ESCAPE FROM THE CHATHAMS. AN UNCLE THROWN OVERBOARD.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 346, 27 February 1889, Page 5

ESCA PE FROM THE CHATHAMS. AN UNCLE THROWN OVERBOARD.

The incident referred to in this telegram as having occurred on the passage from Chathams is more probably the di'owning of an uncle of Te Kooti's, which is reported in several histories of the events of that time to have taken place. There is no record of Te Kooti's brother having been drowned. Lieutenant Gudgeon, in his reminiscences of the war, refers to the occurrence as follows : — The schooner Riflemen laden with stores, etc., for the prisoners on the islands, from Wellington, was captured by Te Kooti and his compatriots, and sail was made on the evening of the 3td July. The European crew had been given the choice between instant death and working the schooner to Poverty Bay. They wisely chose the latter, and were subsequently informed that their lives would be spared and the craft surrendered to them on arrival. A strong westerly wind prevented them from beating out, and the schooner returned to her anchorage ; the sails were furled, the crew were oidered below, and Te Kooti himself took charge of the deck. After much delay, owing to head winds, To Kooti ordered on the 9th the whole of the greenstone ornaments on board to be thrown overboard as a propitiatory offering to Tangaroa (Neptune). This sacrifice was evidently not sufficient, for the wind continued in the same quarter, &o Te Kooti ordered his men to throw overboard an old man, a relation of his. The poor old fellow was immediately dragged on deck, his hands tied, and despite his prayers and lamentations, over he went, a victim to mad fanaticism and revenge, for perhaps the latter feeling had most to do with it, this old man ha\ing warned the settlers of the proposed lising For some time the victim could be seen struggling in the water, but no one seemed to pity him, or if they did were wise enough not to say so for after all he might have been a Jonah as the wind, hitherto adverse, suddenly veered to the right quarter, and enabled them to continue on their voyage. On the 10th the schooner arrived "at Whareongaonga, about 15 miles south of Poverty Bay,and the escapees landed."