IMPORTANT FROM EAST COAST!

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 6, Issue 292, 27 July 1865, Page 2

IMPORTANT FROM EAST COAST!

FIGHT BETWEEN THE ARAWAS AND PAI MARIEES. CANNIBALISM OF THE FANATICS. FIVE MAORIS EATEN. [From the Southern Cross, July 21.] We were shown a private letter yesterday, which had been received from Muketu, giving particulars of a recent engagement between the Pai Marires, under the command of the chief Kereopa, and a number of the Arawa natives, underthe friendly chief, Adam Clarke. We have before stated that Kereopa, after visiting the settlements on the East Coast, had started with his followers for Taranaki, by way of Rotorua and Rotoiti; and we now learn that, after proceeding some distance inland, he was stopped by the tribe under Adam Clarke. Some fighting took place, and Kereopa pitched his camp close to Adam Clarke’s pa. The former had about sixty men under his command, and Adam Clarke had about seventy. A few days afterwards assistance was sent to Clarke from Maketu. One hapu of the Arawa, about eighty in number, started for tbe lakes ; and another party of about seventy, under Messrs Mair and Nesbitt, Resident Magistrates, also left immediately after. Upon tbe second party reaching Rotorua they found the first hapu returning, as they said they could not procure provisions sufficient to enable them to reach Clarke’s pa at Te Whaiti. The whole of them then returned to Rotoiti to consult; and in the meantime large parties of the Whakatohea, Ngatiawa, Uriwera, and other tribes who had accepted the Pai Marire faith —about six hundred in number—marched inland to Te Whaiti, and surrounded Adam Clarke’s pa, effectually cutting off his supplies of water and provisions. In order the more effectually to surround him, eight pas were constructed, and well manned. On the sth of July Clarke made a splendid sortie, attacked the pa which obstructed him from obtaining his supplies, and drove the rebels out of it. The rebels iu the other pas, seeing the state of affairs, hastily mustered their forces and made a counter attack, at the same time trying to cut off Clarke’s retreat. Six or seven men alone had been left to guard the pa, and it would quickly have been taken had not Clarke, seeing the danger, boldly charged the six hundred, and regained his pa. He lost five men. Kereopa also lost five. The five dead Arawas were taken by Kereopa and his people and decapitated, and the fanatics then ate the eyes and feasted on the bodies, amidst the performance of their horrible fanatical rites.