A voyage to England in these days is eventful for anyone, but it was very much more so for the Maori boys.
When they had settled down to the routine of life on a troopship, they became keenly interested in it all and never had a "dull" day.
The first port of call filled them with much excitement and gratification—and a thirst for further adventures.
Henare rather prided himself on his letter-writing, and seized every opportunity to exercise his "gift." He disdained to write in his native language, but preferred [pg 13] "te good Englan' talk" even when writing to Maoris. At the first port he posted several letters to friends in New Zealand. One was to Kiri and another was to Wiremu.
To Kiri he wrote, among other things:
"I no forget about you yet, t'that why I write t'this letter, tell you no forget me. More better you have te British soldier than te frightened bloke like Wiremu stoppin' away from te fight. T'this ole troopship take us over te sea all right, and when te war all over he bring us back an' t'then I marry you pretty quick."
To Wiremu he wrote:—
"Py cripes, you look out when I come back if you talk too much wid te Kiri. She no belong to you. She my wahine all right. No good yer trick, you better come to te war; no stop home spoilin' te dog fight [pg 14] and try take another feller gel when him away in Shermany. Me te crack shot now so you look out."
After a voyage of nine weeks without serious mishap the Maoris landed in England "All well," and ready for the Huns.
