CHAPTER VI.
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CHAPTER VI.
The tranquillity that ensued was of short continuance, for the stormy passions of the savage breast were ever and anon lashing into wildness the dark waves of the restless sea. That no very lengthened period was permitted to elapse ere another furious hurricane swept over the fair land, is a matter of little or no astonishment, for the barbarian, like the man of unsanctified affections, is a creature of impulse, and circumstances alone are needed, in order to bring into full operation the "legion" that dwells within.
It would appear, that some real or imaginary wrong had been committed by Kawiti, to punish which an army of about two thousand, we are informed, took the field against him. The scene of contest was now at Kororareka, at which settlement Titore, a high-minded and influential chief, happened to be on a friendly visit. His retinue amounted to two hundred men; and when the hostile armies met outside the pah to decide their differences by the dreadful alternative of a bloody battle, Titore and his followers stepped in between the contending tribes, with the hope of effecting a reconciliation, which he happily succeeded in accomplishing for the time being, Rewharewha and his men having satisfied themselves by killing the pigs, and destroying the plantations of the Kororareka tribes. Most of Rewharewha's people had dispersed, and were scattered in little companies on their return to their respective villages, but a few were still hurrying hither and thither, in quest of booty; and one of Kawiti's adherents, -- enraged, it is presumed, at their insolence, fired a shot from the pah, and killed a woman. Hone Heke, --then a youth, and fighting against Kawiti, --observed the effect of this shot from an eminence near the pah, where he was standing. He immediately descended, gun in hand, fired into the fortification, and killed one of the enemy; then pounced upon Pomare, Kiwikiwi, and Kawiti, who were seated outside the railing of the pah, and made them prisoners; they were, however, liberated by the young chevalier, after disarming the latter of his gun, and the former of his richly ornamented sword. The forces of Rewharewha were speedily reassembled, and with great impetuosity engaged Kawiti, who was drawn up near his pah. The dying and the dead that lay around showed pretty clearly the terrific nature of the strife. The contest becoming more direful on the part of Rewharewha, the sage Kawiti deemed imprudent to retire to his fortress, from which he removed the women and children, drafting them in canoes to vessels which were lying at anchor off the strand. Rewharewha's party, supposing that they had accomplished the total defeat of the enemy, entered the pah
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for the purpose of pillage. Kawiti in the mean time returned, an engagement followed, and about two hundred victims fell. The brave and respected Titore threw himself again into the breach, and his mediation having been accepted, a reconciliation took place, and peace was proclaimed.
Very early the following morning, the inmates of the Kororareka fortress having injudiciously fired off their guns, Hone Heke, who still lingered in the neighbourhood, imagining that hostilities had re-commenced, marched with his detachment to the pah, fired into it, and killed several persons. As no movement was made by the army within the fort, Heke leisurely retired with his little band to the adjacent heights. It will thus be seen that Hone Heke, even in his youthful days, was courageous, determined, and compassionate. The latter quality we discern in the liberation of Pomare, Kawiti, and Kiwikiwi, when their lives were at his mercy, and it pre-eminently displayed itself in his humane treatment of our wounded soldiers who fell into his hands.
Several valiant chiefs of note fell in this domestic strife, but we have not been able to procure any of the laments composed, except a fragment in honour of Hengi. It may not be out of place to remark here, that the New Zealanders having no written language, all their songs, &c., are treasured up in their memories; the wonder is, therefore, that even fragments of their old laments can be obtained. Governor Sir George Grey has achieved no mean task, and acquired no ordinary fame, in rescuing hundreds of these valuable compositions from oblivion. That accomplished historian's researches, however, in regard to the more northern portion of New Zealand being comparaively limited, we are unable to derive much assistance from this high authority in tracing the outlines of our own rude picture. We subjoin the few lines alluded to:--
O! Hengi, thou art absent when the great
Assemblies of thy people meet, and when
The tribes sit round in companies. Why didst
Thou overlook the incantations used by our forefathers?
Ah! if the anger of the gods had been
Appeased, the friend beloved might then
Have urged his way into the thickest
Of the battle, and returned unhurt.
Owing to this serious outbreak, Kawiti made up his mind to take refuge at Otuihu with his friend Pomare Nehe. Previous to leaving the settlement, he addressed the Chiefs who had recently been at war with him, and, amongst other things, he said, "The only payment I can offer you for your dead is, the land on which they fell, namely, Kororareka. I am about to leave this place for ever,; and henceforth you must consider this land as yours." Now if this statement be true--and we have no reason to doubt its truthfulness -- the claim recently brought forward by Kawiti's people is most unjust and dishonourable. Kawiti virtually relinquished his claim to Kororareka by removing thence, and, independently of this, he deliberately, of his own free will, alienated the soil in favour of others. According to our law this cannot be effected) unless the parties subscribe their names to a succession of legal phrases, which learned gentlemen themselves find most difficult to expound; but in Maori usage, a simple "I give you this land" is far more binding than many folios.
By way of explanation, we may be permitted to state, that when the investiture of a great personage takes place it becomes necessary to make some demonstration--which is not limited, as in civilized usages, to certain prescribed forms, but is often attended with some daring act of violence, or injustice, so as to create some amount of public discussion, thereby securing to the honoured party a degree of notoriety highly calculated to flatter the vanity of himself, and friends.
Viewing the late movement of Kawiti's son at the Bay of Islands in this light, we are inclined to say much in extenuation of that martial display. We would say, however, that it will be as well for our Maori friends in future to confine their inaugurations within the boundaries of their own dominions.
Kawiti having removed his family and people from Kororarika, established himself at Otuihu with the hope of enjoying a little peace, for even the New Zealanders grow weary of slaughter. But Kawiti forgot that "there is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked;" they "are like the troubled sea, whose waters cast up mire and dirt." We do not mean to assert that Kawiti was more wicked than his countrymen generally; on the contrary, he had many redeeming qualities; but it is a solemn fact that all are esteemed wicked in the sight of God who are not converted--whose sins are unforgiven--whose carnal hearts have not undergone that vital change which, of necessity, tranquillizes the mind, and exalts the man to his proper scale of being. Civilization can never accomplish this mighty revolution in the heart. Our intellectual acquirements may be of the most extraordinary character, our discoveries in science may be profound and incalculable, and our taste may be of the most refined order; still there will be an aching void, and an utter absence of real happiness; but religion, the sweet harbinger of peace, comes to the rescue, --she
"Lays the rough path of peevish nature even,
And opens in the breast a little heaven."
