THE MISSING KUMI.

Waikato Argus, Volume V, Issue 343, 20 September 1898, Page 2

THE MISSING KUMI.

A telkgra.m from Gisborne, dated Saturday, states that Mr W. D. Lyanar and Mr Hansen (naturalist) have returned from the station where the Kumi was sojourning, only to report that the reptile had recognised the pregnant fact that it was time for disappearing. They state that they saw sufficient to satisfy them that some strange animal has been haunting the place, and the photon they took confirm that impression. Leading towards the tree in which the animal is supposed to have had its home was a rut-shaped track of such peculiar formation that it is supposed it can only have been made by an animal dragging its heavy tail along the ground. There were three places round the tree in the form of a sort of a nest, and of elaxviug under the roots of the tree. The signs of clawing and the enlargement of the tail would, we should think, point to the conclusion that the deaf aud dumb Maori who discovered the monster has been doing some big game hunting " on his own," his chief weapons being a couple of teaspoonfuls of the never-failing salt. Among the debris in one of the nests at the foot of the tree were found a quantity of pigeon feathers, which gave rise to the supposition that the Kumi had eaten the pigeon, it seems to us that it is just as logical to conclude that there has been a battle royal, the feathers were lost during the encounter, and that the pigeou has eaten the unfortunate Kumi. The telegram also states that from the way in which the native described the gait of the animal aud its other peculiarities, Mr Hansen is confident it is a very large reptile. The description of the animal, the footprints and the voracious appetite leave no doubt in our minds that this is the identical saurian reptile which made its appearance aud caused such consternation at Frankton a few years ago, when several boys narrowly escaped with their lives. We suggest that -some of our local experts, who were very much in evidence at that time, should be sent down to assist in the chase. No doubt if the matter were taken up the Government could find a suitable saurian expert in Hamilton.