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Mihawhenua: The Adventures of a Party of Tourists Amongst a Tribe of Maoris Discovered in Western Otago, New Zealand

Introduction

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Introduction.

The following letter explains how the manuscript of these pages came into my hands:—

Mount Alta Station, Near Makarora, Lake Wanaka, 28th September, 1888.

Mr. R. H. Chapman,

Dunedin.

Dear Sir,—The accompanying packet was found by George Thompson, one of my shepherds, on the side of Mount Alta, one day last week, when he was out after some stray cattle belonging to the station. He brought it to me yesterday; and seeing it addressed to you, I have made all haste to forward it. The packet was tied to what appears to have been a kite of very peculiar make, which had become fast to a tree on the side of the hill. The wind and rain have almost destroyed the kite, so that it would not be worth my while sending it to you. I have no idea how the packet came where Thompson found it; but if it is of any value to you, I shall be glad to hear of its reaching your hands in safety.

Yours truly,

W. S. Guthrie.

On opening the parcel, the first paper that I saw was this letter from my friend Mr. R. W. Brock:—

Te Awariro Pa, Moa-panga, Te Uana, Interior Western Otago, N.Z., April, 1888.

My Dear Chapman,—

I am addressing this letter to you with every fear that you will never see it. When we started out on our excursion in December of page breaklast year, you will remember that we had determined that I should detail our adventures in the form of a narrative. This I have done at some length, bringing up the particulars to the present time; and, with the assistance of my companions, have made a copy which accompanies this (to which I must refer you for further information, should it reach your hands.) We have now been with the Maoris over four months, and there is not yet any indication of a means of getting away from them. Although we are treated in every way with respect, we are never allowed to go far from the village without the accompaniment of a number of the tribe, and thus have no opportunity of searching for a means of escape. The result of an appeal to our most intimate friend in the tribe (Te Kahu) is recorded in the narrative, and will convince you of the futility of our endeavours to leave without the consent of the chief and Council. We are despatching this letter and enclosures in the faint hope that it may reach you and inform you of the fate of Lode and poor Richards, and at the same time set at rest the anxiety and suspense under which you must be suffering on our account. Gordon, under the influence of a growing infatuation for Ikemoke, the daughter of the Ariki, seems to be losing all desire to leave the tribe; but I still nourish strong hopes; and Macdonald, never having been a favourite with the Maoris in any way, pines for home, and has more than once declared his willingness to do or die in the attempt to get away. The lessons we took from Te Kahu in the art of kite-flying are being put to practical use in attempting to send this to you. Should the manuscript reach your hands, you are at liberty to make what use of it you like. If you decide to publish it, I would ask you to submit it to a careful revisal. You have permission to delete any portions you may consider it desirable to suppress, and to make alterations in my crude mode of expressing myself, in such direction as you may see fit. With regard io the tribe amongst whom we are, I am inclined to think that my statement in the narrative (which was made on the authority of the Frenchman, shortly after our arrival amongst them), is erroneous, and that they must be descendants of the Ngatimamoe, referred to in different Maori histories, as having tied to this part of New Zealand. We might perhaps have discussed this question with Te Kahu, but so far have always had a delicacy in appioaching any personal question; and alter reading our adventures, you will readily believe that it is not now a fitting opportunity to do so. I cannot add anything to the description given in Chapter XX. of how to find our place 01 imprisonment, and must therefore leave it to your ingenuity anu knowledge of the country to [gap — reason: illegible]evise means for our page breakrelease. There will be no occasion to prepare for any armed resistance by the Maoris. I am convinced that if the Maori Territory is discovered, permission will be at once granted us to leave the village; and also, that the best, if not the only way into this place is from the west, as is proved by the inroad of the war party we encountered when Richards met his deathblow.

Apart altogether from personal considerations, you may perhaps find something to interest yon in the record of our adventures in this strange land. We have discovered a veritable wonderland (Mihawhenua), and nothing would delight me more than the opportunity of fully exploring it. Gordon and Macdonald join me in kindliest greetings; and although we are literally casting this letter "to the winds," we trust it may soon reach your hands.

In that hope, Believe me, my dear Chapman, Ever yours faithfully,

E. W. Brock.

After some consideration, I determined to publish my friend's manuscript in the form in which I received it, without alteration or deletion, although the circumstances under which the manuscript was produced, and the use of a lead pencil in writing, have rendered some parts of several pages almost illegible, and made it necessary to supply a few words; probably not exactly in the form intended by the author, still, I trust, conveying his meaning. In publishing, however, I may claim the indulgence of the reader towards Mr. Brock's narrative, written as it was away from the assistance of all proper aids to correct composition, and under the disturbing influences of an agitated mind and excited imagination, it is not to be wondered at if many errors and deficiencies exist. No one will have any difficulty in making ample allowance for all these circumstances and overlooking any existing shortcomings.

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I need only detain the reader from the perusal of Mr. Brock's narrative of adventure to add that steps are being taken to ascertain the whereabouts and effect the release of my friends, and at the same time further explore the wonderland, and become more intimately acquainted with the remarkable people they have discovered. To this end the assistance of any reader of the following pages will be cheerfully and gratefully accepted by the publishers.

R. H. Chapman.

Dunedin, N.Z., October. 1888.