C H a P T E R XXI AFTER an Early Start Next Morning, We Reached A
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CHAPTER XXI THE WHANGANUI AND THE KING COUNTRY (continued). AFTER an early start next morning, we reached a rapid called Tarepokiore, which is by far the worst on the Whanganui river. It is formed by a large landslip which fell right into the river, diminishing it to less than half its proper size. We got out of the canoes, and took out our luggage in case of an upset, and carried it over the landslip to quiet water. Then the natives stripped, and set to work to drag the canoe up. Patu, our herculean helmsman, calmly smoking a pipe, then got into the canoe and was pushed out into the breakers, a long and strong tow-rope having been fastened to the bow of the canoe. After half a huge tree that was lying in the water had been sawn off to make room for the tow-rope, the rough water was passed, but there was a fall of about two feet to get the canoe over, the water running about seven or eight miles 266 ROUND ABOUT NEW ZEALAND. an hour. All hands hung on to the tow-rope, for on it depended the safety of the canoe; had the bow turned ever so little broadside to the waves all our strength would not have saved it, but, with Patu's help, we managed to keep her head straight and pull her through, though it took over an hour to make twenty yards. The natives called the land all the bad names they could think of for tumbling down, as before the slip it was quite an easy reach. The men were pretty tired and we agreed to turn in at Whakahoro, which we reached a little after midday. Here there were plenty of whares, and a large one was allotted to us, but as it had spaces of about two inches between each piece of wood, it proved rather draughty. The kainga is a large one, and the natives were very friendly and good-natured, and those of us who could understand their language sat with them at a Korrero until a late hour. In the morning I found I had made an impression, as I was invited to stay at the kainga as long as I liked, but I declined lather regretfully. One of our Maoris, Tuke by name, left us at Whakahoro, as we found that was his home; we were sorry to lose him, as he was the merriest of the party. We started late next day, and, after punting for a mile and a half, we put in at a small kainga for Ngatai THE WHANGANUI AND KING COUNTRY. 267 to deliver a letter from the Government to a big chief. I asked who the chief was, and was told that Topine te Mamaku lived there. On receipt of that information, I said we would stop at Tawhata for the night, as I particularly wanted to see as much as possible of this renowned chief. Mamaku is one of the best known chiefs of the old days—one who gave us a great deal of trouble some forty years ago. He had long since turned friendly, and had been baptized into the English Church. I found the old man seated in front of a small tent in which he lived, talking gaily to Ngatai, who is his nephew. Ngatai introduced me to him, and as we shook hands he said he was glad to see a pakeha at his home at Tawhata. Presently the rest of our crew came up, and we all sat round while they read the Government letter to the old man. Topine, as he is now generally called, is a very old man, with white hair and a very shrivelled skin. I put him down at between ninety and one hundred years old; but, old as he is, he carries himself well and upright, although he does not walk about much. I asked the men how old he was, and, after a long consultation, I was told he was one hundred and sixty years old; but Topine himself indignantly denied it, and said lie was only one hundred and twenty. He wore nothing but one thin 268 ROUND ABOUT NEW ZEALAND. blanket, although the weather was cold, and he always sleeps in a tent. B and I sat round the fire with the old man and his friends for several hours. He asked me to have my tent pitched close to his, which I did, and was very comfortable. Some of his people asked me to stay at Tawhata, and not to go away with the others—a proposal which I had sorrowfully to decline. Early next morning, as I was dressing, I heard a cheery Tenakoe! and turned round to find that old To pine, an earlier riser even than I, had come to pay me a morning visit. Half a mile from Topine's tent was another small kainga of whares made of rough pieces of wood, which seems, as we get farther up the river, to be the usual custom. Here we found a native rope-walk, where they made excellent rope from muka or native-dressed flax. I obtained specimens of the rope, which is really first-rate, being plaited in a very intricate manner to increase the strength. We intended to have left Tawhata soon after daybreak, but old Topine insisted on our waiting for some taro and potatoes that he was having cooked for us, so we had to make a second breakfast, which our men were nothing loth to do. Our friends came down to the canoes and waved adieux to us as we started. The last few days the land on the river banks had been getting less and less hilly and devoid of bush, and THE WHANGANUI AND KING COUNTRY. 269 now was fine undulating country, with good flats here and there. Soon we came to Kohura. where the remains of a once large pa were visible. Dozens of whares of all sizes and a big mill were standing empty and forsaken, the natives having all gone up river to live. The Kohura river falls into the Whanganui, close by the deserted village, tumbling over a shelf of rock some six feet high, and forming a very pretty cascade. We landed on a shingle bed about midday and boiled our billy, but did not stay long. Our men were getting rather tired of canoe work, and looked forward anxiously to our arrival at Taumarunui, where our river journey was to end. In the afternoon we passed through a rapid called Paparoa, which is, after Tarepokiore, the worst on the river. The river narrows very much in this place, and runs between two walls of rock, forming a very swift channel for a few hundred yards. We all got out of the canoes and towed them, leaving one man in each to steer with a paddle. At the top of the rapid is a very fine waterfall, some 200 feet high, where a small river empties itself into the Whanganui, over a rocky hill. We got to a pa called Whenuatere about 5 p. m., and expected to stay the night, but found that it was deserted, and the Maoris, finding they could not get any more food by 270 ROUND ABOUT NEW ZEALAND. staying there, proposed going on again and making the most of the daylight. We travelled till it was nearly dark, and then camped in the bush in a very awkward place. Rain came on heavily as we got to our camp, and had it not been for the shelter of the bush, we should have had a very wet night. At Tawhata, after much bargaining, we had bought a pig for £1, and when our camp fires were once going, we commenced to cook our purchase, sitting up to the, for us, late hour of 8 p. m. for the purpose. Early in the morning the Maoris were astir, and anxious to be off; so we started by 7 a. m. The last people we met on the river told us of two canoes that were ahead of us on their way to Taumarunui, and our Maoris were anxious to overtake them, so they worked long and well. We overhauled these canoes during the morning. The occupants had been camping on a shingle beach, not very far from our camp, so they joined our party up river. It rained heavily all the morning, and when about midday we reached a long flat beach called Omaka, we decided to camp there, and all disembarked. In about twenty minutes seven tents were standing on Omaka beach, and seven fires burning, and it looked quite a busy settlement. The rain continued steadily, THE WHANGANUI AND KING COUNTRY. 271 and we gave up all hopes of getting thoroughly dry that day. We found that one of the two canoes contained several Taranaki natives, of a very superior class, one or two of whom could talk a little English. These people rang a bell in the evening, and tried to get the natives to attend a Maori service; but very few would leave their firesides. I went visiting in the evening to all the tents, and found the. Maoris all very friendly; but they had very little to say to any one out of their own particular parties. By daylight the camp was astir, and by 7. 30 a. m. every one was ready to start. Before that time I had had time to take a good look round the neighbour- hood for any likely spot to find gold, as it was at Omaka that Beard's party found gold " colours" in 1884; but all to no purpose—I could find no indica- tion of it whatever.