Magnificent Mokau.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 83, 12 April 1904, Page 2

Magnificent Mokau.

A GREAT SCENIC ASSET, ENCHANTING EASTER EXCURSION, AN HISTORIC RIVER,

(Jim of Hie most pleasant of Hie many Easier outing's in Taraiinki wow the trip to Lliv lUviUuu River and mines. The s.s. Tainui, Captain Jensen, had been engaged by Messrs Smyth and Ross, of Wailara, ami from that port the excursion slarleil oji Good Friday morning on the arrival of the train connecting ivith the A'ew Plymouth express. JI was a small party, less than thirty all-loi'd, v," 110 stood on the deck as the Tainui .Was skilfully steered down the narrow eba'iinel of Ihe Waitai'a River, still ami placid us the proverbial niill-poii'd, and eventually crossed the bar. A few fearsome individuals there were .who predicted a rough Hip to the Alokau lu'iiids, but the bulk of the passengers ignored the prediction, ami guthuiyd cm the bridge or in the alter part of the vessel, admiring the ever-changing view as the steamer increased her distance from the Waitara beacons. To most of them the country jvas most l'amiliai', and lor the benelit of the uninitiated thes'e indicated the various points of interest Just beyond those papa cliffs, wet uwd glistening in the bright morning sun, lay llrenui, the mouth of its river, being marked by the apparently small Opening in Ihe long line of precipitous dill's. A line stretch of beautiful grazing land along the shore, extending buck to the ranges, showed -that this part of the province is bound to contribute its quota to the great mountains o7 boxes of butter annually exported from the province. That low-lying land right over the stern is the country along the railway ami from there comes the trade which supports Inglewood, that prosperous niurket town of many ytturs' standing, and the rapidly-rising Eltham and Stratford. Foremost in the picture, forcing himself into prominence, stands <ml Egmont, or Talannki, as the iUaoris named it—a huge mass reared in all his majesty 'Si Ihe morning glow. Fable has it that in days of old Mount Egmont stood along, an island separated from the mainland by a narrow neck of water ; but that in his wrath lie belched forth pshes and earth until the intervening; space was lillnl and the foundation laid lor a. prosperous farming country, Readers will also have heard of the ilnori legend which tells of the misconduct of Taranakjj resulting in his isolation from the of Ruapchu f Tongariro and Ng'aruhoe, In dose proximity, to jyhom lie had previously mired his heights. Turning lrom the contemplation of Egmont's Bleep and rocky sides, we lind, peeping over the tops of the serried coastal ranges, the enowcapped Ruapehu and Ngaruhoe, a beautiful silver friiivge to the for-esit-cla'd hills b,etw(ei"u those fav-oll' l«aks and the coast. These remain in our vis-ion until .we near the mouth of the Mokau. l'lass-ing on our way <tho many historic battlefields and spots of legendary interest, including i'ukcaruhe, the scene of the WiiHeley massacre, we draw near-to the overhanging White Clill's, nearly a thousand feet high. Here I'lu foad can be seen descending to ti.e beach, and a fellow-traveller points out approximately the place wjicre the tunnel pierces the hill giving access to the fertile land. This tunnel >vas cut by the Armed Constabulary in the early days of settlement, and is still us.d extensively, though falling into dangerous disrepair. To'ng'aporutu and Mahuluitino streams arc passed, anil Boon the steamer is preparing to lake the Mokuu bar. There on Ihe hill to Ihs left is the Mokau settlement, unpretentious ami apparenlly exposed considerably (0 wi<"' weather, situated as it «on the north head. TV'hilst the passengers are eagerly scanning the township and promising themselves an abundance of good thing* when once tluj reach the festive board' (the trip Inning eng'TOlcred appetites fierce an healthy) t'he eyes his mate have noted the signals lrom the pilot-station, ami «« «» almost gliwd on those inili.s tinct beacons on the shoie and n\c bank as the vessel is cleverly nuviK \iUd through wave awl current across the Alokau tan, '* rendered dangerous by the lad. Unit the liver haa taken a circuitous route in order to reach the sea. Once inside the heads the wluiri—a irail fabric—comes into view, and booh good ship Tainui is alongside and moored foixi ami aft to tile mooring piles driven in the ground ashore. The disembarkation lakes place, and greetings are exchanged with the residents who have come to welcome the voyagers, lip the sleep path to the township, and then a iew nutates afterwards hearty enjoyment of nil excellent repast served by Host Nicliolls, formerly of Waitara, at the Mokau Accommodation House. With wonderful celerity the dishes are ck|aml, until at last even the most ravenous cries "Enough." lti had been communicated to the picnickers that the ascent of the river would be undertaken at an early houtf on Saturday, so the afternoon wus left free for rambling around in the beautiful sceuviy which everywhere meets the eye. Camera fiends soon find themselves in a quandary as to choice between the many views worth taking," feni-yatherers go of! ill knots of Iwo or three, a few mingle with the residents, and others of a scientific turn of mind spend an interesting ul'tenioou in studying the formation of the country, its peculiarities and similarities, and the gorgeous vegetation, Evening falls, and with its wtvient: come the southing weed and misty moonbeams, making 'the panoramic view most delightful. On the one Tmnd the vast expanse of ocean ; on the other the silent river, shining like silver in the lunar rays. The stillness of the night is 'broken by the arrival ola large party of New Plymouth gentlemen, who nave driven overland, mid despite the fact that homes are far, far awav, the evening pusses pleasantly enough, with anecdote and joke, and reminiscences of early settlement, Then tile liltle township drills info sleep, the visitors eagerly awaiting the morrow, when the beauties of tile ilokau are to be unveiled. I.l' Til K UIVKK.

Saturday morning breaks unpleasantly, Willi a kirn breeze and l In* Mm hidden behind the clouds. Ily about eight o'clock the steamer casts oil' from the little jetty, the party being considerably increased by the presence of u number of friends from Aloknu ami district, including - menvbers of the lair sex, whose ltierry laughter will doubtless be a bright feature of the I rip. Unre over the ferry—winch ought l<> be replaced by a bridge—"full steam u-hji-atl" is teh-graphed to the engineroom, ami the glories of the river -are constantly opening to our view. There, ofl Die left, is the beautiful island, jUOTI.TAWA. ('harming as this isolated spot now is, it has a history far from pleasant. Here, years ami year# ago, the .Ngalinianiopotos, who occupied this region, were imprisoned on the island. .No chance was given for escape, and the siege lasted for nearly a During all this time, the besieged tribe lived on their vast accumulation of kumaras and roots, supplemented by the lish and pipis which they could obtain from the ri'ver. The siege' could never have lyoeii sustained but for the presence on the island of a spring set in a charming little grotto, now almost overgrown wi-th ferns and hidden from view. Just a slow drip, drip, of water then as now, yet, it supplied the wants of the pcoplo< Tito crest of the island, which is now covered with luxuriant vegetation, is honey-combed with okl store-rooms and tunnels running throughout its

length and b'rSaiitli, mi It' is a well-preserved pah, or fortress. Whilst the tale of the island is being related, we come abreast of RANOJ-AUI'A, :i wooded face, steep almost as the wall of a house, Mid abutting on the river. AL its base are the beautiful ferns and the 'native undergrowth which is here 'developed to perfection. St#ep ravines, dark und deep, are relieved by shining pungus and leaves of inuny shades of green. On the crest of RangHihua. whiife translated means the M'aceo Heaven," was the first decisive pal ■•rocted in N»\v Zealand. 1 o Ull tile storv it is necessary to go >a v to the'time when the Maoris let Huwuiki in the canoes Arawa, „ui, Matotua, Takithm., lvurahaupo Tokomuru, and Mrtiawbaroi l,athis" the Tuinu. and the Tokomaru were lashed together, in order to ta-Uer withstand the Sea inthepeulnus ioulll- Tradition has it that the lirst. Uu.vbng took i.luce near Tuurnnga, <>nd that the canoes then further explored the coast, and eveiilu'illv the; Tainui and Tokomaru werehauled by their crews across the narrow Oneliunga isthmus into the Mamikau harbour. A stoppage was made at Kuwhia for a time,and then the tribes came on to <-' ie MoIcau. The Tainui's people staLiou there, whilst those of the Tokcnnam went on southwards and eventually landed near Pa tea, populating that and the Wang'anui districts,ami extending their boundaries until at length tltese• people, the Ngutiawas, reached the Mokau Jtiver, which was fixed as the boundary between-' the iNgiitinianiopot.os (of the Tainui) and the Ngutiuwas. On the landing of the Tumui'f; people there were found the Morioris, called by the Maoris Tongaluwlieuua, or people of the land. These people, some traditions say, were a homogenous tribe, and this branch lived in one big house at the mouth of the Slohnkutino stream. They are now almost extinct, having been compelled by the hostile invaulers to leine New Zealand for the Chatham Islands. During the spring and slimmer the visitors prepared the ground and sowed their sweet potatoes, anil after these Ivad been gathered into the storehouses two of the chiefs went exploring. There were three chiefs amongst the visitors— Taurnng'a, the ancestor of the Ngutiraukawa people ; Uereahu and Mhniopoto, llnniopoto and Uereahu journeyed across to the Wuipa district, found excellent laird, and members of the tribe settled there. The Tongatawhenus, meanwhile, to protect themselves from the ferocious Maoris, built a pah 011 the crest of .Uangialiua, a leading chief named Mahitahu being made responsible for its construction. They were compelled to evacuate their fortress. Fleeing from their enemy, they were prevailed upon to stop, whilst Wlintira, an old woman of the tribe, offered up her 'incantations. Whilst t-liis was proceeding, it is said, the earth openwl, disclosing a cave. Into this ran the remnant of the tribe, •and the earth closed over them.' (To be continued.)