New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-21

From The Cornhill Magazine.

I'm The CnlII
"She through it," said the gray bearded
skipper, with an indicatory thumb turned tow
ard the native woman
Through the eruption?' cried the tourist.
"Get her TO tell US about it, as If the skipper
were the Snowman in charge.
Howhaia cooked a bright black eye at the
speaker and the shadow Of smile crossed the
impassvc brown face
"Howhaa,' said the skipper from behind an
apologize cloud of cigarette smoke that con-
cealed a wink. tell us about it-you were
there"
The woman took the black clay from between
her tattooed lips and from the corner where
she squatted the floor looked slowly around
the room.
very we'll" she said. She spoke English we'll
even for a missionary-made native. IF the
gentlemen wishes to hear | can tell them. Ae
was there. Before 1t came and when it came,
and l know" She paused as if to find her
words.
The smoking room gave ear. 1t was only ten
miles from the craters on the mountain;
there were hot springs almost under the floor,
and that week an old native prophet had taken
up his parable and foretold second eruption
about that very time-which made the story in
terestng.
"Well'- she began and stopped.
A murmur OF expectation around the
smoking room The mine man from olympic
struck match and relit his pipe. For a space
the room very quiet Through the open
window came the long sigh OF a tired geyser
and the distant laughter of native girls playing
In the hot pools In the moonlight. ftful
breeze rose somewhere up the valley and whim-
pered across the tea tree, bringing with it
smell Of sulphur and the voice Of the Paurenga
Creek babbling under the bridge on its way to
the silent lake.
We'll" said the equity "Gumsucker," who
TRAVELLED for a Melbourne firm, wade in, old
girl; we're waiting to hear about your big fire
work"
She looked up with keen dark eyes.
"Tahoa! by and by. No hurry. She drew
hard at her pipe, and far-away, dreamy look
stole into the wrinkled brown face. She was
looking at picture out of the past, at lake
that is no longer on the map, and to her the
terTaced silica basins shone again among the
dusky green tea tree under the Southern sun
There were two men," she began at last,
"Apara and Pohutu. and they quarrelled. They
fought about pig and some kumara lsWeet
potatol. That's how 1t all began.
"Himmer exclaimed the big German from
the Gulf, who knew about sugar and kanakas
"Do you dell me-
Hush! let her talk" said the frozen meat
man by the window The German retired be-
hind big meerschaum.
Yes" she continued "They quarreed.
Apara took the black and yellow pig from the
litter OF Pohutus brothers best SOW. and Po-
hutu took kit Of gumara from Aparas wires
sister. 1t utu payment and quite right
But Apara was angry, and said BDe-swears 10
Pohutu. Then Pohutu said. You talk! You.
But there comes soon a great evil you little
think Of They were bad words, for he was
great tohunga lprest and his mana was very
strong SO he went to his house. But Apara
was afraid because OF the curse.
THAT was about three months before the big
'ruption. and one month before it Apara died
because Of the curse. That shows you ii was
nothing TO do with the 'rupton like these Arawa
yay. But when the 'ruption came Pohutu was
buried in his WHARF hut under the deep mud
Five days he was buried before they dug him
up and found him sitting there alive. Tommy,
there that drives the coach he found him"
Tommy nodded his red nose in answer TO the
mquring glances thrown toward his corner.
you tell em, Tommy" said she encourage
ingy.
Tommy cleared his throat for action, and ex-
perforated thouf htfuy beneath the table.
We'll IL this way" he said. when we
got the mud cleared and knocked hole In the
roof OF the old mans WHARF him sitting
there like bloomin' sphinx as If nothing had
happened
"'Tenakoe" l says. How're you feeling?
"Kapai. quite we'll says he
"'Well. come out | says.
mo says he, this is my WHARF, stay
here
Don't ye want bite o tucker? asks kind
O. astonifed.
"'No.' he says again. I had plenty kai five
days ago
THAT knocked me. and I thought he gone
mad. | got down and hoisted him OUT
Yes" HOwhaia broke in. They got him out
ard sent him away to the hospital in town.
But it good. He wouldn't eat a thing.
They washed him. too, and wanted to cut off
his hair But Pohutu said: II you cut my
hair die Tomorrow But they did cut it, and
he died right enough Katoa He was no
good"
That's what the Maori say" put in Tom
my, the driver, but it's bloomin ouffer The
old cure had no more hair to his head than a
pumpkin. He like bit O. dried-up hide
Is tough as bloomin' whip-handle."
=, Somebody laughed incautiously. and How
HAAS eyes kndled