by
GEORGE GRAHAM
“He Taua! He Taua!”—A War Party! Sounding the Alarm of an Approaching War Party
After the original by J. McDonald, Wellington
I
Introduction
In compiling this history, I desire to narrate in as brief and clear a manner as possible the doings of the ancient Tamaki tribes, as recounted in the folk-lore of their descendants.
I have, as far as possible, confined the history to the tribes of the Auckland Isthmus itself—referring to the history and peoples of other parts only so far as is necessary to the clearness of the general narrative.
There may be some doubt as to the chronological sequence and to many of the details of incidents herein related—such is inseparable from the legendary history of all races who did not possess written records.
However, the narrative as I now present it is in the form accepted by the people—as related to me by that generation of chieftains now almost passed away.