GISUuKNE, POVERTY BAY, IN 1890. 



HISTORICAL REVIEW OF NEW ZEALAND. 



EARLY DISCOVERY. 



I " HE French and Portuguese both claim the honour of discovering New Zealand, but 

 the Dutch are entitled to the distinction. Captain Abel Janszen Tasman anchored 

 in Cook Strait during December, 1642. He had been sent on a voyage of discovery 

 by Van Diemen, the Governor of Batavia, having under his command the yacht 

 Ifccmskcrck and the fly-boat Zcc/iacn. After visiting Mauritius, he stood to sea on the 

 8th of September, and discovered Van Diemen's Land in November of the same year, 

 whence he proceeded to the eastward and sighted land on the 131!! of December, 1642, 

 which he named Staaten Land, but which was subsequently named " New Zealand " by 

 Captain Cook. At sunset on the i8th of the month the vessels -cast anchor in Cook 

 Strait, when an hour after, says the journal of Tasman, " we saw several lights on the 

 land, and four vessels coming from the shore towards us. Two of these were our own 

 boats. The people in the other boats called to us in a loud, strong, rough voice ; what 

 they said we did not understand ; however, we called to them again in place of an 

 answer. They repeated their cries several times, but did not come near us ; they sounded 

 also an instrument like a Moorish trumpet, and we answered by blowing our trumpet. 

 Guns were ready prepared, and small arms for an emergency, and strict watch kept." 



On the day following, a canoe paddled near the Zcchacn ; but, though tempted by 

 the proffer of food and objects of desire, none of the persons in the canoe could be 



