1815.

On Marsden’s return, he started from the Bay on the 9th January, 1815, for the Thames, in the “Active,” taking with him Ruatara, Korokoro, Te Rangi and Tui (Korokoro’s brothers,), Te Morenga (“a chief of Hikurangi, 20 miles west of Rangihoua”); Taua, son of Te Pahi (who had been shot by the whalers a few years previously for his supposed implication in the “Boyd” affair); Widoua (Wairua), a nephew of Hongi’s; Tooree Oganna (Turi-okana?), nephew of Te Pahi, a son of Moka of Hokianga; Hinaki, a son of Waraki of Waitangi; and some others, all fully armed.

January 16th.—The “Active” anchored off a village in the Hauraki Gulf, which, from description, must have been Whakatiwai, and where they found the celebrated Ngati-Paoa chief Te Haupa, who has already been mentioned. Marsden says, “He was a man of great power, one of the strongest and best made men I ever saw.” After attempting to get into the Thames River, which they were prevented from doing by bad weather, they, on the 17th, again anchored off another village on the west side of the Gulf, which, from the description, must have been at Orere. They were visited by Pithi (? Paetae, or Pitai), a nephew of Te Haupa’s, “a stout, handsome man in the prime of life,” and well known to Te Morenga. On going ashore they were told that all the men were away on a war expedition, and none but old men, women, and some prisoners were there page 85 to receive them. They visited Te Haupa’s fortified pa, situated on a hill about a mile from the landing. Here again, there were no men, but Te Haupa’s wife received them; she is described as a fine, tall woman. Mr. Nicholas, who was with Marsden, gives a full description of this pa, which, I believe, is at Orere. At Pithi’s village, Marsden says he saw “some of the finest men and women he had seen in New Zealand.” These would be some of the Ngati-Paoa tribe.

January 19th.—The brig called in at Whangarei, where the natives told them only one vessel, “The Venus” (in 1806), had ever been before. On the 20th January they visited Kereru, and saw Mohanga, who went to England with Dr. Savage in 1805. This was at Pataua, a little north of Whangarei, judging from the description. Kereru was a wellknown chief of the Parawhau tribe. They got back to Rangihoua, Bay of Islands, on the 21st, and after visiting Whiwhia* at Waikare, Marsden left for Sydney on the 26th February, having left Messrs. Kendall and Hall and their families at Rangihoua. He took back with him Te Morenga and Tupe, a brother of the old chief Tara.