W. T. L. Travers. — TKq Life omd Times of Te Rauparaha. 75 



by tlie war party at a pa called Omilii, where they were attacked and routed 

 with great slaughter, numbers of prisoners being also taken. These were left 

 in charge of a detachment, whilst the rest of the force pushed with all speed 

 for Kaiapoi, in, order that Kauparaha might put his design against its 

 inhabitants into execution. The pa of that name was situated just within the 

 line of the coast dunes of Pegasus Bay, about a mile to the south of the River 

 Ashley, and was erected upon a promontory about nine or ten acres in extent, 

 which extends into a deep swamp lying between the sand dunes and the bank 

 of the river. This swamp, which is very deep, nearly surrounds the site of 

 the pa, and prevented it from being attacked at any point except in front ; 

 and along the line of the front, extending from one branch of the swamp to 

 the other, a distance of about 250 yards, it was defended by a double line of 

 heavy palisading and a deep ditch, with two large outworks, from which a 

 flank fire could be maintained on any party attempting to scale the palisades. 

 I have frequently visited the site of this pa, which still exhibits unmistakeable 

 evidences of the conflict which took place there, including many relics of the 

 special festivities with which the Maoris invariably celebrated their victories. 

 I was informed that after its fall (which will shortly be fully detailed) the 

 principal defenders threw large numbers of their choicest green-stone weapons 

 and ornaments into the deepest part of the swamp, where they still lie, to 

 reward any enterprising person who will drain it for the purpose of recovering 

 them. 



When Rauparaha and his people arrived at the pa, they at once oj^ened 

 intercourse with the chiefs, pretending that they had come to seek their 

 friendship, and desired to barter fire-arms and ammunition in exchange for 

 green-stone, in which the people of Kaiapoi, like their kinsfolk at Kaikoura, 

 were extremely rich, but the latter, having been informed by some refugees of 

 the slaughter at Omihi, distrusted the good intentions of their visitors. Tn 

 order, however, to remove all pretext for hostilities they received them with 

 great appearance of cordiality, and treated the chiefs who visited their houses 

 with ostentatious hospitality. Rauparaha himself, however, could not be 

 induced to enter the pa, the wily chief feeling that he had too surely earned 

 their animosity by the slaughter of their kinsfolk, and, therefore, could not 

 justly place much trust upon their professions of friendship. It appears, 

 according to the Ngatitoa account of the afiair, that Te Pehi, who in order to 

 keep up the deception had carried on a trade with some of the people, let the 

 cat out of the bag ; for a Ngaitahu chief having expressed great unwillingness 

 to part with a coveted green-stone weapon, was told by Te Pehi, in anger, 

 " Why do you, with the crooked tatoo, resist my wishes ; you, whose nose 

 will shortly be cut oflT with a hatchet." This confirmation from the lips of 

 one of the chiefs in command of the Ngatitoa of their preconception of 



