326 ADVENTUKE IN NEW ZEAXAND. Chat. XUI. 
urged by Mr. Scott, who professed to have bought the 
land which he claimed from E Mare himself. These, 
besides Richard Davis and E Pum, were all among the 
throng who came in front of the sfcmd to go through 
their war-dance before the ladies. E Tako took advan- 
tage of the presence of the Governor to lead the speeches, 
with which the natives always excite themselves into 
the dance, upon the acrimonious subject of the land. 
E Mare^ son was beginning to follow in the same 
strain ; when old E Punt, with the feeling of a true 
gentleman, perceived how inappropriate such a discus- 
sion was to this occasion, when all differences v^^ere 
to be drowned in festive rejoicing. With intuitive 
tact, he sprang to his feet, began one of the old and 
favourite legends of the Maori in the accustomed dirge- 
like recitative, warmed with his subject till their strain- 
ing attention was wound up to think of nothing but 
his song, and watched the moment when their muscles 
were distended and their mouths panting with excite- 
ment to give the thrilling signal to rise, to lead them 
through the measured dance to its maddening termi- 
nation, and finally to head them in a sham charge 
down to the pa a hundred yards off; where they 
dispersed, having forgotten all about the land for that 
day. 
Two more features of the day must not be omitted. 
A prize was given, and numerously competed for, to 
the native who could scrape the greatest weight of flax 
in a given number of minutes. And the tee-totallers 
had a pleasant party in some pretty tea-gardens which 
had been neatly cultivated and filled with flowers and 
rustic benches in a nook among the picturesque hills at 
the rear of the town. 
On the 30th, his Excellency sailed for Akaroa ; 
returned on the 8th of February ; and took his final 
departure for Auckland by way of Nelson and New 
