WEEKS ON FOOT.

Auckland Star, Issue 18, 22 January 1940, Page 5

WEEKS ON FOOT.

KAIPARA TO PETONE.

I MISSIONARY'S LONG TRIP.

FIRST RELIGIOUS SERVICE

The story of how the Rev. James Bnller came to be in Port Nicholson in January, 1840, and was thus in a position to conduct the first religious service in the presence of the original pioneer settlers, is the etory of a remarkable journey on foot through a greater part of the length of the North Islandi The Rev. Jamee Buiier and his wife loft England in 1835 to join the staff oi the Wesleyan Mission to the Maori people. Arriving in April, 1836, he speni three years at the headquarter* of th< mission on the Hokianga River, when he acquired a sound knowledge of Maor customs and of the Maori lajiguagi (states the "Post," Wellington). In 1831 he took charge of a station in the Kai para district, but he had not been tneri a year before he was required to maki an overland journey to Port Nicholsoi to welcome the settlers, who wer expected to arrive from England. He set out on his journey on Novembe 27, 1839, having the Eev. John Whitele; aa a fellow traveller as far as Kawhia On the way they passed over the sit of the city of Auckland, then a wast< After leaving the Manukau, they heade for the Waikato, halted for a night a an Anglican station there, and went o to the station of the Rev. James Wallu who was at Waingaroa, near Raglan. . halt was made here for eeveral days, an then the two missionaries went on t Kiiwliia. Here they parted company, bi it wns twelve days before Mr. Bull* could resume his journey eouthwarc owing to the difficulty of procurin native guides. After leaving Kawhi Mr. Bullor <iid not sleep in a bed agai until lie returned north in the followir year. Primitire Scenery. From Kawhia he proceeded in tl direction of Lake Taupo. He saw Tong fk<y ifon-tb* «r»ter el wttek vain.

of smoke were pouring, and there was now on Ruapehu. Two days were spent in crossing a scene of desolation, and then three in penetrating a thick and continuoue forest through which the sun's rave hardly penetrated. Pipiriki, on the. YVanganui River, wae reached on •January 11, and an eager welcome wae accorded to the traveller b}> the natives there. A week or so later Otaki was reached. It was then a fortified pa, and had recently been the scene of a bloody l>attle. At Waikanae Mr. Bulle'r dined •'in truly primitive style," as he says in hie records, with Mr. Hadfleld, then a ycfung man in delicate health living in a tent while a rush houee was being built for him. Mr. Hadfield lent Mr. Buller hie boat in order to vieit Kapiti < Island. A visit to Te Rauparaha on ) Mana Island followed, and a service was held there. The boat was nearly . swamped on the return journey, but ' finally Porirua was , safely reached. i A five hours' walk from Porirua 1 through thick woods brought Mr. Bui- • ler in eight of Port Nicholson, which to ! his eyee had the appearance of a large lake. A descent wae made to Pito-one, where Wharepouri and other chiefs were met. Thie wae on January 21, and on the following day Mr. Buller walked to Te Aro "over a rugged rocky road, or rather cliff." On that day the Aurora made port, so Mr. Buller had timed his arrival very nicely. On the following e Sunday he held a service on board—the first service for the new settlers. Hβ r was able to tell the settlers much about y the new country, and what there was i. in store for them, and he predicted e trouble owing to the lax way in which ;. the land had been acquired. t A Colourful Paragraph. n Mr. Buller finally returned to the '' Bay of Islands on a whaling boat. He j had been away nearly three months, two of which "had been spent, to usej ° his own words, "climbing mountains, lt descending precipices, wading rivers. 7 and penetrating forests, sometimes| drenched with rain, then broiling in the lg sun, and at night sleeping on # the ground. • a " Mv. travelling companions told thrilling tales of blood and battle —what hecalg tombs of human bodies had been cooked and eaten in days gone by. But withal the jeranwy had its bright side. Ip I found in moet place* a 'people prea pared for the Lord' and 'field* white mm unto i e*kf *•