STORIES OF THE PENINSULA.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume VIII, Issue 744, 31 August 1883, Page 2

STORIES OF THE PENINSULA.

No 42.—-Story of a Snake Hunt in Akaroa Harbor by Mrs ,Tikao. Tho impression sure to b& produced by the heading of this story will be/that it is simply a hoax, which ; no amount of testimony can substantiate, for it. must seem incredible, in a country where such reptiles are unknown, that a snake hunt over took place in the immediate vicinity of Akaroa. But the story will not appear so improbable when it is known that several attempts were made in the " early days," by visitors to these shores, to acclimatize snakes, and the presence of the reptile found and killed in those parts was doubtless due to the ill-judged zeal of one of those insane naturalists, wbo, regardless of ail conse-

quences, seemed determined to solve the question whether snakes could exist in New Zealand. Mrs Tikao's atory is as follows :—" We had often listened with eager interest to the stories told by our countrymen of their narrow escapes from being bitten by serpents ; and the accounts they gave of the deadly effect of snake bite only served to deepen bur hereditary aversion to all reptiles. You can imagine the commotion and excitement caused by the reported discovery of a snake on the shores of the harbor. It was found by a colored man named Jim, who lived a long time with the Maoris at Takapuneke near the Red House. He was a sober, industrious man, and highly respected by us. Having gone for some reason to 0 Tipua —the promontory between Akaroa and German Bay—he was startled by the discovery of unmistakable signs of a snake's presence. The spot where the discovery occurred was close to the cliff used by the men of war frequenting the harbor as a target. He hurried'back at once to warn every one against going near the place. He told the Maoris not to approach the place even for the shell-fish found only at low-water. There was no need to repeat the warning, for we were all too much alarmed to venture anywhere near 0 Tipua, and already in imagination we saw the country swarming with venomous reptiles. Jim told us that he used to track and kill snakes in his own country, but that it was so long ago, that he almost forgot how to proceed, but he promißed to do his best to rid us of the dreaded pest, which had appeared in such an unaccountable manner in our neighborhood. There were two French men-of-war at anchor in the harbor at the time, and Jitn applied to the captain of one of them for help, who sup ■ him with a musket and ammunition, and sent in one of the ship's boats to the spot where the indications which he first saw, awakened his alarm. Every one was very much interested in the success of Jim's efforts, and the Maoris, seated in bunts and canoes, watched his movements from a safe distance. On landing, he proceeded cautiously along the hill side, picking his steps through the tussock grass and scrub. At last wo lost sight of him altogether, and he was so long hidden from our view, that we began to be alarmed for his safety, many exclaiming that he had fallen a victim to his zeal for the general safety. The report of lm gun, however, assured us of hit) escape, and not long afterwards we saw him approaching the beHch with something like an eel, about a yard long, fastened to the end of a rod. He brought it down to the beach, and showed it to us. It was epotted black and white. Jim told us that it was necessary to burn it, in order to prevent its young ones coming out of its body and stocking the place, so a bonfire was made and the snake consumed."