HORRIBLE MASSACRE AT THE WAIROO.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 69, 1 July 1843, Page 274

HORRIBLE MASSACRE AT THE WAIROO.

The tragic and altogether unanticipated event which has deprived Nelson of so many of its most valuable residents, has so overwhelmed us, that we find ourselves unable at present to do more than briefly narrate the priucipal facts, which have been carefully collected from the best sources. We must postpone to a future number the remarks which it calls for. It may be necessary, for the information of our non-resident readers, to state that the Wairoo is an extensive plain, intended to form a portion of the country sections of this settlement ; and that the river which runs through it, and from which it takes its name, empties itself into Cloudy Bay, at about eighty miles distant from this place coastwise. The surveyors employed there had — in consequence of the forcible interruption of the survey and other acts committed on them by the chiefs Rauparaha (by some called Raupero, by others Raubello) and Ranghiaita, his son-in-law, and their followers — applied to the Police Magistrate for protection. On Monday, June 12, warrants were issued, on Mr. CottereU's deposition, for the apprehension of these chiefs on a charge of arson ; and on the following day the Government brig left Nelson with what was then considered a sufficient force to execute the warrants. The individuals who composed the party were : — H. A. Thompson, Esq., judge of the County Court and police magistrate; Captain A. Wakefield, R.N., the New Zealand Company's agent for this settlement ; Captain England, J.P. ; G. R. Richardson, Esq.; Mr. Cotterell, surveyor; Mr. James Howard ; four constables, and several special constables. Whilst in the Gulf, the brig fell in with the Company's boat on her return from the Wairoo with Mr. Tuckett, 'chief surveyor, and Mr. Patchett, who, with the boat's crew, were thus added to the number already embarked in this fatal expedition. *On the evening of the following Thursday most of the party landed at the mouth of the Wairoo, and were joined the next morning by others, when arms were distributed, and the whole body proceeded up the right bank of the river. They soon met a chief, named Puaha (nephew of Rauparaba, and the individual who is favourably mentioned in Colonel Wakefield's early despatches under th« name of Eboa), and., some resident

natives, who said they had been engaged in olearing land, but had been stopped by Rauparaha, who had proceeded higher up the river. Puaha and his followers were considerably alarmed on seeing an armed force ; but their fears were somewhat allayed by Mr. Thompson informing them that he sought only Rauparaha and Ranghiaita, whom he had come to apprehend on a charge of arson. Puaha, at the request of Mr. Thompson, then undertook to go forward and acquaint these chiefs with the arrival of the magistrates, and that they had come to take them on board the brig, where the charge would be investigated. Higher up the river, another party of resident natives were met, who were similarly informed of the object of the expedition. Here the magistrates and their followers encamped for the night, and were joined by the remainder of the party, which now amounted to about fifty, and who, with the exception of four or five of the gentlemen, were all armed. On the following morning, Saturday, the 17th, the party advanced a few miles further, and, observing some smoke issuing from a small wood, they concluded that the chiefs and their followers were encamped there. Proceeding towards the spot, they discovered that they were separated by a narrow but deep stream from the Maories, who amounted altogether to about 120, including women and children. They were scattered about squatting on the ground in groups, with their canoes hauled up on the bank of the stream occupied by them. At the request of the magistrates, Piccawarro (a native) furnished them with a canoe, in which Mr. Thompson, Captain Wakefield, Mr. Tuckett, Mr. Cot : terell,Mr. Patchett, Brooks (the interpreter), and Maling (the chief constable) crossed over. Th"fe> Police Magistrate addressed himself to Rauparaha, explained the nature of the charge brought against him by MrCotterell, and desired him to go on board the brig, with such of his followers as h&i chose, where the matter should bo investigated. This Rauparaha refused to do, but stated his willingness to have the matter investigated there, and to pay for the damage he had done, if he should approve of the magistrates' decision. On the reiterated refusal of Rauparaha either to go on board the brig or to surrender himself prisoner, the Police Magistrate threatened that, if he did not surrender, he and his party should be immediately fired upon. This was no sooner interpreted to him than sixteen, natives sprang on their feet and presented itt*if muskets, and Ranghiaita, who, until then; had not been visible, stepped forward and defied the magistrates' power. Words running high, Puaha interceded, and, with a Bible in his hand, prayed their might be no strife. Captain Wakefield, seeing the necessity of uniting the whole party, proceeded, by the consent of the natives, to lay a. canoe across the stream, to enable those who had crossed over to retire : but, whilst thus engaged, it is conjectured that the chiefs were told they had done wrong in granting the use of the canoe, and that they would, on the uniting of their opponents, be immediately fired upon ; we say conjectured, for, on seeing a movement among the Maories, the nature of which we have not been able to ascertain, an order wa3 suddenly given for the men to advance. Four or five only did so, and the gun of some one went off, it is believed accidentally, as no order to fire had been given. The natives instantly^ischarged a volley, which was returned by Their opponents. Those who were placed between the two fires now hastened to join their friends, and nearly upset the canoe in passing over it. The firing continued brisk on either side for some little time, when the greater part of our countrymen retreated up a hill, and were followed by the natives, who had now crossed the river. Here the most strenuous efforts were made by Captain Wakefield, Captain England, and Mr. Howard, to induce their party to act in concert, but altogether without effect.

Captain Wakefield therefore, in order to prevent a further sacrifice of life, ordered the firing to cease, ana Captain England and Mr. Howard advanced towards the Maories with a white handkerchief, in token of peace. Those in advance of the retreating party, however, kept up a running fire, which was returned by the natives on the whole party indiscriminately. Captain Wakefield and the gentlemen- about him were therefore compelled to proceed further up the hill, in order, if possible, to put an end to the conflict. Mr. Cotterell, after accompanying them a short distance, stopped, and, in the hope of assuring the natives of the sincerity of his party, waited their coming up and surrendered himself ; and his example was followed, on the next eminence, by Captain Wakefield, Captain England, Mr. Thompson, Mr. Richardson, Mr. Howard, Brooks, Cropper, and M'Gregor. Puaha again endeavoured to become a peacemaker, and urged on his countrymen that 'sufficient blood had been shed. This was acceded to by Rauparaha, and the two parties shook hands. They were soon joined by Ranghiaita, who, having already killed the wounded on his way, demanded the lives of the nine who had surrendered. To this Rauparaha at first objected ; but, on being informed that his daughter (Ranghiaita's wife) was killed, he offered no further opposition. As no resistance appears to have been made by our unfortunate friends, it is probable that they were, through their ignorance of the native language, quite unconscious of the horrible fate that awaited them. Standing, in the midst of a large number of Maories, they were easily separated ; and whilst in this defenceless situation, perhaps without even a thought of treachery, the monster Ranghiaita silently glided round, getting behind each singly, and, with h\s tomahawk,, brained them all in succession. Mr. Tuckett, Mr. Barnicoat, and a man named Gay, left the party after the first "ineffectual offer of surrender, and, with seven other men whom they subsequently overtook, one of whom was badly wounded, reached the coast, where, with great difficulty, they obtained a boat from a whaling station to put them on board the brig. Two boats were*then despatched to the shore, to pick up any who might reach it, but, none appearing, the brig, shortly after dusk, sailed for Wellington, to obtain surgical assistance for the wounded, and aid to rescue such as were believed to"" be prisoners. The brig reached Wellington early the following morning, but, a foul wind having sprung up, she was unable to get out of the harbour before Thursday afternoon. Colonel Wakefield, Mr. Spain, the land commissioner, the Police Magistrate, Mr. Dorset, surgeon, and several other gentlemen returned in her, and, on their arrival in Cloudy Bay, were immediately apprised of the dreadful deed which had placed their lamented countrymen beyond the reach of succour. They were prevenb# by the weather from entering the mouth of the river until Saturday, and, on arriving at the fatal spot, found that Mr. Ironside, the Wesleyan missionary stationed at Cloudy Bay, had preceded them, regardless of the personal danger which others shrunk irom : he had discovered seventeen of the dead, and (having no alternative) had already commenced the interment of the bodies on the spot. Two more were afterwards found and buried. To have removed the bodies would have been difficult ; and such a procedure must have delayed the departure of the brig, and the important evidence which was afterwards obtained in a searching investigation pursued by the magistrates would have been unknown. The brother of our lamented agent had previously expressed his approbation of such burial under the circumstances, and all felt that this field e£ death was a fit place of sepulture. Thus, in death, they will perhaps achieve for us their survivors that object which, in life, they failed to accomplish. If the spirits of the departed are permitted to interest themselves in the affairs of mortality, the thought may afford them a generous satis-

faction: to us, such an acquisition of the Wairoo must ever be a subject of melancholy contemplation. The bodies of the murdered nine were interred near the spot where they fell, as were also those of Bumforth, Coster, Pay, and Gardiner, who fell at a short distance from them. Mr. Patchett, who was ptruck early in the fray, while standing at some distance from either party, was buried alone. Smith, Terral, and Northam were in another .grave, and Clanzie and Ratcliffe in a fourth. The body of Maliog, the chief constable, was not found, though known to. be severely wounded. It is probable he crept away into the bush, and there expired. Two other men, named Stokes and Burton, have not since been seen, but it i 3 hoped they may yet be safe ; and, in order to assist them, should they be attempting to get round by land, persons have been sent out with provisions, and with instructions to keep up large fires. Such of the men as were not wounded in the fray and did not reach the brig, remained hid until Rauparaha and Ranghiaita departed with their followers, when they went down *o Cloudy Bay, and waited the brig's return. When Rauparaha and his party left Cloudy Bay to cross the Straits, which they did on the following Tuesday, Puaha • remained in Tory Channel until the return of the brig, to see if any violence would be offered to the natives in Cloudy Bay and Queen Charlotte's Sound who had taken no part in the fray ; as it was believed, in accordance with their own custom, that the murder of our countrymen would be avenged on any natives who might be found there. Finding no violence was offered, he hastened after Rauparaha, to prevent any bloodshed which might arise out of that belief. It should not be left unstated that Mr. Spain, the land commissioner, had engaged to meet Rauparaha at Port Underwood, within a certain period, to investigate the title of the New Zealand Company to the | Wairoo, and that the chiefs did not enter the plain until alter the expiration of the time appointed.

By accounts from Mana andJCapiti, we learn that, on the return of RatrPiraha and Ranghiaita to those islands, they instantly conveyed away all theu&tribe from the two pahs, and proceeded to*the northern island, somewhere between Wanganui and Manawatu, declaring that the Wairoo was now paid for, and the white men might keep possession of it. They expressed a determination of encamping in some bay on the coast.

As many persons had fears that Rauparaha might collect a large force and attack this place, a nightly watch is kept by the colonists ; and, for the better security of the settlement and to allay the fears of the timid, the magistrates have determined that all "persons who have been sworn in as special constables shall be exercised and drilled in the use of firearms. It is intended, we believe, to have a daily drill for a. week or a fortnight, and then it is thought that an hour's exercise every Sunday will be sufficient; which will not encroach on the time which many can ill afford to lose. For our own parts, we entertain not the slightest apprehension of being molested by the Maories in Nelson ; but the straggling settlements along the coast have not the same security. The knowledge that an organized force is in existence and at hand, may operate on the fear of the natives, and prevent aggression.

Captain Fearon has brought us intelligence that the natives at the Motuaka are perfectly quiet and friendly. When informed of the late horrible massacre, they treated it as an affair in which they were not concerned, and for which" they were in no way responsible.

We have extracted from the Neva Zealand Gazette of the 22d of June, the report of the public meeting held at Wellington on the arrival of the intelligence that a massacre had taken place at the Wairoo. We have also given the editor's remarks, which appear to us somewhat strange, but we leave them for the consideration of our readers.

It was intended at the public meeting yesterday, that a vote of thanks should have* been given to Captain Schart of the St. Pauli for the handsome manner in which he offered to carry a force gratuitously to any part of the islands, if needed. By some omission the thing was overlooked, but the first opportunity should be taken to show that we entertain a proper estimate of his kindness.