Wreck, Disaster, &c.

Port Easy, known as Easy Harbour, is an anchorage on the West Coast, in the vicinity of Mason's Bay. It is nine miles from South Cape, and was frequented by sealers. As early as 1810 Campbell, jun., and Co., merchants, Sydney, had a gang quartered there with try-pots, etc. They afterwards removed the gang and equipments to Campbell Island, on the discovery thereof by one of their own skippers—Captain Hasselbourg. From that time to 1831 the Records make no mention of business done at Port Easy. It seems to have been classed indiscriminately as South Cape. March 31 of the last-named year, it was the scene of an alarming accident. Sydney Customs Records briefly state the arrival of the Samuel (Anglem, master) with 10 tons flax, and bringing news of the loss of the Industry at Easy Harbour, together with 17 deaths by drowning. These included the master (Wiseman), ten seamen, and six native women. The remainder of the crew—three in number—were saved. That is all the information supplied by the Records. Native tradition furnishes the following details:—A considerable number of Europeans and their Maori wives had congregated at Codfish Island, in the neighbourhood of Easy Harbour. The Industry put into Codfish, and hired a gang to work Easy Bay. Six Europeans and their women set sail for the latter. The manufacture of the villainous "arrack" had been carried on at Codfish, and the crew of the Industry, as also the newly-engaged gang, had been freely imbibing. They likewise took a supply with them. In a stiff gale, with a heavy westerly sea, they landed the craft on one of two small islets named Brothers, at the entrance to the bay. After being on the wreck four or five hours, at daybreak one of the women swam ashore with a line and secured communication with the wreck. It was by that means the three survivors saved themselves. The line carrying away, the others perished, including the plucky Maori woman: page 103who brought it ashore, and afterwards swam back to the wreck in the hope of assisting others. The rock on which the three survivors landed was a most desolate spot. Sufficient, however, came on shore from the wreck to sustain them until picked up.

In 1826 the Alligator sailed from Easy Bay in prosecution of her whaling voyage, and the Samuel (Drysdale, master) arrived there from Auckland Islands. The Samuel appears to have seen some pretty rough work on the New Zealand coast. In 1824 she was in command of one John Dawson. A newspaper report of February 24, 1825, relates that on April 30 she left Sydney for Foveaux Straits. It proved an ill-fated voyage. July 27, having been carried by a succession of contrary winds, she came to an anchorage in Cook Strait, which separates the two islands, and was employed for a day or two procuring water. The most friendly relations seemingly existed between the natives and the crew. On the 31st no misunderstanding had arisen, which induced the master (Dawson) and four seamen—namely, John Clarty, George Jewlyn, John Harris, James M'Laughlan, and another whose name is not given—to go on shore unsuspiciously and unarmed. They had scarcely touched the ground when, without a moment's warning, the savages rushed our ill-fated countrymen, and presently butchered them with their massive clubs.

John Dawson, referred to in the foregoing, is the first whose name is mentioned in connection with the barter of firearms in the south. The Tasmanian, of January 28, 1831, writes—"Some few years ago a chieftain of the south-eastern coast of New Zealand had killed and eaten Captain Dawson and the crew of the brig Samuel, a vessel which had been trading there, bartering muskets, powder, and balls for flax and other produce; but, being either over-confident or unguarded, his vessel was captured and his crew eaten. Dawson's vessel, as related above, was attacked in April, 1824. Prior thereto, arms must have been a scarce commodity in the south. In White's "Ancient Maori" wo read that the Tua-mutu people at Haki-tai received convincing proof in a late engagement that, single-handed, they were no match for Tami-hara-nui's powerful clans. Accordingly they commissioned Hine-haka a lady connected with many influential chiefs in the south, to proceed to Otakou and Muri-hiku for the purpose of enlisting her friends on their behalf. She was successful in her mission, and returned in a few months accompanied by a considerable body of men. The engagement that followed—known as Kai-whare-utua—is memorable for being the first occasion on which firearms were used in this part of the country. The strangers possessed two guns, and occupied a proud and envied position in the forefront of the expedition. About a hundred Muri-hiku warriors responded to the invitation, and the fact) they only mustered two guns shows arms at this date in the south were scarce. Shortly thereafter Te Rauparaha made his appearance for the first time in the south. That fixes the date about 1822, so that prior thereto firearms could not have been eagerly sought for. Indeed, we may conclude it was the Te Rauparaha raid which gave them their chief value in the estimation of the southerners. At all events, during the next succeeding five or six years, more especially 1830-31, every vessel visiting these coasts was choke-a-block with firearms.