400 Transactions. — Geology. 



Taiaroa. This murder was the cause of great grief to Ngatikahungunu, and 

 they were so enraged that they all combined to take revenge upon Ngaitahu. 

 They commenced carving canoes without number, they collected all the dressed 

 flax and pigs and every other thing which they could dispose of to the Euro- 

 peans in exchange for guns and ammunition, determined that when they had 

 got a sufficient supply they would go and utterly annihilate Ngaitahu. In 

 the meantime Te Rauparaha heard of the murder, and although he was an 

 enemy of Te Kekerengu he was so indignant at such treachery that he went 

 and fought with Ngaitahu and beat them ; but in his battles with them he 

 suffered severely, losing most of his principal chiefs. 



" Shortly afterwards Ngatikahungunu began to assemble, and when they 

 arrived at Ahuriri they were 1,000 strong, and so well had they carried out 

 their arrangements that most of them had from two to three guns each I 

 However, when they reached Ahuriri, they found that a missionary had 

 arrived there. The missionary made every endeavour to dissuade them from 

 their purpose, and so far did he succeed that they agreed that only those men 

 who were actual owners of the land (peninsula) would go to the fight ; but 

 even this was not carried out, for in consequence of the influence of the 

 missionaries they did not go over to Ngaitahu. There were, however, a few 

 battles or skirmishes between them and the Ngatiawa, and the other tribes 

 who had come to the assistance of Te Rauparaha, in one of which a woman 

 named Eipeku, daughter of Te Wharepouri, was taken prisoner by Nuku, 

 a figbting chief of Ngatikahungunu. He told her that she should not be 

 killed, but that she must return to her father and tell him that he must go up 

 to Nukutaurua and see Nuku, and make peace with him. She returned, and 

 when Te Wharepouri was told what Nuku had said he immediately started 

 for Nukutaurua, but when he arrived he found that Nuku had been drowned 

 some time. However, Nuku's people so iiw respected the wishes of their 

 former chief as to make peace with Te Wharepouri and the others, and thus 

 the Ngatiawa were left in quiet possession of the peninsula, as the Ngatika- 

 hunofunu did not desire to return to it. 



" Some of the timber used in the construction of the pas was got on the 

 peninsula, some from the Hutt. There was at that time a little rimu and 

 totara, with a good deal of tawai, etc., on the eastern or Worser Bay side of 

 the peninsula." 



It is much to be desired that a record of the native history of other 

 localities should be obtained before the traditions have passed away from the 

 recollection of the Maoris. I therefore trust that the example which I have 

 now set may be followed. 



For the description of the botany of the peninsula I am indebted to Mr. J. 

 Buchanan (see Art. XL VI). 



