Kōrero: Logging native forests

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 Hikutaia rivers in search of suitable trees. Local Māori of the Ngāti Pu tribe, living at Kakaramea pā (shown as Kakrama on the map), helped drag kahikatea spars to the water and raft them to the ship, which was moored in the gulf. However, this business arrangement was marred by cultural misunderstandings and violence.