Commander stood to the westward, Tunitico
then being east-south-east half a mile. At five o'clock in the afternoon
he again endeavoured to anchor, and the Lady Nelson was brought to in a
bay "in 15 fathoms of water, sand and shells." Five canoes came
alongside, and as the Maoris appeared very friendly a boat-load of wood
and of water was obtained.
Working his way round the coast, which he says he could not "fetch," on
April 3rd Lieutenant Symons made all sail for a bay to the south-east,
and in the evening the ship came to anchorage, being then eleven leagues
from North Cape. Of this place her Commander writes, "There are three
islands laying to the south-east by north; one to the north which will
break off all sail from this point of the compass. One of these islands
is very thinly inhabited." The boat was lowered to sound between the
island and the main, as a reef was perceived running out astern, and the
soundings gave ten to five fathoms. At ten o'clock on April 4th the Lady
Nelson again weighed and made sail to work to windward, and at eleven
came to in eight fathoms of water - the bottom being "fine sand and
shells."
At four o'clock two canoes containing only three men came alongside the
ship, and early on the following morning three New Zealand Chiefs from
the Island of Titteranee, friends of Tippahee, came to welcome their
countryman on his return.
On the Island of Titteranee the natives were very friendly. One of their
number, who had spent some time at Norfolk Island, came on board,* (* He
was named Tookee.) and the Chiefs supplied the ship with a quantity of
fish, for which Lieutenant Symons gave them bread in exchange. During the
vessel's stay, the Chiefs of Titteranee were not only constant visitors,
but some appear to have remained altogether in the ship. Possibly the
Commander saw a little too much of Tippahee and his friends, as while the
boats were on shore cutting brooms and obtaining water, the former was
exceedingly troublesome on board - two or three times causing a
disturbance by lifting up weapons and threatening the seamen at their
work. At noon on the 12th of April, Mr. Symons records that he became
very mutinous. An Otaheitan in the ship informed the Commander that he
had asked one of the Chiefs to go on shore and bring his men to attack
the vessel. Tippahee's residence was at the Bay of Islands, and it seems
fortunate that Lieutenant Symons was able to land him safely among his
own people, for according to the Sydney Gazette he wielded great power
and was acknowledged to be a great Chief by the New Zealanders "from the
North Cape to his own dwelling place."
On April 20th, before reaching the Bay of Islands, the Commander of the
Lady Nelson went to examine a deep bay to the south-west, which he
explored.
