WRECK OF THE AMERICAN BRIG FALCO.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume I, Issue 48, 6 September 1845, Page 2

WRECK OF THE AMERICAN BRIG FALCO.

An Account of the Wreck of the American Brig Falco, at Okoraringa, Table Cape, New Zealand, on her passage from Port Nicholson to Auckland, on the night of the 27th July 1845 ; together with the subsequent plunder and destruction by Europeans and. Natives of the greater portion of her cargo. The brig Falco, having- on board the American Consul for New Zealand, sailed from Boston on the 19th November 1 844, on a trading voyage to the South Sea Tsknds in the Pacific. She touched on her way at Swan River. King George's Sound, and Adelaide ; thence proceeded after a prosperous voyage to New Zealand, and arrived at Port Nicholson in the month of June, and sailed thence with the Government mails on board for Auckland via Table Cape, having previously obtained permission from the Collector t>f Customs to touch on the coast for a supply of provisions for the crew of the vessel on her intended trip to the South Sea Islands. She arrived off Table Cape on the afternoon of the 26th July, and anchored at a place called Wangawai. On the following day it^ commenced blowing fresh from the north, veering to hoitheast, and before night the wind increased to a .•gale, with a ver3' heavy sea rolling in from the -east, the vessel at the same time tiding with -both anchors down, in which state she could have safely rode out the gale, had not the back knees and windlass bits broke short off, hauling the windlass fore and aft, the chains being shackled round t-he foremast. The ship pitching "heavily when the windlass went, both chain cables snapped, and she fell into the trough of the sea. Soon after midnight she passed through the breakers over a reef a mile in extent, and then struck on a shelf of rocks and sand on a steep shore, the masts having been cut away in crossing the reef. It being high water at the time •when the vessel struck, it was found at ebb tide that she was lying high and dry about forty 'feet from low waier mark, wholly uninjured, and might have been but for the injuries she afterwards sustained from <he pii ares, got off by parties who would have guaranteed to do the work for about the sum of £150 to £200. About 4 a.m. a NewZealander came on board, and at the earnest request of the master, took a note to Mr. Brown, who was supplying the Falco with provisions, informing him that the brig was on shore. He arrived between s and 6 o'clock; hut an hour before there came on boai d about 15 to 20 natives, who commenced pillaging the cook's caboose, and other trifling articles on the deck, without offering, however, personal violence, or otherwise molesting the erew — oil the contrary, professing to render every assistance in their power. The Consul having a large amount of specie on board, and papers of great value, deemed it advisable to loose no time in placing them securely on shore, and accordingly proceeded between 8 and 9 a.m. on Monday with them to the house of the nearest European, Mr. Brown, until he could communicate with Mr. Perry at Waikokopu, a distance of about ten miles. On -the Consul's departure from the Falco, all the natives on board at his request, betook themselves to their pas, there being nobody left near the spot where the vessel lay, excepting about 20 fo 30 whites, and a few people of colour. In about an hour and a half after the Consul's absence, the natives, in concert with the Europeans, &c, rushed on board the vessel, hemmed in the Captain and officers on the quarter-deck, threatening them with violence, broke open the hatches, and got into the hold ; cmmeiii cd carrying away the ship's cargo, opening the mail bags and boxes, scattering their contents into the hold, besides carrying off and destroying more than one half the letters and Government despatches. In this work of destruction and pillage of the cargo and mailbags, the whites were even more eager fhan the natives, and seemed particularly pleased in -tearing to .pieces the Government despatches. One European was seen opening what seemed to be a private letter, and robbing it of the contents, which appeared to be bank notes, and several others imitated his example. At the same time that these proceedings were being ra ried on in the hold, several of the Europeans and natives were busily at work robbing, plundering, and destroying every thing in the ship's cabin, breaking in 1 © the lockers, and in fact carrying away what they thought proper. Amongst the number of things they took away was a great portion of the Consul's book's, stationery, clothes, &c. ; the whites exclaiming, that be might consider himself fortunate to get away with his specie- which, had they pleased, they said they could have taken, and which they might vet take, seeing that they had already so implicated themselves. They then began to sirip the hull, tearing off the copper, cutting the sheathing, mam-rail, stanchion-*, bulwarks, &c, and destroying with the axes stolen from the ship the hull in every part; then they commenced cutting-and tearing the saib, and destroying all the ironwork; the spars and standing rigging that were safely hauled on shore

were cut to pieces ; the eyea of the rigging likewise : Apparently all this was done to render the vessel unfit to proceed again to sea, except at an expense far exceeding her value. It was quite evident to all respectable Europeans in the neighbourhood, that the -whole work of destruction and piracy was a preconcerted plot between the whites and natives, and that unquestionably the chief blame is to be attributed to the former, who seetm d to vie with each other in their outrages, and though the natives in all cases of shipwreck on their shores are quite bad enough, yet on this occasion, it is evident from existing circumstances, that had the whites kept aloof from the natives, and been disposed to save the ship and cargo, the latter would never have made an attack on the vessel ; on the contrary, would have assisted in saving the property, notwithstanding the disposition of these people to petty thieving. In about two hours after the attack was made on the ship, she presented a deplorable scene of destruction, of hull, stores, and cargo. When Mr. Brown made his ap pearance about this time, many of the whites and natives had dispersed with their plunder, and the crew with his assistance succeeded indriving the pirates out of the hold and off the decks, and then put on the hatches and tore scuttle, which were battened down. By this time Mr. Perry, whose exertions throughout were unwearied, at the risk of his life, put a stop for the rest of the day to any further scenes of plunder ; notwithstanding on the following, after the hatches were taken off to discharge such of the cargo as remained untouched or only partially destroyed, the same acts of piracy recommenced by the natives, who had gotten possession of the longboat, which they refused to deliver up until payment was made to them of a cask of tobacco ; by this time a quantity of goods was landed by the crew from the vessel, and plundered almost as fast as they were removed; they then threatened to burn the vessel, and were only persuaded to desist by the entreaties of Mr. Perry, but for whose exertions throughout the whole of this unfortunate affair, there is not the least doubt but that the remainder of the cargo and the entire vessel would have been destroyed. The scenes above pourtrayed continued uniil the arrival from Poverty Bay of Mr. Williams, the Archdeacon, on Saturday the 2d August, to whom the Consul mentioned the whole affair as it had occurred, and solicited fiora him assis- I tance. Mr. Williams immediately requested the natives to call a committee of themselves on the following Monday, and to mark his sense of their misconduct refused to hold native service on the Sunday, but read prayers and preached a discourse in English to the crew of the Falco, at the house of Mr. Brown, wheie the Consul was residing. On the Monday, as was appointed, a committee of the various tribes was held at the place of the wreck; piesent, the Archdeacon, the Consul, Mr. Perry, Mr. Brown, and several of the Europeans implicated — these latter making uncalled-for reflections on the venerable Archdeacon. With one or two exceptions the natives all professed to be friendly, many of them seeming desirous to give up their booty, which they stated would never have been taken had they not been previously urged on by the whites; that they were very sorry at what had occurred, and seemed anxious to make what restitution they could; and that having heard that the Consul and Mr. Williams anlici-" pated an attack from the whites, a large body of them offered to protect him at allhazaids: too much praise cannot be given to the Archdeacou for the assistance he rendered to the Consul in visiting the natives at the different pas, and pointing out to them the serious crimes of which they had been guilty, and urging -them to make the only atonement now in their power, the return of such of the property as was in their hands : this they partially performed, but only of such things as were useless to them, and then they required as much payment as the articles in their mutilated state were worth. After the return of the Archdeacon, the vessel was discharged of what remained, and the small portion of damaged cargo conveyed to Mr. Perry's stores at Waikokopu, where the Consul isoiow residing, and where such portion of the letteis and despatches as were saved out of the mail bags and boxes are deposited. It is necessary, in conclusion, to state that the whites having threatened to attack the house in which the Consul's treasure is placed, a native having informed Mr. Perry of the fact, that gentleman thought it necessary to call for native protection, which was speedily agreed to, 200 natives being constantly on watch about the house and stores. On Tuesday the 19th, a sale was held of all the few things saved from the wreck, subject to the duties levied by Government, which in the meanwhile will be paid to -the Consul, who will account to the Collector of Customs for the same. — The powder, muskets, and lead, were sold conditionally, that they bhould not be resold in New Zealand, without the sanction of Government: this was done in consequence of the present hostilities.