Page:Rambles on the Golden Coast of New Zealand.djvu/19

Rh once on the Paparolia range, dividing the valleys of the Grey and Buller. At one time Niho and Takarei, with their followers, proceeded down the West Coast as far as the Hokitika River, conquering all the country before them. These two Chiefs, with some of the Ngatitoa, for a considerable time settled down at Mawhera (Greymouth). Finally fearing attack from other tribes, they returned to Massacre Bay with the remnant of their party, and never resumed possession of the West Coast further south than Kaurangi Point, beyond West Wanganui.

These cruel and worse than useless conflicts between the Natives appear to have died out after 1834-35, when Mission stations were formed at Otaki, Wanganui, and other places adjacent to Cook Strait. The Missionary influence soon extended itself to the West Coast, and the Natives here, as elsewhere, tuned their attention to more peaceful pursuits. For some time after this, and as late as 1850-51, the existence of a wild tribe was reported at Bligh Sound. The following information, concerning the Ngatimamoe, is copied from the New Zealand Pilot, from notes made by Captain Stokes, of H.M.S. Acheron, while engaged surveying the West Coast of the Middle Island in the years above mentioned:—“The Acheron’s party, while examining a river at the head of Bligh Sound, came on the fresh footmarks of some natives who were heard making their escape through the thick underwood; these people, as far as could be learned, belonged to a small isolated and almost unknown tribe, rarely seen even by their own countrymen, by whom they were called wild men of the mountains.” This discovery, Mr Mackay tells us, led to the revival of the old idea respecting an aboriginal race, but there is no room for speculation, he says, as to the origin of those people, as the Natives of the South described them as belonging to a tribe called Ngatimamoe, formerly one of the most numerous of the aboriginal tribes inhabiting the Middle Island, but from the incessant wars waged against them by the Ngaitahu, they had become so reduced in number, that the remnant had withdrawn to the mountains, west of Lakes Hawea and Wanaka, from which they could not be driven. It is also stated that smoke from the fires of this wild tribe had often been seen by the Natives living north of Milford Haven. And Mr Mackay also remarks that “it seems clear, from the various statements received concerning the existence of the Ngatimamoe on the West Coast, that a number of these fugitives did occupy the mountainous country in the south-west district of Otago, to a comparatively recent date. The exploration, however, to which the country has been subjected during the last few years by parties of diggers prospecting for gold, forbids any reasonable hope that any of this tribe still exist.”

In August 1853, Sir George Grey, who was then Governor of the Colony, determined to conclude the purchase from the Natives, subject to certain reservations, of their interest in all the lands held by them on the northern and western portions of the Middle Island. Assisted by Commissioner M‘Lean he entered into arrangements with this object. Just as these arrangements were initiated, Sir George Grey left for England, and Mr M‘Lean subsequently carried them into effect. In November 1854, Mr Brunner, Government surveyor, and Mr Jenkins, Native interpreter at Nelson, were despatched to