Captain Jeremiah W. Nagle takes command of Her Majesty’s Colonial Brig Victoria, July, 1842- March 1843.
Nagle became the commander of Her Majesty’s almost-new Colonial brig Victoria sometime during July, 1842. The brig’s purpose was to facilitate the Governor’s administration of his office. The employment would have been welcomed by the Nagles, who had not escaped the effects of the economic recession that had befallen both the New Zealand and Australian colonies that same year. His four voyages over a period of about eight months, at the beck and call of Governor Hobson, and after he died, the acting-Governor, Edward Shortland, proved to be varied and often exciting.  The brig was barely a year and a half old, having been built in Sydney, New South Wales by Daniel Egan. The original purchase deed[1], signed between Egan and Captain Hobson on 20th November, 1840, is held in the Auckland War Memorial Museum library[2]. It records information such as it was registered number 11 on 23rd January, 1840, was built at Deptford, New South Wales, that its length from the inner part of the main stem to forepart of the sternpost was 80ft, breadth amidships was 19 2/10ths ft, and depth of hold 12 3/10ths ft. It was square rigged with a standing bowsprit which was square-scheined, was carvel planked but had no galleries and was adorned with a female figurehead. Unfortunately, the only logbook of the Victoria’s voyages known to exist starts a few days before Nagle finally leaves the vessel on 25th March, 1843. However, in it, he has left a simple sketched chart of Nagles Cove pasted onto a page of the log, including a couple of profiles of land features along with sailing directions.
The first voyage - Auckland - Nagle Cove - Wellington - Nelson - New Plymouth - Auckland (29th July - early September, 1842).
Nagle’s first voyage, of about five weeks duration, departed Auckland on 28th July, 1842. It’s purpose, in the absence of the orders he must have been given, appear to have been to transport the Bishop of New Zealand, George Selwyn, to the settlements of Wellington, Nelson and New Plymouth. Selwyn had only just arrived in New Zealand five weeks before. He recorded: Governor William Hobson “I am now (July 29, 1842) off the harbour of Auckland, in the government brig Victoria, bound to Wellington and Nelson. On board with me are the Rev. R. Cole, for Wellington, the Rev. C. L. Reay, Church Missionary for the South-Western district, and Mr. Evans, as my travelling companion.”[3]
There were other passengers on board not mentioned by Selwyn. For instance, William Field Porter Jr., a child of about twelve years of age, who said they had left Auckland in the afternoon, was travelling to Nelson to be schooled by the Reverend and Mrs.Reay[4]. Mrs.Reay was on board with her daughter Miss Essex and a servant called Ellen. Captain Richards was also aboard and on his way to take up the position of Nelson Harbour Master. There may have been other passengers. By the next afternoon, during which he had spent finishing a long letter to his mother in England, the Victoria arrived and anchored at Nagles Cove. H.M.S. Tortoise lay at anchor nearby, and an hour later, at 3pm, she fired a salute of eleven guns in honour of the Bishop. Next morning at 10am, a Sunday, Selwyn boarded her where he performed devine service.[5] The Commander, James Wood, was absent in the ship’s launch at the time. William Jeffrey, a lieutenant of the vessel, was also away down the Coromandel’s east coast cutting spars when he recorded Woods passing offshore. Jeffrey commented in his diary that “This is a nasty, wet day, I keep by the fire that I may not get cold and wet.”[6] According to William Field Porter Junior’s reminiscences they were off Tauranga during the morning. At one point on the voyage, Captain Richards caught the young William whistling on deck.
“..while I was whistling on deck, Captain Richards came up to me saying he would have no whistling on board a vessel he commanded, [he may have been ‘on watch’ rather than the commander - author] as we had quite enough wind as it was; it was blowing strong from the N.E.”[7]
Victoria sailed down the east coast of the North Island, reaching Port Nicholson at Wellington on 11th August.[8] William Field Porter Jr., continues:
“Going into Wellington it blew very hard in squalls, and we sprung our foretop. Wellington was a very small place at that time, one street along the beach. Our party landed and stayed with the Rev. Cole for three days. It blew a gale and communication with the Brig was not possible.”
In Edward Jerningham Wakefield’s ‘Adventure in New Zealand - from 1839 to 1844’ (p248 facimile edition) published in 1845, Wakefield says… “On the 12th of August, the Bishop arrived in the Government Brig, and was received with a salute by the inhabitants of Wellington. He boarded at Te Aro, and was met by a deputation from a public meeting held some days before, who presented him with an address of congratulation on his arrival.”
Newspapers of the time commonly copied large chunks of text from other newspapers. The New Zealand Colonist & Port Nicholson Advertiser reprinted the following item from the New Zealand Gazette:
“We hear that it is the intention of the Bishop to proceed shortly to Nelson in the Brig Victoria, taking with him one of the Reverend gentlemen, who accompanied him from Auckland. It is rumoured that His Lordship will then immediately return to the seat of Government. It is reported that Captain Richards, late of Her Majesty’s Brig Victoria, is to be the Harbour Master at Nelson, being succeeded in his command by Captain Nagle.”[9]
Young William Field Porter continues:
“We left Wellington in the morning with a fair wind, and got to Nelson in the afternoon of the next day, Sunday. The pilot brought off papers; I got one and was studying it when Mrs. Reay said, “I do not allow little boys under my charge to read newspapers on Sunday”. I thought it queer as both she and her daughter were reading them. I then realised that I was [far] from home. When we arrived in Nelson…”
[more to come re return to Auckland]
Second Voyage - (17th September, 1842 to 28th November, 1842)
(Auckland-Wellington-Nelson-Cloudy Bay-Akaroa-Wellington-Nelson-New Plymouth-Kapiti Island-Wellington -Auckland)
Nagle’s orders for his second voyage were as clear and straightforward as they are designed to be -
“You will receive on board the ‘Victoria’ for conveyance to Wellington, His Honour the Chief Justice, the Registrar of the Supreme Court, and a clerk, and proceed to sea at the first favourable opportunity. Having landed His Honour, the Chief Justice, you will be at liberty to cruise for such time as you shall arrange with that gentleman, taking care that no delay take place in re-embarking His Honour on the day appointed, when you shall proceed to such place or places as Mr Martin may direct, and finally, on the gentleman dis-embarking, you will return without delay to Auckland. Should His Lordship, the Bishop express a wish to take passage in the Victoria, you are authorized to receive him and his suite onboard.”
The Victoria weighed anchor on the XXth September[10], and sailed for Port Nicholson, Wellington, which it reached on the 27th, bringing the first news to that place of the death of the Governor. Lady Mary Martin, the wife of the Chief Justice, Sir William Martin, recorded:
“In the middle of September, my husband sailed in the Government Brig on circuit to the southern settlements, and as he walked back through the country with the Bishop, he did not reach home till the end of the year, weary, dusty, travel-worn, after a journey of 800 miles, but in perfect health and good spirits.”[11]
A curious event happened the very next day when Nagle’s old schooner, the Rory O’More was partially wrecked (and later recovered) at Palliser Bay several miles east of Wellington[12].
A little over a week later on the 4th October, the Victoria sailed for Nelson, then on to Cloudy Bay where the local population at various shore-whaling stations were relieved, by confiscation, of around a thousand gallons (4500 litres) of illegally-made alcoholic spirits[13].
Cloudy Bay. August, 2007. Photo kindly supplied by Ken Roush of Port Underwood. Thanks Ken.
Victoria continued southward to visit Akaroa on the south coast of Banks Peninsula. On the Wednesday evening of the 12th October, 1842, the Victoria arrived back in Wellington. Two days prior, Bishop Selwyn had departed that place on foot, accompanied by several Maori, on their way to New Plymouth, where they would meet up with the Victoria. Selwyn wrote of this journey -
“On the 10th of October I left Wellington, on foot, accompanied by several natives, who carried our tents, beds, food, clothes and books, and set out on a land journey to New Plymouth, one of the principal settlements of the Company, which is situated to the North of Cape Egmont, the Western extremity of New Zealand, and near the Sugar Loaf Islands. After a few days' journey I was detained by a slight inflammation in my heel, and was obliged to rest while some of the natives went forward to procure me a horse. I was encamped near the river Wanganue, on some low sand hills, with three of the natives as my companions. My little tent was pitched in the hollow of the sand hills, and my native attendants made themselves comfortable round a large fire, under a little hut, which they soon constructed of drift-wood and coarse grass[14]
On the 17th October, while the Bishop and his party were resting in the sand hills, Victoria sailed for the settlement at Nelson with ‘passengers, His Honour the Chief Justice, Thomas Outhwaite Esq., the Registrar of the Supreme Court, George Clarke Esq., Protector of the Aborigines, and J. Campbell Esq.’ They arrived at Nelson on the 23rd October, and sailed again on the 27th[15] for New Plymouth where it anchored on the last day of the month by the small Sugar Loaf Islands, just offshore.
“On Monday, October 31, the Government brig Victoria, arrived, bringing the Chief Justice, who had agreed to meet me at New Plymouth. We selected sites for churches; and walked over the greater part of the town. On Tuesday, November 1st, the captain of the brig announced that he must sail immediately, as he was wanted at Auckland to take the acting Governor to Wellington. I therefore hastened my departure, having first received some very friendly addresses from the inhabitants, and answered them in like spirit. The Rev. Mr. Butt will be directed to go as minister of New Plymouth, as soon as possible. At 6 pm I embarked on board the Victoria, but the Chief Justice having been delayed in a ramble through the country, did not come on board till the following morning. I took on board with me my Wellington party of natives, in number eighteen. Wednesday, November 2. - The Chief Justice came on board, and we set sail to the southward, with fair wind and beautiful weather.”
George A. Selwyn, Bishop of New Zealand. Sir William Martin, Chief Justice of New Zealand. Selwyn’s desire to talk to Te Rauparaha was behind Nagle sailing to the south. His orders meant that the decision must have been decided by the Chief Justice, whose dilatory wanderings ashore in the face of Nagle’s impatience to return to Auckland left nobody in doubt of who was in charge.
“The day was delightfully spent in running down the coast, along which I had previously walked, and tracing out the different places which we had passed. A land journey of four days was disposed of in the time between nine in the morning and sunset, and we are in hopes of arriving at the island of Kapiti tomorrow morning, accomplishing in twenty-four hours a distance which occupied me a fortnight. The whole of the day we have enjoyed noble views of the splendid mountain, the monarch of the Taranaki. It is about 8000 feet high, and rises at once out of the plain, without other hills to break its apparent height. Its base is surrounded by almost impassable forests; the skirts of which are, in places, in flames, for the purpose of clearing the land for cultivation.” “Friday, November 4. - Arrived off Kapiti; becalmed at some distance from land; rowed on shore in the brig’s boat. Inquired about Te Rauparaha, a native chief, well known in the transactions of the New Zealand Company[16], and residing on Kapiti. He was not at home”….“At 1p.m., the Chief Justice and I landed at Waikanai…”[17]
While Selwyn, the Chief Justice and their party walked north to Otaki to begin their tour through the North Island, the Victoria continued on to Wellington, arriving at Port Nicholson on Monday the 7th November, 1842[18]. Nagle’s brother-in-law, William Twohey, master of the Bolina which had arrived there from Sydney with 20 passengers in steerage on 30th October[19], was still in port. There must have been quite a gathering, as also on the Bolina as cabin passengers were others of Nagle’s close acquaintance, Captain Salmon, William Webster and Mr. Leathart, the latter being a fellow passenger on the Diana to New Zealand back in 1840. On Friday, 11th November, Victoria weighed anchor and commenced her voyage back to Auckland via the west coast and North Cape of New Zealand.[20] Bolina followed a week later. And so ends Nagle’s second voyage as master of the Victoria; but there was to be little rest for Nagle and his crew.
Third Voyage - (29/11/1842 to 12/1842) (Auckland-Nagles Cove-Tauranga-Auckland-Nagle Cove-Tauranga-offshore Tairua-Nagle Cove-Auckland).
The intended departure of the Victoria from Auckland on 28th November was delayed for a day by rain, and so embarkation of the many passengers not already on board occurred from daybreak throughout the next day. The expedition by the Acting Governor Willoughby Shortland and his party was intended mainly to advance land acquisition in Wellington by the New Zealand Company.[21] Captain Able Dottin William Best, of the 80th Regiment, was ADC[22] to the Acting Governor, and recorded in his journal: 
A Proposed visit to the Great Barrier Island Tauronga [sic] and Port Nicholson in Suite of His Excellency the Acting Governor.
Novr 29th 1842. Embarked on board the Govt Brig Victoria at ½ past 5 AM. The vessel was in a most crowded state our party consisting of His Excellency the Act Govnr & Lady Mr Ed Shortland - Mr Spain and several junior Govt Officers making the Cabin party eleven in number besides whom we had a large party of Maories a great quantity of Trade three horses and a cow & Calf, the Trade and animals being payment for Tracts of Land partly purchased in the Valley of the Thames. Weighing anchor with a light breeze from the Westward we cleared the heads at 9PM and after a pleasant run anchored in Nagles Cove in the Barrier Island[23]
Capt. Best (1816-1845)
William Spain, in his ‘Account of the disturbance between the Maketu and the Tauranga natives’, names others in the party as ‘Messrs Freeman, Leech, Edward Shortland[24], George Clark jun., William Cooper, John Johnson, Edward Meurant, native chief Poepoe, and several of his tribe’. The arrival of the Parkhurst boys just weeks beforehand provided good opportunity for the Acting-Governor, who was ultimately responsible for them, to get them out of Auckland, into employment, and away from mischievous temptation, by employing one or more of them on the Victoria. There is one record of such a boy, George Bottomley, aged 16, being employed as an apprentice sailor on the vessel for three years from December 1st, 1842, receiving £2 the first year, £3 the second and £6 for the third year.[25] There is also a reference in the New Zealander newspaper to their inappropriate employment in the copper mine on Great Barrier. (check source). While Captain Best, Spain, one of the Shortland brothers and Mr Bowen, the master’s mate, rowed six miles each way to the copper-mine and back, Bishop Selwyn spent at least part of the day on the Victoria writing to his mother. William Spain’s journal continues:
Nov. 30th - Arrival at the Great Barrier Island at 4 0'clock a.m., and anchored in the harbour; went on board Her Majesty's store-ship Tortoise, which we found moored there, waiting for spars for the British Navy. Her commander, Mr Wood, was absent in the bush with the greater part of her crew. Mr Bowen, the master's mate, lent us a fine six-oared gig, and accompanied Mr Shortland, Captain Best, and myself, in her to the copper mine, where we found Mr Kinghorne (the manager), Mr Taylor, Mr Chambers[26], [sic] and about twelve men at work. They were living in tents, but had commenced building a wooden house and store... On our return we rowed into a very spacious cavern with a magnificent vaulted roof. The cave was about 50 feet in length, with deep clear water, and we rowed to the very end of it, and it was wide enough to turn the boat around, which we did, and came out. On returning to the harbour, I landed, dined, and slept at Captain Nagle's. I was very pleased with the scenery of this harbour, the view from the house was very beautiful.
Entries for November in the log of H.M.S. Tortoise anchored in Nagles Cove since early June of 1842, show: 30 Sat 2pm Arrived the Victoria colonial brig with the Bishop of New Zealand on board 3pm Fired a salute of 11 guns in honour of the Bishop 31 Sund 10am The Bishop came on board and performed devine service. The dates in the log are incorrect as the 30th was a Wednesday. No matter; - the guns were fired in salute, and if one has ever heard cannons being fired, they make quite a bang. The Nagles and other guardians of young children ashore in the enclosed bay would have to have been warned so as not to startle them. For instance, the ages of the Nagles’ daughters at this time were Kate 7 ½, Susanah 2 ½ and young Henry just seven months old. Their two cousins across the bay at Glen Twohey (see Nagle’s chart page xx) were also both under five. Best’s journal continues:
“30th 5AM After Breakfast Mr Bowen from HMS Tortoise came along side with the Gig which he placed at Mr Sds disposal for a visit to the Copper mine which is situated some five or six miles from the Entrance of the Harbour & to the [North]. In our pull we in several places observed traces of Ore in the Cliffs and on approaching the spot where operations have been commenced the whole face of the Cliff was tinged a bright green. We landed in a small bay where we met Mr Taylor & some other Gentlemen connected with the Mine who gave us a capital lunch and then accompanied us to where their People were at work. The vein on which their experiments are being made completely perforates a small headland the ore dug out has every appearance of containing a vast percentage of Metal and traces of it are seen in every direction many of the green spots being of large extent and 70 to 80 feet high in the Cliffs but a drawback exists in the exposed situation of the mine which would render a breakwater necessary for its successful working but I do not doubt that should sufficient Capital be raised that it will prove a most profitable investment. On out way back we pulled into a cave we had noticed when going out. The roof resembled a vast fluted dome and the extent of the chamber was such that our boat a six oared gig easily turned round in it. It now began to rain & and we hastened back to the Brig…..”
On the first day of December, the Victoria weighed anchor shortly before the first light of the dawn, intent on rounding the northern point of the island before heading south to Tauranga. Spain continues:
“…and was towed partly out of the harbour, but owing to the wind being very light, she let go her anchor. About 8 a.m. she again got under weigh, and Mr Shorthand having ordered two guns to be fired, I went on board; a boat from the Tortoise helped to tow us out of the harbour. Light winds all day - sighted Couvier Island[27] [sic].” The light winds persisted until the afternoon next day, having passed the Aldermen Islands, a fresh breeze came on “which brought us abreast of Mayor Island; sighted a small schooner full of Maories standing towards the Mercury Islands.” On the morning of 3rd December, 1842, Nagle brought the brig to anchor : “under the north head of Tauranga Harbour, called Maunganui, or Great Mountain, at 8 o’clock am. Shortly after we came to anchor, we were visited by the Rev. Messrs. Brown and Kissling, from the Church Missionary station, who invited the Governor and his lady on shore. A large canoe full of natives from the Otumaitai Pah came alongside, and also a large boat apparently European build, manned by natives from the same Pah, and we soon found that this boat had been taken from two white men. About a fortnight since, two Europeans and some Maketu natives came from Maketu in this boat, bound for Auckland, and put into Katikati, and were afterwards detected by Tauranga natives stealing potatoes and kumeras from their tapu'd ground, and in consequence of which, they seized the boat and cargo (consisting of pigs and blankets) as payment for the theft and trespass, and brought her to Tauranga. About this time James Farrow, a European, of Tauranga, bound to the north with a cargo of live pigs, was obliged to put into Katikati on account of bad weather, and met with two Maketu natives, they applied to Farrow to give them a passage in his boat to Maketu, but he told them that they might accompany him to where he was bound, Tauroa, and on his return he would get them forwarded to Maketu. They consented to this arrangement, and went on board with him, and he fed and clothed them. The boat was moored near shore, with a rope from the stern attached to it, so that persons on board could land at any time, and one morning Farrow and the two Maketu natives went on shore to look at the weather from a high point of land, the former leaving his own native boy on board, with orders to look after the boat during his absence. On their return, the two natives ran down before Farrow, jumped into the boat, cut the stern-rope attached to the shore, hauled up the anchor, and put to sea. Mr Farrow's native boy jumped into the water and got ashore, from fear of being tomahawked, and told him when Mr Farrow gave them back their boy (alluding to a twelve year old Maketu tribe boy who had runaway into the bush through fear when the first European boat was sized) they would return his boat. They sailed for Maketu having taken twenty or thirty of their tribe on board, returned in Farrow's boat in two or three days afterwards to Mayor Island, which is inhabited by a part of the Tauranga natives, called the Ngaiterangi tribe, and some of them dressed themselves in European clothes, the natives on shore being ignorant of what happened, pulled off in a canoe to the boat (with which they were well acquainted) expecting to find Farrow on board. The Maketu natives fired into the canoe, when she was upset, and ultimately killed five of her crew, and took two lads prisoners with them to Maketu. They also took five dead bodies with them, part of which they eat, sending the remainder to Rotorua, which is the head station of their tribe, for a feast at that place....” Captain Able Best, in his journal, says of the Victoria’s arrival at Tauranga,
‘3rd Anchored in the outer harbour of Tauronga at 8A.M. Shortly after our arrival canoes came alongside the People in a state of great excitement they said that the natives from Maketu had made an attack on Tuhua [Mayor Island], & murdered several of its inhabitants and loudly demanded that justice should be done to them. At one stood into the Inner Harbour…’
The series of incidents Spain and Best described ruined any immediate plans that the acting Governor had of continuing to Wellington. For here was the sort of situation that required firm action.
Months before, the senior military officer in New Zealand, and the commander of the 80th Regiment based in Auckland, Major Thomas Bunbury and Edward Shortland, had communicated with each other on the problems of, and prospects for imposing military solutions on disorders met with in the colony[i]. The present ‘outbreak of hostilities between the Ngai-te-Rangi and Arawa Tribes [was] an aftermath, by a curious chain of circumstances, of Taraia's cannibal raid on Ongare, Whanake's pa on Katikati Harbour’[ii] On 5th December, Captain Best was walking south toward Maketu, with Edward Shortland and George Clarke Jr., to talk to the chief there and reconnoitre the defences at that place, when about nine miles from Tauranga, he came across a bedraggled Catholic priest hurrying to Tauranga to warn that place of an impending attack by the chief Tangaroa of Maketu. Hastily, Best wrote a note for the priest to give to Captain Nagle warning him of the danger, i.e. “that the Maketu Natives were on the point of starting in Farrow's boat and some canoes to attack the Tauranga Natives, and they would sail directly the wind was fair.” (Spain diary)
The priest arrived early the next morning, hailed the Victoria and delivered Best’s message. Spain’s diary continues:
“Captain Nagle soon had the Victoria ready for action. About 6 o'clock p.m. we, were all much, pleased to observe Captain Best, Mr.Shortland, and Mr.Clarke walking round the head towards where the ship the Natives at Maketu, who had refused to give up the boat at present, or the prisoners, and questioned the right of the Governor to interfere in the matter. They also said, that there was plenty of pork for the white men to eat, but that they preferred eating the flesh of their enemies”.
Best then went ashore once more to confer with Shortland. It was decided then to send Best and the Victoria to get troops down from Auckland.[iii] Best’s journal once more: ‘7th Having recd my despatches embarked on board Victoria weighed anchor and dropped out with the Tide Wind right in our teeth at 4P.M. Saw Yacht Albatross laying up coast apparently for Auckland. Determined not to lose so good an opportunity of at least sending the despatches should it not be convenient to Mr. Blackett to give me a passage, I directed Mr Nagle Commr Victoria to make a signal to speak him this he did shewing his colors and firing a gun. The yacht took no notice we fired a second shot and then she bore down for us but immediately hauled her wind again Capt Nagle now fired a shot across her bows & afterwards that there might be no mistake another right at her but Mr Blackett held his course and night coming on was soon out of sight….’
Light and variable winds delayed their arrival in Auckland until 7pm on the 10th. As the Victoria had made its way northward to enter the Colville Channel, they had passed Wakahou [nearby modern day Tairua] on the east coast of the Coromandel Peninsula. Here a camp was established where crew of HMS Tortoise and Maories toiled away getting spars out of the forest. In charge of the camp was William Jeffery, the Master, who, handily for the following narrative, kept a detailed journal.[iv] The Commander of the Tortoise, James Wood, had on the 10th December sent him a message to send 30 men to Nagles Cove to prepare to bring the ship down to the spar-cutting station. Jeffrey sent them away on Tuesday 13th December on the schooner ‘Three Bees’, while he readied himself to follow there himself. He saw this as one more step on the way to achieving his oft-repeated desire to get home to England. However, it was not to be quite such smooth-sailing. The Victoria’s arrival back in Auckland certainly caused a stir, and one can try and imagine the frantic activity at the barracks and port. Major Bunbury explains in his ‘reminiscences’:
‘In a few days we were embarked, taking with us a sufficiency of stores and planking for the erection of a barrack, our tents being nearly unserviceable. As the expense attending this armament would be very considerable, I stipulated that the Local Government were to provision the troops, should the expedition be detained, and seek repayment from the commissariat department in Sydney; and I suggested that the aid of Her Majesty’s ship ‘Tortoise’ should be demanded of her commander. She was then at anchor at the Great Barrier Island……I determined in the first instance to proceed with the troops to the Barrier Island, in order to confer with him [Commander James Wood]; particularly as I had discovered that the round shot belonging to the two carronades in the Government brig were too large for those pieces of ordnance, and were consequently useless. On this occasion we received from the master-commander most cordial assistance, and were supplied with ammunition, seamen and guns; an armed pinnace and marines were to follow.’
Captain Best’s journal for December, 1842 goes on:
‘11th 12th & 13th Great was the excitement in Auckland when it was known that our little detacht was about to try their Strength with the Murderous Cannibals of Maketu and various were the opinions expressed some saying that we should be sacrificed and others that our opponents would not even make a stand. Amidst such a diversity of opinion it only remained with us to use every means in our power to ensure success. Tomahawks axes and bill Hooks were speedily prepared scaling ladders constructed Timber, sandbags, spades & pickaxes hastily shipped & Tents procured that we might not be houseless or unprepared in case entrenchments should be necessary. The Pinnace was fitted with a 6 pr & sent in advance and last not least we were plentifully supplied with round Grape & Canister & about 18000 rounds of ball cartridge. On the Evg of the latter day we all embarked on board the Brig in high spirits. 14th Weighed anchor soon after daylight about noon a breeze sprang up & we anchored in Nagles cove at Midnight.
While the log of HMS Tortoise records the ‘Three Bees’ arriving on Wednesday, 14th December in the afternoon, it also records the Victoria arriving just before noon, rather than Best’s midnight previously. ‘11.30 Arrived the Colonial Government Brig Victoria with a detachment of 69 rank and file of the 80th Regiment under…’
Its much more likely the Tortoise log was sloppily kept, as Bunbury would not have waited until daylight next day to talk to Woods. Best’s journal continues:
l5th Soon after daylight Major Bunbury visited Mr Wood Commg Tortoise and explaining to him the nature of the service we were upon Mr Wood at once consented to afford him every assistance in his power and in the course of the forenoon we recieved on board a party of fifteen seamen commanded by W Woods son Two 18 pr [pounder-about 8kg] Carronades with the necessary amunition & a quantity of Signal rockets blue lights &c. The Schooner Three Bees was also ordered to proceed to Tairua to fetch a further reinforcement of fifteen Marines & the Master Mr Jeffries. We weighed again at noon & had proceeded some distance when Joy was missed on enquiry it appeared that in the confusion of recieving the stores &c he had slipped on shore no doubt having heard something which alarmed him. Had he been apprehended & sent on board of course he would have been properly secured as it was he was in no ones charge and walked off as he liked. Wind foul passed by North end of Barrier Island. Mem° Under North hummock in the Little Barrier Island a small boat harbour is said to exist. Some great…. was caused in the night by a sea breaking through the stern windows we were so crowded that some slept upon & others under the Cabin Table and as the sea walked across it was delightful to see the people tumbling up in their shirts. 16th Foul wind all day. In Evg sent Mr. Wood on shore at Tai Rua with orders to Mr Jeffries…’
William Jeffrey, records in his journal for Saturday, 17th December, that he was quietly playing a game of backgammon against another officer Lasslett at about 9pm on the previous night, when there was a knock at the door. ‘…on saying “Come in”, we were surprised to see young Wood and still more, when presenting me with a packet of letters, he said “Dispatch for you, Sir. I have come down by the Colonial brig Victoria.” On opening them I found orders to embark on board the brig with all the Marines I have on shore. There are now on board of her 15 of our seamen and
17/12/1842 Victoria off Mayor Island (Tahuna)
18/12/1842 Sunday Victoria off Mounga Nui at 9am
19/12/1842 Monday Victoria anchored at Tauranga, officials ashore.
20/12/1842 Tuesday Major Bunbury afternoon goes ashore for meeting with Chiefs.
21/12/1842 All busy disembarking and forming a camp about one third mile from Maunganui
22/12/1842 Bunbury turns up at the brig at sunrise, Best and Edward Shortland sniping.
23/12/1842 Wednesday Evening Jeffrey’s turns up in the schooner from Tairua
24/12/1842 Victoria sails for Auckland with Ed.Shortland and suite, and schooner goes too
26/12/1842 Mon - Jeffrey and Nagle on Victoria off Barrier at 2am and becalmed off Barrier about 4miles off by 5pm, so Jeffrey and 6 men to Tortoise anchored at Nagle Cove on cutter. Returning from Tauranga Jeffrey journal p58
26 Mon 7pm Arrived Mr William Jeffrey (master) with 15 Royal Marines in the first cutter. Sent both cuters in charge of Mr T. Bowen to Colonial Government Brig Victoria then several miles in the offing to bring 15 volunteer seamen lent to colonial government.
The fourth voyage - ? March to 25th March, 1843). Auckland to Nagles Cove Late Dec or early January - Victoria departs Auckland- no references -get some
3/1/1843 Victoria arrives Maunganui (Best p393)
11/1/1843 Victoria arrives in Wellington (EJ Wakefield p322)
30/1/1843 Victoria, Nagle, sails from Port Nicholson for Akaroa (EJ Wakefield p326-7)
8/2/1843 Victoria arrives in Port Nicholson from Akaroa (EJ Wakefield p326-7)
11/2/1843 Victoria, Nagle, sails from Port Nicholson for Auckland, via Nelson and Taranaki (EJ Wakefield p326-7) "it was at this time that I first saw some New Zealand copper-ore. Captain Nagle, the commander of the Government brig, was the owner of part of the Barrier Island in the Gulf of Hauraki, on which a very promising mine had been discovered. About 100 tons of ore have been since forwarded to England through Sydney. I believe a company of Sydney capitalists has been formed to work the mines; but their means are so limited that their operations appear to be suspended for the present." [written about 2 years later than when he saw the copper ore-dja].
AUCKLAND. (From the Auckland Times.) AUCKLAND. (From the Auckland Times.) The Government brig Victoria returned on Saturday last, conveying, to the place which the Colonists hope will never be his official home, the Governor and his suite. The dumb policy is continued, and we at this moment can report nothing more significant than that Captain Nagle cannot agree with Lieutenant Shortland, and that the brig recurs to the mastership of her old and respected commander, Captain Richards. New Zealand Colonist and Port Nicholson Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 69, 28 March 1843, Page 2
And returns to Nagles Cove from Auckland.
7/3/1843 Victoria sails at midnight from Auckland. Anchored in Abercrombie Harbour
8/3/1843 Landed Capt Nagle, wooded ship, and sailed at sunset for Tauranga
[more to come]
Don Armitage ©
[1] Auckland Museum Library MS… [2] Ibid. [3] Letters from the Bishop of New Zealand. 1. Auckland, July 29, 1842. [4] ‘An Account of the Voyage of the Brig Porter from England to New Zealand 1838-1841’ William Field Porter, NZMS 1256 Auckland Public Library, Special Collections. [5] Log of H.M.S. Tortoise. [6] W. Jeffrey Papers MS 618, p41. Auckland War Memorial Library [7] An Account of the Voyage of the Brig Porter from England to New Zealand 1838-1841’ William Field Porter, NZMS 1256 Auckland Public Library, Special Collections.. page 29 of transcript. [8] The New Zealand Colonist and Port Nicholson Advertiser. 12th August, 1842. [9] The New Zealand Colonist and Port Nicholson Advertiser. (From NZ Gazette Aug 10)12th August, 1842, page 2. [10] Find reference to date of departure. [11] ‘Our Maories’ Lady Martin, pages 14 & 15. [12] ‘New Zealand Shipwrecks 1795-1985’ C.W.N. Ingram, 6th Edition, 1982. pX, [13] The New Zealand Colonist and Port Nicholson Advertiser. 14th October, 1842 [14] Selwyn letters [15] The Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Vol.1, Issue 34, 29th Oct.1842, p134 [16] Because of his involvement in the Wairau Massacre. [17] Selwyn letters [18] The New Zealand Colonist and Port Nicholson Advertiser 15th November, 1842 [19] The New Zealand Colonist and Port Nicholson Advertiser 1st November, 1842 [20] The New Zealand Colonist and Port Nicholson Advertiser. 15th November, 1842 [21] ‘Journal of Ensign Best’ edited by Nancy M. Taylor page 63. [22] ADC means ‘Aide de camp’- in military affairs, an officer serving as assistant and confidential secretary to a person of high rank. [23] Journal of Ensign Best’ edited by Nancy M. Taylor page 378 [24] Was at this time Sub-Protector of Aborigines. [‘Aborigine’ means ‘first inhabitant of a country’ Websters Dictionary]. [25] Contained in a report by David Rough to the Colonial Secretary in Auckland dated 29th December, 1842. (CO209/20 NZ: Despatches Jan-Apr 1843, pp148-150). Courtesy research by Don Hansen, Wellington, NZ. [26] William Spain has probably mis-spelt the name ‘Chalmers’ as ‘Chambers’. See William Chalmers in index. [27] Cuvier Island |
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Voyages of the Colonial brig 'Victoria' 1842-3 |