CENTURY-OLD WAR CANOE.

Shannon News, 13 March 1925, Page 2

CENTURY-OLD WAR CANOE.

UNCOVERED FROM THE SAND AT HOKIO. A RELIC OF TE RAUPARAHA'S DAY. W liiist practically every person who has visited the Hokio Beach has seen the wreck of the Hyderabad which is such a landmark om the wide expanse of coast-line, and has with a common sentiment felt a harkehing back to mat day in June, 1878, when the once stately barque came ashore before a howling , "westerly, >' few puupie Know of an even older and more interesting relic of the past which lies only a few hundred yards away. 'Wis: is the remains of an ol.d Maori war-canoe, which the drifting of a sand-hill is gradually uncovering.

No wreck this, however, but a complete totara canoe, low feet wide in the beam, and forty-five feet in length as it shows out from the sand hill, which still covers a portion, of it, estimated from the curve of Che gunwates to be five to six feet.

When a "Chronicle'' representative recently visited the place where the old canoe rests, he was astonished to find how complete the remains were. The wood has. perished on the outside, Where after long burial, exposure to tiie air has caused it tq crumble, until some of the boards are only half an inch thick instead of two or three inches as originally. Part of one side has also broken down, hut everything else is as it was left—one can only guess how long ago. Along the length of the gunwales the oval holes are still to be seen, where v the top-sides ot the sea-going canoe were lashed, these topsides, ten inches in height, with the corresponding jholes drilled - through their edges, are lying alongside. At the stern may be seen the morticing where the carved jsternpost, which was such a characteristic portion of the old war canoe, was fitted. A similar morticing for a how-post probably exists at the bow, which is at present covered with sand. Seats for the paddlers, with holes drilled at each end for lashing to the sides ol the canoe, and counter-sunk grooves from this hole so that the lashings would fit- flush with the sqat, are still hi a good state ol preservation, bin probably the most interesting portion of the canoe is a board four feet in length by a foot in width and three inches thick, with a six inch hole through the middle which would appear to have been built to step a mast. it is well known that the early Maori voyagers from Hawaiki used sails, on their double canoes, but the use of sails would appear to have gone out with the double canoe, which was no. doubt found unsuitable for our rough waters. One of the early missionaries . does indeed mention having seen canoes sailing down the coast from Wanganui in the early part of last century, but they must, have been very uncommon since records of their having been seen are so scarce.

The Hokio canoe was evidently carefully placed in its present position. It rests on once solid blocks of totara, each about a foot square, and at' the stern is chocked with wedgeshaped Mocks to keep the vessel on an even keei. Accordiugtq Mr HughMcDonnell the canoe. was first noticed nearly thirty years ago, when only a couple qi icet showed out from a hig-h hill which was just beginning to break. .no record exists among me local Maoris as to how it came there, but, like me stone found by Mr Pickw.ick, "all' are agreed that it must be of great antiquity." 'The most reasonable explanation is that it was buried there hy the Muaupokos at the tune of Te Ruuparaha's invasion of this coast in the twenties of last century. When the old N-gati-Toa conquistador defeated the local Maoris in a number ol; engagements' in this vicinity, it is a well-authenticated fact that they buried and sunk a number of then' war canoes to prevent them falling into Te Rauparaha's hands. One such is known to have been sunk in Lake Rakauhamama, whilst another canoe was recently discovered near the VVaiurr! creek. A little imagination can conjure up the scene which, the burial of the old relic at Hokio a century ago must have presented. The gray line of the sand hills, and drawn up on the. beach f me splendid 50ft war-canoe, already/ of a reverential, antiquity—one of the dearest possessions of the tribe, painted with red ochre and pigeon- fat, and ornamented with carving and snowy bunches of albatross leathers and dogsliair. Such a prize must not fail into the hands of the enemy. The ainall but determined band present have sworn to tfhat. Rollers are cut and with infinite labour the canoe is rolled the hundred yards inland from the sea-shore to its present location. A sentry probably watches from a nearby hill while the .work is in progress, for at any moment the dreaded Te Rangihaeata (Te Rauparaha's fighting general) may dash down upon them and the dreaded "rakau-pakeha" (musket) roar its death warning. Probably a trench was dug in the steep I side of a, sand-hill and the canoe, after being snugged down by removing the stern and bow-posts, and chocking her up, was covered by breaking the sand of the hill-side down over her. On can conceive also that in subsequent massacres, the whole of tins party fell—as fa Rauparaha, in hjs own expressive phrase," cleared tne weeds from his cultivation"—on the island fortresses of Lake Horownenua, in surprise attacks on the clearings in the bush where the routed Muaupokos lurked—until no record remained of its hiding. Now time reveals their secret, and hints at their tragedy.

Wanganui Automobile Association has decided to erect signs on Wangaehu, Turakina, RangitUcei, Oroua, Waitotara, and Wlhenuakura river bridges, also on the bridges over Kai Iwi and Okehu streams. The signs will bear ftie names of the various rivers and streams, and will also give the number of miles to the nearest centres.