HORRIBLE MASSACRE AT THE WAIRAU.

New Zealand Colonist and Port Nicholson Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 100, 14 July 1843, Page 2

HORRIBLE MASSACRE AT THE WAIRAU.

At the particular request of several of our subscribers and readers we have, reprinted the account we published of the calamitous affair at Wairau in our journal of the 30thjult. (which is now out of print) and also the account published in the Nelson Examiner of July Ist, whiclb. contains additional .particulars of the horrid, massacre, that persons desirous of transmitting the intelligence home to Enngland may have the two accounts in one publication. On the 15th of April, Messrs. Cotterell, Parkinson, and Barnicoat, surveyors, having contracted with the New Zealand Company's .Agent, to survey the lands at

Wairau, left NeU’on with about 40 men, and landed at Wairau on Tuesday, April 25. Shortly after this, Rauparaha and Rangihaiata being at Porirua in attendance on the Court of Land Claims, made known their determination to prevent the survey from proceeding, and Mr. Joseph Toms repeatedly stated that he understood from them that they would make a stand at Wairau, and lose their lives rather than allow the white people to take possession of that place until they had. been paid for it. Mr. Spain used his influence to pacify them, and obtained a promise from them to do nothing before his arrival. He undertook to meet them there as soon as possible after the adjournment of his Court on the 19th of June. Mr. Toms said he would take Rauparaha and Rangihaiata in his schooner to his own plaoe in Queen Charlotte’s Sound, and keep them there until he received a communication from Mr. Spain. The survey was carried on with some slight interruption from a small party, of Natives not resident at Wairau, but collected from all parts of the Straits-, until Rauparaha and Rangihaiata arrived with a body of Natives on the Ist June. They were brought by- Mr. Thoms in his schooner, and landed at Port Underwood, in Cloudy Bay. They visited Mr. Cave and other settlers, some of whom had resided in that place many years, and declared their determination to burn down the Surveyor’s houses, and drive them off the land. They began to put their threats into effect by burning down the house of Mr. Cotterell, having first removad his goods, wliich they restored to him; they then in a similar manner destroyed Mr. Parkinson’s house, and compelled all the surveyors to remove to the month of the river. Mr. Cotterell was then dispatched by Mr. Tuckett to Nelson, to inform Captain Wakefield. An information was then laid before the Police Magistrate, Mr. Thompson, who granted a warrant against Rauparaha and Rangihaiata on a charge of arson. Having been informed that the Natives were armed, and in great numbers, the magistrate determined to attend the execution of the warrant himself, accompanied by an armed force, and expressed his opinion that such a demonstration would prevent bloodshed, and impress the Natives with the authority of the law. It is clear, from subsequent events, that no one' anticipated any resistance. The men of the labouring class were not armed at Nelson, nor selected as fighting men. They were sent down as a reinforcement to the surveying staff, and on arriving at Wairau, arms were distributed among them, but up to the last moment, no one had any expectation of a serious encounter. There were about 40 men of the labouring class, most of whom had never handled a firelock. Tiiey consisted of surveying men and eight boatmen, left at Wairau, to which Mr. Thompson brought an accession of force,- consisting of four constables and 12 men, who were engaged as additional labourers in the survey department. Mr. Thompson was accompanied by John Brook, as Interpreter, and the following gentlemen, viz., Captain Wakefield, Captain' England, M.i. Tuckett, Mr. Richardson, Mr. Patchett, Mr. Howard, Mr. Cotterell, Mr. Bellairs, Mr. Ferguson, arid Mr. Barnicoat. The whole party consisted of 49, of whom Messrs. Tuckett, Cotterell, and Patchett, were unarmed, the other gentlemen had nothing beyond two or three pistols and one fowling-piece among them. It appears that the party left by. Mr. Cotterell at the Wairau had been compelled by the Natives to follow him on his way to "Nelson, in the Company’s large boat, but were met by Mr. Thompson's party, and returned with them to Wairau, Bome-in the boat and 'some in the' Government Brig Victoria, which brought the Magistrate from Nelson. The whole party landed on the 15 th and 16 th of June, and proceeded on the afternoon of Friday, the’ 16th, about five miles up.the banks of the river to a wood where they expected to find the Natives. Muskets and a cartouche box of ball cartridges with each, were distributed on the Friday evening and Saturday morning, and cutlasses to as many as chose to avail themselves of them. The whole party slept at the wood called Tua Mautine. It appears that the movements of the party were watched and reported by scouts, in consequence of which the Natives had moved further up the river, and that they were joined, in the night, by two canoes full of people. They then consisted of about 80 or 90 men, 40 of whom were armed with muskets, besides women and children. On Saturday morning, before sun-rise, two boats having been brought up the river, the Europeans embarked in them, and ascended about four miles further up. They then found that the Natives were posted on the right bank of a deep rivulet called Tua Marino, about 30 feet wide, not fordable, and flowing into the Wairau on the left bank of it. The Europeans advanced and placed themselves opposite to the Natives on the left bank of the rivulet, with a hill behind them covered with fern and manuka, and sloping upwards with several brows or terraces. The Natives were on about a quarter of. an acre of cleared ground, with a dense thicket behind them. The police magistrate called upon Rauparaha and Rangihaiata, and requested a canoe to be placed across the rivulet to form a bridge, which was done by the Natives. The magistrate with the constables and interpreter and some of the gentlemen crossed over, and. entered into a parley with the Natives. In the meantime the men on the other side, under cover of a small thicket, were divided into two parties under the command of Captain England and Mr. Howard. Mr. Thompson, through the interpreter, explained the contents of the warrant. He said that he was the Queen’s representative, that it had nothing to do with the land, and called upon Rauparaha and Rangihaiata to surrender; Mr. Thompson was very much excited, and pointed to the armed men. The Native chiefs refused to surrender; they said that they would not fight, that they Were expecting the arrival of Mr. Spain and Mr. Clarke, and would have a talk when they came. The Missionary Natives were unarmed and their chief E Pua came forward with the New Testament in his hand, and entreated Mr. Thompson not to permit fighting. The warrant was presented to the chiefs two or three times, and on each occasion about 16 Natives who had been sitting sprung upon their feet and levelled their muskets at the Europeans. Mr. Thompson then ordered the men to cross the river, which they began to do, using the canoe as a bridge. At the same moment a general discharge of . musketry took place on both sides. The gentlemen attempted then to cross the rivulet by the canoe, and in so doing met their own men, which created confusion, and several men fell wounded into the water. Captain Wakefield- called upon his men to retire up the hill and form on the brow. They began to do so. At this moment it is ascertained that the Natives were on the point of taking to flight, when Rauparaha, seeing the retreat, excited his men, and raising a war cry they darted across the rivulet and pursued the Europeans, the majority of whom never halted, but fled round the sides of the hill and escaped. The gentlemen, who were unarmed, accompanied by a small number of the men, formed upon the hill and lay down to await the arrival of the Natives. They then exhibited a white haridkerchief as a token of peace, which was understood by the Natives. Captain Wakefield then ordered the Europeans to deliver up their arms, which they did, and became prisoners in the hands of the Natives. They were standing quietly in a group when

Rangihaiata, who had just discovered that one of his wives had been killed by a chance ball, came up and said to Rauparaha, “ Don’t* forget your daughter.” Rauparaha sat still and consented, and Rangihaiata, with his own hand, put to death the whole of the prisoners. Some of the survivors found their way to the beach through the swamps, and were picked up by whale boats the same night, others wandered into the mountains arid lost themselves several days. The last of these reached Port Underwood on Wednesday, having tasted no food but three turnips, which he picked up on Tuesday. As soon as the Natives had perpetrated the deed, they left the bodies without rifling them of anything beyond a few articles of clothing, and retreated to the mouth of the river. They shortly after, abandoned Cloudy Bay, accompanied by all the resident Natives. On the Saturday afternoon, Mr. Tuckett, and others who had .escaped through the low grounds to the beach, set sail for Wellington to procure assistance, rind arrived in the night. A deputation from the bench Of returned in the Brig on Wednesday, as soon as a violent southeaster would permit them to leave the harbour. On their arrival at Cloudy Bay, they found that Mr. Ironside, the Wesleyan Missionary, had proceeded.with two boats’ companies of whalers to inter the bodies, which they did on the ground where they fell. It appears that the Natives afterwards were seized with great terror, and had formed the determination of retiring up thb Manawatu, a fortified pah in the interior, there to await the vengeance of the white men, which they fully expected would follow them. The following is a list of the killed and missing : KILLED. Captain Wakefield, , Thomas Ratcliffe, Captain England, William Northam, H. A. Thompson, Esq., Thotna’S Pay, G. R. Richardson, Esq., Coster’, Patchett, Esq., James M‘Gregor, Howard, Esq., William Gardiner., Cotterell, Esq., Ely Cropper, . Mr. John Brooke, Inter- Henry Bumforth, preter, Thomas Terrall, William Clanzie, MISSING. Mating, Chief Con- . Thomas Hannanfe stable, John Burton. Edward Stokes,

(From the Nelson Examiiter.)

The tragic and altogether unanticipatnd event which' has deprived Nelson of so many of its' most valuable residents, has so overwhelmed us, that we find ourselves unable at present to do more than briefly narrate the principal fact's, which have been carefully collected from the best sources We must pospone to a future numbfer the remarks which it calls for.

It may be necessary, for the information of our nonresident readers, to state that the Wairau is an extensive plain, intended to form a portion of the country sections' of this settlement; and that the river which runs through it, and from which it takes its name, empties'itself into’ Cloudy Bay, at about eighty miles distant from this place coastwise. The surveyors employed there had—in consequence of the forcible interruption of the. survey, and other acts committed on them by the chiefs Rauparaha (by some called Raupero, by others Raubello) and Rangihaita, his son-in-law, and their followers- 1 — applied to the Police Magistrate for protection. On Monday, June 12, warrants were issued, on Mr. Cottereli’s deposition, for the apprehension of these Chiefs on a charge of arson ; and on the following day the Government brig left Nelson with what was then considered a sufficient force to execute the warrants. The individuals who composed the party Were: —H. A'. Thompson, Esq., judge of the County Court' and police magistrate; Captain A. Wakefield, R.N., the New Zealand Company’s agent for this settlement ; Captain England, J.P. ; G. R. Richardson, Esq.; Mr. Cotterell, surveyor; Mr. James Howard; four constables, and several special constables. Whilst in the Gulf, the brig fell in with the Company’s boat on her return from the Wairoo with. Mr. Tuckett, chief surveyor, and Mr. Patchett, who, with the boat’s crew, were thus added to the number already embarked in this fatal expedition. On the evening of the following Thursday most of the party landed at the mouth of the Wairoo, and were joined the next morning by others, when arms were distributed, and the whole party proceeded up tlie right bank of the river. They soon met a chief named-Puaha (nephew of Rauparaha, and the individual who‘is favourably mentioned in Colonel Wakefield’s early despatches under the name of Eboa), and some resident natives, who said they had been engaged in clearing land, but had been stopped by Rauparaha, who had proceeded higher up the river. Puaha aud his followers were considerably alarmed on seeing an armed force ; but their fears were somewhat allayed by Mr. Thompson informing them that he sought only Rauparaha and Rangihaiata, whom he had come to apprehend on a charge of arson. Puaha, at the request of-Mr. Thompson, then undertook to go forward and acquaint these chiefs with the arrival of the magistrates, and that they had come to'take them on board the brig, where the charge would be investigated; Higher up the river, another party of resident Natives where met, who were similarly informed of the object of the expedition. Here the magistrates and their followers encamped for the night, and. were joined by the remainder of the party, which now* amounted to about fifty, and who, with the exception of four or five of the gentlemen, were all 1 armed. On the following morning, Saturday, the 17th, the party advanced a few miles further, and, observing some smoke issuing from a small wood, they concluded the chiefs and their followers were encamped there. Proceeding towards the spot, they discovered that they were separated by a narrow but deep stream from the Maories, who amounted altogether to 120, including women and children. They were scattered about squatting on the ground in groups, with their canoes hauled up on the bank of the stream occupied by them. At the request of the magistrates, Piccawarro (a Native) furnished them with .a canoe, in which Mr. Thompson, Captain Wakefield, Mr. Tuckett, Mr. Cotterell, Mr. Patchett, Brooks (the interpreter), and Maling (the chief constable) crossed over. The Police Magistrate addressed himself to Rauparaha; explained the nature of the charge brought against him by Mr. Cotterell, -and desired him to go on board the brig, with such of his followers as he chose, where the matter should be investigated. This Rauparaha refused to do, but stated his willingness to have the matter investigated there, and to pay for the damage he had done,, if he should approve of the magistrates’ decision* On the reiterated refusal of Rauparaha either to go on hoard the brig or to surrender himself prisoner, the Police' Magistrate threatened that, if he did not surrender, he and his party should be immediately fired upon. This was no sooner interpreted to him than sixteen Natives sprang on their feet and presented their muskets, and Rangihaiata, who, until then, had not been visible, stepped forward and defied the magistrates’ power. Words running high, Puaha interceded, and, with a Bible in his hand, prayed there might be no strife. Captain Wake-

field, seeing the necessity of uniting the whole party, proceeded, by the consent of the Natives, to lay a canoe across the stream, to enable those who had crossed over to retire: but, whilst thus engaged, it is conjectured that the chiefs were told they had done wrong in granting the use of the canoe, and that they would, on the uniting of their opponents, be immediately fired upon ; we say conjectured, for, on seeing a movement among the Maories, the nature of which we have not been able to ascertain, an order was suddenly given for the men to advance. Four or five only did so, and the gun of some one went off, it is believed accidentally, a 3 no order to fire had been given. The Natives instantly discharged a volley, which was returned by their opponents. Those who were placed between the two fires now hastened to join their friends, and nearly .upset the canoe in passing over it. The firing continued brisk on either side for some little time, when the greater part of our countrymen fetr&ited up a hill, and were followed by the Natives, who had now crossed the river. Here the most strenuous efforts were made by Captain Wakefield, Captain England, and Mr. Howard, to induce their party to act in concert, but altogether without effect. Captain Wakefield therefore, in order to prevent a further sacrifice of life, ordered the firing to cerise, and Captain England rind Mr. Howard advanced towards the Maories with a white handkerchief, in token of peace. Those in. advance of the retreating party, however, kept up a running fire, which was returned indiscriminately. Captain Wakefield and the gentlemen about him were therefore compelled to proceed further up the hill, in order, if possible, to put an end to the conflict. Mr. Cotterell, after accompanying them a short distance, stopped, arid, in the hope of assuring the Natives of the sincerity of his party, waited their poming up and surrendered himself; and his example was followed on the next eminence, by Captain Wakefield, Captain England, Mr. Thompson, Mr. Richardson, Mr. Howard, Brooks, Cropper, and M'Gregor. Puaha again endeavoured to become a peacemaker, and urged on his countrymen that sufficient blood had been shed. This was acceded to by Rauparaha, and the two parties shook hands. They were soon joined by Rangihaita, who, having already killed the wounded on his way, demanded the lives of the ninewho had surrendered. To this Rauparaha at first objected; but, on being informed that his daughter (Rangihaiata’s wife) was killed, he offered no further opposition. As no resistance appears to have been made by our unfortunate friends, it is probable that they were, through their ignorance of the Native language, quite unconscious of the horrible fate that awaited them. Standing in the midst of a large number of Mrories, they were easily separated ; and whilst in this defenceless situation, perhaps without even a thought of treachery’, the monster Rangihaita silently g'iided raund, getting behind each singly, and, with his tomahawk, brained them all in succession.

Mr. Tuckett, Mr. Barnicoat, and a man named Gay, left the party after the first ineffectual offer of surrender, and’, with seven other men whom they subsequently overtook, one Of whom was badly wounded, reached the coast, where, with great difficulty, they obtained a boat from a whaling station to put them on board the brig. Two boats'were then despatched to the shore, to pick up rihy who nriight reach it, but, none appearing, the brig, shortly after dusk, sailed for Wellington, to obtain surgical assistance far the wounded, and to aid to rescue such as were believed to be prisoners. The brig reached' Wellington early the next morning, but, a foul wind having sprung up, she was unable to get out of the harbour before Thursday afternoon. Colonel Wakefield, Mr. Spain, the Land Commissioner, the Police Magistrate, Mr. Dorset, surgeon, and several other gentlemen returned in her, and, on their arrival in Cloudy Bay, were immediately apprised of the dreadful deed which had placed' their lamented countrymen beyond the reach of succour. They were prevented by the weather from entering the mouth of the river until Saturday, and, on arriving at the fatal spot, found that Mr. Ironside, the Wesleyan missionary stationed at Cloudy Bay, had preceded them, regardless of the personal danger which others shrunk from : he had discovered seventeen of the dead, and (having no alternative) had already commenced the interment of the bodies on the spot. Two more were afterwards found and buried. To have removed the bodies would have been difficult; and such a procedure must haVe delayed the departure of the Brig, and the important evidence wliich was afterwards obtained in a searching investigation pursued by the magistrates would have hecn unknown. The brother of our lamented agent had previously expressed his approbation of such burial under the circumstances, arid’all felt that this field of death was a fit place of sepulture. Thus, in death, they will perhaps achieve for us their survivors that object which, in life, they failed to accomplish. If the spirits of the departed are permitted to interest themselves in the affairs of mortality, the thought may afford them a generou3 satisfaction : to us, such an acquisition of the Wairau must ever be a subject of melancholy contemplation. The bodies of tlie murdered nine were interred near the spot where they fell, as were also those of Bumforth, Coster, Pay, aud Gardiner, who fell at a short distance from them. Mr. Patchett, who was struck early in the frayywhilfestunding at some distance from either party, was buried alone. Smith, Terral; and Northam were in another grave, and Clanzie and Ratcliffe in a fourth; The body of Maling, the chief constable, was’not found, though known to be severely wounded.. It is probabfe be crept away into the blish, and there expired Two other men, named Stokes and Burton, have not since been seen, but it is hoped they may yet be safe ; and, in order to assist them, should they be attempting to get round' by land, persons have been sent out with provisions, and with instructions to keep up large fires. Such of the men as were not wounded in the fray and did not reach the Brig, remained hid until Rauparaha and Ranghiaita departed with their followers, when they went down to Cloudy Bay, and waited the Brig's return. When Rauparaha and his party left Cloudy Bay to cross the Straits, which they did on the following Tuesday, Puaha remained in Tory Channel until the return of the Brig, to see it any violence would be offered to the Natives in Cloudy Bay aud Queen Charlotte’s Sound who had taken no part in the fray; as it was believed, in accordance with their own custom, that the murder of our countrymen would be avenged on any Natives who might be found there. Finding no violence was offered, he hastened after Rauparaha, to prevont any bloodshed which might arise out of that belief. It should not be left unstated that Mr. Spain, the Land Commissioner, had engaged to meet Rauparaha at Port UndeVw.ood, within a certain period, to investigate the title of thfe New Zealand Company to the Wairau, and-thafc tbe chiefs did not enter the plain until after the expiration qf the time appointed.

—: —: —o . . FiariT amongst the Aborigine^. —On Tuesday last, a great number of the aborigines, arnounting to more than a hundred men, women, and children, passed through the town to Campbell’s Hill, for the purpose of holding a

corrobery. It was evident from their manner that they were two hostile parties, and that one was somewhat suspicious of the other. They encamped at different places on the hiil, near , the old Black Swan, and held their corrobery during the night. One party consisted of the Maitland tribe, and a few of the Sugar Loaf, Wollombi, and Glendon tribes; the other of the Port Stephen and Paterson tribes. About eight o’clock on Wednesday morning they commenced fighting in a paddock at the back of the Old Black Swan, and the. Maitland tribe and their friends were driven by the others to a paddock near Mr. Pilcher’s house. Here the Maitland tribe rallied, and the noise they made attracted the attention of several of thb residents in the neighbourhood, who repaired to the scene of action. The Maitland party had not less than six muskets amongst them, of which the Port Stephen hlacks seemed to he ranch afraid. Mr. C. Prentice, who was on the ground, endeavoured to quiet them, or at all events to induce them to lay aside the fire-arms, and whilst he wa3 talking to them, constables Tonge and Grant, who had been called upon by a half-caste female belonging to the Port Stephen tribe, came up. On seeing them, those blacks who had the muskets retreated into the bush, and hid them. The withdrawal of the muskets seemed to . give fresh courage to the Port Stephens party, for they immediately raised their war cry, and sent a shower of spears and boomerangs upon their opponents. The whites upon this declined to interfere, and left the natives to settle their dispute according to their own fashion. The Maitland tribe and their friends stood their ground for a short time, and fought with their spears and waddies, but they presently gave way, arid retreated towards where the muskets were hid. They were pursued by their enemies, but the barrels of two muskets "pointing from behind a tree stopped the latter in the pursuit, and another shower of spear 3 was sent by each’ party. Presently one of the muskets was fired at a Port Stephen black, who was in a crouching position, and was endeavouring in that manner to make his way to some of his friends who were' fighting under cover of a fence. The ball struck him in the nose, and he instantly fell-. The Maitland blacks then retreated in the direction of Mr.' Holden’s house, and were pursued by the Port Stephens men with loud yellings. The chase continued for about four or five hundred yards, when they came up with a black of the Wollombi tribe, at whom-ten or twelve spears were thrown, but none of them took effect. At length one man came up with him, and knocked him down with his waddie ; he was then speared in the thigh and knee, and three or four others coming up they, knocked out his brains with their waddies. The back part of the poor fellow’s head \tfas literally beaten to pieces. The Port Stephen men, apparently satisfied with this" retaliation, gave over the pursuit, and returned to Mr. Pilcher’s paddock to the man who had been shot, and who was not then dead; he died, however, shortly afterwards. The Maitland blacks and tlieii; friends retreated into the bush aefoss Stoney Creek, and the Port Stephens and Paterson tribes almost immediately left the ground, and coming down the hill, crossed the

river. Two or three hours afterwards two of them returned and buried the man who had been shot. There appeared to be about fifty men on each side. The cause of the quarrel could not be clearly ascertained. One of the Maitland men told constable Tonge that it had arisen from the Port Stephen blacks having stolen their blankets ; but this can hardly be correct, as the fight appears to have been determined on for some time past; some of the Maitland men having been heard to say early in the week that they expected the Port Stephen tribe to come to fight them during the race week. Some of them have told other persons that the quarrel arose from the Maitland blacks having some time ago killed- one of the /Port Stephen tribe. An inquest was held on the bodies of the two men who had been kilkfd on Thursday afternoon, at the Northumberland Hotel. The coroner was anxious to discover, if possible, by whom the blacks had been furnished with fire-arms, as there is a penalty of 20/. upon any person so doipg. It appeared from the evidence of constable Tonge, that one of the blacks of the Glendon tribe said that the arms were given to them by Mr. Scott, of Glendon, for the purpose of shooting, ducks. A musket which had been bid in the head of a tree, and the lock of which was a good deal out of repair, and an empty powder horn marked P., which bad been found after the battle was over, were produced at the inquest. The jury returned a verdict of wilful murder against some persons unknown, supposed to be aboriginal blacks, and the coroner said he should cause an enquiry to be instituted, to ascertain whether the arms had been given them by Mr. Scott, and for what purpose. A post-mortem examination was made on the bodies of both the men who were killed, by Dr. Sloan ; the body of the one who had been buried being exhumed for that purpose. He was buried in a very shallow grave, near the spot where he was shot, wrapped in his blanket,, and a sheet of bark laid under him, with his? broken waddie by his side.— Mercury,