98 Transactions. 



asking the Nga Rauru to bring hai and send men. The northern Natives 

 heartily responded, sending two hundred fighting-men, besides many slaves 

 bearing great quantities of the indispensable kai. When they came to the 

 Whanga-nui River, Taka-rangi, the great Whanga-nui chief, who was after- 

 wards killed at Kohuru-po, heard that the Nga Rauru people were in his 

 territory, and he said ' WTiat are these people doing here ? I will not allow 

 them to carry food over me.' So he sent out his men, and after a short 

 skirmish Nga Rauru retired minus their hai. When Ngati Apa heard that 

 Taka-rangi had intercepted those who were coming to give them assistance, 

 they immediately started out, and took a large pa situated on the Kai-toke 

 Lake " [about two miles from Whanga-nui No. 1 Line]. " Whanga-nui, 

 not to be outdone, travelled to Rangi-tikei, where they besieged the pa at 

 Pou-rewa, killed Te Haha-o-te-rangi, and then retired. 



" Then up arose Te Ahuru and said to his people, ' I hear there is a 

 brave man called Te 0-raunga of the Mua-upoko. I will go to him and 

 see if he will lend a hand to help punish Whanga-nui and Rangi-tane.' So 

 he went to Wai-were, a pa at the south end of Lake Horo-whenua, and 

 laid his views and intentions before Te 0-raunga ; but that careful chief 

 said, ' No, I am afraid I cannot- help you, for this taniwho you wish to 

 destroy has two heads — i.e., Whanga-nui and Rangi-tane. If it had only one 

 I would willingly go. But go on to Pori-rua. Te Huke-o-tungia is there, 

 and he will assist.' So Te Ahuru went to Pori-rua as directed, but Huke-o- 

 tungia said, ' No, I cannot help ; but let us go to Nga-kaka-waha-nui 

 (the loquacious parrots), at Wai-rarapa.' So they went on, and came to 

 the pa " [near Mr. Bidwell's], " and there they found the two kakas famed 

 for their gxeat beaks, Te Whata-horo and Te Kaka-hou, and explained what 

 they came for. After hearing all Te Ahuru and his friend had to say, the 

 two great chiefs replied, ' Yes, we will help you. Go home as fast as you 

 can, gather all your people, and plenty of kai. We will follow in a few 

 days.' So Te Ahuru returned to Rangi-tikei ; but as soon as he had gone, 

 Whata-horo said to his friend, ' Had w^e not better follow at once, before 

 Whanga-nui hears of our approach and has time to gather ? ' So they 

 started off from Wai-rarapa w^ith a great army of over three hundred men 

 of the Rakai-whaka-iri, the Ngati Kahukura-a-whitia, the Hamua, and the 

 Ngati-moe tribes, all branches of the Ngati Kahu-ngunu. 



" When Te Ahuru left Wai-rarapa he arranged with his own people to 

 have supplies of food ready, and with this purpose in view he came on to 

 Whanga-ehu ; but no sooner had he called his people together than a great 

 war-party was seen approaching from the south. The people were much 

 afraid, and said to Te Ahuru, ' What is the meaning of this ? ' Te Ahuru, 

 although he felt considerable apprehension, replied, ' Perhaps it is our friends 

 from Wai-rarapa and Pori-rua. Let us go forward to meet them.' (The 

 Pori-rua people had also joined, although they had at first refused.) So 

 the two parties met, and the apprehensions of the Ngati Apa were quickly 

 set at rest by the joyful discovery that the taua was led by their Wai- 

 rarapa friends. After the customary feast had been disposed of, a war- 

 dance was executed, during the excitement of which some of the brave 

 fellows advised going on to Whanga-nui that night. Te Ahuru opposed this, 

 for he wished to have time to gather all his available Ngati Apa force. 

 But Tui, the tohunga traveUing with the taua, settled the dispute by 

 saying, ' We will go now, for even at this moment the Whanga-nui people 

 are preparing to resist us, and to-morrow we will meet their party and be 

 victorious.' " 



