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PAPERS RELATIVE TO MILITARY OPERATIONS

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force, as per margin,* taking two days, provisions with me, to search for Native tracks on the right banlc of the Waitotara Eiver, and, if successful in finding a track or tracks, to ascertain whether the Natives had lately visited any of the settlements on the parts of the river to which the tracks led, and generally, or as far as possible, to ascertain whether the rebel Natives had returned to the district, &c. At 8 a.m., on Monday, the 26th instant, I started from the redoubt, crossed the Waitotara Itiver on to the right bank at Papatupu, and reached Thurou, an old camping-ground of Titokowaru's, at a. quarter to 12 o'clock noon, walking at the rate of three miles an hour at least, so that, allowing for the half hour occupied in crossing the river at Papatupu, this camping-ground must be about ten miles from Weraroa Redoubt by the track wo took, which is the usual one, and well defined. I had the advantage of knowing the track this far myself, as I visited this camping-ground, under your own personal command, about a month before, when searching for a supposed track leading along the Hammack Range, and for other reconnoitring purposes. As you are aware, this old camp is situated in a clearing of about three acres, surrounded by heavy timber and much underwood ; tracks have been cut everywhere through the latter, evidently for the purpose of procuring material for making the 150 whares of which the camp was originally composed, capable of affording good shelter to 800 persons ; this old encampment is separated from the Hammacksby a narrow and the most precipitous gloomy ravine I have seen anywhere. Having given the men an hour and a quarter to take dinner and rest, I proceeded, in company with twenty special volunteers, for the purpose of searching for a track to the river, and I was fortunate enougli to find a well-defined track leading to the mouth of the Kopowawa Creek, where the first and largest canoe was found on the Waitotara expedition ; this track is again taken up on the opposite side of Ihe river at Tutonga, and leads to Pokia, where the Waitotara expedition stopped on the second night. The track enters the bush at the back of Titokowaru's old camp (and ours for the night), and keeps an easterly direction for about three hundred yards, when you get on to a fern flat of about 200' acres surounded by bush; you cross this flat on to a ridge running about east by north, till the ridge branches into two spurs, one running east by north, with a good track to Kopowawa, where, as I have said, the first canoe was found by the Waitotara expedition, and thence across the river to Pokia; the other spur, with an apparent track running about south-east, comes out on the river bank a little above Teherorou. Having examined the track to the mouth of the Kopowawa, I returned to Thorou (Titokowaru's old camping-ground) about J- p.m., where the expedition camped for the night. I may sum up this day's work by saying that there is no good well-defined track from Weraroa Redoubt to Pokia (where the Waitotara expedition stopped on the second night) by crossing the river twice, first at Tutonga, and again at Pokia ; Tutonga, I may repeat, is nearly opposite the mouth of the creek where the canoe was found, and where the trade we were on comes out on the river bank. Tuesday, the 27th instant. —Breakfast over and fires out a little before G a.m. ; at half-past G started on the track found yesterday, but had not proceeded more than 150 yards when the leading files got on a wrong track, trustingly followed by the whole force ; and in trying to rectify the mistake the expedition remained for three hours lost in the bush, performing circles and half-circles, and all sorts of doublings and windings in single file. At last I brought the men to a standstill, and Captain Bryce took tho Native with him in one direction ; I sent Corporal Ginger, his brother, and two other men in another direction ; and I took two men with mo in a different direction; and shortly afterwards Corporal Ginger found the old camp, and so got on the right track, and in a quarter of an hour more we were out of the bush. It was curious to observe that the Native, with all his boasted knowledge of the bush, was as completely lost as any of us. Once out of the bush we soon crossed tho fern flat, got along the ridge in very quick time till wo came to the spur leading south-cast, and commenced a most difficult descent to the river bank, which we reached about half a mile above where Captain Hawes was encamped on the opposite side, cutting a track the whole way. From this point we forced our way through scrub and tangled bush till we came out on a clearing opposite to where the Waitotara expedition camped under the cracker trees the first night of the expedition. Rested half an hour and turned towards home : got out of the bush by a steep but otherwise good track at Kotaika, and reached the redoubt at G p.m., wet to the skin, it having rained the whole way from Tahcuroa, about three hours and a half. The men arrived at the redoubt very little the worse for the wear, and, as usual, in the best of spirits, although they were eleven hours and a half on foot, and the travelling from the top of tho spur to opposite the cracker frees was most fatiguing, as it was forcing and cutting through the whole way. I saw no signs of the Natives anywhere I went. Captain Bryce asked leave to accompany me today with four of his men to learn tho tracks; and as I saw no signs of tho Natives, and consequently little danger likely to result in allowing him to sejiarate from his troop, I thought it an advantage that he should come for the purpose indicated. The remainder of Captain Bryco's troop were sent to Kotaika, to keep our retreat open oil the old track from Tahcuroa, if necessary. I have to thank Captain Bryec for giving me every assistance in his power. Mr. J. F. Kells accompanied the expedition as a volunteer, and would have been an important auxilliary if we had met with the Natives. Dr. Bestic, constable in tho Armed Constabulary,, aeeomjjanied the expedition as surgeon, <&c. I have, A;'. Tnos. Kells, Captain, Commanding Wanganui Veteran Volunteers. P.S. —From hero an expedition can reach the mouth of the Kopowawa Creek (where the canoe was found) in four hours and a half, and thence to Pokia in less than an hour and a half more, or six hours from here to Pokia; the only difficulty would be in crossing the river from the mouth of the creek to Tutonga and back again at Pokia. * Veteran Volunteers: —1 Captain, 2 Sergeants, 50 Bank and File. Total, 53. Kai Iwi Troop : —1 Captain, 2 Sergeants, 15 Troopers. Total, 18. Armed Constabulary: —Constable Bestic, M.D.