|IN MEMOR!AM — MAJOi. VON TEMPSKY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 113, 23 September 1868, Page 3

|IN MEMOR! AM — MAJOi. VON TEMPSKY.

(From lhe Wellington Independent ) Gusoavus Ferdinand Von Tempsky, who met his death with his gallant comrades* dnrinj? he taie '.thick on Te Nf-utuotetna>iu, and whose loss we a'l deplore at- a national ciiumiy. wns the secon<i son ot Lieut-Col. Von Tempsky, of the Prussian servi •_-, who was forme- Iy Aid-de-Camp to Prince Lichten stein. He was born in the year 1i.28, at I 'egm'iz, in lhsia, a province <-f Prussia, and waa educated at the Military College in J 1 1 lm, i.b'iiio ng Ids com ission in the 3 d I'tgiim-nt of rusileus in 1844. About this time public -ittention in Prussia seems to have been diawn to various cmi ration FcU-mi-f', and Von Tempsky being naturally of ;i roving anient disposition, quickly otgan-.i.-id a movement which resulted in himself and a number of his countrymen leavii g their fatherland for the Mosquito fhorc, on the eastern coast of Central Amerha,to found a<ol ny. Posttssing hi-. h influence in l'russia, he smr- eo under the test auspices, hearing letters of introdm tion Irom our Ambassador at th.Piu.sian <. ourt to R.'M alker,l'sq.,then act-

ing ns Consul-General and Diplomatic Agent to represent Britiih interests on that coast, where we had established a sort of protectorate; but i'homme propose et Dieu dispose; so the emigration scheme turned out a failure. Von Tempsky was then commissioned as a Captain to form an irregular force of the Mosquito Indians to act against the Spaniards, and did good service in leading and guiding the British officers and crews of H.M. ship Alarm, steamer Vixen, and brig Daring, against the Spanish stockades Castillo, Viejo. Sarapequi, and San Carlos, which were all stormed and taken. It was in lhe passage up the river at night that our Consul-General met with a fearful death, having slipped overboard from one of the boats, and was immedirtely devoured by alligator?, with which the river swarmed. His dying shrieks for assistance were distinctly heard by those in the boat; but, unfortunately, all efforts to rescue him proved futile. The loss of his intimate friend in this horrible manner seems to have damped his ardour ; and the Californian diggings breaking out about this time (1850), Von Tempsky left for San Francisco. At the diggings he worked a considerable time, meeting with adventures sufficient to fill a volume, one of which took place after he returned from the diggings. Having called one evening to see a sick friend at an hotel, lie left him to go ou board one of the floating boarding - house* where he lodged. Noticing that he was dogged by some men, who followed him down the wharf, he tried to evade them ; but he was intercepted, and, after a desperate resistance, was overpowered. During the struggle, he got knocked into the water. Beiug a man of great muscular power he struck out, but his pursuers followed him in a boat. On coming up with him, not liking to make any unnecessary noise by desp itching him with their revolvers, they struck at him with their ours ; he diving to escape, and feigning insensibility, when one of their number leaned ov-.r the side of the boat to grasp him. Having hauled liim in, they proceeded to search for the leathern belt usually carried by the miners to keep their gold in, and worn next the skin ; they then stripped him of hi. outer clothing, and perceiving that life was not f-x'iiiot one villain was raising his bowie kni'eio stab him, when Von Tempsky made a last effort — threw him back, upsetting the boat, and escaping by swimming to the wharf; where he was found by some persons, half naked, clinging to the pifes, in the morning. After this he left San Francisco and landing at Mazatlan, on the west coast of Mexico, at the foot of Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountains, and with a friend determined to pass through Central America, and purchasing mules they came on by way of Dur/mgo till they reached the city of Mexico. This journey forms the subject of the instructive work, well-known in the literary world, under the title of " Mitla or Travels in Mexico and Central America," of which our lamented friend was the author. A somewhat curious episode may be here related on the introduction of Von Tempsky to the late Rev. P. Hay Maxwell in Wellington. The latter remarked " Although I have not had the honour of meeting you in person, yet I may say yon are not entirely unknown to me, as I once had the pleasure of reviewing and criticising a work of yours on Central America." Von Tempsky now made his way to Blewfleds on the Mosquito shore, where he had previously become acquainted with the family of tht* commandant of the station, and eventually married one of hi* daughters. After a short time, he accompanied his wife, and father-in-law to England, and thence to Scotland, where he staid twelve months, when his father-in-law died. Once again he left Rurope, but this time with his wife and bound for Victoria in Australia, where she had a married sister. Soon after his arrival the Government of that colony projected an expedition to explore ihe in-eror when candidates to take the command were enquired for, Von Tempsky then came forward, and as is well known Burke was the successful man. A fueling of national pri-.le that the interior of that vast continent should be txplored by Englishmen only seems to have prevailed, and i-i this instance our lamented friend's n-ttionality seems to have been a bar to his success He was how.ver offered ihe second in command, which he refused, preferring to f.ome to Kew Zealand, where the new goldfields at Coromandol had jm: begun toattra- 1 attention Arriving there heat once took to the pick; his expene cc us a pmc icai miner being of considerable ad to the Government in the development of the resources cf that goldfield. t in the war bre iking out in July, 1863, he offered lis servi.es ro the Government and was gHZetK**' i.-* ensign in ihe Forest l\anj_ers on the *_ihh August, 1863. from this tim" to November we find him attach.d to the Fly ng Co!u >n, scouring the bush on the Hunua range*, about twenty miles from Auckland; in wbich fastnesses the natives had congregated. We next hear of him in a skirmish at the Mauku, where the Natives had entrenched thennelves on an impromptu pah, behind large log* in a clearing, firing volleys at the Hangers at a distance of twenty yaids.but luckily missing them. .After this, in compiny with Oiiptain T. McDonnell (now Lieut.-t'o'oncl coimn--r-d---ing ut Patea), then a Sub-lnspe* tor in the Defence Force, they, with the permissi n of ( Jeneral Cameron, went on a reconnoitering expedition by night, to the Native settlement ot Paparata, where some 600 Miioris were encamped. With a couple of revolvers each, some sardines and biscuits, they gained a large flax swamp in the midst of thes. ttlement. Lying perdu all next day, observintr the ' movements of the enemy, who were hunting for their pigs close to them, under cover of night they returned, and reaching the camp at Whangamarino, reported what they had seen to the Lieutenant-General, who in a letter to each officer, passed the highest eulogiums on the gallant manner in which tht-y had performed the service. Probably this was the most hazardous duty performed during the war, hs at the time thereiwere at least 600 Natives in

the vicinity. For their services the Colonial Government promoted both officers to the rank ot Ca* tain, their commissions being dated 10th November, 1863. Von Tempsky 's next action took place on the llth February following, at Mangapiko on the Waipa, where, to vs I**1 ** his own quaint words in hia pithy despatches to the Lieutenant-General, he sayp, "my men with promptitude surrounded the thicket, and entering the same in a short time extracted seven natives.'' For this duty he was mentioned by the Lieut.-General in his despatches to his Excellency the Governor amongst other officers conspicuous for their bravery on the occasion. On the 22nd February we find him again in action at Kangia.whia, which lasted for two days. On their return to camp the appearance of the Forest Rangers is thus ludicrously described by an eye-witness, " They were loaded from top to toe with pigs, potatoes, spears, tomahawks, and everything they could lay their hands on." On the memorable 2nd April 1834, we agaiu find him engaged at the siege of Oral.au, behaving with his usual gallantry. In this attack 150 natives were killed out of a garrison of 300, and Von Tempsky 's name appears in the General's despatches amongst many others, for bravery, &c. For his conduct on this occa-tion, the Colonial Government promoted him to the rank of Major ; the commission bearing date 4th April, 1864. Waikato being conquered, there was a lull. The theatre of war was then changed to Wanganui, and after lying comparatively inactive for a twelve-month, in his next despatches to the Government, dated May 16, 1865, he says, " we have been engaged with the natives on the Patea river, four miles above Kakaramea. Our party discovered a track leading along the right bank ! of the river, descendinga steep cliff, ladders of poles and supplejack were found; ou pursuing the track several of the streams were observed to be bridged. I concluded, therefore, he says, " that this track led to a place of considerable importance ; but, having dogs with me at the time, 1 left, resolving to return. The following night I started with forty-eight Hangers.and withinfinitelabourwe made our way till we came to a deeply wooded ravine, on the opposite side of which we saw the Maori camp. We hurried down the side of the ravine; but, on breaking through a barricade which had been erected at the edge of the clearing, the Maoris caught sight of us, and poured in a volley. On we rushed, driving them before us into the bush, thus (still quoting from his dispatches) proving lo the natives that we can find them wherever they may hide, and that their secure fastnesses are no obstacles to their being attacked." The rest of the career of this gallant and lamented officer is too well-known to our citizens to recapitulate here. Aa a warm-lrearted, sincere friend, a gallant soldier, and an accompli.-*h_d gentleman, few could equal him; and the name of Von Tempsky, with others, will ever remain emblazoned on the escutcheon of imperishable fame they haie won io \ew Z 'aland. We | are sorry to a ? d that he leaves a widow and three children — two b ys and a girl — in Auckland, who deeply mourn their loss. Peace he to his numes.