The Hobelist. A TON OF GOLD! OR, THE NARRATIVE OF EDWARD CREWE.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2105, 2 October 1875, Page 4

The Hobelist. A TON OF GOLD! OR, THE NARRATIVE OF EDWARD CREWE.

ByW.-M-. B.

A Talo of Local Interest.

Chapter ll.— Continued. This north-west cape Tasman named after his lady-love Maria Van Diemen. On the 6th of January, being the Feast of the Epiphany, he discovered the threeislets off the North Cape, which he named Drei Konig, or Three Kings. There is also a vague Maori tradition that a ship, commanded by a man called Eongotute, visited the southern ■ part of the north island, about the year 1740, and that the natives killed the crew and plundered the vessel. The English Government, in 1768, sent Captain James Cook in the Endeavour, a brig of only 370 tons burden, on an exploring expedition to the Southern Ocean. He was accompanied by Mr Banks (afterwards Sir Joseph), as botanist, Dr Solander, naturalist, and Mr Green astronomer ; for one of the main objects of the expedition was to observe the transit of Venus over the sun. One hundred and twenty-seven years had elapsed since Tasman's visit in 1642, when on the 6th of October, 1769, land was seen from" the masthead; Cook at first supposed this to be the " Terra Australis Incognita;" but soon perceived that it was the Staten Land discovered by the old Dutch navigator. The next day they landed at a place called Turanga, in Poverty Bay, on the east coast of the north island. They met with so much opposition from the natives at this place that, in self-defence, they were obliged on several occasions to fire upon them, and many were killed. Cook spent nearly six months voyaging about New Zealand, surveying many parts along the coast, and noting the soundings, and it is generally admitted that all he has done in this way is wonderfully correct. Whilst in harbour on the east coast he observed the transit of the planet Mercury over the sun's face, and called the place Mercury Bay. It was here that .Captain Cook took formal possession of New Zealand, in the name of King George in.

A very old native chief, named Te Taniwha, otherwise known amongst Europeans as " Old Hook-nose," from the Wellingtonian appearance of that feature, had a perfect recollection of Captain Cook. This ancient Maori, who died in the year 1853, ia supposed to have been about twelve years of age at the time of the arrival of the big canoe of the Pakeha "from the other side." of the world. At first they thought that the ship was some huge bird, or, perhaps, a kind of whale; and when they saw the men launch a boat from off the vessel, and row towards the shore, they concluded that these strangers must have eyes in the back of their head, else.how could, they see where they were going to, sitting as they did in their dumpty canoe, with their backs to the beach.

Cook seems to have given -Te Taniwha two haiidsful of potatoes and some biscuit, a part of the latter the old chief still retained tied in a bit of rag, up to the time of his death, when it was buried with him. The contents of this extemporaneous bag had little/resemblance to biscuit, having, long years before I saw this curious memento of the illustrious navigator, tumbled into dust. There was also a canoe at Coromandel, where Old Hook-nose mostly resided, which was reputed to have frequently been used by Cook when in this harbour. De Surville, in the Saint Jean Baptiste, landed at Monganui, near the North Cape, in December 1769, and only just missed seeing Cook beat the Endeavour out of Doubtless Bay at the time. De Surville soon got into trouble with the natives, behaving in a treacherous and cruel manner after receiving only kindness from the Maories, He burned the native settlement, and carried away, against his will, a chief named Naginoui; the poor New Zealander pined for his island home, and eventually died at sea. On the 11th of May, 1772, Marion dv Fresne and Crozet, landed from two ships at the Bay of Islands. For some time all weiit well, and the French were on most friendly teams with the natives; but on the 12th of June, Marion, and some sixteen of his crew were killed and eaten. It seems the French had desecrated some sacred place, and that was an offence unpardonable in Maori eyes. ■ Such was their revenge. Also it is said by the natives, that a French ship sailed up the estuary of the Thames shortly after Cook's visit to the same place. From this time many other ships began to call at New: Zealand, more particularly the English and American whalers, who frequented the Bay of Islands, and white men gradually spread over the country, not the very choice specimens of mortal humanity, certainly, being mainly composed of convicts from Australia, runaway sailors of all nations, and " Pakeha Maories." Law there was none, and up to the time of the arrival of the first governor i New Zealand was notably a country where everybody did as he pleaded. In the year 1814, the Rev. S. Marsden. the first missionary, landed at the Bay of Islands, where, purchasing 200 acres of land from the natives for twelve axes, he hoisted his flag, bearing the word " Eongopai " (good tiding?). Captain Hobson, the first Governor, landed at the Bay of Islands on the 29fch of January, 1840. . ■

Chaptee 111. Being mov'd, he strikes whate'er is in his way, And whom he strikes his cruel tushes slay." Venus and Adonis. Within a week of our landing I started, in company with, three fellow-passengers, up the Auckland fiver, Waitemata. 'We did not get away on the first of the floodtide, having many things to look after, as for example, eatables and drinkables, wherewith to victual the boat, and the various impedimenta men inexperienced and fresh from the old country always ibother tlȤmselves with, so that by the time we had just passed Kauri Point, and were, lay, jieveri miles from the town, the

tide turned, when we poor unfortunates stuck on a mud-bank a full mile from the shore, and the big boat, heeling over, made sleeping on,■the thwarts anything but agrecalle. Early next morning all hands, rather cross and ill-tempered, were again under weigh, and with the help of a good tide, soon pulled the boat to r tup head of the ; Navigation, sixteen < miles from Auckland. It was a place-We never could have found without a guide, there were so many creeks, as big as the main one apparently, branching off on both Eldest.

" Here we are," said Hawkes, our guide and waterman : " we can take the boat no farther; these are the Falls I told you of, and hard by is a sawmill, near to which some men are living." Whilst saying this he steered the boat to a patch of grass—the landing-place just below the Qn our voyage up I had slightly torn my trousers at the knee, and having another pair in my bag, I hinted to Hawkes and the rest that as we were now approaching a dwelling-place it would bo as well to have one's nether garments in good order. • " You are quite good enough for the bush," replied Hawkes, smiling at my innocence in thinking that I should meet well-dressed people at the mill, and in truth I ivas good enough, if comparison with the new friends we were just about to make was any criterion as to the fashion of that locality. " Here is some one coming," said Drew. "Good morning to 3*011," said the stranger. " Will you come up to the house? "

We all said "Thank you," and leaving the boat for Hawkes to moor safely, followed our new friend to the house close by. 'He was a thin, why man, with a pleasant, healthy, hardened face, easy and talkative. We liked him at once, and hardly noticed the scantiness of his apparel, so agreeable was his manner. He wore what was called a " blue shirt," that is, a sailor's shirt of serge, fitting very loosely, and a pair of moleskin trouser?, very much torn below the knee, from walking through the harsh fern and " tea-tree " scrub, a lea« ther belt, a pair of water-tight boots but no socks, and wideawake hat, which last property was in rather a poor and seedy condition.

At the house he introduced us to his brother, who was arrayed en suite. Here, also, I first met Seth-, a boy of, then, about fourteen years of age, an aetire youth he was, and a bit of pickle. I shall often have occasion to mention him as my story proceeds, and may as well describe him here.

Seth Fearnley, the eldest son of a family whom I became in after-years very friendly, was one.of those hard and untiring young fellows who can travel for days in the busb, and exist on very little to eat or drink, and r.ever lost his temper even witli an empty stomach. A perfect Nimrod —ahunter I never saw equalled: he was never lost in tbe bush ; it was simply impossible for him to be so. Everyone has heard of the seemingly wonderful instinct of the Australian blacks, who can track men or cattle over all kinds of country, who sees the trail over bare rocks, know where men lost have sat down, where, overcome*" with fatigue the pursued drag themselves wearily over the ground, where they slept sitting, their backs against a tree, where they gave up all hope, where in the case of two children, the elder carried the younger, where they said their prayers. Seth Fearnley combined all the black man's skill with a happy method of explaining woodcraft to his friends. He was a courteous and most unselfish character, a natural gentleman. Although at the time'of which I write his knowledge of school-work was " nil," yet, in after-years, by dint of much application, he would have passed anywhere for a well-informed man. But what he did know at the former period was often of great use to himself and to other bushmen, and whether walking or canoeing it, his cheerful talk and ready wit always made his companionship a source of pleasure to his friends—causing the steep ranges to seem easy walking, or pulling against the stream-light work;

He was always ready with the native names of trees and shrubs, and knew their use. To my miod it is pleasanter and more instructive to converse with such a companion than with certain botanical enthusiasts who have a habit, verging on boredom, of pointing out the beauty and wonderful structure of every little plant that, without thought or regard, one treads daily under foot seeming to infer that their unfortunate hearer, who is not always expressing rapture at the sight of every scrap of vegetation is without sense or sentiment. I will admit the beauty of the vegetable world, and the wonder, too, if mail, had made them, but the Great Power who made all things in such profusion was not man, and the wonder would rather be, if He had caused plants and flowers to appear ligly. A man cannot be a living note of admiration.

But lam getting before my story. The house, rather hut of our new friends consisted only of two rooms, one a bed-room where the brothers slept. The boy Seth was on a visit, and he passed the night on the table in the " living-room," a couch he nightly improved by ; an extemporary mattress of Mongo Mongo vines, a very clean make-shift, somewhat resembling the horsehair Gulliver might" have seen at Brobdignag. The other—the main apartment—was kitchen, dining, and sittingroom, all in one. At one end was a big wooden chimney eight feet across, with a fire of logs on its earthen floor, over which now hung the kettle. To offer us something to eat was the first thought of our hospitable bushmen, and in the bush nothing is ever set before you without the "everlasting" panikins of tea to help it down. A good thing is tea !. good in the bush, on board ship, in a tent, or Camping without a tent. It is good for the strong and for the weak, good when you are well or when you are ill. It is good when young, or when you get old. Savages like it, so |do men who are not savages. Fine tea is good out of a fine china'cup, seated at a fine table in a fine house, poured out by a .fine lady, and handed round by a fine gentleman's gentleman. There is no end to what may be said of the good of tea. . The table, a rough stool or two, a chest, a bag of flour, and a cask of salt pork completed the furnishing. "We have come up from Auckland to see if there is any pigeon, or duck shooting to be had tip :here," said I, as we sat at the table drinking tea, and eating damper and salt pork for our breakfast. "If you'are good walkers, I think there are some pigeons at Broadens Bush," replied one of our entertainers, turuiug'half,

round to the youth §cth to see what he thought about mattojr.,-. "They are feeding on the ' fiata' berries now," said Seth, " but Ido not think you will sec many. Next week they will be after the 'Hinau,' and be plentiful about here; but if these gentlemen would like to see,something of the bush, let us all go pig-hunting to-morrow. We can go" to the ." Kaikatea " flats and pick up Portugee Joe on our road there ; and we shall want his dog, for "Smut" here might come to grief if we fell in with an old boar, and no one '• up " to give him " goss." .." Some of us will try and shoot a few pigeons now," said one of the men. " Who will go with me ? To-morrow we will go pig-hunting, as Seth advises." Ah ! New Zealand was the country in those days. No one was in a hurry to do much work when there was any chance of a day's sport or amusement. We lived a trifle hard, to be sure, but that was nothing to moan about; indeed, empty flour-bags or pork-casks were considered a fit subject for laughter. There were no poor, nor were there any rich : little or no crime was known ; none ever locked their outer doors, and, all about the town, housewives had their "washing" hung out at night without fear of any depredator. I will maintain that there was no place more delightful in the world. If! —of course, there must be an "if;" —why Heaven would not suit everybody, if ! it will resemble at all the preconceived ideas of most of us with regard to that locality.

Yes, New Zealand was a "jolly place " to live in ; if only you could be always, say, five-and-twenty years of age, Lave good health, a fair modicum of strength, and a little loose cash at most times at the bottom of your pocket. I was one of the small party who went to shoot pigeons; we took a long, long walk through fern and tea-tree scrub, varied now and then by a struggle through a flax swamp, and then into the forest; there, however, we saw very few pigeons. 'I he New Zealand pigeon, " Kuku," is a very beautiful-bird, larger than the woodpigeon of England, and very much tamer, whilst it is an easy matter to shoot them, for. they just sit more stupidly than a young rook. The natives often snare these birds, prticularly when they are feeding on the " Wanaki," a kind of cabbage-tree palm. I once had^ eleven in a monster cage, but after a time got tired. of keeping them, being obliged to employ a Maori man in doing nothing else but getting their proper food from the forest, so one day we set them at liberty. By the time we got home late in the afterno.on I was more tired and " done up "■ than ever I had been in all my life : for what with the heat of the sun overhead, and the long tramp, after a shipboard life—which generally takes all the "go " out of a fellow's legs—l was completely worn. out. A bath, however, in the creek that drove the mill, a capital clear hole just below the falls, and out I came completely revivified. The next day we went pig-hunting; some •'of our party walked to the flats, picking up " Portugee Joe," together with his mate and dog, on the way, whilst others of us went down the creek in a " dingy," thus saving some two miles of heavy walking.

We soon fell in with pigs, the dogs barking furiously, bringing them to bay. What anxious moments! They are moments I assure you, when parting the flax, toi-toi, fern, or lea-tree scrub, as high or higher than yourself, you struggle on to where the pig is, knowing full well that the very instant he espies you he will make his "rush," and should your dogs prove caitiff, or fail to distract his attention, the chances ar that you will come to very serious grief.

Two dogs will hold most pigs by the cars, if he has any, whilst you despatch my gentleman with a knife, or some other weapon—a ship's cutlass is by no means a bad one—a revolver also is handy, or even a gun, always supplemented with, a sharppointed sheath knife. Our party were very variously appointed; one had a tomahawk, Seth was equipped with an old sword, which he had ground up to a keen edge; I had a gun, and another had a spear formed-by lashing a bayonet to a stout stick.

When we got ''up," the first pig was keeping the dogs at bay, and as yet tbey had failed to " get hold," and no wonder, for in some previous encounter with dogs he had lost his ears.; very useful appendages when put. to their legitimate purposes, but in the present case I daresay he was glad to be without them, for it gave him a better chance of fight. At our approach the dogs became more furious, as the pigs attention was off for an instant looking for our whereabouts, in they rushed together, and held him by what little buts of lugs he had left. Immediately, Po'rtugee Joe sprung forward, and seizing a hind leg in each hand, thought to turn him over, and then give him his final coup de grace. Joe was a remarkably strong man, but piggy was by no means weak. It also happened] at that this moment Joe's dog let go his hold possibly frightened at his master's proximity, for the same morning the poor brute .had received a most tremendous thrashing for some delinquency, perhaps also he thought that his master would like to manage everything his own way. "Smut" was tossed off after a short struggle in which the " Portugee" took an active and very precarious part at the other end of the pig. None of us could move for laughter, seeing 'the tall man with his face expressive of great anxiety, only just able to retain his hold, a leg in each hand, something like an animated wheelbarrow. Both dogs continued barking with all their might—at a safe distance -—the pig was anything but silent, making that snorting noise peculiar to his species. We, the lookers-on, were weak and incapable from extreme merriment, Joe not daring to let go, but feeling that he could not hold on any longer, his arms going alternately with immense rapidity and force and he swearing with all the breath he could spare, that if we did knife the pig he would let him go afc us. The youth Seth was the first to come to a sense of "Portugee's" position, although he had laughed more, Ido think, than any of us, even resorting to rolling i»a flax-bsuh, in order to relieve his feelings. " Stick to him, Joe !'.' he cried, and making a drive, in a moment he had tho wild pig by the off fore-leg, and with a quick strong jerk, turned him on his side, then with his knee on the ihroat he had him fast, the Portugee still holding on behind. Seth's cap had come off in the struggle, and his long hair—wild-looking youth that he was—half blinded him, tossing it off his forehead, he, with great deliberation, drew his knife. '? Hold on uowj Joe, the black rascal is stronger

than you and I together, if he only knew It. ■ , • "Hold on it was," but not for long, for presently the black-haired thick skinned hofc was dead. A s all this took place only a short half mile from where we had loft the dingy, ,it was quickly agreed that we should take this fellow there before we; proceeded farther. ■ So "there and then" his inside was torn out to lighten him, a small armful of fern was thrust in instead, and his legs tied together so as to make him a handy "pikau," the clean fern silting soft to the back, and preventing the sanguinary parts from touching, the bearer's Bhirt. To he continued.