"EARLY NELSON."

Colonist, Volume LV, Issue 13751, 17 June 1913, Page 6

"EARLY NELSON."

LECTURE BY MR. FIELD.

Tho. resuscitation of tho scientific and literary branch of the Nelson Institute was marked by "the lecture on '•'Early Evonts in Nelson 'History,'' dolivorod by Mr T. A. H. Field president of tho branch), in tho Institute last ovening. There was a largo attendatieo of the public. In opening his remarks Mr. Field said that tho scientific 'branch owed its resuscitation to the munificent gift of Mr Thomas Cawthron, in tho endowment of tho solar observatory, which would mako Nelson a placo of great scientific, importance in the world. He hoped that a result of his lecturo would be that residents would donate historic gifts to the Museum. Tho committee had now in view the acquiring of tho bell of the Delaware, and the aid musket—still in the district —which occasioned tho Wairau massacre.

Branching out on his lecture, Mr Field said tho story of Tasman and his visit to Massacre Bay in .1642 was probably kno.vn to all in tho room. It was peculiar to think how tho Maoris viewed tho advent of tho white people, whom tho Natives looked upon as spirits. Captain Tasman was a different typo of man to Captain Cook, who had a far bettor method of handling the Nativos. A result of Tasmari's attitude was that several of his crew were massacred. Tasman never, landed in Now Zealand, although it had been found out since by Mr Robert McNabb that ho anchored off D'Urville Island. Ho came for tho same purpose as Captain Cook —to discover a large southern contingent. A Maori had told tho speaker of one^ of tho early-visits to this part of New Zealand, when a captain anchored noar D'UrvU'.o Island. A massacre occurred thoro on account of tho captain _not knowing ''he Maori customs. i<ood was thrown over tho ship's side, and "happened to fall on the chief, tins being taken as a doadly insult, and resulted in tho Nativos enticing tho crew ashoro, and murdering thorn. In the Museum wero four volumes, published in 1798 in Paris, of La Perouso's voyages in this part of the world. His expedition was lost, it was thought, in tho Santa Cruz group. Captain D'Urville visited New Zealand three times, in 1824, 1826, andin 1840. All the visits wero paid in the samo vessel. It was in the samo yoar, 1827, that D'Urville was in Blind Bay that Captain Dillon, of Sydney, discovered the fate of La Perouse's ships at Vanikoro, tho southernmost island of tho Santa Cruz group. Captain D'Urville sighted tho New Zealand coast about' the Paparoa ranges, wliero Grey mouth is now situated. Ho sailed up into Blind Bay, called Tasman Bay by Cook on his second voyage, and as Admiralty Bay and Queen* Charlotte Sound had been well surveyed by Captain Cook he thought he would be rondering greater service to geography by guiding the corvette to an anchorage in Tasman Bay. He sent a boat ashore at Separation Point, which he named, and sailing on anchored for the night about three miles north east of tho Moutere Bluffs. They then stretched over towards somo well wooded bluffs, whero two canoes came off to tho ship with Maoris. They then sailed across to some islands they had noticed, and anchored in tho bay named after the ship, Astrolabe. The Maoris explained that some neighbours camo from the north wost to pillage and exterminate them, and they feared them singularly. Those wero the Ngatitoas under Te Rauparaha, who exterminated them during tho following year. Captain D'Urville climbed the bluff and discovered the adjacent harbour, Torrent Bay. His eyo could show him no chanco of any harbour in the southern part of tho bay whore Nelson harbour lies. He saw, however, a doop oponing, which mado him suspect a communication between Tasman Bay and Admiralty Bay (the French Pass). On tho 22nd of January, 1827, tho corvette got under way on her voyage to Tologoa Bay. Ho .steered over towards a large oponing in the coast, which he found on nearer approach was a large bay, fcho Croixelles, but it was too late to look for a suitable anchorage, so be stood off tho coast, but passed a very anxious night, as the wind died away, and the current sot them in, finall;; causing them to anchor much again.it; their will about two miles south of. Capo Souci. About nine o'clock a; canoe manned by two Natives appeared off tho mouth of the Croixelles, but: they were so anxious about their position that they paid but slight atteur tion to thorn. At 4.15 p.m. the same day they "came up to the French Pass and the look-out reported breakers not t*hree cable lengths ahead. Two boats woro sent out under two of the officers to ascertain if a passage was practicable. One of thorn got into a iierco current with whirlpools that nearly carried his boat into the breakers. During the night a gale sprang up and tho anchor dragged; another was let go, but ono cable parted, and for a time the safety of the ship hung by literally a throad, for it was found that a fluke of the remaining anchor was broken. The next morning they attempted to sail through the Pass, but when -not more than a cable iGngth fr»m the Pass the bar became all at once covered by boiling foam, and the corvette, obeying the force of the tide, was carried back in tho Bay of Curwnts, not only turning found several times, but was carried almost on to Whirlpoool Point. Before she grazed the rocks she was turned round several times. At noon they found themselves apeak over tho small anchor not 120 feet from the rocks. Captain D'Urville wont in the whaleboat into tho Pass, and came to the conclusion it would bo very imprudent to risk the ship until ho was well acquainted with the passage. On the 25th he wont through tho .passage .in a boat, and found that tho north west passage was barred by rocks, and that tho only passage practicable was near the south east point. At 7 a.m. on January 28th the stream anchor was dropped near the ship in six fathoms. Soon afterwards the breeze seemed set from the W.S.W., the ship .was got under way with great celerity, and for some minutes she steered very well, but the moment she entered tho Pass the wind failed, and the current caused her to swerve to port. In vain the helm was put up, and the after sails furled to bring the ship over to the coast to the right, to touch it if necessary. Thf corvette would not obey at all, and, mastered by tho current, she could not avoid ;being carried on to the reef of rocks. Shortly after the Astrolabe touched twice, at first slightly, but the second tini3 there was a prolonged cracking, a shaking, and a sensible pausain the movement of the corvette and a strong list to starboard. The current dragged her off, and shortly &he was sailing into Admiralty Bay. with nothing more serious that the loss of several pieces of the false keel, which floated in the vessel's wake.

After D'Urville's passage through the Pass the first expedition to come into the Bay was that of the New Zealand Company. This stopped at Wellington for. some weeks,, not knowing where to go. Captain Wakefield wanted the Nelson settlement to be made at Christchurch, and , Governor Jlobson at Auckland, Christchurch being reserved for a church settlement. It was decided to take Captain Moore., who know Blind Bay, under the guidance of:''tfce old chief" (Rauparaha), .and .'proceed to what is now Nelson. The; expedition set sail, and one ship

was separated; from the rest, • and anchored off Cloudy Bay, wliero good land was sighted. The rest of the cxjiedition came to Astrolabe, arid the town was commenced: to laid off at Kaiteriteri., Captain WakeneM was not, howover, satisfied with this s> and sent boats to insjioct the rest of the coast. Ono boat wont to tho Croixelles, and another to Nelson. The latter party landed on the Boulder Bank, and eventually, after a few days' inspection, tho captain decided to make the settlement on the Port Hills. The threo ships then came across, the Arrow being tho first to come through the entrance. Tho town was then laid out in preparation for 'wi» arrival of the immigrants: In 1841 Captain,afterwar«s Major, Heaphy, V.C., drew «a, picture of Nelson, a stool engraving of which was now in tho Museum. Tho lecturer displayed the picturo, on which Avas shown foliage on tho Bouldor Bank. Another picturo by tho samo draughtsman was also in the Museum, showing a: view of Wellington in 1841. After tho flag had been hoisted proclaiming tho Nelson settlement, came tho purchaso of the land, which cost £24 19s 3d in axes, blankets, tobacco, and biscuits. Tho New Zealand Company sold 2(31 acres of land to oach settler for £300. Tho gonclomen in tho early days ofi settlement controlled the only papar ("Tho Examiner"), distributejjl the land and rnna, mado tho jury lists to j suit themselves, and generally controlled tho affairs of tho placo. For this they were called "tho '..pperj party," and it would be noticed that a similar cry had been raised at a recent election. On February Ist, 1842, tho pioneers saw sails coming" up the Bay, and theso were the first immigrant ships. Mr A. Saunders was the first man, and Mrs. A. Bird tho first woman, of these immigrants to land at Nelson. Ono of tho ships with tho immigrants sailed right up the West Coast looking for settlement. When the Lloyds arrived with the pioneers' children a few weeks later, it was found that 65 of the children had died on the way out, and this cast a gloom over the settlement. A year after occurred tho Wairau massacre, and was followed by the smash of the. New Zealand Company, uringing in its train groat hardships, when mon lived on boilod thistles and ]>otatoos. The late Mr Best, of Appleby, carried in a of flour far Mr C. R. Foil's great-grandfatlior. Those things showed that tho settlement was . formed under adverso circumstances. Mr Field then gave an account of the Wairau massacre. Continuing, ho said Mr John Sharp came out in 1843 with Mr Francis Dillon Bell, and somo of tho first news they recelvad in Now Zealand was of the massacrb. Mr Elliot first issued "The Examiner" on March L2th ; 1842, and Mr Feild exhibited tho tiles from 1842-5, which, he said, were tho most valuable exhibits in the Musoum, and he thought they should bo kept in a strong room. The speaker road intoresting extracts from the early issues. The first gaol, post office, and courthouse wore all on the Church Hill, where were also situated the stocks. The latter were used only by two people in twelve months. Mrs Fairey's father was constable in those days, and ho strongly objected to putting a woman in them on a charge of drunkenness. It seemed a long time ago to Napoleon's time, but.Mrs Fairey's mother distinctly remembered him marching through her native village at the head of a large army. She saw him on several occasions. The great strides of the Press in early times was shown by an illustration .made from original copies by the lecturer. A copy of "Tho Times" "of 1805, giving an account of tho battlo of Trafalgar, was no larger than tho first edition of "The Examiner," only 37 years after. Tho latter paper was issued after tho immigrants had been horo for ono month. Mr Field then oxhibitod two.gifts ficm Mr Worley —gold laco from Captain Wakefield's uniform, and a flat iron brought here by him. Another interesting momento of the past was shown in. the bell of tho Delaware, and tho speaker detailed the wreck of tho liig in 1863, and tho rescue of tho crew by Julia Martin. Mr Field then exhibited the document drawn up between the lato Mr C Rolling and Count Ranzrtfi, in connection with the settlement at Ranzau. Various other mementoes connectod with tho early history of Nelson wero displayed. ,Tho recolloctions of Mrs Fairoy, Messrs George Walker and John Sharp, said tho speaker, would make very interesting reading if written down. In conclusion Mr.Field said those who had" vono things in the past for tho benefit of those at present alive should bo remembered, and their memory cherished. He would like to see an old sottiers' association formed in Nelson. The next meeting of tho scientific branch would bo held in a month^ when Mr'. Washbourn would deliver a" paper on "Geology of tho Collingwood Alluvial Goldfields." Mr Field resumed his seat amidst much applause. On the motion of Mr Worley a very hearty voto of thanks was passed to Mr Field for his able and instructive lecture.