Story: Hauraki–Coromandel region

Captain William Wilson, commander of the trading ship Royal Admiral, drew this map showing the location of timber in the Hauraki area in 1801. Wilson was one of several traders who visited the Hauraki Gulf between 1798 and 1801. He and his crew travelled up the Waihou and Hikutaiā rivers, felling timber for spars over a two-month period. The Ngāti Pu tribe, living at Kakaramea pā (shown as Kakramare on the map), helped drag kahikatea spars to the water and raft them to the ship, which was moored at Te Puru, north of present-day Thames. However, these inter-racial dealings were marred by misunderstandings and violence.