4 6 Transactions . 



From the chiefs of this tribe, Te Rauparalia obtained a musket, with a quantity 

 of ammunition, gifts of very great value at that time, and indicating the 

 estimation in which he was held by his hosts. He also visited Kaipara, 

 where he soon gained the . friendship of the Ngatiwhatua, and other tribes in 

 that district, and on his way back went to the Waitemata — he succeeded in 

 forming an alliance with Kiwi and the son of Tihi, chiefs of the great tribes 

 which then occupied that part of the country. I am led to understand that 

 these visits took place between 1810 and 1815, and that Te E-auparaha then 

 entertained the design of forming an extensive alliance against the Waikatcs, 

 under Te Wherowhero, with the intention of completely destroying them ; but 

 he found it impossible to effect his object, and chiefly for the following reason : 

 After the establishment of the convict settlements in Australia, the South Seas 

 were much frequented by whale ships, and the eastern coast of New Zealand, 

 which then afforded a large supply of these valuable animals, became one of the 

 principal whaling grounds. In the course of their voyages the ships often resorted 

 to the Bay of Islands and the Harbour of Whangaroa for supplies of water and 

 vegetables ; and during these visits, the natives first learnt the use and power 

 of the musket. The tribes with whom the chief intercourse took place, were 

 the Ngapuhi, who at once saw the immense power which the possession of 

 such a weapon would confer upon them in their contests with their enemies. 

 Previously to this period, their own country had been constantly devastated 

 by the powerful and warlike tribes of the Thames, and they naturally burned 

 for revenge. Singularly enough, they were much aided in their object by the 

 establishment of the mission stations, formed in the year 1813 under the 

 E,ev. Mr. Marsden, who had brought down with him, from Australia, pigs and 

 poultry, and many kinds of vegetables, amongst which, the most valuable were 

 the Indian corn and the potato. The pigs were suffered to run wild, and, 

 having increased very much, were usually caught with dogs when wanted for 

 purposes of trade, the natives themselves rarely using them for food, but they 

 eagerly and successfully cultivated all the species of vegetables which had been 

 introduced. Moreover, during the intercourse which took place between 

 them and the whale ships, many natives visited Port Jackson, where they 

 had further opportunities of learning the destructive power of the European 

 weapons, and the eagerness of the tribes to procure them became so great, 

 that twenty hogs, obtained at the expense of enormous labour, and worth to 

 the ships more than as many pounds, were often given in exchange for a 

 musket not worth ten shillings. In effect, the muskets usually sold to these 

 natives were of a very worthless kind, and would not, in a contest with 

 European troops, have been considered particularly dangerous weapons ; 

 whilst the natives own want of knowledge of the proper mode of taking care 

 of them, soon led to the greater number of them becoming hopelessly out of 



