his name was little known; yet his
undaunted courage, his skill, and success in many sanguinary battles,
made him, at length, a most powerful chief, and obtained for him that
which is considered wealth in this country, namely, an immense number of
slaves. In his last moments he was attended by more men of rank than had
ever before assembled to witness the dissolution of a warrior, and this
is considered the greatest proof of attention and respect one chieftain
can show towards another.

CHAPTER XLVI.

A TRIBAL CONFLICT.

Our brig now sailed for Hokianga to take in a cargo of planks; and my
friend, Mr. Shand, being tired of wandering, accompanied her; but I,
being still anxious to procure more sketches of this interesting country,
determined to remain as long as possible, and to take one more walk
across the island, and join the brig by the time she was loaded. I was
preparing to start on my last pedestrian tour, when a chain of events
occurred which threw all the tribes into confusion. Bloodshed and
devastation stared me in the face from all quarters; and from the state
of security I had imagined myself to be in, I was roused to behold myself
beset with difficulties; to crown which, our brig, which would have been
a place of safety and refuge, was now on the opposite side of the island.

Arising from a trifling circumstance, which was partly caused by us,
though innocently, Pomare's only son had lost his life; and, as is usual
among savage tribes, the severest retaliation soon took place.

By relating the particulars, the reader will perceive how easily the
war-cry is raised among these turbulent savages.

Pomare's only surviving son. Tiki, was a very finely-formed, handsome
young man, of twenty years of age, and he had made an arrangement with a
captain of a ship here to supply him with a certain number of hogs.
Accordingly, accompanied by a party of his friends, he started into the
interior for the purpose of collecting them. In making his selection, he
not only proceeded to drive off some of his own, but actually laid claim
to, and began marching away with, some belonging to his neighbours. The
right owners remonstrated with him in vain. He, being an insolent,
over-bearing young fellow, persisted in his unjust claims, and set them
all at defiance. They were compelled to yield up their property, as his
tribe was a most powerful one; and Tiki was driving away the stolen hogs
in triumph, when a sudden s