This term, though applied to the whole war-party, really belonged to the first twelve men, the advance-guard, who were usually the most daring and active warriors of all, but who had been selected in a peculiar manner which will be described. These twelve were _tapu_, and were all _tino toa_--tried and practised fighting-men. They numbered twelve because of the mystic force or prestige supposed to attach to that number. Titokowaru and all his Hauhaus were students of the _pakeha_ Scriptures--Titokowaru when a young man had been a pupil in a mission school--and "The Twelve" were so named and numbered for several reasons: one was that there were twelve Apostles in the Bible; and another that there were the twelve sons of Jacob; then, also, there were twelve months in the year. Clearly to the Maori mind there was much virtue in twelve. In Maori belief none of the _Tekau-ma-rua_ proper could be touched by a bullet in a fight if they but obeyed the instructions of Titokowaru. Singular heathen ceremonies were practised in the selection of these war-parties. The spirit of ancient Maoridom was but slightly leavened by _pakeha_ innovations and missionary teachings; and the savage gods of old New Zealand took fresh grip on the hearts of these never-tamed forest-men. "Ringiringi" on several occasions witnessed the rites of the _Wharé-kura_ what time the one-eyed general picked out the soldiers of the _Tekau-ma-rua_. On the day before an armed expedition was to set forth from "The Beak-of-the-Bird," Titokowaru summoned the people by walking up and down outside his great _wharé_ chanting a song which began: "_Tenei hoki au Ki te Ngutu-o-te-Manu._" ("Here am I In the Beak of the Bird.") Then the people would all file into the sacred house and seat themselves on the mat-covered floor, the fighting-men of the _pa_ in front. The war-chief took his seat cross-legged on his sacred mat that was spread on an elevated stage at the rear of the _Wharé-kura_, with a short rail in front; this dais was _tapu_ to him. The men all chanted together a wild _haka_ song, and then sat silent as death, waiting the will of Titoko's war-god and the divination-by-_taiaha_. The chief stood, grim and stern, facing his people, his sacred carved hardwood _taiaha_, called "Te Porohanga," in his hand. His wild eyes glittered as he recited in quick, sharp tones his invocation of the war-god Uenuku and the battle-spirit breathed on the wings of the _whakarua_ breeze. Then, balancing his long plumed weapon in a horizontal position on his thumb and forefinger, the tongue-shaped point directed at the warriors, he stood stiff and motionless as in a trance. He was awaiting the message of his _atua_, the guiding-breath of Uenuku.