GRANDMAMA'S STORY.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 2870, 4 December 1890, Page 4

GRANDMAMA'S STORY.

A TRUE TAI.K OF THE EAIILY DAYS. (L\ a Waikato Lapy.) CHAPTER XL- -THE FIRST MLTTKIUNGS OF THE COMING STOJIM. At last some subtle influence seemed to bo coming over tho Maoris. Hitherto they hud always spoken of the Pakelta with ft certain amount of respect and friendliness, but the change was rapidly coming, and even among those with whom we were closely eoimeetetl in business, u, feeling of restraint gradually grew up The ['ake.ha was never spoken of tn us, but we could hear the natives speaking together in exciled tones about matters in Tar.i iiafci. Mounted :ne.-..-.et;g".ri were constantly coming from there with tides of the injustice of the Government. My husband and I used to go 11«iw11 In tlie so I flemeiiL and hoar rlie native-; talking. One old chief, in particular, used to be 011 the top of a, raupo house, talking in a very loud voice, to the others all round him. The tenor of his korero was always the same : the I'akeha and the kino of the kawanatanga

"Their crops wore neglected, and it was no good our talking or

persuading them. All was excitement.

" Our friend ' Pnuka' un~ fortunately took ill just at this time, and though we did everything w could, it was no use, he died aud we lost our best friend. The natives said he was makutu«d (bewitched) and it seemod to embitter them still more, though not agains 1 ; us. All tho money they could get was spent in guns and powder, aud they were vory much afraid of their canoes being searched. The constant cry of the old man on the roof made me feel quite nervous. The pakeha was in every mouth, we could hear his voice when we to went bed and I beliove he kept at it all night. " Wo were thinking seriously of moving further down country, when a party of gentlemen passed through Maungatautari, Mr David Graham, a well-known Auckland merchant being with them. Mr Graham said what, a pity it was to see us locked up in such an isolated place, and offered us a partnership in Wuiuku. We were good Maori linguists by this time and our services would be valuable, so we acceptcd his offer, and it was all arranged before ho left. Of course we knew we should lose a good deal of money which the natives owed us, for even in those early days they had acquired the bad habit of getting into debt, but the anticipated gain would more than cover the loss, and we were also becoming a little anxious about the changed demeanour of the Maoris. '' We calied the chiefs together to secure canoes to take us away. This was the first time in the three years we had been there that I felt frightened. Mr Graham and his party had gone on their journey. In the evening ten chiefs came up, and seating themselves gravely upon the ground wanted to know why we were going away, who had injured us, or what was the cause of our displeasure. They seemed to take our leaving us a personal grievance, and after talking about an hour, trying to alter our intention, they told us plainly that we should have no canoes or men. Your grandpapa was no coward, and rising, quietly said, 1 Very well, I will get canoes and men from Te Awamutu, and then they will know how kind you are to your Pakeha.' They shook hands and departed. We felt quite miserable ; such an outlay it would be. However, in the morning a message came from Te Ori Ori that wo could have the canoes and men. We gave them our house and gardou. To one I gave my tui, to another my fowls. There was great crying over us. We were sorry to part with them and they with us.

" Ouce more, my dears, we wore upon the road, or ratber the river, journeying to a new home. This time wo came down the Waikato, aud the canoes were heavily loaded. A large canoe in those days, loaded with produce, was an interesting sight. Of immense length, the canoo would he divided into sections, in one bags of wheat would be packed, next to that yellow maize, in kits tilled so tight that the cobs would be trying to get out at every corner. Iu the middle of the canoe, a space would be latticed off, and in it several largo fat pigs, add to this, men, women, aud children of all agGB, even to the aged toothless and almost sightless warriors, who seemed to enjoy the trip as much as any of them, and gonorally occupied a little space near the bow, with a lire, aud the dogs of the tribe coiled up alongside them. They all looked so comfortable, aud when going down the river, the natives would scarcely paddle at all, but lot the cauoe float down the centre of the stream. (To be cotitbiHcil.)