THE NATIVE WARS ON BANKS PENINSULA.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXVII, Issue 9752, 15 June 1892, Page 6

THE NATIVE WARS ON BANKS PENINSULA.

. A PAPER BY MAJOR SLATER. At a recent gathering of the Canterbury Mounted Rifles, Major Slater read the following interesting paper on tho Maori wars which have been waged on Banks Peninsula—the country which was traversed by the flying column of the corps at Easter : Since the return of the Mounted Rifles from BanksPeninsuJa,afterthemanoeuvres at Easter, my attention has been drawn by Captain Martin to the fact that throughout we were travelling over country which, seventy or eighty years ago, was the scene of many of the battles and massacres which took place during the Eaihuanga (or relation eater) feud between the sub-tribes of the Peninsula. Over , the country through which (for instruction) we moved, as with an enemy in our neighbourhood, the original Natives,' not so many years ago, were marching and countermarching, scouting and fighting in earnest. I regret 1 was not at the time of our march better acquainted wit h ■ the history of the Peninsula, for the knowledge would have given greater interest to our work. Captain Martin has since lent me W bite’s ‘'Ancient History of the Maori,” and I think tho information I have gathered from tho “ History ” will prove as interesting toyon as I have myself foundit. Every place wo visited is so intimately connected with the tribal wars of the early portion of this century, that I cannot do better than take our daily marches and camps, shortly touching on the events which, happened at each place. And I may remark that, apart from the historical interest which attaches to the subject, there are lessons to bo learnt from the Maori warriors which especially apply to a corps whose duties, to a great extent, consist of scouting, and working at some distance from supports. THE “ RELATION-EATER ” i'ECD. The Kaihuanga feud was the first serious outbreak amongst the suh-tribes of the Peninsula since their conquest of the Ngatimamoe, For nearly one hundred and fifty years they had ■ been increasing in numbers and wealth, and the development of trade with Europeans promised a continuance of prosperity and peaceful enterprise. The immediate cause of the feud, which nearly annihilated the population, was moat trivial, and was brought about by a woman and dress, a combination which has proved the ruin of many a warrior in all ages and climes. Murihaka, the wife of Potatu, put on a dog-skin mat belonging to Tama Iharanui (son of much evil), the highest chief in the Peninsula, who was at the time at Kaikoura. (The mat had been left in charge of someone at Waikakahi, a village near tho place we camped the first night.) This was considered an insult, and the men became so exasperated at the sacrilegious act that they killed a woman servant belonging to a relative of Murihaka. Her master, when he saw her dead body, instead of wreaking vengeance on those who had committed the murder, went to a village at Tax Tapu (our first haltingplace) in search of the murderer’s family, and found a native named Hape, whom he killed. Hape’s widow, who was the sister of one of the principal chiefs at Taumutu, took refuge with her brothers, and as they watched the tears streiming down her cheeks, day after day, when pounding fern root for the daily meals, they propounded a scheme for avenging her bereavement. Having collected a email war party, they attacked Waikakahi (Wascoe’a) twice, slaying some of the inhabitants. This brought the Taumutu people into collision with the greater part of the Peninsula, and the struggle proved ruinous to them. The principal events of this war I will refer to as we come to the several places at which they occurred, but it is worth noting that the second tragedy in the Kaihuanga feud occurred at Tai Tapu, our first halting place from Christchurch. A BTOF.T OF LAKE ELLESMEEE. Prom Tai Tapu we marched to Birdling’a Plat, skirting Lake Ellesmere—the Waibora of the Maoris—by whom it was highly valued, for there food abounded—eels, ’fiat fish and the ducks known as putangitangi (paradise ducks). Our quarters for the night at Bird ling’s Flat were close to the hill at Waikakahi (Wascoe’e) on which stood the pah bmltby Tutekawa. This chief, in an attack on a pah on the south-sast coast of the North Island had killed the wives of the chief Tuahuriri, and after escaping shipwreck in Cook Strait had landed on the South Island, where he decided to remain, in order to avoid the consequences of his act. He passed down the coast, and took up his residence at the place afterwards known as Church Bush, near Kaiapoi. Hearing that the eels at Lake. Ellesmere (Waihora) were of a better quality than those at Kaiapoi, he removed to the shores of the lake, and built a pah at Waikakahi. This was opposite to where Wascoe’s accommodation house was subsequently built (the-site of this house is now marked by a clump of gum trees), on the hill between Birfiling’s /and Price’s Valleys, a few chains from the point where the coach road passes. Whilst I was waiting on Fr.day morning from midnight to 2 a.m. with Troopers Westrop and Mooney to guide the troop, on arrival, to the woolshed, we little thought that above our heads had lived tho victim of the tragedy which I will relate. Tutek&wa, when he had fixed his residence at this place, felt that he was secure; he was surrounded by his allies and at a great distance from his enemies. But after the lapse of years, when be was old and feeble, his followers grew alarmed for his safety owing to the rapid advance southwards of the Ngaitahu. The old chief was urged to escape while the opportunity of doing so remained. But all their entreaties were in vain. His only reply was, ‘'.What will then become of tho basket of ■ flab fish spread open here ?” in allusion to the lake. From which remark we may gather that the old gentleman was a bit of a gourmand. Soon afterwards, the chief Moki arrived at Koukourarata (Port Levy) with- the avowed intention of avenging Tuahuriri’a wives. A council of war was held by his party. Some were for advancing by land to attack the pah at Birdling's, but Moki said that he had been warned that Tutekawa “ was sitting like a wood pigeon on a bough facing his foes,” and that if they approached him from the direction ho faced he would take flight before .they could catch him. It was decided to go by sea. The warriors reembarked,pulled southwards,and captured the pah at Long’ Bay. Moki then returned to Port Levy with his prisoners, and, having drawn up hia canoe and placed a guard over the captives, advanced by a. forced march over the hills to Waikakahi (Wascoe’s). We may note here that Moki did nothesitate about leaving his canoe and marching several miles to achieve his object by surprise. The shadow of MokFs form across his threshold was the first intimation Tutekawa had of the arrival cf his enemies. The old chief, infirm and helpless, was found coiled up in his mats in a corner of the house, and a spear wag quickly plunged into his body. The son of the old mail, Te Rangitamau, had built a pah at Taumutu, at which place he was at the time of tho murder. Moki, not knowing what course ha might take to avenge his father’s death, ordered that a; watch should be kept at night round tho camp to guard against surprise, but his orders were disregarded. This is a warning to officers—see that your orders are carried out and your sentries visited. Te Rangitamau (who evidently would have made a good reconaoitrer) had his suspicions aroused by observing a more than ordinary quantity of smoke arising from tho neighbourhood of his father’s pah. He therefore set off thither, arriving after dark. Waiting till the camp was quiet he passed through the sleeping warriors, and reached hia father’s house; looking in he saw his wife sitting by the fire. He beckoned her to follow him, and then ascertained what had happened, and also that bis wife and children had been kindly treated. He told his wife to wake Moki after he was gone and to give this message; “Your life was in my hands, but 1 give it hack to you.” Thtu, taking off his dog-skin mat, he re-entered the house and placed it gently over Moki’a knees. After due interval the wife woke Moki and delivered the message. Moki

felt'thdm&trand'was convinced tie woman spoke the truth. He was greatly mortified at having been caught asleep, as it was always injurious to a warrior’s reputation to be caught off hie guard. The next day negotiations were entered into, and peace restored. The ground we travelled over on Friday, April 15, from start to finish is full of historical interest. To our right, before reaching Lake Forsyth, was the road to the spit dividing Lake Ellesmere from the sea. * Along this spit armed parties moved alternately to attack Wairewa or Taunautu. Close to a spring on the small promontory at the mouth of Lake Forsyth, the chief Taununu—the builder of the pah on Bipapa Island (Bipa Island) To whom I shall presently refer) —was tomahawked. By the edge of the lake, near the present road over which we sent scouts, doubtless many a Maori scout has proceeded on a similar errand, hat carry* ing hia life in his hand, fearing an ambuscade, at each step, or discovery from the crew of some hostile canoe on the lake. AFFBAT AT LITTLE RIVER—-THE FIEBT FIREARMS.

To more fully understand the historic nature of the country, it will be necessary to pick up the narrative of the Kaihuanga feud. You will remember that the last incident in that feud, to which I referred, was the attack by the Taumutu people on Waikakahi, after the murder cf Hape at Tai Tapu. Tama Iharauui (the owner of the historic dog-skin mat) when he returned to his home and heard of the outbreak, collected a war party, and, marchung down the spit, attacked the Taumutu people, killing several. The defeat did hot, however, crush their spirits. They determined to obtain assistance and retaliate. An influential woman, Hinehaka, was sent to the south to obtain reinforcements, and a messenger was dispatched to Kaiapoi to invite co-operation from that quarter. The combined forces then marched up the coast to attack Wairewa (Little Eiver.) The engagement was almost bloodless, but was memorable for being the first occasion on which firearms were used in this part of the country. The owners of the two muskets carried on this expedition, occupied a proud and envied position in the advanced guard; few ventured to touch the novel and dangerous weapons, but all hoped to attain an easy victory, not so much from the execution in the ranks of the enemy, as from the terror certain to be inspired by the report of firearms heard for the first time. Taiaroa, a chief famed for courage and wisdom, accompanied the expedition. He had throughout been opposed to Hinehaka’s mission to the south, and apparently his object in joining the attacking party was to stop the fratricidal strife. On nearing the pah, Taiaroa, who had kept well in advance, called out “ Escape; fly for your lives. Take to your canoes and go to sea, for guns are our weapons.” All who could move rushed off in flight, and the Taumutu people found the place deserted, save by a servant woman, who was promptly shot. SLAUGHTER AT COALGATE. The Kaiapoi contingent, after the combined forces had dispersed, had proceeded some distance on their way home, when they began to fear being “chaffed” if they returned empty-banded. So, turning back as far as Kaitangata, they killed Iritoro, the nephew of the chief Taununu, of Bipapa pah. This chief immediately planned revenge on hearing of the death of hia nephew, and rapidly and aeoretly marched inland and surprised Whakaepa (Coalgate), a populous off-shoot of Kaiapoi, putting every one of the inhabitants to death. Placing sentiment aside, and allowing for the conditions under which war was waged by the Maori, the attack by Taununu on Coalgate was to his credit as a soldier. He took the initiative promptly, and by killing his enemies prevented the Kaiapoi people from receiving, at a future date, a valuable reinforcement. He had no alternative but to slay—there were no means of confining the men, and of course their “ parole ” would have been valueless. ■ A LITTLE EIVEB TEAGEDT. The whole population ot Kaiapoi were roused to frenzy when they heard of the terrible fate which had befallen their relatives at Whakaepa, and it was resolved to send as large a force as could be mustered to punish Taununu. Hearing that Taiaroa was marching up the coast, with a body of men armed with muskets, the Kaiapoi leaders resolved to wait his arrival, and if possible to unite his forces with theirs. The proposal was accepted, hut before attacking Bipapa the combined forces marched against Wairewa (Little Biver). Taiaroa repeated the warning he had given on the former occasion, and with the like result, for the beseigers found that most of the inhabitants had taken to their canoes. Pikoro, and a few others who were discovered, were killed. The musketeers were not this time, however, to be deprived of their prey, for having, after a short search, found two or three canoes, they pursued and overtook the fugitives, and the majority were either shot or drowned. The cannibal feast that followed this engagement, was regarded at the time as peculiarly atrocious, on account of the close relationship between thedevourers and the devoured, and from the annals of the u-ibe, the feud came to be known as Kaihuanga (eat relations). From Wairewa the expedition marched over the hills and attacked Bipapa. 1 will defer a,n account of this for the present, taking it in the order of our march. , the massacre at taumutu. After the fall of Bipapa, the entire population of Taumutu went south, for it was feared to leave them behind to encounter the vengeance of the pahs that had suffered so severely at their hands. They were followed, however, by the chief, Tama Iharanui (who appears to have been a most consummate scoundrel). He assured them that all angry feelinga. had. subsided. “ Return,” he urged, “to protect your rich preserves of flat fish at Waihora,” Ho was so pressing in his entreaties and so positive in his assurances of friendship and security, that they consented. Tama Iharanui then hurried back to complete his treacherous designs. He collected a orce at Little Biver, marching down the spit to Taumutu. A survivor of this exexpedition said, that on this march the old Kaiapoi warriors first handled a musket It was very amusing to watch their efforts to conceal their nervous dread of the weapons; their hands trembled and shook as they took hold of them, and at the sound of the report that followed the pull of the trigger they dropped the guns upon the ground, exclaiming “Eh, he! bow wonderful are the works of the Pakeha!” But they soon got over their fears, and learned to use muskets with deadly effect. This force camped the first night at the spring midway down the Spit. The nest day they passed Taumutu. The precautions they took when they stopped to cook food is a model of what men should do when moving in the vicinity of an enemy. They camped in a hollow overgrown with tall rushes, between a range of low sandhills, sentinels being placed on the high ground towards the south. Our books of instruction cannot improve on this: "Halts should never be made in an open spots a wood, valley, hollow.of the ground, or other secluded spot should be selected;” “septinels are to be posted to prevent .'surprise, in positions to give them a good view of the neighbouring country,” and so on. The old Maori warriors knew all about it. Before the meal was over the sentinels made signs, arid being questioned, stated that the enemy was at hand. This, again, is in accord with our instructions : “ If a vedette wants to report anything he holds up his helmotor busby on his carbine, when the officer or non-commissioned officer will ride out to him.” , The enemy being reported at nand, tne force was, after consultation, drawn up in three bodies in the following order ot battleTaununu cried, “ I will command the coast side;” Whakauira said, I will command the lake side; ” andTama Ifcaranui eaid, <f I ■will command the centre. The warriors then ranged themselves under their .respective leaders, the plan being probably to combine an attack on each flank, with a frontal attack. A great slaughter ensued. The Taumutu chiefs were singled out and shot, and then the men, women and children were kiUed.gSTbe cannibal feast that-fol-

lowed lasted several days. This was ifed. last great encounter, with to® Kaihuanga feud. The last, victim wad Taununu (who escaped from Bipapa); hei was killed, as stated before, at the mouth of Lake Forsyth. His murder was neves' avenged. The appearance of Bauparaha. at Kaiapoi put a stop to these internal quarrels, and forced the Ngaitahu to’ combine against the common foe. THE STOUT OF ONAWE. Leaving Little Biver, where so many, stirring events have taken place, we marched to the Head of the Bay, Ata-roftH Here again we were on historic ground, fori within a few chains of where we camped Ta Bauparaha landed his foioegrprevious to hia attack on Onawe. Over the remains at, the fortified pah on the Onawe promontory' you went after the morning drill on Sstor-', day, April 16 : a short account-of the- capture will be therefore of interest to you; After Te Bauparaha had invested Kaiapoi,, and during the six months’ Beige of that place the -inhabitants of Akaroa and the' neighbourhood retired into Onawe, which they had strongly fortified. The pah wa#Burrounded by a deep trench, the earth! taken from it forming the walls, along the' top of which a strong fence was erected. Bound the inside of the fence was a covered way. The approach to a spring on the south side of the promontory was by a covered treneb, and in order to ensure a supply of water should the road to the spring be cut off, a number of canoes were dragged up into the pah, filled with fresh water and covered with matting to prevent loss by evaporation. Kuaa and wharca were stored with provisions, and every preparation made for a seige. The fugitives from Kaiapoi, after the fall of that place, brought to Onawe the news that Te Banpar ah a intended to attack the pah. Shortly afterwards, the sentinels early one morning descried a large fleet of war canoes polling up the harbour. Bauparaha, frustrated in! bis design to surprise the place, ordered part of his force to camp in Barry's Bay, the remainder at the head of the bay. Tangatahara, who commanded-, at Onawei observing that the attacking force was; divided by a thick wood and swamps' ground, decided to attack one position suddenly, with the idea of beating the enemy in detail. Be accordingly sallied forth from the pab, and skirted along the rising . ground towards the Head of the Bay. Te* Bauparaha, however, had not neglected to post sentinels in the wood, and they, observing the sally from the pah, raised the alarm. The party in Barry's Bay then came to the assistance of their comrades, firing as they moved across the muddy - ’ beach that separated their camp from the promofitory, thus taking Tangatahara on his left flank. Checked in his attempt to. surprise the enemy, Tangatahara turned td meet bis advancing foes and returned their fire. One of his principal chiefs was first shot, and on his fall the remainder of the’ party slowly retreated to the pah. Whilst doing so a number of Kaiapoi captives suddenly appeared, accompanied by their captors. The presence of the Kaiapoi med disconcerted the defenders, who were loth to fire on their kinsmen. And before they bad realised the danger, Te Bauparaha and a crowd of Kaiapoi notabilities came boldly up to the walls. The Kaiapoi captives, partly at the instigation of their conquerors, and partly moved by jealousy lest Onawe should escape their own fate, urged the inhabitants to surrender. In the disorder and confusion occasioned by this unexpected parleying, some of the northern warriors got inside the gates and commenced cutting down everyone atonnd them. A panic ensued, and for some minutes Onawe was the scene of the wildest confusion and bloodshed, the shrieks and cries of the dying mingling with the loud and furious shouts of. the victors. The majority of. the inhabitants of Onawe were either killed, or carried away into captivity. In the evening the prisoners were examined, and the old men and women were pub to death on the flat in Barry’s Bay. Then the bodies were cut up and portions carried off to the camps, I have lately been looking np incidents in . the life of Te Bauparaha, and have come across a notice of his death and burial, which appeared in the Wellington Spectator for Dec. 8, 1849. From this I gather that ■ the funeral service was read; by. .Mr , Eonsldaon, then a missionary -teacher.: This is interesting as a connecting link between the stirring times I have referred to and our own days. Mr Bonaldson, until lately, lived at Avonside; that is to say the man who buried the man who commanded the conquerors of Onawe was amongst us only a few days since; BAUPARAHA AT AKAROA. On the Saturday afternoon you visited Akaroa. It was at this, place that Te Bauparaha captured the chief Tama Iharanui, who lived at the village Takapuneke, on the seaward side of Akaroa. A year or so before the attack on Onawe, Te Ba,u- , paraha came from the north in a brig commanded by Captain Stewart. On reaching Akaroa harbour, Stewart refused to have any communication with the shore until Tama Iharanui arrived. The latter was at Little Biver superintending the preparation of a cargo of flax for. a European customer. After repeated messages from Stewart he arrived, accompanied by his wife and daughter. He was . cordially welcomed bn reaching the deck by the captain, who took him below to the . cabin. He was hardly seated before a door opened, and Te Banpsraha entered accompanied by several of his companions, who at once seized Tama Iharanui and taunted him with his simplicity in permitting himself to be so easily entrapped. On the second day after Tama Iharanui’s capture, Bauparaha attacked Takapuneke, which was unfortified and undefended. . About, one hundred persons were killed and-fifty, taken prisoners. The brig then returned to the north, and during the voyage , Tama Iharanui smothered his daughter, lest she should become the wife of one of hia’ enemies. Bis captors wereenraged with him . for this, and fearing that he might commit „ suicide, and escape the punishment, in store-for him, they secured his hands, and ■ then fastened him by a hook placed under, i hia. chin to the cross-beams of the, hold,.;v On reaching Kapit!, Tama, Iharanui was : handed over to the widows of the chief killed at Kaiapoi (on the occasion of Te Bauparaha’s first visit), who put .him' to death by slow and nameless tortures. THE CAPTURE OF BIPA ISLAND. On Sunday we marched to Pigeon Bay, where we bivouacked. I have not coma across any event connected with this place, bat, our night march and attack on the Chrietchnrch Bifles* camp at Port Levy is interesting, since a forced march waa made over the hills from Little Eiver to the same place daring the Kaihuanga war, with the object of attacking Bipapa Pah. This I have postponed relating until our march brought us to the place. The attack on Bipapa was in retaliation for Taununu’s raid on the Kaiapoi settlement , at Coalgate. Taununu was . a chief who had migrated from Kaikoura. That he was a soldier, his conduct at Coalgate and at the final defeat of the Taumutu people bear witness. He selected Bipapa (screen laid flat) fortified pah. After the second attack on Little Eiver, the expedition marched up the Okiri Valley and over the Waipuna (water • springs) saddle, crossing what is now, the Purau or Summit road. Thence they came . down the Otutu (set on fire) spur to Port . Levy. I take this to be about the line by, . which the Christchurch Bifies ezpected. ua. to attack their camp in rear. The eope- . dition moved with, proper precautions, having scouts well oat to the front. During the advance the scouts came across an elderly chief, sitting in the sunshine, unconscious of danger. His youthful companions were all asleep under the trees a short distance away, but before they could be alarmed he was killed. The noise of the struggle aroused the young men, who flew, too late, to his rescue ; but they caught one of his assailants. The rest took to t flight and joined the main body. If the attackers had been Europeans, possibly they might have waited until “ their coffee was ready,” but being only Maori# and practical fighters, they decided to push on at once to Purau, fearing that if they were to delay that night Taununu might receive warning of their approach. It was arranged that those armed with muskets should embark in canoes and proceed by water to Bipapa, whilst the test should climb over toe hill v and assault the pah on' the-landi'sjde.

Taiaroa, who was desirous. of giving Taununu a chance of cs.’a;e, .hurried forward, and when within hearing of the.pah, .shouted out, Piy. escape; guns .. are our weapons.” The wily Taunnnu, who anticipated an attack, had already taken the precaution to cross the harbour a day or two before. Many, however, tried to escape in their canoes, but were not quick enough for the party armed With muskets, who went round by water to Eipapa, and few escaped. With the connivance, however, of Taiaroa, many of the inhabitants passed through the assailants’ ranks, and reached the hills at the bu';k of the pah, where they stopped pursuit by rolling great stones down upon all who attempted to follow them. When Mr Strouts visited Eipapa in 1872, prior to the erection of the quarantine station (now removed to give place to Fort Jeryois) he found the remains of Tannimu’a pah, and with great foresight hp prepared a plan of the place.; He kindly allowed me to make the copy I have with me. From this you will see that the Maori, besides being skilled in the field, had excellent ideas for the construction of a fortress. The bastions were evidently an attempt to gain flank defence. The escarpment on the north-west would have increased the difficulties of an enemy attempting an escalade from that quarter; whilst the inner earthwork would _ have formed either portion of the pah into a rallying post and second defence if the other part had been carried by assault. With the fall of Eipapa I must close my paper, which has attained a length 1 did not contemplate when I commenced; but I found “ White’s History” so interesting that I have not had the courage or in* clination to shorten the narrative greatly. We learn this at least: There is very little new under the sun, and, fine fellows as we may think ourselves, there have been men who lived here before us—men .who were bom soldiers, brave in fight and full of resource. The worst we can say against them is that they were cruel and relentless to their foes; but, notwithstanding our boasted civilisation, I have failed to find anything perpetrated by the Maori equal in cruelty to the invention of the “ distinguished officer of the French army. Commandant Mattel,” for projecting •prays of vitriol over the naked bodies of savages and negroes. A notice of this diabolical invention appeared in our local papers only last week.