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The Pa Maori

Tapa-huarau No. 3 Pa

Tapa-huarau No. 3 Pa

We have already mentioned the trench cut across the ridge at the eastern end of No. 3 Pa. See A on Fig. 68, p. 259. This trench or fosse is 6 ft. deep at its northern end but almost filled with debris at its southern end. From this south end a terrace 10 ft. wide runs for 20 yds. round the southern side of the elevated area E; its inner scarp being 12 ft. high and now presenting a 1 in 1 batter. A fosse we ascend a 13 ft. scarp still holding a 3½ in 3 slope to find that its upper part is the face of a parapet still 3 ft. to 6 ft. high. This parapet has been so formed in order to heighten the eastern scarp of the E B area and so render it the more formidable. Ere abrasion had lowered the parapet and filled the fosse this scarp was certainly much more nearly vertical and probably not less than 17 ft. in height.

Area E is 9 yds. by 8 yds. in extent and carefully levelled, with parapets on its eastern and southern faces. On its western side is a 2 ft. trench at the base of the eastern scarp of area F.

Area B is also level and 3 ft. lower than E; it is 10 yds. by 8 yds. It carries the eastern parapet, 4 ft. high here, an 11 ft. scarp on the western side, and on the north a 6 ft. scarp down to terrace D, here 7 yds. wide. The eastern end of D shows a parapet 6 ft. high. About five yards below the level of D terrace is another wide one which apparently commences at the saddle east of A. Where the growth of gorse and fern is so prolific as hereabouts terraces are often obscured from view. Terrace D continues right along the northern slope of the ridge, below terrace C, to the end of the fort, but varying in width and also changing its level. In these fortified ridges the flank terraces often rise and fall in sympathy with the contour of the ridge top. Terraces C and D show inner scarps of 16 ft. in height, no mean defence in itself in pre-European days.

From area E an ascent of a scarp 9 ft. high lands the observer on area F. On its northern side, 5 ft. below the level of F commences terrace C which shows a small parapet 2½ ft. high on its outer edge for the first eleven yards, beyond which the terrace rises somewhat. The south and east rims of F area also show signs of former parapets, now much abraded.

Twelve feet below the south side of F area commences a terrace that runs round the steep hillside for some distance. See L on plan, p. 259. That terrace is the uppermost of a fine series of eight or nine similar ones that extend down the hillside to the flat far below. This fine array of carefully excavated terraces is most striking and page 259 Fig. 68—Tapa-huarau No. 2 pa, Taiamai district, North Auckland. (See p. 258.) Miss E. Richardson page 260must have presented a picturesque appearance when occupied by huts and stockades. They were not measured, however, and hence are not shown on the plan.

The ascent of a 5 ft. scarp west of F brings us up to area G, another levelled expanse 12 yds. long, on the western side of which is a fosse, 10 ft. wide and 4 ft. deep, at the base of the eastern scarp of H area. This scarp is 12 ft. in height and considerably abraded, exposed as it has been to every storm for about four generations without any care from a resident folk.

The areas marked H, I, J, and K represent the highest part of the fort, their different levels resulting from the originally longitudinally rounded form of the ridge top, the whole having been excavated into flat level areas at the least expenditure of labour. The scarp on the northern side of the uppermost areas is from 16 ft. to 20 ft. in height, and C terrace at its base is still 16 ft. wide though doubtless broken away as to its outer parts. The fine series of terraces below has been marred by a landslip. For some 60 yds. at its western end the southern face is remarkably steep and shows no terraces. Area J is the apex of the fort, and here are seen some takuahi or stone fireplaces. The differences in level of these summit areas average about 2 ft. at each break.

At M is a steep scarp of 18 ft. with a fosse at its base that was probably 8 ft. wide at the bottom originally. This fosse opens on to C terrace, which carries a parapet on 8 yds. of its brow here. Outside the fosse, between it and N, is an earthen wall with an inner scarp of 6 ft., and outer scarp of 12 ft. to 16 ft., with a trench at its base. Then come 21 yds. of a narrow ridge descending to a low saddle, then a 6 ft. drop scarp with a trench at O, then 16 yds. of razor back ridge to a deep fosse at P, of which the outer scarp to the west was originally about 12 ft. high. This is the lowest part of the saddle which, from this part carries a gentle upward slope for 20 yds. to merge into a very steep rise to the main ridge to the west. At the base of that steep rise a deep pit or fosse has been excavated part of the way across the saddle ridge, though its use as a defensive work is extremely doubtful. On the top of the western ridge, about 300 yds. from No. 3 pa, is a singular work consisting of an area 30 yds. by 9 yds. defended by a scarp with a trench at its base. Presumably this was an outpost of No. 3 pa, probably utilised as a post of observation from which any force advancing on Tapa-huarau could be observed. It also overlooks the old fort named Nga Puke-pango, situated on a ridge further west, or south west. On the hill near the above post is a terrace 20 ft. long and 10 ft. wide carefully excavated, which leads one to wonder if the old time folk had begun to form another complete page 261pa on this hill top. If so its interest lies in the proof that the work of excavating, scarping and terracing was commenced at the top of the hill. In ridge forts, where built up ramparts are a minor item, and much excavating of terraces was done, the disposal of spoil material would necessitate careful forethought.

We have seen that the three Tapa-huarau forts were connected by residential areas, that the series may be viewed almost as one fortified place possessing three stronghold centres. From this ridge Pouerua cone lies S.E. by E. and Maunga-tu-roto about due S. while Te Rua-hoanga is a little north of E. Another hill pa, name unknown, lies N.E. by N. about a mile distant, indeed there are three others in that vicinity, none of which were explored. Local residents speak of an old hill fort about six miles from Ohaeawai wherefrom a trench extends from the defences down to a swamp known as Wai-whariki. Possibly this was a protected way giving access to the water supply.

The three peaks of Tapa-huarau are of about the same height, with saddles between, that west of No. 3 being the lowest. The series of terraces on the southern slope of No. 3 possesses an element of interest in the fact that communication passages can still be discerned, showing the zigzag course taken by all ascending the series, an important factor when the place had to be defended against a resolute enemy, for it meant numerous flank attacks.

When the Rev. Samuel Marsden visited the Taiamai district in 1819 it seems to have had but few inhabitants, some of the fortified places being quite deserted. Thus we read in his Journal:—"There were evident traces of a large population. We passed near the ruins of two villages on the edge of this plain. They are now wholly uninhabited. A few potatoes I observed growing upon the sides of the hills on which they stood. They had been strongly fortified at no very distant period. The chief informed us that they belonged to him and his friends and at one time contained one thousand inhabitants each, but the inhabitants had been besieged and were compelled at length to yield to the enemy and to quit their strongholds. The hills are very high upon which the villages stood, and so strong by nature that they could not easily be taken unless the inhabitants were starved out."

As the writer does not give the names of the deserted fortified villages seen by him at Taiamai in 1819, we cannot be sure that the Tapa-haurau forts were the ones alluded to, though that seems to be the opinion of some local residents at the present time. It is, however, apparent that the district had at that time been partially depopulated.

On the margins of the creek at the base of Tapa-huarau, south side, it was interesting to see the taro (Colocasia antiquorum) page 262growing wild, as also in the very stream itself. Some of these so growing in the water were fine plants nearly 4 ft. high, with leaves 2 ft. long.

The late Archdeacon Walsh stated that Te Rua-hoanga was said to have been built by the chief Te Morenga and to have been the last of the old type of fort built in the Taiamai district.

In Fig. 69 we have the longitudinal section of a small and somewhat insignificant ridge pa at Whangarei. It illustrates a very common type of little interest found in many districts. A knoll on a narrow side spur has been scarped for defence and levelled in three small areas for hut sites. One side of the spur has a steep fall, the slope of the other side is more gradual. Like many other such places constructed on ridge spurs this pa could not be held against firearms. The single scarp is from 9 ft. to 14 ft. high, and is the only line of defence.

Fig. 69—Longitudinal and Cross Sections of a Small Fortified Position at Whangarei, North Auckland. Miss E. Richardson

There are a number of old pre-European forts about Whangarei, some of which can be seen as one proceeds to Onerahi by train, and down the harbour by boat, including some picturesque terraced hill forts.