Page:Reminiscences of Earliest Canterbury 1915.pdf/135

 a small fraction of the price having been paid to the Maori chief for the land claimed. Captain L’Angloise, thinking the land secured, returned to France, got a company formed by some merchants of Nantes, Bordeaux, and Paris, which they called the “Nanto-Bordelaise Compagnie,” and in March, 1840, set sail for New Zealand in an old warship, the Comte de Paris, taking out sixty-five emigrants, with officers and crew, a total of 105 souls. Another armed ship, L’Aube, in command of Captain Lavaud, preceded them so as to be ready to protect the emigrants on arrival. This vessel first visited the Bay of Islands, there enjoying vice-regal hospitality. Captain Hobson, first Governor of New Zealand, was then residing in Government House, Bay of Islands, and was a very able administrator. He was the founder of the City of Auckland. Trusting to the slow sailing of the Comte de Paris, Captain Lavaud delayed his departure, at the same time making no secret of the purpose of the expedition. This decided Governor Hobson to prompt action, as, of course, the islands of New Zealand had been before this time acquired by Great Britain as a colony. He, therefore, despatched a small