TRAILS ROUND TUTIRA LAKE 75 



Amohia, kei hea koe f " " Te Amohia, where are you ? " There was no 

 response. He then shouted to the guardians of the other fires, " Do you 

 see Te Amohia ? " The reply was, that she had been seen last returning 

 from the direction from which he called. Te Amohia and her two 

 companions had disappeared. At break of day chase was given, 

 and the enemy leader, by far outstripping his fellows, got on to the 

 tracks of the fugitives. As Te Amohia and her companions were nearing 

 a certain patch of bush, looking back they saw their pursuer not far 

 behind. Te Amohia was equal to the occasion ; bidding her friends 

 " kia whakanga" "rest and get their breath" she prepared herself 

 for the fray. She had previously, when crossing a stream, picked up 

 a long-shaped stone, partly for the preparation of fern-root for food 

 and partly in anticipation of the possibility of such a crisis as had now 

 occurred. 



The women after resting for a few moments no longer troubled 

 themselves about further concealment, but took up positions of defence 

 behind their leader. Te Amohia, knee on ground and body resting on 

 her heel, crouched in front : in this posture their pursuer discovered the 

 three women. He was armed with a long-handled battle-axe, the blade 

 of which was steel, for by this date the change from the old rdgime 

 to the new had extended to weapons of war. On approaching the 

 women he shouted and went through the usual gestures of a warrior 

 about to strike. Perhaps in order the more to intimidate his victims, 

 he slashed at the boughs on his right and left, leaving no doubt in 

 their minds about his strength and skill in management of the weapon. 

 With boughs falling at every blow, nearer and nearer he drew to the 

 three women. He had not taken into account that Te Amohia belonged 

 to a warrior tribe that the blood of the Ngai-Tatara flowed in her 

 veins. She never lifted her eyes from the ground ; she sat stolid, 

 missing no movement, her eyes fixed upon her foeman's toes. She knew 

 that before he struck he must first thrust them deep into the earth 

 to obtain a firmer grip. At last he gathered himself for the blow. 

 Lifting his battle-axe to the height he brought it down with tremendous 

 force, intending to cleave Te Amohia's head. Te Amohia, however, leapt 

 aside, and not only parried it with her right hand and arm, but ere the 

 striker had regained his balance, darted up, caught him by the hair and 

 dragged him over, calling to her companions her " aunties," dear old 

 venerable things ! to come to her assistance. Then ensued a fierce 



