A NEW ZEALAND HEROINE.

Waipa Post, Volume XX, Issue 1243, 16 May 1922, Page 6

A NEW ZEALAND HEROINE.

OUR GRACE DARLING.

On the memorable morning of Ist September, 1863, the brigantine Delaware, 241 tons, was wrecked near Wakapuaka, Nelson, and the crew were out of sight or hearing of all human assistance. The mate, Henry Squirrel, who was a powerful .swimmer, and a remarkably brave man, tied a rope round his waist in the vain attempt to swim to the shore. He was immediately dashed 'by the rough eea on to the rocks, and rendered insensible, apparently dead. He was hauled on board by the rope round his body, and laid on one of the bunks. When all possibility of rescue had been cut off, five Maoris—four men and a womanappeared on the scene, and, led by the woman, they bravely dashed into the surf and swam to a rock near enough to the ship for the lead line to be thrown to the rock. This line they took on shore, and dragged a rescuing line after it, which two of them held so as to prevent it being broken by any motion of the ship. The other three, including the woman, swam out again and assisted the Europeans in their dangerous attempt to reach the shore. In this way all were saved except the disabled mate, who was supposed to be dead. The mate afterwards recovered, and stood up on deck, and in a few minutes he was washed overboard.

The woman who performed the fine act of heroism, an act only paralleled by Grace Darling, was a Maori named Julia, the bravest of the brave, and a woman whose name should be a living memory to New Zealanders for all time—our own Grace Darling. The Government of the day gave £SO each to Julia and her husband, and £lO each to the other Maoris, and the settlers of Nelson gave each a gold watch and a complimentary address, the wording of which was as follows: " That deed made Grace Darling a heroine; her fame spread throughout Europe; and,her memory is still fondly cherished wherever the English language is spoken. And like her, Julia, your name and deed will find a place in 'local history. Your brave act is one of which a Queen might be proud. We present you with a watch, whereon your children and their successors may read with pleasure an inscription which testifies to the esteem in which you are held by the settlers of Nelson."