Holding the Defile

Otago Witness, Issue 1934, 19 March 1891, Page 32

Holding the Defile

Mr Atbsrton looked round after the two ladieß had gone on. " There is a bush with a wide ledge of flat ground behind it," he said, pointing to a little clump of underwood some 10ft abo\e them on the side of tba ravine. " I think! with my help you could manage to clamber up there, Wilfrid. Lying down you will be able to fire under the bush and be in fair Bhelter. Mr Sampson and I will hold the path here. If they make a rußh you will be able to help us with your revolver. Up there you will have the advantage of being able to Bee movements among the bushes better than we shall, and can fire down at them ; and if it Gomes to a hand-to-hand fight will be of more use there than down here." Wilfrid at once assented. "Stand on my band and I will hoist you up." Mr Atherton raised Wilfrid until he was able to get on to the ledge of the rock behind the bushes. Wilfrid laid himself down there, and with his knife cut off a few of tbo lower twigs so that he was able to get a good view ahead. " Keep yourself well back, lad, and do not raise your hnad except to fire. Do you see anything of them?" "Yes, they are not more a quarter of a mjle away and are scattering among the buabes. No doubt they caught sight of us as we came up here, and think it possible we may intend to defend the defile." " I will let them know wo are here," and Mr Atherton made two steps forward to the mouth of the defile. ' Almo3t at the same instant he levelled his rifle and fired, and one of the Maoris threw up his arms and fell back, tbe rest throwing themselves down instantaneously among the bushes, whence a moment later two or three Bbots were fired. But Mr Atherton had stepped back,* and he and the settler, lying down on the ground, worked themselves forward until by raising their heads they could command a view of tha slope up to the mouth of the ravine. For a time all was silent. Presently Wilfrid's rifl9 spoke out, and a yell testified to the fact that the quick aim be had taken at a dark figure stealing among the bushes had been true. It was followed quickly by a general discharge of their pieoes by the natives. The bullets rattled thickly against the rock, and cut leaves from the bushes behind which Wilfrid was lying, but he had drawn himself sack a foot cr two the moment he fired, and tha balls passed harmlosoly over him. Not so the missive despatched by Mr Atherton in the direction of a puff of smoke from a bush some 40 Yards away, for tba figure behind it remained stiil and immovable while the fray went on. For upwards of an hour the exchange of ehota continued, and then the assailants were joined by 15 other natives, who had been attracted to the "spot by the sound of firing. " I sxpeot they will pluck up their courage to make a rush now, Wilfrid," Mr Atherton said. "If it had not been for these new arrivals I think they would have soon drawn off, for we must have diminished their number very considerably. Don't fire again for a bit ; we had best keep our riflles loaded so as to be ready for them when they pluok up courage to charge. When they do, be sure you keep your revolver as a reserve for the critical moment." Five minutes later a tremendous yell rose in the air. The natives leaped to their feefc from bohind the buehes, fired their guns at their hidden foes, and then, tomahawk in hand, rushed forward. Three shots rang out almost simultaneously from the mouth of the defile, and three of the natives dropped dead in their tracks. The i-st,t rushed furward in a body. Mr Atherton and tha settler leapt to their feet, and the former opened fire with his Colt's revolver when the leading natives were within 10 yards of him. His aim waß &r accurate as when directed against & mark etuok against a tree, and a man fell at each shot. But the natives' blood was thoroughly up now, and in spite of the slaughter they rushed forward. There was no room in tho narrow defile for two men to swing their rifl-w, and Mr Atherton and the settler stopped forward to moot the foe with their clubbed rifles in their hands. Two crashing blows were delivered with effect, but bafore the settler could tgaiu raise his weapon three Maoris were upon hitn. One tomahawk struck him in the shoulder, and tbe rifle fell from his bands. Another raised his tomahawk to brain him, but fell with a bullet from Wilfrid's revolver through his chest ; but the thjrd native brqught his weapon down with terrible force upon tho settler's head, and he fell ia a heap upon the ground. The tremendous strength of Mr 4-tberton stQQd binti in good ste&dl vow. The firai blow he had dealt had smashed tbe stock of bis rifle, but he whirled tho iron barrel like a light twig round his head, dealing blows that broke down tbe defence* of tha n&tivos as if their tomahawks had been straw, aad besting them down as a flail would level a wuout alaik. Those in front o( him recoiiod frcru a strength which seemed to Lhomsupcrluunsa, while wbonorer one tried to attack hitn ia the roar Wilfrid's revolver carco into play with fatal accuracy. At last, with a cry of terror, the surviving natives turned and retreated at the top of tteir speed. — Littrary World.

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