HONE HEKE. 
549 
On the 3rd May, four hundred and twenty men were 
landed at the Bay, they went inland to attack Heke, who 
had retired with the other Chiefs to a pa at one of the ex- 
tremities of the Bay. The North Star also proceeded there ; 
a fruitless attack was made on the 8th of May ; the troops 
had only brought three days’ provisions with them, and had 
it not been for Walkers furnishing a liberal supply, they 
would have been famished ; Kuhe, a neutral Chief, provided 
a number of pigs and potatoes for Heke and the soldiers ; the 
road to the latter laying through the native camp, he asked 
permission to drive his pigs for the soldiers, this, as a matter 
of course, was immediately granted. The pa was abandoned 
and the troops also retreated to the coast, with the loss of 
fifteen killed, and thirty-seven wounded. Heke sent a message 
to the British Officers, to say that their dead should have 
Christian burial, and he accordingly sent for a Missionary, 
who performed that melancholy duty. The troops were re- 
embarked, and returned to Auckland. 
In June, a large body of six or seven hundred men, under 
Colonel Despard, attacked Heke at Taiamai, where he and 
Kawiti had built a strong pa. On hearing of this great force, 
Heke tried to conquer Walker before he could join it ; in 
this, however, he failed, and received a severe wound in the 
thigh. Colonel Despard stated in his dispatch, that one-third 
of the men actually engaged fell in the attack.* Before the 
fight, Walker’s men joined in singing a hymn, and in prayer 
for the success of the troops. The native Christians in 
the pa did the same, and though our men in this respect 
were wanting, still it was afterwards found there were 
amongst our poor fellows who fell, those who committed 
their souls to God before they rushed into the fight, and 
many others who were greatly encouraged by hearing the 
solemn prayers of the natives in their behalf ; the bugle 
which sounded the attack, was only eight minutes before it 
again sounded the retreat, and in that brief space of time, 
one hundred and twenty of our men entered eternity ! amongst 
* Colonel Despard is reported to have said, before he left Sydney, that he 
would either take Heke alive or dead, or fall in the attempt — he did neither. 
