NzAtAGlance

Abel Tasman played his part in New Zealand history in December of 1642. This is when he first spotted the “land uplifted high” out of the water, which is what he named New Zealand when he first saw it.Abel was born in the Netherlands in 1603. In 1638 he left the Netherlands for Djakarta, Indonesia, on a 10 year contract with the Dutch East India Company. Djakarta was a very wealthy city with heaps of money, ships, and men willing to work.

In 1642 he was told to explore the southern continent and take possession of all those he set foot on. In particular, Terra Australis Incognita. It was a long stretch of land that eluded explorers for years. He took 2 ships, the “Zeehan” and the “Heemskerck”. The Zeehan was the largest of the two, being 100 tons, and carrying about 100 men.

New Zealand history was written on December of that year. Tasman had spotted an area near Hokitika on the west coast of the South Island. On the 18th of December he anchored off Golden Bay to send a couple of guys to go and search for fresh water, and find a sheltered harbour.That evening, lights were spotted onshore. Not long after, a couple of canoes turned up with, the first sighting of the natives. They had long thick black hair tied together on the top of their heads. some with big white feathers tucked in it. Communication was hopeless. Over the next few days more and more canoes turned up, some getting pretty close to the ships. Abel was getting a little nervous and sent a group of guys to the other ship,and pass on a message to be on your toes. On their way back to the Zeehan they were attacked by a canoe full of natives. They killed three of the sailors, and mortally injuring one. Three others swam to safety. The natives threw two bodies in the ocean, and took one back to shore with them. By now there were heaps of canoes onshore, and there were eleven or so paddling towards the ship. Abel told his men to wait until they were in shooting range then let them have it. One native guy was standing up in his canoe and was picked off with ease by one of the sailors. This was enough to scare the natives back to shore.

Tasman pulled the anchor and got out of there. He named this place Murderers Bay. On his way out of there, at the norther tip of the newly discovered land, he named the Three Kings Island (in honour of the three wise men, at Christmas). But that was enough for the Dutchmen as he sailed back to Indonesia.

This played a big part in New Zealand’s history as now everyone new there was people on the mysterious land, and it wasn’t just a myth.