THE WAIKATO SAURIAN.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1395, 1 November 1886, Page 3

THE WAIKATO SAURIAN.

A STARTLING ADVENTURE

The Hamilton correspondent of the Neiv Zealand Herald writes Judge Qiilies and Mr Percy Smith have hoih testified to the fact of having received accounts from Maoris ia every way worthy of credence of these monsters having been seen by them In different parts’ of ihe North Island at rare intervals during the past twenty years or more, and within the last few days the following interesting adventure with an animal of Ihe crocodile sp cles has been placed at the disposal of the writer by a gentleman w'rose experience and varacity are too we t known to be doubted. Mr James Kenshaw, who writes from Camp Hangarus, near Waotu, on October 4 : My informant, after severely criticising the course taken by a portion of the Press in attempting to cast doubt and ridicule on the story of the Cistleton boys and others, goes on to say :—“ Now, sir, in proof of the existence of some amphibious monster of the alligator or crocodile species In this country, I send yon the following account of »n alventure which befell myself and an old friend, whose name 1 am not at liberty to mention, at the junction rf the Avatito and Parikau creeks, near Napier, some years ago:—We left our hut about midday, in tending to camp at Nakarou, the jon-tion of the two creeks mentionel. We retched , the edge of the bush shortly before suitethered ■ ur horses, and proceeded In the direction of Nakarau, onr proposed ermping ground. The bush ran along the bank of the Parikau Creek We had nearly leachoi our destination, when the doss (tn had three, regular old veter-iu whose skins bore the marks of ‘-.mi y a bard-fought bat le with the lords of the porcine herds ; wild pigs were numornus at that time in that dtetn’c) gave tongue, and st-.rted in pursuit of an old loar, which iu a short time they brought to bay at Naka au. After a smart run, we arrived breathhss cn the scene, and just at that ra-meut the bo r nine), and plunged into the Pi.rikau Creek, intending, no doubt, to cross over to the other side , but the do_s were too quick for him fur > e scarcely reached the sorf-ica of the w-ter agahi wlun they were on top of him We jumf ed down to the water’s edge, and, after soma difficulty, succeeded in getting hold of his tvl and ihen h>s hind leg, and dragged him ashore, with a dog hang'ng on to eic’i oar. With a sheath knife we gave him the coup de grace, aid, as the blood welled from iho wound, it trickled slowly in f o the water. We were just rec iveriug our wind, and the dogs v.ere pantinebsside us, when we were startled by hearing a tremendous spl'-shing in the creek a few yards below the spot on whi li we stood. ‘ What the deuce is that? 1 ejaculated B h, peering in the directum'f the sound. I wast >o much startled for the moment to answer, and we both stood gazing at the object, which we could now see rapidly approaching. ‘ It must bs the father of all eels,’ said J. ‘ Eels be hanged !’ cried B h ; * why, It’s as big as a bullock,’ The creature came straight towards us. The dogs were by this time l

growling In ohcrna, but I non'ced that eveiy hair on their bodies seeruel to be s'anning on end, and, as the strange monster neared the shore, they scrambled up to the top c f the bulk, and we ve y quick‘y followed their example, f-rn'ir mysterous visitor had now nearly reached the spot where the dead pig lay alongside the water. As it was nearly dark, we could not sse enough to m iko oir very distinctly v. hat kind rf animal it was ; but we con d 800 that it had a long-, fl«t head and two forefeet, or paws, I cuuiot s«y which Fearing > n attack, we did not wait for it to got right out of the water We tin d to set the d-gs on to it, hnt f oy wr-uld have nothing to do with it, so we be»t a retreat Finding, however, that we were not purou-d, wee mo to a halt, and final y do'ermined lo have*anolher look at it Creeping cmtlously hack towards the creek, wo could hoar it c.unohing Rod devouring the carcase of the pig below the bank. When we got to the edge cf the bank, we both prepared for a run, and, as it was by this time quite dark, Bstruck a match. Wo just got one glance at the creature, but that was quite enough; for the light saemed to attract the hideous brute’s attention, and it raised Its heat, and we saw two great glar 'd ; eyes like hoi s of fire, and a groat gaping mouth, with rows of saw-'ike leo'h. It is needless to say (hat we did net stop to investina'e further. In fact, I must (wu we were fairly te-rifled, and ran straight for tie edge of (he bush, which we reached after many falls in the dark, caught our horses, saddled up, and made for home. losing the hut next morning, armed with rifl-a and ammunition, ami talcing (ho do:s with us, we returned to the scene of our itirtling a J venture, On reaching the spot we f .und that the boar’s carc-ss hid been Irsgged in'o the w ter. As the sand was cose, the tracks were not clear enough o enable ns to b rm any id la of the shape if its feat or paws ; but, as the p u we tilled must have weighed between loOlbs md 2001bs, I'leave you to imagine the itrength and size o : the monster After alking the matter over, B and myself lame to the conclusion th t, unless we lould kill the brute si as ti prove our itatemant, we should say nothing about »nr strange experience, for wa fel that 10 one should believe us, and wa did not iara to be laughed at; and, t sough »e pften hunted for the creature afterwards, re never found the slightest trace of is ilany years have elapsed s : nce we met pith that strange and startling adventure, nd I had almost fo-g utan it when your ocount of the saurian reptile seen near i lamilton readied the whole thing to my * lemory, and after CJtnpiring notes wiih ay old friend B h, I determined to and you this statement, which you are at iberty to nsa in any way you choose In occlusion, 1 would suggest that no eff >rts ' e spared to effect the capture of the 1 eptile seen near Hamilton, and so silence or ever the thallow-pa'ed sceptics who 3off and sneer at things they cannot nderstsnd ”