alls for the heavy gun was brought
up, and the palisades were further broken down. A second assault would
have been made, but during the night the Maoris tied up their dogs, and
quietly dropping over the palisades at the rear of the pah, got far away
into the forest before their retreat was known, for the howling of the
dogs all night within the pah kept the officers from suspecting that the
Maoris were escaping. The British destroyed the palisades, and carried
off the stores of potatoes and other provisions which they found inside.

[Illustration: SIR GEORGE GREY.]

#8. Governor Grey.#--Fitzroy was preparing to chase Heke and Kawiti into
their fastnesses, when he was recalled. The English Government thought
he had not acted wisely in some ways and they blamed him for disobeying
their instructions. They had more faith in that young officer, George
Grey, who, after exploring in Western Australia, was now the Governor of
South Australia. He arrived in November, 1845, to take charge of New
Zealand; and at once went to Kororarika, where he found 700 soldiers
waiting for orders. But he did not wish for fighting, if it could be
avoided. He sent out a proclamation that Maoris who wished peace were to
send in their submission by a certain day. If they did, he would see
that the treaty of Waitangi was kept, and that justice was done to them.

Honi Heke sent two letters, but neither of them was satisfactory; and as
more than a year passed without any signs of his submitting, Colonel
Despard was directed to go after him. Heke was at a pah called Ikorangi;
but Kawiti had 500 Maoris at a nearer pah called Ruapekapeka.

#9. Ruapekapeka.#--Despard took his men sixteen miles in boats up a river;
then nine miles through the forest, and on the 31st December he had
1,173 soldiers with 450 friendly natives in a camp 800 yards from the
pah. It was like the other pahs, but bigger and stronger, for behind the
palisades there were earthen walls into which cannon balls would only
plunge without doing any harm. Three heavy guns, however, were mounted,
and when the Maoris sent up their flag, the first shot was so well aimed
as to bring its flagstaff down amid the ringing cheers of the white men.
All New Year's Day was spent in pouring in cannon balls by the hundred,
but they did little harm. Next day the Maoris made a sally, but were
driven back with the bayonet. Meantime, Heke came in one night with men
to help his friend, and heavy firing