MAMAKIT. 
353 
war, went to the house of an out-settler, and struck at him 
behind the neck with a tomahawk. The wound was not very 
severe, the man being tall, his young assailant could not reach 
him. He went into his house, and the miscreants were on 
the point of fleeing, when they beheld their intended victim 
running away, having escaped from a back window, and 
abandoned his wife and six or seven children to certain death ; 
had he possessed a grain of courage or feeling, he might have 
driven them away, or defended his house until help arrived, for 
he possessed a double-barrelled gun. No sooner did he abandon 
his helpless family, than the fellows began to assault the house. 
The poor woman put her two eldest children out of the back 
window first, and then the others; following them herself 
the last, and leading one of the youngest by the hand. The 
miscreants immediately they saw her, split her skull with the 
wood axe, and that of her child as well; they then ran after 
the others. The eldest boy and girl each carried a baby ; they 
struck the poor boy down. He had succeeded in concealing 
himself, but when he heard his mother’s cries, he ran to 
her aid. The babe he carried, rolled into the fern, and as it 
was growing dark, escaped observation. They next cleft the 
skull of the eldest daughter. She fell and covered an infant 
which belonged to a relative, which thus escaped ; another 
poor girl was likewise killed ; two of the young children ran 
into a swamp, and concealing themselves amongst the flags were 
not seen. The natives plundered the house, and set it on fire. 
In order to involve the Mission natives (who were always 
well disposed towards the Europeans) in a quarrel, and to make 
the latter think they had committed this murder, the mur¬ 
derers dropped different articles taken from the house along 
the road leading to their pa, and then fled up the river. 
to him, as every one present was affected by his blood being shed. In the 
same way, even if a canoe should be dashed on shore in a storm, and the 
owner’s life endangered, he thereby acquires a title to the spot he is thrown 
on. When blood is shed, it is the duty of every one related to the person who 
has suffered to seek for revenge. It does not matter whether it be the indivi¬ 
dual who drew it or any one else belonging to his tribe; but blood must be 
shed as an atonement for blood. This was one of the most fertile causes of 
war in former days. There were then no cities of refuge for the manslayer 
to flee to for safety, and his act endangered the lives of every one in his tribe. 
A A 
