ARRIVAL OF THE RANGATIRA.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume III, Issue 163, 26 February 1864, Page 3

ARRIVAL OF THE RANGATIRA.

The 9.5. Rangatira, Capt. Mundle, arrived here last evening at 6 o’clock, having left Auckland on Monday last, to which date she brings us files. ENCOUNTER WITH • NATIVES *AT WAIARI. [Prom the Weekly News, February 20.] Ample details will be found in our columns this day of. the smart skirmish which took place on the banks of the Mangapiko River, on the 11th. As will be seen, the Maories were fairly canght in their own snare, for it was evident that this was no casual encounter on their part, but a deliberately laid scheme to surprise our troops at the front ; indeed, it was well known a fortnight previously, among the Maories far distant from the seat of war, that such a design was meditated, and they were looking hopefully forware to its- execution. Fortunately our troops were not taken altogether unawares and unprepared, and on the side of the enemy the attack was evidently premature. The affair originated in a volley fired from the bush on 50 men of the 40th regiment, who had arrived at the brink of the stream to bathe, along with 20 men of the same regiment who were intended to act as a covering party. The fire of the Maories, who are believed to have been from GO to 70 in number, was the signal for an immediate return by the covering party. As the enemy were not visible at this stage, the fire on our side

could only be directed by the snioke of the enemy’s guns, as seen rising above the bush. However, the sound of the firing served to convey the alarm to the camp, which was distant about 1,000 yards. Succour was rapidly forwarded, consisting of the outlying picket of the 40th and 50th regiments and as many more men of those corps as could be collected and got more hastily under arms. Eventually, about 300 men were present and engaged. Happily, LieutenantColonel Havelock chanced to be the senior officer on the spot, and every one from the General downwards are loud in praise of the skilful and judicious dispositions which this officer rapidly made. The great aim was, while the enemy were engaged at the front—if we may so speak—to throw detachments on their rear and flank, so as to encompass them, and cut off their retreat to their fortified positions. These mancevures were accomplished under great difficulties, looking to the state of the ground,—the paucity of our troops for an extended line of operation, -—and still more to the hazard they were exposed from being borne down by the Maori reinforcements who were despatched from the pa to act on our rear. Success, however, at length crowned the efforts of Lieutenant-Colonel Havelock, Major Bowdley, 40th, Captains Fisher and Trench of the same corps, and the other gallant officers and men engaged in this dashing affair. Captain Heaphy, of the Auckland Volunteer Rifles, and Captain Jackson, of the Forest

Rangers, who were accidentally on the spot, and little suspecting any brush, also gallantly lent their aid. As will be seen from the official despatches and correspondence, both those officers did excellent service, and had each their hand to hand and victorious struggles witth their nimble wily foes. Captain Heaphy miraculously escaped with a few slight wounds, although no less than six shots passed through his dress. In short, the enemy were fairly “ caught in their own springe,” and the consideration was, how they were to be secured in the bush where they were hemmed iu, and ferretted out dead or alive. An orderly had been despatched to the camy at an early period of the fray for the Forest Rangers, but about forty of this corps were at the time absent burning fern. Fortunately, Captain You Tempsky was in the camp, and we need scarcely say he was ou the alert on the instant, collecting all the available men of his own company of the Forest Rangers and that of Captain Jackson, who, as we have said, was from the first among the combatants. When Captain Von Tempsky was on the ground, he was immediately ordered by Colonel Havelock to enter the bush with his men, and hunt out and destroy its dusky occupants. How this task was executed, may be best gathered from the honourable allusion of the General to Captain Von Tempsky, and also his own official despatch. In that document it is briefly but forcibly stated that ou .receiving the order from Colonel Havelock “ my men with promptitude surrounded the thicket, and entering the same, revolvers in hand,extracted m a short time seven natives,' which they had killed at close quarters after a good deal of resisting fire from those same natives. We carried seven bodies up the bank, laying them in a heap.” The immediate result of this rather prominent skirmish may be succinctly given, as the dead bodies of-89 rebels killed and caunted, while the enemy admitted that they had G more in the pa, and 7 wounded, while a wounded youth was a prisoner in our hands. Last Monday morning, however, seven additional bodies were discovered at a little distance from the village of the Waiara. This gives a total of 5 2 killed‘and 7 wounded. It is to be hoped that a more lasting and salutary result will ensue from this skirmish; that it will tend to inspire our men with greater confidence in their capacity for bush fighting if they could be supposed to lack that quality under any circumstances, however adverse to them. It also affords a rather tough practical lesson to the Maories that the other side, especially a corps like the Forest Rangers can combat in the bush, and prove, in its density and shade, and in hand to hand encounter, fully their match. But we have ho desire that the Maories should gather much knowledge in this direction, although their instinct can scarcely fail henceforth to prompt greater caution on their part. Still, the sooner they come to the knowledge that they are unequal to contend against the warlike resources of the British Empire—not forgetting the prowess of the colonists themselves —and that the resistance to our might is vain, the better will it be for their own future.