Speaking Distance by Michelle Leggott Lyrics
Who is speaking? Our correspondent on the hill above the river, making pictures for exhibition in other places. Each stroke of his pen ricochets across the valley. He sees what he wants to see. He does not hear what he cannot see. A smoking ruin behind him. Another
waiting just around the bend. airy particulates
A path leads from the pa to a ford of the river hard by, which was that traversed by the raiders on their return.
Nothing was heard but the occasional yell until about 8 pm, when we could again distinctly hear the yells repeated, and then all was again quiet, save the sentinels’ “All’s well.”
was, it seems, waha, mouth
The stream at this spot is about 90 yards wide, and its depth is about 3 feet.
Then a shout of “stand to your arms,” which was followed by a heavy volley from the rebels, who set up a most unearthly yell.
wavering, with two hearts
The south bank is flat and low, and on that side there is a good deal of marsh.
They were full of determination, and at times came within speaking distance, inviting our men to come on, who replied by recommending them to stand out.
led the women in resisting the survey
The north bank is high and steep, and its precipitous sides are clothed with karaka and fern trees, whose luxuriant foliage, thickly matted with the vine, and parasite plants which grow there in abundance, forms a sort of vegetable wall.
Several old women were vociferous in encouraging the enemy.
to get shellfish from the reef
The landscape is extremely pretty.
They were blowing their horns and shouting for a long time, and in the morning it was found that the sap rollers had disappeared, and also a quantity of gabions.
this white flag is not an emblem of peace
The camp shows above the windings of the river, which pursues its tortuous course over a shingly bed, and is lost to view in the distance.
All the peach trees, karaka trees, where the picnic parties used to go, have been cut down.
a comet, west northwest, portending
The sun shining on the white tops of the tents renders their outline particularly distinct.
Every time a shell is thrown they set up a general howl of defiance, followed by such challenges as “Come on, Pakeha!” “Come on, soldier — come on!”
left on the ground for the pigs and sea gulls (karoro)
In the distance the sea presents an unvaried, unbroken line, and the snowy peak of the mountain to the left adds considerably to the scene.
During the night they contented themselves by wasting on us all the bad epithets and evil wishes their language is capable of.
“a mate noa,” till death
The road down to the ford on the north bank is very steep, insomuch that it is a necessary precaution to dismount and lead a horse.
They have several blowing horns, by means of which they mimic our bugle sounds. These horns are heard both day and night, and it is probable that they have certain established calls, which they all understand and adopt on particular occasions.
wrote his name on a tub
The raiders, however, managed to get their bullock drays up to the top, but it is presumed they were empty, and that their contents must have been brought up by hand.
On Monday night the guard in No. 8 Redoubt were entertained until about 2 o’clock by Hapurona, who was urging his people most vehemently to attack them, and said they were very weak in it. He said the Governor had done him all sorts of injury, and that he would scatter our bones over the Waitara.
a blue shirt braided with scarlet
The ground about the pa is tolerably clear, and it is in part intersected by fences.
Several of the men in the redoubt knew his voice and what he said quite well.
being covered with myriads of empty cartridge cases
A solitary canoe was found half full of water near the ford.
During the night voices heard on our right, that of a woman being most conspicuous. She was endeavoring to incite the people to some desperate action by relating the deeds of her forebears.
being pouri (grieved)
How do they sound, drifting back to him there on the side of the road down by the river or along the beach? A group of riders coming the other way, a group the artist did not catch in his notebook and they were gone before he thought to turn around and look after their retreating voices. Top hat and sidesaddle. Onaero, Urenui, Wai-iti, Pukearuhe.
A path leads from the pa to a ford of the river hard by, which was that traversed by the raiders on their return.
Nothing was heard but the occasional yell until about 8 pm, when we could again distinctly hear the yells repeated, and then all was again quiet, save the sentinels’ “All’s well.”
was, it seems, waha, mouth
The stream at this spot is about 90 yards wide, and its depth is about 3 feet.
Then a shout of “stand to your arms,” which was followed by a heavy volley from the rebels, who set up a most unearthly yell.
wavering, with two hearts
The south bank is flat and low, and on that side there is a good deal of marsh.
They were full of determination, and at times came within speaking distance, inviting our men to come on, who replied by recommending them to stand out.
led the women in resisting the survey
The north bank is high and steep, and its precipitous sides are clothed with karaka and fern trees, whose luxuriant foliage, thickly matted with the vine, and parasite plants which grow there in abundance, forms a sort of vegetable wall.
Several old women were vociferous in encouraging the enemy.
to get shellfish from the reef
The landscape is extremely pretty.
They were blowing their horns and shouting for a long time, and in the morning it was found that the sap rollers had disappeared, and also a quantity of gabions.
this white flag is not an emblem of peace
The camp shows above the windings of the river, which pursues its tortuous course over a shingly bed, and is lost to view in the distance.
All the peach trees, karaka trees, where the picnic parties used to go, have been cut down.
a comet, west northwest, portending
The sun shining on the white tops of the tents renders their outline particularly distinct.
Every time a shell is thrown they set up a general howl of defiance, followed by such challenges as “Come on, Pakeha!” “Come on, soldier — come on!”
left on the ground for the pigs and sea gulls (karoro)
In the distance the sea presents an unvaried, unbroken line, and the snowy peak of the mountain to the left adds considerably to the scene.
During the night they contented themselves by wasting on us all the bad epithets and evil wishes their language is capable of.
“a mate noa,” till death
The road down to the ford on the north bank is very steep, insomuch that it is a necessary precaution to dismount and lead a horse.
They have several blowing horns, by means of which they mimic our bugle sounds. These horns are heard both day and night, and it is probable that they have certain established calls, which they all understand and adopt on particular occasions.
wrote his name on a tub
The raiders, however, managed to get their bullock drays up to the top, but it is presumed they were empty, and that their contents must have been brought up by hand.
On Monday night the guard in No. 8 Redoubt were entertained until about 2 o’clock by Hapurona, who was urging his people most vehemently to attack them, and said they were very weak in it. He said the Governor had done him all sorts of injury, and that he would scatter our bones over the Waitara.
a blue shirt braided with scarlet
The ground about the pa is tolerably clear, and it is in part intersected by fences.
Several of the men in the redoubt knew his voice and what he said quite well.
being covered with myriads of empty cartridge cases
A solitary canoe was found half full of water near the ford.
During the night voices heard on our right, that of a woman being most conspicuous. She was endeavoring to incite the people to some desperate action by relating the deeds of her forebears.
being pouri (grieved)
How do they sound, drifting back to him there on the side of the road down by the river or along the beach? A group of riders coming the other way, a group the artist did not catch in his notebook and they were gone before he thought to turn around and look after their retreating voices. Top hat and sidesaddle. Onaero, Urenui, Wai-iti, Pukearuhe.