Pine. — A Legend of Maungatahi. 417 



together, and after discussing the question in all its phases 

 (and you know how many phases a Maori can get on a ques- 

 tion) they decided to ask how much food each chief could 

 supply, and the one who could give most was to have the 

 honour of being made a poor man for the rest of his days. 



So they set to work and they dug holes in this flat. These 

 holes were dug in straight lines, each hole about 2ft. across 

 and about 1+ft. deep, and shaped somewhat like a " kopa 

 maori." They then called on the chiefs to see who could fill 

 most holes with food. They set all their people to work: some 

 caught tunas, some pukekos, some kukupas, some kakas ; 

 others laid up punishment for themselves in the world to 

 come by slaughtering those pretty little creatures the tuis ; 

 others, again, who would make a fortune at home whenever 

 rat-terrier trials are fashionable, went in quest of the kiore. 

 All, or nearly all, returned laden, and more holes were dug 

 and filled ; but with no better result than before : each pa was 

 upsides with the other, and when there was nothing left to 

 catch they had to think out some other scheme. 



On the side of one of the hills, called Nga Tore Atua, and 

 just below the earthworks of the pa, were two large blocks of 

 limestone, each about 7ft. or 8ft. square: it was decided that 

 these two blocks should be undermined by men appointed by 

 the opposing chiefs, and, whichever stone rolled the furthest 

 across the flat, the people of that stone should be the victors. 

 So they went to work again, and down came one block, which 

 rolled itself a good distance out across the plain, and no one 

 thought that could be beaten ; but presently away went the 

 other, and, being, perhaps, better situated than the first stone, 

 it travelled off at a great rate, and rolled and tumbled until it 

 came within a few feet of the creek, at which place it stands 

 to this day. Both stones are there to be seen. Perhaps it is 

 all a myth ; but down on the fiat all the holes still exist, and 

 one can see where the stones have rolled from. 



On the sites of these two old pas fire has done its work 

 until nothing now remains except the deep trench that sur- 

 rounded one — and a deep one it must have been when the pa 

 was in fighting-trim. Of the other pa one sees the burnt 

 stubs of palisading showing above the surface, but, above all, 

 amongst these are two old heart-of-totara poles, say, 12in. in 

 diameter, and 12ft. to 14ft. high. They stand out in bold 

 relief, sound at heart, but showing much signs of wear. How 

 long they have stood thus no pakeha knoweth — they have 

 been so for many, many years. If they had eyes to see and 

 tODgues to relate, what tales they could tell us ! what scenes 

 they have witnessed ! what cruelties practised ! They stood 

 there when this valley was alive with people, and they stand 

 there still. 



