Page:Reminiscences of Earliest Canterbury 1915.pdf/143

 father in 1845 and 1846, who was wont to say that if Wellington’s veterans were all of the stamp of James Beaty there was little wonder in his winning the day. Beaty was a splendid worker, and absolutely fearless. He went off to the Melbourne diggings.

“Toby” Green, 1840-50, came from America, and was working at Annandale, Pigeon Bay, in 1846. About that time a murder was committed at Port Levy by a sailor, who shot the third mate of a French whaling vessel. The murderer came over to Pigeon Bay, and gave up his gun to the Maoris on condition that they would conceal him until a whaling vessel arrived by which he intended to make his escape. The Magistrate, however, came over from Akaroa to arrest him, and E. Hay, John Hay, and Toby Green were all sworn in as special constables. The murderer was duly arrested at daylight in a Maori wharé, and taken down to the boat and handcuffed. Toby Green caught a loaded gun by the muzzle to pull it out of the boat. It went off, and the ball entered his knee. Refusing to have his leg amputated, he was ten months in bed. The ball suppurated out in two portions months afterwards. The leg was stiff, and, during the remainder