Dominion Museum officer, seeing Kawiti with some of his followers near the Church, advanced towards him, sword in hand. The old chief called out to his men ‘E te whanau, tukua mai ki ahau’. Well past middle age he would be then, but still able to give the foe their play. The taiaha too would be severely tested against the sword. ‘My people, leave him to come to me’ was the Patuone (Turnbull Library Photograph) order he gave as he knelt down to the ready position. Had the soldier known how invulnerable a Maori warrior is in this position, he would have changed his method of attack. However, according to an eyewitness—Mikaera Rini of Panguru who told the story to Hone Wi Mutu, also of Panguru—the officer failed in the attempt, was thrown to the ground and despatched with Kawiti's mere. The European residents boarded the ships, leaving the town in the Maoris' hands. Orders given by the two leaders on this occasion are still remembered. Heke was quoted to have called out ‘E te iwi ee wiwirautia!’ Kawiti however shouted ‘E te whanau ee takirautia!’ According to my informants, the first of these sayings meant ‘a clean sweep’ but the second ‘spare the women and children’.

THE SIEGE OF OKAIHAU After this battle the Maori forces retired to Okaihau, inland and between forty and fifty miles to the north-west. This pa may have been Heke's choice. It was centrally situated and on the boundary between Ngapuhi and the northern and western tribes.(2) Sentiment played a part in Hone Heke's choice of battleground, for at Okaihau his father Hongi Hika was buried. Another important factor was the distance and rough country that separated Okaihau from the coast and made the transport of British artillery to the battle-almost impossible. The Maori chiefs were vividly aware of the destruction cannon might cause to their pallisades and no doubt looked for a place where they were unlikely to face heavy bombardment. (Editor.) It should be remembered that so soon after Honga Hika's battles against Ngatiwhatua in the south-west, Rarawa in the north-west and Nga