My Maori
helped me enormously, and the language, with its rich folk-lore and
tradition, fascinated me as I grew in knowledge of it.'
The main stronghold of Heke and Kawiti was a pa designated, in Maori,
Ruapekapeka, of which the English equivalent is 'Bat's Nest.' Here the
Maoris were in martial clover, having reasoned with themselves: 'We'll
build a pa the Pakehas can't take, if we are behind its walls. We await
them in this place, and if they want us, just let them come on.' That was
Sir George Grey's summary of the resistance which the English forces,
moving to invest Ruapekapeka, had to meet. Fortune smiled, and exacted
little as return sacrifice.
'Our force,' he narrated, 'was strengthened by a detachment of friendly
Maoris under the command of Waka Nene, a grizzled warrior. He was my
chief adviser among the Maoris, and his services were of the utmost value
to me. Waka Nene recognised the necessity, in New Zealand, of a
government which could control both races. The former mistake, of trying
to storm a well-defended pa, was replaced at Ruapekapeka by an artillery
bombardment. Having made myself familiar with the method of warfare
pursued by the Maoris, I decided this to be our line of tactics. They
could use their Tower muskets with effect, but of artillery they had
none, except a few old ship's guns, which they would have been better
without.
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