University of Otago Library
Letter: Captain James Gordon to Reverend Samuel Marsden, 8 November 1813
Captain
James
Gordon
Author
Reverend
Samuel
Marsden
Receiver
text
Letter
New South Wales, Australia
8 November 1813
14 November 1814
Notes about where the letter was created: Sydney, New South Wales
eng
text/html
244 x 198 mm
3 leaves
5 pages
reformatted digital
Letter was sent to New South Wales, Australia
Notes about the destination address: Parramatta, New South Wales
Hocken Collections' Title: Captain J. Gordon to Marsden
James
Gordon
Rev
Marsden
Sydney
-33.861293,151.212645
New South Wales
-31.16581,147.034149
Novemr
1813
Sir
New Zealanders
Bay Of Islands
-35.17886,174.169586
Massacres
Massacre
Boyd
ship
1808
Tippahee
Campbell
August
September
Elizabeth
Captn
Bodie
Cockerell
February
March
Indigenous peoples
Native
Potatoes
Potatoes
Mate
Canoes and canoeing
Canoe
Hingston
Speke
ship
Mattinson
1810
Foveaux
1810
Master
English
Campbells
Maori language
Language
Conversation
Conversation
Captns
Flax
Flax
Plants
Plant
Fishes
Fish
Port Jackson
-36.61458,175.44906
Revd
Saml
Hocken Collections, University of Otago Library, Dunedin, New Zealand.
http://www.marsdenarchive.otago.ac.nz/MS_0054_015
http://www.marsdenarchive.otago.ac.nz/MS_0054_015_001
http://www.marsdenarchive.otago.ac.nz/MS_0054_015_002
http://www.marsdenarchive.otago.ac.nz/MS_0054_015_003
http://www.marsdenarchive.otago.ac.nz/MS_0054_015_004
http://www.marsdenarchive.otago.ac.nz/MS_0054_015_005
http://www.marsdenarchive.otago.ac.nz/MS_0054_015_006
MS_0054_015
Trimble 15
CMS Number 15
The manuscript images, transcripts and metadata displayed on the Marsden Online Archive site are governed by a Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 New Zealand (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 NZ) copyright agreement (available at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/nz/). Please contact the Hocken Collections, University of Otago Library, Dunedin, New Zealand for more information.
University of Otago Library
2015-06-11T11:24:10+12:00
machine generated
eng
Letter: Captain James Gordon to Reverend Samuel Marsden, 8 November 1813
Captain James Gordon
University of Otago Library
Digitised from the Hocken Library
Collection Number MS-0054/015
Trimble 15
CMS Number 15
Digitised by the Marsden Online Archive
Library of Congress Subject Headings
Letter
Maori Subject Headings
Reverend Samuel Marsden
8 November 1813
New South Wales, Australia
New South Wales, Australia
14 November 1814
British English
Massacres
Authority
Indigenous peoples
Potatoes
Canoes and canoeing
Maori language
Conversation
Flax
Plants
Fishes
Art
James
Gordon
Marsden
Sydney
New south wales
Novemr
1813
New zealanders
Bay of islands
Massacre
Boyd
Authority
1808
Tippahee
Campbell
August
September
Elizabeth
Bodie
Cockerell
February
March
Native
Potatoes
Mate
Canoe
Hingston
Speke
Mattinson
1810
Foveaux
1810
English
Campbells
Language
Conversation
Flax
Plant
Fish
Port jackson
Art
Saml
MS 54/15
Capt. James Gordon to the Rev. S. Marsden
Sydney
New South Wales
8 Novemr 1813
Dear Sir
I now sit down to comply as far as lays in my Power with your Request of Information respecting the New Zealanders, and those Circumstances which occurred at the Bay of Islands in New Zealand previous to the Massacre of the Crew of the Ship Boyd, and tho’ not an Eye-Witness to the Outrage, you will perceive on reading this that I had my Information from the most undoubted Authority.—
In the Winter of 1808 the New Zealand Chieftain Tippahee arrived in this Port in the Brig Commerce from the Bay of Islands, and as he was paid particular Attention to, by Mr Campbell I had very frequent Opportunities to see him— In the Month of August or September following the Ship Elizabeth, Captn Bodie arrived from the Fishery off the Coast of New Zealand; on the Day of his Arrival Mr Campbell & Family dined out, and no Person at Home but Mr R. Campbell Jun[io]r and myself we asked Captn Bodie and Captn Cockerell to dine with us, and about 10 Minutes before Dinner Tippahee accidentally was passing
thro’
through
the Yard and I asked him also— While sitting at Table I observed that Captn Bodie and Tippahee were not very good Friends and that the latter appeared
very uneasy in his Presence, on asking Bodie what occasioned it he related to us the following Circumstance— In the Month of February or March 1808
Captn Bodie went into the Bay of Islands for the Purpose of refitting his Ship and to obtain Refreshments for his Crew— one Day while laying at Anchor, Tippahee went on board to pay him a Visit and was very kindly received by Bodie, in the mean time a Native came on board with whom Bodie made a Bargain to give him 20 Nails for 20 Baskets of Potatoes, the Man brought his Potatoes on board and Bodie having occasion to go below desired the Mate to receive the Potatoes and give him 20 Nails which was done,— a Shower of Rain happening at the Instant the whole of the Natives then on board went on shore except Tippahee— when the Shower was over, Bodie came on Deck and counted his Baskets and finding only 19 he fell into a violent Rage, seized Tippahee up to the Rigging and there kept him for 5 or 6 Hours’ till he was ransomed with a Basket of Potatoes, tho’ Tippahee offered to go on shore in his own Canoe which was alongside and bring him the Potatoes, but Bodie would not suffer him, and the Reason of his being kept so long was in Consequence of another Shower of Rain which kept the Natives on Shore— This Captn Bodie related in Tippahee’s Presence in such an exulting Manner that he put him in a Rage so violent, (even gnashing his Teeth, and distorting every Muscle in most horrid Manner) that I was obliged to walk with him
into the Garden to appease him. Bodie said that he was sorry afterwards, as he found the Basket of Potatoes in the Forecastle of the Ship it having been stole by one of his own Sailors—
Captn Hingston of the Ship Speke also related in my Presence his having flogged Tippahee because he could not find an Ax which had been stole from some of the People on shore cutting Wood, when probably the Fellow had sold the Ax for a Matt—
I was also informed by Captn Mattinson of the Ship Spring-Grove that he was Eye-Witness to the Cruelty and Injustice practised towards the New Zealanders at the Bay of Islands by the different Masters and Crews of the Ships which were laying there in 1810 when Col[onel]: Foveaux went from hence in the Brig Experiment; and from Information I have accidentally received, I have every Reason to believe they have been most barbarously treated, particularly at the Bay of Islands.—
Since the year 1810 I have been 4 Voyages to Sea as Master of a Vessel, and except one Voyage, I had always 2 or 3 New Zealanders with me as Sailors, and I must say that I never saw in them the least Disposition to be quarrelsome either with each other or with the English Sailors, but on the contrary very obedient quiet and industrious Men, one of whom we had in Mr Campbells Employ for near 4 Years— and for 14 Months of the Time he had been
on an Island with no Associates except English Men, by which he had obtained sufficient of the English
Language to hold a conversation among Sailors— And I have heard from several Captns in Mr Campbell’s Employ that the New Zealanders that they had with them were just such Characters as I found those who were with me—
It is now little more than 3 months since I arrived from New Zealand where I had been to explore the Country for the Flax
Plant and as we were so fortunate as to meet with the Object of our Pursuit at the first of our landing we had not much Intercourse with the Natives, but those we met with at a Village near Macquarrie Harbour, on the South Extremity of the middle Island were extremely Friendly for as soon as we arrived at the Village they commenced cooking Potatoes and Fish for us and when we left them the Women loaded themselves with Potatoes and carried them at least 6 or 7 Miles over a very rugged Country to the Boats—
Having asked my Opinion whether a friendly Intercourse could not be established between Port Jackson and New Zealand I have no Hesitation of giving it as my Opinion from the Knowledge I have of them among
civilized
civilised
Beings and also in their native State that a most beneficial Communication might be established, and that it would require no Art whatever to civilize them, for if they were treated with Humanity; and in
Dealing with them observe the strictest Justice you would soon find a great Alteration in their Manners— Should I have omitted anything with which you think I am acquainted, let me know and I will make any Addition to this that I can
I am
Sir— With the greatest Respect
Your
Obedt
obedient
S[ervan]t
James Gordon
The Revd Saml Marsden
Hocken Archive Reference Number
MS-0054/015
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2014:05:20 08:56:39
University of Otago Library, Reprographics Unit
Processing actions undertaken to: prepare the image for online digital use and maintain the integrity of the image.
Adobe Photoshop
CS6
Windows
7
Cropped item to remove excess border and straightened the image.
The manuscript images, transcripts and metadata displayed on the Marsden Online Archive site are governed by a Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 New Zealand (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 NZ) copyright agreement (available at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/nz/). Please contact the Hocken Collections, University of Otago Library, Dunedin, New Zealand for more information.
Hocken Collections, University of Otago Library, Dunedin, New Zealand.
hocken@otago.ac.nz
Hocken Archive Reference Number
MS-0054/015
27MB
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6.0
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198
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244
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2014:05:14 11:15:52.12
University of Otago Library, Reprographics Unit
digital still camera
Canon
Canon EOS
6D
11.0
1
Manual
0220
1
11.0
6.9
1.4
Multi-segment
tungsten
flash did not fire
50.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 74.1 mm)
0
Subject is illuminated from the front side.
Auto Focus Used
Normal
Digitised as part of the Mining Marsden Project in 2013/2014
8, 8, 8
integer
3
2014:05:20 08:56:24
University of Otago Library, Reprographics Unit
Processing actions undertaken to: prepare the image for online digital use and maintain the integrity of the image.
Adobe Photoshop
CS6
Windows
7
Cropped item to remove excess border and straightened the image.
The manuscript images, transcripts and metadata displayed on the Marsden Online Archive site are governed by a Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 New Zealand (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 NZ) copyright agreement (available at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/nz/). Please contact the Hocken Collections, University of Otago Library, Dunedin, New Zealand for more information.
Hocken Collections, University of Otago Library, Dunedin, New Zealand.
hocken@otago.ac.nz
Hocken Archive Reference Number
MS-0054/015
27MB
image/tif
6.0
Uncompressed
MD5
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ACEMC
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RGB
manuscript
Hakena
MS-0054/015
198
mm
244
mm
2014:05:14 11:17:01.72
University of Otago Library, Reprographics Unit
digital still camera
Canon
Canon EOS
6D
11.0
1
Manual
0220
1
11.0
6.9
1.4
Multi-segment
tungsten
flash did not fire
50.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 74.4 mm)
0
Subject is illuminated from the front side.
Auto Focus Used
Normal
Digitised as part of the Mining Marsden Project in 2013/2014
8, 8, 8
integer
3
2014:05:20 08:57:18
University of Otago Library, Reprographics Unit
Processing actions undertaken to: prepare the image for online digital use and maintain the integrity of the image.
Adobe Photoshop
CS6
Windows
7
Cropped item to remove excess border and straightened the image.
The manuscript images, transcripts and metadata displayed on the Marsden Online Archive site are governed by a Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 New Zealand (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 NZ) copyright agreement (available at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/nz/). Please contact the Hocken Collections, University of Otago Library, Dunedin, New Zealand for more information.
Hocken Collections, University of Otago Library, Dunedin, New Zealand.
hocken@otago.ac.nz
Hocken Archive Reference Number
MS-0054/015
27MB
image/tif
6.0
Uncompressed
MD5
4ac3f4fcdcb36ce502c1d81096a462ff
ACEMC
2802
3402
RGB
manuscript
Hakena
MS-0054/015
198
mm
244
mm
2014:05:14 11:16:27.52
University of Otago Library, Reprographics Unit
digital still camera
Canon
Canon EOS
6D
11.0
1
Manual
0220
1
11.0
6.9
1.4
Multi-segment
tungsten
flash did not fire
50.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 74.6 mm)
0
Subject is illuminated from the front side.
Auto Focus Used
Normal
Digitised as part of the Mining Marsden Project in 2013/2014
8, 8, 8
integer
3
2014:05:20 08:56:56
University of Otago Library, Reprographics Unit
Processing actions undertaken to: prepare the image for online digital use and maintain the integrity of the image.
Adobe Photoshop
CS6
Windows
7
Cropped item to remove excess border and straightened the image.
The manuscript images, transcripts and metadata displayed on the Marsden Online Archive site are governed by a Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 New Zealand (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 NZ) copyright agreement (available at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/nz/). Please contact the Hocken Collections, University of Otago Library, Dunedin, New Zealand for more information.
Hocken Collections, University of Otago Library, Dunedin, New Zealand.
hocken@otago.ac.nz
Hocken Archive Reference Number
MS-0054/015
27MB
image/tif
6.0
Uncompressed
MD5
051a9bf17e67654a4ab13c3c9b786f44
ACEMC
2814
3426
RGB
manuscript
Hakena
MS-0054/015
198
mm
244
mm
2014:05:14 11:16:49.29
University of Otago Library, Reprographics Unit
digital still camera
Canon
Canon EOS
6D
11.0
1
Manual
0220
1
11.0
6.9
1.4
Multi-segment
tungsten
flash did not fire
50.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 74.2 mm)
0
Subject is illuminated from the front side.
Auto Focus Used
Normal
Digitised as part of the Mining Marsden Project in 2013/2014
8, 8, 8
integer
3
2014:05:20 08:57:06
University of Otago Library, Reprographics Unit
Processing actions undertaken to: prepare the image for online digital use and maintain the integrity of the image.
Adobe Photoshop
CS6
Windows
7
Cropped item to remove excess border and straightened the image.
The manuscript images, transcripts and metadata displayed on the Marsden Online Archive site are governed by a Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 New Zealand (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 NZ) copyright agreement (available at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/nz/). Please contact the Hocken Collections, University of Otago Library, Dunedin, New Zealand for more information.
Hocken Collections, University of Otago Library, Dunedin, New Zealand.
hocken@otago.ac.nz