The Battle of Moutoa.

155

a mile long, and, near the middle, some ten chains wide. The lowerend is covered with fern and scrub ; the upper end consists of a longbank of boulders and shingles. Between Tawhitinui and the upper endof Moutoa is a strong, deep rapid ; and between Banana and the loweris a shallow rapid.

In the beginning of May, 1864, a war-party of Hauhaus, number-ing 140, led by a chief called Matene, under the direction of theprophet Te Ua, came down the Wanganui River , and landed atTawhitinui, where, at the time, were a small kainga and a weather-board church. They sent word to the Wanganui Maoris at Banana that they wished to go down the river to Wanganui Town. TheBanana men inquired for what purpose. After some equivocation,the Hauhaus admitted that their object was “ to drive the Pakehasinto the sea from whence they had come.” The Wanganuisrefused toallow them to pass; and it was arranged—Maori fashion—that a fightshould take place on Moutoa Island the next day.

On the following morning, May 14th, 1864, the Wanganuis,numbering about 300, under Haimona Hiroti, Hemi Nape, Keretite Hiwitahi, and Mete Kingi, crossed the shallow rapid at the footof Moutoa, marched to the upper end of the island, and found theHauhaus coming over in their canoes. The Wanganui men fired,without result, which made many of them believe that Te Ua’s claimof invulnerability for his followers was true. The Hauhaus returnedthe fire, and the first volley killed Hemi and Kereti. The Hauhausthen charged, shouting their war-cry, “ Hau, hau ! Pai marire ! Hau,hau !” (“ Hauhau” seems to be the imitation of the bark of a faith-

ful watch-dog. “ Pai marire ” may be translated, “ Good and Peace-ful,” which, all things considered, seems inappropriate). The Wanganui men fled, many of them crossing the lower rapid in disorderly retreat.

A party consisting of a dozen natives belonging to the KauaeroaB.C. Mission Station had, by direction of Father Lampila, been placedin ambush in a wood on the L. bank, opposite the upper end of theisland. These were commanded by Lay-Brother Euloge ; and, at theopportune moment, they fired into the flank and rear of the pursuers,killing Te Ua.* The Hauhaus hesitated in confusion, they (accordingto one account) being “ fearfully frightened,” while the Wanganuiswere “ frightfully afraid.” Haimona now exclaimed “ See ! the Hau-haus can be killed ! ”

Mete Kingi called out: “I will retreat no further! ” and suc-ceeded in rallying the Wanganuis, who turned back on the Hauhaus,and drove them to the N. end of the island. Here, under fire fromthe pursuing force of double their number, as well as from the ambushon the L. bank, many plunged into the river, not waiting to launchtheir canoes. Some were shot in the water and some were toma-hawked. Matene swam for the B. bank, and was just crawling out ofthe water, when a man named Moro overtook him, caught hold of hisclothes, and tomahawked him. For this he obtained the surname of“ Te Bukuwai ” (The Diver.)

* Another account says that Te Ua was among those who survived, and thathe was afterwards killed on the West Coast.