Maoris bring out wool from Maungapohatu, Rua's onetime stronghold, by packhorse over the ancient war trail which after ten miles meets the main road from Rotorua to Wairoa. dition to berries, fern roots, etc., but it was in the hunting of birds that these hardy mountaineers really excelled. Famous places in former days, were the “ahititi” (where the mutton bird is taken at night). A fire was lit near a net triangular string on high poles, and the birds when attracted by the glare were easily killed by a blow from the bird hunter's stick. During the 1870's, this isolated wilderness made an ideal refuge for Te Kooti and his war parties between their ferocious raids on the pioneers' settlements. Maungapohatu Pa, scene of many historic battles, is also famous as the last place in New Zealand where there was a skirmish between the Maoris and Government forces, only 43 years ago, over the arrest of Rua, the Maori prophet. A son of one of Te Kooti's followers, Kenana, Rua attained some eminence as a prophet in succession to Te Kooti and became a sort of Messiah, and his influence extended as far as Rotorua, the Bay of Plenty and the East Coast. He built a curious circular temple at the pa, decorated with clubs and diamond symbols from playing cards, and established himself in an elaborate European styled house, the timber, fittings and furnishings being carried by packhorse up the rugged Whakatane River tracks. By accepting one tenth of all his followers' earnings, he was able to live in comfort together with a large number of wives and his numerous children. Rua had during his lifetime 12 wives and over 70 children. Following a breach of the liquor laws his arrest was ordered, but he defied the police and said he would fight to avoid arrest. A party of 42 armed constables assembled in Rotorua in April 1915 and finally made their Woolpressing at shearing time in Maungapohatu.