Hamilton. — On a Massacre at Otogo Heads in 1817. 141 



Art. XVI. — On an Account of a Massacre at the Entrance 

 of Dunedin Harbour in tJie Year 1817. 



By A. Hamilton. 



[Read before the Otago Institute, 11th -June, 1<S9.5.] 

 Plate II. 



In searching the old files of the Otago Witness for 1858 I 

 came across the following account of a massacre at the 

 Otago Heads, at the entrance to Dunedin Harbour, or, as the 

 account calls it, " Port Daniel." Though evidently written 

 in a guarded manner, the narrative appeared to me to be 

 probably founded on fact, and I therefore made inquiry into 

 the matter, to obtain, if possible, corroborative evidence. The 

 scene of the episode is called " Port Daniel, a place only 

 known to Europeans within the last seven years." I made 

 many inquiries from old residents, but cannot hear that this 

 name was ever given to the harbour, nor does it appear on 

 any of the old charts or plans. The usual name for the 

 inlet appears to have been " the Eiver." I then made in- 

 quiries in Tasmania, through the librarian of the public 

 library, Mr. Taylor, and he very kindly sent me a copy of 

 the original article as it appears in the files of the Hobart 

 paper, agreeing in every respect with that in the Witness. 

 He also gave me the references to the shipping news of that 

 date, in which the " Sophia " cleared for New Zealand on the 

 given date, and also the date of her return. He said that the 

 ship and her owners were well known, and that he had every 

 reason to believe that the account given was a correct one. 

 It may be mentioned that Mr. Kelly was the man vv'ho made 

 an adventurous voyage round Tasmania in an open boat in the 

 year 1815. 



The extract from the Otago Witiiess-' is as follows : — 



it 



" Adventure at Otago Forty Years Ago. 



" (From the Hobart Town Courier.) 



The ' Old Stager ' has handed to us a narrative of events 

 that happened to him on the south-east coast of New Zea- 

 land, part of which was published on his return to the port in 

 Bent's Hobart Toivn Gazette and Southern Reporter of 28th 

 March, 1818. Full details of the narrative were not fur- 

 nished, but now for the first time are completed from his 

 ' ancient log.' Port Daniel, where the scene of the adven- 



* 21st August, 1858. 



