SOJOURN ON ONE OF THE ISLANDS. 83 we had been subjected to, we turned to our guide, who looked much mortified and ashamed. The schooner did not reach her old anchorage till the following morning, having encountered a stiff gale which had carried her considerably to the northward. I was not sorry to get to my berth again, as I cannot expatiate much on the luxuries of a Maori hut. A day or two after, the vessel's hold being filled with maize and potatoes, and her deck covered with pigs, we again got under weigh for the Bay of Islands. The wind freshened till it blew a strong breeze, and then commenced rude harmony. What with the hoarse roaring of Boreas and the varied notes of our live cargo, it was indeed "most musical, most melancholy." Defend me from such another freight of sweet voices. We arrived in safety at the bay, but instead of proceeding direct to Kororarika, I accepted an invitation to spend a week or two on one of the small islands at the entrance of the harbour. Great importance seems to be attached to these small islands by parties claiming them, but I cannot see why, as there is very little level land upon them they would do very well for persons of independent property, who wish to enact Robinson Crusoe in a small way; but in a commercial point of view I confess I cannot see their utility. 84 CHAP. V. - Take Passage in a small Schooner bound to the Thames District. Captain and Crew. - Coromandel Harbour. Cross the Frith in an open Boat for Wakatinai. — Arrival at the Maramarua. · Conduct of Chief. · The Maramarua. Waikato River.-An Excursion in the Company of Natives. A Night Bivouac broken up by Rain. -A Chief taboos himself against himself. — Veneration of the Head by New Zealanders. Their Disregard of the Value of Time. Sleeping in Maori Huts. The Waipa.- Anecdote of a young Giant.-Left in the Lurch. Relieved by a chance Traveller. Natives attempt at Extortion. Scene with a Fury. Journey back. -Burning Coal. The Animal and Vegetable Kingdom glanced at. The Return to Coromandel Harbour. -A "Plant" discovered, not a botanical one. Removal of a Taboo. - Tale of a Pipe. - Natives jolly. He that can help himself will find plenty to assist him. New Zealand Tactics. - English Impudence. Hot Springs at Wakatinai. — Excursion up the River Thames. - Construct a Steamer. A Fracas from sleeping unconsciously on tabooed Ground. — Two Chiefs blown up with Gunpowder. Mischievous Influence of Atua Chiefs.. Scene round a sick Couch. A Halt at the Mouth of the River. A Religious Thief. Anecdote of a Suicide. Estimate of New Zealanders' Character." Wasteful Billy." - A sick Headache. Put up for the Night at a Sawyer's Station. The River Thames. "I've put my foot on earth's most distant strand, DESIROUS of seeing the lauded district of the Thames, I broached the idea to my companion of the East PASSAGE TO THE THAMES DISTRICT. 85 Cape excursion; and we again agreed to become travelling companions. We secured a passage in a small coasting schooner, and early one Sunday morning made a start for this highly praised district. The passage was rendered amusing by the eccentricities of our crew and passengers. The captain was a little dare-devil of a Scotchman, who took great delight in exciting the nervous apprehensions of a great lout of a fellow, a countryman of his, who was in constant dread of some accident occurring. "Little Jock," as we used to call the skipper, would sling the deep sea-lead against the side of the vessel near the berth occupied by this man of tremors, and then sing out to clear away the boat, in order to cause his fears to induce him to show his nose upon deck. One of the crew seemed as if he had been raked from a dunghill, for a filthier union of dirt and rags I never saw, and he was honoured with the appellative of the dog's-meat-man; a darkey, made still darker by dirt, was our cook; and two New Zealand boys who spoke broken English, completed the vessel's complement: one of the latter expressed much satisfaction at my companion's conduct, but didn't like me at all, as he said I was too fond of "te kyrak.”* We sailed past several small islands in the estuary of the Thames, and dropped anchor in Waihao or Coromandel harbour, a small, well-sheltered harbour, formed by an island and the main. I was much struck, on landing, with the appearance of the beach; it was literally one mass of oysters; and the rocks all * Sky-larking. round the island, and the shore on the main opposite, was in like manner swarming with clusters of these bivalve fish, which are well flavoured, and often caused me to spoil my dinner. After a day or two's stay on the island, we agreed with the owner of a small boat for a passage to Wakatinai, on the opposite side of the Frith, a distance of about thirty miles. from where we were; intending to cross the country to Waikato river, where a friend of ours had long resided. The shore on either side the Frith rises abrupt, rugged, and broken; we were becalmed when about one-third of the way across, and enjoyed the luxury of passing two nights on the water in an open boat. 'Twas bitter cold, and heavy dews fell during the night. There was a very large kainga at the landing-place, and some of the natives were as big and athletic as any men I have seen. With some difficulty and hard bargaining, we engaged two stout young fellows to carry our traps and serve as guides. The features of the country we traversed were hilly and swampy; in a distance of one or two and twenty miles we crossed not less than forty swamps, varying in breadth from one to five hundred yards, and from ankle to waist deep in the crossing places. On arriving at the Maramarua, a tributary of the Waikato, we found a temporary station and several natives; it was nearly sun-down, and I felt tired and unwell: there were several canoes there, and the chief wanted to treat with us then for renewing our journey in the morning; but finding he wanted to impose upon us, and not being in spirits to "argue the point," I walked into the only shed CONDUCT OF A CHIEF. 87 there was, a sort of cook-house, and the only place where there was a fire; and taking out my blankets, rolled myself in them as close to it as possibe, and with my carpet-bag for a pillow, turning a deaf ear to all importunities, was soon fast asleep; for the natives, finding we would neither listen nor reply, ceased troubling us, and the sacredness of the chief's person debarred his coming into any place where food was cooked. Nor did I envy him his notions of caste; for, cold and frosty as the air was, he remained crouched in it the whole night; his back merely sheltered by a few rushes from the wind. Before my senses were closed to the world, I called to him, and beckoned him to approach; but he replied, in the figurative language of his country, that the place was too low for him, he could not enter, and one of our boys contrived to make us understand, that if we would speak with the Rangatara we must go to him, as he was too great a chief to rise. Being too unwell to contend about the matter, we left him in the unenvied enjoyment of his unsocial dignity. Next morning I awoke about five o'clock, free from pain, full of spirits, and prepared for debate; the Rangatara or chief, on commencing business, opened his mouth to an unmerciful extent, and, persuaded that he had us in his power, sought by a deal of knavish cunning, to extort most exorbitantly. As neither could talk the language of the other, he wilfully misinterpreted our signs, and insisted upon receiving most exorbitant pay for the hire of a canoe, as he would not understand that the canoe was to be returned by the guides. When at length, after much squabbling, |