THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 89

was likely to produce on the minds of rebels in arms
against us.

I moved early on the 17th ultimo, with a force as
per margin,* entering the forest from the clearing of
Ketemarai. For a short distance our advance was
unchecked, as we were traversing a good dray road
leading to a village and cultivations; these were
destroyed, and a few rebels were seen retreating
from the whares. From that point our progress was
slow and laborious in the extreme, and the difficulties
against which we had to contend will be better
understood by your Excellency when I inform you
that to accomplish a distance of about fifty-four
miles the force was eight days actually on the move,
and never less than ten hours in any one day. I
thus found that I had been quite misinformed as to
the length and nature of the track, which had even
been represented to me as practicable for pack horses,
except at two or three places where slight improve-
ment would be required. So far from this being the
case, there were no less than twenty-one rivers and
ninety gullies, the precipitous banks of many of
which presented formidable obstructions to our
advance, and required great labor to make them
passable; and except for about two miles after
entering the forest, working parties in advance were
constantly employed in cutting down trees, supple-
jacks, &c., to admit of the passage of the pack
animals. In addition to these obstructions, the
weather, which had been fine for the first three days,
changed to continuous rain, which increased our
difficulties in crossing the gulleys, and necessitated
the construction of corduroy roads over swamps,
which might otherwise have been practicable.

It being necessary to limit, as far as possible, the
quantity of supplies, &c., to be carried by pack
horses, I had directed that three days' provisions
only should be taken, in addition to the day's ration
carried by the men on the 17th. When however at
the close of the day's march on the 19th, there
appeared to be some uncertainty as to our distance
from Mataitawa, I directed the day's provisions then
remaining to be divided, and half rations only were
issued to the troops on the 20th and 21st. For two
days horse flesh was issued as a ration.

Our guide, the Waitotara Chief Pehimana, who
assured me that he was well acquainted with the
route, at the end of the third days' march, on coming
to a river he professed to know, stated that we were
only six miles from Mataitawa; but after a tedious
march on the following day, the 20th, finding that he
had been mistaken, I determined to send forward a
party of the Native Contingent, accompanied by
Captain Leach, Deputy Assistant Adjutant-General,
and Ensign McDonnell, N.I., in order to ascertain
our position, and, if possible, to procure supplies.

I continued the march for about six miles on the
21st, and not having heard from Captain Leach,
halted the following day to await his return, as well
as to rest the pack horses, now much wearied. Late
in the evening of the 22nd, Captain Leach returned,
having made arrangements with Colonel Warre, C.B.,
commanding at Taranaki, for the supply of the force
during the remainder of the march to Mataitawa,
then distant twenty miles, and where we arrived on
the 25th.

• Distribution—Royal Artillery: Subaltern, 1; sergeant, 1;
  rank and file, 36.
  2nd Battalion 14th Regiment: Field officer, 1; captains, 2;
  subalterns, 3; sergeauts, 10; drummers, 4; rank and file,

236. Forest Rangers: Field officer, 1; captain, 1; sergeants, 2; rank
     and file, 57.
     Native Contingent: Subaltern, 1; sergeants, 2; rank and file,

237. Total: Field officers, 2; captains, 3; subalterns, 5; sergeants,
     15; drummers, 4; rank and file, 396.

I need not dwell further on the arduous nature of
the duties performed by the Field Force on this
march, in the face of unusual difficulties and priva-
tions, and during much inclement weather; it will,
however, be gratifying to your Excellency to hear
that officers and men appeared to vie with each other
in the performance of their duties with unyielding
energy and cheerfulness, and, I am happy to add,
there was not a single case of sickness.

On the first day's march, the Native Contingent,
who were in advance, came suddenly on a party of
seven rebels, three of whom were shot. These men
were Ngatiruanuis who it appears had gone to the
north of the Waitara for assistance in men and arms,
and having failed were returning to Ketemarai.

With the view of intercepting any fugitive rebels
that might be retiring before my force, Colonel
Warre, in pursuance of instructions I had given him,
despatched on the 20th January, Lieutenant-Colonel
Morant, 68th Light Infantry, with 150 men, to move
along a track leading south from Te Arei, and event-
ually joining that on which I was marching. Colonel
Morant's force returned to Mataitawa on the 23rd,
without encountering any rebels.

On the 25th, after emerging from the forest, the
force moved on from Mataitawa and encamped at
the Waiwakaiho River, four miles north of New
Plymouth.

Colonel Warre having reported that rebels were
still seen in the neighbourhood of the White Cliffs,
I embarked on the 26th, with 100 men of the 43rd
Light Infantry, and a six-pounder Armstrong gun,
on board the s.s. "Ahuriri" then lying in Taranaki
roads, and proceeded up the coast to the mouth of
the Mokau River, and from thence to the Awakino
River. There were a few whares visible at Ingarangi
and Maniaroa, but they did not appear to be
inhabited, nor do I think there can be any large
settlement in that neighourhood. It was not there-
fore necessary to land the force, which, moreover,
there would have been considerable risk in doing on
account of the weather.

On the 27th the field force marched to Oakura.
On the 28th to Stoney River, and on the 29th to
Warea, near which the rebels were said to have
collected in force at a pa called Waikoko, situated in
the bush directly inland from Tipoka, a temporary
post on the seaboard seven miles south of Warea,
occupied a few days before by Captain Corbett's
company of Military Settlers.

On the 30th I moved the field force to Tipoka, and
in order, if possible, to cut off the retreat of the
rebels, I sent Captain Corbett's company by a track
leading to the right rear of Waikoko; and instructed
Captain Livesay, 43rd Light Infantry, commanding
at Opunaki, to march on the night of the 31st, with
100 men, by an inland track leading from the south
to the rebel position.

In accordance with this arrangement, I left Tipoka
at three o'clock a.m. on the 1st instant, with the
force as per margin,* and proceeding by a path
leading through scrub and dense bush for six miles,
reached a large clearing within which Waikoko is
situated, at a distance of about 500 yards from the
point where the troops emerged. The force was at once

• Distribution—Royal Artillery: subaltern, 1; sergeant 1;
  rank and file, 30.
  2nd Battalion 14th Regiment: Field officer, 1; captains, 2;
  subalterns, 2; sergeants, 6; drummers, 3; rank and file,

180. 43rd Regiment: Captains, 2; subalterns, 2; sergeants, 5;
     drummer, 1; rank and file, 90.
     Forest Rangers: Field officer, 1; captain, 1; sergeants, 3;
     rank and file, 31.
     Native Contingent: Subaltern, 1; rank and file, 60.
     Taranaki Troopers: Captain, 1; rank and file, 16.
     Total: Field officers, 2; captains, 6; subalterns, 6; sergeants,
     15; drummers, 4; rank and file, 407.