THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF JOHN MARMON, THE HOKIANGA PAKEHA MAORI; OR, Seventy-five Years in New Zealand.

Otago Witness, Issue 1581, 4 March 1882, Page 25

THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF JOHN MARMON, THE HOKIANGA PAKEHA MAORI ; OR, Seventy-five Years in New Zealand.

• Chapter XVIIL HAD gained my .end, and got rid of HoDgi for a little while until I could persuade Tangiware either to transfer her affection to some' worthier object or to be less demonstrative in its evidence. Be fore he left, however, Hongi sustained a great lobb in' the death of his youngest daughter, Manaia, to whom he was greatly attached. That she might be preserved to him, he gave orders to embalm the' head— an operation devolving on me and an .old ohief, Tamore, to fulfil, I had only heard of the pro cess, yet it would never do to show ignorance. Therefore- 1 determined to watch my fellow embalmer carefully, and copy rigidly whatsoever he did. ( . The prooess may be of interest to those who have a weakness for relics of their relations* Having separated the head from the trunk, the first proceßß was called paki-paki, or removing the brains, which was done wholly through the nose by means. of a pointed twig. The head was then subjected to a long-continued steaming in the oven to bring out the moisture in the pores, after which, having been carefully wiped with the flower* of the hakaho, or reed, a thin slip of manuka was placed between the skin and the bone of the nose to preserve its shape, Next the eyes were removed, the sockets filled with flax, or poa grass, and the lids sewn together, after which the head' was hung in the sun to dry, or exposed to the Bmoke of a strong puriri fire. This was the process of embalming, and it was pretty general all through New Zealand, In fact, in these latter days, when the barter of heads may be regarded as a branch of trade, a man's head was not safe on his shoulders, Bince, if it happened to be highly ornamented with the mofco, or tattoo, even a friend, to secure the price set upon it would accidentally shoot the possessor of it, and after a prolonded tangi quietly' offer it for Bale to the pakeha. Hongi expressed himself highly pleased with the work Tamore and I exeonted. After a tangi over it, and a solemn hakari, the ruling passion prevailed, and he prepared to set out on his expedition against the Ngatiwhatuas. Hongi again left the Bay with the Bame pomp and ceremony, and we relapsed again into our former quietness. We pursued our fishing and onr trade, and sometimes had visits from the Mission settlement that was now established on the Keri-Keri. Hongi, in the meantime, had a conquering career before him, which I shall merely briefly sketch. He reached the Waitemata, and sailing up the Tamaki, attacked the two great pahs of the Ngatiwhatuaa — Mauinena and Makoia. The defenders fought with desperate and heroic courage. Again and again they succeeded in driving back the assailants, but craft prevailed where force was unavailing, and at last both of them fell into his hands. The slaughter was terrific. Hundreds lost their lives by the sword and hundreds were reserved for the oven. Hongi held here his greatest hakan, where four hundred human beings were Berved up oooked. Well done, Hongi, if you go on much longer you will have eaten almost as many men' as your tribe numbers. He then pushed on, drawing his oanoes across the narrow neck of land at Otahuhu and Waiuku, and descended the Awaroa. Nothing was permitted to check his victorious course. Even Nature was compelled to^ alter her face to permit him to pass, as when in the Awaroa one of his oanoes was stopped by a narrow bend in the stream, he ordered a canal to be cut for her to proceed— a monument of his perseverance which remains to this day. At fast he reached Matakitaki, a pah situated on the banks ef the Waipa, where a number of Waikatos and Ngatiwhatuas had fled for safety. The position was strong, the de fenders were determined to hold out to the last, and even Hongi seemed to have doubts whether an attack would be successful. Yet there was always this in Hongi— an indomitable perseverance. Difficulties only seemed to spur him on to fresh endeavour, and the attempt wan made. The assailants were assisted by natural allies. A vast portion of the earthen rampart fell in upon some of the defenders, and when the Ngapuhis, having driven back those who sought to hold the breach, were rushing in to secure any fugitives in attempting to escape over the mound, hundreds were crushed to death by the pressure of the crowd, until a suffocating mass of humanity -was all ■Ui3,v vemaiuod within Mataklt&ki. Such good fortune never had como to the Ngapulns before, ajad a week's feasting was utterly inauffi"

•dent to consume the amount of ki (food) thus unexpectedly provided. # The capture of Taurakoma, another great pah on the Waipa, followed immediately after, and the subjugation, if not the desolation, of Waikato would have been complete had not peace been made between the two tribes through the endeavours of Wharerahi, a Ngapuhi chief, and Te Wherowhero, of Waikato, Te Whorowhero'fl relative, Kati, taking to wife Toa, daughter of Rawa, of Ngapuhi. Thus ended this raid upon Ngatiwbatua, only to be followed by another, in which I myself was engaged. . This was against the Ngatiwhatua at Kaira to avenge the slaughter of the Ngapuhis the expedition led by Pokaia. We went overland to Mangawai, thence down to Otamatea, our force consisting of five hundred men, chosen of Hongi's fighting men. But his name had preceded him, The Ngatiwhatua were afraid to meet the great northern conquwor, and accordingly peace was made through Hihi Otate from the Ngapuhi Bide, and Matohion tbe Ngatiwhatua side, the latter presenting Hongi with his greenstone mere in token of submission. Upon this the victor returned sorely chagrined that he had not been able to get up a battle. It seemed to be his natural element, end he was never so happy as when in the thick of a great conflict. . An opportunity, however, presented itself almost immediately. On his return Whareumu the chief relative of Pokaia was very'Vroth that revenge had not been taken on the Ngatiwhatuß to propitiate the aluas of his family. Therefore he undertook an expedition on his own account, conceiving himself as bound to do so, from which Hongi' did not consider himself by his treaty of peace. Intertribal law was only a name in those days as far as the snaking and keeping of treaties were concerned. Whareumu went by water to Mangawai, then dragged his oanoes across to Kaipara, his force Amounting to two hundred men, Hongi alleging '.that as the chief of the Ngapuhis his presence was required wherever members of bis tribe'were, prepared another expedition of thiee hundred men, and came up with Whacerium and Mangawai engaged in hauling his canoes across. Again I accompanied Hongi both an lohunga and friend. We went on to. father, sailing down the Otamatea with its anks fringed with heavy undergrowth into the broad Kaipara Gulf. Here as usual with the J unwieldy canoes we hugged the shore, past the Komokiriki and Makarau creeks until we at j lengfeienteredithe Kaipara river.. This was a* densely populated district at one time, but repeated raids had cut off most of the natives who l£ved^around the Bhores. . We,, held on up the river seeing not a curl of smoke to guide us, passing the Kaukapakapa and Awaroa rivers, followingthe windings of the most aerpentine river in New Zealand, the Kaipara, until at length we.raached.the strong pahs of Te Ikaranganui and Makiri about a mile distant from et^h other.' , The former was defended on one side by >. precipitous cliff descending sheer Intio ,the river, and on the other, by strong ditches and ramparts. In front of it on a long flat were posted the, Ngatiwhatuas, determined to give .battle, and if defeated to make Jor the I pah.', The conflict at first Vas entirely between Whareumu 1 s men and the Ngatiwhatuas. He had originated the expedition, and It was bat fair he, should have a chance of distinguishing himself in it. .' Hongi therefore held aloof. But Whareumu had not the reputation ef Hongi to give 'teproMp, his onset, gradually his men were forced backVandi' defeat was imminent, when Hongi, who, considered such an event would be a disgrace not only on Wbareumu's hapu but the entire tribe; charged at the head of his men and in Bpite of the. desperate courage of the Ngatiwhatuaa, gained a complete victory. Nor could they" escape within Te Ikaranganui, for a band of Ngapuhis intercepted them and drove them into the riveri Many fled to Makiri and a small pah called Waikoukou in the very heart of a deme bush, but in vain. Here their relentless pursuer tracked them) 'stormed the pati, and .made great (slaughter. The survivors flad to Waikato and received shelter from Te Waharda.ButthaNgapuhldidnoteacape scatheless in this expedition. Many of their bravest and best chiefs were Blain. In fact, although victorious, it was the most disastrous campaign Hongi had as yet engaged in. Te Puhi, Hare Hongi, son of Hongi, and Te Ahu were all killed, also Moka or Te Kainga Mata was severely wounded and shortly afterwards died. Besides these there were numerous lesser ran*gatiras, all of whose deaths were liable at any time to be made an excuse for attack. And this Hongi was not slow to do, for no sooner were we returned home, and had divided the ! spoils taken as far as division existed among the Maoris, Hongi— whose thirst for blood was iDßatiable— planned an expedition to Waikato to follow up the Ngatiwhatua who had fled to Waikato,' and to avenge the death of his son Hare. In this expedition I did not take part. I "was more inclined for the enjoyment of domestic peace than to follow the war-trail any more." Besides my trade with the vessels coming into the Bay was gradually falling away, for when they did not find me at my post they transferred their custom to other traders. And this I objected to, since I wished to bo the sole niedium of exchange between the pakehas and the natives, and thereby keep up the prices. I employed myself in making fish-hooks from the bones of the N6atiwhatuaß,N 6 atiwhatuaB, stain, afc Kaipara, thin being considered the greatest indignity that could be paid to a fallen foe. First eat him and then convert his bones into fish hooks. It was at this time also that the entire kainga got drunk upan a keg of rum that had drifted ashore, and was seized upon as the grandest prize that ' could be conceived. We had two two days of pretty stiff ' spreeing.' Meantime Hoßgi was pursuing the Ngatiwha tua into Waikato. This can scarcely be called a tribal raid, it being more cairied on by Hongi and his immediate friends to satisfy private quarrels. ' 'Accordingly not more than one hundred and eighty men were engaged in it, and of these but few from our kainga. When he reached Waikato and was preparing to give battle to the Ngatiwhatuas he was told that they had fled on to Rotorua, being afraid to face him in the open field. Thither the bloodthirsty pursuer followed them, craving for their blood, but on arriving there he was told that they had eluded him and were againin Waikato. After doing a little private fighting about the Lake district be marched back to Waikato, found the Ngatiwhatuaa holding a stroDg pah of the Wa&atos on the Waipa, which he at once attacked, having told the Waikatos to make themselves scarce, aa his quarrel was with the Ngatiwhatuaß alone. This was the moat terrible conflict Hongi ever was engaged in. His opponents, knowing their casa was desperate, swore to sell their lives as dearly as they could ; and they did so. The battle for long was doubtful, each onoet of Htrogi being repulsed with great loas, until he alwosi; deßpaired of success. Had not an r-clipsa of the sun taken place Hongi would have sustained a signal defeat. But he used it as a siga of the favour of Mara, ' See !' he cridd, ' !,he goda arc fighting for us.' And a lasg and determined effort broke the opposing line and gave the uah to tho NgapuMs, thongh ivfc i>bfc cos'; \/ • • '>'"'/ sok ,• isr,>. Ii; was ihe fuss, time tbu Nrfck/o -X l«T?,w Zealand had bi^'x oo doggedly oupo?od. >md it snrveii to ihi.t that he v,".is ; y :ki u>- m p mvlnoiblo. 0 ly twenty of toe AJga&iwhatuaß eecapdtL Op-

wards of a hundred were slain and eaten. Tbls ended Hongi's southern campaigns. It was a narrow escape he had on his return journey, for Te Waharoa, a rising young chief of the Waikatos, seeing Hongi in the heart of hostile country with only a handful of men, proposed to his comrades to rise and cut off this scourge of North New Zealand. The opportunity seemed most fitting; the geds seemed to have given him into their hands, and many of the chiefs were Berioualy inolined to follow the advice, but Te Wherowhero was more keen-sighted. He saw the complications that would arise from avenging raids, and how urgently the country needed rest, therefore he used all his influence against the proposal, and was finally successful in dissuading the pro. motors from it. But for this Hongi and all his band would have furnished a grand hakari and it would have been a matter of great rejoicing to many tribes to know that their old enemy had ceased to trouble them. Upon his return to Keri-KerJ, Hongi disbanded all his forces for awhile and prepared to enter upon a career of peace. This was prevented, however, by an incident which we will reserve for the next chapter. I, for my part, wftsglad of this, as I was beginning to weary of ;Keri-Keri and to desire a ohange to some other part of the island.

{To be continued.)