NORTHERN NEWS.

Southland Times, Volume VII, Issue 6, 6 July 1866, Page 2

NORTHERN NEWS.

A HATT-HATT AMBUSCADE. The Wanganui Times of the 19th inst., contains a letter addressed to that journal by Major M'Donnell, under date Patea, June 18th, giving an account of an attack made on himself and party : — At noon on Saturday last, 16fch instant, Major M'Donnell, accompanied by Mr. O'Carrington (Chief Surveyor), Mr. Perry Smith, Surveyor ; Lieutenant "Wilson, Native Contingent (Whirihana), and two orderlies of the W.T.C., started from Waingongora to Patea. When they had proceeded about three and a-half miles, a little beyond the Waihi River, Lieutenant Wilson, who was a few yards in advance, noticed a peculiar morement in the fern. In doubt, and suspicious of his old friends the Hau-haus, although the road is considered comparatively safe, he checked his horse suddenly, which brought the party altogether. Wilson's doubts were soon set at rest. He shouted Out " Hau-hau !" and at the same instant up rose over twenty natives at a distance of about forty yards, and fired a volley into the little party. In a second or two another -lot of about twenty more sprang up at the same place and fired a second volley ; and until the Europeans got out of range, all the Hau-haus fired as fast as they could load. It will hardly be necessary to state that as soon as they had recovered from their surprise, they all wheeled their horses round as quickly as they could, and beat a speedy retreat, more especially as none of the party were armed, except the two orderlies, who had only their swords and revolvers. Whilst retreating, Major M'Donnell, who was riding in rear, received, a severe blow in. the eye from a clod thrown up by one of the horses. As lie was quite blinded by this, and was in great pain, he called out to the remainder to slacken their pace, when they had gone a short distance, which they did, although still within range of the Hau-haus, who kept up a constant fire. Bat here agciiu, the sharp eyes of Wirihana detected another body of Hau-haus, doubling down a blind gully on the right front to cut them off; they were therefore again obliged to increase their pace, and eventually reached Waingongora in safety. As ifc was important that they should return to Patea the same night, Captain Dawson, Royal Irish, commanding the regiment, kindly furnished a party under the command of Lieut. A. Jackson, Royal Irish, who escorted them to Manawapon. On reaching the scene of the ambuscade they examined the ground around. It was entirely strewed with cartridge paper — not only with the ordinary native cart- | ridge, but also with Enfield cartridges — proving that rifles had been in play as well as single and double-barrelled guns. A short distance further, on the opposite side of the road, the tracks were discovered of another party, having been in ambuscade. This made it apparent that it had been the intention of the Hau-haus to allow the party they were lying in wait for to pass the first ambuscade, and when abreast of the centre one to discover themselves, and thus place their victims between three fires. But the quick eye and the natural instinct of Wirihana, who discovered the centre ambuscade before the party had arrived abreast of it, disturbed their calculations by half a minute or so, and it is to him in this in- | stance, and also when the Hau-h^us tried to cut oil* retreat, that it may be truly said all owe their lives. It is certainly most miraculous that not one of the party was wounded, and it can only be attributed to the Hau-haus firing too hastily in their anxiety, and to the confusion caused among them by their ambuscade having been discovered by Wirihana before it was quite rijie. Whilst loading and firing the kept on shouting — " B Riki Kawea." This would appear to be a kind of battle cry — "Riki" being the name of their god of war, and " .Kawea," meaning to lead on or direct. It cannot, perhaps, be better interpreted than by " God direct our fire."' Nearly every one of them was armed with a tomahawk, in addition to a gun, and they were mostly naked, and all in perfect war costume. The Hau-haus of late have frequently, by letter and word of mouth, intimated their intention of not interfering with the Pakeha if he kept to the road and did not attempt to go inland. Strange to relate, about two hours after Major M'Donueil and his party had left Waingongora, the friendly chief Hone Pihiaina (who had led the native attack on Nukurnaru) rode into Waingongora from Opunaki. He' stated that he had hastened up in consequence of his having received a letter from the rebels to the effect that, as they had noticed the Pakehas were surveying the country, and going into the bush, they considered the Pakeha had broken his compact, and therefore that they iateuded to watch and ambush, as before. There is no doubt whatever that the Hau-haus, who knew of Major M'Donnell' s arrival in tbe district, had watched him going to Waingongora with Mr Carrington and Wirihana, and laid the ambuscade next day for this party — as barely 20 minutes before they were attacked, three Military Train Orderlies were allowed to pass unscathed.