Victims of Second Massacre.

Liquor at Matawhero delayed Te Kooti. Tipuna, father of Lady Carroll, and Henare Turanga gave the alarm to my grandfather between 3 and 4 in the morning. Finlay Ferguson was on an out station beyond Kupenga. John Ferguson brought him in and gave the alarm to the Dunlop family. The Harris and Ferguson families crossed the Arai river by a boat owned by R. Read and walked to Tamihana's pa. John and Finlay Ferguson followed with the horses. Mrs. Wyllie's aunt warned my uncle to go on, as there were enemies in the pa. Finlay Ferguson, Mackey (brother of Ra Mackey), Hapi Kiniha's son and Gavvy Wyllie's brother were killed at Opou on 12th December, 1868. John Ferguson and others returned from Mahia to Gisborne. Major Westrupp and Mr. Wodbine Johnston were with the party. H. Harris and J. Ferguson followed later. H. Harris and J. Ferguson left F. Ferguson and party on the date he was killed. They rode through the Okaunga bush. Te Kooti and his followers saw them and some of them pointed their guns to shoot them but Te Kooti forbade them to fire. He did not want to disclose his position to Colonel Whitmore, who was leaving Gisborne with his troops on the steamer Start. Luckily for the settlers, she struck a rock and sprang a leak and had to return to the river. Colonel Whitmore followed Te Kooti and fought him at Ngatapa.