St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-04-05
"A BAND OF AssAssINs.
The Mystery Of Holy Mountain in New
Zealand's Gold Country.
STRANGLED WITH A SCARF.
Twenty-Five Murders on the Lonely
Path Of the Bushran-
gers.

The picturesque and peaceful valley
of the Pelorus. Province of Marlbor-
ough, New Zealand, had suddenly be-
come the scene of intense excitement
and restless activity Gold had been
discovered in fabulous quantities in the
Wakamarina, mountain torrent fioW-
ing into the Pelorus, and the pOpula-
ton had risen in few weeks from a
score of scattered bushmen or riverside
graziers to thousands upon thousands OF
eager, energetic miners. reckless ad-
venturers and nondescript camp follow
ers of both sexes and all nations.
In three months the Wakamarna
rush transformed one of the most eX-
Quisite and tranquil spectacles OF sylvan
beauty on earth into tearing, taring.
swearing, roaring pandemonlum OF
cupidity, protiigacy and violence.
There were two outlets to the Waka-
! marina, one by the way of Picton, on
Queen Charlotte sound, forty miles to
the eastward, and the other by way of
Nelson. considerable seaport town in
Blind bay, forty Or fifty miles to the
westward, where the trade OF the
gold field was mostly done. In
either case long days jour-
ney on horseback had to be
performed. Between the Wakamarina
and Nelson lay the Manngatapu, OF
| Holy neutrality-suspicious. Mokatap-
| 5000 feet high, over which a narrow
| road had been cut through the forest.
| 1t was gloomy and a terrible journey
at the best of times.
The MaOriS from time immemorial had
weird and CHASTITY traditions about the
| Maungatapu, which was only called
| tapu, sacred or holy, in their language,
because it was believed to be haunted
| by fiendS of extraordinary power and
malignity. No Maori would have
| dreamed of setting foot upon it, and the
temerity of. the white men, in max
ing a road over it and crossing it both
| by night ana by day, was looked upon
as a blasphemy. These legends were
we'll known to the diggers, many of
whom are very superstitious; and,
though they were 10th to admit it, they
| felt their courage OoZe out of their fling
ers when the shades of evening closed
| in upon them amid the awful SOlltudeS
of the Holy mountain.
A Night on the Mountain.
One wintry morning left Nelson for
the Wakamarina, mounted on weedy
thoroughbred. We reached the summit
| about noon, and after an hours rest we
began the descent. Before we were
half down the chill Of evening was set
thing in. By 6 o'clock it was pitch dark,
and it was with feeling OF thankful
ness that l described the light OF a
| camp fire beside the road ahead OF me.
| found there a couple OF dlggers en-
| joying their evening meal, which they
| fn
! getting mash Of warm oatmeal to my
| exhausted horse.
Resisting these kindly fellows offer
| of bed of pine branches in their tent, L
set out again, one of the diggers singing
| out after me, 80 long, mate. Take care
of yourself. Don't let the taipO run away
with you." Taipo is Maori for devil or
! any other evil genius: and confess that
as | looked back and saw the camp fire
far behind me, glowing like a mere
spark. and then plunged alone into the
inky depths of the forest, | felt queer
| feeling come over me.
1t must have been between IL and IL
| when my horse came to dead stop and
positively refused to go any further.
The mud was knee-deep, and a fine.
cold rain seemed to freeze my tired
bones to the very marrow. While L
was standing in this miserable condl-
ton, having used up all my matches in
appeared at first like glOW-worm
among the trees a hundred yards or so
ahead of me. 1t was evidently off the
road. but coming toward me. [
''cooee'd" ami the light instantly van
ished. Presently saw it again, closer
to me now, and, leaving my horse in the
road, / CROPPED my way toward it among
the trees.
Meeting in the Night.
"Who's there?" cried mans voice.
''Stand where you are. Who are your"
"a friend" l replied. II was going
from Nelson to Wakamarina, but my
horse has knocked up, and l can't get
fire. Can you spare me some matchesr'
At that the man came up to me, hold
ing "digger'S lantern," that is can
die IN bottle. in one hand, and bare
sheath-knife in the other.
He was as white as a sheet. and
looked frightened out of his wits.
You must be mad" he said, ito
night. Eve got mate sick up there in
tine range, else L wouldn't have been
out. There are some very queer things
going on, and my advice to you is to get
into the bush and stay there till morn
ing"
| told him about the diggers at whose
camp had stopped, John and William
Franklyn, two brothers. for they had
asked me to report them to their mates
at the Wakamarina. l followed his ad-
vice in every respect, and was only once
disturbed III the night by sounds which
seemed like voices and the tramp and
splash of a party of men along the
road; but the distance was so great l
could not be sure.
| reached the Wakamarina about
noon, and discovered that l was an OBJ
| iect of considerable interest from hav-