A TRIP FROM HAMILTON THROUGH PIAKO TO THE THAMES VALLEY AND BACK AGAIN.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 737, 8 March 1877, Page 2

A TRIP FROM HAMILTON THROUGH PIAKO TO THE THAMES VALLEY AND BACK AGAIN.

WRTTTBN EXPRESSLY FOR THE ' WAIKATO TIMES.' (Continued from Thursday's issue.) Our guide appeared to be well known and respected by the natives here, for, one and all greeted him with a hearty -welcome. On entering the pah, our storekeeper left us for a short time. He was no sooner gone, than another Maori came and . asked if he should provide tea for us. We declined the kind offer, stating we would wait until they had theic evening msal, which was being prepared. In the mean time, to wile away the interval, we visited the river. We were surprised to find it so large a stream. It really is a fine river, not, perhaps, so broad as the Waikato at Hamilton, but nearly so, and very much superior to the Waipa. The current is strong, about equal to the Waikato, and is navigable for steam launches. I was told, for thirty miles beyond Omahu, good sized steamers could go as far up as the springs, where the water is as deep as it is at the point of our observation. Why Omahu is considered the head of the navigation, is simply because there is a native settlement there, and travellers wishing to reach the Thames by this route, come here, to ensure crossing, there being always some one at the pah to ferry them across, whilst, at the springs, a traveller would, most likely, have to swim. The natives charge one shilling for each foot passenger. The depth of water here, is about four feet for more than half-way across from the east bank, but is deeper near the west bank. This, we discovered by our guide, while bathing, walking out as far as the current would allow, the water reaching nearly to his armpits. Here, we found some Maori women fishing for whitebait. Their fishing tackle consisted of a thin ti-tree stick, to which was fastened a short piece of fine string, to which a small hook was attached. Bait : a small worm. My friend was asked to join them. He did so, and the result certainly astonished the natives! They thought they were hauling them m fast, but my' friend could i throw them into the canoe, at least three times as fast as they did. They came and examined his line and hook (one they had lent him) to see what enchantment he was using. They could not understand it, but looked on m amazement. It was kapai, they said. This continued for nearly half-an-hour, when we all adjourned to dinner (a six o'clock dinner), which was like the breakfast — eels and potatoes^— and like, as at breakfast, my friend could not do the justice to it he would have done had he a pinch of salt. Dinner over, fishing was resumed, but, alas, the spell was broken ; the fish did not " show up," so, my friend not wishing to loose the reputation he had previously gained, retired from the scene, pleading the coming darkness as the cause of non-success. Just about sun-down, we heard the sound of a large bell, asked the cause of its being rung, and were told a missionary was going to hold prayers. A Hauhau Missionary? (They had previously told us they were Hauhaus.) No ! English Church. We waited, and shortly the ladies emerged from their dwellings, dressed m shawls, and the gentlemen m clean blankets. All approached the entrance to the pah, where my friend and I were standing, and the women commenced " playing pitch-and-toss ! " one or two of the men assisting. The rest divided into two lots. One entered the hotel ! which was close to, and the remainder became spectators of the pitch-and-toss going on as aforesaid. When my surprise somewhat abated, I asked for the missionary, and was told he was gone — prayers all over— and this was all we saw or heard of him. When darkness put an end to " pitch-and-toss," as many as could, entered the Hotel ! to spend the rest of the evening, ;

We asked several times for our guide, and were .told each time, " William gone to the bluff," from which we uded William was gone to^some p6ifj£ down the river. When we wished to retire, we were shown to our apartments, which were a little distance outside the p&K. On entering, we found William :,; busily engaged playing cards, with about fourteen or fifteen natives." To "the bluff" meant, the name; of the game they were playing. We were shown where we -were to sleep. A clean large flax mat was spread upon the ground, and a couple of clean white blankets — one to lie upon, the other to cover us. We slept as well as we could for the noise made at " the bluff," which game did noi wholly cease until about dawn of day. These natives are certainly notorious gamesters. We arose next morning afc six o'clock, and started at once for the springs, where we had each a bath, my friend up to his ancles, mine up to my knees. Nice and warm it was, and we contrived to have a good wash, which we needed. Called at the Hotel, and then got ferried across to where we had left our horses, but, to our amazement, they were nowhere to be seen. Our guide thought, as he had tied his horse to a rope, ours would be sure to stay with him, but no, they were gone. Fears began to haunt us; Had someone planted them 1 Had the Maoris stolen them ? We made diligent search, but could track them a little way only. We then reached Mr Stubbin's whare, and made enquiries, but no one had seen them, but thought they had heard them m the night. We were m a fix ; at last our guide kindly offered to ride on, and search the swamp, whilst my friend and I went back to the river for our saddles, which we found all right. On our. return (a distance of about a mile), we were delighted to find William had also returned, bringing our missing steeds, which, it appears, had gone to the new road, and not being able to cross the ditch, had gone away into the swamp. Mr Stubbins again kindly provided us with refreshment. I asked for salt, but they were entirely out of salt. Here was fresh boiled mutton, and no salt. I quite felt for my friend. However, we did pretty well, and as it was now about 10 a.m., we hurried away. On arriving at the new road, we found the difficulty of reci*ossing the ditch somewhat great. The tempo* rary bridge we had made the previous day had been removed ; the material being required for other purposes. However, by dint of flogging our horses, and a very large amount of shouting at them, we succeeded m making them jump over. It was the hardest bit of work we had yet met with. After throwing our saddles over, and getting across the best way we could, we made all haste, and reached Mr Mackay's place a little before twelve o'clock. At this point, we bade our guide farewell.