Early Wellington
The “Oriental.”
The “Oriental.”
The barque “Oriental,” 506 tons, commanded by Captain Wm. Wilson, with Dr. J. Fitzgerald as surgeon superintendent, sailed from London on the 15th September, 1839, and arrived at Port Nicholson on the 31st January, 1840. There were on the Register (the New Zealand copy) 66 married couples, 29 single men, 3 single women, 17 children between nine and fourteen, and 9 between one and nine. There were 8 births and 2 deaths on the voyage. The names of the passengers were:—
Name | Age | Wife's Age | No. of Children |
Anderson, James | 22 | 23 | — |
Anderson, David | 20 | — | — |
Anderson, Jas. (widower) | 40 | — | — |
Anderson, John | 24 | — | — |
Baker, John | 29 | 27 | 1 |
*Bannister, Wm. (See “Bolton”) | — | — | — |
Barnard, James | 26 | 27 | — |
Betts, Henry | 20 | — | — |
Binns, Richard | 29 | 28 | 2 |
‡Boyton, H. | — | — | — |
*Brooks, Albert | 25 | 21 | — |
*Bryant, Uriah, 22, John | 17 | — | — |
‡Burgess, W. B. | — | — | — |
‡Catchpool, Ed., and lady | — | — | — |
Clark, George | 20 | — | — |
Cockburn, James | 29 | 29 | 3 |
*Constantine, Rob. | 26 | 20 | 2 |
Cormacher, Peter | 20 | — | — |
Crouther, Isaiah | 30 | 36 | 2 |
* Crump, James | 34 | — | — |
Dean, Jabez | 21 | 19 | 1 |
Detcham, R. | 38 | — | — |
* Detheridge, Henry | 25 | 24 | — |
Downey, John | 23 | 23 | 1 |
*Draper, Sarah | 28 | — | — |
‡ Duppa, George | — | — | — |
* Dyer, Joseph | 28 | 25 | 1 |
Eaton, R. A. (widower) | 53 | — | 2 |
Elsdon, William | 25 | — | — |
* Esdale, Andrew | 37 | 29 | — |
*Esdale, Thos. | 15 | — | — |
*Esdale, Jas. | 21 | — | — |
Estaugh, Samuel | 21 | 22 | — |
Everett, Wm. | 20 | — | — |
Fairbrother, Richard | 23 | 22 | — |
*Fardon, Wm. | 16 | — | — |
Fitzgerald, Dr. J. | — | — | — |
Foulds, William | 25 | — | — |
Garner, John | 36 | 29 | 3 |
Garrod, Henry | 37 | 23 | — |
Gatley, Chas. | 22 | 23 | — |
Grant, Wm. | 20 | — | — |
* Grigg, George | 28 | 29 | 1 |
Grimm, Mary Ann | 15 | — | — |
‡Hodges, A. | — | — | — |
Hodges, Mary Ann | 28 | — | — |
Holmes, James | 26 | 24 | 1 |
‡Hopper, E. Betts | — | — | — |
‡Hornbrook, A. | — | — | — |
‡ Hort, Abraham | — | — | — |
Ingram, Samuel | 16 | — | — |
Isaac, Francis | 27 | 29 | 2 |
Johnson, John | 30 | 32 | 2 |
Kentish, John | 29 | 29 | — |
Kettle, Chas. Henry | 18 | — | — |
Ladd, John | 25 | — | —page 26 |
Lenan, Donald | 19 | — | — |
Levy, Solomon | 23 | — | — |
Levy, Samuel | 21 | — | — |
Lewis, David | 34 | 35 | — |
‡Lewis, J., and Miss | — | — | — |
Linfoot, Richard | 27 | 26 | — |
Lot, James | 23 | — | — |
‡ Mantell, W. B. D. | — | — | — |
*Mason, Edward Thos. | 21 | 19 | 1 |
McKay, Alexander | 26 | — | — |
McKenzie, Thos. | 20 | — | — |
Meech, Henry | 28 | 25 | — |
‡ Molesworth, F. A. | — | — | — |
‡Moreing, H. | — | — | — |
Morris, Thos. | 16 | — | — |
Morris, Thos. | 15 | — | — |
*Newman, Thos. | 25 | 29 | 1 |
O'Brien, John | 22 | 25 | — |
*Packwood, Laborne H. | 20 | 20 | — |
Palfrey, John | 51 | 31 | — |
Payne, George | 29 | 22 | — |
‡Petre, Hon. H. | — | — | — |
* Richardson, James | 30 | — | — |
*Robinson, Wm. | 23 | — | — |
Rodgers, Charles | 29 | 20 | — |
Salmon, John | 20 | 20 | — |
Sayer, Richd. Burgess | 21 | — | — |
Seed, Richard | 27 | 25 | — |
‡Shand, A. W. and lady | — | — | — |
‡ Sinclair, Dudley | — | — | — |
Smith, John | 31 | 29 | 1 |
Spencer, Abel | 27 | 23 | — |
Spiers, James | 27 | 30 | — |
Sutherland, Alexander | 29 | 28 | 1 |
Tarvis, Alexander | 24 | — | — |
Taylor, William | 29 | 27 | — |
Tucker, Josiah | 17 | — | — |
Walker, John | 26 | 21 | 1 |
Walton, Ann | 27 | — | 1 |
* Webb, Sarah A. | 24 | — | — |
Welch, W. | 33 | 32 | 7 |
Wrigley, Thos. | 15 | — | — |
Some of the above were especially recommended by G. T. Palmer (Junr.), J. Phipson, Lord Petre, E. B. Hopper, H. Hughlings, Lord Sandys, Mr. Wakefield, F. A. Molesworth, Sir R. Harland, Jas. B. Gordon, R. Hughes, G. Greenwood and the Hon. H. Petre. Some came out under engagement to Messrs. R. Barton, H. Moreing, J. Palfrey, J. Jackson, Eaton, A. Hodges, D. Sinclair, Dr. Evans, A. Hort, G. Duppa, Dr. Swan, Lieutenant Smith and others.
Some extracts from the log book, received by the owners (Messrs. Barry), and published in the “New Zealand Journal,” p. 176 (1840), are here given:—
“Thurs., Jan. 30. 1840. At 1 p.m.—light breeze—ship steering in towards an opening in the land that appeared to be Port Nicholson.
“Jan. 31st. Col. Wakefield visited the ship at 7th hour—Anchored in 7 fathoms water—From this time to 6 p.m., light variable winds—At 6h. 15m. anchored in 8 fathoms—The ‘Aurora’ and ‘Cuba’ saluted us with eleven guns each.
“Tues. 4th. Feb.—John Horst, Peter Crow, Ed. Lawrence and Chas. Hammond deserted from the boat.
“Wed. 5. Horst returned about 8 a.m.
Frid. 7th and Sat. Discharging the cargo and landing it at the settlement on the banks of the river distant from 4 to 5 miles from where the ship is anchored and set to work on the erection of tents and houses.
“Mon. Feb. 10th. Strong breeze from Southward—no cargo discharged—principal part of the emigrants are confined on board from same cause—issued a day's allowance of Pork.
“Sat. 15 Feb., 1840. Landing cargo and pasengers' luggage on the beach. The whole of the cabin passengers left the ship this morning.
“Sat. March 7th. The “Adelaide” and “Glenbervie” anchored during the night—Received Mr. Barry's letter per “Glenbervie,” dated London, 5/10/39.”
A testimony in favour of Captain Wilson dated 19th March was signed by the cabin passengers on board the “Oriental,” and presented to the captain.
The following is an extract from a letter written by George Duppa to his father, Baldwin Duppa Duppa Esq., of Kent, and dated 26th February, 1840:—
page 27“Port Nicholson.“Some of the natives are very good looking, tall, strong looking fellows. They are most of them tattooed, but as they see the Pachias (Pakehas), as they call the whites, never adopt that practice, it is beginning to go out of fashion. I sent a maury (native), as they call themselves, out with my gun today to shoot pigeons, and gave him four charges of powder and shot. About three o'clock in the afternoon he returned with two pigeons and a large parrot, and one barrel charged.… .
“I call my tent ‘Oriental Tent’ because I made it myself in my cabin (ship ‘Oriental’), on my way out. The Council is called together today for the first time. We are to meet at 11 o'clock this morning, 2nd of March. It is now ten o'clock and I have to dress and walk about three miles.”—(“N.Z. Journal,” 12th September, 1840, p. 221.)
* Did not embark.
‡ Early Settlers' Journal, Vol. 2, No. 1, p. 9.