INCIDENTS IE THE LIFE OF A JOURNALIST.

Observer, Volume 7, Issue 231, 14 February 1885, Page 9

INCIDENTS IE THE LIFE OF A JOURNALIST.

C. 0. Montrose (Nemo)

THE SIEG-E OF ORAKAU

Chapter LXXV. — How I Compiled this Account—My Account of the Siege in. the Daily Southern Cross, and its Remarks- thereon — Presence of the Enemy at Orakau Reported — The Position Reconnoitred, by BrigadierGeneral Carey — Preparations for a. Night Attack — The Brigade State —The Lines of Attack — The Attack in Front — Captain Ring's Assault — The Second Assault — The Flying Sap Opened — The Artillery from the Acacia Grove — The Maori Reinforcement Repidsed — The Besiegers Reinforced — Night Closes on the Scene.

I WENT the other day to the Free Public Library, in order to look over the Military Despatches in the Blue Books of 1864, for the purpose of refreshing my memory as to the official details and statistics of the desperate siege of Orakau, which was begun on the 30th of march, 1864, and continued for two days and three nights, resulting ultimately in the capture of the pa, and the infliction of a crushing blow on the enemy. I had compiled many notes from the despatches, and then turned to the Auckland newspapers of that time in order to add any other materials which I could vouch for. As a matter of fact, I came upon many incorrect or biassed reports which 1 had to reject. But my astonishment was great when, as I was just about to close my note-book and return the volumes to their places, I stumbled upon five columns in the Daily Southern Gross of the 11th April, ISG4, which i had written on the spot for that paper from my own observations, and from data supplied to me at the' time by the military authorities. In truth, -I had forgotten all about it; such is the uiitrustworthiness of a man's memory after so many, years of other labours iv a different sphere of life. In this description of the siege of Orakau, which will necessarily extend to' some length, I shall rely on the account 1 sent to the Daily Southern Cross, supplemented by other facts from the official despatches and newspaper reports of the time which I had omitted.

The Cross devoted the following sub-leader to my report, and as it forms a fitting.introduction to the description I am about to give, 1 cannot do better than quote it here : — .