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. He found at the bottom of this bay a river which "ran
south-south-east and north-north-west about three miles and one from the
west-south-west to west-north-west...after the first Reach the River runs
flat and 3 or 4 leagues. On the larboard shore of the river it is not
safe for any vessel, drawing more than 12 feet, to attempt entering." He
also mentions a lagoon which ran at the back of the beach to the eastward
of the River and a deep bay; these were about one mile apart.
In returning from this little expedition of exploration - which was a very
early one - the boat was upset and two muskets, three powder horns, and
two pistols were lost. Symons had already lost the stock of the small
bower anchor, the deep-sea lead, and the seine among the rocks. On April
22nd the ship took her departure from this harbour, leaving behind her
here a seaman named Joseph Druce who deserted and could not be found.
On the evening of the same day Cavill's or Cavalli Island was sighted,
and a native fire could be seen burning there. At noon the latitude
observed was 34 degrees 43 minutes 57 seconds south. Next morning, while
working off and on the shore, Cape Brett, some fourteen miles distant to
the eastward, and at noon Point Pocock (of Captain Cook) which lay to the
south-east came into view.* (* The Point Pocock of Cook is now Cape
Wiwiki.)
On Friday the 25th April the Lady Nelson, escorted by three canoes bore
up between two islands in the Bay of Islands and came to under the Island
of Matuapo in two fathoms. Tippahee's home was situated on the north side
of the Bay of Islands, just within Point Pocock, and is described as "a
considerable Hippah strongly fortified." The district extending to the
northward was called Whypopoo, but Tippahee claimed the whole country
across the island from Muri Whenua.* (* The name for the land's end or
most northern part of New Zealand.) At the same time he admitted that his
two great rivals were Mowpah, who was Chief of the territory in the
neighbourhood of the River Thames, and Moodee, Chief of the territory to
the northward.
Lieutenant Symons lost no time in sending the presents given to the
Maoris at Sydney on shore, and at daylight on the day after his arrival
he also landed the bricks and the framework of the wooden house. The
house, by Governor King's orders, was to be erected in the most suitable
spot possible, and was intended for the use of any officials who might be
sent from Sydney, or for any missionaries whom the Governor might permit
to dwell there. The carpenter was sent on shore to carry out the
Governor's instructions, and he built the house on an island in the Bay
of Islands on a site selected by Mr. Symons, who afterwards stated that
the island was a very small one, but he believed that the house would be
impregnable, and able to withstand the attacks of any force that the
country at that time could bring against it.* (* This house was one of
the first, if not the very first house, to be built in New Zealand. We do
not hear even of a single sealer's hut then at the Bay of Islands, but
shortly afterwards settlers and missionaries from Sydney arrived there,
and in 1815 (see Calcutta Gazette, April 27th), after the missionaries
arrived, houses began to grow up, and the Bombay Courier, November 20th,
1819, says of it, "The settlement at New Zealand appears to have assumed
a regular form and to be regarded as a British Colony regulated under the
control of New South Wales Government Authority. On September 29th the
Missionaries, sent out by the Church Missionary Society, took their
departure from Sydney for the Bay of Islands on board the American brig
General Gates, one of them, the Reverend J. Butler, having previously
been appointed by Governor Macquarie to act as justice of the peace and
magistrate of the Island of New Zealand.")
The Lady Nelson waited for five days in the Bay of Islands, until the
carpenter had completed his work, and during that time Tippahee, who
seems to have overcome his fit of temper, brought on board many presents
for his friends in Sydney, sending one to each person individually; these
were for the most part weapons of war, which, observes the Sydney
Gazette, "must have somewhat diminished his native armoury." A sample of
New Zealand flax (Phormium tenax) was also brought back from Tippahee's
dominions. The flax was used by the Maoris not only in weaving mats and
kirtles, but also for making fishing lines. The lines, although they were
twisted entirely by hand, resembled the finest cord of European
manufacture, The most useful presents, however, sent on board by Tippahee
were some fine ships' spars, which New Zealand produced in great
abundance, and also a quantity of seed potatoes, then very scarce in
Sydney, and consequently greatly appreciated.
Leaving New Zealand, and after passing Three Kings' Islands, Lieutenant
Symons steered to Norfolk Island, where he embarked some men of the New
South Wales Corps under Ensign Lawson for Sydney.
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