CHAPTER XIII. Discovery of New Zealand--Magalhaens--De Gonville-- Tasman--Cook--Survttle--Marion--Crozet.
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CHAPTER XIII.
Discovery of New Zealand--Magalhaens--De Gonville-- Tasman--Cook--Survttle--Marion--Crozet.
THAT there was such an ocean in existence, as the Pacific, was not known to Europeans till early in the sixteenth century when the narrow ridge of the Andes was crossed by a Spanish captain, Basco Nunez de Balboa. Magalhaens, than whom a more daring navigator never existed, discovered the southern boundaries of the American continent, working his passage to it through the straits to which his name has been given. He shed tears of joy, when his ardent thirst for discovery was so highly gratified by the expansive element that was unfolded to his view. But fame is not acquired without danger. He who engages in such perilous enterprises as Magalhaens, runs the risk of not enjoying long the celebrity for which he toils. Like the no less intrepid Cook, his life was prematurely cut off by a hostile attack from the savages of the Moluccas.
The Abbe de la Borde, in his "Histoire Abrege de la Mer du Sud," (published in 1791,) expresses his belief that the Capitaine Sieur de Gonville visited New Zealand in the month of June, 1503. The Europeans it is stated were received in a very friendly manner by the natives, one of whose chiefs was with his own consent taken away by the French. He embraced the Catholic faith, and became connected in marriage with de Gonville's family. The description given in the account of this voyage of the natives, of the discovered country, appears not at all inapplicable to the New Zealanders, "Gens simples ne demandans qua mener joyeuse vie sans grand travail," a simple people, desiring to live a life of happiness, without much labour. But the honour of having discovered New Zealand is now universally admitted to belong to Captain Abel Jansyen Tasman, who, as a navigator, was perhaps never equalled, but by the illustrious Cook. He left
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Batavia on the 21th of August, 1642, having under his command two vessels called the Yacht and the Fly Boat, and after remaining a short time at the Mauritius, he stood out to sea on the 8th of September, for which he says, "The Lord be praised." He announced to his crew, that whoever should first discover land, would receive a recompense of three reals, and (what a Dutchman is particularly partial to,) a pot of arrack. On the 24th, to the great joy of Tasman, land was discovered, which, in honour of his patron, the governor-general, he called Van Dieman's Land. After hovering about the coast for some time, the vessels, on the 15th of December, steered to the northward, and observed fires and smoke on the land. On the 18th, they stood into a bay in Cook's Straits, preceded by a shallop and boat, in quest of an anchorage for wooding and watering. "At sunset," says Tasman, "it was calm, and we cast anchor in fifteen fathoms water. An hour after, we saw four vessels coming from the shore towards us. Two of these were our own boats. The people in the other boats called to us in a loud strong rough voice, (what they said we did not understand;) however, we called to them again, in place of an answer. They repeated their cries several times, but did not come near us; they sounded also an instrument, like a Moorish trumpet, and we answered by blowing our trumpet. Guns were ready prepared, and small arms for an emergency, and strict watch kept." The master of the Fly Boat sent a boat with a quarter-master and six men, to warn those on board the Yacht, not to permit too many of the natives to come into the vessel, as several canoes had been seen putting off from the shore. When the boat had proceeded a short way from the Yacht, the canoes commenced a vigorous pursuit of it, and a savage in one of them that had come up with it, struck the quarter-master, Cornelius Joppe, a violent blow on the neck, which threw him overboard. Upon this, a battle ensued, and four of the seamen were killed. Joppe, and two seamen, who to escape the fury of the assailants, had leaped into the sea, reached the vessel by swimming, and were taken in. Tasman gave to this place the name of Murderers' Bay. He named the country in which this bay is situated, Stoaten Land, in honour of the States General of the United Provinces; but this name was subsequently exchanged for Nova Zealandia, or New Zealand. In this voyage, which terminated on the 14th of June, 1643, Tasman discovered Van Dieman's Land, New Zealand, the Friendly Islands, Annamucka, Prince William's Islands, and several portions of New Guinea.
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On the 8th of October, Cook first cast anchor in the bay of Tarunga, about two miles from the land. He went on shore the same evening, accompanied by Sir Joseph Banks and Dr Solander; but they had no sooner reached the beach, when an attack was made on them by a number of the natives. Te Ratu, a principal chief, who commanded the assaulting party, was killed, and another chief wounded in the shoulder; but Cook and his companions escaped unhurt. The natives were of opinion that Cook's ship was a monstrous bird, and that the sails were its wings; but on seeing what they took for a bird, of a much smaller size, descend into the water with a number of beings in it, of the human form, they concluded that the larger bird was a receptacle of divinities. The next day, Cook coasted the bay in quest of wood and water, and while thus employed, he observed a fishing canoe, to which he almost came up before he was perceived. The fishermen, on seeing Cook, made all possible haste to the shore; but as it was one of the principal objects of his undertaking to obtain a personal knowledge of the natives of such countries as he might discover, he ordered a musket to be discharged over their heads, in the hope that it would induce them to surrender. This, however, had a contrary effect; for, disregarding the superiority of numbers opposed to them, they turned round towards the boat, and on coming up to it, they commenced a furious attack, nor did a surrender take place, until four men belonging to the canoe had been killed. The remaining part of the canoe's crew, which were three young men, were made prisoners. Cook was distinguished for humanity, and had he apprehended such a resistance on the part of the canoe, as would occasion the loss of life, it is more than probable that he would have allowed the fishermen to escape. When the three lads were taken out of the water, into which they had thrown themselves, they expected to be immediately put to death; but being kindly treated, and presented with some clothes, their fears vanished, and in a short time, the friends they had lost appeared to be forgotten. The food that was set before them they devoured with astonishing voracity. The scene on board the ship, though altogether new to them, they beheld without manifesting the least surprise; but if their curiosity was inactive, not so were their appetites, for from the avidity with which they recommenced eating, when supper was presented to them, it might have been inferred, that for a considerable time previously, they had been suffering under the miseries of famine. At breakfast, next morning, their feats
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in gastronomy were equally surprising as on the preceding day; they were then adorned with trinkets from head to foot, and in the afternoon, in compliance with their own request, were put ashore. Cook now steered his course to the southern island, along the eastern coast. In latitude 42 deg., 20' south, four double canoes were observed, containing fifty-seven men. Mr Banks, who happened to be in a boat by himself at some distance from the ship, narrowly escaped being taken. They came close to the vessel, the sight of which seemed to fill them with astonishment. "These," says Cook, "kept aloof with a mixture of timidity and wonder; others had immediately commenced hostilities, by pelting us with stones. The gentleman, whom we found alone fishing in his canoe, seemed to think us unworthy of his notice; and some, almost without an invitation, had come on board with an air of confidence and perfect good will." The point was called the Lookers-on. Cook having circumnavigated the whole country, took his departure from the north-west cape of the larger island, which he called Cape Farewell, on the 31st of March, 1770.
The next vessel that visited New Zealand, was the St Jean Baptiste, commanded by Captain Surville, who, on the 17th of December, 1769, cast anchor in Doubtless Bay. On the 22d, he changed his anchorage, which was too much exposed, and went further within the bay. He had scarcely done so, when the coast was visited by so furious a hurricane, that the vessel was in imminent danger of being wrecked, and a boat belonging to the vessel having in vain attempted to reach her, the people were obliged to put back to the shore, which, with the utmost difficulty they reached, after being nearly drowned. The sailors were for two days, during which the gale lasted, very kindly treated by the natives, and when the weather moderated, they returned to the ship. But this kindness was repaid with ingratitude. During the storm, a small boat belonging to Surville had disappeared. Suspecting it, without reason, to have been stolen by the natives, he, under the pretence of friendship, inveigled Nahini, the chief of the district on board, and made him a prisoner. The treacherous Surville then sent a party of his men on shore, with orders to burn the villages in which they had been sheltered during the storm: after which act of base ingratitude, they returned to the ship, which got immediately under weigh, carrying with it the miserable chieftain whom Surville had entrapped, and who, three months after, died of a broken heart. But Surville's destiny allowed him very little farther time for the operation of such
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bad qualities as he possessed. Twelve days after the death of his victim, in attempting to reach in a small boat, during a heavy swell, the shore of Callao in Peru, the boat was upset, and he and all in it, with the exception of one man, were drowned.
Captain Marion de Fresne was the next visitant of New Zealand with two vessels under his command, called the Mascarin and Marquis de Castries. On the 24th of March, 1722, he discovered the west coast opposite Mount Egmont, which he named Le Pic Muscarin. Early in May, he came in sight of Cape Brett, the south head of the Bay of Islands. Several canoes came off to the vessels, but it required much persuasion to induce the people in them to come on board. Every thing in the shape of food that was offered they devoured, as their countrymen had formerly done, with great voracity, and were highly delighted with some articles of clothing that were given them. A number of the natives, among whom was a chief called Te Kuri remained on board the Mascarin all night. The French and natives appeared now to be on such friendly terms, that Marion was induced to convey the vessels into Paroa, an inland anchorage within the island, and opposite to Korokoua, a village in the bay belonging to the chief Kuri. The officers of the ships made excursions into the interior, accompanied by the natives, who vied with each other in showing them every mark of kindness and attention. But under the guise of friendship, a dark design was concealed. Crozet, the second in command, frequently hinted to Captain Marion his suspicions that some plot for the destruction of the French was hatching; but Marion considered these suspicions as unworthy of the slightest attention. On the 12th of June, he went on shore with a crew of sixteen persons, including four officers, and though some surprise was occasioned by the non-return of the boat in the evening, no suspicion of foul play was entertained, as it was thought probable that they might have resolved on spending the night in the village, a supposition that was the more readily adopted, from Marion having expressed his intention to spend the day in fishing near a village belonging to Kuri. The following morning a boat was dispatched to fetch wood and water. It was absent about four hours, when, to the astonishment of the watch on the deck of the vessel, a man was observed swimming towards her. A boat was sent to his assistance, and when he reached the vessel, all on board were horrified at the account which he gave of the tragical fate which his companions had experi-
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enced. When the boat reached the shore, the natives came up to the party, and to delude them the more, with a show of kindness, carried them from the boat to the beach, to prevent their feet from getting wet. The seamen then dispersed to collect, the wood, and while thus occupied, unarmed, a signal was given, upon which the natives by whom they were surrounded, rushed in upon them, and with their stone hatchets, beat out their brains. Eleven were, in this manner, very quickly dispatched, one only having escaped to tell the dreadful tale. When the carnage began, he disengaged himself by a desperate effort from the grasp of those who had laid hold on him, and sprang into a thicket, where he lay concealed till the cannibals had left the place, after cutting up and dividing among them the mangled bodies of his unfortunate countrymen. He then darted from the wood, and succeeded, as before noticed, in reaching the vessel.
Though after this appalling information had been given, little doubt could be entertained as to the fate of Marion and his people, a company of men, well armed, was immediately dispatched in the long boat of the Mascarin, to ascertain, if possible, how they had been disposed of. After searching for some time, they perceived the boat crowded with natives, in which the unfortunate commander and his companions had been conveyed. Lieut. Crozet, who had under his command a party of sixty men, employed in cutting down wood not far from the place, on being informed of what had taken place, ordered his men to collect their tools and proceed instantly to the boats, without communicating to them the intelligence he had received, which he thought might discourage them. When approaching the boats, the natives followed them, demonstrating by their gestures the most hostile intentions, and crying out that their chief, Te Kuri, had killed and devoured Marion. The undaunted resolution of Crozet, who drew a line upon the sand, and threatened to shoot who ever should overstep the boundary, had the desired effect of keeping them at bay till the sailors got into the boats. But no sooner were the boats putting off, than maddened it is supposed at their own folly in permitting their prey to escape, when it was in their power, they rushed into (he water with the view of hauling the boats ashore. By this manoeuvre, however, they laid themselves open to that just and severe retaliation which the French did not hesitate to inflict. Shower after shower of bullets were poured upon the dense mass, who petrified with
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fear and wonder, made no attempt to retreat from the destructive vollies to which they were exposed.
The French, previously to leaving this coast, paid several other visits to the shore, and were not slow in prosecuting their vengeance, particularly on those whom they saw dressed in the clothes of their murdered countrymen, a number of whom were killed. On one of these occasions, they observed the treacherous Kuri, who had headed the massacre, attired in the red cloak which had been worn by Marion, and saw several pieces of the bodies of their countrymen, upon which the marks of human teeth were impressed.
The murder of Marion and his companions, as was afterwards learned, took place while they and the natives were employed in hauling in a large seine. Between every Frenchman several natives placed themselves, and upon a signal being given, the unsuspicious people were murdered with stone hatchets, which the savages had concealed beneath their clothes. The vessels took their final departure from this coast on the 14th of July, 1772.
In the course of a subsequent visit which Cook made to New Zealand with the Resolution, commanded by himself, and the Discovery, by Captain Furneaux, another tragical event took place. When the Discovery was at anchor in Queen Charlotte's Sound, a boat was sent on shore, under the command of a midshipman, with ten stout seamen, to procure greens for the ship's company. The indiscretion of a black servant belonging to Captain Furneaux, occasioned a misunderstanding between the seamen and the natives. A sudden attack was made by the latter upon the former, before they could make any preparation for their defence, and they were all murdered. Lieutenant Burney with a boat, well armed, went to see what was become of the missing seamen. The result of the search was the discovery of such a scene of shocking barbarity and carnage, as Mr Burney, who gives the account of it says, can never be thought of without horror. "The heads, hearts, and lungs, of several of our people, were lying about the beach, and the dogs were gnawing their entrails." The seamen endeavoured to avenge, but without success, the death of their countrymen; for the volley of musketry which they discharged at the natives, was subsequently found to have done no execution, and from the immense number of the natives assembled on the beach, and momentarily increasing, the seamen were obliged to leave, unpunished, the barbarous murder of which the savages had been guilty.
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In 1821, a vessel called the General Gates sailed from Boston in America, on a sealing voyage. On the 10th of August, in the same year, a number of men, and an overseer, were landed near the south-west Cape of the district of Te Wai Poenama, for the purpose of engaging in the seal fishery. In the course of six weeks, they had obtained 3563 skins, which they had dressed and prepared for shipment. One night, about eleven o'clock, an attack was made upon their cabin by a horde of savages, who made the Americans prisoners, and burnt the cabin and every thing which it contained. They forced the traders to go with them to a place called Looking Glass Bay. Having rested here one day, they proceeded on a long journey of about two hundred miles, in a northerly direction, and arrived at a place called Sandy Bay. The cannibal propensities of the savages could hold out no longer. They laid hold of one of the traders, and having made him fast to a tree, they beat out his brains with a club. They then cut off his head, which they buried in the ground, and cooked and devoured the remaining part of his body. They offered some of this food to his companions, who, from the pressure of hunger, not having tasted food for a long time, partook of it. The remaining Americans were made fast to trees, and every day one of them was killed, and afterwards cooked and eaten. The whole would have shared the same fate; but one evening, the savages were so affrighted by a terrible storm of thunder and lightning, that they fled from the place, and the two remaining Americans having succeeded in unloosening the flax they were bound with, made their escape in a canoe that happened to be within their reach. They had no water nor provisions of any kind, and after suffering, during three days, all the miseries attendant on an absolute want of the necessaries of life, they were rescued from their perilous situation by the Margery, a flax trader, belonging to Sydney.
Though the cloud which concealed from the civilized world the existence of the numerous islands of the Pacific ocean was thrown aside by the illustrious men to whom I have alluded, we are deeply indebted for a great deal of the knowledge we possess respecting their geography, climate, soil, habits, and customs, to many other eminent navigators, both British and foreign, who followed in the track which they had the merit of opening up. Among these the names of Bougainville, Perouse, D'Urville, La Place, Krusenstern, Kotzebue, Billinghausen, and Lutke, deserve honourable mention.
