GOLDEN BAY IN 1642

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 29 April 1937, Page 4

GOLDEN BAY IN 1642

On the 13th December, 1642, Tasman wrote in his journal:—"Towards noon, with a south-westerly top-gallant gale, we sighted a large high-lying land about 15 miles distant (the New Zealand coast between Okarito and Hokitika.) Wo fired a gun and hoisted the white flag. The Council met on board the Heemskerch. It was resolved to touch at the said land as quickly as possible lor reasons stated in the resolution. On account of the high open sea running in huge, hollow waves and heavy swells, we shaped our course northwards, so close to the beach that we could see the surf break. . . We passed a reef with steep, high rocks resembling steeples or sails (the Steeples, Cape Foulwind). ... On 17th December We sailed along a low-lying shore with dunes, in good, dry weather (Cape Farewell). . . . anchored at sunset in a calm with the extremity of this dry sandspit west of north of us; also high land extending to the east by south; the point of the reef south-east of us; here, inside this point or narrow sandspit, we saw a large, open bay upwards of three or four miles wide; to westward of this narrow sandspit there was a sand bank upwards of a mile m length, with 6,7, 8, or 9 feet of water above it, and projecting east-south-east from the said point.

18th December.—ln the morning we weighed anchor in calm weather at noon, latitude estimated 40degs. 49mins.: longitude 191degs. 41mins. course kept east-south-east; sailed 11 miles. ... In the afternoon the Heemskerck’s pinnace and the Zeehaen’s cock-boat were sent on before to seek a fitting anchorage and watering place. At sunset, when it fell a calm, we dropped anchor in 15 fathoms; good anchoring ground (in Golden Bay). In the evening about an hour after sunset, we saw o number of lights on shore, and four boats close inshore, two of which came towards us, upon which our own two boats returned on board; they reported they found no less than 13 fathoms of water, and that when the sun sank behind the high land they were still about half a mile from shore. When our men had been on board for the space of about one glass, the men in the two prows (canoes) began to call out to us in a rough, hollow voice, but we could not understand a word of what they said. We, however, called out to them in answer, upon which they repeated their cries several times, but came no nearer than a stone-shot; they also blew several times on an instrument, of which the sound was like a Moorish trumpet; I then ordered one of our sailors (who had some knowledge of trumpet-blowing) to play them

some tunes in answer. Those on board the Zeehaen ordered their second mate, who had come out to India as a trumpeter, to do the same; after this had been repeated several times on both sides, and as it was getting more .and more dark, those in the native prows at last ceased, and paddled off.

THE NATIVES “On 19th December, early in the morning, a boat manned with 13 natives approached to a stone’s cast from our ships; they called out several times. but we did not understand them fts far as we could observe, these people were of ordinary height; they had rough voices and strong bones, the colour of their skins being between brown and yellow; they wore tufts of black hair right upon the tops of their heads, tied fast in the manner of the Japanese at the back of their heads. . . and surmounted by a large, thick, white feather. Their boats consisted of two long, narrow prows side by side, over which a number of planks or other seats were placed in such a way that those above can look through the water underneath the vessel; their paddles are upwards of a fathom in length, narrow and pointed at the end: with these vessels they could malje considerable speed. (Captain Cook, 127 years later, saw none of these double canoes and when the settlers came two centuries later, there was no tradition of Tasman’s visit, and the Maoris had forgotten how to build double canoes. Evidently the Golden Bay natives of Tasman's time had been exterminated in tribal wars probably by natives from the North Island). “For clothing . . . .

some ot them wore mats, others cotton: stuffs; almost all of them were naked] from the shoulders to the waist. We repeatedly made signs for them to come on board to us, showing them white linen and some knives that formed part of our cargo. They did not come nearer, however, but at last paddied back to shore. In the meanwhile, at our summons sent the previous evening, the officers of the Zeehaen came on board of us, upon which we convened a council, and resolved to go as near the shore as we could, since there was good anchoring ground here, and these people apparently sought our friendship. Shortly after we had drawn up this resolution, we saw seven more boats put off from the shore, one cf which, high and pointed in front, manned with 17 natives, paddled round behind the Zeehaen. while another, with 13 able-bodied men in her, approached to half-way, slightly nearer to our ship. The men in these two boats now and then called out to each other. We held

up and showed to them, as before, white linens, etc., but they remained where they were. The skipper of the Zeehaen now sent out to them his quartermaster with her cock-boat, with six paddlers in it, with orders for the second mate that if these people should offer to come alongside the Zeehaen they should not allow too many of them on board of her, but use great caution, and be’ well on their guard. THE TRAGIC INCIDENT “While the cock-boat of the Zeehaen was paddling on its way to her, those in the prow nearest to us called out to those in the prow lying behind the Zeehaen; but we could not make out what they meant. Just as the cock-boat of the Zeehaen had put off from board again, those in the prow before us, between the two ships, began to paddle so furiously towards it, that, when they were about half-way, slightly nearer to our ship they struck the Zeehaen’s cock-boat so violently alongside with the stem of their prow that it got a violent lurch, upon which the foremost man in this prow of villains, with a long, blunt pike, thrust the quartermaster, Cornelis Poppen, in the neck several times with so much force that the poor man fell overboard. Upon this the other natives, with short, thick clubs and with their paddles, fell Upon th>. men in the cock-boat and overcame them by main force, in which fray three of our men were killed and a fourth mortally wounded through the heavy blows. The quartermaster and two sailors swam to our ship, whence we sent our pinnace to pick them up, which they got into alive. After this j outrageous and detestable crime, the 1 murderers sent the cock-boat adrift, | having taken one of the bodies into the 1 prow and threw the other into the sea.

' . . Ourselves and those on board the Zeehaen diligently fired our muskets and guns, and although we did not hit them, the two prows made haste to the shore. Thereupon our pinnace, well armed, rowed towards the cock-boat and returned with it. having found one man killed and one mortally wounded. We now weighed anchor and set sail, since we could not hope to enter into friendly relations with these people or be able to get water or refreshments here. We saw 22 prows near the shore, of which 11, swarming with people, were making for our ships. . . We fired a volley, and they paddled back to shore at great speed, some of the prows hoisting sails. At noon we convened the council and resolved:—‘Seeing that the detestable deed of these natives, perpetrated this morning, must teach

ABEL TASMAN'S VISIT HISTORIC VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY AT ANCHOR OFF WHAT IS NOW TARAKOHE It was on 13th December, 1642, that Abel Jansen Tasman, the actual European discoverer of New Zealand came upon the South Island of New Zealand in the course of his quest of a great southern continent that he belived to exist. He laid no formal claim to the Islands on behalf of the States General and indeed did not actually set foot on shore. The only names bestowed by the great Dutch navigator still on the map are Gape Maria Van Dieman and the Three Kings Islands. Tasman anchored, as worked out by Captain Lambert, formerly of s.s. Arahura—allowing for known ej-rors—off Waramanga Beach, Golden Bay, two miles west by north \ north of Separation Point, near Tarakohe.

us to consider the inhabitants of this country as enemies; that therefore it will be best to sail eastward along the coast, following the trend of the land to ascertain fitting places where refreshments and water would be obtainable.’ In this murderous spot, which we called Moordenaer’s Bay (Murderers’ Bay, afterwards Massacre Bay, now Golden Bay), we lay at anchob in 40 deg. 50min. S. latitude, 191 deg. 30min. longitude. This is the second land we have sailed along and discovered. In honour of their High Mightinesses the States-General, we gave to this land the name of Staten Landt (afterwards altered to New Zealand). This land seems to be a very fine country, and we trust that this is the mainland coast of the unknown south land.” On the 21st December, Tasman ran in under Stephen’s and D’Urville’s Islands. “There are many islands and cliffs all around here.” From December 22 to 24 they anchored near Pelorus Sound during a north-west storm. They surmised from the current, the existence of a strait (Cook’s Strait). On the 27th Decembe- they sailed past Mount Egmont, and on January 6, 1643, Tasman sailed away from New Zealand without having set foot in any portion „f it. INTERESTING DETAILS Tasman, who was born at Hoorn, in 1602, died in Batavia, in 1659. The Heemskerck was a small war yacht of 60 tons, with a crew of 60; the Zeehaen was a flute or long, narrow vessel of 100 tons. wi J ’ a crew of 50 able bodied sailors. The names of Tasman’s sailors, the first European:- killed by Maoris, were Jan Tyssen, of One-Ven, Tohas Pietersz, of Delft, and Jan Isbrantz. The only names bestowed by Tasman himself still on the map are Cape Maria Van Dieman and the Three Kings Islands in the North Island. Tasman anchored, as worked out by Captain Lambert, formerly of s.s. Arahura—allowing for known errors—off Waramanga beach. Golden Bay, two miles west by north i north of Separation Point, near Tarakohc.