That Te Kepa must have gained news as to the whereabouts of the Hau Haus is to me now evident, as, taking advantage of a slight ground mist, he moved us rapidly across the open, nor did anyone seem surprised when we were greeted by a tremendous volley which, strange enough to say, hurled over our heads without touching fur or feather. Immediately our men let out a yell of derision, poured in their answering volley, and without a pause charged through the mist and smoke straight at their concealed enemies. We reached the bush on the run and pressed forward, our men still being careful to take cover but yet advancing so rapidly that the enemy must needs give ground or stand up to a hand-to-hand fight, which, as we outnumbered them, was not to be thought of, so that after a short, sharp conflict, in which much powder was burned and an immense amount of breath expended in yelling, the Hau Haus retired at the run, leaving behind them three dead bodies, this in itself being an acknowledgement of defeat, as a Maori will run very great risks rather than allow a wounded or dead tribesman to fall into an opponent’s hands. We had begun our day well but there was still plenty of work in front of us, and Te Kepa was not the man to waste time, so, dividing his men into two parties, he despatched one of them to try and cut off the retreating enemy, and with the other, among whom were our party, followed on the track of the flying Hau Haus. They had not, however, flown far, for before long we came to the remains of an old deserted pah in which they had taken post, and as we advanced opened on us with a heavy fire, at the same time yelling defiance, and challenging us to assault them. To this our men replied with a step or two of the war-dance, a couple of volleys and a baldheaded rush that sent the rotten old palisading galley west, and into the ancient works we poured. The Hau Haus fought well, but it was our boys’ day out and they would not be denied but drove them helter-skelter out of the place, forcing them to abandon five more dead bodies. Without a pause we followed on in full pursuit, but they had had enough of it, so broke and bolted all over the country. This, however, did not check Te Kepa, for, selecting the spoor of the biggest mob, we pushed on, but failed to bring them again to action. During this pursuit our detached party joined up, who reported, producing evidence, that they had killed two more Hau Haus, and Te Kepa, after a short halt, decided to move on and attack, or at all events reconnoitre a large pah called Mawhitiwhiti. This was decidedly a piece of presumption on our part, but the Kupapas were full of wakahihi (fighting spirit), profoundly believing it to be their lucky day. Up to now they had not a single man wounded, and at Te Kepa’s orders would have attacked Old Nick himself.