542
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE

ceeded in surprising the enemy about 8'40
a.m. We had got between their sentry and
their camp.

When about twelve or fifteen yards from
the enemy, I halted my men on an eminence,
to give them breath, and gave orders that
they should first attack the enemy with
their carbines, and then rush them with
their revolvers. The Maoris were then
cleaning their guns. The surprise was com-
plete. After our carbines were discharged,
the enemy, apparently expecting we had
only empty pieces, turned upon us with their
guns, tomahawks, &c., but the revolver soon
sent them to the right about. Several of
the enemy who were wounded by the dis-
charge of the carbines, were assisted away
by the women, who were very busy removing
arms, dead, and wounded. I saw two or
three natives hit who were immediately
helped away by women. I had directed my
men not to fire at the women, and I am
happy to say they did not; though it is very
possible that some of the women and
children may have got hurt in the affray;
but I only know of one instance, a woman,
I believe, was wounded in the leg by a stray
shot. The affair lasted only four or five
minutes. I saw three dead men taken off,
and four of their dead were left in our hands.
Two of the natives, when surrounded, en-
deavoured to stab my men, one using a
bowie knife, and the other a large carving
knife, but the revolver made short work of
them. One native, at great risk, returned
and attempted to carry away a small tin
box, but a bullet made him drop it and run
Many of those who escaped were
wounded. Had my party been larger, I
think I could easily have surrounded the
enemy and taken them all prisoners. None
of my men were hurt, as only those of the
enemy who were on the outskirts of their
camp could find time to load and fire on us,
and they were just as likely to hit their own
men as mine. I estimate the number of the
enemy to have been over forty men. One of
the natives, before he died, told me there
were twenty-eight, and on being again asked
he said there were twenty-eight, double
holding up two of his fingers; he also said
his tribe was the Ngatipaoa. He would not
tell his own name; but said the man next
him was a chief named Matariki. The
scene of the engagement was in the ranges,
about 5 miles due north of Paparata. The
natives retreated in an easterly direction,
one of the sentries I had posted informed me
some time after we had left the place, that a
broad trackled easterly from near where he was
posted, and that he saw a man on horseback go
up it. The enemy appeared to have plenty of
provisions; we found a good deal of tea
and sugar and some flour; there was abun-
dance of fern root; three or four kapura
Maori had meat in them, and a good quantity
of pork was hanging up. In the box which
the native tried to secure-mentioned above
were three flags, one a large red flag, on
which was embroidered a white cross and
star and the word Aotearoa in white letters.
It is made of silk and is neat and hand-
some. Another flag is a large red pendant
with a white cross; the remaining flag is a
handkerchief of the union jack pattern. The
other spoils are a double-barreled gun, a
large horse-pistol, and a smaller pistol, three
or four cartridge boxes, a great deal of pro-
perty which had belonged to settlers, such
as scarlet hangings, fancy window blinds,
small work boxes, &c., some papers belonging
to Mr. Richardson of Wairoa, and a coat
belonging to Mr. Johnson, of the same place,
several articles which were stolen by the
Natives from Mr. McDonald at the time
Trust's children were murdered near Howick.
I therefore conclude these Natives were of
the party who committed those murders.
One of my men has two small packets of
hair, I think European, they are evidently
relics, he will give them up to any one who
may claim them. We could not bring away
much of the "loot," as we were heavily
loaded with our arms, blankets, &c.; but I
think I brought away sufficient to prove the
character of the party we fell in with. We
destroyed several packages and tins of gun-
powder, and threw a great number of bullets
into the creek.

I have great pleasure in reporting that
my men behaved with great coolness and
courage; there was no firing at random. I
am anxious to bring to your special notice
the brave and cool conduct of Ensign
Westrup, who was foremost in the attack,
and made every shot of his revolver tell;
also of private John Smith, who had a severe
hand-to-hand struggle with a powerful
Native.

I have, &c.,

WM. JACKSON,
Captain Commanding Forest Rangers.
Lieut.-Colonel Nixon,
Commanding Moveable Column.

Printed and published by ROBERT J. CREIGHTON and ALFRED SCALES, for the New Zealand Government,
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