Tahiti's First Ships
pp. 39-40 · Read in the full issue
Valuable Historical Compilation
By W. W. Bolton, M.A.
(NOTE. —Here is an invaluable addition to the history of Eastern Polynesia. Mr. W. W. Bolton, M.A., an Englishman, resident at Papeete, Tahiti, has devoted several years to exact historical research; and, from an examination of endless data, he has compiled the following list of the first ships to visit Tahiti. This list, and especially the notes attached thereto, should serve to correct many errors.) THE arrivals of the earliest ships at Tahiti, up to 180 L were as follow: 1767.—H.M.5. “Dolphin": Captain Wal lis. Made a stay of 36 days. Left a pennant flying ashore. (See note.) 1768. —Frigate “Boudense”: de Bougain ville. Stay of nine days. 1769.—H.M.5. “Endeavour”: Cook. Stay of 90 days. 1772 —Frigate “Aguila”: Boenechea. Stay of 30 days. (Tracking the English in Spain’s preserve.) 1773.—H.M.5. “Resolution”: Cook. Stay of 15 days. 1774.—H.M.5. “Resolution”: Cook. Stay of 22 days. 1774—Frigate “Aguila”: Boenechea. Stay of 60 days. (Brought two priests who stayed 350 days.) 1775. —Frigate "Aguila”: Langara. Stay of nine days. (Took the priests back to Peru.) 1777.—H.M.5. “Resolution”: Cook. Stay of 49 days. 1788. —“Lady Penrhyn”, a convict ship on its way home from N.S.W. 1788.—“ Bounty”: Bligh. 1789. —Swedish vessel: Cox, the master.
Left a Union Jack as a gift to Pomare. (See note.) 1791. —“Pandora”: Edwards. Carried off the “Bounty” mutineers who had remain ed on Tahiti. 1791. —H.M..S. “Discovery”: Vancouver. 1792. —“Matilda”: A whaling ship.
Wrecked in the Tuamotus. No loss of life. 1792. —“Providence”: Bligh. 1793. —“Prince William Henry”. Bore off the “Matilda’s” crew. 1793. —“Doedulus”: A store ship. Two Swedes deserted and “went native”; be came useful as interpreters. 1797. —“Duff”: Captain James Wilson, with L.M.S. party. 1798 (March).—“Nautilus”: A whaling ship. Bore off 11 of the L.M.S. band. 1798 (August).—“Sally”: A whaling ship. Explosion of powder secured by na tives killed the High Chief Temarii. 1798 (August).—“Cornwall”: A whaling ship. 1801—“ Royal Admiral”: Captain Wil liam Wilson. A convict ship.
Notes On The Above
All these ships dropped anchor at Ma tavai (now known as Point Venus), ex cept de Bougainville, at Hitiaa, and the Spaniards, at Tautira.
The pennant that Wallis set up ashore, at Mata via, was coolly borne off by Amo and Purea, to be used by their young son Teriirere at his marae in the district of Papara as a symbol of political power over the Teva clan. It had further travels, being borne off in triumph, later on, by their enemy Tutaha, to his marae at Paea. There Cook saw it ornamented with yellow, black and red feathers. Later still, when Pomare mastered Paea, he carried it off to his marae at Pare-Arue, the district where Wallis had planted it.
The Union Jack of Captain Cox gave added lustre to Pomare’s claim to suprem acy and added bitter offence to his re lentless opponents.
Boenechea laying claim to Tahiti for his sovereign raised a wooden cross ashore inscribed: “Christus vincit—Carolus 111., Imperator,T774”. Cook, on his last visit, inscribed on the reverse side of the cross: “Georgius tertius Rex —Anni, 1767—1769. 1773-1774 et 1777”. Carolus, on hearing of this, gave orders for its removal. But that mission never arrived—Spain had her hands full elsewhere.
The “Duff” did not arrive a second time at Tahiti. It started, but was cap tured by a Buonaparte privateer, off Cape
Frio, on February 19, 1799, and was sold at Montevideo. Its end is unknown Those aboard made their way back to England, after considerable difficulty and privation. This historic craft was a ves sel of 267 tons, its length 96i feet, its beam 25 ft. 8 inches. It had two decks, three masts, a square stern and a man head. It cost the L.M.S. £5,000. Leaving Tahiti in 1797, the “Duff” was headed for Canton, where tea was shipped, for which the East India company paid £4,800 on the “Duff’s” return to London, on July
11. 1798. Its flag was “purple, with three doves argent, bearing olive branches in their bills”.
There were 25 souls landed at Matavai from the “Duff”, viz., 17 men, 5 women and 3 children. Of the men, whose ages ran from 20 to 37, there were 4 minis ters, 4 carpenters, a bricklayer, a wheel wright, a gardener, a grazier, a harness maker, a weaver, a tailor, a shoemaker and a linen-draper. The graves of three of these are on Tahiti, and one on Moo rea, beyond Tahiti. Two lie at Parra matta, N.S.W., one at Ryde, N.S.W., one at Port Jackson, N.S.W., and one was lost with his ship at sea. The remaining eight returned to England.
The “Royal Admiral” provided accom modation for only nine—all men. The graves of two of these lie on Tahiti, and one on Moorea.
All the above graves, on the two is lands, are known and marked.