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Story: Sealing

Slate messages

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Slate messages

Another remarkable object from sealing days is this piece of slate. It was found among seal remains in Grono’s Cave near Preservation Inlet (Rakituma), Fiordland. The first message, from 1823, reads ‘Lono …. Richard Jones Esq owner John Dawson master beware of the natives plenty at Preservation.’ The writer of this warning was one of the sealers aboard the Samuel, owned by Richard Jones and captained by John Dawson. The second message reads: ‘Brig Elizabeth John Grono mas… called at this place the 23rd December … Brooks Edward Norton.’ Alexander Brooks and Edward Norton were crew on John Grono’s sealer the Elizabeth in 1824. Grono was a prominent sealer in the 1820s.

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Southland Museum and Art Gallery

Reference: 83.1125

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How to cite this page

Jock Phillips, Sealing – The sealers, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/object/6231/slate-messages (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Jock Phillips, published 2 March 2009.

Comments

John Grono - Sydney Australia
26 August 2011
I think you will find it was Alexander BOOKS.