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Ngamihi; or The Maori Chief's Daughter

Chapter XXVIII. "Taipua will not Forget."

page 115

Chapter XXVIII. "Taipua will not Forget."

Miss Hirch was made as comfortable as circumstances would permit, and in the meantime the wounded and dead were sorted out. Considering the briefness of the engagement the casualities were unusually severe, the rebels suffering a total loss of twenty-five killed and sixteen wounded. The volunteers, who displayed great intrepidity, had six men killed, while we suffered a loss of eight men besides having several badly wounded. I had just completed the list when a heavy groan behind made me turn round, and I was grieved to see Doolan lying prostrate on the ground with his hand pressed tightly to his side.

"Are you badly hurt, Doolan?" I asked, gently raising his head.

"Yes sir," he answered faintly; "I've got a bullet in my side, and the pain—" here he broke off with a short gasp, as a spasm of pain passed across his face. "I am done for this time, sir—shot in the lungs."

"Bear up a bit, man," I said, trying in vain to be cheerful, for I could see that the case was well nigh hopeless; "the doctor will soon be here, and he will speedily have the bullet out."

page 116

The poor fellow grasped my hand tightly, while a slight tremor went through his body. After a moment of silence he said huskily:—

"No use, sir; I am beyond all aid. Promise me, sergeant, to write to my wife, and tell her—tell her—that I—"

The unmistakable hue of death had crept over his face, and his voice died away to an inarticulate whisper. After a few short struggles he died in my arms, choked by a great gush of blood, which came in a thick red stream from his mouth. I laid his body gently back, and was going over to the men to give them instructions when I was surprised to see Dr. Gill appear on the scene with his boy, followed at some distance by Hoani.

"Good morning Doctor," said the Captain, "how did you get here? I sent for you, but hardly expected to see you so soon."

"Well, the fact of it is, I got the fidgets, a very serious complaint you know, and started after you with my boy yesterday afternoon. When it got dark, we camped and made ourselves comfortable for the night. Early in the morning we started on the trail again, but got into a mess. The boy wanted me to go one way, while I was equally determined that we should take the other. Fortunately we met your messenger, Hoani, and here I am. As I can see that my services will be fully required I would advise you to send for spring vans and stretchers at once. In the meantime as I have plenty of lint, bandages, carbolic oil, &c., I will get to work without delay.

Several fires were alight by this time, and all hands were soon assisting to get breakfast ready. A bullet wound is very often succeeded by an intense thirst, and it is wonderful how wounded page 117men enjoy a pannikin of tea. We had almost finished breakfast when I noticed everyone looking in the direction of the narrow pass. On turning round I was astonished to see half a dozen Maoris advancing, accompanied by one of our sentries. The leader, evidently a young chief to judge by the feather in his hair, carried a white handkerchief fastened to a stick as a flag of truce.

Captain Snell beckoned to me as they came up, and we both awaited their approach. They stopped about twenty paces off, and laid their arms on the ground. The flag bearer, a fine athletic looking fellow, stepped forward and said:

"Pakeha chief, we submit ourselves to you; the pakehas are generous foes, and do not take mean revenge on their enemies. We made our escape when the smoke was thick, for we were afraid when we saw the Great Spirit helping the Pakehas by rainiug fire down upon us. We ask you to allow us to remove our wounded, and bury our dead in our own way We believe the Pakeha chief will listen with his ears open, and we now await his answer."

"Your request will be granted," answered the Captain, "as you have been well punished for your attack on our people. I believe many of you are honourable men, but you are led away by the sophistry of your tohungas. You are in perfect security here, and may do as you wish."

"I am treating your wounded like our own," interjected the Doctor, "and I trust you will do as much for our people if they should happen to fall into your hands."

"Pakeha chief and good doctor," answered the young chieftian, "you have done more to soften our hearts than twenty defeats. Taipua will not forget!"

page 118

Several of our men called out to the Maoris to partake of some breakfast. The young chief, Taipua, turned to the Captain and said:

"Your fighting men are gentleman. They bear no malice after a fight, but holding up their tin cans call out, 'haere mai ki te kai!' (come and have something to eat.")