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Tales of Banks Peninsula

No 12.—Gough's Bay

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No 12.—Gough's Bay.

The lower part of this beautiful Bay was the property of the Messrs Masefield Bros. when the first edition of "Stories of Banks Peninsula" was published, but it now belongs to Mr. V. V. Masefield, Mr. William Masefield having gone to the Sounds.

The Native name of the Bay is Okururu, and the Messrs Masefield Bros. quite agreed with the writer that it is a great pity the Maori appellation was ever altered. It appears that the present designation was given to it from a man named Gough, who lived there for many years among the Natives. These north-east bays were amongst the last settled on the Peninsula, owing to the difficulty of access, and of getting away stock or shipping produce. This was particularly the case with Okururu, that during the great kai huanga, or eat relation feud, many Maoris fled there in hopes of escaping the visits of their enemies by seeking a locality, the paths to which were almost inaccessible, and known to but few. Enterprising Europeans, however, soon ascertained the exceeding richness of the soil, and a French settler named M. Guin purchased a section on the flat, and sent M. Peter Malmanche there to occupy it, and took some cattle over. The difficulty of landing, however, on the Gough's Bay beach was proved in this case, for the boat conveying M. Malmanche and his things were capsized in the surf, and although all hands landed safely, a large box, containing his wife's clothes and some other things, went to sea. M. Malmanche was in despair, but next morning, on visiting the shore, he was delighted to see the box high and dry on the sand. His spirits immediately revived, and he ran towards it; but what was his horror to find it was merely a shell, for the treacherous ocean had dashed out the bottom, and the valuable contents were, alas! "full fathom five" Peter Malmanche lived there some time, but a mysterious accident occurred, which for a period gave the bay an evil reputation. One night he retired to rest as usual, but when his wife awoke in the morning he was page 322missing, and after a long search he was found by her in the bush, some distance from the house, in an insensible condition. There was a fearful wound on his head, and by his side was an axe covered with blood and hair. It was with great difficulty his life was saved, but when he recovered he could throw no light on the matter, always declaring he remembered nothing from the time he retired to rest till he recovered consciousness after the accident. Investigations were attempted, but the matter remains a mystery to this day. He returned to the bay after the accident, and the whare got the reputation of being bewitched. The most mysterious and appalling noises were heard in the night, and are testified to by many persons above suspicion On one occasion Peter Malmanche nearly met with another accident, that would probably have proved more disastrous than its predecessor, for one night, after being terribly annoyed by a succession of these mysterious and unaccountable noises, Mr. William Masefield took down a gun, and vowed be would shoot anything in the neighbourhood of the house. Opening the door, he observed a dim figure near the whare, and, taking aim, had his finger on the trigger, when a loud eoo ee caused him to stop, and he found it was Peter Malmanche, who had walked over from Akaroa It is thought that these strange sounds must have been the work of persons who were anxious to prevent the Messrs Masefield settling, but if so the fraud was very skilfully devised and carried out, for to this day there is no clue to the mystery. It was in company with Harry Head that Mr V.V. Masefield first explored the valley. Harry Head then lived at Waikerikikeri, and at that place the Messrs Masefield bought some sections Harry Head's wonderful powers of finding his way through the bush made him a splendid companion, and on exploring Gough's Bay Valley, and finding how fertile it was, Mr Masefield determined to have it, and the brothers then commenced purchasing it. They exchanged sections at Waikerikikeri with Mr John Smith, for some land he had purchased in Gough's Bay, and the owners of the sections bought by M. Guin and Boirreau disposed of them, so that page 323gradually an estate of 1200 acres was formed, containing some of the best land on the Peninsula. This land is divided into four paddocks of about 300 acres each, and there are several smaller enclosures for working the sheep easily.

Besides an excellent dwelling house, there is a large woolshed, excellent yards, and all the other usual appliances of successful sheep farming. Of course there is a dairy; and speaking of this, when the Messrs Masefield first went to the bay they had cattle on the place, and a nice job they used to have with them, for the bay was then of course all bush, and it was a terrible worry to get the cattle out, for horses could not be used in such country. To hear the marvellous adventures of one snail horned bullock that would persist in preferring Gough's Bay to the West Coast, is enough to make one's hair stand on end, but it is satisfactory to know that after all his extraordinary capers he eventually gladdened the hearts and stomachs of the Hokitika miners. The house is a comparatively new one, the former erection in which the mysterious noises used to be so prevalent, having been burnt down. This fire had very nearly a fatal termination. The origin was unknown, but Mr. Valentine Masefield, awaking one night, discovered the place was burning. He made for the outer door and got it open, and then called to Mr W. Masefield, who was sleeping in another room. The door was fastened on the inside, and no doubt was jammed, and Mr. W. Masefield, after trying it, was obliged by the smoke to retreat to his bed, where he threw himself down, expecting to be suffocated. Mr V. Masefield, however, never lost his presence of mind, but running to the outside window, he broke the panes of glass, and tore out part of the sash by main strength. The fresh air rushing in revived his brother, and he came to the windsw, and somehow was dragged through, badly burned, but safe. It was only just in time, for five minutes later the house fell in, one great mass of flame. There is a clump of ngaios and other native scrub at the back of the house, and a few gums planted amongst them have grown wonderfully well.

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Going to the beach, which is half a mile from the house, one skirts a beautiful piece of bush that the Messrs. Mase field have left for ornamental purposes. These gentlemen deserve the thanks of all lovers of nature for the care they have exercised in this respect. Every here and there groups of the finest trees have been left, which add to the beauty of the scene, afford shelter to the stock, and a thousand times repay the grazing value of the land they cover Barbarous vandalism and a desperate greed for every blade of grass has spoiled the beauty of many a Peninsula home, and the efforts that are now being made to raise plantations of pinus insignus and other trees show what a wise thing it would have been to have spared a few patches of that unrivalled native bush that, once destroyed, no art can replace. The creek is crossed by a bridge of a very long single span, the great kowhai stringers of which show their elasticity, as well as their strength, as one passes over. The road is that by which the wool and grass-seed is taken to the shipping place, and winds round the base of the hills. There is sand on the borders of the creek. It is black sand, like that of Taranaki, and is full of metal, which can be easily separated from it by washing. A little out of the road is an interesting ngaio tree, on which a disappointed Maori ended his troubles over twenty years ago. It appears that he swung grimly in the air, like an old highwayman on a heath, for many a day, but that at last his friends scooped a deep hole in the ground beneath the tree, and, severing the rope by which he was suspended, let him fall into it. These bones, however, were not destined to rest for long, for a medical gentleman of Akaroa wanted a good skeleton, and, hearing of this, disinterred it and carried it away in triumph, Maori bones are common in Gough's, and the sitting room was once decorated with the bleached skulls, and huge femurs of two grim old warriors, the desecration of whose remains in "kai huanga" times might doubtless have caused a thousand deaths, The tapu surrounding them, however, has now loss its power, and the little hands of children have turned into playthings these mouldering page 325frames of mouths and eyes, from which many an order for death and many a glance of hatred may have issued. After passing this "dule tree" one comes to where a wooded valley gave birth to a creek, which here just joins the main one. At the junction of the creeks grow a number of wild potatoes. Year after year they spring up with great luxuriance, and when I saw them were in full flower, and doubtless had large tubers underneath It must be the site of an old Maori garden, and the sandy soil be peculiarly favourable for the growth of the tuber.

Here was a sawmill, which was busy for some years cutting the totara, matai and kahikatea, which abounded on the table land above, known as Grown Island Gully. It originally belonged to M B. Malmanche. Past where the mill was we come to a pathway hewn out of of the rock, and leading to the shipping place, It cost some £150 to form this rocky track, and put down the tramway and erect the crane. It was hard work, but it has answered well, for a steamer can now come in to within a few chains of the place where the produce is lowered into the boat; and besides that shipping can always go on except in southerly weather. The scene here is very grand a great flat rock partially protects the haven where the boats are loaded, and against this the sea breaks in most imposing waves. There are some curious caves in these rocks, and one goes right through the cliff. It was through this that Mr. W. Masefield once came after a rather dangerous swim. Mr. Pilliett had said no man could swim through the surf, and one day, when a nasty sea was rolling in, and Mr. Adams was present, he resolved to prove to the contrary He got through the surf all right, but the drawback was too strong for him to return, and, finding he was getting exhausted, he made for some flat rocks outside the Heads, and thence by climbing and swimming he reached the other side of the cavern, and, watching his chance, came through. Those who have seen the place can alone realise the difficulty of the feat. On one occasion he swam off to the Red Rover, which was coming in to take away cheese and bacon. It was blowing page 326hard from the south east, and he remained on board all night The Red Rover was then undecked, and they had to lay all night in the cold, covered over with what they could get. Next day, in spite of the gale, he swam ashore, and in a lull in the wind some produce was got aboard and some stores landed. Crossing the creek, one can visit the site of the old Maori pah. It is of large extent, and it is said some seven hundred Natives once lived there. The sea must have encroached a good deal on the land here, for the waves reach where some of the whâres formerly stood; but a peculiar grass, sown and cared for by Mr V. Masefield, has checked the encroachment of the sea. The earthworks surrounding the pa are still easily traced. They enclose a space fully two acres in extent, and this is again sub divided An immense amount of work must have been done, and the side of the hill on the south shows traces of having been cultivated from base to summit, Heaps of the bones of fish, dogs, seals and other animals testify to the enormous feasts once held here and when the Messrs Masefield first went there, the poles on which fish were stretched to dry were still standing. At every step sharpening stones, pieces of greenstone, stones ground into implements and other curiosities can be found in the sand. A great cedar log was washed ashore here, and is inscribed with many initials from visitors. The stern of the Crest was dashed on these sands, and parts of vessels wrecked at Timaru. The limb of the ngaio tree on which the Maori hung himself is a part of the boat used for shipping, and the piece of the Crest is a part of the dairy.

A few Maoris were living here to within forty years ago. Some ten years before this the Natives then residing there purchased a boat from a man named Howland, living in Okain's. The boat was principally putty and paint, and proved a terrible bargain to the unfortunate purchasers. One day all the resident Maoris, with the exception of three women, went out in this boat to fish on tbe bank, which is some two or three miles out to sea. They caught a great number of huge hapuka, and these flapping about page 327in the boat soon opened a number of leaks, and she sank, and not a soul was saved. The unfortunate women, whose husbands were aboard, saw the catastrophe from the cliffs, but were powerless to aid They refused to quit the spot, however, and go to Onuku, though repeatedly urged, saying that they would remain to bury the bones of their husbands when they came ashore. Many a weary year they waited, but the bones never came, and at last one of the faithful creatures died, and the others were then removed by force by the other natives. When their friends were drowned these women took all their valuables, placed them in two canoes, and buried them in the creek. They never divulged the secret of the hiding place, and though the Maoris from Akaroa have spent many a day in endeavouring to discover them, their efforts have been unsuccessful Some day perhaps the wind in its freaks will lay them bear, and then what a host of Maori relics will reward the finder! Speaking of canoes, this was once a great place for them, and the best totaras all through the bush have been felled to construct them. One just finished is still to be seen on the top of a lofty ridge in the middle of the dense bush, and there is another commenced on the Waikerikikeri side. Think of the immense labour it must have cost to get these vessels down, after the tedious work of making them with fire and stones! No white man would have dreamed of such an undertaking.

The old landing place was under the south head. Here it was only possible to ship in very calm southerly weather, and even then was very dangerous. There is a great cave here under the cliff, and at the time of our visit a grand king penguin occupied a ledge on it, and blinked at us as we lay watching the waves roll in. There is a curious cleft in the cliff here, about 15 feet above the level, and one day, curious to find what it contained, the Messrs Masefield Bros. took down a ladder and inspected it. Inside, within the once warm folds of a cloak of pigeon's feathers, lay the mouldering bones of a little child. How many years had passed since tender hands page 328had reverehtly placed it in this remote situation? The view from this place ig remarkably fine The bold cliffs of the northern head, which rises 600 feet sheer from the sea, the many rocks in the Bay against which the waves dashed sheets of foam, the southern head with its 400 feet of overhanging rock, and inland the peaceful valley and gentle spurs, with patches of bush here and there, and above all, the great peaks of the main range, form together a most imposing picture, and it was with regret I turned my steps towards the house. Going back on the south bank of the creek, through the flat, no one can help noticing the extraordinary growth of grass. All the posts in the sixty acre paddock you go through came from one great totara tree, and there were some left over. The walk up the valley is very delightful, the trees being of exceptional beauty. There are a great number of nikau palms, and a curious kind of broadleaf growing here, which I have never seen before. It takes root in the forks of the big pines, and gradually grows down till it reaches the earth, where it roots, and, gaining fresh strength, gradually embraces and strangles the tree like the rata. It is very beautiful, its leaves being larger and brighter than those of the common broadleaf. The Messrs Masefield turned out turkeys and geese in the valley. Three of each were turned out. The turkeys ncreased so fast that in a few years there were hundreds; but of late they seem to be declining in numbers. We saw several healthy broods. The geese have always done wonderfully well, and there is a flock of them. The native birds are still numerous, but the kakas and pigeons have disappeared, Mr V. Masefield does not believe that these birds have been shot out, but that they have migrated to the West Coast. He says that the kakas disappeared in a very short time: that one month there were thousands, and the next none; so that they cannot have been destroyed, but must have some other locality Gough's Bay was once the home of innumerable wekas. For some years every tussock and every piece of bush was thick with them, and the dogs used to kill as many as twenty a day. A few years ago page 329these also took their departure. From making enquiries, Mr. Masefield traced the arrival of these birds. They came in one immense line from the west, round Lake Ellesmere, and their course to the east must have been stopped by the sea at Gough's Bay. The red headed paraquets also suddenly disappeared There were some of the native rats nine or ten years ago. They were fond of living in the trees, and one was caught in the fork of a tree as it was being felled. The Norwegians, however, have since appeared, and the natives seem to be extinct.

The other residents in the Bay were Messrs George Kearney and Lelievre Bros. Both have fine properties, stretching from the end of the flat to the summit of the range, In the years to come, we have little doubt that all these gentlemen will have many tenants, and that this beautiful Bay—as in the days of old—will support a large population.