THE KUMI.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 162, 20 July 1901, Page 2

THE KUMI.

IS IT CAPTURED AT LAST?

EEPTN EXPERIENCES. The Tn.- : war correspondent, being dejected the non-appearauce of the “here ■ of the veldt” at the appointed time, hied off to the bush, in search of the peace that soothes or the sensation that thrills. And a sensation it was! Far away, in the dew-sprinkled glades of lovely Kanekanae, where the tui trills forth his song of joy above the twitter of the other birds flitting to and fro aud tho woodman who spares not the tree is making the welkin ring again with blows that echo from valley to valley, there came the mysterious word “Kurni!” Tho reply was Lats!” but even tho cynical scribe was soon permeated with the mysticism that hovers around that cabalistic term: he became as subdued and awe-stricken as if he were interviewing a spook at- a weird I spiritualistic meeting. Dear old Kumi 1 How pressmen do love you when times are dull and the only sensation of the hour is tho weary wail of tho sportive legislators who may bo ordered off racecourses as though they wero common or uncommon spielers. Now for the chase 1 The Times correspondent had got behind the fair a bit, but he soon found plenty of eye-witnesses from whom to glean a narrative of the stirring things

that had happened. For the past month bush fallers working on Mr Bruce’s Kano--kanae property had been disturbed after night fall by ceric noises. In vain they tried to discover the cause. Hollow logs seemed to bo haunted. At first there were suspicions of practical jokes, but each man declared upon the honor of all the racing prophets that ho was not playing any joke. All possible things under heaven and the impossible were thought of, the kumi, of course, being uppermost in the mind. Prior to this the I men were sceptics about tho kumi, and newcomers were laughingly told of how “ Dummy ” hadbefoolcd the scientists, and provided columns of reading matter for tho Australian papers. But these men were not afraid of kumis —they were sorely puzzled. Night after night came the mysterious whirr and rumbling in tho hollow trees. It was suggested that the ghost of tho kumi had come back to haunt the toilers in the bush, the men who wore devastating the former happy hunting grounds of lvumi and his associates. Tales wero told of men creeping out of camp into the gloom, with axe or gun in hand, ready to avongo tho disturber of “ nature’s sweet restorer.” One theory was that it was a small kumi, but for weeks it eluded pursuers. Tho men were wondering whether a bite from such an animal would bring them under the relief clauses of the Accidents Act, but all were ready to take risks. At last tho men grew desperate ; they vowed that they would have “ Do Wet,” as the night pro.vlor was now known, or there would he plenty of ammunition wasted. A shot fired into tho darkness was effective —something had been hit. Carefully was it approachod, lest, being wounded, it might angrily spring at its captors. On noaror approach it was found to be a dear, harmless creature, an opossum ! There are two Tasmanians in the camp, and they declare it to be the finest specimen they have over seen, and tho carcase is an exceptionally heavy one. Can any of our readers inform us as to when opossums wore liberated in tho neighborhood alluded to '? They have beon liberated at Waikaremoana, and we believe that some years ago opossums were liberated in tho bush at the back of Gisborne. A statement to that effect was made when tho kumi sensation was at its height.