A VISIT

New Zealander, Volume 8, Issue 629, 24 April 1852, Page 3

A VISIT

To one of the Islands in the Bay of Pj,f:>ty, celebrated and dreaded by the New Zealanders an the residence of the Tiuderai — A T uraras, or large Lizards-— by a Parly of Oncers of Ike 58lh Regiment; to which are added a few notes on the Natural IListoiy of the Animals. On the 18th December, 18J1. our party ar.ived at the liigh hills overlooking "Wakntane in (he Js.iy of Plenty, en route for Terawera. Fourteen diiys on board a small native vessel had made our breathing short, and our feet, tender, f,o that the haul sand and the high hillj, which lie between

Ohewa and Wakatane made us all foci tired, although wo had only walked seven miles, and the sun had not yet risen high in the heavens. It was a delightful New Zealand morning. A thousand feet almost perpendicularly below where we sat lay the Wak.at.ine River, twisting itself like an eel over the level plain through which it flows. On either bank there are several native settlements and a few European houses : a fairer prospect is rarely seen. To the settlement nearest the mouth of the river, we descended by a precipitous path, and not feeling inclined to face the long sand walk between Wakataue and Matata that day we pitched our tent. It was about noon when we had finished our morning repast, and had listened to the history of the ancient feuds between the tribes at Opoiiki and Ohiwa (Whakatohcas), and the tribes at Wakatane, chiefly Ngatiawas. We were told how the Bonaparte of the New Zeahinders, Shonghi, had, about thirty years ago, attacked the Wakatane people when they were without fire-arms, and the slaughter he had committed. We had admired the waterfall which tumbled and boiled over our heads, and had sketched the curious and strange shaped tattoo marks which several of the women have at this place round their lips ; still it was along time to sun-down, and, as wehadno books to read, we set our thoughts to work to suggest how we might spend the remainder of the day ; at last it was happily proposed that we should visit one of the four small volcanic islands, distant about eight miles from the coast, and which are celebrated and dreaded by the natives as the homes of the fearful Tuateras. There was no difficulty in getting a canoe, and the permission of the old chief to visit the island ; but when we came to enquire for a crew to paddle us, it was a different ailair. Two natives of the place would only accompany us ; and our own natives — strong active fellows, who had seen the world, and had drank grog in Auckland — although very anxious to oblige us, were struck with terror at the idea of facing the Tuatera or Narara in his own home : the den of a man-eating tiger, or a mad dog, could not be more dreaded. The trip was almost about to be given up for want of a crew, when a final display of silver, tobacco, promises of more, and an assurance that they were only required to paddle the canoe to the island, not to land on it, got us six doubtful volunteers, a small crew for such a large canoe; but it was the middle of summer — the sea was like a lake — there was no wind — it was one of those sunny days which they only know who have visited and lived in the Bay of Plenty. One of our party, a lover of case and a dreader of water, remained behind ; two of us only embarked. As the canoe was paddled along, we were entertained with stories about the great size, numbers, fierceness, and hideous appearance of (he animals we were about to vibit. We were told that if they got ahold of one of us they would never let go, and that there was poison in their teeth. Other dismal tales were told — for example : An old chief, wealthy with such riches as a New Zcalander values, was anxious to marry a young girl, who not only disliked him, but loved a young and handsome lover. For many months she refused the chief's hand : the terrors of death, on shore, had no influence in coercing her. The chief therefore told her that if, within a certain time, she did not agree to the nuptials, he would convey her to the island nearest the prow of the canoe, and leave her there. It was a dreadful alternative, but she preferred death among the lizards to a bridal bed with the old chief. She was conveyed to the island, and left there. Night came on, and with it the lizards. She, in the madness of despair, took to the water, and swam to a small islet near — but the lizards pursued hex*, and eat her up. Eight miles is a long distance for a large sea canoe with a few paddles : at last we reached the island — it was low water, and there were nearly two hundred yards of rough rocks, covered with seaweed and shells, to walk over. We landed, and took with us the box which had been prepared for conveying the captured lizards to Auckland. For the first time it flashed across our minds that the lizardsihad no other existence but in the imagination of "the New Zcalanders ; but this was not the case. As we approached the dry part of the island, thousands of birds rose to greet us, and flew screaming close above our heads, so close as to make us involuntarily bend our necks to avoid them, just as soldiers do when they are under musket fire for the first time. The birds were in a natural slate, and had no dread of man. The rocks under our feet were covered with the white dung of these animals, and 1 caught myself stepping on an egg as large as a pigeon's. On looking more carefully, we observed the ground was covered with eggs, and with young birds unable to fly. What struck us most was that all the eggs were solitary, there were not two together ; some were exposed on the open bare rocks, others were slightly hid in the crevices of rocks. What is the cause of the birds scattering their eggs, said we ? A native, who had con juered his fears, and hadcieptup close behind v-, muttered to himself " lie maim wangainga tahi," the bird with one egg. It is the Titi bird of the natives, the Pelicanoides vrinatrix of Cuvicr. We were much 1 based to find that one native accompanied us, and more particularly our friend Woon, ahai Mr. Marama. lie was an active young New Zcalandei ; had fought with his father, that brave and good old man Moses Towai, for us during Ileki's war in the North, when but a boy. His mother was a Taranaki woman, and he had been at school, and had been baptized by that zealous friend of the Maories, the Rev. Mr. Woon, after himself. We must beg the good missionary's pardon for giving his namesake a nickname, for we called him Marama, the Maori term for moon, the name we thought he gave us in Auckland on entering our service. As I was picking up an egg of the one-egged bird, my fellow traveller called out, Here is one ! I immediately ran to where he was, and saw about eight inches of tail, covered with scales, sticking out between two large stones. 1 put down my hand to pull.it out, but, although not very fastidious or nervous^ the sensation the skin of the brute made on my hand was so horrid, and so unlike anything I had ever felt before, that I instinctively drew it bac'z as if it had touched a piece of red hot iron. Fortunately 1 had a pair of leather gloves in my pocket, one of which I put on, Lhe other 1 gave to my companion, and again took hold of the tail; it was, however, quickly twisted out of my fingers by the animal turning sharply round and looking me steadily and fairly in the face, as if he were asking me, What made you touch my tail? and in such a position as if he were ready to spring on me should my answer not pi ove satisfactory to him. We had now an opportunity of seeing the animal face to face : what struck us most was his large mouth. If, said we, the brute bites, or is one half as savage as the Maories tell us, his bite will be no joke. Partly dreading to return without a lizard, and thus give our followers and the village an idea that we were afraid of them, and partly struck by a benevolent expression the animal had about his face, which made us think his appearance was against him, I, with considerable dread, thrust forward my hand and grasped him about an inch behind hib mouth, and dragged him out of his hole. How he twisted — how the slimy, cold, horrid sensation of his tail flew up my nerves to my heart like an electric spark, I cannot describe, lie was quickly pub into the box, and shut up. On wo walked. In half an hour we had got into our box nearly forty Tuateras of different sizes, some nearly two feet long, others three inches. One small lizard, not a tuatera, got a bit of my finger into his mouth, and 1 felt his bile, but the skin was untouched through the glove. Y\ r e could have collected many more, but mc were stoppod in our hunting In the old chief

who navigated the canoe pointing (o the set! ing sun, and a dark cloud in tlie horizon, and tolling us to come on board. This we regretted, because the island was swarming with lizards. Almost every stone we turned over a number of small I ones scampered from below it. They were not all Tuateras, but some were a harmless lizard called ! Mokomoko — the Tihqna Zehndica of naturalists. The large Tuateras kept among the rocks — they had retired for the night. In the day time they arc seen basking themselves in the sun on the bare rocks ; noon is therefore the best hour to visit the island. "We may here observe there are four small islands, on two of which Tuateras are found. They are called Ruriiua and Moutoki. The largest is about half a mile in circumference at high water. They are all of volcanic origin, and are scantily covered Avith soil ; but it is suflieient to grow a few of the most hardy New Zealand shrubs and creepers, among the latter of which we observed the delicate flower of the Politic or Panapa (the Cahjstcg ia Sepium of naturalists), the long fleshy root of which was formerly a source of food to the New Zcalandcrs. There was no fresh water on the island but what was contained in the crevices of rocks from rain. All our natives had taken courage at seeing our success, and had landed from the canoe, and loaded themselves with the eggs and young of the one-egged bird. It was almost dark when we had got all comfortably seated in the canoe. The wind, which had spiung up, was against us: the rough walk in the morning, and the long paddle to the island, made our return a difficult and tedious affair, for the natives fell asleep with the paddles in their hands. A slight shower of rain began to fall, and ■» c now regretted that we travelled on temperance principles — it was the only time, however, we had really reason to do so during the whole of our trip. A little grog would have deferred the natuial sleep for a few hours, have given fresh strength to the men, and got us to land by ten o'clock ; as it was, it was almost dawn before we reached Wakatane, and got safely over the numerous rocks which are found at the mouth of the river. Tired with paddling, we threw our blankets over us, and fell instantly asleep. It might be about six o'clock in the morning when we were awoke by a loud shriek from at least a hundred Maorics. This made us spring to our fiiat, and put our heads out of the tent to find ivhat the row was about. To "our astonishment, we saw a crowd of men, women, and children, scampering off as fast as their legs would carry them in all directions. A\ r e thought they were al! mad, or the earth had opened in the midst of them. The cause of the disturbance was this — The object of our visit to the island had spread over all the settlement, and as we did not return at sun-down, the superstitious ones thought we had been devoured by the lizards. At daylight, therefore, the natives collected and waited on our fellow-traveller to enquire if we had arrived, and to hear our story. Seeing a box carefully tied up with Uax close to the tent door, one of them opened it, and out rushed a Tuatera : the shrieks and dispersion already desciibed were produced by this cause. In a short time most of them returned, and we showed them what harmless animals the Nararas were. One of the European settlers at "Wakatane is a monkey, lie is the property of almost the oldest European inhabitant in New Zealand ; and, as these animals are proveibial for being keen observers of mankind and animals, we had a string tied to the tail of the liveliest and largest lizard, and introduced it to the monkey. It was a curious scene. The monkey walked round and round the lizard : he looked at his face, and then at his crested tail ; every time the circle at which he kept diminished. It was evident he had never been presented to such an animal before. Like a child, just beginning to discriminate objects, he was anxious to touch the lizard ; at last he got courage, and placed his hand on the tip of the Narara's tail : the animal, according to custom, gave a twibt round, and looked the monkey in the face. This was enough. Jaeco bounded to the top of his pole like a Hash of lightning, and there remained with all the signs of terror depicted on his countenance. He was a brave monkey ; had lived long with a chain round his body ; and had spent the early part of his civilized fife on board a man-of-war, where the young sailor boys had taught him the art of self-defence. lie "was a match for any dog in all the Wakatane river, and the delight and terror of all the littie urchins of the Ngatiawas. Notwithstanding all this, the hideous and repulsive appearance of the lizard struck him with terror. Jacco, we were told, was an epicure, so we placed a favourite dish of his close to the mouth of the lizard. The dread of death, or rather the love of life, triumphed over the gratification of the palate. lie merely eyed the food with much the same expression as a hungry schoolboy looks at the tai ts in a confectioner's shop. In about four minutes he saw the lizard drop his eyelids over his eyes. This was enough. There was not not a moment to be lost : down the pole Jacco stealthily stole, and, with a quietness which would not have disturbed a mouse, he grasped the food from under the jaws of the lizard and retreated, chattering in the greatest delight, to the top of his pole, where he devoured his cleverly won meal with great gusto. After about an hour, Mr. Jacco saw that there was nothing to he dreaded from the lizard, and he treated him with contempt, not that he attempted to ride on his back or pull his tail so long as we were there. We had now got the lizai-ds, but, alas ! no native could be procured for love, tobacco, or money to carry them : we therefore left them at 'Wakatane, to be forwarded to Auckland by the first European vessel: — no Maori craft wouldhave anything to do with them. It was "with considerable regret that we left I Wakataue. We were all anxious to stop another day, but our month's leave was nearly out, and we had a long journey before us : so, on the 19th December, we weie ferry ed aeioss the Wakatane river, and after bidding farewell to our kind friends, the Messrs. Fulloons, we commenced our dreary march over the long sandy beach which lies between Wakatane and Matata. "We saw a shark almost driven on shore by a large wave, but with this exception there was nothing to amuse us The shells on the shore were all known to our conchologist. We looked in vain to see what is said to be seen on the hard sand between Opotiki and Wakalane — a green and white penguin, the Korora, (sphemscus minor) taking a pipi shell to a great height, from whence it lets it fall on the beach, and then descends itself to pick out the flesh from the broken fragments of the shell. So, for want of something better to do, we amused ourselves by observing the impression which our natives' feet made on the soft sand of the sea-shore ; and we came to the conclusion that a groat number of Now Zealanders are flat footed — that their feet are short and broad — that they turn in their toes — that a European cannot walk with ease in the path or footsteps of a Maori — and that they are shorter legged, and take shorter steps, than the majority of Europeans, After these philosophical deductions were arrived at, we thought that an account of our visit to theNarara Islands might prove amusing and instructive to the New Zealandcrs. Unfortunately, it was out of our line of country to compose, so we talked over what we would say as we walked along the sand, and ■w rote down in one of our note-books what was said when we rested ourselves. It made along road sliai t ; and we hope it may bo inserted in the native newspaper, and thus assist in ren)o\iiig an ignorant superstition fioin the minds of the New Zealand race. On our return to Auckland, the following notes on the natural histoi y of the Nararas were made. Of the box of Nar.inis we left at Wakatano only tluee leached Auckland alive ; some had died,

others hud escaped, and the large ones, we were told, had eaten up the small ones. Mr. Gray, of the British Museum, places the Tuntcra in the older Sauriu (Fain, jlgumutce), and names it the Huheria phnduia. Jt is the gigantic lizard alluded to by dplain Cook;— lew specimens have been sent lo England. Dieft'onb.icli states that he had great dilliculty in procuring a specimen, although he offered Lirge lewards, and was always looking for one ; at last he got one from the late Dr. Johnson, Colonial Sui - gcon Auckland, which was procured from the Rev. W. Stack, Ta manga. The Norara is about eighteen or twenty inches long. One w.is seen, but not caught, which must ha\e been two feet. It is four inches round the chest, and weighs, when in condition, about sixteen ounces. Like the ehanueleon, its colour varies : when seen on the island they were of a, dark oli\e colour, with nunv while points on their backs; now, in confinement, they are more of a light black colour. The whole body is covered with scales of different shapes and sizes ; those on the back of the animal are small, those on the under part of the animal are small under the mouth, larger and squarer on the trunk round oh the peh is, and long and thin on the tail. Head, quadrangular; forehead, low; expression of face, mild but stupid. A soft but sharp crest runs from the head to the apex of the tail along the back ; it is however interrupted on the neck and over the pelvis : — the head and dorsal crests are white, sometimes olive; those on the tail arc lejs piominent, and dark brown. The skin is loose, and is thrown into folds : a large pouch is fjusid under the lower jaw, which I never saw dis-tendcf 1 . They have four legs, with fh c toes very partially webbed ; on each toe there is a sharp claw. The tongue is flat, broad, and fleshy ; the point is free. In the lower jaw there are 28 small rounded py-ramidal-shaped teeth ; in the upper jaw there are 2G. The two front teeth in the upper jaw are large and prominent ; the back teeth have a groove between them, into which groove the single range of teeth in the lower jaw fall when the teeth are closed. The eyes are large, prominent, and are furnished with ej'elids : the iris is much the same colour as the body, the pupil is daik, anJ. in a bright light looks like a falit made with a knife; it is sensible to light. The flesh of tie animal is white, and has a fish-like smell. The spinal^ cord is large, and extends to the apex <£ the tail. The animal has considerable sensibLi y — it has been seen to raise its forehand to drive off a fly. They hear perfectly : when not very torpid, a little noise makes them open their eyelids. They can run with considerable rapidity even up astraight wall. The sight appears to be tolerably acute, but the eye can be touched with a blunt body without producing winking. Respiration is effected by lungs which are large, and extend into the abdomen ; the ribs are elevated and depressed on each expiration and inspiration. There is gi eat variety in the number of respirations in a minute , during the heat of the day, when the animal was running about, I counted 2G respirations in a minute— when asleep at night, eight or ten. One was kept under water for a considerable time, and it appealed quite comfortable, and was perfectly lively when brought up, but respiration through the mouth did not take place when under water. When some of the animals were caught they made a sound as if clearingtheir nostrils by a forced expiration — a low hiss.. They make no attempt to bite, although the}' twisfc their heads round as if they were to do so, but they scratch very severely with their claws. I put a thermometer into the mouth of one to see the temperature, and he bit it in iw o parts They can remain a long time without food, but I have seen food pass through one in two hours. The Maories say they " live on roots, leaves, seaweed, shell-fish, eggs, &c , — two were kept alive for a long time on boiled potatoes. They eat their )oung. In the box we left, at Wakatane there were at least twenty lizards from three to six inches long; day by day, the European who had charge of them said, they decreased in number: there was no way of escape, and he found the points of the tails of the young ones in the box. r J hey appear to like water : ajNarara escaped from the box, and almost every night it was seen to visit an open well when the ground about was damp, but I never saw them drink water, and the island where they live must be often days without fresh water. When thrown j into water they swim readily, but they try to get out as quickly as possible. They evidently buri row in_ the ground. I have seen one scratching a hole in the sand of the box with its fore claws. Two Nararas could never be got to fight. The Maories say they lay eggs, but none were seen on the island. Several young were caught as if they were just hatched; they were then perfectly shaped, three or four inches long, soft skin, and brownish white colour; there was then no crest on the back. Ihey are not cowards : their means of defence appear to rest on their hideous appearance. Ihe cold slimy sensalion which their bodies give out, and their claws. A great pait of theii life is passed in sleep. The Maories say they bask in the sun in the day lime, and retire to their holes at, night. A fire lighted at night a1 tracts them from i.rir holes, a id they crowd round it. Heat makes them liveh — cold, stupid and sleepy. The temperature of the surface of the skin is a degree below the temperature of the air. A thermometer well down the throat, rose two degiees above the temperature of the air. Nararas are said to have been very numerous formerly on the mainland of the North Island < f New Zealand. This statement rests on tralition, and from their remains having been found on Mount Eden, near Auckland. We were told at Terawera, neir the centre of the island, that they are sometimes seen in locky places, and one cave was pointed out where a large one waj said to live. In the valley of the Mekau River sirnih r holes are pointed out, but no European has, I believe, e\ er seen thun on the mainland. At present they are only known to exist on a Cqw small rocky islands in the Bay of Plenty and in the Gulf of Ilauraki. The extinction of these animals from the mainland may be attributed to dogs and pigs — to the latter animal they would fall an easy prey, and afford a pleasant repast. "Wherever pigs are found Nararas arc not found. In the large island oft" the mouth of the Wakatancßivc, called Moutohoia, Nanuas weie foimeily mime - ous, but, since pigs have been put on it, they are now only found on the h'gh pnd almost inaccessible parts of the Island. In South America, pigs have proved very destructive to all the snakes m the country. Nararas, we were told, were formerly used as food by some tribes, but I never mot with a New Zealander who had made a meal oil' one ! Nararas belong to the same order of animals as those which have produced so much interest among geologists, for having existed in the world before the creation of man, and for having been swept away from the earth thousands of years before the human race stood upon it. Nararas somewhat resemble the lizards figured on the ancient monuments of the Egyptians. The awe and terror in which they are held by the New Zcalanders may in some degree be produced by the superstition that, the lizard is the favourite form which the spirits of the dead assume on yisitingthe earth, and most races of men have an instinctive dread of this order of animals. In all agesfabulous stories have been related, and more particularly in Ea&tern writings, about the ravages which this order of aiiiina's ha\e pioduced. In China, a dragon is the national emblem. In England we have the famous history of St. George and the Dragon. Tl c New Zealanders ha\c lhe~>r stones of large animals in tiie shape of Tuater.r, called Taniwh.i.s, living in caverns and deslro\iug travellers, against which monsters war parlies were sent, and the bri've doeds done on such occasions still live in the sunqs and lia lili.ni-> oJ tho people.

Books askfd for at Rui.w^ Book SniLS. —It has been jemarked ihat peis.m* who app«re»tlv «ould be ashamed to be found reading certain work- nt home have asked Cor publications of the worst character at the railway book stall, and, b ing unable to obtain them, in evident annoyance, Live suddenly disappoaied. It is much to be feared that the demand lor £»uch pub. lications continues, because it has not, in all cases and at all stations, been immediafi ly and sufficiently checked. r J he style of books sold depends more upon the salesman than on the locality; but iheie are exceptions o the rule. At Hangor all books, in the YW-bh language imist have a strong dissmting and ladical iftvour. English books at the same stanon must be high church and conservative. School bojs always iosibt upon having Ainsnoith's novels nnd anything terrible. Children's books are disdained and left for their sisters. " Jack Sheppaid" is tabooed at the Norib-Western, and great is the wrath of the boys accordingly. Stations lave their idiosyncrasies. Yorkshne is not parii.il to poetry. It is difficult to sell a valuable book at any of the stands between Dei by, Leeds, and Manchester. Religious books hardly find a purchaser in Liverpool; while at Manchester, at the other end of the line they arc in high demand. " Sophisms of Free Trade," by Mr. Sergeant Byles, sold at all the stations to the extent of some hundreds. The "Answer" to that LrMhne was scarcely looked at, although the line is crowded with free-trade passengers, and traverses the most important frse-trade districts m the kingdom. —

Dr. Harth has sent a Vocabulary of the Buddumns to the Clievulier Bunsen, which it is presumed will prove oi great interest, as being that of a nation that has preserved Us independence from the remotest period. Dr. Barth bas also sent home, at various times, a great number of highly important itineraries, wb eh will —it is to be hoped shortly — he published in the Journal of the Royal Geographical Society. — Athineeum.