(Translation.)

Friend Mr Fox,—

Salutations! This is my communication to you, that you may hear what was said when I went up to Ngaruawahia on the 3rd day of December. I did not see any men anywhere except at Ngaruawahia. When we arrived there, they assembled, and fired from both sides of the road. We were between them, while they fired as they went along. When we reached the house of Matutaera, which has a carved verandah, he and his people stood up (to receive us) Ngatimaniapoto were on the Waipa side and Waikato on the Horotiu side. They stood for a while and thon sat down. Paora Te Ahuru stood up to make a speech. "Welcome my-child. Welcome all of you, your ancestors, and your fathers. Come to see your fallen tribe, and your broken canoe. My fighting has ceased, peace is made." After him Tikaokao stood up. "Come, my child, come to see your fallen tribe and your broken canoe." Then Patara Te Tuhi stood up. "Welcome my brother. Come to see your falleu tribe and your broken canoe." Then I. Te Wheoro stood up. "Welcome me, O my father, welcome me, O my brother, I am come here to see the fallen tribe and the broken canoe. It cannot be helped. It is right, O my fathers, that peace should be made. I have nothing to say. I did not come to speak; but the speech is in the letters. Do not let us make speeches, but be quick and answer the letters." They sent to Tamahere for Tamehana. They met in council. They came to me (and said) "If we give up the guns, we shall perhaps be made prisoners. We don't clearly see how to answer the Governor's letter, because we are afraid of the steamer and of the soldiers which are coming this way. For this reason we came on here from Paetai." I said to them, "I have nothing to say to you. I was not sent here to deliver a message." In the morning Ngatimuniapoto came to cut down the flagstaff at Ngaruawahia, Waikato would not allow them. The quarrel was great. Both sides fired without aiming. Then Tamati Ngapora, Mohi te Ahiatengu, Patara Te Tuhi, Paora Te Ahuru and W. Thompson page 8gave it (the flagstaff) to me with these words, "William, we give over this flagstaff to you with those buried here and Ngaruawahia, for you to give over to the General and to the Governor. Especially let not the remains of the buried be ill treated by the soldiers. As for Ngaruawahia the cultivations, leave them alone. We are going away through fear. Moses gave his "hoeroa" (weapon made from the jaw of a whale), for the General, for a pledge of peace, and the flagstaff for a pledge of peace. I returned with the letters for the Governor.

These were all the chiefs who were then present,