CHAP, in.] EVANS'S ISLAND. 99 



that chief; it is sometimes called Mayhew's Island, 

 after an American who has a whaling-party there. 

 The innermost island is smaller, and is called Motu 

 Narara; it is separated from the southern end of 

 Kapiti by a narrow channel, which, however, is deep 

 enough for small vessels. This island is also called 

 Hiko's Island, on account of this chief's residing 

 there. On this island also there is a whaling-party 

 of Americans. As soon as we had anchored, a boat 

 with whalers came off from Evans's Island, as well 

 as a canoe manned by natives. We learnt from 

 them that a battle had been fought in the morning 

 on the sandy beach of the mainland, from which 

 we were about three miles distant, between people 

 of the Nga-te-awa tribe, who have there a large 

 fortified village called Waikanahi, and another 

 tribe called the Nga-te-raukaua, who several years 

 ago came from the interior, and settled on the shores 

 of Cook's Straits. They have a village at Otaki, 

 about fifteen miles to the northward of Waikanahi. 

 We heard that many had been killed and wounded 

 in the battle ; that the Nga-te-raukaua had been 

 defeated, and had retreated. My duties as a medical 

 man called me ashore, but the roughness of the sea 

 prevented me from landing. Rauparaha sent a mes- 

 sage, requesting Colonel Wakefield to come to him 

 on Evans's Island, as he did not dare to visit our 

 ship, for fear the natives we had on board might 

 prove to be his enemies. We went on shore in the 

 afternoon, and found Rauparaha sitting on the 



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