Nga Tapa, Poverty Bay 1869

The following description of Ngatapa (or Nga Tapa) is taken from Colonel Porter's Life of Ropata Wahawaha:—"The hill fort of Ngatapa was the most picturesque and formidable of any the forces in New Zealand had to contend with during the war. It towered above all the high surrounding country, quite impressing one with its impregnable strength, commanding every possible approach of an attack. The front of the position was defended by three lines of parapets and trenches, each connected by covered ways. The first or outer line of defence was about 250 yds. in length, its wall being 8 ft. page 410in height, each flanking angle terminating upon the scarped cliff at each flank of the fort. The second line of parapet was about 10 ft. in height, and the third, protecting the houses upon the summit of the hill, was at least 16 ft. high, surmounted with sand bags, or rather Maori kits [baskets], in approved European style, between which were loopholes for firing. These sand bags were no doubt adopted by Te Kooti in the emergency of a hasty defence, not having time to erect the usual Maori palisades, found by experience to be so effective in repelling assault by storming. The whole fort covered a considerable area of ground, and the natives say that it was in generations gone by the site of an old pa of their ancestors." See Fig. 118, p. 411.