ked the town, and when the inhabitants withdrew to a stockade
they had made, a fight took place which lasted for five hours, after
which the Maoris burnt the town and retreated, carrying off all the
cattle. Two months later, Governor Grey reached Wanganui, with 500 men.
He chased the Maoris up the valley and fought them, gaining a decisive
victory over them with the loss of two white men killed. He gave them no
rest till the chiefs applied for peace, and early in the next year a
meeting was held, and the principal chiefs of the district promised to
obey the Queen's laws. The war had lasted five years, had cost a million
pounds, and the lives of eighty-five white men, besides those of perhaps
a hundred Maoris.

The English Government withdrew the larger part of the soldiers from New
Zealand; but the colonists, to make themselves safe, enrolled a body
they called the New Zealand Fencibles. They were all old soldiers who
had retired from the British army, and who were offered little farms and
a small payment. Five hundred came out from England on these terms, and
were placed in four settlements round Auckland for the protection of
that town. They were really farmers, who were paid to be ready to fight
if need should arise. With their wives and children they made a
population of 2,000 souls.

In this same year Rauparaha was allowed to go home. He was surprised at
the permission and grateful for it; but he was an old man and died in
the following year. In 1850 Honi Heke died, but Rangihaeata lingered on
till 1856, giving no further trouble.

Governor Grey dealt fairly with the Maoris. He paid them for their
lands. He hung such white men as murdered them. He set up schools to
educate their children, and distributed ploughs and carts, harrows and
horses, and even mills, so that they might grow and prepare for
themselves better and more abundant food than they had ever known
before.

CHAPTER XXVI.

NEW ZEALAND, 1843-1890.

#1. Otago.#--Meantime the New Zealand Company had not been idle, and
E. G. Wakefield's busy brain was filled with fresh schemes. In 1849 an
association had been formed at Glasgow in connection with the Free
Church of Scotland, to send Scottish families out to New Zealand. Not
knowing anything of the country, the new association asked the help of
the New Zealand Company, which was readily given, as the new settlers
proposed to buy land from the company. In 1844 an exploring party was
sent out,