AGAINST THE REBEL NATIVES.

25

A.—No. Bb,

On the 20th, the force under Topia and myself started, 490 in number, at 10 o'clock at night, being anxious not to be discovered by Te Kooti's scouts. In the morning we saw the party of Hauhaus that had gone out to catch the Whakatohea. After going for about half a mile they disappeared ; they were going in single file. Well, we went on through streams and over mountains. On the 23rd we came out at the Waioeka Gorge, and saw Te Kooti's party and his prisoners ; there we sent out the scouts ; they discovered the enemy encamped. At night I sent forward 120; the officers were Paora, Tapa, and Uruteangina, also Austin, a European. They rushed that camp, and captured all that were in it —eight, four women and four children. After that, I sent out 200, under Mci and Wiremu Kingi; they got to another encampment, and took the whole. After that the party went out again ; another attack was made, and all were taken; after that another attack, and all were taken ; and so on up to the sth, when a messenger came to me from Austin, then I sent out 300, because I heard that Kereopa the eye-eater, and Hakaraia the son of Satan, were there. Then that pa, Waipuna, was surrounded and a general attack was made ;it was like a mob of horses racing. The pa was taken; 18 were killed. Of Te Kooti's own force 35 were taken prisoners, 44 women, 30 children. The prisoners of the Whakatohea Tribe, who had been taken by Te Kooti, were re-taken by me in this pa — 45 men, 77 women, and 74 children. The total number, counting the living and the dead, is 323. The chief who was killed was Hakaraia the son of Satan, of Ngaitapuika. Timoti, who commanded the vessel when they came from Chatham Islands, and Hakopa, a cousin of Te Kooti, were killed. The Chief whose life I spared was Wiremu Kingi, of Turanga; the only man who escaped was Kereopa the eye-eater. All these camps, including the pa, were taken in one night. In the morning I sent out a party to look for Kereopa, the eye-eater; 200 went out. After two days they returned. After that I sent out 350, to surround Te Kooti; the 50 in advance of the 300, and the scouts, four in number, in advance of the 50. After marching for about two miles we heard the report of firearms from the force under Bopata, Major of Ngatiporou; then we could not decide what to do. A.t length I ordered the force to advance in single file, and after crossing various mountains one was caught and killed, and the force returned. Major Eopata's force killed one, they took one man and a woman ; so that they accounted for three. They made the attack on Te Kooti's pa; they came upon it suddenly, and not having sent scouts. Some of them say that the lot in front were dull fellows ; had it been Major Eopata's own hapu, some of the enemy would have been caught. That is all that is to be said. Sufficient. From your loving servant, Major Kepa Te Taitokokiteueu.

No. 50. Topia Turoa to the Hon. the Defence Minister. To Me. McLean,— Opotiki, 30th March, 1870. Friend, salutations to you. Now listen. On the 20th day of March my war-party advanced on Waioeka. On the night before the 24th we came up with the Hauhaus at their first settlement. At 8 o'clock at night I attacked another of their positions. There were four men with me. We took it and took all the people prisoners, eight in number, principally women and children. On the same night we pushed on and attacked another position, and took all hands. From there we pushed on to the station occupied by Hakaraia, and hero we caught Hakaraia and Wiremu Kingi. Kereopa escaped, but Hakaraia was killed —there were eighteen killed in all. The prisoners belonging immediately to Te Kooti, including men, women, and children there, were eighty-six, and including those belonging to the Whakatohea who were there, in all 218 persons, taken by Te Kooti. The whole of the killed and wounded and prisoners amounted in all to 323. My friend, when this letter reaches you, I beg you to come here, that we may speak face to face, that we may talk matters over, for this reason, that I have been thinking of returning home ; but this matter we will leave until you come down. Friend, I think we should have taken Te Kooti, if it had not been that Eopata attacked the pa in which he was at the time. I think if I had had the storming or taking of the position we should have captured that man (Te Kooti). Topia Tueoa.

No. 51. Major Eopata to the Hon. the Defence Minister. To Mr. McLean,— Opotiki, Ist April, 1870. My father, salutations to you. I have nothing now to say to you with reference to this our work. Captain Porter will have furnished you with full particulars of our proceedings. This is a letter of kindly sentiments towards the friend who has made the Natives of this Island what they are. I have one word to say to you, which is this: Pray come down and see us Ngatiporou, notwithstanding that you may be disappointed at our not securing Te Kooti. The proverb says, "It is a work to which one may return again." What could we do, owing to the difficult nature of the country? Had Te Kooti escaped when we attacked the pa, then there would be good cause for disappointment; as it was, he kept to the open bush, and before we could overtake him, your people had become exhausted with the fatigue of climbing or going up and down the precipices of this rough country. Captain Porter will give you all the particulars of this expedition. The Hon. the Defence Minister. Major Eopata. 7