96 : Transactions.— Miscellaneous. 
caused men’s hearts to dislike greatly that way, because those who travelled 
by it were lost and never heard of. 
Therefore, the hearts of those who remained alive began to stir within 
them, so that some even went as far as to say—‘‘ Perhaps that chief 
Tangaroamihi has killed and destroyed both the travelling parties and the 
armed parties who travelled by the way of Tikitapu." But that chief 
Tangaroamihi had shown his hospitality and expressed his kindly feeling to 
the enquirers who went to his town to seek after those who were missing. 
Now, however, when the suffering people heard of the exceeding great 
valour of those four chiefs in their slaying of monsters, then they con- 
sidered how best to fetch them to come and to have a look at Tikitapu. 
So their messenger was sent to those brave heroes, and when they heard 
from him the message, they all bestirred themselves, that same 170, for they 
were greatly delighted to hear of more work for them in the line of slaying 
monsters. So they immediately commenced preparations for their journey 
to Tikitapu, some in pounding fernroot, some in digging-up convolvulus 
roots, some in taking whitebait (Galawias attenuatus), and some in dredging 
freshwater mussels, all to be used as food on their journey to Taiapu, to the 
mount at Moerangi, for Moerangi was the place where that noxious beast 
called Kataore dwelt. 
In the morning, at break of day, they arose and started, taking their 
first meal far away on the great plain, at a nice kind of stopping-place. 
When they had scarcely finished their meal they commenced conversation 
with the usual talk of warriors on an expedition ; for at this time they did 
not exactly know whether it was really by a monster, or by the people who 
dwelt thereabouts, that all those who had travelled by that road, whether 
armed parties or whether singly, had been destroyed. 
When this armed party took their journey, they also brought away with 
them the necessary ropes and such things, which had been previously made 
and got ready. They knew that such (as they had heard) was the evil 
state of all the roads and ways of that place, therefore they sat awhile and 
considered, knowing very well the work they had in hand. 
However, when the eating and talking were ended, they again arose and 
recommenced their march. They entered the forest and traversed it, 
quitting it on the other side. Then the priests went before the party to 
scatter abroad their spells and charms, that is to say, their Maori 
recitations. But they acted just the same on this as on former occasions 
already related. 
They recited all the charms and spells they had used against both 
Hotopuku* and Pekehaua, going on and reciting as they went; at last 
* Though not once mentioned or alluded to in that story. 
