Page:Tales-of-Banks-Peninsula Jacobson 2ed 1893 cropped.pdf/226

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
German Bay.
219

never proved that anything like that amount was given to the Natives, and the Captain gave up his rights on returning to France to a company by name the Nanto-Bordelaise Co. Capt. l’Anglois brought out the Comte-de-Paris for this Company with immigrants. The vessel arrived in Akaroa Harbour on 16th August, 1840, just seven months after the New Zealand Co. brought out emigrants to Nelson and Wellington. There were sixty emigrants by the Comte-de-Paris, and the Company granted them five acres of land on arrival, to be chosen where they pleased, and eighteen-months’ provisions and all necessary tools. Mrs. Malmanche and Mr. Waeckerlie are the only residents remaining who came here under this Company. Mr. Lelievre came about the same time, but he arrived in a whaler.

There were six Germans who came out with the French settlers: Messrs Waeckerlie, Breitmeyer, and Peter Walter were among them. All the Germans formed a settlement in what is now German Bay, the place thus getting its name. They chose their five acres apiece there. A track was cut to Akaroa, and the timber in the bush being so good, the settlers employed themselves in pit sawing. The land was excellent for cultivation, but growing vegetables on a large scale didn’t pay, as there were no people to whom to sell them, although the Maoris would now and then buy potatoes.

Patches of ground in the clearing were sown down in wheat, as flour was a rarity, and the settlers felt the want of it very much, only being able to get a little when a whaler anchored in the harbour. The yield was very great.

Even when these early settlers came, the Maoris round the harbour were not numerous The French thought, however, that it was as well to take precautions, as their man-of-war could not always stay in harbour to protect, so a guard house was built in