SOME ACCOUNT OF THE GREENSTONE COUNTRY IN THE MIDDLE ISLAND.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume 1, Issue 21, 11 October 1849, Page 4

SOME ACCOUNT OF THE GREENSTONE COUNTRY IN THE MIDDLE ISLAND.

{Continued from our last.)

The Greenstone Settlements are peopled by a remnant of the Ngahitau tribe, and by some families of the Ngatitama that have intermarried with it. About 23 years since the Ngahitau tribe occupied the whole of that part of the middle Island soutli of the Wairau Valley and Cape Farewell. The Ngate apa were settled about Queen Charlotte's Sound and also on the north side of the Strait; the Nga te tumata Kokiri lived at Cape Farewell and in the valley of Blind Bay, and the Rangitani occupied the Valley of the Pelorus River and the Wairau plain. In the year 1827, Te Rauparaha and the Kawhia tribes crossed Cook's Straits and attacked these people: obstinate and bloody battles were fought on the Waimea plain near. Nelson and along the shores of Blind and Massacre Bays,—the small islands and promontories along the coast were entrenched and ditched, but the defences were ineffectual and of ihe Nga tc Tumata tribe only four natives esoaped. The Nga te Apa were subdued and made slaves, and the Rangitani, after having fought many battles, were so diminished in numbers that a fugitive party of about fourteen -were all that remained of the tribe. These never left llieir district but retired into the fastnesses of the Wairau and Waitohi mountains whither they could not be pursued, and where six or seven of them yet exist, living on fern root, eels, and what birds they may anare.

Tae Ngahitnu was however a far more powerful and numerous tribe than these : they fought the invaders in many battlea, and with various succeas. In one fight which took place on the eastern coast, near to Wakapoi

the Ngaliitau were victors and Tipahi, Raupareha's fighting general was killed with many of his people: in the succeeding battle, however, the Ngatihau were defeated and a number of them becoming separated from the main body in the retreat, fled to the interior mountains,—whither they were followed by the victors. Thus pursued they pressed through the gorges of tho Southern Alps until they reached the sources of the rivers of tho Greenstone country on the Western coast.

J Now beyond the pursuit of their enemies | from the eastern side of the island, tbey fol- ; lowed the Taramakau and Ara Hura livers to their embouchures and eventually settled where [ their villages at present exist. | To tho Greenstone District the Rangitani tribe of the Wairau, and the Tumata Kokiriof Massacre Bay, had formerly travelled by the interior route, by tho lakes Rotoiti, Rotorua, f and the Mawhera Valley.* Along this track the Kawhia natives pursued tlis Rmyitnni from Cook's Straits, and endeavoured to penetrate to the Ara Hura settlements. The way

was however, too intricite and difficult, anil having dispersed the Rangitani, the Kawhia people returned to the coast, and settled themselves about Cloudy and Admiralty Bays. Te Nihu, one of Rauparaha's principal fighting chiefs who had se'tled at Wnnganui, the coal Harbour, near C.Farewell, conceived the idea of advancing with a war party, by the beaches of the Western coa»t. lo ths Grepn. slone country to attack tho Ngaliitau natives settled there, and to obtain Poinamu. On his way past the Karamoa and the Kawatiri countries he encountered the oppositiift which 1 mentioned in the commencement of this article, hut nevertheless alter surmounting many difficulties and enduring great privations made his way to the Ara Hura. Tho remnant of the Ngaliitau there, were too few to oppose Tc Nihu successfully, and after some fighting they submitted. The victors obtained much greenstone which they sent to their friends, and tile major part of them remained at Ara Hura to make meris ami vvakakni of the Poinninu. Tu Huru, the chief of the Ngaliitau on the Western coast—a fine old man, still living at Taramakau—wu.s made prisoner with the rest, but Te Nihu's parly, prrferin;> the acquisition of Poinamu to fighting, intermarried with the conquered, and the chief Tu lluru was suffered to retain his influence. Te Nihu retired after a time from the greenstone country to his own settlements at Wanganui ami Massacre Bay, leaving several of his people behind, who became identified with the Ngaliitau. Frequently, however, the Kawhia chief sent his slaves, and occasion-, ally went himself to the Ara Hura for the presents of Poiuamu which he claimed as tribute. There are now in the villages of Kararoa, Mawhera and Tara Makau, aud dispersed farther to the south towards Milford Haven, in all 97 natives. They have potato and taro grounds at Kararoa and Tara Alakau, and since the visit of the writer and his party in 1846, have commenced planting potatoes at the mouth of the Kawatiri or Buller ltiver, GO miles nearer to Nelson, in order to be able to travel with moie convenience to that settlement. They bad in 1816 a very small patch of Indian corn growing for future seed, but were without melons, cabbage, turnips, aiul pumpkins. The impossibility of driving animals along the precipitous coast path and the difficulty of carrying them had prevented the Ara Hura natives acquiring pigs or goats, Tho younger people had consequently never seen these animals. £ Blankets, steel axes, guns and tobacco they were also destitute of; in their village there were two iron cooking pots, which had been carried across the island from Otago onthe backs of visitors who exchanged these invaluable articles for ornaments of Poinamu-

Save small river tiwais there are no canoes at Ara Hura ; the heavy surf that breaks al- ' most incessantly on the coast precludes the I possibility of sea fishing and large canoeß would therefore be useless. Great quantities of the niultn or inaka. a small fish similar to the English white bait are taken in the rivers in the months of October and November. These are dried in the sun aod preserved lor winter use. From their lightness in weight, when dry, they are the most convenient food for the traveller to carry along the difficult inland track or on the rocky coast path. Shoals of upukuroro or sprats are also taken with the kupenga in the rivers.

* B&plored by Mr. Urunner, 18-18. *f* Explored mid described by Messrs. Fori Heapbyand Brunncr, 1840. | About a year anil a hilf since three young pigs—a boar and two sow*—were carried as a present to tbe I Ara Hura by the Massacre Bay nnilvcs. From these pig* the country will soon, probably, be sufficiently •tucked.