BELL BLOCK.

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 303, 14 September 1860, Page 3

BELL BLOCK.

. [from our own cobrespokdent.] September 5,1860, On Sunday morning last smoke was observed rising out of the Titna pah, and a few natives seen outside the pah. About noon we were surprised at seeing smoke and flame burst oat near the

Mahoetahi pah. We first thought it was a party of the enemy about to occupy the site, but our apprehensions were soon quieted, for Major Nelson and 40 of his gallant fellows, accompanied by Captain Seymour and other officers, arrived at the stockade on a visit from Waitaia, the main body of his men, in number 150, with two guns, awaiting their return at the Mahoetahi, where, in the interval, they occupied themselves in burning some whares, &c. Not one of the enemy was seen in their route. It having been intimated to the Major t,hat the destruction of the Tima and other pahs in the vicinity of the Bell Stockade; was desirable, it was soon known that something was to be done. All the men of our garrison, both civil and military, were in excellent spirits at the idea of destroying the Tima pab, which had so long been a shelter for the enemy, from' winch they could issue in marauding bands) to sweep off property and plunder and burn the houses in the district. Service had just been concluded, and there was nothing to delay tbe expedition, excepting the dinner being-about ready. This, however, was a small matter, and in the excitement ofthemoment was forgotien. A small red flag had been flying all th«<ihorning, and the expectation of having an encounter with the enemy seemed to add considerably to the excitement. Major Nelson's men and 60 soldiers and volunteers from the garrison started, accompanied by a few mounted men. The Ninia pah was the first on the list, which had been previously partly destroyed by Captain Leeson, there were several excellent whaves in the pah, the trenches were In ruins and partially filled by falling in, but the stockade was nearly complete, and, even in its ruinous state, could have been held against a great number by a determined party. The palisading on two sides was soon thrown down and the whares burned. Leaving a party to complete the destruction, the Major, went on with his men tor the Tima, where the flag was still flying, and ordering the men to advance, in skirmishing order a rush was made, the pah entered and found to be deserted, the flag was hauled; down, the flagstaff followed it, the double palisading oh two side 3of the pah was pulled down heaped on the whares and then fired, and it was I with feelings of infinite satisfaction that we watched the smoke rise in black volumes and the fierce flames burst forth over the doomed pah. Ere the destruction was completed Major Nelson took his leave and marched off to join his party at Mahoetahi; during the whole operation the Major seemed in his element, his horse certainly had no sinecure, light, active and energetic he kept his men well in hand by dint of hard galloping and shouting. "What a wild devil the Major is," observed one of the soldiers to his comrade ; "just the same bedad as he was seven years ago;" and the satisfactory grin that accompanied the speech proved that, in his estimation, at least, the Major stood Al. This pah had a double row of palisading and a trench with the inner palisading, there was also a look-out tower which seemed to have only been occupied by seed potatoes. It contained a large number of small whares which had been occupied during the night. In a short time the pah was rendered quite useless to the enemy for the purpose of defence; the Te Puke and the whares near it were also destroyed. Katatore's house and whares in the vicinity were also fired, and large quantities of potatoes were partially destroyed. In a swamp in rear of the pah the operation of detaching paper from calico seemed to have been carried on on a large scale, the refuse paper lying about in large quantities. The destruction having been completed as far as was considered desirable, the retire was sounded and the men assembled from all quarters to march back to the stockade. It was amusing to observe that, even from a Maori whare, articles could be picked up worth carrying away, though I believe that the enemy were not the real owners of the trifles which were found in the whares. The greater part of the men had some small token of remembrance: there were carpenters' tools, pieces of matting, some had bonnets, one picked up eighteen shillings out of an old box, and one man in great extremity not liking, I. suppose, to go away without something, captured a squeaking sucking pig of a day old. We returned to the stockade without having seen an enemy or met with an accident. A large amount of useful work has been performed and it has been quite a relief to the monotonous life we have been leading this last week. As the great bulk of the enemy have abandoned this district to put in their crops and recruit themselves for the ensuing contest, what will become of us during their absence ? hitherto we have been kept tolerably busy, and time has not hung .very heavy on our hands, but now I am afraid the monotony of our existence will become positively unbearable, we will be getting blue moulded for want of a bating. I fear we cannot follow their example and put in our crops, as we do not feel enough confidence in their forbearance to expect reaping them, for though we may not disturb or annoy them during their agricultural operations, I fear they will not be grateful enough to see our forbearance in the proper light, but may, while we are in the act of putting our crops in the ground, see fit to endeavor to prepare us for being put in the ground ourselves—a consummation to be avoided by all means; but we must console ourselves with the reflection that although, so far, the enemy have had a great deal of their owd way, our time will assuredly come, and in the interval we must wait patiently and nurse our wrath to keep it warm. On Monday the Tikorangi pah was see burning and since has been destroyed. Smoke is seen rising out of the Huirangi pah on the bank of the Waitara daily, the enemy seem to keep very, close to it, and, doubtlessly, are to be found there when wanted.