THE BIG BAY LEGEND EXPLODED.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1564, 2 October 1886, Page 3

THE BIG BAY LEGEND EXPLODED.

In reference, to the "Legend of Big Bay," which was reproduced in our columns some tive ago, the N.Z. Herald sayi : • It is a pity, perhaps, that we should have to knock all this story away; but it is well that the whole truth should be known respecting the cruise of the schooner Royal Mail. Mr James Daere of Auckland, gives us the following information:—My father, the late Captain Dacre, was in New Zealand in 1880, and.be obtained from a native in. some part of the North a freenstone mere. Borne time in 1842, Captain Dacre was in Manilla, wbeip some of the natives got tight of his '•f' greenstone.mere. They were charmed, and eagerly inquired where the material could be ■•'•■'. procured. They said they would gladly give £SOO per ton for all he could bring. Captain Dacre sold his mere for a very large price, > snd thought he saw bis way to make a splendid speculation. He had always heard from the Maoris in the North that the greenstone came from the West Coast of the South Island, whjcb was called by them "Te Wai Pounamo'u" (the Greenstone Sea). When Captain Dacre got to Sydney he fitted out the Royal , Mail schooner with blasting and quarrying appliances, and despatched her to Milford Sound and Big Bay to load up with the much .', prized greenstone. The vessel was commanded by Captain Anglin. She went to Milford Sound, and to other parts of the West Coast, but I never heard that they had any Maoris with them as guides. Thay remained on the coast for six months. They then went toNelson for Bnpplies, as stated in the narrative published by you. It is true, too, that all the men were bound to secrecy, and no one |n Nelson knew what they were after. But tbey had no gold on board, much less £IOO,OOO worth, and all the time they were on the west coast they only got two tons of greenstone. It was so hard that they found enormous difficulty in quarrying it. After obtaining supplies at Nelson the schooner returned to Big Bay, bat here various calamities overtook the party. Captain Anglin lost the sight of both his eyas by the effects of an explosion of gunpowder while blasting, and several others were injured by different accidents. The schooner then returned to Sydney. The two tons of greenstone were afterwards sent to Manilla by my father, bat ill-lock wbs still attendant on tbo venture. Things had become unsettled there, and the greenstone realised hardly anything. It was taken to Manilla by a man named Elgin, who tnUred into business

!there in compaay with my father, hut a heavy loss resulted to all parties concerned. It ia to be hoped that the knowledge respecting the gold at Big Bay rests on something better than the story about the scho ner Royal Mail hating secured £IOO,OOO worth in a short time, because tbe above are undoubtedly the facts as respects her yoysge. They brought away from the coast, after several months work two tons of greenstene and several disabled men.