. .. OfimnitMiU worn.— Pcrrana] appe&r- 

 mice ol ruinarB. 



NEW ZEALAND. 



Mduiiaiawii, the warrior, 

 Charley 1'umue. 



from the stone, being ealkd Tewai rounamu or 

 ih. I *reoii-s! one Wat. r. I'niu the name . f this 

 stone, Conk, by mistake, gav« tlio name of Tavy 

 Poenammoo lo the southern bland. It is also 

 supposed that Captain D'Crviile's name f>f Ika- 

 ita-maw (meaning, the fish nut of Mawi), given by 

 him t<i tin- northern inlands, may also 1 e the 

 MUM of some place on the northern Hid** of Cook's 

 Straits. Those who are acquaint, d with the natives 

 and their lan unnge say, that they have no native 

 name for either of the islands, or any part of the 

 country, and have adopted into their language the 

 names given by the whites, with modifications to 

 unit their tongue. 



It was a long time before Poniare would eon- 

 Kent to his wife parting with the heitiki which 

 she wore, and that belonging to himself (his atua) 

 lie would not iillow us to tuke oil" hi* neck, even 

 to look at. Uur consul interpreted for me a 

 singular story that the southern natives had in- 

 vented, relative to these stones: "That they 

 were found in a large fish, somewhat resembling 

 a shark, which tin y were obliged to capture and 

 kill for the purpose of obtaining them. When 

 lir.-c taken fro in the stomach of the fish, the st»ne 

 is soft, hut from exposure beconieH hard, and must 

 be wrought iu its soft state." This story was re- 

 lated by Pnmare. The smaller stones wore about 

 three inches iu length, and the larger ones about 

 live inches, 



Poniare in a fine-looking man, and is handsomely 

 tattooed. He is six feet in height, and well-formed, 

 with the exception of his feet and legs. His dress 

 was any tiling but becoming : a blanket was tied 

 about his neck, and hung ungracefully about his 

 person, leaving his right arm free ; beneath this 

 he wore a shirt and loose pair of drawers, de- 

 scending to his knees; the rest of his person and 

 his feet were bare. In his hand he usually car- 

 ries u short cloak df dogskin, called toyttni, shit- 

 {wiii, or potntu. These short cloaks are, iu shape, 

 not unlike those of the knights in ancient times; 

 they art; about three feet long, being formed of 

 common cloth, mat, or sewed dogskin, dressed 

 with the hair on. Pomare's dress was surmounted 

 by a blue naval cap, with a gold-laco band. The 

 laitooing may givo his features somewhat of a 

 fierce aspect, and serve to disguise tho expres- 

 sion, yet I cannot but believe that his true feel- 

 inns are developed in it. His face indicates any 

 tiling but a kingly character. Perhaps bis repu- 

 tation for business may have something to do 

 with the impression his physiognomy produced. 

 He told me he had two wives, but it is generally 

 believed that thirty would be nearer the truth. 

 The favourite one usually accompanies him ; she 

 is highly spokon of for her good sense, and Poniare 

 is said to place much confidence iu her judgment. 

 .She was the best-looking native I eaiv in New Zea- 

 land, but would not be called handsome elsewhere. 

 The missionaries have not yet been able to produce 

 any effect upon Poiuare or the family connected 

 w ith him. Pomare's chief warrior is Muuparawa, 

 who has been persuaded to remain with him, 

 although a native of llauaki, on the river 

 Thame*. 



Mauparawa is a much finerdooking man than 

 Poniare, — in appearance a very Hercules; but the 

 effects of dissipation are beginning to be perceived 

 in his powerful fiuine. He lias long been a fa- 



vourite with the whites, who admire him for his 

 prowess. Many of his followers came with him to 

 join Poniare, of whom few are now left ; for in an 

 expedition last year he lost almost all of iheiu: 

 having landed on Aoteu or Barrier Island, he was 

 overpowered and badly wounded, barely escaping 

 w ith life. One of his acts of during took place iu 

 [In last feuds with the Kororurikuns, by whom he 

 was much detested. Wislung to put a disgrace 

 upon them and show his contempt, he one night 

 took his canoe, and with six of his followers left 

 Pomare's pa or stronghold for Kororarika, the 

 heart of his enemies' strength. He lauded there 

 in the midst of his foes, whom he found fast asleep. 

 Drawing up his canoe on the beach, he went to the 

 house of a white man, w hom he awoke, and ordered 

 him to givo himself and followers some spirits, 

 threatening him, iu case of refusal, with instant 

 death. They took their spirits quietly, desiring 

 the man to say to the Kororarikans in the morning, 

 that Mauparawa had been there in the night, with 

 some insulting message ; but before leaving, tt 

 occurred to him that the man would not have the 

 courage to tell of his sisit: he therefore determined 

 to leavo his own canoe, (which was very well 

 known.) and take a whale-boat iu its stead. All of 

 which was done merely to throw a slur upon hiB 

 enemies, at the risk of hia own life. 



Another person of some note is a cousin of 

 Pomare, called Charley Poniare, the son of the 

 former ruling chief of that name. Hoia, the bro- 

 ther of the king, appears to be a stupid fellow. 

 Charley Pomare w-as very talkative and intelligent, 

 and although young, appears well-informed in the 

 history of the island, hi his accounts, he dwells 

 particularly on the extensive ravages committed 

 by Shougi, who I believe was token or went lo 

 Europe. After his return, fiuding ho had lost 

 inlluuiice iu his tribe, in order to re gain it, he com- 

 mitted some of the must barbarous cruelties that 

 have ever disgraced these islands, and made his 

 name terrible among the tribes. Most of these, 

 before his wars, had from three hundred to one 

 thousand warriors, but only a few now remain in 

 some of those who were formerly powerful and 

 independent, and who being from their weakness 

 unable to contend by themselves, have become 

 incorporated with other tribes. The reason that 

 the natives give for this diminution is, that Shongi 

 had killed them all. His conquests em I •raced 

 nearly all the northern part of the north island, 

 whose warriors he then united, and led against the 

 people of tho south, about Hauaki, on the river 

 Thames. With these ho waged a long and blood v 

 war, and extended the name of Ngapuhi, widen 

 properly belongs to the people about the Pay of 

 Islands, as far south as Kin para. His death, which 

 happened a few years since, was a great relief 

 both to bis followers aud/ocs. 



The last war took place iu U137, about two years 

 before our arrival. It was, in all probability, the 

 last native contest that will be waged. It was 

 caused by the disappearance or a woman of Otuihn, 

 whom the tribe of Kororarika were suspected and 

 accused of having killed and eaten. Formidable 

 preparations wen- made, and the allies on both 

 sides called iu ; the people of Koromriku being 

 aided by the forces from Hokianga. The principal 

 battle was fought in a piece of marshy ground 

 between Waikereparu and Otuiha. Here Pomare, 



