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Historical Records of New Zealand Vol. II.

Clendon to Secretary of State

Clendon to Secretary of State.

Consulate of the United States
Bay of Islands New Zealand
26th Oct 1839

Honourable John Forsyth
Secretary of State
Washington

Sir

,—

I regret to inform you the ship Richmond of New Bedford, John Tucker Master after having been partly repaired was surveyed and condemned as unseaworthy on the 11th August 1839, was sold by Public Auction on the 28th of the same month for ($1670) sixteen hundred and seventy dollars. The cargo consisting of 1250 barrels of sperm oil was sold by the Master by private contract.

On the 17th August a party of British subjects made appli-cation to me in consequence of a house belonging to one of them having been destroyed by the crew of an American ship for the particulars I beg to refer you to the accompanying document.

The village of Kororarika is inhabited by a set of lawless fellows, the greater part of whom are convicts escaped from New South Wales and get a livelihood by decoying seamen from their ship—and shipping them at an enormous advance—on board of any other vessel that may have been in like manner distressed.

The respectable inhabitants addressed a letter to Mr. Bennett thanking him for his praiseworthy conduct in destroying one of the greatest sinks of iniquity in the place.

page 609

On the 10th July Thomas H. Jenkins of Orland, State of Maine, who had some months previously deserted from the ship Alpha of Nantucket Congdon Master; applied for relief; he was in a most distressing state for want of medical aid, food and clothes. I placed him under the care of Mr. S. H. Ford, Surgeon to the Church Missionaries where he remained until he was so far recovered in health and strength as to enable him to seek employment and in crossing the Bay for that purpose I am sorry to say was drowned on the evening of the 28th September.

I have the honor to remain
Sir
Your Obedient Servant

James R. Clendon

U.S. Consul.