KIRITEHERE-MOEATOA.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 491, 14 August 1912, Page 3

KIRITEHERE-MOEATOA.

Own Correspondent. Beyond him up the coast stood the big hill which native tradition said was haunted by the spirits of the dead, who were permitted to roam in human guise for a brief spell at night. Maru had been delayed by the night tide two hours before, and was now with his tired horse, stumbling up the top of the big hill where in the open space at the summit masses of stars shone down bright and clear over the flax and scrub land into the horizonlimmed sea, in whose depths the starlight was reflected in unbroken brilliance. The night was calm and still, and Maru perceived a fire at a little distance; a man was seated by it with a small table in front of him on which he shuffled cards into hands as if for unseen players. He said: "Come and play," and Maru got off his horse and played many games with the stranger who gave him something to drink out of a bottle and all the time told him stories of the past; of great warriors, and tohungas, who had passed the hill in their day, and were now in the land of spirits. He spoke of knowledge which some men call "hidden," because they do not understand it; and Maru grew afraid saying to himself: "No man who is human, ever talked like this," and he dropped a card under the table, and stooping to pick it up saw the strange feet of the card player of the hill. He jumped on his horse without a word, and looking back saw the card player and table gone. Native tradition indicates the spot,, but the pakeha verdict is that there was a drop in the bottle that night scoffing as pakehas do in the face of native experience. As for myself, I cannot vouch for the accuracy of the narrative. I merely retail it as it was given to me, omitting names and locailties of an event which is said to have taken place years ago.