RETURN OF THE RA EXPEDITION FROM THE MOUNTAINS.

Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 535, 27 September 1871, Page 2

RETURN OF THE RA EXPEDITION FROM THE MOUNTAINS.

j The expedition, our readers will recoil** '> '''• started on Saturday, the 26tli of ,Auguit '{'■ {the mountains. There wero about fifty'^ivJ • ■ fwhite men, together with some foreignlaW and somo friendly Banatives, the latter ,ha?i a ,J ' yoined tho expedition. At night' readied tlr '■ [foot of the mountains, where a campY J formed, and sentries told off. It was repbitM amongst the men that the Ba natives were not to be trusted, and that the mountaineers j3 held communication Vith them to try alii I cause them to tjarn on the white mon. Ot&m ? things of a .disheartening nature wero alsopj ' I forward, all tending to cast a damp upon tit > ; spirits of the men. They, however, peraevbrai j until neariug the first town, when numbed of Fijians were observed. These seemed antiom i \ for a parley, during which the leader \Ui I Proctor) disposed his men so at to "priijtf^' \ any surprise. The natives were deiii-oai fot '\ I the while men to go -With them into the town and be friendly ; but fearing an ambush ! ■ this- force advance 1!! to tlie hill ooiumandiiiT " i a view of the town. The labor ttiiAßa nUfrej were now left in charge of the baggag^jsl Mr: Procter led the little band of white ni<m down the hill, when it was observed tliattts '. natives had fired the town; aboul's^rt<ift, , houses beiu^y in flames. The whites the^!ieiici^4 il! a^inttil plateau, within about four inndfaj* yards of the town, and opened Sreyupon' whatever natives they could ditoayisr. Tlie fire wus. returned, some of the bullet* • whistling rather close, and giving the whit* nif-n to understand that the native* were ■ much better armed than haJ bi-an supposed. ! Tho fire was kept up till the natives iliiperswl, | when Mr. Procter led his men back to wheretlw ' baggage was. Thinking the natives ;fi»d «dl : gone, the baggage was taken up,ahd tu'&.white ] foi cc inored back with the intention of fopaing ' !a camp for the night, when natives wets sb. served cr&eping. under cor.er so as to get »hott .■. Li the. whites. The labor were .therefore Bent o:i with tho lugfj«s»s, <m<3 i.lje whites remained to fire on the natives, who were endeaVourinj to gain the hills, so as to eomiaand the jthitt force as it should pass below. They showed admirable system, in their skirmishing. One native bolder than the reit exposed biiii^tlf in open defiance, when he was imnaeaiately dropped. The Ba chief said that this wu ~.. a refugee from»Ba who had joined the moUQ« | taineere. j