This book is a firsthand account of the Wairau Affray, a violent clash between British settlers and Maori tribes in New Zealand in 1843. Robert Stokes, who witnessed the event, writes to the Earl of Devon, then Colonial Secretary for New Zealand, providing a detailed and often emotional description of what took place. This book offers a rare perspective on the early interactions between British colonists and the indigenous population of New Zealand. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.