A SKETCH IN HEAL LIFE.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 124, 15 June 1863, Page 3

A SKETCH IN HEAL LIFE.

EQUAL to a romance. I am a bush settlei* in New Zealand, and in that part of it where the natives are disaffected and in a very excited state. 'I need not stale my name, or my district or Province, but merely give my unvarnished narrative, which may interest some of your readers. I was warned by the natives to leave (he district and remove my cattle. I had married a Maori lass, who is as good a wife and as devotedly attached to me as any European could be; we have three children, who arc as fondly and warmly loved by their parents as children can be. Well, I collected my cattle, was just about to start, and went to the hut, or whare, for my wife and family, when to my dismay I found a committee of Maorics there, who forbade my fating my wife and children, stating that it was decided that no Maori wife for children should depart. This took me aback, and I was about to rebel, when a thought occurred to me ; I therefore made much ado about the parting with them all, which gave rao an opportunity of forming my plans. I had a faithful Maori confederate in my confidence. I started with my cattle and horses, and went slowly on till dark, and then while my cattle were quietly moving ou their road, I galloped back, and was soon within sight of my homestead. I tied my horses up a short distance from it, went quietly up, and listening, heard conversation regarding myself. I soon made sign that I was at hand, and my wife came out, and had previously so arranged the children, that they could be taken when wauted. Wo mounted our horses without loss of time, and galloped on our road with good speed, aud by daylight next morning were far, far away from the Maori korero, and safely travelling on European land, not very soon I trust to be placed in the same dilemma.—Auckland Weekly News and Farmers' Gazette , May 23.