Shand. — The Early History of the Morioris. 153 



Before going farther, however, it may be interesting to show 

 how the Ngatiawa people came to Wellington and its vicinity, 

 and the operating causes thereof. In this case the great dis- 

 turbing element was the advent of Europeans with firearms, 

 which completely changed the existing order of things, especially 

 in the Maori world : those tribes that managed to obtain arms 

 before their neighbours were enabled to gratify their revenge on 

 them with a maximum of injury to their enemies and a minimum 

 of loss to themselves. Thus the Ngapuhi, being first to obtain 

 firearms in quantity, were able to raid and devastate neighbour- 

 ing tribes who till then were quite able to hold their own against 

 them. Obtaining a certain quantity of firearms, a war-party 

 was formed of Ngapuhi, Ngatiwhatua, Ngatitoa, and a few 

 others, chiefly impelled by a love of fighting and renown, coupled 

 with the very agreeable feeling that with firearms on their side 

 their adversaries would be defeated. Concentrating at Kawhia. 

 they coasted along to Taranaki, where they were entertained. 

 They then continued their journey southward to Whenuakura, 

 where they attacked and killed people, and so on to Wellington, 

 where they created much havoc with the Ngati-ira in the Hutt 

 River. (A full account of this part of the raid has been con- 

 tributed by Mr. S. Percy Smith to the pages of the " Polynesian 

 Journal.") Among the leaders of the Ngapuhi were Patuone 

 and his brother Tamati Waka Nene, Murupaenga, of Ngati- 

 whatua, with Te Rauparaha, and others. It was this Tamati 

 Waka Nene who, on seeing vessels off Kapiti Island, suggested 

 to Rauparaha that he should come and occupy Wellington and 

 its vicinity — a recommendation destined to bear fruit after- 

 wards. This expedition , from its length, was called amio-whenua 

 (circling round or encompassing the land). 



Subsequently, owing to Rauparaha's truculent behaviour in 

 killing his Waikato neighbours, notably several of high rank — 

 the merits of which, however, appear to have been pretty equally 

 divided — they all combined in attacking him and inflicting a 

 defeat. Ultimately Rauparaha only managed to get across the 

 Mokau River with difficulty, being hampered with his women- 

 kind and children, and he and his tribe took refuge with their 

 allies the Ngatitama, but more particularly Ngatimutunga, 

 both large sections of the great Ngatiawa Tribe. His Waikato 

 enemies, however, followed him up later on, with two objects 

 in view : partly to give him and his friends a thrashing, and also 

 to relieve their Ngatimaniapoto friends, who were besieged in 

 Pukerangiora pa, inland from Waitara. Arriving at Te Motu- 

 nui, about half a mile, perhaps, south of the Mimi River, they 

 attacked Rauparaha and his Ngatimutunga allies, but they 

 suffered a crushing defeat, losing most of their leading chiefs. 



