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The Elizabeth

The Elizabeth. A Frontier of Chaos?. What happened?. The brig Elizabeth, sailed to Kapiti from Sydney where Te Rauparaha promised Captain John Stewart a cargo of flax – perfect for making rope – in exchange for transporting 100 warriors to Akaroa . Kapiti.

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The Elizabeth

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  1. The Elizabeth A Frontier of Chaos?

  2. What happened? • The brig Elizabeth, sailed to Kapiti from Sydney where Te Rauparaha promised Captain John Stewart a cargo of flax – perfect for making rope – in exchange for transporting 100 warriors to Akaroa.

  3. Kapiti • Te Rauparaha’s Island Fortress • at that time the great flax emporium of New Zealand

  4. Akaroa • Home of chief who had committed the offence of having killed Te PehiKupe, the father of Te Hiko, Te Rauparaha’s deputy.

  5. Convincing the Pakeha • Te Rauparaha first tried to convince Captain Briggs of Te Maiharanui’s sins, and therefore the righteousness of Ngati Toa’s request for transport. Briggs denied him. • Te Rauparaha then turned his attention to Captain Stewart • Stewart closed a bargain with him to convey his expedition to Akaroa, and to return with it to Kapiti after the objects of the expedition had been attained (Utu)

  6. Convincing the Pakeha • “He represented that Te PehiKupe, the chief whose death he sought to obtain satisfaction for, had been the friend and avenger of the wrongs of the Pakeha. If that was not enough he and Te Hiko reminded the captain that there were no less than three other charges standing against Tamaiharanui and all of them involving responsibility for the death of Europeans. The first was that of a trader named Smith, in the employ of Captain Wiseman, who had been killed at the same time as Te PehiKupe. The second was the case of Captain J. Dawson and five of the crew of the Samuel, in 1824. The third was the murder of a midshipman and boat's crew belonging to H.M.S.Warspite.”

  7. The case against Te Maiharanui • Charge one – death of Te Hiko’s father • His bones were later made into fish-hooks • Revenge might, by Maori custom, be seen as a legitimate action. • Not however cause for a Pakeha to get involved, certainly not to become an accessory.

  8. The case against Te Maiharanui • Charge two – Death of Captain Smith and his five men • Took place at Cook Strait • But Te Maiharanui had his headquarters at Akaroa • It is possible he made the trip presonally, but...

  9. The case against Te Maiharanui • Charge three – the loss of a midshipman and boats crew from H.M.S. Warspite. • Ship’s log states the boat never once landed a crew within sight of land

  10. Verdict on the charges • Not Applicable • Not Probable • Not True

  11. Did Stewart know what was going to happen? • Absolutely – Te Rauparaha was completely up front about his intentions. Utu and wholesale butchery were the order of the day. • Monetary gain was the name of the game.

  12. A southern Trojan Horse • The arrival of a European trading ship would not have raised any particular alarm among NgaiTahu. • Stewart lured the NgaiTahu chief Te Maiharanuiaboard by offering to trade flax for muskets.

  13. Te Maiharanui was put in irons. • On the same day his wife and two canoe full of NgaiTahu came aboard. • They were all seized and dumped in the hold.

  14. 6th November, 1830. • Between 1 and 2am – Te Rauparaha landed at Akaroa with his warriors and accompanied by Stewart and two boats full of sailors. • They split into two groups – one to each side of the bay and worked their way in. • “Akaroa's hills were that night lit with the fires of her burning whares, and her creeks were dyed with the blood of her slaughtered people. From the ship the sailors saw the fires of the burning whares...”

  15. Celebrations • Most of the NgaiTahu in Akaroa were slaughtered, and cooked, while others were taken captive as slaves. • A massive feast followed at Kapiti, where Te Maiharanui and others were tortured to death, and then eaten.

  16. An issue of Jurisdiction • Governor Darling of New South Wales, who was responsible for British subjects in New Zealand, put Stewart on trial in Sydney as an accomplice to murder. • In keeping with contemporary European attitudes, however, NgaiTahu were deemed 'incompetent' to act as witnesses because they were 'heathens'. As a result, Stewart and his crew escaped punishment. • Did result in calls for action.

  17. Lord Goderich – British Prime Minister • “It is impossible to read without shame and indignation the details which these documents disclose. The unfortunate Natives of New Zealand, unless some decisive measures of prevention be adopted, will, I fear, be shortly added to the number of those barbarous Tribes, who in different parts of the Globe, have fallen a sacrifice to their intercourse with Civilized Men, who bear and disgrace the name of Christians, when, for mercenary purposes, the Natives of Europe minister to the passions by which these Savages are inflamed against each other, and introduce them to the knowledge of depraved acts and licentious gratifications of the most debased inhabitants of our great Cities, the inevitable consequence is, a rapid decline of population preceded by every variety of suffering.”

  18. Big ideas from the Elizabeth • Brainstorm

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