MANGONUI AND DE SOURVILLE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2058, 1 May 1907, Page 1

MANGONUI AND DE SOURVILLE.

M. do Sourville, the famous French, navigator, seems Ip have been the first European to explore Mangonui, ■says the Special Commissioner of the Auckland Weekly News, in his series of articles on “The Far North.”, tie visited the harbor in December, 1769, in the ship Saint Jean Babtisto'. lie Sourville caine to No.v Zealand from India, tempted by rumors of a new country, abounding in gold and peopled by Jews. How be got the rumor nobody knows. The great explorer Coo’k had only left the Far North of New Zealand eight days before “lie Sourville sailed into Doubtless flay, so that the news of Ids discoveries •could not have, leaked out ; besides, Cook saw neither gold nor Jews. Like oilier of the early French navigators, De Sourville was unfortunate in‘ his relations with the Maoris. He was received most kindly by the Mangonui people, and had such confidence in them that he sent his sick men ashore to recruit. Whilst they were ashore a furious gale sprang up, and the Saint Jean Babtiste dragged her anchors, and was nearly wrecked. What a shock it must lie to some of our ‘•change of climate” theorists to learn that there could ho stormy weather at 'Christmas- time in North Auckland 138 years ago. De Sourville’s sick men tried to regain their ship during the gale, hut their boat was driven ashore. The men, however, found shelter and hospitality in a native village, and when the gale blew itself out they- regained tlieir ship. The old story is somewhat vague and mixed, hut De Sourville accused the natives of stealing one

or liis boats. Whether it was the boat driven ashore during the gale is not mentioned, but it is certain that I)e Sourvillo took prisoner the chief who had protected his men, and burned the village which had sheltered them. Such was the beginning of pa'kclia justice in the Far North.