TIKAO THE SAILOR.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17680, 5 January 1918, Page 5

TIKAO THE SAILOR.

A MEMORY OF OLD CANTERBURY (By JAMES COWAN.) This is the .story, from Maori word of mouth, of an Old Canterbury man of uncommon parts, an Akaroa Native who made a name for himself in enteiv prise, courage and intelligence, and who under the circumstances of a later generation might have assumed a position of high leadership among the Maori people. A story that has not hitherto been written by any of our New Zealand historians, and that, slight as it is, is a contribution to our knowledge of the days when these islands wore just, emerging from the cannibal age and when " Maori rights'' had not yet been extinguished by the joint processes ,of honourable treaty and tho huckstering tactics of the official land-buyers. Ninety years ago the head-man of a little Maori settlement of Ngai-Tahu people on tho wostern side of Akaroa Harbour, near what in now the Native reserve of Opukutahi, was a giantlike young warrior named Tikao. In those wild days before the British occupa--tion there were no Christian names going, in this part of New Zealand at least, and it was not until long afterwards that Tikao took Hone, or John, as the prefix'to his ancestral name. He must have been a remarkable figure of a man, judging by the description handed down in his tribe. In his prime ho was a very tall, straight-limbed fellow; he was about 6ft <lin in height, and so powerful that, it is narrated he could swing two men, supporting their entire weight, on his outstretched right arm. His commanding height, his long reach with the Maori taiaha and spear, and his immense physical strength made him a most formidable antagonist in battle; as will be seen, his mental endowments befitted his stalwart nobility of stature. A curious item in his facial appearance was his halffinished tattoo; he was " moko'd " in the blue spirals and wrinkle-following lines on one cheek .only—like old Hanaero, of Taupo, a still-liviing veteran of the wars.

THE CAPTURE AT KAIAPOI. In 1830, when Te Rauparaha made his terrible raid on the Maori tribes. in what is now Canterbury, Tikao and some of his family chanced to be on a visit to Kaiapoi, the great headquarters pa of Ngai-Tahu. When that strongly-stockaded Maori town fell to the Ng'ati-toa leader, Tikao and those of his relatives who were with him were mado prisoners, and were earned away up north in the conquerors' war canoes up to Kapiti Island- In that fortress-isle of Rauparaha's Tikao appears to have attracted general attention because of his uncommon physique and strength, and ho gained the respect that was his due, even in exile, from his tribal enemies. TIKAO GOES TO FRANCE. Tikao, like; many another Maori of those savago early days, was attracted by the sight of the irresistibly strange ships of the pakeha that anchored at, Kapiti on trade intent, and the craving for travel seized him. He determined to ship aboard one of thoso wonderful vessels, whero his countrymen wore welcomed as daring and vigorous sailors, and see for himself the ama/ang countries that lay beyond the far skyline. So, in 1832 or 1833, he boarded a French ship which had called at the Waiorua anchorage at Kapiti, and boldly offered himself to the captain as a sailor. , Impressed bv the splendid athletic figure of the Maori chief, as well as by his pleasant and intelligent features, the French captain consented to ship Tikao, and signed him on as one of his crew. Up came the anchor, with the brown Hercules pushing a nimble capstan-bar with the white sailors, and it was not. long before Tikao was lending a hand out on the topsail yards or tailing on to the main-brace. Everything came readily to his hand; by heredity and instinct he was a sailor, and he delighted in gathering in all he could of the pakeha science of seamanship. AT SCHOOL IN EUROPE. At last, after a long voyage, Tikao, the tattooed sailorman, found his ship sailing into his home-port of Bordeaux. There ho left Ki for he was resolved to see something of the " Whenua Wiwi "-—the ''Land of the Oui-oui's.'' What new friends ho made his descendants do not know, but they know this, that in some way or another lie contrived to go to school in France. For two or three years he remained there, gaining the sound groundwork of an education, learning French and mastering the mysteries of mathematics. Not only French but German he learned; then ho crossed to London and went to school there, determined to acquire as much as possiblo of the wisdom which had made the pakeha, whether English or "Wiwi," so powerful, far-travelled and rich a tribe. But inevitably there came a day when the Maori exile found the " wa kainga," the far-off homeland in the southern sens, tugging irresistibly at his heart-strings- So off he set to sea again, and by about the end of 1839 h e was boating gladly ashore from a French whaleship, delighted beyond expression at the sight of his native shores. THE SIGNING OF THE TREATY. It is apparent, from the tribal accounts, that Hone Tikao had had something te do while in France with the expeditions fitted out for the occupation of these islands by "Wiwi." He helped the promoters with informo,tion and had promised them his sympathy and assistance on their landing,

here' when he returned- But on reaching New Zealand and discussing the coming of the two great pakeha nations with Ins fellow-Maoris, he decided to throw his influence on tho side of tho British, who, he was convinced, would bo the better Ally. Then came the singing of tho Treaty, and the ship on which Tikao was making for ,the South called in at Cloudy Bay, where he met Taiaroa., tho Otago chief. A British warship was even then coming down the coast, on tho Treaty mission, and Tikao became convinced that his tribe would obtain a " spuare deal" and the blessings of peaco if they consented to the terms upon which the Waitangi compact was based. H.M.S. Herald, Captain Nias, was the ship that cruised into Akaroa and Cloudy Bay on this signature-seeking errand. At Akaroa Hone Tikao went aboard her with another chief, Iwikait, tho brother of the captured and slain chief Tamaiharanui. They both signed the copy of the treaty put before them by Major Bunbury, but Tikao's name does not appear in 1 lie historic list of signatures. He had by this time taken tho English name of ''John Love," and that is the name which went down on the parchment ,beside Iwikau's. Major Bunbury. in his dispatch recording the visit to Akaroa, described Love as " a very intelligent, well-dressed Native, who spoke English better than any I have met with." THE KEMP PURCHASE. Peace by this timo had become established over Tikao's land; the truculent Rauparaha's wings were clipped, and Ngai-Tahu wero free to cultivate the friendship of the pakeha. " John Love" was soon established in his rightful placo as a chieftain of his tribe. The Governor made him a Native assessor, ono of the first in New Zealand. In 18-18 H.M.S. Fly came sailing into Akaroa Harbour from Auckland and dropped anchor off Takapureke, near the southern end of the present town. Tikao was then living at Tikao Bay, on the opposite side of tho harbour. He quickly discovered that the warship had come on a land-buying mission, and when he learned the terms offered his knowledge of matters European enabled him to form a more accurate estimate of the justice of tho bargain than his untravelled tribesmen.

Mr Kemp, the Government land purchase agent, was aboard the Fly. His buying mission was a colossal one, in truth, he wanted the whole South Island. He summoned the Akaroa chiefs to a conference. The first meeting was held at Takapuneke. Taiaroa, of Otago, happened to be there; ho was a strong advocate of the proposed sale. Kemp offered, on behalf of tho Government, the sum of £2o€o for tho whole of the east coast of the island f.rom Kaiapoi to Fbveaux Strait, and Taiaroa urged that this remarkable offer should be accepted. Hone. Tikao indignantly opposed the sale, contrasting the ridiculous amount offered with the enormous area sought to bo purchased. "Two thousand pounds," he cried in disgust, as he paced up and down, pistol in hjind. "Rather slunild tho Government pay us five million pounds! That is nearer the value of our land! I will not consent—l will never consent to this robbery this ' muru' of our land for a 'paltry two thousand pounds of the pakeha!" Upon Taiaroa urging the people to take their share of the £2OOO and sell, Tikao grew so angry that he threatened tho Otago chief with his pistol. "I'll shoot you for your treachery!" he yelled, and had the people not interfered the partisan of tho Government might have suffered for hisover-zealous advocacy of the Crown's spoliation scheme. THE MEETING ON THE FRIGATE. The next conference was held on

board H.M.S. Fly, at Mr Kemp's request; there the chiefs would bo under armed guard. Tikao's warnings had created a strong feeling of distrust among the people, but there was tho desire, on tho other hand, to share in tho bags of two thousand golden sovereigns that Kemp dangled before them. Tikao still strenuously objecting to the bargain, the Government agent threatened that if tho Maoris would not* agree to his terms he would return to "Wellington and give the £2OOO to Rauparaha, their ancient enemy. Tin's astounding declaration so angered Tikao that he left the Fly's deck and got, into his whaleboat. which was lying alongside, with his men, intending to return to his village and have nothing more to do with the negotiations. But Taiaroa and others called after him, saying that, if tho £2OOO wero given to Rauparaha it would give an " iwi rereke," an alien tribe, a kind of "mana" and authority over th© South Island. So Tikao reluctantly returned, realising that the unscrupulous strategy of tho Government's agent had won the position, but determined to protest to the Governor in Wellington. The purchase deed was signed, and this portion of the South Island, all except a few Native reserves, went to the pakeha for a few handfuls of sovereigns. But Tikao interviewed Governor Grey in tho north, and told him all about Mr Kemp and his methods, and the Governor was so angry that he relieved Kemp of his office and appointed Mr Mantell to finish the' purchase work in the South Island. Tikao ever did his best to safeguard the interests of his people. He had, among other accomplishments, learned something of land surveying, and could use a'compass and chain, and whenever surveys wero made by the pakeha in connection with land purchases in liis district, the big thief would painstakingly check the measurements in order to make sure that his people were not being' cheated! Hone Tikao died in 1853. He was a remarkable man in his day and generation, an enlightened and patriotic Maori. His memory is treasured by the Peninsula and Lyttelton Harbour folk to-day, the few remnants of a once numerous tribe, and by none more proudly than his nephew, Hone Taare Tikao, of Rapaki, who tells this story of old-time.