a chief. He belongs to the caste styled tana, or chieftains, a degree above that of rangatira, or simple gentlemen-warriors. In the old feudal times-for the anc

our families form the section over which Tama presides. But civilization and European colonization have

revious chapter. A fugitive from his own district, his hopes of one day becoming a lordly ruler over some large kainga of his o

he Anglican Church; instead of cannibalism, he has taken to thrifty farming; instead of fighting, he preaches among his count

ittle kainga, a fenced-in enclosure, wherein are raupo wharès built in the best styles of Mao

try, a few cattle, and a horse or two. On a well-selected hill-side close by are his cultivations-some few acres of maize, potatoes, kumera, melons, taro, fruit-trees, and so on, surrounded by a strong stake-fence. A few yards b

been sold to the Pakeha. Much of this is heavily timbered with valuable kauri and puriri. Bushmen cut on his land to a small extent, and

es. More than that, the surplus produce probably pays for all the groceries, tools, and clothes required by the family. His seventy years weigh lightly on him. He is as stro

but even then he avoids boots. Only on very special occasions, such as when there is a grand gathering at the township, or on the rare occurrence of an English clergyman's visit, only then doe

rt; the usual Maori characteristic. His face bears the elaborate moku that denotes his rank, and is without hair. The hair of his head is grizzly; but hi

et grown at all hag-like, as Maori women generally do. She dresses cleanly and nicely-cotton or chintz gowns being her usual wear-but she leans to an efflorescence of colour in her bonnet, and has a perfect passion

le gaucherie. He would be calm, composed, and dignified among any surroundings, however strange to him; only his keen and roving eyes would betray his internal wonder. Like Maoris in general, he is critically observant of every little thing

umbrella. Now, in England, I suppose most people consider an umbrella as quite an indispensable article of attire, and e

haffed. It pleases our community to regard all the comforts and luxuries of a more complete civilization as effeminacies; and it is the receive

mforts and appliances a horrible iniquity. It will be remembered how fierce was O'Gaygun's wrath on the occasion when forks and spoons were brought into the shanty. Now, his sublime indignation was roused to the utmost at the spectacle of such an outrageous inco

he shouted. "Mother a

silver mounting and crest, etc. This would ensure the removal of the obnoxious invention from the shanty; and, moreover, so O'Gay

as much pleased with the gift. His first inquiry was, naturally, what I expected to get out of him by such a splendid gift. Knowing that it would be futile to attempt to persuade him that I gave the t

me the nose salutation. The rubbing of noses is now disused; and when a Maori confers it on a Pakeha it mean

brella. I had over and over again hammered into him that it was meant to pr

down the clearing towards the river, where his boat was moored. Presently it came on to rain in earnest. Then Tama seemed to hesitate, it evidently occurring to him that something

gers, he managed to close it. Then he took off his coat, laid it flat upon the ground, and placing the umbrella upon it, wrapped that up in the coat. Lastly, he cut some strips from a flax-bu

er, as of one talking to a child, that it does not keep off the rain. His view is that I, in my incomprehensible Pak

ver on a return from some excursion. On the way we passed a boat-load of Maoris coming down. In the stern

t is not this thing that keeps it

ad fitly rebuked my folly; for, like some other Christians, though he might retai

for Tama a silver watch, with a gorgeous guard and seals. This pleased the old fellow mightily; and for three mortal hours did Old Colonial strive to instruct him in how to tell the time, and how to wind it up. He

but, drawing Old Colonial aside, communicated to him the distressing intelligence that the watch had died during the night. Without b

s aspect, this time complicated with a look of intense puzzlement. He contemplated Old Colonial's hands as he wound up the watch again and set it going. This was a total mystery to the old fellow. He said he had

In vain he sat up with it night after night, holding it in his hands, caressing it, wrapping it in warm clothes, and laying it beside the fire, even, so he told us, reading the Bible and praying for it. In spite

aged to break the key. Then the charm was dissolved. Feeling that his health was becoming impaired by his devotion to this Pakeha fetish, and that consideration

illy things. Henceforth, as formerly, the sun will suffice him for a timekeeper. That is not given to dying

ferent rivers and creeks round about, and with them all we are on friendly terms; with some we are passably intimate,

our farm, or somewhat more by the water-road. It contains a population of two or three hundred; m

a lies embosomed in orchards of peach and pear, cherry and almond, and extensive cultivations and grass-paddocks surround

eside permanently at it. The former has great influence with his flock, who are fervent Christians to a man. The latter is b

man, corporeally certainly, and, perhaps, in other ways as well. Arama Karaka, or Adam Clark in Pakeha pronunciation, has had more English ed

nce of his friend, the missionary. He carries on affairs of state in a manner blended of Maori and Pakeha usages. He is, of course, a politician, and takes

among the Pakehas of the district. His experience and acumen have made him a general referee among the Kaipara settlers; and, in all important matters, he is usually the interpreter and spokesman between them and the natives. Moreover, he is now t

among men may talk to another. For the ariki is thoroughly aware of the gradual extinction which is coming for his race.

nial, for example,

, and strange Pakeha birds fly above the new cornfields; the Pakeha rat has chased away the kiore; there are Pakeha boats on our waters, Pakeha fish in our rivers. All tha

them. Then there will be children that shall live, and a new race of Maori blood. So there shall be some to say in the

know that they are good for wives. The mihonere and the kuremata[7] have taught

e event of any Pakeha-rangatira Pakeha-who may be acceptable to the tribe, offering to marry any of them. We have tried to urge the Little'un, or the Saint, or even O'Gaygun into some s

et us get on to co

geable in Tanoa. Bright and cheerful, neat and comely, pleasant partners at a bush-ball are these half-Anglicized daughters of the Ngatewhatua. They ca

would appreciate the charms of our Maori belles. Under the influence of music and the dance, supple forms and graceful motions, scented hair and flower-wreaths, smiles and sparkling eyes, the graces of nature

ss accomplished papas and mammas. They can cipher and sew; have an idea of the rotundity of the earth, with some knowledge of the other countries beyond the sea. They are fully up in al

reat favourite and good friend of ours. Mihake is a jolly, good-tempered kind of man, very knowing in stock and farming matters, and a frequent gu

hments? How am I to convey an idea of what you really are to the dull and prejudiced intellects of people in far-off foggy Britain? Yet have I swor

verence, with proper admiratio

, low brow, in her large, clear, liquid eyes, shaded with their black velvety fringe of lashes. Her features may not be good, judged by Greek art standards;

brown hair reaches far below her slender waist, and when it is dressed with crimson pohutakawa blossoms, the orange flowers of the kowhaingutu kaka, or the soft downy white feathers that the Maoris prize, then it would compel the ad

tended and pretentious beauties of the older Northern world! We will have none of them. Give us our Rakope, our Rakope as she is, glowi

t nearly all that he can teach her. She is the apple of his eye and the crown of his labours. To hear Rakop

through them she may be said to reign over the Ngatewhatua. She is the delight and darling of all the settlers round. She is the idyll of our shanty, and our regard for her approaches to idolatry. O Rakope, Rakope! I hope you will

to associating the idea of a "spree" with that of a bacchanal orgy. Not so we. With us the word is simply colonial for a festivity

perhaps, unnecessary to explain who these personages were, since it will be remembered that our shanty was given to sending out serenading expeditions. We we

re confined to two events in the year-the Otamatea races and the Pahi regatta; so that any addition to the

the place seem quite populous. Of course, everybody was there from our own river, and from Paparoa and Matakohe besides. There were people, too, from the Wairoa settlements, from the

ale relatives. All the married settlers round had brought their wives, and-theme of all tongues!-there were actually as many as four young single ladies! This was evide

ery citizen of Te Pahi township kept open house that night. The Assembly Ha

ion. There is a piece of flat land round the base of the bluff, and this is all under grass; the half-dozen houses of the citizens, with their garde

a little cove or bend in the shore, and, just above it, a quarter-acre lot was bought. This was cleared, and the hall built upon it. All around the little patch of clearing

s "a big, wooden barn with a floor to it." However, we voted this statement to be libellous, and cautioned the Saint on the misuse of terms. The Pahi Town

d white, who applauded loudly when the Pahi Minstrels emerged from a little boarded room in one corner, and took up their positions on the platform at the end of t

y pleasure and vigorous applause; and when we finally took ourselves off down to the river to wash our faces, every on

d one of its incidents, which may fittingly conclude this brief account of our Maori neighbours;

of settlers in the district. The fourth was a visitor from Auckland, who was staying with some friends in the distr

stricts; and the most insignificant miss, on her travels from house to house up country, receives pretty nearly as much homage and attention as did the Queen of Sheba on her visit to King Solomon. If she b

asant class, though he had prospered and was now an Auckland magnate. She was a fairly educated young woman, passably good-looking; but her head was evidently turned by the atte

th them. They see an occasional Maori in the streets, or perhaps witness a native canoe-race at the regatta. But as for knowing anything of Maori life and character, past or present, that they do not

gathered skirts. During the early part of the evening, she confined herself to saying that she thought we took too much notice of our na

n actually going to dan

y, that such was ou

great for words. She regarded us wit

ine to dance with any gentleman who demeans himself

lexion as we thought it over. Under ordinary circumstances, every gentleman present would consider it his privilege to lead out the fair stranger for at least one dan

parent. To give up the chance of a dance with Miss Cityswell was to forego a rare and exquisite moment of ecstasy; and yet, to qualify

ated by a sneaking expectation that Miss Cityswell would not be able to hold out against the advances of such magnificoes as themselves, all night. But the Saint, Yankee Bill, and Whangarei Jim headed a party who were all fo

y, after much dispute, accepted as our line of action by all parties. It was this. Each one of us was to go in rotation and to lead out Miss Cityswell for a single dance; after that he would be free to devote himself to all and sundry. No one was to dance with any other until he had

eemed to be in. Some officious person had carried Miss Cityswell's dictum to their ears, and up went all the brown noses in the air as a consequence. They were not going to stop in the hall

They would go straight home at once, they said, and never, never again come to a Pakeha spree! And their masculine friends were s

hat frightened at the turn things had taken, and at the excitement every one was in. She would not move from her silly standpoint, however; but when Dandy Jack blandly,

at last discovered behind a flax-bush, deep in a discussion on beet-root sugar-making with a stranger, and wholly oblivious of the row.

al's eyes twinkled with fun. "I see my way to square matt

ng for the tide to turn before they embarked to return home. He sat down amidst them, and after some d

ant, though, I think. You see, she is a visitor up here, this Auckland person;

that they were not bound to put up with Miss

e's feet; "of course not. But then, you see," and here he glanced cautiously round to make su

open eyes; and "Oh!" cried Piha

onlight; "her father and mother were only kukis, or something n

thought she was a lady, and were offended at what she said; but as she is not, it does not matter-she kno

white muslin dresses and bright ribbons glancing among the trees. From within the lighted hall came the sound of fiddles and of stamping feet. We forgot all about Miss Cityswell; we left her to the care of Saint and Whangarei Jim; we forgot the terms of our compromise. We