372 Transactions. 



Nuku had not long been settled in his new district when Ngati Porou 

 sent Te Potae-aute, one of their chiefs, asking for aid to obtain utu from 

 the Tolaga Bay people, Te Rere-horua having been killed at Toko-maru, 

 on the East Coast. The answer he received was, " We never like to fight 

 at the back of the house : outside, all right ; but inside, never" (probably 

 meaning, could not fight within Ngati Porou boundaries). 



Being unsuccessful, Potae-aute went on to the Arawa people, and inter- 

 viewed their chief Taraia. After considering the proposition, Taraia said, 

 " You go on to the Waikato people : if they will help you I'll follow ; if 

 not, I won't go, as it is a risky business, and the distance is too far to walk." 

 So Potae-aute went on to Waikato, where he met the chief Paiaka, and 

 after having explained the object of his journey Paiaka said, " You require 

 a very great war-party for this business, and the distance makes the thing 

 bad ; however, let us go on together to Taupo, and see what Te Heuheu 

 has to say about it." They journeyed to Taupo, and when Te Heuheu 

 heard of the affair he decided not to form an opinion till he had talked the 

 matter over with Whata-nui, of the Ngati Raukawa, and Pehi-turoa, of 

 Whanganui. So Te Heuheu sent for Whata-nui and Pehi-turoa, and when 

 they met to consider the position Whata-nui said, " The Hawke's Bay and 

 the Wairarapa people both killed my people at Roto-a-Tara (Te Ante), where 

 we lost Te Momo (the great chief allied to Ngati Raukawa, Ngati Tuwhare- 

 toa, and Ngati Maniapoto) ; because of this I will join you." Te Heuheu 

 said, " Because of the beating the Ngati Kahu-ngunu gave me at Te Whiti- 

 otu and Manga-toetoe (in the Hawke's Bay district), I'll consent to take 

 revenge." On hearing this, Pehi Turoa also consented to join ; so the three 

 said to Potae-aute, " Go back ; gather up your people ; be ready. We will 

 travel by the Mohaka road to Wairoa, then on to Nukutaurua, where we will 

 take revenge on the Ngati Kahu-ngunu before we go to make good your loss." 



So the war-party started off with a great army of a thousand men, and 

 when they neared Nukutaurua the people heard of their approach and 

 started oil in canoes to meet them. Near Gisborne they met. There were 

 the Rongo-whaka-ata, the Mahaki-ngai-tahupo, and the Aitanga-hauiti ; 

 but in the battle which ensued at the meeting of the two forces these tribes 

 were beaten, their chief Te Heke-tua-te-rangi and his daughter both 

 being taken as slaves, the latter being captured by Te Heuheu himself. 

 When these two were taken Whata-nui said, " Let me kill Heke-tua-te- 

 rangi and his daughter for the blood of Te Momo " {utu). But Te Heuheu 

 replied, " You shall not slay a man whom I captured," and, turning round 

 to the captive chief, he said, " Go home, and take your daughter with you." 

 Then said Te Heke-tua-te-rangi, " Now I see that I am saved by you, keep 

 my daughter ; I will come back to bring her home." 



He went home, and quickly returned with six slaves, a greenstone mere, 

 and six mats. This present he handed over to Te Heuheu for saving their 

 lives, saying, " Accept these slaves, mats, and mere ; give me my daughter 

 and I'll return, and may the sun shine between us for ever and ever." To 

 this speech Te Heuheu replied, " My foot shall never step into this valley, 

 and I will also warn my people lest they offend " : and thus they esta- 

 b'ished a friendship which was never broken. 



After this Te Heuheu came to the fa where Nuku and Pareihe were 

 dwelling, and called out, " Where are Nuku and Pareihe ? " Then went 

 Nuku and Pareihe outside the gate, and called back to Te Heuheu, " Here 

 we are. What do you want ? " Then said Te Heuheu, " When are you 

 coming out to meet me in fight ? I have heard a lot about your bravery 



