EARLY NEW ZEALAND.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81867, 17 October 1906, Page 4

EARLY NEW ZEALAND.

RECORDS OF THE SOUTH.

MR McNAB'S RESEARCH. In connection with the interesting Historical researches which Mr McXab has been making some particuars were obtained dealing with ihe voyage of Captain Edwardson jlong the Southern coast of the South .bland of New Zealand in 1522 and 1823. The clipta'in had been entrusted by the Government of New South Wales with the task of gathering phormium tenax (the flax of *hc Xew Zealanders) and was given the ;ommand of the Snapper, a colonial ;loop of 29 ton*. He had scarcely dropped anchor in the little port known as Southport when several sailors came on board from the American -hip General Gates, left on that coast seventeen months previously to hunt for seals. The unfortunate m'n were in a most deplorable condition and looked liked skeletons. They had ived miserably ,amid horrible suffering, fearing famine as will a* the natives. All the help and succour lhaihumanitycouldsuggest was given to them, but they were so weak they could only at first take tea. Winn these poor sailors, twelve in number, were left by their ship they were ?iven two barrels of salt bacon and dry provisions to last eight months, but very soon the place where these stores were hidden was discovered by ihe natives. The natives took possession of the stores afier having killed and devoured the young apprentice who was in charge. For about eight months the Americans had been hunted from place to place by the islanders. Two of them had been captured and at once eaten. The Maoris' hut at Chalk Harbor contained some disgusting specimens of their usual food, says the chronicler In spite of their miserable condition the men had gathered 1655 skins of sea!-, from various points of the coast. The Americans afterwards set out on an excursion in their boat, but soon*came back, as they had been completely routed by three large pirogues full of men, women and children and a number of dogs. The unfortunate men taken by surprise abandoned all they possessed and went into he woods towards Preservation Bay, which they crossed in a sort of catamaran hastily constructed of floating wood. They arrived in this way, all except one man who was never found. A band of natives followed, and amongst them was a white man who spoke in English and another man called Stuart The latter had come from Kangaroo Island with a wife of the country and two children to settle in New Zealand; but having with his family been taken prisoner by the Maoris he had adopted (heir customs, and had been employed by the chiefs as pilot in tracking and finding the different hiding places of the natives. In all, four of the Americans had been eaten by the natives and one had been lost. An Island at which the Snapper dropped anchor in Foveaux Straits was called Goulburn in honor of the Secretary of the Government of New Soufh Wales who had taken great interest in the advantage* to be obtained from phormium tenax. In one place where the expedition landed an armed party was sent on shore and two women were engaged to come and work flax near the ship, with the promise of fish-hooks, nails, knives, scissors, hatchets, razors, glass beads and trinkets. The expedition had brought two machines from Sydney for separating the fibrous part of the flax leaves from their covering, but these machines did not answer the desired purpose and onlv became an object of scorn to the natives.