Other formats

    TEI XML file   ePub eBook file  

Connect

    mail icontwitter iconBlogspot iconrss icon

Historical Records of New Zealand Vol. II.

[preamble]

No translation of De Surville's journals has ever been published, nor, so far as the Editor can ascertain, have the journals them-selves ever been given to De Surville's countrymen. Even the smallest references to De Surville are rare.

In 1783 the Abbé Alexis Rochon drew up an account of the voyage of Marion du Fresne, and inserted therein one of the very few references to De Surville's voyage which the Editor is aware of. This work has since been translated into English by H. Ling Roth, and published in 1891, under the title of “Crozet's Voyage to Tasmania, New Zealand, &c.” The matter relative to De Surville will be found on pages 118 and 119. Mention will also be found of De Surville's visit to New Zealand in “The New Zealanders” (London, 1830), pages 35 to 40. Here much more detailed information is given, but it is all attributed to the Abbé Rochon's work above referred to and the later editions of 1791 and 1802. In the last-mentioned Rochon refers to the journals of M. Monneron, supercargo, and “M. Potier de l'Orne,” another of the officers. From French sources another reference is found in M. Hombron's “Aventures des Voyageurs” (Paris, n.d.), pages 380 and 381. This reference is interesting from the fact that Hombron considers De Surville to be “Stivers,” who, according to the Natives, had visited New Zealand before Cook.

As a source of information relating to De Surville, and never before published to the world, the value of these journals cannot be over estimated.

While the Editor was in Paris in 1910, engaged in searching the French records, he found these two journals in the office of the Minister of Marine, and a duplicate of Monneron's in the Bibliothéque Nationale. P. Monneron was, as has been stated, supercargo on board the “Saint Jean Baptiste,” and his journal was copied in Paris, on the 4th October, 1771, from that kept on board the vessel during the voyage. By whom the original was kept is not stated, but the Editor inclines to the belief that it was M. Labé, the chief officer. M. Pottier de l'Horne, whose journal while on the New Zealand coast is also reproduced, was the first lieutenant.

Only the English translation is given of matter dealing with events prior to the Expedition reaching New Zealand, otherwise page 231 the usual plan is followed of giving the original and its translation on opposite pages. Unfortunately, the chart referred to in the narrative is not available.

The translation from the French was made by Mr. J. B. Pascal, of Palmerston North.