OF REBEL NATIVES, ETC.

47

F.— No. 1

will bring some more men, so that together they will be able to muster enough to protect themselves, I will not therefore for the present divide my party till the whereabouts of Te Kooti is ascertained; communication with Tikitiki is very uncertain, and a small party here could be so easily cut off that it would be very injudicious, I consider, to give Te Kooti a chance; my Natives, too, are averse to being divided. The Natives, as per note,* have come in with their families ; they are AVairoa people; Simeon (the chief) joined Te Kooti when he first landed from the Chathams, and was with him till Ngatapa, where, having lost the most of his men, he left; he did not see Te Kooti again till the other day, when Makarini w Trote about his being at the Lake. He, Te Kooti, .had then twenty men with him, and fifteen men and eight women have joined him since, so that Te Kooti has still some thirty-five men. Makarini confirms this statement of Simeon's. Hirini is still with us, and has got Makarini to send for his (Hirini's) people. When they arrive I will send them and Simeon's lot to AVairoa. The weather having cleared a little yesterday morning I sent off a scouting party, European and Native, in a canoe; they went up the Whanganui-o-Parau arm of the Lake, and came on two large canoes moored (not at any settlement), landed and found tracks of a number of people having come there in the canoes. The tracks looked as if after landing they had scattered ; from the heavy rains the age of the tracks could not be well made out, but Hapimana and Read think at least a week old. We suppose they separated on landing, to rendezvous at some appointed place. A rifle stock, broken at the lock and useless was found. Makarini recognises the broken rifle as one he saw with Pirihi (one of Te Kooti's men) ; he says it was accidentally broken in a canoe; the party went some distance inland, but could make out nothing further ; they returned about 5 p.m., bringing the largest canoe, being unable to bring both all the way, the weather having become worse than ever, and continues so with very short cessations ; the second canoe I will secure the first fine day, they will be very useful, as the boat has been injured and will be no use till repaired, and I fear she is hardly worth the expense. Whenuanui says nothing in his letter of the 26th ultimo about Te Kooti being at Ruatahuna on the 15th, which he would surely have done if it had been the case. I hope Te Kooti is not drawing us all to the Lake to enable him to make a dash at some of the settlements. He was very anxious to get as many men as he could from here, and must have some object in view. -Makarini and Simeon think Te Kooti is still about the Lake, but whereabouts they cannot say. 2nd August. —Immediately after Te Kooti's arrival at the Lake he despatched two men with a letter to the king. I enclose a letter from Makarini, and one for Tareha. I do not remember anything else of importance. I have, &c, Geo. J. Cumming, His Honor J. D. Ormond, Inspector, A.C. General Government Agent, Napier. Hapimana has just brought his letter, which I enclose. —G.J.C. Sub-enclosure 1 to Enclosure 3 in No. 50. Ruatahuna, 26th July, 1871 To AVaikare-Moana. To Te Makarini and Major Cumming,— Salutations to you both. We have received your letters to us, and our word to you is, be strong in resisting Te Kooti, aud turning him away from our district, and rescuing our young people from him. AVe are on our way to your assistance. Te Whenuanui, Paeeau, and Te Ahikaiata.

Sub-Enclosure 2 to Enclosure 3 in No. 50. To Mr. Ormond, Napier,— Te Onepoto (Waikare), Ist August, 1871. Friend, salutations to you, who has saved me at this evil time. Friend, I have heard of your and Mr. M'Lean's kind enquiries for me from Major Cumming, and my word to you is you are not forgotten by myself and Te Whenuanui. Friend, we, Europeans and Natives, saw Te Kooti on the 23rd July. On the 31st the canoes were taken, and one gun. Ido not know that Te Kooti has left, but think he is still about here. Here is my word to you, that you agree to have a carpenter come and mend the boat, as it is broken j if you agree to this some planks will be necessary to mend her. The boat is the only safe thing in high winds, the canoes cannot venture in. To Mr. Ormond, Napier. Makarini te Whaeehuia. * Simeon, Tamati, Aporo, Hemi Tihi, Rupapera, (Simeon's father), three women and five children.