S1-E34: New Zealand: When Animals Attack

Podcast 20 August 2025

In this episode, the HMS Resolution approaches the dangerous Cook Strait but is forced to halt due to a violent storm. Waves smash across the deck, damaging the ship and nearly injuring a young officer. As the tempest rages, the crew struggles with fear, sleepless nights, and a surprise scorpion hidden in the captain’s cabin. Once the weather calms, contact resumes with local Māori, including the formerly grand chief Teiratuh—now reduced to a simple trader.

A young Māori boy, proudly wearing a gifted European shirt, is knocked to the deck by an aggressive goat—startled, crying, and too afraid to move as the animal prepares to strike again. – Click on the image to listen to this episode on YouTube.

Trade flourishes but is marred by thefts and cultural misunderstandings. A young Māori boy, gifted a shirt, is knocked down by a goat on deck, and a tense moment unfolds between father and son. The explorers venture into the forests and mountains, collecting birds and plants while learning about edible tree ferns used by the Māori. But signs of brewing tribal conflict emerge as villagers arrive in ceremonial war dress, likely bringing spoils from raids sparked by European goods.

Amid natural beauty and scientific discovery, the episode also reveals harsh truths about violence, gender roles, and survival in precolonial New Zealand—offering a complex and vivid snapshot of life in Queen Charlotte Sound.