There lay Winata Pakaro, famous fighting Chief,
lips set in a grin of hate. (page 93).
IN THE GRIP OF
THE HAWK
A Story of the Maori Wars
BY REGINALD HORSLEY
AUTHOR OF
'STONEWALL'S SCOUT,' 'THE YELLOW GOD,' 'THE BLUE
BALLOON,' 'HUNTED THROUGH FIJI,' ETC.
LONDON: T. C. & E. C. JACK, LTD.
35 & 36 PATERNOSTER ROW, E.C.
AND EDINBURGH
TO
SIR JAMES BALFOUR PAUL, F.S.A. (SCOT.)
Lyon King of Arms
I DEDICATE THIS BOOK
IN MEMORY OF MANY YEARS
OF FRIENDSHIP
PREFATORY NOTE
As the long struggle between Maori and Pakehadragged to a close, a new interest was given to itby the perversion of numbers of Maoris of varioustribes to a singular religion, styled by its foundersPai Marire—that is, 'good and peaceful.'
There was nothing good or peaceful about thenew religion, which was a fantastic blend of veryelementary Christianity, Judaism and Paganism.Deadly hostility to the Pakeha, or white man, wasan all-important item in this curious creed, whosevotaries were known as Hau-haus, and prominentamongst its prophets was the rebel chief, Te Kooti,one of the best generals and one of the worst menof his day.
Brave, ferocious and animated by an almostoriental fatalism, the Hau-haus were formidableantagonists and, moreover, shocked even theircompatriots by their ruthless savagery. At thevery outset they defeated a mixed contingent of the57th Regiment and Colonials at Taranaki, and cutoff the head of Captain Lloyd, who had been killedin action. Lloyd's head, preserved after the Maorifashion, was then carried round from tribe to tribeby two Hau-hau missionaries, who strove to makeconverts to the new faith. When they succeeded,the head was spiked upon the summit of the niu,or sacred pole, round which the fanatics leaped anddanced until they grew frenzied, uttering at frequentintervals their characteristic barking howl,'Hau-hau! Hau-hau!' which has been described as themost frightful of noises, and a trial to the nervesof the bravest.
While in no sense a history of a particular periodof the war, the story is built upon a historical basis.Thus, the imprisonment of Te Kooti on ChathamIsland—according to some upon a fabricated charge—hisescape thence in a brig, the sacrifice of his ageduncle in order to propitiate the wind-god, his landingnear Poverty Bay, the massacre there, the fight atPaparatu and the final storming of a strong pah inwhich he had taken refuge, are all matters of history.Te Kooti, however, did not massacre the crew of thebrig, nor was he slain in battle. Like the yet moreinfamous Nana Sahib, he escaped to be no moreheard of. It is interesting to note that a nephewof Te Kooti appeared a few months ago in NewZealand, threatening to preach a new religion andto bring about the downfall of the Pakeha.
The mere[1] (pronounced almost as 'merry') o