According to the Hawke's Bay Herald, the panic amongst the Europeans at the Chatham Islands arose from some correspondence between the Chatham Islands and Taranaki Natives having been intercepted, and whioh seemed to bo of a treasonable charaoter. The letters contained what was believed to be ominous intimations, snch as " the day was coming," whioh it was imagined referred to an approaching day on which a general massacre would take plaoe. This impression was borne out, moreover, it was said, by a ohauge whioh had come over the demeanour and bearing of the Maoris towards the Europeans for some time previous. One settler, for instance, deposed to the effect that a Maori had oome to his well and drawn water at it, a thing whioh none of them had ever done before ; another deposed to < the effeot that an aged and sinister looking native had stationed himself for days together afc the end of his garden fence, easting from time to time looks of covetons malignity at the interior \>f his domicile ; and another said that he had seen a native point out his daughter to a group of his companions, evidently intending to mark her out for destruction or for some fate even more appalling. The Europeans took fright, and congregated in one Bpot at a place which they comidered was most easily defended against the assault, of a hostile force. The natives (unconscious of the oanao of the alarm oa tbe part of tbe Europeans) became alarmed themselves, aud until Colonel St. John arrived in the ' Luna,' and a general explanation ensued, confidence was dot restored. Matters, however, have been explained, and it turns out that the Europeans really had no cause of alarm, for the ominous sentence of the " day was coming," referred rather to the elements than to any hostility on tbe part of the natives.
