Te Rauparaha then began to plan how he could take revenge upon the Ngāi Tahu, and particularly upon Tama-i-hara-nui, who as their paramount chief, was held responsible for the massacre of Te Pehi Kupe and other Ngāti Toa chiefs at Kaiapoi. It was known that Tama-i-hara-nui at this time lived for the most part at Takapūneke, in order to be more accessible to the European flax traders who during the 1820s were fairly regular visitors to that harbour. Accordingly, the Ngāti Toa attack must be directed at Takapūneke. Only a surprise attack could succeed, but the march of a war party across North Canterbury or the approach of a large fleet of canoes would make surprise impossible. So Te Rauparaha decided to use a European ship for his raid, knowing that the Takapūneke Māori would not suspect such a vessel of carrying a war party, and would welcome it as a trader.