SINGULAR STORY.

Patea Mail, Volume I, Issue 93, 1 March 1876, Page 2

SINGULAR STORY.

Scraps from noles of :i journey made somo years ago by Baron C. 1). Thierry in Kolorua country: During my stay at one of the native settlements, a Maori wlmro caught find in which there was a quantity of gun powder.- An old woman with white hair, with her tawny body besmeared with dirt and with her shaggy hair flying with the wind, amid the uproar, ran towards the burning house with wild exultations, clapping her hands and then sprung into the midst of the flames, calling loudly on-Tawhiao’s god to protect her. She hounded like a doer through the raging fire, and eventually succeeded in throwing out of the burning house a number of small kegs, which the natives informed me contained powder. Some greenstones and mats of great value were dcstiojed by the fire. A young Hauhau was then blamed for secretly setting fire to the where. I was informed that this young fellow had headed a conspiracy for the purpose of putting the old woman to death. She fled to the next tribe, who were at that time considered a friendly lot of people. She remained- their guest for more than two years, during which time her grief was excessive for her children, who were living at Taupo. The ghosts of her murdered husbands came and haunted the whare in which she was staying, and as she lay sleeping one night a spirit came and bound her hand and foot w>th flax cords and carried her back to her own tribe, who all rejoiced so see her return again to them after being absent for so long a time from her friends. —Auckland Star.-