JOURNAL OF A TRIP TO THE WAIKATO.

Anglo-Maori Warder, Volume 1, Issue 15, 3 August 1848, Page 4

JOURNAL OF A TRIP TO THE WAIKATO.

(Continued.) Our canoe being got under weigh, we proceeded up the river, and a noble river it indeed is: its broad waters come sweeping and glittering along—its banks ovetbung by lofty pines and evergreens, receding from its banks, and ternii Dating upon a lofty range, form, certainly, very fine, if not romantic scenery. Opposite the place of our embarkation is a veiy pretty and apparently fertile island called but of small extent. We had not proceeded far ere we had an opportunity of testing our Joe ftlonton, at some ducks, with which the Waikato literally swarms. After going up a few miles, we brought to for the night at a place called Koruakokopu, the residence of- Kutipa, Chief of the Nga ti po tribe. It consisted of a solitary M are on the banks of the river, situate under some tall kaikatea and other trees, many of the former sending up a straight stem to the height of eighty or a hundred feel, without a branchindeed straightness seerac a characteristic of this tree. It i& remarkable that the males aud females are separate trees—the latter bearing berries called koroi, about the size and appearance of a sinall red currant and a bluish seed attached. The taste is not disagreeable, being sweet, but too much flavored witli turpentine—the Natives eat great quanti.ies ct them The woods here abounded with tuies and parrots, which keep up a great chattering for a few hours sii»ht and morning, but are generally pretty si}p.,t dunng the n n of the day. We saw, also, some migratory birds, there being no ripe food to their laste, in that part, they ate not residents. After our 6upper being cooked and despatched, we retired to the ware to spend the remainder of the evening in smoking, chatting, and di inking tea, as well a> entertaining ourselves and friends "with a few songs—the evening being advanced, -we stretched ourselves in our blankets a< d were quickly usleep—probably, there being fifteen or suteen persons in one house, and a good lire in the centre, the fleas were inore equally divided, or th»- place rendered "too hot to hold them"— at all events we were not so much annoyed by them und slept sound!). 2nd, Sunaay.—After enjoying the treat of a delicfjiis uasii in the Mateis of the Waikato, and getting breakfast, we took a short stroll in the wood, but found ourselves so entangled, we could not proceed far—the woous being completely overrun with diderent kit.ds of creepers, of which the most prevailing kind is the kareao (ttipogorum paviflorum), we soon returned wu\ spent tue lemainder of lite djy as we best could. Wo did uoi get our dinner till night, the Natives having'onl} two meals on a Sunday, as the; pre*

pate their food on a Saturday, and have-merely to cook it on Sunday. We noticed they strictly so far regard the Sabbath, that they do not per- | form any unnecessary work on theSnnday. After tea, and talking over various legends respecting j the firat formation and peopling of New Zealand,; we " turned in.*' 3rd,—'After getting breakfast, we got tinder i weigh and proceeded up the river, which, here, 1 is exceedingly pretty, the woods and hills rising on both sides and adding by their varied foliage ! to the beauty of the scenery. We 60on, on a ■ bend of the river, passed Paparaurua, the resi- ; dence of a European named Marshall, who lias | •been living'sonie years upon the Waikato. He was not at home and therefore we did not call. | The principal business of these Europeans seems ! to be the rearing of pork. and some of them have i dlso lately got a few cattle and horses, but I be- j lieve solely for breeding purposes, for I believe i they do not cultivate any land or at least only sufficient to raise a few potatoes for their own consumption. After rounding the bend|of the river, the Western side presents a rocky appearance, and in one place> at Horuarangi, rises to a considerable height almost perpendicular. The opposite bank has a very picturesque appearance by some ranges of wooded hills runniug back at right angles from the river, opening up to view a fine valley running up to Maungatawiri—»a little further up we halted, a fine kaikatea presenting itself in view, laden with koroi berries, a temptation which our Natives could not resist, and accordingly they were soori ashore, running up the tree like cats. It now being also quite evident that Mipa's complaint was increasing, we therefore stayed some time, and meanwhile had a bath in the Waikato, but found the water very cold. It is a very dangerous river to bathe in for those who cannot swim, as. after walking out a little way on a gradual slope, you suddenly find yourself step dowu a 6teep benk, over head and ears, and unless an expert swimmer, quite unable to contend against the current, which comes sweeping down with great velocity. Having returned to the canoe, we kept on our way up the river, between finely wooded banks and some fine and fertile islands, till we came to a sudden bend of the river at Maungatawiri, where it strikes away almost at right angles. At this bend a creek runs in from Maungatawiri, from which there is a road or pathway to Auckland, the distance being only a little further, some three or four miles, than the road from Tuakau to Auckland. The road also continues onwards inland, and is the rout for taking horses and cattle jowards the Thames, Potorua, &c. After stretching across, we passed the Wangamarino creek, and two fine islands, the river swarming with ducks: further up we, on bending the river again to the right, landed at a place called Tutu, where we lay to for the night; There were no houses, but a place well sheltered, and we encamped among some trees. The land here was exceedingly fertile, and the fern and Tupakaln of ag! eat size and length, among which was some fine grass and cattle feed. On the opposite side of the river was a narrow belt of trees, along the river side, which bad quite the appearance of a fir plantation on the side of some of the rivers in Englaud, wjth the exception of these being taller. The country here, on botb-sides, was more opeu—but I little wood for along distance back, being mostly land near the river, and fewer hills at the rear. We had here a fipe view of the Hauraki Hills, rising at the back of an immense plain, opposite. As we were rather apprehensive of rain, we selected a spot under a thicket of Tupakabi trees for ourlormttory,and by bending otber branches , over, made it tolerably secure from a light shower, and there being plentr of fern at hand, we soon made ourselves a tolerably comfortable bed, by ; which time supper was announced, after which, and a few songs and " God save the Queen," we "turned in." Here, being by ourselves, and no one to share the fleas, I think we had ri.ore than our quantum, we soon, however, got to s)eep» but as we bad only a very small fire during thenigbt, we found it rather cold in the morning. 4th. We did not wait for breakfast, but started off. One of our party had left a dog behind, and as he kept continually calling him, our attention was atti acted by the echo of his voice, which reverberated in three distinct places, and so clear was it that we could bear three or four words perfectly distinct. We now got among sand banks, which detained so much, that we made a very abort distance before we stopped to breakfast, among some trees on the riverside, at i There were no natives here, but we were soon joined by an old chief, whose residence was about a quarter of a mile further up. He pointed out the road from the opposite side to Tuakau—passing a mountain called Pukekaua, which is only a few hours walk* whereas we had been more than a day wimliug up the river, though, true, our people did not over exert themselves. Clearly, our course had been almost a mile. Having bieakfasted we proceeded ouwards. The land on both sides being destitute of wood the further we pro* ceederi, and, generally speakiug, the hills receding further from the river—near to which were slight undulating fern hills, or on the low ground, covered with clumps of trees, flax or long grass. We went slowly on to Takapua, where, on landing, we were invited to dine by a chief named Kokotekokoti, or Kokoti, as be is now called—who rejoices in the alias of Kotewereweri, Muriho, and Maui Mani, and certaiuly one of the oddes; fellows 1 ever met with. He is chief of the Nga te Roura, and includes in his chieftainship the Ngateaua and the Ngatehuru. He was on bis way to »————, his place of residence. His incessant talking and novelty of idea were quite amusing. Not a person, not a canoe, can pass but he has something to 6<*y to them, and 1 believe not always or a very flattering character to the person addressed. The natives imagine, from bis incessant volubility of tongue, he must be cranky 3 however that may be, ue was very polite to us. and kept us by his conversation iu continual laughter. He was waiting the arrival of a canoe; we therefore left him, and proceeded onward*, passing some islands, one of which was inhabited, the only onr which we had observed to be un«ler cultivation. The> gfiierutl), being burial plucks of gome due'*, and consequently are lapu, or sa* cied. Passing Opuaiea, Wangapae, and a fine island opposite the latter, we put into Horo

Horn for the night. Here we received a welcome from the inhabitants, and having seen our traps landed, were ushered into a wau, which, though it may be waterproof* was certainly not wind proof, for the sides being built of logs of wood placed upright, and not close together, admitted more air than was aggreeable; however, squatting as near the fire as possible while supper was being got ready, we did not feel much of it. We were soon attracted by a sound) which it appeurs arose from a-person knocking away upon a piece of iron in supposed immita* (ion of a bell, to announce evening prayer. We accordingly went and joined them in a comfortable ware, where an old man gave out a hymn, which they sang, after which he read a chapter, and then prayers—not forgetting to pray for Pakehas as well as Maories. This was the first public service we had seen among tbem, and could not help admiring the decorum with which it was performed. After a little chat we retired to our quarters, whe*e we found our supper ready, and with our pork, and plenty of potatos, kumaras, corn, and some small fresh water fish, which abound in the Waikato. These ceitainiy are a great delicacy—-in size they somewhat resemble white-bait, and in flavour quite equal. Tea and supper being ended, we turned in, our own people also sleeping iu the same ware, and were soon asleep. (To be continued.)