Page:Reminiscences of Earliest Canterbury 1915.pdf/76

 held in so much respect by the whalers, in common with all the early settlers, that the former lost no time in maturing their plans, and setting off in pursuit. They fully manned a whaleboat, and, crossing the bar at Sumner, pulled up the Avon, and with all despatch, reached Riccarton, and gave the alarm. Blue Cap and his confederates must have seen the advancing whaleboat in time to conceal themselves, for nothing was seen of them by the whalers. The former correctly divined the object and destination of the latter, but, being loth to abandon his attempt, he followed carefully, and, concealing his boat, camped in the Riccarton bush intending to wait there hidden until the whalers, concluding he had gone elsewhere, returned down the river. He would then have an opportunity to attack, and doubtless would have done so but for an accident that frustrated his schemes.

At Riccarton a strict watch was kept all night and for the next day or two, but nothing transpired until eventually a fall of snow revealed to some of the whalers the footprints and camp of the marauders. An alarm was immediately given, and a pursuit organised, but Blue Cap and his men