THE OPOTIKT MURDER.

Otago Witness, Issue 697, 8 April 1865, Page 13

THE OPOTIKT MURDER.

DIARY OF CAPT. LEVY, SCHOONER ECLIPSE, THOU AUCKLAND TO OPOTIKI AND HACK. ! (Fi'Jtn the New Zealander.) Sunday, 26th February.— Left Auckland at 4 p.m. with the RevcU. Grace and Volkner, as passengers to Opotiki. Arrived there after a pleasant passage on Wednesday, Ist March, at 10 a.m., all hands being much pleased at our going in over the tide, as we did not expect to go in that clay ; at about half-past 10 sailed up the river, expecting to find everything quiet as usual. Just before arriving at my jetty, was rather surprised to see such a number of natives assembled on the bank of the river. My brother (Mr Samuel Levy), who had charge of the store, directly he saw the two revd. gentlemen on board, was quite aghast at their coming at the' very worst of time, the natives having registered an oath the day before to kill ' every minister or soldier they came across ; jhe (Mr S. Lev} 7 ) immediately called out to put on the hatches, and take the re yd. gent leinen below, as the natives were all anxious to get at theca, some having ropes in their hands ready to bind them. Mr S. Levy and Tewai, the native interpreter, immediately came on board and informed U3 of the iutentious and doings of the natives. They then had an interview with the rev. gentlemen, and told them of their perilous position, and advised them strongly to make their escape if possible, which was arrangedwith Mr Volkner and ourselves to take place that night, if they were left on board, Tewai offering to provide horses, and myself to take them tn a certain point up the lwer. The natives were swearing ven3 ence, and told us all of their intention of putting both the rev. gentlemen to death. I went on shore amongst those natives v at took an interest in myself, aud found L was all too true what we had heard. I then went on board and told the rev. gentlemen that escape was the only chance of their lives. However, they were left on board for some three or four hours, took our dinners comfortably, and began to have hopes, by the time we had gained, that the vengeance of the natives would gradually subside, when, to our surprise, all hands were ordered to come on shore, myself and crew included. Upon our I stepping upon the bank of the river, two j or three of the natives rushed with ropes to tie up Mr Volkner, myself interfering and pushing the natives on one side, after which they were not molested, but taken to a whare, close "alongside. Myself and brother being told by them, that as we were Jews, and they were all of the same religion, we were not wanted, and not to frighten ourselves at whatever the}' might do, as our property and ourselves were perfectly safe, and would not be molested by them. The crew were locked up with the rev. gentlemen, and a strong guard of some twenty natives, with double-barrelled guns, to watch them. The natives then went on board the schooner, to secure the rev. gentlemen's property, but that being mixed with the cargo, and they not knowing the difference, brought the whole of the cargo ashore to my store, locking the door, and giving the key to my brother, until after the trial of the ministers, when we were to pick out our goods. Myself and brother were ashore the whole time, endeavouring to appease the vengeance of the natives against the clergymen. We then went to see the Taranasi chiefs, who were the chief instigators of the whole of the mischief, and on the account of our being Jews, were soon made the best of friends. Mr Volkner gave my brother his money to keep for him, some Ll6 195., as he saw there was great danger. Thursday, March 2nd.— About 8 o'clock the rev. gentlemen being still locked up as well as the crew, with a strong guard over them still, a message was sent to n?e by them that the Rev. Mr Volkner wished to speak to me. I was immediately warned by the natives not to have any communication with them. I .secretly sent word to him that if he would walk outside the whare I would follow close to him and

hear what he had to say. Saw the Taranaki chiefs, and got leave from them all to walk about outside the whare for a shor,t time. About 9 o'clock saw the rev. gentlemea walking outside, immediately walked up to them, when they told U3 that in their opinion all that the natives wanted was plunder, and if that was the case to give up everything, vessel and all to them, to save bloodshed, as they then knew they were both to die. Immediately went with Dr. Agassiz (who is a trader there) to the Taranaki chiefs, and offered them everything in the stores ; the vessel, the cattle we had on the plains, and everything we possessed, was offered for the lives of the two ministers, and was accepted by them, and as an earnest of the bargain, one of the chiefs at once asked me for my coat and vest which I had on, and watch and chain, which I gave him, and he put them on his own back. The two chiefs then went and saw the rev. gentlemen, and told them it was all right, and they would be allowed to go back to Auckland with me — they (the chiefs) at the same time begging some shirts and other small things from them. It was after this conversation that poor Mr Volkner began to put a little confidence in them, and sent for my brother to give him his money back again, as he thought now all would be lieht, ruy brother immediately going and digging it up from where he had buried it, and returned it to him. Myself and brother then went amongst the natives, but there was a great deal too much whispering going on amongst them, for everj'thing to be right, and on our enquiring of several friendly natives, we were told that some men had been sent for their guns to shoot the ministers ; a ringwas to be formed, aud the two placed in the middle, and every man as he passed a certain mark was to fire at them : there were about 200 guns among the shooting party; but when they heard that the goods and vessel had all been given up to them, it altered their plans altogether. Shortly after the shooting party were seen coming along, when there was tremendous shouting and yelling from every mouth. Excitement was now at its height. I saw aparty, principallyi ncipally half-castes, going to the whare where the prisoners were confined, and deemed it advisable to walk a short di-tance out of the way. The party then weni to the whare, and asked for Mr Volkner, who immediately ran out quite pleased, without his hat, and thinking all was right, cheerfully returned to get it t as the natives had told him they were going to take him to a meeting; but, alas for him, it was the meeting of death, as they walked him off at once. They then told him that they were going to kill him. He stopped near the church, and asked them to allow him five minutes for prayer, which they did, and he sent one of the natives for his prayer book. Whilst he was praying, they sent and took a block and strop I from the vessel, which they made fast to the topmost branches of a large willow tree, about 200 yards from the church. There were now about 800 natives on the ground, who at once marched him under the tree. They then took off his coat, vest, and shirt, which the principal chief put on, he being quite pleased with i the watch and chain. (This man was ! Kereopa, a Maketu chief, who was travel1 ling with the Taranakis, and was the cause of all this doing.) They left his flannel on, he not showing the slightest fear throughout the whole of the proceedings. The poor fellow commenced shaking hands with many of them, while they were tying his neckhandkerchief over his eyes ; and he had hold of some of their hands, whilst they were hauling him to the fatal branch. They never tied either his hands or his feet, but left him to dangle in the air for nearly an hour, during whith time some of the natives were hauling at his legs to get off his boota and trowsers, sharing what was in his pockets, whilst he hung over their heads, and one of the brutes put on his trowsers while he hung over him. After letting the body hang for some time they lowered it down and carried it to the side of the church, where they hid. a place fenced in, and spread the body out in the form of a cross (the poor fellow was not then dead, as symptoms of life were still observable.) They then proceeded to cut off the head, cutting the flesh carefully round the chest and back, and then chopped off the neck with an old axe. They then formed themselves into a line to drink his blood as it ran out of the head and body, and there was a frightful scramble amongst the women, as to who should have the most of his blood ; what blood dropped to the ground they painted their faces with, the chief Kereopa taking the eyes out of his head with his fingers and eating them before the whole crowd to show them t&e example. The body was then levelled of the flesh round the neck, by means of a large knife, and thrown to the dogs. There being a great number of dogs around at the time, a fight ensued amongst them, when the natives threw the body to them and left it for some time, when some of the natives took the body away and put it down a watercloset, which was close alongside

(the natives telling me in the evening that they had buried it. all right). Some ehort time after all this had occurred, my brother and myself were walking in the fern some distance off, when four natives, ■with 3ouble-barrelled guns, came to us, and told us we were wanted. We immediately followed them, and we were taken to an European house, named William hooper (who has been living amongst the natives for seventeen years), ■when to our surprise we saw the whole of the Europeans, nine in number, in the house with their hands tied behind their backs, the Rev. Mr Grace being amongst them. My brother and myself were -served the same way, when all our pockets were rifled, and everything taken away. All hands thought that the time was come for them to die. We (my brother and myself) had not remained long in that position when we heard a terrible row outside, caused by the Taranakis hearing that the Jews were tied up. A Taranaki chief rushed in and cast us all loose, we were then allowed to go out, and were told that we were all at perfect liberty, with the exception of Mr Grace, who we left in the house, and we then walked about the village with perfect dread and fear. Whilst we were tied the natives came and took everything from poor Hooper (who was lying in bed in a consumption), rolling him out of his bed on to the floor, in order to get his blankets, and did not even leave him a cup to drink out of. At this time the Rev Mr Grace did not know that poor Volkner was murdered. In the evening a meeting was held in the Catholic Church, which my brother and self attended, when the bleeding head of poor Volkner was placed on the pulpit, and remained there till all their brutal forma of yelling and dancing to it was over, when it was taken to a copper-maori to be cleaned and dried. The natives marvelled greatly at the tears running out of poor _ Volkner's eyes, whilst they were nitting his head off. The vessel being given up to the natives, they took all the sails, blankets, and everything they possessed, from her, and we all slept in Hooper's house with Mr Grace. The church bells were ringing all night, and the infernal v Hopper," a kind of whistle, sounding every half hour of the night, to call the natives to different meetings. Most of the women remained in the churches, going through their new forms of religion all night. Myself and brother slept at Tewai's house. Friday, 3rdMarch.— The first thing I saw on going to the gate of the yard this morniigwas poor Volkner's head over a copper - maori, which an old man kept smoothing down the cheeks day and night to keep the wrinkles out. The natives spent this morning in sharing the spoil. There being sixteen tribes, it was divided into sixteen lots, each lot to be redivided amongst its men, they telling us all of our safety except Mr Grace, whose fate was now to be reserved for the great Jew Patara to decide upon. A meeting was held, at which, by the advice of Mr Grace, myself and brother and Tewai attended, to endeavor to arrange for a ransom for Mr Grace. I first offered LSOO, and then LIOOO, which was indignantly refused, they saying that not even LSOOO, or any money, would ever get Mr Grace out of their hands, and it was their full intention to take him to Taranaki with them aa their slave. I gave a great many presents to the Taranakis, to endeavor to gain our point, but all was of no avail, as they seemed to think that the Minister and soldiers would have great effect for them in their journey. All the day was now spent in walking round their post, and going through their new form of religion. 1 applied to some of the chiefs to allow the Rev Mr Grace to walk about, which was granted. The late Rev Mr Volkner's head being dried, was stuck on the pulpit of the Catholic Church day and night. I provided the whole of the provisions for the Europeans. March 4th. — This morning Kereopa sent for myself and brother, as he was going in the bush, and said he did not wish to leave us without saying good bye. He assured us of our perfect safety, and told us that it was no use trying to get Grace off, as it was their full intention to take him to Taranaki with them. This evening 5 o'clock the great chief Patara came in with about 60 followers, on horseback, and the white prisoners on foot, carrying their swag. My brother, Tewai, and myself, immediately waited on him and told him of our being tied up, which appeared to vex him very much, and as a recompense to us, he ordered a crying match, or tangi, to the whole of the natives for interfering with the Jews. We then told him what had been going on, and he told us to make ourselves quite comfortable, and that as they had killed Volkner, and not fulfilled the ransom, he would return the vessel, and ■would call a meeting in the morning and enquire into the affair. We stopped chatting with him in his bedroom, till after ten o'clock. Mr Grace asked us this day if he could come over ■with us, to which we cheerfully assented ; ■we getting permission from the chiefs for

it. Mr Grace slept with us this night, when we told him the conversation we had with the great ctref. He asked us, if possible, to get an interview for him, which we promised. During this afternoon my brother, Tewai, and self went to see poor Volkner's grave, when we paw a great number of dogs raking around the watercloset before named, and on looking in it, to our horror and surprise saw the body, feet up, without a shovel-full of dirt on it, the seat being broken, and the body merely thrown down the hole. We at ouce went and asked permission to bury the body, which was granted us, and we were going to bury it early next morning, when we were told not to touch it, as the natives would bury it themselves. We saw them go with spades and throw some dirt in it, and thinking it was now buried rested quiet, as the natives began to appear suspicious. Volker's head still in the pulpit. Sunday, March sth. — According to the desire of the Rev. Mr Grace, I waited on the great chief at six o'clock, and after talking over several matters, asked him to allow the rev. gentleman an interview, when he could describe his own case, to which he assented, and said he would enquire into the whole affair, and wished me to tell the whole of the Europeans to meet him in committee at 10 o'clock that morning in the late Rev. Mr Volkner's church. Accordingly all the Europeans attended, and were each provided with chairs, when the first enquiry was as to the late Rev. Mr Volkner's death, which was not very satisfactory to them, the great chief blaming the natives very much tor hanging him without a fair trial. The next enquiry was the Rev. Mr Grace's, and a conclusion was come to to ransom him ; the ransom was thit Hori Tupaea and his party, who were in the hands of the Government, were to be returned to them by the return of the schooner Eclipse, and that on their arrival by the Eclipse (no other vessel would be allowed to enter the port but her) Mr Grace would be sent to Auckland. A letter vas to be written next day to the Government at a meeting to be held at Opotiki, and in the meantime Mr S. Levy, my brother, was to remain as bondsman for the Rev. Mr Grace, till such time as the vessel should arrive with the native chief and party on board. Under such conditions they would allow the rev. gentleman to remain at Opotiki, but should my brother not be willing to remain, Mr Grace should be forced to go to Taurangawith them; to which my brother cheerfully assented. Patara then wished me to bring my wife and family down and settle amongst them, when he would give me and my brother as much land as we required, and cattle to stock it with, which I, of course, promised. There were about 300 natives present. The meeting then broke up. Another one was immediately held privately, after which they gave up possession of the Eclipse, and Patara gave orders that every man and woman, in the place should give a kit of potatoes each. They held a large meeting this evening, when poor Volkner's head was behind the chairman (Patara) the whole evening. This meeting decided for the party to leave for Opotiki proper the next morning. The English prisoner, John Brown, of the 57th Regiment, spent the whole evening with us. He has been with the natives the last 18 months, and he really made our blood run cold telling us of the fearful sights he had seen and gone through. We arranged with him that, should we be there on his return, we would endeavor to find means for him to escape. He told us there were two more captive soldiers travelling with the other party ; one of their names was Louis Baker. Monday, March 6th.— The party left for Opotiki proper this morning, a vi'lage some eight miles distant, to hold another meeting, poor Brown carrying a heavy load on foot, when Patara greatly desired that my brother should accompany them, which he did. On arrival there was a war dance, and the two human beads, one a soldier's and the other the Rev. iVlr Volkner's, were stuck upon a pole to dance to, some of the natives actually putting the noses of the heads between their teeth. Such scenes can never be imagined, and I could fill a book with each day's proceedings since the Taranakis have arrived. The letter to the Government was written by Patara at this meeting for the ransom of Mr Grace, and delivered to me to take to the Government. There is a half-mad native who annoyed us very much during the night and stealing everything by day. Tuesday, March 7th.— Got all ready to leave with the letter, but was told not to leave for ten days ; the reason given was that the party would arrive back from Tauranga a day or two after that time, and no attempt could be made to cut off that party of natives on their return. The natives are still going on with their wori ship day and night. Dr. Agassiz delivered me a letter to-day thanking me on the part of the European inhabitants for the manner in which I had acted for the whole of them during this perilous period.

Wednesday, March Bth — This morning I was perfectly horrified at seeing the halfmad native in the drawers, boots, and socks in which the Rev. Mr Volkner suffered. I spoke to several of the natives about it, who at once made him pull them off for me. I found he had been to the watercloset, where the body was, and had taken them from the body by that means. I found out that the body was still unburied. I mustered courage and gave the natives some things to deliver the body up to me and allow us to bury it, which was given on the understanding that Mr Grace was not to go up whilst we buried it. They at first refused to have it buried near the church, but after more presents, allowed me to bury it where I liked. My crew and myself dug the grave, and then proceeded to exhume the body (which is too horrible to relate), which we put into some new carpeting, given to us by Tewai, and tied it round with flax ; carried it to its last resting place, burying the clothes in the same grave. "VI c had the grave fenced in, and my brother cut a head-board with a plain "V, March 2nd, 1865." It is laid close to the back windows of the church.

Thursday, 9th March, to Tuesday, 14th. — (Missing.) Wednesday, 15th March —Our time for being detained having expired, to the joy of all the natives, we sailed down the river (all being anxious to see me again on my return). On arriving at the heads, we found the wind was foul, and as we could not get out, we dropped anchor, put the boat out again, and rowed up to the village with Tewai, who was coming with me as a passenger. Found all the natives gone some five miles in the country to consecrate a large new pole which they had raised for their new worship. Put the horse in the cart, and went with Tewai, and S. Levy, out to the meeting, where myself and brother were shown our ground, which was marked out for us, 1000 acres each. A large bullock was killed and roasted. We had about GOlbs of beef given to us, to take on board the schooner. All the natives were quite pleased at my brother's intention of stopping. Thursday, 16th March. — About halfpast six this morning, the native Heremata (who cut Volkner's head off) came to me when I was in bed, and told me that there was a large steamer coming along the coast close in shore. I immediately got on the top of the chimney of Tewai's house, and saw it was H.M.S.S. Eclipse. My brother and myself at once got into a canoe and paddled down the river to where the schooner was. We took the schooner's boat and pulled out over the bar, and to the steamer, and delivered the letter directed to the Government to Mr Rice ; gave the particulars of what had happened. I then saw his Lordship the Bishop of New Zealand and Capt. Freemantle, who asked me where Mr Grace was, and if I thought I could get him the slightest chance. They then asked me if I thought the steamer or boats could cut him out, to which I replied, " No," as the natives would have Mr Grace miles in the bush on the first appearance of the boats in the river. His Lordship told me that money was of no consequence in the matter. I then told him that I did not think there was the slightest chance of their ever getting Mr Grace alive again, as I knew the full intentions of the natives. I then told them of Tewai and William King being on shore, and his lordship asked me if I would go and bring them off, it not being prudent to send the ship's boats on shore. I at once got into my boat, and left my brother on board (two of my men being with me), rowed to the beach, and could not see either Tewai or William King where I had left them. I then went to the schooner, and John Moore and Louis Montague went \ip the river with me to see if I could find them in the village. When I arrived off the shore, I saw the Rev Mr Grace taking his usual walk up and down Tewai's yard, things looking pretty quiet, the natives being at a meeting, about the steamer outside. On seeing the rev. gentleman so sad, and knowing the fate allotted to him, I immediately made up my mind to risk my life as well as those that were with me, to save, if possible, the rev. gentleman. I sent Louis Montague to tell him if he would walk down _to the point of the river I would take him in ; but, after thinking, I saw the danger of his walk- j ing down, so I called him to jump into the boat at once, which he did. I had some ■ serge shirts in the boat to cover him over. As he was in the act of getting in, the women missed him from the yard and ran to the side of the river, and plainly saw him trying to escape. They rushed to the meeting, which was directly in our road, at a large whare by the side of the river. We heard the stir in it, and thought it was all up with us. It was now pull for our I lives, and we did pull, the Rev. Mr Grace lying at the bottom of the boat. Some Maoris soon appeared on the banks of the river, in the distancp, with their rifles, but having the tide with us, we, thank God, managed to get out of their reach, and at once rowed the Rev. Mr Grace across the

the bar to the steamer. The parties on board seeing nobody in the boat that we went for cduM not make out what I -was telling them by singing out 4t He is all right;" and you may guess were all rather surprised on seeing Mr Grace stand up as we went alongside, and also what I had risked in bringing him off. I now received congratulations from everybody, from his Lordship the Bishop of New Zealand down to the smallest boy in the steamer. I now saw the difficulty I had got into by rescuing the reverend gentleman, as my schooner was still inside the heads, so I immediately applied to Captain Freemantle for' a boat and crew to assist me in towing her out, which he kindly consented to by giving me two armed boats. As I was going ashore in my own boat I saw Tewai standing at the heads, and at once went and took him aboard, and found he had been away to the meeting with William King at the time. I was ashore looking for him ; he was there when the news came of Mr Grace's escape ; they immediately thought he (Tewai) was implicated in his escape and proposed to shoot him, when he very quietly, unseen by them, slipped away into the bush, and gained the place from which I took him. I then went with him alongside theschooner, where I found the steamer's boats alongside. When I found that Heremeta and two other natives bad been on board, searching for Mr Grace, but not finding him, they took away the canoe which was alongside, so that the men ora board should not escape (they, the natives* having no idea of my intention of my taking the schooner out), and they went ashore to collect more forces, but luckily we doubled them, and got over the bar with the schooner before there was any appearance of any great force, the crew of the man-of-war's boats pulling like bricks to get her out. Towed the schooner alongside the steamer and anchored her. Tewai and myself then went on board the man-of-war, and remained there, my brother going on board the schooner. Before I had arrived at the steamer in the morning bis Lordship the Bishop had sent two Maoris which he had brought up with him from Poverty Bay, to treat with the natives about Mr Grace, but they not coming back again, towards four o'clock, in the afternoon, Tewai volunteered to go ashore and see after them, and also endeavor to get his wife eff at the same time. Dark. — No signs of Tewai returning, or the other natives. About ten o'clock a cry was raised on board that they heard Tewai swimming off, and fancied they heard a number of natives after him. Capt. Freemantle immediatelyhad his whale boat lowered and picked him up. I went with Captain Freemantle to the surf, where we remained some hours with our rifles, ready at a moment's notice^ but got no tidings of any of them. I had not eaten anything for the last 36 hours, when Mr Hawkins and Mr Parker very kindly took me in their mess, for which I gratefully thanked them. Sent the schooner away during the night. Friday, 17th March. — His Lordship the Bishop, very anxious about the natives and the white men ashore, was endeavoring to gain some tidings of them in the captain's gig. Saw a large number of natives on the shore, when his Lordship and Captain Freemantle, with Mr Rice, determined to have a korero with them. They were away some hours. When they came on board they were very glad to welcome him back again, it being understood that the nat'ves from Poverty Bay would walk home from there. We hauled the boat up and got ready to go, when all at once we saw somebody running along the beach with a Union Ja^k flying. Captain Freemantle at once sent the whaleboat ashore, and brought off the two Maoris who were their ambassadors from the day before, and immediately steamed off for Maketu and Auckland. Tewai told us that the natives had ransacked and taken everything in the stores, as soon as they found I had taken Mr Grace away. We arrived in Auckland on Saturday night, passed the Curacoa, to which Captain Freemantle communicated the news. Before leaving with the schooner, I offered all the Europeans a free passage to Auckland.

COPT OF LETTER MENTIONED. " Opotiki, Sth March, 1865. " Captain Levy. " Dear Sir — Allow me to thank you, in the name of the Europeans at Opotiki, for the generous and prudent manner in which you acted during the late proceedings in. this place, and for the manner in which. you saved Mr Grace's life. " Yours sincerely, " A. Agassiz, MJ)." " Opotiki. "I, the undersigned, do hereby certify that I was present when M. and S. Levy gave up the whole of their store and their vessel to the natives, as ransom for the lives of the Reverends S. C. Volkner and T. S. Grace. M A. Agassiz, M.IX " 6th March."