DowNES. — Early Htstory of Rangitikei. 19 



by the enemy, and Tama-kopiri started off in pursuit. Some of his people 

 wished to go with him to assist ; but he would not allow them, and said^ 

 ■' You stay here : I am a chief, and can look after myself." On hearing 

 this remark, Hai-rangi knew that he was being pursued by a rangatira, 

 and so made all haste to get away ; but. being on old man, and encum- 

 bered with the girl, he was unable to gain on liis pursuer. He therefore 

 hid his granddaughter in a flax - bush, and covered her with his own 

 garment, tliinking that, as his pursuer was a chief, if he happened to find 

 her he w^ould spare her life. After he had hidden her away he crossed 

 over a stream and went up on a hill where there was a hawk-snare set, 

 from which place he could look down and see where his grandchild was 

 hidden, without being discovered himself. After a time Tama-kopiri came 

 along searching, and when he found the girl he speared her, and went on 

 looking for her companion. Hai-rangi, looking down, saw all that hap- 

 pened, and with great anger he seized the hawk-snaring stick, rushed down 

 the hill, attacked and killed Tama-kopiri with it : and this hill on which 

 he was slain was afterwards known as Puke-o-kahu (the hill of the hawk). 

 A.fter killing Tama-kopiri, Hai-rangi scalped him, hung the scalp on his 

 belt, and went cautiously back to see how it fared with the people in the pa. 

 He climbed up an eminence overlooking the place, and when he found they 

 were still all right, he called out to them, telling them what had happened, 

 and sang about the death of his grandchild. When the war-party heard 

 him they looked up, and saw Tama-kopiri's scalp hanging to the chiefs- 

 girdle. This frightened them, and so, instead of further fighting, they 

 proceeded to make peace, which was agreed upon by the people of the pa,, 

 although they still sought an opportunity of destroying that war-party ; 

 and so it happened that one day, when the people of that party were just 

 below the pa, digging fern-root, Hai-rangi and his people rushed down 

 upon them, and before they had time to protect themselves many were 

 killed ; but the only person of note killed was Tama-kopiri, previously 

 cut down and scalped by Hai-rangi. The chief Tama-tapui was in the 

 Aro-mango Pa on this occasion. 



On the next page is a genealogical table showing Tama-kopiri as a de- 

 scendant from Tamatea, also some of the descendants of Kahu-ngunu ; but, as 

 previously stated, it is a disputed question whether these two were brothers. 

 Indeed, many of these tables are rather conflicting, and, although the ut- 

 most endeavours have been used to glean the truth, chiefly by comparing 

 one man's statement with another's, yet it is difficult to eliminate all error. 

 For the most part, I have written the narratives as I have received them, 

 only making such alterations as were necessary. 



For further lines of descent from Kahu-ngimu see Jour. Polynesian Soc, 

 vol. V, p. 7. 



Another whakapapa in my possession shows Tama-kopiri twenty gene- 

 rations back. 



Another visitor who arrived and journeyed through the district, eventu- 

 ally settling here, was Ma-tangi, who came from Wai-rarapa about eighteen 

 generations ago. He came hither, having heard that the place swarmed 

 with flocks of birds {whirikoko = a flock of birds in flight). When he 

 reached the summits of the Tara-rua Mountains he saw the first flight, so 

 he called the place Tiro-hanga. The flock alighted at Tahuna-a-rua (near 

 Palmerston North), so he followed them ; but when he drew near they 

 arose and flew very high — hence the name of Te Ao-rangi (near Feilding). 

 They next alighted at Purakau, below Whaka-ari (trig, station between. 



