AND MAORI CHIEFS.

27

A.-No. 21

settlement; the resident Natives accompanied us (about thirty in number). Tiaho and her friends did not go. When we reached the settlement of Ohinekura we found certain chiefs there, viz., Waikato Te Tawhana, Te Tumnhuia, and Neha Ngarua, who were waiting for our arrival. It so happened that there bad been a lamentation at this place for Takerei. Takerei Te Bau was here at this settlement. The lamentation being over, Te Tumuhia got up and spoke. His speech was in reference to the memories of the dead. Then followed Waikato Te Tawhana. He said, " Come, welcome my son and visit your tribes, your old companions who are now dispersed. It is for you to conduct your negotiations in the way that seemeth best to you. Welcome. Bemember the proverb —' Although left behind, he still returns to his parent stock or tribe.' " I then got up and spoke in reply. I said, " Truly, here I am, on my way to see my friends and people who have been separated and dispersed. The saying is verified in my case—' Go in the broad daylight; that your friend may recognize you while yet at a distance, and that your kinsman may know that it is even you yourself.' " This finished the addresses for this day. On the day the day following, the 14th of May, Neha Te Koroitu got up and said—"Welcome, my son; welcome. You, who having survived the troubles, are spared to us as a fitting recompense for the loss of Waikato. Come then, come to your parent. My heart has been sad because you have not been here to see us. Hitherto you have always gone straightway to Manuwhiri; but listen, I also, your father have a word to say to you. My son, collect together the people, and make them live together in one community—in one united body. Having seen you here to-day, some of the chiefs will say that my word or address is not well chosen, although they did not hear it. Others, who were present, will approve of my sayings—those who did not hear being of the class of inferior or mean men. Nevertheless, I shall store up these sayings, and ponder them well." These speeches having been finished, we then returned to the settlement from whence we came. Just at this time Tv tawhiao arrived with about thirty followers, on their way to Wharepapa ; we went together to Orahiri. On the following day, the 15th, I accompanied Tiaho, Taonui, Makereta Potatau, and some others to Hangatiki. We were here received and entertained as visitors by the Ngatipou, and slept here that night. In the morning I made it my especial business to enquire of the people if any of them knew the object for which Manuwhiri had requested me to visit him, but no person could tell me the reason why. We then went on to Te Kuiti, aud there we found Manuwhiri, Te Tuhi, and Te Aim standing up ready to bid us welcome. We were received at Tiaho's (Sophia's) house, and slept there. There were assembled in this house, Alanuwhiri, Te Tuhi, Tiaho, Makereta Potatau, and myself, with my companions. On the following morning Manuwhiri began to speak. He referred to the visit paid by Te Kooti some time ago to Te Kuiti, and to his return from thence ; of the visit paid by the Waikato to Te Ua (the priest), at Taranaki. He talked the whole of the day and the whole of the night, and as yet I had made no reply to his speech. I thought it most prudent not to reply to his speech for the present, lest, while speaking, he should enter upon other matters. At this stage he (Manuwhiri) made use of figurative language. He also referred to the letters he had written to Mr. M'Lean, but which had not been replied to, in which he urged that, as the European forces had ceased fighting, so also should the Natives cease (iii their pursuit of Te Kooti), and that, should Te Kooti, after an arrangement of this kind had been concluded, disregard or break through it, he (Te Kooti) should be at once arrested. This concluded this part of his speech. In the evening he spoke in the language of figures : For example—he compared the land to the sky above in point of value; he compared, also, the blood of the slain to that of the priesthood or first-born. This, of course, had immediate reference to the taking of Waikato. Each subject occupying about an hour in delivery. On the next morning, he spoke again in figurative language. He said: —" I myself will carry you to the temple of your forefather, Israel; whether by the strength of the swoid or by the arts of peace time will tell." The interpretation of these words is as follows : I will carry you back to the land which your father, Potatau, possessed ; whether by force of arms, or by the milder negotiations of peace, will by-and-bye be seen. At this stage I replied to his words thus. I said—" Not indeed by force of arms, but only and entirely by the negotiations and endeavours of peace." He replied—" Yes, indeed, by peaceful means alone." Here is another figure which he made use of, viz., "Eight years of fighting with the sword, and eight years without fighting ; eight years of rain, and eight years of drought; eight years of famine ; eight years of plenty." I replied to these sayings thus. I said—" What you say in each of these cases is to the same effect, and they have already been verified. The eight years of the sword have been fulfilled, and we have now entered upon the eight years of peace, which is to be a lasting one." Manuwhiri replied—" Yes, it is even so, it shall be a lasting peace." Just at this time a messenger arrived from Tauranga to Manuwhiri, with reference to the telegraph, to this effect—"That, as soon as the Maoris pulled it down, the Europeans put it up ;" but I did not hear what Manuwhiri said in reply to this man's statement. Before this man left, a native of the Ngatiraukawa arrived with a letter from Hori, a chief of the Ngatiraukawa, asking as to what should be done in respect of four Arawa chiefs who had come to Aotearoa— Te Herewini Amohau and his companions. Manuwhiri and Bewi g-ave instructions that they should come to the Kuiti. Here I saw a letter from the Arawa—from Petera Pukuatua, and from Temuerea Amohau; the letters contained words to the following effect: "Be not displeased with those four messengers —they are merely the heralds—the main body will come presently. When the tree out of which the canoe is made is divided into two parts, the work may then be said to be near its completion.* These messengers returned during the night. Our conversation was here resumed. I said to Manuwhiri —" As I came along through the many settlements, I heard but one opinion expressed ; it was spoken by Neha Te Koroitu ; it was to this effect—That I was the proper person to do the work (that is, to carry out the negotiations for peace in Waikato)." Manuwhiri enquired—"What was the word you allude to?" I replied—" He (Neha) joined his hands together, symbolical of one united body or people." Manuwhiri '"'This is in reference to present negotiations for peace —that they approach to a satisfactory conciusion.