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(1881), 26 Bruno Schwarzbach (1881-82), 27 Franz Reuleaux (1884-85) 28 and Wilhelm Stieda
(1885). 29 As these contributions were predominantly made by passing visitors (if they actually
came here in the first place) rather than new or long-standing immigrants, the balance between
informed criticism and entrenched stereotypes varies according to their experiences and
expectations. The most notable of these accounts, in respect to their popular narrative content
which tended to be directed at general readers rather than a scientific audience, will now be
examined beginning with those which occurred before the effects of the ‘Long Depression’ were
felt, or at least as far as the regions they visited are concerned.
Max Buchner (1846-1921) and Franz Reuleaux (1829-1905)
Once peace had returned to the colony in the 1870s following the wars of the previous decade, the
growing international reputation of Lake Rotomahana’s Pink and White Terraces as the ‘Eighth
Wonder of the World’ attracted package tour pleasure-seekers and travellers from all over the
world to recreate New Zealand as a ‘Tourist and Health Resort’. The introduction of cheaper and
more comfortable steamships soon followed in the 1880s, which more than halved the duration of
the typical European voyage to the antipodes from three to six months by sail to between four and
seven weeks. The same could not be said of early travel in New Zealand, however, which, besides
sea and rail, often consisted of horse-drawn coaches, which proved less than satisfactory during
periods of flash flooding, excessive rain or when navigating holes in the road. 30 The new breed of
traveller was not necessarily the typical explorer and scientist of earlier times furthering
knowledge in his chosen field or the prospective immigrant looking to start a new life in New
25 Henry Greffrath, “Die Eingeborenen (Maori) auf Neu Seeland”, in: AaW 9:1 (1878): 4-9; “Die Provinz Auckland,
Neu Seeland”, in: AaW 9:8 (1878): 238-40; “Die Kolonie Neu-Seeland”, in: Ausland 59:6 8 Feb (1886): 101-5; 59:7
15 Feb (1886): 131-34; 59:8 22 Feb (1886): 146-51; “Die vulkanische Eruption auf Neu-Seeland”, in: AaW 18:3
(1886-87): 80f.; “Neu-Seeland”, in: DRfGS 13:2 (1890-91): 76-79; “Die Hau-haus in Neu-Seeland”, in: AaW 22:8
(1891): 222; “Die australische Kolonie Neu-Seeland”, in: AaW 28:5 (1896): 167f.
26 Otto Finsch, “Aus dem Pacific. X. Neu-Seeland”, in: Hamburger Nachrichten (Abend-Ausgabe) 261 3 Nov (1881):
1; (Abend-Ausgabe) 262 4 Nov (1881): 1; (Abend-Ausgabe) 263 5 Nov (1881): 1; (Morgen-Ausgabe) 266 9 Nov
(1881): 1f.; (Abend-Ausgabe) 266 9 Nov (1881): 1; (Abend-Ausgabe) 268 11 Nov (1881): 1; (Abend-Ausgabe) 269
12 Nov (1881): 1.
27 Bruno (Beheim-)Schwarzbach, “Die Maoris auf Neu-Seeland”, in: Verhandlungen der Gesellschaft für Erdkunde
zu Berlin 8 (1881): 141-45; “Die Maoris auf Neuseeland”, in: WIDM 51:304 (1882): 499-515.
28 Franz Reuleaux, “Ein Ausflug nach Neuseeland” in: WIDM 57:9 (1884): 130-39; 57:19 (1884): 270-84; 58:5
(1885): 56-74; 58:36 (1885): 540-57.
29 Wilhelm Stieda, “Neu-Seeland in Vergangenheit und Gegenwart”, in: Deutsche Geographische Blätter 8 (1885):
44-65.
30 Margaret McClure, The Wonder Country: Making New Zealand Tourism. Auckland: Auckland University Press,
2004, 7-13.
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