I te ururua o te popo a te tangata-whenua o te Taitokerau, tutetute atu i a ratou, ka kimi huarahi ahau kia piri atu ai ki te taha o tuawahine. Me pewhea atu hoki, i te mea, i reira katoa nga rangatira o te Aupouri, o Te Rarawa, o Ngapuhi, o Ngati Whatua. I reira hoki taku tuakana, a Kingi Koroki Mahuta te Rata, te Upokoariki o Tainui. Ko Waka Karaka, ko Henare Toka, ko te tamahine a Awhina Kupa, ko tetahi atu ko tetahi atu, nga kai-takitaki o nga waiata, o nga poi, me nga haka, i rangona ai e Te Kuini te reo o te iwi Maori i taua ra. Ko Kapa raua ko Tureia nga kaumatua. Ma te aha tonu nga whakangahau a te ope rangatahi nei. Ko te haka taparahi ko te: “Tau ka tau.” Kei whati ai, na te kakama tonu o Te Hau o Akarana i tutuki ai ta ratou papaki ta ratou takahi. Na Hone Heke te whaikorero, i whiua atu ai hoki e ia e Te Uira, te patu pounamu a Hongi Hika tupuna, hei takapou paihere i nga whakaaro ki te Kuini, hei tiaki i tona tinana i runga i nga marae o te motu. Na Panapa, te Pihopa o Aotearoa, te karakia whakamoemiti ki a Ihowa i Runga-rawa, a, na te Hokowhitu-Heramana o te manuao “The Piriniha Pango” te maioha-roera ki te Kuini. Mau ana te wehi o tenei wahanga o te powhiri i Waitangi. Ko te Hokowhitu-Heramana i waenganui tonu o te marae, te rite he motu kauri, te nunui, te roroa, te torotika o te taki-tutu haere o te tangata, Maori me te Pakeha. Marumaru ana koutou, manahau ana e tama ma. No te perenga mai o te kupu e te apiha Kaiwhakahaere i a ratou: “Kokiritia … te maioha-roera!” Rite tonu te paketanga o te ringaringa ki te pu, ueue ana te whenua i te taurite o te whana o te waewae ki a Papatuanuku e tiraha ra. Anana, he iwi maia te Heramana. He taiheke tonu atu ki te moana o te Taitokerau te marae i Waitangi, marama ana te tere mai o te manuao o te Kuini i rungaite kare o nga wai o Pewhairangi. Ohorere ana te pakutanga mai o te waiwaipu a nga purepo, e rua tekau ma tahi paku takitahi o tena waiwaipui i te wa tonu i pa ai nga waewae o te Kuini ki te oneone i tukua tuatahi ki raro i te mana o Kuini Wikitoria. Haruru ana te whenua, tiorooro ana te rangi i Aohuruhuru of olden times could well express our feelings: “Her skin was clear and lovely, Her face as bright and calm as a summer day, Her bosom like the face of the rolling tide Aglow in the light of an ocean sunset; Such was the complexion of our heroine.” A beautiful woman. Exceeding Hinemoa's charms, and even Mahinarangi's, including Whakaotirangi and Papawharanui. But perhaps, not Rongomaipapa, for she was of the “broad handsome face of Kahungunu.” Maoriland's poverbial figure for beauty like that of a flower. The gathered Northern tribesmen formed a formidable human barrier, crowds jostled and pushed, and I was called upon to exert the utmost ingenuity to get a closer view of our distinguished visitors. Nor could it be otherwise, because the whole of the aristocracy of Te Aupouri, Te Rarawa, Ngapuhi and Ngati Whatua were present. My elder statesman Koroki Mahuta Te Rata, paramount chieftain of the Tainui tribes was there too. Waka Karaka, Henare Toka, the daughter of Awhina Kupa, and others, were the haka, poi, and action song leaders, through whom was heard by her Gracious Majesty, the voice of Maoridom that day. Among the elder leaders were Kapa and Tureia. This youthful band of performers gave a creditable performance. Their posture war dance was the ‘Tau ka tau,” of universal fame, and at one stage its rhythm faltered, and only the spirited call by Te Hau of Auckland saved the day, and the stamping and the clapping continued to the end. The speech of welcome was delivered by Hone Heke Rankin, a Nga Puhi chieftain, and during his oration he presented, “Te Uira,” a greenstone jade battle club that originally belonged to Hongi Hika, as a symbol of Maori loyalty, and faith and service to her Majesty the Queen, and as a talisman of protection during their travels to the many courtyards of the land. The Bishop of Aotearoa, the Right Reverend Wiremu Panapa, conducted a service of praise and thanksgiving, and the officers and men of the frigate Black Prince, gave the Royal Salute. This was the most inspiring part of the Waitangi ceremony. The men of the Black Prince stood in the centre of the courtyard, like a forest of Kauri trees, nobly, erectly, both Maori and pakeha. What a fine body of men, strong and true! Then came the order from their commanding officer: “Royal salute … Present … Arms!” Then was heard the resounding smack, as their right hands smote the butt of their rifles, and the earth shook as their right feet hit mother earth beneath them. No doubt about the sailor! The Waitangi marae slopes down to the waters of the Bay of Islands, and Her Majesty's Man-o-war, floated gracefully upon the waters of Pewhairangi. It was as Her Majesty set foot on Waitangi, the spot upon which the Maori first ceded