Hamilton. — On a Massacre at Otago Heads in 1817. 145 



in all of GUV crew. Severtil of them were shot and run 

 through with boarJing-pikes in trying to get up the sides of 

 the vessel. Corockar jumped overboard to get to the canoe, 

 but was shot in the neck. Two of his men swam to him 

 and took him on shore in a most gallant manner, but he 

 died next morning of his wounds. Thus we had another 

 narrow escape of being taken and murdered. We kept a 

 good watch all night, expecting to be boarded and taken at 

 dayhght. 



" Next morning, being the 24th of December, 1817, a great 

 number of natives were on the beach making a great noise, 

 seemingly lamenting and crying because of the death of their 

 chief Corockar. They were preparing to launch their canoes. 

 We thought they were coming off to try and take the brig, 

 and thought it better to stop them if possible. We innne- 

 diately manned our two boats, and, taking arms and ammuni- 

 tion, pulled close to the beach where the canoes were lying. 

 It was thought most expedient to destroy all their navy at 

 once, to prevent them from making the attempt. As soon as 

 the boats came near the beach the natives alf ran away over 

 the bank. We landed one boat's crew, and kept the other 

 boat afloat to cover the men on the beach with their muskets. 

 We then commenced with two long cross-cut saws cutting the 

 canoes up, each into three pieces. They were forty-two in 

 number, large and small, all of which v»'e destroyed, and, as 

 we wanted firewood, w^e split them up and took them on 

 board. As soon as they saw all the canoes destroyed they 

 rushed with clubs and spears up to their necks into the 

 water trying to get hold of the boats, but they did not succeed 

 in wounding any of our men. 



" They having become more excited and inflexible at this 

 attempt to seize our boats, we determined at once to land, set 

 fire to the town and burn it to the ground. This was the 2Gth 

 of December, 1817. It was a fine, clear summer day, blowing 

 a fresh, hot wind from the north-west. We landed nine 

 men, but kept the boats afloat. On our approach the natives 

 all ran to the rising hills, and left us in full possession of the 

 town. This town consisted of about six hundred fine houses, 

 and perhaps a finer town never was seen in any part of New 

 Zealand. The fire was lighted at the weather end, and in 

 about four hours the beautiful City of Otago, as we then 

 called it, was laid in a heap of ashes. We now required 

 fresh water for our sea stock. There were several fresh- 

 water holes on the beach where the canoes were lying. We 

 observed the water in those holes of a curious colour, and re- 

 collected that Tucker had told us the natives were in the habit 

 of poisonmg the water if they expected their enemies were 

 coming to invade the in. This poisoning was done with a 

 10 



