Eliza

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Eliza

Post by shipstamps » Sat Sep 06, 2008 9:30 am


TALL SHIPS IN FIJI’S PAST.

On 21 November 2005 Fiji will use a new set of four stamps, which depict vessels that played a roll in the history of this island group. The other ships in this set are the British sailing vessel ELBE, HMS ROSARIO and the French L’ASTROLOBE, the last vessel on many stamps.

Fiji’s contact with the Western world can be said to date from 1800, when the ARGO was wrecked on Bukatatanoa Reef, east of Lakeba. One of the survivors of this wreck discovered how to access the rich sandalwood supplies at Bua, and soon there was a steady stream of ships, mostly from Sydney and the United States, coming to Fiji to buy sandalwood to sell in Manila for the Asian market.

When sandalwood was exhausted, the trade turned to béche-de-mer (sea cucumbers). Towards the middle of the century, increasing familiarity and Christianisation brought settlement by colonizers, mainly from English-speaking countries, who tried cotton planting for a while, but eventually decided that sugar cane was the most profitable crop for Fiji – as it has remained until recently. To work this plantations, laborers were introduced, initially from Melanesian islands groups such as the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, subsequently from India.

This set of stamps marks the crucial role that sailing ships played in these developments in the history of Fiji.

ELIZA.
Where she was built and when till so far I could not find, but in 1807 did Brown & Ives own her in Providence. USA.

She sailed from Buenos Aires to Sydney, where she arrived between 07/09 December 1807, at that time she was under command of Capt. E. Hill Correy, is given that she is 135 ton, brig rigged, armed with 3 guns and a crew of 10.

Sailed on 22 April 1808 from Sydney and via the Bay of Islands, New Zealand for provision she sailed to the South Seas.

First she headed for Tonga were she were welcomed by the natives and white castaways, the natives tried to take the ship, but the crew was warned by the white men of the dangers, and two of this castaways managed to board the ELIZA, and stayed on board.

One was Charles Savage the other John Husk, and both they said were survivors of the PORT AU PRINCE. John Husk was probably John Hearsey, one of the PORT AU PRINCE survivors named by William Marriner, Savaga was for sure not a survivor of the PORT AU PRINCE.

Charles Savage was later to become enshrined into Fijian history as an established fact.

The ELIZA got on board at Tonga a large sum of Spanish silver dollars of which is said Charles Savage has a share.

Tales of these dollars on board the ELIZA have since becoming something of a Pacific legend. How much money there was on board is given differ in the sources, the lowest 20.000 and the highest 40.000 dollar, I think we never will know what the exact amount was, but when the ELIZA sailed from Tonga she had large sum of money on board.

When approaching Sandalwood Bay from the southwest, on the night of 20 June 1808 she struck a reef off Narai Island, Fiji about 80 miles from their destination. Luckily the weather was fine, and the ship did not break up immediately, the longboat was launched and loaded with navigation instruments food and clothes and according one report $34.000. During the landing on Narai Island John Husk was drowned, the only casualty of the wreck.

After landing the crew were met by the natives and stripped of all their belongings, including the silver dollars, but not mistreated.

With the help of Savage who could speak the native language, Captain Correy managed to get some of the money back, and after a week on the island he got $6000. Then he set off with the longboat and four men to Sandalwood Bay to look for help, from the ships he expected there loading sandalwood.

He arrived there on 29 June, and he found two ships the ELIZABETH and JENNY and a rescue party was formed, which left there on 06 July.

After arrival by the wreck of the ELIZA she were met by friendly natives, but later a boat was attacked killing the carpenter of the ELIZABETH.

Till today nobody can tell how much money was recovered from the wreck, or how much money was recovered from the natives, but Capt. Correy told later that he had lost a large amount of dollars in the wreck.

28 July the survivors of the ELIZA sailed with the JENNY, and what remained of the silver Spanish dollars, most probably to Sydney.

Several people stayed behind under which two convicts from Port Jackson, and also Charles Savage the best known of the survivors of the ELIZA.

The Fiji Post leaflet gives then:

The American brig ELIZA played a pivotal role in Fiji’s early history. In 1808 on its way from Tonga to Bua to trade for sandalwood, the ELIZA foundered on Mocea reef south of Nairai. Many of the survivors became beachcombers and one Charles Savage, introduced firearms to Bau, and with his prowess in battle soon became the right-hand man of Naulivou, the Vunivalu of Bau, consolidating and extending Bau’s dominion in eastern Fiji.

Another of the survivors, Samuel Patterson, published an account of his experiences in Fiji which gives fascinating insights into local politics and the way of life at that time.
Charles Savage, was clubbed to dead and eaten by the natives five years after his arrival in Fiji.
Two of the surviving dollars of the ELIZA you can find in the Suva Museum in Fiji. Auke Palmhof

Sources: Coped from Fiji Post leaflet. William Stewart, Sealing Captain, trader and speculator by John O.C. Ross.

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