,01 6 AUSTRALASIA ILLUSTRATED. 



in number, with fire-arms and ammunition, appeared in the settlement, announcing their 

 intention to go to Wellington to join their chief, who was associated with the party 

 then busily pillaging the settlers. Deighton, learning their intention, told Mr. King that 

 if he would write a despatch he would undertake to deliver it to Captain Grey, accom- 

 panying the natives in their journey to Port Nicholson. 



The despatch was written with Indian ink on tissue paper, and sewn up in the 

 collar of Deighton's coat. During their journey he was suspected of carrying letters to 

 the Governor, and was in danger of losing his life in consequence ; but, being searched, 

 the despatch sewn in the collar of his coat eluded discovery, and on his arrival at 

 Wellington he was enabled to deliver it to the Governor. Possessed of the proofs of the 

 intention of the natives, the Governor, on the night of the 23rcl of July, 1846, caused 

 an armed force silently to surround the abode of Rauparaha, who was found asleep in 

 his bed and conveyed on board H.M.S. Calliope, which was waiting in the Porirua 

 Harbour for his reception. It is noticeable that the Authorities always allowed themselves 

 considerable latitude in their dealings with questions in which Maori rights were concerned. 

 Things were sometimes done, whether called for by the exigencies of the time or not 

 it is for the judgment of history to say, that the agents would scarcely allow themselves 

 to do had their opponents not belonged to the coloured races. The capture of Rauparaha 

 is one of these, but it is just possible that in this instance there were adequate extenua- 

 ting circumstances ; the general statement may therefore be made here without any 

 invidious effect. The cunning and adroit capture of the most celebrated living Maori 

 warrior instructed the natives that they had now a Governor to deal with whose 

 vigilance they could not hope to elude, and who was swift to execute the plans his 

 sagacity had matured. The capture made a profound impression on Maoridom. Who 

 could be safe if Rauparaha was outwitted and imprisoned ? He was given the choice of 

 standing a trial for treason, or of remaining in custody of the British, a prisoner of 

 war. He wisely chose the latter alternative, and the Wanganui natives, after his capture, 

 dispersed without delay to their homes. Shortly after their return to Wanganui, the 

 troops marched on the pah of Rangihaeata, who left the position he occupied, broke up 

 his war-party, and his followers retired to their own district. 



Te Heu Heu, the great chief of Taupo, who had long refused his adhesion to the 

 Queen, was, on the /th of May, 1846, buried alive, with fifty-four of his followers, by a 

 land-slip at Taupo, and the elements of discord in the native population, incident to the 

 change of their condition in having to live under a settled form of Government, 

 seemed to be disappearing one after another. The settlers having drifted into uneasy 

 relations with the natives at Wanganui, a detachment of soldiers was sent to the 

 district in December, 1846. A desultory warfare continued till the end of the year, 

 when the natives, who were cut off from all communication with the sea, and their usual 

 markets, wrote begging for peace, and on the 2ist of February, 1848, the principal chiefs 

 met his Excellency the Governor in the presence of Major-General Pitt, who was in 

 command of the troops in the colony, and peace was ratified and a general pardon 

 granted. This was the last occasion during the period Captain Grey was Governor that 

 peace between the Europeans and natives was in any way disturbed, and the people of 

 both races were left free to devote their energies to the development of the resources 



