Page:Rambles on the Golden Coast of New Zealand.djvu/18

10 nations. The first few Maoris, who are reported in Native traditions to have reached the Middle Island, were the crew of the canoe, Takitumu, or, as it was sometimes called for its fast sailing, Horouta, but there appears to be little or no record of what became of them. A branch of the Ngaitahu from Wanganui, under a chief named Tauirapareko, were the next to cross over from the North Island, a section of whom called Ngatiwairangi, with their chief Twahirikakahu, settled at Arahura, on the West Coast. Next in point of time was a tribe named Pohea, also from Wanganui, who settled at Wakatu, in the neighbourhood of Nelson. The tribe Ngatitumata Kokiri were the next to arrive and spread themselves in small numbers along the coast from Nelson as far as the river Karamea. At a later period, when fighting was going on in the North Island, a division of the Ngaitahu proceeded to Arahura for the purpose of finding some greenstone (pounamu) which was reported to have been discovered there. According to Native tradition, a Chief named Ngahue was the first to discover the greenstone. This Chief, it is said, was driven from Hawaiki, through the jealousy of a woman, and took up his abode at Arahura. When there, he found a block of the greenstone and took it back with him to Hawaiki, where some of his people made axes of the greenstone and constructed two canoes, Te Arawa and Tainui, with which these people came to New Zealand. It is supposed also by the Maoris that a small piece of the same stone was fashioned into an ear-ring and brought back by the crews of Te Arawa and Tainui, the ancestors of Tgatitoa, from whom it has descended as an heirloom through several generations. This ornament was called Kaitangata, and was presented to Sir George Grey in 1853, on the occasion of his departure for England, by Te Rangihaeata, the principal Chief of that tribe, as an assurance of their regard and esteem. A piece of the greenstone is also said to have been taken to Kaiapoi, where the Ngaitahu were much struck with its beauty, and eagerly inquired where it was procured. On being told its locality it was agreed that three of the Ngaitahu should accompany the Ngatiwairenga back to Arahura, where the stone was said to exist in large quantities. The cupidity of the Ngaitahu being excited with the intelligence, a large body of them travelled across the Island to the West Coast, where they speedily overcame the Ngatiwairenga, most of whom were killed, with the exception of a few women and children, who were spared by and embodied into the Ngaitahu tribe. After these events a portion of the Ngaitahu, designated the Poutiui Ngaitahu, to distinguish them from the East Coast branch, settled on the West Coast, where their descendants have ever since resided. The Ngaitahu were not allowed to remain on the West Coast in perfect peace, for they were frequently attacked by other tribes, but they managed to hold their own. The causes of dispute were as to the right of catching weka, kiwi, and kakapo, in the Arahura, Hokitika, Upper Grey, and Buller districts, but their numbers being limited no very serious fights took place between them. The Ngaitahu appear to have been located in various parts of the West Coast for considerably more than a century. One or two serious engagements are reported as having taken place in the northern parts of the coast, and large numbers of the attacking parties were killed, on one occasion at Karamea and