THE PATEA EXPEDITION.

Wanganui Herald, Volume III, Issue 605, 12 May 1869, Page 2

THE PATEA EXPEDITION.

(From our own correspondent.) Patea,. May 8

Being- unable to find any track leading further up, we started from camp about 8 a.m., having burnt and destroyed the village and all it contained • two muskets were also found. The name of the village was Maruika ; it appears to be the commencement of their cultivations, and it was a great source of vexation to Col. Lyon and the whole force that we were unable to proceed further. On our return, we pushed on as rapidly as possible, intending, if possible, to reach Patea that night. On arriving near Otauro, Col. Lyon pushed on to the crossing afc Hukatere, Mr Booth proceeding to the canoes with a few natives. The detachment left at the canoes received orders to go and join the main body. Mr Booth took the smallest canoe, and proceeded to Hakatere to pick up Col. Lyon. <>n his way down he came upon a lar«'e fishing village, in which was a great qpantity of fishing gear; part was taken, and the remainder burnt with the whares. The force reached Patea about 4.30 p.m., having marched about twenty-five miles. On the Ngatiporous arriving opposite the Colonel's quarters, they had a war dance. The war dance given by them was quite different to any I have ever before witnessed, and their yells were terrific, and could have been heard for several miles. The Ngatiporous have taken a great liking to Col. Lyon, who is acknowledged by all hands to be one of the best and most soldierlike officers they have ever served under. His arrangements are always perfect, and his manner is always most courteous and kind. The natives-would do anything for him ■ they say- that " where the head is strong, the body is so also." It is the intention of the Colonel to have another expedition up the river as soon as possible; all the canoes from the Waitotara are to bo taken to /tho' Patea, nncl the large whale-boat belonging to the pilot is also to be brought into use. Besides going up the river,, there is another-way of rench>. , ing the rebels o,n the Patea river; this is by marching up to Te Ngsere, from1 -thence take the track to the - river, and come down ; but then we should have to depend upon being able to seize canoes for our conveyance down, which we might not be

able to do intime to enable our supplies to last out. On Friday CoL Lyon addressed the -.natives./"He express'd himself greatly satisfied with them, and expressed a wish that their number should be raised to 150, and asked them if they thought they could get sufficient of their people to come to make up., that, number. The Ngatiporous immediately replied in the affirmative, and a letter has been, I believe, already despatched for that purpose. To-day (Sunday) all in Pa tea have been greatly surprised at the arrival of thirty-three kupapas; no one knew anything about them, and no instructions have been received. However, they have pitched their camp on Hirst's flat. What have they been sent up for ? is a question asked by all. Have they not already done sufficient harm at Te Ngaere; and again, the question put by one of the rebels before he was killed, " Where is Kemp ?" Does that not go quite far enough to show that they knew that with Kemp they would have been quite safe. I feel sure that the two native forces will never co-operate together. The Rev. C. Brown arrived here from New Plymouth yesterday, and brings the news: that Titokowaru is supposed to be* marching back onthis district with about 500 men. Service was held at camp this day at 9.30 a.m., and in the store of Messrs Taplin and Muir at 11 a.m. and 6.30 p.m.

To-morrow an expedition, tinder Lt.-Col. Lyon, consisting of about 140 of all ranks, will leave Patea for Waihi, taking four days' provisions. The object of the expedition is supposed to be to endeavour to ascertain if there are any traces of hostile natives in the district, and perhaps even to penetrate as far as Te Ngutu o te Manu. Oapt Blake, who is stationed at Manawapou, is constantly making exploring expeditions. He visited Mere Mere the other day, which was burnt, and reached some other village, name unknown, which had already been burnt; there they got a large quantity of pigs, estimated at about 15001bs weight. He has also been successful in catching two or three prisoners. A few days ago one actually walked into the camp before he was seen ; he was sent a prisoner to Patea. Mr Booth says that he is convinced he is a rank spy, and he will be, I believe, tried by" a courtmartial.