Wars of the Mataatua and Arawa Tribes.

Friend ! We will own go forth and look upon the lands of the ancient Marangaranga, and I will point out to you the battle-grounds where our forefathers defeated the multitudes of Hacaua and Raepohatu. But do not carry that bag of money with you, nor yet your pipe, nor yet any food. And do not tell your pakeha friends that I have shown to you the mauri of Rangitaiki, or they may come and interfere with it and destroy its virtues and then wo shall no longer catch any fish in that river. Then I will point out to you where we fought the Tuhoe at Oputara and we will look upon the defences of that ancient fort.

And in the spot whore the sun shines so brightly upon us, and in the sight of Putauaki and Tarawera and Tawhi- page 24 uau and Pekepeke and Kakarahunui—those great mountains that saw the deeds of our ancestors—I will tell you of the wars of old, and the customs of our forefathers. You shall see the abode of Ngarangihangu, that dread taniwha of old; and of Te Turi-o-Hine-nga-wari, the tupua of Wai-irohia; and of Hine-i-wharona at Te Puta-kotare who is the patron demon of eels; and those which bear her mark, which is a stripe or band, are sacred eels, and must not be cooked and eaten in an ordinary manner or evil will surely come upon the people.

Friend! Some men in this world possess wisdom and some do not. There are many, very many pakehas, who despise and laugh at our ancient knowledge, and truly is that knowledge a hidden thing from such men. But you who possess the kura-huna of Tainui and of Takitimu, and I who know the history of Mataatua—we will talk together of the days of old, and you shall hear of our arrival in this land twenty long generations ago. And of the people whom we found here—and of those things that are troubling you—the rua-kohn and umukaha and wbakaparu-wahine and many others. And you shall make a book, even a large book of these things. And that book shall remain for our descendants to gather knowledge from, even in the days to come.

Such were the words of an aged friend of mine on the occasion of his last visit to me, when he gave me many valuable genealogies and traditions of the men of Mataatua. It is to his keen interest in such things that I owe much of the matter herein given, but I regret to say that he has left the World of Light and has gone to join the men of old of whom he ioved to talk, May his lines [unclear: le] cast in pleasant places in the Concealed Land of Tane. And his last words to me were these :—

O Son ! Be strong to endure. Think not of the world of to-day for it [unclear: l] of evil. Rather let your [unclear: thought] to the rescue of our ancestors [unclear: d] oblivion, that all men may [unclear: ko] their great deeds, Listen! [unclear: It] who taught you the old [unclear: proverd] mate he tete kura, ka ora he [unclear: tern] E Tauia! Who indeed is there [unclear: b] my place ? No ! They have [unclear: ali] before, and now 1 too am [unclear: goin] noho! Remain hi this world, [unclear: O] Remain in peace.

So this old warrior passed [unclear: s] from the Great White Worid for Haerara E koro E! Mou te [unclear: d] moku te tai po!