ENTERTAINED BY MAORI WOMEN.
On the 24th November we took our departure from the bay, as we had to
return to Hokianga, where we had left our brig; and it was only under a
promise of making a speedy return, and remaining longer with them, that
our savage friends would suffer us to leave them. We expected to reach
the Kerikeri River before night; but in this we were disappointed. It at
length became quite dark; and the ebb tide making against us, rendered
further advance impossible. We had to seek some place of shelter for the
night, and not a hut was visible. While we were debating on what was best
to be done, we observed a light from the shore, and made for it; but, it
being low water, our boat stuck fast in the slime long before we reached
the banks; we were, consequently, obliged to wade knee-deep through the
slippery mud. We soon discovered a party of women sitting round a fire
made in the midst of the swamp. They had come here for the purpose of
procuring shell-fish; and as they are never very fastidious about shelter
or dry beds, they had determined (according to their usual custom) to
pass the night where they had been occupied during the day. This sort of
bivouac I found excessively uncomfortable. The moment we were seated the
water began to ooze out an inch or two all round us. We sought in vain
for a dry place, for we were enveloped in darkness, and surrounded by
rushes and flags six or seven feet high; but, being very much fatigued,
we slept, notwithstanding the misery of a wet bed, with a cloud of fog
for curtains. I did not wake till one of the women gave me a good shake,
and informed me that the day was well up. They had prepared us a
breakfast of hot shell-fish, which they had caught the preceding day, and
they all seemed delighted by our eating heartily of them. As we had some
biscuits in our boat, we sent for them, and gave our "fair founders of
the feast" a share; and we were all very sociable and merry. When we left
them, as it was again low water, the women carried us to our boat, and
took their leave of us amidst peals of laughter. This was another proof
to me that the English are quite safe, though travelling unguarded,
amongst these people.