ENZB - 1887 - Gudgeon, T. W. The Defenders of New Zealand

CAPTAIN THOMAS.

WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE CAREER OF TE KOOTI.

The Maori prisoners sent to Chathams--The guard numerically insufficient for their safe custody--Te Kooti practising on the credulity of his fellow-prisoners--Capture of the 'Rifleman'--Landing in Poverty Bay and subsequent events--The Poverty Bay massacre--A horrible tragedy--Hunting Te Kooti through the country--A series of successful engagements in which the colonial forces distinguished themselves.

CAPTAIN THOMAS was an Imperial officer, holding a commission in the 26th Regiment (Cameronians), and also as captain in the 2nd Cheshire, together with Sir H.B. Loch, the present Governor of Victoria. He settled in New Zealand, in 1857, and was appointed Resident Magistrate at the Chatham Islands. Happening to be in Wellington during the month of February, 1866, he was sent for by Colonel Russell, the then Native Minister, who informed him of the contemplated idea of the Government deporting Maori prisoners to the Chathams under his charge. Captain Thomas distinctly stipulated that under such circumstances the guard should be increased in proportion to the number of prisoners sent; and on this understanding Captain Thomas left Wellington for Napier without delay to take over the first batch of forty-three prisoners, their wives and children, amounting to twenty-five more. The guard, half Maori, half European, under Lieutenant Tuke, twenty-six strong, accompanied them in the steamship St. Kilda. They arrived at the Chathams on the 14th March, and the first step Captain Thomas had to undertake was to proceed ashore and prepare for their reception with the natives of the Islands, informing them of the intention of the Government to locate them on suitable land for their habitation and cultivation. The prisoners were disembarked at Port Waitangi and marched up to the locality agreed upon as their place of residence; and being close at hand, by the evening of the following day they were all comfortably housed, having been hospitably received and fed by the island natives. After consulting Lieutenant Tuke, a redoubt of a suitable size and residence for the Resident Magistrate and commanding officer were being

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prepared, and the press of work was such that Captain Thomas did not consider it prudent to send half the guard back this trip, as Colonel Russell expected him to do.

On the 27th April a second batch of prisoners arrived, numbering in all eighty-eight, and the Government were reminded by Captain Thomas that if it was contemplated to send a large increase of prisoners the guard should be strengthened in proportion, as, according to agreement with Colonel Russell, when the number of prisoners reached 300 the guard should consist of two officers and fifty men. On the 10th June another batch arrived, making in all 272 persons on the Island. With this batch was Te Kooti.

It appears that a proposition had been made to the Government by one of the Chatham Island Maori chiefs (Toenga te Poki), when in Wellington, that the Island natives should be allowed to take charge of the prisoners, and it was greatly to the astonishment of Captain Thomas that he received, early in July, instructions to send back the whole of the military guard under his command with the exception of one corporal and three privates, without any further reference being made to him on the matter. Captain Thomas immediately ascertained the wishes of the majority of the Island natives, and they one and all were most emphatic in their desire not to undertake anything of the kind, neither did the prisoners themselves wish it. The European settlers also petitioned against being left under such inadequate protection, and all this was duly reported by Captain Thomas to the Government on the return of the St. Kilda, by which vessel the guard was sent back, with the exception of the four mentioned. On the 26th November fifty-six more prisoners arrived, making a grand total of 328, under a guard of two officers and twenty men, including ten natives, the officers being Captain Edmund Tuke and Lieutenant Hamlin.

The prisoners, up to this time, had behaved well, notwithstanding the inadequacy of the guard, and had hitherto been constantly employed in road making, and now had commenced planting seed potatoes for their own use. Again, at this time, Captain Thomas appears to have begged the Government, in the event of their sending any more prisoners, to strengthen the guard in proportion. No notice was however taken; but, in March, 1867, Major Edwards, of the New Zealand Militia, was sent down by the Government to inspect and report. On his return to Wellington, Major Edwards reported on the satisfactory behaviour of the prisoners, and recommended that the guard should consist entirely of Europeans, with two officers and thirty rank and file. He alluded in his report to having interviewed the prisoners, and to their expressing to him their desire that a few of them should be allowed periodically to return to New Zealand on their good behaviour, as the Government had promised. On the 24th June, 1867, Captain Thomas received instructions from the Defence Minister (Colonel Haultain) that the prisoners should not be kept under such strict surveillance as appeared to have been maintained; but Captain Thomas seems not to have adhered to this instructions,

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and everything proceeded favourably, the prisoners being chiefly employed in raising crops for their food.

In January, 1868, Mr. Under-Secretary Rolleston was sent down to the islands, and on his return reported most favourably of all that he saw, and stated that, with regard to the general control exercised by Captain Thomas in the Chatham Islands, so far as he could learn from personal observation, his kindness of manner and honesty of purpose had won for him considerable influence amongst the natives, and the way in which he discharged his duties to both races in a position made very difficult by the conflicting interests and animosities of a young and disorganised community appeared satisfactory; also that the influence that Captain Thomas had obtained with the native prisoners had prevented any evil result, which probably might have been entailed by the unsatisfactory state of the military guard, and reported that he did not think that, as constituted, it would be of any material good had any serious difficulties arisen. One of the chief results of Mr. Rolleston's visit was that the guard, or rather a portion of the best behaved, were enrolled as a force of Armed Constabulary, numbering one senior sergeant, one corporal, and nine constables.

On the 30th March, Captain Thomas again wrote to the Defence Minister (Colonel Haultain), expressing his hope that, should it be the determination of the Government to leave the prisoners at the islands, he might be allowed some kind of assistance and support to enable him to exercise the present control he had over the prisoners, having regard also to any outbreak that might unexpectedly arise amongst them. This request, reasonable as it was, does not appear ever to have been attended to. At the same time, he also reported that the prisoners, without showing an open defiance, had not of late exhibited the same amount of willingness as they had previously shown. In the middle of April, 100 bushels of seed wheat arrived, with instructions from the Defence Minister that it should be sown by the prisoners for food. This step evidently showed the prisoners that their time of detention was not for the present to expire, as they had expected, and it was currently reported and believed amongst them that a latent promise had been made to some of them by Sir Donald McLean that two years was to be the period of their imprisonment.

Moreover, on the 19th May, Captain Thomas was instructed to warn the prisoners that the Government would not supply them with any more food whatever after the next harvest. In the latter end of June, one of the prisoners, who had had a quarrel with Te Kooti, reported to Captain Thomas Te Kooti's practise of rubbing his hands with matches, and imposing on the credulity of the prisoners on certain occasions, and of anointing some of them with oil, and from inquiries made he found the statement to be correct, and thereupon he at once separated Te Kooti from the rest of the prisoners.

On the 3rd July, 1868, the Rifleman schooner, chartered by the

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Government, arrived with stores, etc., and on the following morning (it rained heavily at the time) the guard at the redoubt was suddenly seized and overpowered by the prisoners, one of them being tomahawked. Captain Thomas at the time was on the beach below attending to the customary duties at his office, and immediately on being informed of this unexpected event, proceeded to the redoubt without any arms whatever, knowing full well that he was entirely at the mercy of the prisoners, as he had been, in fact, all along, and not wishing to exasperate them. He found the prisoners in full possession, ransacking the magazine, etc. He called on them to lay down their arms and tell him what they wanted. He was upon this immediately seized, tied hand and foot, and carried into the guard's whare. One of the prisoners shortly afterwards came up to him and informed him that his life would be spared if he did not interfere to prevent their taking the Rifleman and proceeding to New Zealand. Shortly afterwards he was conveyed handcuffed to the gaol on the beach close at hand, and there he found the few European settlers incarcerated. After a delay of about half an hour they freed themselves, but by this time the prisoners were all on board the Rifleman, which finally, after two futile attempts to put to sea, got away the next morning, leaving the captain of the vessel ashore. Te Kooti held strict watch over the men at the wheel all the way to New Zealand, until he arrived at Whare-onga-onga, in Poverty Bay, the very spot he wished to land at. His plans were laid with so much secrecy, the attack was so sudden and unexpected, and the means of defence so limited, that resistance was out of the question. It is even very doubtful whether, had Captain Thomas received warning of what was intended, he could with so weak a guard have offered any effectual opposition to their proceedings. But there can be no doubt of this, that had Captain Thomas's repeated requests to the Defence Minister only been granted, of having the guard strengthened according to the number of prisoners sent, the prisoners might have been detained there to this day; but the escape of the prisoners, owing to the policy of the then Government, must altogether have involved the country in a loss of little less than a million of money and several hundreds of valuable lives.

Captain Tuke writes:--"In 1866, the native prisoners at the Chathams numbered in all about three hundred and sixteen, two hundred men, women, and children. Their first occupation was to build themselves houses of punga, five in all; the different hapus being divided and placed under a chief, who was responsible for their good behaviour and order. I found the system to work well, and the prisoners were exceedingly well behaved and orderly. They were visited every morning and evening by the doctor, and the roll called by the officer on duty in charge of the guard, which consisted of thirty men placed in a redoubt a short distance from the prisoners' houses. Rations were supplied daily to them, and they were found in clothing and tobacco. They were also allowed to fish three days a week, the Government supplying the whale-

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boats, etc.; the principal steer oar in the first boat being Te Kooti Rikirangi, who was always well behaved. This man had not joined the Hauhaus at Poverty Bay, but was supposed to have supplied the enemy with ammunition (caps). He was a wild, rollicking fellow, about thirty-five years of age, a dealer in horses, and much given to drink; so it was thought advisable to ship him off with the rest of the prisoners, although it was never clearly proved that he did supply the enemy with ammunition. Te Kooti not being a chief, but only what the Maoris call a tangata tutua (common man), no objection was made by his hapu (Atuina Mahaki) to his being sent away. On visiting the prisoners one morning after the boats had returned from a fishing expedition, I found Te Kooti in a very bad state--spitting blood. The doctor (Watson) placed him on the sick list. The natives got permission to place him on the hill above the whares, in a small house by himself; an old woman attending him, according to native custom. He was well looked after, and supplied with medical comforts, port wine, etc. The natives, thinking he would shortly die, actually began preparing a coffin for him. I often used to visit him, at which he seemed much pleased and grateful. To the astonishment of the other prisoners he recovered, which they looked upon as almost a miracle. He then commenced the Hauhau practices and became a great prophet. At that time an order came from the late Sir Donald McLean, that all the chiefs who had behaved well were to be released. They were sent back to New Zealand by the St. Kilda, with the exception of Kingita, a troublesome fellow, who was afterwards killed at Poverty Bay. I wrote to Sir Donald McLean (by private instructions from him), that the prisoners, after Te Kooti's revival, had become altered in demeanour, and that I thought something evil was brewing amongst them. Some time before this Te Kooti had been married by Captain Thomas to a native woman named Martha. Major Edwards was sent down as commissioner, and recommended that the guard should be doubled, and a strong redoubt built, he fixing the position. This recommendation was not put into force, but another commissioner was sent (Mr. Rolleston) with instructions to take all surveillance off the prisoners; much to my astonishment, and also that of the Resident Magistrate, Captain Thomas. Our morning roll-call was done away with; the prisoners could roam about wherever they liked on the island. They were also told they were in future to grow their own wheat, which they looked upon as a great evil, having been promised, on good behaviour, their freedom in three years. If Major Edwards's advice had been carried out, the prisoners would probably have never got away, and thousands would have been saved to the country, the terrible murders in Poverty Bay would not have been committed, and the prisoners would have been quietly released after the three years. I do not wish, by this short account, to palliate Te Kooti's doings on his arrival in New Zealand, as I shall always look upon him as a murderer of the deepest dye, who never ought to have been

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pardoned; but he certainly had a grievance in being sent away without a trial, not being a prisoner of war. I was ordered from the Chathams in February, 1868, returning with the guard. The rest of the story is too well known; the prisoners escaping in the following July."

After the capture of the Rifleman and the imprisonment of the settlers, Te Kooti acted with great moderation. The women and children were kindly treated by Te Kooti's orders. So soon as the events recorded had taken place, the prisoners began to embark their wives and families. Not a moment's time was lost, and no precaution neglected, and in one hour from the time of the outbreak the prisoners were on board. The ketch Florence, lying at anchor near, was boarded, the crew sent ashore, and then the cable was cut and the ketch sent after them--a simple and expeditious method of preventing pursuit. Almost the last man on board was Te Kooti, and as soon as he came on board he ordered the crew on deck, and gave them 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. Sail was made that evening, but a strong westerly wind prevented them beating out, and the schooner returned to her anchorage; the sails were furled, the crew ordered below, and Te Kooti took charge of the deck. On the morning of the 8th another start was made, this time with success, and nothing of importance occurred until the 9th, when, the vessel having been delayed for two days by head winds, Te Kooti ordered all the greenstone ornaments on board to be collected and thrown overboard as a propitiatory offering to Tangaroa (Neptune). This sacrifice was evidently not sufficient, for the wind continued in the same quarter; so an aged man, a relative of Te Kooti's was dragged on deck, his hands tied, and despite his prayers and lamentations, over he went. For some time the victim could be seen struggling in the water, but no one pitied 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 round to the right quarter. The Hauhaus behaved quietly enough during the remainder of the voyage, though vigilant as ever. On the 10th July, the schooner arrived at Whareongaonga, about 15 miles south of Poverty Bay. During the whole night the prisoners were employed in landing the cargo, and by the 11th, seventeen tons of flour, 5000 lbs. of sugar, beer, biscuits, and many packages of merchandise were on shore, besides forty rifles, ten fowling pieces, revolvers, swords, etc. This done, Te Kooti released the crew and told them to be gone.

In due time the news of the landing reached Major Biggs, the Resident Magistrate of the district. At first he would not believe the warnings, it seemed so improbable that the prisoners had been able to escape; but to solve the doubt he raised a force of 100 Europeans and Maoris, and started at once for the scene of action, arriving there on the following morning. The prisoners, about

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190 in number, were found holding a strong position near the landing-place. The first step taken by Major Biggs was to send a Poverty Bay chief of Te Kooti's tribe with a message, to the effect that he would try and smooth over matters with the Government provided they would all surrender and give up their arms. This arrangement was scornfully rejected, Te Kooti replying that "God had given him arms and liberty, and that he was but an instrument in the hands of Providence, whose instructions he carried out." Major Biggs gave orders to commence the attack, but the friendly natives refused to move. Under these circumstances fighting was impossible and impolitic, for in the event of defeat our men would have been followed into the settled districts and the whole bay ravaged before another force could have been organised to meet them. On the same day the Hauhaus avoided our force, and commenced their inland march, carrying with them, over one of the most rugged districts in New Zealand, the whole of the loot taken in the schooner.

When it was found they had escaped, Major Biggs ordered Mr. Shipworth to follow them up with some friendly natives until he had definitely ascertained the line of retreat, when he was to cut across country and join the main body, who by that time would have taken post at Paparatu. This was a strategical post of great importance, as by the nature of the country the enemy would have to cross the Arai creek, a point just below the position taken up, and would thus come into collision with our force, whether he liked it or not. After four days' waiting at Parapatu the camp was out of rations, so Major Biggs started for supplies. On the morning of the sixth day Te Kooti arrived, drove our men from their advantageous position, and compelled our force to take advantage of the night to retreat, leaving behind them their horses, swords, and baggage, amounting to about £1,200.

Another force attempted to intercept Te Kooti at a place called Waihau, but here again the Europeans and semi-friendly natives were compelled to retreat after an engagement.

After the Europeans had re-organised and had obtained the leadership of Colonel Whitmore, they pursued and came up with Te Kooti on the bed of the Ruakituri river. The men had been without food since the previous evening, were knocked up with long marches through rough country, and were certainly not in a condition to encounter a well-armed and determined enemy in a position of their own choosing. Here another misfortune befel the pursuers, as in reconnoitring the enemy's position Captain Carr, Mr. Canning, and three others were killed, and Captain Tuke and five of his men wounded. The result of the fight was fatal to the future peace of the settled districts, as it enabled Te Kooti, although severely wounded in the foot, and having lost eight of his men, to camp at Puketapu, just beyond the scene of the fight, from the 8th of August to October 28th, during which period he sent messengers all over the island, proclaiming himself the saviour of his people, and exaggerating his success.

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Recruits, as might be expected, came up rapidly to him. The position held by Te Kooti at Puketapu was inland, and equidistant from the two settlements of Te Wairoa and Poverty Bay. Consequently it was in his power to attack either place by a march of two or three days. Moreover, it was well known that he had declared his intention of taking revenge upon the settlers for having attacked him at Parapatu, Te Koriaka and Ruakituri. There were two routes by which the Hauhaus might reach Poverty Bay, one by way of Te Reinga and the other by Ngatapa. The latter route was twice as long as the first, and was overgrown with fern and scrub. For this reason Major Biggs selected the Te Reinga track as the special point for observation.

For some time previous to the massacre at Poverty Bay a general feeling of insecurity was prevalent among the settlers, and it was felt that some steps ought to be taken to fortify a place of rendezvous in case of need. The friendly Maoris volunteered to erect a pallisade if the Europeans would do the earth works. This was readily agreed to, but Major Biggs vetoed the proposition as unnecessary, but appointed the Toanga Redoubt as the mustering place in case of alarm. Certain settlers, dissatisfied with this result, formed themselves into a vigilance committee to watch the Patutahi ford of the Waipaoa river. For nights this duty was carefully performed, and would probably have continued to the salvation of the Bay, but on the Thursday before the massacre a very old settler called on his vigilant neighbours and informed them that the Hauhaus were in the Patutahi Valley. Major Biggs was informed of this, and replied, "You are all in an unnecessary state of alarm, for I shall have twenty-four hours' notice before anything further can happen."

But about midnight on the 9th November, 1868, the Hauhaus crossed the Patutahi ford on their murderous errand. Mr. Wylie's house was the first on their line of march, and the owner was sitting at a table writing; but so sure was Te Kooti of this man that he told his men to go and finish the Matawhero settlers first, as they were certain to get Wylie on their return. From this point the Hauhaus appear to have broken up into small parties. Some went inland to Messrs. Dodd and Peppard's station, while the main body attacked the more densely settled districts of Matawhero. Messrs. Dodd and Peppard appear to have been the first persons killed. A Mr. Butters, who had been engaged to press wool for them, rode up to the woolshed wondering that no one appeared, and finally he walked up to the back door and found the two owners dead. Instead of seeking his own safety, Mr. Butters very gallantly rode to Waeranga-a-hika and warned the inmates of the mission station and force. From there he went on to Matawhero to perform the same good office for the settlers there. How he escaped is a miracle, for he must have ridden through the midst of the enemy.

At Major Biggs's he found the Hauhaus in possession, and at Mann's house he saw the owner, his wife, and baby lying outside

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mutilated, and one of them burnt. When the natives reached Major Biggs's, they found him writing, it is supposed, the orders for the out-settlers to muster at Turanga. They knocked at the door, and Biggs asked them what they wanted. The Hauhaus replied that they wished to see him. Biggs evidently saw that the long-dreaded raid had come, but before opening the door he called to his wife to escape by the back. She refused to leave him. As he stood in the doorway the Hauhaus shot him. He fell forward into the verandah, and the fiends then rushed in and tomahawked Mrs. Biggs, her baby, and the servant. A boy who was in the house escaped by the back door after the Major was shot, and, hidden in a flax-bush, witnessed part of the tragedy.

Another party went to Captain Wilson's. The Captain, like Major Biggs, was engaged in writing when the Hauhaus knocked at the door. They announced themselves as the bearer of a letter from the principal chief of the Bay. Wilson evidently suspected their errand, for he told them to put the letter under the door; at the same time he looked out of the window and saw a number of men moving about. This roused his suspicions, and he at once roused his man-servant, Moran. Meanwhile the Hauhaus were trying to batter down the door with a log of wood, but a shot from Wilson's revolver stopped them, and forced them to adopt the less dangerous plan of setting fire to the house at either end. Captain Wilson defended his wife and family until it was a choice between being burnt alive or taking the Hauhau offer of life for himself and family if he would surrender quietly. There was just a chance that they might keep their promise, and he surrendered. His captors led him in the direction of the river bank, when suddenly a Hauhau rushed at Moran and tomahawked him, and at the same moment Captain Wilson was shot through the back. Mrs. Wilson was savagely bayonetted, and only one little boy escaped; he was being carried by his father when he fell, and in the confusion managed to escape into the scrub unnoticed. Strange to say, the settlers in the vicinity did not hear the firing, for the Hauhaus found the Messrs. Walsh, Padbourne, McCulloch and others at their homes, unconscious of the tragedies that were being enacted in their immediate neighbourhood. McCulloch was shot while milking a cow; his wife, carrying a baby and attended by her young brother, tried to escape, but was overtaken and tomahawked, together with her child. The boy, more fortunate, escaped. Mr. Cadel's house was next visited. He had been away from home that night, and was returning in the early morning, when he walked right into one of these gang of murderers and was shot dead. His store was then looted. The Hauhaus got violently drunk, and galloped about the country, shooting all the friendly natives obnoxious to Te Kooti.

While the settlers about Matawhero were being murdered, the families living in the vicinity of the Patutahi Ford were reserved for the final coup, it being supposed they could not escape. Nor

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could they have done so had not one of them--a Mr. Firmin--been awakened during the night by the sound of musketry. The sound was not unusual, but, in the then unsettled state of affairs, it was sufficient to keep him awake during the remainder of the night, and send him out at grey dawn to reconnoitre. At the ford he met a maori, and hailed him to know the meaning of the firing, which was still going on. The reply was, "The Hauhaus are killing the pakeha!" Mr. Firmin at once warned his neighbours--Wylie, Stevenson, and Benson--and these people, taking their children, fled towards Te Wairoa, across the Toanga Ford. Messrs. Hawthorne and Strong, who lived at some little distance from the others, had been forgotten in the hurry and confusion of their departure; but Mr. Wylie remembered them just before it was too late, and asked one of the men to return and warn them. This was a service of great danger, yet Mr. Benson never hesitated, but returned at once. About an hour after these fugitives had crossed the river, Te Kooti and twenty Hauhaus galloped up to the native village near the ford, and ordered the chief, Tautari, to point out the route taken by Wylie. The gallant old man refused to do so, and Te Kooti, finding his threats and promises disregarded, lost patience, and ordered his men to kill him and his two children. This was done before the wife's eyes, who was then questioned, and threatened with the same fate if obstinate; but she, equally faithful, and more prudent than her husband, misdirected the Hauhaus by declaring that the fugitives had taken the inland track. The murderers, completely deceived, galloped off on a wrong scent, Te Kooti boasting that he would cut pieces of flesh off Wylie until he died.

The young boy who escaped from Major Biggs's house succeeded in reaching Mr. Bloomfield's and roused the sleeping inmates. There were only ladies and children in the house, but they succeeded in escaping, though people were being murdered on both sides. While the enemy were attacking Mr. Goldsmith's house, a Mrs. James, mother of the boy just mentioned, was living in the barn with her eight children; she was roused by the shots, and saw sufficient to prove that the Hauhaus were in the Bay. She behaved with admirable coolness. Collecting her children she slipped over the steep bank of the river, and crawled for more than a mile under the shadow of the cliffs until she was able to enter the scrub, and reached Turanganui twenty-four hours after the first alarm.

The narrow escapes during this massacre would fill a volume. The most wonderful escape was, however, that of little James Wilson, who, as already mentioned, escaped into the scrub when his father fell. On the 16th November, seven days after the massacre, parties were sent out to bury the dead, and ascertain if any had escaped, and were in hiding. One of these parties, consisting of a Mr. Maynard and two comrades, saw a poodle dog run into a scrub of briars. Maynard recognised the dog as having belonged to Captain Wilson. They called and coaxed the animal

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in vain; it remained hidden, and this obstinacy led them to the natural conclusion that someone was hiding. A search was instituted, and, after nearly half-an-hour's work, their patience was rewarded by finding little James Wilson, with the dog held tightly in his arms. The boy had been too frightened to discriminate between friend and foe, but was greatly delighted when he recognised Maynard. He told him that he had lost his way while trying to reach Turanganui, to bring help for his mother, who was lying wounded in an outhouse at their place. After escaping from his father's murderers he had wandered about, sleeping in outhouses for several nights; often close to the enemy. At last he found his way back to what had been his home, and saw the bodies of his father, brothers, and sisters, but not his mother, until he happened to take shelter in the outhouse, where, to his great delight, he found her alive. When the boy had told his tale, Maynard galloped off to Wilson's. On arrival at the place they knocked at the door of the small building, but received no answer; they then called Mrs. Wilson by name, and instantly heard her say, "Thank God, help has arrived; bring me some water." After her husband fell, the poor lady was stabbed with bayonets, and beaten with the butt of a rifle, until the fiends thought her dead; but later in the day she recovered consciousness, and managed to crawl to what had been her home. Here she got some water, and then took shelter in the outhouse, which was less likely to be visited by the enemy than the house. Here she was found by her son in the manner already related, and fed with eggs or anything the lad could forage. Mrs. Wilson was carried that same day to Turanganui. For some time it was thought she would recover, but her injuries were too severe, and she died after her arrival at Napier. In the massacre thirty-three white people and thirty-seven friendly natives were killed.

Lieutenant Gascoigne, when warned by his scouts that the Hauhaus were in the Bay, rode as fast as he could to the Muriwai. On his arrival he found that he was senior officer in the Bay, and he determined to reach Turanganui at all risks, as there was no officer there to direct operations. To go by the beach was impossible, as it swarmed with the enemy, so he seized a boat and pulled across the bay. On arrival at Turanganui, Gascoigne found the old redoubt crowded with men, women, and children, and was told that a whaleboat had gone off to overtake the schooner Tawera, which was at some distance in the offing. She was fortunately brought back, and the women and children were shipped off in her to Napier. The friendly chief Henare Potae armed his men as best he could, and awaited with the settlers the expected attack of Te Kooti. The attack was never made, as Te Kooti was satisfied with what he had done, and contented himself with burning and looting the settlers' houses and coercing the friendly natives to join him. Within a week Major Westrupp and Captain Tuke arrived from Napier, and brought with them 300 natives, and the Hauhaus retired to Patutahi, where they collected their plunder.

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The first duty performed was the burial of those murdered on the 9th. Most of them were found in a dreadfully mutilated condition. The bodies of Major Biggs and his wife were never found, but it is supposed that they were burnt in the house, as a lady's hand was found among the ashes. Mr. Cadel's body was found in a better condition than the others, for it had been guarded for seven days by his faithful retriever dog. By this time the friendly natives had arrived to the number of 600 men, but of a very indifferent class as regards fighting. They were placed under command of Lieutenant Gascoigne, and on November 21st that officer overtook the rearguard of the enemy at Patutahi and shot two of them. Quantities of loot, which the Hauhaus had apparently been unable to carry away, were found at this place, and several dead bodies of friendly natives were seen, who had been shot by Te Kooti's orders. At Pukepuke another encampment was found, with more dead bodies, and the carts and sledges of the murdered settlers, which had brought the loot thus far. About dusk on the 23rd our men came up with the main body of the enemy, who were encamped on the Te Karetu creek with their women and children, and immediate attack was made, but our native allies were driven back. We lost five killed and twenty wounded, and the Hauhaus lost about twenty men. Our men rifle-pitted the ridge in front of the Hauhau encampments, and remained there a week without anything particular being done. Up to this time the force had been supplied with rations and ammunition from the depot at Patutahi by means of a string of pack-horses, under the charge of Sergt.-Major Butters. But this did not last long, as the opportunity was too tempting for Te Kooti, who sent sixty men under Baker, the notorious half-caste, to take the depot, cut off the convoy, and capture all the ammunition he could.

The party got in the rear of our men in the line of supply, and though the men escaped only by a timely warning, the Hauhaus captured sundry kegs of ammunition, and so large a stock of food that they were unable to carry it away. Ultimately, reinforcements having arrived, an assault was made on the Hauhau lines, and the enemy compelled to beat a retreat, losing over thirty-four of their men, including the celebrated fighting chiefs Nama, Kenu, and Henare Parata. Nama was wounded, but taken alive. Te Kooti himself had a narrow escape. He was still suffering from a wound he had received at Ruakiture, and was carried away up the bed of the creek on a woman's back. On the following morning the chiefs Ropata and Hotene went out to reconnoitre, and could see the Hauhau stronghold on the forest-clad peak of Ngatapa.

On the morning of the 5th, Ropata marched to attack Ngatapa. The pa had tied lines of stony earthworks, extending across a small flat below the peak, either end resting on a cliff. A gun going off accidentally, the enemy answered with a volley, and instantly a general panic set in, our native allies retreating with the greatest celerity for nearly half a mile, and all efforts to bring

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them back were found unavailing. Ropata, with seventeen others, commenced the attack upon the pa, working up the sides of the cliffs, within twenty-five yards of the first line of parapet. Thirty-nine more men were induced to come to their support; but Ropata was compelled to retreat at dusk, and was so disgusted that he went right back to Turanga. Colonel Whitmore soon afterwards arrived at Ngatapa with 300 men, but hearing that the Hauhaus were burning their whares, preparatory to retreat, gave credence to the tale, and returned to Turanga. Te Kooti, on hearing that Colonel Whitmore had retired, raided down upon the Arai and Pipiwhakau bush, where his men murdered Mr. Fergusson, young Wylie, and a friendly Maori. Colonel Whitmore at once returned, and after some days compelled Te Kooti to retreat to the Uriwera tribe.

Colonel Whitmore, having driven Te Kooti from Poverty Bay, turned his attention to those troublesome people known as the Uriwera, to whom Te Kooti had gone. On the 19th of March, our force reached Matata. Whether Te Kooti had foreseen this combined attack or not it is impossible to say, but he certainly anticipated it by striking one of those rapid blows for which he is so famous. On the 18th, a kokiri of one hundred men, directed by Te Kooti, attacked the settlement of Whakatane. An old Frenchman, Jean Garraud, was tomahawked, but the Hauhaus were beaten off the large pa with heavy loss; although the pa, in a couple of days, surrendered to Te Kooti.

Major Mair coming up, Te Kooti fell back to a strong position in the hills, from which he retreated to Tauaroa, where Major Mair came up with him and surrounded him, but owing to the absence of proper support on the part of some native allies, Te Kooti effected his escape. Te Kooti, after his retreat from Tauaroa, retired to Ruatahuna, where he called a meeting of the Uriwera, and proposed to attack either Mohaka or Te Wairoa. The Uriwera chief proposed to join him, provided he would make a raid upon Mohaka, which was the more unprotected place of the two. With one hundred men, selected from the mixed tribes who accompanied him, Te Kooti pushed on to the Upper Mohaka, and arrived at a native village before daylight. The native inhabitants, thoroughly surprised, were taken prisoners and butchered without much noise, the tomahawk being the weapon used. He then crossed the river to attack the houses of the Europeans. Messrs. Lavin and Cooper were met on the road, and the latter was shot, but the former, who was not hit, attempted to escape with his wife. They were, however, overtaken and shot. Three little children of Lavin's, while playing on the river bank, were tomahawked, as also Mr. Wilkinson, making in all seven Europeans killed. Later on in the day, the Hauhaus marched down the river and attacked the Huke Pa, which had a garrison of six men and several women and children, the fighting men being away on an expedition against Te Wara. The defenders, though few in number, were under the influence of a courageous man named Heta, and they

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refused to surrender, and defended themselves all that day and night against Te Kooti, who, finding he was losing time, had recourse to stratagem. Heta was again summoned to surrender, but again refused; but another chief in the pa (Rutene) went out to meet Te Kooti, and was persuaded by him to go to the next pa and fetch the son of the head chief, Ropihana. Te Kooti rightly concluded that if he had this chief he could place him in front and march up to the pa with impunity, for none of the Mohaka tribe would dare to endanger the safety of their chief by firing. Rutene was successful in his mission. Te Kooti now felt safe, and put Ropihana in front of his men and marched on the Huke Pa, and demanded admittance. Heta was called upon to open the gate, but refused; but Rutene and the Hauhaus lifted the gate off its hinges, and the whole party entered. The defenders were disarmed. Heta refused, and, saying "We know we are being disarmed that we may be more easily killed; but if we have to die so must you," raised his rifle and fired at Te Kooti. A Hauhau, who was standing near, knocked up the muzzle, and Te Kooti again escaped. Heta was shot at once, and a general massacre ensued. Rutene was shot, and Ropihana wounded, but he succeeded in escaping to the big pa. All the women and children that could be found were soon dispatched, and then Te Kooti turned his attention to the big pa.

News of Te Kooti's advance was sent to Te Wairoa, and a force was sent to the assistance of the beleaguered Maoris. A party of Mohaka Maoris, headed by Trooper Hill, broke through Te Kooti's lines and entered the pa, and after several days' siege Te Kooti moved off. Our loss by this raid was seven Europeans and fifty-seven friendly Maoris killed. Te Kooti advanced to meet Colonel Whitmore, but too late to meet him at Ruatahuna. The active rebel then at once marched for Heruiwi, an old native village on the edge of the main bush, overlooking the Taupo plains, where he could watch the movements of the pakeha. While at this place, two troopers of the Bay of Plenty Cavalry were waylaid, and one of them shot. On the 7th June, he came in sight of Opepe, and was astonished to see smoke rising from the deserted whares. Te Kooti ordered some of his men to saunter up and pretend they were friendly natives, while the main body crept up a ravine and cut the troopers off from the bush. The Hauhaus walked up to the unsuspecting men, who proved to be a party of the Bay of Plenty Cavalry. The party were somewhat startled by the sight of these armed natives, but became reassured, and entered into friendly conversation. During the conversation the Hauhaus gradually got between the troopers and their arms which had foolishly been left in the whares. Some of the men, seeing other Maoris coming out of the bush in skirmishing order, tried to get their weapons, but were stopped by the Hauhaus, who, having no further need of concealment, commenced the massacre. Nine troopers were killed immediately, but three succeeded in escaping. Te Kooti, after taking all the arms and ammunition of the party,

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continued his march to Waitahuna, where he camped, and Te Kooti's influence became supreme in the Taupo, and shortly after paid a visit to King Tawhaio. From this Te Kooti returned to defend himself from the systematic campaign that had been organised against him.

After one or two skirmishes, Te Kooti fell back, after capturing four scouts, while asleep in a whare, and having seen them chopped up and thrown into a swamp. At Tokanu, Te Kooti was attacked by a mixed force and sustained a signal defeat, which cost him his prestige among the inland tribes, and lost him the possible support of Rewi, with his 600 fighting men. At Kaikeriri, Colonel McDonnell's pursuing force again came up with the Hauhaus, who suffered severely in men, and were compelled to take to the bush. On our side we lost Captain St. George and Winiata, the most renowned fighting man of the Ngatihaus. Te Kooti himself was wounded in this engagement. A bullet wounded his thumb and forefinger, cut the third finger completely off, and passed through the fleshy part of his side. A smart search for the rebel was maintained, and our forces succeeded in finding him at the Tatapa Pa, but he and the garrison bolted, leaving 80 horses behind them. After his defeat, Te Kooti retired with his followers to Te Wera, a wild tract of bush country. In this terra incognita Te Kooti remained hidden from his pursuers, but at last was surrounded, and a party of eighteen Europeans got on a terrace not more than twenty yards from the huts, but divided from the Hauhaus by a deep creek. Te Kooti was seen and recognised by several of the Poverty Bay settlers, and could easily have been shot, as he was not more than thirty yards away, but our men withheld their fire, trusting the native allies would perform their share of the work. An alarm, unfortunately, was given and Te Kooti again succeeded in making his escape. Vigilant search was made for him by several search parties up to 1871, but without success, and in that year Te Kooti crossed into the King Country, where he has remained ever since.

From Te Kooti's first landing in Poverty Bay he seemed to bear a charmed life, as, although force after force was dispatched against him, something in his favour always happened to facilitate his escape, even when dangerously wounded, and three-parts of his followers killed. On one occasion an old woman took him on her back to a place of safety. Circumstances seemed to favour him in every way, for often when he was surrounded, seemingly without a hope left, he would escape as if by a miracle. There is perhaps nothing more astonishing in Te Kooti's career than the power he possessed over the minds of his fellow Maoris. Occasionally successful in his raids, yet invariably beaten in open fight, he could nevertheless persuade or frighten any tribe into joining him. After the hardships he endured and the losses sustained during the Poverty Bay campaign, where not less than 150 of his men were killed, the Uriweras joined him readily to attack Whakatane; and although they lost twenty men there, and were driven back to their

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own country, yet it did not prevent them from again coming to his assistance at Mohaka and following on to Taupo, where they were again beaten in three successive fights, losing upwards of fifty men, and being literally hunted out of the district. Yet no sooner had Te Kooti reached Patetere than a portion of the Ngaiterangi and Ngatiraukawa were ready and anxious to share his fortunes.

In 1882, the then Native Minister, Mr. Bryce, from motives of policy, condoned Te Kooti's offences by including him in the general amnesty extended to Te Wetere of Mokau and other natives implicated in tragedies during the dark period of our history. The reason offered for this clemency is the fact that Te Kooti professes that when he arrived from the Chatham Islands he had no other desire or intention but to return peacefully to his settlement, but being attacked by the colonial forces he was driven into retaliation, and that his mode of warfare was not different from that which Maoris considered perfectly fair. Since Te Kooti's pardon he has visited, with a large escort, many of the places rendered famous by his atrocities, and even contemplates a visit to Poverty Bay.

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MAJOR GASCOIGNE.

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MAJOR GASCOIGNE.

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MAJOR GASCOIGNE.

Services in the East Cape expedition--Historical account of Poverty Bay massacre--Guarding the wrong track--Burying the murdered settlers--A gallant defence at Makaretu.

MAJOR GASCOIGNE joined the Colonial Defence Force, as lieutenant, in 1863, and served with the East Cape expedition in 1865; was present at the attack on Hatepe, and at the storming of Pakairomi-romi; assisted in the assault of Pukemaire and several other minor engagements. He served with the Ruakaturi expedition, and was appointed officer-in-charge of the Poverty Bay Scouts, in 1868, and was also in command of the East Coast friendly natives in pursuit of Te Kooti, after the massacre at Poverty Bay. He took part in the attack at Patutahi, which, after eight days' fighting, ended in the capture of the entrenchments. He was present at Mangakaretu, as also at the operations and taking of Ngatapa. He served against Titokowaru, 1869; was at the capture of Tauranga-hika, Whereroa, Te Ngaiere, Waitotara, Otauto, and Paingaroa. He rose to the rank of major in Militia, and sub-inspector of Armed Constabulary, and is now stationed with his company in Waikato.

This young and active officer was placed in charge of the scouts chosen to watch the movements of Te Kooti and guard the district from his threats to take utu on the Poverty Bay settlers for transporting him to the Chatham Islands, and had his suggestions been adopted, the massacre, in all probability, would have been averted. His idea was that he was guarding the wrong track; that Te Kooti would come in by an old track, now grown up, but known to himself and Te Kooti, which he several times represented to the commandant of the district, and had once or twice ridden over to examine it, against orders, as Major Biggs was of a different opinion. Consequently this track was left unguarded, and the result was that Te Kooti, believing that he alone knew of this old route, and that he would be safe from molestation in coming that way, although many miles out of the direct road, took it, and one night surprised the district, massacring Major Biggs, Captain Wilson, their wives and children, and settlers to the number of 33, besides 37 friendly natives, while Captain Gascoigne and his men were carefully watching the more direct route. His

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own account of the Poverty Bay massacre, never before published, is given verbatim below. It is concise and plainly written, no attempt to disguise or palliate the truth, but is a narrative of events as they occurred, and will one day be included in the future history of New Zealand. Captain Gascoigne was continually mentioned in general orders, yet shared the fate of so many of our bravest men, their services never having been recognised by the decoration of the Cross they well merited.

MAJOR GASCOIGNE'S ACCOUNT OF THE POVERTY BAY MASSACRE, 9TH NOVEMBER, 1868.

After Te Kooti had made good his escape from Colonel Whitmore's pursuit of him, up the Ruakituri River, early in 1868, and obtained the alliance of the Uriwera tribe, he was said to have declared his intention of exacting utu from the Poverty Bay settlers for having tried to intercept him. Major Biggs represented the dangerous position of the settlers so strongly to the Government that at last he was authorised to place nine men and one officer to watch the country between the upper Wairoa River and Poverty Bay. This party was to act as an outlying picket. Previous to this the settlers had been paying three men to watch the valley of the Patutahi creek. Our orders from Major Biggs were as follows:--To camp at a bit of bush on the Te Reinga road from the Wairoa; to watch that road constantly; to have a sentry on the road at night and during the day on the top of the hill, which commanded a view of the road for several miles; to scout daily to our right and left front, and to report constantly to him. Major Biggs felt sure that Te Kooti would advance by the Te Reinga road, and refused to spare men to watch the Ngatapa track, which was completely overgrown at the time, and supposed to be impassable.

On 7th November, three of us scouted in the direction of Ngatapa as far as Mangakaretu, but could not discover any signs of natives having been in that part of the country for years. The furthest part of the track was quite obliterated by the dense growth of scrub. We reported to Major Biggs, who ordered us not to scout any more in that direction, but to keep an extra sharp lookout on the main track, as he "expected Te Kooti would move down in a few days, and that he intended to order all the settlers to come into Turanganui." Our party consisted of five whites and five natives. Two of the latter were at the Big Bush, on leave, on the afternoon of the 8th, and at daylight on the morning of the 9th, these two men galloped into our camp with the news that Biggs and all the settlers had been killed during the night by the Hauhaus. We snatched up our arms and rode back to Poverty Bay as fast as we could, narrowly escaping from a large party of the enemy on the way.

We meant to get orders from Captain Westrupp, but on reaching his place at the Big Bush, we found that he had left for Wairoa, with a party of women and children, by the coast road.

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We determined to push on to Turanganui, and as the Hauhaus were in numbers before us, we seized a boat, sent our horses adrift, and pulled across the bay. Three of our men (natives) stopped at the pa on the big river, and, with all the natives there, joined Te Kooti next day. On reaching Turanganui, we found that a number of settlers, with women and children, had collected with the intention of escaping on board a couple of Captain Read's schooners, which were in the bay. We sent the women and children to Napier by the vessels, but detained all the men to defend Turanganui until assistance should reach us.

The Hauhaus reconnoitred our position, but did not attack us, and contented themselves with burning all the houses beyond the range of our rifles, and looting everything they could carry off. Te Kooti was employed in forcing or persuading all the Maoris about Makaraka and the Big Bush to join him, which they all did. We collected all the private property we could, and stored it in the redoubt, to save it from being stolen by the friendly natives, who began to join us.

In a few days Major Westrupp and Captain Tuke arrived from Napier with four hundred friendly natives, and the Hauhaus collected at Patutahi began to retreat with their plunder. The first thing we did was to find and bury the murdered settlers; this was sad and horrible work, and had to be done with strong covering parties of the friendly natives. The bodies of those killed had generally been dragged clear of the houses before the latter were burnt, and many of the bodies were dreadfully mutilated; some had been partly eaten by pigs, and some had numerous bayonet stabs. The men had been mostly shot, and the children tomahawked. We buried Major Biggs and his wife and child in one grave, and his two servants in another; also Captain Wilson and his children were buried together. Captain Wilson's son James, about six or seven years old, had escaped death in some way, and was found by one of our men in the fern next day; the little fellow pointed out where his mother was hidden, and both were brought into Turanganui; but Mrs. Wilson was so badly wounded that she only survived a short time. Besides these two families, Mr. and Mrs. Mann, Messrs. Peppard and Dodd, Sergt.-Major Walsh, and many others, whose names we did not know at that time, were slaughtered in cold blood during the dreadful night of the 8th of November.

On the 21st the Hawke's Bay natives, under the chiefs Renata Kawepo, Karauria, Henare Tomoana, and Tareha, and the scouts, marched in pursuit of the Hauhaus, and overtook a party of them laden with plunder at Patutahi; we shot two of them there. On the evening of the 23rd, we came up with their main body at Makaratu, strongly entrenched on the bank of the creek, and close to the edge of some heavy timber. The Hauhaus immediately attacked us on all sides, but we stubbornly held the ridge overlooking their main position, and contrived to entrench ourselves after a fashion by digging holes with sticks, bayonets, and knives.

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For eight days the Napier natives defended themselves on this ridge, and on the third day we had nothing but fern root to eat, and had nearly expended the ammunition; for the enemy had seized the supplies sent up to us from Turanganui, and routed the escort that came with them. During this time we lost thirty-five men, killed and wounded; among the killed was the chief Karauria, one of the best leaders on our side. At last, by sending back a strong party as escort, we obtained a supply of biscuit and ammunition, which enabled us to hold out to the end of the month, when Captain Preece and the chief Ropata arrived with a reinforcement of the Ngatiporou tribe; and advancing by our right flank, they turned the nearest Hauhau rifle-pits, and then, with the scouts and part of the Napier natives, rushed down the slope, and carried the main position of the Hauhaus by storm, killing sixty-three of the enemy, including Nama and other noted Hauhau leaders. Two of the scouts were severely wounded here.

Te Kooti retreated to his almost impregnable stronghold, Ngatapa, which, however, was taken a few weeks afterwards by a force under the command of Colonel Whitmore, and where we again inflicted severe loss on him, killing many of the miscreants who, while living in Poverty Bay and professing loyalty to the Queen, not only assisted Te Kooti to surprise the district, but in many cases were the actual murderers of the settlers among whom they had been living on the most friendly and trusted terms up to the night of the massacre.

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1887 - Gudgeon, T. W. The Defenders of New Zealand - [Pages 264-299]