Hocken. — Early Visits of the French to New Zealand. 151 



to describe it further. Still proceeding up the east coast, a 

 short stay was made at Akaroa and Banks Peninsula. 



Five months later — in August, 1840 — the French vessel 

 " Comte de Paris " entered the Akaroa Harbour with sixty 

 emigrants on board, only to find her arrival anticipated by the 

 English man-of-war " Britomart." With a more detailed 

 account of this incident this paper may be fitly concluded. It 

 is very probable that D'Urville had knowledge of the expected 

 arrival of this vessel, in which case his visit to Akaroa — a har- 

 bour somewhat difficult of approach by a sailing-vessel — is 

 explained. He did not, however, hold it in any estimation as 

 a place for settlement ; it was somewhat superior to Otago, and 

 that was the outside of its merits. His sojourn at the Bay of 

 Islands was of four days' duration ; but, as already intimated, 

 the amount of information he and his officers collected regarding 

 the new condition of things was very extensive, varied, and 

 certainly not favourable to the English, whom he apparently 

 viewed as interlopers, about to drive away all trade but their 

 own, and usurp to themselves the Bay of Islands, hitherto free 

 to all nationalities. Many little incidents occurred to mark as 

 well as mar his short sojourn. Shortly after his arrival at 

 the Bay of Islands Captain Hobson's secretary paid him 

 an official visit, offering, on behalf of Captain Hobson, any 

 assistance or services which could be rendered. The inter- 

 view was formal and trivial, and any discussion on the 

 subject of taking possession was avoided by D'Urville, who 

 concluded the interview by informing the secretary that, whilst 

 happy to return the visit, it must be to Captain Hobson simply 

 as an officer of the Royal Navy, and not as the Governor of 

 a British colony. D'Urville could not therefore have been 

 astonished, on returning the visit, to find the Governor 

 " out," and not expected to return until the evening. He 

 called upon Mrs. Williams, the wife of the missionary ; her 

 reception, he remarked, was cold, but polite. Still, he had 

 something his own way. The 1st of May was the anniversary of 

 King Louis Philippe's accession to the throne, and this he cele- 

 brated with ceremonial proper to the occasion. The vessels 

 were dressed in flags, and a thundering salute of twenty-one 

 guns broke the echoes of the surrounding hills — a proceeding 

 thrice repeated during the day. The British man-of-war 

 " Buffalo," from Sydney, dropped her anchor early the same 

 morning, but neglected for a long time to display her flag, in 

 compliment and in accordance with the etiquette obtaining 

 between ships of war of different nations. The " Buffalo " 

 was evidently sent down on patrol duty, and to watch 

 D'Urville's movements, for as his vessels finally left the 



