JOURNAL

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 607, 28 May 1851, Page 4

JOURNAL

Of. an Expedition Overland from Auckland to Taranaki, by way of Rotorua, Taupo, and the West Coast, undertaken, in the Summer 0f 1849-50, by His Excellency the Governor-in-Chief of N civ Zealand.

(Continued from a former number.) Tuesday, December 25th, Chrisimas-day. -—A beautiful morning. After attending Di-

vine service we strolled about till two o’clock, when we partook of a capital Christmas dinner, with desert of cherries, currants, gooseberries, and raspberries, after which we set out, accompanied by Mr. Chapman and Potene for the hot springs of Tikitere, about three miles distant from Te Ngae in an easterly direction. These are large cauldrons of boiling water, strongly impregnated with sulphur. The water in one or two of the springs is pretty clear, whilst in some of the otheis it is black, owing to the circumstance of its passing through a stratum of lignite, and again in others white, from boiling up through chalky clay. The smell of the steam is very disagreeable, bearing a strong resemblance to that of addled eggs. Here the Governor promised to establish an hospital for the benefit of the Datives who visit this part of the country in great numbers for the benefit of the warm sulphur baths for the cure of scrofula and other cutaneous diseases. Potene was greatly delighted at this, and promised to erect a raupo building as a commencement, and to set aside a sufficient nortion of land to endow the hospital.* The great advantages of this situation for an hospital are, that natural baths of every possible temperature can easily be had close at hand ; the situation is central, being equally easy of access from the coast and from the interior of the country ; and that the land carriage for invalids from the lakes is easy, being not very long, #id quite level all the way. Close to the springs is a stream of tepid water, with a fall of about ten feet, in which Symonds and I bathed whilst his Excellency walked over to Roto Ili with Mr. Chapman, to see some natives, at whose place we had not had time to call yesterday.

Wednesday, December 26th.—Having made all the necessary preparations, and partaken of an early dinner, we took leave with much regret of our kind friends under whose hospitable roof we had spent so pleasant a Christmas. Mr. Chapman, however, consented to give us the advantage of his company and guidance as far as Roto Mahana. We started at two o’clock in canoes, and crossed over to the island of Mokoia, on the south side of which several natives are living, and where are a few acres of cultivation. We had not time to ascend the heights of the island, to get a glimpse of the fine bird’s eye... view of the lake obtainable thence, but had to content ourselves with seeing what we could of the cultivations and houses, amongst which are some fine specimens of very ancient carving. On the south and south-west shores of the island are several warm baths, in which the natives spend much of their time, and which form their places of refuge in rainy weather, when they leave their clothes indoors, and run into the Waiariki by scores, men, women, and children altogether, immersed up to their necks in the water, with the neverfailing pipe in their mouths, chatting away in their usual lively manner, and adding to the density of the steam from the baths by infusing into it copious additions of tobacco smoke. The baths are of various sizes, the largest, which is on the south-west shore, being about twenty feet by eight, with a depth of from two to five feet. It is called Waikimihia, and is the scene of a very romantic story, something resembling the ancient legend of Leander and Hero, except that —being at the antipodes—the swimmer in this case was the Hero (or rather the heroine) of the story,

Whilst we were on the island the wind freshened considerably, so that we were obliged to wait some time before we could venture to start in the canoes, which, by the bye, are, with few exceptions, of a very inferior description on all these lakes. As it was therefore clear that we should not be able to leave Mokoia for some time, the Governor availed himself of the opportunity of obtaining on the spot the story above alluded to, which is called the legend of Hine Moa and Tutanekai, and which is here subjoined verbatim, as taken down from the dictation of an inhabitant of the island by his Excellency, as he sat upon a rock by the margin of the very Waiariki which was, many years ago, the scene of the story.

Having got into a shady place under the branches of a fine pohutukawa tree, the narnator thus began : — The Legend of Hine Moa. “ Now, oh Governor,” —said he, —just look round you and listen to me, for there is something worth seeing here. That very spot that you are sitting upon is the identical place on which sat our great ancestress, Hine Moa, when she swam over here from the main. But I’ll tell you the whole story. “ Look you now, Rangiuru was the name of the mother of a chief called Tutanekai. She was pro- * Since the above was written, some difficulties have arisen upon this subject, owing to the jealousies of other tribes, each being of course anxious to have the site of the proposed hospital fixed as near to themselves as possible. They have, however, at length agreed and marked out a piece of land, estimated at about 400 acres, on the shore of Roto Iti, as an endowment; and the completion of the necessary preliminaries is now only awaiting the return of His Excellency the Goyernor-in-Chief from the South.

. „ w :f p Q f Whakaue Kaipapa (the great ances- I trite); but tee .t.»time ■ uu r pKiof named Tuwharetoa (the great | a“Xrof TcHeuHeu and the Ngatituwharetoa ; E. Before this she had had three sons by Whakaue; their names were Tawake-hei-Moa, Ng - • Tiitea-iti. It was after the bn th of thiT third son that Rangiuru eloped with Tuwhare!oa who had come to Rotorua as a stranger op a visit From this affair sprang Tutanekai, who was an illegitimate child ; but finally Whakaue and Rangiuru were united again, and she had another son, whose name was Kopako, and then she had a daughter, whom they named Tupa: she was the las Ch ‘‘ They'a'lUesided here, on the Island of Mokoia. Whakaue was very kind indeed to Tutanekai, treating him as if he were his own son; so they grew up here, Tutanekai and his elder brothers, untilthey attained to manhood. « Now, .there reached them here a great report of Hine Moa, that she was a maiden of great beauty; she was also of great rank, for Umukaria (the ancestor of the Ngatiumukaria Hapu or sub-tribe) was her father. Her mother’s name was Hine Maru. When such fame attended her rare beauty and great rank, both Tutanekaiand his elder brothers desired to have her as a wife. “ About this time Tutanekai built an elevated balcony on the slope of the bill just above you there, which is called Kaiweka. He had contiacted a great friendship for a young man named Tiki; they were both fond of music—Tutanekai played on the trumpet and Tiki on the flute, and they used to go up into the balcony and' play upon their instruments in the night; and in calm evenings the sound of their music was wafted by the gentle land breeze across the lake to the village at Owhata, where dwelt the beautiful Hine Moa, the younger sister of Wa, hiao. “ Hine Moa could then hear the sweet sounding music of the instruments of Tutanekai and of his dear friend Tiki, which gladdened her heart within her. Every night the two friends played on their instruments in this manner, and Hine Moa then ever said to herself, ‘Ah! that is the music of Tutanekai that I can hear.’ ‘ ‘ For although Hine Moa was so prized by her family that they would not betroth her to any chief, nevertheless she and Tutanekai had met each other on those occasions when all the people of Rotorua met together. “ In those great assemblies of the people Hine Moa had seen Tutanekai, and as they often glanced each at the other, to the heart of each of them the other appeared pleasing and worthy of love ; so that in the breast of each there grew up a secret passion for the other. Nevertheless Tutanekai could not tell whether he might venture to approach Hine Moa to take her hand, to see would she press his in return; because, said he, ‘ Perhaps I may be by no means pleasing to her.’ On the other hand Hine Moa’s heart said to her, ‘lf you send one of your female friends to tell him of your love, perchance he will not be pleased with you.’ “ However, after they had thus met for many, many days, and had long fondly glanced at each other, Tutanekai sent a messenger to Hine Moa to tell of his love ; and when Hine Moa had seen the messenger she said ‘Eh 1 ha, have we then each loved alike?* - - -

“ Some time after this, and when they had often met, Tutanekai and his family returned to their own village; and when they met one evening in the large warm house of general assembly, the elder brothers of Tutanekai said, ‘ Which of us has by signs, or by pressing the hand, received proofs of the love of Hine Moa ?’ and one said ‘ It is I who have and another said, ‘ No, bnt it is I.’ But then they also questioned Tutanekai, and he said, ‘ I have pressed the hand of Hine Moa, and she pressed mine in return.’. Then his elder brothers said, ‘No such thing, do youthink she would take any notice of such a low-born fellow as you are?’ But he then told his reputed father, Whakaue, to remember what he would then say to him because he really had received proofs of Hine Moa’s love ; and they had even actually arranged, a good while ago, the time at which Hine Moa should run away to him ; and when the maiden asked, ‘ What shall be the sign by which I shall know that I should then run to you ?’ he said to her ‘ A trumpet will be heard sounding every night. It will be I who sound it, beloved. Paddle then your canoe to that place.’ So Whakaue kept in his mind this confession which Tutanekai had made to him.

“ Now always about the middle of the night Tutanekai and his friend Tiki went up into their balcony and played, the one upon his trumpet, the other upon his flute, and Hine Moa heard them, and desired vastly to paddle in her canoe to Tutanekai ; but her friends, suspecting something, had been careful with the canoes, and had left none afloat, but had hauled them all upon the shore of the lake ; and thus her friends had always done for many days and for many nights. “ At last she reflected in her heart saying— 1 How can I then contrive to cross the lake to the island of Mokoia ? It can quite plainly be seen that my friends suspect what I am going to do.’ So she sat down upon the ground to rest there, and then there reached her soft measures from the instrument of Tutanekai, and the young and beautiful chieftainess felt as if an earthquake shook her to make her. go to the beloved-of her hpart.. Butthen arose the thought, that there was no canoe. At last she thought, ‘ Perhaps 1 might be able to swim across.’ So she took six large dry empty gourds as floats, lest she should sink in the water, three of them for ea?u side, and she went out upon a rock which is named Iri-iri-kapua, and from thence to the edge of the water, to the spot called Wairerewai, and there she threw off her clothes and cast herself into the water. She reached a post which had been placed in the lake by her father Umukaria, and which was called Hinewhata, and she clung to it with her hands, and rested to take breath ; and when had a little ceased the weariness of her shoulders, she swam on again; and when she was exhausted she floated upon the waters of the lake, supported by the gourds; and when had ceased her weariness she swam on again. But she could not distinguish iq which direction she should swim, from the darkness of the night; her guide was, however, the soft measure from the instrument of Tutanekai. That was the mark by which she swam straight to Wai-Ki-mihia, for just above that hotspring was the village of Tutanekai; and so. swimming she reached the island of Mokoia, “ At the place where she landed on the island there is a hot spring, separated from the lake only

' a narrow ledge of rooks. This is tilled, as I just said, Wai-Ki m ihi a> Hi h it into this to warm herself, for she was tr” k I over, partly from the cold after swimmfe! • ght across the wide lake of Rotorua • aa( i so, perhaps, from modesty at the’thou ,eeting Tutanekai. - ® nta 0( “ Whilst the maiden was thus warming hmj,. ie hot spring, Tutanekai happened to feel tK ’’ id said to his servant, ‘bring me alittle »? ty ’ o his servant went to fetch water for him ' rew it from the lake in a calabash, close to th' here Hine Moa was sitting. The maiden \ Oi as frightened, called out to him in a g r „»’ ke that of a man, ‘ who is that water for’’ n 1 jplied, ‘it is for Tutanekai,’ ‘ Give it here th > dd Hine Moa, and he gave her the water and i rank, and having finished drinking, pur?’,’ Inew down the calabash and broke it. Thina? ervant said to her, ‘ what business had von, reak the calabash of Tutanekai?’ bitf HineM id not say a word in answer. The servant ft ,-ent back, and Tutanekai said to him. < w J he water I told you to bring me ?’ So he angWe , ? Your calabash was broken.’ His master dm, ‘ who broke it ?’ and he answered, * The» rho is in the bath;’ and Tutanekai said to W go back again then and fetch me some water ’• ’ “ lie therefore took a second calabash, a u d Wfl!( >ack and drew water in the calabash from the U ind Hine Moa again said to him, ‘ who is a l rater for?’ so the slave answered as before, it,’ futanekai;’ and the maiden again said, * gw a it a tie, for lam thirsty and the slave gave it to U .nd she drank, and again purposely threw don' he calabash and broke it. These circujnsfeoa ?ere several times repeated by those two person “ At last the slave went again to aid to him, ‘ where then is the water for me ?’ri lis servant answered ‘ it is all gone, your calabash lave been broken/ ‘By whom?’ said his waste, Did’nt I tell you that there is a man in insweredhis servant. ‘ Who is the fellow?’ Cutanekai. ‘ How can I tell.” replied the slave, why he is a stranger.’ ‘ Did’nt he know the water vas for me,’ said Tutanekai, ‘what made the rascal Jare to break my calabashes? Why I shall die rom rage,’ “Then Tutanekai threw on some clothes mJ caught hold of his club, and away he went and came co the bath, and called out ' Where’s that fellow who broke my calabashes .” and Hine Moa knar Jie voice, that the sound of it was that of the be. loved of her heart, and she hid herself under the iverhanging rocks of the hot spring. But her aiding was hardly a real hiding, but only a coy concealing of herself from Tutanekai, that he might not find her at once, but only after trouble mi searching for her ; so he went feeling along the banks of the spring searching about every, where, whilst she lay coyly hid under the ledges cl the rock, peeping out and wondering when she should be found. At last he caught hold of a hand, and cried out ‘ Hallo ! who’s this ?’ and Hint Moa answered ‘ It is 1, Tutanekai,’ and he ail ‘ But who are you, who’s I?’ Then she spoke louder and said ‘ It’s 1, ’tis Hine Moa.’ Andk said ‘ Oh, oh, oh, can such in very truth be the case, Let us two go then to my house;’ and she answerrf ‘Yes,’ and she rose up in the water as beautifuli the wild white hawk, and stepped upoq the edge. the bath as graceful as the shy white crane. Ai he threw garments over her, and took her, and proceeded to his house, and reposed there; a! thenceforth according to the ancient laws of & Mauries, they were man and wife. “When morning dawned, all the people of tb village went forth from their houses to cook ths breakfasts, and they all ate. But Tutanekai tarriti in his house. So Whakaue said, ‘ This is the fid morning that Tutanekai has slept in this way, pehaps the lad is ill; bring him here, rouse him tf.' Then the man who was to fetch him went, ri drew back the sliding wooden window of the hons, and peeping in, saw four feet. Oh, he was grdj amazed, and said to himself, ‘ Who can this c® panion of his be?’ However, he had seen enough, and turning about, hurried back as fasts he could to Whakaue, and said to him, ‘ Why then are four feet; I saw them myself id the ho® Whakaue answered, ‘Who’s his companion then.' Make haste back and see.’ So back he went to® house, and peeped in at them, and then for the fid time saw it was Hine Moa. Then he shouted in his amazement, ‘ Oh, here’s Hine Moa, b^ 1 Hine Moa, in the house of Tutanekai!’ and all village heard him, and there arose cries oneffl side, ‘ Oh, here’s Hine Moa, here’s Hine Mos,® Tutanekai 1’ and his elder brothers heard the sM ing, and they said, ‘ It is false,’ for they were« 3 jealous indeed. But Tutanekai then coming out from the house, and Hine Mon t®> ing him, and his elder brothers saw that itw® deed Hine Moa; and they said, ‘ It’s true, fact.’ ~ j “ After these things, Tiki thought within ‘ Tutanekai has married Hine Moa, she w ’ loved; but as for me, alas, I have no wife, became sorrowful, and returned to his own .. And Tutanekai was grieved for Tiki, and ne, & Whakaue, * I am quite ill for grief ior Tiki.;’' and Whakaue said, ‘ What do y° u u and Tutanekai replied, ‘ I refer to my y OUI feTupa; let her be given as a wife to friend, to Tiki;’ and his reputed father, • consented to this. So his young sister, given to Tiki, and she became his wire. “The descendants of HineMoa and o are at this very day dwelling on the lake o & and never yet have the. lips of the Moa forgotten to repeat.tales of the. - and of the, swimming here of their renp ,i e J tress, of Hine Moa. And thence too ba > song, this very song " Am not I also descended from the great anc swam hither. , frnm bavin? From Hine Moa, whom I resemble iro ~ . crossed the sea?" &c.