The Native Rebellion.

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 66, 29 January 1864, Page 4

The Native Rebellion.

CAMP TUI KAUAMEA. [fuom oub ovrs cobiiespondext/1 Jan. 2G. TniS is the last letter that I shall date from here as all preparations for a move are now concluded and the General will advance to-morrow morning at daylight aguinst'the Maori positions. All the men that can bo spared from the different camps between this place and Kaplan have joined us this morning, viz.; 758 of the 50th, 100 of'the 70th, 100 of iho lOlli, mid SO of Jackson's Rangers, and last night Capt. Von 't'empsky and his corps of h'l men reached AVhata Whuta on their way up here, the gallant Captain bristling with arms and overflowing with energy enough to carry him anywhere, and his men evidently worthy of their leader. For any scouting or rapid pursuit of skirmishing bodies of the natives, the Kangers will be invaluable, and the two corps will have an opportunity of exhibiting their comparative merits, thai, will doubtless call forth all their eneray and skill. This morning at seven o'clock the tents were struck and taken down to Whntn, Whata by the ' Avon,' the men being now all housed under their blankets. The Camp presents the most, extraordinary appearance, with scores of little brown huts about the size and shapo of a large dog kennel studding the plain—many of them ornamented with a piece of coloured rag flying from a stick, the inmate lying looking out, pipe in mouth, with all the dignity of a Diogenes in his tub. Epsom Downs, the night before the Derby day covered with the encampments of the thimble-riggers and proprietors of " Aunt Sally," or a Gold digging Camp on a sudden rush, might serve as a comparison, but never before was such a military spectacle oll'ered. Some of the men gifted with a higher degree ol architectural skill than others have made little viiriations in the shape and improvement upon the internal comfort, but the general style is the blanket stretched over two small sticks with u third forming an apology for a ridge pole and pegged into the ground on each sido, the back space being filled up with fern and titree. Nothing could be more beautiful than the weather to-day, and should it continue like this, roughing it under the blanket will be rather an agreeable change. The General has certainly assembled the largest body of troops ever collected in Jfew Zealand and will march with between two and three thousand men, (sufficient surely if the rebels should be rash enough to stand, to eettle the war onuo for all. I think 1 can safely assure those who having frieuds and relatives among the troops named, will be anxiously expecting 'the next news, that there will bt- no such'loss of life

as at Kangiriri, even if tlie natives can muster up courage oiioiiyh to fight, wlii.-.li is very much doubted. For if they slioulil fight it will l)ooii ground of tinGeneral's rhoosiiiK this lime, mill not ill any Imp 1 1ml I tliov may lmvo bill in which to .-hoot down ouroilicers ' anil men with impunity, audiinder such circumstances 1 all will fV-tl sure that the lvsull would bo woopmg j and wailing ami gnashing of teeih, among the- tribes ■ far mid wide. Tliore are those who .-ay that the Z^<iai timauiapotos having roooivod reinforcements from so i manv tribos wlio will all mako it a point of honour to outvie ouch other in bravery, and that all feeling it u shown so muc-li : more bravery nt Kangiriri than any nlliev tribe has : doiio, they will light oven if they should feel certain ol I luMtijr beiiten, but Maori ileoi'is do not always oipial i Maori words. i As wo march at daylight and shall, T am told. j reach our destination Ivy 10 o'clock, we may expect j lbe question to be fettled by to-morrow night. 1 will ' send Kin the particulars of our march and anything that may h:ivo oeeunvd by the next mail.