io6o 



A USTRALASIA ILL USTRA TED. 



advantage, of which he hastened to avail himself to the utmost by completing his measures 

 to cut off all chance of escape. The pah was constructed with the usual ditches and 

 parapets, with an outer circumvallation of posts and rails, protected by outlying rifle-pits. 

 It was defended by about three hundred men, women and children, but was badly 

 provisioned for a siege. General Carey unwisely resolved to commence operations by 

 storming the pah. After two assaults by the Eighteenth Royal Irish and Forest Rangers 

 respectively, led by Captain Ring of the Eighteenth, and Captain Fisher of the Fortieth 



in which the former 

 officer fell mortally, and 

 the latter severely, 

 wounded and after a 

 third assault, led by 

 Captain Baker, of the 

 Eighteenth, these tac- 

 tics were relinquished, 

 and the construction of 

 a flying sap was begun, 

 while a continuous fire 

 of shot and shell was 

 kept up, as well as a 

 KANGIRIRI. perfect hail of mus- 



ketry, no less than forty 



thousand rounds of cartridges being served out to the troops. During the afternoon a 

 relief force of from one hundred and fifty to two hundred natives appeared in sight, but 

 could get no nearer than the edge of a bush some nine hundred yards to the rear of 

 the British outposts. General Cameron arrived with re-inforcements, which brought the 

 strength of the investing force to upwards of two thousand men. 



By the 2nd of April, the flying sap which had been commenced had broken into 

 the enemy's outworks, and while canister was fired from two Armstrong guns into the 

 paii at a distance of a few yards, the fire of the doomed garrison was silenced by 

 hand-grenades thrown into the entrenchments. Impressed by their indomitable courage, 

 and desirous of saving the women and children, General Carey now sent forward an 

 interpreter, Mr. Mainwaring, to the head of the sap, with the message : " Friends, hear 

 the word of the General Cease your fighting ; you will be taken care of, and your 

 lives spared. We have seen your courage ; let the fighting stop." Instantly an old 

 tattooed chief mounted the breastwork, and, in a clear ringing voice, shouted the intrepid 

 reply : " Friends, this is the reply of the Maori We shall fight on, akc, akc, akc, (for 

 ever, for ever, for ever)." " If you are determined to die," replied the General, " give 

 up your women and children, and we will take care of them." The defiant answer was, 

 " Who is it that is to die ? Wait a little ; our women also fight." " Let your word 

 be repeated," persisted the General. " Enough," was the chief's response, " this, akc, akc, 

 ake, is our last word ; we shall fight on for ever ! " Can the bloody annals of war 

 furnish an episode to excel this for its patriotism and dauntless spirit ? The soldier felt 

 that in the half-civilized savage he had a foeman worthy of his steel. But the full 



