EXCURSION TO THE INTERIOR OF THE ISLAND.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 6, Issue 284, 13 March 1862, Page 3

EXCURSION TO THE INTERIOR OF THE ISLAND.

(Continued from last week )

I'hursday. loth Jan. —Tlie day was infolrably hot atul not a hn-atli of air rippled the glassy face of the lake as,we crossed if Toe charge is txorlitant. Five shillings per day for a canoe, and the same am. u-i* for every maori engaged to paddle! indeed here we found the attempts at extortion quite as great mi l far more imprudent .than at an Knglish watering place ! Slowly and lazily tlie maories plied their paddles and our patience was fairly exhausted before we reached the mouth of the river which empties the hot lake info tincold one, this we found do ed'by a fence and all ingress prohibited its it was the breeding season with the ducks atm they are here carefully presetved. We had therefore to get out and walk ; at. the end of about a mile and a half we crossed the river just below the plice where it runs 'r.rni the lake and there before us sparkling in the ;un lay the beautiful crystal terraces that surround tlie prinei| al spring. I had imagined . from the short description given by hwanison and the cursory way in which they are mentioned by Dr. Thompson in his “Story of N T ew Zealand,” that these remarkable springs were not so specially worth visiting, but I fancy now that they rather shrink from the impossible task of describing adequately the beauties of these miracles of nature, and I must therefore excuse myself from attempting it. Mr; Swaiiison in his ‘ work “ New Zealand and its colonization ’’ thus speaks of them, “ The curious natural baths hud the boiling springs of Rotumahuini and Rotorua, and the seenery of laupo, I ara-vi-ra, and the neighbmirouriug lakes will we 1 repay the labour of a journey thiqugh the hush. Various in, size ami foim, and lined with a frosted iueruSthiion of delicate pink and white, these natural baths are filled ;with a constant; supply- of wafer of every degrt e id temperature, in cohuti of a paU sky’ blue; and they are. constantly overflowing a natural flight of terraces oi steps by which they are approached. 1 ' The lake bf.ifotoimiinmti is itself biit? large w'arm:

bath, h.iviug 'a; t.ein er.ilure »f BU°.; bs margin being fringed from nigl t to m'>rni>i>. by mnneri us jetsmf sn-Av white steam. s m up from the boiling springs wdli which linnyghbqurhodft abounds.” .The terraces 'which are here mentioned resemble tbe most heau.it'ul alabaster and ore moss grotesque ani varied -in•tl e r shapes and sizes. They • are. formed -by the incrusUi.luii caused by the water cooiipg,-. holding, as jt- does wlipu. at, a;bm!ii;g temi'er dure ya nous sihicates in solution. On ascending them.von look d >wu from a piece of mck in ihe centre oil this deep sky blue if tlii.i large ,spring, and one might almost fancy themselves in some; spot in fairy land when standing lieie. -A s far-.as the day was ecu-, cemed there*'.■ Wits nothing to he desired in the way <>f sunshine,, which is very.essential for seeing the- place in all its beauty, bin the heat caused by the combination;.-.of the reflection of tlie rays and. the .steam of the boiling water was quite: overpowering and we were obliged to move away. to avoid fail ting. At the foot Of these ter races and let ween them are the lake, we crossed over a, space consisting bf * boiling imud with a ihin incrustation oil the top on which you. walk. This is very ticklish, work as .it. much resembles crossing ice which wil badly bear, and bends in-a similar manner with the adifitmnal.danger should it break, irsTad of a. .simple cold .ducking, of being staved in mud beneath. Having crossed. i.t we inspected several of tlie' geysers anil h-t springs ; one .is continually playing- 'and. throw tip a big column of .water-to. about the height of four or five feet, all the timemaking a. rumbling .sound underneath, like the noise of an engine room,. . It. las however none <>f the beauties.which the one a Oral: korako possessed. , Overpowered-, hy the heat we rested awhile and then stole back to the month of ti e river where we had a 'bathe, and notice-d a rather remarkable. circumstance. The water as you enter is quite warm, but as you sw m • ut. into tlie lake you meet the under current of cold water coming in.aml by dropping your legs can have your body in hot water while your nether extremities are in cold. On -our way hark we bought half a huge kit of -mail criyfish from some natives for a shilling They had. a; large quant ty of them and no d'Uibt the lake abounds with these delicious little shellfish.

Friday , 17th - Jun.-r-ITaving received an invitation over to dine at the mission station, we went there and heard that .tln-re was a shorter road th on ;h the hillto luke Taupe, we therefore dttermined to try it. As one of our | arty had g<>t a ‘ Touch of the sun ” the day before at R •tonmhanu, we were unable to start until mte in . the. afternoon and then, had to -proeeed slowly, con. equently we did not reach the //’aikido river a 3 we.had hoped to do. but hail to stop at a village about, six miles before we reached the ferry. The hills over which we .passed-in taking this more soutlieily ii ie were of a. better- character than any we had yet seen. .-We had aught up on our journey two maori boys and they.had enter tained: us most .hospitably. • ■

Saturday, l Sill Jan.-rrWe ster'ed early in order to get the cool of the morn'iur for travelling, and soon anived at the Waikato. 1 cannot however, recommend, this ferry unless there -he an expert swimmer atwv.g t the party as there are no maories. living there, ami if the canoe should he on the opposite side to the one.you 'are at, • which was the case with us, it is necessary for one of the party to come and bring it |over. Having proceeded for a few miles up the ! eft bank one of out.-.horses-knocked lip and we had to leave Teirq belli) d with him. We s: on after arrived at a leny ami saw some maories on the other side, but as Teiru in tilling us the load had said nothing about crossing here, we concluded that a track that bore to the right must .be the one we take, consequently we went, aim g distance out of our. way and lost about half- a day. . We at lust caught up nn.l passed a/maori who first- invited us to come to his village and eat, but on our n-

fusing pretended; to. put us in the right ili reetimi. In about two miles we arrived at a ]>ah where the natives asked us to step and eat, and soon after the old fellow we had passed came up grinning from ear to to ear at the little tiick he had played us. as he had misdirected,us to have the pleasure of entertaining us. As however he did this m >st liberally, baking bread, milking a cow for fresh milk, fye. ; our wrath was a good deal'aipe sed more especially as we found here a perfect,f. vest of rasp berries, covered with vrv-.tUe fruit.. The peach trees too were tie finest. I. have nver seen, and Tin.lish rye grass was growing i a oil t luxuriously, indeed it was the must, fertile sp. 11 saw at all, but. the good sod did nut appear to i xteud over more than five or s x lambed acres. The name of this village is Wariewarewa. We left it during, the afternoon and in about three hours arrived at the,.. Waikato" heads where yve remained the night. Sunday, HUh Jan.—Over- night we bad sent our horses across the river and at daylight after a last ip in t! e beautiful Waikato again vended our way round the western shore of lake Taupe, we should have preferred the western side, but the road is billy and bad lot horses. 'The day passed without incident and w« were glad enough to arrive at Tokanu and receive a hearty welcome from -our hospitable friends there. There although conscious to -get-on I was obliged to ihalce' up ; niy mind to rest a few days as the horses wTe knot keil tip and Te.ira was left behind with one of the n. ‘

Monday-, 2 )th Jan.—Our first, business after bieak-fastVs£Si to go and iusj ecu. a'mill that the natives are having erected- on some - rising 'ground near. We found a •Swiss who was formerly at . Wanganui engaged in the work, but lie was doing if very roughly indeed, although getting a good price for the contract. ; ‘His employers however seemed quite 'satisfied'with him ■[■■their walked to the mission station in preference to crossing in a canoe; as I had an opjortunitv of inspecting the lands which forms the grave of Tg lieu lieu, and

r!ie bountiful ca-cade tli.it' 1 have fiieV»utisiy m ■nti'died. ! lie walk turned ou' a pleasant

.->«».: t.l.ie view :• cross. tlfe lake hoim* very i l>eaat.U«i. I’hei c was iiowevtrr a Vmy steep hill to,scram!de. up. I returned in the evening hopir-g.to fi id Teira returned and-to' he aide to erart- the next day. T uv, first, wish vas gratilicd. hut Teira declared lie fl-ai too weak fur so early-a start. 'TiTv3i!ay, -l -i Jati.-A-As. i was oilmen t > dehiv: another day we )ltinted out duclc ’ -hoot'-ng in the morning hut without much hick. In <lie afternoon J,again scrambled to Lite top of. tile lulls to take a last look at the... splendid view of the lake wliieh is there obtainable, and on my return ffot, the hor e, in a;al nitule eve.iy.pred.iia i n lor a start the next morning.-- "I-found- the natives engaged in preparing a quantity of food. for my jourupy. i'aek . • • Wednesday* .22ml Jan, — MX . half ; part eight 1 hid . adiew.-not -without, feelings .of regret to our Tokanu .-friends who l?ad showed us. so much kindness,,aml with! I'eira as .a companion started forward, j After a smart, ride-of. hvji hours, and a half arrived at Rotoeirja, ’ here I met a Raugi- j fikei. milpia . man who .informed., me that Me ssrs. Crawford.-and I'leighton were on their way up on their exploring expedition, and also -tlint I should, .probably meet a jartv of na‘iv>s from, th s neighbourhood, these 1 fell-.in with im.tb.e.course of? ihe afternoon . aml.’il ey. kjml.ly supplied me with a hox- of matches... which . were, -the only tilings J. was-h rt.of . for my joiir.iey down., aowe were -.well supplied w.tli tea, sugar, ami bread, meat of course we .had mme of as it was tod hot.to keept it. We slept, the night, on the hanks of. the . Wangaehu.' aud v e-re lucky enough to have line weather. Tltihsday y 2onl Jam- —We started at fiye ami on arrivii g.at the place,where we intended to breJvfu.-t found that there was ho water, we proceeded until we found s< me and then there was. not a stick of wood to be seen, at last after riding a long distance we found both, and gathering a few long stunted sticks .managed to boil some water ami make . our tea. 7'eira informed me that we should get lots of food at the deserted- pah we had passed as there were lots of inaorles there, as he hadd-ropped nearly, all the potatoes,, this was very, cheering, hut on-, arriving at it we. found :t again deserted. The. heat was very great and one of the horses began to show signs of knocking up. We however pr<ceeded and soon, entered the toilsome bush track. I had intended to stop at a place called Tern.ta, but: on arriving there I did not recogni-e uinl we passed on, as night was approaching. Teira asked me. win re I intended to sleep aml-on, raying “ 7’erata ” lie grinned and said it-was far back.-. In ’consequence we bad great dillieult-y in find iitg water and had not one scrap of food for our horses. . (To be continued ) ' -

leaning of the king movement;' buticy fenced very adroily, and would not ive a clear and. definite expression; of ltdr intentions. With some diffleulcy :e/ were induced' to say that no co npulou would be used to get any tribe to in th: king movement; on which the dvemor remarked, that if compulsion ere to bo used, he would be' obliged to rotect the well disposed natives, but ivy his mind was at ease. It? would >-operate with • the chiefs who were illiug to give their aid, in doing all the 3>d he could to the country, aud the Lhers he did not care for. Each chief ould be the king of his own tribe, and e should have twenty kings in New [ealand before long, and those king’, •ho wo k d with him should be wealthy mgs and kings of wealthy peoples. At the meeting at Taupari his address i reported more at length, and is as ..’lows: — ITis .Excellency said, Salutations to you lIS I have returned to this country to ?e my old friends, and to be the Govcror of the two lwces, the Euvojieans and ;io Maories. You must not think lam tily come as a friend /of tho Europeans, j punish tho Maories for anything they ave done. I am come as a friend of oth, and ns an impartial person, to see •hat can ho done. I have been sent with very large force at my disposal, to put n end to war and discord, to establish iw and order; and if the force now hero i not sufficient, I can have as much more 3 I like. 1 know I shall have to. answer >r the way in which I may use that >rce; not to Europeans, not to Maories, ut at the Judgraent Seat, whore I shall avo to stand hereafter: and knowing hat, as I do, you may depend that I hall use the means at my disposal to, the est of my ability, for the good of those nder me. The people of Waikato may j hcrefore rest assured, and. I give them I iv word, that I shall never attack them J rst, and that they may rest in peace and. j

uietness. Having now said; tlxese things, 'will talk to. you with reference to. the oints of difference between yon ancl the Government, and tell you'my- news. The rat point is. the property stolen, from the lui-opeans. You.will remember that this tvs beeix demanded to be given up. it you o not v-rish to. be attacked. In my posiion as, Governor* I do. not care whether his is given back or not: hut I wilt tell ou what I think. You know, if in a vibe otxo 1 steals from another, that the diale tribes rises and punishes the thief, I say that the Maories and the ‘Europeans are one tribe; and to say that will attack the tribe that has the plunler, is to sav that it is of a different tribe o ourselves,which I will not admit; and herefore when any man is caught with he stolen property,, lie wall, even if it be wenty years. hence, be- taken before the ■udge, and if found to be a thief, he will >e punished, Ido not pretend ta say if ic is a thiof or not; the Judge will do hat when he is caught. Now I have old you this as Governor, I will speak to. ■on as a friend on this point.. I look tpoii. the Maories as one. “ hapu ” of the ;reat family that inhabits this island. Yhen a hap-u. looks upon a thief as a tisgrace, it says to him, “ Give up the ilundor, and don’t bring disgrace upon is.” Therefore I recommend you all to ry and persuade the people who have he plunder to give it up. AH nations ire watching you, and I am jealous for rou and cannot bear to. be the Governor >f the Maori, and for other nations to say ‘They (the Maories) are a nation of hieves,” Just in the same way the bther of two children, when, lie sees one if them take things from the other, tries ,o make him make restitution. So. when [ sea Taranaki has. been' plundered, I enow the. Europeans can never feel reconciled to- the Maories unless some restitution is made; and I would persuade them ;o. make it. The next thing is about the roads. You seem to think that roads through the country would, do. no good. [ think that they would improve the . aliue of-.the lands through which they pass.; and if you think I want to spend noney in making roads through the land >f people who do not want them, thereby mriehing them at the expense of others, ,'ou must think me a fool. In the coun-

try of the European*!, they- have to pay the greater part of the cost of the roads before the Government helps- them. In. the same -way I should be very unwilling to make roads through native land, even if the owners came and asked me to. do. so, unless they paid part of the money. The only case in. which I would pay for thorn would be when the roads led to some very distant place which would benefit other districts, besides benefitting the lands of the natives through which they pass; , I will give you an instance of what I mean. I hear Waata Kukufcai is going to cultivate on the - top of that mountain (pointing to the hill behind the village).' If he does not make a cart road up to the cultivation, I shall think him a very cruel man, for otherwise he will kill and injure all blio women who will have to bring down the loads of produce ; and the children that will be born by them will be decrepit, and thus the tribe will be lost. But do you think I shall be such a foal as to come with troops and war to make the road ? No ! 1 tell him what will be the rosxilt, if he does not make the road; aud I leave it to him. I should like to see ail the land covered with carts and horses and cattle, and all the people well dressed and flourishing; but I shall not come and cut their throat-! if they don’t like, to be so. Kow-should I like to be judged, with a row of. dead bodies laid out»before. me, and one should sav- “ How is this ? who slew them? ” aud I should haVe to say, “ I did, because they were foolish and did not know what wfife good icir themselves!” Look there! (pointing to a heavydifden bul-

lock dray passing) would you rather see your women laden with those things! Those men who like to see their women killed with hard work, and who do not like oxen and sheep’, why, it is their own look out. Another thing—you must not think that I shall let travellers, either Europeans or Maories, be stopped and plundered: it is a very serious offence. I shall not make war upon the tribe; but if ever I catch the individual, he shall be punished. Now . the third thing—tho king —I will talk about. You heard Waata Kukutai say I assented to the king and the flag. I must, explain what I mean. If a tribe, or two or shree, or more, call their chief a king and stick up a flag, I think it nonsense, and don’t mind it. I think it a foolish thing to do ami that it may lead to bad consequences; but I shall not quarrel -with them until the bad consequences come. You must 'recollect that this king affair is mixed up with many things that ought not to be. For instance, I hear that at tho mnangas many of those people who have plundered tho Europeans are present, and I think you should not associate with such wicked people. If I was in the king’s place I would not associate with bad people. I even understand that people who have- been receiving pay as assessors fPt>m Government, have been associating with these people; and I think it wrong that people who are paid for putting down robbers should mix with them. In the same way I hear that the king lias been making rules to prevent travellers going about: this is wrong, and if be does wrong things and he is caught, he will be- tried like another man aud punished. I can’t help it—you j must not misunderstand me:—any man may stop people from coming on to. his land, but where an accustomed line of road runs from, one place to another, no man may block it up. You must be careful not to, think that in this matter I shall quarrel with you all. I, as, Governor, have nothing to> do with it, the cause must be tried by tho Judge, or by your runangas when you have them, between the traveller' and the owner of the soil. I apeak to, you as a friend, and as the uame of king-lias, been mixed with many troubles and is, much- disliked by many people, I would get rid of it, and find some other name: and then with the other chiefs of the districts I will work, to establish law and order in the country. If they don’t care to ha\ r e me-as a friend to. help them and work with them, they must do without me. I can’t help it. I will now speak to you on one other point—the lamfe I understand that there is a jealousy that I .shall buy lainl. from a few people, and take it fey force- from others: you may'depend ou it I shall not do this. Until all that are concerned are i consulted, no land; will be taken. - I will j not send people about the country teasing j and troubling you about the safe of your | fends. I should be a bad man if I dick j so.-—particularly in the Waikato—as whenever I have asked you for fencl you have given it to me. Did'l not ask you. for land on which the Mission (pointing to it) stands, and did you not give it l Did I not ask you for land for Mr. Ashwell’s station, and did you not give it! so, also., with other- places. Now, as. I have Said so many hard things of you, I must say that. I think in very few countries men would have so liberally given up land for school purposes as von have ; done; anci in, all countries it is said you have in this thing well done ! Now, I will tell you what I propose to do for the futures I do not mean to say, that in as fur as institutions for the maintenance oi i law and order have not been established j in the country among you, your interests I have not been overlooked. You must | have- seen that the Europeans have been I allowed to make rules and laws; for them- j selves, and those who made them have ! been paid for doing so; while the Maories j have been left unprovided for, and those j that did make laws were ill paid. I do not feel that I am without blame in this, matter myself. When I was the Governor here formerH, I ought to have seen farther ahead, and what civilization would lead to and require. I propose therefore now that whenever jieople live in considerable numbers, the island should be divided into- districts, and runangas appointed to, make laws for them, and to determine if roads are to be made, and what share of the expenses the people of the district will have to., pay. They will also determine the ownership and boundaries. evf feud, and if it may be sold,, and by whom; and-whether- spirits, may be sold, and under wlmt regulations. -In ! fact they will have to make laws. o,n all ! subjects conceniing theii own interests, ' and when these are sent - to me, an.cl I have consented to then , they- will' he binding alike both on Maori and European. Native magistrates will also be appointed, and people under them, to ! administer the laws; and all these people j that a,te employed will have salaries, and j he paid, regularly op, the first of each i month like European You will thus 1 a(}o by what I "have said,, that the way 1 1 intend to put down evil k by putting up good, not by employing force. One thing I have omitted to tell you.. In. each disT. trict a medical man will be stationed,, and salaries will be provided for three native clergymen or school-masters, and for each. “ hapu ” that wishes to put aside land for the support of a clergyman, I will endeavour to get a minister. One of the great evils has been, that there has been no opening for the young men, chiefs, and ! others, who have been highly educated. I Now [ make all these openings, clergy- | niep, magistrates, doctors, «fcc., and. a j young chief may become one of these, and T pot have to go to work (manual labour) on his land, like a common man, but live 1 like a gentleman. Now don’t you say I am not come here to conquer and kill you; l hav9 come to conquer and hill

you tbo— I with good. Now I have’done, and if any of you want to ask any tions about what I' have said, I am-hire to'answer; ' ; ' .