APPENDIX, 435 
wishing to drive Smith away and retain the jacket, took away the 
woman for three successive nights. He, Smith, left the house, on 
account of this usage, on Friday night, 10th instant, and came to 
Maitland’s lodgings, at twelve o’clock at night, bringing with him 
three axes, four fathoms of cloth, a shawl, and a tapa, all of which 
belonged to the family of Palasi. He stated that the people had taken 
his jacket and detained the woman; that he had taken these articles 
till they should think proper to return the jacket. These articles were 
placed in Maitland’s chest. The next morning, Palasi and his wife 
came and inquired for Smith, and said, “ Keep the articles, but give 
me my white man.” Smith refused to go, and said all he wanted was 
his jacket, which was soon after brought and delivered to Smith, who 
then returned all the aforesaid articles which he had taken away. 
Maitland advised Smith not to leave the village, or walk about till the 
anger of the family was over. Deceased walked in the evening, in 
company with Maitland, to Murivai, a division of the village of Sa- 
luafata. 
Hearing that two white men had arrived from a distance, and were 
‘waiting at a neighbouring house, Smith said he wished to go to them, 
in order to fetch them to where Maitland and he then were, the dis- 
tance of which did not exceed three hundred yards. 
Maitland advised him not to go, as there might be danger; but as 
he persisted, Maitland told him to be particular and look well about 
him. The moon was near the full, and the night clear, the fires having 
been lighted about an hour. About half an hour after Smith left, a 
native came with food to Maitland. A few minutes after, another 
native came and inquired for Smith. The native who first came then 
said, “He had stepped in something on the road: it could not have 
been water, it must have been blood.” Now Seumu said he was afraid 
something had happened to Smith, as he had been visited by Vave 
alias Tagi, Palasi’s brother, having in his hand an axe, inquiring at 
the same time for Smith, who he (Vave) said had a piece of siapo or 
tapa of his. He then said to a boy near Tul, “Come with me and 
seek Smith.” On hearing this, Maitland ran to some white men and 
gave the alarm. Having procured lights, they all went to where the 
native said he had stepped in blood. When they found the blood, the 
alarm was general; the natives were assembled and searching for the 
body of the deceased. Maitland was not on the spot when the body 
was found, but came a few minutes afterwards. The corpse had one 
cut on the right side of the neck, which nearly severed the head from 
the body; another deep cut on the left side of the neck; a deep cut, 
seemingly with an axe, on the breast; another cut on the back of the 
