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every man, to carry in his haversack, a very
anmilitary arrangement, and thereby endanger-
ing the lives of the soldiers, and exposing the
ammunition to be damaged and lost:-in this
way, without a single tent or day's ration of
liquor, a force commenced its march into the
interior of New Zealand to crush a rebellion
which had existed for many months. After a
march of nine miles, the force halted for the
night; at midnight it rained heavily, and in the
morning it poured. As there was no shelter for
the troops at Waka Nene's pah, I immediately
marched to Kiri Kiri, and occupied the large
store and other buildings at that place: the
spare ammunition was inspected, and two-thirds
of it found unfit for use, and the five day's bis-
cuit which each man had received was unfit to
be eaten.

The bad weather lasted until the morning of
the 6th instant, but during its continuance
Tamati Waka Nene sent instructions to his
tribe to erect several warres for the accommo-
dation of the Europeans. The march on the
6th instant was about seventeen miles, and the
path heavy. When the force arrived at the pah
I was pleased to see two large warres ready
the men, although not of sufficient capacity to
contain all the force.

At noon on the 7th instant, I and several of
the Officers went to a hill about a mile from
Heke's pah, to reconnoitre it. From observation
and enquiries I was soon convinced the pah was
a strong fertification, trebly stockaded, with
walls inside, traverses cut from side to side, a
deep ditch, and each face loopholed-and to
add to its strength, the phormium tenax, or
New Zealand flax, was interwoven, which made
the pah impregnable to musketry.

I now felt convinced that it was not practi-
cable to take the pah with no other means than
physical strength, and to attempt it with such
means would cause an unnecessary sacrifice of
human life-I subsequently made arrangements
to take up a position near Heke's fortification,
to fire the rockets and see their effect, and as
the chances of war are many and uncertain, I
formed half the force into three parties of
assault, and pointed out to each commander his
position, and there to wait for further orders-
I was thus prepared to assault the fortification.

About nine o'clock on the morning of the 8th
instant, I placed the reserve behind a ridge
within, three hundred yards of the pah, and
ordered the three parties of assault, consisting
of the small armed seamen of Her Majesty's
Ships North Star and Hazard, under the com-
mand of acting Commander George Johnson;
of the Light Company of the 58th Regiment,
under the command of Captain Denny, and of
the detaebment of Royal Marines and of the
96th Regiment, under the command of Lienten-
ant and Adjutant M'Lerie, 58th Regiment, to
advance to their respective posts-in doing so
they were exposed to a heavy and galling fire
from two faces of the pah, but the parties
moved on with unflinching steadiness, and
crowned a height within two hundred yards of
the fortification. As I was now so close to the
pah I saw its real strength, and my former
opinion was fully confirmed that it was not to
be taken without the aid of artillery.

The rocket party, under the direction of
Lieutenant Egerton, of the North Star, now
fired twelve rockets, but the result was not so
favourable as I had anticipated: a few of the
rebels were observed to leave the pah on the
two first being fired, but the alarm was only
momentary. About this time the parties on
advanced their right flank, and
opened a heavy fire-this movement arose from
a loyal native having discovered a large body
of rebels under Kawiti lying in ambush, for the
purpose, I have since ascertained, of attacking
parties in rear, if they should assault the
pah,-the rebels were charged and dispersed,
with loss.

I was about to order the parties to retire and
rejoin the reserve, when the British ensign was
unexpectedly hoisted by Heki, and on another
flag-staff a small red flag was hoisted, (Thomas
Walker Nene called it Heki's fighting flag);
this flag was hoisted up and pulled down several
successive times-its meaning was soon ex-
plained, being immediately followed by a com-
bined attack on the three parties by the rebels
under Kawiti, and about one hundred and fifty
of those under Heki, who rushed from the for-
tification. The reserve fired on the latter, and
although the distance was great it checked their
advance; a few reached the height and were
there killed. Kawiti's attack was repulsed at
the point of the bayonet, with a severe loss.

As many of the soldiers had been wounded I
ordered the parties to retire, and they were
descending from the height when they were a
third time attacked by Kawiti, who was not
this time supported by Heki-skirmishers were
sent out, and the rebels were again repulsed.
This was the last effort of the rebels to defeat a
brave body of seamen and soldiers; the parties
afterwards retired, and brought off all the
wounded men.

I have thus, your Excellency, briefly detailed
the movements of the force under my command
to the 8th instant, inclusive; and it now be-
comes my duty to express how much I feel
indebted to the parties of assault for their
gallant conduct in taking up their positions
under a heavy fire of musketry early in the
morning of the 8th instant, and for three times
repulsing, at the point of the bayonet, during
that day, a large body of rebels under Kawiti..

My thanks are due to Lieutenant Egerton,
and the Rocket party under his direction, for
their assistance.

The reserve under command of Major
Bridge, 58th Regiment, only wanted the oppor-
tunity to distinguish themselves.

To Major Bridge, commanding the 58th
Regiment, and to Ensign O'Connell, 51st Re-
giment, (aide-de-camp to the Lieutenant-Gene-
ral commanding the troops in Australia,) my