YOUNG PIONEERS

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 13, 16 January 1926, Page 13

YOUNG PIONEERS

REMARKABLE JOURNEY

THROUGH UNEXPLORED FORESTS

BEFORE THE MAORI WAR

EXTBACTS FBOM A JOTJBNAL OF

S. PEBCY SMITH.

A remarkable journey was undertaken in tho beginning of the year 1868 by five lads, all of whom weie about 18 years of age. These lads were: F. Murray, J. M'Kellar, A. Standish, W. Hursthouso, and the narrator, 8. Percy Smith, who:was subsequently for many years Survey-or-General of New Zealand. The lads, fired by the view over; the unknown inland country from the top of Mount Egmont, arranged a journey from New Plymouth, via Mokau, to Lake Taupo, Botrrua, thence southward by Taupo and Bangitikei, and by the coast-line back to New, Plymouth. In those days all the rivers and the heavily forested country was unmapped and unroaded, (scattered native settlements existed in places, with . narrow native tracks between them. No horses nor any kind of conveyance were possible. The , lads, therefore, carried backloads weighing over 401bs, containing supplies of food and blankets, but no tents. The lads' financial resources were limited, and Maori ideas on the subject of fees for ferrying over rivers were very exorbitant, throwing the party on their own resources in* a number of instances. Fortune, however, favoured them at several tight pinches, as they succeeded in getting put across' the Urenui Eiver for 3s, having had to turn down a demand for 15s, They were dependent at many of the native houses and villages at which they arrived upon Maori hospitality and culinary arrangements. They found it best to refrain from imaginative criticism of the food supplied. Between 'the old pa of Pukearuhe and the Tongaporutu Biver they had to travel on the beach below high-water mark, having some difficulty in escaping the surf in rounding various points. At the White Cliffs, about 900 feet, they had very hard work in climbing and scrambling up and down, heavily loaded as they were, sometimes up to their waists in the sea and over slippery rocks. At last, after many ascents and descents, they found a night's lodging in a deserted pa at the mouth of the river. ASCENDING MOKAU RIVER. The next day's journey was along the beach, crossing several rivers, one of which took them up to their necks. Arriving at the Mokau Eiver, they got across in a canoe, and were received by Mr. Schnaekenberg, a missionary. The Maoris on the spot took a great interest in the expedition, feasted them on potatoes and pigeons, grinding wheat and making dampers to • carry with them. The hiring of canoes and a couple of men to go up the river became quite a public affair, the chief Takarei wanting £80 for permission to go on. This *being impossible, the lads had almost made up their minds to' go down to the Wanganui and paddle up that' river. However, in the event, they got a canoe and two men for £10. Dncks were shot on the voyage, and potatoes were obtained from cultivations near by. On their way, Percy Smith, who writes the account of the journey, makes note of small veins of coal and portions washed down among the debris on the river banks. At the fifth rapid they met with considerable difficulties, and were very nearly swamped, and lost their things. It was at this spot that two of the Gorman missionaries, Messrs. Sehnaekenberg and Eeimenschneider, on a previous occasion had been capsized and lost all their property.. ■ Later on on this day they had an opportunity of writing home by a canoe coming down the river.. A Sunday was spent at an old deserted mission station, then inhabitod | by many very ancient dames. LETTER WRITTEN ON A FLAX LEAF. The next day they left the Mokan Eiver, and lifted the trail fc • Taupo, which they expected to gc 4- to by the following Friday or Saturday. They met a party of Maori* pig-hunting' on the way, and they seemed to hare kept their, eyes and ears open, and Wrobably to have met many isolated Natives, as they name a number of pas and settlements which they passed. Near midday, arriving at the settlement of Horitu, they discovered that their guides would have to return in order to get a letter of introduction to Te Heuheu, at Taupo. The lads were wrath, and stormed, but they had to wait for the return of their guides, and spent the rest of the day in examining their surroundings The Maori who went back returned in the evening with his letter nicely written on a green flax leaf. A new guide had to be hired here at" a cost of £1, who would not carry anything, on the ground of his chieftainship. After some distance, the trail ended, and thenceforward they had to wade through swamps and wet fern, bush and open land, rain also adding to their difficulties. "What with the swamps and the Tain," says the diarist, "we were now thoroughly soaked. Add to this the impossibility of arriving at any house to sleep that night; and we were in a most unenviable state of mind and body. However, there was no use in grumbling, so we pushed on through some most dreadful swamps, in which gome of our party were near bringing their troubles to a premature end." However, soon after they fell in with a path running at right-angles to their course, which after much hesitation their one-eyed guide took, and was much puzzled to discover clearings and houses occupied by two women find children, who after it was ascertained that this was not a murderous party, treated them to pork and potatoes and shelter for the night. It turned out that these were "Bobinson Crusoe" Natives who had retired from Maori "civilisation," and had hidden themselves in the bush; the men having died, the widows and children carried on the settlement alone, the two children never having seen white people before. NATTVE SUSPICIONS. By midday the next day the party bad reached a horse-traok on the top

of the ranges, so that progress became faster and easier. On this and the following days they came to occasional houses or smaller villages in which the guide was known or had relations, and the consequent necessity for prolonged tangis delayed the party for some time. They passed through much country suited for grazing and European settlement, reaching the Ongaruhe Biver. The narrator at this point expresses his opinion aa to the character of the two Natives who had attached themselves to the party, and he records their names in order that subsequent travellers might have nothing to. do with them. At Ongaruhe Village the guide adorned himself with a -ng white garment, and wound a red blanket round himself, then strutted at the head of the party in a very important manner. The usual excitement and tangi took place in the village, accompanied by a feast of potatoes. It was only midday, out the guide declined to go any further. The narrator says:—"Taonui, Esq., who is the chief of this place, asked us what business we had to take away his friend (the guide), who had come from Mokau to sco him, and what, and for why, were we writing in our bookst (alluding to the journal)." They got away the next morning, however, and arrived at a village of various names, one of which was Britannia. Here they were hospitably received, and it is suggestive of their expediences that they particularly noticed that their host was a clean man. This was the end of their guide's contract with them. Here, as in other places, they were worried by the petty lestrictions of the Maori law of tapu, which often prevented tLem from carrying food into whares where they were sleeping, or firesticka for any purpose; while on other occasions they might cook their meat inside the house, but not make their chocolate, or vice versa. Neither could they hang up their pannikins or stick knives in the wall for fear of son*.) I harm coming to the owner of the place. As there was a good horse-track from this place to Taupo, the guide was paid off, and he announced that he would wait their return and go back to Mokau with them. As they did not return by this track he may , be there' still. MANY HARDSHIPS. The lads now were -without a guide other than the existing tracks, bnt as their general direction was due north their compasses were sufficient indication of the route. From time to time Maoris were seen, and some information obtained. That night, however, as it was raining hard, and no house in sight, they camped out under a big tree. Water, however, was scarce .at that spot, other than the rain, two, of them having to carry five pannikins full for a quarter of a mile. That night was very stormy; rain in torrents, thunder and lightning, so that their things were wet,.and their blankets weighed about five' times as much as formerly. Later in the day they discovered a deserted house, made a fire, but could find only fern-root, which they cooked, and they describe it aa not bad, something like tough new tread. They came ottt of a piece of bush near to some houses, where they got their first view of Lake Taupo. This inspired them into a hearty cheer, which brought out a woman from a kouie, who offered them some food. This they were in too great a hurry to accept, and began running for the lake, eventually calming down to a walk, and presently discovering they were still five miles away. After midday, however, they arrived at the brow of a hill overlooking Pnkawa, the celebrated pa of Te Heuhen. This being Sunday, the chief was at ehtrreh, so they went np to his house and began changing their wet things. Te Henheu, coming in, welcomed them. The narrator, however, fainted while dressing, from fatigue, want of sleep, and hunger. ' Mr. Grace, the missionary, lived at the settlement, to whom they had letters. Mr. and Mrs. Grace looked after them. The settlement of Pukawa, once a large and populous place, waa then sinking into decay. It had, however, some important Maori buildings in it, which the diarist refers to. On the next morning, hearing a great row outside, one of the party went out to investigate, and djacovered old Te Heuheu disciplining hia womenkind with a supplejack, they not having got up early enough to please him. ~~ REACH LAKE TAUPO. The lads being now on the borders of they lake, and in comparative civilisation, they spent a couple of days there exploring and visiting the places of interest, including the landslip, where the brother of Te Heuheu with sixty of hia people had been overwhelmed in May, 1846. The party arranged for a guide,as far as Botomahana, to which place they prJposed travelling, the lesser thermal wonders of Pukawa having fired their imaginations when told that they were nothing to the wonders to be seen at Botomahana. At one village at Waimarino they stopped for dinner, and saw an orator making a violent speech, which seemed to be principally directed towards a suDcylooking woman sitting down and peeling potatoes. On inquiring the cause, they discovered that the orator was trying to convert a heathen woman. At the end of about half an hour, he threatened her that if she did not give np her Maori god, he would turn her out of the pa. We have no record of the success of his endeavours. On their journey, they fell in with a party of Maoris going in the same direction, whom they joined. The country appealed to tho party aa a beautiful one, mostly under cnltivation, and dotted here and there with yellow kowhai trees. Another numer-ously-named village housed them for the night. Next day they were weather-bound in their tiny house, and their guide took the opportunity of striking for double wages. After much barneying, however, they were able to arrange with two non-u-uon members of the tribe to act as porters and guides for less than a quarter of the other's demand. On this part of their journey they were able to shoot a number of a great help to the commissariat. It was, however, too early in the season for new potatoes. They were gratified at the increased progress they were able to make with their new guides. Now, leaving Lake Taupo behind them, they set their faces for Botomahana and the TaraweYa mountain, which could be seen in the far distance. They came here upon a rock of pumice-stone, on which was cut a large "g"—cut by Sir George Grey on the journey which was described in a previous article. BAKING DAMPER. Our traveller describes here the i baking of iiktm 4MW fata thft

Maori flour brought from Pnkawa. It was mixed in a pint pannikin, then worked and kneaded in an old mackintosh coat spread on the ground. Then t-ver a hole were placed six sticks, upon which were put the dampers, and under them hot coals from a fire alongside. Necessity in this ease is obviously the mother of invention, as in about an hour they had plenty of good damper, aa good as cooked in the best 'oven. This day's journey was their record—"no joke with sore feet in a hot sun."

The next day, at 6 a.m., they were in sight of Lake Tarawera, and in another hour of Lake BotomahanaThe travellers were now in the thermal regions, and onr narrator devotes several pages to a description of the lake, the settlements, and the hot springs. Turning a corner, "the beautiful Tarata (White Terrace) burst upon our view. We seemed almost all at one* to have entered fairyland. We walked upon what appeared to be white^marble. Before us were dozens of marble baths and terraces, with the elegant little toreas (ducks) hopping about and bathing in the warm water that falls from the terraces, getting gradually cooler as it Bears the lake. These lucky birds are protected by tapu. The travellers stayed a considerable time at Botorua, where

the missionaries, Mr. and Mrs. Spancer, were exceedingly kind to them.

THE RETURN JOURNET.

After a week 'a stay, they returned to Pukawa by the same route by which they had come, and then Bet cut on their southern journey; At the beginning of this, they were guided by Ti Heuheu himself. Thence they travelled over a fine level grassy country to Botoaira Lake, where they stayed the night with some Maoris, continuing their southward journey next day, arriving at the edge of a sandy plain, called Rangipo Desert, where they stopped for the night. Next day, following some horse tracks over the sand, they met a man from Manawatu with some dogs, pig-hunt-ing. The party suffered severely from sore feet, due to the heat of the ground they were travelling over. At night they arrived at Turangariri settlement, whose population was absent, but they made themselves at home. Next day, however, they discovered the people, who gave them a raeaL The following day they stopped for dinner, and to ring the perspiration out of their clothes at the entranie to the long bush. Heavy rain and bad weather now came on, hail l;r»g six inches deep.; Their journey now lay along the high range of hills called Otairi, at night sheltering themselves under a hut made of a blanket and totara bark. They wer« now just about the end of their provisions, and getting anxious on the subject, but a -umber of pigeons which were shot staved off immediate necessities. At length one morning they got out of the forest into beautiful grass country, and were now in the Bangitikei district, and arrived at the farm of Mr. George Swainson, who gave the party a huge breakfast. At the adjacent station of Mr. Mac Donald, where they were most hospitably treated, they stayed the night. 'Our traveller ends his narrative here in the year' 1858, because, as he says, *the remainder of their journey from Wanganui to Taranaki is an

everyday occurrence. He states that they reached home on the 3rd of March, 1858, having walked 500 miles, canoed 46, and ridden on horseback 60.

In the year 1919, the narrator, in his old age, t«<es up the story again, and completes the description of the final stages of this remarkable journey.