The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1868-08-08
MY Maori Family.


conneled, by bad weather, to put into the
Bay of Islands. on he northeast coast of the
northern island Of New Zealand. Twas very
fond Of botany, and bad often heard Of the
richness and beauty of the New Zealand
ferns, and knew wVil that the neIehboThood
Ct the Bay Of Islands was noted for many
rare kinds. As our ship Was going TO Anek-
land, and would, in few days time, return,
ard again pass near the bay, asked leave
d our captain to remain On saore ill the
Lien came bask. The permission sought
<. wns readilz, granted, and though vas much
laughed at by my bfothti officers Tor wishing
10 waste nv leave ia such an ont,andish
spot, I cared little for their Tidicule Nor
did pay as much attention as / ought to
have done to The kindly warning Of my cap
tain about MaoriS The last recolect, as
went over fhe ships side, was remark
from enc Of my brother officers to the effect
that he would bet brought back with me
brown wife; and | remember as | was rowed
TO the land, that | noticed a wbaleT just en-
teTing the bay. little thought how nearly
my brother officers r, mark would come true,
n0r What a nuisance the whaler would prove.
! landed in due time at Kororaika, aud
after engaging a room at the public, for il
would be wrong to use the word inn, | start
&c on a fern expedition. Here and there
wandered, through one gully, and then
through another, till at last found myself
on a beautiful sandy beach. Being tired with
my walk, sat down to arrange my spec-
mems in my portfolio. At my feet lay Boat
swain, large New Homeland dog, WHO b.
longed more or less to the Lion, but who,
although be was the common property Of ali
on bcnrd, always made point Of specially
attaching himself to me whenever he could.
A low growl from Boatswain caused me to
turn nv head, when saw canoe with five
Maoris in it pulling towards the beach.
Wien the reached land, | was struck with
The peculiar interest they seemed to take in
me. They looked at me most attentively,
looked me all over in fact from head TO foot,
aud then talked earnestly among themselves;
then one OF them spoke to me. ! could make
nothing out of their horrible lingo, save that
two words something like johnson and Boat
swain were constantly repeated, ard that the
tome If nv addresser was evidently that OF
person asking questions. Nor could make
ANYTHING out Of the signs USED. The man
rointed 10 the other side of the bay, rolled
up a small blanket, and Rugged it, and
danced it IN his arms, then held up two Tin
gers, and went through pantomimic action
expressive Of great JOY. All could do was
to shake nv head. ard wonder what on earth
tie fellow was about At last, to my relief.
after they had HI d another good stare at me-
another go at unintelligible questions and
JsstcHime, and another consultation among
Themselves, they departed. Four Of their
number went up the hill tow al us the town,
ard enc remained, as | supposed, to take
care OF The boat, but in real. V to watch me-
! closed nv portfolio, and began TO make
preparations for departure. The four Aiaoris
were not out Of sight, but they were walking
fast, and ! intended TO saunter slowly, SO we
should not again meet. Meantime, Boat
swain had wandered off 10 a considerable
distance. ] vhistled and called cut loudly
"Roatswain, Boaiswain! - At the first men,
ton Of that unfortunate word, | saw the
Maori who was left by the boat raise his
head quickly. No sooner had called my
dog two az three times, than he gave a most
unearthly screech, that might have been
heard half way across the Pacific. The four
other Maoris rushed back down the bill
there vas a hurried consultation. With 10y
fol faces, they seized me, placed me in the
boat, ard then showed Of, ard began TO pull
or paddle as hard a. they could. Boatswain
hau Jumped in after me.
The whole thing took place in few Sc
conds. Resistance would have been useless
BefoT, lad time to think, The dog and
were in Tie most comfortable part Of the
canoe. -Four Of our csptors we're fast pad
ding us AcIoss the bay, ard the fifth was
steering. ! began seriously to calculate
whether BostsWsin ard might make lieht
Of III; hut Hc--it would not do; the odds
sRainf' US were too greet. and the MsoTis
were ali tall, bread, powerful men. Besides
--strtnPe as IT stemed-thongh they were
determined to carry me off against my will
they were very kind ard attentive. They
gave me blankets 70 sit on, offered me tobac-
CO and drink, and KEEP On erinning at me in
sort Of complimentary nam or. There was
nothing for ne TO do Int 10 grin and bear Il;
80 smoked away end pbilos0phicaly wait
cd the issue u events. After a sharp poll
Of some ten miles, we arrived at the oppo-
site side az The bay. where was the small
village Of Ravhiti Directly tie canoe reach
cd lind, he men took me cut hoisteG me
IN TIER shouldCTs, snd trottcd of with me
st good rcurd race Ston we came TO
house rather better iian those around il,
with several people outside. There were
irud shouts as ! approached. With great
rapidty, and, as I thought, without much
ceremony, ! was hurried into one q the
rooms. IUmcd' atclv was surrounded BY a
lot Of semi nude Maori ", men, who kept on
6enoirg about ne. ard viii great glee rub
brig, or rather, should say, gently touch
inc the tap IT nv bose with the tip Of theirs.
utteriug at the same time a low walling
sound. This, must tell you, is the Maori
manrcr Of saluiaiion in another moment,
on old bag for 50 ! then thought her
thrust two very small, very nasty, witty
brown babies INTO my arms, and put first the
face Of ore If them, and the face Of the other,
Fgajnst my nasal organ. ! could stand il
10 longer; ] cxpostulattd, ges,iculatcd, and
used, am aIaie. pretty strong language.
But Il was sll q no use; could not make
myself understood, Tor could understand
WHY should bc SO p,rsccutcd, especially in
such manner. ] sat down on the floor
cufA Hulky Soon perceived arrangements
were being made for my introduction into
anothseLus pTobsbly that in which no doubt
the Interesting mother of the nasty brats was
living lwas not going TO bear that, and
msdepp Inind 10 fight way out or die. A
loud noise cutof the doors caused me to turn |
my bead towards the window; saw whal- |
els boat fapidly approaching the land, A
young man Jumped cut, and ran up 20 the
house where ] vas. Apparently. be was !
captain Of q whaler. He wore q suit of pi-
lot cloth viii soma brass buttons, and on
his head sailor kind Of cap, with some brass
ornaments round h He was about my age /
and size, and though, Of course, very differ /
ent from mein manners, style, and CONVEX
sation, be might pcssibIY. BY Eome foolish
persons, have been raid tn3be not unlike me.
He was followed by large black dog, sorue- /
an hat NJ RrafS.rmtr,1u h~nel IL M,.1 a. 4 -
Bounced into the room whers was snlklly
citing on The oor, with one baby on my
lap, and anoth BY my side.
hardly know how to descr be The scene
Ehieh followed, or the order Of events
Boatswain and the strange dog were at II at
orce hammer and tongs, fighting, barking,