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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume III, Issue 174, 13 May 1864, Page 6 (Supplement)

A Maoui ilrMMV. —In one of the less known gullies ot the Otago gold-fields, a few months ago, three adventurous Victorian miners, having found a “likely spot,” pitched their tent and set,bravely to work. They were moderately successful, and for a-week or two worked on, if not content, at least hopeful. The moon was in her last quarter when first they commenced operations, and the nights consequently dark. As time wore on, however, the waning moon shone bright upon them, as they sat outside their tents of an evening to' smoke their after-supper pipe, for the weather was genial, and permitted of this indulgence out of doors. At the extremity of the gully was a singularly shaped rock, irregularly pyramidal, that rose abruptly from the 'surface,"at a height of upwards ot thirty feet. Act being geological students, that had not given special attention to this feature of the locality, beyond remarking that it was not likely to contain any gold. On one of these evenings, as they were seated as just described, enjoying the silence, the pipe, and the repose after fatigue, one of (he party suddenly started. “ Look on top of the rock,” ho said to his companions. The moon had just risen, and her rays fell directly upon the summit of the vast pile in front of them. They directed their gaze in the direction pointed out'by the speaker, and saw very distinctly a human face, white and ghastly, made visible by the light of the full moon falling upon it. “Is not that'a, face?” said the one immediately addressed. u 1 here's no doubt about its being a face: its very odd we've never seen it befoie.” “ Ao, its not odd, you see there's been no moon till now, and during the dav we've been too busy to see it, besides it might not have been there all the time,” replied the one particularly addressed. “ 1 don't believe in ghosts.” said a third “ but (hat face answers to the description of (hem remarkably. Don't you think wed better turn in ?’ And (hey turned in, but next morning they confessed to' each other that they had not sle f t well. They looked hard the following day for the face, but it was not to be seen. They saw it again, however, the following night, and for several nights after, and they heard or fancied they heard—a plaintive moan coming as if from the top of the rock. They could talk about nothing else, and they lost their appetites and did no work with a will; so thev left the gully for some other diggings. On their way they met two men, lather and son, prospecting, and they told them of the gully they had left, and the reason why they had quitted it. Ihesc men were not superstitious, and they' made their way to the gully at once At night they saw the white face on lop of (he rock, and the nest morning they determined to ascend and discover the mystery if possible. At considerable risk they did so. They found the mummy of a female child, carefully placed upon a bier of stones, the head resting upon a curiously woven piece of matting, and, between the knees, the skeleton of a bird (the toi-ioi). Some of the hair of the child yet remained, and it was carefully plaited. ' Beneath the hand was placed a piece of coral, evidently brought from a long distance, as this locality was many miles from the sea-shore. On ono side of the mummy, where it had been exposed to the weather, the integuments had been quite removed from tiie skull, and the bones perfectly bleached. It was this part of the mummy that the three miners had seen. The father and son took away the object of their fear, and it was subsequently exhibited it in Dunedin and other places. It has been in Melbourne lately, but comparatively few persons have seen it. It has bowover, recently been submitted to the inspection of several scientific gentlemen in this city, and they have pronounced it specially interesting, both anatomically and as illustrating an ancient Maori custom ; for it would appear to have been in the position in which it was found many years, some of the natives having stated, on seeing it, that the practice of placing the toi-loi bird between the knees of the dead is a very old one, and one that has been long in disuse. The particular circumstances of its discovery impart to it additional interest. The proprietor means to take it to England.