MAORI MEMORIES.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 May 1938, Page 5

MAORI MEMORIES.

INSTINCT DEFEATS REASON. (Recorded by J.H.S. for “Times-Age”) All Hongi’s valuable presents except the armoured coat of mail were exchanged at Sydney for 300 muskets, powder, bullets and percussion caps, with which to avenge the death of his son-in-law in New Zealand. When the inherent instinct of reprisal for injury to his relatives falls to the lot of a Maori no power of mind or morals can restrain him. In 1822, with 25 war canoes each having 40 armed paddlers, Hongi directed the course up the Hauraki, and entered the Thames river. Totara, an otherwise impregnable Pa, was taken by stratagem. Five hundred, were killed, and here again instinct overcame reason when 300 were solemnly eaten in silence as a sacrifice to the Gods. The Pa on the Tamaki river was then taken with great slaughter, by the use of the hitherto unknown deadly “fire sticks.” Those who escaped from both places fled to Matakitaki. Hongi followed them, killing 1400 of the 4000 occupants. Rauparaha, even then regarded as an invincible warrior, fled in terror from Kawhia to Horowhenua. Tamati Waka Nene with part of Hongi’s army, advanced on Taranaki. Hongi, surfeited with slaughter, returned with a host of slaves. Hongi’s women who had remained at the Bay of Islands, met the canoes. Those of them who had lost a relative in the fight each seized an unresisting slave and killed him.

Hongi. still professing Christian ethics, fought his enemies at Kaipara in 1826, when his son was killed. Hongi’s revenge was to gouge the eyes from an enemy and swallow them—an inconceivable horror.

His last and fatal fight was at Whangaroa in 1827.