A VALEDICTORY LETTER TO SIR GEORGE GREY

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume VI, Issue 135, 25 February 1854, Page 3

A VALEDICTORY LETTER TO SIR GEORGE GREY

From the Princpal Chief of Teupo, Te Heuheu Iwikau. Go hence O my letter to my loving friend the Governor. O lather, — .Salutations to you. Great is my affection for you; very great indeed is my love to 5 °l'was at Maungalantari when you sailed, and could not therefore witness your departure. , ... . , , 5 I supposed that the Chiefs of tins island ■would have been strenuous in their exertions to keep you lieie; and that Potatau who is *ore influential and greater than we are, would have urged you 10 slay. If I hail arrived previous to your departure, I should have endeavoured to hold you back, lint perhaps you would not have stayed because of your desire being very great to {.;o to your own land. When I heard of your departure, I wept. Let the Queen send you hither again as a Governor for us, as you aie the only one we look upon with favour. We are not wishful that any other Governor shou'd preside over us forwe are not acquainted with the views of a strange GovernorThis is the end of my speech. THIS IS M V SOXG lOK VOL'. For in the distant West the cone of T..|•anaki.• Kitci high, and Toiifariro's f lowrrin-f IVik appear! enwrapped in «noivy vestments, While fiom in ncigMa the icy air descends. And trembling and loilorn, I look nroun.l, In vain, for some (light robe to shield mil Kroin the blast. Not an the people ot° Titu.t Who comfonably boused in yonder spacious Dwelling, fit at ease,unconiciou< of the storm. IMy thoughts wore occupied on other tliinga And ere I knew lb' flames had caught lliemit ;\\ And left mo here with nought to stand upon, With nought ea follow thee O Governor, And cross with theo the streams on l'tiglanii's show. Mcthonght that mountains, great nud high slretcbod thro' Thy lanil, which mu»t bo traversal! ero thy homo Was gained ;—but thou liaat crossed the mountain ware Within a day, and hastened to the shores Of llriiain, swift as the dash of guns.J Ah ! why didst thou not linger hero awile, ' Tint I might look upon thae, and ndmira O (loveiuor.lhe rubes that deck thy form 1 And who is claiming the beloved one now 1 Others may claim thee Sire ;—but hark ! within Me thrcre'a a rumbling noise; within me now Is heating high the chord which holds my heart, And evorv tiu is ae»ercd, and every hope. Is withered in the breast, since thou art not.

THIS IS MY I.A.MKNT FOR YOU. 1.0, from ilio Xorlb, the gentle broezo, Steals thro' Hie stately forest trees, And sweeps across the sea ; Hut where art thou O Siro t—mine eye Thy bark, nor thee descry. Will ibou not turn again and rest! 1 weep for thee with heart opprest, My tears, they flow apace ! Ah ! here will I await thy love, And watch the clouds above.— 'i'he clouds that rise o'er Hritain's isle. Give pleasure to tho mind ;—the while The hesrt to thee is turned O Governor ; for thou art he, I ever loved to see. And now perhaps thy love will wane. And thou wilt never think again, Of those who lovo thee still; Hut thou shall live within my heart, Tho' we for ever part. This is tlie end. Great indeed is tlie love of the Chiefs of this island for you. (Signed) Te lleuiiEU.? To the Governor.

• Taranaki—Tlie snowy mountain nam-.d by Cook Cape Kgroont, it rises to the height of 9,000 feet. f Tongariro—The famous snow-capped mountain near tho Taupo lakes, its height is estimated at G,2(M but ono of the conca named Iluapabu is, 10,000 feet. t Titu—Name of a tribe. || The translator believes that this refers to a custom among the New Zealamlers, namely, of placing a clean mat oil the ground upon which distinguished personnges are invited to scat themselves. The author of the song laments that he has no such mat to spread before the Governor, it having been accidently burnt, and be reflects upon himself for having allowed bis mind to be estranged from the object of bis $ The idea in the Maori is extremely beautiful. The Governor is supposed to be on his way to his own land, but there are so many mountain ranges to climb, nnd so many livers to ford, that considerable time mutt elapse belore the completion of the journey. Those who hod not the mournful pleasure or bidding him farewell, hut who were anxious to see him, leave their habitations, with the hope of overtaking hint as bo journeys onward ; but on their arrival at the scat of his Governrr> •., they find that he has embarked on board a ship, ai ' disappeared from their view ; and as the ocean rulls between them and the object of their affection, all bone of meeting with him is precluded, they, therefore, return with saddened hearts to their respective homes. t The present Heuheu is a brother of the renowned Taupo Chief of tho same name, who is said to have been ono of the most noble, and powerful of his race-. He was also a great priest, and his influence was such, that by his simple fiat a whole line of coast, or whole inland districts wero proclaimed •' tatiu" and no man durst step upon the sacred territory under pain of death. Ilu was romarkably proud, seldom or never leaving his settlement, lest his dignity Bbould be called in question; but when he condescended to visit a neighbouring Chief,his retinue invariably consisted of several hundred followers. His death was of a very painful nature j lie was overwhelmed, with about sixty of his people by