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Journal of the Nelson and Marlborough Historical Societies, Volume 1, Issue 2, November 1982

[introduction]

page 33

Nelson has always been proud to have had amongst its settlers men of the highest calibre as literary figures and as historians. Early in the period of colonization men such as Domett, Fox and Saunders featured prominently on the New Zealand literary horizon, and following on we have been fortunate to have had the history of our province well documented by writers of integrity. This article refers to some of these contributors to our provincial story but it is realised that it can be no means exhaustive and that its omissions will probably out-number its inclusions. Reference will also be made to publications by authors who were not Nelsonians but who made significant contributions to the recording of Nelson's history, both Maori and colonial, its ecclesiastical history, its scientific and natural history, its social history and its place in the arts.

Limitation of space necessitates that the books discussed deal with events only up to 1848.

The first recorded reference to the coastline of Nelson was made by Abel Janszoon Tasman who spent an ill-fated period from 17th December until 21st December, 1642. in the coastal waters of what later came to be known as Golden Bay. Tasman recorded the incidents of the voyage and his observations in his "Journal" but many imperfect abridgements of and translations from this "Journal" were printed in most European languages during the 17th, 18th and early 19th centuries. It was J. E. Heeres, LLD., Professor at the Dutch Colonial Institute at Delft who in 1895 produced a facsimile of the original "Journal" with a translation and reproductions of the original illustrations and maps and thus provided a definitive and authentic version of Tasman's "Journal" from which later historians have been able to quote with confidence, e.g.