42 Transactions. — 3Iiscellaiie07is . 



Cape and from Kaitaia. It was not, however, until the 

 time of Kawharu, Hakiriri, and Te-Ati-a-km-a, about six or 

 seven generations ago, that they advanced so far south as 

 Kaipara proper. Their advance was due to some murders 

 committed by the Wai-o-hua Tribe — a branch of Nga-riki — 

 and who at that time occupied Otakanini and the adjacent 

 country. Amongst others who were killed by the Wai-o-hua 

 people was Hau-mai-wharangi, aiid it was to avenge his 

 death particularly that the expedition, which finally con- 

 quered Kaipara, left the Wairoa, where Ngati-whatua were 

 then living. One part of this expedition was under the 

 command of Pou-tapu-aka, Papa-karewa, and Ati-a-kura. 

 They landed near Otakanini, and occupied the hill just above 

 where Te Otene lived, at Papurona, in 1860. They found 

 Otakanini Pa too strong to take by a rush, and so adopted a 

 method of siege which was not at all uncommon in former 

 days. It has been denied by a well-known authority on 

 Maori matters that the Maoris ever used any projectile 

 weapon : the following will prove the contrary. The de- 

 scription of the Siege of Otakanini was given to me by Te 

 Otene, the most learned man of Ngati-whatua alive in those 

 days, and one well acquainted with the tribal history. As 

 we sat on the same hill his ancestors occupied, as described 

 above, he explained that Hakiriri and his men plied the pa^ 

 with spears from that position, thrown by means of the kotaha 

 or kopere, and, although the distance is some 150 yards, the 

 besiegers made it so hot for those within the pa that they 

 dare not come outside. Under cover of this shower of spears 

 an advance was made, and the Pa of Otakanini finally taken, 

 with very great slaughter. It was explained to me that the 

 spears used were made of long, straight manuka poles, cut on 

 the bank of the creek just below where we were sitting, and 

 that, after having their ends sharpened by burning in the fire, 

 they were thrown by aid of the kotaha. 



Many of us have seen this method of propulsion, no doubt, 

 as used by the Maori boys in play. The spear is struck into 

 the ground on a slant, inclined towards the direction in which 

 it is intended to fly. A short stick, about 18in. long, with a 

 string at one end, is used to propel the spear. The short 

 stick is, in fact, just like a whip. The string or thong of the 

 whip is twisted round the spear in a peculiar manner, so that 

 it w^ill readily come undone. The operator, standing on one 

 side, with a strong jerk, draws the spear out of the ground, 

 and propels it to a long distance. Te Otene told me that a 

 spear cast in this manner was capable of piercing two men at 

 once, especially if thrown so as to descend at a high angle. 



This siege occurred about six generations ago. Hakiriri 

 was Te Otene's great great grandfather. From estimating 



