DowNES. — Early History of Rangitikei. 83 



lience his companions, with fine humour, ever after denominated him Apa- 

 koki (Hop-and-go-one). Being a man of energy, he managed to get oft' 

 with the bird in spite of his accident ; and, if tradition speaks truly, he and 

 his friends obtained a fine meal. When Ngati Tu-whare-toa discovered 

 the theft, they naturally felt aggrieved, and soon started out seeking utu 

 for the stolen moa. They returned home well satisfied, bringing with them 

 Hine-moatu, the wife of Apa-koki. This roused the ire of Apa-koki, and 

 in great wrath he seized the kumaias of Kawerau ; whereupon Ngati Tu- 

 whare-toa, in equal wrath, came down on Ngati Apa under the chief Awa- 

 tope, and drove them from their home at Puta-uaki, near the Awa-o-te- 

 atua (Mount Edgecumbe, in the Bay of Plenty) ; and so they fled, and 

 came to Manga-nui, on the upper Rangi-ta-iki ; but Awa-tope still pursued, 

 and forced them south till they came to Roto-a-ira, where they settled. 



The following table shows Awa-tope as a descendant from Kahu- 



! These are the Ngati Awa 

 of Whaka-tane. 



Awa-tope. 



Seventeen generations more to the people living in the Bay of Plenty at 

 the present time. 



They had not been established at Roto-a-ira very long before trouble 

 arose owing to a dog being killed. The animal's name was Te Rangi-a- 

 kopu-takere, and it belonged to a man named Ripo-a-rangi, of Ngati Tu- 

 whare-toa. The man who brought this trouble on the Ngati Apa people 

 not only killed the dog, but he roasted and ate it when in the bush by him- 

 self. As he was suspected, a woman smelt his breath while he was asleep, 

 and, detecting the dog-smell, quickly reported her discovery to the owner. 

 In revenge for the death of his favourite, Ripo-a-rangi gathered his family 

 and came down upon the Ngati Apa, taking the pas Tauwhare-papa-a- 

 uma and Motu-roa. After these pas were taken, peace was made, which 

 lasted till a man named Ma-tangi killed his wife Hine-mihi in a fit of 

 jealousy because of Miromiro, who had been paying attention to her. As 

 her relatives belonged to Ngati Tu-whare-toa, the latter besieged a pa 

 belonging to Ngati Apa called Rangi-te-taia. Tu-te-tawhoa, the leader of 

 the Ngati Tu-whare-toa, and his party approached the pa on one side, 

 while he sent another party to the opposite side ; but when Wai-keri and 

 Rakei-poho, of the besieging forces, entered the pa they found it empty, 

 the Ngati Apa having evacuated during the night. The pursuit was fol- 

 lowed up, and the chief Ma-tangi killed, as well as a great number of his 

 people, while many were taken prisoners. Those of the latter who were 



