HISTORIC STEPS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23354, 20 November 1937, Page 24

HISTORIC STEPS

SOME CENTENARY DATES OTAGO PROVINCIAL DISTRICT The National Historical Committee is endeavouring to have the important dates which constitute the.histon cal foundation of New Zealand traced and recorded. To assist in this purpose it has in each centre constituted a provincial Historical Committee. The Otago Committee appointed a sub-com-mittee to compile a list of dates for the province, and this has been sub mitted to the National Committee That body has requested Mr J. T. Paul who is deputy-chairman of the National Committee and chairman of the Otago Provincial Historical Committee to arrange for publication of the tentative list of dates, the dual purpose being to place the information before the public and to give historicallyinformed readers an opportunity of correcting any errors. Mr Paul will be pleased to have any corrections or criticisms of the following chronologi cal outline;— 1770 —February 25: James Cook sails down Otago coast, approaching Otago heads in hazy weather and observing only a high range of hills parallel with the coast. The land appears to run out to a high bluff point which he names Cape Saunders in honour of Admiral Sir Charles Saunders (First Lord of the Admiralty, 1766, and under whom Cook served at Quebec). The Endeavour is brought to for the night five miles west of Cape Saunders (night of February 24-25, civil time) To the north of the cape Cook noted two or three bays (one of which was the entrance to Otago Harbour), and would have put back to explore them, if he had not been anxious to push southward as far as possible. Cook notes but does not record the naming of a remarkable saddle hill lying near the shore three or four leagues to ihe south-west of the cape. Endeavour now driven off the coast, reaches it again on March 5 in the vicinity of the Molyneux. The name Molyneux s Harbour appears on Cook’s chart, but the Journal gives no record of the na i 770. 6: The Endeavour runs in towards the bight of Foveaux Strait which Cook regards as a deep bay with possibilities of a channel. A low island probably Ruapuke, is noted but not named. The chart records the name Bench Island off the coast of Stewart Island. Adverse winds again drive the ship to the eastward. 1770.—March 9 (civil time March 9) Cook discovers and names The Traps. 1770.—March 10: Endeavour passes round the southern end of New Zealand. Cook names South Cape, and fixes its position. . 1770— March 11: Endeavour sails up the west coast of Stewart Island into Tewaewae Bay observing and naming Solander’s Isle. Although he was able to look through Foveaux Strait and observe the island (Ruapuke) which he had seen on the 6th,_ Cook records Stewart Island as a peninsula, because when his bearings are plotted on paper there appears to be no justification for any other decision. Adverse winds drive the Endeavour to sea. . 1770.—March 14; The clouds lift and reveal a mountainous land; West Cape observed and named. Cook stands in for a bay which he calls Dusky Bay; he is unable to enter, but writes a close description of guide points and position. He describes the entrance to another inlet which he calls Doubtful Harbour, but refuses to attempt an entrance. 1770.—March 16: Endeavour runs In for the appearance of a bay; it proves to be only a valley in the hills Cook names it Mistaken Bay. 1770.—March 17; Cook observes and names Cascade Point, commenting on the red cliffs in the locality. The Endeavour passes northward beyond Otago. • —Cook’s Journal. Bayly’s Chart of the First Voyage.

1773.—March 26: Jaipes Cook enters Dusky Sound in the Resolution. At the anchorage in Pickersgill Harbour the forest is cleared for the erection of an observatory forge, sawpits. Natives are met and spoken to, and medals are left in their huts. Seeds are sown, and geese are liberated for the benefit of future visitors. After surveying the sound, Cpok leaves Pickersgill Harbour, after a stay of five weeks, on April 29, and reaches the open sea/ via Breaksea Sound on May U-—Cook’s Second Voyage 1791. November 2: Captains Vancouver and Broughton in Discovery and Chatham anchor In Facile Harbour Dusky Sound. After further charting and exploration, the expedition sailed southward on November 21, passing round the southern end of New Zealand without observing Foveaux Strait The Snares* and Chatham Islands are discovered and named. (Vanvouver’s Voyage.) 1792. November 6: William Raven of the Britannia, en route to the Cape of Good Hope, enters Dusky and lands a sealing gang of 12 men. A house is erected for them on Anchor Island, and equipment for the building and fitting out of a vessel is put ashore. Collins, Vol. 1.

1793.—February 25.—Ships ot the Spanish Expedition, Discubierta. Atrevida and Sutil, under the command of Captain Malaspina, stand off the western coast of Otago. A boat is sent ashore to explore Doubtful Sound On returning to the ships the officers report unfavourably on the sound as a resort for large vessels. Failing in an attempt to enter Dusky Sound on the 26th Malaspina steered for Sydney to refit. (Malaspina. Viage.) 1793.—September 27.—William Raven returns to pick up his sealing gang. During the 10 months the men had gathered 4500 skins, and had made gopd progress with a 40-foot schooner built of Dusky Sound timbers. The r ang left on October 21 with Raven after a stay of almost one year. The schooner was left upon the stocks. (Collins Vol. 1.)

1795.—October (between 5 and ID Captain Bampton in the Endeavour (800 tons) accompanied by Captain Dell in the Fancy arrives at Dusky Sound, bringing 46 convicts who had stowed away on the Endeavour before she left Sydney After inspection, the Endeavour is condemned as unseaworthy, and is dismantled and run ashore. There are now 244 people at Dusky, with only the small scow Fancy to carry them back to Sydney The schooner begun by Raven’s gang is hurried to completion and laurched bearing the name Providence

1796.—January 7; The Fancy (Bampton) and the Providence (Dell) sail taking 150 persons between them. The remainder ire left behind to build another vessel out of the Endeavours long boat. This craft called Assistance, reached Sydney on March 17, 1796, having left 35 men still at Dusky These unfortunates were left marooned at the Sound until the middle of 1797, when they were taken to Norfolk Island by the American whaler Mercury. H.R. Vol. 11l Collins. Vols. I and 11.

1801.—December 5: George Bass in the Venus enters Dusky to cut timber for casks and salvage iron work and other material from the wreck of 'he Endeavour. He remains at least 14 days (H.R. IV.) 1803—May 9; Sealing schooner Endeavour (31 tons), Captain Oliphant. visits Dusky Sound. Later visits Breaksea Sound and Solander Island without observing Foveaux Strait (S.G. 28/8/1803.) 1804 to 1808.—Sealers continue to visit Dusky Sound, but their interest now turns to the southern islands. Bounty, Antipodes, Auckland Islands. 1809—March 11—The Governor Bligh returns to Sydney from southern islands. Her captain, John Grono, in a report on his voyage published in the Sydney Gazette, makes the first printed reference to the existence of Foveaux Strait. The date of the discovery and the name of the discoverer cannot be stated. It is to be noted, however, that the island now called Stewart Island was at that date unnamed. (S.G., 12/3/1809.) 1809.—August 7: Pegasus (S. Chace master, William Stewart first officer) sails into a spacious harbour near the South Cape of New Zealand. William Stewart surveys and charts this new discovery, which we now call Port

Pegasus, and names it Southern Port. The Pegasus circumnavigates Stewart Island, and Stewart fixes the position of important points. There is no record of the naming of the island at this date. (Oriental Navigator, 1816.) Grono’s announcement sends sealing schooners to the shores of Foveaux Strait.

1809— October: Fox and Brothers set sealings gangs ashore on southern shores of the strait; these men remain in occupation until close of 1810 (Fox) and middle of 1811 (Brothers). 1809. —November: Sydney Cove puts two gangs ashore; these ax - e not relieved until January, 1811. (S.G.. 25/8/1810, 10/11/1810, 9/11/1811.) 1810. Simeon Lord, merchant of Sydney, proposes to set' up a flax factory in southern New Zealand. (H.R.N.Z.) 1813.—May: Perseverance, in charge of Robert Murray, brings an expedi tion to Foveaux Strait to investigate flax industry. The boats of the Perseverance enter Bluff Harbour, named Port Macquarie by the expedition: the harbour is explored to the head, and a land journey is made across the flats towards New River. (S.G., 24/7/1813.) 1813.—September (?): Matilda (Captain Fowler) 11 days in Otago Harbour. The Natives, under Chief Papuee, are friendly and helpful, supplying fish water, and potatoes. This is the first record of a visit to Otago Harbour (S.G., 2/12/15.) 1817. —December 11: Sophia (Captain Kelly) visits Port Daniel on the “South-east part of New Zealand (commonly identified with Otago Harhour). The trouble with the Natives culminates in the burning of the “ town of Otago.” Modern research places this event at Murdering Beach (H. T. G., 28/3/1818.) 1822. December; Brig Snapper (Captain Edwardson) reaches southern coast of New Zealand on a voyage promoted by the Government of New South Wales for the purpose of developing the flax trade. ' Edwardson visits Chalky Bay, Paihi Bay, Bluff Harbour, the western and northern coasts of Stewart Island, using Ruapuke Island as a base. (Nouvelles Annales des. Voyages. Tome XXiXJ 1823—March: Snapper returns to Sydney. (S.G., 3/4/1823.) Mermaid sent out to continue the work. (b.G.. 7/5/1823.) „ 1823. November: Elizabeth Henrietta (Captain Kent) sails to continue the work of Snapper and Mermaid, and is wrecked in Ruapuke Bay. 1824. On February 25,- after failure of H.M.S. Tees to refloat the vessel, John Busby goes to Ruapuke and succeeds in bringing the Henrietta ott early in 1825. (S.G. pasum and 3/3/1825.) • 1825 (?), 1828 (?).—Party of sealers settle on Codfish Island with Native wives. The existence of this settlement in 1826 can be fixed by the evidence of Edwin Palmer (MSS. Hocken Library) and by birth dates children born there. Earlier foundation, though probable, cannot be proved. 1826.—William Stewart establishes a trading station at Port Pegasus, Stewart Island, under management of William Cook for purpose of cutting timber and of shipbuilding. AprilMay? (H.T.G. 10/6/26.) 1826. Vessels of First New Zealand Company, Rosanna and Lampton, under command of Captain Herd, spend some weeks in Port Pegasus refitting and exploring. The expedition visits Otago Harbour, and Captain Herd charts Lower Harbour. (Nautical Magazine I, p. 338). 1827. —September: Stewari fails. His schooner is sold by Admiralty Court and the gang at Port Pegasus is left to fend for itself. 1829. —Foundations of the first of the southern shore whaling stations at Rakituma, Preservation Inlet (Port Bunn) by George Bunn and Co., under management of Peter 'Williams. (Evidence of Williams in support of land claim in S.W. New Zealand.) 1830. —January: American whaler Antarctic, Captain Morrell, visits Port Pegasus and finds gang of men busy building a vessel. 1831 (?).—Launch of the vessel at Port Pegasus, named Joseph Weller, 49 tons. First vessel to be granted New Zealand registration. (N.S.W. Customs records.) , 1831 (?), 1832(7). Foundation of Otago Whaling Station by Weller and Co. Date cannot be finalised. Probability favours 1832. 1834.—June-July: Attack upon Otago Whaling Station by larg&marty of Natives from the north. (S?G. 18.8. 1834.) 1834 to 1836.—Beginnings of settlement of whites at the Neck, Paterson Inlet, Stewart Island. Land claim evidence for 1836: traditional evidence for earlier year. 1836. —December 26; Foundation of whaling settlement at Moeraki Tradi'ional evidence only. 1840.—March 30-April 3: Ships of the French exploring expedition I’Astrolabe and La Zelee. under command of Dumont d’Urville, at anchor in Otago Harbour. A chart of the anchorage is made and a boat expedition penetrates the upper harbour to the limit of navigation. (d’Urville. Voyage.) , 1840— May 16: Rev. James Watkm lands at Waikouaiti. (Vessel anchors in roads. May 15.) 1840. —Sunday. May 17: Watkm conducts service (in English) at Waikouaiti. (Watkin. Journal.) 1840.—May-October: Tamxhana Rauparaha sent by Rev. Octavius Hadfleld to evangelise Natives of Foveaux Strait. Makes Ruapuke his base (Watkin. Journal.) 1840. —June 13: H.M.S. Herald (Captain Nias) heaves to off Otago Harbour. Major Bunbury goes ashore in a boat in search of signatures to the Treaty of Waitangi The business is completed and the Herald is under way again in four hours and a-nali. 1840. —November 1 Bishop Pompallier arrives at Otago Harbour in Sancta Maria. Baptisms performed on November 19; arrival, therefore, before that date. Sancta Maria remains three weeks at Otago. Mass is said on one Sunday, and the bishop spends five oi six days at Moeraki. travelling there in a whaleboat. (Pompallier. diary baptismal register.' . , 1842.—July 28: Colonial Gazette of August 17 publishes a letter in which George Rennie suggests a colony founded on improved methods. 1842. October: Early in the month Captain W. Mein Smith, R.A., chief surveyor of the New Zealand Company, spent five days, in Otago Harbour and decided that the land about the present sites of Portobello and Broad Bay provided the best town site. (N.Z.J. Nos 96, 97 98; N.Z.G. No. 197 editorial.) Note: Original report could be obtained from P.R.0., London—Hocken. 1843. —September-October: Edward Shortland, sub-protector of abprigmes and Colonel Godfrey, commissioner of land claims, arrive at Otago in September to sit upon land claims in Otago district. Godfrey leaves for north on October 15 Shortland visits settlements on north shore of Foveaux Strait before leaving Waikouaiti on January 4, 1844, to go overland to Akaroa. Shortland. (Southern Districts, MSS. Journal, 1843 and 1844.) 1844. January: Bishop Selwyn visits Otago in Perseverance. January 21: Moeraki. January 22, 23; Waikouaiti. January 24, 25: Otago Harbour (baptisms, 24th). January 28. February 1: Ruapuke. February 2,3: Bluff. February 3. 7: Stewart Island (Selwyn: Southern Visitation Annals of Diocese of New Zealand). 1844 —April 24.—Deborah enters Otago Harbour. April 26; Frederick Tuckett, who had come overland from Moeraki, reaches the shores of the harbour April 30: Tuckett leaves overland for the Molyneux, thence in Deborah to Foveaux Strait. May 17: Ruapuke May 18-28 1 Bluff and New River May 29-31: Paterson Inlet, Stewart Island. June 11: Returns. Otago chosen as site of the New Edinburgh Settlement. Tuckett. Diary. J W. Barnicoat. MS. Journal. 1844.— May 17: Rev. J H. F. Wohlers lands on Ruapuke to establish mission station. Passenger on Deborah. 1844. July 31: The Otakou Block is purchased at Port Chalmers by Captain J. J. Symonds, agent for the Government. (Mackay. C.N.A.; Hocken.) 1845. May 16: At Glasgow the Lay Association of the Free Church of Scotland is formed for carrying into execution the Scotch settlement of Otago —New Edinburgh. (Hocken.) 1845.—May 29; General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland met at Edinburgh and approved the principles upon which the Lay Association proposed to conduct the Settlement “ in so far as the religious and educational interests of the colonists are concerned.” (Hocken.) NOTE.—(a) The question of correcting Cook dates to make allowance for his failure to adjust for " westing i« left to

the Central Committee as a national matter, (b) No correction has been made for difference between log dates and civil time in nautical entries. Correction is possible only when actual log or journal is available; it is impossible, for example to discover whether reports made to Sydney newspapers by shipping captains were made from log or corrected dates, in these circumstances It seems unwise to correct onlv those entries in which original is available. Moreover, the dates in this chronology are not of such importance to merit 12-hour distinctions. In one or two, however, civil time has been Inserted in parentheses. REFERENCES S.G.; Sydney Gazette. H.T.G.: Hobart Town Gazette. N.Z.J.; New Zealand Journal. London. N.Z.G.: New Zealand Gazette and Weliir H.R n : Records of New South Wales M Collins' " Account of the English Colony in New South Wales.” David Collins, ‘ Historical Records of New Z 'Malaspina Viage: “ Viage de las Torbetas Descubierts y et Atrevida.. Madrid. 1885. Quoted by McNab in Munhiku and Southern Isles.” Morrell: "Narrative of Four Voyages. Contain Benjamin Morrell, jun D’Urville; "Voyage au Pole sud. et dans I'Oceanie,” 1841. . .. Shortland: “ Southern Districts of New Zealand.” Shortland; “MSS. Journal 1343-44.” Hocken Library. Selwyn: “Southern Visitation.” “Annals of the Diocese of New Zealand. Tuckett, F.: “Diary of Frederick Tuckett,” 1844. Barnicoat. J. W.: Diary, MSS, copy in Hocken Library. Wohlers; “Memories of the Life of the Rev J. F H. Wohlers,” Dunedin. 1895. Hocken; " Contributions to the Early History of New Zealand. Otago Settlement, 1898. Mackay, “ C. N. A.”: “Compendium of Native Affairs." Mackay, A.