DowNES. — Life of Nuku-Pewafewa. 365 



position, nearly encircled as it is by tlie river-cliffs, he carefully fenced 

 all round with high protective works, and across the neck of the peninsula 

 he ran two rows of palisading, about half a chain apart, with a deep moat 

 between. But his crowning work was carrying an underground passage 

 from the middle of the fa to the moat, and from thence inland. In this 

 way he could send a messenger unseen from the moat do\vn the cliffs by 

 an aha-tokai vine, which was always kept handy ; or, if pressed very hard, 

 he and his company could escape unseen by way of the underground pas- 

 sage, the outlet of which was hidden by earth and vines in a dark bush. 

 This fa was called Nga-mahanga (twins), because of the underground 

 roads, and was large enough to contain some small kumara plantations, as 

 well as all the stores, and a garrison of one hundred men. He kept one 

 hundred picked men in the fa, because he could move quickly with a small 

 company, and he did not need to make so much provision for kai. Occasion- 

 ally he had a few more men, but he endeavouerd to keep his strength about 

 one hundred. This fa was never taken. 



His first experience of actual warfare was at the Maunga-raki pa, on 

 the Wainuioru Eiver, which place he took, though considered by all to be 

 impregnable. There was no road dowTi the cliff to the fa. There stood 

 Nuku with his hundred men above, looking down. Ah ! but he had to be 

 satisfied with a look, for he could not get down. So thought the people 

 of the fa, and slept with the thought of their usual security. But Nuku 

 considered, and then he acted. He built a huge raufo kite, something in 

 the shape of a bird with great extended wings, and during the darkness of 

 night he fastened one of his men to this manu and floated him over the 

 cliff by means of a long cord into the fa below. The man quietly opened 

 the gates, and when all was ready, at a given signal, Nuku let down his 

 men, four and five together, by means of a tokai vine, and before morning 

 the fa was taken. The people of the fa were the Ngati Hau-moana, the 

 Ngati Waitaha and the Ngati Tama-wahine, under the chiefs Toko-te-rangi 

 and Haupapa-o-te-rangi, the latter being captured. When taken, the con- 

 queror spread his mat on the ground and invited Hau-papa-o-te-rangi to 

 sit upon it, which he did, thus saving his own life and upwards of four 

 hundred of his people. 



His next exploit was at the Oruhi fa (at the mouth of the Whareama 

 Eiver, near Castle Point). Two men of the Hamua (a subtribe of the Ngati 

 Kahu-ngunu), named Hautuhi and Tohi-te-oru-rangi, were killed, and a great 

 army of two thousand men gathered together to obtain utu. 



They reached the Oruhi fa, but as the place was well fortified and pro- 

 tected they camped for several days, unable to effect an entrance. Then a 

 chief named Te Hiha called out that he would challenge the people of the 

 pa to combat ; so he selected three hundred of his bravest men, and another 

 chief called Rangi-hui-nuku selected two hundred more, making five hun- 

 dred in all, and this party separated from the main body and advanced, 

 in thahope that their challenge would be accepted. (Te Hiha, of the Ngati 

 Ira Tribe, was a great warrior who did much fighting at Wairarapa ; he was 

 the author of the following saying : — 



Ma te huruhuru te manu ka rere, 



He ao te rangi ka uhia, 



He rango te waka ka mania. 



By feathers does the bird fly, 



By clouds are the heavens covered, 



By skids does the canoe slide along. 



The modem meaning of which is, " Money is the sinews of war." 



