Page:Tales-of-Banks-Peninsula Jacobson 2ed 1893 cropped.pdf/194

services. We slept on board, and the next day after breakfast I went on deck, which was almost entirely covered with empty casks, as the mate was busy stowing the full ones at the bottom of the hold. Wanting to have a look round, I stood upon some casks near the bulwarks, and looked over the side. I had not been many minutes there before I saw something that quite startled me: I saw a large ship opposite Onuku, and coming up the harbour without any sails—coming so fast that the water spouted from its bows like a wave recoiling from a rock-bound coast. When I could get my breath I called out, “O, look year! look year! What dat? Water break all er same stone on er beats!” Several persons sprang to my side, amongst them the captain, who, as soon as he looked, said, “Steamer!” That was the first steamer I ever saw. It was soon at the anchorage, and the whaler sent a boat on board, when I found that Sir George Grey, Te Wherowhero, and Te Horeta were on board. Sir George asked where all the Maoris were, and I told him at Port Levy. He said, “Go and tell them that I am here with Te Wherowhero.” I went off at once and returned the following day with twenty companions. We had an interview with the Governor, and then I went to Onuku, where Te Wherowhero had gone to confer with our people. We stayed all together in William’s large house. I woke in the night and found our guest smoking. There was a large oil lamp burning, which gave a bright light. I saw him go out once and noticed that his body was beautifully tattooed. His stay was very short, for the next day he and the Governor went away in their steamer, and we saw no more of Te Wherowhero.