The Rotokautuku Rangers

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume IX, Issue 973, 27 August 1881, Page 2

The Rotokautuku Rangers

[By our Special Reporter.] Such is the self-created title of a party who left Gisborne for the coast, on a visit to the Southern Cross Company’s ground on Wednesday, the 17th inst. It will be in the recollection of those of our readers who have kept pace with the conspicuous activity of the Directors of this Company, that —in order to confirm Mr. Benies’ report as to the productiveness of the field as an enterprise worthy the expenditure of some thousands of pounds sterling—it was desirable that not only a further survey should be made, but, also, that Mr. Benies should be accompanied by as many of the Directors as could go, and by any of the shareholders and others of the public who took an active interest in the development of the industries of the district. This being determined on, the little

S.s. Rosina was laid on the berth for Awanui direct, leaving the wharf at 11.15 a.m., with a light S.E. breeze, which freshened “ pretty considerably ” as we rounded the outer head. But, while the vessel is getting into the fair way, let us introduce our party to the public. Imprimis, we have the “ boss,” Mr. William Clarke, the “ darling of our crew,” and Chairmaft of the Board of Directors. Secundus, Mr. Michel Benies, the scientist who accompanied the party in his professional capacity of adviser of the Company. Tertius, Mr. Henry Haase, the dapper little, good-humored Manager of the Company, and one of the best caterers for creature and other comforts, any “ fellah ” ever wished to meet with. The rest consisted of Messrs. W. Maude (director), W. Ratcliffe, P. Bourke, Keefer, Johnston (supercargo), H. McKay of the Herald, and H. E. Webb of the Standard. As is usual with landsmen, who think themselves “ old salts,” most of the aforesaid gave indications of having taken salts, accompanied with the nursery cup of warm water than anything else, for, hardly had we passed the rubicon (which, in this instance, is understood to be “ the bar”) than away went the first batch of the matutinal meal, the “ we ” of the Herald proving himself the premier caster-up of accounts. Mr. Maude followed suit, but manfully kept up the supply, and repulsed the continued attacks of Neptune most successfully. The Standard did not see it. “ We ” had so educated ourselves that the ordinary regurgitations of more sensitive mortals had no effect on our reportorial stomach. We “took the sun” long before it was over the fore yard, and kept up a fusilade of fun and merriment, chaffing, smoking, and making the time pass merrily until dinner time, when there were not many valiant spirits with courage enough to man a knife and fork. But we will let that pass, and it is as well, for many did “pass” very quick. However, with a sail or two on her, the little boat scudded along well, and arrived off Whangara at 2 o’clock, but, as we could not land anything, another rubicon was passed, and we stood along the coast once more. Our “boss” was all alive, and kept his “ boys ” to their twenty minute drill with a diligence worthy of a naval sergeant, and certainly deserving of a Victoria Cross, or, at least, a leather medal. The afternoon was spent with the usual expedients which men resort to who can sail in such magnificent “ hookahs ” as the Rosina and not be sea-sick —these were, lying about the deck and telling yarns ; I might relate some of them here, but as they are not necessary to

our purpose I shall let them “ slide,” i (N.B. —This is what I was advised to do by the boss.) We ran past ■ Tologa Bay, and, as the weather was : threatening, Captain Harris decided on bringing to in Waipiro, or Open Bay, which we reached at 7.15 p.m. Here we found the Minnie Hare schooner, wind bound, and, after making ourselves snug for the night, left the rest to anyone who would look after us, and fell asleep, or as much sleep as a bed consisting of a threecornered package, with an iron rod for a pillow, and an empty sack between two, for a covering, would admit of. But never mind the night, we got through it, as we do most other troubles. And it is as well that the anti-superstitious tendencies of the age predominate, or we might have an appalling tale to relate. Of course we all “ turned in ” pretty jolly ; but I forgot to state that we had, a dog that would howl, and a cock that would, and did crow, on board. Well, whether it was the excellence of the P. 8., or the howling of the dog, or the crowing of the cock, or all three combined, I don’t know, but, just at the “ ’witching hour of night,” when churchyards are said to yawn, our friend of the Herald had a vision. He dreamed a dream, he did; and we all knew it. Rising from his bed of packages and pig-iron, in answer to the crowing of the cock, he made straight for the main hatch, calling upon his companions for a light, saying, at the time “ hand it down.” A match was procured, but the vision disappeared in the grim distance, and poor Mac. was “slated” out of what he fondly thought was a bottle of whiskey. With this he awoke, and the prayers he sent up on deck need no repetition. Breakfast on board ship is seldom an enticing meal to landsmen, and it was not so with some of |us, on the morning following our departure. But there were brave hearts and true, who would not succumb. Amongst the most valiant was Mr. Maude who destroyed three breakfasts in the course of half-an-hour. I never saw a seasick man with so much pluck ; nor a passenger with a return ticket, who wasted good food with so determined a resolution. But he tried my nerves extremely, and what he could not accomplish himself, was made up by a companion. Feeling, as I thought, safer on deck, I had a plate of the inevitable steak and onions, served to me, and was congratulating myself on a narrow escape from the fate of some of my fellow passengers, while discussing my breakfast resting on the vessel’s boiler, —but it was not to be, Mr. Maude tumbled up aft and held a kind of angry conversation with the waves over the taffrail, while Mr. Ratcliffe was busily engaged for’ard, protesting that that was not the happiest moment of his life. Thus was I placed between two fires —or, rather, two sick men, and struggled manfully through it all; and finally reclined on the deck thankful that I was not as other men are ; but the “ boy ” was about, and exhibited a kind of. what appeared to be a ferocious joy, in placing himself within about three feet of me, and informing me that he could get nothing off his stomach. For my part, considering our propinquity, I was glad, although the effect was the same, and I concluded that any man who could stand what I did, and live, or not “ part,” had not such a weak stomach after all. Waipiro. We landed about 9.30, after receiving some cargo from the Minnie Hare, and giving Captain Skinner some files of papers; Our friend Mac of the Herald, forsook us, preferring to stay on board, so our party was reduced to nine ; and as I did not see him again until the following Tuesday, I shall leave him to account for his absence, himself. The walk round to Harding’s occupied about an hour, over what a facetious friend said was a “ good metalled roadand there we spent the day, finding it impossible to get horses, owing to the Natives all being away at a large Native gathering at Tuparoa. The after part of the day was spent ; in rambling ; Mr. Haase prosecuting his conchological researches with an enthusiasm that reaped no reward. It was a miserable day, and we were glad of the night coming. Mr. Harding ; has a very comfortable hostelry, and he did his level best to make liis uni expected visitors comfortable. We had books ad lib, and oscillated be- ■ tween Dante’s “ Inferno ” and Mil- ) ton’s “ Paradise Lost,” until it would ; be hard to say if we were Saints or l to’ther. At length, one of the > party (name suppressed, for many

reasons) in perusing Dante remarked Facilis Descensus Inferno ; but, not to be beat, his friend with Milton before him, replied,... Difficultus Ascensus Paradiso." I was cogitating on the answer, but at this stage a post haste messenger arrived to say that Mr. Clarke’s presence was required .at Tuparoa, and this , .determined.'us on our next day’s routs which, before, was doubtful. K? ? Tuparoa.

Seeing that there was no chance -of the Rosina leaving her anchorage, and horses having been procured for two of our party, Mr. Ratcliffe and Mr. Keefer mounted, the remainder preferring to walk, which was found to be the more sensible. We started at 9.15. Passed through Whareponga at 10.35, reached Tuparoa at 12.10, whidh wag not a bad pace. Here we found a bullock team ready to drag the whaleboat to the boat harbor, in case we had come by the steamer. In the afternoon we visited the Native meeting, where some 1000 Maoris were assembled to talk over the negotiation with Mr. Clarke of the other portion of the Rotokautuku Block, and the cession of a road to the Company’s springs from Tuparoa, which it is said, will be an immense advantage, in every way, over the Awanui route. There were several hakas held, but none of them were worthy of the name. A collection of coin was made by Major Ropata, for general church purposes, and upwards of £6O was the result. After “ doing ” all there was to be “ did,” in this interesting township, Mr. Milner, mine host of the Tuparoa Hotel, rounded up steeds for the whole party —except Mr. W. Clarke, who stayed behind on business —and we started at 3 o’clock for—

Wai-o-Matatini Where we arrived at 5.30 on Friday evening. It was here that the full blast of the gale overtook us, for it rained and blew all night, as I have seldom experienced. Here we were fixed for three days, and the party was disunited temporarily. On Saturday three started for the springs, or, at least, to try the ford, which was not crossable, and we were not disappointed to see them return at night. The rest visited Awanui, where we found an enormous sea breaking over the bay, which made us conclude that the Rosina could not show up for 2 or 3 days —and we were right. The road is not improved since my last visit, and there are one or two nasty pinches —“ Gentle Annie’s” they are called—which are not pleasant to unpractised horsemen. So Mr. Bourke thought, for he tried his might to reach the bottom before his horse, coming out of the difficulty with whole bones. So, also, thought Mr. Maude, for, he drove his steed in front of him ; whilst I carefully led mine down, preferring to see him fall minus his rider. It is to be remarked how foolish persons appear to be, who are unaccustomed to these things ; and how soon we become familiarised with danger. Subsequently we travelled the same road two or three times without dismounting, and feeling rather ashamed that we had ever “ funked ” it. Mr. Maude, who had previously sworn, if ever he got safe out of it, “ so help his Davy,” he would not be caught in it again, solemnly retracted, and vowed it was nothing but child’s play. On our return we found a messenger from Mr. W. Clarke, who proposed that we should not move until the river permitted, and then go on to the springs, he joining us there. We were shown the ridge pole, and carvings of a new building Major Ropata is about to erect at Wai-o-matatini—the former of which is 78 feet long. It is really surprising what ingenuity the Natives display in the mediaeval art of carving. Old knives are utilised into chisels, and are tempered to the finest gauge and point requisite for the work. They seem to be at a loss for nothing ; and, like most people thrown on their own resources, conquer difficulties which, to some, appear to be insuperable. We met with some of the men who were engaged in transporting the boiler and engine to the Company’s ground, and it is marvellous how the work was accomplished. From what I gathered, the transit occupied about a fortnight, employing a team of 20 bullocks, about 100 Natives, and at a cost of about £7O ; but when it is considered that the road is fearfully and wonderfully made, surprise at this immense amount of labor ceases. I was, also, glad to hear that Major Ropata had, in common with his people, been of most valuable assistance to the transport party ; he kept his men together, and displayed the greatest in-

terest in the undertaking. Amongst other notes of observation I was surprised at the almost universal growth and use of Native grown tobacco (Torore), in those parts. It is to be found in nearly every patch of ground -where cultivations are seen. The Natives compress it into twisted figs, and it is, I am told, pleasant and agreeable, but it appeared to lack the aromatic pungency of the imported article, and it is not in use amongst Europeans, except as a dernier ressort. Still, as the Maoris smoke it exclusively, not, perhaps, because they prefer it, but that it is cheap, their consumption must make a serious difference both to the trade and to the revenue. On Sunday, the 21st, we started for

The Ti, which we reached just as the karakia was about to begin. The bell having ceased, we were courteously invited inside, and I was not at all sorry at the unexpected halt. Mr. Mohi officiated, and gave us what was ex- *" plained to me as being an impressive discourse on the necessity of uniting Faith with Works. Most of the morning service of the English Protestant rubric was gone through, and two hymns were sung very creditably. The range of the Maori vocal register is very limited, but the tunes are set in an easy, but extremely monotonous compass, which do not take the singers out of their depth. Mohi Turei led the singing, and in a manner remarkably sonorous; he has a powerful organ, and had he been taught singing in early life, would have commanded a bass voice, though limited in extent, that is seldom to be found. A pause was made during the service, for the christening of two babies, whijgh ritual was gone through with becoming reverence and solemnity. The mothers looked happy and delighted, and the children did not kick up a row. Everything had their primitive aspect, which was noticeable, but pardonable. 1 fancied with what holy horror a superstitious European mother would witness her babe being crossed on its forehead, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, by the brawny fist of a Maori unsurpliced clergyman, dipped in a common tin pannikin, with unconsecrated water from a neighboring creek. But these two women had a faith which superstition could not shake ; and the children are as safely booked for Heaven as if all the Bishops in the kingdom passed perfume o’er their heads. It was a grand sight to see this orderly, well-regulated congregation of over 100 persons, devoutly—more so than many of our own race —and earnestly joining in the service of prayer and praise. As with us, so with them ; they are in the habit of doing these things, and they do them. It is very possible that, apart from the empty observance of these rites, the Natives do not rise to the great truths that lie far beyond, and secreted beneath ; but if they do not, they are still faithful to their teachers. We have taught them to do these things, in virtue of a ceremony, which, if it brings no good, it can do no harm, and they are found to be mos[ adept pupils. There was one part of the service, however, which we have not taught them, and that is a pronounced demonstration of joy at its conclusion, by the hands. An European congregation conceals its feelings of relief at the end of a dreary lot of pulpit platitudes, and, herein, we do not know that the Maoris are not the more to be commended —they are, at any rate, the less hypocritical. But the morning karakia at the Ti was put into the shade by that at Wai-o-matatini in the evening. Our party attended that also, where we found a large number of Native visitors returning home from the Tuparoa meeting. The congregation consisted of a strange mixture of most incongruous particles. Two fires filled the large whare with smoke until it became intolerable. There wag-no other light in the building, and the effect was a weird, ghoul-like appearance to all present. At the far end the “minita” was leading the orthodox hymn. Some were standing ; some lying down, or squatting, and nearly all, except the singers, were either smoking or talking. In about half-an-hour the service ended, and the company resolved itself into a kind of “ free and easy,” and snatches from haka songs were sung for the delectation of our party. 1 forgot to say that at the conclusion of the regular service, Mr. Ratcliffe collected about a i dozen of the doys and girls, and led , them with “ Hold the Fort,” the I Sweet By-and-bye,” and other hymns, which they sang very well.