harbour of Whangaroa. On seeing the harbour TeAara politely told the Captain the best route in and where to anchor to secure the best cargo.
The Boyd dropped anchor close to the entrance of the harbour. It was a little distance from the entrance to the head of this long harbour, where the main tribal ‘pa’, or village, was situated. TeAara immediately went ashore and wasted no time in telling his father, Piopio, about his treatment and misfortunes at the hands of Captain Thompson. He had great delight in showing Piopio the red weals made by the whip on his back, and the marks and bruises on his wrists where he had been tied to the capstan. The Maori chief was determined to retaliate and get his revenge for the indignities suffered by his son. The ship carried quite an armoury of muskets, gunpowder, axes, knives and iron nails, but the Pakehas on board the Boyd had no idea of what was brewing.
The Maori appeared to be very friendly and after three days, Captain Thompson was invited to follow some of the Maori canoes from the harbour mouth and into the forest to find some suitable kauri trees to fell. To be useful as spars they needed to be perfectly straight poles, about 80 feet long by about 20 inches wide. Due to their size and weight, the logs would need to be close to the water so that they could be floated back to the ship and hauled on board with the aid of a windlass. Captain Thompson left his ship accompanied by his chief officer and three other men, while just a few crew members stayed on board preparing the ship for its return journey to England. The Captain and his men were closely followed by the Maori canoes right up to the entrance of the Kaeo River.
The Maori’s plan for retaliation started almost as soon as the canoes and longboats lost sight of the Boyd lying at anchor. They waited until they had all climbed ashore up the banks of the river before the natives drew out their weapons from underneath their clothing, and then savagely attacked the Captain and his crew members, leaving no-one alive. Then they stripped them naked, and before their bodies had time to get cold, the Maoris donned their jackets, trousers, shoes and frock coats. Meanwhile another group of natives carried their naked bodies back to the village for a tribal feast. The main course being the unfortunate sailors!
Meanwhile, the other natives in their various disguises, waited until dusk before they jumped on board the longboat and headed back towards the harbour. By the time they pulled alongside the Boyd it was already nightfall. The lights were shining on board the ship and the passengers were in their cabins relaxing while they waited for their evening meal. Unbeknown to them were the many native canoes surrounding the ship, all waiting for the signal to attack.
The Maoris swarmed up the ladder, their tattooed faces hidden by the disguises. One by one they struck with axes on the unsuspecting heads of the crew of the Boyd. They called to the passengers to come up on the main deck, and a woman passenger climbing the companionway to the deck was the first of many to die. In the carnage that ensued, five people managed to climb high into the ship’s rigging to hide among the sails, and it was there that they stayed until the light of dawn, bearing witness to the terrible atrocities going on below them. They watched as the natives dismembered the bodies, preparing them to be taken ashore and eaten.
As it grew lighter the people in the rigging spotted a large canoe coming into the harbour and making its way towards the ship. It was Chief TePahi from the Bay of Islands with some of his men, who had come down the coast to trade with the Captain. As he drew level with the ship he was horrified to see the scene of carnage and bloodshed that lay on the decks. Then he heard some English voices shouting down from the rigging, asking for help.
TePahi was in a quandary as to what to do, as his people did not live in Whangaroa and he felt he
The Boyd dropped anchor close to the entrance of the harbour. It was a little distance from the entrance to the head of this long harbour, where the main tribal ‘pa’, or village, was situated. TeAara immediately went ashore and wasted no time in telling his father, Piopio, about his treatment and misfortunes at the hands of Captain Thompson. He had great delight in showing Piopio the red weals made by the whip on his back, and the marks and bruises on his wrists where he had been tied to the capstan. The Maori chief was determined to retaliate and get his revenge for the indignities suffered by his son. The ship carried quite an armoury of muskets, gunpowder, axes, knives and iron nails, but the Pakehas on board the Boyd had no idea of what was brewing.
The Maori appeared to be very friendly and after three days, Captain Thompson was invited to follow some of the Maori canoes from the harbour mouth and into the forest to find some suitable kauri trees to fell. To be useful as spars they needed to be perfectly straight poles, about 80 feet long by about 20 inches wide. Due to their size and weight, the logs would need to be close to the water so that they could be floated back to the ship and hauled on board with the aid of a windlass. Captain Thompson left his ship accompanied by his chief officer and three other men, while just a few crew members stayed on board preparing the ship for its return journey to England. The Captain and his men were closely followed by the Maori canoes right up to the entrance of the Kaeo River.
The Maori’s plan for retaliation started almost as soon as the canoes and longboats lost sight of the Boyd lying at anchor. They waited until they had all climbed ashore up the banks of the river before the natives drew out their weapons from underneath their clothing, and then savagely attacked the Captain and his crew members, leaving no-one alive. Then they stripped them naked, and before their bodies had time to get cold, the Maoris donned their jackets, trousers, shoes and frock coats. Meanwhile another group of natives carried their naked bodies back to the village for a tribal feast. The main course being the unfortunate sailors!
Meanwhile, the other natives in their various disguises, waited until dusk before they jumped on board the longboat and headed back towards the harbour. By the time they pulled alongside the Boyd it was already nightfall. The lights were shining on board the ship and the passengers were in their cabins relaxing while they waited for their evening meal. Unbeknown to them were the many native canoes surrounding the ship, all waiting for the signal to attack.
The Maoris swarmed up the ladder, their tattooed faces hidden by the disguises. One by one they struck with axes on the unsuspecting heads of the crew of the Boyd. They called to the passengers to come up on the main deck, and a woman passenger climbing the companionway to the deck was the first of many to die. In the carnage that ensued, five people managed to climb high into the ship’s rigging to hide among the sails, and it was there that they stayed until the light of dawn, bearing witness to the terrible atrocities going on below them. They watched as the natives dismembered the bodies, preparing them to be taken ashore and eaten.
As it grew lighter the people in the rigging spotted a large canoe coming into the harbour and making its way towards the ship. It was Chief TePahi from the Bay of Islands with some of his men, who had come down the coast to trade with the Captain. As he drew level with the ship he was horrified to see the scene of carnage and bloodshed that lay on the decks. Then he heard some English voices shouting down from the rigging, asking for help.
TePahi was in a quandary as to what to do, as his people did not live in Whangaroa and he felt he
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