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."A

MAOKI AXD SETTLER:

A STORY OF THE NEW ZEALAND WAR.

*^f^^

MR. ATliERIoN

KKIII.K

MAORI AND SETTLER

A SroKY OF Tin: \K\V ZEALAND WAR.

G. A. JIENTY,

Author of "By Pike ami Dyko, ' "une ,,f the 28Ui;" "Tl..> I, ion o/ (it Mnrkt"
" UuDuie Prluce Charliu; ' " By Eaglaixl'a Ai>l;" Ac.

WiTU EIQUT FULL-PAUS JLLUiirR.iTWMi Bl' ALFHED FEAlUiX.

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55"

ninamuls

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GLASGOW :
BLACK IE i SON, Limited.

TORONTO;

WILLIAM BRIGGS, 29-33 Richmond St. West.

The COPB, CLARK COMPANY, Limited, 9 Front St. West.

■A!

260914

ri!£FA(.'E

>iie
he

In tilt' t'i)ll(»wiii^r story 1 Imvc inndo ho
ntt»'ini»t t') M-ivc niiytliiii";' like a oi.nrral Iiistorv (»t' tlu?
I<»ti<r stni^'ulc lictwirii tlu' l>rav(' triKcs (»t' New Zealand
and tli«' t'(»rccs <»t' Hnnlan<l and the coloiiv. That
strn^^L-lc lasted ovci- a period of some years, and to
do justice to its nuniei-ous incidents in tlie course of
a single V(.linne would liave left no space \vliate\er
availalile for tlie tellini;- of a story. It was divided
into two distinct ei)oclis. In the first tlie natives of
the north of the islands fou_o-ht foi- their independence;
and their ri^ijht to have a kin«,^ and l)e governed iiy
their own laws. Xothini;- could exceed the coui-an'e
with which they stru-okMl for tlieso ends, and it
n«jedc<l a very stron(r force of British ti-oops to storiu
their pahs or fortitie<l camps, and overcome their re-
sistance. The second epoch emi.ivaces the stru le

hnniyht alKMit hy ti»e conversion of a portion of the
trihes to the fanatical I.elief called the Pai Mani-e (liter-
ally "good and peaceful "), whose votaries were <,a'nerally
known as the Hau-Haus. J)uring the earlier war the
natives behaved with oi-eat moderation, and there
were but few cases of the murder of outlying settlers.
The slaying of all whites was, however, the leading

PREFACE.

feature of the Hau-H„„ ,,ligion, and ,nany eolj-
blomleJ nmssacrcs occurred during tl,e struf-ole. Tl,e
Bntish troops had been for the most part withdrawu
betore the comnienceinent of the Hau-Hau troubles
and the war was carried on by bodies of constabulary
raised by the colonists, and with the aid of tribes that
remained friendly to us. The n,assacre of Poverty
Bay. which forms the leading feature of my story and
the events that followed it, are all strictly in accor-
dance with facts.

O. A. HENTY

f I

CONTENTS.

Chap.

I. A Home IJrokex ip, . . .

II. Thk K.MIi.VI!K.\TI()\, ....

II I. TiiK Vov.\(;k

I y. A How o.\ SnouK

\'. A Boat Kxi'eijition, . . .

VI. I'tTTI.V(; IN TIIK ifKFIT. . .

VII. A S,vv.\Gi': Siiu'KiisE, . . .

VIII. Thk K.vi) ok the Voyacjk. .

I\. The New Zeal.vxu Wau. . .

X. The (Ji.ade,

XI. The Hai-IIal.s,

XII. The Fiit.sT Ai.ahm, ....

XI II. The Attack ox the (Jlaoe,

XIV. FkE.SH TliOLI3I,E.S, ....

XV. The Ma.s.sacuk at Poveutv Ha

XVI. The IMksiit of Te Kooti. .

XVII. Back at the Farm, .

XVIII. In E.vgl.vxu, . . .

Page
. 11

. 30

. 49
. 64
. 81
. 104
. 126
. 144
. 165
. 184
. 205
. 224
. 244
. 263
. 282
. 302
. 321
. 340

ILLUSTRATIONS.

Mr. ATflERTON KEEPS THE MoUTH OF THE DeFILE. Front!s. 29^

Mr. Atherto.v to the Re cue,

' b,')

A DOZEX SPEAR3 STRUCK THE WatER ROUND HER, ... 103

Death op the Captaix op the "Flying Scud," ... hi
Wilfrid and the Grim.stones find it hard Work, . . 197

Marion covers the Xative w

ith her Rifle, .... 227

Mr. Atherton finds the Settler still breathing, . . 295

"I AM afraid I AM HEAVY ON A HORSE STILL, WrLFHID." 325

MAORI AND SETTLER.

CHAPTER I.

A HOME BROKKN UP.

ELL, mother, one thing is certain — something
has got to be done. It is no use crying
over spilt milk, that I can see. It is a
horribly bad business, but grieving over
it won't make it any better. What one has got to do
is to decide on some plan or other, and then set to
work to carry it out."

The speaker, Wilfrid Renshaw, was a boy between
fifteen and sixteen years old. He was standing with
his back to an empty fireplace, his feet well apart, his
hands deep in his pockets. He was rather short for his
age, but very squarely built. His hair was dark, cut
rather short, and so ruffled over his head that there
were no signs of a parting; his eyebrows were heavy,
his eyes bright but rather deeply set; his chin was
square and his jaw heavy; his nose was a little up-
turned, and this together with his eyes gave a merry
expression to a face that would otherwise have been
heavy and stern.

At school Wilfrid Renshaw had been regarded as

WILFRID RENSHAW.

rather a queer fellow. He was full of quiet fun, and
saw a humorous side in every tiling. He did not take
a very leading part in the vari(jus school sports, though
there was a general idea that if Renshaw only chose
to exert himself he could excel in any of them. In
point of actual strength, although there were several
boys in the school older than himself, it was generally
admitted that he was by far the strongest there. But
he always went his own way and always knew his own
mind, and when he had once given his decision every
one knew that it was of no use attempting to alter it;
indeed, his reputation for obstinacy was so great that
when he had once said "I won't" or "I will," no one
ever attempted to argue with him.

He was ijiven to loncj walks and to collectinsj insects
or flowers. He could never be persuaded to make one
of the cricket eleven; but in winter, when there was
little scope for his favourite pursuit, he threw himself
into football; and although he absolutely refused to
accept the captaincy when unanimously elected to tliat
honour, he was considered by far the most valuable
member of the team. He was scarcely popular among
the boys of his own age; for although his fun and
general good temper were appreciated by them, his
determination to go his own way, and his entire dis-
regard for the opinion of others, caused him to be con-
sidered an unsociable sort of fellow, an impression
increased by the fact that he had no particular chums.

Among the smaller boys he was greatly liked. He
would never allow any bullying when he was present;
and although his interference was often resented by
some of the elders, his reputation for strength and

AN ARCH^.OLOOIST.

)n£f

lis
lis-
m-

obstinacy was so great that he had never been called
upon to take active measures to support his decisively
expressed opinions. His father lived in a pretty house
a (juarter of a mile outside Reading; and us Wilfrid
attended the grannnar-school there, he was much more
free to indulge his own tttstes and go his own way
than if he had been in a boarding-school. His chief
companion in his rambles was his only sister Marion,
who was a year his senior, although strangers would
not have taken her to be so, either from her appear-
ance or manner. She had an active lithe figure, and
was able to keep ap with him even during his longest
excursions. They were in fact great chums and allies,
and Marion would h.ave indignantly scouted the idea
had anyone suggested to her that her brother was
either obstinate or unsociable.

Mr. Kenshaw had been intended for the bar, and
had indeed been called to that profession; but shortly
afterwards he came into a fortune at the death of his
father, and at once abandoned all idea of practising.
After travelling for a few years on the Continent and
in the East, he married and settled down near Read-
ing. His time was for the most part devoted to
archaeology. He had a rare collection of ancient
British, Saxon, and Norman arms, ornaments, and
remains of all sorts; had written several books on
the antiquities of Berkshire and Oxfordshire; was
an authority upon tumuli and stone weapons; and
was regarded by his acquaintances as a man of much
learning.

The management of the house and children, and
indeed of all affairs unconnected with his favourite

)''■ i

> .

AN UNDECIDED MAN.

hol)by, he left to bis wife, who was, fortunately for him,
a clear-heat led and sensible woman. Mr. llenshaw
was, in fact, an eminently impractical man, weak and
easy in disposition, averse to exertion of any kind, and
without a shadow of the decision of character that
distinguished his son. Except when away upon anti-
quarian excursions he passed his time entirely in his
own study, engaged upon a work which, he anticipated,
would gain for him a very high position among the
antiquarians of the country, the subject being the
exact spot at which Julius Caisar landed in Britain.

He made his appearance only at meal -times, and
then paid but little attention to what was going on
around him, although he was kind to his children in a
gentle inditlerent sort of way. For many years he
had been engaged in making up his mind as to the
school to which Wilfrid should be sent; and the boy
had at first only been sent to the grammar-school at
the suggestion of his mother as a temporary measure
until the important decision should be arrived at. This
had been six years before, and Mr. Renshaw had post-
poned his decision until it was too late for Wilfrid to
enter at any of the great public schools.

Knowing from long experience what would be the
result were he consulted as to Marion's education, Mrs.
Renshaw had, when the girl was nine years old, en-
gaged a governess for her without any previous con-
sultation with her husband, simply telling him of the
arrangement after it was concluded, saying: "I know,
Alfred, that you have not yet decided whether an
education at home or at school is best for a girl, and I
have consequently arranged wit,h a young lady tocoine

SOMETHING TAKES PLACE.

the

[rs.

en-

pn-

Ithe

)W,

Id I

ine

as governess until you can come to a conclusion upon
the point."

Wilfrid Renshaw was extremely fond of his mother.
His father he regarded with a somewhat contemptuous
kind of atiV'ction. Me «li<l not doubt that he was a
very learned man, but he had small patience with his
inability to make up his mind, his total want of energy,
and his habit of leaving everything for his wife to
decide upon and carry out.

"It would do father an immense deal of good if
something were to happen that would wake him up
a bit and get him to take an interest in things," he
had said over and over again to Marion. " I cannot
undeistand a man having no opinion of his own about
anything."

" 1 do not thmk you ought to speak in that sort of
way, Wil, about father."

" Oh, that is all nonsense, IMarion. One cannot be
blind about a person even if he is one's own father.
Of course he is very kind and very indulgent, but it
would be very much pleasanter if he were so because
he wished to give us pleasure, instead of because it
is the easiest thinnr to do. I should be downrifjht
pleased if sometimes when I ask him for anything he
would say positively I could not have it."

Now the something that Wilfrid had hoped might
occur to rouse his father had taken place, and had
come in a form very unpleasantly violent and un-
expected. The papers a week before had brought the
news of the failure of the bank in which the greater
portion of Mr. Renshaw 's property was invested, and
a letter had the following morning been received from

"it's a bad business.

.l.\k

a brother of Mrs. Rcnshaw, who was also a shareholder
in the bank, saying tliat the liabilities were very large,
and that the shareholders would undoubtedly be called
upon to pay even tlieir iasi penny to make up the defi-
ciency. This news had been contirnied, and there could
be no doubt absolute ruin had fallen upon them.

Mr. Renshaw had been completely overwhelmed by
the tidings, and had taken to his bed. Wilfrid's holi-
days had begun a few days before, and his mother at
once acquainted him with the misfortune that had be-
fallen them, and she now told him that the calls that
would be made upon the shares would more than
swallow up the rest of their fortune.

"There will be absolutely nothing remaining, Wilfrid,
except a thousand pounds that I had at my marriage,
and which were fortunately settled upon me. This can-
not be touched. Everything else will have to go."

" Well, it's a bad business, mother. I will go for a
walk and think it over. Marion, put on your hat and
come out with me."

They had been for their walk — a long one, and he was
now expressing the result at which they had arrived.

"One thing is certain — something has got to be done."

"Yes," Mrs. Renshaw replied with a faint smile.
"The question is. What is it?"

"Well, mother, i:. is quite certain that we four cannot
live on the interest of a thousand pounds unless we go
into a hovel and live on bread and water."

" I quite see that, Wilfrid; but I am sure I do not see
how we are to earn money. It is far too late for your
father to go back to the bar now, and it might bo
years before be got a brief. At any rf^te, we could not

(006 J

WILFIUDS I'UOl'OSAL.

atiorcl to live in London till ho does so. I have been
tliinkini; I niiglit open a littlu .school soniewhure."

The boy waved his hand.

" No, mother, you are not ^'<»ing to take ua all on
to your shoulders. You have got to look after father;
that will he a full share of the work, I am sure. Marion
and I have heen talking it over, and the only possible
thinir we can see is for us to emigrate."

"To emigrate!" Mrs. Kenshaw repeated in astonisli-
ment. " Why, my dear boy, what should we be tit for
in the colonies more than here^"

"A good deal, mother. A thousand pounds is nothing
here, and it would be a good deal out there. It would
be horrible to come down to live in a little cottaj^e like
working people here, after living like this; but it
would be nothing out there. W3 could buy land for
next t.0 nothing in New Zealand, and could employ
a coujde of men to work with me to clear it aiid
cultivate it; and get a few cows and sheep to start
with, and still have a little money in hand. You and
Marion coidd look after thiniis indoors; I should look
after tliiniis out of doors."

" You don't seem to count vour father at all," Mrs.
Kenshaw .sai<l a little reproachfully.

"No, mother, I don't," Wilfrid said bluntly. "You
know as well as I do that father would be of no use
to speak of in a life like that Still, I think he couhl
make himself happy out there as well as here. He
oould take all his books with him, and could inquire
into the manners and customs of the natives, who are
every bit as good as the ancient Britons; better, I should
say. But whatever we do, mother, whether it is here

( r^.") ) H

•'MY li-AX IS THK I'.KST FnU US."

or Jiiiywhcre else, wo must settle njjon it aiul do it.
Of t'ourse we must consult liiru; l»iit we must <|uito
make tip our mimls holoiu we do so. If you wuit a
few weeks for fatlicr to make up his mind wliut we
hud better do, we shall wait till this thousand pounds
is spent and there is nothing to do but to go into the
workhouse.

" I am sure that my plan is the best for us. I am as
strong as a great many men; and anyhow, out there,
there ought to be no fear about our keeping ourselves.
I liavc no doubt that when we get out there father
will be able to help in many ways, though I do not
know at present what they are. Anyhow, we shall
have a house to live in, even if it is only a log hut, and
I have no doubt have plenty to eat and drink ; and that
is mor«^ than we shall do if we stay here. I could not
earn anything to .speak of here: the most I could ex-
pect to get would be ten shillings a week ps an office-
boy. And as to your idea of a school, you might be
years before you got pupils; and, besides, when there
are two men in a family it would be shameful to de-
pend upon a woman to keep them."

"Why do you tliink of New Zealand more than
Canada, Wil?"

" Because, in the first place, the climate is a great
deal pleasanter, and, in the second place, I believe that
as the passage-money is higher the emigrants are of a
better class, and we are likely to have more pleasant
neighbours — people that you and father can associate
with — than we should have if we went to a backw^ood
cleaiinc: in Canada. Tom Fairfax has an uncle in New
Zeal.ind, and I have heard him sav there are lots of

and

•'HE WILL IHC griTK Ut:AI)Y I(» ACUKF-."

oflTicers in the army and people of that sort who liavo
settled there. <)t course 1 kinjw it is goin^' to be Imrd
woik.antl th.it it will he very I'ouj^h for you and f.-ithcr
when we land at Urst, hut 1 expect it will he letter
after a time; and anyhow, mother, I do not thiidv we
can starve there, and 1 feel sure tliat it will come to
that if we stop here. At any rate, you had better think
it over.

"Of course if you Idt on anythin<,' better I shall be
rea<ly to agree at once; but whatever it is we must
quite make up our minds together and then tell father.
But when we do tell him we shall have to say that we
are (juite convinced that the plan we have tixed on is
the only o?ie that offers a hope of success. Of course
I do not expect that he will see it as we do, but if we
put it that if lie can suggest anything better to be
done we will set aV)out it at once, I think he's pretty
certain to let thiny-s w on as we arrange. 1 do not
mean to speak disrespectfully of father," he went on,
seeing that his mother's face was a little clouded,
" but you know, mother, that people wdio are learned,
scientific, and all that sort of thing are very often
bad hands at everyday matters. Sir Isaac Newton,
and lots of other fellows I have read about, were like
that; and though father is a splendid hand at any-
thing to do with the Britons or Danes, and can tell
you the story of every old ruin in the kingdom, he is
no good about practical matters. So that we take all tiie
trouble otf his hands, I think he will be quite ready
to agree to do whatever you think is the best. At any
rate, mother, I think my plan is well worth thinking
over, and the sooner we make up our minds the better;

MRS. RENSIIAVV ADOPTS WILFRIDS I'LAN.

after all it is a jjroat tlnii<j: liaviriL; somethinof to look
forward to and plan about."

Three or four days later Mrs. Renshaw told Wilfrid
that think as she would she could see no better plan for
utilizing her little capital than for thera to eniigiate.

"It is putting great responsibility on your shoulders,
my boy," she said; "for I do not disguise from myself
that it is upon you that we must princi[)ally depend.
Still you will be sixteen by the time we can arrive
there, and I think we should be able to manage. Besides,
as you say, we can hire a man or two to help, and shall
have some money to fall back upon until things begin
to pay. There are plenty of women who manage even
without the assistance of a son, and I do not know why
I should not be able to get on with you and Marion
to help me, especially as farming is a comparatively
simple business, in a new country. At any rate, as
you say, with two or three cows and plenty of ducks
and hens, and what we can grow on the ground, there
will be no fear of our starvinij."

The next day Mr. Renshaw came downstairs for the
first time since he had heard of the misfortune. He
had received a letttsr that mornincc saviuix that a call
was at once to be made on each shareholder for the
amount still standing on each share, and this sum was
in itself more than he could meet even after the sale
of his house and its contents. He was in a state of
profound depression. He had, while upstairs, been
endeavouring to think of some means of supporting
his family, but had been wholly unable to think of any
plan whatever. He knew that at his age he should
find it next to impossible to obtain employment, even

«0

■».>'

"I WOULD NKVEU AfiUEE TO THAT, NEVEH." 21

as a clerk at t]ie lowest salary; liis knowledcre of
ai-cliroology would be absolutely useless to liiui, I'ov the
books he had already published had not even paid the
expenses of printiii'^''.

Few wor.ls were spoken at breakfast, but when
the nienl was finished Mrs. Renshaw liei-nn: "My dear
Alfred, Wilfrid and I have been talkingover wliat we
had l)ett.>r do under the circumstances. I have told him
that the failure of the bank involves the loss of all our
})ropeity, that the house will have to be sold, and
that, in fact, thei-e remains nothing but the thousand
pounds of my settlement. We have talked it over in
every lioht, and have quite arrived at the conclusion
as to what we think the best thinir to be done if you
see matters in the same light and will consent to our
phu.. I had at first thought of staiting a little school."
'I would never agree to that," Mr. Renshaw said;
"never. I must do something, my dear, though I have
not made up my mind in what direction. But what-
ever it is, it is for me to work, nvj not for you."

"Well, we have already given up the idea," Mrs
Renshaw went on. " Wilfrid was sure tliat you would
not like it, and, as he pointed out, the money mio-ht
be spent before I could obtain sufficient pupils to 1)^
Besid.'s, he is anxious to be of use; but the difficulty
struck us of obtaining any kind of remunerative work
here."

"That is what I have been thinking," Mr. Renshaw
said. "I shall be willing to work at anythin- in my
power, but I don't see what possible work I can <Tet "

" guite so, my dear. In this countrv it is of course
terribly difficult for anyone to get employment unless

"THAT IS A TERRIBLE UNDERTAKING."

he has been trained in some ]»aiticu]ar line, tlierefore
Wil and I are agreed that the very best plan, indeed
the only plan we can think of, is lor us to go out to
a new country. ]My little money will take us to New
Zealand, buy a good-sized piece of land there, and
suffice to enable us to clear it and stock it to some
extent. The life will no doubt be rough for us all for
a time; but none of us will care for that, and at any
rate we are sure to be able to keep the wolf from the
door."

"To New Zealand!" Mr. Renshaw repeated aghast.
"That is a terrible undertaking. Besides, I know no-
thiuLf whatever about farming, and I fear that I am
quite unfit for hard work."

"I do not think it will be at all necessary for you
to work yourself, Alfred. Of coui'se we can hire men
there just as we can in England. I believe tlie natives
are willing to work at very low rates of ])ay, so we need
have no difficulty on that score. Wilfrid is growing
up now, and will soon be able to relieve you of all
responsibility, and then you will be able to devote
yourself to your favourite studies; and I should think
that a book from your hand upon native manners and
customs w^ould be sure to be a great success. Accus-
tomed as you are to tracing tilings up from small re-
mains, and with your knowledge of prin)itive peoples,
your work \vould be very different from those written
by men without any previous accjuaintance with such
matters."

"The idea certainly pleases me," Mr. Kenshaw said;
"but, of course, I shall want time to think over your
startling proposal, Helen."

A BUSY MONTH.

"Of course, my dear. In tlie meantime we will ^ro
on paeking- upan^l preparing to move at once from here
as you say tliat there must be a sale of everythinf^;
then you can tliiiik the matter over, and if you decide
upon any better scheme than ours we can carry that
out. If not, we shall be ready to put ours into execu-
tion."

I'he next montli was a busy one. There was great
sympathy evinced by all the Kenshavv^'s neighbours
and acquaintances when it was heard that their whole
fortune was swept away by the failure of the bank.
There were farewell visits to be paid, not only to th<'se,
but to their poorer neighbours. In answer to inquiries
as to their plans, Mv. Kensliavv always replied that at
present nothing whatever was settled. Mrs. Renshaw
hinted that, althougli their ])Ians were not definitely
fixed, she thought ic probable that they would go
abroad; while Wilfrid and Marion both informed
tlieir friends conlidently that they were going to New
Zealand.

The work of packing went on. A few articles of
furniture that were special favourites with them all
were packed up and sent to be warehoused in London,
in order that they might some day be forwarded to
them when they had made themselves a home; but
nothing else was taken beyond their clothes, a good
selection of books for their general reading, a laige\ox
of those which Mr. Renshaw declared absolutely°indis-
pensable to himself, and a few nick-nacks specially
prized. Everything else was handed over for sale for
the benefit of the creditors of the bank. ])urin<r
these weeks Mr. Renshaw continued to speak as li

. =J'^ Uf41Kil

((

THE MATTKK IS ENTIKKLY IN YOUR HANDS.

he regarded the New Zealand project as wliolly im-
practicable, and on each occasion when he did so his
wife replied cheerfully: " Well, my dear, we are in no
way wedded to it, and are quite ready to ,L;ive it up
and adopt any plan yon niay decide upon. The matter
is entirely in your hands."

But Mr. Kenshaw could hit upon no other scheme;
and, indeed, his wife's susfirestion as to a book on the
natives of New Zealand had much taken his fancy.
Certainly he, a trained antiquarian, should be able to
produce a book upon such a subject that would be of
vastly greater value than those written by settlers and
others having no training whatever that would qualify
them for such work. It was probable th it he should
be able to throw some entirely new light upon the
origin and history of the Maoris or natives of New
Zealand, and that his book would greatly add to his
reputation, and would sell well. Keally the idea was
not such a very bad one, and, for himself, he should
certainly prefer a life in a new country to shabby
lodgings in some outof-the-way place, after having for
so many years been a personage of importance in his
own neiii'hbourhood.

" I see one gi'eat objection to your scheme, Helen,
and that is that there is a war (joino; on with the
Maoris."

" 1 know there is," Mrs. Renshaw, who had talked the
matter over with Wilfrid, replied; "but it is confined
to two or three of the tribes, and the settlers in other
parts have been in no way disturbed. The troops have
taken most of their strongholds, and the troubles are
considered to be approaching an end; therefore I do

MUS. RIINSIIAW WAITS.

not tliink tliere is any occasion to be uneasy on that
score. P>esides, in some res[)ects tlie trouMe will be
advantaijfoous, as we should probably be able to buy
land cheaper than we otherwise should liave done, and
the hint] will rapidly rise in value again when the dis-
turbances are over. But, of course, we should not £jo to
the disturbed districts. Those are round Auckland
and New Plymouth, and the troubles are contined to
the tribes there. Everything is perfectly peaceable
along the other parts of the coast."

It was not until two or tlu'ee days before the move
was to be made from the house that JMrs. Kenshavv
recurred to the subject.

"You have not said yet, Alfred, what plans you have
decided u| on. As we shall leave here in three days it
is quite time that we made up our minds about it, as,
of course, our movements must depend on your decision.
If you have fixed upon any i)lace for us to settle down
in, it would be cheaper for us to move there at once
instead of wasting money by going up to London fir.st.
Another reason I have for asking is, that Kobert and
William Crimstone, the gardener's sons, who have got
an idea from something Wilfrid said to them that we
nnght be going abroad, have aslced him to ask you if you
would takt; them with you. They have been working
in the garden under their father for the last two or
three years, and are strong active young fellows of
nineteen and twenty. As their father has worked here
ever since we came, and we have known the young
fellows since they were children, such an arrangement
would have been a very pleasant one had you liked
my plan of emigrating, as it would have been much

DIUVKN INTO A CORNER.

more aij^rocablu havin;' two youni; fellows we know
with us instead ot' stranujers. Of course I toM Wilfrid
to tell them that nothin;^ whatever was settled, and
that our plans were not in any way formed, and that
they had better, therefore, look out tor situations about
here, and that I was sure 30U would give them good
letters of recommendation."

Mr. Kenshaw was silent. "I really do not sec that
there is any occasion to come to a decision in a hurry,"
he said irritably.

">>'ot in a liurry, Alfred," Ids wife said quietly.
"You see, we have had a month to think it over, and
I do not see that we shall be more likely to settle upon
an ailvantacreous scheme at the end of six months than
we are now. From the day we leave here and hainl
over everything to the receiver of the bank we shall
be drawing on our little capital, and every pound is of
importance. I think, therefore, Alfred, tliat you and
I should make up our minds before we leave here as
to wdiat course we are going to ado[)t. As 1 have said,
I myself see no scheme by which we are likely to be
able to maintain ourselves in England, even in a very
humble way. A life in the colonies would, to me, be
very much more pleasant than the struggle to make
ends meet here.

"Jt would afford an opening for Wilfrid, and be
vastly more advantageous for him tlian anvtlunsf we
slujuld hope to get for him here; and I think it will
be far better for Marion too. Of course, if we decideil
to emigrate, we could, should you prefer it, go to
Canada, Australia, or the Uniteil States in preference
to New Zealand. I only incline to 2sew Zealand be-

"A GREAT CHANCE AND A GREAT TRIAL."

cause I have hoard that there is a lari;or proportion of
olhcers and gejitlemon there tlian in otiier coh)iurs, and
hecaiise I believe that tlie climate is a pai-ticulfirly
pleasant one. But, ol' course, this is merely a su^';^'es-
tion at present, and it is for you to decide."

"If Ave are to emiL,a-ate at all," Mr. Renshaw replied,
"I should certainly prefer New Zealand myself. 'J"he
Maoris are a most interesting^ peophj. Their origin is
a matter of doubt, their customs and reli'don are
peculiar, and I have no doubt that I should, after
studying them, be able to throw much new and vahi-
ahle light upon the subjeot. Pei-soiially, I am sure
that 1 am in no way fitted for the life of a settler. I
know nothing of farnung, and could neither drive a
plough nor wield an axe; but if I could make the native
subject my own, I might probably be able to do my
share towards our expt^nses by my books, while Wilfrid
could look after the men. The oHer of these two
young fellows to go with us has removed several of n)y
objections to the plan, and I agree with you that it
would be more advantageous for Wilfrid and Marion
than to be living in wretched lodgings. Therefore,
my dear, I have decided to fall in with your plan, and
only hope that it will turn out as well as you seem to
expect. It will be a great change and a great trial; but
since you seem to have set your heart upon it, I am
willing to adopt your plans instead of my own, and
we will therefore consider it settled that we will go to
New Zealand."

Mrs. Renshaw was too wise a woman to point out
that her husband had not, so far as she was aware,
any plans whatever of his own, and she contented her-

ALL IS SI'TTLED.

self liy saying quietly: "I am glad you have (Kciiled
so, iny dear. I do think it is the best thinii; for us
all, and I am quite sure it is the hest for Wilfrid and
Marion. If it had not been for them I should liave
said let us take a tiny cott.'ige near some town where I
might add to our income by giving lessons in music or
other things, and you might have the companioiishii)
of people of your own tastes; but, being as it is, I think
it far better to give them a start in a new country,
although I know that such a life as we shall lead there
must entail, at any rate at first, some hardships, and
the loss of much to which we have been accustomed."

Wilfrid and Marion were delighted when they heard
from their mother that the matter was settled. Both
had had great hopes that Wilfrid's scheme would be
finally accepted, as there did not seem any other plan
that was ])ossible. Still Wilfrid knew the ditliculty
that his father would have in making up his mind,
and feared there might be a long delay before he
could bring himself to accept the plan proposed to
him. Mrs. Renshaw, who was a good business woman,
lost no time in arianmnof with Robert and William
Grimstone as to their accom])anying them. Their
passage-money was to be paid, and they were to bind
themselves to remain for three years in Mr. Renshaw's
service on wages similar to those they would have
obtained at home; after that, tliey were to be paid
whatever mijjht be the colonial rate of waires.

The excitement that the prospect of emigration
caused to the young people lessened their pain at leav-
ing the house where they had been born and brought
up, with all its pleasant associations and material com-

IN LONDON.

forts. It was, liowever. very trying to them when
they bade good-l.ye for tlie last time to their sur-
roundings and shook hands with their old servants.

"Jf ever we got rich in ^'ew Zealand, father,"
Wilfrid said, "we will come back and buy the house

agani

Air. Rensliaw shook his head. Just at present he
was disposed to regard himself as a martyr, and con-
sidered that he had made an unprecedented sacrifice of
his own wishes and comforts lor the sake of his children,
and that no good could be expected to arise from th.'
plan to which he had consented. A good many friends
liad gathered at the station to say good-bye, and it was
some time after the train had started on its way to
London before any of the party felt themselves in-
clined to speak.

On arriving in town they went at once to lodgings
they had engaged in Easti.ourne Terrace, facing the
station. Once settled there, no time was lost in making
preparations for their voyage. The liles of the advei-
tiseinents had already been searched and the names of
the vessels sailing for New Zealand and tiie addresses
of their owners noted, and after paying a visit to several
shipping offices the choice of vessels remained at last
between the Flying Scud and the Mayfloiuer. They
were vessels of about the same size, both bore a good
reputation as sailers, and they heard excellent accounts
of the captains who conmianded them.

The Mayjioiuer was to sail direct to Wellington round
the Cape. The Flyhig Scud was taking in'' cargo for
Kio and Buenos- Ayres, and would proceed thence via
Cape Horn. Her rates of passage were somewhat lower

THH " FLYINCJ SCUD.

than tliose of thu Mni/jloiver, as the route via the Cape
of Good Hope was tliat more Lf«'nt'nilly used, and the
number of jiassengLTs who had secured bcjrtlis by her
were very much snudler than those wlio intended to
travel by the Mnijjlowei'. It was this tliat principally
decided them in choosino; the western route: Mr.
Rensliavv was in a depressed and nervous state, and
his wife considered that he would be far more comfor-
table with a comparatively small number of fellow-
passengers than in a crowded ship.

Marion quite agreed with her mother; and Wilfrid
was also in favour of the Flying Scud, as he thought
it would be pleasant to break the passage by putting
into the great South American ports and getting a
glimpse of their inhabitants. Mr. Renshaw himself
was quite satisfied to accept his wife's decision, what-
ever it might be. The Flylnrf Scud was therefore
selected, and passages for the party secured in her.

CHAPTER IL

THE EMBARKATION.

THE Flymq Scud was to sail in ten days; and this
was ample time for their preparations, for Mrs.
Renshaw wisely decided that it was better to buy all
that was requisite for starting their new life, in New
Zealand.

"We have none of us the least idea what will be
required," she said. "It will be far better to pay

DOWN TO TIIK DOCKS.

somowhat higher pricos for wliat ^ve rviiUy do want
out there tliaii to cumber ourselv<'.s witli all sorts of
ih'uv^H tliut may be useless to us. We l.ave alivady a
considerable amount of ba.ri,^age. Tliere are our clothes,
linen, an<l books, ^our father's two double-barrelled
guns, wliich, by the way, I do not tliink lie has ever
used since we liave been married. The only thinir wo
had better get, as far as I see, will be four rilles, winch
no doubt we can buy cheap second-hand, and four
revolvers.

"I do not for a moment suppose we shall ever want
to use them, but as we may be often left in the house
alone I think it would be pleasant to know that we
are not altogether defenceless. We had better lay in
a good stock of annnunition for all these weapons.
Besides the clothes we have we had better get serge
dresses and suits for the voyage, and a few sti-ong
servicable gowns and suits for rough work out there!
Beyond this I do not think that we need spend a
penny. We can certainly get everything we shall
want for our new life at Wellington, which is a lar-e
place." ^

On the morning of the day on which they were to
embark the Grimstones came up from Keading. All
the heavy luggage had been sent on board ship^'on the
previous day, and at twelve o'clock two cabs drove up
to the side of the Flyhig Scud in 8t. Catherine's Docks.
The one contained Mr. and Mrs. Renshaw, Marion, and
a vast quantity of small packets inside. Wilfrid was
on the box with the driver, and the roof was piled high
with luggage. The other cab contained the two Grim-
stones and the rest of the luggage. The Kenshaws W(Me

PARTIN(JS.

already ncqimintcd with the sliip in wliicl) thoy wore
to suil, having' paid Ijcr u visit I'oiir duys jirt^viously to
see tlu'ir cuhiiis. Thn |turi'nts hud a coiMlortalih! cahiii
to thunisclvcs. Marion was bt'ithcd in a culiin with
two other ladi(;s, who, slie It'arncd, wi-re sisters, tlie elder
about lier own aj^fc, and Wilfrid found he would liuve
but one fellow-|»asscn,L:er. 'i'hc ( Jiinistoncs weie in the
steeia'^e forward.

The vessel was in a state of bustle, and what to tlic
travellers seemed confusion. Mundjers of other pas-
fien<j^ers were arriving, and the deck was litteied with
their lugga'^e until it could be sorted and sent down to
their cabins; late carjjo was beiiiu: swun;r on board
and lowered into the hold. On the deek aft were
gathered the cabin passengers, with relatives and friends
who had come to see them otf. An hour later the bell
rang as a signal for all visitors to go ashore. Theie
were sad partings both fore and aft as the bell clanged
out its impatient signal.

"I am very glad, mother, that we have no friends to
say good-bye to us here, and that we got that all over
at Heading."

"So am I, Wil. I think it much better myself that
these partings should be got through before peoi)le
leave home. It is natural of course tlmt relatives and
friends should like to see the last of each other, but I
think it is a cruel kindness, and am glad, as you
say, that we had no dear friends in London. Those at
home have already shown their though tfulness and
friendship." For indeed during the last few days
hampers of presents of all kinds had arrived in a
steady flow at Eastbourne Terrace. There had been

■ that
)eoi)le
s uiul
lit I
you
Dse at
and
(lays
in a
been

I'llKSKNTS.

3.T

great ftM'lin"; of coiiHiiisi'iation anion;,' nil tlicir ac-
(juuintanccs at tlio nii.slortuiu; tliat liud lirialK'n tlic
H(!nslia\v.s; and tli«» ninnntr in uliicli tln'V liad at onn^
surrcndt'i'iMl cvcrytliinLj tor tlic iM-nclit ol' tlu» sliar*'-
liolders of the bank, and tl»o calfiiiicss with wliicli tlicy
liad horiif' their reverses, liad excited adiiij' tion, and
scarce a IViend or ac<niainta!ice but sent siibstuntial
tokens of tlieir iiood-will or syninatliv.

As soon as it was ])ublirly known that ilie IJenshaws
were about to sail for New Zealand, the boys and
masters of tlie granunar-scliool between theiu sub-
scribed a!id sent a handsome doublt'-barrelled gun, a
tisl»ing-rod, and all appurtenances, to \\illVi«l. Mr.
Kenshaw received two guns, several tisliin<:j-rods, two
crates of crockery, and several cases of poi-tabje furni-
ture of various kinds, besides many small articles.
Mrs. Kenshaw was presented with a stov<' of the best
construction and a crate full of utensils of every kind,
while Marion had work-boxes an<l desks suthcient to
stock a school, two sets of garden tools, and innumeral)le
nick-nacks likely to be more or less useful to her in her
new life. Besides these there were several boxes of
books of standard literatuie.

"Every one is very kind," Mrs. Tlenshaw said as tlie
crates and hampers arrived; "but if it goes on like this
we shall have to charter a ship to ourselves, and how we
are to move about there when we get out with all these
things I have not the least idea."

At last the good-byes were all finishei], the visitors
had left the ship, the hawsers were thrown otl" and the
vessel began to move slowly towards the dock gates. As
soon as she had issued through these she was seized by

(605) C

THE START.

a tug, and in'ocoeded in tow down iho vTOwded river.
There was a last waving of handkeicliiol's and hats to
the group of people standing at the entrance to the
docks, and then the passengers began to look round
and examine each other and the ship. Sailors were hard
at work — the last bales and boxes weie beini; lowered
into the hold, ropes were being coiled up, and tidiness
restored to the deck. Parties of seamen w^re aloft
loosening some of the sails, for the wind was favourable,
and the captain had ordered some of the canvas to be
set to assist the tuor.

" Now, Marion," Mrs. Renshaw said, " we had bettor
go below and tidy up things a bit. Wil, you may as well
come down and help me get the trunks stowed away
under the berths, and put some hooks in for the brush-
bafjs and other things we have brought; the hooks and
gimlet are in my hand-bag."

Wilfrid a.ssisted to set his mothers cabin in order,
and then went to his own. It M'as a good-sized cabin,
and when the ship was full accommodated four passen-
gers; but the two upper bunks had now been taken
down, and there was, Wilfrid thought, ample room for
two. On his own bunk were piled his two portman-
teaus, a gun-case, a bundle of fishing-rods, and other
odds and ends, and a somewhat simihir collection of
luggage was on that opposite. Wilfred read the name
on the labels. "Atherton," he said; " I wonder what he
is like. I do hope he will be a nice fellow."

Scarcely had the thought passed through his mind
when a figure appeared at the cabin door. It was that
of a tall stout man, with immensely broad shoulders.
His age Wilfrid guessed to be about thirty-five. He

MR. ATHKRTOX.

had a pleasant face, and there was a hiimoron.s twinkle
in his eye as the hid looked round in astonishment at
the figure eoniph'tely blockinir up tlie doorway.

" «o you are llenshaw?" tlie big man said. "' "I con-
gratulate myself and you that your dimensions are not
ot the largest. My name is Atherton, as I daresay
you have seen on my lui^i^n^e. Suppose we shake
hands, Kenshaw ? It is just as well to make friends at
once, as we have got to put up with each other for the
next nve or six months. Of course you are a little
appalled at my size," he wen^, on. as he shook hands
With the lad. " Most peojde are at first, but nobody is so
mucli appalled as I am myself. Still it has its amus-
ing side, you know. I don't often get into an omnibus
because 1 do not think it is fair; but if 1 am driven
to do so. and there happen to be five people on eacli
side, the expression of alarm on those ten faces when
1 ai^pear at the door is a picture, because it is mani-
festly nnpossible that they can make room for me on
either side."

" What do you do, sir?" Wilfrid asked laughinrr.

" I ask one of them to change sides. That feavel two
places vacant, and as 1 make a point of payincr for two
we get on couifortably enough. It is fortunate there
are only two of us in this cabin. If I have the bad luck
to travel in a full ship I always wait until the others
are in bed before I turn in, and get up in the morninrr
before they are astir; but I think you and I can
manage pretty comfortably."

"Then you have travehed a good deal, sir?" Wilfrid
said.

" I am always travelling," die other replied. " I am

■ r

1 1

,1
1,

1
i

A WAXDERKR.

like the fidj^otty IMiil of the story-book, who could
never keep still. Most men of my sixe are content to
tuke life (juietly, but that is not so with me. For the
last twelve or thirteen years I have been ahvavs on
the move, and I ouL^dit to be worn down tr. a thread
I)aper; but unfoitunately, as you see, that is not the
eH'ect of travel in my case. I suppose you are going
out to settle?"

" Yes, sir. I have my father, mother, and sister on
board."

" Lucky fellow!" Mr. Atli'^rton said; " I have no rela-
tions worth speaking ;)f."

"Are you iroinnf to settle at last, sir?" Wilfrid asked.

"No, I am iroinnf out to botanize. I have a mania
for botany, and New Zealand, you know, is in that
respect one of the most remarkable regions in the
world, and it has not 3'et been explored with anything
approaching accuracy. It is a grand field for discovery,
and thei'e are special points of interest connected with
it, as it forms a sort of connecting link between the
floras of Australia, Asia, and South America, and has a
flora of its own entirely distinf*: from any of these.
Now let me advise you as to ilw ^'.:. • ing away of your
traps. There is a good deal of kiuu V in these things.
Have you got your portmanteaus packed so that one
contains all the things you are likely to re(]uire for say
the first month of your voyage, and the other as a
reserve to be drawn on occasionally? because, if not,
I should advise you to take all the thinus out and to
arranixe them in that way. It will take you a little
time, perhaps, but will save an immense amount of
trouble throughout the voyage."

"HK JS A CAriTAL FELLOW." 37

Wilfrid hnd packed his trunks with thin-.s as they
came to han.l. hut hu saw tlie advantn-e of t'ullowijH.
his fellow-passen^irer's advice, and accrdin-vly opened
hispoi-tu.anteaus and piled the w],..le of thrir contents
upon his herth. He then ivpacked them, Mr. Ather-
ton sittmcr down on his heitli and givin- his advice as
to Uie trunk in which eacli article should he placed.

'i^he work of rearran-enrnt occupied ]ialf-an-hour
and A\il{rid often cono-ratuhited himself <Iurin- the'
voyage upon the time so spent. When all was'^eom-
plcte and the cabin arranged tidily, WiHVid I.joked in
at the next cahin. This was occupied hv two youn-
men of the name of Allen. They were iriends of an
acquaintance of Mr. Kenshaw, who, hearing tliat they
were journeying by tlie same ship to New Zealand, had
brought them down to Eastbourne Terrace an,! intro-
duced tliem to .Air. Renshaw and his f.-nnilv The two
were occupied in arranging their things in the cabin

"Well, JJeiishaw," James, the elder of then., .said
when he entered, "I am afraid I cannot cono-nitulate
you on your fellow-passenger. We saw him go into
your cabin. He is a tremendous man. He wmild be
magnificent if he were not so stout. Whv, you will
scarce hnd room to move!"

"He is a capital fellow," Wilfrid sai<l. " 1 think we
shall get on splendidly togetlier He is full of fun and
makes all sorts of jokes about his own sixe. He has
travelled a tremendous lot, and is up to evervthhe- He
IS nothing like so old as you would think, if vou^have
not seen I.ls face. 1 do not think he is abo^e thirtv-
hve or so Well, as I see you have just finished, 1 will
go up and see how we are ijettin"- on "

)

38 "WHAT A I5IG man!"

Wlien Wilfrid readied the deck he found the vessel
was otf Erith, and was o;i'eeted by his sister.

" Vou silly boy, you have been missinu;" the sight of
all the shippiiiL!,", and of (Uvenwich Hospital. The idea
of stopping below all this time. I should have come to
call you u]) if I had known which was your room."

"Cabin, you goose!" Wilfrid said; "the idea of talk-
ing of rooms on board a ship. I would have come

up if I had thought of it; but I was so busy puttin
things to right and making the ac(iuaintance of the
gentleman in the cabin with me that 1 foigot altogether
we were moving down the river."

"Which is he, Wilfrid /"

Wilfrid laughed and nodded in the direction of ^Fr.
Atherton, who was standing with his back towards
them a short distance away.

Marion's eyes opened wide.

"Oh, Wil, what a big man! He must quite fill up
the cabin."

"He seems an awfully good fellow, Clarion."

"I daresay he may be, Wil; but he will certainly
take up more than his share of the cabin."

"It is awkward, isn't it, young ladyT' Mr. Atherton
said, sudilcnly turning round on his heel, to Marion's
liorror, while W^ilfrid flushed scarlet, for he had not
the least idea that hi-^ words could be heard. "I have
capital hearing, you see/' Mr. Atherton went on with a
laugh, "and a very useful sense it is sometimes, and
has stood me in good service uj)on many occasions,
though I own that it elle tually prevents my cherishing
any illusion as to my personal appearance. This is
your sister, of course, Ren.shaw; in fact, anyone could

EAIILY AURANGKMKNTS.

3<J

see that at a glance. There is nothing like niakin^
acquaintances early on the voyage; the lirst day is in
that respect the most important oi all."

"Why is that?" Marion asked.

"Because as a rule the order in which people sit
down to table on the tij-st day of the voyage is that in
which they sit the whole time. Now, if one happens
to sit one's self down by people who tuin out disagree-
able it is a very great nuisance, and therefore "it is
very important to find out a little about one's fellow-
passengers the first day, so as to take a seat next to
someone whom you are not likely to (piarrel with
before you have been a week at sea."

"Then they do not arrange places for you, Mr
Atherton?" ^

"Oh no; the captain perhaps settles as to who are
to sit up by him. If there is anyone of special im--
portance, a governor or vice-governor or any other
big-wig, he and his wife, if he has got one, will probably
sit next to the captain on one side, if not, he will choose
someone who has been specially introduced to him
or who has sailed with him before, and the steward
before the party sit down, puts their names on their
plates; everyone else shifts for themselves. Kenshaw, I
shall be glad if you will introduce me to your father
and mother, and if we get on well I "will go down
below and arrange that we get places together. I have
been chatting with the first officer, who is a very plea-
sant fellow; I Iiave sailed with him before. The rule
is he sits at the end of the table facing the captain,
and my experience is that when the first officer hap-
pens to be a good fellow, which is not always the case.

40 "I AM NOT A l'AKTICULAI{LY SENSITIVE MAN."

, ft

I I

his end of tlie table is the most pleascant place. There
is generally more fun and laughing at that end than
there is at the other; for all the people who fancy
that they are of importance make a pohit of getting
seats as near as they can to the captain, and important
people are not, as a rule, anything like as pleasant as
the rest of us."'

Wilfrid walked across the deck with i\Ir. Atherton

to th

it where his fath

)th

itt

nig.

lie })onit wnere nis latner anu motner were si
" Mother, this is Mr. Atherton, who is in my cabin."
Mr. Atherton shook hands with Mr. and Mi's. Kenshaw.

"I asked your son to introduce me at once, Mrs.
Renshaw, because, as I have been telling him, a good
deal of the comfort of the voyage depends upon mak-
ing a snug little ])arty to sit together at meals. There
is nothing 1 dread more than Ijeing put down between
two acidulated women, who make a ])oint of showing
by their manner every time one sits down that they
consider one is taking up a great deal more than one's
share of the seat."

Mrs. Renshaw smiled. "I should think people were
not often as rude as that."

" I can assure you that it is the rule rather than the
exception, Mrs. R«'nsha\v. J am not a ])articularly sen-
sitive man, I think; but 1 make a point of avoiding
crowded railway-carriages, being luiable to withstand'
the ex])ression of blank dismay that comes over the
faces of people when I present myself at the door. I
have thought sometimes of hiring a little boy of about
four years old to go about with iv.e, as the two of us
would then only take up a fair share of space. I
have been looking to the cabin arrangements, and find

MAKING UP A TAllTY.

that e;icli seat liolds tlinv. Your son and daniilitor
are iieitlior of tliuni l.iilky, so if they won't niind
sitting a little close tlicy will be cunlenin-- a genuine
kindness upon nie."

"We shall not mind at all," Wilfrid and Marion
exclaimed together, for there was something so ])lra-
sant ahout Mr. Atherton's manner they felt that lie
would he a delightful companion.

^"Very well, then; we will regard that as settled.
Then we five will oecuj)y the seats on one side of the
chief otticei'."

" We will get the two Aliens opposite," Wilfrid put

" I will look about for thre.' others to make up what
I may call our party. Who do you fancy, Mrs. llen-
shaw? Now look round and fix on somebody, and I
will undertake the duty of engineering the business."

"There are two girls, sisters, in my cabin," Marion
said. "I think they seem nice. 'i1iey are going out
alone to join their father and mother in New Zealand."

" Jn that case, Mrs. Renshaw, I had better leave the
matter in your liands."

"That will be very simple, Mr. Atherton, as I liave
already spoken to them," and she at once got up and
moved across to two girls of about thirteen and seven-
teen i-es])ectively, who were standing together watch-
ing the passing ships, and entered into conversation
with them. When she ])roposed that, as they were in
the same cabin with Marion, they should sit near each
other at table, they gladly agreed, saying, however,
that they had been p'aeed under the special care of
the captain, and as he had said that he would keep

RESPONSIDILITIES.

tl KMn under liis eye, tliey weie afraid he might want
tlioin to sit near him.

"1 will speaiv to the captain myself," Mrs. Renshavv
said. " I daresay he will be rather glad to have the
responsibility taken off his hands, especially if I pro-
pose, which I will if you like, to take you under my

gen

era

Icl

larL'e.

Oh, we should like that very much," the elder of

the ty

[•Is said.

seems so very strange
being here among so many people without any lady
with us. We shouhl be so much obliged to you if you
would take us under your wing."

" I can quite understand your feelings, my dears,
and will speak to the captain directly. I soe that he
is disengaged. If we were under sail there would
not be n»uch chance of getting a word with him; but
as the tug has us in charge, I see that he has time to
chat to the passengers."

A few minutes later the captain left the gentleman
with whoMi he was speaking and came along the deck.
The Renshaws had made his acquaintance when they
first came down to see their cabins.

"How are vou, Mrs. Renshaw?" he said as he came
up to her. " We have tine weather for our start,
have we not? It is a gieat thing starting fair, as it
enables people to settle down and make themselves at
home."

"I have been chatting with the Miss IMitford.s, cap-
tain; thev are in the cabin with my daughter. They
tell me that they are under your special chaige."

" Yes, they aie among the number of my responsi-
bilities," the captain said smiling.

THE FIRST MEAL ON BOARD.

"Tliey naturally feol rather lonely on board from
having no lady with them, and have exj)ressed their
\villin_<,aiess to put themselves under my chari^'e if you
will sanction it. It will be pleasant both for them
and my daughter, and they can sit down with us at
meals, and make a party together to work or read on
deck."

"I shall be extremely glad, Mrs. Renshaw, if you
will accept the responsibility. A captain's hands are
full enough without having to look after women.
There are four or five single ladies on board, on all of
whom I have promised to keej) a watchful eye, and
I shall be delighted to be relieved of the responsi-
bility of two of them."

So the matter was arranged, and going down into
the cabin a few minut's before the bell rang for dinner,
•the party succeeded in getting the places they desired.
Mr. Atherton was next to the chief oHicer. Wilfrid
&at next to him, Marion between her brother and Mrs.
Rensliaw, and Mr. Kenshaw next. Tin; two Aliens
faced Mr. Atherton and Wilfrid; the Miss Mitford.s
came next, facing Marion and her mother. A Captnin
Feal.^on and his wife were next to the Mitfords, while
a civi: engineer, Mr. Hal brook, occu[)ied tlie vacant
seat next to Mr. Renshaw. Unco seated, the Renshaws
speedily congratulated themselves on the airangements
that they had made as thev saw the he^itatin'^- wav in
which the rest of the passengers took theii' places, and
the looks of inquiry and doubt they cast at those who
seated themselves next to them. For a time the meal
was a silent one, friends talking together in low voices,
but nothing like a general conversation being at-

SAVINd A SHIP.

toinptfMl. At tho first olliccrs' end ot' tin* tiilile, how-
ever, tlie soiiiid of coiiversjition an<l laiV'liU'r ben'an at
once.

" Have you room, Miss luMisliaw? or do you ulrcady
beL;in to regret your l»arg;iiiW"

"I liave plenty of room, tluink you," Marion replied.
" I lio[)e that you liave enough {"

" rienty," Mr. Athcrton answered. "I have just
been tellinuf your brother that it* lie tinds 1 am sriueez-
ing him he must run liis elbow into my ribs. Let me
see, Mr. Ryan; it must be three years since we sat
together."

"Just al)out that," the mate ro[)lied with a strong
Irish accent. " You went with us from Japan to
Singapore, <lid you not?"

"That was it, and a rough bout we had of it in that
C3'clone in the CI una Seas. You remember that I-
saved the ship then i"

"How was that, .Mr. Atherton?" \Viirrid asked.

The first otlicer lauLjhed. " j\[r. Atherton always
took a deal more credit to himself than we gave him.
Wlien the cyclone struck the ship and knocked her
right down on her beam- ends, he happened to be
sitting up to windward, .and he always declared that
if it hadn't been for his weight the ship would never
have righted itself."

There was a general laugh at the mate's explnnation.

"I always jdant myself to windward in a gale," Mr.
Atherton said gravely. "Shifting ballast is a most
useful thing, although they have abolished it in yacht-
raring. I was once in a canoe, down by Boineo, when
a heavy sipiall struck us. I was sitting in the bottom

••that would BK IiRKADFUL!"

of the boat wlu-n we sfiw it coiiiinrr, and had jnst time
to net up and sit on the weather L^unwalf when it
strueiv us. Jt' it had not been for me notldni; could
have saved tlie lioat from capsizinj^. As it was it stood
up as stifl" as a rock, tlioUL,di, 1 own, I nearly drowned
them all when the blow was over, for it stopped as
suddenly as it began, and the boat as nearly as possi])lo
capsized with my weight. Indeed it would have done
so altogether if it liadn't lieeled over so sliarply that
1 was chucked backwards into the sea. Fortunately
the helmsman made a grab at me as I went past, nnd
I numaged to scramble on board again. IS'ot that
I should have sunk for I can tioat like a cork; but
there are a good many sharks cruising about in those
waters, and it is safer inside a boat than it is out.
You see, Miss Kensliaw, there are advantages in being
stout. I should not wonder if your brother got just
my size one day. My tigure was very much like his
once."

"Oh, I hope not:" Marion exclaimed. "Tliat would
be dreadful! ^.'o; I don't mean that," she went on
hurriedly as Mr. Atherton's face assumed an expression
of shocked sui-prise. "I mean that, although of course
there may be many advantages in being stout, there
are advantages in beiiKr thin too."

"I admit that," Mr. Atherton agreed; "but look
at the disadvantages. A stout man escapes being sent
trotted about on messages. Nobody would think of
asking him to climb a ladder. He is not expected to
daiu'e. The thin man is srpieezed into any odd corner;
and is not treated with half the consideration that is
given to a fat man. He worries about trifles, and has

4t)

" DO I.r/r IS IIKAU AIWJI.T IT.

nono of the qtiict roiitfiitiiiont tliat cliaiactcrizps stout
pt'oplo. A stout iiian's food always aureus witli liiin,
or t'l^e 111! would not l>n stout; wliile tlio tliiu man sutlers
iudijfrstion, dyspepsia, ami perhaps JMUiwlico. Vou see,
my dear youni^ lady, that ahiiost all the advantaL;es
ai'o on our side. Of course you will sjiy I could not
flinil) a ladder, hut then I do not want tocliiMh a hulder.
1 coidd not make the ascent of Matterliorn; hut it is
much more pleasant to sit at the hottoni and see
fools do it. 1 could not very well ride a hoise unless
it were a dray-horse; hut then I have no partiality
for horse exercise. Alto^^ether I thinU I have every
reason to be content. T can travel wherever I like,
see whatever I want see, and enjoy most of the
good thiuii^s of life."

"And hould your own in a scrimnmue," Mr. Ryan
put in laughing,'. " I can answer for that."

"If 1 am pushed to it," Mr. Atherton said modestly,
" of course I try to do my best."

"Have you seen ^Ir. Atherton in a scrimmaged'
Tom Allen asked the mate.

"I have; and a sharp one it was while it lasted."

"There is no occasion to say anything about it,
Ryan," Mr. Atherton said hastily.

" Kut no reason in life why I should not," the mate
replied. " What do you say, ladies and gentleman?"

There was a chorus of " Go on please, do let us hear
about it," and he continued:

" I don't give Mr. Atherton the credit of savinof our
.ship in the s(|uall, but it would have gone badly with
us if he hadn't taken part in the row we had. You
see, we had a mixed crew on board, for the most part

A Ml TINY.

Cl.infiinon and a few Lnsrnrs; for we wwvo (ImM. ycar.s
in tl).; Cliina Seas, and Knirlisli snilors rannot \v<'ll stand
the hoat out tliero, and iM-si-los don't like leuiainini,'
in ships stoppinir there tradin^^ So when, after we ar"
rivfd at Shanirhai, we ;^n,t cnlers to stop and trade
out there, most of them took th.'ir dischan^'e, and we
tilh'd „p witli natives. Con.ing down fmm .Japan
tljat voyage there wa.s a row. I for^^et what their
pretext was now, but 1 have no doul-t it was an
arrannred thin.nr, and that they intench'd to take tlje
slnp and run her ashore on som.' of the ish'ui<ls, take
what they fancied out of lier, uri<l make otr in boats,
or j.erliaps take her into one of those nests of pirates
that abound among tlie ishinds.

"'>'h('y felt so certain of overpowering us, for there
were only the three ofheers, the boatswain, and two
cabin passengers, that instead of rising by ni-ht, when
they would no doubt have succeede.l,' they bmke into
mutiny at dinner-time-came aft in a body, clamourin.r
that their food was unfit to eat. Then sud.Iei.^y draw'^
ing weapons from beneath their clothes they rushed up
the gangways on to the poop; and as none of us were
armed, and had no idea of what was going to take
place, they would have cut us down almost without
resistance had it not been for our friend here. He was
standing just at the top of the poop ladder when tliey
came up, headed by their sei-aing. Mr. Atherton
knocked the scoundi-el down with a blow of his tist,
and then, catching him by the ankles, whirled Idni
round his head like a club and knocked the fellows
down like ninepins as they swarmed up the gan-way,
armed witli knives and creases.

i^i 'i

n t

BELZONI S WEAPON.

"The captcain, who was down below, had .slamme<l and
fastened tlie door opening on to the waist on seeing the
fellows coming aft, and handetl up to ns through the
skylight some loaded nniskets, and managed, ]>y stand-
ing on the table an<l taking our hands, to get up liim-
self. Then we opened tire upon them, and in a veiy
few minutes drove them down. We shot six of them.
The seraing of course was killed, four of the others
had their skulls fairly broken in by the blows that
they had received, and five were knocked senseless.
We chucked them down the hatchway to the others,
had up four or five of the men to work the ship, and
kept the rest fastened below until we got to Singapore
and handed them over to the authorities. They all uot
long terms of penal servitude. An3'how, Mr. Atherton
saved our lives and the ship, so I thiidc you will agree
with me that he can hold his own in a scriuniiaLre."

"It was very hot work," Mr. Atherton said with a
laugh, "and I did not get cool again for two or three
days afterwards. The idea of using a man as a club
was not my own. Ikdzoni put down a riot among his
Arab labourers, when he was exca'.ating ruins some-
wdiere out in Syria, I think it was, by knocking the
ringleader down and using him as a club. I had been
reading the book not long before, and it Hashed aci'oss
my mind as the seraing went dowa that he might be
utilized. Fists are all very well, but when 3'ou have
got fellows to deal with armed with knives and other
cutting instruments it is better to keep them at a dis-
tance if you can."

" 'J'liat was splendid!" Wilfrii.l exclaimed. "Howl
should like to have seen it!"

A MODKRX SAMSON.

" It was nrno.I for the eyes," tlie mate said; "and bate
Donnybrook entirely. 8ncli a yelling and shouting as
the yellow reptiles made yon never heard."

By this time the meal was finished, and the passen-
gers rei)aii-ed on deck to lind that the ship was just
passing .sheerness.

"Who would havo tliought," Wilfri.l said to ])is
sister as ho looked at AIt. Ath.'iton, who liad taken liis
seat hi a great Indian reclining cliair he liad brought
for liis own use, and was placidly smoking a cigiir,
"that that easy, placid, pleasant- looking man coldd
be capable of such a tiling as that! Shouldn't I like
to have been there!"

"So should I," Abarion agi-eed; "though it must have
been terrible to look at. ' He doesn't Took as if any-
thhig would put him out. I expect Samson was some-
thing bke him, only not so stout. He seems to have
been very good-teiiipered except when people wanted
to ipture him; and was always ready to forgive that
horrid woman who tried to betray him to his^enemies.
Well, everything is very nice— mucli nicer than I ex-
pected—and I feel sure thai we shall enjoy the vovarre
very much." " °

CHAPTEll II r.

THE VOYACiR

TN addition to those already named, the Flf/hig ScvjI
X carried some twenty other cabin passengers. She
took no enngiants forward, as she was fulfof caro-,,.

(005)

Mlii

r ,i
^1

A PLEASANT IlLN.

and was not, moreover, going direct to New Zealand.
There were therefore only three or four young men in
addition to the Grimstones forward. The Hne weather
that had favoured the start accompanied them down
the channel and across the bay. Life went on quietly
on board. It was early in May when they started; and
the evenings were still too chilly to permit of any
sojourn on deck after sunset. Each day, however, the
weather grew warmer, and by the time the vessel was
off the coast of Portugal the evenintjs were warm and
balmy.

" This is not at all what I expected," Marion Een-
shaw said, as she sat in a deck-chair, to Mr. Ather-
ton, who was leaninjj au;ainst the bulwark smokinsf a
cigar. " I thought we were going to have storms, and
that every one was going to be sea-sick. That is what
it is like in all the books I have read; and I am sure
that I have not felt the least bit ill from the time we
started."

" You have had everything in your favour. There
has been just enough breeze to take us along at a fair
rate with all our light canvf!,s set, and yet not enough
to cause more than a ripple on the sea. The ship has
been as steady as if in port; but you must not Hatter
yourself this is going to last all the time. I think
we shall have a chancre before lonor. The cflass has
fallen a little, and the wind has shifted its quarter two
or three times during the day. The skv, too, does not
look so settled as it has done. I think we shall have
a blow before long."

"What! A storm, Mr. Atherton?"

"No, I don't say that; but wind enough to get up

THK FIKST lUtnEZR.

a bit of sea, and to make lanclsinen feci very uncom-
foitable."

" But I suppose we should not be ill now even if it
were rough, after being- a week at sea?"

" I do not think you would be likely to be ill so long
as you might have been had you encountered a gale
directly we got out of the river, but I think tluit if
it comes on rough all those addicted to sea-sicknrss aie
likely to suffer more or less. Some people are ill every
time rough weather comes along, however long the
voyage. I suppose you don't know yet whether you
are h good sailor or not?"

^ Marion shook her head. " We have been at the sea-
side almost every year, but we have never gone out in
boats nmch there. Papa was always too busy to go
and I don't think he likes it Mother gets a bad hel'd-
ache, even if she isn't ill. So I vwy seldom went out.
and never when it was the least rough."

Mr. Atherton's predictions turned out well founded.
The wind got up during the night and was blowing
freshly in the morning, and only two or three of the
lady passengers made their appearance at breakfast;
and several of the gentlemen were also absent. Wil-
frid, to his great satisfaction, felt so far no symptoms
whatever of impending illness. 'J'he two Alfens were
obliged to keep on deck during the meal, being unable
to stand the motion below; but they were weirenou-di
to enjoy the cup of tea and jtlate oi' cold meat WilfHd
carried up to them. An hour or two later they went
below. The wind was rising and the sea hourly get-
ting up. .Alarion ca.ne up after breakfast, and ''for
some time afterwards walked up and down on the

■

A CURE FOR SEASICKNESS.

deck witli Wilfrid enjoying the brisk air, and consirler-
uvj^ it <>'rejit t'un to try to wallv ,straiL;lit up and down
the swayinj^ (h^ck, Presently, however, licr laugh be-
came subdued and her cheeks lost their colour.

"I am afraid I am going to be ill, \Vilfrid; but I
shall stay on deck if 1 can. Jjoth the Mitfords are
ill, I am sure, for neither of them got up, though they
declaivd that they I'elt nothing the matter with them.
I have made up my mind to stay on deck as long as I
possibly can."

" That is the best way," Mr. Atherton said as he
joined them in their walk, and caught the last sentence.
" There is nothing like keeping up as long as ])ossible;
l)ecause if you do so it will sometimes pass otl' after a
short time, whereas if you give up and take to your
berth it is sure to run its course, which is lonLTt-'i' or
shorter according to circumstances — sometimes two
days and sometimes five; but 1 should say that people
who are what you may call fair sailors generally get
over it in two days, unless the weather is very bad.
So tiii'lit aiiainst it as lonix as you can, and when you
cannot bear it any longer 1 Mill wrap you up in rugs,
and you shall have my great chair to curl up in close
by the lee bulwark. But determiniition goes a long
way, and you may get over it yet. You take my arm,
you wont throw me off mv balance; while if the vessel
gives a sliarper roll than usual, you and your brother
may both lose your feet together."

As soon as they started on their walk ^Ir. Atherton
beiran an amusino: story of some adventure of his in
the Western States of America, and Marion was so in-
terested that she forirot all about her uncomfortable

A CALM VOYAGE.

f)3

sonsation, and was astonislied when on lieariiicj tlie
luiich-buU ring .she discovered siie was getting' pfrlectl y
well.

"WImto is Wilfrid?" she asked.

"Tlieie lie is, leaning over tlie lee l.ulwark; tlie
fiend of sea -sickness has him in its grip."

"()nly think of Wilfrid being unwell and me being
all right! You liave quite driven it away, Mr. Athei-tori^
for 1 was feeling very poorly when I began to walk
witli you."

"I will go down and get you some luncheon and
bring it up here to you. (\irl yourself up in my chair
until 1 return, and do not think more about the luotioii
than you can help. You had better n(;t go ti.;ar your
brother— people who ai'e ill hate being piti.Ml."

An hour later Wilfrid went below. In th.- (-vening,
however, the wind dropped coirsiderably, and the ncx^fc
mornhig the sea was s])arkling in th- sunlight, and
the Flf/i,Hj Scud was making her way along with a
sc • jely perceptible motion, 'ilienci-forth the\eatlier
was delightful throughout the voyage to Hio. The
passengers found upon closer ae.,uaiirfance that they
all got on well together, and the .lays passed away
pleasantly. Jn the evenings the j.iano was biought up
from the cabin on to the deck an.l for two or'^three
hours there was singing, varied by an (.cea.ional dance
among the young people.

From the day of their leaving Knghind Mr. Atherton
had been the leading spirit on board tlie shij). Jf a
misunderstanding arose he acted as mediator. Jle was
ever ready to prr)pose pastimes and amu,sements to
lighten the monotony of the voyage, took the leadincr

■ [

GOOD ADVICE.

part in the concerts hold on deck wlicn the evenings
were calm and clear, and was full of resource and in-
vention. With the four or five children on hoard he
was ])rinie favourite, and Mr. Ivenshaw often won-
dered at the patience and good temper with which he
submitted to all their whims, and was ready to give
up whatever he was doing to submit himself to their
orders. He had, before they had been ten days at sea,
talked over with ]\lr. Ilenshaw the lattm-'s plans, and
advised him upon no account to be in a hurry to snap
up the first land oHered to him.

"Half the people who come out to the colonies," he
said, "get heavily bit at tirst by listening to the land-
agents, and allowing themselves to be persuaded into
buying property which, when they come to take pos-
session of it, is in a majority of the cases almost
worthless. I should advise 3'ou when you get there
to hire a house in WellinLrton, where you can leave
vour wife and daucrhter while you examine the various
districts and see which oiler the greatest advantages.
If you do not feel equal to it yourself, let your son go
in your place. He is, I think, a sharp young fellow,
and not likely to be easily taken in. At any rate,
when he has made his report as to the places that
seem most suitable, yon can go and see their relative
advantages before purchasing.

'There is no greater mistake than buying Innd in a
locality of which you know nothing. You may find that
the roads are impracticable and tliat you have no moans
of getting your produce to market, and after a while
you will be glad to sell your place for a mere song
and shift to another which vou miiiht at first have

MR. ATHERTON's plans.

obtained at a price much lower than you oave for your
worthless farm. I have knocked about Tn the States
a good deal, and have known scores of men ruined by
being too hasty in making a choice. You want to be
in a colony six month- at least before investing your
money in land, so as to know something of the capa-
bilities and advantages of each district. To a young
man I should say— travel about in the colony, working
your way, and making a stay of a month here and a
month there. Of course in your case this is out of the
question; but a personal examination of the places
otiered to you, which in nine cases out of ten men are
ready to sell for less than they have cost them, will
ensure you against absolute swindling."

"What are you going to do yourself, Mr. Atherton?"
"I have come out simply to study the botany of the
island. I may stay in the colony for a month or for
a year. At any rate, if you depute Wilfrid to travel
about to examine the various districts where land can
be bought, I shall be glad to accompany him, as I
myself shall also be on the look-out."

"You are not thinking of farming, Mr. Atherton?"
"No. My own idea is to take a bit of land on one of
the rivers, to get up a hut to serve as my head-quarters,
and to spend much of my time in travelling about. I
am very fortunately placed. I have ampTe funds to
enable me to live in comfort, and I am free to indulge
my fancy for wandei-ing as I please. I consider that
I have been spoiled by being my own master too
young. I think it is bad for a young man to start in
li^e with a competence; but when it comes to one in
mi.ldle age, when one has beamed to spend it ration-

I ■!

i. i".

i
i.

:i6

AlH. KKNSII.WV SlAIKS Ills VIHWH.

ally, it is iiiidonbtcidly a veiy <^^reat comfort and
udvunt.ai^o. 1 siii^pose, however, that tlie time will
come wiien 1 sliali settle down. 1 am tliirtv-tive, and
I ouglit to ' range myseltV as the French say."

Mr. Atlierton liad not l)een loni; upon the vovaije
when he discovered tliat the chances of success of the
Rensliaw party as settlers would be small indeed if
they depended upon the exertions of the head of the
family. He had not l)een more than a day or two on
board before ^Ir. iienshaw be_oan to discuss his favourite
hobby with him, and confided to him that lie intended
thoroULihlv to investigate the history, customs, and
religion of the Mac)ris, and to produce an exhaustive
work on the subject "An excellent idea, very," the stout
man said encouragingly, " but one demanding great time
and investigation; atul ])erliaps," lie added doul)tfully,
"one more suited to a single man, who can go and live
among the natives and speak tlieir language, than for
a married man with a family to look after."

Mr. Kenshaw waved the remai'k aside lightlv. "I
shall, of course, set to work immediately 1 arrive to
accjuire a thorough knowledge of the language, and
indeed have already begun with a small dictionary and
a New Testament in the Maori language, brought out
by the Missionary Society. As to my family, my
exertions in the farming way will be of no use what-
ever to them. My wife and daughter will look after
the house, and Wilfritl will undertake the matiagemeut
of the men out of doors. The whole scheme is theirs,
and I should be of no assistance to them whatever.
My bent lies entirely in the direction of archa'ol(\gy,
and there can be little doubt that inv tliorongh acouain-

."Mi;, atmkuton's i'j;i\atk ui'lniux.

tanc Wit), all ivlatin- to tlio habits, an.l. .so far as is
known. (,t tlio hmgua-e of tliu ancient IJriton.s Saxons
Uines, an.l the natives of the northern part of the
island, will be of inestinuible a.lvanta^^e in enablin-r nie
to cany out the subject I liave resolved to take' up.
i here arc analogies ajid similarities between tlie liabits
of all prniiitive peoples, and one accustomed to the study
ot tlie early races of Europe can form a general opinion
ot tl.e habits and mode of living of a tribe n,erely
trom the inspection of an ancient weapon or two a
bracelet, and a potsherd."

Mr. Atherton looked down upon his companion with
halt-closed eyes, and .seemed to be sunnuing liim up
nientally; after a short conversation he turned away
and as he filled Ids pipe mut A'red to him.self: "It i.s
w«' 1 lor the fau.ily that the n.other seems a capable
and sensible woman, and that the lad, unless I .im tui.s-
tak.m, has ti dogged resolution about him as well as
Npint and courage. The girl, too, is a bright .sensible
iass, and they may get on in spite of this idiot of a
tather. However, the man shows that he possesses a
ccrtam amount of .sen.se by the confidence with which
he throws the burden of the whole business of provid-
ing a living for the family on their shoulders

"Of course they would be much better without hi.n
or can loresee he will give them an awful lot of
trouble He will go mo.mingaway an,ong the natives
and will be getting lost and not heard of for a
tren..ndous time Still. I don't know that he will
come to much harm. The Maoris have tine traits of
character, anc though they have been fighting about
what tlcy -all the king question, th.y have seldom

ST. JAlJO.

l)eon guilty oF any acts of hostility to isolated settlers,
and !i siiiLi'le white in.in going among them has always
been received hospitably; besides, they will jn'ohably
think him mad, and savages have always a sort of
respect for madmen. Still, he will bt? a terrible worry
to his family. 1 have taken a fancy to the others, and
if I can do them a good turn out there in any way 1
will,"

As the voyage went on Air. Atheiton's liking for
Mrs. Ren.shaw, her son and daughter, increased greatly,
while his contempt for Mr. Kensliaw became modified
as he came to know him better. He found that he was
really a capable man in his own particular hobby, and
that although weak and indecisive he was very kind
and atlectionate with his wife and children, and re-
posed an almost childlike conti'lence in his wb j's good
sense.

^b1deira had been sighted lying like a great cloud
on the horizon, and indeed the young Kenshaws liad
difficulty when they came up on deck in the morning
in believing that it was really land they saw. No stay
was made here, nor did they catch a glimp.se of the
Canary Island.s, being too far to the west to see even
the lofty peak of Teneritl'e. The first time tlie ship
dropped anchor was at St. Jago, one of the Cape de
Yerde Islands; here they took in a supply of fresh water,
meat, and vegetables. Tlie passengers all landed, but
were much disaj^pointed with the sandy and unin-
teresting island, and it was no consolation for them to
learn from the captain that parts of the island w^ere
much more fertile, althouirh the vegetables and fruit
came for the most part from the other islands. " Now,"

RIO.

he said, "if all goes well you will see no land ti^^'ain
till you gvi to Rio. We shall keep to the east of
St. Paul, and unless we rrut hlown out of our course we
shall not go near Ascension."

As the wind continued favodrabli' the ship kept her
course, and at twelve o'clock one day the cajitain, after
taking his observations, told them that he ex[)ected to
he in Rio on the following evening. 'J'he next niornino
when they came up on deck land wns in sight, and in
the evening they dropped anchor in the harbour of Rio,
one of the tinest ports in the vvoi-ld.

"Yes, it is a splendid harbour," iMr. Atherton n'^reed
as h(3 listened to the exclamations of delight of the
Renshaws. "I do not know that it is the tinest, but
it is certainly equal to any I have ever seen. As a
harbour New York is better, because even more land-
locked. San Francisco is, both in that respect and in
point of scenery, superb. Bombay is a giand harbour,
but exposed to certain winds. Taken altogether, I
think I should give the palm to San Francisco."

A few minutes after the anchor had dropped a
number of shore-boats came alongside filled with
luscious fruit, and rowed for the most part by negroes,
who chatted and shouted and gesticulated, making
such a din that it was impossible to distinguish a
single word amid the uproar. Wilfrid, the Aliens, and
others quickly ran down the ladders, and without
troubling themselves to bargain returned with quantities
of fruit. Several negresses soon followed them on to
the deck, and going up to the ladies produced cards
and letters testifying that they were good washer-
women and their terms reasonable. 'J'he captain had

A LOVELY KVLNIN(i.

tlic cvenini;; liol'on) toM them it would take liiin tliroe
or i'oiir (lays to discliar^o liis cargo for Kio, niid tliut
tht-'y had l»«'ttt'r taUi; ndvaiita_L;"e of tho opportuiiity it'
they wanted any wasliing done. 'I'liey had, tliuret'oro,

uot eve

iiiiLr m I'eadiiiess, an

d in a few minutes

numerous canvas liaj^s lilled with linen were de[)Osited
in the hoats.

In jiddition to the fruit several groat bouquets of
goi-geous tlowers had been purchased, and the cabin
tliat evening presented quite a festive ap[)earance.
Alter it becamii dark and the liglits of Jlio sparkled
out, all agreed that tlie scene was even more beautiful
than by daylight. 'J"he air was deliciously balmy and
soft, the sea as smooth as glass. The moon was nearly
full, and the whole line of the sliore could be distinctly
seeiL Eoats Hitte<l aliout between the vessels and the
stran<l; tishing-boats, with theirsailshanging motionless,
slowly made their way in by the aid of oars. The sounds
cf distant music in the city came across the water.

There was no singing or dancing on board the Fbjinrj
Scwl that evening. All were content to sit quiet and
enjoy the >cene, and such conversation as there was
was carried on in low tones, as if they were under a
spell which they feared to break. The next moi-niiig
all went ashore soon after breakfast; but upon their
assemblin<jf at dinner it was found that the <;eneral
im[)rossion was one of disappointment. It was a tine
city, but not so fine as it looked from the water. Ex-
cept the main thoroughfares the streets were narrow,
and, as the ladies declared, dirty. The young peo})le,
however, were not so critical; they had been delighted
with the stir and movement, the bright costumes, the

SLAVERY.

variety of rnro and colour, and the novelty of every-
tliin<j tliev saw.

'"I'lio nei^rnn-s annise mo most," Marion said. "TI1C3.
S(3(Mn to l.e always lau-hing. J never .saw such nierrv
people." -^

"They are like children," her father sai<l. "The
slirrhtcst thing causes them a»nusenient. ]t is one; of
the sirens «,f a low type of int.-lleet when rx-ople are
given to laugh at tritles."

'"J'hcn the natives ought to be very int(>lli<.-ent "
Marion said, "for as a whole thry appearel to me to
be a s(>rious race. Of course I saw many of them
hiughuig and chattering, but most of them are very
quiet in manner. The old people seem to be wrinkled
n. a wonderful way. I never saw English i.eoi)le so
wrinkled."

"All southern races show age in that way" Mr
Atherton said. "You see marvellous old men a.i.I
women in Spain and Italy. People who, as far as looks
go, might be a hundred and tiftv— little di-ied-up speci-
mens of humanity, with faces mure like those of nion-
ke^'s than men."

"Are the negroes slaves, Mr. Atherton? Thev still
have slavery in Brazil, do they not? Thev certainly
are not at all according to my idea of slaves."

"The estates are mostly worked by negro slaves"
Mr. Atherton .said, "and no donbfc manv of those you
saw to-day are also slaves. Household"" shuvry is sel-
dom severe, an.l I believe the Brazilians are generallv
knid uiasters. But probably the greater portion of tli'e
negro.>s you saw are free. They may huve purchase<l
their freedom with their savings, or may have been

A HOT DAY.

freed by kind masters. It is no very unusual thinj:;
for a Brazilian a.L his death to leave a will giving free-
dom to all liis slaves. Government is doing its best
to bring about the entire extinction of slavery. I be-
lieve that all children born after a certain date have
been declared free, and have no doubt that in time
slavery will be abolished. Great changes like this
take some time to carry out, and even for the sake of
the slaves themselves it is better to proceed quietly
and gi<idually. 1 suppose nobody inclines to go on
shore again to-night?"

There was a general negative. The day had been
very warm, and having been walking about for hours
no one felt anv inclination to make a fresh start.
The following morning the v essel began to unload her
cargo. Some of the older passengers declared that
they had had enough of shore, and should not land —
at any rate until the afternoon. The rest went ashore;
but the greater pait of them returned at lunch-time,
and the liCat in the afternoon was so groat that none
cared to land again.

In the evening the two Aliens and Wilfrid agreed to
go ashore to visit a theatre. Mr. Atherton said that
as he had no inclination to melt away all at once he
would not join them, but would land with them and
stroll about for a time, and see the town in its evening
as})ect. Several other parties were made up among
the male passengers, and one or two of the ladies
accompanied their husbands.

Wilfrid and the Aliens did not stay out the perfor-
mance. The heat was very great, and as they did not
understand a word of the dialogue they soon agreed

(

S 1

15 }

A SUdRT CUT.

that it would be more pleasant to stroll about, or to
sit down in tlie open air before a cafe and sip iced
drinks.

Accordingly after walking about for a while they sat
down before a cafe in the Grand Square, and as they
sipped iced lemonade looked on with much amusemen't
at the tlirong walking up and dow i.

"It is later than I thought." James Allen said, look-
ing at his watch. Mt is neaHy twelve o'clock, and
high time for us to be on board."

They started to make what they thought would
prove a .short cut down to the landing-place; but as
usual the short cut proved delusive, and they soon
found themselves wandering in unknown streets. They
asked several persons they met the way down to the
water, but none of tliem understood English, and it
was a considerable time before they einerg^ed from the
streets on to the line of quay.s.

" We are ever so much too far to the right," James
Allen said as they looked round. " 1 fancy'' that is the
ship's light not fur from the .shore half a inile away on
the left. I hope we shall find some boatmen to take
us off; it would be rather awkward finding ourselves
here for the night in a place where no one understands
the language."

"^I think we should manage all right," WiHVid said.
"We know the way from the place where we landed
uj) into the part where the hotels are, and are sure to
find people there who understand Knglish. StiP I
hope it will not come to that. They would he in a
great fidget on board if we were not to turn up to-
night." ^

•1

"EVE^lY ONE IS IN P.KD."

"1 (Jo not think they would be alarmed," James
Allen replied. " Every one is in bed and asleep lon^^ ago,
and we should be on board in the morninu' before the
steward went to our cabin and found that we were
missing. 1 consider we are quite safe in tiiat respect,
but Atherton niiiiht be doing somcthinix if he found
we did not come back."

"He might do something, perhaps," Wilfrid sai.!
"but I am quite sure he would not alarm my fathei
and mother about it. He is the last sort of fellow to
do that."

CHAPTER IV.

A HOW ON SHORE.

WHILE Wilfrid and the Aliens were talking they
were walking briskly in the direction of their
landing-])lace. They had arrived within a hundred
yards of it, when a part}'' of four men who were lying
among a pile of timber got up and came across towards
them. They were rough-hjoking fellows, and James
Allen said, "I do not like the look of these oiiaps. I
thiidv they mean mischief. Look out!" As he spoke
the men rushed at them. James Allen gave a loud shout
for help and then struck a blow at a man who ru.shed
at him. The fellow staggered ])ack wards, and with
a fierce exclamation in Portuo-uese drew a knife. A
moment later Allen received a sharp stab on the shoul-
der, and was knocked to the around. The other two
after a short struggle had also been overpowered and

h t

MR. A I lir.K MN |o 1 111; KI.mI

A UKSCIK.

i£*^>

»»<:

borne down, but in tlicir case the robbers had not
used their ivnives.

Tliey were feeling in their pockets wlien the step of
a man approaching at full speed was heard. One of
the robbers was about to run oil", when am ther ex-
claimed: " Vou coward! Jt is but one man, which means
more bootv. Out with your knives and o-ive him a
taste of them as he comes up!" A moment later the
man ran up. The leader stepped forwartl to meet him,
knife in hand; but as he struck his wrist was grasped,
and a tremendous blow was delivered in liis face, hurl-
in<T him stunned and bleedinor to the gfround. With

O OCT

a bound the new-comer threw himself upon two of
the other men. Grasping them by their throats he
shook them as if they had been childi-en, and then
dashed their heads too-other with such tremendous
force that when he loosened his grasj) both fell insen-
sible on the ground. The other robber took to his
heels at the top of his speed. All this had passed so
quickly that the struggle was over before Wilfrid and
the Aliens could get to their feet.

"Not hurt, I hope?" their rescuer asked anxiously.

"Why, Mr. Atherton, is it you?" Wilfi-id exclaimed.
"You arrived at a lucky moment indeed. No, I am
not hurt that I know of, beyond a shake."

"Nor 1," Bob Allen said.

" I liave got a staV) in my shoulder," James Allen
answered. "I don't know that it is very deep, but I
think it is bleeding a good deal, for I feel very shaky.
That fellow^ has got my watch," and he pointed to the
man who had been first knocked down.

"Look in liis hand, WiHVid. He won't have had

iH!

111

TO LOeiK AFTER YoU BuYS.

time to put it in his pocket. 11" you have h)st anything
else look in tlic otlier feUows' hands or on the uround
close to them. "

He lifted .lames Allen, who was now scaicely able
to stand, carried him to tiie wood i)ile, and seated liim
on a lojx with his l)ack against another. Then he took
oft' his coat and waistcoat, and tore open his shirt. " Jt
is nothing serious," lie said. "It is a nasty gash and
is bleeding freely, but I daresay we can stop that;
I have bandaged up plenty of worse wounds in my
time." He drew the edge of the wound together, and
tied liis handkerchief and that of Wilfrid tightly
round it. " That will do for the present," he said.
"Now I will carry you down to the boat," and lifting
the young fellow up as though he were a feather he
started with him.

" Shall we do anything with these fellows, Mr. Ather-
ton?" Wilfrid asked.

"No, leave them as they are; what they deserve is
to be thrown into the sea. I daresay their friend will
come back to look after them presently."

In a couple of minutes they arrived at the landing-
place, where two men were sitting in a boat.

" But how did you come to be here, Mr. Atherton?"
Wilfrid asked when they had taken their seats.

" I came to look after you boys, Wilfrid. I got on
board about eleven, and on going down to the cabin
found you had not returned, so I thought T would smoke
another cigar and wait up for you. At twelve o'clock
the last party returned, and as I thought you might
have some difficulty in getting on board after that, I got
into the boat and rowed ashore, and enoaoed the men

SAFE ON BOARD.

to wait as long as I wa.Ucl tlicn. I tl,„„.l,t p,.,,nDs

al.«ut JO , to,- tlu,.,e b.,ng three of you together it w,,
scarcely l,|.e y you l.a.l got into a,,/ bad se."

a., hotel lor the ni,^ht. a,,.! that it was no nse ^ i in!
any on,e, when 1 hea.-.I your voiees eon.inra, ^
qiMJs. Ihe n,-I,t Ls so ,|uiet that I l„.anl your l^n-h
™..,e distance away, and ,veo,ni..,.d it. I tl, n st ' ll

s t i.v't',:""''^'" '''■"" " •*'^''""' - "- --

tjUL.^.'-.ta mat tncv \verp im f*-. ..,; ,.1 • r 1

rnn ..f , ^ ^ inisclucf, and started to

lun at once, and was witliin fifty yards of von u t

make a noi.se as yon go nito your cabins, it is no use
alurnung people. I will carry Jin, down " " "'"

J <-aM «,, k now, I think, JJr. Atheiton."
ioi' nught do, but you won't, ,ny h,d for if vo„

!];"%■::'' r"r\'y ■^'-^ -v-r'wound ^ d , ;;

James Allen was carried down and laid on his bo.th

A.;.!';:: ,'";ii';r-",!,!; -' • -" •» - -i™-..- >■»

1 III

VOU IIAVK HAD A NAIUIOW ESCArE.

has been bleodin'^ vory freely, and he is faint from
loss of blood; but I do not think it is serious at all."

" No, it is a deep tlesh wound," the «loctor said,
exaniininjr him; "but there is nothint; to be in the
slightest degree uneasy about. I will get a bandage
from my cabin, and some lint, and set it all light in
live minutes."

When the arm was bandaged, Mr. Atherton said'
"Now 1 must get you to do a little plastering for me
doctor."

"What! are you wounded, Mr. Atherton?" the others
cxclaiiuetl in surprise.

''Nothing to speak of, lads; but both those fellows
made a slash at me as I closed with them. I harl but
just finished their leader and could do no more than
strike wildly as I turned upon them." As he sjjoke ho
was taking oil' his waistcoat and shirt.

" By Jove, you have had a narrow escape!" the doc-
tor said; "and how you take it so.coolly I cainiot make
out. Kxcept as to tlie bleeding, they are both far
more serious than Allen's."

One of the wounds was in the left side, about three
inches below the arm. The man had evidently struck
at the heart, but the quickness with which Mr. Ather-
ton had closed with him had disconcerted his aim;
the knife had struck rather far back, and ixlancinix
behind the ribs had cut a deep gash under the shoulder-
bhide. The other wound had been given by a down-
right blow at the right side, and had laid open the
tlesh from below the breast down to the hip.

"It is only a case for plaster," I\Ir. Atherton said.
" It is useful to have a casiuix of fat sometimes. It is

sr:uious wounds.

tlie same thing with a whale-you have ^ot to drive
a harpoon in very deep to get at the vital.s. You see
this wound in front has hied very little,"

" Vou have lost a good deal of* blood from the other
cut. tlie surgeon said. "I will draw the edrres of the
wounds together with a needle and thread, and will
then put some bandages on. You will have to keep
quiet for some days. Your wounds are much too
serious to think of putting plaster on at present."

"1 have had a good deal more serious wounds than
these, Mr. Atherton said cheerfullv. "and have had to
ride seventy or eighty miles on the following day
However I will promise you not to go ashore to-mor-
row; and as the captain says he expects to be off the
next morning, I shall be able to submit myself to your
orders without any great piivation."

" Why di<l you not say that you were wounded Mr
Atherton?" Wilfrid said reproachfully as they went to
their own cabin and prepared to turn in.

" To tell you the truth. Wilfrid, I hardly thourrht the
wounds were as deep as tliey are. My blood was up
you see, and when that is the case you are scarcely
conscious of pain. I felt a sharp shooting sensation on
both sides as I grasped those fellows by the throat
and afterwards I knew I was bleeding a bit at the
l>ack, tor I felt the warmth of the blood down in my
shoe; but there was nothing to prevent my carryincr
young Allen, and one person can carry a wounded man
with much more ease to him than two can do, unless
ot course they have got a stretclier."

The next morning there was quite a stir in the sliip
when It was known that two of the passenoers were

A CUSTOM OF Tlir, COUNTIIY.

wounded, and Mr. Jtiid Mrs. Ut'iisliii \v were f^pf^atly
alarmed wlicn tlicy licnrd of the risk Wilfrid Iwid rim,
NeitlxT oi' the wouiidi'd men aiipeaicd at break last, as
the surgeon insisted that b<»thshould lie (juiet for at least
one day. Mr. Ilenshaw liad paid a visit to Mr. Atln-rton
directly he had lieard fi'oin Wilfrid his story of the
fray, and tliaid<ed him most warmly for his inter-
vention on behalf of his son. " Wilfrid said he has very
little doubt that they all three would have been stabbed
if you liatl not come n[)."

"I do not say they nunht not," Mr. Atlierton said
"because their resistance h;id rai^<;il the men's ani^^er,
and in this country when a man is ani^ry he g-enerally
uses his knife. Besides, dead men raise no alarm.
Still they miL;ht liave contented themselves with rob-
bnig them. IJowever, I own that it was lucky I was
on the s])ot."

"But it was not a question of luck at all," ^Ir. Ren-
shaw insisted. "Yon wt^-e there because vou had
.sjxMnally gone ashore to look after these foolish young
fellows, an<l your being there was the result of your
own thoughtfulness for them, and not in any way of
chance."

"There is quite a crowd on the <]uay, Mr. Renshaw,"
the captain said when that gentleman went on deck.
" I suppose they have found stains of blood in the road,
and conclude that a crime has been committed. Oh,
here is our boat putting out from the landing-place.
The steward has l)een on shore to get fresh fi'uit for
breakfast; he will tell us what is going on."

The steward had gone ashore before the news of the
encounter had been spread by the surgeon.

WE MUST KKKP THIS QUIET.

-Ai\y

law,
eck.

Oh,
laco.
for

' tlie

" What is the excitement about on shore?" the rap-
tain asked him as he stepped on deck.

" Well, sir, as far as I could learn from a chap who
spoke a little KnoHsh, there have been bad doings on
.sliore in tlie niolit. Two men were found this niorninr*
lying dead there. There is nothing uncommon about
that; but they say th^ e are no wounds on them,
except that their skulls are stove in, as if they had
both been struck bv a beam of wood at the back of the

ft/

head. But besides that there were two or tliree pools
of blood in the road. It .seems one man walked back
into the town, for tliere are marks of his ft-et as if he
stepped in the blood before starting in that direction.
Then there is a line of blood spots <lown to the landing-
place and down the steps, a.s if somel>ody had got into
a boat. Nobody seems to make head nor tail of the
business."

" Well, we must keep this (piiet if we can," the cap-
tain said, turning to Mr. Renshaw. " If it were known
that any of our people were concerned in this afiair
they Uiight kt>ep us here for three weeks or a month
while it is being investigated, or insist upon Mr. Ather-
ton and your son and the Aliens remaining behind as
witnesses. Mr. Ryan," he called to the first- mate,
"just come here a moment. This niatter is more serious
tlian we thought. It seems that Mr. Atherton, who,
as we have heard, dashed the heads of two of these
fellows together, killed them on the spot."

" Sure and I thouuht as much when younrr Allen
was telling me about it," tlie mate .said. "I have .seen
Mr. Atherton at work before this, and I thought to
myst If that unless ihose fellows' skulls were made of

« .1
I i

I iicrr: ir wim, i-.k ai.i, .cicrii.

iron, and tliick at that, they niu.st have gone in whon
he brouu'lit tlicni toLTctlior."

i< '

The vvoist of it is," tljt* captain wont on, " they have
traced marks of blood down to the hiiidiniLj-stage, and
of course have suspicion that someone concerned in tlie
affair took a l)oat, and eitlier came otf to one of the
ships or went away in one of the tisliing craft. Yci
know wliat these fellows are; if they tind out th.\t
anyone on bofird is mixed up in the matter, they will
keep the ship here for a month."

"That is true enough, sir. It is mighty lucky we
would he if we got away in a month."

"The first thing is to see about the boatnipn," the
captain .said. "Of course if they tell the authorities
they brought a wounded man on board here late last
nijxht there is an end of it; but if thev hold their
tongues, and we all keep our own council, the thing
may not leak out to-day, and we will have our anchor up
and get out this evening if we can. You had better
tell all the crew that not a word is to be said about the
matter, and I will impress the same on the passengers.
When they know that a careless word may lead to a
month's detention, you may be sure there will be no
talking. But before you speak to them I will go down
and see Mr. Atheiton, and hear what he says about the
boatmen." He returned in two or three minutes. "I
liope it will be all right," lie said. "Atherton gave them
a pound a piece, and told them to hold their tongues.
He thinks it is probable they will do so, for they
would know well enough that they would, as likely as
not, be clapped into prison and kept there while the
investigation was going on. So there is a strong hope

A CUllIUlS CASK.

ley

the

)[)e

■4
1

'■'It

tliat it limy not leak out tliroui;!! tliojii. You nmst
.st()[» all leuvo iislioie, Mr. Kyuii. Tell the men whose
turn it i.s to hd, tlu-y shall huve their spree at Dueiios
Ayres. Jl" tliey were to get drunk it would bo uh
liUely as not to slip out."

" 1 will see to it, sir."

Directly hrcaki'ast was over the captain took a hoat
an<l went ashore, lie had duly impressed upon all the
passcnufers the absolute necessity for silence, and several
of these went ashore with him. lie returned halt' an
hour later, liavini; been up to the Ihitish Consulate.

"The afl'air i.s making (juite a stir in the town. Not
on account of two men beini' found dead, there i.s
nothing uncommon in that, especially as they have
been recogni/ed as two notorious rulliaiis; but the
whole circumstances of the affair puz/le them.

"The doctors who have examined the bodies have
arrived pretty well at the truth, and say that both
men have been gripped by the throat, for tiie marks
of the lingers are plainly visible, and their heads
dashed together. But although this is, as we know,
perfectly true, no one believes it; for the doctors them-
selves admit that it does not appejir to them possible
that any man would have had the stiength requisite
to completely batter in the skulls of two others, as
has been done in this case. The ])olice aie searching
the town for the nuin whose footsteps le<l in that
direction, and as they know all the haunts of these
rullians and their associates it is likely enough that
they will lind him, especially as his face is sure to
bear marks of Atherton's handiwork. >^till, if they
do find him, and he tells all he knows of the business,

ij I'

74 PREPARATIONS FOR A VISIT.

they will not be much nearer to tracing the actors in
it to this ship. It is not probable that he recovered
his senses until loni^ after they were on board tlie boat,
and can only say that while engaged in attempting to
rob some passers-by he was suddenly knocked down.
But even this they are not likely to g<-t out of him
first, for he will know that he used a knife, and is
not likely to put himself in the way of punishment
if ho can help it. I came olf at once, because I heard
at the Consulate that the police are going to search
every ship in the harbour to see if they can find
some wounded man, or get some clue to the mystery,
so I must ask the doctor if his two patients are fit to
be dressed and go up on deck."

The doctor on being consulted said that he should
certainly have preferred that they should have re-
mained quiet all day, but he did not know that it
would do them any harm to get on deck for a bit.
And accordingly in half an hour Mr. Atherton and
James Allen came up. The doctor, who had assisted
them to dress, accompanied them.

" Now, Mr. Atherton, you had better seat yourself in
that oreat deck-chair of yours with the leo-.rest. If
you sit there quietly reading when they come on
board they are not likely to suspect you of being a
desperate character, or to appreciate your inches and
width of shoulder. Allen had better sit quiet till they
get alongside, and then slip that sling into his pocket
and walk up and down talking to one of the ladies,
with his thumb in his waistcoat so as to su])port his arm.
He looks pale and shaky; but they are not accustomed
to much colour here, and he will pass well enough."

•'IT IS NOT A THINf; TO JOKE AtJOUT."

As soon as Mr. Atherton had taken liis seat Mrs.
Renshaw and Marion came up to him. " How can we
thank you enough, Mr. Atlierton, for tlie risks you
have run to succour Wilfrid, and for your kind con-
sideration in going on sliore to wait for him?"

"It was nothing, Mrs. Renshaw. 1 own to enjoying
a scrimmage when I can go into one with the feeling
of being in the right. You know that I am a very
lazy man, but it is just your lazy men who do enjoy
exerting themselves occasional! v."

"It was grand!" Marion broke in; "nn<l yon ought
not to talk as if it was nothing, Mr. Atherton. Wil-
frid said that he thought it was all over with him
till he saw a big man Hying down the road."

"A perfect colossus of Rhodes:" Mr. Athejton laughed.
"]t is not a thing to joke about," JMarion went on
earnestly. " It may seem very little to you, Mr. Ather-
ton, but it is everything to us."

"Don't you know that one always jokes when one
is serious, Miss Renshaw? You know that in churcli
any little thing that you would scarcely notice at any
other time makes you inclined to laugh. Some day in
the far distance, when you become a wonan, you will
know the truth of the saying, that smiles and tears
are very close to each other. '

"I am getting to be a woman now," Marion said
with some dignity; for Mr. Atherton alwavs persisted
in treating her as if she were a child, wJiich, as she
was nearly seventeen, was a standing grievance to
her.

"Age does not make a woman, ^riss Renshaw. I
saw you skipping three days ago with little Kate

« ' 'i

lb "HOW AliSURD YOU AHK.

Mitford and your brother and young Allon, and you
enjoyed it as much as any of them."

" We were trying wliich could keep up the longest,"
Marion said; "Wilfrid and I against the other two.
You were looking on, and I believe you would have
liked tc have skipped too."

"I think I should," Mr. Atherton agreed. "You
young people do not skip half as well as we used to
when I was a boy; and I should have given you a
lesson if I had not been afraid of shaking the ship's
timbers to pieces."

"How absurd yon are, Mr. Atherton!" Marion said
pettishly. " Of course you are not thin, but you
always talk of yourself as if you were something
monstrous."

Mr. Atherton laughed. His diversion had had the
desired eflect, and had led them away from the subject
of the fight on shore.

♦ " There is a galley putting off from shore with a lot
of officials on board," the captain said, coming up at
this moment. "They are rowing to the next ship,
and I suppose they will visit us next."

A quarter of an hour later the galley came along-
side, and three officials mo'cnted the gangway. The
captain went forward to meet them. " Is there any-
thing I can do for you, gentlemen?"

" There has been a crime committed on shore," the
leader of the party .said, "and it is suspected that some
of those concerned in the matter are on board (ine of
the ships in the harbour. I have authority to make
Si strict search on board each."

'* You are pert'ectJy welcome to do so, sir," the cap-

A VAIN EXAMINATION,

.nd you

ongest,"
er two.
Id have

" You

used to
1 you a
e ship's

ion said
)ut you
nothing

had the
subject

th a lot

g up at

t ship,

along-

The

re any-

•e," tlie
it some
(5ne of
) make

10 cap-

tain said. " One of our officers will show you over the
ship."

"1 must trouble you to show me your list of pas-
senjxers and crew, and to muster the men on deck.
But first I must ask you, Did any of your boats
return on board late?"

" No," the captain replied. " Our hist boat was
hauled up to the davits at half-past nine. There was
a heavy day's work before the men to-day, and I there-
fore refused leave on shore."

The men were ordered to be mustered, and while
they were collecting the second-mate went round the
ship with tlie officials, and they saw that no one was
below in his berth. The men's names were calletl
over from the list, and the officials satisfied that all
were ])resent and in good health.

" Now for the passengers," he said.

" I cannot ask them to muster," the captain observed,
"but I will walk round with you and point out those
on the list. There are some ei<j:ht or ten on shore.
Thev will doubtless be off to lUnch; and if you leave
an officer on board he will see that they ar(5 by no
means the sort of people to take part in such an atl'uir
as that which has happened on shore."

The officials went round the deck, but saw nothing
whatever to excite their suspicion. Marion lienshaw
was laufrhino- and talkinjj with Mr. Atlierton, Miss
Mitford walking up and down tlie poop in conversa-
tion with .James Allen. After they had finished their
investigations, the officials '^ft one of their party to
inspect the remaiiiin'_j passengers as they came on
buard, and to check them off' the list. 1'hey then again

78 THE DOCTORS ORDERS.

took their seats in the galley and were rowed to tlie
next ship.

By dint of great exertions the cargo was got out by
sunst't, the sails were at once loosened and the anchcjr
weighed, and before the short twilight had faded away
the Fltjing Scud was making her way with a gentle
breeze towards the mouth of the harbour.

" We are well out of that," Mr. Atherton said as he
looked buck at the lights of the city.

" I think you are very well out of it indeed, in more
senses than one," said the surgeon, who was standing
next to him; "but you have had a wonderfully close
shave of it, Mr. Atherton. Another inch and either of
those blows might have been fatal. Besides, had you
been detained for a month or six weeks, it is as likely
as not that, what with the heat and what with the
annoyance, your wound would have taken a bad tuin.
Now, you must let me exercise my authority and order
you to your berth immediately. Yoa ought not to
have been out of it. Of the two evils, getting up and
detention, I chose the least; but I should be glad now
if you would go oti' at once. If you do not, I can assure
you I may have you on my hands all the rest of the
voyage."

" I will obey orders, doctor. The more willingly be-
cause for the last hour or two my back has been
smarting unmercifully. I do not feel the other wound
much."

" That is because you have been sitting still. You
wdll find it hurt you when you come to walk. Please
go down carefidly; a sudden movement might start
your wounds again., '

ON DECK AGAIN.

t]ie

;he

ase
art

It was two or three days before Mr. Atberton aijiain
appeared on deck. His left arm was bandaged tii;litly
to his body so as to prevent any nioveni(>iit of the
slioulder-blade, and he walked stitHy to the deck-chair,
\vl)ich had been piled with cushions in readiness.

"I am glad to be out again, Mrs. llenshaw," Mr.
Atherton said as she arranged the cushions to suit him.
'* Your husband, with Wilfrid and the two Aliens, have
kept me company, one or other of them, all the time,
so I cannot say I hive been dull. But it was much
hotter below^ than t is here. However, I know the
doctor was rii^dit in keeping me below, for the si i Mi tost
movement gave me a great deal of pain. However,
the wounds are going on nicely, and I hope by the
time we get to Buenos Ayres 1 shall be lit for a trip
on shore again."

"I hardly think so, Mr. Atherton; for if the weather
continnes as it is now — it is a nice steady breeze,
and we have been running ever since we left Rio — I
think we shall be there long before you are tit to go
ashore."

"I do not particularly care about it," Mr. Atherton
said. " Buenos Ayres is not like Rio, but is for the
most part quite a modern town, and even in situation
has little to recommend it. Besides, we shall be so far
oft* that there will be no running backwards and for-
wards between the ship and the shore as there was at
Rio. C»f course it depends a good deal on the amount
of the water cominfj down the river, but vessels some-
times have to anchor twelve miles above the town."

" I am sure I have no desire to go ashore," Mrs.
Renshaw said, " and after the narrow escape Wilfrid

AT LUExNOS AYUEH.

had at Rio I should be jjlad if he did not set foot there
auaiii until we arrive at the end of tlie voyajxe."

" He is not likely to get into a .sera[)e again," IMr.
Atherton said. "Of course it vvould have been wiser
not to have stopped so late as they did in a town of
whose ways they knew nothing; but you may be sure
he will be careful another tiuie. Besides, T fancy fi'orn
"'hat I have hfard things are better niunajed there,
and the population are more peaceable and orderly
tlian at Rio. But, indeed, such an adventure as that
which befell them might very well have haj^pened to
any stranger wandering late at night in the slums of
any of our English seaports."

Tliere was a general feeling of disappointment among
the passengers when the Flijin<j Sciul dropped anchor
in the turbid waters of the La lUata. The shoi-e was
some five or six miles away, and was low and unin-
teresting. The towers aiid spires of the churches of
Buenos Ayres were plainly visible, but of the town
itself little could be seen. As soon as the anchor was
dropped the captain's gig was lowered, and he started
for shore to make arrangements for landinij: the caroo.
The next morning a steam tug broui-ht out several
flats, and the work of unloading connnenced. A few
passengers went ashore in the tug, but none of the
Renshaws left the ship. Two days sufficed for getting
out the goods for Buenos Ayres. I'he passengers who
had been staying at hotels on shore came oil' with the
last tu<x to the ship. T];eir stay ashore ha<l been a
pleasant one, and they liked the town, which, in point
of cleanliness and order, they considered to be in
advance of Rio.

OFF AUAIN.

chaptp:r v.

A BOAT EXFEniTinX.

»es of

town

lor was

artecl

caru'o.

rs who

th the

)een a

point

be in

TTTEI.L 1 am not sorry we aro oil' aL!:ain," Marion
T T liunshaw said as the men ran round with the
capstan hars and the anchor came U]) from tlu; shallow
water. " What a contrast between tliis and Rio!"

"It is, indeed," Mr. Atherton, who was standing
beside her, replied. "I own 1 should have liked to
spend six months in a snug little craft going up the
La Plata and Parana, especially the latter. The La
Plata runs through a comparatively Hat and — I will not
say unfertile countr3^ because it is fertile enough, but
— a country deticient in trees, and otiering but small
attraction to a botanist; but the Parana flows north.
Paraguay is a country but little visited by Europeans,
and ought to be well worth investigation; but, as you
say, I am glad enough to be out of this shallow water.
In a short time we shall be looking out our wraps
again. We shall want our warmest things for doubling
Cape Horn, or rather what is called doubling Cape
Horn, because in point of fact we do not double it at
all."

"Do you mean we do not go round it?" Marion
asked in surprise.

" We may, and we may not, ^liss Renshaw. It will
depend upon the weather, I suppose; but most vessels
now go through the Straits which separate Cape Horn
itself from Tierra del Fuejxo.'

"Those are the Straits of Magellan, are they not?"

( 60.T ) l<"

i
I

MU. ATHHKTONS ATTHACTluNS.

f !

"Oh, no"' iMr. Athciton replied. "The Straits of
Magellan lie still t'ui'thor to the north, and separate
Tierra del Fueo;o from the mainland. I wish that we
were going through them, for 1 Itelieve the scenery is
magniticent."

" But if they lie further north that must surely be
our shortest way, so why should we not go through
them?"

" If we were in a steamer we might do so, Miss Ren-
shaw; but the channels are so narrow and intricate,
and the tides and currents run with sueli violence,
that sailing-vessels hardly ever attempt the passnge.
The straits we shall go through lie between Tierra <lel
Fuego and the group of islands of which the Horn
is the most southerly."

"Is the country inhabited?"

"Yes, by races of tlie most debased savages, with
whom, I can assure you, 1 have no desire whatever to
make any personal acquaintance."

" Not even to collect botanical specimens, Mr. Ather-
ton?" the girl asked, smiling.

"Not even for that purpose, Miss Renshaw. I will
do a good deal in pursuance of my favourite hobby,
but I draw the line at the savages of Tierra del Fuego.
Very few white men have ever fallen into their hands
and lived to tell the tale, and certainly I should have
no chance whatever."

" Why would you have less cliance than other
people, Mr. Atherton?"

" My attractions would be irresistible," Mr. Atherton
leplied gravely. "I should furnish meat for a whole
tribe."

A CHANGE COMINd.

inda
lave

Lher

'ton
riole

"ITow liorriMo!" Mai-ion exclaimed. "Wliat! are
thoy cannibals i*"

"Very niucli so imlood; an<l one can liardly Maine
them, for it is the only cliance they liave of getting
flesli. 'J'heir existence is one ]ou<z strn<f<'le with famine
and C(»]d. 'I'hey are not huntei's, and are l>ut poor
tisliermen. 1 lirndy helieve tliat if 1 were Ul their
place I sliould lie a caunilial myself."

M }:fi>w can you say s|^c)i tilings?" Marion asked
iHflignanily. "I never loiow whether you are in
eai'nest, Mr, Atherton. I am sure you would never be
a C'Mn^iihal,"

" TJiefft irt tun saying what one might bo if one wore
driven to it," he replied placidly. "Anyhow, I trust
that 1 hj»;»jl never be driven to it. In my various
journey i/ig8 and adve/itures I am ha})py to say that
I have never bee/) forced to experience a prolonged
fast, and it is one of the things I liave no inclination
to try. This weather is perfection, is it not?" he went
on, clianjitii; tlie subiect. " The Flni iki Saul is making
capital way. I only hope it may last. It is .sad to
think that we sliall soon exchanu^e these balmv bree/es
for a biting wind. We are just saying, Wilfrid," he
went on as the lad strolled up to them, "that you will
soon have to lay aside your white llannels and put on
a greatcoat and mutHer."

"I shall not be sorry," Wilfrid replied. "After
a month of hot weather one wants bracing up a bit,
and 1 always enjoy cold."

"Then vou should have szone out and settled in Ice-
land instead of New Zealand."

"I should not have minded that, Mr. Atherton.

SPLKNDII) WKATHIR.

!»!>

!- ^

There is sploriflid flsliincj, 1 bclievo, and soalinpf, and all
that sort of tliinuf. Ihit I do not ,supj)()se the others
would liave liked it. I am sure fatlier \V(jidd not. He
cannot hear cold, and his study at home used always
to be kept ii{) at ahnost the teuiperature of an oven
all tlie wiiitiT. I sliould tl ink New Zealand vvouM
exactly suit him."

Bid'ore the sun s(;t they had the satisfaction of sail-
in;^ out of tlie muddy water of the La Plata, and of
being once more in the bright blue sea. For the next
week the Fbjinrj iScitd sailed merrily southward with-
out adventure. The air ijrew sensibly cooler each day,
and the light garments of the tro2)ics were already
exchanged for warmer cuverincf.

"Do you always get this sort of weather down
here, captain?" Mrs. Kenshaw asked.

" jS'ot always, Mrs. llenshaw. I'he weather is Lcn-
erally tine, I admit, but occasionally short b'.L very
violent gales sweep down from ofi' the land. They are
known as pamperos; because, I suppose, they come
from the pampas. They are very dangerous from the
extreme suddenness with which they sweep down. If
they are seen condng, and the vessel can be stripped
of her canvas in time, there is little danger to be appre-
hended, for they are as short as they are violent."

" We have been wonderfully fortunate altogether
so far," Mrs. llenshaw said. " We have not had a
single gale since we left England. I trust that our
good luck will continue to the end."

"I hope so too," the captain said. "I grant that
a spell of such weather as we have been favoured with
is apt to become a little monotonous, and I generally

A GALli IS A MOST ANXIOUS TIMK.

at
h

find my passen,L;'t>rs have a toinlciicy al't«'r a tiiiu' to
l)t'Coine .sna|ipi^l» aii<l <|uanels<)mu lioni slitir wiint (^f
aiiythiiii;- to occupy tlicir niiiifls. Still I nvimiM very
much ratliei' put up with that tliiin with tlio chances

a st 'iiii.

" IV opli' mil t he very foolish to uet out of temper
hecause everything is going on well," Mrs. Renshaw
said. "I am sure 1 lind it perfectly delightful sail-
in<' on as we do."

"Then you m'O, madam, you are an in(h'fatigahle
worker, 1 never see your hands idle; hut to ))ro])le
who do not work, a lon<' vovai-e of unhroken weather
must, I can verv well understand, he monotonous. ( )f
course with us wlio liave duties to perforin it is dif-
ferent. 1 have often heard passengers wish for what
tliev call a <jood ii'alo, hut 1 have never heard a sailnr
who has once experienced one express such a wish.
However stauncli the ship, a great gale is a most
anxious time for all concerned in the navigation of"
a vessel. Jt is, too, a time of unremitting hardship.
There is but little sleep to be hail: all hands are con-
stantly on deck, and are continually wet to the skin,
threat seas sweep over a ship, and each man has
literally his life in his hand, for he may at any mo-
ment be torn from his hold and washed overboard, or
have his lindjs broken by some spar or hen-coop or
other object swept along by the sea. It always makes
me angry when 1 hiar a jiassenger express a wish for
a gale, in thoujjhtless iiiiiorance of what he is desiriuir.
If a stoiMu comes we must face it like men; and in
a good ship like the FIijIihi ScvjJ, well trinuned and
not overladen, and with plenty of sea-room, we may

IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-3)

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1.1

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-- ii

III. ,_8

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►

Photographic

Sciaices

Corporation

23 WEST MAIN STREET

WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580

(716) 873-4503

THE CiLASS HAS FALLKN.

1' »<

fool pretty confident as to tho result; but tliat is a
vtvy (iili'erent thing from wishing to liave one."

]jy the time they were a fortnight out from Biionos
Ayres, Mr. Atherton and James Allen were both oti
tlie sick-list; indeed the latter had been but a week in
the doctor's iiands. 'J'he adventure had bound the
little party more closely t(jgether than before. The
Aliens had quite settled that when their friends once
established themselves on a holding, they would, if
possible, take out? up in the neighbourhood; and they
and the voun'^ llensh.iws often re<netted that Mr.
Atherton was only a bird of passage, and had no
intention of fixing himself permanently in the colony.
Tho air liad <>io\vn verv much colder of late, and the
light clothes they had worn in the tiopics had already
been diseanled, and in the evening all were glad to put
on warui wraps when they came on deck.

"I thiidv," the captain said as ^Ir. llonshaw came
up for his customary walk before breakfast, " we are
fjoiiiL!: to have a clian'-e. The "lass has fallen a good
deal, and 1 did not like the look of the sun wluii it
rose this morning."

" It looks to nie very much as usual," Mr. Ronshaw
replied, shading his eyes and looking at the sun,
"except perhaps that it is not quite so bright."

"Not so bright by a good deal," the captain said.
"There is a change in the colour of the sky — it is not
so blue. The wind has fallen too, and I fancy by
twelve o'clock there will l»e a calm. Of course we
cannot be surprised if we do have a change. \Ve have
had a splerdid spell of weather, and we are getting
into btormy latitudes now."

STKiriMNG FOR A FIGHT.

When the passengers wont up after breakfast they
found that the Ftijing Scud was sraveely moving
through the water. The sails hung idly against the
masts, and the yards creaked as the vesst>l rose and
fell slightly on an almost invisible swell.

"This would be a good opportunity," the captain
said cheerfully, "to get down our light spars; the
snusrirer we are the better for rounding the Horn.
Mr. Ryan, send all hands aloft, and send down all spars
over the topmast."

The crew swarmed up the rigging, and in two hours
tlie Flyivg Scud was stripped of the upper yards and
lofty spars.

"She looks very u-dv," Marion Renshaw said. "Do
you not think so, MaryT'

"Hideous," Mary Mitford agreed.

" She is in fighting trim now," Mr. Atherton said.

"Yes, but who are we going to fight?" Marion
asked.

" We are sroinf to have a skirmish with the weather,
I fancy, Miss Renshaw. I don't say we are going
to have a storm," he went on as the girls looked
anxiously up at the sky, " but you can see for your-
selves that there is a change since yesterday. Tiie
wind has drojipcd and the sky is dull and hazy, the
sea looks sullen, the briglit little waves we were
accustomed to are all gone, and as you see by the
motion of the vessel there is an underground swell,
though we can scarcely notice it on the water."

" Which way do you think the wind will come from,
Mr, Atherton?" Jilary ^Mitford asked.

"I fancy it will come from the west, or perhaps

■\

/■I
t ;

CLKAKINO THE DKCKS.

nortli-west. Look at those light streaks of cloud
hit;h up in tlie air; thoy are travelling to the south-
east."

" Look how fust they are going," Mary Mitford said
as she looked up, " and we have not a breath of wind
here."

"We shall have it soon," Mr. Atherton said. "You
see that dark line on the water coming up from the
west. I am glad to see it. It is very much better to
have the wind freshen up gradually to a gale than to
lie becalmed until it strikes you suddenly."

The girlo stood at the poop-rail watching the sailors
engaged in putting lashings on to every movable
object on deck. In ten minutes the dark line came up
to them, and the Flying Scud began to move through
the water. The courses were brailed up and stowed.
The wind rapidly increased in strength, and the captain
presently requested the passengers to go below, or at
any rate to give up their seats.

"There is nothinix like havinjx the deck cleared," he
said. " If it comes on to blow a bit and there is any
movement, the chairs would be charging about from
side to side, and will not on)}' break themselves up, but
perhaps break sonioone's leg."

Four sailors Iblded up the chairs, piled them to-
gether, and passing cords over them lashed them to
two ring-bolts.

" Now, Mr. Ryan, we will get the topsails reefed at
once. There is <m heavy bank there to windward, and
we had best get everything as snug as possible before
that comes up to us."

The dark bank of mist rose rapidly, and the sailors

THK FIKST lUlKAK OK THK GALE.

liad l)ut just reach.ed the deck after closely reefing the
topsails before it was close upon them.

"Now, ladies, nlease go below," the captain said
sha'|)ly. " There is rain as well as wind in the clouds;
it will come down in bucketfuls when it does come."

This had the desired eti'ect of sending most of the
male passengers down as well as the ladies. A few
remained near the companion ready to make a dive
below when the squall struck them. Suddenly the
wind ceased and the topsails flapped ai^ainst the
masts. There was a confused roaring sound astern,
and a broad white line came along at race-horse speed
towards the vessel.

"Get below, lads," Mr. Atherton said as he led the
way, " or you will be drenched in a moment."

They had but just reached the cabin when there
was a deafening roar overhead, and almost at the same
moment the vessel started as if struck by a heavy blow.
"Rain and wind together!" Mr. Atherton shouted
in reply to the chorus of questions from those below.
" Now, all you have got to do is to make yourselves
comfortable, for there will be no going up again for
some time."

For five minutes the tremendous downpour con-
tinued, and then ceased as suddenly as it commenced.
The wind had dropped too; and the silence after the
uproar was startling. It lasted but a few seconds;
then the wind again struck the ship with oven greater
force than before, although, as she had not lost her
way, the blow was less felt by those below. In five
minutes tlie captain came below with his oil-skin coat
and sou'-wester streaming with wet.

A STEADY BLOW.

" I have just looked down to tell you," he said cheer-
fully, "that every thiriLf is ^u'oing on well. The first burst
of these gales is alvva3's «ihe critical point, and we can
congratulate ourselves that we liave got through it
without losing a spar or sail — thanks to our having
had sufficient warning to get all snug, and to the gale
striking us gradually. I am afraid you won't have a
very comfortable time of it for the next day or two;
but there is nothing to be at all uneasy about. The
gale is oft' the land, and we have sea-room enough for
anything. Now we have got rid of half our cargo the
ship is in her very best trim, and though we may get
her decks washed r. bit by and by, she will be none
the worse for that."

So saying he again went up on deck. For the next
three days the gale blew with fury. There were no
reijular meals taken below, for the vessel rolled so tre-
mendously that nothing would have remained on the
plates and dishes; and the passengers were forced to
content the> ^.selves with biscuit, with an occasional
cup of coffee or basin of soup tliat the cook managed
to warm up for them. The ladles for the most part
kept their cabins, as did many of the male passengers,
and the absence of regular meals was the less felt as
the majority were suffering from sea-sickness. Wilfrid
was occasionally ill, but managed to keep up, and from
time to time went on deck for a few minutes, while
Marion spent most of her time on a seat at the top of
the companion, looking out on the sea.

It was a mao-nificent sight. Tremendous waves were
following the ship, each as it approached lifting her
stern high in the air and driving her along at a speed

: !

A GRAND SlfJIIT.

tliafc seemed terrific, then passing on and leaving her
to sink down into tlie valley behind it. The air was
thick with tlying spray torn from the crest of the
waves. At first it seemed as if each sea that came up
behind the vessel would break over her stern and diive
her head -foremost down; but as wave passed after
wave without damage the sense of anxiety passed oti',
and Marion was able to enjoy the grandeur of the sea.
Wilfrid, Mr. Atherton, and the Aliens often came in to
sit with her, and to take shelter for a time from tlie
fury of the wind. But talking was almost impossible;
the roar of the wind in the ri<:<iini;, the noise of the
waves as they struck the ship, and the confused sound
of the battle of the elements being too great to allow
a voice to be heard, except when raised almost to
shouting point.

But Marion had no inclination for talking. Snugly
as Mr. Atherton had wedged her in with pillows and
cushion.s, it was as much as she could do to retain her
seat, as the vessel rolled till the lower yards almost
touched the water, and she was too absorbed in the
wild grandeur of the scene to want companionship.

" The captain says the glass is Ijeginning to rise," Mr.
Atherton said as he met her the fourth morning of the
gale; "and that he thinks the worst is over."

" I shall be glad for the sake of the others," Marion
replied, "for the sea to go down. Father and mother
are both quite worn out; for it is almost impossiliie for
them to sleep, as they might be thiown dut of thtir
berths if they did not hold on. For myself, I am in no
hurry for tiie gale to be over, it is so magniticently
grand. Don't you think so, Mr. Atherton?"

YOU ENJOY IT AS MUCH AS I DO.

11'

"It is grand, lassie, no doubt," Mr, Atberton said;
" but I buve ratber a weakness for dry clotb«>8 and
couifortable meals — to say notbing of being able to
>valk or sit perpendicularly, and not being obliged con-
stantly to bold on for bare life. This morning I feel tbat
under happier circumstances I could enjoy a steak, an
Irish stew, and a couple of eggs, but a biscuit and a
cup of coffee are all I can hope for."

" I believe you enjoy it as much as I do, Mr. Atber-
ton," the girl said indignantly; "else why do you stay
upon deck all the time in spite of the wind and
spray?"

" Well, you see, Mi?'^ Rensbaw, you ladies have an
objection to my smoking my pipe below; and besides,
what with the groans and moans from the cabins, and
the clatter of the swinging trf.ys, and tlie noise of the
waves, and one thing and another, there is little to
tempt me to stay below. But really I shall be very
glad when it is over. The ship has been doing splen-
didly; and as the wind has blown from the same quarter
the whole time, the sea though very high is regular,
and everything is going on well. Still a gale is a gale,
and you can never answer for the vagaries of the wind.
If it were to veer round to another quarter, for in-
stance, you would in a few hours get a broken sea here
that would astonish you, and would try all the qualities
of the Flying Scud. Then again we have been run-
ning south with tremendous speed for the last three
days, and if it were to go on for a few days longer
we might find ourselves down among the ice. There-
fore, I say, the sooner the gale is ovei the better I shall
be pleased."

A CHANGE OF COURSE.

Towards evening there was a sensible abatement
in the force of the wind, and the followinji morninjr
the gale had so far abated that the captain prepared
to haul his course for the west.

" We have been running south at the rate of fully
three hundred miles a day," he said, "and are now
very far down. The moment this warm wind drops
and we get it from the south you will find that you will
need every wrap you have to keep you warm. If the
gale had lasted I had made up my mind to try to get
her head to it, and to lie to. We are a great deal too
close to the region of ice to be pleasant."

The change in the course of the vessel was by no
means appreciated by the passengers, for the motion
was very much rougher and more unpleasant than that
to which they had now become accustomed. However,
by the following morning the wind had died away to
a moderate breeze, and the sea had very sensibly
abated. The topsails were shaken out of tht.r reefs;
and although the motion was still violent most of the
passengers emerged from their cabins and came on
deck to enjoy the sun, which was now streaming
brightly through the broken clouds. The captain was
in high glee; the ship had weathered the gale without
the slightest damage. Not a rope had parted, not a
sail been blown away, and the result fully justified the
confidence he felt in his ship and her gear.

" It is a comfort," he remarked, " to sail under liberal
owners. Now, my people insist on having their ships
as well found as possible, and if I condemn spars, sails,
ropes, or stays, they are replaced without a question.
And it is the cheapest policy in the long run. There

COLD WKATHER.

is noihinpf so costl}' as stinginess on board a ship. Tlie
giving way of a stay may mean tlie loss of tlie mast
and all its gear, and that may mean the loss of a ship.
The blowing awa}' of a sail at a critical moment may
mean certain disaster; and yet there are many owners
who grudge a fathom of new rope or a bolt of canvas,
an<l who will risk the safety of their vessels for the
petty economy of a few pounds."

The next day the wind had dropped entirely. The
topgallant masts were sent up with their yards and
sails, and by dinner-time the Flying Scud looked n)ore
like herself. As soon as the wind lulled all on board
■were conscious of a sudden fall of temperature. Bun-
dles of wraps were undone and greatcoats and cloaks
got out, and although the sun was still shining brightly
the poop of the Fljjlng Scud soon presented a wintry
api)earance. There was no sitting about now. Even
the ladies had abandoned their usual work, and by the
sharp walking up and down on deck it w^as evident
that even the warm wraps were insufficient in them-
selves, and thnt brisk exercise was necessary to keep
up the circulation.

" Well, what do you think of this, Mrs. Renshaw?"
Mr. Atherton asked.

"I like it," she said decidedly; "but it is certainly
a wonderfully sudden change from summer to winter.
My husband does not like it at all. We never agreed
on the subject of temperature. He liked what I call
a close study, while 1 enjoy a sharp walk well wrapped
up on a winter's day."

" I agree with you," Mr. Atherton said. " I can bear
any amount of cold, but heat completely knocks me

"A NARROW SgUKAK."

up. But then, you see, the cold never has p chance of
penetratinor to my hones."

" Whieli courso shall we take now, do you suppose?
South of Cape Horn or through the Straits r'

"It will depend upon the winds we meet with, I
imagine," Mr. Atherton replied. " If the wind continues
from the south, I should say the captain would keep
well south of the Horn; but if it heads us from the
west at all, we may have to go through the Straits,
which, personally, 1 own that I should prefer. It has
gone round nearly a point since I came on deck this
morning. If it goes round a bit more we certainly
shall not be able to lay our course round the Horn, for
I do not think we are far to the south of it now." '

By evening the wind had hauled farther to the west,
and the ship's head pointed more to the north than it
had done in the morning. The passengers enjoyed the
change, for the temperature had risen rapidly, and
many of the warm wraps that had been got up were
laid aside. At twelve o'clock the captain had taken
observations, and found that the ship's position was
nearly due south of the Falkland Isles.

" We had a narrow squeak of it. Mr. Ryan," he said
to the first-mate. " Ail the time we were running before
that gale I had that .^roup of islands on my mind."

" So had I, sir," the mate replied. " I was praying
all the time that the wind would keep a bit to the
west of north, for I knew that when it began our
position was, as near as may be, due north of tliem. I
guessed what you were thinking of when you told the
man at the wheel to edge away to the east as much as
he dared, though that was mighty little."

CAPE HORN IN SIOIIT.

"By tny reckoninfj," the captain said, "wo couM not
have passed more than thirty niiles to the cast of
them. We have nwide ahout eii,dity miles of westin<^
since we jjfot on our course, and we are now just
on the lon«,Mtude of the westermost ])oint of the
islands. Tliey are about a hundred miles to the north
of us."

The wind continued from the same quarter, and on
taking his observation on the following day the captain
announced that if there were no change he reckoned
upon just making the mouth of the Straits between
Tierra del Fuego and the islands. On going on deck
two mornings later land was seen on the port bow.

"There is Cape Horn," the captain said; "that lofty
peak covered \\'iJ*? snow. The island nearest to us is
Herschel Island. The lar^e island not far from the
Horn is Wollaston Island. As you see, there are several
others. It is not the sort of place one would like to
come down upon in a gale, and if I had had my choice
I would rather have gone a hundred miles south of the
Horn. But the wind would not allow us to lie that
course, and after the gale we had the other day we
have a right to reckon upon Hner weather, and in light
winds it might have taken us another two or three
days beating round."

"The wind is very light now," Mr. Renshaw re-
marked.

" Yes, and I am afraid it will be lighter still pre-
sently," the captain said.

The vessel made but slow way, and in the afternoon
the wind dropped altogether. The Fb/ing Scud was now
two or three miles from the coast of Tierra del Fuego,

re-

|pre-

loon
low

lego,

BKCALMKI).

and tho pas'^onLjors oxainiiu'd the inlios]»it»il»lt'-lf)f»l<iii<^
coast tliiuiinh tlit.-lr j^lasse.s. At one or two points li^dit
wreaths of smoke were seen curlin;; up, tell in;; of en-
campments of the natives.

" 1 think, Mr. Ryan," the captain said, " I will take
her in and anchor in one of the havs, 'I'liis l)reath of
air mi^lit he enou;rh to move her throujrli the water if
she were going free, but it is nearly dead ahead of us
now. I do not like the idea of drifting all ni^ht along
tiiip coast. Besides, we may be al>le to get some tish from
the natives, which will be a change for the passengers."

Tho ves.sel's head was turned towards the shore, and
now that the light air was v«ell on the beam it sutHced
to enaV)le the vessel to steal through the water at tho
rate of about a knot an hour. At about four o'clock
the anchor was dropped in a bay at a distance of half
a ndle from land, the sails were furled, and the passen-
gers watched the shores in hopes that some native
craft might make its appearance; but there was no
sign of lifa

" Either the natives have no fish to sell, or rather
exchange," the captain said, " for, of course, money is
of no use to them, or they are afraid of us. ^laybe
they have been mas.sacring some shipwrecked crew,
and believe we are a ship-of-war come down to punish
them. At any rate, they seem determined not to
show."

The next morning the sea was as smooth as glass,
and there was not a breath of air

"Would you let us have a boat, captain?" Mr.
Atherton asked. "It will make a pleasant change, and
perhaps some of the natives might come ofi' and sell ua

( 60,5 )

A BOAT TARTV.

fish, as they wouhl not be afraid of us as they miglit
be of the ship."

" Yes, if you like to make up a party, Mr. Atherton,
yon can have a boat; but you must not land. The
natives are very treacherous, and it would not be safe
to set foot on shore. Mr. Ryan, will you get the cutter
into the water after breakfast? You had better take
with you two or three muskets. I do not think there
is any fear of an attack, and besides you could out-row
the native craft, still it is always as well to be pre-
pared."

Mr. Atherton soon made up his party. Wilfrid and
the two Aliens were delighted at the offer, and Marion
and the Miss Mitfords also petitioned to be allovTed to
go, although Mr. Atherton had not intended to take
ladies with him. Two other young men named Hardy
and Wilson were also invited to join, and this made up
the complement that the cutter could carry in comfort.
The crew consisted of six sailors at the oars, and Mr.
Ryan himself took the helm.

" You had better wrap up well," Mr. Atherton said
to the girls, " for you will find it cold sitting in a boat.
The thermometer must be down near freezing-point."

Mr. Atherton was the last to take his seat, and he
brought with him his rifle.

" Why, what are you going to shoot, Mr. Atherton?"
Marion asked.

" I do not know that I am going to shoot anything,"
he replied; " but it is always well to be prepared. You
see I have made preparations in other ways," he added
as the steward handed him down a large basket, which
he placed in the stern-sheets.

AWAY FROM THE SHIP.

*„ ?',\,-T/*-''^ ""^ S°'"S ''<"• "" 'lO'"' Of t«'o, Mr. Ather-
ton, V\ ilfrm remarked. " We cannot want anythin..
.» eat when we have only just finished breakfast" °
I do not think it at all likely we shall want to open
the hamper, Wilfrid; but you see it is always best to
be prepared. The weather looks perfectly settled, but.
like the natives of these parts, it is treacherous. As I
proposed this expedition 1 feel a sort of responsibility
and have therefore, you see, taken precautions acrainst
every contingency." o 'o

•■I do not think there is any chance of a change,"
Mr. Ryan said "It looks as if the calm might last for
a week, fetill, one can never be wrong in preparin..
for the worst. Besides, this cold weather gives one a
wonderfu appetite, and a drop of the cratur never
comes amiss.

.n^^.t^'^ ",'"* "'1''°^* ''■"' ^^'''y *""'y f™" tiie ship,

and the sailors, who like the passengers regarded the
expedition as a plea.sant change, stretched out to their
oars. The mate steered for the headland to the west,
and after passing ,t kept the bout at a distance of a
few hundred yards from the shore.

"Is there any current here. Mr. Ryan?" Wilfri.l
ttel "^ " "'"='"'' **•« ^°<='^« ""'» ^"^ «t"nted

" Very little," the mate replied. " Sometimes it runs

ouarL :» ^ '°r' "''"'' '* ^'^ ™^"-S '"0- than a

tZX T\" T ''°" P"'' "'« »''■?■ •'"t °o doubt

there is a good deal more farther out "

no sll'r f ^PP°'"""^'»' of "'ose on board there were
no signs of natives.

100

FAR ENOUGH.

" It will be very tiresome if they do not come out,"
Marion said. "I want to see a real cannibal."

" I do not so much caie about the cannibals, Miss
Ronshaw, but I want to see their fish. I have not
tasted a really decent tish since I left Enohind; but in
these cold waters they oui,dit to be as good as they
are at home. I believe the natives catch them by
spearing them by torch-light, and in that case they
ought to be oood-sized fellows." The men after the
first start had dro})ped into a long, steady stroke, and
as the boat glided along past bay and headland no one
paid any attention to time, until the mate, looking at
his watch, said:

"Faith, we have been gone an hour and a half; I
clean forgot all about time. I think we had better
be turning. It will be dinner-time before we reach
the ship as it is." The boat's head was turned. " I
think," the mate went on, " we may as well steer
from headland to headland, instead of keeping round
the bays. It will save a good bit of distance, and
the natives evidently do not mean to show them-
selves."

"They are very provoking," Miss Mitford said. "I
can see smoke auiong the trees over there, and I have
no doubt that they are watching us although we can-
not see them."

"You ougb.t to have waved your handkerchief as we
came along, Miss Mitford," James Allen remarked; "or
to have stood vp and shown yourselves. They would
no doubt havi come off then and oli'ered presents in
token of adiuiration."

The girls lauglied. " I do not suppose they would

A SEA FOG.

101

appreciate our (.liarnis," Miss Mitl'ord said "They
are not iii their line, you see."

"That they certainly are not, Miss Mitf.n-.l" the
nmte ]au,,hed. "I saw son.e of then, the last time
1 can.e through here, and Indeous-lookinj,. creatures
tliey ai-e, and wear no clothes to speak of"

So lauoldng and clmtting with their eyes fixed on
the shore the party never looked seawar.l, until a
sudden exclauiation from the n.ate called their atten-
tion to that direction.

"Be Jabers!" he exclaimed, "here is a sea-fog rolling
down on us fi-oni the south."' "

They looked and saw what soonied like a wall of
whi e smoke rolling along the water towards them
At tins n,on)ent the boat was about half-wav between
two hea<llan<ls, which were a n.ile an.l a half apart
and the shore abreast of it was three - .,uartei!s of
a n.,le distant. The sun was shining brightly upon
the rolbng nnst, and the girls utt-red an exclamation
01 admiration.

"How fast it comes!" xArarion said. "Why, it will
be here directly!"

TlHMuate put the tiller a-starboard. "Rowmeni"
he said in a sharp yoice; for they had for a moment
ceased to pull.

tonef ''' •^''''' ^ compass?" Mr. Atherton asked in lo^y

The mate shook his head. " I au. no better than an
Idiot o haye come without one," i... said. " But who
could have dreamt we should want it^"

A minute later a light wreath of mist crossed the
boat, and almost immediately the great fog-bank rolled

102

AN AWKWARD BUSINESS.

r i

over it. An exclamation broke from several of those
on board. So sudden was the change of temperature
that it seemed as if an icy hand had been laid upon
them.

"It is fortunate that we are not far from shoie,"
Mr. Atherton said to the mate. " There is nothing for
it but to coast along close in."

" That is the only thing to do," Mr. Ryan replied.
"But it will be an an' k ward business; for, as we
noticed when we came along, the shore is in many places
studded with rocks. However, we must risk that, and
by going on slowly and carefully we may get off with
slight damaoje even if we hit one. It is not as if the
water was rough."

The fog was so thick that they could scarcely see
the ends of the oar- blades.

" How are we to find the ship?" Marion asked.

"There will be no difficulty about that, Miss Ren-
shaw. They will be sure to be firing guns as signals
for us. There!" he broke oil' as the boom of a cannon
came across the water. " Besides, with the land on
our right hand and this ic}'- breeze from the south,
we cannot go far out of our way."

" Row easy, men," the mate commanded. " We can-
not be far from shore now, and we must begin to look
out sharp for rocks. Row light and aisy, and do not
make more noise with your oai^s than you can help.
The natives may be listening for us; and we do not
want a shower of spears in the boat. Mr. Allen, will
you go forward into the bows, and keep a sharp look-
out for rocks?"

James Allen went forward, and two or three

6115

A 1)('/.1;N SI'KARs MKIi K 1111: UAIIK Ri'INIi IIKK,

A NARROW ESCAPE.

103

-■-*i

|irt>»^»

^-^i^

i\fk--

-ni'^

-n- ii

minutes later cried, " Easy all ! Hold her up ! " Quickly
as the order was obeyed the boat's stem grated on the
shore before her way was lost.

"Back her oft", lads'" the mate cried. As the boat
glided oft* into deep water again there was a yell from
the shore, and a dozen spears struck the water round
her. Fortunately none of them struck her, for she
was invisible to the natives, who had been guided to
the spot by the sound of the oars.

" Not an encouraging reception," Mr. Atherton re-
marked quietly. " Well, ladies, you have not seen the
cannibals as yet, but you have heard them. I think
the best plan, Mr. Ryan, will be to tear up one of these
rugs and muftle the oars."

" T think we may as well do so," the mate replied
" However, their sharp ears are sure to hear us if we
are close inshore, and we dare not go far out or we
mifjht lose our bearings altogether."

" I do not think we can do that. In the first place,
you see, there is the breeze that brought down the fog
to guide us, and in the second the guns of the ship.
We cannot go far wrong with them; and I should say
that when we once get out as far as we believe the
headland to lie, tlie best thing will be to steer direct
for the ship. The danger in that way would certainly
be far less than it is from rocks and savages if we keep
near the shore."

" I think you are right. We will row straight out
against the wind for a quarter of an hour, that will
take us clear of the headland, and we will then shape
our course direct for the guns."

104

KKEPING TIME.

CHAPTER VI.

PUTTING IN THE REFIT.

? f

rpHE boat rowed steadily in the course that was
JL believed would take them straijjht out to sea,
the mate listening attentively for the sound of the
distant guns. The reports caaie up every two or
three minutes, their sound rnufiled by the fog. " Sure
it's mighty difficult to tell where the sound comes from,
but I think it is well over there on our beam. Do
not you think so?" the mate asked Mr. Athorton.

"I think so; yes, I feel sure that we are rowing
nearly due south. Even without the sound of the guns
I should feel sure that we cannot at present be far out
of that course. I noticed that as we ca*ne along you
hardly had to use any helm, and that the strength on
both sides was very evenly balanced. So that starting
out as we did from the shore, we must be travelling
pretty straight. Of course in the long run we should
be sure to swee]) round one way or the other and lose
our beariniijs altogether wore it not for the ouns. Wil-
frid, we will appoint you time-keeper."

"What am 1 to keep time of, Mr. Atherton?"
" You are to keep time of the guns. I think they
are tiring about every three minutes, but you had
better time the first two or three. If you find them
three minutes ajmrt, it will be your duty a quarter of
a minute before the gun is due to say in a loud voice
' Stop/ then all conversation is to cease till we hear the
leport. Unless we are all silent and listening, it is

A MI.SCALCULAIIUN.

105

very difTicult to judge the exact direction from wliich
the sound comes, and it is important to keup as stiai-dit
a hne as we can. 'J'hore is the jjun now, begin to count."

"I think we can turn our head in tliat direction
now," tlie mate said. " It is Just twenty minutes since
we left the shore, and we r ighi to be fully a mile out
beyond the headland."

" I qnite agree with you. We have certainly a clear
course now to the ship if we do not make any blunder
in keeping it."

'J1ie mate put the tiller a-starboard.

"I wonder how lotig I am to keep it over?" he said.
"It is a queer sensation steering without having an
idea wliich way you ar<3 goiiu^-."

"The next gun will tell us whether we have o-one
too far round or not far enough," Mr. Atherton'' ob-
served.

"Well, we will try that," the mate said after a short
pause. "I should think we ought to have made half
a turn now."

"Stop!" Wilfrid exclaimed a minute later. "Easy
rowing, lads, and listen for the gun."

The mate ordered silence in the boat. Half a minute
later the report of the gun was again heard. There was
a general exclamation of surprise, for instead of comin<T
as they expected, from a point somewhere ahead ?t
seemed to them all that the sound was almost astern
of them.

"Now, who would have thought that?" the mate
said. " I had no idea she had gone round so far. Well,
we. must try again, and go to work more gently this
time. Row on, men!"

106

ON THE RIGHT COUHSK.

Tlio tillor was put slii^litly a-port, ami the boat con-
tiiuiod hur way. Thu talk tliat had gone on among
the pas.senj;crs was now hushed. Mr. Atlierton had
been cliatting gaily with the girls from the time the
fog came on, and except at the moment when they went
asliore and were attacked by the natives, no uneasiness
had been felt, for the sound of tlie guns had seemed
to all an assurance that there could be no dithculty in
rejoining the ship. The discovery that for a moment
they liad been actually going away from the ship had,
for the first time since they rowed away from the
shore, caused a feeling of real uneasiness, and when
Wilfrid again gave notice that the report would soon
be heard, all listened intently, and there was a general
e.xelamation of satisfaction when the sound was heard
nearly ahead.

"We have got it now," the mate said. "Row on>
lads; a long steady stroke and we shall be in before
dinner is cold yet."

The conversation now recommenced.

"Is it any use my stopping here any longer?" Jim
Allen cried from the bow; "because if not I will come
aft to you. It is a good deal warmer sitting together
than it is out here by myself."

"Yes, you may as well come aft," the mate replied.
"As long as we keep the guns ahead we know tlmt we
are clear of rocks. It certainly has come on bitterly
cold." There was a general chorus of rssent.

"I should think it would be a good thing, Ryan, to
get the sail aft and unlash it from the gaff and put it
over our legs, it will make a lot of diti'erence in the
warmth."

A STRONG CURRRNT.

107

.1)

"I think that that is a very pood idoa," tlio mate
assented. "I.ay in your oar for a minute, Johnson,
and jrrt that sail aft."

The sail was passed aft, unlnshed from the yard, and

spread out, adding consideral>ly to the comfort of all

those sitting astern; and now tiiat the ship's guns were

booming ahead, and they liad b'conie accustomed to

the thick curtain of cloud hanging round tliem, the

feeling of uneasiness that the girls had felt was entirely

dissipated, and Mr. Atherton had no longer any ccca-

sion to use his best efforts to keep up their^spirits. All

laughed and chatted over their adventure, which, as

they said, far exceeded in interest anytliing they luid

been promised when they started from the 'ship. The

only drawback, as they all agreed, was the cold, which

was indeed really severe.

"We do not seem t. come up to the guns as we
ought to," Mr. Atherton said to the mate afttr the boat
had been rowing for some tin^e.

"That is just what I was thinking," Mr. Ryan replied.
"I fancy we must have got a strong current out here
against us."

••I expect we have. Ryan, I tell you what. The men
have been rowing for some hours now since they left
the ship, I think it would be a good thing if our
youngsters were to relieve some of them for°a spell-
What do you say, lads?"

Wilfrid, the Aliens, Hardy, and Wilson all exclaimed
that they should be delighted to take a turn as it
would warm their blood. "We shall be able to give
them all a spell," Mr. Atherton said, "for there are just
six of us."

1U8

A C»AN(JE OF H«»WKKS.

i [

"I am cortuinly not ^oini,' to let you j)ull, ajul you
scMicc'ly out of tilt; doctor s hand," the mat*' said bluntly.
" ^^ I'yi y^^u must Imj mad to tldnk of such a thin<;I
llcrti, do you take the tiller and I will row tho stroUf-
oar. Kasy all, lads; put on your jackots. Four of you
come aft, and the other two ^^o into the bows."

"I wish we could row," Marion said rcf^rctl'ully, as
the new crew bent to their oars. "1 have done a lot of
rowiuf,' at home, Mr. Atherton, and they sav 1 row very
fairly."

"1 am afraid you woidd not bo of much assistance
here, younj:]f lady," Mr. Atherton said. "Jt's one thinLj
to work a li<:;ht well-balanced oar such as you use in
a gig up the river, V)ut it is a very ditleront one to
tug away at one of these heavy oars in a sca-n'oing
boat like this with ten sitters in her. We shall want
all our strength to get back, you may be sure. There
must be a strong current against us, and there is little
chance of our being back, as we hoped, by dinner-
time."

After the men had had half an hour's rest Mr. Kyan
told them to take their seats and double bank the oars.

" We shall travel all the faster," he said to Mr.
Atherton, " and now^ that they have got their wind
again it is far better that they should be rowing than
sitting still. The jjfuns are a good deal nearer now.
I do not think that the ship can be more than a mile
or a mile and a half away."

I do not suppose she is," Mr. Atherton replied. " I
think I will tire otl' my ritle two or three times. They
ought to be able to hear it now, and it will relieve
their minds."

H()M> HEIl UP MAKI).

10!)

He .lisclmrLrod l,i, rifle four or five times, and they
fancin.I that thuy licanl sliots in return.

"Hullo;" iMr. Athcrton oxchiiiiKMl Huddctilv. "Easy
all! Hold her up hard all!" Althou-h the or.h-r
was entirely unexpected it was (riven so slmrply that
It was instantly obeyed, an<l the boat was brou-dit to
a stand-still before she had advaneed another len-Mh.
Then the rowers looked round to see what had bl^en
the occasion of the sudden order. In front of them,
scarce ten feet away, towered up a dark mass of rock.'
They could only se.? it ahead of the boat, and how
hi-h It was or how far it extended on either si<le they
knew not.

' ^ ';'^Vliy, what is this?" the mate said in astonishment.
''We did not notice any islands as we came alon-r. It
has been a nairow escape, for at the rate at which we
were goinnr through the water we should have stove
in our bow had we run on it."

"We hrve had a nan-ower escape than we deserve '
Mr. Atherton said. "L cannot think how we can have
been so t'oolish."

"What do you mean?" the mate asked.
"Why we have been steering straight for the <runs
have we not?" *" '

"Of course we have."

"Well, we ought not to have done so. If the ship
had been lying well out from the land it would have
been all right; but she is lying in a deep bay, and of
course a straight course to her from the point we
started from would take us just where we are, that is
ashore, on the other side of the headland."

"Of course it would. We ought to have kept well

1,1; <■

"YOU HAVE GIVEN US A GREAT FKKillT."

to seaward of tho i^uns till they bore right on our beam,
and then headed in to her. Well, fortunately no harm
has been done, but we have had a mighty narrow
escape. If the fog had been as thick as it was when it
first came down upon us we should have gone right
into it before we saw it."

The boat was turned and rowed out to sea for some
distance, then they again headed her in the direction
in which they wished to go, but keeping the guns well
in shore of them until they judged by the sound that
they w^ere nearly opposite to her, then they rowed
straight towards her. The sound of their oars was
heard, and a loud hail informed them of the exact
position of the ship, and two or three minutes later a
dark image loomed up in front of the boat.

"All well, Mr. Ryan?" the captain shouted.

"All well, sir."

"You have given us a great fright," the captain went
on. "We expected you back at least two hours ago,
thinking of course you would have returned when the
fog set in, even if you had not done so before."

"We had turned, sir, before the fog rolled in; but
what with losing our way, and the difficulty of keep-
ing our course in the fog, and the fact that there is,
we think, a strong current that was running against us
further out, we have been a long time coming back. So,
you see, we have double banked all the oars."

By this time they were lying by the gangway. It
was found that the girls in spite of their wraps were so
stiff with the cold that they had to be assisted up the
gangway to the deck. Exercise warmed the blood of
the rest, and they were soon on deck. Mr. Atherton^

11^

FOG AND WIND.

Ill

who alone of the men had not been rowing, had some
little difficulty in getting up, although, as"he said, he
had no n.ore right to feel cold than a walrus, protected
as he was by nature.

There had been much anxiety on board until the
shots fired by Mr. Atherton were heard. The captain
had ordered plenty of hot soup to be got ready, and
the girls soon felt in a comfortable glow. Mr. Atherton
gave a comical account of their adventures, but he did
not conceal the fact that at one time their position had
been really a perilous one, and that if they had not
been pretty vigilant they might have fallen into the
hands of the natives.

^ "Well, all is well that ends well," Mr. Renshaw said,
"but I think we will have no more boat excursions as
long as we are in the neighbourhood of cannibals. Of
course no one could have foreseen the fog coming on
so suddenly, but you have evidently all h'ad a narrow
escape."

Those who had taken part in the adventure, however,
were highly pleased with their share in it, and agreed
that although perhaps at the time it was unpleasant it
was very exciting, and was an incident that they should
never forget all their lives.

The fog continued for three days, at the end of
which time an easterly wind set in and the air cleared,
and tlie Flying Scud weighed her anchor and pro-
ceeded on her voyage. Ten days later a gale set in
from the south. The cold was intense, and the spray
as it flew from her bows cased her fore-rirrcring and
deck with ice. The wind increased hourly°in fury,
and the captain decided to run before it. " We have

112

LOSING A MAST.

plenty of sea-room," he said, " and shall get out of this
bitter cold as we get further north. It will not last
long, I daresay."

Day after day, however, the gale continued, seeming
to increase rather than diminish in force. On the
morning of the sixth day after it had begun the
passengers heard a tremendous crash on deck. Wilfrid
ran up the companion and looked out, and reported that
the mainmast and the fore-top-mast had gone over-
board. Fortunately the gust that had done this damage
proved to be the climax of the gale; by nightfall its
force had sensibly abated, and two days later it fell to a
calm, and all hands set to work to repair damages.

"I have no spar that will be of any use for a main-
mast," the captain said. "We must content ourselves
with getting up a fore-top-mast and then under what
sail we can set upon that and the mizzen make for one
of the islands and try to get a good-sized spar for the
mainmast. I reckon that we are not more than two
hundred and fifty miles from the Austral Group. We
have been blown nearly twenty degrees north."

Three days later land was seen ahead, and this the
captain, after taking an observation, declared to be
Malayta, one of the largest islands of the group.

" I w^ould rather have gone on under this reduced
sail," he said to Mr. Atherton, in whom he had great
confidence, "if we had been sure of fine weather; but
that we cannot reckon upon at this time of year, and
I should not like to be caught in another gale in this
crippled state so near the islands. So of the two evils
I consider it the least to go in and try and get a spar
that will do for our purpose."

A HKAUTIKUL ISLAND.

113

I' What is the evil of goinn- in?" Afr. Atherton asked.

"The natives," the captain replied shortlv. "They
are a treacherous lot in all these islands; but the
Australs bear a particularly bad reputation, and we
shall have to be very careful in our dealin-.s with
them." '^

" \N ell, as we are forewarned they are not likely to
take us by surprise, cnptain: and* as with the crew
and passen-ers we can muster a prettv stron- force
we ought to be able to beat off any open attack."
^ " Yes, I think we could do that," the captain agreed,
"it I did not think so I would not put in, but would
take the chance of our making our way, crippled as
we are, to New Zealand. The thing we shall have to
guard against is a sudden and treacherous orislaucd.f
the crews of many ships have been massacred owiiKr to'
carelessness and over-coiitidence. However we will
not be caught napping, and 1 therelbre hope 'to ^et off
unscathed." °

As they neared the land the passengers were de-
lighted with the aspect of the shore. Groves of trees
canie down to the very edge of the water; in the in-
terior the land was high, but was covered to the
sunnmt of the hills with foliage. As they approached
nnd the captain gave orders to prepare tor anchorin<r
th.y could see a number of natives gathered on tire
narrow strip of sands close to the water. They were
waving boughs of trees in token of friendship, and were
as far as could be seen by the aid of a telescope un-
armed. ' '

"Tl>ey look friendly, motli.T," Marion said after

"■;":-: *'""' """"'^'' '-''« Sl^-*-^- •■ Wo,, t it be nice

( w:, )

[15

114

A IHKACHEROUS RACE.

to land an<l take a walk among those IVathery-looking
trees. There will be no fear of fogs or cold here, the
tenipeiature is quite perfect."

" You will not land, I can assure you, j'oung lady,"
the captain, who was passing by and overheard her,
said. " Those fellows look friendly enough, I agree,
but there are no more treacherous rascals anion<r the
islanders of the Pacific. I shall give them as wide a berth
as I can, and get them if possible to cut a spar and tow
it out to U!S, instead of sending a party on shore to
fetch it. No one will leave this ship with my peimis-
sion, unless it be a boat's party armed to the teeth to
fetch water. These fellows are as treacherous as the
natives of Tierra del Fuego, and vastly more warlike
and danorerous."

"Are they cannibals, captain?" Mrs. Renshaw asked.

" That I cannot tell you for certain, Mrs. Renshaw.
They are thieves and murderers, but whether they eat
human flesh is more than I can tell. It does not con-
cern me greatly whether if they kill me they eat me
afterwards or not; but I do not mean to give them
the chance of killing me or any of us, 1 can assure you."

" After the character you have given me of them I
have no longer the slightest inclination to land, cap-
tain."

As soon as the vessel came to an anchor a number of
canoes put out, laden with yams, cocoa-nuts, and other
vegetables and fruit for exchange. Had they been
allowed they would have come alongside and climbed
up to the deck, luit the captain would not permit them
to come within thirty or forty yards. Although there
was no one on board who could speak their language,

TAKING ALL PRECAUTIOXS.

11.-.

cap-

his emphatic gosturcs were understood l.y the natives,
and vvt're sufHciunt to sliow them tliat ho was not to
be trilled with. Two boats only were allowed to ap-
proach at a time, and a guard of six sailors with muskets
were placed on deck with orders to prevent anyone
coming up, and to cover those who descended the gang-
way. The younger passengers thought that the* cap-
tain was unnecessarily timid; but ready as he was to
oblige them on ordinary occasions, they saw that this
time it would be no use to try to change his determi-
nation that none should go on shore, (joing down the
gangway they bargained with the natives, giving little
articles in exchange for fruit.

Mr. Atherton was evidently of the captain's opinion
as to the necessity for prudence, and had stationed
himself with his riHe near the gangway.

"They look quite peaceful and cheerful," Marion
Renshaw said to him. '• Do you think there is really
any use in all these precautions, Mr. Atherton?"

" 1 do indeed, Miss Jienshaw. I do not think one
can be too careful when dealing with people who are
notoriously so treacherous."

"Are you a good shot with a rille, Mr. Atherton?"
" Yes; although I say it myself, I am an exceptionally
good shot. I have practised a givnt deal with the ritle,
and have, I suppose, a natural aptitude for it; for
when I fire I am morally certain of hitting my mark,
though I am hardly conscious of taking aim."

When the contents of a few boats had been taken
on board the captain made signs that he required no
more, and the natives, with looks of evident discontent
paddled back to the shore. '

116

((

IT IS HORRID.

I '■

I'M;
III' *

III'!!

'* \Vu sliall heave sotne cliiefs off in tlio morninu^," tlie
captaiti said. "To-(lay tlioy have kvpt in tlie back-
gionnd, but soeini,' that we are wary and on onr
guard tliey will pnjbably come oil' to-morrow to view
matters for tlieiuselves. I sliall let tliem perceive that
I am well pre[)}irod, and it may be when they see this
they will be inclined to do a little honest tradinijf, and
to briiiLT oil' a strong' spar with which we can at any-
rate make a sliil't for our mainmast. We wiii keep
watch and watch as if we were at sea. It is as likely
as not some of their canoes may be coming out in the
niL;ht to see if we are to be caught na|>ping."

"It is horrid," Kate Mitford said, as she with her
sister, Marion, and several of the younger passengers
stood togi'ther that evening on the poop looking
towards the sliore. The young moon was sinking in
the west, the stars shone with ureat brill iancv, and
the water was as smooth as glas.s. The outline of the
palms could be made out against the sky, and in several
places the light of tires could be perceived, and the still-
ness of the evenin'-' was broken bv the hum of distant
voices. " It is really a shame that we cainiot go ashore.
I am sure the savages looked civil and friendly, and it
would be delJLrhtful to wander about in such a wood
as that."

Two or three voices were raised in assent.

"Have yon heard the little story of the spider and
the fly, ]\Iiss Kate?" ^Ir. Atherton said, moving across
from the other side of the deck, wdiere he was smoking
a cigar. " In that case, you know, it was the prettiest
little bower that ever you did espy, and perhaps the
fly admired it just as much as you admire that grove

THE Sl'IUER AND THE il.Y.

117

ashore. Tlic result of ;i visit would l.e i.Iontical in
i'oth cases. Those ou hoard other sliips have been
taken iu hy the |Hacel'nI appeaiauee of the natives and
the loveHness of tlie ishinds. and the result was fatal to
them. Personally, 1 should feel nnich more comfortal)le
if I saw those savages putting out in a body in their
canoes to attack tlie ship than I do now while tliey are
keeping up this pretence of friendliness. An open
danger one can meet, but when you know that tiva<-hery
is intended, but have no idea what form it will take
or when the mask of iriendship will be thrown otl', it
is trying to the nerves. Fortunately we know their
character, and may hope to be ready when the danger
conies. Still the waiting is trying."

•And you really feel that,"iMr" Atherton?" Marion
Renshaw asked.

"I do indeed, xMiss Renshaw. We may get away
without trouble; but if so, it will be solely because
the natives see that we are prepared for them and are
not to be taken by surprise. Seeing our crippled state,
my own o])inion is, that the natives will not let ua
go^ off without making at least one attempt to sur-
prise us."

Mr. Atherton spoke strongly, for he thought that it
was possible that some of the youngsters might, unless
thoroughly roused to a sense of danger, do soniethin-
ioohsh and rash. His words had the ellect desirecl
His share in the afl'air at Rio had caused him to be
regarded with respect and admiration by the younc^
men on board, and they felt that if in his opinion the
danger was grave it was not for them to doubt its
reuiity. A vigilant watch was kept all night, and

"•1

118

A VIGILANT WATCH.

loaded muskets were served out to the watch on deck.
The guns luid been loaded before they anchored, and
the spare muskets were i)laced so as to be handy for
the watch bilow should they be suddenly called up.
Alter the moon went down a li«:ht mist rose on the
surface of the sea. Seveial times durinc; the uvA\t
faint sounds were heard near the ship, but imme-
diately the oflicer of the watch challenged, silence
reigned for a considerable time.

"How has the night passed, Ryan?" Mr. Atherton
asked the first officer f.,s soon as he came on deck, just
as daylight was breaking.

" There have been some of them near us all night,"
Mr. Ryan replied. " I do not think they were in forcv^,
but they wanted to see whether we kept a sharp watch;
and I think we have satisfied them as to that, for every-
time the slightest noise was heard we hailed at once.
I should like to have sent a musket-ball in the direc-
tion of the sound, but as we must get a spar, if pos-
sible, and shall be all the better for a score or two
casks of fresh water, it won't do to begin to quarrel
with them. Once we get what we want on board the
beggars may attack us as soon as they like. It would
do them a world of good to get handsomely thrashed,
and to be taught that vessels are not to be plundered
with impunity."

" As you say, it might do them good, but I hope
there will be no trouble. I have no doubt whatever
that we should beat them o^] but we might lose some
lives in doing it; besides, we have ladies on board."

" I hope so too; and, prejjarefl as we are, 1 should
feel quite safe if it was not for that mast being gone.

AN AMATEUR WATCH.

119

They know tliat we are comparative cripples, and no
doubt looked upon us as lawful booty when they saw
us making in; an<l I do not think tliey will let them-
selves be balked of their prey without an etfort"

"That is just my view of the matter, and I mean to
keep a shai-p look-out while we are here. You will all
have your hands full, an<l I will ^ret two or three of
the young fellows to join with me in keeping a sharp
watch over their doings."

" That is a good plan, " the mate agreed. " There will,
as you say, be plenty for us to do, and it worries one
to have to attend to work and to keep one's eyes at
the back of one's head at the same time. Of course we
shall always have a watch set whatever we are <loing,
still I have more faith in your look-out than in that
of half a dozen fo'castle han<ls."

AVhen the two Aliens and Wilfrid came on deck Mr.
Atherton drew them aside. " Look here, lads," he began.
" You heard what I said last night. I meant it, and I
am sure I was not wrong, for there have been canoes
hovering about us all night. Now, in a short time the
officers and crew will be seeing about getting water on
board, and if the natives biing out a spar tliat will do
as a jury mainmast there will be the work of trim-
ming it, getting it into its place, and rigging it. My
own opinion is, that now the natives see we are
suspicious and on the watch they will for some time
make a show of being extremely friendly so as to
throw us off our guard, and as the oflicers ami sailors
will be busy they may possibly relax their precautions
a little. Now I proi.ose that you and I shall constitute
an amateur watch from sunrise to dark. After that

(in

rjo

A (ASK OF DITTY.

tlic! men's work will Ixi doiiG, and tlu're will bo no fear
of their being taken by ,sui'|)rise. The real <Iaiiger is,
1 think, iT\ the daytime. Wilfrid and I will take the
second-mate's watch, and do you two take the lirst-
niate's — that is, it* you aL;ree to my proposal."

The three young fellows at once expressed their wil-
liiiiiness to do as he directed them.

•' During our res[)ective wnteht.'s," Mr. Athi-rton went
on, "we must keep our attention directed solely to the
natives. There nuist be no watcliing whnt is going on
on board, no talking and laughing with the other pas-
sengers; we must consider ourselves as if on duty.
One of us must take liis ])lace on the fo'castle, the other
in the waist. The natives are sure to hang round the
ship in tlieir canoes watching what we are doing, and
ofl'ering things for sale, it will be our duty to keep a
vigilant eye upon them, to watch every movement, to
jjive instant warning if their number is at anv time
larger than usual, and, in fact, to prevent tlie possibility
of their closing suddenly in upon us and taking us by
.surprise. Remember, it is a case of absolute duty; 1
have volunteered to the first officer to undertake it, and
he will, relying upon our vigilance, give his attention to
his work."

"Shall we be armed, Mr. Atherton?" James Allen
asked.

"Yes, James, T thiid<. that it will be as well to have
our guns beside us while on duty. Of course there is
no occasion to have them on our shoulders like sen-
tries, but it will be well to have them always within
reach of the hand in case of sudden danger. The
report of a musket would give the alarm far (jnicker

KM f; IN EACH WATCH.

IJI

and Tiioro edict ually tliaii a sliout would do, especially
if men arc at work on deck and niakin;,' a noLso. Well,
as you a^ive, we will bonii, after l.reakl'ast."

" How al.out meals, sir^" Tom Allen asked. " If tliey
nieaJi to make an attack I sliould think tliey would
be likely to choose m«'al-timo, when the passengers are
all below and the deck will be comparatively deserted."
"We must keep watch then also," iMr. Atherton said
d(>cidedly. "1 will speak to Mr. Kyan and ask liim to
tell the steward that two of us will re(juire somethinfr
put on the table for them after the others have domZ
1 do not think that he himself is likely to leave the
deck wlien the captain is below, and the two of us
who happen to be on duty can have our meals when
he does. Of course whenever those on duty come
<lown for this [.nrpo.se the others will take their places
until they return. Wo will chanue abou^ each day.
This is supposed to be your watch, Allen, from four to
eiL;ht. Wilfrid and I will bc^gin the work at that hour.
You will relieve us at twelve, and we shall take the
watcli from four to eight. To-morrcw we will take
the early watch, and so on."

"I will tell the (brimstones," Wilfrid, who had
always gone for a daily chat with the men forward,
said; '-they will be glad to join us in the watch, and
1 should think the other men forward would do so too.
i know they all lind it veiy hard work to get throu-h
the day."

_ The (Jrimstones at once agreed to keep watch, as
did the other three men who occupied the fore cabin
with them. Mr. Atherton got muskets and ammunition
for them fi-om Mr. Ryan, and the t^o Crimstenes ^^•Pt•e

fi^td

M\.

. . 1, *
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!
I

■ i

122

ARK YOU IN EAKNF,ST?

appointed to his watch, the other men to that of the
Aliens.

At seven bells most of the passeni;ers came on deck
to enjoy the fresh morning air for an hour before
breakfast.

" You are not going to enjoy the pleasure of Wil-
frid's or my comj)any at breakfast, Mrs. Ilensliavv,"
Mr. Atherton said, smilinn', to that lady as she stood
with the three girls round her on the poop.

" Why not, Mr. Atherton?" she asked in surprise.

" He and the Aliens and myself are going to do
amateur sentry work as long as we lie hei-e, Mrs.
Renshaw. The crew will be all busy refitting the
ship, and so I have volunteeied to undertake, with
their assistance, the duty of keeping a sluiri) eye on
those tricky gentlemen a.shore."

"Are you in earnest, Mr. Atherton?"

"Quite in earnest that we are going to do so, Mrs.
Renshaw. There may be no absolute occasion for it,
but there is nothing like keeping on the safe side; and
as we cannot go ashore, and one cannot talk continu-
ously for fifteen or sixteen hours, we may just as well
pass a })ortion of our timo in playing at sentinels."

"But when will 3'ou get breakfast?" Marion asked.
"Shall I bring it up to you, Mr. Atherton?"

" No, thank you. Miss Renshaw. We have arranged
to have it with Mr. byan afterwards. I am much
obliged to you for 3"our oH'er just the .same. It is a
very kind one, especially since you will, for once, par-
ticularly enjoy your breakfast, as you wdll have room
for your elbows."

" You are laughing at me again, Mr. Atherton. One

MARION PROTESTS.

l'J3

would rcilly think that you take nie to be about ten
years old."

"1 tliink a little teasing does rou ,i:food, Miss Renshaw.
It is one of the privileges of us old rellows to try to do
good to our young friends; and girls of your nge lord
it so over their brothers and their brothers' friends, that
it is good for them to be teased a little by their elders."

"Would not you think, mother," Marion a[)pealed,
"that Mr. Atherton by his talk was somewhere about
eighty and that I was quite a child T'

"I agree with him that it is ratlier a irood thin'T for
girls of your age, Marion, to be snubbtM] a little (Kca-
sionally; esi)ecially on a voyage like this, when there
are several young fellows on board wdio have nothing
better to do than to wait upon you and humour your
whims."

There was a general laugh. Before a fresh subject
was started the breakfast bell rang and the passengers
went below. Mr. Atherton fetched his riHe fron^his
cabin, and Wilfrid Mas going to unpack his double-
barrelled gun when his friend said: "I should not bother
about that now, Wilfrid; take one of the ship's muskets.
It will make just as much noise if you have to fire it,
and you will not be alarming the passengers by bringing
your gun backwards and forwards from your cabin. I
am going to hang up my rille when I come off guard
in Ryan's cabin on deck, where it will be handy. You
take the fo'castle, your two men can be in the waist,
one on each side, and I will take the poop. Just at
pre.sent our duty will be a nominal one, as the canoes
have not put out, but I expect they will be here before
long."

124

A STATE VISIT.

Before breakfast w/is over, indeeil, a lari^e canoe was
brought down from tlie woods and placed in the water,
and a number of natives appea»'ed on the shore. The
first ollicer at once summoned the captain on deck.

"Tell all the men to have their arms handy, Mr.
Ryan," the captain said as he looked at the gathering
on shore. "I do not suppose they mean to attack us in
this open way, still we may as well be upon our guard.
Order the men not to show their arms, but to go about
their M'ork as usual. We do not wish to appear afraid
of them, or to take up a position of hostility. 1 hope
the chiefs are coming oHi* for a friiMidly palaver."

In a few minutes the canoes put oti* from the shore.
First came the great canoe, which was paddh'd by
thirty men. In the bow and stern were hideous
images. Four natives, evidently of superior rank,
were seated near the stern, and in the bow stood a
man beating his hands in time to the stroke of the
paddles and singing a song, which was responded to by
a deep exclamation from the rowers at eveiy stroke.
Another man stood by the side of the singer waving a
green bough. Behind this great canoe followed a score
of smaller ones.

" We will receive them in state, Mr. Ryan. Evidently
they intend to keep up an appearance of friendliness
at present. We will meet them in the sauie spirit.
Fasten the signal Hags on to the halvavds and run them
up to the masthead, let half a dozen men with cutlasses
take their place at the gangway as a sort of guard of
honour, let the rest go on with their work but keep
their arms handy for action."

When tlie great canoe apjiroachcd the vessel the

FR n:\DLY OVERTURES.

125

lie

men stopped paddling, and one of the chiefs standing
up made an address to the captain, who was standin°
at the top of the gangway. Not a word tliat lie said
was understood, but the address seemed to be of a
friendly nature, and the chief held up some cocoa-inits
and yams as if to show his desire to ti-ade. When he
had finished the captain took oW his hat and also spoke,
and by gestures invited the chiefs to come on board.'
By this time all the passengers had come on deck, and
were watching the proceedings with great interest.

"Do you think it safe to let them on board?" the
first oflicer asked ^Ir. Atherton, who was intently
watching the natives in the smaller canoes.

"(,,)ulte safe," he replied. "So long as only a few of
their followers come with them there is no fear of their
attempting anytldng. While the chiefs are in our
luuhis they act, as it were, as hostages for the good
C(;uduct of their people. 80 far their intention.'Taie
clearly peaceful. Whether that will last wid depend
upon whether they think there is a chance of success
or not. At present all we have to do is to take advan-
tage of it, and to get what we want on board."

By this time the canoe was approaeliing the side of
the ship. The four chiefs ascended the ladder follow. ■(!
by four or live of lower rank who had been seat.Ml
near them. As they reached tlie deck the principal
chief tui-ned round and shouted an order in a loud
voice. ]ts etl'ect was inunediate. The canoe in which
they had arrived at once paddled away to a short
distance, while the smaller ci{d>, m l,ich had before been
drifting slowly towards the vessel, also retired and lay
huddled behind the large cauuc.

■ r

1 '

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126

!f ^

THE CHIEFS.

CHAPTER VII.

A SAVAGE SURPRISE.

THE captain led the way on to the poop, the chiefs
and the natives with them folio win ir, while the

■an rangec

first officer with the six sailors with sa
their rear. Once on the quarter-deck Mr.
three of the men by the bulwark on either side, tellini:;
them to sheath their cutlasses, but to be prepared for
instant action in case of treachery. The chiefs pre-
served a stolid demeanour, scarce glancing at the
passengers, who were gathered on the poop. At the
captain's orders the steward brought up a number of
cushions and pljc^hiliem on the deck in a circle. The
captain seated himself on one and motioned to the
chiefs to follow his example, which they did without
hesitation. Mr. Ryan now brought up a number of
things as presents for the chiefs, and each was pie-
sented with a hand mirror, a roll of scarlet cloth, and
some trinkets, as a small supply of these had been
brought on board for trade with the natives in case of
the necessity arising.

The hea I chief was in addition presented with an
axe, and rolls of coloured cotton strin^js of ohiss
beads and some brass rinos were jjiven to the inferior
chiefs. The natives appeared pleased with their pre-
sents. The captain then addressed them, and endea-
voured to explain that he wanted a supply of water. An
empty barrel was brouglit up and some water poured
into this, and the captain then pointed to the shore,

FRIENDLY NEGOTIATIONS. 1J7

and by gestures intimated that lie wisl.cd the barrels p
to be taken ashore and filled. The chiefs evidently
understood the explanation, and nodded their assent.
The captain then led them to the stump of the main-
mast, pointed to the shore, and taking an axe iniitated
the action of chopping, and showed that he wanted
them to fell a tree and bring it off* to the vessel. The
chief pointed to tlie boats hanging on the davits,
placed the axe in the hands of one of the men, and
clearly signitied that the crew could go ashore and cut
down a tree if they chose. The captain shook his head
and placed the axe in the hands of one of the chiefs.
Their leader, however, went up to the foremast, and
by spreading out his arms signified that it was a great
size, and then held out the small axe the captain had
presented to him with an action of disdain.

"The beggar means that with one axe they would
never cut down a tree of that size," the first oHicer
said.

"That is all liumbug, Ryan; they can bring down the
biggest trees for the construction of their canoes. I
believe they bring them down by fire. However, it is
a.^ well to humour them. Tell the carpenter to bring
half a dozen axes."

This was done, and the axes laid down on the deck.
There was now a consultation between the natives.
After a while they nodded, and then inad(i signs that
someone must go ashore with them to choose the tree.

"What do you say, Ryan?" the captain asked. "It
is of importance tliat we should get a stick that will
suit us. The question is whether it will be safe to
ti-ust a man on shore with these scoundrels?"

1 i{

pit;
kill

1:1 l-i

128

MR. RYAN VOLUNTEKKS.

"I will go ashore if you like, captain," Mr. Ryan
replied.

"J do not like it, Ryan," the captain .s;aid. "You see,
thev would make mincemeat of an armed crew in no
time.

"I should not propose to take a crew, sir; they could
afl'ord no protection against a number ol' natives. I do
lot think the beggars would assault a single man. You
see, there would be nothing to gain by it; and if they
did it would put the ship on its guard, and their game
at present is evidently to be friendl}'. I do not think
there is any danger in the aflair. If I did not go they
niight send oii' some stick that would be of no use at
all to us, and as we came in on purpose to get a mast it
is worth while riskino- somethinir,"

"Well, Ryan," the captain said after a moment's
deliberation, "I think perhaps you are right, and that
one man would be safe with them. It is certainly of
great importance for us to get the sort of stick we
want, so as you are ready to volunteer I do not think
myself justilied in refusing your offer." The eaptain
then put his hand on the chief othcer's shoulder and
intimated to the natives that he would accompany
them on shore. The party then returned to the poop,
and tlie steward brought up some tumblers and two
or three bottles of rum. The cliiefs' eyes glistened as
the li(iuor was poured out, and each swalloweil a half
tumbler of the spirit with an air of the deej^est satis-
faction.

"That is the present they like best," the captain said;
"and I suppose I had better give them some for con-
sumption on shore. At any rate it will keep them in

THADINU.

121)

a good temper until Ryan is back again." Accordingly
two bottles of rum were presented to the leading chief,
a bottle to the three next in rank, and two or three
bottles amon<^ the others. The <;reat canoe was hailed,
the natives again took tlieir places in it, accompanied
by the first otticer, and the boat then started for the
shore. Some of the smaller craft now came alonirside,
and the ])rocess of barter was again commenced. Yams,
bread-fruit, and other products of the island were
obtained for the use of the ship in exchange for beads,
empty bottles, and small mirrors, while the passengers
succeeded in obtaining many curiously carved weapons,
calabasht'S, woven cloths, and other mementoes of their
visit. Ordy two or three of the canoes were allowed
alongside at a time, and a vigilant look-out was main-
tained to see that the others did not approach the ship.
The captain walked restlessly up and down the poop,
constantly turning his glass upon the shore.

An hour after the great canoe had reached it he
exclaimed in a tone of intense satisfaction, "There
is Ryan coming down to the beach. Thank heaven
he is safe!" The first- mate was seen to take his
])lace in a small canoe, which at once rowed off to the
sldp. The captain shook him heartily by the hand as
he stepped on deck. "Thank heaven yon lia\e got back
safely, Ryan! it has been a hazardous business, and I
shall take care to let the owners know how you have
risked your life by going ashore in their service. Weil,
how have you succeeded?"

"I found a grand pine growing within thirty or forty
yards of the water, about a quarter of a mile l^yond
that point to the left. As I expected, the natives ha<?

(006) 1

IH'

if:"!

i:io

GOOD NEWS.

no idea of usiiii^^ the axes for suoli a piirposo. When 1
left tliem a ]'arty were pilini:!^ wood round tlie foot of
the tree, and 1 liave no doubt thev will soon oet it
down in tlieir own way. I suppose tliey will waste
ten or twelve feet at the base, but that is of no conse-
quence, for the tree is lon^j enough and to spare to
make us a fair-sized iriainiiiast."

'"J'hat is right; and as it is so close to the water we
can send a boat to see how they are getting on. How
about water?"

"They showed me a spring about fifty yards from
the beach, nearly facing us. 'J'here is plenty of water
there, and it is perfectl}' fresh and sweet, for I tasted
it. If they make any bother about bringing it ort* a
couple of boats with well-armed parties could fetch it
without difficulty as the distance is so short."

"That is capital, Ryan. I hope our difficulties are
pretty well over, and that we shall get oti' without any
trouble with these fellows."

" I hope so, sir. They certainly seemed friendly
enough with me on shore."

In the evening Mr. Ryan, with a crew of six men,
went in the captain's gig to see how the natives
were crettiniT on with the tree. The men had their
muskets and cutlasses laid under the thwarts in readi-
ness for action. The natives, however, appeared per-
fectly friendly. The crews of several of the canoes
near which they passed shouted some sort of greeting,
but paid no other attention to them. On rounding the
point the first officer steered straight lor the tree he
had chosen. A light smoke was ascending from its
foot, and half a dozen natives were gathered there.

•I I

OriTINT. DOWN A TUKE.

i:5i

Whon close to tlio spot lio oi'(l«^rod the men to turn the
boat round and back her asliore.

"J am (fornix to land, lads," he said, "and see how
tliey are oettiiij,^ on. I do not thiidv that there is the
least dant^er, but you had best keep in readiness to
row ort' tlie instant I jump on board."

Mr. Ryan then proceeded to the tree. He found
tliat a circle of small tii-es had been built ai^ainst it.
These were fed with diy wc'od, and were slowly but
steadily eating their way into the tree, and he saw
that only two or three feet of the base would be
injured by their action. He nodfled approvingly to
tlie natives, but muttered to himself : "It's a mighty
slow way of bringing down a tree. It is not mucli
above thi-ee feet and a half in diameter, even at the
base, and a couple of men with a.xes would bring it
down in an hour, while there is no savin r.- how lon^r
they will be with these tires of theirs. However, I
should say that they will get through it to-night or
some time to-morrow. It is a tine stick, and runs up
as straiglit as an arrow, and is thick enough fur tifty
feet for our pur])ose "

He walked (piietly back to the boat, took his seat,
and was rowed back to the ship, where he reported
that the natives were carrying out their prondse, and
that by the next day the tree would be down. On
visiting the spot again on the following n)ornin"- it
was found that the tree had fallen.

"The fellows know their business," Mr. Ryan said
to the man who rowed the stroke-oar. "You see that
they managed so that it should fall towards the water.
Now, lads, you can take to the axes we have brou<dit

132

IlKADY FOR LAUNCHING.

with US and chop it through at the point where we
want it cut; it will save tlio trouble of getting off
the upper branches, and render it much more handy
for c'ettini; afloat. "

Leavino; two of the men in the boat, Mr. Rvan and
the other four leapt ashore, and were not long in
cutting through the tree. Another half-hour sntficed
to lop otf all the branches below this point, and tlie
trunk was then ready for launching. The natives
stood round watching the work witli exclamations of
surprise at the speed with which the keen axes did
their work. Mr. Evan had brought with him from
the ship a number of presents, and these he distributed
among the party who had been engaged in felling the
tree.

"I do not know," he said to the captain when he
returned, " whether they mean to get the stick in the
water and bring it here, or whether they expect we
shall do that part of the business ourselves."

"I think we will wait until to-moirow niorning, Mr.
Ryan. If wc hear nothing of them by then you had
better take two boats — one with men to do the work, the
other to lie just oti" and protect them while they do it."

There was, however, no occasion for this, for early
the next morning seven or eight canoes were seen com-
ing round the point with much beating of tom-toms
and sounding of conch horns.

"Here comes the spar!" the captain exclaimed; "the
worst of our difhculties is over, tiiank goodness!"

" I would keep an eye open, Ryan, if I were you,"
Mr. Atherton said as the mate passed him to give orders
for preparing to get the spar on deck. " There are a

rUKl'AIJED FOR TRKACIIF.UY.

133

rfood many other canoes comini:^ ofrfioin tlic shore, and
they nii^dit take the opportunity for making a sudden
attack."

" Uiu'ht you are," the mate said. " Let the starboard
V atoll," he shouted, "keep tlieir arms handy! Four
men witli muskets take tlieir phice at the top of the
rrauLfway, but do not show the arms unless you get
orders to do sol"

Tlie trunk was towed alonc^side tlie ship. Mr.
Atherton and the party who liad ])]acod themselves
under his orders kept a vigilant watch on the
canoes to see if the occu[)ants were armed. There
was a deal of talking and Desticulatin<x ooino- on
among them, but no arms could be seen, and Mr.
Athciton soon conchided that if treachery was in-
tended the present was not the time at which 't would
be shown. 1'he crew weie all on deck, and the
natives must have known their arms were close at
hand, for each day a few of those who came to trade
had been permitted to come on deck, partly to show
confidence on tho part of those on board, partly that
the visitors might see the arms lying in readiness for
use, and be able to report on shore that the ship was
not to be taken by suri)rise.

No sooner was the spar alongside than a couple of
sailoi's lowered themselves down and [lassed ropes
round it. These ropes were then passed through blocks
and taken to the capstan. The bars were fitted and
seized by a dozen men. The boatswain's whistlesounded,
and starting their anchor song the men tramped round
and n.und, the ropes tightened, and the heavy .spar was
parbuckled up on to the deck. No sooner was it got

it(" f

131

THE Sl'AR or' liOAKL

on Loanl than the four cliicfs wlio Iwnl before visitea
the ship cume ah)n_u;sido. 'I'liere was anothei* talk, and
tluiy were ])n;.sented with a considerahle number of
presents for theniselves and followers as a reward for
their service in sendini^ oti' the spar. Mr. Atherton
and Wilfrid did not ap[)roach the i^^ronp of passengers
round the chiefs, keeping their attention vigilantly
upon the boats, from which the danger, if it existed,
woidd come.

The All(Mis, however, in accordance with Mr. Ather-
ton's instructions, watched tlie natives closely, and
noticed as they ciime on deck they cast quick and
scrutinizing glances round them as if to see what were
the chances of a surprise. Mr. U}an, however, had,
when he saw the great canoe approaching, placed ten
men with muskets on guard, and the chiefs doubtless
perceived tluit a surprise could not be eifected. After
a stay of about a (juaiter of an hour the chiefs de-
parted with their presents, of which, by the care they
took of it, it was evident that tliey considered a case
of rum to be by far the most precious. No sooner was
the trunk of the pine fairly on board than a gang of
men provided with adzes began, under the direction of
the carpenter, to prepare it. The bark was cliipped off,
the stumps of the branches shaved close, and they then
began to chip it down to the recjuired thickness from
end to end.

" It will make a fine spar," the captain said in a
tone of great satisfaction, after he had examined it.
" I think it will do for her permanent mast. If it will
it will save us a lot of trouble when we get into Wei-
lington,"

"NEVER GIVE THEM A CIIAN( E.

135

' i^

"I think it will be a little light, sir," Mr. Uynn said,
" by the time we have <^ot it j)ert'ectly smooth and even.
Still, 1 have seen lighter spars in a ship of this si/e,
and I certainly think wc are most fortunate in getting
such a stick. When do you think you will get it ready,
Watson ?

" I should say we shall have it nearly ready forgetting
into its place by to-nioirow night, Mr. Ryan," the car-
penter replied, " though we may not quite finish it until
next day; for, you see, when it comes to getting it
smoothed, I and my mate must do it by ourselves."

"I should not be particular about smoothing it," the
captain said, " but of course you must make it so that
it will take the spare irons we have got for the top-
mast. We shall have plenty of time to put the linish-
ing touches to it when we get to Wellington. I begin
to think these natives are not so black as they are
painted, Mr. K^an."

"Perhaps not, sir; but maybe if they had not seen
that we were so ready for them there would be a dif-
ferent tale to tell."

" That is so," the captain agreed. " There is no
doubt that the best way of dealing with natives is
never to give them a chance."

The carpenter's gang continued steadily at their
work, while the first ofiicer got up the sheer-legs and
hoisted the stump of the mainmast from its place.
The butt of the new mainmast was cut to match this,
and on the second day after it arrived alongside it
was hoisted into its position. The whole of the stays
and rigging of tlie mainmast had been cut away as soon
as it went overboard; but there was plenty of spare rope

136

TlIK CAITAIN CIIANUKH HIS OlMMoN.

mi-

on lioard, and bcforo ovciiiii;,' tlu^ now rna.st was firmly
stayed in its j»laco, and all was in readiness for hoist-
uv^ tlic spar that was to serve as topmast.

'Die natives had watched tlie proceedinjj^s with <^r(>at
interest. (^)uite a crowd of cajioes feathered round the
ship, and were fjreatly surprised at seeing the heavy
spur rais(Ml by the sheers and dropped into its place;
and tliey replied to the hearty cheers that rose from
the crew and i)assen<,'ers when this was accomplished
l»y wild yells and cries and the sounding of their
horns.

" I ho<j;m to think," the captain said to Mr. Atherton,
" that the natives have got a worse name than the'
deserve. I do not mean, of course, that they have n
])erpetrated several atrocious massacres, but I expect
these must have been the result of extreme carelessness
on the part of those on ships, or perhaps of rough
treatment, for some captains treat the natives of islands
like these like dogs. As far as thov could have told
there was an excellent chance of attacking the ship
to-day, thou-h we know that we kept up a vigilant
watch all the time, and yet nothing could have been
more friendly than they were."

" There is no doubt something in what you say,
captain," Mr. Atherton agreed. " Many of the captains
of the ships wlio trade among these islands are cer-
tainly rough fellows, who would think nothing of
knocking a native down, and others again are so cul-
pably careless as to offer almost an inducement to the
natives to grasp what is to them untold wealth. Still,
1 think it is as well to be cautious."

" Of course we shall be cautious," the captain replied;

"\Vi; MI'ST IlK MollK VKilLANT."

137

"but I really do not tliink that you jukI tli" otliers
need liothor yoiir-'sulves to bo always stnn<ling on
sentry."

" It is no trouble," Mr. Atlicrton said, "and I think
we will koej) it up until W(3 are fairly under wei<;h."

Mr. Atlierton was not pleased at seeini^ that the
captain tin; ne.Kt day relaxed somewhat in the sti-ict-
ncss of the rules he laid down, and the ciew were
allowed to trade freely with the native.s.

" We must be more vigihint than ever," he said to
Wilfrid and the Aliens. "The captain is so pleased
at liaving got his mast on board that he is disposed
to view the natives with fiiendly eyes, which, if they
mean treachery, is just what they want. Finding that
we were too much on the watch to be taken by sur-
])rise, they would naturally try to lull us with a sen.sc
of false security."

In the afternoon the cliief again came off and for-
mally invited the captain to a feast on shore. He
accepted the invitation, and went back with them,
accompanied by three or four of the passengers who
had scoffed at the idea of danger. After a stay of two
or three hours they returned on board.

"I thirds, Mr. ixyan," the captain said th.at evening,
"you had better take a couple of boats in the mornino"
and go ashore for water. We shall have everything
ready for getting up our anchor after dinner. Of
course your crew will be well armed and take every
precaution, but I do not think that there is the slightest
daiiirer."

" Very well, sir. You may be sure I will keep my
weather-ej'e open."

wmm

138

((

WE WILL GIVE IT TIIK.M HOT.

Mr. Athcit;m shook his h.cad when in the morning
he saw the boats beiiiir lowered, and heard from the first
otlic r the orders he had received.'

" From what you say there is water enouj^h to last
us to Wellinirton if we are all put on somewhat shorter
allowance, and that would be infinitely better than
running the risk of your going ashore."

" The water might last if all goes well," the mate
said, " but if we were to get becalmed for some time,
which is likely enoiifjh in these latitudes, we should
be in an awkward fix. I shall keep a sharp look-out
on shore, never fear. The distance to the spring is, as
I told you, not above fifty yards, and I will keep half
the men filling and the otiier half on guard. If they
should mean mischief we will give it them hot."

" How many men will you take?"

" Sixteen — ten in the cutter and six in the gig."

" That would only leave us ten on board," Mr.
Atherton said. " If they attack you they will attack
us too, that is a moral certainty. At any rate, I will
hint to some of the passengers that they had better
keep their arms in readiness while you are away."

Mr. Atherton refused to go down to breakfast when
the Aliens came up to relieve him after finishing their
meal.

" V( °. will have both watches on deck this morninir,"
he said. " We shall be very short-handed while Ryan
and his party are av.ay. Unfoitunately the captain
is convinced there is not the slightest danger. He
snubbed me this morning quite smartly when I said
casually that I supposed that he would not let any of
the natives on board while llyan was away."

MUCH AT STAKE.

139

As the rest of the passengers came up from break-
fast, Mr. Atherton spoke to some of those with wliom
he had been most intimate on tlie voyage, and told
them that he tliought it would be just as well for them
to bring their arms on deck and keep them close at
hand until the watering party returned.

"It is no great trouble," he said, "and it is just as
well to be ready in case the natives mean miscliief. I
know that some of the youngsters consider me to be
an alarmist, and I will give them free leave to laugh
at me when we are once safely out at sea, but the
stake is too heavy to admit of carelessness; there are
not only our own lives but those of the ladies to be
thought of"

Three or four of the passengers followed this advice
and brought their muskets or double-barrelled guns on
deck. They were a good deal laughed at by the rest,
who asked them if they had joined Atherton's army, as
the little party who had kept watch were called. How-
ever, when the boats pushed off' with the empty casks,
and the passengers saw how large was the complement
of the crew who had left them, three of the otlieis
strolled down to the cabin and got their guns. In
half an hour the great canoe with the chiefs came oil"
and as it approached the ship Mr. Atherton told
Wilfrid to go forward, and tell the live men there to
come aft and be in readiness to mount to the poop
the moment they saw any sign of tiouble. "If there
is a row," he said, " we have to hold tlio j)oop. There
are only the two ladders to defend, and we can do
that; but it would be u.seless to try to hold the whole
of the ship."

140

"I DO NOT LIKE THE LOOK OF TlllNCS.

I 113

As the captain left the poop and went clown into the
waist to receive the chiefs, Mr. Atheiton went up to
where Mrs. Renshaw was sitting.

" Will you take my advice, Mrs. Renshaw?"

"Certainly I will," she said, smiling; "for I am sure
it will be good, whatever it is."

" Then, Mrs. Renshaw, I advise you at once to go
below with your daughter and the Miss Mitfords. I do
not say that we are going to have trouble, but if we
are this is the time. Pray oblige me by doing as I ask."

Mrs. Renshaw at once rose, called Marion and the
other two girls, who were gaily chatting with a group
of the passengers, and asked them to go below with
her. Wilfrid and the two Aliens were now on the poop,
as Mr. Atherton had told them that they had better
remain tliere instead of placing themselves at other
points. The Grimstones and the three otlier i)asscngers
forward were gathered near the ladders.

As usual the chiefs accom])anied the captain on to
the poop, followed by half a dozen of the minor chiefs;
and Mr, Atherton noticed that several of the others,
instead of sitting quietly in the canoe, slipped Tip
after them on to the deck. The flotilla of small canoe!^
which had as usual put out in the train of the large
one, was edijinsj in towards the vessel. Mr. Atherton
leant over the poop rail and spoke to the second officer,
who was enofacjed in the waist witli the men.

" Mr. r.a\vlins, I do not quite like the look of things.
I think that it would be as well if you were to gather
as many of the hands as you can at the foot of the
ladder here, without, of course, alarming the natives, as
it may be only my fancy."

vn into the
vent up to

■?"

' I am sure

once to go
ords. I do
but if we
5 as I ask."
)n and the
th a group
jelow with
n the poop,
had better
'.^ at other

)assengers

ptain on to
inor chiefs;
the others,
slipped Tip
nail canoets
i' the larcje
r. Atherton
jond officer,
n.

k of thino-s.
'e to gather
foot of the
3 natives, as

■^

DKAIII ()|- Mil. ( Al'lAl.N ul 1111. " 11, VIM, bCL D "'.

THE ATTACK.

141

The second-mate nodded, and at once told the men
with hnn to knock oti' from their work. " (Jet hold of
your cutlasses quietly," he said, " and gather near the
foot of the starboard port ladder." Then goinnj to the
gangway he stopped a native who was just cliiiihing up
from the canoe, and motioned to them that no more were
to come on board.

The talk with the chiefs was a short one. The
stewards brought up two cases of rum, and when these
were handed over to them the natives rose as if to uo.
Suddenly the leader drew his axe from his girdle, and
with a loud yell buried it deep in th.e captain's head.

The yell was echoed from some hundred throats, the
crew of the canoe leapt to their feet and began to clamber
jp the si<le of the vessel, while those in the smaller craft
dashed their paddles into the water and urged their
boats towards it. At the same moment the natives on
board all drew concealed weapons. So quick had been
the action of the chief that ]\Ir. Atherton had not time
to ])revent it, but before the body of the captain touched
the deck that of the chief was stretched beside it
vvitli a bullet throui-h the brain.

Wilfrid and the Aliens seeing the natives rise to
go had thf)ught the danger over, and two passen-
gers had been struck down before they brought their
rifles to their shoulders. They were within a few feet
of the chiefs, and each of their shots told. For a minute
or two theie was a scene of wild confusion. The natives
in the waist fell furiously upon the sailors, but these,
fortunately put upon their guard, received the att<iek
with determination. The sound of the lads' riilcs was
followed almost instantly by the sharp cracks of a re-

142

THE rOOP CLEARED.

\U\

volvcr Mr. Atlierfcon produLcd fi'om his pocket, and each
sliot told with fatal cfi'ect. Wlun tlie revolver was
empty not a native remained alive on the poop.

The other passengers had been taken so coJiipletely
by surprise that even those who had brought up their
arms did not join in the fray until the poop was
cleared. "Keep them back there!" Mr. Athorton
vshouted a-i the natives came swarmini]^ u > the ladder
on the port side. Several shots were tired, but the
passengers were too startled for their aim to be true.

" Give me your musket, Renshaw!" Mr. Atherton ex-
claimed, snatchingthe piece the it>,tterhad justdischarged
from his hands, " my riHe is too good for this work."
He then clubbed the weai)on, (ind whirling it round his
head as if it had been a straw fell upon the natives, who
weie just pouring up on to the poop, shouting to the
passengers. " Fire on the mass below! I will keep these
fellows at bay!" Every blow that fell stretched a man
lifeless on deck, until those who had gained the poop,
unable to retreat ov;ing to the pressure of those behind
them, and terrified by the destruction wrought by this
giant, sprang over the bulwark into the sea. Just as
they did so the little party of sailors and steerage pas-
sengers, finding themselves unable to resist the pres-
sure, made their way up to the poop by the starboard
ladder, hotly pressed by the natives.

By this time several of the male passengers who
had rushed below for their weapons ran up, and
Wilfred and the Aliens having reloaded, such a dis-
charge was poured into the natives on the port ladder
that the survivors leapt down on to the deck below,
and the attack for a moment ceased. The whole of the

MR. ATHEnTOX IN COMMAND.

143

forwar<] portion of tl.e slu'i) was by tin's time in the
lian.ls of tlie natives. Tlnv^c sailors who were at wo.-k
tnere had been at once murdered, only one of the j.arty
liavinnr time to make his escape up the fore rjo-o-inc-
Sponrs now began to fly fast over the poop, '"' °

" We must fall back a bit, Mr. IJaulins. or we .shall
be riddlorl," Mr. Atherton sai<l. "Your men had better
run down and get muskets; we will keep these fellows
at bay. I do not think they will make a rush a-ain
.jiist at present. Will you see that the door l(>adino"out
on to the waist is securely barricaded, and place^two
or three men there? Mr. IJcnshaw, will you and some
ot the other passengers carry down those ladies who
have tainted, and assure them all that the darioer is
really over." °

Mr. Atherton had so naturally taken the command
that the second mate at once obeyed his instructions
Most of the ladies had rushed below directly the fray
began, but two or three had failed, and these were soon
earned below. The male passengers, eighteen in all
were now on deck. Several )f them looked very pale
arui scared, but even the mo.^t timid felt that his life
depended on ^is making a fight for it. A perfect
shower of spears were no^v flying over the poop from
the natives in the canoes alongside, and from the ship
forward. ^

; We had best lie down, gentlemen," IVfr. Atherton
said. " If the natives make a rush up the ladders we
must be careful not to Mre all at once or we should be
at their mercy. Let those by the bulwarks fire first
and the others take it up gradupMy ,vhile the first
reload. Of course if they make a really deternuned

144

A VERY GOOD IDI3A.

M I

rush thorc will Ite notlii'nir to do but to meet them and
drive thom back ai^airi."

Unfortunately the four cannon of the Flyinrf Send
were all amidships, and were therefore not available
for the defence.

"If we could make a breastwork, Mr. Atherton, so
that we could stand up behind it and tire down into
the waist we niight drive these fellows out," the second
oflicer suggested.

"A very good idea. Wilfrid, will you run down
and ask the ladies to get up to the top of the com-
panion all the mattrasses, trunks, and other things
that would do to form a barricade? It will be a
fnjod thincf for them to have somethincf to do. Mr.
Kawlins, will you send down the stewards to help ?
thev mioht oet some cases and barrels up. As fast as
they bring them up we will push them along the deck
and form a breastwork."

CHAPTER VIII.

THE END OF THE VOYAGE.

'>: i -1

WHEN Wilfred went below to get materials for
a bairicade, he found the ladies kneeling
or sitting calm and quiet, although very pale and
white, round the table, while Mrs. Kenshaw was pra}?^-
ing aloud. She concluded her prayer just as he came
down. There was a general chorus of questions.
"Everything is going on well," Wilfrid said clieer-

MAKING A BAKUICA ^-.

n")

ieling
and
Ipray-
came

}heer-

fully; "but we want to make a breastwork, for tlio
spears are Hyiii^^ about so, one cannot stand up to
tire at thcni. I liavc come to ask you all to carry up
mattrasses and pillow s and cusliions and portmanteaus,
and anvthini; else that will make a barricade. Tb^
steward will open the lazaret and send up barrels an<l
things. J'lease set to work at once."

Not a moment was lost; the ladies carried the things
rapidly u[) the companion, two of the passengers
passed them outside, and others lying in a line pushed
them forward from one to another until they arrived
at those lying, rilie in hand, twenty feet ai't of the
poop rails. There was soon a line of mattrasses four
deep laid across the deck.

"That will do to begin with," Mr. Atherton said.
"Now, let us push these before us to the end of the
poop, and we can then commence operations. The
sailors, Wilfrid Renshaw, the Aliens, and inyself will
first open fire. Will the rest of you phrase continue to
pass things along to add to the height of our barricade:'
1 wish we knew how they are getting on on shore."
For almost immediately after the struggle had begun
on board the sound of musketry had broken out from
that quarter, and they knew that the watering party
had been attacked directV t^'e natives knew that
their chiefs had commenced the massacre on board
ship.

Several times, in spite of the danger from the Hying
spears, Mr. Atherton had gone to the stern and looked
towards the shore. The boats lay there seemingly
deserted, and the fiMit was iioin2' on in the wood. A
number of canoes had placed themselves so as to cut

(ti05) K

14('.

CiETTING THE UPPEIl HAND.

I i

jMi •

off* tlie return of the lioats should the sailors succeed
in iiiulvin^^f their way to them.

As soon as the line of nwittrasse.s was piislied forward
to the edge of the poop a stcs'idy lire was opened upon
the natives, wlio had already taken oil' the hatches,
and were enj^aged in bringing their plunder up on
deck, deferring the dangerous operation of carrying
the poop for the present.

As soon, liowever, as the tire opened upon them they
seized tlieir spears and tomahawks, and, led by one of
their chiefs, made a rush rt the two pooj) ladders.
Mr. Atherton gave a shout, and the whole of the
pa.ssengers seizing their muskets sprang to their feet
and ran forward to the barricade, and so heavy a tire
was poured into the natives as they tried to ascend
the ladders, that they fell back again and contented
themselves with re[)lying to the lire with volleys of
spears. The passengers at once renewed their work
of passing the materials for the barricade forward, and
this was continued until it rose breast high. 'J'liey
then took their places closely together behind it,
and joined its defenders in keeping up a heavy tire
upon the natives. So deadly was its etl'ect that the
latter began to lose heart and to jump over into the
canoes alongside.

A cheer broke from the passengers as they saw the
movement of retreat. It was no longer necessary lor
any to reserve their tire, and this was redoubled. The
natives were discouraged by the want of leaders; their
principal chiefs had all been killed on the poop, and
any other who attempted to rally them and lead them
again to an attack was instantly .shot down by Mr.

VICTOKY I

the

I'or

The

their

and
Ihem

Mr.

Atherton, who, as Wilfrid, who was sinndinsf next to
him oli.serv'd, never once failed to brin^^ down the
man he aimed at.

"I think we might go at them, sir, now," the second
officer said to Mr. Atherton; "the tight is all out of
them."

"I tldnk so too, Kawlins. Now, gintlemen, give
them one last voile}' and then pidl down the barri-
cade across the ends of the ladders and charge them."
The volley was given, and then with a ringing cheer
the barricade was thrust aside, and, led on one side by
Mr. Atherton and on the other by the second officer,
the defenders of the poop sprang down the ladders
and rushed forward. The natives did not stop to
await them, but sprung overboard with the greatest
j.x-ecipitation, and the Flyivg Scad was once again in
the hands of its lawful owners.

" Now, Kawlins, do you and the sailors work the
guns, we will pepper them with our riHes," Mr.
Atherton said. "Mr. Ilenshaw, will you go aft and
tell the ladies that all is over/"

But this they had already learned. Marion, after
the things had been passed up, had taken her place at
the top of the companion, occasionally peering out to
see what was gonig on, and running down with the
news to them below, and as the loud cheer which pre-
ceded the charge had broken from those on deck, she
had called out to the ladies below that the natives were
beaten. The shower of spears from the boats had
ceased as soon as the natives saw theii" friends leaping
overboard, and as Mr. Renshaw ascended the poop to
deliver the messaire the ladies were tlocking out on

118

THE CANOES IN FLIf.

I
ill

! I

)':

ill

III

>;i !

I'M '

(l<'ck, •'ucli anxious to asccitaiTi ulu'tlier tlidsc most
dear to tli<'in liad sutliMud in tlie t'ray. Marion run
forward ami tlm-w liui'.sult' into lu.s urujs

"Not liurt, i'iitlicr^"

"No, my dear, tliank Cod. Sonui of us have ^ot
spoar Avonn<Is more or less awkward, but noliody
has Itcon killtMl except tliose wlio ^v(.'l•(> struck down
at tho bcifinnini:^." As ho spoki! the four cannon
boomed out one after anoth<M', for tliey liad lieen loaded
some days before, and a hail of bullets and ])ieces of
iron with which they had been cranuned tore through
the canoes, while terrible yells rose from the natives.
Three of the canoes were instantly suid-:, and half the
paddlers in the lari:(e boat of the chief were killed or
disabl'd. Almost the same instant a dropping lire of
musketry was opened, the passengers tiring as soon as
they had reloaded their pieces.

"Give another dost; to that biix fellow!" the second
officer shouted to the men at i lie two guns at that side
of the ship. "Shove a ball in, men, and a bagful of
bullets — take steady aim, and remember the poor
ca])tain!" A minute later the guns were tired. A
terj'ible cry was heard, and almost instantaneously the
great canoe disap})eared below the water.

" Get the other two guns over to this side," Mr.
rjawlins said; " we must lend a hand now to the party
ashore. Loarl all the guns with grape, and aim at those
canoes between us and them." These, followinjj the
example of those around the ship, were already moving
towards the shore, and the discharge of the four guns
sunk two of them and sent the others ofl' in headlong
flight.

ill

our

lose
the
ling
Mns

)ng

ItlVnUN OK TIIK WATr,i:iN(J I'AKTY.

149

" Wliiit lia'I we iit'ttcr do now, Mr. Atlirrtoii?"

" 1 should lo;id witli round sliot now, lluwlins, and
open lire into tlie wood on Koth sides of tiic landiiiLj-
}il}ic(\ Tii(! soiukI of tlie sliot crjisliin:,' anion^' tlio
trros will dt'iiioralize the scounih'els even if you do not
hit anyone."

'I'liret! or four rounds wore fired, and tlien tliose on
board ^'ave a cheer as tliey saw tlu; sailors is.sue out
from among tlie trees a!id take their ])la('es in the
hoats. Half a mitnite hiter thev were rowin-^ towards
the vessel, unmolested by the natives. Mr. llyan
stood up in the stern of his boat as ,s(M)n as they v.ere
within hailing distance and shouted — "How has it
gone with you^"

" We have beaten tliem off, as you see," the second
oHicer shoutefl back; " but the ship was pretty nearly
in their hands for a time. The captain is killed, I
am sorry to say; f(jur of our men, and two of the
passengeis. How have you doiK^:'"

" We have lost three men," Mr. Uyan re[)lied, "and
most of us are wounded."

The boats were soon alongside, and Mr. Ryan, after
hearing what had taken place on board, related liis
experience. " We had g(jt about half the casks tilled
when we heard a ritie shot on board a ship, followed
directly by the yells of the black divils. 1 ordered the
men to drop the casks and take to their guns, but I
had scarcely spoken when a volley of speai-s fell among
us. Two men were killed at once. 1 had intended to
take to the boats and come off to lend you a hand, but
by the yelling and the shower of spears 1 saw that the
spalpeens were so thick round us that if we had tried

t c

i I

iuiit,

' *

150

THE FIGHT ON SHORE.

we sliould pretty well all be killed before we could
get fairly out, so I told the men to take to the trees
and keep up a steady fire whenever the natives tried
to make a rush at us. 1 was, of course, teiiibly
anxious about you all at first, and I knew that if the
ship was taken they must have us ail sooner or later.
After the first few shots there was silence for a time,
and I feared the worst."

"The spears were flying so thick we could not stand
up to fire," the second ofricer put in.

"Ah! tliat was it. Well, I was afraid you had all
been massacred, and you may imngine how relieved
I was when I heard a dropping fire of musketry
begin; I knew then that they had failed to take you
by sur])rise. The fire at last got so heavy 1 was
sure that most of you had escaped the first attack,
and we then felt pretty hopeful, though I did not
see how we were to get down to the bo.its and fjet
off to you. When we heard the first cannon shot we
gave a cheer that must have astonished the natives,
for we knew you must have cleared the duck of
the scoundrels. I had set a man at the edge of the
trees by the water to let us know how you were
going on, and he soon slionted that the canoes were
drawing ofif. Then we heard the big canoe was sunk,
and that you had driven ofi' the craft that were l^'ing
between us and the ship. A minute later the round
.•shot came crashing among the trees, and almost im-
mediately the yelling round us ceased, and we felt
sure they must be drawing ofi". We waited until
you had fired a cou])le more rounds, and then as all
seemed quiet we fell back to the boats, and, as you

THR NEW CAPTAIN.

151

saw, got of]' witliout a single spear boing thrown at us.
I am awfully sorry for the poor captain. If lie had
))ut taken your advice, Mr. Athertun, all this would
not have happened; hut at last he got to trust these
treacherous scoundrels, and this is the re.sult "

" Well, Mr. Ryan, you are in command now," Mr.
Atherton said, '• and we are all ready to carry out any
ordtirs that you will fifive us."

" First of all then, Mr. Atherton, I must, in the
name of the owners of this ship, of myself, the
ofhccrs and crew, tliaidc you for having saved it and
us from the hands of these; savages. From what Mr.
Rawlins tells me, and from what I know myself, I am
convinced that had it not been for your vigilance, and
for the part you havy taken in the defence of the ship,
the nativi^s would have succeeded in their treacherou.s
design of massacring all on board almost without
resistance."

A cheer broke fiom the [)assengers and crew, and
Mr. R(Mishaw .said when it had subsided: "1, on the
part of the passengers, en<l(n->e all that Mr. ]\van has
said; we owe it to you, Atherton, that by God's mercy
we and those dear to us have escaped from death at
the hands of these savages. It was you who put some
of us on our guard ; it was your marvellous shooting
with the revolver that first cleared the pooj); and
your extraordinary strength, that enabled you single-
lianded to check the onslaught of the natives and oive
us time to rally from our tirst surprise, and saved the
ship and us."

"Do not let us say anything more about it," Mr.
Atherton said; 'we have all done our duty to the best

8 '

lit

I,:

1- ' '

iifi

152

CLKARlN'fi THE SHIP.

of our power, and have reason to l)c lioartily thankful
to God tluxt we have i;ot out of tliis scrape without
heavier kws tlian lias befallen us. Now, Mr. Kyan,
please give youi- orders."

" 'J'he ilrst thing, undoubtedly, is to clear the deck
of these bodies," Mr. Rvan said.

"What about the wounded."" Mr. Renshaw asked,
*' no doubt some of the poor wretches are still
alive."

"They do not deserve any l)etter fate than to be
tossed overboard with the others; still, as tliat would
go against the grain, we will see what we can do." He
looked over the side. "There is a good-sized canoe
floating there fifty yards away. I sup])Ose the fellows
thought it would be safer to jump overboard and s\vim
ashore. Four of you men iret out the jiiu: and tow the
canoe alongside. We will put any wounded we tind
into it and send it adrift; they will come out and pick
it up after we are fairly off."

The bodies of sixty natives who had been kiUetl
outright were thrown overboard, and eighteen who
were found to be still alive were lowered into tht>
canoe. "I do not think we nvo really <loing them
nuich kindness, though of cours(» we are doing the best
we can for them," Mr. Athertou said to Mr. Kennliaw.
"1 doubt if on(> of them will live. You see, all who
were able to drag th uiselves to the side jumped
overboard, and were either drownt d or hauled into the
canoe.s."

As soon as the operation was over the casks of water
were got on board and the boats hoisted to the davits.
The anchor was then hove up and souie of the sails

■

AT SEA ACAIN.

153

shaken out, and witli a uentle breeze tlie vessel boiran
to aravv ott' the land. As soon as this was done all
hands set to work washing down tlie decks; and in
two or three hours, except for the bullet murks on the
deck and bulwarks, there were no signs left of the
desperate contliet that had raged on board the Flying
Hcud. At sunset all hands gathei'ed on the poop, and
th-' b(»di ^ of the captain and two passengers, and of
tlie sailu s who had fallen, were reverently delivered
to the deep, Mr. Ryan reading the funeral service.

The ladies had retired below after the boats had
come alongside, and did not cotne U{) until all was
rt'ady for the funeral. Mrs. lienshaw and three or
four of the others had been ein))loved in dressin<j the
wounds of those who ha<l been injured. Four out of
the six sailors who had survived the massacre on board
had been more or less severely wounded before they
won their way on the (juartei'-deck, and six of the
watering party were also wounded. Kight of the pas-
sengers had been struck with the flying s[)ears; but
oidy two of these had received wounds likely to cause
anxiety. After he funeral was over more sail was
hoisted, the breeze fresheneil, and the Fh/imj S<ad
pi'oceeded briskly on lier way.

The rest of the voyage was uneventful. Thankful
as all were for their cscaj-t;, a gloom hung over the
ship. Ilie death of the ca{*tain was much felt by all.
He had been uniforndy kind and obliging to the i>;i>s-
sengers, and had done everything in his power to make
the voyage a plea.sant one. ( )ne of the pa.sseiigers who
was killed was a young man with none on board to
mourn him, but the other had 1< ft a widow and two

154

A CHANCJED MAN.

! ■ I

I I .

child I'en, whose presence in their midst was a constant
reminder of their nairow escape from destruction.

The voyage had produced a very marked change in
Mr. Rensliaw. It had brouo-ht him in far closer con-
nection witli his children than he had ever been before,
with results advantageous to each. Hitherto they had
scarcely ever seen him except at meals, and even at
these times his thoughts were so wholly taken up with
the writings on which he was engaged that he had
taken but little part in the general conversation be^'on*!
giving a willing assent to any request they made, and
evincing no interest whatever in their plans and
amusements.

iSOw, although for four or five hours a day he
worked diligently at his study of the Maori language,
he was at other times ready to join in what was going
on. He often walked the deck by the hour with
Wilfrid and Marion and in that time learned far more
of their past life, of their acquaintances and amuse-
ments at their old home, than he had ever known
before. He was genial and chatty witli all the other
jiassengers, and the a'^Conisbment of his children w^as
unbounded when he began to take a lively part in
the various anuisements by which the passengers whiled
away th(^ long hours, and played at deck quoits and bull.
'I'he latter ganm consists ui a board divided into twelve
scjuares, nuiidiered one to ten, with two having bulls'
heads upon them, leaden discs co\ered with caiivas are
thiown on to this board, counting accordinir to the
number on which they fall, ten being lost for each
quoit lodged on a s(juar«' marked by a bull's head.

On the evening of the day before the shores uf New

•'I HAVE BLUNDERED MISERABLY."

155

Zealand came in siolit Mr. Tieiisliax/ was sittinii liv his
wife. "The voyai^^e is just tinislied, ?Ielen," he said.
"It has been a pleasant time. I am sorry it is over."

"A very pleasant time, Alfred," she replied, "one of
the most pleasant I have ever spent."

" I see now," he went on, " that I have made a mis-
take of my life, and instead of making? an amuse-
ment of my hobby for archnnology have thrown away
everything for it. I have been worse than selHsh. I
have utterly neglected you and the children. Why, I
seem only to have made an acquaintanee with tliem
since we came on board a ship. I see now, dear, that
I have broken my marriage vows to yon. I have
always loved you and always honoured you, but I have
altogether failed to cherisli you."

"You have always been good and kind, Alfred," she
said softlv.

ft/

"A man may be good and kind to a dog, Helen;
but that is not all that a wife has a right to expect. I
see now that I have blundered miserably. I cannot
change mv nature altoLrethei-, dear; that is too late. I
cannot develop a fund of energy by merely wishing
for it; but I can make the ha])piness of my wife and
children my first thought and object, and my own
pursuits the second. I thought the loss of our money
was a terrible misfortune. 1 do not think so now. I
feel that I have got my wife again and have gained
two children, and whatever comes of our venture here
I shall feel that the failure of the bank has bn^ught
undeserved happiness to me."

"And to me also." ^Irs. Renshaw said softly as she
pressed her husband's hand. "I feel sure that we .shall

I J';

iil

! I

1" ;

: t

Mi;

l.-iG

•'NOT HALF A BAD FELLOW."

all be liappicr than we have ever been boforo. Not
that we have been unhappy, dear, very tar from it;

stil

on have n

ot I

)een
ince

our life and centre, and it ha:-

been so difierent since the voyage began."

" He is not half a bad fellow, after all," Mr. Atherton
said, as leaning against the bulwark smoking his cigar
he had glanced across at the husband and wife seated
next to each other talking in low tones, and evidently
seeing nothing of what was passing around them.
"He has brightened up wonderfully since we started.
Of course he will never be a strong man, and is no
more tit for a settler's life than he is for a habitation
in the moon. {Still, he is getting more like other
people. His thoughts are no longer two or three tliou-
sand years back. He has become a sociable and plea-
sant fellow, and I am sure he is verv fond of his
wife and children. It is a ]>ity he has not more
backbone. Still, I tliink the general outlook is better
than I expected. Taking it altogether it has been as
pleasant a voyage as 1 have ever made. There is the
satisfaction too that one may see something of one's
fellow-passengers after we land. This northern island
is not, after all, such a very big place. Tliat is the
worst of homeward voyages. People who get to know
and like each other when tliey arrive in port scatter
like a bomb-shell in every direction, and the chances
are again-^t your ever running up against any of them
afterwards."

Somewhat similar ideas occupied the mind of most
of the passengers that evening. The voyage had been
a ]>leasant one, and they were almost sorry that it
was over; but there was a pleasurable excitement at

i: ■ I

jiMi ! ;

FRIENDS.

157

the thought that they should next fleiy see the land
that was to bo their home, and the knowledge that
they should all be staying for a few days at Wellington
seemed to posti)one the break-up of their party for
some little time.

No sooner was the anchor dropped than a number
of shore boats came off to the ship. Those who ha<l
friends on sliore and were expecting to be met watched
anxiously for a familiar i'ace, and a cry of delight
broke from the two Mitfords as thev saw their father
and mother in one of these boats. After the first joyful
greeting was over the happy little party retired to tin;
cabin, where they could chat together undisturbed, as
all the passengers were on deck. Half an hour later
they returned to the deck, and the girls led their father
and mother up to Mrs. Renshaw.

"I have to thank you most heartily, Mrs. Renshaw,
for your great kindness to my girls. They tell me
that you have throughout the voyage looked after
them as if they had been your own daughters."

" There was no looking after required, 1 can assure
you," Mrs. Renshaw said. " I was very pleased, indeed,
to have them in what I may rail our little party, and
it was a great advantage and pleasure to my own girl."

" We are going ashore at once," Mr. Mitford said.
"My girls tell me that you have no acquaintances here.
My own place is hundreds of miles away, and we are
staying witli some friends while waiting the arrival of
the ship, and therefore cannot, I am sorry to say, put
you up; but in any other way in which we can be of
assistance we shall be delighted to give any aid in our
power. The girls say you are thinking of making

I,' f ■■ ; i i

•I ' i

HI'

158

KINDLY OFFEKS.

this your Vicjid-qnarters until you decide upon the
district in which you mean to settle. In that case it
will, of course, be much Ixjtter for you to take a house,
or part of a house, than to stop at an hotel; and if so
it will be best to settle upon one at once, so as to go
straight to it and avoid all the expenses of moving
twice. It is probable that our friends, the Jacksons,
may know of some suitable place, Init if not I shall be
glad to act as your guide in house-hunting."

Mr. Renshaw here came up and was introduced to
Mr. Mitford, who repeated his oll'er.

" We shall be extremely glad," Mr. Renshaw replied;
"though I really thmk that it is most unfair to take
you even for a moment from your girls after an
absence of five years."

*' Oh, never mind that," Mr. Mitford said; "we shall
land at once, and shall have all the morning to talk
with them. If 3'ou and Mrs. Renshaw will conje ashore
at four o'clock in the afternoon my wife and I will
meet you at the landing-place. Or if, as I suppose you
would prefer to do, you like to land this morning and
have a look at Wellington for yourselves, this is our
address, and if you will call at two o'clock, or any
time later, we shall be at your service. I would
suggest, though, that if you do land early, you should
tirst come round to us, because Jackson may know
some place to suit you; and if not, I am sure that he
will be glad to accompany you and act as your guide."

" I should not like to trouble — " Mr. Renshaw beoan.

" My dear sir, you do not know the country. Every-
one is glad to help a new chum — that is the name for
fresh arrivals — to the utmost of his power if he knows

WKLLIXOTOX.

ir)'>

anytl.in.nr wliatovor about hiin,an.l no one thinks any

nnvt ot* troubl

Jn tli.'it case," Mr. Rriisl

avail

law said .sniilini,^ "we will

oiirsolves of tlic oH'er. We sliouM all 1

lave

onL'er

g^a'Jly ....„..„. .„

been contented if the voya-ehadTastLMl^imota^
but being here, we all, I suppose, want to get asl?ore
as soon as possible. Tlierefore we shall j.roi.ably call
at your address in the course of an I
you get there."
Wilfrid and M

lour or so after

anon

^^'cre indeed in such a hurry to
get ashore that a very few minutes after the Mitfords
left the side of the ship, the Renshaws took a boat and
started for the shore. Most of the other passen-ers
also landed. °

We^shall go in alongside the quays in an hour's

'so you must look

■seeing. We

aggage up at once for the benefit

time," the captain said as they left

for us there when you have done sin-ht
shall begin to o-et the b

of tl

lose who are in a hurry to get away to the hotel

but I shall be glad for you all to make tl
home until to-morrow,"

e si

lip your

aws wandered

For an hour after landing the Rensl , ,.....,.....^

about Wellington, which they f(,und to be a pretty and
well-built town with wide streets.

ly, it is quite a large place!" Wilfrid exclaimed

in surprise. " Dilferent, of course, from t

owns at home,
1 Tiiore open spaces. I expected it would be much

witl

rougher tlian it

IS.

It is the second town of the island

Ren.shaw said; "and

am glad we did not cuml

you see," Mr.
IS an important place. Well. I

'er ourselves Ijy brin'^nnfr
everything out from England, for there will he no ditl"

I!,

ICO

A NKW AC'QUAINTANCK.

;m i

'li,

;»; , .=

culty in providing ourselves with everytliing we re-
quire liere."

After wunderin'' ahout for an liour thcv proceeded
to tlie a<ldress Mr. Mitford had ;L,^iven tlieni. Jt was a
house of considerable size, standin<^ in a pretty <,^ard<'ii,
a (juarter of a milt) from the ])U.siness part of the town.
Tlx'y were warndy received by the Mitfords, and intro-
duced to Mr. and Mrs. Jackson.

"Mr. Mitford has been tellini; me that vou want to
get a house, or part of a house, for a few weeks till
you look about you and decitle where you will settle
down," Mr. Jackson said. "I am a land and estate
agent, besides doing a little ii )ther way.s. We most
of us turn our hands to anything that presents itself
here. I have taken a holiday for this morning and
left my clerk in charge, so 1 am quite at your service.
You will find it diliicult and expensive if you take a
whole house, so I should advise you strongly to take
lodgings. If you were a large party it would be dif-
ferent, but you only want a sitting-room and three
bed-rooms."

" We could do with a sittinnf-room, a irood-sized bed-
room for my wife and myself, and a small one for my
daughter," Mr. Renshaw said; "and take a bed-room
out for a few^ nijjjhts for WiUVid, as he will be startinii'
with a friend to journey through the colony and look
out for a piece of land to suit us."

"Then there will be no difhcultv at all. You will
find lodgings rather more expensive than in England.
I do not mean more expensive than a fa.shionable
watering-place, but certaiidy more expensive than in
a town of the same kind at home. Hou.se rent is high

1 .

LOIXJINCS,

ICl

)()Hl

il)le
in

liore; but tlion, on tlie otl er iiaii<l, your livinij will cost
you less tlian at lionie."

After an liour'a sear -h lodL^'infjs wore i'ouixl in a
liouse at no L,frt'at distance I'rojii tliat of Mi\ .lackson.
Jt was a small liouse, kept l>y tlio widow of tli»^ owner
and c;ij)tain of a small tradiuij ship tliat liad l>een lost
a year previously. The ship had fortunately been in-
sured, and the widow was able to keep on the liou> •
in which she lived, addinj; to her income l>v h^ttiiiL' a
jiortion of it to new arrivals v\ o, like the Jlenshaws,
intended to make a stay of some little timt; in \\'el-
lington before taking any .steps to establish theujselves
as settlers.

" I think," Mr. Jackson said when this was settled,
"you are doin^ wisely by lettin;^ your son here take a
run throuj^di the colony, 1'here is no <,n-eater nnstake
than lor new-comers to be in a hurry. Sett)** in haste
and repent .at leisure is the rule. Mr. Mitford was
sayinc,' that he lioped that you mii^dit setth; down sonie-
where in Ids loc.dity; but at any ratt; it will be best to
look round first. There is plenty of land at present
to be obtained anywhere, an<l there are many things
to be considered in choosinrj a location. Carriaiie is of
course a vital consideration, and a settler on a river
has a i^reat advantnij^e over one who has to send his
produce a long distance to market by waggon. Then,
again, some people prefer taking u]) virgin land and
clearinnf it for themselves, while others are ready to
j)ay a higher sum to take possession of a holding where
much of the hard work has already been done, and a
house stands ready for occupation.

"At present no one, of course, with a wife and daTighter

( 005 ) L

h'i

■i: I I

Illli

■ ' ' '•

If'

I" ! ^

1G2

TIIK sm:ATI(»N.

would tliijik of sfittlinj,' in tlie <listml)('<l distilct, al-
thouiL;li i'iinns can Itc boii-'lit theiofor next to notliini;.
Tlie Will' i.s, I liojjo, nearly at an eml, now tliut wu liavo
iiiu iJritish reui^iiiu-'nts in tlio island, 'ilit^y liavo takon
most of the enemy's pahs, th()iii,'h they have heeii a pro-
digious time about it, and we colonists are very discon-
tented with the dilatory way in which the war has been
carried on, and think that if thinus had been left to
ourselves we could have stamped the rebellion out in
half the time. The red-coats were much too slow; too
heavily weighted and too cautious for this sort of
work. The Maoris defend their pahs well, intlict a
heavy loss upon their assailants, and when the latter
at last make their attack and cany the works the
Maoris manage to slip away, and the next heard
of them is tliey have erected a fresh pah, and the
whole thing has to be gone through ag.'iin. However,
we need not discuss that now. I take it that anyhow
you would not think of settling down anywhere in
the locality of the tribes that have been in revolt."

"Certainly not," Mr. Uenshaw said. "I am a peaceful
man, and if I could aet a house and land for nothiii''
and an income thrown into the bargain, I should refuse
it if I could not £;o to bed without the fear that the
place might be in flames before the morning."

" I am bound to say that the natives have as a whole
behaved very well to the settlers; it would have been easy
in a great number of cases for them to have cut them
off had they chosen to do so. But they have fought
fairly and well according to the rules of what we may
call honourable warfare. The tribesmen are for the most
part Christian.s,and have carried out Christian precepts.

!t;

ESTAI'.F,Islli;i) n\ SlloIlR.

K'.'i

" in ono caso, licariiiLj tlmt tlio troops as^cmlilijiLjj to
attack ono of tlu'ii' pnlis wci'o sliort of provisions, tlicy
sent down boat-loads of potatoes and otlier vcLijctaliles
to them, sayini,' that tlio l>ii)lo said, 'If tliiiu' cnciiiy
luuiij^iir feed liiin.' Still, in spite of instancrs of
this kind, I should ccrtaudy say ilo not lto noar tho
disturliod districts, for one cannot assert that if liostili-
ties continue they will always be cairied on in that
s])irit. However, tlurv^s are at present i)ei feetly peace-
able tln'oui,diout the provinces of \\'ellinij;ton and
Havvke Bay, and it may be lioped it may continue so.
I have maps and plans of all tho various districts, and
before your son starts will ;;ive him all the information
I posses.s as to the advantages and disadvantaL;es of
each locality, the nature of the .soil, the price at
which land can bo purchased, and tho reputation of
the natives in tho neijjlibourhooil."

The next day the lienshaws landed after bi'eakfast
and took up their abode in the new lod^iu'^s. These
were })laiidy but comfortably furni.sh(>il, and after one
of the trunks cont.iininir nick-nacks of all descriptions
had been opened, a!id some of the contents distributed,
the room assumed a comfortable home-like aj)pearance.
A lodging had been obtained close by for the two
Grimstones. 'J'he young- fellows were heartily glad to
be on shore again, for life among the st(.'erage passen-
L'ers during a long vo\age is dull and monotonous.
]\lr. Renshaw had l(;oked after them during the voyages
and had supplied them from his own stores with many
little comforts in tlie way of food, and with books to
assist them to pass their time; still they were veiy
glad the voyage was over.

'■ ^;' 1

•*:m

'If
illl

■I.: i

1 ; H
i

1G4

THE GRIMSTONES CO TO WORK.

When he now told tliom it was prohable that a
month or even more might pass ai'ter their arrival in
the colony before he could settle on a piece of land, and
that during that time they would remain at Welling-
ton, they at once askod him to get them work of
some kind if he could. "We should he learning some-
thing about the place, sir; and should probably get
our food for our work, and should be costing you
nothing, and we would inuch rather do that than loiter
abcnit town doing nothing."

Mr. Reiishaw approved of their |)1an, and mentioned
it to Mr. Jackson, who, on the very day after their
landing, spoke to a settler who had come in fiom a
farm some twenty miles in the interior.

" They are active and willing young fellows and don't
want pay, only to be put up and fed until the man
who has brought them out here with him gets hold of
a farm."

" I shall be extremolv alad to have them," the settler
said. "This is a very busy time with us, and a cou})le
of extra ha!ids will be very useful. They will learn
a good deal as to our ways here in the course of
a month, ami, as yon say, it would be far better for
ihem to be at work than to be loafing about the place
doing nothing."

Accordingly, the next morning the two Grimstones
went up country and set to work.

AT WELLINGTON. 1G5

CHAPTER IX.

TIIK NEW ZEALAND WAI^

FOR a fe\. (lays tlie orenter part of tlie passoncrora
wlio had ariived hy the Fhj'wfj »SV//J remahicd
in Wellino-ton. Mr. Atlicrtoii mid tlie two Aliens liad
l»ut np at the same hotel. ^J'lie hitter intended to (ro
out as sheplierds or in any other cnincity on a t'ai-ni,
for a few months at any rate, before in\ estin-- in land.
Tliey ha(J two or tliree h,'tters f)f iiitro(hietion to resi-
dents in Wellin-tou, and ten (Uiys after tlie arrival
of the ship they called at the Renshaws' to say good-
bye, as tlie'y liad arranged to go for some niontiis with
a settler up tlie country. Tliey jjromised to write
regularly to Wilfrid and tell him all about the part to
which tliey were foinf.

"Mr. Atherton has promised to write to us," they -aid,
"and tell us about the districts he visits with vou, and if
you and he discover anything pai-ticularly iiiviting we
shall at any rate come and see you, if yon will giv"e us
an invitation wlien you are settled, and ](;ok''ronnd
there before buying land anywhere else. It would be
very pleasant to be somewhere near you and liim."

"We shall be very glad, indeed, to see you," Mrs.
Renshaw said; "still more glad if you take\ip k j.hx'e
of ground near us. Having friends near ls a \ery
gretH point in such a life as this, and it would be most
agreeable having a sort of little colony of our own."

'AVe should have liked very much," James Allen
said, "to say good-bye to the Miss Mitfor.ls, but as

!i|

) f

i:i

IGG

Tin-: TAinV liUEAKS UP.

we do not know tlicir ffitlxT and niotlicr it nii^lit
seem stran-'o for us to (^all there."

"I do not tliink tliey are at all people to stand on
ceremony," JMrs. Kenshaw said; "but I will })ut on
ni}' Ijonnet and go round with you at once if you
like."

This was accordingly done. Mr. IMitford had heard
of the young men as forming part of the litth^ group
of passengers on hoard the Flijiv;/ Snu/, and ga\e
them a hearty invitation to pay liim a visit if they
happened to he in his neighhourlujod, and the next
day they started for the farm on which they had
engaged themselves. Two days later there was a
gem.M*al break up of the party, for Mi-, and Mrs. Mitford
started with their daughters in a steamer bound to
ilawk(^ I'ti^V-

" Will you tell me, Mr. Jackson, what all the trouble
in the north has been al'out," Wilfrid asked that even-
innr " for I have not been able to tind out from the
pajiers?"

"It is a complicated question, Wilfrid. When New
Zealand was first coloni/ed the natives wei'e very
fj'iendly. 'I'he early settlers confidently pushed for-
ward into the heart of native districts, bouLfht tracts
of land from the chiefs, and settled there. (Jovernment
purchased large blocks of land, cut oti' by intervening
native teri'itory from the main settK'nients, and sold
this land lo settlers without a suspicion that they wei'e
thereby dooriiing them to luin. Th(! settlers wen3
mostly small farmers, living in rough wooden houses
scattered about the country, and surrounded by a few
fields; the adjoining land is usually fern or forest field

THE Brr.iNNTxn of TROUr.LES.

1G7

311-

31"

■ts
nt

''-;■

by the nativo.s. '^Dioy fenced their ticlds, and turned
their cattle, horses, and shi'ep at larpe in the open
country outside tliese fences, I'aj'ing rent to tlie natives
for the privileg-e of doino- so.

"This led to innumerable quarrels. The natiw plan-
tations of wheat, potatoes, or maize are seldom fenced
in, and the cattle of the settlers sometimes committed
much devastation amoni; them; for the Maori fields were
often situated at loni,^ distances from their villages, and
the cattle miLrht, therefore, be davs in their imtches
before they were found out. On the other hand, the
gaunt long-legged Maori pigs, which wander over the
country picking up their own living, were constantly
getting through the settlers' fences, rooting up their
potatoes, and doing all sorts of damage.

"In these cases tlu^ settlers always had the worst of
the qiuirrel. They either h;ul no weapons, or, being
isolated in the midst of the natives, dared not use
them; while the Maoris, well armed and numerous,
wouM come down waving their tomahawks and point-
ing their gu!is, and the settlers, however much in the
right, were forced to give wny. 'J'he natural result was
that the colonists were continually smarting under a
sense of w^rong, while the Maoris grew insolent and
contemptuous, and were tilled with an overweening
confidence in their own powers, the result of the
patience and enforced submission of the settlers. The
autliority of the queen over the natives has always
been a iiurely Tiominal one. There was indeed a treatv
si('n(Ml acknowledfifin*^ her nfovernment, but as none ( f
the chiefs put tlu'ir name to this, and tlio men who
signed were p(U's(,n> nf ini'e)ior rank with no authority

108

COXriDKNTE OF THE NATIVES.

t. I

^ 1!

I ,

1
fi

wliatevor to speak for the rest, the treaty was not
worth the paj)er on which it was written.

"The Maoris from the first exhihited a great desire
for edueation. They estahhshed ninneroiis schools in
their own districts and villages; in most cases accepted
nominally if not really the Christian religion, and
studied iiistoi'v w'ith a irood di al of int(d licence. Some
of them read that the Romans coiKpiered England liy
making roads eveiywliere through the island, and the
natives therefore deterndned that no roads should he
constructed through their lands, and every atti'm[)t on
the part of government to carry I'oads beyond the
lands it had hought from them was resisted so firmly
and angiily that the attempt had to he ahandoned.
The nati\es were well enouixh aware that behind the
despised settleis was the power of England, and that
if necessary a numerous army could be sent over, but
they relied absolutely upon their almost impassable
swamps, their rivers, forests, and mountains.

"Here they thought tliey could maintain themselves
aijainst any force that miuht be sent against them, and
relying upon this they became more and more insolent
and overbearing, and for some time before the out-
break m liSGO every one saw that sooner or later
the storm wouhl burst, and the matter have to be
fouGfht out until either we were driven from the
island or the natives became thoroughly convinced
of their inability to oppose us.

"At first the natives had sold their land willinulv,
Imt as the number of the Euro[)ean settlers increased
they became jealous of them, and ever3'()bstacle was
thrown in the wa}' of land sales by the oi-it i.>.

...u.

TIIK LAND Ql'KSTION.

1G9

Disputes wei'c constaiitiv arisijiir owiuix to tlie fact
that tlio ahsolnto owiici-ship of laud was very ill
(ietined, and ])erlia}>s a tlo/.en or more persons professed
to liave claims of some sort or other on each piece of
land, and had to be individually settled with before
the sale could be effected. When as it st'rmed all
was satisfactorily concluded, fresh claimants would
arise, and disputes were therefore of constant occur-
rence, for there were no authorities outside the prin-
cipal settlements to enforce ohedimce to the IcW.

"Even in Auckland itself the state of tl snip's was
almost unbearable. Druniven Maoris \V(juld iudulijje
in insolent and riotous behaviour in the street; for no
nati\e could Ik; im[)risone(l without the risk of war,
an<l with the colonists scattered about all over the
2ountry the risk was too u'reat to be run. In ad<lition
to the want of any rule or authority to rei,adate <"he
dealings of the natives with the EnL;-lish, there were
constant troubles between the nati\e tribes.

" 'J'hen beuan what is called the kini( movement.
One of the tribes invited others to join in establishins:
a cential authority, who would at once put a stop to
these ti'ibal feuds and enfoi'ce somethinir like law and
order, and they thought that having a king of their
own would impiove their condition — would prevent
land from being sold to the whites and be a protection
to the pe(^ple at large, and enable theu» to hold their
own against the settlers. Several of the tribes joijied
in this movement. Meetings were held in various parts
in imitation of the colonial assend)lies. 'J'he fruit of
nuich deliberation was that a chief nameil l*otatau,
who was held in the highest esteem, not only by the

.iS'

iili

170

TlIK KING MUVKMKNT.

trilics of Waikato, but Uiroughout the wliole island, as
one of the greatest of tlieir warriors and wisest of their
chiefs, was chosen as king.

. " The movement excited much apprehension in Auck-
land and the other settlements, for it was plain that if
the Maoris were governed hy one man and laid aside
their mutual enmities they would heconie extremely
fonuidahle. At the cfreat meetini; that was held, the
P)ishop of New Zealand, the head of the Weslcyan
body, and several other missionaries were present, and
\varne<l the Maoris of the dan<;ers that would arise
from the course they were taking.

"The warning was in vain, atid Potatau was chosen
king. ^Ir. Fenton, a government ollicial, went on a
tour amonix tlie natives. He found that there was still
what was called a (][ueen's party, but the king's party
was very much the strongest. Vor two years, how-
ever, things went on somewhat as before, and it was not
until 1800, when a quarrel arose ovei- s')me land in the
province of Taranaki, that troubles fairly began. In
this district a chief named Wiremn-Kingi had estab-
lished a sort of land league, and given notice to the
governor that he would nut permit any more land to
be sold in the district. A native named Teira, who
owned some land at Waiteira, ottered it for sale to
the government. After examining his title, and
tlnding that it was a vali<i one, the land was pur-
chased.

"In the spring of 18^0 the governor tried to take
posses«!ion. Wircmu-Kiugi forcibly resisted, the troops
were called out, and wai- began. Wiremu-Kingi had
un(|uestionably certain rights on Teiras land, for he

FI(;I1T1N(; DKCIN.S.

171

lie

and his tribe were aniicaMy scttlod upon it, liail built
houses, and were making plantations; but of these
facts the governnient were ii^norant when they bought
the land. Wireniu-Kiniri at once ioineil the king
movement, from which lie lia<l pn'viotisly stood aloof.
A meetiuLr was held at the W'aikjito. Chief Wireinu-
Kingi and Mr. M'Lean, the native secretary, both
addressed the meetin"', and I'otatau and manv of the
chiefs were of opinion that the Ktiglish had acted
fairly in the case. Many of the younger chiefs, how-
ever, took the part of the Taranaki natives, and
marclied away and joined them.

" Unfortunately, in tlie first light that took place, our
troops were driven back in an attack upon a pah, and
the news of this succe-s so tired the minds of all the
fighting men of the Waikato, and neighbouring tribes,
that thev tlocked down to Taranaki and joined in
plundering the deserted homes of the settlers, and in
the attacks upon the troops. I'otatau and his council
did all they could to stop their men from going, but
the desire to distinguish themselves and to take part
in the victories over the I'akehas, which is what tlie
natives call the whites, were too strong for them. In
the midst of all this turmoil Potatau died, and his son
Matu-Taera was made kinir,

" In the fighting that went on in Taranaki (bseipline
and traininij soon beuan to make themselves lelt. Tlie
troops in the colony were hugely reinforced, and pah
after pah were captured. 'J lie war w- nt on. Jhit
though Engli.sh regiments with a strong force of
artillery were mgaged in it, it cannot be said that t'e
natives have been conquered, and (General Cameron,

f I

172

A SKIllES OF SfCCESSKS.

wlio Cfuno out and assiiiiiod tlie coiiuuund, found the
task before liini a very diflicult one.

"Thero was for a time a pause in liostilities wlien Sir
George (Jrcy came out as governor in the phice of
Governor Jirown, but tlie natives reeonuiience< I hostili-
ties by a treaciiej'ous massacre near New Plymouth,
and lighting began aiiain at onco.

" Tlie native pali near the Katikara river was at-
tacked by a cohimn of iid'jintry witii artillery, and
shelled by the guns of a ship of war, and the Maoiis
were driven out of a position that they believed
im})regnable. The Waikatos now rose and murdered
and plundered many of the settlers, and a force
marched for tlus lirst time into their country, carried a
formidable pah at Koheroa, and, although unjirovided
with artillery, defeated the Maoris in a tight in the
thick bush. The veiy foimidaljle position at Meri-
nieri, which lay surrounded by swam[)s near the
Waikato river, was next captured, although held by
eleven hundred Maoris, led by their great chief Wire-
mu-Tamehana, called by the missionaries William
Thompson.

" The next attack was upon a strongly-fortiticd posi-
tion at Rangiriri, lying between the \Vaikato river
and Waikai'e lake. This was successful, and the na-
tion were next thrashed at Rangiawhia, at Kaitake, on
the 2.")th of last March. Thus, you see, in almost all
of these tights we succeeded in capturing the enemy's
pah or in defeating them if they fought in the open.
Unfortunatelv, alth(Mioh these eno-aijements showed
the natives that in fair tiohtino- they were no match
for our troops, they have done little more. When

A NKW Ui:i.I(;iON.

173

m.
d

311

1^^

tlieir ] talis wore captured tlioy almost invariulily
inaiia"((l to make tlii'ir \\ii\ through the tlensu laisli,
and it can scarcely lie said tliat we do niorr than hold
the ground oecupied hy our soldiers. And so matters
still go on. 'J'lie tii^litinn" has l.ecn contiiieil to the*
Taranaki and Auckland provinces, and wo niay hope
that it will i^o no further."

"Well, it is (juitc cxident," Mr. Tvenshaw said, "that
neither the \Vaikato eountty nor 'I'ai-aiiaki aic lit
places for quiet peoj)le to settle at the pri sent timi-,
and I suppose tlie iK^rthern pai't of \VelliiiL;t(jn is not
much l/eU/r/"

"No, 1 canfiot say it is," Mr. .hwh^nn said. "The
Wan^anul trihe on the river of that name nrti i/j alli-
ance with the Taiali/iki jM'ople, and }»ave joined tJiem
in fightinL;' against ns, and I helie\e that Oefjeral
Cameron will shoi'tl}^ undertake a camj ai^^ri aijjainst
them. I should sti"ongly a<lvise y(aj to tui'n your
attention to the ejistcrn side of this pio\ irice, or to the
province of Hawke J'ay, higher up, where they have
liad no trouble whatever, and where, as you kn<nv, our
friends the Mitfords are settled."

" What is this that I have heai-d ahout a new religi<jn
that has been started anionic the Maoris?"

" Thei'e is but little known about it, and if it v»"i'e
not that should this religion spread it will add to our
ditiiculties, no one would think anything about it one
way or the other. There was a fellow naiiif(l 'W' IJa,
who had always been looked u})oii as a iiarndess
luUvitic. No doubt he is a lunatic! still, tlioui-h
wdiether he will be harmless remains to be s<;en.
However, he some little time ago gave out that the

'ill I

174

A STllANUE CUKE I).

arc'lianLTt'l Michael, tlio anircl (Ja))riel, and hosts of
miiioi* spirits visit*^! him and j^^ave him permission to
jji'cach a nuw religion, and bestowed on him great
power.

"The religion was to ho called Pai Mariro, which
interpreted literally means good and peaceful; and
it is also called JJau-llau, the meaning of which is
obscnre, but it is a special word of power that Te Ua
professes to liave specially received from the angel
(Jabriel. As far as we have been able to learn the llau-
Haus have no special belief or cr* ed, except that their
leader lias a divine mission, and that all he says is to
be implicitly obeyed. Certainly the I'eligion has spread
(juiekly among the tribes, and has latterly taken tlie
form of hostility to us. Still, we may hope that it will
soon die out. It is said that Te Ha has told his fol-
lowers that they are invulnerable, but if they try con-
clusions with us they will very speedily find that he
has deceived them, and are not likely to continue their
belief in him."

"Then the colonists themselves, Mr. Jackson, have
taken but little share in the lighting so far/"

" Oh, yes, they have. There have been several corj)S
of Rangers which liave done capital service. The
corps led by ]\Iajors Atkinson, Von Tempsky, and
M'Donnell have done great service, and are far more
dreaded by the natives than are the slow -moving
regular troops. They tight the natives in their own
manner — make raids into their country and attack
their positions at night, and so much are they dreaded
that the natives in villages in their vicinity are in the
habit of leaving their huts at niaht and sleeping in

IH-

.•; <

CoI.itNIAL THOoPS.

17.-.

the busli l<"<t tlu;y slioiiM lie sur}»»'is((il by tlicir active
enemy. The general op'mioji ainoiii* uh colonists is
that ten conipanits likt; Von 'i'einpsky's would do a
l^rcat deal nioie than t<!n IJritish legiiiient.s M^ward.s
h*'liij];in;,' th(! matter to a conclusion.

" in the lirst place, the ollicer.s an<l troops of tlio
rc<ndar army cannot l.jinL; themstlvcs to if'Mrd the
natives with the rijspcct they deserve as i'oes. 'I heir
njov(anents are hauipered by thii necessit}' of a com])li-
cated .system of transport. Their o]jerutions, acc(»m-
panied a.s they are by artillery and a wae-goa train,
are slow in the e.\treme, and do wliat they will the
natives ulwavs slii) throuuh their hands. The irreirular
corps, on the other hand, thoiou^^ddy api.reciate the
activity and braveiy of the Maoris. They have lived
amonix them, and know their customs and wavs.
They have snfi'ei-ed from the arrogance and insolence
of the natives bet ore the outbreak of the war, and
most of them have been n.ined by the destruction of
tlieir farms and the los.s of years of ]iatient lal)()ur.
Thus they ii^ht with a per.soual feeliiiL,' of eiimity
against their foes, and neither fatigue nor <l;iie,er is
considered by them if there is a chance of inllictiiii,' a
blow upon their enemy. I am convinced that at last
the intperial government will be so disgu.sted at the
failure of the troop.s to bring the war to a conclu-
sion, and at the great expense and loss of life entaileu
by the operations, that they will recall the rt\euhirs
and leave the colonists to manage the atl'air them-
selves, in which case I have no fear whatever as to
their I nging it to a ])rom])t conclusion. Looking
at the matter from a business point of view, there is

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23 WEST MAIN STREET

WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580

(716) 872-4503

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176

LOOKING FOR LAND.

no doubt, Mr. Kensh.aw, that those who, like yoiirsolf,
come out at the present time will henetit considei-
ably. You will get land at a quarter the ))rice you
would have had to pay for it had it not been tor these
troubles, and as soon as the war is over the tide of
emigration will set in again more strongly than before,
and land will ^o to piicos far exceeding those that
ruled before the outbreak began."

, Upon the following morning Mr. Atherton and Wil-
frid embarked in the schooner. They had been fur-
nished by Mr. Jackson with a number of Utters of
introduction to settlers in every distiict they were to
visit. "These will really only be of use to you in the
small towns," he said, " for in the country districts
every house is open, and you have generally only to
ride up to a door, put up your horses, and walk in, and
you are almost sure to meet with a hearty welcome
^"till, as you are n«!W-comers, and have not rubbed off
your old country ideas, it will be more pleasant for yon
to take letters. At the ports, such as they are, you
may really find them useful, for you will not find any
inns. You can strike out anywhere into tlie back
countiy without the least fear of being inconveni-
enced by natives."

The two friends spent a pleasant fortnight touching
at the settlements, situated for the most part at Vc
mouths of the riveis, and spending the time the vessel
remained there in short excursions into the interior.
They were most pleased with the Wairarapa Valley,
running up from Palliser Bay; but this being near
Wellin;,-ton the lan<l was all taken u\), and there were
many tiourishing villages and small towns.

UP THR MOtlAKA.

1V7

"This is very nice," Wilfrid said, "but tlie price of
land is far loo high for us, and wo niii;lit ahnost as
well have taken to farming in EnLrland."

'J'he eastern coast of the province was dotted by
little setthniients, lying for the most pait at the mouths
of small I'ivers, and several of these oti'ered favourable
facilities for settlement. Passing on, the}' found that
the coast was bolder along the province of Hawke
Bay. Tliey stopped at Clive, at tlie mouth of the bny,
for a day or two, and went up the Tukntaki river in a
canoe to the town of Waipawa. ]jut here they found
the farms thick and land comparatively expensive.
They left the schooner at Napier, tin; chief town of
the province, and after making several excursions here
went up in a coasting craft to the mouth of the river
Moliaka, which runs into the sea a short distance to
the south of the boundary line between Hawke Bay
and the province of Auckland. A few nules up this
river was the farm of Mr. Mitford. Hiring a boat
they proceeded up the river, and landed in front of the
coud'ortable-looking farndiouse of the settler.

Mr. Mitford, seeing strangers approaching, at once
came down to meet them, and reeeive<l them with the
greatest cordiality as soon as he saw who they were.

'• I am heartily glad to see youl" he exclaimed, "and
the girls will lie delighted. They have been wonder-
ing ever since we got here when you would arrive.
You have not, I hope, fixed upon any land yet, for
they have set their heart upon your settling down as
our neighbours. This is as pretty a valley as there is
in tlie island, and you will have no diHicnlty in getting
land at the lowest government price. There being no

r ■

(eo5)

■

J78

A COMFOKTAIJLK FAKAL

Bettleinenfc of any size at tho mouth of the river has
deterred einiijrants from cominir hore to search for
land. liut we can talk about that afterwards. Come
straight up to the house. I will send down one of ujy
native boys to bring up your baggage."

They spent a very pleasant evening at the farm-
house. Mr. Mitford owned a considerable extent of
land, and was doing very well. He reared cattle and
horses, which he sent down for sale to Wellington.
The house was laro:e and comfortable, and bore sinfns
of ♦he prosperity of its owner. The girls were deliglited
at the place. They had been left in care of relatives
at home when their father and mother came out six
years before to settle in New Zealand, and everything
was as new to them as to Wilfrid. They had taken
to riding as soon as they arrived, and had already
made excursions far up the valley with their father.

" We were at a place yesterday, Wilfrid," the eldest
girl said, "that we agreed would suit your father
admirably. It is about ten miles up the river. It
was taken up only last year, father says, by a young
Englishman, who was going to make a home for some-
one he was engaged to in I'higland. A few days since
he was killed by a tree he was cutting down falliuix
upon him. He lived twenty- four hours after the
accident, and father rode out to hini when he heard of
it. He directed him to sell the land for whatever it
would f(!tch, and to send the money over to England.
There are two hundred acres on the river and a comfort-
able log hut, which could of course be enlarged. He
had about fifteen acres cleared and cultivated. The
scenery is lieautiful, much pi-ettiei' than it is here, with

JUST THE SORT UF i'LACI-

17'J

Tlie
with

lots of lovely tree-ferns; and there are many open
patches, so that more hind can he cleared for cultivation
easily. Mahcl and I ai^a-eed when we roile over there
two days a^o that it would he just the jtlace for you."

"h hounds iirst-rate," Wilfrid said; "just the sort of
place tliat will suit us."

"But how ahout me, Miss MitfordT' Mr. Atherton
asked. " Have you ha<l my interest at heart as well
as those of Wilfrid and his people/"

" You can take up the next bit of land above it,"
Mr. Mitford said. " Lauirston's was the last settlement
on the river, so you can take up any piece of land
be3'ond it at the <jovernment upset price, and do tis
much fishing and shooting as you like, for 1 hear from
my daughters that you are not thinking of permanently
settling here, but are only a bird of pas.sage. Anyhow,
it would not be a bad investment for you to buy a eon-
siderable acreage, for as soon as the troubles are over
there is sure to be a rusli of emigration; and there are
very few places now where land is to be had on a
navigable river, so that when you are tired of the life
you will be able to sell out at considerable prolit."

"It sounds tempting, ^Ir. Mitford, and 1 will cer-
tainly have a look at the ground. How much would
this rdece of land be of Mr. Lanirston's?"

"The poor fellow told me to take anything that I
could get. He said he knew that at piesent it was
very difficult to sell land, as no ne.v settlers were
coming out, and that he should be very glad if I
get what he gave for it, which was ten .shillings an
acre, and to throw in the in.provements he had made;
so that a hundred pounds would buy it all. I really

180

AN AGREEABLE PROSIT

don't think that IMr. Kenshaw could do better if he
looked all tliruugh the island. With a cow or two, a
pen of pigs, and a score or two of fowls, he would
practically he ahle to live on his land from the hour
he settled there."

Wilfrid was greatly pleased at the idea. He knew
that his father and mother had still ei^ht hundred
pounds untouclied; two hundre<l pounds, together
with the proceeds of his mother's trinkets and jewels,
and the sale of the ponies and pony cai-riage, which
had been her own property, iiaving suffict d to pay for
the passage of themselves and their two lab(jurers, and
for all ex[)en.-;es up to the time of their arrival at
Wellington. " If we could get another piece of two
hundred acres adjoining it at the same price, I think
my father would like to take it," lie said; "it would
give more room for horses and cattle to graze. Of
course we should not want it at first; but if as we got
on we wanted more land, and had neighbours all round
us ar t could not get it, it would bo a nuisance."

"I agree with you," j\lr. Mitford said. "Tw^o hundred
acres is more tiian you want if you are going to put it
under the plough; it is not enough if you are going to
raise cattle and horses. I should certainly recommend
you to take up another two hundred. The next land
on this side is still vacant. Poor Langston chose the
spot because it hajipened to be particularly pretty,
with an open glade down to the river, but the land
for fully two miles on this side is unoccupied. You
can get it at ten shillings an acre at present. I will
see about it for you if you make up your mind after
seeing Langston's place, to take it."

A COLONIAL STOKE.

isi

ndred
put it
wj, to
iinend

land
30 the
)retty,

land

You
I will

after

"Of course I onimot sottlo it l»y myself, sir, not
altsolutcly. I can only rocoiuiiicnd it to my futlier
as the hest place tliat I liavo seen. If it is as you
deserile it tliov will he deli<»'lited."

" Well, we will lide over to-monow and have a look
at it> The only possihle ohjection 1 have is loneliness;
hut that will improve in time; the natives here are
j)ei-fectly j'oaceful, and we have never had the slightest
trouhle with them."

" We are a oood Inrofe nartv to heirin with, vou see,"
Wilfrid said. "Jlavin<_r the two men with us will
take away the feeling of loneliness, esjtccially if Mr.
Atherton decides upon taking the ])iece of land next
to us. Then there are the two Aliens who came out
with us. I promised to write and tell them if I found
any nice place; and they said particulaiiy that they
wanted ground on a river if '.hey couhl get it, as they
are fond of hoating and fishing, and fancied that if
there were other farms round that they could, until
their own ])lace paid, help to keep themselves hy
taking their neighbours' crops down to Uiarket."

"Yes, it might pay if they got a huge ilat-hoat ca-
pahle of carrying cargo; but as far as light goods, letters,
and groceri«'S from town are concerned, the Indians
could do it cheaper in tlieir canoes. However, at
present there is no market for them to come down to.
I keep what I call a grocery store for the henetit of
the two or three score of settlers there are on the
river. I do not make any profit out of the matter,
but each season get a hogshead or two of sugar, a
couple of tons of Hour, some barrels of molasses, a few
chests of tea, and an assortment of odds and ends,

182

MUTIAL CONVKNir.NCR.

such as pickles, Szc, with a certain ajiiount of nun and
whisky, and sell thcni at the price they stand nie in at.
I do not know what th«!y would do without it here.
1 only open the store on the first Mondjiy of each
month, and they then lay in what stores tliey leijuire,
so it gives me very little trouble. I <j^enerally take
produce in return. ]\ly bills run on until they get up
to the value of somethinLT a customer wants to sell —
a horse, or two or three dozen sheep. That suits me
just as well as money, as 1 send a cargo oti' to Welling-
ton every two or tliree months.

"In time no doubt a settlement will sfiring up
somewhere near the mouth of the river, and we shall
have a trader or two establishing; themselves there;
but at present I am the purveyor of the district, and
nsana-e most of the busiu'ss of the settlers in the way
of buyincj and selling at Wellington. So, you see, if
you establish yourself here you will have no choice
but to appoint me your grocer."

Wilfrid lauij'hed. "It will be a orcat advantaije to
us to be able to i:et our thiim-s so close at hand. 1 was
wondering how people did in the back settK'ments."

"They generally send their drays every two or three
months down to the nearest store, which niay, of
course, be fifty miles off, or even more. Here, fortu-
nately, you will not be obliged at first to have a
dray, but can send any produce you have to sell down
by water, which is a far cheaper and more convenient
mode of carriaue. You will not have much to send
for some time, so that will not trouble you at pre-
sent."

"Oh, no. We shall be (juite content if w^e can live

natuhal increase.

1R3

was

on tlio prodiicfi of our farm for the next year or two,"
Wilfrid lanixlKMl.

"It is," Mr. Mitfonl said, "an immense advnntnijo to
settlers wlion tliey have sutlieient funds to carry tliem
on for tlie first two or tliree years, because in that case
tliey gain the natural incicasc^ of their animals instead
of having to sell them off to pay their way. It is
wonderful how a Hock of sheep or a herd of cattle will
increase if there is no selling. You may take it that
under favourabh* circumstances a herd of cattle will
nearly double itself every two years, allowing, of
course, a large proportion of the bull calves to be sold
off as soon as they arri\e ac maturity. Sheep will in-
crease even faster. If you can do without selling, you
will be surprised, if you stait with say fifty sheep or
ten cows, in how short a time you will have as many
animals as your land will carry."

"But what are we to do then, .sir?"

"Well, you will then, })roviding the country has not
in the meantime become too thickly settleo, pay some
small sum to the natives for the riiiht of srra/.im' your
cattle on their unoccupied ground. They cultivate a
mere fraction of the land. In thi': way 3'()U can
keep vastly larger herds than your own ground could
carry. However, it is time to be turning in for the
nijxht. To-morrow we will start the first thinjr after
breakfast to inspect Langston's land."

1 :

live

184

A SlTITAIil.K CONVKYANCE.

CJIArTEU X.

TJIE GLADK.

WITKN tlio party assctuMod at breakfast tho next
inoniin^, Mr. Atlicrton's first (|Uosti()n was:

"Is tlioru such a th'wii as a boat oi' a (nxxl-si/cd
oanoi! to ))o liad, Mr. MitfonU It' you liad an olcpliaiit
here I might lll{nla^•(i, but as I su])p<)so you do not keep
Hucli an animal in your stud I own that I sliould <nratlv
profor i^^oing by water to runninijj th(; risk of break inL(
a horse's back and my own neck. Jf such a tiling can-
not be obtained I will get you, if you will, to let me
liave a native as guide, and I will walk, taking with
me some small stock of })rovisions. I can sleep at this
liut of Langston's, for I say frankly that I should not
care about doing the distance there and back in one
day."

" I have a V)oat," Mr. Mitford said smiling, "and you
sliall liave a couple of natives to paddle you up. I will
give orders lor tliem to be n'ady directly after break-
iast. You will scarcely be there as soon as we are, but
you will be there long V)efore we leave. Of coin-^e we
shall spend some time in going over the ground, and
we shall take a boy with us with a luncheon basket,
so you will find refreshment awaiting you when you
get there."

"That will suit me admirably," Mr. Atherton said.
"A boatinor excursion up an unknown river is just the
thing I like — that is, when the boat is a reasonable
size. I was once f<iol enough on the Amazon to allow

A I'AINFri- VOVACK.

IS.')

inyscli' to l»e ] orsuixlfd that a canoi' nt most two foot
Nvidu would cany me, and tl»e tortures 1 sullercd durir)^
tluit expedition, \ved;^red in tlie Itottom of tluit canoe,
and lioldini,' on to tlie sides, 1 shall never fort^et. The
rascally Indians inado matters worse by oe<asionnlly
n;i\iii<X slv lurches to tlie l)oat, and heini; within an aco
of capsi/.iiiL; her. I had two days of that work hel'oro
I iiot to a village wliere I could olitain a craft of rea-
sonahlo si/e, and I sliould thiidv I must liave lost two
stone in weiL;ht durin*^' the time. You tliink that that
was lather an advantage 1 can see, Miss Mitford," ho
bn)ke otr, seeiuLJ a smile upon the giiTs face. " Well,
yes, I could spare that and more, hut I should prefer
that it was abstracted by other means than that of
ai^^ony of mintl; be.iide.s, these improvements are not
permanent."

After a hearty breakfast the party ])repared for their
start. ^Irs. Mitford had alnady said that slie should
not accompany them, the distance being longer than
she cared to ride; and four hoises were therefore
bi ought round. Mr. Atherton was first seen fairly on
his way in a good-sized boat, paddled by two powerful
Maoris. Mr. Mitford, his daughters, and Wilfi-id then
mounted; tlie lad }uid already been asked if he was
accustoiMcd to riding.

" Not lately," he replied, " but I used to liave a pony
and rode a good deal when I was a small boy, and
I dai'esay I can stick on."

Wilfrid was delighted with his ride through the
forest. In his other trips asuore their way had led
through an open country with low .scrub bush, and
this was his tirst experience of a xSew Zealand forest.

186

A NFAV ZKALANI) FdllKST.

Forns woro rrrowiii;' ovurvwlicrc. Tlio tivo-fcrns, coatcil
w'liU sr-alos, ro.su tVoiii thirty to forty feet in tlio air.
llyiiiciiopliylla and polypodia, in oxtiaordiiiary variety,
covort'd tlie Iniidvs of the forest trees witli luxuriant
^a'owth. Sinallor fenis ^nnv lictwocn tlio i)ra?iL'lies
and twipfs, and a tiiick ^frowtii of forns of numy species
exttMid(!d everywhere over the grotnid.

Tin; trees were for the most part pities of dillerent
varieties, but diH'ering so widely in jippearance fi'om
those Wilfrid had seen in KnjL^hind, that had not Mr.
Mitford assured him that they were really pines lie
would never have <^uessed they belonged to that
family. Mr. ^litford gav(» him the native names of
many of them. The totara matai were amoni,' the
largest and most beautiful. The linu was (li>tinguished
by its hanging leaves and branches, the tanekaha by its
j)arsl('y-s!iaped loaves. Among them towereil up the
poplar-shaped rewarewa an<l the liiiiau, whose fruit
Mr. Mitford said was the favourite food of the parrots.

AmotiLT the jxreat forest trees were several belonijfiniif
to the families of tlie myrtles and laurels, especially the
rata, whose trunk often measured forty feet in circum-
ference, and on whose crown were branches of scarlet
blossoms. But it was to tbe ferns, the orchids, an«l the
inaumerablo creepers, which covered the ground with a
natural netting, coiled I'ound every stem, and entwined
themselves among the topmost branches, that the forest
owed its peculiar features. Outside the narrow cleared
track along which they were riding it would have been
impossible for a man to make his way unle.ss with the
assistance of knife and hatchet, especially as some of
the climbers were completely covered with thorns.

A DKADI.Y SPII)i:il.

1S7

Arnl yet, altliouijli so very iHuiitifiil, tlw aitprMranco
of tlie I'oit'.st was .womluv ami iiit.'laiicholy. A M-nat
proportion of tlio plants of New Zealand Itcai' no
tlowors, and except h\'^\\ up anioni,' some of tlie tree-
toi)H no nrav blossonis or colour of anv kind meet the
eye to relieve the monotony of tli(3 verdure. A deep
silence rei^^K'd. Wilfrid did not see a Initterlly duriiiLj
his ride, or hear tin? sonji; or oveti the chirp of a sin^de
bird. It was a wilderness of taniL,ded ^reen, unrelieveil
by life or colotir. Mr. Mitford could ^dve liini the
names of only a few of the principal trees; and scjein^
the infinite variety of the folia;;e around him, Wilfrid
no lon<:er wondered Mr. Atherton should have nuide
so lonj' a journey in or<:er to studv tlie hotanv of the
island, which is uniciue, for althou;,di many of the trees
and shrubs can be found elsewhere, j;reat numbuj's uro
entirely ])eculiar to the island.

"Are there any .snakes?" Wilfrid asked.

"No; you can wander about witlu^ut fear. There
is only one poisonous creature in Is'ew Zealand, and
that is found north of the port of 'rauran;j,a, forty or
fifty miles from here. They say it exists only there
an<l round Potaki, near Cook's Strait. It is a small
black spider, ^vith a red stripe on its back. The
natives all say that its biti; is jioisonous. It will not,
they say, cau.se death to a healthy ] erson, thonL,di it
will make him very ill; but there are instajices of
sickly persons being killed by it. Anyhow, the
natives dread it very much. However, as the beast i.s
confined to two small localities, you nee«l not trouble
about it. The thorns are the only enemies you have
to dread as you make your way through the forest"

188

FAILURES.

"Tliiit is a comfort, anyhow," Wilfrid said; "it
would be a ;^roat nuisance to have to lie dways on the
watch ajjfainst snakes."

The road they were traversinj^ had heon been
cleared of trees from one settler's holdino- to another,
and they stopped for a few minutes at three or four
of the farmhouses. Some of these showed signs of
comfort and prosperity, while one or two were mere
loo' cabins.

"I suppose the people here have lately arrived?"
Wilfrid remarked as they rode by one of these with-
out st(;pping.

" They have been here upwards of two yeais," Mr.
Mitford replied; "but the place is not likely to im-
prove were they to be here another ten. They are a
thriftless lazy lot, content to raise just suflieient for
their actual wants and to pay for whisky. These are
the sort of people who bring discredit on the colony
bv writini!" home declarinof that there is no uettini; on
here, and that a settler's life is worse than a dog's.

"People who come out with an idea that a colony is
an easy place to get a living in are completely mis-
taken. For a man to succeed he must work harder
and live harder here than he would do at home. He is
up with the sun, and works until it is too dark to
work longer. If he employs men he must himself set
an example to them. Men will work here for a master
who works himself, but one who thinks that he has
only to pay his hands and can spend his time in riding
about the country making visits, or in sitting quietly
by his fire, will find that his hands will soon be as la/.y
as he is himself. Then the living here is rougher tiian

THE REQUISITES FOR MEALS.

189

it is at home for one in the same condition of life.
The fare is necessarily monotonous. In hot ^veather
meat will not keep more than a day or two, and a
settler cannot ailbrd to kill a sheep every day; there-
fore he has to depend either upon bacon or tinned meat,
and I can tell you that a continuance of such fare
palls u])on the appetite, and one's meals cease to be a
pleasure. But the curse of the country, as of all our
colonies, is whisky. I do think the monotony of the
food has something to do with it, and that if men
could but get greater variety in their fare they would
not have the same cravinsf for drink. It is the ruin
of thousands. A young fellow who lands here and
determines to work hard and to abstain from liquors —
I do not mean totally abstain, though if he has any
inclination at all towards drink the only safety is total
abstinence — is sure to get on and make his way, while
the man who gives way to drink is equally certain to
remain at the bottom of the tree. Kow we are just
passing the boundary of the holding you have come to
see. You see that piece of bark slushed off the trunk
of that tree? That is what we call a blaze, and marks
the line of the boundary."

After riding a few minutes further the trees opened,
and they found themselves in a glade slo[)iiig down to
the river. A few acres of land had Ijeen })longhed up
and put under cultivation. Close by stood the hut,
and beyond a grassy sward, broken by a few large
trees, stretched down to th} river.

"That's the place," IMr. Mitfoid said, "and a very
pretty one it is. Poor young Lang^ton chose his farm
specially for that bit of scenery."

Ill

:i(

190

"I THINK IT IS CAPITAL."

" It is pretty," Wilfrid agreed; " I am sure my father
and mother will be delighted with it. As you said, it
is just like a piece of park land at home."

The hut was strongly built of logs. It was about
thirty feet long by twenty wide, and was divided into
two rooms; tlie one furnished as a kitchen and living-
room, the other opening from it as a bed-room.

"There is not much furniture in it," Mr. Mitford said;
"but what there is is strong and serviceable, and is
a good deal better than the generality of things you
will find in a new settler's hut. He was getting the
things in gradually as he could afford them, so as to
have it really comfortably furnished by the time she
came out to join him. Of course *^'^e place will not be
large enough for your party, but you can easily add to
it; and at aiiy rate it is vastly better coming to a shanty
like this than arriving upon virgin ground and having
everything to do."

" I think it is capital," Wilfrid said.

*' Now we will take a ride over the ground, and I
will show you what that is like. Of course it will
give you more trouble clearing away the forest than it
would do if you settled upon land without tiees upon
it. But forest land is generally the best when it is
cleared; and I think that to people like your father
and mother land like this is much preferable, as in
making the clearings, clumps and belts of trees can be
left, giving a home-like appearance to the place. Of
course upon bare land j'ou can plant trees, but it is a
long time bef re these grow to a sufficient size to give
a character t > a homestead. Besides, as I told you,
there are already several other natural clearings upon

"1 CALL THAT TOO UAD."

191

ill

ion

ler

lin

»f

'>
in

the ground, enough to afford grass for quite as many
animals as you will probably start with."

After an hour's ride over the holding nnd the lands
adjoining it, which Mr. Mitford advised sliould be also
taken up, they returned to the hut. A shout greeted
them as they arrived, and they saw Mr. Atherton
walking up from the river towards the hut.

" A charming site for a mansion," he said as they
rode up. "Mr. Mitford, I think I shall make you a bid
for this on my own account, and so cut out my young
friend Wilfrid."

"I am afraid you are too late," Mr. Mitford laughed.
"I have already agreed to give him the option of it,
keeping it open until we can receive a reply from his
father."

"I call that too bad," Mr. Atherton grumbled. "How-
ever, I suppose I nmst move on farther. But really this
seems a charming place, and I am sure Mrs. Renshaw
will be delighted with it. Why, there must be thirty
acres of natural clearing here?"

"About that," Mr. Mitford replied; "and there are
two or three other patches which amount to about as
much more. The other hundred and forty are bush
and foroLt. The next lot has also some patches of
open land, so that altogether out of the four hundred
acres there must be about a hundred clear of bush."

"And how about the next lot, Mr. Mitford?"

" I fancy that there is about the same proportion of
open land. I have only once been up the river higher
than this, but if I remember right there is a sort of
low blutf rising forty or fifty feet above the river
which would form a capital site for a hut."

^*-^„.*^b«,4^„^^,.,,^ .^^,_^_^ , _

I I

1 1

s ■

■

192

IN THE DIM FUTURE,

"I will set about tlie work of exploration tliis
afternoon," Mr. Atherton said, "and if i\w next lot is
anything like this I shall be very well contented to
settle down upon it for a bit. I have always had a
fancy for a ftort of Robinson Crusoe lifi;, and 1 tliink I
can get it here, tempered by tlie chan^^'e of an occa-
sional visit to our friends when I get tired of my own
company."

The men had by this time brought up the basket
of provisions, and the two girls were spreading a cloth
on the grass in the shade of a tree at a short distance
from tlie hut, for all agreed that they would rather
take their lunch there than in the abode so lately
tenanted by young Langston. After the meal was
over the party mounted their horses and rode back.
One of the natives who had come up from the boat
remained with Mr. Atherton, the others started back
in the boat, as Mr. Atherton declared himself to be
perfectly capable of making the journey on foot when
he had finished his explorations. He returned two
days later, and said he was quite satisfied with the pro-
posed site for his hut and with the ground and forest.

" I regard myself as only a temporary inhabitant," he
said, "and shall be well content if, when I am nady
for another move, I can get as much for the ground as
I gave for it. In that way I shall have lived rent free
and shall have had my enjoyment for nothing, and, I
have no doubt, a pleasant time to look back upon."

"Do you never mean to settle down, Mr. Atherton?"
Mrs. Mitford asked.

" In the dim future I may do so," he replied. " I
have been wandering ever since I left college, some

AN KXCIJSK Foil LAZINKSS.

193

[on ?

Isoine

fifteen years a ., I return to London perioilically,
spend a tew weeks and occasionally a few months
tliere, enjoy the comforts of good living and cliih-life
for a bit; then the wandering tit seizes me an<l I am
off a'^ain. Nature altoirether made a mistake in mv
case. I ought to have been a thin wiry sort of nmn,
and in that case I have no doubt I should have dis-
tinguished myself as an African ex])]onu' or something
of that sort. Unfortunately she })laced my restless
.spirit in an almost innnovahle frame of tlesh, and tlie
consequence is the circle of my wandering is to u
certain exter^ limited."

"You make yourself out to be much .stouter tlian
3T>u are, iMr. Atherton. Of course you are stout, but
not altogether out of proportion to j'our height and
width of shoulders, I think you put it on a g(jod deal
as an excuse for laziness."

Mr. Atherton laughed. "Perhaps vou are rio-ht,
^Irs. Mitfoid, though my weight is really a great
diawback to my carrying out my views in regard to
travel. You see, I am practically debarred from
travelling in countries where the only means of loco-
motion is riding on hor.ses. I could not find animals
in any foreign country that would carry me for any
distances. I might in England, I grant, find a weight-
carrying cob capable of conveying twenty stone along
a good road, but I might search all Asia in vain for
such a horse, while as for Africa, it would take a dozen
natives to carry me in a hammock. No, I suppo.se I
shall go on wandering ])retty nearly to the end of the
chapter, and shall then settle down in quiet lodgings

somewhere in the region of Pall Mall."

(U05)

194

THE I'UnCHASE COMl'LETKD.

Upon the «lay after his return from the inspection
of the fill m Wilfrid wrote lionie to liis father de.scriV)inrr
the location, and saying that he thought it was tlie
very thing to suit them. It would be a fortnight
before an answer coukl be received, and duriiiir tliat
time he set to work at Mr. Mitford's place to acquire
as n»ucli knowledge as possible of tlie metliods of farm-
ing in tlie colony. Tlie ansM'or arrived in due course,
and with it came the two (Jrimstones. Wilfrid ha* I
sugjxested in his letter that if his father decided to take
tiie farm the two men should be sent up at once to
assist in adding to the hut and in preparing for their
coming, and that they should follow a fortnight later.
Mrs. Mitford also wrote, otl'ering them a warm invita-
tion to stay for a time v/ith her until their own place
should be ready for their occupatif^n.

Mr. Mitford had an inventory of the furniture of the
hut, and this was also sent, in ordei- that such further
furniture as was needed might be purchased at Welling-
ton. As soon as the letter was received, inclosing, as
it did, a cheque for a, hundred pounds, Wilfrid went
over with the two Grimstones and took possession.
Mr. Mitford, who was the magistrate and land commis-
sioner for the district, drew up the papers of applica-
tion for the ))lot of two hundred acres adjoining the
farm, and sent it to Welliniiton for Mr. Renshaw's sifjna-
ture, and said that in the meantime Wilfrid could con-
Rider the land as belonnini; to them, as it would be
theirs as soon as the necessary formalities were com-
pleted and the money paid.

W^hen W^ilfrid started, two natives, whom Mr, Mit-
ford had hired for him, accompanied him, and he also

IN rOXRF.SSION.

19.-

lent him the services of one of his own nion, who was
a handy carpenter. The Grinistones were delighted
with the site of their new home.

" Why, it is like a bit of En^ijland, Master Wilfrid !
That might very well be the Thames there, and this
some gentleman's place near Reading; only the trees
are difierent. When we gut up a nice house here, with
a garden round it, it will be like home again."

During the voyage the Renshaws had amused them-
selves by drawing a plan of their proposed house, and
although this had to be somewhat modified by the
existence of the hut, W^ilfrid determined to a Ihere to
it as much as possible. The present kitchen should
be the kitchen of the new house, and the room lead-
ing from it should be allotted to the Grinistones. Ad-
joining the kitchen he marked out the plan of the house.
It was to consist of a sitting-room twenty feet s(juare;
beyond this was Mr. and Mrs. Renshaw's bed-room;
while behind it were two rooms, each ten feet sijuare,
for himself and JMarion. The roof was to project four
feet in front of the sitting-room, so as to form a ve-
randah there.

A boat load of supplies was sent up from Mr. Mit-
ford's stores. These consisted of Hour, sugar, tea, mo-
lasses, and bacon, together with half a sheep. It was
arranged that while the building was jroinjj on W^ilfrid
and the two Grinistones should occupy tlie bed room,
and that the natives should sleep in the kitchen. The
Grinistones had brought with them the beddintr arid
blankets with which they had provided themselves on
board ship, while Wilfiid took possession of the bed
formerly occupied by the young settler. Mr. Mitford

! .

196

BUILDING THE HOUSE.

himself came over next morninir and jcfave general in-
structions as to the best way of setting ahout tlie buihl-
ing of the house. He had already advisL'd that it should
be of the class known as log-huts.

"They are much cooler," he said, "in the heat of
summer than frame-huts, and have the advantage that
i.i the very improbable event of troubles with tlie
natives they are much more defensible. If you like,
afterwards, you can easily face them outside and in
with match-board and make them as snug as you like;
but, to begin with, I should certainly say build with
logs. My boy will tell you which trees you had better
cut down for the work. It will take you a week to
fell, lop, and roughly square them, and this day week I
will send over a team of bullocks with a native to drag
theui up to the s})ot."

The work was begun at once. Half a dozen axes,
some adzes, and other tools had been brought up with
the supplies from the stores, and the work of felling
commenced.

Wilfrid would not have any trees touched near the hut.

"There are just enough trees about here," he said,
"and it would be an awful pity to cut them down
merely to save a little labour in hauling. It will
not make any great diti'erence whether we have the
team for a week or a fortnight."

Wilfrid and the two young Englishmen found chop-
ping very hard work at first, and were perfectly as-
tounded at the rapidity with which the Maoris l)rought
the trees down, each of them felling some eight or ten
before the new hands had managed to bring one to the
ground.

ling

wii.i KID AM) iiii, i;uims1()M;s riNi) it hard work.

FKLMNO TIIKKH.

107

'^^M

-' ■*! '

"I would not liave Itoliovod it if I had not seen it,"
l)olt, tliu t'lder of tlie two brothers, excljiiiiUMl a.s lie
stood hrcjitldt'ss with tlie pHspiration stivainin;^ from
liis fon'lioad, " tliat these Mack cliaps could have l)eaton
Knulishnien like that! Half a dozen strokes and down
topples the tree, while I j^oes chop, chop, chop, and
don't seem to i^et any nearer to it."

"It will come in time," Wilfrid said. "I suj)poso
there is a knack in it, like everythiiiLj else. It looks
easy enou«,di, hut it is not easy if you don't know how-
to do it. Jt is like rowing; it looks the easiest thinr;
in the world until you try, and then you lind that it is
not easy at all."

When work was done for the day Wilfrid and the
(brimstones could scarcely walk hack to the hut.
Their hacks felt as if they were broken, tlieir arms
and shoulders ached i»^tolerabIy, their liands snuirted
as if on lire; while the Maoris, who had each achieved
ten times the result, were as brisk iind fresh as they
were at starting. One of them had left work an
hour before the others, and by the time they reached
the hut the flat cakes of Hour and water known as
dam})ers had been cooked, and a large ])iece of mutton
was frizzling over the tire. Wilfrid and his companions
were almost too tired to eat, but they enjoyed the tea,
although they missed the ndlk to which they were
accustomed. They were astonished at the Maoris' appe-
tite, the three natives devouring an amount of meat
which would have lasted the others for a week.

" No wonder they work well when they can put
away such a lot of food as that," Bob (Irimstone said,
after watchinor them for some time in silent astonish-

^11

198

iiKAin'Y Fi;ri)r.us.

merit. " V>\U and inc whs nlwa; .s coiisidciod as licini*
pretty j^ood feiHlur.s, l)ut otw of thtjso clmps would rut
twice as Tiiucli as the two of uh. I sliotd<l say, Mr.
Wilfrid, that in future your Ix'st jtlaii will he to let
these chaps hoard tliemsclves. Wliy, it would l>e
(h'ar to havo them without pay if you had to feed
them!"

" Mnttoti is cheaj) out here," Wilfiid said. " You can
j]jet five or six jtounds for the price which one would
cost you at liouie; hut still, I do not supjjose they j,dve
them as much meat as tlicy can eat every day. I
must ask Mr. Mitford ahout it."

]Ie alterwards learned that the natives received
rations of flour and m<»lasses and tobacco, and that
only occasionally salt pork or fresh meat were issued
to them. J5ut Mr. Mitford advised that Wilfrid sliould,
as loni^^ as they were at this work, let them feed with
the men.

"You will «jfet a good (h>al more out of them if tliey
are well fed and in i^ood humour. When 3'our people
arrive the natives will of course have a shanty of their
ow!J at some distance from your house, and then you
will put tliiniL^s on regular footing and serve out their
rations to them weekly. I will give you the scale usu-
ally adopted in the colony."

The second day W^ilfrid and the (Irimstones were so
stiff th.at they could at first scarcely raise their axes.
This ui-adually wore off, and at tlie end of three or four
days they found that they could get through a far
greater amount than at tii'st with much less fatigue to
them-selves; hut even on the l.ast day of the week they
Could do little more than a third of the amount per-

THE WALLS UP.

199

lar
to

fonnorl by tlio naMvps. By tliis time an ample supply
of trees lm<l Iteuu tVIU^I. Tlie trunks had Imm'Ti cut into
8nital)le lengths and roiv^hly srjuaied. The hul locks
arrived from Mr. Mitl'ord's, and as soon as tiie first loijs
were brought up to th(^ house the work of building
was conmienced. The Maori carpenter now took the
lead, und uinler his instrtietions the walls of the house
rose lapidly. The logs were mortised into each other
at the corners; openings weie left for the doors and
windows. These were obtained from Mr. Mitford's
store, as they were constantly required by settlers.

At a distance of four feet in front of the house hoh'S
were dug and poles erected, and to these the frame-
work of the roof was extended. This point was
reached ten days after the commencement of the
buildinsf, and the same evenirii; a native arrived from
Mr. Mitford's with a message that the party from
Wellington had arrivecl there and would come over the
next day. lie also brought a letter to Wilfrid from
the All-'us, in answer to one be had written them soon
after bis arrival, saying that they we"e so pleased
with bis descri]»t;on of the district tbey should come
down at once, and, if it tnined out as he described it,
take up a tract of land in bis neighbourhood.

While Wilfrid bad been at work he had seen Mr.
Atberton several times, as that gentleman bad, upon
the very day after bis first trip up the river, tilled up
the necessary papers, hired half a dozen natives, and
started up the river in a boat freighted with stores to
bis new location. Wilfrid had not bad time to go over
to see him there, but be bad several times sauntered
over from bis place, which w.as half a mile distant,

200

WEi.L conte\tp:d.

m :^

after the day's work was over. He had got up his hut
before Wilfrid fairly got to work.

It was, he said, a very modest shanty with but one
room, which wouhi serve for all purposes; his cook-
ing being done by a native, for w^hom he had erected a
small shelter twenty yards away from his own.

"1 have not qiMte shaken down yet," he said, "and
do not press you to come over to see me until I have
got everything into order. I am sure you feel thank-
ful to me til at I do not expect you to be traniping
over to see me after your long day's work here. By
the time your jieople arrive 1 sliall have everything
in oriler. I am expecting the things I have written
for and my own heavy baggage in a few days from
Wellington.'"

Glad as he was to hear that his father and mother
had arrived, Wilfrid would have preferred that their
coming should have been delayed until the house was
finished and ready for them, and after his first greet-
ing at the water side he said: " Vou must not be
disappointed, mother, at what you will see. Now
everything is in confusion, and the ground is covered
with logs and chips. It looked much prettier, I can
assure you, when 1 first saw it, and it will do so again
when we have finished and cleared up."

"We will make all allowances, Wilfrid," his mother
replied as he helped her from the boat; " but I do not
see that any allowance is necessary. This is indeed a
sweetly pretty spot, and looks a.3 you said like a park
at home. If the trees had been planted with a special
view to effect they could not have been better placed."

"You have done excellently, Wilfrid," his father said,

■ s

JIAKION'S QUESTIUNS. 201

putting liis liand on his shoulder. " Mr. Mitford here
]>a.s been telling me how energetically you have been
worknig, and I see that the house lias n.ade wonderful
progi-es.s."

Marion had, after the first gro.tincr, leapt liolitly
tro.n the boat and run up to the house, towards which
the others i)ro.eeded at a^niore leisurely pace, stopping
o ten and looking round at the pleasant prospect
Marion was full of questions to Wilfrid when they
arrived. \\ hy were the walls made .so thick ? How
were they going to stop up the crevices between the
logs? AM.ere were the windows and doors con.in<r
troni ? \\ hat was the roof going to be made oH Was
there going to be a tioor, or was the ground insi.le
going to be raised to the level of the door-sill? When
did he expect to get it finished, and when would they
be ready to come in ? Couldn't they get some creepei-s
to run up and hide the.se ugly logs? \Va3 it to be
painted or to remain as it was?

Wilfrid answered all these questions as well as he
was able. Ihere was to be a floor over all the new
portion of the building; Mr. Mitford was gettin<r up
the requisite number of planks from a saw-miU at
the next settlement. The crevices we.e to be stopped
with moss. It would be for their father to decide
whether the logs should be covered with match-board-
ing inside or out, or whether they should be left as
they were for the pie.sent. It would probubh- take
another fortnight to finish the roof, a..d at least a
week beyond that before the place would be fit for
til em to move in.

"You see, Marion, I have built it very much on the

lb
i;

rl:

202

MAUION S WORK.

I ? ■

■ •'• I •

plan we decided upon on board the ship, only I was
obliged to make a change in the position of the kitchen
and men's room. The two (h'imstones are u:oin<:j to
set to work to-morrow to dig up a portion of the
plouglied land behind the house and sow vegetable
seeds. Things grow very fast here, and we shall soon
get a kitchen-garden. As te flowers, we shall leave
that to be decided when you come here."

" I wish I could come over and live here at once and
help," Marion said.

"There is notliing you can help in at present,
Marion, and it will be much more useful for you to
spend a month in learning things at Mr. Mitford's.
You undertook to do the cookinix; and I am sure that
will be quite necessary, for father and mother could
ne\er eat the food our Maori cook turns out. And
then 3'ou have got to learn to make butter and cheese
and to cure bacon. That is a most important point,
for we must certaiidy keep pigs and cure our own as
Mr. ]\Iitford does, for the stuff they have got at
most of the places we touched at was almost uneatable,
So, you see, there is plenty to ()ccu[)y your time until
you move in here, and our comfort will depend a vast
deal upon the pains you take to learn to do things
properly."

" What are you going to roof it with, Wilfrid?" Mr.
Renshaw asked.

" We are go'ng to use these poles, father. They
will be split in two and nailed with the Hat side down
on the rafters, and the shingles are going to be nailed
on them. That will give a good solid roof that will
keep out a good deal of heat. Afterwards if we like

AN IMPOIITANT QUESTION.

203

rast

Mr.

ley
)\vn
iled

ike

we can put beams across the room from wall to wall
and plank them, and turn the spice above into a store-
room. Of course that will make the house cooler
and the rooms more comfortable, but as it was not
absolutely necessary I thought it might be left for a
while."

"I think, Wilfrid, I should like to have the rooms
done with boards inside at once. The outside and the
ceiling you speak of can very well wait, but it will be
impossible to get the rooms to look at all neat and
tidy with these rough logs for walls."

"It certainlv will be more comfortable," Wilfrid
airreed. "J\lr. Mitford will jxet tlie match-b; ards for
vou. T will measure ud the walls this eveninsx and
let you know how much will be required. And now
shall Ave take a walk round the place?" The whole
party spent a couple of hours in going over the
property, with which Mr. and Mrs. Renshaw were
greatly pleased. Luncheon had been brought up in the
boat, and by the time they returned from their walk
Mrs. Mitford and her daughters, who had not accom-
panied them, had lunch ready and spread out on the
grass. The meal was a merry one. ISlr. Renshaw
was in high spirits at finding things so much more
home-like and comfortable than he had expected. His
wife was not only pleased for herself, but still more so
at seeing that her husband evinced a willingness to
look at matters in the best light, and to enter upon
the life Ijefore him without regret over the past."

"What are you going to call the place, Mr. Ren-
shaw?" Mrs. Mitford asked. "That is always an
important point."

204

A NAME CHOSEN.

N i

" I have not thought about it," Mr. Eensliaw replied.
"What do you think?"

"Oh, there are lots of suitahle names," she replied,
Icoking round. " We might call it Riverside or The
Park or The Glade."

" I think The Glade would be very pretty," Marion
said; " Riverside would suit so many places."

" 1 like The Glade too," Mrs. Ronshaw said. " Have
you thought of anything, Wilfrid?"

" No, mother, I have never given it a thought. I
think The Glade will do nicely." And so it was settled,
and success to The Glade was thereupon formally drunk
in cups of tea.

A month later the Renshaws took possession of
their new abode. It looked very neat with its ve-
randah in front of the central portion, and the creepers
which Wilfrid had planted against the walls on the
day after their visit, promised speedily to cover the
logs of which the house was built. Inside the floorin":
had been planed, stained a deep brown and varnished,
while the match-boarding which covered the walls was
stained a liuht colour and also varnished. The furni-
ture, which had arrived the day before from Hawke's
Ray, was somewhat scanty, but Wilfrid and Marion,
who had come over for the purpose, had made the
most of it. A scjuare of carpet and some rugs gave a
cosy appearance to the Hoor, white curtains hung
before the windows and a few favourite pictures and
engravings, which they had brought with them from
home, broke the bareness of the walls, Altoirether it
was a very pretty and snug little abode of which Mr.
and Mrs. Renshaw took possession.

THE CLAIIE. 0Q5

CIIAPTliK XI.

TlfK HAU-HAUS.

rpHE next tlireo montl,« n,a,lo a .roat clianr^e in ti.e
J- appearance of The (ilacle. Three or fm,r plots
of gay Howe., cut in tl,e grass between tl.e l'.,,,':
and tl,e r.ver gave a brightness to its appearanee
The house was now covere,! as far as tl>e ,oof with
g enery, anc n.ight .-ell have been n.istaken fa

wa intu V T.^''""'^''' ''^'°° l^'t^'I'^-.^arJen

v\a.sm tun beannof. It was mirrrmnri^.i i •

1 , , *= -i»> ucL-s surrounded bv wire ricf-

work to keep ont the cl,iekens, dncks. an,] geese wMeh
wandered about and pieked up a living as they ds
•eturnn,g at night to the long low sl.ed erecl! To,:
t >en. a so.ne distance frou, the house, re.-eiv^ ,. a
pienffu meal on their arrival to prevent the n .^n'
laj«.ng mto an altogetlier wild condition

lorty acres of land had been replonghed and sown
and the crops had already made considerable progress'
In the more d.stant clearings a do.en l,orses t,;;.nty
or th rty cows, and a sn,all Hock of a hundr d sh.en
grazed, win e son.e distance up the glade in whicl 1 e
house stood was the pig. sty. who^e occupan ve'c
fed wUh refuse tron, the gar.len. picking np, however
the^ larger portion of their iivini, by root'ingT thl'

Long before Mr. and Ifrs Renshaw mo^■ed into the
bouse ^dfrKl, wl,ose labours were now less seve '
had paid h,s Hrst ^■isit to .Mr. Atherton's hut He\ as

20G

A SNUG DEN.

i' i

! I

at once astonislied and delighted witli it. It contained
indeed but tlie one room, sixteen feet square, but tliat
room luid bren made one of the most comfortable dens
j)Ossible. lliere was no flooring, but the ground had
been beaten until it was as liard as baked clay, and
was almost covered with rugs and sheej)-skins; a sort
of divan ran round throe sides of it, and this was also
cushioned with skins. The log walls were covered
with cow-hides cured with the hair on, and from
hooks and brackets hung rities, fishing-rods, and other
articles, while horns and other trophies of the chase
were fixed to the walls.

While the Ren>haws had contented themselves with
stoves, Mr. Atherton had gone to the expense and
trouble of having a great ojjen fireplace, with a brick
chimney outside the wall. Here, even on the hottest
day, two or three logs burnt upon old-fashioned iron
dogs. On the wall above was a sort of trophy of
oriental weapons. Two very large and comfortable
easy chairs stood by the side of the hearth, and in the
centre of the room stood an old oak table, richly carved
and black with age. A book-case of similar a^e and
make, with its shelves well filled with standard woiks,
stood against the one wall unoccupied by the divan.

Wilfrid stood still with astonishment as he looked
in at the door, which Mr. Atherton had himself opened
in response to his knock.

" Come in, Wilfrid. As I told you yesterday even-
ing I have just got things a little straight and comfort-
able."

"I should think you had got them comfortable,"
"Wilfrid said. " I should not have thought that a lo<j

•ks,

Ined

1»>
llog

COMFORT.

20;

cabin could liuve licen ina<]e as pretty .is this. Wliy,
where <lid you i^ct sill tiie thiuii^s? Surely j'ou tun
never have broui-ht thfMii all with you?"

"No, indeed," Mr. Atherton laughed; "the greatest
portion of thcui are jiroducts of the country. There
was no dithculty in purchasiiiL', the skins, the arms,
aTid those sets of horns and trophies. IJooks and a
few other things I brought with me, I have a tlieory
that people very often make tlRMnselves uncond'ortal'le
menily to etlect the saving of a pound or two. Now,
1 rather like makinfr myself snui;, and the carriaoe of
all those things did not add above five pounds to niy
expenses."

" But surely that table and book-case were never
made in New Zealand?"

"Certainly not, Wilfrid. At the time they were
ma«le the natives of this country hunted the Moa in
happy ignorance of the existence of a white race. No,
I regard my getting ])ossession of those things as a
special stroke of good luck. 1 was wandering in the
streets of Wellington on the very day after my arrival,
when I .saw them in a shop. No doubt they had been
brought out by some well-to-do emigrant, \\ ho clung
to them in remembrance of his home in the old
country. Probably at his death his place came into
the hands of some Goths, who preferred a clean deal
table to what he considered old-fashioned thinirs.
Anyhow, there they were in the shop, and I bought
them at once; as also those arm-chairs, which are as
comfortable as anj'thing of the kind 1 have ever tried.
By the way, are you a good shot with the riHe, Wil-
frid?"

208

A MUSKKTRY INSTRUCTOR.

! i

"No, sir; I never fired a rifle in my life before I left
Enirland, nor a sliot-fjun eitlier."

"Then 1 think you would do well to practise,
lad; and those two men of yours should itructise
too. You never can say what may come of these
native disturhances; the rumours of tlie proi^iess of
tills new reliijjion amon:^' th«?m are not encoui-ajTj-
ini^. It is quite true that the natives on this side of
the island have hitherto been perfectly peaceable, but
if they jjet inoculated with this new reli'-ious frenzy
there is no sayini; what may happen. I will speak to
your father abo\it it. Not in a way to alarm him : but 1
will point out that it is of no use your havinuj brouL;'ht
out fireaiins if none of you know how to use them,
and suLjirest that it will be a jjood thin<jf if you and
the men were to make a point of firing a dozen si^.»ts
every morning at a mark. I shall add that he liimself
mie'ht lust as well do so, and that even the ladies miirht
find it an amusement, using, of course, a light rifie, or
firiuGf from a rest with an ordinary rifle with liuht
charges, oi* that they might practice with revolvers.
Anyhow, it is certainly desirable that you and your
father and the men should learn to be good shots with
these weapons. I will gladly come over at first and
act as musketry instructor."

Wilfrid eud)ra('ed the idea eagerly, an<l Mr. Atherton
on the occasion of his first visit to The Glade in a
casual sort of way remarked to Mr. Renshaw that he
thouirht every white man and woman in the outlvinjx
colonies ought to be able to use firearms, as, although
they might never be called upon to use them in earnest,
the knowledge that thev could do so with efi'ect would

'iJ

•ton

n a

■ing

THE TARGKT.

200

greatly acid to tlicir fieling of security and comfort.
Mr. Rcnsluiw at once took up the idea and accepted
the other's otl'er to act as instructor. Accordinuly, as
soon as tlie l{enshu\vs were estahlislied upon tlieir
farm, it hecame one of the standin<4 rules of the phice
that Wilfrid and the two men should tire twelve shots
at a mark every moridnt,' before starting for their
rejijular work at the farm.

The target was a figure roui^ddy cut out of wood,
representing the size and to S(jiiie extent the outline
of a man's figure.

"It is much better to accustom yourself to fire at a
mark of this kind than to practise always at a target,"
Mr. Atherton said. "A man may shoot wonderfully
well at a black mark in the centre of a white square,
and yet make very poor practice at a human figure
with its dull shades of colour and irregular outline."

"But we shall not be able to tell where our bullets
hit," Wilfrid said; "especially after the dummy has
been hit a good many times."

" It is not very material where you hit a man, Wil-
frid, so tliat YOU do hit him. If a man ijjets a heavy
bullet, whether in an arm, a leg, or the body, there
is no more fight in him. You can tell by the sound
of the bullet if you hit the figure, and if you hit him
you have done what you want to. You do not need to
practise at distances over three hundred yards; that is
(juite the outside range at which you would ever want
to do any shooting, indeed from fifty to two hundred I
consider the useful distance to practise at. If you get
to shoot so well that you can with certainty hit a man
between those ranges, you may feel pretty comfortable

(605^ o

I I.

III

li'

^ :Ji

t;;

lilO

STKADY I'llAi'TICE.

in your mind that you can l»oat ofF any attack that
nn<;ht be made on a house you are dot'endinj^.

" Wlion you have loarut to do tliis at tlio full-size
fij^uro you can put it in a ])ush so tliat only tlio lusad
and slioulders are visihie, as would be those of a native
standin<^ up to lire. All this white tai'^t-t-work is
veiy well for sliootini^ for prizes, but if troops were
trained to tire at dunniiy ti;4ures at from fifty to two
hundred yards distance, and allowed plenty of annuu-
nition for practice ana kept steadily at it, you would
see that a single company would be more than a match
for a whole reiriment trained as our soldiers are."

With steady practice eveiy morning, Wilfrid ami
the two young men made very rapid pi'ogress, and at
the end ol' three months it was very seldom tliat a bullet
was tinown awa3\ Sometimes J\lr. Kensliaw joined
them in their practice, but he more often tired a few shots
some time during the day with Marion, who became (piite
an enthusiast in the exercise. Mrs. llenshaw declined
to practise, and said that she was content to remain a
non-combatant, and would undertake the work of
binding uj3 wounds and loading niu.skets. On Satur-
day afternoons, when the men left ofi' work somewhat
earlier than usual, there was always shooting for small
prizes. Twelve shots were tired by each at a figure
placed in the bushes a hundred yards away, with only
the head and shoulders visible. After each had fired,
the shot-holes were counted and then filled up with
mud, so that the next marks made were easily distin-
guishable.

Mr. Renshaw was uniforndy last. The Grimstones
and Marion generally ran each other very close, each

A WONDKRFI'L SHOT.

211

puttiriGf oici^ht or nino of thru- bullets into tlio firrtiro.
Wilfrid was always hnn<li('!i|)pe»l two shots, but us lie
generully put tlie whole of his ten liullets into the
mark, he was in tlio majority of cases the victor. Tiie
shootiiiL,' party was sonietinies swelled hy the presence
of Mr. Atherton and the two Aliens, who liad arrived
a fortnii^ht afier the Heushaws, and had taken up the
section of land next below thenj. Mr. Atherton was
incomparably tlie best shot of the party. \Vilfri<i,
indeed, seldom missed, but he took careful and steady
aim at the object, while Mr. Atherton tired apparently
without waiting to take aim at all. Sometimes he
would not even lift his f^un to his shoulder, but would
fire from his side, or standing with his l)ack to the
mark would turn round and fire instantaneously.

"That sort of thing is only attained by long prac-
tice," he would say in answer to Wilfrid's exclamations
of astonishment. " You see, I have been shooting in
different parts of the world and at different sorts of
game for some fifteen years, and in many cases quick
shooting is of just as mucli importance as straight
shootiuix."

But it was witli the revolver that Mr. Atherton most
surprised Ids friends. He could put six bullets into
half a sheet of note-paper at a distance of fifty yards,
firing witli such rapidity that the weapon was emptied
in two or three seconds.

"I learned that," he said, "among the cow-boys in
the West. Some of them are perfectly marvellous shots.
It is their sole amusement, and they spend no incon-
siderable portion of their pay on cartridges. It seems
to become an instinct with them, however small the

!if

!l!

212

A ri.KASANT MFF..

H i-

()l)i<'(*t at wliicli tlu'V fire tln'V an; almost rcrtnin to hit
it. Jt is n coiiiiiion tlTm'j; witli tlu'iii lor one man to
tlirow Rii rm|ity iiHat-tin into tlie air and for aiiotiicr
to put six Idillcts ill lid'oro it tonolus tiio ((i-ouml. So
Cf'i'taiii ari' tlicy ol' tln-ir own antl fjicli otln-rs' aim,
that one will liojd a hair|t('iiiiy iM'twrm his tinn'or and
tliumh i'ur anotiiLM' to tire at I'rom a distance of twenty
yards, and it is a common J<»iv<! for one t(» kiinciv an-
other's pipe out of Ids mouth vvlien lie is cpdetly smok-
in^r.

" As you SCO, tlu)ui,di my shootings soonis to you
wonderful, I should be considered (}uite a ])()or sliot
amoni;' the cow-boys. Of course, with incessant prac-
tice such as they have I slujuld shoot a <,^)()d deal
better than 1 do; but I could never approach their
perfection, for the simj)le reason that 1 have not the
stren_i;th of wrist. They pass their lives in riliuL,^
half-broken horses, and incessant exercise and hard
work lianh^n tliem until their muscles are like steel,
and thev scarcelv I'eel what to an ordinary nian is a
sharp wrench from the recoil of a heavily-loaded
Colt."

Life was in every way pleasant at The CJlade. The
work of breakiiiL^ up the land went on steadily, but
the labour, though hard, was not excessive. In the;
evening the Aliens or Mr. Atherton fre([uently dropped
in, and occasionally Mi*. Mitford and his daughters
rode over, or tin; party came up in the boat. The ex-
pense of living was small. They had an ample supply
of potatoes and other vegetabk-s from their garden, of
eggs from their poultry, and of milk, butter, and cheese
from their cows. While salt meat was the staple of

MK. UKN.SHAW'S TLAN.

213

tlu'ir food, it wns varied occasionally l-y cliickoji. ducks,
or a goose, Nvliile a sliccp now and thm ali'orded a
week's su|»|«Iy of IVesIi nieat.

Mr. Ilenvjiaw Imd not altoM-etluT abandoned Ids
"'■•:-^i"J'l i'l<'!i II*' liad already learnt sonietldnij of the
Miioii liin-Kauo t'roin his studii's on tlie voyaL;e, and
lie rapitlly aeiiuired a facility of speaking- it from Ids
conversations with the two natives jx-rnianently oni-
I)Ioye(l on tli(! farm. One of tliese was a man of sonn;
forty years old name(l Wetini, the otlu-r was a lad of
sixteen, his son, who>e naim- was Whakapanakai, hut
a.s this name was voted altogether ti»o loni^^ for conver-
sational jtiirpo-ses hu was re-christene(l .lack.

Wetini spoke hut a few worda of Knulish, hut Jack,
who had heen educated at one of the nnssion schools,
spoke it thiently. They, with Wetini's wife, inhahitcd
a small hut situate(l at the ed,L;t; of the W(;()d, at a dis-
tance of ahout two hundred yards from thc^ house. It
was Mr. IJenshaw's cintoui to sti-oll over there of an
evenin<,^ and seatini;- himself hy the lire, which how-
<'ver hot the weathei- the natives always kept hurnin«^

111 • 1 ra'

he would converse with Wetini upon the manners and
custom.s, the religious beliefs and ceremonies, of his
people.

In th(!>e conversations Jack at first acted as inter-
preter, hut it was not niany weeks hefoi-<' Mr. iJenshaw
eained such ]iroticiency in the tongue that such assist-
ance was no longer needed.

But the ])erio<l of |)eiice and ti-anquillity at The
CJIade was hut a short (jiie. Wilfrid learnt from Jack,
who had attached himself s])ecially to him, that there
were reports among the natives that the proplu-t Te

if!

THE SUB-P!lOrHETS.

i i

Ua was sending out missionaries all over the island.
This statement was true. Te Ua had sent out four
sub-prophets with orders to travel among the tribes
and inform them that Te Ua had been appointed by
an angel as a prophet, that he was to found a new reli-
gion to be called Pai Marire, and that legions of angels
waited the time when, all the tribes having been con-
verted, a general rising would takeplace.and the I'akeha
be annihilated by the assistance of these angels, after
which a knovvledije of all lan«fuafres and of all the arts
and sciences would be bestowed upon the Pai Marire.

Had Te Ua's instructions been carried out, and his
agents travelled quietly among the tribes, carefully
abstaining from all open hostility to the whites until
the whole of the native population had been converted,
the rising when it came would have been a terrible
one, and mioht have ended in the whole of the white
population being either destroyed or forced for a time
to abandon the island. Fortun?»tely the sub-prophets
were men of ferocious character. Too impatient to
await the appointed time, they attacked the settlers as
soon as they collected sufficient converts to do so, and
so they brought about the destruction of their leaders'
plans.

These attacks put the colonists on their guard, enabled
the authorities to collect troops and stand on the defen-
sive, and, what was still more important, caused many
of the tribes which had not been converted to the Pai
Marire faith to ranire themselves on the side of the Enjj-
lish. Not because they loved the whites, but because
from time immemorial the tribes had been divided
against each other, and their traditional hostility

GROUND FOR ALARM,

215

weighed more with them than their jealousy with the
white settlers.

Still, although these rumonrs as to the spread of the
Pai Marire or Hau-Hau faith reached the ears of the
settlers, there were few in the western provinces who
believed that there was any real danger. The Maoris
had always been peaceful and friendly with them, and
they could not believe that those with whom they had
dwelt so long could suddenly and without any reason
become bloodthiisty enemies.

Wilfrid said nothing to his parents as to what he hnd
heard from Jack, but he talked it over with Mr. Ather-
ton and tlie Aliens. The latter were disposed to make
light of it, but Mr. Atlierton took the matter seriously.

" There is never any saying how things will go with
the natives," he said. " All savages seem to be alike.
Up to a certain point they are intelligent and sensible;
but they are like children; they are easily excited,
superstitious in the extreme, and can be deceived
without the slightest difficulty by designing people.
Of course to us this story of Te Ua's sounds absolutely
absurd, but tliat is no reason why it should appear
absurd to them. These people have embraced a sort of
Christianity, and they have read of miracles of all
sorts, and will have no more difficulty in believing
that the angels could destroy all the Euroj)eans in their
island than that the Assyrian army was miraculously
destroyed before Jerusalem.

" Without taking too much account of the business,
I think, Wilfrid, that it will be just as well if all of us
in these outlying settlements take a certain amount of
precautions. I shall write down at once to my agent

lil

ii
1)

216

PUEPA RATIONS FOR DKl'ENCE.

at Hawke Bay askinuj him to buy me a couple of ciocjs
and send them up l»y the next ship. 1 shall tell him
that it does not iiiutter what sort of dogs they are so
that they ai'o good watch-dogs, though, of course, I
should prefer that they should be decent dogs of their
sort, dogs one could make companions of. I should
advise you to do the same.

"I shall ask Mr. Mitford to get me up nt once
a heavy door and shutters for the window strong
enough to stand an assault. Here again I should
advise you to do the same. You can assign any reason
you like to your father. With a couple of dogs to
give the alarnj, with a strong door and shutters, you
need not be afraid of being taken by surprise, and it is
only a sur})rise that you have in the first place to fear.
Of course if there were to be anything like a general
rising we should all have to gather at some central spot
agreed upon, or else to quit the settlement altogether
until matters settle down. Still, I trust that nothing
of that sort will take place. At any rate, all we have
to fear and prepare against at present is an attack by
small jiarties of fanatics."

Wilfriil had no difhculty in persuading his father to
order a strong oak door and shutters for the windows,
and to get a couple of dogs. He began the subject by
saying: "Mr. Atherton is going to get some strong
shutters to his window, father. I think it would
be a good thing if we were to get the same for our
windows."

" What do we want shutters for, Wilfrid?"

" For just the same reason that we have been learn-
ing to use our lirearms, father. We do not suppose

BAD NEWS.

217

that tlie natives, wlio are all friendly with us, are i^oing
to turn treacherous. Still, as there i.:> a baie i.ossiCility
of such a thinf^, we have taken some pains in learning
to shoot straight. In the same way it would ho just as
well to have strong sluitters put up. We don't at all
suppose we are going to l)e attacked, but if we ai-e the
shutters would be invaluable, and would etl'ectually
prevent anything like a night surprise. The expense
wouldn't be gi-eat, and in the unlikely event of the
natives being troubh^some in this part of this island we
should all sleep much more soundly and comi'ortably if
we knew that there w as no fear of our being tak(Mi by
surprise. Mr. Atherton is sending for a couple of dogs
too. I have always thought that it would be Jolly to
have a dog or two here, and if we do not want them as
guards they would be pleasant as companions when
one is going about the place."

A few days after tlie arrival of two hiro^Q watch-
dogs and of the heavy shutters and door, Mr. Mitford
rode in to The (ilade. He chatted for a few minutes
on ordinary subjects, and then Mrs. Renshaw said:
"Is anything the matter, Mr. Mitford? you look more
serious than usual."

"I can hardly say that anything is exactly the
nuitter, Mrs. Renshaw; but I had a batch of newspapers
and letters from Wellington this moi-ning, and they
give rather stiriing news. The Hau-Haus have come
into collision with us again. You know that a fort-
night since we had news that they had attacked a
party of our men under Captain Lloyd and defeated
them, and, contrary to all native traditions, had cut off
the heads of the slain, among whom was Captain

.:!

218

THE HAU-HAU OUTlillKAK.

I'. »t

! 1 :

Lloyd himself. I was afraid tliat after this we should
soon hear more of them, and my opinion has been com-
pletely justified. On the 1st of May two hundred of
the Ngataiwa tribe, and three hundred other natives
under Te Ua's prophet Hepanaia iiud Parongi-Kingi
of Taranaki, attacked a strong fort on Sentry Hill,
garrisoned by fifty men of the 52d Regiment under
Major Short,

"The Ngataiwa took no part in the action, but the
Hau-Haus charged with great bravery. The garrison,
fortunately being warned by their yells of what was
coming, received them with such a heavy fire that their
leading ranks were swept away, and they fell back in
confusion. They made a second charge, which was
equally unsuccessful, and then fell back with a loss of
fifty-two killed, among wliom were both the Hau-Hau
prophet and Parengi-Kingi.

"The other affair has taken place in the Wellington
district. Matene, another of the Hau-Hau prophets,
came down to Pipiriki, a tribe of the Wanganui.
These people were bitterly hostile to us, as they had
taken part in some of the former fighting, and their
chief and thirty-six of his men were killed. The tribe
at once accepted the new faith. Mr. Booth, the resident
magistrate, who was greatly respected among them,
went up to try to smooth matters down, but was seized,
and would have been put to death if it had not been
for the interference in his favour of a vounor chief
named Hori Patene, who manao-ed to Ljet him and his
wife and children safely down in a canoe to the town
of Wagnai. The Hau-Haus prepared to move down
the river to attack the town, and sent word to the

THE NATIVE BATTLE.

219

Ngatihau branch of the trihe wlio lived down tlie river
to join tliein. Tliey and two otlier of the Wanoanui
tribes living on the lower part of the river refused to
do so, and also refused to let them pass down the river,
and sent a challenge for a regular battle to take place
on the island of Moutoa in tlie river.

•' The challenge was accepted. At dawn on the follow-
ing morning our natives, three hundred an<l fifty sti-oug,
proceeded to the appointed ground. A hundred picked
men crossed on to the island, and the rest remained on
the banks as spectators. Of the hundred, fifty, divided
into three parties each under a chief, formed the advance
guard, while the other fifty remained in reserve at the
end of the island two liundred yards away, and too
far to be of much use in the event of the advance guard
being defeated. The enemy's party were a hundred
and thirty strong, and it is diflTicult to understand why
a larger body was not sent over to tlie island to o|)pose
them, especially as the belief in the invulnerability of
the Hau-Haus was generally l)clieved in, even by the
natives op])osed to them.

" It was a curious fight, quite in the manner of the
traditional warfare between the various tribes before
our arrival on the island. The lower tribesmen fought,
not for the defence of the town, for they were "not
very friendly with the Europeans, having been strong
supporters of the king party, but simply for the pres-
tige of the tribe. No hostile war j arty had ever forced
the river, and none ever should do so. The liau-Haus
came down the river in their canoes and landed with-
out opposition. Then a party of the Waii-anui ad-
vance guard fired. Although the Hau-liaus were but

Ml!
ill I

220

DESPERATE FIGHTING.

tliirty ynnls distant none of tlicni fell, and tlioir return
volley killed the chiefs of two out of the three sec-
tions of the advance iiuard and nianv othei's.

"Disheartened b}' the loss of their chiefs, the two
sections L;ave way, shouting that the Hau-Haus were
invulnerable. The third section, W(>11 led bv their
chief, held their oronnd, but wei'e driven slowly back
by the overwhelniinf,^ force of the enemy. The battle
appeared to be lost, when Taniehana, the sub-chief of
one of the tlyinrr sections, after vainly trying to ivilly his
men, arrived on the cri'onnd, and, refusing to obey the
order to take cover from the Hau-IIaus' lire, dashed
at the enemy and killed two of tlieni with his double-
barrelled gun. The last of the three leadei's was at
this moment shot dead. Nearly all his men were
more or less severely wounded, but as the Hau-Haus
rushed forward they tired a volley into them at close
quarters, killing several. But they still came on,
when Taniehana again rushed at them. Seizing the
spear of a dead man he drove it into the heart of a Hau-
Hau. Catching up the gun and tonuihawk of the fallen
man, he drove the latter so deeply into the head of
another foe that in wrenching it out the handle was
broken. Finding that the gun was unloaded, he
dashed it in the face of his f(.)es, and snatching up
another he was about to tire, when a bullet sti'uck
him in the arm, Neverthless he lired and killed his
man, but the next moment was brouuht to the ijfround
by a bullet that shattered his knee,

"At this moment Hainoma, who commanded the
reserve, came up with them, with the fugitives whom
he had succeeded in rallying. They fired a volley,

DEATH OF A moniET.

221

and tlien charoed down upon the Ilau-iruns witli
tlieir tonialiaMks. After a desperate h'ol.t the enemy
were driven in confusion to tl.e upper end of tl.e
island, wl.ere they rushed into the water and attempted
to su'im to the right bank. The prophet was reco--
imed anioncr the swimmers. One of the Wan.r.-mui
plunged m after liim, overtook him just as lie reached
the opposite hank, and in spite of the propliet utterin.r
the maoic words that should have paralyser! his assail"
ant, kdled him with his tomaliawk and swam back
with the body to Hainoma."

"Tlieyseem to have been two seiious af^iirs " lilr
Renshaw said; "but as tlie Hau-Haus were defeated
in eaeh we may hoi)e that we have heard the hist of
them, for as botli the prophets were killed the belief
in the invubierability of Te Ua's followers must be at
an end."

"I wish I could think so," ^h. Mitford said; "but it
IS terribly hard to kill a superstition. Te Ua will of
course say that the two prophets disobeyed his positive
instructions and thus brought their fate upon them-
selves, and the incident may therefore rather strenothen
than decrease his influence. The best part of the
business in my mind is that some of the tribes hav*^
thrown in their lot on our side, or if not actually on
our side at any rate against the Ifau-Haus After
this we need hardly fear any general action of the
natives against us. There are all sorts of obscure
alliances between the tribes aiisino- from marriaovs
or from their having fought on^he same side" in
some far-back struggle. The result is that the tribes
who have these alliances with the Wan<-anui will

I .

i i

900

NO LONGER CONFIDENT.

henccfortlj range themselves on the Scamc side, or will
at any rate hold aloof from this Pai iMarire move-
ment. This will also force other . tribes, who might
have been willing to join in a general movement, to
stand neutral, and I think now, that althongh we may
have a great deal of trouble with Te Ua's followers,
we may regard any absolute danger to the European
population of the island as past.

" There may, I fear, be isolated massacres, for the
Hau-Haus, with their cuttii.^" oH' of heads and carrying
them about, have introduced an entirely new and savage
feature into Maori warfare. I was inclined to think the
precautions you and Atherton are taking were rather
superHuous, but ai'tcr this I shall certainly adopt them
myself. Everything is perfectly quiet here, but when
we see how readily a whole tribe embrace the new
religion as soon as a prophet arrives, and are ready at
once to massacre a man who had loncj dwelt amonir
them, and for whom they had always evinced the
greatest respect and liking, it is impossible any longer
to feel confident that the natives in this part of the
country are to be relied upon as absolutely friendly
and trustworthy.

" I am sorry now that I have been to some extent
the means of inducing you all to settle lieie. At the
time I gave my advice things seemed settling down at
the other end of the island, and this Hau-Hau move-
ment reached us only as a vague rumour, and seemed so
absurd in itself that one attached no importance to it."

" Pray do not blame yourself, Mr. Mitford; whatever
comes of it we are deli<T:hted with the choice we have
made. We are vastly more comfortable than we had

•mi

:he

ent
bhe
at
ve-
so
t."
er
ve
ad

A KALLYlN(i I'LACH

te ** (^

expected to be in so short a time, and tilings look pro-
mising far beyond our expectations. As you say, you
could have liad no reason to suppose that this absurd
movement was j;oin2 to lead to such serious conse-
quences. Indeed you could have no ground for sup-
posing that it was likely to cause trouble on this side
of the island, far removed as we are from the scene
of the troubles. Even now these are in fact con-
fined to the district where fighting has been going
on for the last three or four years — Taranaki and
its neighbourhood; for the Wanganui River, although
it flows into the sea in the north of the Wellington
district, rises in that of Taranaki, and the tribes who
became Hau-Haus and came down the river had al-
ready tak(;n part in the fighting with our troops. I
really see no reason, therefore, for fearing that it will
spread in this direction."

"Thei'e is no reason whatever," Mr. Mitford agreed;
"only, unfortunately, the natives seldom behave as we
expect them to do, and generally act precisely as we
expect they will not act. At any rate I shall set to
work at once to construct a strong stockade at the back
of my house. 1 have long been talking of forming a
large cattle-yard tlu're, so that it will not in any case
be labour thrown away, while if trouble should come
it will serve as a i allying - ])lace to which all the
settlers of the district can drive in their horses and
cattle for shelter, and where they can if attacked hold
their own atrainst all the natives of the districts."

"I really think you are looking at it in almost too
serious a light, Mr. i\litford; still, the fact that there
is such a rallying- place in the neigh l)Ouihood will of

[:!

2J4

NOTHING LIKK liEING IMtKI'AnKI).

course a<M to our comfort in caso wc should hear alarm-

in<j^ runxjurs.

"Quite 80, Mr. Ikcnslmw. ]\Iy idea is there is no-
thiiiLj^ like lieirii^^ prepMie<l, and thou-h 1 aj^a'ee \\'ith
you that there is little chance of trouble in this re-
mote settlement, it is just as well to take precaution;?
a'Minst the worst."

CHAPTER XII.

, J

THE FIRST ALARM.

ONE morning Mr. and ^Irs. Rensliaw went aown to
spend a lono^ day with the Mitfords. 'J'he latter
had sent up tlu; boat over-niujht, and they started tbe
first thiui,^ in the morning. For the two or three days
previous Jack, the young native, had more than once
spoken to Wilfrid of the propriety of the hands keep-
inof near the house, but Wilfrid had failed to obtain
from him any specific reasons for the warning.

"Bad men come down fi-om Waikato," he said.
"Much talkee talkee amono- natives."
"But what do they talk about. Jack?"
Jack .shook his head. " Jack no hear talkee. ]\Icn
come to hut and talk with father. Other Maoris on
land steal in and talk too, but no talk before Jack;
always turn him out or send him on errand. But
Jack hear sometimes a word, and think that trouble
come. Young nmster better not go far away by him-
self, and tell two white men to keep close to hut.
Perhaps nothing come, but better to be on guard."

is- :!l

A WAUNINO.

en
on

k;
lufc
ule
ni-
ut.

"Very well, Ja<k; I atn ohIiLjod to you for tlie
warni^^^ I will tell the (Jrinistunes not to ^^o out to
the outlyini^ cleariiiifs, hut to occujiy theiusulves with
what they can tind to do near home."

Jack n()<lded. "That hest, Master Wili'rid, but no
talk too much with ine. It' my ])eople thought I speak
to von then trouble come to Jack."

Wilfrid nodded, and without .sayin;^' anytliing to
Ids father and mother told the (jlrimstones to keep
near the house. "After you Iwive done shooting of a
morning," he said, " instead of bringing your guns
into the house as usual take them down with you to
the place where you are at work, so that they will be
handy in case of necessity. Most likely theie is no
danger whatever; but I have heard a rumour that
some people from Waikato have come into this neigh-
bourhood, and if so no doubt they aie trying to get the
tribes here to join the Hau-Haus. 1 do not think that
there is much chance of their succeeding, for the
natives have always been very friendly, and there has
been no dispute about land or any other grievance;
but when one knows how suddenly they have risen in
other places, it is better to take ])recauti()ns."

After breakfast on the morninu" when his father
and mother had started, Wilfrid strolled out on to the
verandah, and stood for some little time hesitating
what he should do. The Grimstones had just started
to look up some cattle in one of the distant clearings,
one of the native hands having reported the evening
before two of the animals were missing.

" I will go not far till they come back," he said to
himself. " The garden wants hoeing. Weeds grow as

(605) r

220

STIlANdK VISITOIIH.

fast liore as tlioy do at lioino. Tluit will bo just tlio
job for !iio." Ho WHS about to tun» to tutor tho house,
when he saw I'our natives emeii'e t'roui the troos an<l
Tiiak(; towards him.

"Marion," he said throuirh tho oi)('n door, " <;ot tho
guns down from the rack, and soo that tlu^y aro capped
and ready. Tliore are four natives coming towards
the house. I daresay they aro friendly, and are pro-
bably only on the way down the rivor to look for work,
still as wo are alone you canjiot bo too careful."

Hearing Marion reply "All right, Wilfrid!" the lad
leant against the door in a careless attitude, and
awaited the coming of the natives. As they approached
he saw they were all strangers to him, although he
know most of the natives in the noighbourho* by
sight, for those not infreciuently came in to ba .a
pig or a sheo)) for tobacco, sugar, or other things
necessary to them. The natives as they came up gave
the usual salutation of good-day, to which Wilfrid
replied.

" We are hungry," a tall Maori, who by his dress
appeared to be a chief, said.

"I will get you something to eat," Wilfrid answered.

The Maoris would have followed into tho house, but
he stopped and said sharply, " We do not allow
strangers in the house. Those we know are free to
enter and depart as they choose, but I have not soon
any of you before. If you will sit down on that
bench outside 1 will bring you food."

He soon reappeared with a dish of maize and boiled
pork, for a supply was generally kept in readiness in
case any of the natives .should come in.

!«

I 1

'■ I

' J M I

[I'ri \

<■' !

i-^i

B( ; ■

n^'v

MAKli.'.N COVl.KS THE NA1T\K WITH H1;R RIM.K

"drop that, or I fire!"

2 'J 7

r'C^

yfi

rtr-::^'

-•■^1

"Shuffle ahout and make a noise," he said to Marion
as she grot the dish from tlie cupboard. "Tliov cannot
know who are inside, and if tliey mean mischief — mikI
honestly I do not like their looks — they will be more
likely to try it on if they think that I am alone."

The Maoris took the food in silence, and as they ate
it Wilfrid was amused to hear Marion stamping,' heavily
about inside, and occasionally speaking as if to her
father. He could see that the men were listeninc^, and
they exchanged words in a low tone with each other.

Presently the leader of the party said, "Drink!"
Wilfrid went in and brought out a pitcher of water.
"Gin!" the chief said shortlv. "I have no jjin to give
you," Wilfrid replied; "we do not keep spirits."

The natives rose to their feet. " We will come in
and see," the leader said.

" No you won't!" Wilfrid said firmly. " I have given
you what food there is in the house, and you are
welcome to it; but strangers don't come into the house
unless they are invited."

The native laid his hand on Wilfrid's shoulder to
push him aside, but four months of chopping and dig-
ging had hardened every muscle in the lad's body.
He did not move an inch, but jerked the Maori's hand
off his shoulder.

With an exclamation of anger the native drew a
heavy knobbed stick from the girdle round his waist,
but before he could raise it to strike another figure
appeared at the door. Marion held a gun in her haiid
which she raised to her shoulder. "Drop that," she
said in a clear ringing voice, "or I fire!"

Taken by surprise, and seeing the rifle pointed full

228

'•\VI-:LL done, MARION!"

at his head, tho chiof instantly dropped his club. At
the same instant Vv'ili'rid sprani^ to the door, exdaiming
"Go in, i\Iaiionl" and before the natives ha<l recovered
from their surprise the door was shut and barred.

They had not been deceived by Marion's attempt to
personate a man, and their sliarp ears had told thein
wliile eating their meal that tliere was but one pei'son
in the house, and that it was a mil. They knew that
there was no other about, havinor watched the liouse
for some time, and had therefore anticipated that the
work of murder and plunder would be accoinplislied
without ditheulty. The instant the door was closed
they bounded away at the top of their speed to the
shelter of the bush, expecting every moment to hear
the report of a rifle behind them; but the Eenshaws
had not thought of firing.

"Well done, Marion!" Wilfiid exclaimed as soon as
the door was fastened. " I was on the point of springing
upon him when I heard your voice behind me; I
think that I could have tripped him backwards, but if
I had done so the others would have been upon n»e
with their clubs. Now, let us close and fasten the
shutters, though I do not think we need have any fear
of their comiiiir back. In each case we have heard of
they have always fallen on the settlers suddeidy and
killed them before they had time for resistance, and
I do not think there is a chance of their trying to
attack us now that they know we are ready for
them. I expect that they were passing down to some
of their people below, and seeing, as they thought, a
defenceless hut, thought it would be an casv business
to plunder it and knock on the head anyone they

"WHAT HAD WE BETTEIt DO?" 2l'9

m|ht find here. No„- that tlK.y have failed tl.ey
^^ 111 proLably go on tlieir joun„.v ai^ain." ^

when T' ^'°-"^l^' *';'-'"^'""'' \\'ill"<I." Marion said

la in! I :'r"r'r.'' »"'- '" tl- Mttin.-ruon, after
njaking all the tasteninrfs secure

•' Vou <lid „,.t look frightened a bit, IFarion; and vou

e cl op h , einb .sharp? And non-, what do you think
e had be ter ,lo? The first thin, is to -et tie

Gnn.stones „,. The.se fellows n,ay hav-e been wit h !

for .some tn„e and .saw them go out."

"iiut they have got their guns with tl,o,u. Wilfrid

Ihe nat.yes would surely not think of attaekin.- two

Zs." '""' "'"■" """^ '"^" """''"=' ''"'■''I-"
"No, they certainly would not think of doin- that
Marion, liut the el.anees are that thev have .„t ,'„ns

and hat they left th in the hush when th^- sallied

^t, a^ they wanted to lc,„k peaceful and take us by

"1 did not think of that, Wilfri.l. Yes perhans
hey have guu.s. Well, you know, it has alwa L
agreed that m ease of danger three shots .shmdd be
hred as a warning to those who might be out. If we
fire and they hear it they will hurry h.ack "

"Ves, but they n.ight be shot as th..y u.ake their
^^^ay down to the house; that is what 1 an. afraid

Marion was silent for a minute. "Do you know
wliero they have gone to, Wilfrid'"

with those two big trees standing i„ the centre, hut I

230

"THAT IS NOT TO BE TI10L(;HT OF."

It! f "1 '^

■kH

W'^M'

cannot say where they may go to afterwards, for they
had to look for four or tive of the cattle that had
strayed away."

" I can slip out from the window in the men's room
and get into the bush and work round to the clearing,
Wilfrid, and tire three shots there; that would bring
them to me at once. You see, the natives couldn't
cross the clearing here without your having them
under your gun."

"No, Marion," Wilfrid said decidedly; "that is not
to be thought of. If they saw you going they could
work up through the bush on their side to the top of
the clearing, and then follow you. No; I think I will
tire the three shots. We have talked it over several
times, you know, and the Grinistones have been told
that if they heard the alarm they must njake their
way cautiously to the top of the clearing and see
what is fjoinu: on before they venture to make for the
house. As soon as I see them I can shout to them to
keep to the bush on thuir left till they get opposite the
house. Everything is so still that one can hear a
shout a long way, and I feel sure I could make them
understand as far off as the end of the clearing. It isn't
as if we were sure that these fellows were still hanj*-
ing about ready to attack us; the probabilities are all
the other way. They would have mur<lered us if they
could have taken us by surprise, but that is a ditl'erent
tiling altogether to making an attack now they know
we are armed and ready."

Taking three of the rifles, Wilfrid opened one of the
shutters at the back of the house and tired them, with
an interval of about tive seconds between each shot;

1
1

THE ALARM-SIGNAL.

231

then he stood at tlie window and watched the upper
end of the glade. " Dear met " he exclaimed suddenly
"I am sorry we fired."

" vVly?" Marion asked in surprise.

"Because Mr. Atherton is sure to hear it if he is at
home, and will come hurrying over; and if these fel-
lows are still there he may come right into the middle
ot them."

" I do not think he would do that, Wilfrid," Marion
said, after thinkiniT for a moment or two. " Mr. Ather-
stone is not like the Grimstones. He has been in all
sorts of adventures, and though I am sure he will
come to our help as soon as he can, I think he would
take every precaution. He would know that the
natives will be likely to come from above, and there-
tore be between him and us, and would come alon.r
carefully so as not to be surprised." °

" I hope so, I am sure," Wilfrid said ; " for he is an
awfully good fellow. Still, as you say, he is sure to
keep his eyes opened, and unless they surprise him I
should back him against the four of them "

In a quarter of an hour they heard a shout from the
edge of the clearing. "There are the Aliens!" Wilfrid
exclaimed as he leapt to the door. " I forgot about
them, although of course they are nearer than Mr
Atherton. All right! " he shouted; " you can come on."
The two Aliens ran across the open space between the
wood and the house.

" What is it, Wilfrid?" they exclaimed as they came
up. "You fired the alarm-signal, did yon not?" Both
were breathless with the speed at which they had run.
They had been engaged in felling when they heard

: 11

!■' I

iTH

232

RKINFORCEMENTS.

the shot, and had thrown down thoir axes, run into
the hut for thoir guns, and made for The (ihide at tlie
top of tlicir speed. In a few words Wilfrid exphiined
what had liappened, and that there was every reason to
believe that four hostile neighbours were lurking in
the bush on tlie opposite side of the glade The Aliens
at once volunteered to go up to the head of the clear-
ing to wain the Orinistones. Keturning to the point
where they had left the forest, they Ui-^de their way
among the trees until they reached the upper end of
the clearing; then they sat down and listened. Jn a
few minutes they heard the sound of breaking twigs.
"Here come the men," the elder Allen said ; " the Maoris
would come along noiselessly," Two or three minutes
later the Grimstones came up at a run, accompanied
by their two dogs.

"This way," James Allen said.

"What is it, sir?" Bob Gi-imstone gasped. "We
were a long way in the woods wdien we thought we
heard three shots. We were not quite sure about it,
but we started back as fast as we could come. There
is nothing wrong, I hope?"

" Fortunately nothing has happened," James Allen
replied; "but four strange Maoris came up to the
house, and would certainly have nuu'dered j\lr. Wilfrid
and his sister if they had not been prepared for them.
Whether they are in the bush now or not I do not
know; but we have come up to warn you not to go up
the clearing, as, if they are there, they might pick you
off as you did so. We must come down under shelter
of the trees till we are opposite the house."

In ten minutes they reached the house. Just as they

"IT WAS LUCKY."

233

did so Afr. Atlierton nnp.'ared at the edge of the wood
vvhicli tliey liad just Irl't.

" Tluink Cod you are all safe.'" l,e said as l.«. strolKMl
"P to the liouse. " Your three shots -ave ine a fri-hf
hut as 1 l.eard no more I was relieved, for tlie signal
told that you l,ad not heen taken hy surprise, and as
there was no more firing it was clear tliey luid drawn

"But how did you get to that side of tlie dearin-,
Mr. Athertonr' °

"I followed the wood till witln'n a few hundred
yards of the clearing, as 1 made sure if th(>re were
hostde natives ahout they would be at the e.!-e of the
bush. Then I got down into the river and wa.li'd aloncr
the edge. The hank in front here was tkH l.ioh enou-d"
to hide me, though I sto.,pe<l ns much as I co'-Id- but'l
reckoned that aH eyes would he lixed on the house
and It was not likely I should be noticed. And now'
M-hat IS it all ahout? I am sure you would not have
hred the signal unles. there had been good cause for
the alarm." Wilfrid related what had taken place

" W ell done, \liss Marion!" Mr. Atherton said when
he had finished. 'It was lucky for your brother
that you did not go with your father and mother this

morning

It was lucky, Wilfrid ngreed; "but at the same
time It I had been quite alone I should have closed
the shutters and door as they came up, and kept in-
doors. I only ventured to meet them outside because
1 knew that Marion had a gun ready to hand to me
the moment I wanted it."

"Yes; but you see there -/as not time to hand you

234

JACK RETUUNS.

it >

!! '

ifin

I i

'! li

! ■' lit J

the gun, Wilfrid, as it turned out, and you would
have heen knocked on the head to a certainty it' your
sister liad not come to your rescue."

"That I certainly should; and I know tliat I owe
Marion my life. \N'hat do you think we had better
do now ? "

" I do not think we cin do anythincf, Wilfrid, beyond
trying to find out whether the fellows who came here
were alone, or were part of a larger party. Where are
your natives?"

"The three men are chopping, and Jack went out
with the Grimstones to look for the cattle."

" Was he with you when you heard the shots fired,
Bob ? "

"He was w^th us a minute or two before, and was
following a track. After we heard the signal we did
not think anything more about him, and whether he
followed us or went on looking after the cattle I do
not know."

" If you go to the door, Wilfrid, and give a loud
c it will brinor him in if he is within hearinnf. You

may be sure that he heard the signal, for his ears are
keener than those of your men; but he would not rush
straight back, but would come cautiously through the
woods according to his nature."

Wilfrid went to the door and gave a loud cooey.
A minute later the Maori issued from the bush, nearly
opposite the house, and ran in.

"That's just where the natives took to the bush,"
Wilfrid said. "Perhaps he will be able to tell ua
something about them."

" I expect he has been scouting," Mr. Atherton said,

<«

TIIEY NOT FltillTINO-MEN.

!35

011(1

You

's are
rush
the

said,

"and his coming boldly out from that point is a pretty
sure proof that the natives have made otf. Well,
Jack, so you heard our signal?"

Jack nodded.

*'And what have youbeondoing since?" Wilfrid asked.

"Jack went throiudi the bush fast till he got near
house, then, as the guns were not going of!', he knew
there could be no attack; but thought black man might
be lying in bush, so he crept ami crawled. Presently
he heard man talk, and then saw four Maori walking
fast away from house. He only heard them say as he
passed, ' No use now; too many I'akehas. Come another
day and finish them all.' Jack was coming straight to
house when he heard cooey."

" You have seen nothing of your father and the
other two men. Jack?"

The Maori boy shook his head. "They chop wood;
perhaps not hoard signal."

" More likely they heard, but thought it better to
stay away," Wilfrid said.

"No got guns; they not fighting-men," Jack said, as
if in excuse.

"There is something in that," Mr. Atherton said.
"The Hau-Haus have always proved themselves even
more merciless towards the friendly natives than
towards the whites* fM'^ these men, being unarmed,
might, even with the best disposition in the world, be
afraid to come to the house. At any rate, I am glad
those fellows have made off. You see, they were in a
position to shoot any of us if they got the chance,
while we were scarce in a position to return the com-
pliment."

I i

23G

"WE SHALL LEARN IN A DAY OK TWO."

■ ;■;''

1 ;i

n ,

" Wliy not? " Jaiuos Allen asked.

" lU'caiiHc, althounfh we could have now no doul-t
wliatever as .to thuir iFitentions, they have coiimiittt'd
no af.'tual assault. Tlioy tried their Itest to |iiisli their
way into the house, and when Wilfiid opjiosud theni
one of them drew his club; hut they niin'ht say this
Mas only done to frighten him, and that they had no
thought of using it. If they had lired a shot, we sliould
of course be justified in killing them; but were we
to begin the shooting, the whole tribe they belong to
would take it up, and there would be a cry for ven-
geance; and even if nothing were done at onee, we
should be nuirked down to be wiped out at the first
opportunity.

" We shall learn in a day or two whether the matter
was serious or not," Mr. Atherton went on. "If there
is anything like a general defection of the natives in
these parts yours will not have been the only j)lape
threatened, and we shall hear of attacks on other
settlers. If we do not hear of such attacks we can
safely put it down that these four fellows were mere
haphazard passers, like tramps at home, who were
tempted by the fact that the house contained only two
persons. In that case we need feel no further anxiety-
for as you would be able to recogni/ce them if you met
them anywhere, they would not be likely to come near
this part of the district again. At any rate I will set
oti* with the boy here and one of the dogs, and will
follow up their tracks and see if they have gone well
away. I have no doubt they have done so; still, it
will be more comfortable to make certain of it."

"By the way, Bob," Wilfrid said, "don't you take

" IS ALL WLLL?"

2:'. 7

take

those two flocfs out aLrain. I tloii't tliiiik tliov would
be any uood for hunting cattle, and would he much
more likely to frighten and hunt them away than to
help you to drive them in. At tiny rate they were
bought as guards, and are to remain about the house.
Shall I go with you, Mr. Atluiton?"

" N(», thank you, Wilfrid; .lack will be onougli to
help me fallow the tiacks, for what he lieard them say
is almost proof tliat they have gone. I shall go round
to my own place when I have followed them fairly otV
the land, but will come round heie to-morrow morning,
when we will hold a jjfeneral council of war. It is no
use my coming back again this evening, as your father
and the others will not be here before that time. Jt is
possible that they will bring us some news from the
Mitfords. If there is any trouble anywheie along the
river Mitford is sure to be the first to hear of it. I will
send a mes.sage back by Jaek when he has gone as far
as necessary for our purpose."

Two hours later Jack returned with the news that
the Maoris had gone straight on without making a stop.
Mr. and Mrs. Pvenshaw were expected Ijack at about
ten o'clock. They were to breakfast early at the Mit-
fords and to come up with their light canoe. They
arrived, how^evci', soon after eight o'clock.

"Is all well^" Mr. Renshaw shouted as he stepped
from the boat.

" All well, father," Marion replied, running down to
meet them. " We had a little unpleasantness yester-
day, but nothing of consequence. What la'ings you
back so early ^ You must have started before day-
light"

2:\s

HAD NKWS.

!.1

" Vmd news caino in yesterday eveninrr, and we shouM
liavo conio stnii^lit ovrr if it liad been |t()ssil)le, but Mr.
Mitl'ord would not let us leave till morning. We have
been very anxious about yon."

" What is the news?" Wilfrid asked.

"The natives murdered two settlers at a farm some
four miles from Mr. Mitford's. Yesterday he received
h'tters both from Poverty Bay and Napier saying that
the natives were in a very disturbed state, that Hau-
Hau proj)hets had been going about among them, and
that in both districts there had been several murders.
Corps of volunteers are being raised at Napier, and
they have sent to Wellington for a company of the
constabulary. The settlers at Poverty P)ay are also
making preparations for defence. Mr, Mitford was
asked to i^et all the colonists on this river to arm and
I)repare for an attack. Of course this news was very
alarming in itself, and when two or three hours later
the news came in of the murders in our own settle-
ment we were natu'^. lly most anxious about you.
However, as we could not come over in the dark
through the forest, and as Mitford pointed out that
the house was well prepared for defence, and that you
would certainly be on the alert and had the dogs, who
would give you notice of any body of men coming, we
consented to remain if he would send us home in the
canoe at five o'clock in the morning. And now, what
is it that happened here yesterday ? '

"It was nothing very alarming, father. Four
natives came up and asked for food, which of course
I gave them. Then they wanted gin, and seeing that
I was alone tried to push their way into the house

A COUNCIL OK WAR.

'J:'.'.>

very
later
jttle-
yoii.
dark

that
,t you

who

ig, we

n the

what

Four
bourse
that
iQuse

I tried to stop thotn. Tlic fellow snatchei] at liis
clul). As lie (ii(l so Marion a[)|)eanMl at the door
with a leselled ritlo, and the lelloWH, who luul no ;;iin.s
witii them, took to their heels. Wo u^avo the alarni-
8i;^auil, and the Aliens and Mr. AtluTton came over at
once, and the (Jiimstones ran in from tlaslr work.
However, the natives luicl made their way otl', and 1 do
not suppose we shall hear any more of them."

"I don't know, Wilfrid," his father sai.l. "If it had
been ordy this atl'air I should not liave thou<:^ht nuieh
about it. The natives are often rude and insolent, and
these men ndght not have meant to do more than help
themselves to a bottle of spirits, but taken with these
accounts from Napier and Poverty J'ay, and with the
murders yesterday, 1 think it is very .sericnis."

"Mr. Atherton and the Aliens prondsed to come
over at ten o'clock, father, to chat the matter over with
you, and hear whether you had brought news of any
troubles elsewhere. So we shall have (|uite a council.
And now let us have break fa.st. We were Just going
to sit down when we heard your call, and 1 am sure
you must be as hungry as hunters after your three
hours on the water."

Breakfast was scarcely finished when Mr. Atherton
and the Aliens arrived, and were made acquainted
with the news of the murder of the two settlers on the
previous day.

" It is clear," Mr. Atherton .said, " that the affair here
yesterday was not, as I hoped, a mere incident, such as
might happen anywhere if a party of ruilianly fellows
arrived at a lonely house which they thought they
could rob with impunity. This sad busine.ss you tell

ill

•240

I AM CLAD TO HEAR YOU SAY SO.

US of shows that there is a

^mu

i ■! 'f

':i|f'

the natives, the result, I su

Cfeneral iiiovement anionfj
ppose, of the ai'»'ival of some

einissaiy from the Han-Hans. It is an awkward busi-
ness. What i.i Mr. Mitford's opinion on tlie subject?"

"He thinks it will be well that all settlers on tlie
river capable of bearing arms should be enrolled as
£., volunteer corps, and be in readiness to turn out at a
moment's notice. He is of ()[)inion that all those
whose farms lie at a distance from the main body
should drive in their animals end brinir in such jjfoods
as they can carry to his station, as one of the most
central. Huts could be got u]) there, and tlie animals
all kept at night in his large stockaded yar<l. In ease
the natives seem inclined to make a rei^ular attack the
women and children could be sent down the river in
boats or put on board a ship and sent to Napier.
Fortunately, there is seldom a week without a craft of
some sort putting into the river."

"There is no doubt that this would be the safest
plan," Mr. Achei'ton said, " but it would be a serious
thing for the settlers to abandon their crops and houses
to the natives unless it was certain that the danuer
was very great."

"That is my opinion," ]\Ir. Renshaw said. "I am
certainly not dispv:)sed to have tlie results of our labour
destroyed without a struggle."

Wilfrid looked alike surprised and pleased. "I am
glad to hoar you say so, father. It would be an awful
nuisance and loss to have all our crops destroyed and
our house burnt down, and to have to begin the whole
thing over again. I don't see what would have been
the use of getting everything ready for defence if we

Mil. ATIIKUTUNS riluroSAL.

241

■;afest
.^rious

louses

1 1 am

iIjoiu-

1 1 am

uvful

l\ and

kvhole

been

lif we

are all to run away directly tliere is claiiLTiT; l)ut T
tliink it would be a jrood thinuf to send the animals
down to ^Ir. Mitford's, as he is iiood enoiiuh to otl'er to
take tliem. We might send down the three natives to
look after them, as of course they will have to go out
to graze in the daytime, and ke<'p Jack here. 1 do not
know about the other men, and one dix^sn't seem able
to trust the nativ^^s in the slightest; but I fed sure of
Jack, and he would be useful to us in many ways in
the house, besides being able to scout in the woods far
better than we could do."

"I think that yon are right, Mr. Tienshaw," Mr.
Atherton said. " I should ])ropose as an a<l(lition that
the Aliens hei'f; and I make this our liead-quartcis
while the scait.' lasts. We could run up a light shanty
witii a few hours' work just behind the house. I'be
Aliens could lto over to their work during the da\' and
return hei'e at inght, and I should wandei- about the
woods with ni}'' gun as usual I do not tliiidc we need
fear any attack in the daytime. If it eoiiics at all it
will be at niglit or at early morning. The natives will
know from the men who were here that you are well
armed, aiul will try to catch you napning. We won't
be any more troid>le to you than we can help, and with
the addition of our three iiujis I think we could defeml
ourselves against any number of natives. What do
you think of my proposal, lads^'

The Aliens said at once that they thought it was an
excellent one, if Mr. and Mrs. Kenshaw wei'e willinir to
have the tiouble of them.

"It will be no trouble at all," Mrs. Kenshaw said,
"and will V>e a very great comfort. With .seven men to

( 005 ) V

124

Oi-)

JOINING KOKi.'KS.

If .' I

V- I,

Mil

protect us Marion and I sliall feel perfectly safe, and
it will be in all ways pleasant to liave you here with
us. I do not see that you need huild a hut outside
at all. There will be no difficulty in making up beds
here and in the kitchen, and then we shall be all
together."

" But I do not propose that yoa should cook for us,
]Mrs. Renshaw. If w^e had a hut of our own our boys
could do that for us. You see, we are coming up here
for our ow^n defence as well as yours."

"I should (lot think of such a thing," Mrs. Renshaw
said decidedly. " There is no more trouble in cooking
for nine than there is for six; and, as I have said, it
will be a real pleasure to us to have you stoppi?jg here."

" Very well. Then in that case, M is. Renshaw, we will
accept your invitation. I will bring over my belong-
ings to-day and store them in y^our loft above, and the
Aliens had better bring over anything they do not
want burnt by the natives. I still hope that these
outrages are the work of a few ruthans, and that tlie
natives in general will not allow themselves to be per-
suaded into hostilities Mgainst us; still, if the worst
comes to the worst, I am convinced that we can hold
this house against (juite as strong a force as they are
likely to bring to attack it. There is one precaution
I should ad\ i^ 3'ou to take at once, and that is to lay in
a store of w^ater. I daresny you have got some em])ty
molasses and pork casks, that is if 3'ou do not burn
them as soon as you empty them. It* not we must set
to work and make a strong wooden tank. In case we
were really besieged, it would be fatal to us if w^e were
caught without a supply of water. '

V' ' I

A voT.T'NTKFR r'<")rrs.

o I o

and
ath
side
Ijeds
! all

•r US,
boys
here

isliaw

oking
aid. it
here."
ve will
iclong-
iid the
lo nut
these
lit th.e
)e per-
Nvorst
111 hold
ey are
■aution
lay in
empty
(t hurn
list set
ase we
e were

Fortnnnt<'ly tliore wore tliroo or four oni]ity cn^ks.
These were taken down to the river and tlioron^hly
washed, tilled with water and rolled up to the house.
While this was beins; done, Wilfrid, with the (h-ini-
stones and the natives, had u'one out and driven in all
the animals from the clearinL;s, and as soon tis they
were broui^ht in Wilfrid with the natives started to
Ui. .e them to Mr. Mitt'ord's. Mr. Atherton went over
to his hut, and before niq-ht his two natives had
brought over all his most valuable property, and the
next uay his hut was completely stripped. The Aliens
only brouj^ht over a few things. Their furniture was
rough an' hea\y, and they contented themselves Ijy
canying it out into the fon.'st near ami hiding it in
the underorowth. Wilfrid returned to The (Hade in
the evening. He said that many of the settlers had
come in, and were erecting shelters of hidiNs, canvas,
and wood near Mr. Miti'ord's house. The men wei'e
all being enrolled. Ollicers had been appointed, and
th<> natives were likely to meet with a sloiit resistance
if they ventured on hostilities.

Mrs. Mitloid had sent an earnest invitation to ^Ir.s.
Rensliaw and Marion to take u]) their abo(le with her.
Mr. Mitfbrd had appr./ved of their intention oi" holding
the house. He knew its capabilities of defence and
thought that, unless ta.ken by surprise, they would be
able to hold it.

"It will be a ^ort of outpost for the colony," he said,
"and will aud to >in- saletv: for if any stiong boilv of
natives were approaehing they would prot/al)ly attack
you before cominu' on here. 'J'he instant W(! hear that
you are attacked we will come up to aid you. Wo

244

A STRONG MUSTER.

shall be al)le to muster in all sometliing like fifty
mounted men — a strength sufficient to meet any num-
ber of natives likely to assemble in these parts."

CHAPTER XIIL

THE ATTACK OX THE GLADE,

!.■ '

M :

(I,

IT^OR three days thin!::^s went on quietly at The Glade.
The tirst thinLC in the moriiinL!; Jack went out
with two of the doijs and scouted in the bush. As
soon as he returned with tlie news that he could find
no signs of natives the household broke up. The
Aliens went through the bush to their clearing and
continued their work of felling trees. ]\Ir. Atlierton
sauntered ott' with his two dogs into the forest in
search of plants. Wilfrid and the Grinistones pursued
their work of digging and planting in the upper part
of the i-Iade. Jack and the two dogs were on watch
round the house. J\ir. Renshaw worked at his Maori
vocabular}', and his wife and daughter carried on the
business of the house.

At night two of the dogs were chained up outside;
the other two slept in the kitchen, while Jack was
allowed to sleep up in the loft. At daybreak on the
fourth da}' the paity were awoke by a growl from one
of the dogs outside. Kach of the oceu])ants of the
house ha<l Ixm-m allotted his post, aii<l in a minute all
were standing, rifle in hand, at the wimlows (hey werc^
to _;uard. .Mr. Atlierton opened the irunt door and

i(<, '

itside;

was

the

one

)t'

the

,^ nil

\ver»^

and

AN ATTEMPT AT SUUIMIISH

245

went out, followed hy Jack. It was just irettiiio: liijlit
enough to make out objects in the clearing. Kvery-
thinor seemed «juiet

"What is it, Ponto?" he said to his dog, who was
standing with his eyes lixed upon the hush to the
light, his ears pricked and his hair bristling. " What
do you hear, old fellow?"

The dog uttered another deep growl. A moment
later there was a loud yell. A number of dark
figui'es leapt from the edge of the bush and ran
towards the house. They had made out Mr,
Atherton's figure, and knew that their hope of sur-
prising the place was at an end. Mr. Atherton
levelled his rilie and tired, aiul one of the natives fell
dead. Then stooping he (juietly unfastened the dog's
chain from liis collar, telling Jaek to do the same to
the other dog, "Come into the house, sir," he ordered;
" it's no use your being here to be shot."

His shot had been answered by a dozen rifles, but
fired in haste as the men were running none of the
bullets struck him. Four shots were tired almost
simultaneously from the windows looking towards the
bush, and three more natives fell. This proof of the
accuracy of the defenders' shooting staggered the
Maoris and they paused for a moment, then, moved
by the exhortations of their chief, they again rushed
forward. The whole of the defenders were now
gathered at the windows facing them, and seven shots
were tired in (juick succession. Three natives fell
dead. Four others were wounded, two so seriously
that they had to be carried oti" by their comrad'.'S, who at
once ran back to the bush, and from its edge o[)ened a

■1

^"Waim—

246

THK LOOK-OUT POSTED.

straggling fire against the house. The shutters that
had been thrown open at the two windows were at
once chxsed.

" This is what I call heating them off handsomely,"
Mr. Atherton said. "Now you see the advantage,
Wilfrid, of the pains you have taken to learn to shoot
straight. There have been only eleven shots tired, and
I fancy there are at least ten casualties among them.
I call that a very pretty avui-age for young hands."

"What will they do next, do you thiidv^' Mr. Ren-
shaw asked.

"They will not try another open attack, I fancy.
We may expect them to try to work round us. Jack,
do you go to the other side of the house and keep
a sharp look-out on the bush there. Wilfrid, you take
post at the windows we tired from, and jeep out
from time to time through the loopholes in the
shutters. Between times keep 5-ourselt" out ol" the line
of fire. The betting is a thousand to one agaiuf^t
a bullet coming through, still there is no u.se in
running any risk if it can be avoided. Jim Allen, you
and I will take up our place at the back of the house;
they may try to work up among the crops. In fact,
I expect that is the course they will take unless they
have had enough of it already. Bob Grimstone, you
keep watch at one of the front windows. I don't think
there is much chance of attack from that side, but it is
as well to keep a look-out. Some of them may attempt
to cross to the opposite bush, keeping down by the
river. The other three guns will be in reserve."

" Don't you think they are likely to go away now that
they have suli'ered so much loss? ' Mrs. Kenshaw asked.

THE ATTACK RENEWED.

247

out
the
e line
^aiiif^t
se in

l^ouse;
fact,
they

,yo^

think
t it is
enipt

ly the

IV that
isked.

"No, I cannot say I think so, Mrs. Renshaw. The
Maoris, from what 1 have heard, always try to git
revenge for the death of a kinsman or fell()W-tril)e.s-
man. Of course it depends how many of them there
are. I should judge that there were about thirty
showed themselves. If that is all there are of them I
should say they would not attack again at present.
They must know by our firing that there are seven or
eight of us here. But I should not rely altogether
even upon that, for the natives regard themselves as
fully a match, man for man, with the whites, and in their
fights with our troops we were often greatly superior in
numbers. Still, it is one thing to defend a strong pah
and another to attack resolute men snugly sheltered
behind bullet-proof logs. They may try again, but if
there are any more of their people within reasonal»Ie
distance I fancy they will be more likely to send for
them and keep a sharp watch round as until they come
up. Now I will go to my post."

For a quarter of an hour the two watchers at the
back of the house saw no sii>ns of life. Then Mr.
Atherton said: "There is a movement among that
corn, Jim. Do you see, theie — just in a line with that
big: tree at the other end of the clearinjx? It is mov-
ing in several places. Call your brother and young
Grimstone to this side of the house, and do you all take
steady aim at these moving patches. I will hre first.
I think I can pretty well mark the spot where one of
the fellows is making his way down. If I hit him the
others are likely enough to start up. Then will be
your time for taking a sli(;t at them."

A.s soon as the others were in portion and ready

ili

248

'• YUU Oi:(niT TO HAVE DUNK liKTTKU.

! t I

Mr. Atljorton firod. There was a yell. A dark fii^ure
aprani^ uj), stood for an instant, and then fell hack.
Ahnost at tlie same instant half a dozen others leaj)t
to their feet and dashed away. Three ritles were fired.
Two of the natives fell, hut one almost immediately
rose a<j:ain and followed the others.

" You ouu'ht to have done better than that at a
hundred yards," Mr. Atherton said. " You two lads
ought to have practised a little mo.re steadily than you
have. It was (Jrimstone brought down that man.
His rifle went off' a second before yours, and the man
was falling when you tired. The great thing in tiring
at natives is that every shot should tell. It is the
certainty of tlie thing that scares them. If they hear
bullets singing about with only occasionally a man
dropping they gain c<»nfidence, but a slow, steady tire
with every shot telling shakes their nerves, and makes
them very careful of showing themselves."

Half an hour later Jack reported he could see figuix'S
moving in the bush on his side, and soon nfteiwards
a tire was opened on the hut from that direction.

" They have woiked round the end of the clearing,"
Mr. Atherton said. " Now it is our turn to beidn to
fire. We have let them have their own way long
enough, and there is plenty of light now, and I think
we shall soon be able to put a stop to this game.
Now, Wilfrid, do you with one of the (Jrimstones take
up your place at the loopholes at that end of the
house, and I with the other will take up mine on
the right. Keep a sharp look-out, and do not throw
away a shot if you can help it. As we have not,
answered their fire they have probably got careless,

WUi

II .(:

A DEAD SHOT.

249

and are sure to expose themselves as they stand up to
tire. Now, Vioh," he went on, as he took his phice at
the loophole, " I will take tlie first who shows liiinself.
I do not tliiidv you would miss, but I atu sure that
I shall not, and it is important not to make a mistake
the tirst time."

Half a minute lat(T a native showed his head nnd
shoulders over a hush as he rose to lire. J'.et'ore lie
could raise his n^un to his shoulder he fell with a bullet
throuo'h his bond from Mr. Atherton's unerring rifle.
That gentleman (|uietly reloaded.

"You hr.d better take the next again, sir," I'ob
Grimstone said (|uiftly, "1 do not suppose I should
miss, but 1 might do. I do not reckon on hittiii"- a
small mark more than eight out of twelve times."

It was nearly four minutes before another native
showed Inmself.

"I think, sir, there is one standing behind that big
tree twenty ynrds in the bush. I thought 1 saw some-
thing move behind it just now."

"I will watch it, Bob," Mr. Atherton said, raising
his rifle to his shoulder and lookin*: alonix it throu<di
the loophole.

Two miiuites passed, and then a head and shoulder
appeared from behind the tree. Instantaneously Mr.
Atherton's rifle cracked, and the native fell forward,
his gun going off as he did so.

"We need not stand here any longer," Mr. Athei-ton
said quietly, " there will be no more shooting from that
side for some time."

Mr. Atherton went to the other end of the house.

"How are you getting on, Wilfrid?"

I i t

2:>0

A NON-(;OMnATANT.

1!'!< I

" We have litid tliroo shots. 1 fired twice and Bill
once. 1 think I missed once altogetlier, the other
time the native went down. Bill woundctl his man —
hit him in the shoulder, I think. They haven't tired
since"

" Then yon can put down your fjnns for the present.
Mrs. Rcnshaw has just told me that breakfast is ready."
Mrs. Kenshawand Marion had indeed gone (juietly about
the work of preparing breakfast for their defenders.

"80 you are a non-combatant this morning, Miss
Marion?" Mr. Atherton sjii<l as he took his place with
the rest of the party, with the exception of the Grim-
stones, who were placed on the watcli, at the table.

"Yes," the girl replies, "if I thought there were
any danger of the natives fighting their way into the
house, of course I should do my best to help defend it;
but 1 do not think that there is the least fear of such
a thing, so I am quite content to leave it to you. ]t
does not seem to me that a woman has any business to
fight unless absolutely driven to do so in defence of
her life. If the natives really do come on and get up
close to the house, I think that I ouuht to help to
keep them out; but it is a dreadful thing to have to
shoot anyone — at least it seems so to me."

"It is not a pleasant thing when considered in cold
blood; but when men go out of their way to take
one's life, I do not feel the slightest compunction
myself in taking theirs. These natives have no cause
of complaint whatever against us. They have as.sem-
bled and attacked the settlement in a treacherous
manner, and without the slightest warning of their
intentions. Their intention is to slay man, woman,

AN AnsoMTK l)UTY.

Rnd child without morcv, and I therefore rocrard thcin
a.s liuinaii tigers, and no iiioro dcstirving of l>ity. At
the sai e time I can (juite enter into your feelinL;s, and
think yon are peit'ectly riglit not to tai<e any active
part in the aH'air unless we aie pressed hy the savagts.
Then, of course, you would he not only justified, hut it
would, 1 think, he your ahsolute duty to do your best
to defend the plnee."

"Do you think that it is all over now, Mr. Ather-
ton?" Mrs. Kenshaw asked. "We r(\u-ard you as our
conimandinr,' officer, for you are the only one here who
ever saw a shot fired in an^er l)erore our voyage out,
and your e.xperience is invaluable to us now. Indeed,
both my husband and myself feel that it is to your
suggestion that we should put up the strong shutters
and doors that we owe the lives of our children; for
had it not been for that, those men who came first
might have taken the house when they found them
alone in it."

" I cannot accept your thanks for that, Mrs. Ren-
shaw. It may be if this goes on that the shutters
will be found of the greatest use, and indeed they
have probably stopped a good many balls from coming
in and so saved some of our lives, but on the first occa-
sion Wilfrid and your daughter owe(i their lives to
their being prepared and armed, while the natives
relying upon surpiising them had left their guns in
the wood. The shutters were not closed until after
they made off, and had they not been there those four
natives could never have passed across the clearing and
reached the house under the fire of two cuoi and steady
niark.smen.

'j:)2

A CALCULATION OF CIIANCIvS.

! 11

■li' n

"Am to your first (jucstioii, wlu'tlicr it is all ovor, it
(lepoiuls entirely upon whctlii'i" tlie party wlio ultaeivtMl
us ar(3 tlie main i'oicu of tlio natives. Jt' so, I lio not
think ilicy will ruiUiW tin- attack at present, 'i'hey have
sutKered terrildv, and know now that it is almost
certain death for any of tliom to show tliemselves
within ranijG of our i^nns. 'I'lu^y have lost fo)nt(!en or
fifteen men, and I do not think tlusy numbered ahovo
forty at fii'st. But if they are oidy a detached party,
and a main body of the tribe is makiuL; an attack else-
where, ])erha))H upon the sotth'rs at iMittord's, a mes-
seui^er will by this time have been despatched to tliem,
and we may all have a much more serious attack to
encounter to-niuht or to-morrow moi'niuix.

"I have no idea what tribe thesi; fellows belong to;
but there are few of the tribes that caiuiot ])ut five
hundred men on the field, while some can ])nt five times
that number. So, you see, we are entirely in the dark.
Of couise things will depend a good deal as to how
the main body, if there is a main body, has fared. If
they have been, as I feel sure they will be if they
venture to attack JMitl'ord's place, roughly handled,
the whole body may return home. The natives have
proved themselves through the war adudrable in
defence; but they have by no means distinguished
themselves in the attack, and have not, so far as I
remember, succeeded in a single instance in capturing
a position stoutly held.

"It is one thing to fight behind strong palisades,
defended by interior works skilfully laid out, and
quite another to advance across the open to assault a
defended position; and my belief is that, if they are

•'YUU MIST AUANKON TIIK ri,A<l«"

u:.3

hoatcii at, Miti'ord's as well as licre, wo sliall ]ii>ar no
inoru of tlit'iii at present. Mind, I do not say that alter
tliis I thiid-c tliat it would l>c safe to contiime to live
in an outlyint,' station likt; this until matters have
n,L,^ain settled down in tids part of the island. No
douht, as soon as the news is known at Napier and
Wellin;^'ton a force will be sent here, or pei'liaps to
Povcrtv J lay, which is oidy some twenty miles hiudier
up the eoast, and is, I tliink, from what 1 hear, hetter
suited as thi; base of operations than this river would
be.

" Tliis force will no doubt make an e\pedltio!i
iidand to ]>unish the tribes connected witli this atl'air,
for it is of course most important to let the natives on
this side of the island see tliat they cannot attack our
settlements with im[)unity. Alter that is d<jne it will
no doubt be safe to recommence operations here; but
at present 1 fear you will tind it necessary for a time
to abandon the place, and either take up your abode
at the Mitfords', or go down to Napier or Wellington.
This will, of course, involve the loss of the 'Tops you
liavc ])lanted, and possiltly of your house; but as you
have saved all your animals, the lo.ss will be comjjara-
tively small and easily repaired."

"Whether large or small," Mr. Rcnshaw said, "we
cannot hesitate over it. It will, as y(ju say, be out of
the question to live here exposed at any instant to
attack, and never knowing what the day or niglit may
Ijring forth. The house has not cost al>ove a hundr<d
pounds, and we must put up with that los.s. We are
fortunately in a very much better position tnan most
settlers in having a reserve to fall back upon, so there

B ' ^ ^

B A

m ' ■ I'i

h'l

liHi ?

'IMH

^w «

'il

^U '

2 .It

TIIK COODS YiXY T.K SAVED.

will be no hesitation on my part in taking tliis step.
The furniture is worth more than the hut, but I sup-
pose that must go too."

" Not necessarily, Mr. Renshaw. We cannot get
away now; for although we can defend ourselves well
enough here, we could not make our way down
throu'di the woods to ]\Iitf()rd's without iircat risks.
They are accustomed to bush lighting, and as they
are still five to one against us, it would be a very
sei'ious matter to try to fight our way down. I think
that we have no choice but to remain where we are
until we are either relieved or are perfectly certain
that they have made ofF. In cither case we should then
have ample time to make our preparations for retiring,
and could strip the house and send everything down
in boats or bullock-carts, and might even get up the
potatoes, and cut such of the crops as are ripe, or nearly
ripe, and send them down also.

" The corps that has been got up among the settlers
will be sure to join in the expedition for the punish-
ment of these scoundrels, and indeed it is most probable
that all able-bodied settlers will be called out. In any
case I think I shall ' chip in,' as the Americans say.
I shall have an opportunity of going into little ex-
plored tracts in the interior and adding to my collec-
tions; and to toll you the truth, I feel anxious to take
a part in revenging the massacres that these treacher-
ous natives have committed. Unless they get a sharp
lesson the lives of the settlers in all the outlying dis-
tricts in the colony will be unsafe."

Wilfrid o-lanced at Mr. Atherton and nodded, to
intimate that he should be willing and ready to join

"WOIISK THAN FKIIITIN';."

in such an expedition; but he thought it better to say
nothing at present. The two Aliens, however, said at
once that if obliged to quit their clearing they would
join one ot' the irregular corps for the defence of the
colony.

" WV aliall get pay and rations," James Allen sai<l,
"and that will keei) us going until things get settled;
and I should certainly like to lend a hand in punishing
these treacherous natives. It is liorrible to think of
their stealing upon defenceless people at night and
murdering men, women, and children. It is as ba<l as
the Sepoy mutiny. And now the troops have been
almost all withdrawn, and the colony has been left to
shift for itself, I think it is no more than the duty of
all who have no special ties to aid in the defence
against these fanatical Hau-Haus."

" Very well, then, James; we will march side by side,
and when you see me give out voii shall carrv me."

" That would be w^orse than lighting the natives,"
James Allen replied with a laugh. "If I were you,
Mr. Atheiton, I should engage ten natives to accom-
pany me with poles and a haunnock."

"That is not a bad idea," Mr. iVtherton said calmly,
"and possibly I may adopt it; but in that c ;se I shall
have to go as a free lance, for 1 fear it would scarcely
be conducive to military discipline to see one of an
armed band carri'id along in the ranks."

None w^ould have thought from the ch<M'rful tone
of the conversation that tho party wen- beleaguered by
a bloodthirsty enemy. But Mr. AtlKiiton purposely
gave a lively tone to the conversation to keep up tlu'ir
spirits. He felt, as he expressed himseli", perieeily

2:)6

DANGER FROM FIRE,

r ^li

f i

confident tliat they could beat ofF any attack in tlie
daytime; but he knew that it' their assaihints were
largely reinforced, and the phice attacked by ni^ht,
the position would be a very sei'ious one. Even tlnin
he was convinced that tlie assailants would not be
able to force their way in, but they would assuredly
try to fire the liouse; and althouo-h the solid hv^s
would be difficult to iixnite, the niatch-boaid coverin!*-
and the roof would both rea<lily catch fire. How-
ever, his hope lay in preventing tlie natives from
firing it, as it would be difficult in the extreme to
bi-ing up burning branches under the lire of the
detV'nders.

" It is a pity now, Wilfrid," he said to the latl after
breakfast was over, and they had taken up their ]»lace
together at one of the windows, " that we did not
dissuade your father from putting that boarding to the
logs. You did not intend to have it at iirst, and now
it adds a <xood deal to our danofer. The only thiiiLf 1
am afraid of is fire, though I own I do not thiidv tliat
there is much chnnce of any of them getting up with a
liehted brand under the fire of our rifies. If the natives
were not in the bush at the present moment, I should
say that the best thing by far to <lo would be for all
hands to set to work to tear off the match-boatiiing,
and '3 e-et down the whole of the coverin<x of the
roof; they could not well hurt us then."
"Shad we do it at once, Mr. Atherton?"
"They would shoot us down at their leisure, Wilfrid.
No, that is not to be tliought of. We must run the
risk of tire now; ari'l T feel, as 1 said, pretty confident
that we are too good shots to let men with fire get up

SilMMNG loll SLCCUUIl.

257

to tlie walls. T wish we could send down word to
jMitt'ord's that we aie hesiefred here. ( )t' course, it' he is
attacked liimself he could not help us, hut it' he is not
1 know he would come out at once with a strong
]iarty to our relief. I wonder whether that native
boy of yours would tiy to carry a inessai^^e. None of
us would have a chance of gettini; throuuh, ^'Ut these
fellows can crawl like snakes; and )*y workinii; up
through the crops to the up[)er end of the glade he
might gain the hush unobserved."

"1 will ask him anyhow," \\'ilfrid said.

Jack on being promised a new suit of clothes and
a i)resent in nioiiev if he would carry a note throuLrh
to Mr. jMitfurd, at once unde'rtook the mission. Mr,
Renshaw, on being told what was arranged, wrote a
note stating their position, and Jack, divesting him-
self of the greater portion of his clothes, crept out
throuu'h the door at the back of the house, and lyin<jf
down at once began to crawl thi'ough the potato patch
towards the upper end of the clearing. l"'i'om the loop-
holes of the windows the <le' tenders watched his
progress. Although aware of his approximate position
they were soon unable to trace his jdogress.

"He will do," Mr. Atherton said; "if we, knowing
the line he is taking, can see nothing move you niay
be sure that those fellows in the bush ^^ ill not be able
to make him out. Well, we shall have assistance in
four or live hours if Mitford's hands are free."

A quarter of an hour passed and all was still quie't.

" He is in the bush by this time," Mr. Atherton
said; "now we can take mattei's easy."

An occasional shot was tired IVom the bush, and

i ' l|

III t •■

■ ■ ill '

lit' '

Pf" !

Ui \

■

mii

' nB

m'..\\\

258

THE NATIVES ARE ATIACKED.

shouts raised wliich Mr. Rensliaw iiiterprotcd to be
threats of death and oxtei'ininaticju.

"Tliey say that all the white men are to he driven
into the sea; not one left alive on the island."

"Well, we shall see ahout that," Mr. Atherton sai<l;
"they are not getting on very fast at present."

As time went on it was only the occasional crack
of a gun, accompanied hy the thud of a hullet against
the logs, that told that the natives were still present.
They now never raised th(;mselves to fire, hut kept
well back in the bush, shifting their position after each
shot. Time passed somewhat slowly inside, until about
four o'clock in the afternoon the shaip crack of a ritle
was heard.

"There is Mitford!" Mr. Atherton exclaimed, "that
is not a Maori gun. ]\lan the loopholes again! we
must })revent any of the fellows on the other side
crossinijf to the assistance of their friends, and fdve it
to the others hot if they are driven out of the shelter
of the bush."

The rirte shot was speedily followed by others, and
then came the deeper report of the Maori muskets.
English shouts were heard, mingled with the yells of
the natives. The tight was evidently sharp, for Jack
had led the relieving party down upon th<> lear of the
natives enijaiied in attaekintr the house from the left.
The latter began to fall hack, and the defenders of the
house presently caught sight of their figures as they
flitted from tree to tree.

" We must be careful," Mr. Atherton said, "for every
bullet that misses mi<rht strike our friends. I think
that you had all better reserv e your tire till obey Make

-I

FLIGHT OF THE ENEMY.

2."')0

a 'break across the open. Yon can see by the diroction
they are tiriiiLr, and the sound of the rifles, Mitford is
closing in on both their tlanks so as to drive them out
of the bush. I can trust myself not to miss, and will
pick them off when I see any of them shelterint^ on
this side of the trees. There is a fellow there just uoin^j
to fire." His rifle cracked, and the native fell among
the bushes.

This completed the .vmre of the natives, who had
already been much disconcei'ted at tbd unexpected
attack made upon them. The leader of the party
shouted an order, and the whole of them made a
sudden rush through the bush down towards the river.
Three or four fell beneath the rifles of the whites on
that side of them, but the rest burst through and
continued their course down to the river, and, plunging
in, swam to the other side withovit once giving the
defenders of the house the chance of a shot at them.

" Now we can sally out," Mr. Kenshaw said.

The door was opened, and they hurried out just as
a party of whites issued from the wood and ran towards
the house.

"Thanks for your speedy aid, Mitford!" ^Ir. Tlcnshaw
exclaimed as he wrun<' the hand of the settler.

"You are heartily welcome, my dear sir. A party
was just setting otf to see how you had fared when
your native boy arrived with your note, and it was
a irreat relief to us to know that you had rcjjulsed
their attack with such heavy loss to them; I am afraid
that several others liave not fared so well. Two or
three native servants have come in this morning with
news of massacres of whole families, they themselves

i Ml

2no

A RECONNOITRTXG TARTY.

itt

havinc^' vnanai,^ed to make their escape in the confusion;
and 1 am at'niid that we sliall hear of other similar
cases. Your o-allant defence of your station lias been
of most important service to us all. There is no doubt
that it saved ns from an attack at our place. There
\vere a i-ood m;uiv nntives in the bush round us this
niorninc,^ yelling and shouting, but they did not venture
on an attack; and I have no doubt they were waiting
for the arrival of the party told off to attack your
place on their way. Do you think that there are any
of them still in the bush on the other side?"

"1 should hardly think so," ^Ir. Athcrton replied.
" There nuist have been fully half of them in the l)arty
you attacked, and the others are hardly likely to have
waited after they saw you had defeated their friends;
but 1 think that it would be as well for a party of us
to ascertain, for if tlu y are still lurking there .some of
us may be shot down as we move about outside the
house. We ai(! (luite strong enoui-h now to ventun^
upon such a step."

" I think so too," Mi*, ^litford agreed. "There are ten
men beside myself and your }taity. We had better
leave four hei'e, the r<>st of us will make a dash down
to the edue of the bu.sh and then skirfnisli throuu'h it."

Mr. Ivenshaw, the two (Jrimstones and tne of the
settlers were appointed to remain beiiind to gu.ird the
house, and the rest ^f the party then dashed at full
speed acros.s the gla<le to the eih^^a of the bush. Not
a shot wa.s lired as thev did so, and having on«-e ijained
the .shelter they advanced throuoh tlie trees. After
pushing forward for h;df a mile they came to the
conclusion that the Mauris Lad retreated. Many signs

Tilt: (iLADK AI5AND0N1:D,

2GI

were seen of their presence. There were marks of
blood here and tliere, and the huslies were hroken
down where thev liad carried otl" those who had fallen
killed or wounded in the bush; the bodies of those
who had faUeu in the open still reiuaine(l there.

Upon the return of the i)arty Mr. Mitfoi-d was
informed of tlie determination that had been arrived
at. 'J'his met with his cordial approval.

"I think, Mrs. llenshaw," hf said, "that the best
plan will be for you ami your husband and daughter
to return at once with me. I will leave a couple of
my men heie with your uarrison, and in the morninir
will come out with a strono" party and three or four
bullock drays to fetch in all ycnir portable property.
They can make another trip for your potatoes aiul
such of your cro[)s as can be <4'ot in. Al'ter the sluirp
lesson the natives have had heio they are not likely to
venture in this neighbourhood again for some timi!;
and, indeed, now that they find that the whole settle-
ment is aroused and on its guard 1 douht whether we
shall hear anything more of them at present, and
possibly you may, when matters settle down again,
tind your house just as it is left."

Mr. and Mrs. Renshaw agreed to the plan proposed,
and in a (piai'ter of an hour the party started, leaving
The Glade under the protection of the garrison of eight
men. The night ])assed ofi" (luietlv, and at daybreak
all set to work to get U}» the potatoes and to cut down
the crops that were sufficiently ripe. At nine oVlock
the waggons arrived, and the furniture and stoi'es
were loaded up. Jjy twelve o'clock ne.xt day the work
in the fields was completed and the waggons again

' I
I;'

IIm:

lij!

'il!!

m\m

202

VULUNTEKKING.

loaded. The house was tbnn locked up and tlie whole
party proceeded to the settlement. They found on
their arrival that a stron<.j stockade had been erected
near Mi", Mitt'ord's house, and that rouirli tents and
huts had been got up there for the use of the settlers;
the whole of the animals belo!iL,dng to the various
farmers on the river had been driven into the stockaded
inclosure behind the house.

Here it was decideil that nil the settlers HJiould
remain until help arrived from ^\^■lli^l;;ton or Nnpier,
but in the meantime five and twenty of the younger
men were enrolled as a volunteer cor[»s; a Mr. I'urcell,
who had served for some years as an ollicor in the
army, being unanimously elected in command. There
still remained enough men capable of bearing arms
to defend the stockade in case of attack during the
absence of the corj)s. Wilfrid and the two Aliens
were among those who enrolled themselves. Mr.
Atherton said that he fully intended to accompany
them if possible upon any expedition they might make,
but that he should not become a member of the
corps.

" You may have long marches," ho said, " through
the bush, or may, when the reinforcements arrive, be
called upon to make an expedition into the hill country
to punish the natives. I could not possibly keep up
with you during a heavy day's marching, so I .shall,
like Hal of the Wynd, tight for my 0\vn sword. I
dare.say I shall be there or there about when there is
any work to be done, but I must get there in my own
way and in my own time. I shall have my own com-
missariat train. I have had my share of living on

ROMKWHAT OF AN EPICURE.

263

next to nothing;, aiul luave become somewhat of an
epicure, and I know that tlie sort of rations you are
likely to get on a nuirch througli a rough country
would not suit my constitution. But, as I said before,
I hope if tliere is any ligliting done to be somewhere in
the neighbourhood."

HlM

C H A P T J^. Tl X T V.

t-iii^sH •HirtfrlitM.

ritilltKE days hitcr a small steamer arrived from
X Napier, l^/jnging a r<'ii}f to the urgent rorpiest
that liad );e(^n sent f(;r tlie despatch of a l>ody of con-
stabulary for tho piotcction of tlie settlers. Sir J)onald
M'Lean, the superintendent of the province, sent word
that this was impossible at present, as the alarming
news had just been received tliat the notorious chief
Te Kooti, who had been captured and imprisoned at
Chatham Island, liad efi'ected his escape with t)je whole
of the natives conHned in the island, had captured a
schooner, and had, it was reported, landed near Poverty
Bav.

"It is probable," Sir Donald wrote, "that it is the
news of his landing which has excited one of the tribes
of the neighbourhood to make an attack ujjon you. A
strong eypedition will be fitted out, and we shall
doubtless have to supply a contingent. I can oidy
advise you to organize yourselves into u militia, and
to stand for the present on the defensive. As soon as
operations begin from Poverty Bay you will be relieved

204

Ti;<>ri;F.r.s nkar naimkh.

I'roin all I'lirtlior diUiLfor, ns tlie attention of the hostile
tril)es will hu fully occuiiieij in tliut direction."

Hitherto tho |(roviiice of IJuwke Hay iiiid been
coir.pjii'ativcly ficc fri)iu the trouMos thfit had .so Ioiilj
distu)"l)cd Auckland. Taianaki, and tho iioithurn portion
of Wellington. Only one rising" had taken place, and
thi.s had heen so promptly crushed that the trilies liad
.since nMiiained perfectly (luiet. Tn ()ctol»er iNfJii a
party of a hundred tigliting men had suddeidy appeared
near the Mejuiee vilkiL^e. 'J'heir jtrincipal chief hail
liithei'to home a verv hiijh character, and had b<?en
employed hy the eovernment to im]»rove the mail road
hetwei'n Napier and Taupo. Colonel \\ hitmore, who
was in command of the colonial forces — for tlie rcin'idar
troops ha<l now l)een almost entirely withdrawn fi-om
tlie island — hn<l just retui'ned from punishing some
natives who had eomndtted massacies higher u]) on the
coast, an<l was, fortunately, at Na})ier; he at once «les-
patched a compnny of colonists under Major Fi-aser,
with thirty or forty friendly natives, to hold the natives
in check.

Ju.st as thoy had heen sent off tho news came that
another and more numerous body of Hau-llaus were
advancing by way of Petanc to attack Napier. ^Lajor
Fraser and his company were sent oti' to check these,
while Colonel Whitmore, with one hundred and eighty
of tho colonial militia, marched against the smaller
force, and M'Lean, with two hundi'ed friendly natives^
established himself in the rear of the village they
occupied. An oiKcer was sent in to sunnnon them to
surrender, and as no answer could be obtained from
them the colonists a<lvanced. The enemy fought with

.u ,

TV. KdOTI.

2G5

resolution, liiit tlic c>il(iiii>ts opciirM a frnss-tirc iijioii
tlii'iii, ami al'trr llulitiiiL;' U>y soiih' lime ilic iiati\e.s
were <1 1 i Veil out of their ro\ t-r. Fiiiilin.;- i»o iiiodo (»f
I'eti'cjit ojH'ii to them tiny laiil down tiirir aims, sonio
wlio cihlfaxoiiiT 1 to ocjipi' lpi'iii!4- <'"t '■!' 'I'ld also
captuivd. 'lilt' native loss w s twmty-tliree l<ille<l
ami t\v»'ntv-eiL:lit wonniletl iiian\ of Minn mortallv;
iort\'-l'our takrij |)risonei',s. ( >nly iwo or tlii'ee of tlio
whole party escaped. Tpon the Haiiio day Major
Fraser's little force nttacked the other party of Haii-
Jlaus, killed their chi"t' with twelve of his folhjwers,
and put the I'est to tliL;lit.

From that time peaee liad hecn nnhrokeii in II;iwk(!
Bay; hnt there liad been -everal out hreaks at I'overty
J5ay, which lay just north nf the pre • ince, and massa-
cres at ()))otaki and other places further to the north,
and almost continuous tiuhtin-^ in the noithcrn districts
of Wellington 'I'he news of Te Kooti's escape and of his
landing- at I'overty Bay naturally caused considerahle
alarm amoni;' tlu3 settlers, hut lio])es were; entertained
that the whites at Poverty Pjay, aide(l hy the friendly
natives, would !»' ahle to recapture Te Iwxjti and liis
followers before they could do any liarm.

'J'he next day a small vesscsl came down from
Poverty Pay with a messaiLi-e from Major liiiiLC-, ^^'ho
comniaiuh'd at tliat settlement, to ask for assistam-e if
it couhl he sjiai'ed him. A consultation was held and
it was airreetl that the best i)lan of defendintjf their
own settlement was to aid in the I'ecapture of Te
Kooti, and tliat the little force of tweniy men should
at once go up to aid the s(>tt]ei"s under Major Pi;;''4s.
Accordingly they embarked without delay, Mr. Ather-

( i

IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-3)

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^ >

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Sciences
Corporation

23 WEST MAIN STREET

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(716) 872-4503

I. ■

'i'

2G6

MARCH ACROSS COINTKY.

ton making a separate bargain with the captain of the
craft for liis passage, and the next morning they
arrived in Poverty Bay.

Major Biggs had, as soon as the news reached him,
raised a force of a hundred Europeans and natives.
He found Te Kooti's party, a hundred and ninety
strong, holding a very strong position near the sea,
and sent a chief to them to say that if they would lay
down their arms he would try and smooth matters over
with government. A defiant answer was returned, and
Major Biggs gave orders to commence the attack. But
the natives, who formed the bulk of his force, refused
to move, saying that the Hau-Haus were too numerous
and too strongly posted. Under these circumstances
an attack was impossible, for had the little body of
whites been defeated the whole settlement would have
been open to ravage and destruction.

Durinfj the nioht Te Kooti and his men started for
the interior, carrj-i^-g with them all the stores and
provisions they had taken from the schooner. When
it was found they had escaped Major Biggs ordered
Mr. Skipwith to follow with some friendly natives,
pressing on their rear until he ascertained their line
of retreat, when he w^as to cut across country and
join the main body who were to march to Paparatu,
a point which Te Kooti would in all probability pass
in his retreat. The arrival of the coaster with the
little band from the Mohaka River was hailed with
joy by the Poverty Bay settlers. They arrived ji.st in
time to join Major Biggs, and raised his fo»ce to fifty
white men, who, with thirty Maoris, started for
Paparatu and arrived there on the following morning.

THE SUPPLIES EXHAUSTED.

2C7

for

The Europeans were conimantled by Captains Westrupp
und Wilson. In the afternoon Mr, Atherton arrived
with a party of four natives whom lie had hired to
carry his store of provisions, ammunition, and baggage.

" So I am in plenty of time," he said when he came
up. "'I could not bring myself to undertake a night
march, but as those fellows have got to lug all the
stores they have ca])tured over the mountains I felt
pretty sure that I should be in time."

"I am glad you are in time, Mr. Atherton," Wilfrid
said. " The assistance of your rifle is not to be despised.
The sooner the natives come now the better, for we
have only brought four days' provisions in our havre-
sacks. I hear that a reserve force is to come up in two
days with rations and ammunition; but one can never
calculate upon these natives."

The camp was pitched in a hollow to avoid the
observation of the enemy, but it was proposed to
fight at a point a mile distant, in a position command-
ing the spur of the hill, up which the natives must
advance after cross'ng a ford on the Arai River. Four
days passed and there was no news of the convoy with
the provisii ns, and the supply in camp was almost
exhausted. That evening Major Biggs started to bring
up the supplies with all speed, as otherwise starvation
would compel the force to retreat. The same day ]\Ir.
Skipwith had arrived with news that Te Kooti was
undoubtedly marching on Paparatu, but was making
slow progress owing to the heavy loads hi.>i men were
carrying.

The fifth day jiasscd slowly. The men being alto-
gether w^ithout food Mr. Athertim divided his sniall

L'G8

'♦an awkward liUSINKSS."

i! H

.stork of provisions and wine ainon<^ them, and then
takinir his ritle went out anioni; tlie hills, accompanied
by two of liis natives. Late in the evening he re-
turned, the natives bearing an old boar which he had
shot. This was a great piece ot' luck, for the island
contained no wild animals tit for eating, and the boar
liad probably escaped from some settler's farm or native
clearinir when vounir and taken to the woods. It was
at once cut up and divided among the hungry men.
The next day Mr. Skipwith, with two natives, went
out to reconnoitre, and soon returned at full speed,
snyin,,' that the natives were crossing the river. Cap-
tain Wilson, with twenty men, to(jk possession of a
hill on the right tiank — an almost impi-egnable posi-
tion, while Captain Westr'jpi>, with the main bo<ly,
marched to support the picket which hnd been placed
on the position which it had been arranged they
sliould occupy; but before they could arrive there Te
Kooti, with overwhelming nundiers, hail driven the
picket from the ground and occupied the hill.

"This is going to be an awkward business, Wilfrid,"
]\Ir. Athei'ton said. " We have only thirty rounds of
ammunition a man, and we have had nothinsx to eat
for the last forty-eight hours but a mouthful of meat.
AVe have suffered the natives to take the position we
fixed on. We are outnumliercd three to one, and there
are not ten men in the force who have had any expe-
rience in lighting. If the worst comes to the worst,
Wilfrid, do you and the Aliens take to the bush.
Mind, it is no use trying to run from the natives.
If the men were all like our paity the other day we
could keep these fellows at bay for any time; but they

"(•Ai;i;v IT WITH A ursii."

2GD

are most of tl.eni youn- hands. Thov will Maze away
their arninuniticni, an.l may he seized with a paiiic.
1 shall keep close to you, and if thin-s do go badly wo
will keep to-ether and sell our lives dearlv."

"We must retake that plaec if pos.ihiJ lads" (^,p-
tain Westrupp said at that n;onM.nt. - Sp,oa<l'out in
skirini.shmg order and take advantage of any eovt-r

you ean find, but h.-t th.re be no stoppin- or'la in.-

behind. We must all get up there together and canT
it with a rush." •^

There was no time lost. The men sprea.l out. an.l
with a cheer started up the hill. They were received
with a storm of bullets, but th.. natives from their
eminence tired high, and without suirerin- loss they
n'aclied a small ridge near the summit, afout twelve
yards from the enemy, and sejarated from them by a
narrow gully. Here they threw themselves <Iown an.l
their hre at once caused the IJau-liaus to thr.,u- them-
selves down among the bushes on tl.eir side of the
gully. The position of the colonists was a fairly stron-r
one. On their right flank the groun.l was op^n. with
a tew scattered bushes here an.l there, but the left
was covered by a steep rayine, which fell away sharpiv
J he Hau-Haus kept up a heavy tire, to wl.ich the
colonists replied but sel.lom, their otlieer continually
iii.pressing upon them the necssity for hu>bandin-
their ammunition. .Mr. Atherton ha.l arrived breath"
less in the rear of the ] arty, and had thn.wn hims.lf
down by Wilfrid s side, the two Aliens lyin- next in
order. For some minutes Mr. Atherton .lid not speak
but lay panting heavily.

"This is a nice preparation for shootin'^" he sa.'d

270

UKl'ULSE OF THE IIAU-HAUS.

presently. " However, T suppose my hand will steady
itself ai'ter a bit. I have seen a fellow's head show
under that bush there twice, and each time his bullet
came just over our heads. I will have a talk with
him as soon as I iret mv wind back aj^ain. This is not
a bad position alter alb providing they don't work
round to our lii-ht."

Ten minutes later Wilfrid, who had his eyes fixed
on a bush from which four or five shots had been
tired, waiting for another puff of smoke to indicate the
exact position in which the man was lying, heard the
sharp report of Mr. Atherton's ritle.

"You have got him, I suppose?"

"Of course, lad; there is one less of the yelling
rascals to deal with. I wish we could see BijxJXS and
his people coming along the road behind. If we could
get a square meal all round and a good supply of
ammunition I think we should be able to turn the
tables on these fellows. The men are all lighting very
steadily, and are husbanding their auniiunition better
than I expected to see them do."

The fij;ht went on for four hours. Then a number
of the Hau-Haus leapt to their feet and made a rush
towards the settlers, but the volley they received
proved too much for them. Several fell, and the rest
bolted back into shelter. Ajrain and ajrain this was
tried, but each time without success. At three in the
afternoon some men were seen cominof alonor the road
behind towards the deserted camp. Captain Westrupp
at once wrote i note and sent it down by one of the
men, but to the disappointment of the sottlers he soon
returned with the news that the new arrivals consisted

A RETKEAT.

271

of only nine Maoris carrying rations. They had
opened the rum bottles on their way. and most of tliem
were excessively drunk. Two of them who were
sufliciently sober came up to help in tlie defence, but
one was shot dead almost immediatelv, one of the
settlers being killed and many wounded more or le.s
severely.

Just as evening was coming on the force was startled
by hearing a Hau-Hau bugle in their rear, and
presently niade out a party of the enemy moving
towards the camp through the broken ground on the
left rear. It was now evident that either the enemy
must be driven off the hill in front or the party must
retire to a position on the hill behind the camp. Cap-
tain Westrupp determined to try the former alternative
first. Calling upon ihe men to follow him, he dashed
across the gully and up on to the crest held by the
Maoris. The men followed him gallantly; but the fire
from the IMaoris hidden among the bushes was so
heavy that they were forced to fall back again, seven
more of their number being wounded. They now
retired in good order down to the camp and up the
hill behind it. and were here joined by Captain Wilson
with his twenty men.

It was now determined to throw up a sort of
intrenchment and hold this position until help came;
but the settlers, who had hitherto fought well, were
dispirited by their want of success, and by the non-
arrival of the reinforcement, and were weak with
their long fast. As soon as it became dai-k they began
to steal off and to make their way back towards their
homes, and in an hour half the force had retreated.

272

A TKUIlir.r.K NIGHT MUJCII.

li)

The officors held a council. It was evident the posi-
tion could not ionijc bo lield, and that wai'.t of food
and ammunition wouhl conjpel a retreat in the nior-
ninj^. It was therefore decided to fall back under cover
of the darkness.

The chief of the friendly natives, wlio liad behaved
a(hnirably throuj^di ^he liLjht, otl'ercd to guide the
party across the country. The otliccrs were obliged
to leave their liorses, and the party of forty half-starved
men, of whom a fourth were wounded — two so se-
verely that it was necessary to carry them — set out.
It was a terrible march for the exhausted men, up the
bed of a mountain creek, often waist-dee}) in water,
and over steep fern-covered hills, until, just as day was
bi'eaking, they readied an out-station. Here they
managed to get two sheep, and Just as they had cooked
and eaten these Colonel Whitmoie, the commander of
the colonial forces, arrived with thirty volunteers from
!Napier, who had I'cached the bay on the previous day.

He at once paraded the men, thanked them for their
behaviour on the previous day, and w.arned them to be
ready to start in pursuit of the enemy at once. One of
the settlers, acting as spokesman for the rest, step[)ed
forward, pointed out that they had been fighting with-
out intermission for twenty-four hours, that they had
beei\ for the last forty-eight hours almost without food,
and that it was impossible for them to set out on a
fresh march until they had taken some rest. Colonel
Whitmore was a hot-tempered man, and expressed
himself so strongly that he caused deep olience among
the settlers.

They remained firm in their determination not to

UNmUTUNATK DKI.AYS.

273

move until tlic followinn: day, and the forward n.ove-
inent was tlifivl'ore necessariiy abandoned. ( )ri tlie day
previous to the fi(,d»t Lieutenant (Jascoiniie liad beeli
des,)atched by .Major IVv^^^s to Te Wnin-a with des-
patclies for Mr. D.'iuhton, wlio eonniianded at th.-.t
station, warning Id,,, to nuister all the force at his
disiM.sal, and prepaie to intercept ^J'e Kooti at the
AUihau Lakes i„ case lie should tiirht his wav tluoiigh
(. aptain \Ve,stiU|)p's force. Orders weie sent to the
friendly Mahia trihe to muster, and a hundred men at
once assembled; but as they had only four rounds of
ammunition apiece, nothinL,^ could he done until three
casks of ammunition were obtained from some of th«!
^^'ai^oa chiefs.

Two days wore lost in consequence, and this gave
time to Te Kooti : they then started— eighteen Luiopean
volunteers and eiglity natives: a Inrger body of natives
preparing to follow as soon as possible. After being met
by messengers with several contradictory oixlersfthey
arrived at Wnihaii. and just before dark Te Kooti was
seen crossing the hills towards them with his whole
force. Captain Richardson determined to fight them
in the position he occupied, but the native ehi<f, with
sixty of his followers, at once bolted. C aptain Kiehard-
son was therefore obliged with the remaiinler to fall
back, and, unfortunately, in the retreat one of the
natives fell; his gun went off and, bursting, injured his
hand. This was considered by the natives a most
unfortunate omen, and dissipated what little Cv uage
remained in the Wairoa tribe. "

At eleven o'clock next morning the enemy advanced,
and the action began; but the Wairoa chief, with tiftv

(605) . '^

271

TlIK SKTTI.rns FEFURE TO GO FUKTIH.

of liis men, a.Ljuin bolted at the first shot. Ca|»tain
Kichai'tlson vvitli the rcinain»l»'r lield tlie position until
four in the afternoon, when the ainniunition hein;^
almost exhausted, he retired quietly. 'I'he force fell
back to Wairoa, wliere it was reori;ani/ed and increased
to two hundred men. In the meantime Colonel Whit-
njore liad been toiling on over a terrible country in
Te Kooti's rear, having with him in all about two
hundred men, as he had been joined by Major Fraser
with fifty of the No. 1 Division Armed C Constabulary.

But when they arrived at the boundary of the
Poverty Bay district the settlers belonging to it, who
had not recovered from their indijjnation at Colonel
Whitmore's unfortunate remarks, refused to go further,
savinij that the militia resfulations only obliijed them
to defend their own district. Colonel Whitmore, there-
fore, with a hundred and thirty men, of whom but a
handful were whites, marched on to attack two hundred
and twenty Hau-Haus posted in a very strong position
in the gorge of a river. Twelve of the little party
from the Mohaka River still remained with the column,
one had been killed, four wounded, while five had
remained behind completely knocked up by the fatigues
they had encountered.

Mr. Atherton had not gone on with them after the
arrival of Colonel Whitmore. " It is of no use, mv
dear lad," he said to Wilfrid. "I know Colonel Whit-
more well by reputation, and the way in which he
blew us up this morning because, exhausted as we
were, we were physically unable to set out for a fresh
march, confirms what I have heard of him. He is a
niost gallant officer, and is capable of undergoing the

(jn the track of the enemy.

27")

the
my
A'hit-
h he
s we
fresh
is a
tlio

greatest fatii^ue and hanlslilps, and is of opinion tlmt
everyone else is as tireless and eneri,'eti(3 as he is. He
will drive you alonj; over mountain, through rivers,
with food or without food, until you come up to Te
Kooti, and then he will fiirht, re(;ardless of odds or
position, or anythiuL,' els^. It isn't the tigliting I ohject
to; but I never could keep up with the column on such
a march. It would he a physical impossibility, an(i I
am not go ng to attempt it. I shall take a week to
recover from my fatigues of last night, and shall go
down and stay quietly at the settlement. If Te Kooti
takes it into his head to come down there, I shall have
great pleasure in doing my best towards putting a stop
to his rampaging over the country. If he does not
come down I shall, as they say, await developments, and
shall find plenty to do in the way of botanizing."

Mr. Atherton had not exaj^ijjerated the fatifjues and
hardsliips that the force would be called upon to
undergo, and they were worn out and exhausted when
at last they came upon the track of the Hau-Haus.
When they were resting for a short halt Ca])tain
Carr, late R.A., who was with the force as i* volun-
teer, reconnoitre<l a short distance ahead and found
the enemy's tire still burning. The news infused
fresh life into the tired and hungry men, and they
again went forward. The track led up the bed of
a river which ran between low, steep cliffs impossible
to climb, and the men had to advance in single file.
After marching for some distance they reached a bend
in the river, where a narrow track ran through a
break in the clitf and up the spur of a hill. The
advanced guard, consisting of six men, led by Captain

27G

TlIK WHITKS ARE RKITLSED.

lit'

i I : ' .

Ciirr, wore witliin fifty yards of this point, wlun n hoavy
firo was ()[)('n(Ml upon tlwiii. Just wlicre tlicy were tiie
river bank was sutlii'i»'ntly low to *'nul)lo tlicni to climb
it aii'l take cover in the tliiek scrub al>ov«!, wli«'nc(» tlit-y
replied viLjor«)Usly to tlie lluu-ilaus, wlio wm- within
a few yards of th»'ni. in the meantinie tlm enemy had
opened tire from the base of the hill at the river brnd
upon the main body, wdio, standing in sini^de file in the
river, were unable to reply or to scale the steep bauK
and take covering in the scrub. Colonel Whitinore
and Captain Tuke tried to load the men uj) to charge,
but this could only be done in single tile, an<l the fire
of the enemy was so liot that those who attempted
this were killed or wounded. Captain Tuke being
severely hurt. The rest found what shelter they
could among the boulders in the river bod, and re-
niained here until the advanced guard fell back, hard
pressed by th<> enemy, and reported the death of
Captain Carr and IMr. Canning, another volunteer.

The natives now pressed through the scrub above
the dills to cut off the retreat. The friendly natives,
who were well behind, were ordered to soale the cliff
then, and hold the enemy in check. One of them was
wounded, and the rest hastily' retreated down the river;
the constabulary and settlors, altogether about fifty
strong, fell back to an island about half a mile to the
rear, and here calndy awaited the attack of the enemy.
These, however, drew off without disturbing them,
disheartened by the fact that Te Kooti had received a
wound in the foot, and the troops then retired. Only
a few of the strongest men reached the cainp that
night; the rest, knocked up by want of food and

A I'ALSK IN IIUSTII ITIKS.

277

f.iti.,Mio, lay down in tlie pouring' miii and did not get
in until tlio i'oilouin«' niornini;.

Tiie roMult (if tlu.s lii^lit was most unrortiinatt'. Evi'n
Colonul Wliitnurii saw tliat, with tht; Icmo at ids
dis[)osal, notldni; could l)0 done ai,'ainst T(^ Kooti, who
was dailv iMCoudni; uioro powerful, and was hcinir
joined Ity thu tribes in the vii-inity. Jit; U'liovL'd that
Te Kooti would carry out his expressed intention of
nuirchiiiij north to Waikato, and nt'tor collectiuLj tliere
all the tribes of the island, march ai^ainst Auckland.
Thinkiuij:, therefore, that Poverty Jlay was not likely
to be disturbed, he left the settlement and went round
by sea to Auckland to confer with jjovernment as to
the steps to be taken to raise a foreo capable of
copiuLj with what apjieared to be the <;reatest dan-j^er
that had as yet threatened tin; island. Te Kooti did
not, however, move noith, but remained in his camp
near the scene of the tii^dit from the iSth of Auijjust to
the 2sth of October, sendiuLf messages all over the
ishmd with the news of the defeat he had inflicted
up.on the whites, and proclaiming himself the saviour
of the Maori peo[)le.

From the position he occnpied, about e(juidistant
from the settlements at Wairoa and Poverty Pay, he
was able to attack either by a smlden march of two
or three days, and yet there was no onat mieasiness
amoiii,' the settlers. The force that had oj)eiated
against 'J'e Kooti had been disbandt'd, the Napier
volunteers liad returned, the C(»n--tabulaiy witlMliawn,
and the J^arty of settlers from the Mohaka river ha<l
returned home. Wilfrid Penshaw had not ^^oue with
them. He had been shot through the leg in the tight

278

WILFRID ILL.

n hi

in the river, and had been carried down to the settle-
ment. Here Mr. Atlierton, wlio was lodging in one of
the Bottler's houses, had taken charge of iiini and nursed
him assiduously.

Unfortunately the efTcct of the wound was aggra-
vated hy the exhaustion caused by fatigue and in-
sulHcient food, and for weeks the lad la}'' in a state
of prostration, wasted by a low fever v.hich at one
time seei.ied as if it would carry him oil'. It was not
until the middle of October that matters took a turn,
and he began slowly to mend. For the last three
weeks his mother had been by his bedside. For some
time Mr. Atherton in his letters had made light of the
wound, but when the lad's condition became very serious
he had written to Mrs. Renshaw saving that he thou<;ht
she had better come herself to help in the nursing,
as Wilfrid was now sutiering from a sharp attack of
fever brought on by his hardships.

Mrs. Renshaw, on lier arrival, was dismayed at the
state in which she found her son. She agreed, how-
ever, that it was best not to alarm them in her letters
home. The events on the attack of the settlement
had much shaken Mr. Renshaw, and he was, when .she
left him, in a nervous and excited state. She saw that
Wilfrid would need every moment of her time, and
that were her husband to come it v.^ould probabh do
him harm and seriously interfere with her own useful-
ness. He was, when she left, on the point of returning
to the farm with Marion, as there had been no further
renewal of troubles in the settleuient.

It had been arranged that the two Aliens should
take up their residence at The Glade, and that four

A fool's paradise.

279

men bulonging to a small force that had been raised
among the i'rienJly natives should also be stationed
there. This would, it was thouglit, render it (juite
fiafe against sudden attack. Mr. Renshaw was looking
eagerly forwai-d to being at home again, and his wit^'
thought that the necessity of superintending the opera-
tions at the farm would soothe his nerves and restore
him to health. She, therefore, in her letters made the
be.st of things, although admitting that Wilfrid was
prostrated by a sort of low fever, and needed care and

nursnl^^

At the end of another fortnight Wilfiid was enabled
to sit up and take an interest in what was goino- on
around him. The house was the property of a settler
named Sampson, and had been erected by a predeces-
sor of the farmer; it was a good deal larger than he re-
quired, though its capacity was now taxed to the utmost
by the addition of three lodgers to his family.

"How are things going on, Mr. AthertorW" Wilfrid
asked one day when his mother was not present.

" People here seem to think that they are mnnrr on
very well, Wilfrid." ° "

"But you do not tliink so, Mr. Atherton?" the la<l
asked, struck by the d»y tone in which the answer

was given.

"No, Wilfrid, I cannot say I do. It seems to me
that the people here are living in a fool's pamdise;
and as for Major Biggs I regard him as an ob.-,tinate
fool."

"How is that'" Wilfrid asked, amused at his friend's
vehemence.

"Well, Wilfrid, as far as I can see there is nothing

\^.X0

YOU I)ON T SAY SO

i'>

'" 111;

ill the world ti) prevent Te Kooti coinin;jj down and
cutting all our threats whenever he pleases."

"You don't say so, Mr. Atherton!"

"I do, indeed; it is known that he has sent messages
down to the natives here to remain apparently loyal,
get what arms they can from the whiles, and prepare
to join him. I will say for Biggs that he has repeatedly
represented the unprotected position of the hay to
government, and has ohtained permission to ])lace an
officer and nine men on pay as scouts to watch the
roads leading to the settlements. Gascoigne is in
charge of them. There are two roads by which the
natives can couie; the one a short one, an<l this is
bein<x watched, the other a nmch Ioniser and more
difficult one, and this is entirely open to them if they
choose to use it.

" The fact is, IJiggs relies on the fact that Colonel
Lambert is at Wairoa, and is collecting a force of
000 men there to attack Te Kooti, and he believes
that he shall iret information from him and from some
spies he has in the neighbourhofxl of Te Kooti's camp
long before any movement is actually made. Of
course he may do so, but 1 consider it is a very
risky thing to trust the safety of the whole settlement
to chance. He oULrht to station four m-Anited men
on both tracks as near as he dare to Te Kooti's camp.
In that case we should be sure to get news in plenty
of time to put all the able-bodied men und"r arms
before the enemy could reach the settlement."

" Have they got a stockade built?"

" No, it was proposed at a meeting of some of the
settlers that this should be done, but Bij^irs assured

I", 1

A.N INKATUATKD fOMMANJiEK.

281

tlieni it \va.s alt<)»,^etlier unnecessary. I do not know
liow it is, Wilfrid, but take ns all to-etlier we Kn<;-
lishiuen have fully a fair share of coiuuiun sense.
I have observed over ami over a<,Min that in the
majority of cases when an Englishman reaches a
certain rank in official life, he seems to become an
obstinate blockliea«l. I have often wondered over it,
but cannot account for it. Anyhow the state of aflairs
here is an excellent example of this. I suppose in the
wliole settlement there is not, with the exception of
the man in authority, a single person who <loes not
perceive that the situation is a dangerous one, and that
no possible precaution should be omitted; and vet the
man who is responsible for the safety of all throws
cold water on every proposal, and snubs those who are
willing to give up time and labour in order to ensure
the safety of the ])lace.

" [ su[)pose he considers that the tone lie adopts
sliows him to be a man superior to those around him,
possessing alike far greater knowledge of the situation,
and a total freedom from the cowardly feai-s of his
neighbours. Well, well, I hope that events will Justify
liis course, but I own tliat I sleep with my riHe and
revolvers loaded and ready to hand. I\lind, I do not
say that tlie chances may not be ten to one against
Te Kootis making a raid down here; but I say if tliey
were a hundred to one it would be the height of folly
not to take every possible precaution to ensure the
safety of all here."

"Don't you think, Mr. Atlierton, that it would he
better for mother to go home? I am (rettinc all ri'dit
now, and can get on very well without her."

282

DANGER IN HIE AIR.

"I am sure your iriother would not leave you at
present, Wilfrid, and I don't tliink you will be tit to
be moved for another fortnight yet. Te Kooti has
done nothing for two months, and may not move for
as much more. Your mother knows nothing of what
I have told you, and I should not make her anxious or
uncomfortable by giving her even a hint that I con-
sidered there is danijer in the air."

CHAPTER XV.

THE MASSACRE AT POVERTY BAY.

ANOTHER week passed and Wilfrid was able to
walk about the house and garden. A ship was
going down in three days, and j\Ir. Atherton had
arranged with the captain to put into the Mohaka
river and land them there. No channje had taken
place in the situation. There had been a meeting of
the settlers and friendly natives. The latter had
offered to erect the stockades for a small fort if the
settlers would do the earthworks. This they had
agreed to, but the project was abandoned, as Major
Biggs again declared it to be wholly unnecessary.
Some of the SL'ttlers, dissatisHed with the result, formed
themselves into a vigilance committee to watch the
ford of the ^^ aipaoa River.

This was done for several nights, but IMajor Biggs
again interfered, and told them he considered the act
to be absurd. The vigilance committee, therefore,

"TE KOOTI WANTS YOU."

283

ceased to act. A few nights lator Te Kooti's people
crossed at this very ford. Late in the evening of the
4th of November AJr. Atherton was about to go up to
bed when he heard a growl from a dog chaineil up out-
side. He listened, and nir.de out the voices of men
talking in low tonus. The lower windows had shutters,
and these Mr. Atherton had with some dilHculty per-
suaded Mr. Sampson, who was himself incredulous as
to the possibility of attack, to have fastened up of a
night. Mr. Atherton ran upstairs, knocked at the
doors of Wilfrid's and the settler's rooms, and told them
to get up instantly, as ' ..uiething was wrong. Then he
threw up his window.

"Who is there?" he asked.

"Open the door" a native replied, "we have a mes-
sage for you."

" You can give me the message here. I shall not
come down untd I know who you are."

" The message is that you are to open the door and
come out. Te Kooti wants you."

Mr. Atherton could just make out the figure of the
speaker in the darkness.

" That is my ansv^ ^r," he said as he fired.
A fierce yell from twenty throats rose in the air,
and there was a rush towards the door, while two or
three shots were fired at the window. Mr. Atherton
had, however, step{)ed back the instant he had dis-
charged his rifle, and now, leaning out, dischaiged tho
chambers of his revolver in quick succession among
the natives gathered round the door. Shrieks and
yells arose from them, and they bounded away into
the darkness, and again several muslcet-shots were fired

284

THEY HAVE CUME AT LAST.

ill U-

■ (I s < i •

at the window. By this time tlio settlor and Wilfrid
had botli joined Mr. Atliertun, liavinjj,' leapt iroiii tiieir
beds, seized their arms, and ran out when the lirst shot
was tired.

"It is Te Kooti's men," Mr. Athorton said. "They
have come at last. I exjioct there will be a few
minntes bei'ore they attack again. You had better
throw on some clothes at once and tell the ladies to
dress instantly. We may have to leave the house and
try to escape across country."

Wilfrid and the settler <:ave the messages, and then
returned.

"How many of them do you think there areT'
Wilfrid asked.

" About twenty of them, I should say, and we could
rely upon beatino; them off; but no doubt there are
parties told olf to the attack of all the outlyini;- settlers,
and when the others have done their work they may
gather hero."

" Where are they now?" Wilfrid asked as he gazed
into the darkness.

" 1 fancy they are behind that shed over there. They
are no doubt arranging their plan of attack. I expect
they will try Hre. There! do you see? That is the
flash of a match."

A minute later a light was seen to rise behind the
shod, and there was the sound of broakinij: wood. The
liuht o-rew Ijriuhter and brii^htor.

" Thoy will be coming soon," Mr. Athorton said.
"Do not thiow away a sliot. The shinoles on this
rot)f are as dry as tinder, ai.J if a burning brand falls
on them the place will be in a blaze in tive minutes.

PRFPARATIONS FOR ILIGIIT.

285

lie
le

Now!" As lie spoke a nuinbor of nntivos, oarli carry-
ing a flaming brand, appeared from behind the wood
shed. The tliree rifles cracked ont, and as many
natives fell. 'J'ho farmer began to reload his rille,
while Mr. Atherton and Wilfri.l handed theirs to Mrs.
llenshaw, who at that moment joined them.nnd opened
fire with their revolvers. Only two of Wilfrid's shots
tohl.but Mr. Atherton's aim wns as steady as wlien fnin*'
at a mark. Two of tlie nati\es fell, and four others,
throwing down their brands, ran back wounded to the
shelter of the wood shed. 'J'lieir companions, after a
moment's hesitation, followed their example. Tlieie
were now but six unwounded men out of the twenty
who attacked the house.

"There is one of them off for assistance!" Wilfrid
exclaimed as lie caught sight of a figure I'unning at
full speed from the shed. In another moment lie was
lost in the darkness.

" Now is the time for us to make our escajie," ^Ir.
Atherton said, turning from the window. "We have
succeeded so far, but there may be three times as many
next time, and we must be off. We will get out by j ,
window at the back of the liouse and try an<l muk(i
our way across country to the Mahia tribe. We shall
be safe there."

"But Wilfrid cannot walk a hundred j'ards," ^frs.
Renshaw said.

"Then we must carry him," Mr. Atherton replied
cheerfully. " He is no great weight, and we can make
a litter when we get far enough away. Take a loaf of
bread, Mrs. Sampson, a bottle or two of water, and
a flask of spirits. You will find one full on my table.

286

"JUMP UP UPON MY BACK."

i n

Please hurry up, for tliere is not a moment to lose. T
will stay here to the last moment and Hre an occasional
shot at the shed to let them know that we are still
here."

As the course Mr. Atherton advised was evidently
the best, the others followed his instructions without
discussion, and three minutes later stepped out from the
back window into the garden. Mr. Atherton had been
told that they were ready, and after tiring a last shot
from the window and reloading his rifle joined them.
Mrs. Sampson had a small basket on one arm, and her
child, who was ten years old, grasping her hand. Mrs.
Renshavv had taken charge of Wilfrid's rifle, and had
offered him her arm, but the excitement had given him
his strength for the moment, and he declared himself
perfect'y capable of walking without assistance.

" Go on as quietly as you can," Mr. Atherton said.
"I will keep a bit behind first. They may possibly
have put somebody on the watch on this side of the
house, although I do not expect they have. They have
been taken too much by surprise themselves."

The little party went on quietly and noiselessly about
three hundred yards, and then Mr. Atherton joined
them. Wilfrid was breathing heavily and leaning
against a tree.

"Now jump up upon my back, Wilfrid," Mr Atherton
said; "your weight will not make much difference to
me one way or the other. That is right; lend him a
hand, Sampson, and get him on to my shoulders. It
will be easier for both of us, for I have got no hips for
his knees to catch hold of. That is right. Now if
you will take my gun we shall get along merrily."

THE HOUSE FIRED.

287

They walked fast for about two miles. Wilfrid
several times offered to «(et down, snyinir that he could
walk wraln for a hit, hut Mr. Atherton would not hear
of it. At the end of two miles they reached the spot
where the country was covered with low scrub.

" We are pretty safe now," Mr. Atherton said, " we
can turn off' from the track and take to the sciuh for
shelter, and there will be little chance of their finding'
us. ^ Now, Wilfrid, I will set you down for a bit. This
is fine exercise for me, and if I were to carry you a
few miles every day I should fine down wonderfully.
Ah! the others have como up;" he broke off as tlie
sound of a native yell sounded on the still niglit air,
and looking round they saw a bright light rising in the
direction from which they had come.

"They have set fire to the house" the settler said;
"there goes the result of six yt-rs' work. However'
I ne.d not grumble over that, now that we have saved
our lives."

"We had best be moving on," Mr. Atherton said.
" No doubt they opened a heavy fire before they set
fire to the shingles with their brands, but the fact that
we did not return their fire must have rotised their sus-
picions, and by this time they must have woke up to
the fact that we have escaped. They will hunt about
for a bit, no doubt, round the house, and may send a
few men some distance along the tracks, but they will
know there is very little chance of catching us until
daylight. Now, Sampson, let us join arms, your right
and my left. Wilfrid can sit on them and put Ids
arms round our necks. We carry our rifles on our
other .shoulders, and that will balance matters. That

•JS8

A HALT.

is rii^'lit. Now on wo go nt^fiin." Willi oconsional
halts tlioy went on ♦'or anotln'r four hours. J»y tliis
titiio tlie ludios aiwl tho little girl wtTe coiiijdetcly
exhausted t'roin stumliling over roots and low shruhs
in the daikncss and the two men also were thoroughly
fatigued; for the night was extremely hot, ami tlxj
work of carrying Wilfrid in addition to the weight of
their ammunition, told upon them. They had long
since lost the path, but knew by the stais that tiny
were keeping in the right direction.

" Now we will have a few hours' halt," Mr. Athert»)n
said. " We may consider ourselves as ]>erfectly safe
from pursuit, though we shall have to be cautious,
for there maybe parties of these scountlrels wandering
about the country. W^e may hope that a good many
of the settlers lieard the firincf and made off in time,
but 1 fear we shall hear some sad stories of this night's
work."

Lying down the whole party were in a few minutes
fast asleep. Wilfrid had ottered to keep watch, saying
that he had done no walking and could very well keep
awake, but Mr. Atherton said that nothing would be
gained by it. " You could see nothing, and you would
hear nothing until a party of natives were quite close,
and unlciis the}'^ happened by sheer accident to stumble
upon us they could not find us; besides, though you
have done no absolute walking, the exertion of sitting
up and holding on has been quite as nnich for you in
your weak state as carrying you has been for us.
No, we had best all take a rest so as to start fresh in
the morning."

Mr. Atherton woke as soon as daylight broke, and

A SAD STORY.

2^0

yon

rousincr himself, cautiously looked roun.j. There was
nothm- in si-ht, and he decid.d to let the party sleep
tor a tew hours ioni^.r. It was .-iuht oVh.ek and the
sun was hinh before the other, opened their eyes.

Mr. Atherton wa.s standinn' ..p. "Then, is a horse-
man conun;^- across the phiir.," he said; " no douht he is
followin;,^ ,h,. track; hy the lin. he is taking he will
pass a little to our rjoht. 1 will <ro out to hear the
news. I tlnnk you had better r.nuiin where you are
he may be followed."

iMr. Atherton walked throu-h the bush until he
reached the track just as the rider came alon^r.

"All! you have escaped. Mr. Atherton; 1 am glad of
that. Have all your party o-ot away .^"

"Yes, thank (Jod!" Mr. Atherton said; "and now
what is the news.'"

"I cannot tell all," the settler said, "but there has
been a terrible massacre. I was pressin^r wool for
J)odd and Peppard, whose station, you know, lies some
distance from any other. I rode up tliere just as day
was breakincr and went to the wool shed. Nobody
came, and I heard the dog barking angrily; so I went
up to the house to see what was the matter. I found
the back-door open and the two men lyino- dead in-
side evidently killed by natives. I then gvalloped off
to the Mission Station and warne.I them there and
then to the stations of Ha^- -i^orne and Stron.'r I
tound they had already been warned, and were" just
about to start; then I rode to Matawhero to warn' the
settlers there. Most of them had already made off
I passed Bigg's house on the way; there were a number
ot natives round it evidently in possession, and as I

2'm

TIIK JOIKNKY CONTINrKD.

} r.n

]ta.ss«Ml Mann's lioiisi; I saw liitii iiiul liis wifi! aiul child
lyiriL,' outsido dead. How many nioio have Ijccn
murdered I do not know, lb is an awful business.
Where are your friends?"

" They are in the scrub there. We are making our
way to the Maliia."

" Most of tlie settlers who have escaped liave made for
the old redoubt at Taranj^anui, and I fancy they will
be able to beat otl' any attack made on them. 1 am
riding for Wairoa. I cannot tliink what they can
have been about there to let Te Kooti slip away with-
out sendini; us a warning. He must have come by
the long road and been six or seven days on the march."

" Have you seen any natives since you started?" Mr.
Atherton asked.

" I saw a party of about twenty of them moving
across the country about two miles back. They were
scattered about in the bush, and were, I expect, in
search of fugitives. They were moving across the line
I was going, and were half a mile away; but when they
come on this path they may follow it, knowing that
those who made their escape and did not go to the
redoubt would be likely to try to reach the Mahia
country."

"Thank you! then we will be moving on without
delay," Mr. Atherton said; and the .settler at once rode
on with his message to the force at Wairoa. As soon
as Mr. Atherton joined the party and told them what
he had lieard they again set out. After walking for
four miles they reached the edge of the plain, and the
path here ascended a .sharp rise and entered a narrow
defile.

PURsuFrn.

2!il

1(1 child
'u Iteun
(Usinos.s,

injj our

nade for
liey will
I am
ley can
ly vvith-
ioiiie by
march."
3(1?" Mr.

moving
ley were
:pect, in

the line
ben they
ing that
D to the
3 Mahia

without
nee rode

As soon
em what
king for
, and the
I narrow

M ilfrid. who was sittin- on Mr. Athortons .shoulder,
looked IncK forth.. two..ti.th tim.'a/tlH.y ascv„d.d the
iiso. •< ih y an. lolluuing us'" ho e.Nduii.M.d. "Tli,.n.
are a party .»f Hfteen or twenty conun- alon:,' the path
at a run They are not more than a nuie hehin.I at
the outside."

"Then T v.ill put you down. WiltVid," Mr. Athorton
said cpiu.tly ; " that will ^dve n.e tin e tu cool down a hit
betore th,.y arrive. Th.-y eould not have come up at
a bettor i,laee for us. It is no use our trying, to hide
they would track us directly. We nn.st n.ake a stan.I
at the moutli of this defile. It is a good place for
defence and ,f it wore not for this rascally hush we
should l.avo no dilliculty in keepini,^ them otK Evo„ as
It IS I think we can make a good tight of it. Now
Mrs Renshaw will you and Mrs. Sampson and thJ
child go a httle way in and sit down. I have no
doubt we shall be able to beat these fellows buck and
It we do that we can hope to make the rest of our
journey without further molestation."

.il^Y'^J ^^ ""^ ""''y "«^' ^" ^^^^^Ji"^' tlie rifles, Mr.
Atfierton?

"I think not. Mrs. Renshaw; it n.ay be a lone,
skirmish, and we shall have plenty of time to load"
and your being here with us and running the risk of
being hit would make us nervous. I think, if you do
not mind wo would mucli rather know that you are
in .-afety behind us." ^

"Very well." Mrs. Renshaw said quietly; "I will do
what you thiiiK best. We shall be i.raying for your
success until it is over." ^

Mr. Athertjn looked round after the two ladies had

292

THE FIGHT BEGINS.

f s

gone on. " There is a bush with a wide ledge of flat
ground behind it/' he said, pointing to a little clump
oi' underwood some ten feet above them on the side of
the ravine. " I think, with my help, you can manai^e
to clamber up there, Wilfrid. Lying down you will
be able to fire under the bush and be in fair shelter.
Mr. Sanip.son and I will hold the path here. If they
make a rush you will be able to help us with your
revolver. Up there you will have the advantage of
beins: able to see movements amonjx the bushes better
than we shall, and can fire down at them; and if it
comes to a hand-to-hand fiufht will be of more use
there than down here."

V/ilfrid at once assented. " Stand on my hand and
I will hoist you up." Mr. Atherton raised Wilfrid
until he was al)le to get on to the ledge of rock behind
the bushes. Wilfrid laid himself down there, and with
his knife cut off a few of the lower twigs so that he
was able to get a good view ahead. " Keep yourself
well back, lad, and do not raise your head except to
fire. Do you see anything of them?"

" Yes, they are not more than a quarter of a mile
away and are scattering among the bushes. No doubt
they caught sight of us as we came up here, and think
it possible we may intend to defend the defile."

" I will let them know we are here;" and Mr. Ather-
ton made two steps forward to the mouth of the defile.
Almost at the same instant he levelled his rifle and fired,
and one of the Maoris threw up his arms and fell back,
the rest throwing themselves down instantaneously
amouLT the bushes, whence a moment later two or three
shots were tired. But Mr. x\therton had stepped back,

;e of flat
le clump
e side of

manai[,^e
^'011 will

shelter.

If they
ith your
utage of:
is better
-nd if it
lore use

and and
Wilfrid
L behind
,nd with
that he
yourself
^cept to

■ a mile
o doubt

id think

•. Ather-
le defile,
tid fired,
ill back,
neously
or three
id back,

THE NATIVES IlEINFOHCED.

293

and lie and the settler, lying down on the oround
worked hen.selves forward until by raisi„o tln-ir heads
t H-y 30uM connnand a view of the slope up to tl.e mouth
01 the ravnie.

For a time all was silent. Presently Wilfrid's rifle
spoke out, and a yell testified to the fact that the
quick aim he had taken at a dark figure stealing
among the bushes had been true. It was followed
qu.ekly by a general discharge of their pi.>ces by the
waives Jhe bullets rattled thickly against the rock
and cut leaves from the bushes behind which Wil-'
ind was lying, but he ha.l drawn hin.self back a foot
or two the moment he fired, and the balls passed
harmlessly over him. Not so the ndssive despatched
by Mr. Atherton m the direction of a puff of smoke
rom a bush some forty yards away, for the fi-ure
behind It remained still and immovable while the frav
went on. For upwards of an hour the exchan-^e of
shots continued, and then the assailants wa^re joined
by hf teen other natives, who had been attracted 'to the
si)ot by the sound of firing.

"I expect they will pluck up their courage to make
a rush now, Wilfrid," Mr. Ath.^rtou said, "if it had
not been for these new arrivals I think they would
have soon drawn off, for we must have diniinished
their numbers very considerably. ])un't fire again for
a bit; we had best keep our rifles loaded so as to be
ready for them when they pluck up courage to char-^e
^^hen they do, be sure you keep your revolver a^a
reserve for the critical moment."

Five minutes later a tremen.lous yell rose in the air.
I he natives leaped fo their feet from behind the bushes,

294

A IIAND-TO-HAND FIGHT.

i. i

I f:

;' {

piir

fired their guns at their liidden foes, and then, toina-
liawk in hand, riislied forward.

Three shots raiiij: out almost siinultaneoiislv from
the moutli of the defile and thieu of tlic natives
dropped dead in tlieir tracks. The rest ruslied for-
ward in a Lody. Mr. Atherton and the settler leapt
to tlieir feet, and the former opoiKMl fire with his
Colt's revolver when the leading: natives were within
ten yards of him. His aim was as accurate as when
directed against a mark stuck against a tree, and a
man fell nt each shot. But the natives' blood was
th jroughly up now, and in spite of the slaughter they
rushed forward. There was no room in the narrijw
defile for two men to swins: their rifies, and Mr. Ather-
ton and the settler stepi)ed forward to meet the foe
with their clubbed rifles in their hands. Two crashing
blows were delivered with efi'ect, but before the settler
could again raise his weapon three ^laoris were upon
him. One tomahawk struck him in the shoulder and
the rifie fell from his hands. Another raised his
tomahawk to brain him, but fell with a bullet from
Wilfrid's revolver through his chest; but the third
native brought his weapon down with terrible foree
upon the settler's head, and he fell in a heap upon the
ground. The tremendous strength of Mr. Athert<m
stood him in good stead now. The first blow he had
dealt had smashed the stock of his rifie, but he whirled
the iron barrel like a light twior round his head, deal-
ing blows that broke down the defence of the natives
as if their tomahawks had been straw, and beatinir
them down as a fiail would level a wheat stalk.
Those in front of him recoiled from a strength which

n, toina-

;ly from
natives
bed t'or-
ior leapt
vith his
li within
as when
3, and a
)od was
ter they
narrow
*. Ather-
the foe
irasliinof
e settler
re upon
der and
sed his
et from
le third
le force
pen the
-therton
he had
whirled
,il, deal-
natives
beatinsf
: stalk.
) which

,■ < I

1,1

■ ■ t- !

i i : i I

ri '

1 i I:

MR. ATIIERTO.N KINDS lllK SE 1 1 l.KR SlllJ. liKLATHlNc;.

THE NATIVES AWE rANIC-STllUCK.

295

-■'*

.-JTw-

seemed to tlieiii siiperliuuiar, while whenever one
tried to attack him in the rear Wilfrid's revolver came
into play with fatal accuracy. At last, with a cry of
terror, the survivincj natives turned and retreated at
the top of tliL'ir speed.

" Hot work, Wilfrid," Mr. Atherton said as he
lowered his terrible weapon and wii)ed the strcamini^
perspiration from his face; "but we have given the
rascals such a lesson that we can journey on at our
leisure. This is a bad business of poor Samjjson's. I
will help you down lirst and then we will see to him.
llecharge your revolver, lad," he went on as Wilfrid
stood beside him; "some of these fellows may not be
dead, and may play us an ugly trick if we are not on
the look-out."

Wilfrid reloaded his pistol, and Mr. Atherton then
stooped over the fallen man.

" He is desperately hurt," he said, "but he breathes.
Hand me that revolver, Wilfrid, and run back and tell
]\lrs. Sampson her husband is hurt."

Wilfrid had ijono but a yard or two when he met
his mother and the settler's wife, who, hearin;jf the
cessation of the tirinsf, were no lon'-'er able to restrain
their anxiety as to what was going forward. Mrs.
itensliaw gave a cry of joy at seeing Wilfrid walking
towanls her.

"Is it all over, my boy, and nrc^ you unhurt !*"

"It is all over, mother, and thcv lia\e bolu-d. I
have not had a scratch, for 1 have been lying down
all the time in shelter; but I am sorry to say, Mrs.
Sampson, that your husband is b.ully hurt.

"No; he is not dead," he continued in aiiswcr to the

•296

BADLY WOUNDED.

^ ;

agonized oxprossion of inquiry in lior eyes. " He Ims
been stunned by tlie blow of a tomahawk, and is, as I
said, badly hurt; but lie will, I trust, get over it."

Mrs. Sampson ran forward and threw herself on her
knees by her husband's side, uttering a suppressed cry
as she saw the terrible wound on his head.

" Wilfrid, there is a bottle of water untouched in
the basket," Air. Atherton said.

'I will fetch it," Mrs. Renshaw broke in, hiirrvinc:
away. " No, Milly," she said, as the child who had
been ordered to stay with the basket came running to
meet her. "You must stay here for a little while.
The natives have all run away, but your father is hurt
and for a time must be kept quite quiet. I will send
Wilfrid to sit with you."

Taking a bottle of water and a cloth which covered
the basket, Mrs. Rensliaw hurried back. " Wilfrid,"
she said, "do A'ou u'O and sit with the little one. You
can do no good here, and look completely worn out.
You will be n)aking yourself useful if you amuse Miliy
and keep her aw;iy from here for the presei»t."

Mr. Atherton ])oured a little of the water into the
cover of his flask, added some brandy, and poured a
little of it between the wounded man's lips. Then he
saturated the cloth with water and handi'd it to Mrs.
Sampson, who wi])ed the blood from her husband's
head and face, then poured a little water from the
bottle on to his forehead. Sotne more brandy and
water was poured between his Vipa and he uttered a
faint groan.

" 1 will examine his wound now, Mrs. Samjison. I
have had some experience that way in my journey-

BANI)A(iIN(J THE WOUNDS. otjj

ings about tl.o worl,l." Kneeling d„wn l,e carefully
exainineil the wounil. cumy

" It is better tl,a„ I bnpe.l, Mr.,. Sa.npson," he .aid
clieerlu y. "I exueet tli.. (l,;..i. i. ii i .

l,.,,..i i-Lu *-M '-'-t tli« tliick bat tiinie.l the tonia-
^n^ k a bttle an.l ,t fell obli.,uely on the side of the
head. It has can-ie.l away a f,.oodi.sh slice of the hair
and scalp an,l has starred the bone, but it has not
crushed , m and I think that with care and nursi,,.!
your bus ,an.l wdl „ot be Ion,, before ho gets ove^
.t. \ ou bad better fold up that cloth again, pour
sou,e fresh ,vnt,.r over it, and then ban.lag.. it over the
wound w,th a sbp of stuff torn ofT fro,,, the botton. of
:ou,' petticoat. You had better tear off two slips for
his ar„, will re,|„ire bandaging too. I will look to
that as .soon as you have done his head. .\o ' he went
on, when he .s,uv that Mrs. Sa,„ps,.n's t.-e,„blin<r tt,„-er3
^vere ,,u,te iuoapable of fi.ving the ban.lage p,-op°rly
.10 not th„,k that will do. If you wilfall'ow'.ne'^^'
Will do it for you.

He took Mrs. Sampson's place, and while Mrs
Renshaw supported the settler's hoad he wound the
bandage tightly and skilfully round it. "Now for
Ins arm." he said, and drawing out his knife cut the
sleeve up the shoulder. " It has narrowly nu'ssed the
''U'tery he went on; " hut though it is an uglv-lookin.
ga.sh 1 ,s not serious. I wish we had so^ne more
water, but as we liaven't we must do without it and
J daresay we sliall come across a stream soon " When
the q)eration of ban.iaging was complete Mr. Atherton
stood up.

^_^|^What are we to do next?" Mrs. Renshaw asked

V >

298

MAKINd A LITTKR.

.1 J

"We iHiisfc cut a couple of saplini^s and make a
littor," lie said. "If one of you ladies can spare a
j)etticoat, please take it oti" while I cut the poles." He
went away and returned in a few minutes with two
poles ten or el(!ven feet long.

" Here is the petticoat," Mrs. Renshaw said. The
settler's wife was too absorbed by her grief and anxiety
to hear Mr. Atherton's request. " What is to be done
with it?"

" In the first place it must be taken out of that band,
or whatever you call it," Mr, Atherton replied, " and
then split right down. Here is my knife."

When the garment had been operated upon there
remained a length of strong calico nearly three feet
wide and three yards long. " That will do well," he
.said. "Now we have to fasten this to the poles. How
would you do that? It is more in your way than
mine."

" I should roll it twMce round the pole and then sow
it, if I had a needle and thread. If I had not that I
should make holes in every six inches and tie it with
string; but unfortunately we have no string either."

"I think we can manage that," Mr. Atherton said;
and he walked ra})idly away and returned in a few
minutes w^ith some long stalks that looked like coarse
grass.

"This is the very thing, Mrs. Renshaw," he said;
"this is what is called New Zealand flax, and I have
no doubt it will be strong enough for our purpo.se."
In a quarter of an hour the litter was completed. Just
as it was finished Mrs. Sanqison uttered an exclamation
of joy, and turning round, they saw that her husband

make a
spare a
s." He
ith two

I The
anxiety
be done

it band,
d, " and

n there
^ee feet
ell," he
I. How
\>y than

ion sew
b that I
it witli
ther."
•n said;
L a few
) coarse

»e said;
I have
irpose."
1. Just
unation
iUsbund

"IT WILL DO ME A WOULD OF HOOD." 299

]..i<l oponed his eyes and was looking roun.l in a dazed,
lewiideri'd way.

''It is all right, Sampson," Mr. Atherton said oheer-
tully; "we have thrashed the natives han.lsomoiv
they have bolted, and there is no fear of thrir c.ndn.;
back again. You have had a clip on the h.ud with "a
tomahawk, but I do n<,t think that you will be much
the worse for it at the end of a week or two We
have just been manufa.turing a litter for you, and now
we wdl ift you on to it. .\ow, ladies, I will take him
by the shoulders; will you take him by tlie feet, Mrs
benshaw; and do you. Mrs. San.pson. support his head ^
1 hat IS the way. Now, I will just roll up my coat and
put It under his head, and then I think he will do; lay
our rifles beside hinu i\ow, 1 will take the two handles
at Ills iiead; do you each take one at his fret. The
weight will not be great, and you can change about
when your ar.ns get tired. Yes, I s-e what\-ou are
tlunkmg about, Mrs. Renshaw. We n.ust go alor.g bit
l.y bit We will carry our patient here for half a nule
then I wdl con.e back and fetch A\ilfn,l up to that
poHit, then we will go on again, and so on."

"All the hard work falls on you, Mr. Atherton; it is
too bad, Mrs. Renshaw said witli grateful tears in her
eyes.

"It will do me a world of good, Mrs. Renshaw I
must have lost over a stone weight since Aesterday
n this sort of tiling were to go on for a few weeks ^I
should get into fighting condition. Now, an- vou both
ready? Lift."

In a sliort time they came to the point wl„.,-e WiliVid
and the child were sitting down together. W ilfVid had

.300

WILFRID CAN GO NO KAUTHKR.

l)een iinpn.'s.sin,!,' upon her tliat lior father was liurt,
and that .slie must be very good and (juiet, and walk
aloHi^ quietly l)y her motliur's side. So wlien they
came hIoiil; slio got up and approached them with a
siilxlued and awe-struck air. iSho took the hand her
mother held out to her.

" Is father very bad, motlior?" she asked in a low ton:.

" He is better than he was, dear, and we must hope
and p)"ay that he will soon be well again; Init at
present you must not speak to him. He must be kept
very quiet and not allowed to talk."

" You sit where you are, Wilfrid, I will come back
for you in half an hour," Mr. Atherton said.

"That you won't, Mr. Atheiton," Wilfrid said, get-
ting up. " I have had a long rest, for, excei)t for
pulling my trigger and loading, I have done nothing
since the tirst short walk when we started this morn-
ing. All this excitement has done me a lot of good,
and I feel as if I couM walk ever so far."

" Well, put your ritle in the litter, thon," Mr. Atherton
said; "its weight will malce no diii'erence to us, and it
will make a lot of difference to you; when you are
tired say so."

Wilfrid struggled on resolutely, refusing to stop
until they reached a stream two miles from the start-
ing-place. Here they rested for an hour. The settler's
wounds were washed and re bandaged, the others par-
took of a meal of bread and water, and they then con-
tinued the journey. At the end of another half-mile
Wilfrid was oblined to own that his stremjth could
hold out no longer, but he refused positively to accept
Mr. Atherton's proposal to come back for him.

LEFT I5EIIIND.

301

I will not hvar of it, Mr. AtlHTto,,." ho saM.
l^roin what Mis. Saiiip.son says it is aii..tl.(T ci-lit or
t..n nules to tl.o Mal.ia country. Tlu-rc is not ti.e Irast
hav of any of the llau-IIaus foILwin.^^ on our track.
Jho hest way hy far is this: ] will .r., ;, i,„„,,,,,, ,,.^,,,^
into the hush and lie (l.,wu. You push on. Jt will
be dark before y„u ilnish your jo,u-ney as it is. you
would not -et there till to-niorrow n.oruin- if you had
to keep on con.in.? hack for n.e; besides", you would
never yet on with the litter after it is dark leave
me a piece of bread, a bottle of water, my ride and
revolver, and I shall be as comfortable anion-r the
bushes there as if I were in bed. In the nion.in" y„u
can send out a party of Mahias to fetch n.e in U yon
break down a small bouoh here bv tlie side of the wav
that will he quite suHicient to t.'ll the nntives where
they are to turn ott" from the path to look for me."

"Well, I really think that is the best plan, Wilfrid
There is. as you say, no real dan-er in your stoppin-
here alone. It would be a Ion- job conun- back for
you every time we halt, and it is of importance to ^rt
Mr. Sampson laid down and quiet as soon as possibFe "
Mrs. Renshaw did not like leavino- Wilfrid alone-
but she saw that she could be of no real assistance to
him, and her aid was absolutely required to carry the
wounded man. She therefore ottered no objections to
the proposal.

"Don't look downcast, mother," Wilfrid said as he
kissed her. "The weather is fine, and there is no
hardship whatever in a nicrht in the bush, especially
after what we went through when we were foIIowiiK^
Te Kooti."

302

MFt. ATMKUTON IM/miNS.

«i

Will'rid iiiudii liis wuy a liundrufl yiinls liack into
the bush and then tliruw irnnsolt' d(nvn under a tree-
IVrn, and in a very i'ew ndnutes lie -vas sound asleep.
Tho next time he awoke all was dark aroun<l hini.

" I must have slept a ^nxjd many hours," lie Hai<l.
"I feel precious hunL,'ry." lie ate a hun(;h of bread,
took a iliink of water from the bottle, and soou fell
asleep again. The morning was breaking when he
again woke. A (juarter of an hour later he heard
voices, and cocking his ritle and lying down full
length on the grass, waited. In anothei' minute to his
joy he hoard Mr. Atherton's voice shouting, "Where
are you, Wilfrid? Where have you hidden youself ?"

CHAPTER XVI.

THE PURSUIT OF TE KOOTI.

VjA

• (i

«!

i'l

''1'

HE leapt to his feet and ran forward. Mr. Atlierton
was approaching, accompanied by a party of six
natives.

" Why, Mr. Atherton, I was not expecting, you for
another three hours,"

" Well, you see, Wilfrid, your mother was anxious
about you. She did not say anything, for she is a
plucky wonum, and not given to complaining or
grumbling, still I could see she was anxious, so I
arranged with tiiese natives to be ready to start three
hours before da} break, so as to get here just as the

sun was risnig.

"r THINK UK W'lu. no." 303

"It is nwrully kin.I u\' you. AtlH-rton; l.nt su.vly th.
nat.vos woul.I Iwtvo 1...., al.I. to fi,.<l n.e without vour
trebling yourself tv cou.e all this way n-uiu f nux
sure you must hav. been dremlfully tirc.i after all
your work yesterday."

" ^Vell Wiifn,!. jH-rhaps T was just a little bit Muxious
inpolt about you. an.! sl.oul.l have fuss.-.j au.l ll,l<..(e,l
unt. you not back, so you see the quickest way to
satisfy myself was to come with the natives."
" Wliat time <lid you get in last night r'
"About eight o'clock i.i the evening, I think We
were all pretty well knocked up, bui the two 'ladies
l)ore 1 bravely, so you .see 1 had no excuse for .rnnn-
blHijjf. **

^v'^l ^I", '"'f ^""^ ''°"'*^ "^^* ^'''''''^ ^"""'l^I^'^l anyhow."
VVdfn.l laughed; " but 1 know that when one is carrv-
ing anyone the weight at the head is more than double
the weight at the feet, and that was divided between
them whde you had the heavy end all to yourself
And how is Sampson/" ^

^ •'! think he will ,lo. Wilfrid. The natives took him
in hand as soon as he got there, ami put leaf poultices
to h,s wounds. They are very good at that sort of
thing; and so they ought to be, considering they have
been breaking each other's lieads almost from the days
of Adam. Well, let us be off. We Jmve brou^dit the

vviltnd lay down uj^on tlie stretcher. Four of the
natives lifted it and went off at a light swinging pace
From time to time changes were made, the other two
natives taking their share. Had they been alone the
natives could have made the ten ndles' jcmrney under

304

THE TALE OF MASSACRE.

ili:

III

rf!

tlie two hours, but Mr. Atlierton reduced their speed
directly after tliey had started.

"I have not been killed by the Hau-lfaus, Wilfrid,
and I do not mean to let nivseif be killed by friendly
natives. Three miles an hour is my pace, and except
in a case of extreme emergency I never exceed it. 1
have no wish, when I get back to England, to be
exhibited as a walkinfj skeleton.

" It is good to hear you laugh again, lad," he went
on as Wilfrid burst into a shout of luugliter, to the
astonishment of his four bearers. "I was afraid six
weeks back that we should never hear you laugh again."

"Oh, Mr. Atherton!" Wilfrid exclaimed a few
minutes later, " were there any otlicr of the Poverty
Bay people there last night; and have you heard wliat
took place and whether many besides those we know
of have lost their lives?"

" Yes; I am sorry to say it has been a very bad
business. As we heard from Butters, Dodd and Rep-
part w^ere killed, and there is no doubt that their
shei)herd was also slaughtered. Major Biggs, poor
fellow, has paid for his obstinacy and over-contiuence
with his life. His wife, baby, and servant were also
killed. The news of this was brought by a boy
employed in the house, who escaped by the back-door
and hid in a Hax bush. Cai»tain Wilson, his wife, and
children have all been murdered. M'Culloch was
killed with his wife and baby; the little boy managed
to escape, and got to the redoubt at Taranganui.
Cadel was also killed. Fortunately Firmin heard the
sound of musketry in the night, tie started at dawn
to see what was the matter. He met a native, who

THE IIAU-IIAUS liETlKE.

30.-)

' speed

Vilfrid,
I'icndly
except
I it. 1
, to be

le went
, to the
•aid six
a<i:ain."
a few
Poverty
rd what
e know

sry had
id Rep-
at their
^s, poor
ntidence
ere also
' a boy
ick-door
idfe, and
)q\\ was
nanag-ed
anganui.
aard the
at dawn
,ive, wh(3

to d him that the Hau-Haus were massacring the
whitcvs, and at once rode ofj-and warned W'ylie, Steven-
son, Ler.son, Hawthorne, and Strono-; and these all
escaped with their families, and with Major Westrupp
got safely to the Mahia people.

" The boy who escaped from Major Bijr^rs's house
reached Bloomhelds, and all the wo.nen and children
tliere managed to escape. How they did it heaven
only knows, for the Hau-Haus were all round. That
IS a 1 we know at present, and we h„pe that the rest
ot the settlers of the outlying stations round Matawher.,
succeecled m getting into Taranganui, A\-hether the
Hau-Haus will be satisfied with the slaughter thev
have eHected, or will try to penetrate further into tl.;
settlement or attack Taranganui, remains to be seen
O course the people who have escaped are. like our-
selves, Ignorant of everything that has taken place
except what happened in their imme<h-ate nei.dU.our-
hood. I should fancy, myself, that however wide-
spread the massacre may have been, the Hau-Haus
started last night on their way back. They would
know that as soon as the news reached Waii-oa the
torce there will be on the move to cut them off:"

"Ho you think they will succeed?" Wilfrid asked
eagerl3^

"I do not tldnk so, Wilfrid. If Colonel Whitmore
were there they woul.l have routed out Te Kooti lor.o-
ago, but Colonel J.and.ert seems a man of a <lili;.rent
stamp altogether. Why, J heav.l last night that he
niarci.ed six days ago to Whataroa, rjuite close to Te
Kootis place, and that a prisoner they took <^ave them
positive information that the Hau-Ilaus thc^e had all

(005)

!'*:

lUii

■ui;

iU;

306

NEGLKCTED OPPOUTL' N ITI KS.

left to assist Te Kooti in a raid upon Poverty Bay.
It seems they did not believe tlie news; at any-
rate, although a mail left for Poverty Lay on the day
alter they returned to Wairoa, they sent no news
wliatever of the report they had heard. If they had
done so there would have been plenty of time for the
settlers to prepare for the attack.

" It is one of the most scandalous cases of neulect
that I ever heard of, and Lambert ought to be tried
by court-martial, though that would not bring all
these people to life again. However there is one thing
certain, the news of this affair will create such a sen-
sation throughout the island that even the incapable
government at Auckland, who have disregarded all the
urgent requests for aid against Te Kooti, will be forced
to do something, and I sincerely hope they will de-
spatch Whitmore with a strong force of constabulary
to wipe out Te Kooti and his band. It is curious how
thinirs come about. Almost all these poor fdlows
who have been killed belonged to the Poverty Bay
militia, who refused to press on with Whitmore in
pursuit of Te Kooti. Had they done so, the addition
of thirty white men to his force might have made ail
the difference in tliat fight you had with him, and in
that case Te Kooti would have been driven far up the
country, and this massacre would never have taken
place."

It was a jxreat relief to Mrs. Renshaw when Wilfrid
reached the viilacje. She was not given to idle fears,
and felt convinced that he was running no real dan-
ger; for she knew Mr. Atherton would not have left
him by himself had he not been perfectly convinced

by Bay.
at any-
the (lay
o news
bey liad
for the

nculect
be tried
rinii all
le thin (J
h a sen-
leapable
1 all the
le forced
will de-
iabulary
OLis how

fellows
rty Bay
more in
addition
nade all
, and in
r lip the
e taken

Wilfrid
lie fears,
eal dan-
lave left
mvinced

A TKIlRinLE JOURXEV.

3o;

there was no danger of pursuit. Still she felt a woioht
litted oft her mind when she saw the party enterTncr
the vi]hu>-e. °

'I Well, mother, yon must have had a terrible ionrney
of It yesterday." Wilfrid said, after he had assuVed her
that he felt none the worse for what had passed, and
was indeed stronger and better than he had been two
days before.

" It was a terrible journey, Wilfrid. Fourteen miles
does not seem such a very long distance to walk,
tliough I do not suppose I ever walked as far since
1 was a girl; but the weight of the stretcher ma.Ie
all the ditierenee. It did not feel much when we
started, but it soon got heavier as we went on-
and though we changed sides every few minutes it
seemed at last as if one's arms were bein.r pulje.l
out of their sockets. We could never have"' done it
It It had not been for Mr. Atheiton. He kept us
cheery the whole time. It seems ridiculous to remem-
ber that he has always been repr.'sentin<r himself
as une.pial to any exertion. He was carryin- the
greater part of the weight, and indeed five Iniles
before we got to the end of our journey, seeing how
exhausted we were becoming, he tied two sticks six
feet long to our end of the poles, and in that way made
the work a great deal lighter for us, and of course a
great deal heavier for himself. He declared he har.lly
ielt It, for by that time I had torn two wi.le strij)s
from the bottom of my dress, tied them together, and
put them over his shoulders and fastened them to the
two poles; so that he got the weight on his shoulders
instead of his hands. But in addition to Mr. Sampson's

no3

EXHAUSTED.

■i

weii^'bt he carried Milly perched on his slioiilder the
hist eiiilit miles. He is a noble fellow."

"H(; did not say anything about carrying Milly,"
Wilfrid said, "or of taking all the weight of the litter.
He is a splendid fellow, mother."

" He was terribly exhausted when he got in," j\Irs.
l\enshaw said; "autl was looking almost as pale as death
wlien we went into the light in the hut where the
other fugitives had assembled. As soon as the others
lelieved him of the weight of the litter, and lilted
Milly down from his shoulder, he went out of the hut.
As soon as I had seen Mr. Sampson well cared for, 1
went out to look for him, and found he had thrown
himself down on the ground outside, and was lying
there, I thought at first insensible, but he wasn't. I
stooped over him and he said, 'I am all right, Mrs.
Kenshaw, but I was not up to answering questions.
In half an hour I shall be mysidf again, but I own
that I feel washed out at ])resent.' I t(jok him out a
glass of biandy and water, he drank it and said, ' I
feel ashamed at being waited on by you, Mrs. Renshaw,
when you must be as tired as I am. Please do not
bother any more about me, but if you will ask one of
the others to get a native blanket to throw over me to
keep oil' the dew I shall be all right in the morning;
but I do not feel as if I could get on mv feet again
to-night if a fortune depended on it.' Of course I did
as he asked me, and I was perfectly stu})efied this
morning when 1 heard that he had been up at two
o'clock and had gone oli" with a party of natives to
bring you in."

" It was awfully good of him," AVilfrid said, "and he
never said a word to me about it. Where is he/" and
he looked round. But Mi*. Atliertun had disappeared.

SEVENTY PERSONS KILLED.

309

ler the

Milly,"
3 litter.

I," :Mrs.
s (leatli
ive the
: others
I lirte<l
ha hut.
1 foi-, I
tlirown
s lyinj,^
su't. I
it, Mrs.
estions.

I own
;n out a
said, ' I
iushaw,

do not
: one of
r me to
lornino-;

it auain
se I did
ied this
at two
tives to

'and he
e i" and
jpeared.

" Have you seen :Mr. Atherton?" th.'y asked Mr. Wylie,
as he came out of a lar--e Iiut thJt had been given
up for tlie use of tlie fugitives.

"He lias just had a olass of spirits and water— un-
fortunately we liad no tea to ofibr him— and a piece of
bread, and has taken a blanket and has none oil' to
an empty hut; he said he intended to sleel) ""^il to-
morrow morning," and indeed it wns not until next
day that Mr. Atherton again aj)peai'ed.

Several friendly natives arrived one aftej- another
at the village. They l)rought the news that the
Hau-Haus had attacked only the colonists round
Matawairo, and tliat all the rest of the settleis were
gathered at Taianganui; but the Hau-Haus were
plundering all the deserted houses, and were shoot-
ing down all the natives who lef used to join them. It
was afterwai-ds found indeed that the natives had
sutl'ered even more severely than the whites, for while
thirty-three of the latter were murdered thirty-seven
of the natives were killed. Major W'estrupp had left
by ship for Napier to obtain assistance, hieutenant
Gascoyne had made his way safely through the Hau-
Haus to Taranganui, and had sent a whale-boat out
to a schooner that was seen passing down the coast.
She at once came into the port, and the women and
children were sent off' to Napier. The garrison of the
fort had been reinforced by the friendly natives under
their chief Henare Potare, and were awaiting the ex-
j)ected attack by Te Kooti.

A week later news came that Major Wostrupp and
Captain Tuk(! had arrived from Najiier with throe
hundred natives, and that the Hau-Haus had retired
with their plunder. The party at Te Mahia at once
started for the coast accompanied by some thirty

310

SURVIVORS.

; *i l^

ih-ir-

men of the Mahia tribe. A wagc^on had been pro-
cured for the transport of tlie women and children,
and a march of twenty-four miles took them to
Tarani^anui. They found that parties had been out
thir day before to bury the dead, and had brought in
two persons who were supposed to have been nnjrdered.
As one of the parties were going along they saw a
small poodle dog run into a i)ush, and recognized it
as liaving belonged to Captain Wilson. They called
and whistled to it in vain, and came to the conclusion
that someone must be in hiding there. After half an
hour's search they discovered little James Wilson with
the dog tightly held in his arms; the boy was too
frjnfhtened to distinguish friend from foe, and was
greatly delighted when he recognized one of the party.
He told them that his mother was alive, and was lying
wounded in an out-liouse at their place. He had lost
his way while trying to reach Taranganui to bring
help to her.

Captain Wilson had defended his house with a re-
volver until the natives brought fire to burn him out.
As tliey otiered to spare the lives of all within if they
surrendered, Captain Wilson, thinking that there was
a possibility of their keeping their word, while those
within would certainly be burned if they resisted,
surrendered. The prisoners were being h^d along by
their captors, Caj^tain Wilson carrying the little boy,
when the natives fell upon them. Captain Wilson
was shot through the back, his servant, Morau, toma-
hawked, aiid Mrs. Wilson and the other children
bayoneted. Captain Wilson, M'hen shot, fell into a
bush, and the little boy in the confusion crawled away
unnoticed into the scrub. He had wandered about
sleeping in out-houses for several nights, often close to

TOO LATE.

311

n pro-

lildren,
lem to
en out
nrht in
rdered.

saw a
lized it

called
elusion
lalt' an
)n with
ras too
id was
) party.
Ls lying
lad lost
D bring

,h a re-
am out.
if they
ere was
le those
resisted,
ong by
tie boy,
Wilson
1, toma-
jhildren
into a
?d away
1 about
close to

the enemy, and at last found his way back to what
had been his home, and found the bodies of his father,
brotliers, and sisters, and on going into an out-house
for shelter found his mothtT alive there.

She had been bayoneted in several phves and beaten
on the head with the butt of a riHe until they thought
her dead. Later in the day she had recovered conscious-
ness and crawled back to the house, where she got some
water and then took refuge in the out-house, where two
or three days later she was found by lier son. She had
sinee been kept alive by eggs and other things the
child found by foraging round; but he had at last
started to try to get assistance for her.

After hearing the child's story the party had gal-
loped on to Captain Wilson's, and the poor lady had
been found and carried to Taranganui. A few days
later she was sent down to Napier by ship, but expired
shortly after from the ellects of her wounds.

In the week that elapsed between the date of the
massacre and their return to the settlement Wilfrid
had regained his strength wonderfully, and the bracing
air of the hills and the excitement of the events
through which he passed had acted as a complete re-
storative. ]\lr. Atherton too had completely recovered
from his fatigue, and, indeed, })rofessed himself to have
benefited greatly by them, as he maintained that in
three days he had lost as many stone of flesh. The
morning after their return to Taranganui they had a
long talk about their plans. It was settled that Mrs.
Renshaw should at once rt;turn home. She was most
anxious that Wilfrid should accompany her; but this
he would not consent to.

"No, mother," he said: "it is my duty, and everv-
one's duty, to aid in hunting down these murderous

312

YOTT Ml'ST HAVE YOUR WAY.

*fc

'•J '

scoundrels. Tlioy have mnssacred a number of people
who were very kind to nie when I first became ill, and
I will do my best to punish them; besides, until Te
Kooti's band is destroyed there will be no peace or
safety for any of tlu! outlyini^ settlements, and they are
just as likely to make an attack on our settlement Jis
any other; indeed, we are the nearest to them, therefore
in tigliting here I am hghting for the protection of our
home."

Mr. Atherton also announced his intention of accom-
panying the colunm in pursuit of Te Kooti.

"I dislike fatigue amazingly," he said; "but for
several reasons I feel myself bound to see this affair
through to the end. In the first place they have
attacked me and caused me to underijo ijreat fati^jue;
in the second, they have murdered a number of my
acquaintances; in the third place I have to look after
this boy and see that he gets into no mischief; and,
lastly, it really seems to me that a month or two of
this sort of thing will absolutely reduce me to ordinary
dimensions, a thing which I have for years given up
even hoping for."

"Well, Wilfrid," Mrs. Renshaw said at last, "I sup-
pose you must have your way. I do think that, as
you say, it is the duty of everyone to do all that he
can to punish the people who have committed these
massacres upon defenceless people, and it is necessary
for the safety of the settlement that Te Kooti's band
shall be destroyed. It is very hard on us to know
tliat our only son is fighting; but other men as well
have to leave perhaps wives and children behind, and
if only those without ties were to go the force would
be a small one indeed. It is a comfort to me, Mr.
Atherton, that you have made up your mind to go too.

ANuTlillR EXJ'EniTION.

313

It sounds seK'sli of me to s,iy so; but I suppose all
iiiotliers ui-e srUish when tlieir sons are concerned."

"I undcistuiKl your feelinp:, Mrs. I'ensliaw, and it is
quite naturnl. I do think tliat everyone who can carry
a nnisket ouL^dit to join in this expedition, and I tlatter
myself tliat \Vilfri<rs ritle and mine are allies not to
he despised. Anyhow, Mrs. Kenshaw, I promise you
that we will not do what are called rasli tliinjxs. VV'e
won't try to capture Te Kooti single-handed, and I
think that we can he much more useful covering an
attack tlian leadint:^ an assault."

Accordingly, two days later Mrs. Renshaw em-
harked on a coaster for the Mohaka River, and Mr.
Atherton and Wilfrid announced to Lieutenant (Jas-
coyne that they would accompany his force as volun-
teers.

" 1 am heartily glad to hear it," that oflicor replied.
"I have heard from Wylie of your defence of that pass
against the llau-Haus, and yesterday I had a talk
with Sampson, who is getting round now, and he gave
me the history of the afl'air, and from what he says
you and Renshaw must have killed at least twenty
Hau-Haus, for Sampson admits that he is not much of
a shot and had a very small shaie in tlie total."

"Yes; w^e can both shoot indirt'erently well," Mr.
Atherton said carelessly, " and can both he trusted to
hit a Maori if we see him within about four hundred
yards of us. I fancy that we may be of service to
you in keeping down the tire of the enemy it" 3'ou are
attacking a pah. There is nothing cows fellows so
much as finding that it is certain death to raise their
heads from behind shelter to take aim. Of course we
shall be ready generally to obey orders, but that is
the spi^cial work we joiii for. You see, Renshaw is but

311

AN EXCEPTION TO A RULE.

i'i

lij \

just recovering from illness, and my build unsuits me
for violent exertion. So if you want to storm c steep
hill you must not count on us being with you except
so far as shootin<; eroes."

"Well, I will take you on your own terms," Lieuten-
ant (jascoyno said smiling. "Mrs. Sampson told me
yesterday how disinclined you were for violent exer-
tion, and how she had to help you along on that journey
to Te Mahia.'

Mr. Atherton laughed. "There are exceptions to all
rules," he said. " 1 am a peaceful botanist, but I had
to fight. I hate exertion, but on that occasion I was
forced to make an eH'ort, and terribly knocked up I
was over it. If it becomes al)Solutely necessary I may
have to make an effort again, but I consider it alto-
gether outside my province."

The expedition started on the following morning,
the 2()th of November. It consisted of nearly six
hundred natives belonging to the Napier tribes, the
Mahia and ^larsuwai tribes. The next day they came
upon the rear-guard of the Hau-IIau tribes of Patutahi
and shot two of them. Great quantities of booty which
the Hau-Haus were unable to carry away were found
there, together with the bodies jf several friendly
natives. The next day another encampment was come
upon, and here the carts taken from the plundered
farms were f(Mmd. At dusk on the 2od the column
came up with the main body of the enemy, who were
encamped on the Te Kaietua Creek.

A heavy tire was opened on both sides, and the
natives then charoed, but were driven back with a loss
of five killed and twelve wounded. Mr. Atherton and
Wilfrid, who were walking leisurely in the rear of the
column when it came on the enemy, arrived too late

};;iir

RIFLE riTS.

315

to take any part in the fi«;lit. After tlio repulse the
friendly iiutives took up a ijositiou oii a ridi^e overlook-
ing tlie Hau-Hau positions, and distant twelve hundred
yards from it. llitle-pits were duL(, and for the next
week tiriuL,' was kept up by both sides, with occasional
skirmishes as one party or tlie other tried to take the
oti'ensive, but neither cared to try a determined attack
on the other.

The Hau-lfaus had lost twenty men durini,' tlie first
day's flighting and sutleretl more in the distant tiring,
especially whenever they gathered as if for an attack,
than did the friendlies. This was owing in no small
degree to the accuracy of Mr. Atherton's lire. He
had got some of the natives to dig a ritle-pit three
or four hundred yards down the hill in front of then-
position, and here he and Willrid enscoticed themselves
every morning before daybreak, taking down with
them their provisions for the day, and from this
point they galled the Hau-lfaus greatly with their tire.
Wilfrid knew that his shooting C(Mild not be deiiended
upon at tliis distance; but .Mr. Atheiton had been
accustomed to fire at long ranges, and althougli at
eight hundred yards his ritle was not accurate he did
considerable execution, and so alarmed the Hau-Haus
that they scarcely dared to move by dayliglit from
one part of their intrenchment to the other. The friends
always left their shelter and retired to camp as soon
as the sun set.

The Hau-Haus were not, however, idle. A party of
sixty men made a long circuit and came down in rear
of the column, cai)tured the depot at Tatutahi with
ei<dit keo-s of ammunition and a gi-oat onantity of
provisions, and also seized a numlier of pack aninials
on the way up. Un the od of December the force

;3lf)

A r.ALI-ANT ATTAf;K.

was strcnj^thcrKxl by tho Jirrival of tlio clncfs Kapata
aii<i llotuiie, vvitli three Imndi'LMl aiul .suventy iiieu
from 'I'o Wfiiroa. 'I'lw.so cliielly ItcloiiLjt'd to tlio Nj^ati-
porou trilte, wlio were far better fighters than tho
^.'upier or Mahia men.

As soon as tlie reinforcomeTits hail anivetl it was
decided at oiure to (lislodL,^! tlie <nieiiiy fioin a liill of
wliich tliey liad possession, and then to make a tijeneral
attack on the intrenclimcnits. Forty men ot the
VVairoa tribe under Mr. Procce ma<le a (hi.sliin<; attack
on the hill, and just as they carried it llapata sent a
messai^e to him to say that his trihcsmen were annoyed
by the enemy's shot falling into their camp, and were
therefore determined to attack at once. 'J'hat tribe
sallyinij^ out, carried two of the enemy's outworks with
a rush, and drove the Mau-Haus back to their last line
of rille-pits near the river. Here they were attacked
by the Wairoa men on the lel't, liapata in the centie,
and the tribesmen from Napier on the ri^ht. The
assailants carried tlie intrenchment and (U-ove the
Hau-Haus across the river, these suffering lieavy loss
fiom the tirinij of the left column, who from their
position conunanded the course of the stream.

Unfortunately tliis tire, though destructive to tlie
enemy, was to a certain extent in tlieir favour, for it
prevented the close pursuit of I^apata's men. Thirty-
four Hau-Haus, including throe of their tighting chiefs,
were found dead. To Kooti himself had a narrow
escape. He was still suffering from his wound in the
aidvle, and was carried up the bed of the creek on a
woman's back. A great (piantity of the loot taken
frojn the settlers was reca]>tured, and many of the
friendly natives held prisoiicrs by the Hau-Haus
escaped during the tight. Mr. Atherton and Wilfrid

A rANIC.

317

had joined Rapatu's iiion in their charj^o, an<l after tho
iiglit was over the roriiier said: " Well, Wilfrid, it is a
yatisfiu'tion to have ejot some natives with us at last
wlio will titrht. It seemed at first as if ail tlu; pliieisy
natives had joined the enemy: hut iJapatas men ait;
first-rate fellows, tlioiiLjli I wi->li tliat they iiad latiier
an easier name, for Kgatiporou is a craei-c-jaw wijrd to
pronounce."

Unfortunately a (|uarrel arose afti'r tho hattlo he-
tween Kapata's men a!id the Napier triliosuuni, ami
three liun(h-eil of tlie latter went otK 'J'he ne\t morn-
im,' J'apata and his tril)e, with the remainiie^^ Waiioa
men, marehed out to attack tho ])o>ition tlie enemy
oeeupied on the top of a hill two miles away. Mr.
]*reece led the advanced party, and found the defences
consisted of two lines of stroiijjf earthworks extendiu"-
aci'oss a Hat shoulder, either end restiiiijf on a dill'. iMr.
Preece halted his men until iiapata came up witli th(;
nuiin body. Wilfrid and Mr. Atherton had attached
themselves to the Ngatiporou. Just as they joined
Mr. Preece one of the men fired otf a trun, and the
enemy answered witii a heavy volley. Instantly a
j)anic set in, and the whole force, with the exception
of some sixteen or eighte(>n n > n, bolted. One of the
chiefs under Mr. Preece followed ami managed to stop
them, and persuaded them to wait until Pai)ata couhl
return to them. This they ai^reed to do, but refused
positively to return to the attack.

Mr. Preece returned to Rapata, who was in a state;
of fury at the defection of his tribe. " We will go on and
attack the place by ourselves," he said. " I'erhaps the
cowards will come up when they hear we are fighting "
Mr. Preece at once agi'eed, and the ]'aity, consisting of
the two leaders, Mr. Atherton and Wilfrid, and fourteen

fisSEj

318

A BRAVi: LITTLE BAND.

h ;-t

■iJ

of Rapata's men, worko(l back tlirough the low scrub
until between twenty-five yards of the first line of
earthwoiks, when tiiey opened tire upon the enemy.

"'J'his is ratliar close work, WiUVid," Mr. Atherton
said. " We have the best of it in some respects,
because they c mnot make out our ])osition among tlie
buslies, and they are obliged to stand up and show tlioir
heads above the parapet when tliey fire. We ought
never to miss them at this distance, and we will soon
teach them tliat it is fatal to pause a moment to take
aim, so at the worst they will only blaze away at
j-andom."

For some time the fight continued, and then Ra-
pata re(|uested Mr. Preece to go down the hill and
bring u|) some more men. Oidy nine men would
foli(Jw Mr. Preece, and Rapata was so disgusted that
he himself went down for some distance and manaued
to get thirty more. One of the men had brought a
bill up with him, and with this shallow rifle-pits were
dug among the bu.shes, affording a shelter to the men
as they lay flat while loading. At three o'clock in the
afternoon the chief called on his tribesmen to follow
him, and, leaping up, they dashed at one of the out-
posts and carried it. A man took the news down the
hill, and a chief and thirty more men came up and
joined in the fight.

At dusk Ra[)ata requested Mr. Preece to return to
camp and try to get the main body back with ammu-
nition, as their own was almost exhausted. Mr. Preece
could not induce the natives to stnrt, but they said
they would go in tlie moi'ning. All night the fight
went on, but before lawn Rapata, having expended his
last round of ammunition, retired, having lost six men
killed and four wounded. As he and his men cauie

' ' H ,

itiil

A\ IXDIGXANT CHIEF.

31 'J

V scrub
line of
leiiiy.
therton
espects,
Dili; the
w tlieir

J OUJillt

ill soon
to take
way at

len Ra-
lill and
would
ed that
lanaued
juirht a
its were
Me men

V in the
) follow
he out-
.;wn the
up and

iturn to
ammu-
'. Preece
ley said
be fight
ided his
six men
3n came

down tlicy stroile throu,L,'h the camp in sini^rje file, not
deigning to take the slightest notice of the fugitives,
and passing on, camped apart half a mile furtlier on.
The main body, asliamed of their cowardly conduct,
were afrai<l to go near the chief. As it w;ts necessary
to ascertain what he meant to do, one of the wliite
officers went to see him.

For some time the chief would make no ri'ply. At
last he said, "My men have betrayed me, and I will
have nothing further to do with them. I inteiid to
recurn home and get other men, and when I get back
I will attack the Napier tribe who deserted me." The
same day he marched for the coast, followed at a dis-
tance by the abashed fugiti\-es. On the way down
they met Colonel Whitmore, who with three hundred
constabulary had just arrived by ship from the scene
of operations on the other side of the island.

The colonel begged Kapata to return with him, but
the chief said, "I never break my word. 1 have said
I will go home, and I will; but I wdl return with
other men and atta' k the Napier tribes." After mucli
persuasion Colonel Whitmore got him to promise that
he would not interfere with the Napier men; but
nothing could persuade him to tight again with those
men of his own tribe who had deserted him. Such
being the case, a steamer was placed at his di-i)osnl in
order that he might make the voyage and retui-n as
soon as possiijje.

After Rapata had left Colonel Whitmore sent out a
skirmishing |»aity to ascertain whether the enemy
retained their position. The scouts returned with the
news that there were great fires on the crest of tlie
hill, and they believed that the Hau-' 'aiis were burning
their huts preparatory to returning into tlie interior.

320

FALSE NEWS.

iSi

\' :;r

Colonel Whitmore believed the report, an<l considering
that the Hau-Haus would leave the neighbourhood
of the settlement altogether, he ordered the constabu-
lary to inarch down to the coast again as soon as
possible and re-embark there, as their presence was
urgently required in the north of the province of
Wellington, which had been left open to the attack of
the enemy there by their withdrawal.

Fortunately before they re-embarked Te Kooti
showed his hand. ?Ie had no idea of retreating from
his position, and the fires were caused by the clearing
otf of the scrub which had atlbrded shelter to Rapata's
force. No sooner did he hear that Colonel Whitmore
had marched away than he sent a party down against
one of the outlying settlements, where they murdered
Mr. Ferguson, Mr. Wylie's son, and a friendly native.
Colonel Whitmore, on receiving news of the raid,
inarched rapidly to cut ott' the retreat of the Hau-
Haus; but they managed to evade him and to retire
to their main body.

On the 27th of December Colonel Whitrnore's force
occupied a high ridge a mile distant from Te Kooti's
position. Here the colonel received news that l\a[)ata
had just landed with three hundred and seventy men,
and messenger after messenger was sent down urging
him to hurry up. The chief, who was seriously ill,
was much annoyed by these messages, especially by
the last, that if he did not come soon Whitmore would
take the place without him. Rapata replied: " Very
well, I have tried and failed; it is his turn now;"
and immediately ordered his men to camp for the day.

The next morninof Colonel Whitmore came down
himself, having been advised that the only way to
succeed with Rapata was to treat him in a concilia-

IIAI'ATA's uetuun.

321

tory way. The cliiof's first words were, " PTave vuu
taken the phice?"

"No," Colonel Whitmore replied. "1 am waitinrr
for you, Rapata." °

"Very good," Rapata said; -I will be with you
to-morrow morning." The Ngatiporou performed a
great war-dance, and as no one stumbled or fell, they
considered the omen to be a good on.-, and marched
on and joined Colonel Whitmore s force that ni<dit

CHAPTER XVII.

BACK AT THE FARM.

THE position of the Hau-Haus was naturally a
very strong one, being at the tcj) of a liioh
conical peak rising abruptly from low bush-covered
hills to a height of two thousand feet. On the face,
which had been before attacked, the ground sloped
gradually up to the summit, but on the right and left
the slope was very steep, and at one poin't there had
been a landslip leaving a perpendicular face twenty
feet high, and below that, for fifty feet, it was so steep
that It was difficult to get a footing. The ground in
rear of the position narrowed into a razor-backed
ridge down which a track led, with rope-la.lders to
aid the descent of the rock terraces.

The position in fi-ont, where alone it could be
attacked, was defended by thi.'e lines of earthworks
with high parapets, and with ditches in front abutting
at either end on the steep slopes. The two lower works
were seven feet high, the upi)er work was nearly four-

(COS) -^^

A STRONG K)S1TIUX.

ni m

teen I'ect lii^h, witJi sandbag loopholes to enfiLlo the de-
ft'iiders to lire througli. Each line was connected with
the one above it V)y covered ways. Operations com-
menced by the advance of the Arawa division of tlie
constaVtulary, and a portion of the Nii'atiporon under
Kapata. Advancing quietly and cautiously they came
upon a party of the enenjy enoaged in carrying up
water. 'J'hey drove them up to the pah and took
possession of the only water availalile.

RiHe-pits werenowdugand j)ushed forward gradually
until within a hundred yards of the enemy's lirst lines
of defence. Number seven division of the constabulary
were now sent up, and these threw up a long line of
trenches parallel to the enemy's w'orks; and the artil-
lerymen having with groat exertion brought up a
mortal", a vertical shell-lire was opened upon the enemy's
position with great eti'ect; although to g^t them to the
spot these sliclls had to be carried on the men's backs
for three miles over some terrific ravines. A hundred
constabulary under Colonel Fraser and a hundred
Ngatiporou were sent round to cut off the eneniy's
retreat in rear. Another division of constabulary under
Major Roberts connected the two parties, and thus all
escape of the enemy was cut off, with the exception of
the small piece of cliff, seventy yards in length, wdiich
was believed impossible to descend, and was moreover
exposed to a flanking fire from Rapata's force in front
and that of Colonel Fraser in the rear.

For some days heavy tiring went on, and the hard-
ships suffered by the force were great, for the rain
fell without intermission. There were many casua'ties
on both sides. Captain Brown of the constabulary
was killed, and Captain Cabel of the same corps
severely wounded. Colonel Fraser's men pushed up

■p

TIIR PAH EVACUATED.

323

the nrl-e in the ejioniy's roar, and formed riHo-pits
n"ar the siimiMit from which the Jfau-llans made
desperate but vain attempts to repel them. On the
4th of January Kapata, after consultation with Colonel
\N hitmore, determined to storm the lower line of earth-
works.

He told off fifty picked men, and sont them round

with instructions to seah^ the cliff at the point where

the parapet ended. The work was a dangerous and

dithcult one, for the cliff was very steep and cr.avellv

and the Hau-Haus crowded to the end of the trench'

and fired down, wounding five of the stormers. But

to do this they had to expose themselves, and suffeivd

severely from ^he fire of the men told off to cover the

attack. Finally the Ngatiporou succeeded in climbiixr

up under the outer face of the parapet, which thev cut

through with their spades, and opening a rakin-v fire

upon the Hau-Haus drove them out and took possession

ot the first line of defence.

All night a sap was carried upwards towards the
second hue, with the intention of blowino- up the
earthworks and storming the main works ne'xt morn-
ing, and two hundred picked men were assend.led in
the trenches ready to attack at .la} break. ]]ut at two
o clock in the morning a woman cried out from within
the pah tliat tlie Hau-Haus had all left leaving only
some wounded men and women and children.^ Her
words were not at liist believed, and thev w.re con-
sidered to be only a ruse to induce the assailants to
advance up the hill under the enemy's fire. But at
daybreak it was found that the news was true, that
the whole of the Hau-Haus had escaped, by means of
ropes, down the face of the p.^rpen.ncular clitf

Kapata with his men started in pursuit. He followed

324

A HOT rURSUIT.

the H;iu-ITau trail for some distance, and then scattered
his men in small parties as he uuessed that the enemy
would scatter in search of food. A hundred nnd
twenty of the Hau-Haus were overtaken and killed,
and Kapata returned after an absence of two days.
By this time the whites and constabulary had left,
as the work had now been done and the ccmstabulary
were urgently needed elsewhere. Kapata marched
back by a circuitous way, captured eighty more
prisoners, men, women, and children, whom he brought
alive down into the settlement. Te Kooti had lost
altoQ:ether durinix the siejce and i)ursuit a hundred and
fifty of his men, but he was still believed in by the
natives, three tribes joining him at once, more than
making up for tlie loss he had suti'ered.

Mr. Atherion and the other volunteers with Colonel
Whitmore's force had taken but small share in the
second attack upon Te Kooti's position, not being
attached to anj'' regular force. Kapata had been
greatly struck with the coolness of Mi-. Ath'~.l.on and
Willrid in his first attack, and astonished at the
accuracy of their shooting, and had greeted them very
heartily on his return, and invited them to act with
his force. They had, therefore, during the siege taken
up their position in some ritle-pits in the I'ear of his
pai'ty, and from here had done great service to the
Ngatiporou by covering them from the enemy's fire,
for the llan-llaus soon learned that it was almost
certain death to stand up to take a steady aim above
the parapet.

After the defeat of tlie Hau-Haus many of the
natives of Poverty Bay who had joined Te Kooti, and
taken a prominent part in the massacres, deserted him,
and calmly returned to the settlement as if nothing

:tered
iieinv
I and
villed,

days.
. left,
lulaiy
rched

111 ore
ought

I io3t
d and
y the

than

jlonel

n the

boin<j

been

II and
t the
I very

with
taken
of his
,0 the
s fire,
.Imosfc
above

f the
i, and
1 him,
)thing

n ] A

1M ;

; 1

6ii5

"I AM AKRAII) I AM HEAVY ON A HORSK SIlLl., WIl,!- RID."

A I!i;mai;kai".i,k vkimuct.

3::j

■-».■. «'

'^,:iv-^<

Htm

.^^»fl

-^"■^'■"•"•^'fci.i

li.iil taken jtlncc, and tlic authorities allowed tlieni to
remain umnolestod. 'I'lio settli rs, justly in(ii;;iiant
that men who liad so lately murdeivcl women and
children should ho allowe(l to come down amonij^ them
with impunity, formed themselves into a vinilance
conuuitteo, and some of them who had lost relatives
in the nuissacre hound themselvi's hy oath to shoot
the next party of rutlians who nuide their apjiearanee.

An oppoi'tunity soon oilered. A native who had
assisted in murderini;- Mr. Wy lie's son came in, and
was shot hy Mr. lienson. 'J"he followiuL;; morninij, to
his astonishment, IJenson was warned to attend as
juryman at the inipiest of his victim. In vain lie
assured the native constahle that he w<>s the num who
had done the deed, and that he ou^ht not therefore to
sit. The constahle I'efused to entertain tiie excuse,
and so Benson not only sat on his own trial hiit L;ave
evidence aL:ainst himsidf, and the jury, amoiii;- whom
was Mr. Atherton, liaviiiL,' heard his stateim-nt, hroui^dit
in the foUowini,^ verdict: "We find that the deeoased
was shot hy some person uid>:nown, and served him
riijht."

The day after tliis verdict was returne*! Mi*. Atherton
and Wilfrid, who had been waitiuL? ten days for a
coastinn^ craft, sailed for the Mohaka I'iver, and, land-
iw^ at Mr. Mitford's, borrowed two horses from him,
and were soon at The (Jlade.

"I am afraid I am heavy on a horse still, Wilfrid,"
lS\r. Atherton said as th(\v started, "hut this animal
may be thankful that I did not ride him the la-^t time
I was licre. 1 calculate I must be at h-ast four stone
lighter than I was."

" You certaiidy have lost a i:^ood deal of fl(>sh, Mr.
Atherton. I almost wonder that vou did not continue

IMRID."

' ■

i *

i i

'^\»

14! if

3JG

A GOOD su(;(;: sTiox.

witli our friend Kai ata. lit; (Irclares tliat he will
follow up To Kooti till lie cutilirs him if it takes him
a couplo of years."

"No, no, Wilfrid," Mr. Atlierton laughed, "it i.s
possil)le to have too mucli of a ^'ood thinij. I minht
ioi; alon^ with ac(jlonial force well enoULih and henelit
by it, but Rapata and liis men would kill me in a week.
I do not thiidv those fellow.s know what it is to he
tired. No, 1 am very well contented, and I inteml to
do no end of work in the woods and keep myself down
to my present wei^dit. There is an immense deal to he
done in the way of hotanizinsjf. 1 have already found
twelve new sorts of ferns, and 1 have only just beL;un,
and have not even looked at the orchids yet or the
mosse.s."

" 1 should have thought, IMr. Athcrton, that it would
have been w^ell worth vour wdiile to <jo in for colhctitinf
and sendini^ home rare and new plants, insteail of
merely dryin<^ specimens for your herbarium. 1 know
new orchids fetch a tremendous price, because a
gentleman near us at home had a large house full of
them, and I know he used to pa^ what seemed to me
prodigious prices for little scraps of plants not a bit
more beautiful than the others, simply because they
were rare."

" The idea is a very good one, Wilfrid, and I will
tliink it over. 1 have never gone in for collecting in
that way, for my income has been amply .sullicient for
my wants, but there can be no doubt tliat in these
days, when people are ready to give such lai-ge sums
for rare plants, a botani.st like m^^self nnght make a
really good thing of it out here. The woods are
literally crowded with rare plant^;, and it would add to
the interest of my excursions. As it is now I sintply

HOME AGAIN.

327

look for new sporios, and even here those are hard to
discover; but if I took to ^vifui'^ rare specimens for
sendini^ home, tliero wouM he an uidimited fiehl of
work for nie. Of course the ditliculty is <,^ettini^ them
home alive, for in a country like this, where there is
practically no winter, they are never in an entirely
qiiiesctint state, and would reiiuire the most careful
packiiifr in cases specially constructed for them, and
would need attention on the voyaL;e. Still all this
iniglit be managed, and a steward nn-ht be paid well
to take them under his chai-ge.

"Well, 1 will think it over, Wilfrid. Your idea
certainly seems a good one, and if it pays the great
horticulturalists to send out skilled men to coll.-ct
plants for them from all parts of the world, it should
certainly pay me, who am living in the centre of one
of the most varied groups of vegetation in the world,
to send home consignments."

Ten minutes later they rode into tlie clearing. A
loud whoop of welcome was heard as they appeared,
and Jack came tearing down from the house to meet
them. A moment later Mai-ion appeared at the door,
and she too came Hying towards them. Mr. and iMrs!
Kenshaw also appeared on the verarwlah,

" I need not ask you how you are, my boy," Mr.
Renshaw said as Wilfrid, who ha<l leapt from his horse
as ''•larion ran up, hastent-d forward with her to the
house. " Your mother has told us so much about your
illness tliat 1 hardly anticipated seeing you looking a
picture of hmlth. ]\Ir. Atherton, I am "do'lighted to see
you. My wife has told me how much we all owe to
you both for your care of Wilfrid and for having
brought him and my wife sulely out of the hands of
the natives."

, q^

WiH

» !

11'; i'i

328

MH. RFN'STfAW MAKKS rnoniUSS.

" I am vnrv triad tliat I was able to bo of somo liltio
servioo, Mr. I'u'nsliaw. It is cjuite as pleasant, you
know, to bo ablo to ai«l as it is to be aided, so wo will
look upon the obligation as mutual. Wilfrid has
invited mo to tak(i up my quarters here for a day or
two until my shanty is put in order again."

" It would be a pleasure to us if you would take up
your abode here permanently," Mr. Kenshaw said as
Mr. Atherton dismounted from his horse and the two
men rung each other's hands warmly. "Jack, take the
two horses round to the shed. And now come in. For-
tunately dinner is just ready, and I have no doubt you
are ready too."

Wilfrid was .struck with the chanire that bad come
over his father since he had been away, lie looked
l)etter and stronger than lie had ever seen him before,
and spoke with a Hrmness and decision quite new to
him. Mr. lienshaw, finding the whole responsibility of
the farm upon his shoulders, had been obliged to put
aside his books and to throw himself into the business
with vigour. At first the unusual exertion involved by
being out all day looking after things had tried him a
good deal, but he had gained strength as he went on, and
ha<l even come to like the work. The thought that his
wife and Wilfrid would be pleased to find everything
going on well had strengthened him in his deteriuina-
tion to stick to it, and JVIarion had, as far as the house
work allowed her, been his companion when about the
farm, and had done her best to make the evenings
cheerful and pleasant. They had - ad a terribly anxious
time of it ilurinif the week between the arrival of the
news of the massacre at i^overty Hay and Mr.s. Ren-
shaw's return; but after that their life had gone on
quietly, although, until the Ufws of the capture of Te

"I AM ASTUMSIIKI* MV.sKI.F." 3^9

Kooti's fortress hn<] arriv.'.l, they l.a^l natiirully l-uen
anxious al.oiit Wilfrid's satVty.

"Vou aro l.)oI<iri'^r woi„lrri"nIIy woll and sunburnt,
failicr," til.' lad said as tlioy sat at dinner.

" ^ our r.itlier liMs l.eon out froju niorninrr until ni<dit
WiltVid, niana-in- tli(3 farin," Mrs. K.-nshaw said with'
a^dad siMdo,"an.l I do think the exm-ise has don.^ hini
u great deal of good."

"I uin sure it has, mother," Wilfrid n-ree.l. •• T am
afraid the h.^ok has not madu much i)n)oress, father,
sinco 1 Jiuvu been away."

"It has made no progress at all, Wilfri.l, and ] <lo
notsuppose it .ner will. Science is all vary well wlnn
a man can ali'ord to make it Ins hobbv, but I have cine
to tho conclusion tliat a man has 'no ri-ht to lide a
hobby while his fandly have to work to make a
li\ing."

" iJiit we wore all glad to work, father," Wilfrid said.
" And now I am back a-ain there is no reason why you
should not return to your work."

"No, WiU'ri<l. I have been selfish a groat deal too
long, and iiideod. now tliat I have brokeii myself into
an active life out of doors, I have at present, at any-
rate, no inclination to take to the pen again. I fe.d
better than I liave <lone for years, and am astonished
myself at the work I can get through. As to my
ai)petite, I eat twice as much as 1 used to, and reallv
enjoy my food. Since the day we heard of the failure
ot tlie bank the burden has all been on your shotdders,
Wilfrid, and your mother's. 1 ain goin-r to take my
share of it in the future. As to the book! someone else
must write it. 1 do not suppose it would ever have
really paid. I almost wonder now how I could have
thought tliat I out here could liave derived any satis-

I f 'I

•i i

\'i

I ^

J i

5tJ

3.50

AN INVITATION.

faction from knowini^ tliat my work was praised by
scientific men at lionie; besides, to do it properly a
man must live among tlie natives, must travel all over
the island and oather the traditions current in every
tribe. That I could not do, and if 1 couKl have no
inclination for it. I liave been thinkint; that 1 shall
ask Mr. Atherton to teach me a little botany, so that I
can enjoy a little more intelligently than 1 can now do
the wonders of our forest."

"That I will (gladly do, Mr. Renshaw. I am sure it
would add greatly to the enjoyment of your life here
to become ac(|iiainted with the secrets of the marvellous
vegetation around. It is extraordinaiy to me that mrn
sh(>uld be cc^ntent to remain in ignorance of the r.anies
of e/en the })rincipal trees and shrubs that meet tlieir
eye at every turn. There is not one settler in a hundie<l
can tell you the names of a score of trees in the island.
\Vhile 1 have been away I have tried to get the native
names ol many of the trees that are mostly to be met
with, and only in one or two cases .ould I get any
information, although some of the settlers have been
living for years among them."

"And now, Mr. Atherton, about wliat I was savinjjf
just now, do not j'ou think it would be more pleasant
for you to erect a fresh hut close to ours instead of
living by yourself away in the woods? It would be a
great pleasure to all of us to have y-n with us. Your
society would brighten our life here. We should have
the as.-.istance of your rifle in case the natives broke
out again. You would, of course, live with us, but you
would have your own hut to retire to when you liked
to be alone. What do you sav?"

"I say that it is a very kind oHer, Mr. Kenshaw, and
it would certainly be very much more pleasant for me

THE END OF THE WAR.

li.scd by
)pi)rly a
all over
in every
have no
b 1 shall
50 that I
. now do

II sure it
lii'e here
irvellous
hat men
le rallies
eet tlieir
hundred
e island.
le native
D be met
get any
ive been

,s sa\-ino:
pleasant
stead of
udd be a
s. Your
Lild have
js broke
but you
ou liked

law, and
i for me

3;n

tlian livin- out there by myself at the mercy of a native
cook. On the condition that you will allow me to pay
Miy share of the expenses of hou^ jkee[)ing I will (dadly
accept your offer." ° ° ^

"The expenses of housekeeping are next to nothing
Mr. Atherton," Mrs. Kenshaw laughe.l; "but if you
make it a condition we must of course ai^ree to your
terms, and you shall be permitted to pay }X)ur (juota to
the expenses of the establishment; but I warn you
that the amount will not be a heavy one."

"Heavy or light, I shall be glad to yiiy it, IMrs
Renshaw. The arrangement would be a delightfu.
one for me, for although as a traveller I have neces.
saiily been much alone, 1 am a gregarious animal, am^
fond of the company of mankind."

And so two tlays later a party of natives were set
to work, and a hut was erected for Mr. Atherton
twenty yards away from the house, and was soon
fitted up as his other had been. \Vilfrid had at once
taken up his own work at tlie faim, but was now his
father's right lumd, instead of lia\ing, as before, every-
thing on his shoulders.

The natives in the neighbourhood liad now settled
down again. From time to time news came that
showed that the Hau - Hau rebellion was almost
crushed. Colonel Whitmore, having tinallv completely
subdued the Hau-Ifau tribes in the north of Welling-
ton and Taianaki, had marched with a strong force
divi.led into four columns and .severely jjunished all
the tribes that had joined Te Kooti^in tlie north-
eastern part of the island. Te Kooti himself, after
perpetrating several other mas.sacres of settlers,' was a
fugitive, hotly hunted by IJapata, who gave him no
rest, surprising him several times, and e.xterminatin'f

3;32

MR. ATIIKIITON LOSES WKKJIIT.

tt;!

' I ^'-f

tlie last remnants of the band who had escaped with
him from the Chatham Ishmds. Te Kooti liimself was
now believed to be hidinor somewhere in the Waikato
country; but he was no longer dangerous, his schemes
had utterly failed, his pretensions had even in the
native eyes been altogether discredited, and all who
had adhered to him had either been killed or punished
by the destruction of their villages and clearings.
There was not the slightest chance that he would ever
again trouble the communitv.

The settlement on the Moliaka river had grown, an( '
in six months aftT Wilfrid's return the whole of the
hind lying between the Aliens' farm and Mr. Mitfoid's
was taken up, and two or three families had settled
beyond Mr. Atherton's holding. At The Glade every-
thing went on prosperously — the animals multiplied,
the crops were excellent, and, owing to the many
settlers arriving and reciuiring food until they could
raisf^ it for themselves, much better prices were ob-
tained for the produce, and it was no longer necessary
to ship it to Napier or Wellington.

Although Mr. Atherton had not irone throuijh any
such fatigues as those that he had endured at Poverty
Bay, he had continued steadily to decrease in weight.
Feelincf himself so much li-hter and more active on the
return from the expedition, he had continued to stick
to lonor and re^rular exercise, and was out every day, with
a native to carry his tin collecting-boxes, his presses,
axe, and trowel, from breakfast-time until dark. As he
steadily refused to take any food with him, and fasted
from breakfast-time till supper, the j)roh)nged exercise
in the close heat of the woods did its work rartidlv.
and at the end of a year from the date of his taking
up his abode at The Glade he could no longer be called

STII.L UNSia'TLED.

3;};3

ed with
;ielf was
A'aikato
schemes
in the
all who
tunished
learings.
uld ever

>wn, aiK
e of the
ditt'ord's
I settled
e every-
ilti[)lied,
le iiKinv
ey could
vere ob-
ecessary

ncjh any
Poverty

weiirlit.
e on the
to stick
ay, with

presses,
;. As he
(1 fasted

exercise

ra|.idly,
5 takino;

>t' called

a stout man, and new-comers looked with admiration
at his broad shoulders and powerful ligure.

" When I lirst came to Mew y^ealand," he said, " I
thought it probable that I should only stay here a few
weeks, or at most a few mouths, and I had a strong
doubt whether it would repay mv trouble ni coming
out here. Tsow I am sure that it was the veiy best
step 1 ever took. I weighed tlie other day at j\lit-
ford's, and 1 did not turn eighteen stone, which is
nothing out of the way for a man of my height and
size. Last time I weighed 1 ]>ullod down six-and-
twenty. When I go back to England I shall stick to
my two aieals a day, and go in regularly for racquets
and hoise exercise."

"And when is that going to be, Mr. Atherton?"
Wilfrid asked.

" I have not settled yet, Wilfrid. I have been longer
stationary here than 1 have been in ajiy place since 1
left college. Occasionally I get a tit of longing to bo
back in Lon<. .= again, but it seldom lasts long. How-
ever, 1 suppose I shall yiehl U) it one of these days."

"You are doing very well here, Mr. Atherton. You
said only the ot.'ier day that your consignment of
plants had sold wonderfull}', and that you expected to
make nearly a thou.sand jjounds this year."

"That is true enough, Wilfrid; but you see, unfor-
tunately or fortunately, whichever way you like to
put it, the thousand pounds are of no importance to
me one w'ay or the other. I am really what is gene-
rally considered to be a rich man, and from the day I
left England, now ju.st two years ago, my income has
been sim[)]y .'iccumulating. for beyond the two or three
pounds a month your niotlier lets me jay her I spend
absolutely nothing."

334

A VEllY I'llETTY GIRL.

;i i

"It imist be very dull for yon here, Mr. Atliei'ton,
af^cnstomeJ as y(Hi liave been to be always either
travelling or in London, to be cut off from the world
with only just our society, and that of the Aliens and
Mitfords, and two or three neighbours."

"I do not look dull, do 1, Mrs. Renshaw ? " Mr.
Atherton laughed.

"No; I have never seen you dull since I knew you,
j\Ir. Atherton, not even when you were toiling along
exhausted and worn out with that child on your shoul-
ders and the weight of the helpless man on your
arms. We shall miss you a\vfully when you do go;
shall we not, Marion^" Marion was now nineteen,
and had developed, as Wilfrid told her in some sur-
prise — for brothers seldom think their sisters good-
looking — into a very pretty girl.

"It is not coming just yet," Mr. Atherton said; " but
I have, I think, pretty well exhausted thu foi'est for a
distance of lifty miles round, and now that things are
settling down I shall take more extensive trips to the
mountains in the north-east and the Waikato country,
and the strip of land lying north of Auckland. I have
never been absent above two or three days at a time;
but in future 1 may be away for weeks. But this will
always be my head-(|uartcr.s, Mrs. Renshaw. You see,
your husband is becoming a formidable rival of mine
here, so I must be off to pastures new."

"You know he did not want to send things home,
l\Ir. Atherton. Jt wa.^ only because you insisted that
he did so."

" I am very glad that I did insist. Mrs. Renshaw. As
you know, I only went into the trade of plants to give
nie somethin<i to do on mv rambles besides lookinjx
for new species; but I am sure it has been a cauitai

A COLF.FCTOR OF PLANTS.

3')")

tlici'ton,
s either
le world

lens and

V?" Mr.

cw you,
g along
ir shoul-
)n your
do go;
ineteen,
me sur-
s good-

d; "but
ist for a
ings are
s to the
;ountr3%
I have
a time;
his will
rou see,
)f mine

5 home,
ed that

aw. As

to jjive

looking

cauital

tlnngfor h.m. He has ahvays In-.n accustomed to
use his brain, and although he now takos a livvly
interest in farm work, he woul.l in tin.e have found a
certain void if he had not taken up this new hobby
As It IS, it gives him ph-nty of out-door work, and is
not only interesting, but pays well; aud now that he is
thorough y acpuainted with the botany of this part of
the island and knows which things are worth sendin-
home, and the price he can depend upon gettino- f,,;
them he will make a far larger inron.e out of it
than he could do from 1-uMuing. WiltVid will be quite
capable ot looking after the interests of the farm "

Another year passed The clearings at The Cdade
had been greatly enlarged; but clumps of bush had
been jiid,ciou>ly left so as to preserve its sylvan appear-
ance, the long operation of fencing in the whole ju-o-
perty had been accon.plished, and the number of
horses, cattle, and sheep had so increase.l that the
grea er part were now sent to g.-aze on .Maori land a
small rate per head being paid to the natives. Mr
Atherton had come and gone many times, and had now
a most completed his study of the ],otany of the i.lund.
Mr. Renshaw had altogether abandoned the mana-e-
n.ent ot the fann to Wilfrid, and devoted hin..j;if
entirely to the colleetion of ferns, orchi<ls, and other
plants, receiving handsome checp.es in return for the
consignment sent to England by each vessel that sailed
trom Wellington or Xapier. He had agents at eaeh of
these towns, who made arrangements with the stewards
ot the ships for taking care of the plants on their way
home, Uieirremuneration beingdependent u) on thestaLe
in which the consignment arrived in Kn-land

Settlers were now established on both sides oftlie river
tor miles above Ihe ^ lade, and as among these were

33G

"YOU WANT A WANDKIIING riUNCE."

S't;

; ji ;*!;

til 11

.f ;i

several who had been officers in the army, or profes-
sional men who liad come out for the benelit of tlieir
ianiilies. tliere w as now much cheerful society, and 'J'he
Clade occupied the sauie leadini^ position in that part
of the settlement that Mr. Alitford's had done on the
hjwer river when they first arrived.

James Allen had now been a vear mari'iod to the
eldest of the Miss Mitfords. His brother liad been d<'-
cidedly refused by Marion when he proposed to her,
much to the surjirise of her father and mother, who
had seen from the frequent visits of their neighbour
during the past year how tliinu^s were goini^ with him,
while Wilfrid luid been quite indignant at her rejec-
ti(jn of his friend.

"Girls are extraordinary creatures," lie said to his
sister. "1 liad quite made up my mind for the last
six months that you and Bob wei-e going to make a
match of it, and thought what a jolly thing it would
be to have you settled next to us. I am sure I do not
know what you want more. You have known liim
for three years. He is as steady as ])Ossible, and safe
to get on well, and as nice a fellow as I know."

" He is all that, Wilfrid, but you see I don't want to
marry him. I like him very much in the same way you
like him, but I don't like him well enough for that."

" Oh, I suppose you want a wandering prince in
disguise," Wilfrid grumbled. " That is the way with
girls; they always want something that they cannot
get."

" My dear Wilfrid," Marion said with spirit, " when
I take to lecturing you as to whom you are to marry it
will be quite time for you to take to lecturing me; but
until I do I cannot allow that you have any right in
the matter."

WANTED IN ENGLAND.

337

r profes-
ot' their
and The
:hat part
e on the

d to the
been do
l to her,
her, who
3i<>;]ibonr
•ith hill),
er rejcc-

d to liis
the last
make a
it would
I do not
\vn him
md sate

want to
way you

that."
rince in
ay with
y cannot

, " when
marry it
me; but
riujht in

It was seldom indeed that brother and sister differed
in opinion about a.iy thin^ijj. and seeing a tear in Mai ion'a
eye Wilind at once gave in and admitted himself to be

wronnf.

"Oi course it is no business of mine, Marion, and I
beg your pardon. I am sure I should not wish for a
n.ouient that you should marry anyone but the man
that you choose for yourself. I should certainly liave
deed you to hr„ve man ied Bob Allen, but, if you do not
iancy him, of course there is an end of it."

This was not the only offer that Marion had received
durmg the year, for there were seveial youn^r settlers
who would have been glad to have installed her as the
mistress of their homesteads; but they had each met
with the same fate that had now befallen Bob Allen.

The next time Mr. Atherton came back he said ''I
have taken my last ramble and gathered my last plant "

''What! are you going home?" Mrs. Renshaw ex-
claimed.

" Yes, I am going home," he said more seriously
than he usually spoke. "I have been away three
years now, and have pretty thoroughly ransacked the
island. I have discovered nearly eighty new species of
plants and two or three entirely new families so I
have done enough for honour; besides, I am wanted at
home. An old aunt has died and has left me a con-
siderable sum of money, just because I had plenty of
my own before, I suppose. It is another instance of
female perversity. 80 I have had a letter from my
solicitor sayinir that I am really wanted; but in any
case I should have gone now or in another month or
two. I begin to feel that I have had enough of wan-
dering, and at thirty-eight it is time to settle down if
3^ou are ever going to do so."

338

AN AWKWAUD QUESTION.

••! (■'

r-i

There was a silence round the table as he ceased
speaking, for all felt that the loss would be a serious
one, and although Mr. Atherton had tried to speak
lightly they could see that he too felt the approaching
end of their close friendsliip.

"Are you going to start at once?" Mr. Renshavv
asked.

" No, I shall give myself a fortnight or three weeks
before I sail. I have all the plants I jjjathered this
time to dry and prepare propeily; besides, I sliouid
like a quiet stay with you before I say good-bye.
You see, I have not seen much of you during the last
year."

Nothing further was said on the subject, which
none of them liked to touch on. For the next two
days the house seemed strani^ely quiet.

"By the way, what has become of young Allen?"
Mr. Atherton said at dinner on the third day. " You
told me every one was well, so I suppose he is away
from home, as 1 have not seen him since I came, and
he used to be a very regular visitor." There was a
momentary silence and then Mrs. Renshavv said:

" 1 do not think he is away from home, though he
may be, for he was talking the other day of looking
out for a fresh piece of land for him.self. Now that
his brother is married I suppose it is only natural
that he should think of setting up for himself. The
farm is of course their joint property, but I sup|)08e
they will make some arrangement for his brother to
take over his share."

" Naturally," Mr. Atherton agreed, " young Allen
would not care about remaining now that his brother
is married. When one of two partners marries it
generally breaks up the partnership, and besides, he

*'I NEVER WAS MORE SURPRISED."

3;; 9

ceased
seriouf*
) speak
caching

enshaw

) weeks
ed this
should
:)d - bye.
the la->t

^Yhich
!Xt two

Allen?"
" You
,s away
me, and
} was a
1:

Dugh he
lookinof
ow that
nat'iral
f. The
suppose
ather to

r Allen
brother
,rries it
ides, he

will of course be wanting to have a place of his own,
and the holding is not largg enough to divide."

After dinner Wilfrid strolled out with xMr. Atherton.

"I daresay you saw, Mr. Atherton. that your ques-
tion about Bob Allen fell rather as a bomb-shell among
us. There is no reason why you, who are a great
friend, should not know the truth. The fact is, to my
astonishment, Marion has tiiought proper to refuse Bob
Allen. I was never more surprised in my life. 1 had
always looked upon it as certain that she would accept
him, especially as she has refused tluee or four good
oti'ers this year. One never can understand girls."

Mr. Atherton was silent for a minute or two. Then
he said:

"I thought too, Wilfrid, that it would have come oH".
I have always thought so. Well, well." Then after
a pause he went on: "I had intended to go over in
the morning to see him. I like the lad, and had an idea
of offering to advance him a sum of money to set
up in a place of his own without loss of time. Then
the young couple would have had a fair start in life
without having to wait two or three years or to go
through the rough work at the first start in a settler's
life. The money would of course have been nothing
to me, and it would have been satisfactory to have lent
a helping hand towards seeing your sister married and
happy. And so she has refused him. Well, I will take
a turn by myself, Wilfrid."

And to the young fellow's surprise ^Ir. Atheiton
turned off and started at a brisk pace up the glade.

"He is evidently as vexed at Marion's throwing over Bob
Allen as 1 am " Wilfrid said to himself as he looked after
him. " I wish he would give her a good talking to, .she
would think more of his opinion than she does of mine."

( f

■ ■!

340

THE VAGUEST OF MEN.

CHAPTER XVIII.

IN ENOLAND.

I SUPPOSE you liavo not settlof] yot as to what ship
you will return by, Athcrton i" Mr. l^ensliaw asked
as the party were gathered in the verandah in the

evennig.

"No," Mr. Atherton replied, absently watcliiuf; the
smoke of liis cigar as it curled up, " nothing is at all
settled; my plans seem to be (juite vague now."

" What do you mean, Mr. Atlierton?" Mrs. Renshaw
asked in surprise, for Mr. Atherton's plans wire
generally mapped out very decidedly. " How is it that
your plans are vague? I thought you said two days
ago that you should go down to Wellington about the
20th."

" I did not mean to say that they were vague, Mrs.
Renshaw; did I really say so?"

" Why, of course you did," Mrs. Renshaw said; "and
it is not often that you are vague about anything."

" That shows that you do not understand my char-
acter, Mrs. Renshaw," i\Ir. Atherton said in his usual
careless manner. "I am the vague o of men — a child
of chance, a leaf blown before the wind."

Wilfrid laughed. " It would have taken a very
strong wind when we lirst knew you."

" I am speaking metaphorically, W^ilfrid. I am at
London, and the idea occurs to me to start for the
Amazon and botanize there for a few months. I pack
up and start the next morning. I get thetc and do
not Uke the place, and say to myself it is too hot here,
let me study the Arctic flora at Spitzbergen. If I act

"JUST A REMOTE POSSir.FI.ITY."

341

upon an i<lt>a promptly, wvW ami p)0(], but if I allow
any tiiuc to dai'Sc lictwocin the idea strikini; nu' and
my carryinn; th(! tliiiiL,' into cxoontion, tlicro is never
any saying whether I may not '^o oil' in an entirely
dill'ercnt eroove durinir the interval."

" And is there any chance of your goinpj • ^ i'* ^^^y
other groove now, Atherton?" Mr. lleiishaw asked.

"No, I think not; Jii^t a i. mote possibility perhaps,
but not more than that. It is so indefinitely small,
indeed, that you may — ye<, I think you may safely
calculate upon my starting on the day I said, or if I
hnd a ship at Wellington going on a trading excur-
sion among the islands, or up to the Straits, or to
Japan, I may lik 'ly enough lake a passage in her."

" But I thou'dit vou said that your business re(|uired
you to be at home, Mr. Athci-ton?"

" Yes, I suppose that is so, Wilfrid; but I daresay my
solicitor would manage it just as well if I did not turn
up. Solicitors are people who, as far as I can see,
consider it their duty to bother you, but if they tind
that you pay no attention to their letters they manage
somehow or other to get on very well without you.
I believe they go into a court and make atiidavits, and
get an order authorizing them to sign for you. I do
not know how it generally is done, but that is my
experience of them so far."

Marion had said little tliat evening, and had indeed
been very quiet for the last few days. She was some-
what indignant at Wilfrid's interference in what she
considered her affairs, and felt that although her father
and mother had .sa'd nothing, they too were some-
what disappointed, and would have been glad had .she
accepted Bob Allen. Besides she had reasons of her
own for being out of spirits. After breakfast the next

342

"A I'ENNY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS."

i i

! i I

it;i

1 1

J ;!

morninjx Mr. Atlicrtoii said: " Murioti, w1h;ii vou have
finislicd your doiiKsstic duties and oui l)o sparccl, sup-
poso you put on your hat and come for a ramble witli

riiore was nothiiii:^ unusual in the re(|uest, for the
^irl often accompaniiid him in his rambles when lie
was not iToin;; far into the forest.

"I shall be ready in lialf an hour, if your higluiess
can wait so lonrr."

" I am in no hurry, child, and will smoke a pipe on
the veraiKhih until you an; ready."

Marionalways enjoyed these walks with Mr. Athertoti.
He was at all times a pleasant conipanion, and when
alone with her always exerted himself to amuse her,
thou^^h he sometimes vexed her by talkini^ to her as
if she were a child. To-day he was much more silent
than usual, and more than once she look(Ml up in
wonder at his face as he walked alons^ puffing at his
pipe, with his hands deep in his jacket pockets and his
eyes bent on the ground.

"A penny for your thoughts, Mr. Atherton," she
said at last with a laugh. " It seems to me that you
would have got on just as well without me."

"Well, I was just thinking that I was a fool to ask
you to come with me, child." Marion opened lier eyes
in surprise. " You see, my dear," he went on, " we all
make fools of ourselves sometimes. I started in life
by making a fool of myself. I fell in love with a
woman whom I thought perfection. She was an ar-
rant flirt, and was only amusing herself with me till
she hooked a 3'oung lord for whom she was angling.
That was what sent me roaming for the first time;
and, as you know, having once started I have kept
it up over since, that is till I came out here. I had

"WHY HAVE I STOPPFD SO I.ONOl"

343

;.ss

slie

intoTulod to stay six niontlis; I Imvo licon liore tlin^o

years. Why have I stoppt-d so loiii^;? Simply, cliild,

hccansc I have a;,o)in mn(l(! a fool of myself. 1 do not

think I was conseions of it for tlie first two years, and

it was only wlicn 1 saw, as I thought, that yonncr

Allen would win you, that I recoi^nized that I, a

man of thirty-seven, was fool enough to love a child

just eighteen years younger than myself. At the same

time I was not fool enough to think that I had the

smallest chance. I could not stop here and watch

another winning you, and at the sanie time I was so

weak that I could not go away altogether; and so you

see I compromised uu^tters by going away for weeks

and sometimes months at a time, returning with the

expectation each time of hearing that it was .settled.

Now I hear that you have refused him, and, just as

a drowning man grasps at a straw, I resolved to have

my fate ahsolutely settled hefore I sail. Don't be

afraid of saying 'no,' dear. I have never for a moment

looked for any other answer, but I think that I would

rather have the 'no' than go away without it, for in

after years I might be fool enough to come to think

that po.ssibly, just possibly, the answer, had I asked

the question, might have been *3^es.'"

He had stopped in his walk when he began to speak,
and stood facing Marion, wIhj had not raised her eyes
while he was speaking. Then she looked frankly up
in his face.

'•Do you think I did not know," she said softly,
"and didn't you really know too? You are not .so
wise a man as I thought you. Why, ever since 1 have
known you it seems to me that — that — "

"That you have loved me, Marion; is it possible?"
be said taking her hand.

344

"HOW COULD I HELP ITI"

IMS

Hi'

'^0

I- ■*

litin

"Of conrso it is possible," she said almost pettishly;
"how could I help it, I should like to knowr"

Dinner had been waiting' for some time before ^Ir.
Athcrton and his coinp;inion reLurned from their
ramble.

"Twenty minutes late!" Wilfrid shouted as they
approached the house; "have 3'ou been lo.sing your-
selves in the bush?"

"I think that it has been just the other way,
Wilfrid/' ^Ir. Athcrton said as he came up to the
group gathered in the verandah.

"How do j-ou mean?" Wilfrid a';ko(b

"I mean we have been finding each other."

"Finding; each other," Wilfrid rei)eated vacruelv.
" Wliy, were you both lost?"

" I was, Wilfrid. Mrs. llenshaw, I Ik 2 found your
daughter, and am going, with your permission and
that of her father, to keep her. I am a good bit
older than she is, but as she says she docs not mind
that, I hope that you will not, and at least I can
promise to do all in my power to make her happy."

" I am surprised, Mr. Atherton ; surprised and glad
too," Mrs. Renshaw said, while Mr. Renshaw grasped
Mr. Atherton 's hand and shook it heartily.

" My dear sir, there is no one in the world to whom
I could intrust Marion's happiness so gladly and
heartily. I own that it is a surpri:;o to me, as v;ell as
to her mother, but we are both delighted at the choice
she has made."

By this time Marion and her mother had gone
indoors together. Wilfrid had not yet spoken, his
surprise was still too great for words.

" Well, W^ilfrid,'* Mr. Athcrton said, turning to him,
"I hope your disapproval of Marion's conduct on

can

"I HAVE BEExN AN AWFUL FOOL'

345

tills occasion is not so great as it was when you were
talking to me yesterday."

"I liardly know what to sav vet, von have taken
me so by surprise; but I am awfullv ulnd— vou know
tliat, don't you ? There is no one in tlie workl I sliouki
like Marion to marry so much, only somehow it never
occurred to me."

"That is natural enough, Wilfrid. Ffowcver, now
that it has occurred to you, and you approve of it, we
must hope that Marion will be restored to your good

graces again.

"I have been making an ass of myself," Wilfrid
said penitently; "but you believe that I am awfully
glad, don't you? I was disappoinced about Bob, but
then, you see, I ne^•er thought about you. Why, you
must know, Mr. Athorton, what I tliink of you and
how I care for you, and how I look up to 30U. Some-
how it never seemed possible to me that a man like
you could fall in luve."

"And much more improbable still, Wilfrid, that
your sister would fall in iove with me. I understand
you, lad. We have been very close friends for the
last three years, haven't we? I have been something
like a very big and very old brother to you, and now
we are going to be brothers in earnest;" and their
hands closed in a grip that spoke volumes for the
sincerity and depth of their feelings. Then Wilfrid ran
into the house and threw his arms round his sister.

"I have been an awful fool, Marion," he said; " but
you see, I never dreamt of this."

"And you are really pleased, Wilfrid?"

"Pleastd! I am delighted. Whv, vou know, I
think he is the nnest fellow in the world; and has he
not done everythiu*^ for us, and stood by me and

h I

i ■.,

If.. >

M(j

I NEVER DID THINK IT.

nursed me, and carried nie for miles, and sa '-d
mother's life and mine? But it never entered niy
mind tliat you had fallen in love with each other."

"I do not know why it shouldn't, Wilfrid. Wh^
shouldn't I tliink as much of him as 3'ou do?"

"I do not know, I am sure, Mai-ion; but I confess I
never did think of it. Did you, mother?"

" Once or twice, Wilfrid. Ahout a year ago it did
cross my mind once or twice, l)ut that was all. They
say mothers are keen-sighted as far as their daughters
are concerned; but either I am less keen-sighted than
mothers in general, or Marion is deeper than other

girls."

" Well, mother, we shall have lots of time to talk
this over," Wilfrid said. " Dinner has been waiting
nearly an hour, and even this wondei-ful business can-
not have taken away all our appetites. Everything
is ready; shall I call them in?" Wilfrid had, liow-
ever, still a few minutes to wait, for the two men were
engawd in earnest conversation outside.

When they came in at last Mr. Renshaw kissed his
daughter fondly. " God bless you, my child!" he said.
" You have made a wise choice indeed, and I am sure
that you will be a very happy woman."

It was a quiet meal, for all were too linppy to talk
much. After it was over the two men strolled out
together and renewed their conversation, and Mr. Ren-
shaw presently called to his wife to join them. Marion
had gone to her room, and Wilfrid was about to start
to the other end of the farm when Mr. Atherton called
him.

" Come and join our consultation, Wilfrid. You are
as nmch concerned in it as any of us, and I rely upon
your assistance to bring round these two very obsti-

MR. atherton's rRorosAU

347

nate people to my side of the question. I sliould sny
our side, for of course Marion is one with nie in the
matter. You see, I am a rich man, Wilfrid — really a
rich man, and I naturally wish that Marion should he
made as happy as possible. I do not think she would
be as happy as possible if she were in Eno-land with
me, with a nice place in the country, and a town-house,
and most things that money could bring her, if she
knew that her father and mother were out here li\ ing
a life which, although they have admirably adapted
themselves to it, is yet very different to that to which
they have been all their lives accustomed.

"Now, owing to this absurd freak of my aunt in
making me her heir when my income was already Hve
times as much as I could spend, I have the nuisance of
a large landed estate on my hands. There is a large
house upon it which I suppose jMarion and I will have to
occupy occasionally; and there is another house, which
is known as the dower house, and which is a very snu<j:
and comfortable abode. Now, it is quite clear that I
am the last sort of man to look after an estate. It
would worry me most out of my mind, and would be a
perpetual anno3'ance.

" What I propose is that your father and mother shall
come home and take possession of the dower house, nwd
tliat your father should act as my agent I aving on the
spot, he would be able t(j kceji an eye on the tenants,
receive rents, and that sort of thing, and still be able to
devote a considerable pcjrtion of his time to his favoui'ite
pursuits. I should have the advantage of having an
agent I could absolutely rely upon, and ^lai-ion and I
would have the comfort of having her father and
mother close at hand. It W(juld be a little lonely for
you for a bit, Wilfrid; but you are nearly nineteen

frn'T

W '

I ■•

■ i
■■ 'J

Hi s n

In!

ijfltllH'

348

A SPLENDID ARRANGEMENT.

now, fine] will, uiiloss I am mistaken, ero many years
have passed be bringinc^ a mistress to The Glade. I
fancy you go over to Mitt'ord's a good deal ot'tencr
than there is any absolute occasion for, and although
Kate is oidy sixteen yet, I liave a shi-ewd suspicion
that you have both pretty well made up your minds
about tlie future."

Wilfrid coloured and laughed. " I don't know that
we are as far advanced as that; but I do hope that
some day it may be as you say. J'nt about this other
atiair. What do my father and mother say? It seems
to me it would be a spleudid arrangement."

"Of course it would, Wilfrid; a spleruhd arrange-
ment, for j\birion and me especially. That is what I
am trying to persuade tliem; but your mother has
developed quite a new line of obstinacy, and your
father is just as bad."

"Don't you see, Wilfrid," i\Irs. Kensliaw said with
tears in her eyes, " it is only an excuse on Mr. Ather-
tons — "

"Harry, my dear madam, Harry," Mr. Atherton
interrupted. " We have arranged it is to be Harry in
future."

" On Harry's part," Mrs. Renshaw went on, " to pro-
vide an income for us."

" But I have got to provide an income for r.omeone,"
]\Ir. Atlierton said. " There must be an agent to look
after the property for me, necessarily thao agent must
have a salary; and why in the name of good sense
sliould not your husband be that agent as well as any-
one else ? "

" But you arc offering a great deal too high a salary,"
Mr. Renshaw ui'ii:ed. " You could get an excellent agent
for less than half the sum 3'ou are talking about."

"WE ACCEPT, HARRY."

349

y years
ade. I
ot'tcncr
ltliou<^di
ispicion
• minds

)w til at
pe that
is other
t seems

rranire-
what I
ler has
d your

d witli
Atlier-

Llierton
arry in

to pro-

ncone,"
to look
it must
I sense
is any-
alary,""
b ardent

t."

"Not at all," Mr. Atherton replied; " I must have a
gentleman, bolh for my own sake and that of the
tenants, and to (^et a gentleman of high character
and perfectly trustworthy, I must necessarily pay liim
a good salary. J shall be a good deal in town, and
my representative must therefore he able to occupy a
good position in the county; besides, as I have told
you, my income now, with this absurd addition, amounts
to somethinir like six thousand a year. W'hv, in the
name of goodness, sliould I not be allowea, if 1 choose,
to pay two or three hundred a year over market price
to my agent when it will all'ord my wife the gratiMca-
tion of having her parents near her, and me the pleasure
of having two dear friends as my next neighbours.
Besides, The Glade will not be a bit too large for \-()U
when you marry, Wilfrid, and in that case either you
will have to start in a fresh place and begin all y ^ur
work over again, or your father would have to turn
out to make room for you. I consider it prep(jsterou.s.
What do you say, Wilfrid?"

"I do think it would be a splendid arrang(Muent,
mother," Wilfrid answered. "You know well enough
that I shall be very sorry to lose you and father; but it
would be awfully nice for Marion, and I do think that
though, as Mr. Atherton says, you and father have fallen
in splendidly with your life here, the other would be in
every way better suited to you. 1 can understand your
feelinfTS in the matter; but the .same time I think that
after Mr. Atherton having saved your life and mine,
his feelings and wishes should inlluence you very
much.

" If you hesitate any longer," Mr. Atherton sai<l, " I
shall o;o in and fetch Marion out. I have luA tcjld her
about my plan yet, for in fact we had other things to

350

"AS IF I DID NOT KNOW THAT!"

H "

i -

talk about; but when I tell her, and she adds her voice
to ours, I am sure you will not be able to refuse any
lorifj^cr."

Mrs. Renshaw exchanfjed a look with her husband.
"It is not necessary," she said in a broken voice. " We
accept, Harry."

" That is right," Mr. Atherton said as he wrung Mr.
Reiisliaw's hand wannly, and then allectionately kissed
Mrs. Keiisliaw. "Now we are going to be {. very
liappy and united family. Now, go in and tell Marion."

" Tell her yourself," ^Irs. Reiisliaw smikMl, wiping her
eyes; and Mr. Atherton took his way to the house.

Mai'ion was indeed deliglited with the new.s. The
thouu'ht of leavinu: lier mother and father behind had
been the one drawback to her happiness. She had
been her mother's riglit hand and her father's com-
panion. She liad thouglit how terribly they would
miss her, and how, as years went on, they would, far
more than now, feel the dili'erence between their pre-
sent life and that tliey liad formerly led. The news
that they would be always near her and settled in a
comfortable home filled lier with delight. A few
minutes al'ter Air. Atherton entered the house she ran
out to her father and mother and threw her arms
fondly around them. " Is it not happiness, mother,"
she cried, "to think that we shall still be together?"

" If you are not a liappy woman, child, it will be
your own fault," her father said. " I consider you a
marvellously lucky girl."

"As if I did not know that!" she replied, laughing
throuirh her tears.

Mr. Atherton did not sail quite so soon as he had
intended. A church had recently been erected at the
central settlement, and a clergyman established there,

"MEN ARE FOOLISH CKEATUUEb SOMETIMES.

351

h very

and a month after matters were settled between him
and Alarion their wed(Hng was celebrated, almost every
settler on the .\b;haka hc.iwj; pnjsent. The newly-
married couple retun.ed to The Glade for a week, Mr.
and Mrs. Renshaw and Wilfrid remainini,^ as the guests
of Uv. Mitford. At the end of that time tliey returned,
and witli Mr. and Mns. Renshaw sailed for Napier,
where they took ship for England.

" What woul<l you have done if I had sailed away
for England witliout ever mustering up courage to
speak to you, Marion T' Mr. Atherton said as he stcxxi
by the bulwark with her that evening taking thwir
last look at New Zealand.

" I should not have let you go, sir," his wife said
saucily; "didn't I know that you cared for me, and
had I not refused all sorts of offers for your sjike? I
don't know what I should have done, or what 1 should
have said, but I am quite sure I should not have let
you go unless I found that I had been making a
mistake all along. It would have been ridiculous
indeed to have sacriliccd the happiness of two lives
merely because you had some absurd ideas about your

age.

"I never thought you cared for me, Clarion, never"
" That is because vou never UH)k the trouble to find
out," his wife retorted. " Men are foolish creatures
sometimes, even the wisest of them."

Marion Atherton's life was one of almost perfect
ha})piness. Mr. Atherton entirely gave u}) his wander-
ings abroad, and by dint of devotion to racipiets and
tennis in summer, and of hunting and shooting in
winter, he kept down his tendency towards corpulence.
He was an energetic magistrate, and one of the most
popular men in the county. Mr. Renshaw resumed his

L.,

352

AFTER EVENTS.

former studies in nrclincolou^y, but tlicy were now the
Minuseinent instead of being- tlie object of his Hfe, and he
made an excellent Jii^ent to his son-in-law. 8tandin<r in
the relation he did to Mr. and Mrs. Atherton, he and
Mrs. Rcnshaw shared in their po],)ularity, and occupied
a fi^ood position in the county.

Three years after their return to EnL,dand they
received the news tliat Kate ^litbjrd had changed
lier name, and was installed as mistress at The Glade.
Every live years Wilfrid and his wife, and as time
went on Ins family, paid a visit to England. He
became one of the leading men of the colony. A few
years after his marriage Mr. and Mrs. Mitford liad re-
turned to England for good, and James Allen and AVil-
frid succeeded to his business as a trader, and carried
it on wnth energy and success, Mr. Atherton advancing
Wilfrid suihcient capital to enable them to extend their
business largely. In time The Cdade became Wilfrid's
sunnner residence only, the head-quarters of the tii'm
being established at Napier. It is now conducted by his
sons, he Inmself having retui'ued home with his wife
and daughters with a fortune amply sullicient to enable
them to live at ease. Marion was pleased when, two
years after her arrival in Enu'land, she heard from
Wilfrid that Bob Allen had married the daughter of an
officer settled on the Moliaka. The Grimstones both
did well, and l)ecame prosperous farmers. Jack re-
mained in Wilfrid's service until he left the colony,
a::d i« now a trusted agent of his sons in their dealings
with tne nativea..

ow the

and he
liiif,^ in
lie and
;cupi(.'d

1 they
laiiiiod
Glade.
s time
1. He
A few
lad i-e-
dWil-
iarried
ancinL,^
I tlieir
ilt'rid's
e firm
hy Ids
s wife
enable
n, two
from
r of an
J both
^k re-
olony,
alings