VERT TOUCHING—IF TRUE.

Southland Times, Issue 1114, 26 February 1869, Page 2

VERT TOUCHING— IF TRUE.

(From tha Press.) A resident in Chrisfcchurch baa placed in our hands the subjoined letter from one of the Colonial forces engaged in the capture of Ngatapa. "We do not, of course, vouch for the truth of its contents : — ' « Dear , I omitted in my last letter •to mention an occurrence at the taking of Te Kooti's pa, which painfullyaffected all who witnessed it, even amidst the many tragical scenes of that day. The prisoners were considered the spoil of our Native auxiliaries, who made short work of it. Each man was taken to the edge of the precipice, which was here not less than 2,500 feet high, and shot and dropped over the edge. The \ Women, however, were treated with kindness, and given what little food could be spared from our very slender store. Poor things ! they were like living skeletons. Two or three, however, were so badly wounded that it was impossible to remove them, and in mercy to them they had to be put out of their misery. " At this time we were astonished^ at seeing a young and extremely interesting girl, evidently a half-caste, but as fair as an English brunette, and neatly dressed, in the hands of our native allies. A comrade of mine called my attention towards the group. I certainly never saw a more perfectly . beautiful creature. Coleridge's! lines immediately occurred to me — I guess 'twas fearful there to §•• A lady clad so bright as she, Beautiful exceedingly. My friend asked her how she came there ; she told him that she had been taken prisoner by Te Kooti some weeks previously — that she had been ., terribly wounded by a shell, and had crawled out to claim the protection of our forces, fearful that the friendlies would kill her. She said she was a Christian, as indeed the handsome cross on her bosom seemed to indicate. She believed she had but a few moments to live, and implored us to protect her, and remove her to some quiet spot where she could die in peace. My friend at once begged leave of his officer to take charge of her, pledging himself to care for her as a sister, and should she recover, and would accept him, he would marry her. On these term she was consigned to his care, but he soon learned from her that her wound was mortal, and that she had not many hours to live. He could do her no good by remaining with her; she was suffering intense agony, and she implored bine to shoot her. Poor fellow! he felt that perhaps it would be the most merciful thing to do, but, oh God ! how could he do it ? He spoke about it to some of our native men, but no one could be found to take away her life. May I never witness again the terrible conflict of feelings which my poorfriend was suffering. He felt that did she live he could find in her all that he had ever hoped for ; he saw that she was dying slowly but surely ; and in horrible agony, and he found himself entreated by herself to terminate her existence. She called him to her side. She took the cross from her neck and put it into his hands, saying that she felt his professions were sincere.; that, had it pleased G-od to have spared her, she might have made him a loving and faithful wife ; but that it was too late. They had only met on that fearful spot, to part again in this world, but that if his faith in that gsacred emblem was like hers, they would surely meet in tho better land. " I could no longer hide 'my emotions. The natives around us, reeking with blood as they were, turned aside, and left them there. ! " Late that night, finding that my friend had not returned,, I went out to seek him, and found him lying on his face on a new made grave in one of the trenches. With gentle violence I brought him away, but no one has since dared to ask him the particulars of the death and burial of that most lovely and most unfortunate girl."