AGAINST THE REBEL NATIVES.

45

A.—No. Bb.

we captured the prisoners, and was there eaten. Our information was received too late, or the wretch would not have escaped. Our march for to-morrow will be along the bed of the river leading into the Waimana. We make a forced march to-morrow. Wo had some pork to-night, which was the first piece of animal food we had tasted for a fortnight. 18th March. —Left Tawhana at 2 o'clock this morning, marching through the bed of the river nearly all the way, many parts of which are very deep, and the boulder rocks very trying to the feet. Our march to-day has been fifteen hours ; some of the men were quite knocked up. Wo are also now very short of food. Two men were obliged to bo carried. Our camping place to-night is at Te Punga. 19th March. —Our march to-day has been another very fatiguing one ; men all very foot-sore and hungry. My food to-day was some biscuit-dust and kauka tree roasted. Our track has been through the bed of the river all day. When reaching the plain leading from the Waimana to Ohiwa, the men were so delighted at the sight of a little open country that, after plunging into the river to refresh themselves, they all joined in a war dance. I myself felt quite refreshed at the sight of a little level country. We expected to have reached Ohiwa to-night, but many of the men were quite unable to walk from fatigue and hunger. Our supper to-night consisted of grass-tree. Just before getting to the Waimana this morning, a shot was fired in our rear, doubtless by one of Tamaikowha's people, who had watched our march. 20th March, Sunday. —Beached the crossing at Ohiwa this morning, but were compelled to wait until afternoon for low water, to allow of our crossing. When we approached Marsh's pa, they mistook us for Hauhaus of Te Kooti. I fortunately went on in advance, thinking it strange that no one should be about to meet us. When I got close to the pa two men came out to meet me, and asked me who we were ? I replied Ngatiporou ; upon which the people came out of tho pa to welcome us. We found Major Kemp there, with some of his men. After having eaten a welcome meal of kumaras, maize, &c, we had some talk with Kemp, who was then leaving for Opotiki, he promised to meet us next morning. To Kooti is supposed to bo at Waioeka. We intend to be on his track at once. 21st March. —Left Ohiwa at 4 a.m., expecting to get to Opotiki in time for the tide, but getting to the crossing we found the tide well in, and were therefore compelled to cross in canoes. Kemp started away last night, immediately on his return from Ohiwa. Ho has gone by a track that will bring him on tho flank of the pa where Te Kooti is supposed to be. We start to-morrow by the direct track up the Waioeka, Eopata was annoyed at Kemp leaving without arranging some plan of attack. I find that we cannot get a supply of rations until to-morrow, they having been all consumed by the Wanganuis. 22nd March, —Despatches sent to Tauranga reporting our return. I have been busy all day in getting rations for the march. Succeeded only in getting five days' rations, and that partly in potatoes. Obtained two guides for the expedition. At 5 p.m. started, leaving our sick, some forty in number, behind us. 23rd March. —Our march to-day has been up the bed of the Waioeka Gorge, tho water in many places being up to the armpits. We are encamped to-night close to Kairakau, the scene of one of the fights in 1865, which has not been visited since. We shall take it to-morrow. Passed two places to-day where outlying picqucts have been stationed. They had built walls with some stonesfrom the river bed near the most difficult crossing-places. Went in advance with To Aowera, and getting to Kairakau, we found that it had been abandoned some few days previous. We stayed here for dinner, and found large quantities of kumaras, pumpkins, &c. Our track still lies through tho river bed, which is very difficult, the rocks being large and slippery. We have been expecting to hoar firing, as Kemp should have reached Maraetahi ere this. We suppose ho must have fallen in with To Kooti's trail, and followed elsewhere. We attack Maraetahi in the morning. We have heard much of its strength from tho Wakatohea guides, who tell us that the Kawanatanga could not reach it in 1865. Although it is raining now we cannot light fires, lest the enemy should see the smoke. 25th March, —The Maraetahi Pa fell into our hands this morning after some short resistance, but with few casualties on our side. During the attack on tho pa we were quite unaware of its being occupied by Te Kooti, the defence being so feeble as compared with his usual mode of lighting. The details arc as follows : — Getting to the narrowest part of the gorge, where the track passes under an immense perpendicular rock, our advance was fired into by an outlying picquet of the enemy. Our fellows did not shrink, but pressing on returned the fire most effectually, driving the enemy before us. Two of the Hauhaus were here wounded, and are now prisoners. One rifle and three guns were left behind in their hasty retreat. The part of tho gorge where the picquet attacked was that on which the enemy depended solely for the defence of tho pa, as if properly defended it was almost impassable, aud there was no other approach. Our hasty advance, however, completely disconcerted their plans, as we met a kokiri coming to relieve tho picquet, but they in turn were compelled to retreat to the pa. Turning a bend in the river, we came in sight of the pa and could see the Hauhaus running about from whare to whare. We kept up a steady advance and fire upon the pa, which lay on the opposite side of the river, very high above us. A great number of the enemy retired to a hill just in rear of and above tho pa, keeping up a fire upon us, but doing no damage. Seeing so very few men in the place, we thought that the Whakatohea alone were opposed to us. We still pressed on, and in less than one hour and a half from the time of the picquet's attack we were in possession of Maraetahi Pa, the resting-place of Te Kooti. The enemy had gone. Our men were at once in pursuit. Eopata and a greater portion of the men remained behind, still being under the impression that it was Whakatohea alone who occupied the pa, although we found many things that led us to suppose that Te Kooti had been there lately, such as blank cheques, &c. In the evening a woman of Whakatohea came in and told us that she had bolted back from Te Kooti, and that Kemp was coining up in rear, and that nearly all Whakatohea were prisoners in his hands. She stated that she was in the pa when the firing of the outlying picquet of twenty men was heard. Te Kooti at onco collected men to go to their relief, and to oppose our approach. The remainder of the men, women, and children, dispersed in different directions at once. Te Kooti at last was completely deserted by his men, and left alone to defend the 12