Aboard the ship was George, a Maori from Whangaroa, who refused to obey certain orders because he was the son of a chief. He was flogged twice.
On reaching Whangaroa, where the Boyd was to pick up spars, George reported the indignities he had been subjected to and showed the marks on his back where he had been whipped.
Led by Tippahee, the Maoris extracted utu (revenge) by killing all but four of the 70 Europeans on board, and ate many of them.
The ship The City of Edinburgh, was sent to Whangaroa with Alexander Berry, to deal with the aftermath of the massacre.