TE KOPUA.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3186, 6 May 1879, Page 2

TE KOPUA.

General view of the Camp and - its surroundings. [By Tblegbaph.] '. (FBOlt OTJB OW2T COBEESPONDBNT.) Alexandba, .Last night. Imagine a large plain winding to the south as far a> the eye can reach, bounded on the west by low, rolling downs, extending from the foot of Mount Pirongia on one side, and similar low downs on the east, and you can form an idea easily enough of the kind of locality in which Te ICopua is situated. To the Forth, the prospect is much the same, save that Pirongia bounds the prospect on the west, while Kahakaha rises on the east, and fertile rolling'land extends towards Te Awamutu. The Waipariha forms a bend where we are encamped of an almost horse-shoe character, and in the bight of this bend, are, encamped the jN*gapuhi. If you run a 'straight/ line south from thii bight you will find that the encampment is divided into two parts, to the west will be found the Kingite camp, among which encampment are the Kupapas, Te Wheoro's people, , and others , not identified as the King's > supporters. I divide the camp into two portions for the following reasons: I made it my business 'yesterday morning to count the number of tents erected on j the eastern side of the imaginary line, and I did so from the conviction that the number of the people present had been largely underrated. I counted some two hundred and fifty tents, excluding all vrhares from the calculation ; in some of the tents forty and fifty souls sleep at night, in others five or six, perchance in some not more than two. Some of the

tents so termed are forty and fifty feet in | length, others, of the ordinary regulation or general varied sisfes. ,r averaged the inmates at twelre iouls' per' tent, acd found from this means of averaging, that to the east of my line three thousand souls are congregated. I have not bee.n, as visitors are not freely allowed to travel rrthere:' i Those*! however, who hare freely traversed the western camp, maintain 1 that a larger number of'souisar^ there camped than among; the .'tents I counted, and this I can readily believe, as I hear 'that the Kingites number ■some twelve hundred, and they certainly do not form a large -moiety of/the encampment. I am inclined, tor this [belief as to-day fully two thousand; men and women from the King's side brought food, in a strong rushing tide to^the^.^gß/piihi^^ancli.jKe^ rushed back again. It was ; a strong-and wonderful sight, every man and woman bearing aroughly;:\pyaited'.:iimall 3:aisli' oc»f potatoes*' some with' aY" relish "" of/pork or'beef'or fishon ■the 1 top; The pVoplp on 1 the right are oainped in three groups, and before each group in rows* were placed these flat platters or baiikeits. |Ojf: [food, enough tp: last {he Ngapuhla month., - :n J need not, say that.the j bulk of; this hospit. able offering rwill be ; ; completely wasted; some few baikets are used by the Wgapuhi, the remainder being allowed to spoil. If the day is fine to-morrow, when the meeting is held, I shall be enabled' to ■fbrni'a'more accurate statement;tff Jhe \ dumber of people here. "Immediately! above the {Ngapuhirbn'tli# Government party are encamped at the; house of-Mr Thompson; Of'his care and; 'providence to the Government! part^- too; much cannot be aaMi This?evenihg!Tu; ;Tawhiao,<ihis sirter and brQthqr-ih'iaw,j <came r overtd our' camp, and after having: a r: cMp';: with/; tW! Premier! ma- i;N^^ive! Minister, spent!a" sociaT'ete)aing/ iOTJiiii is) 'Consid^re^ ;fi",§ood >.onjen^''as"';it.,;i^)re-i 'aadj.his'people are,<nbt "s*>j goiiri'r as! !they : were a 'supposed :to, be.; ,'lt jwas; currently reported here this; morning! ihafc Tawhiao .had gone: sto ; K»whia,{ ;but -this iproves only^ another !? eanard,"j and you can only 'believer beri» what you^ R3b and hear from unimpeachable sources j Whether frbm; design or accident I can-i not toll, but fwhile Tawhiad has all'his! chiefs" hfereY 'the threei great J tribe'STrthe! Arawa,^'atfd^^ Ngatippttri—j |ire.^bt represented,: and Whanganui bnlyi imperfectly. ;>^e Nga|up|s an' invitation tb.yisit the King, but send word |heyy wonld jxot db sjq faxii^ the; foible; with the Government' wai',^«ale4^ H .f Piej 'hope of this healing spiJiiigs^Biainlyailom! the divided interests and feelings of the] tribes; i At 8 a.m., thisi tadrning a; d«nse| , fog coyeredi the whole country tide^ people! ; being in doubt whetheir the day would Be; fine or not—a subject of muoh aaxiety^there being no meeting ■ • «We« with'wfiiiei weather, and remaining here encamped inj tents, "sleeping on the ground With scanty! covering] is by no means a! pleasing pas- \ sage in life. About ten a.m. the "Poto " people gave a supply of uncooked,food to Ngapuhis, who are sb'mewhit dainty in! their tastes, asserting, that the Waikatosj are ignorant howi.to'cobkr, A JKing's mes■senger again came this morning wanting the. lVgapuhi to~yisit , them, but received! tbJe same answer.' ]' : '&t ''ls;;3Q theJsup:broke, out, but as the atmosphere was heavy and! Jiumid, it gave^ no. ,guarantee ofVdryness.: The order of the day is yet unknown. About 12 o'clock there was a chance of the day proving fine, but shortly after the: rain again commenced, and ii no coming: down heavliy, so that nothing will be done this day or until fine weather seta in. In all probability tha proceedings, when they do commeace^ will;be inaugurated with a' war dance. ''■'■■' "'''' -}y!'::[ '-■'■'-■' :; ■■;■"■• ''■ ;