STEWART ISLAND

Evening Star, Issue 19794, 18 February 1928, Page 22

STEWART ISLAND

PLACE NAMES HISTORY OF PATERSON INLET [By Basil H. Howard.] No. VII. Paterson Inlet. Stewart Island’s finest harbor, capable of holding Hie Grand Fleet many times over. The name was in use as early as 1837, wherefore I have been able to discover nothing of its origin. Possibly it is connected with Paterson River, New South Wales, a frequent port of call for coastal vessels plying out of Port Jackson in the early days. It should be noted that the name is spelt with one “t ” and that the addition of “’s ”is wrong. Tho history of Paterson dates from the whaling rather than the sealing days. There was little to attract the sealer unless he were in search of a haven in which to relit. Tho excellence of tho harbor is too well known to warrant description here. Its greatest length is approximately ten miles; 1 do not know its actual area, but a rough calculation shows this to be well over thirty square miles, most of which can bo used by large ships. There is a depth of ten fathoms minimum right up to Dynamite Point, beyond which the mud Hats of tho Freshwater begin. Even South-west Arm is at least six fathoms deep for a fair distance. However, in the sailing days the comparatively narrow and intricate entrance held many terrors for the navigator, who, though free of fear of shoals, was at the mercy of the winds. In certain weathers it was impossible to sail in. Hence the proclamation of British sovereignty over Che island was made in the uninhabited region of Port Pegasus. Even the expert Win. Stewart would not .isk taking ■ tho H.M.S. Herald into Paterson in tho face of adverse winds. Tho whalers found it an excellent base, sheltered in a fair degree from all winds Not long since trypots could bo seen at several places. From 1835 onward there are records of many whalers visiting the port. It is of interest to note that Balleny’s expedition spent some time exploring the inlet as far as the head in 183 ( J. Bishop Selwyn and Tuckett paid a visit in 1814. Tuckett says: “The approach to Paterson inlet is dangerous to strangers. It is called by the whalers ‘ The Neck.’ It is a first-class harbor, containing many pretty places; but except the harbor there is little calculated to be valuable or useful.” This latter remark remains true, despite the excitement consequent on the discovery of copper at “Big Glory” and of suspicions of silver at Prysc Peak. Captain Mein Smith, surveyor to the Now Zealand Company, whoso papers were unfortunately lost in the wreck of the Brothers, visited Paterson, Port Adventure, and Williams Bay. He recommended Paterson or even Port Adventure in preference to Bluff as a site for settlement. Shortland reports; “Along tho east and south shores of Bakuira arc several harbors, one of which at its northeastern extremity, about nine miles distant from Ruapnkc, is by report both large and convenient. I regretted that I had not the opportunity of visiting it, for it was described to mo by persons who had resided there as equal to the Bay of Islands, and was by all accounts appreciated by American whalers, who frequently selected it in preference to any others on tho coast for the purpose of refitting. My informants spoke of a river discharging itselt into the end of the harbor alter rising at the back of tho range of mountains which bounds the northern coast of tho island.” An extract from ‘ The British Colonisation of New Zealand,’ published by the New Zealand Association in 1837, foreshadows the beginning of tho end of the most interesting 'period in the history of Stewart Island: “There are thirty or forty British now settled here Paterson), and they cultivate the usual crops with success. It is no longer eligible as a whaling station; they seem to have deserted it for Cloudy Bay and Cook Strait.” I am convinced that in tho early days there was confusion between tho names of Paterson Inlet and Port William. The latter port was first known as William’s Bay; Mein Smith refers to it under that name. But it seems equally clear that at one time, rightly or wrongly. Paterson went bv the name of William’s Bay. The result was that writers talked of Port William or William’s Bay without knowing where it was located; that visitors need the right name in the wrong place 1 Jones, a" member of the Flax Investigation Commission of 1813, describes ‘ William’s Bay ” as a perfect landlocked harbor, secure from all winds that blow. He says further that there is a fresh water creek at the head of it an.l a wide plain. If you know Port William you will realise that this is a rather exaggerated description of that bay. There is a creek; there is a small patch of flat land. The creek is hardly worthy of special mention; to refer to tho “ ledge ” of Hat land as a wide plain is a manifest joke. One hardly calls the deepest point of an open bay like Port William the “head.” Now, compare Paterson Inlet; It is ten miles long. At its “ head ” there is a fresh water river, which is still called the “Freshwater,” deep enough to allow a ship’s boat to ascend for a mile or so. There is a wide plain—the only plain on tho island extending from Paterson to Masou Bay. It is to bo noted that Shortland refers to tho creek and head in almost the same terms ns Jones. Finally Paterson is landlocked. In the thirties tho chief settlement was at Paterson (at the Neck); hut neither Polack (1838) nor Petre (1841) makes any reference to it, though mention is made of “ William’s Bay.” It is more than strange that two writers should ignore the settlement and principal harbor in favor of an occasionally-used port. Further, Petre’s map does not c i indicate the existence of the in--1 '• Paterson; there is nothing bub an enlarged Port William. Only one explanation is possible: that “William’s Bay” was once applied to Paterson. T’ i whole situation is then understandable. Now, in the first edition of ‘ Murihiku ’ there is a map showing Paterson Inlet so named, but with the words “William’s Bay” in brackets beneath. Why? I have since discovered an old map which shows no trace of an inlet on tho east coast where Paterson should be; but it shows n very large Paterson River flowing into an, overgrown Port William.

take this as proof positive; for (lie name “ Paterson River ” was a usual alternative for the “inlet.” Frank Bullen, in the ‘Cruise of the Cachalot,’ goes one further. .He describes the masterly way in which “P.-cldy” Gilroy brought the Chance into Port William. He makes much nf the danger and intricacy of the entrance. lam not sufficiently versed in navigation to question the danger of the entrance into the open bay, Port William. There is one rock with a fathom nf water over it at the northern head, but the veriest lubber can see that “intricacy” is the last' word to ’ -o; whereas the entrance to Paterson can lay claim to the term. Put Bullen had no very strict regard for the truth; he was not one to stick at trifles where the making of a good story was concerned. 1 wonder whether he went home to write up his story, and in doing so consulted a map with Paterson marked “William’s Bay”? The Maori name is Te Whaka a Te Wera —Te Wem’s Harbor.

Oban.—The name of the .settlement and township at the head of Halfmoon Bay. It is not commonly used except to distinguish the bay and tbe town-

B hip. The Post Office at Oban is called Halfmoon Bay! See later discussion on names of this type. Owen Head.—At the mouth of Lord’s River. Sec under John Point. Passage Island.—A rock islet lying in the fairway between the Neck and Bench Island’. It is the home of myriads of seabirds, principally shags. The rock is commonly known as “Pharoah.” Note that “Passage Island ” was the name early given to Codfish Island. (To be continued.)