Page:Tales-of-Banks-Peninsula Jacobson 2ed 1893 cropped.pdf/40

rush at him with the avowed intention of taking his life, but my eldest brother, Te Whakatuka, came to his rescue, and an angry dispute followed. Both were armed with muskets, which they pointed at each other, and dared each other to fire. The quarrel caused intense excitement, and there is no knowing what the result might have been, but for the interference of some old chiefs, who came up and parted the combatants. Te Whakatuka was so offended with Te Mai hara nui that he went to the rear with his followers, and threatened to return home, but was dissuaded from his purpose, and shortly caught up to the army at Orehu, where they stopped to cook food. The place chosen for the camping ground was in a hollow overgrown with tall rushes, between a range of low sand hills. Sentinels were stationed on the high ground towards the south, and, laying our weapons aside, we all busied ourselves preparing food. Before our meal was over, we noticed the sentinels making signs, and, thinking they were hungry and asking to be relieved, some one called out, ‘Come and get something to eat.’ ‘How can we eat?’ was the reply. ‘Here they all are close at hand,’ ‘Who?’ ‘Why, the enemy.’ We no sooner heard this than, forsaking our food, each one picked up his belt, and fastened it round his waist, and seized his weapons, and stood ready to meet the foe. Our leaders held a short consultation respecting the order of the battle. Tau nunu cried, ‘I will command the coast side.’ Whakauira said, ‘I will command the lake side.’ Te Mai hara nui said, ‘Then I will command the centre.’ All the warriors then ranged themselves under their respective leaders, and were ordered to lie flat upon the ground. We were not kept long in suspense. A number of men clad in red shirts, and armed with guns, soon appeared on a ridge at a short distance in front of us, coming towards us. At the sight of such formidable antago-