82 Transactions. 



The following is a copy of Captain Stanley's report, dated 17tli 

 September, 1840 : — 



I have the honour to inform your Excellency that I proceeded in Her Majesty's 

 sloop under my command to the port of Akaroa, in Banks Peninsula, where I arrived 

 on August 10th after a very stormy passage, during which the stern' boat was washed 

 away and one of the quarter- boats stove. The French frigate " L'Aube " had not 

 arrived when I anchored, nor had any French emigrants been landed. August 11th 

 I landed, accomjmnied by Messrs. Murphy and Robinson, police magistrates, and visited 

 the only two parts of the bay where there were houses ; at both places a flag was 

 hoisted, and a court, of which notice had been given the day before, held by the 

 magistrates. Having received information that there were three whaling-stations on 

 the southern side of tlie peninsula, the exposed positions of wliich afforded no anchorage 

 for the " Britomart," 1 sent Messrs. jMurphj^ and Robinson to visit them in a whale- 

 boat. At each station the flag was hoisted and a court held. On August 15th the 

 French frigate " L'Aube " arrived, having been four days off the point. On August 

 16th the French whaler " Gomte de Paris," having on board fifty-seven French 

 emigrants, arrived. With the exception of M. Belligni, from the Jardin des Plantes, 

 who is sent to look after the emigrants, and who is a good botanist and mineralogist, 

 the emigrants are all of the lower order, and include carpenters, 'gardeners, stone- 

 masons, labourers, a baker, a miner — m all thirty men, eleven women, and the rest 

 children. Cajtain Lavaud, on the arrival of the French emigrants, assured me on his 

 word of honour that he would observe strict neutrality between the English residents 

 and the emigrants, and should any dift'erence arise he would settle matters impar- 

 tially. Captain Lavaud also informed me that, as the " Comte de Paris " has to proceed 

 to sea, whaHng, he would cause the emigrants to be landed on some unoccupied part 

 of the bay, where he pledged himself thej' would do nothing which would be con- 

 sidered hostile to the Government, and that until fresh instructions were received from 

 our respective Governments the emigrants would merely build themselves houses for 

 shelter and clear away what little land they might require for gardens. Upon visiting 

 the " Comte de Paris " I found she had on board, besides agricultural tools for the 

 settlers, six long 24-pounders. mounted on field carriages. I immediately called on 

 Captain Lavaud to protest against the gims being landed. Captain Lavaud effesured 

 me that he had been much surprised at finding guns had been sent out in the " Comte 

 de Paris," but that he had already given the most positive orders that they should 

 not be landed. On August 19th, the French emigrants having been landed in a 

 sheltered well-chosen part of the bay, where they could not interfere ^\'ith anyone, 

 I handed over to Messrs. Murphj^ and Robinson the instructions entrusted to me by 

 your Excellency to meet such a contingency. Mr. Robinson, finding that he could 

 engage three or four Englishmen as constables, and having been enabled, through the 

 kindness of Captain Lavaud, to purchase a boat from the French whaler, decided 

 upon remaining. Captain Lavaud expressed much satisfaction when I informed him 

 Mr. Robinson was to remain, and immediately offered him the use of his cabin and table 

 so long as the " Aube " remained at Akaroa. Mr. Robinson acceioted Captain Lavaud's 

 offer until he could establish himself on shore. On August 27th I sailed from Akaroa 

 to Pigeon Ba}', where, finding no inhabitants, I merely remained long enough to survey 

 the harbour, which, though narrow and exposed to the westward, is well sheltered 

 from every other wind; and is much frequented liy whalers, who procure a great 

 number of pigeons. From Pigeon Bay I went to Port CoojDcr, where Mr. Murphy held 

 a court. Several chiefs were joresent and seemed to understand and appreciate 

 Mr. Murphy's proceedings in one or two cases that came before him. Between Port 

 Coojier and Cloudy Bay I could hear of no anchorage whatever from the whalers who 

 frequented the coast. I arrived at Port Nicholson on SejDtember 2nd, embarked Messrs. 

 Shortland and Smart, and sailed for the Bay of Islands on September 16th. I have the 

 honour to enclose hercMdth such information as I was enabled to procure during my 

 stay at Banks Peninsula, and also plans of the harbours. 



One enclosure is an interesting table of ports and whaling-stations in 

 the peninsula visited by Captain Stanley, but as it does not bear on the 

 subject it is not copied ; from it is gathered, however, that the European 

 population at the time of Captain Stanley's visit numbered over eighty. 



It will be observed that no note whatever is made of " taking posses- 

 sion." The log of the " Britomart " is equally reticent. A copy of the 

 log was obtained by Mr. Guy H. Scholefield in London, and from it the 

 following particulars are gathered. The sloop-of-war " Britomart,"' Captain 



