A Story of the Old Days.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 206, 9 October 1888, Page 3

A Story of the Old Days.

AN ADVENTURE DURING TE KOOTI’S BOVING CABEEB. [BY MAJOR GASCOIGNE, IN THB N.Z. HERALD.] Two or three days after Te Kooti landed at Whareongaonga, after he made his escape from the Chatham Islands, Captain Biggs, the commanding officer at Poverty Bay, was encamped at Paparata with a party of volunteers and some friendly natives. He had formed the design of cutting off Te Kooti’s retreat into the interior of the country. I had just ridden into camp with some packhorses laden with provisions, and, dismounting, went up to to Major Biggs, who was talking to a group of officers and men. I heard him say, “ I will give £2O to anyone who will carry a despatch for me to the Wairoa.” Turning to some natives standing near, he repeated the offer in Maori. No one seemed willing to go ; so, after waiting for a minute, I said, “ I WILL TAKE THB DESPATCH, if you can find me a fresh horse ; of course I don’t want a money reward. ” The Major lo ked round, and said, “ You can have my horse,” and added, in a lower voice, “I did'nt like to ask you to do this, as you have been pretty hard at it already.” I was mounted and off in half an hour, and started by a short cut across the hills. There was no track, but I depended on my knowledge of the country. I had not ridden more than five or six miles from the camp, when I found that my horse was ill. I knew at once that he could’nt do the journey (about 60 miles) in the state he was in, and yet I did not like to return to camp lest anyone should think I funked the job, and I knew that it was not likely that I could get an 'ther horse in camp ; so I made up my mind to go back to an out station of Westrup’s at Te Arai, and turn Biggs’ horse loose there, and get a pony of my own from the station, and on him fetch a horse from the Makaraka Pa that belonged to a Maori there, I reached the outstation about sundown, got my pony out of the paddock without letting anyone see me, then off to Makaraka. It wis midnight when I got the h rse I wanted from the native, and then I had to promise him £3 for the use of it for three days. However, off I set at last, and rode pretty fast, considering the darkness, till I got char out of the settlement, and into the hills. At sunrise I was twenty miles on my journey, when, sounding plainly in the foggy morning, I heard rapid firing in the direction of the camp, I knew at once that the

IIAUHAU3 MUST HAVE ATTACKED OUR BELLOWS, and, in the excitement of the moment, I turned my horse to gallop back to camp. I did not go far before I remembered that the fighting would bo probably over long before I couid get back, and that, moreover, it was my duty to get the despatch to Wairoa with all" speed—l knew Biggs' order was not to be trifled with—so I again pushed on for the Wairoa. I got to the bush at Te Reiuga by dark, aud knew I had reached the worst part of my journey. This bush was bad enough to get through in the daytime, and it would have been folly to try and get a horse through in the dark, to say nothing cf the extra time it w uld take ; so I planted my horse in a thick manuka scrub, and Went on till I got opposite the native kainga at Whenuakura. The river ran between me and the kainga. but I could see the glare of a fire, so I knew there must be natives there, but whether friendly or no; I could not tell. I had found out by this time that, unless I got a guide, I would probably be all night getting through the bush, and very likely break my neck in the attempt ; so I determined to risk a coo-ee, which was answered from the pa, and I could see that someone carrying a firestick was coming down to the river. I drew my revolver, and crept down to the waterside to wait for the canoe. When it got close to me, I saw by the light of the firestick that it was old Rakiroa himself. Now, I did not want him to go back, and tell his people that a pakeha was by himself in the bush, as I didn't half trust these people, knowing them to be H»uhaus: so I drew back and, when he called out to know where I was, and why I didn’t comedown to the canoe, I said 1 was afraid to move in the dark, and that he must show me the way down the bank. The old fellow grumbled a bit, aud then came up the bank with his torch. I then told him that

HE MUST TAKE ME THROUGH THE BUSH. Of course he said he couldn’t; that I must wait till morning ; that he would send a boy to do it ; that he would have to make several torches before he could do it. However, I told him plainly that I was in a great hurry, that I would not let him go back ; that there was plenty of dry manuka to make torches of where wo were standing ; and that I would pay him well. Of course he saw I was armed, and that I was determined he should show me the way ; so he consented to go as 'far as the end of the first bit of bush. That was all I wanted, as, afterjthat, it was more open ; and I could get along all right by myself; so we tied up a couple of manuka torches, and started. It was quite bad enough travelling even with the aid of the torches, but at last we got through ; and then I told the old man that I would bring him anything he wanted from the Wairoa on my return from there. He looked rather glum at not being paid on the spot, but, as I had no money with me, he had to put up with it. He told me to bring him a butcher’s knife, pipes, tobacco, and matches, all of which I promised he should have, and I duly kept my promise, to his great delight. I may add that the day after 1 give them to him he and his people joined Te Kooti, and fought against us throughout the war. Af er parting with Rikiroa, I ran and walked up and down hill till I

BEACHED THE BIVBB WAIPOUITI ten miles from Wairoa, about daylight. I there caught a horse, intending to ride it on to Wairoa ; but as soon as I crossed the river, I found myself in the camp of a party of volunteers under the command of Captain Richardson, who were on there way to Waihcu on a scouting expedition. I got some breakfast in the camp, and then I found the horse I had seized belonged to Dr. Scott, who was with the party. Ha, however, very kindly let me keep the horse to goto Wairoa and back. I rods jt to Wairoa, and delivered my dispatch before breakfast there, having then been more than forty hours riding and walking, counting from the time I left the camp on Biggs’ horse. After a few hours’ rest, and telling the news to the eager enquirers, I started back, and, having settled with old Rakiroa and recovered my horse, I spent the night with a party of our men glider Captain Richardson, whom I overtook at the Waihou. Next day I returned to Poverty Bay in company with Dr Scott, who left Richardson's party to come with me. On our way, we met the unfortunate orderly, Brown, who, shortly after we passed, was caught and cruelly murdered by a party of Te Kooti’s men. I may add that 1 had some trouble to get the officer commanding in Poverty Ray to refund me £4 for my exthis trip ; he considered the charge exorbitant,