Nebraska advertiser. [volume] (Brownville, Nemaha County, N.T. [Neb.]) 1856-1882, 1865-02-23

natives, who stated it to be cavern c
great dimensions, which was entere
= ! from the sea-shore. 1t was said that
could only be entered twice year, il
the months of March and October; thi
being because at all other seasons Its en-
trance was below low tide.
The Maories, unversed as they wer
in tidal theories, attributed the phenom
enon to the power of the great Maun
wirrirh, and imagined that he thereb
expressed his wishes that at these time
only should he be approached.
1t was reported amongst the native
that the temple was adorned in the mos
brilliant manner, according to the Maor
tastes and customs; and that Offering
were made to this deity by all tribes
even by the chief foes of the NooranoOs
dreading the anger of this god, as great
er than even their own peculiar deities
1t was on = fine spring day in October
thai, having determined to 90 out to the
lads of the bay to fish, told my native
~ Manwi. to prepare my boat
servant started everything bore
NJ Tue 'i'ii0 nntnued good wealth
the appearance of c. g 49, ab,o -
er, and was in hopes I. l. en-
return before night with my -
We reached the fishing grouno' !
having let down the lines l enScoGce~
myself IN the stern, lit my pipe, and let
Manwi look after the fishing We were
very successful, and in abott two hours
obtained nearly as much as we wanted.
] was just thinking about returning,
when Manwi directed my attention to a
small, dark cloud in the northern sky,
which we'll knew portended the sudden
and furious blast of the "northeaster." "
l Immediately pulled up. the lines; and
knowing not a moment was to be lost, |
sprung to an oar, and commanded the
Maori to do the same. We pulled in
shore as quickly as possible; and was
beginning TO hope we would reach 1t be-
fore the storm came on, when our boat
Quivered as if under the stroke of
giants ge-hammer, and the blast
rushed over us. In a few seconds the
sea rose fearfully. and swept over the
boat every minute. Seeing that we
should be swamped if we did not keep
her before the sea l sprang-to the stern,
and showing out the steering oar, kept
her running before the wind; we then
road comparatively safe, as our little
craft, being an old whaling boat, was
built to stand heavy weather, We were
flying along with the speed of a race.
horse, and were fast approaching the
southern extremity of the bay. | was
now utterly undecided what to do. If
we ran ashore, and escaped through the
tremendous surf, we would in all likeli-
hood be killed, perhaps devoured, Blythe
savage Nooranoos; and if we kept out
to sea the boiling pillows would as GER
tainly engulf US.
/ remained undecided; meanwhile
keeping the boat'sprow directed towards
the southern end of the bay, SO that |
might follow either coarse, as l saw fit.
Manwi had lain down in the bottom of the
boat, quite insensible though terror, so
that DO advnice or help was TO be had
from him. At last we were drawing
close TO the rocks, and ! now observed
a little cove in their extreme point which
might afford US shelter. The entrance
to seemed narrow and shallow, the
waves rushing in with feaiful surge );
and even at the distance / then was,
which, tiough seemingly small, could
not be less than thFee-fourths of a mile,
could hear the thunder of the surge as
to my course, being too far in shore TO
weather the point; so, commencing my
life 10 Providence, Fguided the boat to
wards the rocks / stirred up. Manwi
with my foot, telling him that unless he
exerted himself we should both be lost
He despairingly assented and according
ly gave him the steering oar, sinowing
that his superior skill would be useful in
the moment of danger IlOok ray post in
the bow, and guided her course by sign. the
roar Of the surf making speech useless.
We POW both stood prepared for our
struggle for life aud terrible moment
ii was. Borne upon the crest of giant
roller we dashed into the little channel.
1t required an arm of oak and nerve of
iron to guide US through this Charybdis.
/ was afraid the wave might sweep back
before carrying us through the channel
and dash US to pieces against the shallow
bottom; and unfortunately this proved
10 be the case the backwater dragged
us again from the shelter of the cove,-
and tore the bottom clean of the boat
as it dragged it over the rocks. AS we
struggled amongst the fragm ents Of our
/"