Other formats

    TEI XML file   ePub eBook file  

Connect

    mail icontwitter iconBlogspot iconrss icon

Contributions to the Early History of New Zealand

Chapter VII

page 32

Chapter VII.

Sketch of Middle Island Sixty Years Ago—Deans, a Pioneer Settler—Whaling Stations—Captain Cook, Herd, D'Urville, Bunbury, W. Mein Smith, Dr. Edward Shorthand, Bishop Selwyn.

At this point it may be convenient to detail the proceedings connected with the selection and purchase of the lands in 1844 for the settlement. It will also prove interesting to the reader to present him with a sketch of the Middle Island of New Zealand, chiefly of this special portion of which at that date very little indeed was known. Governor Hobson—an Irishman—designated it New Munster, a name which has fortunately long since passed into oblivion with that of New Edinburgh.

The map was virtually a tabula rasa, and differed but little from that admirable chart laid down by Captain Cook seventy years before. In his evidence given in 1838 before the House of Lords' Committee on the State of the Islands of New Zealand, Mr. Montefiore, who spent a few months in New Zealand in 1830 whilst establishing a mercantile business, expressed the opinion that "the southern part of the South Island was very bleak and cold, and not fit for settling." This opinion continued to be held for years afterwards, until, indeed, it was dispelled by the observations of those travellers to whom special reference will be made. At the northern extremity was the infant settlement of Nelson, but two years old, numbering over 3000 souls. With this exception, the pioneer settlers in the island engaged in agricultural pursuits might be counted on one's fingers—notably the Deans, near Port Cooper, and John Jones, at Waikouaiti. No one had penetrated a day's journey into the interior. A few points of the island were occupied as whaling or sealing stations—the oldest being on the west and south coasts.

So early as the end of the last century, and shortly after the foundation of the convict colony of New South Wales, the hardy sealers and whalers began to resort to these coasts, and it was by them that almost all the names were given to those various points and sounds page 33which appear on the older maps. Probably the oldest of these—that is within comparatively recent times—was the whaling station in Preservation Inlet, founded in 1829, and belonging to Captain Peter Williams—an old Otago identity, better known as "Billy Williams," who died in Dunedin in June, 1868. Then there were stations at Aparima or Jacob's River, near the present Riverton; Omaui or New River, near Invercargill; Awarua or the Bluff; the mouth of the Mataura at the Toi-Tois; Waikawa or Catlin's River; the Matau or Molyneux; the Tautuku; on the island at Moturata—at the Taieri Mouth; at the Otago Heads; at Purakanui; and at Waikouaiti. Further north at Moeraki; the various inlets of Banks Peninsula, Cloudy Bay, and Queen Charlotte's Sound. Most of these stations were founded in the early thirties, and were scenes of busy activity and wild adventure. But at the time to which special reference is now made, 1844, they had begun to fall into decay, and the whaling and sealing business was approaching its latter end, owing to the wholesale slaughter which had caused the whales to disappear from the coasts, and which did not spare even the young calves. The names of Jones, Palmer, Howell, Williams still remain as representatives of their whaling progenitors. Two brothers from Sydney, George and Edward Weller, owned the stations at Otago Heads, and also that at Moturata Island, off the Taieri Mouth, and their manager, Octavius Harwood, yet lives an old man near Portobello. That of the Wellers' was one of the largest and most lucrative, and during the stirring times of the thirties they employed from seventy to eighty Europeans. Besides these there were off-shore parties on vessels of American, French, and other nationalities, which frequently entered the harbour to refresh or refit—generally the former; so that even then Otago was by no means a silent solitude. But men of this class contributed little or nothing to the topographical knowledge of New Zealand. Their horizon did not extend beyond the narrow limits of their daily life. Here and there further passing reference will be made to them.

The earliest of the recorded observations relating to this part of the New Zealand coast are those of Captain Cook, who first sailed down the east coast of this island in February and March, 1770. He named Cape Saunders after his friend and patron Admiral Sir Charles Saunders, First Lord of the Admiralty in 1766. Here he must have seen the entrance to Otago Harbour and Wickliffe Bay, page 34for he says, "1 to 4 Leagues North of the Cape the Shore seem'd to form 2 or 3 Bays, wherein there appear'd to be Anchorage and Shelter from S.W., Westerly, and N.W. winds." Saddle Hill he named from its conspicuous resemblance; Molyneux Harbour after the sailing master of his vessel the Endeavour; Beach Island, a small, long island lying off the mouth of Paterson's Inlet, at Stewart Island; the Traps, from his vessel having been nearly entrapped thereupon; Solander's Island, from Dr. Solander, the naturalist and companion of Mr. Banks, after whom Banks' Island (now Peninsula) was called; South Cape, Dusky Bay, Point Five Fingers, Cape Farewell, Admiralty Bay and Queen Charlotte's Sound.

The first attempt made to found a settlement in New Zealand was in 1826, when Captain James Herd, who commanded the Rosanna, the vessel of the expedition, made several observations, now of great interest if not of great value, in his course round New Zealand. He visited Stewart Island first, proceeded up the east coast of this island, entered Queen Charlotte's Sound and Port Nicholson, sailed up the east coast of the North Island, rounded the North Cape and entered the Hokianga river, where his voyage terminated so far as New Zealand was concerned. For at that moment the ferocious chief Hongi and his warriors were concluding their cannibalistic repasts to the accompaniment of war cries and war dances. The fame of these doings induced Captain Herd to relinquish his idea of colonising New Zealand and to sail for Sydney instead. His observations on Otago Harbour have a peculiar interest, made as they were seventy-two years ago, and will be noted with curiosity by those competent to estimate and compare them with the precise and accurate ones of later date. The notes in his journal are: "Lat. 45 46.28 S., long. 170 36.45 W. Port Otago is an inlet or arm of the sea, running up about nine miles S.S.W., making a peninsula of the land on which is Cape Saunders, bearing from the said cape N. by W. by compass, about two leagues distant. This is a well-sheltered harbour with a bar across the entrance, having 3½ fathoms over it at low water, and from 7 to 9 fathoms inside. The course in is S. by E., keeping the larboard or east shore on board until a mile and a-half within the heads, when a vessel will be completely landlocked. As the bar is within the heads, there is never any sea on it. Variations 17 deg. 5 min. E. High water full and change, 20 minutes past 3 p.m. The tide rises about 9 ft. In latitude 45 deg. page 3524 min. 26 sec. and long. 170 deg. 50 min. lies a reef nearly level with the water, and about three miles from the shore on which we had nearly struck."

In 1840 the celebrated Dumont D'Urville, commander of the French discovery ships the Astrolabe and Zélée, spent six weeks on the coast of this island and the Auckland Isles. During this period he entered Otago Harbour, of which he took soundings and bearings. Here he remained four days. Many names on the map are associated with the discoveries he made on his first expedition in 1827, such as D'Urville's Island, the French Pass, the Croixelles, and Astrolabe Roads. New Zealand has ever had a mournful interest for the French since the massacre of Marion and his sailors in 1772.

In 1840, owing to the sudden and severe illness of Governor Hobson, the duty devolved upon Major Bunbury of procuring to the Treaty of Waitangi the signatures of most of those chiefs who resided on the east and west coasts of the North Island and further south. Whilst on this mission in H.M.S. Herald, he anchored off the Otago Heads for a few hours on the 13th of June. The day being far advanced, and also the winter season, he did not enter the harbour with his vessel, but contented himself with procuring the signatures of the two chiefs Karetai and Koroko. Taiaroa, another well known Otago chief, was at this time at Moeraki. He also visited Stewart and Ruapuke Islands. His general impression of the Middle Island was a very favourable one. Notwithstanding the bleak and savage appearance of its snow-clad mountains, he was struck with the comparative mildness of its climate and apparent fertility of soil, and considered that its suitability for agriculture and settlement was very great.

The next intelligent visitor to Otago was Captain William Mein Smith, R.A., the Company's principal surveyor, who had been requested by Colonel Wakefield to visit and report upon the harbours on the east coast of the Middle Island, with a view to settlement. On this duty he was engaged nearly three months—September, October, and November of 1842. His preference is accorded to Akaroa, which, apart from its accessible harbour, he thought presented the best site for a town, as it was in the neighbourhood of extensive tracts of land adapted for grazing and agriculture. In Otago he spent five days during the early part of October, and his impressions of it were not very favourable. That part of the Peninsula opposite the Islands, and close to Portobello page 36and Broad Bay, was the spot which in his opinion was alone suitable for a township; intercourse with it from the opposite or west side would be carried on by a boat service. Apparently the upper part of the harbour on which Dunedin is now situated found little favour with him—perhaps because it was eight or nine miles from the anchorage. The hills there were much higher, and densely wooded, although there were glimpses of several valleys, some apparently containing 400 or 500 acres, which he thought might prove useful to the farmer, though it would be difficult to connect them by roads running round the harbour. At this time the white population had dwindled down to twenty men—there were no white women—and the natives did not number more than 100. This perfunctory examination was made by boat. It must, however, be added that the report of the exploration submitted to Colonel Wakefield by Captain Smith was written from memory. For, unfortunately, on the return journey to Wellington, whilst proceeding up the Akaroa Harbour, a violent squall capsized his little cutter, which was not much larger than a whale-boat, thereby causing the loss of all his papers and sketches. From Otago he proceeded southwards, cursorily examining the Bluff and the New River.

But by far the most interesting of these early explorations, and the next in point of order, is that contained in Dr. Shortland's excellent journal. Dr. Shortland, who was sub-protector of the aborigines, and brother of Lieut. Willoughby Shortland, visited Otago in September, 1843, whilst journeying south from Akaroa to inquire conjointly with Colonel Godfrey into certain land claims. It is needless to make more than general reference to his journal, and to follow his footsteps whilst traversing paths now well known to us, but at that time surrounded by difficulty and adventure. Sailing up the harbour, he ran his little boat ashore at what is now known as Anderson's Bay, and crossed over the low neck of land leading from Begg's Quarry to the Ocean Beach. He refers to the dazzling whiteness of its sand, along which he and his companions proceeded until they reached the Forbury Head, covered with trackless bush, and now known as St. Clair. Here they lost their way, and it was a considerable time before they surmounted the hill, on which Mr. Cargill's residence —the Cliffs—now stands, and regained the beach beyond, where the Kaikorai stream debouches. Crossing this they pushed on to the Kuri, close by Mr. A. W. Morris' old page 37place, where they spent the night;. and a comfortless one it was—their clothes were saturated with rain and fine sand, and their sole shelter a little hut or breakwind constructed of koraris or flax stalks. At daylight next morning they started for the mouth of the Taieri river, three miles distant from the night's camping-place.

This spot is now a place of constant holiday resort during the summer months by means of Amos M'Kegg's little steam launch, which plies from Henley down the winding reaches of the lovely river. Arrived here, they found the few huts deserted, the natives having gone on a mutton birding expedition. Weller's whaling station on the island of Moturata, close by, was almost abandoned. There was, therefore, no alternative, short of returning, but to make for the Maori kaik seven or eight miles up the river, the ruins of which are still to be seen on the excursion just mentioned. Accordingly a raft, constructed with bundles of the korari sticks tied together, and called mokihi by the natives, was launched with the next flood tide, and upon this one of the party, alive to all the expedients of New Zealand travel, entrusted himself, and started for the kaik. The next day the adventurous voyager safely returned, bringing with him two boats manned by natives, who were delighted to see the party whose gift of tobacco was to replenish their own long-expended store. Tobacco in those days was the great medium of exchange, and was eagerly looked for by the natives. At the kaik they remained two days, supplementing their old fare of salt beef and biscuit with the delicious addition of fernroot and wild turnip tops. The true story of the Maori leap, the scene of which is close by, and is pointed out to all who pass it, shall be told later on. His business concluded, and learning that the old Maori tracks leading to the southward had long been disused and were overgrown, Dr. Shortland now prepared to return, but not by his former route. The chief Te Raki took him and his companions some miles up the Taieri river to its junction with the Owhiro creek—better known at this day by its more ineuphonious appellation of Scroggs' creek, after Scroggs, the surveyor—up which they proceeded as far as the depth of water would allow. Then they landed where the Owhiro railway station is now placed, and walked along the base of the hills—Saddle Hill amongst them—thus skirting, of course, the Taieri Plains.

Of these plains, now known as of the richest and most page 38fertile description, Dr. Shortland evidently entertained a very poor opinion. The ground, he said, was clothed with fern and dry, wiry grass growing in tufts, and owing to this poorness of vegetation and the absence of wood he concluded that, whilst the wide open space might serve for the feeding of sheep, it was unfit for cultivation. They ascended the hills close by, where the first sudden and magnificent view of the plains is procured from the main road looking south, and continued on the top of what is now known as the Chain Hills. When near the present township of Abbotsford they saw the beautiful Kaikorai Valley and the site of Green Island, and descried that part of the Green Island Bush where they had previously lost their way. Descending, they crossed the narrow valley considerably north and west of the Industrial School, climbed the steep pinch on whose summit is Mornington, and soon were overlooking the magnificent but silent beauty of that waste whose name was Oteputi, but is now Dunedin. Here the soil was good, tall fern and vigorous tutu growing upon it abundantly, whilst wild pigs scampered out of every piece of underwood. The party found their boat and equipments precisely as they had been left, and then proceeded down the harbour on their journey. One night, belated, Dr. Shortland took up his quarters in a cask, probably an old whale oil barrel which had been washed ashore from some whaling station, and doubtless in this apartment he enjoyed more peaceful slumbers than under the miserable shelter of the korari breakwind at Kuri Bush. He visited also the pretty bay of Purakanui, where was a small settlement of thirty-two natives and one white man, a retired whaler. Purakanui means a great heap, for here lay a great heap of slain after a fierce inter-tribal battle many generations ago. As compared with former experiences he now dwelt in luxury at the little cottage of the whaler Philipin, a Welshman, who shot wild pigeons for him with small stones in lieu of shot, and for a bed gave him the fragrant springy twigs of the manuka scrub. The early mornings were filled with the exquisite music of myriads of bell birds who thronged the dense forests through which the northern railway now winds its way after escaping from the Deborah Bay tunnel. The voyage to Waikouaiti was made in an open whaleboat, as was usual in those days when traversing the coast. This was the only really settled place in the whole district, and consequently deserves the full reference which it will receive later on. He pursued on foot his way northward to page 39Akaroa on Banks Peninsula, then the principal whaling and most populated district of the Middle Island, with the exception, of course, of Nelson. On the latter part of this journey Dr. Shortland gained from an intelligent native named Huruhuru the first specific and reliable information regarding the interior of the island, and of the lakes which had always vaguely figured in the earliest maps under the title of Water of Green Talc, Greenstone Lake, or Te Wai Pounamu. Dr. Shortland reproduced this map, as drawn by Huruhuru, in his book.

The next and last intelligent and illustrious visitor was Bishop Selwyn, who on his visitation tour spent one day, the 24th of January, 1844, within Otakou harbour. He proceeded, however, no further than the small settlement within the Heads, and spent the day in visiting the few inhabitants, native and European, distributing books amongst them and baptising the children. His second and more interesting visit was paid in 1848, two months after the arrival of the pioneer vessels, and will again be referred to.

Such is a very cursory account of the little that was known of this part of New Zealand down to the end of 1843. From this it will be gathered that whilst its interior was almost utterly unknown, its coast line was familiar to the limited class of hardy whalers who were divided into little communities at the points referred to, and who carried in their heads an intimate knowledge of every snug nook where they could run for shelter whilst engaged in their dangerous pursuit. But this knowledge was confined to themselves, and was not communicated to the outer world; moreover, the whaling and sealing industry had commenced its period of decadence. Hence the search for the site of a new settlement in the Middle Island was virtually the exploration of a terra incognita. It now devolved on Colonel Wakefield to institute that search under the sanction of the new Governor, Captain Fitzroy.