1879 Deed for Land in New Hebrides (Vanuatu)

A Deed For Land Bought in the New Hebrides (Now Vanuatu), August 1879, A signed and sealed indenture recording the fact that one Victor Nissen of Sydney, New South Wales has acquired some land at Black Beach on the west coast of Tanna Island, New Hebrides, Wittnessed that in consideration of the sum of 600 Dollars or same value represented by 20 Muskets, 1½ cases of tobacco, 160 Tomahawks, 250 pipes and 1 bottle of liquor' the land was 'well and truly paid for' and witnessed by those present, which included a number of local chiefs. There are a number of marks made by the native chiefs, signatures of witnesses, a hand-drawn map of the subject land and several seals. A document with much research potential. It appears that Mr Nissen had been involved in cotton farming on the West Coast of Tanna since at least the early 1870s. There are details of several European settlers 'employing' indentured labour on their plantations. Later, in the late-1880s, he attempted to establish ostrich farming in New Zealand. It would appear that none of his schemes prospered as the Sydney Morning Herald of 14 December 1907 reported that 'A Dane named Victor Englistoft Aniello Nissen, 79 years of age, was found guilty of vagrancy at the police court today, and sentenced to six months' hard labour in Maitland Gaol. The evidence given showed that the accused made a practice of staying at boarding-houses, and not paying. Sergeant Wensor stated that he owned £100 to boarding-house-keepers in Sydney and Maitland.