NARROW ESCAPE OF MR. PARRIS.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 4, Issue 193, 31 May 1860, Page 3

NARROW ESCAPE OF MR. PARRIS.

; Before the Waikatos left for Taranaki, their head chief (7?ewi) went to the Rev. Air. Alor- : gan, at ptawhao, and expressed a desire to ; see Mr. Parris, on;the, road, as they were escortingihc - deputation and Ngatiruanui on. their return.. , 7i Mi\ Parris accordingly started for the. coast on Friday, 11th , May. On arriving at Parris unexpectedly came upon the whole party seated behind the break wind away from, the pa. A Ngatiruanui chief haying been the first to observe Mr. Parris, rose and shook hands with him, for which he afterwards received the censure of the whole oi his tribe. The natives of Pukekohe (Nikorima’s people) seeing Mr. Parris approach waved, to him with their blankets to keep off from,the'war party. Mr. Parris at once rode to the pa, when lie discovered there had been no communication between the two' parties. Ilere Mr. Parris remained some, little time. The pa natives, according to custom, put.>put-, some potatoes and other food for the war ; party, after which some of the latter rose and roid, “ This white man, Parris, .-entered this pa, and, therefore, we suppose the- pa belongs to him ; in consequence thereof the food is tapu (not to be eaten or accepted ;them). This produced a discussion; which ended in the Waikatos declining to agree to it. The Ngatiruanui ate nothing but" dry; karaka berries, brought by them from Waikato; but the Waikatos partook of some food from the pa. JVetini, a Mokau chief, entered the pa, and told Mr. Parris the state of feeling against him, advised him to be cautious, and added that the Mokaus had endeavoured to keep the party back. Mr. Parris asked Wetini if he had any objection to return and invite the heads of the I Waikato party to come and speak with him. He consented, but said it wo'ttld lead to nothing. He went, and remained away full an hour, during which Mr. Parris recognised Hone Pumipi, a Kawhia chief amongst the party. Mr. Parris asked of the pa to go aiid see if Hone would ; co r me and see him. Mr. Parris saw Hode submit'othe proposal to the natives, after which he came towards the pa accompanied by abodyguard of four inen armed, with guns. ITone.ap.prqaehed the side of the pa,.and addressing;Mri,Parris said, “I have come because you have ;sent for me, but the people are ponrri (evil disposed).” Mr. Parris, observing an indisposition on Hone’s part to converse (probably owing to the pre

scnce of armed natives), said, “ I merely sent to see you, and • ask you how you areupon which one of the guard rose and said, “ iv iiougli, let us return,” and they A> soon as they rejoined the party, the Kgatiruanui and Taranaki rose and fired off their guns and started for Urenui, two or three mites nearer town. The Waikatos remained. Shortly afterwards the head of the Waikato party (Epilia) came to the pa to see Mr. Parris, and made the following disclosure. He .commenced with a regular scolding You are foolish ; you have brought your body upon U 3 without sending a messenger or a letter, to let us know you were coming';" if we had met you on the march you would have been shot dead without our being able to save you. As it is, you are dead.” Mr. Parris interrupted him to explain, that it was in consequence of being requested by Mr. Morgan and Rewi to meet the party that he had come, and asked Epiha to explain what he meant by saying he was dead. Epiha replied, “It lias been proposed to murder, you,. Shortly after.. you arrived this morning, Erueti(one of W. King s natives) came to us-(Waikato), and. said when he saw you his -flesh. shook, and. that he was going on to Urenui. Epiha asked, “ What for ? ” Erueti answered, “ 7'o wait for Parris's return.” Epiha said, “ What to do ?” Ahmeti replied, “To finish him.” Epiha observed-, “ We have not, come from Waikato for any such tiling as murder, and if you determine to do it, we shall leave at once, and return to Waikato.” The proposal having been disap? proved of by Waikato, Enieti was displeased, and.left for Urenui with three .others (Hori, Paori, ami Taimona, all of Kaipakopako) This occurred before the Taranakis and Ngatiruanui started for Urenui; A long and anxious conversation ensued as to the- course to be taken, which ended in Epilia stating that he would wait for Mr. Parris at Urenui, and see him safely across. After Epiha left, it was arranged with Nilcorima that a party of ten of "his natives should accompany Mr. Parris as far as JFaitara. Night was now setting in, and, as the party approached Urenui, they .sang out to warn Epiha, who was across the river. ■ln ascend iug the cliff- the natives were found assembled near the top, the party halted; and Mr. Parris was asked to come in trout. A row of armed natives was on each side of the path. As soon as Mr. Parris had got clear of the armed men, Epilia ordered a halt, and requested the ten natives who had- accompanied Mr. Parris from Pukekohe to return to their pa. This they declined, and as it threatened an unpleasant discussion* Mr; Parris entreated them- to return, as lie threw- himself .entirely upon, the Waikatos. Hone Pumipi thereupon stepped forth from the crowd and said, “ Parris, I’ll take charge of you,” As lioni said this, a . man in a flax niat forced liis way forward, and rubbed noses with Mr. Parris. Hone observing this seized the stranger by the chest and forced him back, when lie exclaimed,* “ This is my white man,” and he proved to be a brother-in-law to Teira of the Waitara. The situation was one of"extreme peril. A large body of natives hustled Mr. Parris, and amongst the crowd, though they could not he distinguished by the starlight, were many of the conspirators. The chiefs Epilia and ilone now called out to all the natives to stand clear of the Pakeha, and the dark mass of human beings fell back. It was. communicated to Mr. Parris that the ambush party had gone on to Onairo. Au armed party of Waikatos then fell in, a native on each side of Mr. Parris grasping him by the band, besides an advance and rear guard.; and in this way Itfr. Parris was conducted to Waiau (about five miles) in the darkness of the night. On arriving at Onairo, where there is a spot of bush through which the road passes, the party was halted, one native remarking, “ This is the place where they, said they would-kili him.’’ Double files were here placed around Mr. Parris, and the whole directed- to keep close together. From Wuiau to Waitara the road is on the beach, at the former place Mr. Parris was required to join in a clever extempore prayer for the King, the Queen, and his own safety. After which Mr. Parris separated from his preservers. Epiha, in reply to : the acknowledgments made to him, told Mr Parris not to attribute bis deliverance to him ■ but to God, that he would yet meet him as an enemy in daylight, but that he (Mr. Parris) : had seen that he would not consent to his being murdered.

The Waikato escort was estimated at 150 natives, the Taranaki ami Ngatiruanui deputation at 50.