Marchioness
177 ton Brigantine owned by Mr Warwick Weston of New Plymouth. Commanded by Captain R Smith.
On May 17th she was totally wrecked 25 miles south of New Plymouth, all the crew were saved. She had parted her cable in a strong NE wind while at anchor at New Plymouth, being part way through unloading a cargo of breadstuffs. . She managed to clear the reef and get between the Sugar Loaves but as the day progressed the wind shifted to the north and nor west and during the night increased to gale force.
On 17th May just after 2am she struck a rocky part of the coast, seas were breaking over her but until daylight came the crew could not tell where they were. They were a quarter mile offshore so at low water three of the crew launched the boat and carried a line ashore so that the other 5 crewmen could follow.
The found themselved directly in front of a Maori Pa which fortunately was deserted. It is thought that had it been occupied then the crew would most certainly have been slaughtered.
They crept around, avaoiding being seen, till eventually by nighfall they reached Oakura.
The vessel which was insured for 2000 pounds
