could order both, being Governor, Commander-in-Chief,
Lord High Admiral, and everything else, in New Zealand. Finally, he could
speak, face to face, with the Maoris, friends and enemies in the name of
the Queen.

On the "Elphinstone" he had devoted his hours to the study of Maori,
following his principle, 'You cannot govern a race to the best advantage
unless you are able to communicate with them in their own language. They
will receive you more intimately if you thus meet them; they will tell
you things which they would not care to confide to an interpreter.
Moreover, to know the language of a people is a great assistance to the
entire understanding of them, their needs and characteristics. My Maori
helped me enormously, and the language, with its rich folk-lore and
tradition, fascinated me as I grew in knowledge of it.'

The main stronghold of Heke and Kawiti was a pa designated, in Maori,
Ruapekapeka, of which the English equivalent is 'Bat's Nest.' Here the
Maoris were in martial clover, having reasoned with themselves: 'We'll
build a pa the Pakehas can't take, if we are behind its walls. We await
them in this place, and if they want us, just let them come on.' That was
Sir George Grey's summary of the resistance which the English forces,
moving to invest Ruapekapeka, had to meet. Fortune smiled, and exacted
little as return sacrifice.

'Our force,' he narrated, 'was strengthened by a detachment of friendly
Maoris under the command of Waka Nene, a grizzled warrior. He was my
chief adviser among the Maoris, and his services were of the utmost value
to me. Waka Nene recognised the necessity, in New Zealand, of a
government which could control both races. The former mistake, of trying
to storm a well-defended pa, was replaced at Ruapekapeka by an artillery
bombardment. Having made myself familiar with the method of warfare
pursued by the Maoris, I decided this to be our line of tactics. They
could use their Tower muskets with effect, but of artillery they had
none, except a few old ship's guns, which they would have been better
without.

'We had pounded the "Bat's-Nest" heavily, when, on a Sunday, Waka Nene's
brother, Wi Waka, made out, from our front, that it seemed to be more or
less empty. The Maoris had gone to a sheltered spot to celebrate divine
service, thinking perhaps that Sunday was not a battle day with us. They
relied upon our observing Sunday for praise and rest, unaware that
Christian nations have do