A CENTURY AGO

Waipa Post, Volume 81, Issue 3691, 29 November 1935, Page 9

A CENTURY AGO

EARLY WAIKATO EXPERI- ■ ■'.' ENCES.

OF THE MAORIS

(Contributed.) *

In my .persistent search among old records pertaining to the early history of the Waikato, and this part of it 'in particular, I happened upon some very interesting extracts from the diary of one of the first white .men.to land at Waikato Heads and to travel up the river into the Waipa country, and some of the statements made therein—(l have every reason to believe that the statements are genuine)—l have copied as constituting a fascinating story of those adventurous days. It appears that the writer journeyed, across from Sydney in a sailing packet in the year 1830 — one hundred and five years ago—in company with three other passengers, including two Maori chiefs, who had. been visiting Sydney. Now let me quote:— : " We arrived at the mouth of the river, and the captain sent off a boat to a little nook,-just to the southward of the river entrance, where lived a resident trader named Captain Payne He kindly returned with the boat and piloted us across the bar, and on 10th November, 1830, we dropped anchor inside,. opposite Te Rori a Karahi. Going ashore we found that great numbers of natives had assembled to welcome our Maori fellow passengers. We new arrivals were introduced to the assembled chiefs, and were included in the welcome. There was "much feasting and, to my astonishment, more weeping. The weeping powers of the Maori are extraordinary. The tears flow equally copiously whether the occasion is a funeral or a meeting of friends after : an absence. NEEDLESS FRIGHT. " The news of our arrival soon ; spread inland, and many more people came to see the vessel.! News certainly does travel fast in Maoridom'. '.' Give a young Maori a piece of news and a screwy pony, and it is absolutely mjarvellous all the kaingas round learn what it is all about. The elec- . trie telegraph is about the only thing that beats them. The new arrivals, "of course, saw that they had their fair share of kai and tangi. V' After having been ashore a short time we took a trip up the country to Toroakapakapa, a native settlement . a considerable distance up the W'aipa ;•; River, a tributary of the Waikato. On • our way up we stopped to have • breakfast, preparing it on the banks ;of the river near the water's edge. Our party was quite a large one, /occupying about a dozen canoes. Our ": chief, Piraoa, intended to introduce . v his pakehas in grand and becoming 'style, so he had enlisted a large nums.ber of the elite to accompany him. ' The party of Europeans consisted of .Captain Payne, Logan, and myself. It being summer time and the weather particularly warm and fine, many decided to take advantage of '.-the halt, and the prepartion of breakjfast, to have a bathe. Among those in the water was Logan. ".After he had been in the water a > short time a commotion arose among the men on shore, and a number of them rushed into the water with -tomahawks. Poor Logan imagined • they. were heading directly for him in order to kill him, so he commenced to yell out at the top of his voice: "Piraoa! Piraoa! De natif make a bunga bunga me!" This yell he -kept on repeating, nearly drowning himself in his fright. It was quite some time before we could pacify him by explaining that the Maoris' rush was to the other side of the river, Where some of their dogs had caught

a pig, which could be heard squealing most lustily. In their great haste to secure the porker they had decided to swim across instead of waiting to unfasten their canoes.

We were the first Europeans, with the exception of one, who had been in that part of New Zealand. I forget the man's name, but he had come from Kawhia, having left a vessel at that port (I heard that he was her mate), with the intention of proceeding across country to Thames. On his arrival at Te Onematua, the settlement of the Ngatipou, Te Uira, the elder son. of Taratikitiki, the principal chief of the tribe, heard of his intended trip and endeavoured to delay his departure for a few days, telling him that he was going that way himself, and that, by waiting, he could then travel under his protection and in his company. The man, however, persisted in setting out, so To Uira directed some slaves to accompany him and take care of him. They started out, but a short time afterwards the slaves returned without the pakeha. When questioned on the matter they made the doubtful statement that a quarrel had arisen through the pakeha having threatened to strike one of their number; and therefore, when they halted to prepare food on the bank of the Waipa River, they had decided to leave the white man. A DEED REGRETTED. 'So when he, still maintaining his threatening attitude, stepped ashore, they paddled the canoe away, taking with them his clothing and food, and leaving him marooned on the bank. His dead body, naked, and buoyed up by the limb, of a tree at the water's edge, was subsequently discovered by a party from another tribe. The river, having subsided, had no doubt left him in that position a few miles below where he had been marooned. The body displayed no marks of violence beyond the few slight abrasions caused by its having drifted along the bed of the river when carried down by the current. It was assumed that he had been drowned in attempting to cross one of the tributary creeks.

This having occurred a short time prior to our arrival, it was the main topic of conversation, and every endeavour was being made to exonerate the chiefs from any blame in connection with the reprehensible act. In fact, Te Uira was so incensed with the party that, had they not made themselves scarce, he would probably have had them shot. Only one of them again made his appearance, and that after a considerable lapse of time. The Maoris generally were very indignant at the occurrence, considering that they would be stigamtised as a body.

JOURNEY UP THE RIVER. MAORIS OF THE OLDEN TIME. No. 2. On the passage up the river we had an opportunity of seeing a considerable gathering of natives at the different settlements, our visit being announced by forerunners who went ahead to trumpet to the Maori world our chief's success in having secured several atuas (spirits) in the flesh, some of whom he was about to exhibit for their wonderment and admiration. At all the settlements wo were received most courteously and hospitably, although the younger members of the comntunity we happened to be in generally hid behind stumps of trees, in or behind houses, or under the garments of their parents, from which places of safety they cautiously peeped as they stole glances at " te atua." At one settlement, Kapokowhatitiri,

where we stopped for the night, we saw the natives go through a dance. The performers numbered nearly a hundred, standing in separate files according to their sex, making about fifty in each row. The men were young and robust, and the women ranged from 15 to 25 years of age, some of them very good-looking. The Maoris in former days were much finer men than they are at present; they now speak of themselves as having been a people of large stature. and this claim is borne out by remains that have been discovered. ARRIVAL AT TOROAKAPAKAPA. On the day of our arrival at Toroakapakapa I perceived a great commo.tion in the village, the men arming and demanding arms from us, and the women rushing about in all directions, making altogether a clatter of tongues that constituted a m'odern Babel. The cause of the disturbance was a party of natives on the opposite side of a gully a short distance My ignorance of their language immediately led me to the conclusion that these strangers were a hostile party about to make a raid on the settlement and on ourselves. In consequence of this conclusion 1 armed myself, after the approved manner of New Zealand, with a wellfilled cartrige box strapped round my waist; then, musket in hand, I prepared for a good shot at the enemy. Selecting for my mark a fine fellow who was unconcernedly sitting out in front of his party, totally unconscious of my murderous intention, I was just going to let drive when, to my utter astonishment, I was seized' from behind and prevented from firing. By dint of much gesticulation and perseverance on 1 the part of my Maori friends it was eventually conveyed to me that this was a visit of friendly natives, relatives of my protectors, who had come to see the pakehas, and that I was aiming at a friend. However, the prompt, warlike action that I had taken won for mp the credit of being a most resolute and determined warrior. A LOSS OF FLAX. This reputation I believe I still retain, not that I am at all pugnacious, but more probably because I always bore in mind the adage, " Discretion is the better part of valour." I was always very careful not to encounter men of superior strength to myself in the few wrestles I engaged in for amusement, and I always declined a second round after having succeeded in throwing my adversary in the first instance, which I usually did. I lost the first throw only in one case out of the two that were the only occasions o£ earnest that I had with the natives. We remained at Toroakapakapa for a week, as Captain Payne's object in going up the river was to purchase flax to freight the Sydney packet back to Sydney. I had thus an opportunity of seeing occasionally a large assemblage of Maoris, but I had daily to go through the same routine —endeavouring to learn Maori by day and watching the games and dancing of the natives in the evening.

On leaving Toroakapakapa on our return we found that the passage had taken us a week when ascending the river, but took us only two days en our return. Although a large lot of flax had been collected as cargo for the vessel, still more was required before she could be filled up and despatched, so the mate (Tucker) was sent along the coast to collect some which the natives had cleaned. On his retuiTi with it by sea the canoe which carried him and his flax was swamped and he was drowned. The natives who accompanied him saved their lives, but the canoe and the flax were lost. I understand he had been cautioned not to go to sea in the canoe.

About this time an incident occurred which indicates one way in which one may secure a friend. I was carrying three damaged muskets, intending to send them to Sydney for repair. Just then a chief named Nini (called by us " Russian " because his wild and turbulent spirit) came along and asked to be allowed to look at them. As they were defective it was desirable that they should not be seen, so I objected. He thereupon grabbed one of them, and to retain possession of it I had to drop the others; however, the natives round about did not attempt to touch them as they lay on the ground. Followed then a struggle for the mastery. After a time I contrived to manoeuvre him to the edge of a bank, about eight feet in height, and there I succeeded in placing my foot on his chest and in wrenching the piece out of his hands. My friend, of course, went down the bank and fell among the boulders on the beach. On his recovering himself he jumped up, foaming at the mouth, and danced about with rage for about 20 minutes, swearing vengeance on account of his defeat. This, at any rate, was the impression I gathered, although at that time I did not know anything of the language. After so venting his feelings he took himself off. MAKING FRIENpS. During the next day I was wandering about the place where I had the squabble, and, chancing to look up, I saw Nini approaching, accompanied by 10 or 12 other natives. It would never have done for a pakeha to show the white feather, although I fully expected a combined attack, so I stood my ground. Nini advanced toward me, holding out his hand in pakeha fashion. I declined to take it, knowing that if he retained it he would have me at a very great disadvantage. After some time his companions contrived to make me understand that his intentions were particularly friendly, and I gave him my hand at once. I am happy to say that I retained his unbroken friendship right up to the fight at Te Ihutaroa, the last inter-tribal battle that took place between the Maoris of the Waikato, when Nini went down with many others. I received many kindnesses from him, as well as protection from the importunities of other Maoris, even though I was not supposed to be living under his wing or that of his tribe. And I always found him particularly honourable and generous.

OLD CUSTOMS OF THE MAORIS. RUTHLESS INTER-TRIBAL WA!RS. No. 3. In 1831 the brig Tranmere, Captain Smith, arrived in Manukau harbour with Captain Kent, Te Wherowhero, and Amohia, Wherowhero's daughter.

Captain Kent was the first European who had visited the west coast of the North Island for trading purposes-;, having put in to Kawhia in 1828 in the brig Macquarie for flax, that being the only article of commerce produced by the natives. In consequence of Te Wherowhero's visiting the Manukau with his pakehas (pakehas in those days were no small beer, and, as I have said before, were looked upon more in the light of celestials, or, as the natives would term it, atuas), Te Kanae Wetere presented Te Wherowhero with Awhitu, a pretty little bay to the south inside the entrance to Manukau harbour. In return for this Wetere received the gift of a case of muskets, a gift considerably in excess of the value of the land; but in those days the chiefs endeavoured to excel each other in the value and magnificence of their presents.

Captain Kent, Te Wherowhero, his daughter Amohia, and an escort of natives came over to the Waikato, and proceeded up the river. While they were in Manukau I paid a visit to the Tranmere to see Captain Smith, going in company of some natives by way of Waiuku. On crossing over to the portage we fell in with an old woman, left behind by a party of the Ngatipaou, which had preceded us a couple of days. As we could not take her on, we also had to leave her, intending to pick her up on our return. In the absence of a canoe we had to tramp along the margin of the bays, crossing, when possible, the mlud-flats to shorten the journey. Once I ventured too far out and got so bogged in the stiff saltwater mud that I had to be pulled out by flax ropes. At last, by dint of perseverance, with legs scratched and cut by the shells in the mud, and exhausted and fatigued, we contrived to get abreast of the vessel and hail her. I was received most kindly, and remained on board for three days. THE VIOLATED TAPU. After obtaining a few supplies from Captain Smith, we were taken up to Waiuku in the ship's boat, and on our way we found the old lady where we had left her, and took her on. By the time we reached Waiuku it was evening, and we crossed over the portage to Purapura. The night promised to be fine, so we did not trouble ourselves to erect a shelter, but presently the wind shifted and the rain fell in torrents; it was now pitch dark, so there was no alternative but to sit up, grin, and bear it; the water was literally running through me. At daylight the natives contrived to make a breakwind, so that I could relieve myself of my wet clothing: my companions had not much to wet: they simply turned their mats in and out, out and in, until they were quite dry. The old lady we had picked up was taken possession of by our chief, Piraoa, who was with us, and was walked off to the settlement. Soon after this Piraoa's wife needed care, and the old lady was deputed to attend upon her, the consequence being that she was tapued (or rendered sacred), the chieftainess being a woman of rank. At the time of the occurrence food was very scarce, there being only fernroot, and of this the best was selected for the chiefs. The old woman being a slave was, during the time of her tapu, precluded from feeding herself, but on one occasion, no one being there to cook for her and feed her, she unceremoniously, but unfortunately, appropriated some of the sacred fernroot meant for the chieftainess and made a hearty meal. Detection followed—not even a form of trial was gone through and the poor old thing was killed and sunk in the river during the night. VESSELS ASHORE. The Sydney packet being now loaded, she one evening took her departure for Sydney. At daylight next morning I ascended a hill expecting to find that she was out of sight, or at least merely a speck in the offing. To my surprise I discovered that she was ashore on the north side. It seemed that, in going out, she had gone too far to the north, had struck, and then was thrown up where she was lying. On striking she had carried away her ruddei", become unmanageable, and been buffeted about till she reached high-water mark, where the tide left her. Captain Payne and the rest of us'went across to render what assistance we could. We lightened the vessel by landing her cargo, stores, and all rigging not essential for the vessel's use, and at the top of the next spring tide, which occurred in about 10 days, we succeed-, ed in getting her afloat and inside the harbour again.

At a subseqeunt period the Elizabeth and Mary, a vessel of about 90 tons, the same size as the Sydney packet, went ashore at the same spot, but with worse luck, as she stuck and became a total wreck. However, no life, fortunately, was lost or endangered in either case. We repaired the damage to the Sydney packet, reloaded her, and despatched her to .Sydney, where she arrived without further troubles. On the departure of the vessel we commenced operations to secure a cargo against her return, which we calculated would be in about six weeks' or two months' time. However, she never made her appearance, the Samuel, a schooner, coming in her stead.

WARS AND RUMOURS OF WARS.

.During the absence of the vessel we had wars and rumours of wars up the country among the natives. The fights in Waikato had been very numerous, whether they arose from the attacks of an invading foe or from local squabbles, and it may not be out of place if I give a short account of some of them, beginning with the attack by the Ngapuhis in 1825 or 1826 on Waikato, before the tribes inhabiting the latter were supplied with firearms.

The raid was made by Hongi Hika, at the head of 800 men, after his visit to England, where he had been presented with a suit of armour and some firearms by George IV. These he carried with him and used on the expedition. The Waikatos at the time of the above raid were in possession of none but their native arms. Notwithstanding this disadvantage, they made a stand at Matakitaki, where they had built a pa just at the confluence of the Mangapiko stream with the Waipa River. STRANGE WEAPONS. ■ Ngapuhi made the attack on the pa early one foggy morning. On hearing the report of firearms the besieged were paralysed with astonishment and fear; they could not tell whence these extraordinary sounds proceeded, and many were shot down

without a semblance of resistance. The Waikatos in fortifying their pa had intersected it with maioros (rifle pits), and in the rush they made to escape hundreds fell or were driven into these, and trampled to death or smothered. A great slaughter of the Waikatos was the consequence, the estimated loss being 2000 killed and 2000 taken prisoner. Many of the principal chiefs, both male and female, were killed or taken, though several contrived to escape from their captors on the road, and so returned to their homes. Potatau's chief wife and Te Uira's were among the captured who managed to get away.

HONGI'S GREAT INVASION . GRIM AND TRAGIC EPISODES. No. 4. One of the leading chiefs of the Ngapuhi connived at the escape of a rangatira Waikato woman with her son. She, it seems, had fallen to the lot of a man of inferior rank, and one of the Ngapuhi who happened to pass by recognised her as a person from whom, he had received hospitality and kindness on a previous visit to Waikato. Failing to obtain her liberty from her present master, he determined to effect her deliverance. Cautioning her owner to look well after his prisoners as they would probably attempt to escape, he threw him off his guard, and gained his confidence to such an extent that his offer to assist in the watch was gladly accepted. \ The house in which the prisoners were confined was fortunately at the edge of a high bank of the Waipa River. After collecting a number of sticks, which had the appearance of being for firewood, the friendly chief excavated from the bank into the house, and having made a good passage, he covered the aperture in the whare with wood and fern. In the middle of the night, when all were supposed to be asleep, the sticks were moved aside, the woman and chile" passed through the aperture, and reached the river, which the woman swam with the child on her back, and eventually got to her friends in safety. To favour their escape the friendly native, after their exit by the passage, replaced the sticks and fern, and made up their bedding as though they were still there asleep. Their owner was sleeping in the whare with them, and it was not till after daylight that he discovered the deception that had been practised on him, to the great amusement of the others. One of the principal chieftains, Te Rangimoewaka, had also succeeded in escaping from the pa, but becoming exhausted, he sat down, telling the party with whom he was escaping to hasten away, as he could proceed no further. For a time there was some hesitation, but the yells of the pursuers grew nearer and nearer, and the instinct of sejf-preservation carried the day. Each gave him a final salute by applying nose to nose, and then hastened off. Among the pursuers was a Ngapuhi chief who knew Te Rangimoewaka, and had been on friendly terms with him. He was the first to come up, and, seeing his quondam friend lying exhausted, reminiscences of old times flashed across his mind. He stooped and rubbed noses in token of recognition, and then, in performance of his, duty to his party, tomahawked him. Success is not always a good thing: it makes some people conceited, and only leads them into a fall; and this is precisely what happened to Ngapuhi. Hongi's expedition had been attended with glorious results, and they failed to see why their good fortune should not continue. So, after a lapse of two or three years, Ngapuhi organised another war party to the Waikato, without calculating the advance in " civilisation" the Waikatos had made in the interim; for, warned of their inferiority to any enemy possessing firearms, they had made' wonderful efforts to get supplied with arms and ammunition. Pomare, Moetara, and several chiefs of importance, with about five hundred men, formed the taua (war party). AMBUSHES LAID. When the Ngapuhi entered the Waikato country the inhabitants retired from the banks of the river, permitting the enemy to advance unmolested. The elated invaders passed the spot of Hongi's victory, and marched on some two or three miles further without seeing a foe. At the Mangauika Rapids, near Kopua, close to the place where a mission station was afterwards established, they came into collision with the Waikatos, and to their great disgust found them in strong numbers, well posted and well armed. There was no more easy slaughtering fun, so Ngapuhi decided to retire. . . But the Waikatos had not enticed the enemy so far up the river for nothing, and in the rear of the. attacking party ambushes were carefully laid on the banks of the Waipa. At Te Rore, about four miles below Alexandra (the old Matakitaki), there was assembled a large party of Ngatiteata. Ngatitipa, Ngatimahunga, and other Waikato tribes, and into this ambuscade Ngapuhi fell. They were paddling down quietly, all the canoes close together, when a heavy volley was poured into them. Orders had been given to take special aim at the chiefs, and most of them, including Pomare, fell at the first five. The canoes jammed and unset. There was no climbing up the banks under the heavy fire, and volley after volley came hurtling from the concealed Waikatos. Ngapuhi received a bad cutting up, and those who managed to escape got out of the river on the left bank and made for Whaingaroa, where they got another mauling. The survivors then pushed on overland for Waikato Heads, but in the meantime the Waikato canoes had carried down a large party to cut oft their retreat. This was done so effectually that, out of the five hundred or more men who made up the taua, only ten reached their homes, Moetara being the only chief to do so. He had been struck on the' chest by a spent bullet, but otherwise he was uninjured. He attributed his invulnerability to a star which had been tattooed on his chest. A GRIM DEED. In 1830, Kaipaka, a pa near Otawhao. occupied by the Ngatihinetu and Ngatiapakura, was attacked By the Ngatikoroki, and Ngatiruru, who perpetrated an indiscrimdnate slaughter of men, women, and children. The following incident

was related to me by a woman who belonged to the assaulting party. She had saved from drowning an infant that had been thrown into the creek (Mangapiko), which ran close to the pa. On taking it from the water she nestled it to'her bosom, to warm it and preserve its life if possible, but the poor little thing unfortunately uttered a cry; one of the attackers who was passing by immediately tore the child from her, notwithstanding her remonstrances, and deliberately sticking it up before the fire, roasted it alive. DEFIANCE AND RETREAT. Another local fight took place in 1830 at Te Whakakiho, a pa occupied by the Ngatipou. The majority of the inhabitants being away at Kawhia and elsewhere, the opportunity to take it was too good to be lost, and it was attacked by surprise (he konihi) by the Ngatihaua, Ngatikoroki, and Ngatimahuta. Heavy loss of life occurred here also. The intervention of the pakehas afterwards so pacified the belligerents that the conquered party did not, as was usual on such occasions, seek utu (payment) when they became strong enough to do so. In 1831 Te Haowhenua, Taumatawiwi, and other encounters took place between the Hauraki tribes and the Ngatihauas and the rest, in alliance with others of the Waikato tribes. From these arose the famous "Arawa" case, which has given so much trouble to tire Native Land Court. The struggle ended in the expulsion of the Hauraki (Thames) natives, who did. not attempt to recover their lands till after the Native Land Court, was instituted and the discovery was made that the country was auriferous.