ARRIVAL OF THE WAIPARA.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 12, Issue 965, 1 August 1868, Page 2

ARRIVAL OF THE WAIPARA.

NEWS OF WESTRUPS DEFEAT FULLY CONFIRMED. 0?BOM A COBBESPONDENT.] Turanga, July 30, 1868. The Rosario arrived Here on the morning of the 20th instant. Colonel Whitmore was met by Captain Biggs, who informed him. that a collision was likely to take place hourly ; he consequently landed the ■ Napier Volunteers, and marched as quickly to the front as possible. On arriving at Turanga proper, received information that the enemy and Turanga forces had met and engaged one another, and that our force under Capt. Westrupp was defeated. On Monday morning, 20th instant, a few of the enemy came in sight of our force. Capt. Westrupp, whose intention was to intercept their progress into the interior, ordered Mr. Wilson, late of the military settlers, to take a position with a portion of the force, on the inland side of the track, while he occupied the other. As soon as the main body of the enemy came up they at once fired into Mr. Wilson's party, and afterwards turned their attention to Capt. Westrupp's party, who occupied the weaker position. A severe and long struggle ensued, and Captain Westrupp, having been taken by the enemy in flank and rear, nearly all his ammunition being expended, and night coming on, was forced to beat a disastrous retreat, leaving two dead on the ' field, but bringing all the wounded, seven in number, away with him. The enemy took possession of about 80 horses of rather a superior class, the camp, baggage, provisions, &c. The engagement took place about 25 miles inland of Turanga proper. I am sorry to say that a number of natives were on the ground, who witnessed the engagement, but would not come up to the support ; had they behaved like men, the result would have been far different. The enemy, it is reported, have lost three killed, wounded unknown. Capt. Westrupp, with some of his men, showed undaunted courage. On the 21st, the Colonel advanced up the Arai valley with the Napier Volunteers, and met the retreating force. He hoped to return to engage the enemy, but Europeans and natives almost to a man deserted the place of camping. The European portion to a great extent should be excused, as they had not their clothes off for a fortnight, were hungry and footsore, to say nothing about being weary with their defeat, and travelling for 20 miles without a mouthful to eat. The colonel has had great difficulty in getting them together again. This, in addition to waiting for other expected forces (Fraser's little band) &c, together with the late heavy rains we have had, has caused progress to be very much retarded. However, this time has not been altogether lost, as we have made a road for the conveyance of supplies and ammunition to the front, which heretofore was impracticable, and which may partially account for the disastrous result of the late engagement. A portion of this road can be travelled by bullocks and dray. Eraser arrived last night, and to-day the forces are moving off to the front again. They are in good spirits ; tho only depressing idea is the difficult task of finding the enemy, who are supposed to be in the thickly wooded country between this and Wairoa. Twenty scouts, under command of Mr. Gascoigne (late CJD.F.) have now been out two days. The Napier Native Contingent have behaved up to the present time admirably well, obeying all orders given them. The following is the return of killed and wounded on our side : — _ -Killed : — William Wood (Billy the goose), and Wi Koro. Wounded :— Eobert Goldsmith, badly, bone shattered ; Lucky Farrell, badly ; T. TJrin, back ; and four others, names not known. [EBOir AKOTHEtt COEEESPONDENT.] July 22. The settlers were defeated the day Col. Whitmore arrived, after a long and gallant fight. Capt. Westrupp commanded, and distinguished himself very much. The settlers lost all their baggage and camp, and the bodies of two men who were killed, were left behind. The settlers underwent great privation and hardship, and have not yet turned out again in the same force. The small body of Volunteers from Napier and the Napier Maories, with a few Poverty Bay Volunteers, were all the troops in the camp this morning. Major Fraser is expected by daylight to-morrow, when the force will again move forward to attack the exprisoners. It is believed that the disaster of the 20th was chiefly caused by the treachery of the Poverty Bay natives, who took no part in the affair, and deserted their white neighbours, with the honorable exception of Paratene's tribe, who did fight well. There were, however, only 20 of them ; Colonel Whitmore has sent all the rest away. The ex-prisoners took a great deal of valuable plunder, and are not, it is believed, likely to move away very soon. However, Mr. Deighton and Ihaka Whanga, with such men as they havo raised, and probably the military settlers, are now believed to be stopping the road at the Reinga, so that it is to be hoped the ex-prisoners will in the end be retaken, or rather destroyed. The whole force at present is very weak, and, with small exception, will be, when complete, a Napier Expedition. The Poverty Bay Volunteers enlisted before the outbreak j some 20 in all are serving very zealously,, but the muster of the rest is not likely to be so good as it was at first. ThiV is chiefly owing to the exhaustion of the men, and their having lost their horses and saddles, but, possibly, is a little caused by the general belief that, they are now sure to be protected, and that they are not obliged to turn out to defend their homes* The ex-prisoners are both far more numerous and better armed than was believed. Probably, they have obtained rifles from our treacherous allies, the Ngatimaru, and, not improbably, some recruits. These surmises gain some confirmation from the manner in which that tribe behaved on the 20th. At all events, the least computation of their number at present would make the armed men 150 strong ; and, as the settlers were engaged from 9 a.m. till dark, at very close quarters, they had a good chance of forming a correct estimate.