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Port Molyneux : the story of Maori and pakeha in South Otago : a centennial history : commemorating the landing of George Willsher and his companions at Willsher Bay, June 28, 1840 : with a programme for the unveiling of the centennial cairn, erected by the Clutha County Council, June 28, 1940

The First Trip of the “Portenia.”

The First Trip of the “Portenia.”

In this letter from Mr. Taylor we find that Edward Hunt was the Sydney agent of the “Portenia.”

In the head office of the Lands and Survey Department, Wellington, are carefully preserved the old papers referring to the early land claims in Otago and Southland. By the courtesy of the Under–secretary of Lands, it has been ascertained that Edward Hunt was a purchaser from Jones, and that Russell paid Hunt £375 for one of the blocks. It does not appear that Jones ever proceeded with the survey and subdivision of the original block, but, fortunately, light is thrown on the purchase of the “Portenia,” and an original letter written by Edward Hunt, of Sydney, is preserved among the old claim papers, page 15 and dated 10th October, 1846. This document supplies us with an important piece of the jig–saw puzzle:—

“In April, 1840, I joined Mr. Jones in the purchase of the Brig ‘Portenia’ for the purpose of establishing a settlement upon the land purchased of the Natives, and we embarked on board that Vessel a number of Settlers consisting of a Surveyor and builder, Superintendent, an Agriculturist, Carpenters, Sawyers and a Ploughman. We also shipped on board the Brig a full sized whale–boat, twenty–seven cows, one bull, six working bullocks, drays, harness, ploughs, harrows and other farming implements. Houses in frame, pitsaws, Carpenters’ tools for erecting houses, together with stores of every description necessary for eighteen months’ consumption; and pigs, goats, poultry, grain, potatoes and garden seeds, and, in fact, everything necessary for the use of first inhabitants forming a New Settlement.

“The Settlers were landed with much expense and trouble at Molyneux Bay in June, 1840, and the Brig discharged her cargo. She afterwards returned to Sydney, where we sent her a second voyage to Molyneux with a further eighteen months’ supply of stores for the Settlers.”

To get the authentic details of the sale by Tuhawaiki to Thomas Jones we must again have recourse to early official documents, to old newspaper files, and to the Land Claim papers now reposing in Wellington.