346 
HONE HERE. 
On the 3rd May, 420 men were landed at the Bay, they 
were marched inland to attack Heke, who had retired with the 
other Chiefs to a pa at one of the extremities 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 Walker’s liberal supply, they 
would have been famished. Ruhe, a neutral Chief, had pro¬ 
vided a supply of pigs and potatoes for Heke and the soldiers. 
The road to the latter laying through his camp, he asked 
permission to drive his pigs for the soldiers. This was, as a 
matter of course, immediately granted. Heke abandoned the 
pa, 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 a Christian burial. 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 also, 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! 
* 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. 
