The infernal row he made brought everybody in the hotel into the room, and the publicity of the affair forced him, very much against his will, to call me out, as it was cash he wanted, not blood, as of course had he not done so he would have been kicked out of society. Naturally I was obliged to go out with him, although I did so much against my will, especially as H.R.H. had just promulgated an order that any officer taking part in a duel would be at once cashiered, and although I had not yet been gazetted I knew full well that if a duel got bruited about I should not be permitted to serve in H.M. army. Notwithstanding this I had to go out, two of my Belgian friends kindly volunteering to act as my seconds. It was arranged that the duel was to be fought with pistols _à la barrière_, and I received instructions from Baron Le Noble, my principal second, that unless my opponent advanced to the mark I was to allow him to fire two shots, delivering my own in such a manner that all the seconds could see that I missed intentionally. These orders I carried out, receiving my enemy’s fire and then knocking up the turf three or four feet from him. The duel should now have terminated, but my opponent claimed a third shot. This for some time my seconds refused to allow, but at last gave way, and Le Noble, as he handed me my pistol, said to me: “You have done all that honour demands, now fire at him.” Again I obeyed instructions, for on the word being given Touchais strode up to the barrier, and was taking deliberate aim at me, when I dropped him. As the wound was considered mortal, my seconds hurried me out of the country, and I crossed over to England. The duel made some stir, although Touchais made rapid progress to convalescence, but as there was no hope of being allowed to join the service, by the advice of my uncle and one or two very senior officers I determined to go out to New Zealand, where plenty of fighting was going on. This I did, and in a very few days, with plenty of money in my pocket, and a bundle of letters of introduction, I bade farewell to my uncle and brother, and, accompanied by my servant, set sail for the antipodes. CHAPTER II THE WAR ON THE EAST COAST--THE HAU HAUS Before I begin my yarn of the New Zealand wars it may be as well to tell you about the ferocious fanatics I assisted in exterminating, and you will find I always speak about them as Hau Haus. This is not the name of any tribe of Maoris, but was the designation given to all the natives who joined the extraordinary faith which I am now in this chapter attempting to explain, and to do so I must dip into New Zealand history.