Note 17 — PREFACE.
Reading edition
Heke lay on the ground with his war party—close at hand were the sleeping soldiers. Amongst those soldiers there was not one tohunga, not a man at all experienced in omens, or they must have had some warning that great danger and defeat was near; but there they lay sleeping between the open jaws of war, and knew of no danger. This is the only foolishness I see about the pakeha—they are quite ignorant and inexperienced in omens, and, indeed, care nothing at all about them.[17]