War to the Knife 24

War to the Knife 24

"And what may that be?"

 

"In olden times the appearance of fire upon Tongariro was regarded

as a mandate from their Atua to wage war--which they invariably did.

Occasions were not far to seek, as there was always a weaker tribe

to attack or a strong one to measure forces with. But now it means

more--much more. And that is why these natives are so excited."

 

"But why should it mean more now?"

 

"For this reason. Every tribe in the North Island knows that this

Waitara land trouble is likely to cause a break-out at any moment. They

look upon this fire on Tongariro as a call to arms against the whites;

and if there has been serious dispute at Waitara there will be a war,

and a bloody one, as sure as we stand here."

 

"And with what result?"

 

"Of course, they will be beaten in the end. But it will be a longer

business than people would think. The tribes are armed, and, having

made money for some years past, these Waikato and Ngatihaua have

invested in firearms. They have the advantage of knowing every foot of

the country, and your troops will fight at a disadvantage. However, I

see Te Heu Heu's people are quiet again, and our party have returned to

their _whares_; so we may as well turn in."

 

Next morning Massinger was surprised at Erena's altered __EXPRESSION__. Her

usually bright and mirthful manner had given way to one of brooding

depression; he in vain attempted to rally her.

 

"Surely you do not accept this natural occurrence as a command from

Heaven? What possible connection can it have with the war, which I

think unlikely to take place, in spite of Warwick's opinion."

 

"He knows more than you do," she answered--"possibly more than I

myself, though of course the natives talk to me freely. But something

tells me, in a manner that I cannot describe, that there will be war.

And what the end of it may be for you, for me, for all of us, no mortal

can tell."

 

"But surely it must be short," he answered. "Troops and ships will come

from the other colonies--from England, even--if war is once declared.

Then what chance will these misguided natives have?"

 

"You will see--you will see," she said. "Pray God it may not be so;

and, indeed, my father's daughter ought to fear nothing. It is not for

myself. No!" she said, raising her head proudly, "if I could die, like

the women of old, for my country, for my people, all would be easy. But

I see worse things in the future--burning houses, women and children

lying dead, the young and old; the settlers driven from their farms,

after all their hard work and care; among our people the slaughter of

warriors, the chiefs lying dead, the women and children starving! Oh,

it is a terrible picture! I dreamed that blood had been shed, that more

was to come."

 

"Why, you must be a prophetess!" said he, still striving to lead her

from such dark forebodings. "You have been over-excited. I would not

ridicule your ideas for a moment, but, as we can hear and do nothing

till we get to Rotorua, suppose we agree to put off the mention of

terrible things which may never come to pass, and enjoy what time we

have among these lovely terraces."

 

"After all," she said, as a smile rippled over her expressive

countenance, effacing for the moment every trace of depression,

"perhaps it is the better way. Life is short at the best, and we need

not cloud it more than we can help. We are now close to Tarawera, in

some respects the most wonderful place of the whole collection. Isn't

there a peculiar grandeur about it? The name means 'burnt cliffs.'

Look at the rocky bluffs, shaded by those beautiful _pohutus_! That is

Tarawera Mountain, with a crown of trees. And see, that is our path

that leads to Rotomahana, by the south shore of the lake."

 

"We have now," said Warwick, "about ten miles to travel before we reach

Rotomahana. The path is well marked but steep, and a fair climb."

 

The famous lake, when reached, was to Massinger somewhat disappointing.

It owed nothing to mere extent or picturesque surroundings--a

verdant-appearing sheet of water, with marshy shores, surrounded

by treeless hills, covered with low-growing fern. But its marvels

were strongly in evidence. Its title to distinction rests upon its

high temperature and intense, incessant thermal activity. Boiling

water on either shore issues from the soil. Pools of hot mud were

frequent in the marshes; gas-bubbles in the open lake indicated a

higher temperature near certain parts. There it was dangerous to

bathe (according to Warwick), though at no great distance the water

was merely lukewarm. Springs of various characters abounded, totally

different from each other--alkaline, saline, arsenical, sulphurous.

The feathered tribes of swimmers and waders, protected by the tribe

until the appointed season, were in flocks innumerable, various of

size, hue, and habit. The splendid _pukeha_ (_Porphyrio melanotus_), the

graceful _torea_, or oyster-eater (_Hæmatopus picatus_), the beautiful

white-necked "paradise" duck, with countless congeners, held high

revel, after the manner of their kind.

 

Here might one fancy that one of great Nature's laboratories had been

arrested until its beneficent purpose was fulfilled; that, until the

missing cycle of centuries had rolled by, some high and glorious

development of the Almighty Hand had been delayed; that vain man had

intruded upon the scene, with his accustomed assurance, before the

creative scheme had been declared complete.

 

As the little group stood on _Te Terata_, or "tattooed rock,"

projecting with terraced marble steps into the lake, Massinger held his

breath in wonder and admiration while the glories of this unequalled

pageantry of the elements broke upon his senses. Earth and air, fire

and water, were here represented in strange propinquity and hitherto

unknown combinations.

 

A hundred feet above them, on the slope of the fern-clad hill, they

came to a huge boiling caldron, enclosed in a crater with walls forty

feet high, open only on the lake side. The basin, spring-fed, is nearly

a hundred feet long, and more than half as wide. Brimful was it with

translucent water, which, in that snow-white incrustated basin, was of

an intense turquoise blue. Cloud-masses of steam, reflecting the lovely

colour and confining the view, while enhancing the effect, were pierced

with the ceaseless sounds, which are almost cries, of the tormented

water. The silicious deposit presented the appearance of a cataract,

which, dashing itself over a succession of gradually lowered platforms,

has been suddenly turned into stone. The effect has been deliciously

rendered by Mr. Domett in his glorious poem, "Ranulph and Amohia"--

 

"A cataract, carved in Parian stone,

Or any purer substance known,

Agate or milk-white chalcedon,

Its showering snow cascades appear.

Long ranges bright of stalactite,

And sparry frets and fringes white,

Thick falling plenteous, tier on tier,

Its crowding stairs."

 

The silicates deposited from the ever-flowing water had formed on the

slope a succession of terraces of purest white imaginable, such as no

Parian marble could surpass--delicate, pure, polished as of glass, the

lines of tracery like the finest lace, the colouring of a lustre and

variety unique and unparalleled.

 

The system of terraces and basins covered several acres. Centuries,

nay æons, must have been required for the slow accumulation of these

exquisite formations. Commencing at the lake with shallow basins,

while farther up, the higher terraces, from three to six feet high,

are formed by a number of semicircular stages varying in height. Each

has a raised margin, from which the slender stalactites hang down upon

the lower stage, encircling one or more basins, filled with water of

the purest, most resplendent blue. The smaller cups represent so many

natural baths, which connoisseurs of the most refined luxury could

scarce have equalled--of different size and depth, too, with every

degree of temperature.

 

On reaching the highest terrace, they arrived at an extensive platform,

upon which were other basins of temperature equally high.

 

A rocky island, covered with ferns and lycopodiums, enabled them

to view at ease the steaming water of the caldron, and to mark the

varying colours and strong effects--the virgin white, the turquoise

blue, the vivid green of the surrounding vegetation, the crude red of

the bare walls of the crater, with the whirling clouds of steam, the

delicate shapes of the pure marble-seeming stalactites, the incrustated

branches, with every leaf and twig snow white, all combined in

phantasmal, unearthly beauty.

 

"What do you think of my country now?" said Erena, as they stood side

by side, gazing at this enchanted scene.

 

"The most marvellous play of light and colour that my eyes ever rested

on," said he. "I shall recall it to my dying day. It is a privilege to

have lived through such an experience. Our old friend of the Arabian

Nights uses the only forms of description that can approach it."

 

"I have been here more than once," said Erena, "but I never felt its

charm so keenly as on this occasion. My father has a poetic soul and

much scientific knowledge; he carefully explained to me its various

beauties. But he was of opinion that some day a tremendous convulsion

would take place and ruin all these glories for ever."

 

"What a dreadful idea! I am afraid you must have inherited a turn

for prophesying evil. I must confess, however, that these imprisoned

fire-spirits, whatever they are, must have very little of the Maori

nature in them, if they let us off without a burst up. And now, I

suppose, it is 'Hey for Rotorua!'"

 

"I fear so," said the girl, with a half-sigh. "This fairylike wayfaring

is too pleasant to last. We may hear news at Rotorua which will alter

your plans."

 

"My plans are quite unfixed at present; but if war breaks out it is

hard to say what one may have to do. I dare say I shall be in the thick

of it."

 

"We must not forget that the pink terrace is yet to be seen, and we may

never have another opportunity of seeing it together."