Intelligence of the raid and massacre at Poverty Bay reached Napier on the 11th November, one day after the outbreak. On receipt of the news, his Honor D. M‘Lean, Esq., Superintendent of Hawke’s Bay province, and General Government Agent for the East Coast, immediately took steps for the relief of the survivors of the massacre and the capture of the murderers. So vigorous were his measures, that by the 13th the garrison in Wilson’s redoubt at Turanganui had been largely reinforced, and other active operations commenced, which caused Te Kooti to retire at once to Patutahi by the way he came. Taking with him the plunder of Poverty Bay, and strengthened by nearly the whole native population, Te Kooti retreated to a position named Makeretu. This position consists of three low hills forming a triangle, bounded on two sides by a river, and on the third by scrubby hills. Here Te Kooti entrenched himself with rifle pits and other defensive works. He was overtaken on the 23rd by a force of 250 loyal natives despatched by Mr. M‘Lean. Te Kooti was taken completely by surprise, and driven from his camp, which was somewhat in advance of the position. It was thought Te Kooti lost about thirty men, but as the country around Makeretu for miles is covered with impenetrable manuka scrub, his loss was not accurately determined. On our side the fighting was done by Ngatikahungunu, Hawke’s Bay natives, under Tareha and other chiefs. A dozen European and half-caste scouts led by Lieut. Gascoigne assisted.
It had been arranged by Mr. M‘Lean that 300 natives were to advance from Wairoa, and attack Te Kooti in the rear simultaneously with Tareha’s charge in the front, and orders had been accordingly sent to Major Lambert at Wairoa; but Major Lambert, acting under instructions from ministers at Wellington, refused to obey. The result was, Te Kooti escaped what might have been certain capture if Mr. M‘Lean’s skilfully-conceived plan had not been frustrated by Colonel Haultain and his coadjutors. Afterwards, when too late, Lambert was ordered to carry out Mr. M‘Lean’s directions. In the interim, Te Kooti somewhat altered his arrangements, but still retained Makeretu as the key of his new position.
Finding himself getting short of ammunition, Te Kooti planned a bold scheme to obtain some at our expense. On the 27th November, about 8 a.m., he contrived, at the head of 60 men, to get in the rear of Tareha’s force unperceived, and intercepted a convoy of stores proceeding to Tareha’s camp. The escort being overmatched by three to one, and badly armed, were forced to retreat, and the depot at Patutahi fell into Te Kooti’s hands. 16,100 rounds of ammunition and a large supply of food stores were captured by Te Kooti on this occasion, and communication was cut off for several days between Turanganui and the force at the front.
On the 3rd December, the men composing the Wairoa expedition arrived. They were of the brave Ngatiporou tribe, and were commanded by Rapata, the chief who, it will be remembered, assisted Biggs to capture 500 Hauhaus at Hungahungatoroa, in Mr. M‘Lean’s East Coast campaign of 1865. Upon his arrival at Makeretu, Rapata announced that he would rest his men for two days, after their fatiguing march. The announcement was a ruse to disguise his real intentions from native traitors who might be in his camp. An hour afterwards, Rapata stormed the enemy’s position, and Te Kooti was forced to abandon Makeretu with heavy loss in men. It was not until some time after that the true nature of this gallant affair became manifest. It was thought 40, or at the most 50, men of the enemy had fallen; ultimately 97 bodies of the enemy were recovered, amongst them 14 chiefs, one of whom, named Nama, had been a turbulent and dangerous man. Most of the bodies were found in dense scrub, and there can be no doubt many more were killed besides those recovered. On the night of the day that the fight took place at Makeretu, the enemy retreated to an almost inaccessible mountain stronghold, named Ngatapa, whilst the force commanded by Rapata pressed forward in pursuit.
[CHAPTER IX.]
NGATAPA — DESCRIPTION — GARRISON — AT THE CROW’S NEST — RAPATA’S ADVANCE — IN THE TRENCHES — AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE — “SEE THE CONQUERING HERO COMES.”
Ngatapa, to which Te Kooti retired after his severe defeat at Makeretu, is about 45 miles from Turanganui. It is a wooded mountain, whose summit is about 2500 feet above the level of the sea. The pa derived its name from the mountain on which it stood, and crowned its crest, which is surrounded on three sides by steep cliffs of great altitude. On the side looking towards Poverty Bay the ground sloped away on this the only approach to Ngatapa. The pa covered an area of about an acre and a quarter, and occupied the site of an ancient hill fort. The mountain is wooded to within 150 yards of the ruined pa.
The existence of Ngatapa was not suspected until discovered by Rapata in his pursuit of Te Kooti. It was then found that by strongly fortifying its only assailable side, Te Kooti had created a fortress which is believed by all who saw it to have been the strongest in New Zealand. Works of great magnitude protected the vulnerable side; they comprised three great earth-banks, running from side to side of the hill, powerful palisades, and deep trenches parallel with the earth-banks, which were about 15 feet in height, and placed one behind the other. There were also underground passages to facilitate communication between the trenches. The interior of the pa was a maze of rifle-pits, so arranged that a heavy fire could be concentrated upon any one pit, in the event of an attempt being made to storm the pa. Outside the pa, a space had been cleared for some distance in front by cutting down timber. The tree stumps had been left standing for three feet above ground, and the branches strewed between. The object was to prevent a night rush upon Ngatapa.
The mountain is surrounded in almost every direction by forest extending to an illimitable distance, and the entire district for many miles around is cut up by precipitous mountain ranges and profound ravines. Ngatapa mountain rears itself unconnected with neighbouring hills, from which it is separated by chasm-like gullies. No drawing can convey an idea of its tremendous strength, because a complete view of Ngatapa cannot be obtained from its base.