The Village Fortress.

In 1869, there stood on the north bank of the Mohaka river, and overlooking the sea, two pas, an old one called Te Huki, and a more modern one called Hiruharama (Jerusalem), and the latter was built under the following circumstances. On the table-land stands the Maori village of Mohaka built in accordance with the old Maori ideas of warfare. It was what was considered a strong pa before the coming of the white man, and even when the deadly firearms were introduced it made for efficient defence, as only artillery fire could page 196damage the palisading. But there came a time when the hearts of the Maoris grew restless. Some had seen the fighting pas of the Pakehas, and were much troubled about their own methods of construction. It was therefore proposed to build a new pa, and a long korero took place and among the arguments employed taihoa largely figured, though a mystic turn was given to the debate when the old minister came to speak. "Friends," he said, "I am an old man now, and must soon depart. Let us build a pa up here in the centre of the flat where we can fire on all sides, and let us build after both Maori and Pakeha style, and let us call it Jerusalem. Let it be a refuge for our women and children. Friends, I have looked into the future. Some of you say there will be no war. I tell you the weeds will not be high on my grave before war will be here." A new pa was, therefore, built, the palisades being supported by stone walls, and all arrangements made to keep up a flanking fire. Water was deficient, but there was a good spring about 400 yards to the east of the pa and specially commanded by gun-fire…. Now the pa is finished. The little children play around the angles, and the women go forth to the tillage. As the dusk fell the long files of weary ones went toiling up the hill to their haven. The old minister's grave looked red and round but the weeds were beginning to show. Sometimes around the fire the old women would remind each other of his words, while the young ones, unheeding, built love-castles in the air. Some days they went forth as usual to the kumara fields, a fog would float up the river, and the trees would page 197look through the mist like marching men. A shudder would come over them as they gazed….