78 ADVENTURE IN NEW ZEALAND. Chap. IV. 
Kapiti, with the news that a fight might be expected ; 
the " Boiling- water " tribe having mustered in great 
strength near to that place, and being set on by Eau- 
peraha to attack the Ngatiawa along the intervening 
coast. As there seemed some probability that this in- 
vasion might reach Port Nicholson, the natives one and 
all went ashore in defiance of the gale to gather the 
particulars and consult on measures of defence. 
23rd. — I accompanied Colonel Wakefield and Bar- 
rett in an excursion to the different settlements round 
the harbour. At one about half-way along the west 
shore, called Nga Hauranga, we found Tf^arepori at 
work with an adze on a large canoe. The bottom of 
this vessel consisted of a single tree hollowed out, and 
was sixty feet long. The long planks to be added on 
to the sides were placed between pegs stuck into the 
ground so as to give them the requisite curvature. We 
had not been there long before two large canoes from 
the southern end of the harbour put in at his call. 
They were on their way to Pit one, whither two chiefs 
were going in order to discuss the sale of the land. 
When they had landed, there were about sixty men 
assembled, and they proceeded to hold a korero or 
*' talk," on the all-important subject, while the women 
prepared a feast in the native ovens, and the children 
gathered round us to examine our clothes and other 
equipments, and to stare at our white faces. 
JVarepori put aside his adze, and introduced the 
matter shortly, saying that this white man (Colonel 
Wakefield) had come to buy all their land and give 
them white people to befriend them. 
A chief named Puakawa, or ** Bitter Milk-thistle," 
now rose, and opposed the intended sale with great 
energy. He objected to it on the score of the bad 
treatment which he urged might be expected from the 
