Chapter XII. The Upshot of a False Report.

As the shark-fishermen, with unfortnnately shortened hands, and also unbargained-for passengers were returning, the wind continued to blow fair from the south, but much too strong for their easily landing in the dark at Moturoa, near the Sugar Loaves. They therefore took shelter in a small inlet a few miles down the coast, close towards the Oakura river. Next morning, however, not above an hour after daylight, they were saluted by their friends off the shore, as they with their canoes rounded Mikotai, hastening to their ordinary landing place. But, alas! the joy of these anxiously awaiting people on the beach was soon to be grievously moderated, by the sad account of what had befell two of one of the crew's number. In all times, and with all kinds of people, death while doing labour for a common good ever engages sympathy. It was anything but an easy undertaking to try to convince the kinsfolk of those two sharkfishers who had been lost, that they had not received some sort of foul play at the hands of the man and woman, who had appropriated afterwards their canoe. The whole story of this strange pair getting water-logged in their own boat, and shortly after being enabled to procure another drifting guidelessly about, did not to their comprehension seem at all feasible; the vital need followed so quickly by the vital supply was such a rarity page 47 in the ordinary run of experiences, as to strain very considerably the power of belief. However, when the one of the crew who had got saved by the floatage of the wreck that had been abandoned by the strangers, firmly and clearly told them that it would have been quite impossible for his lost companions to have by swimming overtaken their own canoe, and that those who had secured it, did so by waiting on its advance. That testimony at once put away any further uncharitable misgivings from the breasts of the distressed friends.

There, meantime, before them all, stood Nanahu and Runa. For all their past sleepless fatigue they presented two figures, which if not fitting for worship, were resistless to all that set eyes upon them for their drawing never-paling admiration. Still each of them looked quite the opposite of showing any inward contentment, with the haven where now they were at rest! Nay, it is questionable that if the two canoes had not whilst returning kept-all-the-time close together, that Nanahu could not well have resisted having a hand-to-hand struggle for once more having mastery of the boat! Two, he might have had some chance with, but lo! to havehad four pitted against him would have been but foolishly seeking for almost certain defeat. There was one very gratifying source of consolation for poor Nanahu, however, which he soon discovered, and that was that those strangers which badhap had brought him amidst, treated him kindly and humanely as an equal, and not as an underling! Aye, and gratified much at this civility, as Nanahu no doubt was, Runa on observing him receive it, evidently was a great deal more. Why, the wahine in this case was really so unselfishly good, as to look with an eye of favor more on those who smiled on poor Nanahu, than on those who with friendliness smiled upon herself!

Troubles if not exactly always accompanied by others, have at times others following pesterfully close in their wake. News came a few hours after here arriving, that Raniera by a great battle had crushed for ever the power of Matomato! This terribly startling shock proved more to Runa, than had done all her lately undergone severe hardships. Death's startling pallor instantly travelled across her beautiful features, and her limbs refused to bear the burden further of her stately form. Nanahu was there besides her, that is true, but what of that? When no eyes, nor sense was left to her for Nanahu to feel or see! For hours time stood still with Runa. At last as the still bosom of the deep in a long calm begins to move by the breathing of a cloud, so moved at length prostrate Runa from her inhaling page 48 of the breath of Nanahu! Still it was not until several days after, that Runa had her former self regained! But all these sorrows of Runa's, even yet were fated to be incomplete! Toto, the great high priest on Motupora's mysterious island, sought for her blood as well as that of Nanahu's! Convinced this influential tohunga refused to be, that Nanahu and Runa were other else than murderers! and unless that the chief of the Tateawa tribe, who had given to them refuge, delivered them at once into his hands, the consequence would be that he and all his hapus should henceforth be overshadowed by the most inveterate of malignant spirits! The question answer—he thus put it—“how should they feel then?”

“This comes Rangatira-wahine of your father's defeat,” kindly and considerately spoke the chief of the Tateawa to Runa. “To talk to me though in this manner,” continued he, “is to forget the hand which for many years now has helped him to support himself on the barren rock which thereon he has chosen to make an abiding place. I confess as to feeling it hard for at the first time in my life to gainsay Toto. Yet I feel it at the present moment harder still, to be instrumental to his work of revenge. For quite satisfied am I from what is going on in my mind, that Toto desires much to stand well with Raniera after his victory!”

“O! Great Chief!” answered pleadingly Runa. “You are, pardon me, deceiving yourself, and to my shame confess, I too, have foolishly done the same myself. Now I am—I feel! assure as that the sun laps up the vapours of the earth, that Raniera has gained no victory! neither has my father received any defeat! and for one, as I am, who every hour and every day from infancy onward witnessed his brilliant wisdom reflected, like unto stars in a lake! ought nevermore to stretch my back from under a tiresome load, for ever losing trust in his unequalled valour, I again, again, and still again will repeat it! ‘That Raniera has gained no victory! neither has my father, the most sagacious amongst men, received any defeat! !”’

“I really am,” said the chief of the Tateawas, “to be likened unto one standing where two paths fork. I know not which may be the one will take me to where I wish to go. Toto notwithstanding his heavy obligations to my bounty, could still work me much evil, and Toto to blindly obey would be doing much evil to my own thoughts of right. Yet, what we often cannot do for ourselves, give time, time, and time will do it for us. Leaning on this then, I think that nothing would so well avail as for you to remove yourself with Nanahu a few score of page 49 miles farther from Toto, and without at the same time Toto knowing who it was, that scared away his early winter kukus! Koriti, chief of the Ngatarinuis, at Wanganui—should I say it!—will take you under the folds of his ample garment. Start, whenever ready—for say it, I mean!—by the forwarding with you of this mere!”

It came to pass, when Toto got to learn of the flight of Nanahu and Runa, that his anger against Poharamo the chief of the Tateawas, waxed very wrathful! inasmuch, as to make him threaten that, if they were not instantly brought back, and placed into his custody on the island of Motupora, he would disembowel seven of those whom Matomato had transported thither! But not only would he do this much, he should likewise dispatch a flect messenger to Raniera, acquainting him of the manner that He, the companion of Atua, was here being dealt with. Then meet punishment as had been meeted out to the Ngaterinuis and to the Tateawas in former days, should again be their portion in the days at hand! Once more would the strength of their hapus be as flesh of dead fish, and once more too, would their wahines, their Tamahines, and their Tamaitis be carried away into captivity! yea, even in the fighting-men that would be brought against them, might be many of those who had proceeded from their own flanks! Thus are those who highly hold Atua's powers—ever rewarded.” These were brave words if you like, one from to whom he owed almost all which nourished in his bowels the quickening springs of life!

This Motupora tohunga did not run from his word in the matter of making victims of six of those sent thither by Matomato, neither neglected he either to let his work be known to all the surrounding people, as their lifeless carcases were easily perceived from off the main coast, suspended on upright-fixed spars! Toto must have had at the same time, become sulky and desirous of putting an end to further intercourse, as neither seeds, roots, berries, nor such-like food as what was formerly sent off to him, would he now accept: all that he really would acknowledge was freshwater, and fresh water was what was well known Toto could not do without; as all that looked as water on the island, phooh! a red cinder would put ablaze! and moreover tasted in the mouth like kawa papakes!

The wise words of Poharemo, the chief of the Tateawas of “Give time, time, and time will do for us what we know not how best to do for ourselves,” was in a few days onward in a measure further confirmed. Other news which there was no getting away from, came amongst the people, that after one page 50 of the most wonderful of victories that ever had been fought for—Matomato had Raniera and a number of his fighting-men securely in his fangs! And from one end of the island even unto the other, all the people were satisfied that they might as well contend against a tornado, as contend against Matomato! Matomato of a verity there was no resisting!

Those wise words of Poharma, the chief of the Tateawas, was again soon to be still more corroborated. News came along the coast from Wanganui, that by a birth-mark underneath the chin, Nanahu had been discovered as the long lost baby carried away by a wahine now named Tongaimimi, twenty years ago, during the last invasion in these parts of the Waikato! And this baby Koriti, himself, even frankly admitted was the rightful leader of the Ngaterinuis! and barring Matomato's, under no other shadow in any of the islands! should henceforth stand Nanahu, the despised and ridiculed slave!