FULL PARTICULARS OF THE ESCAPE OF MAORI PRISONERS FROM THE CHATHAM ISLANDS IN THE GOVERNMENT SCHOONER RIFLEMAN.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume XIV, Issue 599, 30 July 1868, Page 3

FULL PARTICULARS OF THE ESCAPE OF MAORI PRISONERS FROM THE CHATHAM ISLANDS IN THE GOVERNMENT SCHOONER RIFLEMAN.

THE MATE’S,JACCOUNT. (From, iiio { VTuliavapa Mercury/ July 21.) The schooner Rifleman arrived here yesterday afternoon, at 3 o’clock, from Poverty Bay, the chief officer (Mr Payne) being in command. Thenarrival of this vessel brings the unexpected intelligence that she (an English schooner owned by a Lyttelton firm) was the unwilling conveyor of the prisoners from the Chatfaams to the neighborhood of Poverty Bay. The story of a French whaler, commanded by a man named Le Baste, is totally without foundation, and we cannot imagine how such a hoax could have been perpetrated and believed at Napier. However, we now present our readers with full and reliable de* tails of the whole affair, taken down by our reporter from the lips of the chief officer. Mr Payne reported himself to the Government immediately on his arrival in this port, and, accompanied by Inspector Atcheson, proceeded to the Government Buildings. Subsequently he made a statement, which was taken down in writing, and will doubtless be dealt with by the Executive. Without further preface we now give THE CHIEF OFFICER’S ACCOUNT. The schooner Rifleman is owned by Messrs Wilson and M'Latchie, of Lyttelton, 82 tons burthen, and usually trades coastwise. She left Wellington for the Chatham Islands about a month ago (June 2S) being chartered by Air Walter Hood, cattle dealer of Christchurch, to bring cattle from the Chathams to Dunedin. She conveyed Government stores, arriving at the Islands on Friday. July 3 Ou that day Sergeant Elliott, of the guard of Armed Constabulary, came off to the vessel in charge of twjfve or fifteen Alaori prisoners to take the Government stores brought by the vessel ashore. Five boat loads of flour ' .v ; 'hat day. On Saturday, July 0. i; •; ' 1 heavily in the forenoon, no • .. • ne. Captain Christian (the r.i i. r■ : : .<• vessel) went ashore at 10 a.) - U: ict business with Air Hood,

■ ' ■ A marter party. At 1 p.m. Mr Hood came off to the vessel accompanied by another gentleman named Taylor, in the ship’s boat. He went into the hold and sampled some Cashs of ale. In the meantime, while the chief officer (W. A. Payne) was down in the hold with Messrs Hood and Taylor, Sergeant Elliott came on board, being rowed by a crew of prisoners, fora plough which was consigned to Captain Thomas, R M., and in charge of the guard. He took the plough and went ashore, accompanied by Messrs Hood and Taylor. As soon as the boat readied the beach those on board hoard a great hallooing and shouting by the Maori prisoners, and the report of four muskets. The Maoris were seen running backwards and forwards in a very excited manner on the beach. The prisoners then seized the Government boat, and ten of them came on board the vessel armed with rifles. On coming alongside the chief officer ordered them off, told them not to attempt to board and actually pushed two of them back in the boat. They insisted on boarding. There was another boat load of Maoris following the first, the natives swarmed on deck, and armed sentries were placed in the forecastle and cabin. The chief officer, the steward, and three seamen (in fact all bands) were forced to go aft under guard, being threatened with death if they dared to move. “Taihoa,” [By-and-by, or presently] was the word of command. Several of the fellows had swords which they brandished threateningly, and also exhibited pistols and revolvers. The rest of the Maoris were meanwhile busily employed in bringing off the women and children, making a total of about 200 souls. When all the women and children had been got on board, some of the natives went on board of the Florence, ketch, of Grey mouth, which was at anchor near the Rifleman. They forcibly took her and brought her up close alongside the Rifleman. Captain Priest and four men were on board the Florence. When all the prisoners had got on board the Rifleman, they ordered Captain Priest and his crew to go ashore in the Rifleman’s boat. They then lifted the ketch’s anchor and allowed her to drift on to the beach, where she was lying high and dry next morning. They then compelled the chief officer (Mr Payne). Capt. Christian being forcibly detained on shore, to weigh anchor and sail for the East Coast (Poverty Bay) which after much threatening was reluctantly done, the Maoris promising to spare the lives of the crew and surrender the ship as soon as they (the natives) were landed. Tbs head chief, or ringleader of the miscreants, came off nearly the last, and at once told the crew that if they did not convey them at once to Poverty Bay, they would all be killed. During all this time no signs of life or activity were visible on shore, and the chief officer feared that all tbs Europeans on tbs

island had been murdered. This (if the story subsequently told by the Alaoris be true), is happily not the case. Sail was made on the evening of the 4th inst., at 7 o’clock, but as it was blowing strongly from the westward the schooner co’dd not beat out, and had to run back to Waitaugi, the anchorage, for shelter. As soon as the sails were stowed, the crew were all ordered below, the chief saying, “ We will look after the ship.” The men went below-accord- 1 ingls. Next morning (Sunday, the sth) sail was made again, and the chief officer observed four or five persons standing in | front ot the barracks, and Captain Chris | tian and Air Hood walking on the beach. Nothing unusual occurred on the passage from the Chatham Islands to the East Coast (six miles south of Poverty Bay) until Thursday, July 9, when having a head wind for two days, the Maori chief, supposed to be named “Noatee,” ordered one of their number to be thrown overboard “to bring” (as they said) “a fair wind.” This was accordingly done about 7 a.m. The unfortunate man was dragged oia deck, his bauds were tied, and notwithstanding his pitiful cries of resistance, he was pitched overboard, like a dog. Hei was seeu for some time afterwards strug-j gling in the water, but his cruel fellowcountrymen did not relent. They evidently regarded him as a kind of Jonah, and he was sacrificed to propitiate the “ God of the Winds.” Truly this is an example of “a foul expedient for fair weather!”| The sacrifice of the wretched man is the | more remarkable, as it is stated that he! was the father of the head chief. A queer 1 mode of expressing filial affection ! The Alaoris were generally quiet throughout the passage, but an armed guard walked the deck day and night, narrowlv .watching every movement of the crew. A Alaori stood near the helm, armed with a carbine and sword, to see that the proper 1 course was steered. The crew was not! allowed to cook ; a half-cast named Raker, assisted by Maoris, took possession of the! galley and did all the cooking. Baker and some others spoke English fluently.' A quantity of hay was used for beds by the natives.

The Rilleman anchored off a place called W hareongaonga, sis miles south of Poverty Bay, on Friday, at seven pm. The landing of the natives, their women and children, occupied the whole night, during which the crew were kept befow. In the morning (Saturday), at daybreak, the Maoris commenced to take the cargo ashore, consisting of a large quantity of flour, sugar tea, a case of gin, and a couple of cases of porter; and also stole all the wearing apparel, blankets, Ac., that they could lay hands on. They finally brought two casks of water off to the slop, and told the Chief Ofiicer that he and his ship and crew might go as they (the natives) had done with them. Sail was immediately set, and the ship starred for this port being the seat of Government, and being anxious to report the whole allair at head-quarters as soon as possible. Ilead winds and gales from north-west to south were experienced for a whole week, during which no canvas could bo carried. This accounts for the delay in the arrival of the R ib, man. Cape Palisser was made on Sunday last, since which time light winds from S. to S. W. prevailed until Tuesday evening, when a breeze from X. W. sprang up, enabling the schooner to reach Wellington yesterday afternoon at 3 o’clock. The escaped prisoners are well provided with arms ; they had 3S rides, 7 double barrelled guns, 4 revolvers, 9 pistols, about half-a-dozen swords, 3 kegs of powder and a quantity of cartridges. All these, with tomahawks and other weapons of offence and defence will make them rather a formidable enemy in their entrenched position. On the passage, in reply to the repeated enquiries of the Chief Officer, the Maoris said they had killed no one in the Chathams, but had overpowered and “ tied them all up.” They appeared to bo very jubilant over their performance, laughing constantly, and evidently pluming themselves on their outwitting the too confiding white man.

The following were the exports taken by the Rifleman to the Chathams it will be seen that the Maoris have made a preftv eouisderable haul by plundering the cargo : —l7 tons flour, 5200 lbs sugar, 3 cwt tobacco, 6 gross pipes, S cwt soap, .1 case wine, 2 tons arrowroot, 2 do sago, 1 plough, Vennell; 1 case implements, Reader; 53 pkgs merchandise, 5 hhds ale, Turnbull, Reeves & Co ; 2 tons hay Hood ; 1 half cask ale, Dixon. The following passengers also went to the Islands ; —Miss Bauche, Miss Haydock, Miss Coffee, Messrs Chudloigh, Hood, Plunimer, Kerr, Peters, M'Latchie, lakara, Rewai. We have been told that one young lady went to the Chathams to be married. The ceremony was performed but the Maoris took a fancy to the wedding dress, and it is highly probable that some favorite wahine is disporting herself in the gorgeous robe on the shores of Poverty Bay,