REVOLT OF THE TARTARS.

Wellington Independent, Volume III, Issue 190, 7 August 1847, Page 3

REVOLT OF THE TARTARS.

[Abridged from Blackwood's Magazine,

fob Joly, 1837.] [Concluded from No. 187.]

The final scenes of the Kalmuck flight through the whole two thousand miles of suffering which remained; for the character of that suffering wai even more monotonous than on the former hall of the flight, but also more severe. Its main elements were excessive heat, with the accompaniments of famine and thirst, but aggravated at every step by the murderous attacks of their cruel enemies the Bashkirs and the Kirghises.

These people, " more fell than anguish, or the sea," stuck to the unhappy Kalmucks like a swarm of enraged hornets. And very often, whilst ihey were attacking them in the rear, their advanced parties and flanks were attacked with almost equal fury by the people of the country which they were traversing; and with good reason, since the law of self-preservation had now obliged the fugitive Tartars to plunder provisions, and to forage wherever they passed. Iα this respect their condition was a constant oscillation of wretchedness; for sometimes, pressed ..by grinding famine, thsy took a circuit of a hundred miles, in order to strike into a land rich in the comforts of life; but in such a land they were sure to find a crowded population, of which every arm was raised in unrelenting hostility, with all the advantages of local knowledge, and with constant

July 19.—Nothing particular occurred yesterday; but this morning the rebels were observed to be in movement from their bivouac down towards town. ■ Before noon sundry parties were scattered over the river vale, a mile above the Upper Stockade, and also on the heights above St. John's wood. Shortly after this they were seen to occupy, in considerable numbers, the pass, or gorge, at the southern extremity of the wood. About this time the commanding officer of our troops, seeing some of the rebels advancing down the swamp, sent out a detachment to drive them back. But this, in the eagerness of meeting the enemy, went further, it seems, tban he had intended, and, indeed, quickly got far enough to enter into a brisk engagement with the advance of the rebels. This party, therefore, was soon, necesearily, supported by another, and so on till at length from two to three hundred of the garrison were on foot towards the scene, accompanied by a field piece and a howitzer. Tuking along the narrow swamp bound, band of ferry-hill, which runs as an off-set, or spur, of that on which the Upper Stockade stands, in the direction of the aforesaid wood and pass, these reinforcements soon came up with the first little band of adventurers, when all drew out, in so far as the swampy nature of the ground would permit, in extended, or skirmishing order, and opened a brisk fire on the enemy. This was continued for a considerable time, but with no very obvious effect, for the rebels were so sheltered, on the one hand by breast works in the pass, and on the other, and in front by St. John's Wood, as to render it evident that unless they could be drawn from their covered and flanking positions, it would be worse than needless to prolong the contest. Accordingly the order for retreat was sounded; but no sooner had the troops begun to obey, than down rushed the rebels, in numbers, from their fastnesses, shouting triumphantly, and going with such speed that they , were soon close in the rear of our men, who from the nature of the ground they were retreating over —a narrow swamp-skirted belt—could not retire in the usual order. Somewhat of a dilemma now occurred, for the officer who had led the advance, and was now, consequently, bringing up the rear, seeing how closely his men were becoming pressed by the enemy, was compelled to disregard the order for retreat, and to supercede it by that to face about and charge. At this critical moment he had not a dozen men, but these with the characteristic gallantry of British soldiers, promptly and cheerfully obeyed the order : and being speedily supported by one or two other officers, and a lew more soldiers the advance of the rebel was not only successfully checked, but several were bayoneted, and the mass was forced (o retire with all haste to the positions in the pass, whither no doubt it would have been followed had not a considerable j number of the rebels occupied a hill on the left, which very commandingly flanked the road which led thereto. But for this ciicumstance little doubt caa be entertained but that a victory on our part would have been signally complete, while the discotnfiture of the rebels, in all probability, would have effected a decisive war result.

The casualties on our side were two killed, two dangerously, and five or six not seriously wounded —wonderfully few considering the fire our troops were exposed to.

The loss on the part of the enemy has not yet been ascertained, but it is supposed that it must have greatly exceeded ours.

No troops could have demonstrated greater ardour and bravery than our gallant detachments of the 58th, 65th, and Royal Artillery; but if they have done one thing better than another, it is their having shewn that fighting at long bowls is not the game to play at with maories; but that close quarters and the bayonet are the means and weapon which they can neither oppose, nor withstand.

July 20—We were expecting a renewal of the rebel visit to day, but they have continued quiet in their bivouacs, exceptiog a few who were seen in the swamps this morning, probably looking for the bodies of some who fell yesterday. Very properly, they were not disturbed in their pious undertaking. One or two of our missionary natives went out to thsm, arid brought back the expected intelligence that they had lost in killed and wounded precisely the same number as. ourselves. But ie seems they claim the victory on the score that they captured the body of one of the two soldiers who fell in the early part of the retreat. These missionaries are of opinion that the rebels suffered greatly more than they are willing to admit. I omitted to notice in yesterday's diary that, while the battle was going on on this side, three or four of the rebels on the other set fire to and burnt down Mr. Hulke's dwelling-house, which is situated opposite to the town, and on what has hitherto been considered tabooed ground. July 21—No novelty to-day, except a notice from our Postmaster that the schooner Edward Stanley will sail to-morrow for Wellington, being more than a month since such a communication offered. 22nd—The sailing of the schooner is postponed sine die. A woman came down to the missionary pah to-<lay from the rebel encampment. She gives no information as to the number or class of casual*

ties that occurred on the 19th, but l&ye that two are still unaccounted for. sVery probably they fell in the swamps, and are those the rebels were in search of there on the morniDg of the 20th. Two reports are in circulation to-day regarding the loss of the enemy—one is, that ten were killed and ten seriously wounded—the other, that twenty were killed anil thirty wounded. I believe that neither rests on any credible authority. ' ;23rd—At a late hour last night, a message was brought over from the missionary, that two or three ofthe wives of the rebels had arrived from their encampment at Putiki Pah, bringing the intelligence that the mob intended to be down to attack the town by or about daylight. They, tben, made their appearance, "in numerous groups, in the same ad- ! vantageous positions, they had occupied on the 19th, particularly the pass at the southern extremity of St. John's Wood, and the adjoining hill which, at point blank distance, flanks the narrow strip of dry passable ground leading thereto. "Having got thus far, small parties, threes and fours, now and then approached the upper stockade, and in bravado, or more probably as inviting to a renewal of the fight of the 19th, discharged then musketi, and cut a few of their warlike «apers; but no other, than such occasional demonstration of advancing from their positions, was made during the day. After thus amusing themselves for an hour or iwo, we now and then discharging a shot, or shell from the upper stockade by way of returning the compliment —they sent forward g flag of trace, when a .party of cur maories accompanied by the Commanding Officer's Interpreter went to meet them. -I have not been able to ascertain full particulars of the korero that ensued, but it has transpired that its sum and substance was that the mob were not again to come down for the present, but meant to go to their plantations up the river—that nothing was farther from their inclinations than peace, and that they would return In the summer to renew and prosecute the war. They expresstd, also, great indignation that our troops had not gone out as on the 19th, seeming to think they ehould have the choice of ground on all occasions. But/beggbg their pardon, there can be no doubt that it would have been hazardous folly te hare gone out to meet them, situated as they were, as no advantage could have been reaped, manifestly, without great sacrifice. . { Thus ends the first campaign, and , it is to be hoped that by the time they return we shall be so provided with men and means, as to turn the scale from defensive to its-opposite. 24th—We have seen nothing of therebeli to-day; we may infer, therefore, that they have betaken themselves to their agricultural operations.

PROPOSAL OF SIR JOHN ROSS TO REACH:THE NORTH POLE. The following is an extract of a letter from Captain Sir John Ross, R.N.,to the President of the Rojal Astronomical Society :—

"Sir, —I beg leave to submit the following plan and proposal to the President and Council of the Royal Astronomical Society, for their consideration :—The measurement of an arc of the meridian has long been a great desideratum, and the failure of evertfttjiempt that has been made at this desirable object, as well as an attempt to reach the North Pole, has been because the summer has been selected for that purpose; whereas the spring should have been the season chosen, namely the' months of April and May for both services, but which could not be put in execution by the means hitherto adopted. I have now tp inform the president and council of the Royal Astronomical Society, that I have subraitied a plan to the Admiralty for carrying into execution those double and desirable objects, by wintering at Spitzbergen, and employing my officers and crew under the direction of the talented son of the celebrated Professor Schumacher, whom I engaged fori the purpose; while at the proper season, it is my intention to attempt to. reach the KorthPoJe. on aledges, drawn by Swedish horses, being;, a modification of the plan proposed '.firstly-D* Scoresby, and of which that highly talented' and well informed individual has given his most unqualified approbation. And, from the year's experience I have had in Sweden in that mode of travelling, 1 can safely assert, that there is no officer in the navy that possesses these advantages so. necessary to complete success, of. which neither Dr. Scoresby nor myself have the smallest doubt. I have made this statement in the hope that, when duly considered by the! President and Council of the Royaj Astronomical Society, they will, be pleased, to signify to me their opinion on the importance of the objects in question, and such a recommendation for its being put into execution as they may think fit." '