the New Zealanders. 
345 
The natives observe (and I think very correctly too) that 
this depopulated their country more than all the wars 
had ever done. 
I think I have seen it stated that, since the intro¬ 
duction of arms and ammunition into the country, the 
Island has been greatly depopulated. This undoubtedly 
was the case at their first appearance, when only par¬ 
ticular parties possessed them, and others did not; but 
since they have been possessed generally, I think their 
wars have not been worse, if so bad, as they were before. 
It is true war was carried on by the natives to a con¬ 
siderable extent, in various parts of the Island, till the 
influence of the Gospel was generally felt amongst them. 
The principal battles that have been fought since the 
introduction of muskets and powder are as follows :— 
The Totara in the Thames district, near Mr. Preece’s 
house, was a post of importance. About 1822 this was 
taken by stratagem rather than by storm, and it is sup¬ 
posed there were at least 500 killed. The Ngapuhis, 
or the natives of the Bay of Islands and its vicinity, 
went to the Thames and attacked the fortifications : the 
Ngapuhis had muskets, but the others had none—or, at 
most, but very few. Another pa , or fortification, that 
was taken by the Ngapuhis, was Mauineina*. in the 
Tamaki River, near Otahuhu. Many of the Thames* tribe 
were killed, and numbers taken prisoners. The taking 
of this pa caused all the Thames and Manukau natives to 
leave, and to go to the upper part of Waikato and 
Waipa to reside, making Matafeitaki (a very large pa) a 
place of refuge. About the time that Mauineina was 
taken, the Ngapuhis found their way to Matakitaki: and 
at this time there were at least 4000 fighting men in the 
pa. As soon as the Ngapuhis fired oft their muskets, 
the whole of the pa took to their heels, and having a 
deep ditch all round the pa, they could easily run down 
