CONTINUATION OF JOURNAL,

Taranaki Herald, Volume IX, Issue 426, 29 September 1860, Page 2

CONTINUATION OF JOURNAL,

Saturday, Sept. 22. — From the South we hear the expedition is encamped at Puketea, awaiting reinforcements of men and one of the liis's heavy guns brought up overland from Waitara to~day.

Sunday, Sept. 23. — A private expedition of bush settlers went out this morning to see the extent of injury their homes had sustained fiom the rebels. The line taken was the Carrington road, across the river Ilenui by the Avenue and Mangorei roads. At the junction road the party divided off for the time, some continuing up the Upper Mangorei road, whilst others recrossed the Henui, and proceeded as far as Hurworth, the whole afterwards returning to town by the Carrington road. The houses burnt to the ground are Mrs Richmond's (Merton), Mr Waitt's (Upper Mangorei), Mr Chas. Brown's, and Mr J. Newman's, (Carrington road). The whole of the remaining houses have been bioken into and plundered, and the contents not taken, including doors and fittings, chopped about and broken. Every well has had meat or dead animals thrown in to render the water unfit for use by the settlers. Cattle were seen in several places, but not a horse has been left by the rebels in the districts visited. The garrison, as usual, manned the trenches, and were inspected by Major-General Pratt. It transpired to-day that the expedition South is under oiders to return to town. The weather has set in fine, with every appearance of a continuance. The Niger, out at sea during the late tempestuous weather, anchored to-day. Captain Cracroft landed and was heartily cheered on his return to Taranaki. Monday, Sept. 24. — During the day, Major Hutchins' force returned from the South. For an account of the expedition we refer our readers to the narrative of our correspondent, which appears in another column. The Tasmanian Maid came up from Waitara this morning. A correspondent writes, on the 23rd inst. :—": — " Since the expedition of the 11th instant, little has occurred here that is worthy of notice. The weather has been very unsettled, and the return of the steamer has/been impossible. An unfortunate accident occurred to Tamati Tiraurau, Ihaia's brother, yesterday. As he was going out to shoot pigs on the other side of the river, one of the women handed him his gun out of the whare, and the trigger catching in something it went off. He was shot in the loins, the bullet going in at the back, and passing through him. The wound, though a very dangerous one, is not, I believe, mortal. The detachment that escorted the 8-inch gun from Waitara as far as the Bell Block yesterday, saw about twelve hostile natives near the Tima pa. They had bullocks and carts with them. They fired off their guns, but it is probable they did this as a ruse to make it believe that they did not care about being seen. W. King, we are told, was present at the skirmish the other day at Huirangi. The rebels acknowledge to 3 killed, but say the guns did no execution in consequence of their being comealed in trenches (not rifle pits). They had made up their minds to die there, thinking that we were come out to annihilate them. Our errand was mi'ch more peaceful !" We hear that yesterday three mounted men from Waitara went out in the direction of Huirangi, in search of cattle, accompanied by an escort of the 40th under Captain Bowdler. The mounted men (Oxenham, Hawken, and Hoby,) rode about half a mile in advance of the soldiers, beycnd Ngataiparirua, when on their return a volley was fired at them by the enemy ; notwithstanding this, several head of cattle were secured. The following incident has been related to us, which we trust will prove a caution to bathers in the sea : — A gentleman and lady were walking on the beach between the target and the boat-houses, when the former saw a ground shark entangled amongst the rocks. He threw a &tone, which struck the shark under the fin, and partially disabled it, when he rushed into the water and by means of his handkerchief succeeded in pulling the fish to dry land. It measured over five feet in length. Tuesday, Sept. 25. — H.M.S. Fawn arrived from Wellington to-day, but brings no mail. The Wonga Wonga, with the English July mail, came in to-day, having^ run to Nelson when she stood out on the 20th. The Lord Worsley, with the July mail, had just arrived. The Fawn sailed for Manukau this afternoon. The headquarters of the 40th Regt., under Colonel Leslie, marched to Waitara to-day. We hear that they have moved down to make up the companies, when the head-quarters will return to town. The camp baggage was taken in the Tasmanian Maid. The following Proclamation was issued to-day : PROCLAMATION. The following extract from the office of the Co. lonial Secretary, Sept. 18, 1860, it, published for the information ot all parties concerned, .md iv reference

to the day of departure recommended to be fixed by the military authorities, the Major-General is pleased to name the 20th of October ; and all families wishto avail themselves of the indulgence, must proceed either by that date, or by 'the first opportunity after that offers :— EXTRACT. " They consequently advise that every married man now serving in the Taranaki militia or volunteers, should have the option of receiving his discharge, upon the condition that if he accepts it his family shall not receive Government aid, unless they leave the province of Taranaki on a day fixed, by the military authorities ; but that if they go to Nelson, .they will, if they require it, receive aid from the Government, pending the decision of the House of Repiesentatives, — a select committee of which is at present considering the question of the relief of the settlers at Taranaki. "All other families receiving lid at Taranati from public funds should also he informed that if they refuse or neglect to leave when required by the military authorities to do so, they will cease to receive such aid ; but that they will receive it at Nelson if they go there." By command, R. CAREY, Lieut.- Colonel, Deputy Adjutant-General. Head-quarter.", New Plymouth, 25th Sept., 1880. Wednesday, Sept. 26.— H.M.5.5. Niger sailed for Wanganui this morning, it is believed on a cruise along the coast, and to bring up Col. Wyatt, who succeeds to the command of the 65th Regt., vacant by the promotion of Major-General Gold. A party of 30 men of the 65th, in charge of Lieut. Wrixon, escorted carts to-day to Bell Block to bring in produce, &c. A notice was posted on the bridge to-day offering to persons the privilege of raising garden produce on land near Fort Stapp. Thursday, Sept. 27.— From Bell Block we hear that some natives were again seen on the block driving off cattle, when a party went out under Capt. Lee3on, who engaged them, and drove them oft". One house the natives entered had been fired, but the party succeeded in extinguishing it. Our correspondent writes particulars, which we are obliged to postpone. He says — " I understand that a Brigade Order has been issued prohibiting excursions against the enemy without an order from the Brigade Office. If such an order is carried into effect it will be as injurious to the settlers as it will be beneficial to the enemy. There are sufficient delays at present without having to send to town for leave to attack an audacious enemy, who will fire our houses and drive our cattle miles away before a Brigade Order could be obtained. It is to be hoped there is no foundation for the rumour, or the force at Bell iJlock will be useless, and the enemy more troublesome than ever." The Airedale from the Southern Provinces arrived this afternoon with our files of southern papers, also a letter from our Wellington correspondent, to which we refer our readers for news regarding the natives in that province, and other interesting matter. Major-General Gold inspected the men in the trenches to-day. Weather still fine. Friday, Sept. 28. — We have been informed that despatches have been received from the War Office appointing Taranaki permanent Head-Quarters of H.M.s Forces in the South Pacific, and that General Pratt and Staff are ordered to remove from Melbourne to Taranaki. We regret to report that Capt. Barton, 65th Regt., while riding past the Military Hospital on Wednesday evening, was thrown from his horse, and his arm dislocated. So violent was his fall, that the bone of the arm near the elbow protruded through the skin. The Traveller's Bride, from Wanganui, arrived this morning, after a quick run of 24 hours. All is quiet there. The Bride has landed a part of her cargo, and proceeds to Manukau. She is to run monthly between Wanganui, Taranaki, and Manukau. A correspondent at Wanganui, writing on the 24th instant, says :—": — " On Saturday evening Harawira, a Putiki native, who has been up the coast as far as Oika (the first rebel pa on this side), returned, and informs us that the Ngatiruanuis and Taranakis have all returned to put in their crops, which will occupy them till December, when they intend to return to the scene of conflict and fight it out, if necessary, " a mate noa," *ne., till death. They are not at all dispirited at their losses, though they own that Taranaki have lost nearly all their chiefs. They set down their losses since the commencement of the war altogether at 100, and our looses at twice that number, but I think we may safely set down their losses at something nearer 200 than 100. We have every reason to believe that no outbreak will take place here. The natives do not countenance the rebels in their murderous warfare, and are generally inclined to be peaceful." The captain of the Traveller s Bride informs us that he saw extensive fires on the coast between Warea

and Tataraimaka. A party of blue-jackets, in charge of Midshipman Crohan, escorted produce from Bell Block to-day.

5 p.m. — The Niger has returned from her cruise ; we hear she did not reach Wanganui.