CoLKNSO. — On tJie Tongariro District. 497 



Maoris talked of taking us to the king, of killing us, and 

 various pleasant alternatives, but agreed at last that in 

 consideration of a sum of £20 they would overlook the sacri- 

 lege done and allow us to depart with our baggage. We drew 

 out an agreement to that effect, which we signed ; and then 

 they wanted cash down, which we had taken care was out of 

 our power to comply with by having no money with us. 

 Eventually it was agreed that we should try to get it from 

 Mr. Birch. We were going to get it, leaving our baggage as 

 security — a by-no-means inconsiderable quantity, as we were 

 using the wet process, making a load for two pack-horses. I 

 went with three of the Maoris that afternoon up to our second 

 camp, and showed them our gear, my fellow-prisoner (Mr. Col- 

 lie) being guarded by the other natives. We arrived at their 

 camp after dark that evening, the said camp being in the bush 

 between Ngauruhoe and Euapehu, and consisting of a large 

 fire, with boughs of trees thrown on the ground for bedding. 

 It was a novel yet not unpleasant experience for me, as it 

 was a glorious night in May, with the moon at the full. The 

 snow-covered mountain in front of us presented a sight worth 

 going a long distance to see. In the morning, after some break- 

 fast, consisting of tveka"''- and potatoes, and some tall talk on 

 both sides, Mr. Collie proceeded to Mamoenui, an outstation 

 or shepherd's hut belonging to Mr. Studholme, on the edge of the 

 desert, some twenty miles from our dusky captors, and there 

 we waited for our horses, as we had to leave our camp on foot. 

 Our horses arrived next day, and the man who brought them 

 and myself started for Ngauruhoe as soon as it was dusk, on 

 foot, intending to make a dash up the mountain for the camera 

 and pictures, which, as I have said, had been hidden ; but the 

 fates w^ere against us, as there came on a heavy gale from the 

 south, and no man could have ascended the mountain in 

 safety. However, I got our plates, although the Maoris had 

 removed all the rest of the gear ; and the following summer 

 we ascended the mountain and found that our camera had 

 been destroyed by eruptions of the volcano and the weather 

 combined. That is the truth about Mr. Collie's camera; and 

 I can say that neither of us was inclined to run from noises or 

 shadows, as we passed a night in the crater on our second 

 trip. 



Apologizing for trespassing on your space, — ^I am, &c., 



F. E. Lys. 



Hastings, 3rd June, 1893. 



In addition to the foregoing account I may add (having 

 recently had an interesting interview with Mr. Lys) that those 



* Wood-hen, probably Ocydromus greyi. 

 32 



