EUROPEAN PREPARATIONS FOR DEFENCE.
Our march along the banks of the river was through a most beautiful
country; but all the inhabitants had fled; their plantations were in a
most luxuriant state; fields which I had left bare and uncultivated were
now covered with Indian corn standing higher than my head, the ripe ears
hanging fantastically in all directions, and none to gather in the
harvest; the crops of kumara and potatoes were equally abundant. I could
not help thinking that, if they expected an invasion of their enemies,
they had left an ample supply of forage for their use. In the evening I
arrived at Horeke, or Deptford Dock-yard (of which I made mention in my
first journey). I here found my countrymen in a state of considerable
embarrassment. The various chiefs of that district had encamped all round
them; so near to them had they taken up their position, that, whatever
might be the result of their battles, the European settlement would be in
danger. The settlers had fortified their place of refuge in the best
manner they could; and all were determined to defend themselves and
property to the last. They had four nine-pounders mounted on a hill, and
a tolerable battery made of three-inch pine stuff.
Before the English erected their fortifications, there was a great
difference of opinion amongst them as to the propriety and utility of
adopting so strong a measure, and the affair was finally put to the vote,
when the majority proved to be in favour of a strong resistance. I
opposed the measure all I could, for I felt convinced that in the event
of our allies being worsted we all should be involved in one common
massacre; whereas, if no resistance was made, plunder alone would have
been the extent of the injury we should suffer; and even of that taking
place I had strong doubts. However, as my opinion was overruled, I had to
submit, which I did unhesitatingly; and, like a good soldier, I held
myself in readiness in case of an attack.
The proprietor and manager of the Dock-yard possessed certainly a
"satisfying reason" for striving to defend himself at all hazards. The
vessel I had left here, on my former visit, in frame, was now nearly
completed, and a most beautiful one she was. He told me he would much
rather part with life than see her destroyed; and I confess I could fully
enter into his feelings on the subject; but as I had no such object at
stake, and was not quite enthusiastic enough to fight for a vessel I had
no share in, I felt very much inclined to let the natives war among
themselves without interference; but as we Europeans had agreed to assist
each other, I would not be behind-hand.
I discharged Rivers' two slaves, and rewarded them liberally for
conducting me with safety through such a wild and perilous country; they
departed (after expressing the heartiest wishes for my reaching my own
home in safety, and thanks for my generosity) to join their master at the
great meeting of the chiefs in the interior. These men, while assisting
me, were performing a great service to their master, by acting as spies.
When we started from the Kirikiri each was armed with a musket; but when
we had accomplished about half the journey, they concealed these in a
hollow tree, under pretence of extreme fatigue. I felt convinced at the
time that was not their real reason for so doing; and afterwards I
learned the true motive. Had they been found armed when returning to
their master (who was hostile to those assembled round the Dock-yard),
they would have been detained; but, by their coming unarmed amongst us,
they were suffered to depart; and I have no doubt the information they
carried back to Rivers was very important. I did not mention to anyone
the hiding of these muskets in the woods, though, according to "The
Articles of War," I ought to have done so, as getting possession of them
would have added two more to our strength, and lessened that of our
enemy; my silence arose from a repugnance I felt to betray these poor
creatures, who had behaved so well to me.
Although prepared for war, we were very well pleased to find no attack
was made upon us. Indeed, from the first, it had been my decided opinion,
that unless we interfered, and made ourselves by that means obnoxious,
they had too much respect for us, and were too anxious to retain our
kindly feelings towards them, to molest us; at the same time, I felt that
it might be a very politic measure to show them what powerful resistance
we could make, if driven to extremities.
After passing a week of the greatest anxiety, on account of our expected
invasion, it afforded us the utmost satisfaction to receive a visit from
Mr. Hobbs, the Wesleyan missionary, one of the persons who had visited
the war-camp of the assembled chiefs, who were convened, on the death of
our lamented friend George, to debate and decide upon the momentous
question of peace or war.
The subject (our informant stated) had been gone into at great length,
and stormy and fierce had been the discussion. Finally, the good sense of
the elder and more experienced chiefs prevailed over the fiercer passions
of the younger, and peace was decided upon. This event forms a new era in
"The Political History of the Few Zealanders," it being the first time so
great an assemblage had met to discuss openly a national question, or in
which they had allowed cool reasoning and good sense to prevail over
their habitual ferocity. As may naturally be supposed, where such various
interests were at stake, this pacific measure was not effected without
considerable opposition from the young and furious chiefs. The
provocations given by them to the elders, whose voices were for peace,
were considerable. They did not confine themselves to abuse, but fired
several muskets during debate, in hopes that one shot out of the many
might prove fatal; which, if it had, and any distinguished chief had been
killed, or even wounded, it would have immediately thrown all into
confusion. Even when pacific measures were decided upon by a very large
majority, and the chiefs were about to separate, a bullet was fired from
the pa, which had evidently been aimed at a chief, a well-known ally of
the late Shulitea, as it fell at his feet, and the earth it threw up fell
upon him. For a few seconds surprise kept all silent; but, as the angry
chief rose up, and was about to address the crowd, his friends eagerly
surrounded him, and hurried him away.
This was the first instance on record, in which these people had laid a
statement of their private wrongs before a public assembly consisting of
deputies from every part of the island, and abided by the decision of the
majority; and it was the only instance of a chief being killed in battle,
and his decease not having been followed up by the plundering and
destruction of his whole family or tribe.
This had been a question of peculiar interest to us Europeans, as several
of their great men had fallen in a skirmish (whether an accidental one or
a decided combat made not the slightest difference). We knew their
barbarous custom; and, consequently, we were preparing for scenes of
deadly revenge and insatiable fury to be acted by both parties, and which
must have involved all settled here in destruction. Our feelings may
therefore be imagined, when we were informed that a parliament had been
convened, and all the parties interested were present by invitation, and
took part in the debate. A central spot was fixed on to accommodate the
various chieftains. The causes of the accident were then explained; they
wept and lamented the fallen chiefs, and finally retired satisfied to
their several homes. Surely everyone who is interested in tracing our own
form of government, from the present time up to its first rude outline,
will perceive the similarity of causes and events, and will anticipate
the glorious prospect of beholding a clever, brave, and, I may add, noble
race of men, like the New Zealanders, rescued from barbarism. This
pacific and rational discussion among the chiefs seems, in reality, to
give promise of the germ of a regular reform. Should a few more such
meetings take place, and terminate in the same amicable manner (and I
think it very probable), some clever individual may rise up amongst them,
take the reins in his own hands, and establish something like a regular
form of government.