The Statement of John Kidson.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 94, 23 December 1843, Page 4 (Supplement)

The Statement of John Kidson.

I left Nelson in the New Zealand Company's boat on the 87th of May, to go to the Wairau with Mr. Tuckett, the chief surveyor, and was eight days on our passage. When we arrived at the mouth of the river, we found that the natives had taken some of the men employed on the survey prisoners, after burning their weires, and that they had gone up the plain in search of the remainder. We went up the river to Mr. Cotterell's station, which bad been burnt, and pitched our tent there for the night ; and the next day M>-. Tuckett went to Kaipara-te-hai!, a valley at seme distance, : nd ordered us to irait his return. If the Maories came and ordered us off,

we were not to leave unless they compelled us; and if they insisted on our going, our instructions were that the things should be taken down to an old uninhabited pa at the mouth of the river. We were pretty comfortable until three men, who had run from a whaling station, came to us. They said that the natives had robbed them of all their things to the value of £6 or j67. and told them not to go to the white people, for if they caught them again they would kill them. These men said they would go to Nelson if they could find their way, and some of our party gave them provisions to help to serve them on the road. On the same evening at dusk a party of natives came to us, and said we must leave the next morning, but we told them we were waiting for Mr. Tuckett, and they allowed us to remain until his return. When Mr. Tuckett returned, the natives made us leave the plain and go down to the old pa, where w» found some of the surveyors and their men. One of the natives named Tommy, who spoke very good English, told me that Ranghiaita said that if Mr. Tuckett was so fond of the ground he would kill him and bury him there. We remained at the pa some days, and then started for Nelson. We had a fine run, but met the Government brig 08 Waukapuaka, and were ordered alongside of her. We now learned that a warrant had been issued against the two chiefs, and Mr. Thompson, the police magistrate, and a number of constables, were going to take them. We were ordered to accompany them, which I did very unwillingly, as I wanted to see my wife and children. Mr. Howard (God rest his soul) assured me they were well, and then I did not care about going. When we got to the Straits, it blew pretty stiff. Our crew was ordered into the boat, and told to make the best of our way to Cloudy Bay, and there wait until we heard from tbe brig. We made the Sound that night, and Cloudy Bay the following day, the wind blowing very heavy all the time. Some whalers informed us that the brig was at the mouth of the Wairau, for which we then started, and at night (Friday) got up the river as far as the grove of pine trees, where we found our party. They had their tents pitched and * watch set. Captain Wakefield appeared very glad to see us ; we were told he had been afraid that we were lost. The next morning we proceeded up the river in two boats, but before starting, while the men were chatting away, Captain Wakefield cried " Order I" and said " Men, whatever you do, do not fire unless you get orders." We went as far as we could in the boats and then landed. Mr. Thompson, the gentlemen, and the constables went first, Mr. Howard and the men following. I was nearly the last, and when the magistrates reached the spot where the Maories had encamped I did not come up in time to hear the beginning of the talk. The first thing that I heard the natives say that I could understand was,'" No go to the brig;" "it might do in England, but not in New Zealand ;" " the Queen no here." Mr. Thompson said " I represent the Queen. I have got the Queen's puka-puka." They replied " Kaore." (no.) Brooks the interpreter had a long talk with them, and then informed Mr. Thompson that they were all armed. Mr. Thompson replied rather warmly, " What do I care? 10 are my men." I then heard Eboa say " Kapai the talk, no want to make the fight. The Maori no afraid. If the whitey man take the Maori, the Maori fight." I saw the gentlemen come towards the stream, and heard one of them use the word " treachery." It appeared to me they were apprehensive of being cut off from their supporters. I had not seen them cross the stream, and wondered bow they got over, till I heard some one say " Take the canoe for the men to cross." All now became bustle, and sixteen men were drafted to go down to the boat, but I did not hear what further instructions were given them. I was of the party that remained stationary, and was standing on an elevated bank, a little from the stream, which lay too low for me to see. When the natives observed the men advance to the brook, I saw them bring their guns to their shoulders, and screen themselves in the bush. Presently a gun went off, and down fell poor Tyrrell, whose back was towards me. I saw him drop, but did not notice by whom this first gun was fired. He had just landed from the canoe, and as he ucended the opposite bank, he came within my view. When he fell he altogether disappeared, as I could not see the ground he stood on. Sharp work followed, and firing became very general ; we were ordered down to the stream also. I saw (some in the water and some in the canoe returning. I took my station behind a tree and fired three shots, and then was obliged to push up the hill with the rest, as the natives had gained our side of the river, and were like a swarm of bees, many of them stark naked. When I gained the first brow of the bill, I thought we should have made a stand and faced the enemy, but there was no getting our men together — they kept slipping off one at a time, until there were few left besides the gentlemen, and they talked of piving themselves up. I saw Mr. Cotterell surrender himself to a native, who thereupon discharged his gun in the sir, but two others seized him by the hair, and dragged him some little way down the hill into a manuka bush, where I believe he was killed. We bad previously laid down our arms, but the natives continued firing at us. I again took up my gun, and seeing one about to throw what appeared to be a spear, I levelled at his navel and brought him down. This, I believe, was the only shot out of nine, the number I fired, which told. In the former shots I aimed at the head, and as the balls were too small for the barrel, they all rose. Brooks, tbe interpreter, and others, were meantime crying out " Kati, Kati," (peace). Mr. Thompson leaned on my shoulder and said " My dear boy, what shall we do, lam wounded already." I told Mr. Thompson and Captain Wakefield that I thought the Maories would massacre all they caught, and begged them to make their escape. I also told them I would not surrender as long as I could run. Seeing that I could no longer remain with any chance oi escaping, I started up the hill, and I was the last who got away before the natives came up to those who surrendered themselves. I was pursued by three Maories and a dog, at a distance of about seventy yards, and several bullets were discharged by them, which whizzed byme too close to be pleasant. If I stopped for a moment and presented my gun, they immediately lay down in the fern. I continued running up the hill, but found them gaining on me. As my gun contained my last charge, I threw it aside, and while they sought it I increased tbe distance between us. On going over the next hill, a man named Warner, who lay in the fern, called to me, but I beckoned him to lie quiet, which he did, and thereby saved his life, as the natives passed within a few yards of where he lay. My pursuers were again coming up with me, so I took off my coat and threw it away, and then speedily got over the top of the hill into a wooded and deep gully. Here I lay down dead beat, but saw the natives on the hill side from between the trees, endeavouring to lay the dog on my track. I drew out my knife to be ready for whatever might happen, but, thank God, they did not venture down to me, as the dog would not take up the scent. I remained quiet until dark, and tben started over hill and dale, and a wretched night I had, wading through swamps and rivers ; sometimes crawling through, and at other times rolling over the high fern. At length I came to a river, which I could not touch the bottom of, so I got up a tree to wait uutil the moon rose, that I might see the other side. Here the thought of home almost drove me mad, and I am not ashamed to say I was greatly relieved by having a good cry. When the moon rose I swam to the other side of the river, which was not very wide. I then pulled off my waistcoat and shirt and wrung them — my trowsers were torn into pieces. The travelling was now better, aria 1 I reached tbe hills which overlook Robin Hood's Bay about daybreak. In this Bay is a pa, down to which the natives had proceeded after committing the murder. I did not know they were there until I had got half way down the hill, when I recognised their whale-boat. A native who saw me called to me to come down, but I turned round and ran to the bush. About three o'clock in the afternoon I reached Ocean Bay, tired, nearly naked, and very hungry, having eaten nothing since six o'clock on the morning of the day previous. I was well received by the whalers, and remained with them two days. On the third day I went with Mr. Iromide, the Wesleyan missionary, to bury the dead. We expected to have returned to Cloudy Bay the same night, but were unable to do so, as we had some difficulty in finding all the bodies^ We ! had but little therefore to e&t, and the night was cold. Mr. Putchett's body was the first we discovered. He had been . wounded early in the affray, almost immediately after getting out of the water into which he had fallen from the canoe in returning. I believe he died from this wound, but he was afterwards tomahawked. He had three wounds in his head. The weapon was driven in so deep with the last blow, that it had not been withdrawn, and I found great difficulty in getting it out. The body had been stripped. The clothes were torn to pieces and laid on him. Tyrreil's body was in the water, into which it might have rolled or been thrown. I found he had been killed by a wound in the throat, the ball passing out at the back just at tbe shoulder. Nortaam, who had advanced a little further, was struck also in the throat, and the ball had descended in precisely a similar manner as in Tyrrell. Both of these were killed on the other side of the stream, and one of the whalers swam across and fastened a cord to their bodies, by which we drew them across. These we baried with Smith, who waslying at the foot of the hill. On the hill, near the spot where I left them, we found the bodies of Mr. Thompson, Captain Wakefield Captain England, Mr. Richardson, Mr. Howard, Bumfortb, Cropper, Gardiner and Coster, all within twenty yards of each other. A little to the right, but lower down.was Maegregor ; about one hundred yards up the hill we found Pay, and not far from the same spot poor Brooks, dreadfully mangled. Brooks must have tried to escape at tbe last, as when I left the party he was present. Lower down, in ft manuka bush, was Mr. Cotterell, the Terr spot, I believe, where I saw him dragged by two natives when be surrendered himself. These thirteen bodies were buried in pne grave, and it appeared to me they had been all cruelly butchered. With the exception of Tyrrell and Northsm, all had

been tomahawked, even when wounded or killed by min-ibnt. Captain Wakefield lay upon his back, his right hand restinr on hit left breant. Under hit head the Maories had placed a piece of bread of their own biking, called * "damper," and n pistol across his throat. He had been struck in the fore, head, and his features were completely destroyed. Mr Thompson lay a little on one tide with a large quantity of hair in one hand, which he appeared to have pulled from his head the instant before he was tomahawked. He was struck behind, and his features not destroyed. Captain Enelinri'. head had been cleft by a blow on the side, which laid ft com pletely open. He lay on his back. Mr. Richardson was ?!V^^« U cd J up 'x? „y„ y on > iß • ide ' Hi * *«•»»«» were but httle disfigured. Mr. Howard was more cut about the face than any 1 one. He appeared to have been struck below the mouth, as his teeth were driven upward. He was lyinir nearlr on his face. Brooks and Macgregor were also dreadfuhv cut but Pay and Coster not so much. Mr. Cotterell was not much disfigured about the head, but was the only one who had hem struck by a tomahawk on any part of the body. He had a deep wound in the lower part of his back. As we were returning we met the boat belonging to the Government brig, which had arrived from Wellington? Some of our party went back to the place of death, and by searching in a stream found the bodiei of Ratdiffe and Clanzie wha were buried together. ' I went on board the brig that night, and the following dar set out with four others to walk round to Nelson as we preferred doing so to going by boat. Our provisions at starting consisted of about twenty-one pounds of biscuit and three pieces of pork weighing about twelve pounds, and a httle tea and sugar. We were without compass, but one of the party bad instructions from Mr. Tuckett of the route As it was late when we left the brig, we slept that nieht in the pa at Robin Hood's Bay. On the following day we went to the pa at the mouth of the Wairau, aud finding an old canoe there we ascended the river in it, as far as what bad been Mr. Cotterell's station, where we slept that night with one blanket to cover five penons. The next day we walked as far as we were able, and then lay down wet and miserable it having rained nearly all the day. We got but a short dis tance the next day, as the riven were swollen by the rain and we could not crosrthem. The two following days we* also travelled slowly; and as we hid made but little progress on our journey, and our proviiions were running short, we were compelled to go on shortallowance. This was the worst of all, and caused plenty of grumbling. I had shot a few ducks, which helped a little. A council wss held to consider whether it was better to go on or return. Some were for returning, but we at length ill set forward again toncther That night we reached the long-desired wood, and at tb« entrance we shared the last of our provisions, which amounted to half a panikin of biscuit crumbs each. I had also shot a kaka, which we stewed in our tea-kettle. Two of the party saved a. part of their ahare until the next day, but I and the others ate our portions, and wished for more. Here we lav for the night, wet, cold, and hungry. We had great difficulty to get through the wood, and, as w« proceeded, differed widely ai to the right course. Some thought we were too much to tbe right, others that we had gone too far to the left, but I kept my own course, and the others followed. Although I had strong misgiving that we were going wrong. I said nothing, as it was distressing to hear the complainings of two of the others. After a day and a half's toil we got out of the wood, and then there were pleasant faces though we were weak for want of food, and the rain continued to fall. We halted for the niglit about three miles from the • wood, and I tried to get some fern root, but it was too small to be of any use. In the morning we saw a smoke at a dis. tance, which cheered us up, and we journeyed towards it down a valley, which I have since learnt was the Motuaka. When we came to the river, we found it very rapid, and in crossing which I was the first to do, I was carried off my legs. Thank God, I managed to scramble to the opposite side, but the others would not follow me. So I pushed on alone, and after some time saw two of my companions coming up to me. Having found a wild turnip I sit down and ate it, and another of our party soon reached us. As we could see nothing of him who was now missing, we feared he had been drowned in crossing the river. We ascended a hill to obtain, if possible, a sight of the fire, the smoke of which we hod seen in the morning, but neither smoke nor fire was to be seen. We now agreed that when we halted for the night we should kill a dog that was with m, which hid belonged to Burton, one of ' tbe men who had fallen at the Wairau, to give us a chance of reaching our homes, as we were sinking for the want of food. Before proceeding further, I proposed to fire off my gun, in order that our missing companion might hear it if he was alive. This was agreed to, and my gun was answered by two voices from the bottom. This gave us great joy, as we knew some succour was at hand, because we had lost only one companion, and it was dear there were two persons near us. At last one called me by name, but we could not find them until they lighted a fire. We found them to be two men who had been sent in search of us. they furnished us with provisions, and one went on to loot for our musing companion. In about half an hour they returned together, and we were then taken to some warres at a ihort distance, where we rested for a couple of hours. We theuwent on to a survey station, where we slept the night, the men waiting on us as if we were children. Goddard, the man who we had supposed was lost, was very ill for a great part of the night, which we attributed to his eating wild turnip. The next morning we started for Nelson, about thirty miles dirtftnt, which we reached about seven o'clock in the evening, and thu» closed our eleven days' wandering. Although the distance we travelled tho last day was considerable for us, I cared little for it, as my thoughts were on home, my wife and little ones. John Kidson. Statbment of Gko&gk Bampton. When Mr. Howard received instructions from Mr. Tbomp . son to bring down part of the men, and while we were advancing to the stream, but at a distance of perhaps sixty yards, a man wearing a blue smock frock [Ratcliffe wore such a dress], who was by my side, tripped in the fern or flax, and his gun instantly went off. I did not know the man by name, but I said to him, • ' What the devil are you about ?" He was trailing his gun at the time, and had the muzzle somewhat depressed. Before I could reach the canoe, the natives had fired a volley on us, which we then returned. When we had retreated to the hill and those who remained with the gentlemen had given up their arms to the natives, one of them seized me by the hand, to shake hands in a friendly manner I thought, but while he grasped me tightly, he menaced with theother to strike me on the head with his axe. Another Maori was at the same time threatening a man (I believe Stokes) in a similar manner, but, as he did not then proceed further, the one who threatened me desisted also. When Ranghiaita joined us be sat down, and a native who was beside him asked me for a knif« to cut a splinter or stump out of his foot. Not having one, I asked Captain England for the loan of his, which he readily handed me. When Ranghiaita offered to return the knife, Captain England told him to keep it. I heard Captain Wakefield and Mr. Thompson tay something about giving them a hundred guineas, of which, however, they took no notice. Nearly all the natives sat themselves on the ground in a half circle, but previous to doing so loaded their guns. Cap. tain Wakefield stood alone on one side of them, the remainder of our party were standing in s group on the other. Under tbe pretence of making water, litepped aside, and took this opportunity of escaping. Gkobgjs Bampton. We have received the two preceding statements from the men whose names are affixed to them. Both are willing to : '"? an. affidavit of the truth of what they have written, or to give the same in evidence when required.