Narrative of the Circumnavigation of the Globe by the Austrian Frigate Novara Volume Iii Part 28

For, oh! my most precious jewel, thou art now lost to me.

Yes, thou, the pillar that didst support my palace, hast been borne to the skies.

Oh, my beloved! you used to stand in the very prow of the war-canoe, inciting all others to n.o.ble deeds. Yes, in thy life-time thou wast great.

And now thou hast departed to the place where even all the mighty must at last go.

Where, O physicians, was the power of your remedies?

What, O priests, availed your prayers!

For I have lost my love; no more can he re-visit this world.

APPENDIX III. (p. 172.)

COPY OF OFFICIAL LETTERS OF H.E. COL. SIR T. GORE BROWN, GOVERNOR OF NEW ZEALAND TO COMMODORE VON WULLERSTORF-URBAIR, COMMANDER OF THE NOVARA EXPEDITION.

I.

_Government House, Auckland, New Zealand, January 4th, 1859._

Sir,

I do myself the honour to express to you the gratification which the visit of His Imperial Majesty's frigate _Novara_ has afforded to the inhabitants of Auckland and to myself.

I beg also to convey to you and to the officers of the scientific department of your Expedition my best thanks for the valuable information supplied by the investigations of these gentlemen.

It will be my agreeable duty to report to her Majesty's Government on the subject, and I am satisfied that her Majesty will receive the communication with pleasure, and will recognize the importance of the services rendered to one of her Dependencies.

Wis.h.i.+ng you a prosperous voyage, and success in the interesting objects of your pursuit, I beg to subscribe myself,

Your faithful servant,

THOMAS GORE BROWN, Col. H.M.S., Governor of New Zealand.

II.

_Government House, Auckland, New Zealand, January 5th, 1859._

Sir,

Having already endeavoured to express my thanks to yourself and the officers of the scientific department of your Expedition for the valuable aid afforded to the Colony, I now venture to ask you to confer a still greater favour, by giving permission to Dr. Hochstetter to extend his researches for a few months longer.

In the event of your granting this permission, the means necessary to enable him to explore effectually will be provided at the expense of the Colony of New Zealand.

I feel less diffidence in making this request to you, as Representative of the Imperial Government, because Dr. Hochstetter's labours in this Colony may be made the means of furthering the objects, which his Imperial Majesty the Emperor of Austria had in view, when he despatched the Expedition under your command.

I beg to add, that, should you feel it compatible with your duty to accede to the application I have now the honour to make, every a.s.sistance shall be afforded to Dr. Hochstetter, whilst engaged in this Colony, to enable him to make his scientific researches as valuable as possible to the Expedition of which he will remain a member, and care shall be taken to facilitate his return to Europe at the expense of this Colony by such route as he shall prefer.

I have the honour to be, Sir,

Your most faithful servant, Thomas Gore Brown, Col. H.M.S., Governor of New Zealand.

APPENDIX IV. (p. 172.)

REPLY OF COMMODORE B. V. WULLERSTORF-URBAIR.

_On Board H.I.R.M. Frigate Novara, Auckland Harbour, January 5th, 1859._

Sir,

In reply to your official note, dated Government House, Auckland, January 5th, a. c. in which, as the Representative of the Imperial Government, you prefer the request, that I would give Dr. Hochstetter permission to extend his geological researches in this Colony for a few months longer, I am most happy to accede to your application, and to give Dr. Hochstetter, in his capacity as geologist of the Imperial Expedition, leave for that purpose, under the following conditions, which are nearly the same as those stated in your kind note:----

1. That Dr. Hochstetter's sojourn in New Zealand may not exceed six months, and thus enable him to return to Europe nearly at the same period as the I.R. frigate is most likely to arrive there, namely, in November or December next.

2. That the _Novara_ Expedition, of which Dr. Hochstetter still remains a member, may likewise enjoy the benefit of the observations, collections, and publications made by Dr. Hochstetter during his stay in New Zealand.

3. That the means necessary to enable Dr. Hochstetter to explore the country effectually shall be provided at the expense of the Government of New Zealand; that every a.s.sistance shall be afforded to this gentleman whilst engaged in these geological explorations, and that care shall be taken to facilitate his return to Europe (viz. Trieste), at the expense of the Government of New Zealand, by such route as he shall prefer.

Upon this understanding I shall not only consider it compatible with my duty to accede to your Excellency's application, and give Dr. Hochstetter permission to remain for the time stated in the Province of Auckland, but shall also feel quite certain, that the Imperial Austrian Government, as well as the Academy of Sciences whose delegate Dr. Hochstetter must be considered, will be highly gratified to learn that it was in the power of the first Austrian Exploring Expedition to become serviceable to a nation which has done so much for the advancement of science and the development of natural resources in almost all parts of the world.

With hope that the friendly arrangement thus entered into on this subject may create a lasting bond of union and communications between the scientific men of both countries,

I have the honour to subscribe,

Your faithful servant,

B. V. WULLERSTORF.

APPENDIX V. (p. 188.)

ADDRESS OF THE INHABITANTS OF THE PROVINCE OF AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND, TO THE GEOLOGIST OF THE NOVARA.

Dr. Hochstetter,

On the conclusion of your Geological Examination of a large and most interesting portion of this province of New Zealand, we--the a.s.sembled inhabitants of Auckland, representing every section of the community, and for the most part intimately connected with the Agriculture and Commerce of the province--desire to express our admiration of the eminently scientific manner and unwearied activity with which you have conducted your researches into the Geological Formations and Mineral Resources of Auckland. We have also to thank you for the valuable information upon these objects, which you have already placed in our possession in the public lecture delivered by you in this hall on the 24th of June, and in the reports you have forwarded to the General and Provincial Governments.

The report of a member of the _Novara_ Expedition, on the physical characteristics of this portion of New Zealand--of which so little has. .h.i.therto been known--will be acknowledged in Europe as both impartial and authentic.

To us, as a community, the information contained in that report and the maps you have constructed, together with those additional details we hope to receive from you after your return to Europe, will be of essential service in a material point of view. We also desire to convey to you our sense of the impartiality of your reports, which, whilst they lay open to our view those resources of the country that will eventually aid to its wealth and its general prosperity, in no way exaggerate their value or tend to lead to extravagant ideas or speculations that might only result in disappointment.

Arriving in Auckland a stranger, upon whose sympathies we had no claim, you have exerted all your energies to condense the results of your scientific exploration into practical forms, for the benefit of the people of the foreign country you visited for purely scientific purposes, or for the special advantage of your own country.