DARK DAYS IN N.Z.

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 414, 24 December 1932, Page 3

DARK DAYS IN N.Z.

All rights reserVed.)

PERILOUS TIMES MISSIONARIES' CONCERN FOR SAFETY OF WOMEN SERIOUS FIGHTING RESUMED

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In continuing his reminiscenses, the (Rev. H. Morgan describes the events following the eommencement of hostilities between the Waikato and Rotorua tribes, an account of which was published in the "Post" last Wednesday. He recounts the serious plight in which the missionaries found themselves in endeavouring to safeguard their women-folk and the steps talcen for their protection. Realising the necessity of transferring the women to a safer district, preparations were made to transport them to Thames, 70 miles distance, but this object was delayed by news of a threatened attack bjr the nativ.es. The manner in which the missionary party remained at their posts bears testimony to the earnestness of their purpose. The war had now commenced and we found ourselves isolated in a savage land. Mrs. Brown, Mrs. Maunsell and Mrs. Morgan were at Matamata, but they did not appear anxious for their personal safety, or desirous to be removed from the scene of strife and bloodshed. In fact during the long season of anxiety and war through which we had to pass, I never heard any one of the wives of the missionaries regret that they had left their native land and the comfort and quiet of their family circle to engage in missionary labour, and bear the hurden and heat of the day in a foreign and savage land, but on the contrary they wished to work while it was called day, and endeavour by every means in their power to carry on their duties, and bear in company witH th'eir husbands their part in the labour of love and mercy. When the state of affairs beeame such that we deemed it our duty to remove them, they left their stations with regret, earnestly desiring the time when they should be recalled. The male and female schools were still carried on, but with diminshed numbers. On the return of the victorious tribes to Tauranga and Matamata, all was bustle and excitement. Every exertion was made to put the pas into a state to enable them to resist' an invasion from the Rotorua tribes, at the same time not knowing whether the expected attack would be made upon Tauranga or Matamata. As the evening shadows drew on the mission prayer bell invited those around to worship God, and a few still assembled to offer up their evening* sacrifice of player and praise. After prayers, all our natives, male and female returned for the night within the pas, half a mile distant. No one except ourselves would sleep outside. We were left alone and yet we were not alone for God was with us. Regular Warnings As night eame on, the pahu, or war bell rang. It was made of wood, oval and partly hollowed in the centre, and suspendecl by cords on a stage, 15 or 20 feet from the ground. It was beaten witfy a mallet by a man seated on the stage. The watchman or kaiwakarara went their rounds, and with a loud voice, called upon the people to watch lest they should be surprised by the enemy. Young and old chiefs, and slaves of both sexes assembled within the pas, and there danced their savage dances, and made the air ring with their horrid yells and obscene songs. Everything without reminded us that we were no longer in a Christian land. In this manner three or four weeks passed away. At length we thought that the expected attack was about to be made by the Rotorua tribes. On April 23, 1836, we were aroused from our slumbers in the morning by the firing of musketry in the plain at the back of our station. We arose and dressed hastily. All was now alarm and confusion. We did not ourselves possess any firearms of any description, neither did we wait for any. Our trust was in the Lord our God. The natives flew to arm and scouts were sent out to discover the position and watch the movements of the enemy. In the course of the morning, the Rev. R. Maunsell went out and scoured the wood which flanked our station on the right to see whether any of the 'enemy were there concealed. About noon as the tribes had been seen advancing to the right of the station, I passed on back through the wood at the back of the settlement, and saw the enemy encamped in the distance, but could not ascertain their number. We then concluded that during the night they would move towards the pa, and malce an attack upon it, early in the morning, but whether they would take the road outside the wood on the right of the station or the more direct road through our settlement, whether the mission. houses would be attacked and plundered or not as th'ey advanced or retreated, we could not tell. Although it was attended with considerable risk, we thought it our duty from the eommencement of the war, to endeavour to hold our ground. Precautions Taken In the after'noon, Mr. Brown and myself packed a small box containing a change of clothing for ourselves and our wives and a few other articles which we valued, in order that in the event of the station beiqg plundered, and ourselves escapdng unhurt and being left at large, we might at least have a few articles of clothing for ourselves when the enemy retired. I cannot describe to you the feeling with which on this, and on many future occasions, I went out in the night, not with a lantern lest its light should discover me to the scouts of either party who might be prowling about, and dug a deep hole, in the g arden and then buried the small box which. e'er long might contain all we could call our own in the wilderness. It was necessary to take up th-e box about once a week to air the clothing. The utmost'eare was observed that we should not be* discovered either by our friends or our enemies. Our friends, if we except a few, would have dug up our little reserve behind our Tbacks, hut tthe enemy would have ta,ken them before

tives left us and retired for safety into the pas, and we alone remained without. It was a night of anxiety, and we fully expected that an attack would be made at daybreak. It, however, pleased the Lord to order it otherwise. The sound of the war bell, the war dance, the savage yell the voice of the watchman, and the occasional firing of the muskets were no longer heard. All was quiet and the night wore quiekly away. In the morning all was quiet, the natives being still ■encamped on the plains. We consulted together; and although it was the* Lord's Day, we thought it our duty, if possible to remove the ladies to our station at the Thames* a journey of about 70 miles. Maunsell was to proceed to the Thames with the ladies, leaving Mr. Brown and myself at the Station. The pi'oposed removal was attended with' eonsiderable danger as it was not improbable that they might meet with the enemy on the road, in which case it was impossible to foresee the consequences. Having consulted the natives they promised to carry the females aeross the swamp to the Waiharakiki on the Thames, nine miles distant, the remainder of the journey was to be performed in a canoe. Preparations for starting* were hastily made, and at noon all was ready. It was an anxious hour, the danger was great, but duty appeared to point out the path, and committing ourselves into His hands, in whose service '.we were engaged, we determined to endeavour to remove th-e ladies to a place of safety. They left the house with heavy hearts. Mrs. Morgan was already in the litter, and Mrs. Brown and Mrs. Maunsell were getting into theirs when our attention was attfacted to a party of natives proceeding along the road. On inquiring they informed me that the enemy was advancing in the •rear, and that one division of them had gone by the road outside the wood to the right of our station, thus crossing the road the ladies were about to take, and cutting off their flight. All hope of our b'eing able to remove them to a place of safety was now over and the natives were much excited in 'expectation of an attack being made. All was confusion. Our natives put down their burdens. Each individual now beeame anxious for his own safety, and retreated into their pa, leaving us alone on the station. The ladies returned into the house and we waited with anxiety, but still our trust was in the Lord our God. Surprise Attack The native sabbath serviees were omitted. They day passed away and the evening drew on. Still we could not ascertain the exact position of the enemy. Our little stack of clothing still lay buried in our garden. The war bell sounded as usual, and about the usual hour we laid ourselves down to rest, and sl'ept in safety. The following day the enemy had disappeared, and we found that it was only taua toto, or sacred fight, consisting of about 200 men. This was generally sent out prior to the moving of the main hody with the object oi cutting off straggler-s. This was oit April 24, 1836. Immediately after, the Rev. R. Maunsell and Mrs. Maunsell left Matamata for one of the stations, a more quiet SM a£ MfliiB