I.—Of Rauparaha and Ranghjaita.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 94, 23 December 1843, Page 1 (Supplement)

I. — Of Rauparaha and Ranghjaita.

As every thing concerning the massacre at Wairau, may be expected to become the object of a painful interest in England, it may not be amiss to reprint, for the information of those unacquainted with New Zealand history, the following notices of the two chiefs Rauparaha and Ranghiaita, who took the most prominent part in that terrible event " The history of Rauparaha," says Colonel Wakefield in his third despatch to the New Zealand Company, written in 1839, " is the most eventful and worthy of record of any existing New Zealand chief. His expulsion, and that of all his numerous and powerful tribe, from their native district, Kafia, by the "Waikato and Bay of Islands hosts, is well known to you from the mention it has received in numerous works on this country. Their forcible seizure and occupation, in their turn, of all the coast land on both sides of this strait has also been described; but the means he has employed for the aggrandizement of his people, and the causes of his pre-eminence and influence amongst all classes and clans, extending also to the foreign residents and visiters in the southern parts of these islands, have not been dwelt on. " Rauparaha is at least sixty years old. When a young man, he acquired a reputation for strength and courage, founded on his skill in native warfare, which his wilinesi and' success in all his undertakings have preserved for him in his old age. He came from Kafia as the fighting general of Ti Pahi; and, after the death of the latter at Otago, by Tairoa and the Southern tribes, became chief of the tribe. To revenge Ti Pahi's death, which was accomplished by tying him up by the heels to a tree and cutting his throat, at which his enemies sucked his blood, Rauparaha engaged with a master of an English vessel, by name Stewart, to carry him and some of his peopie to Otago, under pretence of a trading-voyage, where the master coaxed on board a leading chief of the tribe and his family. " Some of these were immediately killed; after which Rauparaha and Stewart, with their myrmidons, landed and laid waste the settlements,killing every man, woman, and child that came in their way. The chief who had been enticed on board was made fast in the cabin by a hook through his throat ; and, ifi despair at seeing his daughter about to become the victim of these monsters, killed her with his own hands. During the voyage back to Kapiti, the old man was despatched ; and it is a fact, that one of the ship's coppers was in use for cooking .human flesh for hi» guest, and that Stewart and his crew participated, if not in the<

feast, in the atrocious murder and revolting preparations for it.

"By similar treachery has Rauparaha acquired his power in other parts, and become the terror of all the neighbouring tribes. Unable to cope with the Ngatiawas, whom he was forced to allow to live on the lands in Queen Charlotte Sound, Port Nicholson, and on the main abreast of Kapiti, when they were driven from Taranaki, he is occasionally in alliance with them, and more than once has led them into an encounter with their mutual southern enemies, for the purpose of deserting them with his people in the midst of the fight ; by losses in which manner they have been much thinned. In all negotiations, Rauparaha is considered skilful, and is referred to upon many occasions. In his dealings with Europeans and Americans, he makes use of alternate begging and extorting measures, according to the power of resistance to bis demands he may meet with ; and might, if he had been prudent, be now extremely rich by his trafficking for supplies for ships, and the presents he has received. He receives tribute from numerous petty tribes and slaves ; and the stronger tribes are occasionally constrained to purchase peace at his hands.

" No longer since than last week, to afford a treat to the chiefs of Nyatiroco, or Boiling-water tribe, who assembled at Mana upon the occasion of the mourning for his sister's death, he sacrificed a slave of the Rhangatanis, who had come from Admiralty Bay with presents of dried fish; but my informant, an Englishman, who saw the unfortunate man being dragged to his fate, says that more disguise as to the disposal of the body was made use of than heretofore, in consequence of Rauparaha having of late professed himself a missionary, and that he intended to discourage cannibalism."(a)

In another place the Colonel writes, " He seldom stays long in any place, but goes from settlement to settlement, often in the night, to avoid any design against his life from his foes on the main. He came on board in the afternoon on one of his pillaging visits, and, after talking hugely, dropped into his begging tone. Finding me proof against threats and entreaties, as a last resource to obtain a present, he proposed to me to go on shore to see a young girl. Notwithstanding the many bad qualities of this old man, his blustering, meanness, and unscrupulous treachery, he possesses some points of character worthy of a chief amongst savages. He is full of resources in emergencies, hardy in his enterprises, and indefatigable in the execution of them.

" Making every allowance for his condition, and knowing how his intercourse with the refuse of European society has affected him, it is impossible for the most charitable to have any feelings towards this old fellow but those of aversion. It will be a most fortunate thing for any settlement formed hereabouts when he dies ; for with his life only will end his mischievous scheming and insatiable cupidity."(A) " In person, Rauparaha is not conspicuous amongst his countrymen, his height being rather under the average. His years sit lightly on him ; he is hale and stout, and his hair but slightly touched with grey. His countenance expresses

(a) W«rd'» " Supplementary Information nlatire to New ZeaUnd." pp. 113, 113. (6) Ward, p. 131. "

keenness and vivacity, whilst a receding forehead and deep eyelids, in raising which his eyebrows are elevated into the furrsws of his brow, give a resemblance to the ape in the upper part of the face, which I have remarked in many of the natives. He was cleanly dressed in the ordinary mat and outer blanket worn as the toga; slow and dignified in his action; and, had not his wandering and watchful looks betrayed his doubts as to his safety, perfectly easy in his address."(c)

Dr. Dieffenbaeh, speaking of the same interview, which took place just after a battle excited by Rauparaha between two neighbouring tribes, and in which sixteen of his allies had been killed and fifty wounded, thus describes his appearance and manner : — " We found him sitting on the ground with his wife Etope, wrapped up in mats and blankets, and painted with red ochre. He it between fifty and sixty years old, with remarkably Jewish features, an aquiline nose, and a cunning physiog£ nomy." In another place Dr. Dieffenbaeh says, " Individuals are. occasionally met with who have six or more toes or fingers on a foot or hand. The well-known chief Rauparaha is distinguished by this peculiarity." " His manner was very restless; he was rather sparing of his words, and seemed much depressed at the issue of the battle. He was very generally considered to have been the instigator of this contest; however, he denied the charge, and said he wished for peace. There seemed to be no reason to doubt the truth of the accusation, as he bears an old hatred to the Ngatiawas. He went out on the morning of the battle towards Waikanahi to await (in safety) the issue, and perhaps to partake of the spoiL"(d) About fifteen years since Rauparaha .headed an expedition against the natives resident in Blind Bay, and either drove into the bush or slaughtered the whole of the inhabitants, and divided their land amongst his followers and allies.

We know less of Ranghiaita than of Rauparaha, who is accustomed to style himself King of New Zealand. The former is called by Colonel Wakefield " Rauparaha's fighting general." («) He is of the Ngatiawa tribe, the son of an old prophetess of great renown.(/) He has the reputation of being one of the most ferocious of the New Zealand chiefs. The Auckland Chronicle, the Goverment paper, styles Rauparaha and him " two of the most powerful and least civilized chiefs of that part of New Zealand."

Upwards of a year ago Ranghiaita attacked some settlers who rented land near Porirua, destroyed their houses, and drove them off. The' Police Magistrate of Wellington, having been applied to, refused to interfere. At the subsequent assizes an indictment was found against Ranghiaita for the offence, and a bench warrant for bis apprehension applied for. This the Chief Justice, assuming a very questionable power, refused, alleging that it lay in the discretion of die Court. Ranghiaita remained at large, and the next thing heard of him is the part he took in the massacre at Wairau. The tribe to which these chiefs belong has latterly resided at Porirua and the neighbourhood, about twelve miles N. W. of Wellington. Both of them signed the treatyof Waitangi, by which

(c) Ward, p. 110. id) "Tr*veU ia New Zealand, by Eraeit Dieffenbaeh," toI. 1, p. 100. (c) Ward's " Supplementary Information," p. ISJ. (/> Dieffenbacb.

they surrendered their sovereign rights to the Queen of Great Britain. Both of them signed the conveyance to Colonel Wakefield of all their territories on each side of Cook's Straits, including those in Cloudy Bay. Nevertheless, they have resisted all attempts of the white men to occupy the lands so purchased — have occasionally made aggressions upon those who had settled on the Hutt, and driven them from their clearings.