MANIHERA AND KEREOPA. 
571 
sadors of peace ; and then, though pressed to eat or shake 
hands, we arose, and silently returned to our canoe, they 
followed, and bade us farewell. I was thankful that the 
affair had so far terminated satisfactorily, and I felt I could 
not be sufficiently grateful for this answer to my prayers 
that I might be made instrumental in putting an end to 
what had threatened to bring on a general war; the Chris- 
tian natives, both here, at Rotorua, and even Waikato, were 
prepared to rise. I rejoiced to see their abhorrence of the 
deed ; but if they were to take up the cause, the evil would 
only be increased.* 
Thence we went to Waiariki, the place where our dear 
departed friends last slept, and near to which they are 
buried. A neat double fence surrounded the sacred spot, 
we sang a hymn standing around it, and I spoke from 
the words, “ Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord 
from henceforth : Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest 
from their labours.” Many a tear was shed ; we kneeled 
down, and I offered up a prayer — that the same hope which 
had sustained Manihera and Kereopa, and carried them 
triumphantly through, might sustain us in our dying hour, 
and that their precious blood, here poured out, might not 
fall into the ground in vain, but be blessed to the conversion 
of those by whom it was shed, and become the means of 
dispelling the darkness of this tribe to spiritual things. 
Hence we reached Wai Marino, a Christian pa, where a 
very indignant feeling prevailed on account of the murder ; 
they doubted the sincerity of the parties ; but still, I think, 
will accede to my wishes for peace ; we were hospitably 
entertained, and remained there for the night ; in my dis- 
course, I told them, if they were to take up arms and shed 
blood they would just be doing what the Devil would wish 
them, as the most likely way of getting them again into his 
power. I addressed them from the verse, “ An eye for an 
eye, and a tooth for a tooth.” 
* Hikairo, the Chief of Rotorua, afterwards did make war on the murderers, 
and plundered their place. 
