ABOUT WESTLAND.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 January 1922, Page 4

ABOUT WESTLAND.

(By Kanui Korero)

Our last article closed with Tasman’s i departure from New Zealand in 1643. j Between .that time and Captain Cook’s-j visit in 1770, there is no.record of any j European voyage to New Zealand. The j period from .1643 .to 1769 seems ,to be;| a very long one .for explorers to make.; no effort to clear up,the mystery of the. South Pacific. UntiLCook’s voyage the; Australian coast line and the shape of; New Zealand were deft as Tasman? marked them on the map of the world. On the approach of the transit of Venus in 1869, a memorial was pre-j sented to King George 111 praying for a thoroughly equipped vessel to he sent to 'thd South Seas to observe the phenomenon. Tahiti was selected for the locality and Captain James Cook was . appointed .commander. Joseph Banks, a fellow of the Royal Society,* was a passenger on board the Endeavour. He took with him at his own expense hlr Solander as scientist. Cook landed near,Gisborne and after-, wards went to Queen Charlotte’s Sound. British sovereignty was first declared in the South Island on 31st January, 1770. He then sailed around Stewart Island and up the West Coast. The following is Cook’s description of the West- Coast and is certainly not very flattering. j “From .Point ,frivq -Fingers down .tot the latitude of 44 20 (Westland lies roughly between latitude ,42 and 44) there is a narrow ridge of Hills rising directly from te Sea, which are Clothed with wood; close behind these lies the ridge of Mountains, which are of a Prodigious height, and appear,to consist of nothing but barren rocks, covered in many places .with large patches of Snow, which perhaps have lain there since the Creation. No country upon Earth can appear with a more, rugged and barren Aspect than this doth from the Sea, for as far inland as the Eye can reach nothing is to be. seen but the Summits of these rocky Mountains, which seem to lay so near one <another as not to admit any V allies between them. From the latitude of 44 20 to the latitude 42 8, these Mountains lay farther inland; the Country between them and the sea consists of woody Hills and Vallies of Various extent botli for height and depth, and has much the Appearance of Fertility. Many of the Vallies are large, low, and flat and appear to be wholly covered with Wood, but it is very probable that great part of the land is taken up in Lakes, Ponds, etc., as is very common in such like places. From the last mentioned iat. to Cape Farewell, afterwards so Called the land is not distinguished by anything remarkable. It rises into hills directly from the Sea, and is covered with wood. While we were upon this part of the Coast the weather was foggy, so much that we could see but a very little way inland. However, we sometimes saw the Summits of the Mountains above the fog and clouds, which plainly showed that the inland parts ware high and Mountainous, and gave me great reason to think that there is a -Continued Chain of Mountains from -the one End of the Island to the other.” Cook anchored within two or three jpil'es of .where .Tasman had in 1642 anchored the iHeemskerck and the Zeelmcn. jHe left New Zealand on 31st March, 1770. His boat, the Endeavour, was a “back of the burthen of 368 tons”. In 1773 Cook again visited New Zealand with the Resolution of ■162 tqns .and ,112 men-and the Adventure of 336 tons and 81 men under Captain Finneaux, second in command to Cook. |He entered Husky Sound on 26th March, 1773. They cleared about half an acre of bush and it is interesting to note that they made beer out of rimu tops and treacle. He sailed again on the 11th May up the West Coast and round to Queen Charlotte Sound which he left on 8tl) Jun«. Cook’s third visit took place on 21st October, 1773, and his fourth on lrtli October, 1774, the first land sighted being Mt Egmont. He left again on November 10th, 1774. He again visited New Zealand in the Resolution and the Discovery, and landed on 12th February, 1777, leaving finally on the, 25th. His stay on land was mostly! marie at Queen Charlotte Sound, viz. first voyage, 1770, 22 days; second voyage, June, 1773, 20 days; second voyage, November, 1773, 22 days; second voyage, November 1774, 23 days:, third voyage, February 1777, 13 days, 1 and 46 days in Dusky Sound in 1773. As readers of Cook’s voyages know, he met bis ,death at the Sandwich Islands in 1779.

The French in 1785 sent out an expedition under La Perouse and his instructions were to visit New Zealand. He arrived at Botany Bay and left with the intention of visiting the Friendly Islands. They never reached their native land. On his voyage La Perouse used the dipping needle which. Cook had employed for that purpose during his voyage. Sir Joseph Banks had given this treasure to the French navigator. In 1788 Captain Bligh discovered the Bounty Islands in the far south. In April 1789 the celebrated Mutiny of the Bounty took place. Captain George Vancouver visited Dusky Sound in 1791. (To be continued).