REVIEW.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 708, 2 June 1879, Page 2

REVIEW.

"REMINISCENCES OF THE WAR IN NEW ZEALAND." *

We desire to thank the clever and talented author of the boott, whose title we give above. In the whole range of ' literary treasuree which thiß young ! country can, with honest pride, claim as I its own, no literary eii'ort stands higher I than this from the pen of Lieutenant Gudgeon. It will prove a most valuable aid to the future historian, as the various events are evidently told by an actor m many of the stirring scenes ; and yet, while following the author, we are often tempted to say to ourselves, — with all its truth and beauty, the story would be better told twenty, or more years hence, as several of the actors are still living, and personal motives are not easily accounted for at times : whereas the historian stands outside the charmed circle, and gives— or at ieast ought to give — an opinion free from personal friendship and their genial ! influence. But our author is always on his guard, and is at all times, and upon every occasion a gentleman. The sad story of our internecine struggles is simply but graphically told. The style is a model of pure taste, and terse English. The " preliminary " chapter plunges us at once into the shadows of a great sorrow. When describing the embarkation for Taranaki province, of two companies of the 65th, Regiment, stationed at Wellington, the writer says : — " We arrived m Wellington on the day. of the embarkation, which a great crowd had assembled to witness. j The wives and children of the soldiers I had received orders to take leave of the men at the barracks ; but one young mother, more anxioim than the rest, had despite of all orders, taken up her station under the wharf, and as the troops commanded by Major Turner passed over, she held up her baby, so that 1 its father by going, on his <knees could kiss it. The sensation this circumstance caused was indescribable, and the first tears of doubt and anxiety for the fate of those about to engage m the struggle were shed by that young wife. ' A superficial writer would pass this incident over as worth less, — not so our author ; his eye is ever on the trifles that shew the eha r acter, and the inner motives of those with whom he has to do. In the early portion of the book, we confess that the arrangement of the narrative somewhat puzzles us, — the dates are a little neglected. It was a season of contradictory interests, as we remember, and this may serve as an excuse again, as the book is not a connected or sustained- history ; but merely a collection of items, the little irregularities m dates may well be passed over. The strange career of Te Kooti is now, for the first time, told clearly. His terrible crimes, and wonderful escapes, are alike calmly and clearly explained. The West Coast rebel, Tito Kowaru, is now placed before the public at his worth. The ability and soldierlike daring of Colonel McDonnell, is woven into the narrative with great care, and with consummate tact. The same may be said of how Colonel Whitmore fares at the hand of Lieut. Gudgeon. Major .Ropata stands out from the pages with a greater prominence than perhaps any other actor, m the East Coas: tragedy* Bis stern, prompt determination to eradicate .>ihjde'urso l ' A of 'the Maori — Te Kopfci ; ivujy^ humble the Uriwera tribe, as ae(^OT^|ien' asked, why he took so much trbjjpa'in hunting down his enemy, when hii': replied, ,*'l may have to live here for years. You s\y you cannot. I , '.cs&ch Te Kootij' or Kereopa, so I have to do it." This finnnesss ; fof, Ropata hurrried on the end of these troublous times. Among many good and brave men, many are remarkable for various traits. These are quietly and dispassionately described, without useless comment, or laboured panygeric. One who now bears high civic honors m, our midst willingly accepted a share m the dangers and the privations attendant on a soldier's profession, when his undisputed courage, tempered by his prudence and humanity m sparing life, is, m these reminiscences, more than once gratefully and eloquently alluded to. The book abounds with light touches, which sat off the individualities of the several actors, with charming and telling effect ; and these must have passed, m most instances under the writer's personal notice. We wish that the likenesses were m keeping with the high style of true art that distinguishes the book itself. Some of the photo-lithographs are poor, even mean. We do not wish to say execrable. Poor Von Tempsky deserves a better one than that given at page 6. Sir George Grey's does not represent faithfully the intellectual expression which ia so characteristic of his lineament. We were also disappointed m not meeting with a likeness of Ropata ; while we thinit the handsome author of the book is not fairly represented m the frontispiece. The book is sure to make a mark, and the reviewer* of the Empire we are fain to think will be unanimous m its praise. * By T. W. Gudgeon, Lieut, and Quar er-Master, Colonial Forces, N.Z. London ; Sampson Low ant} Co., 1879.