The Sun.
London, England, 1865-07-21 00:00:00

In re:

;athen.

The following narrative, abridged from the diaries
of Mr. S. Levy, who was in charge of the store at
Opotiki, New Zealand, and of Captain Levy, of the
schooner Eclipse, will bo read with interest, sup-
plying, as it does, many details not contained in
the account given in The Sun of the 6th inst. of
the killing of the missionary Volkner. We begin
with Mr. S. Levy's account
" Feb. 24.—Opotiki and the whole coast are in the
greatest excitement, as Potare and his followers are
coming for the purpose of giving instruction in the new
religion. It is said to be his intention to put all white
men to death. Feb. 25.—Potare has arrived, and I have
been to see him. Ho told me he was very fond of
the Jews, as they were once a grand people, and are
now reduced through persecution, the Maories believing
themselves to be undergoing the same process. He told
Tiwai, the interpreter, that his people intend to take the
heads of all ministers, soldiers, and Englishmen, to carry as
trophies to their great prophet, Zorubbabel, at Taranaki. In
the evening Kereopa, the prophet, came in withthe head of
a soldier, and placed it at the foot of the worship post ; the
cap had on it 70th Regiment.' He then gave a long lec-
ture, stating that the ministers had been robbing them
of their lands by lies, and advising them to take to
the new faith, which they proceeded to do. The natives
formed in single line, and passed under Potare's right
arm into the church, where the 40 Taranakis who had
arrived with Potare kept continually running round them,
shouting and going through forms of incantation
until they were considered under the influence of Po-
tare, after which each was taken singly and swung round
until so insensible as to be unable to stand ; they were
then taken out on the green, where they remained on the
ground in a state of stupidity for some days, some of them
actually going for four or fire days without touching meat
and drink.. The natives remained in both churches all
night, going through their worship and ringing the bells,
I myself sleeping in the church with them. The most fear-
ful scenes of barbarism and savage-like propensities were
enacted during the night. Sunday, Feb. 26.—Everybody
in the village—men, women, and children— converted to
the new faith. Service in the church most part of the day.
Mr. Volkner's house was ransacked, and the things sold
to the natives. Some remained in the church all night,
others were walking round the sacred post, but the greater
part, especially the women, after a feast at sunset, lay all
night in the open air in a state of stupidity and nudity.
Feb. 27.—Potare left for a place 25 miles off to obtain
more recruits. I found among the Taranakis John Brown,
a soldier of the 57th Regiment, who had been taken pri-
soner; he told me of the frightful scenes he had witnessed,
and made my blood run cold. He is gone with Potare.
Kereopa remains here to carry on the ceremonies of the new
religion. Among his first converts were Mr. Volkner's
teacher and housekeeper, men who had been with him,
and preaching in the church during his absence for ten or
twelve years. March I.—The schooner Eclipse is outside
the bar."
Captain Levy, of the schooner, now takes up the
tale :

"March .l.—My brother Samuel came on board. He was
quite aghast when he saw the 1l v. Messrs. Volkner and
Greco, passengers, and told them of their perilous position.
It was agreed for all of us to escape that night to a certain
point of the river on horses, but before night wo were all
ordered to go on shore. Two or three natives rushed upon
Mr. Volkner with ropes to bind him, but they were pushed
aside by us. They told me and my brother that as they
were all of our religion (Jews) we had nothing to fear, but
the crew and rev. gentlemen were locked up under a guard
of 20 men. March 2.—1 was allowedan. interview with Mr.
Volkner. Ile advised me to give up the vessel and every-
thing to save bloodshed, as he believed all the natives
wanted was plunder. I offered the vessel and everything in
the store to the chiefs for the lives of the two ministers,
and they agreed to it, and one of the chiefs took my coat
and vest and watch and chain and put them on his own
person, as wriest of the bargain. Two chiefs went to
the rev. captives and told them of the arrangement,
and Mr. Volkner began to have more hope. But I
heard whisperings among the natives, and found that
a party of them had gone for their guns. When
they arrived and heard of the goods and vessel
being given up and accepted, there was tremendous
yelling, and the excitement reached its utmost point. A
party of half-castes went towards the where, and I thought
it advisable to move out of the way. They asked for Mr.
Volkner, who came out without his hat, and then returned
for it, apparently pleased, as the natives had told him they
were going to take him to a meeting. As he was walking
With them, they told him their object. The rev. gentleman
then asked to stay near the church and pray for five minutes,
which they acceded to. lie sent one of the natives for his
Prayer-book, and while this was taking place the natives
sent on board the vessel for a block and strap, which they
made fast to the topmost branches of a large willow tree,
about 200 yards from the church. About 800 natives
had now assembled, and Mr. Volkner was marched
under the tree. The natives took off his coat, vest, and
shirt, which the principal chief, Kereopa, put on, bring
quite pleased with the watch and chain. Poor Volkner
manifested the greatest calmness throughout, and shook
hands with many of the natives while they were tying his
handkerchief over his eyes and hauling him up to the fatal
branch. The natives marvelled greatly at the tears running
from Mr. Volkner's eyes, They did not pinion either arms
or legs, but loft him to dangle for nearly an hour in the air,
while some of the natives were hauling at .his legs to get
off his boots and trousers, sharing what was in the pockets
while he hung over them. One of the natives also put on
the trousers in the dying man's presence. When the body
was lowered it was taken to the church. [An account has
already been given of the disgusting orgies which followed.]
March 3.—We were all assured of our safety except Mr.
Grace, whose fate Potare was to decide. A meeting was
held, which I attended by the advice of Mr. Grace, in order,
if possible, to arrange a ransom for him. I offered £5OO,
and then .£l,OOO, but it was indignantly refused, and they
told me that no money would get Mr. Grace away, as they
intended to take him to Taranaki as their slave. March 4.
—Kereopa went to the bush, and at night the great chief
Potare returned. March 5.—A mooting was hold in the late
Mr. Volkner'a church. Potare blamed the people for hang-
ing him without a trial, and appeared vexed that we had
been pinioned, They decided that an offer might be sent
to Auckland when the party returned from Turanga, 10
clays hence, to exchange Mr. Grace for Hori Tupaea and
his party, who wore in the hands of the Government, my
brother and Ito remain meantime as bondsmen for Mr.
Grace, or else he would not be allowed toremain at Opotiki,
but be sent to Turanga. My brother assented. Potare
wished me to go and bring my wife and family down, and
settle among them. They gave us up our schooner
March B.—We found Mr. Volkner's remains still unburied,
and got leave to bury them upon sonic presents being
made to the natives. The body is laid close to the back
windows of the church, and we fenced the grave in and
placed a headboard. March 15.--All.the natives went
some five miles up the river to consecrate a large new
pole for worship. March 16—At 6 am. the natives who
cut Volkner's head off came to my bed and told me there
was a large steamer close in shore. I mounted a chimney
and saw that it was her Majesty's ship Eclipse. My brother
and myself paddled down to meet her, and told them what
had occurred. The Bishop of New Zealand asked me if
there wan any hope of getting Mr. Grace. I gave them but
little hope. They asked me if I thought the steamer's boats
could cut him out. I told them the natives would have Mr.
Grace miles up the bush long before the boats could land.
His lordship told me money was no object, but I assured
him it was no use offering it, and entertained but little hope
of recovering him. I told him Tiwai and William King
were on shore, and he asked one to go and bring them off,
as I thought it imprudent to send a ship's boat ashore. I
left my brother on board and went ashore with two of my
men. William King and Tiwai were gone. I went in
search, but was told by Mr. grace, who was taking his
usual walk, that the natives were gone to a meeting respect-
_ _ _

ing the arrival of the steamer. On seeing the rev. gentleman
so sad, and knowing the fate allotted to him, I made up my
mind to risk my life, as well as those that were with me, to
save if possible the rev. gentleman. I sent to tell him if ho
would walk down to the point of the river I would take him
in, but after a thought I saw the danger of his walking in,
so told him to jump into the boat at once, which he did. I
had some serge shirts in the boat with which I covered him
over. As he was getting into the boat the woman, who
missed him from the yard, ran to the boat, and, divining
our intention, ran off to the meeting being held.in a where
nearly at the side of the river. It was now pull for our lives,
and we did pull, the Rev. Mr. Grace being still at the bottom
of the boat. Some Maories appeared on the beach with their
rifles, but as we had the tide in our favour we managed to
escape, and rowed our captive to the steamer. The parties
on board, seeing no person in the boat but our own party,
could not understand what I meant by singing out • He's all
right ! ' And you may guess they were all rather surprised
on seeing Mr. Grace stand up as we went alongside. I
now saw the difficulty I had got into by rescuing the rev.
gentleman, as my schooner was still inside the heada, so I
immediately applied to Capt. Fremantle fora boat and crew
to tow her out, to which he kindly consented, giving me
two armed boats and crews. As I was going ashore in my
own boat I saw Tiwai standing at the heads, and 1 at once
went and took him, and found be had been away to the
. .
meeting with William King at the time I was ashore look-

ing for him. He was there when the news came of Mr.
Grace's escape, and told me that they immediately thought
ho was implicated. in the escape, and proposed to shoot
him, but he quietly slipped away from them into the bush,
and reached the spot from which I took him. I conveyed
him to the schooner while the steamer's boats Were along-
side, and found that Heremata and two others had been on
board searching for Mr. Grace, but not finding him had
taken away the canoe, which was alongside, so that the
men on board should not escape. They had no idea of my
intention to.take the schooner out, and went ashore to col-
lect more forces; but, luckily, we doubled them, and got
over the bar with the schooner before there was any ap-
pearance of a great force. The men in the boats had a
heavy pull for it, and succeeded in towing the schooner
alongside the steamer, where they anchored."
The party arrived in Auckland on the 19th of
March.