An Incident in Maori Warfare.

Manawatu Herald, 8 January 1898, Page 2

An Incident in Maori Warfare.

Id our brief account in last week's issue of the old Maori Paora Taki, who died on Tuesday week at Bapaki, says Truth we mentioned that on one occasion he took part in a Ngaitahu expedition against Rau* Parana's settlement in Queen Charlotte's Sound. This was after Rauparaha had invaded the Maori communities in this district and had captured, Kaiapoi and Onawe, afcer a great slaughter of his opponents. According to the story told by Paora Taki t<\ Canon Stack and published in Mr Jacob3on's interesting volume of " Stories of Bank 3 Peninsula," Rauparaha had on this occasion a a narrow escape from being killed. He and his party were " rushed " by the Ngaitahu, and in a hurry add confusion his canoe was rendered useless, while his people's boata wove set afloat before they could be reached. Rauparaha was in a tight place and sought concealment, no it is said", by hiding in the kelp near the shore, " where by occasionly lifting his head under cover of the broad leaves as they swayed baok* wards and forwards with the waves, ha was able to breathe." After the ardour of the enemy's attack had abated he swam out to some of his party who wars hanging about in a canoa ready to pick up any survivors. Paori Taki used to say that if ha had been better armed he could have killed Rauparaha during the skirmish, but while on his way up the coast he bad been induced to change hisgan for a sharp»pointed stake. In the first melee both parties were crowded together, and Taki rubbed shoulders with a man whom he recognised at once as Bauparaha. The latter was however armed with a greenstone mere, and Taki did not dare to attack him with his very primitiveweapon, so that the chief was allowed to pursue his dignified march to the beach unharmed. But Taki was bound to kill someone and in default of a nobler foe he pinned a woman by a thrust through her leg and then shouted for some one to 'lend him a tomahawk where* with to despatch her. A passing friend was about to do this office for i him when he recognised the woman as one of the captives of Bauparaha's bow and spear at Kaiapoi. " Why, Paora," he remarked, " it's your own aunt." It must have been deeply disappointing for Taki to be again baulked of a victim, but he eeema to have accepted the situation, and to have made " amends for his rough treatment of his unfortunate relative by a more than ordinary amount of nose-rubbing, the Maori equivalent' for kissing." History does not record what his aunt said, but probably she wai too glad to escape the tomahawk to express her mind as freely as she might otherwise hi Ye done.