Maori Legends.

Opunake Times, Volume I, Issue 9, 31 July 1894, Page 4

Maori Legends.

A War Tale. (By Kcku.) ( Concluded .) There was a Taupo chief visiting the Waikatos at the time, who, finding that they did not make any preparation to go back to take revenge 0.1 the Whakarongomai people, taunted them with their want of valour, and compared their lack of action with what their ’•forefathers would have done under similar circumstances. They, however, would not be persuaded, as they had had enough of it the last time they were down. He told them, with great bravado, that if they were afraid to get redress for their defeat, he would collect his people and go and exterminate their opponents for them. The Waikatos warned him what his fate would be, but his motto being death before dishonor be would not be advised. He started back to bis own country iu high spirits, not yet knowing what it was to fight against firearms, and collecting his warriors made every preparation for the expedition. Everything being in readiness he started with two thousand warriors, and travelled over the Taupo Plains, round by Ruapehu, and down the Wanganui River till he reached the sea coast, when he began his march northwards. Word reached ’the Whakarongomai people of the expedition which was on the road, and the leader, who had possibly read Julius Ciesar a night or two before, determined upon following the devices of Brutus and Cassius and not wait to be attacked, but go and meet the enemy on the road. He accordingly mustered all bis available warriors and started on the march southwards. Another object in viewin doing this was to rouse all the people between Whakarongomai and Waitotara, a distance of GO miles, against the invaders, who would lay waste the country through w'hich they travelled for the double purpose of clearing a track and supplying themselves with provisions. By the time he reached Waitotara he had a very large following, and they hastily formed fortifications 'on the spur on the south side of the Waitotara River, where they awaited the arrival of the boastful Taupo tribe. When the latter arrived, thinking they had only the local tribe to deal with, they made an immediate attack on the pah, and a tremendous battle ensued. After fighting for most of the day the Taupo army was completely destroyed, few of them getting aw'ay to tell the tale. Great dissipation then ensued amongst the victims, who spent some days on the battle field feasting on the dead. Those of the warriors who had been taken alive were distributed equally amongst the victorious tribe. The Taupo natives now were like the Waikatos, and were afraid to attempt retribution, but they never forgot their fearful massacre. Some years after the arrival of the missionaries a convert by the name of Te Manihera and four followers undertook a mission through the inland country and on to Taupo preaching the Bongo. Pci (true faith). The Taupo people, remembering their massacre by the missionaries’ people, determined on taking utu, and killed and ate the five of them. When word arrived of the fate w r hich had befalL-n the missionaries the West Coast natives were furious, but they were advised not to attempt revenge, as these missionaries who had been killed were doing God’s work, and . they should leave revenge for their death in God’s hands. Te Heu-Hcu was the chief of the tribe which had had the principal part in the destruction of the missionaries, and he and his tribe had their pah built at the foot of a high hill. One night after some volcanic disturbance the whole side of the hill slipped, completely smothering the pah and destroying every soul in it. When they came to dig them out men were found standing up as though they had been trying to prop up the walls of their whares. This w’as looked upon as the utu which the God of the missionaries had taken for their destruction.