18.9 Dating the Last Great Migration
319
This done, Rongo-ua-roa was taken into the pa that he might be shown publicly to Ta-wheta
and his party. Ue-nuku with his wounded son, had returned to where he had stood when he
was uttering the welcome to his visitors, but keeping Rongo-ua-roa on one side of him,
and out of sight of the visitors who were in the big house. Ue-nuku again began to speak
to them, and said, “Come hither, come hither. You are indeed Ta-wheta. Yes, you yourself
have come at last to see me. You are indeed come hither from our children; but are they
living or are they dead?” When Ta-wheta heard these words he bounded out of the house,
and said, “And who indeed is that god from the sky who is able to kill our children?” Then
it was that Ue-nuku said to Ta-wheta, “Our children are slain by you. Behold, here is the
only survivor.” At the same time he brought Rongo-ua-roa forward, and made him stand
in the open space before the door of the house, so that those within might see him. When
the visitors heard the words of Ue-nuku, and saw Rongo-ua-roa, they were seized with fear,
and would have fled, or have endeavoured to do so. At this time they could all have been
killed by Ue-nuku; but it was owing to his noble disposition that they were not. So he kept
them till his people had provided food and the visitors had partaken of it. Addressing them,
he said, “Do not fear. Remain quietly. Let the food which has been purposely prepared for
you be well and properly cooked and served; then eat it and depart.”
When they had partaken of the repast they all rose and left the pa in silence, and dragged
their canoes into the sea. While doing this the people of Ue-nuku clamoured to fall upon
and kill them; but Ue-nuku restrained his people, and harm did not come to the visitors.
When they were leaving the shore Ue-nuku called to Ta-wheta and said, “Depart peaceably, O Ta-wheta! Ere long I also will go thither to our children. You are not a warrior,
but an evil-doer.” Ta-wheta replied, “By what possible means indeed can you venture to
go thither – to the home of the many, of the thousands, and of the (little gods called)
Rorora (ant), and the Haku-turi (bow-legs, or those who murmur at their knees)?” Ue-nuku
answered, “Go away, depart. Soon I shall go thither. You will not escape me; in future you
will be devoured by grasshoppers. Your bravery in battle is slippery. Go away, depart.”
These were the last words of Ue-nuku to Ta-wheta and his party, and they returned to their
own place.
After this Ue-nuku stirred up his people to get the war-canoes ready for use. The topsides of these were newly tied together and caulked, and launched to go to war. Then it was
that Whati-ua (run from the rain) rose and spoke against going to war at once, and said,
“This is my opinion: first let the kumara and the karaka be ripe; then do you go by sea, but
I and my party will at once go by land. We will first engage our enemy, and break off the
tips of the branchlets of revenge for our sad loss. To-morrow morning we will start.”
As they were leaving the pa Ue-nuku called, and said, “Listen, friends. This is my word
to you: if you capture Pou-ma-tangatanga (or Pai-mahu-tanga) (loose post), let her live to
become a wife for me.”
The party, which consisted of seventy men, left on their march, and went inland over
hills, and travelled till nightfall, when they halted and slept. They travelled all the following day, and again on their march slept at night. On the third day they came in sight of
Rangi-kapiti (narrow pass in heaven), and halted till it was dark. In the night they went
stealthily and surrounded the big house – the house where visitors were entertained at that
place. The people of that district kept watch by night, but were not strict in such duty. When
the war-party got near to the house they were made aware that the god had joined with the
people in the house, and Hapopo (pulpy, rotten), the priest, was encouraging the people by
questioning the god in regard to the expected war-party, and the listening attacking party
overheard the conversation of Hapopo and the god. Hapopo said, “Speak to me, is the warparty at hand? We are here dwelling in great fear, not daring to sleep soundly at night.” The
god, whose name was Te-kanawa (war-weapon of the senior warrior one that has been an
heirloom for ages, old club; dazzle, shine brightly), replied, “No; there is not any war-party
near – nothing of the kind. Let us dwell together quietly, even as the ancient ones are, who
are far off, away in the sky.” These were the words spoken by the god through the medium,
whose name was Kahu-rangi (garment of heaven). Hapopo (rotten) again asked, “Tell me,
319
This done, Rongo-ua-roa was taken into the pa that he might be shown publicly to Ta-wheta
and his party. Ue-nuku with his wounded son, had returned to where he had stood when he
was uttering the welcome to his visitors, but keeping Rongo-ua-roa on one side of him,
and out of sight of the visitors who were in the big house. Ue-nuku again began to speak
to them, and said, “Come hither, come hither. You are indeed Ta-wheta. Yes, you yourself
have come at last to see me. You are indeed come hither from our children; but are they
living or are they dead?” When Ta-wheta heard these words he bounded out of the house,
and said, “And who indeed is that god from the sky who is able to kill our children?” Then
it was that Ue-nuku said to Ta-wheta, “Our children are slain by you. Behold, here is the
only survivor.” At the same time he brought Rongo-ua-roa forward, and made him stand
in the open space before the door of the house, so that those within might see him. When
the visitors heard the words of Ue-nuku, and saw Rongo-ua-roa, they were seized with fear,
and would have fled, or have endeavoured to do so. At this time they could all have been
killed by Ue-nuku; but it was owing to his noble disposition that they were not. So he kept
them till his people had provided food and the visitors had partaken of it. Addressing them,
he said, “Do not fear. Remain quietly. Let the food which has been purposely prepared for
you be well and properly cooked and served; then eat it and depart.”
When they had partaken of the repast they all rose and left the pa in silence, and dragged
their canoes into the sea. While doing this the people of Ue-nuku clamoured to fall upon
and kill them; but Ue-nuku restrained his people, and harm did not come to the visitors.
When they were leaving the shore Ue-nuku called to Ta-wheta and said, “Depart peaceably, O Ta-wheta! Ere long I also will go thither to our children. You are not a warrior,
but an evil-doer.” Ta-wheta replied, “By what possible means indeed can you venture to
go thither – to the home of the many, of the thousands, and of the (little gods called)
Rorora (ant), and the Haku-turi (bow-legs, or those who murmur at their knees)?” Ue-nuku
answered, “Go away, depart. Soon I shall go thither. You will not escape me; in future you
will be devoured by grasshoppers. Your bravery in battle is slippery. Go away, depart.”
These were the last words of Ue-nuku to Ta-wheta and his party, and they returned to their
own place.
After this Ue-nuku stirred up his people to get the war-canoes ready for use. The topsides of these were newly tied together and caulked, and launched to go to war. Then it was
that Whati-ua (run from the rain) rose and spoke against going to war at once, and said,
“This is my opinion: first let the kumara and the karaka be ripe; then do you go by sea, but
I and my party will at once go by land. We will first engage our enemy, and break off the
tips of the branchlets of revenge for our sad loss. To-morrow morning we will start.”
As they were leaving the pa Ue-nuku called, and said, “Listen, friends. This is my word
to you: if you capture Pou-ma-tangatanga (or Pai-mahu-tanga) (loose post), let her live to
become a wife for me.”
The party, which consisted of seventy men, left on their march, and went inland over
hills, and travelled till nightfall, when they halted and slept. They travelled all the following day, and again on their march slept at night. On the third day they came in sight of
Rangi-kapiti (narrow pass in heaven), and halted till it was dark. In the night they went
stealthily and surrounded the big house – the house where visitors were entertained at that
place. The people of that district kept watch by night, but were not strict in such duty. When
the war-party got near to the house they were made aware that the god had joined with the
people in the house, and Hapopo (pulpy, rotten), the priest, was encouraging the people by
questioning the god in regard to the expected war-party, and the listening attacking party
overheard the conversation of Hapopo and the god. Hapopo said, “Speak to me, is the warparty at hand? We are here dwelling in great fear, not daring to sleep soundly at night.” The
god, whose name was Te-kanawa (war-weapon of the senior warrior one that has been an
heirloom for ages, old club; dazzle, shine brightly), replied, “No; there is not any war-party
near – nothing of the kind. Let us dwell together quietly, even as the ancient ones are, who
are far off, away in the sky.” These were the words spoken by the god through the medium,
whose name was Kahu-rangi (garment of heaven). Hapopo (rotten) again asked, “Tell me,