quished foes; directed our eyes to the bones and hands which they were carrying in bundles on their backs; and offered us for food the flesh, the presence of which the abominable stench from their backs disclosed. Worn out with disgust, I returned to the settlement. But there similar scenes presented themselves; and a boy, not sixteen years of age, stuck up, within two yards of our fencing, a shrivelled human heart.

Oh! these are scenes that call forth prayer; that lead the mind to him who is peace and loveliness; that constrain us to long for a termination of our warfare; for that victory which shall be celebrated by no blood, but by the holy rejoicings of a holy people!

SUSPICIONS AND ALARMS OF THE

NATIVES.

Mr. Brown and I returned with that por tion of the fight whose road lay through Matamata. On their way, and since their return, they have behaved to us with civility; indeed, they, in turn, are beginning to entertain fears; and more than once requested us to write to King William, to tell him that they were not culpable in their treatment of Mr. Tapsell. Yesterday some of the chiefs requested me to speak to them. In endeavouring to convince them of their sin, I said, "Friends, your deeds are written in a book:"-interrupting me with impatience, "What book?" cried the chief speaker. He feared that the Europeans had been writing to King William. His impatience was wrought up to the highest pitch; and I was obliged to assume a serious air, and say, "The book in heaven." "Oh! very good!' he replied, seeming to be vastly relieved by the explanation.

THREATS AGAINST THE MISSIONARIES.

The natives at Rotorua appear to be in a very daring and wicked humour. A few days since they killed, in the presence of Mr. Knight, a woman whom they had taken prisoner at the Tumu. Our friends also state, that at a public meeting of the chiefs at Rotorua, they stated their intention of stripping the Mission Stations at Tauranga and this place, and taking the missionaries, with their wives and families, prisoners to an island on the Rotorua lake. They would find us rather talkative slaves, I expect. I do not suppose that they will be permitted to put their wicked threats into execution; but the very fact of speaking on such a subject looks like the breaking down of an enclosure which has hitherto been held sacred by the natives. Still will our Lord be our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble; therefore will we not fear.

VOL. XVI.

THE NUMBER OF NATIVES KILLED.

From the report of the messenger who brought our letters, it seems that the Rotorua chiefs have sent off messengers to fetch allies from Taupo and other distant tribes; so that the whole of the southern part of this island seems likely to become involved in the present lamentable war, which commenced with one murder, on Christmas-day, at Rotorua. From that period to the present, there have probably been upwards of 400 killed, principally at Maketu and the Tumu; but small straggling parties have also been cut off; and preparations for war, even on a more extended scale, are now being carried on with fiendish determination. The numbers killed at the Tumu only, taking a very low estimate of them as given by natives, amount, on the Tumu side, to sixty chiefs, and more than 200 women and children; while there appears to have fallen an equal number of men belonging to the Rotorua party.

NEW-ZEALAND MODE OF WARFARE.

The very mode of New-Zealand warfare is truly horrifying. It is not two large bodies of natives merely meeting in a pitched battle; but, war being declared, each party sends out detachments into the woods, where they lurk upon the road-side, waiting for the appearance of some traveller or travellers, who, if not connected by treaty or relationship to them, invariably fall a sacrifice. They will sit a week or a fortnight at one place, in the hope of obtaining a single victim. The Lord has graciously preserved us hitherto in our journeys; and it ought to be had in remembrance, because it is so remarkable.

DESTRUCTION OF THE ROTORUA STATION.

The first day was spent by the invading tribes in building their camp. On the 4th of August they showed themselves. Some of the Rotorua natives went out to them; and a few rounds of musketry were fired, but without any effect on either side, both parties carefully keeping without the range of bullets. On the 5th, nothing whatever occurred, except that Waharoa sent a mes. sage to the Pa, stating it to be his intention to remove his camp to the mission station on the following morning. His message was delivered to us; and as we knew that every thing bad might be expected from a nightly visit by New Zealanders on a war expedition, we prepared for them, committing ourselves to the care of Him who hath said, "Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me." We retired to rest as usual. I, as a precaution, lay down in my clothes. However, it pleased the Lord to preserve us 21

from the horrors of a night visit. With the earliest dawn of day-light, I left my room, expecting that if Waharoa came, that, as usual with New Zealand fights, he would come before the sun rose. All was quiet. I walked into the garden, to examine the appearance of a place where we had buried several things the night before. Mr. Pilley soon joined me. I did not remain long at the spot, and scarcely reached the garden behind the house, when I heard the sound of many voices, apparently proceeding from behind the hill near the summit of which our station stood. Having acquainted Mr. Pilley with it, we locked every door, not having any domestic at the station: and walked to the top of a hill immediately outside the garden to reconnoitre. We perceived an armed party, consisting of perhaps seventy, running towards the Pa. At first we thought they were Rotorua natives; but when they reached a small river, they discharged their muskets towards the Pa. This immediately informed us who they were. The Rotorua natives accepted the challenge immediately, left the Pa, and followed the small party, who retreated before them. Within half an hour of the giving of the challenge the general engagement began, and had scarcely commenced before the allies of Rotorua were routed; and unfortunately fled through our station, thereby drawing the great body of the enemy upon us. A few of the foremost of the enemy were civil, and behaved respectfully towards us; but we soon saw that we were to share in the calamities of the day. I was standing outside of the pathway-gate, leading to the house, when two of the enemy came up, and demanded admittance, alleging, as their reason, a desire to search whether any of their enemies were secreted there. I refused to admit them, assuring them that no native was in the house. They would not believe me; and, seeing that they were determined to force an entrance by another way, I offered to walk with them. When I got to the house, the crash of doors, glass, &c., within convinced me that all was over; that the property of the station was devoted to the enemy. I opened the door, and let in the two anxious beings behind me; who, from their manner, seemed afraid that they should not be in time to obtain a portion of the plunder. I walked into my bed-room, which had not been broken into; my two companions followed; and in a minute every moveable thing had disappeared. I knew that remonstrance was in vain, and therefore said but little. My room being cleared, I walked through the house, through such a scene as beggars all description; every room was filled with naked savages, armed, their countenances lighted up with an infernal expression of

rage and exultation, horrifying; and many, most of them, sprinkled with blood, warm from the bodies of their enemies. With difficulty I got through them, and stood in the front of the house, watching the distressing scene.

VIOLENT ASSAULT ON THE ROTORUA

MISSIONARIES.

Mr. Pilley joined me; but we were not long permitted to be observers; we were separated. Five men seized Mr. Pilley, and three myself. I remonstrated and reasoned with them, but all in vain.

The natives, heedless of my remonstrances, after they had lugged and pulled me about, each wishing to get all, took from me my coat, waistcoat, hat, watch, &c., leaving me only my shirt and trowsers; and for these I was not indebted to their generosity; for at the moment of my deliverance, a man was threatening me with a blow from his battle-axe, if I did not give him my remaining garments, which I felt not disposed to do; but God sent me a deliverer, in a young chief of Waikato, who, taking my part, rescued me out of the enemy's hand. He said that if I would walk with him he would be my protector, which I thankfully accepted, knowing that if I remained it would only be to fall into the hands of perhaps a worse party than the one which had already stripped me. During this time Mr. Pilley was contending with a party in another part of the garden, by whom, I believe, he was worse treated than I had been; owing, perhaps, to his resisting force to force, as well as he could. I was told by him afterwards, that the natives, finding that they could not get his clothes from him, threw him down, and stamped upon him. One struck him with the butt-end of his musket, and threatened to shoot him; another struck him under the ear with his fist, the mark of which I afterwards saw. He was certainly treated more roughly than I; and though he would, as he said afterwards, have freely given them his clothes to let him alone, they would not accept his terms, but continued to pull him about, none wishing to lose his share in the prize; nor did they release him, until the Rotorua tribe, rallying, drove them from the station. He therefore escaped those horrid sights to which I was exposed for about two hours in the enemy's camp, which I will briefly describe. Having consented to walk with my deliverer, under God, we left the station. We had not proceeded far from the fern, when I suddenly stepped by the side of a man just killed; he lay weltering in his gore. I walked on,

almost petrified; and passed bodies which here and there strewed the ground, until I came to a place where a number of bodies

were laid out, previously to their being cut up for the oven. I turned away in disgust, and sick at heart; but whichever way I looked, some sight of horror saluted me. I walked to a short distance; but had not been there long, when a body, apparently that moment killed, was dragged into the camp before me; his head was off almost before I could look round. This did not satisfy the wretches; his breast was opened, and his heart, &c., streaming with warmth, was pulled out, and carried off. I did not see such another scene as this; though, during the whole time of my being in the camp, I was exposed to the most revolting scenes; halves of bodies, quarters, legs, heads, &c., were being carried away, some of which were thrust purposely in my face.

When the fighting ceased, by order of Waharoa, I was allowed to return to my station. He accompanied me part of the way. I did not remain long at the place. Alas! it was no longer a station-it was a scene of ruin.

Hearing that Mr. Pilley was at the Pa, I hastened thither. I need not say that we were rejoiced to meet, after the trials of the morning. About sunset, on looking towards our now deserted station, we saw smoke ascending from the roof of the dwelling-house; and had scarcely noticed it, when the flames burst out from every part of it; and I may say that in twenty minutes it was reduced to ashes. Every building in the station shared the same fate, not even excepting the fencing round the garden. It was a melancholy sight to see our beautiful station in flames. Thus ended a station which had not been in existence twelve months. The tribes of Rotorua burned it down, in order, as they say, to prevent Waharoa from occupying it as a Pa, as he had threatened to do.

From the taking of the Tumu, the stations at Matamata, Touranga, and Rotorua were each and all in expectation of being visited by the enemies of their particular people; each tribe sitting at its respective Pa, apparently desirous to go forth and attack their enemies, but withheld by the expectation of being themselves attacked.

PLUNDER OF THE MISSION PROPERTY
АТ МАТАМАТА.

Sept. 14, 1836.-About three o'clock p. m., a young chief, who rescued Mr. Knight, at Rotorua, from the hands of the savages who had partly stripped him, came to inform us that he had just heard that a party of natives had gone down to Waiharakeke, to plunder our property. At first we scarcely gave credit to this report. However, we soon found it was, alas! true. Terapipipi, son of Waharoa, came directly after, and confirmed the truth of what we had previously heard. Having asked coun

sel of Him who alone can help us in time of need, and sought grace and strength for the trial we were about to endure, Mr. Morgan set out, accompanied by Tarapipipi, with the hope of saving some part of the property; but he had not proceeded far from the settlement, when he met his boy Taupoki, followed by the American sent down in charge of the goods, who gave us the melancholy intelligence, that every package, with the exception of one, had been broken open, before his departure. It was truly a distressing tale to us; but we were enabled to look to the God of all comfort. We felt ourselves placed in a peculiarly distressing and perplexing situation. The principal chiefs being absent, and having no one to whom we could appeal for redress, we were left, under God, upon our own resources; and the threats of the thieving party, that when they had taken away the property from the Waiharakeke, they would come and strip the house, increased our perplexity, thus leading us to expect a fearful night. But the Lord supported us, and enabled us to cast our burden upon him. We must confess that we felt anxious; and who could help feeling so, knowing that we were in the hands of a blood-thirsty people, who, unguided by principle, and unrestrained by law, only want a pretext to murder a fellow-creature; and with whom it is as vain to reason as to throw chaff against a whirlwind?

Having made inquiries as to who the persons were who had committed the robbery, and threatened us further, we were informed that the leader of the party was a chief named Marupo, signifying "murder by night,' a name given him on account of former ill-conduct towards Messrs. Morgan and Brown. The party altogether consisted of the worst men in the Pa. They appear to have gone with the determination to plunder, in spite of all opposition; nearly all going naked, every one having his face blackened with charcoal, and being armed with axes or muskets. The attack upon the property was briefly as follows:- As the American was sitting in the tent, he saw two men, with blackened faces, coming down the hill over against the tent. They entered it, and said that they were going to fetch potatoes from an adjoining plantation. They had scarcely said this, when, lifting up his eyes again, he saw about forty men, with their countenances disguised si milarly to the first two, coming also over the hill. He had scarcely time to think that something bad was about to take place, before they made a general rush towards the tent, entered it, and broke open every package, except one hair trunk belonging to the Rev. A. N. Brown; upon which a woman took her seat, and preserved it from

destruction for the time. She afterwards broke it open, and robbed it; and on being questioned as to what her reasons were for preserving the box from destruction, she replied, "I saved it for myself, not for Mr. Brown;" a genuine specimen of New-Zealand sympathy! Immediately books, shirts, and various articles of wearing apparel, were strewed about in all directions. The American, seeing that it would be in vain to remonstrate with them, hastened to bring us the heavy tidings.

Taiepa, son of Pohipohi, the second chief of Matamata, offered to go with us; his heart being, to use his own expression, extremely dark, on account of the work of his tribe. This young chief is one of great hope and promise, he having begun to inquire the way of salvation. He, though the son of the second chief, and consequently of great influence, refused to join his father in the late expedition to Rotorua, though earnestly requested to do so; and, as far as we can learn, he was influenced by no other motive than a sense of the evil of the thing in the sight of God. The account we are giving of the conduct of the natives of this place generally, is dark and discouraging; but such an instance as the one mentioned is truly encouraging, and leads us to hope that that kingdom, which is compared to a grain of mustard-seed, is beginning to spring up in this benighted land, notwithstanding all the devices of Satan and wicked men.

ESCAPE OF TWENTY NATIVES FROM
MASSACRE.

Oct. 19, 1836.-About seven o'clock this morning, three of the lads who left yesterday entered our house in a breathless condition, conveying the distressing intelligence, that their little company had been attacked on the road by a murdering party from Rotorua, from whom they had made their escape. As the lads could give no information respecting their companions, we were left in a most anxious state as to their safety. In about two hours after, Ngakuku arrived, accompanied by two other natives, bearing the mangled corpse of his only little girl, who had been murdered by the fight. They had taken away her heart and the top of her head as an offering to the Evil Spirit. In the afternoon the remainder of the party arrived. The merciful preservation of twenty, out of twenty-one natives, appears almost miraculous, and calls aloud for our praise and gratitude. It appears that the fight had been lurking about the plain between this place and Maungatautari; and that, attracted by the fire of our natives, they directed their steps to the encampment, and arrived there shortly be fore day-break. The barking of a dog awaked some of the lads, who, hearing the

Four

sound of footsteps, endeavoured hastily to rouse their companions, and then rushed out of the hut to conceal themselves, some in the fern, and others in the woods. girls, however, and two boys, were still in the hut when the fight came up; but, favoured by the darkness, they all escaped except Ngakuku's daughter, who was seized and murdered. His only little boy he saved, by fleeing with him on his back, and hiding themselves in the high fern.

AFFECTING CONDUCT OF A CHRISTIAN

NATIVE.

While talking to poor Ngakuku this after. noon, and endeavouring to administer consolation to him, he remarked, "The only reason why my heart is dark is, that I do not know whether my child has gone to heaven, or to the Reinga. She has heard the Gospel with her ears, and read it to Mother Brown; but I do not know whether she received it into her heart." After the evening prayers at the chapel, Ngakuku arose, and addressed the natives from John xiv. 1.

Oct. 20.-I buried poor Tarore at the Pa. Those who so narrowly escaped a like death followed the corpse to the grave; around which were arranged various groups, from the different native residences. After singing a hymn, and addressing the assembled party, Ngakuku asked me if he might also say a few words; and on my assenting, he said, with deep solemnity of feeling, "There lies my child; she has been murdered as a payment for your bad conduct; but do not you rise to seek a payment for her, God will do that. Let this be the finishing of the war with Rotorua. Now let peace be made. My heart is not dark for Tarore, but for you. You urged teachers to come to you. They came; and now you are driving them away. You are crying for my girl; I am crying for you, for myself, for all of us. Per haps this murder is a sign of God's anger towards us for our sins. Turn to him. Believe, or you will all perish." Can: I doubt who it is that has given calmness, resignation, and peace to the poor native, at a time when we could expect little else than the wild tumult of unsubdued grief? Let those who treat the operations of the Holy Spirit upon the heart as an idle fable, account on natural principles for the scene which I have this day been privileged to witness. It was not insensibility on the part of Ngakuku, for his feelings are natu rally keen; it was not indifference towards his family, for he was fondly attached to his child. No it was the manifestation of his power, who, amidst the loudest howlings of the wildest storm, distinctly whispers to his children, "It is I, be not afraid; peace, be still."