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Chapter IX. We meet Cannibals.

The following morning, with the assistance of Jars, Gordon, Richards, and I had an interview with the chief of the tribe. When we assured him that our visit to his country was prompted solely by friendly feelings, he extended to us the most cordial welcome of the Maori. His first question was as to how we had discovered the way into his territory, and when we explained the manner in which we had descended the ice slide, he appeared to profoundly admire our daring, and, turning to his Councillors, made some lengthened speech to them, gesticulating considerably towards us. This, we afterwards learned from Jars, was to the effect that visitors who could enter their country in such a brave way must be men of no ordinary calibre, and worthy of the greatest consideration. He then evinced considerable anxiety to learn if there was any knowledge amongst the inhabitants of New Zealand as to the existence of their tribe, and on our assuring him that there was none, he seemed particularly pleased. There was evidently some dread to his mind that their pa (village) would be attacked by our friends. After some further consideration, the chief assured us that the utmost liberty would be accorded to us in going about the village and amongst the people, that whatever we wished would page 76be given us for our comfort and entertainment, and that so long as we did not break any of the laws of the hapu^* nor seek to leave the pa unattended, we should not be interfered with in any way. At the first opportunity we enquired from Jars the significance of the chiefs injunction not to go beyond the village alone. He told us that no doubt the chief and Council had determined not to allow us to leave their country lest we should disclose their whereabouts to some enemy. He had been himself placed under the same restraint, which, however, was, he considered, altogether unnecessary, as he felt certain we should never be able to discover a means of leaving the Maori territory. The village and lands of the hapu were situated in a most inaccessible part of the country, and no stranger had ever entered it except under the guidance of the natives. That we had at the risk of our lives entered the country in the extraordinary way already described, caused much admiration amongst the tribe, but to get back again without assistance was impossible, and the way to enter or leave their territory was a secret most sacred to the Maori mind.

Jars had lived all these years amongst the natives, and as yet had not the slightest idea of how he could penetrate the secret.

This was not very comforting news for us. Gordon was the first to characterise it.

"I say, Brock, old man, we're in a pretty fix, evidently. Prisoners with the utmost freedom! Not a very encouraging prospect, surely?"

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"Well, we must make the best of it, and bide our time. We may have a chance of getting away soon."

Richards was lost in reflection. He had been particularly quiet since we fell in with the Maoris, and we judged, no doubt rightly, in ascribing his manner to the fect that he had left a fiancee to whom he was to be married within a week or two after the date of our expected return. Naturally, therefore, the possibility of not being able to get away from the Maoris caused him great concern. To the rest of us the matter of some weeks' detention—for no one regarded our imprisonment as meaning more—was not of serious moment, but to the doctor we knew it meant the loss of considerable peace of mind at least.

"Come, Richards," said I, trying to cheer him, "there is no use desponding over the matter: it might be much worse, you know, if we had fallen amongst cannibals."

"That's all very well, returned Richards, "but it's no great consolation for bad fortune to indulge in contemplation of a worse."

"True," I admitted; "but when fate has been unkind to us it is some satisfaction to know that circumstances might very easily have been less favourable."

Our moralising was broken in upon by Te Kahu, who proposed that we should accompany a fishing party, of which he had command, in an excursion down the river, to which we readily agreed.

Richards wished to be left out, but this Gordon and I strenuously objected to, and, leaving Lode and Macdonald in the village, we accompanied Jars with Te Kahu's fishing party, consisting of eight rowers and those already named.

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The canoe in which we embarked was considerably larger than those we had previously seen on the river. It was made out of the trunk of a large Totara tree, and was over 80 feet long, by nearly 5 feet in width. This canoe belonged to the class known as Waka-tere (a swift canoe), and was more than usually ornamented by grotesque and elaborate carvings, and finished off by some remarkable additions of painting. The Maoris must have spent many years in the construction of this canoe, and the different carvings indicated that more than one generation had been at work upon it. The prow of the canoe was something most elaborate in the way of carved work, and was in some places inlaid with polished pieces of shells resembling mother-of-pearl. Some of them represented the eyes of faces, and added a weirdness to the pictures. There was ample accommodation in this canoe for the thirteen persons who embarked in it, and under the paddles of the eight rowers we were soon gliding swiftly through the waters of the river. There was also a short mast fixed in the vessel, to which were attached sails made of the leaves of the broad raupo interlaced with thin flax cordage.

The wind was favourable, so that the rowers were not called upon to use much effort in their work. Soon they began to wail a low chant, keeping time to the action of their paddles. This convinced me that singing was with them a natural accompaniment to working together in their canoes. The chant in which they now indulged was far less musical than that which we had heard on the first day of meeting the Maoris, and I did not obtain a copy of it. The current of the river seemed to increase in swift-page 79ness as we progressed, and on asking Jars the reason of this, he explained that this river was remarkable for the fact that some miles further down where the plain ended, the river disappeared altogether underground, rushing under the hill there with a great roaring sound resembling that of the ocean on a calm night. Having my attention directed to it, I presently heard the sound to which Jars had just referred, which was indeed as he had said, like the roaring of the ocean, except that it was much sharper in its intensity.

We were not long in reaching the fishing ground, and very shortly had the opportunity of seeing the skill of the Maori in catching fish. For some time we remained quietly watching the fishing. Suddenly we were startled from our occupation by a sharp splash in the water near us, and looking in the direction of it, saw rise to the surface a short, spear-like weapon. At the same instant another whizzed through the air and stuck in the prow of the canoe, dangerously close to where Gordon sat. Looking up, we were surprised to see two tall, dark figures standing on the rocks overlooking our fishing ground. The fishers were startled at the sight, and called out, Kokiri tia a kohuru (the dart of the murderers). The bold front exhibited by the two Maoris on the rocks led to the supposition that there were others behind them, although at the same time it would have been impossible for us to have made any attempt to approach them which would be likely to prove effective.

Although they saw that we had observed them, and were making demonstrations of our intention to respond to their page 80aggression, they gave no indication of fear, but stood firmly facing us, preparing to throw other darts down upon the canoe. We had brought our firearms with us, and Jars requested us to prepare to use them. This I was very loth to do; but another dart was thrown, this time with truer aim, as it pierced the shoulder of one of the Maoris near me. I now saw that we were indeed in danger, and the man's cry of pain as the spear struck him somewhat lessened my repulsion to the use of my rifle. Thinking to startle the two savages, I raised my weapon and fired into the air over their heads. The report made the occupants of the canoe spring up with a frightened cry, and as the smoke cleared away I saw that the two men had left the rock. A few moments later we saw them rushing down the steep incline that followed the direction of the river.

"We must follow them," cried Jars, excitedly.

Te Kahu, too, was wildly gesticulating in the direction of the fugitives, and apparently ordering his men to make all speed with the canoe after them. A feeling of curiosity, and the possibility that pursuing these men would lead to discovery of the way out of the Maori country, impelled me to assist in the chase, and we were soon rushing through the water.

Richards attended to the hurt of the Maori whose shoulder had been injured. He extracted the spear and quickly staunched the wound, for which he received the gratitude of the injured man and the admiration of the others, who, despite the exciting task in which they were engaged, watched the doctor at work. Presently we came to a landing place, where Te Kahu directed the canoe to page 81be run ashore. The Maoris in whose pursuit we now were could not be seen, but no time was lost in disembarking. As Te Kahu stepped from the canoe he rushed forward some paces and lay down, placing his ear close to the ground. In an instant he sprang up and shouted to his followers. Jars understood him, and told us he had heard the whereabouts of the flying men, and that there were others. Motioning to us to follow closely, Te Kahu darted up the summit of a small hill near where we had landed. When he reached this he squatted down, and beckoned to us to approach quietly. This we did until near to where he was, when he pointed out smoke rising from the side of a high hill some distance from the river. While we looked towards this we saw the two natives whose action had brought us there running rapidly in the direction of the smoke.

Should we follow them was the question on the minds of each of us, but no one expressed it. Each looked at the other inquiringly. Te Kahu then spoke hurriedly to his men, and seemed asking if they were prepared to follow him in the pursuit. For answer some of them pointed to Our guns, as if indicating that if we went they were willing to do his wish. Jars conveyed the question to us. Gordon turned to me.

"Shall we venture?" he asked.

The excitement had taken possession of me, and I acquiesced at once. Richards was in favour of turning back, but when I suggested that following up these men might possibly help us to find an exit from the Maori territory, he eagerly accepted the suggestion. The Maoris were not armed, save that each carried a mere, page 82or short stone, club-like weapon. That belonging to Te Kahu was a much-prized Mere Pounamu (a mere of greenstone). The spears which had been thrown at us were short darts made of light wood, armed with pointed bone as a spear-head, and tapered off to an arrow-like shaft, at the end of which was placed a feather or strip of broad flax. These were thrown by means of a short string knotted at one end and having a loop at the other. The knotted end was placed round the dart in a notch about two-thirds of the length from the point, and the loop being held over the fingers and the point of the dart between the forefinger and thumb, a great impetus was given to the spear. With this weapon—the only projectile in use among the Maoris we met—they were able to strike objects at a considerable distance, although the aim was not remarkably perfect.

We pushed on towards the spot where we had seen the smoke rising, and reached it without any sign that our approach had been observed. Cautiously drawing closer, we found the camp deserted. The Maoris had evidently anticipated pursuit, and, having watched us, made off before we could reach their rendezvous. Te Kahu and his men rushed through to the other side of the camp, only to return with an exclamation of disappointment, directing our attention to the escaping party, only some twenty strong, but too far away for us to think of pursuit. An examination of their camp showed us that a feast had been in progress, and I was horrified to discover that amongst the remains of their cooking were what appeared to be human bones.

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Gordon, too, noticed this. Turning to me, he exclaimed—

"My God! Brock, these are cannibals."

The thought was too revolting, and I could not reply. I saw Gordon set his teeth firmly, and rush out in the direction whence the cannibals had fled. Glad to get rid of the horrifying spectacle, I followed him, Without a word he raised his rifle to his shoulder, and aimed after the retreating figures. His was a good weapon, but at that distance how could he expect the shot to take effect? As the report rang out clear and sharp I saw a quick movement amongst the dusky fugitives, and one of them fell to the ground apparently disabled. The others ran from him in startled dread, disappearing in all directions; but presently two or three of them crept back, evidently in reply to his appeal, and bore him away with them. As Gordon turned to me, a feeling of satisfaction seemed to overspread his face. I understood his feeling, and did not speak to him. It was too late to think of any further pursuit, so we slowly made our way back to the river.

"Cursed cannibals!" said Gordon at last, as we reached the canoe; "how I should like to shoot every one of them!"

The expression of his eyes bore out his words.