Page:Tales-of-Banks-Peninsula Jacobson 2ed 1893 cropped.pdf/267

the catastrophe from the cliffs, but were powerless to aid. They refused to quit the spot, however, and go to Onuku, though repeatedly urged, saying that they would remain to bury the bones of their husbands when they came ashore. Many a weary year they waited, but the bones never came, and at last one of the faithful creatures died, and the others were then removed by force by the other natives. When their friends were drowned these women took all their valuables, placed them in two canoes, and buried them in the creek. They never divulged the secret of the hiding place, and though the Maoris from Akaroa have spent many a day in endeavouring to discover them, their efforts have been unsuccessful. Some day perhaps the wind in its freaks will lay them bare, and then what a host of Maori relics will reward the finder! Speaking of canoes, this was once a great place for them, and the best totaras all through the bush have been felled to construct them. One just finished is still to be seen on the top of a lofty ridge in the middle of the dense bush, and there is another commenced on the Waikerikikeri side. Think of the immense labour it must have cost to get these vessels down, after the tedious work of making them with fire and stones! No white man would have dreamed of such an undertaking.

The old landing place was under the south head. Here it was only possible to ship in very calm southerly weather, and even then was very dangerous. There is a great cave here under the cliff, and at the time of our visit a grand king penguin occupied a ledge in it, and blinked at us as we lay watching the waves roll in. There is a curious cleft in the cliff here, about 15ft above the level, and one day, curious to find what it contained, the Messrs. Masefield took down a ladder and inspected it. Inside, within the once warm folds of a cloak of pigeon’s feathers, lay the mouldering bones of a little child. How many