REMINISCENCES of THE MAUNGATAPU SEARCH PARTY.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XXV, Issue 99, 11 August 1866, Page 3

REMINISCENCES of THE MAUNGATAPU SEARCH PARTY.

[EXTBACTED lEOO* A NOTE BOOK KEPT BY Mb.

T. Mabille.]

Wednesday, June 20.

Up at daylight. Divided the men as follows :— One man in charge of the tent ; two to search along the old, or Barnicoat's track, with directions to examine foot-prints, if any, then to strike across the bush, down to the new track, and to explore along the creek near the Rock ; two to go over the Maungatapu range, on the Nelson side, and down to the old chimney, and to search about that place ; the two others, and myself, to search along the road from Franklyn's Flat to the top of the Maungatapu range.

Explored both sides of the road from the Flat to the Rock, without finding any traces or foot-print* off the track. Made another careful examination at the Rock. In searching about the fire-place behind the Rock, noticed at the exterior end of two halfburnt logs, on the Havelock side, a bunch of dry fern, which, from its appearance, must have been, laid there after the fire was out, and for the con?e* nience of a man in a sitting position. I take a simi--lar position, and find that my body is entirely hidden from the road in front, but that I can get a good command of the road on the Franklvn's Flat side, and watch people coming that way. Had a look round to see if I could notice anything suspicious about the trees in the neighbourhood. Discovered a blaze in a black birch tree standing on the lower side of the rock. Noticed that the> blaze was not much older than a week, and donewith a tomahawk not very sharp. Found there was a bullet mark in the centre, but that the bullet must have dropped or been taken away. Found at thefoot of the tree a piece of bark corresponding in. size to the blaze, and with the bullet mark right through. Concluded that the tree had been hit before the blaze was made. Noticed that the bullet must have been fired from behind the Rock by a person stand* ing upright and aiming at the tree, or at a point on

the road at a hoight corresponding with the height of a man passing by. Looked for the bullet at the foot of the tree but could not find.it. Found also a small rusty file on the top of the rock. The file exhibits no signs of having been used lately. About twolve feet from the encampment I came across a rutted percussion cap-box laying open, containing lomo black substance, and placed at an angle of about forty-five degrees. Found its contents to be powder, and wot. Concluded that the powder might have been dry when stowed away, as I noticed more powder on the ground near the box. That would also explain why the surface of the powder in the box was found to bo level whero tho box was standing at an acute angle. Found alto near the Rock some black thread; noticed on the Uavelock side of the Rock and near a large birch tree, a brown paper parcel, containing a little white sugar. I traced some other sugar on the ground from where the paper was found to the encampment. It must have been thrown away from the tent or from the fire-place. Constable Flott discovered among the roots of a large tree, where the sugar was found, two tin plates hidden, they were clean, and exhibited signs that they had been carried in a swag, one in the other. At this time, Constable Bradcock and W. Price returned from the exploration of the old track and across the bush, reporting to have met with nothing which could call their attention regarding the present case. They joined our party in the search along the road. Met a man on horseback, coming from Nelson, it was the same man who agreed to take my second letter to Nelson, written on Monday afternoon. Said he had delivered the letter on reaching town, and that* Levy had been arrested the same night, about ten o'clock, and he believed another man had been arrested on suspicion of being an accomplice. Heard that Nelson had been at last roused by terror on finding that Mr. George Jervis's expectations about the case were at last confirmed. He tells us that, when passing near the slips on the road, hit mare began to shy, and enjoined us to have a good look out there. Went all of us immediately to the slips, but, after a careful examination, down the gully and up the hill, we found nothing. . 'During that time three horsemen arrived—Sergeant Goodall, of Havelock, on his way to Marlborough; William Davis; and Mr. Kempthorne, brother to one of the missing party. They gave us all the particulars of the Nelson news, and that G. Jervis, in company with a police party, had left NcUan on Tuesday, going up tbe country after other men, who were supposed to have taken flight. Mr. Kempthorne and W. Davis returned to Nelson.

.Getting late. Went back to the tent. Met Mr. Pilliet, the Havelook Magistrate, going to Nelson. He said he had brought five Maoris with him to March.

At dark, fourteen more men arrived from Wakamarina to join in the seurch. Very short of provisions ; only one meal left. I expect provisions to-morrow, sent by the Nelson Government.

Great fire at night. One little tent, of eight feet by ten, contains about fourteen or fifteen men, one on top of the other, no other tent having been brought. Sharp night ; freezing hard.

[To be continued.']