C.-3

158

It was previously arranged with the Hon. the Minister of Mines that Tutakanahau Tukua te Eangi, a son of Tutakanahau, the principal chief about Maungapohatu, should accompany us as guide, and Mr. John McAlister, an old settler of Whakatane, as interpreter, the guide and another European, Mr. William Biddle, undertaking the packing of the provisions. Our party left Whakatane on the 26th January last, and everything went on satisfactorily until we reached the confiscated boundary up the Waimana River. As soon as we were into the Urewera country proper we were met by a party of Natives and told we must stop until a meeting of the people could be held, but that this would take place at once ; and as it was past mid-day a halt was made for lunch. We were taken to one of the Native's houses, and food was prepared for us, after which a meeting of the Natives was held. Te Whiu was the principal spokesman; he was represented as the principal chief at Waimana, Eakuraku being absent at Opotiki on the day we arrived. After considerable discussion Te Whiu agreed to our proceeding on the journey on condition that we were not to come off our horses and examine any of the rocks or stones in the creeks and river-beds, or search for minerals, until such time as we got through seven blocks in which he and his hapu were interested, and also that he should receive a guarantee in writing that the Government would not give permission to any European to enter on the land to prospect for minerals without the consent of the Natives. These conditions were agreed to, and the following memorandum was handed to him :— " To Te Whiu. " Whakatane, 26th January, 1895. The Natives are in the same position as Europeans; they have the freehold of the land, and no person can prospect or dig for gold unless the Natives give their consent; neither can the Government give permission to any one to prospect on Native land without the consent of every one interested in the land. " Heney A. Goedon, Inspecting Engineer." These preliminaries being settled, we invited Te Whiu to accompany us, which after some consideration he agreed to do, and we found him exceedingly useful, and finally favourable, to the object we had in view. The arrangements occupied all the afternoon, and we stayed at the settlement all night; one of Tamaikoha's sons, who is settled at this place gave us a weatherboarded house to stop the night in, and was exceedingly kind to us. Next morning an early start was made, but we had not proceeded more than a mile when a messenger came with a demand that we should pass Eakuraku's pa on the right bank of the Waimana Eiver. On getting there we were met by Eakuraku's eldest son, who was in charge, and his two bi others. After the usual welcome, according to Maori customs, the eldest of the three brothers requested us to go back, as our presence in the Urewera country would only cause discord amongst the Natives, and he drew a vivid picture of the woes that would result if we persisted in our expedition. The second and also the youngest son spoke in the same strain, and when they found we were determined to go on, the eldest son said he would not stop us, but he warned us that if anything happened to us we must not throw any blame on his hapu. He said he did not sanction any arrangement that we had made with Te Whiu, neither had he any permission from Eakuraku to make arrangements for us to proceed. After partaking of the food provided for us, and having drunk Eakuraku's health, we parted from his sons in the most friendly manner, and proceeded on our way, a messenger being despatched ahead of us to clear the way, as it was apprehended that obstructions might occur at the very outset. Indeed, when we got up near the mouth of the gorge, we found the gate through which we had to pass nailed up ; the messenger opened it, and we proceeded all that day unmolested. At Tamaikoha's pa we halted for lunch, and the old chief gave us the highest welcome, making us partake of his food. After this, the track left the lower valley of the Waimana, following a tributary of the river for a short distance, thence the track went over a low but very steep range into the upper gorge of the main river, and followed its bed for some distance, when the valley opened with level terrace lands on its left bank. We reached Tau-whero-manuka's pa that night, where no opposition was offered to our progress. Next morning we made an early start, and after passing through about five miles of the gorge along the river-bed, we came into the upper valley of the Waimana and to a settlement known as Tawhanga. After a discussion with the Natives as to the best place to camp so as to get food for our horses, we proceeded on our way, the track being the valley of the Waimana. At a point where the river finally divides into two small streams, the track went up the left branch of the Tawhanga Creek for a distance of about two miles, and here we made a halt for our mid-day meal, as this was the furthest point where food could be got for the horses until we crossed the Pawairoto Hill and got near Maungapohatu. Up to this point no further obstruction was offered. Unfortunately for us, however, after having given the horses a short time to feed, we started off, but had not proceeded any distance when a thunderstorm, accompanied with very heavy rain, overtook us. The rain came down in torrents, making it impossible for us to get our pack-horses up the hill, besides all our provisions were liable to be damaged, as we had not provided coverings for the packs against rain. We were therefore compelled to return to the halting-place, camping there for the night. Indeed, this returning proved most wise, as it rained very heavily for the rest of the afternoon, and the streams everywhere were shortly in high flood. It may be remarked here that the Natives accompanying us (and by this time there were large numbers making their way to Maungapohatu to see what we were going to do) expressed themselves that the atuas, or guardian deities of Maungapohatu, signified their displeasure at our approach, and, in seeming confirmation, a fresh series of obstructions now began. Eakuraku, who was at Opotiki at the time we passed his pa, on his return came after us with his eldest son at the settlement, and got up to within a mile of our camp, but the creek was so Hooded by the heavy rain that he could not proceed any further, and had to return to the settlement about a mile further down. Towards evening the heavy rain ceased and the flood-waters lowered considerably. A messenger came from Eakuraku with a demand that we should go down