Page:Tales-of-Banks-Peninsula Jacobson 2ed 1893 cropped.pdf/36

barely reached their homes before he was on the war path, intent on surprising Whakaepa (Coalgate), a populous offshoot from Kaiapoi. His movements were so secret and so rapid, that he captured the pa without a struggle, and put everyone to death. It was not till some time after Tau nunu’s return to Ripapa that the Kaiapoi people learnt the terrible fate that had befallen their friends at Whakaepa. The whole population was roused to frenzy by the news, and it was resolved to send as large a force as could be mustered to punish Tau nunu; but, receiving intelligence that Taiaroa was marching up the coast, accompanied by a considerable body of men armed with muskets, the Kaiapoi leaders determined to await his arrival, and get him, if possible, to unite his forces with theirs. Their proposal was ultimately accepted, but instead of proceeding at once to attack Ripapa, the combined forces first marched against Wairewa. Taiaroa repeated the warning he gave the inhabitants on a former occasion, and apparently with a like result, for when the besiegers arrived, they found that most of the inhabitants had escaped to their canoes. Pikoro was the only man on the spot they discovered, and he was killed, together with Tauakina, Te ata ka hua kina, and Kaihaere, sisters of Te Mai hara nui. But Taiaroa’s well-intentioned plan for securing the safety of his friends was not destined to be successful this time. The Murihiku musketeers were unwilling to be again deprived of their prey. Having, after a short search, discovered two or three canoes, they pursued the fugitives, who, in their overcrowded vessels, were readily overtaken, when the majority of them were either shot or drowned. The cannibal feast that followed this engagement was regarded at the time as peculiarly atrocious, on account of the close relationship between the devourers and the devoured, and it was from what took place on this occasion that the feud