Cook Strait An Ocean Highway.

The Warspite, a vessel of 70 tons, commanded by the Hon. R. S. Dundas, put in at Queen Charlotte Sound, en route from Sydney to England. One of her boats, in charge of a midshipman, was seized, and the crew massacred. This occurred in 1827, but detailed particulars are not given in the records. The Maori tradition is that some interference had taken place with their women, whether by the sufferers or some others is not known. The Warspite voyage, however, has been rendered otherwise memorable. Hobart Town Courier, December 15, 1827, reports:—"The Warspite left Sydney on the 6th January. She is the first line of battleship that has ever circumnavigated the globe in crossing the 180th degree of east longitude from Greenwich. The day was therefore changed; the week was made to consist of eight days, having two Tuesdays in it. On the passage from Port Jackson to Valparaiso the Warspite went through Cook Strait between the two islands of New Zealand and Eaheinomawe and Pocnawentoo. These straits are not well surveyed, and the different points are incorrectly laid down, the only chart of them being by Captain Cook in the Endeavour. The conducting of a line of battleship through such a narrow passage (being only 11 miles across in one place, and little known), with a beating wind the whole way, required not only great strength of nerve, but a constant and vigilant look-out, together with the unceasing operation of keeping the lead going. With these precautions the Warspite beat through in six days, without an accident."