Page:Tales-of-Banks-Peninsula Jacobson 2ed 1893 cropped.pdf/17

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10
Stories of Banks Peninsula.

he begged that they might be returned to him. Tu te kawa stood up in his canoe and flung them towards him, telling him at the same time what had happened to his wives. After picking up his weapons, Tuahuriri turned towards his cousin, whom he wished to reward for having saved his life, and called out, “O Tu, keep out to sea, or keep in shore, rather keep in shore.” This was a friendly intimation intended to save Tu te kawa from the destruction about to fall upon his companions in arms; for no sooner were the canoes under weigh than Tuahuriri retired into the depths of the forest, and there invoked the help of his atuas to enable him to take vengeance on his enemies, and by their agency he raised the furious wind known as Te-hau-o-rongo mai. This tempest dispersed Hika-ore-roa’s fleet, and most of his canoes were upset, and the crews drowned, in the stormy waters of Raukawa (Cook Straits). Tu te kawa, forewarned, had hugged the coast, and so escaped destruction. After crossing the straits, he landed on the South Island, where he decided to remain, and so escape the inevitable consequences of the attack on Tuahuriri’s pa. He had nothing to fear from the Ngatimamoe, to whom he was related on the mother’s side; and further, he knew that his presence amongst them would be welcomed, because he was willing to employ the armed force that accompanied him against the remnant of Waitahi who continued to maintain their independence. Passing down the coast, Tu te kawa took up his residence at Okohana (Church Bush), near Kaiapoi, where eels were plentiful. He employed the few Waitahi whom he spared from destruction to work the eel fishery there for him. Hearing after a time that the eels of Waihora (Lake Ellesmere) were of a better quality, he removed to the shores of that lake, and built a pa at Waikakahi (Wascoe’s), while his son Te Rangi tamau built another at Taumutu. Surrounded by his