NOTES

New Zealander, Volume 8, Issue 637, 22 May 1852, Page 2

NOTES

Of a sJwrt Tour into the interior of the Northern Colony of New Zealand, in March and April, 1852. (Continued.) Our ride from Mr. Cole's to Slippery Creek was delightful : the morning was pleasant, the road good, and the counti'y of such beauty and fertility, as would have pleased the eye of ari artist as well as an agriculturist. About a quarter of a mile beyond the creek, Mr. Runciman,who has a cattle station at this place, has built a cottage, and, although a sexagenarian, has shown great enterprise, being the first person who ever crossed the Papakura Eiver and Slippery Creek with a loaded dray. According to the Depasturing Regulations, Mr. Runciman is entitled to select and purchase eighty acres as a homestead, at Ihe upset price of one pound per acre — and here he has made his selection and taken up his residence. The site of his cottage is good, and the selection exhibits both taste and judgment, having on his left a tidal creek connected with the Manukau ; on his right, a considerable stream of fresh water ; and in the back ground, a wood, which is both useful and ornamental. May success attend his undertakings, as he justly merits a reward for his enterprise, being the first settler who has taken up bis permanent residence beyond the Slippery Creek. From Slippery Creek to the Native Settlement of Tuamata the country is open and easily travelled on horseback. On the west, in the direction of Waihuku, the country must have been heavily timbered at one time, as the remains of forest trees are still to be seen. Immediately on the east appear the chain of hills which intersect this part of the country, with their sloping sides sweeping down to the plain, beautifully wooded, and resembling in appearance some parts of Derbyshire. At some distance we observed the smoke of a Native Village curling above the trees, but the habitation of civilized man was nowhere to be seen. The Native Pah of Tuamatu is a wretched looking place, with very few inhabitants, and the situation no way remarkable, except its convenience for wood and water, which is a sine qua non in a Maori Kianga. We halted here for a couple of hours, in order to give our Maories some rest after the morning's inarch. The old chief was very hospitable, and presented us with potatoes, water- melons, and Indian corn ; and we dined by the side of the creek, under the shade of a large tree, which afforded convenient shelter from the lays of a bunting sun. On resuming our journey we immediately entered a wood, through which the line of road runs, with the exception of one or two openings for upwards of ten miles. The present track or pathway through the bush is both narrow and crooked, and although easily travelled on foot, is not well adapted for horseback, for, in addition to the trouble of keeping your noi*se as well as rider clear of the trees and brushwood, numerous ravines and streams have to be crossed, which renders this mode of travelling tedious and unpleasant. Without much difficulty, we, however, made our way by swamp, stream, and woodland, and reached the open country before sunset, when we pulled up for a short time to allow our natives who had fallen behind to overtake us. The natives soon made their appearance, but sat down and refused to proceed further, being, as they said, quite fatigued with their long march and heavy pekaus, and strongly urged the necessity of encamping for the night where we stood. The poor fellows had some good ground for complaining, but we were anxious to proceed, and if possible to reach the Waikato before nightfall, which was only four miles distant. We therefore gave each of them half a glass of brandy, and at last persuaded them to move, and after an hour's ride through a fine and open part of the country, intersected with numerous streams, we arrived at the Native Settlement of Tuakau a little after sunset. Our natives were not far behind, and as soon as they arrived they unslnng their pekaus and made immediate preparations for our encampment. While one party was pitching our tent and making up our beds of fern, another was lighting a fire and preparing the tea kettle, and within a little more than half-an-hour we were comfortably seated round a blazing wood fire, enjoying a pannikin of warm tea and smoking cigars. As usual, the Maories of the village came out to see the

strangers, and we had a numerous party of men, women, and children assembled round our fire, who continued smoking and talking long after we went to bed. We got up at daybreak on the morning of the 29th, and, while the Maories were preparing breakfast, I strolled about the Settlement and the adjoining fields. The Maori Kianga of Tuakau is of the poorest description, and, with the exception of its small enclosures of cultivated ground, is not superior to the temporary encampment oi a tribe of wandering gypsies, so frequently to be seen in some of the remote districts of England and Scotland. Its population is not numerous 3 and the few natives that we saw appeared to be of an inferior class. The country, however, is very fine, consisting of open fern glades, with patches of wood. There was a thick fog hanging over the bed of the Waikato, which concealed it for some time from view : as the morning advanced, however, it cleared off, and I got a sight of the river through an opening in the wood, about half a mile distant. At this spot, at least on the Tuakua side of the river, the country still retains its level or undulating English landscape character, and which is the descriptive feature in the appearance of the country from Auckland to the Waikato— about forty-five miles— with this exception, that the greatest part of ,it is covered with fern, and still in a state of nature. But a short distance below Tuakau the features of the country are changed, and present a very different appearance : the basin of the Waikato expands into a valley of considerable extent ; the undulations swell into hills, exhibiting a bold and rugged outline, and assuming a picturesque appearance, highly characteristic of the Scottish lake or river scenery— which, combined with the magnificent foliage of a New Zealand forest, and the windings of the Waikato River, from three to four hundred yards broad, present one of the finest views of river scenery that it is possible to imagine. After breakfast, we immediately struck our tent, and moved higher uu the River to Rakuwaitiri, which is three miles above Tuakau, and opposite Mr. Marshall's Inn, which is on the south side of the river. At this place we again reached the chain of hills which we saw in the early part of our journey, which, after ranging regularly* across the country from the Wairo River, are terminated by bold cliffs on the northern shore of the Waikato. We crossed the river at this place, which is about three hundred yards broad, expecting to find a canoe at Mr. Marshall's to take us up the river ; but were much disappointed when informed that, through some mistake, it had not been provided, and that there was none to be procured. After considerable vexation and delay, we, however, obtained one from a native woman who had just arrived, and engaged it for a fortnight,»for which we agreed to pay four dollars, which was certainly a very moderate charge. Everything was soon prepared for our journey, and the party, consisting of five Maories and two Pakehas, having taken their seats in the canoe, were immediately afloat, and the Maories plying their paddles, we skimmed along on the smooth waters of the broad Waikato. In fine weather it is pleasant travelling in a canoe, and the natives take great delight in shewing strangers their dexterity in navigating it. The native canoes are scooped out of solid trees, and some of them are sixty, seventy, and eightyfeet in length, and four feet broad ; but those of a large size are designated " waka-taua," or Avar canoes, and seldom used except on state occasions. These will carry from forty to fifty natives, and are invariably smeared over with a kind of red ochre, handsomely ornamented with a profusion of sea-fowl feathers hanging gracefully from a smalLpole fixed in the prow. They are all made thick and strong in the bottom, and tapering towards a noint at the prow, in order to give as little resistance to the water as possible ; they are also tapering and narrow at the stern, and sails, are used when the breeze is favourable^ well as paddles in navigating thorn. But the navigation of a canoe is an important affair with the natives, in which they exhibit great skill and expertness. One of the party is stationed at the prow to keep a look-out, and another at the stern to steer it, while the others are placed in the middle, or in the most convenient part for using their paddles with effect ; and some of the party usually chant a song or chorus, to which they keep stroke with their paddles ; sometimes they will move leisurely, merely dipping their paddles in the water, when suddenly they will become excited by chaunting some of their wild songs, and, bending to their paddles, sweep along at great speed in full chorus. It is in such scenes as this that the Maories are seen in their native character, and, I think, to advantage ; they also appear to think so themselves, as they take great pleasure in accompanying the Pakehas in their tours into the interior of the country ; and whether in the bush or canoe, or by the side of their evening camp fire, I have always found them to be not only useful allies, but intelligent companions. CTo be continued.)