Venus
In 1806 Captain Samuel Chase was delivering stores and a small number of convicts, to Tasmania from Sydney oh his ship Venus. While he was ashore in Port Dalrymple, the convicts, including two women Catherine Haggerty and Charlotte Badger, with a penchant for alcohol and freedom, overthrew the soldiers and crew and mutineered the ship. Charlotte Badger had her small daughter with her. They set sail for the Bay of Islands where the ships' new master disembarked the women and a few of the crew who set about building a hut to live in.
Venus sailed south and while off the East Cape, kidnapped the daughter of a chief who they later traded for supplies with a neighbouring enemy tribe. This coldblooded act lead to the death of many people twelve years later when the girl’s grief stricken relatives extracted revenge against the tribe that had received and killed her.
Back in the Bay of Islands Catherine Haggerty died. Nga Puhi chief Te Pahi, having seen the punishment handed out to thieves in New South Wales, is said to have hung the crew members. Charlotte Badger remained with her child at the Bay of Islands, where she lived for several years with a chief. Eventually she and her child left on a vessel bound for Tonga.
Venus was last seen, having left the Bay of Islands, in the hands of the few remaining crew and was reported to be in a distressed state. Speculation remains as to whether she managed to limp across the Pacific or sank with her inexperienced crew to the bottom of the ocean.
Venus sailed south and while off the East Cape, kidnapped the daughter of a chief who they later traded for supplies with a neighbouring enemy tribe. This coldblooded act lead to the death of many people twelve years later when the girl’s grief stricken relatives extracted revenge against the tribe that had received and killed her.
Back in the Bay of Islands Catherine Haggerty died. Nga Puhi chief Te Pahi, having seen the punishment handed out to thieves in New South Wales, is said to have hung the crew members. Charlotte Badger remained with her child at the Bay of Islands, where she lived for several years with a chief. Eventually she and her child left on a vessel bound for Tonga.
Venus was last seen, having left the Bay of Islands, in the hands of the few remaining crew and was reported to be in a distressed state. Speculation remains as to whether she managed to limp across the Pacific or sank with her inexperienced crew to the bottom of the ocean.