They were presented to King George IV., who gave Hongi a suit of armour.

On his return this grammarian's assistant heard at Sydney that his tribe was at war with the natives of the Hauraki or Thames district, and that one of his relatives had been killed.

Now was his time.

He at once sold all his presents, except the suit of armour, and bought three hundred muskets and a supply of powder and bullets.
The Sydney Government did not prevent him.

At Marsden's table, at Parramatta, Hongi met a chief of the offending tribe.