Contents.
XIII
| Chapter XIV.—The War at Wanganui. | Page |
| An unfortunate settlement—The New Zealand Company's defective purchase—An accident and its sequel—Massacre of the Gilfillans—Wanganui besieged by the river tribes—The Rutland Stockade and blockhouses—Natives attack the town—British reinforcements arrive—The Battle of St. John's Wood—A skirmish in the swamp—Withdrawal of the Maoris, and return of peace | 131 |
| Chapter XV.—Taranaki and the Land League. | |
| New Plymouth and early land disputes—Purchases of settlement blocks—Wiremu Kingi's return to the Waitara—Formation of the Maori Land League—Intertribal fighting | 140 |
| Chapter XVI.—The Maori King. | |
| Movement for union of the Maori tribes—The selection of a King—The Arawa decline to join the Kingite cause—Great meeting at Pukawa, Lake Taupo—Te Heuheu's picturesque symbolism—Tongariro the centre of the Maori union—Potatau te Wherowhero chosen as King—Wiremu Tamehana's patriotic argument | 145 |
| Chapter XVII.—The Waitara Purchase. | |
| Government bargain with Teira—Wiremu Kingi's protests disregarded—Maori objections to sale of the Waitara Block—The settlers' need of land | 150 |
| Chapter XVIII.—The First Taranaki War. | |
| Survey of the Waitara Block resisted—Martial law proclaimed—The Imperial and colonial troops—Defences of New Plymouth—The first shot—Capture of the L pa (Te Kohia)—Settlers build outposts for defence—The Bell Block and Omata stockades | 154 |
| Chapter XIX.—The Battle of Waireka. | |
| Southern tribes fortify Waireka—Settlers killed at Omata—Expedition despatched to Waireka—A hot afternoon's fighting—Volunteers and Militia outnumbered and surrounded—The defence of Jury's Farmhouse—The "Niger" bluejackets capture Kaipopo pa—A Victoria Cross won—Return of the civilian force—Imperial officers' mismanagement—Reinforcements reach New Plymouth | 166 |
| Chapter XX.—Puke-ta-kauere and other Operations. | |
| A winter campaign—British attack pas on the Waitara—Maori fortifications at Puke-ta-kauere and Onuku-kaitara—Kingite reinforcements from the Upper Waikato—A Ngati-Maniapoto account—Rewi Maniapoto and his war-party—Major Nelson's unfortunate expedition—Hand-to-hand fighting—Heavy losses of the 40th Regiment—The slaughter in the swamp—Skirmishes near New Plymouth—The expedition to Kaihihi—Three Maori forts captured | 178 |
| Chapter XXI.—The Engagement at Mahoetahi | |
| Ngati-Haua enter the war—Wetini Taiporutu's challenge to the British—The Battle of Mahoetahi—Imperial and colonial storming-parties—Maoris make a desperate resistance—Close-quarters fighting—Defeat of the natives and death of Wetini—Song of lamentation for the slain | 188 |
