REMINISCENCES OF MY LIFE AMONG THE MAORIS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 10, 6 July 1894, Page 25

REMINISCENCES OF MY LIFE AMONG THE MAORIS.

(Cant inned.)

Now at last Father Lampila has got an assistant. But what can he do for him 1 He is like a baby ; he cannot speak the tongue of his flock. But, wait a bit. He, like other babies, will soon learn to ■peak by listening to others, and besides, betler than mere babies, he will be able to interrogate his neighbours and masters and help himself in many ways. It was not long before I had picked up a number of easy words, as kapoi (t'is good), kaklno (t'is bad), tena koe (there you are). But if I said tena koe to two persons or more, then I was wrong, and was told to say tena korua, for two persons, and tena koutou for more than two. Sometimes I would go and Bquat down with a few Maoris and ask them questions tha best way I could as bojvai tou ingoal (what is your name?) or lieaka tenei or healta tena ? (what is this ? or what is that ?) pointing to the object I wanted to koow the name of. In this manner and with the assistance of a Maori prayer book, I learned a good many words in a very short time. But in trying to speak I would often make mistakes, for instances wltenu-a means the earth, and oneone soil. But one day filling np a hole somewhere outside |the house, I said to a little girl about 6 years old who was standing by, Homai te whenua Oh ! she exclaimed how can I give you the earth 1 Had I said, Homai tetahi oneone (give me Borne earth or soil) I would have been right. However, in six months' time I had acquired a sufficient knowlege of the Maori language to be abla t) render some service to my old parish priest. I could now visit and do duty in the various pahs up or down the river such as Parikino, ELoeiniti, Otene, Banana, Hirnbaromo, Pipiriki Monganui ate ao, and Utapu. But besides these there was another* locality which belonged to our station, and that was the Waitora River or rather the Upper Waitora, which was in the province of Taranaki. In this locality there were 2or 3 Maori pahs, the most important of which was Te Pukemohoe. The Maoris living on this river bad never Been a priest yet, but seemed to be, from all accounts, well disposed to hear the Word of God. And so, wishing to give them

an opportunity to do so, Father Lampila arranged that I should go and pay them a visit, One of tbe Natives in the place was to accompany me as a guide and stock-bearer. Now, everything being ready for the journey, we jumped on our little cano^ or waha and oa we went up the river. Before night we were at Utapa, where we had to rest and look for lodgings. Tbese were easily got, for the Maoris are generally very hospitable, especially with tbe regard to clergymen and those of their own race, no matter what tribe they belong to. Among them, however, one most not expect much luxury. Simple meals consisting of potatoes and pork, or perhaps a leg of perservod kiwi, and a shake-down on a piece of mat in one of their whares ; that is pretty well all those poor people can give, but it is given with a good heart and with a desire of giving mire if they bad it, and this ought to make up for all deficiencies. Next day, then, we got into the canoe again, and np we rowed and pulled until we reached the spot where we had to leave our canoe and take to the bush. But it wai nightfall again and we had to spend the night in a little hut we found on the river bank. We were then about 10 miles from Kowaeroa, our starting point, and we had to travel 50 more by a jush track. We had brought with us a box contaiuing the vestments for Mass and also tbe provisions for the j mrney. My guide had now to carry it oa his back, and this was not a small job, considering the rough country we had to go through. Batwean tbe last place we camped in and the Waitora Biver there are no less than 8 big mountains and as many deep valleys, and all these were covered with treec, sonae of which appeared to be very large. It took us very nearly 3 days to get through, camping out two nights in the bush. Oa the third day we arrived at Tepukemohoe on the Waitara River. I was glad, indeed, to be over that hard and tedious journey. I was twice over those dreadful hilli and gulling, but the second time I did not had the road near so long and tedious for I knew then a little of the country. As soon as I got into the pah the Maoris had all their eyes on me, and looked at me as something rather strange, for the most of them bad never seen a while man. They seemed, however, to be of a very kind nature, and after having— not rubbed noses with me which some did with my guidebut given me a good shaking of hands, they brought me soma kaikai (food) to which I did full justice, for I was rather hungry. I told them, then, what my object was in coming among them, and they

seemed to take it very kindly, boon I began my instruction to them, repeating the form every day, especially ia the evening when they were all assembled ia one of the whares. After remaining; a few days at Tepukemokoe, I wjnt d:>wn the river where there two more pahs, the names of which I havd since forgotten, and I found everwhere the same kind feeling. I was about two months in that district, duiiag which time I made, 1 thrik, about 16 Christians, and many more, I dare a<iy, w mid have followed ha 1 not the war broken out ia Taranaki. I was raying Masg in a teat ia the lower pah on the 19th of March, 186U, St Joseph's D\y, when 1 heard the repr it of the first guns that were fir.?d on th^ Maoris, only a few miles from New Plymouth. Of course I did not k-iowtheo what it was ab ,ut, but the Maoris, who knew that war was threatening, soon told me about it. As Father Tnsillet had been sent to Tar&naki, I was anxious to know how he was situated, and, having obtained a guide from among the natives, I started for Naw Plymjuth which was about 25 mtles, or one day's w«*lk. Having arrive ion the Waitora pUinß, we found the Maori camp, w ieh we haj to get through. We were well received, however, but no Maoris being allowed on tha disputed block, they kept my quid; in the camp, and I continued tha j >urney alone. I was then about 12 miles from the town. Arrived thsre I found all in commotion. All tha country peopla having been ordered to town, had to leave their houses at the mercy of the foe, who did not spare tham, and burnt tham all to the ground. It was certainly a pitiful sight t~> see nothing about but, brick chimneys standing. Father Tresallet was all right. I saw him talking to the Governor, who was then M: Browne, and whilst we were standing together in the street, a messeuger came to tell him that three men had just been killed by the Maoris. "Ob 1 " exclaimed the Governor, "if I c mid catch them I would have them hung." Yes, but the difficulty was to ca'ch them. I learnel thua from Father Tresallet, who, no doubt, had it from ,he Governor, what was the cause of the war. 1 returned after three days to the Maori camp, and as I was telling the Maori cnief that they were wrong, and that they should have coma to terms with 'he Goveinor, he took ma by the arm and said, " W,; 1, if you speak to us that way you'd better go (haord)." Of cjurse I did not iniist upon staying any longer. I took my guide and off we weDt to the pah we had come from. The Maoris there told me a different story of tha war from what I had heard in New Plymouth. I learned then that the true cause of the war was the Waitora block, which had been sold to the Government by a Maori chief, Teteira (Taylor) by name. A3 a chief he bad a mana or authority over that block, but the whole block did not belong to him, and private parties owned a good part of it, so that when the block was sold those who owned parts of it began to claim their property. Governor Browne hearing of the complaints, sent word to those priva'e parties to coma to him and have their claim settled . But tha Maoris would never go to the Gover. nor, they, in Maori fashion, expected tha Governor to come to them, and so, as they persisted in remaining on thi block, after they were told to leave, the big guns began to play upon tham. Now the Maoris' account of the cause of the war, I believe, is tl c true one ; so much so that Governor Browne was generally blamed for hastening the war, a dreadful war which co9t many useful lives. The Home Government itself understood it so, as Governor Browne was removed at once. But here any one could see John Bull's greed for land, for, though after 12 months fighting, peace was declared, yet the troops continued to occupy the disputed iand, until the Maoris, driven to desperation, fell upon an escort of 11 men and killed 10 of them. This caused a renewal of the war, which lasted until 1870. I had seen the beginning of the dreadful wa', »nd I also happened to see the end of it, for I was w.tn the troops at tha storming of the Mukamoru pah, about 20 miles from Wingaaui. Now as a compensation for the war expenses the Government confiscated the whole tract of land from Hawera to Opunake, known as the Waimea plains. But had they any right to that land ? It was an unjust war, to all appearances. Therefore euch confiscation was pure robbery. But in this case I know, as in many other?, might is right. Now thinking that my stay on the Waitara river had been long enough, I prepared for the way home, and in about 4 days I was again with Faiher Lampila at iJawaeroa, giving him all the war nces. I remained with him until about the end of 1861, when I was called to go and assist Father Tresallet in Taranaki ; but it was not very long before he was shifted to Nelson and 1 was lefc alo'ie to fight my own batile with the Imperial troops. Three ye*rs after Fuher Rolland wa s taking my place and was to continue the attendance on the troops tiJl the end of the war.