The Germans
Various historical documents record that sixty three emigrants, six of whom
were German, left Rochfort, Bordeaux March 19th 1840 for New Zealand on the
Comte de Paris and arrived at Akaroa on August 13th, 1840 (Jacobson, 1893).
The emigrants disembarked at Paka-Ariki Bay (French Bay, Akaroa). The six
Germans were allotted land over the hill from the main town of Akaroa which
they named German Town and German Bay, later renamed Takamatua. While it
is often reported that there were ‘six Germans’, the manifest for the Comte de
Paris lists eight, with one dying about three days before they landed.
The Germans listed on the ship manifest comprised the Breitmeyer family,
Johann 35, a shoemaker and farmer, his wife Eva Maria, 35 and there four
children Johann (8), Catharina (5), Elisabeth (4) and Johann (2); Niklaus
Gourtner a Sawyer, Josef Hahn, Kaspar Hettich, Jotereau, who died on board
and was buried at Pigeon Bay, Christian Waeckerle (24) a Miller, Peter Walther
(45) a farmer, and Philipp Woll (Wooll), a carpenter.
Cache is a 1 litre Sistema container. A few small swaps and pen and log included.