NARRATIVE OF THE WAIRAU MASSACRE, AND PROCEEDINGS CONNECTED THEREWITH.

Auckland Times, Volume 2, Issue 58, 20 February 1844, Page 4

NARRATIVE OF THE WAIRAU MASSACRE, AND PROCEEDINGS CONNECTED THEREWITH.

We shall read with carefulness the ** Supplement to the Nelson Examiner /’ containing an account of the Wairoa Massacre; and if we think it prudent to do so under present circumstances, we shall re-pubiish it. In the mean time we make an extract from its first page. I , Of Rauparaha and Ranghiaita. As every; thing concerning the massacre at Wairau., may be expected to become the object of a painful interest in England, it may not be amiss to reprint, for the information of these unacquainted with New Zealand history, the following notices of the two chiefs Rauparaha and Ranghiaita, who took the most prominent part m that terrible event. “ The history of Rauparaha,” says Col. TWakefield .in his third despatch to the AMew Zealand Company, written in 188S>, •fii the most eveatful and worthy of recerd of any eskting .New Zealand chief. F*> expuhdor.. a.uu :hat of ail his mime* pinue, from A’roir native Whs*r!r*, K** 4 ''-*.. by thy Waikat«-*t»d Bay ’of Islands hosts, Is v eil known to you . iftwi the men don N h ».s received in uuine'roui.works this country. Their forcihia secure and occupation, in their .turn, of a!? ihe coast land on both sides of this strait has also been described; but the means he has employed for the aggrandizement of his people, and the causes of hie pre-eminence and influence amongst all classes and clans, extending also to the foreign residents and visiters in the ysoulhern parts of these islands, have not been dwelt on. “ Ranparaha is at least sixty years old, When a young man, he acquired a reputation for strength ar.d courage, founded on his skill in native warfare, which his wiliness and success in all his undertakingsliave preserved for him in his old age. He came from Kafia as ihe fighting genera! o l Ti Pahi ; and, after the death of the latter at Otago, by Tasroa and the South-' ero tribes, became chief of the tribe. To revenge Ti Pahi's death, which was accomplished by tying him up by the heels to a tree and cutting his throat, at which | his enemies sucked his blood, Rauparaha engaged with the master of an English vessel, by name Stewart, to carry him and >o?m i r his people to Otago, under piet id of it trading voyage, where the >yr : vr waxed os board » leading chief «nd his family, 44 Some of these were immediately killed ; after which Rauparaha and Stewart, with their myrmidons, landed and laid waste the settlements, killing every mat, woman, and child that came in their way. The chief who had been enticed on botrd was made fast in the cabin by aftook through his throat ■; and, in despair at seeu.g his j daughter aboujt to become die violin of j these monsters, kpled her with bis fyrn hands. During the voyage back to iv£|riiUse old m*n was despatched * and v, is a fact, that one of the ship's coppers Was in use for cooking human flesh for his guest, and that Stewart and pis crew participated, if not in the feast, in the atrocious murder , and revolting preparations for it. “ By similar treachery has Rauparaha acquired his power in other paump,. and. become the terror of all ihe neighbouring tribes, Enable to copy with ifie Ngatia->

was, whom be wau forced to nllow j live on the lands in Queen Ghaiiotie Sound, Port Nicholson, and on the main abreast of Kapiii, when they were driven from Tarauaki, he is occasion-ally in adiance with them, and more than once ias led into an encounter with their mutual sottihern enemies, for the purpose of deserting them with ids people in the midst of the fight ; by losses in Which manner they have been much thinned. In all negotiations, Rauparaha is considered skilful, and is referred to upon many occasions. In his dealings with Europeans and Americans, he makes use of alternate begging and extorting measures, according to the power of resistance to his demands be may meet with; and might, it he had been prudent, be now extremely rich by his trafficking for supplies for slops, and the presents he has received. He receives tribute from nnmeroiis petty tribes aud slaves * and the stronger tribes are occasionally constrained to purchase peace at his hands.

“No longer since than last week, to afford a treat to the chiefs of Nyatiroco, or Boiling-water tribe, who assembled at Maiqi upon the occasion of the mourning for his sister’s death, he sacrificed a slave of the Rhangatanis, who had come from Admiralty Bay with presents of dried fish ; but my informant, ati Englishman,who saw ihe unfortunate man being dragged to his fate, says that more disguise as to the disposal of the body was made use of than heretofore, in consequence of Rauparaha having of late professed himself a missionary, and that he intended to discourage cannibalism.”

In another place the Colonel writes, “ He seldom stays long in any place, but! goes from settlement to settlement, often in the night, to avoid any design against his life from his foes on the main. He came on board in the afternoon on one of his pillaging visits, and, after talking largely, dropped into his begging tone. Finding me proof against threats and entreaties, as a last resource to obtain a present, he proposed to me to go on shore to see a young girl. Notwithstanding the many bad qualities of this old man, In.- blustering, meanness, and unscrupulous treachery, he possesses,some points ch . i. aaeier'vvortny of a cfirel amongst savages. He is full of resources in emergeiudes, hardy in enterprises, and indefatigable in the execution of them, “ Making every allowance for his condition, and knowing how his intercourse wi ll lire refuse of European society has affected him, it is impossible for ihe most charitable ie have any feelings towards the old fellow but those of aversion. It will be a most fortunate thing for any settlement formed hereabouts when he

dies ; for with Iris life only will end his mischievous scheming and insatiable cupidity.” “ In person, Rauparaha is riot conspicuous amongst his countrymen, bis height being rather under the average H is years sit lightly on him ; he is hale and stout and his hair but slightly touched with, grey. His countenance expresses keenness and vivacity, whilst a receding forehead and deep eyelids, in raising which his eyebrows are elevated into the furrows of his brow, give a resemblance to the ape in the upper part of the face, which 1 have remarked in many of the natives. He was cleanly dressed in the ordinary mat and outer blanket worn as the toga ; slow and d gnified in his action ; and, had not his wandering and watchful looks betrayed h<- doubts >us to his safety, perfectly easy in his address," Dr. Dieffenbacb, speaking of ihe same interview, which iot>k place just after a battle excited by Raupaiaha between two neighbouring tribes, iu which sixteen of his allie: had been killed and fifty wounded, thus describes his appearance and manner :— ** We found him sitting on the ground with Id's wifi Etope, wrapped up jh» mats and blankets, and painted with red ochre. He is between fifty anriyjs x- ■ years old, with remarkably Jewish features, an aquiline nose, and a cunningphysiognomy.” In another place Dr. Aietfenbaeh says, t! Individuals are occasionally met with who have six or more toe or fingers on a foot or hand. The well-known chief, Rauparaha is distinguisheo by this peculiarity.” *• His manner was very restless;, he was rather sparing oi ids Word!, and seemed much depressed at the issue of the battle. He was very generally considered to have

been the instigtAor of this contest; how- ! ever, he denied the charge, and said he wished for peace. There seemed to be no reason to doubt the truth of the accusation, as he bears ait old hatred to the Ngatiawas, He went out on the morning of the battle toward a VTaikunuhi to await (in safety) the issue, and perhaps to partake of the spoil.” About fifteen yeafs since Rauparaha headed an expedition against the natives resident in Blind Bay, and eh her drove into the bush or slaughtered the whole of the inhabitants, and divided their land amongst ins followers and allies. We know less of Ranghiaita than oi ! Rauparaha, who is accustomed to style himself King of New Zealand. The former is called by Colonel Wakefield “ RaupaEraha’s fighting general.” He is ot the Ngatiawa tribe, the son of an old prophetess of great renown. He has the t reputation of being one of the most ferocious of the New Zealand chiefs. The < 1 uck'and Chronicle, she G overnrnent paper, styles Rauparaha and him “two of the most powerful and least civilized chiefs of that part of New Zealand.” Upwards of n year ago Ranghiaita attacked some setters who rented land near Porirua, destroyed their houses, and drove them off. The Police Magistrate of Wellington, having been applied to, refused to interfere. At the subsequent assizes an indictment was found against Ranghiaita for the offence, and a bench warrant for his apprehension applied for. This the Chief Justice, assuming a very questionable power, refused, alleging that it lay in the discretion of the Court* Ranghiaita remained at large, and the next thing heard of him is the part he took in the massacre at Wairau. The tribe to which these chiefs belong has latterly resided at Porirua and the neighbourhood, about twelve ra les N» W. of Wellington, Both of them signed the treaty of Waitangi, by which they surrendered their sovereign rights to the Queen of Great Britain* Boih of them signed ihe conveyance to Colonel Wakefield of all their territories on each side of Cook’s Straits, including those in C pady Bay. Nevertheless, they have resisted all attempts of the whue >n to y the lands so purchased—have occasionally made Regressions upon those who had settled on 1 the Mult, aud driven from their clearings.