RAMBLES THROUGH THE LAKE COUNTRY ON HORSEBACK.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2161, 15 May 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

RAMBLES THROUGH THE LAKE COUNTRY ON HORSEBACK.

The appearance of the lake is Tery striking. There is an enchantment About >~it'a»-it~«t!*toh«a- »w»y ia-alonsr-- narrow, ' sheet of sparkling water, losing itself afar off amongst the mountains by which it surrounded in every direction, and among -vvhioh. -it forms- lovely oaves and indentations with picturesque irregularity. Tho road descends to the native ' settlement Morea, which in prettily situated at the end of the Ohnu stream ' running from Lake Rotorua into Rotoiti, . dignified by the name of river, which is ' spanned by a substantial bridge. The natives are few iv number and inoffensive looking, and are u hapu of the groat ftgatipikjau tnbo. At their invitation I .dismounted to have a look at their wharepuni,. or carved house, which, however, possessed no extraordinary fea- ' ,'tures. Standing a little way out in the , lake, ribos a high prominent island called Motutawa, which was formerly a native , fortress", and frpm its commanding posi- ' ' tioq must haye played no mean part in the '' old warlike days of .its possessors. It 1 is How the tribal burial ground, some large tombs beingclearly discernible on its lofty "summit. The .road skirts the lake, "formed on, tho side of the bills which border its »hore«, and winds about "throtigh bright indigenous vegetation •till it sweeps, round to the end of a ' harrow inlet, dotted with numbers of 'beautiful little green islefca, and which '*• terminates in a saccession of magnificent '■' rapids, and cascades, and forms ' the ''•Rsitana rivor that flow's into the sea at " Maketu. TUese r»pids rushing headlong 1 between pteep cliffs are crossed by a suspension bridge, whence the roads brings >! y6u to'another settlement called Taheke, where there is a comfortable hotel, kept "toy Mt Fraser. From this a peninsula juts out' into the lake, and ends in a steep elevation on the crown of which ia *j small white building, surrounded by a ■ m'onnd and fence, wherein rest tho bones "*)f-Waata Turanui, a noted chief, forming a picturesque feature in the landscape. r Below this hill, on a bit of flat alluvial }and> and hidden by willows and gum«fcrees, is the residence of Major Woods, the native schoolmaster. ,- Mr-Jfrap^r, TW9 good enough to place j. me f under the care of his brother, who , ,s embarked me in a light akifS, and pulled r , down the lake to the head of the rapids, fwhere we landed, and after walking , along a track for about five hundred • .yards we .descended into a obscurated , marine, j the deep roar proceeding 1 therefrom: denoting the proximity of a large 7 body of falling water. Arrived at the „Jbqt&om, and stepping upon a rocky ledge overlooking the stream, the sight was very fine,. The . vplume of water came ,%ishing roun*cl a bend, and noisly tumb'luiy overoqe high ledge after another, 'Wed along in a foaming mass of whirling,, frolliofcing eddies, and disappeared round '» corner. , Tfye ,rocky channel through, ''4vliich 'the waters cut their way is very ''confined, and is almost entirely shrouded fiver With bush and vegetation, through .vrpicii, streaks 'of sunshine find their way .to , the" water, where they glint and ''sparkle 1 with, great splendour. In the face of the rock where we stood were "cavities, in the Maoris formerly ( buried their ( dead, whose bones are ""•tilt to, be found in them. Re-crossing "the lake', young 'Fraser pointed out to me a perpendicular cliff, about two hundred ' feet high,- opposite Morea, which is called Suicide Cliff, frpm the number of natives 'who formerly, at one time and another, ' tbtevr themselves over its brink in search 'idf' death. This apprised me of a trait " in' the Maori character which I did not "think'they possessed, namely, that of selfdestruction. We passed a little island, 1 made the more interesting by the ■ large willows ithat grew upon it and the graceful way irrwhich itsdrooping foliage bent' ; down to kiss bhe water, where some large holes have been made in a rock, and re- . iemble the aperature of a baker's oven,, libut Which Fraser said were old storing •places. I was next taken to the whare,ipuni '(Rangititn), which is a 1 splendid 'specimen of its kind, and where the carvfing* are very fine. The representations • >in>their Fade' fashion are, no douhtl to' «our ideas, very indelicate, but not more so, •to the Maori mind than are the paintings >' and "statuary in our own museums and art galleries. I noticed that some of the . marved figures had been recently mntilatea, and was informed that it had been' idone to satisfy the prudery and vandal *• modesty of a high -official who had in-/ . diced the' Maoris to destroy' the artistic f value, of theit ancient national handicraft. ' What an absurdity, especially after the fanner in .which pur o\yu people, of both' /sexes view the companion engmyings of ' (I Yequ# f apji, ,'thej, Satyr, in one of our' museums ! This wharepuni had been tanned for about ,s,ix years, because, the ,body. ( of Waata Taranui had been , buried J-there; consequently it has fallen into , (decay. But since the remains of the old t .fihief, had bepu rpmpved to their present *j lofty position, the wharepuni is about to 7 ,t>ia' re 7 built and,' restored. The Roto-iti saw- mills are, situated at the south-end of jthe lake, and the scenery there, I was • told., is vqry grand, and a sail to them by ', water, is delightful. I must say that I IqqJc .upon Rotoiti, especially in the of Taheke, as one „ofj the .loveliest specimens of native. scenery I have met with in New ' } Zealand. The ( air is balmy , and 'salubrious, clear, crispy and devoid of those sulphurated smells and vapours -which' distinguish Rotorna. The land is superior in quality and suitable for farm • settlements. , The lake is pure and limpid, , and is charming* for bathing or water oxReunions. Close, at band are some; •jspfand hot springs with strong alum and 1 ' iodine qualities of a wenderf ully curative nature, especially for cutaneous diseases. The' hill sides abound with pheasants, and 'there is also good duok and other shooting. Decidedly, Taheke and the many '" points of interest and romance around it ■' '^rill become a favdurite resort for tourists •-before many 'years are over. The afternoon was far spent when I turned my /.(horse's head again' for Rotorua, and as there were nearly seventeen miles to travel over before dark, I hastened on, - more charmed than ever with the varying 1 >i 'scenery of the lake. At Te Ngae the road crosses a small bridge over a rapid ' little-ntream and pretty miniature water- ' fall, fit subject for the artist's pencil. .. But close at hand is a layer of black mud emitting a strong odour by uo means fit i for one's olfactory nerves. A tangi was j , proceeding 1 at To Ngae, and I ! ■■ passed two troops of Maoris on „it heir way' thither, where the usual i palaver and feasting inseparable from ' these occasions would follow. It is surprising how frequently one comes across , these tangis whilst travelling through the native districts. The unfortunate people, appear to be existing now in a constant , round of general mourning, passing from [ kainga to k«inga to weep and wail over the corpses of their kindred, in lamentations over, their departed glory, and in r sullen resignation to the inexorable extinction of .their doomed race so rapidly , taking place before their eyes. It is a " great pity. ; The succeeding day was. Sunday, and. as the influence of the Church has not jet extended to Rotorua so far as to afford the pious inhabitants the privilege ,, Y ol attending, regular divine service, a "party of ns decided to walk to Sodom and \[ Gomorrah, and explore its curious sights. Tins strange, . region bears appellations . that would recall unpleasant associations to those familiar with Biblical lore, but the twin names were doubtless suggested by tho aspect of the places, which favour 1 a'resemblance to the site of a city reduced to ashes, destroyed, by supernatural fires and looking ghastly kind loathsome. To "reach the locality wo followed the road pa*Bt the sanatorium for about two miles, 1 ' then taming" to the right we came upon a bare open ffeld of some extent, " studded "\rith extinct fumeroles and snlphur 'mounds 1 , 'the ' ground covered with deposits of stratified* lulphur and wßite

ashy clay. Walking through this field, and over a small dividing ridge, we came u poa another l*rge area, depressing from all spies towards the centre, where lay a Freak, horrible, loathsome-looking pool of Llleep black simmering liquid, whose sur,Mcc, reflected % bronze-like smoothness. Tina basin was fully charged with sulphuric acid, and tanned the banks of a -silicious formation which surrounded 4t to a dirty black colour. This repulsive spot is Raid to be the special burial place of the Ngatipikiau, who. on slated occasions, bring the accumulated bones of their dead here and cast them into the ugly pool, whose powerful acid quickly dissolves them. I was told by Mr Dickson that at one time over two hundred parcels of, human bones were thrown into the depths of the basin. Active mud holes, containing the same liquid, and jets of sulphurated steam, exist all around this weird, unearthly locality, and we picked our way amongst them collecting specimens of the crystalised sulphur and silicious rock. One very curibua thing to be aeon is au immense deposit of a ailicious clay and neutral earth, soft like new cheese, and containing the requisite ingredients for the manufacture of dynamite. Here is an opportunity for an enterprising Irish patriot ! After dinner I decided to ride on to •Wairoa in advaueo of the party proceeding to the Terraces the next day, in order that I could have a day for business *nd the search for things both strange and marvellous, and I was glad I did so. Leaving Ohinemutu, aud passing throne:)] the Government township, turning to the left, the coach road to Woiroa ascend* Moerangi hill, from the top of which is obtained a grand panoramic view of the broad and shining lake, surrounded by lines of blue hills as far as the eye can reach, whilst below lie the townships, with the intervening country gradually dipping towards the lake, and clusters of white rising columns resembling the smoke from the hundred furnaces of a busy manufacturing centre. Through the crown of Moerangi appeared vast masses of trap, thrown upwards through the earth's ernst by the titanic forces below, and it would seem as if some such great upheaval had ejected the bulk of its waters from Rotorua, cutting away the land indicated by the cliffs near Ohau, and forming that channel into Roto-iti, and from thence to the sea. Moerangi has dark precipitous sides, with deep dividing gorges, and the lines of an bid pali can be descried on its summit, overlooking the mountain passes. After passing in and out of a multitude of low hills, the road enters one of the loveliest bits of primitive bush ever seen. It consists largely of fine specimens of the rata pine, matai, and giant fnschias, and is filled with a profusion of the most magnifieient ferns in great variety. The surveyors of the road, doubtless also filled with admiration of the spo£,)had desecrated the handiwork of Nature as little as possible by clearing a line through it only half a chain wide. Consequently the foliage from the trees on either side overhang and meet each other overhead. The picture attains perfection when the road emerges from the bush and opens out upon Lake Tikitapu, a beautiful circular lake of bright blue water, fringed with * white sandy beach, and fenced in by precipitous hills covered at one end with bush. There is a small native settlement here, and also the huts of a few English, settlers. The road winds round this lake, under banks thickly covered with tupaki and f uschias, forabout half a mile, thet> crosses a saddle, which brings into view the next lake, Roto-Kakahi, of a totally different aspect to its beautiful neighbour. Roto-Kakahi is of an oblong shape with an folaud at the further extremity, and is .bounded by rugged, bleak mountains, chief of which is Mount Korokamii, whose steep declivities are capped with frowning bastions of trap rock. Between this gloomy sentinel and a range of bush covered hills with excellent soil, is Wairoa, a considerable native settlement of the Tukorangi tribe, and the stopping place of' visitors to the Terraces, who are glad to resign themselves to the tender mercies of Mr and Mrs Macrae, whose comfortable hostelery, exceptionally good table, and excellent brand of whiskey, area solutuim for the fatigues and weariness of travel, and — the charges. When I joined them at table, there was a party of tourists who had that' day done Rotomahana. and were busily comparing notes, as well as describing the eccentricities of one of their party, who passed me in a buggy on the road. I had barely time to stretch my legs after dismounting, before I was made aware of the fact that a tangi on a large scale was the order of the day here also, by a native asking me ' for a subscription towards the burial expenses of a body' then lying in the wharepuni. Indeed, there were two corpses, that of an old man and a young girl who had died on the same day, four days before. The burial was to take place after the feasting and departure of the visiting hap us on the morrow : in the meanwhile the bodies were corrupting rapidy under the influence of the hot weather ,<and were becoming very offensive to those around, who, however, being natives, seemed unconscious of, or iudifferent to the unpleasantness. The custom, handed down to them from time immemorial, had to be observed to the letter. 1 strolled down in the evening- to the runanga housa, which I was invited to enter and was shown to a seat. The coffin watt placed outside, under the entrance, covered with a pall, and -was surrounded by sorrowing women. The interior of the building was long and lofty, and contained many fine earrings. A few, candles fixed, here and there amongst the occupants reflected a dim, shadowy light around, which enabled me to sea that the place was filled with grpups of men and women lying or, flitting tpgether in attitudes or careless indolence. In one corner a party of women were gathered round a candle busily sewing some black garments. The chief occupation of the evening seemed to be a palaver over the virtues of the dead. One speaker after another rose to speak, and gave me an opportunity of noting the style and effect of Maori oratory. Sometimes the remarks appeared argumentative, and subjeoted the speaker to interjections and interruptions from the audience ; at others native wit was apparent from the laughter that followed. Some of the speakers were calm and stolid ; others rose briskly, and throwing their blankets around them, toga fashion, would gesticulate and move their bodies with the animation peculiar to the Maori warrior. I hapI peped to be sitting next to the principal ! chief, Wi Kepa Te Rungipuawahe, who seemed an unamiable individual, and not inclined to be communicative, but when he rose to speak he wus listened to with evident deference and hushed .silence. One intelligent looking young follow with a Good Templar medal pinned to his coat entered into conversation with *me, and when I acquainted him -with my mission and connection with the Press, the influence of the Fourth Estate even upon the Maoris was apparent by the respect and attention paid me. The natives of Wairoa are said to be a bad lot, the worst in that part of the country. I certainly perceived sufficient evidence of the looseness of their morals and habits, and also of their exactions and demands for " utn." They should be well off, as they derive a considerable revenue from the advent of tourists, But they spend everything they onrn in drink and useless luxuries. Mr Hazard, tho mtive schoolmaster, has effected u marked improvement amongst tiiem since ho has been in Wairoa, and caused adimiuution of their immoralities. Tho late Mr Snow, the philanthropic American, who tbok up his residents at the Lakec, for a time laboured to introduce the principles of temperance amongst them, and his name is revered by them. His 'mother came out from the States on a visit to the scene of her son's last days, ! and erected to his memory a nice hodtre1 room, and f nrnished it with a harmonium, wbiofr is played om meeting nights by

Miss Hazard, the schoolmaster's daughter. I am afraid, however, that the good Mr Sqpw infilled was but transitory, nnji that it his waned Very much since his de,ath. iDuririg the evening I amused myself b^ looking through the the visitor 1 * book "at the Hotel, and' noted the record of names hailing from all parti of tho globe, They were there from China, Singapore, United State*, Sweden, South America, Germany, France and the United King* dom. Tho name of the distinguished Primato of Australia, Dr Barry, from Sydney, was followed by the authograph of The Very Reverend D. F. Barry, 0.5.8. Rector of S. John's Roman Catholic Colletre, Sydney ; a very curious combination. " Lord and Lady Dalhousis wrote that they wero "much pleased with everything and the terraces." Also Mr and Mrs Macraes kindness, and with our guide C*pfc. H. F. Way." There were many other distinguished names, with similar testimonies to the merit of Capt. Way find Sophia as guides. The former was to act as guide to the party I wan numbered with for Rotomahana. He was most obligingly and kindly offered to accompany me round to the different spots iv ( Wairoa the following day, and also gave me some interesting information on Maori legends and nomenclature. Capt. Way was formerly in the lot Waikato Regiment, and Native Contingent, with which he saw a, good deal of hard actire operations in the native wars. He was in the service fourteen years and was reckoned a smart officer, but during the era of the pruning knife, he was dispeated with on four days notice. His wife is a daughter of Mr Spencer, an old missionary at present at Tauranga, and she is au apt Maori scholar with a fund of native lore. (To be continued.)