JEAN BART.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 918, 10 September 1910, Page 14

JEAN BART.

TROUBLOUS TIMES. AT THE ■'.!'.:!■-'.'■, : ■ c H A JHAMSi' '-•'■••,'.". '.. ■OLD-TIME TRAGEDY RECALLED•■''.The: death 'of' Mr, ~A. ; Shand,' under painful, circumstances' at the • Chatham Islands, recalls-,;to the' memory.' a./paper :that gentleman 1 (who authorjty on the; Chathams and the Moriori) contributed: in 1892 to the .journal of the Polynesian.Society. .This'whs that highly dramatic,;. incident; , the massacre .of the ..orew;V. of the French; ;wh'aler. Jean 'Bart;,in March, '1839.'. . Getting -into the. Bay : of"' Waitahgi, -the barque' iniide '■■;a board : too {close' in, re l lat'es ifr." Shand,' and stirred up the hot-, tonii'.but, ..getting'.out two . boats,- they swung '.'her. round -by the jib-boom, and stood,;out .again,-:' '■:■ ■ By r this;time- a• ■ large .caioe'-of Matioros .arrived from Whangaroaj bringing ; acros. 1 .. a, num-ber:-''of .'.the'?:..-Ngatimutunga , natives,amongst > whom ? were To Mate-kaipuke, ; Tatua, -Nga-Pane, Toengn; '. te-. Poki," ,Te -Nohinohi.t:- and ;mahy, more. ,; v\Arrived: ; on ;.bbai'd,, '.they, cpni-, rnehced 'disputing;, .'among-'*''-whakahgutungutu—regarding '-the.;vessel... The Whangaroa- people .wished her to go to .their, placev'.-while-,'Ngatuna- of Wai--'tarigi; desired her' to stay iand'trade ; with Evidently -their ■excited gestures—so commonio'the'Maor'i . the captain,- who: invited about' -to : .go belpjr.- into - the 7 ?eabiii; ; ?where ;: he; g'avo 3 them'■; :wiiiev, to: rirink, /and distributed j,-bisouits;. to thosu. on .deck, - and sent '■; to ■'~ talk to them .an ; •English- sailor'; called .'"Tommy,"'-who ,was .previously v knbwn' : . to. Arapata Hakuturi, .i'he ,only,: living .'.survivor -of'- that' day." ---Tommy -, caine." down ■ in ,-,v ■ the - vessel as'; %ilot,';■.to■.■'sll6w'■ ; Hivhiile' gr6und^;-;He;had :been' : a'third.pr. 'fourth: 'mate -.on-: board -,;the.' -.. brig :■ ■ Beey: Which- was • whaling vin , Cloudy ; Bay .in, about ; 1832, : when Arapata ■ was, a ','hahd.'' He'told- Arapata. the.-captain r.was angry,; butiArapata/and:the .others',^could.-': , '?pt!;Ußderstandrfor;.what.banse.(: : :..Tommy f together: with '.the' steward, had been > de-'jinted-to treat the -Maoris to wine,-..in,: the cabin, and- he (Arapata) '.took several; : glasses-on-deck; 'rpassing', them'. 'up.'vand'j returningvthem' below.;;';Oh-.; one of-.his ■trips : h(ivnoHced;the.' captaiii'standing.bn: . to'pv-of: the- boats- handing'.dowh.vto ■ the. crew,.who-were ..close' arourid him,..'; the 1 .lahces; >. harpoohs, .-..and ;i;blubber-spades used'in '.whaling.', Arapata 'could -.not. understand': '; ' what.' • they : ,, were.■'-■; ■<■. about.' Others,-. telling,'.the ' .same'.'-stdry.;■ ■ afterwards, -remarked' : that •-.- they,; did not like" the look-, of ,-,the'' captain ■;and his...men, or'the getting 'down of. .the, irons; while others said,' "Cy they, are. only,"preparing '; No, sooner,/however, :w'ere-the weapons, m. the; hands■ of the-crewi than''they ,made;,a •rush'."-at the - Maoris:■ on .deck. A-thrust •.was'-'raa'deat'.Tikaokab'/iwho, parried "the the - weapon-'with ■'his ;bare. hands;:.and,. ;:it^^at: 1 the:'same • time■ *in\ themiddle, fromjlhis; opponent,; and thrnst him'through the body, at the same -time- shouting with :,a11... the energy, of ;an ; old 'warrior,; as. he .'was, "Ngatiawa. e!: :{e';.mat"aika!"-"0: ; ; Ngatiawa,v imihe'is the -first slain!'' 'This., was ; ;.th«, : ohly--revenge-,the'Maoris"'gotn;at this' part Vf-the':attack.v?,'-The";,ne'xtiihstant:;he:fell! dead■ on the'deck! 'run through: by. another' 'sailor; :: --:•.'At v ;the : 'isamb ;!;time;:-,Te;;Patu-.:Hapai:iwis;Tim-".trjrongh'.'fro.m''stdo to side: '■witfc-' & : lahce:'.'He ; :rushb'd ; :dowh:-into';: the. ic'abin■ shoiitirjg;.-:"I;-.am : ,..killed.''.-;.',. The Maoris .'below -then raised*;a- shoutj: ■ 'It W Nga r itahu!-),iThey.;,are f '..' in.: the;.: vessel.': Thiß'Vthey;'^^^id-tinAremehiJirance. ofo-.the ■■treachery—in''■:'-.whichi'sbme '■ of:; thorn -... as-sisted-foh V'boafd ; Stowart's' :.ves<sei- the when;,, Te -Maiharahui; !wns'taken-at'vßanks'B',!';Peninsula..: and brutally .killed' by: Te, Rauparah'a's tribe;; -Meanwml6Vth'e;''cww'Vw'ejrß/.'killingv_all-.1-on-. Meek.-' ,-i ('Three escapedy;-' who i rushed /Below':""t*) : "the v caD'iii''-,-. for:-:' safety/;i-.-The. Prerich sailors;; threw . the.',•' "dead 'bodies bv'erbo'ard; . while;- ; others' :•. • -jumped : ; over, All. this :.tjme;:there. -was ribiohe'-at^thb^.wheel;, A and 'the; Jean Bart /wasT.drif ting v-broateide.'-oh-.-"before; the: wind first ;"cb'ming onboard" all/the ashofo except; one sinall.'bn'e;.belonging, to.-Nga-.titama,'.',which :'- was;.-towing /'..alongside., .■'OTlle-',th'o";'.m l assaore : 'iwas; going.-, on ~.'on. : deck;' ;ohe:,:Pirika \ i:Tp ;:Auei.-,; brother;, of; ,'Wiremui : Kingi' i Merem.erei;;islipped Xovet: the'side/and "got Jntb'?the'canoe".::; He-w-as. too,terrified/.t0.'.100k .up, /but day'in, the bottom; ihb.. plaited., flax-; ■rope-'painter; ;;,db'h'e,V,;':the ;;canpe ■ drifted free ?of'' the 'lessor.' As soon;iu! / hl>' igbt:'tb asafe/distahce'.V-h'e-with'.'the'Jisame side-. rail'o^''the/iCaiibe. ; l.which;he..used : ;a's.':-;a: paddle,'-'and;,with-.it-man'figed..tb.la'nd .at, Te"'Wharau; i'aboiit!-six'.-miles' away ;'.from : Waitangi. Here : ,ie:met.; ; his::felative';Te'. Kati's... wife,'-who', sent 'her:husband.. : with 'him'':to'''.Waitangi;-.with. : liU' -speed, to join hist-.'ielatiyes"-';there,;for;-/owing .to'- the grim /custom:: which;- prevailed./ of • killing, those? 'who-were;;sayed;..fTbm "wrecks/: in' canoes;.as ; paymeht. v for the ,'lost people,' piTika's" life:would .not : have:'been;/safe. .Arriving-at' ,Wait'ah'gi;''.'hb' at;:lcngth; gave way;''to -his'pent-up"feelingsjby shouting the; cry -for.' a pa ."invaded by' a ..taua,', and then recited'the/losses/sb'far'as'he.-knew, 'them'.-.:"' Before ../leaving >: the '■vessel,;-, he said'it ■'.;was 'a. dreadful: sight -'to'-see ..the, men-'throira.-byerbbard; .'crimsdning/ythe.,' 'tea. /with their,.blood,. whilst others; who' jumped only'came: up : ,agam ' to; drown' -afterwards;.:,/.0ne../poor c/fellow asked:'.tb;sbeV'..takeh.-.4 PirikaV canbe,.: but not. allowed, Pirika V assighlhg'v ds >' ifr reasoiif / that' •he would, be :lrilled,by ! .Te!Eati;a's 6oon : hs^' they reached ; thb; shore;;;-//;; :;^

::S ; ;!;;:i;'AfiV;the'- First/Massacre!;. -! ;; /-.;■;; ''After. !fhe/Prbnch.,.lmd' killed-or/driven bverboard;all;'ou'deck,;they. turned their; attention -to! the - cabin;,/taking off; the skylights'and!getting out'!the.glass,'deck-' lights, so!'as' to ,haye;robnr-tb;:drive.: their lances .into :the/cabins.'and bunks; within' reach.'-,/-' (At-.the' /commencement, of, the attack oil deck, "Tommy" vaulted,out«oT the'.'cabin by ;the; skylight,'both he.'ahd' the ■.atewavd'getting;raivaj--out ofi, the. cabin.. ;.The';Maoriß:,said;:'had;he; 'stayed, he;would have -betin ".safe; biitilib' was.evi-'. dently/f rightened.) / ;' The -/French;; killed uhly ■• three in the.;cabin,/' and wounded .others.:-■;Arapata-narrpwly; escaped .being run' through' in'• ■ a''; room;; where he' .was, among "unbent": irons, etc.,' the weapon, aimed at him just missed his head,'but inflicted a severe wound-in his-lip!: Un-,' able/to.-killvahy'.mbre/o'r dislodge those in, the cabin;;-the. French,;..through /another English .sailor; from; .the Bay- -of Islands,'- Who!spoke -some Maori, proposed' to ceaso! fighting,' and. made a truce. At this, time''■;a -young;;fellow' named Toko and; a woman,named' Riha, the; only-ones oh; deck, and who hadbeen hidden in, the chains over the -bow;- were allowed ... to join their comrades'in"the cabin. It .was' then ' proposed-by' tho /French that"' the; -Maoris should/-.go ashore. ■'~ ,'On asking. :how;'they. -w.e'revtb.do so, they- were told, that /they, could .make, use of- the blubberroom board,-as "a .raft, /-This. they, recused to db.Veaying that the French only ! wanted: to "drown them, or attack and kill them as they came-on deck. -. Meanwhile . a//littl« '..incident'; occurred which, /as in" many: similar' circumstances, changed the aspect .of /affairs. /. Te PatuHapai (the/uplifted weapon)/ said: : "Get i'evenge;for yourselves,:4s:for. me, I die." ( As he died/Meremero looks; at .the .upward . position of-.his, thumb, and ■ from it, drew/an bmen'-.of-. success.-: / Meremere then'''-baked one Tame Kopae, v/hb had been a.voyago or. two.to Sytlncy and elsewhere, "Where do they' keep the . guns or. board -these. vessels ?' - .'.Pointing to' tha lazaret,,'!he,;"and . Arapata /replied,. "There". They!:.accordingly-, searched, ahd J found .four:, double-barrelled /guns loaded, one of which Matioro. took and brbko;-/: After; this, they found '/'a: single-, barrelled one;/ ahd'-then,:/;a; /case with single-barrelled also, flints, ;powder,,,and:/amm.uhitib'n./"",,jon':first find-, ing'.'the guns/'they;'had>no-',powder, but. had: 'sb'mb"-"r cartridges, i - brought w,ith, him, from - with which .they-/.loaded/brie/of!!tlie'/'g'uus. 'On first :fmding bue:/Bakitara' startled' them :all urii 'woke -them from.their torpor by shouting: "Wo; have found tho guns"—"b'a! ,e ;.ta . mu!;-kua kiten::nga pu!" time it .was growing dusk, and '.they■ noticed 'thV'mate' going round, apparently to- the iwhoti.'/oni the; outside of; the,-..bulwarks,-,,and' -as/'he' dropped 'down on .to the deck - Hakitara shot him through/the chest; Frbrii-Hhe way in which he" went round outside-the vessel ■it is -extremely /likely that the French dreaded that the" Maoris had-found the firearms.': As the/'man dropped, they shouted) ."Mate rawa!' mato rawa!—

"Killed outright! killed outright!" the usual ■. exclamation ou the death :of an enemy. Upon this the French throw on the skylights, and put chains on top to keep them down, but liio Maoris fprccd ; them up again from' below. They also put mon- on watch at the companionway,; who kept','up ,a..continual thrusting to and-fro all night/with their lances/to menace the Maoris' below! Shortly after this a woman named Pahi, Toenga's wife, shouted: "They are cutting through into the cabin." Others said; Let them ' cut,' and don't disturb them, so that wo "may see. them."/ Meremere had at this time another gun load-. ,Ed, and was waiting for the person who was-cutting through the bulkhead, ,1c was the..cooper who was' cutting, while' another man held a, lantern. Meremere shot the cooper as soon as ho. got.a full view of his body; the other 'man' dropped the lantern, and with a shout.rushed on dock.;'", The, hatches were then battened' down by the French from above.: /'The Maoris got tho lantern, then loaded'.their, guns!" ami eagerly, waited for the day, having determined to sally' on deck and attack the French so soon as morning broke. .. ■'.':■

;,..,.:'. the Last Scene. ■ ,-/■ '■Early in-the morning they heard a great.noise on-deck, and the lance thrusting/suddenly ceased. Looking out of the stern windows they.saw the French going off in three boats—according to .:Ara-pata-for four.by another account—but as Arapata .'.was on'• board- his story' ought to be correct.•'-. Although, a. large barque of tho size of tho Jean Bart ought .to have lowered four /boats, and had hands for,, that number,two boats were left on board on the skids. .As!they passed close by'■:'the stern of the' vessel the .Maoris rushed;on deck and fired a volley at the boats, without/apparently taking any effect. •■ .-. The" boats, then went off,in. a : westerly 'direction, 'apparently to New' Zealand;" By this time the- shipY was out: of-'sight, o'f-land. : ..The Maoris talked of chasing, the: boats, but'-did .not. doi so, finding they had all they ; could do to -steer and handle.the ship.' Luckily, for thenv four,of. those'on board had been 'to sea,-and knew a: little about' managing the sails.ahd steering. / Two of them 'had been /across to Sydney and , Robarttown in/whalers, 'while: others had been about Cloudy Bay . arid .'elsewhere on / shore, .whalers. ' Accordingly, on getting-up :on deck 'after the .French had", deserted the 'vessel, ; : they; first, -ascertained - that...the wind was' same as -when, they, got on board'the Waitangi—and ,' then commenced 'to beat back:.to the .island, after .some /'time/ making .the Pyramid' Islet;for. .Te' Rekokoe..- The"' wind, having veered ; to E.S.E.' -on / the. third-day .enabled- them -to-beat up;'and .bring the. Jean-Bart-into 'Petre-Bay. ; After, trying ineffectually'to get: into neither tWhangaroa,: br-'/Waitangi;:. the-i wind- then, .being east, they.made-Pohautu, or. Ocean.'Bay, and, anchored .there, but. left, the -sails unfurled,/so"'that'-she was drifted ashore, on' 'to - the rocks, and became a . wreck.' The/ship was 'looted'.' and- subsequently 'burnt: by the' .Ngatimutunga, :. as' some, sort-! of-satisfaction for the,' -.treatment. 'they-:had ■':experienced ; and, the jsuff brings they-.had'.undergone.'/:- .'/// V; /;':/