Built in 1789 at Kirkudbright Scotland, on the Dee River, which flows into the Irish Sea, the 70 ton schooner Prince of Denmark spent most of its working life in Australian and New Zealand waters. Commissioned as a revenue cutter, Kirkudbright’s shipbuilders constructed a fast, relatively light schooner, intended to intercept smugglers. Though theoretically too light for these roles, the vessel spent long periods in the sealing and whaling trade from the 1820s, and frequently carried cargo and passengers between New South Wales and New Zealand. [1]
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| The harbour of Kirkudbright, River Dee, Scotland |
Led by the Ngati Kuri tohunga Te Haramiti, the invading 150-200 strong musket taua (expedition), had voyaged southwards to the Bay of Plenty in seven waka taua (war canoes,) transporting two ships’ cannon. After surprising, killing and enslaving some Ngai Te Rangi people on Tuhua (Mayor Island), they crossed to Motiti Island and camped on Hurepupo, a plateau (long since eroded away) at the centre of the spit where it curves away to the old Matarehua Pa. [3]
The invaders were then surprised by a combined amphibious force of 1000 Ngai Te Rangi, Ngati Haua and Te Whaktohea warriors led by their respective rangatira Hori Tupaea, Te Waharoa and Titoko. Following a fierce exchange of musket fire and hand to hand fighting the invaders were defeated and Te Haramiti was killed. The enemy slain were cooked and devoured, and their waka, cannon, muskets and heads seized as trophies by the victors. After returning to Tauranga, the victors sold the toi moko or cured tattooed heads of 14 northern chiefs to Captain Jack. [4]
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| Motiti Spit, the site of 1831 battle and the long vanished plateau of Hurepupo |
The master of the ship in a state of tipsy jollity, brought up a sack containing twelve heads and rolled them out on the deck. Some of the New Zealanders on board recognised their fathers’ heads, others those of brothers, and friends. Appalling weeping and lamentations rent the air, and the natives fled precipitately from the ship. [6]
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| A Dreadful Recognition: Captain Jack displays his tattooed heads |
Undeterred, Captain Jack was soon back trading in New Zealand waters. In 1832, during Ngapuhi’s artillery siege at Otumoetai Pa he again took the Prince of Denmark into Tauranga Harbour. When they recognized the schooner, the Ngapuhi artillerymen bombarded the vessel from the shore. Once again, Captain Jack was compelled to make a rapid departure to escape their wrath. [8]
In the remaining years preceding the Treaty of Waitangi and long after, the Prince of Denmark continued its role as whaler, trader and a passenger vessel, conveying a mix of missionaries, whalers, sawyers, colonists and colonial officials across the Tasman Sea. In 1863, following 74 years of service, the Prince of Denmark was driven ashore in a storm and wrecked at a remote whaling station in the Coral Sea’s Chesterfield Island group. [9] The fate of Captain Jack is unknown.
Endnotes
[1] Prince of Denmark, marinersandships.com.au
[2] Kirkudbright’s Prince of Denmark, by David R. Collin, https://www.whittlespublishing.com
[3] Bentley, Trevor, Tribal Guns and Tribal Gunners, WilsonScott, Christchurch, 2014: 62-64.
[4] Rusden, G. W. History of New Zealand, Vol I: Chapman and Hall, London, 1883: 133.
[5] Williams, Henry, The Early Journals of Henry Williams, 1826-1840, L.M. Rogers (comp.), Pegasus Press, Christchurch, 1961: 174.
[6] Thomson, Arthur, The Story of New Zealand, Vol. II, John Murray, London, 1859: 263.
[7] Marsden, Samuel, The Letters and Journals of Samuel Marsden, 1765-1838, J. Elder (ed.), Coulls Sommerville, Dunedin, 1932: 498-499.
[8] Yate, William, An Account of New Zealand, Seeley and Burnside, London, 1835: 131.
[9] Prince of Denmark Schooner, Australia, https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?55532
Illustrations
1 The Harbour Kirkudbright, www.kirkudbrighthistorysociety.org.uk
2 Motiti Spit, Motiti Island, Bay of Plenty, author’s collection.
3 Arthur McCormick, ‘A Dreadful Recognition,’ in Horsley, Reginald, Romance of Empire: New Zealand, T.C. and E.C. Jack, London, 1908: 122.
'Prince of Denmark' to 'Hamlet's Ghost': The saga does not end there. After Captain Jack, there were at least 10 registered owners until a storm broke her up on Bennett's Island, which lies between Rockhampton and New Caledonia. Captain Bennett used the island for his whaling station and depot for stores. Being marooned, the wholly Fijian crew rebuilt the ship, using some of Bennett's timber, and called her, appropriately enough, 'Hamlet's Ghost'. They then sailed her with some difficulty to Moreton Bay. She was purchased for 100 pounds by the Hon George Harris, 'The Merchant Prince of Brisbane', who converted her to a ketch and added her to his fleet of shallow-bottomed lighters that took stores to and from ships in the bay or from the port at Dunwich on Stradbroke Island, because of the sand-bars over the mouth of the Brisbane River. She proved not to be profitable because of her small capacity and was holed up for two years and then reconverted to a luxury schooner and fitted with six small cannon. In 1868, George Harris sold it for 500 pounds cash to a 'Count von Attems' who engaged a crew and told them he wanted to cruise around Moreton Bay but once underway ordered the captain and crew to sail north, through the Torres Strait and on to Surabaya in Java. Meanwhile the new Governor of Queensland, Sir Samuel Blackall, had arrived in August and when told that he had just missed his friend, von Attems, said it was impossible as he had just buried him in Sierra Leone. When shown a photo of 'von Attems' Blackall said it was von Attem's valet, Kurt Schmalz. Word of the impostor and his non-payment of accounts was sent to Batavia. Smatz had just cashed a large bank draught but, before he could pay the crew, was arrested for fraud, tried and sentenced to 15 to 22 years jail. Hamlet's Ghost was sold and the crew had to make their own way back home. Interestingly, a photo of Hamlet's Ghost was taken at Surabaya by the travelling photographer, Walter Bentley Woodbury. It looks very like the ship in the foreground of your photo.
ReplyDeleteJohn Dingle