Explorers

The ancestors of the Maori first arrived in NZ around the 1300’s but Maori oral histories also tell of there being other peoples in NZ when they arrived including red headed and fair skinned people and both small people and giants. [4]

The most commonly accepted first visit by Europeans to New Zealand was the visit by the Dutch explorer Abel Janszoon TASMAN in 1642 with two ships the Zeehaen and the Heemskerk and approximately 110 men.

However there have been a number of claims made that other European explorers also visited New Zealand long before TASMAN. There are also claims that Chinese and Arabs (circa 790) also traveled as far as New Zealand even earlier than the 1500’s.[1]. A reasonably detailed discussion of possible earlier visits can be found in “Historic Poverty Bay”. [2]

The book “1421” by Gavin MENZIES is about the large Chinese fleets that sailed to many places around the world from around 700 to the late 1400’s. (see his website)

The author includes a detailed discussion of voyages to NZ and even possible settlement in NZ by the Chinese.

“To the Ends of the Earth”, a book Mr Hilliam co-wrote with New Zealand pre-historians Maxwell C Hill and Gary Cook, published in 2012, detailed evidence the authors said convinced them that Greek-Egyptians and others sailed to and settled New Zealand long before the arrival of Maori.[3]

Recent documentaries speculate about human occupation in NZ dating back two to three thousand years. [4]

There have been claims that a Frenchman Bigot Paulmier de GONNEVILLE discovered NZ around 1503 and took two Maori back with him to France however it is most likely the land GONNEVILLE discovered and named Terra Australis was in fact Brazil and the native he took back to France was a Carijo Indian.[5].

It is possible that the Portuguese may have traveled as far as New Zealand in the 1500’s. Several books claim that the Portuguese discovered NZ in 1521-2. [6], [8] Early maps produced by the French and probably reproduced from original maps produced by Cristoval de Mendonca, a Portuguese Explorer, who was searching for “El Dorado”, would seem to prove that he traveled from Mallaca, and down the east coast of Australia and then circumnavigated the North Island of New Zealand. According to this account he entered Wellington Harbour, traveled up the east coast and also stopped in Tryphena Harbour on Great Barrier Island.
In 1526 A Spanish Caravel San Lesmes was lost from Garcia LOAYSA’s fleet and may have visited NZ before being wrecked on the Australian coast. [2], [6]

Another researcher has claimed that the Spanish explorer Juan FERNANDEZ visited New Zealand in 1576 [10]. He also claims that Juan’s son FERNANDEZ was murdered in Wellington Harbour.

Yet another researcher mounts a plausible case for the visit to Dusky Sound, NZ in 1600-01 of a Dutch ship the “Hendrick Federick” commanded by Pieter ESAIASZOON de LINT. [12]

A number of verbal histories of Maori tell of visits by foreigners long before Able Tasman. There are also some unexplained ‘mysteries’ which could support some of the theories. Namely the discovery of a Spanish helmet in Wellington Harbour [6], a Tamil Bell found being used by a Maori tribe in Auckland area as a cooking pot and more recently speculation over the source of a tree growing in Spain which would appear to be a pohutakawa tree. However there is another explanation for the “Spanish Helmet” and that is that the helmet was brought to Wellington by an immigrant in 1840. (see article in The Dominion [11] )

Another unexplained mystery has been the discovery of a skull in a river bed in the Wairararapa which has been identified as being that of a female European dated some 300 years ago. ( ie: circa 1700). ( in 2005 carbon dating had 296 years plus or minus 34 years).

A shipwreck has been found in the Kaipara Harbour (1982) and pieces of wood from this were estimated to be around 300 years old. Recent carbon dating puts the ship as being built in 1705 plus or minus 9 years. This would mean the ship arrived after TASMAN but long before COOK.

There exists a Dutch map which pre-dates TASMAN’s visit which includes a vague outline of land which is named Zelandia Nova. (JC)

In October 1769, Captain James COOK arrived in NZ in the Endeavour and on the 8th October landed in Poverty Bay. He was to return again in 1773 in the Resolution accompanied by Captain Tobias FURNEAUX in the Adventurer and again in 1777 in the Resolution accompanied by Captain Charles CLERKE in the Discovery. [15],[16]

A French explorer, Jean Francois-Marie de SURVILLE also arrived in New Zealand in the ship the St Jean-Baptiste on the 12 December 1769, some months after James COOK, and in fact the two ships passed each other on the west coast of the North Island but neither ship saw the other. On the 16th December De SURVILLE anchored for 14 days in Doubtless Bay and possibly visited the Bay of Islands before continuing on to Peru where de SURVILLE drowned.

In 1772 Captain MARION du FRESNE in the Mascarin accompanied by M du CLESMEUR in the Marquis de Castries visited the Bay of Islands. Du FRESNE and 26 of his crew were massacred in Te Hue Bay (Assassination Cove), Bay of Islands.

in 1788 the French explorer La PEROUSE in the Astrolabe may have visited Queen Charlotte Sound. After visiting Botany Bay he disappeared in the South Pacific. Remains of the ship and crew were eventually discovered in Vanikoro in the Solomon Islands.

In 1791 another British expedition under the command of George VANCOUVER, stopped at Dusky Sound. He had two ships, the Discovery and the Chatham.

From 1791 sealers and whalers started to arrive in New Zealand. (see Sealers and Whalers).

In 1792 the HMS Gorgon under the command of Captain John PARKER sailed close to North Cape but never landed in NZ.

In 1793 a French expedition led by Joseph-Antoine Bruni d’ENTRECASTEAUX with two ships the Recherche and Esperance sailed from Tasmania and on the 10th March stopped close to the North Cape of New Zealand for the night and traded with Maori. The next day the ships continued on towards Tahiti.

In 1793 a Spanish expedition under the command of the Italian Alejandro MALASPINA visited the south of New Zealand during an extended exploration of the Pacific in two vessels, the Descubierta and the Atrevida

In 1820 a Russian expedition with two ships, the Vostok and the Mirnyy led by Fabian BELLINGHAUSEN spent from 28th May to 9th June 1820 in Queen Charlotte Sound in New Zealand.[16]

In 1824 a French expedition under the command of Louis DUPERREY in the ship Coquille arrived in New Zealand (arrived Bay of Islands 20 March 1824). The second in command was Jules D’URVILLE who was to return again in 1826 and 1840, both times as Captain of the Astrolabe (the same Coquille but re-named as the Astrolabe) and in 1840 he had a second ship the Zelee under the command of Captain Charles-Hector JACQUINOT .

A final French adventurer arrived in 1830. This was Cyrille LAPLACE in command of the ship La Favorite.

In 1840 The US Exploring Expedition under the command of Charles WILKES visited NZ.

In 1841 James C ROSS and Francis CROZIER spent 3 months in New Zealand en-route to the Antarctica with two ships, HMS Erebus and HMS Terror.

Early Visitors

The Daedulus with an agent Lt. HANSON visited Bay of Islands in early 1793 and kidnapped two young Maori and took them to Sydney and they then were transported to Norfolk Island, arriving April 1793, in the belief that they could provide instructions on how to prepare flax. Governor KING took these two back to New Zealand in the Britannia in November 1793.

John SAVAGE visiting the Bay of Islands in September and October 1805 and wrote a journal [18] . He was probably the first European to spend some time in this area.

John Liddiard NICHOLAS visited the Bay of Islands arriving 22nd December 1814 on the Active and leaving again in February 1815 on the Active. [19]

In 1826 Allan CUNNINGHAM, the government botanist from Sydney arrived in the Bay of Islands.(returned again 1838)

In 1827 Augustus EARLE, artist spent 9 months in NZ [20]

In February 1834 the 33 year old Englishman, Edward MARKHAM arrived in the Hokianga from Australia and stayed in NZ for 9 months. He wrote a manuscript, “New Zealand or Recollections Of It” [21]

In December 1835 Charles DARWIN, aboard the Beagle spent 10 days in New Zealand whilst on his famous around the world voyage.

References

“Pre-Tasman Explorers” by Ross WISEMAN, Discovery press, Auckland 1998.
“Historic Poverty Bay”, written by J A MacKAY, 1949.
“To the Ends of the Earth” by Noel HILLIAM, Maxwell HILL and Gary COOK.
Skeletons in the Cupboard. Documentary films by Gabi PLUMM. ( available on youtube)
Auckland Maritime Museum
Scowen, Greg. The Spanish Helmet. Whare Rama Books (fiction)
see Wikipedia
Spanish Helmet dated 1580 see Te Papa Museum
“Beyond Capricorn” by Peter TRICKETT.
“Chance Discovery of Australia and New Zealand By Portuguese and Spanish Navigators Between 1521 and 1528”.
Herve, Roger (translated By John DUNMORE)
The Dominion, 3rd August 1932, p6.
article by Rex BENNETT, Dutch arrival in New Zealand before Tasman in New Zealand Legacy, the Journal of the New Zealand Federation of Historical Societies, Vol.25, No.3, 2013
“The Spanish Discovery of NZ in 1576” by Ross WISEMAN
NZ Geographic Magazine. february 2009
Endeavour by Peter Aughton published 1999, Windrush Press, Gloucestershire, England.
“The Voyage of the Endeavour” by Alan FROST published 1998, Allen and Unwin, NSW, Australia
“Bellinghausen a visit to New Zealand 1820” by Glynn BARRATT.
“Savage’s New Zealand” John SAVAGE reprint 1932 ed. N L McKINLAY
“Narrative of Voyage to New Zealand” by John NICHOLAS
“Nine Months Residence in New Zealand” by Augustus EARLE
Edited by E. H. McCORMACK and published by Government Print in 1963.