Page:Tales-of-Banks-Peninsula Jacobson 2ed 1893 cropped.pdf/107
sections altogether in Akaroa, so they determined to explore Captain L’Anglois’ estate further. They found a beautiful bay with plenty of clear land a little higher up the harbor, and asked permission of the Commodore to locate themselves there. Permission was granted, five acres were parcelled out for each, and the bay was christened with the name it still bears of German Bay. The Germans built a great V hut, 40ft long by 30ft wide, of timber and rushes, with proper divisions, and in this they passed a very pleasant winter. Commodore Lavaud built a magazine in Akaroa, just where the Court House now stands, and this was used for the storage of provisions and tools, and also for a hospital. Everything went peacefully along, the seeds germinated well, the vines flourished, and the colonists were content with their prospects. The French settlement was of course under French law, which was administered by Commodore Lavaud. Mr Robinson was the English Resident Magistrate, but his office was almost a sinecure.
Reminisences of the First Five Years.
It has been previously related that a Mr. Green resided, when the French colonists arrived, at the point near Mr. Tosswill’s, where the British flag was seen flying by the new arrivals. Mr. Green was in charge of some six or eight head of cattle belonging to Mr. W. B. Rhodes. Mr. Rhodes was well acquainted with New Zealand, and had had numerous transactions, both with the earliest settlers and the Natives. Some six months before the French arrived, he had been in Wellington, and from thence he went to Sydney, then the most settled part of Australasia, and had purchased a number of the best cattle he could procure, which he brought over in a vessel belonging to him, and placed in various localities under the charge of persons in his employ-