316 
TAREHA. 
who, with the Hokianga natives, formed a large procession, 
when this savage warrior’s remains were carried to the wahi 
tapu —sacred place, amidst the mingled din of the maemae, or 
funeral dance, the dismal tangi, or wail for the dead, and 
peals of musketry, an apt termination for the life of one whose 
supreme delight was war, and to whose ear the dying groans 
of his enemies were the sweetest music.* 
Tareha was a great Nga-puhi Chief, residing at the Bay of 
Islands, and the largest specimen of the savage, being nearly 
seven feet high, and stout in proportion ; his breasts stood out 
with fatness, more like those of a female than of a man ; his 
eyes also were remarkably prominent, and his voice extremely 
gruff; he seldom wore any clothing above his loins, and when 
seated, appeared like a huge mass of flesh. In his younger days 
he was celebrated for his courage, cruelty, and cannibal pro¬ 
pensities ; yet through the influence of Hongi, he was always 
a friend and protector of the Missionaries, although he paid 
no attention to them as teachers, and lived and died a savage. 
On one occasion, when he was going to put a female slave to 
death for something she had done, close to Mr. King’s house, he 
naturally remonstrated with him, and endeavoured to hinder 
him from perpetrating the murder. The savage could not 
silence his determined adversary, neither did he wish to injure 
him, but at last, losing all patience, he seized the poor Mis¬ 
sionary, who was not a very large person, and putting him 
under his arm, walked off with him to the Mission-house, 
where he safely deposited him, shutting the door, and bidding 
Mrs. King take care and not let him go out again, lest he 
should eat him also. On another occasion, one of his run¬ 
away slaves took refuge in the Mission-house, at the Kerikeri; 
there Tareha went, and, in apparent fury, threatened to kill 
him at once. The poor fellow thought his last moment was 
come, and trembled like an aspen leaf. Mr. Kemp went to 
the chief, entreating him to spare the slave’s life, but to no 
purpose. He placed in the Chief’s hand, which he was holding 
behind him, a little tobacco ; this did not appease him, he still 
See Life of Rev. S. Leigh, page 408. 
