IN MEMORIAM-MAJOR VON TEMPSKY.

West Coast Times, Issue 944, 1 October 1868, Page 3 (Supplement)

IN MEMORIAM-MAJOR VON TEMPSKY.

(From the Wellington Independent.)

Gustavus Ferdinand Von Tempsky, who met bis death with his gallant comrades during the late attack on TeNgutuotemanu, and whose loss we all deplore as a national calamity, was the second son of Lieut.-Col. VonTempsky, of the Prussian service, who was formerly Aid-de-Camp to Prince Lichtenstein. He was born in the year 1828, at Liegnitz, in Silesia, a province of Prussia, and was educated at the Military College in Berlin, obtaining hi i commission in the 3rd Regiment of Fusileers in 1844. About this time public attention in Prussia seems to have been drawn to various emigration schemes, and Von Tempsky being naturally of a roving ardent disposition, quickly organised a movement which resulted in himself and a number of his countrymen leaving their fatherland for the Mosquito shore, on the eastern coast of Central America, to found a colony. Possessinghigh influenceinPrussia, he started under the best auspices, bearing letters of introduction from our Ambassador at the Prussian Court, to 11. Walker, Esq., then acting as Consul-Gene-ral and Diplomatic Agent to represent British interests on that coast, where we had i stablished a sort of protectorate ; but Thomme 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 II.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 the passage up the river at night that our Consul-Genera! met with a fearnil de ith, having slipped overboard from one of the boats, and was immediately devoured by alligators, with which the river swarmed. His dying shrieks for assistance Avere 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 friend at an hotel, he left bim to go on board one of the floating boarding-houses where he lodged. Noticing that he was dogged by some men who followedhim 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. Being 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 despatching him with their revolvers, thoy struck at him with their oars ; he diving to escape, aud feigning insensibility, when one of their number leaned over the side of the boat to grasp him. Having hauled him in, they proceeded to search for the leathern belt usually carried by the miners to keep their gold in, aud worn next the skin ; they then stripped him of his outer clothing, and perceiving that lite was not extinct one villian was raising his bowie knife to 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 piles, in the morning. After this he left San Francisco and landing at Mizatlan, 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 Durango till they reached the city of Mexico. This journal 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 honor of meeting you in person, yet I may say you are not entirely unknown to me, rs i onoe hftd the pleasure of reviewing

and critising a work of yours on Central America." Von Tempsky now made his way to Blewfields on the Mosquito shore, where he had previously become acquainted with the family of the commandant of the station, and eventually married one_ of his 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 Europe, 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 the interior, 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 feeling of national pride that the interior of that vast continent should be explored by Englishmenonly seems to have prevailed, and in this instance our lamented friend's nationality seems to have been a bar to his ! success. He was however offered the | second in command, which he refused, preferring to come to New Zealand, -where the I new goldfields at Coromandel had just begun to attract attention. Arriving there he at once took to the pick ; his experience as a practical miner being of considerable aid to the Government in the development of the resources of that goldfield. On the war breaking out in July, 1863, he offered bis services to the Government, and was gazetted as ensign in the Forest Rangers on the 26th August, 1863. From this time to November we find him attached to the Flying Column, scouring the bush on the Hunua ranges, about twenty miles from Auckland, in which fastnesses the natives had congregated. We next hear of him in a skirmish at the Mauku, where the natives had entrenched themselves on an impromptu pah, behind large logs in a clearing, firing volleys at the Rangers at a distante of twenty yards, but luckily missing them. After this, in company with Captain T. M'Donnell (now Lieut-Colonel commanding at Patea), then a Sub-In-spector in the Defence Force, they, with the permission of General Cameron, went on a reconnoitering expedition by night to the Native settlement of Paparata, where some 600 Maoris were encamped. With a couple of revolvers each, some sardines and biscuits, they gained a large flax swamp in the midst of the settlement. Lying perdu all next day, observing the movements of the enemy, who were hunting for their pigs clo.-e to them, under cover of the night they returned, and reaching the camp at Whangarmina, reported what they had seen to the Lieutenant- General, who in a letter to each officer, passed the highest elogiums on the gallant manner in which they had performed the service. Probably this was the most hazardous duty performed during the war, as at the time tuere were at least 600 Natives in the vicinity. For their services the Colonial Government promoted both officers to the rank of Captain, their commissions being dated 10th November, 1863. Von Tempi-ley's next action took place on the 11th February following, at Mangapiko on the Waipa, where, to use his own quaint words in his pithy despatches to the Lieu-tenant-General, he says, "my men with promptitude surrounded the thicket, and entering the same in a short time extracted seven natives." For this duty he was mentioned byjthe Lieut.-Geaeial in Ms 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 Rangiawhia, 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, 1864, we again find him engaged at the siege of Orakau, behaving with his usual gallantry. In this attack 150 natives were killed out of a garrison of 300, aud Von Tempsky's name appears in the General's despatches amongst many others, for bravery, &c. For his conduct on this occasion, 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 twelvemonth, 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 riv"«r, descending a steep cliff, ladders of poles and supplejack were found ; on 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, I left, resolving to return. The following night I started with forty-eight Rangers, and with infinite labour we 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 ([quoting from the despatches) proving to the natives that we can find them wherever they may hide, aud 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. As a warm-hearted, sincere friend, a gallant soldier, and an accomplished gentleman, few could equal him ; and the name of Von Tempsky, with others, will ever remain emblazoned on the escutcheon of imperishable fame they have won in New Zealand. We are sorry to add that he leaves a widow and three children — two boys and a girl — in Auckland, who deeply mourn their loss. Peace be to his manes.

Shipping. — Continued from first page . in which the survey-boat, behaved nobly, and the shipwrecked party were reached in time to rescue them from what seemed an inevitable death. The only mishap that occurred was the breaking of the steer-oar belonging to the survey-boat. There were ten men in the boat which had filled, who were all brought safely to 1-nd. Mr Woods and some of Ms party started from Okarito at ten o'clock on Sunday morning, for Abut Head, Mr Woods going overland, and the boat and crew going by the seaboard. Mr Knight and one man were left at Okarito, for the purpose of taking" further observations. The "Waipara sailed again on Sunday at noon, and arrived at Bruce Bay the same afternoon. A party, including Captains Turnbull and Bascand, and 'some of the steamer's officers, went ashore, and found the people in good health and perfectly satisfied with their work. Started from Bruce Bay on Monday at 3 a.m., and arrived off the Haast at 8 a.tu. the . following (Tuesday) morning. Steaming as close inshore as possible, Donald Bell and party could be .seen walking on the beach, but, owing to the heavy sea, the steamer could not cross the bar. The men, seeing this, retired from the beach, and the "Waipara proceeded on to Jackson's, passing inside of Mussel Point Reef, and thence on to the Arawata, which was reached at two o'clock. The Arawata bar was crossed by Captain Turnbull and a boat's crew from the steamer. Found Howard and party in good health, and perfectly satisfied with the returns they were receiving for their labor. Howard and his mate came on board to purchase provisions, and proceeded on with the steamer to Jackson's Bay, where they landed, carrying their provisions back to the Arawata. She sailed from Jackson's Bay at midnight, and arrived in Big Bay at daylight. Landed three passengers at the boat harbour in the bay, who had brought down six months' provisions, intending to give the country a fair trial. Left Big Bay at noon on Tuesday, bound north, passed Barn Bay at 3 p.m., and arrived off Okarita at 3 a.m. the following morning. Crossed the bar at 5 a.m., shipped a few passengers and some cargo, and left for Hokitika at 3 p.m. the same day, arriving in the roadstead at midnight. Stood in for the bar on yesterday's a.m. tide, but the channel looking confined and narrow, Captain Bascand deemed it prudent to remain outside till the afternoon tide, when she safely crossed the bar and entered the river During the trip the barometer fell gradually from 30 ! 61 on leaviug Hokitika, to 29*72 on their return. The sea was very smooth throughout, excepting off the Haast river, where a heavy swell set in on the coast.