THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 19*

No. J. DE VISSCHER. C. DE VISSCHER.
536-541 J. v. Goyen p.
542 Id. Wouverman p.
543-546 Id. Berghem p.
547 C. DE VISSCHER.
548 ... SIMON DE VLIEGER B. 5.
549-550 ... Id. B. 9-10.
551 ... Id. B. 18.
552-553 ... WATERLOO B. 12-13.
554 ... Id. B. 19.
555-557 ... Id. B. 21-23.
558-559 ... Id. B. 26-27.
560 ... Id. B. 29.
561 ... Id. B. 31.
562 ... Id. B. 34.
563-568 ... Id. B. 41-46.
569-574 ... Id. B. 59-64.
575-580 ... Id. B. 71-76.
581-586 ... Id. B. 89-94.
587 ... Id. B. 113.
588 ... Id. B. 119.
589 ... Id. B. 120.
590 ... Id. B. 123.
591 ... Id. B. 124.
592-593 ... Id. B. 135-136.
594 ... WENINX B. 1.
595 ... Id. B. 2.
596 ... Id. B. 4.
D. G. MONRAD.

reinforcements from the Uriweras. He said "Go
back, go back, the land is full of Hauhaus: did you
not see the 'star'?" I have since had reason to
believe that all he said was untrue. However, I
built a small redoubt to protect a tent of stores, with
a garrison of a dozen men, and on Christmas Day
moved on, making the road good for pack-transport,
and took post beyond the high range which terminates
the valley.

Here again I erected a small defensible post which
I christened Fort Roberts, and collected all the bur-
dens I could in two trips get from the pack-animals.
From the highest ranges I could obtain no signs of
the enemy, but I found the trail of his scouts leading
away from me. I this day learned the arrival of the
Ngatiporou.

On the 26th I marched, leaving the detachment
previously sent on by the Ngatiporou to guard my
artillery and stores, and to await the arrival of the
rest of their tribe under Rapata. I reached this
evening the late camp of the Ngatikahungunu, and
slept. The enemy's position was now in full view,
but he made no movement to oppose my march.
Nevertheless I took precautions to prevent his sur-
prising me on the march or laying ambuscades, in
which the young Arawa Division proved extremely
valuable.

On the 27th, having drawn the rations brought up
by the pack-horses the preceding night, I pushed
forward to within a mile of Ngatapa, and occupied
the ridge opposite the enemy's fortifications. Here
I bivouacked and strengthened my position, sending
back parties to improve the track, which was trying
to the pack-animals. I now learned that the
Ngatiporou were marching, but delayed by the illness
of their fighting chief Rapata. Although the diffi-
culty of supply was increased by every day's delay
and my arrangements did not contemplate any very
protracted operations, I placed myself in the hands
of the Hon. Mr. Richmond, who had kindly consented
to remain to assist me, and trusting to him the real
difficulty of the campaign, I resolved to await the
Ngatiporou, and to make a simultaneous movement
when I marched to cut off the enemy's retreat at the
same time as I closed him in in front.

The position of Ngatapa is by a great deal the
most difficult and strongest I have ever seen in this
country; and of those in my camp, none, European
or Native, has ever met with a stronger. Rising
abruptly out of a confused and 'tormented' mass of
forest-clad hills, single cone-shaped mountain rises,
conspicuous from its height and isolation. It is
covered with bush, which has been to some extent
cut down and burned. The apex of the hill, which
is perhaps 2000 feet high, is girt by a triple line of
fortification, and of these the two inner ones rise to
a height of 12 feet. Rifle-pits guard the front and
the water, which is distant some few chains; and a
scarped ridge, said to be impracticable for the descent
of the garrison, terminates two, if not all three, of
the parapets. These latter are built as we build
fortifications, with fern and sticks. I learn that
behind the ridge the apex is descended by a ladder to
a second knoll on which the kainga of the women
stands, and by this alone, I am informed, can the
garrison escape to the rear. My plan has therefore
been to send a strong party to the rear to intercept
escape, while with the bulk of the force I approach
the main body of the place by flying sap where
necessary, or even by single sap, so as to render all
attempt to burst out impossible. I have brought
up the cohorns with the view of employing vertical
fire, which, I believe, has never yet been used in
Maori warfare, and with which they are probably
unacquainted. I now pressed forward small recon-
noitring parties; but to all appearance the enemy's

Colonial Secretary's Office,
Wellington, 8th January, 1869.

MY LORD,—I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your Lordship's letter of this day, in which
you offer to the Colonial Museum a collection of
Etchings and Engravings, a list of which you enclose.

I have to express, on behalf of the New Zealand
Government, the high sense which it entertains of
the value of this handsome donation, and of the
generous motives which have prompted your Lord-
ship in making it.

The Government would be happy to learn if it can
in any way practically testify its appreciation of the
thoughtful liberality thus evinced by your Lordship,
and of your desire to promote the interests of Art
and Science in this young Colony, so remote from
the European centres of civilization.

Directions will be given to exhibit and take every
care of this valuable collection, which will ever form
a lasting memorial of the visit to this Colony of your
Lordship, who recently held such a distinguished
official position in the service of your Country, with
which Great Britain is intimately allied.

Trusting that your Lordship may have a pleasant
voyage to Europe, I have, &c.,
E. W. STAFFORD.

His Lordship Bishop Monrad, Wellington.

Colonial Defence Office,
Wellington, 16th January, 1869.

THE following Despatches from Colonel Whitmore,
are published for general information.
T. M. HAULTAIN.

Head Quarters, Ngatapa,
30th December, 1868.

SIR,—In continuation of previous despatches, I have
the honor to inform you that having satisfied myself
by reconnoitring expeditions on both flanks that the
enemy was not attempting any movement in force
on either flank, I moved forward on the 24th instant
from Fort Fraser at Patutahi, and pressed on my
material and stores from that post and Fort St. John
as far as I had been able to make wheel traffic good,
to my front, a distance of perhaps eight miles.
Here my advanced parties captured two of the
enemy's spies—one an old man—whose insolent
bearing so provoked the Arawa that they shot them.
What little the elder one (whom I had hoped to save)
said was to the effect that Te Koti was in my front
a few miles with his men, having received large

reinforcements from the Uriweras. He said "Go
back, go back, the land is full of Hauhaus: did you
not see the 'star'?" I have since had reason to
believe that all he said was untrue. However, I
built a small redoubt to protect a tent of stores, with
a garrison of a dozen men, and on Christmas Day
moved on, making the road good for pack-transport,
and took post beyond the high range which terminates
the valley.

Here again I erected a small defensible post which
I christened Fort Roberts, and collected all the bur-
dens I could in two trips get from the pack-animals.
From the highest ranges I could obtain no signs of
the enemy, but I found the trail of his scouts leading
away from me. I this day learned the arrival of the
Ngatiporou.

On the 26th I marched, leaving the detachment
previously sent on by the Ngatiporou to guard my
artillery and stores, and to await the arrival of the
rest of their tribe under Rapata. I reached this
evening the late camp of the Ngatikahungunu, and
slept. The enemy's position was now in full view,
but he made no movement to oppose my march.
Nevertheless I took precautions to prevent his sur-
prising me on the march or laying ambuscades, in
which the young Arawa Division proved extremely
valuable.

On the 27th, having drawn the rations brought up
by the pack-horses the preceding night, I pushed
forward to within a mile of Ngatapa, and occupied
the ridge opposite the enemy's fortifications. Here
I bivouacked and strengthened my position, sending
back parties to improve the track, which was trying
to the pack-animals. I now learned that the
Ngatiporou were marching, but delayed by the illness
of their fighting chief Rapata. Although the diffi-
culty of supply was increased by every day's delay
and my arrangements did not contemplate any very
protracted operations, I placed myself in the hands
of the Hon. Mr. Richmond, who had kindly consented
to remain to assist me, and trusting to him the real
difficulty of the campaign, I resolved to await the
Ngatiporou, and to make a simultaneous movement
when I marched to cut off the enemy's retreat at the
same time as I closed him in in front.

The position of Ngatapa is by a great deal the
most difficult and strongest I have ever seen in this
country; and of those in my camp, none, European
or Native, has ever met with a stronger. Rising
abruptly out of a confused and 'tormented' mass of
forest-clad hills, single cone-shaped mountain rises,
conspicuous from its height and isolation. It is
covered with bush, which has been to some extent
cut down and burned. The apex of the hill, which
is perhaps 2000 feet high, is girt by a triple line of
fortification, and of these the two inner ones rise to
a height of 12 feet. Rifle-pits guard the front and
the water, which is distant some few chains; and a
scarped ridge, said to be impracticable for the descent
of the garrison, terminates two, if not all three, of
the parapets. These latter are built as we build
fortifications, with fern and sticks. I learn that
behind the ridge the apex is descended by a ladder to
a second knoll on which the kainga of the women
stands, and by this alone, I am informed, can the
garrison escape to the rear. My plan has therefore
been to send a strong party to the rear to intercept
escape, while with the bulk of the force I approach
the main body of the place by flying sap where
necessary, or even by single sap, so as to render all
attempt to burst out impossible. I have brought
up the cohorns with the view of employing vertical
fire, which, I believe, has never yet been used in
Maori warfare, and with which they are probably
unacquainted. I now pressed forward small recon-
noitring parties; but to all appearance the enemy's