Heberley, James, 1809-1899 : Reminiscences

The early section of the diary recounts Heberley's experiences as a captain's apprentice and cabin boy on vessels sailing out of London to many destinations including Hamburg, Sydney and the West Indies. Much of the later narrative describes whaling and the life of a whaler in Cook Strait and the Marlborough Sounds. Also describes life with local Maori which includes comments on Maori tribal wars, his experiences with Te Rauparaha, the taking of slaves and conflict with Europeans. In 1831 Heberley took as his wife a Maori woman at Port Underwood (later married by Samuel Ironside in 1840). Heberley purchased land in Port Nicholson before the arrival of the New Zealand Company. He piloted the Tory into Port Nicholson, and round the coast to Wanganui and Taranaki. While she was at Kaipara he climbed Mount Egmont with Dieffenbach (Dec 1839). Diary ends in June 1843 as Heberley gives up his role as a pilot operating in Worser Bay and moves into Port Nicholson to start fishing and returns to whaling.

Diary probably transcribed by an unknown hand, with further annotations added, giving proper Māori spellings for words used in the original manuscript.

Heberley was a whaler who became a pilot in Wellington. He was also known as `Worser' and Worser Bay is named after him. His brother's name, 'John Hebley', appears at the top of the first page.

Quantity: 1 volume(s) (77 pages).

Physical Description: MS (20cm; blue binding case)

Fragile.

Alternative form available: Typed transcript done by the Library in 1947 available at MS-0970 and microfilm of transcript at MS-Copy-Micro-0075; photocopies of transcript at qMS-0942 and of holograph at qMS-0943

microfilm (MS-Copy-Micro-0074)