A Tight Corner

Choice of death by fire or by shooting was almost forced on Mr. Goldsmith and his mates in a small encounter with Hau-Haus. near Ngatapa. The rebels were on one side of a ridge and the Government troops on the other, the latter being steadily on the defensive against superior numbers. All over the ridge was a prolific growth of fern and, while hidden in this, the European force was page 147 comparatively safe. To get them into the open, the Hau-Haus fired the fern and the breeze earned the flames rapidly towards Mr. Goldsmith and his comrades. Fortunately, at intervals, the wind died down, for had it kept up steadily, the flames would have driven the hidden troops out of cover in short space. Every man, however, set to work making a firebreak, pulling up or hacking down the growth as fast as possible. Finally a swath of cleared ground lay athwart their position and this served to check the flames and also left a clear patch which the rebels would not risk crossing. A bout of desultory fighting lasted until nightfall, when Mr. Goldsmith and his companions beat a hasty retreat to the security of a comfortable camp some few miles away.