Hayes Travel Newcastle | Blog About Fedtraveler

Christened William Henry and born in Ohio around 1829, ‘Bully’ Hayes' South Seas adventures began in Australia in the 1850’s. A seafarer from his early days, Hayes arrived in Fremantle, Western Australia as master of the bark CW Bradley, which he was believed to have acquired in Singapore by illegal means.

While in Fremantle Hayes married and by 1860 he was well known around Australia’s ports. After more accusations of stealing ships and their cargos, a charge of indecent assault on a young girl (which was dismissed), and imprisonment for debt, he travelled to New Zealand as part of a theatrical troupe.

Hayes' Early Criminal Career

In May 1866 after earning a reputation as a thief in New Zealand, Hayes was master of his own ship once more. He sailed the brig Rona for the South Pacific islands to set up as a trader and blackbirder, shipping Polynesian goods and people across the Pacific. After the Rona was wrecked in the Cook Islands Hayes joined forces with American blackbirder Ben Pease to trade and pirate in Chinese waters.