NEW ZEALAND “GRACE DARLING.”

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXX, Issue 14978, 26 April 1909, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND “GRACE DARLING.”

DEATH OF MRS MARTIN. [Per Press Association.] WAKAPUAKA, April 25. Mrs Martin died suddenly yesterday at the Maori pa. She had just arrived from a visit to Nelson. Deceased, who was aged about seventy, was known as tho Grace Darling ot New Zealand.

Tho late Mr Alfred Saunders, in tho second volume of his “ History .of New Zealand,” thus de,scribes the incident which earned for Mrs Martin the title of “ Now Zealand’s Grace Darling On Friday morning, September 4, 1863, the brigantine Delaware, -Ml tons, was wrecked in a gale oil an extremely rocky coast, between Pepm s Island and the mainland near Wakapuaka. The crew appeared to bo out oi : flight and out of hearing of all human assistance, but the mate, Henry squirrel, who was an excellent swimmer and a remarkably brave man, tied a line round his waist in the vain hopo that ho could swim through the rocky surf to the shore. He low ered himself into tho water by climbing down the martingale of tho ship, but ho was immediately dashed by the rough sea on to the rooks and rendered insensible, apparently dead. He was hauled on board by the ‘ rope around his body , and laid in olio of the .bunks of the forecastle. Just as this had been done, .and all possibility of rescue seemed to be out off fivo Maoris —four men and a woman—appeared on tho beach, and, led by tho woman, they bravely dashed into the surf and swam to a ; rock near enough to the ship for the lead-line to be thrown to the rock. This line they took on shore, and dragged a rescuing line after it, which. two of them held, so as to prevent it being broken by any motion of the ship, whilst the other three, including the woman, swum out again and arranged themselves so as to steady the less callable European..'!' in their dangerous attempts to reach the shore. In thus way the crew and tho one passenger were all saved, except tho disabled mate, who was supposed to be dead. The captain was, as he should be, the last to land, and, as scon as ho was landed, tho line parted, having probably boon fastened on shore. lhe brave mate soon afterwards recovered consciousness, and appeared on deck, but nothing could be done for aim, and in a few minutes he was washed overboard. His body came on shoro next day, and upon it an inquest, waa hold, at which' all witnesses agreed that, hut. for the Maoris, not a soul could havo been saved, evon with tho lino, as tho Maoris “ rushed into the surf and dragged each man on shoro ns lie came stupefied from the wreck through tho surf.” Had Julia’s heroic work beon done in Great Britain sho would probably havo figured as high in the world’s history as Grace Dialling herself, and, with her quiet, gentle, modest manner, sho is still regarded as lovingly by the cottiers of Nelson. On the recommendation of tho General Government gave £SO each to Julia, to her husband Martin, and to her brother Robert, and £lO each to the other two Maoris. The settlers of Nelson gave them each a gold watch and a complimentary address.. The address to Julia ranked Jicr with Grace Darling, and concluded in these words: —“ That deed made Graco Darling a lioroino, her fame spread throughout Europe, and her memory is still fondly cherished wherever the English language is spoken. And like her, Julia, your name and deed will find a place in local history. Your brave act

is one of which a queen might he proud. We present you with a watch, whereon your children and their successors may read with pleasure an inscription which testifies to the.esteem in which you are held by the settlers of Nelson.” Julia's husband made a neat reply in Maori, which was translated bv Mr Mackav, iu the course of which he said that “ none of the Maoris had the least idea of receiving any reward for saving the lives of their shipwrecked European friends, and onlv did what they could out of a desire to save life.”