Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-07-05

n ~ this strange in
A M 81 habitant of the
storm tossed
vs. ~ waters that lie
~ between North Is
Land and South Island of New Zealand
the dominion parliament passed spe-
cial act prohibiting it being captured
or harmed in any way. 1t is the only
single fish in the world that is pro-
tected by a special law.
For more than thirty years-how
much longer no one knows-"Pelorus
Jack" has served as pilot for ships
Authorities differ in their opinion as
to what species the fish belongs By
some 1t is believed to be dolphin, by
others q white whale, and still others
1t is a-giant in size, being nearly
thirty feet long. 1t Is swift of move
ment and easily keeps just ahead of
the PROV of the fastest moving vessel.
81
It is a common superstition among
the seafaring men who voyage be-
tween Wellington and Nelson that a
failure on the part of this strange fish
to meet them at the outer entrance of
the dangerous French pass portends
trouble for their craft. They relate
that on the few occasions when Pc
lorus Jack" has not put in an appear
ance to guide the passage through the
rough sea accidents befell the ships.
That is the story one Is told here. and
particulars are given to Substantiate
the wonderful tales of the f1sh's SEEM
tngly human intelligence.
A few years ago. while "Pelorus
jack was plotting a ship through
French pass. a passenger on board
shot at it with rife. The fish quit
the vessel and from that time up to
this good day it has summed that par
ticular ship, although its services as
pilot are given regularly to all other
boats that ply the dangerous waters
of the Nelson sound district
No matter what the hour may be or
how rough the weather, "Pelorus Jack"
Joins each vessel as 1t nears French
pass 1t disports itself in the water.
sometimes leaping into the air in ap-
parent delight At night the fish pre-
sents strange picture as it swims
swiftly through the phosphorescent
waters. appearing and reappearing
ships cutwater and often darting
ahead as if to mark the course for the
navigator upon the bridge.
The native Maoris of the Nelson dis
trict look upon "Pelorus Jack" as an
ocean god. The Ngati-Kuia, a small
tribe of Maoris that live near French
pass, claim that the strange fish is their
special sea deity. Kipa Henri, who is
the last of the famous historians of the
Ngah-Kuia tribe, knows the legend OF
"PeIorus Jack According to the story
Is at least 216 years old and has spe-
cially served his family during all that
time. Aside from the remarkable in
genuity of the tale itself, the account
given by the old historian of the Maori
tribe throws interesting light upon other
traditions of these native black people,
He said:
This fish has for many generations
past been the sea god Of my family
My ancestors were piloted on their canoe
voyages by kaikai-a-waro,' and some
of them were saved from death by him.
Bear in mind that he is no common
creature of the ocean
You must know that in ancient times
every Maori chief had mis- particular
family atua. or god. besides the national
gods Of the race. Some OF these family
and personal atua We're in the form of
BIRDS some were in the form of fish,
some were stones. 1 am descended from
Kupe. the great navigator who crossed
the Moana-nui-a-Kiwi tthe Pacific ocean,
in his canoe Matahourua, and who was
the first. as far as history goes, to ex-
plore these shores. Kupe's descendants
strait until about eleven generations ago,
when one Of them. the Chief Matuahau-
tere, crossed to the South Island and the
islands Of the sounds; and with him, es-
corting his canoe, came my goldfish
'kaikai-a-waro, or 'Pelorus jack as you
call him.
-
When my forefather, Matuahau-
tere, crossed the sea of Raukawa to
the Wai-pounamu. there came along with
him this god fish, and that was the first
time he was seen in the waters of Hoiere.
The canoe crew padded along, and
'kaikai-a-waro' came rolling along with
them. shooting away sometimes ahead
and sometimes abreast Of the canoe bows
and In his rolling he seemed to give the
time for the paddles'-and here old Kipa
Henri initiated with his hand the rhyth-
mic action Of regular paddle strokes-'so
and so. and so-that was how he came
And the crew padded gayly along and
chanted their canoe songs. for they were
cheered by the sight of their friendly
pilot So they crossed the strai: and
entered the Sound of Hoiere. and there
kaikai-a-waro' performed some strangs
feats- They are wonderful things. bu,
they are true, for was he not god?
Swimming along in advance of Matua-
hauteres canoe. 'Kaikai-a-waro' led the
way up the winding Sound of Hoiere, ex-
pecting to find a clear sea passage
through between the hills to the Other
side He went on until he arrived at the
very head of the sound. near where
Havelock Town now stands. There he
burrowed nosed out the lower par
Of the channel in which the Pelor1s rive
now flows. the winding course of thai
river near its mouth is caused by the
struggle of my taniwha in his attemp'
TO force a passage through to the sea
on the other side Not far from where
the saw mills now stand he turned
around and made his way back to thu
sound. and then he swan back up tn.
way he could come. One of the spot.
he stayed at while on his way to thu
mouth of the sound was at little islant
in the bay. There Is a rock there, be
tween the island and the eastern main
land. of Tawa bay, and on the mainland
opposite Is the cave of a dragon or seq
god. In ancient times Maoris We're yer,
cautious when they went out fishing nea
that rock, which was q good place fol