e
ambush, or to intercept any others who might come from Paterangi to
their relief. At the narrow end of the loop there was a deep gully,
with an old canoe thrown over it as a bridge.

While Major Bowdler's party were attacking the natives who had taken
post in the old pah on one side, Captain Fisher led a few men across the
bridge on the opposite side, followed by Captain Heaphy, who had
collected some men of the 40th and 50th Regiments. Large numbers of
natives now came rushing up from Paterangi pah, and the fight became
general over a wide extent of woody ground, the English soldiers often
dashing forward incautiously at the enemy, and suffering considerably;
Captain Fisher recrossing the bridge to repel the Maori reinforcements.
Colonel Havelock, who had no arms, and Captain Heaphy were left with a
few men in the midst of the enemy. Captain Heaphy now shot a Maori,
and, having secured his gun and pouch, gave Colonel Havelock his own
breechloader and a few cartridges, continuing the fight himself with the
Maori gun and ammunition. Captain Jackson, when wading the river, shot
a Maori who had snapped both barrels at him, and then, hauling the man
to the bank, secured his gun and pouch.

Meantime, Captain Fisher being hotly engaged and somewhat pressed by a
large body of natives coming from Paterangi, Captain Heaphy collected a
party of stragglers under fire, told them off into front and rear ranks,
and, placing them under cover, directed their fire on the
above-mentioned natives, who, receiving thus a cross fire, made no
further headway.

A series of hand-to-hand encounters took place during the fight about
the old tree-covered pah, between the Maories, crouching in the thick
bush, and the British, who showed a keen eagerness to dart at and close
with their lurking enemies. A private, Cassan of the 50th, having been
desperately wounded, fell into one of the deep overgrown ditches near
the pah, within reach of many Maories concealed there. Captain Heaphy,
on hearing of this, called for volunteers and hastened down for the
purpose of bringing off the wounded soldier, though exposed to a hot
fire from the enemy directly above him. Two of his followers were shot
dead, while five balls pierced his cap and clothes, and he was wounded
in three places, providentially but slightly. He remained by the man,
to defend him from the enemy, till Assistant-Surgeon Stiles of the 40th
Regiment joined him, when the poor fellow