Muru-Paenga's first expedition.
1810.

The earliest of these northern expeditions that can be traced relates to the first expedition of the Ngati-Whatua tribe of Kaipara under their distinguished warrior chieftain, Muru-paenga. From a consideration of the circumstances this foray must be placed at about the year 1810. We know few particulars of Muru-paenga's doings on this occasion, though in the early sixties I had the opportunity and did hear much about him from the Kaipara people, but not then recognising their value, failed to record them. Enquiries made of late years have failed to do more than establish the fact of the expeditions having taken place—the old men who knew the particulars of them are long since dead.

The expedition came down the coast, but whether the members of it were treated as enemies or friends in the northern part of the district is not known. We first hear of it at Manu-korihi pa, on the north bank of Waitara, where the hapu of the same name lives, and who, as has been shown, were related to the Ngati-Rongo hapu of Ngati-Whatua, through Te Raraku of that tribe, as has been explained. Consequently the party were welcomed by the local people and stayed there some time. Muru-paenga himself was also connected with Ngati-Rongo, and so we may suppose was all the more welcome. From Manu-korihi the party continued their journey into the territories of the Taranaki tribe, where, says Mr. Skinner, "Muru-paenga was so delighted with the country and its fertility, its stores of food, the beauty and variety of the flax growing so luxuriantly in all parts, the quality of the mats, or Kaitaka cloaks—the finest and best in all New Zealand it is said, that he broke forth into song and composed a waiata, which is still sung by the people of Taranaki, in which he chanted the praises of page 273the land be had come to desolate." It is said that Tatara-i-maka pa was attacked in this expedition; it may be so, but probably his doings in his second foray have been confused with this. But beyond this, no details have come down—unless, indeed, some of the incidents to be described in the next raid really belong to that of Muru-paenga's. The northern invaders, in this raid, had no guns, but were armed with their Maori weapons.

It was this expedition that gave rise to the following song:—

Na Muru-paenga ra, tana kawenga mai,
I kite ai au i nga moana nei,
Kowai ka matau ki to tau e awhi ai.
Tera ano ia nga mahi i ako ai,
Kei nga hurihanga ki Okehu ra-i-a.

Thro' Muru' was I hither brought,
And then first saw these seas so strange,
Who knows if some other lover
Within thine arms has been embraced?
Yonder my affections are bestowed
At the bends and turns at Okehu.

The above was composed and sung by a young woman of good birth, who had been taken prisoner by Muru-paenga's party and carried to the north. She had left behind at Tarakihi, near Warea, her lover Puia-tu-awa; but was solicited to become the wife of one of the taua—hence her song.