Page:Tales-of-Banks-Peninsula Jacobson 2ed 1893 cropped.pdf/195

The impression sure to be produced by the heading of this story will be, that it is simply a hoax which no amount of testimony can substantiate, for it must seem incredible, in a country where such reptiles are unknown, that a snake hunt ever took place in the immediate vicinity of Akaroa. But the story will not appear so improbable when it is known that several attempts were made in the “early days,” by visitors to these shores, to acclimatize snakes; and the presence of the reptile found and killed in these parts was doubtless due to the ill-judged zeal of one of those insane naturalists, who, regardless of all consequences, seemed determined to solve the question whether snakes could exist in New Zealand. Mrs. Tikao’s story is as follows:—“We had often listened with eager interest to the stories told by our countrymen of their narrow escapes from being bitten by serpents; and the accounts they gave of the deadly effect of snake bite only served to deepen our hereditary aversion to all reptiles. You can imagine the commotion and excitement caused by the reported discovery of a snake on the shores of the harbour. It was found by a coloured man named Jim, who lived a long time with the Maoris at Takapuneke, near the Red House. He was a sober, industrious man, and highly respected by us. Having gone for some reason to O Tipua—the promontory between Akaroa and German Bay—he was startled by the discovery of unmistakable signs of a snake’s presence. The spot where the discovery occurred was close to the cliff used by the men-of-war frequenting the harbour as a target. He hurried back at once to warn every one against going near the place. He told the Maoris not to approach the place even for