous slope, covered -thickly with loose scoria, and strewn in parts with enormous boulders -and rounded stones, was walled in on either side by two stupendous -lava ridges, which ran down the mountain-side and gradually opened out -towards the base in the form of a triangle. The slope of the cone was -here very steep, and the scoria being fine and very loose, gave way -under our feet, and caused us to slide rapidly forward for many feet -at every step. Taking hold of each other's arms to better maintain -our equilibrium, we took gigantic strides, each one, as the scoria -slid down with us, carrying us forward from ten to fifteen feet at a -time. In this way many large and small stones were set loose, until we -had a whole regiment of them bounding on in front of us, and as their -momentum increased at a terrific rate with every foot they rolled down -the steep incline, they soon attained the velocity of cannonballs,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[Pg 196]</a></span> and -went crashing with tremendous force into the rock-bound valley below. -So rapid, in fact, was our progress in this way, that, although our -ascent from the bottom to the top of the cone had occupied us nearly -six hours in hard climbing, we made the descent in a little over an -hour and a half.</p> - -<p>It was dark when we reached the base of the mountain, but we managed by -slow degrees to find our way over the stupendous masses of rock which -lay scattered over the deep ravine forming the head of the Waihohonu -Valley. Here an enormous fissure ran down along the course of the -dreary-looking gorge, and as it wound along in a snake-like course, it -appeared as if it had been formed by a river of lava, which had been -suddenly cooled, and then as suddenly cleft in twain. We picked our way -for about a couple of miles along its rugged, boulder-strewn banks, and -as the shades of night closed round us the whole surroundings looked -so dismal that we appeared to be passing through a veritable valley of -death. When we arrived at our camping-place our first anxiety was to -see that the natives had not swept down and taken our horses. Luck was, -however, on our side, and we found the animals where we had left them, -but very poorly off for feed. It was evident from the keen feeling of -cold in the air that we were going to have a severe night, as the -temperature was falling rapidly, and as the moon rose bright and clear -a heavy frost set in. We lit a fire, and m<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[Pg 197]</a></span>ade a scanty meal of tea and -biscuit; and as we were anxious to get clear of the tapued mountain -with the first streak of dawn, we resolved not to erect our tent, in -order that we might not be delayed in our rapid retreat. We therefore -spread our blankets upon the ground, and made a tolerably comfortable -bed on the scoria.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus-fp197.jpg" alt="TONGARIRO " /> -<a id="illus-fp197"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption">TONGARIRO BY MOONLIGHT.</p> - -<p>When we lay down to rest in the dreary valley with its lava-walled -sides, the full moon shone brilliantly, the great cone of Tongariro, -with its feathery cloud of steam, looked grandly beautiful beneath -the clear silvery light, the stars hung like lamps from the cloudless -heavens, and the magnificent constellation of the Southern Cross shone -directly over our heads. Never in any part of the world had I seen -the heavens appear so clear and radiant as when gazing upon them from -the depths of this dark valley. Around us, however, on every side the -whole place had a singularly wild, weird look, and a strange sense of -loneliness seemed to hover around us. We were in a tapued region, which -the superstitious minds of the natives had made the abode of <i>taniwhas</i> -and other evil demons. The bones of the ill-fated Te Heuheu lay -somewhere upon the great mountain, and Turner suggested that the ghost -of the great Maori chief might slink down upon us in the night just to -test the thickness of our skulls with his greenstone <i>mere</i>. It was, -however, the living which concerned us most, as we still had a kind of -secret conviction that the natives we had seen in the morning had laid -some plan to entrap us.</p> - -<p>Sleep, however, came at last, but the cold soon awoke us, and by -midnight the whole valley was covered with a thick coating of white -frost, which glistened like snow beneath the pale moonlight. I had -placed my thermometer close handy, so that I might observe it during -the night, <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[Pg 198]</a></span>and I now found that it stood at 27°; at four o'clock it -marked 22°; and at six o'clock, just before sunrise, it indicated -exactly twelve degrees of frost. The plants around us were completely -matted together with white incrustations; the icicles rose from the -ground over an inch in length, and in a way that I had never seen -before; the breath froze upon the moustache and beard; the manes of our -horses stood erect, the bristles about their nostrils were transformed -into needle-like icicles, and their backs were covered with a crisp, -white coating of frost.</p> - - -<p>It did not take us long to saddle up, although we experienced some -little difficulty with the buckles, owing to our fingers being numbed -with the cold; but once on our horses, we rode rapidly away from -Tongariro, and just as the first ray of sunlight swept over the hills -we gained the plains beyond, to begin the ascent of Ruapehu.</p> - -<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_46_46" id="Footnote_46_46"></a><a href="#FNanchor_46_46"><span class="label">[46]</span></a> <i>Taniwha</i>, native name for a fabulous reptile supposed to -inhabit deep water.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_47_47" id="Footnote_47_47"></a><a href="#FNanchor_47_47"><span class="label">[47]</span></a> - - -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The exact position of Tongariro is—</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 12em;">Lat. 39° 9' 45" S.</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 12em;">Long. 175° 38' 20" E.</span><br /> -</p> -</div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_48_48" id="Footnote_48_48"></a><a href="#FNanchor_48_48"><span class="label">[48]</span></a> Throughout the journey we found that the cold winds from -the south invariably brought fine weather.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_49_49" id="Footnote_49_49"></a><a href="#FNanchor_49_49"><span class="label">[49]</span></a> For <i>flora</i> of Tongariro, <i>vide</i> Appendix.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_50_50" id="Footnote_50_50"></a><a href="#FNanchor_50_50"><span class="label">[50]</span></a> It is supposed by many that Tongariro and Whakari (White -Island) are the only two remaining centres of active volcanic action -in what may be termed the Australasian division of the Pacific. This -in reality is not the case. The great volcanic belt which appears to -extend through the Malay Archipelago may be said to stretch as far -south as the New Hebrides. Thus on the island of Tanna there is an -active volcano which attains to an altitude of 1500 feet above the -sea. It is in a constant state of eruption, emitting vast volumes -of smoke, with ashes and lava, from a crater 500 feet in depth. On -the island of Ambrym, of the same group, there is likewise an active -volcano, nearly equal in size to that of Tanna, while on the island of -Vanikoro still further to the north, in the Santa Cruz group, there -is a cone-shaped mountain in a constant state of activity. During a -journey of exploration in the New Hebrides and other islands of the -Coral Sea, the volcano of Tanna was ascended by the author, who read -papers descriptive of the islands before the British Association, at -its meeting held at the University of Glasgow in 1876.</p></div></div> - - - - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVII" id="CHAPTER_XVII">CHAPTER XVII.</a></h2> - -<p class="center">ASCENT OF RUAPEHU.<br /> - -(<i>First Day.</i>)</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p class="hang"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[Pg 199]</a></span>Approaching the mountain—A field for research—Physical and -geological features—Plan of attack—Curious icicles—A lava -barrier—Natives in the distance—Horse camp—Scoria hills and lava -ridges—The start for the snow-line—Up the great spur—Head of the -spur—Our camp—A wind-storm—Ruapehu by night—A picture of the -past—Waiting for sunrise—Sunrise.</p></blockquote> - - -<p class="drop"><span class="uppercase">When</span> we were clear of the rugged gorges of Tongariro, we rode leisurely -across the beautiful open plain which separates the tapued mountain -from its colossal neighbour, Ruapehu. The calm, blue heavens were -unflecked by a single cloud, the sun rose bright and clear, and we -heartily welcomed its genial warmth, after the terrific cold we had -experienced during the previous night. Nothing could exceed the grand -and unique scenery as we rode on our way. On our right rose Tongariro, -its great steam-cloud radiant with tints of gold beneath the morning -light, the dark reddish hue of its scoria-strewn sides mingling with -the bright green of the vegetation, and producing the most charming -effects of light and shade. The plain over which we rode sparkled with -glittering icicles; the Mangatoetoe, a broad, rapid, boulder-strewn -stream, wound rapidly down its centre, <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[Pg 200]</a></span>like a silver snake, on its -course to join the Waikato; while right in front the long scoria slopes -of Ruapehu, rising gradually from the plains around, swept upward, -and upward, and upward, until they joined the ice-bound pinnacles -above, and mingled with the broad expanse of frozen snow which clothed -the summit of the stupendous mountain, and stretched far down its -rock-bound sides. The level plain separating Tongariro from Ruapehu was -not more than five miles across between the wide-spreading bases of -the two mountains, and, as we gradually approached towards the latter, -its gigantic proportions became every moment more distinctly visible. -The low scoria slopes which stretched far and wide around its enormous -base, and swept for miles out into the adjacent plains, merged, as we -approached nearer, into high, undulating hills, which changed, as they -rose higher and higher, into rocky spurs. The winding valleys were -transformed, as they mounted up the mountain, into enormous, lava-bound -ravines. Above these, again, steep precipitous slopes rose one above -the other. Jagged rocks, which marked the site of ancient craters, -stood out against the sky, until colossal peaks, shooting high above -all, stretched themselves across the towering summit of the mountain. -The whole aspect of Ruapehu, as it rose in all its grandeur above the -surrounding table-land, beautiful in ice, snow, and sunshine, was so -stupendous and romantically beautiful that we felt as if we had been -suddenly transported among the Alps of Switzerland.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus-fp200.jpg" alt="MOUNT RUAPEHU " /> -<a id="illus-fp200"></a> -</p> - - -<p class="caption"> MOUNT RUAPEHU.</p> - -<p>In describing the physical and geological features of Ruapehu, I will -only treat these subjects briefly at this stage,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[Pg 201]</a></span> and only with a view -of affording a general idea of the great mountain, the description of -which will be more fully dealt with when describing the ascent of its -northern peak and the exploration of the sources of the Wangaehu and -Waikato Rivers on its eastern side. As during these two ascents we -accomplished considerably over 10,000 feet of actual climbing over its -surface, we had a good opportunity of examining this colossal monument -of plutonic fires, and judging from the magnitude of the results of -igneous action we then beheld, both in wonder and admiration, there -can be no doubt that there is no better or more interesting field for -geological research than that afforded by this marvellous centre of -extinct volcanic forces.</p> - -<p>Ruapehu is situated immediately in the centre of the great table-land -which forms the most elevated portion of the North Island, and in the -very heart, as it were, of the extensive system of extinct volcanic -cones, which constitutes one of the most remarkable and interesting -features of this division of the country. The mountain, which takes -rank among the largest extinct volcanoes in the world, assumes the -form of an enormous truncated cone, with a far-reaching base of oblong -form, and which gradually narrows towards the summit, at which point -the mountain is nearly a mile in length from its northern to its -southern peak. Its base, if calculated from where it springs from the -level plains, may be estimated at about sixty miles in circumference. -At each end of the mountain are two colossal cone-shaped peaks, and -between them the minor peaks rise up in fantastic shapes, which change -in outline and assume varying proportions with almost magical effect, -as the mountain is beheld from different points of view. In fact, it -is the succession of magnificent scenery thus produced<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[Pg 202]</a></span> which forms -one of the grandest features of this marvellous monument of volcanic -forces. For the greater part, the country surrounding Ruapehu is -entirely open, and consequently the grand mountain is seen to wonderful -advantage as it towers majestically to the skies. Immediately to the -north are the Tongariro and Waimarino Plains, to the east is the -Rangipo Table-land, in the centre of which, and stretching down the -sides of the huge mountain, is the Onetapu Desert—a vast expanse of -scoria, covering some fifty square miles—while to the south are the -Murimotu Plains. On its lower northern and eastern slopes the mountain -gives life to a vegetation in all respects similar to that found on -Tongariro, but on its southern and western sides a primeval forest, in -which the trees are of colossal growth, creeps almost up to the edge of -the snow-line. To really realize the magnitude of this mountain king -of the North Island, one must stand on its summit and look down upon -its scoria-strewn base, covering millions of acres, explore its deep, -rugged gorges, and examine the stupendous deposits of trachytic lava -which lie in a strata of enormous thickness upon its sides, or roll -down like crystallized rivers of rock from the extinct craters of the -mountain, now spreading over the plains, now rising above the surface -of the ground in the form of enormous, crenated ridges, which look like -the walls of embattled strongholds. There can be no doubt whatever that -at some remote period Ruapehu must have formed the principal centre -of volcanic action in the North Island. <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[Pg 203]</a></span>It is of course impossible to -define at what period the enormous mountain began, or even terminated, -its eruptive state; but I am of opinion, as suggested in a previous -chapter, that it rose into being after the extinction and subsequent -subsidence of the great crater-basin now occupied by Lake Taupo. -Ruapehu, unlike Tongariro, is not a true scoria cone in the sense in -which the latter mountain may be classed, but a gigantic crater of -elevation, which during its volcanic outbursts sent forth showers of -ashes and rivers of lava which spread themselves for miles around the -base of the mountain, while the surrounding region over a vast area -was upheaved by the elevatory force of the stupendous fires as they -burst forth from the great volcanic vent now crowned with glaciers and -perpetual snow.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus-p204.jpg" alt="SUMMIT " /> -<a id="illus-p204"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption">SUMMIT OF RUAPEHU.</p> - -<p>Whilst we were resting to give our half-starved horses a feed of -tussock grass, I went out into the plains to sketch the great mountain, -as from the position where we were it presented one of its most -beautiful aspects. From this point it bore exactly ten degrees east -of south, the altitude of the Mangatoetoe stream at the foot of the -mountain where we were being 3450 feet above the level of the sea. We -had selected this position from which to make the ascent as it was the -best place to reach the great northern peak, which forms the highest -point of Ruapehu. This grandly beautiful pinnacle, with its glittering -mantle of snow sweeping down its sides, towered far up to the skies, -its summit being crowned with what appeared to be an oblong mass -of rock, which assumed, from the aspect from which we viewed it, a -singular resemblance to what is known in heraldic science<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[Pg 204]</a></span> as the "cap -of maintenance." This grand crown, placed dexterously by the hand of -nature upon the very topmost summit of the great peak, was a remarkable -and conspicuous object, and as its ice-bound sides glittered beneath -the sun, it appeared as if set with gems. Right from the very top of -this portion of the mountain, its precipitous sides and long, rolling -slopes stretched down to the very foot of the plains, and it did not -take us long to see that it would be impossible to make the ascent and -descent from where we were in a single day. We therefore determined to -ride our horses as far up the low spurs as we could, tether our animals -in a convenient spot, carry our tent and other necessary equipage up to -the snow-line, camp there for the night, and make the final ascent on -the following day.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[Pg 205]</a></span>There was a small clump of forest growing a considerable distance up -the scoria ridges, and as this was the only belt of vegetation of the -kind on our track, we determined to direct our course to it, in the -hope of finding water and a suitable camping-place for our horses. Our -route now lay over low scoria ridges, which were intersected in every -direction by winding, boulder-strewn gullies, which evidently during -the wet season and the melting of the snows formed, with the deep -creeks, the principal channels of the watershed of the mountain, as it -distributed itself from the heights above over the low country. Upon -the sides of these gullies, and clustering about the vast deposits of -scoria, grew a luxuriant vegetation of dwarfed alpine shrubs, while -wherever the sides of the gullies were obscured from the sun the thick -white frost, which had wrapped the country in its icy mantle on the -previous night, rose up from the ground in the form of thick icicles, -from two to three inches in length. These icicles, like those which -covered the Waihohonu Valley, were the most curious I had ever seen. -They rose from the small, disintegrated scoria, which everywhere -covered the ground, almost in the shape of a plant with a straight stem -and a fringed top; and, while some stood alone, others were clustered -together, forming a thick mass of ice. It seemed, indeed, as if the -moisture which had literally saturated the ground during the heavy -rains we had experienced had been drawn up to the surface by the frost -by a kind of capillary attraction, which had produced these miniature -plants of ice.</p> - -<p>When we arrived at the small picturesque bush of <i>towai</i>-trees, we -found that there was but little or no feed in its vicinity,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[Pg 206]</a></span> so we only -halted here for a short time to explore the surrounding country. On -our right were the level plains and sinuous ridges over which we had -ridden, while at some distance to our left an enormous lava ridge, like -a ruined wall, cut off all further view to the south. We cut a couple -of alpenstocks and a flagstaff, and next determined to take our horses -still further up the mountain, to a a point where we could see the last -sign of the dwarf vegetation, some of the plants of which we found our -animals would eat, in default of anything better.</p> - -<p>As we made a fresh start, we saw a party of mounted natives riding -along the track below, and whilst we hid our horses in a gully, we -crawled to the top of a ridge and watched carefully, to see whether -they would pick up our tracks. Fortunately, however, they passed on, -riding hard along the track which passes through the Tongariro Plains -into the heart of the King Country.</p> - -<p>At an elevation of 4450 feet, and at the very edge of the last patch of -dwarfed plants that grew upon the desert-like expanse, we found a small -oasis between two scoria hills, bounded on the left by the rugged lava -ridge which formed the backbone, as it were, of the long, sweeping spur -up which we had come. Here a few stunted shrubs and clumps of tussock -grass struggled for life amidst masses of lava and scoria sand. We knew -that we would have to leave our horses tethered here for something -like thirty-six hours without water, whilst we did the rest of the -mountain, and we calculated that, with the aid of the few straggling -shrubs and bunches of tussock, there would be just sufficient food to -keep the animals from starvation <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[Pg 207]</a></span>during that time, although we had a -kind of secret conviction that the chances were immensely in favour of -the latter result.</p> - -<p>After we had secured our horses in the small oasis, we went out to -explore the country ahead. In every position along the steep incline up -which we had to make our way we saw nothing but enormous scoria hills, -stretching far and wide on every side, and which rose in long, steep -ascents to the snow-line of the mountain. In every direction stupendous -ridges of black trachytic lava cropped up above the surface, broken, -rugged, and sharp, as if they had boiled up during some terrific -volcanic convulsion, and then suddenly congealed into the most curious -and fantastic shapes. Some of the enormous lava ridges, of a black -metallic lustre, flowed down, as it were, from the very summit of the -mountain, and stretched for miles in length over the desert below.</p> - -<p>At an altitude of 5500 feet we came to an enormous deposit of lava -raising up the surface of the spur in the form of a large cluster -of rocks, and on one side of which there was a sheer descent into a -lava-bound ravine of 200 feet. This was a good mile and a half away -from where we had left our horses, but as the ascent was gradual -we determined to pack the animals with the tent and blankets up to -this point, and, after taking them back to the oasis, carry the camp -equipage on our own shoulders up to the snow-line, where we had -resolved to camp for the night, in order to be able to begin the final -ascent to the summit of the great peak at daylight on the morrow. It -was late in the day when we had finally carried out this arrangement, -and, after packing ourselves with the tent,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[Pg 208]</a></span> blankets, and all other -necessaries to the extent of about twenty-five pounds each, we set off -to climb the long, dreary spur, which mounted steeply upward until it -lost itself in the region of eternal snow.</p> - -<p>Heavily laden and unused as we were to the burdens of professional -pack-horses, we found the climbing both trying and monotonous. The -long, dismal expanse which formed the spur up which our course lay -was devoid of all vegetation. Our feet sank deeply into the shifting -scoria, which, fractured into small pieces, covered the sides of -the mountain for miles around in a dark-grey deposit, which looked -intensely dreary as the sun sank to rest and a cold, cutting wind swept -down from the snow-crowned glaciers above us.</p> - -<p>At 5800 feet enormous stones lay strewn about the ground, and we -crossed the lower part of a deep lava ravine which wound high up into -the side of the great peak above, and ended in a precipitous bluff, -where we saw what at first sight appeared to be enormous caves, with a -frozen waterfall sticking out of them. It occurred to us that if they -were really rocky caves, as they seemed to be, we might find shelter in -them for the night from the freezing blast, so we toiled onward with -our heavy burdens to an altitude of 6200 feet, when the caves turned -out to be nothing more than two enormous holes in the rocky side of -the mountain, and to reach which it would have required the skill of -a well-trained monkey, as they had been placed by the fickle hand of -nature high up at the end of a tremendous ravine, which fell with a -sheer descent of hundreds of feet beneath the precipice on which we -stood, and whose steep, rugged sides, built of horizontal layers of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[Pg 209]</a></span> -lava rock, appeared to have been twisted and distorted by some terrific -volcanic convulsion.</p> - -<p>At this elevation the whole canopy of snow which covered the summit -of the mountain came down almost to our feet, while enormous masses -of ice and long, ponderous icicles hung in shining festoons over the -frowning precipices above. We were now nearly at the head of the great -spur along which we had come, and beyond which the tall peaks of the -mountain still shot up to a height of nearly 4000 feet above us. The -spur at this point was bounded by the great ravine before alluded to, -while on the other it fell with a steep descent into a deep, winding -valley, beyond which the scoria hills rolled in endless confusion down -to the wide plain below. At this point the mountain was strewn in -every direction with dark boulders of trachytic rock, many of which -were of stupendous size, and as they were scattered about pell-mell in -the most fantastic way, we seemed to have entered a weird graveyard -sacred to the memory of mountain giants. The scoria ridges around us -were absolutely bare, and their dark outline had a desolate look, as -if some fiery wind had swept over them and blasted every sign of life. -The shades of evening now closed around us, and although the wind blew -in strong blasts from the south, which chilled our blood, we hailed -its icy breath with as much cheerfulness as we had done the genial -warmth of the sun during the day, as we knew that whilst it remained -in that quarter we should have fine weather, and would be able to make -the long-wished-for ascent to the summit on the morrow; <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[Pg 210]</a></span>but if, on -the other hand, it should happen to shift into its old quarter, the -storm-clouds would sweep down upon us, and put us in an unpleasant and -even dangerous predicament.</p> - -<p>We determined to make this dreary locality our camping-place for the -night, and by the aid of the alpenstocks and the flagstaff we had -brought up with us we managed to partially erect our tent under the -lee of a big boulder. But before doing so, in order to prepare a space -in which to lie down, we had to clear away the snow and thick coating -of frost-like icicles that covered the ground, and then, in order to -keep ourselves in position, as the ground was so steep, we formed a -square of large stones just big enough to hold us, and in this we laid -our blankets. The alpenstocks were arranged in the form of a triangle -at the outside end, the flagstaff was placed at the apex, and then -jammed down in a sloping way under the boulder, and over this the tent -was thrown, its sides being secured by a border of heavy stones. In -this way there was just room enough for us to crawl inside. I mention -these particulars because thereby hangs a tale. We had carried up just -sufficient wood to make a small fire to boil the tea, and which we -accomplished, after great difficulty, behind the lee of a boulder. In -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[Pg 211]</a></span>fact, nothing could be done unless under the shelter of one of these -enormous stones; to go to the windward side was simply to have the -chilling blasts pass through one like a knife, and to be half blinded -with scoria sand.</p> - -<p>If I were to live for a thousand years, no waning of the intellectual -powers could cause me to entirely forget the night we passed on -Ruapehu. It is true we felt more secure than when camped in the wild -regions of Tongariro, for we knew that the natives would not molest -us at that altitude, as they have a tradition that when a man goes -up Ruapehu he never comes down again; but, so far as comfort was -concerned, the weird lava-bound Waihohonu Valley, with its legends -of <i>taniwhas</i> and evil demons, was a perfect paradise and "happy -hunting-ground" in comparison with the wild, snowy region, where we -were now camped. Our bed was, of course, very rough, and two big -particles of trachytic rock formed our pillows; but all this would have -passed muster, and calm, refreshing sleep would have come to us, if it -had not been for the fact that the loose scoria would keep slipping -and sliding from under us as we lay on our steep incline. Although the -moon shone as bright as day, the wind still continued to blow in heavy -gusts, which seemed to increase in violence after every lull, and as -it had already shifted a point or two still further southward, it was -colder than ever, while what was at one time the lee of the boulder -now became almost its windward side. Our tent at this stage swayed and -flapped about in an incessant way, the icy blasts blew round about and -underneath us, and in such a way that it was impossible to keep warm. -At midnight the terrible climax came; with a noise like the howling of -a thousand fiends, a terrific gale of wind swept over the mountain. -In an instant our tent was carried away from over us, the flag-pole -struck Turner a frightful blow on the head, and our blankets went -flying right and left. <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[Pg 212]</a></span>So great was the force of the wind that it was -impossible to stand against it. Blinding showers of sand and scoria -filled the air almost to suffocation as each successive blast swept -onward with terrific force, and everything was covered with a fine -scoria dust, which got into the hair, filled the eyes, caused a choking -sensation about the throat, and permeated every article of clothing. It -was useless to endeavour to erect our tent again, so we squatted down, -Maori fashion, in our blankets behind another enormous boulder, which -served to break the force of the wind. The thermometer now stood at -27°, and the gale continued to blow throughout the night with terrific -fury, sweeping over the ice-bound summit of the mountain, and then down -into the valleys below, carrying along in its course its dark clouds of -scoria and showers of gritty sand.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus-p213.jpg" alt="SUNRISE " /> -<a id="illus-p213"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption"> WAITING FOR SUNRISE.</p> - -<p>It was only a few minutes past midnight when our tent blew away, and -we therefore had to pass six hours under the boulder before sunrise. -The thermometer now indicated six degrees of frost, which was just six -degrees less than we had experienced on the previous night, but then -we had no wind, and we were now 2200 feet higher than then. Unpleasant -as our situation was, it had its attractions. Looking down upon the -surrounding country from the great height upon which we were placed -(6200 feet above the sea), a weird and curious picture presented itself -to the gaze. Immediately below us, and far and wide around, in front -and to the right and to the left, rolled an apparently endless expanse -of boulder-strewn scoria ridges,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[Pg 213]</a></span> tossed about like the wild, chaotic -waves of a frozen sea, and covered with a complete network of dark -hues, which marked the winding course of gullies and ravines. Still -further in front, and stretching in a broad expanse far below us, was -a flat, white surface, like a snowy sheet of ice. This was the Rangipo -Table-land, covered with a thick coating of frost. Beyond, again, rose -a dark, frowning barrier, whose rugged outline lost itself in the -distance as it stretched away to the north and to the south. These were -the Kaimanawa Mountains, mantled in a cloud of mist. From the broad, -white plain deep down to the left rose the dark, majestic form of -Tongariro, around the summit of which its white steam-cloud coiled in a -feathery circle, looking like a silvery diadem beneath the light of the -moon, which shone with a glittering lustre upon the snows of Ruapehu, -whose lofty summit seemed to touch the star-lit canopy above, while a -magnificent <i>aurora australis</i>, <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[Pg 214]</a></span>the most brilliant I had ever beheld, -shot across the heavens from the southward, and lit up the sky with its -tongue of silvery fire. It was worth all the hardships we had undergone -to gaze on this grand sight alone and to commune, as it were, with the -colossal wonders of nature, wrapped in the stillness and beauty of -night.</p> - -<p>The whole scene, and the peculiar circumstances under which we viewed -it, was one never to be forgotten, while it brought, as all grand and -impressive sights will, the most vivid associations before the mind. I -pictured to myself the many and extraordinary changes this wild region -had gone through to arrive at the condition under which we beheld it. -What singular and stupendous results had been brought about by forces -and agencies now almost extinct! Time was when the colossal mountain -on whose fire-scorched sides we were crouching, was made desolate by -tremendous volcanic eruptions, which sent forth clouds of smoke and -sulphurous gases, showers of rocks and ashes, and streams and rivers -of lava. Then lurid flames lit up the hills for miles around, and -darkening clouds of fiery sand swept far and wide over the surrounding -country. Then a line of volcanic vents, like beacon-fires, illuminated -the rocky headlands of the great mountains around, and every towering -fastness rose hot and quaking with subterranean heat. Then a change -came about—one of those mysterious convulsions of which we only -dream—the volcanic fires ceased, and the yawning craters were filled -with snow and the peaks crowned with ice,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[Pg 215]</a></span> and, as the earth gradually -cooled down, a glorious vegetation, moulded in the most beautiful and -varied forms of the creation, spread itself far and wide over the -country, and nature smiled in all her radiance upon this magnificent -and romantic land.</p> - -<p>At five o'clock in the morning the thermometer indicated seven degrees -of frost, and the wind still blew in fitful gusts, which covered us -with sand. The cold now was intense, and, as the moon had set, the wide -scope of country around us looked unpleasantly dismal beneath its pall -of darkness. Our outlook was towards the east, and as the time for -daylight approached we watched anxiously for the first streak of dawn.</p> - -<p>Just before six the thermometer went down half a degree, and a damp, -chilly feeling pervaded the air. Darker, colder, and more dismal it -grew, until suddenly, as if by enchantment, the black clouds opened -in the east, and a fiery streak shot upward, bathing with its golden -hues the darkened sky. At first everything around—the sky, the -mountains, and the plains, the valleys, the rivers, and the lakes, the -shining glaciers and the frozen snows—appeared one uniform creation -of brilliant light, so brightly dazzling that the eye could scarcely -bear the splendour, but as the clouds of night rolled swiftly away the -glow became still more vivid, and as the blue mists rose in the valleys -the tops of the distant mountains looked like islands rising from a -vapoury ocean—an archipelago in a sea of gold. By degrees the bright -lustre of the sun was softened with tints, first of red, and then light -transparent crimson, changing through different hues,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[Pg 216]</a></span> until the sky -assumed a deep pure blue, which merged towards the east into glowing -violet. The towering summit of Ruapehu took the colour from these -changes, and every portion on which the varied tints fell appeared more -beautiful than it had ever appeared before. The whole aspect of this -sudden transformation from night into day was indescribably grand, -and as the glowing sun warmed our nearly frozen limbs we seemed to -gain fresh life and energy from the fact that another glorious day had -dawned upon the earth.</p> - - - - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVIII" id="CHAPTER_XVIII">CHAPTER XVIII.</a></h2> - -<p class="center">RUAPEHU.<br /> - -(<i>Second Day.</i>)<br /> - -ASCENT OF THE GREAT PEAK.</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p class="hang"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[Pg 217]</a></span>The start—A lava bluff—Last signs of vegetation—Wall of -conglomerate rock—The Giant Rocks—Ancient crater—Difficult -climbing—A frightful precipice—The ice crown—Cutting our -way over the ice—The summit—Peaks and crater—A grand <i>coup -d'œil</i>—The surrounding country—Taking landmarks—Point -Victoria.</p> -</blockquote> - -<p class="drop"><span class="uppercase">As</span> soon as we had made a hearty but very light breakfast, we started -at once to make the ascent of the great peak, whose steep, snow-clad -sides rose up at the end of the spur on which we had been camped. We -got ourselves up as warmly as circumstances would allow. Our boots -were stout, and capable of withstanding snow and ice; we wore thick -overcoats belted round the waist, thick comforters round the neck, fur -caps with flaps to protect the ears, while alpenstocks with flagstaff, -and tomahawks to cut our way over the ice, completed our accoutrements.</p> - -<p>At an altitude of 6480 feet we wound along a steep scoria ridge, and -as the wind was still blowing hard from the south, we found it very -difficult to make headway. Even the light pole<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[Pg 218]</a></span> we had brought with us -to place upon the summit became a great burden, and we each had to -take spells every quarter of an hour to carry it. At 6800 feet the -spur became steeper and steeper, and on one side it fell with a rapid -descent of about 400 feet into a ravine below, while on the other it -inclined abruptly towards the valley on our right. At 7000 feet we -gained a lava bluff, which formed rugged giant steps of rock, over -which we climbed with great difficulty.</p> - -<p>At 7400 feet we came to another lava ridge, which rose above a steep -scoria incline, covered with small particles of trachytic rock, pumice, -and obsidian. From an altitude of a little over 6000 feet we had found -no vegetation, save that represented by the two small plants known -as the <i>Ligustrum aromaticum</i> and the <i>Gnaphalium bellidioides</i>, -which everywhere grew side by side in sheltered positions beneath the -rocks and boulders, forming, as it were, the crowning garlands of the -splendid vegetation of the North Island. These small delicate plants -held undisputed sway in this elevated region, and not even a clump of -moss grew beyond the line which nature had defined as their snow-clad -habitat.</p> - -<p>At an elevation of 8000 feet the wind blew boisterously, and swept over -the steep slopes of the mountain with terrific force. Here the whole -geological formation was very curious, and we came on an immense ridge -of lava and scoria conglomerate, containing big stones and boulders, -which appeared to have been melted and fused together by a terrific -heat. Here likewise scattered about in every direction were huge masses -of rock, some of which were from ten to twenty feet in height. At this -elevation on our left was a stupendous mass of lava conglomerate,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[Pg 219]</a></span> which -rose up in the form of a solid wall over fifty feet in height, and so -regular was its formation that it appeared to have been artificially -formed.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus-p219.jpg" alt="WALL OF LAVA " /> -<a id="illus-p219"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption"> WALL OF LAVA CONGLOMERATE.</p> - -<p>At an altitude of 8200 feet a tremendous trachytic bluff rose up for -100 feet on our right. Above this again towered a series of pointed, -jagged rocks, whose dark-red sides appeared to have been rent and -torn asunder by some terrific volcanic force. These curious peaked -elevations, which we named the "Giant Rocks," are conspicuous features -in the outline of the great mountain when viewed from the plains to the -east and north. All round this region the mountain was clad with snow, -and festoons of icicles glittered from every rock and precipice.</p> - -<p>When we reached 8400 feet we experienced great difficulty in climbing -up a frozen scoria incline covered with great boulders of volcanic -conglomerate.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[Pg 220]</a></span> Looking down from this point the whole mountain had a -singularly wild and rugged look, and the giant, peaked rocks shot up in -the form of bold pinnacles, and seemed to mark the site of an ancient -crater, where the raging volcanic fires had rent the rocks into a -thousand curious forms, and turned them into a deep-red colour.</p> - - - -<p>At 8600 feet, we climbed up a precipitous slope of lava conglomerate, -in the form of a rude terrace, upon which were gigantic boulders and -masses of broken rock covered with a thick coating of ice and snow. -Here it was almost impossible to stand against the wind, and we came -to a steep scoria incline, covered with frozen snow as hard as ice. -Up this we had to crawl on our hands and knees, as the wind sweeping -around the mountain from the right, fearfully cold, and with unabated -force, made it impossible to stand. The scoria ridge and masses of -rock and gigantic boulders that rose up around, were covered with -festoons of ice, and the whole mountain shone and glittered with a -dazzling splendour. Above the white snow, the dark ridges of lava rose -like stupendous walls, rugged, bare, and desolate, but adamantine and -colossal in structure, as if the Architect of nature had intended -them to endure for all time. All about this part of the ascent the -sides of the mountain were steep and broken, and the climbing along -the frozen surface was so difficult that we had to creep along the -edge of the great conglomerate walls and hang on to the big stones -that jutted out from their surface. <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[Pg 221]</a></span>We could now only go on for about -five minutes at a time without stopping to rest, as we had not only to -combat the difficulties of our own track, but the force of the wind, -which, blowing with increased force as we mounted higher and higher, -threatened at places to blow us over the precipices. Fortunately there -was not a single cloud to be seen; nothing but a bright sun and a clear -blue sky, from which the wind swept down cold, yet invigorating, but -with tremendous force; and, indeed, so steep and slippery with ice was -this part of the mountain that it was only by carefully navigating our -own course, as it were, by keeping to leeward of the projecting peak -above, that we were enabled to make headway.</p> - -<p>At an altitude of 8900 feet, after a hard struggle, we gained the -rounded top of the great peak, and when, under the shelter of a rocky -projection, we lay flat down, and peered over the frightful precipice -on our left, the whole aspect of the giant mountain, as it swept with -its rugged, ice-bound sides down to the wide expanse of bare scoria -ravines and black lava ridges, as they wound into the dreary Onetapu -Desert below, appeared grand and beautiful, as much by reason of its -vast incomprehensible proportions as by the wonderful effects of light -and shade produced by the brilliant sunlight as it swept from the -bright glacier above into the deep gorges and winding valleys below.</p> - -<p>Even at this stage we were not yet at the summit of the mountain, -for the great rocky crown which we had remarked from the plain below -still towered above our heads to a height of 150 feet. We now found -that this singular monument was formed by a large outcrop of lava and -conglomerate rock,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[Pg 222]</a></span> which appeared at some remote period, when the -volcanic fires were at their fiercest stage, to have oozed up above the -surface of the surrounding rocks, and then congealed into a craggy mass -with a symmetrical outline, which assumed the form of a rounded bluff -towards the east, and tapered gradually off towards the west. Covered -with a thick crown of snow that overhung its summit like a fringe, and -glittering from base to top with sheets of ice and shining icicles, -it sparkled with an almost dazzling effect beneath the golden rays as -they shot from above, forming a grand and befitting crown to the grand -mountain.</p> - -<p>To scale this ice-bound pinnacle was our next task. Even to approach -it at some parts was dangerous, for nature, in her certain but -mysterious way, was doing her work as we looked on; and as the midday -sun reflected its warm rays upon the icy festoons, they melted and fell -with a crash at our feet, but where, at its further and shaded end, the -wind blew with its cool breath the ice was as firm and as solid as iron.</p> - -<p>With the cold blasts coming now and again with the force of a perfect -hurricane, we crawled on our hands and knees along the steeps of the -lower end, and cut footsteps with our tomahawks in the snow and ice, -which spread itself like a white sheet over the precipitous inclines -over which we had to make our way before we could reach the base of -the rocky mass. Up every yard we had to crawl with great caution, -and, in order to steady ourselves, we linked ourselves together by -holding on to the flag-pole, as in many places a single slip of the -foot would have sent us rolling down the frozen steeps into eternity.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[Pg 223]</a></span> -The thrilling sensation caused by these adventures acted as a kind -of stimulus, which was heightened by the fact that we knew when once -on the summit of the ice-bound crown, not only the whole mountain, -but the whole country would be beneath us. Cutting away the enormous -icicles that impeded our progress, we climbed step by step up the -treacherous, craggy sides of the towering mass of rock, but as we -neared the top the gusts of wind swept round like a whirlwind on every -side, so as to render it impossible at some points to approach the -edge. Notwithstanding the wintry blasts, however, this day might be -considered as a grand and a beautiful one for Ruapehu, but what the -lofty crest of the great mountain must be like when storms break over -it with terrific violence, when the wind howls from peak to peak, -when the lightning leaps from crag to crag, when the thunder rolls -and resounds through valley and ravine, when the snows descend, and -darkening showers of hail and rain form bounding cataracts, no soul can -tell.</p> - -<p>Once upon the summit of the rocky crown, a glorious sight burst upon -the view—one unique in itself, and unequalled in sublimity. It was now -one o'clock, and since the time we had left the base of the mountain -on the previous morning it had taken us nearly twenty hours of actual -climbing to reach this spot; and now we seemed to have entered a new -world—a world where there was no sound but the sigh of the wind, -where there was no sign of life; a world placed high in the sky, made -up of golden sunshine, azure blue, and glittering snow and ice, but -encircled as it were, by a broad expanse of green, <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[Pg 224]</a></span>bordered by the blue -waves of the distant sea.</p> - -<p>Looking towards the south, along the summit of the mountain, which -stretched away for nearly a mile in length, peak rose above peak in -colossal proportions from the dazzling expanse of snow. Each grand -and towering mass of rock, tinted by the extinct volcanic fires of -a reddish hue, standing out clearly defined against the light-blue -sky, each pointed summit shining with ice beneath the bright light -with grand and almost magical effect. Immediately beneath where we -stood was a steep precipice which fell perpendicularly for hundreds -of feet below, and beneath this again was a wide circle of jagged -rocks, marking the outline of a gigantic crater, filled to its craggy -brim with snow, which was furrowed into chasms of enormous depth, the -clean-cut sides of which looked white and beautiful in their winding -outline. The furthest southern peak of the mountain stood out in grand -relief in the distance, its rounded, cupola-shaped summit being perfect -in outline, as if artificially fashioned to serve for the dome of a -Mohammedan mosque.</p> - -<p>Turning from the wonders of the mountain, and looking out over the -grand expanse of country which stretched far and wide on every side in -all its pristine loveliness until it lost itself, as it were, in the -wide expanse of ocean, just visible in the distance to the east and -west, a wondrous panorama presented itself. Never had I seen a more -varied and enchanting scene. I had beheld a wider expanse of country -from the summit of the Rocky Mountains, <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[Pg 225]</a></span>gorges and precipices more -stupendous in the valley of the Yosemite, and I had gazed over a land -very similar in outline from the summit of Fusiyama in Japan, but -never before had I stood upon a glacier-crowned height in the region -of perpetual snow with an active volcano, rising thousands of feet, -beneath me, nor had I ever beheld so wide an expanse of lake, mountain, -and rolling plain mingling together, as it were, and forming one grand -and glorious picture. This wondrous Elysium, for in its primeval -beauty it looked like nothing else, with its colossal, glacier-scored -mountain, had not the cold frigidity of the Alpine districts of the -South Island, where Nature looks awful in its grandeur; but here was -the mingling, as it were, of the torrid and the frigid zone—a land -where the snow-field and the glacier rose in all their impressive -sublimity above a romantic-looking country clothed in a semi-tropical -vegetation, where the choicest and most varied of trees and plants grew -spontaneously in an atmosphere which might rank as the most healthful -and invigorating in the world. The sight was, indeed, one calculated -to overawe the mind and to impress the imagination with a sense of the -omnipotence of the Creator.</p> - -<p>For a radius from where we stood of over 100 miles the whole country -was mapped out and clearly defined beneath us. In the north, towering -to the skies, we could discern the familiar forms of Pirongia, Karioi, -Maungatautari, Te Aroha, Ngongotaha, Hapurangi, and flat-topped -Horohoro, with Tarawera, Putauaki, and Tauhara standing further to the -east. The forms of Titiraupenga,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[Pg 226]</a></span> Rangitoto, Haurakia, Tapirimoko, and -Haurungatahi rose above the forests of the King Country; the pointed -summit of Hikurangi shot upward from the East Coast, and snow-clad -Taranaki stood like a sentinel in the west, while Pihanga and Tongariro -rose majestically from the plains below—all grand, isolated peaks, -standing alone, and whose united altitudes, together with that of -the giant mountain on which we stood, would exceed twice the height -of Himalayas above the sea. All the intervening space was covered -with mountain, valley, river, plain, and lake, and was so clearly -defined, that we could trace all the grand features of the country -as if delineated upon a plan. In the centre of all shone the broad -waters of Taupo as they stretched away like an inland sea—the winding -form of Lake Rotoaira shone like a mirror in the plain below—and the -miniature lakes on Tongariro looked like big turquoise set in a circle -of adamant. Indeed, every feature of this wide expanse of country was -both varied and beautiful. The broad, rolling expanse of plain which -we had beheld during the night, with its coating of frost, was now -radiant in its vivid mantle of green, which was relieved here and there -by the winding rivers and rushing streams which burst from the sides -of the great mountain and sped onward to join the Waikato as it wound -along the base of the Kaimanawa Mountains, which rose like a series -of undulating terraces, clothed with dark forests, above which their -serrated peaks stood out in bold relief against the sky. Beyond the -far-reaching mountains stupendous heights arose in the direction of -the south-east, range after range, rolling away as far as the eye could -reach to the distant Ruahine Mountains, <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[Pg 227]</a></span>whose stupendous outline bound -the horizon in that direction.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus-p227.jpg" alt="ICE CROWN " /> -<a id="illus-p227"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption"> THE ICE CROWN, POINT VICTORIA.</p> - -<p>It was, however, the vast country to the west that most attracted our -attention. It was the forbidden land we had already entered, whose -hidden wonders we were unmasking—a mysterious region which now lay -stretched before us in all its primeval grandeur. We could mark its -valleys and its plains and its forests and its towering mountains, and -get glances of its rivers as they gleamed in the sun. To enter this -unknown region, as we intended to do, at its extreme southern end, -pass through the enormous forest which covers it in that direction,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[Pg 228]</a></span> -and thence northward to Alexandra, we knew would be just 100 miles in -a direct line, but we could now plainly see by the natural features of -the country that by ordinary travel it would be at least twice that -distance, and would require many a hard day's journey to accomplish. We -therefore, from our elevated position, took careful note of the more -prominent outlines of the country, and especially of the known high -mountains, which we afterwards found to be splendid guides, as many of -their peculiar features could not be mistaken.</p> - -<p>When we had laid off on our map the leading features of the country -through which we intended to pass, we set to work and built a cairn -of rock, about four feet high, at a point which exceeded 9000 feet -above the level of the sea, and on this we hoisted our flag. As this -magnificent peak of Ruapehu, with its rocky crown of ice and snow, was -not only the highest point of the mountain, but the very topmost summit -of the North Island, we named it "Point Victoria," in honour of her -Majesty the Queen.</p> - - - - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIX" id="CHAPTER_XIX">CHAPTER XIX.</a></h2> - -<p class="center">THE KAIMANAWA MOUNTAINS.</p> - - - -<blockquote> - -<p class="hang"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[Pg 229]</a></span>Further plans—Across the plains—In memoriam—The Onetapu -Desert—Mamanui camp—Grilled <i>weka</i>—A heavy frost—The -Kaimanawas—Geological formation—A probable El Dorado—Reputed -existence of gold.</p></blockquote> - - -<p class="drop"><span class="uppercase">As</span> we had now successfully accomplished the ascent of the two great -mountains, I determined to leave the tapued district as soon as -possible, and strike a south-easterly course across the Onetapu -Desert to the southern base of the Kaimanawa Mountains, in order to -examine the geological formation of that region. I had noticed when -examining the western banks of the Waikato River, that on its opposite -side, where the mountains rose in all their grandeur, the geological -aspect of the country was entirely different from that of the Rangipo -table-land, the geological formation of which was principally composed -of fluvial drift, with a deep superimposed stratum of pumice, and over -which again was a final stratum of volcanic earth, formed principally -by the decomposition of the trachytic rocks forming the numerous -volcanic cones which bounded the table-land on the west. Owing, -however, to the flooded state of the Waikato, it was impossible to -reach its opposite side, where the Kaimanawa Mountains rose in the form -of a stupendous wall. I therefore resolved to head the river at its -upper waters, in order to get into the Kaimanawa country in that way.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[Pg 230]</a></span></p> - -<p>On the day following our ascent of Ruapehu, we started across the -plains in the direction indicated above, and as the day was fine we -rode leisurely along, coaxing our half-starved horses on their way by -occasional feeds from the luxuriant growth of native grasses which -covered that part of the Rangipo. In this portion of the plains there -was a great variety of native grasses, and among them were those known -to the natives as the <i>parakerake</i> and <i>pekipeki</i>, while the tussock -grass grew in clumps often three feet in height. Dotted all over the -plain likewise was a curious spiked plant, which our horses carefully -avoided whenever they came in its way. This singular plant grew at -the bottom, in the form of a widespreading circular tuft, composed of -narrow sword-edged leaves, the ends of which were as pointed and as -sharp as a lancet. From the centre of the tuft rose a stem varying -from a foot to two feet in height, which bristled at the top with a -spike-like thorn, while clustering all over its sides were long thin -thorns, pointed, and as sharp as needles. So strong and sharp are the -thorns of this plant, that the natives often use them as spurs.</p> - -<p>We had been told at Tokanu that at a certain point on these wide plains -if we struck a certain native track hard by a certain stream flowing -from the rugged gorges of Tongariro, we could see a pole which was -strictly <i>tapu</i> in the eyes of the Maoris. When we came to the spot, -the pole was there in the form of a portion of a dead tree.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[Pg 231]</a></span> Now, a -melancholy tale was attached to this singular relic. During the time -of the war, when the Hauhaus under Te Kooti carried fire and sword -among the loyal tribes of this part of the country, a native girl, -it is said, of singular beauty, was passing alone by this very spot, -when one of the rebel chief's followers approaching at the same time, -brutally attacked her, and having accomplished his villainous purpose, -cut her throat, and rode on his way. Even the very name of this man -is lost in oblivion, and his soul—well, never mind. When the girl's -relatives came to search for her they found her body, and taking off -her collaret, placed it on the pole, and tapued the place sacred to -her memory, and this pole still standing on the wild plains now forms -her only monument. But, strange to say, the collaret, rounded, tied -in a knot, and in form as perfect as if taken from the blood-stained -neck but yesterday, was likewise there, and Nature, as if anxious to -preserve this sad relic, had covered it with a coating of fine spiral -moss, which made it look not unlike one of those wreaths of immortelles -we sometimes see placed on Christian graves to invoke, as it were, the -blessings of Heaven. I made a sketch of this lonely monument, and when -the ravages of time shall have effaced it from all ken, these simple -words may serve to recall the memory of one who was loyal to her queen, -and who met death at a time when war and rapine swept over the land, -and when the white and the dark race fought with a deadly and cruel -hatred for the mastery of these fair and attractive regions.</p> - - - -<p>The Onetapu Desert, or "desert of sacred sand," as its name implies,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[Pg 232]</a></span> -forms one of the most curious features of this region. It stretches -from the eastern slope of Ruapehu to the banks of the Waikato River, -across the centre of the great table-land, and covers an area of -over fifty square miles. In summer it is parched and dried, and in -the winter months when the snows cover it, it is both dangerous and -difficult to traverse. As we neared this trackless waste, the rich -vegetation of the plains gradually died away, and gave place to the -stunted plants and shrubs which we had always found growing on the -lower scoria deposits. This vegetation did not cover the ground in -every direction, but grew in patches here and there, and often in a -very attractive way. The desert, at the surface, is composed entirely -of a deposit of scoria, with rounded stones and trachytic boulders -above, while, in some places, rise enormous lava ridges. Here and -there a trickling watercourse winds over it, but taken altogether it -is a dreary, monotonous expanse, which the superstitious minds of -the natives have peopled with <i>taniwhas</i> and evil spirits. By its -formation, it would appear as if Ruapehu, when in a state of activity, -had distributed its showers of ashes and lava over this wide region, -and it would also appear that, at the period at which this extensive -deposition of scoria occurred, there must have been growing upon this -very spot an extensive forest similar to that now to be found on the -western side of the mountain, for, as we rode over the dreary expanse, -we found the remains of enormous trees which had been converted into -charcoal, as it were, at the time when the fiery ashes swept over -them, and which had since become exposed, as the upper surface was -denuded by the action of the water flowing down from the mountain.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">[Pg 233]</a></span></p> - -<p>Towards sundown we gained the upper waters of the Waikato, which here -wound across the desert in the form of a small stream coming from the -direction of Ruapehu. After crossing this we struck up towards the -Kaimanawa Mountains, to the Mamanui stream, where there was a deserted -Maori camping-place, and where we found excellent feed for our horses. -The spot where we pitched our camp stood at an elevation of 3727 feet -above the sea, on the banks of the Mamanui, which wound from the -mountains to form one of the many tributaries of the Waikato which -have their rise in these extensive ranges. The moon shone brightly -by the time we had pitched our tent, and the tall heights, towering -around us with their splendid vegetation, sheltered us from the chilly -blasts that swept across the plains, and, taken altogether, it was a -comfortable and pleasant spot in comparison to the weird mountains upon -which we had been recently camped.</p> - -<p>This night we indulged in a delicacy which up to this moment we had -neither time nor opportunity to cook. When we rode out to make the -ascent of Tongariro we had the good fortune, as we then deemed it, to -knock over a small <i>weka</i> or wood-hen. This diminutive bird Turner -seemed to look upon as a kind of sacred offering from the gods, and -he tied it to his saddle-bow, and kept a keen eye upon it, with the -view of making the final sacrifice whenever we should have time to -light a fire. We had now had it nearly six days in our possession, but -this was in reality the first opportunity we had had of cooking it.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">[Pg 234]</a></span> -We soon, however, had it grilling over our fire, and we ate it with -avidity, regretting the while that Providence had not provided us with -a full-grown bird in place of a mere fledgling. The <i>weka</i> (<i>Ralus -Australis</i>) is very plentiful in the plains around Tongariro.</p> - -<p>We passed a fairly comfortable night in this secluded spot, but it -was one of the coldest we had experienced. Before midnight the whole -country was covered with a thick white frost, and at four in the -morning the thermometer stood as low as 27°.</p> - -<p>The Kaimanawa Mountains are situated in almost the very centre of the -island, with a general north-easterly and south-westerly bearing, and -attain to an elevation of about 6000 feet above the level of the sea. -Stretching across the great central table-land in an extent of about -eighty miles, their tall serrated peaks form a grand and beautiful -feature in the many natural wonders of the surrounding country, while -the primeval forests which clothe them to their summits are among the -finest in the country. From whatever point of view they are beheld, -they disclose the most delightful views, and when their pointed peaks -are covered with the winter snows they afford the most beautiful Alpine -scenery to be found in the North Island. Clothed everywhere with a -dense growth of vegetation, they tower one above the other in a series -of mountain terraces, whose stupendous sides are broken by enormous -gorges which form the outlets of innumerable streams, while winding -valleys open to the view the most romantic and attractive prospects.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">[Pg 235]</a></span>It is, however, the geological formation of this extensive mountain -range, covering many hundreds of square miles, which is of especial -interest. Unlike the volcanic cones, which form one of the most -remarkable features of this division of the country, and which have -their origin in a trachytic formation, the rocks comprising the -Kaimanawa Mountains belong to the paleozoic order, and are composed -principally of clay slate with quartz veins, brownish semi-crystallized -sandstones, silicious schists, and diorites as intrusive rocks.</p> - -<p>When, upon the day after our arrival at Mamanui, we followed up the -creeks where we had been camped, and ascended these mountains to a -height of 4000 feet, I found all these rocks <i>in situ</i>, but, owing to -the densely wooded nature of the country, it was only in the ravines -that the geological formation could be examined. The clay slates were -placed more or less vertically, by reason of the intrusion of the -diorite bars through their plane, while the quartz I found on the -slopes of the hills and in abundant quantities in the creeks, and -from the auriferous indications which I noticed on all sides, I much -regretted that, owing to the necessity to press on our journey, I was -prevented from examining this country more closely. I am, however, -firmly of opinion that this extensive range, which presents many -features in common with the Sierras of California, offers to the -geologist a rich field for research, and to the miner a probable El -Dorado where, I believe, great treasure will be brought to light in -years to come. It is more than likely that the whole of this extensive -mountain range will be found upon examination to be rich in all the -mineral products common to geological formations of a like kind, and -that not only gold but other minerals will be found.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">[Pg 236]</a></span>It is likewise worthy of note that the natives of this district with -whom we afterwards came in contact assured us of the existence of gold -in these mountains, as likewise of a mineral which, by the description -they gave of it, I judged to be silver. Although it is impossible to -define by any theoretical course of reasoning what hidden treasures may -exist in the fastnesses of the Kaimanawas, there can be no doubt that -the whole region is well worthy an extended examination. The discovery -of a payable gold-field in this locality could not fail to confer a -material benefit upon the whole country. Situated as these mountains -are in the centre of the island, they are easily accessible from all -points; and if once the existence of remunerative auriferous deposits -were established, the spread of population would follow, and in this -way the vast and varied resources of an extensive portion of the colony -would be developed.</p> - - - - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XX" id="CHAPTER_XX">CHAPTER XX.</a></h2> - -<p class="center">SECOND ASCENT OF RUAPEHU. SOURCES OF THE WHANGAEHU AND WAIKATO RIVERS.</p> - - - -<blockquote> - -<p class="hang"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">[Pg 237]</a></span>Curious parterres—Supposed source of Whangaehu—A gigantic lava -bed—A steep bluff—The Horseshoe Fall—The Bridal Veil Fall—The -Twin Falls—A dreary region—Ice caves—Source of the Waikato—The -descent—Our camp on the desert.</p></blockquote> - - -<p class="drop"><span class="uppercase">Having</span> satisfied myself as to the geological formation of the Kaimanawa -Mountains, I next determined to trace up the Whangaehu and Waikato -Rivers to their source in Ruapehu. Striking our camp at Mamanui, we -took a south-westerly course for some distance, until we struck the -Whangaehu River, which we found winding across the desert in the form -of a wide, rushing stream. Once on the opposite side, we were again -fairly on the Onetapu Desert, and we shaped our course in the direction -of the eastern side of Ruapehu, where a tremendous ravine seemed to -lead right into the very heart of the mountain.</p> - -<p>When passing over some portions of the great scoria plain, we found -all of the plants and shrubs peculiar to the region growing together -with dwarf trees, but all so artistically dispersed by the hand of -Nature as to appear like miniature gardens, with winding walks that -formed a perfect labyrinth. In fact, so beautifully and carefully -designed were some of these parterres,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">[Pg 238]</a></span> that it was almost impossible -to believe that they had not been artificially formed. Every species -of plant that we had hitherto found in the district grew in them, with -a vast variety of shrubs we had not before observed, while the scoria -winding about the clumps of vegetation was so even as to appear as if -it had been artificially rolled down.</p> - -<p>The Whangaehu River, which takes its rise in the eastern side of -Ruapehu, is one of the largest streams in the colony. Bursting forth -high up in the snows of the mountain, it crosses the desert in an -easterly direction, and then, with the fall of the country, takes a -swift bend towards the south in its course to the coast, where it joins -the sea, in a distance of about sixty miles from its source. From the -point where it issues from the mountain, and for many miles as it -winds through the plains, its waters are rendered perfectly white from -the enormous amount of alum with which they are charged. We had been -informed by the natives at Tokanu that the source of this river rose -in an enormous black rock, or dark bluff, which forms a conspicuous -feature near the eastern base of the mountain, and it was therefore -towards this point we directed our course.</p> - -<p>The whole of this side of Ruapehu appeared singularly rugged, and -above the deep gorges the enormous bluffs and precipices seemed to -mount one above the other to the glacier-crowned peaks above. We -struck into a boulder-strewn ravine, and, after following this along -for a considerable distance, we found that it brought us to the dark -mass of rocks which the natives had indicated to us.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">[Pg 239]</a></span> It was, however, -clear at once that the true source of the river was a long distance up -the mountain from this point. The dark rocks, which were nothing more -than enormous outcrops of lava, formed the portals, or entrance, as it -were, to a still deeper gorge, which led further into the mountain, -and which looked as weird and as dismal as anything Dante or Doré had -ever created. When we had got fairly into this tremendous chasm, a -most curious sight presented itself. Below our feet was the bed of -the ravine, strewn with boulders of all sizes, which lay scattered -about in endless confusion, as if hurled from the heights above by -the hands of mountain giants. On our left rose an immense lava wall, -over 100 feet in height, and on our right, rising from the bed of the -ravine, was a wide stratum of alluvial drift, composed of sand and -water-worn boulders. Resting on this stratum, just as it had cooled, -was a lava stream, about 200 feet in perpendicular height, as sharp -and as clear in all its proportions as if it had been cast out but -yesterday from the fiery craters of the mountain. Dark, bright, and -shining with a metallic lustre, it looked like a solid wall of bronze -built by Cyclopean hands, the stupendous jagged ridge which crowned -it resembling the rampart of an embattled fortress. This appeared to -be one of the grandest specimens of a trachytic lava bed to be found -in any part of the world, and it formed one of the most interesting -geological phenomena I had ever beheld. Looking at this stupendous -mass, one could fairly realize how widespread and how tremendous in -its proportions must have been the volcanic action of Ruapehu. The -stream of lava which had formed this great deposit had evidently come -from one of the many central craters of the mountain,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">[Pg 240]</a></span> and had rolled -down in a molten stream for a distance of several miles, until it had -gradually cooled into its present form. When gazing up at this singular -monument, it could be seen that there was not a single flaw in its -whole surface to mar the general outline of its colossal proportions. -Here and there from the hard metallic surface, which shone like -bronze by some powerful agency difficult to comprehend, blocks of the -adamantine rock had fallen into the ravine below, but even every line -of their surface was as sharp and as angular as if they had been just -wrought into form under our eyes.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus-p240.jpg" alt="LAVA BED " /> -<a id="illus-p240"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption"> GREAT TRACHYTIC LAVA BED.</p> - -<p>When we had travelled a considerable distance up to the head of this -wild gorge, we found it impossible to get out of it except by the -way we had come,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">[Pg 241]</a></span> so we headed back again, and climbed, with great -difficulty and at considerable risk, up the enormous bluff forming the -entrance to the gorge, the sharp edges of the lava being particularly -rough on our hands. Once at the summit of the bluff, we gained a long -spur which formed the top of the great bed of lava we had examined -in the ravine below, and which was here about 600 yards in width, as -evidenced by the rugged outcrops of black rock that rose above the -surface of the ground on every side. Travelling for a short distance -up this steep ridge, we descended a rocky precipice to the right into -another weird gorge, where the milky waters of the Whangaehu came -bounding in a rapid descent over boulders and rocky precipices. We -crossed the river at this point, and we kept the stream on our left for -a considerable distance up the mountain.</p> - -<p>When we had followed up this ravine for a long distance we came to -another scoria spur, mounting upwards towards the mountain. About two -miles up this the ravine widened out, with high lava walls on either -side, while right in the centre rose a high ridge of lava, which ended -in steep, sloping ridges of fine scoria. The great snow peaks beyond -now came into full view, and at a height of 5300 feet the ravine opened -out on our left, and over the flat terrace above a large waterfall fell -from a height of 150 feet over a semicircular precipice into a deep, -rocky basin, and, as the vast volume of water poured on to the great -rocks beneath, it resounded through the ravine like the echo of distant -thunder. We named this the "Horseshoe Fall" from the shape of the -precipice over which the water fell.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">[Pg 242]</a></span></p> - -<p>From the Horseshoe Fall we mounted still higher up a very steep ascent -on to a flat-topped scoria spur, which immediately to the right -descended into a rugged ravine over a sheer precipice of 400 feet, -while to the left of the ridge, which we followed up, rolled the -Whangaehu, at a depth of about 300 feet in the gorge below, and beyond -which the giant form of one of the principal spurs of the mountain, -built up of scoria and layers of lava, rose to a height of about 1000 -feet above us. We were now high up in the mountain, and the cold wind -from the snow-crowned glacier above swept over us with a chilly blast, -while the colossal walls of rock, towering above on every side, cast -their weird shadows around, and blocked out every ray of sunlight. -We climbed for about three miles further up the dreary scoria spurs, -the monotonous appearance of which was only relieved by the fantastic -outcrops of lava rock, which jutted up above the surface in every -direction, as if still hot and quaking with subterranean heat. One of -the most remarkable features about these fantastic outcrops of lava -was that time and the devastating effects of the elements to which -they must have been subjected for hundreds, nay, thousands, of years, -appeared to have left no traces upon them, the hard, metallic-looking -surface of the rock being as sharp in outline as if it had but just got -cool from the terrific heat of the stupendous fires, which had left -their impress in every direction over the face of the mountain. Not a -sign of vegetation was to be seen anywhere.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">[Pg 243]</a></span> We could not even get a -glimpse of the country around, as the windings of the enormous gorge -had led us, as it were, into the very heart of the mountain, and had -surrounded us with its high, rugged walls. As we climbed still further -to the glacier-crowned heights above us, the appearance of this wild -ravine became still more desolate; rugged, craggy boulders of black -rock were scattered about the slopes in every direction, and we had to -climb over huge masses of rock that barred our pathway. Thick icicles -now covered the ground, hung in festoons from the rocks, and bedecked -the high precipices in the form of a glittering fringe, while the snow -was not only on the heights above, but in the deep ravines beneath us. -In the distance we could hear the loud roaring of a cataract, and, -as we pressed on, the sound of the falling water resounded louder -and louder, and at an altitude of 6250 feet another waterfall, far -larger and more beautiful than the one we had previously discovered, -burst into view. We had hoped that this would prove the source of -the river, as it was now late in the day, and it was clear that we -would not have much more time for climbing if we wished to gain our -camp before nightfall. We soon found, however, that the great gorge -still wound into the mountain for 1000 feet above, and that the true -source of the river was yet further ahead. We took our first rest at -this stage, and gazed in admiration at the leaping volume of water in -front of us. Here, on our right, rose a gigantic bluff of lava and -conglomerated rock, while round this frowning point and coursing down -the steep incline of the gorge, up which we were ascending, swept the -white waters of the Whangaehu, <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">[Pg 244]</a></span>until the whole volume, concentrated -into a narrow rocky channel, burst over a precipice with a fall of 300 -feet into the rocky gorge below. This was one of the most beautiful -and unique cascades I had ever seen. All around the craggy rocks were -white with a deposit of alum from the spray of the fall, while the -water, of a milky hue, poured over the precipice in a continuous frothy -stream, which appeared by its whiteness like folds of delicate lace. -This beautiful cascade had not the sparkle and glitter of ordinary -waterfalls, but a soft, milky appearance different to anything I had -ever beheld before. The big, circular, rock-bound basin, into which the -water fell, was decorated around its sides with fantastic clusters of -icicles, all of the same milky whiteness, and mingling as they did with -the still whiter snow, they served to complete one of the most singular -and attractive features of this weird ravine. We named this the "Bridal -Veil Fall" on account of its peculiar lace-like appearance.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus-p245.jpg" alt="BRIDAL VEIL FALL " /> -<a id="illus-p245"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption"> THE BRIDAL VEIL FALL.</p> - -<p>Leaving the Bridal Veil Fall to dart over its echoing rocks, we struck -up the steep, precipitous ridge ahead, where we could still see the -white waters of the river coming down, as it were, from the very summit -of the mountain. Here the whole surroundings had a most wild and -romantic appearance, and we seemed to have entered a dismal solitude -where there was no sound but the rushing of waters as they dashed over -the rocky precipices, or rolled among the stupendous boulders which lay -scattered about the winding channels of the deep ravines. We pushed on -as fast as we could over an enormous outcrop of lava, and when we had -reached 6750 feet fresh wonders still seemed to call us onward.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">[Pg 245]</a></span> At this -elevation we discovered two cascades falling over a steep, bluff-like -precipice, and only at a short distance apart from each other. These -two shoots of water, which appeared to be of the same proportions, fell -from a height of about 100 feet into the ravine below, and then dashed -onward to leap over the precipice of the Bridal Veil.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">[Pg 246]</a></span> All around the -rocks were resplendent with icicles, and with the white coating of -alum appeared like alabaster. We named these the "Twin Waterfalls" on -account of their singular resemblance to each other.</p> - -<p>From this point of the great ravine we again mounted up precipitous -rocks and lava ridges, one of which we had to climb hand over hand for -a height of fifty feet. The river now, as far as we could discern, -appeared to pour out of the snow as it came down in a rapid torrent -through a precipitous ravine, along the side of which we crawled with -difficulty. As we mounted higher the stupendous rocks, over which we -had to make our way, were piled about in the most intricate confusion, -and in one place we had to pass over an outcrop of trachytic rock which -was broken into angular pieces, as sharp as flint, and fractured in -every direction, as if it had been subjected at some period to the -force of a terrific explosion. It required great care to get over this -difficult point, as there was only room enough to crawl along between -the wall of rock on one side, and a precipice of 200 feet on the other, -which fell with a sheer descent into a big, circular, ice-bound pool, -into which the milky waters of the Whangaehu poured in the form of -foaming cascades. Here, around on every side, rose steep precipices, -great buttresses of black lava mounted up in the form of stupendous -bluffs that supported, as it were, the rampart-like heights above, -while right in front of us, and towering to an altitude of over 1000 -feet, was a glacier slope crowned with craggy peaks, which stood out -in bold relief against the sky. This rugged locality was one of the -most singular of the whole mountain. <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247">[Pg 247]</a></span>No region could be wilder or more -desolate in appearance. There was nothing but the blue heavens above to -relieve the frigid glare of the ice, the cold glitter of the snows, and -the dreary tints of the frowning fire-scorched rocks. We now seemed to -be in a new world, where solitude reigned supreme, and where Nature, -casting aside her most radiant charms, looked stern and awe-inspiring -in her mantle of ice and snow.</p> - -<p>Right under the snowy glacier above us were wide, yawning apertures, -arched at the top, and framed, as it were, with ice, in the form of -rude portals, through which the white waters of the river burst in -a continuous stream. These were ice caves. Climbing over the rough -boulders, and then descending into a rocky channel, where the water -mounted over our knees, we entered the largest of these singular -structures, when a wonderful sight met the gaze. We found ourselves in -a cave of some 200 feet in circumference, whose sides of black volcanic -rock were sheeted with ice, and festooned with icicles, all grandly and -marvellously designed. At the further end from where we entered was a -wide, cavernous opening, so dark that the waters of the river, as they -burst out of it in a foaming, eddying stream down the centre of the -cave in which we stood, looked doubly white, in comparison with the -black void out of which they came. We were now right under the enormous -glacier that covered the summit of the mountain, and the roof of the -cave was formed of a mass of frozen snow, which had been fashioned -by some singular law of Nature into oval-shaped depressions of about -two feet in height,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248">[Pg 248]</a></span> and a foot and a half broad, all of one uniform -size, and so beautifully, and so mathematically precise in outline, -as to resemble the quaint designs of a Moorish temple; while, from -all the central points to which the edges of these singular designs -converged, a long single icicle hung down several inches in diameter at -its base, perfectly round and smooth and clear, tapering off towards -its end with a point as sharp as a needle. High up on our left, in the -walls of the cave, were two apertures like the slanting windows of a -dungeon, through which the light streamed, giving a soft, mysterious -halo to the whole scene, which looked weird and indescribably curious. -We had brought candles with us, and lighting them, we pressed forward -to explore the deep cavern beyond, but to do so we had to climb over -sharp, slippery rocks, which were covered with a coating of ice, as -if they had been glazed with glass, while the white waters streaming -beneath us fell into a deep, eddying pool. We managed, after some -difficulty, to cross the stream in the second cave, and to penetrate -a considerable distance along the treacherous rocks into the very -centre, as it were, of the great mountain; but, just as we were winding -along a kind of subterranean passage, which looked like a short cut -into eternity, our lights went out, owing to the water falling from -above, and, as we could hear nothing but rushing waters ahead, we, -with some difficulty, beat a retreat into the first cave, which looked -like a fairy palace in comparison with the dark cavern we had just -left. These caves were at an altitude of 7000 feet above the level of -the sea,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_249" id="Page_249">[Pg 249]</a></span> and we were now at the true source of the remarkable river. -Wherever the water poured over the rocks it left a white deposit, and -when we tasted it, it produced a marked astringent feeling upon the -tongue, leaving a strong taste of alum, sulphur, and iron, with all -of which ingredients, especially the two former, it appeared to be -strongly impregnated.<a name="FNanchor_51_51" id="FNanchor_51_51"></a><a href="#Footnote_51_51" class="fnanchor">[51]</a></p> - -<p>It is a remarkable and interesting geographical fact that the waters -which form the source of the Waikato River burst from the sides of -Ruapehu, within a short distance of the Whangaehu, and at almost the -same altitude. Both streams run almost parallel to each other for a -long distance from their source, and then, as they reach the desert, -they gradually diverge and divide the two great watersheds of this -portion of the country, the Waikato flowing to the north into Lake -Taupo, and the Whangaehu to join the sea in the south. There is, I -believe, no place in the world where two great rivers may be seen -rising at an altitude of over 7000 feet in the sides of a glacier-clad -mountain, and rolling for miles, side by side, down its rugged slopes, -the waters of the one of alabaster whiteness, and the waters of the -other as pure and as limpid as crystal, and each forming the dividing -waters of an area of country of nearly 100 miles in length.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_250" id="Page_250">[Pg 250]</a></span></p> - -<p>It had taken us nine hours to reach the ice caves, and as it was -now late in the day we began to descend with all haste, in order, -if possible, to reach the point where we had left our horses before -nightfall.</p> - -<p>As the sun went down the wind blew with a freezing blast, and as -we descended precipice after precipice, and ridge after ridge, and -the tints of evening crept gradually over the dismal sides of the -mountains, our course appeared long beyond measure. When we got near -to the immense mass of lava we had beheld in wonder in the morning, -the shades of night overtook us, and it was with great difficulty we -could pick our way over the rough boulders of the dark, weird gorge, -which now looked like Dante's Inferno with the fires put out. We again -struck the waters of the Whangaehu, and shining as they did like a -white streak in the darkness, we were enabled to follow them up until -we came to our camp.</p> - -<p>We soon had our tent erected under the lee of a cluster of scrub, -which served to protect us from the fury of the wind, which now swept -in strong blasts across the scoria plains. Our camping-place was as -near as possible in the centre of the desert, and at a point which -indicated an elevation of 3000 feet above the level of the sea. It -might, in fact, be considered as the highest point of the great central -table-land, for it was here that the watershed divided, and flowed on -the one hand to the north, and on the other to the south, as previously -described. A drink of tea and a biscuit formed our only meal, and then -we lay down to pass one of the roughest and most uncomfortable nights -we had ever experienced.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_251" id="Page_251">[Pg 251]</a></span> About midnight a great storm of wind swept -over the plains, and dark clouds gathered over the heavens, and the -rain continued to descend in torrents throughout the night. Fortunately -for us, the few straggling bushes around served to break the force of -the blast, otherwise everything would have been blown away.</p> - -<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_51_51" id="Footnote_51_51"></a><a href="#FNanchor_51_51"><span class="label">[51]</span></a> Near to this point, on the summit of the mountain, there -is a lake formed by an extinct crater, filled by subterranean springs, -and it is likely that the Whangaehu may in some way be connected with -it. It is, however, clear that there must, of necessity, be strong -subterranean springs in this portion of the mountain, to account for -the large volume of water forming the source of this river, as likewise -extensive deposits of alum, of some form or another, to cause the -complete discoloration of the waters by that mineral. I believe that -this singular river will be found to possess great medicinal properties -for the cure of rheumatic affections and cutaneous disorders.</p></div></div> - - - - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXI" id="CHAPTER_XXI">CHAPTER XXI.</a></h2> - -<p class="center">KARIOI.</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p class="hang"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_252" id="Page_252">[Pg 252]</a></span>Our commissariat gives out—The Murimotu Plains—The -settlement—The homestead—The welcome—Society at Karioi—The -natives—The Napier Mail.</p></blockquote> - - -<p class="drop"><span class="uppercase">When</span> morning broke over our camp on the Onetapu Desert the rain poured -down without intermission, the flood waters of the great mountain swept -over the plains in every direction, and the whole country, obscured for -the most part by heavy mists, looked indescribably desolate. To remain -camped where we were was simply to court starvation. We were now nearly -100 miles from where we had started, and, while our horses were so weak -as to be hardly able to walk, through exposure and want of proper food, -our own commissariat was reduced to its lowest. Yet, up to this point, -we had not accomplished one-half of our intended journey. It is true we -had ascended the great mountains, and had seen their wonders, but there -were still dense forests and unknown regions to be traversed. We had -been told before setting out from Tapuwaeharuru that a sheep-station -known as Karioi could be reached by travelling in the direction of -Whanganui. This was out of our course, but there was no alternative -but to make for it, in order to recruit our horses and replenish our -commissariat. We therefore looked towards this place as a kind of Land -of Promise, flowing with the proverbial milk and honey.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_253" id="Page_253">[Pg 253]</a></span></p> - -<p>Once clear of the sterile desert, we took a southerly course along the -Whangaehu River, until we reached the magnificent tract of open country -known as the Murimotu Plains. This wide district, which forms, as it -were, the southern slope of the great central table-land, stretches -in the west to the borders of the forest country which extends to the -valley of the Whanganui, while to the eastward it is bounded by the -lower hills which branch out in the form of extensive ridges from the -southern end of the Kaimanawa Mountains. These plains, which resemble -in general features those to the north of the desert forming the -Rangipo plateau, are covered with a network of streams and rivers, -and, for the most part, with a luxuriant growth of native grasses, the -ridges and lower hills which dot them towards the east being carpeted -with low fern. We travelled across the plains principally by compass -bearing, and we had to cross many swollen streams in our course, the -waters of one pouring in the form of a cascade into a deep circular -basin. Beyond this point we again struck the Whangaehu, which had now -become a wide stream, but its waters were still quite white. After -a journey of nine hours, during which time the rain and wind never -ceased, we sighted a "three-rail fence," which we joyously hailed as -the first sign of civilization we had seen for some time.</p> - - -<p>The fence proved to be the horse-paddock of the station, and following -it along,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_254" id="Page_254">[Pg 254]</a></span> we soon came to our destination. We found the various -<i>whares</i> and rustic huts composing the settlement of Karioi scattered -promiscuously about the banks of the Tokiahuru River, a tributary of -the Whangaehu, which wound through the station in its course to the -south. The site of the settlement was most delightfully chosen, and the -views from every part of it were most attractive.</p> - -<p>Upon arrival at the homestead all hands came to greet us, although -nobody knew who we were, nor where we had come from; nor were we asked -whether we were hungry. With true bush etiquette, that was taken as a -matter of course, and we were soon invited to partake of what was to us -a magnificent repast.</p> - -<p>We found the good people of Karioi true cosmopolites, ready to enter -into conversation and to furnish all the news in their power in -exchange for what we could tell them of the country we had passed -through. Strange as it may appear, in this small settlement of whites -and natives, which formed the last link in the chain of European -settlement stretching from the East Coast into this portion of the -country, our pleasant party at Karioi was composed of representatives -of many nations. A Mr. Rees, who had come up from Whanganui, was a -native of Australia, and had served in the armed constabulary at -Parihaka; Mr. Newman, our host, hailed from the South of England; one -of the "hands" was a New Zealander, another an Austrian, a third came -from the Alpine districts of the Tyrol, and another from the Land o' -Cakes, while the native race was here represented by several <i>hapus</i> -of one of the principal Whanganui tribes. To listen to the spirited -description given by Mr. Rees of the Parihaka campaign,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_255" id="Page_255">[Pg 255]</a></span> and to his -delineation of Te Whiti<a name="FNanchor_52_52" id="FNanchor_52_52"></a><a href="#Footnote_52_52" class="fnanchor">[52]</a> and other notable chiefs, to participate in -the varied conversation upon the wonders of the surrounding country, -to chat with the Tyrolese in his native tongue, and to feel that a -great vacuum had been filled in our insides, was so great a change to -what we had recently experienced, that we now seemed to be partaking -of the pleasures of the varied society and seductive luxuries of a -first-class antipodean caravansary, where hospitality was boundless and -good-fellowship the order of the day.</p> - -<p>In the evening we visited the native <i>kainga</i>, and spent some time -with the Maoris in the <i>wharepuni</i>. There were about twenty natives -present, men, women, and children, and in the centre of the primitive -apartment blazed a huge fire, which threw out a terrific heat, and -rendered the place almost unbearable. The natives were mostly short -of stature, with hard features, and I remarked that they spoke with -a much harsher accent than those further to the north, and that they -clipped many of their words in a remarkable way. When Turner inquired -for an explanation of this habit, they stated that their great -ancestor, Ngatoroirangi, when he came over in the <i>Arawa</i> canoe was -engaged in baling out that craft during a storm, and that whilst so -doing he caught a severe cold, which caused him to speak in a sharp, -halting kind of way, which has been imitated ever since by many of the -Whanganui tribes,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_256" id="Page_256">[Pg 256]</a></span> who claim descent from that celebrated chief, and who -has been before alluded to in a previous chapter as the first explorer -of the country.</p> - -<p>On the second evening after our arrival at Karioi, and when all hands -were assembled in the homely <i>whare</i> watching the big pots boiling for -supper, in fact, when everything looked <i>couleur de rose</i>, a horseman -rode up bespattered with mud from head to foot, bringing a packet of -papers and a handful of letters. This was the Napier mail, and we -hailed it with delight, as it was the first tidings of civilization we -had obtained since we left Tapuwaeharuru, over twenty-four days past. -We anxiously scanned the telegrams, to see what had arisen with regard -to the Mahuki difficulty, when we learned that the native minister -was about to leave Alexandra to travel by way of the Mokau River to -Taranaki, in company with a body-guard of armed natives, under the -chief Hone Te Wetere, that Mahuki's tribe was going to oppose his -journey through that portion of the country, and that a gallows had -been erected at Te Kumi, to hang the native minister and all other -whites that might be caught across the <i>aukati</i> line. This news, which -was about the most exciting item of intelligence the papers contained, -was discussed with much gusto. The mere idea of war in the King -Country—Alexandra in flames and a minister hanged—seemed to act like -magic upon the heroic hearts of the cosmopolitan community at Karioi. -This new phase of the native difficulty Turner and myself treated with -apparent indifference, but in reality, <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_257" id="Page_257">[Pg 257]</a></span>coming as it did at that moment, -we secretly deemed it of no small concern, as we had determined to -leave Karioi on the following day, re-enter the King Country at its -southern end, and come out somehow across the northern frontier. In the -suggestive words of the schoolboy, we never "let on;" but, as a matter -of fact, from the time we left Karioi until we crossed the <i>aukati</i> -line at Alexandra, five weeks afterwards, this significant item of -intelligence was our <i>bête noire</i>, as during our progress northward we -could never tell from day to day what difficulties we might run into -with the natives by reason of the Hursthouse-Mahuki episode.</p> - -<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_52_52" id="Footnote_52_52"></a><a href="#FNanchor_52_52"><span class="label">[52]</span></a> Te Whiti and Tohu, the Maori prophets, were captured in -1882, at the instance of the Government, by the armed constabulary at -the native settlement of Parihaka, for inciting their followers to -commit acts of lawlessness against the European settlers.</p></div></div> - - - - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXII" id="CHAPTER_XXII">CHAPTER XXII.</a></h2> - -<p class="center">FOREST COUNTRY.</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p class="hang"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_258" id="Page_258">[Pg 258]</a></span>The start from Karioi—On the track—Te Wheu maps the country—The -primeval solitude—Terangakaika Forest—The flora—Difficulties -of travel—The lakes—Birds—Pakihi—Mangawhero River—Gigantic -vines—Fallen trees—Dead forest giants—Mangatotara and Mangatuku -Rivers—A "Slough of Despond"—Dismal Swamp.</p></blockquote> - - -<p class="drop"><span class="uppercase">We</span> were invited to stay as long as we liked at Karioi, but as we were -anxious, as the weather was breaking, to push forward as soon as -possible, we had to content ourselves with two days' rest, and on the -morning of the 24th of April we again set out. Having examined all the -principal natural features of the country for over 200 miles northward -of this point, I determined to traverse the plains to the southward of -Ruapehu, and then pass through the great forest to the westward of that -mountain, in order to reach the Manganui-a-te-Ao River near to its -junction with the Whanganui, and afterwards proceed northward through -the King Country, by the best route we could find.</p> - -<p>We had heard from the Maoris that there was an unfrequented native -track, leading somewhere in the direction of the Manganui-a-te-Ao -River, through the region we were going to explore, but it was at all -times difficult to travel, and still more difficult to find, unless by -those well acquainted with the country. We were told that it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_259" id="Page_259">[Pg 259]</a></span> led over -high mountains and steep hills, and across rivers and boggy creeks -innumerable. With these difficulties ahead, we endeavoured to secure -the services of a native guide to accompany us as far as Ruakaka, the -Maori settlement on the Manganui-a-te-Ao, but no one among the many -natives we treated with was willing to make the journey; all excusing -themselves upon the plea that they did not like to undertake the -responsibility of introducing Europeans into the country. At last, -after considerable parleying, a native, named Te Wheu, agreed to put us -on to the track for a consideration, so we set out without delay. As -it was clear that we should have to traverse the great forest on foot, -and have much difficult travelling, we abandoned our sumpter-horse at -Karioi, together with our gun, which, up to this time, had been of -little service, and reducing our camp equipage to the lowest, packed -our horses with the tent and blankets, and carried just sufficient -provisions to last us for three days, by which time we hoped to reach -Ruakaka.</p> - -<p>We picked up our guide Te Wheu at the Whakahi <i>kainga</i>, and took a -westerly course across the Murimotu Plains, which extended, in the form -of a well-grassed tract of country, as far as the southern base of -Ruapehu, and beyond which a thick, and apparently impenetrable, forest -rose, in the form of a barrier of varied and beautiful vegetation. -Near to the southern end of the great mountain we passed the Maori -settlement of Ohinepu, situated on a slope, with low mounds on its -western side, on which were several tombs.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_260" id="Page_260">[Pg 260]</a></span></p> - -<p>We crossed the Waitaki Creek, flowing southerly from the mountain, and -near to a native <i>kainga</i>, situated on a rock-bound hill, beneath which -the Mangaehu stream flowed like a moat.</p> - -<p>From this point, after passing a swamp, we soon hit the so-called -track, which would have been impossible to find without native -assistance, hidden as the entrance to it was away in the winding of the -dense forest. Here the colossal trees rose up on every side, a thick -undergrowth of the most varied shrubs hedged us in wherever we turned, -and coiling roots of trees, and black, swampy mud, with here and there -a blazed tree, was the only indication of our course. To ride through -this was impossible, and we therefore had to dismount and lead our -horses.</p> - -<p>Te Wheu accompanied us to the summit of a densely-wooded hill, which -rose 500 feet above the plain we had recently left. Before leaving us, -however, we induced him to sketch out roughly, on the ground, the lay -of the country we were about to traverse, when he gave us the names and -directions of the principal rivers and creeks we should have to cross. -He then told us that as he was known at Ruakaka we might mention his -name to the natives, but that he could not guarantee our safety, as the -Maoris of that part were true Hauhaus, and objected to <i>pakehas</i> going -into their territory.</p> - -<p>As soon as Te Wheu had disappeared on his homeward track we bent on -our way through the great<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_261" id="Page_261">[Pg 261]</a></span> primeval solitude. We had been so much out -in the open country hitherto, that the scenery of the forest seemed -at first like a pleasant change, but this idea was completely altered -after a journey through it of seventy miles.</p> - -<p>The Terangakaika Forest, which extends from the western slope of -Ruapehu, forms part of the wide expanse of bush country which stretches -into the valley of the Whanganui, and thence, westerly, to Taranaki. It -grows to within 1000 feet or so of the snow-line of the great mountain, -and covers nearly the whole of its western side, as well as the wide -plateau near this portion of its base. When we had got well on our way, -we found this enormous wilderness spreading itself out over a perfect -network of broken, rugged ranges, which in many places appeared to have -been hurled about by the terrific throes of an earthquake. The soil was -everywhere of the richest description, and many of the colossal trees -averaged from thirty to forty feet in circumference at the base, and -towered above us to a height of considerably over 100 feet, forming a -grand canopy of foliage, above and beyond which nothing could be seen -but the blue of the sky and the golden rays of sunlight as they lit up -the bright-green tints of the splendid vegetation.</p> - -<p>Among the largest trees was the <i>towai</i>, which here attained to a -larger growth than any we had previously seen, its enormous branches -supporting a canopy of small, shining, green leaves, giving it a very -beautiful appearance. Next to the <i>towai</i> in size was the <i>rimu</i>, its -pendulous branches making it everywhere a conspicuous and attractive -feature, but it is worthy of remark that where on the volcanic soil, -formed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_262" id="Page_262">[Pg 262]</a></span> by the decomposition of rocks of that kind, the <i>towai</i> -attained to its largest size, we found that the <i>rimu</i> grew to larger -proportions on the marly soil we afterwards met with as we approached -the valley of the Whanganui. It was also in the latter locality that -the <i>rata</i> likewise attained to its most colossal proportions; many of -these parasitical giants clasping the enormous <i>rimus</i> in a death-like -struggle for existence. Besides these grand representatives of the -vegetable world, which formed by far the greater part of the forest -growth, we also found many noble specimens of the <i>hinau</i>, the <i>tawa</i>, -the <i>miro</i>, and <i>matai</i>, the berries of the three former trees being -scattered over many parts of our track in enormous quantities. In -fact, almost all the principal trees peculiar to the forests of the -North Island here flourished in wonderful luxuriance, together with -an extensive variety of shrubs and ferns, while mosses, lichens, and -trailing vines clothed the tall trees to the topmost branches in -gay festoons of vegetation, which presented the brightest and most -variegated hues.</p> - -<p>With all these marvellous creations of the vegetable world around -us, we soon, however, found that travelling through the great forest -wilderness was both fatiguing and difficult. There was not 100 yards of -level ground, and the native track, what little there was of it, led -over steep precipitous ridges, from 200 to 400 feet in height, which -were constantly ascending and descending in a way which rendered our -progress not only slow, but difficult and tedious. The steep ascents, -up which we had to drag our animals at every turn, were as slippery as -glass with the dank humidity of the surrounding vegetation, and were -encumbered<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_263" id="Page_263">[Pg 263]</a></span> with the gnarled roots of trees in every direction, while -the descents were in many places so precipitous that it was impossible -for us to lead our horses without the risk of them rolling over on -us, so we were compelled to let them go their own way down, when they -would, owing to the slippery nature of the soil, slide down on their -haunches and never stop until they were pulled up by a boggy creek -below. These creeks, filled with thick, black mud, impeded our progress -at every descent, and struck terror into our animals, so that we would -often have to flog them across, when their struggles to climb the -slippery ascents on the opposite side fatigued them fearfully. It was -not as if we had only to encounter these difficulties now and again, -but they presented themselves in the most aggravated forms at every few -hundred yards of our journey, from morning until night, and for day -after day. Thus, amid solitude and shade, we pursued our onward way, -now plunging into the deep and gloomy chasms of the mountains, and anon -rising to the opposite ascent, till the distant openings in the forest, -restoring the welcome sunlight, revealed mountain and valley yet to be -traversed.</p> - -<p>Our first day's journey brought us to two lakes, which Te Wheu told -us we would find somewhere along our track, and which would serve as -our first camping-place. A little before dusk we came suddenly out of -the forest into a small, circular, open flat, fringed with <i>toetoe</i>, -and covered with a luxuriant growth of native grass. On our left, a -grassy ridge rose in a semicircle,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_264" id="Page_264">[Pg 264]</a></span> and all around the open space the -trees rose one above the other in the most attractive way, while a -variety of shrubs dispersed about in the most picturesque order, made -the place appear like a perfect garden. Right in the very centre of the -natural <i>parterre</i> was Rangitauaiti, a beautiful lake of a complete -circular form, and the water of which, looking like a polished mirror, -was of the deepest blue. Beyond this flat, the native name of which was -Rangitanua, and separated only by a low ridge crowned with a luxuriant -growth of vegetation, was another open space, in the centre of which -was Rangitauanui, an oval-shaped lake larger than the former, but in -which the water was of the same limpid blue. The trees on the further -side rose in a dense forest growth, and as they came close down to the -water, they were reflected in the depths below with grand and beautiful -effect. In fact, the whole surroundings of these lakes appeared so -attractive after our long journey through the forest, that we seemed to -have got into a quiet corner of paradise.</p> - -<p>We remained here the following day, as much to rest ourselves as our -horses, and we enjoyed the quiet romance of the place immensely. The -primeval region was a perfect elysium for birds of all kinds, and at -daylight the forest was alive with their warblings, and with the soft -note of the <i>tui</i> came the harsh screech of the <i>kaka</i>; flocks of -pigeons circled about the tree-tops, and gaily-plumed parrots winged in -a rapid flight through the air. One of the latter birds, which we found -dead, had a green body and a light green breast, with a dark crimson -patch on the head, and a small patch under the eye of the same colour. -This was the first bird of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_265" id="Page_265">[Pg 265]</a></span> kind I had seen in New Zealand, and it -resembled very much one of the green mountain-parrots of Australia.</p> - -<p>When we left our camp at Rangitanua it was in the hope that we should -be able to reach the Manganui-a-te-Ao by nightfall, but in this -calculation we were greatly out. We passed round the western end of -Lake Rangitauanui and entered a boggy, densely-wooded country, where -the trees, especially the <i>rimu</i>, were larger and more gigantic in -proportions than any we had yet seen. The dense forest here literally -rained with moisture, and, as we had to lead our horses, we were at -places compelled to plunge through swamps where the big roots of trees -threatened to break our legs and those of our struggling animals. We -crossed a branch of the Mangawhero, and towards sundown came to a -small open flat called Pakihi, surrounded entirely by the forest, and -where we found excellent feed for our horses. It had taken us seven -hours of hard travelling to reach this spot, and during that time we -had to cross no less than ten boggy creeks, besides other streams. The -Mangawhero River ran round the western side of this small oasis, the -<i>towai</i>-trees forming a conspicuous feature along the banks of the -stream. We camped at Pakihi for the night, the stillness of the place -being only broken now and again by the shrill note of the whistling -duck.</p> - -<p>We struck camp at Pakihi early on the following day, but had some -difficulty in crossing the Mangawhero, which we found to be a broad, -rapid, boulder-strewn stream. The banks were very steep and slippery, -and when we had our horses down on one side<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_266" id="Page_266">[Pg 266]</a></span> we had great difficulty in -getting them up the other.</p> - -<p>As we got again into the thick of the forest the vegetation became -denser, and the <i>rimu</i>-trees, seeming to increase in size, shot up -for over a hundred feet as straight as gun-barrels. Where some of -these giants of the forest had fallen across our track, we had often -to cut a way round them for our horses, through the thick shrub and -tangled vines, the latter of which impeded our progress at every -turn, by tripping us up, and winding round the legs and necks of -our animals like treacherous snares. The enormous <i>rata</i>-vines had -been very troublesome up to this point, but now we had to do battle -not only against them, but against the supple-jacks, which we found -growing everywhere in a perfect network of snakelike coils on the -soft, marly soil of the country we were now in. It was nothing to have -a supple-jack round the neck and a <i>rata</i>-vine round the legs at the -same time, while our horses would often get so entangled that they -would refuse to move until we had cut them a clear passage out of their -difficulties.</p> - -<p>In many instances, owing to surrounding obstacles, there was no -alternative but to make them leap over the fallen trees in our way, -and when not able to do this, the animals would jump on to them and -leap down like dogs. Indeed, the tricks that they had to go through to -get over these and other impediments rendered them almost as clever as -circus-horses.</p> - -<p>Another frequent feature we noticed was that where the great trees -had apparently been lying for some time,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_267" id="Page_267">[Pg 267]</a></span> the seeds of other trees had -fallen upon them, and, germinating into life, had sent their roots -down into the very heart of these decaying vegetable monsters. In this -way it was no uncommon sight to see three or four different species of -large trees living and flourishing upon the dead trunks of these forest -giants.</p> - -<p>We crossed the Mangatotara River twice, and after passing through a -very rough and broken portion of the great wilderness, we fell in with -another river, called the Mangatuku, and which we had to cross three -times in its winding course. Both of these streams appeared to drain -a large area of country, and so dense was the vegetation along their -banks that it was only here and there that a ray of sunlight shot -through the thick canopy of green upon them.</p> - -<p>During this portion of our journey we came across a complete network -of tracks made by herds of wild cattle, and which led us about to all -points of the compass, until we found it impossible to make out in what -direction we should shape our course. We climbed a tree on the summit -of a high ridge, but we could see nothing but the snowy summit of -Ruapehu in the distance, while all around us, in every direction, was -an apparently endless expanse of forest. From this point the country -began to fall rapidly, and it was evident that we were descending into -the valley of the Whanganui. After nine hours of incessant travelling, -from the time we left our camp in the morning, we had crossed no less -than thirty boggy creeks, besides other streams, and now that dusk had -overtaken us, we found it impossible to proceed any further. We were -now in the midst of a swampy portion of the forest, which seemed like -a veritable "Slough of Despond," and which, judging from the way the -ground had been rooted up in every direction, appeared to be a kind -of wild-pig elysium. Throughout the whole distance we had come, the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_268" id="Page_268">[Pg 268]</a></span> -country had been grubbed up by these animals, many of which we saw of -great size, and apparently of true wild-boar ferocity.</p> - -<p>We were compelled to pitch camp in this uninviting spot, our horses -faring badly, as there was little or no food for them beyond what they -could get from the trees and shrubs. This was one of the most dreary -places in which we had camped during our journey. The night was dark -and wet, the colossal trees rose like spectres around us, the enormous -vines that twisted and twirled about them like coils of vipers, were -covered with grey moss, which hung in dank festoons often over two feet -in length, like enormous spider-webs, and as the rain poured down from -the branches above, the whole place looked as if it had been saturated -with moisture for centuries. We cut down branches of the <i>nikau</i>, -and made a tolerably good bed for ourselves after smoothing down the -ground where the pigs had been rooting; and we named the place "Dismal -Swamp" on account of the swampy nature of the country and the truly -dismal character of the whole surroundings. This camp was situated at -an altitude of 1700 feet above the level of the sea, or just 560 feet -lower than our camp at the lakes.</p> - - - - - - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXIII" id="CHAPTER_XXIII">CHAPTER XXIII.</a></h2> - -<p class="center">RUAKAKA.</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p class="hang"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_269" id="Page_269">[Pg 269]</a></span>The <i>wharangi</i> plant—Enormous ravines—Ruakaka—Reception by the -Hauhaus—The chief Pareoterangi—The parley—Hinepareoterangi—A -repast—Rapid fall of country—The Manganui-a-te-Ao—Shooting the -rapids—The natives—Religion—Hauhauism—Te Kooti's lament—A -Hauhau hymn.</p></blockquote> - - -<p class="drop"><span class="uppercase">We</span> struck camp at Dismal Swamp at daybreak, and travelled on for many -miles through the same character of country we had been traversing -for the past five days. Before leaving us, at the entrance to the -forest, Te Wheu had warned us not to allow our horses to eat a certain -shrub, called by the natives "<i>wharangi</i>," which we found growing for -many miles along our course, with broad, oval-shaped, light-green -leaves. This plant, when eaten by horses or cattle, is said to produce -stupefaction, followed by convulsions and death, the only known cure -being instant bleeding from the ears. Our own animals were now ready -to eat anything, and made desperate efforts to devour the foliage of -the trees, and, as we went along, we had great difficulty in keeping -them away from this poisonous shrub, which they would devour greedily. -During this journey the boggy creeks and fallen trees became more -troublesome than before, and the hills steeper and more difficult to -climb. We passed along one ridge, with enormous ravines below, some -of which were of circular shape, and in appearance not unlike extinct<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_270" id="Page_270">[Pg 270]</a></span> -craters, while deep down in their depths, all around their sides, and -up to their very topmost ridges, nothing was to be seen but a luxuriant -growth of the most varied and beautiful vegetation. Here, too, the -geological character of the country changed, the trachytic rocks giving -place to a sandstone formation, covered with a stratum of thick, marly -earth, which was so slippery in places that we could hardly manage to -get along.</p> - -<p>During the greater part of the morning the rain had been pouring down -in torrents, and what with the swollen condition of the creeks, the -slippery nature of the soil, and the starved condition of our horses, -our prospects of ever reaching Ruakaka seemed to be hopeless. At -last, about two o'clock in the afternoon, we hailed with delight a -break in the forest, and we came suddenly into a hilly region, where -the tall fern grew higher than our horses' heads. After travelling a -considerable distance through this country, we mounted to the top of a -high hill, when we beheld, 200 feet beneath us, a fine, open valley, -sunk like a pit, as it were, in the heart of a mountainous region, -where enormous forests stretched away as far as the eye could reach on -every side. Right down the centre of the valley, as far as we could -see, we could trace the winding course of the Manganui-a-te-Ao, marked -by precipitous cliffs of grey rock, which rose perpendicularly from the -waters of the river to a height of 300 feet, while above these, again, -on the further side of the stream,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_271" id="Page_271">[Pg 271]</a></span> were terraces of rounded hills, -backed by conical mountains, which mounted, one above the other, to a -height of 3000 or 4000 feet, covered from base to summits with a thick -mantle of luxuriant vegetation. On the side where we had emerged from -the forest the valley was bounded by round-topped, fern-clad hills and -flat, terrace-like formations that descended, in the form of gigantic -steps, into the plain below, where the <i>whares</i> and cultivations of the -natives, stretching for miles along the course of the stream, appeared -dotted about in the most picturesque way. Taken altogether, the whole -place had a singularly wild appearance as we gazed upon it, and now -that we could see everything from our point of vantage without being -seen, we wondered what kind of a welcome we should meet with from the -natives.</p> - -<p>We led our horses down the steep, slippery track into the valley, and -as we were now seen by some of the Maoris, there were loud shouts that -<i>pakehas</i> had arrived, and the natives came out of the <i>whares</i> and -awaited our approach in front of the <i>wharepuni</i>. We could see at a -glance that the words of Te Wheu were correct, and that the natives, so -far as we could discern by outward signs, were veritable Hauhaus, alike -in dress and bearing, while both men and women had a singularly wild -and even savage appearance when compared with all other tribes I had -seen in different parts of the country. It was likewise clear that they -did not welcome us at first with any demonstrations of cordiality, and -upon Turner inquiring for the chief, they replied that he was away at -a wild-pig hunt, and that we must wait till he came.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_272" id="Page_272">[Pg 272]</a></span> The natives then -squatted around us, and scanned us narrowly, while we looked on with -an air of apparent indifference.</p> - -<p>In the meanwhile a messenger had been despatched for the chief, -whose name, we now learned, was Te Pareoterangi, and after a short -delay he appeared before us, with half a dozen wild-looking natives, -carrying a double-barrelled gun over his shoulder. He was a man below -medium height, but of singularly massive build, broad-chested and -broad-shouldered, with a well-formed head, and singularly well-moulded -features. Indeed, his heavily-knit frame, intelligent air, and almost -oriental cast of countenance made him stand out in marked contrast to -the other natives, who were, for the most part, unlike the generality -of their race, remarkable for their diminutive stature and ungainly -appearance.</p> - -<p>When Te Pareoterangi came up, he squatted down with a sullen air, -without going through any form of salutation, and then, after a pause, -asked us what we had come for, and upon Turner telling him that he had -brought the <i>pakeha</i>, who was travelling for pleasure, a titter ran -round the circle, for, if we did not look it, we felt half-starved, -we were drenched to the skin, and covered from head to foot with mud, -and the chief, evidently realizing all the unpleasant features of our -position, naively remarked, "How can the <i>pakeha</i> travel for pleasure -through such a forest as you have come?" At which an old tattooed -savage observed, "Their horses are only rats; how did they get here? -These <i>pakehas</i> have singular ways." This was said with a sinister -smile from the old man, and in anything but a complimentary tone. <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_273" id="Page_273">[Pg 273]</a></span>Many -other questions were put to us, and the parleying kept on, by fits and -starts, for a good half-hour, during which time the natives displayed -no token of friendship, the only manifestations we received in this -respect being from the dogs and pigs, the latter even going so far as -to scratch their backs against our legs.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus-fp272.jpg" alt="RUAKAKA " /> -<a id="illus-fp272"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption"> RUAKAKA.</p> - -<p>At last an old woman, who had been watching the proceedings keenly, -and whose appearance reminded me of one of the witches in "Macbeth," -suddenly rose, and stepping with an excited air into the middle of the -circle, waved her bare right arm round her head, and shouted at the top -of her voice, "<i>Haeremai! Haeremai! Haeremai!</i>"<a name="FNanchor_53_53" id="FNanchor_53_53"></a><a href="#Footnote_53_53" class="fnanchor">[53]</a> And then turning to -the natives, in an equally excited way, said, "The <i>pakehas</i> have been -following up the rivers of great names, and have come to our homes; -they are hungry, and we must give them food." The words of this weird -dame, whom we afterwards found was the chieftainess Hinepareoterangi, -and mother of the chief of the <i>hapu</i>, acted like magic upon the -natives, who at once took charge of our horses, while the women -hastened to prepare a meal, old Hinepareoterangi opening the feast by -presenting us with some of the finest apples I had ever tasted.<a name="FNanchor_54_54" id="FNanchor_54_54"></a><a href="#Footnote_54_54" class="fnanchor">[54]</a> In -a short time we were invited into the <i>wharepuni</i>,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_274" id="Page_274">[Pg 274]</a></span> and a big tin dish -of potatoes and pork was set before us, the old chieftainess remarking, -"You are now in a 'Tongariro country,' and must not look for such -delicacies as bread." As we had only had two meals for the past two -days, and those of the most visionary description, we found this repast -most acceptable. The pork, which had been preserved by being rendered -down in its own fat, was delicious, while the potatoes were of the -finest kind.</p> - -<p>Owing to the heavy rain and the flooded state of the Manganui-a-te-Ao, -we were compelled to wait at Ruakaka for two days, during which time -we visited many parts of the district. I found that the altitude of -Ruakaka was 800 feet above the level of the sea, and it is worthy of -remark, as showing the rapid fall of the country in this direction, -that, in order to reach this place from the great central table-land -where we had at first entered the forest, we had descended by the -circuitous way we had come no less than 1600 feet in about forty miles.</p> - -<p>These figures will give some idea of the swift current of the -Manganui-a-te-Ao, which, taking its rise near the north-western -side of Ruapehu, cuts its way through a mountainous country in a -deep, rock-bound channel, and receives the waters of innumerable -tributaries along its entire course. <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_275" id="Page_275">[Pg 275]</a></span>The volume of water poured -down by this impetuous stream, especially in the rainy season, and -during the melting of the snows of Ruapehu, is something prodigious, -while I believe the rapidity of its current is unequalled by any -other river in New Zealand. Along its entire length its rocky bed -is strewn with large boulders and masses of rock of colossal size, -while its precipitous cliffs, crowned with towering, forest-clad -mountains, impart to it a singularly grand and wild appearance. Besides -its rapid course, it is remarkable for its windings and dangerous -rapids. We found that the river was known by three native names—viz. -Manganui-a-te-Ao, or "great river of light;" Te Waitahupara, and Te -Wairoahakamanamana-a-Rongowaitahanui, or "the river of ever-dancing -waters and steep, echoing cliffs"—while the Whanganui, into which -it fell, was not only known by the latter name, but likewise as Te -Wainui-a-Tarawera, or the "great waters of Tarawera."</p> - -<p>The two rivers form the principal means of communication for the -natives of Ruakaka with the outer world. From the Manganui-a-te-Ao they -travel in canoes to the Whanganui, and thence southward to the coast. -The distance is accomplished in a few days, owing to the rapid current, -but the journey up stream often takes over a month. The natives are -experienced "canoemen," as they must be in order to navigate their -frail canoes over the many rapids and winding turns that mark the -whole course of the river, as well as that of the Whanganui. At most -of the rapids the water shoots over enormous boulders and between -narrow channels, and the canoes, guided by poles, are carried over the -treacherous places with wonderful dexterity.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_276" id="Page_276">[Pg 276]</a></span> As may well be imagined, -the frail craft often gets upset, but the natives, who are expert -swimmers, right them again with little difficulty.</p> - -<p>During our stay at Ruakaka we were guests of Pareoterangi and his -family, which consisted of the old chieftainess, Hinepareoterangi, or -the "woman of the heavenly crest," as her name implied; Ani, wife of -Pareoterangi, a tall, gaunt woman with blunt features, and who wore her -hair in short, thick ringlets about her head; Te Ahi, her daughter; and -Toma, the tattooed savage who had called our horses "rats." We took up -our quarters in the <i>wharepuni</i> with these people, but the dismal, and, -I may say, dirty, tenement was constantly filled with the natives, who -kept continually dropping in to chat or to have a look at us. In this -way we had a good opportunity of studying the manners and customs of -the Hauhaus of Ruakaka, and, all things considered, they seemed to be -following about the same mode of life as they must have done before the -arrival of Cook, their manners still presenting that mixture of rude -freedom and simplicity suggestive of the infancy of society, before -art had taught men to restrain the sentiments of their nature, or to -disguise the original features of their character. Shut up in the midst -of their forest wilderness, and having little or no connection with the -outer world, they seemed to know nothing or to care for nothing beyond -their own day-to-day existence. We learned that since time immemorial -this wild and secluded valley had been a place of settlement for -different <i>hapus</i> of the tribes inhabiting the region of the Whanganui -River,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_277" id="Page_277">[Pg 277]</a></span> and that those at present dwelling there were the Ngatihau, -Ngatiapa, Ngatimaringi, Ngatitamakana, Ngatiatamira, Ngatiruakopiri, -Ngatiikewaia, and Ngatitara. We were informed that their common -ancestor was Uenuku, and that their forefathers came from Hawaiki in -the <i>Tainui</i>, <i>Arawa</i>, and <i>Aotea</i> canoes. In former times the whole -valley of the Manganui-a-te-Ao was fortified with formidable <i>pas</i>, so -that it was impossible for an enemy to get up the river. During the -troubled times of the great war with the Europeans Ruakaka was always -considered as a safe meeting-place for the Hauhau tribes of this part -of the country, since the <i>pakehas</i> did not know of its existence; and -even if they had, as the natives reasonably remarked, they would never -have attempted to penetrate into its fastnesses with any prospect of -returning alive.</p> - -<p>I was anxious to test the religious principles of our Hauhau friends, -just to see whether a ray of Christianity was to be found in this -wild valley, and during an evening sitting, when the <i>wharepuni</i> -was heated like a furnace, and all the motley crowd were assembled -together, I got Turner to sound the old tattooed man, who had been a -noted fighting-chief during the war, upon the present and upon the -hereafter. This grim, antiquated warrior would sit and listen for hours -to everything that was said, but he would never venture a remark. Now -and again a diabolically sinister smile would pass over his blue-lined -countenance, and he would mutter a word with a puff of smoke, but -beyond this he was silent. When, however, the question as to his -religious scruples was put straight to him, he spoke out frankly, and -said, with an air of singular <i>naïveté,</i> "At one time I thought there -were two saints in the island—Tawhiao and Te Whiti—and I waited a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_278" id="Page_278">[Pg 278]</a></span> - -long time to see if they would be taken up to heaven in a chariot of -fire, but I have waited so long that I am tired, and now I think that -there are no saints in heaven or on earth." Old Hinepareoterangi, -who was always a good talker, and displayed at all times a facetious -spirit, laughed heartily at the admission of the old man, and then, -looking us full in the face, she exclaimed in her wild, weird way, -"We believe in nothing here, and get fat on pork and potatoes." This -brought down roars of laughter from the assembled Hauhaus, and we -dropped the religious question.</p> - - -<p>It was, in fact, very clear that these natives were as deeply wrapped -in the darkness of heathenism as were their forefathers centuries ago, -and beyond a superstitious species of Hauhauism, no germ of religious -teaching appeared to have found its way into their breasts. They were, -however, always ready to sing Hauhau chants to the glorification of -Te Whiti and Te Kooti, who appeared to be the presiding deities of -these wild tribes. At night, when the wind and rain raged without, -and the river rushed through its rock-bound channel with a noise like -thunder, both men and women would chant these wild refrains in droning, -melancholy notes, but in perfect harmony, the airs in most cases being -exceedingly pretty and touching.</p> - -<p>The two following chants were sung to us by Te Pareoterangi and other -natives in chorus, and were taken down in Maori verbatim by Turner. I -am indebted for their spirited translation to the able pen of Mr. C.O. -Davis.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_279" id="Page_279">[Pg 279]</a></span></p> - - -<p class="center">TE KOOTI'S LAMENT.</p> - -<p style="margin-left: 30%;"> -I stood alone awhile, then moving round<br /> -I heard of Taranaki's doings. The rumours<br /> -Reached me here, and then I raised<br /> -My hand to Tamarura,<a name="FNanchor_55_55" id="FNanchor_55_55"></a><a href="#Footnote_55_55" class="fnanchor">[55]</a> that deity<br /> -Above. Ah me! 'twas on the third<br /> -Of March that suffering came,<br /> -For then, alas! Waerangahika<a name="FNanchor_56_56" id="FNanchor_56_56"></a><a href="#Footnote_56_56" class="fnanchor">[56]</a> fell;<br /> -And I was shipped on board a vessel,<br /> -And borne along upon the ocean.<br /> -We steer for Waikawa,<a name="FNanchor_57_57" id="FNanchor_57_57"></a><a href="#Footnote_57_57" class="fnanchor">[57]</a> and then we bear<br /> -Away to Ahuriri,<a name="FNanchor_58_58" id="FNanchor_58_58"></a><a href="#Footnote_58_58" class="fnanchor">[58]</a> to thee, McLean.<a name="FNanchor_59_59" id="FNanchor_59_59"></a><a href="#Footnote_59_59" class="fnanchor">[59]</a><br /> -Ah, now I'm seated on <i>St. Kilda's</i><a name="FNanchor_60_60" id="FNanchor_60_60"></a><a href="#Footnote_60_60" class="fnanchor">[60]</a> deck,<br /> -And looking back to gaze upon the scene<br /> -My tears like water freely flow; now<br /> -Whanganui's<a name="FNanchor_61_61" id="FNanchor_61_61"></a><a href="#Footnote_61_61" class="fnanchor">[61]</a> shore is seen, now Whangaroa,<a name="FNanchor_62_62" id="FNanchor_62_62"></a><a href="#Footnote_62_62" class="fnanchor">[62]</a><br /> -Where mountain waves are raising up their crests<br /> -Near Wharekauri.<a name="FNanchor_63_63" id="FNanchor_63_63"></a><a href="#Footnote_63_63" class="fnanchor">[63]</a> O, my people,<br /> -Rest ye at home; arise and look around,<br /> -nd northward look. The lightsome clouds<br /> -Are lingering in the sky, and wafted hither<br /> -Day by day, yes, from my distant home,<br /> -Turanga, from which I now am separated,<br /> -Separated now from those I love.<br /> - -O, my people! respect the queen's authority,<br /> -That we may prosper even to the end.<br /> -Suffice the former things thrown in our path<br /> -As obstacles. Uphold the governor's laws<br /> -To mitigate the deeds of Rura, who brought<br /> -Upon us all our troubles. -</p> - - -<hr class="tb" /> - - - - -<p class="center">HAUHAU HYMN.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_280" id="Page_280">[Pg 280]</a></span></p> - -<p style="margin-left: 30%;"> -Let us arise, O people!—the whole of us arise.<br /> -Lo, Tohu and Te Whiti now have reached<br /> -The pits of darkness—the house of Tangaroa,<a name="FNanchor_64_64" id="FNanchor_64_64"></a><a href="#Footnote_64_64" class="fnanchor">[64]</a><br /> -And gateway of the spirit-world of Miru,<a name="FNanchor_65_65" id="FNanchor_65_65"></a><a href="#Footnote_65_65" class="fnanchor">[65]</a><br /> -Where men are bound all seasons of the year.<br /> -The offspring, too, of David they would bind.<br /> -The bright and morning star, Peace, at the end<br /> -Will come, and in the times of David<br /> -Feelings of vindictiveness will cease.<br /> -'Tis not from thee; it is from Moses<br /> -And the Prophets—from Jesus Christ<br /> -And His Apostles, that lines of demarcation<br /> -Were set up to shield thee from man's wrath.<br /> -The termination comes by thee, O Tohu!<br /> -And while it wears a pleasing aspect,<br /> -I am lighted into day. -</p> - -<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_53_53" id="Footnote_53_53"></a><a href="#FNanchor_53_53"><span class="label">[53]</span></a> <i>Haeremai</i> is the usual cry of welcome with the Maoris.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_54_54" id="Footnote_54_54"></a><a href="#FNanchor_54_54"><span class="label">[54]</span></a> When afterwards we asked the natives how it was they -appeared to be mistrustful of us when we first arrived, they replied -that they had always been suspicious of half-castes and <i>pakehas</i>, -especially since the capture of Winiata by Barlow. That Te Takaru, the -murderer of Moffat, came there sometimes, and they thought we were -after him. They then related to us the circumstances of Moffat's death. -It would appear that the murdered man, on his last journey, came to -Ruakaka, and induced several of the natives to accompany him to the -Tuhua country. Moffat, who had been driven from that district by the -natives, had been warned not to enter it again; but, notwithstanding -this caution, he determined to revisit it, in order to prospect for -gold. The party left by one of the bush tracks, and when it had nearly -reached its destination, Moffat was fired upon by a native from behind -a tree, and mortally wounded in the back. At the same moment he fell -from his horse, when another native jumped forward, and split his skull -open with a tomahawk.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_55_55" id="Footnote_55_55"></a><a href="#FNanchor_55_55"><span class="label">[55]</span></a> Tamarura—probably a supposed angel recognized by the -Hauhau parties.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_56_56" id="Footnote_56_56"></a><a href="#FNanchor_56_56"><span class="label">[56]</span></a> Waerangahika—one of the <i>pas</i> at Poverty Bay, which was -taken by our forces.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_57_57" id="Footnote_57_57"></a><a href="#FNanchor_57_57"><span class="label">[57]</span></a> Waikawa—now known as Open Bay.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_58_58" id="Footnote_58_58"></a><a href="#FNanchor_58_58"><span class="label">[58]</span></a> Ahuriri—the great Maori name of Hawke's Bay.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_59_59" id="Footnote_59_59"></a><a href="#FNanchor_59_59"><span class="label">[59]</span></a> The late Sir Donald McLean, the Superintendent of the -province of Hawke's Bay (Napier).</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_60_60" id="Footnote_60_60"></a><a href="#FNanchor_60_60"><span class="label">[60]</span></a> <i>St. Kilda</i> was the name of the vessel in which Te Kooti -was transported to the Chatham Islands.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_61_61" id="Footnote_61_61"></a><a href="#FNanchor_61_61"><span class="label">[61]</span></a> Whanganui—name of a places on the Chatham Islands.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_62_62" id="Footnote_62_62"></a><a href="#FNanchor_62_62"><span class="label">[62]</span></a> Whangaroa—name of a place on the Chatham Islands.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_63_63" id="Footnote_63_63"></a><a href="#FNanchor_63_63"><span class="label">[63]</span></a> Wharekauri is the native name of the Chatham Islands.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_64_64" id="Footnote_64_64"></a><a href="#FNanchor_64_64"><span class="label">[64]</span></a> The god of the sea, and guardian of fishes.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_65_65" id="Footnote_65_65"></a><a href="#FNanchor_65_65"><span class="label">[65]</span></a> Supposed being armed with authority in Hades.</p></div></div> - - - - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXIV" id="CHAPTER_XXIV">CHAPTER XXIV.</a></h2> - -<p class="center">NGATOKORUA PA.</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p class="hang"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_281" id="Page_281">[Pg 281]</a></span>Departure from Ruakaka—A legend—Rough forest—Crossing the -Manganui-a-te-Ao—Scenery of the river—Mount Towai—The plains -in sight—Rapid rise in the country—Ruapehu from the west—The -Waimarino plains—Arrival at the <i>pa</i>—The chief's family—A -Hauhau chief—<i>Inter alia</i>—Pehi on the decay of the Maoris—A -war-dance—The mere.</p></blockquote> - - -<p class="drop"><span class="uppercase">We</span> left Ruakaka with the best wishes of the natives, Te Pareoterangi -riding out some distance with us to put us in the right direction. -Our course now lay easterly up the valley of the Manganui-a-te-Ao, -and for thirty miles through another portion of the dense forest by -which we had come to reach the settlement, but by a route far more -difficult to travel, according to the account given to us of the -country by the natives, who informed us that we should have to cross -the Manganui-a-te-Ao ten times at various points, besides other streams -and innumerable creeks, before we could again reach the open country to -the north of Ruapehu. The river was still so flooded that the natives -earnestly advised us to remain, old Hinepareoterangi remarking, in her -jocose way, "If when you are gone the skies open and the great rains -descend, I will sit by the rushing waters and wait for your horses and -saddles; you will make splendid food for the eels."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_282" id="Page_282">[Pg 282]</a></span> Notwithstanding -this grim joke of the chieftainess of the "heavenly crest," as the -clouds were still gathering, and another flood might detain us a week -or perhaps a month at Ruakaka, and possibly prevent us from ever -reaching Alexandra by the course we had planned, we determined to make -a desperate effort to push through. We therefore set out without delay, -and crossed the Manganui-a-te-Ao for the first time about a mile below -the settlement, at a very picturesque spot, but we had to descend -nearly 100 feet to the crossing-place, beyond which a higher bend of -the river appeared to be nearly 100 feet above us.</p> - -<p>After gaining the opposite side we mounted above the stream to a bold -bluff, where once stood a <i>pa</i> called Rotua, which was formerly one of -the most formidable strongholds of the valley, and Te Pareoterangi, -when he pointed it out, told us of an interesting legend connected -with it. On one occasion in years gone by the <i>pa</i> was occupied by two -tribes, named respectively the Ngatitamakana and Ngatiatamire. Being at -war with other tribes, on one stormy night they were suddenly surprised -by the enemy under a noted chief named Tama Turaki, when, seeing all -chance of escape hopeless, they made a rope of native flax, and letting -themselves down the steep cliffs into the river, took up their position -in a stronghold further down the stream called Pukeatua. When, on the -following day, Tama Turaki found how the enemy had escaped, he followed -them with his tribe down the river in canoes, but the Ngatitamakana and -Ngatiatamire, being alive to his movements, conceived the bold idea -of consigning their savage pursuer into eternity by one fell swoop. -With this chivalrous aim in view, they hauled an enormous mass of rock -to the edge of the cliff on which the <i>pa</i> was situated, and bel<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_283" id="Page_283">[Pg 283]</a></span>ow -which the canoes of the enemy would pass, and just as they appeared -underneath the precipice the rock was hurled from above, and with a -thundering crash completely annihilated Tama Turaki and his band. -This enormous mass of rock, which may still be seen in the river, is -known to the natives as Parekura Huripari,<a name="FNanchor_66_66" id="FNanchor_66_66"></a><a href="#Footnote_66_66" class="fnanchor">[66]</a> and is looked upon by -them even unto this day with that singular display of superstitious -veneration which forms one of the most marked characteristics of the -Maori race.</p> - -<p>When Te Pareoterangi left us, which was about two miles out of the -settlement, he told us that we had a dangerous and difficult road -to go, and that it would be necessary to make all speed, lest the -flood should overtake us, and in that event he added, with true Maori -lightheartedness, "If the river don't land you again at Ruakaka you may -have to eat your horses." At the fourth crossing-place we had already -mounted to an altitude of 1200 feet, but to get to this point we had -traversed a hilly, broken region, covered in every direction with a -dense growth of <i>rimu</i>-trees. Throughout this portion of the country, -not only did the <i>rata</i>-vines coil about the giants of the forest in -every direction, but the "supplejacks" kept pulling us up at every -turn, while the rain, now descending in torrents, rendered the ground -and enormous roots of the trees which formed a complete network beneath -our feet, as slippery as glass.</p> - -<p>Although we could only lead our horses through t<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_284" id="Page_284">[Pg 284]</a></span>he forest, it was -necessary to ride them whenever we came to the crossing-places of the -Manganui-a-te-Ao, since at these points the water was in most places -over their backs, and often nearly over their heads, when they got -into the big holes that everywhere dotted the rugged channel of the -river. At the sixth crossing-place we had mounted to an altitude of -1460 feet, and here we were nearly coming to grief. The course across -the river was, like all other places, strewn in every direction with -enormous masses of rock, and the water came sweeping swiftly round -a great bend, where the cliffs rose up like a stupendous wall on -each side. The river here was about 100 feet wide, and in order to -get across, it was necessary for our horses to climb over a series -of huge boulders, and then on to the top of a big rock with a flat -top, from which they had to plunge off into a deep water-hole, with -a rapid only a few feet distant on the lower side. Turner, on his -plucky pony, took the first leap, and my own horse following, the snowy -waters, fresh from the glaciers of Ruapehu, nearly swept us out of -our saddles, and, for a moment, it seemed as if the ominous joke made -by old Hinepareoterangi before our departure, were about to become -true. At the seventh crossing-place the bed of the river was at an -altitude of 1541 feet, and here, as usual, we had fresh difficulties to -encounter. The masses of rock were of great size, and, while most of -the larger impediments of this nature were of trachytic formation, I -noticed several water-worn boulders, composed of a fossiliferous rock, -containing particles of shells, but all of which were too brok<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_285" id="Page_285">[Pg 285]</a></span>en to be -easily recognizable. These boulders appeared to have been washed down -by the river for some distance.</p> - -<p>All along the course of the Manganui-a-te-Ao the scenery was of the -wildest description; the steep cliffs and mountains towering above us -in the grandest confusion. In many places the colossal trees reached -their broad branches over the precipices that bordered the stream, in a -vivid canopy of green, while the foaming cascades beneath echoed with -a roaring sound through the deep valleys as the blue, dancing waters -swept onward in their precipitous course along the winding, rock-bound -ravine that formed the channel of this remarkable river.</p> - -<p>Leaving the course of the river for a time, we made a wide <i>détour</i> -to the north, and passed along a range of rugged mountains which -marked an altitude of 2900 feet above the level of the sea. Here the -whole country was very broken, and it was nothing but one continuous -ridge after ridge and gully after gully, while we had to take our -horses along precipices where there was scarcely room for them to move -along, especially where they had to round the trunks and roots of the -stupendous <i>towai</i>-trees, which grew in wonderful luxuriance in this -elevated region. Night fairly overtook us on the mountains at a point -which marked an altitude of 3500 feet above the level of the sea. The -rain poured down incessantly, and we could hear the river roaring in -the distance somewhere beneath us, although we had not the remotest -idea where we were. We named this elevated point<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_286" id="Page_286">[Pg 286]</a></span> "Mount Towai," on -account of a magnificent tree of that species which grew close to the -spot where we pitched our tent.</p> - -<p>We were up by the first streak of dawn, and, climbing a tree that -stretched out its trunk over the precipitous sides of Mount Towai, -looked anxiously to see whether we could get a glimpse of the open -plains, which we knew to be somewhere in the east. Beneath us wound the -deep ravines, covered with their primeval forests, and above the hills -in the distance we got a glance at a patch of open country through the -dense foliage. This seemed to us like a bright oasis, which had at last -come to break the dull monotony of the forest wilderness. We struck -camp at once, and descending 500 feet by a steep and slippery incline, -we gained the margin of the Manganui-a-te-Ao, and crossed the winding -stream for the ninth time, as it rolled down a deep gorge from its -source in the regions of eternal snow, as rugged and as rapid as ever.</p> - -<p>Once on the opposite side, we climbed a steep ascent, and gained the -broad, open table-land at an altitude of 2850 feet. Thus, to arrive at -this elevation from Ruakaka, we had travelled over hills and mountains -the whole way, and yet in a distance of about thirty miles the country -had risen over 2000 feet from our point of departure, which stood at an -altitude of 800 feet.</p> - -<p>Now that we had done eighty miles of forest travelling since we had -left the Murimotu Plains to reach the valley of the Whanganui, and -had spent eight days in the primeval wilderness, it is impossible<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_287" id="Page_287">[Pg 287]</a></span> to -describe with what delight we hailed the grand open country before -us. During our journey through the forest—that is to say, since we -first entered it from the Murimotu Plains—the weather had been mostly -wet, and even when the sun shone, the moisture kept dripping from -the trees like a perpetual shower-bath, and the dank, heavy feeling -of the air, caused by the endless vegetation through which we could -never see a hundred yards ahead, produced in the long-run a feeling -of intense weariness. Now, however, all nature looked radiant before -us, and the colossal form of Ruapehu, rising close to us on our right, -looked grander than ever. We now viewed the great mountain from the -north-west, an aspect from which we had not beheld it before, and the -forests on its sides were interspersed with patches of open country, -while the snow since last we had beheld it had crept down almost to -the base, and, mingling with the green of the vegetation, produced the -most beautiful effect as the mists of morning rolled away beneath the -glowing power of the sun.</p> - -<p>The fine grassy expanse covered with a thick coating of white frost we -had now entered, we afterwards found was known to the natives as the -Waimarino, from the name of the river running through it, and which had -its source in Haurungatahi, a large, densely wooded mountain which we -could see in the distance to our right, and which formed an attractive -and beautiful object in the surrounding scenery. These plains -immediately to the north-west of Ruapehu were the same we had seen in -this direction some weeks before, when making the ascent of Tongariro. -We had been told by the natives at Ruakaka that if we kept across the -plains to the south-east for about t<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_288" id="Page_288">[Pg 288 -7]</a></span>en miles in the direction of Mount -Haurungatahi, we should reach Ngatokorua, the <i>pa</i> of Pehi Hetau Turoa, -one of the principal chiefs of the Whanganui tribes. We therefore -directed our course towards this place, the plains as we rode along -opening out into park-like expanses, fringed with dense forests on -either side.</p> - -<p>When we arrived at the <i>pa</i>, early in the day, we were received by Pehi -and his people with a true Maori welcome.</p> - -<p>One of the most remarkable features in connection with this place was -that everything about it had a neat and tidy appearance, unlike all -other settlements we had seen. It was situated at the foot of Mount -Haurungatahi, whose steep sides, clothed with dense forests, towered up -behind it. This mountain, we learned, was personified by the Maoris as -the wife of Ruapehu. The view in every direction from the settlement -was most enchanting, forest, plain, and mountain all combining to add -variety to the surroundings.</p> - -<p>We were given comfortable quarters in the <i>wharepuni</i> in which the -chief's family dwelt, and which consisted of a spacious building -constructed of <i>totara</i>, and spread about with clean white mats. We -found Pehi's family to consist of Ngaruma, his wife, a pleasant woman -with an almost Grecian cast of countenance, although a pure Maori; -Te Wao, the chief's henchman, and his wife Ngawini; Turongoiti, with -his wife Rauia; Rene, another native; and Hinekura, Rora, and Pureti, -the chief's three daughters. We were invited by Pehi to remain as -long as we<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_289" id="Page_289">[Pg 289]</a></span> liked, and the three days we sojourned with the old chief -formed the most agreeable stage of our long journey. There was only -one drawback, and that was that we had to sleep with thirteen others -in the <i>wharepuni</i>, and as there were always two charcoal fires kept -burning, the heat was at times—especially during the first part of -the night—intolerable, the thermometer often reaching as high as -100° Fahr., while outside it indicated from four to six degrees below -freezing-point. Unfortunately, it was always dark by six o'clock in the -evening, when the <i>wharepuni</i> was closely fastened up, and we would -have to remain twelve hours in the stifling atmosphere until daylight.</p> - -<p>At the first glance it struck me that Pehi Hetau Turoa looked and -walked a chief. Taken altogether, he was the finest specimen of his -race I had ever seen. In age he appeared to be sixty, or thereabouts, -but his stature was that of a well-conditioned athlete. He stood about -six feet three, as upright as a dart, big-boned and muscular, and in -his younger days he had the reputation of being one of the strongest -men of his time. His well-formed features were cast in the true Maori -mould, and he had a singularly massive and well-shaped head. Over his -closely clipped beard hung a thick moustache, and above this, again, -the blue tattooed lines wound round his nostrils, then over his face, -and ended in small circles over his brows. During the war Pehi had been -a noted Hauhau leader, but, unlike most of the warriors of his race I -had met with, he, as if anxious to preserve his military renown, moved -about with the air of a well-drilled soldier, while he possessed at all -times and in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_290" id="Page_290">[Pg 290]</a></span> all his actions that genial yet dignified tone of manner -so characteristic of the Maori of the old school.</p> - -<p>Pehi was at all times a host in himself, and being a man of singularly -original and witty train of thought, his conversation was very amusing. -Of an evening, when the <i>wharepuni</i> was closed in, the whole <i>hapu</i> -would assemble, and squatting down on their mats round the small -charcoal fire, the old chief would relate the most singular tales, -and ask the most extraordinary questions. He recounted to us some -of his experiences in the Maori war, and then asked what nation was -at present at war with England? When informed that we were at that -time having a brush with Egypt, he inquired if that was not the place -where Christ was crucified, and when told that that incident occurred -in a neighbouring country, he ejaculated, "Ah, I know I was not far -out; a mile or two make no difference in a big event like that." He -next inquired what manner of men the Egyptians were, and whether they -danced the <i>haka</i>; and when I stated that the Egyptian dancing-girls -went through gyrations very similar to those of their dark sisters -at the antipodes, he replied, "Then if they dance the <i>haka</i> we must -be descended from them. I believe the Maoris are one of the lost -tribes of Israel." He asked many questions about England, and the -descriptions of London especially amused him, and when told that they -had a railway there running underground, he expressed great surprise, -and asked how it was that the <i>taniwha</i> we called the devil didn't -object to underground railways. He appeared very anxious to learn all -about the government of England, and when I had given him<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_291" id="Page_291">[Pg 291]</a></span> a <i>résumé</i> -of parliamentary procedure, he pointed towards Te Wao, his henchman, -who, strange to say for a Maori, was perfectly bald, and demanded, -in a serio-comic way, whether bald-headed men were allowed to sit in -the British Parliament, and when I pointed out that a bald-headed man -enjoyed equal parliamentary privileges with one having his head covered -with hair, he replied that the Maoris always looked with suspicion -on bald-headed men. All joined in the laugh at this remark, with the -exception of Pehi, who always looked particularly fierce and grim when -he cracked his jokes or hurled his shafts of satire.</p> - -<p>Although Pehi was singularly jocund for a man of his age, yet when a -serious question was put to him he knew how to answer it in a clear and -deliberate way; and when I got Turner to induce the <i>rangatira</i> to give -the apparent reason for the rapid decay of his race, he spoke thus: -"In former times we lived differently; each tribe had its territory. -We lived in <i>pas</i> placed high upon the mountains. The men looked to -war as their only occupation, and the women and the young people -cultivated the fields. We were a strong and a healthy people then. -When the <i>pakeha</i> came, everything began to die away, even the natural -animals of the country. Formerly, when we went into a forest and stood -under a tree, we could not hear ourselves speak for the noise of the -birds; every tree was full of them. Then we had pigeons and everything -in plenty; now many of the birds have died out. A few years ago there -was a big green parrot in these forests; now it is gone, and lots of -other things have gradually faded away. In those<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_292" id="Page_292">[Pg 292]</a></span> times the fields were -well tilled, there was always plenty of provisions, and we wore few -clothes, only our own mats of feathers. Then the missionaries came and -took our children from the fields, and taught them to sing hymns; they -changed their minds, and the fields were untilled. The children came -home and quoted Gospel on an empty stomach. Then came the war between -the <i>pakeha</i> and the Maori that split up our homes, and made one tribe -fight against another; and after the war came the <i>pakeha</i> settlers, -who took our lands, taught us to drink, and to smoke, and made us wear -clothes that brought on disease. What race," said the old chief, -"could stand against that. The Maori," he continued, "is passing away -like the <i>kiwi</i>, the <i>tui</i>, and many other things, and by-and-by they -will disappear just as the leaves of the trees, and nothing will remain -to tell of them but the names of their mountains and their rivers."</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus-p293.jpg" alt="CHIEF " /> -<a id="illus-p293"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption"> A CHIEF ARMED WITH "MERE" AND "HUATA."</p> - -<p>One morning, when we were sunning ourselves in front of the -<i>wharepuni</i>, I asked Pehi how the Maoris fought in battle. Without a -moment's hesitation he jumped up from where he had been seated, and, -casting aside his cape and appearing in nothing but a cloth around -his loins, entered a small <i>whare</i>, and emerged an instant afterwards -with a <i>huata</i>, or short spear, beautifully carved at the top to -represent a grotesque human head, from the mouth of which the tongue -protruded about three inches in the form of a spear-blade, while just -below the head was a long tuft of white dog's-hair bound with flax -stained a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_293" id="Page_293">[Pg 293]</a></span> bright red. The shaft of the implement, made of <i>totara</i> -wood, and highly polished, was rounded at the top part, but widened -out in an oval form with sharp, bevelled edges towards the bottom -end. Flourishing this weapon about in the wildest way, jumping into -the air, making the most hideous grimaces, thrusting out his tongue, -and turning up his eyes till nothing but the whites were visible, the -old warrior yelled and danced about like a madman, now throwing up -his <i>huata</i> in the air and catching it again, now sweeping it round -in a way that seemed to carry death in every stroke, the savage, -tattooed countenance of the old <i>rangatira</i> working the while in a most<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_294" id="Page_294">[Pg 294]</a></span> -diabolical fashion. He made terrific and frantic cuts at each of our -heads, but so dexterous was he in the manipulation of his weapon that -he arrested it in every instance when within the eighth of an inch of -our skulls—which he jocosely told us were not thick enough to hurt the -<i>huata</i>.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus-p294.jpg" alt="MERE " /> -<a id="illus-p294"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption">A "MERE."</p> - -<p>When questioned as to the use of the <i>mere</i>, he informed us that it -was seldom used in war, except by the chiefs, and that it was more an -emblem of rank which was handed down as an heirloom in a tribe. The -greenstone <i>mere</i> was so highly prized that to secure one in battle -appeared to be considered as an act of glory, just as the taking of -a stand of colours might be with us. The <i>mere</i> was, however, always -considered as a formidable weapon in fight, as a blow from it, if -properly dealt, would break any bone in a man's body. When using it, -it was customary to aim at the head. It was also used by the chiefs to -cleave the skulls of the captured. He told us that the Maoris had never -accustomed themselves to the use of the bow and arrow, and that, when -fighting, they depended principally upon the <i>huata</i> and other spears, -until the Europeans taught them the use of fire-arms.</p> - -<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_66_66" id="Footnote_66_66"></a><a href="#FNanchor_66_66"><span class="label">[66]</span></a> Literally, the battle-ground where the rock was thrown.</p></div></div> - - - - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXV" id="CHAPTER_XXV">CHAPTER XXV.</a></h2> - -<p class="center">HOT SPRINGS OF TONGARIRO.</p> - - - - - -<blockquote> - -<p class="hang"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_295" id="Page_295">[Pg 295]</a></span>Departure from Ngatokorua—Okahakura Plains—Tongariro from the -north—Source of the Whanganui—The hot springs—A marvellous -sanatorium—Crater of Ketetahi—Te Perore—A strategic -position—Kuwharua—Maori cakes—A grand region—Site for a public -park.</p></blockquote> - - -<p class="drop"><span class="uppercase">We</span> left Ngatokorua with a pressing invitation to return again, and -took an easterly course across the Waimarino Plains, in the direction -of Tongariro, with the view of tracing up the source of the Whanganui -River, which, we had learned from the natives, rose somewhere in the -northern side of the volcano, and after that I had determined to -examine the tapued springs and the crater of Ketetahi, which were -situated a short distance further to the east on the same mountain.</p> - -<p>The whole country we passed through to reach Tongariro consisted of a -series of magnificent plains, richly grassed, surrounded for the most -part by forest, and dotted here and there with patches of bush that -grew in the centre of the plains and bordered many of the streams. We -crossed the Mangahuia and Whakapapa rivers, both swift streams, flowing -in a north-westerly direction to join the Upper Whanganui.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_296" id="Page_296">[Pg 296]</a></span> Beyond the -Waimarino Plains was an equally attractive stretch of country of the -same description, known as Okahakura, and through the centre of which -wound the Mangatepopo River, likewise a tributary of the Whanganui.</p> - -<p>When we ascended the hills and rugged spurs which surrounded the great -volcano of Tongariro on the north, we found them to be composed mostly -of scoria and trachytic rock, but covered for a long distance up their -sides with a thick vegetation of native grasses and dwarf shrubs. The -tops of the larger spurs were, however, very rugged and barren, while -the depression round the lip of the crater, which we had observed when -at the summit of the great cone, was distinctly visible, and naturally -made the mountain appear less elevated on this than on its southern -side. The splendid cone was, however, now covered with a white canopy -of snow almost to its base, while the summit here and there was tinged -of a bright yellow with deposits of sulphur crystals, and as its white -coil of steam floated over its gracefully pointed top the effect was -beautiful in the extreme.</p> - -<p>On one of the principal spurs to the north-west of the great cone we -found the source of the Whanganui bursting out through a narrow rocky -gorge at an altitude of 3700 feet above the level of the sea, the water -evidently arising from mountain springs, and at certain times from the -melting of the snows. The river from this point runs rapidly down the -winding gorges of the mountains, and, after receiving in its course the -waters of numerous other streams, winds across the Okahakura Plains, -and afterwards enters the dense forests of the Tuhua, and then taking -a bold sweep to the north-west receives the waters of the Ongaruhe and -numerous other streams, as it flows in its long course to join the sea -in the south. The Whanganui, which, after the Waikato, forms the most<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_297" id="Page_297">[Pg 297]</a></span> -important river of the North Island, receives the whole of the western -watershed of the great central table-land, besides that of other -divisions of the country.</p> - -<p>Leaving the source of the Whanganui, we took an easterly direction, -and, after a long climb through the thick shrubs and boulder-strewn -sides of the mountain, arrived at the great <i>solfatara</i>, the steam -from which, constantly arising in the form of a dense white cloud, -forms a conspicuous feature when looking towards Tongariro from the -north. We ascended to an altitude of 5600 feet on to the spur where the -renowned chief Te Heuheu is said to be buried, and on the summit of -which were the small blue lakes we had seen from the top of the great -cone, and which were now surrounded by their winter mantle of snow. -Lower down on the same spur, at an altitude of 4900 feet, we found the -hot springs roaring beneath us, deep down in a semicircular gorge, -which was strewn about in every direction with huge boulders, as if a -great flood of water had recently passed through it. We got with some -difficulty down the rugged sides of this strange chasm, and soon stood -in the centre of a region where boiling springs burst from the earth, -where jets of steam shrieked and hissed from innumerable fissures, -where enormous boiling mud-holes bubbled like heated cauldrons, and -where the hot, steaming soil, covered in every direction with yellow -crystals of sulphur, and glistening silicious deposits, quaked beneath -our feet, as if anxious to swallow us up, so that we had to pick our -way cautiously amid clouds of steam and sulphurous fumes for fear of -coming to an untimely and unpleasant end. In many places fountains of -ho<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_298" id="Page_298">[Pg 298]</a></span>t water shot high into the air. Some of the warm springs were of a -dark coffee-colour, caused apparently by the admixture of iron; others -were yellow with excess of sulphur; others white with alum; while not -a few were of the purest blue. Taken altogether, this weird place had -an unpleasant, pandemonium-like air about it, while the noise of the -hissing steam-jets was so great, as they burst with terrific force from -their rocky vents, that it was impossible to hear oneself speak when -near to them. Indeed, a dozen or so of railway engines letting off -steam and blowing their whistles at the same time would only serve to -convey a slight idea of the tremendous din.</p> - -<p>These springs, as the Maoris afterwards informed us, possessed -wonderful curative properties in all cases of chronic rheumatism and -cutaneous disorders, and many natives suffering from ailments of that -kind come long distances to avail themselves of the thermal waters, -which it would appear never fail to effect a cure. This portion of -Tongariro, like all other parts, is strictly tapued against Europeans, -and the natives of Rotoaira and the surrounding district guard this -marvellous sanatorium with a jealous eye; but as we attacked it from -the rear, they were none the wiser for our visit.</p> - -<p>A short distance beyond the springs, and near to the end of the great -spur, we found the small crater known to the natives as Ketetahi, which -was formed of a circular aperture emitting vast volumes of steam. We -obtained a splendid view of the country towards the north from our -elevated position, the rugged ranges<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_299" id="Page_299">[Pg 299]</a></span> of Te Tuhua being crowned by -Hikurangi, a beautiful pyramidal-shaped mountain, with a flat top, -while to the westward of it could be distinctly traced the winding -course of the Ongaruhe River.</p> - -<p>We crossed the Mangatepopo River, flowing from Tongariro, and then the -Whanganui, the winding course of which we had to traverse three times. -Near to the second crossing-place a picturesque headland jutted out -from the dense forest that bordered the plain, and upon its summit -could be plainly traced the outline of rude earthworks, which were -as solid as if they had been but recently erected. This was all that -remained of Te Perore, which during the war formed one of Te Kooti's -most formidable strongholds, and it was here that the memorable battle -was fought in which Captain St. George lost his life. The Maoris are -said to have suffered severely during the engagement, Te Kooti himself -being wounded in the left hand by a rifle-ball.</p> - -<p>When examining this decaying remnant of the great struggle between -the white and the dark race, I could not but admire the judgment -which had been displayed by the Maoris in choosing this point as -a strategic position. It was about 100 feet above the plain, the -Whanganui River wound round it to the east, while the formation of -the surrounding country was such that the enemy would be open to the -fire of the besieged from every side of the <i>pa</i> save at the rear, -where the latter, if beaten, would have a splendid retreat open in the -dense forests of the Tuhua, which backed the fortification at that -point. Nature appeared to have done her utmost to efface all traces -of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_300" id="Page_300">[Pg 300]</a></span> struggle, and upon the rude earthworks, once alive with the -forms of tattooed warriors, now shrubs and trees waved their heads to -the passing breeze. Never was there a more beautiful spot chosen for -a battle, and it must have been a truly impressive sight to see the -valiant Maori warriors fighting for their country under the very shadow -of their sacred mountains, driving back the <i>pakeha</i>, and erecting a -barrier of isolation around the grand region whose wonders we were now -exploring.</p> - -<p>As we were riding on our way along the plain near to the edge of the -forest we noticed that on the small elevations on our left, which -fringed the bush, several <i>whares</i> were dotted about in the most -picturesque situations. When we were passing one of these rustic -homesteads some natives hailed us, to know where we were going. At this -we rode up the steep elevation upon which their <i>whare</i> was placed, to -have a <i>korero</i>, and to gain what information we could with regard to -our future course. An old woman with a goitre upon her neck hailed us -with the usual cry of welcome, while her tattooed lord, who was engaged -making a trap to catch pigeons, invited us to put up our horses and -rest. We were willing enough to do this, especially as there was a -smell of cooking about, and our cool ride across the plains had given -us our usual wolfish appetite. We were soon invited to partake of a -repast of pork and potatoes, together with some cakes, made evidently -of flour and water, but so hard that it was impossible to bite them, -and so heavy that Turner, with every show of reason, remarked that if -we happened to get unhorsed when crossing a river, we should never rise -to the surface with on<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_301" id="Page_301">[Pg 301]</a></span>e of those cakes in our insides.</p> - -<p>We did not take our meal in the smoky <i>whare</i>, but sat with the Maoris -outside in the sun. The day was one of the finest we had experienced, -and all nature appeared as if wrapped in a mantle of eternal spring. -The small <i>kainga</i> where we now were was known to the natives as -Kuwharua, and stood at an elevation of 2420 feet above the level of the -sea. The view from this place when looking towards the south was the -finest we had beheld during our journey, if I except the marvellous -panoramas beheld from the top of the Ruapehu and Tongariro. For the -variety of the scenery to be obtained within the radius of ten miles -from where we were, no view in the world could equal it. Beneath us -was the Te Pakaru Plain, with an area of some twenty square miles, -covered with a green growth of native grass, and intersected by winding -mountain streams. In the south-east were the blue waters of Lake -Rotoaira, backed by the cone-shaped summits of the Kakaramea Ranges, -clothed with dense forests of tall trees; while beyond, stretching like -a grand barrier across the country to the south, were the serrated -peaks of the Kaimanawa Mountains, at whose base rolled the broad open -downs of the Rangipo Table-land. Rising right in the centre of this -grand picture were the wonderful mountains of Tongariro,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_302" id="Page_302">[Pg 302]</a></span> heaped and -piled about in the most fantastic and curious way, and from the midst -of which shot up the white, glittering cone of the volcano crowned -with its perpetual cloud of steam, while, to complete the attractive -scene, the stupendous form of Ruapehu towered to the skies, peak -rising above peak beneath its deep mantle of winter snow. Here was -a view which, taken in as it was at one glance, exceeded in grandeur -and sublimity even the most glowing creations of fairyland. Here were -park-like plains of vivid green stretching from the borders of an -inland sea to the shores of a romantic-looking lake, where the waters -were of the deepest blue; around were steaming craters and thermal -springs, colossal cone-shaped mountains towering to the regions of -eternal snow, and lesser heights rising from amidst primeval forests of -the grandest description, glowing and palpitating as it were, in all -their beauty beneath the sunlight; and yet, singular to relate, this -marvellous country, this wonder-land, as we gazed upon it, was to all -intents and purposes a <i>terra incognita</i>. Here was in reality a model -Switzerland under a semi-tropical sky—a region designed, as it were, -by the artistic hand of nature for a national recreation-ground, where -countless generations of men might assemble to marvel at some of the -grandest works of the creation.</p> - -<p>With the Te Pakaru Plain proclaimed as a public domain, New Zealand -would possess the finest and most unique park in the world. For -healthfulness of climate, variety of scenery, and volcanic and thermal -wonders, there would be no place to equal it in the northern or -southern hemisphere,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_303" id="Page_303">[Pg 303]</a></span> no spot where within so small a radius could be -seen natural phenomena so varied and so remarkable. It would embrace -within its boundaries the hot springs of Tongariro and those of Tokanu, -and would stretch from the waters of Lake Taupo to the shores of -Rotoaira. The surrounding table-land, with its millions of acres of -open plains covered with rich volcanic soil, should eventually become -the granary of the North Island; while the Kaimanawa Mountains and the -Tuhua should give forth their mineral treasures on either side.</p> - - - - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXVI" id="CHAPTER_XXVI">CHAPTER XXVI.</a></h2> - -<p class="center">WESTERN TAUPO.</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p class="hang"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_304" id="Page_304">[Pg 304]</a></span>Supposed forest country—The western table-land—Soil and -<i>flora</i>—Terania—Okarewa—Te Kaina Valley—Maoris on the -track—Pouotepiki pa—A tangi—The natives—A friendly -invitation—An old warrior—The women—Our quarters.</p></blockquote> - - -<p class="drop"><span class="uppercase">From</span> Kuwharua our course lay along the northern portion of the Te -Pakaru Plain, and between the Kakaramea Ranges and the eastern boundary -of the Tuhua Forest. The whole country hereabouts had a park-like -appearance, and was everywhere covered with native grasses, save the -lower hills, which were mostly clothed with fern. We had now reached -the western watershed of Lake Taupo, the first stream flowing in that -direction being the Koromanga. Near to this point the native track by -which Hochstetter passed in 1859, on his journey to Maketu by way of -the eastern side of Lake Taupo, leads to Tokanu, and if we had followed -it to the westward it would have been our nearest route to Alexandra; -but as the country along its course had already been described by that -traveller, I determined to take a different direction, in order to -explore the great table-land of Western Taupo, and thence to penetrate -to Alexandra by the country to the northward of the great central -mountain chain ending in Titiraupenga,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_305" id="Page_305">[Pg 305]</a></span> and which was represented -on the maps of the colony as covered with forest, and on that of -Hochstetter as a volcanic table-land "thickly covered with forest, -and unexplored." Indeed, so little was this portion of the country -known, that even at Tapuwaeharuru, where Turner questioned the natives -upon the natural features of this region, he was informed that it was -covered with dense bush, and that it would be impossible to travel -through it for any distance, and especially on account of the numerous -rivers and creeks that would have to be crossed. The information we -thus gained proved to be erroneous so far as the forest was concerned, -since we afterwards discovered that a broad, open table-land, averaging -in height from 1700 to 2200 feet above the level of the sea, extended -far inland along the whole western shore of Lake Taupo, while the -enormous area of country still further to the north and westward, -and described on the maps as before alluded to, turned out to be a -perfectly open table-land, covered with some of the finest grassed -plains in the country, and watered by numerous streams, some of which -were among the largest tributaries of the Waikato River.</p> - -<p>The western table-land of Lake Taupo is bounded on the land side by -the Haurungaroa and Hurakia Mountains, which stretch in a northerly -direction as far as Mount Titiraupenga, and form the eastern boundary -of the mountainous region which covers a large area of the central -portion of the King Country. These two mountain chains attain to -an altitude of 2300 to 2500 feet above the level of the sea, their -eastern slopes forming the principal source of the watershed of the -western division of the lake, while the inland waters, with those of -the other mountains of the same system, are received mostly by the -Ongaruhe River, one of the principal tributaries of the Whanganui. -The whole of these ranges, which present<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_306" id="Page_306">[Pg 306]</a></span> a very broken appearance, -are densely covered with luxuriant forests. The country from the -eastern slopes of the Haurungaroa and Hurakia Mountains stretches in -a series of open plains to the shores of the great lake, the whole -western shore of which is bounded by steep, rugged cliffs, which rise -perpendicularly from the water, and assume in many places the form -of bold headlands, the highest of which, Mount Karangahape, attains -to an altitude of about 2300 feet, while Rangituku and Pukeakikiore -are volcanic cones of lesser height, still further to the south. This -portion of the Taupo Table-land was in every way different, so far as -its soil was concerned, from that on the north-eastern and eastern -sides of the lake. The enormous deposits of pumice so remarkable in -the two latter localities were absent here, the soil resembling in -every respect that of the Rangipo Table-land, and this feature will -apply equally to the open plain country we afterwards discovered to the -north of Titiraupenga. Here, too, there was a greater variety of native -grasses, while the soil, formed principally from the decomposition -of the trachytic rocks of the adjacent mountains and the gradual -disintegration of the stratum of pumice upon which it was deposited, -was in every respect of a better kind, and, under proper cultivation, -might be made to grow almost anything suited to the climate. In all -the native settlements in this part of the country we found such trees -as the peach, <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_307" id="Page_307">[Pg 307]</a></span>apple, acacia, and weeping willow growing in great -luxuriance, while the <i>flora</i> indigenous to the island was represented -in its most varied forms.</p> - -<p>After passing many miles through an open, undulating, fern-clad -country, we came to a region called Terania, surrounded by low conical -hills, and traversed in every direction with well-beaten tracks, which -had been made by the herds of wild horses frequenting the district, and -which led over the hills and through the valleys wherever we turned.</p> - -<p>Darkness overtook us as soon as we crossed the Kuratao River, and we -camped for the night near to a small stream called Okarewa, on the open -table-land, which at this point had an elevation of 1700 feet above the -level of the sea.</p> - -<p>We started at daylight from Okarewa, and continued a northerly course -along the table-land, which was for some distance dotted about with low -fern hills. We crossed the Whareroa River, and beyond this point the -bold outline of Karangahape came into view in the east, in the form -of a huge dome-shaped mountain, surrounded by lower hills of conical -formation. The table-land now indicated a general elevation, varying -from 2000 to 2200 feet, and kept very level between the two heights for -a long distance, the country rising gradually in the form of undulating -hills towards the dense forests to the west of our track. We forded -the Mangakara, flowing from the Haurungaroa Mountains, the river being -fringed at the point where we crossed it by a dense growth of bush, -which grew along the precipitous sides of the stream,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_308" id="Page_308">[Pg 308]</a></span> down which we had -to ride before we reached the torrent below. Beyond the river we gained -the Te Kaina Valley, which wound through the table-land, here dotted -about with enormous outcrops of trachytic rock. Here the whole broad -expanse of the country had a beautifully picturesque appearance, which -was heightened in no small degree by the broad, shining waters of Lake -Taupo in the distance.</p> - -<p>It was now clear that we were getting into a more densely populated -portion of the country, and we met many Maoris of all ages and sexes -along this portion of our track. Most of them were well mounted, and -were journeying from the north in the direction of Tokanu and other -settlements in the south. Each party greeted us, and asked us where we -were from, and when told that we had come up from the Manganui-a-te-Ao, -they one and all expressed surprise, and asked us how we had got -through at that season of the year. Some natives travelling in our -direction now joined us, and we learned from them that a <i>tangi</i> was -being held at Pouotepiki, the <i>pa</i> which we would have to pass on the -way, and that we would meet Te Heuheu there, and a number of other -chiefs.</p> - -<p>We arrived at Pouotepiki late in the afternoon, and found the <i>pa</i> -situated in a beautiful position on an elevated portion of the -table-land overlooking the western bay of Lake Taupo, whose rugged -shores here rose up to a height of hundreds of feet above the water, in -the form of precipitous cliffs, and rugged headlands which flanked the -entrance to picturesque bays.</p> - -<p>As we rode up a wild and curious sight presented itself. Our approach -was hailed with dismal wailing from the women, loud barking from the -packs of mongrel dogs, and by the grunting of innumerable pigs.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_309" id="Page_309">[Pg 309]</a></span> -A crowd of natives at once gathered round us, and among them were -some of the wildest and most villainous-looking men I had ever seen. -They were not like the untutored savages we had found at Ruakaka, -but in appearance a desperate, half-savage, half-civilized race of -beings. There were natives from Tokanu, natives from Tuhua, from -Kahakaharoa, and all the various settlements for miles around. Some -wore only the blanket, others ragged clothes and battered hats, -while some of the younger men, as if anxious to make a show of their -smattering of civilization, were got up quite in a dandified way. -When the <i>hongi</i><a name="FNanchor_67_67" id="FNanchor_67_67"></a><a href="#Footnote_67_67" class="fnanchor">[67]</a> had been performed amid tears and lamentations, -half a dozen weird-looking hags stood up in a row and went through -a <i>tangi</i>,<a name="FNanchor_68_68" id="FNanchor_68_68"></a><a href="#Footnote_68_68" class="fnanchor">[68]</a> which lasted an hour, during which time we stood in -front of them, beside the natives who had joined us on the way to the -<i>pa</i>. When this part of the performance had ended, one of the new -arrivals stepped to the front and delivered a long speech in honour -of the deceased chief,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_310" id="Page_310">[Pg 310]</a></span> for the repose of whose soul the <i>tangi</i> was -being held, interlarding his remarks now and again with snatches of -verse, which he sang in a doleful, melancholy tone, and what with the -wailing of the women, the barking of the curs, who seemed to object -immensely to our presence, the grunting of the pigs that sniffed -familiarly round us, and the noise made by the children, who laughed -just as loudly as their elders cried, the discordant sounds became in -the long-run indescribably unpleasant; still, as we were in Maoriland, -and had determined to do as the Maoris did, we went through the ordeal -of the <i>tangi</i> with a reverential and solemn air. It is true we shed -no tears—probably because we hadn't got them to shed—but there was -no doubt about the crying so far as the women were concerned, for I -watched them carefully, and I noticed that the big round tears trickled -down their noses and then in a miniature cascade over their lips in -the most orthodox way, but whether these tears were what we callous -Christians call "crocodile tears" it is impossible for me to say.</p> - -<p>When the formal greeting was over, we were invited into the -<i>runanga</i>-house, a spacious building about sixty feet long by -thirty broad, in which a number of natives were squatting about in -small circles, smoking and playing cards. Te Heuheu of Tokanu, the -great <i>rangatira</i> of the Ngatituwharetoa was there—a thick-set, -broad-shouldered man, with an austere countenance. He was dressed in -European costume, and wore a wide collaret of <i>kiwi</i> feathers round his -neck, while beside him sat his two wives, who were likewise habited -in what is recognized as the attire of civilized society.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_311" id="Page_311">[Pg 311]</a></span> I noticed -that their dresses were not after the latest Parisian models, but -their round hats, made entirely of <i>kiwi</i> feathers, suited their dark -countenances admirably. Both had pleasant features, and, like all the -women I had seen in the country, were remarkable for their splendid -teeth, which were as white and as perfect as Cleopatra's pearls, and -seemed to shine in marked contrast to their blue tattooed lips. The -chief Mohi, a herculean man, standing about six feet four inches, stood -like a statue, wrapped in a blanket, nursing a child, and beside him -was Patoro, a chief of the Ngatiraukawa, and, besides these, there -were many representative men of the Ngatituwharetoa, Ngatikohera, -Ngatiarekawa, Ngatitakaiahi, and Ngatihikera. Besides the natives -located in the <i>runanga</i>-house there were many camped outside, both -in <i>whares</i> and tents, the principal occupation of all being smoking -and playing cards, and performing the <i>tangi</i> whenever a new arrival -appeared.</p> - -<p>There was one tall, gaunt old man among the throng, with a -fierce-looking, tattooed countenance, and a pointed grey beard, who -never moved about without a greenstone <i>mere</i> in his hand, and when -afterwards we got into conversation with him, to ascertain the -history of this implement, he told us it was the last relic of his -tribe, and that the notch at the end of it had been made by cracking -an enemy's skull. Judging from the impression made upon the hard stone -by the skull, it occurred to me that its owner must have ranked during -lifetime as a kind of champion thick-headed savage.</p> - -<p>Many of the women at this gathering were the finest,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_312" id="Page_312">[Pg 312]</a></span> both as regards -appearance and stature, we had seen during our journey, some of them -being perfect giantesses in build. Among the finest and most attractive -was Tapare Huia Tauaiti, the daughter of Heure Harawira, a native chief.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus-p312.jpg" alt="NATIVE GIRL " /> -<a id="illus-p312"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption"> NATIVE GIRL.</p> - -<p>When the natives learned that we had travelled alone, as they termed -it, "from the big mountains in the south," they invited us to remain -over night, but not before they had asked us many questions as to the -object of our journey, and how it was we had chosen so roundabout a way -when the Maoris always made it a rule to take the shortest cut between -two points.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_313" id="Page_313">[Pg 313]</a></span> We several times felt pushed to find a reasonable reply to -their queries in this respect, but Turner, with his usual diplomatic -tact, invariably got out of the difficulty by remarking that when a -<i>pakeha</i> got on to a horse, like the proverbial tailor, there was no -telling where he would ride to.</p> - -<p>After a very acceptable meal of pork, potatoes, and thistles,<a name="FNanchor_69_69" id="FNanchor_69_69"></a><a href="#Footnote_69_69" class="fnanchor">[69]</a> -which was served out to the assembled crowd in small plaited flax -baskets, we were allotted quarters in the <i>runanga</i>-house, where fifty -men, women, and children lay huddled together in the most promiscuous -way. Never during the whole of our journey did we spend so unpleasant -a night. At sundown the <i>runanga</i>-house was firmly closed, four big -charcoal fires were lit, and men, women, and children smoked until -the atmosphere became so stifling that it was almost impossible to -breathe. The great subject of conversation was the question of native -boundaries, the projected government survey through the country, and -the iniquities of the Native Land Court. More than a dozen speeches -were delivered on these topics, and it was amusing to see one gaunt -figure after another get up in the dim light, swathed in a blanket, -after the fashion of a <i>toga</i>, and deliver a long and fiery oration, -to which every one would listen in rapt attention, without questioning -a single statement of the speaker until he had delivered himself of -all he had to say. These expressions of opinion were carried on from -either side of the house far into the night,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_314" id="Page_314">[Pg 314]</a></span> until one by one the dark -forms fell off to sleep, when the snoring, coughing, and wheezing, -coupled with the stifling heat, transformed the place into a veritable -pandemonium.</p> - -<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_67_67" id="Footnote_67_67"></a><a href="#FNanchor_67_67"><span class="label">[67]</span></a> The <i>hongi</i> is to salute by the nose. Two individuals -saluting in this way grasp the right hands, and, bending forward, press -the end of their noses together, uttering at the same time a whining -sound.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_68_68" id="Footnote_68_68"></a><a href="#FNanchor_68_68"><span class="label">[68]</span></a> A <i>tangi</i> (to cry) is a lamentation for the dead. -Assemblages of this kind often last over many days, during which time -the corpse is laid out ready for interment. It is also a form of -salutation, upon the meeting of friends, intended to lament departed -kindred. The cry is a most doleful one, and when uttering it the -mourners express all sorts of convulsive movements to betoken their -anguish.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_69_69" id="Footnote_69_69"></a><a href="#FNanchor_69_69"><span class="label">[69]</span></a> The sowthistle is much esteemed by the Maoris as a -vegetable.</p></div></div> - - - - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXVII" id="CHAPTER_XXVII">CHAPTER XXVII.</a></h2> - -<p class="center">THE NORTHERN TABLE-LAND.</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p class="hang"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_315" id="Page_315">[Pg 315]</a></span>The Whanganui stream—Oruapuraho Valley—Waihaha -River—Kahakaharoa—The sweetbriar—The kiwi—The moa—A -gigantic lizard—Waikomiko and Waihora Rivers—Te Tihoi -Plains—Scenery—Mount Titiraupenga—Mangakowiriwiri -River—Mangakino River—Swimming horses—Our camp—The Maoris -as travellers—A Maori joke—Good horsemen—Their knowledge of -the country—Their endurance—The Waipapa—Te Toto Ranges—The -Waipari—Te Tauranga—The Upper Puniu—A fine specimen of -tattooing—A night at Hengia.</p> -</blockquote> - - -<p class="drop"><span class="uppercase">We</span> left Pouotepiki early on the following morning, and, as the <i>tangi</i> -was at an end, about a dozen mounted natives, who were going in the -same direction as ourselves, invited us to join them. Leaving the -<i>pa</i> in a long cavalcade, we descended into a valley, and crossed the -Whanganui stream flowing into Lake Taupo.</p> - -<p>Further to the north, we crossed the Waikino stream, and after passing -over steep, fern-clad hills we reached the Oruapuraho Valley, formed by -a wild ravine sunk like an enormous pit in the table-land. This curious -place, which was about two miles long, was exactly 200 feet in depth, -and was walled in on every side with perpendicular masses of trachytic -and white pumice rock, which were broken here and there into the form -of enormous bluffs,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_316" id="Page_316">[Pg 316]</a></span> which jutted out in the most fantastic shapes. -Winding, precipitous ravines opened out now and again in the direction -of the lake and towards the mountainous country on the west, but beyond -these wild gorges nothing could be seen beyond the towering walls of -the deep valley, the sides of which appeared to attain, all along the -course, to a general height of 200 feet, the altitude of the table-land -being, both at the entrance and exit of the valley, exactly 2000 feet -above the level of the sea. A small stream wound through the centre of -this rock-bound ravine, about the sides of which the tussock grass and -fern grew in great luxuriance, together with the <i>koromiko</i>, of which -our horses ate greedily.</p> - -<p>The table-land fell to 1700 feet as we gained the Waihaha River, the -name of which literally means "still waters." There was a very deep -descent to it, and looking from the top of this down upon the stream, -there was not a ripple upon its surface. It was, however, some hundred -feet wide at the fording-place, and as the water was deep, we had -to swim our horses. On the opposite side of this river, towards the -east, a castellated bluff rose up to a height of nearly 200 feet, in -appearance not unlike a fortified stronghold, while beyond this point -the river fell in the form of a small waterfall, as it wound on its way -to Lake Taupo.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus-p317.jpg" alt="MOA AND APTERYX " /> -<a id="illus-p317"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption"> MOA AND APTERYX.</p> - -<p>At about a mile distant from the Waihaha River, after passing through -a wild, rocky gorge, where fantastic masses of rock stood up above -the conical hills like monuments, we arrived at Kahakaharoa, a small -<i>pa</i> situated on a winding mountain stream called Te Pikopiko. At one -time there had been a considerable native settlement here, but now -the whole place was nearly abandoned. We were detained here all the -following day by an incessant rain that came<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_317" id="Page_317">[Pg 317]</a></span> down in a perfect deluge, -the streams rising all round us with marvellous rapidity. This was a -very wild, dreary-looking place, situated in a rock-bound, inaccessible -spot, right at the base of the Hurakia Mountains, and the appearance -of the inhabitants seemed quite in keeping with the locality.</p> - -<p> <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_318" id="Page_318">[Pg 318]</a></span>Our horses fared badly at this camping-place, and were compelled to subsist -upon the ripe berries of the sweetbriar, which here grew in wonderful -luxuriance, so much so that our animals, following out the laws of -natural selection, would often have to stand on their hind legs to -reach the bright red fruit.</p> - -<p>Here, besides the usual diet of pork and potatoes, we were treated to -roast <i>kiwi</i>. This bird (<i>Apteryx Australis</i>) is the only remaining -representative of the great family of New Zealand <i>Struthionidæ</i>. It is -a dwarf form of the moa, not larger than a fair-sized hen, with short, -rudimentary wings, totally unfit for flying, and without a tail; it has -four toes on each foot, a long bill resembling that of a snipe, while -its body is covered with pendulous feathers resembling hair. Its habits -are nocturnal; it lives in recesses under the roots of trees, and feeds -upon insects, grubs, and the seeds of various plants; the hen lays but -one egg, which for the size of the bird is extraordinarily large. These -birds, which live in pairs, are still very plentiful in the dense, -unfrequented ranges of the King Country.<a name="FNanchor_70_70" id="FNanchor_70_70"></a><a href="#Footnote_70_70" class="fnanchor">[70]</a></p> - -<p>Throughout the journey we always made it a practice to inquire of the -natives as to whether they had ever discovered any remains of the -moa,<a name="FNanchor_71_71" id="FNanchor_71_71"></a><a href="#Footnote_71_71" class="fnanchor">[71]</a> but, beyond a reference to it in their traditions, little -appeared to be known of it. The natives, however, at Kahakaharoa -informed us that in former times the bones of this bird had been found -in the swamps around Lake Rotoaira.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_319" id="Page_319">[Pg 319]</a></span></p> - - - -<p>It is also worthy of remark that we ascertained that there was a -tradition among all the tribes of the existence at one time of a -gigantic lizard, which is said to have inhabited the caves and rocky -places of the North Island, but whether this was in fact a real or -fabulous reptile, it would seem impossible to determine.</p> - -<p>We left Kahakaharoa as soon as the swollen state of the rivers would -allow us, and, after crossing the Waikomiko River, continued our course -in a northerly direction along the table-land which here opened out -into a broad expanse of rolling plains, stretching away to the north as -far as the eye could reach. We passed by the head-waters of the Waihora -River, which was the last stream of any importance, forming the western -watershed of Lake Taupo.</p> - -<p>Journeying still further on, we crossed the Te Tihoi Plains, a fine -tract of open country extending around the mountains of Titiraupenga as -far north as the banks of the Waikato River, and thence north-westerly -to the Te Toto Ranges. This large area, comprising nearly 1000 square -miles, was the country described upon the maps as covered with dense -bush; and where we had expected to travel through primeval forests we -found magnificent open plains, clothed with a rich vegetation of native -grasses, and composed of some of the best soil we had met with during -our journey.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_320" id="Page_320">[Pg 320]</a></span>As we rode over these plains, the scenery was magnificent, as much by -reason of the vast scope of country that stretched before us as by -the variety of mountain scenery that surrounded the plains in every -direction. To the north-east high, forest-clad mountains rose up one -above the other in the direction of Ouranui and the valley of the -Waikato, while to the west were rugged, forest-clad ranges, crowned by -the towering form of Titiraupenga.</p> - -<p>This magnificent mountain, which is one of the highest peaks in the -northern portion of the King Country, rises to an altitude of some 4000 -feet above the level of the sea. It assumes in general outline the -formation of an extensive cone, with a broad base and long sweeping -sides, while its summit is surmounted by a gigantic pinnacle of rock, -of a pointed form, and which serves with the great mountain as a -conspicuous landmark all over the surrounding country. It is covered -from base to summit with dense forests, and its enormous gorges and -deep ravines give rise to many streams and rivers.</p> - -<p>For a considerable distance along our course the altitude of the -table-land varied from 2000 to 2450 feet, until we struck the -Mangakowiriwiri, a curious underground river flowing from Titiraupenga. -This river burst through a tremendous gorge of the mountain, flanked on -either side by tall precipices of rock, and then cut its way through a -narrow, rocky chasm. Looking down into the deep fissure, we could just -see the silver streak of water foaming nearly a hundred feet below, but -in many places it passed entirely out of sight when the channel ran -underground. This stream, <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_321" id="Page_321">[Pg 321]</a></span>which was 2200 feet above the sea, we were -enabled to cross by means of a very narrow and very primitive footway, -which the natives told us was known as the "bridge of God."</p> - -<p>From the Mangakowiriwiri, our course lay through an open, undulating -country covered with a luxuriant growth of tussock and other native -grasses. Here the table-land began to fall perceptibly towards the -north-west, and for a long distance it averaged in altitude from 1000 -to 1150 feet, and when we reached the valley of the Mangakino River -it had fallen to 1000 feet. This was one of our longest journeys, the -distance travelled during the day being over forty miles, so that it -was moonlight when we arrived at the banks of the river. The Mangakino -ran through a deep mountain gorge, and formed one of the many streams -issuing from the Titiraupenga Ranges, and flowing into the Waikato.</p> - -<p>We soon found that the river was much swollen by the recent rains, and -that it would be necessary to swim our horses. Four of the natives -who had accompanied us from Pouotepiki were still with us, so that -altogether we had to get six horses across, but the animals behaved -splendidly, and swam through the icy cold water like ducks, the Maori -horses showing their bush knowledge by taking the lead. Altogether it -was a very dangerous crossing-place to take, especially at night-time, -as the river just below the ford fell over a deep precipice with noise -like thunder.</p> - -<p>Once on the opposite bank, we pitched camp for the night, and made a -meal out of what we could muster between us. All we could boast of was -a little flour, some of which the natives worked up into a dough in a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_322" id="Page_322">[Pg 322]</a></span> -"pannikin," and then rolling it up into long pieces between the palms -of their hands, wound the pieces round sticks in a spiral fashion, and -baked them in front of the fire. A few potatoes the Maoris had with -them were likewise spitted and roasted in this way. The place where we -camped was an exceedingly wild-looking spot, and during the night we -experienced a severe frost, the thermometer descending to 28°.</p> - -<p>We struck our camp at the Mangakino before daylight, and set out on -our journey at once, but, unpleasant to relate, without any breakfast, -as our commissariat was now reduced to a few potatoes, which we had -determined to cook when we should get further on the road. We rose from -the valley of the river on to the level plains just as the first rays -of the sun swept over the country in a flood of glowing light, and the -air was so pure and buoyant that we soon forgot that we were journeying -on an empty stomach, until we came to a stream, where we found an -abundant growth of watercress, of which we ate heartily, one of the -Maoris remarking with a broad grin that we had at last come "to feed -like the cows." When travelling with the Maoris I could not but admire -the easy, good-natured way in which they took everything—nothing -disconcerted them. When impediments to travel presented themselves, -the bigger the difficulties to overcome, the more ardent they appeared -to surmount them. When crossing the swollen rivers, if one got a bigger -ducking than the rest, they would laugh and joke at the ill-luck of -their comrade, while he in his turn would enjoy the amusement as much -as they did.</p> - -<p>On <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_323" id="Page_323">[Pg 323]</a></span>one occasion, when we were ascending a steep, slippery hill, the -saddle-girth of one of the horses broke, and the saddle slipping aside, -the rider fell heavily and rolled down a muddy bank. This brought down -roars of laughter from the others, who told him not to mind himself, -but that it was a pity to spoil a good horse by letting him know how -easily a man could fall off his back.</p> - -<p>I always found the natives to be expert and fearless horsemen, and -I believe that a cavalry regiment of well-trained and well-mounted -Maoris, both for courage, endurance, and <i>élan</i>, would form one of -the finest body of troops ever marshalled upon a parade-ground or a -battle-field.</p> - -<p>When travelling with them, another interesting fact was that they -seemed to take a pride in being able to define thoroughly all the -natural features of their country. Each mountain and hill had its -special name, and every valley and plain and river, down to the -smallest stream, each being called after some characteristic feature or -legendary tale connected with it; while every tree, plant, bird, and -insect was known by a designation which betokened either its appearance -or habits.</p> - - - -<p>A remarkable feature indicative of the endurance of the natives, -was that one night they would be sleeping in a <i>wharepuni</i> with the -thermometer over 100°, and the next night they would not hesitate to -lie down upon the damp ground with only a blanket over them, and with -the thermometer at several degrees below freezing-point. It is true we -often went through the same ordeal ourselves during the journey, but it -appeared to me to be more remarkable on the part of the Maoris,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_324" id="Page_324">[Pg 324]</a></span> as they -seemed to enjoy the stifling heat of their <i>wharepunis</i> as a positive -luxury, while we looked upon it as being very much akin to a sojourn in -Hades.</p> - -<p>We reached the Waipapa River near its junction with the Mangatete, and -descended from the table-land, over 100 feet, to the crossing-place. -This river, which was one of the largest we had met with, rushed with -a rapid current through a deep rock-bound gorge from the mountains -of Titiraupenga to join the Waikato, of which it formed one of the -principal tributaries. We gained the crossing-place by a steep, winding -descent, the mountains with their rocky bluffs on the opposite side -of the river being clothed with a dense vegetation of giant trees, -while to the right of the track by which we had to descend was a small -mountain forming a complete cone, and which was clothed from base to -summit with a luxuriant growth of fern and tall <i>manuka</i>. The whole -gorge through which the river wound had a very wild and beautiful -appearance, while the water, like that of the Waikato, into which it -fell after crossing the plains, was as clear as crystal. Beyond the -Waipapa we passed through more open country until we neared the Te Toto -ranges, when mountain, hill, and valley mingled together in a most -picturesque way.</p> - -<p>It took us several hours to traverse the Te Toto ranges, the track -winding about in every direction, with deep ravines on either side. -Here the vegetation was of the most luxuriant and varied order, but the -enormous roots of the great trees made riding very difficult.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_325" id="Page_325">[Pg 325]</a></span>We crossed the Waipari River, a large stream flowing from the Rangitoto -ranges into the Waikato. The descent to the crossing-place of this -river was no less than 500 feet, and we had to mount a slippery incline -on the opposite side of equal altitude. Our course now lay over high -fern-clad ridges, and now, for the first time, the broad valley of the -Waipa was before us, with Maungatautari to the north, and Pirongia to -the north-west.</p> - -<p>Towards sundown we passed along a ridge, with a tremendous rock-bound -gorge beneath us, and where the enormous rocks were dispersed about -in a way which resembled the ruins of a feudal stronghold. This -place was formerly occupied as a <i>pa</i>, and on one occasion a great -battle was fought there by the Ngatiraukawa, who were defeated by the -Ngatituwharetoa and Ngatimatakore, who, it is said, feasted for days on -the bodies of their enemies.</p> - -<p>A few miles beyond Tetauranga we arrived at a low hill, upon the summit -of which a number of Maoris were camped in tents. As luck would have -it, feeding was just going on, and we were invited to partake of a -welcome meal. Although it was now evening, we determined to push on our -way, and when the moon rose we started, and gained the head-waters of -the Puniu River, which we crossed with the intention of camping on the -opposite side; we, however, got wet in the operation, and as the place -was swampy, and the night fearfully cold, we determined to ride several -miles further<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_326" id="Page_326">[Pg 326]</a></span>, to Hengia <i>pa</i>, which we reached at ten o'clock, after -a journey of over sixty miles, and which had kept us in the saddle for -about seventeen hours. Before arrival at the settlement, the whole -country was covered with a white frost, and the damp, chilly cold of -the low valley of the Waipa seemed to go right into the marrow of one's -bones.</p> - -<p>The natives appeared much surprised at our nocturnal raid upon them, -but we were soon invited into a <i>whare</i>, where a big fire was burning, -and where four men and an old woman were located with three or four -mongrel dogs. One of the men, although apparently very old, was yet -wiry and active, while his pinched, sharp features were tattooed in -the most elaborate way up to the very roots of his hair, the thin blue -lines forming a complete network over his countenance. This was the -most artistically tattooed savage we had met on the journey, and Turner -remarked to me that he would much like to have the old man's head to -preserve as a <i>mokaikai</i>,<a name="FNanchor_72_72" id="FNanchor_72_72"></a><a href="#Footnote_72_72" class="fnanchor">[72]</a> but he was cautious enough not to express -this desire to the antiquated Hauhau.</p> - - - - - -<p>After we had talked over matters for some time, and the surprise -occasioned by our visit had somewhat abated, our tattooed friend -produced a newly-slaughtered pig from a dark corner of the <i>whare</i>, and -when this was dismembered and some potatoes had been peeled by the old -woman, there was soon a good meal cooking for our benefit.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_327" id="Page_327">[Pg 327]</a></span> After we had -partaken of our repast, we were invited by our entertainers to remain -the night, and being only too glad to take advantage of their proffered -hospitality, we took up our quarters in a corner of the primitive -<i>whare</i>, which, unpleasant to relate, was literally alive with fleas.</p> - -<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_70_70" id="Footnote_70_70"></a><a href="#FNanchor_70_70"><span class="label">[70]</span></a> For wingless birds, see Appendix.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_71_71" id="Footnote_71_71"></a><a href="#FNanchor_71_71"><span class="label">[71]</span></a> There were no less than six species of this extinct -wingless bird— -</p> -<table summary="birds" width="50%"> -<tr> -<td align="right">The <i>Dinornis</i> -</td> -<td > <i>Giganteus</i>, -</td> -<td>height -</td> -<td>11 feet. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td align="center">" -</td> -<td><i>Robustus</i>, -</td> -<td align="center">" -</td> -<td> 8 feet 6 in. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td align="center">" -</td> -<td><i>Elephantopus</i> -</td> -<td align="center">" -</td> -<td>6 feet 8 in. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td align="center">" -</td> -<td><i>Casuarinus</i> -</td> -<td align="center">" -</td> -<td>5 feet 6 in. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td align="center">" -</td> -<td><i>Crassus</i> -</td> -<td align="center">" -</td> -<td>5 feet. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td align="center">" -</td> -<td><i>Didiformus</i> -</td> -<td align="center">" -</td> -<td>4 feet 8 in. -</td> -</tr> -</table> -</div> -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_72_72" id="Footnote_72_72"></a><a href="#FNanchor_72_72"><span class="label">[72]</span></a> <i>Mokaikai</i>, a process of embalming heads, by saturating -them with the pyroligneous acid of wood. This custom was at one time -very common with the Maoris, who thus preserved the heads of their -ancestors, the skin and tattoo marks of the face remaining perfect for -many years.</p></div></div> - - - - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXVIII" id="CHAPTER_XXVIII">CHAPTER XXVIII.</a></h2> - -<p class="center">THE AUKATI LINE.</p> - - - -<blockquote> - -<p class="hang"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_328" id="Page_328">[Pg 328]</a></span>Manga-o-rongo—Mangatutu River—The encampment—A sumptuous -repast—The <i>kainga</i>—Surrounding scenery—Old warriors—The -tribes—The <i>Korero</i>—Arrival of Te Kooti—His wife—His -followers—A tête-à-tête—A song of welcome—<i>A haka</i>—Departure -from Manga-o-rongo—Waipa River—Valley of the Waipa—Our last -difficulty.</p></blockquote> - - -<p class="drop"><span class="uppercase">The</span> nearest way for us to have reached civilization from Hengia would -have been to travel straight to Kihikihi; but there was great talk of a -native meeting to be held at Manga-o-rongo, a settlement situated at -some distance further south from where we were, and as it was stated -that Te Kooti and a large number of natives from all parts would be -there, I determined to attend the <i>korero</i>, as much as anything to see -the ex-rebel chief of whom I had heard so much, and afterwards pass to -Alexandra by way of the valley of the Waipa.</p> - -<p>We left Hengia at daybreak with a party of natives, who were going in -the same direction as ourselves, and took a southerly course through -a district known as Wharepapa, and which led us in the direction of -the Rangitoto Mountains. As we approached the valley of the Mangatutu -River, the country became more undulating,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_329" id="Page_329">[Pg 329]</a></span> until we gained the bed of -the stream, which wound in a remarkably serpentine course from the -Rangitoto Mountains. In the bed of the river the natives pointed out -several curious kinds of stone, in form not unlike the blade of an axe, -and which were formerly sharpened and used as tomahawks by the tribes -of the district. The country hereabouts fell rapidly from 500 to 300 -feet, and gradually became of a lesser altitude as we went on. Crossing -the river, we continued our course through the open, fern-clad plains -known to the natives as Manutarere, passing on our right a rock which -rose like a rude monument from the centre of a circular basin of low -hills.</p> - -<p>Beyond this point we passed through a native <i>kainga,</i> known as -Patokatoka, and soon afterwards reached Manga-o-rongo. A large -encampment of natives was already formed, and great preparations were -being made for the gathering; pigs were being slaughtered by the dozen, -bevies of women and girls were busy at work with delicacies intended -for the feast, while mounted natives were riding to and fro in every -direction.</p> - -<p>We rode into the <i>kainga</i> with the natives who had accompanied us -from Hengia, and were received with loud shouts of <i>haeremai</i> from -the women, who danced about and circled their arms in the air in the -wildest way.</p> - -<p>When the <i>hongi</i> had been performed, and a <i>tangi</i> had been held—for -they wept here as they had done at Pouotepiki—we were invited to sit -down in a circle with the natives who had accompanied us, and soon -afterwards a number of women and girls, who came tripping along in -Indian file,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_330" id="Page_330">[Pg 330]</a></span> singing a wild refrain, brought us pork and potatoes and -bread and <i>kumaras,</i> in plaited flax baskets, each <i>hapu</i> present -contributing according to custom, a certain quantity, so that in a -short time we had food enough around us to last us for a month. We ate -heartily of the good things placed before us, but we had great fights -over our banquet with the half-starved dogs assembled from all parts -of the country, and which became so audacious in their efforts to -obtain our luxuries, that we had to keep our whips going right and left -all the time.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus-p330.jpg" alt="NATIVE GIRL " /> -<a id="illus-p330"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption"> NATIVE GIRL.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_331" id="Page_331">[Pg 331]</a></span>We remained at Manga-o-rongo for three days, during which time we -had a good opportunity of examining the settlement and the general -features of the surrounding country. The <i>kainga</i>, composed for the -most part of a number of scattered <i>whares</i> separated by broad patches -of cultivation, was situated in a deep, basin-like depression in the -upper valley of the Waipa, and upon the banks of a small river called -the Manga-o-rongo, one of the principal tributaries of the Waipa. The -scenery of the adjacent country was very attractive, the Rangitoto -Mountains forming a beautiful and conspicuous feature to the south.</p> - -<p>The Rangitoto Mountains, the highest points of which attained to an -altitude of about 2500 feet, were clothed to their summits with a dense -vegetation, and flanked with lower hills covered with a luxuriant -growth of fern, while winding valleys and deep ravines stretched far -into the rugged fastnesses beyond. To the westward of the Rangitoto -ranges were the mountains of the Kuiti, where the deep green forests -were interspersed with wide stretches of open fern, which swept down -to the undulating hills at their base. On all other sides the country -around Manga-o-rongo was open, and presented a series of broad, rolling -plains, covered with low fern, and where the dark alluvial soil was of -the richest description.</p> - -<p>We were given quarters in one of the principal <i>wharepunis</i> in the -centre of the <i>kainga</i>, which was dotted around with <i>whares</i>, tents, -and other contrivances for the accommodation of the various hapus -attending the <i>korero</i>. In a large <i>whare</i> close to our location were -about a dozen or so of old men, who had formed a kind of headquarters -of their own.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_332" id="Page_332">[Pg 332]</a></span> They were all true-bred Maoris of the old school, of -Herculean build, and they appeared to be from eighty to ninety years -of age, and it occurred to me that one or two among them could have -counted their moons<a name="FNanchor_73_73" id="FNanchor_73_73"></a><a href="#Footnote_73_73" class="fnanchor">[73]</a> even further back than that; and as they sat -squatting about in the sun, with their blankets wrapped round them, -their weazened, tattooed features looked remarkably grim, surmounted, -as they were in every case, by a thick growth of snow-white hair. Each -one of them wore a piece of greenstone in his left ear, and all had -wooden pipes, which they puffed at incessantly. It was remarkable to -observe the difference in physique between these old warriors—for -they had all been great fighting men during the war—and the younger -natives. Although there were many stalwart and powerful fellows among -the latter, in general they had not the same square build and muscular -frames of the old men, who appeared to be perfect and well-conserved -types of the primitive Maori race.</p> - -<p>There were many representatives of the principal tribes of the -surrounding country in camp, and especially of the Waikatos and -Ngatimaniapotos; but, besides these, there were sections of the -Ngatiwhakatere, Ngatiraukawa, Ngatituwharetoa, Ngatihaua, and Ngatiawa. -All these various tribal divisions were represented by the principal -chiefs and notables, both men and women, and, when assembled together, -it was easy to trace their different physical characteristics.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_333" id="Page_333">[Pg 333]</a></span> -There were many tall and powerfully-built men among the Waikatos -and Ngatimaniapotos, but the women of the two latter tribes were -not as sturdy in frame, nor as robust in appearance as those of the -Ngatituwharetoa tribe of Taupo. In fact, the natives of the latter -district were, all things considered, the finest tribes we had come -across during our journey, the chiefs, especially of this division of -the Arawas, being remarkable for their tall stature.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus-p333.jpg" alt="WOMAN " /> -<a id="illus-p333"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption"> WOMAN OF THE WAIKATO TRIBE.</p> - -<p>The principal business of the meeting, which had brought the tribes -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_334" id="Page_334">[Pg 334]</a></span>together, was to consider a petition of the Ngatimaniapoto to -Government, respecting the lands, and in which the chief Taonui, with -Wahanui, had taken a leading part. Another important question was -the settlement of certain tribal boundaries, and the consideration -of the claim of the Ngatihaua, to a large tract of country near to -the Rangitoto Mountains, and which they claimed to have acquired by -conquest over the Ngatiwhakatere, a <i>hapu</i> of the Ngatiraukawa. At -this meeting the <i>kaingatautohe</i>, or debateable land, was formally -surrendered to the Ngatiwhakateres, the originally conquered tribe, -by the chief Hauauru, who claimed to be the direct descendant of the -warriors who conquered the Ngatiwhakateres, when the territory in -dispute was acquired.</p> - -<p>On the second day after our arrival at Manga-o-rongo, there was great -excitement in camp as a body of about fifty horsemen, headed by a -woman, were seen galloping as hard as they could come across the plain -leading to the settlement. There were loud cries of <i>haeremai</i> from the -women, and shouts of Te Kooti from the men as the ex-rebel chief and -his wife rode into camp at the head of a band of well-mounted though -wild-looking horsemen.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus-p335.jpg" alt="TE KOOTI " /> -<a id="illus-p335"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption"> TE KOOTI.<br /> - -(<i>From a Sketch by the Author</i>.)</p> - -<p>When the new arrivals had pitched the tents they had brought with them, -and were squatting in a circle round the hero of Poverty Bay, I went -into the camp, when Te Kooti saluted me with "<i>Tena koe, pakeha</i>," and -invited me to be seated. I took in his outward appearance at a glance. -He was a man apparently of about fifty years of age, over medium -height, of athletic form, broad shouldered and keenly knit, and with -a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_335" id="Page_335">[Pg 335]</a></span> remarkably stern expression of countenance, which imparted to his -whole visage a hard and even a cruel look. His features, cast in the -true native mould, were strongly defined. His head was well formed, -with a high arched forehead, and his lips were well cut and firm, while -his quick, dark, piercing eyes had a restless glance about them as if -their owner had been kept all his life in a chronic state of nervous -excitement. He wore a moustache and long pointed beard, which, for the -apparent age of the man, appeared to be prematurely grey. There were -no tattoo marks about his face, but when he smiled in his sinister<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_336" id="Page_336">[Pg 336]</a></span> -way every line of his expressive features seemed to be brought into -play. Taken altogether, Te Kooti had a decidedly intelligent cast of -countenance, in which the traits of firmness and determination appeared -to be strongly marked.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus-p336.jpg" alt="WIFE " /> -<a id="illus-p336"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption"> TE KOOTI'S WIFE.</p> - -<p>His wife, who was apparently a few years younger than himself, was -a strongly built, gaunt woman, with a remarkably bold expression of -countenance, and I could well imagine that during the troubled times -of the war she must have proved a daring and willing helpmate to her -desperate lord.</p> - -<p>The followers of Te Kooti, who sat around, were mostly men of over six -feet in height, powerful in build, and stern and savage-looking in -countenance, and with the same air of watchfulness about them as was -observable in the manner of Te Kooti, as if th<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_337" id="Page_337">[Pg 337]</a></span>ey, like their chief, -had been ever on the <i>qui-vive</i> for their lives during their long -sojourn of outlawry in the fastnesses of the King Country.</p> - -<p>The first question put to me by Te Kooti was to inquire where I had -come from, and when Turner explained to him the course of our journey -he replied, "They told me as soon as I arrived that a <i>pakeha</i> was in -camp, and that he had travelled through the country; and I said, now -that he has been through and seen all, let him remain. I did many a -long journey," he continued, "during the war, but I never did a ride -like that on one horse. I was always careful to have plenty of horses." -I told him that I had seen the remains of his <i>pa</i> at Te Perore, near -Tongariro, where one of his great battles was fought; and taking his -left arm out of a sling, he said, "This is what the <i>pakehas</i> gave me -there," and he showed me how a rifle-ball had struck him between the -knuckle joints of the two first fingers, crippling them both. Ever -since he was wounded in this way, he has always made it a rule to hide -this hand as much as possible, and for that purpose he carries it -constantly in a sling. He asked me whether I came from England, and -when answered in the affirmative, he put many questions to me about the -country, and was especially anxious to know whether the Queen was still -alive, as he stated that he had often heard of her when at war with the -Europeans. He then said that the Maoris did not want that war, but the -<i>pakehas</i> would fight, and the Maoris fought them. I remarked <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_338" id="Page_338">[Pg 338]</a></span>that it -was now time for the two races to be as one, and that all the troubles -of the past should be forgotten, and that the King Country should be -opened by roads and railways. "I do not object," said Te Kooti, "to -roads and railways; but," he continued, "we must hold the lands; it -will not do for the natives to lose everything." I pointed out that in -India a handful of <i>pakehas</i> ruled over 200,000,000 of people, and that -roads and railways had been made in that country, and the natives had -benefitted. Te Kooti, without a moment's hesitation, replied, "In India -the <i>pakeha</i> rules justly; here the governments have not treated the -Maoris fairly: one government has promised one thing and one another, -and they have all broken faith."</p> - -<p>When I stated to him that since the formation of the colony one law and -one sovereign reigned from one end of New Zealand to the other, and -that that applied to the King Country as well as to any other part of -the island, he replied, "That may be so. But," he continued, "you have -your queen, and Tawhiao is our king. Whatever Tawhiao says, we must do."</p> - -<p>At this stage Te Kooti burst forth with a wild chant—a kind of song of -welcome, which was intended as a compliment to our visit. As Te Kooti -sang, his voice was singularly clear and mournful, and his intonation -very distinct, while every word, as it fell from his lips, appeared to -be uttered with the wild impulse of a fanatic. During this time his -followers, as they had in fact done all along, sat listening in mute -attention, as if anxious to hear the words of one whom they appeared to -look upon as a kind of deified man, or<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_339" id="Page_339">[Pg 339]</a></span> as one endowed with a charmed -life that had made him the hero of brave and extraordinary exploits, -which recalled to mind some of the most daring and bloody deeds of -Maori warfare, and as I listened to his wild refrain, and marked the -earnest yet animated expression of his features as he sang, I could -well realize the influence which such a man would exercise over the -superstitious minds of the Maoris, and yet when I recalled to mind his -remarkable career, his marvellous escape from the Chatham Islands with -his devoted band, his desperate and bloody raid upon the settlers of -Poverty Bay, and the series of daring achievements which rendered the -name of Te Kooti a terror and a menace during the war that followed, I -could not but help thinking that many of the Cæsars and Napoleons of -history must have been made of much the same stuff as this fanatical -Hauhau leader.</p> - -<p>Our last night in the King Country was celebrated by a <i>haka</i> in Te -Kooti's camp. Never had I seen anything so wild or so exciting. When -the moon was up we went to a secluded spot surrounded by forest, where -huge fires had been lit to assist the doubtful light of the Queen of -night. The spectators squatted about in a semicircle, the ex-rebel -chief taking up his position in the midst of his swarthy followers. At -a signal given about fifty men entered the arena and nearly as many -women. All were lightly clad; so lightly indeed that the costume of -our first parents had not been greatly encroached upon. At a signal -given from the leader the dancers formed themselves into ranks, and -the first step was made by striking the feet heavily upon the ground, -and, as the excitement produced by this movement gradually increased, -the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_340" id="Page_340">[Pg 340]</a></span> limbs trembled from the feet upwards, until every muscle in the -body appeared to shake and twist, as if from the thrilling effects of -a galvanic current. Then they turned their bodies to the right with a -swinging jump, keeping the elbows close to the ribs and stretching out -the fore-part of the arm until the hands and fingers shook and trembled -as if strung together by wires. Then, they swung the body to the left -in the same attitude, and then, facing to the front, threw back their -heads, thrust out their tongues to the fullest extent in a menacing -way, and turned up their eyes until nothing but the whites could -be seen, and which, gleaming beneath the bright glow of the fires, -imparted to their distorted countenances a singularly ghastly look. -Next a wiry, tattooed savage jumped to the front with a loud yell, -thrusting out his tongue, and distorting his features until the blue -lines formed a quivering network over his face. He challenged the best -dancer in the throng, at which a woman appeared upon the scene, when -the pair performed a dance which no pen or pencil could describe. Then -they returned into the ranks, and another couple followed, and then a -third, and a fourth, until the whole crowd mingling together danced -and yelled in a marvellous yet diabolical way. The dark, streaming -hair of the women fell over their well-turned shoulders or swept round -their heads in a circle, as the dark syrens went through the most -extraordinary gyrations, with the rapidity of electrified humming-tops, -while the men, twirling their weapons furiously in the air, yelled -in a loud chorus which terminated in a long, deep, expressive sigh. -Again and again these movements were enacted with protruding tongues, -distorted faces, and fixed, staring eyes<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_341" id="Page_341">[Pg 341]</a></span>, time being marked by -striking the thigh with the open left hand, so as to produce a sound -which, mingling with the loud shouting of the furious dancers, added a -curious effect to the wild and boisterous scene.</p> - -<p>It was a bright morning when we left Manga-o-rongo to do the last -stage of our eventful journey. Although our horses had rested for two -days, it was clear that they were utterly exhausted from their past -fatigues, while their legs were so swollen that we could hardly get -them to move along. Leaving the settlement, the whole broad valley of -the Waipa lay stretched before us in the form of a wide expanse of open -plain, through which the winding river, from which it derives its name, -meandered in the direction of the north.</p> - -<p>The Waipa has its source on the southern side of Mount Pukeokahu, which -is situated a little to the eastward of Mount Rangitoto. It winds -round the western end of the Rangitoto ranges, and finally pursues -its way along the Waipa Valley. Besides receiving, however, a large -portion of the watershed of the Rangitoto Mountains, most of the -streams from the ranges of the Kuiti flow into it, while to the west -it is fed by numerous watercourses from the high coast ranges. Its -principal tributaries are the Mangapu, Manga-o-Rewa, and Mangawhero, -with the Puniu as the chief. Beyond the head of the river the watershed -falls towards the Mokau, south of which the country is open for a -considerable distance in the direction of the Tetaraka Plains, until -the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_342" id="Page_342">[Pg 342]</a></span> great central belt of forest country is reached.</p> - -<p>The whole wide valley of the Waipa lies very low, its altitude near the -margin of the stream being scarcely 100 feet above the level of the -sea; but the country rises gradually towards the west into undulating -fern-clad hills, which mount in a kind of terrace formation, one above -the other, until they reach the high wooded ranges which border the -West Coast. The plains of this valley are composed for the most part -of rich alluvial soil, which is everywhere covered with a dense growth -of low fern. Many native cultivations and settlements are dotted about -along the whole course of the river, and, taken altogether, this valley -is one of the most densely populated portions of the King Country. -From every point of view the scenery is most attractive, especially -when looking in the direction of the north, where the tall forms of -Pirongia, Maungatautari, and Kakepuku tower high above the surrounding -plains.</p> - -<p>It was already night when we had nearly reached the end of our journey, -and just as we drew rein at a native <i>whare</i> to inquire the best -point at which to cross the Waipa, my horse sank under me from sheer -exhaustion as I sat on his back. A little coaxing got "Charlie" on to -his legs again, and we hastened down to the banks of the Waipa to find -that the river was almost at high flood. There was a canoe at the ford, -but, as ill-luck would have it, it happened to be on the opposite side -of the stream. We shouted lustily, in the hope that some one would hear -us, and come and ferry us across, but there was no response but the -echo of our voices, and it seemed that we would have to <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_343" id="Page_343">[Pg 343]</a></span>pass another -night in the open, or swim our horses at the risk of our lives. The -night was bitterly cold, and we were naturally anxious to reach our -long looked-for goal, and, just as we were making preparations to swim -the river, voices were heard on the other side, and in a few moments -more the canoe shot across the water under the skilful guidance of -three young Maori girls. It did not take us long to unsaddle, and, -putting everything into the canoe with ourselves, we swam our exhausted -animals across, but not before "Tommy," by being swept under the frail -craft, by the force of the current, had nearly succeeded in upsetting -it in the centre of the rapid stream. Once on the opposite side, -we pressed upon our dark deliverers all the money we could muster, -and, entering the King's settlement at Whatiwhatihoe, we crossed the -<i>aukati</i> line forming the northern boundary of the King Country, when -the moon was high, on the night of the 18th of May, after a journey, -which, taking all distances traversed into account, was not short of -600 miles.</p> - -<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_73_73" id="Footnote_73_73"></a><a href="#FNanchor_73_73"><span class="label">[73]</span></a> The Maoris count time by nights, moons, and stars. There -appears to have been a kind of division of the nights into decades, as -ten nights to the full moon, ten to its disappearing. The Maori year -begins with the first new moon after the star <i>Puanga</i> is seen in the -morning, which is in May.</p></div></div> - - - - -<h2><a name="APPENDIX" id="APPENDIX">APPENDIX.</a></h2> -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p class="center"><a id="POTATAU_II"></a>POTATAU II.</p> - - -<p class="drop"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_345" id="Page_345">[Pg 345]</a></span><span class="uppercase">The</span> ancestry and tribal connections of Matutaera Te Pukepuke Te Paue Tu -Karato Te-a-Potatau Te Wherowhero Tawhiao, or Potatau II., render him -the most illustrious and influential chief in New Zealand. No Maori -chief is truly great unless he can trace his descent to some of those -who came in the first canoes from Hawaiki. Tawhiao can do this, his -ancestor being Hotonui, who came in the canoe Tainui, which made the -land at Kawhia. The ancestor, however, who makes the greatest figure in -the history of the family is Tapaue, who had a number of children who -did well in the world, and founded quite a number of tribes who exist -to this day. These children were—Te Rorokitua, who was the ancestor -of the Ngatipaoa, Te Putu, Tahau, Te Apa, Huiarangi, Ratua, Hikaurua. -The son of Te Putu was Tawhia, whose son was Tuata, whose son was Te -Rauanganga, whose son was Te Wherowhero, whose son was the present -Tawhiao. The name of Tawhiao's mother was Whakaawi, a woman of high -birth of the Ngatimahutu tribe.</p> - -<p>Tawhiao's autobiographical narrative is as follows:—</p> - -<p>"I was born at a place called Orongokoekoea, at Mokau. The whole of -the Waikatos had been driven from Waikato by the invasion of Hongi, -with his muskets, and the tribes had suffered greatly when the pa was -taken at Matakitaki. The whole of the Waikatos were living at Mokau -when I was born, from fear of Pomare. [The fall of Matakitaki took -place in 1823, and Tawhiao would probably be born a year or two later.] -We did not remain long at Mokau after the death of Pomare. We came -back to Haurua, Kopua, and other places. I lived at Honipaka, in the -Waipa. The Ngatitipa were at Haurau. Te Rauparaha had gone south long -before that time, in prosecution of his conquests at Cook's Straits. -Some of Rauparaha's people, however, the Ngatitoa and Ngatikoata, -came to Matakitaki, and were slain there.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_346" id="Page_346">[Pg 346]</a></span> Te Waharoa was then living -at Horotiu, and did not move. The Ngapuhi did not attack him. Pomare -made peace with Takurua. Waikato heard that peace had been made. At -this time Te Wherowhero had gone to Taupo. Rauroha said to Pomare, -'Go back to your own country,' but Pomare would not consent. Rauroha -said, 'You have made peace with me; look at Matire.' [Matire Toha -was subsequently married to Kati, Te Wherowhero's brother, on the -peace-making between Waikato and Ngapuhi.] Te Wherowhero wished to go -to Pomare, but Te Kanawa resisted his desire, thinking there would be -treachery. Pomare insisted upon going up to Waikato. He was met in -battle by the Ngatitipa, the Ngatitamaoho. Te Aho, a son of Kukutai -shot Pomare's fingers off, and when his people discovered that Pomare -was wounded, they fled. The fight took place at Te Rore, on the Waipa, -and the Ngapuhi fled to Whaingaroa. The chase continued to Te Akau, and -as far as Awhitu. I remember when Matire Toha was brought to Waikato -to be married to Kati. I remember the great crowds that were assembled -at the time. Te Kihirini brought Matire to Waikato. She was very young -then. The first Europeans we saw were at Kawhia. The first I remember -was Captain Kent. The first missionaries in Waikato were Stack, Hamlin, -Williams, and Morgan. The missionaries told us that we should be burned -up unless we believed. I myself was baptized by the name Matutaera, at -Mangere, by Mr. Burrows.</p> - -<p>"I remember a European coming to ask Te Wherowhero to sign the treaty -of Waitangi. That European was the missionary, Mr. Maunsell. [The Ven. -Archdeacon Maunsell.] The Maori he had with him was Tipene Tahatika. -Te Wherowhero said he would not sign. Mr. Maunsell remarked to Tipene, -'This ignorant old man, if he had signed, I would have given him a -blanket.' Te Wherowhero was then at Awhitu. Te Wherowhero's name was -afterwards put to the treaty, but it was written by Te Kahawai, not -by himself. I was at the great meeting at Remuera. That was when -Fitzroy was Governor. The principal speakers were Wetere te Kauae and -Te Katipa. Governor Fitzroy visited Kawhia. The Rev. Mr. Whiteley and -the missionaries had been there long before that time. When Sir George -Grey came, he visited Rangiawhia, Te Awamutu, and other settlements in -Waikato. He had thirty Maoris as his following. Sir George Grey pointed -out Mangere as a place for Te Wherowhero. He said to my father, 'Come -to Mangere, the land is for you.' I never attended any of the Mission -schools."</p> - -<p>In reference to the beginning of the New Zealand war, after Te -Wherowhero's death, and when Tawhiao had succeeded his father <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_347" id="Page_347">[Pg 347]</a></span>as king, -he narrates:—</p> - -<p>"I was at Rawhitu, a few miles above Rangiriri, when I heard that the -soldiers had crossed the Mangatawhiri. Heta Tarawhiti and a few others -were with me. The Waikatos were then at Rangiriri and other places. I -warned them to avoid the soldiers. When I heard that the soldiers had -crossed the Mangatawhiri, I warned the Maoris to avoid the soldiers. I -told them they should not meet the soldiers on the line of the Waikato -river, but should go inland by Whangamarino to Paparata, and then to -the Kirikiri. [Apparently this was Tawhiao's military plan, instead -of constructing <i>pas</i> on the river, like Meremere and Rangiriri. -If his advice had been taken, the line of our advance, would have -been threatened, and the settlements around Auckland placed in great -danger.] The next thing I heard was that a battle had been fought at -the Koheroa, and that the people I had sent to evade the soldiers had -also gone and fought at the Koheroa. Tapihana was the chief man whom I -had charged. I sent a message also to Mohi and Ihaaka (occupying the -settlement at Pukekohe, the Kirikiri and adjacent places), telling them -to come out from their villages. The engineer of the <i>pa</i> at Rangiriri, -who directed its formation, was Te Wharepu. I told the people that -they should retire to the depth of the forest to evade the troops. The -others would not consent. Te Wharepu was the leader of the others. They -said, 'We will not agree; if our blood must be shed, let it be shed -on our own land at Waikato.' I was at the fight at Rangiriri. Wiremu -Tamehana and myself went to Rangiriri, and requested the people to -move away from that place. That was the object of both Thompson<a name="FNanchor_74_74" id="FNanchor_74_74"></a><a href="#Footnote_74_74" class="fnanchor">[74]</a> -and myself in going. A dozen times I tried to persuade them to break -up from Rangiriri, but finding that our efforts were unsuccessful, -we left. The balls were then flying in all directions. I took refuge -behind a flax bush. A bullet passed close to me, and struck the bush. -I was not injured. I had a gun and cartridge-box. I saw some of my -people escaping. I told them to be swift, and move on. They said, 'You -must look after yourself; are you not in danger?' I said, 'No, I will -rest a while here.' I took off my coat and vest, and, after a while, I -succeeded in getting on board a canoe belonging to the Ngatitamaoho, -and in making my escape. Previously ten guns were levelled at me, and -a big gun also. Messengers had gone before, and told the people that I -was safe."</p> - - - - -<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_74_74" id="Footnote_74_74"></a><a href="#FNanchor_74_74"><span class="label">[74]</span></a> A native known as The King Maker.</p></div></div> - - - - -<h2><a name="THE_CHIEFS" id="THE_CHIEFS">THE CHIEFS.</a></h2> - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_348" id="Page_348">[Pg 348]</a></span><span class="smcap">Wiremu Te Wheoro</span> Te Morehu Maipapa comes from a distinguished -line of ancestors. From a woman of celebrity, named Hourua, after -whom the tribe was called, and whose worthy chief was that famous man -Wiremu Te Awatora, of Raglan. Then from the renowned ancestor Tapoue, -Te Wheoro becomes a near relative of Tawhiao, the present Maori King, -which circumstance accounts for the fact of his taking possession -of the Tiwai canoe, which conveyed the late Maori King, Potatau Te -Wherowhero, from Manukau to Ngaruawahia.</p> - -<p>The father and mother of Te Wheoro resided in the earlier times at -their settlement, Kaniwhaniwha, on the Waipa River, but, as was the -custom, they would remove to other places, being interested in other -lands, thus verifying the old Maori proverb, "<i>Ka mete kainga tahi; ka -ora kaingarua</i>" (he that has but one home will be subject to failure; -he that has two homes will prosper). The name of Te Wheoro's father was -Te Kaingamata, and his mother's name was Ngapaoa of the Ngatihinetu -tribe of Rangiaowhia. Te Wheoro's grandfather was Te Whakaete, who -was acknowledged to have been of great power among the Waikatos. Te -Whakaete was killed at Maungatautari by the Ngatipukenga, a war party -on its way to Te Wairoa, east coast, and headed by the chief Naunau. -Te Wheoro's own settlement was at Te Kohekohe, Lower Waikato, and he -was always a faithful adherent of the Europeans. His valuable services -were brought into requisition by General Cameron when war was declared -against the Waikatos. The calamities which befell his people arising -out of the war must have greatly afflicted him, for he tried very -hard to divert war during the Civil Commissionership of Mr. Gorst, -M.P., in the Waikato, when Sir George Grey's <i>Runanga</i> system was -introduced, and when the two Maori newspapers—the Government organ, -<i>Te Pihoihoi</i>, and the Maori King organ, <i>Te Hokioi</i>—were waging a -hostile war, which unhappily culminated in a breach of the peace, -Manga Maniapoto having instructed his partisans to seize the press and -type, which was duly carried out. Te Wheoro is called by the Maoris -"<i>he tangata rangatira</i>"(a man of noble extraction), and although he -is a Ngatihourua of Whaingaroa, <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_349" id="Page_349">[Pg 349]</a></span>a Ngatimahuta of Waikato-nui, and a -Ngatihinetu of Rangiaowhia, his particular tribe is the Ngatinaho, -the members of which acknowledge his chieftainship and <i>mana</i>, and -these people acted under him during the Waikato war. Of his fidelity, -friendship, and singular loyalty to Europeans before the war, during -the war, and subsequently up to the present time, abundant evidence may -be adduced both by Maoris and Europeans, while Government despatches -and military records simply corroborate facts well known to reliable -settlers. Te Wheoro is in great favour with the King party, and -besides being decorated with the New Zealand war-medal, and holding a -commission as Major in the Colonial forces, he is a member of the House -of Representatives for the Southern Maori Electoral district of the -North Island.</p> - -<p><span class="smcap">Wahanui</span>, the most influential chief of the Ngatimaniapoto -tribe, is a man of giant proportions, considerably over six feet in -height. His name in the Maori language signifies "broad," and was -given to him in reference to his enormous stature. He was educated at -the "Three Kings," and was originally intended for the Church, but -returning to the King Country, he took up his home at Te Kopua in the -centre of his tribe, where he has remained, watching over the interests -of his race. For many years he was the king's principal minister and -staunchest supporter. With a singularly dignified and courteous manner, -he displays a remarkable intelligence, which is heightened in no small -degree by a wonderful power of oratory which he usually employs with -remarkable effect at the councils of the native tribes. He is one of -the largest native land-owners, the territory of his tribe extending -over the most fertile portion of the King Country.</p> - -<p><span class="smcap">Manga Rewi</span>, a chief of the Maniapoto tribe, descended from a -long line of ancestors, is a man of great intelligence, and, although -now aged, is one of the most influential and respected representatives -of his race. He has been throughout a strong supporter of the King -Movement, and during the war was one of the most valorous and daring of -Maori leaders.</p> - -<p><span class="smcap">Patara te Tuhi</span> belongs to the same tribe as Tawhiao, namely, -the Ngatimahuta, and is, besides, his brother-in-law. He is a clever -man, and being ready with his pen, he was selected by the Kingites to -edit the <i>Hokioi</i>, the newspaper which they established to advocate the -Kingite cause. This paper was printed by types and a press obtained -by the Maoris who went to Europe with Dr. Hochstetter and which was -given to them by the Archduke Maximilian, who afterwards had such an -unfortunate career in Mexico. This powerful organ came to an untimely -end, the printing-office having been smashed up by an armed party under -Rewi, and the plant thrown into the Waipa river.</p> - - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_350" id="Page_350">[Pg 350]</a></span><span class="smcap">Whitiora Wirimu te Komete</span>, a chief of the Waikato tribe, -is renowned for his bold defence of the Rangiriri <i>pa</i> against the -imperial troops. He narrates his capture with ninety of his men as -follows:—</p> - -<p>"A white flag was hoisted on board the steamer, at the Waikato river, -in consequence of which he ordered the flag of truce to be hoisted in -the Rangiriri <i>pa</i>, which act he supposed would have led to a parley; -but, to his great astonishment, General Cameron and fifty of his men -came into the <i>pa</i>, and commanded the Maoris to deliver up their arms. -We could easily have shot the fifty soldiers, including the General, if -we had known that their coming into the <i>pa</i> was to deal treacherously -with us. We could have maintained our post in the <i>pa</i>, and we had made -up our minds to fight to the death. After admitting the soldiers into -the fortress we discovered for the first time we were prisoners."</p> - -<p><span class="smcap">Paora Tu Haere</span> is a chief of the Ngatiwhatua tribe.</p> - -<p><span class="smcap">Hati Wira Takahi</span>, chief of the Ngapuhi tribe.</p> - -<p><span class="smcap">Paratene Te Manu</span>, chief of the Ngatiwai tribe.</p> - -<p><span class="smcap">Tukukino</span>, head chief of the Ngatitematera, was one of the -principal Hauhau leaders during the war, and one of the most active -obstructionists to European Settlement. He is at present one of the -most aged natives in New Zealand.</p> - -<p><span class="smcap">Te Raia Ngakutu Te Tumuhuia</span>, chief of the Ngatitematera tribe, -was the last of the New Zealand cannibals. He attacked a <i>pa</i> at -Katikati, in 1842, belonging to the Ngatiterangi, defeated the powerful -chief Te Whanake, and feasted his own followers upon the slain.</p> - -<p><span class="smcap">Te Kooti</span> is well known as the great Hauhau leader during -the war. He is a man of singular intelligence, and still exercises a -widespread influence over the tribes. He was sent as a prisoner of war, -with other natives, to the Chatham Islands, and his escape from that -inhospitable region with his followers, together with his massacre -of the settlers at Poverty Bay, form one of the most remarkable and -stirring events connected with the campaign.</p> - - -<hr class="tb" /> - - - - - -<h2><a name="LIST_OF_THE_NEW_ZEALAND_TRIBES_WITH_THEIR_LOCALITIES" id="LIST_OF_THE_NEW_ZEALAND_TRIBES_WITH_THEIR_LOCALITIES">LIST OF THE NEW ZEALAND TRIBES, WITH THEIR LOCALITIES.</a></h2> - -<p class="drop"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_351" id="Page_351">[Pg 351]</a></span><span class="uppercase">These</span> tribes, which constitute the principal divisions of the Maori -race, are all subdivided into <i>hapus</i>, or tribal families, bearing -often a different appellation to that of the parent tribe, to which, -however, each <i>hapu</i> claims a direct relationship.</p> -<table summary="tribes" width="90%"> -<tr> -<td align="center">Name of Tribe. -</td> -<td> Locality. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Aopouri and Rarawa -</td> -<td>North Cape to Hokianga. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Ngapuhi -</td> -<td>Bay of Islands. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Ngatiwhatua and Uriohau -</td> -<td>Manukau Kaipara and Waitemata. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Ngatitai -</td> -<td>Firth of Thames and Auckland. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Ngatipaoa -</td> -<td>Thames from Cape Colville to Katikati. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Ngatierangi -</td> -<td>Katikati to Maketu and inland. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Ngatiwhaka-aue -</td> -<td>Maketu and Lake Country. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Ngatiraukawa -</td> -<td>Otaki Arowhenua. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Waikato -</td> -<td>Valley of Waikato to Manukau. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Ngatimaniapoto -</td> -<td>Valley of Waipa to Mokau. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Ngatiawa -</td> -<td>West Coast from Mount Egmont to Mount Taupiri, Waikanae, Wellington, &c. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Te Whakatohea -</td> -<td>Bay of Plenty and inland. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Ngatipouri -</td> -<td>Cape Runaway and inland. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Ngatituwharetoa -</td> -<td>Lake Taupo and centre of North Island. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Ngatitama -</td> -<td>From Mokau inland. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Taranaki -</td> -<td>West Coast near Mount Egmont. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Ngatiruanui -</td> -<td>Waitotara and inland. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Ngarauru -</td> -<td>Waitotara to Whanganui and inland. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Ngatihau -</td> -<td>Whanganui and inland. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Ngatiapa -</td> -<td>Rangitane, Whanganui River, and inland. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Ngatitoa -</td> -<td>Near Wellington. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Ngatikahungunu -</td> -<td>Table Cape to Palliser Bay, and inland. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Te Urewera -</td> -<td>Taupo to Poverty Bay. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Whanauapanui -</td> -<td>Cape Runaway to Bay of Plenty and inland. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Rangitane -</td> -<td>Admiralty Bay and vicinity. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Ngahitao -</td> -<td>South and Middle Island. -</td> -</tr> -</table> - -<hr class="tb" /> - - - -<h2><a name="THE_FLORA" id="THE_FLORA">THE FLORA.</a></h2> - -<p class="drop"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_352" id="Page_352">[Pg 352]</a></span><span class="uppercase">Synopsis</span> of the principal <i>flora</i> met with during the journey, arranged -alphabetically in accordance with native names.</p> - - -<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Trees.</span></p> - -<p class="hang1"> -Hinau.—<i>Eloecarpus dentatus.</i> A graceful tree, 20 to 30 feet high; -blossoms with a white flower; produces an edible berry ½ inch -long, pulp astringent, stone deeply furrowed; bark furnishes a -black dye, common throughout the interior of the island; finest -specimens met with in the Teranga forest, west of Ruapehu, at an -altitude of about 2000 feet.</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Horoeka.—<i>Aralia Crassifolia.</i> A small tree with a narrow leaf; -frequent in the forests of the Lake Country and other parts of -the interior. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Kahikatea.—<i>Podocarpus dacrydioides.</i> The white pine, growth 50 -to 120 feet; found on the swampy lands and river-banks; berry -edible, wood soft; largest trees seen in Valley of Whanganui. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Karaka.—<i>Corynocarpus lœvigatus.</i> A beautiful tree, 30 to 40 feet -high, with glossy ovate leaves and oblong berries, which, when -ripe, are of a bright red colour. The natives affirm that this -tree was brought by their ancestors from Hawaiki. Seen near -Tauranga and in Lake Country. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Karamu.—<i>Coprosma lucida.</i> A handsome tree with dark, shining -ovate leaves; growth 20 to 30 feet; berries small, bright red, -and edible; foliage eaten readily by cattle and horses; widely -distributed all over the central portion of North Island, especially -in forests of Kaimanawa Mountains and Western Taupo; grows -up to altitude of 3000 feet. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Mahoe.—<i>Melicytus ramiflorus.</i> A bushy tree; growth 15 to 30 feet; -frequent in forests of the interior; foliage eaten by cattle. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Makomako.—<i>Aristotelia racemosa.</i> A small tree, 10 to 20 feet high; -bark black; bears a small berry; bark used by natives to produce -a black dye; plentiful in forests of Whanganui. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Manoa.—<i>Dacrydium Colensoi.</i> Growth 10 to 50 feet; leaves an inch -in length, those of the upper branches overlapping each other; -wood very hard, formerly much prized by natives for the manufacture -of spears and clubs; frequent in valley of Manganui -a-te-Ao. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Mataii.—<i>Podocarpus spicata.</i> Growth 80 to 100 foot; berries edible; -common in all the forests of the interior; finest trees found in -Valley of Whanganui.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_353" id="Page_353">[Pg 353]</a></span> -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Miro.—<i>Podocarpus ferruginea.</i> Growth 60 to 120 feet; produces a -red berry, the favourite food of the wood-pigeon; frequent -throughout the interior; finest specimens met with in forests -west of Ruapehu, at altitude of about 2000 feet -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Nikau.—<i>Areca Sapida.</i> A beautiful and graceful palm, with ringed -trunk, and bright green pinnate leaves 4 to 6 feet long, the sole -representative of its genus in New Zealand; the pulp of the top -portion of the stem is edible, and when young is a favourite -article of food with the natives; very frequent in the forests of -the interior, but appeared to attain its greatest growth and development -in the damp marly soil of the Valley of the Whanganui. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Pohutukawa.—<i>Metrosideros tormentosa.</i> A grand, wide-spreading -tree, with gnarled trunk and twisting branches, growth 30 to 50 -feet; bears in the month of December a large crimson flower; -inner bark used by the natives for diarrhœa; wood hard and -red; grows usually near the sea, but also inland at Lake Tarawera -at altitude of over 1000 feet. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Pukatea.—<i>Atherosperma Novæ Zelandiæ.</i> A straight-growing tree, -with a buttressed trunk, growth 50 to 150 feet; grows to a large -size in the forests west of Ruapehu, at an altitude of about 2000 -feet. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Rata.—<i>Metrosideros robusta.</i> A gigantic tree from 60 to 160 feet in -height, base of trunk often exceeds 40 feet in circumference; -blooms with a crimson flower; the trunk gives life to innumerable -parasitical plants; wood hard, but not durable; inner bark -powerful astringent, used by natives for diarrhœa; frequent in -all the forests of the interior, the largest trees found being on the -eastern side of Mount Pirongia and in the dense low-lying forests -of the Valley of Whanganui. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Rewarewa.—<i>Knightia excelsa.</i> A handsome tree, growth 80 to 100 -feet; bears large clusters of red flowers; frequent in the Lake -Country. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Rimu.—<i>Dacrydium cupressinum</i>, the red pine. A noble tree, growth -from 80 to 150 feet; branches pendulous; wood red, heavy, and -handsome. This tree attains to its largest size in the Terangakaika -Forest, west of Mount Ruapehu, where it flourishes in great -abundance at an altitude varying from 2000 to 2500 feet. -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_354" id="Page_354">[Pg 354]</a></span> -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Tanekaha.—<i>Phyllocladus trichomanoides.</i> A celery-leaved pine, producing -a tough timber-growth, from 20 to 30 feet; the bark -affords a red dye which is fast becoming a valuable article of export -for the purpose of colouring kid gloves; frequent in forests -of Western Taupo and Te Toto ranges.<a name="FNanchor_75_75" id="FNanchor_75_75"></a><a href="#Footnote_75_75" class="fnanchor">[75]</a> -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Tawa—<i>Nesodaphne Tawa.</i> A fine tree, growth 60 to 80 feet; leaves -lance-shaped; produces an edible berry; common throughout -the interior. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Ti.—<i>Cordyline Australis.</i> Growth 10 to 30 feet; leaves uniform, from -2 to 3 feet long; flowers white and drooping; root edible; frequent -throughout the interior, grows at an altitude of 3000 feet; -frequent on Rangipo table-land. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Towai.—<i>Fagus fusca.</i> One of the most beautiful of New Zealand -trees, growth 80 to 140 feet; leaves 1 to 1¼ long, deeply serrate; -forms dense forests on the Kaimanawa Mountains and other parts -of interior; attains to its greatest growth on the western slopes of -Mount Ruapehu, where it grows at an altitude of over 4000 feet. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Totara.—<i>Podocarpus totara.</i> A fine forest tree; growth from 60 to -100 feet; met with in all parts of the interior. -</p> - - -<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Shrubs, Flowers, and Plants.</span></p> - -<p class="hang1"> -Anata.—A buttercup. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Hanea.—A cress. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Harakeke.—<i>Phormium tenax.</i> A New Zealand flax; flowers dark -red; leaves long, drooping and narrow; the seeds may be used -as a substitute for coffee; the root is employed by the natives as -a purgative and worm medicine; the gum is applied to wounds -and sores; the fibre of the leaf is used for rope-making and the -manufacture of paper. Common throughout the interior in -swampy places; growth from 4 to 8 feet. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Heruna.—<i>Polygonum adpressum.</i> -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Kaikaiatua.—<i>Rabdothamnus solandri.</i> A plant. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Kokota.—<i>Epilobium minuta.</i> A small willow-herb.<br /> -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_355" id="Page_355">[Pg 355]</a></span>Korikori.—A species of ranunculus. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Koromiko.—<i>Veronica salcifolia.</i> A common shrub, with lilac or -white flowers, lanceolate leaves; frequent all over interior; grows -luxuriantly around southern and western region of Lake Taupo. -A decoction of the leaves is valuable in dysentery. The foliage -is eaten readily by cattle. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Koropuku.—A plant with a red berry, common in the vicinity of -Tongariro. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Koru.—A blue and white flower. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Kotukutuku.—<i>Fuchsia excorticata.</i> A spreading tree-like shrub, -leaves ovate lanceolate; bears a purple berry, yields a dye of the -same colour; met with in all parts of interior. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Kowhitiwhiti.—Watercress. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Kalakuta.—A white flower. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Manuka.—<i>Leptospermum ericoides.</i> A tree-like shrub, widely distributed -all over interior; finest specimens met with in the -Geyser Valley, Wairakei. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Mataroa.—A flax-plant. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Matuakumara.—A plant. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Nahui.—<i>Alternanthera denticulata.</i> -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Nene.—<i>Dracophyllum latifolium.</i> -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Outatoranga.—<i>Pimelia arenaria.</i> -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Panahi.—<i>Convolvulus.</i> -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Panara.—Taupo primrose. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Papataniwhaniwha.—<i>Lagenophora Forsteri.</i> A plant like a daisy. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Pototara.—<i>Cyothodes oxydrus.</i>—A plant with a small white fragrant -flower, found growing on Rangipo table-land. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Piripiri whata.—<i>Carpodetus serratus.</i> -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Poipapa.—<i>Chenopodium triandrum.</i> -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Poroporo.—An edible nightshade with a white flower. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Puatea.—A yellow daisy. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Puwha.—<i>Sonchus oleraceus.</i> Sowthistle, much used by the natives -as a vegetable. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Rengarenga.—<i>Anthropodium cirrhatum.</i> A lily. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Rongotainui.—A flax used for cordage and fishing-lines. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Taihinu.—A white flower found at Taupo. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Taretu.—A plant with blue berries. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Tataramoa.—<i>Rubus australis.</i> A climbing bramble, armed with -prickles, branches pendulous, leaves coriaceous; berry, red or -amber-coloured; known to the colonists as the "bush lawyer;" -found in all the forests of the interior; most frequent in Valley -of Whanganui. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Tikupenga.—<i>Cordyline stricta.</i> -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Titirangi.—<i>Veronica speciosa.</i> -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Totaratara.—A small shrub with a white flower. -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_356" id="Page_356">[Pg 356]</a></span></p> -<p class="hang1"> -Tupapa.—<i>Lagenophora Forsteri.</i> Native daisy. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Tutu.—<i>Coriaria ruscifolia.</i> A frequent shrub with glossy leaves -and pendulous clusters of purple fruit, the seeds of which are -poisonous as well as the foliage; produces a black dye. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Waewaekaka.—<i>Gleichenia hecystophylla.</i> -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Wharangi.—<i>Melicope ternata.</i> A broad-leaved, poisonous shrub, -very common in the forests of the Whanganui and Western -Taupo. -</p> - - -<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Creeping, Climbing, and Parasitic Plants.</span><br /> - -(<i>Common throughout the interior.</i>)</p> - -<p class="hang1"> -Aka.—<i>Metrosideros buxifolia.</i> -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Kareao.—<i>Rhipogonum scandens.</i> A climbing wiry vine, the "supple -Jack" of the colonists; leaves three to five inches long, linear, -ovate; often grows in entangled masses, abundant in all the -forests; largest specimens found in the swampy forests of the -Whanganui. A decoction of the root forms a good substitute -for sarsaparilla. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Kiekie.—<i>Freycientia Banksii.</i> A plant producing an edible flower -and fruit. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Kohia.—<i>Parsiflora tetrandra.</i> A climbing plant. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Kowharawhara.—<i>Astelia Banksii.</i> A parasitical broad-leaved grass, -growing in tufts on trees, bearing an edible berry. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Kowhaia.—<i>Edwardsia microphilla.</i> A passion-flower; colour, green -and orange, with fragrant fruit. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Mawhai.—<i>Sicyos Australis.</i> A creeping plant. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Patangatanga.—<i>Freycientia Banksii.</i> -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Pikiarero—<i>Clematis</i>, bearing a beautiful white flower. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Puawananga.—<i>Clematis indivisa</i>, bearing a white flower. -</p> - - -<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Ferns.</span></p> - -<p class="hang1"> -Hiaue.—Creeping <i>lycopodium.</i> -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Huruhuruwhenua.—<i>Asplenium lucidum.</i> -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Kiokio.—<i>Polypodium.</i> -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Kopakopa.—<i>Trichomanes.</i> A round-leaved fern. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Korokio.—The smallest tree-fern. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Kotote.—A small-leaved fern. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Kurakura.—A small kind of <i>lycopodium</i>. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Maerere.—A small-leaved fern. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Makaka.—<i>Adianthum.</i> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_357" id="Page_357">[Pg 357]</a></span> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Mangapowhatu.—<i>Polytrichum cyphoma.</i></span><br /> -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Mangemange.—<i>Lycopodium articulatum.</i> A creeping fern. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Mokimoki.—Long-leaved fern. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Mouku.—An edible fern. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Ngutu-Karkariki.—Parrot's bill fern, so called from the form of its -foot-stalk; the fronds are plume-shaped. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Panaka.—<i>Asplenium.</i> A very graceful fern. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Para Marattia.—<i>Salicina.</i> A large fern. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Paretau.—<i>Asplenium obliquum.</i> A large-leaved fern. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Puaka rimu.—The tree <i>lycopodium.</i> -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Raorao.—<i>Pteris esculenta.</i> A common edible fern, the root of which -formed at one time the principal food of the Maori. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Raumanga.—<i>Polypodium.</i> A broad-leaved fern. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Tapui kotuku.—Creeping <i>lycopodium</i>. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Tarakupenga.—Creeping <i>lycopodium</i>. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Waewaekoukou.—<i>Lycopodium volubile.</i> A running fern. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Ti Taranaki.—A fern growing on the plains, having its fructification -on a separate stalk.<br /> -</p> - - -<p class="center">TREE FERNS.<br /> - - - -<span class="smcap">Cyathea.</span></p> - -<p class="hang1"> -Tote.—<i>C. dealbata.</i> The "silver-tree fern;" growth, 10 to 20 feet; -trunk slender and black; fronds lanceolate, 8 to 12 feet long, -dark green above, silvery white below. Abundant in the interior; -finest specimens seen in forests of the Lake Country. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Ponga.—<i>C. medullaris.</i> The "black fern;" trunk very stout, 12 to -40 feet high, and covered with matted fibres; fronds very -numerous, from 10 to 15 feet long; deep green above, pale -below; abundant throughout the interior. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -<i>C. Cunninghamii.</i> Trunk, 12 to 15 feet high; fibrous at -base; fronds, 20 to 30 in a crown, 6 to 9 feet long; bright -green; frequent in the Lake Country. -</p> - - -<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Flora of Tongariro and Ruapehu.</span></p> - -<p>The <i>flora</i> of Tongariro and the surrounding region partakes of an -alpine character, and is both varied and beautiful. Indeed, not only -are many of the mountains forming the group clothed with a dense and -attractive vegetation, but where the forests spread down to the plains,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_358" id="Page_358">[Pg 358]</a></span> -the trees and shrubs are often so disposed by Nature as to form perfect -gardens, which appear to have been artificially planted. During the -exploration of both Tongariro and Ruapehu, I had an opportunity of -examining the varied growth of trees, shrubs, and plants; and although -I was unable, under the circumstances, to make a very extensive -botanical collection, I secured some of the choicest specimens of -mountain plants, and afterwards obtained their native names from the -Maoris.</p> - -<p class="hang1"> -Houhou.—<i>Panax Colensoi</i> is an abundant plant in hilly districts. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Huripo.—A tall shrub, common around Tongariro, and remarkable -for its fœtid smell. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Manao.—<i>Pittosporum fasciculatum</i> is found in both islands. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Monao.—<i>Cyathodes acerosa</i> is plentiful throughout the whole country. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Papauma.—<i>Griselima littoralis</i> is a plentiful tree, especially in the -high interior districts. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Patotara.—<i>Leucopogon Colensoi</i> is a common mountain plant found in -both islands. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Peki Peki.—<i>Clemisia spectabilis</i> is an alpine plant, abundant on the -open mountains of the South Island, but is seldom found in the north. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Purea.—<i>Cassinia fluvida</i> is a plentiful mountain plant on both islands. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Rimu.—<i>Dacrydium laxifolium</i> is abundant on the high mountains. -It is the smallest known pine in the world. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Taubinu.—<i>Olearia nummularifolia</i> is plentiful on the mountains of -the South Island, but is found less frequently in the north. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Toatoa.—<i>Phylloctadus Alpinus</i> is a sub-alpine tree, frequently met -with in both islands. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Towai.—<i>Fagus fusca.</i> This is the largest and by far the most attractive -tree growing in the vicinity of the high mountains of this portion of the -island. It is somewhat stunted around Tongariro, but attains to colossal -size on the western slopes of Mount Ruapehu. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Tumigi.—<i>Leucopogon fasciculatus</i> is a shrub having small, thick leaves, -with white underneath. It is very plentiful at Tongariro. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Tutu.—<i>Coriaria mystifolia</i> is common in mountains and dry places. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Waewaekohu.—<i>Gleichenia dicarpa</i> is a widely distributed mountain -plant. -</p> - -<p>The <i>Gnaphalium bellidioides</i> is a mountain plant met with in both -islands. This plant was the last sign of vegetable life on Tongariro, -where it grew up to an altitude of 6000 feet. I also found it growing -on Ruapehu, with the <i>Ligusticum aromaticum</i>, at an altitude of -7000 feet, <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_359" id="Page_359">[Pg 359]</a></span>where both these plants likewise formed the last sign of -vegetation. It is worthy of remark that the natives could give no names -for these latter species.</p> - - -<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Grasses.</span></p> - -<p class="hang1"> -Kakaho.—<i>Arundo Australis.</i> A tall grass or reed, very common -around Lake Taupo. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Karetu.—<i>Torresia redolens.</i> A sweet-smelling grass. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Kopoupou.—<i>Scripus lacustrina.</i> A rush, frequent in the Lake -Country. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Kurikuri.—A grass with a prickly flower-head, Western Taupo. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Mata.—A reed-like grass. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Matarauriki.—A tussock grass, Rangipo table-land. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Mouka.—A wide-leaved grass. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Ngawha.—Native bulrush, frequent in Lake Country. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Oioi.—<i>Leptocarpus fasciculus.</i> A common rush. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Otaota.—A thin grass. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Parakerake.—A fine grass, frequent at Taupo and Rangipo table-land. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Pouaka.—A fine grass, emitting, when bruised, a fœtid smell; found -at Western Taupo. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Pureirei.—A swamp-grass. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Raupo.—<i>Typha latifolia.</i> A flag-rush, common everywhere in swamps -and banks of rivers; used by natives for building. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Tarareke.—A flax-grass. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Tarapuarere.—A flowering grass. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Toetoekiwi.—A low, rush-like grass, frequent in swamps. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Toetoe.—<i>Epicacris pauciflora.</i> A handsome cutting grass, common in -swampy places. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Tupari.—A broad-leaved grass. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Tutaikuri.—A swamp-grass, the native couch. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Wi.—A fine grass, frequent around Lake Taupo. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Wiwi.—A small swamp-rush. -</p> - - -<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Mosses, Fungi, and Lichens.</span></p> - -<p class="hang1"> -Hakekakeka.—A brown, edible fungus. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Harori.—A white, edible fungus. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Haroritui.—A tree-fungus. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Hawai.—A tree-fungus. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Karerarera.—A slimy plant. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Karengo.—A slimy plant, growing on stones in the water. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Koukou.—A tree-moss. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Kokirikiri wetu.—A globular fungus. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Kopura.—A scented moss, frequent in forests of Whanganui. -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_360" id="Page_360">[Pg 360]</a></span></p> -<p class="hang1"> -Maru.—Stag's-horn moss. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Pukurau.—<i>Lycopodon fontainesii</i>. A fungus. -</p> -<p class="hang1"> -Tikitiwhenua.—A toad-stool. -</p> - - -<p class="center"><a id="THE_FAUNA"></a>THE FAUNA.</p> - -<p class="drop"><span class="uppercase">The</span> almost total absence of land mammalia forms one of the most -remarkable features in the <i>fauna</i> of New Zealand. Of this class New -Zealand can boast of only two genera: the bat—<i>pekapeka</i> of the -natives, two species—and a small indigenous rat, the <i>kiore</i>, now -almost extinct. The author met with one or two specimens of the latter -animal at Ruakaka, in the King Country, but there, as in other parts of -the island, it has been mostly exterminated by the Norwegian or grey -rat. The <i>kararehe</i>, a native dog, the origin of which is uncertain, -has entirely passed away. Its remains, however, have been found with -those of the <i>moa</i> in the limestone caves of the South Island. The -natives claim to have brought the <i>kiore</i> with them on their migration -from Hawaiki, and it is likely that they may have imported the dog -at the same time, as a reference to it is made in connection with -their earliest traditions. Of the maritime mammalia both whales and -seals were formerly very numerous on the coast of the islands. There -are known to be eight kinds of whales, and three of seals. The total -absence of serpents and tortoises is again another notable feature.</p> - - -<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Birds.</span></p> - -<p>By far the most attractive part of the New Zealand <i>fauna</i> is the -birds, which include some of the most beautiful species of the -feathered tribe. Of these the following are among the most remarkable:—</p> - -<p class="hang1">Hihipopokero.—<i>Turdus albifrons.</i> A small brown bird with a white head.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Hioi.—<i>Ptilocinctatis.</i> A ground-lark, very common on the plains of -the interior of North Island.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Huia.—Genus <i>Melliphagus.</i> A black bird, about the size of a jay; it -has two little fleshy lappets under the beak: its tail feathers, tipped -with white, are much prized by the Maories as ornaments for the hair.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Hurukiwi.—A wild duck.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_361" id="Page_361">[Pg 361]</a></span></p> - -<p class="hang1">Kahu.—<i>Falcon harpe.</i> A large hawk.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Kaiaia.—A sparrow-hawk.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Kaka.—<i>Nestor, meridionalis.</i> A largo greenish-brown parrot. The -author found this bird to be very common in the forests of the -Whanganui, where its harsh note was the first sound to break the -morning stillness. This family of parrots is characterized by an -aquiline or overlapping beak.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Kakapo.—<i>Strigaps habroptilus.</i> A ground-parrot; colour, green and -yellow; it does not fly, although it has wings, but hops from branch to -branch; it is nocturnal in its habits.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Kakariki.—<i>Platycerus Novæ Zealandiæ.</i> A pretty, green parrot.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Karewarewa.—<i>Falco brunnea.</i> A quail-hawk.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Katatai.—<i>Ralus assimilus.</i> A kind of rail.</p> - -<p>Kauau.—<i>Graculus carunculatus.</i> A shag or cormorant.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Kea.—A large parrot, common in the South Island. It was formerly a -vegetarian, but in recent times it has developed a strong taste for -flesh, and has wrought great destruction among sheep flocks. The fat -surrounding the kidney appears to be its chief delight. Planting its -strong claws into the woolly loins of the live sheep, it, by the aid -of its powerful beak, pierces through those parts of the flesh and -fat around the kidney, which it greedily devours, while the animal is -powerless to resist its attacks.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Kereru.—<i>Columbus spadicea.</i> A wood-pigeon.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Kiwi.—Fam. <i>Struthionidæ.</i> (See Wingless Birds.)</p> - -<p class="hang1">Kohihi.—<i>Endynamys taitensis.</i> A bird.</p> - - - -<p class="hang1">Kohaperoa.—A bird of passage, the New Zealand cuckoo; it is a handsome -bird, spotted like the sparrow-hawk.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Kokako.—The New Zealand crow.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Kororeke.—The New Zealand quail.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Koriniako.—Genus <i>Melliphagus.</i> The bell-bird, one of the sweetest -songsters.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Kotare.—<i>Halcyon vagrans.</i> The king-fisher.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Kotuku.—<i>Ardea flavirostris.</i> A large white crane.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Koukou.—A small nocturnal owl, the "morepork" of the colonists.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Kuruengo.—The shoveller, a duck of Lake Taupo.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Mata.—A swamp-sparrow, a small brown bird with long tail feathers.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Matuku.—<i>Botaurus melanotus.</i> A bittern.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Mirmiro.—<i>Miro albifrons.</i> A small, graceful bird.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Moa.—Fam. <i>Struthionidæ.</i> (See Wingless Birds.)</p> - -<p class="hang1">Moakeroa.—A black bird with red bill and feet.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Ngirungiru.—<i>Petroica macrocophala.</i> A tomtit.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_362" id="Page_362">[Pg 362]</a></span></p> - -<p class="hang1">Parera.—<i>Anas superciliosa.</i> A wild duck.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Pihana.—A little black and white bird.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Pihoihoi.—The New Zealand ground-lark.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Piwakawaka.—<i>Rhipidura flabellifera.</i> The fantail fly-catcher, a small -graceful bird with a spreading tail.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Poaka.—<i>Himantopis.</i> Pied stilt.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Popokatea.—<i>Orthornyx heteroalytus.</i> The New Zealand canary bird.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Poporoihewa.—A snipe-like bird.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Puetoeto.—A bird living in swamps.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Pukeko.—<i>Porophyrino melanotus.</i> The swamp-hen; red bill and feet, -back black, breast bright blue.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Putaugitange.—<i>Casarca variegata.</i> The paradise-duck.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Riroriro.—Fam. <i>Luscindæ.</i> A small wren.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Ruru.—<i>Strigidæ Athene.</i> An owl.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Takupu.—A white gull.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Tarapunga.—A small gull, frequenting Lake Taupo.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Tatarihuka.—A small bird, held sacred by the Maories.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Tatariki.—Fam. <i>Luscindæ.</i> A small bird.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Tewakawaka.—Fam. <i>Rhipidura fuliginosa.</i> The black fantail.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Titi.—<i>Palecanoides urinatrix.</i> The mutton-bird.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Toetoe.—<i>Certhiparus Novæ Zealandiæ.</i> A small bird.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Totoara.—The robin.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Tui.—<i>Prosthemadera Novæ Zealandiæ.</i> The parson-bird. A beautiful -black bird, the size of a thrush; plumage a lustrous blue-black, -irradiated with green hues, pencilled with silver-grey, and white -delicate hair-feathers under the throat, suggestive of a parson's tie. -It has a melodious, clear note, and mocks other birds. It is easily -domesticated, and may be taught to talk.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Weka.—<i>Ralus Australis.</i> A large rail, the wood-hen, frequently met -with on the high land of the interior.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Wio.—The blue mountain duck.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Wiorau.—A small grey duck, frequenting the forest streams.</p> - - -<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Sea Birds.</span></p> - -<p>The sea birds inhabiting the coasts of New Zealand are fairly numerous, -and among them are two small kinds of penguin.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Hawe.—A large gull, the tail-feathers of which are highly prized by -the natives.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Hoiho.—<i>Eudyptes antipodes.</i> A small penguin, inhabiting the coasts of -the South Island.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Kao.—A gull frequenting the shores at night.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_363" id="Page_363">[Pg 363]</a></span></p> - -<p class="hang1">Karoro.—A gull.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Kawan.—<i>Graculus carruculatus.</i> A shag or cormorant.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Kuaka.—A small sea bird.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Pekeha.—A gull.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Pitoitoi.—A small sea bird.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Taiko.—A gull.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Takahikahi.—A sea-shore bird.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Takupu.—A white gull.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Tara.—<i>Lula Australis.</i> A sea swallow.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Tarapunga.—A small, graceful gull, inhabiting Lake Taupo; very -numerous in the vicinity of Tokanu.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Titipu.—A gull.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Torea.—<i>Hæmatopus picatus.</i> The oyster-catcher; has red legs and beak.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Toroa.—<i>Diomedia exulans,</i> The albatross.</p> - - -<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Wingless Birds.</span></p> - -<p>The almost extinct family of the <i>Struthionidæ</i>, or wingless birds, of -New Zealand, forms one of the most interesting features in the <i>fauna</i> -of the country. All the members of this genus are wholly different from -the common types of birds. They are remarkable for short rudimentary -wings, entirely unfit for flight, and for bones nearly devoid of air -cells; the leg muscles are of unusual strength and thickness; the feet -are powerful and long, with three toes, while the plumage is composed -of light, shaggy feathers, almost resembling hair. Before its period -of extinction, the largest member of this family, known by tradition -to the natives as the <i>moa</i>, was the giant of the feathered tribe, -the height of the several species of this bird, as computed from its -remains, being as follows:—-</p> - -<table summary="birds" width="40%"> -<tr> -<td> -</td> -<td > -</td> -<td align="right">Feet -</td> -<td align="right">Inches -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td align="right">Dinornis -</td> -<td>Giganteus -</td> -<td align="right">11 -</td> -<td align="right">0 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td align="center">" -</td> -<td>Robustus -</td> -<td align="right">8 -</td> -<td align="right" >6 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td align="center">" -</td> -<td>Elephantopus -</td> -<td align="right">6 -</td> -<td align="right">8 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td align="center">" -</td> -<td>Casuarinus -</td> -<td align="right">5 -</td> -<td align="right">6 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td align="center">" -</td> -<td>Crassus -</td> -<td align="right">5 -</td> -<td align="right">0 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td align="center">" -</td> -<td>Didiformus -</td> -<td align="right">4 -</td> -<td align="right">8 -</td> -</tr> -</table> - - -<p>Although the remains of all those birds are of extraordinary -proportions, the <i>Dinornis elephantopus</i>, or elephant-footed <i>moa</i>, -is distinguished by the singularly massive construction of its leg -bones. The sole remaining representative of these colossal birds is the -<i>apteryx</i> or <i>kiwi</i> of the natives. Of this genus there are several -species. The <i>Apteryx Australis</i> <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_364" id="Page_364">[Pg 364]</a></span>was the first made known to science, -in 1812. The <i>Apteryx Mantelli</i> differs from the former kind in its -smaller size, shorter toes, and longer bill and less developed wings, -while its plumage is of a somewhat darker colour. The <i>Apteryx Owenii</i> -is slightly smaller than the former species, with a greyish plumage. -During his journey through the interior the author found the <i>kiwi</i> to -be yet common in the Kaimanawa Mountains, the forests of the Whanganui, -in the mountainous districts of Western Taupo, and at Mount Pirongia.</p> - - -<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Reptiles.</span></p> - -<p>In New Zealand the lizards are represented by eleven species, five of -which belong to the neat genus <i>Naultinus</i>.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Kakariki.—<i>Naultinus elegans.</i> A beautiful green lizard, now rarely -found.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Kakawariki.—<i>Naultinus punctatus.</i> A green lizard with yellow spots on -the back.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Mokonui.—A large lizard, said by the natives to be common on the Upper -Whanganui.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Tuatara.—<i>Halteria punctata.</i> A great fringed lizard, about eighteen -inches long. It is now only found on the small island of Karewha, in -the Bay of Plenty.</p> - -<p>Around Lake Taupo the author found small brown lizards, about two -inches long; and at Pangarara, near Tongariro, lizards eight inches -long, of a dark-brown colour.</p> - - -<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Insects.</span></p> - -<p>The insect life of New Zealand is represented by many curious forms.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Anule.—A large caterpillar.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Aweto.—A caterpillar which feeds on the <i>kumara</i>.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Hara.—A large centipede, nearly six inches long.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Hataretare.—Slug-snail.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Hawate.—Caterpillar.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Heire.—Maggot.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Hotete.—<i>Sphæria Robertsi.</i> The vegetating caterpillar.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Howaka.—A cerambyx.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Huhu.—A boring grub.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_365" id="Page_365">[Pg 365]</a></span></p> - -<p class="hang1">Huhu.—A moth.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Hurangi.—A fly.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Kukaraiti.—A grasshopper.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Kapapa.—A large cerambyx.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Kapokapowai.—A dragon-fly.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Katipo.—A venomous spider, one kind red and one black, with a red spot -on the back.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Keha.—A flea.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Kekeriru.—<i>Cimex nemoralis.</i> A large black wood-bug.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Kekerewai.—A small green beetle.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Kihikihi.—A grasshopper.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Kiriwhenua.—A garden bug.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Kopi.—Chrysalis.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Kowhitiwhiti.—A small grasshopper.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Kurikuri.—A grub which turns into a green, bronzed beetle.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Kutu.—Louse.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Mokoroa.—A large caterpillar.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Mumatana.—A large brown beetle.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Naenae.—Mosquito.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Namu.—Sand-fly.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Ngata.—Leech.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Ngaungau.—Midge.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Papapapa.—Small brown beetle.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Pepeaweto.—The grub which begets the <i>hotete</i>, or vegetating -caterpillar.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Pepeatua.—Butterfly.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Pepeturia.—Large green moth.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Puawere.—Spider.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Purehurehu.—Large butterfly.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Puwerewere.—Spider.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Rango.—Large meat-fly.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Tarakihi.—Locust.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Titiwai.—Small luminous earthworm.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Toke.—A very long worm.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Kokoriro.—Large red <i>weta</i>.</p> - -<p class="hang1">Weta.—<i>Deinacrida heteracantha.</i> A beetle two and a half inches in -length.</p> - -<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_75_75" id="Footnote_75_75"></a><a href="#FNanchor_75_75"><span class="label">[75]</span></a> Mr. G.W. Griffin, United States' Consul at Auckland, -whose valuable reports upon the various commercial products of New -Zealand have been recently printed by authority of the New Zealand -Government, is the author of a very interesting paper upon the economic -uses of this tree.</p></div></div> - - - - -<h2><a name="A_BRIEF_REFERENCE_TO_THE_MAORI_LANGUAGE" id="A_BRIEF_REFERENCE_TO_THE_MAORI_LANGUAGE">A BRIEF REFERENCE TO THE MAORI LANGUAGE.</a></h2> - -<p class="drop"><span class="uppercase">The</span> Maori alphabet is composed of fourteen letters, namely:—<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_366" id="Page_366">[Pg 366]</a></span></p> - -<p class="center"><i>Consonants.</i></p> - -<p class="center">H, K, M, N, P, R, T, W, NG.</p> - -<p class="center"><i>Vowels.</i></p> - -<p class="center">A, E, I, O, U.</p> - -<p class="center"><i>Diphthongs.</i></p> - -<p class="center">aa, ae, ai, ao, au, ee, ei, ii, oo, ou, uu.</p> -<table summary="vowels" width="25%"> -<tr> -<td><i>Vowels.</i> -</td> -<td> -</td> -<td><i>Sound.</i><a name="FNanchor_76_76" id="FNanchor_76_76"></a><a href="#Footnote_76_76" class="fnanchor">[76]</a> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td align="center">a -</td> -<td>as <i>a</i> in -</td> -<td>f<i>a</i>ther -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td align="center">e -</td> -<td>as <i>a</i> in -</td> -<td>f<i>a</i>re. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td align="center">i -</td> -<td>as <i>ee</i> in -</td> -<td>sl<i>ee</i>p. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td align="center">o -</td> -<td>as <i>o</i> in -</td> -<td>m<i>o</i>le. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td align="center">u -</td> -<td>as <i>oo</i> in -</td> -<td>sh<i>oo</i>t. -</td> -</tr> -</table> -<table summary="consonants" width="30%"> -<tr> -<td align="center"><i>Consonants.</i> -</td> -<td align="center"><i>How named.</i> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td align="center">h -</td> -<td align="center"><i>ha.</i> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td align="center">k -</td> -<td align="center"><i>ka.</i> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td align="center">m -</td> -<td align="center"><i>ma.</i> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td align="center">n -</td> -<td align="center"><i>na.</i> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td align="center">p -</td> -<td align="center"><i>pa.</i> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td align="center">r -</td> -<td align="center"> <i>ra.</i> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td align="center">t -</td> -<td align="center"><i>ta.</i> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td align="center">w -</td> -<td align="center"><i>wa.</i> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td align="center">ng -</td> -<td align="center"><i>nga.</i> -</td> -</tr> -</table> - - - - -<p class="center"><span class="smcap">The Parts of Speech.</span></p> - -<p class="center"><i>The Article.</i></p> - -<p><i>Te</i> is the definite article, <i>nga</i> is its plural; as, <i>te whare</i>, the -house; <i>nga whare</i>, the houses.</p> - -<p>The indefinite articles are <i>he</i> and <i>tetahi</i>, a, an, or some; the -plural of <i>tetahi</i> is <i>etahi</i>, as <i>he kuri</i>, a dog; <i>tetahi hoe</i>, a -paddle; <i>etahi waka</i>, canoes or some canoes.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_367" id="Page_367">[Pg 367]</a></span></p> - -<p class="center"><i>The Noun.</i></p> - -<p>The noun has two numbers, the singular and the plural, the plural being -formed by the article <i>nga</i> prefixed to the singular; as, <i>Te tamaiti</i>, -the child; <i>nga tamaiti</i>, the children.</p> - -<p class="center"><i>Adjectives.</i></p> - -<p>The adjective does not precede the noun, as in English, but is placed -immediately after it; as, <i>he rakau roa</i>, a tree long.</p> - -<p class="center"><i>Pronouns.</i></p> - -<p>The personal pronouns are:—</p> -<table summary="pronouns" width="50%"> -<tr> -<td rowspan="4">Singular -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>{1st person, <i>ahau</i> or <i>au</i>, I. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>{2nd " <i>koe</i>, thou. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>{3rd " <i>ia</i>, he, she, or it. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td rowspan="4">Plural -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>{1st person, <i>tatau</i> or <i>matou</i>, we. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>{2nd " <i>koutou</i>, ye. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>{3rd " <i>ratou</i>, they. -</td> -</tr> -</table> - - -<p class="center"><i>Possessive Pronouns.</i></p> - -<p style="margin-left: 5%;"> -<i>Tahu</i>, mine or my.<br /> -<i>Ta taua</i>, <i>ta maua</i>, <i>ta tatou</i>, or <i>ta matou</i>, ours.<br /> -<i>Tau</i>, thine or thy.<br /> -<i>Ta korua</i>, or <i>ta koutou</i>, yours.<br /> -<i>Tana</i>, his.<br /> -<i>Ta raua</i>, or <i>ta ratau</i>, theirs. -</p> - -<p class="center"><i>Relative Pronouns.</i></p> - -<p>In the Maori there is no distinct form.</p> - -<p class="center"><i>Demonstrative Pronouns.</i></p> - -<table summary="pronouns" width="40%"> -<tr> -<td><i>Singular.</i> -</td> -<td><i>Plural.</i> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Tenei</i>, this. -</td> -<td>Enei or <i>anei</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Tena</i>, that (next). -</td> -<td><i>Ena.</i> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Tera</i>, that (farther off). -</td> -<td><i>Era.</i> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Taua</i>, that (before mentioned). -</td> -<td><i>Ana.</i> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" class="center"><i>Ia</i>, that. -</td> -</tr> -</table> - - - -<p class="center"><i>Interrogative Pronouns.</i></p> - -<p>There are three, viz.:—</p> - -<p><i>Wai</i>, who; <i>Aha</i>, what; <i>tehea</i> or <i>ehea</i>, which.</p> - - -<p class="center"><i>Verbs.</i><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_368" id="Page_368">[Pg 368]</a></span></p> - -<p>These are of three kinds, active, neuter, and causative, each of which -admits of the passive voice.</p> - -<p>The passive is formed by adding to the active one of the following -terminations:—<i>a</i>, <i>ia</i>, <i>tia</i>, <i>hia</i>, <i>kia</i>, <i>ria</i>, <i>na</i>, <i>ina</i>, -<i>ngia</i>.</p> - -<p>The causative verb is formed by the prefix <i>whaka</i>.</p> - -<p class="center"><i>Tenses.</i></p> - -<p>The present tense is formed by <i>ka</i> before the verb, or by <i>e</i> before -and <i>ana</i> after it.</p> - -<p>The past tense is formed by the prefix <i>i</i>.</p> - -<p>The future tense is formed by the prefix <i>ka</i>, <i>e</i>, and <i>tera</i>.</p> - -<p class="center"><i>Adverbs.</i></p> -<table summary="words" width="50%" > -<tr> -<td><i>Ae</i>, -</td> -<td>yes, affirmation. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Kahore</i>, -</td> -<td>no, not, on the contrary. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Ekore</i>, -</td> -<td>not. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Au</i> or <i>aua</i>, -</td> -<td>I do not know. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Inakaura</i>, -</td> -<td>a little while ago. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Inapo</i>, -</td> -<td>last night. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Inanahi</i>, -</td> -<td>yesterday. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Inaoake</i>, -</td> -<td>day before yesterday. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Aianei</i>, -</td> -<td>to-day, now, presently. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Pea</i>, -</td> -<td>perhaps, indeed, of course. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Ko</i>, -</td> -<td>then, thither. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Konei</i>, -</td> -<td>here, this place, this time. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Ake</i>, -</td> -<td>upwards, onwards. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Atu</i>, -</td> -<td>onwards, away. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Iho</i>, -</td> -<td>downwards, up above, from above. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Mai</i>, -</td> -<td>hither. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Tua</i>, -</td> -<td>behind, rather. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Mua</i>, -</td> -<td>before. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Roto</i>, -</td> -<td>within, the inside place, inland. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Waho</i>, -</td> -<td>without, the outside. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Puku</i>, -</td> -<td>secretly, without speaking. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Niamata</i>, -</td> -<td>in former times. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Meake</i>, -</td> -<td>soon, presently. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Ahea</i>, -</td> -<td>when, at what time. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Pehea</i>, -</td> -<td>how, in what way. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Oti</i> -</td> -<td>else, in question, then. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Ata</i>, -</td> -<td>gently, deliberately. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Marie</i>, -</td> -<td>quietly.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_369" id="Page_369">[Pg 369]</a></span> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Hanuga</i>, -</td> -<td>besides, not. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Kau</i>, -</td> -<td>only, alone. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Ki</i>, -</td> -<td>very. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Ara</i>, -</td> -<td>namely. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><i>Prepositions.</i> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>E</i>, -</td> -<td>by. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>O</i>, -</td> -<td>of, belonging to. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Whaka</i>, -</td> -<td>towards, in the direction of. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>To</i>, -</td> -<td>up to, as far as. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>U</i>, -</td> -<td>according to. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Kei</i>, -</td> -<td>at, on, in, with. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Hei</i>, -</td> -<td>for, at; of time or place, to. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>No</i>, -</td> -<td>from, belonging to. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Mo</i>, -</td> -<td>for, because of, on account of. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Roto</i>, -</td> -<td>inside, within. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Waho</i>, -</td> -<td>outside, without. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Tua</i>, -</td> -<td>other side. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Tata</i>, -</td> -<td>near. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><i>Conjunctions.</i> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>A</i>, -</td> -<td>and, as far as, there. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Koia</i>, -</td> -<td>therefore. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Oti</i>,or <i>Otira</i>, -</td> -<td>but, at the same time. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Ahakoa</i>, -</td> -<td>although, nevertheless. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Hoki</i>, -</td> -<td>also, for, because. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Notema</i>, -</td> -<td>because. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><i>Interjections.</i> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Na</i>, or <i>nana</i>, -</td> -<td>behold! see! -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>E</i>, or <i>O</i>! -</td> -<td>oh! -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Aue</i>, -</td> -<td>alas! -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Taukiri</i>, -</td> -<td>exclamation of surprise. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><i>Numerals.</i> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Tahi</i>, -</td> -<td>one. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Rua</i>, -</td> -<td>two. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Toru</i>, -</td> -<td>three. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Wha</i>, -</td> -<td>four. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Rima</i>, -</td> -<td>five. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Ono</i>,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_370" id="Page_370">[Pg 370]</a></span> -</td> -<td>six. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Whitu</i>, -</td> -<td>seven. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Waru</i>, -</td> -<td>eight. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Iwa</i>, -</td> -<td>nine. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Tekau</i>, or <i>nga huru</i>, -</td> -<td>ten. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Tekau ma tahi</i>, -</td> -<td>eleven. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Tekau ma rua</i>, -</td> -<td>twelve. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Tekau ma toru</i>, -</td> -<td>thirteen. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Tekau ma wha</i>, -</td> -<td>fourteen. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Tekau ma rima</i>, -</td> -<td>fifteen. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Tekau ma ono</i>, -</td> -<td>sixteen. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Tekau ma whitu</i>, -</td> -<td>seventeen. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Tekau ma waru</i>, -</td> -<td>eighteen. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Tekau ma iwa</i>, -</td> -<td>nineteen. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Rua tekau</i>, -</td> -<td>twenty. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Rua tekau ma tahi</i>, -</td> -<td>twenty-one. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Toru tekau</i>, -</td> -<td>thirty. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Toru tekau ma tahi</i>, -</td> -<td>thirty-one. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Wha tekau</i>, -</td> -<td>forty. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Wha tekau ma tahi</i>, -</td> -<td>forty-one. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Rima tekau</i>, -</td> -<td>fifty. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Rima tekau ma tahi</i>, -</td> -<td>fifty-one. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Ono tekau</i>, -</td> -<td>sixty. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Whitu tekau</i>, -</td> -<td>seventy. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Waru tekau</i>, -</td> -<td>eighty. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Iwa tekau</i>, -</td> -<td>ninety. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Ko tahi rau</i>, -</td> -<td>one hundred. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Ko tahi rau ma tahi</i>, -</td> -<td>one hundred and one. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Rua rau</i>, -</td> -<td>two hundred. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Toru rau</i>, -</td> -<td>three hundred. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Wha rau</i>, -</td> -<td>four hundred. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Rima rau</i>, -</td> -<td>five hundred. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Ono rau</i>, -</td> -<td>six hundred. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Whitu rau</i>, -</td> -<td>seven hundred. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Waru rau</i>, -</td> -<td>eight hundred. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Iwa rau</i>, -</td> -<td>nine hundred. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Ko tahi mano</i>, -</td> -<td>one thousand. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Ko tahi mano ma tahi</i>, -</td> -<td>one thousand and one. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Rua mano</i>, -</td> -<td>two thousand. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" align="center"><i>Ordinal Numbers.</i><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_371" id="Page_371">[Pg 371]</a></span> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Te tahi</i>, or <i>tuatahi</i>, -</td> -<td>the first. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Te rua</i>, or <i>tuarua</i>, -</td> -<td>the second. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Te tekau</i>, -</td> -<td>the tenth. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Te tekau ma tahi</i>, -</td> -<td>the eleventh. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Te rua tekau</i>, -</td> -<td>the twentieth. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Te toru tekau</i>, -</td> -<td>the thirtieth. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Te rau</i>, -</td> -<td>the hundredth. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><i>Te rua o nga rau</i>, -</td> -<td>the two hundredth. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -</table> - -<table summary="verbs" width="55%" > -<tr> -<td colspan="4" align="center"><i>Useful Verbs.</i> -</td> -<td> -</td> -<td> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>To be able, -</td> -<td><i>ahei</i>. -</td> -<td>To gather, -</td> -<td><i>kohikohi</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>To add, -</td> -<td><i>hono</i>. -</td> -<td>To go, -</td> -<td><i>haere</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>To assemble, -</td> -<td><i>huihui</i>. -</td> -<td>To be healed, -</td> -<td><i>mahu</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>To ask, -</td> -<td><i>inoi</i>. -</td> -<td>To hear, -</td> -<td><i>rongo</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>To believe, -</td> -<td><i>whakapono</i>. -</td> -<td>To hide, -</td> -<td><i>huma</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>To boil, -</td> -<td><i>koropupu</i>. -</td> -<td>To imitate, -</td> -<td><i>whakatau</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>To burn, -</td> -<td><i>tahu</i>. -</td> -<td>To jest, -</td> -<td><i>hangarau</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>To call, -</td> -<td><i>karanga</i>. -</td> -<td>To kill, -</td> -<td><i>patu</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>To carry, -</td> -<td><i>kawe</i>. -</td> -<td>To lead, -</td> -<td><i>arabi</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>To be calm, -</td> -<td><i>aio</i>. -</td> -<td>To light, -</td> -<td><i>whakamarama</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>To clean, -</td> -<td><i>horoi</i>. -</td> -<td>To light up, -</td> -<td><i>hopai</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>To clear, -</td> -<td><i>para</i>. -</td> -<td>To listen, -</td> -<td><i>whakarongo</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>To count, -</td> -<td><i>tatau</i>. -</td> -<td>To look, -</td> -<td><i>rimi</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>To curse, -</td> -<td><i>kanga</i>. -</td> -<td>To make, -</td> -<td><i>hauga</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>To cut off, -</td> -<td><i>tope</i>. -</td> -<td>To measure, -</td> -<td><i>wharite</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>To cut (in two), -</td> -<td><i>pounto</i>. -</td> -<td>To murder, -</td> -<td><i>kohuru</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>To desire, -</td> -<td><i>hiahia</i>. -</td> -<td>To pay, -</td> -<td><i>utu</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>To dig, -</td> -<td><i>ko</i>. -</td> -<td>To plant, -</td> -<td><i>whakato</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>To dive, -</td> -<td><i>ruku</i>. -</td> -<td>To play, -</td> -<td><i>takaro</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>To divide, -</td> -<td><i>wehewehe</i>. -</td> -<td>To plunder, -</td> -<td><i>muru</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>To drive, -</td> -<td><i>whiu</i>. -</td> -<td>To pray, -</td> -<td><i>muru</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>To drink, -</td> -<td><i>inu</i>. -</td> -<td>To run, -</td> -<td><i>oma</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>To eat, -</td> -<td><i>kai</i>. -</td> -<td>To rest, -</td> -<td><i>okioki</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>To enter, -</td> -<td><i>tomo</i>. -</td> -<td>To see, -</td> -<td><i>kite</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>To entrap, -</td> -<td><i>reti</i>. -</td> -<td>To sell, -</td> -<td><i>hoko</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>To exchange, -</td> -<td><i>hokohoko</i>. -</td> -<td>To sew, -</td> -<td><i>tui</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>To fetch, -</td> -<td><i>tiki</i>. -</td> -<td>To shine, -</td> -<td><i>tiaho</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>To fell (timber), -</td> -<td> <i>tua</i>. -</td> -<td>To sing, -</td> -<td><i>waiata</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>To fish, -</td> -<td><i>hi</i>. -</td> -<td>To speak, -</td> -<td><i>ki</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>To float, -</td> -<td><i>taupua</i>. -</td> -<td>To stop, -</td> -<td><i>whakamutu</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>To sow, -</td> -<td><i>rui</i>. -</td> -<td>To undo, -</td> -<td><i>wewete</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>To swim, -</td> -<td><i>kaukoe</i>. -</td> -<td>To watch, -</td> -<td><i>mataara</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>To take, -</td> -<td><i>tango</i>. -</td> -<td>To wash, -</td> -<td><i>horoi</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>To teach,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_372" id="Page_372">[Pg 372]</a></span> -</td> -<td><i>ako</i>. -</td> -<td>To work, -</td> -<td><i>mahi</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>To understand, -</td> -<td><i>mohio</i>. -</td> -<td> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="4" align="center"><i>Useful Nouns.</i> -</td> -<td> -</td> -<td> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Abyss, -</td> -<td><i>torere</i>. -</td> -<td>Mind, -</td> -<td><i>hinengaro</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Anger, -</td> -<td><i>riri</i>. -</td> -<td>Plain, -</td> -<td><i>raorao</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Boundary, -</td> -<td><i>rohe</i>. -</td> -<td>Precipice, -</td> -<td><i>pari</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Bridge, -</td> -<td><i>arawhata</i>. -</td> -<td>Proverb, -</td> -<td><i>whakatauki</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Canoe, -</td> -<td><i>waka</i>. -</td> -<td>Priest, -</td> -<td><i>ariki</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Carving, -</td> -<td><i>whakairo</i>. -</td> -<td>Rope, -</td> -<td><i>whakaheke</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Child, -</td> -<td><i>tamahiti</i>. -</td> -<td>Row, -</td> -<td><i>rarangi</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Council, -</td> -<td><i>runanga</i>. -</td> -<td>Seaside, -</td> -<td><i>tatahi</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Dance, -</td> -<td> <i>haka</i>. -</td> -<td>Ship, -</td> -<td><i>kaipuke</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Daylight, -</td> -<td><i>awatea</i>. -</td> -<td>Shoal, -</td> -<td><i>tahuna</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Dog, -</td> -<td><i>kuri</i>. -</td> -<td>Skin, -</td> -<td><i>hiako</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Door, -</td> -<td><i>tatau</i>. -</td> -<td>Sky, -</td> -<td><i>rangi</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Dust, -</td> -<td><i>nehu</i>. -</td> -<td>Smoke, -</td> -<td><i>auahi</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Egg, -</td> -<td><i>hua</i>. -</td> -<td>Song, -</td> -<td><i>waiata</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Eel, -</td> -<td><i>koiro</i>. -</td> -<td>Spear, -</td> -<td><i>tao</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Feather, -</td> -<td><i>how</i>. -</td> -<td>Speech, -</td> -<td><i>reo</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Fence, -</td> -<td><i>taiepa</i>. -</td> -<td>Sport, -</td> -<td><i>takaro</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Firewood, -</td> -<td><i>ahi</i>. -</td> -<td>Spring of water, -</td> -<td><i>puna</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Floor-mat, -</td> -<td><i>takapau</i>. -</td> -<td>Steam, -</td> -<td><i>korohu</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Ford, -</td> -<td><i>kauranga</i>. -</td> -<td>Summit, -</td> -<td><i>teitei</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Girdle, -</td> -<td><i>tatua</i>. -</td> -<td>Tree, -</td> -<td><i>rakau</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Hand, -</td> -<td><i>ringaringa</i>. -</td> -<td>Valley, -</td> -<td><i>wharua</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Heat, -</td> -<td><i>pukaka</i>. -</td> -<td>Verandah, -</td> -<td><i>whakamahau</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Hatchet, -</td> -<td><i>patiti</i>. -</td> -<td>Water, -</td> -<td><i>wai</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Jealousy, -</td> -<td><i>hae</i>. -</td> -<td>Waterfall, -</td> -<td><i>wairere</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Lake, -</td> -<td><i>roto</i>. -</td> -<td>Woman, -</td> -<td><i>wahine</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Landing-place, -</td> -<td><i>tauranga</i>. -</td> -<td>Year, -</td> -<td><i>tau</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Man, -</td> -<td><i>tangata</i>. -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="4" align="center"><i>Useful Adjectives.</i> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Abundant, -</td> -<td><i>ranea</i>. -</td> -<td>Bald, -</td> -<td><i>pakira</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Afraid, -</td> -<td><i>wehi</i>. -</td> -<td>Black, -</td> -<td><i>pango</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Aged, -</td> -<td><i>kaumatua</i>. -</td> -<td>Blind, -</td> -<td><i>matapo</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Ashamed, -</td> -<td><i>whakama</i>. -</td> -<td>Brave, -</td> -<td><i>maia</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Bad, -</td> -<td><i>kino</i>. -</td> -<td>Bright, -</td> -<td><i>kanapa</i> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Broad, -</td> -<td><i>whanui</i>. -</td> -<td>Quick, -</td> -<td><i>kakama</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Calm,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_373" id="Page_373">[Pg 373]</a></span> -</td> -<td><i>marino</i>. -</td> -<td>Quiet, -</td> -<td><i>marie</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Carved, -</td> -<td><i>whakairo</i>. -</td> -<td>Red, -</td> -<td><i>whero</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Concealed, -</td> -<td><i>huna</i>. -</td> -<td>Ripe, -</td> -<td><i>pakari</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Conceited, -</td> -<td><i>whakahihi</i>. -</td> -<td>Round, -</td> -<td><i>porotaka</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Confused, -</td> -<td><i>porauraha</i>. -</td> -<td>Salt, -</td> -<td><i>mataitai</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Damp, -</td> -<td><i>maku</i>. -</td> -<td>Shallow, -</td> -<td><i>pakupaku</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Dark, -</td> -<td><i>pouri</i>. -</td> -<td>Sharp, -</td> -<td><i>koi</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Deep, -</td> -<td><i>hohonu</i>. -</td> -<td>Short, -</td> -<td><i>poto</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Deceitful, -</td> -<td><i>hangarau</i>. -</td> -<td>Slippery, -</td> -<td><i>pahekeheke</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Dry, -</td> -<td><i>maroke</i>. -</td> -<td>Slow, -</td> -<td><i>ngoikore</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Fat, -</td> -<td><i>momona</i>. -</td> -<td>Small, -</td> -<td><i>iti</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>False, -</td> -<td><i>horihori</i>. -</td> -<td>Soft, -</td> -<td><i>ngawari</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Good, -</td> -<td><i>pai</i>. -</td> -<td>Sour, -</td> -<td><i>kawa</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Great, -</td> -<td><i>Nui</i>. -</td> -<td>Strong, -</td> -<td><i>kaha</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Hard, -</td> -<td><i>pakeke</i>. -</td> -<td>Tall, -</td> -<td><i>roa</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Heavy, -</td> -<td><i>toimaha</i>. -</td> -<td>Tame, -</td> -<td><i>rarata</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>High, -</td> -<td><i>teiti</i>. -</td> -<td>Thick, -</td> -<td><i>matotoru</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Hot, -</td> -<td><i>wera</i>. -</td> -<td>Thin, -</td> -<td><i>heroki</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Idle, -</td> -<td><i>mangere</i>. -</td> -<td>Timid, -</td> -<td><i>wehi</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Light, -</td> -<td><i>mama</i>. -</td> -<td>True, -</td> -<td><i>pono</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Loose, -</td> -<td><i>korokoro</i>. -</td> -<td>Uncooked, -</td> -<td><i>kaimata</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Narrow, -</td> -<td><i>whaiti</i>. -</td> -<td>Wasteful, -</td> -<td><i>maumau</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Near, -</td> -<td><i>tutata</i>. -</td> -<td>Weak, -</td> -<td><i>iwikore</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>New, -</td> -<td><i>hou</i>. -</td> -<td>Wet, -</td> -<td><i>maku</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Noisy, -</td> -<td><i>turituri</i>. -</td> -<td>White, -</td> -<td><i>ma</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Open, -</td> -<td><i>tuwhera</i>. -</td> -<td>Winding, -</td> -<td><i>awhiowhio</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Playful, -</td> -<td><i>takaro</i>. -</td> -<td>Wild, -</td> -<td><i>maka</i>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Quarrelsome, -</td> -<td><i>pakani</i>. -</td> -<td>Wearisome, -</td> -<td><i>hoha</i>. -</td> -</tr> -</table> - - - - - - - - -<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_76_76" id="Footnote_76_76"></a><a href="#FNanchor_76_76"><span class="label">[76]</span></a> It may be set down as a general rule, to which there are, -however, some few exceptions, that Maori words are always accented -on the <i>first</i> syllable, but compound words, or words which have the -dissyllabic root doubled, have a secondary accent on the second portion -of the word.</p></div></div> - - - - -<h2><a name="INDEX" id="INDEX">INDEX.</a></h2> - - -<p> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Alexandra, <a href="#Page_17">17</a>, <a href="#Page_44">44</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Amnesty Act, The, <a href="#Page_10">10</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Animals introduced by the Maories, <a href="#Page_71">71</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><i>Aotea</i> canoe, The, <a href="#Page_70">70</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Aotea</span> Harbour, <a href="#Page_44">44</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Aotearoa</span>, Meaning of, <a href="#Page_33">33</a></span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Apteryx, The, <a href="#Page_317">317</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><i>Arawa</i> canoe, The, <a href="#Page_70">70</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Arawas</span>, The, <a href="#Page_68">68</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Area of the King Country, <a href="#Page_1">1</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Ariki Kapakapa</span>, <a href="#Page_62">62</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Ascent of Pirongia, <a href="#Page_36">36</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">—— Ruapehu, <a href="#Page_199">199</a>, <a href="#Page_237">237</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">—— Tongariro, <a href="#Page_179">179</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Atea-Amuri, <a href="#Page_112">112</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Auckland</span>, <a href="#Page_46">46</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Aukati, The, <a href="#Page_1">1</a>, <a href="#Page_44">44</a>, <a href="#Page_328">328</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Australasian volcanoes, The, <a href="#Page_195">195</a>.</span><br /> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_375" id="Page_375">[Pg 375]</a></span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Bathing at the hot springs, <a href="#Page_58">58</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">—— at Te Koutu, <a href="#Page_67">67</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">——, the pleasures of, <a href="#Page_98">98</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Bay of Plenty, The, <a href="#Page_48">48</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Big Geyser, The, <a href="#Page_121">121</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Birds, <a href="#Page_358">358</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Birds, Measurements of, <a href="#Page_318">318</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Botany, <a href="#Page_350">350</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Boundaries of the King Country, <a href="#Page_1">1</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Bridal Veil Fall, The, <a href="#Page_244">244</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Bryce, Mr., <a href="#Page_10">10</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Cambridge, <a href="#Page_44">44</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Cameron, General, <a href="#Page_6">6</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">—— at the Gate Pa, <a href="#Page_51">51</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Camp of <span class="smcap">Tawhiao</span>, The, <a href="#Page_20">20</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">—— on Ruapehu, <a href="#Page_210">210</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Canoes, The seven, <a href="#Page_70">70</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Caterpillar, The vegetating, <a href="#Page_83">83</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Chemical constituents of the springs, <a href="#Page_63">63</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Coast-line of the King Country, <a href="#Page_2">2</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Coffee-pot, The, <a href="#Page_64">64</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Confiscations</span>, The, <a href="#Page_7">7</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Crater lakes, <a href="#Page_147">147</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">—— of Te Tarata, <a href="#Page_97">97</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">—— of Tongariro, The, <a href="#Page_191">191</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Cream Cups, <a href="#Page_64">64</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Crown of Ruapehu, The, <a href="#Page_221">221</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Davis, Mr. C.O., <a href="#Page_68">68</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Descent of Tongariro, <a href="#Page_195">195</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Devil's Hole, The, <a href="#Page_102">102</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Discoverer of New Zealand, The first Maori, <a href="#Page_70">70</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Dismal Swamp, <a href="#Page_268">268</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Distribution of the tribes, <a href="#Page_349">349</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Eagle's Nest, The, <a href="#Page_119">119</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Earliest discoverers, The, <a href="#Page_68">68</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Entomology, <a href="#Page_364">364</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Explorers of the King Country</span>, <a href="#Page_4">4</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Fauna, <a href="#Page_358">358</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Ferns, <a href="#Page_354">354</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Flora, <a href="#Page_350">350</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Flute of Tutanekai, <a href="#Page_76">76</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Fungi, <a href="#Page_357">357</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Gas in the pools, <a href="#Page_120">120</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Gate Pa, The, <a href="#Page_51">51</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Genealogy of Tawhiao, <a href="#Page_343">343</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Generations, The Maori, <a href="#Page_71">71</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Geology of the King Country, <a href="#Page_3">3</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">—— of Pirongia, <a href="#Page_40">40</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">—— of the Taupo region, <a href="#Page_140">140</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Geysers, <a href="#Page_49">49</a>, <a href="#Page_62">62</a>, <a href="#Page_100">100</a>, <a href="#Page_109">109</a>, <a href="#Page_111">111</a>, <a href="#Page_116">116</a>, <a href="#Page_162">162</a>.</span><br /> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_376" id="Page_376">[Pg 376]</a></span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Giant Rocks, The, <a href="#Page_219">219</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Glacier on Ruapehu, The, <a href="#Page_247">247</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Glowworms, The, <a href="#Page_82">82</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Grasses, <a href="#Page_357">357</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Greenstone, The, <a href="#Page_22">22</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Grey, Sir George, <a href="#Page_9">9</a>, <a href="#Page_15">15</a>, <a href="#Page_47">47</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Hamilton, <a href="#Page_44">44</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Hapurangi, <a href="#Page_110">110</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Hariki Kapakapa, <a href="#Page_109">109</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Hati Wira Takahi</span>, <a href="#Page_37">37</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Hauhaus, The, <a href="#Page_276">276</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Haurungaroa Mountains, The, <a href="#Page_305">305</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Haurungatahi, <a href="#Page_287">287</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Hawaiki, The fatherland of, <a href="#Page_69">69</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Hemo Gorge, The, <a href="#Page_110">110</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Hengia, <a href="#Page_326">326</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Hikurangi</span>, The meeting at, <a href="#Page_7">7</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Hinemoa, The legend of, <a href="#Page_78">78</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Hinepareoterangi, <a href="#Page_273">273</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Hochstetter's Exploration</span>, <a href="#Page_4">4</a>, <a href="#Page_304">304</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Hone Te Wetere</span>, <a href="#Page_23">23</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Hongi, The, <a href="#Page_309">309</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Horohoro, <a href="#Page_110">110</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Horomatangi, <a href="#Page_166">166</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Horses, Our, <a href="#Page_135">135</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Horseshoe Fall, The, <a href="#Page_242">242</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Hot springs, <a href="#Page_56">56</a>, <a href="#Page_98">98</a>, <a href="#Page_101">101</a>, <a href="#Page_107">107</a>, <a href="#Page_109">109</a>, <a href="#Page_111">111</a>, <a href="#Page_117">117</a>, <a href="#Page_162">162</a>, <a href="#Page_193">193</a>, <a href="#Page_297">297</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Hotete, The, <a href="#Page_83">83</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Huata, A, <a href="#Page_292">292</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Huka Falls, The, <a href="#Page_116">116</a>, <a href="#Page_125">125</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Hurakia Mountains, The, <a href="#Page_305">305</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Hursthouse affair, The, <a href="#Page_135">135</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Hurutirangi, <a href="#Page_76">76</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Hymn of the Hauhaus, <a href="#Page_280">280</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Insects, <a href="#Page_364">364</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Jade ornaments, <a href="#Page_22">22</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Kahakaharoa, <a href="#Page_316">316</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Kahotawa</span> Spring, The, <a href="#Page_66">66</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Kai, <a href="#Page_102">102</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Kaimanawa Mountains, The, <a href="#Page_229">229</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Kainga, A, <a href="#Page_329">329</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Kakaramea Ranges, The, <a href="#Page_161">161</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Kakariki Geyser, The, <a href="#Page_102">102</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Kakepuku, <a href="#Page_18">18</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Karangahape, <a href="#Page_306">306</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Karioi, <a href="#Page_254">254</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Karioi, Mount, <a href="#Page_44">44</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Kawau</span>, <a href="#Page_47">47</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Kawhia</span> Harbour, <a href="#Page_43">43</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Ketetahi, <a href="#Page_299">299</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Kihikihi, <a href="#Page_44">44</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">King's address, The, <a href="#Page_33">33</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Kings of the Maories, The, <a href="#Page_343">343</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Kiriohinekai, The, <a href="#Page_124">124</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Kiwi, The, <a href="#Page_317">317</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Korero at Manga-o-Rongo, <a href="#Page_329">329</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">——, The, at Whatiwhatihoe, <a href="#Page_27">27</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Kuiti Mountains, The, <a href="#Page_331">331</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><i>Kurahaupo</i> canoe, The, <a href="#Page_70">70</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Kuruaro, <a href="#Page_76">76</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Kuwharua, <a href="#Page_301">301</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Lake Country, The, <a href="#Page_46">46</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Lament for Te Heuheu, <a href="#Page_165">165</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">—— of Te Kooti, <a href="#Page_279">279</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Land Court, The, <a href="#Page_313">313</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Language, The, <a href="#Page_364">364</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Legend of the Huka Falls, <a href="#Page_130">130</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">—— Rotua, The, <a href="#Page_282">282</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">—— Tongariro, The, <a href="#Page_181">181</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Lichens, <a href="#Page_357">357</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Lizard, A gigantic, <a href="#Page_319">319</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Lizards, <a href="#Page_364">364</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Love song, A, <a href="#Page_80">80</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">McLean, Sir Donald, <a href="#Page_9">9</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Mamanui, <a href="#Page_233">233</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Mammalia, <a href="#Page_358">358</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Manawapou</span>, <span class="smcap">Runanga</span> at, <a href="#Page_5">5</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Mangakara, The, <a href="#Page_307">307</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Mangakino, The, <a href="#Page_321">321</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Mangakowiriwiri, <a href="#Page_320">320</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Manganui-a-te-Ao, The, <a href="#Page_270">270</a>, <a href="#Page_284">284</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Manga-o-Rongo, <a href="#Page_329">329</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Manga Rewi</span>, <a href="#Page_23">23</a>, <a href="#Page_25">25</a>, <a href="#Page_347">347</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Mangatotara, The, <a href="#Page_267">267</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Mangatuku, The, <a href="#Page_267">267</a>, <a href="#Page_329">329</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Mangorewa</span> Gorge, The, <a href="#Page_54">54</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Manuka-trees at Wairakei, <a href="#Page_119">119</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Manutarere, <a href="#Page_329">329</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Maories, The, <a href="#Page_11">11</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">——, their cheerfulness, <a href="#Page_322">322</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">——, cause of their decay, <a href="#Page_291">291</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">——, fatherland of the, <a href="#Page_69">69</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">——, their language, <a href="#Page_364">364</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">——, their life, <a href="#Page_133">133</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">——, their mode of fighting, <a href="#Page_292">292</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">——, murder of a girl, <a href="#Page_231">231</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">——, their origin, <a href="#Page_68">68</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">——, their numbers, <a href="#Page_11">11</a>.</span><br /> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_377" id="Page_377">[Pg 377]</a></span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">——, a typical speech, <a href="#Page_33">33</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">——, tribes of the, <a href="#Page_71">71</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><i>Mata-Atua</i> canoe, The, <a href="#Page_70">70</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Matene Te Whiwi</span>, <a href="#Page_5">5</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Maungakawa</span>, <a href="#Page_44">44</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Maungatautari</span>, <a href="#Page_44">44</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Maunsell, Archdeacon, <a href="#Page_346">346</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Mere, use of the, <a href="#Page_294">294</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">——, sketch of a, <a href="#Page_311">311</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Mineral wealth of the Kaimanawas, <a href="#Page_236">236</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Moa, <a href="#Page_317">317</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Moffat, the murder of, <a href="#Page_273">273</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Mohi, <a href="#Page_311">311</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Mokaikai, The, <a href="#Page_326">326</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Mokia, Island of, <a href="#Page_77">77</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Morning on Ruapehu, <a href="#Page_214">214</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Moss, Mr. F.J., <a href="#Page_41">41</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Mosses, <a href="#Page_357">357</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Motuoapa, <a href="#Page_159">159</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Motutaiko, <a href="#Page_166">166</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Motutere, <a href="#Page_158">158</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Murimotu Plains, The, <a href="#Page_253">253</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Napier mail, The, <a href="#Page_256">256</a>,</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Natives Reserves Act, The, <a href="#Page_9">9</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">New Zealand War, The, <a href="#Page_6">6</a>, <a href="#Page_51">51</a>, <a href="#Page_345">345</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Ngahapu, <a href="#Page_100">100</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Ngapuhi</span>, a chief of the, <a href="#Page_40">40</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Ngatihau legend, <a href="#Page_130">130</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Ngatiproa</span>, chief of the, <a href="#Page_39">39</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Ngatiruanui</span>, The, <a href="#Page_5">5</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Ngatitematera</span>, a chief of the, <a href="#Page_42">42</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Ngatitoa</span>, a chief of the, <a href="#Page_38">38</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Ngatituwharetoa, The, <a href="#Page_130">130</a>, <a href="#Page_164">164</a>, <a href="#Page_333">333</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Ngatiwhakaue, The, <a href="#Page_68">68</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Ngatoroirangi, <a href="#Page_181">181</a>, <a href="#Page_255">255</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Ngatokorua Pa, <a href="#Page_281">281</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Ngauruhoe, <a href="#Page_182">182</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Ngongotaha, <a href="#Page_65">65</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Ohinemutu, <a href="#Page_56">56</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Okarewa, <a href="#Page_307">307</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Onetapu Desert, The, <a href="#Page_232">232</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Orakeikorako, <a href="#Page_111">111</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Origin of the Maories, <a href="#Page_68">68</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Ornithology, <a href="#Page_358">358</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Oropi, <a href="#Page_53">53</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Oruapuraho Valley, The, <a href="#Page_315">315</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Paeroa Mountains, The, <a href="#Page_111">111</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Pakihi, <a href="#Page_265">265</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Pangarara, <a href="#Page_177">177</a></span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Paora tu haere</span>, <a href="#Page_34">34</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Paratene te manu</span>, <a href="#Page_40">40</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Parekura, <a href="#Page_283">283</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Patara te Tuhi, <a href="#Page_347">347</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Pehi Hetau Turoa, <a href="#Page_288">288</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Pig</span>, Tragedy of a, <a href="#Page_61">61</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Pihanga Mount, <a href="#Page_169">169</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Pink Terrace, The, <a href="#Page_105">105</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Piritana, The, <a href="#Page_82">82</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Pirongia</span>, <a href="#Page_3">3</a>, <a href="#Page_18">18</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">——, ascent of, <a href="#Page_36">36</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Plants of New Zealand, <a href="#Page_352">352</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">—— introduced by the Maories, <a href="#Page_71">71</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Pohaere</span>, <a href="#Page_20">20</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Pohaturoa, <a href="#Page_112">112</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Point Victoria, <a href="#Page_227">227</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Political State of the King Country, <a href="#Page_3">3</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Potatau</span> I., <a href="#Page_6">6</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Potatau</span> II., <a href="#Page_6">6</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Pouotepiki, <a href="#Page_308">308</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Pukaki, <a href="#Page_71">71</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Pukeakikiore, <a href="#Page_306">306</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Pukeroa</span>, <a href="#Page_56">56</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Pumice plains, The, <a href="#Page_114">114</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Puniu, The, <a href="#Page_325">325</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Puruohutaiki, <a href="#Page_71">71</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Putauaki, <a href="#Page_91">91</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Rangihewa, <a href="#Page_88">88</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Rangipo table-land, The, <a href="#Page_169">169</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Rangariri Pa, <a href="#Page_345">345</a>, <a href="#Page_348">348</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Rangitanua, <a href="#Page_264">264</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Rangitauaiti, <a href="#Page_264">264</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Rangitoto, <a href="#Page_47">47</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">—— Ranges, The, <a href="#Page_331">331</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Rangituku, <a href="#Page_306">306</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Rata</span> Trees, The, <a href="#Page_41">41</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Rauporoa Forest, The, <a href="#Page_82">82</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Reptiles, <a href="#Page_364">364</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Rivers of Lake Taupo, The, <a href="#Page_142">142</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Rotohiko Haupapa</span>, <a href="#Page_60">60</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Rotoiti Lake, <a href="#Page_62">62</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Rotokakahi, <a href="#Page_84">84</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Rotomahana, <a href="#Page_94">94</a>, <a href="#Page_103">103</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Roto Ngaio, <a href="#Page_155">155</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Rotorua</span>, Lake, <a href="#Page_56">56</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Rotua, The legend of, <a href="#Page_282">282</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Ruakaka, <a href="#Page_269">269</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Ruapehu</span>, <a href="#Page_3">3</a>, <a href="#Page_287">287</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">——, first ascent of, <a href="#Page_199">199</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">——, second ascent of, <a href="#Page_237">237</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">——, flora of, <a href="#Page_355">355</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Runanga at Pouotepiki, <a href="#Page_310">310</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">—— at Te Ruapeka, <a href="#Page_71">71</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Salute, The, <a href="#Page_309">309</a>.</span><br /> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_378" id="Page_378">[Pg 378]</a></span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Sheep station at Karioi, <a href="#Page_254">254</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Shrubs, <a href="#Page_352">352</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Silica formations at Te Otukapurangi, <a href="#Page_106">106</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">—— at Te Tarata, <a href="#Page_95">95</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Skeleton buried in a tree, <a href="#Page_77">77</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Sophia the guide, <a href="#Page_89">89</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Sowthistle as food, The, <a href="#Page_313">313</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Springs, Hot, <a href="#Page_56">56</a>, <a href="#Page_98">98</a>, <a href="#Page_101">101</a>, <a href="#Page_107">107</a>, <a href="#Page_109">109</a>, <a href="#Page_111">111</a>, <a href="#Page_117">117</a>, <a href="#Page_162">162</a>, <a href="#Page_193">193</a>, <a href="#Page_297">297</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Stations of the tribes, <a href="#Page_349">349</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Stone axes, <a href="#Page_329">329</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Storm on Ruapehu, <a href="#Page_211">211</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Struthious birds, heights of, <a href="#Page_318">318</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Sulphur Cups, The, <a href="#Page_64">64</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">—— Point, <a href="#Page_63">63</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">—— pools, <a href="#Page_123">123</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Summit of Ruapehu, The, <a href="#Page_223">223</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Sunrise on Ruapehu, <a href="#Page_213">213</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Tahuatahi, <a href="#Page_118">118</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><i>Tainui</i> canoe, The, <a href="#Page_70">70</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><i>Takitumu</i> canoe, The, <a href="#Page_70">70</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Tama te Kapua, <a href="#Page_73">73</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">—— Turaki, <a href="#Page_282">282</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Tangi, The, <a href="#Page_309">309</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Tapu</span>, its meaning, <a href="#Page_4">4</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Tapuwaeharuru, <a href="#Page_136">136</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Taranaki</span>, <a href="#Page_3">3</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">—— confiscation, The, <a href="#Page_7">7</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Tarawera, Lake, <a href="#Page_87">87</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">——, Mount, <a href="#Page_91">91</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Taupo, Lake, <a href="#Page_139">139</a>, <a href="#Page_304">304</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Tauranga</span>, <a href="#Page_48">48</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">—— Taupo, <a href="#Page_159">159</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Tawhiao</span>, King, <a href="#Page_9">9</a>, <a href="#Page_15">15</a>, <a href="#Page_20">20</a>, <a href="#Page_343">343</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Te Ana Taipo, <a href="#Page_102">102</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Te Ariki, <a href="#Page_92">92</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Tehatepe, <a href="#Page_156">156</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Te Hau, <a href="#Page_178">178</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Te Henga, <a href="#Page_169">169</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Te Heuheu</span>, <a href="#Page_5">5</a>, <a href="#Page_6">6</a>, <a href="#Page_164">164</a>, <a href="#Page_297">297</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Te Heuheu of Tokanu, <a href="#Page_310">310</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Te Huka, <a href="#Page_102">102</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Te Kaina Valley, The, <a href="#Page_308">308</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Te Karapiti, <a href="#Page_125">125</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Te Kauhanga, <a href="#Page_63">63</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Te Kauwhanga</span>, <a href="#Page_64">64</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Te Kohae Point, <a href="#Page_156">156</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Te Kooti</span>, <a href="#Page_7">7</a>, <a href="#Page_14">14</a>, <a href="#Page_278">278</a>, <a href="#Page_334">334</a>, <a href="#Page_348">348</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Te Kopua</span>, Meeting at, <a href="#Page_9">9</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Te Koutu, <a href="#Page_65">65</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Te Kupe, <a href="#Page_70">70</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Te Mahuki's outbreak, <a href="#Page_136">136</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Temple at Te Ruapeka, <a href="#Page_71">71</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Te Ngakau</span>, <a href="#Page_23">23</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Te Otukapurangi, <a href="#Page_105">105</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Te Pakaru Plain, The, <a href="#Page_301">301</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Te Pareoterangi, <a href="#Page_272">272</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Te Pirori, <a href="#Page_162">162</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Te Porere, <a href="#Page_299">299</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Te Poroporo, <a href="#Page_157">157</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Te Pupunitanga, <a href="#Page_64">64</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Te Raia Ngakutu</span>, <a href="#Page_43">43</a>, <a href="#Page_348">348</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Terangakaikha Forest, The, <a href="#Page_261">261</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Terania, <a href="#Page_307">307</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Terekirike, <a href="#Page_118">118</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Terraces, The, <a href="#Page_94">94</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Te Ruapeka</span>, <a href="#Page_57">57</a>, <a href="#Page_68">68</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Te Takapo, <a href="#Page_103">103</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Te Tarata, <a href="#Page_94">94</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Tetauranga, <a href="#Page_325">325</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Te Tihoi Plains, The, <a href="#Page_319">319</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Te Tokapo, <a href="#Page_100">100</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Te Toto Ranges, The, <a href="#Page_324">324</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Te Tuhi</span>, <a href="#Page_30">30</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Te Wairoa, <a href="#Page_85">85</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Te Whakataratara, <a href="#Page_104">104</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Te Whatapohu, <a href="#Page_102">102</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Te Wheoro</span>, Major, <a href="#Page_22">22</a>, <a href="#Page_28">28</a>, <a href="#Page_346">346</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Te Wheu</span>, <a href="#Page_259">259</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Te Whiti</span>, <a href="#Page_14">14</a>, <a href="#Page_278">278</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Thorny plant, A, <a href="#Page_230">230</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Tikitapu, <a href="#Page_84">84</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Tikitere, <a href="#Page_62">62</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Time, Maori method of reckoning, <a href="#Page_332">332</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Titiraupenga, <a href="#Page_3">3</a>, <a href="#Page_320">320</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><i>Tokomaru</i> canoe, The, <a href="#Page_70">70</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Tokanu, <a href="#Page_161">161</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Tongariro</span>, <a href="#Page_3">3</a>, <a href="#Page_7">7</a>, <a href="#Page_179">179</a>, <a href="#Page_296">296</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">——, flora of, <a href="#Page_355">355</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Towai, Mount, <a href="#Page_286">286</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Trachytic lava bed, <a href="#Page_240">240</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Traditions of the Maories, <a href="#Page_68">68</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Tree ferns, <a href="#Page_355">355</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Trees, <a href="#Page_350">350</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">—— in the pumice, <a href="#Page_177">177</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">—— in the Terangakaikha Forest, <a href="#Page_261">261</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Tribes of the Maories, <a href="#Page_70">70</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">—— at Manga-o-Rongo, <a href="#Page_332">332</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">—— on the Whanganui, <a href="#Page_276">276</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">—— and their localities, <a href="#Page_349">349</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Tuatara</span>, The, <a href="#Page_49">49</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Tukukino</span>, <a href="#Page_42">42</a>, <a href="#Page_348">348</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Tupuhi</span> Spring, The, <a href="#Page_65">65</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Turner, Mr. J.A., <a href="#Page_134">134</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Tutanekai, <a href="#Page_76">76</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Tu Tawhiao</span>, <a href="#Page_22">22</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Twin Waterfalls, The, <a href="#Page_246">246</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Uenuku, <a href="#Page_277">277</a>.</span><br /> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_379" id="Page_379">[Pg 379]</a></span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Uenukukopako, <a href="#Page_76">76</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Upper Waikato, The, <a href="#Page_143">143</a>, <a href="#Page_160">160</a>, <a href="#Page_174">174</a>, <a href="#Page_249">249</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Vegetating caterpillar, The, <a href="#Page_83">83</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Victoria Point, <a href="#Page_227">227</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">View from Ruapehu, The, <a href="#Page_225">225</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Vocabulary, <a href="#Page_364">364</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Volcanic origin of the rocks, <a href="#Page_144">144</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Volcanoes in Australasia, <a href="#Page_195">195</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Wahanui, <a href="#Page_23">23</a>, <a href="#Page_347">347</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Waihaha, The, <a href="#Page_316">316</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Waihohonu Valley, The, <a href="#Page_186">186</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Waihora, The, <a href="#Page_319">319</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Waikanapanapa, <a href="#Page_101">101</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Waikato, The, <a href="#Page_115">115</a>, <a href="#Page_146">146</a>, <a href="#Page_151">151</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">——, The Upper, <a href="#Page_143">143</a>, <a href="#Page_160">160</a>, <a href="#Page_174">174</a>, <a href="#Page_249">249</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">—— confiscation, The, <a href="#Page_6">6</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Waikite Geyser, The, <a href="#Page_65">65</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Waikomiko, The, <a href="#Page_319">319</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Waimarino, The, <a href="#Page_287">287</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Waipa River, The, <a href="#Page_2">2</a>, <a href="#Page_339">339</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Waipapa, <a href="#Page_324">324</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Waipahihi, The, <a href="#Page_154">154</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Waipari, The, <a href="#Page_325">325</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Wairakei, <a href="#Page_115">115</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Wairoa, The, <a href="#Page_85">85</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Waitahanui, The, <a href="#Page_154">154</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Waitangi, The treaty of, <a href="#Page_346">346</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Water-shed, A curious, <a href="#Page_249">249</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Weapons, <a href="#Page_292">292</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Whakarewarewa, <a href="#Page_64">64</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Whakari</span>, <a href="#Page_48">48</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Whakarra, <a href="#Page_76">76</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Whakatira, <a href="#Page_76">76</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Whale, Legend of the, <a href="#Page_74">74</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Whanga</span> Ranges, The, <a href="#Page_44">44</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Whangaehu, The, <a href="#Page_237">237</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Whanganui River, The, <a href="#Page_2">2</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">—— ——, source of the, <a href="#Page_296">296</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">—— tribes, The, <a href="#Page_276">276</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Whangapipiro, <a href="#Page_63">63</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Wharangi shrub, The, <a href="#Page_269">269</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Whares</span> at Ohinemutu, The, <a href="#Page_57">57</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Whatiwhatihoe</span>, Meeting at, <a href="#Page_10">10</a>, <a href="#Page_19">19</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Whistling Geyser, The, <a href="#Page_119">119</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">White Island, <a href="#Page_48">48</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">—— Terrace, The, <a href="#Page_95">95</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Whitiora</span>, <a href="#Page_23">23</a>, <a href="#Page_348">348</a>.</span><br /> -</p> - - - - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 10em;"> -<small>LONDON:<br /> - -PRINTED BY GILBERT AND RIVINGTON, LIMITED,<br /> - -ST. JOHN'S SQUARE.</small> -</p> - - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus-map.jpg" alt="map" /> -</p> - -<div class="transnote"> -<p> -Transcibers note:<br /> -The folowing printers errors have been corrected;<br /> -turqoise/turquoise<br /> -varions/various<br /> -puposes/purposes<br /> -</p> -<p> -The following place/proper names have been corrected on the advise of -proofreaders and after cross-referencing within the text and on-line. -<br /> -tangate to tangata<br /> -Kamianawa to Kaimanawa<br /> -Perongia to Pirongia<br /> -Tuatard to Tuatara<br /> -Te Motopuke to Te Motupuke<br /> -Kakaramia Ranges to Kakaramea Ranges<br /> -<br /> -Other possible errors, because of doubt, have been left unaltered.<br /> -We hope our kiwi cousins will forgive us. -</p> -</div> - - - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The King Country; or, Explorations in -New Zealand, by J. H. 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