Sydney Packet
In 1830, Sydney Packet was in New Zealand waters trading for flax under the command of Captain Williamson. In 1833, she was purchased by George Bunn to deliver cargo to Sydney from Bunn’s Preservation Station. Her new captain was Joss, and together they made three voyages across the Tasman in the second half of the year, delivering quantities of seal skins, flax, black oil, and on one occasion shipwreck items recovered from the wreck of Mosman at Auckland Islands. The items has been originally recovered by Captain Anglin of Caroline, another ship of Bunn’s that was now employed in the sealing grounds.
In 1834, Sydney Packet joined Caroline at the Auckland Islands and Joss sailed her back to Sydney in March with another haul of seal skins, oil, and flax. Joss made one more return voyage in August before captaincy was handed over to Williams of Preservation Station. On arrival in Sydney in November 1824, Williams reported that the local Maori were ‘extremely tranquil’. In 1835, Johnny Jones, a waterman of Sydney Cove, bought Sydney Packet for 800 pounds, appointed Captain Bruce, fitted her out for bay whaling, and she sailed for Preservation. Bay whaling was the new industry in New Zealand waters having taken over from deep sea whaling and sealing. When Captain Bruce returned in July he had on board Johnny Jones’ first cargo of oil, and Jones promptly set sail onSydney Packet that same month to oversee his new whaling station at Preservation Inlet. When he returned to Sydney in October it was with the news that Measles had taken a terrible toll on the southern Maori.
There was more bad news when Sydney Packet next arrived in Sydney in February 1836. Captain Bruce reported that the ship Active had been seized by Maori in Port Nicholson, and that native New Zealanders were on the move south. He warned that shipmasters would need to be vigilant during their voyages. Over the next few months Captain Bruce reported encountering several American whaling ships, including Martha, Gratitude, Columbus, and Ionic, as well as the Sydney whaler Denmark Hill, while making his rounds of Johnny Jones’ whaling stations.
By October, Sydney Packet’s crew had become badly affected by influenza and to make matters worse the steward’s life was threatened by local Maori for introducing the deadly disease to them. The illness took a horrendous toll on the Maori people and great numbers were said to be lying about barely alive. The spread of the disease halted their preparations for war against Te Rauparaha’s men who were believed to be about to invade from the North, so it was a double threat to their very existence. Sydney Packet made two more voyages across the Tasman, then in 1837 while she was anchored at Jones’ Moeraki station she was totally wrecked in a gale.
In 1834, Sydney Packet joined Caroline at the Auckland Islands and Joss sailed her back to Sydney in March with another haul of seal skins, oil, and flax. Joss made one more return voyage in August before captaincy was handed over to Williams of Preservation Station. On arrival in Sydney in November 1824, Williams reported that the local Maori were ‘extremely tranquil’. In 1835, Johnny Jones, a waterman of Sydney Cove, bought Sydney Packet for 800 pounds, appointed Captain Bruce, fitted her out for bay whaling, and she sailed for Preservation. Bay whaling was the new industry in New Zealand waters having taken over from deep sea whaling and sealing. When Captain Bruce returned in July he had on board Johnny Jones’ first cargo of oil, and Jones promptly set sail onSydney Packet that same month to oversee his new whaling station at Preservation Inlet. When he returned to Sydney in October it was with the news that Measles had taken a terrible toll on the southern Maori.
There was more bad news when Sydney Packet next arrived in Sydney in February 1836. Captain Bruce reported that the ship Active had been seized by Maori in Port Nicholson, and that native New Zealanders were on the move south. He warned that shipmasters would need to be vigilant during their voyages. Over the next few months Captain Bruce reported encountering several American whaling ships, including Martha, Gratitude, Columbus, and Ionic, as well as the Sydney whaler Denmark Hill, while making his rounds of Johnny Jones’ whaling stations.
By October, Sydney Packet’s crew had become badly affected by influenza and to make matters worse the steward’s life was threatened by local Maori for introducing the deadly disease to them. The illness took a horrendous toll on the Maori people and great numbers were said to be lying about barely alive. The spread of the disease halted their preparations for war against Te Rauparaha’s men who were believed to be about to invade from the North, so it was a double threat to their very existence. Sydney Packet made two more voyages across the Tasman, then in 1837 while she was anchored at Jones’ Moeraki station she was totally wrecked in a gale.