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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 13, Issue 694, 24 June 1869, Page 2

The Difficulties of the Uiuweka Country.—ln reference to the difficulties of campaigning on the East Ooast, the following extracts from a recent despatch of Colonel Whitmore'a will be read with much interest: —"In all their former wars the Uriwera have hunted their assailants out of the mountains with terrible loss, and this quite accounts for the evident anxiety not to say lear, observable among our native allies throughout this expedition. I find it difficult to say, without fear of being thought to show partiality, how admirably our cien behaved throughout, Living

on potatoes, laboring under heavy packs,] with their clothes torn to rags, and their hoots destroyed, their cheerfulness and ready obedience at all times cannot be too highlv praised. Poor fellows who were bleeding in their feet, who have had hardly a day's rest since November lust, and in spite of the quantities of clothes they have purchased since then, they can scarcely muster a sound garment amongst thorn, were yet ready and anxious to face the Hirau snow-covered heights, and risk pos sible starvation or a long retreat, from the moment they heard of my wish to go to Waikare. Toiling up these precipitous hills, or wading in the bed* ot the slaty rivers, they could always keep up and con tinue the march at a moderate pace longer than the Maoris ; moreover, during tno whole expedition they did not waste a single round of ammunition, nor throw away one shot when keeping sentry in the bush. It there was anything to be done they were at once read,\ ; and when no duty was re quired from tiiem, roamed about the country foraging, destroying crops, burning kaingas, and seeking the enemy's scouts in their several hiding places in the vicinity. No rations were issued after the Bth, and Lieut.-Colonel St. John's column was rationed to tho 7th only. I had 3lbs of bacon carried and issued gratuitously to the men after that, and with that assistance they made no complaint of their fare."