NOTES FROM A JOURNAL

New Zealander, Volume 3, Issue 160, 11 December 1847, Page 3

NOTES FROM A JOURNAL

Kept during an excursion to the Boiling Springs of liotorua and Rotomakana, by way of the tVnt/tato and Waipa countries, in the Summer of Eighteen Hundred and Forty' Sim and Seven.

(Continued.) Wo reached Ohinimutu t bout one o'clock, and while resting ourselves ia Hohepa's home, an iacident occurred that in former days might have led 'to serious consequences. One of the Natives whom we had previously engaged at Patiteri to carry our baggage from there and back, had remained at Ohinimutu while we had proceeded to Rotomalmna, and we found him awaiting our return. I was tired and was lying down in the house, when wanting something from my carpet* bag, [ asked the man to bring it to' me, of which request however he took no notice. I repeated it, but he did not move, my companAcn, irritated at his indolence and sullennsss, seized him by the foot and' pulling him sharply, deaired him to obey me : the man- instantly started up, his face pale with rage, and with a most ferocious look, said— "l am a Chief! you have made a slave of me— my heart is black— black at night ! If I am struck justly I can keep my anfrer', bnt if unjustly, I cannot !" My companion, however, who spoke the Maori language well, coo'ly answered — " We hired you to do our bidding, why did you not do it ? Since we left you here you have been lying at you r ease, doing nothing, we have made long journeys and are tied." The argument was just, and was admitted' by all present, so our man wrapped his head in his blanket, and sulkily sat down, brooding, as we thought, over rerenge. However, after a time, he resumed his usual manner, and seemed as cheerful as before. It was,^ however, a dangf rous experiment, as Chiefs are very susceptible on the score of dignity, and I would warn travellers against doing any act, ho rover trifling, that outrages Native prejudices. We left Ohinimutu in the afternoon, with the intention of bivouacking on the edge of the forest, so as to endeayour to reach P«.titeri, on the following evening-, and as we had five attendants with vi, each Would carry 'so small a 1 burden as to enable us to jmsji on more rapidly than in our previous journey; and traverse the forest in one* day. On our way, however, we turned aside to visit the site of Mr. Chapman's house, which I have mentioned as having been plundered by the Ngatihoua, in their lust taua to llotorua, A fig tree and lilac, are the only remains of the garden, and these are cherished by, the Natives with au almost superstitious veneration. On one occasion, the natives of Ohinimutu, we were told, made a very ingenious use of their boiling water, in defending the weakest part of the pa from an attack by day. The only access to Ohinimutu from the west is, by a narrow isthmus lying between the lake and the plain, which is intersected by springs and pools of boiling mud, so, as only to be crossed in the daytime with the greatest caution, and even then by those well acquainted with the localities. Any attempt at night would certainly lead to a horrible death, by being overwhelmed in boiling mud— knowing, therefore, that they were safe in that quarter by night, the besieged dug a deep trench across the Uthmus, into which they led streams of boiling water, so as to secure themselves effectually from any attempt to storm the pa in the only accesii bte point. Thus defended they defied their enemies, and the Ngatihoun, after in vain attempting to force a passage, were compelled to be satisfied with their flrifc succeis, in which they had defeated the Ngatiwakaua, who came out to meet them in the plain, and to return to their own country. We reached the Wai-iti at sunset, and our people, tempted by a large pot of gorau, which they saw on the fire, and of which they were invited to partake, resitted so strongly our wish to push on to the forest, that we consented to remain, and had a lort of tcut-shaned

shed made over to us for a sleeping plarc. It was open in front, so that it guve vi plenty of air, and yet sh«|. tered us from the dew, which, after the heat of the day, fell heavily nn.l was very chilling. We were vociferously assured that there was not even n Hen in the neighborhood, no small recommendation in a Maori settlement, but we found, to use an Australian phrase, iliat we had b en ''gammoned," for it swarmed with them, and although fatigua threw us into a deep sleep for a few hours, we awoke in the middle of the night, ,and were 10 tormented, that after in vain attempting to get some rest, we rose and spent the rest of the night by the fire. On our route from Ohinimutu to Wai iti, we saw a tana, or plundering-party crossing the lake in a warcanoe, the leader standing up, as is their custom, brandishing his paddle and giving time to twenty itout Natives, who made it shoot rapidly through the water. The Natives say that all their quarrels take place about ' land, pigs, arid women, 1 ' and this movement was, most probably, caused by an infraction of the seventh commandment, where the injured husband and his fiends were going, according to Native custom, to levy nn ntu on the goods and chattels of the offender, Formerly, however, a more severe penalty was imposed, the delinquent was compelled to stand publicly, and suffer a certain number of the long spears anciently used to be thrown at him, which he warded off as he best could. But in addition, a most extraordinary custom hold') on these occasions, for the husband of the frail one can also be plundered — a law so palpably unjust, that it is difficult to trace it* origin. That such affairs are of frequent occurrence cannot be wondered at, when we consider tint women have icarce^a choice in these connexions. A father engages to give away his daughter acoording to his will and pie is'ure,' so that from their earliest childhood, girJs are placed under tapu, that is, rtseived as a wife for a certain man, quite irrespective! of their partialities. Young women have been known to commit suicide rather than submit to such compulsory arrmgeraeuts, so repugnant to the femule mi ad even in the rudest state of society. Jan. 13.— We roused our Natives lit dawn of day, who, being proof againsjjjthe attacks of ''all manner of creeping things," had slept soundly, and got on our journey before sunrise. We soon reached the same picturesque spot where we had formerly made onr breakfast, but now, during an absence of a few days, so great was the drought that existed from the long course of dry weather, we could only procure a small quantity of very indifferent water for a ainailar purpose} and we found none during the day, excepting a little green tud stagnant, in the hollow of a tree. Yet, in the winter, my companion told me, that the whole of the leyel land in the forest is ancle-deep in water, and every hollow has a running stream. Suffering, therefore, from thirst, we crosssd the forest at so rapid a pace, that we reached its northern edge before sunset, walking, in twelve hours, a distance it had taken us eighteen houri to achieve, in our journey southward. _ We had intended to have reached Patiteri that night, but hearing; the gurgling of water, at the bottom of a deep ravine near the path, we could not resist the cravings of intense thirst, and descended to it, when we had a deli* cious draught from the pure cold stream, but it was so thickly covered with overhanging branches and creepers, which projected from either side of almost perpendicular cliffa, that we had some difficulty in reaching it. We had descended at least three hnndred feet, and. being thoroughly futigued, did not rcliih.au ascent up the steep face of the ravine, so perceiving a small space of tolerably level ground opposite,, to which we could hare access by a natural bridge across the stream, formed by the fallen trunk of a gigantic rata, we decided on bivouacking .there fur the night, ,«nd our Natives, with their usual adroitness, soon cleared away the brushwood, made us a bed of the leaves of the treefern, and kindled a large fire, both for, cooking nnd to scare away the mosquitoes, which of c»urse abounded in such a situation, So thick was the overhanging foliage, that it formed a verdsnt cavern, while, .the fire gl*ncing on the wild countenances and d eiß of our companions, and half illuminating the woody recesses, formed a picture worthy the pencil of a Salvator Rosa. Jan. 14.— We were as usual roused from our sylvan couch, at the"earliest dawn, by the matin sontr of the birds, and ascended to the plateau, along which we retraced our steps, until in sight of Patiteri, but as we gave our Natives to understand that we had no particular wish to halt there, they informed us that we might breakfast at one of those summer-settlements which are temporarily occupied at the planting and gathering in of the potato crop : we accordingly struck across to this place which was an extension oftthe plateau; and found a few huts tenanted by about twenty inmates, on the edge of a plantation, as utual cut out of the wood, which, after being occupied for three years, will he abandoned, and in this way the Natives, in both senied, eat their way into the forests, iwhich. are thus diminished every year in extent. The reception strangers often meet with at a 'Native settlement, particularly if not much vitited by Europeans, is at first rather chilling,- nnd in this instance it may have been rendered more so from the Natives being Ngatirakaua, who felt indignant at the capture and detention of " their father Raupamhi." Ihe arriving party generally sit down, when, if any of the Natives should chance to have acquaintances, a langi takes place, the others looking silently on, at length the spirit moves one of the residents to come forward, and after the customary salutation to the I'ukeha, the ice being broken, reserve ii soon thawed, the news of tho country are asked', the quality and occupations of the white strangers. s and sundry other questions. It is then taken for granted * that food will be required, and some of tbe slave girls are despatched to dig up an it prepare the potatoes, and the conversation becomuf general. After breakfasting ou some fine potatoes and pork we had carried with us, we requited our hosts in the usual manner, who furnished us with a basket for dinner, as we should meet with no plantation on the plain. We then crossed the raviue to Patiteri, where we oi.ly remained long enough to d.scharge the two men of tho pluce who had accompanied us, and here I applied a heating salve to the wounded dignity of our attend nut Chief with the happiest effect, for in reminding him of the fracas at Oliinfmutu, I presented him with half-a-Crown as " utu'* for the insult bethought had been put upon him, which he received most graciously, and we parted good friends. He was aspiring to the office of a Teacher, among his. Missionary brethren, and during the whole journey, was committing to memory, passages of the Gospel of Suiut John, in a most sonorous voice. Whether the study of the Gospel had hud a softening influence upon him, or from whatever oilier' cause, he seemed to forget entirely, his anger at the indiguity he had received.* l> i%e muat however have felt it much at the time, as Ranpntira of whatever degree, never exhibit anger, and indeed consider it derogatory to do si), except under the greatest provocation. The loruftt from which we had just emerged is one of the finest in the uland, both from its extent, and the magnificence and variety of its timber. It offers. rat«, ritnu, totttr.i, matai, pukatea, tawu, tawai, whose bark contains the tanning principle, kahikwtea, tawlieo, a fine fumiturc.wood, rfiwarewa, krj»e munuka, and the Native lubcuia of n larg«r iiz i than I had elsewhere-

Been, besides n variety of, minor trees too tediou* to enumerate. I have mentioned thai it contain? withm ill bonnds, large tablelands of feiiile soil, -nd but for iti distance from tUe «ea, would form a suitable place for a settlement, as blocks cut out of the forest would form admirable spoti for hop gardens, whehrequire ithelter, a* wHI us for orchaids, and vineyardi might '■« planted on the sides of the lei* preciptt«u*ravines. T .eie would not indeed be much difficulty in milking a io d across the p!nin of th* Wniho to Ma'a M»tu, n ar to which large b.~,nts could ascend in the * inter The mention of such an undertaking will be thought, lool^ng 100 distantly forward into fuluiity, but that «uch a future will anivo, despite present untoward eve ts, I led fully satitfied. From the salient point of th p'ateau on which Patiteii st.nds, just before d> scending into the ravinrs of Toa, a moit magnificent view pie^nU it-elf, but as I have d soribrd n limilar ptotpeet in a former pait of my journal, it is unnecessary to .epeatit further than to say tlmt abeiutiful and biiiliant morning added new charms to the scene. It w^uld repay the toil of a journey made rxprrfsly for the purpose. Emerging from the rapines, we crossed Rome rlenr streams, now •o diminutive as to be forded by a few steps, but in the ■winter, furious foaming torrents, rushing downward* with irresistable forre, and ovei flowing their banks; we followed a path that ran along a tuccession of low, fldt-iopped hil!f, forming the boundaries to extensive basins, thiough nboie beds wound the streams I bare decribed, which, forcing their way through th<ie hills by nirrow gorges, traversed sucVesMve basins, froW which they issued in ajrimilar manner until they fell into , the WaLo or taome" of its principal tributaries. At the base of all these hi It, terrnces could b« diistinctly traced, so maiked a feature in this part of the couutry, evidrnoing. at some remote period, a higher level and a grea'cr extent of its waters, to which an approximation may be observed during the temporary winter floods. The toil on the hills is » poor, hungry, volcanic gravel, covered with stinted fern and wi, but in some spoti, and in the flats, there are several varieties of grass, often in great abundance. jUie extreme drjness of the surface and the open natural he country, wouldstem to make it suitable for grazing sheep, for the wi though now peifcclly biown and wiry, would be, no doubt, tender and succulent enough in the spring, and would annually improve by being browzed upon, and here there would be no danger of mteiferin? with the Natives, as there ii not a hut nor an acre of ground under cul ivation, between Patiten and Mata Matt, a space of eighteen miles in length, by ten in breadlh. including more than a hundred thousnnd acres. Ihe want of firewood would be a disadvantage, unless indeed the homesteads were formed at the foot of the wooded mountains, or to near them at to afford a convenient supply. By keeping on either side of ihe Waiho, the whole space might be traversed on horseback for the greater part of the year. Continuing thus tor some miles, the eastern moun« tains bounding that side of the plain like a verdaut wall, while bare hills formed an equally marked boun. dary to the west, we came to the Wai-omeo, a line clear stream with a rapid current, which joins the Wai* ho some miles further down than where we croised. Like all the other rivers ot thii region, it tan in the centre of a broad fl*t or holm ; we forded it being only knee-deep. A short distance beyond this river we came upon a body of Natives, sitting in croupes on a hill side — they had uncovered themselves from the waist upwards, in consequence of the burning heat sf the day, and their glossy skins shone like velvet — many of the young girls, who seemed perfect y ignorant of any want of propriety, in dispensing with their,, usuill covering, presented busts that would have charmed a scu ptor, while some of the young men had the foims ot an Apollo. Their Chief, a ye y fine-looking man, who wore the symbolic distinction of a stiaw bat, informed us that they were on their way from Taupo to Hauraki, to pay a visit to their ally the noted Taru, Chief or the Ngatimaru. The groupe reminded me of the pictures in Cook's Voyages, for they were ceriamly the wildest and moit primitive looking body of Natives I had as yet met with. Taria is one of the malcontents with our Colonization, and we inferred that the visit of a tribe also hostile to us, boded no good to our Government. The imprisonment of Rauparaha would probably be the subject of their korero. A few miles boyond the Wai-omeo brought Hi to the Waiho, which deep and rapid, rushed swiftly between steep banks at le*»t fifty ftet high. We stopped here to dine, and took advantage ot our halt to bathe. The water was of an icy coldneis, and the current so strong that we could not item it, which shews a great fall in the general level of the plain. As it is too deep to ford, the Natives have cor.str ucted a rude bridge to facilitate the passage, on which we ciossed, though on our journey southward we had been obliged, some miles higher up, to swim across. ■ Two miles Juttber north we croised the Waingawcro, another and smaller stream, ttibutaiy to the Waiho. The tablelands now become more extensive, ti averted by ravines filled with tall manuka, and often the plateaus themselves were covered with, extensive clumps of the same shrub, which being very thick, and reaching higher than our head*, closed over the seldom frequented track, and made our progreis very toilsome. The soil in these spot* is a strong clay, very different from the usual pumiceons gravel in other parti. As we approached Mata Mata, the sui'lace ot the plain became almost level— the soil of a much superior quality, and it was often covered with grass and shrubi — fLx also began to appear. (To be continued.)