timber, and
flax, and joyfully sailed back to New Zealand.

"All his life, Hongi was very friendly to the missionaries, as well as
to traders from Sydney. But the former never converted him. He remained
a ferocious manslayer and cannibal to the last. Yet it was owing to this
chief that missionaries gained a first footing in the country.

"Hongi's great idea was to make himself king of all New Zealand. In
pursuance of this plan he armed his fighting men with fire-arms, and
when they were drilled in the use of them, he started on a grand maraud
all through the island. His notion of kingly power seems to have been to
kill and eat, or enslave, every other tribe but his own. He certainly
slew his thousands; and utterly depopulated the country wherever he
went.

"The Ngatewhatua, whose country lay all round these waters, were the
ancient foemen of the Ngapuhi; consequently, they were among the first
to experience Hongi's new mode of civilizing. A great battle was fought
up on the Wairoa, where two or three thousand of our fellows were
discomfited by Hongi's army. The fugitives came down the rivers and
rallied again. Every man of the Ngatewhatua who was able to bear arms,
took up his mere and patu and spear, and went forth to fight for his
fatherland. They fought the invading Ngapuhi all the way down from the
Wairoa, as they marched through the forests between this and Mangapai.

"But badly-armed bravery had little chance against the superior
equipment of Hongi's bands. Do all they might, the Ngatewhatua could not
stay the progress of their foes. When, at last, the invaders drove them
as near as the Maungaturoto bush, our tribe gave way in despair, and
came back to this place. They had still one hope, one refuge, the
hitherto unconquered Marahemo Pa.

"Into that pa, then, where we stood this morning, crowded the whole
population of the district--men, women, and children. Here they would
make their last despairing stand. The attack would come from the
north-east, consequently this bay would be in rear; and in it the canoes
were drawn up for flight, if that were necessary.

"Then Hongi and his ruthless army swept out of the woods, and rushed
upon Marahemo. They surrounded the hill, and, advancing to the
fortifications, poured in a hot fire. Frightful were the losses among
the besieged; and little could they do in return, spears and stones
being their only missiles. Still, they held out for three days, their
crowded ranks