ONE OF TE KOOTI'S MEN.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 57, 13 March 1907, Page 2

ONE OF TE KOOTI'S MEN.

Colonel Porter, C.8., contributes the following interesting statement with reference to the discovery of human remains at \Vanuatu:—

, 1 have 110 doubt they arc the remains of one of Te Kooti's soMier.s who was ; wounded by us in a running fight after his raid upon Tolago Bay 'n •July, 1870, r IV ivooti, who hnd established His head operations in the bush | iastnesses of Tewera (now Tehora block) wiili a flying co'.unm of his best warriors, made a ero-s-eountry raU upon Tolaga l!;iy for the purpose of killng Kurop.'uns plundering the sct--1 tlemeiit, and recruiting his force from the "kupapa" (wavering) fricndliea. He did aiol effect the successful Surprise ho anticipated. Tite Europeans being warned in time of his advance by a friendly native, a post-haste' me>senger rode to Gsbjrne (no telegraph or phone then), and reported the raid. J, with the late Captain HcUurdsou, at once got 'together some twenty mounted men, and rode through to relie\e the settlers, who had taken reluge in the IJauiti Pali, When we arrived Te KooM was retreating mland. 1 flien hastily raised about

110 friondlies among tlio Tolaga Maoris, and galloped in pursuit with a scratch force of 120 men. The weather was extremely wet, the rivers, swampa, etc., mucii swollen and Hooded. To ivodfti did not expect pursuit in such had weather, and made a temporary camp # with nikau shelter at ilit* edge nf a bu-di on Arakini. We lay upon the liill slope in the high fern in the drenching rain all night without any shelter and Utile food, enduring all cheerfully, with the hope of a successful capture in the morning. Unfortunately, thus was dashed by Hie misconduct, of one of our friendlies, who was cither nervous or in nvmptthy with Tc Kooti. Before daylight we s lently marched through V■ >'' J-u !t when T, with a few men canie a. d . ; light dose upon and dirccily iu roar oV 'IV Jsooti's shelter huts unheard "j»' un.seen . 1 then ordered a "surround" hy extending both flanks. This was nearly completed, when, to my extreme annoyance one of the Tolaga natives stepped upon the elevation in rear of the huts and; lined intii 'thorn, completely upsetting the surprse and causing the rebels to preeip'tatelv retreat. A running light followed for >ome. miles a'ong the ridge in the direction nf Upper Wainnili. but, b«-ieg eomparaliwly unsupported. w- had U\ votive to g-t supplies ami ammunition. There is li.Mle (louh: I'at the remains ifound are (hose of on.* of Te Tvooti's iivm, who. una l '! " i-> retreat, hid or took r<liiLv in the hallow tree. I may incidentally meaLiou thai several similar discoveries hove heen mid" in 1h" f>«'cs; in tV ivar <lih • o\| v«nl ma l\ s h. j The pla-e w.ts uk v. : n K'.K h\. a.i.l ■' fI or il ■; fall we pursued i n tin- do:;-,.' forest, killing or capturing the scat lero'l rebels. j

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