JOURNAL Kept by two British Officers, on their Overland Route from Wellington to Auckland. — 1846. (Concluded from Number 109.)

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume II, Issue 111, 22 August 1846, Page 3

JOURNAL Kept by two British Officers, on their Overland Route from Wellington to Auckland. — 1846. ( Concluded from Number 109.)

May 27th. — Waited till the sun was well up, as it had froze hard during the night, and we had two trips to take across the river, which was twenty y=rds wide, five feet deep, and ice cold. Proceeded along the foot of a range of high hills for about six miles, when the p^h^ led up some excessively steep hills. We heW found about ten or twelve cold potatoes in a basket which we soon demolished. After very severe work, ascendingand descending the bills for two and a half 'hours, we arrived at a pa on the top of the highest hill, named Tutu-tara-tara, which we considered to be the highest inhabited place in New Zealand. Here we found three old women who speedily cooked some potatoes. They said that the men of the pa were coming home next day, which we were glad to hear. We now found out that we had missed the path to Rotomahana, and had gone a long way out of our course. 28th. — Very hard frost. The chief, named Hare- hare, his wife and one of his men arrived this afternoon. We engaged the chief and his wife to assist us in carrying our things to Rotorua, which they agreed to do for a large payment. 29th. — Descended the range of fteep hills

till we came to the plain, alcng which we walked for two hoars to an uninhabited village on the Lank of a small river running to the left into the Rangitiki. Purchased a pig, which had unsuspectingly followed us down from the pa, aud gave the old chief a present of half of it, as he appeared very civil. 30th. — Halted, as the river was flooded, and the natives said there was no canoe. June Ist. — Rained in torrents, river was flooded. The chiefs wife went back to the pa for potatoes. , 2nd. — Still continued to rain. Five natives came to day, whose appearance was not in their favour ; one, who spoke English, we set down to be an arrant thief. He talked a good deal in favour of Heke, whom indeed all the natives of the interior seem to think a great deal of. Rangihaeata and the south, seeming to excite very little interest among them. They still maintained that there was no canoe to be found. 3rd — Went three miles to the Rangitiki river, and found it much flooded. The natives proposed that we should swim and that they would carry our things across, which invitation we declined ; however after a short time one of them swam across with difficulty, and as we anticipated soon found a canoe among the rushes. They now asked the gun as payment for crossing, which modest request we of course refused, and agreed for some tobacco with the old chief. One of us now got in with some of the baggage, and a maori to paddle. He got across all right. The other remained, as the canoe was barely large enough to hold two persons, and got in on the return of the canoe, when the remainder of the baggage was put in. Three or- four natives now suddenly jumped into the canoe and swamped it and threw the baggage out. The gun which was wet, was handed to the chief to hold. They baled the canoe a little, and one of them hastily paddled it over half full of water to the other side. They bad us now in a predicament, with ourselves on one side of. the river, and the gun and greater part of the Da gg a g e on the other. We requested the fellow who came across to give us an, Indian rubber cloak out of the canoe, when he coolly said, he would keep it. We had now the pleasure of seeing them opening our packages, and examine them most minutely. After about an hour, one man came across and brought some of the things, and to our surprize the gun ; he hastily threw them ashore, together wifh about thirty potatoes, and paddled off in a great hurry, saying that it was not he that stole the things, but the " Ngatikahouri," meaning the man who spoke English. On inspecting our luggage, we found they had taken a maori testament, a blue woollen shirt, two blankets, forty sticks of tobacco, some soap, a box of copper caps, together with the cloak before meutioned. We now lit a fire dried our gun, and cooked some potatoes, our friends all the time looking on from a distance, after which we started, and after passing two deep streams up to our chests, we went over some high hills to a small wood, where we halted an hour after dark, lit a good fire, and had four small potatoes each fcr supper. 4th started without our breakfast as our provisions were out. Luckily we found six potatoes in a deserted ware, on which we dined, and went over seven miles of very bare hilly country till we came to a stream, small but deep, which took one of us up to the chin, the other had to swim. Went five miles further to a lake called Rarewakaaetu, where we found plenty of firewood, and had a blazing fire, which in some measure consoled us for the want of supper. sth. — Hard frost this morning. At about three miles distance on our left, saw some boiling springs which we supposed to be Rotomahana ; followed the path for two miles, when we suddenly came to the fine lake of Tarawera. Saw some canoes and a small pa on the opposite side ; but although we fired and shouted they took no notice of us. At last one of us scrambled over some precipitous hills, and in about an hour got a canoe to take our baggage across. Here we got some potatoes cooked, and for the first time tour travels they asked payment before givthem to us. Having been so long without food, we soon demolished a large basketful. We then went two miles to see the Lion of New Zealand, the boiling springs or fountains Rotomahana. The ascent up to one, a concrete formed by the deposit of different mineral substances, resembles a succession of broad steps of white marble. On the several flights are baths of the deepest blue, of different degrees of temperature, till you arrive near the boiling cauldron at the top, which is dangerous to approach, as it sometimes throws the water and steam to some distance, the height of this remarkable object is about fifty feet. There are also some beautiful formations on the manuka trees from the dripping of the water. On our return we found the natives of the village had managed to abstract from our , baggage a silk handkerchief and worsted comforter. We then went seven miles across thtiaks to the Mission Station, where in the

absence of Mr. Spencer, we received every attention from Mrs. Spencer. We put up however with Mr. Falloon a most obliging and intelligent man, and skilful mechanic, who, in addition to his other qualifications speaks maori like a native. As he was going to Mataraata in three or four days we gladly waited to avail ourselves of his company. The population in this district is considered to be about 1,400 and they can number some four hundred guns of different kinds. The pa which was large and strong has now diminished to a few huts. The people live a good deal on a delicious fish about the. size and of the appearance of white bait, and cray-fish, which they catch by sinking large bundles o\ fern in the lake, and after the lapse of a few days suddenly pulling them up again, when they find the fish entangled. 6th. 7th. Bth. 9th. — Remained at Tanawera, raining hard almost the whole lime. Natives informed us that the chief Hare Hare at Tututara was a cold blooded murderer, having treacherously killed a near relation a short time ago. 10th. — Heavy rain till four o'clock, when we started and crossed the small lake Kareha, about a mile and a half from Tarawera. Ascended through wood to the top of a high hill, where we were recognized in the moonlight by a man who had seen us at the Wairaate, six months before ; after descending the hill, arrived on the plain and then along it for four miles lo Te Ngae, the Mission Station at Rotorua, where we met a most kind and hospitable reception from Mrs. Chapman and Mrs. Brown, which made us forget all our privations. 11th. — Went to see the sulphur springs about three miles from Te Ngae, surrounding a small lake, of a whitish colour. A large quantity of the purest sulphur might be obtained here. 12th. — Having by the kindness of Mrs. Chapman got a stock of supplies, among which was a basket of apples, Ripston pippins, of excellent quality, which we did not expect to find in the interior of New Zealand ; we crossed the lake, passing by a large island, where the merciles Hongi, some years ago, massacred some hundreds of the Rotorua people, having to their astonishment dragged his canoes over land. After seven miles pulling, landed on the opposite shore. This district has been the scene of many bloody fights, and we could not but admire the Christian courage and fortitude of Mr. and Mrs. Chapman in remaining so many years among these ruthless savages, when they were in the full excercise of their cannibal appetites ; but now they are much changed and a very large proportion of them can read and write. Fiona the lake we passed on two miles to a wood. We had not got two miles into this wood when it got so dark that we could not see each other at a yard's distance, so for fear of losing the path we were obliged to halt, when it came on to rain, and after two hours hard work we got a fire. 13th. — Path level through the wood ; went on till sunset, and were unable to get water at our halting place. 14th. — Hard frost. Wood timbered with totara, rimu, and matai. A bridle-road might be easily cleared through it. We got out of the wood in an hour and a half, and two more arrived at Te Toa Patete, when we found all the inhabitants absent, except three women, the remainder having gone to the feast at Mata Mata. 15th. — Started before sunrise, descended a high hill to a swampy plain ; haid frost and very cold, wading through swamps and crossing streams ; our natives hardly able to crawl till the sun got up. Crossed the Waiho (the Thames) over rather an ingenious temporary bridge of manuka sticks, and after almost continual wading through swamps, arrived at Mata Mata, twenty-six miles from Te Toa Patetere. We put up with Mr. Nicholls, who gave us a most hospitable reception. 16th. — The natives had assembled for a feast of peace given by a young chief of Mata Mata, William Thompson, to the Rotorua tribes, after a war of eight years' duration. They had five hundred pigs, and several tons of potatoes and kumeras laid in rows, one hundred and fifty yards long. About 2,500 people .were assembled here. 17th. — Seven hundred and fifty men, women, and children stood up to be catechised, by the Rev. Messrs. Browne and Chapman. They were formed in classes, and appeared to acquit themselves very well. They afterwards sung a hymn, and made speeches of a pacific character. It was certainly a remarkable sight to see these people, who a very few years ago were devouring each other, sitting down quietly with every appearance of cordiality. Some of these very natives had enticed sixty of the Rotorua people into an ambush, and having killed them, cooked and eat them all in sight of their friends in the pa ; their bones are now to be seen in three heaps, near the remains of Mr. Chapman's former house, which they burnt down in the course of the fight. This day they had an enormous quan-

tity of potatoes and eels laid out, together with sixteen casks of tobacco, and some European clothing. In the evening they were near coming to blows, about the division of food, &c. Some troublesome fellows rau to their guns, and loaded them, and there seemed every prospect of a general row. But the chief Thompson ordered all his men into the pa, and after talking all night, it was" amicably settled in the morning. 19th. — This day there was an auction, the Mata Mata people buying back the tobacco which they had given away, with European clothes, of which they had a large stock ; most of the women having gowns, and the men wore good boots, in which they walked in a manner that was pa nful to behold, and some other articles, without much attention however to harmony in their disposal. For instance, one man sported a soldier's coat and a pair of spectacles ; another, long blue stockings and a mat ; umbrellas too seemed decidedly in favour, one party of about thirty carrying them, although it did not happen to rain at the time. 21st. — Remained at Mata Mata. Went to see the native church, which is 75 feet long, built of totara wood, and is the largest in New Zealand. 22nd. — Recruited our supplies by the kindness of Mr. Nicholls, and started across the plain towards the Waikato, wading through swamps every quarter of a mile. Arrived at Fakeroa, a small pa about nine miles from Mata Mata, from thence five miles, still wading, to a small grove of trees, where we bi.vouacked for the night. 23rd. — Our shoes frozen so hard this morning, that we were obliged to thaw them at the fire before puttiug them on. Commenced wading the same as yesterday ; one swamp was about a mile long, and arrived at a village near Waikato, after about sixteen miles march, the last eight of which was good road over plains. 24th. — Went about half a mile to Kiri Kiri Roa, on the bank of the Waikato, and went down the stream for fifteen miles, to the junction of the Waipa, when it becomes a noble stream, two hundred yards across ; a good deal of cultivation and numerous habitations on its banks. Five miles further down we arrived at the Mission Station, and received the usual kind reception we have been so fortunate to experience on our journey, from Mr. and Mrs. Ashwell. Saw Te WheroWbero, who called in the evening, and apologized for coming in a blanket. 25th. — Went to see Te Whero-Whero at his pa, Kaitotehe, which is small and dirty. He was dressed in a new velveteen jacket, and flannel waistcoat, evidently expecting a visit ; saw a man who was wounded in one of the late native fights, he had bad two balls in his head, one of which they got out with a pair of scissors, the other passed through his face, breaking his upper jaw ; he seemed to suffer little inconvenience, except from a swelling, which bursts now and then, but appeared to be in perfect health otherwise. 26th. — Embarked on the river, about two miles down ; a vein of coal has been discovered by Mr. Ashwell, but it is doubtful whether the jealousy and avarice of the natives will not make it worthless at present. Banks low and swampy, and cleared of trees. The country seems adapted for feeding numerous herds of cattle, as there is a good deal of grass, although of a coarse kind. About twenty miles from Kaitotehe, the banks become wooded and thickly populated, and so on till we reached Mangatuwiri, where we halted for the night, thirty-five miles from the Mission Station. 27th. — Proceeded on our voyage. The river banks become now more hilly and wooded, and very picturesque, till we reached Tuakou, when we landed and proceeded for eleven miles through a wooded country, walking through which was very fatiguing, on account of the road being cut up by the passage of pigs along it. 28th. — Halt. Incessant rain. 29th. — Went three miles through the wood to the open country at Tuamata. The rivulets all flooded ; waded over one up to our shoulders, another we crossed on a moki, or raft, made with rushes ; to cross another we had to go a quarter of a mile to cut down a tree ; and after one of the most fatiguing day's journey we experienced, arrived at Papakura. 30th. — Started at ten, a.m., but owing to the state of the roads, did not get into Auckland till after dark ; being exactly fifteen weeks on our journey from Wellington.