Extract of a Letter from Revd. S. Marsden to Revd. Josiah Pratt, Secretary to the Church Missionary Society, dated Parra matta, 25th Oct., 1810.

I have three New Zealanders now living with me, one of whom was at New Zealand when the loss of the Boyd took place. According to this man’s statement, the captain of the Boyd took four New Zealanders from Port Jackson, one of whom was the son of a chief of that part of the island to which the Boyd went for spars; that he flogged them all on the passage. When they arrived the son of the chief (who was very ill used) complained to his father of the cruelties that had been exercised on him and his companions. The old chief and one of his sons named Tipphoohee determined immediately on revenging the injuries that had been done to his son and subjects by taking the ship and murdering all the crew, which they effected. Our friend Tippahee happened to arrive with a cargo of fish (which he owed to the chief of that part) just at the time that the business had taken place. Five men had run up into the rigging to save themselves. Tippahee told them to come down and come to his canoe, and he would save them. The sailors did so, and he took them on shore immediately, but was followed by the enraged party, and overpowered, and all the men murdered. Tippahee did all he could to save our countrymen, but was afterwards shot thro’ the neck, and many of his subjects killed, by parties from the whalers, and the whole of the houses on his island destroyed.