W. T. L. Travers. — The Life and Times of Te Raiiparalia. 85 



little doubt, however, that but for the great superiority in the weapons of the 

 Waikato force, they would have thought twice before attacking their old foes, 

 who had always been notorious for their bravery, and who in their frequent 

 migrations had proved themselves more than a match for even the most 

 warlike tribes to which they became opposed. But the possession of a large 

 supply of fire-arms gave to the Waikato chieftains an almost irresistible 

 offensive power, and they did not hesitate, therefore, in attacking the 

 Ngatiawa, even in the midst of their own country and in their principal 

 stronghold. The pa was defended by a large number of warriors, and with- 

 stood for many months the most vigorous assaults, only falling at last after 

 the unfortunate inhabitants had suffered much from famine. When taken, 

 hundreds of prisoners fell into the hands of the victors, and it is related of 

 Te Wherowhero that upwards of 250 of them were slain with his own hands, 

 in order that they might be prepared for the ovens. It is said that, as he sat 

 on the ground after the assault, the unfortunate wretches were one by one 

 placed alongside of him, their heads within his reach, and that he despatched 

 them succesively by a single blow on tlie skull with a celebrated mere 

 pounamu, now in the possession of his son, the present Maori King. After 

 killing this great number he threw the mere down, exclaiming, *' I am tired, 

 let the rest live," and accordingly their lives were spared, but they were kept 

 in slavery until some time after the establishment of the European settlement 

 of New Plymouth . 



The heavy blow thus inflicted upon the tribe, and the fear of complete anni- 

 hilation, determined those who still remained to join Rauparaha and the Ngati- 

 raukawa, whose forces, thus increased, would be more than a match for any war 

 party which the Waikatos could bring against them, even if the chiefs of the 

 latter tribes felt disposed to carry hostilities into E-auparaha's country. It 

 appears that, shortly after the arrival of the Ngatiawa on the coast, they formed 

 the design of taking possession of a large part of the country occupied by the 

 Ngatiraukawa, and particularly that in the neighbourhood and to the north of 

 Otaki. It would seem, moreover, that there was dissension amongst the 

 Ngatitoas themselves, a portion of them taking part with the Ngatiawa, out 

 of jealousy at some apparent favouritism extended by Rauparaha to the great 

 Ngatiawa chieftains, and more particularly to Whatanui, whose relationship 

 to Hauparaha, together with his high character as a chief and warrior, gave 

 him great influence with the latter. The immediate cause of the fighting to 

 which I am about to refer, however, was a robbery committed by a party of 

 Ngatiruanui^ who were caught by the Ngatiraukawa in the very act of 

 plundering their potato pits near Waikawa. A conflict at once took place, in 

 which a leading chief of the Ngatiruanui, named Tawhake, was killed, and 

 this led to hostilities being carried on between the two tribes at various 



