546 
HONE HEKE. 
Captain Fitzroy, the Governor, sent for some military from 
Sydney, about one hundred and eighty of the 99th Regiment 
arrived, he then held a meeting with Heke, Walker Nene, 
Moses Tawai, and others ; the two latter offered to be surety 
for Heke's good behaviour ; they said, if the soldiers were 
sent away he would be peaceable, and if not, they would then 
make common cause with the Government ; the Governor 
agreed, and sent the' soldiers back, who returned grumbling 
and disappointed to Sydney; at his request, ten muskets 
were given up, and laid at his feet, satisfied with this proof 
of submission, he returned them to their owners, this act was 
found great fault with, but it was a prudent one, for had he 
taken his little troop inland, it could have done nothing; but, 
unsupported by native allies, would doubtless have been cut 
off by Heke’s ambuscades, as it was, the Governor secured 
valuable allies, who afterwards contributed to the final success 
of our arms. 
This peaceable state was however of short duration, Heke 
again listened to the tales of men ill-affected to the British 
Government, and a second time went and cut down the flag- 
staff ; another was erected, sheathed with iron, six feet high, 
and protected by a block house with twenty men. Walker 
remonstrated with Heke, but he insulted him, and proceeded 
in his hostile course, many acts of plunder were committed 
on the settlers; in February, 1845, it became evident that 
another attack would be made on the flagstaff, the block 
house was, therefore, further strengthened, and Captain 
Robertson, of the Hazard , sent to protect the town of Koro- 
rareka, which was menaced by a force of near eight hundred, 
under the command of Heke and Kawiti, who had joined 
him with all his men. 
Walker and several other Chiefs met Heke a day or two 
before at the Waimate, and told him, if he persisted in his 
hostile course, they should join the Governor. Heke said, 
he had heard that the snake, whose head he had cut off, had 
grown into a monster, with many mouths, and that he was 
anxious to see the strange sight — alluding to the flagstaff 
and loop holes in the block house. 
