252 E' ONGI. [PART n. 



(or are) well.' This was addressed to his children. 

 His meris, or battle-axes, muskets, and the coat of 

 mail which he received from King George IV., he 

 bequeathed on that day to his sons. After he had 

 settled these matters, he spoke of the conduct of the 

 natives after his death, as in all probability likely 

 to be kind towards his survivors, saying, " Kowai 

 ma te nia. Kai mai ki a koutou kaore.' ' Who will 

 desire to eat you all ? None ! ' 



" He spent his last moments on the 6th instant 

 (March, 1828), exhorting his followers to be valiant, 

 and repel any force, however great, which might 

 come against them ; telling them this was all the 

 ' utu/ or satisfaction, he desired ; which intimated 

 that he had had the question proposed to him 

 ' Who is to be killed as a satisfaction for your death ? ' 

 This abominable principle still exists in New Zea- 

 land of honouring the dead by human sacrifice. His 

 dying lips were employed in uttering ' Kia toa ! 

 Kia toa ! ' ' Be courageous ! Be courageous ! ' 



" As soon as E 'Ongi ceased to breathe, all his 

 friends in the pa at Pinia trembled for themselves ; 

 for they did not know but that the Hokianga natives 

 would fall upon them, and send them as companions 

 for their dead chief ' to the shades of night.' 



" The Hokianga natives, to prevent suspicion, 

 caused all their people to remain quiet in their huts, 

 while they went to the pa to see E' Ongi's body 

 dressed. On their approach, though they had used 

 the above precautions, they perceived the people in 



