TE NGUTU-O-TE-MANU.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 81, 25 May 1911, Page 5

TE NGUTU-O-TE-MANU.

, The Wanganui “Herald” in the course of reproducing from old files extracts relating to past times has Siblished a despatch sent by Colonel cDonnell to the late Sir George Whitmore, at that time the colonel commanding the forces on this coast, relative to To Ngutu-o-te-Manu. It was written some months after the disastrous attack in which so many lives were lost, and was as follows: Patoa, Jan. 19th,, 188$. Sir,—l have honour to report for the information of the officer commanding, that 1 left here on the afternoon of the 17th iust., with the mounted natives under Kemp (some 80 in number), Capt. Richardson, Ensign McDonnell, and Mr Booth, R.M., with the purpose of proceeding to To Ngutu-o-te-Manu and destroying it. Wo reached the redoubt at Wnihi about ten p.m., remaining there that night, and proceeded the following morning to To Ngutu-o-te-Manu. From the appearance of the pah when we got there 1 should say no one had been there for a fortnight. Everything had been stored or taken away. The pah is surrounded by a double palisading, about 12ft high, each stake about Gin in diameter; the outer or screen fence is raised two feet off the ground, so as to allow the defenders to fire from the inside without obstruction. This outer fence is away from the inner one, having a space between the two of 18in. The inside of the pah is deeply rifle-pitted and staked, and at short distances they have built banks of earth about 5 feet square, and 3 in height, and have securely fenced them round with short stakes. The whole of the fencing of the pah is Securely lashed with strong vines and supplejacks; around and inside the pall' are huge T.'tta trees, from 'which* a deadly fire can be poured upon the assailant, and it was from these trees that the gallant Major Von Tempsky an 1 Capt. Buck, with most of the men killed, wore struck down. The side or rear of the pah, which is not fenced, slopes away to a small stream a few paces distant, but is next to impassable from the dense mass of undergrowth, vines and creepers that loin’ a jungle. The Ngutu is from its position and the forest that surrounds it one of He iinost formidable places I ever knew the Maoris to hold, and it seems jew a miracle to me we did cot sust Mil more loss than wo did w-.en c al l acl- ed it. '1 :. -re wore some 60 or 70 wharis (most of them now), which I caused to bo burnt. The palisading L did not destroy; it would have taken more time than we could afford to cut it down and burn it; and should it again be occupied information as to its formation and strength is now known. Several large potato pits full of potatoes were found. These wore uncovered, and the first wet weather will destroy them. I regret to say that the report that reached me about the burning of the bodies of those left on the field is too correct, and a more horrible and revolting spoetable could not have boon witnessed. We found the remains of two large fires or altars outside the pah, and a small one inside at the foo; of a rata tree. The charred remains of human bones and skulls at each of these fires, with other signs horrible to think of, told a sickening aim awful tale. 1 fear the story related of poor Corporal Russell, No. 3 division, relative to his being burnt alive is; true, and most likely took place at the foot of the rata t-eo mentioned above. There is no do-ibc that the dead wore partly eaten, am! partly offered up as a sacrifice bv the infamous Titokowaru and h.s bam.. (*n our way back to I'atea the ;ui fives caught'l2 horses, supposed to belong to the enemy. We w-mt to Ot mi (Gentle Annie), and burnt cvci v homo, some SO in number. ( to;.a is not such a strong place as cue would suppose, but it might be made so by a little trouble. There mno ioif.ncutior there at present.