in search of the castaways-第100章

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t　been　ill…treated；　so　far；　but　all　attempts　at　resistance　had　been　vain。　Their　arms　and　ammunition　were　in　the　hands　of　the　savages；　and　they　would　soon　have　been　targets　for　their　own　balls。　They　were　soon　aware；　from　a　few　English　words　used　by　the　natives；　that　they　were　a　retreating　party　of　the　tribe　who　had　been　beaten　and　decimated　by　the　English　troops；　and　were　on　their　way　back　to　the　Upper　Waikato。　　The　Maori　chief；　whose　principal　warriors　had　been　picked　off　by　the　soldiers　of　the　42nd　Regiment；　was　returning　to　make　a　final　appeal　to　the　tribes　of　the　Waikato　district；　so　that　he　might　go　to　the　aid　of　the　indomitable　William　Thompson；　who　was　still　holding　his　own　against　the　conquerors。　The　chief's　name　was　〃Kai…Koumou；〃　a　name　of　evil　boding　in　the　native　language；　meaning　〃He　who　eats　the　limbs　of　his　enemy。〃　He　was　bold　and　brave；　but　his　cruelty　was　equally　remarkable。　No　pity　was　to　be　expected　at　his　hands。　　His　name　was　well　known　to　the　English　soldiers；　and　a　price　had　been　set　on　his　head　by　the　governor　of　New　Zealand。　This　terrible　blow　befell　Glenarvan　at　the　very　moment　when　he　was　about　to　reach　the　long…desired　haven　of　Auckland；　and　so　regain　his　own　country；　but　no　one　who　looked　at　his　cool；　calm　features；　could　have　guessed　the　anguish　he　endured。　Glenarvan　always　rose　to　his　misfortunes。　　He　felt　that　his　part　was　to　be　the　strength　and　the　example　of　his　wife　and　companions；　that　he　was　the　head　and　chief；　ready　to　die　for　the　rest　if　circumstances　required　it。　　He　was　of　a　deeply　religious　turn　of　mind；　and　never　lost　his　trust　in　Providence　nor　his　belief　in　the　sacred　character　of　his　enterprise。　In　the　midst　of　this　crowning　peril　he　did　not　give　way　to　any　feeling　of　regret　at　having　been　induced　to　venture　into　this　country　of　savages。　His　companions　were　worthy　of　him；　they　entered　into　his　lofty　views；　and　judging　by　their　haughty　demeanor；　it　would　scarcely　have　been　supposed　that　they　were　hurrying　to　the　final　catastrophe。　With　one　accord；　and　by　Glenarvan's　advice；　they　resolved　to　affect　utter　indifference　before　the　natives。　It　was　the　only　way　to　impress　these　ferocious　natures。　Savages　in　general；　and　particularly　the　Maories；　have　a　notion　of　dignity　from　which　they　never　derogate。　They　respect；　above　all　things；　coolness　and　courage。　Glenarvan　was　aware　that　by　this　mode　of　procedure；　he　and　his　companions　would　spare　themselves　needless　humiliation。　From　the　moment　of　embarking；　the　natives；　who　were　very　taciturn；　like　all　savages；　had　scarcely　exchanged　a　word；　but　from　the　few　sentences　they　did　utter；　Glenarvan　felt　certain　that　the　English　language　was　familiar　to　them。　He　therefore　made　up　his　mind　to　question　the　chief　on　the　fate　that　awaited　them。　　Addressing　himself　to　Kai…Koumou；　he　said　in　a　perfectly　unconcerned　voice：　〃Where　are　we　going；　chief？〃　Kai…Koumou　looked　coolly　at　him　and　made　no　answer。　〃What　are　you　going　to　do　with　us？〃　pursued　Glenarvan。　A　sudden　gleam　flashed　into　the　eyes　of　Kai…Koumou；　and　he　said　in　a　deep　voice：　〃Exchange　you；　if　your　own　people　care　to　have　you；　eat　you　if　they　don't。〃　Glenarvan　asked　no　further　questions；　but　hope　revived　in　his　heart。　He　concluded　that　some　Maori　chiefs　had　fallen　into　the　hands　of　the　English；　and　that　the　natives　would　try　to　get　them　exchanged。　So　they　had　a　chance　of　salvation；　and　the　case　was　not　quite　so　desperate。　The　canoe　was　speeding　rapidly　up　the　river。　Paganel；　whose　excitable　temperament　always　rebounded　from　one　extreme　to　the　other；　had　quite　regained　his　spirits。　He　consoled　himself　that　the　natives　were　saving　them　the　trouble　of　the　journey　to　the　English　outposts；　and　that　was　so　much　gain。　So　he　took　it　quite　quietly　and　followed　on　the　map　the　course　of　the　Waikato　across　the　plains　and　valleys　of　the　province。　Lady　Helena　and　Mary　Grant；　concealing　their　alarm；　conversed　in　a　low　voice　with　Glenarvan；　and　the　keenest　physiognomists　would　have　failed　to　see　any　anxiety　in　their　faces。　The　Waikato　is　the　national　river　in　New　Zealand。　　It　is　to　the　Maories　what　the　Rhine　is　to　the　Germans；　and　the　Danube　to　the　Slavs。　　In　its　course　of　200　miles　it　waters　the　finest　lands　of　the　North　Island；　from　the　province　of　Wellington　to　the　province　of　Auckland。　　It　gave　its　name　to　all　those　indomitable　tribes　of　the　river　district；　which　rose　_en　masse_　against　the　invaders。　The　waters　of　this　river　are　still　almost　strangers　to　any　craft　but　the　native　canoe。　　The　most　audacious　tourist　will　scarcely　venture　to　invade　these　sacred　shores；　in　fact；　the　Upper　Waikato　is　sealed　against　profane　Europeans。　Paganel　was　aware　of　the　feelings　of　veneration　with　which　the　natives　regard　this　great　arterial　stream。　　He　knew　that　the　English　and　German　naturalists　had　never　penetrated　further　than　its　junction　with　the　Waipa。　　He　wondered　how　far　the　good　pleasure　of　Kai…Koumou　would　carry　his　captives？　　He　could　not　have　guessed；　but　for　hearing　the　word　〃Taupo〃　repeatedly　uttered　between　the　chief　and　his　warriors。　He　consulted　his　map　and　saw　that　〃Taupo〃　was　the　name　of　a　lake　celebrated　in　geographical　annals；　and　lying　in　the　most　mountainous　part　of　the　island；　at　the　southern　extremity　of　Auckland　province。　The　Waikato　passes　through　this　lake　and　then　flows　on　for　120　miles。

CHAPTER　X　A　MOMENTOUS　INTERVIEW

AN　unfathomable　gulf　twenty…five　miles　long；　and　twenty　miles　broad　was　produced；　but　long　before　historic　times；　by　the　falling　in　of　caverns　among　the　trachytic　lavas　of　the　center　of　the　island。　And　these　waters　falling　from　the　surrounding　heights　have　taken　possession　of　this　vast　basin。　　The　gulf　has　become　a　lake；　but　it　is　also　an　abyss；　and　no　lead…line　has　yet　sounded　its　depths。　Such　is　the　wondrous　lake　of　Taupo；　lying　1；250　feet　above　the　level　of　the　sea；　and　in　view　of　an　amphitheater　of　mountains　2；400　feet　high。　　On　the　west　are　rocky　peaks　of　great　size；　on　the　north　lofty　summits　clothed　with　low　trees；　on　the　east　a　broad　beach　with　a　road　track；　and　covered　with　pumice　stones；　which　shimmer　through　the　leafy　screen　of　the　bushes；　on　the　southern　side　rise　volcanic　cones　behind　a　forest　flat。　Such　is　the　majestic　frame　that　incloses　this　vast　sheet　of　water　whose　roaring　tempests　rival　the　cyclones　of　Ocean。　The　whole　region　boils　like　an　immense　cauldron　hung　over　subterranean　fires。　　The　ground　vibrates　from　the　agitation　of　the　central　furnace。　　Hot　springs　filter　out　everywhere。　The　crust　of　the　earth　cracks　in　great　rifts　like　a　cake；　too　quickly　baked。　About　a　quarter　of　a　mile　off；　on　a　craggy　spur　of　the　mountain　stood　a　〃pah；〃　or　Maori　fortress。　　The　prisoners；　whose　feet　and　hands　were　liberated；　were　landed　one　by　one；　and　conducted　into　it　by　the　warriors。　　The　path　which　led　up　to　the　intrenchment；　lay　across　fields　of　〃phormium〃　and　a　grove　of　beautiful　trees；　the　〃kai…kateas〃　with　persistent　leaves　and　red　berries；　〃dracaenas　australis；〃　the　〃ti…trees〃　of　the　natives；　whose　crown　is　a　graceful　counterpart　of　the　cabbage…palm；　and　〃huious；〃　which　are　used　to　give　a　black　dye　to　cloth。　Large　doves　with　metallic　sheen　on　their　plumage；　and　a　world　of　starlings　with　reddish　carmeles；　flew　away　at　the　approach　of　the　natives。　After　a　rather　circuitous　wal