The Capture of Ngatapa.

The whole party then retired to Gisborne and were there fully equipped again. Large numbers of Europeans arrived from all parts of the country and again the pa at Ngatapa was besieged. On three sides, the pa was easy of approach and the attacking force set a cordon around to prevent any of the Hau-Haus escaping. The fourth side of the pallisade was on the edge of a precipitous cliff, about twenty feet high, with ti-tree growing profusely along the brink. This side was considered inaccessible either from within or without the pa and, consequently, the attackers placed no guard thereabouts

A number of assaults were made by Major Ropata and his men, the rifle-pits being captured, but the pa itself remaining in Hau-Hau hands. To shorten the siege, it was decided to page 149 blow up the defences and a tunnel from the rifle-pit was dug to below the stockade walls. A strong explosive charge was prepared and the time of the final discomfiture of the rebels was fixed for a certain morning

“But the Hau-Haus must have known something,” said Mr. Goldsmith with a smile, “for every one of the beggars cleared out of the pa that night. They slipped out the back way and got down the cliff by bending the ti-tree over and using it to lessen the distance of their fall. In the morning, it didn't take us long to find they had gone and so we captured the empty Ngatapa pa. Anyway we had our explosion and utterly destroyed the stronghold.”

Many of the escaping Natives were captured and they were dealt with very summarily They were made to dig their own graves and were then shot down as they stood on the edge. “It seems cold-blooded,” remarked Mr. Goldsmith, “but it was a necessary measure and these devils had committed cruelties which made any mercy impossible.