PUKEARUHE AND MOKAU.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 8830, 14 July 1890, Page 3

PUKEARUHE AND MOKAU.

[described by a lady visitor.] PpKEARUHE at the present time is only a very small township, possessing a postoffice and small schoolhouse, with three households, whose inmates form the population of the place. Since the old stirring days when it was a large A.C. station, it has gradually dwindled to its present size. Looking at its present peaceful aspect, it is hard to realise what it has witnessed since 1869, when the whole province was startled with the news of the blood-curdling massacre. Yet here Pukearuhe smiles on as if no such dark blot had ever disfigured its fair countenance. The faco of things is little changed since that dark day, and the same path down which tho victims went to meet their cruel death still winds from the summit of the redoubt to the sea, and the cliffs still stand in silent majesty as when thoy witnessed the deed. Tho people here still show you the spot where Rev. John Wbiteley fell. May he occupy a high seat amongst other martyrs; for did he not go there carrying his life in his hand, knowing full well the danger he ran, and only striving to do his Master's work ? The climate here is very much milder than in New Plymouth. At the present time we are having very fine new potatoes, and a few.days ago a fine ripe strawberry was picked. The redoubt is built on the site of a very lofty pah, with very strong' natural fortifications. We stand at t<io garden fence, and the tide washes u^ at our feet. There is a very deep, semicircular bay, guarded by precipitous sheer clip's, and the tide washes their base. In such an ideal place, so "far away from the busy haunts of men," and with such a climate, what more can the idle dreamer want — only tho Lotos flowers. . The outlets here for expeditions are not many, therefore we make the most of what there are. The pleasantest walk is along the beach. One day,- in company with Miss E , I strolled along to Paranihinihi. These are the Cliffs you see from New Plymouth. Looking at them from town they have the appearance of a phantom ship stranded far inland.. Their aspect from here is rather a disappointment. The effect .. of their height is greatly diminished, and instead of their front being pure white it is the ordinary pale grey sandstone. The road along the beach is very pretty, - and presents constant changes. Here we come to a long terrace of low bush bordered with swamp flags, growing right to the tide mar\. This is the result of a landslip when the edge of the cliff has given way bodily. Then along its face the tide has played all sorts of pranks, forming subterranean caverns and archways, with here a turreted castle, there a graceful woman's figure draped Grecian fashion and standing aloft on a pedestal; and further on an olegantly-shaped pulpit, and numerous other fantastic devices. We encounter a Btream, and then comes the question how to cross it ? In my zeal I back several dozen paces, then run, and gather myself together for a mighty spring — and splash right into the middle ! Miss E., with much greater "savey," lands dryfooted at the mouth, where the stream spreads out. Three miles are traversed in this way, and "the tunnel " is reached. We ascend tbis, and for the sake of variety descend by the zigzag.g zag. This last, I must confess, was a little worse than we bargained for; but we landed all right at the foot. There is a rock, just out here like a lion crouching — a better imitation than any I have seen. It is a splendid fishing ground. Just beyond, again, is a mimic lighthouse. My kind friends next arranged for me a trip to Mokau." It had always been such a very great wish of mine to make thiß trip, yet it had appeared an unattainable one, but now it seems that it really is to come off. At noon we started on our way to Mokau — the beach being suitable. The tunnel was reached in no time. Going through on horseback seemed somewhat a much more serious thing than traversing it on foot. We, however, got through without mishap. Our party consisted of three ladies and two gentlemen, all mounted on good strong horses. One of these last named is a newcomer — " Plantaganet" by name — borrowed for the occasion. My steed at once shewed a rooted objection to him, and on the "a newchum; oh ! heave a brick at him" principle 1 keeps aiming sly kicks at him. " Plantagenet," who, like Ouida's woman, never loves till she is ill-used," set his heart on going beside my • horse. After the tunnel, there is a. very good bridle track to Tongaporutu, which we soon traversed, passing on the way some grand gullies and gorges, no.tbly the 41 Wai-kia-kia." At the outlet to this there is a pretty little peep of the sea through two wooded clif's. At our right there were high wooded crags, at our left the sea, until we stood on a hill and looked on 'ta the Tongaporu-u river. When the tid a is up this must be a strikingly pretty see _ 3 . The bed of the river is in size like a su jll lake, encircled with wooded hills. As we saw it, the tide was 0u.,, and the river winding through lavje mud flats. Our two escorts rowed us across in a boat, and then led the ro>- a over. KA few miles fir-ther on we took to the beach, and, as we rode along, seemed to be in some strange old ruined world, Pompeii for instance. The tide had worn the cliffs into the strangest weird shapes ; broken Grecian columns, ruined balustrades, Poinpeiian uus and vases, vaultsd chambers that wjuld lose themselves in the distance in a succession oZ arches, or else open out into daylight on the other side, ruined abbeys, here a gigantic heathen god with a fringe of grass growing on bis head representing his hair ; and as we rode •along for miles these fantastic shapes ' gi you at every turn — no two alike. The Fohakatino was the next river to cross, and very soon after we rounded a bluff, and the Mokau river lay to our left. We were not long in reaching the ferry and getting stowed on the punt. The journey across was lengthy, and we were, landed by the Maori pah. The natives had had ample warning of our coming, and we found them all sitting most primly outside the fence — the ladies and children all in their best gowns— most of them "visions in pink." They all exchanged greetings, and we passed on to our lodgings. A fire and auy sort of a meal would have been grateful to us. Imagine, then, our appreciation of a sumptuous meal in a most comfortable sitting-room, and afterwards a dainty bedroom, scrupulously clean, and a feather bed to sleep upon ! Our delight was only surpassed by our astonishment. We had gone prepared to rough it cheerfully. Ana this was Mokau, and what any visitor going to Mokau may expect as long as Mrs W rules at the accommodation house at " New York," the name of the Mokau village. The next morning we were up betimes, and set out for a row up the river. Wo glided on for a few miles, revelling in the grand scenery on either aide, which has to be seen to be taken in. One of oar party eaid that the " Lake " scenery could not • equal it. The vegetation on the high crage was beyond description, and through it all the sandstone in various colors would show itself in little patches. Most reluctantly we had to turn and leave it, as we were, compelled to begin our homeward journey f,i soon. Dinner over, we were coon on jb« road igeln, under (hi coavpy tf Ur S-,

who from the very beginning had been the ruling spirit of our party. In parts of this road there are acres of Cape gooseberries growing wild. Many of the native bushes growing here are new to me, and have a sort of foreign look, as if introduced into this country — the tainui, ' ake-ake, and a bush with very broad green leaves, something like a fruit mulberry, j bearing a burr something like a chestnut, I Our chief excitement coming home fording the two rivers, the Mohakatina and Tongaporutu. lUnderthe generalship of Mr S. we accomplished it, and he so won our confidence that if he were to propose fording the river Styx we should cheerfully follow if he led the way. Soon we were at the tunnel's mouth, ana then at home in no time; and so ended a delightful trip. One always imagines a journey to Mokau so very formidable; but it really is not so. It is, however, a great thing to start from Pukearuhe, and if you are able to do that it is simply a delightful rido, for the road is very good, and on the beach it could not be better. Our horses were travelling quickly the whole time, barring when we crossed the rivers, the tunnol, and a few other awkward places. It is also necessary tohavesomeone as a leader who thoroughly knows the road', and to take his directions about everything. If people knew how easy a journey it is many more would make it, for from beginning to end it is full of interest. It seems to me that the greatest difficulty He 3in there being no accommodation house at Pukearuhe.

If tho Pall Mall Gazetti is to be relied on, the habit of making use of material missiles in the deliberative war of words is one which has long obtained in the Ontario Legislature. Sometimes, it is said, inkpots have been pressed into the service, and apparently the use of a blue-book the other day would scarcely have found place in the reports but for the fact that in this case the blue book hit. A member had been speaking for some time, when it occurred to a colleague sitting behind to adopt this mode of suggesting "that the question be now pat." The blue-book struck the orator at the back of his head, knocked his glasses off, and in the words of the report, "inflicted a serious blow." Strange to say, the unfortunate member proceeded with his address undaunted, and, still stranger, the Speaker only "sharply called to order" the culprit. After this, the " Society on the Stanislow" may put up its shutters, and the gentleman of whom it is told that "a. chunk of old red sandstone took him in the abdomen" may hide his diminished head. As for the Dominion Parliament, comic songs seem to be a familiar interlude of its proceedings. A recent Government success was "welcomed with applause and with songs by Messrs Choquette, Prior, Joncas, and Gurran ;" and on the announcement of another division, we are told that " Mr Joncas and Mr Hesson amused the House with some capital songs, Ministers and the whole House heartily joining in the chorus."

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(For continuation of news see 4th page.)