THE MAORI MESSENGER. Auckland, January 19, 1819.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume 1, Issue 2, 19 January 1849, Page 1

THE MAORI MESSENGER. Auckland, January 19, 1819.

UNKNOWN have told you dear friends, of the first UNKNOWN of Tasman and of Captain Cook to New UNKNOWN. We are, now, about to say someUNKNOWN of Australia; —a very large island, not "distant, and whose principal city, Sydney, ■frequently been visited by many of the ives of these islands. Australia is of such a great size, that it has •ady been divided into four countries. The t and principal is called New South Wales. e nest which was settled was named Swan r,or Western Australia. The next I'ort / , or Australia l'elix ; and the last, Australia. nc\' South Wales was explored by Captain ': in the same year that he first visited , Zealand. Might years afterwards it was possession of by Kngbnd, as a place to ..ch to banish thieves and oilier bad men nail broken their country's laws, and who, punishment,'were sent to a new and v y laud. In the course of a few years, Ver, the industry and the intelligence of ('•men created a blooming garden out of a in wilderness. Their pigs —their goats—r sheep—their cattle —-their horses—their t'.—their maize—their potatoes —and all pther beasts and products of the field in--•rci and multiplied in the most surprising mr'r—so much so, that the then King of '■*- Id thought it too line a country for only 1 men of England. I He, therefore, gave . liicouragenieiit to honest and industrious t < to settle there. Ile gave them laud for no. t, and many other benefits, and he sent sold to protect their lives and properties. -M:T.liousand families left Kiiglaiid for it, n-.tapered exceedingly. 'J hey shipped the oj. their sheep to Huylaiid : —their com,

their butter, ilicir chwse, ilu-ir meat, ami many other things, to different plates. You, yourselves, see their horses, their cows, ami their sheep continually coming into Auckland—to Port Nicholson—-to Nelson —to Taranaki —anil to other places, l-'or these animals, food, and wool, the people of Sydney receive money, blankets, calico, clothes, tea, sugar, tobacco, and other commodities grown in the far distant parts of the different quarters of the world : and since you have had wheat, maize, pigs, and other articles of your own to sell, you have been able to acquire money, blankets, clothes, lea, sugar, and many of the other articles that are consideied absolute necessaries by every civilized people. And these good things you may command for yourselves in much greater abundance than you have ever yet been able to do. You may easily become rich enough to buy coats and trousers, and to throw away the duty blankets, which are only proper for your beds, and which no civilized people would wear in the streets. We will show you luvv. When you gave the shadow of your land to Queen Victoria, you became' the hrotheis of Knglishmcn. I'mglishmeneame among you, not to rob or to plunder you, but to buy and to sell wilhyou,aud to instruct you in (hearts of peaceful industry. To show you how to improve the laud that as yet lies waste, and to point out how, in conjunction with litem, you may become the greatest nation in this quarter of the globe. If you knew what a proud people the I'luglish are", you, too, would be proud to tliiuk that you, who, but a few years since ate each other, and were sunk in such utter mental darkness, that you were looked upon by the rest of the world as the most brutal of men—you would be proud, ami reasonably prom!, to think that the greatest nation in the world esteems you worthy of being admitted into.enjoyment of all it i privileges. Kuglaud has acquired the sovereignty of many savage lands; and their savage owners have, in return, acquired Kuglish privileges and protection. All lands, however, are not equally savage, nor are their inhabitants all equally ignorant. You have reason to bless God, thai your ignorance proceeds from no want of natural intelligence. It is attributable simply lo a want of instruction, without which Koglaml, in limes gone by, was as ignorant and as savage as you. The intelligence imparted to her has made her the first of nations. That intelligence her sons are here to impart to von. Kverything must have a beginning, and in a few years we hope, that instead of presuming to instruct you, as we are now en Jeavouring to do, that your sons and daughters will be able to leach and to instruct us Had and designing men may tell, and we believe have told you, that Krtglishmen aie anxious to stiip you of your lands. They may, to induce you to believe them, point to Australia, where the natives occupy no laud. It is true ihe'y do not —but why ! Hecauso they are savages with no brains—no industry—no^ililelle'ct—and, like brutes, they but roam the surface of tlift ciu'.li, instead of (as you do) rendering it the means of supplying them with food and habitations.

Listen, whilst we au<|u:'.iiit you how, the wise people of Huglaud, I'ranci', and Ameiicu, describe the tribes of Australia. *' The natives are a most savage race of people. 'lhey go entirely inked (unless in towns, where the whites have taught them decency), and paint their bodies with various colours, and ornament themselves with heads and shells. The men, at. an eaily age, knock out one of the fore teeth »f the upper jaw. The women cut oil'two j jints ot the little linger. They are too igiimant and 100 indolent to dig the ground. They live upon fruits and roots, and animals and li'sh, which they eat nearly raw. Their canoes are nothing more than large piece.i of b.uk lied up at both ends. 'I heir liu!j consist of pieces of baik laid at the end, very low, but long enough for a man to lie at full length. They are very expert at throwing the spear. Their numbers are cnceedingly few in comparison to the immense extent of country, and the early jealousy of the Europeans has now given place to pity and contempt." You will perceive from this brief description that you are a superior race of men, whilst the Australians, unhappily, are a very inferior. You aie tilted by Providence, to become the friends, the brothers, the very counterpart of Knglishmen. Heed no! ba'J men _wjiett.„tl»i'y tell you K;i-

/ lislnnen will exterminate you. You will be like Englishmen themselves in times of old. You will marry, anil you will give in marriage to and with Englishmen, until the tw,o races by love and mutual interest shall he lout in one. You will win honour and riches—and that because you are an honest, an up. right, and an intelligent people. Australia is, now, a great country; but New Zealand will speedily become a much greater. Let us explain why. The country is much finer. The soil is more fertile, and it is not burned up as that of Australia is. It has also a delightful succession of the never failing brooks and rivers, for want of which the flocks and crops of Australia periodically perish. Believe it, dear friends, the English are here not for their own advantage only,but for yours. All good men consider your interest their own. They seek to buy and to sell, and to live among yon, justly and fairly. They respect you as one brave race always respects another. We have begun to write this paper to prove the love we bear you, that by teaching you all ivc ourselves know, we may enable you to become happy and prosperous. To do so you must become educated and civilized. We have acquainted you how the Hawaians have sprung from a horde of savages to a people respected by the whole world. Are you less capable or clever than they 1 Not at all ! If we thought so, we should be sorry to give ourselves any trouble about you. After so long a speech, we will tell you a tale of the doings of some of the thieves sent out to New South Wales. Many of you living at the Bay of Islands will recollect it. It happened above twenty years ago ; and it will show you what bad men sought at limes to come among you, and pervert your understandings.

The Piiutv of the ,: Wellington." There is a small island, about four or five hundred miles from Auckland. This island is called Noifolk Island: —it also, was discovered hy Captain Cook, who found it uninhabited. Itisone of the loveliest spots the eye of man i can behold. Exceedingly fertile, and remarkably hilly. This island was selected as a fitting prison to which to remove the worst of the thieves and other criminals banished from ' England to Sydney. To carry these men backwards and forwards, the Government of New South Wales employed a brig which was called the " Wellington." In the early part of the year 1827, on her passage to Norfolk Island from Sydney, the " Wellington " was captured by the convicts then on board, who having by stratagem, risen and overpowered the few soldiers of the guard, took possession of the vessel. The convicts were about eighty-three in number, and it was determined that they would carry the brig to South America. Being short of water they called at the Bay of Islands to fill their casks. There were, then, at anchor in the Bay, two English whalers, the " Sisters " and the " Harriet." Captain Duke of the " Sisters," was an old cruiser, well known in New Zealand, and perfectly familiar with Australia and its affairs. He therefore at once detected the character of the vessel that had anchored inside of his. Concealing his knowledge, Duke very politely invited Captain Walton of the " Wellington " to dinner, and when that person proceeded on board the " Sisters," he was at once secured. But Douglas, his newly elected mate, becoming alarmed at Walton's absence, armed two boats, pulled to the "Sisters," and, finding how matters stood, threatened violent measures unless Walton were instantly released. Not being prepared to resist, Duke gave him up. A foul wind blew directly and strongly into the Bay, rendering it impossible for the pirates to put to sea. _ Profitting by that circumstance,the " Sisters ' and the " Harriet" hoisted their great guns from out their holds, and mounted them without delay. Duke, also, went on shore, and induced some of the native chiefs to assist him in his meditated attack. This they readily consented 10. Everything being prepared, Duke sent to demand the instant surrender of the " Wellington," intimating that he would sink her should they dare to refuse. It was a stirring sight to behold the two whalers with their guns pointed and colouis Hying. Each mounted twelve nine-pounder carronades, and their crews were encouraged by •be assistance «f between s«vfu and eight hun-

dred New Zealand warriors, afloat in tlicir warcauaes. Captain Walton having determined to defend his brig, cast loose her four nine-pomidcr guns—selected sixty of the most expert and resolute of his men—and, in addition to a goodly supply of boarding pikes and small arms, kept his coppers full of boiling water. Having got springs upon their cables, the whalers opened a sharp and destructive tire, to which the pirates made but feeble return, their attention being directed principally towards the Maories. The convicts were alarmed lest the brig should be carried by these brave warriors, and therefore, they poured round after round, of grape and cannisler shot, and vollics of musketry upon them, and boiling water into such canoes as came within reach. Many Maories were thus killed, and wounded, and cruelly scalded. The whalers, to prevent the escape of the " Wellington," having fust disabled her rigging, next poured their shot into her hull, which they repeatedly struck between wind and water. Being reduced to a sinking state, she was surrendered on condition that the pirates should be permitted to land. Many of them did so that night, but revenge for the murder of their friends, and the promise to the natives, of a musket for every man they delivered, ensured the capture of all but three, who were taken away by an American whaler. Captain Duke carried his prisoners to Sydney, where nine were hanged, and the remainder sentenced to wear chains for life, on Norfolk Island. You are aware, good friends, that an earthquake recently did much damage at Port Nicholson! Those disasters are not confined to New Zealand. They have made fearful havoc in all quarters of the world, swallowing up entire towns, and killing the inhabitants by thousands. In May, 1832, Norfolk Island experienced a severe shock of earthquake. The hills trembled violently; many persons were thrown down. A large rock was obscivell to move. The bells rang loudly for several minutes. Alarm and confusion were general, but no serious disaster ensued. Hefore New Zealand became united to England, and received an English Governor and English settlers, the had men, sent to Norfolk Island for their crimes, repeatedly attempted to escape to your country, in the hope that as you did not know llns.ii, they might lind favour and protection from you. Those, of you living, who fought against the " Wellington," know something of their character. Wc will tell you a little more before finishing this story. About the middle of May, 18:»0, eleven men made their escape from Norfolk Island. This they did by contriving to steal a while boat. They were picked up at sea about six weeks afterwards by the " John Bull," English whaler. They were nearly dead, having been many days without food or water. They were taken on board the vessel and well fed. Hut when they had recovered their strength, the inhuman villains rose upon tlicir preservers, took possession of the ship, which they scuttled, and left the crew to perish. The robbers themselves landed on a savage island, called Pleasant Island. From this they were taken at different times by whalers, with the exception of one, who became so great a favourite with the natives, that they elected him to be their chief. Those who left the island, have been heard of since, some in England, some in America. As for the monster who became chief, he indulged in every kind of crueltymurdering and mutilating whites and natives as the fit seized him. At last these savage people became so enraged by his barbarities, that they laid violent hands upon him, and forced him to quit the island in a passing ship. Prom that island he got to Manila, a sugar country of the Spaniards; here he committed fresh crimes, for which he was laden with chains, in which he was working when last heard of.