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ments for her husband’s guests, selecting the materials from her choicest stores. She listened till dawn to the story of their adventures by sea and land, and then she went to carry the news of their arrival to the other great chiefs of the place.

Te Rangi Whakaputa was the first to come and welcome them. He asked whether they had seen any good country towards the south. They replied that they had. “What food,” he asked, “is procurable there?” “Fern root,” they replied, “is one food, kauru is another, and there are wekas and rats and eels in abundance,” He then retired, and Mango took his place and asked, “Did you see any good country in your travels?” “Yes,” they replied, “Ohiriri (Little River), that is, a stream, we saw, and Wairewa is the lake.” “And what food can be got there?” he asked, “Fern root,” they said, “is one food, but there are many kinds; there are wekas and kaka and kereru and eels.” Mango replied, “Inland is a pillow for my head, on the coast a rest for my feet.” Te Rua hiki hiki, son of Manawa, was the next to enter and interrogate them. He, too, asked, “Have you seen any land?” They replied, “We saw Kaitorete, a plain, and Waihora, a lake.” “What food can be got there?” “Eels,” they said, “abound there, and patiki and ducks and putangitangi are food to be got there.” “That shall be my possession,” said Te Rua hiki hiki.

But there was another and still more powerful incentive than the acquisition of a rich food-producing district to induce Ngai Tahu to undertake an expedition to the south, and that was the desire to vindicate the tribal honour. No sooner did Moki and the rest of the leading chiefs learn from the two travellers that Tu te kawa was still living at Waikakahi, than orders were immediately issued to prepare the great war canoe, Te Maka whiu, for sea. This canoe was made out of an enormous totara tree