TE AWAMUTU.

New Zealander, Volume XXI, Issue 2278, 18 November 1864, Page 5

TE AWAMUTU.

[from our own correspondent.] November 15. About 3 a.m. on the morning of Sunday, the slumbers of this camp were awakened by the ominous sounds of the “alarm and assembly” in a perfect chorus, from most of the bugles of the various corps, stationed here ; and instantly every sleeper seized his arms and listened breathlessly for the crack of rifles and resonant bang of Maori muskets which would develope the direction of the supposed attack. But those fiery fellows who panted for the clash of arms aud tug of war, were, perhaps, agreeably disappointed it was only a fire. A mess-

house used by the officers of the Colonial Transport Corps had somehow or other caught fire, and being built of inflammable materials, it soou became evident that the flames could not be extinguished. Hundreds of men were promptly on the spot, and under the direction of Colonel Sir Henry Havelock, Bart., Major Mould, RE., and Captain Baker, D.A. A.G., the men were formed into a line extending to the adjacent creek, and the few buckets, &c. at hand being brought into requisition and passed along the line, a conflagration was prevented, and the flames of the°burning building totally extinguished. Had there been any wind at the time the fire broke out, nothing could have saved a number of adjacent buildings from destruction. As it was, the flames of the burning mess-house lit up the whole camp, and once or twice they threatened to communicate with the engineer’s quarters. Nothing else of any importance has transpired here since my last, and therefore I cannot more appropriately conclude this letter than by the universal correspondent’s last resource —a remark on the weather. Throughout last night it rained incessantly, but the sky now begins to wear a more favorable aspect.