"THE SPECIAL."

Patea Mail, Volume V, Issue 502, 24 March 1880, Page 2

"THE SPECIAL."

Tiik Carlyle correspondent of the Taranaki Herald writes thusly : I sec Mr Lyttelton Times and other papers, too numerous to mention—hero ot the Potomac, and other large adventures, has lately made a discovery, viz., that Kimble Bent is alive, and is held as a Slavic (?; amongst the Maoris. Some of your readers will doubtless have read from his own puff how the “ special” heard and marvelled, and sped by night, dragging his nag along the narrow, dangerous bush track, himself following a trusty—doubtless well “ tipped”— guide by torchlight; how afterwards, his (the t£ special’s) word of honor being pledged that all was square, and there was no Potomac army at his back to “ squelch” Bent, that then the show began—a Maori damsel being discovered

under the azure vault—an aged Maori j perhaps a cannibal—Bent—and so on. How the u special’’—specially treated and trusted—did (alter ihe manner of Thomas, called Didyaius, as related in Holy Writ) identity Bent, by fingering the marks. Seeing that a pretty full account of Bent, more fact.y and less ■ imaginary than the “Special's,” appeared in tin* Patka Mai non the 14 th December, 1876—fourteen mouth's ago —as received from lieu himself, the American horn-blower may be counted a little behind the limes. The discovery was then brieily telegraphed, and the fuller account afterwards reprinted in various parts of the Colony. The Taranaki Herald chinks “tho special” is certainly gifted with a most vivid imagination, and gives the following extract from one of his letters as a good sample of ids powers in that particular line:—“ Groat numbers of natives continue' moving towards Parihaka. On the afternoon of the Idtli, one parly, consisting of 345 natives, upwards of iUjjf horses,and 35 heavily-laden drays passed, and ail day and evening they continued passing in smaller parties. A large party is camped at the Stony River Bridge, and in imitation of the Constabulary they posted sentries ami pickets. A numerous body of Waikatos have reach.-d Waitara cn route for Parihaka, and a native from that part of the Island told me that hundreds more were coming. The meeting isevidenlly going to be an enormous one. Many of the natives passing this camp jeored at and cursed the Constabulary, and I particularly observed that, natives whose acquaintance I had previously made at Parihaka, did not, as usual, slop to shake hands. It is thought not unlikely that underneath the drays and wagon loads of provisions, arms and ammunition may be concealed, but no attempt to search them was made. Next morning the march towards Parihaka was resumed.”