fight. I hate exertion, but on that
occasion I was forced to make an effort, and terribly knocked up I was
over it. If it becomes absolutely necessary I may have to make an effort
again, but I consider it altogether outside my province."

The expedition started on the following morning, the 20th of November.
It consisted of nearly six hundred natives belonging to the Napier
tribes, the Mahia and Marsuwai tribes. The next day they came upon the
rear-guard of the Hau-Hau tribes of Patutahi and shot two of them. Great
quantities of booty which the Hau-Haus were unable to carry away were
found there, together with the bodies of several friendly natives. The
next day another encampment was come upon, and here the carts taken from
the plundered farms were found. At dusk on the 23d the column came up
with the main body of the enemy, who were encamped on the Te Karetua
Creek.

A heavy fire was opened on both sides, and the natives then charged, but
were driven back with a loss of five killed and twelve wounded. Mr.
Atherton and Wilfrid, who were walking leisurely in the rear of the
column when it came on the enemy, arrived too late to take any part in
the fight. After the repulse the friendly natives took up a position on
a ridge overlooking the Hau-Hau positions, and distant twelve hundred
yards from it. Rifle-pits were dug, and for the next week firing was
kept up by both sides, with occasional skirmishes as one party or the
other tried to take the offensive, but neither cared to try a determined
attack on the other.

The Hau-Haus had lost twenty men during the first day's fighting and
suffered more in the distant firing, especially whenever they gathered
as if for an attack, than did the friendlies. This was owing in no small
degree to the accuracy of Mr. Atherton's fire. He had got some of the
natives to dig a rifle-pit three or four hundred yards down the hill in
front of their position, and here he and Wilfrid ensconced themselves
every morning before daybreak, taking down with them their provisions
for the day, and from this point they galled the Hau-Haus greatly with
their fire. Wilfrid knew that his shooting could not be depended upon at
this distance; but Mr. Atherton had been accustomed to fire at long
ranges, and although at eight hundred yards his rifle was not accurate
he did considerable execution, and so alarmed the Hau-Haus that they
scarcely dared to move by daylight from one part of their intrenchment
to t