62 ' Transactions. 



murder was to be committed at niglit by a war party from Horowhenua, and 

 when Tolieriri believed that his guest was fast asleep, he rose and went 

 out, intending to inform the war party that Rauparaha was asleep in his 

 house. His movements, however, aroused Te Rauparaha, who at once 

 suspected some foul design, a suspicion which was soon converted into 

 certainty by the cries of some of his people at the commencement of the 

 bloody work. He then escaped from the house, and, being entirely unarmed, 

 fled towards Ohau, which he succeeded in reaching, but quite naked. During 

 the attack Rangihoungariri, who, it will be remembered, distinguished himself 

 when Rauparaha's party were attacked by Ngatimaniapoto, near the River 

 Mokau, had succeeded in getting well away, but hearing Hira's sister calling 

 out to him that she would be killed, at once returned to her aid, but was soon 

 overwhelmed by numbers and slain, Te Poa, Hira's husband, having been 

 killed previously. Hira, and a girl named Hononga, were not killed, but 

 were carried off to Ruamahunga, in the Wairarapa, where the former after- 

 wards married Taika, a distant relation of Rauparaha's. These two girls were 

 the daughters of that Marore whom I mentioned in a former chapter as 

 having been his boy wife. This treacherous murder provoked the wrath of 

 Ngatitoa, who, from that time, proceeded to destroy Muaupoko without mercy. 

 Toheriri was taken prisoner, and afterwards hung and eaten, undergoing 

 dreadful tortures. Before this event Muaupoko were a somewhat powerful 

 tribe, but their power was utterly broken by the Ngatitoa and their allies, in 

 revenge for the attempted murder of their great chief. After this escape 

 Rauparaha settled at Ohau, and occupied the main land as far as Otaki, his 

 war parties constantly hunting the people at Rangitikei, Manawatu, and 

 Horowhenua ; but a remnant of these tribes still held Kapiti, notwithstanding 

 several attempts to take possession of it. 



Chapter Y. 

 Amongst the chiefs who accompanied Te Rauparaha in the migration, 

 was his uncle, Te Pehi Kupe, who, by virtue of his seniority of age 

 and rank, was undoubtedly entitled to the leadership of the tribe ; but, 

 although not deficient in talent, and admittedly a great warrior, he was 

 inferior to his nephew in those special qualifications, which had enabled the 

 latter to acquire the power he held over his own tribe, and the influence 

 he exercised in the councils of the Ngatiawa 'and Ngatiraukawa. It has, 

 however, been asserted that there are grounds for believing that Rauparaha 

 was somewhat jealous of Te Pehi, and that dreading the possibility of an 

 attempt on the part of the latter to assume the leadership of the tribe in 

 virtue of his higher social position, he would not unwillingly have sacrificed 

 him. Indeed, it is said, that the taking of Kapiti was primarily due to a 



