Historical.] SUBANTARCTIC ISLANDS OF NEW ZEALAND. xui 



Auckland Group, after Lord Auckland, a friend of Captain Bristow's father. 

 Bristow did not land, but returned in October of the following year in another of 

 the firm's vessels — the " Sarah " — and cast anchor in a harbour known to this day 

 as Sarah's Bosom. For the assistance of sailors who might frequent the island 

 Bristow liberated pigs on shore. Returning home a full ship, the "Sarah" was, 

 in October, 1809, captured by a privateer called the "Revenge," but the following 

 month was recaptured by the " Enterprise." 



The only other important event in the sealing trade of the islands during 1807 

 was the placing of a gang upon the Bounties by the captain of the " Santa Anna." 

 The importance of the event lay in the fact that among the gang, which endured 

 intense privations for several months, was a Maori chief named Ruatara, who had 

 shipped on board the " Santa Anna " in order to reach London and see King George. 

 When at last he reached London the captain treated him cruelly, and shipped him 

 back to Australia without his wish being gratified. The Rev. S. Marsden was a 

 passenger by the same boat, and, ascertaining the condition of the Maori, nursed 

 him back to health again. Ruatara never forgot the kindness, and the friendship 

 commenced under such singular circumstances played a very important part in 

 Marsden's later mission to New Zealand. 



Following upon these events the discovery of Foveaux Strait (1808-9) opened 

 up to the sealers fresh fields, rich in skins, and old vessels in the trade concentrated 

 their attention upon the shores of Stewart Island. 



About the middle of 1810 a vessel called the " Perseverance," owned by Camp- 

 bell and Co., of Sydney, and commanded by F. Hasselbourgh, was engaged in 

 searching for fresh fields to replace the sealing-grounds which, under indiscriminate 

 plunder, were now failing to supply payable cargoes. Hasselbourgh was successful in 

 discovering two islands. One of these he called after the owner of his vessel — Camp- 

 bell Island — and the other after the Governor of New South Wales — Macquarie Island. 

 No sooner had the news of the discovery reached Sydney than, within a few days 

 of one another, no less than six vessels set sail for the islands. Macquarie Island 

 was found to be the richer, on account of the vast number of sea-elephants which 

 at certain seasons visited its shores; but Campbell Island did a steady trade for 

 many years in seal-skins. 



A sad accident befell the discoverer on his second visit to Campbell Island. 

 On Sunday, the 4th November, 1810, Captain Hasselbourgh set out in a boat to 

 ascertain if certain oil-casks he had left ashore were safe, and on his return a 

 sudden gust of wind struck the boat broadside on, with the result that she filled and 

 sank. Of the six persons thrown into the water, no less than two miles from land, 

 three, including the captain himself, were drowned, and the remainder managed to 

 gain the shore. 



It is an indication of the thorough manner in which the captains of the small 

 sealing-craft of the early part of the nineteenth century scoured the ocean to discover 

 seal-rookeries that as early as 1810 they had placed on the map of the Southern 

 Pacific every one of the islands known up to this time. 



