“Beyond a doubt this is the place old Te Makawawa spoke about,” said Kahikatea, gazing at the mighty rock; “and now I am certain that I have seen it before. That outstanding oblique spur at the base of the wall, those jagged rocks at the top, and the snowy peaks—I can recall them well, though the how and the when of it seem gone completely.”
He passed his hand across his forehead, and his face wore a puzzled expression, as he tried to recall the details of his strange, dreamlike experience.
“It certainly does suggest a giant’s temple with two grand spires,” I said. “I wonder if Miriam Grey is there.”
“And I wonder if Hinauri is there,” returned Kahikatea.
“And Ngaraki!”
“Ah, Ngaraki, the fierce guardian priest, with his foes, the Vile Tohungas of the Pit, and his wild incantations, taken up where Te Makawawa dropped them.”
The sun’s last ray was now pink upon the snowy summits of the peaks. As we watched, it faded away and twilight fell upon the Table Land with a solemn hush, broken only by the murmuring of the river, and the deep, hammer-on-anvil notes of the tui’s last song. It was time to look for a camping-place and to gather firewood, for the air was crisp almost to the point of frostiness, and our blankets were few.
By the time the Southern Cross was visible above the mountain wall we were comfortably established on a mossy bank of the stream, behind a clump of outstanding trees, and Tiki was busy cooking our supper in his own peculiar way. After the evening meal was finished the Maori rolled himself together near the fire and was soon sound asleep. We sat awhile smoking, and then followed his example, for we were both very tired. But scarcely had we settled ourselves on our beds of dry fern when the moon, almost full, rose above the great rock and lingered a moment on the edge of the southern peak before passing behind it.
“That’s very fine,” said Kahikatea appreciatively.
“Yes,” I replied, “but I don’t like the idea of sleeping in the moonlight. Supposing we move our beds down behind that larger clump of trees. Tiki appears to have monopolised the only shadowy spot here.”