JOURNEY TO TAUPO.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume 2, Issue 40, 4 July 1850, Page 3

JOURNEY TO TAUPO.

JOURNEY TO TAUPO. From Auckland. [Concluded.] Hungry enough we were, but unfortunately had but one small pen knife between in, which we had used lor cutting tobacco. With this small i„,)l and our bunds however we went to work, and diminished our friends dinner to a considerable extent, before handing over the remains in ihem. This was an a t of spontaneous hospitality pait of the people of Mau.-a'Hnteri and*4 rt-nllv telieve they wou-d have lelt themsehes insulted bad wo uiTered payment for it. Our Ma>nes came up in the evening, and with the:n, lo our surprise, appearid the man to whi.m we had paid ten shillings and Mi figs ul tobacco, for the small service we required or his canoes. It now struek us that the cunning rascal wanting to come to Mau-gatautt-ri on business of his own, had bei-n interested so urgently to persuade us to adopt the Waikato route, and thus probably the knave had not unly pocketed most exorbitant payment for a journey made for bis own coiir venience, bui had obtained in Addition the assistance of our natives in paddling his craft down. On the occasion of our passing through Mangatautere, when, pursuing our upward journey, we had made an arrangement with Te II ura, the chief of the pah, for a party of natives to proceed to Cowell's residence at Rakautahi, in order to take our canoe down the Waipa and up the Waikato to this place ; by which means we should on returning save the time occupied by walking across the delta intervening between these rivers, and at the same time by diversifying our route, have an opportunity of seeing more of the country. Te Hura undertook this service for a consideration of £2, and we now found that he had faithfully performed his contract, and that our craft was lying ready for us in the river, some 3 miles from the pah. We now felt almost at home again, and our stores being replenished by the reserves we had left with the canoe under Cowell's charge, we were enabled to serve out a good allowance of tea and sugar to all our followers, with which they regaled themselves most heartily, and some of their relations being here, they kept up their festivities until a late hour. Te Hura sat chatting with us over our lire until the night was far spent, and expressed his intention of proceeding with us on the morrow for some portion of the journey, in order to steer our canoe down the rapids which occur in several places after leaving Mangatautere, before the uninterrupted navigation of the Waikato is attained. In the morning, although we wished to get off as early as possible, to ensure making a good distance down the river this day, there was so much tangi —so much leave-taking, and eating and drinking, to be got through by our Maories, that it was impossible to move before 10 o'clock. We started at last without them, and soon heard their voices chattering in the rear as they followed us, accompanied by about a dozen girls and old women, carrying potatoes, gourds, and other provisions for thein. We walked to the banks of the Waikato along a good footpath, which was however interrupted by several siramps. I did not wish to get wet this day, having lo sit several hours in the canoe, an I therefore proposed to Te Hura that he should carry me across them. To this the stalwart savage readily assented, and stretching out hi 3 brawny arm bore me over the wet places with as much ease as if I had been a little child. Arrived at the canoe, after some more leavetaking and tangi, we all embarked and paddled into the centre of the stream. Te Hura not being very well, has changed his intention of accompanying us, which however is of no consequence, as some of our Natives arc well acquainted with the had places in the river. A,i we rapidly dropped down the current, v'lM' along by'vigorous paddling combined v/ffi the strength of the stream, we soon reached the first rapid, and here old Paura, our Palinurus, decided that it was necessary to lighten our craft before attempting the passage, and accordingly some of our Maories, all the idlers, (i. e. ourselves), and the heavy baggage were landed, for the purpose of being taken by land to a bend in the river below the fall, where we were to re-emb3rk. Eight men only remained in the canoe, each stripping off his clothe*, and taking paddle in hand to steady the narrow vessel during the descent. Climbing up the high bank we pushed on for a few hundred yards, where from the crest

of a small hill we had a fine view of the fall itself, and the canoe already influenced by the current, rapidly borne along the stream towards the narrow passage between the rocks, down which the pent up waters madly rush. Old Panra in the stern sheets directed the crew with silent but expressive gestures, and shortly the canoe, acquiring every moment greater velocity, was carried with lightning speed down the fall, and the maories on board simultaneously bending their backs to their paddles, she soon shot safely round into the smooth water beneath us. We now re-embarked and passed several whirlpools and smaller rapids with no further inconvenience than shipping a little water, and having so far got over our difficulties we began again to turn our attemion to the wild ducks, which were as numerous as ever, and of which ive bagged some five and twenty before bivouacing on the river bank for the night. We saw no native settlements on the Waikato after leaving Maurigataulere until arriving near its junction with the Waipa, neither is there any pretty scenery on the river, the view being intercepted by the high banks on either side. The Maories pointed out to us this day a spot where two remarkable indentations occur in a rock on the left bank of the stream, which are said to have been made by the heels of s ime worshipful worthy of the New Zealand heathen mythology, when taking a jump over the Waikato at this point, to escape some other godship3 who were pursuing him. Night coming on, we landed, and made ourselves comfortable near a forest, which supplied us with plenty of dry wood, and set to work frying and stewing our ducks and potatoes, with a zest and appetite which, if they happened to be transferable and marketable instincts, I should like to sec disposed of by public auction to the Alderman and Corporation of . oudou just before a city feast. I wonder how much a real sharp set, natural hunger, would realize among those turtle fed gentry. In the morning, we were up he-limes, and after paddling for about two hours, we put in at a Maori settlement, named I think, Kiri-kiri-roa, for the purpose of breakfasting. This is a nice clean village, and the Maories belonging to it most readily supplied us with every thing we required. Pushing on after a short halt, we continued our couise past the point of the Waipa's junction with the Waikato, to Mr. Ashwell's house at Pepepe. Here we again encountered ht-avy squalls of rain, and got thoroughly drenched before landing. Mr. Ashwell received us with his usual hospitality, and his amiable lady joined him in u.ging us to prolong our visit for some days. Want of lime alone prevented our accepting his kind invitation, and after partaking of a most plentiful meal of all sorts of good things, we embaikcd again, bearing away an excellent ham, and a quantity of new bread, which the worthy missionary pressed upon us. During our short delay here, we went to sec a new chapel, which the natives have built at their own expense and labour. It is a spacious and substantial building, formed of raupo and tohitohi, on a strong wooden frame, and lined most tastefully with various coloured fern stalks. The windows are glazed, and the pillars which support the roof, and indeed every part of the internal wood work which is apparent to the eye, is most elaborately ornameuted with native paintings, representing the head of the whale, that of the shark, and the leaf of a certain tree, the name of which I have forgotten. Altogether it is a most handsome structure, and most creditable, not only to the Maories, but to the efforts of the estimable gentleman whose inlluence over their minds has been thus worthily directed. Stimulated by the promise of unlimited tea and sugar, our natives paddled vigorously on, and about two hours after nightfall, we arrived at the raupo house of an European squatter, of the name of Randall. This man was from home, on some trading visit to Auckland, hut his Maori wife supplied us witli potatoes, and a quantity of small fish, which are caught in large numbers in the Waikato, and which much resemble white-bait. There we made ourselves comfortable for the night, and embarking at an early hour in the morning, arrived at Tuakau while the day was yet young. Here we ran up our canoe high and dry, and walking about a mile from the binding place, arrived at the pah, where we pitched our tents. The Maories at Tuakau are far from hospitable ; and they demanded a shilling a kit for the potatoes required for the food of our natives. Tuimata and Tuakau are the only places where we met with such ill-conditioned people. Even at Arowhena, they fed our followers without demanding payment. In the morning we pushed on to Hora Manga, where the tide being out we crossed without difh'culty, and beating up the stream with our guns, and a couple of natives for retrievers, we shot a number ot teal for supper. March 30lh.—Continuing our march this day, we arrived about breakfast time at Mr. Cole's farm near Papakura. There we were most kindly received, and did ample justice to

the fresh bread, butter, and milk, which was immediately set before us. Proceeding on our way after a short halt, we fell in with our scrvanls and horses near Mr. I.igar's farm, and early in the afternoon found ourselves once more at home. I'efore bidding adieu to those who have had sufficient patience to tear with me thus far, I would wish to record the very favorable impression I received of the character of the New Zealanders, from my observations of them during this trip. A more kind, good humoured, and hospitable class of people does not exist, and their honesty is remarkable. Not one single article was stolen from us while we were among them, although our property was left lying about our tents, where they had free access at oil limes, and had ample opportunities of pilfering, had they been so inclined. But the Maori is not a thief—he is above a propensity so dirty, and so mean. He is a keen hand' at trading it is true, and in the way of bargain will " Civil to llie ninth pari of a hair," but, take him all in all, there are few races even of civilized people, with whom the New Zealander would suffer by comparison. Our own followers were a good naturcd, happy set of fellows, with whom we never had a single disagreement, or cause of complaint, and when we patted after our return, I believe it was with mutual good feeling and regret. And now farewell, kind reader We h.ive travelled together over many a mile of forest, swamp, and fern, I trust with some little interest and amusement. If, like myself, you have been among these people, you will be able to judge how far my description of them is true, and if not, let me persuade you to take the first opportunity of going and judging for yourself. And, if my advice is followed, I tiust you will be able to say with me, that you have seldom passed a happier month than that engaged in " A Journey to Taupo."