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Mihawhenua: The Adventures of a Party of Tourists Amongst a Tribe of Maoris Discovered in Western Otago, New Zealand

Chapter XIV.The Fight at the Gorge

page 120

Chapter XIV.The Fight at the Gorge.

As a test of the watchfulness of his men, Te Kahu led us back to the gorge by a different route from that which we had taken on coming out. He had made certain that the war party now on the march proposed passing that way, and was making all haste towards the spot. Long before we reached the passage Te Kahu's keen eyes and ears discovered that our movements were watched by the men he had placed on the outlook. We therefore lost no time in rejoining our friends. When Te Kahu stalked up, proudly exclaiming, "Naku te Mataika," and displayed his trophy of war, the faces of his followers brightened considerably. The effect of this first result of their chief's prowess was a strong stimulation to them to perform deeds of daring in the coming encounter. Speedily informing each division of his men what would be expected of them, and placing them in order, he took up his station with us under the shelter of the wall. I saw that a great deal of the success of the operations depended on the judgment with which the men on the hills acted. If they were too precipitate, the advancing party would be able to retreat without much harm being done, while if they waited too page 121long before raining the stones down, the passage might be forced despite our efforts to prevent it. On this account I suggested to Gordon that it would be better for one of us to be on each hill and direct operations. From there we could use our rifles with equal effect. Gordon did not approve of my proposal.

"You'll find when these beggars come up that we'll all have enough to do here. They won't stand still and allow themselves to be quietly shot down by us or knocked over by the stones from above. We'll have them between our fire and the pelting of those fellows up there, and if we can turn them back without loss on our side, I'll be more than content."

"You don't think they'll try to get over this wall in the dark in the face of the shooting?" I enquired, somewhat eagerly.

"Yes, I do. You don't know much of the Maori in war if you think any odds likely to turn him."

"But he won't see his enemy, and will magnify their power?" I returned.

"No, you're wrong there. The fact of not seeing and knowing his danger will make him indifferent to it. You'll see these fellows who are prepared for a hand-to-hand fight will have plenty to do if they mean to keep the pass unpierced."

Gordon was delightfully cool. I cannot say that I shared his feeling. This, my first experience of war, was to be gained under peculiar circumstances. We were waiting the approach of an enemy whose strength we could only guess at; were about to attack them in the dark, and page 122under a surprise. We could easily have avoided them and returned to the pa, where, being forewarned and prepared, their attack could easily have been met and repulsed. Instead of this we had formed an ambuscade, and were hopeful of destroying the enemy by taking them at the greatest disadvantage and unprepared. True, we were practically certain that their advance was meant for an attack, and probably a midnight surprise, on our friends. This movement forward at night could only portend a surprise attack, but were we justified in joining in this most un-British way of meeting a foe? Were we justified in risking our lives and those of all our party in stemming the advance of this force, when we could, by holding back, have brought about a return to the pa and a preparation to meet the enemy's attack in fair and open combat?

These thoughts crowded across my mind during the moment of silence which followed on Gordon's remark. I did not, however, give any of them expression. It was too late to change any of our plans, even had I wished it. But I had no such desire. Indeed, I must confess that now the moment approached for the inevitable collision, I was considerably excited, and eager for the signal of battle. Strange that in this supreme moment of excitement I did not feel the slightest apprehension of fear. It may be that this reality was so utterly at variance with all my preconceptions of what an actual engagement would be, so radically different from anything I had ever read or heard about, that the actuality of the occasion was not clearly brought home to me. Be this as it may, here I was, stationed in the shelter of a tree, calmly awaiting the page 123approach of an enemy, whom I should have to engage, without clearly seeing his strength or knowing the capacity of his arms. Richards was not far from me, similarly placed behind a large tree, from which he could command an imperfect view along the gorge, the passage of which it was our purpose and duty to prevent.

"I say, Brock, old man," he presently whispered to me, "I don't care how soon these buffers come up. I don't like this waiting and uncertainty. I begin to wish myself well out of this infernal mess."

"There's no retiring now," I replied; "besides, we mustn't show the Maoris the white feather, you know. We must do justice to our arms to-night whatever happens."

"I'm not so blood-thirsty as you, I fear," replied Richards, with something of a sigh.

"Whatever you do, don't get careless and expose yourself to unnecessary risks," I continued. "Ah! what was that?"

The cause of this exclamation was a prolonged whistle, as if in imitation of a bird. It sounded at no great distance from where we stood, and evidently was a signal from the approaching force.

Had they discovered us?

Again the whistle was repeated, this time at our side, as if in answer.

Startled for the moment, I did not comprehend the meaning of these signals.

"Steady boys; keep quiet," whispered Gordon.

He knew what the whistling signified. Te Kahu had cunningly replied to the notes of enquiry from the enemy. page 124His reply would be mistaken for that of the scout, whose head, still reeking with blood, was near where the chief stood.

Concluding that all was safe, the enemy would push on after the answering scout.

Te Kahu whispered a few words in the ear of one of his followers, who at once started quickly and quietly towards the rear of our position. After a moment a similar whistle was heard from the direction this man had taken—another cunningly-devised plan of our chief to mislead his enemy, and bring them directly into the trap we had set.

A reply from the advancing foe nearer than before satisfied us of the success of this device, and put us on the alert for immediate action.

We could now hear the voices of the Maoris as they came nearer and nearer to our ambuscade. Presently their steady tread was audible. They were now all but in the gorge, and already the van had closed in with the necessity of filing through the passage in narrower column. As they drew together they presented a dense mass of man pressed forward by those behind. In another moment the foremost man had reached within a few feet of the wall we had erected. Those in the rear were still pressing eagerly on. Now was the time for action. With a wild yell Te Kahu called to his men; at the same moment our rifles poured forth their first volley. Those on the heights understood their work well, for instantly from both sides came a deadly shower of stones crashing into the now struggling mass of humanity below. Utterly bewildered by the suddenness of attack, and ignorant of page 125the side from which that came which appeared to come from all, our second volley had been fired before any of the enemy realised where they had a foe. By this time the advance was impeded by the slain and wounded, and as a number of the foremost attempted to scale the wall, they were speedily despatched by Te Kahu and his comrades. Another round from our rifles and several more Maoris went down. Now we saw the wonderful mettle of the New Zealander. Conscious that here was an antagonist, time after time the leading men threw themselves upon the wall, only to be knocked down or brained on reaching the other side. Some, by well-directed blows, had laid low two or three of our men; and as the advance on the other side of the wall became easier from the thinning of their numbers, a few of them got over, only to be bewildered by the rifle shots, and speedily fall victims to the mere of our men. Meanwhile the stoning party had dealt dreadful havoc amongst the struggling mass behind. Already not less than two-thirds of the whole number had been killed. Presently a greater rush was made for the wall, and six or eight Maoris succeeded in getting over and through our men. Before they could turn upon Te Kahu and his warriors, well-directed shots from Gordon's rifle and mine made two of them bite the dust. Three others then rushed towards our chief, but he was on the alert, and, turning quickly, felled the first to the ground. Richards left his tree and clubbed another with the butt of his rifle, and Te Kahu speedily rendered the third hors de combat. As Richards turned again he was confronted by a stalwart Maori, who, springing on him, grasped the upraised rifle with one hand, page 126and with the other struck our companion a dreadful blow upon the forehead with his club. At the same instant a shot from my rifle sent the Maori to his last account, but too late to avert the blow. I ran forward and raised Richards from the ground, heedless of what went on around me now. Gordon also had seen him fall, and came to my assistance. Together we carried Richards to a safe spot, and examined his hurt. He was unconscious but still breathing, and his heart beat strongly. Trembling with apprehension, we could do nothing but hold him up and wait. There was no water at hand, and in the darkness we could not ascertain the extent of his injury. As we knelt beside him in the agony of anxiety, the yells of our companions announced to us that at last the remnant of the enemy had turned in flight. Te Kahu and his followers were in hot pursuit, but I knew would not carry that too far for fear of displaying the smallness of our numbers. I called to Jars and Macdonald, and soon had the satisfaction of their joining us. Seeing how matters were, they both looked around in quest of water. After what seemed to us an age in the suspense of remaining inactive under such painful circumstances, when our whole desire was to do something for our fallen comrade, Te Kahu and his men returned. Without a moment's delay a fire was made, by the light of which we were able to do something for Richards. Water was speedily brought, and presently a faint return to consciousness was the result of our efforts. After a moment's recognition, but without uttering a syllable, our companion again became unconscious. Gordon and I examined the effects of the page 127blow he had received. He had been struck by a thick, heavy weapon, so that no wound had been made. The appearance of his head gave us hope that by careful attention he might soon be brought round.

Without speaking, Te Kahu had gone to examine those of his men who had fallen in the strife. Four of them were found, only one of whom still lived. The Maoris speedily constructed, litters, upon which their wounded companion and the bodies of their dead were placed. We assisted in the construction of a similar litter for Richards. While we were engaged in this, the half-moon rose above the horizon. As I turned and looked towards the scene of the fight, her pale light shone upon the most ghastly sight I had ever witnessed. There, huddled together in a heap of crushed and mangled corpses, were the bodies of over a hundred men, who not many minutes previously had been strong with life and aflame with the worst passions that animate the breasts of human beings. With a sickened heart I turned towards the prostrate form of my companion, and joined in the weary march towards the river where our canoe lay.