[PREFACE]
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TO THE READER
Confinement to my room during a slow convalescence, following a severe illness, has enabled me to fulfil a promise to write my recollections of sixty years of a rather strenuous life.
On its literary side, I am well aware that my book falls very short of the requirements of the age. The reminiscences, however, include many incidents in the Maori wars which hitherto have not been recorded, and on that account I venture to hope that most New Zealanders will find them interesting.
Even those who are strangers to the land, which, before the coming of the white man, was known to the Maoris as "The Long White Cloud" may, I hope, find pleasure in reading these pages.
F. J. W. G.
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[LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS]
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LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
MAJOR F. J. W. GASCOYNE ... ... ... ... 2
CAPTURE OF KAIROMIROMI ... ... ... ... ... 14
SIR DONALD MCLEAN ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 18
MAJOR R. BIGGS... ... ... .. ... ... ... ... 23
CAPTAIN JAMES WILSON .. .. ... ... ... ... ... .. 38
MAJOR CHARLES WESTRUPP... ... ... ... ... 44
DR. MURRAY GIBBS.. ... ... ... ... ... ... 49
RENATA KAWEPO... ... . ... ... ... ... 53
MAJOR ROPATA... ... ... ... ... ... 57
RESCUE OF A COMRADE UNDER FIRE ... ... ... 66
PLAN OF NGATA PA... ... ... ... ... ... 69
SKETCH OF ATTACK ON NGATA... ... ... ... ... ... 73
COLONEL LYON... ... ... ... ... ... ... 92
COLONEL FRASER... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 101
H. R. H. THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH ... ... ... ... ... ... 105
TE WHITI... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 111
CAPTAIN WILSON HURSTHOUSE, C. E. . ... ... ... ... ... 120
LIEUT.-COL. J. M. ROBERTS... ... ... ... ... ... 128
WAITANGI, CHATHAM ISLANDS... ... ... ... ... ... 138
MRS. REIHANIA TE POKI... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 142
HON. JOHN BRYCE ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 150
TAPU AND HIS WIFE ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 158
TE KOOTI .............................. 166
CAPTAIN ST. GEORGE... ... ... ... ... ... 174
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[CONTENTS]
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CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
Birth and parentage--Ferozeshah--Luhoogaut--Natural beauties--We leave India for New Zealand--My first duel--Paingatotara--Farm work--Maraekakaho--Gold digging--I become an officer in the Colonial Defence Force............3
CHAPTER II.
Outbreak of hostilities in 1860--The Waikato campaign, 1863--Fighting on the East Cape in 1865--H. M. S. Eclipse--Waiapu--Capture of Kairomiromi--Two narrow escapes--Pukemaire taken and destroyed--Surrender of Hungahunga-te-roa--Mr. Donald McLean and the Hau-haus of Waerengaahika--Operations in the bush--Omaranui--Turiroa--Good service rewarded............10
CHAPTER III.
The Armed Constabulary--Te Kooti lands at Poverty Bay--Major Biggs--I help to raise a force--We are attacked at Paparatu--Carrying a despatch to Wairoa--Rakiroa guides me--Paku Brown--Dr. Scott--Colonel Whitmore arrives--Westrupp's stand--Retreat from Paparatu--On Te Kooti's track--Bad weather at Waihau--Escape of Te Kooti--Colonel Whitmore's disgust--Trial of three volunteers............24
CHAPTER IV.
Te Kooti vows vengeance--Our precautions against a raid--The old native's warning--Signs of danger--The Poverty Bay massacre--Murder of Major and Mrs. Biggs--Death of the Wilsons--Terror and confusion at Turanganui--Reinforcements arrive--Te Kooti pursued and defeated--Major Westrupp's friendlies--Fight with the Hau-haus--Attacked by fire--Dr. Murray Gibbs--Through the fire--We hold the ridge--Gallantry of Renata Kawepo--Te Kooti wounded--Ropata arrives--We attack the enemy and rout them--Tom Lake's wound............34
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CHAPTER V.
Major Ropata--First attack on Ngatapa--Strength of the enemy's Position--Hotene--Panic of his men--Blackstock--Mohi--We abandon the attack--The New Zealand cross--I get promotion--Awaiting reinforcements--Second attack on Ngatapa delayed--A dangerous bit of scouting--Captain Newland--The raupo swamp--Rescue of Ateria--Shortt nearly kills me--Second attack on Ngatapa--The siege--Te Kooti escapes--£5 a head for captives............58
CHAPTER VI.
The Reverses on the West Coast--Te-Ngutu-o-te-Manu--Moturoa--Colonel McDonnell's Despatch............76
CHAPTER VII.
Taurangaika--The fight in the peach orchard--March to Otautu--The Arawas break--Battle in the fog-We are severely handled--Crossing Te Ngaere swamp--Colonel Lyon--The enemy warned--Galatea--Opepe--Matata camp--"Aua"--I am placed under arrest--End of a farcical trial............88
CHAPTER VIII.
Tauranga--Whakatane--Inspector Branigan--Attack on Porere--Captain St. George's death--Colonel Fraser--Hard travelling--Captain Mair--Visit of the Duke of Edinburgh--Rotorua--Taupo--My father's death--My marriage--Many military changes--Tarawera............98
CHAPTER IX.
Te Whiti stirs up trouble--His influence with the natives--Parihaka--Maori superstitions--Murder of Miss Dobie--Strong measures--Dispersing the natives--Effects of Mr. Bryces firmness--Discomforts of our camp--Opunake--Road to Rotorua--Alexandra--King Tawhio meets Mr. Bryce--Hursthouse and Newsham--Te Kooti saves Hursthouse's party--Mahuki's attack on Alexandra--We defeat it--Te Kooti thanked--Wai ato--Serious illness.............110
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CHAPTER X.
Opunake--Training artillery--Interview with Mr. Ballance--More trouble with Te Whiti--In command of the Field Artillery--Accident to my wife--Point Hatswell--Visit of H. M. S. Nelson--Artillery Board--New Government--Retirement of Sir George Whitmore--Discharge of officers--Sheriff of Auckland--Arrest of Hinckley--Mr. Seddon--"Retrenched"............125
CHAPTER XI.
Transfer to the Chatham Islands--My duties there--Waitangi--The lagoons--Fish, flesh and fowl--The Residency--Many pleasant neighbours--Trying climate--We build a church and reading room--Mr. Foster--The wool trips--Visit of H. M. S. Goldfinch--Icebergs sighted--Checking the liquor traffic--Heta and Paki--Visit of H. M. S. Ringdove--Boat building--Death of Mr. Ballance--"Honest John Bryce."............136
CHAPTER XII.
Visit of H. M. S. Lizard--Peace and goodwill--Wreck of the Jessie Readman--I build a yacht--Bridge over the Waitangi--The Institute--Visit of H. M. S. Rapid--Our regatta--Visit of the Governor, Lord Glasgow--A month in New Zealand--Severe hurricane--Our race meeting--Building the jetty--Constant illness compels me to resign my office--The Massey Government--Military pensions--Farewell............153
APPENDIX.
Pursuit of Te Kooti through the Urewera country............167
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