STORIES OF THE PENINSULA.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 634, 11 August 1882, Page 2

STORIES OF THE PENINSULA.

No. 27.—The Massacre. The following narrative, of the Maori massacre was published in tho Auckland Herald. It was written by a Canterbury resident in reply to a tale told by John Mannon, a celebrated " Pakaha Maori," whose history of the affair was published in the northern capital. The compiler of these stories gives it space here, because be wishes to place before his readers everything that is known on the subject:— In your weekly issue of Jan. 20, I notice your comments on one of the most shocking stories in Maori history, as told by the late John Marmon, and which you believe to be substantially accurate. You further state that C.iptain Stewart, the well-known discoverer of Stewart's Island, ftew Zealand, was master of tho vessel thai took Te Rauparaha and his party to Banks Peninsula, and th.it his name will always be infamous for his connection with the atrocious massacre there. In justice to the memory of the dead, I feel it my duty to cerrect your statement, and not to allow the name of one of our earliest pioneers to be handed down to posterity in connection with that sad affair. Now, sir, Captain Stewart, the well-known discoverer of Stewart's Inland, and Captain Stewart, master of the brig Elizabeth, were nototiQ and the same person—the former was for many years master of a trading and sealing vessel sailing out of the port of Sydney. In one of his sealing expeditions he discovered the island which now bears iiis name. In his old age he retired from, the sea, and took up his abode with an old friend, a Mr Harris, of Poverty Bay, with whom he lived until the day of his death, which occurred in the year 1843 or 1844. Hβ \Vhb a man inuci, respected, and on h<s visits to Auckland could be easily recognised. No doubt there are a few old settlors still living that have seen, as well as myself, a very tall man walking up Sliortland street in full dress of Stuart tartan (Scotch plaid), and who will recognise in the description Captain Stewart the discoverer. Marmon states that Captain Stewdrl on his arrival in Sydney, was arrested and put in prison, where he remained fix months. This is not true. I may state that I airived in Sydney in April, 1833, when everything connected with this notorious voyage was quite fresh in everybody's memory. I have hoard it related over and over again. It appears Captain Stewart, after leaving New Zealand, made his way to Sydney. Soon after his arrival the news got spread about, and finally reached the ears of, the Government, but whether from having no jurisdiction or for want of sufficient evidence I cannot say, no immediate action was taken in arresting Captain Stewart. In the meantime, and while the Government were deliberating, Stewart cleared out of Sydnej , , and sailed for a port in South America. This was the last heard of Captain Stewart or the brig Elizabeth in these Colonies. As to Marmon's account relative to conversing with Captain Stewart and John Cowell after their return to Kapiti, I should say it is a fabrication; for to my knowledge Marmon had been living in llokianga, where he died, for nearly fifty years. I have never heard of his Jiving at any tim 3 in the South. Ag;iin, it is the first time that I ever heard John Cowell's name in connection with Captain Ste-vart or tho brig Elizabeth. In referring to Captain Stewart and his infamous voyage, I may relate the story as I heard it at the time I speak of—viz.: In the early days of Now Zealand, thoro was a great chief mimed Te Pahi (head of tho tribe to whom Te Rauparaha belonged), who was taken to Sydney, aud from there to England, where ho was presented to King George, who was very kind to him and made him several presents, and told him when lie returned to his country to be good to tho white man. On To Pain's return, ho was full of-what ho had seen in England. He appears to have been a very good man, and anxious to tell of the wonderful things he had seen to other tribes. lie went with a small party in a canoe to Akaroa (Banks' Peninsula) to pay a friendly visit to the chief, Te Mairanui. On his arrival, ho and his party were treated very kindly. Not having any suspicion of the troachery in store for them, they all went into the pa, whon Te Mairanui and his men fell on them and killed every man. When the news reached Kapiti, there was great excitement among fa Pain's tribe, of whom To Rauparnha (after le Pahi's doath) was head. Of course, as was the custom then, the tribe were bound to have their revenge on the first opportunity. This opportunity offered when Captain Stewart made his appearance. Whether Captain Stewart was aware oC the real intention of the Natives is a mystery, but for certain he was promised a largo quantity of flax. On the arrival of the vessel in Akaroa, the Natives, as was the custom, soon came on board to trade, among them, the chief Te Muiraritfi and his daughter, a gir-1 from, ten to twelve years of age. During this time. To Rauparaha and his party were in t'ue ship'a hold, keeping out of siglit. As noon as the decks wtiru'full of 'nieni frorii th'a .sh.oje, Te Raiiparah-iiV"-party ruslie'd"'up from .below, and killed all they uoujd, vvitli. the exception of Te ■Ivlairormi &nd TiiVi' daughter, wlu'in they took alive. .\Te<-fiaujp4ra'ha' and'hi* men then jv.ent onshore,, took the pa, and killed all. they came across. It

was rumoured that human flesh was cooked in the ship's coppers, but ttiis appears to be doubtful. The brig then eaiied for tho Island of Mana, in Cook's Straits. On the passage I'o Mair.mui was lashed to the mainmast, and hid little daughter allowed to walk about the deck. The etory goes that one day Te Mairanui called his daughter to him, and, using these words, said, " They are going to kill me; they shall not kill or mnko a ekve of you." With that he took hold o her And daehed her brains out against the comhingH of tho main hatchway. On the arrival of the brig at Mana, Te Mairanui was taken ashore, and killed in this way:— He was hung up by the heels, a vein cut in hie throat, and as he bled to death, they caught the blood in a bowl, and drank it. I have never heard (as Mr Travers asserts) that a red hot ramrod was pushed through his neck, or that Te Mairanui's wife was taken by tho party of Te lUuparaha. 1 have not read Mr Travers' work on " The Life and Times of Tβ Rauparaha," but I question very much whether ho was better informed than myself. Marinon cays that Te Rauparaha and his party went overland from Cloudy Bay to Banks Peninsula. Now, this of itself is sufficient to throw a doubt over his whole version. And, again, he must have been quite ignorant of the geography of the Middle Island of New Zealand, or he must ! have known that it was impossible in those days to travel the distance without canoe*. Then for Teßauparahato bring away fifty slaves was another impossibility. How Could he cross the miny rapid rirere ; where would he get food from for them ? There was little or no fern root ac in the North Island ? are ail questions to be asked. Then, again, Rauparaha's settlement or pah I was on tbe North Island. He had no settlement or Bah in thoso days on the Middle Island, being al wayi in fear of Bloody Jack and hie tribe, from whom he had several narrow escapee. At one time they had a desperate fight in Fighting Bay, close to Port Underwood, in Cloudy Bay, which is called to this day Fighting Bay in memory of the fight referred to, so that it is very clear that Te Ratiparaha would have to take his departure for his own settlement on the Norih Island, and this could not bo done without canoes. Then again, natives in those times never travelled any distance by land when thoy could go by water in their fine large war canoes, carrying from 50 to 130 men. If Marmon's version 18 true, Rauparaha had full satisfaction or revenge for hie brother being killed, in killing the unfortunate natives, and taking away the 50 slaves. He would not have gone a second time. It is the first time that I have ever heard JohnCowell's name in connection with Captain Stewart. I may state that I arrived in New Zealand in May, 1836, in the whaling ship Louisa, of Sydney, Captain Hay wood. We anchored under Mana Island, in Cook Strait, where the ship remained during the Bay whaling season, from May to October. Te Rauparaha was our chief, or we were under hie protection, for which he was welt paid in blanket?, &c. Although he was a terror aineng the Natives, he was always very good to the whites ; in fnct, in one instance, I have to thank him for saving my life. It happened in thin way. I was ashore with a bout's crew, tilling water ca.sks, when To Rauparaha's son, a lad about 16 to 17 yoara of age, was very trouble-wine to our men, nnd annoyed them so much that one of our crew in n huely moment struck young To Rttiparahi in the face, and made his noise bleed. Now, to draw blood from a chief was one of tho greatest crimes that could be committed, and the transgressor very seldom escaped with his life. When the Natives saw the blood they were very much excited, and came rushing upon tho crew, flourishing their tomahawks. We all thought our last hour had coin •• Old Te Rauparaha, hearing the noise, ca<no out of hia hut to see what was up. On hearing the particulars, he told the Natives not to touch the white men, for his eon was in the wrong. Hβ must take his own part, and fight the pakeha—very good, one Maori, one pnkeha. It ended in a stand-up fight, in which, to onr dulight, young Raiipar.-tha got a good thrashing, and we were thankful to got off with our lives. However, young Rauparaiia soon forgot it, ami wo wero ever afterwards the best of friends. Had not old Riuparaha been at haul, I am afraid it would have been rather a serious matter for us