INTERVIEW WITH SEAMAN HUNT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2359, 11 May 1899, Page 19

INTERVIEW WITH SEAMAN HUNT.

A GALLANT QUARTETTE.

THE LAST STAND AGAINST THE

REBELS.

The R.M.S. Alameda brought with her as passengers for Auckland Harry Hunt, one of the seamen of H.M.S. Porpoise, and Corporal John Foxworthy, R.M.L.1., of H.M.S. Royalis*", both of whom were wounded in the engagement that ensued after the party in charge of Lieutenant Freeman had been surprised by the rebels. Jiimt was interviewed by an Auckland Herald reporter. Hunt is a young man, clean shaved, 24 years of age, born at Putney, and is most unassuming in his demeanour. Throughout. the conversation he rarely spoke of his own deeds, but appeared anxious to give praise to every person but himself. He joined the navy in 1890, his first ship being the Blake, which was commissioned on the American and W-jst Indies station. For two and a-half years Hunt was on board the Blake, and subsequently proceeded Home, where he went through the full course of torpedo and gunnery schooling ; was employed on a torpedo-catcher and at the general depot. On November 30, 1897, he joined H.M.S. Porpoiee, and has been employed on that boat up to the present time. "Pleased to see you back, Mr Hunt," said tho reporter, " though you have come back an injured man. It might have been worse."

"Yes," answered Hunt, .whose hand stole up to the right side of his head, from which his ear had been chopped off, and round •which bandages had been placed. "As you say, it might have been worse. But the officers and other poor fellows who have gone ; it is a sad thing for their friends and relatives, is it not?"

AN INTERESTING STORY. " Will you please give me your story in your own way, Mr Hunt?" "Yes," answered Hunt; "if you wish it. Well, to b(-gin, we had spent the forenoon ol the Saturday on which the officers and men were killed on shore, but nothing of any moment occurred. About half-past 12 the Royalist moved out, and half an hour later the' Porpoise moved from her anchorage, and proceeded round to the side of the island, v/ith the object of shelling some of the village where the rebels were supposed to be encamped. The American boat, the Philadelphia, did not shift her moorings, but threw fahells on land from where she lay.

THE ILL-FATED PARTY. " A landing party from each boat had been previously arranged, the party being under Lieutenant Freeman, of the Tauranga, while Lieutenant Lansdale and Ensign Monoghan, of the Philadelphia, were alsc members of the party. Thore were men from the Tauranga, Royalist, Philadelphia, and Porpoise. We pioceeded round the lower road until we reached a large village, which was burnt down, as the rebels had looted a large number of places, and had become very active. Ihis work accomplished, Lieutenant Freeman gave oiders that we should return by a different route. I don't know the exact reason, but suppose it was Ijecause he thought the natives might be lying in wait for us along the road we had come. We walked a short distance through the plantation, and when we had got about 300 yds away we were fired on. We were almost surrounded, except that there was a loophole for escape ahead. The rebels arpeared to be on all sides and at the back of us, but not ahead. The party being surrounded, the retreat was sounded, and several of them made a dash in the direction of the shore. We did not go altogether, but dashed away in sections, making a series of retreating rushes. Lieutenant Lansdale was one of the first to drop. He was first shot in the 'eg, but he managed to hop along with a little assistance. 'Who assisted him?" asked the Herald reporter. " Who stopped behind to help him while the party was surrounded and was being fired upon?" Mr Hunt hesitated for a moment, and then said, " Oh, he was assisted by several of those who were left." As a matter of fact, Mr Hunt was one of those who stuck to the wounded officers to the last.

" Well," continued Mr Hunt, " there were only four of us left after the others had made a series 'of rushes. There was Lieutenant Lar.sdale, Ensign Monoghan, and a seaman from the Philadelphia, and myself. About 400 yds from the beach we came to thick bush, which continued almost down to the beach. Just after we had entered the bush the American seaman was shot in the knee, - and he dropped. Lieutenant Lansdale was shot below the knee. Shots were fired again, and we retreated, the wounded men crawling along, and the other two of us covering their retreat. It was slow work, and the tension was considerable, but the wounded men stuck to it pluckily, while we watched for the natives witli rifles and revolvers ready. The two men crawled along until Lieutenant Lansdale fainted from loss of blood. Poor fellow, he held up well. DFATH OF THE LIEUTENANT AND

ENSTGN.

" Just at that time Ensign Monoghan was shot, and ho must have been killed almost instantaneously. He was standing up. and as the shot struck him he threw up his hands and said, " I'm bit," and dropped dead. It was about half a minuto after that when Lieutonani) Lansdale and the American sea.-

nan w»;re also killed. I was close to them at the time, and the two of them were holding their ground manfully " (Hunt omitted to state that he himself fought like the brave man he has proved himself to be) " when they fell. The lieutenant and I were firing al the rebels, wlio had surrounded us, when, a rifle bullet struck my rifle and disabled the ■weapon, which was then tiseless, and had to be used as a club. It was then that the lieutenant was shot by Mataafa's men. I could see that they were Mataafa's men, for I noticed their white turbans behind some of the trees.

A MIRACULOUS ESCAPE.

" "When the three had gone, I looked round and saw that I was surrounded on all sides. About 12 natives closed in on me, and the first thing they did was to knock me off my feet with the butt end of a rifle. I dropped, and then they rushed me. They pinned me down to the ground, and though my legs were free for a time, they had me down. They dragged off my leather gear — belt, pouch, and other things — and then one of them hacked at my right ear and cut it off. It was sawed off with the blade of an axe, and while they were doing this, another ohar> on the left was trying to get at my other ear. I had my legs free, and I let him have it when I could. Just as they finished with my right ear, and I thought it was all over with me, a shell fiom the Royalist passed not far from our heads. The natives saw the flash, and directly they did so they dropped me and clearedI knew as I lay on the ground that one of the boats was shelling the place, but I felt somewhat dazed, and the pain was quite enough for me. Anyhow, I rose up and managed to make my way through the bush, and rushed down on to the beach, where I met two of the Royalist'^ boats coming back. J. was taken on board the Royalist and fixer] up by the doctor, and after being taken on the Porpoise waa placed in the Tauranga until the mail boat arrived, when we were conveyed to Auckland Hospital, where we are being treated in the kindest manner possible." CORPORAL FOX WORTHY'S STORY.

Corporal Foxworthy. of the Royalist, who was wounded in the leg, also gave an account of the fightinor on April 1, which in the main corresponds with what has been already published. Of the closing incidents he said : —

"At last they began to close-in, and we saw that we were almost entirely surrounded, horseshoe fashion, the only outlet being to the beach. There must have been a large number of natives killed, as when we retreated through the cocoauufc e;»'ove there were several tracks of blood. "While we were engaging them, the American Colt gun got out of order, and the officers, forming around the gun to try and get it clear, made a distinct target for the Samoan bullets : and that is how Lieutenant Lansdale got wounded. Eventually, seeing that they could do nothing with the gun. the Americans put it completely out of gear, and look away part of it; It was afterwards captured by the rebels, who handed it over to the Falke, and it was eventually sent back to the Philadelphia. "The last man to retire was Hunt. Lieutenant Lansdale was wounded in the knee, while standing at the gun, but he continued to urge on his men. though he was unable to stand. Ensign Monoghan was also wounded, but Hunt stuck to them, and defended them to the last. As he was standing with his rifle to his shoulder, a ehot struck the rifle, and damaged it, so that he could not open or close the magazine. About 20 men rose up around him, and disarmed him, taking off his belt and pouches. A scuffle followed, in which a native attacked Hunt with a hooked knife. A blow from a rifle sent Hunt to the ground, but he was not stunned. One of the natives then cut off his right ear, evidently intending to take bot.h, tut at that moment the signal was given to the Royalist that all were clear of the bush, and she reouencd fire, sending a shell over their heads, which burst about 20yds away. The natives ran off, and Hunt, was able to make hie way to the beach. Lieutenant Freeman was the commanding officer of the whole detachment. lie wa« phot through the body while in the act of giving a wounded man a drink. I did not see him fall, as I was in the rear guard when we retreated.

"We were proceeding in skirmishing order, and I was in charge of the advance guard of 10 marines from the Royalist. I was wounded early in the fight. Being in advance at nrst, we formed the rear guard on retreating, but as soon as we attacked we joined ourselves to tho main body. I was shot through the left leg, but kept on as long as I was able to stand. .One of ray men, 6eeing that I was wounded, went in search of a doctor, and returned with Dr Lang, an American surgeon, who looked after me and attended to my wounds, showing groat bravery in doing co, us the shots were falling pretty thickly. I was put on a stretcher and carried out in the rear, so that I could see the men retiring, and saw all the fighting going on. The rebels at this time were firing very recklessly, or they would have killed every man amongst us. "We retired in skirmishing order, and got out on to the beach. I was taken to the American consulate, and attended to by Dr Beattie, and was afterwards removed in a trap to the Supreme Court, which was fitted up as a hospital."