MANIHERA AND KEREOPA. 
569 
tomb of bis tribe. The long-extended line of clay, which had 
covered up his pa, formed a striking monument to remind us 
that “ in the midst of life we are in death ” ; the surrounding 
lake was strictly tajpu, and the wild fowl, as if conscious of their 
security, allowed us to pass without taking wing ; when we 
entered the pa, which we did in a long line headed by myself, 
we received a suspicious welcome from a few females ; we 
sat down in silence : the usual crying when friends meet was 
omitted ; opposite to us were Herekiekie and the murderers of 
our poor friends, all armed ; not a word was spoken on either 
side for full a quarter- of-an-hour ; every now and then fresh 
parties kept arriving, most of them carrying their guns; at 
last Hemapo, the next to Herekiekie, arose ; he acknowledged 
the sin committed, and deplored that we — his relatives 
and a Minister — should thus be compelled to come without 
exchanging the usual tangi , and receiving the accustomed 
welcome ; he said they had heard of our coming with four 
hundred men armed to cut them off, but if that was our 
intention they were not alarmed, they defied us ; he said 
much more, but not liking on this occasion to take notes, 
when we knew not how we were to be received, much is 
forgotten. Tahana arose, and spoke for some time very 
earnestly, telling them that their present work was of a new 
kind — that even their forefathers would have been ashamed 
of it— and, therefore, our visit was in a new way, had we not 
been influenced by a kindly feeling, we should not have come 
at all, that now we could not give them our hands, or join 
in the cry of friendship ; one of the opposite party then 
got up, and said, he had heard that we were going to 
Auckland to get Te Werowero to come against them ; 
they were all one, but prepared for the worst; they were 
not sorry for the deed, and could not forget the death of 
their friends. Te Huiatahi said. His heart was not at all 
dark for what he had done ; he did not however wish to 
continue the evil, or to carry it further— it was done in ac- 
cordance with their ritenga (custom). William and another 
of my natives also spoke — then I addressed them, and told 
them, it is true we have come to fight, and have brought a 
