A WINTER JOURNEY TO TAUPO. (Continued from our last.)

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume III, Issue 174, 31 March 1847, Page 3

A WINTER JOURNEY TO TAUPO. (Continued from our last.)

25th June, 1846. — Pehi aud those behind came up this morning before we started being delayed by the native who was lost, fortunately they discovered him and brought him in triumph to our party who welcomed him back with much feeling as one saved from a lingering death in the solitudes of the forest. He said he found a dry sleeping place in a hollow* tree, and although he heard the guns that were fired, yet as the distance from our sleepingplace was so great and it was pitch dark, he thought it was best" to stay where he was until the morning ; tne natives had some trouble to get a fire sufficiently strong to cook their potatoes ; it was half-past nine before we started, and although the rain had ceased yet the forest was so wet and the path so deep in mud that it was wretched travelling, the road was however pretty level for about six miles, whiclv brought us to the end of the Ruapekapeka range, thence we had a very precipitous and slip] cry descent .to the Manganui a te ao, it must have been full 1000 feet, and thence fording two other streams which ran into the former we ascended another plateau, perhaps about 100 feet high, and so abrupt that it was like climbing up a wall, the range here came to a point at che edge of which we ascended, and it was wonderful how the earth stood at such an angle, and when we had ascended, it was but a narrow ridge not more than^L yard wide in places at the top, and on either side a precipice of near 800 feet : the forest here is chiefly Tawai or beech ; at noon we were thankful to reach the Mania (a plain) were we found Pehi and a large party had arrived before us and were comfortably housed in some huts at the skirts of the forest ; thence we proceeded along the Mania, it was a pleasure to walk, although the ground was rough and swampy, after being so long in the dense forest without seeing the sky. We, left Pehi and his party encamped about two o'clock, and we walked until about half past three when we found some huts by the side of a small wood where we encamped for the night. I had again to wait for my tent a full hour which was not very pleasant all my clothes being wet through ; our encampment is quite like a little village, there are full 200 now in our party. 26th. — We had a very windy night but no rain it was exceedingly cold,, and when we started this morning it was almost painful, the wind gushed down from the snowy mountains bearing very fine sleet along with it which the sun shining upon formed d beautiful aud continuous rainbow ; we left by eight and walked very fast to keep ourselves warm, the day was otherwise fine and the view of the mountains beautifully distinct ; little clumps of trees scattered here and there very much add to these plains ; we dined on the banks of the Wanganui, here a very insignificant stream over which I passed dry shod, the. surface of the plains is generally pumice resting upon a yellow ochre although here and there are patches of lava, in the pumice are many pits about eight feet deep, whether artificial or natural it is hard to say, probably the former as they have the appearance at any rate of being hollowed out and are generally used by the natives iv

winter as sleeping places where they are hoth dry and warm, in all the cliffs by the streams are numbers of little caves just large enough for a body, which have been scooped out for a night's lodging ; as our party encamped about two in order to make a formal entry into Motuapuhi to-morrow, I determined proceeding on at once to the pa ; I noticed a hollow cut as far as the eye could reach, having the appearance of a ditch formed with great regularity ; I ha/c no doubt it was a fissure caused by an earthquake. Rotoairo lake is approached by a swamp full a mile long and nearly knee deep, it is quite level with the lake and is evidently gained from it. We reached the pa just as the sun set. We must have walked full 25 miles to-day ; the natives feasted us with a peculiar kind of Inanga which is caught here, it is beautifully spotted and is a light coloured fish, it is very good eating, and I should have relished them exceedingly were they not terribly infested with long worms which pierce through the poor little fish in every direction and give them a disgusting appearance, they ought to be eaten blindfolded ; a singular circumstance was related of this fish, that it came from the Reinga (Hades) that there are many openings in the side of Tongariro and the other mountains from which strong streams issue; that they place their fish baskets at these openings and in the morning find them filled with this little fish, which seems to prove the existence of subterraneous lakes, or lakes at a greater elevation, and this fish existing in them, but how it was first there elevated it is hard to say. Tongariro is a crater emitting boiling water, it has also cold streams rushing from its sides. The natives were very busy preparing their ovens to roast pigs for their expected visitors to-morrow. 27th. — A rainy windy night. I was so «old I got very little rest, the dogs and pigs also seemed to be equally uncomfortable. This morning I held service and preached. About nine my Wanganui natives made their appearance in a long line, they fired their guns as they advanced and were received by the natives of Motuapuhi with firing of guns, waving of garments, and loud shouts of welcome ; as soon as my party entered the pa, for which purpose a portion of the fence was pulled up, they all sat down and the chief of the pa with a number of women on either side and the rest in the rear commenced the tangi, it was both for Turoa as well as Te Heuheu, and this also was most affecting ; the principal chief vibrated his arm and uttered the most mournful sounds of woe, in which he was ably accompanied by the women, who appeared bowed down with excess of grief wringing their hands, stretching them slowly out and drawing them in and crossing them over their breasts, the tears flowing in continued streams from their eyes ; when this was finished speeches were made on both sides and frequent allusions to my regard for Te Heuheu in thus visiting them at this inclement season, after which about 40 men made their appearance bearing an immense crate of food, it was lined with matting and crowned with four pigs roasted whole ; four of these huge receptacles of food were brought in succession with much noise and merriment, and afterwards the whole population of the place came each bearing a basket of cooked food which were successively arranged, the chief again bidding the party, welcome and quite in the European style, expressing his sorrow he had nothing to feed such distinguished guests with ; at this time I left for Tokanu not wishing to lose a day, although a very interesting sight. This pa stands on a peninsula in the lake, and must be more than half a mile round, it is strongly defended towards the neck of land which connects it with the country, having first an outer fence called a pekerangi, then another the kahoki, then a small trench the parepare, then an earthen embankment five feet high the maioro ; the care with which every approach is guarded is very great. We crossed in a canoe to the main land, aud entered a fine grove 'of Kahikateas clear of underwood, hence we ascended a mountain about three miles and descended about the same distance towards Taupo, when quitting the wood we gained a beautiful view of this noble lake. As we entered the plain formed by the receding of the lake, we had several bad swamps to cross, one of my natives carried me over one and part of the way through another, but sinking up to his middle I jumped down and walked through it ; when we reached the boiling springs my natives must bathe in the temperate ones, and meeting a party of Rotorua natives they insisted on our eating with them which was readily agreed to ; the- food was cooked in a boiling spring, 1 thought it gave the potatoes a bitter taste. We reached Tokanu Herekiekie's place about four, we had a little tangiy as all his people are out digging up potatoes for the approaching visit. Herekiekie soon ordered a fine pig to be presented to me. I had a long talk with him about poor Heuheu and wrote the names of forty-nine persons who were killed, he says there were sixty young and old. 28th. — I held service in Herekiekie's house :

it was a <cold rainy morning, and equally rainy last night ; when I arose this morning all the surrounding hills were covered with snow. After service Herekiekie took me to Te Rapa, where I went to read the service over the dead. We went in a canoe ; the lake is so much higher than usual that it seemed to threaten to cover all the low lands : when we were about half a mile from Te Rapa I noticed the lake was still discoloured with the vast quantity of mud which had flowed into it. We landed a little beyond the site of the pa ; the entire valley is now nearly a level surface, being rather the highest in the centre, and sloping from the mountain to the lake ; it is one mass of ochreous mud, with here and tl\ere a fragment of a tree protruding ; the stream which flowed through the centre of the valley, and was formerly the lowest part, now runs on one side, and falls over a cliff about twelve feet high, forming a considerable cascade. The mass of mud was at first more than twice its present height ; it may be still ten feet in places ; but at the sides it is not more than four feet deep, and is about eight feet where Heuheu's house stood : had he fled six yards to the left, he would have escaped. The only vestige remaining of his pa, is a tall pole, which, though standing on much lower ground than the pa, strange to say, escaped, and the turf near it is still green ; the avalanche went on either side of it ; the trees and vast quantities of soil were carried into the lake, and some of the branches are still above its surface ; on these the poor fowls were found sitting in the morning, and were saved ; the place is now made tapu, but not the slightest opposition was made to my going on it. I went on the muddy plain as far as the supposed situation of Tamati Wakas house, accompanied by Wiremu; we sunk up to the ankles in places. Herekiekie says that part of the mountain, which maybe 1000 feet above the level of the lake, and three miles distant, fell first, probably the day before ; and my present impression is, that by stopping up the course of the stream, it formed a small lake, which, when it attained a certain size and strength, swept away its barriers, and carrying all before it, brougKt de- ! struction to the little valley of Te Rapa. Heuheu, instead of fleeing, cried out it was a I Taniwa, and ordered some potatoes iraraedi- | ately to be cast into the lake, and he Jcarakia'd (prayed). The water appears to have arrived first as one of his wives got up on the roof of the house ; but all these frail buildings, immediately they were touched by the weightier materials, were prostrated. Herekiekie pointed out the site of a more ancient pa, near bis village, which was in like manner overwhelmed some twelve years ago. I could not help reflecting upon the sudden catastrophe which thus in a moment hurried near sixty souls into eternity, and at a time least expected, in the grey of the morning. 29th. — We had a very cold night, and this morning all the hills above, about 400 feet high, were covered with snow. After morning service I went with Herekiekie to the boiling springs, where, in the warmest places I could select, I planted near 1 00 seeds of the date : although the wind was quite freezing, yet in the place I selected among the manuka shrubs the temperature was at least 60, being close to boiling springs, and the ground itself was quite hot, so that there is some probability of theii growing. (I have since heard that all my dates have grown ; and although the depth of winter, which there is so severe, still they have put forth a very vigorous shoot, a proof of the great effect these hot springs have in ameliorating the climate of the locality.) Some of these boiling springs throw up nothing but mud, and form cones from two to three feet high, with a small aperture at the top, where the heated vapour escapes. In one beautiful clear opening, where the water had a temperature of 170, I noticed that the water had the power of converting any substance thrown into it to a pure silex; the hole had been used for cooking, and there were potatoes and also raupo leaves partially turned jnto a pure white stone, not by incrustation, but by transmutation of substance. In other springs every thing the water flows over is incrustated with silex, and the soft mud first thrown up forming a pool, is gradually covered over with successive layers of the same substance, until at length it is capable of bearing man upon it. I sunk up to the ankles in this soft milky substance, which was hot, but having strong boots on, it did not hurt me. The various formations going on within a few yards of each other are truly surprising. I noticed the great boiling springs, which Herekiekie called his grand boiler (hohuajy and in which he says he has boiled many pigs entire, has much changed its shape since I was here, and by new incrustations (which assume a globular form not unlike the seeds of the tiger lily with different coatings) rendered it quite different in appearance ; the water was not so deep in it by three feet as when I last saw it. I went to see Herekiekie's new house, nearly the last work of Te Heuheu, and a noble building of the 1 kind it

is ; the length is about 40 feet by x 25 in width, and 20 feet high to the centre, by 6 feet at the sides; it is ornamented with a number of images, which represent the different heads of his family, and they are in place of family pictures; if faithful resemblances, they do not speak much for the beauty of the originals ; I dare say the copy of the moko is correct : this is the largest and most highly ornamented and best finished of all the native houses I have seen. I was informed to day that the ill-fated inhabitants of Te Rap a had some days' notice of the approaching calamity; the portion of the mountain which fell blocked up the course of a stream, where it escaped through a gorge of the mountains ; there was a little fertile valley behind, which gradually became a lake ; and this was known at the pa ; but still they remained, although Heuheu exhorted Abraham, a visitor, to leave ; and thus a similar catastrophe to that of the Valle de Bagnes took place. 30th. — Another cold frosty morning, the ice two-thirds of an inch thick. I visited the hot springs and examined again the spring which fossilizes whatever is thrown into it. I found it strongly impregnated with alum, it was remarkably clear, and I noticed that whilst it converted to stone all substances thrown into it, it incrusted those it flowed over with silver, very slowly altering the nature of the material itself ; in other springs I noticed abundance of pyrites, and found that the thermal springs formed a light and extremely porous white silecious mass, the cones I noticed yesterday had sunk to-day and left only holes filled with brown impalpable aluminous mud and rushes grown in abundance in the immediate vicinity, and so completely covered many of these orifices as to render it extremely dangerous for a stranger to go alone amongst them ; my companion this morning told me of many deaths which had occurred principally amongst strange natives who had visited the hot springs ; one poor woman had been cooking her food and was returning in the evening when she turned a few paces from her path and plunged into a boiling gulf, she exclaimed she was burnt and that was all, the next instant she was a corpse, and before she was extricated her body was boiled to rags ; another poor man, a stranger, went one wintry morning to bathe in one of the thermal basins which he had been in the preceding evening, and mistaking the right one he plunged into a boiling one, and thotfgh very soon extricated he was a corpse, and all his skin came off; many poor dogs thus get killed. I was taken to see the place where they manufacture the black they use in tatooing, it is formed from the resin of Rirau and Kahikatea, the wood is burnt over a deep pit on the top of a hill, to the bottom of the pit a lateral passage is cut, whence the material is taken, it very much reminded me of a lime kiln ; I learned to-day that the natives here have made beer from the stem and tender shoots of the Toi, which when dressed in the oven and afterwards steeped in water, and left a day or two, ferments, and forms an intoxicating drink, they said it was a strong as rum. About three, my Wanganui natives arrived, and were received with the usual demonstrations of welcome, the tangi was very loud and long, and being evidently of the tongue, and having very little to do with the heart, it soon wearies, the principal performer was the female I noticed at Tuware, all had a small sprig of green stuck in the hair, which had a pretty effect ; after the crying was over, and that was not until one of the chiefs told the women to cease, they had cried enough, speeches were made. Herekiekie commenced, it was followed on both sides ; an old man alluded to the many deaths which had lately occurred amongst their principal chiefs, Turoa was dead, Wata-nui had followed him, and now Heuheu, this was a proof their old gods cared very little for them, or else had very little power to help them, what can the new God do, the missionaries speak of his power, his goodness, his love, can he make alive ? great was his grief when he saw all the old chiefs thus dying away ; after the speeches, food as usual was brought, 40 natives of the pa in a long row, each bearing a basket of food. (To be continued.)