oast of the Bay of
Plenty stirred up the fires of discord again, when a worthy old Church
of England missionary named Mr. Volkner was seized, and, after some
savage rites had been performed, was hanged on a willow tree as a
victim. More fighting followed, in which a large share was taken by a
Maori chief named Ropata, who, clad in European uniform and with the
title of Major Ropata, fought stoutly against the Hau Haus, and captured
several pahs.

#14. Te Kooti.#--When the last of these pahs was captured an English
officer declared that one of the friendly chiefs named Te Kooti was
playing false and acting as a spy. Thinking to do as Governor Grey had
done with Rauparaha, this officer seized the chief, who, without trial
of any sort, was sent off to the Chatham Islands, a lonely group 300
miles away, which New Zealand was now using as a penal establishment for
prisoners. This conduct was quite unfair, as Te Kooti, so far as can now
be known, was not a spy, and was friendly to the English.

Nearly 300 Maoris were on the Chatham Islands, most of them Hau Hau
prisoners. They were told that if they behaved well they would be
allowed to return in two years. When two years were past and no signs of
their liberation appeared, Te Kooti planned a bold escape. An armed
schooner, the _Rifleman_, having come in with provisions the Maoris
suddenly overpowered the twelve soldiers who formed their guard, and
seized the vessel. One soldier was killed whilst fighting, but all the
rest were treated gently. The whole of the Maoris went on board and then
the crew were told that unless they agreed to sail the vessel back to
New Zealand they would all be killed. Day and night Maori guards
patrolled the deck during the voyage, and one of them with loaded gun
and drawn sword always stood over the helmsman and compelled him to
steer them home. They reached the shores of New Zealand a little north
of Hawke Bay, and landed, taking with them all the provisions out of
the vessel, but treating the crew in a kindly way. A ship was sent round
with soldiers who attacked the runaways, but they were too few, and too
hastily prepared, so that Te Kooti easily defeated them. Three times was
he attacked by different bodies of troops, and three times did he drive
off his assailants. Cutting a path for himself through the forests, he
forced his way a hundred miles inland to a place of security. But his
people had no farms, and no means of raising food in the