28 Transactions. 



northern chief rose up and rehearsed his genealogy, by which he proved that 

 he was the great-grandchild (in the female line) of one of the claimants of the 

 block sold. He thereupon, as a matter of course, received a part of the 

 purchase money. He was a northern chief, aud had only been known to the 

 settlers by name." 



In addition to the above points, which more especially affect the events of 

 my narrative, Mr. White gives us details of other modes of acquiring title to 

 land, with illustrative cases of the most interesting kind j but there is one 

 custom which he does not refer to, and which was mentioned to me by Wi 

 Tako Ngatata, namely, that in some cases a conquered tribe, absolutely driven 

 from its lands, was formally restored to possession by the conquerors. He 

 stated, as an instance, that this was done in the Wairarapa, after the 

 Ngatikahungunu had been forced to the northward by the Ngatiawa, under 

 E Puni and himself, in revenge for some isolated acts of violence perpetrated 

 upon members of their own tribe. He informed me that this proceeding was 

 always a highly formal and ceremonious one, and was carried out, in the 

 instance in question, in consequence of many intermarriages having taken 

 place between the two tribes since the settlement of the Ngatiawa near Port 

 Nicholson, and of the absence of any desire on the part of the latter to push 

 their vengeance to extremity. It would lead me too far, were I to enter more 

 at length upon the points above referred to, and I will now proceed shortly to 

 notice some of the leading features in the character and habits of the natives 

 in other respects. There can be little doubt that, both in intellectual and 

 physical capacity, the Maori occupies a high position amongst savage people ; 

 but I cannot agree with Mr. White when he says, " that in dealing with him, 

 we deal with a man of powerful intellect." I admit that he possesses much 

 intelligence, and a quick perception, but he is wanting in one of the chiefest 

 characteristics of the civilized man — a characteristic only acquired by a long 

 course of national education — namely, the power of foreseeing the result of 

 these special classes of actions to which his contact with Europeans gives 

 the greatest importance. It is not, however, altogether in this respect that 

 I propose to view his character, for the principal events in my narrative 

 took place before the colonization of the Islands ; and their want of foresight 

 when dealing with the agents of the New Zealand Company would not have 

 produced effects injurious to them, but for the occurrence of events which have 

 taken place since the death of Te Rauparaha. "Their ordinary course of 

 life," says Mr. Manning, speaking of the natives, "when not engaged in 

 warfare, was regular, and not necessarily unhealthy; their labour, though 

 constant in one shape or other, and compelled by necessity, was not too heavy. 

 In the morning, but not early, they descended from the hill pa to the cultiva- 

 tions in the low grounds ; they went in a body, armed like men going to 



