A MAORI GOLGOTHA.

Thames Star, Volume XVI, Issue 5068, 13 April 1885, Page 3

A MAORI GOLGOTHA.

Wilhin the'last few days (saysthe'Nev Zealand Times) some of the residents of Porirua have discovered a cave at the Porirua Heads which contains mjiny ghastly.mementos ,of a past generation. The cave is situated in a crevice of a preoipitoos cliff about 200 feet high, and the entrance is about fifty feet from a narrow : fringe of beach which is covered at high; water. The aperture is about one and a-half feet in circumference, and to reach it something approaching the agility of a squirrel is required. A party of gentlemen from Wellington visited the place on Sunday last, and were lowered from the top of the cliff to the mouth of the cavern .by mean's-of-a;, rope.'. The place consists really of two 'Chambers,'the', first of which it about 30 feet in' height, by about 12 in width> The floor is str&w.n with human skulls and bones, and presents the appearance of a veritable Golgotha. The remnants of what apparently was a coffin are to be seen,' the wood of which is decayed, and upon being touched: it crumbled into »"pasty substance. About fifteen perfectly well preserved skulls were counted, by the visitors, one of them being perforated, apparently by a bullet, whilst the bones, principally thigh and leg, if collected, would have made a large heap. Por many years past the Maoris in the BeigUborhoodhave hinted that such a-cave existed in the locality, and that during the native troubles the bodies of the Maoris «lain were placed therein. Be this as it nicy, the cave is a perfect charnel-house. At fcbe extreme end of the outer cave is an apertare scarcely large enough ; to enable a^nan to crawl through. The air, however, in this second chamber was so foul that none of the party ventured into it. The place is tapa, and as such is of course held sacred by the Maoris, and even if it were not access to it is so difficult that.few aieht-seers w«uld care about risking t their lives to pay it a visit. The party \ -were piloted ft) the edge;of the cliff by Mr i T. Liardet, at which place they were met %y a guide, who displayed much anxiety lest the Maoris should.obtain an inkling of frhe visitors' purpose.