The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1853-07-05
From the New Zealander, Dec Is.
A Surviving New Zealand Chiefs Remiscences Of
Captain Cooks Visit.

We had been favored by the surveyor Gen.
eral with permission to insert in our columns
the following graphic communication intended
| to be forwarded to London periodical as an
| accompaniment to sketch TO the celebrated
Maori Chief Tanewa. Wo have seen the por-
trait, which is an admiral BILE likeness of "Old
Hook Nose" and we have no doubt it and tho
narrative will bo regarded with much interest
at home.
AuuAND, New ICELAND, Dec. 8, 1853.
SIR:-As somo of your readers may feel
interesting in knowing that one of the :;atives
of this country is still living who remembers
the visit of our illustrious conntryman Captain
Cook l, send you sketch of the only survi-
wing individual have met or heard or He
is known among tho natives by the name of
Horata and Tanewa, and moro familiarlv bv
tho Europeans as "Old Hook Nose" He is
chief of some Importance and was always
evinced much friendship to tho settlers. l
saw him lately when on n visit to the newly
discovered gold field at Coromandel Harbor.
As sron as he heard that gold had been on his
land, he was the first chief who me forward
to meet his Excellency, Lient. Governor Wyn-
yare, ard TO mako arrangements for the Euro
peans to dig for it. Upon my showing him
spccimers of gold which found on the river
now be content TO die: that he had lived many
days, but that this day was tho brightest of
them all. He did not seem to value the con-
sideration of the gain it would be to him so
much as the thought that his land. the place Of
his ancestors. should be the first to produce
gold be glanced at the time honored peak
OF Mo'u Tere. (Cas'lc Hill.) ard turned then
to tho setting sun. appeared to commune with
the generation he had ou,ved. could not
help thinking that he felt he had performed
his duty in guarding and protecting the boun-
daries of his inheritance during a long life-a
task of no easy accomplishment among tho
warlike tribes Of New leland in former days.
The following is the account he gives of
Captain Cooks visit 10 Mercury Bay tWitian-
ga.)
From what he says respecting his own age
at the time, itwould appear that he must have
been about IL years old.
"We thought Captain Cooks vessel was n
large kind of whale, and tho men on board
were gods. When we saw them pulling with
their backs 10 the bow Of the boats, we thought
they must have had eyes in the back side of
their heads. When the natives saw tho salt
pork which was used on board, they thought
it was the flesh Of whales it was so very fat
For some timo I was afraid to venture on
board, but did so after somo Of tho men re-
turned in safety. Some other boys went with
me. Captain Cook spokc very li'te less thar
any of tho others. He seemed to take most
notice of children. Ho placed his hands on
our heads and patied us. BY making signs
he got our men to draw large chart on the
deck with charcoal, of as much Of the coast as
they wero acquainted with, which no copied
on paper. Ho appeared mnst anxious to learn
evo-y ihing respecting tho shape of the land.
AS regards the North (Cape Maria Van Die |
men, the men took much trouble by signs, tn |
explain that at this place ,hnir spi.i,s, ar.v'
death took plunge 10 the realms below -
Capt. Cook seemed much puzzled by the expla- |
nation used on this occasion. He gave us she |
first potatoes we had seen--a double handful. |
These were planted and in threo years called |
a great feast to commemorate their introduce |
ton, at which for the first time, they wero al |
lowed tn be used for food. ialIl III |
The NCa Puts 1.-THE tribo living in the Bay |
of Islands and Hokianga) has assorted that |
they were the source of the potatoe, but / am
happy 10 say is not the case, we were the true |
root in the matter. The speeches Of ourl
chiefs are on the occasion Of that great feast |
After Capt Cook went away we saw nnoth-
party Of Europeans, who got spars Of Kahikatea I
(Podocrapus exceIsus) from the river Thames
and after that larger vessel than either Of
tho other two came in Thames. On taking her
departure sho foil in with fishing canoe
which had been driven out to sea. The wiz d |
was so strong that, afier taking the two young
chiefs on board, which il contained, she could
not again make the land. ro'fssno fii, Il
Tho two young men were taken TO France
md In about two years were brought back In
another vessel which at the same time, intro
iuced pigs - fi 8hrw .rrTNIO = sasfrayoQ II
The 70 lowing story of an act of theft on the
part of native chief named Maru-tu- -ahu, at
Mercury Bay (witiaugs) OF tho tirno of Cooks
Iisit, and the subseqaept adjudication on II BY
he natives, tends TO illostrate tho strong sense
4 justice 90 conspicuous among them. which