The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1894-09-22
"a. GREAT INDIAN CHIEF.
Death or the Famous Napoleon Of
New Zealand.
His Life Career Of Savage Warfare and
Bloodshed-He Once Held
British Army ut
Bay.

Rewt ManiapOtO, whose death was
recently reported, was almost the last
of the great chiefs of the Maoris He
was born in 1907, and was warrior
and leader in council among the Ngati-
maniapotos from his youth. His earli-
est years, says the Washington Gazette,
were passed amid savage scenes of
inter-tribal strife, ambuscades, fierce
hand-to-hand battles, massacres and
cannibal orgies. Hougi, chief of the
Great Northern tribe of Ngapuhl,
visited London, was petted by Exeter
Hall, patronized by George w., pre-
sented with a suit of armor and gilt
crown, and loaded with gifts. At
Botany Bay, on his way back, he con-
ver5ed these into guns and powder, and
on landing at the Bay Of Islands pro-
claimed himself the Napoleon of New
Zealand, entered on a career of slaugh-
ter and rapine, and swept the country
south of Auckland with fire and sword.
His victorious march was stayed by
the Waikatos and gatimaniapotos,
and the tide of conquest rolled back
northward. 1t was in these and sub
sequeut inter-tribal wars that Rewi
won his reputation as a fighting chief.
When Sir George Grey, as governor Of
New Zealand, declared war against
the Waikatos in 1863, Rewi became one
of the leading Maori generals For
two years the struggle ragged with va
rying success against ten thousand
British troops, supported by power
full squadron, but step by step, and
contesting every inch of ground, the
Maoris were pressed back to Orakan,
where Rewi made last heroic stand
with three or four hundred followers,
the remnant of his tribe.
He was besieged by fifteen hundred
British troops for three days, during
which the garrison were without wa
ter, and subsisted on raw potatoes and
maize. At length, after repeated as
saults had been repulsed, the flying
sap broke into the trenches, and a
storm of canister and musketry swept
the works. Gen. Cameron, with SOL
lier's chivalrous admiration of the
spirit and bravery OF the enemy, Of
fered terms Of capitulation. Then a
slight, why figure, with closely tat
tooed face and fiery cleaning eyes,
leapt on the breastworks, and aung
back this stern defiance: ''Ka wha-
wbai matau toma, AXE, AXE, ake!" 1--WE
will fight on for ever and ever and
ever!"
The stronghold was carried with a
rush, but Rewi and few others es-
ca ped. Realizing the hopelessness OF
the struggle he successfully exerted
his influence to bring about peace,
aud since that time he has been a con-
sistent and loyal ally of the Europeans,
and promoter of every movement
for the welfare of his ccuntrymen. To
the last his affection for Sir George
Grey was simple and touching. A few
months ago, when he felt that his end
was nigh, he expressed a desire that
they should rest side by side in one
grave, and only a few months before
his death a handsome monument, made
in Auckland to the order OF Sir George
Grey, was erected with much ceremc-
nv near the old chiefs home at Xiii
kihi. 1t bears the following inscription:
"In memory of Rewi Maniapoto, the
last great chief of Ngatimaniapoto,
Ngatirankawa and Waikato."