AN INTERESTING HISTORICAL RELIC.

Hot Lakes Chronicle, Volume 4, Issue 211, 19 December 1896, Page 3

AN INTERESTING HISTORICAL RELIC.

A relic of great historical importance Las just been presented to the Auckland Museum. It is i-n old Tower musket, and the following note is attached to the stock :—" This musket svas given to Hppgi Hilta. afterwards known us ' The Man-eater' by George iy. of England in the year 1820. Jt was used by him in the battles of lkaianganui, Mokoia, and Matakitaki, and funny other leaser engagements. It wns named by Hongi ' 1 atu Iwi ' pr -Slay the jpeople,' and was his favourite weapon. :/\fter Hongi's death it passed into [the hands of the llikutu tribe of Hokiiaiiga, and being very tapu, was pieNerved when other historical weapons

| liave long since disappeared. Pre- ' sented to tho Auckland Museum by SPercy Smith, F.R.G.S., SurveyorGeneral." Hongi went to England in 1820, and was received with great honor by George TY. Tho New Zealand chief had seen the effect of firearms, and JlO knew that if lie cou'd arm a body of his warriors with guns, he might march as a conqueror from one end of New |Zea' land to the other. He said there was only one King in Engl md. and lie was determined there should only be only one King in New Zealand. He used all his moans to obtain firearms, and King George presented him with a number of muskets, among them this one, "Fatuiwi." When ho reached New Zealand Hongi at once set to work to train his men, and for almost a generation lie devastated Now Zealand. Ikarangatiui, where one of iiis battles took place, is in the Kaipara district, and there Hongi .came in contact with tho tribes inhabiting the Auckland isthmus and their allies. The light of Mokoia .was on the welbknown island in Lake Hotorua, whore tho Ngapuhi under Hongi slaughtered the Arawas. Hongi had brought his canoes up to 'liotorua, and thus was enabled to icross to Mokoia. Matakitaki was the famous battle near where Alexandra now stands, and where the Waikatos were routed with terrible slaughter Tho musket is in an exceedingly good state of preservation, and the lock acts as well as ever it did.. The weapon has evidently been well taken J care of lu every respect. There is 110 j question as to its having been the very j weapon handled bj' the formidable | Hongi.