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Three New Zealanders, Toutora, Tipati, and Taiapo, charged with murder on board the Ploughboy
were discharged, there being no further
evidence against them.

September 1, 1837.

SHIP NEWS.


.  .  .  . 

      On Friday the three New Zealanders, Toutora, Tipati, and Taiapo, charged with murder on board the Ploughboy were discharged, there being no further evidence against them than what we have already stated. The following is the statement of Toutora, made on behalf of himself and countrymen: – He states that he was one of Captain Brown's boat's crew, of the Ploughboy, an American ship (then at sea). We started after some whales that were in sight, and got up to one, and when the headsman was in the act of striking, I caught a crab, and we lost the whale; Captain Brown took the whale-line and struck me a number of times with it. We went after another whale, which we killed, and towed alongside. We started after another, and got up to it; the Captain called out "stern," – my not understanding his meaning, I continued to pull, and we lost that whale; the captain then struck me with a boat-hook on the back of the head. We went on board the ship. I and the other two New Zealanders, Tipati and Taiapo, were pulling at the tow-line to get the whale alongside, the captain began talking English to the crew, which I did not understand; he went below, and when he came on deck he had a fowlingpiece in his hand; he said same thing to us in English, and seemed to be in a great passion; he fired, and shot Taiapo through both thighs, who fell into a boat that lay alongside. He loaded again, and the chief mate endeavoured to take the gun from him, but did not succeed, he fired at me, and shot me through both thighs, and I fell into the sea. Tipati got into the boat and the mate told him to go afer me. The captain came to the side of the ship and tried to fire at me, when the mate again attempted to prevent his firing, but the piece went off in the scuffle and slightly wounded Tipati on the left thigh, the ball went through tho boat's side. I swam near the ship, the captain came to the side and threw a spade at me, which missed me; then I swam from the ship again. Tipati and Taiapo came to my assistance, and got me into the boat; and the mate called us alongside, as the captain was then below, and we went; five of the men came down iuto the boat, and, by the directions of the mate, they took the line, tub, and three of the lances out of her. I said to the mate, "You had better take the remainder of the things; "He answered, "you had better keep them to protect yourselves, in case the captain should follow you." I also asked him to let us go on board, but he said we had better make our escape, or the captain would kill us. Some white man belonging to the ship gave Tipati a bucket of potatoes and one keg of water, there was also, one in the boat before. A breeze sprang up, and the ship gained way,when the mate cut the painter of the boat and let us adrift. I called to him to give me a memorandum, so as whoever might pick us up should not say wo had deserted the ship. Captain Brown came on deck, and the ship put about and gave chase after us: the wind being slight, and the sun down, myself and Tipati commenced pulling, and with the assistance of the sails, we escaped from the vessel, and at day-light we were out of sight. It blew very hard that night. It was on Tuesday we left the Ploughboy. We were two Sundays in the boat before we were taken up by the Achilles, captain Lee. When we first saw the ship we thought it was the Ploughboy; Tipati put up the sails to run away, when I rose and took them down, got onto the stern-sheets of the boat, and waved my hat for assistance. The provisions only lasted seven days, after which time, the only sustenance we had was salt water.


The Sydney Gazette (Tue 5 Sep 1837) Page 3.     


Last updated by Tom Tyler, Denver, CO, USA, Jun 11, 2023