70 • • Transactions. 



with Ranparaha, should at once proceed to occupy Ohau, then in the possession 

 of the Ngatiawa. Having been assembled for this purpose they were escorted 

 to their new location by Rauparaha and all the principal chiefs of Ngatitoa, 

 travelling along the beach. On their way up they were feasted by Ngatirahira 

 (a hapu of ISfgatiawa) upon the flesh of black-fish, a large school of which had 

 been driven ashore at low water, where the natives ingeniously tethered them 

 by their tails with strong flax ropes, killing them as they were wanted for 

 food. The Ngatiraukawa having been put into quiet possession of the houses 

 and cultivations of the Ngatiawa, the latter removed to Waikanae, which 

 continued for some time afterwards to be their principal settlement. The 

 wisdom of Waitohi's suggestion above referred to is apparent from the fact 

 that no further land disputes occurred between the several tribes until the 

 fighting at Horowhenua many years afterwards, as will be related in the 

 sequeL 



Between this event and the date of Whatanui's return to Kapiti with the 

 main body of his people, a lieJce composed of 140 fighting men with their 

 families — called the heke kariritahi, from the circumstance that the warriors 

 armed with muskets, had enlarged the touch-holes so as to be enabled (shrewd 

 fellows as they were) to keep up a more rapid fire upon an enemy by saving the 

 trouble of priming — came down from Maungatautari under the command of 

 Taratoa. Whatanui accompanied this heke for the purpose of conferring 

 with Rauparaha on matters of importance, but finding that the chief was 

 absent, he at once returned to Taupo in order to bring down his people. The 

 constant arrival of these armed bodies, and the manner in which they roamed 

 over the Manawatu and Rangitikei districts, treating the remnant of the 

 Ngatiapa and other original tribes with the greatest rigour, induced the latter 

 to throw themselves upon the hospitality of the Ngatikahungunu at Waira- 

 rapa. In pursuance of this resolve, some 300 of them, including women and 

 children, proceeded thither, but in consequence of a murder, followed by an act 

 of cannibalism, which had been committed by some of the Rangitane upon a 

 Ngatikahungunu man not long before, that tribe not only refused to receive 

 the refugees, but attacked and drove them back with slaughter. The Ngatiapa 

 then formally placed themselves at the mercy of Rangihaeata, whose connec- 

 tion, so frequently alluded to, with a chief of their tribe induced him to treat 

 them with leniency, and they were accordingly permitted to live in peace, but 

 in a state of complete subjection. The remnant of the Muaupoko, in like 

 manner, sought the protection of Tuauaine, a chief of the Ngatiawa, who 

 agreed to defend them against the long standing wrath of Rauparaha, but, as 

 it appears, in vain ; for it seems that having been informed by some of the 

 Ngatiraukawa that these people were again settling at Papaitangi and Horo- 

 whenua, Rauparaha and Rangihaeata, with a war party of Ngatitoa and 



