THE Wellington Independent. "Nothing extenuate ; Nor set down aught in malice." TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1862.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVII, Issue 1793, 18 November 1862, Page 2

THE Wellington Independent. " Nothing extenuate ; Nor set down aught in malice." TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1862.

MR. ROBT. GRAHAM'S ACCOUNT of the VVBECK of toe LORD WORSLEY. Elsewhere .we ieprint, from the Southern Cross, the narrative of the wveck of the Lord Worsley as written by Mr. Robert Graham. The account which it was hoped this gentleman would write, has been looked for with tbe greater interest from the circumstance of his being not merely a chief actor, but Jone of the only two who intelligent'y spoke and understood Maori. It is not surprising that a general desire existed that the very interesting account which Captain Vine Hall furnished the public with through our columns, should be supplemented by one from Mr. Graham ; the latter gentleman beingalone able to convey, correctly, not only what the natives really did siy but how they really did intend to act. Both as re- ; gards the sayings and doings of the passengers and the uatives we vend in Mr. Graham's narrative much that is entirely new, and which throws a very considerably lighter shade over what was before a very dark affair. Thus we learn- that Capt. Hull, Ciipt. Butler (M.G. A.) and himself, after examination " decided that " the vessel was a total wreuk, and from the " dangerous position in which' she was placed, " considered it would be little use in trying to " save anything belongingto her; Captain HalU "therefore, requested Captaiu Butler and my- (' self to explain to the natives that in the event «' of their using their best endeavors to assist us " to get to New Plymouth with our luggage,

" and after the Captain removed some of tbe " most valuable articles (which was ex.plai.ued " would not be much) that the wreck would be " left for tliem." Again, Mr. Graham says he told them "we leave the wreck for you, we will not return to take it away." We aie at a loss to conceive how, after Captain Vine Hall had thus promised the natives that for certain services to be rendered, the wreck would be abandoned to them, it was possible to sell it ~ by public auction. We have heard of a sailor praying to the Virgin during a storm, promising her a "candle as big as the main-mast" if he did but get safely to shore ; but we cannot suppose, that Captain Hull evet for a moment conceived the intention of promising large things to the natives in the time of his trouble, with, the. view of deliberately breaking that promise so soon as those natives had helped him out of it ; and we honestly acquit him of any such baseness. The sale of the wreck must have been & pro forma affair, wilh the understanding that the Government should nominally purchase and leave the vessel to its fate. We have not now to do with the many questions that arise out of the propiiety of abandoning a wreck to the plunder of the natives — that unquestionably is a great evil ; but it is an evil which, in this case, cannot be otherwise than endured by the colony in a very differeut spirit now that they know the Worsley was" given to the natives by Capt. Hall's directions, than that iv which it was endured when in igaorance of the facts of the case. Tuis narrative satisfactorily disposes of the reports relative to the jeopardy in which the lives of the castaways were placed. Mr, Graham, it appears, assured the natives that there were no fire-arms on board ; but on searching they found a passeuger's gull secreted under the the coals, a revolver belonging to the Captain, and some ammunition. "This, Mr. Graham says, was very- annoying " to me, who was ignorant of fire-a.itns being on "board, having previously told them. there were «' none; they said they would not believe me in " future." This apparent deception was afterwards used as an excuse for entertaining the idea of keeping the passengers in custody. Mr. Graham says :— " About twa a.mv next morning " I heard Arama Karaka outside spe.iking r very " excited. I called him iuto.tbe house and asked " what was the matter ; he said his heart was " dark, that we would all be made prisoners in " the morning; tbat we were all going to the " Whare-bere-here. He left to join W. Kingi. " I got up and went to. the flax where they, .were "silting. They soon commenced their talk. " They first said, ' Why did the captain destroy " the powder ?' ' Why was the gun hidden " amongst the coals?' ' Why be deceitful to us V '» Throughout the whole of Mr. Graham's narrative we do not once find that the passengers were in any greater danger than this ; while so far from their lives being threatened, the only native who spoke of such a thing was an acknowledged lunatic, and was quickly bundled out of the way.

The proverb about tbe devil not being so black as he is sometimes painted, certainly holds good in this case. Bad as the conduct uf the Natives may have been, Mr. Graham's nanarative shows that it was not so bad as it was at first represented to be ; and will therefore be read with pleasure by all who care to know the truth. The adventures connected with the recovery o-» the gold, now fur the first time narrated, wilj satisfy the feelings of curiosity whiqhallofus have felt, and the perusal will be all the more pleasurable because of the pur et simple- manner io which they are related. The whole account marks Mr. Graham as the man . for an emergency — net only full of courage, hut of great calmness and presence of mind, with which is is combined a. physical strength that enables him personally to execute whatever plan which his ready wit devises.