Page:Reminiscences of Earliest Canterbury 1915.pdf/53



The whalers visited Canterbury before the settlers. They were the pioneers of the pioneers, but, unlike the latter in being birds of passage, they seldom remained for any length of time in one place. In the early days of Canterbury there were two distinct classes of whalers scattered along the coast. The first class comprised the whalers per se, hardy, brave, and resourceful; men to be depended upon, and inhabitants of all parts of Europe, America, and Australia.

The second-class comprised convicts, who, as ticket-of-leave men, were brought over from Hobart, whither they were not permitted to return. Nothing need be recorded of them, save the fortunate circumstance for Canterbury, that, when the Melbourne diggings broke out, they rushed over there in a body.

Of the regular whalers, one of the most famous in the annals of Canterbury was Captain Hempelmann. He and his head