WAIKATO’S GIFT GUN

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1034, 26 July 1930, Page 10

WAIKATO’S GIFT GUN

RELIC IN NORTH AUCKLAND “PRINCE” HONGI’S CORONET The double-barrelled fowling piece given as evidence of an English king’s goodwill to a Maori chief, Waikato, when the 18th century was still young, is still preserved in the North Auckland district, where Waikato held sway. The chiefs Hougl and Waikato were taken to England and introduced , as representatives of the Maori aristocracy of New Zealand. George IV. dubbed Hongi a prince and Waikato a general; his gifts to them including armour, swords, muskets and fowling pieces. Waikato's double-barrelled gun was buried in a cave when he died aud it is said that Hongi's golden coronet, which ho received along with the title of “prince,” was buried there, too. The gun alone has been recovered, and only after due observance of the ceremonies for defeating tapu. The present possessor relates that, as a small lad, he went with his father to a lonely valley, up which they made their way, his father muttering incantations, until 4hey came to a rocky bluff. His father cautioned him to keep still while he went on. When the lad, awed by the eerie stillness of the silent bush and the mystery of the whole proceedings, sought to creep closer he was curtly ordered away. However, be crept back in tinv6 to i see his father, still wildly reciting kakakia, place his back against a huge rock and, bracing himself against a cliff face, strive mightily until he moved a rock slab aside, revealing a cave into which he vanished. He returned, bearing the fowling piece. It is said that no ordinary man could move the rock down without a timber jack. Here may lie hidden Hongi’s coronet of gold, but only one man knows where that cave is aud he will not violate Maori tapu.

A visitor from Auckland, who examined that gun last, week, says that he saw also a famous mere, “The Lightning.” That terse name denotes much—the suddenness with which it cleft the air when used in battle and the blinding flash from its highly polished surface as it threw back the sun's rays in reaching the head of some chiefly' opponent of its wielder. HONGI’S TREACHERY “The Lightning” figured in one of the most tragic episodes of Maori warfare. When Hongi and his friend Waikato were coming home from England they met some other Maoris in Sydney. One of whom was chief of Totara pa, near the Thames. Hongi heard that a man from Totara had killed one of his followers, and warned the Totara chief to hasten home aud put his pa in order as' Hongi's men would come and eat the Totara people. No heed was paid by Hongi to the remonstrances of the missionaries and it was said that he was bursting to try out the arms he had acquired in England and Sydney, and to make himself a king like King George. Finally he appeared before Totara, which had been reconditioned hurriedly. Amongst Hongi’s lieutenants were some who voiced disapproval of the war, claiming that the Totara people were blood-relatives; and as a result of this division the projected attack was replaced by a friendly korero, in which some of the invading chiefs were admitted to the pa. On taking leave, one of them whispered to his friend the chief of Totara that Hongi was meditating treachery and warning him to be on his guard. For this friendly hint two meres, “The Lightning” and another, were given to the man who dropped the hint. The invaders commenced to depart but Hongi, after passing behind a point of land, stopped and doubled back ir the night, taking fearful vengeance on the unsuspecting Totara people. Maori tradition has It that Hongi was envious of the gift of “The Lightning” to another, and this envy rekindled tho hatred and led to the treacherous attack. The mere was taken back to the North by its new owner and later hidden; “between a rock and a tree.” i This fact was transmitted to a grand- ; daughter who. in years later, communicated it to a man whom she saw admiring a greenstone chisel. She told him that the chisel was a poor thing, but that “The Lightning” was worth getting. Search was made and, after some little trouble, the mere was found about two feet underground, as indicated. Eventually, the find became known to the relatives of the man who owned the mere and they claimed it as their property. Unable to agree among themselves as to who should have thr mere, the relatives brought it back to the man who had discovered it Some day it may go to the Auckland Museum. T.W.