Chap. XV. EVIDENCE RELATING TO THE MASSACRE. 389 
them of a fair hearing of what they might have to say 
in their defence. It was, besides, abundantly ex- 
plained, that they were not now to be taken to punish- 
ment, but to trial ; that Mr. Cotterell had complained 
against them, and that the complaint must be examined 
into. Mr. Thompson addressed them through the 
interpreter. Brooks ; and a native of the Bay of Islands 
was present, who explained to them every word that 
was said. 
In the meantime, the men left on the other side of 
the stream had been divided into two bodies, con- 
sisting of 16 and 17 respectively; one under the 
command of Captain England, the other under that 
of Mr. Howard. When the dispute was at the high- 
est. Captain Wakefield, perceiving the danger of being 
separated from the men should a collision arise, pro- 
ceeded to the creek with the intention of bringing 
them over on a canoe, which, with the consent of the 
natives, was laid across it. Mr. Thompson, it seems, 
just then called to Mr. Howard for his men, with 
some allusion to the number of the natives. *' I don't 
" care if there are 5000 of them," was that gallant 
fellow's reply, as he led his party to the stream. In 
the canoe they met Captain Wakefield, whom the rest 
of the gentlemen were apparently following. " Keep 
" your eyes on them, my men ; they have their guns 
" pointed at us," said Captain Wakefield to the ad- 
vancing men. At this moment (observing some move- 
ment among the natives towards Mr. Thompson or 
the gentlemen), he exclaimed in a loud voice, with 
great energy, "Men, forward! Englishmen, forward!" 
and a shot was fired, according to the explicit and con- 
sistent evidence of Joseph Morgan, by one of the 
natives, which laid his comrade Tyrrell dead at his 
feet. These two men, with Northam, also killed at 
