CHAPTER III

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19215, 2 January 1926, Page 5 (Supplement)

CHAPTER 111

With the first, streaks of dawn Hari Hamona was roughly awakened by Taraia shaking him by the shoulder. *" Arise, pakeha," ho said, " I have something to show you, and want- your advice. - ' With that he led him to the shore, where Hari saw, beached upon the mad at the mouth of the river, the two punts he hid recently built, one containing a quantity of sheil-fiph, the other empty. The savage chief chuckled with glee. He was evidently in his most felicitous mood, having stumbled upon what he considered a valuable prize.

There was therefore a fine touch of irony in his tones as he addressed his companion. " Think you, pakeha, that the good old duet, Eruera, has enough kuraera in his storehouse to fill that, empty pakeha canoe ? And think von he will lend us the vessel to take tnera a short way do'ivn the coast'! As for the other one, I should like to borrow that also, for my people are not so prosperous as his and have no time on their hands to gather shell-fish. Do you, friend pakeha, take your great canoe up the river and tell him that if he would ransom his daughter he must, send it hack full of tram era by return of tide. Givo him my greetings, and say that Taraia sent vou. And," ho added menacingly, let there be no attempt at treachery, for in that hour the girl dies."

As soon as the incoming tide floated the vessels off the sand Hari set out with the empty one, making all spei?d with pole and oar's to reach his destination ere the current changed. It was not without many misgivings, as he came in sight of the cluttering whares under tho hill, that he reflected 011 the natu.ru of his sorrowful errand, to inform his old friend that the flower and beauty of the tribe was in the hands of his inveterate enemv.

Drawing up to tho bank at last, Hari sought out the old chief, who met him with expectant looks and eager enquiries for his daughter. The story was soon told, and without loss of time, many hands were at work loading the capacious craft with tho contents of the kumora store. For, though slight was Eruera's trust in the good faith of Taraia, he was fain to pursue the only course that offered a prospect, albeit a slender, one, of the peaceful restoration of his daughter. Rut more warlike measures were not to be neglected, as the throngs of excited tribesmen showed, who, with every available musket the community possessed brought into requisition, were, with difficulty, restrained from hastening off at once to give battle to tho foe.

The old chief was standing apart with sonrowful mien watching tho proceedings, when tho pakeha approached and spoke to him in a low voice. Tho chief straightened up as he listened, and his eyes shone with a fierce light " Fill up the boat," ho cried, " and give them good measure. II my daughter is indeed lost to mo there is still left revenge." Tho receding tido was abont half-way out when Hari again reached tha mouth of the river with his freight of kumera. There waited Taraia and all his crew, tho fair Oneone in their midst, on board tho second punt, which they had taken across to the opposite bank. Hari hesitated, but a mere, flourished threateningly over the girl's head, mado him quicken hia strokes, and pulling alongside, ho demanded that they put tho girl ashore as promised. Without repiy tho miscreants made Hari'u punt fast to" their own, and suddenly producing short slabs of wood, which the}' had procured somewhere, pushed off into tho current, and paddled for the open sea with might and maim Thus did the Maori givo full trust to the strange craft of the pakeha. Their own canoes they knew unsinkablo and seaworthy. That of the stranger they took for granted, for did he not go and come upon the deep, departing even in the storm, and lying dowu to sleep? And so they trusted themselves in that terrible current at tho outscouring of the tide, where even the strongest swimmer must be carried over tho bar, though only a hundred yards from tho la:nd. Moreover, necessity pushed, for to venture overland would have been hazardous with hostile tribesmen armed and ready to repel the invader.

Hari Hamona's face was set and pale as he looked toward the shrinking form of tho girl who had so nobly sacrificed her liberty for love of him. and determined that if it lay within him he would yet save her; yet weighed down with tho old chief's terrible parting injunction that she must not, accompany her captor alive. The Maoris evidently intended to round tho bluff and make down the coast. On*»■ one was sitting quiet ami motionless, he* eyes fixed on a group of excited figures on the fast receding shore. She recognised the bowed figure that with arms outstretched approached the water's edge. Suddenly there was a wild cry, and the girl had leapt overboard In an instant a dozen hands reached out to save her; and then the issue which Hari had foreseen, and which was to avenge, the girl's abduction, befell those savage raiders. Concealed by an inside batten a wide, un caulked seam ran round tho boat, scares two inches from the water, as the craft was now laden; so that as the occupants leant oyer tho side a stream of water poured through the gaping aperture. There was but one thing to be done, and that mu'st be done quickly. Poising one oar in the air he threw it with all his force toward the floating girl, b.nd with the other turned to heat off the approaching swimmers, who, ignorant that this boat was, like the other,, unfinished and already fully laden, endeavoured to scramble over 'he sides and drag her to tho bottom. It was then that a cry rang upon the pakeha's ears: " Farewell, Hari Har.iona, farewell forever."

Looking round Hari could discern Oneone battling with b>v last strength against tne resistless current. The oar had floated out of her reach. Qnly one more chance remained to save her. He launched a savage thrust at a Maori who had grasped the side of the boat, then, standing up in the bows, ciarefialiy marked the course of the current, and flung his remaining oar iu the direction of the drowning girl. The bout rocked violently beneath him, and howls of terror were mingled with the sound of rushing water, bat still he kept hia eyes upoq,. the floating oar. Now the water grew every moment more broken, and lined with foam. 'lite man shouts. Despairing arms, thrust upward through floating, black tressiis, clutch convulsively round the long -buoyant river-sweep fashioned by Hari from a light* kauri sapling. Life is in the wood—rest to the threshing arms: and breath returns ones more to tha burstbosom of tiie gallant swimmer

That night a strong northeast, wind rose with the incoming tide, and two forma were found on the shore by old Eruera. One was his beloved Onisone, benumbed with exposure, but still grasping the oar. The other wa3 the body of Hari Hamona, disgorged, in its hour of satiety, by the rapacious ocean. Onecne lived to brighten the last days of the old chief, her father, and when shei joined him in Te Reinga, took with her the secret of the opal rocks of the far off mountains.

As for the remains of Hari Hamona, they were disposed of after the manner of his own country. We carried the body to the village, placed it in a coffin, and moumecl three days virith l° a d lamentation, that our grief might be known in the land. Then we tools it to the hilltop, placed it six feet in the earth, and fenced the grave so thai; no one might set foot there on, for," concluded onr venerable host, with a touch of pride nj his voico as he justified this ~n ° f parturo in funeral solemnities:, thfct IS the wav of the pakeha." e