me or left such a keen
impression in my mind as that of the moment when the two tribes met at
the shore end of that jetty. You may think this is rather a far-fetched
thought, but it isn't, and you wouldn't have thought so if you had been
there.

The official meeting of the chiefs first took place. The rhythmical
beating of the ground by the hundreds of feet of the hosts and guests
suddenly ceased, and a friendly greeting of all, which, in the usage of
the Maoris, took the form of rubbing noses, began and held full sway. The
arriving tribe settled down then to the camp provided for them by the
authorities. Two days afterwards the third tribe arrived, and the same
ceremony took place. The ground then again shook unmistakably. It took
one back--as many of the residents of Tauranga (who after fighting in the
Maori War had settled in the district) remembered--to the days of that
campaign and to the battle-cry of the advancing Maoris whom they had
fought against. But these very men were now engaged in the pursuits of
peace, and all of them welcomed with delight the presence of their late
enemies. It was the source of much profit to them.

This particular case was duly settled by the court. Its decision was
given in favour, if I remember rightly, of the tribe that swam across
from the south. The court officials were entrusted with the settlement of
the expenses incurred by the tribes. After paying all these expenses a
sum of some one thousand pounds remained as the amount to be paid in
compensation, in accordance with the edict of Exeter Hall, to the
winners.

The final celebration had now to take place. The chief of the victorious
tribe invited the losing tribes to a farewell festival. A great Maori
haka was held, to which not only the natives themselves, but the whole of
the English inhabitants, were invited. The braves of all the tribes took
part in this. It was a wonderful scene. It took place upon a moonlight
night. There was an inner circle, in the centre of which the triumphant
chief and his chieftains, surrounded by the chief and chieftains of the
other two tribes, stood. Around them was a palisade of sticks, on which
the one thousand odd pounds in notes, paid to them as a result of the
court's finding, were festooned. Immediately surrounding this circle were
the braves of the losing tribes, and beyond, all round, the womenfolk and
the children and European guests. Fires flared in all directions. You
have no doubt r