MEN OF MARK AMONG THE MAORIS

NZ Truth, Issue 70, 20 October 1906, Page 7

MEN OF MARK AMONG THE MAORIS

TIPAHEE— GEORGE BRUCE, THE FIRST PAKEHA-MAORI. Men Hanged for Pilfering Pork. ♦ . ..— no. m. ♦ i ..— (BY "OLD CHUM.")

Long antecedent to the forcible detention of John Rutherford by .the Maoris, George Bruce, a Londoner, voluntarily threw m hia lot with tho natives at the Bay of Islands. Bruce's connection with the Maoris at THE BAY OF BEAUTY came about m this wise. When Philip Gidley King was Lieutenant-Governor at Norfolk Island, he believed that the island was a suitable place for the cultivation of flax, and he was struck with the idea that if he could obtain the services of a couple of natives of New Zealand, who would initiate the convicts into the mysteries of flax-growing, the industry would be profitable. Would-be wits have said that the number of executions m New South Wales necessitated the growing of flax for the manufacture of rope; but as an economical Government used the one rope many times, the supply m the King's store was ample. Anyhow, on his way back from England, where he had been on leave, he met, at the Cape of Good Hope, Vancouver, who had commercial relations with New Zealand, and desired him to obtain the services of two Maoris qualified to teach flax-gr,owing. In 1.793, Vancouver sent a store ship to Nootka Sound, under Lieutenant Hanson, with instructions to comply with King's .request when on his ' voyage to Sydney. There would not have been much difficulty m legitimately obtaining tho services of two or. more Maoris < but Hanson did not make' any attempt to carry out his instructions. Two young chiefs, TOOKEE AND WOODOO, boarded his vessel as visitors, and Hanson kidnapped them. Lieutenant-Colonel Grosa was acting-Governor at Sydney — Phillip had resigned and . gone horno — and instead of condemning the act of Hanson, promptly shipped the Maori chiefs to Norfolk Island. His instructions were that the chiefs were to be victualled and clothed, and Grose hoped , that they might be found to be of some | use. Fortunately King had returned, to i his Glovernment at the island, and the Maoris were humanely treated.? ■ But the chiefs were not pacified. "They were sullen and sad." King Baid that they often, m an affecting manner, la- '■ men ted ixhe separation from their friends and native land, this expression ol grief

being given m mournful song. ' At first they would give no information about flax. They declared, with some pride, that they were high-born, chiefs, unskilled m menial service. King strove to sqothe them, and made them WELCOME GUESTS at his own table. He promised to return them to their own homes, and by degrees won their confidence, and they told him all they knew about tho growth of flax. King kept his promise, and to be sure of its fulfilment went with the Maoris, m November, 1793, and restored them to ' their people, amongst whom, King found, they were held m high estimation. King wias about ten days absent from Norfolk I Island. Gross declared King's proceed- ' ings unwarrantable m detaining a ship I for such "a trifling purpose," and hoped King's action would meet with the highest disapprobation m England. One of the chiefs, out of gratitude and i m token of compliment, assumed the j name of his restorer Kawana Kingi, and British sailors were hospitably received ; at the Bay of Islands by the grateful j chief and by Tipab.ee, who ranked high among9t the natives ot the bay. When King became Governor m New South Wales, and had power, m 1800, he directed the commandant at Norfolk ] Island to send some breeding stock to Tipahee. These presents induced the chief to pay a visit to the giver of the gifts. Tipahee and four of his sons left j the Bay of Islands m a small colonial vessel for Norfolk Island, but the master j treated them so badly as to cause bitter j complaints from the chief and his sons. ' CAPTAIN PIPER was commandant at the island, and he gave the chief and his sons a cordial reception, which went a good way towards effacing the boorish conduct of the master of the schooner. Shortly afterwards, the Buffalo arrived at Norfolk Island to take supplies to Port Dalrymple (Launceston now), from where she was to voyage to Sydney. Tipahee took advantage of the opportunity to pay a visit to Sydney, to personally thank King for his kindness to Tookee and Woodoo. Tipahee and his four sons were received On board the Buffalo by Captain Houstoun with marks of distinction. Business brought the Buffalo from Port Dalrymple to the Derwent, where the chief and hia sons were the guests of Colonel Collins and the officers of the colony for one week during the stay of the Buffalo at Hobart Town. On the arrival of the Buffalo m Port Jackson, Captain Houston waited upon Governor King with the chief dressed m. the costume of his country. After expressing surprise at the house and its adornment, AND RUBBING NOSES according to custom,. Tipahee explained that he had long contemplated the visit, as he had heard of the wonders of the Englishman. He expected that his country would benefit by the visit, as the potatoes introduced by Tookee and WoodoO from Norfolk Island had proved a great blessing. Tipaheo added that he left New Zealand much against the wishes of his tribe, but that he outweighed their objections by picturing the prospective benefits, and that while m Sydney he would consider himself under the protection of Governor King. The chief showed such confidence m King that he agreed to remain m Sydney, go to Europe, or return to New Zealand, as the Governor wished. King permitted the chief and his eldegt son Tookey to have their meals at his own table, and 1 gave them a bedroom m the building that j did duty as Government House. Gover- '' nor King described Tipahee as being five feet eleven inches high, stout, and extrenieLy well made, his age about 46 or 48 years. His face was completely ta- | tooed with spiral marks and with similar marks on the hips and other parts of the body. These pointed him out as a considerable cli :t or ETRANGATIDA ETIKITIA of the first « " * Kiag aays ;-!"To lay.

that he waa nearly eivllised falls far short of his character, as every action and observation shows an uncommon attention to the rules of decency and propriety m his every action, and has much of the airs' and manners of a man conversant with the world he lives m. In conversation he . is extremely facetious and jocose, and, as he never reflected on any person, so Tipahee was alive to the least appearance of slight' or inattention." While m Sydney Tipahee missed no op-

portunity of gaining information respecting the cause and use of everything that took his attention. Many of our cus- | toms were much inferior, , he said, to those m his own country, and some of i our (then) customs gained his serious disappointment. An instance of this is given. Some soldiers and convicts were., sent' prisoners from Port Dalyrmplo for trial by a criminal court on a charge of stealing pork from the King's store. Tipahee attended the trial, ,which took place 6a Friday, and. one of the men was ordered for execution on the following Monday* As usual, they attended divina service on the Sunday. As everyone was much affeoted by the situation of the unfortunateax Tipaheo was s,ot wanting; m

sympathy.- When service was ended he went to the CRIMINALS AND EMBRACED THEM. He accompanied them back to gaol, where, it transpired, ' they gave Tipahee a petition for presentation to Governor King. On returning to Government House, Tipahee interviewed King, and m a very earnest manner pointed out the "injustice" .of slaying men for, stealing pork. The chief showed great sorrow for the fate of tile men, and duly presented tne petition 4o K'rag. He then threw himself on the' ground, sobbing bitterly. As King did not give any , answer, then, to the petition, Tipahee left the room and did not re-appear until evening .■ He had taken off his "store clothes" .or shore clothes, and appeared very violent) exclaiming m a furious way against the severity of the law which HANGED A MAN FOR STEALING A . PIEOE OF PORK, although he admitted that a man might Ibe put to death for stealing' a piece of {iron, as that Was of permanent use. .But stealing a piece of pork, which, m lithe language of Tipahee,j was eat ami passed off, was bloody m the extreme. With much earnestness the chief desired to be permitted to bring the criminals to New Zealand,, and went so far as to wait upon, the master of a vessel to nejgotiate a passage, promising to loutl his ship with potatoes as payment for the Ivoyiage. During tho days m which the fat« of the men was pendmgi Tipahee would not eat, and was INCLINED TO BE FURIOUS. On being assured, however, that two of j tho culprits had been pardoned and none of the others would be hanged m Sydney, he became reconciled by degrees. One of the objects of Tipahee's visit to Sydney was to ascertain if the ships that touched at the Bay of Islands all belonged to King George, and whether the refreshments and assistance he and his tribe gave them were right and met with the King's approval. The difference m- the British and American colors was explained, and both were commended to his kindness. All the whalers and other vessels which called at the Bay expressed their gratitude for the hospitality and assistance , they had invariably received irom Tipahee's people. *♦• ■ • Governor King caused a medal to be struck m silver, and had the following legend engraved upon it :— "Presented by Governor King to Tipahee, a chief of New Zealand, during his visit at Por(3 Jackson m January, 1806. 'i On - the reverse :— "ln the reign of ' George the Third, by the Grace of God King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,"' The medal was suspended by a . silver chain around the neck of the chief. Other presents, chiefly tools, were also given him. *• » < During the visit, Tipahee was constant m his attendance at Divine service. He told King that he had had several wives, one of whom he had killed because she had a troublesome tongue, and he wondered very much that many of the Sydney women did not suffer the same i fate. He had I FIFTY-TWO CHILDREN living, he said, but he had attached himself then to only one young woman, by whom he had a son 8 years old, who accompanied him on his visit, and of wihom he appeared very fond. ♦ . » * Every .person of any note, particularly th» officers' and their wives, made Tipahee presents, somo for use, others for ornament. Amongst tho latter was a pair of ear-rings given by an officer's wife. These Tipahee gave a young woman, which coming to the ears of the officer's wife, she promptly recovered the rings. Tipaheo, the moment he found that the cc -rings had been taken away pocked up »very article which he had received from the lady, and r-turned them by one of his sons, nor could he bo persuaded to see or speak to th« lady aXterWftTdl. .

Governor King, as a mark of respect, and m order to lie certain that no"' evil could befall him, ordered the' Lady Nelson Government brig to be prepared to carry Tipahee back to liis native country. The Lady Nelson sailed from Port Jackson on February 24, ISO 6- Amongst the seamen on the Lady Nelson was GEORGE BRUCE. Tipahee fell ill during the voyage, and Bruce was deputed' by the captain to ,walt upon the chief. So uselul did Broco make himself, and so much did Tipahee approve of the sailor, that he asked the captain to permit Bruce to remain with him (Tipahee) if Bru<« was agreeable. The English sailor had a spice of romance m his composit: on ; he had heard of the free «.nd easy lifs led by the Maoris, of the voluptuousi ess of the Maori women, and the probability of his being able to ally himself lo some of the chief's whares, and thus be provided for life. • Bruce agreed to remain, and was thus the first European introduced into the inner life of Maori land, THE FIRST PAKEHA-MAORI. • « • Being formally received, George Bruce underwent the process of tatooing, and was constituted a chief m consideration of the great attention paid Tipahee by the Governor of Now South Wales. George Bruce went one better, and married the youngest davghter of Tipahee, the connection being very beneficial to the whalers and other vessels trading to the bay, 'or calling thore for water and supplies, as Bruce had mastered the language and became interpreter. * * * Visiting Sydney m the year 1807 was the ship General Wellesley, owned by Messrs. Dalrymple and Co., of Madras, and commanded by one of the family, Captain David Dalrymple.; In April, 1807 the vessel cleared for Pulo Penang, !. and called m at the Bay of Islands, os- ' tensibly for water. George Bruce and his Maori wife happened to be on the coast, and some distance from Tipahee's whare at the time. Dalryiniile induced Bruce '. and his wife, under a tiolemn promise of returning them m safety to their homee, to > come on board to assist m a search for gold, which, ho said, was to 'be found m quantities at North Cape. Disappointed m his search for gold, Captain Dalrymple declined to nrturn to the Bay os Islands with Bruce and wife. He detained them on board, and m spite of remonstrances took .them on the voyage to India. At Malacca Dalrymple put Bruce ashore and carried the wife to Penang. Bruce followed on the first opportunity, and found imi wife at Ponung, where she had been sold by Dalrymple to a Captain Ross. Bruce appealed for redress to the Governor, who promptly intervened and ordered the restoration of the • MAORI WIFE TO HER BRITISH HUSBAND. - . • # # ... # . After many vexatious delays and disap-

pointments th'o couple were brought by Sir Edward P«newr to Calcutta, from which city, they found their way to New South Wales and thence to New Zealand, i Another writer, however, says tb.nL ! George' Bruce and 'his Maori wife wore lost sight of at Calcutta, and returned j to New Zealand no more. I am disposed, however, to think that as there was much trade between Calcutta and Sydney, that Bruce, being a Bailor, could easily work his way back, and that bis wife would be given a passage. • * * Tipahee, it was said, entertained A SPIRIT OF REVENGE for the loss of his daughter, and he has been accused of participation m a massacre which thrilled the country at the time. Thompson, the master of the 1 Boyd, going to New Zealand for timber, engaged some Maoris m Sydney. One of them happened to be a chief named Tarra, Anglicised into George. He was, .or said he was, too ill to work. Thompson had him tied to the gangway and twice flogged, a great indignity to a chief, and added insult to injury by telling that he was no chief. George answered, "When you reach my country, you will find that I am a chief," and Thompson' found to bis cost that George was a chief. • • • He kept his own counsel and pretended to be humble. He persuaded Thompson to put into the harbor of Whangaroa, which happened ,to be George's native place. On landing George showed his scarred backs to his friends. In those days, I understand, the back of a Chief was held to be aacred, and Maori anger being aroused, vengeance was aroused. The captain of the Boyd was told that at Whangaroa he could obtain a cargo of timber, and was easily induced, with a number of his sailors, to go ashore to select timber, and to a spot where dt was said some excellent trees were to be found. The captain and his men were all murdered, and the murderers, dressing themselves m the clothes of the murdered, returned at dusk to the ship and slaughtered all whom they found excepting one woman, two children, and a boy who had shown George or Tarra some kindness on the voyage over. Five sailors had taken refuge m the rigging, Where they remained all night. In the morning Tipahee, who had come to Whangaroa with dried fish, saw the situation of the seamen, and invited them into his canoe. He landed them safely at Whangaroa, but George's scored back was not yet fully avenged. The Whangaroans followed AND KILLED THRIf. The vessel Was plundered and burned. Tipahee .assisted Mr, Alexander Berry of Sydney, to rescue the whites who had not been slaughtered. • • • Soon after the massacre five whaling ships met at the Bay of Islands. Believing that Tipahee was an accomplice m the massacre, the whalers attacked his village by night, slew nearly all the inhabitants, and burned tho crops. Tipahee escaped, but was badly wounded, and Was i soon dfier killed by the Whangaroans who resented his having attempted to' save the lives of the sailors who had taken vefuge m the rigging of the Boyd. i Alexander Berry held to the opinion that Tipahee was cognisant of the contempla- ! ted slaughter of the crew and passengers ' of the Boyd, but Samuel Marstlen, who made minute inquiry a few years afterwards amongst the tribes and on the spot, was satisfied that Tipahee was innocent of any participation m the massacre of the Boyd's crew aud passengers. Through his devotion to the British, Tipahee lost hia own life and his c.-ibe was almost annihilated, but the sacred cuticle of George or Tarra was avenged. In one of the early issues of "Truth" I gave m detail the particulars of the Boyd uiasiacre.