Pari-hamore Pa, near New Plymouth

This pa is situated on a ridge end about 200 yds. S.W. of Puke-tarata, described at p. 215. There is nothing very remarkable in its site or defences, but it serves as an illustration of a pa carved out of the end of a spur projecting out from a plateau lying to the south. In Okoare and Puke-tarata we have isolated hills of an elongated form divided into several sections by cross defences, and with the highest lying area the most strongly defended, as is common in native forts. If driven from the outer residential terraces of these places, the defenders would retreat to the upper part or crest of the hill, with its two or more divisions. If one of these fell to the enemy, page 327the defender would retire behind the next line of defence, and so on, the tihi (summit, citadel, strongest defence) being the last stand.

The outstanding features in connection with Pari-hamore are a deep fosse cutting off the defended area from the base of the spur, scarped sides, with residential terraces formed below the superior scarp on the sloping side of the spur.

The ridge on which the pa is situated lies about N.N.W. and S.S.E. Its eastern side presents a steep bluff, while to the west it slopes down to a swampy creek, probably the water supply of the place. The northern end of the ridge breaks down to the low ground near Puke-tarata pa.

The fosse at A (See Fig. 89 above) is the most important defence of this pa, for from the south alone would an attacking force be on a level with the defences. In any other part, after ascending the natural slope, a steep escarpment would be encountered, with a superimposed parapet in some parts, and certainly a heavy stockade on scarp brow or parapet.

The remains of a parapet are seen on the northern or inner side of the fosse at A, and that fosse is now 15 ft. deep and 30 ft. from brow to brow. The lower terrace on the western side runs into the western end of the fosse, rising as it does so. All earthworks show much erosion and this fort is not so well preserved as Puke-tarata. At the south end of the western brink of the upper area are remains of a parapet on the top of the scarped face.

At B is a scarp fifteen feet in height, at the base of which is a fosse. The outer scarp of the fosse, which is forty feet from brow to brow, is the southern base of a semi-circular terrace seven yards wide and about ten feet below the level of the upper area. The outer side of this small terrace breaks down in a 15 ft. scarp to a lower terrace that runs right round the western face to the fosse A, and is 20 ft. to 25 ft. lower than the upper terrace which is not continued to the southern end of the defences. Terraces are about 20 ft. wide.

A curious feature in these two terraces is the manner in which they lose their terrace-like aspect at certain places and resolve themselves into a fosse with a heavy outer rampart, as illustrated in the cross section. The upper terrace runs into the western end of B fosse, and D marks the old entrance passage from the lower terrace. The entrance up the outer scarp was probably at E, where the spur drops down to the low ground. There would be at least one other and smaller entrance on the western side.

An examination of the western terraces tends to show that three different forms obtained-(1) a flat terrace; (2) a flat terrace with outer parapet; (3) an inner fosse and heavy outer wall or rampart. Below the lower terrace the ground falls steeply to the creek. The page 328changing of fosses into flat terraces, and again into trench and rampart, is of much interset. There was some definite object in this not clear to the observer.

This fort has an altitude superior to that of Puke-tarata and commands a fine view of land and sea. But few storage pits were noted here. It is situated near the Tehe-nui stream, and was occupied by Ngati-Tupari-kino, a clan of the Atiawa tribe. Some particulars concerning this place and its folk may be found at p. 243 of the Maori History of the Taranaki Coast.