FOUND IN THE BUSH.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 169, 16 July 1908, Page 5

FOUND IN THE BUSH.

A MAORI WOMAN'S PLIGHT. WENT AWAY TO DIE. A party visiting the Egmont Mountain House during last week-end had a most uncanny experience. They heard moans from the bush on Saturday night, but concluded that they were uttered by a dog. On Sunday afternoon th_y heard a similar noise, and searched the bush for three hours without success. The visitors from town, however, were so impressed with the noise that before they left for New Plymouth, the settlers made a promise to search the bush again next morning in daylight. They found a Maori woman crouching in the thick fern and undergrowth with her head pressed between her knees. She was practically destitute of clothing and was in a very weak state, apparently from exposure and starvation. Her feet were terribly swollen with the cold. Information was at once conveyed to the police at Inglewood, and Mrs Morris, the caretaker's wife, subsequently hurried to the scene, and taking off some of her own clothing, placed it on the Maori. Mrs Cash sent along food and wine, which were given to the woman by Mrs Morris. This revived her somewhat and she soon recovered her power of speech and gave her name as Pipi. She was carefully lifted into the gig and brought to New Plymouth by Mr and Mrs Morris and taken to the hospital. Near the spot where the woman was found is a hollow log, in which the remains of her clothing were found. Judging by the surroundings, it appeared, as though she had been in the bush for two or three weeks, as there wore tracks beaten down in various directions. Inquiries made yesterday elicited the fact that the woman was in a very low condition. She informed Mrs Morris that she had gone into the bush to die. About eight months ago her brother died, and she had no one left. She had been living at Bell Block and left there nearly three weeks ago. She had been in the bush during that time.