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Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 786, 30 June 1877, Page 6 (Supplement)

' The 18-pounder guii which belonged to 'the! Boyd, arid : was ; brought to Auckland forihe Museiirii on Saturday last,iß a relic pf 6p.'ej of; the moSt interesting periods 4n the hisijoryidf this 'colony. ■ The Boyd was a trader from Sydney, and.she was engaged m the purchase'from the Maoris of a cargo of timber and'flax. > Atone ofthe .pprjbs t she ; took on board 'a' chief of some rank, who was engaged as a pilot for. theharboiir of Wangaroav The \sailors knowing, nothing ! of ;Maorl customs, and regarding a native with contempt, ; subjected him, to insult, which he resented. Being assaulted by one 'of the officers, he returned the , blows -/with'iiitierest. > .For this he was seized, tied up, and flogged. To a Maori chief this was wojrse' than death; 'It degraded him, to, the leyel ■of a< slave, and denuded him of his mana, iinless /be could wipe put ,the insult byj revenge. Whatever feelings may have 'rankled m his breast he did not allow, his ' { demeanour; to betray them. iOn the arrival, 'ol (the Boyd; m Wangaroa harbour he went, 'ashore, and 'negotiations! with the natives were opened. / ■ I Meantime the chief , told, the st<j>ry of his ; wrongs ■to his ; countryman,, whose anger had-also been incensed against! thp officers and., crew., of the Boyd by their trespass upon tapued ground. A jsecret •attack' and massacre w&re planned. Wjhile one portion of thecrew were ashore" injthebushierigagedin cutting timborj.fhey were suddenly set upon -by a strong body of | natives-; ' and' massacred/ Meantime ariother party 1 of i natives had got Jon board) and distributed themselves about: the vessel. Alnatiyeinformant says that ithey • went, on board m carioesy mixed with women, and concealed their tomahawks beneath; their mats. Suddenly they attacked the crew, slaughtering i ; all with the exception , of a woman and child) ' who were . passengers for Sydney. These two survivors lived at Wangaroa I for several months, ; but were ultimately given up to the missionaries, who . at that >time rendered many services iri calming the anger of the Maoris, and, m the settlement of quarrels. The child, a girl is, we believe, still alive, and recall's the scpnes of her -infancy with, horror. Alter murdering the crew, the natives attempted to sail the vessel up the: harbour to Waiponu>but ran/her oh a bank, where the copper is still, visible at low water. They then began plundering the wreck, and our native informant, who was present, ;says they wereso. ignorant of the nature of tlie European stores, that some commenced eating soap, while others, finding the salt j nauseous, threw it overboard, and, mistaking the flour for salt; also cast it 'iiitp^ the sea. ;. There were two separate tribes on board; and their mode of dividing,, the spoil was peculiar. > The stronger party took the part behind the mainmast, leaving the rest to -the weaker. 1 -Afterwards they had a ! fight oven the -plunder,; m which ! many were killed and wounded.;, In the; confusion a barrel of 'gunpowder was exploded, > i doing great . , mischief. . The gun !\yas 'one of . those on board. We may, mention • : that > there is: another . . gun' ; a-fcthe Bay of Islands, i which ought to be down as a' companion for the one [from the Boyd. Itbeiongedto H. M. S. Hazard , and ' lies near the township of : Kororareka, atthe footi'of a ;hill where the marines and' sailoi's if ought with the natives, and close to ■\yhere Lieutenant! Robertson, of: the Hazard . fpught* so' 'bravely.,.,: .< .-, ',\ „ ■;;■,.,:,. J 1 The' : Se'cretai-y of the " Acclimatisation Society 'has 'received' seeds of a variety of ;'trees. i;: which 1 ; will' 1 be dLgkibute'd 'to' applicants. ; ' ; '; i: " l! - ; ' -: : "" ■■ •■ ■■'•' '• .:-.• ■ It is rumouied that a new morning paper is to be started at Timaiii. • " : " '-' One of the persons charged with circulating < ibfass buttons as . sovei'eigns, at Christchurch, lias been 1 i sent -to Sic Industrial: School, and another was committed for trial. ■'<>'■ ■ '■ ' ■ '.■ ' .-si ./■ .-.:::-. : .Fatiieiy Hyapinthe lately 1 . lectured ' m France on; "The reform of family relations!", There was' a fight amongst the audience;' and a gieiit uproar during the lecture.