White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1929-10-25

from the tribe OF the WalRat0S, PEG
pie who made a name for themselves
as warriors against the English In
their heroic struggle for freedom In
1S60-61, called with her retinue. This
lady, whose name was Kaihau, handed
me letter. 1t was written In Maori
and translated read as follows:
II come to you, o illustrlous chief
tain, and pass on to you for the future
preservation of an old tradition the
mat of the great chieftain Wai-Tete."
AS she handed me the letter, she
brought forth from under her dress
mat that she had hidden there while
passing the prison guard.
My surprise was great, and nudged
Kircheiss, but he was as mystified as
L Fortunately, there was German
lady present who had been living In
New Zealand for some time. She I'm.
derstood the customs Of the handsome
aborigines who once ruled in New
Zealand, and explained to me that !
was about to receive the highest honor
that the Maoris can bestow upon
anyone.
The chieftain's> wife began to dance
around me with great rapidity and
wild abandon. The name of this
dance was the Haka-Haka. or some.
think like that, and at the conclusion
of It she presented me with green
stone found only In New Zealand.
Again she spoke.
20 great warrior from across the
seas, we greet you as a chieftain OF
the Waikatos, and among my people
you shall be known hencefOrth as AL
Tete,' meaning Holy Water We be-
lieve that the spirit OF our Maori hero
Athlete has returned to us In you"
accepted the stone and pressed
the Maori woman's hand to express
my gratitude. AS she was about to
take her departure, she requested that
hide the mat and stone and carry
them to Germany with me. which l
did. But before concealing them,
had my picture taken wearing nothing
but the garb of Maori chiettain, this
simple mat. Except for the absence
of full war paint and the usual tat.
tooing, my friends said made per.
feet aborigine Perhaps so. Even In
Germany there are those who look
upon me as more of an aboriglne than
a civilized being.
When the day on which we were to
| sail for home drew near, the president
of the Soldiers Mothers league Wis
| tied me and wished me pleasant trip
on behalf of the mothers of 10000 sol
diers She said she came because New
Zealand's sons who had been war pris
oners in Germany had returned home
in good health to their mothers. There
fore, she considered It her duty to pray
God that l. too. might soon be re-
stored to my mothers arms.
So at last we sailed away from New
Zealand, 1.-THE land down under"
where we had had the last Of our nd
ventures. enjoyed a few hardships
spent many weary and delightful hours.
and met many hospitable and kindly
people, On the whole, have happy
memories of the Antipodes.
La July of 1919, stepped on Ger
man soil again and hurried home, just
| in time to pass few more weeks With
| nv father, who died on September
The old warrior held steadfast to MS
faith in the Fatherland to the last
BIZ: to his dying hour he was tilled
with regret because his government
would not let him take an active part
| In the Great war.
On January 8, 1920 all my men re
| turned--that is, all save one Their
| clothes were faded from the troplca'
sun and corroded by the sea water bu
they returned without stain upon
either their honor or their loyalty.
The only gap in our ranks afte
| those long adventures was the excel
lent Doctor pietsch, our ship surgeon
The news OF Gerlnany's collapse
reached the remote part of chile whe:
he was living. When he heard It. he
fell dead of heart failure.
Returned to my beloved Fatherland
[ found so many things changed and
| different from what had hoped. In
| this connection, there Is one memor,
always before me. II Is of my mother
was sitting at her sick bed when
even the doctors had given up hope
Only then did realize how much
loved her, but | also realized with
sorrow and regret how much more
| should have done for her. Exact,
the same feeling have today when
find my country lying low Never hn.4
loved my homeland so much as r0w
THE END.1