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Tales of Banks Peninsula

Capture Of Te Mai Hara Nui

Capture Of Te Mai Hara Nui.

About a year after the raid on Panau, Te Mai hara nui was captured in Akaroa Harbour by Te Rauparaha, the noted warrior chief of Kapiti, who came, accompanied by. one hundred and seventy men, in an English trading ves sel, for the express purpose of securing his person The anxiety displayed by Rauparaha for the capture of this particular chief was caused by the determination to obtain the most distinguished member of the Ngai Tahu tribe, as payment for his near relative Te Pehi, who, in his opinion, was treacherously put to death by members of that tribe at Kaiapoi, but who, in the opinion of those who killed him, was lawfully executed for his treacherous designs upon those who were hospitably entertaining him. Considering the circumstances that preceded the death of Te Pehi and his companions, the Kaiapoi residents had reasonable grounds for being suspicious respecting the intentions of their visitors. For Rauparaha arrived with a large armed force, uninvited, and without warning, before their pa, and red handed from the slaughter of their clansmen at Omihi, whom he had been provoked to attack by a silly threat uttered by one of their chiefs. The threat was that "If Rauparaha ever dared to come upon his territory he would rip his body open with a barracouta tooth," The defiant words were no sooner reported to Rauparaha than he accepted the challenge, and having fitted out a fleet of war canoes, and manned them with his choicest warriors, be crossed the straits and coasted down as far as Kaikoura, where he attacked and killed the vain boaster, and destroyed every pa in the neighbourhood. As the population was too numerous to be put to death, he sent a page 36large number away to Kapiti in charge of a detachment of his canoe fleet, while he himself proceeded further [unclear: south] with the remainder. Landing at Waipara, he drew up his canoes, and marched overland to Kaiapoi, where his arrival caused the. greatest consternation. He tried to quiet the alarm by assurances that his visit was a friendly one, and that he had only come to purchase greenstone. To convince the people of the truthfulness of his statement, he sent several of his officers of highest rank into the pa, and amongst them his esteemed relative and general, Te Pehi. By entrusting them with so many valuable lives, Rauparaha succeeded in reassuring the people, and allaying their fears For although they learnt the sad fate of their friends at Omihi from one who escaped, they were obliged to admit the justice of their punishment, for a mortal insult such as the Kaikoura chief had offered to so renowned a warrior, could only be wiped out with blood.

For many days the inhabitants of Kaiapoi treated their guests with profuse hospitality, and dealt liberally with them in their bargains for greenstone, when ail at once their worst suspicions were revived by Hakitara, a Ngapuhi native, who had lived many years with them, and who had been staying by invitation in Rauparaha's camp. He returned early one morning with the news that he had overheard daring the night, the discussion in a council of war, of plans for the seizure of the place, and that they might be quite sure that treachery was meditated against them. His report received confirmation from the altered demeanour of their guests, who grew insolent and exacting in their demands for greenstone. The Kaiapoi natives, after a short consultation, determined in self-defence to strike the first blow, and at a concerted signal they fell upon the northern chiefs and put them all to death. Rauparaba was overwhelmed with grief and rage when he learnt the fate of his friends, but, not having a sufficient force to avenge them, he retired to Waipara, after killing a few travellers who fell into his bands, and there he re [unclear: embarked] in his war canoes, and returned to Kapiti

Safe in his island fortress, he occupied himself for some page break
Te Pehi.

Te Pehi.

page 37time in devising a scheme of revenge. The plan he at length adopted was to engage the captain of an English vessel to carry him and a body of his men to Akaroa Harbour, where he hoped to secure Te Mai hara nui. The following is the account of the voyage given to me by lhaia Pouhawaiki, who accompanied Rauparaha's expedition: —"We sailed from Kapiti in Captain Stewart's brig. There were one hundred and Seventy men, under the command of Te Rauparaha, Te Rangi hae ata, Te Hiko, Tungia, Mokau, Te mai he kia, and others. On reaching Akaroa Harbour we carefully concealed ourselves in the hold, while Captain Stewart refused to have any communication with the shore until Te Mai hara nui arrived. For seven days and nights we waited for that chief, who was away at Wairewa, superintending the preparation of a cargo of scraped flax for one of his European customers. Captain Stewart sent repeated messages to him to hasten his coming, and on the eighth day he arrived, accompanied by his wife, Te Whe, and his little daughter, Nga roi mata. He was cordially welcomed on reaching the deck by the captain, who took him below to the cabin. He was hardly seated before a door opened, and Te Rauparaha entered, accompanied by several of his companions, who at once seized Te Mai hara nui, and taunted him with his simplicity in permitting himself to be so readily entrapped. After the seizure of Te Mai hara nui, the shore canoes were encouraged to approach the vessel, but as soon as the occupants came on board they were led to the hatchway and thrown down the hold. Amongst those who were caught in this way were Apera Pukenui, the late chief of Port Levy, Paurini, and many others. Canoes continued to come off for many hours, as there was no suspicion of foul play, it being a very usual thing for Maoris to remain for some time on board the traders that frequented the port. On the second day after Te Mai hara nui's capture, Te Rauparaha attacked Takapuneke very early in the morning. The place was unfortified and undefended. About one hundred persons were killed, and fifty taken on board as prisoners. After the destruction of the kainga, page 38 the vessel sailed away for Kaipiti. Daring the voyage Te Mai hara nui smothered bis little daughter, Nga roi mata, appropriately named The Tears, less she should become the wife of one of his enemies. His captors were very muoh enraged with him for doing so, and fearing he might commit saicide, and escape the punishment in store for him, they secured his hands, and then fastened him by a hook paced under his chin to the cross beams of the hold. The torture occasioned exquisite suffering, which waa watched with satisfaction by his vindictive enemies. On reaching Kapiti, Te Mai hara nui was handed over to the widows of the chiefs billed at Kaiapoi, who put him to death by slow and nameless tortures." Base as the means adopted for his capture were, and cruel as his fate was, it is impossible to feel much pity for Te Mai bara nui. His punishment was hardly worse than he deserved, since the treatment he received at the bands of his enemies was little more than a repetition of the cruelties he had himself perpetrated on members of his own tribe.