The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-07-14

No heroine 10 more honored in the
South Seas than Huria Matenga, the
Maori woman whose noble deeds has
won for her the title Of the Grace Oar
ling Of New Zealand" Huia swan
through the raging sea to carry life
line for the helpless crew Of wrecked
ship. Without the line not one Of the
ships company could have been saved.
As II was, the mate alone persisted, bat
tered senseless in attempting the feat
performed. Huria, or as the Europeans
call her, Julia, has just died, fun Of
years. She was mourned throughout
New Zealand, not only BY her own pso-
pie, among whom she was princess, but
luat as sincerely by the white folk,
Julia was just girl in her teens on
that fierce day in 1868 when she saw
the brig Delaware being driven to her
doom on the rocks near the Maori set
Element Of Wakapuaka On the ship
desperate efforts were being made to
weather the storm; but the lib had
blown away and one anchor had gone,
carrying away It's windlass. The only
hope that remained was the other an.
Choir. Through the early hours Of the
morning it held, but the gale blew in
violence, and soon after daybreak the
cable parted She was lost now, but il
she could gain the beach the lives Of
the men might be saved. For the beach
she was headed, but the rocks on her
lea came nearer and nearer, and in
few minutes her hull was crushing upon
them.
Il was such 8 storm and such a ssa
Is no ship could hive in--so one Of the
crew told the story. Yet ID sheer dls.
pair the mate, powerful swimer, vol.
unteered 70 try to reach the shore with
line, With g rope tied around him
be jumped from tho bulwarks. A few
minutes Of the waves angry buffet.
ing left him powerless; he WIS unable
even to grasp the lilabelt that was
thrown 10 him. The limp form was
drawn back and laid on the deck The
crew made such efforts IS the lurehing
of the ship would allow 10 restore him,
but with q groan he fell back and his
eyes closed. No one else dared to repeat
his attempt. They would get q few mo.
ments Of dear life BY clinging to the
wreck, While seas were laundering
over one end Of the ship and broken
apars we're failing the despairing sail
ors saw three figures approaching along
the narrow strip Of beach. Opposite
the wreck they stopped. In few mo-
ments the smallest Of them, q girl,
plunged into the surf, battled through
the shore breakers and then came on
swimming Now dashing through the
spray, now flung backwards and buried
beneath the foaming rollers, she had
to fight every inch Of the way. It waA
a hundred fathorns to the ship, and the
girl could not make ii, but she reached
q rock that was within throw. A
headline was flung to her, but II fell
short again and again. She chung there
until strong throw brought it with.
in her reach. It was not until then
that one Of the Maori men swan out
TO help her Between them they brought
tho line ashore The line saved The
1rew--all but the mate, who was left
dying on thu higher part OF the deck. !
An hour later, to the horror Of all. the
man they supposed dead, was seen cling. |
ing to the rigging. The fury Of the
storm had increased, and the tide had
risen. Whites and Maoris gazed in i'm
potence--frantic impotence while the
mate signalled mutely for help. For an
hour they waited, and then mountain
BUS wave rolled over him and when It |
fell he was gone. Huria could never be
Induced to speak Of her exploit. 1T /
was nothing she would say, and with
that turn the subject. She had in her
The proud blood Of her trihesman, ne
the greatest fighting chief
II the last geneEation Of Maoris. Tt was
he place Of princess not TO boast, but
% do.---San Franeiseo Bulletin.