NOTES FROM A JOURNAL

New Zealander, Volume 3, Issue 145, 20 October 1847, Page 3

NOTES FROM A JOURNAL

Kept during an excursion to the Boiling Springs of Ilotorua and Rotomahana, by way of the Waikato and Waipa countries, m the Summer of Eighteen Hundred and Forty-sin and Seven. (Continued.)

Dec. 24 — The birds gave the usual signal for rising, at daysbreak, and alter we had dried our blankets, which were saturated with duw, and arranged our packages, we proceeded on our way to Tuaktiu. The vast extent of low country we had seen the preceding evening, lay shrouded in mist, the higher hills which rose ahove it, looking like islands in an ocean, with their brown sides lit up by a brilliant sun, which we from our elevation also enjoyed. After walking briskly for a couple of miles, through alternate forest and open ground, overspread with shrubs and fern, we reached the highest ridge ot the range, as the waters of a small stream which issued from a swamp near our path, ran Southward. Bis altic boulders were scattered over the suiface, or lying in large clusters, and the soil appeared rich, judging Iroin the gigantic size and vigoious growth of the forest trees, which consisted chiefly of Tawa, Rata, Riniu, Puridi) occasionally Kaliikatca, but very rarely Kauri ; indeed tltis noble tiee isscaice in these forests, and is seldom seen beyond the line of the VVaikato The oiiental looking Nikau, or New Zealand palm, and thegracctul Koran, or tree fern, arranged themselves into clumps liciiciith their shade, especially the latter, whose long feathery leaves, spreading out from a tall, imbricated stem, the ground beneath being thickly strewed with the dry, decayed ones of previous seasons, together formed natural couches, beneath a beautiful alcove, which almost tempted repose, however urgent the necessity for pressing onward. The height of the fern, the Tupakihi, and Koromiku, in the open ground, showed the soil to be of equal richness with that in the forest Scarcely any Native flax was to be seen on the hills, nor even near the swamps, its locality seemed to be the low grounds we had passed on the previous day. The path led along the side of a winding valley, occasinally through wood, hut more generally over open ground, often sprinkled with grass, and Towi'tovvi, which, with the various shrubs and plants that abounded everywhere, would make good pasture ground for cattle. They could reach it from Auckland without difficulty, or they might, if brought from Australia, be easily disembarked on the shores of the Manukao. Subsidiary vales opened into this main valley from either hand, each furnishing a small stream to swell one which coursed along its bed. I remarked a basaltic dyke of regular columnar formatiou, cropping out and forming a small waterfall, across one of these smaller streams. After two hours walk from the ridge, that forms the water-shed, we halted on the banks of a small stream, issuing from a vale, for breakfast. Prom thence we followed its course to the main stream in the centre of the valley, where I first observed coarse sandstone rock, and a good deal of sand in its bed. Our descent was now rapid over fern ground, and the hills on the southern bank of the Waikato began to open out. We crossed seveial fine brooks, running between coarse greenstone boulders, and sometimes masses of basalt crops ped out. Jn about an hour and a-half from our last resting place, we came in sight of the cultivations of Tuakau ana the Waikato River, which shewed several reaches, winding through that swampy ground to the north, and bounded to the south, by partially wooded hills, but at this distance it had nothing im posing or picturesque in its appearance. After traversing a wood, and some ragged potatoo plantations we reached Tuakau about three o'clock. The whole of the ground we had passed over in the previous part of the day, both from soil and outline, is well suited for cultivation — the slopes of the hills, with few excetpions, are gentle, and the summits are often perfect plateaus, of many hundred acres in extent — those which are not wooded, would require only to have the Korpmiko and other small shrubs rooted out and the feVn burnt off, to be put under the plough. A dray road might be constructed, with the greatest easa, across the range, as far as levels are concerned, but there might ue some difficulty in removing the gigantic timber of the forests, whose roots of great thickness and length, are matted together like an iron network, besides the friable nature and depth of the soil, would render a road almost impassable in the winter, unless it were mettled, which "might indeed be ecsily done, by means of the basalt boulders scattered over the adjacent bills, but this would be too expensive a proceeding to be thought of in the present state of the Colony: it would however be perfectly passable during the summer, and at any rate, a bridle-road, for the passage of cattle, might be readily made, at a comparatively trifling expense. We often hear of Chiefs and Slaves at Auckland, but there it is often difficult to distinguish the Rangatira from the Taurekarcka, but ou this journey I had living exemplifications of the two classes, in the persons of a young Chief the son of Pakuru, the Principal Chief of the Ngtiawa, of Kawhia, and his slave boy. He himself was a handsome lad of fifteen, who had been to Auckland for the important purpose of buying some European clothes and a pair of shoes, in order to ride a race on one of his father's horses, the plate not being, as may be supposed, a cup, emulating that of the Derby, but six pigs. This young gentleman seemed fully aware of his own importance, and strutted on, followed by his poor diminutive attendant, who, from his subdued look and meagre frame, was the very personification of slavery, and who was tottering under a pack that I should have considered a good load. He sat silent at meals, in the rear of the party, receiving thankfully the coarsest part of the fare thrown to him, and .1 never saw him smile but once, when I gave him, in compassion, a portion of my breakfast, which he seemed almost afraid to accept, until an unwilling permission was granted by the proud young stripling his master. The settlement of Tuakau consists of a few houses, within a stockade, situated in the centre of a semicircular hollow, whose two extremities abut on the river, and enclose an area of a few acres, gently sloping down to the water's edge, allowing canoes to be drawn up on the beach, which the precipiptous and thickly -wooded hanks for a considerable distance on either hand, do not permit. This advantage was probably the origin of its formation, and the cause of a route being traced across the range to the Manukau side, where the hills are of a much more acceslible character than those lying between Maungatawhiri, and Maketu, which, until withtn the last three years, was the usual route from the Waikato country to the Waitemate. Here we had evidence of the sourco of the river in a volcanic region, in the rounded masses of pummice stone, which were floating on its surlace or lining the beach. The somewhat unfavor able opinion we had formed of the Waikato, from a distant view, was completely changed as we now stood on its banks. It ii truly a noble river, as broad as the Thames at Battersea, deep, clear, and flowing, with a gentle curreut, between beautifully wooded bank*. The people of Tuakau, like those of most oorts s for we may call it such, as regards its position and use, were very exhorbitant in their demands for food, and a monstrous charge they attempted to make

for having permitted a pig, which had been left by one of our party, as a store for the voyage up the river, to run about the place, but who had foraged for him self, was nearly the occasion of a fracas. Now it is never customary to expect any remuneration for so trifling an accommodation, aud it was accordingly resisted, and our parly mustering stronger than theirs, the object of dispute was killed, clenued, and shipped on board a canoe, by some of our people, while the rest were voufeiously discussing the ques tion. Tuakair is twenty-six miles from the Waikato Heads, and the tide only ascends seventeen m.les ; the current in the summer runs at the rate of a mile and a-half in an hour, but it is much more rapid in the winter, when the river rises twelve feet, and often much higher, flooding all the low grounds, without however doing any damage, for it rather enriches them by a deposit of mud, and is slowly elevating their surface. Here the hill side was pointed out to me, on which the late bloody skirmish took place, between the Ngatitipao tribe, who live at the Heads, andtheNgas tipo, who inhabit the banks of the river, as far a* Taupiri, lying a few miles down the water, on the left bank. The land itself is of little value, but it became invaluable when each pany thought their honor was concerned, in maintaining the boundary they conceived to be theirs. It had been a subject ol dispute for seventeen years, and the Missionaries, on more than one occasion, had prevented a collision between the disputants. They met on this occasion, osreusibly for a korero, on the ground itself, and apparently without arms, but these they had with them placet in the adjacent fern. As may be well supposed, the sliHed spirit ot animosity soon changed discussiou into altercation, and abuse supplied the plaae of argument. Words were at length too feeble a mode of expressing their mutual exasperation and excitement, and the young men challenged each other to wrestle, m this trial of strength, one of them received a hurt in the spine, which paralyzed him, a relation of the hurt man struck the offender aud drew blood, this fatal sign roused their hitherto restrained passions, they flew to their arms, aud a most deadly conflict eusued— they discharged their uiusquets almost in contact — twenty were killed ou the spot, anb a great many wounded, at length the Ngatipo retreated but were not pursued, the victors being satisfied by retaining possession of the disputed ground. There was no instance of cannibalism aa in former wars, the wounded were allowed to crawl, or be carried off, and the dead were all decently buried. This affair was a very convincing proof of the pertinacity wuh which the New Zealanders maintain their claims to land, and it shows that any attempt on the part of our Government to occupy as Demesne of the Crown, lands not actually in cultivation, as recommended by the Select Committee appointed three years since, to investigate the affairs of New Zealand, will be met with the most determined opposition, even if such an attempt was not an infraction of a solemn treaty, winch no sophistical arguments as to whether the Natives understood the full import of the term Sovereignty or not, can ever controvert They understood well enough that clause by which their lauds were guaranteed to them, but so doubttul were the assembled Chiefs, of our good faith, that it was only after reiterated assurances on the part of the Missionaries who acted as interpreters, of the sincerity ot our intentions, that they were induced io sign it. The two cardinal virtues of good humour and pa tience, are indispensable to the traveller in New Zealand, who wishes to move with any comfort, the firs 1 is particularly acceptable to the Natives, who are na turally of a joyous and good-hunaoured temperament) and who abhor a tangata riri, as they call an irritable man : combined, they enable a man to get along smoothly, amidst delays which he must inevitably encounter, with a race who do not value time themselves, and cannot understand the importance which we attach to it. We had to practise both atTuakau, for, wishing to push on as far as the Pukatea that night, We could not succeed in getting our people embarked, until it was too late to think of reaching that place, and we were therefore compelled to restrict our voyage to Paparama, the settlement of Mr. Marshall, about four miles up the river. Travelling by canoe is, perhaps, as easy a mode of conveyance, as can be imagined. There is generally sufficient space at the stern for lyiug extended at full length, if it be a large one, or at any rale in an easy position, and impelled by the vigorous arms of six or eight stout Natives, who keep time by a merry and measured channt as they dip their paddles in the stream, it glides rapidly forward, with a pleasant easy motion, which enables the voyager to note and view the passing scenery. He must however be prepared to bear with one of the Native customs, which would not be the case if his conductors were an English boat's crew tugging steadily onwards, this is the con. tinual stoppages to light their pipes from the firestick which is always kept burning, like the sacred fire, in the bottom of the canoe. They thus alternately pull vigorously, and rest on their paddles for the above> mentioned purpose. It is in vain to expostulate, smoke they must, and will, coute gui coutc! If another canoe happens to be in company, however, a trial of speed often causes them iv the excitement of the moment to forget their usual wants, aud a more rapid progress is iv this way made In ascending the river from Tuakau, the banks on either hand rise to the height of several hundred feet, sometimes so abruptly from the watt ry edge, that one could almost fancy it would be easy to s.ep from the canoe and ascend to the summit, on the dense foliage of the forest, that universally clothes them — at other places the hills recede, forming cres* cent-shaped vales or hollows, encircling a few acres of level ground, where families of Natives had esta bhshed themselves, and were preparing the ground for the autumnal or spring crop of potatoes, by their usnal desttuctive mode of burning the wood, and though it was painful to see the fires, favored by the dryness of the season, which rendered the underwood inflammable, eating their way upwards, and consurn ing hundreds of noble trees, far beyond the cultivations, yet the presence of these isolated plantations, shewed most forcibly the slate of security which now existed iv the country, as, formerly, the Natives on the banks of the river were compelled to congregate for safety in pas, well fortified by stockades against hostMe attacks to which they were constinually liable, and which only permitted them to cultivate in the immediate vicinity of their defences, or in places not easily accessible to enemies. As we ascended, the river widened consderably, and the various reaches, with the surrounding scenery, olten presented a beautiful coup Weil. We disembarked for the night at Paparama, on the right bank, five miles distant from Tuakau, aud were hospitably received by Mr. Marshall, who has been .settled for some time at this spot. A wooden bridge, or causeway, which must have been constructed with great labor, leads from the river bank, across sonic flooded ground, to one of these circular hollows 1 haw. described, and on a plateau which juts out from its steep sides, is situated his cottage, and certainly a more convenient and picturesque site for a bouse could not have been selected- A steep ascent leads from the back of his house to an extensive table-land, of the rich soil which always accompanies the trap formation ; at the southern extremity of which, and entirely sheltered by woods from the prevailing winds he has cultivated a few

acres, chiefly by his own exertions. He finds it so difficult to retain Natives for any time at a steady employment, that he has almost abandoned cngasing them. In lact they can so easily maintain themselves by the produce of their own land, which only requires the attention and labour of a few weeks, and as they can obtain the few luxuries they requne by the sale of pigs at Auckland, they are loath to abandon an independent mode of life, for oie of regular daily labour, unless tempted to it by high wages. As cheap labour is indispensable to a Settler living so far from a market, Mr. iVI. has confined himself to growing wheat for his owu consumption, which he grinds by a hand-mill, and directs his attention chiefly to rearing of cattle, for which he is most advantageously situated, having the command of an immense extent of table-land, conveniently dotted with woods. There is a most magnificent prospect from the summit of a rising ground near his farm, —in front the great dividing chain between the Waikato country and the AJauukau, covered with onecontinuons forest, stretched westward to the sand hills on the coast, and was lost, to the east, in the lofty hills above Wake tewai, on the Gulf of Hauraki, while the Tauperi, a subsidiary chain, running southward, formed a connejing link between these and the sea-range, as we may designate the mass of mountains, of many miles in breadth, lining the west coast, onnipurof which we now stood, tlie whole enclosing an immense basin, aeioss which the glittering Waikalo, issuing from the pass of Tauperi, through which it has forced its way, wound its serpentine course, having on its right hunk theMarumarua plain, in the centre of which the Waikari Lake, a splendid 1 sheet of water, gleamed under the setting sun, aud on the left bank an equal extent of level country was spread out, adorned by the picturesque lake of Wangape, and several minor sheets of water. But in viewing this glorious natural scene, a sense of its almost utter solitude weighs heavily on the mind, for it is not inhabited by more than a few hundred Natives, scattered here and thcie along the course ol the River. What n field of employment for thousands In Britain and Ireland, who are now, by all accounts, pining in want and hopeless poverty ; for an industrious population couM reclaim and cultivate the greater part of this vast tract, and the natives, with the exception of certain spots, could be easily induced to part with it. The lakes have navigable, though tortuous, outlets to the river, into which numerous streams, equally available to boats or canoes, empty themselves. A more suitable place for extensive settlements coul nowhere be lound : and as I have before remarked, a canal might easily be formed to connect the Waikato with the Manakau, and by that means convey the produce of this country to a market. Imagination could almost picture the river covered with boats and barges, and lined witli villages, — the plains dotted with frrm houses, and the whole one scene of cultivation and animated industry. Table lands, similar to the one on which we stood, extended eastward to the Pukatea, several miles distant, and stretched coastwise for a lohg way, until they merged into wooded hills ; and in the course of time, though now chiefly covered with tall fern, thousands of cattle could find pa&turage over them. A shower fell during the evening, the first since the beginning of November, a very unusual occurrence in New Zealand, where tlfc dry season seldom sets in until the end of December.