316 MISSION STATION OF OTAWAO. [PAKT II. 



On the 24th we crossed the Waipa in a canoe, 

 and reached the Church missionary station of 

 Otawao, which is about nine miles distant from our 

 resting-place of the night before. Here, for the 

 first time, we had a view of the snowy head of the 

 Ruapahu, which is about 150 miles distant. 



The mission-station of Otawao was established 

 about a year ago, and has already been very useful. 

 It is situated on the banks of a small tributary of 

 the Waipa : opposite to it, on an eminence, the 

 Christian natives have constructed their pa, as at 

 the first introduction of Christianity a sort of sepa- 

 ration always takes place between the Christian con- 

 verts and the Heathens, without, however, materially 

 affecting the general harmony of the tribe. In 

 those cases in which the majority of the tribe or 

 of the inhabitants of a village have become converts 

 to Christianity, the remainder, finding themselves 

 deserted, and unable to assemble followers for war- 

 like enterprises, frequently affect to adopt the new 

 doctrine. At this place, Muketu, the pa of Te 

 Puata, the principal chief and warrior, which stood 

 at a little distance on rising ground, was almost 

 uninhabited, although the native houses in it were 

 by far the best I had yet seen in New Zealand, and 

 the carvings on them were executed with much in- 

 genuity. Te Puata is an old man, and was formerly 

 the principal chief of the whole Waikato tribe ; his 

 authority is now transferred to his son, Te-Wero- 

 Wero, who resides in Manukao. But the veteran 



