A PAGE IN HISTORY

New Zealand Listener, Volume 26, Issue 669, 2 May 1952, Page 12

A PAGE IN HISTORY

MARION DUFRESNE AT THE BAY OF ISLANDS, by L. G. Kelly; A. H. and A. W. Reed; 15/-. NTIL recently the part played by French navigators in the exploration of New Zealand was very little known. D’Urville alone was well documented in his own country, and a portion of his narratives, translated by Miss Olive Wright, was published in New Zealand last year. Marion Dufresne, whose association with New Zealand ended tragically, was a contemporary of Cook. A respected citizen of Mauritius, he volunteered with a fellow merchant to conduct an expedition to the Pacific to return to his home in Tahiti a native youth who had been taken to France by Bougainville. The boy died before they were well on their way, and the mission of the Mascarin and Marquis de Castries then became one of discovery. Arriving off Taranaki on March 25, 1772, and unaware of the proceedings of Cook, they named Mount. Egmont after one of their .ships, and, having rounded North Cape, came to anchor in Bay of Islands on May 4. Marion established a hospital, workshop and logging camp on Moturoa Island,. and for five weeks the French lived on the most cordial terms with the natives. Then suddenly the shore party was attacked, and the commander and a score of his men were killed and eaten. Mr. Kelly comes to the conclusion that they had offended the Maoris by. some unwitting breach of tapu, probably fishing on a tapu beach or using timber from a burial site. . The only publication of this voyage was by the Abbé Rochon in 1783,.a little-known translation of which appeared in London 60 years ago. As far as the general public is concerned, this tragedy has been a blank page in our history. Even some historians seemed unaware that the keen researches of Robert McNab 40 years ago had brought to New Zealand, from the French archives, certified copies of the journals of two of Marion’s officers (Lieutenant Roux and Captain Clesmeur). These were published in 1914 in Vol. II of McNab’s Historical Records of New Zealand, with a competent translation by Charles Wilson’ (then Parlia+ mentary librarian). The excellent narrative which forms the main part of Mr,

Kelly’s book is based on Wilson’s translation, many pages of which ‘are reproduced word for word without any acknowledgment either to McNab or Wilson. The volume is merely listed amongst the authorities: In effect, therefore, Mr. Kelly’s original contribution to this interesting volume is limited to a close topographical study of the scene and identification of the features named, and the acquisition from the French Archives (through the medium of M. Arniand Gazel, Minister Plentipotentiary in New Zealand) of hitherto unavailable documents and charts.

G. H.

S.