THE WATKATO. TE KOOTI THE SECOND,

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXV, Issue 3750, 26 July 1869, Page 3

THE WATKATO. TE KOOTI THE SECOND,

Tni: news from the Waikato received on Saturday, so far as we have learned, disclosed nothing additional to thai published in ouv issue of that dor. We have, however, received some important intelligence, which apparently tends to throw some light on the vexed question of the death of To Kooti. By "To Kooti" we mean the Chatham Island* prisoner, whoso appearance was well known to many East Coast settlers, amongst whom ho lived quietly prior to the outbreak of hostilities, and before his transportation. Those who knew him well, amount whom we may mention Archdeacon Leonard Williams, describo him aa a short, wiry-loolnug man of sinewy frame, his features remarkable for the height of the cheekbones, and the general expression" of mingled cunning and strong; passion. He had no whiskers, but wore a short tuft of hair on his chin, and his face was not tatooed. At the engagement with our troops at Te Eemga he received a severe wound m the ankle, the ball entering at the front and passing out behind below the calf of the leg. This disabled him for some time, and even after his recovery an ugly scar remained, llio Mnhaku, natives Ptill adhere to tho opinion that the reel To TTooti was killed in the attack on the pa i there, though they did not see th? body wr.u-h it U alleged was washed ashoio. ihe wi nno now puSsoa us Te Kooti, they fiy ih Kurana-iUi (Orsinhior), who assumed Ins j.rosi'ht wm><' t"ul innna imnvjdmtply after tho ordinal 1 o h <«>t: * doath. If tho description of the two man is to be relied on, no two individuals could be more unlike in appearance. lo Kooti the Second," as we may style him, the better to distinguish him from the other, is said to be a tall burly savage, with large whiskers, and a closely tattooed face. Moreover, it is said, he beard no sear on his ankle, and when asked by some ot the Taupo natives how ho had contrived to remove the w ell-known trace of the wound received at Te lieinga, Te Karanama is said to Lave returned au evasive answer. It will probably be in tho recollection of our readers that some time ago our Tauwnga correspondent wrote that Te Kooti proper was really defunct, and that he had been succeeded by another native equally daring and ferocious. Notwithstanding the mysiciy that appoint to surround the question, and tue dumom staieo, uncertainty in which we get involved !no more we discuss the matter, we believe it Will hcfinallv set at rest shortly.