Chapter XIX.

Otago Witness, Issue 1383, 1 June 1878, Page 18

Chapter XIX.

After the adventure with the whale, everything went on pleasantly on board the La Blanche, and many a monster of the vasty deep fell a victim to her crew. One afternoon, after cruising in the various whaling grounds for nearly three months, the man on the look-out reported laud on the lee bow, and immediately the ciptaia took up his place, chart in hand, in the fore chains. A fresh breeze was blowing from the northward, and as the gallant ship, well freighted with the spoil of the southern ocean, dashed the water away from her bows, the land became trapidly more distinct. , Bold and rook-bound, the coast appeared to meet the roll of the ocean, ' without a single opening or haven of refuge for the weary mariner. The high hills rose, range above range, as far as the eye could reach, culminating in high mountains, glinting back the sunlight from the pure unstained snow that rested on their summits.

When the outline of the coast could be more distinctly scanned, a prominent and abrupt headland, over which a number of sparkling streams, broken into feathery spray, dashed into the ocean, at once attracted the attention of all. The captain, having taken his bearings, turned the ship southward, and sailed along the coast, till a wide, deep sound, stretching away into the very bosom of the mountains, opened out before her. This they entered, and sailed close up to the wooded shore, and anchored within half a cable length of the trees, in twelve fathoms of water. . ( To the enquiry of the sailors as to what land it was, the captain answered that it was New Zealand. Next day, the sailors were granted a holiday on shore, which they enjoyed immensely after being cooped up on ship-board so long. As most of them were supplied with guns and ammunition, they soon returned laden iwith abundance of game — wild woodpigeons, kakas, Maori hens, and ground parrot, The sheltered waters of the sound, too, abounded with fish, and great numbers of crayfish were seen creeping among the rocks in the shallow- places. The La Blanche stayed here for a fortnight, taking in supplies of fuel and ■water, 1 and preserving barrels of plump ibirds that were too lazy to get out of the sportsmen's reach. The crew fared sumptuously every day on fowl and fish, prepared for the table as only the Frenchman knows how to prepare good messes with the" scantiest material. But that fortnight of refreshing and invigorating shore life, like all good things, came to an end, and the stout ship once again spread her sails to the breeze, and scoured the sea in search of prey, to fill up the few remaining empty barrels.

Tom Jenkins stood surrounded by a group of eager listeners as the ship sailed through Foveaux Strait, describing the various places of interest.

"Do you see that high bluff on the mainland yonder ?" he asked of his nearest companion. " Well, there is a fine harbour there, capable of sheltering yery large ships, and there can be no doubt that when this fair land, with its fertile hills and valleys and its well watered plains, becomes the abode of civilized man, it will be one of the most valuable harbours at the south of the island.

" There is a native village there. Ugh ! I shudder when I think of the brutal sight I witnessed there some years ago. Our captain sailed into the harbour and anchored there for a few days, with the intention of trading with the Maoris. We found some difficulty at first in opening communication with them, but subsequently we got on first class. They gave us plenty of pigs, and potatoes that might delight the breast of any son of Erin, in exchange for knives and hatchets. ■On various occasions they favoured us with a war dance, which they thought i should, give us no end of pleasure, for they always considered themselves entitled: to a double share of presents (after such a performance. But I must cpnfeas that I never felt secure as a spec,tator, during the performance of their wild and varied evolutions. The voice of murder and bloodshed that swelled as the excitement increased, the menacing atti:t\ides of the spears pointed towards us, the cruel demon glare of passion-dilated eyes, all tended to cause us justly to be apprehensive of our own safety. " It was one day, while witnessing a war dance of this sorb, that the bravest among lie gre tt deadly pale and faint from nausea. Nearly the whole of our crew was present by special invitation, and many chiefs from distant tribes were there too, with numerous followers. When we arrived upon the scene, we were astonished to see the number of hangis, or ovens, that were being' heated ; and as we noticed the eager, gloating, cannibal look in the eyes of the savages, a momentary fear smote us that we might be the intended victims for the heated ovens. We communicated our fears to each other, but there was no possibility of retreat. So we resolved to put on as bold a front as possible, and if the worst came, to sell our lives dearly.

" The war dance was led by a young chief of tall athletic form, who performed a number of feats alone which none of the others could imitate. Then, at a given signal by the old chief of the tribe, the dance became general, and th6re went forth upon the breezo a wild and almost appalling commingling of shrieks and shouts and savage yells. • " Suddenly, when the wild enthusiasm

was at its highest, a strong body of naked devils made a rush upon a number of undefended men sitting near us, cut them down, and hewed them to pieces with their tomahawks. A fierce struggle then ensued between the warriors of the different tribes to obtain the largest share of the bloody fragments of the quivering dead. The awful sight completely paralysed me, and had they attacked us just then I don't think I could have offered any reßistanoe. The women were now busy placing portions of the human flesh in the ovens to cook it, when the whole tribe would sit down to their horrible feast. We had seen enough, and as soon as the way was clear, we hastened to our boats and went on board. So disgusted was our captain with the New Zealanders — the most brutal and disgusting of all cannibals — thathe ordered sail to be made at once and proceeded to sea."