72 Transactions. 
of the Rangitane tribe, which had settled in these places after destroying 
the Ngatimamoe some 200 years before. But though numerous, and in 
that sense powerful, so long as their warfare was carried on with the ordinary 
New Zealand weapons, they were no match for the chosen warriors of 
Te Rauparaha, more particularly when armed with the more deadly European 
weapons. The consequence was that they were everywhere disastrously 
defeated, hundreds of them being killed and devoured on the spot, whilst 
numbers of the prisoners were taken to Kapiti to undergo the same fate, the 
wretched remnant being kept in abject slavery by such of their conquerors as 
settled in the newly acquired district. 
Whilst Rauparaha was engaged in these operations Te Pehi returned from 
England, and at once joined him with a considerable number of followers. 
Shortly after this the main force divided, a subdivision of the Ngatitoa named 
the Ngatirarua hapu, under Niho and Takerei, the Puketapu and Nutiwai 
hapus of Ngatiawa, under Te Koihua, and the Ngatitama, under Te Puoho, 
proceeding to Blind and Massacre Bays—and whose exploits will be hereafter 
referred to—whilst Rauparaha, Te Pehi, and other chiefs, with 300 well 
armed men, flushed with victory, and grown strong upon human flesh, left 
Rangitoto for the Kaikoura Peninsula, in order to afford to Rerewhaka the 
opportunity of putting his long made threat into execution. But the Ngatitoa 
chief felt sure of a comparatively easy victory, for notwithstanding a great 
numerical superiority on the part of the enemy, he knew that they were 
indifferently, if at all, supplied with fire-arms, whilst the great bulk of his 
own men were well furnished with guns, powder, and ball. It will be 
observed that, in accordance with the well known habit of the New Zealanders, 
Rauparaha had never forgotten Rerewhaka’s curse, and he felt highly elated 
at the prospect of a revenge, which the force at his command rendered almost 
certain. But besides this prospect of vengeance, and the anticipated additional 
gratification of devouring the bodies of the slain, he expected to acquire large 
quantities of green-stone weapons and ornaments, in which, as he had been 
informed by the slave who had reported Rerewhaka’s foolish boast, the 
Ngaitahu of the Kaikoura and Amuri were especially rich, for notwithstanding _ 
the introduction of firearms into their system of warfare, the mere pounamu, 
or green-stone battle-axe, and other implements of war manufactured from that 
substance, was then, and indeed always has been, held in great estimation 
by the Maoris. Rauparaha, therefore, longed to add the acquisition of such 
treasures to the gratification which he would derive from wreaking vengeance 
upon the Ngaitahu chieftain, for the insult under which he had so long 
suffered. 
As my readers are probably aware, the green-stone or nephrite, from 
which the more valuable of the weapons in question are made, is found 
