STEWART ISLAND

Evening Star, Issue 19800, 25 February 1928, Page 2

STEWART ISLAND

PUCE NAMES [By Basil H. Howabd.] No. VIII. Pearl Island.—The most northern of the three islands off the entrances to Port Pegasus. Its earlier name was “ Chace Island.” It is a pity that this name has been replaced, as Chace was captain of the Pegasus when Stewart charted the port. The channel between it and the mainland was first investigated by Stewart, who apparently named it “Whale Passage,” a title still in use. The channel to the south, between Pearl and Anchorage Islands, is mapped as “ Broad Passage,” but it is more commonly called “ Big Sheep Passage.” On the map the island is also calld “Ornsay.” The name will never go any further than that. Pigeon House.—A rocky cone at the southern head of Port Pegasus. The channel between this and Noble Island was named Sugarloaf Passage by Stewart and Chace. This fact suggests that “ Pigeon House ” is a much later name. Prysc Peak.—A hill l,U3it high above the eastern side of the entrance to South-west Arm, P.aterson Inlet. Nothing more is known of the name than that it was on the chart of 1857. Some incline to connect it with the next entry; but there is no justification for this, as dates will show. Price’s Point or Bay.—The point is the eastern extremity of the Kaipipi Peninsula, Paterson Inlet. “ Price’s ” is used generously for almost anywhere on the peninsula. “Price’s Bay,” a wide, deep hay about one mile up the Kaipipi Arm, is properly called ‘/Surveyors’ Bay,” though that name is seldom heard. The following story 1 have found in two different printed sources: An amateur buccaneer of the name Jived there in 1826 and subsequently. Allegedly he was a deserter from the Navy, who had been forced to flee from the mainland on account of a quarrel over the possession of a Native woman. Ho made for Stewart Island, but, being wrecked, he was picked up by the Maoris. It seems that his repute had not 'outdistanced him, for he mado his home with his rescuers. On learning that a sloop had been despatched to capture him he fled to what is now known as Price’s Bay. Here he built a boat, and sailed away merrily, laughing at his pursuers. In proof of which yarn you may go to the bay and see the remains of the skids on which he built the boat.

Having seen the skids myself, I was instantly prepared to doubt the story. They were in remarkable preservation for all their 100 years’ age. That the Navy considered him of sufficient importance to warrant the despatch of a sloop is hard to credit. One asks, too, what the punitive expedition was_ about while he was striving alone and mightily with the building of his boat. However, despite my criticisms, I found that some people held to the story as to an article of faith. I had to seek disproof elsewhere. I found it in the ‘Otago Daily Times ’ of November 14, 1865:—Mr C. E. Price has started a shipbuilding yard at Paterson Inlet and undertakes to construct vessels up to 1,000 tons. There is a depth of 9ft at low water and an Bft tide rise. He is building one for Captain Pjroctor, and another is on order for Captain Simpson, of the Stormbird. Spars up to 90ft are obtainable locally; this is a great advantage in view of the difficulty of getting them of that length elsewhere. Price was a retired naval man and a thorough craftsman. He was, however, a man of fiery and ungovernable temper, of strange and inexplicable moods. He appeared before the Supreme Conrt, Invercargill, to answer a charge of assault with intent in 1867; happily, the jury brought in a verdict of not guilty. The second of the two boats above was not completed hy Price. Something annoyed him, and he left her unfinished. The vessel was bought as it stood on the stocks hy Captain “ Cocky ” Thomson, who completed the construction and sailed her away to Fiji, where she was sold at a profit. Price also built another boat for Captain Gilroy, at the Bluff. Specifications demanded a 60ft keel; but_Price, having one of 66ft handy, built the boat on this, and sought to make the goodnatured “ Paddy ” pay for the extra length. He failed, of course, the law being on Gilroy’s side. On losing the case he went off in high rage, and loft the equally irate “ Paddy ” to launch her himself. The vessel was the Awarua, forty tons. I had thought that the Norwegian whaling establishment at Price’s Bay would have destroyed all trace of Price’s skids. But whether by chance or by intent, the pier and skids set up by these modern whalers have left the old skids intact. They arc still t ( be seen in the sand between the pier and the large skid on the beach in front of the workshop. Long before Price came to this bay the Weller Bros., of the Otakou whaling station, had an establishment on the _ beach. It is thought that excavation would bring to light remains of the old works, trypots, and fireplaces. However, it is too late to do that, now that the Nor- i wegian party is in occupation. j Stewart Island is changing. Some 1 five or six years ago L spent three j weeks in solitude at Price’s, rowing back and forth to Halfmoon for provisions and mail. We saw almost no one, we heard nothing' but the weka and the morepork. Now the Arm echoes to the din of hammers and the whirr of machinery; the watch is replaced by the workshop siren, Having disposed of the story about Buccaneer Price, I must now_ adniit that there is some truth behind it. There was a Jacky Price, buccaneer and sealskin pirate, who flourished in the sealing twenties. But he was never in the locality of Price’s Point. The sealers were Cold fellows who knew no restraint; but certain laws held good. The saoredness of a depot of sealskins was never questioned, save by people of Jacky’s type. Price and his wife made good money raiding these caches

of skins. Needless to say, the sealers were 'as keen in hunting him as they were in the pursuit of seals. At last they caught him and his wife on Solander Rock. They smashed his boat ami left him marooned on this barren peak. But Jacky was a hard nut to crack. He built a boat of sealskins and vines, and the two sailed merrily back to the mainland, fdo not vouch for this story; I give it as being less “steep” than most others in circulation. Jacky’s signature or initials are supposed to be found on a lock at the head of Broad or Wilson Bay, South Cape. I have not met anyone who has seen them Papatiki.—A bay at the southern end of the Neck peninsula in Paterson Inlet. ■ The map gives wrongly “ Popotiki.” The earlier name for the bay -was Carter’s Beach. Mr Traill tells mo that old Carter lived on the beach for many years in a fern-walled, thatched hut as cosy as a mansion. The two rocks at the south end of the bay were called Carter’s Recks. The bay is worth more than passing interest, mnsmuch as th© hulk of.tho Flying Scud, Captain Tom Cross’s famous little boat, lay on the beach for many years. Pender Rock.—A submerged rock off the entrance to Port William. It ia the only danger to navigation m those waters. Pender was master’s assistant on H.M.S. Acheron during her survey of 1850. Ido not know that the name is used locally; it does not appear on the maps of the Survey Department, although other hidden dangers are recorded. Rakeahua. —A popular tourist launch trip to the head of Paterson Inlet brings one to the foot of Rakeahua, the fifth peak on the island, 2,217 ft in height. From the summit a comprehensive view of almost all the island can be obtained—if the mist allows. The name “The Dome” is freqently found on earlier maps. Indeed, one map of New Zealand by Phillips, dated 1922, uses it. Some authority on Maori names has said that Rakeahua was the weapon of Mauaia, the great chief who came to New Zealand in the canoe Tokomaru. This, however, is not in accord with the theories of the local Maori. (To bo continued.)