THE RACEHORSE'S CHASE

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 123, 26 May 1928, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE RACEHORSE'S CHASE

HOW A WHALER CAME TO GRIEF. PRICE OF A MAORI PIG. (By J.C.) Lately I told in the "Star" the story of the seizure of an American whaleship, the Cornelius Howland, at the Buy of Islands, for a breach of the Arms Act in the days of the Maori war. That memory of old Kororareka was narrated by a veteran of sea and land service, Mr. James Capper. Since then, going through files of the early days newspapers, I discovered the story of another seizure of a whaling ship, for a similar offence, many years before the arrest of the Howland. The "New Zealander," Auckland's pioneer newspaper, under date September 11, 1847, described the capture by H-M.s. Racehorse of a colonial barque whose captain had been guilty of selling a musket to a Maori. The period was just after' the war in the North. Hone Heke's cam-] paign against British authority, and though peace had been restored the Government had not relaxed the precautions against the natives obtaining arms. The whaler was the barque Macquarie, of Hobert Town. She arrived at the Bay of Islands from a cruise on August 16, 1847, and on the 19th information was laid against the captain, one William Campbell, for having sold a musket at Kororareka to a native of Whangaroa. The captain was summoned to appear before the Resident Magistrate (Captain Beckham) on the 21st, but, like many another skipper, he proceeded to pay his debts with his foretopsail. He got- up anchor and sailed out of the Bay the night before he was due to face the magistrate. The Customs Man Pursues. But the weather and Her Majesty's Customs, it is here gathered from the "New Zealander's" account, took a hand in the cause of justice. The harbourmaster of Russell, Mr. Bateman, who was also sub-collector of Customs, had his eyes open that night, and he observed the Macquarie get under weigh and make for the open sea, hoisting all sail as she got round Tapeka Point. Bateman. accompanied by the chief Repa, immediately put out in his boat, with a native crew, and gave chase to the barque. The wind fell very light, and he was able to overtake her. He ordered her to bring-to, but this—to quote the "New Zealander's" story —"the master, with strong language, refused to do."

The Customs man was helpless against the fierce Campbell, of course, but fate again intervened, in the law's favour. Sir. Bateman remembered that he had on the previous afternoon sighted a sail in the distance, off the heads, a vessel apparently making for Kororareka, but delayed by the light i wind. Bateman, in the first light of dawn, now saw the ship again, and he his crew to pull their hardest to intercept her. He was soon alongside. The ship was the Racehorse, a beautiful British corvette of that era, a full-rigged ship. The Customs official quickly boarded the Racehorse and told his story. The whaleship by this time was well out toward the heads, and had there been a strong breeze she might have led the warship a long chase. But the Racehorse, according to the narrative, used her sweeps, as she could with her large crew, and overhouled the barque. Presently she fired a gun over the Macquarie. This was enough for the whaleship captain. He backed his mainyard in obedience to the gun-bang. The Racehorse put out an armed boat's I crew, and made the whaler a prisoner.

The Penalty. The warship and her prize arrived in Kororareka Bay in a few hours, and so Captain Campbell faced the magistrate after all, not very long after the hour fixed in the summons. He was tried on three charges. The first was for a breach of the Arms Act by selling a musket Ito a native, for a pig. It was the old way of obtaining fresh provisions for the whalers. For this he was fined £100, or three months' imprisonment, in addition to the forfeiture of the ship to Her Majesty. The two other charges i were preferred by Mr. Bateman, for] sailing without a certificate of clearance from the Customs, and for resisting the Customs official in the execution of his duty. On each of these charges Campbell was convicted and fined £100. A little bill of £300 in all, besides thej confiscation of the harrjue. The Racehorse, after the confiscation of the Macquarie had been ordered, took the prize to Auckland, manned by a crew of naval men. The two vesselsj anchored in the Waitemata on Septem ber 10.

Whether the barque was restored to her owners, as was done in the case of the Cornelius Howland under similar circumstances In the early 'sixties, the "New Zealander" files do not disclose.