MISSION SACKED

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 421, 4 January 1933, Page 6

MISSION SACKED

ROTORUA STATION SANGUINARY ENCOUNTER BETWEEN WARRING PARTIES GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION (No. 5.) (All Rights Reserved) Continuing his narrative, the Rev. H. Morgan describes the sacking and burning of the first mission station at Rotorua and the scenes of bloodshed and horror which followed a ( sanguinary encounter between the Rotorua and Waikato natives led by their chief Waharoa. Before many weeks had elapsed after the return of our wives to Matamata, the tribes began to assemble at that place, and thence( proceed to Patetere on their way to Rotorua. Mr Chapman, the Rotorua member, was at this time at Tauranga and the station was left in charge of two young men, Messrs. Knight and Pilley. At this time Mr. Knight while visiting Onemata, the chief of the pa at Rotorua, met a few men leading out a slave .woman with the intention of killing her. Seeing Mr. Knight, she escaped from the party and flew to him for protection. He clasped her in his arras and entreated them to spare her life, but it was in vain. They tore her away from him and murdered her before his face. As Mr. Knight has written a full account of the attack by the Waikato tribes on the Rotorua natives and the plunder and destruction of the property of that place, which account is published in the Church Missionary record for June, 1838, page 160, I shall not transcribe that account on my paper. Mr. Knight writes that the first day was spent by the invading tribes in building their camp. On August 4 some of the Rotorua natives went out to them, and a few rounds of musketry were fired, but without any effect on either side, both parties keeping carefully without the range of the bullets. On the fifth, nothing whatever occurred except that Waharoa sent a message to the pah stating it to be his intention to remove his camp to the mission station. On the following morning his message was delivered to us, and as we knew that everything bad might be expected from a night visit by Maoris on a war expsdition, we prepared for the visit, committing ourselves to Him Who has said, "Call on Me in the day of trouble and I will deliver thee". We retired to rest a^ usual. I, as a precaution, lay down in my clothes. However, it pieased the Lord to preserve us from the horror1 of a night visit. Sacking the Station With the earlic-st dawn of daylight, I left my room, exp'scting if Waharoa camq that as usual with New Zealand light, he would come before the sun rose. All was quiet, and I walked into the garden to examine the appearance of a place where we had left several things the night before. Mr. Pilley soon joined me. I did not remain long at the spot, and had scarcely reached the garden behind the house when I heard the sound of many voices, apparently proceeding from behind the hill near the summit of which our encampment stood. Having acquainted Mr. Pilley with it, we loc-ked every door and not having any domestic at the station, walked to the top of the hill immediately outside the garden. We perceived an armed party consisting of perhaps 70, movipg toward the F'a. This immediately informed us who they were. The Rotorua natives accepted the challenge and immediately left the pa and followed the small party who retreated before them. Wlthin half an hour of the giving of the challenge, the general engagement began and had scarcely commenced before the allies of Rotorua were routed, and unfortunately flew through our stajtion ;thereby

* I drawing the great body of the enemy upon us. 'A few of the foremost of the enemy were civil and behaved respectfully toward us, but we soon'saw that we were to share in the calamities of the day. I was standing outside of the pathway gate leading to the house when two of the enemy, came up and demanded admittance, offering as their reason, a desire to discover whether any of their enemies were secreted there. I refused to admit them, assuring them that no native was in the house. They woul'd not believe me,' and seeing that they were determined to force an entrance by another way, I offered to walk with them. When I got to the • house, the crash of doors, glass, etc., within informed me that all was over > and that the property of the station I was being divided by the enemy. I opened the door and let in the two anxious beings behind me, who from their manner seemed afraid that they should not be in time to obtain a portion of the plunder. I walked into my bedroom, which had not been brolten into, my two companions followed, and in a minute, every removable thing dis appeared. Terrifying Scene I knew that remonstrance was in vain, and therefore said but little. My room, being cleared, I walked through ) the house, through such a scene that beggars all descriptions. Every room was filled with naked savages, armed. Their countenances were lighted up with an infernal expression of rage and exultation, horrifying. as most of them were sprinkled with blood warm from the bodies of their enemies. With difficulty I got through them and stood in front of the house watching the distressing scene. Mr. Pilley joined me, but we were not long permitted to be together. We were separated. Five men seized Mr. Pilley, and three myself. I remonstrated and tallced with them, but all was in vain. The natives, heedless of my remonstrances, after they had lugged and pulled me about, each wishing to get all, took from me, my coat, waistcoat, hat, wa'tch, etc. leaving me only my shirt and trousers, and for these 1 was not indebted to their generosity, for at the monient of my deliverance, a man was threatening me with a blow from his battle axe if I did not give him my other garments, which I felt not disposed to do. But God sent me a deliverance in a young chief of Waikato, who taking my p'art, received me out of the enemies' hands. He said that if I would walk with him, he would be my protection, which I.thankfully accepted, knowing that if I remained it would only be to fall into the hands of perhaps a wrorse party than the one who had already stripped me. During this time, Mr. Pilley was contending with another party in the garden by whom I believe he was worse treated than I had been, arising perhaps from his resisting their force as well as he could. I was told by him afterwards that the natives, finding that they could not get- his clothes from hihi, threw him down and stamped upon him. One struck him with the butt end of his musket and threatened to shoot him. Another struck him under the ear with his fist, the mark of which I afterwards saw. He was more roughly treated than I, and though he would, as he said afterwards, have ireely given them his clothes if they would let him alone, they would not accept his terms, but continued to pull him about, none wanting- to lose his share of the prize, nor did they release him until the Rotorua tribes" drove them from the station. He therefore escaped those horrid sights to. which I yvas exposed for about two hours, in the enemies' camp, which I will briefly describe. Cannibal Atrocities Having consented to go with my deliverer under God, we left the station. We had not gone far through the i'ern when I suddenly stopped by the side of a man just killed. He lay weltering in his gore. I walked almost petrified and passed bodies which here and there strewed the ground until I came to a place where a number of bodies were laid out previously to their being cut up for the oven. I turned away in disgust and sick at heart, but whichever way I looked some similar sight saluted me. I walked a short distance, but had not been there long when a body, apparently that moment killed, was dragged into the camp before me. His head was almost cut off before I could look roundj This did not satisfy the wretches. His breast was opened and his heart, etc., steaming with warmth, was pulled out and carried off. I did not see such another scene as this during the whole time of my being in the camp. I was exposed to the most horrible scenes, lialves of bodies, quarters, legs, heads, etc., were being carried away, some of which were thrust purposely in my face. When the fighting ceased by order of Waharoa, I was allowed to return to my station.- 1 did not remain long at the place. Alas! it was no longer a station. It was a scene of ruin. Hearing that Mr. Pilley was in the pa, I hastened thither. I need not say that we were rej'oiced to meet after the trials of the morning. Burning Building About sunset, on looking toward our now deserted station, we saw smoke ascending from the roof of the dwelling house and had scarcely noiiced it when the flames burst out from every part of it, and I may say in about 20 minutes it was reduced to ashes. EYery building in the station shared the same fate, not even excepting the fencing around the garden. It was a melancholy sight to see our beautiful station in flames. Thus ended a station which had not been in existence 12 months. The tribes of Rotorua burnt it down in order, as th'sy said, to prevent Waharoa occupying it as a pa, as he had threatened to do. I remained at Rotorua 10 days after the destruction of the setlement, and none of our brethren ma'king their appearance, we thought it advisable that I should go and see how the others stood and obtain advice how to act under all cireumstances. I therefore left Matamata on Monday August 16 some time before daylight for Tauranga. I met Mr. Chapman (who had not heard of the overthrow of our station) going to Rotorua. He thought it advisable that from Tauranga I should proceed to Matamata, which I did, after resting one day at Tauranga. (To be Continued.)