AS MAN-EATERS GO

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 295, 24 September 1938, Page 9

AS MAN-EATERS GO

A Story of Adventure Among the Maoris.

CHAPTER. 20. Two hours later the vessel had been burned to the water line, and there was not a stick of timber worth tho taking away. It was a sad loss, and I felt most depressed lor some time, the babel ol voices as tho Maoris discussed the disposal of the goods wo had saved at length rousing mo to action. “Haro you made any attempt to find the men who escaped?” I asked Hiwa. “No, they will be taken care of in duo time,” ho replied.

“They should not bo allowed to roam about as they are doing,” I went on “Who knows but that they may at this moment bo keeping us in view, and il they have their death-dealing tubes with them, we may to killed while we stand here.”

But he waved this suggestion aside. “The white men have fled, and after what has happened to their great canoe I do not think they will have waited near this spot.” There was reason in this, but I prevailed upon him to make an early start back to the Bay of Islands. As wo were placed at that moment wo could not hope to take back with us tho powder, so I suggested that it should be buried, or at least a part of it should, to await a timo when we could arrange to have it conveyed to the fortress. To have taken the casks in the canoes would have been to court disaster, and as the country which lay between the pa and the inlet was in the hands of the Men of Oruru it would be impossible to carry it that way.

Therefore, .without more ado we scooped out a hole in tho soft earth and placed in it four of the fivo remaining casks. Tho fifth cask we divid eel between two of the canoes, the por tion taken out being carefully wrapped in mats to preserve it from the spray a*we paddled homeward. With the muskets and other articles in the canoe under my eyes, we once more embarked and started on the long journey down tho coast, arriving about sunset. We were greeted boisterously and, having broken our fast, we hurried on to the pa. It was dark when we arrived, and 1 ached in every* limb, retiring at an early hour after having seen to the storing in my whare of the powder and muskets. Not knowing the power of the black dust the Maoris might easily have blown up themselves and the greater part of their villago had they injudiciously taken it near a fire the more closely to examine it (as .many of them wanted) so I deemed it wise to take care of it myself. Ifrom tho noise that followed upon our arrival, the celebration of Ngaere’s return must have been kept up during half the night. I had been asleep some time when 1 was awakened by a touch on the arm. Sitting up and brushing the sleep from my eyes, I became awaro that the village was still in an uproar, and that Raumati was on his knees beside me.

“Master,” he whispered. “Make no sound. You are in danger and I have como to warn you.” “Mango?” I asked, instinctively sensing that any danger would come from that quarter. “Yes,” he replied. “The pa is in a state of excitement over the happenings of tho last two days and they are in a mood for any mischief.” “But liow does that place my life in danger?” v “You it was who saved Hiwa’s daughter, but Mango has not forgotten the words spoken on tho beach two nights ago. He is treacherous and can do you much harm. Can it be that you have forgotten that he has sworn to revenge himself upon you, in the matter of a fall?” “You speak strangely,” I returned, not understanding his words. “Nevertheless, Mango has sworn to do you harm. And you were present when ho did so.” “Tell me, when was this oath taken?” “On tho first day of your sojourn with the Men of Oromahoe did you not place your foot upon his shoulder as lie lay on the ground, and prick his neck with your broad spear?” For tho moment I harked back to that clay, and suddenly it dawned upon me. Again I saw Mango as he rose to his feet, moved olf a few. paces before he turned, and, raising his arm, clutched twice in the air. “And what did that signify?” Tasked Raumati. “It was tho Maori way of telling you that at some future date he would deal with you for the insult ottered him at that .time.” “And why did you not inform me of this before waiting till now?” “There was no need. Though lam held in. this tribe as a slave, fit for nothing but the carrying of food and burdens, I have not been blind to what has taken place, Master. I have not forgotten that Mango intended harm to you, and always I have been on the watch against him. You have done much for the hapu, and you have not broken

All Rights Reserved.

By J. HALKET MILLAR. :: Author of “The Bayly Murder Case.’’

any of the laws, so that the time was not ripe for him to net.’’ “Now it is ripe, eh?” “Yes, Master. Mango seeks to sav Shat you were responsible for the taking away of Ngaere.” “But, man alive, did 1 not pursue the white men and bring back the chief’s daughter?” I said, raising my voice in my indignation. “Hush!” cautioned Raumati, casting ipprehensivo glances about him. “Speak low. Even now Mango may have his spies with their ears at the walls of the wliare. Wait. ’

With that he went outside and 1 ■.card him make the circuit of th •ouse. When he returned he leaned •lose to me and breathed. “It is as 1 feared. They are watching.” “That is well,” ho continued where ,ve had left off, “but Mango says that vour action was only the outcome oi vour fear that the Maoris would learn from him your part in the affair.” “Surely no ono -will listen to that tale?” I protested. ' “There have been successes first against their enemies to the north, then against tho white men and the people are ready to listen to anything that will lead to bloodshed.” “Now tell me,” I asked after a silence had fallen between us. “Why should Mango bear this ill-will toward me? Can you say?” “For land and for women are wars made,” he said, repeating a native proverb. “Well, go on,” I said, failing to grasp the allusion. “The love of the chief’s daughter ha: been given to the White Heron, thougl nothing has been said in the council* of the hapu, and it is this which ha* caused the enmity of Mango, and of Tu his son. It is well known that the maid Ngaere, was to ho betrothed to Tu On the .death of tho chief, her father much land would go with her, and if is this that Mango seeks through hi. l son’s marriage to Ngaere, that ho may be more powerful in the hapu.” So there was the explanation of it. and I sat for some time contemplating the situation before again addressing the slave. “And is this which you have told me known to the tribe?” “Things have been sden, and conclusions have been drawn,” ho replied. “But Ngaere has at times even avoided me,” I went on. “She is full of wisdom. Her heart has been given to tho White Heron, but she also knows tho design of Mango and his son, and therefore she has not shown lior love for you openly, knowing the wickedness of the tohunga. If she has avoided you, it was becauso sho desired to stave off the trouble she felt would descend upon you should the wrath of the tohunga seek an outlet.” Again I sat silent, only now realising how with my impetuous ways I had endangered my darling’s lvelfare, as well as my own life. I was filled with regrets, but that was not the first time. Looking back over the stormy passage of my life since the Plaeides had come to my home town, I found there were many things to be sorry for, but my repentance did not one whit abate the trouble that appeared to be piling about me in this land of topsy-turvy happenings. “Raumati,” I said at last. “Though you are now a slave, you were once a chief in yoilr own hapu, were you not?” “Yes, Master, in days long ago,” he said sadly. “Well, from this out 1 choose to look upon you as a chief still.” “Master, it cannot be,” lie exclaimed with a catch in his voice. “But I say it will be. It is you who have saved mo from many pitfalls. I owe you much that cannot bo repaid nov/, and I wish to think of you as a chief.” “Master—” lie began, but I cut him short. “Let us liavo no more of this ‘Master.’ I am the White Heron.” The look of gratitude on his face was worth seeing. He took a great breath, drew himself up to his full height, and it seemed a load had been cast from his shoulders. His whole bearing changed, and before mo stood a fine specimen of a man, a noble representative of the long line of warrior chiefs from whom ho had sprung. After some further talk, in which Raumati counselled me to be careful in my comings and goings, and promised personal protection for me, he left the wliaro and I returned to my couch to think over what had been said. Events now began to follow one another in rapid succession. Tho day following our return from the burning of the whaler I did not go far from my whare; no one came near except Raumati, and so I had ample time to mediate upon my course of action in the immediate future and to adjust the primings of the muskets. As I loaded these weapons I placed them on pegs attached to the rear wall of tho whare, covering them from view with mats. I found I had more shot than I had at first anticipated and if the worst came I would bo ablo to make a bravo showing.

But as yet I was not what could be called really proficient in tho uso of the musket; so I decided to take one of them and go into the forest, there to try my aim on the teeming bird life. So, after tho morning meal, with Raumati at my side, I set off, having closed tho door and the window of my house as securely as I could by running a bent, ram rod from one of the muskets through a knot hole and round tho post forming the side of the doorway. A few people glowered at us as we went through the high carved gateway, but otherwise no sign of resentment was shown.

As we descended the path leading away from the fortress, Raumati, who was following close at my heels, carrying the pouches of shot, and tho powder, uttered a low exclamation, and when 1 wheeled about l saw bis eves turned

sharply to tho right, while yet ho kept his face to the front.

“Do not look round, White Heron,” ho said barely above a whisper. “Mango’s spies have followed us, and are now making their way through the fern on our right. Proceed as though we were not aware of them. I will be eyes for you.” ■With somewhat quickened pulses 1 strode on down tho path, longing to iook in tho direction of those who had followed us out of tho pa, but knowing that evil consequences might result. From time to time Raumati reported to me, but when we had gone about a mile from tho pa, he said they had halted, but were still keeping us in sight. After a time 1 searched about where Raumati pointed, but could not see anything of tho Maoris. Hero wo paused, eventually moving on again, satisfied that our pursuers had turned back. Birds were numerous hereabouts and ’or upwards of an hour I practised with the musket, more often missing the target, but sometimes bringing down a bird, to the great astonishment of Raumati. We were on the point of returning to the fortress when wo heard a hail, and, casting about, at last saw figureon an eminence about a hundred yards away. A second look revealed Mango and Tu, accompanied by about a score of their men. I looked for an immediate attack, but what followed was something more calamitous. “Do you know that you are on Lapu ground, White Heron?” called Mango. “I do not,” I shouted back at him. “You lie!” he retorted. “Tho ground on which You stand is iapu, and you know it.” With that he vanished,' and his men with him, while I stared blankly at my companion. “Did you know .this ground was sacred, Raumati?” I said severely, more sharply, indeed, than I intended, ■’or I might have known that he, who new all the tapu areas around the ortress would not have led mo hither. “No tapu has been placed on this ::nd,” he said, looking me fair in the -ye. “Well, there is trouble abroad now, o let us return to- the pa,” I went on. Silently we picked our way back ,hrough the tangled undergrowth, and is we walked I tried in vain to think if a defence to make when we got home, where tho news would certainly have reached before us. To break tapu is, in the eyes of the native, one of the worst crimes and I looked forward to the return with no great relish. As we passed through the gate we saw. a crowd gathered about my house, so we broke into a run. On reaching tho gathering I was thunderstruck to see Hiwa and Mango each holding a musket in his hands, while a moment later Tu appeared with tho third. Before the door stood tho cask of powder, with everything else that could bo moved from the dwelling, and even as I broke through upon them, they were seized and carried away, while 1 found myself in the centre of the gathering, menaced by spear and club, without a chance of escape. The tohunga had done his work well. I was in possession of no more than that which I stood up in, and about me pressed the natives, fury imprinted on each face. (To be continued.^