ssacres higher up on the
coast, and was, fortunately, at Napier; he at once despatched a company
of colonists under Major Fraser, with thirty or forty friendly natives,
to hold the natives in check.

Just as they had been sent off the news came that another and more
numerous body of Hau-Haus were advancing by way of Petane to attack
Napier. Major Fraser and his company were sent off to check these, while
Colonel Whitmore, with one hundred and eighty of the colonial militia,
marched against the smaller force, and M'Lean, with two hundred friendly
natives, established himself in the rear of the village they occupied.
An officer was sent in to summon them to surrender, and as no answer
could be obtained from them the colonists advanced. The enemy fought
with resolution, but the colonists opened a cross-fire upon them, and
after fighting for some time the natives were driven out of their cover.
Finding no mode of retreat open to them they laid down their arms, some
who endeavoured to escape being cut off and also captured. The native
loss was twenty-three killed and twenty-eight wounded--many of them
mortally; forty-four taken prisoners. Only two or three of the whole
party escaped. Upon the same day Major Fraser's little force attacked
the other party of Hau-Haus, killed their chief with twelve of his
followers, and put the rest to flight.

From that time peace had been unbroken in Hawke Bay; but there had been
several outbreaks at Poverty Bay, which lay just north of the province,
and massacres at Opotaki and other places further to the north, and
almost continuous fighting in the northern districts of Wellington. The
news of Te Kooti's escape and of his landing at Poverty Bay naturally
caused considerable alarm among the settlers, but hopes were entertained
that the whites at Poverty Bay, aided by the friendly natives, would be
able to recapture Te Kooti and his followers before they could do any
harm.

The next day a small vessel came down from Poverty Bay with a message
from Major Biggs, who commanded at that settlement, to ask for
assistance if it could be spared him. A consultation was held and it was
agreed that the best plan of defending their own settlement was to aid
in the recapture of Te Kooti, and that the little force of twenty men
should at once go up to aid the settlers under Major Biggs. Accordingly
they embarked without delay, Mr. Atherton making a separate bargain
with the captain of the craft for his