CHAPTER XVII. PREPARATIONS FOR WAR.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8315, 13 May 1905, Page 1

CHAPTER XVII. PREPARATIONS FOR WAR.

Graham did not see much of the blind chief Hauraki, for the old man held himself somewhat aloof, and in fact took little interest in a slave whom he could not see and whose language he did not understand. Toana purposely kept silent about the white man. Until his wound healed and he was able to defend himself, she thought it wisest to keep him out of sight. Hirawani usually' came to see him in the evening on her return from the kumara fields, a visit to which the young man, after his long day of solitude, looked forward with much pleasure. : . ■•'■•:•

" How is thy wound to-night, KereamaP" she asked one evening. .

' " It is healing fast., The herb brought by thee from the swamp- at Muriwai hath soothed the burning pain. How can I thank thee, Hirawani?" "Nay, so that the full use of thy limb be restored, I am amply repaid," replied the maiden, colouring with pleasure.

Her eyes fell before Graham's look of open admiration — a language she understood without the clumsy medium of speech. She had understood it on the occasion of their". 'first' meeting, when Graham awaited sentence in the Council-house. If ': he had found it difficult to disguise his admiration under sueh -s trying circumstances, ■ it had become .no easier .now. Never had Hirawani. looked- so beautiful as on this eS»ni|ig<t in the o|«j^doorwsy iiktf sßme^wild, untrainecT'flower, her drooping;, head adorned with a spray of waekahu (lycopodium—^literally, hawk's foot) that straggled over her dark, waving hair, and bashfully conscious of this, her first, attempt to render herself attractive in the eyes of the man she desired; to : captivate.

. "By George!" muttered .Graham, under his breath. . "I'm -not surprised at Rokino wishing to kill the man who came between him and so much loveliness. If I don't soon find something with which to occupy myself she will bewitch me"; then, .aloud, pointing to an armful of partly-dressed flax which' she carried, "'I see. Thou hast not been idle to-day. What doest thou with so much flax? I have seen thee return with a load for many" days past." ,

" While there is peace, I must lay in a supply. We shallr soon be stopped from gathering it," answered . Hirawani.

" Stopped I Surely Rokino will not interfere with thee?"

" Nay, Rokino da,re not molest the daughter of Hauraki," she answered, Sroudly; " Hast thou not heard? The [gapuhi are on the war path-." " The Ngapuhi 1 Is that the powerful tribe from the north?"

" Ay."

"I did not know they had started; but Te Puia said there were rumours of an incursion."

" They are within three days' march. A runaway slave from Ruapeka arrived not two hours- ago with news that the Ngapuhi had captured the pa and slain every , man in.it." "Are they marching straight here?"

"Not— at once. The Ngapuhi will feast for a week after so much slaughter."

This answer diverted. Graham's thoughts to the horrible custom of cannibalism which these islanders were said to practice, but of which he had no signs, though he had anxiously looked for them. He had hesitated to ask Te Puia so delicate a question. Hirawani's reply gave him the oppoi-tunity to satisfy his curiositiy. ■

"Tell me, Hirawani," he said, looking earnestly into her face, " <lo they feast on the slain?"

;" Yes, upon gaining a victory;" and perceiving the look of horror which crossed Graham's face on hearing his worst suspicions -confirmed, she added, artlessly, ''Must they not celebrate their conquest?" ■•■'." "'.Then it is only those slain in battle who are eaten ?"

"-Certainly!":- exclaimed Hirawam, surprised at his question. The revolting custom, as he aft«r : wards learnt, was not only their method of celebrating a victory, but they believed that in eating the flesh of a vanquished foe, his strength and courage were imparted to them, so that a toa who had killed a.nd eaten many famous warriors gained great mana (prestige) thereby. : He discovered, also, that it was not lawful for women to eat human flesh.. This insight into the exact ture and object of the practice not only somewhat relieved Graham's : mind on account of his own immunity from bo dreaded a fate, but lessened the feeling of abhorrence be had hitherto entertained towards this savage people, notwithstanding the extreme kindness and hospitality he had experienced at the hands of a friendly portion of them. In time he became accustomed even to the hideous tattooing, as giving character and distinction to the face, and regarded a man without it as uninteresting, vulgar, and resembling a slave. "Art thou afraid of an attack by the NgapiihiP" .'■: "Ay, since my father became blind we have been defeated several times. Te Puia is brave, :#u't- he h>s the cunning nor experience of my father"

"How long has thy father been blind?"

"It is several years since his sight began to fail, and two years ago it became so dim that he had to give up the leadership of the tribe." " Has anyone tried to cure his blind*

ness?"

"The tohunga (priest) has used charms and incantations; my mother, too, has doctored his eyes with herbs, but all in vain ; ha grows ever blinder." "I studied the art of curing blindness in the distant land whence I came," said Graham, struck with the idea that he might possibly succeed in restoring Hauraki' s sight, and thereby gain his powerful protection. "I may be able to remove the little cloud which obscures his vision." ' . ..

"If thou canst dp so, I shall bless thee to my dying day," she exclaimed^ with a look of eagerness. "Hauraki hath ever been a kind father to me."

"I have cured some! blinder than he," replied Graham, touched by the obvious intensity of her feeling, "but it is a difficult operation, and Hauraki would have to follow my instructions in the most minute particular." "1 will speak to him about it. her dark eyes flashing, " the Ngapuhi will not dare to enter our country;" then, with a softeplook, " Thou wquldst Bhouldst thou succeed !" she exclaimed, be a great tohunga, and needst not fear the villain Rokfno."

Graham could not help thinking there would be considerable risk to him in case of failure; probably bis life would be forfeited ; but, as he already carried that in his hand, it was worth the risk. At any rate, he would not attempt th« operation .until he. had made a careful * examination of ..the old chief's eyes.

All was now activity in the pa. Chiefs and warriors, usually so indolent, worked. at repairing the palisades with, a furious industry, for which he had not given them credit. The palisades -consisted of trunks and poles set in the ground and bound together with toro-toro, a tough creeping vine from the adjacent forest. The' renewal of these lashings kept many hands busy, while all . dry and inflammable material had to be removed from a space of twenty paces' around' the pa, as a. safeguard against, fire. The men discarded their usual loin cloth, and worked absolutely^ . naked, displaying thereby wonderful tattooing from waist to knee — old Te Puia had a perfect representation of ; the bracken on hia back and arms. It was curious how much this. decoration simulated a closefitting garment,. and while it had the effect of concealing the nakedness, displayed to perfection the muscular development of their limbs. ,

Ditches were cleared out and everything done to render- the pa. impregnable. , "Women .and- slaves toiled incessantly, carrying ' ; i^ppUes of 'food up - the mountain.-. Some' brought water in calabashes, while others, ;to , GraVam/a . surprise, used -for the purpose vessels ; fashioned . from human ' skulls. He a^k- . - ; ed the old slave who waited on hrip . the meaning of. this strange customy and learnt that they were the skntU of. murderers,"; reserved for this degrading, olfice to mark the detestation in which their owners were hold. .

Boys brought, stones frpm the river, t and young men . searched the, forest for the straight manuka, £he,-best wood *for*sgsark >Mess^ge£s.%ere"seijfc to all J pa^' to warn thenT of ap-proaching-danger,, .and arrange 4 mensuresof". defence, and mutual assistance. • . . . . .

Durjng this period of active preparation Graham was kept busy, and the proposed attempt to cure Haurak ; .'» blindness had to .be postponed, xnough still limping a little, he assisted in preparing the defences, and set to work to make himself a sw>«"3, lor he was not satisfied with the Maori weapons. Of these there wer? several other, less important* than the mere and hani, which have .already been described in these columns,: ■„ They comprised the - tewa-tewa, a wooden battle-axe, with a long, pointed handle, available also as a spear ; the kotaha, a kind of throwing stick, capable of projecting a heavy dart to a distance of eighty^-yards j. and. -, the paneke, a small war-hatchet, shaped like an adze, with hard; greenstone blade. None of them pleased Graham, who decided to make something: like a white man's sword, and, having pro* cured a stake of tough, hard wood, he set to work, assisted and advised by Te Puia, to shape the weapon.

First of all, red-hot stones were used to burn away the superfluous timber on each side, until he had fashioned a flat blade. A cross-guard of hard wood was fitted above the handle, lashed firmly on with flax, and the whole finished smooth and even with a knife formed from 'a flake of obsidian. It was slow, laborious work, and Graham cften thought with longing of the heavy cutlasses on board the Elisabeth. He felt that the possession of one of ♦hem, tinder present circumstances,, would render him invulnerable. Iron was apparently, unknown to these Kaipara Natives, and firearms they had never seen.

Often of an evening, when Graham vrorked at his wooden sword, Te Puia would sit beside him, watching with interest the construction of this novel weapon, in the value of which he plainly ecinced no faith. * ••Wait a bit," said Graham, "I * will show thee when it is finished." News' of the enemy arrived daily. Thoy still, remained feasting at Ruapeka, "inwardly digesting other men's courage," as Graham described it. The • surrounding tribes were too jealous off each other to make a combined attack on the invading column, but spent the interval before the raid in ; fortifying their pas and laying jn a -. good stock of food and water. "When GraHam had finished his sword he invited the old chiefs inspection. Te Puia shobk his heac( in.a deprecat-: ing way. •It is too long and tpp light to break a man's skull; and tod short to ~ protect one against a spear," he objected, after carefully balancing the weapon in his hand ' For answer, Graham went through the sword exercise, and challenged To • Pnia to find a ■warrior who could break • through, his guard. The chief called . one of his followers, armed with the tewa-tewa. The Maori, afraid to do ; his friend an injury with so deadly a weapon, attacked feebly at first, but, ; Graham haying .roused ■ him- with a prick/or two, he set to in . earnest. • he found it impossible to break through the guard, and presently Grahani, with a dexterous turn of the wrist, twitched the tewa-tewa out of his hand.

Te Piiia watched with: keen interest. He Drought forward another antagonist armed with .the. Jong' -Maori spear, a slender rod thirty feet in length, hut Graham' 6 skill was such that tha > ; Nitivej-could not touch 7 him. - . 5

News! came next .morning that th« "* Ngjapqhi were again on the warpath, ana, what all had feared, were making directly for Parabaki. In former years, when the Kaipara were strong in the leadership of Haur»ki A many •

bloody raid had be-^n made into the Ngapuhi country, but since fhe old Kairior'e blindness his tribe had been Weakened by defeat arid subsequent desertion, until their mana had departed. This was seized upon as a favourable opportunity for seeking utu (levenge) The pa at Parahaki, built Kiearly two generations before by Hauraki himself, had never been taken, Mid Rata, the great Ngapuhi chief, re■olvad to capture the stronghold, and llay the garrison to a man.

The continual blowing of the tetere, a great war-horn, made of wood, and producing the most dismal note, rendered night hideous. The melancholy sound was continued without intermission, to give the enemy "timely notice that the Kaipara were on the alert, and quite prepared for any attack; but Graham thought the dismal moan, booming through the solemn stillness of the night, more likely to disturb the rgst and depress the spirits of their (<wo side than intimidate the enemy. Hauraki's pa stood midway along the iuain ridge of Parahaki Mountain. (Though not on the highest peak, it oc* copied an excellent position. The slcpe on either hand Jbeing almost too steep to climb, the only practicable approach was along the ridge itself, either from the north (where Graham had first entered), or from the south, where the narrow gateway was abo piotected by rampart and ditch. A track ran from this side far over the mountain crest to the distant Koromifc} pa, whose garrison were of the Kaipara tribe, and closely related to Haujraki's followers

That evening Haurakl held a council iof war, which lasted far into the night. AH the warriors assembled before a camp -fire to listen to the chiefs, who spoke in turn, pacing backwards and forwards in front of the seated assembly. The proceedings were orderly, and carried out in a certain prescribed nzanner. Te Puia spoke first, delivering his short, pithy sentences each time he approached the fire, so that all might see his animated countenance. This method had the advantage of giving the speaker time to collect his thoughts during the backward jour* noy, and his audience opportunity to consider the force of each sentence.

"Lisbon, brave Kaipara I The hawk of the north is hovering near. It is time the brood should seek safety in their nest. Our scouts report that the pbadow of his wings is even now darkening the borders of our Kaipara fishing grounds, and heralds the approaoh of a mighty host. Look to your arms, warriors! Be prepared! My counsel is that we stand fast here in pur stronghold. What are three hundred braves against such a host, estimated by our young men at thrice that number? Stand fast, and let the hawk beat his wings vainly against our fortress. This is my word."

Before the murmur, of applause which greeted this speech had ceased, the swarthy Rokino started to his feet. Completely reoovered trom bis wound, he looked the very embodiment of human strength. The firelight, glancing across his mighty chest and shoulders, ihowed. in relief the great muscles standing out lika cords. "Te Puia called ye .'brave Kaipara/1" he cried, scornfully. "He counselled hiding in your nests from the enemy, as doth the timid rerorero <!wren). Of what are ye afraid P Are ye women that ye hide from the Ngapuhi? The mighty Kaipara a/raid of the Ngapuhi ! Have not our iaaa slain and eaten their fathers and grandfathers, until all their oourage iB departed, and the Ngapuhi become a nation of slaves and women P Advance boldly, I say I Give them battle 1 Drive the .cowardly dogs from our land!" and holding up his stone club, he continued, vehemently : " This mere . has slain many Ngapuhi of old ; it is again thirsting for their blood. My counsel is that we meet them with a bold front. They will flee before us as does the morning mist before the rising sun. This is my word." , Shouts of approval from the younger warriors greeted Rokino' s warlike speech. The old savage with a head shrivelled like a mummy spoke; he was for awaiting the enemy. Next in order followed Pomare. the spearman, whose hot blood followed Rokino's headstrong lead. Sev^ eral others spoke, the majority advising defensive tactics j and when all had finished, old Hauraki rose. A hush fell on the assembly. Every eye was fixed on the majestic figure and, every ear strained to catch the first syllable, so anxious were they f© hear the rangatira's decision. Through force of habit, he also pf ced to and fro as the others had done/ casting his sightless eyes now on this 3ide, vow on that.

"My children, I have listened patiently. It warms my heart to hear the young warriors counselling advance, Did my sight serve I would gladly lead them: The Kaipara ever met an enemy half way. , Since the desertion of the Paeroa,' Awaroa and Makarau, we are sadly reduced in numbers. Haa they, not left us and set up pretentions to lead the tribe the Ngapuhi would not dare invade our lands. We must not. despise our enemy. I have fought against many tribes, but found the Ngapuhi ever the bravest; My commands are that we await them here. Lay in a good supply of water and food. Remove everything that, will catch fire, even to the roofs of your whares. Send runners to Koromiko for assistance. Pomare, take twenty men, fleet of foot ; hover round the enemy ? send us accurate information of their numbers and movements. Hipara and Kereama will guard the south gate with forty men. Te Puia, hold one hundred in readiness to assist wherever the fight presses most urgently, and see to it that the walls are well guarded. Rokino, do thou take sixty of the younger warriors; to thee I entrust the north gate — the post of danger. Be ever ready to sally forth upon the enemyc. I exhort ye all, O Kaipara, to be valiant' and true, for a bloody fight approaches. Heard I not the owl's eerie cry at midday? And Toana's caged tui talked during the still hours of night. These •re portents of a sanguinary struggle. I consulted the tohunga ; hear his . answer : 'We shall not win the fight, nor yet will the Ngapuhi prevail/ His meaning is dark te me ; butihis familiar spirit will reveal no more. Now, to your posts ! Forget riot that you are Kaipara 1 This is my word." The council, imbued with more confidence by the decision of their principal chief, then broke up. Directly dawn tinged the eastern sky Pomare started with his small but active band in search of the enemy. They had hardly disappeared down the hillside before the thatched roofs were unceremoniously tern off the whares, carried outside te a safe distance, ana burnt.

About mid-day Kiwi (the night bird) one of Pomare's scouts, came in, breathless, with the news that the Ngapuhi had entered the vajley. "Hast thou seen them?" asked Te Puia?"

"That have I!" replied the young ioout, full of importance. "We followed the southern track through the forest and beyond the kumara fields for two thousand fathoms; when Pomare, who led, heard them advancing directly towards us. A large tawa tree grew near, up which I climbed, and, lying At full length upon a great bough, I peeped through the ferns at the trade below. I had not long to wait; they advanced like a great brown eel, ana passed directly beneath." "Didst thou count themP"

" I counted till my brain reeled. They were like the sand of the sea-shore for numbers." l " How many were there? If they paaeed under thee thou ahouldst LaVe told them off to a man." .

"At least two thousand; but the/ travelled too fast' for me to keep an exact reckoning. The valiant Kahu, keen of sight as the kestrel, his namesake, led, brandishing hia whalebone mere. There was old Mimiha, puffing and blowing like a whale. The creeping vine, Mawhai, a small wiry man r skilled at an ambuscade. Ruru, with his big eyes, stumbling over the rootc and stones, and stupid as an owl. The giant, Rimu, towering above his <:t;tn? panions, as a pine tops the lesser trees, urged them to greater haste, and Rata himself, the most renowned toa amuug all the Ngapuhi, promised them a greater feast than at Ruapeka. The ground shook beneath their feet, and so great was their haste I saw the sweat dripping from them. Directly they were past I slipped down, and, travelling by a secret path, brought the news. See! there they come!"

As he spoke, Kirn pointed to the fiat beyond the river, where a dark mass was seen to enter the cleared ground near the kumara fields. All watched the hostile war party march past the opening with fearful curiosity \ it seemed endless, and from such a' distance appeared to be only creeping over the ground. "Did I not tell thee there wen t*o thousand?" said the scout, emphatically.

"Two thousand!" exclaimed yo» ng Weka. who had listened open-mou*h"d to Kiwi's news. "There are nearer four!"

"Nay," said Te Puia. "You a'e both mistaken. I doubt if there be a thousand, all told," and, turning to the Booat, he added, "Descend again nod count them correctly. Thy fears make thee see double."

* Kiwi, crestfallen at this rebuke, K»t otit forthwith.