THE ESCAPE OF THE CHATHAM ISLAND PRISONERS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 2055, 5 September 1868, Page 6

THE ESCAPE OF THE CHATHAM ISLAND PRISONERS.

(From, the Wellington Independent, Aug. 13.)

The foUowing is a full account of the escape of the Native prisoners from the Chatham Islands:—

The leader of the mutiny was a Mohaki native named Te E^ooti Pikarangi, who gave himself the character of a prophet, and who has a new religion, and great authority amongst the people. The plan of escape was arranged with skill and care, until ihe arrival of the Rifleman presented the opportunity to strike tbe blow.

On the mornirig of Saturday, July 4th, when the prisoners made th ir escape, they appeared particularly cheerful. In the afternoon they suddenly left their work, and some went to the redoubt to secure arms, whUe others bound those of the guard who were near. The Maoris then proceeded to rifle the Government stores and the private houses of the settlers ; taking money, arms, and ammunition. The wife of one of the residents, Mrs Alexander, with great presence of mind, saved her purse, containing 300 sovereigns, by thrusting it into a large tea-kettle then boiling on the fire, and lost only 35 sovereigns, which she gave up as. aU she had. Captain Thomas and hi 3 guards when bound were thrust into the lock-up, Captain Thomas remonstrated that the cords which bound his wrist cut him, and suggested the use of handcuffs, and having been told where to find them, the rebels were considerate enough to substitute them. The Natives took from the Government safe, which theyforced'Capt. Thomas to'open, a Uttle more than LSOO, besides what they obtained from the residents. Mr Chudleigh endeavored to prevent their escape by slipping the cable of the Rifleman, but his design was dis-

covered by some young Hauhaus, and a rope was put round his reck for the purpose oi strangling him ; and he would certainly have been killed, if some of the older Natives had not interfered. As it was, bis hand, which he had placed between his neck and the rope, was forced into his mouth, and he was made to bite his fingers to the bone. Three prisoners, who were averse to the rising, but did not give information of it, were left behind. The Natives stranded the schooner Florence, which was off the Island, before they left; and when the Rifleman was out of sight an attempt was made to float her, with the view of reaching Wellington ; but it was unsuccessful, and was also the cause of a fatal accident. An unfortunate Native, while assisting in the operation, was accidentally drowned or crushed to death—or perhaps partly both —beneath her bottom. An inquest was held by Captain Thomas on the body of Hartnett, and a verdict of wilful murder returned against the Maori who kiUed him. A warrant for the apprehension of the murderer was issued, merely as a matter of form, we presume, for we do not see at present how it can be executed. The Storm Bird brought up the prisoners who remained on the island, and all the fmen of the guard but two, who were left ; behind with Captain Thomas. Reports shave been received by the Government as Ito the damage done by the prisoners, arid i a list of claims for compensation, which rwUl in due course receive attention and consideration. Altogether, 163 inch, 64 I women, and 71 chUdren, left the island iri the Rifleman.

We have also received letters from correspondents at the Chathams relative to the recent escape of the prisoners. It is stated that the Government are to blame for not having a sufficiently strong guard, and that the Resident Magistrate did not use ordinary _ precaution, although perhaps that iri itself would not have rendered the escape less easy under the circumstances. There was no drawbridge to the redoubt, in which the guard were posted, and the arms which were sent down were never issued, but were kept in orie place. The Hauhaus were also allowed in the redoubt. We take the following account of the escape from our correspondence :— -

" Sa* urday, 4th July, will longbe remembered by the inhabitants of the Chatham Islands, for on that day, notwithstanding the most unequivocal indication of a coming iusurrection, through gross carelessness and the absence of any precautions to prevent it, some of the Hauhaus, who should never have been admitted into the redoubt under any pretext whatever, waUced in and seized the guard (there were only four, of them inside, and a European acting as cook), and proceeded to tie them hand and foot. One of them, Private Harnett, who resisted, they immediately kUled. They then forced open the magazine, took aU the arms, ammunition, &c., and proceeded in the Custom House boat to take the .Rifleman, which had arrived the day previous, with stores, from WeUington. Some of the inhabitants were bound hand arid foot, and others were thrust either into the lock-up or redoubt, those who Uved on the beach possessing any ammunition, had their houses visited and robbed. A body of armed men then visited each house, demanding money ; five hundred pounds were obtained in this manner. At the same time, the rest of the Hauhaus, men and women, some of them armed, were hurrying down the hUI leading from their encampment with aU their baggage and effects to embark. This having been completed, and all the money, <fee. being obtained, the rear guard of Hauhaus, consisting of about forty armed men,' marched along the beach and rejoined their companions on board, and in hour from the time of the outbreak not a Hauhau was to be seen on the shore.

The indications of the coming insurrection may be classed under three heads:—

Ist. Refusal of the Hauhaus at a meeting held by themselves to work for any white man. Mr Rolleston, when here, in January last, left directions that any European requiring it might employ a Hauhau, provided' he paid him for it, and gave him his rations; twothirds to go to the Government, the remaining third to go to the man himself. By this arrangement, the guard and others, who formerly had not to pay the Hauhaus for doing things for them, had to pay them and find them with rations also. 2nd. From their constantly having broken their tools. wilfuUy wMlst employed in Government work, and more recently, with having broken ploughshare after ploughshare whilst employed in getting in their own crops. Lastly, the prophecy of Te Kooti, the rebel chief, that having Been Jesus Christ in the bush he said the month of July would be an important one for them ; that as soon as the steamer came down, they would paddle across the waters, and would return, like the Israelites of old, to their native country. For refusing to work and this prophecy, he was separated from the rest and a smaU hut erected for him near the redoubt, and he was employed in attending to the fires inside the redoubt. How well he used his eyes during this period was apparent from the fact that he found out where the key of the magazine was kept, and brought it in before he gave the signal for the insurrection. His wife, however, was not prevented from communicating with the Hauhaus, and doubtless took many a message from her husband to them.

No punishment was awarded for breaking the tools, and no precautions were taken when the ship came down.

_ I shaU now proceel to state what I consider to have been the causes of the outbreak :—Neglect, in not having a drawbridge to the redoubt. This was either ordered or recommended by Major Edwards, but was never carried out. The amis in the magazine were ordered by Colonel Haultain to be distributed to the Europeans. TMs also was never carried out.

It was believed by: the Hauhaus that the duration of their captivity was Umited to two years, but from certain instructions received from the Government, and read to them, respecting the gathering in of the crops, and saving the seed for the ensuing year, it was clear to them that another two years in captivity was in store for them. It was ordered that all tools, axes, &c., used by the Hauhaus in their labor, should be given in every night, and not allowed to be retained in their possession under any pretext whatever. This was not carried out. No sentries were ever placed over the Hauhaus, who were iUtreated by the overseer.

I come now, in the, last place, to speak of the mode of guard as one of the causes of the outbreak. The guard were scattered as to their places of abode, and their number was reduced, in April last, from 20 to 11 mien. The resignation of Sergeant Finnimore, on the Ist July, further reduced it to ten men. It would also appear that the men on the guard were not weU ordered as to the manner of carrying out their duties, :