1821 or 1822.

A party of the Bay of Islanders (Ngapuhi) touched at Tamaki Heads on their way to Maketu, on a war expedition against Te Arawa; and another party, under Koperu, came down from the Bay in canoes and attacked Mauinaina, but were repulsed by Ngatipaoa, assisted by Apihai and Ngaoho, and Koperu was killed. Apihai and his party came from and returned to Mangere.

Hongi Hika, the great Ngapuhi chief, in command of a powerful party of the Northern natives, armed with guns, went up the Frith of the Thames and took by assault a large pa at Totara, near the mouth of the Thames, held by Ngatimaru and the Thames tribes. The slaughter was very great, and the strength of the tribe was much weakened. In the same year Apihai and his people united with several of the Waikato tribes and started on a war expedition through Rotorua to Hawke's Bay; thence they went on to Wellington, and returned back through Taranaki to Waikato and home. They were away nine months, and during their absence in 1823, Hongi Hika attacked Mauinaina (Panmure) Pa and captured it trom Ngatipaoa. Those who escaped fled for the most, part up the Waikato, while some joined their friends at Maungatautari. The loss of life appears to have been very great, and Hongi remained there many days feasting; then hauled his canoes over the portage at Onehunga, sailed across the Manukau to Waiuku, again hauled his canoes across the portage one and three-quarter miles into the Awaroa river, near its source, thence down the Awaroa, straightening the channel where the length of his large canoes required more room, and passed up into the Waikato river. He sailed quickly up the Waikato and Waipa rivers, driving all the inhabitants, men, women, and children, before him until he arrived before a great pa at Matakitaki, on a high sandcliff at the place where the Mangapouri river flows into the Waipa. The total population of the Waikato country seems to have collected here; and here, also, some of the remnants of Ngatipaoa, who fled from Mauinaina, sought a refuge. Hongi attacked the place at once, and took it. The slaughter which ensued was very great. Mr. Cowell, who at the same time was living at the Bay, and who saw Hongi start and return, says that above 2,000 people were killed, and many heads were brought back to the Bay. Some of the Ngatiwhatua joined Hongi in this expedition, but I can find no explanation of this singular circumstance. Hongi returned to the Bay after a year's absence. When Apihai and his tribe returned from their Southern invasion, they found that all these events had taken place. Mauinaina, which he left a flourishing settlement, was desolated and vacant, and the survivors of the slaughter, who fled from Mauinaina were either dispersed among their friends up the Horotiu or had been killed at Matakitaki.page 70It appears probable, also, that those of his own tribe whom he had left behind him at Mangere, and scattered about the country across to the Waitemata, had fled away to the broken country known as the Manukau Ranges, where they at all times of great danger appear to have found certain refuge. Apihai and his people took up their abode at Hikurangi, the wooded district to the north of Manukau heads, and Oneonenui, in Southern Kaipara. From thence they moved to Waikumete (Little Muddy Creek), a small stream flowing into the Manukau, and finally settled down along with Ruka Taurua and some Ngatitahinga (Waikato) people at Te Rehu (Low and Motion's), a small stream flowing into the Waitemata. During nearly two years Te Rehu appears to have been their principal domicile, though they occasionally visited Pahurihuri, in Kaipara, and had also some small cultivations at Okahu, and at the place where Auckland now stands.

This year (according to Heteraka) Ngatipaoa organised and sent from Waikato, under Purehurehu, Heteraka's father, a war expedition against Te Parawhau, (Ngapuhi), living at Whangarei; and another Ngatipaoa taua started under Te Rauroha, their chief, who made a successful attack against the same tribe, and killed Kaipia, and took Kahungau prisoner.