REMINISCENCES OF THE OLDEN TIMES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11200, 21 October 1899, Page 5 (Supplement)

REMINISCENCES OF THE OLDEN TIMES.

[Hi WILLIAM WEBSTER, OF MATA, HOKIANGA.] No. in. FROM HOKIANGA "TO WELLINGTON IN 1842. > ! Is my hurry in leaving Port Nicholson 1 through the flood in tho Hutt, I had to leave some of my personal effects, which I could not get on board the vessel in time. So after waiting for two years, and no vessel coming to Hokianga, I made inquiries, and heard a schooner was expected in Hokianga,, and would then be going to Port Nicholson. I expected to get a passage by her, but unfortunately the wind did not allow her to cater Hokianga, so she sailed North and anchored at Ahipara, where in a gale she became a wreck. I asked a friend who ' had known the country if it were possible to walk to Port Nicholson. He told me it could be done. A native who belonged to the South intended returning to his home, south of Taranaki, and would be willing to act as a guide. Little preparation was needed—a good pair of boots, a change of clothes, a blanket, and a few pounds of tobacco. We started from Hokianga Heads late in the afternoon, as the tide had to be studied for crossing the Waimamakau and Waipoua Rivers. That evening we got along the beach to near Maunganui Bluff, and encamped at a native settlement for the night. Next morning we started for Kaihu, which we reached in the afternoon. Here we were met and welcomed with the usual cry of j "Haere mail" and entertained at a tangi. i This was the custom on meeting friends, j When this ceremony was over, food was at 1 once prepared for us.

There were a number of natives here busily employed in digging and weeding their plots of ground. Their attire was rather unique—a fashion I had not seen at Hokianga l it was simply a sack with a hole in the bottom for their head, and a hole on each side for their arms. It seemed a very convenient garb, as they could use their arms more freely than with a mat or blanket. They gave us a nice hut, clean new mats, and did their very best to make us comfortable. My guide was a native teacher, and he conducted devotional service, morning and evening, at all the settlements on the route. Some of the natives had been away fishing, and returned during the night with a fine supply of fish, which we had for breakfast, after which we started for Te Wairoa, and got to Mr. Stephenson's station in the afternoon. There were several Europeans there, who, hearing that we had come from Hokianga, asked if the schooner had arrived there? I had to convey the bad news that tho schooner had been blown ashore at Ahipara, and had become a total wreck. Mr. Stephenson's man in charge invited us to his house, where we were hospitably treated. On hearing that we wished to cross the Kaipara for Auckland, he told me that a man who lived nor, far off also wished to go. He had a fine boat, but required someone to help him to manage it. On being spoken to he agreed to start in a couple of days. Next day I saw a native bring a fine pig to my host to purchase a sack. These sacks, he told me, made good trade, as they were much worn by the natives at their work. Next morning the boatman arrived, and we went down to the Heads, and sailed up the Kaipara, reaching a sawyer's station, and on the following day a creek just below what is now Helensville. Here we stowed the boat, hid the sails in the bush, and sorted foi yrhat is now Riverhead. The boatman took us to a friend of his, who employed sawyers there. Here we got a kind welcome, and were told we had come in good time, as the cutter, loaded up with timber, was sailing for Auckland next morning. ARRIVAL IN AUCKLAND. We arrived in Auckland next afternoon, having taken a week-a trip which can now be done in 15 hours. My guide went up tho beach to cut some leaves of flax to tie up our bundles. The tide then went up to about the foot of Shortland-street, for I landed some time afterwards on the beach, near where now stand the premises of Messrs. Wildman and Lyell, booksellers. When we got ashore we did not exactly know where to turn, so we walked up Shortland Crescent, as it was then called, where a number of labourers were employed cutting down the hills and filling in the hollow:. All at once I came across a friend of mine, who was superintending the works, and who had left Hokianga, with his wife and family, a short time previously. He was glad to see me, and told me to go to his home. I was there introduced to a, lady who had arrived from England to join her husband, who was supposed to' be in Hokianga. He was surgeon to a ship which went there for spars, but had not been heard of for nearly two years, owing to the irregularity of sailing vessels, and letters being frequently lost. I was pleased to inform her that' I had seen her husband 10 days before at Hokianga, and left him well. In the afternoon I took a stroll round the town. The roads were few and far between. EN ROUTE FOR WAIKATO. Next morning we started for the Manukau, ascending a hill by a pathway through the Scrub, along what is now Symonds-street, and past a clearing in the tea-tree, showing the grave of Governor Hobson, who had been recently buried. On reaching what is now known as Onehunga we were puzzled as to how we would get across, but, fortunately, as we got there some men were launching a boat, and we found they were traders in pigs returning to Waikato. I hey kindly gave us a passu ae. We got to the | crossing place near the Heads, and crossed in the dark to a raupo house belonging to one of the men. Next morning passed through a large native settlement to the sea beach, and travelled along to the Waikato River, which we reached in the afternoon. There was a Church Mission station on the opposite side. My guide gathered some drv rubbish to make a fire, and strike a light. We had no matches in those days, but nc-irl'- every native carried a pipe, tobacco, and a tinder-box, the tinder being composed of dry stalks of the flax-plan scraped and charred ready_ for use, as it made good tinder, igniting with the slightest spark. Sometimes we got a light by rubbing two pieces of wood together. A sinokesignal soon brought us a boat, and we were carried across and entertained for the night. AT WHAINGAROA. Next morning we set off again for Whaingaroa, reaching a large native settlement near the side of the Whaingaroa Kiver, where now Raglan stands. Here my gui e met a number of his friends, and they had a tangi, and gave us the best they had. .Next morning mv guide told me his friends wanted him to stay for two days, but they would take me across to the Wesleyan mission station (that of the Rev. Jas. Wall is). I was kindly received by Mr. and Mrs. Wallis. Mr. Wullis was building a fine large chapel, and he had two sawyeis oil - ting timber. My guide coming rejoined me here, and we resumed our journey, passing through some fine land and native cultivations. . AOTEA AND KAWHIA. Just before dark we got to Aotea, and we stopped at a poor hut occupied py European and his Maori wife. Permission to stop there for the night was grudging y given us. Next day we reached the Wesleyan mission station, rested a day, and go put across the harbour. in a canoe »y some natives, and got on the route for Kawliia. We passed through a large native settlement, where they kindly pressed us to stop till they could cook sbme food, and this was the way at all the settlements through which we passed. My small stocK of tobacco I had given to my guide, as he knew best how to use it, and on departing from a settlement would give the cook a fig of tobacco, which was always received , with pleasure After camping for the night, we next day reached Kawliia. • A trader invited us to his house, and on the following morning we got a boat, and some natives took us across to the station of the Kev. John Whiteley, Wesleyan missionary. Mr. Whiteley hospitably received lis, and wrote a letter of safe-conduct to , a chief at Mokau to take care of us, as • at that time there was a party of heathen natives in that neighbourhood who had ill-treated strangers. He also furnished stores for our journey. Poor Mr. Whiteley was afterwards shot by . the natives in the White Clin massacre during the war while bearing-a message of love and mercy. We continued our journey in easy stages, being welcomed I at all the native settlements on the way. Ibb

road in some places was rough, often along . ~ P i? 8 ' once letting ourselves down to the beach by ropes, waiting for low water 10 get round precipitous rocks, fording rivers, etc., until we got safely to Mokau, AT MOKAU. There we delivered Mr. Whiteley's letter to the chief, who gave us a hearty welcome. We rested here on the fjabbatb day, as we did all along our route, and my guide preached to the Maoris who assembled from their settlements. Learning that two Europeans were camped on the river, I took a walk to see them. I found them with a pot of stirabout, made from stinking corn, and they invited me to partake. I thanked them, but as I had not acquired the taste for that highly-flavoured dainty, I had to decline. To prepare this dish, the cobs of maize, in kits, are oteeped in fresh water for a length of time, until the grain becomes quite soft. It can be cooked in the cob, or rubbed into pulp for stirabout. It was much used by the natives, and many Europeans were fond of it after overcoming the smell. The missionaries tried to dissuade the natives from using it, as it was thought to produce scrofula. Possibly there were microbes in the compound, but in those days nothing was known about microbes, and people ate and drank what pleased them. I may here mention that the natives in those days used a good deal of fern-root, and I believe it contained a great deal of nourishment. The natives dug the best roots, and stacked them up to dry. To prepare the root for food, it was roasted in the fire, then beaten on a stone with wooden bottles. It became soft like a brownish dough, and the stringy fibres could be pulled out. The taste was of an earthy character. The two Europeans told me they had been up the river, and they brought down a basket of fine coal they had discovered. Next morning the chief pulled us across the river in a canoe. When we came to the Waitara River, we saw an encampment on the opposite side, and in response to a smoke-signal a boat came across for us. I was surprised when I heard my name called out by the boatman, who proved to be one of my fellow-passengers in the Bengal Merchant. He had joined the party of surveyors encamped at the Waitara. VISIT NEW PLYMOUTH. Next morning we got to New Plymouth, and went to see Mr. Creed, at the Wesleyan missian station, for known him at Hokianga. He informed me that a gentleman, a well-known merchant in Wellington, had arrived in a vessel, and was desirous of returning overland, and would be glad of my company. On meeting the merchant we agreed to start without delay. The first and second nights we stayed at native villages, at one of which was a pa on a steep rock, and access to which was only got by a ladder. On the top were some huts, and one of these was cleared for our use. At the next stage I had to bid farewell to my native guide, who had been a very faithful companion on our long journey. It was fortunate that I had another companion. We got on very well together, having rivers to cross in canoes, at Patea and other places, but we got on without any hindrance till we reached Wanganui. WANGANUI TO WELLINGTON. This settlement was just in its infancy. The accommodation for travellers consisted of three raupo houses—namely, a kitchen, sleeping house, and dining house. My friend knew most of the people there, and two days were spent in visiting, and attending to business matters. We again started on our journey, and as the Wellington man had whaling stations along the coast we were very well cared for. At Otaki we got a hospitable reception from Archdeacon (afterwards Bishop) Hadfield. At Porirua the whalers at the station took us up the river in a whaleboat to the landing, and we got across to Wellington, and there saw some of my late fellow-passengers. I again beard the Rev. Mr. Macfarlane preach in a building or hall, used on Sundays on alternate hours by the Presbyterians and Wesleyans, as 110 churches had yet been erected. The streets were laid out, residences and stores were erected here and there, and everyone seemed to be busy. I took about a fortnight in accomplishing the journey from New Plymouth, and the Wellington journal tbought'it a good record. I remained about a week in Wellington, and had the pleasure of occupying for one night a good wooden house on Petone beach. We frequently hear of being " rocked in the cradle of the deep; but being rocked in a'house on the l'elnne beach, in a strong south-easterly gale, was something to remember. Having completed my business, I then had an opportunity of returning to Hokianga in a small schooner.