COOK’S VISIT.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXV, Issue 10392, 9 May 1927, Page 1 (Supplement)

COOK’S VISIT.

IN LIGHT OF M AOKL TRADITION. GISBORNE AS l'T WAS IN 1769. NATIVES' LACK OF HOSPITALITY. (Written by the lute Bishop N. Williams. foi- the Transactions of the N.Z. Institute, 1881.) The interest which will always at. tach to the first visit of Captain Cool-: to the shores of New Zealand is sufficient justification lor any attempt to elucidate a portion of his narrative, mid, by tlie aid of personal acquaintance with' the localities touched at, and reference to Maori traditions of the events, to euaolo any reader to present to his mind a more vivid picture of all the eircumstaiiees{ When, as in this case-, places are in minute detail, it is oftena* matter of considerable difficulty to identify any particular .spot f though this .difficulty may often in a great measure be overcome by careful examination of the ground, and close attention to every hint contained in 'the narrative which may serve as a clue to the identification o. the actual site of the cccu*react*. This, then, is what it is proposes to

attempt in this paper with reference to Captain Cook’s visit to Poverty Bay and Tolaga Bay. It was on Friday, October .6, 1709, that the land was first seen from the ; masthpad, bearing west by north, the longitafeCo!-' the ship having been ascertii|pjd to be 180 degrees, -5-5 minutes \V. On Saturday, October 7, n fell calm till the afternoon. At b p.nf. Cook noticed a deep bay and stood in for it, but, when night came,

l:e kept plying off and on till daylight. In the morning (Sunday Oct. 8) he found himself considerably to leeward of the hay, the wind being at north, and it was not till 4 o’clock in the afternoon that he anchored "on the north-west side of the hay, before the entrance to a small river at about half a league from the shore.” "In the evening,’- Cook says, "1 went on shore accompanied by Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander with the pinnace and yawl and a party of men. Wc landed abreast of the ship on the east side of the river,' which was here about 40 yards broad; blit, seeing some natives -on the west side whom I wished to speak with, and finding the river not fordable, I ordered the yawl in to carry us over, and left tlie pinnace at the entrance. -When we came near the place where the people were assembled they all ran- away : however, we landed and, leaving four bovs to take care of the yawl, we walked up to some lints which were about two or three hundred yards from the wnteiside. When we had got some distance from tne boat, four men, armed with long lances, rushed out of the woods and, running up to attack the boat, would certainly have cut her off if the people in the pinnace had not discovered

them, and called to the boys to drop down the stream. The boys instantly obeyed, but, being closely pursueu by tiie natives the coxswain of the pinnace, who had charge of the boats, fired a musket over their heads. At this they stopped and looked around them, but in a few minutes renewed r,he pursuit, brandishing their lances in a threatening manner. The coxswain then fired a second musket ovei their heads, but of this they took n<

notice, and, one of them lifting up his spear to dart at the boat, another p.ece was fired, which shot him dead. When he fell the other three stood motionless for some minutes, as if petrified with astonishment. As soon as they recovered they went back, dragging after them the dead body, which, however, they soon left, (.hat it might not encumber their flight. At the report of the first musket we drew together, having straggled to a little distance' from each other, and made, the best of our way back to the boat; and, crossing the river, we saw the native lying dead on the ground. Upon examining the body we found that he had been shot through the heart . * We returned immediately to .the ship, where we could hear the people on shore talking with great earnestness, and in a very loud tone—probably about what had happened, and what should be done.” The place of landing was evidently what is >now called the boat-harbor, immediately on the side of the mouth of the’river, and separated from it by a narrow reef of rocks. From this-place Cook and his companion walked .about two hundred” yards to a sandy point clear, of the shelving rocks,-as the most convenient point from which to cross over to the point formed by the junction of the Wsiknnae Creek with the river, where the natives were, first seen, who ran away as the strangers approached them. The huts for which they were making when the attack was made .upon the boat were probably not far from the north hank of the Waikanne, a short distance above the present signal-station. Hie four men who attacked the boat are said to have rushed out of the woocis on the east side of the river. There are no woods in the neighborhood now, nor have there been any for tlie past fifty years; but woods are said hv the natives to have existed formerly on the hill-side, within a short distance of high-water mark, which would form a convenient hiding place for the natives, whence they might observe die movements of the strangers without being seen themselves. The four men belonged to the Ngationeone hnpu of the tribe called Te Ai-tangn-a-Hamti, and the name of the one who was shot was To Maro. On Monday morning, October -4, a party-of natives was observed at tlie spot, at which -they had been seen the previous evening, and Cook determined at once to try to open up .riendly intercourse with them. Three boats were ordered, manned with seamen and marines, and with these lie proceeded towards the shore. Cook, with three others, landed first i; om the small boat; but they had not advanced far towards the natives when the latter all started up and showed themselves to be well armed with spears and meres, manifesting at the same time unmistakenble signs -of hostility. Cook therefore determined to return at once to the boats and get the marines landed. This was soon done, and they marched, with a Jack carried before them, to a little bank-about fifty yards from the water-side. Here they were drawn up .and Cook again advanced with Tupa.ea, Messrs. Banks, Green and Monklior.se, and .Dr. Solander. Tiipaea was directed to speak to the natives and it was soon evident that lie could readily make lumself understood. After some parleying about twenty cr tlvrty were induced .10 swim over, most of iiiem, however, bringing their .arms with them. All attempts to establish friendly intercourse were vain, as the only object the natives seemed to have in view was to get possession of the arms of the strangers which, as they could not obtain them by barter, they tried to snatch out of their hands. What followed is best described in Cook’s own words:—

“ln a few.minutes, Mr. Green happening to turn about, one of them snatched away his hangar, and, retiling to a little distance, wateu it round his head with a shout of exultation. The rest now began to be ,'xtrcmely insolent and we saw more coming to jo.n then! from the opposite side of the I'cvoi , it was tliere-

•fore necessary to repress them, and Mr. Banks fired at the man who had taken the hanger with small shot, at the distance of about fifteen yards. When tlie shot struck him be ceased his cry, but, instead of returning the hangar, continued to flourish it over his head, at the same time slowly retreating to a greater distance. Mr.; Monkhouse, seeing this, fired at him t with ball and lie instantly dropped. Upon this, the main body, who had ■retired to a roc-k in the middle of the river on the first discharge, began to return. Two that were near to the man who had been killed ran up .to the body; one, seized his' weapon of green talc, and the ether endeavored to secure the hanger, which Mr. Monkhouse had but just time to prevent. As all that had'retired to the rock were now advancing, three of us discharged our pieces, loaded only witli small shot, upon which they swam back to the shore, and we per-

eeived, upon their landing, that two or three of them were wounded. They retired slowly up the .country, and we re-embarked in the boats.”

- THE BOCK IN THE Hi YEP. The party of natives thus encountered was not the same as tiiat winch had been seen the evening before. According to the Maori tradition, the ship had" been seen coming into the bay the day before, and was thought to be a floating island ; and this was a party of the Rongowhaka-ata tribe, who. had come from Orakaiapu, a pa just below the junction of the Arai and Waipaoa rivers for the express purpose to take possession of the ship, and hence their hostile attitude. The man who seized Mr. Green’s hanger and lost his life in consequence was To Bakau. The landing was effected. as before, at the boat-harbor, and the place where the •marines were posted could easily lie identified before the whole aspect of the place was changed by the harbor-works which are now in progress. It was a level piece of ground, about one acre in extent, from four feet to eight feet above the level of high-water mark, arid immediately adjoining thb spot where the river was crossed un the preceding evening. A part of it may still be recognised between the outer end of the bloekyard of the harbor-works and the base of. the hill. The rock in the middle of the river which the natives used as a restingplace is known bv tlio natives as Toka-a-Taiau, and. from the way in which it is spoken of by Cook, would seem to have stood higher, at that time, than it has done now for many years past, and perhaps to have been awash, if not dry at low water. Till •within the last few years its position • was always indicated at low water by the rippling of the current,, but since it lias been partially blasted away with dynamite it has not been so easy to detect it. .

. Having failed, as above.'related, to establish, any sort of friendly intercourse w ill the people, Cook, proceeded with his • three* boats to examine 'the bay in search of fresh water, and also with the design, if possible, \ of . surprising . some of the - natives and getting them on board his shin, thy' by kind treatment their friendship might be secured, and that, by the’.r means, an. amicable correspondence might he established with their cm*otrymen. Twi>: canoes were seen coming in from the sea, making apparently for the mouth of the Kopututea river, which was then .situated much nearer the Turanganui than it is now, and somewhere near where it is shown in the accompanying mar (PI. XXXIIT ). On-i of these canoes was inter'ceptedrbiit, on the approach of the boats, the crew, seven w, number, began tlm attack so' vigorously with their paddles, with stones, a,no with other weapons, that the order was given to five upon I hem. whm’ Four wen-. - u/diappilv killed. Thy. other tlne-> v iio uere all\ynurig ;immediate!v: leaped iii'o the water, hut were soon .;cap 1 •' ’ ed - mid taker on board the ship. Their names vpre —Te Haurangi. tkirangi and; >fPrukauiti. (Cook wr'tos the inames thus : 1 ‘Tnahourange." Koikerans:e arid Mar-. 'agoraHc.” The descendants of Iln-

rangi and M’arukauiti still talk of the intercourse which their ancestors held with "Tepaca” but tlie name of Te Haurangi.-is forgotten.) Tlie kind attentions of their captors soon allayed their'‘Tears, ' and they became very sociable,- asking and answering many questions with great appearance of pleasure and curiosity. On ; tlie following morning (Tuesday, October 10) they were told, to their great delight’ that they were to he put on shore again, but it was nob without reluctance that they consent-, ed to be left at the place where the boats had landed the day before. An officer and 7a party of men had already been Sent on shore to that spotto cut wood, and Ccok afterwards landed at the same place, with the three boys,, Mr. Banks, Dr. Solander, and Tupaca. When they had crossed the river, the boys, after some hesitation, took their leave. Cook and ■ his own companions then crossed the

Waikanne at the old ford, a short distance from the mouth, and strolled up tlie right, or seaward, bank of the creek, hoping to shoot some ducks, four marines being directed to keep abreast of them oru the sandy ridge between the creek and the sea, to guard against surprise.

" A HURRIED RETREAT. After advancing about a mile a large bodv of natives was seen coming rapidly towards them, whereupon, they chew together, took to the beach, and hurried back to- the boats, the three boys joining them again and claiming their protection. As soon as 'they had got safely across the river, the natives, all armed, to the number of about 200, followed them across the Waikanne _ to the point. The boys, recognising the body of To Bakau, which still lay exposed on the beach, went to it and. covered it with some of the clothes which had been given them, boon after this a single man, unarmed, who proved to he the uncle of Marulcauiti, swam over to them bringing in his hand a green branch, which was taken as an emblem of peace. A "ter making him a few presents, they left him and returned to the ship, the boys accompanying them. The actions of the natives were closely watched from aboard the ship. The roan who had swum across to them whose residence, they pointed in a direction that we thought to be very far inland, but afterwards found to be otlierw’se.” There are no direct descendants of Te Ratu now living, hut the family is represented by the descendant’ of his brothers. The Maori tradition also mentions a reel garment ns having been laid upon the bodv of Te RMenu to which they gave the name of Te Hinui Tuhuru.

"The next morning.” Cook says, “Worloesdfl", llt’.i, ?t 6 o’cloe.c, we weighed and stood a wav from this unfortunate and inhospitable place to which I gave the name of poverty Bav, and which, by .the- natives, is called ‘Te Otioroa.’ or .‘Long Sand ns it did not afford us a sin Me article that we wanted . . . The southwas seen to perform R"me Pccul-r eeromonies ever the dead Iwdv o le Bakau, which was afterwards fetched across the river, and carried awav on n l : Hcr. The bovs were Innaed ngniu in the afternoon end were seen to go awav with the, main bodvb as they re'turned bv the way b,y wlimh they baa come ; The Maori, tradition states that ikiranM and his companions had been out fishing, and, that in answer to Tupaea’s questions they .had told him that the ariki, or principal c >"Y of the dist let, was Te Rotu. Jlus man was chief of the Rongowhataa.ta tribe, and must have possessed grea b influence;'for afterwards, whenfeoast- ; ■ ing along, the Bay of Plenty, Coo,savs, “as far as we had vnt coasted this: country.’ from Capo_Turna?a ; in, fclfe people aekTiowledwged one fine . whom they called To Ratu, and to Wp c d point of the bav T named Young Ni-Vs Head, a r tev Nichrlis the hnv who foM saw the, land . Thus pVM tos'k’s enlv visit to tb s part of Now Zealand; but as the shin liiv bocabned m-tbe aftm-nopn, m. h.ttle to tlm south of Young Nick* ■Head, several 1 canoes .p ut - off, and,

which had followed the.ship out of Poverty Bay, .came directly a.iongs;de With a little persuasion the lour men who formed the crew (one of whom was recognised as one of the hostile party encountered on Monday! were induced to come on board the ship. Their example wa» shortly afterwards followed by the rest and there was soon around tlie ship no less than seven canoes and about fifty men. About an hour 'refore sunset, but three of the men were left cn board, and were transhipped (r 1 the following morning to a canoe off Table Capo. After tlrs Cook continued his voyage southward follow*ng the coast as far as Cape Turn again, whence lie returned;you Octuher 17. vyltli a yi-" of examining the coast to the northward o" Poverty Bay. On Friday* the, twentieth, lining p•••'vented by the w ml from fetching Tolaga Bay, lie anchored about 11 o’clock in another hay, a little to the north, the name given to which by the natives, lie says, was Tegado. What Maori name this represents I have been unable to discover. He gives no description bv which the bay mav he identified, hut from Parkinson’s journal it is dear that it was Annnra. (“On the 21 si: we am la red in a very indifferent harbor, in SI fathoms o c water, about cim mile and a-lialf from tlie sho-o. having nil island on tlie left-hand which somewhat sheltered us”) (Parkinson, onr-ted by Air. Colenso, "Trans..” vel. X., p. 123.) It will bo notmed that there is a d : '- crepancv in the elate; but throe Eioul this portion of the narrative Parkinson’s dates are one dnv in advance, of those given hv Cook). The people we v e ah rcniavkablv :'r'enr I, v, and were found to be aconainted with what had happened at Dover < v P'.y less than a fortnight before. On the 21st, Lieut. Gore, with a strong 'party of men. obtained n supply of f-ooh water, n.ud Air. Banks and Dr. SMander found many new plants and shot a few. birds.

On Sunday, the 22nd. _ e~~+; start wns made, but, the wind being unfavorable for stand ng to the norfchwa.rd, Cook determined to pit into Tolaga Bay, seeing, that some natives had told him of n small cove a little within the south point of the bay where fresh water was handy, and where boats might land without being exposed to a heavy surf. This is the cove, which, in recent times, has always borne the illustrious navigator’s name. The natives here were as iriencily as these at Anaura, and a good supply o> wood and water was easily procured. During the eight dais’ stay at t'>b place, Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander explored the neighborhood, aim were rewarded by the discovery of many plants new to science. In the course

of their rambles they came upon what , is described as a very extraordinary j natural curiosity. *e.t w?g a rock^ | perforated through its whole subj stance so-as to form a rude but stn- ; pen dons arch or cavern, opening cbi reefcly to the s-'». Tb s aperture was 1 75 feet long, ,27ft broad and 45 ft j high, commanding a view o* the hay ' and of the hills on the ether side ! which were seen through it, and, 1 opening at once upon the view, produced an effect far superior to any of the contrivances of art.” There are three small streams of water here, one o which finds its way to the sea through the natural nr: >; above-described. The arch (called by i the natives “Te Kotore o to AYhe,i luia”) pierces the ridge, the extreni- ! itv of which forms the'western head ! of the cove; and is about 400 yards from high-water marl: within The cct". The measurements given byCook To not quite correspond with the present dimensions. The present, length is oo feet, the breadth at the narrowest part 244 feet, and the height at the lowest, part 23 feet. Tiie length has probably been reduced by the falling a way of the- cliff at the other end, at which part also the measurements of the height end breadth given by Cook may have beer, estimated. ! About thirty yards from highwater mark, among some bushes, about 20 feet un the side of the same hall as that in which the arch occurs, is what is known as “Cook’s well.’ This is a small hole, about TO- inches in diameter and about one foot deep, excavated in the. soft rock where a tiny rill trickles down from a small sr.ring a little higher up the hill. This could not have been used in nnv . wav r or waterng the ship, but was I probably hollowed out for amusement by some of the bovs in the ship's company. That it is not a nativn' envitv, but that it was made on tV occasion of Cook’s visit, seems to be sot Vac-tori Iv shown by the nemo

I which the natives have given it—j vV.., “To Wai Keri a Tonnea” or I ' Tcpa'a’s well'*: Topic:* (:n -which | farm tliev have preserved the name j of the Talftinn “Tupnea”) having I been thought by them to have been | the name-of Captain Cook. "Various i p-ft-i”' have been cut near tl.e lr+t] - | well, but mod o c them bee - ’ , '"ir> i --->ry indistinct p r-'m t he. scpP'm-off •"> ! the surface of the rock. It is ini- ' poss'ble to assign any date to these, ' which may, all of them, be much I more modern than 1769. j Maori tradition states that HimI matioro, who was theii a young girl, was pointed out to Cook as a young ! lady of high rank and that he presen- ■ ted her with beads and other orna- ' ments. Hinematioro was much look--ed-up to in her time by all the tribes

along this part of the coast, and her name was known formally as far north as the Bay of Islands as that of a great rangatir.i. She last* her life ah,out 60 or 70 years when making her escape from Te Pourewa -ju ‘.‘Sporing’s Island.-” the. pa which was attacked b_ Ngatiporon. The canoe was making for Vdhangara. an;’ was upset at sea, the only survivor being her grandson. Te Kani-a-Taki-lau. Cook says t’w.t the 1 av is called re the native'- “I‘dago,” but- tins hanet been identified with** any Mao ' n-me now it U'W in the neighborhood T!ie bay takes its name from the R-~ ver Uawa, which flows into it; anu. tlie name of C.K.'k’s‘ Cove is Opovtarna. The rocks off this entrance ts. th.e cove have altered very little since Cook's time, for the description which he gives of them might have

been wr.tten \ e-terd:.y. “C-lcs? i t ; o north end of the island (Spaying island) at' the entrance irta the ba are two high ro ks: one is round < k a eorn-stacK: but tee other is 1 c ami per "orated in several places that the cp’r.iugs ap-»«»r I ke tin* ■ , !>e>- of a hrid -V V*. 0* >■' t ' is fbe cove where we -nit wood .-a filled our water casks.” __ Cn Monday, October 30. Cork nv' < sail a i'll m to tf and he. we take our leave of him.