394 NATIVES OF ROTU-RUA. [PART II. 



too warm they admit a sufficient quantity of cold 

 water from the lake to bring them to a bathing 

 temperature. Some of the springs have a slight 

 taste of sulphuretted hydrogen, and others contain 

 small iron pyrites; their temperature is from 100 

 to 120 Fahrenheit. 



The lake of Rotu-rua, like that of Taupo, con- 

 tains eels, and another species of fish of a small 

 size ; also a well-tasted crawfish, and a bivalve shell- 

 fish called kakahi : all these serve to the natives as 

 food. 



The natives of Rotu-rua bear the general name 

 of Nga-te-Wakaua ; their number amounts to about 

 5000. They were once renowned for their bold 

 resistance to invaders, and for their warlike habits ; 

 but E'Ongi, who dragged his canoes from the east 

 coast into the lake, made a great slaughter amongst 

 them. They had assembled, 3000 in number, on 

 Mokoia island, but had only four muskets, and 

 E'Ongi found no difficulty in mastering them, and 

 carried off about sixty children, who, however, after 

 being brought to the east coast, contrived to escape 

 by feigning sleep, and returned again to their 

 homes. E'Ongi also took all their canoes, and 

 dragged them over the portages to the east coast, 

 but lost them in a gale of wind. 



The Rotu-rua natives had provoked this attack 

 by an act of treachery on their part : thirty natives 

 from the Bay of Islands paid a visit to the great 

 pa on the island of Mokoia, trusting that some old 



