INTERESTING EXHIBITION.

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 17979, 26 March 1930, Page 7

INTERESTING EXHIBITION.

RELICS OF CAPTAIN COOK. OFFERED TO BLENHEIM BOROUGH. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.), BLENHEIM, Tuesday. Much-corroded but fully-authenti-cated relics of Captain Cook's visits to Charlotte Sound are on exhibition in Blenheim. Twenty years ago they were dug up by Mr W. J. H. Greensill at Wharehunga in a spot located by the late lion. Robert McNab, New Zealand Historian, as the scene of the massacre of the crew of a cutter belonging to-Cap-tain Cook’s expedition, by Maoris on December 18, 1773. The Adventure, in charge of Captain Tobias Furneaux, was awaiting the arrival of Captain Cook, and sent a boat crew to secure greens. They were dining ashore at Grass Cove, now known as Wharehunga, when they were fallen upon by Maoris, massacred to a man, and partly eaten. The massacre was avenged the following day by a party from the vessel. The relics include two musket barrels, two bayonets, the remains of powder flasks, bolts, etc., together with a number of Maori curios, including a pumice bowl evidently used to carry fire on a native canoe. Mr Greensill, after retaining possession for 20 years, is offering the relics for sale to the Borough Council as the nucleus of a museum collection.