TROUBLOUS DAYS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 419, 31 December 1932, Page 6

TROUBLOUS DAYS

TRIBAL CONFLICTS MISSIONARIES WORK AMID MANY DANGERS AND DIFFICULTIES REV MORGAN'S REMINISCENCES In the following further instalment of his reminiscences, the Rev. H. Morgan, recounts further incidents in the bitter tribal war which developed between the Rotorua, Tauranga and Waikato natives. In spite of the dangers, however, the missionaries remained at their posts and carried on their work amid conditions of singular hazard and difficulty. „ At length on May 5, 1836, the Ro- : torua natives made an attack, but upon a quarter where it was least ' expected. The natives of the Tama, one of the Tauranga p>as, were taken by surprise. The night watch had not been sat. Pahui warned the inhabitants of danger but the enemy entered the pas while the people slept. They distributed theniselves over it and raised the savage war cry., The inhabitants roused from sleep, rushed from their houses, but were met and killed or taken prisoner at their own doors as they attempted to escape. Probably, 200 or 300 were captured or killed on that awful night, not including those killed on the Rotorua side, . The others, few in number made their escape and arrived at Tauranga 1 shortly after daylight. The wounded proceeded to the mission station where their wounds were dressed by the brethren. i

After the overthrow, the usual can1 1 nibal feast followed and the victors | returned to Rotorua to await accord- 1 ing to the mode of Maori warfare, i an attack from the Tauranga and Waikato tribes. The Tama alth'ough belonging to iour district was situ- i ated 13 miles from Tauranga, but as the Maketu pas. had been destroyed, the Tauranga people, did not expect an attack from that quar- , ter. 1 The war now assumed a more serious aspect. The natives on both sides were much exasperated and no prospect of peace, no ray of hope i could be discovered through the ! blood. The missionary families re- ; mained at their posts, and the school and services were still carried -on. A few natives only at each place attend- , ed, yet there were a few, and among them some leading young men who « raised their voices and protested with ! us against the heathen. Place of Refuge Tlie mission schooner, Solumbene was put round o Tauranga as a place j of refuge for the mission families at that place for several weeks. Mrs. Wilson, Mr. Wilson and Mrs. Wade with their children went on board the schooner -every evening and returned on shore every morning. The male members of the mission slept on .shore. About this time, Mrs. Chapman, having been Oriven from Rotorua by the dang'sf to which she was exposed, ar- ; rived at Tauranga, accompanied by a party of natives. I went over to meet her at that place and she joined our' Matamata party. A few weeks after the arrival of Mrs. Chapman at Matamata, Mrs. Hamlin, of our Mangapouri station was taken unwell, and as there was not a second European i'emale at that place, it was determined that Mrs. Brown and Mrs. . Chapman should go over there for a short time, and that as Mr. Preeee had arrived at Matamata from the Thames, that Mrs. Morgan should proceed thither for a few weeks. The stations at the Thames and at Manga_^.'Ouri were at peace and the road to ihe latter was open and free from danger. We were in daily expectation of an attack from the Rotorua natives. Ver i'ew of the Matamata natives were willing even to crop the deep swamps on the right of the station, and none t-xcept Mr. Preece's neutral natives and my boy Wahataupoki were willing lo venture to the eanoe which was only about 17 miles distant. On May 24, 1836, after some difficulty, a few natives were obtained to carry Mrs. Morgan across the swamps, but on the express conditions, that in the eve.nt of their seeing the enemy while crossing the swamps, they should he allowed to put Mrs. Morgan down on a root of fiax and make their escape back to Matamata, leaving Mrs. Morgan and ourselves to fall into the hands of the natives, and make our own 'escape in the best way we could, through the swamps which at this season of the year are 'full of muddy water, in some places up to the knees, in othe^rs to the middle and even deeper. Dangerous Journey In consequence of the danger of travelling, we were unable to take much luggage. Mrs. Morgan packed several gowng and a few other articles in a pillow case, which after the return of the natives who had carried her over the swamps, she was obliged to carry herself for some miles. Mr. Preece and myself assisted to carry the food for the journey, a few blankets for bedding and other necessary articles. We reached the canoe in the afternoon, and immediately embark- ' ed, and being still within reach of the enemy, we pulled down the Piako (Thames) river until near midnight, and having passed the last point where we were exposed to danger, we landed and pitched our tents. The night was very cold and frosty and having but a few blankets and a duclc tent unlined, we felt the cold very much. The following morning, after prayers and breakfast, Mrs. Morgan started in the charge of Mr. Preece i'or Puriri, and I returned overland to Matamata. On the following day, Mr. Brown left for Mangapouri accompanied by Mrs. Brown and Mrs. Chapman, leaving me .alone at Matamata. Several weeks passed away. There was much ■excitement and many reports of the enemy being at hand, and we knew not where or when this state of things would end. Some of the Rotorua chiefs had openly expressed their determination to plunder the mission stations at Tauranga and Matamata, and carry ourselves and our families prisoners to Mokoia, an island in the Rotorua lake, which very island was in future years before the close of this, war, a place of refuge for about two years to Mr. and Mrs. Chapman, Mrs. Morgan and myself from the expected, attacks

ranga for Matamata and was pursued by the Tauranga people for. the purpose of " murdering his, natives and narrpwly escaped their h'ands. Ten natives also of Mr. Brown's went down the Thames for a supply of flour, and narrowly escaped • being murdered. The plan was discovered by the Thames brethren, and the natives were shipped off in the mission schooner."" At this time, we had no security ei- ' ther for life or property. Every hour was uncertahv and continued vso for several years. On one occasion I went into the wood with one of my brethren to look for a hollow tree, under which we could .shelter our wives. in the event of a sudden attack being made. v j Signs of Hope Clouds and darkness were round i about us, and we often knew not whe- j ther we should turn to the right hand or to the left. Still we were not without hope. It was during thesp storms and temposts, these ravings of Satan and wicked men, in the midst of these scenes of war, bloodshed and cannibalism, when we knew not 'from day to day what would befall us on the morrow, that th'e dawning of a brighter day appeared notwithstanding the darkness with which we were surrounded, and while even yet sowing in tears, we hegan to reap in1 joy. A little band, about .18 in number, including several leading young men, two of these sons of two leading chiefs at Matamata, carae forward as candidates for baptism. One of this party was a young man, who was afterwards baptised by the name of Paratene, who having laboured with great success as native teaeher at Otawhao, died in the faith much respected by th'e Christian hand who eathered around him. These circum-

stances strengthened our weak hands, and confirmed our feehle knees. Satan raged and opposed our labours, but we trusted that it was only a prelnde to that Gospel day to which we were so anxiously looking forward. The same blessing and spir.it of inquiry existed at each of the stations within the reach of the war. The brethren at the stations not engaged by war were labouring with success, and the promise of an abundant harvest. Several weeks having elapsed since the removal of the ladies, and as we could not discover any particular danger in the present state of affairs, it being the winter seasun, and consequently unfavourable for war operations, it was' determined that the female members should return to Matamata. The Rev. A. N. Brown, having arrived at Matamata with Mrs Brown and Mrs. Chapman on the following day, I left for the Thames, and in ten days returned with Mrs. Morgan to our station. i These journeys were proposed in the middle of winter, and the ladies were much exposed to the wet and cold travelling by day in canoes or upon litters and sleeping in tents at night. The Lord, however, preserved and kept them in health. The members of the station and Mrs. Chapman, having by the blessing of God, met together again at Matamata, our missionary labour proceeded again as usual. Mrs. Brown and Mrs. Chapman had recommended ihe female adult and infant schools before Mrs. Morgan arrived. We all looked forward fully expecting that the severe winter would at least put a stop to the war for two or three months and that during this period we should be permitted to pursue our labours in peace. Evil Reports Numerous reports of murder in the bush, the gathering of the enemy and every other evil report daily came to our ears, but we were not in parti-c-ular fear at Matamata, it being, according to Maori warfare, the turn for ihe Waikato and Tauranga tribes to attack those of Rotorua. That station, therefore, was chiefly in danger. Waharoa, the principal chief of Matamata was restless' and his feet were swift to shed bloodT"" On one .occasion I went down to Waharoa to converse with him and endeavour to persuade him to give up> the war, but it was like casting chaff before the whirlwind. The old savage thirsted for blood, and raising his hand about two feet from the ground, he said, "When I return you shall see a pile of heads this high,'! and then exclaimed "The kumara and the flesh, the kumara and the flesh' (human) how nice they will go down together." On his return from the expedition, on which he was then anxious to proceed, I did not see the human heads in a h'eap, but saw them stuck on the tops of the fences round about his pa, and it was indeed a savage sight. During this state of affairs the roads between the station were frequently bloeked lip, and travelling was always attended with danger to ourselves and to our natives, and they especially had many narrow escapes. Yet notwithstanding the many dangers to which wre were exposed almost continually for several years, not a hair of any of the missionaries or our natives were injured, and we always found the promise true, "Thy shoes shall be iron and brass and as they drop so shall thy strength be." | We however felt the frequent want of communication with the other brethren a severe trial. Our anxiety to hear from our brethren was often great, but we could not send messengers without the rislc of their meeting. with murdering parties from the enemy in the bush, and being cut off by them, and frequently when out of anxiety overcame our fears, or when the want of supplies obliged us to send them, they travelled at the risk of their lives.