OLD MAUKU DAYS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 78, 3 April 1926, Page 21

OLD MAUKU DAYS.

THE AMBUSH THAT FAILED. (By J.C.) Hat pretty church of St. Bride, on its green hill at Mauku village—you pass close to it by motor or train on the way from Pukekohe to Waiuku—was the centre of military movements in 1563 on that part of the frontier Here is a little episode not heretofore recorded; I take it from a manuscript narrative by that versatile soldier of fortune, Ton Tempsky—writer and artist as well as gold seeker and warrior—whose name ■ and deeds seem to appeal more to Xew Zealanders than those of any British general of the Maori War days. "Yon Tempsky at this time was a subaltern in the Forest Bangers, under Captain (afterwards major) William Jackson, of Papakura. Soon after the Maori attack on Burt's Farm, at Paerata, on the track between Mauku and Drury (the site of Fukekohe town -was their covered ivit—. forest) the Forest Bangers camped at Mauku, making the fortified church their headquarters, and scouring the bush. The officers occupied the deserted house of Mr. Vickers. Yon Tempsky describes a Forest Bangers' ambush which turned out as he says, "a ridicuaffair;" he- often tells a joke Jainst himself: "I had constantly pressed the necessity of ambushes," he wrote, "and at last the matter was agreed to. At a place in the bush where several tracks joined I had selected my , position. Twenty volunteers had placed themselves at my disposal, and after the usual turn through the bush my" party •was quietly dropped near the place. The main body returned to camp not to excite suspicions if our movements were watched, as we had good reason to Believe them to be. This took place late one afternoon shortly before dark. "I distributed my men, and saw that everyone was perfectly invisible from all points of view. The sun sank and total silence fell ovar the scene. I was very happy and excited with the prospect of the coming night's work. My men behaved admirably; hardly a breath was audible, and as for seeing them, I, who knew the positions of each man, could not even imagine that they were \vhere they were. "The distance of the place of ambush was about a mile from the Mauku church, a dense forest separating us from that post, whence also we were to be supported if our firing indicated large numbers of opponents. "About nine o'clock a shot was fired between us and the church; another followed —another and another. "My men grew restive. I calmed them and told them to wait. The firing continued, and rather increased than slackened. My sergeant came to mc saying that the men at Ms fia__c were becoming unmanageable. "A possibility crossed, my mind that the Maoris were perhaps making a night attack on the church, and as I was thinking so, two heavy volleys, with irregular firing ibnowing, decided mc. "I blew my whistle. My men bounded from their recumbent and painful positions with eagernesa. I explained in. a few words that we could from here take the enemy in the rear, and away we went, swiftly yet silently, •las much as a dogs-trot will permit of silence in a bush road full of impediments. "As we neared the edge of the bush we ceased to run, and stole in extended order through the nearest clearing. From stump to stump we crawled, expecting to see or hear something of the enemy. But there stood the church, white and calm under the night sky, and no Maoris! "I now saw what had led mc astray. I could not have believed" it before, but there was no doubt. Our friends had been discharging their rifies and been at a little foolish target practice as welt. . "Jackson could hardly look mc in the face when I came to camp. He had forgotten about our ambush and so there our ambush ended."