F.—No. 1

44

PAPEES EELATIVE TO SURRENDER

17th. Continued our course up the river bed, over huge irregular boulders, up waterfalls, and over detached pieces of white and blue quartz, the river sometimes up to the armpits. Men suffered much from cold, and had great difficulty in keeping their ammunition dry. 18th. Ascended the Putaihinu range, and followed it till noon, when we descended into Toreatai Valley at Maungapowhatu ; climbed a high hill to Te Kakari Settlement, where we took about fifty of the Ngatihuri by surprise. At first they were so bewildered they did not know what to do, fight or run, till assured of our intentions. However we were soon on good terms, and shared their houses for the night. 20th —Marched six miles to Tauaki, the principal village in Maungapowhatu. It is a good large pa, on a fine commanding position. Here we met Tamaikowha, Te Puehu, Te Purewa, Te Makarini, and the whole of the Ngatihuri. After a long talk, the Ngatihuri promised to give no further assistance to Te Kooti; but said they were not clear about Kereopa, as the word of the Government was not known with regard to him. They professed to know nothing about him, but we saw his wife, and Kereru left the pa about two hours before our arrival, I believe to get him out of harm's way. They sent two messengers after Te Kooti to get Tamaikowha's breach-loader, and to bring back the four Urewera, who still remain with him. 21st.—Snow falling heavily, and all our rations being expended, we decided to start for Opotiki, as it would be impossible to cross the Rangikapua and Kahunui ranges and get to Te Wera ; climbed the Kirakau range, and camped for the night at Opokere, where we got a few potatoes. 22nd.—Got to Tawhana settlement at twelve; forded the AVaimana twenty-eight times, and camped at Tauwharemanuka, in Tamaikowha's large house, Te Puni, built to entertain Hoani Ngamu and party, from Ohiwa, in March last. 23rd. —Marched down the river all day, crossing it thirty-eight times; slept at Te AVaimana settlement. 24th. —No food all day ; reached Ohiwa at dark ; got to Opotiki next day. Received instructions from the Hon. the Defence Minister not to go up the Waioeka, bulo get the men into winter quarters at once. Left Opotiki on 30th; got to Maketu on 3rd July; left on sth, men carrying tools for road works ; arrived at Kaiteriria on the 7th, having been absent forty-six days, during which time the men had marched about three hundred miles. The fact of a small force having passed through the whole of the Urewera country, in so short a time, and during the worst months of the year, ought to teach them that their wild country will not save them from punishment, should they continue in rebellion; while their being brought into contact with Europeans, cannot fail to have a beneficial effect, and do away with the dread and mistrust with which long seclusion has taught them to look upon us. Many of the Urewera have never seen the sea, and hardly ever a white man. The Maungapowhatu Natives are a wild, restless set, with large shaggy heads of hair, and clad in mats made from the coarse fibres of the toi (cordyline indivisa) —they bore but small resemblance to civilised beings. But their condition has wonderfully improved already ; large supplies of clothing having been sent to them from the coast by the friendly Natives ; and the desire for peace is general, and sincere. The Urewera country may be called the New Zealand Tyrol. It is one mass of mountains, scarcely an acre of level land, and densely wooded with the sombre black birch (Fagus Solandri). I saw no indications of gold, except quartz boulders, in the Houpuruwahine river. Maungapowhatu is a long range, the southern extremity resting on AVaikare Lake ; the north terminating in a frowning cliff, about 4,000 feet high, bare to the summit. A remarkable peak—Taratu te Maungaroa—is the burial place of all the Urewera chiefs. AVhile at Waikare, I discovered the existence of a large lake, lying to tho north-east about fifteen miles, named Waikare Iti. Two large streams run from it into Waikare, ono at Mokau, and the other at Whanganui-a-parua; very little is known of this lake. The old men told me that it was famous for the enormous quantities of duck ; the great grebe of the south (Podiceps cristalus) also abounds there One arm runs near the Papuni, and the Urewera say that if Te Kooti is driven from Haupapa and Te Wera, he will hide there. I attach an estimate of the Urewera tribe. Children are very numerous ; as a rule, they are very healthy, but I observed a great many cases of " goitre"—a huge swelling of the throat and neck. It is a disease common to the inhabitants of mountainous countries. Hapurona accompanied the force. His knowledge of the country, and influence with the Urewera, was of great assistance to us. Paerau, Te Makarini, and Tamaikowha behaved particularly well. Te Makarini keeps the Government boats at AVaikare in good order. I would recommend that he be allowed to raise the two large boats which were sunk by Colonel Herrick. They might be of use some day, and could always be got back from tho Natives if wanted; if left in the water much longer, they will be worthless Te Makarini promised to take the six Chatham Islanders at Waikare out to Te Wairoa in a short time. I saw about ninety stand of arms in possession of the Urewera, principally rifles and good doublebarrelled guns. I beg to attach a rough sketch map of the Urewera country, and a plan of the Waikare-Moana Lake. I have, &c, Gilbert Mair, Captain, The Officer Commanding Tauranga District, Commanding Arawa Flying Column. Tauranga.