Having gathered signatures at Ruapuke Island, the HMS Herald sailed north towards Cloudy Bay. On 12 June 1840 they decided to stop at Otago Peninsula, and as there was little wind, the Herald anchored offshore for the night.

At daylight on 13 June they headed closer but again, the wind was too light to go any further. So Thomas Bunbury, William Stewart and Edward Williams rowed ashore in a smaller boat – ‘a long pull’ as Williams put it – and arrived near the head of Otago Harbaour around 2pm. Here they met two Ngāi Tahu rangatira of Ōtākou, Karetai and Korako, who signed the Herald Sheet (www.flickr.com/photos/archivesnz/12195648904). But as Harry Evison notes, only Korako made his own tohu (mark or sign) – Karetai’s name was simply written down by Stewart without Karetai making his own mark.

At 5pm Bunbury, Stewart and Williams returned to the Herald, and left for Cloudy Bay. They did not visit the large Māori settlement just north at Waikouaiti.

This 1850 chart of Otago Harbour was created by the British Admiralty survey ship, HMS Acheron, and published in 1855 as Admiralty Chart No 2411. Surveyed by Captain J.L. Stokes Commander G.H. Richards 1850. Zoom or download to enlarge.

Archives Reference: MW676 Box 1/ 9A/ 2411 archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewFullItem.do?code=21488156

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Material supplied by Archives New Zealand