Repatriated Maori Fish-Hook with Wesleyan Missionary Provenance

A Maori bone fish-hook repatriated from the U.K., presented to Wesleyan preacher James Everett (1784-1872,) by Samuel Leigh (1785-1852) pioneer Wesleyan missionary in Australia and New Zealand. Leigh was sent to, and became, the first Wesleyan missionary to reach Australia in 1815. Invited by Samuel Marsden he visited New Zealand in 1819, and subsequently 1822. In 1823 he was involved in an attempt to establish a mission station, but ill health saw him return to Australia then England. (Cf. An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand 1966). Everett, with whom Leigh evidently had contact is noted as '? a great lover of the antique, and has a passion for old relics; will travel a great distance, and expend much labour to secure the smallest trifle decidedly anti-diluvium.' (from 'Sketches of Wesleyan Preachers', R.A. West, 1849). The one piece inward barbed 4 cm hook with attached snood line, uncommonly complete with pakaikai bait lashing twine and additional twine at the taukaea, with attached handwritten presentation label. In small cylindrical card specimen box with glass lid, further inscribed and labelled. Y11427.