THE CAPTURE OF SEBASTOPOL BY THE MAORIES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VI, Issue 423, 22 November 1856, Page 4

THE CAPTURE OF SEBASTOPOL BY THE MAORIES.

To the Editor of the 'Southern Cross.' Sir, —the accompanying is a genuine Maori story, written down from the lips of the natives who told it. Should you be disposed to give it a place in your columns, it may not be uninteresting to the public. Yours,

There was in England a young Maori Chief of the tribe of Ngapuhi, whose name was Titokowaiu. He was converging with the ChiefGeneral of the armies of England, and said to him, " U the forts of Sebastopol were in ~^ew Zealand, they would not stand long." Then the Englishman asked, " What did he say P" but the Maori ma.de no answer.- The general asked-1 him several times, but still the native answered not, until he was threatened that be should be imprisoned. This had the effect of opening his lip-. Then the Mam-i remitted to be brought b-fore the Queen, and he told her in full his plan 01 attack upon the forts of Sebasiopol. These were the words ol' the Maori :—-That they should send out a steamer and go in search of some of his countrymen; and that her Majesty should give them arms such as he shoull ehons,.. All this the Queen granted. Then they rent out a steamer, and y-'eti*. m search of Miones a': various places and »<!• ):ds. Aft it much searching, they found in all out; hundred ;tnd twenty num. These were of «.in«!i-eiit tribes, but tbey were mcxflv of .Ngapuhi.

Tlu-n the native chief requested to be supplied ivk!i arms. He wa;s bliowu the oid Tower

muskets, but he. did not approve of thorn • h,< was shown many sorts of muskets, but"he'did not approve of them ; but be chose the double barrelled guns, with percussion caps and tomahawks ; a gun, and a tomahawk, and a cartridge box for each mat) : and their uniform should ?>,'. a shirt, and a shawl tied round the waist, and also a handkerchief to tie about the head ; ' nm l each man should have a basked, of kauii 'n'tm (ami the length of the basket was "one foot and' a half) aud a box of matches. The Queen granted all the requests of (]„, native chief. Then (bey dressed and armed themselves, and danced a war dance; and <]„. English people were astonished at the si'ditof the native war dance. The English General said that " the dance was very well but that would not take Sebasiopol." Tho Maori answered, "' He should see that by aud by." ' Then the Maories were taken to the seat of I war, and the Chief Titokowaitt told the General j that when the cock crew for the first time in the morning, he should turn the troops but ami give them some food ; and when the cock crew for the second time he should beat a retreat and entice the Russians well outside of their forts ;—then, when the English saw their town and forts on fire, they were to turn round and attack the Russians; and the Maorb*vwould attack them in the rear. This was V-reed upon. & So, after nightfall, the Maories.-~in number one hundred and seventy men,—-went out: aid lay in ambush. They went and hid themselves near the town forts, aud lay in the hedges and between the hedges and the walls. The Maories lay still under cover fill the given time had passed. When the cock crew for the second time, the English troops retreated. No sooner did the Russians see the English retreat than the Russians left their forts and pursued them. It was midday before all ihe Russians had left their forts to pursue the English. Then was the time for the Maories. They rushed into the town and forts, and used thenkauri gum ; each man placed his kit of gum in the best position he could find, and lighted it by the matches.lie had brought. No sooner had they lit the gum than they rushed out of the forts and attacked the Russians in the rear. It was there that the Maories showed their strength and valour, and it was there that they made their dread tomahawk do its work. The Russians were completely routed. The Maories wanted "to carry on their work of slaughter when the Russians'had been forced to retreat : but the English General said. " No. do. not kill them ;—let them go to the other side of the harbour." Thus were the Russians completely beaten by one hundred and seventy Maories 'from New Zealand; aud Sobastopof also was taken and burnt by them, after the English and French and other nations bad beseiged it for a lom--time.. "~ "