THE "OBSERVER" CARTOONS.

Observer, Volume 3, Issue 71, 21 January 1882, Page 296

THE "OBSERVER" CARTOONS.

No. 3. — Mr Robert Grahait

AN EXCITING- ADYENTITRE

With the present issue of the Observer we present our readers with the third of the new series of cartoons, the subject, Mr R. Graham — one of our oldest and most respected settlers. We hare already given a sketch- of Mr Graham's eventful life in our issue of October 22nd, 1881. From his landing in the Colony he has been an • energetic and entersprißing settler, has taken an active and beneficial interest in every public movement conductive to the welfare of Auckland and the Colony at large, has filled many impor- - s tant and influential public positions, and has been prominently useful in developing the resources of the Colony. There was one incident in Mr G-raliain's colonial career which strikingly exhibited his extraordinary courage, powers of endurance, tact, and loyalty to his friends. The story is best told in his own words. "At the time of the wreck of the Lord Ashley I was a member of the House of Representatives, and I had taken my passage to Auckland. Captain Vine Hall, manager of the Panama Company, was one of my compactions de voyaye. After leaving Nelson we experienced light head winds and a rather heavy sea. It was about 1 o'clqek on a dark morning, amidst a stiff gale and heavy rain, that I was aroused by the sudden striking of the steamer on the rocks. I heard the captain call out,. " Hard a port !" When I rushed on deck, the mate shook hands with me and exclaimed, " It's all up with us ; nothing on earth can save us." I immediately returned to the cabin and informed Captain Butler and C. J. Taylor, who were fellow: passenger, of our danger, and then returned to the deck and remained there until daylight, when I saw that the vessel had run ashore near Te Namu, and was resting on the rocks in a small cove. Had she gone twenty feet on either side she would have struck broadside on. Indeed it was the only spot for 100 miles along the coast where she could have gone ashore without^being exposed to instant destruction, with the probable loss of every boul on board. About 8 o'clock in. the morning I

effected a landing, and met a native chief named William King — one of those who has lately been taken prisoner at Parihaka. He was friendly. I proceeded to the house of another native, about a quarter of a mile inland, and made arrangements for landing provisions and luggage, which were removed for safety to this place. Meanwhile Captain Bowden had manned a small boat, and gone to New Plymouth. Captain Vine Hall was. seized with illness, and begged me to undertake the charge of the party and make the best arrangements I could for their safety. The natives now began to muster in considerable numbers on the beach, and Captain Butler and myself were the only persons among the party who spoke the Maori language and understood the native character. We were accommodated with a small whare 'between us. News of the wreck was soon circulated in the neighbouring Maori settlements, and the natives flocked to the scene in great numbers. We could not but remark the unfriendly bearing of many of these new-comers, and consequently our anxiety to reach New Plymouth increased. They made us prisoners for several days, without intimating in any way how they intended to treat us. About 2 o'clock in the morning of the fifth day a Maori boy, who liad attended upon Captain Butler and myself, •crept into our whare and whispered that the natives had determined to tomahawk all the Europeans. At this time the Maoris were assembled round a large fire. I went out and addressed them, telling them that I had heard of their determination to kill us, that we were entirely . at their mercy, but that they onght carefully to consider what would be the consequences of such a massacre ; that we had been thrown into their hands by the wind and waves — the will* of the Almighty — that we were innocent of any hostile intention, and that if we were killed soldiers and men-o'-war would be sent to take revenge for our deaths. Bruera (now called Te Whiti, the Parihaka Prophet) rose up and said : " I have heard the words of this European. lam a man of peace, and I Avill not allow my name to be mixed up with a massacre ; I therefore leave you, and wash my hands of the guilt of the blood of these Europeans." Aramu Karaka, who" died about a year ago said : " I also am opposed to the murder of these Europeans." He also left, and after him one chief after another rose up and went away from the meeting. None of the Europeans but myself, Captain Butler, and Captain Vine Hall knew what had transpired. I purposely kej>t the matter a secret in order to prevent" a panic. About 8 o'clock in the morning I called the natives together, told them how unsatisfactory our position was, and asked them if they would allow us to proceed overland to New Plymouth. About 60 natives then assembled in a. large whare to discuss matters in my presence ; and after two hours talk, they agreed to let us proceed to New Plymouth. Immediately that decision was come to, Te Heuheu and his followers stripped, nourished their tomahawks, and declared that no European should be allowed to leave. The other natives, seeing that Te Heuheu was bent on murder, seized and bound him with chains. Being a very powerful man, it took several to hold him. While thus bound, Te Heuheu declared that he had a vision, in which it was revealed to him that he would be gifted with power to control any body of men, native or European, by merely holding up his hand. This was the origin of the Pai Mariri fanaticism. The ■condition which the natives attached to our being allowed to proceed overland to Taranaki was that we were to surrender all arms and ammunition, but should be permitted to take such luggage as we could carry. The natives appointed what they *;h.ose to call Custom House officers to search our boxes and luggage. I called all the Europeans together, and begged them to give up any firearms at once, as resistance would have been madness, and concealment of the arms might exasper.ate our captors. One or two of the passengers brought their guns and laid them down. William King got a valuable gun worth £20, which he to bring to New Plymouth and return. When the searchers came to the ladies' and -children's boxes I told them what they were, and they did not disturb them. They then went to examine the ship, and I went on board with them. Everything seemed satisfactory. We had got .some biscuit and were going to have some lunch, when a native called out that he had found some arms that had' been hidden away. We all rushed •out, and found that some swords, pistols, and guns, belonging to an officer in the East India ■Company's service, had been found in the coals. The natives were angry, accused me of deceiving them, and I saw that my influence was completely gone. They treated me very harshly, and said that I must have known of the hiding place ; but would believe me if I gave up the name of the European to whom the arms belonged. I did not comply, because I knew he would be killed if I did. This was the cause of another clay's detention j but ultimately I pacified the natives, .and early next morning the party started for New Plymouth. . In searching the vessel the natives had come upon a safe, sealed with the Royal Arms, and containing gold. They wanted to break this open, but I said if they did the •Government would send a man-o'-war to punish them. They promised to respect the seal. We liaxTgone ten miles on our way to New Plymouth, when a native overtook its and informed me that the safe had been broken open, and the gold removed. I asked him to go back with me, but he refused, and said he would be killed if it were known that he had given the information. I returned alone to the house where the boxes of gold had been placed. The chief William King was there alone. The door was padlocked. I asked him where the gold was. He said he had not •seen it, and knew nothing about it. I told him I knew it was in the house. I asked him to unlock the door. He said his wife had the key, and was at the wreck, a quarter of a mile away. I prized ■off the padlock with a piece of wood. He wanted Tne to go in first through the low door, but I knew if I did so he would ?cill me from behind. I made him enter first. I found the boxes of : gold inside. I emptied the clothes from a sailor's bag, put the two boxes in that, and ordered the ■chief to bring them out. When he came outside he called out to his people. I got on the horse and told him to hand up the boxes. He complied,

and I then rode I>ff. Finding the weight too heavy for the horse, I hid the boxes in the high fern on the banks of a creek, and overtook our party at a place called Hikaroa, stayed there all night, and next morning we had to pay 5s a-head toll money, and £5 for the food. Before starting, the natives ranged us in a line and counted us three times. We resumed our journey, and came to the aukati, where there was another toll-gate, and here we had to pay another Is ahead. There were abut 60 in our party. We were met and welcomed by the Superintendent of Taranaki (Mr Charles Brown) and a. party of settlers. On the following day, after a consultation with the Superintendent, I decided to return for the gold, in company with the chief Bobby Eangi— a loyal native. When we got to Te Whiti's house I gave him some presents that I had brought Avith me, in order to induce him to accompany me to where the gold was. He said it would not be safe for him to go, but told me if anyone interfered with me I might say I was sent by him. When I got near the spot where I had concealed the gold, Bobby Rangi deserted me. He said : " Now I know where it is, I can return at some future time and remove it." A Hauhau native remained with me, and after a quarter of an hour's search I found the boxes, and strapped them on the back of the native's horse. In crossing a creek he fell off his horse, and I had to jump in and save him. I then took the gold m front of me, and we resumed our journey. The native advised me to cover up the boxes with my cloak, because if his own brother met us he would not be able to save my life. About 7 o'clock in the morning we came to a large stream, where a native seized my bridle and asked what I was carving. I told him it was stone and gold in such a state as to be of no value to him. He said he must see the contents of the parcel. I said : " Well, if you think it is of any value, give me £6 and you can have it." He replied : "Ifit is only worth £6, it can't be much." While we were talking, I slipped a sovereign into the native's hand. The creek was about 4 feet deep. I was going on, when the native said, " Stop ; We have not done talking." The Hauhau w&s frightened and said, " Gro on." It struck me that the water was too cold for the natives to follow me, so I pushed into the stream and got safely away. We came next to a 6andy beach, where we were met by a Maori with a long handled tomahawk. He seized my bridle and flourished the tomahawk in my face. He said : " I want the life of a European as ' utu.' " I merely laughed at him, and said : "You are a fool to waste time with me j go to the wreck, and you will get plenty of clothes." He replied: "How is it that you are not afraid of me, when I could kill you in a moment." I said: "Your arm is not strong enough to kill me." I just stared him in the face. The Hauhau who was with me said : " Yes, it is quite true ; there are lots of blankets and clothes at the wreck. Why don't you go there ?" The other Maori then released the reins, and we went on. We came next to a bay, wkere there vrere 30 or 40 natives. There was a chief here, also called William King. He had a broken arm, through a wound received in war. He lifted up his arm and said : "I have had no payment for this, but I am now going to take payment for my arm." I told him I was hungry, and wanted food. Some of the young fellows made a fire and cooked food, and meanwhile I discovered, in the course of conversation, that this William King had formerly been in my employ at Ellerslie. While the potatoes were being roasted I lay down to rest, using the boxes as pillow ; and while in this position a native crept up, lifted my head, and carried the boxes away three or four hundred yards into the bush. After eating, I told the chief I wanted the boxes brought back. He called out to the native by name to bring them back, and he brought them and laid them at my feet. I gave the chief a sovereign and a stick of tobacco, and resumed my journey. At the aukati I met the Superintendent and Colonel Warre, who accompanied me to New Plymouth. I placed the gold in the Bank of New Zealand. I was entertained at a banquet by the officers, and complimentary speeches were made. Colonel Warre said if he had a thousand men like me he would march through the North Island, and that it was one of the pluckiest things he had known in the army or out of it. The gold was valued at £6000. The insurance companies in England held a meeting and presented me with a £1000, and I received many flattering letters from all quarters, as well as expressions of gratitude from the crew and passengers of the Lord Worsley, who- acknowledged that I had saved their lives."