DEATH OF THE CELEBRATED NATIVE CHIEF HOOK-NOSE. (Concluded.)

Daily Southern Cross, Volume X, Issue 674, 13 December 1853, Page 3

DEATH OF THE CELEBRATED NATIVE CHIEF HOOK- NOSE. (Concluded.)

Te Horeta was a kind-hearted man; he was the means of saving many lives. The pah of Hangahanga, at Maungatautari, (near Waikato) was besieged by the Waikato tribes, 2,000 men, by Ngapuhi, (Bay of Islanders) by Ngatipaoa, the Ngatiwhanaunga, the Ngatimaru, and the Ngatitamatcra ; (tribes from the Thames.) This pah belonged to Te Whatanui, of the Ngatiraukawa tribe. Horeta wished to save the pah, and Te Whatanui, knowing his mind on this matter, said to him, " 0 son, can you indeed prevail upon them to abandon the siege?" Te Hor2ta replied, "I will prevail ; I will induce them to leave this." " What sign will you give me?" said Te Whatanui. "My father," said Te Horeta," when the first cloud of the morning breaks, if the fire be kindled, they are about to depart." Thus did Te Horeta save the lives of Te Whatanui, and the Ngatiraukawa tribe ; this kindness was his own. Te Iloreta likewise saved the lives of Te Rauparaha, and Rangihaeata, Te Kakakura, Te Pokaitara, Te Heuheu (the groat Taupo Chief of ancient renown,) Tukino, Te Riupawhara, Te Rangimonehunehu, and Tauteka, with many others of the Ngatitoa, and the Ngatituwharetoa tribes. A chief named Kurupo was in the pah, he belonged to the Ngatikahununu, (the Hawkes Bay tribes.) These tribes were not ready to attack the pah, in consequence of the Waikato not having all assembled. In the morning Te Horeta visited the settlement at Waiari, where the Waikato people were encamped, 200 in number, he said to them, " Children, let us go up and save the lives of the Ngatitoa, and Ngatituwharetoa," and they journeyed to Mangatoatoa. The Waikato people said, that the Ngatitoa and Ngatituwharetoa would not escape. When Tukorehu, Akanui, Waraki, Hiakai and Wherowhero, chiefs of Waikato, saw Te Horeta and his party sitting at Mangatoatoa, they came there also, and Tukorehu said, " Let some food be prepared lor my son Te Horeta." Tukorehu, .Akanui, Waraki, and other chiefs in presenting the food, took a basket of eels, and streaked them over with red ochre. [This painting with red ochre conveyed to the assembled multitude the determination of the party presenting the food with regard to the massacre of the inhabitants of the besieged pah.] Tukorehu also painted his own body with red ochre in streaks ; he put on his korirangi mat (a short mat with variegated strings, generally worn as a cloak thrown over one shoulder) he fastened the strings across his breast, and suspended his battle axe therefrom. The mimber of the Waikato people engaged in presenting the food to Te Taniwha, including men, ■vvoinen, and children, amounted to six hundred. [The great number of persons who assisted to place the food before Hook-nose, showed by this act an extraordinary degree of deference, and few New Zealanders under such circumstances, could resist the unanimous wishes of such a host of friends.] While in the act of presenting the food, they sang : — What is our food to be ? Man is sustained by shellfish, fern, And other roots drawn from their parent earth ; But while they're eaten, the tongue Is parched and scaly, and men are seen, Lapping their tongues, like dogs. * * This is no doubt in reference to the horrid custom of feasting on human flesh ; the usual food being roots, is here said to be both unpleasant and dog-like. When the food was placed before Te Horeta and party, the Ngatitoa and Ngatituwharetoa were weeping near the posts of their houses. Horeta rose from his seat, and went to the weeping party. He saluted Te Heuheu, Te Rauparaha, Rangihaeata, Te Kahukura, Te Pokaitara, Tukmo, Te Riupawhara, and the stranger Kurupo ; he (Te Horeta) went into the pah, and rubbed noses with these chiefs. Tukorehu, seeing this, went also to the pah; the Waikato tribes immediately dispersed, for they were angry with Te Horeta. Te Horeta spoke to Te Heuheu and the other chiefs ; he said — " Now, Omy fathers, no man will molest this place ; the sun and the rain will be upon it, as formerly ; be at ease, Omy fathers." When Te Horeta &at down, Te Ileuheu rose and &aid— " Call me, call me, my son. I come to you, my son, but my coming to you is not in greatness ; my coming is not like that of a living man. But for your influence, my son, should we indeed again rub noses with your fathers and younger brothers: You have saved us, and lo ! we live." Te Heuheu then made a proverb, viz. — " Te Horeta is he who saves the lives of men." All these people were thus saved by Te Horeta. He was a benignant man ; and this is the reason why he was great. Another good action of Te Horeta was the preservation of the lives of Rauru and his children and people. They belonged to the Ngapuhi. [Tribes from the north.] Te Rauru and his people went to Maungatautari on a war expedition ; they were unsucceshiul in their attempts to storm the pah, and were leturning to their settlements, by way of Waikato, when they were seen by the Ngatipou (a tribe now residing at Tuakau) paddling down the stream, and were invited on shore. The Ngatipou prepared a feast, named Whakangvmgu (to chew), and invited the Ngatiwhanaunga (Hooknose's tribe) to attend. When Te Taniwha landed, he thrust his spear into a flax bush (this denotes peace), and immediately Ngauri, of Ngapuhi, sprang forward with his tomahawk to kill Te Horeta". There were six hundred men, besides women and children, of the Ngatiwhanaunga lying in amtmsh. AVhen Te Horeta saw Ngauri coming, with his weapon in his hand, he said — " Who is tins person with his face turned towards us?" The axe of Ngauii was intended to destroy Te Horeta, but he warded off the blows of Ngauri and struck him to the ground. Raemoka called out, " Kill him ;" but Te Iloreta said, "No; let the light shine." All the Ngatiwhanaunga said, " Let Ngauri be killed." "Not so," said Te Iloreta; "let the light shine amongst us." So the life of Ngauri was spared ; and Rauru, together with the others, were saved from destruction, and permitted to return to their people in the noith, and salute them by rubbing noses. Theie were many great thoughts in his heart, but who is able to search them out ? The good that resulted Piom his former deeds of 10-se are only now seen. His tairo to obtain good, was visible before his death, in \m gicat anxiety to be baptized. In bidding us farewell ho used the ancient proverb handed down from juv forefathers, " Hold fast the shellfish." [The shellish mentioned, are the oyster and the cockle, which are n-ized by the New Zealander, and the proveib in all n-obabihty means, that they should be as anxious to lold on to good principles, as they are to preserve he shellfish which forms so valuable a portion of heir food.] Te Horeta was kind to the Europeans, even in the lays of the " Coromandel." Taipari, Porua, and other ;hiefs of the Ngatiwhanaunga, were also good to the vhite people. When they were getting timber at tVaiau, Waiomo, and Waivhakarunga, the Ngatimaru tribe in the Thames) wanted to take the timber away, >ut Te Hoi eta would not permit them. He wa9 not vcaiy with regard to his attentions to the Europeans ; hey "experienced his kindness till leaving these shores o return tothoir own homes.

After this, another voyager came; and the tribes were disposed to commit evil, but Te Horeta prevented it, and insisted upon the strangers being treated kindly. And hearken to mo, Oyo Europeans ; when you first came to reaiiL- in this land, Te Horeta called together his tribes and said—" O, my children, we must protect the white people-, and use them well." Now Hearken still farther, omy Etuopean friends ; if we— the children of Te Horeta, follow in the loot .steps of our lather vyith regaid to doing good, we shall meet with your encouragement and approval, as he did; but if we forsake his good way, and trample under foot his wise counsels, then his son, or any of us who do these things, will be despised by you, and become unworthy of your notice. (Signed) TVikEjiu Mathi Te Mokongohi, ot Coromandel. - - October 27, 1853. "" The deeds of blood so graphically described by Hooknose's relative, Mokongohi, will give the reader a faint idea of the direful condition of the New Zealander before it became his happy privilege to hold intercourse with the highly civilized and enlightened Anglo-Saxon race. The picture we have drawn is indeed deeply shaded. The sunny spots, dimly seen on the slopes of the distant mountain ranges, afford us, it is true, a momentary pleasure ; but the eye is speedily met by the deadly weapon felling to the earth its hapless victim; and, while we gaze, the heart sickens at the thought of thousands of human b'ings, endowed with such noble powers, and capable of such" i high enjoyments, recklessly introducing themsslves imo the dread realities of the future state, with scarcely a ray of light or hope. But these " dark, corners of the earth, full of the habitations of cruelty," have been illuminated by the shining of the " sun of righteousnesg, with healing in his wings ;" and the world's great Redeemer has gilded with his sacred presence " the valley of the shadow of death," even in these haunts of sin. The zeal and love that fired the breasts of the fir-t Missionaries, whose happiness it was to " break up the fallow ground" of these blood-stained islands, weie so many beacons of attraction amidst the surroundirg gloom. Nor were they permitted to exclaim — " wl o hath believed our report ?" He that preserved their defenceless lives from the hands of the merciless savage condescended to bless their ministry; and, while attending the couch of the dying maori, cheered tluir hearts by allowing them to witness the holy joy that lighted up his> countenance when about to .take possession of spoils far richer than his highly-prized battleaxe, or carved spear. Since those days of trial, the enterprising settlers, scattered upon the banks of the various rivers and bays, have not a little contributed to the enlightenment and wellbeing of the native race. The wish of the dying chief, in regard to " the inhabitants of these islands dwelling in haimony, is likely to be gratified. The greatest anxiety is manifested Ly the New Zealander of the present day to assimilate himself to the usages of the more culdvatsd pakelu. This fact is palpable to all who have any business transactions with him ; and, when we look at the rapid advances he has made in civilization during the bst few yeais, it will be readily admitted that but little eff >rt is required on our part to make him an useful and respectable member of society. The fine qualities that ennobled the character of our respected and lamented iiiend Hooknose were not peculiar to himself. Many ot his coadjutors were alike great and brave; and many among . the surrounding tribes would be no less distinguished for their valour and compassion, should circumstances CdU them into action. But the tomahawk of the New Zealander is no longer uplifted against his fellow ; nor is the warrior summoned to the scene of carnage by the sound of the pah u. The exciting yell of the war dance is exchanged for the song of praise 5 and the time, we trust, is not far distant when jjthe benign influence of Christianity shall spread its healing power through the length and breadth of this pleasant land.

Concert — The second concert given by ' Mr. Buckingham's family took place, with increased effect, at the Odd Fellow's Hall, on Wednesday ezening. The attendance was large and respecfable; and the performance appeared to give very general satisfaction.

The Band of H M.'s oSth Regt. will resume their Performance in the Government Lawn on Thursday next, between the hours of 4 and 6 p.m. PROGRAMME. Overture " On Scottish Melodies," Davis. Melange, Op " The Bondman," Balfe. Duetto, Op. ." Maria di Rohan," Donizetti. Recit. c Cay., 0p. . . " Eliza c Claudio," . . Mercadantc Waltz " The Presbourg," Mohr. Polka "The Brides," D' Albert. Song ..." The Coolun," (Irish melody) . . . . Quadrille "The English," Jullicn. Q