Surprised by the Maoris.

“I was lying on my blanket reading a paper, when I heard voices outside, and looking out saw a Maori, a stranger, who had come up from one of the gullies on our flanks. Some of our men called to him and the troopers came out of the big hut to talk to him; they took him for a friendly native. I heard more voices, and getting up was confronted at the door of the whare by two Maoris in fighting trim, with Enfield rifles capped and cocked.