and Taranaki was accordingly fixed upon for the New Plymouth settlement, although I have heard it questioned whether a better selection might not have been made. It does not enter into my purpose to detail the life of this remarkable individual during his 20 years residence in New Zealand, yet I cannot omit noting down one of the principal events connected with his career as I received it from his own mouth and notwithstanding 12 years have elapsed since the occurrence it seems to be as fresh in his memory as if it had only recently happened. It is a description of a fight between two tribes, The Ngatiawa and Waikato and was detailed to me by the party himself as nearly as possible as follows - ''The Fight at Pukarangiora Pa occurred in 1834, the Ngatiawas numbered 1100 strong, and had to contend against 2000 of the Waikato tribe who besieged the Pa for 3 weeks, at the expiration of which the stock of provisions of the Ngatiawas becoming exhausted, they were compelled to surrender; 500 were immediately slaughtered and the remainder taken prisoners to Waikato; Mr. Barrett adds, that while this massacre was perpetrating at Pukarangiora, he, assisted by the relatives of a woman he then cohabited with, consisting of a part of the Ngamotu Pukitappu, and Ngatiawa tribes, intrenched himself at Moturoa, the enemy as was expected, made an attack a few days after, but received a warmer reception than they had anticipated, 4 iron Cannon of different calibre which had been purchased from a trading vessel some time before, proved