A PIONEER COLONIST.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3360, 1 December 1871, Page 3

A PIONEER COLONIST.

(From the Southern Ceoss). Amongst the passengers by the Hevo a short time ago was Captain Ho>ell, a gentleman intimately connected with the early history of New Zealand and the Australian colonies. In 1824, Captain Ho veil, in company with Mr Hume, explored for the iirst time Port Phillip, and passed through the colony of Victoria. Many years previous to thut — namely, in 1815 — Captain Hovell, when in command of the brig Trial, met with an adventure at the Bay of Islands, which nearly terminated fatally to the whole ship's crew. The T.ial and the schooner Three Brothers were lying in what was then called Trial Harbor, Waitangi, New Zealand, lat. 3fi 40 S , 175-19 E. In a letter written in 1815, to the directors of the New Zealand Company, Sydney, Captain Hovel 1 described the occurrence ; and from his account then given the following items are culled : — " At half-past l'Z p.m. that day 1 observed a number of canoes filled with men alongside both vessels, but, being on such friendly terras with the natives, I apprehended no danger whatever occurring to us. A part of the crew were below at dinner, and two of the principal chiefs only were on deck. I was on the quarter-deck with one of the chiefs named Nanooroo, making up the masts 1 had purchased for them. The signal for the attack was given by the other chief striking me a severe blow on the neck with a short club. I fortunately escaped a second blow by fulling between the mainmast and pump. I then rushed forward and made my way down the forecastle hatch. By this time the natives

had rushed on board in crowds, and took complete possession of the upper deck : and about 15 or 20 of them had jumped down Between decks. These were despatched by our people, who had theirarms in readiness. Eaoh man was provided with musket and bayonet, cutlass, and cartouche-box, &c, always ready for use. We had to consider how to prevent any fresh incursion upon us from above. By placing a man armed with a musket at each corner of the different hatches, I soon cleared the main deck. The assailants then retreated to the quarterdeck and forecastle, as they were out of the range of our fire. We then fired through the glass skylight with two muskets loaded with buck shot ; this did considerable execution, and caused the desertion of the quarter-deck, the natives making a general rush to the forecastle and the long-boat. We killed a great number in passing. It was at this time they were put to their greatest stand, and so continued until the arrival soon afterwards of Jacka Wana, a native of tho Bay of Islands, whom I had shipped some months previously, and who had deserted me on our first arrival in Trial Harbor. T afterwards learned that this man had been concerned in cutting off another ship at Whangaroa, and I have no doubt that he was both the originator and promoter of this attack upon ourselves. This man gave directions to cut both hemp cables, and haul the ship ashore, which was immediately done. The natives still concealed themselves in the longboat, and other parts of the vessel. I then ordered that some musketry should be fired through the bottom of the boat, and, in consequence of our firing, the natives were dislodged and driven overboard, and we became re-possessed of our vessel. The schooner Brothers, however, was in full possession of the natives, they having completely mastered the small crew that were in it. The natives had also cut both of her cables, and hauled her on shore, nnd had removed from her every article that could be converted to their own use. As she lay from us only about half a cable's length, I turned upon her all our swivels (eight in number), as well as small arms, by which the vessel was cleaved of tho enemy ; and Mr Burnett and the remainder of the crew obtained possession of the deck, and joined us in keeping up a constant fire on the natives, who were endeavoring to escape by every means in their power. Tarn sure the number of natives concerned in the attack could not be less than 1000. From this circumstance, and the manner in which our guns were loaded, about twenty musket- balls and grape shot in both the carriage-guns, the slaughter on their side must have been great. Soon afterwards we weie able to float the schooner, and at seven o'clock the following morning we recovered the end of the small bower cable. At nine o'clock we buried our unfortunate countrymen who had been murdered the day before. At ten o'clock, a strong party of men were sent ashore under the command of Mr Burnett to destroy the town and canoes, &c, and which in the course of the day they did most effectually." Captain Hovell is now over 80 years of age, but is hale and hearty, travelling about the colonies which he has seen under such different circumstances, as they advanced from barbarism into their present importance and prosperity.