ENGAGEMENT WITH THE REBELS AT THE THAMES.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XIX, Issue 1968, 6 November 1863, Page 3

ENGAGEMENT WITH THE REBELS AT THE THAMES.

The ' Sandfly ' returned to port at half-past eight o'clock last evening, aud we have been favored with the followiug important paiticular* of her trip :—: — The ' Sandfly with fifteen of the Naval Brigade oli board, under the command of Lieut. Stephenson, left this harbour at G. 30 p.m on Sunday night last, and landed at Maraiti, when Mr. C. De Thiery read the proclamation of the Government prohibiting vessels trading between certain boundaries mentioned therein, and copies of it wero left on shore with them. The 'Saudfly' anchored oif the Waiion at 10.30 the same night, and ft boat with Lieut. Stephenson proceeded up the river to bringdown the Naval Volunteers' boat left theiethe dny before by the 'Sandfly,' aud returned at 3 30 the next morning. On Tuesday morning, at 10 30, the boat having been laden with flour and other provisions*, it was tdkeii in tow and we proceeded up to the lower redoubt occupied by the 18th and a party of the Waikato Militia. Wo ai rived there at teu minutes past twelve o'clock, and lauded the stores. An escort was sent down, under the command of Captain Mooic of the Waikato Militia, who escorted the boat up the river the wholo way. We went back to the l Sandfly, l and got under weigh, for the put pose of intercepting a schooner, winch was evidently bound foi the Thames. On uearing her, Lient Stephen&on boarded hei, when she turned out to bo the ' George, ' licensed to proceed to the Thames, to bring up Mr. Nicholas' family and cattlo. She was, therefore, allowed to proceed. Another sail ahead was theu obsei veil, which proved to bo the ' Midnight ' cutter. We then started in search of the 'Miranda,' as heavy firing was heaid onboard the 'bandfly' during our absence up the Wairoa. Shortly afterwards the ' Miranda ' was seen ahead of us at anchor. On our passage down to the Thames, seveial signal fires wcie observed, — one at Waikawau, and another at ICawarainga. These were distinctly seen, and soon afterwards another one at Hawarike, on the other shore. The natives must have lately arrived hero in great numbers. This was presumed to be the ease fiom the lights of so many signal fires. At 830 p.m. we anchored abreast of the ' Miiauda,' which was lying at anchor off Wakatiwi, and Captain Marks and Lieutenant Stephenson left in a boat, and boarded her. Our supposition as to the large body of natives that had arrived in this locality was then proved to be the case by the intelligence that an engagement had taken i place iv the* course of the day between a i party iv the ' Miranda* boat and the natives lat Pokurnkuru. It appears that the ' Miranda's ' men . were going ashore, when suddenly they were* fired upon, but the shots went over thenheads, and consequently did them no harm. They then commenced shelling the wharu. doing considerable damage to the rebels, and the uush was flred in all directions by rockets. I One whare was completely blown up. A schooner lay high and (ley up the Mokuraoku creek. It was a vessel which had been taken from the Europeans and afterwards detained by the natives. Captain Jenkins, of the 'Miranda,' detei mined if possible to recover her, aud gave orders, fcq pupfc. Marks to be ready fco. a,wst him. in, taking her the neift morning. At 0.30 next morning we took on boaid 10Q 1)1 no jackets aud marine* from the •Muanda,' and got under way for Itawaki when all, with the exception of the crew got in the man-of-war boats leady for an attack. Captain Jenkins was in the first boat, which was followed by tho pinnace, and two cuttera, Mr, 0. DoTlierry accompanied Captain Jenkins as pilot and interpreter. The schooner to be taken was at tho mouth of the Rawaki ciaek. Bofore landing a sholl was thrown into the settlement to scour the natives. This was followed by another shell, and thiee rockets. A very good maik was made, one shell going right into one of the whares. 37 of the men landed, and waded tlirougl) deen mud up to their waist. Pmdjng it impossible to get tho vessel, which proved to be tho ' Emma,' of Auckland, off it was J determined to fire her. The first to board her was the Second Lieutenant of the 'Miranda,' Mr. Hillton, and one of the carpentci's mates. The natives had evidently taken to the bush, as frefch fuofc marks wore plainly seen along the beaoh and in the settlement. It was, therefore, rather hazardous to go after them. Tho schooner was theu fited in two places. The party retnrned to the boats, and proceeded to a settlement further down the creek, and effected a laudiug, having previously thiown thiee shells into the hush near the settlement. They then took possession of five oa.n.oos and destroyed thiee oihers which they were unable to get out owing to tho deep mud. Two large Whakatana oanoes were taken iv tow, but owing to a heavy north-east gale and swell, they broke adrift aud went to pieces. The 'Miranda' was during the attack lying off and on, in order to cover the attacking party with her big gun«, and the naval voluutoers on hoard wore under arms tho whole time. Tho 'Sandfjy' had previously done good servioe in towing down the boats of the man-of-war agaiusta strong gale. She experienced some little difficulty in towing the boats ou her return, in consequence of the heavy sea, and the captain's gig \y.is nearly swamped. On returning, the blue j '.okets on board the ' Sandfly' ictiinied to the 'Miranda,' lying at anohor off Wakatiwi, after which both vessels steamed away to Waikeki for shelter, the whole attack occupying only six hours and a half. Thus (in the language of our informant) in two days the natives were routed from three settlements!, their whares shelled, ten Qanoea destroyed, a sohooner burnt and blown to pieces, and a large quantity of bush in the vicinity of the various (settlements fired by rockets, whioh continued burning for some time. An excellent shot was, it appears, made by ' one of tho men, as the ball went right through a eaut>e, which was lying in such a position that ifc was almost impossible to distinguish it, Both the 'Miranda' and the. 'Sandfly anchored that night in Huruhi Bay, below Wailieki, and at halfpast six o'olook on Thursday morniug the gig, with Lieutenant Stephenson and a boat's orow under arms, and Mr. C. De Thiery as interpreter, went on shore to the settlement in tho bay in order to read the proclamation issued by the Government and before alluded to. After reading it to the natives several printed copies were distributed amongst them. Their reply was that it was very goad to. caution them but they weye going to leave that day for Taitpp, and tfiat they had received a communication from the Pokurukuru natives to join them against tho Europeans. They said they wore all going to Taupo where a runanga was going to be held by a large number of natives, to decide upon future rflovemeuts. Neaily all the natives, \\\ the upper "part of the Thames \yero on, their way to join the rebels. These na'Mves' gave the following names of parts of' tribes which had gone to join thqs,g a^ PukumknriT, Ngatiwanaungn,, Nffktyta^unp, Ng.y tiuwahiij Ng^tihaw-o, XFgaitevang}, Npati'pqaru, Ng<ytawi\, Ngatiporou. They also stated that the natives between Coromaudel /farljbr and the Wairoa lliver wore enemies to tho Pakohas, and they cautioned us not to land on the coast for fear we might be caught ill a net. The words they used were Itia tupo kei whakawaia kontou. The name which the natives gave to tho 'Sandfly was the Kopikopiko, the translation of which is " goes backwards, a,n,d forwards," and the 'Mjranda' she.y q*ll A'tuau Wera, which means I '"Fira 'God. They also vol unteered the statement that there were a number of boati and eanoea at •Pokurukuru, and that that wai the main landing place of the rebels on their w*y to Papar»t». One,

-old chief •sfi<Vif-vrc*fef I "»P* i ~at that place we shouEf intercept u large number °^ boats' with provisions, going - thare. Tho party returned to tho 'Sandfly,' and about 11 o'clock yesterday morning started for Wairoa. After oou.un<i»ioatiog with the shore, and leceiving a letter froii» the friendly chiof Jonathan, we proceeded to Auckland, whore wo arrived at 830 p.m. la«-t ovoning. 'Xho cutter ' Midnight'anchored at Hurnhi B.vy between the 'Miranda' and the ' Samlfly' just before the Utter loft. She' had just returned from a cniiao to Coroniandel, bub wo did not Rot any intelligence of the result of her trip. Tho most severe weather was experienced, but owing to the admirable behaviour of tho little ' Sandfly,' and the efficiency <>f tho comniandor, we got through safely. Tho following are Rome additional pat ticidars with respect to Wairoa :—: — On Tuesday morning a large number of natives wero seen on the beach near the head of the Wahoa river; some on horseback, nnd somo on foot. Fifteen natives were plaiuly couutod, aud those on horseback soou galloped towards tho ranges. The lower redoubt on the Wairoa river is under tho command of Captain Noblott, 18th 11.1. It is on a fine spot on the bank of the river, aud thcro are one hundred of the Waikato settlers there under the command of Captain K. It. Moore. The men are at present occupied iv building a redoubt fiuther inland on a fine spot and when mushed it will be a formidable position. .The pa, a largo stronghold of the natives which wns lately found by the troopi to bo vacated, was plainly seen on the bank of the river. The natives seemed to be in gient munbeis in this locality at large signal fires were seen on the previous night. Great despatch was used in cojiveying the stores up the liver. An escoit was sent down fiom the redoubt to the mouth of the river in command of Captain Moore ie being considered dangerous to go without, owing to tho large number of natives in the district. Mr, De Thiery accompanied the expedition as pilot and inteipietcr, Mid rendered great assistance on several occasions, The natives in the Wairojv district appeared to he collecting numerous herds of cattle at pieient running there, as their operations on the ranges weie cleaily seen. At daylight ou Wednesday morning many signal fires were seeu Along the coast, and the whole line appealed to be infested with natives. Several tires weie seen on tho banks of the Thames, and the natives were driving cattle up' to the ranges, to be, as was gupposed, out of our waj'.