Tapui-Nikau.
1818.

But the Northern taua was not satisfied with the taking of Tatara-i-inaka. They proceeded to attack other Taranaki pas. Mr. Skinner says—"From here the invaders moved on and invested Mounu-kahawai, a very large pa at the mouth of the Kaihiki stream, three miles south-west of Tatara-i-maka, on the south bank just inland of the coast road. This pa was of great size, with a large population, but was not a strong position, being built on comparatively flat ground. The invaders fired the dry raupo growing in the swamps (named Totoaro) around the pa, and under cover of the smoke and consequent confusion stormed the place, with great slaughter. Tara-tuha, one of the principal chiefs of Nga-Mahanga, was killed here. After the taking of this pa and the usual feasting, the taua moved on to attack Tapui-nikau." I am not certain whether it was before or after the siege of Tapui-nikau, that a pa, situated about one and a-half miles S.S.E. of the former named Kekeua, was taken with the usual accompaniment of slaughter. Tapui-nikau is situated on the Te Ika-parua stream, about two miles south-east of the modern township of Warea, and five miles from the coast. Mr. Skinner says of Tapui-nikau—" This was another great stronghold of the Taranaki tribe, and was defended by the people of the various hapus (of Nga-Mahanga, Ngati-Moeahu, etc., etc.) who had gathered into this powerful pa to do battle with the invaders. Great preparations had been made and every precaution taken in accordance with the old Maori ideas of defence. Great stores of stones were gathered up into the fighting towers, and on stages erected on trees commanding the trenches and approaches to the pa."

Watene says, there were a great many chiefs in the pa at the time of attack, Kukutai, Te Ra-tu-tonu, Mounga-tu-kau and others. At the first attack the taua was repulsed by the Taranaki people "under (says Mr. Skinner) Ruakiri, and in this affair Rarauhe of the Nga-Mahanga killed two men of rank of the attacking party. After the first attack, the invaders prepared to make a regular siege of the place, with the idea of starving out the garrison," whilst the young men of the taua ranged the country in search of food and plunder.

Now comes in one of those instances of Maori custom which is peculiar and strange to us. During the first attack, the allies had seen and admired the splendid courage of Te Ra-tu-tonu, who was otherwise a fine handsome man in the prime of life. His deeds were the talk of the camp, and it appears that one of the women had also beheld his valour, and on that account desired to have him as her husband. page 289This woman who—Te Watene says—was very beautiful, was Rangi-Topeora, the sister of the celebrated Te Rangi-haeata, and daughter of Te Rau-paraha's sister Waitohi. Topeora is perhaps more famed than any other Maori lady for the number of her poetical effusions, which generally take the form of kai-oraora, or cursing songs, in which she expresses the utmost hatred of her enemies, and consigns them to all kinds of horrible deaths and desecrations so much indulged in by the Maori. At the same time her songs are full of historical allusions. She was also of the best blood of Ngati-Toa, and, therefore, with a good deal of influence in the tribe. Te Ra-tu-tonu was known to Topeora before this event, for he had formerly visited Kawhia. One child was the fruit of this union, who died young.

At Topeora's instigation, Te Rau-paraha arranged that Te Ra-tu-tonu should be "called," i.e.: some one would approach the beleaguered pa, and call him to come to the enemies' camp under a guarantee of safety. This was done, and Te Ra-tu-tonu descended from the pa to the camp, where, after speeches, etc., he was married to Topeora. Mr. Skinner adds to the above (which is Watene's account)—"When Te Ra-tu-tonu was leaving the pa to meet Topeora and Neke-papa (who also had taken a fancy to this handsome warrior) the question arose as to which of the two should have him. But Topeora, being fleet of foot ran to meet the advancing chief and cast her topuni (dog-skin) mat over his shoulders and thus claimed him as her husband. This being in accordance with Maori custom Te Ra-tu-tonu^* became the husband of Topeora."

Now within the pa was a young chief named Rongo-nui-a-rangi, who was the son of Hau-te-horo's sister by a Taranaki chief to whom she was married. So Hau-te-horo went to the front and called out for the young chief. He came down out of the pa and there had a talk with his uncle. Hau-te-horo's final words to his nephew were, "Listen to my words. Evacuate the pa this very night, all of you go to Te Kohatu pa"—which was situated on Te Iringa mountain (Patuha Range), and was a stronghold of Kukutai's, the principal chief of Taranaki. The young man returned to the pa and communicated the subject of Hau-te-horo's advice to them, which was finally agreed to, for provisions were beginning to fail, and it was evident the taua, having all the country at their command, was determined to reduce the pa by starvation. That same night, with secrecy and despatch, the garrison passed out of the pa with the connivance of the Ati-Awa sentries, and made good their escape to Te Kohatu.

In the morning, the taua was surprised at seeing no smoke or hearing no voices in the pa, for Hau-te-horo had managed the thing so well that no one but his immediate friends and followers knew of the arrangements made. Great wonder was expressed as to how the besieged had got away.

During the siege, Tawhai (afterwards Mohi Tawhai), of the Mahurehure hapu of Nga-Puhi—who live at Waima, Hokianga—and father of the late Hone Mohi Tawhai, M.H.R., who was with the northern contingent of the taua in the attack already described, was close under one of the towers of the pa, when one of the defenders cast a big stone at him, which split open his head (as his son told me). But by careful doctoring he recovered—careful doctoring according to Maori ideas; they poured hot oil into the wound, then sewed it up!

Mr. Skinner has a story illustrating the instruction given to a Taranaki slave in the use of firearms: "One of these slaves was anxious to know how the musket was used. A Nga-Puhi man explained the procedure, then told the other to look down the muzzle of the gun. The Nga-Puhi then pulled the trigger and the unfortunate slave's head was shattered, much to the amusement of the surrounding crowd."

After the escape of the garrison of Tapui-nikau and the plunder of the pa, the Whole taua returned to their respective homes; Ati-Awa to Waitara, Ngati-Tama to Poutama, Ngati-Toa to Kawhia, Ngati-Whatua to Kaipara, Nga-Puhi to Hokianga; taking with them numbers of slaves ^* and other booty in the shape of mats and dried heads. It was at this time, when passing through Kawhia, that Tu-whare arranged with Te Rau-paraha another and more extended raid into the Taranaki country. The great Ngati-Whatua chief Muru-paenga did not return again to the south. It is probable he and his taua reached their Kaipara homes early in 1819, and in the next year he met the celebrated Nga-Puhi chief Tareha, in several fights at Kaipara itself. In August, 1820, the Rev. Samuel Marsden met him at the former's home in Kaipara. In 1823, he and many of his tribe are found assisting Hongi-Hika at the taking of Mokoia island, Rotorua, and finally this great warrior was killed by a party of Nga-Puhi in 1826. Muru-paenga was certainly a great warrior and leader, who set all the strength of Nga-Puhi at defiance and constantly defeated them, until the overwhelming number of muskets they had acquired enabled Hongi-Hika to inflict a crushing defeat on Muru-paenga's tribe, Ngati-Whatua, at Ika-a-ranga-nui in February, 1826.

Te Taoho, father of Tu-whare, Muru-paenga's companion in the campaign against Tapui-Nikau, thus refers to Muru-paenga in a tangi or lament, given at p. 349 of "Nga-Moteatea":

Tenei nga patu-e-
Kei o matua,
Kei a Muru-paenga-e-
Hei here i te waka,
Hei korero tu-e-
Hei whakaaro i te riri
He atua rere rangi-e-
Ki runga o Taranaki
Ka rangona te panga-e-
He waka utanga nui.

Of all the weapons renowned
Those of thy parent—
Of Muru-paenga are most famous.
He it was with restraining hand
Could hold the people in.
Or with his warlike eloquence,
In military command,
His people make obey.
Like a god in heaven flying
Was his descent on Taranaki,
Where his charges are still famed.
He was like a richly-laden vessel
With all knowledge and great courage.