MAORI SPIES.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume III, Issue 222, 18 September 1868, Page 2

MAORI SPIES.

To the Editor of the Nelson Evening Mail. Sir —ln my communication of yesterday I omitted to notice one of the Maori stratagems to get information of all that is going on in an enemy's camp. It has been a matter of wonder to Europeans how the Maoris got information as to their movements; nothing is more easy, especially when they have only Europeans to deal with. As I went amongst them when in a savage and barborous state, I had the means, when I had sufficiently learned their language, to become somewhat acquainted with their different modes of warfare. The way they obtain information of all that is going on in an enemy's camp is simply by rigging up one or more spies in the form of the ti-tree, which grows abundantly amongst the fern and toi-toi; these in the night take their stations sufficiently near the enemy to be able to observe all that is passing in and about the camp, whilst other scouts are wriggling underneath the fern and scrub, just like so many rats, always careful not to disturb the tops of the fern and scrub, in order to I get information from the ti-tree spy or j spies, and continually carrying back to j their warriors news of all that is going on. j If an immediate attack is intended, their own party are at once informed of it; if a night or early-morn attack, the same; or if an attack is not to be made, their people are advised of it. I have no doubt that many of these ti-tree spies have been often within sight and hearing of many of our camps, and thus the information has been obtained which has so much puzzled our people. Yours, &c, H.