HONE HEKE. 
547 
This large force encamped about a mile from the town, out 
of the range of the Hazard’s guns. Several skirmishes took 
place. Lieutenant Philpotts was taken prisoner; they took 
away his pistols, but, having danced the war dance around 
him, one was returned, and they good humouredly let him 
go, bidding him take more care of himself for the future. 
On the Sunday, one of the Missionaries went and preached 
to them from James, whence came wars and fightings ; when 
he had finished, Heke bid him go and preach the same sermon 
to the sailors and soldiers, who equally needed his warnings. 
On the evening of the 10th of March, Heke went with a 
party of two hundred men, and placed himself in ambuscade 
near the block house, whilst Kawiti, at the head of a similar 
number, advanced upon the town, not to injure the settlers, 
as he afterwards said, but to draw off the attention of the 
sailors from Heke’s attack on the block house. About four 
o’clock in the morning of the 11th, the inhabitants of Koro- 
rareka were aroused by the sound of musketry, Kawiti was 
making his descent upon the town, when his course was 
arrested by Captain Robertson, at the head of about twenty- 
five men, who defended a narrow defile against an over- 
whelming force. A sharp encounter took place, in which 
six or seven of the sailors were killed, and as many more 
wounded, amongst whom was the Captain, who had suffered 
so severely that his life was at first despaired of, but he 
eventually recovered, having manifested great bravery, and 
killed several with his own hand, which excited the admira- 
tion of his enemies. Kawiti lost near twenty men, and 
amongst them several high Chiefs, and had many wounded. 
Heke succeeded in taking the block house, and cutting 
down his enemy, the flagstaff ; he then danced the war dance 
with his men on the hill, in token of victory ; the natives 
finally gained the day, and the explosion of the gunpowder 
magazine induced the British to evacuate the town, which 
was safely effected under the guns of the Hazard . The 
natives themselves appeared surprised at their victory and 
the abandonment of the town, which they for a long time 
forbore entering ; afterwards they did so, and plundered the 
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