THE MASSACRE AT BANKS' PENINSULA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 5997, 5 February 1881, Page 6

THE MASSACRE AT BANKS' PENINSULA.

Ax old colonist, now residing in Canterbury, who came to New Zealand forty-eight years ago, sends us the following interesting and valuable notes, in correction of some of the statements that have appeared regarding the above affair : In your weekly issue of the 20th ultimo, I notice your comments on one of the most shocking stories in Maori history, as told by the late John Marmon, and which you believe to bo substantially accurate. You further state that Captain Stewart, the wellknown discoverer of Stewart's Island, New Zealand, was mister of the vessel that took Te Rauparaha and his party to Banks' Peninsula, and that his name will always be infamous for his connection with the atrocious J massacre there. In justice to the memory I of the dead, I feel it my duty to correct your statement, and not to allow the name of oho of our earliest pioneers to be handed down to posterity in connection with, that sad affair. CAPTAIN STEAVART. Now, sir, Captain Stewart, the well-known discoverer of Stewart's Island, and Captain Stewart, master of the brig Elizabeth, were not one and the same person—the former was for many years master of a trading and i sealing vessel sailing out of the port of ' Sydney. In one of his sealing expeditions he discovered the island which now bears his I name In his old age he retired from the I sea, and took up his abode with an old j friend, a Mr. Harris, of Poverty Bay, with whom he lived until the day of his death, which occurred in the year 1543 or 1844. He was a man very much respected, and on his visits to Auckland could be easily recognised. No doubt there are a few old settlers still living that have seen, as well as myself, a very tall man walking up Shortlaml-strcct in a full dress of Stuart tartan (Scotch plaid), and who will recognise in the description Captain Stewart, the discoverer. Marmon states that Captain Stewart, on his arrival in Sydney, was arrested and put into prison, where he remained six months. This is not true. I may state that I arrived in Sydney in April, 1533, when everything connected with this notorious voyage was quite fresh in everybody's memory. I have heard it related over and over again. It appears Captain Stewart, after leaving New Zealand, made his way to Sydney. Soon after his arrival the news got spread about, and finally reached the ears of the Government, but, whether from having no jurisdiction or for want of sufficient evidence I cannot say, no immediate action was taken in arresting Captain Stewart. In the meantime, and while the Government were de liberating, Stewart cleared out of Sydney, and sailed for a port in South America. This was the last heard of Captain Stewart or the brig Elizabeth in these colonies. As to Marmon's account relative to conversing with Captain Stewart and John Cowell after their return to Kapiti, I should say it is a fabrication ; for to my knowledge Marmon had been living in Hokianga, where he died, for nearly 50 years. I have never heard of his living at anv time in the South. Again, it is the first time that I have ever heard John Cowell's name in connection with Captain Stewart oi the brig Elizabeth.

NARROW ESCAPE OF A BOAT'S CREW. It will perhaps be interesting to your readers to hear the story as I heard it 45 years ago, from white men then living among the natives at the time referred to. I may state that I arrived in New Zealand in Maj , , 183(5, in the whaling ship Louisa, of Sydney, Captain Haywood. We anchored under Mana Island in Cook's Straits, where the ship remained during the Bay whaling season, from May to October. Te Rauparaha was our chief, or we were under his protection, for which he was well paid in blankets, &c. Although, he was a terror among the natives he was always very good to the whites; in fact, in one instance, I have to thank him for saving my life. It happened in this way :—I was ashore with a boat's crew filling water casks, when Te Rauparaha's son, a lad about Hi to 17 years of age, was very troublesome to our men, and annoyed them so much that one of our crew in a hasty moment struck young Tc Rauparaha in the face, and made his nose bleed. Now to draw blood from a chief was one of the greatest crimes that could be committed, and the transgressor very seldom escaped witli his life. When the natives saw the blood they were very much excited, and came rushing upon the crew, flourishing their tomahawks. We all thought our last hour had come. Old Te Rauparaha, hearing the noise, came out of his hut to see what was up. On heaving the particulars, ho told the natives not to touch the white men, for if his son was in the wrong he must take his own part, and fight the pakeha— very good— one Maori, one pakeha. It ended in a standup fight, in which, to our delight, young Ranparaha got a good thrashing, ami we were thankful to get oIT with our lives. However, young Rauparaha soon forgot it, and we were ever afterwards the best of friends. Had not old Rauparaha been at hand, 1 am afraid it would have been rather a- serious matter for us.

ANOTHER VERSION OF THE MASSACRE. In referring to Captain Stewart and his "owe"<l2 US v °y a ='?' ? ma J' rclate t,lc stor > as I I, —.■*",""""" tune I speak of: ;;!■'■ *■' ~ heard it at tn«f e ni an( i_-o*s'iz. —In I the early days of New ■Ji ...-Luu, there was a / jjre.it chief named Te Pahi (head of the tribe to which Te Rauparaha belonged), who was taken to Sydney, and from there to England, where lie was presented to Kins George, who was very kind to him and made him several presents, and told him, when he returned to bio own country, to be good to the white man. On To Pahi's return, he was full of what he had seen in England. He appears to have boon a very good man, and anxious to toll of the wonderful things that lie had seen to other tribes. He went with a small party in a canoe to Akaroa (Banks' Peninsula), to pay a friendly visit to the chief, Te Mairanui. On his arrival, he and his party were received very kindly. Not having any suspicion of the treachery in store for them, they all went into the pa, when Te Mairanui and his men fell on them and killed every nan. When the news reached Ivapiti, there was great excitement among Te Pahi's tribe, of whom Te Ranparaha (after Te Pahi's death) was head. Of course, as was the custom then, the tribe were bound to hirfe their revenge on the first oppertuniij. This opportunity oiTcred when Captain Stewart made his appearance. Whether Captain Stewart was aware of the real intentions of the natives is a mystery, but for certain lie was promised a largo quantity of flax. On the arrival of the vessel in Akaroa, the natives, as was the custom, soon came on board to trade, among them, the chief, Te Mairanui. and his daughter, a girl from 10 to li> years of age. During this time, Tc Rauparaha and his party were in the ship's hold, keeping out of sight. As soon as the decks were full of men from the shore, To Rauparaha's party rushed up from below, and killed all they coiihi, with the exception of Te Mairanui and his daughter, whom they took alive. Te Rauparaha and his men then went on shore, took the pa, and killed all they came across. It was rumoured that human flesh was cooked in the ship's coppers, but this appears to be doubtful. The brig then sailed for the Island of Mana, in Cook's Straits. On the passage le Mairanui was lashed to the mainmast, and his little daughter was allowed to walk about tho deck. The story goes that one day Tc Mairanui called his daughter to him, and, using these words, said, "They are going to kill me ; but they shall not kill or make a, slave of you." With that lie took hold of her, and dashed her brains out a.ainst the combings of the main hatchway. On tho arrival of tho brig at Mana, Te Mairanui was taken ashore, and a few days after killed in this way :— He was hung up by the heels, a vein cut in iiis throat, and, as lie bled to death, they caught the blood in a bowl, and drank it. I have never heard (:\a Mr. Travers asserts) that a red hot ramrod was pushed through his neck, or that Te Mairanui's wife was taken by the party of Te Rauparaha. I have not read Mr. Travel's' work on "The Life and Times of Te Rauparaha, " but I question very much whether lie was better informed than-myself.

Harmon says that Te Raupuralia and his party went overland from Cloudy Bay to Banks' Peninsula. Now, this of itself is sufficient to throw a doubt over his whole version. And, again, he must have been quite ignorant of the geography of the Middle Island of New Zealand, or he must have known that it was impossible in those days to travel the distance without canoes. I Then for Te Jtauparaha to bring away fifty ! slaves was another impossibility. How could he cross the many rapid rivers: where would he get food from for them ? There was little or no fern root as in the North Island ? are all questions to be asked. Then, again, Raupaif.ha's settlement or pa was on the North liland. He had a settlement or pa in those d.'.ys on the Middle Island, bein<* always m fear of Bloody Jack and his tribe" from whom he had several narrow escapes

At one time they had a desperate fight in ' Fighting Bay, close to Port Underwood, in Cloudy Bay,--which , is called to this day Fighting Bay, in memory of the fight referred to, so that it is very clear that Te Rauparaha would have to take his departure from his own settlement on the North Island, and this could not be done without canoes. Then, agaiD, natives in those times never travelled any distance by land when they could go by water in their fine large war canoes, carrying from 50 to 100 men. If Marmon's version is true, Rauparaha had full ; satisfaction or revenge for his brother being killed in killing the unfortunate natives, and taking away the 50 slaves. He would not have gone a second time. It is the first time that I have ever heard John Cowell's name in connection with Ca|:>tain Stewart. EMIGRATION OF TARANAKI NATIVES TO THE CHATHAMS. About the time Marmon speaks of, John Cowell was trading master in the Bay of Rodney, of Sydney, Captain Harwood, to which another story is attached worth relating, viz :—ln the early days of New Zealand, the Te Rauparaha tribe had taken in war Taranaki, and killed many of the natives. Many got away and made their escape to Port Nicholson (now Wellington) where they settled, but it appears they were always in dread of Ruaparalia making another raid I on them, and were anxious to get beyond his reach. The existence of the Chatham Islands was known to them, and the direction in which they lay. An opportunity offered on the arrival of the Rodney at their settlement; but whether they took the brig by force, or whether it was with the consent of the captain, I cannot say, but in any case the vessel made two voyages to the Islands, she not being large enough to take them all at once. On the arrival of the first batch on the Chatham*, the aborigines of the Island, a poor harmless race, with li tlo or no implements of war, opposed tlie landing of the New Zealauders, and showed fight. They were, however, no match for their invaders, who killed a great inanj* of them, and made slaves of the rest, dividing them amoiu the different chiefs, who killed them whenever they were hard pressed for food, which was very often the case, as the potatoes they brought with them were nearly all used for seed. The New Zealanders had not been many years on the Island, when they began to quarrel among themselves, and soon came to blows, building pas and commencing a regular Maori war. This state of things did not continue very long, and finally they made peace on certain conditions, viz., to divide the large island between them, each taking one-half, and not to encroach on the other's boundary. One built their pa at Waitangi, the other at Whaiuai'oa —both in the same bay, and about 12 to 15 miles apart. It was further agreed that if a ship came to Waitangi the Whangaroa party was not to trade «ith her, and if a ship came to Whangaroa the Wai tang; party was to adhere to same rule.

MASSACRE OF CHEW AND CAPTURE OF THE FRENCH WHALER JEAN D'ARC. In the year IS3S a French whaler, a magnificent ship of about 400 tons, the Jean d'Arc, with a crew- of 35 to 40 men, iueluding an John Greenwood, who was whaling-master (whom Ikuewpersonally), anchored oft Waitangi for tlie purpose of trading for supplies—pigs, potatoes, &c. The natives living at Whangaro, seeing the ship anchor at Waitangi, were sadly disappointed, as they were very much in want of tobacco, blankets, &c. Being the stronger party, they resolved to break through all treaties and go and trade with the vessel. They mustered all their forces and went off in their canoes. When they got on board the Waitangi natives wera very wroth, the one party going to the fore part of the vessel, the other to the after part, and began showing signs of coming to blows. This rather astonished the Frenchmen, who could not understand what it was all about; and no doubt, thinking the natives had some evil intention, they must have got frightened, and tried to turn the Maoris out of the ship, and used them (according to the native version) very roughly, throwing them overboard and other rash means. At this crisis the natives agreed to join together and take the ship, which they accomplished, but not before every man on board was killed. The Frenchmen (the natives say) fought well, killing from 40 to 50 natives before they all fell. During the tight the crew slipped the cable and set the foretopsail, and when tlie slaughter was over the natives found the ship adrift. However, they managed to run her ashore in a small bay called Ocean Bay. There they plundered her, after which they set fire to her, which was the last of a fine ship and her unfortunate crew.

NARROW ESCAPE OF AN ENGLISHMAN CHARGED WITH COMPLICITY. In the year 1539 a French man-of-war paid a visit to the island to punish the natives. She did not kill any, but destroyed all their canoes, burnt their villages, and took some of the head, chiefs to France. One white man, an Englishman, had a very narrow escape. He had been living with the natives prior to the taking of the ship, but was away at the time in.an American whaler. He had returned soon after, and was living again with tV n>«™» : -->- - *'•-_ man-of-war •••- -- 0 ■--• srrr '- -4 " "} ul Ul< - t-;, 41 :.■•-" HKKraJier appearance. The cap- -!~! Minting he was implicated iu takiim the Jean d'Arc, arrested him. All liis explanations failed to convince the French captain as to.his innocence, and he was conleinued to be hung to the yavdarm. When he was about to be executed, a ship hove in sight, and the poor fellow , begged of the captain to reprieve him until the ship came tc anchor, which was granted. When the ship arrived, .she proved to be the American whaler Rebecca Sims, the captain of which knew the condemned man, and vouched to his account being correct, upon which, of course, lie was liberated. RELICS OF THE JEAN D'ARC. In the year IS4O I was on a trading voyage in the brig Spectator, of Sydney. We called at the Chathams in our cruise, and anchored off Cloudy Bay, where lay the wreck of the once fine vessel, burnt to the water's edge. A few natives were living there in their pa. They had flying several of the colours of the French ship, among them a bm-gee with the ship's name in full. I asked the old chief whether he was hot afraid to fly that flag, as the French man-of-war might come back again. He said he did not care ; they had killed his son on board the ship, and his wife had lately died, so they mijht come now .and kill him, it was not of much consequence. Dee. 17, ISSO. An Old Coloxlst.