THE PHANTOM COACH.

Hot Lakes Chronicle, Volume 4, Issue 188, 8 July 1896, Page 3

THE PHANTOM COACH.

Tho subjoined yarn by "Zamiel" of the Star is of the non vero ben trovato order of architecture : —The native community of Rotorua was greatly e::ercised a few days ago over a ghost' 3y omen, which the Maoris aver portends another eruption in their uncanny couutry, or something equally disastrous, n- tho alleged ' phantom canoe ' on Lake Xurawora (-which, by the way, was not heard of till after tho eruption; preceded the outburst of tho volcano. Tlieyarn goes that somo nights ago a party of gay young Maori bucks were driving in a waggon from Ohinemutu township to Rotoiti, when suddenly, about two miles out of Eotorin a largo fourhorse coach drove into them from the opposite direction, and, to their astonishment, passed right through them like a ghost, and then, hey. presto! molted into thin air nud disappeared in the {ethereal <ir elsewhere odjaceut. The boys drove mi, but, as if they ha:l not had enough of ghosts, near the road to Tikiieie they met another four-horse eo.-ieh coming along. Concluding that this was another ghost coach, the youth*, with hair on end (so thej r said) drove straight along, expecting to go through the apparition like the other one. Instead of this tho mysterious vehicle collided with the wggon in a rudely mundane manner, with the result, that the l(otorua boys were upset and had their conveyance considerably damaged. Tliev naturally looked for the 'ghostcoach,' but lo ! it imd disappeared the same way as the other one, melted into the air, apparently' This was rather too much, so, gathering up the fragments they turned round and set oft' back to Botoriia, naturally concluding if they encountered a few more 'taipo coaches' on the Rotoiti road tlioy would be smashed up entirely. So to Ohinemutu they returned and spread the startling news about the astral coaches. The inevitable korero followed over the spiritualistic visitation and it was at last concluded that Tarawera was either going to burst out again or th .t something was going to blow up somewhere about lioforua, for were not tho ' ghost coaches' a solemn portent of danger. True, there were some tcoffers even amongst the Maoris, who averred that the only ' spirit' that had t<> do with (he collision was contained in waipiro, and thai the Maori driveis were laboring under the common delusion of ' seeing -tars ' and oi mistaking one coach for two, and trying to drive between them, just like their fuddled pakeha brethren. The seejs of ghosts, however, indignantly denied the aspeision, and said they were ' all teetotallers,' and that, anyhow, if they had been drunk, the apparition would have frightened ilium sober. Anyhow, t lie story gained currency amongst tho people, ever on the lookout for a 1 sign,' and now, like the immortal Mr Micawber. they are anxiously waiting for something to turn up.