536 
TE RAUPARAHA AND RANGIHAEATA. 
they were purchasing far more than the natives either 
intended to sell or possessed the power of parting with ; the 
vague and unsatisfactory way in which those purchases were 
made, were productive of serious evils, constant disputes 
arose, the claims were disallowed, and the settlement of the 
land delayed, but it is not necessary now to resuscitate the 
remembrance of them. 
Hitherto Te Rauparaha had lived on terms of amity with 
the Europeans, he derived his importance in a great measure 
from his intercourse with them, and therefore it was his 
interest still to maintain it ; he now came into collision with 
the settlers ; the views taken on the subject vary, the fight at 
Wairau has been differently described, the following account 
is chiefly from the lips of a native who had no sentiments in 
common with those concerned ; and as he received it from 
one who was in that encounter, it may be regarded as an 
impartial narrative; and also explains some points which 
were before inexplicable. 
It commences with stating, that an angry feeling was 
excited in the breast of Rangihaeata, on account of the result 
of a trial. A native woman was supposed to have been 
murdered by some European, and there appears much reason 
to think the supposition was correct; still, there was not 
sufficient evidence to convict him, he therefore escaped ; this 
woman was a connexion of Rangihaeata, and he viewed the 
acquittal of the accused as a sign of the judge's partiality 
towards his countryman, and could not forget it ; shortly 
afterwards it was told him that the Europeans were survey- 
ing the Wairau Valley, he exclaimed with indignation, this is 
the second time they have wounded me, they murdered my 
relative, and now they are taking my land, they are seeking 
a quarrel with me ; the Company professed to have bought 
the Wairau, but the natives disallowed the purchase; he 
therefore went and told Te Rauparaha his uncle, and said, 
let us go and send the surveyors back to Nelson, to the 
place which they have really bought, but Wairau I shall not 
part with ; they therefore crossed over the Straits, and com- 
manded the surveyors to leave, as the land was not sold ; the 
