THREE WITH TWO SHOTS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 14, 22 May 1939, Page 2

THREE WITH TWO SHOTS

ambush that failed dash to safety STORY FROM TANEATUA Just behind Taneatua with tL«. Waimana River curling- along its base stands the ancicnt trenched hill of Puketi. To-day the trenches are smothered in fern, or flax and thi kumara ruas gape for the umvavy foot. So it ha s been for many generations; a bold hilltop connected with the hills round the Waimana Gorge by a long spit of land and with the cabbage trees from which it gets its name standing up like giant sentinels on the ridges. First built by the Ngati Rnapururu, the former inhabitants of the land the old pa later came into *he possession of the Ngatipukeko. What story lies behind the change of ownership present writer knoweth not, nor does he know much about the causes which led to its eventual abar. donment by the Pukeko folk, though his guess might be that it was con j nected with the Tuhoe tide of conquest which flowed down from Ruatoki some generations ago. Horse Hunters from Rauporoa In 1868 the old pa was overgrown and desolate. To it one summer afternoon came three men from the Ngati-Pukeko pa of Rauporoa, near seeking horses which ha,d strayed up the valley. On e of the party was Heketoro, an old chief of the Ngati-<Puk_ eko. described a,s tall and lean but powerful in spite of nearly seventy years, and the perfect bush scout and warrior. One of his companions Vas a,n Urewera man Te Whakaunua. who liad married into the Ngati-Pukeko tribe, and the other was a young lad. Heketoro alone Avas armed. Thou.gn temporary peace reigned he seldom went abroad without gun or tomahawk, but on this day although lie carried a gun, he had only three cartridges for it. The horse hunters rounded up some strays and worked them up to the summit of Puketi where they blocked the only exit and caught the horses. As there was po water in the pa they descended to the river, cooked their meal, then climbed the hill again to spend the night. They Had Been Seen Their movements had been seen by the Ruatoki people in the neighbouring hill villages. The NgatiPukeko men Avere trespassers within their territory and the Hauhaus pared a surprise. Led by the chief of Ruatoki, a party of about 40 men quickly armed, and marched on Puketi where they could see the horsemen. An Ambush At dusk the Urewera stealthily crept into the overgrown trenches of the pa and waited for their victims to come up from the river. Peering out they saw their intended victims coming straight up into the ambush, but suddenly the lior.se hunters disappeared from their view. The trespassers had suspected nothing, hut thev had entered one of th.'i large ruas- which, with its comparatively small mouth and holJowedout was a. good enough shelter for the night for three tired men. Tjie Urewera men, could do nothing for dusk was falling, but at early da\v.n they cautiously advanced, searching for the men. Rude Awakening Peering into the rua in which they wove asleep, one of the Ruatoki men knocked some earth down as he leaned on the lip. It fell 011 old Helen - tor 0 and he was awake instantlv. Looking up he could see dark faces staring down at him. Then he heard a voice "Who are you down there?'' Heketoro grasped his loaded gun and put a percussion cap on the nipple.' "ft is I. Te Whakaunua'' said his Urewera, companion. "Come up out of that'' said a Puatoki man. Heketoro knew what that meant. Te Whakaunua would be "par ed: he and the lad killed, Te Whakaunua was pulled out of the potato pit and his comrades foL lowed to find themselves in a semicircle of brandished weapons which seemed ready to fall. Way of Escape There was only one way of escape and the old warrior's eyes had s*"-n it. On the north there was a narrow opening not filled by a Hauliau. It was the way to the edge of the terrace where there Avas a quick drop down to the loAver slopes and the river. To Whakaunua Avas safe, and Heketoro had only himself and the lad t<» consider.

"To the river!" 1 he Avhispered. The lad sprinted through the cordon and down o\-er the steep escapement into the brushwood with Heketoro close behind him, but at the edge, of th« scarp he Avhirled, dropped on one knee, and fired at the men bounding behind him. Rapaira led and he took Heketoro's bullet in hii stomach. It passed through and en> tered the chest of the man immediately behind, mortally Avounding both Bounded Down Hill In an astonishing leap the old man Avas away again, dropping down the scarped hill in 20 foot bounds Avhile a thunder of shots followed him a,na bullets sang all round him as lie raced towards the river, leaping from side to side to escape a hit. At the river bank the lad Avas Avaiting for him and they dashed in together, splashing through the shalloAV but SAvift current with bullets dropping round them. One of the cruel musket balls, Aveighing an ounce or more, struck the lad and smashed his arm. Next moment Heketoro was shot in the tihigh, but though he Avas badly wounded h e grimly forged througn the Avater, loading his gun as he> floundered. In scrambling out and up the bank he lost his spare cartridge, but he waited behind the bushes for his pursuers. Shot Another Coolly the old man Avaited until they Avere close enough to give him a target he could not miss. The foremost man AA r as perhaps only ten yards away when Heketoro dropped hint Avith a bullet in the chest, and the Hauhau fell to be SAvept aAvay by the SAA r irling AA r ater. That was enough for the Ruatoki men; they feared an ambush and the last shot stopped the pursuit. Heketoro told the wounded lad to traAel as quickly as he could down the valley to Rauporoa and giA'e the Avhile Heketoro, binding his thigh Avith a piece of his shirt, crept along tGAvards the Avest, leaving a plain trail of blood for any pursuer. He came to the Whakatane River, and lialf-Avadi'ng, half -swimming. Avith the cool water someAA'hat casing the pain of his Avound, -he went with the current, keeping close under the bank until he came to Rauporoa, where a, party of men was just about to set out to hi s res_ cue. The lad had struggled in and brought the news just a little Avhile before him. Good Sport It Avas a good morning's Avork, thought Heketoro. Three dead Avith two bullets is good hunting eA T en if you get a Avound or two in return. NAVAL RATING'S WAGER. The sequel to a wager that originated in H.M.S. Achilles after her return from England AA r as seen in Auck 'and. when, clad in Eastern robe and Moslem fez, set ofi" to adA'antage by a generous growth of bronze beard, a supply rating from the vessel strode up Queen Street from Customs Street to the Town Hall. .Foi' his daring he collected £5 from some of his felloAV ratings. The fating started from Queen Street alone with a cheroot —part of the conditions oi the wager—set at a jaunty angl« ? but the attention he attracted, although his identity was safely hidden by his disguise, was so immediate that those Avho had put up the stakes refused to trail him at a distance. Instead, they preceded him with much joyousness. -When the procession reached the Town Hall the stakes were handed over outside the main door.