The Initial Incident
Late in 1810 the Sydney Cove, a big English sealing vessel, was anchored in Otago Harbour while its crew were working at Cape Saunders on the Otago Peninsula. Māori were in the habit of visiting such vessels to trade for pork and potatoes. During one such visit, a Māori chief, Te Wareripirau according to one of Creed's informants, Te Wahia according to the other, stole a red shirt, a knife and some other things. Later some of the sailors "fell upon" the chief with cutlasses. He "fled from them with his bowels protruding through the wound in the side" and died. "The Europeans fled, ship & boats to the Molyneux" - the modern Clutha River Mouth - where they attacked and killed another chief, Te Pahi. They also left behind a boy, James Caddell, known in New Zealand history as a Pākehā-Māori.
At Waipapa Point one of the Sydney Cove's gangs landed and proceeded overland to the Mataura mouth where they were surprised and killed by Māori under Honegai. The Sydney Cove paused at Stewart Island before continuing its voyage. Men from the Brothers who had been in the vicinity of Otago Harbour proceeded south late in 1810 seeking a passing ship to take them back to Sydney but four of their number were surprised and killed, apparently just because they were Europeans.
Read more about this topic: Sealers' War
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