CHAPTER XIII.
THE ATTACK ON THE GLADE.
For three days things went on quietly at The Glade. The first thing inthe morning Jack went out with two of the dogs and scouted in the bush.As soon as he returned with the news that he could find no signs ofnatives the household broke up. The Allens went through the bush totheir clearing and continued their work of felling trees. Mr. Athertonsauntered off with his two dogs into the forest in search of plants.Wilfrid and the Grimstones pursued their work of digging and planting inthe upper part of the glade. Jack and the two dogs were on watch roundthe house. Mr. Renshaw worked at his Maori vocabulary, and his wife anddaughter carried on the business of the house.
At night two of the dogs were chained up outside; the other two slept inthe kitchen, while Jack was allowed to sleep up in the loft. At daybreakon the fourth day the party were awoke by a growl from one of the dogsoutside. Each of the occupants of the house had been allotted his post,and in a minute all were standing, rifle in hand, at the windows theywere to guard. Mr. Atherton opened the front door and went out,followed by Jack. It was just getting light enough to make out objectsin the clearing. Everything seemed quiet.
"What is it, Ponto?" he said to his dog, who was standing with his eyesfixed upon the bush to the right, his ears pricked and his hairbristling. "What do you hear, old fellow?"
The dog uttered another deep growl. A moment later there was a loudyell. A number of dark figures leapt from the edge of the bush and rantowards the house. They had made out Mr. Atherton's figure, and knewthat their hope of surprising the place was at an end. Mr. Athertonlevelled his rifle and fired, and one of the natives fell dead. Thenstooping he quietly unfastened the dog's chain from his collar, tellingJack to do the same to the other dog, "Come into the house, sir," heordered; "it's no use your being here to be shot."
His shot had been answered by a dozen rifles, but fired in haste as themen were running none of the bullets struck him. Four shots were firedalmost simultaneously from the windows looking towards the bush, andthree more natives fell. This proof of the accuracy of the defenders'shooting staggered the Maoris and they paused for a moment, then, movedby the exhortations of their chief, they again rushed forward. The wholeof the defenders were now gathered at the windows facing them, and sevenshots were fired in quick succession. Three natives fell dead. Fourothers were wounded, two so seriously that they had to be carried off bytheir comrades, who at once ran back to the bush, and from its edgeopened a straggling fire against the house. The shutters that had beenthrown open at the two windows were at once closed.
"This is what I call beating them off handsomely," Mr. Atherton said."Now you see the advantage, Wilfrid, of the pains you have taken tolearn to shoot straight. There have been only eleven shots fired, and Ifancy there are at least ten casualties among them. I call that a verypretty average for young hands."
"What will they do next, do you think?" Mr. Renshaw asked.
"They will not try another open attack, I fancy. We may expect them totry to work round us. Jack, do you go to the other side of the house andkeep a sharp look-out on the bush there. Wilfrid, you take post at thewindows we fired from, and peep out from time to time through theloopholes in the shutters. Between times keep yourself out of the lineof fire. The betting is a thousand to one against a bullet comingthrough, still there is no use in running any risk if it can be avoided.Jim Allen, you and I will take up our place at the back of the house;they may try to work up among the crops. In fact, I expect that is thecourse they will take unless they have had enough of it already. BobGrimstone, you keep watch at one of the front windows. I don't thinkthere is much chance of attack from that side, but it is as well to keepa look-out. Some of them may attempt to cross to the opposite bush,keeping down by the river. The other three guns will be in reserve."
"Don't you think they are likely to go away now that they have sufferedso much loss?" Mrs. Renshaw asked.
"No, I cannot say I think so, Mrs. Renshaw. The Maoris, from what I haveheard, always try to get revenge for the death of a kinsman orfellow-tribesman. Of course it depends how many of them there are. Ishould judge that there were about thirty showed themselves. If that isall there are of them I should say they would not attack again atpresent. They must know by our firing that there are seven or eight ofus here. But I should not rely altogether even upon that, for thenatives regard themselves as fully a match, man for man, with thewhites, and in their fights with our troops we were often greatlysuperior in numbers. Still, it is one thing to defend a strong pah andanother to attack resolute men snugly sheltered behind bullet-prooflogs. They may try again, but if there are any more of their peoplewithin reasonable distance I fancy they will be more likely to send forthem and keep a sharp watch round us until they come up. Now I will goto my post."
For a quarter of an hour the two watchers at the back of the house sawno signs of life. Then Mr. Atherton said: "There is a movement amongthat corn, Jim. Do you see, there--just in a line with that big tree atthe other end of the clearing? It is moving in several places. Call yourbrother and young Grimstone to this side of the house, and do you alltake steady aim at these moving patches. I will fire first. I think Ican pretty well mark the spot where one of the fellows is making his waydown. If I hit him the others are likely enough to start up. Then willbe your time for taking a shot at them."
As soon as the others were in position and ready Mr. Atherton fired.There was a yell. A dark figure sprang up, stood for an instant, andthen fell back. Almost at the same instant half a dozen others leapt totheir feet and dashed away. Three rifles were fired. Two of the nativesfell, but one almost immediately rose again and followed the others.
"You ought to have done better than that at a hundred yards," Mr.Atherton said. "You two lads ought to have practised a little moresteadily than you have. It was Grimstone brought down that man. Hisrifle went off a second before yours, and the man was falling when youfired. The great thing in firing at natives is that every shot shouldtell. It is the certainty of the thing that scares them. If they hearbullets singing about with only occasionally a man dropping they gainconfidence, but a slow, steady fire with every shot telling shakes theirnerves, and makes them very careful of showing themselves."
Half an hour later Jack reported he could see figures moving in the bushon his side, and soon afterwards a fire was opened on the hut from thatdirection.
"They have worked round the end of the clearing," Mr. Atherton said."Now it is our turn to begin to fire. We have let them have their ownway long enough, and there is plenty of light now, and I think we shallsoon be able to put a stop to this game. Now, Wilfrid, do you with oneof the Grimstones take up your place at the loopholes at that end of thehouse, and I with the other will take up mine on the right. Keep a sharplook-out, and do not throw away a shot if you can help it. As we havenot answered their fire they have probably got careless, and are sureto expose themselves as they stand up to fire. Now, Bob," he went on, ashe took his place at the loophole, "I will take the first who showshimself. I do not think you would miss, but I am sure that I shall not,and it is important not to make a mistake the first time."
Half a minute later a native showed his head and shoulders over a bushas he rose to fire. Before he could raise his gun to his shoulder hefell with a bullet through his head from Mr. Atherton's unerring rifle.That gentleman quietly reloaded.
"You had better take the next again, sir," Bob Grimstone said quietly."I do not suppose I should miss, but I might do. I do not reckon onhitting a small mark more than eight out of twelve times."
It was nearly four minutes before another native showed himself.
"I think, sir, there is one standing behind that big tree twenty yardsin the bush. I thought I saw something move behind it just now."
"I will watch it, Bob," Mr. Atherton said, raising his rifle to hisshoulder and looking along it through the loophole.
Two minutes passed, and then a head and shoulder appeared from behindthe tree. Instantaneously
Mr. Atherton's rifle cracked, and the nativefell forward, his gun going off as he did so.
"We need not stand here any longer," Mr. Atherton said quietly, "therewill be no more shooting from that side for some time."
Mr. Atherton went to the other end of the house.
"How are you getting on, Wilfrid?"
"We have had three shots. I fired twice and Bill once. I think I missedonce altogether, the other time the native went down. Bill wounded hisman--hit him in the shoulder, I think. They haven't fired since."
"Then you can put down your guns for the present. Mrs. Renshaw has justtold me that breakfast is ready." Mrs. Renshaw and Marion had indeedgone quietly about the work of preparing breakfast for their defenders.
"So you are a non-combatant this morning, Miss Marion?" Mr. Athertonsaid as he took his place with the rest of the party, with the exceptionof the Grimstones, who were placed on the watch, at the table.
"Yes," the girl replied; "if I thought there were any danger of thenatives fighting their way into the house, of course I should do my bestto help defend it; but I do not think that there is the least fear ofsuch a thing, so I am quite content to leave it to you. It does not seemto me that a woman has any business to fight unless absolutely driven todo so in defence of her life. If the natives really do come on and getup close to the house, I think that I ought to help to keep them out;but it is a dreadful thing to have to shoot anyone--at least it seems soto me."
"It is not a pleasant thing when considered in cold blood; but when mengo out of their way to take one's life, I do not feel the slightestcompunction myself in taking theirs. These natives have no cause ofcomplaint whatever against us. They have assembled and attacked thesettlement in a treacherous manner, and without the slightest warning oftheir intentions. Their intention is to slay man, woman, and childwithout mercy, and I therefore regard them as human tigers, and no moredeserving of pity. At the same time I can quite enter into yourfeelings, and think you are perfectly right not to take any active partin the affair unless we are pressed by the savages. Then, of course, youwould be not only justified, but it would, I think, be your absoluteduty to do your best to defend the place."
"Do you think that it is all over now, Mr. Atherton?" Mrs. Renshawasked. "We regard you as our commanding officer, for you are the onlyone here who ever saw a shot fired in anger before our voyage out, andyour experience is invaluable to us now. Indeed, both my husband andmyself feel that it is to your suggestion that we should put up thestrong shutters and doors that we owe the lives of our children; for hadit not been for that, those men who came first might have taken thehouse when they found them alone in it."
"I cannot accept your thanks for that, Mrs. Renshaw. It may be if thisgoes on that the shutters will be found of the greatest use, and indeedthey have probably stopped a good many balls from coming in and so savedsome of our lives, but on the first occasion Wilfrid and your daughterowed their lives to their being prepared and armed, while the nativesrelying upon surprising them had left their guns in the wood. Theshutters were not closed until after they made off, and had they notbeen there those four natives could never have passed across theclearing and reached the house under the fire of two cool and steadymarksmen.
"As to your first question, whether it is all over, it depends entirelyupon whether the party who attacked us are the main force of thenatives. If so, I do not think they will renew the attack at present.They have suffered terribly, and know now that it is almost certaindeath for any of them to show themselves within range of our guns. Theyhave lost fourteen or fifteen men, and I do not think they numberedabove forty at first. But if they are only a detached party, and a mainbody of the tribe is making an attack elsewhere, perhaps upon thesettlers at Mitford's, a messenger will by this time have beendespatched to them, and we may all have a much more serious attack toencounter to-night or to-morrow morning.
"I have no idea what tribe these fellows belong to; but there are few ofthe tribes that cannot put five hundred men on the field, while some canput five times that number. So, you see, we are entirely in the dark. Ofcourse things will depend a good deal as to how the main body, if thereis a main body, has fared. If they have been, as I feel sure they willbe if they venture to attack Mitford's place, roughly handled, the wholebody may return home. The natives have proved themselves through the waradmirable in defence; but they have by no means distinguished themselvesin the attack, and have not, so far as I remember, succeeded in a singleinstance in capturing a position stoutly held.
"It is one thing to fight behind strong palisades, defended by interiorworks skilfully laid out, and quite another to advance across the opento assault a defended position; and my belief is that, if they arebeaten at Mitford's as well as here, we shall hear no more of them atpresent. Mind, I do not say that after this I think that it would besafe to continue to live in an outlying station like this until mattershave again settled down in this part of the island. No doubt, as soon asthe news is known at Napier and Wellington a force will be sent here, orperhaps to Poverty Bay, which is only some twenty miles higher up thecoast, and is, I think, from what I hear, better suited as the base ofoperations than this river would be.
"This force will no doubt make an expedition inland to punish the tribesconnected with this affair, for it is of course most important to letthe natives on this side of the island see that they cannot attack oursettlements with impunity. After that is done it will no doubt be safeto recommence operations here; but at present I fear you will find itnecessary for a time to abandon the place, and either take up your abodeat the Mitfords', or go down to Napier or Wellington. This will, ofcourse, involve the loss of the crops you have planted, and possibly ofyour house; but as you have saved all your animals, the loss will becomparatively small and easily repaired."
"Whether large or small," Mr. Renshaw said, "we cannot hesitate over it.It will, as you say, be out of the question to live here exposed at anyinstant to attack, and never knowing what the day or night may bringforth. The house has not cost above a hundred pounds, and we must put upwith that loss. We are fortunately in a very much better position thanmost settlers in having a reserve to fall back upon, so there will beno hesitation on my part in taking this step. The furniture is worthmore than the hut, but I suppose that must go too."
"Not necessarily, Mr. Renshaw. We cannot get away now; for although wecan defend ourselves well enough here, we could not make our way downthrough the woods to Mitford's without great risks. They are accustomedto bush fighting, and as they are still five to one against us, it wouldbe a very serious matter to try to fight our way down. I think that wehave no choice but to remain where we are until we are either relievedor are perfectly certain that they have made off. In either case weshould then have ample time to make our preparations for retiring, andcould strip the house and send everything down in boats orbullock-carts, and might even get up the potatoes, and cut such of thecrops as are ripe, or nearly ripe, and send them down also.
"The corps that has been got up among the settlers will be sure to joinin the expedition for the punishment of these scoundrels, and indeed itis most probable that all able-bodied settlers will be called out. Inany case I think I shall chip in, as the Americans say. I shall have anopportunity of going into little explored tracts in the interior andadding to my collections; and to tell you the truth, I feel anxious totake a part in revenging the massacres that these treacherous nativeshave committed. Unless they get a sharp lesson the lives of the settlersin all the outlying districts in the colony will be unsafe."
Wilfrid glanced at Mr. Atherton and nodded, to intimate that he shouldbe willing and ready to join in such an expedition; but he thought itbetter to say nothing at present. The two Allens, however, said at oncethat if obliged to quit their clearing they would join one of theirregular corps for the defence of the colony.
"We shall get pay and rations," James Allen said, "and that will keep usgoing until things get settled; and I should certainly like to lend ahand in punis
hing these treacherous natives. It is horrible to think oftheir stealing upon defenceless people at night and murdering men,women, and children. It is as bad as the Sepoy mutiny. And now thetroops have been almost all withdrawn, and the colony has been left toshift for itself, I think it is no more than the duty of all who have nospecial ties to aid in the defence against these fanatical Hau-Haus."
"Very well, then, James; we will march side by side, and when you see megive out you shall carry me."
"That would be worse than fighting the natives," James Allen repliedwith a laugh. "If I were you, Mr. Atherton, I should engage ten nativesto accompany me with poles and a hammock."
"That is not a bad idea," Mr. Atherton said calmly, "and possibly I mayadopt it; but in that case I shall have to go as a free lance, for Ifear it would scarcely be conducive to military discipline to see one ofan armed band carried along in the ranks."
None would have thought from the cheerful tone of the conversation thatthe party were beleaguered by a bloodthirsty enemy. But Mr. Athertonpurposely gave a lively tone to the conversation to keep up theirspirits. He felt, as he expressed himself, perfectly confident thatthey could beat off any attack in the daytime; but he knew that if theirassailants were largely reinforced, and the place attacked by night, theposition would be a very serious one. Even then he was convinced thatthe assailants would not be able to force their way in, but they wouldassuredly try to fire the house; and although the solid logs would bedifficult to ignite, the match-board covering and the roof would bothreadily catch fire. However, his hope lay in preventing the natives fromfiring it, as it would be difficult in the extreme to bring up burningbranches under the fire of the defenders.
"It is a pity now, Wilfrid," he said to the lad after breakfast wasover, and they had taken up their place together at one of the windows,"that we did not dissuade your father from putting that boarding to thelogs. You did not intend to have it at first, and now it adds a gooddeal to our danger. The only thing I am afraid of is fire, though I ownI do not think that there is much chance of any of them getting up witha lighted brand under the fire of our rifles. If the natives were not inthe bush at the present moment, I should say that the best thing by farto do would be for all hands to set to work to tear off thematch-boarding, and to get down the whole of the covering of the roof;they could not well hurt us then."
"Shall we do it at once, Mr. Atherton?"
"They would shoot us down at their leisure, Wilfrid. No, that is not tobe thought of. We must run the risk of fire now; and I feel, as I said,pretty confident that we are too good shots to let men with fire get upto the walls. I wish we could send down word to Mitford's that we arebesieged here. Of course, if he is attacked himself he could not helpus, but if he is not I know he would come out at once with a strongparty to our relief. I wonder whether that native boy of yours would tryto carry a message. None of us would have a chance of getting through,but these fellows can crawl like snakes; and by working up through thecrops to the upper end of the glade he might gain the bush unobserved."
"I will ask him anyhow," Wilfrid said.
Jack on being promised a new suit of clothes and a present in money ifhe would carry a note through to Mr. Mitford, at once undertook themission. Mr. Renshaw, on being told what was arranged, wrote a notestating their position, and Jack, divesting himself of the greaterportion of his clothes, crept out through the door at the back of thehouse, and lying down at once began to crawl through the potato patchtowards the upper end of the clearing. From the loopholes of the windowsthe defenders watched his progress. Although aware of his approximateposition they were soon unable to trace his progress.
"He will do," Mr. Atherton said; "if we, knowing the line he is taking,can see nothing move you may be sure that those fellows in the bush willnot be able to make him out. Well, we shall have assistance in four orfive hours if Mitford's hands are free."
A quarter of an hour passed and all was still quiet.
"He is in the bush by this time," Mr. Atherton said; "now we can takematters easy."
An occasional shot was fired from the bush, and shouts raised which Mr.Renshaw interpreted to be threats of death and extermination.
"They say that all the white men are to be driven into the sea; not oneleft alive on the island."
"Well, we shall see about that," Mr. Atherton said; "they are notgetting on very fast at present."
As time went on it was only the occasional crack of a gun, accompaniedby the thud of a bullet against the logs, that told that the nativeswere still present. They now never raised themselves to fire, but keptwell back in the bush, shifting their position after each shot. Timepassed somewhat slowly inside, until about four o'clock in the afternoonthe sharp crack of a rifle was heard.
"There is Mitford!" Mr. Atherton exclaimed, "that is not a Maori gun.Man the loopholes again! we must prevent any of the fellows on the otherside crossing to the assistance of their friends, and give it to theothers hot if they are driven out of the shelter of the bush."
The rifle shot was speedily followed by others, and then came the deeperreport of the Maori muskets. English shouts were heard, mingled with theyells of the natives. The fight was evidently sharp, for Jack had ledthe relieving party down upon the rear of the natives engaged inattacking the house from the left. The latter began to fall back, andthe defenders of the house presently caught sight of their figures asthey flitted from tree to tree.
"We must be careful," Mr. Atherton said, "for every bullet that missesmight strike our friends. I think that you had all better reserve yourfire till they make a break across the open. You can see by thedirection they are firing, and the sound of the rifles, Mitford isclosing in on both their flanks so as to drive them out of the bush. Ican trust myself not to miss, and will pick them off when I see any ofthem sheltering on this side of the trees. There is a fellow there justgoing to fire." His rifle cracked, and the native fell among the bushes.
This completed the scare of the natives, who had already been muchdisconcerted at the unexpected attack made upon them. The leader of theparty shouted an order, and the whole of them made a sudden rush throughthe bush down towards the river. Three or four fell beneath the riflesof the whites on that side of them, but the rest burst through andcontinued their course down to the river, and, plunging in, swam to theother side without once giving the defenders of the house the chance ofa shot at them.
"Now we can sally out," Mr. Renshaw said.
The door was opened, and they hurried out just as a party of whitesissued from the wood and ran towards the house.
"Thanks for your speedy aid, Mitford!" Mr. Renshaw exclaimed as he wrungthe hand of the settler.
"You are heartily welcome, my dear sir. A party was just setting off tosee how you had fared when your native boy arrived with your note, andit was a great relief to us to know that you had repulsed their attackwith such heavy loss to them; I am afraid that several others have notfared so well. Two or three native servants have come in this morningwith news of massacres of whole families, they themselves havingmanaged to make their escape in the confusion; and I am afraid that weshall hear of other similar cases. Your gallant defence of your stationhas been of most important service to us all. There is no doubt that itsaved us from an attack at our place. There were a good many natives inthe bush round us this morning yelling and shouting, but they did notventure on an attack; and I have no doubt they were waiting for thearrival of the party told off to attack your place on their way. Do youthink that there are any of them still in the bush on the other side?"
"I should hardly think so," Mr. Atherton replied. "There must have beenfully half of them in the party you attacked, and the others are hardlylikely to have waited after they saw you had defeated their friends; butI think that it would be as well for a party of us to ascertain, for ifthey are still lurking there some of us may be shot down as we moveabout outside the house. We are quite strong enough now to venture uponsuch a step."
"I think so too," Mr. Mitford ag
reed. "There are ten men beside myselfand your party. We had better leave four here, the rest of us will makea dash down to the edge of the bush and then skirmish through it."
Mr. Renshaw, the two Grimstones, and one of the settlers were appointedto remain behind to guard the house, and the rest of the party thendashed at full speed across the glade to the edge of the bush. Not ashot was fired as they did so, and having once gained the shelter theyadvanced through the trees. After pushing forward for half a mile theycame to the conclusion that the Maoris had retreated. Many signs wereseen of their presence. There were marks of blood here and there, andthe bushes were broken down where they had carried off those who hadfallen killed or wounded in the bush; the bodies of those who had fallenin the open still remained there.
Upon the return of the party Mr. Mitford was informed of thedetermination that had been arrived at. This met with his cordialapproval.
"I think, Mrs. Renshaw," he said, "that the best plan will be for youand your husband and daughter to return at once with me. I will leave acouple of my men here with your garrison, and in the morning will comeout with a strong party and three or four bullock drays to fetch in allyour portable property. They can make another trip for your potatoes andsuch of your crops as can be got in. After the sharp lesson the nativeshave had here they are not likely to venture in this neighbourhood againfor some time; and, indeed, now that they find that the whole settlementis aroused and on its guard I doubt whether we shall hear anything moreof them at present, and possibly you may, when matters settle downagain, find your house just as it is left."
Mr. and Mrs. Renshaw agreed to the plan proposed, and in a quarter of anhour the party started, leaving The Glade under the protection of thegarrison of eight men. The night passed off quietly, and at daybreak allset to work to get up the potatoes and to cut down the crops that weresufficiently ripe. At nine o'clock the waggons arrived, and thefurniture and stores were loaded up. By twelve o'clock next day the workin the fields was completed and the waggons again loaded. The house wasthen locked up and the whole party proceeded to the settlement. Theyfound on their arrival that a strong stockade had been erected near Mr.Mitford's house, and that rough tents and huts had been got up there forthe use of the settlers; the whole of the animals belonging to thevarious farmers on the river had been driven into the stockadedinclosure behind the house.
Here it was decided that all the settlers should remain until helparrived from Wellington or Napier, but in the meantime five and twentyof the younger men were enrolled as a volunteer corps; a Mr. Purcell,who had served for some years as an officer in the army, beingunanimously elected in command. There still remained enough men capableof bearing arms to defend the stockade in case of attack during theabsence of the corps. Wilfrid and the two Allens were among those whoenrolled themselves. Mr. Atherton said that he fully intended toaccompany them if possible upon any expedition they might make, but thathe should not become a member of the corps.
"You may have long marches," he said, "through the bush, or may, whenthe reinforcements arrive, be called upon to make an expedition into thehill country to punish the natives. I could not possibly keep up withyou during a heavy day's marching, so I shall, like Hal of the Wynd,fight for my own sword. I daresay I shall be there or there about whenthere is any work to be done, but I must get there in my own way and inmy own time. I shall have my own commissariat train. I have had my shareof living on next to nothing, and have become somewhat of an epicure,and I know that the sort of rations you are likely to get on a marchthrough a rough country would not suit my constitution. But, as I saidbefore, I hope if there is any fighting done to be somewhere in theneighbourhood."