I think followed or watched closely might be a better word than 'escorted' as it implies that they were officially removed from Otago. Richard Burgess terms it: "We were thus escorted, not openly, the delegated one either preceding us or not far away." (p86) Also, they went to the West Coast up the Rakaia crossing over to the Arahura, not Arthurs Pass. (p87) Source: Confessions of Richard Burgess, ed. David Burton, (Reed, 1983)