Chap. IV. SPEECHES ON SALE OF LAND. 7» 
White settlers, and represented the folly of parting with 
the new home of which they had acquired so good and 
secure possession after the long sufferings and dangers 
of their migration. He spoke for an hour, most vigo- 
rously, and with admirable emphasis and gesticulation. 
Although I did not then know enough of the language to 
understand all his words, and only gathered the substance 
from Barrett at each pause, his expression and action 
sufficiently explained the spirit and sense of his oration. 
An old sage named Matangi now rose and favoured 
the sale. He was once the most influential chief of 
the tribe, and was a near relation of Tf^arepori^ father. 
His extreme old age and consequent physical debility 
had impaired his influence, but his experience and vene- 
rable dignity still gave great weight to his words. His 
silver-white hair and long beard, and benignant coun- 
tenance, gave him the air of a Priam or a Nestor, and 
he almost wept for joy when he dwelt on the prospect 
of white people coming to protect his grandchildren 
against their enemies. 
TVarepori followed in the same strain ; talking, how- 
ever, about himself a great deal. He said that he was 
known in Europe, and that the ship had been sent to 
him. This is the usual habit of a powerful chief, who 
always seizes upon any opportunity of maintaining his 
personal consequence among his people. No native 
ever " bounces," as it is called by the whalers, at one of 
these public korero, unless he is confident that no other 
member of the tribe dare contradict or ridicule his as- 
sumption. The perfect silence maintained during Tf^a' 
reports somewhat bombastic speech, proved to how 
great an extent he might rely upon his authority. He 
was left, however, with no audience but the leader of 
the opposition, Puakawa, as soon as the cooks dis- 
played their bill of fare. We also partook of the meal. 
