A Great Warrior.

Thames Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 18632, 15 October 1932, Page 3

A Great Warrior.

THE EARLY MAORIS

STORIES OF FAMOUS BLAKE.

ZANE GREY'S CAMP SITE. Pey’s Bay, Avhere the American fishing party, headed by Zane Grey, the novelist, proposes to camp this summer, was a home of the famous iMaori warrior known to the early whites as Blake, and the beautiful beach and old pohutukawas probably look much the same now as they did in Blake’s time. Mrs C. Davis, "who is a descendant of the famous warrior, relates the folloAVing story of Avhich her ancestor Avas the hero, and which was read by Mrs C. H. M. Simpson at a recent meeting of the Mercury Bay Women,’S Institute.

1 A Famous Rangitira. A little more than one hundred years ago, the most famous rangitira in all the Bay of Plenty, and as far north as Whangarei, was Pereki Awhiowhio, or Blake, as the English called him, of the Ngati Whanaunga tribe. His chief pa was oh Ohena Island, but he also had. a stronghold at Pey’s Bay, or Raupuha, and most likely many of the pas along the coast from Kuaotunu to Mercury Bay have at, one time or another been the scenes of his Avarlike activities. Not only Avas he a great rangitira by birth, but .because of his many conquests he Avas dreaded by his enemies .for his physical strength and great daring. In those days the different Maori tribes /were nearly all at Avar Avith one another, but the Ngapuhis, from the north, were the/first to secure firearms, which gave them a great advantage over those Avho, like Blake’s tribe, were armed only Avith the tomahaAvk.

Tribes at War

The following story is one which Mrs Davis, when a little girl of .ten, heard proudly told when the older members of her tribe were gathered round the camp-fire. The Ngapuhis and the Arawas were at Avar, and three canoe loads of the former Avere returning fronl a raid on Tauranga and had called in at Tairua for the night. Next morning, after they had put out to sea, they discovered that they had left behind a pet dog belonging to the party, and it was decided that one of the canoes should return and get it. The other two Avere to push on to the Great Barrier Island and wait there, Avhere they Avere all to spend the night.

Tomahawks v. Muskets

These canoes, of course, had to pass quite close to Pey’s Bay, Avhere Blake Avas livjng at the time. The first two passed Avithout being observed, but Blake and one of his cousins and some twelve slaves were out fishing in a large canoe, Avhen the party with the dog hove in sight. Blake immediately ordered his crew to paddle , out to meet this hereditary enemy,, although he knew they Avould be provided with fireams and he only had tomahaAvks. When the Ngapuhis.saw him coming they got their muskets from the bottom of the canoe, where they had them stored, and as he got within range they opened fire. Fortunately for. Blake, hoAvever, the powder had become damp and only one fired, killing Blake’s cousin. Blake dived overboard before they had time to reload with dry powder, and upset their eanoe, his main object being to capture their leader, leaving his slaves to deal Avith the rest of the warriors. They droAvned them all except three, who sAvam ashore.

Sup>crhum,an Strength

Blake took the dead chief ashore in order to secure his head, as was the custom then, and gave chase and caught and killed two of the three warriors who had escaped. The third climbed up a pohutukawa tree, and as Blake passed under, looking for him, he buried his tomahawk in Blake’s great muscular neck, and was preparing for another b’orv when Blake, undismayed, sprang up into the tree and killed him.Recovering a Wife.

The above adventure by ho means, ended his career, as at a later date he took unto himself two wives., On one occasion the Ngapuhis raided these parts and succeeded in carrying off one of them and took her awav up north. Blake set out on foot, and, single-handed, managed to find her and bring her home with him through hundreds of miles of hostile country. But- that is another sfory. i "■ ,