538 
TE EAUPARAHA AND RANGIHAEATA. 
stand the threat, until a woman who could speak English 
explained it to them; Rangihaeata replied, Very well, hang 
me on my own land, my relative was killed by you English, 
and therefore you may as well kill me also upon my land ; you 
told me no European could go on land not belonging to him, 
yet I now see the European is false — he takes land to which 
he has no claim, I am to be hung, but you are not ; the 
magistrate, more incensed, cried to his followers — fire, a gun 
went off, and shot a woman of Rangihaeata ; then Rawiri 
Puaha exclaimed, now the law for us is clear, Tamai Hengia 
ran to the place where their guns were laid, and Rangihaeta 
went away from fear; but Te Rauparaha turned and said, 
“ Ka, awe te mamae (a chief* s exclamation before battle — 
alas ! the pain) . Te Oro ran with his hatchet, and threw it 
at one of the Europeans, who fell into the river ; the Euro- 
peans tumbled one over the other into the canoe in trying to 
cross ; those who succeeded in getting over first, escaped ; 
the last fell into the natives* hands. Captain Wakefield and 
all the gentlemen were taken; they were not killed, but 
when Rangihaeata returned, he bid them kill all, as a pay- 
ment for their relative the woman ; for he said that he had 
been told in all the European battles they never injured 
women ; therefore, let them die as a payment — all were 
killed ; they then embarked in their canoe, and crossed over 
to Otaki. 
This melancholy event caused deep gloom to rest on the 
little settlement of Nelson, and for a time retarded its pro- 
gress. On the arrival of Governor Fitzroy at Waikanae, he 
summoned Te Rauparaha and Rangihaeata to meet him ; he 
heard their statement, and having previously been acquainted 
with that of the settlers, he reproved them for their cruelty 
in putting their prisoners to death, after they had surrendered ; 
but told them that as the proceeding of the settlers, and 
especially of the police magistrate, was altogether unjustifiable 
and illegal, he should not demand satisfaction for it, but he 
solemnly warned them to beware for the future ; it was a 
pity the Governor was not acquainted with native customs ; 
otherwise he would have claimed the district as having been 
