I99 ADVENTURE IN NEW ZEALAND. Chap. FV. 
them with their folly in. thus creating divisions among 
themselves, when they were bound to remain united 
against their common enemies at Tf^aikato and Tf^ai- 
totara, and urged them to draw oflf before an injury 
should have been received on either side which might 
call for more blood as an atonement. His mediation 
was at length accepted ; and although both parties 
continued running up and down, threatening each 
other and making the most hideous grimaces, for nearly 
half an hour, no more violence took place, and all the 
combatants gradually withdrew to plaster the wounded 
skulls. A reconciliation took place in the afternoon 
over a grand feast. Old Pehis warlike recollections 
were excited by the brush ; and he stood up for some 
time to relate to the young men the deeds in which he 
had gained his glory of yore, in company with other 
chieftains of renown. He entered with great spirit 
into a description of various skirmishes, and concluded 
by saying, with a laugh, as he threw away his spear to 
a slave and sat down : " Ah, but this was a very good 
" little affair ; there was no mischief done ; it was very 
*' good play for the hands." 
The path, after crossing the Putu, continues along 
the declivity which slopes from the Ton^a Riro group 
to the upper Waikato valley. The whole country con- 
sists of mania, or grass plains, similar to those on the 
western side, except where the gullies of the small tri- 
butaries are filled with timber. This is chiefly of two 
sorts, the towai, and the toa toa, a small tree, which is 
much prized by the natives for walking-sticks, and only 
grows, they say, in the neighbourhood of Tonga Riro. 
The stick, underneath the bark, is of a bright red co- 
lour, which takes a fine polish. The bark is used l)y 
the natives for the light-brown dye on the borders of 
Kaitaka mats. The gullies are so numerous as to ren- 
