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Hine-Ra, or The Maori Scout: A Romance of the New Zealand War.

Chapter XV. — The Tangaika

Chapter XV.
The Tangaika.

We left Haki Hori closeted with the Patea chief, Rehua, after his marvellous exhibition of sorcery (which was, by the way, neither more nor less than simple sleight of hand), in deep converse on some subject of importance as it would seem, for strict orders were given that they should not be interrupted.

And of vital importance it was, being nothing less than overtures from the British commander-in-chief that the Pateas should throw in their aid and influence on the side of the whites, and promises of protection, and large gifts of land, money, guns, powder and shot, blankets, and other articles so much coveted by the natives.

The Maori is essentially a man of business, and he must be indeed shrewd who can beat him at a bargain. But he is as wayward and vacillating as a child, and it often happens that in dealing with him, after he has got the best of his opponent to, perhaps, three times the value of what was at first offered, he will demur altogether and refuse to go on with the negotiation.

So it was in this case. Like the chief of the Waimates, he would and he would not; he would do nothing but temporise. He had already joined the standard of the revolt, but that went for nothing. He would withdraw from that engagement without scruple, could he make certain of a solid advantage by doing so. To do him justice, page 69 it was as much in the interest of his tribe as in his own that he wavered. He was sufficiently astute to know that if he could play a fast and loose game, if he could “run with the hare, but hunt with the hounds,” until affairs took a tangible form, it would be all the better and infinitely safer for him for the time.

Therefore was it that, with all his powers of persuasion, and the undoubted influence he had gained over him, the scout could obtain no more definite promise than that he would think the matter over, and that, for the present, the most he would do would be to remain neutral, and with this answer Haki Hori was compelled to be content.

The conference being over, the chief invited him to become his guest, and offered him food and a whare in the Kainga to sleep in, for, to tell the truth, he was so frightened of the supernatural powers of his visitor that he did not deem it expedient to have him in the pah.

The scout accepted both, and, after a meal, retired to rest, not before observing, with an amused smile, that a guard was placed round and at the door of the whare, ostensibly as a mark of honor, but really, as he well knew, to prevent his escaping during the night.

He made no remark, however, and parted with his host at the entrance to the whare, amicably and apparently on the best terms.

Perhaps he had no intention of leaving at first, but, noticing that by some strange oversight Matariki's rifle had been left standing in a corner, he determined to take possession of it, and carry it away.

A little after midnight, then, when the village was wrapped in slumber, and when all was silent save the wild dogs howling in the distant bush, he softly rose from his couch of toi-toi tassels, gained possession of the rifle, and plugging up his nostrils with cotton wool, took from a hidden pocket a small flask and a linen cloth. The latter he saturated with some sweet yet acrid smelling fluid from the former, stole noiselessly to the entrance of the whare, where his two guards were squatted across the doorway, and waved the cloth gently near them. The effect was instantaneous. They both fell at once into a profound slumber.

He had two other guards to pass, but as they were drowsily nodding, half asleep already over the fire in front of the hut, to perform the same operation on them was easy enough. Having done so, he cautiously crossed the open space between the lines of huts, and, passing into the deep shadow of a whare, glided silently, and like a grey shadow in the dim watery moonlight, into the gloomy recesses of the forest.

It need hardly be said that in the morning, when the whare was found empty, there was no little consternation. Of course his guards swore that they had never closed their eyes all night. But he was gone, that was clear. Gone, and not a trace left.

Rehua stormed and railed and threatened condign punishment, but that would not bring the wonderful being back.

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Then came into full force the Maori power of invention. One said he had seen a crow fly past. That must have been him. Another that he had gone off in the form of a black pig with one eye, a favorite one for wizards to assume, according to Maori mythology. A third averred that he had changed himself into a rat without a tail, and had departed in that shape.

But how could a rat without a tail, or, with a tail, or for the matter of that, a black pig, or a raven either, carry off a rifle with him? Bah! that was nothing; could not the being who could change a feather into a bird, and a bird into a feather, change a gun into a leaf, or a stick, or a straw, if he chose?

* * *

How fared it with Matariki, when, by the aid of Jack Hall, he escaped from the clutches of his deadly enemies, the truculent Rehua and his tribe?

Without let or hindrance he reached the crossing place and plunged into the bush, secure, as he thought, from pursuit, for he felt assured that the great magician who could bring down fire from Heaven was powerful enough to prevent that. He felt some compunction at having left his preserver alone to face the fury of the Pateas at finding him gone, but, after all, it was the will of the Atuas, and they knew best.

Rapidly, yet cautiously, he threaded the intricacies of the forest until, entering an open glade, he suddenly came across a gigantic Maori, who seemed to start out of the earth at ten yards distance from him, and whom he recognised in an instant.

“Tainui!” he exclaimed in surprise.

“Tainui,” was the reply. “I am here to meet you and guide you to the Nama camp. Come, it is not far distant.”

“You here to meet me! Who sent you?”

“Hake Hori. He has his hoi-hoi hidden behind yon clump of bush, and bade me wait for you. He will overtake us in good time. But come, you are expected.”

Matariki, looking narrowly at Tainui, observed that he kept his right arm concealed under his mat, and asked him the reason why.

The savage seemed somewhat confused by the question, but answered evasively that he had been wounded in a fight, and that the seout had applied the kokowai and the toto kuri to his hurt shoulder, and bound it up with papa kiri.

“A tight! What fight?” asked Matariki.

“Ah, you do not know,” was the reply. “The pakeha and the Maori are at war. The mere is red with blood, and the Parekuras are many. The fighting is yonder, and yonder, and yonder. The Pai marire has been sung, and Hepanaia and Kereopa lead the Hau-Haus to battle and slaughter. But come, you are anxiously waited for, and you will learn all when you join the tribe.”

“You seem weak and faint, Tainui. I fear you are seriously hurt. Tell me where the tribe is, and I will go on alone.”

page 71

The Maori smiled contemptuously as he replied, “Is then Tainui a baby that he should heed a little pain? The skill of Hake Hori is great, he extracted the bullet, and—”

“The bullet! was it then a bullet wound that—”

“I tell you it is nothing,” interrupted Tainui shortly, as he plunged into the bush and bade the youth follow.

* * *

The Tangaika of Te Namas had been camped at no great distance from the north bank of the Patea river, in accordance with the injunctions of the witch Matutira, who, accompanied by her familiar Katipo, had met them early in the day, and had informed Frank Burnett and the leaders of the party of what had occurred in the Patea camp the previous day. She had expressed no particular amount of surprise at seeing him where he was, although she must have wondered how he had escaped from the cave where she had left him. Still she asked him no questions, and only said to him, as she left the encampment, “Remember, oh Pakeha! what I have said. Wait here until night. If Matariki have not arrived by then, steal on the Patea dogs and slay them. But he will arrive, and ere long; of that be assured. There is one coming who is all-powerful to set him free, and who will do so. The Atuas have told me that, but not how. Enough. As for that other thing—silence. Remember; I have spoken.” And, so saying, she slipped away into the gloom of the bush, the repulsive and wicked looking Katipo crawling or shambling after her on his hands and feet as was his wont.

She had not long been gone when Frank was again surprised by seeing Jack Hall, the scout, stroll leisurely into camp, leading his horse by the bridle. He first spoke a few words to the Maori leader, and then, calling Frank on one side, spoke to him thus: “Young fellow, as I said before, I like you, for a reason I have Why, I may tell you some day. You have kept faith with me; I know that, never mind how, but I do. I promised to help you. I have helped you, and will help you further when the time comes. As for this Maori lad, this friend of yours, fear nothing for him; he is safe enough, and will be with you ere the day is over. If not, take your own course, only wait till after dark. But he will. I can get him out of the Patea camp, ay, though they were ten times as powerful, and I promise to do it. Be patient, wait, and fear nothing.”

He walked leisurely away, leading his horse, and soon disappeared in the thick forest, leaving Frank in amaze at the warning and promise he had received from these two singular and wholly dissimilar visitants, who seemed to be bound together by some secret, mysterious, and, to him, wholly incomprehensible tie; and the body of Maoris squatted on the ground, still and silent as statues, yet only waiting a word from their leader to become instantly transformed into a horde of yelling, leaping furies, more like fiends than mortal men.