I had a picked force put on board a man-of-war lying at
Wellington, and with it, and another small vessel, we set out for
Rauparaha's country. Besides myself, only three or four of the officers,
I suppose, knew the nature of our mission. We landed, after dark, at a
point of the sea coast near Rauparaha's camp, quietly surrounded it,
burst in and captured him. The thing was to swoop into the camp before
the Maoris could have any warning, or attempt to resist. Thus an
encounter, involving slain and wounded, would be avoided. Rauparaha was
taken off to the ships in a boat, and we conveyed him to Wellington.
'The results were as I had anticipated, for Rauparaha being our prisoner,
there was nobody to give the word of command to the Maori disaffectants,
who melted away. I told Rauparaha there were two courses open to him. He
could take his trial, before an open court, for what he had done, or he
could remain a prisoner, until I thought the interests of peace would
permit me to release him. He elected to continue my prisoner, and other
chiefs became bail for him when I did let him go.
'Rauparaha's defence was that he intended no harm, and that he was not in
the plot, for he admitted there was a plot. I asked him why, if he meant
no harm, he did not tell me that all these men had come so near.
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