First Contact

As the mists clear, revealing my life’s greatest challenge, I struggle to contain my excitement and clutch at the rigging as though still at sea. A new land, ripe for the picking, inhabited by simple savages who’ll do anything for a nail or blanket, or so the sealers said.

Our dear captain has plans himself, he does, he’s been too aroused by the greed to conceal them. However robbing the ignorant is not my game. No, I seek an ambitious man with much bigger plans indeed. It may take longer to show a profit, that’s true, but my heart pounds at the thought of the power and prestige that could ensue.

We’ve been locked down in the old world for centuries and then this voyage for months. I’m ready for a new way. Yes we’re off !!

A sentry saw it arrive through the mist, A Pakeha Ship!! at last, one just for us. We gathered the hapu and went over the plan. This feels good, what a chance! What timing ! The youths are real keen for a rumble, and were hard to hold back for a while. We must not frighten the strangers, there is far too much at stake. My own excitement is hard to contain. I’m sure they have cloth by the boxfull and iron too, but I want so much more. I need to find an adventurous man and use him to press our cause. I’ll know by his eyes, the surge of his pulse which they can’t conceal it’s been said.

We’ve been locked down in our insular ways and these islands for too long, I’m ready for a new way.

Yes, they’re coming, it’s on !!