DowNES. — Early History of Rangitikei. 93 



the old niau who gave the narrative, " we found no persons Uving, for the 

 place had been abandoned for fear of witchcraft, by which many had died. 

 We found bodies hung up in trees three and four together, and the sur- 

 vivors had scattered. We ijistituted a search for them, and on the Ranga- 

 tira we captured thirty-one prisoners. We found 0-tama-kapua, Te Weio, 

 and Te Tai-nui, and the principal men caught at these places were Potaka 

 and Te Rangi-tahua. This latter afterwards died l^y witchcraft, just as 

 the others had done before him. 



" Starting down the river from Otara, we reached Whaka-poka, and 

 camped there, Ngati Hau-iti accompanying us. There we found a small 

 pa, where some of Ngati Hau-iti were dwelling, and cultivating the land. 

 Thence we reached Ma-karaka, and camped there for a time, finding people 

 of the same tribe. Next we reached Te Mahoe, and then Te Pohue, where 

 we camped at the mouth of the Pou-rewa Stream. There we divided, 

 sending scouting parties to Oroua on our one side, and also in the opposite 

 direction. One party came back the same day, bringing four people that 

 th«^y had captured, and next day our two reconnoitring parties returned 

 bringing two more." 



According to another account, the day after these two prisoners were 

 taken, a strong divi ion of the heke struck the main body of Ngati Apa 

 between the Rangi-tikei and Turakina Rivers. Here a battle was fought, 

 in which the Ngati Rau-kawa were victorious, many of the Ngati Apa 

 being killed, and their chief leader Ta-whiro captured. Then, at the feast 

 in honour of the victory, all the dead bodies were brought into the camp 

 and piled in a heap. On top of this ghastly pile the unfortunate Ta-whiro 

 was bound, stretched, and then flayed alive by a lady named Pekenga, 

 eventually being killed by Tanguru, who was of the Ngati Hau-iti, Ngati 

 Whiti, and Hine-manu tribes. Then the combined tribes set to work, the 

 ovens were kept at glowing heat, and the Ngati Apa required no further 

 burial. 



Continuing this narrative the old man said. " After Ta-whiro was killed 

 we left Pou-rewa, passed Parewa-nui, and pushed on to the mouth of the 

 Rangi-tikei River. As a gale was blowing, we hauled up our canoes and 

 marched down the beach, only one canoe venturing out, and reaching 

 Manawa-tu. When we reached this place we camped for the night, and, 

 as the gale was increasing, we hauled up the one canoe that had reached 

 us, and left it on the beach. Then wo continued our march along the 

 beach to Kapiti, where we saw Te Rau-paraha and Te Pehi. We stayed 

 there about two months, while our leading men went oi\ to Poneke to 

 bring up Taiaha, of the Ngati Ira, and his people ; and while they were 

 away we captured several prisoners at Horo-whenua, among whom were 

 Te Kowhai, Hunia's mother's brother, and a woman named Whaka-haunga, 

 ■of the Mua-upoko. After some time we commenced our return journey 

 to Taupo, by way of the Rangi-tikei. We came to Parewa-nui on that 

 river, and there baked karaka-berries. Next day we commenced to eat 

 the berries, and made ourselves very ill, like drunken men. We found no 

 inhabitants there : if there had been any at the pa we should have killed 

 them. 



" Leaving Parewa-nui, we reached the moulh of the Ranga-taua, and 

 camped there. There died that night the daughter of Te Heuheu and a 

 Tu-whare-toa chief named Te Poka. We believe that they were bewitched 

 by the Ngati Apa." [As a matter of fact, they both died of wounds in- 

 flicted during a skirmish with a stray band of Ngati Apa. Huru-hia was 



