Gtold- Smith. — Description of Mayor Island. 423 



dreaded foe the Ngapuhi, who, being the first Maoris to possess guns, 

 thought, like Alexander the Great, to conquer the world, coitld not take 

 it, at which I am not surprised, for with no enemy to pay me delicate atten- 

 tion, it was all I could do to cut my way a little distance up one of the 

 slopes, the travelling being very difficult, owing to having to climb over the 

 large scoria blocks, and force one's way through the dense vegetation. All 

 the walking round the seaward side of the crater, which is a mere wall of 

 volcanic debris with precipitous sides, is very dangerous, footing being very 

 difficult to obtain and keep. 



Another very strong pa is situated above the lip of the crater, named 

 Taumou. It is on a crag 500 feet high. This is the strongest pa on the 

 island, in fact their citadel, and has never been taken. The Ngapuhi, 

 owing to the advantage they had in the possession of guns, were able to 

 drive the natives of the island from pa to pa, until they retired to Taumou 

 and Tarewakoura (before mentioned). Here the Urungawera made their 

 final stand, and defied every effort of the Ngapuhi to dislodge them ; and 

 finally with the help of obsidian drove them off with heavy loss. 



The pa as before stated is situated on a crag on the side of the crater, with 

 precipitous slopes on three sides, and with only a very narrow steep ap- 

 proach to it up a ridge of obsidian which the pa commands. There are large 

 quantities of obsidian about the pa, in blocks of from a few pounds weight 

 up to many tons. This the Urungawera used with great effect against 

 the Ngapuhi, hurling the blocks of obsidian down on their heads as they 

 rushed to the attack, which it is no wonder failed, for the heavy blocks of 

 obsidian with their sharp edges must have caused great havoc in their ranks. 



Another of the few springs in the island issues at this pa in a place 

 where one would not expect to find it. It is situated at the root of a small 

 pohutukawa which grows out of the steep cliff, about two hundred feet 

 above the sea, on the seaward side of the pa. 



Leaving the crater with all its wonders, and passing Okawa, which is 

 a rugged, low-lying rocky point, on which the sea breaks heavily, we come 

 to an open bay with steep cliffs of basalt and pumice, and a reef of obsidian. 

 In this bay is Motuoneone, a small island or rock, which is the home of the 

 tuatara lizard. This island is about 100 feet off shore. The lizards, like 

 the inhabitants of Tuhua, appear to have expected an attack from the sea, 

 for the sides of the rock are quite perpendicular for a height of 80 feet, and 

 it is therefore impossible to get at them without the aid of ropes and ladders. 

 I therefore could not get any. They are the same species as those on the 

 Karewa Island. I brought twenty of these lizards home with me on my 

 return from surveying that island, many of which I turned out in my 

 garden, and have thus had many opportunities of observing their habits. 



