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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/6104-h.zip b/6104-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..9d905e2 --- /dev/null +++ b/6104-h.zip diff --git a/6104-h/6104-h.htm b/6104-h/6104-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8855822 --- /dev/null +++ b/6104-h/6104-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,6044 @@ +<?xml version="1.0" encoding="us-ascii"?> + +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd" > + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en"> + <head> + <title> + Station Life in New Zealand, by Lady Barker. + </title> + <style type="text/css" xml:space="preserve"> + + body { margin:5%; background:#faebd0; text-align:justify} + P { text-indent: 1em; margin-top: .25em; margin-bottom: .25em; } + H1,H2,H3,H4,H5,H6 { text-align: center; margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 15%; } + hr { width: 50%; text-align: center;} + .foot { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; text-indent: -3em; font-size: 90%; } + blockquote {font-size: 97%; font-style: italic; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .mynote {background-color: #DDE; color: #000; padding: .5em; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 95%;} + .toc { margin-left: 10%; margin-bottom: .75em;} + .toc2 { margin-left: 20%;} + div.fig { display:block; margin:0 auto; text-align:center; } + div.middle { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; } + .figleft {float: left; margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 1%;} + .figright {float: right; margin-right: 0%; margin-left: 1%;} + .pagenum {display:inline; font-size: 70%; font-style:normal; + margin: 0; padding: 0; position: absolute; right: 1%; + text-align: right;} + pre { font-style: italic; font-size: 90%; margin-left: 10%;} + +</style> + </head> + <body> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Station Life in New Zealand, by Lady Barker + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Station Life in New Zealand + +Author: Lady Barker + +Release Date: June 4, 2009 [EBook #6104] +Last Updated: February 1, 2013 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK STATION LIFE IN NEW ZEALAND *** + + + + +Produced by P. J. Riddick, and David Widger + + + + + + +</pre> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <h1> + STATION LIFE IN NEW ZEALAND + </h1> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <h2> + By Lady Barker. + </h2> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <h3> + 1883 + </h3> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <blockquote> + <p class="toc"> + <big><b>CONTENTS</b></big> + </p> + <p> + <br /> <a href="#link2H_PREF"> Preface. </a> <a href="#link2H_4_0002"> + Letter I. </a> Two months at sea—Melbourne <br /><br /> + <a href="#link2H_4_0003"> Letter II. </a> Sight-seeing in + Melbourne <br /><br /> <a href="#link2H_4_0004"> Letter III. </a> On + to New Zealand <br /><br /> <a href="#link2H_4_0005"> Letter IV. </a> First + introduction to "Station life" <br /><br /> <a href="#link2H_4_0006"> + Letter V. </a> A pastoral letter <br /><br /> <a + href="#link2H_4_0007"> Letter VI. </a> Society—houses + and servants <br /><br /> <a href="#link2H_4_0008"> Letter VII. </a> A + young colonist—the town and its neighbourhood <br /><br /> <a + href="#link2H_4_0009"> Letter VIII. </a> Pleasant days at + Ilam <br /><br /> <a href="#link2H_4_0010"> Letter IX. </a> Death + in our new home—New Zealand children <br /><br /> <a + href="#link2H_4_0011"> Letter X. </a> Our station home <br /><br /> + <a href="#link2H_4_0012"> Letter XI. </a> Housekeeping, and + other matters <br /><br /> <a href="#link2H_4_0013"> Letter XII. </a> My + first expedition <br /><br /> <a href="#link2H_4_0014"> Letter XIII. </a> Bachelor + hospitality—a gale on shore <br /><br /> <a href="#link2H_4_0015"> + Letter XIV. </a> A Christmas picnic, and other doings <br /><br /> + <a href="#link2H_4_0016"> Letter XV. </a> Everyday station + life <br /><br /> <a href="#link2H_4_0017"> Letter XVI. </a> A + sailing excursion on Lake Coleridge <br /><br /> <a href="#link2H_4_0018"> + Letter XVII. </a> My first and last experience of "camping + out" <br /><br /> <a href="#link2H_4_0019"> Letter XVIII. </a> A + journey "down south" <br /><br /> <a href="#link2H_4_0020"> Letter XIX. + </a> A Christening gathering—the fate of Dick <br /><br /> + <a href="#link2H_4_0021"> Letter XX. </a> the New Zealand + snowstorm of 1867 <br /><br /> <a href="#link2H_4_0022"> Letter XXI. </a> Wild + cattle hunting in the Kowai Bush <br /><br /> <a href="#link2H_4_0023"> + Letter XXII. </a> The exceeding joy of "burning" <br /><br /> + <a href="#link2H_4_0024"> Letter XXIII. </a> Concerning a + great flood <br /><br /> <a href="#link2H_4_0025"> Letter XXIV. </a> My + only fall from horseback <br /><br /> <a href="#link2H_4_0026"> Letter + XXV. </a> How We lost our horses and had to walk home <br /><br /> + </p> + </blockquote> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> <a name="link2H_PREF" id="link2H_PREF"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <h2> + Preface. + </h2> + <p> + These letters, their writer is aware, justly incur the reproach of egotism + and triviality; at the same time she did not see how this was to be + avoided, without lessening their value as the exact account of a lady's + experience of the brighter and less practical side of colonization. They + are published as no guide or handbook for "the intending emigrant;" that + person has already a literature to himself, and will scarcely find here so + much as a single statistic. They simply record the expeditions, + adventures, and emergencies diversifying the daily life of the wife of a + New Zealand sheep-farmer; and, as each was written while the novelty and + excitement of the scenes it describes were fresh upon her, they may + succeed in giving here in England an adequate impression of the delight + and freedom of an existence so far removed from our own highly-wrought + civilization: not failing in this, the writer will gladly bear the burden + of any critical rebuke the letters deserve. One thing she hopes will + plainly appear,—that, however hard it was to part, by the width of + the whole earth, from dear friends and spots scarcely less dear, yet she + soon found in that new country new friends and a new home; costing her in + their turn almost as many parting regrets as the old. + </p> + <p> + F. N. B. <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> <a name="link2H_4_0002" id="link2H_4_0002"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <h2> + Letter I: Two months at sea—Melbourne. + </h2> + <p> + Port Phillip Hotel, Melbourne. September 22d, 1865. .... Now I must give + you an account of our voyage: it has been a very quick one for the immense + distance traversed, sometimes under canvas, but generally steaming. We saw + no land between the Lizard and Cape Otway light—that is, for + fifty-seven days: and oh, the monotony of that time!—the monotony of + it! Our decks were so crowded that we divided our walking hours, in order + that each set of passengers might have space to move about; for if every + one had taken it into their heads to exercise themselves at the same time, + we could hardly have exceeded the fisherman's definition of a walk, "two + steps and overboard." I am ashamed to say I was more or less ill all the + way, but, fortunately, F—— was not, and I rejoiced at this + from the most selfish motives, as he was able to take care of me. I find + that sea-sickness develops the worst part of one's character with + startling rapidity, and, as far as I am concerned, I look back with + self-abasement upon my callous indifference to the sufferings of others, + and apathetic absorption in my individual misery. + </p> + <p> + Until we had fairly embarked, the well-meaning but ignorant among our + friends constantly assured us, with an air of conviction as to the truth + and wisdom of their words, that we were going at the very best season of + the year; but as soon as we could gather the opinions of those in + authority on board, it gradually leaked out that we really had fallen upon + quite a wrong time for such a voyage, for we very soon found ourselves in + the tropics during their hottest month (early in August), and after having + been nearly roasted for three weeks, we plunged abruptly into mid-winter, + or at all events very early spring, off the Cape of Good Hope, and went + through a season of bitterly cold weather, with three heavy gales. I + pitied the poor sailors from the bottom of my heart, at their work all + night on decks slippery with ice, and pulling at ropes so frozen that it + was almost impossible to bend them; but, thank God, there were no + casualties among the men. The last gale was the most severe; they said it + was the tail of a cyclone. One is apt on land to regard such phrases as + the "shriek of the storm," or "the roar of the waves," as poetical + hyperboles; whereas they are very literal and expressive renderings of the + sounds of horror incessant throughout a gale at sea. Our cabin, though + very nice and comfortable in other respects, possessed an extraordinary + attraction for any stray wave which might be wandering about the saloon: + once or twice I have been in the cuddy when a sea found its way down the + companion, and I have watched with horrible anxiety a ton or so of water + hesitating which cabin it should enter and deluge, and it always seemed to + choose ours. All these miseries appear now, after even a few days of the + blessed land, to belong to a distant past; but I feel inclined to lay my + pen down and have a hearty laugh at the recollection of one cold night, + when a heavy "thud" burst open our cabin door, and washed out all the + stray parcels, boots, etc., from the corners in which the rolling of the + ship had previously bestowed them. I was high and dry in the top berth, + but poor F—— in the lower recess was awakened by the douche, + and no words of mine can convey to you the utter absurdity of his + appearance, as he nimbly mounted on the top of a chest of drawers close + by, and crouched there, wet and shivering, handing me up a most + miscellaneous assortment of goods to take care of in my little dry nest. + </p> + <p> + Some of our fellow-passengers were very good-natured, and devoted + themselves to cheering and enlivening us by getting up concerts, little + burlesques and other amusements; and very grateful we were for their + efforts: they say that "anything is fun in the country," but on board ship + a little wit goes a very long way indeed, for all are only too ready and + anxious to be amused. The whole dramatic strength of the company was + called into force for the performance of "The Rivals," which was given a + week or so before the end of the voyage. It went off wonderfully well; but + I confess I enjoyed the preparations more than the play itself: the + ingenuity displayed was very amusing at the time. You on shore cannot + imagine how difficult it was to find a snuff-box for "Sir Anthony + Absolute," or with what joy and admiration we welcomed a clever substitute + for it in the shape of a match-box covered with the lead out of a + tea-chest most ingeniously modelled into an embossed wreath round the lid, + with a bunch of leaves and buds in the centre, the whole being brightly + burnished: at the performance the effect of this little "property" was + really excellent. Then, at the last moment, poor "Bob Acres" had to give + in, and acknowledge that he could not speak for coughing; he had been + suffering from bronchitis for some days past, but had gallantly striven to + make himself heard at rehearsals; so on the day of the play F—— + had the part forced on him. There was no time to learn his "words," so he + wrote out all of them in large letters on slips of paper and fastened them + on the beams. This device was invisible to the audience, but he was + obliged to go through his scenes with his head as high up as if he had on + a martingale; however, we were all so indulgent that at any little <i>contretemps</i>, + such as one of the actresses forgetting her part or being seized by + stage-fright, the applause was much greater than when things went + smoothly. + </p> + <p> + I can hardly believe that it is only two days since we steamed into + Hobson's Bay, on a lovely bright spring morning. At dinner, the evening + before, our dear old captain had said that we should see the revolving + light on the nearest headland about eight o'clock that evening, and so we + did. You will not think me childish, if I acknowledge that my eyes were so + full of tears I could hardly see it after the first glimpse; it is + impossible to express in a letter all the joy and thankfulness of such a + moment. Feelings like these are forgotten only too quickly in the jar and + bustle of daily life, and we are always ready to take as a matter of + course those mercies which are new every morning; but when I realized that + all the tosses and tumbles of so many weary days and nights were over, and + that at last we had reached the haven where we would be, my first thought + was one of deep gratitude. It was easy to see that it was a good moment + with everyone; squabbles were made up with surprising quickness; shy + people grew suddenly sociable; some who had comfortable homes to go to on + landing gave kind and welcome invitations to others, who felt themselves + sadly strange in a new country; and it was with really a lingering feeling + of regret that we all separated at last, though a very short time before + we should have thought it quite impossible to be anything but delighted to + leave the ship. + </p> + <p> + We have not seen much of Melbourne yet, as there has been a great deal to + do in looking after the luggage, and at first one is capable of nothing + but a delightful idleness. The keenest enjoyment is a fresh-water bath, + and next to that is the new and agreeable luxury of the ample space for + dressing; and then it is so pleasant to suffer no anxiety as to the + brushes and combs tumbling about. I should think that even the vainest + woman in the world would find her toilet and its duties a daily trouble + and a sorrow at sea, on account of the unsteadiness of all things. The + next delight is standing at the window, and seeing horses, and trees, and + dogs—in fact, all the "treasures of the land;" as for flowers—beautiful + as they are at all times—you cannot learn to appreciate them enough + until you have been deprived of them for two months. + </p> + <p> + You know that I have travelled a good deal in various parts of the world, + but I have never seen anything at all like Melbourne. In other countries, + it is generally the antiquity of the cities, and their historical + reminiscences, which appeal to the imagination; but <i>here</i>, the + interest is as great from exactly the opposite cause. It is most wonderful + to walk through a splendid town, with magnificent public buildings, + churches, shops, clubs, theatres, with the streets well paved and lighted, + and to think that less than forty years ago it was a desolate swamp + without even a hut upon it. How little an English country town progresses + in forty years, and here is a splendid city created in that time! I have + no hesitation in saying, that any fashionable novelty which comes out in + either London or Paris finds its way to Melbourne by the next steamer; for + instance, I broke my parasol on board ship, and the first thing I did on + landing was to go to one of the best shops in Collins Street to replace + it. On learning what I wanted, the shopman showed me some of those new + parasols which had just come out in London before I sailed, and which I + had vainly tried to procure in S——, only four hours from + London. + </p> + <p> + The only public place we have yet visited is the Acclimatization Garden; + which is very beautifully laid out, and full of aviaries, though it looks + strange to see common English birds treated as distinguished visitors and + sumptuously lodged and cared for. Naturally, the Australian ones interest + me most, and they are certainly prettier than yours at home, though they + do not sing. I have been already to a shop where they sell skins of birds, + and have half ruined myself in purchases for hats. You are to have a + "diamond sparrow," a dear little fellow with reddish brown plumage, and + white spots over its body (in this respect a miniature copy of the Argus + pheasant I brought from India), and a triangular patch of bright yellow + under its throat. I saw some of them alive in a cage in the market with + many other kinds of small birds, and several pairs of those pretty grass + or zebra paroquets, which are called here by the very inharmonious name of + "budgerighars." I admired the blue wren so much—a tiny <i>birdeen</i> + with tail and body of dust-coloured feathers, and head and throat of a + most lovely turquoise blue; it has also a little wattle of these blue + feathers standing straight out on each side of its head, which gives it a + very pert appearance. Then there is the emu-wren, all sad-coloured, but + quaint, with the tail-feathers sticking up on end, and exactly like those + of an emu; on the very smallest scale, even to the peculiarity of two + feathers growing out of the same little quill. I was much amused by the + varieties of cockatoos, parrots, and lories of every kind and colour, + shrieking and jabbering in the part of the market devoted to them; but I + am told that I have seen very few of the varieties of birds, as it is + early in the spring, and the young ones have not yet been brought in: they + appear to sell as fast as they can be procured. But before I end my letter + I must tell you about the cockatoo belonging to this hotel. It is a famous + bird in its way, having had its portrait taken several times, descriptions + written for newspapers of its talents, and its owner boasts of enormous + sums offered and refused for it. Knowing my fondness for pets, F—— + took me downstairs to see it very soon after our arrival. I thought it + hideous: it belongs to a kind not very well known in England, of a + dirtyish white colour, a very ugly-shaped head and bill, and large bluish + rings round the eyes; the beak is huge and curved. If it knew of this last + objection on my part, it would probably answer, like the wolf in Red + Riding Hood's story, "the better to talk with, my dear"—for it is a + weird and knowing bird. At first it flatly refused to show off any of its + accomplishments, but one of the hotel servants good-naturedly came + forward, and Cocky condescended to go through his performances. I cannot + possibly-tell you of all its antics: it pretended to have a violent + toothache, and nursed its beak in its claw, rocking itself backwards and + forwards as if in the greatest agony, and in answer to all the remedies + which were proposed, croaking out, "Oh, it ain't a bit of good," and + finally sidling up, to the edge of its perch, and saying in hoarse but + confidential whisper, "Give us a drop of whisky, <i>do</i>." Its voice was + extraordinarily distinct, and when it sang several snatches of songs the + words were capitally given, with the most absurdly comic intonation, all + the <i>roulades</i> being executed in perfect tune. I liked its sewing + performance so much—to see it hold a little piece of stuff + underneath the claw which rested on the perch, and pretend to sew with the + other, getting into difficulties with its thread, and finally setting up a + loud song in praise of sewing-machines just as if it were an + advertisement. + </p> + <p> + By the next time I write I shall have seen more of Melbourne; there will, + however, be no time for another letter by this mail; but I will leave one + to be posted after we sail for New Zealand. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0003" id="link2H_4_0003"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + Letter II: Sight-seeing in Melbourne. + </h2> + <p> + Melbourne, October 1st, 1865. I have left my letter to the last moment + before starting for Lyttleton; everything is re-packed and ready, and we + sail to-morrow morning in the <i>Albion</i>. She is a mail-steamer—very + small after our large vessel, but she looks clean and tidy; at all events, + we hope to be only on board her for ten days. In England one fancies that + New Zealand is quite close to Australia, so I was rather disgusted to find + we had another thousand miles of steaming to do before we could reach our + new home; and one of the many Job's comforters who are scattered up and + down the world assures me that the navigation is the most dangerous and + difficult of the whole voyage. + </p> + <p> + We have seen a good deal of Melbourne this week; and not only of the town, + for we have had many drives in the exceedingly pretty suburbs, owing to + the kindness of the D——s, who have been most hospitable and + made our visit here delightful. We drove out to their house at Toorak + three or four times; and spent a long afternoon with them; and there I + began to make acquaintance with the Antipodean trees and flowers. I hope + you will not think it a very sweeping assertion if I say that all the + leaves look as if they were made of leather, but it really is so; the hot + winds appear to parch up everything, at all events, round Melbourne, till + the greatest charm of foliage is more or less lost; the flowers also look + withered and burnt up, as yours do at the end of a long, dry summer, only + they assume this appearance after the first hot wind in spring. The suburb + called Heidelberg is the prettiest, to my taste—an undulating + country with vineyards, and a park-like appearance which, is very + charming. All round Melbourne there are nice, comfortable, English-looking + villas. At one of these we called to return a visit and found a very + handsome house, luxuriously furnished, with beautiful garden and grounds. + One afternoon we went by rail to St. Kilda's, a flourishing bathing-place + on the sea-coast, about six miles from Melbourne. Everywhere building is + going on with great rapidity, and you do not see any poor people in the + streets. If I wanted to be critical and find fault, I might object to the + deep gutters on each side of the road; after a shower of rain they are + raging torrents for a short time, through which you are obliged to splash + without regard to the muddy consequences; and even when they are dry, they + entail sudden and prodigious jolts. There are plenty of Hansoms and all + sorts of other conveyances, but I gave F—— no peace until he + took me for a drive in a vehicle which was quite new to me—a sort of + light car with a canopy and curtains, holding four, two on each seat, <i>dos-a-dos</i>, + and called a "jingle,"—of American parentage, I fancy. One drive in + this carriage was quite enough, however, and I contented myself with + Hansoms afterwards; but walking is really more enjoyable than anything + else, after having been so long cooped up on board ship. + </p> + <p> + We admired the fine statue, at the top of Collins Street, to the memory of + the two most famous of Australian explorers, Burke and Wills, and made + many visits to the Museum, and the glorious Free Library; we also went all + over the Houses of Legislature—very new and grand. But you must not + despise me if I confess to having enjoyed the shops exceedingly: it was so + unlike a jeweller's shop in England to see on the counter gold in its raw + state, in nuggets and dust and flakes; in this stage of its existence it + certainly deserves its name of "filthy lucre," for it is often only half + washed. There were quantities of emus' eggs in the silversmiths' shops, + mounted in every conceivable way as cups and vases, and even as + work-boxes: some designs consisted of three or five eggs grouped together + as a centre-piece. I cannot honestly say I admired any of them; they were + generally too elaborate, comprising often a native (spear in hand), a + kangaroo, palms, ferns, cockatoos, and sometimes an emu or two in + addition, as a pedestal—all this in frosted silver or gold. I was + given a pair of these eggs before leaving England: they were mounted in + London as little flower-vases in a setting consisting only of a few + bulrushes and leaves, yet far better than any of these florid designs; but + he emu-eggs are very popular in Sydney or Melbourne, and I am told sell + rapidly to people going home, who take them as a memento of their + Australian life, and probably think that the greater the number of + reminiscences suggested by the ornament the more satisfactory it is as a + purchase. + </p> + <p> + I must finish my letter by a description of a dinner-party which about a + dozen of our fellow-passengers joined with us in giving our dear old + captain before we all separated. Whilst we were on board, it very often + happened that the food was not very choice or good: at all events we used + sometimes to grumble at it, and we generally wound up our lamentations by + agreeing that when we reached Melbourne we would have a good dinner + together. Looking back on it, I must say I think we were all rather + greedy, but we tried to give a better colouring to our gourmandism by + inviting the captain, who was universally popular, and by making it as + elegant and pretty a repast as possible. Three or four of the gentlemen + formed themselves into a committee, and they must really have worked very + hard; at all events they collected everything rare and strange in the way + of fish, flesh, and fowl peculiar to Australia, the arrangement of the + table was charming, and the delicacies were all cooked and served to + perfection. The ladies' tastes were considered in the profusion of + flowers, and we each found an exquisite bouquet by our plate. I cannot + possibly give you a minute account of the whole menu; in fact, as it is, I + feel rather like Froissart, who, after chronicling a long list of + sumptuous dishes, is not ashamed to confess, "Of all which good things I, + the chronicler of this narration, did partake!" The soups comprised + kangaroo-tail—a clear soup not unlike ox-tail, but with a flavour of + game. I wish I could recollect the names of the fish: the fresh-water ones + came a long distance by rail from the river Murray, but were excellent + nevertheless. The last thing which I can remember tasting (for one really + could do little else) was a most exquisite morsel of pigeon—more + like a quail than anything else in flavour. I am not a judge of wine, as + you may imagine, therefore it is no unkindness to the owners of the + beautiful vineyards which we saw the other day, to say that I do not like + the Australian wines. Some of the gentlemen pronounced them to be + excellent, especially the equivalent to Sauterne, which has a wonderful + native name impossible to write down; but, as I said before, I do not like + the rather rough flavour. We had not a great variety of fruit at dessert: + indeed, Sydney oranges constituted its main feature, as it is too late for + winter fruits, and too early for summer ones: but we were not inclined to + be over-fastidious, and thought everything delicious. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0004" id="link2H_4_0004"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + Letter III: On to New Zealand. + </h2> + <p> + Christchurch, Canterbury, N. Z. October 14th, 1865. As you so particularly + desired me when we parted to tell you <i>everything</i>, I must resume my + story where in my last letter I left it off. If I remember rightly, I + ended with an attempt at describing our great feast. We embarked the next + day, and as soon as we were out of the bay the little <i>Albion</i> + plunged into heavy seas. The motion was much worse in her than on board + the large vessel we had been so glad to leave, and all my previous + sufferings seemed insignificant compared with what I endured in my small + and wretchedly hard berth. I have a dim recollection of F—— + helping me to dress, wrapping me up in various shawls, and half carrying + me up the companion ladder; I crawled into a sunny corner among the boxes + of oranges with which the deck was crowded, and there I lay helpless and + utterly miserable. One well-meaning and good-natured fellow-passenger + asked F—— if I was fond of birds, and on his saying "Yes," + went off for a large wicker cage of hideous "laughing Jackasses," which he + was taking as a great treasure to Canterbury. Why they should be called + "Jackasses" I never could discover; but the creatures certainly do utter + by fits and starts a sound which may fairly be described as laughter. + These paroxysms arise from no cause that one can perceive; one bird + begins, and all the others join in, and a more doleful and depressing + chorus I never heard: early in the morning seemed the favourite time for + this discordant mirth. Their owner also possessed a cockatoo with a great + musical reputation, but I never heard it get beyond the first bar of "Come + into the garden, Maud." Ill as I was, I remember being roused to something + like a flicker of animation when I was shown an exceedingly seedy and + shabby-looking blackbird with a broken leg in splints, which its master + (the same bird-fancying gentleman) assured me he had bought in Melbourne + as a great bargain for only 2 pounds 10 shillings! + </p> + <p> + After five days' steaming we arrived in the open roadstead of Hokitika, on + the west coast of the middle island of New Zealand, and five minutes after + the anchor was down a little tug came alongside to take away our steerage + passengers—three hundred diggers. The gold-fields on this coast were + only discovered eight months ago, and already several canvas towns have + sprung up; there are thirty thousand diggers at work, and every vessel + brings a fresh cargo of stalwart, sun-burnt men. It was rather late, and + getting dark, but still I could distinctly see the picturesque tents in + the deep mountain gorge, their white shapes dotted here and there as far + back from the shore as my sight could follow, and the wreaths of smoke + curling up in all directions from the evening fires: it is still bitterly + cold at night, being very early spring. The river Hokitika washes down + with every fresh such quantities of sand, that a bar is continually + forming in this roadstead, and though only vessels of the least possible + draught are engaged in the coasting-trade, still wrecks are of frequent + occurrence. We ought to have landed our thousands of oranges here, but + this work was necessarily deferred till the morning, for it was as much as + they could do to get all the diggers and their belongings safely ashore + before dark; in the middle of the night one of the sudden and furious + gales common to these seas sprang up, and would soon have driven us on the + rocks if we had not got our steam up quickly and struggled out to sea, + oranges and all, and away to Nelson, on the north coast of the same + island. Here we landed the seventh day after leaving Melbourne, and spent + a few hours wandering about on shore. It is a lovely little town, as I saw + it that spring morning, with hills running down almost to the water's + edge, and small wooden houses with gables and verandahs, half buried in + creepers, built up the sides of the steep slopes. It was a true New + Zealand day, still and bright, a delicious invigorating freshness in the + air, without the least chill, the sky of a more than Italian blue, the + ranges of mountains in the distance covered with snow, and standing out, + sharp and clear against this lovely glowing heaven. The town itself, I + must say, seemed very dull and stagnant, with little sign of life or + activity about it; but nothing can be prettier or more picturesque than + its situation—not unlike that of a Swiss village. Our day came to an + end all too soon, and we re-embarked for Wellington, the most southern + town of the North Island. The seat of government is there, and it is + supposed to be a very thriving place, but is not nearly so well situated + as Nelson nor so attractive to strangers. We landed and walked about a + good deal, and saw what little there was to see. At first I thought the + shops very handsome, but I found, rather to my disgust, that generally the + fine, imposing frontage was all a sham; the actual building was only a + little but at the back, looking all the meaner for the contrast to the + cornices and show windows in front. You cannot think how odd it was to + turn a corner and see that the building was only one board in thickness, + and scarcely more substantial than the scenes at a theatre. We lunched at + the principal hotel, where F—— was much amused at my + astonishment at colonial prices. We had two dozen very nice little + oysters, and he had a glass of porter: for this modest repast we paid + eleven shillings! + </p> + <p> + We slept on board, had another walk on shore after breakfast the following + morning, and about twelve o'clock set off for Lyttleton, the final end of + our voyaging, which we reached in about twenty hours. + </p> + <p> + The scenery is very beautiful all along the coast, but the navigation is + both dangerous and difficult. It was exceedingly cold, and Lyttleton did + not look very inviting; we could not get in at all near the landing-place, + and had to pay 2 pounds to be rowed ashore in an open boat with our + luggage. I assure you it was a very "bad quarter of an hour" we passed in + that boat; getting into it was difficult enough. The spray dashed over us + every minute, and by the time we landed we were quite drenched, but a good + fire at the hotel and a capital lunch soon made us all right again; + besides, in the delight of being actually at the end of our voyage no + annoyance or discomfort was worth a moment's thought. F—— had + a couple of hours' work rushing backwards and forwards to the Custom + House, clearing our luggage, and arranging for some sort of conveyance to + take us over the hills. The great tunnel through these "Port Hills" (which + divide Lyttleton from Christchurch, the capital of Canterbury) is only + half finished, but it seems wonderful that so expensive and difficult an + engineering work could be undertaken by such an infant colony. + </p> + <p> + At last a sort of shabby waggonette was forthcoming, and about three + o'clock we started from Lyttleton, and almost immediately began to ascend + the zig-zag. It was a tremendous pull for the poor horses, who however + never flinched; at the steepest pinch the gentlemen were requested to get + out and walk, which they did, and at length we reached the top. It was + worth all the bad road to look down on the land-locked bay, with the + little patches of cultivation, a few houses nestling in pretty recesses. + The town of Lyttleton seemed much more imposing and important as we rose + above it: fifteen years ago a few sheds received the "Pilgrims," as the + first comers are always called. I like the name; it is so pretty and + suggestive. By the way, I am told that these four ships, sent out with the + pilgrims by the Canterbury Association, sailed together from England, + parted company almost directly, and arrived in Lyttleton (then called Port + Cooper) four months afterwards, on the same day, having all experienced + fine weather, but never having sighted each other once. + </p> + <p> + As soon as we reached the top of the hill the driver looked to the harness + of his horses, put on a very powerful double break, and we began the + descent, which, I must say, I thought we took much too quickly, especially + as at every turn of the road some little anecdote was forthcoming of an + upset or accident; however, I would not show the least alarm, and we were + soon rattling along the Sumner Road, by the sea-shore, passing every now + and then under tremendous overhanging crags. In half an hour we reached + Sumner itself, where we stopped for a few moments to change horses. There + is an inn and a village here, where people from Christchurch come in the + warm weather for sea-air and bathing. It began to rain hard, and the rest + of the journey, some seven or eight miles, was disagreeable enough; but it + was the <i>end</i>, and that one thought was sufficient to keep us + radiantly good-humoured, in spite of all little trials. When we reached + Christchurch, we drove at once to a sort of boarding-house where we had + engaged apartments, and thought of nothing but supper and bed. + </p> + <p> + The next day people began calling, and certainly I cannot complain of any + coldness or want of welcome to my new home. I like what I have seen of my + future acquaintances very much. Of course there is a very practical style + and tone over everything, though outwardly the place is as civilized as if + it were a hundred years old; well-paved streets, gas lamps, and even + drinking fountains and pillar post-offices! I often find myself wondering + whether the ladies here are at all like what our great grandmothers were. + I suspect they are, for they appear to possess an amount of useful + practical knowledge which is quite astonishing, and yet know how to + surround themselves, according to their means and opportunities, with the + refinements and elegancies of life. I feel quite ashamed of my own utter + ignorance on every subject, and am determined to set to work directly and + learn: at all events I shall have plenty of instructresses. Christchurch + is a very pretty little town, still primitive enough to be picturesque, + and yet very thriving: capital shops, where everything may be bought; + churches, public buildings, a very handsome club-house, etc. Most of the + houses are of wood, but when they are burned down (which is often the + case) they are now rebuilt of brick or stone, so that the new ones are + nearly all of these more solid materials. I am disappointed to find that, + the cathedral, of which I had heard so much, has not progressed beyond the + foundations, which cost 8,000 pounds: all the works have been stopped, and + certainly there is not much to show for so large a sum, but labour is very + dear. Christchurch is a great deal more lively and bustling than most + English country towns, and I am much struck by the healthy appearance of + the people. There are no paupers to be seen; every one seems well fed and + well clothed; the children are really splendid. Of course, as might be + expected, there is a great deal of independence in bearing and manner, + especially among the servants, and I hear astounding stories concerning + them on all sides. My next letter will be from the country, as we have + accepted an invitation to pay a visit of six weeks or so to a station in + the north of the province. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0005" id="link2H_4_0005"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + Letter IV: First introduction to "Station life." + </h2> + <p> + Heathstock, Canterbury, November 13th, 1865. I have just had the happiness + of receiving my first budget of English letters; and no one can imagine + how a satisfactory home letter satisfies the hunger of the heart after its + loved and left ones. Your letter was particularly pleasant, because I + could perceive, as I held the paper in my hands, that you were writing as + you really felt, and that you were indeed happy. May you long continue so, + dearest. + </p> + <p> + F—— says that this beautiful place will give me a very + erroneous impression of station life, and that I shall probably expect to + find its comforts and luxuries the rule, whereas they are the exception; + in the mean time, however, I am enjoying them thoroughly. The house is + only sixty-five miles from Christchurch, nearly due north (which you must + not forget answers to your south in point of warmth). Our kind friends and + hosts, the L——s, called for us in their comfortable and large + break, with four horses. Mr. L—— drove, F—— sat on + the box, and inside were the ladies, children, and a nurse. Our first + stage was to Kaiapoi, a little town on the river Waimakiriri, where we had + a good luncheon of whitebait, and rested and fed the horses. From the + window of the hotel I saw a few groups of Maories; they looked very ugly + and peaceable, with a rude sort of basket made of flax fibres, or buckets + filled with whitebait, which they wanted us to buy. There are some + reserved lands near Kaiapoi where they have a very thriving settlement, + living in perfect peace and good-will with their white neighbours. When we + set off again on our journey, we passed a little school-house for their + children. + </p> + <p> + We reached Leathfield that evening, only twenty-five miles from + Christchurch; found a nice inn, or accommodation-house, as roadside inns + are called here; had a capital supper and comfortable beds, and were up + and off again at daylight the next morning. As far as the Weka Pass, where + we stopped for dinner, the roads were very good, but after that we got + more among the hills and off the usual track, and there were many sharp + turns and steep pinches; but Mr. L—— is an excellent whip, and + took great care of us. We all got very weary towards the end of this + second day's journey, and the last two hours of it were in heavy rain; it + was growing very dark when we reached the gate, and heard the welcome + sound of gravel under the wheels. I could just perceive that we had + entered a plantation, the first trees since we left Christchurch. Nothing + seems so wonderful to me as the utter treelessness of the vast Canterbury + plains; occasionally you pass a few Ti-ti palms (ordinarily called + cabbage-trees), or a large prickly bush which goes by the name of "wild + Irishman," but for miles and miles you see nothing but flat ground or + slightly undulating downs of yellow tussocks, the tall native grass. It + has the colour and appearance of hay, but serves as shelter for a + delicious undergrowth of short sweet herbage, upon which the sheep live, + and horses also do very well on it, keeping in good working condition, + quite unlike their puffy, fat state on English pasture. + </p> + <p> + We drove through the plantation and another gate, and drew up at the door + of a very large, handsome, brick house, with projecting gables and a + verandah. The older I grow the more convinced I am that contrast is + everything in this world; and nothing I can write can give you any idea of + the delightful change from the bleak country we had been slowly travelling + through in pouring rain, to the warmth and brightness of this charming + house. There were blazing fires ready to welcome us, and I feel sure you + will sufficiently appreciate this fact when I tell you that by the time + the coal reaches this, it costs nine pounds per ton. It is possible to get + Australian coal at about half the price, but it is not nearly as good. + </p> + <p> + We were so tired that we were only fit for the lowest phase of human + enjoyment—warmth, food, and sleep; but the next morning was bright + and lovely, and I was up and out in the verandah as early as possible. I + found myself saying constantly, in a sort of ecstasy, "How I wish they + could see this in England!" and not only see but feel it, for the very + breath one draws on such a morning is a happiness; the air is so light and + yet balmy, it seems to heal the lungs as you inhale it. The verandah is + covered with honeysuckles and other creepers, and the gable end of the + house where the bow-window of the drawing-room projects, is one mass of + yellow Banksia roses in full blossom. A stream runs through the grounds, + fringed with weeping willows, which are in their greatest beauty at this + time of year, with their soft, feathery foliage of the tenderest green. + The flower beds are dotted about the lawn, which surrounds the house and + slopes away from it, and they are brilliant patches of colour, gay with + verbenas, geraniums, and petunias. Here and there clumps of tall trees + rise above the shrubs, and as a background there is a thick plantation of + red and blue gums, to shelter the garden from the strong N.W. winds. Then, + in front, the country stretches away in undulating downs to a chain of + high hills in the distance: every now and then there is a deep gap in + these, through which you see magnificent snow-covered mountains. + </p> + <p> + The inside of the house is as charming as the outside, and the perfection + of comfort; but I am perpetually wondering how all the furniture—especially + the fragile part of it—got here. When I remember the jolts, and + ruts, and roughnesses of the road, I find myself looking at the pier-glass + and glass shades, picture-frames, etc., with a sort of respect, due to + them for having survived so many dangers. + </p> + <p> + The first two or three days we enjoyed ourselves in a thoroughly lazy + manner; the garden was a never-ending source of delight, and there were + all the animals to make friends with, "mobs" of horses to look at, + rabbits, poultry, and pets of all sorts. About a week after our arrival, + some more gentlemen came, and then we had a series of picnics. As these + are quite unlike your highly civilized entertainments which go by the same + name, I must describe one to you. + </p> + <p> + The first thing after breakfast was to collect all the provisions, and + pack them in a sort of washing-basket, and then we started in an American + waggon drawn by a pair of stout cobs. We drove for some miles till we came + to the edge of one of the high terraces common to New Zealand scenery: + here we all got out; the gentlemen unharnessed and tethered the horses, so + that they could feed about comfortably, and then we scrambled down the + deep slope, at the bottom of which ran a wide shallow creek. It was no + easy matter to get the basket down here, I assure you; we ladies were only + permitted to load ourselves, one with a little kettle, and the other with + a tea-pot, but this was quite enough, as crossing the creek by a series of + jumps from one wet stone to another is not easy for a beginner. + </p> + <p> + Mr. L—— brought a large dog with him, a kangaroo-hound (not + unlike a lurcher in appearance), to hunt the wekas. I had heard at night + the peculiar cry or call of these birds, but had not seen one until + to-day. "Fly" put up several, one after another, and soon ran them down. + At first I thought it very cruel to destroy such a tame and apparently + harmless creature, but I am assured that they are most mischievous, and + that it would be useless to turn out the pheasants and partridges which + Mr. L—— has brought from England, until the numbers of the + wekas are considerably reduced. They are very like a hen pheasant without + the long tail feathers, and until you examine them you cannot tell they + have no wings, though there is a sort of small pinion among the feathers, + with a claw at the end of it. They run very swiftly, availing themselves + cleverly of the least bit of cover; but when you hear a short sharp cry, + it is a sign that the poor weka is nearly done, and the next thing you see + is Fly shaking a bundle of brown feathers vehemently. All the dogs are + trained to hunt these birds, as they are a great torment, sucking eggs and + killing chickens; but still I could not help feeling sorry when Fly, + having disposed of the mother, returned to the flax-bush out of which he + had started her, and killed several baby-wekas by successive taps of his + paw. + </p> + <p> + I have wandered away from my account of the picnic in the most + unjustifiable manner. The gentlemen were toiling up the hill, after we had + crossed the creek, carrying the big basket by turns between them; it was + really hard work, and I must tell you in confidence, that I don't believe + they liked it—at least I can answer for one. I laughed at them for + not enjoying their task, and assured them that I was looking forward with + pleasure to washing up the plates and dishes after our luncheon; but I + found that they had all been obliged, in the early days of the colony, to + work at domestic drudgery in grim and grimy earnest, so it had lost the + charm of novelty which it still possessed for me. + </p> + <p> + As soon as we reached a pretty sheltered spot half-way up the hill among + some trees and ferns, and by the side of the creek, we unpacked the + basket, and began collecting dry wood for a fire: we soon had a splendid + blaze under the lee of a fine rock, and there we boiled our kettle and our + potatoes. The next thing was to find a deep hole in the creek, so + over-shadowed by rocks and trees that the water would be icy cold: in this + we put the champagne to cool. The result of all our preparations was a + capital luncheon, eaten in a most romantic spot, with a lovely view before + us, and the creek just like a Scotch burn, hurrying and tumbling down the + hill-side to join the broader stream in the valley. After luncheon, the + gentlemen considered themselves entitled to rest, lying lazily back among + the fern and smoking, whilst we ladies sat a little apart and chatted: I + was busy learning to knit. Then, about five, we had the most delicious cup + of tea I ever tasted, and we repacked the basket (it was very light now, I + assure you), and made our way back to the top of the terrace, put the + horses in again, and so home. It was a long, bright, summer holiday, and + we enjoyed it thoroughly. After a voyage, such an expedition as this is + full of delight; every tree and bird is a source of pleasure. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0006" id="link2H_4_0006"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + Letter V: A pastoral letter. + </h2> + <p> + Heathstock, December 1st, 1865. All I can find to tell you this month is + that I have seen one of the finest and best wool-sheds in the country in + full work. Anything about sheep is as new to you as it is to me, so I + shall begin my story at the very beginning. + </p> + <p> + I am afraid you will think us a very greedy set of people in this part of + the world, for eating seems to enter so largely into my letters; but the + fact is—and I may as well confess it at once—I am in a chronic + state of hunger; it is the fault of the fine air and the outdoor life: and + then how one sleeps at night! I don't believe you really know in England + what it is to be sleepy as we feel sleepy here; and it is delightful to + wake up in the morning with the sort of joyous light-heartedness which + only young children have. The expedition I am going to relate may fairly + be said to have begun with eating, for although we started for our twelve + miles' drive over the downs immediately after an excellent and somewhat + late breakfast, yet by the time we reached the Home Station we were quite + ready for luncheon. All the work connected with the sheep is carried on + here. The manager has a nice house; and the wool-shed, men's huts, dip, + etc., are near each other. It is the busiest season of the year, and no + time could be spared to prepare for us; we therefore contented ourselves + with what was described to me as ordinary station fare, and I must tell + you what they gave us: first, a tureen of real mutton-broth, not hot water + and chopped parsley, but excel-lent thick soup, with plenty of barley and + meat in it; this had much the same effect on our appetites as the famous + treacle and brimstone before breakfast in "Nicholas Nickleby," so that we + were only able to manage a few little sheeps' tongues, slightly pickled; + and very nice <i>they</i> were; then we finished with a Devonshire junket, + with clotted cream <i>a discretion</i>. Do you think we were much to be + pitied? + </p> + <p> + After this repast we were obliged to rest a little before we set out for + the wool-shed, which has only been lately finished, and has all the newest + improvements. At first I am "free to confess" that I did not like either + its sounds or sights; the other two ladies turned very pale, but I was + determined to make myself bear it, and after a moment or two I found it + quite possible to proceed with Mr. L——round the "floor." There + were about twenty-five shearers at work, and everything seemed to be very + systematically and well arranged. Each shearer has a trap-door close to + him, out of which he pushes his sheep as soon as the fleece is off, and + there are little pens outside, so that the manager can notice whether the + poor animal has been too much cut with the shears, or badly shorn in any + other respect, and can tell exactly which shearer is to blame. Before this + plan was adopted it was hopeless to try to find out who was the + delinquent, for no one would acknowledge to the least snip. A good shearer + can take off 120 fleeces in a day, but the average is about 80 to each + man. They get one pound per hundred, and are found in everything, having + as much tea and sugar, bread and mutton, as they can consume, and a cook + entirely to themselves; they work at least fourteen hours out of the + twenty-four, and with such a large flock as this—about 50,000—must + make a good deal. + </p> + <p> + We next inspected the wool tables, to which two boys were incessantly + bringing armfuls of rolled-up fleeces; these were laid on the tables + before the wool-sorters, who opened them out, and pronounced in a moment + to which <i>bin</i> they belonged; two or three men standing behind rolled + them up again rapidly, and put them on a sort of shelf divided into + compartments, which were each labelled, so that the quality and kind of + wool could be told at a glance. There was a constant emptying of these + bins into trucks to be carried off to the press, where we followed to see + the bales packed. The fleeces are tumbled in, and a heavy screw-press + forces them down till the bale—which is kept open in a large square + frame—is as full as it can hold. The top of canvas is then put on, + tightly sewn, four iron pins are removed and the sides of the frame fall + away, disclosing a most symmetrical bale ready to be hoisted by a crane + into the loft above, where it has the brand of the sheep painted on it, + its weight, and to what class the wool belongs. Of course everything has + to be done with great speed and system. + </p> + <p> + I was much impressed by the silence in the shed; not a sound was to be + heard except the click of the shears, and the wool-sorter's decision as he + flings the fleece behind him, given in one, or at most two words. I was + reminded how touchingly true is that phrase, "Like as a sheep before her + shearers is dumb." All the noise is <i>outside</i>; there the hubbub, and + dust, and apparent confusion are great,—a constant succession of + woolly sheep being brought up to fill the "skillions" (from whence the + shearers take them as they want them), and the newly-shorn ones, white, + clean, and bewildered-looking, being turned out after they have passed + through a narrow passage, called a "race," where each sheep is branded, + and has its mouth examined in order to tell its age, which is marked in a + book. It was a comfort to think all their troubles were over, for a year. + You can hear nothing but barking and bleating, and this goes on from early + morning till dark. We peeped in at the men's huts—a long, low wooden + building, with two rows of "bunks" (berths, I should call their) in one + compartment, and a table with forms round it in the other, and piles of + tin plates and pannikins all about. The kitchen was near, and we were just + in time to see an enormous batch of bread withdrawn from a huge brick + oven: the other commissariat arrangements were on the same scale. Cold tea + is supplied all day long to the shearers, and they appear to consume great + quantities of it. + </p> + <p> + Our last visit was to the Dip, and it was only a short one, for it seemed + a cruel process; unfortunately, this fine station is in technical parlance + "scabby," and although of course great precautions are taken, still some + 10,000 sheep had an ominous large S on them. These poor sufferers are + dragged down a plank into a great pit filled with hot water, tobacco, and + sulphur, and soused over head and ears two or three times. This torture is + repeated more than once. + </p> + <p> + I was very glad to get away from the Dip, and back to the manager's house, + where we refreshed ourselves by a delicious cup of tea, and soon after + started for a nice long drive home in the cool, clear evening air. The + days are very hot, but never oppressive; and the mornings and evenings are + deliciously fresh and invigorating. You can remain out late without the + least danger. Malaria is unknown, and, in spite of the heavy rains, there + is no such thing as damp. Our way lay through very pretty country—a + series of terraces, with a range of mountains before us, with beautiful + changing and softening evening tints creeping over the whole. + </p> + <p> + I am sorry to say, we leave this next week. I should like to explore a + great deal more. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0007" id="link2H_4_0007"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + Letter VI: Society.—houses and servants. + </h2> + <p> + Christchurch, January 1866. I am beginning to get tired of Christchurch + already: but the truth is, I am not in a fair position to judge of it as a + place of residence; for, living temporarily, as we do, in a sort of + boarding-house, I miss the usual duties and occupations of home, and the + town itself has no place of public amusement except a little theatre, to + which it is much too hot to go. The last two weeks have been <i>the</i> + gay ones of the whole year; the races have been going on for three days, + and there have been a few balls; but as a general rule, the society may be + said to be extremely stagnant. No dinner-parties are ever given—I + imagine, on account of the smallness of the houses and the inefficiency of + the servants; but every now and then there is an assembly ball arranged, + in the same way, I believe, as at watering-places in England only, of + course, on a much smaller scale. I have been at two or three of these, and + noticed at each a most undue preponderance of black coats. Nearly all the + ladies were married, there were very few young girls; and it would be a + great improvement to the Christchurch parties if some of the pretty and + partnerless groups of a London ball-room, in all their freshness of + toilette, could be transferred to them. What a sensation they would make, + and what terrible heart-aches among the young gentlemen would be the + result of such an importation! There were the same knots of men standing + together as at a London party, but I must say that, except so far as their + tailor is concerned, I think we have the advantage of you, for the + gentlemen lead such healthy lives that they all look more or less bronzed + and stalwart—in splendid condition, not like your pale dwellers in + cities; and then they come to a ball to dance, arriving early so as to + secure good partners, and their great ambition appears to be to dance + every dance from the first to the last. This makes it hard work for the + few ladies, who are not allowed to sit down for a moment, and I have often + seen a young and pretty partner obliged to divide her dances between two + gentlemen. + </p> + <p> + Although it tells only against myself, I must make you laugh at an account + of a snub I received at one of these balls. Early in the evening I had + danced with a young gentleman whose station was a long way "up country," + and who worked so hard on it that he very seldom found time for even the + mild dissipations of Christchurch; he was good-looking and gentlemanly, + and seemed clever and sensible, a little <i>brusque</i>, perhaps, but one + soon gets used to that here. During our quadrille he confided to me that + he hardly knew any ladies in the room, and that his prospects of getting + any dancing were in consequence very blank. I did all I could to find + partners for him, introducing him to every lady whom I knew, but it was in + vain; they would have been delighted to dance with him, but their cards + were filled. At the end of the evening, when I was feeling thoroughly done + up, and could hardly stand up for fatigue, my poor friend came up and + begged for another dance. I assured him I could scarcely stand, but when + he said in a <i>larmoyante</i> voice, "I have only danced once this + evening, that quadrille with you," my heart softened, and I thought I + would make a great effort and try to get through one more set of Lancers; + my partner seemed so grateful, that the demon of vanity, or coquetry, or + whatever it is that prompts one to say absurd things induced me to fish + for a compliment, and to observe, "It was not worth while taking all the + trouble of riding such a distance to dance only with me, was it?" + Whereupon my poor, doleful friend answered, with a deep sigh, and an + accent of profound conviction, "No, indeed it was <i>not</i>!" I leave you + to imagine my discomfiture; but luckily he never observed it, and I felt + all the time that I richly deserved what I got, for asking such a stupid + question. + </p> + <p> + The music at these balls is very bad, and though the principal room in + which they are given, at the Town Hall, is large and handsome, it is + poorly lighted, and the decorations are desolate in the extreme. I am + afraid this is not a very inviting picture of what is almost our only + opportunity of meeting together, but it is tolerably correct. Visiting + appears to be the business of some people's lives, but the acquaintance + does not seem to progress beyond incessant afternoon calls; we are never + asked inside a house, nor, as far as I can make out, is there any private + society whatever, and the public society consists, as I have said, of a + ball every now and then. + </p> + <p> + My greatest interest and occupation consist in going to look at my house, + which is being cut out in Christchurch, and will be drayed to our station + next month, a journey of fifty miles. It is, of course, only of wood, and + seems about as solid as a band-box; but I am assured by the builder that + it will be a "most superior article" when it is all put together. F—— + and I made the little plan of it ourselves, regulating the size of the + drawing-room by the dimensions of the carpet we brought out, and I + petitioned for a little bay-window, which is to be added; so on my last + visit to his timber-yard, the builder said, with an air of great dignity, + "Would you wish to see the <i>h</i>oriel, mum?" The doors all come + ready-made from America, and most of the wood used in building is the + Kauri pine from the North Island. One advantage, at all events, in having + wooden houses is the extreme rapidity with which they are run up, and + there are no plastered walls to need drying. For a long time we were very + uncertain where, and what, we should build on our station; but only six + weeks after we made up our minds, a house is almost ready for us. The + boards are sawn into the requisite lengths by machinery; and all the + carpentering done down here; the frame will only require to be fitted + together when it reaches its destination, and it is a very good time of + year for building, as the wool drays are all going back empty, and we can + get them to take the loads at reduced prices; but even with this help, it + is enormously expensive to move a small house fifty miles, the last + fifteen over bad roads; it is collar-work for the poor horses all the way, + Christchurch being only nine feet above the sea-level, while our future + home in the Malvern Hills is twelve hundred. + </p> + <p> + You know we brought all our furniture out with us, and even papers for the + rooms, just because we happened to have everything; but I should not + recommend any one to do so, for the expense of carriage, though moderate + enough by sea (in a wool ship), is enormous as soon as it reaches + Lyttleton, and goods have to be dragged up country by horses or bullocks. + There are very good shops where you can buy everything, and besides these + there are constant sales by auction where, I am told, furniture fetches a + price sometimes under its English value. House rent about Christchurch is + very high. We looked at some small houses in and about the suburbs of the + town, when we were undecided about our plans, and were offered the most + inconvenient little dwellings, with rooms which were scarcely bigger than + cupboards, for 200 pounds a year; we saw nothing at a lower price than + this, and any house of a better class, standing in a nicely arranged + shrubbery, is at least 300 pounds per annum. Cab-hire is another thing + which seems to me disproportionately dear, as horses are very cheap; there + are no small fares, half-a-crown being the lowest "legal tender" to a + cabman; and I soon gave up returning visits when I found that to make a + call in a Hansom three or four miles out of the little town cost one pound + or one pound ten shillings, even remaining only a few minutes at the + house. + </p> + <p> + All food (except mutton) appears to be as nearly as possible at London + prices; but yet every one looks perfectly well-fed, and actual want is + unknown. Wages of all sorts are high, and employment, a certainty. The + look and bearing of the immigrants appear to alter soon after they reach + the colony. Some people object to the independence of their manner, but I + do not; on the contrary, I like to see the upright gait, the well-fed, + healthy look, the decent clothes (even if no one touches his hat to you), + instead of the half-starved, depressed appearance, and too often cringing + servility of the mass of our English population. Scotchmen do particularly + well out here; frugal and thrifty, hard-working and sober, it is easy to + predict the future of a man of this type in a new country. Naturally, the + whole tone of thought and feeling is almost exclusively practical; even in + a morning visit there is no small-talk. I find no difficulty in obtaining + the useful information upon domestic subjects which I so much need; for it + is sad to discover, after all my house-keeping experience, that I am still + perfectly ignorant. Here it is necessary to know <i>how</i> everything + should be done; it is not sufficient to give an order, you must also be in + a position to explain how it is to be carried out I felt quite guilty when + I saw the picture in <i>Punch</i> the other day, of a young and + inexperienced matron requesting her cook "not to put any lumps into the + melted butter," and reflected that I did not know how lumps should be kept + out; so, as I am fortunate enough to number among my new friends a lady + who is as clever in these culinary details as she is bright and charming + in society, I immediately went to her for a lesson in the art of making + melted butter without putting lumps into it. + </p> + <p> + The great complaint, the never-ending subject of comparison and + lamentation among ladies, is the utter ignorance and inefficiency of their + female servants. As soon as a ship comes in it is besieged with people who + want servants, but it is very rare to get one who knows how to do anything + as it ought to be done. Their lack of all knowledge of the commonest + domestic duties is most surprising, and makes one wonder who in England + did the necessary things of daily cottage life for them, for they appear + to have done nothing for themselves hitherto. As for a woman knowing how + to cook, that seems the very last accomplishment they acquire; a girl will + come to you as a housemaid at 25 pounds per annum, and you will find that + she literally does not know how to hold her broom, and has never handled a + duster. When you ask a nurse her qualifications for the care of perhaps + two or three young children, you may find, on close cross-examination, + that she can recollect having once or twice "held mother's baby," and that + she is very firm in her determination that "you'll keep baby yourself o' + nights; mem!" A perfectly inexperienced girl of this sort will ask, and + get, 30 pounds or 35 pounds per annum, a cook from 35 pounds to 40 pounds; + and when they go "up country," they hint plainly they shall not stay long + with you, and ask higher wages, stipulating with great exactness how they + are to be conveyed free of all expense to and from their place. + </p> + <p> + Then, on the other hand, I must say they work desperately hard, and very + cheerfully: I am amazed how few servants are kept even in the large and + better class of houses. As a general rule, they, appear willing enough to + learn, and I hear no complaints of dishonesty or immorality, though many + moans are made of the rapidity with which a nice tidy young woman is + snapped up as a wife; but that is a complaint no one can sympathise with. + On most stations a married couple is kept; the man either to act as + shepherd, or to work in the garden and look after the cows, and the woman + is supposed to attend to the indoor comforts of the wretched + bachelor-master: but she generally requires to be taught how to bake a + loaf of bread, and boil a potato, as well as how to cook mutton in the + simplest form. In her own cottage at home, who did all these things for + her? These incapables are generally perfectly helpless and awkward at the + wash-tub; no one seems to expect servants to know their business, and it + is very fortunate if they show any capability of learning. + </p> + <p> + I must end my long letter by telling you a little story of my own personal + experience in the odd ways of these girls. The housemaid at the + boarding-house where we have stayed since we left Heathstock is a fat, + sonsy, good-natured girl, perfectly ignorant and stupid, but she has not + been long in the colony, and seems willing to learn. She came to me the + other day, and, without the least circumlocution or hesitation, asked me + if I would lend her my riding-habit as a pattern to give the tailor; + adding that she wanted my best and newest. As soon as I could speak for + amazement, I naturally asked why; she said she had been given a + riding-horse, that she had loaned a saddle, and bought a hat, so now she + had nothing on her mind except the habit; and further added, that she + intended to leave her situation the day before the races, and that it was + "her fixed intent" to appear on horseback each day, and all day long, at + these said races. I inquired if she knew how to ride? No; she had never + mounted any animal in her life. I suggested that she had better take some + lessons before her appearance in public; but she said her mistress did not + like to spare her to "practise," and she stuck steadily to her point of + wanting my habit as a pattern. I could not lend it to her, fortunately, + for it had been sent up to the station with my saddle, etc.; so had she + been killed, as I thought not at all unlikely, at least my conscience + would not have reproached me for aiding and abetting her equestrian freak. + I inquired from every one who went to the races if they saw or heard of + any accident to a woman on horseback, and I most anxiously watched the + newspapers to see if they contained any notice of the sort, but as there + has been no mention of any catastrophe, I suppose she has escaped safely. + Her horse must have been quieter and better broken than they generally + are. F—— says that probably it was a very old "station screw." + I trust so, for her sake! + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0008" id="link2H_4_0008"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + Letter VII: A young colonist.—the town and its neighbourhood. + </h2> + <p> + Christchurch, March 1866. I must begin my letter this mail with a piece of + domestic news, and tell you of the appearance of your small nephew, now + three weeks old. The youth seems inclined to adapt himself to + circumstances, and to be as sturdy and independent as colonial children + generally are. All my new friends and neighbours proved most kind and + friendly, and were full of good offices. Once I happened to say that I did + not like the food as it was cooked at the boarding-house; and the next + day, and for many days after, all sorts of dainties were sent to me, + prepared by hands which were as skilful on the piano, or with a pencil, as + they were in handling a saucepan. New books were lent to me, and I was + never allowed to be without a beautiful bouquet. One young lady used + constantly to walk in to town, some two or three miles along a hot and + dusty road, laden with flowers for me, just because she saw how thoroughly + I enjoyed her roses and carnations. Was it not good of her? + </p> + <p> + Christchurch has relapsed into the quietude, to call it by no harsher + name. The shearing is finished all over the country, and the "squatters" + (as owners of sheep-stations are called) have returned to their stations + to vegetate, or work, as their tastes and circumstances may dictate. Very + few people live in the town except the tradespeople; the professional men + prefer little villas two or three miles off. These houses stand in grounds + of their own, and form a very pretty approach to Christchurch, extending a + few miles on all sides: There are large trees bordering most of the + streets, which give a very necessary shade in summer; they are nearly all + English sorts, and have only been planted within a few years. Poplars, + willows, and the blue gum grow quickest, are least affected by the high + winds, and are therefore the most popular. The banks of the pretty little + river Avon, upon which Christchurch is built, are thickly fringed with + weeping willows, interspersed with a few other trees, and with clumps of + tohi, which is exactly like the Pampas grass you know so well in English + shrubberies. I don't think I have ever told you that it has been found + necessary here to legislate against water-cress. It was introduced a few + years since, and has spread so rapidly as to become a perfect nuisance, + choking every ditch in the neighbourhood of Christchurch, blocking up + mill-streams, causing meadows to be flooded, and doing all kinds of + mischief. + </p> + <p> + Towards Riccarton, about four miles out of town, the Avon shows like a + slender stream a few inches wide, moving sluggishly between thick beds of + water-cress, which at this time of year are a mass of white blossom. It + looks so perfectly solid that whenever I am at Ilam, an insane desire to + step on it comes over me, much to F——'s alarm, who says he is + afraid to let me out of his sight, lest I should attempt to do so. I have + only seen one native "bush" or forest yet, and that is at Riccarton. This + patch of tall, gaunt pines serves as a landmark for miles. Riccarton is + one of the oldest farms in the colony, and I am told it possesses a + beautiful garden. I can only see the gable-end of a house peeping out from + among the trees as I pass. This bush is most carefully preserved, but I + believe that every high wind injures it. + </p> + <p> + Christchurch is very prettily situated; for although it stands on a + perfectly flat plain, towards the sea there are the Port Hills, and the + town itself is picturesque, owing to the quantities of trees and the + irregular form of the wooden houses; and as a background we have the most + magnificent chain of mountains—the back-bone of the island—running + from north to south, the highest peaks nearly always covered with snow, + even after such a hot summer as this has been. The climate is now + delicious, answering in time of year to your September; but we have far + more enjoyable weather than your autumns can boast of. If the atmosphere + were no older than the date of the settlement of the colony, it could not + feel more <i>youthful</i>, it is so light and bright, and exhilarating! + The one drawback, and the only one, is the north-west wind; and the worst + of it is, that it blows very often from this point. However, I am assured + that I have not yet seen either a "howling nor'-wester," nor its exact + antithesis, "a sutherly buster." + </p> + <p> + We have lately been deprived of the amusement of going to see our house + during the process of cutting it out, as it has passed that stage, and has + been packed on drays and sent to the station, with two or three men to put + it up. It was preceded by two dray-loads of small rough-hewn stone piles, + which are first let into the ground six or eight feet apart: the + foundation joists rest on these, so as just to keep the flooring from + touching the earth. I did not like this plan (which is the usual one) at + all, as it seemed to me so insecure for the house to rest only on these + stones. I told the builder that I feared a strong "nor'-wester" (and I + hear they are particularly strong in the Malvern Hills) would blow the + whole affair away. He did not scout the idea as much as I could have + wished, but held out hopes to me that the roof would "kep it down." I + shall never dare to trust the baby out of my sight, lest he should be + blown away; and I have a plan for securing his cradle, by putting large + heavy stones in it, somewhere out of his way, so that he need not be hurt + by them. Some of the houses are built of "cob," especially those erected + in the very early days, when sawn timber was rare and valuable: this + material is simply wet clay with chopped tussocks stamped in. It makes + very thick walls, and they possess the great advantage of being cool in + summer and warm in winter. Whilst the house is new nothing can be nicer; + but, in a few years, the hot winds dry up the clay so much, that it + becomes quite pulverized; and a lady who lives in one of these houses told + me, that during a high wind she had often seen the dust from the walls + blowing in clouds about the rooms, despite of the canvas and paper, and + with all the windows carefully closed. + </p> + <p> + Next week F—— is going up to the station, to unpack and + arrange a little, and baby and I are going to be taken care of at Ilam, + the most charming place I have yet seen. I am looking forward to my visit + there with great pleasure. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0009" id="link2H_4_0009"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + Letter VIII: Pleasant days at Ilam. + </h2> + <p> + Ilam, April 1866. We leave this to-morrow for the station in the most + extraordinary conveyance you ever saw. Imagine a flat tray with two low + seats in it, perched on four very high wheels, quite innocent of any step + or means of clambering in and out, and drawn, tandem-fashion, by two stout + mares; one of which has a little foal by her side. The advantage of this + vehicle is that it is very light, and holds a good deal of luggage. We + hope to accomplish the distance—fifty miles—in a day, easily. + </p> + <p> + Although this is not my first visit to Ilam, I don't think I have ever + described it to you. The house is of wood, two storeys high, and came out + from England! It is built on a brick foundation, which is quite unusual + here. Inside, it is exactly like a most charming English house, and when I + first stood in the drawing-room it was difficult to believe: that I was at + the other end of the world. All the newest books, papers, and periodicals + covered the tables, the newest music lay on the piano, whilst a profusion + of English greenhouse flowers in Minton's loveliest vases added to the + illusion. The Avon winds through the grounds, which are very pretty, and + are laid out in the English fashion; but in spite of the lawn with its + croquet-hoops and sticks, and the beds of flowers in all their late summer + beauty, there is a certain absence of the stiffness and trimness of + English pleasure-grounds, which shows that you have escaped from the + region of conventionalities. There are thick clumps of plantations, which + have grown luxuriantly, and look as if they had always been there. A curve + of the opposite bank is a dense mass of native flax bushes, with their + tall spikes of red blossom filling the air with a scent of honey, and + attracting all the bees in the neighbourhood. Ti-ti palms are dotted here + and there, and give a foreign and tropical appearance to the whole. There + is a large kitchen garden and orchard, with none of the restrictions of + high walls and locked gates which fence your English peaches and apricots. + </p> + <p> + The following is our receipt for killing time at Ilam:—After + breakfast, take the last <i>Cornhill</i> or <i>Macmillan</i>, put on a + shady hat, and sit or saunter by the river-side under the trees, gathering + any very tempting peach or apricot or plum or pear, until luncheon; same + thing until five o'clock tea; then cross the river by a rustic bridge, + ascend some turf steps to a large terrace-like meadow, sheltered from the + north-west winds by a thick belt of firs, blue gums, and poplars, and play + croquet on turf as level as a billiard-table until dinner. At these games + the cockatoo always assists, making himself very busy, waddling after his + mistress all over the field, and climbing up her mallet whenever he has an + opportunity. "Dr. Lindley"—so called from his taste for pulling + flowers to pieces—apparently for botanical purposes—is the + tamest and most affectionate of birds, and I do not believe he ever bit + any one in his life; he will allow himself to be pulled about, turned + upside down, scratched under his wings, all with the greatest + indifference, or rather with the most positive enjoyment. One evening I + could not play croquet for laughing at his antics. He took a sudden + dislike to a little rough terrier, and hunted him fairly off the ground at + last, chasing him all about, barking at him, and digging his beak into the + poor dog's paw. But the "Doctor's" best performance is when he imitates a + hawk. He reserves this fine piece of acting until his mistress is feeding + her poultry; then, when all the hens and chickens, turkeys, and pigeons + are in the quiet enjoyment of their breakfast or supper, the peculiar + shrill cry of a hawk is heard overhead, and the Doctor is seen circling in + the air, uttering a scream occasionally. The fowls never find out that it + is a hoax, but run to shelter, cackling in the greatest alarm—hens + clucking loudly for their chicks, turkeys crouching under the bushes, the + pigeons taking refuge in their house; as soon as the ground is quite + clear, Cocky changes his wild note for peals of laughter from a high tree, + and finally alighting on the top of a hen-coop filled with trembling + chickens, remarks in a suffocated voice, "You'll be the death of me." + </p> + <p> + I must reverse the proverb about the ridiculous and the sublime, and + finish my letter by telling you of Ilam's chief outdoor charm: from all + parts of the garden and grounds I can feast my eyes on the glorious chain + of mountains which I have before told you of, and my bedroom window has a + perfect panoramic view of them. I watch them under all their changes of + tint, and find each new phase the most beautiful. In the very early + morning I have often stood shivering at my window to see the noble outline + gradually assuming shape, and finally standing out sharp and clear against + a dazzling sky; then, as the sun rises, the softest rose-coloured and + golden tints touch the highest peaks, the shadows deepening by the + contrast. Before a "nor'-wester" the colours over these mountains and in + the sky are quite indescribable; no one but Turner could venture upon such + a mixture of pale sea-green with deep turquoise blue, purple with crimson + and orange. One morning an arch-like appearance in the clouds over the + furthest ranges was pointed out to me as the sure forerunner of a violent + gale from the north-west, and the prognostic was fulfilled. It was formed + of clouds of the deepest and richest colours; within its curve lay a bare + expanse of a wonderful green tint, crossed by the snowy <i>silhouette</i> + of the Southern Alps. A few hours afterwards the mountains were quite + hidden by mist, and a furious gale of hot wind was shaking the house as if + it must carry it off into the sky; it blew so continuously that the trees + and shrubs never seemed to rise for a moment against it. + </p> + <p> + These hot winds affect infants and children a good deal, and my baby is + not at all well. However, his doctor thinks the change to the station will + set him all right again, so we are hurrying off much sooner than our kind + friends here wish, and long before the little house in the hills can + possibly be made comfortable, though F—— is working very hard + to get things settled for us. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0010" id="link2H_4_0010"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + Letter IX: Death in our new home—New Zealand children. + </h2> + <p> + Broomielaw, Malvern Hills, May 1866. I do not like to allow the first + Panama steamer to go without a line from me: this is the only letter I + shall attempt, and it will be but a short and sad one, for we are still in + the first bitterness of grief for the loss of our dear little baby. After + I last wrote to you he became very ill, but we hoped that his malady was + only caused by the unhealthiness of Christchurch during the autumn, and + that he would soon revive and get on well in this pure, beautiful mountain + air. We consequently hurried here as soon as ever we could get into the + house, and whilst the carpenters were still in it. Indeed, there was only + one bedroom ready for us when I arrived. The poor little man rallied at + first amazingly; the weather was exquisitely bright and sunny, and yet + bracing. Baby was to be kept in the open air as much as possible, so F—— + and I spent our days out on the downs near the house, carrying our little + treasure by turns: but all our care was fruitless: he got another and more + violent attack about a fortnight ago, and after a few hours of suffering + he was taken to the land where pain is unknown. During the last twelve + hours of his life, as I sat before the fire with him on my lap, poor F——kneeling + in a perfect agony of grief by my side, my greatest comfort was in looking + at that exquisite photograph from Kehren's picture of the "Good Shepherd," + which hangs over my bedroom mantelpiece, and thinking that our sweet + little lamb would soon be folded in those Divine, all-embracing Arms. It + is not a common picture; and the expression of the Saviour's face is most + beautiful, full of such immense feminine compassion and tenderness that it + makes me feel more vividly, "In all our sorrows He is afflicted." In such + a grief as this I find the conviction of the reality and depth of the + Divine sympathy is my only true comfort; the tenderest human love falls + short of the feeling that, without any words to express our sorrow, God + knows all about it; that He would not willingly afflict or grieve us, and + that therefore the anguish which wrings our hearts is absolutely necessary + in some mysterious way for our highest good. I fear I have often thought + lightly of others' trouble in the loss of so young a child; but now I know + what it is. Does it not seem strange and sad, that this little house in a + distant, lonely spot, no sooner becomes a home than it is baptized, as it + were, with tears? No doubt there are bright and happy days in store for us + yet, but these first ones here have been sadly darkened by this shadow of + death. Inanimate things have such a terrible power to wound one: though + everything which would remind me of Baby has been carefully removed and + hidden away by F——'s orders, still now and then I come across + some trifle belonging to him, and, as Miss Ingelow says— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "My old sorrow wakes and cries." +</pre> + <p> + Our loss is one too common out here, I am told: infants born in + Christchurch during the autumn very often die. Owing to the flatness of + the site of the town, it is almost impossible to get a proper system of + drainage; and the arrangements seem very bad, if you are to judge from the + evil smells which are abroad in the evening. Children who are born on a + station, or taken there as soon as possible, almost invariably thrive, but + babies are very difficult to rear in the towns. If they get over the first + year, they do well; and I cannot really call to mind a single sickly, or + even delicate-looking child among the swarms which one sees everywhere. + </p> + <p> + I cannot say that I think colonial children prepossessing in either + manners or appearance, in spite of their ruddy cheeks and sturdy limbs. + Even quite little things are pert and independent, and give me the idea of + being very much spoiled. When you reflect on the utter absence of any one + who can really be called a nurse, this is not to be wondered at. The + mothers are thoroughly domestic and devoted to their home duties, far more + so than the generality of the same class at home. An English lady, with + even an extremely moderate income, would look upon her colonial sister as + very hard-worked indeed. The children cannot be entrusted entirely to the + care of an ignorant girl, and the poor mother has them with her all day + long; if she goes out to pay visits (the only recognized social duty + here), she has to take the elder children with her, but this early + introduction into society does not appear to polish the young visitors' + manners in the least. There is not much rest at night for the + mater-familias with the inevitable baby, and it is of course very + difficult for her to be correcting small delinquents all day long; so they + grow up with what manners nature gives them. There seems to me, however, + to be a greater amount of real domestic happiness out here than at home: + perhaps the want of places of public amusement may have something to do + with this desirable state of affairs, but the homes seem to be thoroughly + happy ones. A married man is an object of envy to his less fortunate + brethren, and he appears anxious to show that he appreciates his good + fortune. As for scandal, in the ordinary acceptation of the word, it is + unknown; gossip there is in plenty, but it generally refers to each + other's pecuniary arrangements or trifling peculiarities, and is all + harmless enough. I really believe that the life most people lead here is + as simple and innocent as can well be imagined. Each family is occupied in + providing for its own little daily wants and cares, which supplies the + mind and body with healthy and legitimate employment, and yet, as my + experience tells me, they have plenty of leisure to do a kind turn for a + neighbour. This is the bright side of colonial life, and there is more to + be said in its praise; but the counterbalancing drawback is, that the + people seem gradually to lose the sense of larger and wider interests; + they have little time to keep pace with the general questions of the day, + and anything like sympathy or intellectual appreciation is very rare. I + meet accomplished people, but seldom well-read ones; there is also too + much talk about money: "where the treasure is, there will the heart be + also;" and the incessant financial discussions are wearisome, at least to + me. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0011" id="link2H_4_0011"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + Letter X: Our station home. + </h2> + <p> + Broomielaw, July 1866. We are now in mid-winter, and a more delicious + season cannot well be imagined; the early mornings and evenings and the + nights are very cold, but the hours from 10 A.M. till 5 P.M. are + exquisitely bright, and quite warm. We are glad of a fire at breakfast, + which is tolerably early, but we let it out and never think of relighting + it until dark. Above all, it is calm: I congratulate myself daily on the + stillness of the atmosphere, but F—— laughs and says, "Wait + until the spring." I bask all day in the verandah, carrying my books and + work there soon after breakfast; as soon as the sun goes down, however, it + becomes very cold. In an English house you would hardly feel it, but with + only one plank an inch thick, a lining-board and canvas and paper, between + you and a hard frost, a good fire is wanted. We burn coal found twelve + miles from this; it is not very good, being only what is called "lignite." + I don't know if that conveys to you a distinct impression of what it + really is. I should say it was a better sort of turf: it smoulders just in + the same way, and if not disturbed will remain many hours alight; it + requires a log of dry wood with it to make a really good blaze. Fuel is + most difficult to get here, and very expensive, as we have no available + "bush" on the Run; so we have first to take out a licence for cutting wood + in the Government bush, then to employ men to cut it, and hire a drayman + who possesses a team of bullocks and a dray of his own, to fetch it to us: + he can only take two journeys a day, as he has four miles to travel each + way, so that by the time the wood is stacked it costs us at least thirty + shillings a cord, and then there is the labour of sawing and cutting it + up. The coal costs us one pound a ton at the mouth of the pit, and the + carriage exactly doubles its price; besides which it is impossible to get + more, than a small quantity at a time, on account of the effect of the + atmosphere on it. Exposure to the air causes it to crumble into dust, and + although we keep our supply in a little shed for the purpose, it is wasted + to the extent of at least a quarter of each load. We are unusually + unfortunate in the matter of firing; most stations have a bush near to the + homestead, or greater facilities for draying than we possess. + </p> + <p> + You tell me to describe my little house to you, so I must try to make you + see it, only prefacing my attempt by warning you not to be disgusted or + disappointed at any shortcomings. The house has not been built in a pretty + situation, as many other things had to be considered before a picturesque + site: first it was necessary to build on a flat (as the valleys here are + called), not too far off the main track, on account of having to make the + road to it ourselves; the next thing to be thought of was shelter from the + north-west wind; then the soil must be fit for a garden, and a good creek, + or brook, which would not go dry in the summer, close at hand. At present, + everything out of doors is so unfinished that the place looks rather + desolate, and it will be some years before our plantations can attain a + respectable size, even allowing for the rapid growth in this climate. The + first step is to obtain shelter from our enemy the "nor'-wester," and for + this purpose we have planted quantities of broom in all directions; even + the large beds for vegetables in the garden have a hedge of Cape broom on + the exposed side; fortunately, the broom grows very quickly in spite of + the wind, and attains to a luxuriant beauty rarely seen in England. We + have put in many other trees, such as oaks, maples, etc., but not one is + higher than this table, except a few poplars; the ground immediately + outside the house has been dug up, and is awaiting the spring to be sown + with English grass; we have no attempt at a flower-garden yet, but have + devoted our energies to the vegetable one,—putting in fruit trees, + preparing strawberry and asparagus beds, and other useful things. Out of + doors matters would not even be as far advanced towards a garden and + plantation as they are if we had commenced operations ourselves, but the + ground has been worked since last year. I am glad we have chosen to build + our house here instead of at the homestead two miles off; for I like to be + removed from the immediate neighbourhood of all the work of the station, + especially from that of the "gallows,"—a high wooden frame from + which the carcases of the butchered sheep dangle; under the present + arrangement the shepherd brings us over our mutton as we want it. + </p> + <p> + Inside the house everything is comfortable and pretty, and, above all + things, looks thoroughly home-like. Out of the verandah you pass through a + little hall hung with whips and sticks, spurs and hats, and with a + bookcase full of novels at one end of it, into a dining-room, large enough + for us, with more books in every available corner, the prints you know so + well on the walls, and a trophy of Indian swords and hunting-spears over + the fireplace: this leads into the drawing-room, a bright, cheery little + room—more books and pictures, and a writing-table in the "<i>h</i>oriel." + In that tall, white, classical-shaped vase of Minton's which you helped me + to choose is the most beautiful bouquet, made entirely of ferns; it is a + constant object for my walks up the gullies, exploring little patches of + bush to search for the ferns, which grow abundantly under their shelter by + the creek. I have a small but comfortable bedroom, and there is a little + dressing-room for F—— and the tiniest spare room you ever saw; + it really is not bigger than the cabin of a ship. I think the kitchen is + the chief glory of the house, boasting a "Leamington range" a luxury quite + unknown in these parts, where all the cooking is done on an American + stove,—a very good thing in its way, but requiring to be constantly + attended to. There is a good-sized storeroom, in which F—— has + just finished putting me up some cupboards, and a servants' room. It is + not a palace is it? But it is quite large enough to hold a great deal of + happiness. Outside, the premises are still more diminutive; a little + wash-house stands near the kitchen door, and further up the enclosure is a + stable, and a small room next it for saddles, and a fowl-house and + pig-stye, and a coal-shed. Now you know everything about my surroundings; + but—there is always a <i>but</i> in everything—I have one + great grievance, and I hope you will appreciate its magnitude. + </p> + <p> + It was impossible for F—— to come up here when the house was + first commenced, and the wretch of a builder deliberately put the + drawing-and dining-room fireplaces in the corner, right up against the + partition wall, of course utterly destroying the comfort as well as the + symmetry of the rooms. I am convinced some economy of bricks is at the + bottom of this arrangement, especially as the house was built by contract; + but the builder pretends to be surprised that I don't admire it, and says, + "Why, it's so oncommon, mum!" I assure you, when I first saw the + ridiculous appearance of the drawing-room pier-glass in the corner, I + should liked to have screamed out at the builder (like the Queen in "Alice + in Wonderland"), "Cut off his head!" + </p> + <p> + When we were packing up the things to come here, our friends expressed + their astonishment at our taking so many of the little elegancies of life, + such as drawing-room ornaments, pictures, etc. Now it is a great mistake + not to bring such things, at all events a few of them, for they are not to + be bought here, and they give the new home a certain likeness to the old + one which is always delightful. I do not advise people to make large + purchases of elegancies for a colonial life, but a few pretty little + trifles will greatly improve the look of even a New Zealand up-country + drawing-room. + </p> + <p> + You have asked me also about our wardrobes. Gentlemen wear just what they + would on a Scotch or English farm; in summer they require perhaps a + lighter hat, and long rides are always taken in boots and breeches. A lady + wears exactly what would be suitable in the country in England, except + that I should advise her to eschew muslin; the country outside the home + paddock is too rough for thin material; she also wants thick boots if she + is a good walker, and I find nails or little screws in the soles a great + help for hill-walking. A hat is my only difficulty: you really want a + shady hat for a protection against the sun, but there are very few days in + the year on which you can ride in anything but a close, small hat, with + hardly any brim at all, and even this must have capabilities of being + firmly fastened on the head. My nice, wide-brimmed Leghorn hangs idly in + the hall: there is hardly a morning still enough to induce me to put it on + even to go and feed my chickens or potter about the garden. This being + winter, I live in a short linsey dress, which is just right as to warmth, + and not heavy. It is a mistake to bring too much: a year's supply will be + quite enough; fresh material can easily be procured in Christchurch or any + of the large towns, or sent out by friends. I find my sewing-machine the + greatest possible comfort, and as time passes on and my clothes need + remodelling it will be still more use ful. Hitherto I have used it chiefly + for my friends' benefit; whilst I was in town I constantly had little + frocks brought to me to tuck, and here I employ it in making quilted cloth + hats for my gentlemen neighbours. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0012" id="link2H_4_0012"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + Letter XI: Housekeeping, and other matters. + </h2> + <p> + Broomielaw, September 1866. I am writing to you at the end of a fortnight + of very hard work, for I have just gone through my first experience in + changing servants; those I brought up with me four months ago were nice, + tidy girls and as a natural consequence of these attractive qualities they + have both left me to be married. I sent them down to Christchurch in the + dray, and made arrangements for two more servants to return in the same + conveyance at the end of a week. In the meantime we had to do everything + for ourselves, and on the whole we found this picnic life great fun. The + household consists, besides F—— and me, of a cadet, as they + are called—he is a clergyman's son learning sheep-farming under our + auspices—and a boy who milks the cows and does odd jobs out of + doors. We were all equally ignorant of practical cookery, so the chief + responsibility rested on my shoulders, and cost me some very anxious + moments, I assure you, for a cookery-book is after all but a broken reed + to lean on in a real emergency; it starts by assuming that its unhappy + student possesses a knowledge of at least the rudiments of the art, + whereas it ought not to disdain to tell you whether the water in which + potatoes are to be boiled should be hot or cold. I must confess that some + of my earliest efforts were both curious and nasty, but E ate my numerous + failures with the greatest good-humour; the only thing at which he made a + wry face was some soup into which a large lump of washing-soda had + mysteriously conveyed itself; and I also had to undergo a good deal of + "chaff" about my first omelette, which was of the size and consistency of + a roly-poly pudding. Next to these failures I think the bread was my + greatest misfortune; it went wrong from the first. One night I had + prepared the tin dish full of flour, made a hole in the midst of the soft + white heap, and was about to pour in a cupful of yeast to be mixed with + warm water (you see I know all about it in theory), when a sudden panic + seized me, and I was afraid to draw the cork of the large champagne bottle + full of yeast, which appeared to be very much "up." In this dilemma I went + for F——. You must know that he possesses such extraordinary + and revolutionary theories on the subject of cooking, that I am obliged to + banish him from the kitchen altogether, but on this occasion I thought I + should be glad of his assistance. He came with the greatest alacrity; + assured me he knew all about it, seized the big bottle, shook it + violently, and twitched out the cork: there was a report like a + pistol-shot, and all my beautiful yeast flew up to the ceiling of the + kitchen, descending in a shower on my head; and F—— turned the + bottle upside down over the flour, emptying the dregs of the hops and + potatoes into my unfortunate bread. However, I did not despair, but mixed + it up according to the directions given, and placed it on the stove; but, + as it turned out, in too warm a situation, for when I went early the next + morning to look at it, I found a very dry and crusty mass. Still, nothing + daunted, I persevered in the attempt, added more flour and water, and + finally made it up into loaves, which I deposited in the oven. That bread + <i>never</i> baked! I tried it with a knife in the orthodox manner, always + to find that it was raw inside. The crust gradually became several inches + thick, but the inside remained damp, and turned quite black at last; I + baked it until midnight, and then I gave it up and retired to bed in deep + disgust. I had no more yeast and could not try again, so we lived on + biscuits and potatoes till the dray returned at the end of the week, + bringing, however, only one servant. Owing to some confusion in the + drayman's arrangements, the cook had been left behind, and "Meary," the + new arrival, professed her willingness to supply her place; but on trial + being made of her abilities, she proved to be quite as inexperienced as I + was; and to each dish I proposed she should attempt, the unvarying answer + was, "The missis did all that where I come from." During the first few + days after her arrival her chief employment was examining the various + knick-knacks about the drawing-room; in her own department she was greatly + taken with the little cottage mangle. She mangled her own apron about + twenty times a day, and after each attempt I found her contemplating it + with her head on one side, and saying to herself, "'Deed, thin, it's as + smooth as smooth; how iver does it do it?" A few days later the cook + arrived. She is not all I could wish, being also Irish, and having the + most extraordinary notions of the use, or rather the abuse, of the various + kitchen implements: for instance, she will poke the fire with the toasting + fork, and disregards my gentle hints about the poker; but at all events + she can both roast mutton and bake bread. "Meary" has been induced to wash + her face and braid up her beautiful hair, and now shines forth as a very + pretty good-humoured girl. She is as clever and quick as possible, and + will in time be a capital housemaid. She has taken it into her head that + she would like to be a "first-rater," as she calls it, and works + desperately hard in the prosecution of her new fancy. + </p> + <p> + I have never told you of the Sunday services we established here from the + first week of our arrival. There is no church nearer than those in + Christchurch, nor—I may mention parenthetically—is there a + doctor within the same distance. As soon as our chairs and tables were in + their proper places, we invited our shepherds and those neighbours + immediately around us to attend service on Sunday afternoon at three + o'clock. F—— officiates as clergyman; <i>my</i> duties + resemble those of a beadle, as I have to arrange the congregation in their + places, see that they have Prayer-books, etc. Whenever we go out for a + ride, we turn our horses' heads up some beautiful valley, or deep gorge of + a river, in search of the huts of our neighbours' shepherds, that we may + tell the men of these services and invite them to attend. As yet, we have + met with no refusals, but it will give you an idea of the scantiness of + our population when I tell you that, after all our exertions, the + "outsiders" only amount to fourteen, and of these at least half are + gentlemen from neighbouring stations. With this number, in addition to our + own small group, we consider that we form quite a respectable gathering. + The congregation all arrive on horseback, each attended by at least two + big colley dogs; the horses are turned into the paddock, the saddles + deposited in the back verandah, and the dogs lie quietly down by their + respective masters' equipments until they are ready to start homewards. + There is something very wild and touching in these Sunday services. If the + weather is quite clear and warm, they are held in the verandah; but unless + it is a very sunny afternoon, it is too early in the year yet for this. + </p> + <p> + The shepherds are a very fine class of men as a rule, and I find them most + intelligent; they lead solitary lives, and are fond of reading; and as I + am anxious to substitute a better sort of literature in their huts than + the tattered yellow volumes which generally form their scanty library, I + lend them books from my own small collection. But, as I foresee that this + supply will soon be exhausted, we have started a Book Club, and sent to + London for twenty pounds' worth of books as a first instalment. We shall + get them second-hand from a large library, so I hope to receive a good + boxful. The club consists of twenty-eight members now, and will probably + amount to thirty-two, which is wonderful for this district. At the close + of a year from the first distribution of the books they are to be divided + into lots as near as possible in value to a pound each, the parcels to be + numbered, and corresponding figures written on slips of paper, which are + to be shaken up in a hat and drawn at random, each member claiming the + parcel of which the number answers to that on his ticket. This is the + fairest way I can think of for the distribution, and every one seems + satisfied with the scheme. The most popular books are those of travel or + adventure; unless a novel is really very good indeed, they do not care + about it. + </p> + <p> + The last little item of home news with which I must close this month's + budget is, that F—— has been away for a few days on a skating + excursion. A rather distant neighbour of ours called on his way up to the + station far back among the hills, and gave such a glowing account of the + condition of the ice in that part of the country, that F——, + who is very fond of the amusement, was persuaded to accompany him. Our + friend is the son of the Bishop, and owns a large station about twenty-six + miles from this. At the back of his run the hills rise to a great height, + and nestled among them lie a chain of lakes, after the largest of which + (Lake Coleridge) Mr. H——'s station is named. On one of the + smaller lakes, called by the classical name of "Ida," the ice attains to a + great thickness; for it is surrounded by such lofty hills that during the + winter months the sun hardly touches it, and it is commonly reported that + a heavily-laden bullock-dray could cross it in perfect safety. F——was + away nearly a week, and appears to have enjoyed himself thoroughly, though + it will seem to you more of hard work than amusement; for he and Mr. H——, + and some other gentlemen who were staying there, used to mount directly + after breakfast, with their skates tied to their saddle-bow, and ride + twelve miles to Lake Ida, skate all through the short winter's day, + lunching at the solitary hut of a gentleman-farmer close by the lake, and + when it grew dusk riding home again. The gentlemen in this country are in + such good training through constant exercise, that they appear able to + stand any amount of fatigue without minding it. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0013" id="link2H_4_0013"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + Letter XII: My first expedition. + </h2> + <p> + Broomielaw, October 1866. This ought to be early spring, but the weather + is really colder and more disagreeable than any which winter brought us; + and, proverbially fickle as spring sunshine and showers are in England, + ours is a far more capricious and trying season. Twice during this month + have I been a victim to these sudden changes of climate; on the first + occasion it was most fortunate that we had reached the shelter of a + friendly and hospitable roof, for it was three days before we could + re-cross the mountain-pass which lay between us and home. One beautiful + spring morning F—— asked me if I would like to ride across the + hills, and pay my first visit to some kind and old friends of his, who + were among the earliest arrivals in the province, and who have made a + lovely home for themselves at the foot of a great Bush on the other side + of our range. I was delighted at the idea, for I have had very little + opportunity of going about since we came here, owing to the short winter + days and the amount of occupation at home consequent on a new + establishment. + </p> + <p> + Directly after breakfast, the horses were caught and saddled, and we + started in high spirits. As we rode up the long, sunny valley stretching + away for miles at the back of the house, F—— pointed out to + me, with all a sheep-farmer's pride, the hundreds of pretty little + curly-fleeced lambs skipping about the low hill-sides. After we passed our + own boundary fence we came upon a very bad track,—this is the name + by which all roads are called, and they do not deserve a better,—but + it was the only path to our destination. The air was mild and balmy, and + the sun shone brightly as we slowly picked our way across bogs and creeks, + and up and down steep, slippery hill-sides; but just as we reached the + lowest saddle of the range and prepared to descend, a cold wind met us. In + an instant the sunshine was overclouded, and F——, pointing to + a grey bank of cloud moving quickly towards us, said, "There is a + tremendous sou'-wester coming up; we had better push on for shelter, or + you'll be drowned:" but, alas! at each step the road grew worse and worse; + where it was level the ground was literally honeycombed with deep holes + half full of water, and at last we came to a place where the horse had to + descend a flight of stone steps, each step being extremely slippery and + some way below the other; and at the bottom of this horrible staircase + there was a wide jump to be taken, the spring being off the lowest step, + and the jump upwards alighting on a steep bank up which the horses + scrambled like cats. Getting wet through appeared to me a very minor evil + compared to the dangers of such a road, but F—— urged me + forward, with assurances that the horse knew the path perfectly well and + could carry me at a gallop quite safely; but it was impossible to infuse + sufficient courage into my drooping heart to induce me to go faster than a + walk. + </p> + <p> + All this time the storm drew rapidly nearer, the wind blew in icy cold + gusts, the hail came down in large stones, pelting our faces till they + tingled again; it was nearly an hour before we rode up to the hospitable, + ever-open porch door of Rockwood. I was immediately lifted off my saddle + by kind and strong arms, and carried with frozen limbs and streaming habit + into the kitchen, for I was as unfit for the drawing-room as my own + water-spaniel. A blazing wood fire was hastily lighted in one of the + bed-rooms, and thither the good hostess conveyed me. I emerged from that + apartment the most extraordinary figure you ever saw. Imagine me arrayed + in a short and very wide crinoline, over which was a bright-coloured + linsey petticoat; an old pilot-coat for a jacket, huge carpet slippers on + my feet, and my dripping hair hanging loose over my shoulders! I assure + you, I looked like the portraits in books of travel, of the Tahitian women + when they first assumed clothes; and the worst of it was, that I had to + remain in this costume for three whole days. To return was impossible, the + storm from the S.W. raged all that evening. When we opened our eyes next + morning, snow was lying some inches deep, and still falling fast; there + was no cessation for forty-eight hours, and then we had to give it time to + thaw a little, so that it was Sunday morning before we started on our + homeward ride. In the meantime, nothing could afford a greater contrast to + the wild weather out of doors than the snug brightness within. Blazing + logs of pine and black birch made every room warm and cheery; all day we + chatted and amused ourselves in different ways (I learned to make a + capital pudding, and acquainted myself with the mysteries of "junket"); in + the evenings we had whist for an hour, and then either round games or + songs. The young men of the house have nice voices and a great feeling for + music, and some of the trios and glees went very well indeed. The only + thing which spoilt my enjoyment was the constantly recurring remembrance + of that terrible road. F—— tried to comfort me by assurances + that the snow would have filled up the worst places so much that I should + not see them, but, strange to say, I failed to derive any consolation from + that idea; however, we accomplished the journey back safely, but with many + slips and slides. As soon as we came on our own run, F——began + to look out for dead lambs, but fortunately there were not many for him to + mourn over; they must have taken shelter under the low hills, to leeward + of the storm. + </p> + <p> + The second ride was much longer, and if possible a more disagreeable one. + It began just in the same way; we were again decoyed out by sunshine and + soft air for a ride round the run, starting about half-past ten. The + scenery was beautiful, and we enjoyed ourselves immensely. The track lay + along our own boundary fence most of the way, and we had ridden about ten + miles, when we stopped at one of our shepherds' huts, technically called + an out station, and accepted his offer of luncheon. He gave us capital + tea, with an egg beaten up in it as a substitute for milk, cold mutton, + bread, and a cake; the reason of these unwonted luxuries was that he kept + fowls, and I was very jealous at seeing two broods of chickens out, whilst + mine are still in the shell. This man is quite an artist, and the walls of + his but were covered with bold pen-and-ink sketches, chiefly reminiscences + of the hunting-field in England, or his own adventures "getting out" wild + cattle on the Black Hills in the north of the province: he leads an + extremely-solitary existence, his dogs being his only companions; his + duties consist in riding daily a boundary down the gorge of the river, + which he has to cross and re-cross many times: and he has to supply the + home station and our house with mutton, killing four or five sheep a week. + He is employed out of doors all day, but has plenty of time in the + evenings for reading I found him well-informed and intelligent, and he + expresses himself exceedingly well. We rested here an hour, and as we went + outside and prepared to mount, F—— said, "I really believe + there is <i>another</i> sou'-wester coming up," and so there was: we could + not go fast, for we were riding over a dry river-bed, composed entirely of + loose large stones. Every few hundred yards we had to cross the river + Selwyn, which was rising rapidly, as the storm had been raging in the + mountains long before it reached us; on each side were high, steep hills, + and in some places the river filled up the gorge entirely, and we had to + ride in the water up to our saddle-girths. All this time the rain was + coming down in sheets, but the wind grew colder and colder; at last the + rain turned into snow, which speedily changed us and our horses into white + moving figures. Eight long weary miles of this had we, only able to trot + the last two, and those over very swampy ground. In your country a severe + cold would probably have been the least evil of this escapade, but here no + such consequence follow a good wetting; the houses are so little real + protection from the weather, that you are forced to live as it were in the + open air, whether you like it or not, and this hardens the constitution so + much, that it is not easy to take cold from a little extra exposure. Men + are apt to be careless and remain in their wet things, or stand before a + fire till their clothes dry on them; and whenever I scold any one for + being foolish, he always acknowledges that if he does but change when he + comes into a house, he <i>never</i> catches cold from any amount of + exposure to the severest weather. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0014" id="link2H_4_0014"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + Letter XIII: Bachelor hospitality.—a gale on shore. + </h2> + <p> + Broomielaw, November 1866. We have lately made a much longer excursion + than those I told you of last, month, and this time have been fortunate in + meeting with fine weather above all, our expedition has been over + perfectly level ground, and on a good "track," which has greatly increased + its charms in my eyes. A fortnight ago early summer set fairly in, and + some bachelor neighbours took advantage of the change to ride over to see + us, and arrange a plan for the following week. It all fitted in nicely, + for F—— was obliged to go to Christchurch at that time, and + the first idea of the expedition originated in my saying how dull I was at + the station when he was away. I can get on very well all day; with my + various employments—feeding the chickens, taking the big dogs out + for a walk, and so on: but after the house is quiet and silent for the + night, and the servants have gone to bed, a horrible lonely eerie feeling + comes over me; the solitude is so dreary, and the silence so intense, only + broken occasionally by the wild, melancholy cry of the weka. However, I am + very rarely tried in this way, and when I am it can't be helped, if that + is any consolation. + </p> + <p> + I forget whether I told you that we left all "evening things," and other + toilette necessaries which would not be wanted up country, behind us in + Christchurch, so as to avoid the trouble of sending any luggage backwards + or forwards. It is necessary to mention this, to account for the very + light marching order in which we travelled. It was a lovely summer morning + on which we left home, meaning to be away nearly a week, from Monday till + Saturday. We were well mounted, and all our luggage consisted of my little + travelling-bag fastened to the pommel of my saddle, containing our brushes + and combs, and what is termed a "swag" in front of F——'s + saddle; that is, a long narrow bundle, in this instance enclosed in a neat + waterproof case, and fastened with two straps to the "D's," which are + steel loops let in in four places to all colonial saddles, for the purpose + of carrying blankets, etc.; they derive their name apparently from their + resemblance to the letter. In this parcel our most indispensable garments + were tightly packed. We cantered gaily along on the way to Christchurch, + the horses appearing to enjoy the delicious air and soft springy turf as + much as we did. There was a river and half-a-dozen creeks to be crossed; + but they are all quite low at this time of year. As we stood in one of + them to let the horses drink and cool their legs, I saw a huge eel hidden + under the shadow of a high overhanging bank, waiting till the evening to + come out and feed upon the myriads of flies and little white moths that + skim over the surface of the water. + </p> + <p> + It is considered a great advantage to our station that there is only the + river Selwyn (of which the Maori name is the Wai-kiri-kiri) between us and + town, not only for our own convenience, but because it is easy to take + sheep across it, and it offers no difficulties to the wool drays. This + river has a very good reputation, and is very rarely dangerous to cross; + whereas the Rakaia and the Rangitata towards the south, and the + Waimakiriri towards the north, of Christchurch, are most difficult, and + always liable to sudden freshes. The general mode of crossing the larger + rivers is by a boat, with the horse swimming behind; but accidents + constantly occur from the foolhardiness of people attempting to ford them + alone on horseback: they are lost in quicksands, or carried down by the + current, before they can even realize that they are in danger. The common + saying in New Zealand is, that people only die from drowning and + drunkenness. I am afraid the former is generally the result of the latter. + </p> + <p> + From the first our road lay with our backs to the hills; but as we + cantered along the plains, I was often obliged to turn round and admire + their grand outlines. The highest ranges were still snow-white, and made a + magnificent background against the summer sky. An easy twelve miles' ride + brought us to a charming little station, called by the pretty native name + of Waireka; here lived our three bachelor hosts, and a nicer or more + comfortable home in a distant land could not be desired. The house has + been built for some years, consequently the plantations about it and the + garden have grown up well, and the willows, gum-trees, and poplars shelter + it perfectly, besides giving it such a snug home look. It stands on a vast + plain, without even an undulation of the ground near it; but the mountains + form a grand panoramic view. There is a large wide verandah round two + sides of the house, with French windows opening into it; and I could not + help feeling impatient to see my own creepers in such luxuriant, beauty as + these roses and honeysuckles were. It was half amusing and half pathetic + to notice the preparations which had been made to receive a lady guest, + and the great anxiety of my hosts to ensure my being quite as comfortable + as I am at home. Much had been said beforehand about the necessity of + making up my mind to rough it in bachelor quarters, so I was surprised to + find all sorts of luxuries in my room, especially a dainty little + toilette-table, draped with white cloths (a big wooden packing-case was + its foundation). Its ornaments were all sorts of nondescript treasures, + placed in boxes at the last moment of leaving the English hall or rectory + by careful loving hands of mothers and sisters, and lying unused for years + until now. There was a little china tray, which had been slipped into some + corner by a child-sister anxious to send some possession of her "very own" + out to the other end of the world; there was a vase with flowers; a + parti-coloured pin-cushion of very gay silks, probably the parting gift of + an old nurse; and a curious old-fashioned essence bottle, with + eau-de-cologne; the surrounding country had been ransacked to procure a + piece of scented soap. The only thing to remind me that I was not in an + English cottage was the opossum rug with which the neat little bed was + covered. The sitting-room looked the picture of cosy comfort, with its + well-filled book-shelves, arm-chairs, sofa with another opossum rug thrown + over it, and the open fireplace filled with ferns and tufts of the white + feathery Tohi grass in front of the green background. We enjoyed our + luncheon, or rather early dinner, immensely after our ride; and in the + afternoon went out to see the nice large garden (such a contrast to our + wretched little beginnings), and finally strolled on to the inevitable + wool-shed, where the gentlemen had an animated "sheep talk." I rather + enjoy these discussions, though they are prefaced by an apology for + "talking shop;" but it amuses me, and I like to see the samples of wool, + which are generally handed about in the heat of a great argument, the long + white locks are so glistening, and soft, and crinkly. + </p> + <p> + My five-o'clock tea was duly remembered, and then, as there was nothing + more to see out of doors within a short distance, I proposed that I should + make a cake. The necessary ingredients were quickly collected. I had + relays of volunteers to beat up the eggs, and though I suffered great + anxiety until it was cut at supper, it turned out satisfactorily. The + worst of my cookery is, that while I always follow the same directions + most carefully, there is great uncertainty and variety about the result. + In the evening we played round games. But we all went early to bed, as, we + had to be up betimes, and in the saddle by seven o'clock, to catch the + 9-30 train at Rolleston; twenty miles off. We had a beautiful, still + morning for our ride, and reached the station—a shed standing out on + the plain—in time to see our horses safely paddocked before the + train started for Christchurch. The distance by rail was only fifteen + miles, so we were not long about it; and we walked to the hotel from the + railway-station in the town. A bath and breakfast were both very + enjoyable, and then F—— went out to transact his business, and + I employed myself in unpacking and <i>ironing</i> a ball-dress for a + party, to which we were engaged that evening. There was also another ball + the following night. The second was a very late one, and we had scarcely + an hour's sleep before we were obliged to get up and start by the 6 A.M. + train back to Rolleston, where we remounted our horses and rode to dear + little Waireka in time for breakfast. By the evening I was sufficiently + rested to make another cake, which also, happily, turned out well. + </p> + <p> + We intended to return home the next day (Friday), but a terrific + "nor'-wester" came on in the night, and it was impossible to stir out of + the house; it was the severest gale since our arrival, and it is hardly + possible to give you a correct idea of the force and fury of the wind. Not + a glimpse of the mountains was to be seen; a haze of dust, as thick as any + fog, shut everything out. The sheep had all taken refuge under the high + banks of the creeks. It is curious that sheep always feed head to wind in + a nor'-west gale, whereas they will drift for miles before a sou'-wester. + The trees bent almost flat before the hot breath of this hurricane, and + although the house was built of cob, and its walls were very thick and + solid, the creaking and swaying of the shingled roof kept me in perpetual + alarm. The verandah was a great protection; and yet the small + river-pebbles, of which the garden-walk was made, were dashed against the + windows like hailstones by each gust. We amused ourselves indoors by the + study and composition of acrostics, and so got through an imprisonment of + two days, without a moment's cessation of the wind; but towards sunset on + Saturday there were signs of a lull, and about midnight the gale dropped; + and we heard the grateful, refreshing sound of soft and continuous rain, + and when we came out to breakfast on Sunday morning everything looked + revived again. It is a most fortunate meteorological fact that these very + high winds are generally succeeded by heavy rain; everything is so parched + and shrivelled up by them that I do not know what would become of the + vegetation otherwise. We held a council, to determine what had better be + done about returning home, and finally decided to risk a wet ride sooner + than disappoint the little congregation; for should it prove a fine + afternoon, those who lived near would certainly come; so we mounted after + breakfast. + </p> + <p> + I was wrapped in one of the gentlemen's macintoshes, and found the ride + far from disagreeable. As we neared our own station we began to look out + for signs of disaster; and about half a mile from the house saw some of + the vanes from the chimneys on the track; a little nearer home, across the + path lay a large zinc chimney-pot; then another; and when we came close + enough to see the house distinctly, it looked very much dwarfed without + its chimneys. There had been a large pile of empty boxes at the back of + the stable; these were all blown away in the gale. One huge packing-case + was sailing tranquilly about on the pond, and planks and fragments of zinc + were strewn over the paddock. The moment we reached the house, Mr. U——, + the gentleman-cadet of whom I have told you, came out, with a melancholy + face, to tell me that a large wooden cage, full of the canaries which I + had brought from England with me, had been blown out of the verandah, + though it was on the most sheltered side of the house. It really seemed + incredible at first, but the cage was lying in ruins in the middle of the + paddock, and all my birds except one had disappeared. It happened in the + middle of the night, and Mr. U——described, very amusingly, + that when he was awakened by the noise which the cage made against a wire + fence (which it just "topped" in passing), he sprang out of his bed in the + attic, and clambered out of the window, expecting to find the very heavy + sort of staircase-ladder in its place; but it was "over the hills and far + away," so he had a drop of about twelve feet to the ground, which + thoroughly aroused him. He went into the verandah to see if the cage was + safe, and was nearly knocked down by a big tin bath, ordinarily kept + there, which was just starting across country. As soon as he missed the + cage he very pluckily went after it, being able to keep sight of it by the + fitful gleams of moon-light, and he was just in time to rescue the poor + little surviving canary. We could not help laughing at the recital of all + the mischief which had been done, but still it is very tiresome, and the + garden looks, if possible, more wretched than ever. There is no shelter + for it yet, and my poor green-peas are blown nearly out of the ground. It + rained hard all the evening, so our congregation was confined to the home + party. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0015" id="link2H_4_0015"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + Letter XIV: A Christmas picnic, and other doings. + </h2> + <p> + Broomielaw, December 1866. It is too late to wish you a merry Christmas + and a happy New Year in this letter. In order to allow them to reach you + in time I should have sent my good wishes in October's letter; I must + remember to do so next year. I am writing on the last days of the month, + so I shall be able to tell you of our own Christmas doings; though, first, + I must describe the festivities attending a "coming of age in the Bush," + to which we were invited about the middle of this month. How strange + Christmas picnics and balls will appear in your eyes, before which still + dangle probably the dear old traditional holly and ivy! I am obliged to + preface all my descriptions with an account of a ride, if I am to begin, + according to your repeated injunctions, at the very beginning; for a ride + is quite certain to be both the beginning and end of each excursion, + simply because we have no other means of going about, except on our feet. + The ride upon this occasion was to Rockwood, where the birthday party was + to assemble, but the road had not now so many terrors for me. In + consequence of the fine dry weather, most of the bad places were safer and + firmer, and the numerous creeks were only shallow sparkling streamlets + over which a child could jump, instead of the muddy noisy wide brooks of + three months ago. The day on which we started, this time, was a great + contrast to the former one. When we reached the saddle I have before told + you of, instead of being met and nearly driven back by a violent "sutherly + buster," we stopped before beginning the steep descent to admire the + exquisite view before us. + </p> + <p> + Close on our right hand rose the Government bush out of which we get our + firewood, standing grand and gloomy amid huge cliffs and crags; even the + summer sunshine could not enliven it, nor the twitter and chirrup of + countless birds. In front, the chain of hills we were crossing rolled down + in gradually decreasing hillocks, till they merged in the vast plains + before us, stretching away as far as the eye could reach towards the + south, all quivering in the haze and glare of the bright sunlight. The + background, extending along the horizon, was formed of lofty mountains + still glistening white against the dazzling blue sky. Just at our feet the + Rockwood paddocks looked like carpets of emerald velvet, spread out among + the yellowish tussocks; the fences which enclose them were either golden + with broom and gorse, or gay with wild roses and honeysuckle. Beyond these + we saw the bright patches of flowers in the garden, and nothing could be + more effective than the white gable of the house standing out against the + vast black birch forest which clothed the steep hill-sides for miles—the + contrast was so picturesque between the little bit of civilization and + culture and the great extent of wild, savage scenery around it. After the + utter treelessness of our own immediate neighbourhood, the sight of such a + mass of foliage is a joy to my eyes. + </p> + <p> + The day following our arrival was <i>the</i> birthday, and we prepared to + enjoy every hour of it. The party assembled was a very large one, + consisting, however, chiefly of gentlemen, for the utmost exertions in the + district could not produce more than five ladies altogether, and two of + those had come an immense way. Directly after breakfast we all sallied + forth, the ladies equipped in light cotton dresses (muslin is too thin for + the bush) and little sailor hats,—we did not want shady ones, for + never a gleam of sun can penetrate into a real New Zealand Bush, unless in + a spot which has been very much cleared. Strong boots with nails in the + soles, to help us to keep on our feet up the steep clay hill-sides, and a + stout stick, completed our equipment; perhaps we were not very smart, but + we looked like going at all events. I can answer for myself that I enjoyed + every moment of that long Midsummer holiday most intensely, though I fear + I must have wearied our dear, charming host, by my incessant questions + about the names of the trees and shrubs, and of the habits and ways of the + thousands of birds. It was all so new and so delightful to me,—the + green gloom, the hoarse croak of the ka-ka, as it alighted almost at our + feet and prepared, quite careless of our vicinity, to tear up the loose + soil at the root of a tall tree, in search of grubs. It is a species of + parrot, but with very dingy reddish-brown plumage, only slightly enlivened + by a few, scarlet feathers in the wing. The air was gay with bright green + parroquets flitting about, very mischievous they are, I am told, taking + large tithe of the fruit, especially of the cherries. Every now and then + we stood, by common consent, silent and almost breathless to listen to the + Bell-bird, a dingy little fellow, nearly as large as a thrush with the + plumage of a chaffinch, but with such a note!—how can I make you + hear its wild, sweet, plaintive tone, as a little girl of the party said, + "just as if it had a bell in its throat;" but indeed it would require a + whole peal of silver bells to ring such an exquisite chime. Then we crept + softly up to a low branch, to have a good look at the Tui, or Parson-bird, + most respectable and clerical-looking in its glossy black suit, with a + singularly trim and dapper air, and white wattles of very slender feathers—indeed + they are as fine as hair-curled coquettishly at each side of his throat, + exactly like bands. All the birds were quite tame, and, instead of + avoiding us, seemed inclined to examine us minutely. Many of them have + English names, which I found very tantalising, especially when, the New + Zealand Robin was announced, and I could only see a fat little ball of a + bird, with a yellowish-white breast. Animals there are none. No quadruped + is indigenous to New Zealand, except a rat; but then, on the other hand, + we are as free from snakes and all vermin as if St. Patrick himself had + lived here. Our host has turned several pheasants into this forest, but + they increase very slowly on account of the wekas. However, the happiness + of this morning was made complete by our putting up two splendid + rocketers. + </p> + <p> + We could only make our way by the paths which have been cut through the + Bush; a yard off the track it is impossible to stir for the dense + undergrowth. In the ravines and steep gullies formed by the creeks grow + masses of ferns of all sorts, spreading like large shrubs, and contrasting + by their light bright green with the black stems of the birch-trees around + them. There are a few pines in this bush, but not many. I can give you no + idea of the variety among the shrubs: the koromika, like an Alpine rose, a + compact ball of foliage; the lance-wood, a tall, slender stem, straight as + a line, with a few long leaves at the top, turned downwards like the barb + of a spear, and looking exactly like a lance stuck into the ground; the + varieties of matapo, a beautiful shrub, each leaf a study, with its + delicate tracery of black veins on a yellow-green ground; the mappo, the + gohi, and many others, any of which would be the glory of an English + shrubbery: but they seem to require the deep shelter of their native Bush, + for they never flourish when transplanted. I noticed the slender the large + trees have of the ground, and it is not at all surprising, after such a + gale as we had three weeks ago, to see many of the finest blown down in + the clearings where the wind could reach them. They do not seem to have + any tap-root at all, merely a very insufficient network of fibres, seldom + of any size, which spreads a short way along the surface of the ground As + long as a Bush is undisturbed by civilization, it appears to be impervious + to wind or weather; but as soon as it is opened and cleared a little, it + begins to diminish rapidly. There are traces all over the hills of vast + forests having once existed; chiefly of totara, a sort of red pine, and + those about us are scattered with huge logs of this valuable wood, all + bearing traces of the action of fire; but shepherds, and explorers on + expeditions, looking for country, have gradually consumed them for fuel, + till not many pieces remain except on the highest and most inaccessible + ranges. + </p> + <p> + It was a delightful, and by no means unacceptable surprise which awaited + us on the other side, when, on emerging from a very thick part of the + Bush, we came on a lovely spot, a true "meeting of the waters." Three + broad, bright creeks came rushing and tumbling down from the densely + wooded hills about to join and flow on in quite a good-sized river, amid + boulders and a great deal of hurry and fuss,—a contrast to the + profound quiet of our ramble hitherto, the silence of which was only + broken by the twitter and whistle of the birds. Never a song can you hear, + only a sweet chirrup, or two or three melodious notes. On the opposite + bank of the river there was the welcome sight of several hampers more or + less unpacked, and the gleam of a white tablecloth on the moss. + Half-a-dozen gentlemen had formed themselves into a commissariat, and were + arranging luncheon. We could see the champagne cooling in a sort of little + bay, protected by a dam of big stones from being carried down the stream. + It all looked very charming and inviting, but the next question was how to + get across the river to these good things. Twelve or fourteen feet + separated us, hungry and tired wanderers as we were, from food and rest; + the only crossing-place was some miles lower down, near the house in fact; + so even the most timid amongst us scouted the idea of retracing our steps. + The only alternative was to make a bridge: one of the gentlemen who were + with us carried an axe in case of emergency, and in a moment we heard the + sharp ringing sounds foretelling the fall of a tree. In the mean-time, + others of the party were dragging out fallen logs—of course small + and manageable ones—and laying them from one huge boulder to + another, working up to their knees in water. So many of these prostrate + trunks were "convenient," that a cry soon arose to the woodman to "spare + the trees," for there were quite enough on the ground. However, two + substantial poles had been felled, and these were laid over the deepest + and most dangerous part of the current. The bridge was soon declared + passable, and loud shouts from the opposite side proclaimed that luncheon + was quite ready. I was called, as having a most undeserved reputation for + "pluck," to make trial of the aerial-looking fabric. I did not like it at + all, and entreated some one else to lead the forlorn hope; so a very quiet + young lady, who really possessed more courage in her little finger than I + do in my whole body, volunteered to go first. The effect from the bank was + something like tight-rope dancing, and it was very difficult to keep one's + balance. Miss Kate, our pioneer, walked on very steadily, amid great + applause, till she reached the middle of the stream, where fortunately the + water was shallow, but strewed with masses of boulders. She paused an + instant on the large rock on which the ends of the saplings rested, and + then started afresh for the last half of her journey. The instant she put + her foot on the second part of the bridge, it gave way with a loud crash; + and the poor girl, with great presence of mind, caught at the tree she, + had just crossed, and so saved herself from a ducking. Of course, she had + plenty of help in an instant, but the difficulty was to regain any sort of + footing. She could not drop into the water, and there was apparently no + way of dragging herself up again; but one of the gentlemen crept on hands + and knees along the unbroken part of the bridge, and eventually helped her + up the sides of the large boulder which acted as a pier, and from which + the log had slipped. From the other side they now pushed across tall, slim + trees, freshly cut, and the rest of the passage was safe enough. I did not + like the mode of transit at all, though I got over without a slip, but it + requires a steady head to cross a noisy stream on two slippery round poles—for + really the trees were little thicker—laid side by side, bending with + every step. It was a great comfort to me all luncheon-time to know that we + were not to return by the same path through the Bush. We had a good rest + after lunch: I lay back on a bed of fern, watching the numbers of little + birds around us; they boldly picked up our crumbs, without a thought of + possible danger. Presently I felt a tug at the shawl on which I was lying: + I was too lazy and dreamy to turn my head, so the next thing was a sharp + dig on my arm, which hurt me dreadfully. I looked round, and there was a + weka bent on thoroughly investigating the intruder into its domain. The + bird looked so cool and unconcerned, that I had not the heart to follow my + first impulse and throw my stick at it; but my forbearance was presently + rewarded by a stab on the ankle, which fairly made me jump up with a + scream, when my persecutor glided gracefully away among the bushes, + leaving me, like Lord Ullin, "lamenting." + </p> + <p> + We sauntered home slowly, gathering armfuls of, fern and a large variety + of a stag's-head moss so common on the west coast of Scotland; and as soon + as we had had some tea, the gentlemen went off with their towels to bathe + in the creek, and the five ladies set to work at the decorations for the + ball-room, weaving wreaths and arranging enormous bouquets very rapidly: + we had such a wealth of flowers to work with that our task was not + difficult. The most amusing part of the story is, however, that the ball + took place in my bed-room! A very pompous lady of my acquaintance always + prefaces the slenderest anecdote with these words, "And it happened in + this wise," so I think I shall avail myself of the <i>tour de phrase</i>. + </p> + <p> + It happened in this wise, then:-a large well-proportioned room had been + added to the house lately; it was intended for a drawing-room, but for + some reason has only been used as a spare bed-room, but as it may possibly + return to its original destination, very little bed-room furniture has + been put in it, and many of its belongings are appropriate to a + sitting-room. We called in the servants, the light cane bedstead was soon + deposited under the shade of a tree in the garden, the washing-stand was + similarly disposed of, and an hour's work with hammer and nails and a ball + of string turned the room into a perfect bower of ferns and flowers: great + ingenuity was displayed in the arrangement of lights, and the result was a + very pretty ball-room. + </p> + <p> + We are always eating in this country, so you will not be surprised to hear + that there was yet another meal to be disposed of before we separated to + dress in all sorts of nooks and corners. White muslin was the universal + costume, as it can be packed flat and smooth. My gown had been carried + over by F—— in front of his saddle in a very small parcel: I + covered it almost entirely with sprays of the light-green stag's-head, + moss, and made a wreath of it also for my hair. I think that with the + other ladies roses were the most popular decoration, and they looked very + fresh and nice. I was the universal <i>coiffeuse</i>, and I dressed all + the girls' heads with flowers, as I was supposed to be best up in the + latest fashions. In the meantime, the piano had been moved to the + bay-window of the ball-room, and at ten o'clock dancing commenced, and may + be truly said to have been kept up with great spirit until four o'clock: + it only ceased then on account of the state of exhaustion of the + unfortunate five ladies, who had been nearly killed with incessant + dancing. I threw a shawl over my head, and sauntered alone up one of the + many paths close to the house which led into the Bush. Tired as I was, I + shall never forget the beauty and romance of that hour,—the + delicious crisp <i>new</i> feeling of the morning air; the very roses, + growing like a red fringe on the skirts of the great Bush, seemed awaking + to fresh life and perfume; the numbers of gay lizards and flies coming out + for their morning meal, and, above all, the first awakening of the myriads + of Bush-birds; every conceivable twitter and chatter and chirrup; the last + cry of a very pretty little owl, called, from its distinctly uttered + words, the "More-pork," as it flitted away before the dawn to the highest + trees: all made up a jubilant uproar compared to which one of the Crystal + Palace choruses is silence. I sat down on a fallen tree, and listened and + waited: every moment added to the lovely dawn around me, and I enjoyed to + the full the fragrant smells and joyous sounds of another day in this + fresh young land. + </p> + <p> + All too soon came a loud "coo-ee" from the house, which I allowed them to + repeat before I answered; this was to tell me that the ball-room was + deserted, and had been again turned into a bed-room. When I opened my eyes + later, after a six hours' nap, the room looked like a fairy bower, the + flowers still unfaded. We had another picnic the next day up the gorge of + a river, amid very wild and beautiful scenery; but everything had been + arranged so as to make the expedition an easy one, out of consideration to + the weary five. The day after this we rode home again, and I had to set to + work directly to prepare for my own Christmas party to the shepherds and + shearers,—for we have just commenced to muster the sheep, and the + shearing will be in full force by Christmas Day. One great object I have + in view in giving this party is to prevent the shearers from going over to + the nearest accommodation-house and getting tipsy, as they otherwise + would; so I have taken care to issue my invitations early. I found great + difficulty in persuading some of the men to accept, as they had not + brought any tidy clothes with them; and as the others would be decently, + indeed well dressed, they did not like putting in a shabby appearance. + This difficulty was obviated by F—— hunting up some of the + things he had worn on the voyage, and rigging-out the invited guests. For + two days before the great day I had been working hard, studying recipes + for pies and puddings, and scouring the country in search of delicacies. + Every lady was most kind, knowing that our poor, exposed garden was + backward; I had sacks of green peas, bushels of young potatoes, and + baskets of strawberries and cherries sent to me from all round the + country; I made poor F—— ride twenty miles to get me a sirloin + of beef, and, to my great joy, two beautiful young geese arrived as a + present only the day before. It is a point of honour to have as little + mutton as possible on these occasions, as the great treat is the complete + change of fare. I only ventured to introduce it very much disguised as + curry, or in pies. We were all up at daylight on Christmas morning, and + off to the nearest little copse in one of the gullies, where a few shrubs + and small trees and ferns grow, to gather boughs for the decoration of the + washhouse. Marvels were done in the carpentering line to arrange tables + around its walls. The copper, which at first presented such an obstacle to + the symmetry of the adornments, became their chief glory; it was boarded + over, its sides completely hidden by flags and ferns, and the dessert + placed on it peeped out from a bower of greenery. I don't know how we got + our own breakfast; from eleven o'clock there was the constant announcement + "A horseman coming up the flat;" and by twelve, when I as beadle announced + that all was ready, a large congregation of thirty-six came trooping into + my little drawing-room. As soon as it was filled the others clustered + round the door; but all could hear, I think. F—— began the + service; and as the notes of the Christmas Anthem swelled up, I found the + tears trembling in my eyes. My overwhelming thought was that it actually + was the very first time those words had ever been sung or said in that + valley—you in England can hardly realize the immensity of such a + thought—"the first time since the world was made." I think the next + sensation was one of extreme happiness; it seemed such a privilege to be + allowed to hold the initial Christmas service. I had to grasp this idea + very tight to keep down the terrible home-sickness which I felt all day + for almost the first time. There are moments when no advantages or + privileges can repress what Aytoun calls "the deep, unutterable woe which + none save exiles feel." + </p> + <p> + The service only lasted half an hour, beginning and ending with a hymn; + there were three women present besides me—my two servants, and the + nice young wife of a neighbouring shepherd. It was a sultry day, not a + breath of air; but still it is never oppressive at this elevation. We + wound up a big musical-box, set it going in the banqueting-hall (late + washhouse), and marshalled the guests in they were extremely shy as a + rule, and so we soon went away and left them to themselves. They ate + incessantly for two hours—and I hope they enjoyed themselves; then + the men lounged about the stables and smoked, and the three women cleared + away a little. F—— and our gentlemen guests got up athletic + sports in the shade which seemed very popular, though it appeared a great + deal of trouble to take on such a hot day. As the sun sank below the hills + it grew much cooler, and my two maids came with a shamefaced request to be + allowed to dance in the kitchen. I inquired about the music?—that + was provided for by a fiddle and some pipes; so I consented, but I found + they wanted me to start them. I selected as my partner a very decent young + farmer who lives near, but has left his farm and is at work branding our + sheep all shearing-time. The pride and delight of his mate was much + greater than my partner's; he stood near his friend, prompting him through + the mazes of the most extraordinary quadrille you ever saw, with two extra + figures. Then there was an endless polka, in which everybody danced, like + Queen Elizabeth, "high and disposedly;" but the ball ended at nine + o'clock, and we were given some cold dinner, for which we were all very + ready. The next morning saw the remains of the festivity cleared away, and + every one hard at work again; for this is our very busiest season. The + work of the station, however, is carried on at the homestead two miles + off. F—— is there all day long, but I see nothing of it. While + the shearers' hearts were tender, I asked them to come over to church on + Sunday, and they have promised to do so: I lend them quantities of books + and papers also, so as to keep them amused and away from the + accommodation-house. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0016" id="link2H_4_0016"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + Letter XV: Everyday station life. + </h2> + <p> + Broomielaw, January 1867. You tell me to describe our daily home-life and + domestic surroundings. I dare say it: will appear to be a monotonous and + insignificant existence enough when put on paper, but it suits me exactly; + and, for the first time in my life, I have enough to do, and also the + satisfaction of feeling that I am of some little use to my + fellow-creatures. A lady's influence out here appears to be very great, + and capable of indefinite expansion. She represents refinement and culture + (in Mr. Arnold's sense of the words), and her footsteps on a new soil such + as this should be marked by a trail of light. Of course every improvement + must be the work of time, but I find my neighbours very willing to help me + in my attempts. + </p> + <p> + A few lines will be sufficient to sketch a day's routine. The first of my + duties is one I especially delight in. I am out very early with a large + tin dish of scraps mixed with a few handfuls of wheat, and my appearance + is the signal for a great commotion among all my fowls and ducks and + pigeons. Such waddling and flying and running with outstretched wings to + me: in fact, I receive a morning greeting from all the live-stock about + the place. I am nearly knocked down by the big sheep-dogs; the calves come + rushing with awkward gambols towards me for a bit of the fowls' bread, + whilst the dogs look out for a bone; but, in the midst of the confusion, + the poultry hold their own; indeed, an anxious hen eager to secure a + breakfast for her chicks will fly at a big dog, and beat him away from a + savoury morsel. I think I ought not to omit mentioning the devotion of a + small pig; it is an exact illustration of the French proverb which speaks + of the inequality of love, for I am quite passive and do not respond in + the least to the little beastie's affection, which is the most absurd + thing you ever saw, especially as it proceeds from so unromantic an + animal. Late in the spring (that is to say, about November last) we were + all returning from a great pig-hunting expedition, when I saw one of the + party coming down a steep hill near the house with a small and + glossy-black wild pig under each arm; he was very proud of his captives, + placed them in a box with some straw, and fed them like babies out of a + bottle. We laughed at him very much; but when he went away he begged so + earnestly that the pigs should be reared that we promised to keep them. In + a few days they became perfectly tame, and were very handsome little + creatures; and one of them attached itself to me, following me all about, + even into the house (but <i>that</i> I really could not stand), + accompanying me in all my walks, and, as far as it could, in my rides. + Many a time have I seen poor little piggy carried down a creek by the + current, squealing piteously, but it was evidently a case of "many waters + cannot quench love," for a little further on piggy would appear, very much + baked, but holding out gallantly, till sheer exhaustion compelled him to + give in, when he would lie down under a tussock, apparently dying; but, as + we were coming home in the dusk, Helen, my pretty bay mare, has given many + a shy at piggy starting up from his shelter with gambols and squeals of + joy. + </p> + <p> + It is always a great temptation to loiter about in the lovely fresh + morning air, but I have to be dressed in time for prayers and breakfast at + nine; directly after breakfast I go into the kitchen; sometimes, it is + only necessary to give orders or instructions, but generally I find that + practice is much better than precept, and I see to the soup myself, and + make the pudding—the joint can take care of itself. + </p> + <p> + You have often asked me what we have to eat, so this will be a good + opportunity of introducing our daily bill of fare, prefacing it with my + recorded opinion that here is no place in the world where you can live so + cheaply and so well as on a New Zealand sheep station, when once you get a + start. Of course, it is expensive at first, setting everything going, but + that would be the case in any country. I will begin at the very beginning:—Porridge + for breakfast, with new milk and cream <i>a discretion</i>; to follow—mutton + chops, mutton ham, or mutton curry, or broiled mutton and mushrooms, not + shabby little fragments of meat broiled, but beautiful tender steaks off a + leg; tea or coffee, and bread and butter, with as many new-laid eggs as we + choose to consume. Then, for dinner, at half-past one, we have soup, a + joint, vegetables, and a pudding; in summer, we have fresh fruit stewed, + instead of a pudding, with whipped cream. I was a proud and happy woman + the first day my cream remained cream, and did not turn into butter; for + generally my zeal outran my discretion, and I did not know when to leave + off whipping. We have supper about seven; but this is a moveable feast, + consisting of tea again, mutton cooked in some form of entree, eggs, bread + and butter, and a cake of my manufacture. I must, however, acknowledge, + that at almost every other station you would get more dainties, such as + jam and preserves of all sorts, than we can boast of yet; for, as Littimer + says to David Copperfield, "We are very young, exceedingly young, sir," + our fruit-trees, have not come into full bearing, and our other resources + are still quite undeveloped. + </p> + <p> + However, I have wandered away terribly from my first intention of telling + you of the daily occupations to a description of our daily food. After I + have finished all my little fussings about the house, I join F—— + who has probably been for some time quietly settled down at his + writing-table, and we work together at books and writing till dinner; + after that meal, F—— like Mr. Tootes, "resumes his studies," + but I go and feed my fowls again, and if I am very idly disposed I sit on + a hencoop in the shade and watch the various tempers of my chickens and + ducklings. A little later F—— and I go out for some hours: if + it is not too hot, he takes his rifle and we go over the hills + pig-stalking, but this is really only suitable exercise for a fine + winter's day; at this time of year we either go for a walk or a ride, + generally the latter—not a little shabby canter, but a long + stretching gallop for miles and miles; perhaps stopping to have a cup of + tea with a neighbour twelve or fifteen miles off, and then coming slowly + home in the delicious gloaming, with the peculiar fresh crisp feeling + which the atmosphere always has here the moment the sun sets, no matter + how hot the day has been. I can hardly hope to make you understand how + enjoyable our twilight hours are, with no fear of damp or malaria to spoil + them; every turn of the track as we slowly wind up the valley showing us + some beautiful glimpse of distant mountain peaks, and, above all, such + sunset splendours, gradually fading away into the deep, pure beauty of a + summer night. + </p> + <p> + In one of our rides the other day, after crossing a low range of hills, we + suddenly dropped down on what would be called in England a hamlet, but + here it is designated by the extraordinary name of a "nest of cockatoos." + This expression puzzled me so much when I first heard it, that I must give + you as minute an explanation as I myself found necessary to the + comprehension of the subject. + </p> + <p> + When a shepherd has saved a hundred pounds, or the better class of + immigrant arrives with a little capital, the favourite investment is in + freehold land, which they can purchase, in sections of twenty acres and + upwards, at 2 pounds the acre. The next step is to build a sod but with + two rooms on their property, thatching it with Tohi, or swamp grass; a + door and a couple of window-frames all ready glazed are brought from + Christchurch in the dray with the family and the household goods. After + this rough and ready shelter is provided, the father and sons begin + fencing their land and gradually it all assumes a cultivated appearance. + Pig-sties and fowl-houses are added; a little garden, gay with common + English flowers, is made in front of the house, whose ugly walls are + gradually hidden by creepers, and the homestead looks both picturesque and + prosperous. These small farmers are called Cockatoos in Australia by the + squatters or sheep-farmers, who dislike them for buying up the best bits + of land on their runs; and say that, like a cockatoo, the small freeholder + alights on good ground, extracts all he can from it, and then flies away + to "fresh fields and pastures new." But the real fact is, that the poor + farmer perhaps finds his section is too far from a market, so he is forced + to abandon it and move nearer a town, where the best and most productive + land has been bought up already; and he has to begin again at a + disadvantage. However, whether the name is just or not, it is a recognized + one here; and I have heard a man say in answer to a question about his + usual occupation, "I'm a Cockatoo." + </p> + <p> + This particular "nest" appeared to me very well off, comparatively + speaking; for though the men complained sadly of the low price of their + wheat and oats, still there was nothing like poverty to be seen. Ready + money was doubtless scarce, and an extensive system of barter appeared to + prevail; but still they all looked well fed and well clothed; sickness was + unknown among them, and it did one's heart good to see the children—such + sturdy limbs, bright fearless eyes, and glowing faces. They have abundance + of excellent food. Each cottager has one or two cows, and the little ones + take these out to pasture on the hills, so they are in the open air nearly + all day: but their ignorance is appalling! Many of them had never even + been christened; there was no school or church within thirty miles or + more, and although the parents seemed all tidy, decent people, and + deplored the state of things, they were powerless to help it. The father + and elder sons work hard all day; the mother has to do everything, even to + making the candles, for the family; there is no time or possibility of + teaching the children. The neighbouring squatters do not like to encourage + settlers to buy up their land, therefore they carefully avoid making + things pleasant for a new "nest," and the Cockatoos are "nobody's + business;" so, as far as educational advantages go, they are perfectly + destitute. + </p> + <p> + When I mentioned my discovery of this hamlet, and my dismay at the state + of neglect in which so many fine intelligent-looking children were growing + up, every one warned me not to interfere, assuring me the Cockatoo was a + very independent bird, that he considered he had left all the Ladies + Bountiful and blanket and coal charities behind him in the old country; + that, in short, as it is generally put, "Jack is as good as his master" + out here, and any attempt at patronage would be deeply resented. But I + determined to try the effect of a little visiting among the cottages, and + was most agreeably surprised at the kind and cordial welcome I received. + The women liked to have some one to chat to about their domestic affairs, + and were most hospitable in offers of tea, etc., and everywhere + invitations to "come again" were given; so the next week I ventured to + invite the men over to our Sunday services. Those who were fond of reading + eagerly accepted the offer to join the book-club, and at last we started + the educational subject. Many plans were discussed, and finally we + arranged for one woman, who had received an excellent education and was + quite fitted for the post, to commence a day-school; but this entailed so + much loss of her valuable time that the terms she is obliged to ask seem + disproportionately high to the people's means. She wants 2 shillings and 6 + pence a week with each child, and this is terrible heavy on the head of a + family who is anxious and willing to give them some "schooling." However, + the plan is to be tried, and I have promised to start them with books, + slates, copybooks, etc. It was quite touching to hear their earnest + entreaties that F—— would come over on Sunday sometimes and + hold a service there, but I tried to show them this could not be managed. + The tears actually came into their eyes when I talked of the happiness it + would be to see a little church and school in their midst; and the almost + invariable remark was, "Ah, but it'll be a far day first." And so I fear + it will—a very far day; but I have often heard it said, that if you + propose one definite object to yourself as the serious purpose of your + life, you will accomplish it some day. Well, the purpose of my life + henceforward is to raise money somehow or somewhere to build a little + wooden school-room (licensed for service, to be held whenever a missionary + clergyman comes by), and to pay the salary of a schoolmaster and mistress, + so that the poor Cockatoo need not be charged more than threepence a week + for each child. The Board of Education will give a third of the sum + required, when two-thirds have been already raised; but it is difficult to + collect subscriptions, or indeed to induce the squatters to listen to any + plan for improving the condition of the small farmers, and every year + which slips away and leaves these swarms of children in ignorance adds to + the difficulty of training them. [Note: Since this was written, a + school-house, also used as a church, has been built in this district by + private subscription and Government aid. A clergyman, who lives some + twenty-five miles away, rides over and holds service once a month.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0017" id="link2H_4_0017"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + Letter XVI: A sailing excursion on Lake Coleridge. + </h2> + <p> + Lake Coleridge, February 1867. A violent storm of wind and rain from the + south-west keeps us all indoors to-day, and gives me time to write my + letter for the Panama mail, which will be made up to-morrow. The + post-office is ten miles off, and rejoices in the appropriate name of + "Wind-whistle;" it stands at the mouth of a deep mountain gorge, and there + never was such a temple of the winds. + </p> + <p> + This bad weather comes after a long spell of lovely bright summer days, + and is very welcome to fill up the failing creeks in the lower ranges of + hills. I must tell you how much we have been enjoying our visit here. F—— + knows this part of the country well, but it is quite new to me, and a + great contrast to the other scenery I have described to you We had long + talked of paying Mr. C. H—— a visit at his bachelor cottage on + his station far back among the high ranges of hills, but no time was + fixed, so I was rather taken by surprise when last week he drove up to + Broomielaw in a light American waggon with a pair of stout horses, and + announced that he had come to take us to his place next day. There was no + reason against this plan, and we agreed at once; the next morning saw us + on the road, after an early breakfast. We had to drive about thirty-five + miles round, whereas it would have been only twenty miles riding across + the hills; but our kind host thought that it would be much more + comfortable for me to be able to take a carpet-bag in the carriage instead + of the usual system of saddle-bags one is obliged to adopt travelling on + horseback. We made our first stage at the ever-hospitable station of the C——'s, + on the Horarata, but we could not remain to luncheon, as they wished, + having to push on further; and, as it turned out, it was most fortunate we + took advantage of the first part of the day to get over the ground between + us and our destination, for the gentle breeze which had been blowing since + we started gradually freshened into a tremendous "nor'-wester," right in + our teeth all the rest of our way. The poor horses bent their heads as low + as possible and pulled bravely at their collars, up hill the whole time. + Among the mountains the wind rushed with redoubled fury down the narrow + gorges, and became icily cold as we neared the snowy ranges. It was + impossible to see the hills for the thick mist, though I knew we must have + a magnificent view before us. We took refuge for an hour just to rest the + horses, at Windwhistle, and I certainly expected the house to come down + whilst we were there. I can hardly tell you anything of the rest of the + drive, for I was really frightened at my first experience of a "howling + nor'-wester" out of doors, and Mr. H—— made me sit down at the + bottom of the carriage and heaped over me all the cloaks and shawls we had + brought. It was delightful to find ourselves under shelter at last in a + pretty bright snug room, with lots of books and arm-chairs, and a blazing + fire; <i>this</i>, you must remember, in midsummer. + </p> + <p> + The next morning was perfectly calm, and the lake as serene as if no storm + had been dashing its water in huge breakers against the beach only a few + hours before. The view from the sitting-room was lovely: just beneath the + window there was a little lawn, as green as possible from the spray with + which the lake had washed it yesterday; beyond this a low hedge, an open + meadow, a fringe of white pebbly beach, and then a wide expanse of water + within one little wooded island, and shut in gradually from our view by + spurs of hills running down to the shore, sometimes in bold steep cliffs, + and again in gentle declivities, with little strips of bush or scrub + growing in the steep gullies between them. The lake extends some way + beyond where we lose sight of it, being twelve miles long and four miles + broad. A few yards from the beach it is over six hundred feet deep. + Nothing but a painting could give you any idea of the blue of sky and + water that morning; the violent wind of yesterday seemed to have blown + every cloud below the horizon, for I could not see the least white film + anywhere. Behind the lower hills which surround the lake rises a splendid + snowy range; altogether, you cannot imagine a more enchanting prospect + than the one I stood and looked at; it made me think of Miss Procter's + lines— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "My eyes grow dim, + As still I gaze and gaze + Upon that mountain pass, + That leads—or so it seems— To some far happy land + Known in a world of dreams." +</pre> + <p> + All this time, whilst I was looking out of the window in most unusual + idleness, Mr. H—— and F—— were making constant + journeys between the boat-house and the store-room, and at last I was + entreated to go and put on my hat. While doing this I heard cupboards + being opened, and a great bustle; so when I reached the shore I was not so + much surprised as they expected, to see in the pretty little sailing-boat + (which was moored to a primitive sort of jetty made out of a broken old + punt) the materials for at least two substantial meals, in case of being + kept out by a sudden head-wind. I was especially glad to notice a little + kettle among the <i>impedimenta</i>, and there were cloaks and wraps of + all kinds to provide against the worst. Four gentlemen and I made up the + crew and passengers, and a very merry set we were, behaving extremely like + children out for a holiday. The wind was a trifle light for sailing, so + the gentlemen pulled, but very lazily and not at all in good "form," as + the object of each oarsman seemed to be to do as little work as possible. + However, we got on somehow, a light puff helping us now and then, but our + progress was hardly perceptible. I had been for a long time gazing down + into the clear blue depth of water, every now and then seeing a flash of + the white sand shining at the bottom, when I was half startled by our host + standing suddenly up in the bow of the boat; and then I found that we were + a couple of miles away from our starting-point, and that we had turned a + corner formed by a steep spur, and were running right into what appeared a + grove of rata-trees growing at the water's edge. The rata only grows in + the hills and near water; it is a species of broad-leaf myrtle, with a + flower exactly like a myrtle in character, but of a brilliant deep scarlet + colour, and twice as large. + </p> + <p> + When the bowsprit touched the rata-branches, which drooped like a curtain + into the water, Mr. H—— made a signal to lower the mast, and + parting the thick, blossom-covered foliage before us, with both hands, the + way the boat had on her sent us gently through the screen of scarlet + flowers and glossy green leaves into such a lovely fairy cove! Before us + was a little white beach of fine sparkling sand, against which the water + broke in tiny wavelets, and all around a perfect bower of every variety of + fern and moss, kept green by streams no thicker than a silver thread + trickling down here and there with a subdued tinkling sound. We all sat + quite silent, the boat kept back just inside the entrance by the steersman + holding on to a branch. It was a sudden contrast from the sparkling + sunshine and brightness outside, all life and colour and warmth, to the + tender, green, profound shade and quiet in this "Mossy Hum," as the people + about here call it. Do not fancy anything damp or chilly. No; it was like + a natural temple—perfect repose and refreshment to the eyes dazzled + with the brilliant outside colouring. Centuries ago there must have been a + great landslip here, for the side of the mountain is quite hollowed out, + and Nature has gradually covered the ugly brown rent with the thickest + tapestry of her most delicate handiwork. I noticed two varieties of the + maiden-hair, its slender black stem making the most exquisite tracery + among the vivid greens. There was no tint of colour except green when once + we passed the red-fringed curtain of rata-branches, only the white and + shining fairy beach and the gleaming threads of water. As we sat there, + perfectly still, and entranced, a sort of delicious mesmeric feeling stole + over me; I thought of the lotus-eater's chant, "There is no joy but calm," + with, for, the first time in my life, a dim perception of what they meant, + perhaps; but it was over all too quickly: prosaic words of direction to + back water called us from shade to light, and in a moment more we were in + front of the rata-trees, admiring their splendid colouring, and our little + boat was dancing away over the bright waves, with her white wings set and + her bows pointed towards the little toy island in the middle of the lake; + it was no question now of rowing, a nice fresh breeze from the south (the + <i>cold</i> point here) sent us swiftly and steadily through the water. + What a morning it was! The air was positively intoxicating, making you + feel that the mere fact of being a living creature with lungs to inhale + such an atmosphere was a great boon. We have a good deal of disagreeable + weather, and a small proportion of bad weather, but in no other part of + the world, I believe, does Nature so thoroughly understand how to make a + fine day as in New Zealand. + </p> + <p> + A little after mid-day we ran our boat to the lee of the island, and: + whilst she was steadied by the same primitive method of holding on to + branches of manuka and other scrub, I scrambled out and up a little cliff, + where a goat could hardly have found footing, till I reached a spot big + enough to stand on, from whence I anxiously watched the disembarkation of + some of the provisions, and of the gridiron and kettle. In a few moments + we were all safely ashore, and busy collecting dry fern and brushwood for + a fire; it was rather a trial of patience to wait till the great blaze had + subsided before we attempted to cook our chops, which were all neatly + prepared ready for us. Some large potatoes were put to bake in the ashes; + the tin plates were warmed (it is a great art not to overheat them when + you have to keep them on your lap whilst you eat your chop). We were all + so terribly hungry that we were obliged to have a course of bread and + cheese and sardines <i>first</i>; it was really quite impossible to wait + patiently for the chops. The officiating cook scolded us well for our + Vandalism, and the next moment we detected him in the act of devouring a + half-raw potato. The fragments of our meal must have been a great boon to + the colony of wekas who inhabit the island, for as they increase and + multiply prodigiously their provisions must often fall short in so small a + space. No one can imagine how these birds originally came here, for the + island is at least two miles from the nearest point of land; they can + neither swim nor fly; and as every man's hand is against them, no one + would have thought it worth while to bring them over: but here they are, + in spite of all the apparent impossibilities attending their arrival, more + tame and impudent than ever. It was dangerous to leave your bread + unwatched for an instant, and indeed I saw one gliding off with an empty + sardine tin in its beak; I wonder how it liked oil and little scales. They + considered a cork a great prize, and carried several off triumphantly. + </p> + <p> + After luncheon there was the usual interval of rest, and pipes on the part + of the gentlemen. I explored a little, but there is nothing very pretty or + abundant in the way of wild flowers in the parts of New Zealand which I + have seen. White violets and a ground clematis are the only ones I have + come across in any quantity. The manuka, a sort of scrub, has a pretty + blossom like a diminutive Michaelmas daisy, white petals and a brown + centre, with a very aromatic odour; and this little flower is succeeded by + a berry with the same strong smell and taste of spice. The shepherds + sometimes make an infusion of these when they are very hard-up for tea; + but it must be like drinking a decoction of cloves. + </p> + <p> + About three o'clock we re-embarked, and sailed a little higher up the lake + beyond the point where we lose sight of it from Mr. H——'s + house, every moment opening out fresh and more beautiful glimpses. Quite + the opposite end of the shore is fringed with a thick deep forest, and + another station has been built there, at which, I am told, the scenery is + still more magnificent. At first I was inclined to wonder where the sheep + live amid all this picturesque but mountainous country: however, I find + that between and among these hills stretch immense valleys (or "flats," as + they are called here), which are warm and sheltered in winter, and afford + plenty of food for them; then, in summer, they go up to the mountains: but + it is very difficult to "muster" these ranges. I am almost ashamed to + confess to another meal before we returned home, but there was a lovely + tempting spot in a little harbour, and so we landed and boiled some water + and had a capital cup of tea. You require to be out as we were from + morning till night in such an air as this to know what it is to feel + either hungry or sleepy in perfection! The next day we made a similar + excursion, exploring the opposite shore of the lake; but, before we + started, our host distrusted the appearance of certain clouds, and sent + round horses to meet us at the point where we were going to lunch; and it + was just as well he did so, for a stiff breeze sprang up from the + south-west, which would have kept us out all night. So we mounted the + horses instead of re-embarking, having first secured the boat, and + cantered home. We passed several smaller lakes; there is a perfect chain + of them among these hills, and I was much amused at the names bestowed on + them, according to the tastes or caprice of the station-owners whose runs + happen to include them: for instance, two are called respectively + "Geraldine" and "Ida," whilst three, which lie close together, rejoice in + the somewhat extraordinary names of "the World," "the Flesh," and "the + Devil." + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0018" id="link2H_4_0018"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + Letter XVII: My first and last experience of "camping out." + </h2> + <p> + Broomielaw, April 1867. I have nothing to tell you this mail, except of a + rather ridiculous expedition which we made last week, and which involved + our spending the whole night on the top of the highest hill on our run. + You will probably wonder what put such an idea into our heads, so I must + preface my account by a little explanation. Whenever I meet any people who + came here in the very early days of the colony—only sixteen years + ago, after all!—I delight in persuading them to tell me about their + adventures and hardships during those primitive times, and these + narratives have the greatest fascination for me, as they always end + happily. No one ever seems to have died of his miseries, or even to have + suffered seriously in any way from them, so I find the greatest delight in + listening to the stories of the Pilgrims. I envy them dreadfully for + having gone through so much with such spirit and cheerfulness, and ever + since I came here I have regretted that the rapid advance of civilization + in New Zealand precludes the possibility of being really uncomfortable; + this makes me feel like an impostor, for I am convinced that my English + friends think of me with the deepest pity, as of one cut off from the + refinements and comforts of life, whereas I really am surrounded by every + necessary, and many of its luxuries, and there is no reason but that of + expense why one should not have all of these. + </p> + <p> + One class of narratives is peculiarly attractive to me. I like to hear of + benighted or belated travellers when they have had to "camp out," as it is + technically called; and have lived in constant hope of meeting with an + adventure which would give me a similar experience. But I am gradually + becoming convinced that this is almost impossible by fair means, so I have + been trying for some time past to excite in the breasts of our home party + and of our nearest neighbours an ardent desire to see the sun rise from + the top of "Flagpole," a hill 3,000 feet above the level of the sea, and + only a: couple of miles from the house. As soon as they were sufficiently + enthusiastic on the subject, I broached my favourite project of our all + going up there over-night, and camping out on the highest peak. Strange to + say, the plan did not meet with any opposition, even from F——, + who has had to camp out many a winter's night, and with whom, therefore, + the novelty may be said to have worn off. Two gentlemen of the proposed + party were "new chums" like myself, and were strongly in favour of a + little roughing; new-chums always are, I observe. F—— + hesitated a little about giving a final consent on the score of its being + rather too late in the year, and talked of a postponement till next + summer, but we would not listen to such an idea; so he ended by entering + so heartily into it, that when at last the happy day and hour came, an + untoward shower had not the least effect in discouraging him. + </p> + <p> + There was a great bustle about the little homestead on that eventful + Tuesday afternoon. Two very steady old horses were saddled, one for me and + the other for one of the "new chums," who was not supposed to be in good + form for a long walk, owing to a weak knee. Everything which we thought we + could possibly want was heaped on and around us after we had mounted; the + rest of the gentlemen, four in number, walked, and we reached the first + stage of our expedition in about an hour. Here we dismounted, as the + horses could go no further in safety. The first thing done was to see to + their comfort and security; the saddles were carefully deposited under a + large flax-bush in case of rain, and the long tether ropes were arranged + so as to ensure plenty of good feed and water for both horses, without the + possibility of the ropes becoming entangled in each other or in anything + else. Then came a time of great excitement and laughing and talking, for + all the "swags" had to be packed and apportioned for the very long and + steep ascent before us. + </p> + <p> + And now I must tell you exactly what we took up. A pair of large double + blankets to make the tent of,—that was one swag, and a very unwieldy + one it was, strapped knapsack fashion, with straps of flax-leaves, on the + back, and the bearer's coat and waistcoat fastened on the top of the + whole. The next load consisted of one small single blanket for my sole + use, inside of which was packed a cold leg of lamb. I carried the luncheon + basket, also strapped on my shoulders, filled with two large bottles of + cream, some tea and sugar, and, I think, teaspoons. It looked a very + insignificant load by the side of the others, but I assure you I found it + frightfully heavy long before I had gone half-way up the hill. The rest + distributed among them a couple of large heavy axes, a small coil of rope, + some bread, a cake, tin plates and pannikins, knives and forks, and a fine + pigeon-pie. Concerning this pie there were two abominable propositions; + one was to leave it behind, and the other was to eat it then and there: + both of these suggestions were, however, indignantly rejected. I must not + forget to say we included in the commissariat department two bottles of + whisky, and a tiny bottle of essence of lemon, for the manufacture of + toddy. We never see a real lemon, except two or three times a year when a + ship arrives from the Fiji islands, and then they are sixpence or a + shilling apiece. All these things were divided into two large heavy + "swags," and to poor F—— was assigned the heaviest and most + difficult load of all—the water. He must have suffered great anxiety + all the way, for if any accident had happened to his load, he would have + had to go back again to refill his big kettle; this he carried in his + hand, whilst a large tin vessel with a screw lid over its mouth was + strapped on his back also full of water, but he was particularly charged + not to let a drop escape from the spout of the kettle; and I may mention + here, that though he took a long time about it, for he could not go as + straight up the hill as we did, he reached the top with the kettle full to + the brim—the other vessel was of course quite safe. All these + packings and repackings, and the comfortable adjustment of the "swags," + occupied a long time, so it was past five when we began our climb, and + half-past six when we reached the top of the hill, and getting so rapidly + dark that we had to hurry our preparations for the night, though we were + all so breathless that a "spell" (do you know that means <i>rest</i>?) + would have been most acceptable. The ascent was very steep, and there were + no sheep-tracks to guide us; our way lay through thick high flax-bushes, + and we never could have got on without their help. I started with a stick, + but soon threw it aside and pulled myself up by the flax, hand over hand. + Of course I had to stop every now and then to rest, and once I chose the + same flax-bush where three young wild pigs had retired for the night, + having first made themselves the most beautiful bed of tussock grass + bitten into short lengths; the tussocks are very much scattered here, so + it must have been an afternoon's work for them; but the shepherds say + these wild pigs make themselves a fresh bed every night. + </p> + <p> + The first thing to be done was to pitch the tent on the little flat at the + very top of the hill: it was a very primitive affair; two of the thinnest + and longest pieces of totara, with which Flagpole is strewed, we used for + poles, fastening another piece lengthwise to these upright sticks as a + roof-tree: this frame was then covered with the large double blanket, + whose ends were kept down on the ground by a row of the heaviest stones to + be found. The rope we had brought up served to tie the poles together at + the top, and to fasten the blanket on them; but as soon as the tent had + reached this stage, it was discovered that the wind blew through it from + end to end, and that it afforded very little protection. We also found it + much colder at the top of this hill than in our valley; so under these + circumstances it became necessary to appropriate my solitary blanket to + block up one end of the tent and make it more comfortable for the whole + party. It was very little shelter before this was done. The next step was + to collect wood for a fire, which was not difficult, for at some distant + time the whole of the hill must have been covered by a forest of totara + trees; it has apparently been destroyed by fire, for the huge trunks and + branches which still strew the steep sides are charred and half burnt. It + is a beautiful wood, with a strong aromatic odour, and blazed and crackled + splendidly in the clear, cool evening air, as we piled up a huge bonfire, + and put the kettle on to boil. It was quite dusk by this time, so the + gentlemen worked hard at collecting a great supply of wood, as the night + promised to be a very cold one, whilst I remained to watch the kettle, + full of that precious liquid poor F—— had carried up with such + care, and to prevent the wekas from carrying off our supper, which I had + arranged just inside the tent. In this latter task I was nobly assisted by + my little black terrier Dick, of whose sad fate I must tell you later. + </p> + <p> + By eight o'clock a noble pile of firewood had been collected, and we were + very tired and hungry; so we all crept inside the tent, which did not + afford very spacious accommodation, and began our supper. At this point of + the entertainment everybody voted it a great success; although the wind + was slowly rising and blowing from a cold point, and our blanket-tent did + not afford the perfect warmth and shelter we had fondly credited it with. + The gentlemen began to button up their coats. I had only a light serge + jacket on, so I coaxed Dick to sit at my back and keep it warm; for, + whilst our faces were roasted by the huge beacon-fire, there was a keen + and icy draught behind us. The hot tea was a great comfort, and we enjoyed + it thoroughly, and after it was over the gentlemen lit their pipes, and I + told them a story: presently we had glees, but by ten o'clock there was no + concealing the fact that we were all very sleepy indeed; however, we still + loudly declared that camping out was the most delightful experiment. F—— + and another gentleman (that kind and most good-natured Mr. U——, + who lives with us) went outside the tent, armed with knives, and cut all + the tussocks they could feel in the darkness, to make me a bed after the + fashion of the pigs; they brought in several armfuls, and the warmest + corner in the tent was heaped with them; I had my luncheon-basket for a + pillow, and announced that I had turned in and was very comfortable, and + that camping out was charming; the gentlemen were still cheery, though + sleepy; and the last thing I remember was seeing preparations being made + for what a Frenchman of my acquaintance always will call a "grogs." When I + awoke, I thought I must have slept several hours. Though the fire was + blazing grandly, the cold was intense: I was so stiff I could hardly move; + all my limbs ached dreadfully, and my sensations altogether were new and + very disagreeable. I sat up with great difficulty and many groans, and + looked round: two figures were coiled up, like huge dogs, near me; two + more, moody and sulky, were smoking by the fire; with their knees drawn up + to their noses and their hands in their pockets, collars well up round + their throats—statues of cold and disgust. To my inquiries about the + hour, the answer, given in tones of the deepest despondency, was "Only + eleven o'clock, and the sun doesn't rise till six, and its going to be the + coldest night we've had this year." The speaker added, "If it wasn't so + dark that we'd break our necks on the way, we might go home." + </p> + <p> + Here was a pretty end to our amusement. I slowly let myself down again, + and tried to go to sleep, but that relief was at an end for the night; the + ground seemed to grow harder every moment, or, at all events, I ached + more, and the wind certainly blew higher and keener. Dick proved himself a + most selfish doggie; he would creep round to leeward of <i>me</i>, whilst + I wanted him to let me get leeward of him, but he would not consent to + this arrangement. Whenever I heard a deeper moan or sigh than usual, I + whispered an inquiry as to the hour, but the usual reply, in the most + cynical voice, was, "Oh, you need not whisper, nobody is asleep." I heard + one plaintive murmur "Think of all our warm beds, and of our coming up + here from choice." I must say I felt dreadfully ashamed of myself for my + plan; it was impossible to express my contrition and remorse, for, always + excepting Mr. U——, they were all too cross to be spoken to. It + certainly was a weary, long night. About one o'clock I pretended to want + some hot tea, and the preparation for that got through half an hour, and + it warmed us a little; but everybody still was deeply dejected, not to say + morose. After an interval of only two hours more of thorough and intense + wretchedness we had a "grogs," but there was no attempt at conviviality—subdued + savageness was the prevailing state of mind. I tried to infuse a little + hope into the party, by suggestions of a speedy termination to our misery, + but my own private opinion was that we should all be laid up for weeks to + come with illness. I allotted to myself in this imaginary distribution of + ills a severe rheumatic fever; oh! how I ached, and I felt as if I never + could be warm again. The fire was no use; except to afford occupation in + putting on wood; it roasted a little bit of you at a time, and that bit + suffered doubly from the cold when it was obliged to take its share of + exposure to the wind. I cannot say whether the proverb is true of other + nights, but this particular night, certainly, was both darkest and coldest + just before dawn. + </p> + <p> + At last, to our deep joy, and after many false alarms, we really all + agreed that there was a faint streak of grey in the east. My first impulse + was to set off home, and I believe I tried to get up expressing some such + intention, but F—— recalled me to myself by saying, in great + surprise, "Are you not going to stop and see the sun rise?" I had quite + forgotten that this was the avowed object of the expedition, but I was far + too stiff to walk a yard, so I was obliged to wait to see what effect the + sunrise would have on my frozen limbs, for I could not think of any higher + motive. Presently some one called out "There's the sea," and so it was, as + distinct as though it were not fifty miles off; none of us had seen it + since we landed; to all of us it is associated with the idea of going home + some day: whilst we were feasting our eyes on it a golden line seemed + drawn on its horizon; it spread and spread, and as all the water became + flooded with a light and glory which hardly seemed to belong to this + world, the blessed sun came up to restore us all to life and warmth again. + In a moment, in less than a moment, all our little privations and + sufferings vanished as if they had never existed, or existed only to be + laughed at. Who could think of their "Ego" in such a glorious presence, + and with such a panorama before them? I did not know which side to turn to + first. Behind me rose a giant forest in the far hills to the west—a + deep shadow for miles, till the dark outline of the pines stood out + against the dazzling snow of the mountains behind it; here the sky was + still sheltering the flying night, and the white outlines looked ghostly + against the dull neutral tints, though every peak was sharply and clearly + defined; then I turned round to see before me such a glow of light and + beauty! For an immense distance I could see the vast Canterbury plains; to + the left the Waimakiriri river, flowing in many streams, "like a tangled + bunch of silver ribbons" (as Mr. Butler calls it in his charming book on + New Zealand), down to the sea; beyond its banks the sun shone on the + windows of the houses at Oxford, thirty miles off as the crow would fly, + and threw its dense bush into strong relief against the yellow plains. The + Port Hills took the most lovely lights and shadows as we gazed on them; + beyond them lay the hills of Akaroa, beautiful beyond the power of words + to describe. Christchurch looked quite a large place from the great extent + of ground it appeared to cover. We looked onto the south: there was a + slight haze over the great Ellesmere Lake, the water of which is quite + fresh, though only separated from the sea by a slight bar of sand; the + high banks of the Rakaia made a deep dark line extending right back into + the mountains, and beyond it we could see the Rangitata faintly gleaming + in the distance; between us and the coast were green patches and tiny + homesteads, but still few and far between; close under our feet, and + looking like a thread beneath the shadow of the mountain, ran the Selwyn + in a narrow gorge, and on its bank stood the shepherd's hut that I have + told you once afforded us such a good luncheon; it looked a mere toy, as + if it came out of a child's box of playthings, and yet so snug for all its + lonely position. On the other hand lay our own little home, with the faint + wreath of smoke stealing up through the calm air (for the wind had dropped + at sunrise). Here and there we saw strings of sheep going down from their + high camping-grounds to feed on the sunny slopes and in the warm valleys. + Every moment added to our delight and enjoyment; but unfortunately it was + a sort of happiness which one can neither speak of at the time, nor write + about afterwards: silence is its most expressive language. Whilst I was + drinking in all the glory and beauty before me, some of the others had + been busy striking the tent, repacking the loads, very much lighter + without the provisions; and we had one more excellent cup of tea before + abandoning the encampment to the wekas, who must have breakfasted + splendidly that morning. Our last act was to collect all the stones we + could move into a huge cairn, which was built round a tall pole of totara; + on the summit of this we tied securely, with flax, the largest and + strongest pocket-handkerchief, and then, after one look round to the west—now + as glowing and bright as the radiant east—we set off homewards about + seven o'clock; but it was long before we reached the place where we left + the horses, for the gentlemen began rolling huge rocks down the sides of + the hills and watching them crashing and thundering into the valleys, + sometimes striking another rock and then bounding high into the air. They + were all as eager and excited as schoolboys, and I could not go on and + leave them, lest I should get below them and be crushed under a small + stone of twenty tons or so. I was therefore forced to keep well <i>above</i> + them all the time. At last we reached the spur where the horses were + tethered, re-saddled and loaded them, and arrived quite safely at home, + just in time for baths and breakfast. I was amused to see that no one + seemed to remember or allude to the miseries and aches of that long cold + night; all were full of professions of enjoyment. But I noticed that the + day was unusually quiet; the gentlemen preferred a bask in the verandah to + any other amusement, and I have reason to believe they indulged in a good + many naps. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0019" id="link2H_4_0019"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + Letter XVIII: A journey "down south." + </h2> + <p> + Waimate, May 1867. In one of my early letters from Heathstock I told you + that the Hurunui, which is the boundary of that run, marks the extreme + north of the Province of Canterbury; and now I am writing to you from the + extreme south. I hope you do not forget to reverse in your own mind the + ordinary ideas of heat and cold, as connected with those points of the + compass. The distance from our house to this is about 160 miles, and we + actually took two days and a half to get here!—besides, into these + miles was compressed the fatigue of a dozen English railway journeys of + the same length. But, I suppose, as usual, you will not be satisfied + unless I begin at the very beginning. The first difficulty was to reach + the point where we were to join the coach on the Great South Road. It was + less than thirty miles, so we could easily have ridden the distance; but + the difficulty was to get our clothes all that way. They could not be + carried on horseback, and just then the station-dray was particularly + employed; besides which it would have taken three days to come and go,—rather + a useless expenditure of the man's time, as well as of the horses' legs, + where only two little portmanteaus were concerned. Fortunately for us, + however, this is a country where each man is ready and willing to help his + neighbour, without any inquiry as to who he is; so the moment our dilemma + was known various plans were suggested for our assistance, of which this + was the one selected:— + </p> + <p> + On a certain bright but cold Wednesday afternoon, F—— and I + and our modest luggage started in a neighbour's "trap" for the station I + have already mentioned on the Horarata, where Mr. C. H—— and I + stopped on our way to Lake Coleridge. It is on the plains at the foot of a + low range of downs, and about twelve miles from us. You cannot imagine a + more charming little cottage <i>ornee</i> than the house is, capable of + holding, apparently, an indefinite number of people, and with owners whose + hospitality always prompts them to try its capabilities to the utmost. A + creek runs near the house, and on its banks, sloping to the sun, lies a + lovely garden, as trim as any English parterre, and a mass of fruit and + flowers. Nothing can be more picturesque than the mixture of both. For + instance, on the wall of the house is a peach-tree laden every autumn with + rosy, velvet-cheeked fruit; and jasmine and passion-flowers growing + luxuriantly near it. Inside all is bright neatness and such a welcome! As + for our supper, on this particular day it comprised every dainty you can + imagine, and made me think of my housekeeping with shame and confusion of + face. We had a very merry evening, with round games; but there was a + strong prejudice in favour of going to bed early, as we all had to be up + by three o'clock: and so we were, to find a delicious breakfast prepared + for us, which our kind hostess was quite disappointed to see we could not + eat much of. Coffee and toast was all I could manage at that hour. We + started in the dark, and the first thing we had to cross was a dry + river-bed, in which one of the horses lay deliberately down, and refused + to move. This eccentricity delayed us very much; but we got him into a + better frame of mind, and accomplished our early drive of sixteen miles in + safety, reaching the accommodation-house, or inn, where the coach from + Christchurch to Timaru changes horses for its first stage, by six o'clock. + There we had a good breakfast, and were in great "form" by the time the + coach was ready to start. These conveyances have a world-wide celebrity as + "Cobb's coaches," both in America and Australia, where they are invariably + the pioneers of all wheeled vehicles, being better adapted to travel on a + bad road, or no road at all, than any other four-wheeled "trap." They are + both strong and light, with leathern springs and a powerful break; but I + cannot conscientiously say they are at all handsome carriages; indeed I + think them extremely ugly and not very comfortable except on the box-seat + next the driver. Fortunately, this is made to hold three, so F—— + and I scrambled up, and off we started with four good strong horses, + bearing less harness about them than any quadrupeds I ever saw; a small + collar, slender traces, and very thin reins comprised all their + accoutrements. The first half of the journey was slow, but there was no + jolting. The road was level, though it had not been made at all, only the + tussocks removed from it; but it was naturally good—a great + exception to New Zealand roads. The driver was a steady, respectable man, + very intelligent; and when F——could make him talk of his + experiences in Australia in the early coaching days, I was much + interested. + </p> + <p> + We crossed the Rakaia and the Rangitata in ferry-boats, and stopped on the + banks of the Ashburton, to dine about one o'clock, having changed horses + twice since we started from "Gigg's," as our place of junction was + elegantly called. Here all my troubles began. When we came out of the + little inn, much comforted and refreshed by a good dinner, I found to my + regret that we were to change drivers as well as horses, and that a very + popular and well known individual was to be the new coachman. As our + former driver very politely assisted me to clamber up on the box-seat, he + recommended F—— to sit on the outside part of the seat, and to + put me next the driver, "where," he added, "the lady won't be so likely to + tumble out." As I had shown no disposition to fall off the coach hitherto, + I was much astonished by this precaution, but said nothing. So he was + emboldened to whisper, after looking round furtively, "And you jest take + and don't be afraid, marm; <i>he</i> handles the ribbings jest as well + when he's had a drop too much as when he's sober, which ain't often, + however." This last caution alarmed me extremely. The horses were not yet + put in, nor the driver put <i>up</i>, so I begged F—— to get + down and see if I could not go inside. But, after a hasty survey, he, said + it was quite impossible: men smoking, children crying, and, in addition, a + policeman with a lunatic in his charge, made the inside worse than the + outside, especially in point of atmosphere; so he repeated the substance + of our ex-driver's farewell speech; and when I saw our new charioteer + emerge at last from the bar, looking only very jovial and tolerably steady + as to gait, I thought perhaps my panic was premature. But, oh, what a time + I had of it for nine hours afterwards! The moment the grooms let go the + horses' heads he stood up on his seat, shook the reins, flourished his + long whip, and with one wild yell from him we dashed down a steep cutting + into the Ashburton. The water flew in spray far over our heads, and the + plunge wetted me as effectually as if I had fallen into the river. I + expected the front part of the coach to part from the back, on account of + the enormous strain caused by dragging it over the boulders. We lurched + like a boat in a heavy sea; the "insides" screamed; "Jim" (that was the + driver's name) swore and yelled; the horses reared and plunged. All this + time I was holding on like grim death to a light iron railing above my + head, and one glance to my left showed me F—— thrown off the + very small portion of cushion which fell to his share, and clinging + desperately to a rude sort of lamp-frame. I speculated for an instant + whether this would break; and, if so, what would become of him. But it + took all my ideas to keep myself from being jerked off among the horses' + heels. We dashed through the river; Jim gathered up the reins, and with a + different set of oaths swore he would punish the horses for jibbing in the + water. And he did punish them; he put the break hard down for some way, + flogged them with all his strength, dancing about the coach-box and + yelling like a madman. Every now and then, in the course of his bounds + from place to place, he would come plump down on my lap; but I was too + much frightened to remonstrate; indeed, we were going at such a pace + against the wind, I had very little breath to spare. + </p> + <p> + We got over the first stage of twenty miles at this rate very quickly, as + you may imagine; but, unfortunately, there was an accommodation-house + close to the stables, and Jim had a good deal more refreshment. Strange to + say, this did not make him any wilder in manner—that he could not + be; but after we started again he became extremely friendly with me, + addressing me invariably as "my dear," and offering to "treat me" at every + inn from that to Timaru. I declined, as briefly as I could, whereupon he + became extremely angry, at my doubting his pecuniary resources apparently, + for, holding the reins carelessly with one hand, though we were still + tearing recklessly along, he searched his pockets with the other hand, and + produced from them a quantity of greasy, dirty one-pound notes, all of + which he laid on my lap, saying, "There, and there, and there, if you + think I'm a beggar!" I fully expected them to blow away, for I could not + spare a hand to hold them; but I watched my opportunity when he was + punishing the unfortunate fresh team, and pounced on them, thrusting the + dirty heap back into his great-coat pocket. At the next stage a very tidy + woman came out, with a rather large bundle, containing fresh linen, she + said, for her son, who was ill in the hospital at Timaru. She booked this, + and paid her half-crown for its carriage, entreating the drunken wretch to + see that it reached her son that night. He wildly promised he should have + it in half-an-hour, and we set off as if he meant to keep his word, though + we were some forty miles off yet; but he soon changed his mind, and took a + hatred to the parcel, saying it would "sink the ship," and finally tried + to kick it over the splash-board. I seized it at the risk of losing my + balance, and hugged it tight all the way to Timaru, carrying it off to the + hotel, where I induced a waiter to take it up to the hospital. + </p> + <p> + After we had changed horses for the last time, and I was comforting myself + by the reflection that the journey was nearly over, we heard shouts and + screams from the inside passengers. F—— persuaded Jim with + much trouble to pull up, and jumped down to see what was the matter. A + strong smell of burning and a good deal of smoke arose from inside the + coach, caused by the lunatic having taken off both his boots and lighted a + fire in them. It was getting dark and chilly; the other passengers, + including the policeman, had dozed off and the madman thought that as his + feet were very cold, he would "try and warm them a bit;" so he collected + all the newspapers with which his fellow-travellers had been solacing the + tedium of their journey, tore, them up into shreds, with the addition of + the contents of a poor woman's bundle, and made quite a cheerful blaze out + of these materials. It was some time before the terrified women could be + induced to get into the coach again; and it was only by Jims + asseverations, couched in the strongest language, that if they were not + "all aboard" in half a minute, he would drive on and leave them in the + middle of the plains, that they were persuaded to clamber in to their + places once more. + </p> + <p> + How thankful I was when we saw the lights of Timaru! I was stunned and + bewildered, tired beyond the power of words to describe, and black and + blue all over from being jolted about. The road had been an excellent one, + all the way level and wide, with telegraph-poles by its side. We shaved + these very closely often enough, but certainly, amid all his tipsiness, + Jim bore out his predecessors remark. Whenever we came to a little dip in + the road, or a sharp turn, as we were nearing Timaru, he would get the + horses under control as if by magic, and take us over as safely as the + soberest driver could have done; the moment the obstacle was passed, off + we were again like a whirlwind! + </p> + <p> + I was not at all surprised to hear that upsets and accidents were common + on the road, and that the horses lasted but a very short time. + </p> + <p> + We found our host had driven in from his station forty-five miles distant + from Timaru, to meet us, and had ordered nice rooms and a good dinner; so + the next morning I was quite rested, and ready to laugh over my miseries + of the day before. Nothing could be a greater contrast than this day's + journeying to yesterday's. A low, comfortable phaeton, and one of the most + agreeable companions in the world to drive us, beautiful scenery and a + nice luncheon half-way, at which meal F—— ate something like + half a hundred cheese-cakes! The last part of the road for a dozen miles + or so was rather rough; we had to cross a little river, the Waio, every + few hundred yards; and a New Zealand river has so much shingle about it! + The water can never quite make up its mind where it would like to go, and + has half-a-dozen channels ready to choose from, and then in a heavy fresh + the chances are it will select and make quite a different course after + all. + </p> + <p> + This is late autumn with us, remember, so the evenings close in early and, + are very cold indeed. It was quite dark when we reached the house, and the + blazing fires in every room were most welcome. The house is very unlike + the conventional station pattern, being built of stone, large, very well + arranged, and the perfection of comfort inside. There is no hostess at + present; three bachelor brothers do the honours, and, as far as my + experience goes, do them most efficiently. Our visit has lasted three + weeks already, and we really must bring it to a termination soon. The + weather has been beautiful, and we have made many delightful excursions, + all on horseback, to neighbouring stations, to a fine bush where we had a + picnic, or to some point of view. I can truly say I have enjoyed every + moment of the time, indoors as well as out; I was the only lady, and was + petted and made much of to my heart's content. There were several other + guests, and they were all nice and amusing. One wet day we had, and only + one. I must tell you an incident of it, to show you what babies grown-up + men can be at the Antipodes. We worked hard all the morning at acrostics, + and after my five o'clock tea I went upstairs to a charming little boudoir + prepared for me, to rest and read; in a short time I heard something like + music and stamping, and, though I was <i>en peignoir</i>, I stole softly + down to see what was going on; when I opened the door of the general + sitting-room a most unusual sight presented itself,—eight bearded + men, none of them very young, were dancing a set of quadrilles with the + utmost gravity and decorum to the tunes played by a large musical-box, + which was going at the most prodigious pace, consequently the dancers were + flying through the figures in silence and breathless haste. They could not + stop or speak when I came in, and seemed quite surprised at my laughing at + them; but you have no idea how ridiculous they looked, especially as their + gravity and earnestness were profound. + </p> + <p> + This is one of the very few stations where pheasants have been introduced, + but then, every arrangement has been made for their comfort, and a + beautiful house and yard built for their reception on a flat, just beneath + the high terrace on which the house stands. More than a hundred young + birds were turned out last spring, and there will probably be three times + that number at the end of this year. We actually had pheasant twice at + dinner; the first, and probably the last time we shall taste game in New + Zealand. There is a good deal of thick scrub in the clefts of the + home-terrace, and this affords excellent shelter for the young. Their + greatest enemies are the hawks, and every variety of trap and cunning + device for the destruction of these latter are in use, but as yet without + doing much execution among them, they are so wonderfully clever and + discerning. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0020" id="link2H_4_0020"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + Letter XIX: A Christening gathering.—the fate of Dick. + </h2> + <p> + Broomielaw, June 1867. We reached home quite safely the first week of this + month, and I immediately set to work to prepare for the Bishop's visit. We + met him at a friend's house one day, just as we were starting homewards, + and something led to my telling him about the destitute spiritual + condition of my favourite "nest of Cockatoos." With his usual energy, as + well as goodness, he immediately volunteered to come up to our little + place, hold a service, and christen all the children. We were only too + thankful to accept such an offer, as we well knew what an inducement it + would be to the people, who would take a great deal of trouble and come + from far and near to hear our dear Bishop, who is universally beloved and + respected. + </p> + <p> + For a week beforehand the house smelt all day long like a baker's shop + about noon on Sunday, for pies, tarts, cakes, etc., were perpetually being + "drawn" from the oven. I borrowed every pie-dish for miles round, and, as + on another occasion I have mentioned, plenty of good things which our own + resources could not furnish forth came pouring in on all sides with offers + to help. F—— and I scoured the country for thirty miles round + to invite everybody to come over to us that Sunday; and I think I may + truly say everybody came. When I rode over to my "nest" and made the + announcement of the Bishop's visit, the people were very much delighted; + but a great difficulty arose from the sudden demand for white frocks for + all the babies and older children. I rashly promised each child should + find a clean white garment awaiting it on its arrival at my house, and + took away a memorandum of all the different ages and sizes; the "order" + never could have been accomplished without the aid of my sewing-machine. I + had a few little frocks by me as patterns, and cut up some very smart + white embroidered petticoats which were quite useless to me, to make into + little skirts. In spite of all that was going on in the kitchen my maids + found time to get these up most beautifully, and by the Saturday night the + little bed in the spare room was a heap of snowy small garments, with a + name written on paper and pinned to each. The Bishop also arrived quite + safely, late that evening, having driven himself up from Christchurch in a + little gig. + </p> + <p> + It is impossible for you to imagine a more beautiful winter's morning than + dawned on us that Sunday. A sharp frost over-night only made the air + deliciously crisp, for the sun shone so brightly, that by nine o'clock the + light film of ice over the ponds had disappeared, and I found the Bishop + basking in the verandah when I came out to breakfast, instead of sitting + over the blazing wood-fire in the dining-room. We got our meal finished as + quickly as possible, and then F—— and Mr. U—— set + to work to fill the verandah with forms extemporised out of empty boxes + placed at each end, and planks laid across them; every red blanket in the + house was pressed into service to cover these rough devices, and the + effect at last was quite tidy. By eleven o'clock the drays began to arrive + in almost a continual stream; as each came up, its occupants were taken + into the kitchen, and given as much as they could eat of cold pies made of + either pork or mutton, bread and hot potatoes, and tea. As for teapots, + they were discarded, and the tea was made in huge kettles, whilst the milk + stood in buckets, into which quart jugs were dipped every five minutes. I + took care of all the women and children whilst F—— and Mr. U—— + looked after the men, showed them where to put the horses, etc. All this + time several gentlemen and two or three ladies had arrived, but there was + no one to attend to them, so they all very kindly came out and helped. We + insisted on the Bishop keeping quiet in the drawing-room, or he would have + worked as hard as any one. I never could have got the children into their + white frocks by two o'clock if it had not been for the help of the other + ladies; but at last they were all dressed, and the congregation—not + much under a hundred people—fed, and arranged in their places. There + had been a difficulty about finding sufficient godmothers and godfathers, + so F—— and I were sponsors for every child, and each parent + wished me to hand the child to the Bishop; but I could not lift up many of + the bigger ones, and they roared piteously when I touched their hands. I + felt it quite a beautiful and thrilling scene; the sunburnt faces all + around, the chubby, pretty little group of white-clad children, every one + well fed and comfortably clothed, the dogs lying at their masters feet, + the bright winter sunshine and dazzling sky, and our dear Bishops + commanding figure and clear, penetrating voice! He gave us a most + excellent sermon, short and simple, but so perfectly appropriate; and + after the service was over he went about, talking to all the various + groups such nice, helpful words. + </p> + <p> + The truest kindness was now to "speed the parting guest," so each dray + load, beginning with those whose homes were the most distant, was + collected. They were first taken into the kitchen and given a good meal of + hot tea, cake, and bread and butter, for many had four hours' jolting + before them; the red blankets were again called into requisition to act as + wraps, besides every cloak and shawl I possessed, for the moment the sun + sunk, which would be about four o'clock, the cold was sure to become + intense. We lived that day in the most scrambling fashion ourselves; there + was plenty of cold meat, etc., on the dining-room table, and piles of + plates, and whenever any of the party were hungry they went and helped + themselves, as my two servants were entirely occupied with looking after + the comfort of the congregation; it was such a treat to them to have, even + for a few hours, the society of other women. They have only one female + neighbour, and she is generally too busy to see much of them; besides + which, I think the real reason of the want of intimacy is that Mrs. M—— + is a very superior person, and when she comes up I generally like to have + a chat with her myself. It does me good to see her bonny Scotch face, and + hear the sweet kindly "Scot's tongue;" besides which she is my great + instructress in the mysteries of knitting socks and stockings, spinning, + making really good butter (not an easy thing, madam), and in all sorts of + useful accomplishments; her husband is the head shepherd on the next + station. They are both very fond of reading, and it was quite pretty to + see the delight they took in the Queen's book about the Highlands. + </p> + <p> + To return, however, to that Sunday. We were all dreadfully tired by the + time the last guest had departed, but we had a delightfully quiet evening, + and a long talk with the Bishop about our favourite scheme of the church + and school among the Cockatoos, and we may feel certain of his hearty + cooperation in any feasible plan for carrying it out. The next morning, + much to our regret, the Bishop left us for Christchurch, but he had to + hold a Confirmation service there, and could not give us even a few more + hours. We were so very fortunate in our weather. The following Sunday was + a pouring wet day, and we have had wind and rain almost ever since; it is + unusually wet, so I have nothing more to tell you of our doings, which + must seem very eccentric to you, by the way, but I assure you I enjoy the + gipsy unconventional life immensely. + </p> + <p> + You must not be critical about a jumble of subjects if I record poor + Dick's tragical fate here; it will serve to fill up my letter, and if ever + you have mourned for a pet dog you will sympathise with me. I must first + explain to you that on a sheep station strange dogs are regarded with a + most unfriendly eye by both master and shepherds. There are the proper + colleys,—generally each shepherd has two,—but no other dogs + are allowed, and I had great trouble to coax F—— to allow me + to accept two. One is a beautiful water-spaniel, jet black, Brisk by name, + but his character is stainless in the matter of sheep, and though very + handsome he is only an amiable idiot, his one amusement being to chase a + weka, which he never catches. The other dog was, alas! Dick, a small + black-and-tan terrier, very well bred, and full of tricks and play. We + never even suspected him of any wickedness, but as it turned out he must + have been a hardened offender. A few weeks after he came to us, when the + lambing season was at its height, and the low sunny hills near the house + were covered with hundreds of the pretty little white creatures, F——used + sometimes to come and ask me where Dick was, and, strange to say, Dick + constantly did not answer to my call. An evening or two later, just as we + were starting for our walk, Dick appeared in a great hurry from the back + of the stable. F—— went up immediately to him, and stooped + down to examine his mouth, calling me to see. Oh, horror! it was all + covered with blood and wool. I pleaded all sorts of extenuating + circumstances, but F—— said, with: judicial sternness, "This + cannot be allowed." Dick was more fascinating than usual, never looking at + a sheep whilst we were out walking with him, and behaving in the most + exemplary manner. F—— watched him all the next day, and at + last caught him in the act of killing a new-born lamb a little way from + the house; the culprit was brought to me hanging his tail with the most + guilty air, and F—— said, "I ought to shoot him, but if you + like I will try if a beating can cure him, but it must be a tremendous + one." I was obliged to accept this alternative, and retreated where I + could not hear Dick's howls under the lash, over the body of his victim. A + few hours after I went to the spot, lifted Dick up, and carried him into + my room to nurse him; for he could not move, he had been beaten so + severely. For two whole days he lay on the soft mat I gave him, only able + to lap a little warm milk; on the third morning he tried to get up, and + crawled into the verandah; I followed to watch him. Imagine my dismay at + seeing him limp to the place where the body of his last victim lay, and + deliberately begin tearing it to pieces. I followed him with my little + horsewhip and gave him a slight beating. I could not find it in my heart + to hit him very hard. I carefully concealed this incident from F——, + and for some days I never let Dick out of my sight for a moment; but early + one fine morning a knock came to our bed-room door, and a voice said, + "Please, sir, come and see what's the matter with the sheep? there's a + large mob of them at the back of the house being driven, like." Oh, my + prophetic soul! I felt it was Dick. Whilst F—— was huddling on + some clothes I implored him to temper justice with mercy, but never a word + did he say, and sternly took his gun in his hand and went out. I buried my + head in the pillows, but for all my precautions I heard the report of a + shot in the clear morning air, and the echo ringing back from all the + hills; five minutes afterwards F—— came in with a little blue + collar in his hand, and said briefly, "He has worried more than a dozen + lambs this morning alone." What could I say? F——'s only + attempt at consolation was, "he died instantly; I shot him through the + head." But for many days afterwards I felt quite lonely and sad without my + poor little pet—yet what could have been done? No one would have + accepted him as a present, and it flashed on me afterwards that perhaps + this vice of his was the reason of Dick's former owner being so anxious to + give him to me. I have had two offers of successors to Dick since, but I + shall never have another dog on a sheep station, unless I know what Mr. + Dickens' little dressmaker calls "its tricks and its manners." + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0021" id="link2H_4_0021"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + Letter XX: the New Zealand snowstorm of 1867. + </h2> + <p> + Broomielaw, August 1867. I have had my first experience of real hardships + since I last wrote to you. Yes, we have all had to endure positive hunger + and cold, and, what I found much harder to bear, great anxiety of mind. I + think I mentioned that the weather towards the end of July had been + unusually disagreeable, but not very cold This wet fortnight had a great + deal to do with our sufferings afterwards, for it came exactly at the time + we were accustomed to send our dray down to Christchurch for supplies of + flour and groceries, and to lay in a good stock of coals for the winter; + these latter had been ordered, and were expected every day. Just the last + few days of July the weather cleared up, and became like our usual most + beautiful winter climate; so, after waiting a day or two, to allow the + roads to dry a little, the dray was despatched to town, bearing a long + list of orders, and with many injunctions to the driver to return as + quickly as possible, for all the stores were at the lowest ebb. I am + obliged to tell you these domestic details, in order that you may + understand the reason of our privations. I acknowledge, humbly, that it + was not good management, but sometimes accidents <i>will</i> occur. It was + also necessary for F—— to make a journey to Christchurch on + business, and as he probably would be detained there for nearly a week, it + was arranged that one of the young gentlemen from Rockwood should ride + over and escort me back there, to remain during F——'s absence. + I am going to give you all the exact dates, for this snow-storm will be a + matter of history, during the present generation at all events: there is + no tradition among the Maoris of such a severe one ever having occurred; + and what made it more fatal in its financial consequences to every one + was, that the lambing season had only just commenced or terminated on most + of the runs. Only a few days before he left, F—— had taken me + for a ride in the sheltered valleys, that he might see the state of the + lambs, and pronounced it most satisfactory; thousands of the pretty little + creatures were skipping about by their mothers' side. + </p> + <p> + I find, by my Diary, July 29th marked, as the beginning of a + "sou'-wester." F—— had arranged to start that morning, and as + his business was urgent, he did not like to delay his departure, though + the day was most unpromising, a steady, fine drizzle, and raw atmosphere; + however, we hurried breakfast, and he set off, determining to push on to + town as quickly as possible. I never spent such a dismal day in my life: + my mind was disturbed by secret anxieties about the possibility of the + dray being detained by wet weather, and there was such an extraordinary + weight in the air, the dense mist seemed pressing everything down to the + ground; however, I drew the sofa to the fire, made up a good blaze (the + last I saw for some time), and prepared to pass a lazy day with a book; + but I felt so restless and miserable I did not know what was the matter + with me. I wandered from window to window, and still the same unusual + sight met my eyes; a long procession of ewes and lambs, all travelling + steadily down from the hills towards the large flat in front of the house; + the bleating was incessant, and added to the intense melancholy of the + whole affair. When Mr. U—— came in to dinner; at one o'clock, + he agreed with me that it was most unusual weather, and said, that on the + other ranges the sheep were drifting before the cold mist and rain just in + the same way. Our only anxiety arose from the certainty that the dray + would be delayed at least a day, and perhaps two; this was a dreadful + idea: for some time past we had been economising our resources to make + them last, and we knew that there was absolutely nothing at the + home-station, nor at our nearest neighbour's, for they had sent to borrow + tea and sugar from us. Just at dusk that evening, two gentlemen rode up, + not knowing F—— was from home, and asked if they might remain + for the night. I knew them both very well; in fact, one was our cousin T——, + and the other an old friend; so they put up their horses, and housed their + dogs (for each had a valuable sheep-dog with him) in a barrel full of + clean straw, and we all tried to spend a cheerful evening, but everybody + confessed to the same extraordinary depression of spirits that I felt. + </p> + <p> + When I awoke the next morning, I was not much surprised to see the snow + falling thick and fast: no sheep were now visible, there was a great + silence, and the oppression in the atmosphere had if possible increased. + We had a very poor breakfast,—no porridge, very little mutton (for + in expectation of the house being nearly empty, the shepherd had not + brought any over the preceding day), and <i>very</i> weak tea; coffee and + cocoa all finished, and about an ounce of tea in the chest. I don't know + how the gentlemen amused themselves that day; I believe they smoked a good + deal; I could only afford a small fire in the drawing-room, over which I + shivered. The snow continued to fall in dense fine clouds, quite unlike + any snow I ever saw before, and towards night I fancied the garden fence + was becoming very much dwarfed. Still the consolation was, "Oh, it won't + last; New Zealand snow never: does." However, on Wednesday morning things + began to look very serious indeed: the snow covered the ground to a depth + of four feet in the shallowest places, and still continued to fall + steadily; the cows we knew <i>must</i> be in the paddock were not to be + seen anywhere; the fowl-house and pig-styes which stood towards the + weather quarter had entirely disappeared; every scrap of wood (and several + logs were lying about at the back) was quite covered up; both the + verandahs were impassable; in one the snow was six feet deep, and the only + door which could be opened was the back-kitchen door, as that opened + inwards; but here the snow was half-way over the roof, so it took a good + deal of work with the kitchen-shovel, for no spades could be found, to dig + out a passage. Indoors, we were approaching our last mouthful very + rapidly, the tea at breakfast was merely coloured hot water, and we had + some picnic biscuits with it. For dinner we had the last tin of sardines, + the last pot of apricot jam, and a tin of ratifia biscuits a most + extraordinary mixture, I admit, but there was nothing else. There were six + people to be fed every day, and nothing to feed them with. Thursday's + breakfast was a discovered crust of dry bread, very stale, and our dinner + that day was rice and salt—the last rice in the store-room. The snow + still never ceased falling, and only one window in the house afforded us + any light; every box was broken up and used for fuel. The gentlemen used + to go all together and cut, or rather dig, a passage through the huge + drift in front of the stable, and with much difficulty get some food for + the seven starving horses outside, who were keeping a few yards clear by + incessantly moving about, the snow making high walls all around them. + </p> + <p> + It was wonderful to see how completely the whole aspect of the surrounding + scenery was changed; the gullies were all filled up, and nearly level with + the downs; sharp-pointed cliffs were now round bluffs; there was no + vestige of a fence or gate or shrub to be seen, and still the snow came + down as if it had only just begun to fall; out of doors the silence was + like death, I was told, for I could only peep down the tunnel dug every + few hours at the back-kitchen door. My two maids now gave way, and sat + clasped in each other's arms all day, crying piteously, and bewailing + their fate, asking me whenever I came into the kitchen, which was about + every half-hour, for there was no fire elsewhere, "And oh, when do you + think we'll be found, mum?" Of course this only referred to the ultimate + discovery of our bodies. There was a great search to-day for the cows, but + it was useless, the gentlemen sank up to their shoulders in snow. Friday, + the same state of things: a little flour had been discovered in a + discarded flour-bag, and we had a sort of girdle-cake and water. The only + thing remaining in the store-room was some blacklead, and I was + considering seriously how that could be cooked, or whether it would be + better raw: we were all more than half starved, and quite frozen: very + little fire in the kitchen, and none in any other room. Of course, the + constant thought was, "Where are the sheep?" Not a sign or sound could be + heard. The dogs' kennels were covered several feet deep; so we could not + get at them at all. Saturday morning: the first good news I heard was that + the cows had been found, and dragged by ropes down to the enclosure the + horses had made for them-selves: they were half dead, poor beasts; but + after struggling for four hours to and from a haystack two hundred yards + off, one end of which was unburied, some oaten hay was procured for them. + There was now not a particle of food in the house. The servants remained + in their beds, declining to get up, and alleging that they might as well + "die warm." In the middle of the day a sort of forlorn-hope was organized + by the gentlemen to try to find the fowl-house, but they could not get + through the drift: however, they dug a passage to the wash-house, and + returned in triumph with about a pound of very rusty bacon they had found + hanging up there; this was useless without fuel, so they dug for a little + gate leading to the garden, fortunately hit its whereabouts, and soon had + it broken up and in the kitchen grate. By dint of taking all the lead out + of the tea-chests, shaking it, and collecting every pinch of tea-dust, we + got enough to make a teapot of the weakest tea, a cup of which I took to + my poor crying maids in their beds, having first put a spoonful of the + last bottle of whisky which the house possessed into it, for there was + neither, sugar nor milk to be had. At midnight the snow ceased for a few + hours, and a hard sharp frost set in; this made our position worse, for + they could now make no impression on the snow, and only broke the shovels + in trying. I began to think seriously of following the maids example, in + order to "die warm." We could do nothing but wait patiently. I went up to + a sort of attic where odds and ends were stowed away, in search of + something to eat, but could find nothing more tempting than a supply of + wax matches. We knew there was a cat under the house, for we heard her + mewing; and it was suggested to take up the carpets first, then the + boards, and have a hunt for the poor old pussy but we agreed to bear our + hunger a little longer, chiefly, I am afraid, because she was known to be + both thin and aged. + </p> + <p> + Towards noon on Sunday the weather suddenly changed, and rain began to + come down heavily and steadily; this cheered us all immensely, as it would + wash the snow away probably, and so it did to some degree; the highest + drifts near the house lessened considerably in a few hours, and the + gentlemen, who by this time were desperately hungry, made a final attempt + in the direction of the fowl-house, found the roof, tore off some + shingles, and returned with a few aged hens, which were mere bundles of + feathers after their week's starvation. The servants consented to rise and + pluck them, whilst the gentlemen sallied forth once more to the + stock-yard, and with great difficulty got off two of the cap or top rails, + so we had a splendid though transitory blaze, and some hot stewed fowl; it + was more of a soup than anything else, but still we thought it delicious: + and then everybody went to bed again, for the house was quite dark still, + and the oil and candles were running very low. On Monday morning the snow + was washed off the roof a good deal by the deluge of rain which had never + ceased to come steadily down, and the windows were cleared a little, just + at the top; but we were delighted with the improvement, and some cold weak + fowl-soup for breakfast, which we thought excellent. On getting out of + doors, the gentlemen reported the creeks to be much swollen and rushing in + yellow streams down the sides of the hills over the snow, which was + apparently as thick as ever; but it was now easier to get through at the + surface, though quite solid for many feet from the ground. A window was + scraped clear, through which I could see the desolate landscape out of + doors, and some hay was carried with much trouble to the starving cows and + horses, but this was a work of almost incredible difficulty. Some more + fowls were procured to-day, nearly the last, for a large hole in the roof + showed most of them dead of cold and hunger. + </p> + <p> + We were all in much better spirits on this night, for there were signs of + the wind shifting from south to north-west; and, for the first time in our + lives I suppose, we were anxiously watching and desiring this change, as + it was the only chance of saving the thousands of sheep and lambs we now + knew lay buried under the smooth white winding-sheet of snow. Before + bedtime we heard the fitful gusts we knew so well, and had never before + hailed with such deep joy and thankfulness. Every time I woke the same + welcome sound of the roaring warm gale met my ears; and we were prepared + for the pleasant sight, on Tuesday morning, of the highest rocks on the + hill-tops standing out gaunt and bare once more. The wind was blowing the + snow off the hills in clouds like spray, and melting it everywhere so + rapidly that we began to have a new anxiety, for the creeks were rising + fast, and running in wide, angry-looking rivers over the frozen snow on + the banks. All immediate apprehension of starvation, however, was removed, + for the gentlemen dug a pig out of his stye, where he had been warm and + comfortable with plenty of straw, and slaughtered him; and in the loft of + the stable was found a bag of Indian meal for fattening poultry, which + made excellent cakes of bread. It was very nasty having only ice-cold + water to drink at every meal. I especially missed my tea for breakfast; + but felt ashamed to grumble, for my disagreeables were very light compared + to those of the three gentlemen. From morning to night they were wet + through, as the snow of course melted the moment they came indoors. All + the first part of the last week they used to work out of doors, trying to + get food and fuel, or feeding the horses, in the teeth of a bitter wind, + with the snow driving like powdered glass against their smarting hands and + faces; and they were as cheery and merry as possible through it all, + trying hard to pretend they were neither hungry nor cold, when they must + have been both. Going out of doors at this stage of affairs simply meant + plunging up to their middle in a slush of half-melted snow which wet them + thoroughly in a moment; and they never had dry clothes on again till they + changed after dark, when there was no more possibility of outdoor work. + </p> + <p> + Wednesday morning broke bright and clear for the first time since Sunday + week; we actually saw the sun. Although the "nor-wester" had done so much + good for us, and a light wind still blew softly from that quarter, the + snow was yet very deep; but I felt in such high spirits that I determined + to venture out, and equipped myself in a huge pair of F——'s + riding-boots made of kangaroo-skin, well greased with weka-oil to keep the + wet out, These I put on over my own thick boots, but my precautions "did + nought avail," for the first step I took sank me deep in the snow over the + tops of my enormous boots. They filled immediately, and then merely served + to keep the snow securely packed round my ankles; however, I struggled + bravely on, every now and then sinking up to my shoulders, and having to + be hauled out by main force. The first thing done was to dig out the dogs, + who assisted the process by vigorously scratching away inside and + tunnelling towards us. Poor things! how thin they looked, but they were + quite warm; and after indulging in a long drink at the nearest creek, they + bounded about, like mad creatures. The only casualties in the kennels were + two little puppies, who were lying cuddled up as if they were asleep, but + proved to be stiff and cold; and a very old but still valuable collie + called "Gipsy." She was enduring such agonies from rheumatism that it was + terrible to hear her howls; and after trying to relieve her by rubbing, + taking her into the stable-and in fact doing all we could for her—it + seemed better and kinder to shoot her two days afterwards. + </p> + <p> + We now agreed to venture into the paddock and see what had happened to the + bathing-place about three hundred yards from the house. I don't think I + have told you that the creek had been here dammed up with a sod wall + twelve feet high, and a fine deep and broad pond made, which was cleared + of weeds and grass, and kept entirely for the gentlemen to have a plunge + and swim at daylight of a summer's morning; there had been a wide trench + cut about two feet from the top, so as to carry off the water, and + hitherto this had answered perfectly. The first thing we had to do was to + walk over the high five-barred gate leading into the paddock just the + topmost bar was sticking up, but there was not a trace of the little + garden-gate or of the fence, which was quite a low one. We were, however, + rejoiced to see that on the ridges of the sunny downs there were patches, + or rather streaks, of tussocks visible, and they spread in size every + moment, for the sun was quite warm, and the "nor'-wester," had done much + towards softening the snow. It took us a long time to get down to where + the bathing-place <i>had been</i>, for the sod wall was quite carried + away, and there was now only a heap of ruin, with a muddy torrent pouring + through the large gap and washing it still more away. Close to this was a + very sunny sheltered down, or rather hill; and as the snow was rapidly + melting off its warm sloping sides we agreed to climb it and see if any + sheep could be discovered, for up to this time there had been none seen or + heard, though we knew several thousands must be on this flat and the + adjoining ones. + </p> + <p> + As soon as we got to the top the first glance showed us a small dusky + patch close to the edge of one of the deepest and widest creeks at the + bottom of the pad-dock; experienced eyes saw they were sheep, but to me + they had not the shape of animals at all, though they were quite near + enough to be seen distinctly. I observed the gentlemen exchange looks of + alarm, and they said to each other some low words, from which I gathered + that they feared the worst. Before we went down to the flat we took a + long, careful look round, and made out another patch, dark by comparison + with the snow, some two hundred yards lower down the creek, but apparently + in the water. On the other side of the little hill the snow seemed to have + drifted even more deeply, for the long narrow valley which lay there + presented, as far as we could see, one smooth, level snow-field. On the + dazzling white surface the least fleck shows, and I can never forget how + beautiful some swamp-hens, with their dark blue plumage, short, pert, + white tails, and long bright legs, looked, as they searched slowly along + the banks of the swollen creek for some traces of their former haunts; but + every tuft of tohi-grass lay bent and buried deep beneath its heavy + covering. The gentlemen wanted me to go home before they attempted to see + the extent of the disaster, which we all felt must be very great; but I + found it impossible to do anything but accompany them. I am half glad and + half sorry now that I was obstinate; glad because I helped a little at a + time when the least help was precious, and sorry because it was really + such a horrible sight. Even the first glance showed us that, as soon as we + got near the spot we had observed, we were walking on frozen sheep + embedded in the snow one over the other; but at all events their misery + had been over some time. It was more horrible to see the drowning, or just + drowned, huddled-up "mob" (as sheep <i>en masse</i> are technically + called) which had made the dusky patch we had noticed from the hill. + </p> + <p> + No one can ever tell how many hundred ewes and lambs had taken refuge + under the high terrace which forms the bank of the creek. The snow had + soon covered them up, but they probably were quite warm and dry at first. + The terrible mischief was caused by the creek rising so rapidly, and, + filtering through the snow which it gradually dissolved, drowned them as + they stood huddled together. Those nearest the edge of the water of course + went first, but we were fortunately in time to save a good many, though + the living seemed as nothing compared to the heaps of dead. We did not + waste a moment in regrets or idleness; the most experienced of the + gentlemen said briefly what was to be done, and took his coat off; the + other coats and my little Astrachan jacket were lying by its side in an + instant, and we all set to work, sometimes up to our knees in icy water, + digging at the bank of snow above us—if you can call it digging when + we had nothing but our hands to dig, or rather scratch, with. Oh, how hot + we were in five minutes! the sun beating on us, and the reflection from + the snow making its rays almost blinding. It was of no use my attempting + to rescue the sheep, for I could not move them, even when I had <i>scrattled</i> + the snow away from one. A sheep, especially with its fleece full of snow, + is beyond my small powers: even the lambs I found a tremendous weight, and + it must have been very absurd, if an idler had been by, to see me, with a + little lamb in my arms, tumbling down at every second step, but still + struggling manfully towards the dry oasis where we put each animal as it + was dug out. The dear doggies helped us beautifully, working so eagerly + and yet so wisely under their master's eye, as patient and gentle with the + poor stiffened creatures as if they could feel for them. I was astonished + at the vitality of some of the survivors; if they had been very far back + and not chilled by the water, they were quite lively. The strongest sheep + were put across the stream by the dogs, who were obedient to their + master's finger, and not to be induced on any terms to allow the sheep to + land a yard to one side of the place on the opposite bank, but just where + they were to go. A good many were swept away, but after six hours' work we + counted 1,400 rescued ones slowly "trailing" up the low sunny hill I have + mentioned, and nibbling at the tussocks as they went. The proportion of + lambs was, of course, very small, but the only wonder to me is that there + were any alive at all. If I had been able to stop my scratching but for a + moment, I would have had what the servants call a "good cry" over one + little group I laid bare. Two fine young ewes were standing leaning + against each other in a sloping position, like a tent, frozen and + immoveable: between them, quite dry, and as lively as a kitten, was a dear + little lamb of about a month old belonging to one; the lamb of the other + lay curled up at her feet, dead and cold; I really believe they had hit + upon this way of keeping the other alive. A more pathetic sight I never + beheld. + </p> + <p> + It is needless to say that we were all most dreadfully exhausted by the + time the sun went down, and it began to freeze; nothing but the sheer + impossibility of doing anything more in the hardening snow and approaching + darkness made us leave off even then, though we had not tasted food all + day. The gentlemen took an old ewe, who could not stand, though it was not + actually dead, up to the stable and killed it, to give the poor dogs a + good meal, and then they had to get some more rails off the stock-yard to + cook our own supper of pork and maize. + </p> + <p> + The next morning was again bright with a warm wind; so the effect of the + night's frost soon disappeared, and we were hard at work directly after + breakfast. Nothing would induce me to stay at home, but I armed myself + with a coal-scoop to dig, and we made our way to the other "mob;" but, + alas! there was nothing to do in the way of saving life, for all the sheep + were dead. There was a large island formed at a bend in the creek, where + the water had swept with such fury round a point as to wash the snow and + sheep all away together, till at some little obstacle they began to + accumulate in a heap. I counted ninety-two dead ewes in one spot, but I + did not stay to count the lambs. We returned to the place where we had + been digging the day before, and set the dogs to hunt in the drifts; + wherever they began to scratch we shovelled the snow away, and were sure + to find sheep either dead or nearly so: however, we liberated a good many + more. This sort of work continued till the following Saturday, when F—— + returned, having had a most dangerous journey, as the roads are still + blocked up in places with snow-drifts; but he was anxious to get back, + knowing I must have been going through "hard times." He was terribly + shocked at the state of things among the sheep; in Christchurch no + definite news had reached them from any quarter: all the coaches were + stopped and the telegraph wires broken down by the snow. He arrived about + mid-day, and, directly after the meal we still called dinner, started off + over the hills to my "nest of Cockatoos," and brought back some of the men + with him to help to search for the sheep, and to skin those that were dead + as fast as possible. He worked himself all day at the skinning,—a + horrible job; but the fleeces were worth something, and soon all the + fences, as they began to emerge from the snow, were tapestried with these + ghastly skins, and walking became most disagreeable, on account of the + evil odours arising every few yards. + </p> + <p> + We forgot all our personal sufferings in anxiety about the surviving + sheep, and when the long-expected dray arrived it seemed a small boon + compared to the discovery of a nice little "mob" feeding tranquilly on a + sunny spur. It is impossible to estimate our loss until the grand muster + at shearing, but we may set it down at half our flock, and <i>all</i> our + lambs, or at least 90 per cent. of them. Our neighbours are all as busy as + we are, so no accurate accounts of their sufferings or losses have reached + us; but, to judge by appearances, the distant "back-country" ranges must + have felt the storm more severely even than we have; and although the snow + did not drift to such a depth on the plains as with us, or lie so long on + the ground, they suffered just as much,—for the sheep took shelter + under the high river-banks, and the tragedy of the creeks was enacted on a + still larger scale; or they drifted along before the first day's gale till + they came to a wire fence, and there they were soon covered up, and + trampled each other to death. Not only were sheep, but cattle, found dead + in hundreds along the fences on the plains. The newspapers give half a + million as a rough estimate of the loss among the flocks in this province + alone. We have no reliable news from other parts of the island, only vague + rumours of the storm having been still more severe in the Province of + Otago, which lies to the south, and would be right in its track; the only + thing which all are agreed in saying is, that there never has been such a + storm before, for the Maories are strong in weather traditions, and though + they prophesied this one, it is said they have no legend of anything like + it ever having happened. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0022" id="link2H_4_0022"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + Letter XXI: Wild cattle hunting in the Kowai Bush. + </h2> + <p> + Mount Torlesse, October 1867. We are staying for a week at a charming + little white cottage covered with roses and honeysuckles, nestled under + the shadow of this grand mountain, to make some expeditions after wild + cattle in the great Kowai Bush. I am afraid that it does not sound a very + orderly and feminine occupation, but I enjoy it thoroughly, and have + covered myself with glory and honour by my powers of walking all day. + </p> + <p> + We have already spent three long happy days in the Bush, and although they + have not resulted in much slaughter of our big game, still I for one am + quite as well pleased as if we had returned laden with as many beeves as + used to come in from a border foray. I am not going to inflict an account + of each expedition on you; one will serve to give an idea of all, for + though there is no monotony in Nature, it may chance that frequent + descriptions of her become so, and this I will not risk. + </p> + <p> + Our ride over here was a sufficiently ridiculous affair, owing to the + misbehaviour of the pack-horse, for it was impossible upon this occasion + to manage with as little luggage as usual, so we arranged to take a + good-sized carpet-bag (a most unheard-of luxury), and on each side of it + was to be slung a rifle and a gun, and smaller bags of bullets, shot, and + powder-flasks, disposed to the best advantage on the pack-saddle. This was + all very well in theory, but when it came to the point, the proper steady + old horse who was to bear the pack was not forthcoming! He had taken it + into his head to go on a visit to a neighbouring run, so the only + available beast was a young chestnut of most uncertain temper. The process + of saddling him was a long one, as he objected to each item of his load as + soon as it was put on, especially to the guns; but F—— was + very patient, and took good care to tie and otherwise fasten everything so + that it was impossible for "Master Tucker" (called, I suppose, after the + immortal Tommy) to get rid of his load by either kicking or plunging. At + last we mounted and rode by a bridle-path among the hills for some twelve + miles or so, then across half-a-dozen miles of plain, and finally we + forded a river. The hill-track was about as bad as a path could be, with + several wide jumps across creeks at the bottom of the numerous deep + ravines, or gullies as we call them. F—— rode first—for + we could only go in single file—with the detestable Tucker's bridle + over his arm; then came the chestnut, with his ears well back, and his + eyes all whites, in his efforts to look at his especial aversion, the + guns; he kicked all the way down the many hills, and pulled back in the + most aggravating manner at each ascent, and when we came to a creek sat + down on his tail, refusing to stir. My position was a most trying one; the + track was so bad that I would fain have given my mind entirely to my own + safety, but instead of this all my attention was centred on Tucker the + odious. When we first started I expressed to F—— my fear that + Tucker would fairly drag him off his own saddle, and he admitted that it + was very likely, adding, "You must flog him." This made me feel that it + entirely depended on my efforts whether F—— was to be killed + or not, so I provided myself with a small stock-whip in addition to my own + little riding-whip, and we set off. From the first yard Tucker objected to + go, but there were friendly sticks to urge him on; however, we soon got + beyond the reasonable limits of help, and I tried desperately to impress + upon Tucker that I was going to be very severe: for this purpose I + flourished my stock-whip in a way that drove my own skittish mare nearly + frantic, and never touched Tucker, whom F—— was dragging along + by main force. At last I gave up the stock-whip, with its unmanageable + three yards of lash, and dropped it on the track, to be picked up as we + came home. I now tried to hit Tucker with my horse-whip, but he flung his + heels up in Helen's face the moment I touched him. I was in perfect + despair, very much afraid of a sudden swerve on my mare's part sending us + both down the precipice, and in equal dread of seeing F—— + pulled off his saddle by Tucker's suddenly planting his fore-feet firmly + together: F—— himself, with the expression of a martyr, + looking round every now and then to say, "Can't you make him come on?" and + I hitting wildly and vainly, feeling all the time that I was worse than + useless. At last the bright idea occurred to me to ride nearly alongside + of the fiendish Tucker, but a little above him on the hill, so as to be + able to strike him fairly without fear of his heels. As far as Tucker was + concerned this plan answered perfectly, for he soon found out he had to + go; but Helen objected most decidedly to being taken off the comparative + safety of the track and made to walk on a slippery, sloping hill, where + she could hardly keep her feet; however, we got on much faster this way. + Oh, how tired I was of striking Tucker! I don't believe I hurt him much, + but I felt quite cruel. When we came to the plain, I begged F—— + to let me lead him; so we changed, and there was no holding back on the + chestnut's part then; it must have been like the grass and the stones in + the fable. I never was more thankful than when that ride was over, though + its disagreeables were soon forgotten in the warm welcome we received from + our bachelor hosts, and the incessant discussions about the next day's + excursion. + </p> + <p> + We had finished breakfast by seven o'clock the following morning, and were + ready to start. Of course the gentlemen were very fussy about their + equipments, and hung themselves all over with cartridges and bags of + bullets and powder-flasks; then they had to take care that their + tobacco-pouches and match-boxes were filled; and lastly, each carried a + little flask of brandy or sherry, in case of being lost and having to camp + out. I felt quite unconcerned, having only my flask with cold tea in it to + see about, and a good walking-stick was easily chosen. My costume may be + described as uncompromising, for it had been explained to me that there + were no paths but real rough bush walking; so I dispensed with all little + feminine adornments even to the dearly-loved chignon, tucked my hair away + as if I was going to put on a bathing-cap, and covered it with a Scotch + bonnet. The rest of my toilette must have been equally shocking to the + eyes of taste, and I have reason to believe the general effect most + hideous; but one great comfort was, no one looked at me, they were all too + much absorbed in preparations for a great slaughter, and I only came at + all upon sufferance; the unexpressed but prevailing dread, I could plainly + see, was that I should knock up and become a bore, necessitating an early + return home; but I knew better! + </p> + <p> + An American waggon and some ponies were waiting to take the whole party to + the entrance of the bush, about four miles off, and, in spite of having to + cross a rough river-bed, which is always a slow process, it did not take + us very long to reach our first point. Here we dismounted, just at the + edge of the great dense forest, and, with as little delay as possible in + fine arrangements, struck into a path or bullock-track, made for about + three miles into the bush for the convenience of dragging out the felled + trees by ropes or chains attached to bullocks; they are not placed upon a + waggon, so you may easily imagine the state the track was in, ploughed up + by huge logs of timber dragged on the ground, and by the bullocks' hoofs + besides. It was a mere slough with deep holes of mud in it, and we + scrambled along its extreme edge, chiefly trusting to the trees on each + side, which still lay as they had been felled, the men not considering + them good enough to remove. At last we came to a clearing, and I quite + despair of making you understand how romantic and lovely this open space + in the midst of the tall trees looked that beautiful spring morning. I + involuntarily thought of the descriptions in "Paul and Virginia," for the + luxuriance of the growth was quite tropical. For about two acres the trees + had been nearly all felled, only one or two giants remaining; their stumps + were already hidden by clematis and wild creepers of other kinds, or by a + sort of fern very like the hart's-tongue, which will only grow on the bark + of trees, and its glossy leaves made an exquisite contrast to the rough + old root. The "bushmen"—as the men who have bought twenty-acre + sections and settled in the bush are called—had scattered English + grass-seed all over the rich leafy mould, and the ground was covered with + bright green grass, kept short and thick by a few tame goats browsing + about. Before us was the steep bank of the river Waimakiriri, and a few + yards from its edge stood a picturesque gable-ended little cottage + surrounded by a rustic fence, which enclosed a strip of garden gay with + common English spring flowers, besides more useful things, potatoes, etc. + The river was about two hundred yards broad just here, and though it + foamed below us, we could also see it stretching away in the distance + almost like a lake, till a great bluff hid it from our eyes. Overhead the + trees were alive with flocks of wild pigeons, ka-kas, parroquets, and + other birds, chattering and twittering incessantly and as we stood on the + steep bank and looked down, I don't think a minute passed without a brace + of wild ducks flying past, grey, blue, and Paradise. These latter are the + most beautiful plumaged birds I ever saw belonging to the duck tribe, and, + when young, are very good eating, quite as delicate as the famous + canvas-back. This sight so excited our younger sportsmen that they + scrambled down the high precipice, followed by a water-spaniel, and in + five minutes had bagged as many brace. We could not give them any more + time, for it was past nine o'clock, and we were all eager to start on the + serious business of the day; but before we left, the mistress of this + charming "bush-hut" insisted on our having some hot coffee and scones and + wild honey, a most delicious second breakfast. There was a pretty little + girl growing up, and a younger child, both the picture of health; the only + drawback seemed to be the mosquitoes; it was not very lonely, for one or + two other huts stood in clearings adjoining, and furnished us with three + bushmen as guides and assistants. I must say, they were the most + picturesque of the party, being all handsome men, dressed in red flannel + shirts and leathern knickerbockers and gaiters; they had fine beards, and + wore "diggers' hats," a head-dress of American origin—a sort of + wide-awake made of plush, capable of being crushed into any shape, and + very becoming. All were armed with either rifle or gun, and one carried an + axe and a coil of rope; another had a gun such as is seldom seen out of an + arsenal; it was an old flint lock, but had been altered to a percussion; + its owner was very proud of it, not so much for its intrinsic beauty, + though it once had been a costly and splendid weapon and was elaborately + inlaid with mother-of-pearl, but because it had belonged to a former Duke + of Devonshire. In spite of its claims to consideration on this head as + well as its own beauty, we all eyed it with extreme disfavour on account + of a peculiarity it possessed of not going off when it was intended to do + so, but about five minutes afterwards. + </p> + <p> + It was suggested to me very politely that I might possibly prefer to + remain behind and spend the day in this picturesque spot, but this offer I + declined steadily; I think the bushmen objected to my presence more than + any one else, as they really meant work, and dreaded having to turn back + for a tired "female" (they never spoke of me by any other term). At last + all the information was collected about the probable whereabouts of the + wild cattle—it was so contradictory, that it must have been + difficult to arrange any plan by it,—and we started. A few hundred + yards took us past the clearings and into the very heart of the forest. We + had left the sun shining brightly overhead; here it was all a "great green + gloom." I must describe to you the order in which we marched. First came + two of the most experienced "bush-hands," who carried a tomahawk or light + axe with which to clear the most cruel of the brambles away, and to notch + the trees as a guide to us on our return; and also a compass, for we had + to steer for a certain point, the bearings of which we knew—of + course the procession was in Indian file: next to these pioneers walked, + very cautiously, almost on tiptoe, four of our sportsmen; then I came; and + four or five others, less keen or less well armed, brought up the rear. I + may here confess that I endured in silence agonies of apprehension for my + personal safety all day. It was so dreadful to see a bramble or wild + creeper catch in the lock of the rifle before me, and to reflect that, + unless its owner was very careful, it might "go off of its own accord," + and to know that I was exposed to a similar danger from those behind. + </p> + <p> + We soon got on the fresh tracks of some cows, and proceeded most + cautiously and silently; but it could hardly be called walking, it was + alternately pushing through dense undergrowth, crawling beneath, or + climbing over, high barricades made by fallen trees. These latter + obstacles I found the most difficult, for the bark was so slippery; and + once, when with much difficulty I had scrambled up a pile of <i>debris</i> + at least ten feet high, I incautiously stepped on some rotten wood at the + top, and went through it into a sort of deep pit, out of which it was very + hard to climb. On comparing notes afterwards, we found, that although we + had walked without a moment's cessation for eleven hours during the day, a + pedometer only gave twenty-two miles as the distance accomplished. Before + we had been in the bush half an hour our faces were terribly scratched and + bleeding, and so were the gentlemen's hands; my wrists also suffered, as + my gauntlets would not do their duty and lie flat. There were myriads of + birds around us, all perfectly tame; many flew from twig to twig, + accompanying us with their little pert heads on one side full of + curiosity; the only animals we saw were some wild sheep looking very + disreputable with their long tails and torn, trailing fleeces of six or + seven years' growth. There are supposed to be some hundreds of these in + the bush who have strayed into it years ago, when they were lambs, from + neighbouring runs. The last man in the silent procession put a match into + a dead tree every here and there, to serve as a torch to guide us back in + the dark; but this required great judgment for fear of setting the whole + forest on fire: the tree required to be full of damp decay, which would + only smoulder and not blaze. We intended to steer for a station on the + other side of a narrow neck of the Great Bush, ten miles off, as nearly as + we could guess, but we made many detours after fresh tracks. Once these + hoof-marks led us to the brink of such a pretty creek, exactly like a + Scotch burn, wide and noisy, tumbling down from rock to rock, but not very + deep. After a whispered consultation, it was determined to follow up this + creek to a well-known favourite drinking-place of the cattle, but it was + easier walking in the water than on the densely-grown banks, so all the + gentlemen stepped in one after another. I hesitated a moment with one's + usual cat-like antipathy to wet feet, when a stalwart bushman approached, + with rather a victimised air and the remark: "Ye're heavy, nae doot, to + carry." I was partly affronted at this prejudgment of the case, and partly + determined to show that I was equal to the emergency, for I immediately + jumped into the water, frightening myself a good deal by the tremendous + splash I made, and meeting reproving glances; and nine heads were shaken + violently at me. + </p> + <p> + Nothing could be more beautiful than the winding banks of this creek, + fringed with large ferns in endless variety; it was delightful to see the + sun and sky once more overhead, but I cannot say that it was the easiest + possible walking, and I soon found out that the cleverest thing to do was + to wade a little way behind the shortest gentleman of the party, for when + he disappeared in a hole I knew it in time to avoid a similar fate; + whereas, as long as I persisted in stalking solemnly after my own tall + natural protector, I found that I was always getting into difficulties in + unexpectedly deep places. I saw the bushmen whispering together, and + examining the rocks in some places, but I found on inquiry that their + thoughts were occupied at the moment by other ideas than sport; one of + them had been a digger, and was pronouncing an opinion that this creek was + very likely to prove a "home of the gold" some day. There is a strong + feeling prevalent that gold will be found in great quantities all over the + island. At this time of the year the water is very shallow, but the stream + evidently comes down with tremendous force in the winter; and they talk of + having "found the colour" (of gold) in some places. We proceeded in this + way for about three miles, till we reached a beautiful, clear, deep pool, + into which the water fell from a height in a little cascade; the banks + here were well trodden, and the hoof-prints quite recent; great excitement + was caused by hearing a distant lowing, but after much listening, in true + Indian fashion, with the ear to the ground, everybody was of a different + opinion as to the side from whence the sound proceeded, so we determined + to keep on our original course; the compass was once more produced, and we + struck into a dense wood of black birch. + </p> + <p> + Ever since we left the clearing from which the start was made, we had + turned our backs on the river, but about three o'clock in the afternoon we + came suddenly on it again, and stood on the most beautiful spot I ever saw + in my life. We were on the top of a high precipice, densely wooded to the + water's edge. Some explorers in bygone days must have camped here, for + half-a-dozen trees were felled, and the thick brush-wood had been burnt + for a few yards, just enough to let us take in the magnificent view before + and around us. Below roared and foamed, among great boulders washed down + from the cliff, the Waimakiriri; in the middle of it lay a long narrow + strip of white shingle, covered with water in the winter floods, but now + shining like snow in the bright sunlight. Beyond this the river flowed as + placidly as a lake, in cool green depths, reflecting every leaf of the + forest on the high bank or cliff opposite. To our right it stretched away, + with round headlands covered with timber running down in soft curves to + the water. But on our left was the most perfect composition for a picture + in the foreground a great reach of smooth water, except just under the + bank we stood on, where the current was strong and rapid; a little + sparkling beach, and a vast forest rising up from its narrow border, + extending over chain after chain of hills, till they rose to the glacial + region, and then the splendid peaks of the snowy range broke the deep blue + sky line with their grand outlines. + </p> + <p> + All this beauty would have been almost too oppressive, it was on such a + large scale and the solitude was so intense, if it had not been for the + pretty little touch of life and movement afforded by the hut belonging to + the station we were bound for. It was only a rough building, made of slabs + of wood with cob between; but there was a bit of fence and the corner of a + garden and an English grass paddock, which looked about as big as a + pocket-handkerchief from where we stood. A horse or two and a couple of + cows were tethered near, and we could hear the bark of a dog. A more + complete hermitage could not have been desired by Diogenes himself, and + for the first time we felt ashamed of invading the recluse in such a + formidable body, but ungrudging, open-handed hospitality is so universal + in New Zealand that we took courage and began our descent. It really was + like walking down the side of a house, and no one could stir a step + without at least one arm round a tree. I had no gun to carry, so I clung + frantically with both arms to each stem in succession. The steepness of + the cliff was the reason we could take in all the beauty of the scene + before us, for the forest was as thick as ever; but we could see over the + tops of the trees, as the ground dropped sheer down, almost in a straight + line from the plateau we had been travelling on all day. As soon as we + reached the shingle, on which we had to walk for a few hundred yards, we + bethought ourselves of our toilettes; the needle and thread I had brought + did good service in making us more presentable. We discovered, however, + that our faces were a perfect network of fine scratches, some of which <i>would</i> + go on bleeding, in spite of cold-water applications. Our boots were nearly + dry; and my petticoat, short as it was, proved to be the only damp + garment: this was the fault of my first jump into the water. We put the + least scratched and most respectable-looking member of the party in the + van, and followed him, amid much barking of dogs, to the low porch; and + after hearing a cheery "Come in," answering our modest tap at the door, we + trooped in one after the other till the little room was quite full. I + never saw such astonishment on any human face as on that of the poor + master of the house, who could not stir from his chair by the fire, on + account of a bad wound in his leg from an axe. There he sat quite + helpless, a moment ago so solitary, arid now finding himself the centre of + a large, odd-looking crowd of strangers. He was a middle-aged Scotchman, + probably of not a very elevated position in life, and had passed many + years in this lonely spot, and yet he showed himself quite equal to the + occasion. + </p> + <p> + After that first uncontrollable look of amazement he did the honours of + his poor hut with the utmost courtesy and true good-breeding. His only + apology was for being unable to rise from his arm-chair (made out of half + a barrel and an old flour-sack by the way); he made us perfectly welcome, + took it for granted we were hungry—hunger is a very mild word to + express my appetite, for one—called by a loud coo-ee to his man + Sandy, to whom he gave orders that the best in the house should be put + before us, and then began to inquire by what road we had come, what sport + we had, etc., all in the nicest way possible. I never felt more awkward in + my life than when I stooped to enter that low doorway, and yet in a minute + I was quite at my ease again; but of the whole party I was naturally the + one who puzzled him the most. In the first place, I strongly suspect that + he had doubts as to my being anything but a boy in a rather long kilt; and + when this point was explained, he could not understand what a "female," as + he also called me, was doing on a rough hunting expedition. He + particularly inquired more than once if I had come of my own free will, + and could not understand what pleasure I found in walking so far. Indeed + he took it so completely for granted that I must be exhausted, that he + immediately began to make plans for F—— and me to stop there + all night, offering to give up his "bunk" (some slabs of wood made into a + shelf, with a tussock mattress and a blanket), and to sleep himself in his + arm-chair. + </p> + <p> + In the meantime, Sandy was preparing our meal. There was an open hearth + with a fine fire, and a big black kettle hanging over it by a hook + fastened somewhere up the chimney. As soon as this boiled he went to a + chest, or rather locker, and brought a double-handful of tea, which he + threw into the kettle; then he took from a cupboard the biggest loaf, of + bread I ever saw—a huge thing, which had been baked in a camp-oven—and + flapped it down on the table with a bang; next he produced a tin milk-pan, + and returned to the cupboard to fetch out by the shank-bone a mutton-ham, + which he placed in the milk-dish: a bottle of capital whisky was + forthcoming from the same place; a little salt on one newspaper, and + brown, or rather <i>black</i>, sugar on another, completed the + arrangements, and we were politely told by Sandy to "wire in,"—digger's + phraseology for an invitation to commence, which we did immediately, as + soon as we could make an arrangement about the four tin plates and three + pannikins. I had one all to myself, but the others managed by twos and + threes to each plate. I never had a better luncheon in my life; everything + was excellent in its way, and we all possessed what we are told is the + best sauce. Large as the supplies were, we left hardly anything, and the + more we devoured the more pleased our host seemed. There were no chairs; + we sat on logs of trees rudely chopped into something like horse-blocks, + but to tired limbs which had known no rest from six hours' walking they + seemed delightful. After we had finished our meal, the gentlemen went + outside to have half a pipe before setting off again; they dared not smoke + whilst we were after the cattle, for fear of their perceiving some unusual + smell; and I remained for ten minutes with Mr——. I found that + he was very fond of reading; his few books were all of a good stamp, but + he was terribly hard-up for anything which he had not read a hundred times + over. I hastily ran over the names of some books of my own, which I + offered to lend him for as long a time as he liked: and we made elaborate + plans for sending them, of my share in which I took a memorandum. He + seemed very grateful at the prospect of having anything new, especially + now that he was likely to be laid up for some weeks, and I intend to make + every effort to give him this great pleasure as soon as possible. + </p> + <p> + We exchanged the most hearty farewells when the time of parting came, and + our host was most earnest in his entreaties to us to remain; but it was a + question of getting out of the bush before dusk, so we could not delay. He + sent Sandy to guide us by a rather longer but easier way than climbing up + the steep cliff to the place where the little clearing at its edge which I + have mentioned had been made; and we dismissed our guide quite happy with + contributions from all the tobacco-pouches, for no one had any money with + him. We found our way back again by the notches on the trees as long as + the light lasted, and when it got too dark to see them easily, the + smouldering trunks guided us, and we reached the clearing from which we + started in perfect safety. Good Mrs. D—— had a bountiful tea + ready; she was much concerned at our having yet some three miles of bad + walking before we could reach the hut on the outskirts of the bush, where + we had left the trap and the ponies. When we got to this point there was + actually another and still more sumptuous meal set out for us, to which, + alas! we were unable to do any justice; and then we found our way to the + station across the flat, down a steep cutting, and through the river-bed, + all in the dark and cold. We had supper as soon as we reached home, + tumbling into bed as early as might be afterwards for such a sleep as you + Londoners don't know anything about. + </p> + <p> + I have only described one expedition to you, and that the most + unsuccessful, as far as killing anything goes; but my hunting instincts + only lead me to the point of reaching the game; when it comes to that, I + always try to save its life, and if this can't be done, I retire to a + distance and stop my ears; indeed, if very much over-excited, I can't help + crying. Consequently, I enjoy myself much more when we don't kill + anything; and, on the other occasions, I never could stop and see even the + shot fired which was to bring a fine cow or a dear little calf down, but + crept away as far as ever I could, and muffled my head in my jacket. The + bushmen liked this part of the performance the best, I believe, and acted + as butchers very readily, taking home a large joint each to their huts, a + welcome change after the eternal pigeons, ka-kas, and wild ducks on which + they live. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0023" id="link2H_4_0023"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + Letter XXII: The exceeding joy of "burning." + </h2> + <p> + Broomielaw, December 1867. I am quite sorry that the season for setting + fire to the long grass, or, as it is technically called, "burning the + run," is fairly over at last. It has been later than usual this year, on + account of the snow having lain such an unusual time on the ground and + kept the grass damp. Generally September is the earliest month in which it + begins, and November the latest for it to end; but this year the shady + side of "Flagpole" was too moist to take fire until December. + </p> + <p> + It is useless to think of setting out on a burning expedition unless there + is a pretty strong nor'-wester blowing; but it must not be <i>too</i> + violent, or the flames will fly over the grass, just scorching it instead + of making "a clean burn." But when F—— pronounces the wind to + be just right, and proposes that we should go to some place where the + grass is of two, or, still better, three years' growth, then I am indeed + happy. I am obliged to be careful not to have on any inflammable + petticoats, even if it is quite a warm day, as they are very dangerous; + the wind will shift suddenly perhaps as, I am in the very act of setting a + tussock a-blaze, and for half a second I find myself in the middle of the + flames. F—— generally gets his beard well singed, and I have + nearly lost my eyelashes more than once. We each provide ourselves with a + good supply of matches, and on the way we look out for the last year's + tall blossom of those horrid prickly bushes called "Spaniards," or a + bundle of flax-sticks, or, better than all, the top of a dead and dry + Ti-ti palm. As soon as we come to the proper spot, and F—— has + ascertained that no sheep are in danger of being made into roast mutton + before their time, we begin to light our line of fire, setting one large + tussock blazing, lighting our impromptu torches at it, and then starting + from this "head-centre," one to the right and the other to the left, + dragging the blazing sticks along the grass. It is a very exciting + amusement, I assure you, and the effect is beautiful, especially as it + grows dusk and the fires are racing up the hills all around us. Every now + and then they meet with a puff of wind, which will perhaps strike a great + wall of fire rushing up-hill as straight as a line, and divide it into two + fiery horns like a crescent; then as the breeze changes again, the tips of + flame will gradually approach each other till they meet, and go on again + in a solid mass of fire. + </p> + <p> + If the weather has been very dry for some time and the wind is high, we + attempt to burn a great flax swamp, perhaps, in some of the flats. This + makes a magnificent bonfire when once it is fairly started, but it is more + difficult to light in the first instance, as you have to collect the dead + flax-leaves and make a little fire of them under the big green bush in + order to coax it to blaze up: but it crackles splendidly; indeed it sounds + as if small explosions were going on sometimes. But another disadvantage + of burning a swamp is, that there are deep holes every yard or two, into + which I always tumble in my excitement, or in getting out of the way of a + flax-bush which has flared up just at the wrong moment, and is threatening + to set me on fire also. These holes are quite full of water in the winter, + but now they contain just enough thin mud to come in over the tops of my + boots; so I do not like stepping into one every moment. We start numerous + wild ducks and swamp-hens, and perhaps a bittern or two, by these + conflagrations. On the whole, I like burning the hill-sides better than + the swamp—you get a more satisfactory blaze with less trouble; but I + sigh over these degenerate days when the grass is kept short and a third + part of a run is burned regularly ever spring, and long for the good old + times of a dozen years ago, when the tussocks were six feet high. What a + blaze they must have made! The immediate results of our expeditions are + vast tracts of perfectly black and barren country, looking desolate and + hideous to a degree hardly to be imagined; but after the first spring + showers a beautiful tender green tint steals over the bare hill-sides, and + by and by they are a mass of delicious young grass, and the especial + favourite feeding-place of the ewes and lambs. The day after a good burn + thousands of sea-gulls flock to the black ground. Where they spring from I + cannot tell, as I never see one at any other time, and their hoarse, + incessant cry is the first sign you have of their arrival. They hover over + the ground, every moment darting down, for some insect. They cannot find + much else but roasted lizards and, grasshoppers, for I have never seen a + caterpillar in New Zealand. + </p> + <p> + In the height of the burning season last month I had Alice S—— + to stay with me for two or three weeks, and to my great delight I found + our tastes about fires agreed exactly, and we both had the same grievance—that + we never were allowed to have half enough of it; so we organized the most + delightful expeditions together. We used to have a quiet old station-horse + saddled, fasten the luncheon-basket to the pommel with materials for a + five o'clock tea, and start off miles away to the back of the run, about + three o'clock in the afternoon, having previously bribed the shepherd to + tell us where the longest grass was to be found—and this he did very + readily, as our going saved him the trouble of a journey thither, and he + was not at all anxious for more work than he could help. We used to ride + alternately, till we got to a deserted shepherd's hut in such a lovely + gully, quite at the far end of the run! Here we tied up dear quiet old + Jack to the remnants of the fence, leaving him at liberty to nibble a + little grass. We never took off the saddle after the first time, for upon + that occasion we found that our united strength was insufficient to girth + it on again properly, and we made our appearance at home in the most + ignominious fashion—Alice leading Jack, and I walking by his side + holding the saddle <i>on</i>. Whenever we attempted to buckle the girths, + this artful old screw swelled himself out with such a long breath that it + was impossible to pull the strap to the proper hole; we could not even get + it tight enough to stay steady, without slipping under him at every step. + However, this is a digression, and I must take you back to the scene of + the fire, and try to make you understand how delightful it was. Alice said + that what made it so fascinating to her was a certain sense of its being + mischief, and a dim feeling that we might get into a scrape. I don't think + I ever stopped to analyse my sensations; fright was the only one I was + conscious of, and yet I liked it so much. When after much consultation—in + which I always deferred to Alice's superior wisdom and experience—we + determined on our line of fire, we set to work vigorously, and the great + thing was to see who could make the finest blaze. I used to feel very + envious if my fire got into a bare patch, where there were more rocks than + tussocks, and languished, whilst Alice's was roaring and rushing up a + hill. We always avoided burning where a grove of the pretty Ti-ti palms + grew; but sometimes there would be one or two on a hill-side growing by + themselves, and then it was most beautiful to see them burn. Even before + the flames reached them their long delicate leaves felt the wind of the + fire and shivered piteously; then the dry old ones at the base of the stem + caught the first spark like tinder, and in a second the whole palm was in + a blaze, making a sort of heart to the furnace, as it had so much more + substance than the grass. For a moment or two the poor palm would bend and + sway, tossing its leaves like fiery plumes in the air, and then it was + reduced to a black stump, and the fire swept on up the hill. + </p> + <p> + The worst of it all was that we never knew when to leave off and come + home. We would pause for half an hour and boil our little kettle, and have + some tea and cake, and then go on again till quite late, getting well + scolded when we reached home at last dead-tired and as black as little + chimney-sweeps. One evening F—— was away on a visit of two + nights to a distant friend, and Alice and I determined on having splendid + burns in his absence; so we made our plans, and everything was favourable, + wind and all. We enjoyed ourselves very much, but if Mr. U—— + had not come out to look for us at ten o'clock at night, and traced us by + our blazing track, we should have had to camp out, for we had no idea + where we were, or that we had wandered so many miles from home; nor had we + any intention of returning just yet. We were very much ashamed of + ourselves upon that occasion, and took care to soften the story + considerably before it reached F——'s ears the next day. + </p> + <p> + However much I may rejoice at nor'-westers in the early spring as aids to + burning the run, I find them a great hindrance to my attempts at a lawn. + Twice have we had the ground carefully dug up and prepared; twice has it + been sown with the best English seed for the purpose, at some considerable + expense; then has come much toil on the part of F—— and Mr. U—— + with a heavy garden-roller; and the end of all the trouble has been that a + strong nor'-wester has blown both seed and soil away, leaving only the + hard un-dug (I wonder whether there is such a word) ground. I could + scarcely believe that it really was all "clean gone," as children say, + until a month or two after the first venture, when I had been straining my + eyes and exercising my imagination all in vain to discover a blade where + it ought to have been, but had remarked in one of my walks an irregular + patch of nice English grass about half a mile from the house down the + flat. I speculated for some time as to how it got there, and at last F—— + was roused from his reverie, and said coolly, "Oh, that's your lawn!" When + this happens twice, it really becomes very aggravating: there are the + croquet things lying idle in the verandah year after year, and, as far as + I can see, they are likely to remain unused for ever. + </p> + <p> + Before I close my letter I must tell you of an adventure I have had with a + wild boar, which was really dangerous. F—— and another + gentleman were riding with me one afternoon in a very lonely gully at the + back of the run, when the dogs (who always accompany us) put up a large, + fierce, black, boar out of some thick flax-bushes. Of course the hunting + instinct, which all young Englishmen possess, was in full force instantly; + and in default of any weapon these two jumped off their horses and picked + up, out of the creek close by, the largest and heaviest stones they could + lift. I disapproved of the chase under the circumstances, but my timid + remonstrances were not even heard. The light riding-whips which each + gentleman carried were hastily given to me to hold, and in addition F—— + thrust an enormous boulder into my lap, saying, "Now, this is to be my + second gun; so keep close to me." Imagine poor me, therefore, with all + three whips tucked under my left arm, whilst with my right I tried to keep + the big stone on my knee, Miss Helen all the time capering about, as she + always does when there is any excitement; and I feeling very unequal to + holding her back from joining in the chase too ardently, for she always + likes to be first everywhere, which is not at all my "sentiments." The + ground was as rough as possible; the creek winding about necessitated a + good jump every few yards; and the grass was so long and thick that it was + difficult to get through it, or to see any blind creeks or other pitfalls. + <i>Mem</i>. to burn this next spring. + </p> + <p> + The pig first turned to bay against a palm-tree, and soon disabled the + dogs. You cannot think what a formidable weapon a wild boar's tusk is—the + least touch of it cuts like a razor; and they are so swift in their jerks + of the head when at bay that in a second they will rip up both dogs and + horses: nor are they the least afraid of attacking a man on foot in + self-defence; but they seldom or ever strike the first blow. As soon as he + had disposed of both the dogs, who lay howling piteously and bleeding on + the ground, the boar made at full speed for the spur of a hill close by. + The pace was too good to last, especially up-hill; so the gentlemen soon + caught him up, and flung their stones at him, but they dared not bring + their valuable horses too near for fear of a wound which probably would + have lamed them for life; and a heavy, rock or stone is a very + unmanageable weapon. I was not therefore at all surprised to see that both + shots missed, or only very slightly grazed the pig; but what I confess to + being perfectly unprepared for was the boar charging violently down-hill + on poor unoffending me, with his head on one side ready for the fatal + backward jerk, champing and foaming as he came, with what Mr. Weller would + call his "vicked old eye" twinkling with rage. Helen could not realize the + situation at all. I tried to turn her, and so get out of the infuriated + brute's way; but no, she would press on to meet him and join the other + horses at the top of the hill. I had very little control over her, for I + was so laden with whips and stones that my hands were useless for the + reins. I knew I was in great danger, but at the moment I could only think + of my poor pretty mare lamed for life, or even perhaps killed on the spot. + I heard one wild shout of warning from above, and I knew the others were + galloping to my rescue; but in certainly less than half a minute from the + time the boar turned, he had reached me. I slipped the reins over my left + elbow, so as to leave my hands free, took my whip in my teeth (I had to + drop the others), and lifting the heavy stone with both my hands waited a + second till the boar was near enough, leaning well over on the right-hand + side of the saddle so as to see what he did. He made for poor Helen's near + fore-leg with his head well down, and I could hear his teeth gnashing. + Just as he touched her with a prick from his tusk like a stiletto and + before he could jerk his head back so as to rip the leg up, I flung my + small rock with all the strength I possessed crash on his head: but I + could not take a good aim; for the moment Helen felt the stab, she reared + straight up on her hind-legs, and as we were going up-hill, I had some + trouble to keep myself from slipping off over her tail. However, my rock + took some effect, for the pig was so stunned that he dropped on his knees, + and before he could recover himself Helen had turned round, still on her + hind-legs, as on a pivot, and was plunging and jumping madly down the + hill. I could not get back properly into my saddle, nor could I arrange + the reins; so I had to stick on anyhow. It was not a case of fine riding + at all; I merely clung like a monkey, and F——, who was coming + as fast as he could to me, said he expected to see me on the ground every + moment; but, however, I did not come off upon that occasion. Helen was + nearly beside herself with terror. I tried to pat her neck and soothe her, + but the moment she felt my hand she bounded as if I had struck her, and + shivered so much that I thought she must be injured; so the moment F—— + could get near her I begged him to look at her fetlock. He led her down to + the creek, and washed the place, and examined it carefully, pronouncing, + to my great joy, that the tusk had hardly gone in at all—in fact had + merely pricked her—and that she was not in the least hurt. I could + hardly get the gentlemen to go to the assistance of the poor dogs, one of + which was very much hurt. Both F—— and Mr. B—— + evidently thought I must have been "kilt intirely," for my situation + looked so critical at one moment that they could scarcely be persuaded + that neither Helen nor I were in the least hurt. I coaxed F—— + that evening to write me a doggerel version of the story for the little + boys, which I send you to show them:— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + St. Anne and the pig. + You've heard of St. George and the dragon, + Or seen them; and what can be finer, + In silver or gold on a flagon, + With Garrard or Hancock designer? + + Though we know very little about him + (Saints mostly are shrouded in mystery), + Britannia can't well do without him, + He sets off her shillings and history. + + And from truth let such tales be defended, + Bards at least should bestow them their blessing, + As a rich sort of jewel suspended + On History when she's done dressing. + + Some would have her downstairs to the present, + In plain facts fresh from critical mangle; + But let the nymph make herself pleasant, + Here a bracelet, and there with a bangle + + Such as Bold Robin Hood or Red Riding, + Who peasant and prince have delighted, + Despite of all social dividing, + And the times of their childhood united. + + Shall New Zealand have never a fable, + A rhyme to be sung by the nurses, + A romance of a famous Round Table, + A "Death of Cock Robin" in verses? + + Or shall not a scribe be found gracious + With pen and with parchment, inditing + And setting a-sail down the spacious + Deep day stream some suitable writing; + + Some action, some name so heroic + That its sound shall be death to her foemen, + And make her militia as stoic + As St. George made the Cressy crossbowmen; + + A royal device for her banners, + A reverse for her coinage as splendid, + An example of primitive manners + When all their simplicity's ended? + + Here it is, ye isles Antipodean! + Leave Britain her great Cappadocian; + I'll chant you a latter-day paean, + And sing you a saint for devotion, + + Who on horseback slew also a monster, + Though armed with no sharp lance to stab it, + Though no helmet or hauberk ensconced her, + But only a hat and a habit. + + This dame, for her bravery sainted, + Set up for all times' adoration, + With her picture in poetry painted, + Was a lady who lived on a station. + + Her days—to proceed with the story + In duties domestic dividing, + But, or else she had never won glory, + She now and then went out a-riding. + It chanced, with two knights at her stirrup, + She swept o'er the grass of the valleys, + Heard the brooks run; and heard the birds chirrup, + When a boar from the flax-bushes sallies. + + The cavaliers leaped from their horses; + As for weapons, that day neither bore them; + So they chose from the swift watercourses + Heavy boulders, and held them before them. + + They gave one as well to the lady: + She took it, and placed it undaunted + On the pommel, and balanced it steady, + While they searched where the animal haunted. + + A bowshot beyond her were riding + The knights, each alert with his missile, + But in doubt where the pig went a-hiding, + For they had not kept sight of his bristle. + + When—the tale needs but little enlarging + One turned round by chance on his courser; + To his horror, the monster was charging + At the lady, as if to unhorse her. + + But his fears for her safety were idle, + No heart of a hero beat stouter: + She poised the stone, gathered her bridle— + A halo, 'tis said, shone about her. + + With his jaws all extended and horrid, + Fierce and foaming, the brute leapt to gore her, + When she dropped the rock full on his forehead, + And lo! he fell dying before her. + + There he lay, bristling, tusky, and savage; + Such a mouth, as was long ago written; + Made Calydon lonely with ravage, + By such teeth young Adonis was bitten. + + Then praise to our new Atalanta, + Of the chase and of song spoils be brought her, + Whose skill and whose strength did not want a + Meleager to finish the slaughter. + + She is sung, and New Zealand shall take her, + Thrice blest to possess such a matron, + And give thanks to its first ballad-maker, + Who found it a saint for a patron. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0024" id="link2H_4_0024"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + Letter XXIII: Concerning a great flood. + </h2> + <p> + Broomielaw, February 1868. Since I last wrote to you we have been nearly + washed away, by all the creeks and rivers in the country overflowing their + banks! Christchurch particularly was in great danger from the chance of + the Waimakiriri returning to its old channel, in which case it would sweep + away the town. For several hours half the streets were under water, the + people going about in boats, and the Avon was spread out like a lake over + its banks for miles. The weather had been unusually sultry for some weeks, + and during the last five days the heat had been far greater, even in the + hills, than anyone could remember. It is often very hot indeed during the + mid-day hours in summer, but a hot night is almost unknown; and, at the + elevation we live, there are few evenings in the year when a wood-fire is + not acceptable after sunset; as for a blanket at night, that is seldom + left off even in the plains, and is certainly necessary in the hills. + Every one was anxiously looking for rain, as the grass was getting very + dry and the creeks low, and people were beginning to talk of an Australian + summer and to prophesy dismal things of a drought. On a Sunday night about + eleven o'clock we were all sauntering about out of doors, finding it too + hot to remain in the verandah; it was useless to think of going to bed; + and F—— and Mr. U—— agreed that some great change + in the weather was near. There was a strange stillness and oppression in + the air; the very animals had not gone to sleep, but all seemed as + restless and wakeful as we were. I remember we discussed the probability + of a severe earthquake, for the recent wave at St. Thomas's was in + everybody's mind. F—— and I had spent a few days in + Christchurch the week before. There was a regular low-fever epidemic + there, and, he had returned to the station feeling very unwell; but in + this country illness is so rare that one almost forgets that such a thing + exists, and we both attributed his seediness to the extraordinary heat. + </p> + <p> + When we were out of doors that Sunday evening, we noticed immense banks + and masses of clouds, but they were not in the quarter from whence our + usual heavy rain comes; and besides, in New Zealand clouds are more + frequently a sign of high wind than of rain. However, about midnight F—— + felt so ill that he went in to bed, and we had scarcely got under shelter + when, after a very few premonitory drops, the rain came down literally in + sheets. Almost from the first F—— spoke of the peculiar and + different sound on the roof, but as he had a great deal of fever that + night, I was too anxious to notice anything but the welcome fact that the + rain had come at last, and too glad to hear it to be critical about the + sound it made in falling. I came out to breakfast alone, leaving F—— + still ill, but the fever going off. The atmosphere was much lightened, but + the rain seemed like a solid wall of water falling fast and furiously; the + noise on the wooden roof was so great that we had to shout to each other + to make ourselves heard; and when I looked out I was astonished to see the + dimensions to which the ponds had. swollen. Down all the hill-sides new + creeks and waterfalls had sprung into existence during the night. As soon + as I had taken F—— his tea and settled down comfortably to + breakfast, I noticed that instead of Mr. U—— looking the + picture of bright good-humour, he wore a troubled and anxious countenance. + I immediately inquired if he had been out of doors that morning? Yes, he + had been to look at the horses in the stable. Well, I did not feel much + interest in them, for they were big enough to take care of themselves: so + I proceeded to ask if he had chanced to see anything of my fifty young + ducks or my numerous broods of chickens. Upon this question Mr. U—— + looked still more unhappy and tried to turn the conversation, but my + suspicions were aroused and I persisted; so at last he broke to me, with + much precaution, that I was absolutely without a duckling or a chicken in + the world! They had been drowned in the night, and nothing was to be seen + but countless draggled little corpses, what Mr. Mantilini called "moist + unpleasant bodies," floating on the pond or whirling in the eddies of the + creek. That was not even the worst. Every one of my sitting hens was + drowned also, their nests washed away; so were the half-dozen beautiful + ducks, with some twelve or fourteen eggs under each. I felt angry with the + ducks, and thought they might have at any rate saved their own lives; but + nothing could alter the melancholy returns of the missing and dead. My + poultry-yard was, for all practical purposes, annihilated, just as it was + at its greatest perfection and the pride and joy of my heart. All that day + the rain descended steadily in torrents; there was not the slightest break + or variation in the downpour: it was as heavy as that of the Jamaica <i>seasons</i> + of May and October. F——'s fever left him at the end of twelve + hours, and he got up and came into the drawing-room; his first glance out + of the window, which commanded a view of the flat for two or three miles, + showed him how much the waters had risen since midnight; and he said that + in all the years he had known those particular creeks he had never seen + them so high: still I thought nothing of it. There was no cessation in the + rain for exactly twenty-four hours; but at midnight on Monday, just as + poor F—— was getting another attack of fever, it changed into + heavy, broken showers, with little pauses of fine drizzle between, and by + morning it showed signs of clearing, but continued at intervals till + midday. The effect was extraordinary, considering the comparatively short + time the real downpour had lasted. The whole flat was under water, the + creeks were flooded beyond their banks for half a mile or so on each side, + and the river Selwyn, which ran under some hills, bounding our view, was + spread out, forming an enormous lake. A very conspicuous object on these + opposite hills, which are between three and four miles distant, was a bold + cliff known by the name of the "White Rocks," and serving as a landmark to + all the countryside: we could hardly believe our eyes when we missed the + most prominent of these and could see only a great bare rent in the + mountain. The house was quite surrounded by water and stood on a small + island; it was impossible even to wade for more than a few yards beyond + the dry ground, for the water became quite deep and the current was + running fast. F——'s fever lasted its twelve hours; but I began + to be fidgety at the state of prostration it left him in, and when Tuesday + night brought a third and sharper attack, I determined to make him go to + town and see a doctor during his next interval of freedom from it. + </p> + <p> + Wednesday morning was bright and sunny, but the waters had not much + diminished: however, we knew every hour must lessen them, and I only + waited for F——'s paroxysm of fever to subside about mid-day to + send him off to Christchurch. I had exhausted my simple remedies, + consisting of a spoonful of sweet spirits of nitre and a little weak + brandy and water and did not think it right to let things go on in this + way without advice: he was so weak he could hardly mount his horse; indeed + he had to be fairly lifted on the old quiet station hack I have before + mentioned with such deep affection, dear old Jack. It was impossible for + him to go alone; so the ever-kind and considerate Mr. U—— + offered to accompany him. This was the greatest comfort to me, though I + and my two maids would be left all alone during their absence: however, + that was much better than poor F—— going by himself in his + weak state. Six hours of sunshine had greatly abated the floods, and as + far as we could see the water was quite shallow now where it had + overflowed. I saw them set off therefore with a good hope of their + accomplishing the journey safely. Judge of my astonishment and horror + when, on going to see what the dogs were barking at, about two hours + later, I beheld F—— and Mr. U—— at the garden + gate, dripping wet up to their shoulders, but laughing very much. Of + course I immediately thought of F——'s fever, and made him come + in and change; and have some hot tea directly; but he would not go to bed + as I suggested, declaring that the shock of his unexpected cold bath, and + the excitement of a swim for his life, had done him all the good in the + world; and I may tell you at once; that it had completely cured him: he + ate well that evening, slept well, and had no return of his fever, + regaining his strength completely in a few days. So much for kill-or-cure + remedies! + </p> + <p> + It seems that as soon as they neared the first creek, with very high + banks, about a mile from the house, the water came up to the horses' + fetlocks, then to their knees, but still it was impossible to tell exactly + where the creek began, or rather, where its bank ended; they went very + cautiously, steering as well as they could for where they imagined the + cutting in the steep bank to be; but I suppose they did not hit it off + exactly, for suddenly they went plump into deep water and found themselves + whirling along like straws down a tremendous current. Jack was, however, + quite equal to the occasion; he never allows himself to be flurried or put + out by anything, and has, I imagine, been in nearly every difficulty + incident to New Zealand travelling. Instead, therefore, of losing his head + as Helen did (Mr. U—— was riding her), and striking out wildly + with her forelegs to the great danger of the other horse, Jack took it all + as a matter of course, and set himself to swim steadily down the stream, + avoiding the eddies as much as possible: he knew every yard of the bank, + and did not therefore waste his strength by trying to land in impossible + places, but kept a watchful eye for the easiest spot. F—— knew + the old horse so well that he let him have his head and guide himself, + only trying to avoid Helen's forelegs, which were often unpleasantly near; + his only fear was lest they should have to go so far before a landing was + possible that poor old Jack's strength might not hold out, for there is + nothing so fatiguing to a horse as swimming in a strong current with a + rider on his back, especially a heavy man. They were swept down for a long + distance, though it was impossible to guess exactly how far they had gone, + and F—— was getting very uneasy about a certain wire fence + which had been carried across the creek; they were rapidly approaching it, + and the danger was that the horses might suddenly find themselves + entangled in it, in which case the riders would very likely have been + drowned. F—— called to Mr. U——to get his feet free + from the stirrups and loosened his own; but he told me he was afraid lest + Mr. U—— should not hear him above the roaring of the water, + and so perhaps be dragged under water when the fence was reached. However, + Jack, knew all about it, and was not going to be drowned ignominiously in + a creek which would not have wet his hoofs to cross three days before. A + few yards from the fence he made one rush and a bound towards what seemed + only a clump of Tohi bushes, but they broke the force of the current and + gave him the chance he wanted, and he struggled up the high crumbling bank + more like a cat than a steady old screw. Helen would not be left behind, + and, with a good spur from Mr. U——, she followed Jack's + example, and they stood dripping and shivering in shallow water. Both the + horses were so <i>done</i> that F—— and Mr. U—— + had to jump off instantly and loose the girths, turning them with their + nostrils to the wind. It was a very narrow escape, and the disagreeable + part of it was that they had scrambled out on the wrong side of the creek + and had to recross it to get home: however, they rode on to the next + stream, which looked so much more swollen and angry, that they gave up the + idea of going on to Christchurch that night, especially as they were wet + through to their chins, for both horses swam very low in the water, with + only their heads to be seen above it. + </p> + <p> + The next thing to be considered was how to get back to the house. It never + would do to risk taking the horses into danger again when they were so + exhausted; so they rode round by the homestead, crossed the creek higher + up, where it was much wider but comparatively shallow (if anything could + be called shallow just now), and came home over the hills. Good old Jack + had an extra feed of oats that evening, a reward to which he is by no + means insensible; and indeed it probably is the only one he cares for. + </p> + <p> + The Fates had determined, apparently, that I also should come in for my + share of watery adventures, for we had an engagement of rather long + standing to ride across the hills, and visit a friend's station about + twelve miles distant, and the day we had promised to go was rather more + than a week after F——'s attempted journey. In the meantime, + the waters had of course gone down considerably, and there was quite an + excitement in riding and walking about our own run, and seeing the changes + the flood had made, and the mischief it had done to the fencing;—this + was in process of being repaired. We lost very few sheep; they were all up + at the tops of the high hills, their favourite summer pasture. + </p> + <p> + I think I have told you that between us and Christchurch there is but one + river, a most peaceable and orderly stream, a perfect pattern to the + eccentric New Zealand rivers, which are so changeable and restless. Upon + this occasion, however, the Selwyn behaved quite as badly as any of its + fellows; it was not only flooded for miles, carrying away quantities of + fencing near its banks, and drowning confiding sheep suddenly, but at one + spot about four miles from us, just under the White Rocks, it came down + suddenly, like what Miss Ingelow calls "a mighty eygre," and deserted its + old timeworn bed for two new ones: and the worst of the story is that it + has taken a fancy to our road, swept away a good deal of it, breaking a + course for itself in quite a different place; so now, instead of one nice, + wide, generally shallow river to cross, about which there never has been + an evil report, we have two horrid mountain torrents of which we know + nothing: no one has been in yet to try their depth, or to find out the + best place at which to ford them, and it unfortunately happened that F—— + and I were the pioneers. When we came to the first new channel, F——with + much care picked out what seemed the best place, and though it was a most + disagreeable bit of water to go through, still we managed it all right; + but when we came to the next curve, it was far worse. Here the river took + a sharp turn, and came tearing round a corner, the colour and consistency + of pea-soup, and making such a noise we could hardly hear ourselves speak + standing close together on the bank; once in the stream, of course it + would be hopeless to try to catch a word. I am ashamed to say that my + fixed idea was to turn back, and this I proposed without hesitation; but F—— + has the greatest dislike to retracing his steps, and is disagreeably like + Excelsior in this respect; so he merely looked astonished at my want of + spirit, and proceeded very calmly to give me my directions, and the more + he impressed the necessity of coolness and caution upon me, the more I + quaked. He was to go over first, alone; I was to follow, having first + tucked my habit well up under my arm, and taken care that I was quite free + so as not to be entangled in any way <i>if</i> Helen should be swept away, + or if a boulder should come down with the stream, and knock her feet from + under her: I was not to be at all frightened (!), and I was to keep my + eyes fixed on him, and guide Helen's head exactly by the motion of his + hand. He plunged into the water as soon as he had issued these encouraging + directions; I saw him floundering in and out of several deep holes, and + presently he got safe to land, dripping wet; then he dismounted, tied Leo + to a flax bush, and took off his coat and big riding-boots,—I + thought, very naturally to dry them, but I should have been still more + alarmed, if possible, had I known that this was to prepare to be ready to + swim to my help in case of danger. As it was, my only hope was that Helen + might not like the look of the angry flood, and would refuse to go in;—how + I should have blessed her for such obstinacy!—but no, she was eager + to rejoin her stable companion, and plunged in without hesitation. I found + it much worse even than I dreaded; the water felt so resistless, as if it + <i>must</i> sweep me right out of the saddle; I should like to have + clutched Helen's mane or anything to have kept me on, but both hands were + wanted to hold the reins quite low down, one on each side of her withers, + so as to guide her exactly according to F——'s pilot-hand on + the opposite bank: steering implicitly by this I escaped the holes and + rocks which he had come against, and got over safely, but trembling, and + with chattering teeth. F——said, quite disdainfully, "You don't + mean to say you're really frightened?" So then I scolded him, rather + incoherently, and demanded to be praised for coming at all! I wrung my + habit out as well as I could, F—— poured the water out of his + boots, and we proceeded, first over a plain, and then to climb a high + steep hill. I wonder if you have any idea how disagreeable and dangerous + it is to go zigzag up the side of a mountain after such rain as we have + had. The soil was just like soap, nothing for the horses' hoofs to take + hold of, not a pebble or a tuft of grass; all had been washed away, and + only the slippery clay remained. As usual, F—— went first and + I followed, taking care not to keep below him, lest he and Leo should come + "slithering" (that is the only word for it) down upon me; but, alas, it + was Helen and I who slithered! Poor dear, all her legs seemed to fly from + under her at once, and she came down on her side and on my legs. I felt + the leaping-crutch snap, and found my left shoulder against the ground; I + let go the reins, and thought we had better part company, but found I + could not move for her weight; <i>she</i> struggled to get up, and we both + slipped down, down—down: there was no reason why we should not have + gone on to the bottom of the hill, when a friendly tussock afforded her an + instant's resting-place for her hind hoofs, and she scrambled to her feet + like a cat. I found myself still on her back; so I picked up my reins and + tried to pretend that I had never thought of getting off. F—— + dared not stir from his "bad eminence;" so Helen and I wended our slippery + way up to him, and in answer to his horrified "Where is your habit?" I + found I was torn to ribbons; in fact, my skirt was little more than a + kilt, and a very short one too! What was to be done? We were only three or + four miles from our destination, so we pushed on, and at the last I + lingered behind, and made F—— go first and borrow a cloak or + shawl. You would have laughed if you had heard my pathetic adjurations to + him to be sure to bring it by himself. I was so afraid that some one else + would politely insist on accompanying him. But it was all right, though + even with this assistance it was very difficult to arrange matters so as + to be tolerably respectable. My hostess was shocked at my tattered, wet + plight, and dried me, and dressed me up till I was quite smart, and then + we had a very pleasant day, and, best of all, came home by a different + road, so as to avoid the slippery descent and the rivers in the dark; but + I still mourn for my habit!-it was my last. Three have disappeared, owing + to unfortunate accidents, this year, and now I am reduced to what can be + contrived out of a linsey dress. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0025" id="link2H_4_0025"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + Letter XXIV: My only fall from horseback. + </h2> + <p> + Broomielaw, June 1868. The autumn has passed away so quickly that I can + hardly believe the winter has reached us so soon—the last winter we + shall spend in New Zealand. I should like to have been able to boast, on + my return to England, that in three years' constant riding, on all sorts + of horses, good, bad, and indifferent, and over abominable roads, I had + escaped a fall; but not only have I had a very severe one, but it was from + my own favourite Helen, which is very trying to reflect upon. However, it + was not in the least her fault, or mine either; so she and I are still + perfectly good friends. + </p> + <p> + We had been spending two days up at Lake Coleridge, as a sort of farewell + visit, and on our way down again to Rockwood, a distance of about twenty + miles, we stopped to lunch, by invitation, at a station midway. There was + so much to be seen at this place that we loitered much longer than was + prudent in the short days, and by the time we had thoroughly inspected a + beautiful new wool-shed with all the latest improvements (from which F—— + could hardly tear himself away), the fish-ponds elaborately arranged for + the reception of the young trout expected from Tasmania and the charming + garden well sheltered by a grove of large wattle-trees, it was growing + dusk, and we prepared to push on as fast as possible; for nothing is more + disagreeable than being caught in the dark on a New Zealand track, with + its creeks and swamps and wire fences: the last are the most dangerous + obstacles, if you get off the track, or if the gate through the fence has + been placed for convenience a few yards on one side of it; the horses + cannot see the slender wires in the dark, and so fall over them, injuring + themselves and their riders most seriously sometimes. Having still about + eight miles to go, we were galloping gaily over a wide open plain, our + only anxiety arising from the fast failing daylight; but the horses were + still quite fresh, and, as the French idiom would have it, devoured the + ground at a fine pace; when, in an instant, the ground appeared to rise up + to meet me, and I found myself dragged along on the extreme point of my + right shoulder, still grasping both reins and whip. I was almost under the + feet of the other horse, and I saw Helen's heels describing frantic + circles in the air. F—— shouted to me to let go, which it had + never occurred to me to do previously. I did so, and jumped up instantly, + feeling quite unhurt, and rather relieved to find that a fall was not so + dreadful after all. I then saw the cause of the accident: the handle of a + little travelling-bag which had been hung over the pommel of my saddle had + slipped over the slight projection, and as it was still further secured by + a strap through the girth, it was dangling under poor Helen, whose frantic + bounds and leaps only increased the liveliness of her tormentor. I never + saw such bucks and jumps high into the air as she performed receiving a + severe blow from the bag at each; it was impossible to help laughing, + though I did not see how it was all to end. She would not allow F—— + to approach her, and was perfectly mad with terror. At last the girths + gave way, and the saddle came off, with the bag still fastened to it; the + moment she found herself free, she trotted up to me in the most engaging + manner, and stood rubbing her nose against my arm, though she was still + trembling all over, and covered with foam. + </p> + <p> + By this time I had made the discovery that I could not raise my right arm; + but still a careful investigation did not tell me it was broken, for it + gave me no pain to touch anywhere, except a very little just on the point + of the shoulder. F—— now went to pick up the saddle and the + reins; it was difficult to find these latter in the fast gathering + darkness and I held his horse for him. To my horror I found after standing + for a moment or two, that I was going to faint; I could not utter a word; + I knew that if my fast-relaxing fingers let go their hold of the bridle + the horse would set off towards home at a gallop, Helen would assuredly + follow him, and we should be left eight miles from the nearest shelter to + find our way to it, with a deep creek to cross. F—— was fifty + yards off, with his back to me, searching for some indispensable buckle; + so there was no help to be got from him at the moment. I exerted every + atom of my remaining strength to slip the bridle over my left arm, which I + pressed against my waist; then I sat down as quietly as I could, not to + alarm the horse, bent forward so as to keep my left arm under me lest the + bridle should slip off, and fainted away in great peace and comfort. The + cold was becoming so intense that it soon revived me, and F——, + suspecting something was wrong, came to relieve me of the care of the + horse, and contrived to get the girths repaired with the ever-ready flax, + and the bag secured in a very short time. But when it came to mounting + again, that was not so easy: every time I tried to spring, something + jarred horribly in the socket where the arm fits into the shoulder, and + the pain was so great that I had to lie down on the ground. It was now + nearly seven o'clock, quite dark, and freezing hard; we were most anxious + to get on, and yet what was to be done? I could not mount, apparently, and + there was no stone or bank to stand on and get up by for an immense way. + At last F—— put me up by sheer strength. I found myself so + deadly sick and faint when I was fairly in the saddle that it was some + time before I could allow Helen to move; and never shall I forget the + torture of her first step, for my shoulder was now stiffening in a most + unpleasant way. F—— said it would be easier to canter; so we + set off at full speed, and the cold air against my face kept me from + fainting as we went along, though I fully expected to fall off every + moment; if Helen had shied, or stumbled, or even capered a little, I + should have been on the ground again. In my torture and despair, I + proposed to be left behind, and for F—— to ride on and get + help; but he would not hear of this, declaring that I should die of cold + before he could get back with a cart, and that it was very doubtful if he + should find me again on the vast plain, with nothing to guide him, and in + the midnight darkness. Whenever we came to a little creek which we were + obliged to jump, Helen's safe arrival on the opposite bank was announced + by a loud yell from me, caused by agony hardly to be described. The cold + appeared to get <i>into</i> the broken joint, and make it so much worse. + </p> + <p> + At last we reached Rockwood, and never was its friendly shelter more + welcome. Everything that could be thought of was done to alleviate my + sufferings; but I resembled Punch with his head on one side, for I had a + well-defined and gigantic hump on my back, and my shoulder was swollen up + to my ear. The habit-body was unpicked, as it was impossible to get it off + any other way. Of course, the night was one of great agony; but I thought + often, as I paced the room, how much better it was to have a blazing fire + to cheer me up, and some delicious tea to put my lips to "when so + dispoged" (like the immortal Mrs. Gamp), than to be lying on the open + plain in a hard frost, wondering when F—— and his cart would + arrive. + </p> + <p> + The next day we returned home, much against our host's wish; and I walked + all the way, some six miles of mountain road, for I could not bear the + idea of riding. F—— led the horses, and we arrived quite + safely. His first idea was to take me down to a doctor, but the motion of + driving was greater agony than riding, as the road was rough; so after the + first mile, I entreated to be taken back, and we turned the horses' heads + towards home again; and when we reached it, I got out all my little books + on surgery, medicine, etc., and from them made out how to set my shoulder + in some sort of fashion, with F——'s help. Of course it is + still useless to me, but I think it is mending itself; and after a week I + could do everything with my left hand, even to writing, after a fashion. + The only thing I could <i>not</i> do was to arrange my hair, or even to + brush it; and though F—— was "willing," he was so exceedingly + awkward, that at last, after going through great anguish and having it + pulled out by handfuls, I got him to cut it off, and it is now cropped + like a small boy's. He cuts up my dinner, etc. for me; but it is a very + trying process, and I don't wonder at children often leaving the nasty + cold mess half eaten. I shall be very glad to be able to use my own knife + again. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0026" id="link2H_4_0026"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + Letter XXV: How We lost our horses and had to walk home. + </h2> + <p> + Broomielaw, November 1868. This will actually be my last letter from the + Malvern Hills; and, in spite of the joy I feel at the hope of seeing all + my beloved ones in England, I am <i>so</i> sorry to leave my dear little + happy valley. We have done nothing but pay farewell visits lately; and I + turn for a final look at each station or cottage as we ride away with a + great tightness at my heart, and moisture in my eyes, to think I shall + never see them again. You must not be jealous at the lingering regrets I + feel, for unless you had been with me here you can never understand how + kind and friendly all our neighbours, high and low, have been to us from + the very first, or how dearly I have grown to love them. I don't at all + know how I am to say good-bye to my dear Mrs. M——, the + shepherd's wife I told you of. I believe she will miss me more than any + one; and I cannot bear to think of her left to pass her days without the + help of books and papers, which I was always so glad to lend her. I often + walk down the valley to take tea with her of an afternoon and to say + good-bye, but I have not said it yet. I wish you could see her parlour as + I saw it yesterday afternoon—her books in a bookcase of her + husband's manufacture, very nice and pretty; her spinning-wheel in the + comer; the large "beau-pot" of flowers in the window; and such a tea on + the table!—cream like clots of gold, scones, oat-cakes, all sorts of + delicacies! She herself is quite charming—one of Nature's ladies. I + have given her, as a parting gift, a couple of Scotch views framed; and + they hang on the wall as a memento of places equally dear to both of us. + </p> + <p> + It is a sorrow to me to leave the horses and dogs and my pet calves and + poultry; even the trees and creepers I go round to look at, with the + melancholy feeling of other owners not loving them so much as I have done. + However, I must not make my last letter too dismal, or you will feel that + I am not glad enough to return to you all. My only apology is, I have been + so <i>very</i> happy here. + </p> + <p> + Now for our latest adventure, as absurd as any, in its way. Have I ever + told you that our post-office is ten miles off, with an atrocious road + between us and it? I know you will throw down this letter and feel rather + disgusted with me for being sorry to leave such a place, but we don't mind + trifles here. Lately, since our own establishment has been broken up, we + have been living in great discomfort; and among other things we generally, + if not always, have to go for our own letters twice a week. Upon this + occasion F—— and I had ridden together up the gorge of the + Selwyn rather late in the afternoon, to avoid the extreme heat of the day. + When we reached the shepherd's hut I have before mentioned, and which is + now deserted, I proposed to F—— to go on over the hills alone + and leave me there, as I was very hot and tired, and he could travel much + quicker without me—for I am ashamed to say that I still object to + riding fast up and down slippery hills. I cannot get rid of the idea that + I shall break my neck if I attempt it, whereas F—— goes on + over the worst road just as if it was perfectly level. Excuse this + digression, for it is a relief to me to be a little spiteful about his + pace whenever I have an opportunity, and it will probably be my last + chance of expressing my entire disapproval of it. + </p> + <p> + Helen was tied up to a post, and F——, after helping me to + dismount, set off at a canter over the adjoining swamp on his way to cross + the chain of hills between the river and the flat where the great + coach-road to the West Coast runs. I had brought the ingredients for my + five o'clock tea (without which I am always a lost and miserable + creature), and I amused myself, during my solitude, by picking up dry bits + of scrub for my fire; but I had to go down the river-bank for some + driftwood to make the old kettle, belonging to the hut, boil. I could not + help wondering how any human being could endure such solitude for years, + as the occupant of a hut like this is necessarily condemned to. In itself + it was as snug and comfortable as possible, with a little paddock for the + shepherd's horse, an acre or so of garden, now overgrown with self-sown + potatoes, peas, strawberry, raspberry, and gooseberry plants, the little + thatched fowl-house near, and the dog-kennels; all giving it a thoroughly + home-like look. The hoarse roar of the river over its rocky bed was the + only sound; now and then a flock of wild ducks would come flying down to + their roosting-place or nests among the Tohi grass; and as the evening + closed in the melancholy cry of the bittern and the weka's loud call broke + the stillness, but only to make it appear more profound. On each side of + the ravine in which the hut stands rise lofty hills so steeply from the + water's edge that in places we can find no footing for our horses, and + have to ride in the river. At this time of the year the sheep are all upon + the hills; so you do not hear even a bleat: but in winter, they come down + to the sunny, sheltered flats. + </p> + <p> + It appeared to me as if I was alone there for hours, though it really was + less than one hour, when F—— returned with a large bundle of + letters and papers tied to his saddle-bow. Tea was quite ready now; so he + tied up his horse next Helen, and we had tea and looked at our letters. + One of the first I opened told me that some friends from Christchurch, + whom I expected to pay us a visit soon, were on their way up that very + day, and in fact might be expected to arrive just about that hour. I was + filled with blank dismay, for not only did the party consist of three + grown-up people—nay, four—but three little children. I had + made elaborate plans in my head as to how and where they should all be + stowed away for a fortnight, but had naturally deferred till the last + moment to carry out my arrangements, for they entailed giving up our own + bedroom, and "camping" in the dining-room, besides wonderful substitutes + of big packing-cases for cribs, etc. etc. But, alas! here we were eight + miles from home and nothing done, not even any extra food ordered or + prepared. The obvious thing was to mount our horses and return as fast as + ever we could, and we hastened out of the hut to the spot where we had + left them both securely tied to the only available post, through which + unfortunately five wires ran, as it was one of the "standards" of a fence + which extended for miles. Just as we came out of the hut in a great + bustle, our evil destiny induced F——'s horse to rub its nose + against the top wire of the fence; and in this process it caught the bar + of its snaffle-bit, and immediately pulled back: this made all the wires + jingle. Helen instantly took alarm, and pulled back too: fresh and + increased vibration, extending up the hill-side and echoing back an + appalling sound, was the result of this movement. In an instant there were + both the horses pulling with all their force against the fence, terrified + to death; and no wonder, for the more they pulled the more the wires + jingled. F—— did all he could to soothe them with + blandishments. I tried to coax Helen, but the nearer we drew the more + frantically they backed and plunged, and the more the noise increased—till + it was a case of "one struggle more and I am free;" and leaving their + bridles still fastened to the fatal fence by the reins, we had the + satisfaction of seeing both our horses careering wildly about—first + celebrating their escape from danger by joyous and frantic bounds and + kicks, and then setting off down the gorge of the river as hard as they + could go. I fairly sat down and whimpered a little, not only at the + thought of our eight miles' walk over shingle with a deep river to be + crossed nine times, but at the idea of my poor little guests arriving to + find no supper, no beds, "no nothing." + </p> + <p> + F—— tried to cheer me up, and said the only thing was to get + home as quick as possible; but he did not expect to find that our friends + had arrived, for it had been very hazy over the plains all day, and + probably had rained hard in Christchurch; so he thought they would not + have started on their journey at all. But I refused to accept any comfort + from this idea, and bemoaned myself, entirely on their account, + incessantly. When we came to the first crossing, F—— picked me + up and carried me over dry-shod, and this he did at all the fords; but in + one we very nearly came to grief, for I was tilted like a sack over his + shoulder, and when we were quite in the middle, and the water was very + deep, up to his waist, he kept hoisting my feet higher and higher, quite + forgetting that there was plenty more of me on the other side of his + shoulder; so it ended in my arms getting very wet, which he did not seem + to think mattered at all so long as my feet were dry; whereas I rather + preferred having my feet than my head plunged into a surging, deafening + yellow current. At the entrance of the gorge is a large stockyard, and + near to it, at least a mile or two off, a large mob of horses is generally + to be found feeding. We heard great neighing and galloping about amongst + them as we came out of the gorge; it was much too dark to distinguish + anything, but we guessed that our horses had joined these, and the sounds + we heard were probably those of welcome. But the whole mob set off the + moment we came near, and crossed the river again, entailing a tenth + wetting upon poor F——. I was posted at the entrance of the + gorge, with instructions to shout and otherwise keep them from going up by + the route we had just come; but it was more than an hour before F——could + get round the wary brutes, so as to turn them with their heads towards the + stockyard. Of course, he had to bring up the whole mob. My talents in the + shouting line were not called out upon this occasion, for they all trotted + into the stockyard of their own accord, and I had nothing to do but put up + the slip-rail as fast as I could with only one available arm, for though + it is better, I cannot use the other yet. When F—— came up we + both went into the yard, and could soon make out the two horses which had + their saddles on—that was the only way we could distinguish them in + the dark. It was now nearly eleven o'clock, and though warm enough it was + very cloudy, not a star to be seen. We fastened on the patched up bridles + as well as we could by feeling, and mounted, and rode home, about three + miles more, as fast as we could. When we entered the flat near our own + house, we heard loud and prolonged "coo-ees" from all sides. The servants + had made up their minds that some terrible misfortune had happened to us, + and were setting out to look for us, "coo-eeing" as they came along. F—— + pointed out to me, with a sort of "I-told-you-so" air, that there was no + light in the drawing-room—so it was evident our friends had not + arrived; and when we dismounted I found, to my great joy, that the house + was empty. All our fatigue was forgotten in thankfulness that the poor + travellers had not been exposed to such a cold, comfortless reception as + would have awaited them if they had made their journey that day. I must + tell you, they arrived quite safely the next evening, but very tired, + especially the poor children; however, everything was ready, and the + little boys were particularly pleased with their box beds, greatly + preferring the difficulties of getting in and out of them to their own + pretty little cribs at home. Such are boys all over the world! + </p> + <p> + Next month we leave this for ever, and go down to Christchurch to make our + final arrangements for the long voyage of a hundred days before us. As the + time draws near I realize how strong is the tie which has grown, even in + these few short years, around my heart, connecting it with this lovely + land, and the kind friends I have found in it. F—— feels the + parting more deeply than I do, if possible, though for different reasons; + he has lived so long among these beautiful hills, and is so accustomed to + have before his eyes their grand outlines. He was telling me this the + other day, and has put the same feelings into the following verses, which + I now send you. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + A farewell. + The seamen shout once and together, + The anchor breaks up from the ground, + And the ship's head swings to the weather, + To the wind and the sea swings round; + With a clamour the great sail steadies, + In extreme of a storm scarce furled; + Already a short wake eddies, + And a furrow is cleft and curled + To the right and left. + + Float out from the harbour and highland + That hides all the region I know, + Let me look a last time on the island + Well seen from the sea to the snow. + The lines of the ranges I follow, + I travel the hills with my eyes, + For I know where they make a deep hollow, + A valley of grass and the rise + Of streams clearer than glass. + + That haunt is too far for me wingless, + And the hills of it sink out of sight, + Yet my thought were but broken and stringless, + And the daylight of song were but night. + If I could not at will a winged dream let + Lift me and take me and set + Me again by the trees and the streamlet; + These leagues make a wide water, yet + The whole world shall not hide. + + Now my days leave the soft silent byway, + And clothed in a various sort, + In iron or gold, on life's highway + New feet shall succeed, or stop short + Shod hard these maybe, or made splendid, + Fair and many, or evil and few, + But the going of bare feet has ended, + Of naked feet set in the new + Meadow grass sweet and wet. + + I will long for the ways of soft walking, + Grown tired of the dust and the glare, + And mute in the midst of much talking + Will pine for the silences rare; + Streets of peril and speech full of malice + Will recall me the pastures and peace + Which gardened and guarded those valleys + With grasses as high as the knees, + Calm as high as the sky: + + While the island secure in my spirit + At ease on its own ocean rides, + And Memory, a ship sailing near it, + Shall float in with favouring tides, + Shall enter the harbours and land me + To visit the gorges and heights + Whose aspects seemed once to command me, + As queens by their charms command knights + To achievements of arms. + + And as knights have caught sight of queens' faces + Through the dust of the lists and the din, + So, remembering these holiest places + In the days when I lose or I win, + I will yearn to them, all being over, + Triumphant or trampled beneath, + To this beautiful isle like a lover, + To her evergreen brakes for a wreath, + For a tear to her lakes. + + The last of her now is a brightening + Far fire in the forested hills, + The breeze as the night nears is heightening, + The cordage draws tighter and thrills, + Like a horse that is spurred by the rider + The great vessel quivers and quails, + And passes the billows beside her, + The fair wind is strong in her sails, + She is lifted along. + + THE END. +</pre> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Station Life in New Zealand, by Lady Barker + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK STATION LIFE IN NEW ZEALAND *** + +***** This file should be named 6104-h.htm or 6104-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/6/1/0/6104/ + +Produced by P. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Station Life in New Zealand + +Author: Lady Barker + +Release Date: July, 2004 [EBook #6104] +Posting Date: June 4, 2009 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK STATION LIFE IN NEW ZEALAND *** + + + + +Produced by P. J. Riddick + + + + + + + +STATION LIFE IN NEW ZEALAND + + +By Lady Barker. + + +1883 + + + + +Preface. + +These letters, their writer is aware, justly incur the reproach of +egotism and triviality; at the same time she did not see how this was +to be avoided, without lessening their value as the exact account of +a lady's experience of the brighter and less practical side of +colonization. They are published as no guide or handbook for "the +intending emigrant;" that person has already a literature to himself, +and will scarcely find here so much as a single statistic. They simply +record the expeditions, adventures, and emergencies diversifying the +daily life of the wife of a New Zealand sheep-farmer; and, as each was +written while the novelty and excitement of the scenes it describes were +fresh upon her, they may succeed in giving here in England an adequate +impression of the delight and freedom of an existence so far removed +from our own highly-wrought civilization: not failing in this, the +writer will gladly bear the burden of any critical rebuke the letters +deserve. One thing she hopes will plainly appear,--that, however hard +it was to part, by the width of the whole earth, from dear friends and +spots scarcely less dear, yet she soon found in that new country new +friends and a new home; costing her in their turn almost as many parting +regrets as the old. + +F. N. B. + + + + +Letter I: Two months at sea--Melbourne. + + +Port Phillip Hotel, Melbourne. September 22d, 1865. .... Now I must +give you an account of our voyage: it has been a very quick one for +the immense distance traversed, sometimes under canvas, but generally +steaming. We saw no land between the Lizard and Cape Otway light--that +is, for fifty-seven days: and oh, the monotony of that time!--the +monotony of it! Our decks were so crowded that we divided our walking +hours, in order that each set of passengers might have space to move +about; for if every one had taken it into their heads to exercise +themselves at the same time, we could hardly have exceeded the +fisherman's definition of a walk, "two steps and overboard." I am +ashamed to say I was more or less ill all the way, but, fortunately, +F---- was not, and I rejoiced at this from the most selfish motives, as +he was able to take care of me. I find that sea-sickness develops the +worst part of one's character with startling rapidity, and, as far as +I am concerned, I look back with self-abasement upon my callous +indifference to the sufferings of others, and apathetic absorption in my +individual misery. + +Until we had fairly embarked, the well-meaning but ignorant among our +friends constantly assured us, with an air of conviction as to the truth +and wisdom of their words, that we were going at the very best season +of the year; but as soon as we could gather the opinions of those in +authority on board, it gradually leaked out that we really had fallen +upon quite a wrong time for such a voyage, for we very soon found +ourselves in the tropics during their hottest month (early in August), +and after having been nearly roasted for three weeks, we plunged +abruptly into mid-winter, or at all events very early spring, off the +Cape of Good Hope, and went through a season of bitterly cold weather, +with three heavy gales. I pitied the poor sailors from the bottom of my +heart, at their work all night on decks slippery with ice, and pulling +at ropes so frozen that it was almost impossible to bend them; but, +thank God, there were no casualties among the men. The last gale was the +most severe; they said it was the tail of a cyclone. One is apt on land +to regard such phrases as the "shriek of the storm," or "the roar of +the waves," as poetical hyperboles; whereas they are very literal and +expressive renderings of the sounds of horror incessant throughout +a gale at sea. Our cabin, though very nice and comfortable in other +respects, possessed an extraordinary attraction for any stray wave which +might be wandering about the saloon: once or twice I have been in the +cuddy when a sea found its way down the companion, and I have watched +with horrible anxiety a ton or so of water hesitating which cabin it +should enter and deluge, and it always seemed to choose ours. All these +miseries appear now, after even a few days of the blessed land, to +belong to a distant past; but I feel inclined to lay my pen down and +have a hearty laugh at the recollection of one cold night, when a heavy +"thud" burst open our cabin door, and washed out all the stray parcels, +boots, etc., from the corners in which the rolling of the ship had +previously bestowed them. I was high and dry in the top berth, but poor +F---- in the lower recess was awakened by the douche, and no words of +mine can convey to you the utter absurdity of his appearance, as he +nimbly mounted on the top of a chest of drawers close by, and crouched +there, wet and shivering, handing me up a most miscellaneous assortment +of goods to take care of in my little dry nest. + +Some of our fellow-passengers were very good-natured, and devoted +themselves to cheering and enlivening us by getting up concerts, little +burlesques and other amusements; and very grateful we were for their +efforts: they say that "anything is fun in the country," but on board +ship a little wit goes a very long way indeed, for all are only too +ready and anxious to be amused. The whole dramatic strength of the +company was called into force for the performance of "The Rivals," +which was given a week or so before the end of the voyage. It went off +wonderfully well; but I confess I enjoyed the preparations more than the +play itself: the ingenuity displayed was very amusing at the time. You +on shore cannot imagine how difficult it was to find a snuff-box for +"Sir Anthony Absolute," or with what joy and admiration we welcomed a +clever substitute for it in the shape of a match-box covered with the +lead out of a tea-chest most ingeniously modelled into an embossed +wreath round the lid, with a bunch of leaves and buds in the centre, the +whole being brightly burnished: at the performance the effect of this +little "property" was really excellent. Then, at the last moment, poor +"Bob Acres" had to give in, and acknowledge that he could not speak for +coughing; he had been suffering from bronchitis for some days past, but +had gallantly striven to make himself heard at rehearsals; so on the day +of the play F---- had the part forced on him. There was no time to learn +his "words," so he wrote out all of them in large letters on slips of +paper and fastened them on the beams. This device was invisible to the +audience, but he was obliged to go through his scenes with his head as +high up as if he had on a martingale; however, we were all so indulgent +that at any little _contretemps_, such as one of the actresses +forgetting her part or being seized by stage-fright, the applause was +much greater than when things went smoothly. + +I can hardly believe that it is only two days since we steamed into +Hobson's Bay, on a lovely bright spring morning. At dinner, the evening +before, our dear old captain had said that we should see the revolving +light on the nearest headland about eight o'clock that evening, and so +we did. You will not think me childish, if I acknowledge that my eyes +were so full of tears I could hardly see it after the first glimpse; +it is impossible to express in a letter all the joy and thankfulness of +such a moment. Feelings like these are forgotten only too quickly in +the jar and bustle of daily life, and we are always ready to take as a +matter of course those mercies which are new every morning; but when +I realized that all the tosses and tumbles of so many weary days and +nights were over, and that at last we had reached the haven where we +would be, my first thought was one of deep gratitude. It was easy to +see that it was a good moment with everyone; squabbles were made up with +surprising quickness; shy people grew suddenly sociable; some who had +comfortable homes to go to on landing gave kind and welcome invitations +to others, who felt themselves sadly strange in a new country; and it +was with really a lingering feeling of regret that we all separated at +last, though a very short time before we should have thought it quite +impossible to be anything but delighted to leave the ship. + +We have not seen much of Melbourne yet, as there has been a great deal +to do in looking after the luggage, and at first one is capable +of nothing but a delightful idleness. The keenest enjoyment is a +fresh-water bath, and next to that is the new and agreeable luxury of +the ample space for dressing; and then it is so pleasant to suffer no +anxiety as to the brushes and combs tumbling about. I should think that +even the vainest woman in the world would find her toilet and its duties +a daily trouble and a sorrow at sea, on account of the unsteadiness +of all things. The next delight is standing at the window, and seeing +horses, and trees, and dogs--in fact, all the "treasures of the land;" +as for flowers--beautiful as they are at all times--you cannot learn +to appreciate them enough until you have been deprived of them for two +months. + +You know that I have travelled a good deal in various parts of the +world, but I have never seen anything at all like Melbourne. In other +countries, it is generally the antiquity of the cities, and their +historical reminiscences, which appeal to the imagination; but _here_, +the interest is as great from exactly the opposite cause. It is most +wonderful to walk through a splendid town, with magnificent public +buildings, churches, shops, clubs, theatres, with the streets well +paved and lighted, and to think that less than forty years ago it was a +desolate swamp without even a hut upon it. How little an English country +town progresses in forty years, and here is a splendid city created in +that time! I have no hesitation in saying, that any fashionable novelty +which comes out in either London or Paris finds its way to Melbourne by +the next steamer; for instance, I broke my parasol on board ship, and +the first thing I did on landing was to go to one of the best shops in +Collins Street to replace it. On learning what I wanted, the shopman +showed me some of those new parasols which had just come out in London +before I sailed, and which I had vainly tried to procure in S----, only +four hours from London. + +The only public place we have yet visited is the Acclimatization Garden; +which is very beautifully laid out, and full of aviaries, though it +looks strange to see common English birds treated as distinguished +visitors and sumptuously lodged and cared for. Naturally, the Australian +ones interest me most, and they are certainly prettier than yours at +home, though they do not sing. I have been already to a shop where they +sell skins of birds, and have half ruined myself in purchases for hats. +You are to have a "diamond sparrow," a dear little fellow with reddish +brown plumage, and white spots over its body (in this respect a +miniature copy of the Argus pheasant I brought from India), and a +triangular patch of bright yellow under its throat. I saw some of them +alive in a cage in the market with many other kinds of small birds, and +several pairs of those pretty grass or zebra paroquets, which are called +here by the very inharmonious name of "budgerighars." I admired the +blue wren so much--a tiny _birdeen_ with tail and body of dust-coloured +feathers, and head and throat of a most lovely turquoise blue; it has +also a little wattle of these blue feathers standing straight out on +each side of its head, which gives it a very pert appearance. Then there +is the emu-wren, all sad-coloured, but quaint, with the tail-feathers +sticking up on end, and exactly like those of an emu; on the very +smallest scale, even to the peculiarity of two feathers growing out of +the same little quill. I was much amused by the varieties of cockatoos, +parrots, and lories of every kind and colour, shrieking and jabbering in +the part of the market devoted to them; but I am told that I have seen +very few of the varieties of birds, as it is early in the spring, and +the young ones have not yet been brought in: they appear to sell as +fast as they can be procured. But before I end my letter I must tell you +about the cockatoo belonging to this hotel. It is a famous bird in its +way, having had its portrait taken several times, descriptions written +for newspapers of its talents, and its owner boasts of enormous sums +offered and refused for it. Knowing my fondness for pets, F---- took me +downstairs to see it very soon after our arrival. I thought it hideous: +it belongs to a kind not very well known in England, of a dirtyish white +colour, a very ugly-shaped head and bill, and large bluish rings round +the eyes; the beak is huge and curved. If it knew of this last objection +on my part, it would probably answer, like the wolf in Red Riding Hood's +story, "the better to talk with, my dear"--for it is a weird and knowing +bird. At first it flatly refused to show off any of its accomplishments, +but one of the hotel servants good-naturedly came forward, and Cocky +condescended to go through his performances. I cannot possibly-tell you +of all its antics: it pretended to have a violent toothache, and nursed +its beak in its claw, rocking itself backwards and forwards as if in the +greatest agony, and in answer to all the remedies which were proposed, +croaking out, "Oh, it ain't a bit of good," and finally sidling up, to +the edge of its perch, and saying in hoarse but confidential whisper, +"Give us a drop of whisky, _do_." Its voice was extraordinarily +distinct, and when it sang several snatches of songs the words were +capitally given, with the most absurdly comic intonation, all +the _roulades_ being executed in perfect tune. I liked its sewing +performance so much--to see it hold a little piece of stuff underneath +the claw which rested on the perch, and pretend to sew with the other, +getting into difficulties with its thread, and finally setting up a loud +song in praise of sewing-machines just as if it were an advertisement. + +By the next time I write I shall have seen more of Melbourne; there +will, however, be no time for another letter by this mail; but I will +leave one to be posted after we sail for New Zealand. + + + + +Letter II: Sight-seeing in Melbourne. + + +Melbourne, October 1st, 1865. I have left my letter to the last moment +before starting for Lyttleton; everything is re-packed and ready, and +we sail to-morrow morning in the _Albion_. She is a mail-steamer--very +small after our large vessel, but she looks clean and tidy; at all +events, we hope to be only on board her for ten days. In England one +fancies that New Zealand is quite close to Australia, so I was rather +disgusted to find we had another thousand miles of steaming to do before +we could reach our new home; and one of the many Job's comforters who +are scattered up and down the world assures me that the navigation is +the most dangerous and difficult of the whole voyage. + +We have seen a good deal of Melbourne this week; and not only of the +town, for we have had many drives in the exceedingly pretty suburbs, +owing to the kindness of the D----s, who have been most hospitable and +made our visit here delightful. We drove out to their house at Toorak +three or four times; and spent a long afternoon with them; and there I +began to make acquaintance with the Antipodean trees and flowers. I hope +you will not think it a very sweeping assertion if I say that all the +leaves look as if they were made of leather, but it really is so; the +hot winds appear to parch up everything, at all events, round Melbourne, +till the greatest charm of foliage is more or less lost; the flowers +also look withered and burnt up, as yours do at the end of a long, dry +summer, only they assume this appearance after the first hot wind in +spring. The suburb called Heidelberg is the prettiest, to my taste--an +undulating country with vineyards, and a park-like appearance which, +is very charming. All round Melbourne there are nice, comfortable, +English-looking villas. At one of these we called to return a visit +and found a very handsome house, luxuriously furnished, with beautiful +garden and grounds. One afternoon we went by rail to St. Kilda's, +a flourishing bathing-place on the sea-coast, about six miles from +Melbourne. Everywhere building is going on with great rapidity, and you +do not see any poor people in the streets. If I wanted to be critical +and find fault, I might object to the deep gutters on each side of the +road; after a shower of rain they are raging torrents for a short time, +through which you are obliged to splash without regard to the muddy +consequences; and even when they are dry, they entail sudden and +prodigious jolts. There are plenty of Hansoms and all sorts of other +conveyances, but I gave F---- no peace until he took me for a drive in a +vehicle which was quite new to me--a sort of light car with a canopy +and curtains, holding four, two on each seat, _dos-a-dos_, and called +a "jingle,"--of American parentage, I fancy. One drive in this +carriage was quite enough, however, and I contented myself with Hansoms +afterwards; but walking is really more enjoyable than anything else, +after having been so long cooped up on board ship. + +We admired the fine statue, at the top of Collins Street, to the memory +of the two most famous of Australian explorers, Burke and Wills, and +made many visits to the Museum, and the glorious Free Library; we also +went all over the Houses of Legislature--very new and grand. But +you must not despise me if I confess to having enjoyed the shops +exceedingly: it was so unlike a jeweller's shop in England to see on the +counter gold in its raw state, in nuggets and dust and flakes; in this +stage of its existence it certainly deserves its name of "filthy lucre," +for it is often only half washed. There were quantities of emus' eggs +in the silversmiths' shops, mounted in every conceivable way as cups and +vases, and even as work-boxes: some designs consisted of three or five +eggs grouped together as a centre-piece. I cannot honestly say I admired +any of them; they were generally too elaborate, comprising often +a native (spear in hand), a kangaroo, palms, ferns, cockatoos, and +sometimes an emu or two in addition, as a pedestal--all this in frosted +silver or gold. I was given a pair of these eggs before leaving +England: they were mounted in London as little flower-vases in a setting +consisting only of a few bulrushes and leaves, yet far better than any +of these florid designs; but he emu-eggs are very popular in Sydney or +Melbourne, and I am told sell rapidly to people going home, who take +them as a memento of their Australian life, and probably think that the +greater the number of reminiscences suggested by the ornament the more +satisfactory it is as a purchase. + +I must finish my letter by a description of a dinner-party which about +a dozen of our fellow-passengers joined with us in giving our dear old +captain before we all separated. Whilst we were on board, it very often +happened that the food was not very choice or good: at all events +we used sometimes to grumble at it, and we generally wound up our +lamentations by agreeing that when we reached Melbourne we would have a +good dinner together. Looking back on it, I must say I think we were +all rather greedy, but we tried to give a better colouring to our +gourmandism by inviting the captain, who was universally popular, and by +making it as elegant and pretty a repast as possible. Three or four of +the gentlemen formed themselves into a committee, and they must really +have worked very hard; at all events they collected everything rare and +strange in the way of fish, flesh, and fowl peculiar to Australia, +the arrangement of the table was charming, and the delicacies were all +cooked and served to perfection. The ladies' tastes were considered in +the profusion of flowers, and we each found an exquisite bouquet by our +plate. I cannot possibly give you a minute account of the whole menu; in +fact, as it is, I feel rather like Froissart, who, after chronicling a +long list of sumptuous dishes, is not ashamed to confess, "Of all which +good things I, the chronicler of this narration, did partake!" The soups +comprised kangaroo-tail--a clear soup not unlike ox-tail, but with a +flavour of game. I wish I could recollect the names of the fish: the +fresh-water ones came a long distance by rail from the river Murray, but +were excellent nevertheless. The last thing which I can remember tasting +(for one really could do little else) was a most exquisite morsel of +pigeon--more like a quail than anything else in flavour. I am not a +judge of wine, as you may imagine, therefore it is no unkindness to the +owners of the beautiful vineyards which we saw the other day, to +say that I do not like the Australian wines. Some of the gentlemen +pronounced them to be excellent, especially the equivalent to Sauterne, +which has a wonderful native name impossible to write down; but, as I +said before, I do not like the rather rough flavour. We had not a great +variety of fruit at dessert: indeed, Sydney oranges constituted its main +feature, as it is too late for winter fruits, and too early for summer +ones: but we were not inclined to be over-fastidious, and thought +everything delicious. + + + + +Letter III: On to New Zealand. + + +Christchurch, Canterbury, N. Z. October 14th, 1865. As you so +particularly desired me when we parted to tell you _everything_, I must +resume my story where in my last letter I left it off. If I remember +rightly, I ended with an attempt at describing our great feast. We +embarked the next day, and as soon as we were out of the bay the little +_Albion_ plunged into heavy seas. The motion was much worse in her +than on board the large vessel we had been so glad to leave, and all my +previous sufferings seemed insignificant compared with what I endured in +my small and wretchedly hard berth. I have a dim recollection of F---- +helping me to dress, wrapping me up in various shawls, and half carrying +me up the companion ladder; I crawled into a sunny corner among the +boxes of oranges with which the deck was crowded, and there I lay +helpless and utterly miserable. One well-meaning and good-natured +fellow-passenger asked F---- if I was fond of birds, and on his saying +"Yes," went off for a large wicker cage of hideous "laughing Jackasses," +which he was taking as a great treasure to Canterbury. Why they +should be called "Jackasses" I never could discover; but the creatures +certainly do utter by fits and starts a sound which may fairly be +described as laughter. These paroxysms arise from no cause that one +can perceive; one bird begins, and all the others join in, and a more +doleful and depressing chorus I never heard: early in the morning seemed +the favourite time for this discordant mirth. Their owner also possessed +a cockatoo with a great musical reputation, but I never heard it get +beyond the first bar of "Come into the garden, Maud." Ill as I was, I +remember being roused to something like a flicker of animation when +I was shown an exceedingly seedy and shabby-looking blackbird with +a broken leg in splints, which its master (the same bird-fancying +gentleman) assured me he had bought in Melbourne as a great bargain for +only 2 pounds 10 shillings! + +After five days' steaming we arrived in the open roadstead of Hokitika, +on the west coast of the middle island of New Zealand, and five minutes +after the anchor was down a little tug came alongside to take away our +steerage passengers--three hundred diggers. The gold-fields on this +coast were only discovered eight months ago, and already several canvas +towns have sprung up; there are thirty thousand diggers at work, and +every vessel brings a fresh cargo of stalwart, sun-burnt men. It was +rather late, and getting dark, but still I could distinctly see the +picturesque tents in the deep mountain gorge, their white shapes dotted +here and there as far back from the shore as my sight could follow, +and the wreaths of smoke curling up in all directions from the evening +fires: it is still bitterly cold at night, being very early spring. The +river Hokitika washes down with every fresh such quantities of sand, +that a bar is continually forming in this roadstead, and though only +vessels of the least possible draught are engaged in the coasting-trade, +still wrecks are of frequent occurrence. We ought to have landed our +thousands of oranges here, but this work was necessarily deferred till +the morning, for it was as much as they could do to get all the diggers +and their belongings safely ashore before dark; in the middle of the +night one of the sudden and furious gales common to these seas sprang +up, and would soon have driven us on the rocks if we had not got our +steam up quickly and struggled out to sea, oranges and all, and away +to Nelson, on the north coast of the same island. Here we landed the +seventh day after leaving Melbourne, and spent a few hours wandering +about on shore. It is a lovely little town, as I saw it that spring +morning, with hills running down almost to the water's edge, and small +wooden houses with gables and verandahs, half buried in creepers, built +up the sides of the steep slopes. It was a true New Zealand day, still +and bright, a delicious invigorating freshness in the air, without +the least chill, the sky of a more than Italian blue, the ranges of +mountains in the distance covered with snow, and standing out, sharp and +clear against this lovely glowing heaven. The town itself, I must say, +seemed very dull and stagnant, with little sign of life or activity +about it; but nothing can be prettier or more picturesque than its +situation--not unlike that of a Swiss village. Our day came to an end +all too soon, and we re-embarked for Wellington, the most southern town +of the North Island. The seat of government is there, and it is supposed +to be a very thriving place, but is not nearly so well situated as +Nelson nor so attractive to strangers. We landed and walked about a good +deal, and saw what little there was to see. At first I thought the shops +very handsome, but I found, rather to my disgust, that generally the +fine, imposing frontage was all a sham; the actual building was only a +little but at the back, looking all the meaner for the contrast to the +cornices and show windows in front. You cannot think how odd it was to +turn a corner and see that the building was only one board in thickness, +and scarcely more substantial than the scenes at a theatre. We lunched +at the principal hotel, where F---- was much amused at my astonishment +at colonial prices. We had two dozen very nice little oysters, and he +had a glass of porter: for this modest repast we paid eleven shillings! + +We slept on board, had another walk on shore after breakfast the +following morning, and about twelve o'clock set off for Lyttleton, the +final end of our voyaging, which we reached in about twenty hours. + +The scenery is very beautiful all along the coast, but the navigation is +both dangerous and difficult. It was exceedingly cold, and Lyttleton +did not look very inviting; we could not get in at all near the +landing-place, and had to pay 2 pounds to be rowed ashore in an open +boat with our luggage. I assure you it was a very "bad quarter of an +hour" we passed in that boat; getting into it was difficult enough. The +spray dashed over us every minute, and by the time we landed we were +quite drenched, but a good fire at the hotel and a capital lunch soon +made us all right again; besides, in the delight of being actually at +the end of our voyage no annoyance or discomfort was worth a moment's +thought. F---- had a couple of hours' work rushing backwards and +forwards to the Custom House, clearing our luggage, and arranging for +some sort of conveyance to take us over the hills. The great tunnel +through these "Port Hills" (which divide Lyttleton from Christchurch, +the capital of Canterbury) is only half finished, but it seems wonderful +that so expensive and difficult an engineering work could be undertaken +by such an infant colony. + +At last a sort of shabby waggonette was forthcoming, and about three +o'clock we started from Lyttleton, and almost immediately began to +ascend the zig-zag. It was a tremendous pull for the poor horses, +who however never flinched; at the steepest pinch the gentlemen were +requested to get out and walk, which they did, and at length we reached +the top. It was worth all the bad road to look down on the land-locked +bay, with the little patches of cultivation, a few houses nestling in +pretty recesses. The town of Lyttleton seemed much more imposing and +important as we rose above it: fifteen years ago a few sheds received +the "Pilgrims," as the first comers are always called. I like the name; +it is so pretty and suggestive. By the way, I am told that these four +ships, sent out with the pilgrims by the Canterbury Association, sailed +together from England, parted company almost directly, and arrived in +Lyttleton (then called Port Cooper) four months afterwards, on the same +day, having all experienced fine weather, but never having sighted each +other once. + +As soon as we reached the top of the hill the driver looked to the +harness of his horses, put on a very powerful double break, and we began +the descent, which, I must say, I thought we took much too quickly, +especially as at every turn of the road some little anecdote was +forthcoming of an upset or accident; however, I would not show the +least alarm, and we were soon rattling along the Sumner Road, by the +sea-shore, passing every now and then under tremendous overhanging +crags. In half an hour we reached Sumner itself, where we stopped for a +few moments to change horses. There is an inn and a village here, +where people from Christchurch come in the warm weather for sea-air and +bathing. It began to rain hard, and the rest of the journey, some seven +or eight miles, was disagreeable enough; but it was the _end_, and that +one thought was sufficient to keep us radiantly good-humoured, in spite +of all little trials. When we reached Christchurch, we drove at once to +a sort of boarding-house where we had engaged apartments, and thought of +nothing but supper and bed. + +The next day people began calling, and certainly I cannot complain of +any coldness or want of welcome to my new home. I like what I have +seen of my future acquaintances very much. Of course there is a very +practical style and tone over everything, though outwardly the place is +as civilized as if it were a hundred years old; well-paved streets, gas +lamps, and even drinking fountains and pillar post-offices! I often find +myself wondering whether the ladies here are at all like what our great +grandmothers were. I suspect they are, for they appear to possess an +amount of useful practical knowledge which is quite astonishing, and +yet know how to surround themselves, according to their means and +opportunities, with the refinements and elegancies of life. I feel quite +ashamed of my own utter ignorance on every subject, and am determined +to set to work directly and learn: at all events I shall have plenty +of instructresses. Christchurch is a very pretty little town, still +primitive enough to be picturesque, and yet very thriving: capital +shops, where everything may be bought; churches, public buildings, a +very handsome club-house, etc. Most of the houses are of wood, but when +they are burned down (which is often the case) they are now rebuilt of +brick or stone, so that the new ones are nearly all of these more solid +materials. I am disappointed to find that, the cathedral, of which I +had heard so much, has not progressed beyond the foundations, which cost +8,000 pounds: all the works have been stopped, and certainly there +is not much to show for so large a sum, but labour is very dear. +Christchurch is a great deal more lively and bustling than most English +country towns, and I am much struck by the healthy appearance of the +people. There are no paupers to be seen; every one seems well fed and +well clothed; the children are really splendid. Of course, as might be +expected, there is a great deal of independence in bearing and manner, +especially among the servants, and I hear astounding stories concerning +them on all sides. My next letter will be from the country, as we have +accepted an invitation to pay a visit of six weeks or so to a station in +the north of the province. + + + + +Letter IV: First introduction to "Station life." + + +Heathstock, Canterbury, November 13th, 1865. I have just had the +happiness of receiving my first budget of English letters; and no one +can imagine how a satisfactory home letter satisfies the hunger of +the heart after its loved and left ones. Your letter was particularly +pleasant, because I could perceive, as I held the paper in my hands, +that you were writing as you really felt, and that you were indeed +happy. May you long continue so, dearest. + +F---- says that this beautiful place will give me a very erroneous +impression of station life, and that I shall probably expect to find its +comforts and luxuries the rule, whereas they are the exception; in the +mean time, however, I am enjoying them thoroughly. The house is only +sixty-five miles from Christchurch, nearly due north (which you must not +forget answers to your south in point of warmth). Our kind friends and +hosts, the L----s, called for us in their comfortable and large break, +with four horses. Mr. L---- drove, F---- sat on the box, and inside were +the ladies, children, and a nurse. Our first stage was to Kaiapoi, a +little town on the river Waimakiriri, where we had a good luncheon of +whitebait, and rested and fed the horses. From the window of the hotel I +saw a few groups of Maories; they looked very ugly and peaceable, with +a rude sort of basket made of flax fibres, or buckets filled with +whitebait, which they wanted us to buy. There are some reserved lands +near Kaiapoi where they have a very thriving settlement, living in +perfect peace and good-will with their white neighbours. When we set +off again on our journey, we passed a little school-house for their +children. + +We reached Leathfield that evening, only twenty-five miles from +Christchurch; found a nice inn, or accommodation-house, as roadside inns +are called here; had a capital supper and comfortable beds, and were +up and off again at daylight the next morning. As far as the Weka Pass, +where we stopped for dinner, the roads were very good, but after that +we got more among the hills and off the usual track, and there were many +sharp turns and steep pinches; but Mr. L---- is an excellent whip, and +took great care of us. We all got very weary towards the end of this +second day's journey, and the last two hours of it were in heavy rain; +it was growing very dark when we reached the gate, and heard the welcome +sound of gravel under the wheels. I could just perceive that we had +entered a plantation, the first trees since we left Christchurch. +Nothing seems so wonderful to me as the utter treelessness of the vast +Canterbury plains; occasionally you pass a few Ti-ti palms (ordinarily +called cabbage-trees), or a large prickly bush which goes by the name of +"wild Irishman," but for miles and miles you see nothing but flat ground +or slightly undulating downs of yellow tussocks, the tall native grass. +It has the colour and appearance of hay, but serves as shelter for a +delicious undergrowth of short sweet herbage, upon which the sheep live, +and horses also do very well on it, keeping in good working condition, +quite unlike their puffy, fat state on English pasture. + +We drove through the plantation and another gate, and drew up at the +door of a very large, handsome, brick house, with projecting gables and +a verandah. The older I grow the more convinced I am that contrast is +everything in this world; and nothing I can write can give you any +idea of the delightful change from the bleak country we had been slowly +travelling through in pouring rain, to the warmth and brightness of this +charming house. There were blazing fires ready to welcome us, and I feel +sure you will sufficiently appreciate this fact when I tell you that +by the time the coal reaches this, it costs nine pounds per ton. It is +possible to get Australian coal at about half the price, but it is not +nearly as good. + +We were so tired that we were only fit for the lowest phase of human +enjoyment--warmth, food, and sleep; but the next morning was bright and +lovely, and I was up and out in the verandah as early as possible. I +found myself saying constantly, in a sort of ecstasy, "How I wish they +could see this in England!" and not only see but feel it, for the very +breath one draws on such a morning is a happiness; the air is so light +and yet balmy, it seems to heal the lungs as you inhale it. The verandah +is covered with honeysuckles and other creepers, and the gable end of +the house where the bow-window of the drawing-room projects, is one +mass of yellow Banksia roses in full blossom. A stream runs through +the grounds, fringed with weeping willows, which are in their greatest +beauty at this time of year, with their soft, feathery foliage of +the tenderest green. The flower beds are dotted about the lawn, which +surrounds the house and slopes away from it, and they are brilliant +patches of colour, gay with verbenas, geraniums, and petunias. Here and +there clumps of tall trees rise above the shrubs, and as a background +there is a thick plantation of red and blue gums, to shelter the garden +from the strong N.W. winds. Then, in front, the country stretches away +in undulating downs to a chain of high hills in the distance: every now +and then there is a deep gap in these, through which you see magnificent +snow-covered mountains. + +The inside of the house is as charming as the outside, and the +perfection of comfort; but I am perpetually wondering how all the +furniture--especially the fragile part of it--got here. When I remember +the jolts, and ruts, and roughnesses of the road, I find myself looking +at the pier-glass and glass shades, picture-frames, etc., with a sort of +respect, due to them for having survived so many dangers. + +The first two or three days we enjoyed ourselves in a thoroughly lazy +manner; the garden was a never-ending source of delight, and there +were all the animals to make friends with, "mobs" of horses to look at, +rabbits, poultry, and pets of all sorts. About a week after our arrival, +some more gentlemen came, and then we had a series of picnics. As these +are quite unlike your highly civilized entertainments which go by the +same name, I must describe one to you. + +The first thing after breakfast was to collect all the provisions, +and pack them in a sort of washing-basket, and then we started in an +American waggon drawn by a pair of stout cobs. We drove for some miles +till we came to the edge of one of the high terraces common to New +Zealand scenery: here we all got out; the gentlemen unharnessed and +tethered the horses, so that they could feed about comfortably, and +then we scrambled down the deep slope, at the bottom of which ran a +wide shallow creek. It was no easy matter to get the basket down here, I +assure you; we ladies were only permitted to load ourselves, one with a +little kettle, and the other with a tea-pot, but this was quite enough, +as crossing the creek by a series of jumps from one wet stone to another +is not easy for a beginner. + +Mr. L---- brought a large dog with him, a kangaroo-hound (not unlike +a lurcher in appearance), to hunt the wekas. I had heard at night the +peculiar cry or call of these birds, but had not seen one until to-day. +"Fly" put up several, one after another, and soon ran them down. At +first I thought it very cruel to destroy such a tame and apparently +harmless creature, but I am assured that they are most mischievous, and +that it would be useless to turn out the pheasants and partridges which +Mr. L---- has brought from England, until the numbers of the wekas are +considerably reduced. They are very like a hen pheasant without the long +tail feathers, and until you examine them you cannot tell they have no +wings, though there is a sort of small pinion among the feathers, with +a claw at the end of it. They run very swiftly, availing themselves +cleverly of the least bit of cover; but when you hear a short sharp cry, +it is a sign that the poor weka is nearly done, and the next thing you +see is Fly shaking a bundle of brown feathers vehemently. All the dogs +are trained to hunt these birds, as they are a great torment, sucking +eggs and killing chickens; but still I could not help feeling sorry when +Fly, having disposed of the mother, returned to the flax-bush out of +which he had started her, and killed several baby-wekas by successive +taps of his paw. + +I have wandered away from my account of the picnic in the most +unjustifiable manner. The gentlemen were toiling up the hill, after we +had crossed the creek, carrying the big basket by turns between them; +it was really hard work, and I must tell you in confidence, that I don't +believe they liked it--at least I can answer for one. I laughed at them +for not enjoying their task, and assured them that I was looking forward +with pleasure to washing up the plates and dishes after our luncheon; +but I found that they had all been obliged, in the early days of the +colony, to work at domestic drudgery in grim and grimy earnest, so it +had lost the charm of novelty which it still possessed for me. + +As soon as we reached a pretty sheltered spot half-way up the hill among +some trees and ferns, and by the side of the creek, we unpacked the +basket, and began collecting dry wood for a fire: we soon had a splendid +blaze under the lee of a fine rock, and there we boiled our kettle and +our potatoes. The next thing was to find a deep hole in the creek, so +over-shadowed by rocks and trees that the water would be icy cold: in +this we put the champagne to cool. The result of all our preparations +was a capital luncheon, eaten in a most romantic spot, with a lovely +view before us, and the creek just like a Scotch burn, hurrying and +tumbling down the hill-side to join the broader stream in the valley. +After luncheon, the gentlemen considered themselves entitled to rest, +lying lazily back among the fern and smoking, whilst we ladies sat a +little apart and chatted: I was busy learning to knit. Then, about five, +we had the most delicious cup of tea I ever tasted, and we repacked the +basket (it was very light now, I assure you), and made our way back to +the top of the terrace, put the horses in again, and so home. It was +a long, bright, summer holiday, and we enjoyed it thoroughly. After a +voyage, such an expedition as this is full of delight; every tree and +bird is a source of pleasure. + + + + +Letter V: A pastoral letter. + + +Heathstock, December 1st, 1865. All I can find to tell you this month is +that I have seen one of the finest and best wool-sheds in the country +in full work. Anything about sheep is as new to you as it is to me, so I +shall begin my story at the very beginning. + +I am afraid you will think us a very greedy set of people in this part +of the world, for eating seems to enter so largely into my letters; but +the fact is--and I may as well confess it at once--I am in a chronic +state of hunger; it is the fault of the fine air and the outdoor life: +and then how one sleeps at night! I don't believe you really know +in England what it is to be sleepy as we feel sleepy here; and it +is delightful to wake up in the morning with the sort of joyous +light-heartedness which only young children have. The expedition I +am going to relate may fairly be said to have begun with eating, +for although we started for our twelve miles' drive over the downs +immediately after an excellent and somewhat late breakfast, yet by the +time we reached the Home Station we were quite ready for luncheon. All +the work connected with the sheep is carried on here. The manager has +a nice house; and the wool-shed, men's huts, dip, etc., are near each +other. It is the busiest season of the year, and no time could be +spared to prepare for us; we therefore contented ourselves with what was +described to me as ordinary station fare, and I must tell you what they +gave us: first, a tureen of real mutton-broth, not hot water and chopped +parsley, but excel-lent thick soup, with plenty of barley and meat in +it; this had much the same effect on our appetites as the famous treacle +and brimstone before breakfast in "Nicholas Nickleby," so that we were +only able to manage a few little sheeps' tongues, slightly pickled; and +very nice _they_ were; then we finished with a Devonshire junket, with +clotted cream _a discretion_. Do you think we were much to be pitied? + +After this repast we were obliged to rest a little before we set out +for the wool-shed, which has only been lately finished, and has all the +newest improvements. At first I am "free to confess" that I did not like +either its sounds or sights; the other two ladies turned very pale, but +I was determined to make myself bear it, and after a moment or two I +found it quite possible to proceed with Mr. L----round the "floor." +There were about twenty-five shearers at work, and everything seemed to +be very systematically and well arranged. Each shearer has a trap-door +close to him, out of which he pushes his sheep as soon as the fleece is +off, and there are little pens outside, so that the manager can notice +whether the poor animal has been too much cut with the shears, or badly +shorn in any other respect, and can tell exactly which shearer is to +blame. Before this plan was adopted it was hopeless to try to find out +who was the delinquent, for no one would acknowledge to the least snip. +A good shearer can take off 120 fleeces in a day, but the average is +about 80 to each man. They get one pound per hundred, and are found in +everything, having as much tea and sugar, bread and mutton, as they can +consume, and a cook entirely to themselves; they work at least fourteen +hours out of the twenty-four, and with such a large flock as this--about +50,000--must make a good deal. + +We next inspected the wool tables, to which two boys were incessantly +bringing armfuls of rolled-up fleeces; these were laid on the tables +before the wool-sorters, who opened them out, and pronounced in a moment +to which _bin_ they belonged; two or three men standing behind rolled +them up again rapidly, and put them on a sort of shelf divided into +compartments, which were each labelled, so that the quality and kind of +wool could be told at a glance. There was a constant emptying of these +bins into trucks to be carried off to the press, where we followed +to see the bales packed. The fleeces are tumbled in, and a heavy +screw-press forces them down till the bale--which is kept open in a +large square frame--is as full as it can hold. The top of canvas is then +put on, tightly sewn, four iron pins are removed and the sides of the +frame fall away, disclosing a most symmetrical bale ready to be hoisted +by a crane into the loft above, where it has the brand of the sheep +painted on it, its weight, and to what class the wool belongs. Of course +everything has to be done with great speed and system. + +I was much impressed by the silence in the shed; not a sound was to be +heard except the click of the shears, and the wool-sorter's decision as +he flings the fleece behind him, given in one, or at most two words. I +was reminded how touchingly true is that phrase, "Like as a sheep before +her shearers is dumb." All the noise is _outside_; there the hubbub, and +dust, and apparent confusion are great,--a constant succession of woolly +sheep being brought up to fill the "skillions" (from whence the shearers +take them as they want them), and the newly-shorn ones, white, clean, +and bewildered-looking, being turned out after they have passed through +a narrow passage, called a "race," where each sheep is branded, and has +its mouth examined in order to tell its age, which is marked in a book. +It was a comfort to think all their troubles were over, for a year. You +can hear nothing but barking and bleating, and this goes on from early +morning till dark. We peeped in at the men's huts--a long, low wooden +building, with two rows of "bunks" (berths, I should call their) in one +compartment, and a table with forms round it in the other, and piles of +tin plates and pannikins all about. The kitchen was near, and we were +just in time to see an enormous batch of bread withdrawn from a huge +brick oven: the other commissariat arrangements were on the same scale. +Cold tea is supplied all day long to the shearers, and they appear to +consume great quantities of it. + +Our last visit was to the Dip, and it was only a short one, for it +seemed a cruel process; unfortunately, this fine station is in technical +parlance "scabby," and although of course great precautions are taken, +still some 10,000 sheep had an ominous large S on them. These poor +sufferers are dragged down a plank into a great pit filled with hot +water, tobacco, and sulphur, and soused over head and ears two or three +times. This torture is repeated more than once. + +I was very glad to get away from the Dip, and back to the manager's +house, where we refreshed ourselves by a delicious cup of tea, and soon +after started for a nice long drive home in the cool, clear evening +air. The days are very hot, but never oppressive; and the mornings and +evenings are deliciously fresh and invigorating. You can remain out late +without the least danger. Malaria is unknown, and, in spite of the heavy +rains, there is no such thing as damp. Our way lay through very pretty +country--a series of terraces, with a range of mountains before us, with +beautiful changing and softening evening tints creeping over the whole. + +I am sorry to say, we leave this next week. I should like to explore a +great deal more. + + + + +Letter VI: Society.--houses and servants. + + +Christchurch, January 1866. I am beginning to get tired of Christchurch +already: but the truth is, I am not in a fair position to judge of it +as a place of residence; for, living temporarily, as we do, in a sort of +boarding-house, I miss the usual duties and occupations of home, and the +town itself has no place of public amusement except a little theatre, to +which it is much too hot to go. The last two weeks have been _the_ gay +ones of the whole year; the races have been going on for three days, and +there have been a few balls; but as a general rule, the society may +be said to be extremely stagnant. No dinner-parties are ever given--I +imagine, on account of the smallness of the houses and the inefficiency +of the servants; but every now and then there is an assembly ball +arranged, in the same way, I believe, as at watering-places in England +only, of course, on a much smaller scale. I have been at two or three +of these, and noticed at each a most undue preponderance of black coats. +Nearly all the ladies were married, there were very few young girls; and +it would be a great improvement to the Christchurch parties if some of +the pretty and partnerless groups of a London ball-room, in all their +freshness of toilette, could be transferred to them. What a sensation +they would make, and what terrible heart-aches among the young gentlemen +would be the result of such an importation! There were the same knots of +men standing together as at a London party, but I must say that, except +so far as their tailor is concerned, I think we have the advantage of +you, for the gentlemen lead such healthy lives that they all look more +or less bronzed and stalwart--in splendid condition, not like your pale +dwellers in cities; and then they come to a ball to dance, arriving +early so as to secure good partners, and their great ambition appears to +be to dance every dance from the first to the last. This makes it hard +work for the few ladies, who are not allowed to sit down for a moment, +and I have often seen a young and pretty partner obliged to divide her +dances between two gentlemen. + + +Although it tells only against myself, I must make you laugh at an +account of a snub I received at one of these balls. Early in the evening +I had danced with a young gentleman whose station was a long way "up +country," and who worked so hard on it that he very seldom found time +for even the mild dissipations of Christchurch; he was good-looking +and gentlemanly, and seemed clever and sensible, a little _brusque_, +perhaps, but one soon gets used to that here. During our quadrille he +confided to me that he hardly knew any ladies in the room, and that his +prospects of getting any dancing were in consequence very blank. I did +all I could to find partners for him, introducing him to every lady whom +I knew, but it was in vain; they would have been delighted to dance with +him, but their cards were filled. At the end of the evening, when I was +feeling thoroughly done up, and could hardly stand up for fatigue, my +poor friend came up and begged for another dance. I assured him I could +scarcely stand, but when he said in a _larmoyante_ voice, "I have only +danced once this evening, that quadrille with you," my heart softened, +and I thought I would make a great effort and try to get through one +more set of Lancers; my partner seemed so grateful, that the demon of +vanity, or coquetry, or whatever it is that prompts one to say absurd +things induced me to fish for a compliment, and to observe, "It was not +worth while taking all the trouble of riding such a distance to dance +only with me, was it?" Whereupon my poor, doleful friend answered, with +a deep sigh, and an accent of profound conviction, "No, indeed it was +_not_!" I leave you to imagine my discomfiture; but luckily he never +observed it, and I felt all the time that I richly deserved what I got, +for asking such a stupid question. + +The music at these balls is very bad, and though the principal room in +which they are given, at the Town Hall, is large and handsome, it is +poorly lighted, and the decorations are desolate in the extreme. I am +afraid this is not a very inviting picture of what is almost our only +opportunity of meeting together, but it is tolerably correct. Visiting +appears to be the business of some people's lives, but the acquaintance +does not seem to progress beyond incessant afternoon calls; we are +never asked inside a house, nor, as far as I can make out, is there any +private society whatever, and the public society consists, as I have +said, of a ball every now and then. + +My greatest interest and occupation consist in going to look at my +house, which is being cut out in Christchurch, and will be drayed to our +station next month, a journey of fifty miles. It is, of course, only of +wood, and seems about as solid as a band-box; but I am assured by the +builder that it will be a "most superior article" when it is all put +together. F---- and I made the little plan of it ourselves, regulating +the size of the drawing-room by the dimensions of the carpet we brought +out, and I petitioned for a little bay-window, which is to be added; so +on my last visit to his timber-yard, the builder said, with an air of +great dignity, "Would you wish to see the _h_oriel, mum?" The doors all +come ready-made from America, and most of the wood used in building is +the Kauri pine from the North Island. One advantage, at all events, in +having wooden houses is the extreme rapidity with which they are run up, +and there are no plastered walls to need drying. For a long time we were +very uncertain where, and what, we should build on our station; but only +six weeks after we made up our minds, a house is almost ready for us. +The boards are sawn into the requisite lengths by machinery; and all the +carpentering done down here; the frame will only require to be fitted +together when it reaches its destination, and it is a very good time of +year for building, as the wool drays are all going back empty, and we +can get them to take the loads at reduced prices; but even with this +help, it is enormously expensive to move a small house fifty miles, the +last fifteen over bad roads; it is collar-work for the poor horses all +the way, Christchurch being only nine feet above the sea-level, while +our future home in the Malvern Hills is twelve hundred. + +You know we brought all our furniture out with us, and even papers for +the rooms, just because we happened to have everything; but I should not +recommend any one to do so, for the expense of carriage, though moderate +enough by sea (in a wool ship), is enormous as soon as it reaches +Lyttleton, and goods have to be dragged up country by horses or +bullocks. There are very good shops where you can buy everything, and +besides these there are constant sales by auction where, I am told, +furniture fetches a price sometimes under its English value. House rent +about Christchurch is very high. We looked at some small houses in and +about the suburbs of the town, when we were undecided about our plans, +and were offered the most inconvenient little dwellings, with rooms +which were scarcely bigger than cupboards, for 200 pounds a year; we +saw nothing at a lower price than this, and any house of a better class, +standing in a nicely arranged shrubbery, is at least 300 pounds per +annum. Cab-hire is another thing which seems to me disproportionately +dear, as horses are very cheap; there are no small fares, half-a-crown +being the lowest "legal tender" to a cabman; and I soon gave up +returning visits when I found that to make a call in a Hansom three +or four miles out of the little town cost one pound or one pound ten +shillings, even remaining only a few minutes at the house. + +All food (except mutton) appears to be as nearly as possible at London +prices; but yet every one looks perfectly well-fed, and actual want is +unknown. Wages of all sorts are high, and employment, a certainty. The +look and bearing of the immigrants appear to alter soon after they reach +the colony. Some people object to the independence of their manner, but +I do not; on the contrary, I like to see the upright gait, the well-fed, +healthy look, the decent clothes (even if no one touches his hat to +you), instead of the half-starved, depressed appearance, and too often +cringing servility of the mass of our English population. Scotchmen do +particularly well out here; frugal and thrifty, hard-working and sober, +it is easy to predict the future of a man of this type in a new country. +Naturally, the whole tone of thought and feeling is almost exclusively +practical; even in a morning visit there is no small-talk. I find no +difficulty in obtaining the useful information upon domestic subjects +which I so much need; for it is sad to discover, after all my +house-keeping experience, that I am still perfectly ignorant. Here it is +necessary to know _how_ everything should be done; it is not sufficient +to give an order, you must also be in a position to explain how it is to +be carried out I felt quite guilty when I saw the picture in _Punch_ the +other day, of a young and inexperienced matron requesting her cook "not +to put any lumps into the melted butter," and reflected that I did +not know how lumps should be kept out; so, as I am fortunate enough to +number among my new friends a lady who is as clever in these culinary +details as she is bright and charming in society, I immediately went +to her for a lesson in the art of making melted butter without putting +lumps into it. + +The great complaint, the never-ending subject of comparison and +lamentation among ladies, is the utter ignorance and inefficiency of +their female servants. As soon as a ship comes in it is besieged with +people who want servants, but it is very rare to get one who knows how +to do anything as it ought to be done. Their lack of all knowledge of +the commonest domestic duties is most surprising, and makes one wonder +who in England did the necessary things of daily cottage life for them, +for they appear to have done nothing for themselves hitherto. As for a +woman knowing how to cook, that seems the very last accomplishment they +acquire; a girl will come to you as a housemaid at 25 pounds per annum, +and you will find that she literally does not know how to hold her +broom, and has never handled a duster. When you ask a nurse her +qualifications for the care of perhaps two or three young children, you +may find, on close cross-examination, that she can recollect having +once or twice "held mother's baby," and that she is very firm in +her determination that "you'll keep baby yourself o' nights; mem!" A +perfectly inexperienced girl of this sort will ask, and get, 30 pounds +or 35 pounds per annum, a cook from 35 pounds to 40 pounds; and when +they go "up country," they hint plainly they shall not stay long with +you, and ask higher wages, stipulating with great exactness how they are +to be conveyed free of all expense to and from their place. + +Then, on the other hand, I must say they work desperately hard, and very +cheerfully: I am amazed how few servants are kept even in the large and +better class of houses. As a general rule, they, appear willing enough +to learn, and I hear no complaints of dishonesty or immorality, though +many moans are made of the rapidity with which a nice tidy young woman +is snapped up as a wife; but that is a complaint no one can sympathise +with. On most stations a married couple is kept; the man either to act +as shepherd, or to work in the garden and look after the cows, and +the woman is supposed to attend to the indoor comforts of the wretched +bachelor-master: but she generally requires to be taught how to bake a +loaf of bread, and boil a potato, as well as how to cook mutton in the +simplest form. In her own cottage at home, who did all these things for +her? These incapables are generally perfectly helpless and awkward at +the wash-tub; no one seems to expect servants to know their business, +and it is very fortunate if they show any capability of learning. + +I must end my long letter by telling you a little story of my own +personal experience in the odd ways of these girls. The housemaid at the +boarding-house where we have stayed since we left Heathstock is a fat, +sonsy, good-natured girl, perfectly ignorant and stupid, but she has not +been long in the colony, and seems willing to learn. She came to me the +other day, and, without the least circumlocution or hesitation, asked +me if I would lend her my riding-habit as a pattern to give the tailor; +adding that she wanted my best and newest. As soon as I could speak +for amazement, I naturally asked why; she said she had been given a +riding-horse, that she had loaned a saddle, and bought a hat, so now she +had nothing on her mind except the habit; and further added, that she +intended to leave her situation the day before the races, and that it +was "her fixed intent" to appear on horseback each day, and all day +long, at these said races. I inquired if she knew how to ride? No; +she had never mounted any animal in her life. I suggested that she had +better take some lessons before her appearance in public; but she said +her mistress did not like to spare her to "practise," and she stuck +steadily to her point of wanting my habit as a pattern. I could not lend +it to her, fortunately, for it had been sent up to the station with my +saddle, etc.; so had she been killed, as I thought not at all unlikely, +at least my conscience would not have reproached me for aiding and +abetting her equestrian freak. I inquired from every one who went to the +races if they saw or heard of any accident to a woman on horseback, and +I most anxiously watched the newspapers to see if they contained any +notice of the sort, but as there has been no mention of any catastrophe, +I suppose she has escaped safely. Her horse must have been quieter and +better broken than they generally are. F---- says that probably it was a +very old "station screw." I trust so, for her sake! + + + + +Letter VII: A young colonist.--the town and its neighbourhood. + + +Christchurch, March 1866. I must begin my letter this mail with a piece +of domestic news, and tell you of the appearance of your small nephew, +now three weeks old. The youth seems inclined to adapt himself to +circumstances, and to be as sturdy and independent as colonial children +generally are. All my new friends and neighbours proved most kind and +friendly, and were full of good offices. Once I happened to say that I +did not like the food as it was cooked at the boarding-house; and the +next day, and for many days after, all sorts of dainties were sent to +me, prepared by hands which were as skilful on the piano, or with a +pencil, as they were in handling a saucepan. New books were lent to me, +and I was never allowed to be without a beautiful bouquet. One young +lady used constantly to walk in to town, some two or three miles along a +hot and dusty road, laden with flowers for me, just because she saw how +thoroughly I enjoyed her roses and carnations. Was it not good of her? + +Christchurch has relapsed into the quietude, to call it by no harsher +name. The shearing is finished all over the country, and the "squatters" +(as owners of sheep-stations are called) have returned to their stations +to vegetate, or work, as their tastes and circumstances may dictate. +Very few people live in the town except the tradespeople; the +professional men prefer little villas two or three miles off. These +houses stand in grounds of their own, and form a very pretty approach to +Christchurch, extending a few miles on all sides: There are large trees +bordering most of the streets, which give a very necessary shade in +summer; they are nearly all English sorts, and have only been planted +within a few years. Poplars, willows, and the blue gum grow quickest, +are least affected by the high winds, and are therefore the most +popular. The banks of the pretty little river Avon, upon which +Christchurch is built, are thickly fringed with weeping willows, +interspersed with a few other trees, and with clumps of tohi, which is +exactly like the Pampas grass you know so well in English shrubberies. +I don't think I have ever told you that it has been found necessary here +to legislate against water-cress. It was introduced a few years since, +and has spread so rapidly as to become a perfect nuisance, choking every +ditch in the neighbourhood of Christchurch, blocking up mill-streams, +causing meadows to be flooded, and doing all kinds of mischief. + +Towards Riccarton, about four miles out of town, the Avon shows like a +slender stream a few inches wide, moving sluggishly between thick beds +of water-cress, which at this time of year are a mass of white blossom. +It looks so perfectly solid that whenever I am at Ilam, an insane desire +to step on it comes over me, much to F----'s alarm, who says he is +afraid to let me out of his sight, lest I should attempt to do so. +I have only seen one native "bush" or forest yet, and that is at +Riccarton. This patch of tall, gaunt pines serves as a landmark for +miles. Riccarton is one of the oldest farms in the colony, and I am told +it possesses a beautiful garden. I can only see the gable-end of a house +peeping out from among the trees as I pass. This bush is most carefully +preserved, but I believe that every high wind injures it. + +Christchurch is very prettily situated; for although it stands on a +perfectly flat plain, towards the sea there are the Port Hills, and the +town itself is picturesque, owing to the quantities of trees and the +irregular form of the wooden houses; and as a background we have +the most magnificent chain of mountains--the back-bone of the +island--running from north to south, the highest peaks nearly always +covered with snow, even after such a hot summer as this has been. The +climate is now delicious, answering in time of year to your September; +but we have far more enjoyable weather than your autumns can boast of. +If the atmosphere were no older than the date of the settlement of the +colony, it could not feel more _youthful_, it is so light and bright, +and exhilarating! The one drawback, and the only one, is the north-west +wind; and the worst of it is, that it blows very often from this +point. However, I am assured that I have not yet seen either a "howling +nor'-wester," nor its exact antithesis, "a sutherly buster." + +We have lately been deprived of the amusement of going to see our house +during the process of cutting it out, as it has passed that stage, and +has been packed on drays and sent to the station, with two or three +men to put it up. It was preceded by two dray-loads of small rough-hewn +stone piles, which are first let into the ground six or eight feet +apart: the foundation joists rest on these, so as just to keep the +flooring from touching the earth. I did not like this plan (which is the +usual one) at all, as it seemed to me so insecure for the house to +rest only on these stones. I told the builder that I feared a strong +"nor'-wester" (and I hear they are particularly strong in the Malvern +Hills) would blow the whole affair away. He did not scout the idea as +much as I could have wished, but held out hopes to me that the roof +would "kep it down." I shall never dare to trust the baby out of my +sight, lest he should be blown away; and I have a plan for securing his +cradle, by putting large heavy stones in it, somewhere out of his way, +so that he need not be hurt by them. Some of the houses are built of +"cob," especially those erected in the very early days, when sawn timber +was rare and valuable: this material is simply wet clay with chopped +tussocks stamped in. It makes very thick walls, and they possess the +great advantage of being cool in summer and warm in winter. Whilst the +house is new nothing can be nicer; but, in a few years, the hot winds +dry up the clay so much, that it becomes quite pulverized; and a lady +who lives in one of these houses told me, that during a high wind she +had often seen the dust from the walls blowing in clouds about the +rooms, despite of the canvas and paper, and with all the windows +carefully closed. + +Next week F---- is going up to the station, to unpack and arrange a +little, and baby and I are going to be taken care of at Ilam, the most +charming place I have yet seen. I am looking forward to my visit there +with great pleasure. + + + + +Letter VIII: Pleasant days at Ilam. + + +Ilam, April 1866. We leave this to-morrow for the station in the most +extraordinary conveyance you ever saw. Imagine a flat tray with two low +seats in it, perched on four very high wheels, quite innocent of any +step or means of clambering in and out, and drawn, tandem-fashion, +by two stout mares; one of which has a little foal by her side. The +advantage of this vehicle is that it is very light, and holds a good +deal of luggage. We hope to accomplish the distance--fifty miles--in a +day, easily. + +Although this is not my first visit to Ilam, I don't think I have ever +described it to you. The house is of wood, two storeys high, and came +out from England! It is built on a brick foundation, which is quite +unusual here. Inside, it is exactly like a most charming English house, +and when I first stood in the drawing-room it was difficult to believe: +that I was at the other end of the world. All the newest books, papers, +and periodicals covered the tables, the newest music lay on the piano, +whilst a profusion of English greenhouse flowers in Minton's loveliest +vases added to the illusion. The Avon winds through the grounds, which +are very pretty, and are laid out in the English fashion; but in spite +of the lawn with its croquet-hoops and sticks, and the beds of flowers +in all their late summer beauty, there is a certain absence of the +stiffness and trimness of English pleasure-grounds, which shows that +you have escaped from the region of conventionalities. There are thick +clumps of plantations, which have grown luxuriantly, and look as if they +had always been there. A curve of the opposite bank is a dense mass of +native flax bushes, with their tall spikes of red blossom filling +the air with a scent of honey, and attracting all the bees in the +neighbourhood. Ti-ti palms are dotted here and there, and give a foreign +and tropical appearance to the whole. There is a large kitchen garden +and orchard, with none of the restrictions of high walls and locked +gates which fence your English peaches and apricots. + +The following is our receipt for killing time at Ilam:--After breakfast, +take the last _Cornhill_ or _Macmillan_, put on a shady hat, and sit or +saunter by the river-side under the trees, gathering any very tempting +peach or apricot or plum or pear, until luncheon; same thing until five +o'clock tea; then cross the river by a rustic bridge, ascend some turf +steps to a large terrace-like meadow, sheltered from the north-west +winds by a thick belt of firs, blue gums, and poplars, and play croquet +on turf as level as a billiard-table until dinner. At these games the +cockatoo always assists, making himself very busy, waddling after his +mistress all over the field, and climbing up her mallet whenever he +has an opportunity. "Dr. Lindley"--so called from his taste for pulling +flowers to pieces--apparently for botanical purposes--is the tamest and +most affectionate of birds, and I do not believe he ever bit any one in +his life; he will allow himself to be pulled about, turned upside down, +scratched under his wings, all with the greatest indifference, or rather +with the most positive enjoyment. One evening I could not play croquet +for laughing at his antics. He took a sudden dislike to a little rough +terrier, and hunted him fairly off the ground at last, chasing him all +about, barking at him, and digging his beak into the poor dog's paw. But +the "Doctor's" best performance is when he imitates a hawk. He reserves +this fine piece of acting until his mistress is feeding her poultry; +then, when all the hens and chickens, turkeys, and pigeons are in the +quiet enjoyment of their breakfast or supper, the peculiar shrill cry +of a hawk is heard overhead, and the Doctor is seen circling in the air, +uttering a scream occasionally. The fowls never find out that it is a +hoax, but run to shelter, cackling in the greatest alarm--hens clucking +loudly for their chicks, turkeys crouching under the bushes, the pigeons +taking refuge in their house; as soon as the ground is quite clear, +Cocky changes his wild note for peals of laughter from a high tree, +and finally alighting on the top of a hen-coop filled with trembling +chickens, remarks in a suffocated voice, "You'll be the death of me." + +I must reverse the proverb about the ridiculous and the sublime, and +finish my letter by telling you of Ilam's chief outdoor charm: from +all parts of the garden and grounds I can feast my eyes on the glorious +chain of mountains which I have before told you of, and my bedroom +window has a perfect panoramic view of them. I watch them under all +their changes of tint, and find each new phase the most beautiful. In +the very early morning I have often stood shivering at my window to see +the noble outline gradually assuming shape, and finally standing out +sharp and clear against a dazzling sky; then, as the sun rises, the +softest rose-coloured and golden tints touch the highest peaks, the +shadows deepening by the contrast. Before a "nor'-wester" the colours +over these mountains and in the sky are quite indescribable; no one but +Turner could venture upon such a mixture of pale sea-green with deep +turquoise blue, purple with crimson and orange. One morning an arch-like +appearance in the clouds over the furthest ranges was pointed out to me +as the sure forerunner of a violent gale from the north-west, and the +prognostic was fulfilled. It was formed of clouds of the deepest and +richest colours; within its curve lay a bare expanse of a wonderful +green tint, crossed by the snowy _silhouette_ of the Southern Alps. +A few hours afterwards the mountains were quite hidden by mist, and a +furious gale of hot wind was shaking the house as if it must carry it +off into the sky; it blew so continuously that the trees and shrubs +never seemed to rise for a moment against it. + +These hot winds affect infants and children a good deal, and my baby is +not at all well. However, his doctor thinks the change to the station +will set him all right again, so we are hurrying off much sooner than +our kind friends here wish, and long before the little house in the +hills can possibly be made comfortable, though F---- is working very +hard to get things settled for us. + + + + +Letter IX: Death in our new home--New Zealand children. + + +Broomielaw, Malvern Hills, May 1866. I do not like to allow the first +Panama steamer to go without a line from me: this is the only letter I +shall attempt, and it will be but a short and sad one, for we are still +in the first bitterness of grief for the loss of our dear little baby. +After I last wrote to you he became very ill, but we hoped that his +malady was only caused by the unhealthiness of Christchurch during the +autumn, and that he would soon revive and get on well in this pure, +beautiful mountain air. We consequently hurried here as soon as ever we +could get into the house, and whilst the carpenters were still in it. +Indeed, there was only one bedroom ready for us when I arrived. The +poor little man rallied at first amazingly; the weather was exquisitely +bright and sunny, and yet bracing. Baby was to be kept in the open air +as much as possible, so F---- and I spent our days out on the downs near +the house, carrying our little treasure by turns: but all our care was +fruitless: he got another and more violent attack about a fortnight ago, +and after a few hours of suffering he was taken to the land where pain +is unknown. During the last twelve hours of his life, as I sat before +the fire with him on my lap, poor F----kneeling in a perfect agony of +grief by my side, my greatest comfort was in looking at that exquisite +photograph from Kehren's picture of the "Good Shepherd," which hangs +over my bedroom mantelpiece, and thinking that our sweet little lamb +would soon be folded in those Divine, all-embracing Arms. It is not +a common picture; and the expression of the Saviour's face is most +beautiful, full of such immense feminine compassion and tenderness that +it makes me feel more vividly, "In all our sorrows He is afflicted." In +such a grief as this I find the conviction of the reality and depth of +the Divine sympathy is my only true comfort; the tenderest human love +falls short of the feeling that, without any words to express our +sorrow, God knows all about it; that He would not willingly afflict or +grieve us, and that therefore the anguish which wrings our hearts is +absolutely necessary in some mysterious way for our highest good. I fear +I have often thought lightly of others' trouble in the loss of so young +a child; but now I know what it is. Does it not seem strange and sad, +that this little house in a distant, lonely spot, no sooner becomes a +home than it is baptized, as it were, with tears? No doubt there are +bright and happy days in store for us yet, but these first ones here +have been sadly darkened by this shadow of death. Inanimate things have +such a terrible power to wound one: though everything which would remind +me of Baby has been carefully removed and hidden away by F----'s orders, +still now and then I come across some trifle belonging to him, and, as +Miss Ingelow says-- + + "My old sorrow wakes and cries." + +Our loss is one too common out here, I am told: infants born in +Christchurch during the autumn very often die. Owing to the flatness of +the site of the town, it is almost impossible to get a proper system of +drainage; and the arrangements seem very bad, if you are to judge from +the evil smells which are abroad in the evening. Children who are born +on a station, or taken there as soon as possible, almost invariably +thrive, but babies are very difficult to rear in the towns. If they get +over the first year, they do well; and I cannot really call to mind a +single sickly, or even delicate-looking child among the swarms which one +sees everywhere. + +I cannot say that I think colonial children prepossessing in either +manners or appearance, in spite of their ruddy cheeks and sturdy limbs. +Even quite little things are pert and independent, and give me the idea +of being very much spoiled. When you reflect on the utter absence of any +one who can really be called a nurse, this is not to be wondered at. The +mothers are thoroughly domestic and devoted to their home duties, far +more so than the generality of the same class at home. An English lady, +with even an extremely moderate income, would look upon her colonial +sister as very hard-worked indeed. The children cannot be entrusted +entirely to the care of an ignorant girl, and the poor mother has +them with her all day long; if she goes out to pay visits (the only +recognized social duty here), she has to take the elder children with +her, but this early introduction into society does not appear to polish +the young visitors' manners in the least. There is not much rest at +night for the mater-familias with the inevitable baby, and it is of +course very difficult for her to be correcting small delinquents all day +long; so they grow up with what manners nature gives them. There seems +to me, however, to be a greater amount of real domestic happiness out +here than at home: perhaps the want of places of public amusement may +have something to do with this desirable state of affairs, but the homes +seem to be thoroughly happy ones. A married man is an object of envy +to his less fortunate brethren, and he appears anxious to show that +he appreciates his good fortune. As for scandal, in the ordinary +acceptation of the word, it is unknown; gossip there is in plenty, but +it generally refers to each other's pecuniary arrangements or trifling +peculiarities, and is all harmless enough. I really believe that the +life most people lead here is as simple and innocent as can well be +imagined. Each family is occupied in providing for its own little daily +wants and cares, which supplies the mind and body with healthy and +legitimate employment, and yet, as my experience tells me, they have +plenty of leisure to do a kind turn for a neighbour. This is the bright +side of colonial life, and there is more to be said in its praise; but +the counterbalancing drawback is, that the people seem gradually to lose +the sense of larger and wider interests; they have little time to keep +pace with the general questions of the day, and anything like sympathy +or intellectual appreciation is very rare. I meet accomplished people, +but seldom well-read ones; there is also too much talk about money: +"where the treasure is, there will the heart be also;" and the incessant +financial discussions are wearisome, at least to me. + + + + +Letter X: Our station home. + + +Broomielaw, July 1866. We are now in mid-winter, and a more delicious +season cannot well be imagined; the early mornings and evenings and +the nights are very cold, but the hours from 10 A.M. till 5 P.M. are +exquisitely bright, and quite warm. We are glad of a fire at breakfast, +which is tolerably early, but we let it out and never think of +relighting it until dark. Above all, it is calm: I congratulate myself +daily on the stillness of the atmosphere, but F---- laughs and says, +"Wait until the spring." I bask all day in the verandah, carrying my +books and work there soon after breakfast; as soon as the sun goes down, +however, it becomes very cold. In an English house you would hardly feel +it, but with only one plank an inch thick, a lining-board and canvas and +paper, between you and a hard frost, a good fire is wanted. We burn coal +found twelve miles from this; it is not very good, being only what +is called "lignite." I don't know if that conveys to you a distinct +impression of what it really is. I should say it was a better sort +of turf: it smoulders just in the same way, and if not disturbed will +remain many hours alight; it requires a log of dry wood with it to +make a really good blaze. Fuel is most difficult to get here, and very +expensive, as we have no available "bush" on the Run; so we have first +to take out a licence for cutting wood in the Government bush, then +to employ men to cut it, and hire a drayman who possesses a team of +bullocks and a dray of his own, to fetch it to us: he can only take two +journeys a day, as he has four miles to travel each way, so that by the +time the wood is stacked it costs us at least thirty shillings a cord, +and then there is the labour of sawing and cutting it up. The coal costs +us one pound a ton at the mouth of the pit, and the carriage exactly +doubles its price; besides which it is impossible to get more, than a +small quantity at a time, on account of the effect of the atmosphere on +it. Exposure to the air causes it to crumble into dust, and although we +keep our supply in a little shed for the purpose, it is wasted to the +extent of at least a quarter of each load. We are unusually unfortunate +in the matter of firing; most stations have a bush near to the +homestead, or greater facilities for draying than we possess. + +You tell me to describe my little house to you, so I must try to make +you see it, only prefacing my attempt by warning you not to be disgusted +or disappointed at any shortcomings. The house has not been built in +a pretty situation, as many other things had to be considered before +a picturesque site: first it was necessary to build on a flat (as the +valleys here are called), not too far off the main track, on account of +having to make the road to it ourselves; the next thing to be thought +of was shelter from the north-west wind; then the soil must be fit for +a garden, and a good creek, or brook, which would not go dry in the +summer, close at hand. At present, everything out of doors is so +unfinished that the place looks rather desolate, and it will be some +years before our plantations can attain a respectable size, even +allowing for the rapid growth in this climate. The first step is to +obtain shelter from our enemy the "nor'-wester," and for this purpose we +have planted quantities of broom in all directions; even the large beds +for vegetables in the garden have a hedge of Cape broom on the exposed +side; fortunately, the broom grows very quickly in spite of the wind, +and attains to a luxuriant beauty rarely seen in England. We have put in +many other trees, such as oaks, maples, etc., but not one is higher than +this table, except a few poplars; the ground immediately outside the +house has been dug up, and is awaiting the spring to be sown with +English grass; we have no attempt at a flower-garden yet, but have +devoted our energies to the vegetable one,--putting in fruit trees, +preparing strawberry and asparagus beds, and other useful things. Out +of doors matters would not even be as far advanced towards a garden and +plantation as they are if we had commenced operations ourselves, but +the ground has been worked since last year. I am glad we have chosen to +build our house here instead of at the homestead two miles off; for I +like to be removed from the immediate neighbourhood of all the work of +the station, especially from that of the "gallows,"--a high wooden frame +from which the carcases of the butchered sheep dangle; under the present +arrangement the shepherd brings us over our mutton as we want it. + +Inside the house everything is comfortable and pretty, and, above all +things, looks thoroughly home-like. Out of the verandah you pass through +a little hall hung with whips and sticks, spurs and hats, and with a +bookcase full of novels at one end of it, into a dining-room, large +enough for us, with more books in every available corner, the prints +you know so well on the walls, and a trophy of Indian swords and +hunting-spears over the fireplace: this leads into the drawing-room, a +bright, cheery little room--more books and pictures, and a writing-table +in the "_h_oriel." In that tall, white, classical-shaped vase of +Minton's which you helped me to choose is the most beautiful bouquet, +made entirely of ferns; it is a constant object for my walks up the +gullies, exploring little patches of bush to search for the ferns, which +grow abundantly under their shelter by the creek. I have a small but +comfortable bedroom, and there is a little dressing-room for F---- and +the tiniest spare room you ever saw; it really is not bigger than the +cabin of a ship. I think the kitchen is the chief glory of the house, +boasting a "Leamington range" a luxury quite unknown in these parts, +where all the cooking is done on an American stove,--a very good thing +in its way, but requiring to be constantly attended to. There is a +good-sized storeroom, in which F---- has just finished putting me up +some cupboards, and a servants' room. It is not a palace is it? But it +is quite large enough to hold a great deal of happiness. Outside, the +premises are still more diminutive; a little wash-house stands near the +kitchen door, and further up the enclosure is a stable, and a small room +next it for saddles, and a fowl-house and pig-stye, and a coal-shed. Now +you know everything about my surroundings; but--there is always a +_but_ in everything--I have one great grievance, and I hope you will +appreciate its magnitude. + +It was impossible for F---- to come up here when the house was first +commenced, and the wretch of a builder deliberately put the drawing-and +dining-room fireplaces in the corner, right up against the partition +wall, of course utterly destroying the comfort as well as the symmetry +of the rooms. I am convinced some economy of bricks is at the bottom of +this arrangement, especially as the house was built by contract; but the +builder pretends to be surprised that I don't admire it, and says, "Why, +it's so oncommon, mum!" I assure you, when I first saw the ridiculous +appearance of the drawing-room pier-glass in the corner, I should +liked to have screamed out at the builder (like the Queen in "Alice in +Wonderland"), "Cut off his head!" + +When we were packing up the things to come here, our friends expressed +their astonishment at our taking so many of the little elegancies of +life, such as drawing-room ornaments, pictures, etc. Now it is a great +mistake not to bring such things, at all events a few of them, for they +are not to be bought here, and they give the new home a certain likeness +to the old one which is always delightful. I do not advise people to +make large purchases of elegancies for a colonial life, but a few pretty +little trifles will greatly improve the look of even a New Zealand +up-country drawing-room. + +You have asked me also about our wardrobes. Gentlemen wear just what +they would on a Scotch or English farm; in summer they require perhaps +a lighter hat, and long rides are always taken in boots and breeches. +A lady wears exactly what would be suitable in the country in England, +except that I should advise her to eschew muslin; the country outside +the home paddock is too rough for thin material; she also wants thick +boots if she is a good walker, and I find nails or little screws in the +soles a great help for hill-walking. A hat is my only difficulty: you +really want a shady hat for a protection against the sun, but there are +very few days in the year on which you can ride in anything but a +close, small hat, with hardly any brim at all, and even this must have +capabilities of being firmly fastened on the head. My nice, wide-brimmed +Leghorn hangs idly in the hall: there is hardly a morning still enough +to induce me to put it on even to go and feed my chickens or potter +about the garden. This being winter, I live in a short linsey dress, +which is just right as to warmth, and not heavy. It is a mistake to +bring too much: a year's supply will be quite enough; fresh material can +easily be procured in Christchurch or any of the large towns, or sent +out by friends. I find my sewing-machine the greatest possible comfort, +and as time passes on and my clothes need remodelling it will be still +more use ful. Hitherto I have used it chiefly for my friends' benefit; +whilst I was in town I constantly had little frocks brought to me to +tuck, and here I employ it in making quilted cloth hats for my gentlemen +neighbours. + + + + +Letter XI: Housekeeping, and other matters. + + +Broomielaw, September 1866. I am writing to you at the end of a +fortnight of very hard work, for I have just gone through my first +experience in changing servants; those I brought up with me four +months ago were nice, tidy girls and as a natural consequence of these +attractive qualities they have both left me to be married. I sent them +down to Christchurch in the dray, and made arrangements for two more +servants to return in the same conveyance at the end of a week. In the +meantime we had to do everything for ourselves, and on the whole we +found this picnic life great fun. The household consists, besides F---- +and me, of a cadet, as they are called--he is a clergyman's son learning +sheep-farming under our auspices--and a boy who milks the cows and +does odd jobs out of doors. We were all equally ignorant of practical +cookery, so the chief responsibility rested on my shoulders, and cost me +some very anxious moments, I assure you, for a cookery-book is after all +but a broken reed to lean on in a real emergency; it starts by assuming +that its unhappy student possesses a knowledge of at least the rudiments +of the art, whereas it ought not to disdain to tell you whether the +water in which potatoes are to be boiled should be hot or cold. I must +confess that some of my earliest efforts were both curious and nasty, +but E ate my numerous failures with the greatest good-humour; the only +thing at which he made a wry face was some soup into which a large lump +of washing-soda had mysteriously conveyed itself; and I also had to +undergo a good deal of "chaff" about my first omelette, which was of the +size and consistency of a roly-poly pudding. Next to these failures +I think the bread was my greatest misfortune; it went wrong from the +first. One night I had prepared the tin dish full of flour, made a hole +in the midst of the soft white heap, and was about to pour in a cupful +of yeast to be mixed with warm water (you see I know all about it in +theory), when a sudden panic seized me, and I was afraid to draw the +cork of the large champagne bottle full of yeast, which appeared to be +very much "up." In this dilemma I went for F----. You must know that he +possesses such extraordinary and revolutionary theories on the subject +of cooking, that I am obliged to banish him from the kitchen altogether, +but on this occasion I thought I should be glad of his assistance. He +came with the greatest alacrity; assured me he knew all about it, seized +the big bottle, shook it violently, and twitched out the cork: there was +a report like a pistol-shot, and all my beautiful yeast flew up to the +ceiling of the kitchen, descending in a shower on my head; and F---- +turned the bottle upside down over the flour, emptying the dregs of the +hops and potatoes into my unfortunate bread. However, I did not despair, +but mixed it up according to the directions given, and placed it on the +stove; but, as it turned out, in too warm a situation, for when I went +early the next morning to look at it, I found a very dry and crusty +mass. Still, nothing daunted, I persevered in the attempt, added more +flour and water, and finally made it up into loaves, which I deposited +in the oven. That bread _never_ baked! I tried it with a knife in +the orthodox manner, always to find that it was raw inside. The crust +gradually became several inches thick, but the inside remained damp, and +turned quite black at last; I baked it until midnight, and then I gave +it up and retired to bed in deep disgust. I had no more yeast and +could not try again, so we lived on biscuits and potatoes till the dray +returned at the end of the week, bringing, however, only one servant. +Owing to some confusion in the drayman's arrangements, the cook had been +left behind, and "Meary," the new arrival, professed her willingness to +supply her place; but on trial being made of her abilities, she proved +to be quite as inexperienced as I was; and to each dish I proposed she +should attempt, the unvarying answer was, "The missis did all that where +I come from." During the first few days after her arrival her +chief employment was examining the various knick-knacks about the +drawing-room; in her own department she was greatly taken with the +little cottage mangle. She mangled her own apron about twenty times a +day, and after each attempt I found her contemplating it with her head +on one side, and saying to herself, "'Deed, thin, it's as smooth as +smooth; how iver does it do it?" A few days later the cook arrived. +She is not all I could wish, being also Irish, and having the most +extraordinary notions of the use, or rather the abuse, of the various +kitchen implements: for instance, she will poke the fire with the +toasting fork, and disregards my gentle hints about the poker; but at +all events she can both roast mutton and bake bread. "Meary" has been +induced to wash her face and braid up her beautiful hair, and now shines +forth as a very pretty good-humoured girl. She is as clever and quick as +possible, and will in time be a capital housemaid. She has taken it into +her head that she would like to be a "first-rater," as she calls it, and +works desperately hard in the prosecution of her new fancy. + +I have never told you of the Sunday services we established here from +the first week of our arrival. There is no church nearer than those +in Christchurch, nor--I may mention parenthetically--is there a doctor +within the same distance. As soon as our chairs and tables were in their +proper places, we invited our shepherds and those neighbours immediately +around us to attend service on Sunday afternoon at three o'clock. F---- +officiates as clergyman; _my_ duties resemble those of a beadle, as I +have to arrange the congregation in their places, see that they have +Prayer-books, etc. Whenever we go out for a ride, we turn our horses' +heads up some beautiful valley, or deep gorge of a river, in search of +the huts of our neighbours' shepherds, that we may tell the men of +these services and invite them to attend. As yet, we have met with +no refusals, but it will give you an idea of the scantiness of +our population when I tell you that, after all our exertions, the +"outsiders" only amount to fourteen, and of these at least half are +gentlemen from neighbouring stations. With this number, in addition +to our own small group, we consider that we form quite a respectable +gathering. The congregation all arrive on horseback, each attended by at +least two big colley dogs; the horses are turned into the paddock, the +saddles deposited in the back verandah, and the dogs lie quietly down +by their respective masters' equipments until they are ready to start +homewards. There is something very wild and touching in these Sunday +services. If the weather is quite clear and warm, they are held in the +verandah; but unless it is a very sunny afternoon, it is too early in +the year yet for this. + +The shepherds are a very fine class of men as a rule, and I find them +most intelligent; they lead solitary lives, and are fond of reading; and +as I am anxious to substitute a better sort of literature in their +huts than the tattered yellow volumes which generally form their scanty +library, I lend them books from my own small collection. But, as I +foresee that this supply will soon be exhausted, we have started a Book +Club, and sent to London for twenty pounds' worth of books as a first +instalment. We shall get them second-hand from a large library, so I +hope to receive a good boxful. The club consists of twenty-eight members +now, and will probably amount to thirty-two, which is wonderful for +this district. At the close of a year from the first distribution of the +books they are to be divided into lots as near as possible in value to +a pound each, the parcels to be numbered, and corresponding figures +written on slips of paper, which are to be shaken up in a hat and drawn +at random, each member claiming the parcel of which the number answers +to that on his ticket. This is the fairest way I can think of for the +distribution, and every one seems satisfied with the scheme. The most +popular books are those of travel or adventure; unless a novel is really +very good indeed, they do not care about it. + +The last little item of home news with which I must close this month's +budget is, that F---- has been away for a few days on a skating +excursion. A rather distant neighbour of ours called on his way up to +the station far back among the hills, and gave such a glowing account of +the condition of the ice in that part of the country, that F----, who is +very fond of the amusement, was persuaded to accompany him. Our friend +is the son of the Bishop, and owns a large station about twenty-six +miles from this. At the back of his run the hills rise to a great +height, and nestled among them lie a chain of lakes, after the largest +of which (Lake Coleridge) Mr. H----'s station is named. On one of the +smaller lakes, called by the classical name of "Ida," the ice attains to +a great thickness; for it is surrounded by such lofty hills that during +the winter months the sun hardly touches it, and it is commonly reported +that a heavily-laden bullock-dray could cross it in perfect safety. +F----was away nearly a week, and appears to have enjoyed himself +thoroughly, though it will seem to you more of hard work than amusement; +for he and Mr. H----, and some other gentlemen who were staying there, +used to mount directly after breakfast, with their skates tied to their +saddle-bow, and ride twelve miles to Lake Ida, skate all through the +short winter's day, lunching at the solitary hut of a gentleman-farmer +close by the lake, and when it grew dusk riding home again. The +gentlemen in this country are in such good training through constant +exercise, that they appear able to stand any amount of fatigue without +minding it. + + + + +Letter XII: My first expedition. + + +Broomielaw, October 1866. This ought to be early spring, but the weather +is really colder and more disagreeable than any which winter brought us; +and, proverbially fickle as spring sunshine and showers are in England, +ours is a far more capricious and trying season. Twice during this month +have I been a victim to these sudden changes of climate; on the first +occasion it was most fortunate that we had reached the shelter of a +friendly and hospitable roof, for it was three days before we could +re-cross the mountain-pass which lay between us and home. One beautiful +spring morning F---- asked me if I would like to ride across the hills, +and pay my first visit to some kind and old friends of his, who were +among the earliest arrivals in the province, and who have made a lovely +home for themselves at the foot of a great Bush on the other side of +our range. I was delighted at the idea, for I have had very little +opportunity of going about since we came here, owing to the short +winter days and the amount of occupation at home consequent on a new +establishment. + +Directly after breakfast, the horses were caught and saddled, and we +started in high spirits. As we rode up the long, sunny valley stretching +away for miles at the back of the house, F---- pointed out to me, with +all a sheep-farmer's pride, the hundreds of pretty little curly-fleeced +lambs skipping about the low hill-sides. After we passed our own +boundary fence we came upon a very bad track,--this is the name by which +all roads are called, and they do not deserve a better,--but it was the +only path to our destination. The air was mild and balmy, and the sun +shone brightly as we slowly picked our way across bogs and creeks, +and up and down steep, slippery hill-sides; but just as we reached the +lowest saddle of the range and prepared to descend, a cold wind met us. +In an instant the sunshine was overclouded, and F----, pointing to +a grey bank of cloud moving quickly towards us, said, "There is a +tremendous sou'-wester coming up; we had better push on for shelter, +or you'll be drowned:" but, alas! at each step the road grew worse and +worse; where it was level the ground was literally honeycombed with deep +holes half full of water, and at last we came to a place where the +horse had to descend a flight of stone steps, each step being extremely +slippery and some way below the other; and at the bottom of this +horrible staircase there was a wide jump to be taken, the spring being +off the lowest step, and the jump upwards alighting on a steep bank up +which the horses scrambled like cats. Getting wet through appeared to +me a very minor evil compared to the dangers of such a road, but F---- +urged me forward, with assurances that the horse knew the path perfectly +well and could carry me at a gallop quite safely; but it was impossible +to infuse sufficient courage into my drooping heart to induce me to go +faster than a walk. + +All this time the storm drew rapidly nearer, the wind blew in icy cold +gusts, the hail came down in large stones, pelting our faces till +they tingled again; it was nearly an hour before we rode up to the +hospitable, ever-open porch door of Rockwood. I was immediately lifted +off my saddle by kind and strong arms, and carried with frozen limbs +and streaming habit into the kitchen, for I was as unfit for the +drawing-room as my own water-spaniel. A blazing wood fire was hastily +lighted in one of the bed-rooms, and thither the good hostess conveyed +me. I emerged from that apartment the most extraordinary figure you ever +saw. Imagine me arrayed in a short and very wide crinoline, over which +was a bright-coloured linsey petticoat; an old pilot-coat for a jacket, +huge carpet slippers on my feet, and my dripping hair hanging loose +over my shoulders! I assure you, I looked like the portraits in books of +travel, of the Tahitian women when they first assumed clothes; and the +worst of it was, that I had to remain in this costume for three whole +days. To return was impossible, the storm from the S.W. raged all that +evening. When we opened our eyes next morning, snow was lying some +inches deep, and still falling fast; there was no cessation for +forty-eight hours, and then we had to give it time to thaw a little, so +that it was Sunday morning before we started on our homeward ride. +In the meantime, nothing could afford a greater contrast to the wild +weather out of doors than the snug brightness within. Blazing logs of +pine and black birch made every room warm and cheery; all day we chatted +and amused ourselves in different ways (I learned to make a capital +pudding, and acquainted myself with the mysteries of "junket"); in the +evenings we had whist for an hour, and then either round games or songs. +The young men of the house have nice voices and a great feeling for +music, and some of the trios and glees went very well indeed. The only +thing which spoilt my enjoyment was the constantly recurring remembrance +of that terrible road. F---- tried to comfort me by assurances that the +snow would have filled up the worst places so much that I should not see +them, but, strange to say, I failed to derive any consolation from that +idea; however, we accomplished the journey back safely, but with many +slips and slides. As soon as we came on our own run, F----began to look +out for dead lambs, but fortunately there were not many for him to mourn +over; they must have taken shelter under the low hills, to leeward of +the storm. + +The second ride was much longer, and if possible a more disagreeable +one. It began just in the same way; we were again decoyed out by +sunshine and soft air for a ride round the run, starting about half-past +ten. The scenery was beautiful, and we enjoyed ourselves immensely. +The track lay along our own boundary fence most of the way, and we had +ridden about ten miles, when we stopped at one of our shepherds' huts, +technically called an out station, and accepted his offer of luncheon. +He gave us capital tea, with an egg beaten up in it as a substitute +for milk, cold mutton, bread, and a cake; the reason of these unwonted +luxuries was that he kept fowls, and I was very jealous at seeing two +broods of chickens out, whilst mine are still in the shell. This man +is quite an artist, and the walls of his but were covered with bold +pen-and-ink sketches, chiefly reminiscences of the hunting-field in +England, or his own adventures "getting out" wild cattle on the Black +Hills in the north of the province: he leads an extremely-solitary +existence, his dogs being his only companions; his duties consist in +riding daily a boundary down the gorge of the river, which he has to +cross and re-cross many times: and he has to supply the home station and +our house with mutton, killing four or five sheep a week. He is employed +out of doors all day, but has plenty of time in the evenings for reading +I found him well-informed and intelligent, and he expresses himself +exceedingly well. We rested here an hour, and as we went outside and +prepared to mount, F---- said, "I really believe there is _another_ +sou'-wester coming up," and so there was: we could not go fast, for +we were riding over a dry river-bed, composed entirely of loose large +stones. Every few hundred yards we had to cross the river Selwyn, which +was rising rapidly, as the storm had been raging in the mountains long +before it reached us; on each side were high, steep hills, and in some +places the river filled up the gorge entirely, and we had to ride in the +water up to our saddle-girths. All this time the rain was coming down +in sheets, but the wind grew colder and colder; at last the rain turned +into snow, which speedily changed us and our horses into white moving +figures. Eight long weary miles of this had we, only able to trot the +last two, and those over very swampy ground. In your country a severe +cold would probably have been the least evil of this escapade, but here +no such consequence follow a good wetting; the houses are so little real +protection from the weather, that you are forced to live as it were +in the open air, whether you like it or not, and this hardens the +constitution so much, that it is not easy to take cold from a little +extra exposure. Men are apt to be careless and remain in their wet +things, or stand before a fire till their clothes dry on them; and +whenever I scold any one for being foolish, he always acknowledges that +if he does but change when he comes into a house, he _never_ catches +cold from any amount of exposure to the severest weather. + + + + +Letter XIII: Bachelor hospitality.--a gale on shore. + + +Broomielaw, November 1866. We have lately made a much longer excursion +than those I told you of last, month, and this time have been fortunate +in meeting with fine weather above all, our expedition has been over +perfectly level ground, and on a good "track," which has greatly +increased its charms in my eyes. A fortnight ago early summer set fairly +in, and some bachelor neighbours took advantage of the change to ride +over to see us, and arrange a plan for the following week. It all fitted +in nicely, for F---- was obliged to go to Christchurch at that time, and +the first idea of the expedition originated in my saying how dull I was +at the station when he was away. I can get on very well all day; with my +various employments--feeding the chickens, taking the big dogs out for a +walk, and so on: but after the house is quiet and silent for the night, +and the servants have gone to bed, a horrible lonely eerie feeling comes +over me; the solitude is so dreary, and the silence so intense, only +broken occasionally by the wild, melancholy cry of the weka. However, I +am very rarely tried in this way, and when I am it can't be helped, if +that is any consolation. + +I forget whether I told you that we left all "evening things," and other +toilette necessaries which would not be wanted up country, behind us +in Christchurch, so as to avoid the trouble of sending any luggage +backwards or forwards. It is necessary to mention this, to account for +the very light marching order in which we travelled. It was a lovely +summer morning on which we left home, meaning to be away nearly a week, +from Monday till Saturday. We were well mounted, and all our luggage +consisted of my little travelling-bag fastened to the pommel of my +saddle, containing our brushes and combs, and what is termed a "swag" in +front of F----'s saddle; that is, a long narrow bundle, in this instance +enclosed in a neat waterproof case, and fastened with two straps to +the "D's," which are steel loops let in in four places to all colonial +saddles, for the purpose of carrying blankets, etc.; they derive their +name apparently from their resemblance to the letter. In this parcel our +most indispensable garments were tightly packed. We cantered gaily along +on the way to Christchurch, the horses appearing to enjoy the delicious +air and soft springy turf as much as we did. There was a river and +half-a-dozen creeks to be crossed; but they are all quite low at this +time of year. As we stood in one of them to let the horses drink and +cool their legs, I saw a huge eel hidden under the shadow of a high +overhanging bank, waiting till the evening to come out and feed upon the +myriads of flies and little white moths that skim over the surface of +the water. + +It is considered a great advantage to our station that there is only the +river Selwyn (of which the Maori name is the Wai-kiri-kiri) between us +and town, not only for our own convenience, but because it is easy to +take sheep across it, and it offers no difficulties to the wool drays. +This river has a very good reputation, and is very rarely dangerous to +cross; whereas the Rakaia and the Rangitata towards the south, and the +Waimakiriri towards the north, of Christchurch, are most difficult, and +always liable to sudden freshes. The general mode of crossing the larger +rivers is by a boat, with the horse swimming behind; but accidents +constantly occur from the foolhardiness of people attempting to ford +them alone on horseback: they are lost in quicksands, or carried down by +the current, before they can even realize that they are in danger. The +common saying in New Zealand is, that people only die from drowning +and drunkenness. I am afraid the former is generally the result of the +latter. + +From the first our road lay with our backs to the hills; but as we +cantered along the plains, I was often obliged to turn round and admire +their grand outlines. The highest ranges were still snow-white, and made +a magnificent background against the summer sky. An easy twelve miles' +ride brought us to a charming little station, called by the pretty +native name of Waireka; here lived our three bachelor hosts, and a nicer +or more comfortable home in a distant land could not be desired. The +house has been built for some years, consequently the plantations about +it and the garden have grown up well, and the willows, gum-trees, and +poplars shelter it perfectly, besides giving it such a snug home look. +It stands on a vast plain, without even an undulation of the ground near +it; but the mountains form a grand panoramic view. There is a large wide +verandah round two sides of the house, with French windows opening into +it; and I could not help feeling impatient to see my own creepers in +such luxuriant, beauty as these roses and honeysuckles were. It was half +amusing and half pathetic to notice the preparations which had been made +to receive a lady guest, and the great anxiety of my hosts to ensure +my being quite as comfortable as I am at home. Much had been said +beforehand about the necessity of making up my mind to rough it in +bachelor quarters, so I was surprised to find all sorts of luxuries in +my room, especially a dainty little toilette-table, draped with white +cloths (a big wooden packing-case was its foundation). Its ornaments +were all sorts of nondescript treasures, placed in boxes at the last +moment of leaving the English hall or rectory by careful loving hands of +mothers and sisters, and lying unused for years until now. There was +a little china tray, which had been slipped into some corner by a +child-sister anxious to send some possession of her "very own" out +to the other end of the world; there was a vase with flowers; a +parti-coloured pin-cushion of very gay silks, probably the parting +gift of an old nurse; and a curious old-fashioned essence bottle, with +eau-de-cologne; the surrounding country had been ransacked to procure a +piece of scented soap. The only thing to remind me that I was not in an +English cottage was the opossum rug with which the neat little bed was +covered. The sitting-room looked the picture of cosy comfort, with its +well-filled book-shelves, arm-chairs, sofa with another opossum rug +thrown over it, and the open fireplace filled with ferns and tufts +of the white feathery Tohi grass in front of the green background. We +enjoyed our luncheon, or rather early dinner, immensely after our ride; +and in the afternoon went out to see the nice large garden (such a +contrast to our wretched little beginnings), and finally strolled on +to the inevitable wool-shed, where the gentlemen had an animated "sheep +talk." I rather enjoy these discussions, though they are prefaced by +an apology for "talking shop;" but it amuses me, and I like to see the +samples of wool, which are generally handed about in the heat of a great +argument, the long white locks are so glistening, and soft, and crinkly. + +My five-o'clock tea was duly remembered, and then, as there was nothing +more to see out of doors within a short distance, I proposed that I +should make a cake. The necessary ingredients were quickly collected. +I had relays of volunteers to beat up the eggs, and though I suffered +great anxiety until it was cut at supper, it turned out satisfactorily. +The worst of my cookery is, that while I always follow the same +directions most carefully, there is great uncertainty and variety about +the result. In the evening we played round games. But we all went early +to bed, as, we had to be up betimes, and in the saddle by seven o'clock, +to catch the 9-30 train at Rolleston; twenty miles off. We had a +beautiful, still morning for our ride, and reached the station--a shed +standing out on the plain--in time to see our horses safely paddocked +before the train started for Christchurch. The distance by rail was only +fifteen miles, so we were not long about it; and we walked to the hotel +from the railway-station in the town. A bath and breakfast were both +very enjoyable, and then F---- went out to transact his business, and I +employed myself in unpacking and _ironing_ a ball-dress for a party, +to which we were engaged that evening. There was also another ball the +following night. The second was a very late one, and we had scarcely an +hour's sleep before we were obliged to get up and start by the 6 A.M. +train back to Rolleston, where we remounted our horses and rode to dear +little Waireka in time for breakfast. By the evening I was sufficiently +rested to make another cake, which also, happily, turned out well. + +We intended to return home the next day (Friday), but a terrific +"nor'-wester" came on in the night, and it was impossible to stir out of +the house; it was the severest gale since our arrival, and it is hardly +possible to give you a correct idea of the force and fury of the wind. +Not a glimpse of the mountains was to be seen; a haze of dust, as thick +as any fog, shut everything out. The sheep had all taken refuge under +the high banks of the creeks. It is curious that sheep always feed head +to wind in a nor'-west gale, whereas they will drift for miles before +a sou'-wester. The trees bent almost flat before the hot breath of this +hurricane, and although the house was built of cob, and its walls were +very thick and solid, the creaking and swaying of the shingled roof kept +me in perpetual alarm. The verandah was a great protection; and yet +the small river-pebbles, of which the garden-walk was made, were dashed +against the windows like hailstones by each gust. We amused ourselves +indoors by the study and composition of acrostics, and so got through an +imprisonment of two days, without a moment's cessation of the wind; +but towards sunset on Saturday there were signs of a lull, and about +midnight the gale dropped; and we heard the grateful, refreshing sound +of soft and continuous rain, and when we came out to breakfast on +Sunday morning everything looked revived again. It is a most fortunate +meteorological fact that these very high winds are generally succeeded +by heavy rain; everything is so parched and shrivelled up by them that +I do not know what would become of the vegetation otherwise. We held a +council, to determine what had better be done about returning home, and +finally decided to risk a wet ride sooner than disappoint the little +congregation; for should it prove a fine afternoon, those who lived near +would certainly come; so we mounted after breakfast. + +I was wrapped in one of the gentlemen's macintoshes, and found the ride +far from disagreeable. As we neared our own station we began to look out +for signs of disaster; and about half a mile from the house saw some of +the vanes from the chimneys on the track; a little nearer home, across +the path lay a large zinc chimney-pot; then another; and when we came +close enough to see the house distinctly, it looked very much dwarfed +without its chimneys. There had been a large pile of empty boxes at +the back of the stable; these were all blown away in the gale. One huge +packing-case was sailing tranquilly about on the pond, and planks and +fragments of zinc were strewn over the paddock. The moment we reached +the house, Mr. U----, the gentleman-cadet of whom I have told you, came +out, with a melancholy face, to tell me that a large wooden cage, full +of the canaries which I had brought from England with me, had been blown +out of the verandah, though it was on the most sheltered side of the +house. It really seemed incredible at first, but the cage was lying +in ruins in the middle of the paddock, and all my birds except one +had disappeared. It happened in the middle of the night, and Mr. +U----described, very amusingly, that when he was awakened by the noise +which the cage made against a wire fence (which it just "topped" in +passing), he sprang out of his bed in the attic, and clambered out of +the window, expecting to find the very heavy sort of staircase-ladder in +its place; but it was "over the hills and far away," so he had a drop of +about twelve feet to the ground, which thoroughly aroused him. He went +into the verandah to see if the cage was safe, and was nearly knocked +down by a big tin bath, ordinarily kept there, which was just starting +across country. As soon as he missed the cage he very pluckily went +after it, being able to keep sight of it by the fitful gleams of +moon-light, and he was just in time to rescue the poor little surviving +canary. We could not help laughing at the recital of all the mischief +which had been done, but still it is very tiresome, and the garden +looks, if possible, more wretched than ever. There is no shelter for +it yet, and my poor green-peas are blown nearly out of the ground. It +rained hard all the evening, so our congregation was confined to the +home party. + + + + +Letter XIV: A Christmas picnic, and other doings. + + +Broomielaw, December 1866. It is too late to wish you a merry Christmas +and a happy New Year in this letter. In order to allow them to reach you +in time I should have sent my good wishes in October's letter; I must +remember to do so next year. I am writing on the last days of the month, +so I shall be able to tell you of our own Christmas doings; though, +first, I must describe the festivities attending a "coming of age in +the Bush," to which we were invited about the middle of this month. How +strange Christmas picnics and balls will appear in your eyes, before +which still dangle probably the dear old traditional holly and ivy! I am +obliged to preface all my descriptions with an account of a ride, if +I am to begin, according to your repeated injunctions, at the very +beginning; for a ride is quite certain to be both the beginning and end +of each excursion, simply because we have no other means of going about, +except on our feet. The ride upon this occasion was to Rockwood, where +the birthday party was to assemble, but the road had not now so many +terrors for me. In consequence of the fine dry weather, most of the bad +places were safer and firmer, and the numerous creeks were only shallow +sparkling streamlets over which a child could jump, instead of the muddy +noisy wide brooks of three months ago. The day on which we started, this +time, was a great contrast to the former one. When we reached the saddle +I have before told you of, instead of being met and nearly driven back +by a violent "sutherly buster," we stopped before beginning the steep +descent to admire the exquisite view before us. + +Close on our right hand rose the Government bush out of which we get our +firewood, standing grand and gloomy amid huge cliffs and crags; even +the summer sunshine could not enliven it, nor the twitter and chirrup +of countless birds. In front, the chain of hills we were crossing rolled +down in gradually decreasing hillocks, till they merged in the vast +plains before us, stretching away as far as the eye could reach towards +the south, all quivering in the haze and glare of the bright sunlight. +The background, extending along the horizon, was formed of lofty +mountains still glistening white against the dazzling blue sky. Just at +our feet the Rockwood paddocks looked like carpets of emerald velvet, +spread out among the yellowish tussocks; the fences which enclose them +were either golden with broom and gorse, or gay with wild roses and +honeysuckle. Beyond these we saw the bright patches of flowers in the +garden, and nothing could be more effective than the white gable of the +house standing out against the vast black birch forest which clothed the +steep hill-sides for miles--the contrast was so picturesque between the +little bit of civilization and culture and the great extent of wild, +savage scenery around it. After the utter treelessness of our own +immediate neighbourhood, the sight of such a mass of foliage is a joy to +my eyes. + +The day following our arrival was _the_ birthday, and we prepared +to enjoy every hour of it. The party assembled was a very large one, +consisting, however, chiefly of gentlemen, for the utmost exertions in +the district could not produce more than five ladies altogether, and +two of those had come an immense way. Directly after breakfast we all +sallied forth, the ladies equipped in light cotton dresses (muslin is +too thin for the bush) and little sailor hats,--we did not want shady +ones, for never a gleam of sun can penetrate into a real New Zealand +Bush, unless in a spot which has been very much cleared. Strong boots +with nails in the soles, to help us to keep on our feet up the steep +clay hill-sides, and a stout stick, completed our equipment; perhaps +we were not very smart, but we looked like going at all events. I can +answer for myself that I enjoyed every moment of that long Midsummer +holiday most intensely, though I fear I must have wearied our dear, +charming host, by my incessant questions about the names of the trees +and shrubs, and of the habits and ways of the thousands of birds. It was +all so new and so delightful to me,--the green gloom, the hoarse croak +of the ka-ka, as it alighted almost at our feet and prepared, quite +careless of our vicinity, to tear up the loose soil at the root of a +tall tree, in search of grubs. It is a species of parrot, but with very +dingy reddish-brown plumage, only slightly enlivened by a few, scarlet +feathers in the wing. The air was gay with bright green parroquets +flitting about, very mischievous they are, I am told, taking large tithe +of the fruit, especially of the cherries. Every now and then we stood, +by common consent, silent and almost breathless to listen to the +Bell-bird, a dingy little fellow, nearly as large as a thrush with the +plumage of a chaffinch, but with such a note!--how can I make you hear +its wild, sweet, plaintive tone, as a little girl of the party said, +"just as if it had a bell in its throat;" but indeed it would require +a whole peal of silver bells to ring such an exquisite chime. Then we +crept softly up to a low branch, to have a good look at the Tui, or +Parson-bird, most respectable and clerical-looking in its glossy black +suit, with a singularly trim and dapper air, and white wattles of very +slender feathers--indeed they are as fine as hair-curled coquettishly +at each side of his throat, exactly like bands. All the birds were +quite tame, and, instead of avoiding us, seemed inclined to examine +us minutely. Many of them have English names, which I found very +tantalising, especially when, the New Zealand Robin was announced, and +I could only see a fat little ball of a bird, with a yellowish-white +breast. Animals there are none. No quadruped is indigenous to New +Zealand, except a rat; but then, on the other hand, we are as free from +snakes and all vermin as if St. Patrick himself had lived here. Our host +has turned several pheasants into this forest, but they increase very +slowly on account of the wekas. However, the happiness of this morning +was made complete by our putting up two splendid rocketers. + +We could only make our way by the paths which have been cut through +the Bush; a yard off the track it is impossible to stir for the dense +undergrowth. In the ravines and steep gullies formed by the creeks +grow masses of ferns of all sorts, spreading like large shrubs, and +contrasting by their light bright green with the black stems of the +birch-trees around them. There are a few pines in this bush, but not +many. I can give you no idea of the variety among the shrubs: +the koromika, like an Alpine rose, a compact ball of foliage; the +lance-wood, a tall, slender stem, straight as a line, with a few long +leaves at the top, turned downwards like the barb of a spear, and +looking exactly like a lance stuck into the ground; the varieties of +matapo, a beautiful shrub, each leaf a study, with its delicate tracery +of black veins on a yellow-green ground; the mappo, the gohi, and many +others, any of which would be the glory of an English shrubbery: but +they seem to require the deep shelter of their native Bush, for they +never flourish when transplanted. I noticed the slender the large trees +have of the ground, and it is not at all surprising, after such a gale +as we had three weeks ago, to see many of the finest blown down in the +clearings where the wind could reach them. They do not seem to have any +tap-root at all, merely a very insufficient network of fibres, seldom of +any size, which spreads a short way along the surface of the ground +As long as a Bush is undisturbed by civilization, it appears to be +impervious to wind or weather; but as soon as it is opened and cleared +a little, it begins to diminish rapidly. There are traces all over the +hills of vast forests having once existed; chiefly of totara, a sort +of red pine, and those about us are scattered with huge logs of this +valuable wood, all bearing traces of the action of fire; but shepherds, +and explorers on expeditions, looking for country, have gradually +consumed them for fuel, till not many pieces remain except on the +highest and most inaccessible ranges. + +It was a delightful, and by no means unacceptable surprise which awaited +us on the other side, when, on emerging from a very thick part of the +Bush, we came on a lovely spot, a true "meeting of the waters." Three +broad, bright creeks came rushing and tumbling down from the densely +wooded hills about to join and flow on in quite a good-sized river, amid +boulders and a great deal of hurry and fuss,--a contrast to the profound +quiet of our ramble hitherto, the silence of which was only broken by +the twitter and whistle of the birds. Never a song can you hear, only a +sweet chirrup, or two or three melodious notes. On the opposite bank of +the river there was the welcome sight of several hampers more or less +unpacked, and the gleam of a white tablecloth on the moss. Half-a-dozen +gentlemen had formed themselves into a commissariat, and were arranging +luncheon. We could see the champagne cooling in a sort of little bay, +protected by a dam of big stones from being carried down the stream. It +all looked very charming and inviting, but the next question was how +to get across the river to these good things. Twelve or fourteen feet +separated us, hungry and tired wanderers as we were, from food and rest; +the only crossing-place was some miles lower down, near the house in +fact; so even the most timid amongst us scouted the idea of retracing +our steps. The only alternative was to make a bridge: one of the +gentlemen who were with us carried an axe in case of emergency, and in a +moment we heard the sharp ringing sounds foretelling the fall of a tree. +In the mean-time, others of the party were dragging out fallen logs--of +course small and manageable ones--and laying them from one huge boulder +to another, working up to their knees in water. So many of these +prostrate trunks were "convenient," that a cry soon arose to the +woodman to "spare the trees," for there were quite enough on the ground. +However, two substantial poles had been felled, and these were laid over +the deepest and most dangerous part of the current. The bridge was soon +declared passable, and loud shouts from the opposite side proclaimed +that luncheon was quite ready. I was called, as having a most undeserved +reputation for "pluck," to make trial of the aerial-looking fabric. I +did not like it at all, and entreated some one else to lead the forlorn +hope; so a very quiet young lady, who really possessed more courage in +her little finger than I do in my whole body, volunteered to go first. +The effect from the bank was something like tight-rope dancing, and it +was very difficult to keep one's balance. Miss Kate, our pioneer, walked +on very steadily, amid great applause, till she reached the middle of +the stream, where fortunately the water was shallow, but strewed with +masses of boulders. She paused an instant on the large rock on which the +ends of the saplings rested, and then started afresh for the last half +of her journey. The instant she put her foot on the second part of the +bridge, it gave way with a loud crash; and the poor girl, with great +presence of mind, caught at the tree she, had just crossed, and so saved +herself from a ducking. Of course, she had plenty of help in an instant, +but the difficulty was to regain any sort of footing. She could not drop +into the water, and there was apparently no way of dragging herself +up again; but one of the gentlemen crept on hands and knees along the +unbroken part of the bridge, and eventually helped her up the sides +of the large boulder which acted as a pier, and from which the log had +slipped. From the other side they now pushed across tall, slim trees, +freshly cut, and the rest of the passage was safe enough. I did not like +the mode of transit at all, though I got over without a slip, but it +requires a steady head to cross a noisy stream on two slippery round +poles--for really the trees were little thicker--laid side by side, +bending with every step. It was a great comfort to me all luncheon-time +to know that we were not to return by the same path through the Bush. We +had a good rest after lunch: I lay back on a bed of fern, watching the +numbers of little birds around us; they boldly picked up our crumbs, +without a thought of possible danger. Presently I felt a tug at the +shawl on which I was lying: I was too lazy and dreamy to turn my head, +so the next thing was a sharp dig on my arm, which hurt me dreadfully. I +looked round, and there was a weka bent on thoroughly investigating the +intruder into its domain. The bird looked so cool and unconcerned, that +I had not the heart to follow my first impulse and throw my stick at it; +but my forbearance was presently rewarded by a stab on the ankle, +which fairly made me jump up with a scream, when my persecutor +glided gracefully away among the bushes, leaving me, like Lord Ullin, +"lamenting." + +We sauntered home slowly, gathering armfuls of, fern and a large variety +of a stag's-head moss so common on the west coast of Scotland; and as +soon as we had had some tea, the gentlemen went off with their towels to +bathe in the creek, and the five ladies set to work at the decorations +for the ball-room, weaving wreaths and arranging enormous bouquets very +rapidly: we had such a wealth of flowers to work with that our task was +not difficult. The most amusing part of the story is, however, that the +ball took place in my bed-room! A very pompous lady of my acquaintance +always prefaces the slenderest anecdote with these words, "And it +happened in this wise," so I think I shall avail myself of the _tour de +phrase_. + +It happened in this wise, then:-a large well-proportioned room had been +added to the house lately; it was intended for a drawing-room, but +for some reason has only been used as a spare bed-room, but as it +may possibly return to its original destination, very little bed-room +furniture has been put in it, and many of its belongings are appropriate +to a sitting-room. We called in the servants, the light cane bedstead +was soon deposited under the shade of a tree in the garden, the +washing-stand was similarly disposed of, and an hour's work with hammer +and nails and a ball of string turned the room into a perfect bower of +ferns and flowers: great ingenuity was displayed in the arrangement of +lights, and the result was a very pretty ball-room. + +We are always eating in this country, so you will not be surprised +to hear that there was yet another meal to be disposed of before we +separated to dress in all sorts of nooks and corners. White muslin was +the universal costume, as it can be packed flat and smooth. My gown +had been carried over by F---- in front of his saddle in a very small +parcel: I covered it almost entirely with sprays of the light-green +stag's-head, moss, and made a wreath of it also for my hair. I think +that with the other ladies roses were the most popular decoration, and +they looked very fresh and nice. I was the universal _coiffeuse_, and I +dressed all the girls' heads with flowers, as I was supposed to be best +up in the latest fashions. In the meantime, the piano had been moved to +the bay-window of the ball-room, and at ten o'clock dancing commenced, +and may be truly said to have been kept up with great spirit until four +o'clock: it only ceased then on account of the state of exhaustion of +the unfortunate five ladies, who had been nearly killed with incessant +dancing. I threw a shawl over my head, and sauntered alone up one of the +many paths close to the house which led into the Bush. Tired as I was, +I shall never forget the beauty and romance of that hour,--the delicious +crisp _new_ feeling of the morning air; the very roses, growing like a +red fringe on the skirts of the great Bush, seemed awaking to fresh life +and perfume; the numbers of gay lizards and flies coming out for their +morning meal, and, above all, the first awakening of the myriads of +Bush-birds; every conceivable twitter and chatter and chirrup; the last +cry of a very pretty little owl, called, from its distinctly uttered +words, the "More-pork," as it flitted away before the dawn to the +highest trees: all made up a jubilant uproar compared to which one of +the Crystal Palace choruses is silence. I sat down on a fallen tree, and +listened and waited: every moment added to the lovely dawn around me, +and I enjoyed to the full the fragrant smells and joyous sounds of +another day in this fresh young land. + +All too soon came a loud "coo-ee" from the house, which I allowed them +to repeat before I answered; this was to tell me that the ball-room was +deserted, and had been again turned into a bed-room. When I opened my +eyes later, after a six hours' nap, the room looked like a fairy bower, +the flowers still unfaded. We had another picnic the next day up the +gorge of a river, amid very wild and beautiful scenery; but everything +had been arranged so as to make the expedition an easy one, out of +consideration to the weary five. The day after this we rode home again, +and I had to set to work directly to prepare for my own Christmas party +to the shepherds and shearers,--for we have just commenced to muster +the sheep, and the shearing will be in full force by Christmas Day. +One great object I have in view in giving this party is to prevent the +shearers from going over to the nearest accommodation-house and getting +tipsy, as they otherwise would; so I have taken care to issue my +invitations early. I found great difficulty in persuading some of the +men to accept, as they had not brought any tidy clothes with them; and +as the others would be decently, indeed well dressed, they did not like +putting in a shabby appearance. This difficulty was obviated by F---- +hunting up some of the things he had worn on the voyage, and rigging-out +the invited guests. For two days before the great day I had been working +hard, studying recipes for pies and puddings, and scouring the country +in search of delicacies. Every lady was most kind, knowing that our +poor, exposed garden was backward; I had sacks of green peas, bushels of +young potatoes, and baskets of strawberries and cherries sent to me from +all round the country; I made poor F---- ride twenty miles to get me a +sirloin of beef, and, to my great joy, two beautiful young geese arrived +as a present only the day before. It is a point of honour to have as +little mutton as possible on these occasions, as the great treat is +the complete change of fare. I only ventured to introduce it very much +disguised as curry, or in pies. We were all up at daylight on Christmas +morning, and off to the nearest little copse in one of the gullies, +where a few shrubs and small trees and ferns grow, to gather boughs for +the decoration of the washhouse. Marvels were done in the carpentering +line to arrange tables around its walls. The copper, which at first +presented such an obstacle to the symmetry of the adornments, became +their chief glory; it was boarded over, its sides completely hidden by +flags and ferns, and the dessert placed on it peeped out from a bower of +greenery. I don't know how we got our own breakfast; from eleven o'clock +there was the constant announcement "A horseman coming up the flat;" +and by twelve, when I as beadle announced that all was ready, a large +congregation of thirty-six came trooping into my little drawing-room. As +soon as it was filled the others clustered round the door; but all +could hear, I think. F---- began the service; and as the notes of the +Christmas Anthem swelled up, I found the tears trembling in my eyes. My +overwhelming thought was that it actually was the very first time those +words had ever been sung or said in that valley--you in England can +hardly realize the immensity of such a thought--"the first time since +the world was made." I think the next sensation was one of extreme +happiness; it seemed such a privilege to be allowed to hold the initial +Christmas service. I had to grasp this idea very tight to keep down the +terrible home-sickness which I felt all day for almost the first time. +There are moments when no advantages or privileges can repress what +Aytoun calls "the deep, unutterable woe which none save exiles feel." + +The service only lasted half an hour, beginning and ending with a hymn; +there were three women present besides me--my two servants, and the nice +young wife of a neighbouring shepherd. It was a sultry day, not a breath +of air; but still it is never oppressive at this elevation. We wound up +a big musical-box, set it going in the banqueting-hall (late washhouse), +and marshalled the guests in they were extremely shy as a rule, and so +we soon went away and left them to themselves. They ate incessantly +for two hours--and I hope they enjoyed themselves; then the men lounged +about the stables and smoked, and the three women cleared away a little. +F---- and our gentlemen guests got up athletic sports in the shade which +seemed very popular, though it appeared a great deal of trouble to take +on such a hot day. As the sun sank below the hills it grew much cooler, +and my two maids came with a shamefaced request to be allowed to dance +in the kitchen. I inquired about the music?--that was provided for by +a fiddle and some pipes; so I consented, but I found they wanted me +to start them. I selected as my partner a very decent young farmer who +lives near, but has left his farm and is at work branding our sheep all +shearing-time. The pride and delight of his mate was much greater than +my partner's; he stood near his friend, prompting him through the +mazes of the most extraordinary quadrille you ever saw, with two extra +figures. Then there was an endless polka, in which everybody danced, +like Queen Elizabeth, "high and disposedly;" but the ball ended at nine +o'clock, and we were given some cold dinner, for which we were all very +ready. The next morning saw the remains of the festivity cleared away, +and every one hard at work again; for this is our very busiest season. +The work of the station, however, is carried on at the homestead two +miles off. F---- is there all day long, but I see nothing of it. While +the shearers' hearts were tender, I asked them to come over to church on +Sunday, and they have promised to do so: I lend them quantities of +books and papers also, so as to keep them amused and away from the +accommodation-house. + + + + +Letter XV: Everyday station life. + + +Broomielaw, January 1867. You tell me to describe our daily home-life +and domestic surroundings. I dare say it: will appear to be a monotonous +and insignificant existence enough when put on paper, but it suits me +exactly; and, for the first time in my life, I have enough to do, and +also the satisfaction of feeling that I am of some little use to my +fellow-creatures. A lady's influence out here appears to be very great, +and capable of indefinite expansion. She represents refinement and +culture (in Mr. Arnold's sense of the words), and her footsteps on a new +soil such as this should be marked by a trail of light. Of course every +improvement must be the work of time, but I find my neighbours very +willing to help me in my attempts. + +A few lines will be sufficient to sketch a day's routine. The first of +my duties is one I especially delight in. I am out very early with a +large tin dish of scraps mixed with a few handfuls of wheat, and my +appearance is the signal for a great commotion among all my fowls +and ducks and pigeons. Such waddling and flying and running with +outstretched wings to me: in fact, I receive a morning greeting from +all the live-stock about the place. I am nearly knocked down by the big +sheep-dogs; the calves come rushing with awkward gambols towards me for +a bit of the fowls' bread, whilst the dogs look out for a bone; but, +in the midst of the confusion, the poultry hold their own; indeed, an +anxious hen eager to secure a breakfast for her chicks will fly at a +big dog, and beat him away from a savoury morsel. I think I ought not to +omit mentioning the devotion of a small pig; it is an exact illustration +of the French proverb which speaks of the inequality of love, for I am +quite passive and do not respond in the least to the little beastie's +affection, which is the most absurd thing you ever saw, especially as +it proceeds from so unromantic an animal. Late in the spring (that is to +say, about November last) we were all returning from a great pig-hunting +expedition, when I saw one of the party coming down a steep hill near +the house with a small and glossy-black wild pig under each arm; he was +very proud of his captives, placed them in a box with some straw, and +fed them like babies out of a bottle. We laughed at him very much; but +when he went away he begged so earnestly that the pigs should be reared +that we promised to keep them. In a few days they became perfectly tame, +and were very handsome little creatures; and one of them attached itself +to me, following me all about, even into the house (but _that_ I really +could not stand), accompanying me in all my walks, and, as far as it +could, in my rides. Many a time have I seen poor little piggy carried +down a creek by the current, squealing piteously, but it was evidently a +case of "many waters cannot quench love," for a little further on piggy +would appear, very much baked, but holding out gallantly, till sheer +exhaustion compelled him to give in, when he would lie down under a +tussock, apparently dying; but, as we were coming home in the dusk, +Helen, my pretty bay mare, has given many a shy at piggy starting up +from his shelter with gambols and squeals of joy. + +It is always a great temptation to loiter about in the lovely fresh +morning air, but I have to be dressed in time for prayers and breakfast +at nine; directly after breakfast I go into the kitchen; sometimes, it +is only necessary to give orders or instructions, but generally I find +that practice is much better than precept, and I see to the soup myself, +and make the pudding--the joint can take care of itself. + +You have often asked me what we have to eat, so this will be a good +opportunity of introducing our daily bill of fare, prefacing it with my +recorded opinion that here is no place in the world where you can live +so cheaply and so well as on a New Zealand sheep station, when once you +get a start. Of course, it is expensive at first, setting everything +going, but that would be the case in any country. I will begin at the +very beginning:--Porridge for breakfast, with new milk and cream _a +discretion_; to follow--mutton chops, mutton ham, or mutton curry, +or broiled mutton and mushrooms, not shabby little fragments of meat +broiled, but beautiful tender steaks off a leg; tea or coffee, and bread +and butter, with as many new-laid eggs as we choose to consume. Then, +for dinner, at half-past one, we have soup, a joint, vegetables, and a +pudding; in summer, we have fresh fruit stewed, instead of a pudding, +with whipped cream. I was a proud and happy woman the first day my cream +remained cream, and did not turn into butter; for generally my zeal +outran my discretion, and I did not know when to leave off whipping. We +have supper about seven; but this is a moveable feast, consisting of tea +again, mutton cooked in some form of entree, eggs, bread and butter, and +a cake of my manufacture. I must, however, acknowledge, that at almost +every other station you would get more dainties, such as jam and +preserves of all sorts, than we can boast of yet; for, as Littimer says +to David Copperfield, "We are very young, exceedingly young, sir," our +fruit-trees, have not come into full bearing, and our other resources +are still quite undeveloped. + +However, I have wandered away terribly from my first intention of +telling you of the daily occupations to a description of our daily food. +After I have finished all my little fussings about the house, I join +F---- who has probably been for some time quietly settled down at his +writing-table, and we work together at books and writing till dinner; +after that meal, F---- like Mr. Tootes, "resumes his studies," but I +go and feed my fowls again, and if I am very idly disposed I sit on a +hencoop in the shade and watch the various tempers of my chickens and +ducklings. A little later F---- and I go out for some hours: if it is +not too hot, he takes his rifle and we go over the hills pig-stalking, +but this is really only suitable exercise for a fine winter's day; +at this time of year we either go for a walk or a ride, generally the +latter--not a little shabby canter, but a long stretching gallop for +miles and miles; perhaps stopping to have a cup of tea with a neighbour +twelve or fifteen miles off, and then coming slowly home in the +delicious gloaming, with the peculiar fresh crisp feeling which the +atmosphere always has here the moment the sun sets, no matter how hot +the day has been. I can hardly hope to make you understand how enjoyable +our twilight hours are, with no fear of damp or malaria to spoil them; +every turn of the track as we slowly wind up the valley showing us some +beautiful glimpse of distant mountain peaks, and, above all, such sunset +splendours, gradually fading away into the deep, pure beauty of a summer +night. + +In one of our rides the other day, after crossing a low range of hills, +we suddenly dropped down on what would be called in England a hamlet, +but here it is designated by the extraordinary name of a "nest of +cockatoos." This expression puzzled me so much when I first heard +it, that I must give you as minute an explanation as I myself found +necessary to the comprehension of the subject. + +When a shepherd has saved a hundred pounds, or the better class of +immigrant arrives with a little capital, the favourite investment is in +freehold land, which they can purchase, in sections of twenty acres and +upwards, at 2 pounds the acre. The next step is to build a sod but with +two rooms on their property, thatching it with Tohi, or swamp grass; +a door and a couple of window-frames all ready glazed are brought from +Christchurch in the dray with the family and the household goods. After +this rough and ready shelter is provided, the father and sons begin +fencing their land and gradually it all assumes a cultivated appearance. +Pig-sties and fowl-houses are added; a little garden, gay with common +English flowers, is made in front of the house, whose ugly walls are +gradually hidden by creepers, and the homestead looks both picturesque +and prosperous. These small farmers are called Cockatoos in Australia by +the squatters or sheep-farmers, who dislike them for buying up the best +bits of land on their runs; and say that, like a cockatoo, the small +freeholder alights on good ground, extracts all he can from it, and then +flies away to "fresh fields and pastures new." But the real fact is, +that the poor farmer perhaps finds his section is too far from a market, +so he is forced to abandon it and move nearer a town, where the best +and most productive land has been bought up already; and he has to begin +again at a disadvantage. However, whether the name is just or not, it +is a recognized one here; and I have heard a man say in answer to a +question about his usual occupation, "I'm a Cockatoo." + +This particular "nest" appeared to me very well off, comparatively +speaking; for though the men complained sadly of the low price of their +wheat and oats, still there was nothing like poverty to be seen. Ready +money was doubtless scarce, and an extensive system of barter appeared +to prevail; but still they all looked well fed and well clothed; +sickness was unknown among them, and it did one's heart good to see the +children--such sturdy limbs, bright fearless eyes, and glowing faces. +They have abundance of excellent food. Each cottager has one or two +cows, and the little ones take these out to pasture on the hills, +so they are in the open air nearly all day: but their ignorance is +appalling! Many of them had never even been christened; there was no +school or church within thirty miles or more, and although the parents +seemed all tidy, decent people, and deplored the state of things, they +were powerless to help it. The father and elder sons work hard all day; +the mother has to do everything, even to making the candles, for the +family; there is no time or possibility of teaching the children. The +neighbouring squatters do not like to encourage settlers to buy up their +land, therefore they carefully avoid making things pleasant for a +new "nest," and the Cockatoos are "nobody's business;" so, as far as +educational advantages go, they are perfectly destitute. + +When I mentioned my discovery of this hamlet, and my dismay at the +state of neglect in which so many fine intelligent-looking children +were growing up, every one warned me not to interfere, assuring me the +Cockatoo was a very independent bird, that he considered he had left all +the Ladies Bountiful and blanket and coal charities behind him in the +old country; that, in short, as it is generally put, "Jack is as good +as his master" out here, and any attempt at patronage would be deeply +resented. But I determined to try the effect of a little visiting among +the cottages, and was most agreeably surprised at the kind and cordial +welcome I received. The women liked to have some one to chat to about +their domestic affairs, and were most hospitable in offers of tea, etc., +and everywhere invitations to "come again" were given; so the next week +I ventured to invite the men over to our Sunday services. Those who were +fond of reading eagerly accepted the offer to join the book-club, and at +last we started the educational subject. Many plans were discussed, +and finally we arranged for one woman, who had received an excellent +education and was quite fitted for the post, to commence a day-school; +but this entailed so much loss of her valuable time that the terms she +is obliged to ask seem disproportionately high to the people's means. +She wants 2 shillings and 6 pence a week with each child, and this is +terrible heavy on the head of a family who is anxious and willing to +give them some "schooling." However, the plan is to be tried, and I have +promised to start them with books, slates, copybooks, etc. It was quite +touching to hear their earnest entreaties that F---- would come over on +Sunday sometimes and hold a service there, but I tried to show them this +could not be managed. The tears actually came into their eyes when I +talked of the happiness it would be to see a little church and school in +their midst; and the almost invariable remark was, "Ah, but it'll be a +far day first." And so I fear it will--a very far day; but I have often +heard it said, that if you propose one definite object to yourself as +the serious purpose of your life, you will accomplish it some day. +Well, the purpose of my life henceforward is to raise money somehow or +somewhere to build a little wooden school-room (licensed for service, to +be held whenever a missionary clergyman comes by), and to pay the salary +of a schoolmaster and mistress, so that the poor Cockatoo need not +be charged more than threepence a week for each child. The Board of +Education will give a third of the sum required, when two-thirds have +been already raised; but it is difficult to collect subscriptions, or +indeed to induce the squatters to listen to any plan for improving the +condition of the small farmers, and every year which slips away and +leaves these swarms of children in ignorance adds to the difficulty of +training them. [Note: Since this was written, a school-house, also used +as a church, has been built in this district by private subscription +and Government aid. A clergyman, who lives some twenty-five miles away, +rides over and holds service once a month.] + + + + +Letter XVI: A sailing excursion on Lake Coleridge. + + +Lake Coleridge, February 1867. A violent storm of wind and rain from the +south-west keeps us all indoors to-day, and gives me time to write +my letter for the Panama mail, which will be made up to-morrow. The +post-office is ten miles off, and rejoices in the appropriate name of +"Wind-whistle;" it stands at the mouth of a deep mountain gorge, and +there never was such a temple of the winds. + +This bad weather comes after a long spell of lovely bright summer days, +and is very welcome to fill up the failing creeks in the lower ranges +of hills. I must tell you how much we have been enjoying our visit here. +F---- knows this part of the country well, but it is quite new to me, +and a great contrast to the other scenery I have described to you We had +long talked of paying Mr. C. H---- a visit at his bachelor cottage on +his station far back among the high ranges of hills, but no time was +fixed, so I was rather taken by surprise when last week he drove up to +Broomielaw in a light American waggon with a pair of stout horses, and +announced that he had come to take us to his place next day. There was +no reason against this plan, and we agreed at once; the next morning +saw us on the road, after an early breakfast. We had to drive about +thirty-five miles round, whereas it would have been only twenty miles +riding across the hills; but our kind host thought that it would be much +more comfortable for me to be able to take a carpet-bag in the carriage +instead of the usual system of saddle-bags one is obliged to adopt +travelling on horseback. We made our first stage at the ever-hospitable +station of the C----'s, on the Horarata, but we could not remain to +luncheon, as they wished, having to push on further; and, as it turned +out, it was most fortunate we took advantage of the first part of the +day to get over the ground between us and our destination, for the +gentle breeze which had been blowing since we started gradually +freshened into a tremendous "nor'-wester," right in our teeth all the +rest of our way. The poor horses bent their heads as low as possible +and pulled bravely at their collars, up hill the whole time. Among the +mountains the wind rushed with redoubled fury down the narrow gorges, +and became icily cold as we neared the snowy ranges. It was impossible +to see the hills for the thick mist, though I knew we must have a +magnificent view before us. We took refuge for an hour just to rest the +horses, at Windwhistle, and I certainly expected the house to come down +whilst we were there. I can hardly tell you anything of the rest of the +drive, for I was really frightened at my first experience of a "howling +nor'-wester" out of doors, and Mr. H---- made me sit down at the bottom +of the carriage and heaped over me all the cloaks and shawls we had +brought. It was delightful to find ourselves under shelter at last in +a pretty bright snug room, with lots of books and arm-chairs, and a +blazing fire; _this_, you must remember, in midsummer. + +The next morning was perfectly calm, and the lake as serene as if no +storm had been dashing its water in huge breakers against the beach +only a few hours before. The view from the sitting-room was lovely: just +beneath the window there was a little lawn, as green as possible from +the spray with which the lake had washed it yesterday; beyond this a low +hedge, an open meadow, a fringe of white pebbly beach, and then a wide +expanse of water within one little wooded island, and shut in gradually +from our view by spurs of hills running down to the shore, sometimes in +bold steep cliffs, and again in gentle declivities, with little strips +of bush or scrub growing in the steep gullies between them. The lake +extends some way beyond where we lose sight of it, being twelve miles +long and four miles broad. A few yards from the beach it is over six +hundred feet deep. Nothing but a painting could give you any idea of the +blue of sky and water that morning; the violent wind of yesterday seemed +to have blown every cloud below the horizon, for I could not see the +least white film anywhere. Behind the lower hills which surround the +lake rises a splendid snowy range; altogether, you cannot imagine a more +enchanting prospect than the one I stood and looked at; it made me think +of Miss Procter's lines-- + + "My eyes grow dim, + As still I gaze and gaze + Upon that mountain pass, + That leads--or so it seems-- To some far happy land + Known in a world of dreams." + +All this time, whilst I was looking out of the window in most unusual +idleness, Mr. H---- and F---- were making constant journeys between the +boat-house and the store-room, and at last I was entreated to go and put +on my hat. While doing this I heard cupboards being opened, and a great +bustle; so when I reached the shore I was not so much surprised as they +expected, to see in the pretty little sailing-boat (which was moored to +a primitive sort of jetty made out of a broken old punt) the materials +for at least two substantial meals, in case of being kept out by a +sudden head-wind. I was especially glad to notice a little kettle among +the _impedimenta_, and there were cloaks and wraps of all kinds to +provide against the worst. Four gentlemen and I made up the crew and +passengers, and a very merry set we were, behaving extremely like +children out for a holiday. The wind was a trifle light for sailing, so +the gentlemen pulled, but very lazily and not at all in good "form," +as the object of each oarsman seemed to be to do as little work as +possible. However, we got on somehow, a light puff helping us now and +then, but our progress was hardly perceptible. I had been for a long +time gazing down into the clear blue depth of water, every now and then +seeing a flash of the white sand shining at the bottom, when I was half +startled by our host standing suddenly up in the bow of the boat; +and then I found that we were a couple of miles away from our +starting-point, and that we had turned a corner formed by a steep spur, +and were running right into what appeared a grove of rata-trees growing +at the water's edge. The rata only grows in the hills and near water; it +is a species of broad-leaf myrtle, with a flower exactly like a myrtle +in character, but of a brilliant deep scarlet colour, and twice as +large. + +When the bowsprit touched the rata-branches, which drooped like a +curtain into the water, Mr. H---- made a signal to lower the mast, and +parting the thick, blossom-covered foliage before us, with both hands, +the way the boat had on her sent us gently through the screen of scarlet +flowers and glossy green leaves into such a lovely fairy cove! Before us +was a little white beach of fine sparkling sand, against which the water +broke in tiny wavelets, and all around a perfect bower of every variety +of fern and moss, kept green by streams no thicker than a silver thread +trickling down here and there with a subdued tinkling sound. We all +sat quite silent, the boat kept back just inside the entrance by the +steersman holding on to a branch. It was a sudden contrast from the +sparkling sunshine and brightness outside, all life and colour and +warmth, to the tender, green, profound shade and quiet in this "Mossy +Hum," as the people about here call it. Do not fancy anything damp or +chilly. No; it was like a natural temple--perfect repose and refreshment +to the eyes dazzled with the brilliant outside colouring. Centuries ago +there must have been a great landslip here, for the side of the mountain +is quite hollowed out, and Nature has gradually covered the ugly brown +rent with the thickest tapestry of her most delicate handiwork. I +noticed two varieties of the maiden-hair, its slender black stem making +the most exquisite tracery among the vivid greens. There was no tint +of colour except green when once we passed the red-fringed curtain of +rata-branches, only the white and shining fairy beach and the gleaming +threads of water. As we sat there, perfectly still, and entranced, +a sort of delicious mesmeric feeling stole over me; I thought of the +lotus-eater's chant, "There is no joy but calm," with, for, the first +time in my life, a dim perception of what they meant, perhaps; but +it was over all too quickly: prosaic words of direction to back water +called us from shade to light, and in a moment more we were in front of +the rata-trees, admiring their splendid colouring, and our little boat +was dancing away over the bright waves, with her white wings set and her +bows pointed towards the little toy island in the middle of the lake; it +was no question now of rowing, a nice fresh breeze from the south (the +_cold_ point here) sent us swiftly and steadily through the water. What +a morning it was! The air was positively intoxicating, making you feel +that the mere fact of being a living creature with lungs to inhale such +an atmosphere was a great boon. We have a good deal of disagreeable +weather, and a small proportion of bad weather, but in no other part of +the world, I believe, does Nature so thoroughly understand how to make a +fine day as in New Zealand. + +A little after mid-day we ran our boat to the lee of the island, and: +whilst she was steadied by the same primitive method of holding on to +branches of manuka and other scrub, I scrambled out and up a little +cliff, where a goat could hardly have found footing, till I reached +a spot big enough to stand on, from whence I anxiously watched the +disembarkation of some of the provisions, and of the gridiron and +kettle. In a few moments we were all safely ashore, and busy collecting +dry fern and brushwood for a fire; it was rather a trial of patience to +wait till the great blaze had subsided before we attempted to cook our +chops, which were all neatly prepared ready for us. Some large potatoes +were put to bake in the ashes; the tin plates were warmed (it is a great +art not to overheat them when you have to keep them on your lap whilst +you eat your chop). We were all so terribly hungry that we were obliged +to have a course of bread and cheese and sardines _first_; it was really +quite impossible to wait patiently for the chops. The officiating cook +scolded us well for our Vandalism, and the next moment we detected him +in the act of devouring a half-raw potato. The fragments of our meal +must have been a great boon to the colony of wekas who inhabit the +island, for as they increase and multiply prodigiously their provisions +must often fall short in so small a space. No one can imagine how these +birds originally came here, for the island is at least two miles from +the nearest point of land; they can neither swim nor fly; and as every +man's hand is against them, no one would have thought it worth while +to bring them over: but here they are, in spite of all the apparent +impossibilities attending their arrival, more tame and impudent than +ever. It was dangerous to leave your bread unwatched for an instant, and +indeed I saw one gliding off with an empty sardine tin in its beak; +I wonder how it liked oil and little scales. They considered a cork a +great prize, and carried several off triumphantly. + +After luncheon there was the usual interval of rest, and pipes on the +part of the gentlemen. I explored a little, but there is nothing very +pretty or abundant in the way of wild flowers in the parts of New +Zealand which I have seen. White violets and a ground clematis are the +only ones I have come across in any quantity. The manuka, a sort of +scrub, has a pretty blossom like a diminutive Michaelmas daisy, white +petals and a brown centre, with a very aromatic odour; and this little +flower is succeeded by a berry with the same strong smell and taste of +spice. The shepherds sometimes make an infusion of these when they +are very hard-up for tea; but it must be like drinking a decoction of +cloves. + +About three o'clock we re-embarked, and sailed a little higher up the +lake beyond the point where we lose sight of it from Mr. H----'s house, +every moment opening out fresh and more beautiful glimpses. Quite the +opposite end of the shore is fringed with a thick deep forest, and +another station has been built there, at which, I am told, the scenery +is still more magnificent. At first I was inclined to wonder where the +sheep live amid all this picturesque but mountainous country: however, +I find that between and among these hills stretch immense valleys (or +"flats," as they are called here), which are warm and sheltered in +winter, and afford plenty of food for them; then, in summer, they go up +to the mountains: but it is very difficult to "muster" these ranges. I +am almost ashamed to confess to another meal before we returned home, +but there was a lovely tempting spot in a little harbour, and so we +landed and boiled some water and had a capital cup of tea. You require +to be out as we were from morning till night in such an air as this to +know what it is to feel either hungry or sleepy in perfection! The next +day we made a similar excursion, exploring the opposite shore of the +lake; but, before we started, our host distrusted the appearance of +certain clouds, and sent round horses to meet us at the point where +we were going to lunch; and it was just as well he did so, for a stiff +breeze sprang up from the south-west, which would have kept us out all +night. So we mounted the horses instead of re-embarking, having first +secured the boat, and cantered home. We passed several smaller lakes; +there is a perfect chain of them among these hills, and I was much +amused at the names bestowed on them, according to the tastes or caprice +of the station-owners whose runs happen to include them: for instance, +two are called respectively "Geraldine" and "Ida," whilst three, which +lie close together, rejoice in the somewhat extraordinary names of "the +World," "the Flesh," and "the Devil." + + + + +Letter XVII: My first and last experience of "camping out." + + +Broomielaw, April 1867. I have nothing to tell you this mail, except +of a rather ridiculous expedition which we made last week, and which +involved our spending the whole night on the top of the highest hill on +our run. You will probably wonder what put such an idea into our heads, +so I must preface my account by a little explanation. Whenever I meet +any people who came here in the very early days of the colony--only +sixteen years ago, after all!--I delight in persuading them to tell me +about their adventures and hardships during those primitive times, and +these narratives have the greatest fascination for me, as they always +end happily. No one ever seems to have died of his miseries, or even +to have suffered seriously in any way from them, so I find the greatest +delight in listening to the stories of the Pilgrims. I envy them +dreadfully for having gone through so much with such spirit and +cheerfulness, and ever since I came here I have regretted that the rapid +advance of civilization in New Zealand precludes the possibility of +being really uncomfortable; this makes me feel like an impostor, for I +am convinced that my English friends think of me with the deepest pity, +as of one cut off from the refinements and comforts of life, whereas I +really am surrounded by every necessary, and many of its luxuries, and +there is no reason but that of expense why one should not have all of +these. + +One class of narratives is peculiarly attractive to me. I like to hear +of benighted or belated travellers when they have had to "camp out," +as it is technically called; and have lived in constant hope of meeting +with an adventure which would give me a similar experience. But I am +gradually becoming convinced that this is almost impossible by fair +means, so I have been trying for some time past to excite in the breasts +of our home party and of our nearest neighbours an ardent desire to see +the sun rise from the top of "Flagpole," a hill 3,000 feet above the +level of the sea, and only a: couple of miles from the house. As soon +as they were sufficiently enthusiastic on the subject, I broached my +favourite project of our all going up there over-night, and camping +out on the highest peak. Strange to say, the plan did not meet with any +opposition, even from F----, who has had to camp out many a winter's +night, and with whom, therefore, the novelty may be said to have worn +off. Two gentlemen of the proposed party were "new chums" like myself, +and were strongly in favour of a little roughing; new-chums always are, +I observe. F---- hesitated a little about giving a final consent on +the score of its being rather too late in the year, and talked of a +postponement till next summer, but we would not listen to such an idea; +so he ended by entering so heartily into it, that when at last the +happy day and hour came, an untoward shower had not the least effect in +discouraging him. + +There was a great bustle about the little homestead on that eventful +Tuesday afternoon. Two very steady old horses were saddled, one for me +and the other for one of the "new chums," who was not supposed to be +in good form for a long walk, owing to a weak knee. Everything which we +thought we could possibly want was heaped on and around us after we +had mounted; the rest of the gentlemen, four in number, walked, and +we reached the first stage of our expedition in about an hour. Here we +dismounted, as the horses could go no further in safety. The first +thing done was to see to their comfort and security; the saddles were +carefully deposited under a large flax-bush in case of rain, and the +long tether ropes were arranged so as to ensure plenty of good feed and +water for both horses, without the possibility of the ropes becoming +entangled in each other or in anything else. Then came a time of great +excitement and laughing and talking, for all the "swags" had to be +packed and apportioned for the very long and steep ascent before us. + +And now I must tell you exactly what we took up. A pair of large double +blankets to make the tent of,--that was one swag, and a very unwieldy +one it was, strapped knapsack fashion, with straps of flax-leaves, on +the back, and the bearer's coat and waistcoat fastened on the top of the +whole. The next load consisted of one small single blanket for my +sole use, inside of which was packed a cold leg of lamb. I carried the +luncheon basket, also strapped on my shoulders, filled with two large +bottles of cream, some tea and sugar, and, I think, teaspoons. It looked +a very insignificant load by the side of the others, but I assure you I +found it frightfully heavy long before I had gone half-way up the hill. +The rest distributed among them a couple of large heavy axes, a small +coil of rope, some bread, a cake, tin plates and pannikins, knives +and forks, and a fine pigeon-pie. Concerning this pie there were two +abominable propositions; one was to leave it behind, and the other +was to eat it then and there: both of these suggestions were, however, +indignantly rejected. I must not forget to say we included in the +commissariat department two bottles of whisky, and a tiny bottle of +essence of lemon, for the manufacture of toddy. We never see a real +lemon, except two or three times a year when a ship arrives from the +Fiji islands, and then they are sixpence or a shilling apiece. All these +things were divided into two large heavy "swags," and to poor F---- was +assigned the heaviest and most difficult load of all--the water. He +must have suffered great anxiety all the way, for if any accident had +happened to his load, he would have had to go back again to refill his +big kettle; this he carried in his hand, whilst a large tin vessel with +a screw lid over its mouth was strapped on his back also full of water, +but he was particularly charged not to let a drop escape from the spout +of the kettle; and I may mention here, that though he took a long time +about it, for he could not go as straight up the hill as we did, he +reached the top with the kettle full to the brim--the other vessel +was of course quite safe. All these packings and repackings, and the +comfortable adjustment of the "swags," occupied a long time, so it was +past five when we began our climb, and half-past six when we reached the +top of the hill, and getting so rapidly dark that we had to hurry our +preparations for the night, though we were all so breathless that +a "spell" (do you know that means _rest_?) would have been most +acceptable. The ascent was very steep, and there were no sheep-tracks to +guide us; our way lay through thick high flax-bushes, and we never could +have got on without their help. I started with a stick, but soon threw +it aside and pulled myself up by the flax, hand over hand. Of course +I had to stop every now and then to rest, and once I chose the same +flax-bush where three young wild pigs had retired for the night, having +first made themselves the most beautiful bed of tussock grass bitten +into short lengths; the tussocks are very much scattered here, so it +must have been an afternoon's work for them; but the shepherds say these +wild pigs make themselves a fresh bed every night. + +The first thing to be done was to pitch the tent on the little flat at +the very top of the hill: it was a very primitive affair; two of the +thinnest and longest pieces of totara, with which Flagpole is strewed, +we used for poles, fastening another piece lengthwise to these upright +sticks as a roof-tree: this frame was then covered with the large +double blanket, whose ends were kept down on the ground by a row of the +heaviest stones to be found. The rope we had brought up served to tie +the poles together at the top, and to fasten the blanket on them; but as +soon as the tent had reached this stage, it was discovered that the +wind blew through it from end to end, and that it afforded very little +protection. We also found it much colder at the top of this hill than +in our valley; so under these circumstances it became necessary to +appropriate my solitary blanket to block up one end of the tent and +make it more comfortable for the whole party. It was very little shelter +before this was done. The next step was to collect wood for a fire, +which was not difficult, for at some distant time the whole of the hill +must have been covered by a forest of totara trees; it has apparently +been destroyed by fire, for the huge trunks and branches which still +strew the steep sides are charred and half burnt. It is a beautiful +wood, with a strong aromatic odour, and blazed and crackled splendidly +in the clear, cool evening air, as we piled up a huge bonfire, and put +the kettle on to boil. It was quite dusk by this time, so the gentlemen +worked hard at collecting a great supply of wood, as the night promised +to be a very cold one, whilst I remained to watch the kettle, full of +that precious liquid poor F---- had carried up with such care, and to +prevent the wekas from carrying off our supper, which I had arranged +just inside the tent. In this latter task I was nobly assisted by my +little black terrier Dick, of whose sad fate I must tell you later. + +By eight o'clock a noble pile of firewood had been collected, and we +were very tired and hungry; so we all crept inside the tent, which did +not afford very spacious accommodation, and began our supper. At this +point of the entertainment everybody voted it a great success; although +the wind was slowly rising and blowing from a cold point, and our +blanket-tent did not afford the perfect warmth and shelter we had fondly +credited it with. The gentlemen began to button up their coats. I had +only a light serge jacket on, so I coaxed Dick to sit at my back +and keep it warm; for, whilst our faces were roasted by the huge +beacon-fire, there was a keen and icy draught behind us. The hot tea was +a great comfort, and we enjoyed it thoroughly, and after it was over +the gentlemen lit their pipes, and I told them a story: presently we had +glees, but by ten o'clock there was no concealing the fact that we were +all very sleepy indeed; however, we still loudly declared that camping +out was the most delightful experiment. F---- and another gentleman +(that kind and most good-natured Mr. U----, who lives with us) went +outside the tent, armed with knives, and cut all the tussocks they could +feel in the darkness, to make me a bed after the fashion of the pigs; +they brought in several armfuls, and the warmest corner in the tent was +heaped with them; I had my luncheon-basket for a pillow, and announced +that I had turned in and was very comfortable, and that camping out was +charming; the gentlemen were still cheery, though sleepy; and the last +thing I remember was seeing preparations being made for what a Frenchman +of my acquaintance always will call a "grogs." When I awoke, I thought I +must have slept several hours. Though the fire was blazing grandly, the +cold was intense: I was so stiff I could hardly move; all my limbs ached +dreadfully, and my sensations altogether were new and very disagreeable. +I sat up with great difficulty and many groans, and looked round: two +figures were coiled up, like huge dogs, near me; two more, moody and +sulky, were smoking by the fire; with their knees drawn up to their +noses and their hands in their pockets, collars well up round their +throats--statues of cold and disgust. To my inquiries about the hour, +the answer, given in tones of the deepest despondency, was "Only eleven +o'clock, and the sun doesn't rise till six, and its going to be the +coldest night we've had this year." The speaker added, "If it wasn't so +dark that we'd break our necks on the way, we might go home." + +Here was a pretty end to our amusement. I slowly let myself down again, +and tried to go to sleep, but that relief was at an end for the night; +the ground seemed to grow harder every moment, or, at all events, I +ached more, and the wind certainly blew higher and keener. Dick proved +himself a most selfish doggie; he would creep round to leeward of _me_, +whilst I wanted him to let me get leeward of him, but he would not +consent to this arrangement. Whenever I heard a deeper moan or sigh than +usual, I whispered an inquiry as to the hour, but the usual reply, +in the most cynical voice, was, "Oh, you need not whisper, nobody is +asleep." I heard one plaintive murmur "Think of all our warm beds, and +of our coming up here from choice." I must say I felt dreadfully ashamed +of myself for my plan; it was impossible to express my contrition and +remorse, for, always excepting Mr. U----, they were all too cross to +be spoken to. It certainly was a weary, long night. About one o'clock I +pretended to want some hot tea, and the preparation for that got through +half an hour, and it warmed us a little; but everybody still was deeply +dejected, not to say morose. After an interval of only two hours more +of thorough and intense wretchedness we had a "grogs," but there was no +attempt at conviviality--subdued savageness was the prevailing state of +mind. I tried to infuse a little hope into the party, by suggestions of +a speedy termination to our misery, but my own private opinion was that +we should all be laid up for weeks to come with illness. I allotted to +myself in this imaginary distribution of ills a severe rheumatic fever; +oh! how I ached, and I felt as if I never could be warm again. The fire +was no use; except to afford occupation in putting on wood; it roasted a +little bit of you at a time, and that bit suffered doubly from the cold +when it was obliged to take its share of exposure to the wind. I cannot +say whether the proverb is true of other nights, but this particular +night, certainly, was both darkest and coldest just before dawn. + +At last, to our deep joy, and after many false alarms, we really all +agreed that there was a faint streak of grey in the east. My first +impulse was to set off home, and I believe I tried to get up expressing +some such intention, but F---- recalled me to myself by saying, in great +surprise, "Are you not going to stop and see the sun rise?" I had quite +forgotten that this was the avowed object of the expedition, but I +was far too stiff to walk a yard, so I was obliged to wait to see what +effect the sunrise would have on my frozen limbs, for I could not think +of any higher motive. Presently some one called out "There's the sea," +and so it was, as distinct as though it were not fifty miles off; none +of us had seen it since we landed; to all of us it is associated with +the idea of going home some day: whilst we were feasting our eyes on it +a golden line seemed drawn on its horizon; it spread and spread, and as +all the water became flooded with a light and glory which hardly seemed +to belong to this world, the blessed sun came up to restore us all +to life and warmth again. In a moment, in less than a moment, all our +little privations and sufferings vanished as if they had never existed, +or existed only to be laughed at. Who could think of their "Ego" in such +a glorious presence, and with such a panorama before them? I did not +know which side to turn to first. Behind me rose a giant forest in the +far hills to the west--a deep shadow for miles, till the dark outline +of the pines stood out against the dazzling snow of the mountains behind +it; here the sky was still sheltering the flying night, and the white +outlines looked ghostly against the dull neutral tints, though every +peak was sharply and clearly defined; then I turned round to see before +me such a glow of light and beauty! For an immense distance I could see +the vast Canterbury plains; to the left the Waimakiriri river, flowing +in many streams, "like a tangled bunch of silver ribbons" (as Mr. Butler +calls it in his charming book on New Zealand), down to the sea; beyond +its banks the sun shone on the windows of the houses at Oxford, thirty +miles off as the crow would fly, and threw its dense bush into strong +relief against the yellow plains. The Port Hills took the most lovely +lights and shadows as we gazed on them; beyond them lay the hills of +Akaroa, beautiful beyond the power of words to describe. Christchurch +looked quite a large place from the great extent of ground it appeared +to cover. We looked onto the south: there was a slight haze over the +great Ellesmere Lake, the water of which is quite fresh, though only +separated from the sea by a slight bar of sand; the high banks of the +Rakaia made a deep dark line extending right back into the mountains, +and beyond it we could see the Rangitata faintly gleaming in the +distance; between us and the coast were green patches and tiny +homesteads, but still few and far between; close under our feet, and +looking like a thread beneath the shadow of the mountain, ran the Selwyn +in a narrow gorge, and on its bank stood the shepherd's hut that I have +told you once afforded us such a good luncheon; it looked a mere toy, as +if it came out of a child's box of playthings, and yet so snug for all +its lonely position. On the other hand lay our own little home, with the +faint wreath of smoke stealing up through the calm air (for the wind had +dropped at sunrise). Here and there we saw strings of sheep going down +from their high camping-grounds to feed on the sunny slopes and in +the warm valleys. Every moment added to our delight and enjoyment; but +unfortunately it was a sort of happiness which one can neither speak of +at the time, nor write about afterwards: silence is its most expressive +language. Whilst I was drinking in all the glory and beauty before me, +some of the others had been busy striking the tent, repacking the loads, +very much lighter without the provisions; and we had one more excellent +cup of tea before abandoning the encampment to the wekas, who must have +breakfasted splendidly that morning. Our last act was to collect all +the stones we could move into a huge cairn, which was built round a tall +pole of totara; on the summit of this we tied securely, with flax, the +largest and strongest pocket-handkerchief, and then, after one look +round to the west--now as glowing and bright as the radiant east--we set +off homewards about seven o'clock; but it was long before we reached +the place where we left the horses, for the gentlemen began rolling +huge rocks down the sides of the hills and watching them crashing and +thundering into the valleys, sometimes striking another rock and then +bounding high into the air. They were all as eager and excited as +schoolboys, and I could not go on and leave them, lest I should get +below them and be crushed under a small stone of twenty tons or so. I +was therefore forced to keep well _above_ them all the time. At last we +reached the spur where the horses were tethered, re-saddled and loaded +them, and arrived quite safely at home, just in time for baths and +breakfast. I was amused to see that no one seemed to remember or allude +to the miseries and aches of that long cold night; all were full of +professions of enjoyment. But I noticed that the day was unusually +quiet; the gentlemen preferred a bask in the verandah to any other +amusement, and I have reason to believe they indulged in a good many +naps. + + + + +Letter XVIII: A journey "down south." + + +Waimate, May 1867. In one of my early letters from Heathstock I told you +that the Hurunui, which is the boundary of that run, marks the extreme +north of the Province of Canterbury; and now I am writing to you from +the extreme south. I hope you do not forget to reverse in your own mind +the ordinary ideas of heat and cold, as connected with those points of +the compass. The distance from our house to this is about 160 miles, and +we actually took two days and a half to get here!--besides, into these +miles was compressed the fatigue of a dozen English railway journeys +of the same length. But, I suppose, as usual, you will not be satisfied +unless I begin at the very beginning. The first difficulty was to reach +the point where we were to join the coach on the Great South Road. It +was less than thirty miles, so we could easily have ridden the distance; +but the difficulty was to get our clothes all that way. They could not +be carried on horseback, and just then the station-dray was particularly +employed; besides which it would have taken three days to come and +go,--rather a useless expenditure of the man's time, as well as of +the horses' legs, where only two little portmanteaus were concerned. +Fortunately for us, however, this is a country where each man is ready +and willing to help his neighbour, without any inquiry as to who he is; +so the moment our dilemma was known various plans were suggested for our +assistance, of which this was the one selected:-- + +On a certain bright but cold Wednesday afternoon, F---- and I and our +modest luggage started in a neighbour's "trap" for the station I have +already mentioned on the Horarata, where Mr. C. H---- and I stopped +on our way to Lake Coleridge. It is on the plains at the foot of a low +range of downs, and about twelve miles from us. You cannot imagine +a more charming little cottage _ornee_ than the house is, capable of +holding, apparently, an indefinite number of people, and with owners +whose hospitality always prompts them to try its capabilities to the +utmost. A creek runs near the house, and on its banks, sloping to the +sun, lies a lovely garden, as trim as any English parterre, and a mass +of fruit and flowers. Nothing can be more picturesque than the mixture +of both. For instance, on the wall of the house is a peach-tree +laden every autumn with rosy, velvet-cheeked fruit; and jasmine and +passion-flowers growing luxuriantly near it. Inside all is bright +neatness and such a welcome! As for our supper, on this particular +day it comprised every dainty you can imagine, and made me think of +my housekeeping with shame and confusion of face. We had a very merry +evening, with round games; but there was a strong prejudice in favour of +going to bed early, as we all had to be up by three o'clock: and so +we were, to find a delicious breakfast prepared for us, which our kind +hostess was quite disappointed to see we could not eat much of. Coffee +and toast was all I could manage at that hour. We started in the dark, +and the first thing we had to cross was a dry river-bed, in which one of +the horses lay deliberately down, and refused to move. This eccentricity +delayed us very much; but we got him into a better frame of mind, and +accomplished our early drive of sixteen miles in safety, reaching the +accommodation-house, or inn, where the coach from Christchurch to Timaru +changes horses for its first stage, by six o'clock. There we had a good +breakfast, and were in great "form" by the time the coach was ready +to start. These conveyances have a world-wide celebrity as "Cobb's +coaches," both in America and Australia, where they are invariably the +pioneers of all wheeled vehicles, being better adapted to travel on a +bad road, or no road at all, than any other four-wheeled "trap." They +are both strong and light, with leathern springs and a powerful break; +but I cannot conscientiously say they are at all handsome carriages; +indeed I think them extremely ugly and not very comfortable except on +the box-seat next the driver. Fortunately, this is made to hold three, +so F---- and I scrambled up, and off we started with four good strong +horses, bearing less harness about them than any quadrupeds I ever saw; +a small collar, slender traces, and very thin reins comprised all their +accoutrements. The first half of the journey was slow, but there was no +jolting. The road was level, though it had not been made at all, +only the tussocks removed from it; but it was naturally good--a great +exception to New Zealand roads. The driver was a steady, respectable +man, very intelligent; and when F----could make him talk of his +experiences in Australia in the early coaching days, I was much +interested. + +We crossed the Rakaia and the Rangitata in ferry-boats, and stopped on +the banks of the Ashburton, to dine about one o'clock, having changed +horses twice since we started from "Gigg's," as our place of junction +was elegantly called. Here all my troubles began. When we came out of +the little inn, much comforted and refreshed by a good dinner, I found +to my regret that we were to change drivers as well as horses, and that +a very popular and well known individual was to be the new coachman. +As our former driver very politely assisted me to clamber up on the +box-seat, he recommended F---- to sit on the outside part of the seat, +and to put me next the driver, "where," he added, "the lady won't be +so likely to tumble out." As I had shown no disposition to fall off +the coach hitherto, I was much astonished by this precaution, but said +nothing. So he was emboldened to whisper, after looking round furtively, +"And you jest take and don't be afraid, marm; _he_ handles the ribbings +jest as well when he's had a drop too much as when he's sober, which +ain't often, however." This last caution alarmed me extremely. The +horses were not yet put in, nor the driver put _up_, so I begged F---- +to get down and see if I could not go inside. But, after a hasty survey, +he, said it was quite impossible: men smoking, children crying, and, +in addition, a policeman with a lunatic in his charge, made the inside +worse than the outside, especially in point of atmosphere; so he +repeated the substance of our ex-driver's farewell speech; and when I +saw our new charioteer emerge at last from the bar, looking only very +jovial and tolerably steady as to gait, I thought perhaps my panic was +premature. But, oh, what a time I had of it for nine hours afterwards! +The moment the grooms let go the horses' heads he stood up on his seat, +shook the reins, flourished his long whip, and with one wild yell from +him we dashed down a steep cutting into the Ashburton. The water flew in +spray far over our heads, and the plunge wetted me as effectually as if +I had fallen into the river. I expected the front part of the coach to +part from the back, on account of the enormous strain caused by dragging +it over the boulders. We lurched like a boat in a heavy sea; the +"insides" screamed; "Jim" (that was the driver's name) swore and yelled; +the horses reared and plunged. All this time I was holding on like grim +death to a light iron railing above my head, and one glance to my left +showed me F---- thrown off the very small portion of cushion which fell +to his share, and clinging desperately to a rude sort of lamp-frame. +I speculated for an instant whether this would break; and, if so, what +would become of him. But it took all my ideas to keep myself from being +jerked off among the horses' heels. We dashed through the river; Jim +gathered up the reins, and with a different set of oaths swore he would +punish the horses for jibbing in the water. And he did punish them; +he put the break hard down for some way, flogged them with all his +strength, dancing about the coach-box and yelling like a madman. Every +now and then, in the course of his bounds from place to place, he would +come plump down on my lap; but I was too much frightened to remonstrate; +indeed, we were going at such a pace against the wind, I had very little +breath to spare. + +We got over the first stage of twenty miles at this rate very quickly, +as you may imagine; but, unfortunately, there was an accommodation-house +close to the stables, and Jim had a good deal more refreshment. Strange +to say, this did not make him any wilder in manner--that he could not +be; but after we started again he became extremely friendly with me, +addressing me invariably as "my dear," and offering to "treat me" +at every inn from that to Timaru. I declined, as briefly as I could, +whereupon he became extremely angry, at my doubting his pecuniary +resources apparently, for, holding the reins carelessly with one hand, +though we were still tearing recklessly along, he searched his pockets +with the other hand, and produced from them a quantity of greasy, dirty +one-pound notes, all of which he laid on my lap, saying, "There, and +there, and there, if you think I'm a beggar!" I fully expected them to +blow away, for I could not spare a hand to hold them; but I watched +my opportunity when he was punishing the unfortunate fresh team, and +pounced on them, thrusting the dirty heap back into his great-coat +pocket. At the next stage a very tidy woman came out, with a rather +large bundle, containing fresh linen, she said, for her son, who was ill +in the hospital at Timaru. She booked this, and paid her half-crown for +its carriage, entreating the drunken wretch to see that it reached her +son that night. He wildly promised he should have it in half-an-hour, +and we set off as if he meant to keep his word, though we were some +forty miles off yet; but he soon changed his mind, and took a hatred to +the parcel, saying it would "sink the ship," and finally tried to kick +it over the splash-board. I seized it at the risk of losing my balance, +and hugged it tight all the way to Timaru, carrying it off to the hotel, +where I induced a waiter to take it up to the hospital. + +After we had changed horses for the last time, and I was comforting +myself by the reflection that the journey was nearly over, we heard +shouts and screams from the inside passengers. F---- persuaded Jim with +much trouble to pull up, and jumped down to see what was the matter. A +strong smell of burning and a good deal of smoke arose from inside the +coach, caused by the lunatic having taken off both his boots and lighted +a fire in them. It was getting dark and chilly; the other passengers, +including the policeman, had dozed off and the madman thought that +as his feet were very cold, he would "try and warm them a bit;" so he +collected all the newspapers with which his fellow-travellers had been +solacing the tedium of their journey, tore, them up into shreds, with +the addition of the contents of a poor woman's bundle, and made quite +a cheerful blaze out of these materials. It was some time before the +terrified women could be induced to get into the coach again; and it was +only by Jims asseverations, couched in the strongest language, that if +they were not "all aboard" in half a minute, he would drive on and leave +them in the middle of the plains, that they were persuaded to clamber in +to their places once more. + +How thankful I was when we saw the lights of Timaru! I was stunned and +bewildered, tired beyond the power of words to describe, and black and +blue all over from being jolted about. The road had been an excellent +one, all the way level and wide, with telegraph-poles by its side. We +shaved these very closely often enough, but certainly, amid all his +tipsiness, Jim bore out his predecessors remark. Whenever we came to a +little dip in the road, or a sharp turn, as we were nearing Timaru, he +would get the horses under control as if by magic, and take us over as +safely as the soberest driver could have done; the moment the obstacle +was passed, off we were again like a whirlwind! + +I was not at all surprised to hear that upsets and accidents were common +on the road, and that the horses lasted but a very short time. + +We found our host had driven in from his station forty-five miles +distant from Timaru, to meet us, and had ordered nice rooms and a good +dinner; so the next morning I was quite rested, and ready to laugh over +my miseries of the day before. Nothing could be a greater contrast than +this day's journeying to yesterday's. A low, comfortable phaeton, and +one of the most agreeable companions in the world to drive us, beautiful +scenery and a nice luncheon half-way, at which meal F---- ate something +like half a hundred cheese-cakes! The last part of the road for a dozen +miles or so was rather rough; we had to cross a little river, the Waio, +every few hundred yards; and a New Zealand river has so much shingle +about it! The water can never quite make up its mind where it would like +to go, and has half-a-dozen channels ready to choose from, and then in +a heavy fresh the chances are it will select and make quite a different +course after all. + +This is late autumn with us, remember, so the evenings close in early +and, are very cold indeed. It was quite dark when we reached the house, +and the blazing fires in every room were most welcome. The house is very +unlike the conventional station pattern, being built of stone, large, +very well arranged, and the perfection of comfort inside. There is no +hostess at present; three bachelor brothers do the honours, and, as far +as my experience goes, do them most efficiently. Our visit has lasted +three weeks already, and we really must bring it to a termination +soon. The weather has been beautiful, and we have made many delightful +excursions, all on horseback, to neighbouring stations, to a fine bush +where we had a picnic, or to some point of view. I can truly say I have +enjoyed every moment of the time, indoors as well as out; I was the only +lady, and was petted and made much of to my heart's content. There were +several other guests, and they were all nice and amusing. One wet day we +had, and only one. I must tell you an incident of it, to show you what +babies grown-up men can be at the Antipodes. We worked hard all the +morning at acrostics, and after my five o'clock tea I went upstairs to +a charming little boudoir prepared for me, to rest and read; in a short +time I heard something like music and stamping, and, though I was _en +peignoir_, I stole softly down to see what was going on; when I opened +the door of the general sitting-room a most unusual sight presented +itself,--eight bearded men, none of them very young, were dancing a set +of quadrilles with the utmost gravity and decorum to the tunes played +by a large musical-box, which was going at the most prodigious pace, +consequently the dancers were flying through the figures in silence +and breathless haste. They could not stop or speak when I came in, and +seemed quite surprised at my laughing at them; but you have no idea how +ridiculous they looked, especially as their gravity and earnestness were +profound. + +This is one of the very few stations where pheasants have been +introduced, but then, every arrangement has been made for their comfort, +and a beautiful house and yard built for their reception on a flat, just +beneath the high terrace on which the house stands. More than a hundred +young birds were turned out last spring, and there will probably +be three times that number at the end of this year. We actually had +pheasant twice at dinner; the first, and probably the last time we shall +taste game in New Zealand. There is a good deal of thick scrub in the +clefts of the home-terrace, and this affords excellent shelter for the +young. Their greatest enemies are the hawks, and every variety of trap +and cunning device for the destruction of these latter are in use, but +as yet without doing much execution among them, they are so wonderfully +clever and discerning. + + + + +Letter XIX: A Christening gathering.--the fate of Dick. + + +Broomielaw, June 1867. We reached home quite safely the first week of +this month, and I immediately set to work to prepare for the Bishop's +visit. We met him at a friend's house one day, just as we were starting +homewards, and something led to my telling him about the destitute +spiritual condition of my favourite "nest of Cockatoos." With his usual +energy, as well as goodness, he immediately volunteered to come up to +our little place, hold a service, and christen all the children. We +were only too thankful to accept such an offer, as we well knew what +an inducement it would be to the people, who would take a great deal +of trouble and come from far and near to hear our dear Bishop, who is +universally beloved and respected. + +For a week beforehand the house smelt all day long like a baker's shop +about noon on Sunday, for pies, tarts, cakes, etc., were perpetually +being "drawn" from the oven. I borrowed every pie-dish for miles round, +and, as on another occasion I have mentioned, plenty of good things +which our own resources could not furnish forth came pouring in on all +sides with offers to help. F---- and I scoured the country for thirty +miles round to invite everybody to come over to us that Sunday; and I +think I may truly say everybody came. When I rode over to my "nest" and +made the announcement of the Bishop's visit, the people were very much +delighted; but a great difficulty arose from the sudden demand for white +frocks for all the babies and older children. I rashly promised each +child should find a clean white garment awaiting it on its arrival at my +house, and took away a memorandum of all the different ages and sizes; +the "order" never could have been accomplished without the aid of my +sewing-machine. I had a few little frocks by me as patterns, and cut up +some very smart white embroidered petticoats which were quite useless to +me, to make into little skirts. In spite of all that was going on in the +kitchen my maids found time to get these up most beautifully, and by +the Saturday night the little bed in the spare room was a heap of snowy +small garments, with a name written on paper and pinned to each. The +Bishop also arrived quite safely, late that evening, having driven +himself up from Christchurch in a little gig. + +It is impossible for you to imagine a more beautiful winter's morning +than dawned on us that Sunday. A sharp frost over-night only made the +air deliciously crisp, for the sun shone so brightly, that by nine +o'clock the light film of ice over the ponds had disappeared, and I +found the Bishop basking in the verandah when I came out to breakfast, +instead of sitting over the blazing wood-fire in the dining-room. We got +our meal finished as quickly as possible, and then F---- and Mr. U---- +set to work to fill the verandah with forms extemporised out of empty +boxes placed at each end, and planks laid across them; every red blanket +in the house was pressed into service to cover these rough devices, and +the effect at last was quite tidy. By eleven o'clock the drays began to +arrive in almost a continual stream; as each came up, its occupants were +taken into the kitchen, and given as much as they could eat of cold pies +made of either pork or mutton, bread and hot potatoes, and tea. As for +teapots, they were discarded, and the tea was made in huge kettles, +whilst the milk stood in buckets, into which quart jugs were dipped +every five minutes. I took care of all the women and children whilst +F---- and Mr. U---- looked after the men, showed them where to put the +horses, etc. All this time several gentlemen and two or three ladies had +arrived, but there was no one to attend to them, so they all very kindly +came out and helped. We insisted on the Bishop keeping quiet in the +drawing-room, or he would have worked as hard as any one. I never could +have got the children into their white frocks by two o'clock if it had +not been for the help of the other ladies; but at last they were all +dressed, and the congregation--not much under a hundred people--fed, +and arranged in their places. There had been a difficulty about finding +sufficient godmothers and godfathers, so F---- and I were sponsors for +every child, and each parent wished me to hand the child to the Bishop; +but I could not lift up many of the bigger ones, and they roared +piteously when I touched their hands. I felt it quite a beautiful and +thrilling scene; the sunburnt faces all around, the chubby, pretty +little group of white-clad children, every one well fed and comfortably +clothed, the dogs lying at their masters feet, the bright winter +sunshine and dazzling sky, and our dear Bishops commanding figure and +clear, penetrating voice! He gave us a most excellent sermon, short and +simple, but so perfectly appropriate; and after the service was over he +went about, talking to all the various groups such nice, helpful words. + +The truest kindness was now to "speed the parting guest," so each +dray load, beginning with those whose homes were the most distant, was +collected. They were first taken into the kitchen and given a good meal +of hot tea, cake, and bread and butter, for many had four hours' jolting +before them; the red blankets were again called into requisition to act +as wraps, besides every cloak and shawl I possessed, for the moment the +sun sunk, which would be about four o'clock, the cold was sure to become +intense. We lived that day in the most scrambling fashion ourselves; +there was plenty of cold meat, etc., on the dining-room table, and +piles of plates, and whenever any of the party were hungry they went +and helped themselves, as my two servants were entirely occupied with +looking after the comfort of the congregation; it was such a treat to +them to have, even for a few hours, the society of other women. They +have only one female neighbour, and she is generally too busy to see +much of them; besides which, I think the real reason of the want of +intimacy is that Mrs. M---- is a very superior person, and when she +comes up I generally like to have a chat with her myself. It does me +good to see her bonny Scotch face, and hear the sweet kindly "Scot's +tongue;" besides which she is my great instructress in the mysteries of +knitting socks and stockings, spinning, making really good butter (not +an easy thing, madam), and in all sorts of useful accomplishments; her +husband is the head shepherd on the next station. They are both very +fond of reading, and it was quite pretty to see the delight they took in +the Queen's book about the Highlands. + +To return, however, to that Sunday. We were all dreadfully tired by +the time the last guest had departed, but we had a delightfully quiet +evening, and a long talk with the Bishop about our favourite scheme of +the church and school among the Cockatoos, and we may feel certain of +his hearty cooperation in any feasible plan for carrying it out. The +next morning, much to our regret, the Bishop left us for Christchurch, +but he had to hold a Confirmation service there, and could not give us +even a few more hours. We were so very fortunate in our weather. The +following Sunday was a pouring wet day, and we have had wind and rain +almost ever since; it is unusually wet, so I have nothing more to tell +you of our doings, which must seem very eccentric to you, by the way, +but I assure you I enjoy the gipsy unconventional life immensely. + +You must not be critical about a jumble of subjects if I record poor +Dick's tragical fate here; it will serve to fill up my letter, and if +ever you have mourned for a pet dog you will sympathise with me. I must +first explain to you that on a sheep station strange dogs are regarded +with a most unfriendly eye by both master and shepherds. There are the +proper colleys,--generally each shepherd has two,--but no other dogs +are allowed, and I had great trouble to coax F---- to allow me to accept +two. One is a beautiful water-spaniel, jet black, Brisk by name, but his +character is stainless in the matter of sheep, and though very handsome +he is only an amiable idiot, his one amusement being to chase a +weka, which he never catches. The other dog was, alas! Dick, a small +black-and-tan terrier, very well bred, and full of tricks and play. We +never even suspected him of any wickedness, but as it turned out he must +have been a hardened offender. A few weeks after he came to us, when the +lambing season was at its height, and the low sunny hills near the +house were covered with hundreds of the pretty little white creatures, +F----used sometimes to come and ask me where Dick was, and, strange to +say, Dick constantly did not answer to my call. An evening or two later, +just as we were starting for our walk, Dick appeared in a great hurry +from the back of the stable. F---- went up immediately to him, and +stooped down to examine his mouth, calling me to see. Oh, horror! it +was all covered with blood and wool. I pleaded all sorts of extenuating +circumstances, but F---- said, with: judicial sternness, "This cannot be +allowed." Dick was more fascinating than usual, never looking at a sheep +whilst we were out walking with him, and behaving in the most exemplary +manner. F---- watched him all the next day, and at last caught him in +the act of killing a new-born lamb a little way from the house; the +culprit was brought to me hanging his tail with the most guilty air, +and F---- said, "I ought to shoot him, but if you like I will try if a +beating can cure him, but it must be a tremendous one." I was obliged +to accept this alternative, and retreated where I could not hear Dick's +howls under the lash, over the body of his victim. A few hours after I +went to the spot, lifted Dick up, and carried him into my room to nurse +him; for he could not move, he had been beaten so severely. For two +whole days he lay on the soft mat I gave him, only able to lap a little +warm milk; on the third morning he tried to get up, and crawled into the +verandah; I followed to watch him. Imagine my dismay at seeing him limp +to the place where the body of his last victim lay, and deliberately +begin tearing it to pieces. I followed him with my little horsewhip and +gave him a slight beating. I could not find it in my heart to hit him +very hard. I carefully concealed this incident from F----, and for some +days I never let Dick out of my sight for a moment; but early one fine +morning a knock came to our bed-room door, and a voice said, "Please, +sir, come and see what's the matter with the sheep? there's a large mob +of them at the back of the house being driven, like." Oh, my prophetic +soul! I felt it was Dick. Whilst F---- was huddling on some clothes I +implored him to temper justice with mercy, but never a word did he say, +and sternly took his gun in his hand and went out. I buried my head in +the pillows, but for all my precautions I heard the report of a shot +in the clear morning air, and the echo ringing back from all the hills; +five minutes afterwards F---- came in with a little blue collar in his +hand, and said briefly, "He has worried more than a dozen lambs this +morning alone." What could I say? F----'s only attempt at consolation +was, "he died instantly; I shot him through the head." But for many days +afterwards I felt quite lonely and sad without my poor little pet--yet +what could have been done? No one would have accepted him as a present, +and it flashed on me afterwards that perhaps this vice of his was the +reason of Dick's former owner being so anxious to give him to me. I +have had two offers of successors to Dick since, but I shall never have +another dog on a sheep station, unless I know what Mr. Dickens' little +dressmaker calls "its tricks and its manners." + + + + +Letter XX: the New Zealand snowstorm of 1867. + + +Broomielaw, August 1867. I have had my first experience of real +hardships since I last wrote to you. Yes, we have all had to endure +positive hunger and cold, and, what I found much harder to bear, great +anxiety of mind. I think I mentioned that the weather towards the end +of July had been unusually disagreeable, but not very cold This wet +fortnight had a great deal to do with our sufferings afterwards, for +it came exactly at the time we were accustomed to send our dray down to +Christchurch for supplies of flour and groceries, and to lay in a good +stock of coals for the winter; these latter had been ordered, and were +expected every day. Just the last few days of July the weather cleared +up, and became like our usual most beautiful winter climate; so, after +waiting a day or two, to allow the roads to dry a little, the dray +was despatched to town, bearing a long list of orders, and with many +injunctions to the driver to return as quickly as possible, for all the +stores were at the lowest ebb. I am obliged to tell you these domestic +details, in order that you may understand the reason of our privations. +I acknowledge, humbly, that it was not good management, but sometimes +accidents _will_ occur. It was also necessary for F---- to make a +journey to Christchurch on business, and as he probably would be +detained there for nearly a week, it was arranged that one of the young +gentlemen from Rockwood should ride over and escort me back there, to +remain during F----'s absence. I am going to give you all the exact +dates, for this snow-storm will be a matter of history, during the +present generation at all events: there is no tradition among the Maoris +of such a severe one ever having occurred; and what made it more fatal +in its financial consequences to every one was, that the lambing season +had only just commenced or terminated on most of the runs. Only a few +days before he left, F---- had taken me for a ride in the sheltered +valleys, that he might see the state of the lambs, and pronounced +it most satisfactory; thousands of the pretty little creatures were +skipping about by their mothers' side. + +I find, by my Diary, July 29th marked, as the beginning of a +"sou'-wester." F---- had arranged to start that morning, and as his +business was urgent, he did not like to delay his departure, though the +day was most unpromising, a steady, fine drizzle, and raw atmosphere; +however, we hurried breakfast, and he set off, determining to push on to +town as quickly as possible. I never spent such a dismal day in my life: +my mind was disturbed by secret anxieties about the possibility of the +dray being detained by wet weather, and there was such an extraordinary +weight in the air, the dense mist seemed pressing everything down to the +ground; however, I drew the sofa to the fire, made up a good blaze (the +last I saw for some time), and prepared to pass a lazy day with a book; +but I felt so restless and miserable I did not know what was the matter +with me. I wandered from window to window, and still the same unusual +sight met my eyes; a long procession of ewes and lambs, all travelling +steadily down from the hills towards the large flat in front of the +house; the bleating was incessant, and added to the intense melancholy +of the whole affair. When Mr. U---- came in to dinner; at one o'clock, +he agreed with me that it was most unusual weather, and said, that on +the other ranges the sheep were drifting before the cold mist and rain +just in the same way. Our only anxiety arose from the certainty that +the dray would be delayed at least a day, and perhaps two; this was a +dreadful idea: for some time past we had been economising our resources +to make them last, and we knew that there was absolutely nothing at +the home-station, nor at our nearest neighbour's, for they had sent to +borrow tea and sugar from us. Just at dusk that evening, two gentlemen +rode up, not knowing F---- was from home, and asked if they might remain +for the night. I knew them both very well; in fact, one was our cousin +T----, and the other an old friend; so they put up their horses, and +housed their dogs (for each had a valuable sheep-dog with him) in +a barrel full of clean straw, and we all tried to spend a cheerful +evening, but everybody confessed to the same extraordinary depression of +spirits that I felt. + +When I awoke the next morning, I was not much surprised to see the snow +falling thick and fast: no sheep were now visible, there was a great +silence, and the oppression in the atmosphere had if possible increased. +We had a very poor breakfast,--no porridge, very little mutton (for +in expectation of the house being nearly empty, the shepherd had not +brought any over the preceding day), and _very_ weak tea; coffee and +cocoa all finished, and about an ounce of tea in the chest. I don't know +how the gentlemen amused themselves that day; I believe they smoked a +good deal; I could only afford a small fire in the drawing-room, over +which I shivered. The snow continued to fall in dense fine clouds, +quite unlike any snow I ever saw before, and towards night I fancied the +garden fence was becoming very much dwarfed. Still the consolation was, +"Oh, it won't last; New Zealand snow never: does." However, on Wednesday +morning things began to look very serious indeed: the snow covered +the ground to a depth of four feet in the shallowest places, and still +continued to fall steadily; the cows we knew _must_ be in the paddock +were not to be seen anywhere; the fowl-house and pig-styes which stood +towards the weather quarter had entirely disappeared; every scrap of +wood (and several logs were lying about at the back) was quite covered +up; both the verandahs were impassable; in one the snow was six feet +deep, and the only door which could be opened was the back-kitchen door, +as that opened inwards; but here the snow was half-way over the roof, so +it took a good deal of work with the kitchen-shovel, for no spades could +be found, to dig out a passage. Indoors, we were approaching our last +mouthful very rapidly, the tea at breakfast was merely coloured hot +water, and we had some picnic biscuits with it. For dinner we had the +last tin of sardines, the last pot of apricot jam, and a tin of ratifia +biscuits a most extraordinary mixture, I admit, but there was nothing +else. There were six people to be fed every day, and nothing to feed +them with. Thursday's breakfast was a discovered crust of dry bread, +very stale, and our dinner that day was rice and salt--the last rice in +the store-room. The snow still never ceased falling, and only one window +in the house afforded us any light; every box was broken up and used for +fuel. The gentlemen used to go all together and cut, or rather dig, a +passage through the huge drift in front of the stable, and with much +difficulty get some food for the seven starving horses outside, who were +keeping a few yards clear by incessantly moving about, the snow making +high walls all around them. + +It was wonderful to see how completely the whole aspect of the +surrounding scenery was changed; the gullies were all filled up, and +nearly level with the downs; sharp-pointed cliffs were now round bluffs; +there was no vestige of a fence or gate or shrub to be seen, and still +the snow came down as if it had only just begun to fall; out of doors +the silence was like death, I was told, for I could only peep down the +tunnel dug every few hours at the back-kitchen door. My two maids +now gave way, and sat clasped in each other's arms all day, crying +piteously, and bewailing their fate, asking me whenever I came into +the kitchen, which was about every half-hour, for there was no fire +elsewhere, "And oh, when do you think we'll be found, mum?" Of course +this only referred to the ultimate discovery of our bodies. There was a +great search to-day for the cows, but it was useless, the gentlemen +sank up to their shoulders in snow. Friday, the same state of things: a +little flour had been discovered in a discarded flour-bag, and we had +a sort of girdle-cake and water. The only thing remaining in the +store-room was some blacklead, and I was considering seriously how that +could be cooked, or whether it would be better raw: we were all more +than half starved, and quite frozen: very little fire in the kitchen, +and none in any other room. Of course, the constant thought was, "Where +are the sheep?" Not a sign or sound could be heard. The dogs' kennels +were covered several feet deep; so we could not get at them at all. +Saturday morning: the first good news I heard was that the cows had been +found, and dragged by ropes down to the enclosure the horses had made +for them-selves: they were half dead, poor beasts; but after struggling +for four hours to and from a haystack two hundred yards off, one end of +which was unburied, some oaten hay was procured for them. There was +now not a particle of food in the house. The servants remained in their +beds, declining to get up, and alleging that they might as well "die +warm." In the middle of the day a sort of forlorn-hope was organized +by the gentlemen to try to find the fowl-house, but they could not get +through the drift: however, they dug a passage to the wash-house, and +returned in triumph with about a pound of very rusty bacon they had +found hanging up there; this was useless without fuel, so they dug for a +little gate leading to the garden, fortunately hit its whereabouts, and +soon had it broken up and in the kitchen grate. By dint of taking all +the lead out of the tea-chests, shaking it, and collecting every pinch +of tea-dust, we got enough to make a teapot of the weakest tea, a cup of +which I took to my poor crying maids in their beds, having first put a +spoonful of the last bottle of whisky which the house possessed into it, +for there was neither, sugar nor milk to be had. At midnight the snow +ceased for a few hours, and a hard sharp frost set in; this made our +position worse, for they could now make no impression on the snow, +and only broke the shovels in trying. I began to think seriously of +following the maids example, in order to "die warm." We could do nothing +but wait patiently. I went up to a sort of attic where odds and ends +were stowed away, in search of something to eat, but could find nothing +more tempting than a supply of wax matches. We knew there was a cat +under the house, for we heard her mewing; and it was suggested to take +up the carpets first, then the boards, and have a hunt for the poor old +pussy but we agreed to bear our hunger a little longer, chiefly, I am +afraid, because she was known to be both thin and aged. + +Towards noon on Sunday the weather suddenly changed, and rain began to +come down heavily and steadily; this cheered us all immensely, as it +would wash the snow away probably, and so it did to some degree; the +highest drifts near the house lessened considerably in a few hours, and +the gentlemen, who by this time were desperately hungry, made a final +attempt in the direction of the fowl-house, found the roof, tore off +some shingles, and returned with a few aged hens, which were mere +bundles of feathers after their week's starvation. The servants +consented to rise and pluck them, whilst the gentlemen sallied forth +once more to the stock-yard, and with great difficulty got off two of +the cap or top rails, so we had a splendid though transitory blaze, +and some hot stewed fowl; it was more of a soup than anything else, but +still we thought it delicious: and then everybody went to bed again, +for the house was quite dark still, and the oil and candles were running +very low. On Monday morning the snow was washed off the roof a good deal +by the deluge of rain which had never ceased to come steadily down, +and the windows were cleared a little, just at the top; but we were +delighted with the improvement, and some cold weak fowl-soup for +breakfast, which we thought excellent. On getting out of doors, the +gentlemen reported the creeks to be much swollen and rushing in yellow +streams down the sides of the hills over the snow, which was apparently +as thick as ever; but it was now easier to get through at the surface, +though quite solid for many feet from the ground. A window was scraped +clear, through which I could see the desolate landscape out of doors, +and some hay was carried with much trouble to the starving cows and +horses, but this was a work of almost incredible difficulty. Some more +fowls were procured to-day, nearly the last, for a large hole in the +roof showed most of them dead of cold and hunger. + +We were all in much better spirits on this night, for there were signs +of the wind shifting from south to north-west; and, for the first time +in our lives I suppose, we were anxiously watching and desiring this +change, as it was the only chance of saving the thousands of sheep and +lambs we now knew lay buried under the smooth white winding-sheet of +snow. Before bedtime we heard the fitful gusts we knew so well, and had +never before hailed with such deep joy and thankfulness. Every time I +woke the same welcome sound of the roaring warm gale met my ears; and we +were prepared for the pleasant sight, on Tuesday morning, of the highest +rocks on the hill-tops standing out gaunt and bare once more. The wind +was blowing the snow off the hills in clouds like spray, and melting +it everywhere so rapidly that we began to have a new anxiety, for the +creeks were rising fast, and running in wide, angry-looking rivers over +the frozen snow on the banks. All immediate apprehension of starvation, +however, was removed, for the gentlemen dug a pig out of his stye, where +he had been warm and comfortable with plenty of straw, and slaughtered +him; and in the loft of the stable was found a bag of Indian meal for +fattening poultry, which made excellent cakes of bread. It was very +nasty having only ice-cold water to drink at every meal. I especially +missed my tea for breakfast; but felt ashamed to grumble, for my +disagreeables were very light compared to those of the three gentlemen. +From morning to night they were wet through, as the snow of course +melted the moment they came indoors. All the first part of the last week +they used to work out of doors, trying to get food and fuel, or feeding +the horses, in the teeth of a bitter wind, with the snow driving like +powdered glass against their smarting hands and faces; and they were as +cheery and merry as possible through it all, trying hard to pretend they +were neither hungry nor cold, when they must have been both. Going out +of doors at this stage of affairs simply meant plunging up to their +middle in a slush of half-melted snow which wet them thoroughly in a +moment; and they never had dry clothes on again till they changed after +dark, when there was no more possibility of outdoor work. + +Wednesday morning broke bright and clear for the first time since Sunday +week; we actually saw the sun. Although the "nor-wester" had done so +much good for us, and a light wind still blew softly from that quarter, +the snow was yet very deep; but I felt in such high spirits that I +determined to venture out, and equipped myself in a huge pair of F----'s +riding-boots made of kangaroo-skin, well greased with weka-oil to keep +the wet out, These I put on over my own thick boots, but my precautions +"did nought avail," for the first step I took sank me deep in the snow +over the tops of my enormous boots. They filled immediately, and then +merely served to keep the snow securely packed round my ankles; however, +I struggled bravely on, every now and then sinking up to my shoulders, +and having to be hauled out by main force. The first thing done was to +dig out the dogs, who assisted the process by vigorously scratching away +inside and tunnelling towards us. Poor things! how thin they looked, but +they were quite warm; and after indulging in a long drink at the nearest +creek, they bounded about, like mad creatures. The only casualties in +the kennels were two little puppies, who were lying cuddled up as if +they were asleep, but proved to be stiff and cold; and a very old but +still valuable collie called "Gipsy." She was enduring such agonies from +rheumatism that it was terrible to hear her howls; and after trying to +relieve her by rubbing, taking her into the stable-and in fact doing +all we could for her--it seemed better and kinder to shoot her two days +afterwards. + +We now agreed to venture into the paddock and see what had happened +to the bathing-place about three hundred yards from the house. I don't +think I have told you that the creek had been here dammed up with a sod +wall twelve feet high, and a fine deep and broad pond made, which was +cleared of weeds and grass, and kept entirely for the gentlemen to have +a plunge and swim at daylight of a summer's morning; there had been +a wide trench cut about two feet from the top, so as to carry off the +water, and hitherto this had answered perfectly. The first thing we +had to do was to walk over the high five-barred gate leading into the +paddock just the topmost bar was sticking up, but there was not a trace +of the little garden-gate or of the fence, which was quite a low one. +We were, however, rejoiced to see that on the ridges of the sunny downs +there were patches, or rather streaks, of tussocks visible, and they +spread in size every moment, for the sun was quite warm, and the +"nor'-wester," had done much towards softening the snow. It took us a +long time to get down to where the bathing-place _had been_, for the sod +wall was quite carried away, and there was now only a heap of ruin, with +a muddy torrent pouring through the large gap and washing it still more +away. Close to this was a very sunny sheltered down, or rather hill; and +as the snow was rapidly melting off its warm sloping sides we agreed to +climb it and see if any sheep could be discovered, for up to this time +there had been none seen or heard, though we knew several thousands must +be on this flat and the adjoining ones. + +As soon as we got to the top the first glance showed us a small dusky +patch close to the edge of one of the deepest and widest creeks at the +bottom of the pad-dock; experienced eyes saw they were sheep, but to me +they had not the shape of animals at all, though they were quite near +enough to be seen distinctly. I observed the gentlemen exchange looks of +alarm, and they said to each other some low words, from which I gathered +that they feared the worst. Before we went down to the flat we took a +long, careful look round, and made out another patch, dark by comparison +with the snow, some two hundred yards lower down the creek, but +apparently in the water. On the other side of the little hill the snow +seemed to have drifted even more deeply, for the long narrow valley +which lay there presented, as far as we could see, one smooth, level +snow-field. On the dazzling white surface the least fleck shows, and +I can never forget how beautiful some swamp-hens, with their dark blue +plumage, short, pert, white tails, and long bright legs, looked, as they +searched slowly along the banks of the swollen creek for some traces of +their former haunts; but every tuft of tohi-grass lay bent and buried +deep beneath its heavy covering. The gentlemen wanted me to go home +before they attempted to see the extent of the disaster, which we all +felt must be very great; but I found it impossible to do anything but +accompany them. I am half glad and half sorry now that I was obstinate; +glad because I helped a little at a time when the least help was +precious, and sorry because it was really such a horrible sight. Even +the first glance showed us that, as soon as we got near the spot we had +observed, we were walking on frozen sheep embedded in the snow one over +the other; but at all events their misery had been over some time. It +was more horrible to see the drowning, or just drowned, huddled-up "mob" +(as sheep _en masse_ are technically called) which had made the dusky +patch we had noticed from the hill. + +No one can ever tell how many hundred ewes and lambs had taken refuge +under the high terrace which forms the bank of the creek. The snow +had soon covered them up, but they probably were quite warm and dry at +first. The terrible mischief was caused by the creek rising so rapidly, +and, filtering through the snow which it gradually dissolved, drowned +them as they stood huddled together. Those nearest the edge of the water +of course went first, but we were fortunately in time to save a good +many, though the living seemed as nothing compared to the heaps of dead. +We did not waste a moment in regrets or idleness; the most experienced +of the gentlemen said briefly what was to be done, and took his coat +off; the other coats and my little Astrachan jacket were lying by its +side in an instant, and we all set to work, sometimes up to our knees +in icy water, digging at the bank of snow above us--if you can call it +digging when we had nothing but our hands to dig, or rather scratch, +with. Oh, how hot we were in five minutes! the sun beating on us, and +the reflection from the snow making its rays almost blinding. It was +of no use my attempting to rescue the sheep, for I could not move them, +even when I had _scrattled_ the snow away from one. A sheep, especially +with its fleece full of snow, is beyond my small powers: even the lambs +I found a tremendous weight, and it must have been very absurd, if an +idler had been by, to see me, with a little lamb in my arms, tumbling +down at every second step, but still struggling manfully towards the +dry oasis where we put each animal as it was dug out. The dear doggies +helped us beautifully, working so eagerly and yet so wisely under their +master's eye, as patient and gentle with the poor stiffened creatures as +if they could feel for them. I was astonished at the vitality of some +of the survivors; if they had been very far back and not chilled by the +water, they were quite lively. The strongest sheep were put across the +stream by the dogs, who were obedient to their master's finger, and not +to be induced on any terms to allow the sheep to land a yard to one side +of the place on the opposite bank, but just where they were to go. A +good many were swept away, but after six hours' work we counted 1,400 +rescued ones slowly "trailing" up the low sunny hill I have mentioned, +and nibbling at the tussocks as they went. The proportion of lambs was, +of course, very small, but the only wonder to me is that there were any +alive at all. If I had been able to stop my scratching but for a moment, +I would have had what the servants call a "good cry" over one little +group I laid bare. Two fine young ewes were standing leaning against +each other in a sloping position, like a tent, frozen and immoveable: +between them, quite dry, and as lively as a kitten, was a dear little +lamb of about a month old belonging to one; the lamb of the other lay +curled up at her feet, dead and cold; I really believe they had hit +upon this way of keeping the other alive. A more pathetic sight I never +beheld. + +It is needless to say that we were all most dreadfully exhausted by the +time the sun went down, and it began to freeze; nothing but the +sheer impossibility of doing anything more in the hardening snow and +approaching darkness made us leave off even then, though we had not +tasted food all day. The gentlemen took an old ewe, who could not stand, +though it was not actually dead, up to the stable and killed it, to give +the poor dogs a good meal, and then they had to get some more rails off +the stock-yard to cook our own supper of pork and maize. + +The next morning was again bright with a warm wind; so the effect of the +night's frost soon disappeared, and we were hard at work directly after +breakfast. Nothing would induce me to stay at home, but I armed myself +with a coal-scoop to dig, and we made our way to the other "mob;" but, +alas! there was nothing to do in the way of saving life, for all the +sheep were dead. There was a large island formed at a bend in the creek, +where the water had swept with such fury round a point as to wash the +snow and sheep all away together, till at some little obstacle they +began to accumulate in a heap. I counted ninety-two dead ewes in one +spot, but I did not stay to count the lambs. We returned to the place +where we had been digging the day before, and set the dogs to hunt in +the drifts; wherever they began to scratch we shovelled the snow away, +and were sure to find sheep either dead or nearly so: however, we +liberated a good many more. This sort of work continued till the +following Saturday, when F---- returned, having had a most dangerous +journey, as the roads are still blocked up in places with snow-drifts; +but he was anxious to get back, knowing I must have been going through +"hard times." He was terribly shocked at the state of things among +the sheep; in Christchurch no definite news had reached them from any +quarter: all the coaches were stopped and the telegraph wires broken +down by the snow. He arrived about mid-day, and, directly after the +meal we still called dinner, started off over the hills to my "nest of +Cockatoos," and brought back some of the men with him to help to search +for the sheep, and to skin those that were dead as fast as possible. He +worked himself all day at the skinning,--a horrible job; but the fleeces +were worth something, and soon all the fences, as they began to emerge +from the snow, were tapestried with these ghastly skins, and walking +became most disagreeable, on account of the evil odours arising every +few yards. + +We forgot all our personal sufferings in anxiety about the surviving +sheep, and when the long-expected dray arrived it seemed a small boon +compared to the discovery of a nice little "mob" feeding tranquilly on a +sunny spur. It is impossible to estimate our loss until the grand muster +at shearing, but we may set it down at half our flock, and _all_ our +lambs, or at least 90 per cent. of them. Our neighbours are all as busy +as we are, so no accurate accounts of their sufferings or losses have +reached us; but, to judge by appearances, the distant "back-country" +ranges must have felt the storm more severely even than we have; and +although the snow did not drift to such a depth on the plains as with +us, or lie so long on the ground, they suffered just as much,--for the +sheep took shelter under the high river-banks, and the tragedy of the +creeks was enacted on a still larger scale; or they drifted along before +the first day's gale till they came to a wire fence, and there they were +soon covered up, and trampled each other to death. Not only were sheep, +but cattle, found dead in hundreds along the fences on the plains. The +newspapers give half a million as a rough estimate of the loss among the +flocks in this province alone. We have no reliable news from other parts +of the island, only vague rumours of the storm having been still more +severe in the Province of Otago, which lies to the south, and would be +right in its track; the only thing which all are agreed in saying is, +that there never has been such a storm before, for the Maories are +strong in weather traditions, and though they prophesied this one, it is +said they have no legend of anything like it ever having happened. + + + + +Letter XXI: Wild cattle hunting in the Kowai Bush. + + +Mount Torlesse, October 1867. We are staying for a week at a charming +little white cottage covered with roses and honeysuckles, nestled under +the shadow of this grand mountain, to make some expeditions after wild +cattle in the great Kowai Bush. I am afraid that it does not sound a +very orderly and feminine occupation, but I enjoy it thoroughly, and +have covered myself with glory and honour by my powers of walking all +day. + +We have already spent three long happy days in the Bush, and although +they have not resulted in much slaughter of our big game, still I for +one am quite as well pleased as if we had returned laden with as many +beeves as used to come in from a border foray. I am not going to inflict +an account of each expedition on you; one will serve to give an idea +of all, for though there is no monotony in Nature, it may chance that +frequent descriptions of her become so, and this I will not risk. + +Our ride over here was a sufficiently ridiculous affair, owing to the +misbehaviour of the pack-horse, for it was impossible upon this occasion +to manage with as little luggage as usual, so we arranged to take a +good-sized carpet-bag (a most unheard-of luxury), and on each side of +it was to be slung a rifle and a gun, and smaller bags of bullets, shot, +and powder-flasks, disposed to the best advantage on the pack-saddle. +This was all very well in theory, but when it came to the point, the +proper steady old horse who was to bear the pack was not forthcoming! +He had taken it into his head to go on a visit to a neighbouring run, so +the only available beast was a young chestnut of most uncertain temper. +The process of saddling him was a long one, as he objected to each item +of his load as soon as it was put on, especially to the guns; but +F---- was very patient, and took good care to tie and otherwise fasten +everything so that it was impossible for "Master Tucker" (called, I +suppose, after the immortal Tommy) to get rid of his load by either +kicking or plunging. At last we mounted and rode by a bridle-path among +the hills for some twelve miles or so, then across half-a-dozen miles of +plain, and finally we forded a river. The hill-track was about as bad as +a path could be, with several wide jumps across creeks at the bottom +of the numerous deep ravines, or gullies as we call them. F---- rode +first--for we could only go in single file--with the detestable Tucker's +bridle over his arm; then came the chestnut, with his ears well +back, and his eyes all whites, in his efforts to look at his especial +aversion, the guns; he kicked all the way down the many hills, and +pulled back in the most aggravating manner at each ascent, and when we +came to a creek sat down on his tail, refusing to stir. My position was +a most trying one; the track was so bad that I would fain have given my +mind entirely to my own safety, but instead of this all my attention was +centred on Tucker the odious. When we first started I expressed to F---- +my fear that Tucker would fairly drag him off his own saddle, and he +admitted that it was very likely, adding, "You must flog him." This made +me feel that it entirely depended on my efforts whether F---- was to be +killed or not, so I provided myself with a small stock-whip in addition +to my own little riding-whip, and we set off. From the first yard Tucker +objected to go, but there were friendly sticks to urge him on; +however, we soon got beyond the reasonable limits of help, and I tried +desperately to impress upon Tucker that I was going to be very severe: +for this purpose I flourished my stock-whip in a way that drove my own +skittish mare nearly frantic, and never touched Tucker, whom F---- was +dragging along by main force. At last I gave up the stock-whip, with +its unmanageable three yards of lash, and dropped it on the track, to be +picked up as we came home. I now tried to hit Tucker with my horse-whip, +but he flung his heels up in Helen's face the moment I touched him. I +was in perfect despair, very much afraid of a sudden swerve on my mare's +part sending us both down the precipice, and in equal dread of seeing +F---- pulled off his saddle by Tucker's suddenly planting his fore-feet +firmly together: F---- himself, with the expression of a martyr, looking +round every now and then to say, "Can't you make him come on?" and I +hitting wildly and vainly, feeling all the time that I was worse than +useless. At last the bright idea occurred to me to ride nearly alongside +of the fiendish Tucker, but a little above him on the hill, so as to be +able to strike him fairly without fear of his heels. As far as Tucker +was concerned this plan answered perfectly, for he soon found out he +had to go; but Helen objected most decidedly to being taken off the +comparative safety of the track and made to walk on a slippery, sloping +hill, where she could hardly keep her feet; however, we got on much +faster this way. Oh, how tired I was of striking Tucker! I don't believe +I hurt him much, but I felt quite cruel. When we came to the plain, I +begged F---- to let me lead him; so we changed, and there was no holding +back on the chestnut's part then; it must have been like the grass and +the stones in the fable. I never was more thankful than when that ride +was over, though its disagreeables were soon forgotten in the warm +welcome we received from our bachelor hosts, and the incessant +discussions about the next day's excursion. + +We had finished breakfast by seven o'clock the following morning, and +were ready to start. Of course the gentlemen were very fussy about their +equipments, and hung themselves all over with cartridges and bags +of bullets and powder-flasks; then they had to take care that their +tobacco-pouches and match-boxes were filled; and lastly, each carried +a little flask of brandy or sherry, in case of being lost and having to +camp out. I felt quite unconcerned, having only my flask with cold +tea in it to see about, and a good walking-stick was easily chosen. My +costume may be described as uncompromising, for it had been explained to +me that there were no paths but real rough bush walking; so I dispensed +with all little feminine adornments even to the dearly-loved chignon, +tucked my hair away as if I was going to put on a bathing-cap, and +covered it with a Scotch bonnet. The rest of my toilette must have been +equally shocking to the eyes of taste, and I have reason to believe the +general effect most hideous; but one great comfort was, no one looked +at me, they were all too much absorbed in preparations for a great +slaughter, and I only came at all upon sufferance; the unexpressed but +prevailing dread, I could plainly see, was that I should knock up and +become a bore, necessitating an early return home; but I knew better! + +An American waggon and some ponies were waiting to take the whole party +to the entrance of the bush, about four miles off, and, in spite of +having to cross a rough river-bed, which is always a slow process, it +did not take us very long to reach our first point. Here we dismounted, +just at the edge of the great dense forest, and, with as little delay as +possible in fine arrangements, struck into a path or bullock-track, made +for about three miles into the bush for the convenience of dragging out +the felled trees by ropes or chains attached to bullocks; they are not +placed upon a waggon, so you may easily imagine the state the track was +in, ploughed up by huge logs of timber dragged on the ground, and by the +bullocks' hoofs besides. It was a mere slough with deep holes of mud +in it, and we scrambled along its extreme edge, chiefly trusting to the +trees on each side, which still lay as they had been felled, the men not +considering them good enough to remove. At last we came to a clearing, +and I quite despair of making you understand how romantic and lovely +this open space in the midst of the tall trees looked that beautiful +spring morning. I involuntarily thought of the descriptions in "Paul +and Virginia," for the luxuriance of the growth was quite tropical. For +about two acres the trees had been nearly all felled, only one or two +giants remaining; their stumps were already hidden by clematis and +wild creepers of other kinds, or by a sort of fern very like the +hart's-tongue, which will only grow on the bark of trees, and its +glossy leaves made an exquisite contrast to the rough old root. The +"bushmen"--as the men who have bought twenty-acre sections and settled +in the bush are called--had scattered English grass-seed all over the +rich leafy mould, and the ground was covered with bright green grass, +kept short and thick by a few tame goats browsing about. Before us was +the steep bank of the river Waimakiriri, and a few yards from its edge +stood a picturesque gable-ended little cottage surrounded by a rustic +fence, which enclosed a strip of garden gay with common English spring +flowers, besides more useful things, potatoes, etc. The river was about +two hundred yards broad just here, and though it foamed below us, we +could also see it stretching away in the distance almost like a lake, +till a great bluff hid it from our eyes. Overhead the trees were alive +with flocks of wild pigeons, ka-kas, parroquets, and other birds, +chattering and twittering incessantly and as we stood on the steep bank +and looked down, I don't think a minute passed without a brace of wild +ducks flying past, grey, blue, and Paradise. These latter are the most +beautiful plumaged birds I ever saw belonging to the duck tribe, and, +when young, are very good eating, quite as delicate as the famous +canvas-back. This sight so excited our younger sportsmen that they +scrambled down the high precipice, followed by a water-spaniel, and in +five minutes had bagged as many brace. We could not give them any more +time, for it was past nine o'clock, and we were all eager to start on +the serious business of the day; but before we left, the mistress of +this charming "bush-hut" insisted on our having some hot coffee and +scones and wild honey, a most delicious second breakfast. There was a +pretty little girl growing up, and a younger child, both the picture of +health; the only drawback seemed to be the mosquitoes; it was not very +lonely, for one or two other huts stood in clearings adjoining, and +furnished us with three bushmen as guides and assistants. I must say, +they were the most picturesque of the party, being all handsome men, +dressed in red flannel shirts and leathern knickerbockers and gaiters; +they had fine beards, and wore "diggers' hats," a head-dress of American +origin--a sort of wide-awake made of plush, capable of being crushed +into any shape, and very becoming. All were armed with either rifle or +gun, and one carried an axe and a coil of rope; another had a gun such +as is seldom seen out of an arsenal; it was an old flint lock, but had +been altered to a percussion; its owner was very proud of it, not so +much for its intrinsic beauty, though it once had been a costly and +splendid weapon and was elaborately inlaid with mother-of-pearl, but +because it had belonged to a former Duke of Devonshire. In spite of its +claims to consideration on this head as well as its own beauty, we all +eyed it with extreme disfavour on account of a peculiarity it possessed +of not going off when it was intended to do so, but about five minutes +afterwards. + +It was suggested to me very politely that I might possibly prefer to +remain behind and spend the day in this picturesque spot, but this offer +I declined steadily; I think the bushmen objected to my presence more +than any one else, as they really meant work, and dreaded having to turn +back for a tired "female" (they never spoke of me by any other term). At +last all the information was collected about the probable whereabouts +of the wild cattle--it was so contradictory, that it must have been +difficult to arrange any plan by it,--and we started. A few hundred +yards took us past the clearings and into the very heart of the forest. +We had left the sun shining brightly overhead; here it was all a "great +green gloom." I must describe to you the order in which we marched. +First came two of the most experienced "bush-hands," who carried a +tomahawk or light axe with which to clear the most cruel of the brambles +away, and to notch the trees as a guide to us on our return; and also a +compass, for we had to steer for a certain point, the bearings of which +we knew--of course the procession was in Indian file: next to these +pioneers walked, very cautiously, almost on tiptoe, four of our +sportsmen; then I came; and four or five others, less keen or less well +armed, brought up the rear. I may here confess that I endured in silence +agonies of apprehension for my personal safety all day. It was so +dreadful to see a bramble or wild creeper catch in the lock of the rifle +before me, and to reflect that, unless its owner was very careful, it +might "go off of its own accord," and to know that I was exposed to a +similar danger from those behind. + +We soon got on the fresh tracks of some cows, and proceeded most +cautiously and silently; but it could hardly be called walking, it was +alternately pushing through dense undergrowth, crawling beneath, or +climbing over, high barricades made by fallen trees. These latter +obstacles I found the most difficult, for the bark was so slippery; and +once, when with much difficulty I had scrambled up a pile of _debris_ at +least ten feet high, I incautiously stepped on some rotten wood at the +top, and went through it into a sort of deep pit, out of which it +was very hard to climb. On comparing notes afterwards, we found, that +although we had walked without a moment's cessation for eleven hours +during the day, a pedometer only gave twenty-two miles as the distance +accomplished. Before we had been in the bush half an hour our faces were +terribly scratched and bleeding, and so were the gentlemen's hands; my +wrists also suffered, as my gauntlets would not do their duty and lie +flat. There were myriads of birds around us, all perfectly tame; many +flew from twig to twig, accompanying us with their little pert heads on +one side full of curiosity; the only animals we saw were some wild +sheep looking very disreputable with their long tails and torn, trailing +fleeces of six or seven years' growth. There are supposed to be some +hundreds of these in the bush who have strayed into it years ago, when +they were lambs, from neighbouring runs. The last man in the silent +procession put a match into a dead tree every here and there, to +serve as a torch to guide us back in the dark; but this required great +judgment for fear of setting the whole forest on fire: the tree required +to be full of damp decay, which would only smoulder and not blaze. We +intended to steer for a station on the other side of a narrow neck of +the Great Bush, ten miles off, as nearly as we could guess, but we made +many detours after fresh tracks. Once these hoof-marks led us to the +brink of such a pretty creek, exactly like a Scotch burn, wide and +noisy, tumbling down from rock to rock, but not very deep. After a +whispered consultation, it was determined to follow up this creek to +a well-known favourite drinking-place of the cattle, but it was easier +walking in the water than on the densely-grown banks, so all the +gentlemen stepped in one after another. I hesitated a moment with +one's usual cat-like antipathy to wet feet, when a stalwart bushman +approached, with rather a victimised air and the remark: "Ye're heavy, +nae doot, to carry." I was partly affronted at this prejudgment of the +case, and partly determined to show that I was equal to the emergency, +for I immediately jumped into the water, frightening myself a good deal +by the tremendous splash I made, and meeting reproving glances; and nine +heads were shaken violently at me. + +Nothing could be more beautiful than the winding banks of this creek, +fringed with large ferns in endless variety; it was delightful to see +the sun and sky once more overhead, but I cannot say that it was the +easiest possible walking, and I soon found out that the cleverest thing +to do was to wade a little way behind the shortest gentleman of the +party, for when he disappeared in a hole I knew it in time to avoid a +similar fate; whereas, as long as I persisted in stalking solemnly after +my own tall natural protector, I found that I was always getting into +difficulties in unexpectedly deep places. I saw the bushmen whispering +together, and examining the rocks in some places, but I found on inquiry +that their thoughts were occupied at the moment by other ideas than +sport; one of them had been a digger, and was pronouncing an opinion +that this creek was very likely to prove a "home of the gold" some day. +There is a strong feeling prevalent that gold will be found in great +quantities all over the island. At this time of the year the water is +very shallow, but the stream evidently comes down with tremendous force +in the winter; and they talk of having "found the colour" (of gold) in +some places. We proceeded in this way for about three miles, till we +reached a beautiful, clear, deep pool, into which the water fell from +a height in a little cascade; the banks here were well trodden, and +the hoof-prints quite recent; great excitement was caused by hearing a +distant lowing, but after much listening, in true Indian fashion, with +the ear to the ground, everybody was of a different opinion as to the +side from whence the sound proceeded, so we determined to keep on our +original course; the compass was once more produced, and we struck into +a dense wood of black birch. + +Ever since we left the clearing from which the start was made, we had +turned our backs on the river, but about three o'clock in the afternoon +we came suddenly on it again, and stood on the most beautiful spot I +ever saw in my life. We were on the top of a high precipice, densely +wooded to the water's edge. Some explorers in bygone days must +have camped here, for half-a-dozen trees were felled, and the thick +brush-wood had been burnt for a few yards, just enough to let us take +in the magnificent view before and around us. Below roared and foamed, +among great boulders washed down from the cliff, the Waimakiriri; in +the middle of it lay a long narrow strip of white shingle, covered with +water in the winter floods, but now shining like snow in the bright +sunlight. Beyond this the river flowed as placidly as a lake, in cool +green depths, reflecting every leaf of the forest on the high bank or +cliff opposite. To our right it stretched away, with round headlands +covered with timber running down in soft curves to the water. But on our +left was the most perfect composition for a picture in the foreground +a great reach of smooth water, except just under the bank we stood on, +where the current was strong and rapid; a little sparkling beach, and a +vast forest rising up from its narrow border, extending over chain +after chain of hills, till they rose to the glacial region, and then +the splendid peaks of the snowy range broke the deep blue sky line with +their grand outlines. + +All this beauty would have been almost too oppressive, it was on such a +large scale and the solitude was so intense, if it had not been for the +pretty little touch of life and movement afforded by the hut belonging +to the station we were bound for. It was only a rough building, made +of slabs of wood with cob between; but there was a bit of fence and the +corner of a garden and an English grass paddock, which looked about as +big as a pocket-handkerchief from where we stood. A horse or two and a +couple of cows were tethered near, and we could hear the bark of a +dog. A more complete hermitage could not have been desired by Diogenes +himself, and for the first time we felt ashamed of invading the recluse +in such a formidable body, but ungrudging, open-handed hospitality is so +universal in New Zealand that we took courage and began our descent. It +really was like walking down the side of a house, and no one could stir +a step without at least one arm round a tree. I had no gun to carry, +so I clung frantically with both arms to each stem in succession. The +steepness of the cliff was the reason we could take in all the beauty of +the scene before us, for the forest was as thick as ever; but we could +see over the tops of the trees, as the ground dropped sheer down, almost +in a straight line from the plateau we had been travelling on all day. +As soon as we reached the shingle, on which we had to walk for a few +hundred yards, we bethought ourselves of our toilettes; the needle and +thread I had brought did good service in making us more presentable. +We discovered, however, that our faces were a perfect network of fine +scratches, some of which _would_ go on bleeding, in spite of cold-water +applications. Our boots were nearly dry; and my petticoat, short as it +was, proved to be the only damp garment: this was the fault of my +first jump into the water. We put the least scratched and most +respectable-looking member of the party in the van, and followed him, +amid much barking of dogs, to the low porch; and after hearing a cheery +"Come in," answering our modest tap at the door, we trooped in one +after the other till the little room was quite full. I never saw such +astonishment on any human face as on that of the poor master of the +house, who could not stir from his chair by the fire, on account of a +bad wound in his leg from an axe. There he sat quite helpless, a +moment ago so solitary, arid now finding himself the centre of a large, +odd-looking crowd of strangers. He was a middle-aged Scotchman, probably +of not a very elevated position in life, and had passed many years in +this lonely spot, and yet he showed himself quite equal to the occasion. + +After that first uncontrollable look of amazement he did the honours of +his poor hut with the utmost courtesy and true good-breeding. His only +apology was for being unable to rise from his arm-chair (made out of +half a barrel and an old flour-sack by the way); he made us perfectly +welcome, took it for granted we were hungry--hunger is a very mild word +to express my appetite, for one--called by a loud coo-ee to his man +Sandy, to whom he gave orders that the best in the house should be put +before us, and then began to inquire by what road we had come, what +sport we had, etc., all in the nicest way possible. I never felt more +awkward in my life than when I stooped to enter that low doorway, and +yet in a minute I was quite at my ease again; but of the whole party I +was naturally the one who puzzled him the most. In the first place, I +strongly suspect that he had doubts as to my being anything but a boy +in a rather long kilt; and when this point was explained, he could not +understand what a "female," as he also called me, was doing on a rough +hunting expedition. He particularly inquired more than once if I had +come of my own free will, and could not understand what pleasure I found +in walking so far. Indeed he took it so completely for granted that I +must be exhausted, that he immediately began to make plans for F---- and +me to stop there all night, offering to give up his "bunk" (some slabs +of wood made into a shelf, with a tussock mattress and a blanket), and +to sleep himself in his arm-chair. + +In the meantime, Sandy was preparing our meal. There was an open hearth +with a fine fire, and a big black kettle hanging over it by a hook +fastened somewhere up the chimney. As soon as this boiled he went to a +chest, or rather locker, and brought a double-handful of tea, which he +threw into the kettle; then he took from a cupboard the biggest loaf, of +bread I ever saw--a huge thing, which had been baked in a camp-oven--and +flapped it down on the table with a bang; next he produced a tin +milk-pan, and returned to the cupboard to fetch out by the shank-bone a +mutton-ham, which he placed in the milk-dish: a bottle of capital whisky +was forthcoming from the same place; a little salt on one newspaper, and +brown, or rather _black_, sugar on another, completed the arrangements, +and we were politely told by Sandy to "wire in,"--digger's phraseology +for an invitation to commence, which we did immediately, as soon as we +could make an arrangement about the four tin plates and three pannikins. +I had one all to myself, but the others managed by twos and threes to +each plate. I never had a better luncheon in my life; everything was +excellent in its way, and we all possessed what we are told is the best +sauce. Large as the supplies were, we left hardly anything, and the more +we devoured the more pleased our host seemed. There were no chairs; we +sat on logs of trees rudely chopped into something like horse-blocks, +but to tired limbs which had known no rest from six hours' walking they +seemed delightful. After we had finished our meal, the gentlemen went +outside to have half a pipe before setting off again; they dared not +smoke whilst we were after the cattle, for fear of their perceiving some +unusual smell; and I remained for ten minutes with Mr----. I found that +he was very fond of reading; his few books were all of a good stamp, +but he was terribly hard-up for anything which he had not read a hundred +times over. I hastily ran over the names of some books of my own, +which I offered to lend him for as long a time as he liked: and we +made elaborate plans for sending them, of my share in which I took a +memorandum. He seemed very grateful at the prospect of having anything +new, especially now that he was likely to be laid up for some weeks, and +I intend to make every effort to give him this great pleasure as soon as +possible. + +We exchanged the most hearty farewells when the time of parting came, +and our host was most earnest in his entreaties to us to remain; but it +was a question of getting out of the bush before dusk, so we could not +delay. He sent Sandy to guide us by a rather longer but easier way than +climbing up the steep cliff to the place where the little clearing at +its edge which I have mentioned had been made; and we dismissed our +guide quite happy with contributions from all the tobacco-pouches, +for no one had any money with him. We found our way back again by the +notches on the trees as long as the light lasted, and when it got +too dark to see them easily, the smouldering trunks guided us, and we +reached the clearing from which we started in perfect safety. Good Mrs. +D---- had a bountiful tea ready; she was much concerned at our having +yet some three miles of bad walking before we could reach the hut on the +outskirts of the bush, where we had left the trap and the ponies. When +we got to this point there was actually another and still more sumptuous +meal set out for us, to which, alas! we were unable to do any justice; +and then we found our way to the station across the flat, down a steep +cutting, and through the river-bed, all in the dark and cold. We had +supper as soon as we reached home, tumbling into bed as early as might +be afterwards for such a sleep as you Londoners don't know anything +about. + +I have only described one expedition to you, and that the most +unsuccessful, as far as killing anything goes; but my hunting instincts +only lead me to the point of reaching the game; when it comes to that, +I always try to save its life, and if this can't be done, I retire to +a distance and stop my ears; indeed, if very much over-excited, I can't +help crying. Consequently, I enjoy myself much more when we don't kill +anything; and, on the other occasions, I never could stop and see even +the shot fired which was to bring a fine cow or a dear little calf down, +but crept away as far as ever I could, and muffled my head in my jacket. +The bushmen liked this part of the performance the best, I believe, and +acted as butchers very readily, taking home a large joint each to their +huts, a welcome change after the eternal pigeons, ka-kas, and wild ducks +on which they live. + + + + +Letter XXII: The exceeding joy of "burning." + + +Broomielaw, December 1867. I am quite sorry that the season for setting +fire to the long grass, or, as it is technically called, "burning the +run," is fairly over at last. It has been later than usual this year, on +account of the snow having lain such an unusual time on the ground and +kept the grass damp. Generally September is the earliest month in which +it begins, and November the latest for it to end; but this year the +shady side of "Flagpole" was too moist to take fire until December. + +It is useless to think of setting out on a burning expedition unless +there is a pretty strong nor'-wester blowing; but it must not be _too_ +violent, or the flames will fly over the grass, just scorching it +instead of making "a clean burn." But when F---- pronounces the wind to +be just right, and proposes that we should go to some place where the +grass is of two, or, still better, three years' growth, then I am +indeed happy. I am obliged to be careful not to have on any inflammable +petticoats, even if it is quite a warm day, as they are very dangerous; +the wind will shift suddenly perhaps as, I am in the very act of setting +a tussock a-blaze, and for half a second I find myself in the middle +of the flames. F---- generally gets his beard well singed, and I have +nearly lost my eyelashes more than once. We each provide ourselves with +a good supply of matches, and on the way we look out for the last year's +tall blossom of those horrid prickly bushes called "Spaniards," or a +bundle of flax-sticks, or, better than all, the top of a dead and +dry Ti-ti palm. As soon as we come to the proper spot, and F---- has +ascertained that no sheep are in danger of being made into roast mutton +before their time, we begin to light our line of fire, setting one large +tussock blazing, lighting our impromptu torches at it, and then starting +from this "head-centre," one to the right and the other to the left, +dragging the blazing sticks along the grass. It is a very exciting +amusement, I assure you, and the effect is beautiful, especially as it +grows dusk and the fires are racing up the hills all around us. Every +now and then they meet with a puff of wind, which will perhaps strike a +great wall of fire rushing up-hill as straight as a line, and divide it +into two fiery horns like a crescent; then as the breeze changes again, +the tips of flame will gradually approach each other till they meet, and +go on again in a solid mass of fire. + +If the weather has been very dry for some time and the wind is high, we +attempt to burn a great flax swamp, perhaps, in some of the flats. This +makes a magnificent bonfire when once it is fairly started, but it is +more difficult to light in the first instance, as you have to collect +the dead flax-leaves and make a little fire of them under the big green +bush in order to coax it to blaze up: but it crackles splendidly; indeed +it sounds as if small explosions were going on sometimes. But another +disadvantage of burning a swamp is, that there are deep holes every yard +or two, into which I always tumble in my excitement, or in getting out +of the way of a flax-bush which has flared up just at the wrong moment, +and is threatening to set me on fire also. These holes are quite full of +water in the winter, but now they contain just enough thin mud to come +in over the tops of my boots; so I do not like stepping into one every +moment. We start numerous wild ducks and swamp-hens, and perhaps a +bittern or two, by these conflagrations. On the whole, I like burning +the hill-sides better than the swamp--you get a more satisfactory blaze +with less trouble; but I sigh over these degenerate days when the grass +is kept short and a third part of a run is burned regularly ever spring, +and long for the good old times of a dozen years ago, when the tussocks +were six feet high. What a blaze they must have made! The immediate +results of our expeditions are vast tracts of perfectly black and barren +country, looking desolate and hideous to a degree hardly to be imagined; +but after the first spring showers a beautiful tender green tint steals +over the bare hill-sides, and by and by they are a mass of delicious +young grass, and the especial favourite feeding-place of the ewes and +lambs. The day after a good burn thousands of sea-gulls flock to the +black ground. Where they spring from I cannot tell, as I never see one +at any other time, and their hoarse, incessant cry is the first sign you +have of their arrival. They hover over the ground, every moment darting +down, for some insect. They cannot find much else but roasted lizards +and, grasshoppers, for I have never seen a caterpillar in New Zealand. + +In the height of the burning season last month I had Alice S---- to +stay with me for two or three weeks, and to my great delight I found +our tastes about fires agreed exactly, and we both had the same +grievance--that we never were allowed to have half enough of it; so we +organized the most delightful expeditions together. We used to have +a quiet old station-horse saddled, fasten the luncheon-basket to the +pommel with materials for a five o'clock tea, and start off miles away +to the back of the run, about three o'clock in the afternoon, having +previously bribed the shepherd to tell us where the longest grass was +to be found--and this he did very readily, as our going saved him the +trouble of a journey thither, and he was not at all anxious for more +work than he could help. We used to ride alternately, till we got to a +deserted shepherd's hut in such a lovely gully, quite at the far end +of the run! Here we tied up dear quiet old Jack to the remnants of the +fence, leaving him at liberty to nibble a little grass. We never took +off the saddle after the first time, for upon that occasion we found +that our united strength was insufficient to girth it on again +properly, and we made our appearance at home in the most ignominious +fashion--Alice leading Jack, and I walking by his side holding the +saddle _on_. Whenever we attempted to buckle the girths, this artful old +screw swelled himself out with such a long breath that it was impossible +to pull the strap to the proper hole; we could not even get it tight +enough to stay steady, without slipping under him at every step. +However, this is a digression, and I must take you back to the scene of +the fire, and try to make you understand how delightful it was. Alice +said that what made it so fascinating to her was a certain sense of its +being mischief, and a dim feeling that we might get into a scrape. I +don't think I ever stopped to analyse my sensations; fright was the +only one I was conscious of, and yet I liked it so much. When after much +consultation--in which I always deferred to Alice's superior wisdom +and experience--we determined on our line of fire, we set to work +vigorously, and the great thing was to see who could make the finest +blaze. I used to feel very envious if my fire got into a bare patch, +where there were more rocks than tussocks, and languished, whilst +Alice's was roaring and rushing up a hill. We always avoided burning +where a grove of the pretty Ti-ti palms grew; but sometimes there would +be one or two on a hill-side growing by themselves, and then it was most +beautiful to see them burn. Even before the flames reached them their +long delicate leaves felt the wind of the fire and shivered piteously; +then the dry old ones at the base of the stem caught the first spark +like tinder, and in a second the whole palm was in a blaze, making a +sort of heart to the furnace, as it had so much more substance than the +grass. For a moment or two the poor palm would bend and sway, tossing +its leaves like fiery plumes in the air, and then it was reduced to a +black stump, and the fire swept on up the hill. + +The worst of it all was that we never knew when to leave off and come +home. We would pause for half an hour and boil our little kettle, and +have some tea and cake, and then go on again till quite late, getting +well scolded when we reached home at last dead-tired and as black as +little chimney-sweeps. One evening F---- was away on a visit of two +nights to a distant friend, and Alice and I determined on having +splendid burns in his absence; so we made our plans, and everything was +favourable, wind and all. We enjoyed ourselves very much, but if Mr. +U---- had not come out to look for us at ten o'clock at night, and +traced us by our blazing track, we should have had to camp out, for we +had no idea where we were, or that we had wandered so many miles from +home; nor had we any intention of returning just yet. We were very much +ashamed of ourselves upon that occasion, and took care to soften the +story considerably before it reached F----'s ears the next day. + +However much I may rejoice at nor'-westers in the early spring as aids +to burning the run, I find them a great hindrance to my attempts at a +lawn. Twice have we had the ground carefully dug up and prepared; twice +has it been sown with the best English seed for the purpose, at some +considerable expense; then has come much toil on the part of F---- and +Mr. U---- with a heavy garden-roller; and the end of all the trouble +has been that a strong nor'-wester has blown both seed and soil away, +leaving only the hard un-dug (I wonder whether there is such a word) +ground. I could scarcely believe that it really was all "clean gone," as +children say, until a month or two after the first venture, when I had +been straining my eyes and exercising my imagination all in vain to +discover a blade where it ought to have been, but had remarked in one of +my walks an irregular patch of nice English grass about half a mile from +the house down the flat. I speculated for some time as to how it got +there, and at last F---- was roused from his reverie, and said coolly, +"Oh, that's your lawn!" When this happens twice, it really becomes very +aggravating: there are the croquet things lying idle in the verandah +year after year, and, as far as I can see, they are likely to remain +unused for ever. + +Before I close my letter I must tell you of an adventure I have had with +a wild boar, which was really dangerous. F---- and another gentleman +were riding with me one afternoon in a very lonely gully at the back of +the run, when the dogs (who always accompany us) put up a large, +fierce, black, boar out of some thick flax-bushes. Of course the +hunting instinct, which all young Englishmen possess, was in full force +instantly; and in default of any weapon these two jumped off their +horses and picked up, out of the creek close by, the largest and +heaviest stones they could lift. I disapproved of the chase under the +circumstances, but my timid remonstrances were not even heard. The light +riding-whips which each gentleman carried were hastily given to me to +hold, and in addition F---- thrust an enormous boulder into my lap, +saying, "Now, this is to be my second gun; so keep close to me." Imagine +poor me, therefore, with all three whips tucked under my left arm, +whilst with my right I tried to keep the big stone on my knee, Miss +Helen all the time capering about, as she always does when there is any +excitement; and I feeling very unequal to holding her back from joining +in the chase too ardently, for she always likes to be first everywhere, +which is not at all my "sentiments." The ground was as rough as +possible; the creek winding about necessitated a good jump every few +yards; and the grass was so long and thick that it was difficult to get +through it, or to see any blind creeks or other pitfalls. _Mem_. to burn +this next spring. + +The pig first turned to bay against a palm-tree, and soon disabled +the dogs. You cannot think what a formidable weapon a wild boar's tusk +is--the least touch of it cuts like a razor; and they are so swift in +their jerks of the head when at bay that in a second they will rip up +both dogs and horses: nor are they the least afraid of attacking a man +on foot in self-defence; but they seldom or ever strike the first blow. +As soon as he had disposed of both the dogs, who lay howling piteously +and bleeding on the ground, the boar made at full speed for the spur of +a hill close by. The pace was too good to last, especially up-hill; so +the gentlemen soon caught him up, and flung their stones at him, but +they dared not bring their valuable horses too near for fear of a wound +which probably would have lamed them for life; and a heavy, rock +or stone is a very unmanageable weapon. I was not therefore at all +surprised to see that both shots missed, or only very slightly grazed +the pig; but what I confess to being perfectly unprepared for was the +boar charging violently down-hill on poor unoffending me, with his head +on one side ready for the fatal backward jerk, champing and foaming as +he came, with what Mr. Weller would call his "vicked old eye" twinkling +with rage. Helen could not realize the situation at all. I tried to turn +her, and so get out of the infuriated brute's way; but no, she would +press on to meet him and join the other horses at the top of the hill. +I had very little control over her, for I was so laden with whips and +stones that my hands were useless for the reins. I knew I was in great +danger, but at the moment I could only think of my poor pretty mare +lamed for life, or even perhaps killed on the spot. I heard one wild +shout of warning from above, and I knew the others were galloping to my +rescue; but in certainly less than half a minute from the time the boar +turned, he had reached me. I slipped the reins over my left elbow, so +as to leave my hands free, took my whip in my teeth (I had to drop the +others), and lifting the heavy stone with both my hands waited a second +till the boar was near enough, leaning well over on the right-hand side +of the saddle so as to see what he did. He made for poor Helen's near +fore-leg with his head well down, and I could hear his teeth gnashing. +Just as he touched her with a prick from his tusk like a stiletto and +before he could jerk his head back so as to rip the leg up, I flung my +small rock with all the strength I possessed crash on his head: but +I could not take a good aim; for the moment Helen felt the stab, she +reared straight up on her hind-legs, and as we were going up-hill, I had +some trouble to keep myself from slipping off over her tail. However, my +rock took some effect, for the pig was so stunned that he dropped on his +knees, and before he could recover himself Helen had turned round, still +on her hind-legs, as on a pivot, and was plunging and jumping madly +down the hill. I could not get back properly into my saddle, nor could +I arrange the reins; so I had to stick on anyhow. It was not a case of +fine riding at all; I merely clung like a monkey, and F----, who was +coming as fast as he could to me, said he expected to see me on +the ground every moment; but, however, I did not come off upon that +occasion. Helen was nearly beside herself with terror. I tried to pat +her neck and soothe her, but the moment she felt my hand she bounded +as if I had struck her, and shivered so much that I thought she must be +injured; so the moment F---- could get near her I begged him to look +at her fetlock. He led her down to the creek, and washed the place, and +examined it carefully, pronouncing, to my great joy, that the tusk had +hardly gone in at all--in fact had merely pricked her--and that she was +not in the least hurt. I could hardly get the gentlemen to go to the +assistance of the poor dogs, one of which was very much hurt. Both F---- +and Mr. B---- evidently thought I must have been "kilt intirely," for my +situation looked so critical at one moment that they could scarcely +be persuaded that neither Helen nor I were in the least hurt. I coaxed +F---- that evening to write me a doggerel version of the story for the +little boys, which I send you to show them:-- + + St. Anne and the pig. + You've heard of St. George and the dragon, + Or seen them; and what can be finer, + In silver or gold on a flagon, + With Garrard or Hancock designer? + + Though we know very little about him + (Saints mostly are shrouded in mystery), + Britannia can't well do without him, + He sets off her shillings and history. + + And from truth let such tales be defended, + Bards at least should bestow them their blessing, + As a rich sort of jewel suspended + On History when she's done dressing. + + Some would have her downstairs to the present, + In plain facts fresh from critical mangle; + But let the nymph make herself pleasant, + Here a bracelet, and there with a bangle + + Such as Bold Robin Hood or Red Riding, + Who peasant and prince have delighted, + Despite of all social dividing, + And the times of their childhood united. + + Shall New Zealand have never a fable, + A rhyme to be sung by the nurses, + A romance of a famous Round Table, + A "Death of Cock Robin" in verses? + + Or shall not a scribe be found gracious + With pen and with parchment, inditing + And setting a-sail down the spacious + Deep day stream some suitable writing; + + Some action, some name so heroic + That its sound shall be death to her foemen, + And make her militia as stoic + As St. George made the Cressy crossbowmen; + + A royal device for her banners, + A reverse for her coinage as splendid, + An example of primitive manners + When all their simplicity's ended? + + Here it is, ye isles Antipodean! + Leave Britain her great Cappadocian; + I'll chant you a latter-day paean, + And sing you a saint for devotion, + + Who on horseback slew also a monster, + Though armed with no sharp lance to stab it, + Though no helmet or hauberk ensconced her, + But only a hat and a habit. + + This dame, for her bravery sainted, + Set up for all times' adoration, + With her picture in poetry painted, + Was a lady who lived on a station. + + Her days--to proceed with the story + In duties domestic dividing, + But, or else she had never won glory, + She now and then went out a-riding. + It chanced, with two knights at her stirrup, + She swept o'er the grass of the valleys, + Heard the brooks run; and heard the birds chirrup, + When a boar from the flax-bushes sallies. + + The cavaliers leaped from their horses; + As for weapons, that day neither bore them; + So they chose from the swift watercourses + Heavy boulders, and held them before them. + + They gave one as well to the lady: + She took it, and placed it undaunted + On the pommel, and balanced it steady, + While they searched where the animal haunted. + + A bowshot beyond her were riding + The knights, each alert with his missile, + But in doubt where the pig went a-hiding, + For they had not kept sight of his bristle. + + When--the tale needs but little enlarging + One turned round by chance on his courser; + To his horror, the monster was charging + At the lady, as if to unhorse her. + + But his fears for her safety were idle, + No heart of a hero beat stouter: + She poised the stone, gathered her bridle-- + A halo, 'tis said, shone about her. + + With his jaws all extended and horrid, + Fierce and foaming, the brute leapt to gore her, + When she dropped the rock full on his forehead, + And lo! he fell dying before her. + + There he lay, bristling, tusky, and savage; + Such a mouth, as was long ago written; + Made Calydon lonely with ravage, + By such teeth young Adonis was bitten. + + Then praise to our new Atalanta, + Of the chase and of song spoils be brought her, + Whose skill and whose strength did not want a + Meleager to finish the slaughter. + + She is sung, and New Zealand shall take her, + Thrice blest to possess such a matron, + And give thanks to its first ballad-maker, + Who found it a saint for a patron. + + + + +Letter XXIII: Concerning a great flood. + + +Broomielaw, February 1868. Since I last wrote to you we have been nearly +washed away, by all the creeks and rivers in the country overflowing +their banks! Christchurch particularly was in great danger from the +chance of the Waimakiriri returning to its old channel, in which case it +would sweep away the town. For several hours half the streets were under +water, the people going about in boats, and the Avon was spread out like +a lake over its banks for miles. The weather had been unusually sultry +for some weeks, and during the last five days the heat had been far +greater, even in the hills, than anyone could remember. It is often very +hot indeed during the mid-day hours in summer, but a hot night is almost +unknown; and, at the elevation we live, there are few evenings in the +year when a wood-fire is not acceptable after sunset; as for a blanket +at night, that is seldom left off even in the plains, and is certainly +necessary in the hills. Every one was anxiously looking for rain, as the +grass was getting very dry and the creeks low, and people were beginning +to talk of an Australian summer and to prophesy dismal things of a +drought. On a Sunday night about eleven o'clock we were all sauntering +about out of doors, finding it too hot to remain in the verandah; it was +useless to think of going to bed; and F---- and Mr. U---- agreed that +some great change in the weather was near. There was a strange stillness +and oppression in the air; the very animals had not gone to sleep, but +all seemed as restless and wakeful as we were. I remember we discussed +the probability of a severe earthquake, for the recent wave at St. +Thomas's was in everybody's mind. F---- and I had spent a few days in +Christchurch the week before. There was a regular low-fever epidemic +there, and, he had returned to the station feeling very unwell; but +in this country illness is so rare that one almost forgets that such a +thing exists, and we both attributed his seediness to the extraordinary +heat. + +When we were out of doors that Sunday evening, we noticed immense banks +and masses of clouds, but they were not in the quarter from whence our +usual heavy rain comes; and besides, in New Zealand clouds are more +frequently a sign of high wind than of rain. However, about midnight +F---- felt so ill that he went in to bed, and we had scarcely got under +shelter when, after a very few premonitory drops, the rain came down +literally in sheets. Almost from the first F---- spoke of the peculiar +and different sound on the roof, but as he had a great deal of fever +that night, I was too anxious to notice anything but the welcome fact +that the rain had come at last, and too glad to hear it to be critical +about the sound it made in falling. I came out to breakfast alone, +leaving F---- still ill, but the fever going off. The atmosphere was +much lightened, but the rain seemed like a solid wall of water falling +fast and furiously; the noise on the wooden roof was so great that we +had to shout to each other to make ourselves heard; and when I looked +out I was astonished to see the dimensions to which the ponds had. +swollen. Down all the hill-sides new creeks and waterfalls had sprung +into existence during the night. As soon as I had taken F---- his tea +and settled down comfortably to breakfast, I noticed that instead of Mr. +U---- looking the picture of bright good-humour, he wore a troubled and +anxious countenance. I immediately inquired if he had been out of doors +that morning? Yes, he had been to look at the horses in the stable. +Well, I did not feel much interest in them, for they were big enough to +take care of themselves: so I proceeded to ask if he had chanced to see +anything of my fifty young ducks or my numerous broods of chickens. Upon +this question Mr. U---- looked still more unhappy and tried to turn the +conversation, but my suspicions were aroused and I persisted; so at last +he broke to me, with much precaution, that I was absolutely without a +duckling or a chicken in the world! They had been drowned in the night, +and nothing was to be seen but countless draggled little corpses, what +Mr. Mantilini called "moist unpleasant bodies," floating on the pond or +whirling in the eddies of the creek. That was not even the worst. Every +one of my sitting hens was drowned also, their nests washed away; so +were the half-dozen beautiful ducks, with some twelve or fourteen eggs +under each. I felt angry with the ducks, and thought they might have at +any rate saved their own lives; but nothing could alter the melancholy +returns of the missing and dead. My poultry-yard was, for all practical +purposes, annihilated, just as it was at its greatest perfection and the +pride and joy of my heart. All that day the rain descended steadily +in torrents; there was not the slightest break or variation in the +downpour: it was as heavy as that of the Jamaica _seasons_ of May and +October. F----'s fever left him at the end of twelve hours, and he got +up and came into the drawing-room; his first glance out of the window, +which commanded a view of the flat for two or three miles, showed him +how much the waters had risen since midnight; and he said that in all +the years he had known those particular creeks he had never seen them so +high: still I thought nothing of it. There was no cessation in the rain +for exactly twenty-four hours; but at midnight on Monday, just as poor +F---- was getting another attack of fever, it changed into heavy, broken +showers, with little pauses of fine drizzle between, and by morning it +showed signs of clearing, but continued at intervals till midday. The +effect was extraordinary, considering the comparatively short time the +real downpour had lasted. The whole flat was under water, the creeks +were flooded beyond their banks for half a mile or so on each side, and +the river Selwyn, which ran under some hills, bounding our view, was +spread out, forming an enormous lake. A very conspicuous object on these +opposite hills, which are between three and four miles distant, was +a bold cliff known by the name of the "White Rocks," and serving as a +landmark to all the countryside: we could hardly believe our eyes when +we missed the most prominent of these and could see only a great bare +rent in the mountain. The house was quite surrounded by water and stood +on a small island; it was impossible even to wade for more than a few +yards beyond the dry ground, for the water became quite deep and the +current was running fast. F----'s fever lasted its twelve hours; but I +began to be fidgety at the state of prostration it left him in, and when +Tuesday night brought a third and sharper attack, I determined to make +him go to town and see a doctor during his next interval of freedom from +it. + +Wednesday morning was bright and sunny, but the waters had not much +diminished: however, we knew every hour must lessen them, and I only +waited for F----'s paroxysm of fever to subside about mid-day to send +him off to Christchurch. I had exhausted my simple remedies, consisting +of a spoonful of sweet spirits of nitre and a little weak brandy and +water and did not think it right to let things go on in this way without +advice: he was so weak he could hardly mount his horse; indeed he had to +be fairly lifted on the old quiet station hack I have before mentioned +with such deep affection, dear old Jack. It was impossible for him to go +alone; so the ever-kind and considerate Mr. U---- offered to accompany +him. This was the greatest comfort to me, though I and my two maids +would be left all alone during their absence: however, that was much +better than poor F---- going by himself in his weak state. Six hours of +sunshine had greatly abated the floods, and as far as we could see the +water was quite shallow now where it had overflowed. I saw them set off +therefore with a good hope of their accomplishing the journey safely. +Judge of my astonishment and horror when, on going to see what the dogs +were barking at, about two hours later, I beheld F---- and Mr. U---- at +the garden gate, dripping wet up to their shoulders, but laughing very +much. Of course I immediately thought of F----'s fever, and made him +come in and change; and have some hot tea directly; but he would not go +to bed as I suggested, declaring that the shock of his unexpected cold +bath, and the excitement of a swim for his life, had done him all the +good in the world; and I may tell you at once; that it had completely +cured him: he ate well that evening, slept well, and had no return of +his fever, regaining his strength completely in a few days. So much for +kill-or-cure remedies! + +It seems that as soon as they neared the first creek, with very high +banks, about a mile from the house, the water came up to the horses' +fetlocks, then to their knees, but still it was impossible to tell +exactly where the creek began, or rather, where its bank ended; they +went very cautiously, steering as well as they could for where they +imagined the cutting in the steep bank to be; but I suppose they did +not hit it off exactly, for suddenly they went plump into deep water and +found themselves whirling along like straws down a tremendous current. +Jack was, however, quite equal to the occasion; he never allows himself +to be flurried or put out by anything, and has, I imagine, been in +nearly every difficulty incident to New Zealand travelling. Instead, +therefore, of losing his head as Helen did (Mr. U---- was riding her), +and striking out wildly with her forelegs to the great danger of the +other horse, Jack took it all as a matter of course, and set himself to +swim steadily down the stream, avoiding the eddies as much as possible: +he knew every yard of the bank, and did not therefore waste his strength +by trying to land in impossible places, but kept a watchful eye for the +easiest spot. F---- knew the old horse so well that he let him have his +head and guide himself, only trying to avoid Helen's forelegs, which +were often unpleasantly near; his only fear was lest they should have +to go so far before a landing was possible that poor old Jack's strength +might not hold out, for there is nothing so fatiguing to a horse as +swimming in a strong current with a rider on his back, especially a +heavy man. They were swept down for a long distance, though it was +impossible to guess exactly how far they had gone, and F---- was getting +very uneasy about a certain wire fence which had been carried across +the creek; they were rapidly approaching it, and the danger was that the +horses might suddenly find themselves entangled in it, in which case the +riders would very likely have been drowned. F---- called to Mr. U----to +get his feet free from the stirrups and loosened his own; but he told +me he was afraid lest Mr. U---- should not hear him above the roaring +of the water, and so perhaps be dragged under water when the fence +was reached. However, Jack, knew all about it, and was not going to be +drowned ignominiously in a creek which would not have wet his hoofs to +cross three days before. A few yards from the fence he made one rush and +a bound towards what seemed only a clump of Tohi bushes, but they broke +the force of the current and gave him the chance he wanted, and he +struggled up the high crumbling bank more like a cat than a steady old +screw. Helen would not be left behind, and, with a good spur from +Mr. U----, she followed Jack's example, and they stood dripping and +shivering in shallow water. Both the horses were so _done_ that F---- +and Mr. U---- had to jump off instantly and loose the girths, turning +them with their nostrils to the wind. It was a very narrow escape, and +the disagreeable part of it was that they had scrambled out on the wrong +side of the creek and had to recross it to get home: however, they rode +on to the next stream, which looked so much more swollen and angry, that +they gave up the idea of going on to Christchurch that night, especially +as they were wet through to their chins, for both horses swam very low +in the water, with only their heads to be seen above it. + +The next thing to be considered was how to get back to the house. It +never would do to risk taking the horses into danger again when they +were so exhausted; so they rode round by the homestead, crossed the +creek higher up, where it was much wider but comparatively shallow +(if anything could be called shallow just now), and came home over the +hills. Good old Jack had an extra feed of oats that evening, a reward to +which he is by no means insensible; and indeed it probably is the only +one he cares for. + +The Fates had determined, apparently, that I also should come in for +my share of watery adventures, for we had an engagement of rather long +standing to ride across the hills, and visit a friend's station about +twelve miles distant, and the day we had promised to go was rather more +than a week after F----'s attempted journey. In the meantime, the waters +had of course gone down considerably, and there was quite an excitement +in riding and walking about our own run, and seeing the changes the +flood had made, and the mischief it had done to the fencing;--this was +in process of being repaired. We lost very few sheep; they were all up +at the tops of the high hills, their favourite summer pasture. + +I think I have told you that between us and Christchurch there is but +one river, a most peaceable and orderly stream, a perfect pattern to the +eccentric New Zealand rivers, which are so changeable and restless. Upon +this occasion, however, the Selwyn behaved quite as badly as any of its +fellows; it was not only flooded for miles, carrying away quantities of +fencing near its banks, and drowning confiding sheep suddenly, but at +one spot about four miles from us, just under the White Rocks, it +came down suddenly, like what Miss Ingelow calls "a mighty eygre," and +deserted its old timeworn bed for two new ones: and the worst of the +story is that it has taken a fancy to our road, swept away a good deal +of it, breaking a course for itself in quite a different place; so now, +instead of one nice, wide, generally shallow river to cross, about +which there never has been an evil report, we have two horrid mountain +torrents of which we know nothing: no one has been in yet to try their +depth, or to find out the best place at which to ford them, and it +unfortunately happened that F---- and I were the pioneers. When we came +to the first new channel, F----with much care picked out what seemed +the best place, and though it was a most disagreeable bit of water to +go through, still we managed it all right; but when we came to the next +curve, it was far worse. Here the river took a sharp turn, and came +tearing round a corner, the colour and consistency of pea-soup, and +making such a noise we could hardly hear ourselves speak standing close +together on the bank; once in the stream, of course it would be hopeless +to try to catch a word. I am ashamed to say that my fixed idea was to +turn back, and this I proposed without hesitation; but F---- has the +greatest dislike to retracing his steps, and is disagreeably like +Excelsior in this respect; so he merely looked astonished at my want of +spirit, and proceeded very calmly to give me my directions, and the more +he impressed the necessity of coolness and caution upon me, the more I +quaked. He was to go over first, alone; I was to follow, having first +tucked my habit well up under my arm, and taken care that I was quite +free so as not to be entangled in any way _if_ Helen should be swept +away, or if a boulder should come down with the stream, and knock her +feet from under her: I was not to be at all frightened (!), and I was to +keep my eyes fixed on him, and guide Helen's head exactly by the motion +of his hand. He plunged into the water as soon as he had issued these +encouraging directions; I saw him floundering in and out of several +deep holes, and presently he got safe to land, dripping wet; then he +dismounted, tied Leo to a flax bush, and took off his coat and big +riding-boots,--I thought, very naturally to dry them, but I should +have been still more alarmed, if possible, had I known that this was to +prepare to be ready to swim to my help in case of danger. As it was, my +only hope was that Helen might not like the look of the angry flood, +and would refuse to go in;--how I should have blessed her for such +obstinacy!--but no, she was eager to rejoin her stable companion, +and plunged in without hesitation. I found it much worse even than I +dreaded; the water felt so resistless, as if it _must_ sweep me right +out of the saddle; I should like to have clutched Helen's mane or +anything to have kept me on, but both hands were wanted to hold the +reins quite low down, one on each side of her withers, so as to guide +her exactly according to F----'s pilot-hand on the opposite bank: +steering implicitly by this I escaped the holes and rocks which he had +come against, and got over safely, but trembling, and with chattering +teeth. F----said, quite disdainfully, "You don't mean to say you're +really frightened?" So then I scolded him, rather incoherently, and +demanded to be praised for coming at all! I wrung my habit out as well +as I could, F---- poured the water out of his boots, and we proceeded, +first over a plain, and then to climb a high steep hill. I wonder if you +have any idea how disagreeable and dangerous it is to go zigzag up the +side of a mountain after such rain as we have had. The soil was just +like soap, nothing for the horses' hoofs to take hold of, not a pebble +or a tuft of grass; all had been washed away, and only the slippery clay +remained. As usual, F---- went first and I followed, taking care not to +keep below him, lest he and Leo should come "slithering" (that is +the only word for it) down upon me; but, alas, it was Helen and I who +slithered! Poor dear, all her legs seemed to fly from under her at once, +and she came down on her side and on my legs. I felt the leaping-crutch +snap, and found my left shoulder against the ground; I let go the reins, +and thought we had better part company, but found I could not move +for her weight; _she_ struggled to get up, and we both slipped down, +down--down: there was no reason why we should not have gone on to the +bottom of the hill, when a friendly tussock afforded her an instant's +resting-place for her hind hoofs, and she scrambled to her feet like a +cat. I found myself still on her back; so I picked up my reins and tried +to pretend that I had never thought of getting off. F---- dared not stir +from his "bad eminence;" so Helen and I wended our slippery way up to +him, and in answer to his horrified "Where is your habit?" I found I was +torn to ribbons; in fact, my skirt was little more than a kilt, and +a very short one too! What was to be done? We were only three or four +miles from our destination, so we pushed on, and at the last I lingered +behind, and made F---- go first and borrow a cloak or shawl. You would +have laughed if you had heard my pathetic adjurations to him to be +sure to bring it by himself. I was so afraid that some one else would +politely insist on accompanying him. But it was all right, though even +with this assistance it was very difficult to arrange matters so as to +be tolerably respectable. My hostess was shocked at my tattered, wet +plight, and dried me, and dressed me up till I was quite smart, and then +we had a very pleasant day, and, best of all, came home by a different +road, so as to avoid the slippery descent and the rivers in the dark; +but I still mourn for my habit!-it was my last. Three have disappeared, +owing to unfortunate accidents, this year, and now I am reduced to what +can be contrived out of a linsey dress. + + + + +Letter XXIV: My only fall from horseback. + + +Broomielaw, June 1868. The autumn has passed away so quickly that I can +hardly believe the winter has reached us so soon--the last winter we +shall spend in New Zealand. I should like to have been able to boast, on +my return to England, that in three years' constant riding, on all sorts +of horses, good, bad, and indifferent, and over abominable roads, I had +escaped a fall; but not only have I had a very severe one, but it was +from my own favourite Helen, which is very trying to reflect upon. +However, it was not in the least her fault, or mine either; so she and I +are still perfectly good friends. + +We had been spending two days up at Lake Coleridge, as a sort of +farewell visit, and on our way down again to Rockwood, a distance of +about twenty miles, we stopped to lunch, by invitation, at a station +midway. There was so much to be seen at this place that we loitered +much longer than was prudent in the short days, and by the time we +had thoroughly inspected a beautiful new wool-shed with all the latest +improvements (from which F---- could hardly tear himself away), the +fish-ponds elaborately arranged for the reception of the young trout +expected from Tasmania and the charming garden well sheltered by a grove +of large wattle-trees, it was growing dusk, and we prepared to push on +as fast as possible; for nothing is more disagreeable than being caught +in the dark on a New Zealand track, with its creeks and swamps and wire +fences: the last are the most dangerous obstacles, if you get off the +track, or if the gate through the fence has been placed for convenience +a few yards on one side of it; the horses cannot see the slender wires +in the dark, and so fall over them, injuring themselves and their riders +most seriously sometimes. Having still about eight miles to go, we were +galloping gaily over a wide open plain, our only anxiety arising from +the fast failing daylight; but the horses were still quite fresh, and, +as the French idiom would have it, devoured the ground at a fine pace; +when, in an instant, the ground appeared to rise up to meet me, and I +found myself dragged along on the extreme point of my right shoulder, +still grasping both reins and whip. I was almost under the feet of the +other horse, and I saw Helen's heels describing frantic circles in the +air. F---- shouted to me to let go, which it had never occurred to me to +do previously. I did so, and jumped up instantly, feeling quite unhurt, +and rather relieved to find that a fall was not so dreadful after all. +I then saw the cause of the accident: the handle of a little +travelling-bag which had been hung over the pommel of my saddle had +slipped over the slight projection, and as it was still further secured +by a strap through the girth, it was dangling under poor Helen, whose +frantic bounds and leaps only increased the liveliness of her tormentor. +I never saw such bucks and jumps high into the air as she performed +receiving a severe blow from the bag at each; it was impossible to help +laughing, though I did not see how it was all to end. She would not +allow F---- to approach her, and was perfectly mad with terror. At +last the girths gave way, and the saddle came off, with the bag still +fastened to it; the moment she found herself free, she trotted up to me +in the most engaging manner, and stood rubbing her nose against my arm, +though she was still trembling all over, and covered with foam. + +By this time I had made the discovery that I could not raise my right +arm; but still a careful investigation did not tell me it was broken, +for it gave me no pain to touch anywhere, except a very little just on +the point of the shoulder. F---- now went to pick up the saddle and +the reins; it was difficult to find these latter in the fast gathering +darkness and I held his horse for him. To my horror I found after +standing for a moment or two, that I was going to faint; I could not +utter a word; I knew that if my fast-relaxing fingers let go their hold +of the bridle the horse would set off towards home at a gallop, Helen +would assuredly follow him, and we should be left eight miles from the +nearest shelter to find our way to it, with a deep creek to cross. +F---- was fifty yards off, with his back to me, searching for some +indispensable buckle; so there was no help to be got from him at the +moment. I exerted every atom of my remaining strength to slip the bridle +over my left arm, which I pressed against my waist; then I sat down as +quietly as I could, not to alarm the horse, bent forward so as to keep +my left arm under me lest the bridle should slip off, and fainted away +in great peace and comfort. The cold was becoming so intense that it +soon revived me, and F----, suspecting something was wrong, came to +relieve me of the care of the horse, and contrived to get the girths +repaired with the ever-ready flax, and the bag secured in a very short +time. But when it came to mounting again, that was not so easy: every +time I tried to spring, something jarred horribly in the socket where +the arm fits into the shoulder, and the pain was so great that I had to +lie down on the ground. It was now nearly seven o'clock, quite dark, and +freezing hard; we were most anxious to get on, and yet what was to be +done? I could not mount, apparently, and there was no stone or bank to +stand on and get up by for an immense way. At last F---- put me up +by sheer strength. I found myself so deadly sick and faint when I was +fairly in the saddle that it was some time before I could allow Helen +to move; and never shall I forget the torture of her first step, for +my shoulder was now stiffening in a most unpleasant way. F---- said it +would be easier to canter; so we set off at full speed, and the cold air +against my face kept me from fainting as we went along, though I fully +expected to fall off every moment; if Helen had shied, or stumbled, or +even capered a little, I should have been on the ground again. In my +torture and despair, I proposed to be left behind, and for F---- to ride +on and get help; but he would not hear of this, declaring that I should +die of cold before he could get back with a cart, and that it was very +doubtful if he should find me again on the vast plain, with nothing to +guide him, and in the midnight darkness. Whenever we came to a little +creek which we were obliged to jump, Helen's safe arrival on the +opposite bank was announced by a loud yell from me, caused by agony +hardly to be described. The cold appeared to get _into_ the broken +joint, and make it so much worse. + +At last we reached Rockwood, and never was its friendly shelter more +welcome. Everything that could be thought of was done to alleviate my +sufferings; but I resembled Punch with his head on one side, for I had +a well-defined and gigantic hump on my back, and my shoulder was swollen +up to my ear. The habit-body was unpicked, as it was impossible to get +it off any other way. Of course, the night was one of great agony; but +I thought often, as I paced the room, how much better it was to have a +blazing fire to cheer me up, and some delicious tea to put my lips to +"when so dispoged" (like the immortal Mrs. Gamp), than to be lying on +the open plain in a hard frost, wondering when F---- and his cart would +arrive. + +The next day we returned home, much against our host's wish; and I +walked all the way, some six miles of mountain road, for I could not +bear the idea of riding. F---- led the horses, and we arrived quite +safely. His first idea was to take me down to a doctor, but the motion +of driving was greater agony than riding, as the road was rough; so +after the first mile, I entreated to be taken back, and we turned the +horses' heads towards home again; and when we reached it, I got out all +my little books on surgery, medicine, etc., and from them made out how +to set my shoulder in some sort of fashion, with F----'s help. Of course +it is still useless to me, but I think it is mending itself; and after +a week I could do everything with my left hand, even to writing, after a +fashion. The only thing I could _not_ do was to arrange my hair, or +even to brush it; and though F---- was "willing," he was so exceedingly +awkward, that at last, after going through great anguish and having it +pulled out by handfuls, I got him to cut it off, and it is now cropped +like a small boy's. He cuts up my dinner, etc. for me; but it is a very +trying process, and I don't wonder at children often leaving the nasty +cold mess half eaten. I shall be very glad to be able to use my own +knife again. + + + + +Letter XXV: How We lost our horses and had to walk home. + + +Broomielaw, November 1868. This will actually be my last letter from the +Malvern Hills; and, in spite of the joy I feel at the hope of seeing +all my beloved ones in England, I am _so_ sorry to leave my dear little +happy valley. We have done nothing but pay farewell visits lately; and I +turn for a final look at each station or cottage as we ride away with a +great tightness at my heart, and moisture in my eyes, to think I shall +never see them again. You must not be jealous at the lingering regrets I +feel, for unless you had been with me here you can never understand how +kind and friendly all our neighbours, high and low, have been to us from +the very first, or how dearly I have grown to love them. I don't at all +know how I am to say good-bye to my dear Mrs. M----, the shepherd's +wife I told you of. I believe she will miss me more than any one; and +I cannot bear to think of her left to pass her days without the help of +books and papers, which I was always so glad to lend her. I often +walk down the valley to take tea with her of an afternoon and to say +good-bye, but I have not said it yet. I wish you could see her parlour +as I saw it yesterday afternoon--her books in a bookcase of her +husband's manufacture, very nice and pretty; her spinning-wheel in the +comer; the large "beau-pot" of flowers in the window; and such a tea on +the table!--cream like clots of gold, scones, oat-cakes, all sorts of +delicacies! She herself is quite charming--one of Nature's ladies. I +have given her, as a parting gift, a couple of Scotch views framed; and +they hang on the wall as a memento of places equally dear to both of us. + +It is a sorrow to me to leave the horses and dogs and my pet calves and +poultry; even the trees and creepers I go round to look at, with the +melancholy feeling of other owners not loving them so much as I have +done. However, I must not make my last letter too dismal, or you will +feel that I am not glad enough to return to you all. My only apology is, +I have been so _very_ happy here. + +Now for our latest adventure, as absurd as any, in its way. Have I ever +told you that our post-office is ten miles off, with an atrocious road +between us and it? I know you will throw down this letter and feel +rather disgusted with me for being sorry to leave such a place, but we +don't mind trifles here. Lately, since our own establishment has been +broken up, we have been living in great discomfort; and among other +things we generally, if not always, have to go for our own letters twice +a week. Upon this occasion F---- and I had ridden together up the gorge +of the Selwyn rather late in the afternoon, to avoid the extreme heat of +the day. When we reached the shepherd's hut I have before mentioned, and +which is now deserted, I proposed to F---- to go on over the hills alone +and leave me there, as I was very hot and tired, and he could travel +much quicker without me--for I am ashamed to say that I still object +to riding fast up and down slippery hills. I cannot get rid of the idea +that I shall break my neck if I attempt it, whereas F---- goes on +over the worst road just as if it was perfectly level. Excuse this +digression, for it is a relief to me to be a little spiteful about his +pace whenever I have an opportunity, and it will probably be my last +chance of expressing my entire disapproval of it. + +Helen was tied up to a post, and F----, after helping me to dismount, +set off at a canter over the adjoining swamp on his way to cross the +chain of hills between the river and the flat where the great coach-road +to the West Coast runs. I had brought the ingredients for my five +o'clock tea (without which I am always a lost and miserable creature), +and I amused myself, during my solitude, by picking up dry bits of scrub +for my fire; but I had to go down the river-bank for some driftwood +to make the old kettle, belonging to the hut, boil. I could not help +wondering how any human being could endure such solitude for years, as +the occupant of a hut like this is necessarily condemned to. In itself +it was as snug and comfortable as possible, with a little paddock +for the shepherd's horse, an acre or so of garden, now overgrown with +self-sown potatoes, peas, strawberry, raspberry, and gooseberry plants, +the little thatched fowl-house near, and the dog-kennels; all giving it +a thoroughly home-like look. The hoarse roar of the river over its rocky +bed was the only sound; now and then a flock of wild ducks would come +flying down to their roosting-place or nests among the Tohi grass; +and as the evening closed in the melancholy cry of the bittern and the +weka's loud call broke the stillness, but only to make it appear more +profound. On each side of the ravine in which the hut stands rise lofty +hills so steeply from the water's edge that in places we can find no +footing for our horses, and have to ride in the river. At this time of +the year the sheep are all upon the hills; so you do not hear even a +bleat: but in winter, they come down to the sunny, sheltered flats. + +It appeared to me as if I was alone there for hours, though it really +was less than one hour, when F---- returned with a large bundle of +letters and papers tied to his saddle-bow. Tea was quite ready now; +so he tied up his horse next Helen, and we had tea and looked at our +letters. One of the first I opened told me that some friends from +Christchurch, whom I expected to pay us a visit soon, were on their way +up that very day, and in fact might be expected to arrive just about +that hour. I was filled with blank dismay, for not only did the party +consist of three grown-up people--nay, four--but three little children. +I had made elaborate plans in my head as to how and where they should +all be stowed away for a fortnight, but had naturally deferred till the +last moment to carry out my arrangements, for they entailed giving up +our own bedroom, and "camping" in the dining-room, besides wonderful +substitutes of big packing-cases for cribs, etc. etc. But, alas! here +we were eight miles from home and nothing done, not even any extra +food ordered or prepared. The obvious thing was to mount our horses and +return as fast as ever we could, and we hastened out of the hut to the +spot where we had left them both securely tied to the only available +post, through which unfortunately five wires ran, as it was one of the +"standards" of a fence which extended for miles. Just as we came out of +the hut in a great bustle, our evil destiny induced F----'s horse to +rub its nose against the top wire of the fence; and in this process it +caught the bar of its snaffle-bit, and immediately pulled back: this +made all the wires jingle. Helen instantly took alarm, and pulled back +too: fresh and increased vibration, extending up the hill-side and +echoing back an appalling sound, was the result of this movement. In an +instant there were both the horses pulling with all their force against +the fence, terrified to death; and no wonder, for the more they pulled +the more the wires jingled. F---- did all he could to soothe them with +blandishments. I tried to coax Helen, but the nearer we drew the +more frantically they backed and plunged, and the more the noise +increased--till it was a case of "one struggle more and I am free;" and +leaving their bridles still fastened to the fatal fence by the reins, +we had the satisfaction of seeing both our horses careering wildly +about--first celebrating their escape from danger by joyous and frantic +bounds and kicks, and then setting off down the gorge of the river as +hard as they could go. I fairly sat down and whimpered a little, not +only at the thought of our eight miles' walk over shingle with a deep +river to be crossed nine times, but at the idea of my poor little guests +arriving to find no supper, no beds, "no nothing." + +F---- tried to cheer me up, and said the only thing was to get home as +quick as possible; but he did not expect to find that our friends had +arrived, for it had been very hazy over the plains all day, and probably +had rained hard in Christchurch; so he thought they would not have +started on their journey at all. But I refused to accept any comfort +from this idea, and bemoaned myself, entirely on their account, +incessantly. When we came to the first crossing, F---- picked me up and +carried me over dry-shod, and this he did at all the fords; but in one +we very nearly came to grief, for I was tilted like a sack over his +shoulder, and when we were quite in the middle, and the water was very +deep, up to his waist, he kept hoisting my feet higher and higher, quite +forgetting that there was plenty more of me on the other side of his +shoulder; so it ended in my arms getting very wet, which he did not seem +to think mattered at all so long as my feet were dry; whereas I rather +preferred having my feet than my head plunged into a surging, deafening +yellow current. At the entrance of the gorge is a large stockyard, +and near to it, at least a mile or two off, a large mob of horses is +generally to be found feeding. We heard great neighing and galloping +about amongst them as we came out of the gorge; it was much too dark to +distinguish anything, but we guessed that our horses had joined these, +and the sounds we heard were probably those of welcome. But the whole +mob set off the moment we came near, and crossed the river again, +entailing a tenth wetting upon poor F----. I was posted at the entrance +of the gorge, with instructions to shout and otherwise keep them from +going up by the route we had just come; but it was more than an hour +before F----could get round the wary brutes, so as to turn them with +their heads towards the stockyard. Of course, he had to bring up the +whole mob. My talents in the shouting line were not called out upon this +occasion, for they all trotted into the stockyard of their own accord, +and I had nothing to do but put up the slip-rail as fast as I could with +only one available arm, for though it is better, I cannot use the other +yet. When F---- came up we both went into the yard, and could soon make +out the two horses which had their saddles on--that was the only way we +could distinguish them in the dark. It was now nearly eleven o'clock, +and though warm enough it was very cloudy, not a star to be seen. We +fastened on the patched up bridles as well as we could by feeling, and +mounted, and rode home, about three miles more, as fast as we could. +When we entered the flat near our own house, we heard loud and prolonged +"coo-ees" from all sides. The servants had made up their minds that some +terrible misfortune had happened to us, and were setting out to look for +us, "coo-eeing" as they came along. F---- pointed out to me, with a sort +of "I-told-you-so" air, that there was no light in the drawing-room--so +it was evident our friends had not arrived; and when we dismounted I +found, to my great joy, that the house was empty. All our fatigue was +forgotten in thankfulness that the poor travellers had not been exposed +to such a cold, comfortless reception as would have awaited them if they +had made their journey that day. I must tell you, they arrived quite +safely the next evening, but very tired, especially the poor children; +however, everything was ready, and the little boys were particularly +pleased with their box beds, greatly preferring the difficulties of +getting in and out of them to their own pretty little cribs at home. +Such are boys all over the world! + +Next month we leave this for ever, and go down to Christchurch to make +our final arrangements for the long voyage of a hundred days before us. +As the time draws near I realize how strong is the tie which has grown, +even in these few short years, around my heart, connecting it with this +lovely land, and the kind friends I have found in it. F---- feels +the parting more deeply than I do, if possible, though for different +reasons; he has lived so long among these beautiful hills, and is so +accustomed to have before his eyes their grand outlines. He was telling +me this the other day, and has put the same feelings into the following +verses, which I now send you. + + A farewell. + The seamen shout once and together, + The anchor breaks up from the ground, + And the ship's head swings to the weather, + To the wind and the sea swings round; + With a clamour the great sail steadies, + In extreme of a storm scarce furled; + Already a short wake eddies, + And a furrow is cleft and curled + To the right and left. + + Float out from the harbour and highland + That hides all the region I know, + Let me look a last time on the island + Well seen from the sea to the snow. + The lines of the ranges I follow, + I travel the hills with my eyes, + For I know where they make a deep hollow, + A valley of grass and the rise + Of streams clearer than glass. + + That haunt is too far for me wingless, + And the hills of it sink out of sight, + Yet my thought were but broken and stringless, + And the daylight of song were but night. + If I could not at will a winged dream let + Lift me and take me and set + Me again by the trees and the streamlet; + These leagues make a wide water, yet + The whole world shall not hide. + + Now my days leave the soft silent byway, + And clothed in a various sort, + In iron or gold, on life's highway + New feet shall succeed, or stop short + Shod hard these maybe, or made splendid, + Fair and many, or evil and few, + But the going of bare feet has ended, + Of naked feet set in the new + Meadow grass sweet and wet. + + I will long for the ways of soft walking, + Grown tired of the dust and the glare, + And mute in the midst of much talking + Will pine for the silences rare; + Streets of peril and speech full of malice + Will recall me the pastures and peace + Which gardened and guarded those valleys + With grasses as high as the knees, + Calm as high as the sky: + + While the island secure in my spirit + At ease on its own ocean rides, + And Memory, a ship sailing near it, + Shall float in with favouring tides, + Shall enter the harbours and land me + To visit the gorges and heights + Whose aspects seemed once to command me, + As queens by their charms command knights + To achievements of arms. + + And as knights have caught sight of queens' faces + Through the dust of the lists and the din, + So, remembering these holiest places + In the days when I lose or I win, + I will yearn to them, all being over, + Triumphant or trampled beneath, + To this beautiful isle like a lover, + To her evergreen brakes for a wreath, + For a tear to her lakes. + + The last of her now is a brightening + Far fire in the forested hills, + The breeze as the night nears is heightening, + The cordage draws tighter and thrills, + Like a horse that is spurred by the rider + The great vessel quivers and quails, + And passes the billows beside her, + The fair wind is strong in her sails, + She is lifted along. + + THE END. + + + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Station Life in New Zealand, by Lady Barker + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK STATION LIFE IN NEW ZEALAND *** + +***** This file should be named 6104.txt or 6104.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/6/1/0/6104/ + +Produced by P. 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Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: Station Life in New Zealand + +Author: Lady Barker + +Release Date: July, 2004 [EBook #6104] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on November 6, 2002] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK STATION LIFE IN NEW ZEALAND *** + + + + +Produced by P J Riddick + + + + + + +Station Life in New Zealand + +by Lady Barker. + +1883 + + + +Preface. + +These letters, their writer is aware, justly incur the reproach of +egotism and triviality; at the same time she did not see how this +was to be avoided, without lessening their value as the exact +account of a lady's experience of the brighter and less practical +side of colonization. They are published as no guide or handbook +for "the intending emigrant;" that person has already a literature +to himself, and will scarcely find here so much as a single +statistic. They simply record the expeditions, adventures, and +emergencies diversifying the daily life of the wife of a New Zealand +sheep-farmer; and, as each was written while the novelty and +excitement of the scenes it describes were fresh upon her, they may +succeed in giving here in England an adequate impression of the +delight and freedom of an existence so far removed from our own +highly-wrought civilization: not failing in this, the writer will +gladly bear the burden of any critical rebuke the letters deserve. +One thing she hopes will plainly appear,--that, however hard it was +to part, by the width of the whole earth, from dear friends and +spots scarcely less dear, yet she soon found in that new country new +friends and a new home; costing her in their turn almost as many +parting regrets as the old. +F. N. B. + + + +Letter I: Two months at sea--Melbourne. + + +Port Phillip Hotel, Melbourne. September 22d, 1865. +.... Now I must give you an account of our voyage: it has been a +very quick one for the immense distance traversed, sometimes under +canvas, but generally steaming. We saw no land between the Lizard +and Cape Otway light--that is, for fifty-seven days: and oh, the +monotony of that time!--the monotony of it! Our decks were so +crowded that we divided our walking hours, in order that each set of +passengers might have space to move about; for if every one had +taken it into their heads to exercise themselves at the same time, +we could hardly have exceeded the fisherman's definition of a walk, +"two steps and overboard." I am ashamed to say I was more or less +ill all the way, but, fortunately, F--- was not, and I rejoiced at +this from the most selfish motives, as he was able to take care of +me. I find that sea-sickness develops the worst part of one's +character with startling rapidity, and, as far as I am concerned, I +look back with self-abasement upon my callous indifference to the +sufferings of others, and apathetic absorption in my individual +misery. + +Until we had fairly embarked, the well-meaning but ignorant among +our friends constantly assured us, with an air of conviction as to +the truth and wisdom of their words, that we were going at the very +best season of the year; but as soon as we could gather the opinions +of those in authority on board, it gradually leaked out that we +really had fallen upon quite a wrong time for such a voyage, for we +very soon found ourselves in the tropics during their hottest month +(early in August), and after having been nearly roasted for three +weeks, we plunged abruptly into mid-winter, or at all events very +early spring, off the Cape of Good Hope, and went through a season +of bitterly cold weather, with three heavy gales. I pitied the poor +sailors from the bottom of my heart, at their work all night on +decks slippery with ice, and pulling at ropes so frozen that it was +almost impossible to bend them; but, thank God, there were no +casualties among the men. The last gale was the most severe; they +said it was the tail of a cyclone. One is apt on land to regard +such phrases as the "shriek of the storm," or "the roar of the +waves," as poetical hyperboles; whereas they are very literal and +expressive renderings of the sounds of horror incessant throughout a +gale at sea. Our cabin, though very nice and comfortable in other +respects, possessed an extraordinary attraction for any stray wave +which might be wandering about the saloon: once or twice I have been +in the cuddy when a sea found its way down the companion, and I have +watched with horrible anxiety a ton or so of water hesitating which +cabin it should enter and deluge, and it always seemed to choose +ours. All these miseries appear now, after even a few days of the +blessed land, to belong to a distant past; but I feel inclined to +lay my pen down and have a hearty laugh at the recollection of one +cold night, when a heavy "thud" burst open our cabin door, and +washed out all the stray parcels, boots, etc., from the corners in +which the rolling of the ship had previously bestowed them. I was +high and dry in the top berth, but poor F--- in the lower recess was +awakened by the douche, and no words of mine can convey to you the +utter absurdity of his appearance, as he nimbly mounted on the top +of a chest of drawers close by, and crouched there, wet and +shivering, handing me up a most miscellaneous assortment of goods to +take care of in my little dry nest. + +Some of our fellow-passengers were very good-natured, and devoted +themselves to cheering and enlivening us by getting up concerts, +little burlesques and other amusements; and very grateful we were +for their efforts: they say that "anything is fun in the country," +but on board ship a little wit goes a very long way indeed, for all +are only too ready and anxious to be amused. The whole dramatic +strength of the company was called into force for the performance of +"The Rivals," which was given a week or so before the end of the +voyage. It went off wonderfully well; but I confess I enjoyed the +preparations more than the play itself: the ingenuity displayed was +very amusing at the time. You on shore cannot imagine how difficult +it was to find a snuff-box for "Sir Anthony Absolute," or with what +joy and admiration we welcomed a clever substitute for it in the +shape of a match-box covered with the lead out of a tea-chest most +ingeniously modelled into an embossed wreath round the lid, with a +bunch of leaves and buds in the centre, the whole being brightly +burnished: at the performance the effect of this little "property" +was really excellent. Then, at the last moment, poor "Bob Acres" +had to give in, and acknowledge that he could not speak for +coughing; he had been suffering from bronchitis for some days past, +but had gallantly striven to make himself heard at rehearsals; so on +the day of the play F--- had the part forced on him. There was no +time to learn his "words," so he wrote out all of them in large +letters on slips of paper and fastened them on the beams. This +device was invisible to the audience, but he was obliged to go +through his scenes with his head as high up as if he had on a +martingale; however, we were all so indulgent that at any little +_contretemps_, such as one of the actresses forgetting her part or +being seized by stage-fright, the applause was much greater than +when things went smoothly. + +I can hardly believe that it is only two days since we steamed into +Hobson's Bay, on a lovely bright spring morning. At dinner, the +evening before, our dear old captain had said that we should see the +revolving light on the nearest headland about eight o'clock that +evening, and so we did. You will not think me childish, if I +acknowledge that my eyes were so full of tears I could hardly see it +after the first glimpse; it is impossible to express in a letter all +the joy and thankfulness of such a moment. Feelings like these are +forgotten only too quickly in the jar and bustle of daily life, and +we are always ready to take as a matter of course those mercies +which are new every morning; but when I realized that all the tosses +and tumbles of so many weary days and nights were over, and that at +last we had reached the haven where we would be, my first thought +was one of deep gratitude. It was easy to see that it was a good +moment with everyone; squabbles were made up with surprising +quickness; shy people grew suddenly sociable; some who had +comfortable homes to go to on landing gave kind and welcome +invitations to others, who felt themselves sadly strange in a new +country; and it was with really a lingering feeling of regret that +we all separated at last, though a very short time before we should +have thought it quite impossible to be anything but delighted to +leave the ship. + +We have not seen much of Melbourne yet, as there has been a great +deal to do in looking after the luggage, and at first one is capable +of nothing but a delightful idleness. The keenest enjoyment is a +fresh-water bath, and next to that is the new and agreeable luxury +of the ample space for dressing; and then it is so pleasant to +suffer no anxiety as to the brushes and combs tumbling about. I +should think that even the vainest woman in the world would find her +toilet and its duties a daily trouble and a sorrow at sea, on +account of the unsteadiness of all things. The next delight is +standing at the window, and seeing horses, and trees, and dogs--in +fact, all the "treasures of the land;" as for flowers--beautiful as +they are at all times--you cannot learn to appreciate them enough +until you have been deprived of them for two months. + +You know that I have travelled a good deal in various parts of the +world, but I have never seen. anything at all like Melbourne. In +other countries, it is generally the antiquity of the cities, and +their historical reminiscences, which appeal to the imagination; but +_here_, the interest is as great from exactly the opposite cause. +It is most wonderful to walk through a splendid town, with +magnificent public buildings, churches, shops, clubs, theatres, with +the streets well paved and lighted, and to think that less than +forty years ago it was a desolate swamp without even a hut upon it. +How little an English country town progresses in forty years, and +here is a splendid city created in that time! I have no hesitation +in saying, that any fashionable novelty which comes out in either +London or Paris finds its way to Melbourne by the next steamer; for +instance, I broke my parasol on board ship, and the first thing I +did on landing was to go to one of the best shops in Collins Street +to replace it. On learning what I wanted, the shopman showed me +some of those new parasols which had just come out in London before +I sailed, and which I had vainly tried to procure in S---, only four +hours from London. + +The only public place we have yet visited is the Acclimatization +Garden; which is very beautifully laid out, and full of aviaries, +though it looks strange to see common English birds treated as +distinguished visitors and sumptuously lodged and cared for. +Naturally, the Australian ones interest me most, and they are +certainly prettier than yours at home, though they do not sing. I +have been already to a shop where they sell skins of birds, and have +half ruined myself in purchases for hats. You are to have a +"diamond sparrow," a dear little fellow with reddish brown plumage, +and white spots over its body (in this respect a miniature copy of +the Argus pheasant I brought from India), and a triangular patch of +bright yellow under its throat. I saw some of them alive in a cage +in the market with many other kinds of small birds, and several +pairs of those pretty grass or zebra paroquets, which are called +here by the very inharmonious name of "budgerighars." I admired the +blue wren so much--a tiny _birdeen_ with tail and body of +dust-coloured feathers, and head and throat of a most lovely +turquoise blue; it has also a little wattle of these blue feathers +standing straight out on each side of its head, which gives it a +very pert appearance. Then there is the emu-wren, all sad-coloured, +but quaint, with the tail-feathers sticking up on end, and exactly +like those of an emu; on the very smallest scale, even to the +peculiarity of two feathers growing out of the same little quill. I +was much amused by the varieties of cockatoos, parrots, and lories +of every kind and colour, shrieking and jabbering in the part of the +market devoted to them; but I am told that I have seen very few of +the varieties of birds, as it is early in the spring, and the young +ones have not yet been brought in: they appear to sell as fast as +they can be procured. But before I end my letter I must tell you +about the cockatoo belonging to this hotel. It is a famous bird in +its way, having had its portrait taken several times, descriptions +written for newspapers of its talents, and its owner boasts of +enormous sums offered and refused for it. Knowing my fondness for +pets, F--- took me downstairs to see it very soon after our arrival. +I thought it hideous: it belongs to a kind not very well known in +England, of a dirtyish white colour, a very ugly-shaped head and +bill, and large bluish rings round the eyes; the beak is huge and +curved. If it knew of this last objection on my part, it would +probably answer, like the wolf in Red Riding Hood's story, "the +better to talk with, my dear"--for it is a weird and knowing bird. +At first it flatly refused to show off any of its accomplishments, +but one of the hotel servants good-naturedly came forward, and Cocky +condescended to go through his performances. I cannot possibly-tell +you of all its antics: it pretended to have a violent toothache, and +nursed its beak in its claw, rocking itself backwards and forwards +as if in the greatest agony, and in answer to all the remedies which +were proposed, croaking out, "Oh, it ain't a bit of good," and +finally sidling up, to the edge of its perch, and saying in hoarse +but confidential whisper, "Give us a drop of whisky, _do_." Its +voice was extraordinarily distinct, and when it sang several +snatches of songs the words were capitally given, with the most +absurdly comic intonation, all the _roulades_ being executed in +perfect tune. I liked its sewing performance so much--to see it +hold a little piece of stuff underneath the claw which rested on the +perch, and pretend to sew with the other, getting into difficulties +with its thread, and finally setting up a loud song in praise of +sewing-machines just as if it were an advertisement. + +By the next time I write I shall have seen more of Melbourne; there +will, however, be no time for another letter by this mail; but I +will leave one to be posted after we sail for New Zealand. + + + +Letter II: Sight-seeing in Melbourne. + + +Melbourne, October 1st, 1865. +I have left my letter to the last moment before starting for +Lyttleton; everything is re-packed and ready, and we sail to-morrow +morning in the _Albion_. She is a mail-steamer--very small after +our large vessel, but she looks clean and tidy; at all events, we +hope to be only on board her for ten days. In England one fancies +that New Zealand is quite close to Australia, so I was rather +disgusted to find we had another thousand miles of steaming to do +before we could reach our new home; and one of the many Job's +comforters who are scattered up and down the world assures me that +the navigation is the most dangerous and difficult of the whole +voyage. + +We have seen a good deal of Melbourne this week; and not only of the +town, for we have had many drives in the exceedingly pretty suburbs, +owing to the kindness of the D---s, who have been most hospitable +and made our visit here delightful. We drove out to their house at +Toorak three or four times; and spent a long afternoon with them; +and there I began to make acquaintance with the Antipodean trees and +flowers. I hope you will not think it a very sweeping assertion if +I say that all the leaves look as if they were made of leather, but +it really is so; the hot winds appear to parch up everything, at all +events. round Melbourne, till the greatest charm of foliage is more +or less lost; the flowers also look withered and burnt up, as yours +do at the end of a long, dry summer, only they assume this +appearance after the first hot wind in spring. The suburb called +Heidelberg is the prettiest, to my taste--an undulating country with +vineyards, and a park-like appearance which, is very charming. All +round Melbourne there are nice, comfortable, English-looking villas. +At one of these we called to return a visit and found a very +handsome house, luxuriously furnished, with beautiful garden and +grounds. One afternoon we went by rail to St. Kilda's, a +flourishing bathing-place on the sea-coast, about six miles from +Melbourne. Everywhere building is going on with great rapidity, and +you do not see any poor people in the streets. If I wanted to be +critical and find fault, I might object to the deep gutters on each +side of the road; after a shower of rain they are raging torrents +for a short time, through which you are obliged to splash without +regard to the muddy consequences; and even when they are dry, they +entail sudden and prodigious jolts. There are plenty of Hansoms and +all sorts of other conveyances, but I gave F--- no peace until he +took me for a drive in a vehicle which was quite new to me--a sort +of light car with a canopy and curtains, holding four, two on each +seat, _dos-a-dos_, and called a "jingle,"--of American parentage, I +fancy. One drive in this carriage was quite enough, however, and I +contented myself with Hansoms afterwards; but walking is really more +enjoyable than anything else, after having been so long cooped up on +board ship. + +We admired the fine statue, at the top of Collins Street, to the +memory of the two most famous of Australian explorers, Burke and +Wills, and made many visits to the Museum, and the glorious Free +Library; we also went all over the Houses of Legislature--very new +and grand. But you must not despise me if I confess to having +enjoyed the shops exceedingly: it was so unlike a jeweller's shop in +England to see on the counter gold in its raw state, in nuggets and +dust and flakes; in this stage of its existence it certainly +deserves its name of "filthy lucre," for it is often only half +washed. There were quantities of emus' eggs in the silversmiths' +shops, mounted in every conceivable way as cups and vases, and even +as work-boxes: some designs consisted of three or five eggs grouped +together as a centre-piece. I cannot honestly say I admired any of +them; they were generally too elaborate, comprising often a native +(spear in hand), a kangaroo, palms, ferns, cockatoos, and sometimes +an emu or two in addition, as a pedestal--all this in frosted silver +or gold. I was given a pair of these eggs before leaving England: +they were mounted in London as little flower-vases in a setting +consisting only of a few bulrushes and leaves, yet far better than +any of these florid designs; but he emu-eggs are very popular in +Sydney or Melbourne, and I am told sell rapidly to people going +home, who take them as a memento of their Australian life, and +probably think that the greater the number of reminiscences +suggested by the ornament the more satisfactory it is as a purchase. + +I must finish my letter by a description of a dinner-party which +about a dozen of our fellow-passengers joined with us in giving our +dear old captain before we all separated. Whilst we were on board, +it very often happened that the food was not very choice or good: at +all events we used sometimes to grumble at it, and we generally +wound up our lamentations by agreeing that when we reached Melbourne +we would have a good dinner together. Looking back on it, I must +say I think we were all rather greedy, but we tried to give a better +colouring to our gourmandism by inviting the captain, who was +universally popular, and by making it as elegant and pretty a repast +as possible. Three or four of the gentlemen formed themselves into +a committee, and they must really have worked very hard; at all +events they collected everything rare and strange in the way of +fish, flesh, and fowl peculiar to Australia, the arrangement of the +table was charming, and the delicacies were all cooked and served to +perfection. The ladies' tastes were considered in the profusion of +flowers, and we each found an exquisite bouquet by our plate. I +cannot possibly give you a minute account of the whole menu; in +fact, as it is, I feel rather like Froissart, who, after chronicling +a long list of sumptuous dishes, is not ashamed to confess, "Of all +which good things I, the chronicler of this narration, did partake!" +The soups comprised kangaroo-tail--a clear soup not unlike ox-tail, +but with a flavour of game. I wish I could recollect the names of +the fish: the fresh-water ones came a long distance by rail from the +river Murray, but were excellent nevertheless. The last thing which +I can remember tasting (for one really could do little else) was a +most exquisite morsel of pigeon--more like a quail than anything +else in flavour. I am not a judge of wine, as you may imagine, +therefore it is no unkindness to the owners of the beautiful +vineyards which we saw the other day, to say that I do not like the +Australian wines. Some of the gentlemen pronounced them to be +excellent, especially the equivalent to Sauterne, which has a +wonderful native name impossible to write down; but, as I said +before, I do not like the rather rough flavour. We had not a great +variety of fruit at dessert: indeed, Sydney oranges constituted its +main feature, as it is too late for winter fruits, and too early for +summer ones: but we were not inclined. to be over-fastidious, and +thought everything delicious. + + + +Letter III: On to New Zealand. + + +Christchurch, Canterbury, N. Z. October 14th, 1865. +As you so particularly desired me when we parted to tell you +_everything_, I must resume my story where in my last letter I left +it off. If I remember rightly, I ended with an attempt at +describing our great feast. We embarked the next day, and as soon +as we were out of the bay the little _Albion_ plunged into heavy +seas. The motion was much worse in her than on board the large +vessel we had been so glad to leave, and all my previous sufferings +seemed insignificant compared with what I endured in my small and +wretchedly hard berth. I have a dim recollection of F--- helping me +to dress, wrapping me up in various shawls, and half carrying me up +the companion ladder; I crawled into a sunny corner among the boxes +of oranges with which the deck was crowded, and there I lay helpless +and utterly miserable. One well-meaning and good-natured +fellow-passenger asked F--- if I was fond of birds, and on his +saying "Yes," went off for a large wicker cage of hideous "laughing +Jackasses," which he was taking as a great treasure to Canterbury. +Why they should be called "Jackasses" I never could discover; but +the creatures certainly do utter by fits and starts a sound which +may fairly be described as laughter. These paroxysms arise from no +cause that one can perceive; one bird begins, and all the others +join in, and a more doleful and depressing chorus I never heard: +early in the morning seemed the favourite time for this discordant +mirth. Their owner also possessed a cockatoo with a great musical +reputation, but I never heard it get beyond the first bar of "Come +into the garden, Maud." Ill as I was, I remember being roused to +something like a flicker of animation when I was shown an +exceedingly seedy and shabby-looking blackbird with a broken leg in +splints, which its master (the same bird-fancying gentleman) assured +me he had bought in Melbourne as a great bargain for only 2 pounds +10 shillings! + +After five days' steaming we arrived in the open roadstead of +Hokitika, on the west coast of the middle island of New Zealand, and +five minutes after the anchor was down a little tug came alongside +to take away our steerage passengers--three hundred diggers. The +gold-fields on this coast were only discovered eight months ago, and +already several canvas towns have sprung up; there are thirty +thousand diggers at work, and every vessel brings a fresh cargo of +stalwart, sun-burnt men. It was rather late, and getting dark, but +still I could distinctly see the picturesque tents in the deep +mountain gorge, their white shapes dotted here and there as far back +from the shore as my sight could follow, and the wreaths of smoke +curling up in all directions from the evening fires: it is still +bitterly cold at night, being very early spring. The river Hokitika +washes down with every fresh such quantities of sand, that a bar is +continually forming in this roadstead, and though only vessels of +the least possible draught are engaged in the coasting-trade, still +wrecks are of frequent occurrence. We ought to have landed our +thousands of oranges here, but this work was necessarily deferred +till the morning, for it was as much as they could do to get all the +diggers and their belongings safely ashore before dark; in the +middle of the night one of the sudden and furious gales common to +these seas sprang up, and would soon have driven us on the rocks if +we had not got our steam up quickly and struggled out to sea, +oranges and all, and away to Nelson, on the north coast of the same +island. Here we landed the seventh day after leaving Melbourne, and +spent a few hours wandering about on shore. It is a lovely little +town, as I saw it that spring morning, with hills running down +almost to the water's edge, and small wooden houses with gables and +verandahs, half buried in creepers, built up the sides of the steep +slopes. It was a true New Zealand day, still and bright, a +delicious invigorating freshness in the air, without the least +chill, the sky of a more than Italian blue, the ranges of mountains +in the distance covered with snow, and standing out, sharp and clear +against this lovely glowing heaven. The town itself, I must say, +seemed very dull and stagnant, with little sign of life or activity +about it; but nothing can be prettier or more picturesque than its +situation--not unlike that of a Swiss village. Our day came to an +end all too soon, and we re-embarked for Wellington, the most +southern town of the North Island. The seat of government is there, +and it is supposed to be a very thriving place, but is not nearly so +well situated as Nelson nor so attractive to strangers. We landed +and walked about a good deal, and saw what little there was to see. +At first I thought the shops very handsome, but I found, rather to +my disgust, that generally the fine, imposing frontage was all a +sham; the actual building was only a little but at the back, looking +all the meaner for the contrast to the cornices and show windows in +front. You cannot think how odd it was to turn a corner and see +that the building was only one board in thickness, and scarcely more +substantial than the scenes at a theatre. We lunched at the +principal hotel, where F--- was much amused at my astonishment at +colonial prices. We had two dozen very nice little oysters, and he +had a glass of porter: for this modest repast we paid eleven +shillings! + +We slept on board, had another walk on shore after breakfast the +following morning, and about twelve o'clock set off for Lyttleton, +the final end of our voyaging, which we reached in about twenty +hours. + +The scenery is very beautiful all along the coast, but the +navigation is both dangerous and difficult. It was exceedingly +cold, and Lyttleton did not look very inviting; we could not get in +at all near the landing-place, and had to pay 2 pounds to be rowed +ashore in an open boat with our luggage. I assure you it was a very +"bad quarter of an hour" we passed in that boat; getting into it was +difficult enough. The spray dashed over us every minute, and by the +time we landed we were quite drenched, but a good fire at the hotel +and a capital lunch soon made us all right again; besides, in the +delight of being actually at the end of our voyage no annoyance or +discomfort was worth a moment's thought. F--- had a couple of +hours' work rushing backwards and forwards to the Custom House, +clearing our luggage, and arranging for some sort of conveyance to +take us over the hills. The great tunnel through these "Port Hills" +(which divide Lyttleton from Christchurch, the capital of +Canterbury) is only half finished, but it seems wonderful that so +expensive and difficult an engineering work could be undertaken by +such an infant colony. + +At last a sort of shabby waggonette was forthcoming, and about three +o'clock we started from Lyttleton, and almost immediately began to +ascend the zig-zag. It was a tremendous pull for the poor horses, +who however never flinched; at the steepest pinch the gentlemen were +requested to get out and walk, which they did, and at length we +reached the top. It was worth all the bad road to look down on the +land-locked bay, with the little patches of cultivation, a few +houses nestling in pretty recesses. The town of Lyttleton seemed +much more imposing and important as we rose above it: fifteen years +ago a few sheds received the "Pilgrims," as the first comers are +always called. I like the name; it is so pretty and suggestive. By +the way, I am told that these four ships, sent out with the pilgrims +by the Canterbury Association, sailed together from England, parted +company almost directly, and arrived in Lyttleton (then called Port +Cooper) four months afterwards, on the same day, having all +experienced fine weather, but never having sighted each other once. + +As soon as we reached the top of the hill the driver looked to the +harness of his horses, put on a very powerful double break, and we +began the descent, which, I must say, I thought we took much too +quickly, especially as at every turn of the road some little +anecdote was forthcoming of an upset or accident; however, I would +not show the least alarm, and we were soon rattling along the Sumner +Road, by the sea-shore, passing every now and then under tremendous +overhanging crags. In half an hour we reached Sumner itself, where +we stopped for a few moments to change horses. There is an inn and +a village here, where people from Christchurch come in the warm +weather for sea-air and bathing. It began to rain hard, and the +rest of the journey, some seven or eight miles, was disagreeable +enough; but it was the _end_, and that one thought was sufficient to +keep us radiantly good-humoured, in spite of all little trials. +When we reached Christchurch, we drove at once to a sort of +boarding-house where we had engaged apartments, and thought of +nothing but supper and bed. + +The next day people began calling, and certainly I cannot complain +of any coldness or want of welcome to my new home. I like what I +have seen of my future acquaintances very much. Of course there is +a very practical style and tone over everything, though outwardly +the place is as civilized as if it were a hundred years old; +well-paved streets, gas lamps, and even drinking fountains and +pillar post-offices! I often find myself wondering whether the +ladies here are at all like what our great grandmothers were. I +suspect they are, for they appear to possess an amount of useful +practical knowledge which is quite astonishing, and yet know how to +surround themselves, according to their means and opportunities, +with the refinements and elegancies of life. I feel quite ashamed +of my own utter ignorance on every subject, and am determined to set +to work directly and learn: at all events I shall have plenty of +instructresses. Christchurch is a very pretty little town, still +primitive enough to be picturesque, and yet very thriving: capital +shops, where everything may be bought; churches, public buildings, a +very handsome club-house, etc. Most of the houses are of wood, but +when they are burned down (which is often the case) they are now +rebuilt of brick or stone, so that the new ones are nearly all of +these more solid materials. I am disappointed to find that, the +cathedral, of which I had heard so much, has not progressed beyond +the foundations, which cost 8,000 pounds: all the works have been +stopped, and certainly there is not much to show for so large a sum, +but labour is very dear. Christchurch is a great deal more lively +and bustling than most English country towns, and I am much struck +by the healthy appearance of the people. There are no paupers to be +seen; every one seems well fed and well clothed; the children are +really splendid. Of course, as might be expected, there is a great +deal of independence in bearing and manner, especially among the +servants, and I hear astounding stories concerning them on all +sides. My next letter will be from the country, as we have accepted +an invitation to pay a visit of six weeks or so to a station in the +north of the province. + + + +Letter IV: First introduction to "Station life." + + +Heathstock, Canterbury, November 13th, 1865. +I have just had the happiness of receiving my first budget of +English letters; and no one can imagine how a satisfactory home +letter satisfies the hunger of the heart after its loved and left +ones. Your letter was particularly pleasant, because I could +perceive, as I held the paper in my hands, that you were writing as +you really felt, and that you were indeed happy. May you long +continue so, dearest. + +F--- says that this beautiful place will give me a very erroneous +impression of station life, and that I shall probably expect to find +its comforts and luxuries the rule, whereas they are the exception; +in the mean time, however, I am enjoying them thoroughly. The house +is only sixty-five miles from Christchurch, nearly due north (which +you must not forget answers to your south in point of warmth). Our +kind friends and hosts, the L---s, called for us in their +comfortable and large break, with four horses. Mr. L--- drove, F--- +sat on the box, and inside were the ladies, children, and a nurse. +Our first stage was to Kaiapoi, a little town on the river +Waimakiriri, where we had a good luncheon of whitebait, and rested +and fed the horses. From the window of the hotel I saw a few groups +of Maories; they looked very ugly and peaceable, with a rude sort of +basket made of flax fibres, or buckets filled with whitebait, which +they wanted us to buy. There are some reserved lands near Kaiapoi +where they have a very thriving settlement, living in perfect peace +and good-will with their white neighbours. When we set off again on +our journey, we passed a little school-house for their children. + +We reached Leathfield that evening, only twenty-five miles from +Christchurch; found a nice inn, or accommodation-house, as roadside +inns are called here; had a capital supper and comfortable beds, and +were up and off again at daylight the next morning. As far as the +Weka Pass, where we stopped for dinner, the roads were very good, +but after that we got more among the hills and off the usual track, +and there were many sharp turns and steep pinches; but Mr. L--- is +an excellent whip, and took great care of us. We all got very weary +towards the end of this second day's journey, and the last two hours +of it were in heavy rain; it was growing very dark when we reached +the gate, and heard the welcome sound of gravel under the wheels. I +could just perceive that we had entered a plantation, the first +trees since we left Christchurch. Nothing seems so wonderful to me +as the utter treelessness of the vast Canterbury plains; +occasionally you pass a few Ti-ti palms (ordinarily called +cabbage-trees), or a large prickly bush which goes by the name of +"wild Irishman," but for miles and miles you see nothing but flat +ground or slightly undulating downs of yellow tussocks, the tall +native grass. It has the colour and appearance of hay, but serves +as shelter for a delicious undergrowth of short sweet herbage, upon +which the sheep live, and horses also do very well on it, keeping in +good working condition, quite unlike their puffy, fat state on +English pasture. + +We drove through the plantation and another gate, and drew up at the +door of a very large, handsome, brick house, with projecting gables +and a verandah. The older I grow the more convinced I am that +contrast is everything in this world; and nothing I can write can +give you any idea of the delightful change from the bleak country we +had been slowly travelling through in pouring rain, to the warmth +and brightness of this charming house. There were blazing fires +ready to welcome us, and I feel sure you will sufficiently +appreciate this fact when I tell you that by the time the coal +reaches this, it costs nine pounds per ton. It is possible to get +Australian coal at about half the price, but it is not nearly as +good. + +We were so tired that we were only fit for the lowest phase of human +enjoyment--warmth, food, and sleep; but the next morning was bright +and lovely, and I was up and out in the verandah as early as +possible. I found myself saying constantly, in a sort of ecstasy, +"How I wish they could see this in England!" and not only see but +feel it, for the very breath one draws on such a morning is a +happiness; the air is so light and yet balmy, it seems to heal the +lungs as you inhale it. The verandah is covered with honeysuckles +and other creepers, and the gable end of the house where the +bow-window of the drawing-room projects, is one mass of yellow +Banksia roses in full blossom. A stream runs through the grounds, +fringed with weeping willows, which are in their greatest beauty at +this time of year, with their soft, feathery foliage of the +tenderest green. The flower beds are dotted about the lawn, which +surrounds the house and slopes away from it, and they are brilliant +patches of colour, gay with verbenas, geraniums, and petunias. Here +and there clumps of tall trees rise above the shrubs, and as a +background there is a thick plantation of red and blue gums, to +shelter the garden from the strong N.W. winds. Then, in front, the +country stretches away in undulating downs to a chain of high hills +in the distance: every now and then there is a deep gap in these, +through which you see magnificent snow-covered mountains. + +The inside of the house is as charming as the outside, and the +perfection of comfort; but I am perpetually wondering how all the +furniture--especially the fragile part of it--got here. When I +remember the jolts, and ruts, and roughnesses of the road, I find +myself looking at the pier-glass and glass shades, picture-frames, +etc., with a sort of respect, due to them for having survived so +many dangers. + +The first two or three days we enjoyed ourselves in a thoroughly +lazy manner; the garden was a never-ending source of delight, and +there were all the animals to make friends with, "mobs" of horses to +look at, rabbits, poultry, and pets of all sorts. About a week +after our arrival, some more gentlemen came, and then we had a +series of picnics. As these are quite unlike your highly civilized +entertainments which go by the same name, I must describe one to +you. + +The first thing after breakfast was to collect all the provisions, +and pack them in a sort of washing-basket, and then we started in an +American waggon drawn by a pair of stout cobs. We drove for some +miles till we came to the edge of one of the high terraces common to +New Zealand scenery: here we all got out; the gentlemen unharnessed +and tethered the horses, so that they could feed about comfortably, +and then we scrambled down the deep slope, at the bottom of which +ran a wide shallow creek. It was no easy matter to get the basket +down here, I assure you; we ladies were only permitted to load +ourselves, one with a little kettle, and the other with a tea-pot, +but this was quite enough, as crossing the creek by a series of +jumps from one wet stone to another is not easy for a beginner. + +Mr. L--- brought a large dog with him, a kangaroo-hound (not unlike +a lurcher in appearance), to hunt the wekas. I had heard at night +the peculiar cry or call of these birds, but had not seen one until +to-day. "Fly" put up several, one after another, and soon ran them +down. At first I thought it very cruel to destroy such a tame and +apparently harmless creature, but I am assured that they are most +mischievous, and that it would be useless to turn out the pheasants +and partridges which Mr. L--- has brought from England, until the +numbers of the wekas are considerably reduced. They are very like a +hen pheasant without the long tail feathers, and until you examine +them you cannot tell they have no wings, though there is a sort of +small pinion among the feathers, with a claw at the end of it. They +run very swiftly, availing themselves cleverly of the least bit of +cover; but when you hear a short sharp cry, it is a sign that the +poor weka is nearly done, and the next thing you see is Fly shaking +a bundle of brown feathers vehemently. All the dogs are trained to +hunt these birds, as they are a great torment, sucking eggs and +killing chickens; but still I could not help feeling sorry when Fly, +having disposed of the mother, returned to the flax-bush out of +which he had started her, and killed several baby-wekas by +successive taps of his paw. + +I have wandered away from my account of the picnic in the most +unjustifiable manner. The gentlemen were toiling up the hill, after +we had crossed the creek, carrying the big basket by turns between +them; it was really hard work, and I must tell you in confidence, +that I don't believe they liked it--at least I can answer for one. +I laughed at them for not enjoying their task, and assured them that +I was looking forward with pleasure to washing up the plates and +dishes after our luncheon; but I found that they had all been +obliged, in the early days of the colony, to work at domestic +drudgery in grim and grimy earnest, so it had lost the charm of +novelty which it still possessed for me. + +As soon as we reached a pretty sheltered spot half-way up the hill +among some trees and ferns, and by the side of the creek, we +unpacked the basket, and began collecting dry wood for a fire: we +soon had a splendid blaze under the lee of a fine rock, and there we +boiled our kettle and our potatoes. The next thing was to find a +deep hole in the creek, so over-shadowed by rocks and trees that the +water would be icy cold: in this we put the champagne to cool. The +result of all our preparations was a capital luncheon, eaten in a +most romantic spot, with a lovely view before us, and the creek just +like a Scotch burn, hurrying and tumbling down the hill-side to join +the broader stream in the valley. After luncheon, the gentlemen +considered themselves entitled to rest, lying lazily back among the +fern and smoking, whilst we ladies sat a little apart and chatted: I +was busy learning to knit. Then, about five, we had the most +delicious cup of tea I ever tasted, and we repacked the basket (it +was very light now, I assure you), and made our way back to the top +of the terrace, put the horses in again, and so home. It was a +long, bright, summer holiday, and we enjoyed it thoroughly. After a +voyage, such an expedition as this is full of delight; every tree +and bird is a source of pleasure. + + + +Letter V: A pastoral letter. + + +Heathstock, December 1st, 1865. +All I can find to tell you this month is that I have seen one of the +finest and best wool-sheds in the country in full work. Anything +about sheep is as new to you as it is to me, so I shall begin my +story at the very beginning. + +I am afraid you will think us a very greedy set of people in this +part of the world, for eating seems to enter so largely into my +letters; but the fact is--and I may as well confess it at once--I am +in a chronic state of hunger; it is the fault of the fine air and +the outdoor life: and then how one sleeps at night! I don't believe +you really know in England what it is to be sleepy as we feel sleepy +here; and it is delightful to wake up in the morning with the sort +of joyous light-heartedness which only young children have. The +expedition I am going to relate may fairly be said to have begun +with eating, for although we started for our twelve miles' drive +over the downs immediately after an excellent and somewhat late +breakfast, yet by the time we reached the Home Station we were quite +ready for luncheon. All the work connected with the sheep is +carried on here. The manager has a nice house; and the wool-shed, +men's huts, dip, etc., are near each other. It is the busiest +season of the year, and no time could be spared to prepare for us; +we therefore contented ourselves with what was described to me as +ordinary station fare, and I must tell you what they gave us: first, +a tureen of real mutton-broth, not hot water and chopped parsley, +but excel-lent thick soup, with plenty of barley and meat in it; +this had much the same effect on our appetites as the famous treacle +and brimstone before breakfast in "Nicholas Nickleby," so that we +were only able to manage a few little sheeps' tongues, slightly +pickled; and very nice _they_ were; then we finished with a +Devonshire junket, with clotted cream _a discretion_. Do you think +we were much to be pitied? + +After this repast we were obliged to rest a little before we set out +for the wool-shed, which has only been lately finished, and has all +the newest improvements. At first I am "free to confess" that I did +not like either its sounds or sights; the other two ladies turned +very pale, but I was determined to make myself bear it, and after a +moment or two I found it quite possible to proceed with Mr. L--- +round the "floor." There were about twenty-five shearers at work, +and everything seemed to be very systematically and well arranged. +Each shearer has a trap-door close to him, out of which he pushes +his sheep as soon as the fleece is off, and there are little pens +outside, so that the manager can notice whether the poor animal has +been too much cut with the shears, or badly shorn in any other +respect, and can tell exactly which shearer is to blame. Before +this plan was adopted it was hopeless to try to find out who was the +delinquent, for no one would acknowledge to the least snip. A good +shearer can take off 120 fleeces in a day, but the average is about +80 to each man. They get one pound per hundred, and are found in +everything, having as much tea and sugar, bread and mutton, as they +can consume, and a cook entirely to themselves; they work at least +fourteen hours out of the twenty-four, and with such a large flock +as this--about 50,000--must make a good deal. + +We next inspected the wool tables, to which two boys were +incessantly bringing armfuls of rolled-up fleeces; these were laid +on the tables before the wool-sorters, who opened them out, and +pronounced in a moment to which _bin_ they belonged; two or three +men standing behind rolled them up again rapidly, and put them on a +sort of shelf divided into compartments, which were each labelled, +so that the quality and kind of wool could be told at a glance. +There was a constant emptying of these bins into trucks to be +carried off to the press, where we followed to see the bales packed. +The fleeces are tumbled in, and a heavy screw-press forces them down +till the bale--which is kept open in a large square frame--is as +full as it can hold. The top of canvas is then put on, tightly +sewn, four iron pins are removed and the sides of the frame fall +away, disclosing a most symmetrical bale ready to be hoisted by a +crane into the loft above, where it has the brand of the sheep +painted on it, its weight, and to what class the wool belongs. Of +course everything has to be done with great speed and system. + +I was much impressed by the silence in the shed; not a sound was to +be heard except the click of the shears, and the wool-sorter's +decision as he flings the fleece behind him, given in one, or at +most two words. I was reminded how touchingly true is that phrase, +"Like as a sheep before her shearers is dumb." All the noise is +_outside_; there the hubbub, and dust, and apparent confusion are +great,--a constant succession of woolly sheep being brought up to +fill the "skillions" (from whence the shearers take them as they +want them), and the newly-shorn ones, white, clean, and +bewildered-looking, being turned out after they have passed through +a narrow passage, called a "race," where each sheep is branded, and +has its mouth examined in order to tell its age, which is marked in +a book. It was a comfort to think all their troubles were over, for +a year. You can hear nothing but barking and bleating, and this +goes on from early morning till dark. We peeped in at the men's +huts--a long, low wooden building, with two rows of "bunks" (berths, +I should call their) in one compartment, and a table with forms +round it in the other, and piles of tin plates and pannikins all +about. The kitchen was near, and we were just in time to see an +enormous batch of bread withdrawn from a huge brick oven: the other +commissariat arrangements were on the same scale. Cold tea is +supplied all day long to the shearers, and they appear to consume +great quantities of it. + +Our last visit was to the Dip, and it was only a short one, for it +seemed a cruel process; unfortunately, this fine station is in +technical parlance "scabby," and although of course great +precautions are taken, still some 10,000 sheep had an ominous large +S on them. These poor sufferers are dragged down a plank into a +great pit filled with hot water, tobacco, and sulphur, and soused +over head and ears two or three times. This torture is repeated +more than once. + +I was very glad to get away from the Dip, and back to the manager's +house, where we refreshed ourselves by a delicious cup of tea, and +soon after started for a nice long drive home in the cool, clear +evening air. The days are very hot, but never oppressive; and the +mornings and evenings are deliciously fresh and invigorating. You +can remain out late without the least danger. Malaria is unknown, +and, in spite of the heavy rains, there is no such thing as damp. +Our way lay through very pretty country--a series of terraces, with +a range of mountains before us, with beautiful changing and +softening evening tints creeping over the whole. + +I am sorry to say, we leave this next week. I should like to +explore a great deal more. + + + +Letter VI: Society.--houses and servants. + + +Christchurch, January 1866. +I am beginning to get tired of Christchurch already: but the truth +is, I am not in a fair position to judge of it as a place of +residence; for, living temporarily, as we do, in a sort of +boarding-house, I miss the usual duties and occupations of home, and +the town itself has no place of public amusement except a little +theatre, to which it is much too hot to go. The last two weeks have +been _the_ gay ones of the whole year; the races have been going on +for three days, and there have been a few balls; but as a general +rule, the society may be said to be extremely stagnant. No +dinner-parties are ever given--I imagine, on account of the +smallness of the houses and the inefficiency of the servants; but +every now and then there is an assembly ball arranged, in the same +way, I believe, as at watering-places in England only, of course, on +a much smaller scale. I have been at two or three of these, and +noticed at each a most undue preponderance of black coats. Nearly +all the ladies were married, there were very few young girls; and it +would be a great improvement to the Christchurch parties if some of +the pretty and partnerless groups of a London ball-room, in all +their freshness of toilette, could be transferred to them. What a +sensation they would make, and what terrible heart-aches among the +young gentlemen would be the result of such an importation! There +were the same knots of men standing together as at a London party, +but I must say that, except so far as their tailor is concerned, I +think we have the advantage of you, for the gentlemen lead such +healthy lives that they all look more or less bronzed and stalwart-- +in splendid condition, not like your pale dwellers in cities; and +then they come to a ball to dance, arriving early so as to secure +good partners, and their great ambition appears to be to dance every +dance from the first to the last. This makes it hard work for the +few ladies, who are not allowed to sit down for a moment, and I have +often seen a young and pretty partner obliged to divide her dances +between two gentlemen. + + +Although it tells only against myself, I must make you laugh at an +account of a snub I received at one of these balls. Early in the +evening I had danced with a young gentleman whose station was a long +way "up country," and who worked so hard on it that he very seldom +found time for even the mild dissipations of Christchurch; he was +good-looking and gentlemanly, and seemed clever and sensible, a +little _brusque_, perhaps, but one soon gets used to that here. +During our quadrille he confided to me that he hardly knew any +ladies in the room, and that his prospects of getting any dancing +were in consequence very blank. I did all I could to find partners +for him, introducing him to every lady whom I knew, but it was in +vain; they would have been delighted to dance with him, but their +cards were filled. At the end of the evening, when I was feeling +thoroughly done up, and could hardly stand up for fatigue, my poor +friend came up and begged for another dance. I assured him I could +scarcely stand, but when he said in a _larmoyante_ voice, "I have +only danced once this evening, that quadrille with you," my heart +softened, and I thought I would make a great effort and try to get +through one more set of Lancers; my partner seemed so grateful, that +the demon of vanity, or coquetry, or whatever it is that prompts one +to say absurd things induced me to fish for a compliment, and to +observe, "It was not worth while taking all the trouble of riding +such a distance to dance only with me, was it?" Whereupon my poor, +doleful friend answered, with a deep sigh, and an accent of profound +conviction, "No, indeed it was _not_!" I leave you to imagine my +discomfiture; but luckily he never observed it, and I felt all the +time that I richly deserved what I got, for asking such a stupid +question. + +The music at these balls is very bad, and though the principal room +in which they are given, at the Town Hall, is large and handsome, it +is poorly lighted, and the decorations are desolate in the extreme. +I am afraid this is not a very inviting picture of what is almost +our only opportunity of meeting together, but it is tolerably +correct. Visiting appears to be the business of some people's +lives, but the acquaintance does not seem to progress beyond +incessant afternoon calls; we are never asked inside a house, nor, +as far as I can make out, is there any private society whatever, and +the public society consists, as I have said, of a ball every now and +then. + +My greatest interest and occupation consist in going to look at my +house, which is being cut out in Christchurch, and will be drayed to +our station next month, a journey of fifty miles. It is, of course, +only of wood, and seems about as solid as a band-box; but I am +assured by the builder that it will be a "most superior article" +when it is all put together. F--- and I made the little plan of it +ourselves, regulating the size of the drawing-room by the dimensions +of the carpet we brought out, and I petitioned for a little +bay-window, which is to be added; so on my last visit to his +timber-yard, the builder said, with an air of great dignity, "Would +you wish to see the _h_oriel, mum?" The doors all come ready-made +from America, and most of the wood used in building is the Kauri +pine from the North Island. One advantage, at all events, in having +wooden houses is the extreme rapidity with which they are run up, +and there are no plastered walls to need drying. For a long time we +were very uncertain where, and what, we should build on our station; +but only six weeks after we made up our minds, a house is almost +ready for us. The boards are sawn into the requisite lengths by +machinery; and all the carpentering done down here; the frame will +only require to be fitted together when it reaches its destination, +and it is a very good time of year for building, as the wool drays +are all going back empty, and we can get them to take the loads at +reduced prices; but even with this help, it is enormously expensive +to move a small house fifty miles, the last fifteen over bad roads; +it is collar-work for the poor horses all the way, Christchurch +being only nine feet above the sea-level, while our future home in +the Malvern Hills is twelve hundred. + +You know we brought all our furniture out with us, and even papers +for the rooms, just because we happened to have everything; but I +should not recommend any one to do so, for the expense of carriage, +though moderate enough by sea (in a wool ship), is enormous as soon +as it reaches Lyttleton, and goods have to be dragged up country by +horses or bullocks. There are very good shops where you can buy +everything, and besides these there are constant sales by auction +where, I am told, furniture fetches a price sometimes under its +English value. House rent about Christchurch is very high. We +looked at some small houses in and about the suburbs of the town, +when we were undecided about our plans, and were offered the most +inconvenient little dwellings, with rooms which were scarcely bigger +than cupboards, for 200 pounds a year; we saw nothing at a lower +price than this, and any house of a better class, standing in a +nicely arranged shrubbery, is at least 300 pounds per annum. +Cab-hire is another thing which seems to me disproportionately dear, +as horses are very cheap; there are no small fares, half-a-crown +being the lowest "legal tender" to a cabman; and I soon gave up +returning visits when I found that to make a call in a Hansom three +or four miles out of the little town cost one pound or one pound ten +shillings, even remaining only a few minutes at the house. + +All food (except mutton) appears to be as nearly as possible at +London prices; but yet every one looks perfectly well-fed, and +actual want is unknown. Wages of all sorts are high, and +employment, a certainty. The look and bearing of the immigrants +appear to alter soon after they reach the colony. Some people +object to the independence of their manner, but I do not; on the +contrary, I like to see the upright gait, the well-fed, healthy +look, the decent clothes (even if no one touches his hat to you), +instead of the half-starved, depressed appearance, and too often +cringing servility of the mass of our English population. Scotchmen +do particularly well out here; frugal and thrifty, hard-working and +sober, it is easy to predict the future of a man of this type in a +new country. Naturally, the whole tone of thought and feeling is +almost exclusively practical; even in a morning visit there is no +small-talk. I find no difficulty in obtaining the useful +information upon domestic subjects which I so much need; for it is +sad to discover, after all my house-keeping experience, that I am +still perfectly ignorant. Here it is necessary to know _how_ +everything should be done; it is not sufficient to give an order, +you must also be in a position to explain how it is to be carried +out I felt quite guilty when I saw the picture in _Punch_ the other +day, of a young and inexperienced matron requesting her cook "not to +put any lumps into the melted butter," and reflected that I did not +know how lumps should be kept out; so, as I am fortunate enough to +number among my new friends a lady who is as clever in these +culinary details as she is bright and charming in society, I +immediately went to her for a lesson in the art of making melted +butter without putting lumps into it. + +The great complaint, the never-ending subject of comparison and +lamentation among ladies, is the utter ignorance and inefficiency of +their female servants. As soon as a ship comes in it is besieged +with people who want servants, but it is very rare to get one who +knows how to do anything as it ought to be done. Their lack of all +knowledge of the commonest domestic duties is most surprising, and +makes one wonder who in England did the necessary things of daily +cottage life for them, for they appear to have done nothing for +themselves hitherto. As for a woman knowing how to cook, that seems +the very last accomplishment they acquire; a girl will come to you +as a housemaid at 25 pounds per annum, and you will find that she +literally does not know how to hold her broom, and has never handled +a duster. When you ask a nurse her qualifications for the care of +perhaps two or three young children, you may find, on close +cross-examination, that she can recollect having once or twice "held +mother's baby," and that she is very firm in her determination that +"you'll keep baby yourself o' nights; mem!" A perfectly +inexperienced girl of this sort will ask, and get, 30 pounds or 35 +pounds per annum, a cook from 35 pounds to 40 pounds; and when they +go "up country," they hint plainly they shall not stay long with +you, and ask higher wages, stipulating with great exactness how they +are to be conveyed free of all expense to and from their place. + +Then, on the other hand, I must say they work desperately hard, and +very cheerfully: I am amazed how few servants are kept even in the +large and better class of houses. As a general rule, they, appear +willing enough to learn, and I hear no complaints of dishonesty or +immorality, though many moans are made of the rapidity with which a +nice tidy young woman is snapped up as a wife; but that is a +complaint no one can sympathise with. On most stations a married +couple is kept; the man either to act as shepherd, or to work in the +garden and look after the cows, and the woman is supposed to attend +to the indoor comforts of the wretched bachelor-master: but she +generally requires to be taught how to bake a loaf of bread, and +boil a potato, as well as how to cook mutton in the simplest form. +In her own cottage at home, who did all these things for her? These +incapables are generally perfectly helpless and awkward at the +wash-tub; no one seems to expect servants to know their business, +and it is very fortunate if they show any capability of learning. + +I must end my long letter by telling you a little story of my own +personal experience in the odd ways of these girls. The housemaid +at the boarding-house where we have stayed since we left Heathstock +is a fat, sonsy, good-natured girl, perfectly ignorant and stupid, +but she has not been long in the colony, and seems willing to learn. +She came to me the other day, and, without the least circumlocution +or hesitation, asked me if I would lend her my riding-habit as a +pattern to give the tailor; adding that she wanted my best and +newest. As soon as I could speak for amazement, I naturally asked +why; she said she had been given a riding-horse, that she had loaned +a saddle, and bought a hat, so now she had nothing on her mind +except the habit; and further added, that she intended to leave her +situation the day before the races, and that it was "her fixed +intent" to appear on horseback each day, and all day long, at these +said races. I inquired if she knew how to ride? No; she had never +mounted any animal in her life. I suggested that she had better +take some lessons before her appearance in public; but she said her +mistress did not like to spare her to "practise," and she stuck +steadily to her point of wanting my habit as a pattern. I could not +lend it to her, fortunately, for it had been sent up to the station +with my saddle, etc.; so had she been killed, as I thought not at +all unlikely, at least my conscience would not have reproached me +for aiding and abetting her equestrian freak. I inquired from every +one who went to the races if they saw or heard of any accident to a +woman on horseback, and I most anxiously watched the newspapers to +see if they contained any notice of the sort, but as there has been +no mention of any catastrophe, I suppose she has escaped safely. +Her horse must have been quieter and better broken than they +generally are. F--- says that probably it was a very old "station +screw." I trust so, for her sake! + + + +Letter VII: A young colonist.--the town and its neighbourhood. + + +Christchurch, March 1866. +I must begin my letter this mail with a piece of domestic news, and +tell you of the appearance of your small nephew, now three weeks +old. The youth seems inclined to adapt himself to circumstances, +and to be as sturdy and independent as colonial children generally +are. All my new friends and neighbours proved most kind and +friendly, and were full of good offices. Once I happened to say +that I did not like the food as it was cooked at the boarding-house; +and the next day, and for many days after, all sorts of dainties +were sent to me, prepared by hands which were as skilful on the +piano, or with a pencil, as they were in handling a saucepan. New +books were lent to me, and I was never allowed to be without a +beautiful bouquet. One young lady used constantly to walk in to +town, some two or three miles along a hot and dusty road, laden with +flowers for me, just because she saw how thoroughly I enjoyed her +roses and carnations. Was it not good of her? + +Christchurch has relapsed into the quietude, to call it by no +harsher name. The shearing is finished all over the country, and +the "squatters" (as owners of sheep-stations are called) have +returned to their stations to vegetate, or work, as their tastes and +circumstances may dictate. Very few people live in the town except +the tradespeople; the professional men prefer little villas two or +three miles off. These houses stand in grounds of their own, and +form a very pretty approach to Christchurch, extending a few miles +on all sides: There are large trees bordering most of the streets, +which give a very necessary shade in summer; they are nearly all +English sorts, and have only been planted within a few years. +Poplars, willows, and the blue gum grow quickest, are least affected +by the high winds, and are therefore the most popular. The banks of +the pretty little river Avon, upon which Christchurch is built, are +thickly fringed with weeping willows, interspersed with a few other +trees, and with clumps of tohi, which is exactly like the Pampas +grass you know so well in English shrubberies. I don't think I have +ever told you that it has been found necessary here to legislate +against water-cress. It was introduced a few years since, and has +spread so rapidly as to become a perfect nuisance, choking every +ditch in the neighbourhood of Christchurch, blocking up +mill-streams, causing meadows to be flooded, and doing all kinds of +mischief. + +Towards Riccarton, about four miles out of town, the Avon shows like +a slender stream a few inches wide, moving sluggishly between thick +beds of water-cress, which at this time of year are a mass of white +blossom. It looks so perfectly solid that whenever I am at Ilam, an +insane desire to step on it comes over me, much to F---'s alarm, +who says he is afraid to let me out of his sight, lest I should +attempt to do so. I have only seen one native "bush" or forest yet, +and that is at Riccarton. This patch of tall, gaunt pines serves as +a landmark for miles. Riccarton is one of the oldest farms in the +colony, and I am told it possesses a beautiful garden. I can only +see the gable-end of a house peeping out from among the trees as I +pass. This bush is most carefully preserved, but I believe that +every high wind injures it. + +Christchurch is very prettily situated; for although it stands on a +perfectly flat plain, towards the sea there are the Port Hills, and +the town itself is picturesque, owing to the quantities of trees and +the irregular form of the wooden houses; and as a background we have +the most magnificent chain of mountains--the back-bone of the +island--running from north to south, the highest peaks nearly always +covered with snow, even after such a hot summer as this has been. +The climate is now delicious, answering in time of year to your +September; but we have far more enjoyable weather than your autumns +can boast of. If the atmosphere were no older than the date of the +settlement of the colony, it could not feel more _youthful_, it is +so light and bright, and exhilarating! The one drawback, and the +only one, is the north-west wind; and the worst of it is, that it +blows very often from this point. However, I am assured that I have +not yet seen either a "howling nor'-wester," nor its exact +antithesis, "a sutherly buster." + +We have lately been deprived of the amusement of going to see our +house during the process of cutting it out, as it has passed that +stage, and has been packed on drays and sent to the station, with +two or three men to put it up. It was preceded by two dray-loads of +small rough-hewn stone piles, which are first let into the ground +six or eight feet apart: the foundation joists rest on these, so as +just to keep the flooring from touching the earth. I did not like +this plan (which is the usual one) at all, as it seemed to me so +insecure for the house to rest only on these stones. I told the +builder that I feared a strong "nor'-wester" (and I hear they are +particularly strong in the Malvern Hills) would blow the whole +affair away. He did not scout the idea as much as I could have +wished, but held out hopes to me that the roof would "kep it down." +I shall never dare to trust the baby out of my sight, lest he should +be blown away; and I have a plan for securing his cradle, by putting +large heavy stones in it, somewhere out of his way, so that he need +not be hurt by them. Some of the houses are built of "cob," +especially those erected in the very early days, when sawn timber +was rare and valuable: this material is simply wet clay with chopped +tussocks stamped in. It makes very thick walls, and they possess +the great advantage of being cool in summer and warm in winter. +Whilst the house is new nothing can be nicer; but, in a few years, +the hot winds dry up the clay so much, that it becomes quite +pulverized; and a lady who lives in one of these houses told me, +that during a high wind she had often seen the dust from the walls +blowing in clouds about the rooms, despite of the canvas and paper, +and with all the windows carefully closed. + +Next week F--- is going up to the station, to unpack and arrange a +little, and baby and I are going to be taken care of at Ilam, the +most charming place I have yet seen. I am looking forward to my +visit there with great pleasure. + + + +Letter VIII: Pleasant days at Ilam. + + +Ilam, April 1866. +We leave this to-morrow for the station in the most extraordinary +conveyance you ever saw. Imagine a flat tray with two low seats in +it, perched on four very high wheels, quite innocent of any step or +means of clambering in and out, and drawn, tandem-fashion, by two +stout mares; one of which has a little foal by her side. The +advantage of this vehicle is that it is very light, and holds a good +deal of luggage. We hope to accomplish the distance--fifty miles-- +in a day, easily. + +Although this is not my first visit to Ilam, I don't think I have +ever described it to you. The house is of wood, two storeys high, +and came out from England! It is built on a brick foundation, which +is quite unusual here. Inside, it is exactly like a most charming +English house, and when I first stood in the drawing-room it was +difficult to believe: that I was at the other end of the world. All +the newest books, papers, and periodicals covered the tables, the +newest music lay on the piano, whilst a profusion of English +greenhouse flowers in Minton's loveliest vases added to the +illusion. The Avon winds through the grounds, which are very +pretty, and are laid out in the English fashion; but in spite of the +lawn with its croquet-hoops and sticks, and the beds of flowers in +all their late summer beauty, there is a certain absence of the +stiffness and trimness of English pleasure-grounds, which shows that +you have escaped from the region of conventionalities. There are +thick clumps of plantations, which have grown luxuriantly, and look +as if they had always been there. A curve of the opposite bank is a +dense mass of native flax bushes, with their tall spikes of red +blossom filling the air with a scent of honey, and attracting all +the bees in the neighbourhood. Ti-ti palms are dotted here and +there, and give a foreign and tropical appearance to the whole. +There is a large kitchen garden and orchard, with none of the +restrictions of high walls and locked gates which fence your English +peaches and apricots. + +The following is our receipt for killing time at Ilam:--After +breakfast, take the last _Cornhill_ or _Macmillan_, put on a shady +hat, and sit or saunter by the river-side under the trees, gathering +any very tempting peach or apricot or plum or pear, until luncheon; +same thing until five o'clock tea; then cross the river by a rustic +bridge, ascend some turf steps to a large terrace-like meadow, +sheltered from the north-west winds by a thick belt of firs, blue +gums, and poplars, and play croquet on turf as level as a +billiard-table until dinner. At these games the cockatoo always +assists, making himself very busy, waddling after his mistress all +over the field, and climbing up her mallet whenever he has an +opportunity. "Dr. Lindley"--so called from his taste for pulling +flowers to pieces--apparently for botanical purposes--is the tamest +and most affectionate of birds, and I do not believe he ever bit any +one in his life; he will allow himself to be pulled about, turned +upside down, scratched under his wings, all with the greatest +indifference, or rather with the most positive enjoyment. One +evening I could not play croquet for laughing at his antics. He +took a sudden dislike to a little rough terrier, and hunted him +fairly off the ground at last, chasing him all about, barking at +him, and digging his beak into the poor dog's paw. But the +"Doctor's" best performance is when he imitates a hawk. He reserves +this fine piece of acting until his mistress is feeding her poultry; +then, when all the hens and chickens, turkeys, and pigeons are in +the quiet enjoyment of their breakfast or supper, the peculiar +shrill cry of a hawk is heard overhead, and the Doctor is seen +circling in the air, uttering a scream occasionally. The fowls +never find out that it is a hoax, but run to shelter, cackling in +the greatest alarm--hens clucking loudly for their chicks, turkeys +crouching under the bushes, the pigeons taking refuge in their +house; as soon as the ground is quite clear, Cocky changes his wild +note for peals of laughter from a high tree, and finally alighting +on the top of a hen-coop filled with trembling chickens, remarks in +a suffocated voice, "You'll be the death of me." + +I must reverse the proverb about the ridiculous and the sublime, and +finish my letter by telling you of Ilam's chief outdoor charm: from +all parts of the garden and grounds I can feast my eyes on the +glorious chain of mountains which I have before told you of, and my +bedroom window has a perfect panoramic view of them. I watch them +under all their changes of tint, and find each new phase the most +beautiful. In the very early morning I have often stood shivering +at my window to see the noble outline gradually assuming shape, and +finally standing out sharp and clear against a dazzling sky; then, +as the sun rises, the softest rose-coloured and golden tints touch +the highest peaks, the shadows deepening by the contrast. Before a +"nor'-wester" the colours over these mountains and in the sky are +quite indescribable; no one but Turner could venture upon such a +mixture of pale sea-green with deep turquoise blue, purple with +crimson and orange. One morning an arch-like appearance in the +clouds over the furthest ranges was pointed out to me as the sure +forerunner of a violent gale from the north-west, and the prognostic +was fulfilled. It was formed of clouds of the deepest and richest +colours; within its curve lay a bare expanse of a wonderful green +tint, crossed by the snowy _silhouette_ of the Southern Alps. A few +hours afterwards the mountains were quite hidden by mist, and a +furious gale of hot wind was shaking the house as if it must carry +it off into the sky; it blew so continuously that the trees and +shrubs never seemed to rise for a moment against it. + +These hot winds affect infants and children a good deal, and my baby +is not at all well. However, his doctor thinks the change to the +station will set him all right again, so we are hurrying off much +sooner than our kind friends here wish, and long before the little +house in the hills can possibly be made comfortable, though F--- is +working very hard to get things settled for us. + + + +Letter IX: Death in our new home--New Zealand children. + + +Broomielaw, Malvern Hills, May 1866. +I do not like to allow the first Panama steamer to go without a line +from me: this is the only letter I shall attempt, and it will be but +a short and sad one, for we are still in the first bitterness of +grief for the loss of our dear little baby. After I last wrote to +you he became very ill, but we hoped that his malady was only caused +by the unhealthiness of Christchurch during the autumn, and that he +would soon revive and get on well in this pure, beautiful mountain +air. We consequently hurried here as soon as ever we could get into +the house, and whilst the carpenters were still in it. Indeed, +there was only one bedroom ready for us when I arrived. The poor +little man rallied at first amazingly; the weather was exquisitely +bright and sunny, and yet bracing. Baby was to be kept in the open +air as much as possible, so F--- and I spent our days out on the +downs near the house, carrying our little treasure by turns: but all +our care was fruitless: he got another and more violent attack about +a fortnight ago, and after a few hours of suffering he was taken to +the land where pain is unknown. During the last twelve hours of his +life, as I sat before the fire with him on my lap, poor F--- +kneeling in a perfect agony of grief by my side, my greatest comfort +was in looking at that exquisite photograph from Kehren's picture of +the "Good Shepherd," which hangs over my bedroom mantelpiece, and +thinking that our sweet little lamb would soon be folded in those +Divine, all-embracing Arms. It is not a common picture; and the +expression of the Saviour's face is most beautiful, full of such +immense feminine compassion and tenderness that it makes me feel +more vividly, "In all our sorrows He is afflicted." In such a grief +as this I find the conviction of the reality and depth of the Divine +sympathy is my only true comfort; the tenderest human love falls +short of the feeling that, without any words to express our sorrow, +God knows all about it; that He would not willingly afflict or +grieve us, and that therefore the anguish which wrings our hearts is +absolutely necessary in some mysterious way for our highest good. I +fear I have often thought lightly of others' trouble in the loss of +so young a child; but now I know what it is. Does it not seem +strange and sad, that this little house in a distant, lonely spot, +no sooner becomes a home than it is baptized, as it were, with +tears? No doubt there are bright and happy days in store for us +yet, but these first ones here have been sadly darkened by this +shadow of death. Inanimate things have such a terrible power to +wound one: though everything which would remind me of Baby has been +carefully removed and hidden away by F---'s orders, still now and +then I come across some trifle belonging to him, and, as Miss +Ingelow says-- + "My old sorrow wakes and cries." + +Our loss is one too common out here, I am told: infants born in +Christchurch during the autumn very often die. Owing to the +flatness of the site of the town, it is almost impossible to get a +proper system of drainage; and the arrangements seem very bad, if +you are to judge from the evil smells which are abroad in the +evening. Children who are born on a station, or taken there as soon +as possible, almost invariably thrive, but babies are very difficult +to rear in the towns. If they get over the first year, they do +well; and I cannot really call to mind a single sickly, or even +delicate-looking child among the swarms which one sees everywhere. + +I cannot say that I think colonial children prepossessing in either +manners or appearance, in spite of their ruddy cheeks and sturdy +limbs. Even quite little things are pert and independent, and give +me the idea of being very much spoiled. When you reflect on the +utter absence of any one who can really be called a nurse, this is +not to be wondered at. The mothers are thoroughly domestic and +devoted to their home duties, far more so than the generality of the +same class at home. An English lady, with even an extremely +moderate income, would look upon her colonial sister as very +hard-worked indeed. The children cannot be entrusted entirely to +the care of an ignorant girl, and the poor mother has them with her +all day long; if she goes out to pay visits (the only recognized +social duty here), she has to take the elder children with her, but +this early introduction into society does not appear to polish the +young visitors' manners in the least. There is not much rest at +night for the mater-familias with the inevitable baby, and it is of +course very difficult for her to be correcting small delinquents all +day long; so they grow up with what manners nature gives them. +There seems to me, however, to be a greater amount of real domestic +happiness out here than at home: perhaps the want of places of +public amusement may have something to do with this desirable state +of affairs, but the homes seem to be thoroughly happy ones. A +married man is an object of envy to his less fortunate brethren, and +he appears anxious to show that he appreciates his good fortune. As +for scandal, in the ordinary acceptation of the word, it is unknown; +gossip there is in plenty, but it generally refers to each other's +pecuniary arrangements or trifling peculiarities, and is all +harmless enough. I really believe that the life most people lead +here is as simple and innocent as can well be imagined. Each family +is occupied in providing for its own little daily wants and cares, +which supplies the mind and body with healthy and legitimate +employment, and yet, as my experience tells me, they have plenty of +leisure to do a kind turn for a neighbour. This is the bright side +of colonial life, and there is more to be said in its praise; but +the counterbalancing drawback is, that the people seem gradually to +lose the sense of larger and wider interests; they have little time +to keep pace with the general questions of the day, and anything +like sympathy or intellectual appreciation is very rare. I meet +accomplished people, but seldom well-read ones; there is also too +much talk about money: "where the treasure is, there will the heart +be also;" and the incessant financial discussions are wearisome, at +least to me. + + + +Letter X: Our station home. + + +Broomielaw, July 1866. +We are now in mid-winter, and a more delicious season cannot well be +imagined; the early mornings and evenings and the nights are very +cold, but the hours from 10 A.M. till 5 P.M. are exquisitely bright, +and quite warm. We are glad of a fire at breakfast, which is +tolerably early, but we let it out and never think of relighting it +until dark. Above all, it is calm: I congratulate myself daily on +the stillness of the atmosphere, but F--- laughs and says, "Wait +until the spring." I bask all day in the verandah, carrying my +books and work there soon after breakfast; as soon as the sun goes +down, however, it becomes very cold. In an English house you would +hardly feel it, but with only one plank an inch thick, a +lining-board and canvas and paper, between you and a hard frost, a +good fire is wanted. We burn coal found twelve miles from this; it +is not very good, being only what is called "lignite." I don't know +if that conveys to you a distinct impression of what it really is. +I should say it was a better sort of turf: it smoulders just in the +same way, and if not disturbed will remain many hours alight; it +requires a log of dry wood with it to make a really good blaze. +Fuel is most difficult to get here, and very expensive, as we have +no available "bush" on the Run; so we have first to take out a +licence for cutting wood in the Government bush, then to employ men +to cut it, and hire a drayman who possesses a team of bullocks and a +dray of his own, to fetch it to us: he can only take two journeys a +day, as he has four miles to travel each way, so that by the time +the wood is stacked it costs us at least thirty shillings a cord, +and then there is the labour of sawing and cutting it up. The coal +costs us one pound a ton at the mouth of the pit, and the carriage +exactly doubles its price; besides which it is impossible to get +more, than a small quantity at a time, on account of the effect of +the atmosphere on it. Exposure to the air causes it to crumble into +dust, and although we keep our supply in a little shed for the +purpose, it is wasted to the extent of at least a quarter of each +load. We are unusually unfortunate in the matter of firing; most +stations have a bush near to the homestead, or greater facilities +for draying than we possess. + +You tell me to describe my little house to you, so I must try to +make you see it, only prefacing my attempt by warning you not to be +disgusted or disappointed at any shortcomings. The house has not +been built in a pretty situation, as many other things had to be +considered before a picturesque site: first it was necessary to +build on a flat (as the valleys here are called), not too far off +the main track, on account of having to make the road to it +ourselves; the next thing to be thought of was shelter from the +north-west wind; then the soil must be fit for a garden, and a good +creek, or brook, which would not go dry in the summer, close at +hand. At present, everything out of doors is so unfinished that the +place looks rather desolate, and it will be some years before our +plantations can attain a respectable size, even allowing for the +rapid growth in this climate. The first step is to obtain shelter +from our enemy the "nor'-wester," and for this purpose we have +planted quantities of broom in all directions; even the large beds +for vegetables in the garden have a hedge of Cape broom on the +exposed side; fortunately, the broom grows very quickly in spite of +the wind, and attains to a luxuriant beauty rarely seen in England. +We have put in many other trees, such as oaks, maples, etc., but not +one is higher than this table, except a few poplars; the ground +immediately outside the house has been dug up, and is awaiting the +spring to be sown with English grass; we have no attempt at a +flower-garden yet, but have devoted our energies to the vegetable +one,--putting in fruit trees, preparing strawberry and asparagus +beds, and other useful things. Out of doors matters would not even +be as far advanced towards a garden and plantation as they are if we +had commenced operations ourselves, but the ground has been worked +since last year. I am glad we have chosen to build our house here +instead of at the homestead two miles off; for I like to be removed +from the immediate neighbourhood of all the work of the station, +especially from that of the "gallows,"--a high wooden frame from +which the carcases of the butchered sheep dangle; under the present +arrangement the shepherd brings us over our mutton as we want it. + +Inside the house everything is comfortable and pretty, and, above +all things, looks thoroughly home-like. Out of the verandah you +pass through a little hall hung with whips and sticks, spurs and +hats, and with a bookcase full of novels at one end of it, into a +dining-room, large enough for us, with more books in every available +corner, the prints you know so well on the walls, and a trophy of +Indian swords and hunting-spears over the fireplace: this leads into +the drawing-room, a bright, cheery little room--more books and +pictures, and a writing-table in the "_h_oriel." In that tall, +white, classical-shaped vase of Minton's which you helped me to +choose is the most beautiful bouquet, made entirely of ferns; it is +a constant object for my walks up the gullies, exploring little +patches of bush to search for the ferns, which grow abundantly under +their shelter by the creek. I have a small but comfortable bedroom, +and there is a little dressing-room for F--- and the tiniest spare +room you ever saw; it really is not bigger than the cabin of a ship. +I think the kitchen is the chief glory of the house, boasting a +"Leamington range" a luxury quite unknown in these parts, where all +the cooking is done on an American stove,--a very good thing in its +way, but requiring to be constantly attended to. There is a +good-sized storeroom, in which F--- has just finished putting me up +some cupboards, and a servants' room. It is not a palace is it? +But it is quite large enough to hold a great deal of happiness. +Outside, the premises are still more diminutive; a little wash-house +stands near the kitchen door, and further up the enclosure is a +stable, and a small room next it for saddles, and a fowl-house and +pig-stye, and a coal-shed. Now you know everything about my +surroundings; but--there is always a _but_ in everything--I have one +great grievance, and I hope you will appreciate its magnitude. + +It was impossible for F--- to come up here when the house was first +commenced, and the wretch of a builder deliberately put the drawing- +and dining-room fireplaces in the corner, right up against the +partition wall, of course utterly destroying the comfort as well as +the symmetry of the rooms. I am convinced some economy of bricks is +at the bottom of this arrangement, especially as the house was built +by contract; but the builder pretends to be surprised that I don't +admire it, and says, "Why, it's so oncommon, mum!" I assure you, +when I first saw the ridiculous appearance of the drawing-room +pier-glass in the corner, I should liked to have screamed out at the +builder (like the Queen in "Alice in Wonderland"), "Cut off his +head!" + +When we were packing up the things to come here, our friends +expressed their astonishment at our taking so many of the little +elegancies of life, such as drawing-room ornaments, pictures, etc. +Now it is a great mistake not to bring such things, at all events a +few of them, for they are not to be bought here, and they give the +new home a certain likeness to the old one which is always +delightful. I do not advise people to make large purchases of +elegancies for a colonial life, but a few pretty little trifles will +greatly improve the look of even a New Zealand up-country +drawing-room. + +You have asked me also about our wardrobes. Gentlemen wear just +what they would on a Scotch or English farm; in summer they require +perhaps a lighter hat, and long rides are always taken in boots and +breeches. A lady wears exactly what would be suitable in the +country in England, except that I should advise her to eschew +muslin; the country outside the home paddock is too rough for thin +material; she also wants thick boots if she is a good walker, and I +find nails or little screws in the soles a great help for +hill-walking. A hat is my only difficulty: you really want a shady +hat for a protection against the sun, but there are very few days in +the year on which you can ride in anything but a close, small hat, +with hardly any brim at all, and even this must have capabilities of +being firmly fastened on the head. My nice, wide-brimmed Leghorn +hangs idly in the hall: there is hardly a morning still enough to +induce me to put it on even to go and feed my chickens or potter +about the garden. This being winter, I live in a short linsey +dress, which is just right as to warmth, and not heavy. It is a +mistake to bring too much: a year's supply will be quite enough; +fresh material can easily be procured in Christchurch or any of the +large towns, or sent out by friends. I find my sewing-machine the +greatest possible comfort, and as time passes on and my clothes need +remodelling it will be still more use ful. Hitherto I have used it +chiefly for my friends' benefit; whilst I was in town I constantly +had little frocks brought to me to tuck, and here I employ it in +making quilted cloth hats for my gentlemen neighbours. + + + +Letter XI: Housekeeping, and other matters. + + +Broomielaw, September 1866. +I am writing to you at the end of a fortnight of very hard work, for +I have just gone through my first experience in changing servants; +those I brought up with me four months ago were nice, tidy girls and +as a natural consequence of these attractive qualities they have +both left me to be married. I sent them down to Christchurch in the +dray, and made arrangements for two more servants to return in the +same conveyance at the end of a week. In the meantime we had to do +everything for ourselves, and on the whole we found this picnic life +great fun. The household consists, besides F--- and me, of a cadet, +as they are called--he is a clergyman's son learning sheep-farming +under our auspices--and a boy who milks the cows and does odd jobs +out of doors. We were all equally ignorant of practical cookery, so +the chief responsibility rested on my shoulders, and cost me some +very anxious moments, I assure you, for a cookery-book is after all +but a broken reed to lean on in a real emergency; it starts by +assuming that its unhappy student possesses a knowledge of at least +the rudiments of the art, whereas it ought not to disdain to tell +you whether the water in which potatoes are to be boiled should be +hot or cold. I must confess that some of my earliest efforts were +both curious and nasty, but E ate my numerous failures with the +greatest good-humour; the only thing at which he made a wry face was +some soup into which a large lump of washing-soda had mysteriously +conveyed itself; and I also had to undergo a good deal of "chaff" +about my first omelette, which was of the size and consistency of a +roly-poly pudding. Next to these failures I think the bread was my +greatest misfortune; it went wrong from the first. One night I had +prepared the tin dish full of flour, made a hole in the midst of the +soft white heap, and was about to pour in a cupful of yeast to be +mixed with warm water (you see I know all about it in theory), when +a sudden panic seized me, and I was afraid to draw the cork of the +large champagne bottle full of yeast, which appeared to be very much +"up." In this dilemma I went for F---. You must know that he +possesses such extraordinary and revolutionary theories on the +subject of cooking, that I am obliged to banish him from the kitchen +altogether, but on this occasion I thought I should be glad of his +assistance. He came with the greatest alacrity; assured me he knew +all about it, seized the big bottle, shook it violently, and +twitched out the cork: there was a report like a pistol-shot, and +all my beautiful yeast flew up to the ceiling of the kitchen, +descending in a shower on my head; and F--- turned the bottle upside +down over the flour, emptying the dregs of the hops and potatoes +into my unfortunate bread. However, I did not despair, but mixed it +up according to the directions given, and placed it on the stove; +but, as it turned out, in too warm a situation, for when I went +early the next morning to look at it, I found a very dry and crusty +mass. Still, nothing daunted, I persevered in the attempt, added +more flour and water, and finally made it up into loaves, which I +deposited in the oven. That bread _never_ baked! I tried it with a +knife in the orthodox manner, always to find that it was raw inside. +The crust gradually became several inches thick, but the inside +remained damp, and turned quite black at last; I baked it until +midnight, and then I gave it up and retired to bed in deep disgust. +I had no more yeast and could not try again, so we lived on biscuits +and potatoes till the dray returned at the end of the week, +bringing, however, only one servant. Owing to some confusion in the +drayman's arrangements, the cook had been left behind, and "Meary," +the new arrival, professed her willingness to supply her place; but +on trial being made of her abilities, she proved to be quite as +inexperienced as I was; and to each dish I proposed she should +attempt, the unvarying answer was, "The missis did all that where I +come from." During the first few days after her arrival her chief +employment was examining the various knick-knacks about the +drawing-room; in her own department she was greatly taken with the +little cottage mangle. She mangled her own apron about twenty times +a day, and after each attempt I found her contemplating it with her +head on one side, and saying to herself, "'Deed, thin, it's as +smooth as smooth; how iver does it do it?" A few days later the +cook arrived. She is not all I could wish, being also Irish, and +having the most extraordinary notions of the use, or rather the +abuse, of the various kitchen implements: for instance, she will +poke the fire with the toasting fork, and disregards my gentle hints +about the poker; but at all events she can both roast mutton and +bake bread. "Meary" has been induced to wash her face and braid up +her beautiful hair, and now shines forth as a very pretty +good-humoured girl. She is as clever and quick as possible, and +will in time be a capital housemaid. She has taken it into her head +that she would like to be a "first-rater," as she calls it, and +works desperately hard in the prosecution of her new fancy. + +I have never told you of the Sunday services we established here +from the first week of our arrival. There is no church nearer than +those in Christchurch, nor--I may mention parenthetically--is there +a doctor within the same distance. As soon as our chairs and tables +were in their proper places, we invited our shepherds and those +neighbours immediately around us to attend service on Sunday +afternoon at three o'clock. F--- officiates as clergyman; _my_ +duties resemble those of a beadle, as I have to arrange the +congregation in their places, see that they have Prayer-books, etc. +Whenever we go out for a ride, we turn our horses' heads up some +beautiful valley, or deep gorge of a river, in search of the huts of +our neighbours' shepherds, that we may tell the men of these +services and invite them to attend. As yet, we have met with no +refusals, but it will give you an idea of the scantiness of our +population when I tell you that, after all our exertions, the +"outsiders" only amount to fourteen, and of these at least half are +gentlemen from neighbouring stations. With this number, in addition +to our own small group, we consider that we form quite a respectable +gathering. The congregation all arrive on horseback, each attended +by at least two big colley dogs; the horses are turned into the +paddock, the saddles deposited in the back verandah, and the dogs +lie quietly down by their respective masters' equipments until they +are ready to start homewards. There is something very wild and +touching in these Sunday services. If the weather is quite clear +and warm, they are held in the verandah; but unless it is a very +sunny afternoon, it is too early in the year yet for this. + +The shepherds are a very fine class of men as a rule, and I find +them most intelligent; they lead solitary lives, and are fond of +reading; and as I am anxious to substitute a better sort of +literature in their huts than the tattered yellow volumes which +generally form their scanty library, I lend them books from my own +small collection. But, as I foresee that this supply will soon be +exhausted, we have started a Book Club, and sent to London for +twenty pounds' worth of books as a first instalment. We shall get +them second-hand from a large library, so I hope to receive a good +boxful. The club consists of twenty-eight members now, and will +probably amount to thirty-two, which is wonderful for this district. +At the close of a year from the first distribution of the books they +are to be divided into lots as near as possible in value to a pound +each, the parcels to be numbered, and corresponding figures written +on slips of paper, which are to be shaken up in a hat and drawn at +random, each member claiming the parcel of which the number answers +to that on his ticket. This is the fairest way I can think of for +the distribution, and every one seems satisfied with the scheme. +The most popular books are those of travel or adventure; unless a +novel is really very good indeed, they do not care about it. + +The last little item of home news with which I must close this +month's budget is, that F--- has been away for a few days on a +skating excursion. A rather distant neighbour of ours called on his +way up to the station far back among the hills, and gave such a +glowing account of the condition of the ice in that part of the +country, that F---, who is very fond of the amusement, was persuaded +to accompany him. Our friend is the son of the Bishop, and owns a +large station about twenty-six miles from this. At the back of his +run the hills rise to a great height, and nestled among them lie a +chain of lakes, after the largest of which (Lake Coleridge) Mr. H--- +'s station is named. On one of the smaller lakes, called by the +classical name of "Ida," the ice attains to a great thickness; for +it is surrounded by such lofty hills that during the winter months +the sun hardly touches it, and it is commonly reported that a +heavily-laden bullock-dray could cross it in perfect safety. F--- +was away nearly a week, and appears to have enjoyed himself +thoroughly, though it will seem to you more of hard work than +amusement; for he and Mr. H---, and some other gentlemen who were +staying there, used to mount directly after breakfast, with their +skates tied to their saddle-bow, and ride twelve miles to Lake Ida, +skate all through the short winter's day, lunching at the solitary +hut of a gentleman-farmer close by the lake, and when it grew dusk +riding home again. The gentlemen in this country are in such good +training through constant exercise, that they appear able to stand +any amount of fatigue without minding it. + + + +Letter XII: My first expedition. + + +Broomielaw, October 1866. +This ought to be early spring, but the weather is really colder and +more disagreeable than any which winter brought us; and, +proverbially fickle as spring sunshine and showers are in England, +ours is a far more capricious and trying season. Twice during this +month have I been a victim to these sudden changes of climate; on +the first occasion it was most fortunate that we had reached the +shelter of a friendly and hospitable roof, for it was three days +before we could re-cross the mountain-pass which lay between us and +home. One beautiful spring morning F--- asked me if I would like to +ride across the hills, and pay my first visit to some kind and old +friends of his, who were among the earliest arrivals in the +province, and who have made a lovely home for themselves at the foot +of a great Bush on the other side of our range. I was delighted at +the idea, for I have had very little opportunity of going about +since we came here, owing to the short winter days and the amount of +occupation at home consequent on a new establishment. + +Directly after breakfast, the horses were caught and saddled, and we +started in high spirits. As we rode up the long, sunny valley +stretching away for miles at the back of the house, F--- pointed out +to me, with all a sheep-farmer's pride, the hundreds of pretty +little curly-fleeced lambs skipping about the low hill-sides. After +we passed our own boundary fence we came upon a very bad track,-- +this is the name by which all roads are called, and they do not +deserve a better,--but it was the only path to our destination. The +air was mild and balmy, and the sun shone brightly as we slowly +picked our way across bogs and creeks, and up and down steep, +slippery hill-sides; but just as we reached the lowest saddle of the +range and prepared to descend, a cold wind met us. In an instant +the sunshine was overclouded, and F---, pointing to a grey bank of +cloud moving quickly towards us, said, "There is a tremendous +sou'-wester coming up; we had better push on for shelter, or you'll +be drowned:" but, alas! at each step the road grew worse and worse; +where it was level the ground was literally honeycombed with deep +holes half full of water, and at last we came to a place where the +horse had to descend a flight of stone steps, each step being +extremely slippery and some way below the other; and at the bottom +of this horrible staircase there was a wide jump to be taken, the +spring being off the lowest step, and the jump upwards alighting on +a steep bank up which the horses scrambled like cats. Getting wet +through appeared to me a very minor evil compared to the dangers of +such a road, but F--- urged me forward, with assurances that the +horse knew the path perfectly well and could carry me at a gallop +quite safely; but it was impossible to infuse sufficient courage +into my drooping heart to induce me to go faster than a walk. + +All this time the storm drew rapidly nearer, the wind blew in icy +cold gusts, the hail came down in large stones, pelting our faces +till they tingled again; it was nearly an hour before we rode up to +the hospitable, ever-open porch door of Rockwood. I was immediately +lifted off my saddle by kind and strong arms, and carried with +frozen limbs and streaming habit into the kitchen, for I was as +unfit for the drawing-room as my own water-spaniel. A blazing wood +fire was hastily lighted in one of the bed-rooms, and thither the +good hostess conveyed me. I emerged from that apartment the most +extraordinary figure you ever saw. Imagine me arrayed in a short +and very wide crinoline, over which was a bright-coloured linsey +petticoat; an old pilot-coat for a jacket, huge carpet slippers on +my feet, and my dripping hair hanging loose over my shoulders! I +assure you, I looked like the portraits in books of travel, of the +Tahitian women when they first assumed clothes; and the worst of it +was, that I had to remain in this costume for three whole days. To +return was impossible, the storm from the S.W. raged all that +evening. When we opened our eyes next morning, snow was lying some +inches deep, and still falling fast; there was no cessation for +forty-eight hours, and then we had to give it time to thaw a little, +so that it was Sunday morning before we started on our homeward +ride. In the meantime, nothing could afford a greater contrast to +the wild weather out of doors than the snug brightness within. +Blazing logs of pine and black birch made every room warm and +cheery; all day we chatted and amused ourselves in different ways (I +learned to make a capital pudding, and acquainted myself with the +mysteries of "junket"); in the evenings we had whist for an hour, +and then either round games or songs. The young men of the house +have nice voices and a great feeling for music, and some of the +trios and glees went very well indeed. The only thing which spoilt +my enjoyment was the constantly recurring remembrance of that +terrible road. F--- tried to comfort me by assurances that the snow +would have filled up the worst places so much that I should not see +them, but, strange to say, I failed to derive any consolation from +that idea; however, we accomplished the journey back safely, but +with many slips and slides. As soon as we came on our own run, F--- +began to look out for dead lambs, but fortunately there were not +many for him to mourn over; they must have taken shelter under the +low hills, to leeward of the storm. + +The second ride was much longer, and if possible a more disagreeable +one. It began just in the same way; we were again decoyed out by +sunshine and soft air for a ride round the run, starting about +half-past ten. The scenery was beautiful, and we enjoyed ourselves +immensely. The track lay along our own boundary fence most of the +way, and we had ridden about ten miles, when we stopped at one of +our shepherds' huts, technically called an out station, and accepted +his offer of luncheon. He gave us capital tea, with an egg beaten +up in it as a substitute for milk, cold mutton, bread, and a cake; +the reason of these unwonted luxuries was that he kept fowls, and I +was very jealous at seeing two broods of chickens out, whilst mine +are still in the shell. This man is quite an artist, and the walls +of his but were covered with bold pen-and-ink sketches, chiefly +reminiscences of the hunting-field in England, or his own adventures +"getting out" wild cattle on the Black Hills in the north of the +province: he leads an extremely-solitary existence, his dogs being +his only companions; his duties consist in riding daily a boundary +down the gorge of the river, which he has to cross and re-cross many +times: and he has to supply the home station and our house with +mutton, killing four or five sheep a week. He is employed out of +doors all day, but has plenty of time in the evenings for reading I +found him well-informed and intelligent, and he expresses himself +exceedingly well. We rested here an hour, and as we went outside +and prepared to mount, F--- said, "I really believe there is +_another_ sou'-wester coming up," and so there was: we could not go +fast, for we were riding over a dry river-bed, composed entirely of +loose large stones. Every few hundred yards we had to cross the +river Selwyn, which was rising rapidly, as the storm had been raging +in the mountains long before it reached us; on each side were high, +steep hills, and in some places the river filled up the gorge +entirely, and we had to ride in the water up to our saddle-girths. +All this time the rain was coming down in sheets, but the wind grew +colder and colder; at last the rain turned into snow, which speedily +changed us and our horses into white moving figures. Eight long +weary miles of this had we, only able to trot the last two, and +those over very swampy ground. In your country a severe cold would +probably have been the least evil of this escapade, but here no such +consequence follow a good wetting; the houses are so little real +protection from the weather, that you are forced to live as it were +in the open air, whether you like it or not, and this hardens the +constitution so much, that it is not easy to take cold from a little +extra exposure. Men are apt to be careless and remain in their wet +things, or stand before a fire till their clothes dry on them; and +whenever I scold any one for being foolish, he always acknowledges +that if he does but change when he comes into a house, he _never_ +catches cold from any amount of exposure to the severest weather. + + + +Letter XIII: Bachelor hospitality.--a gale on shore. + + +Broomielaw, November 1866. +We have lately made a much longer excursion than those I told you of +last, month, and this time have been fortunate in meeting with fine +weather above all, our expedition has been over perfectly level +ground, and on a good "track," which has greatly increased its +charms in my eyes. A fortnight ago early summer set fairly in, and +some bachelor neighbours took advantage of the change to ride over +to see us, and arrange a plan for the following week. It all fitted +in nicely, for F--- was obliged to go to Christchurch at that time, +and the first idea of the expedition originated in my saying how +dull I was at the station when he was away. I can get on very well +all day; with my various employments--feeding the chickens, taking +the big dogs out for a walk, and so on: but after the house is quiet +and silent for the night, and the servants have gone to bed, a +horrible lonely eerie feeling comes over me; the solitude is so +dreary, and the silence so intense, only broken occasionally by the +wild, melancholy cry of the weka. However, I am very rarely tried +in this way, and when I am it can't be helped, if that is any +consolation. + +I forget whether I told you that we left all "evening things," and +other toilette necessaries which would not be wanted up country, +behind us in Christchurch, so as to avoid the trouble of sending any +luggage backwards or forwards. It is necessary to mention this, to +account for the very light marching order in which we travelled. It +was a lovely summer morning on which we left home, meaning to be +away nearly a week, from Monday till Saturday. We were well +mounted, and all our luggage consisted of my little travelling-bag +fastened to the pommel of my saddle, containing our brushes and +combs, and what is termed a "swag" in front of F---'s saddle; that +is, a long narrow bundle, in this instance enclosed in a neat +waterproof case, and fastened with two straps to the "D's," which +are steel loops let in in four places to all colonial saddles, for +the purpose of carrying blankets, etc.; they derive their name +apparently from their resemblance to the letter. In this parcel our +most indispensable garments were tightly packed. We cantered gaily +along on the way to Christchurch, the horses appearing to enjoy the +delicious air and soft springy turf as much as we did. There was a +river and half-a-dozen creeks to be crossed; but they are all quite +low at this time of year. As we stood in one of them to let the +horses drink and cool their legs, I saw a huge eel hidden under the +shadow of a high overhanging bank, waiting till the evening to come +out and feed upon the myriads of flies and little white moths that +skim over the surface of the water. + +It is considered a great advantage to our station that there is only +the river Selwyn (of which the Maori name is the Wai-kiri-kiri) +between us and town, not only for our own convenience, but because +it is easy to take sheep across it, and it offers no difficulties to +the wool drays. This river has a very good reputation, and is very +rarely dangerous to cross; whereas the Rakaia and the Rangitata +towards the south, and the Waimakiriri towards the north, of +Christchurch, are most difficult, and always liable to sudden +freshes. The general mode of crossing the larger rivers is by a +boat, with the horse swimming behind; but accidents constantly occur +from the foolhardiness of people attempting to ford them alone on +horseback: they are lost in quicksands, or carried down by the +current, before they can even realize that they are in danger. The +common saying in New Zealand is, that people only die from drowning +and drunkenness. I am afraid the former is generally the result of +the latter. + +From the first our road lay with our backs to the hills; but as we +cantered along the plains, I was often obliged to turn round and +admire their grand outlines. The highest ranges were still +snow-white, and made a magnificent background against the summer +sky. An easy twelve miles' ride brought us to a charming little +station, called by the pretty native name of Waireka; here lived our +three bachelor hosts, and a nicer or more comfortable home in a +distant land could not be desired. The house has been built for +some years, consequently the plantations about it and the garden +have grown up well, and the willows, gum-trees, and poplars shelter +it perfectly, besides giving it such a snug home look. It stands on +a vast plain, without even an undulation of the ground near it; but +the mountains form a grand panoramic view. There is a large wide +verandah round two sides of the house, with French windows opening +into it; and I could not help feeling impatient to see my own +creepers in such luxuriant, beauty as these roses and honeysuckles +were. It was half amusing and half pathetic to notice the +preparations which had been made to receive a lady guest, and the +great anxiety of my hosts to ensure my being quite as comfortable as +I am at home. Much had been said beforehand about the necessity of +making up my mind to rough it in bachelor quarters, so I was +surprised to find all sorts of luxuries in my room, especially a +dainty little toilette-table, draped with white cloths (a big wooden +packing-case was its foundation). Its ornaments were all sorts of +nondescript treasures, placed in boxes at the last moment of leaving +the English hall or rectory by careful loving hands of mothers and +sisters, and lying unused for years until now. There was a little +china tray, which had been slipped into some corner by a +child-sister anxious to send some possession of her "very own" out +to the other end of the world; there was a vase with flowers; a +parti-coloured pin-cushion of very gay silks, probably the parting +gift of an old nurse; and a curious old-fashioned essence bottle, +with eau-de-cologne; the surrounding country had been ransacked to +procure a piece of scented soap. The only thing to remind me that I +was not in an English cottage was the opossum rug with which the +neat little bed was covered. The sitting-room looked the picture of +cosy comfort, with its well-filled book-shelves, arm-chairs, sofa +with another opossum rug thrown over it, and the open fireplace +filled with ferns and tufts of the white feathery Tohi grass in +front of the green background. We enjoyed our luncheon, or rather +early dinner, immensely after our ride; and in the afternoon went +out to see the nice large garden (such a contrast to our wretched +little beginnings), and finally strolled on to the inevitable +wool-shed, where the gentlemen had an animated "sheep talk." I +rather enjoy these discussions, though they are prefaced by an +apology for "talking shop;" but it amuses me, and I like to see the +samples of wool, which are generally handed about in the heat of a +great argument, the long white locks are so glistening, and soft, +and crinkly. + +My five-o'clock tea was duly remembered, and then, as there was +nothing more to see out of doors within a short distance, I proposed +that I should make a cake. The necessary ingredients were quickly +collected. I had relays of volunteers to beat up the eggs, and +though I suffered great anxiety until it was cut at supper, it +turned out satisfactorily. The worst of my cookery is, that while I +always follow the same directions most carefully, there is great +uncertainty and variety about the result. In the evening we played +round games. But we all went early to bed, as, we had to be up +betimes, and in the saddle by seven o'clock, to catch the 9-30 train +at Rolleston; twenty miles off. We had a beautiful, still morning +for our ride, and reached the station--a shed standing out on the +plain--in time to see our horses safely paddocked before the train +started for Christchurch. The distance by rail was only fifteen +miles, so we were not long about it; and we walked to the hotel from +the railway-station in the town. A bath and breakfast were both +very enjoyable, and then F--- went out to transact his business, and +I employed myself in unpacking and _ironing_ a ball-dress for a +party, to which we were engaged that evening. There was also +another ball the following night. The second was a very late one, +and we had scarcely an hour's sleep before we were obliged to get up +and start by the 6 A.M. train back to Rolleston, where we remounted +our horses and rode to dear little Waireka in time for breakfast. +By the evening I was sufficiently rested to make another cake, which +also, happily, turned out well. + +We intended to return home the next day (Friday), but a terrific +"nor'-wester" came on in the night, and it was impossible to stir +out of the house; it was the severest gale since our arrival, and it +is hardly possible to give you a correct idea of the force and fury +of the wind. Not a glimpse of the mountains was to be seen; a haze +of dust, as thick as any fog, shut everything out. The sheep had +all taken refuge under the high banks of the creeks. It is curious +that sheep always feed head to wind in a nor'-west gale, whereas +they will drift for miles before a sou'-wester. The trees bent +almost flat before the hot breath of this hurricane, and although +the house was built of cob, and its walls were very thick and solid, +the creaking and swaying of the shingled roof kept me in perpetual +alarm. The verandah was a great protection; and yet the small +river-pebbles, of which the garden-walk was made, were dashed +against the windows like hailstones by each gust. We amused +ourselves indoors by the study and composition of acrostics, and so +got through an imprisonment of two days, without a moment's +cessation of the wind; but towards sunset on Saturday there were +signs of a lull, and about midnight the gale dropped; and we heard +the grateful, refreshing sound of soft and continuous rain, and when +we came out to breakfast on Sunday morning everything looked revived +again. It is a most fortunate meteorological fact that these very +high winds are generally succeeded by heavy rain; everything is so +parched and shrivelled up by them that I do not know what would +become of the vegetation otherwise. We held a council, to determine +what had better be done about returning home, and finally decided to +risk a wet ride sooner than disappoint the little congregation; for +should it prove a fine afternoon, those who lived near would +certainly come; so we mounted after breakfast. + +I was wrapped in one of the gentlemen's macintoshes, and found the +ride far from disagreeable. As we neared our own station we began +to look out for signs of disaster; and about half a mile from the +house saw some of the vanes from the chimneys on the track; a little +nearer home, across the path lay a large zinc chimney-pot; then +another; and when we came close enough to see the house distinctly, +it looked very much dwarfed without its chimneys. There had been a +large pile of empty boxes at the back of the stable; these were all +blown away in the gale. One huge packing-case was sailing +tranquilly about on the pond, and planks and fragments of zinc were +strewn over the paddock. The moment we reached the house, Mr. U---, +the gentleman-cadet of whom I have told you, came out, with a +melancholy face, to tell me that a large wooden cage, full of the +canaries which I had brought from England with me, had been blown +out of the verandah, though it was on the most sheltered side of the +house. It really seemed incredible at first, but the cage was lying +in ruins in the middle of the paddock, and all my birds except one +had disappeared. It happened in the middle of the night, and Mr. U--- +described, very amusingly, that when he was awakened by the noise +which the cage made against a wire fence (which it just "topped" in +passing), he sprang out of his bed in the attic, and clambered out +of the window, expecting to find the very heavy sort of staircase- +ladder in its place; but it was "over the hills and far away," so he +had a drop of about twelve feet to the ground, which thoroughly +aroused him. He went into the verandah to see if the cage was safe, +and was nearly knocked down by a big tin bath, ordinarily kept +there, which was just starting across country. As soon as he missed +the cage he very pluckily went after it, being able to keep sight of +it by the fitful gleams of moon-light, and he was just in time to +rescue the poor little surviving canary. We could not help laughing +at the recital of all the mischief which had been done, but still it +is very tiresome, and the garden looks, if possible, more wretched +than ever. There is no shelter for it yet, and my poor green-peas +are blown nearly out of the ground. It rained hard all the evening, +so our congregation was confined to the home party. + + + +Letter XIV: A Christmas picnic, and other doings. + + +Broomielaw, December 1866. +It is too late to wish you a merry Christmas and a happy New Year in +this letter. In order to allow them to reach you in time I should +have sent my good wishes in October's letter; I must remember to do +so next year. I am writing on the last days of the month, so I +shall be able to tell you of our own Christmas doings; though, +first, I must describe the festivities attending a "coming of age in +the Bush," to which we were invited about the middle of this month. +How strange Christmas picnics and balls will appear in your eyes, +before which still dangle probably the dear old traditional holly +and ivy! I am obliged to preface all my descriptions with an +account of a ride, if I am to begin, according to your repeated +injunctions, at the very beginning; for a ride is quite certain to +be both the beginning and end of each excursion, simply because we +have no other means of going about, except on our feet. The ride +upon this occasion was to Rockwood, where the birthday party was to +assemble, but the road had not now so many terrors for me. In +consequence of the fine dry weather, most of the bad places were +safer and firmer, and the numerous creeks were only shallow +sparkling streamlets over which a child could jump, instead of the +muddy noisy wide brooks of three months ago. The day on which we +started, this time, was a great contrast to the former one. When we +reached the saddle I have before told you of, instead of being met +and nearly driven back by a violent "sutherly buster," we stopped +before beginning the steep descent to admire the exquisite view +before us. + +Close on our right hand rose the Government bush out of which we get +our firewood, standing grand and gloomy amid huge cliffs and crags; +even the summer sunshine could not enliven it, nor the twitter and +chirrup of countless birds. In front, the chain of hills we were +crossing rolled down in gradually decreasing hillocks, till they +merged in the vast plains before us, stretching away as far as the +eye could reach towards the south, all quivering in the haze and +glare of the bright sunlight. The background, extending along the +horizon, was formed of lofty mountains still glistening white +against the dazzling blue sky. Just at our feet the Rockwood +paddocks looked like carpets of emerald velvet, spread out among the +yellowish tussocks; the fences which enclose them were either golden +with broom and gorse, or gay with wild roses and honeysuckle. Beyond +these we saw the bright patches of flowers in the garden, and +nothing could be more effective than the white gable of the house +standing out against the vast black birch forest which clothed the +steep hill-sides for miles--the contrast was so picturesque between +the little bit of civilization and culture and the great extent of +wild, savage scenery around it. After the utter treelessness of our +own immediate neighbourhood, the sight of such a mass of foliage is +a joy to my eyes. + +The day following our arrival was _the_ birthday, and we prepared to +enjoy every hour of it. The party assembled was a very large one, +consisting, however, chiefly of gentlemen, for the utmost exertions +in the district could not produce more than five ladies altogether, +and two of those had come an immense way. Directly after breakfast +we all sallied forth, the ladies equipped in light cotton dresses +(muslin is too thin for the bush) and little sailor hats,--we did +not want shady ones, for never a gleam of sun can penetrate into a +real New Zealand Bush, unless in a spot which has been very much +cleared. Strong boots with nails in the soles, to help us to keep +on our feet up the steep clay hill-sides, and a stout stick, +completed our equipment; perhaps we were not very smart, but we +looked like going at all events. I can answer for myself that I +enjoyed every moment of that long Midsummer holiday most intensely, +though I fear I must have wearied our dear, charming host, by my +incessant questions about the names of the trees and shrubs, and of +the habits and ways of the thousands of birds. It was all so new +and so delightful to me,--the green gloom, the hoarse croak of the +ka-ka, as it alighted almost at our feet and prepared, quite +careless of our vicinity, to tear up the loose soil at the root of a +tall tree, in search of grubs. It is a species of parrot, but with +very dingy reddish-brown plumage, only slightly enlivened by a few, +scarlet feathers in the wing. The air was gay with bright green +parroquets flitting about, very mischievous they are, I am told, +taking large tithe of the fruit, especially of the cherries. Every +now and then we stood, by common consent, silent and almost +breathless to listen to the Bell-bird, a dingy little fellow, nearly +as large as a thrush with the plumage of a chaffinch, but with such +a note!--how can I make you hear its wild, sweet, plaintive tone, as +a little girl of the party said, "just as if it had a bell in its +throat;" but indeed it would require a whole peal of silver bells to +ring such an exquisite chime. Then we crept softly up to a low +branch, to have a good look at the Tui, or Parson-bird, most +respectable and clerical-looking in its glossy black suit, with a +singularly trim and dapper air, and white wattles of very slender +feathers--indeed they are as fine as hair-curled coquettishly at +each side of his throat, exactly like bands. All the birds were +quite tame, and, instead of avoiding us, seemed inclined to examine +us minutely. Many of them have English names, which I found very +tantalising, especially when, the New Zealand Robin was announced, +and I could only see a fat little ball of a bird, with a +yellowish-white breast. Animals there are none. No quadruped is +indigenous to New Zealand, except a rat; but then, on the other +hand, we are as free from snakes and all vermin as if St. Patrick +himself had lived here. Our host has turned several pheasants into +this forest, but they increase very slowly on account of the wekas. +However, the happiness of this morning was made complete by our +putting up two splendid rocketers. + +We could only make our way by the paths which have been cut through +the Bush; a yard off the track it is impossible to stir for the +dense undergrowth. In the ravines and steep gullies formed by the +creeks grow masses of ferns of all sorts, spreading like large +shrubs, and contrasting by their light bright green with the black +stems of the birch-trees around them. There are a few pines in this +bush, but not many. I can give you no idea of the variety among the +shrubs: the koromika, like an Alpine rose, a compact ball of +foliage; the lance-wood, a tall, slender stem, straight as a line, +with a few long leaves at the top, turned downwards like the barb of +a spear, and looking exactly like a lance stuck into the ground; the +varieties of matapo, a beautiful shrub, each leaf a study, with its +delicate tracery of black veins on a yellow-green ground; the mappo, +the gohi, and many others, any of which would be the glory of an +English shrubbery: but they seem to require the deep shelter of +their native Bush, for they never flourish when transplanted. I +noticed the slender the large trees have of the ground, and it is +not at all surprising, after such a gale as we had three weeks ago, +to see many of the finest blown down in the clearings where the wind +could reach them. They do not seem to have any tap-root at all, +merely a very insufficient network of fibres, seldom of any size, +which spreads a short way along the surface of the ground As long as +a Bush is undisturbed by civilization, it appears to be impervious +to wind or weather; but as soon as it is opened and cleared a +little, it begins to diminish rapidly. There are traces all over +the hills of vast forests having once existed; chiefly of totara, a +sort of red pine, and those about us are scattered with huge logs of +this valuable wood, all bearing traces of the action of fire; but +shepherds, and explorers on expeditions, looking for country, have +gradually consumed them for fuel, till not many pieces remain except +on the highest and most inaccessible ranges. + +It was a delightful, and by no means unacceptable surprise which +awaited us on the other side, when, on emerging from a very thick +part of the Bush, we came on a lovely spot, a true "meeting of the +waters." Three broad, bright creeks came rushing and tumbling down +from the densely wooded hills about to join and flow on in quite a +good-sized river, amid boulders and a great deal of hurry and fuss, +--a contrast to the profound quiet of our ramble hitherto, the +silence of which was only broken by the twitter and whistle of the +birds. Never a song can you hear, only a sweet chirrup, or two or +three melodious notes. On the opposite bank of the river there was +the welcome sight of several hampers more or less unpacked, and the +gleam of a white tablecloth on the moss. Half-a-dozen gentlemen had +formed themselves into a commissariat, and were arranging luncheon. +We could see the champagne cooling in a sort of little bay, +protected by a dam of big stones from being carried down the stream. +It all looked very charming and inviting, but the next question was +how to get across the river to these good things. Twelve or +fourteen feet separated us, hungry and tired wanderers as we were, +from food and rest; the only crossing-place was some miles lower +down, near the house in fact; so even the most timid amongst us +scouted the idea of retracing our steps. The only alternative was +to make a bridge: one of the gentlemen who were with us carried an +axe in case of emergency, and in a moment we heard the sharp ringing +sounds foretelling the fall of a tree. In the mean-time, others of +the party were dragging out fallen logs--of course small and +manageable ones--and laying them from one huge boulder to another, +working up to their knees in water. So many of these prostrate +trunks were "convenient," that a cry soon arose to the woodman to +"spare the trees," for there were quite enough on the ground. +However, two substantial poles had been felled, and these were laid +over the deepest and most dangerous part of the current. The bridge +was soon declared passable, and loud shouts from the opposite side +proclaimed that luncheon was quite ready. I was called, as having a +most undeserved reputation for "pluck," to make trial of the +aerial-looking fabric. I did not like it at all, and entreated some +one else to lead the forlorn hope; so a very quiet young lady, who +really possessed more courage in her little finger than I do in my +whole body, volunteered to go first. The effect from the bank was +something like tight-rope dancing, and it was very difficult to keep +one's balance. Miss Kate, our pioneer, walked on very steadily, +amid great applause, till she reached the middle of the stream, +where fortunately the water was shallow, but strewed with masses of +boulders. She paused an instant on the large rock on which the ends +of the saplings rested, and then started afresh for the last half of +her journey. The instant she put her foot on the second part of the +bridge, it gave way with a loud crash; and the poor girl, with great +presence of mind, caught at the tree she, had just crossed, and so +saved herself from a ducking. Of course, she had plenty of help in +an instant, but the difficulty was to regain any sort of footing. +She could not drop into the water, and there was apparently no way +of dragging herself up again; but one of the gentlemen crept on +hands and knees along the unbroken part of the bridge, and +eventually helped her up the sides of the large boulder which acted +as a pier, and from which the log had slipped. From the other side +they now pushed across tall, slim trees, freshly cut, and the rest +of the passage was safe enough. I did not like the mode of transit +at all, though I got over without a slip, but it requires a steady +head to cross a noisy stream on two slippery round poles--for really +the trees were little thicker--laid side by side, bending with every +step. It was a great comfort to me all luncheon-time to know that +we were not to return by the same path through the Bush. We had a +good rest after lunch: I lay back on a bed of fern, watching the +numbers of little birds around us; they boldly picked up our crumbs, +without a thought of possible danger. Presently I felt a tug at the +shawl on which I was lying: I was too lazy and dreamy to turn my +head, so the next thing was a sharp dig on my arm, which hurt me +dreadfully. I looked round, and there was a weka bent on thoroughly +investigating the intruder into its domain. The bird looked so cool +and unconcerned, that I had not the heart to follow my first impulse +and throw my stick at it; but my forbearance was presently rewarded +by a stab on the ankle, which fairly made me jump up with a scream, +when my persecutor glided gracefully away among the bushes, leaving +me, like Lord Ullin, "lamenting." + +We sauntered home slowly, gathering armfuls of, fern and a large +variety of a stag's-head moss so common on the west coast of +Scotland; and as soon as we had had some tea, the gentlemen went off +with their towels to bathe in the creek, and the five ladies set to +work at the decorations for the ball-room, weaving wreaths and +arranging enormous bouquets very rapidly: we had such a wealth of +flowers to work with that our task was not difficult. The most +amusing part of the story is, however, that the ball took place in +my bed-room! A very pompous lady of my acquaintance always prefaces +the slenderest anecdote with these words, "And it happened in this +wise," so I think I shall avail myself of the _tour de phrase_. + +It happened in this wise, then:-a large well-proportioned room had +been added to the house lately; it was intended for a drawing-room, +but for some reason has only been used as a: spare bed-room, but as +it may possibly return to its original destination, very little +bed-room furniture has been put in it, and many of its belongings +are appropriate to a sitting-room. We called in the servants, the +light cane bedstead was soon deposited under the shade of a tree in +the garden, the washing-stand was similarly disposed of, and an +hour's work with hammer and nails and a ball of string turned the +room into a perfect bower of ferns and flowers: great ingenuity was +displayed in the arrangement of lights, and the result was a very +pretty ball-room. + +We are always eating in this country, so you will not be surprised +to hear that there was yet another meal to be disposed of before we +separated to dress in all sorts of nooks and corners. White muslin +was the universal costume, as it can be packed flat and smooth. My +gown had been carried over by F--- in front of his saddle in a very +small parcel: I covered it almost entirely with sprays of the +light-green stag's-head, moss, and made a wreath of it also for my +hair. I think that with the other ladies roses were the most +popular decoration, and they looked very fresh and nice. I was the +universal _coiffeuse_, and I dressed all the girls' heads with +flowers, as I was supposed to be best up in the latest fashions. In +the meantime, the piano had been moved to the bay-window of the +ball-room, and at ten o'clock dancing commenced, and may be truly +said to have been kept up with great spirit until four o'clock: it +only ceased then on account of the state of exhaustion of the +unfortunate five ladies, who had been nearly killed with incessant +dancing. I threw a shawl over my head, and sauntered alone up one +of the many paths close to the house which led into the Bush. Tired +as I was, I shall never forget the beauty and romance of that hour, +--the delicious crisp _new_ feeling of the morning air; the very +roses, growing like a red fringe on the skirts of the great Bush, +seemed awaking to fresh life and perfume; the numbers of gay lizards +and flies coming out for their morning meal, and, above all, the +first awakening of the myriads of Bush-birds; every conceivable +twitter and chatter and chirrup; the last cry of a very pretty +little owl, called, from its distinctly uttered words, the +"More-pork," as it flitted away before the dawn to the highest +trees: all made up a jubilant uproar compared to which one of the +Crystal Palace choruses is silence. I sat down on a fallen tree, +and listened and waited: every moment added to the lovely dawn +around me, and I enjoyed to the full the fragrant smells and joyous +sounds of another day in this fresh young land. + +All too soon came a loud "coo-ee" from the house, which I allowed +them to repeat before I answered; this was to tell me that the ball- +room was deserted, and had been again turned into a bed-room. When +I opened my eyes later, after a six hours' nap, the room looked like +a fairy bower, the flowers still unfaded. We had another picnic the +next day up the gorge of a river, amid very wild and beautiful +scenery; but everything had been arranged so as to make the +expedition an easy one, out of consideration to the weary five. The +day after this we rode home again, and I had to set to work directly +to prepare for my own Christmas party to the shepherds and +shearers,--for we have just commenced to muster the sheep, and the +shearing will be in full force by Christmas Day. One great object I +have in view in giving this party is to prevent the shearers from +going over to the nearest accommodation-house and getting tipsy, as +they otherwise would; so I have taken care to issue my invitations +early. I found great difficulty in persuading some of the men to +accept, as they had not brought any tidy clothes with them; and as +the others would be decently, indeed well dressed, they did not like +putting in a shabby appearance. This difficulty was obviated by +F--- hunting up some of the things he had worn on the voyage, and +rigging-out the invited guests. For two days before the great day I +had been working hard, studying recipes for pies and puddings, and +scouring the country in search of delicacies. Every lady was most +kind, knowing that our poor, exposed garden was backward; I had +sacks of green peas, bushels of young potatoes, and baskets of +strawberries and cherries sent to me from all round the country; I +made poor F--- ride twenty miles to get me a sirloin of beef, and, +to my great joy, two beautiful young geese arrived as a present only +the day before. It is a point of honour to have as little mutton as +possible on these occasions, as the great treat is the complete +change of fare. I only ventured to introduce it very much disguised +as curry, or in pies. We were all up at daylight on Christmas +morning, and off to the nearest little copse in one of the gullies, +where a few shrubs and small trees and ferns grow, to gather boughs +for the decoration of the washhouse. Marvels were done in the +carpentering line to arrange tables around its walls. The copper, +which at first presented such an obstacle to the symmetry of the +adornments, became their chief glory; it was boarded over, its sides +completely hidden by flags and ferns, and the dessert placed on it +peeped out from a bower of greenery. I don't know how we got our +own breakfast; from eleven o'clock there was the constant +announcement "A horseman coming up the flat;" and by twelve, when I +as beadle announced that all was ready, a large congregation of +thirty-six came trooping into my little drawing-room. As soon as it +was filled the others clustered round the door; but all could hear, +I think. F--- began the service; and as the notes of the Christmas +Anthem swelled up, I found the tears trembling in my eyes. My +overwhelming thought was that it actually was the very first time +those words had ever been sung or said in that valley--you in +England can hardly realize the immensity of such a thought--"the +first time since the world was made." I think the next sensation +was one of extreme happiness; it seemed such a privilege to be +allowed to hold the initial Christmas service. I had to grasp this +idea very tight to keep down the terrible home-sickness which I felt +all day for almost the first time. There are moments when no +advantages or privileges can repress what Aytoun calls "the deep, +unutterable woe which none save exiles feel." + +The service only lasted half an hour, beginning and ending with a +hymn; there were three women present besides me--my two servants, +and the nice young wife of a neighbouring shepherd. It was a sultry +day, not a breath of air; but still it is never oppressive at this +elevation. We wound up a big musical-box, set it going in the +banqueting-hall (late washhouse), and marshalled the guests in they +were extremely shy as a rule, and so we soon went away and left them +to themselves. They ate incessantly for two hours--and I hope they +enjoyed themselves; then the men lounged about the stables and +smoked, and the three women cleared away a little. F--- and our +gentlemen guests got up athletic sports in the shade which seemed +very popular, though it appeared a great deal of trouble to take on +such a hot day. As the sun sank below the hills it grew much +cooler, and my two maids came with a shamefaced request to be +allowed to dance in the kitchen. I inquired about the music?--that +was provided for by a fiddle and some pipes; so I consented, but I +found they wanted me to start them. I selected as my partner a very +decent young farmer who lives near, but has left his farm and is at +work branding our sheep all shearing-time. The pride and delight of +his mate was much greater than my partner's; he stood near his +friend, prompting him through the mazes of the most extraordinary +quadrille you ever saw, with two extra figures. Then there was an +endless polka, in which everybody danced, like Queen Elizabeth, +"high and disposedly;" but the ball ended at nine o'clock, and we +were given some cold dinner, for which we were all very ready. The +next morning saw the remains of the festivity cleared away, and +every one hard at work again; for this is our very busiest season. +The work of the station, however, is carried on at the homestead two +miles off. F--- is there all day long, but I see nothing of it. +While the shearers' hearts were tender, I asked them to come over to +church on Sunday, and they have promised to do so: I lend them +quantities of books and papers also, so as to keep them amused and +away from the accommodation-house. + + + +Letter XV: Everyday station life. + + +Broomielaw, January 1867. +You tell me to describe our daily home-life and domestic +surroundings. I dare say it: will appear to be a monotonous and +insignificant existence enough when put on paper, but it suits me +exactly; and, for the first time in my life, I have enough to do, +and also the satisfaction of feeling that I am of some little use to +my fellow-creatures. A lady's influence out here appears to be very +great, and capable of indefinite expansion. She represents +refinement and culture (in Mr. Arnold's sense of the words), and her +footsteps on a new soil such as this should be marked by a trail of +light. Of course every improvement must be the work of time, but I +find my neighbours very willing to help me in my attempts. + +A few lines will be sufficient to sketch a day's routine. The first +of my duties is one I especially delight in. I am out very early +with a large tin dish of scraps mixed with a few handfuls of wheat, +and my appearance is the signal for a great commotion among all my +fowls and ducks and pigeons. Such waddling and flying and running +with outstretched wings to me: in fact, I receive a morning greeting +from all the live-stock about the place. I am nearly knocked down +by the big sheep-dogs; the calves come rushing with awkward gambols +towards me for a bit of the fowls' bread, whilst the dogs look out +for a bone; but, in the midst of the confusion, the poultry hold +their own; indeed, an anxious hen eager to secure a breakfast for +her chicks will fly at a big dog, and beat him away from a savoury +morsel. I think I ought not to omit mentioning the devotion of a +small pig; it is an exact illustration of the French proverb which +speaks of the inequality of love, for I am quite passive and do not +respond in the least to the little beastie's affection, which is the +most absurd thing you ever saw, especially as it proceeds from so +unromantic an animal. Late in the spring (that is to say, about +November last) we were all returning from a great pig-hunting +expedition, when I saw one of the party coming down a steep hill +near the house with a small and glossy-black wild pig under each +arm; he was very proud of his captives, placed them in a box with +some straw, and fed them like babies out of a bottle. We laughed at +him very much; but when he went away he begged so earnestly that the +pigs should be reared that we promised to keep them. In a few days +they became perfectly tame, and were very handsome little creatures; +and one of them attached itself to me, following me all about, even +into the house (but _that_ I really could not stand), accompanying +me in all my walks, and, as far as it could, in my rides. Many a +time have I seen poor little piggy carried down a creek by the +current, squealing piteously, but it was evidently a case of "many +waters cannot quench love," for a little further on piggy would +appear, very much baked, but holding out gallantly, till sheer +exhaustion compelled him to give in, when he would lie down under a +tussock, apparently dying; but, as we were coming home in the dusk, +Helen, my pretty bay mare, has given many a shy at piggy starting up +from his shelter with gambols and squeals of joy. + +It is always a great temptation to loiter about in the lovely fresh +morning air, but I have to be dressed in time for prayers and +breakfast at nine; directly after breakfast I go into the kitchen; +sometimes, it is only necessary to give orders or instructions, but +generally I find that practice is much better than precept, and I +see to the soup myself, and make the pudding--the joint can take +care of itself. + +You have often asked me what we have to eat, so this will be a good +opportunity of introducing our daily bill of fare, prefacing it with +my recorded opinion that here is no place in the world where you can +live so cheaply and so well as on a New Zealand sheep station, when +once you get a start. Of course, it is expensive at first, setting +everything going, but that would be the case in any country. I will +begin at the very beginning:--Porridge for breakfast, with new milk +and cream _a discretion_; to follow--mutton chops, mutton ham, or +mutton curry, or broiled mutton and mushrooms, not shabby little +fragments of meat broiled, but beautiful tender steaks off a leg; +tea or coffee, and bread and butter, with as many new-laid eggs as +we choose to consume. Then, for dinner, at half-past one, we have +soup, a joint, vegetables, and a pudding; in summer, we have fresh +fruit stewed, instead of a pudding, with whipped cream. I was a +proud and happy woman the first day my cream remained cream, and did +not turn into butter; for generally my zeal outran my discretion, +and I did not know when to leave off whipping. We have supper about +seven; but this is a moveable feast, consisting of tea again, mutton +cooked in some form of entree, eggs, bread and butter, and a cake of +my manufacture. I must, however, acknowledge, that at almost every +other station you would get more dainties, such as jam and preserves +of all sorts, than we can boast of yet; for, as Littimer says to +David Copperfield, "We are very young, exceedingly young, sir," our +fruit-trees, have not come into full bearing, and our other +resources are still quite undeveloped. + +However, I have wandered away terribly from my first intention of +telling you of the daily occupations to a description of our daily +food. After I have finished all my little fussings about the house, +I join F--- who has probably been for some time quietly settled down +at his writing-table, and we work together at books and writing till +dinner; after that meal, F--- like Mr. Tootes, "resumes his +studies," but I go and feed my fowls again, and if I am very idly +disposed I sit on a hencoop in the shade and watch the various +tempers of my chickens and ducklings. A little later F--- and I go +out for some hours: if it is not too hot, he takes his rifle and we +go over the hills pig-stalking, but this is really only suitable +exercise for a fine winter's day; at this time of year we either go +for a walk or a ride, generally the latter--not a little shabby +canter, but a long stretching gallop for miles and miles; perhaps +stopping to have a cup of tea with a neighbour twelve or fifteen +miles off, and then coming slowly home in the delicious gloaming, +with the peculiar fresh crisp feeling which the atmosphere always +has here the moment the sun sets, no matter how hot the day has +been. I can hardly hope to make you understand how enjoyable our +twilight hours are, with no fear of damp or malaria to spoil them; +every turn of the track as we slowly wind up the valley showing us +some beautiful glimpse of distant mountain peaks, and, above all, +such sunset splendours, gradually fading away into the deep, pure +beauty of a summer night. + +In one of our rides the other day, after crossing a low range of +hills, we suddenly dropped down on what would be called in England a +hamlet, but here it is designated by the extraordinary name of a +"nest of cockatoos." This expression puzzled me so much when I +first heard it, that I must give you as minute an explanation as I +myself found necessary to the comprehension of the subject. + +When a shepherd has saved a hundred pounds, or the better class of +immigrant arrives with a little capital, the favourite investment is +in freehold land, which they can purchase, in sections of twenty +acres and upwards, at 2 pounds the acre. The next step is to build +a sod but with two rooms on their property, thatching it with Tohi, +or swamp grass; a door and a couple of window-frames all ready +glazed are brought from Christchurch in the dray with the family and +the household goods. After this rough and ready shelter is +provided, the father and sons begin fencing their land and gradually +it all assumes a cultivated appearance. Pig-sties and fowl-houses +are added; a little garden, gay with common English flowers, is made +in front of the house, whose ugly walls are gradually hidden by +creepers, and the homestead looks both picturesque and prosperous. +These small farmers are called Cockatoos in Australia by the +squatters or sheep-farmers, who dislike them for buying up the best +bits of land on their runs; and say that, like a cockatoo, the small +freeholder alights on good ground, extracts all he can from it, and +then flies away to "fresh fields and pastures new." But the real +fact is, that the poor farmer perhaps finds his section is too far +from a market, so he is forced to abandon it and move nearer a town, +where the best and most productive land has been bought up already; +and he has to begin again at a disadvantage. However, whether the +name is just or not, it is a recognized one here; and I have heard a +man say in answer to a question about his usual occupation, "I'm a +Cockatoo." + +This particular "nest" appeared to me very well off, comparatively +speaking; for though the men complained sadly of the low price of +their wheat and oats, still there was nothing like poverty to be +seen. Ready money was doubtless scarce, and an extensive system of +barter appeared to prevail; but still they all looked well fed and +well clothed; sickness was unknown among them, and it did one's +heart good to see the children--such sturdy limbs, bright fearless +eyes, and glowing faces. They have abundance of excellent food. +Each cottager has one or two cows, and the little ones take these +out to pasture on the hills, so they are in the open air nearly all +day: but their ignorance is appalling! Many of them had never even +been christened; there was no school or church within thirty miles +or more, and although the parents seemed all tidy, decent people, +and deplored the state of things, they were powerless to help it. +The father and elder sons work hard all day; the mother has to do +everything, even to making the candles, for the family; there is no +time or possibility of teaching the children. The neighbouring +squatters do not like to encourage settlers to buy up their land, +therefore they carefully avoid making things pleasant for a new +"nest," and the Cockatoos are "nobody's business;" so, as far as +educational advantages go, they are perfectly destitute. + +When I mentioned my discovery of this hamlet, and my dismay at the +state of neglect in which so many fine intelligent-looking children +were growing up, every one warned me not to interfere, assuring me +the Cockatoo was a very independent bird, that he considered he had +left all the Ladies Bountiful and blanket and coal charities behind +him in the old country; that, in short, as it is generally put, +"Jack is as good as his master" out here, and any attempt at +patronage would be deeply resented. But I determined to try the +effect of a little visiting among the cottages, and was most +agreeably surprised at the kind and cordial welcome I received. The +women liked to have some one to chat to about their domestic +affairs, and were most hospitable in offers of tea, etc., and +everywhere invitations to "come again" were given; so the next week +I ventured to invite the men over to our Sunday services. Those who +were fond of reading eagerly accepted the offer to join the +book-club, and at last we started the educational subject. Many +plans were discussed, and finally we arranged for one woman, who had +received an excellent education and was quite fitted for the post, +to commence a day-school; but this entailed so much loss of her +valuable time that the terms she is obliged to ask seem +disproportionately high to the people's means. She wants 2 +shillings and 6 pence a week with each child, and this is terrible +heavy on the head of a family who is anxious and willing to give +them some "schooling." However, the plan is to be tried, and I have +promised to start them with books, slates, copybooks, etc. It was +quite touching to hear their earnest entreaties that F--- would come +over on Sunday sometimes and hold a service there, but I tried to +show them this could not be managed. The tears actually came into +their eyes when I talked of the happiness it would be to see a +little church and school in their midst; and the almost invariable +remark was, "Ah, but it'll be a far day first." And so I fear it +will--a very far day; but I have often heard it said, that if you +propose one definite object to yourself as the serious purpose of +your life, you will accomplish it some day. Well, the purpose of my +life henceforward is to raise money somehow or somewhere to build a +little wooden school-room (licensed for service, to be held whenever +a missionary clergyman comes by), and to pay the salary of a +schoolmaster and mistress, so that the poor Cockatoo need not be +charged more than threepence a week for each child. The Board of +Education will give a third of the sum required, when two-thirds +have been already raised; but it is difficult to collect +subscriptions, or indeed to induce the squatters to listen to any +plan for improving the condition of the small farmers, and every +year which slips away and leaves these swarms of children in +ignorance adds to the difficulty of training them. [Note: Since +this was written, a school-house, also used as a church, has been +built in this district by private subscription and Government aid. +A clergyman, who lives some twenty-five miles away, rides over and +holds service once a month.] + + + +Letter XVI: A sailing excursion on Lake Coleridge. + + +Lake Coleridge, February 1867. +A violent storm of wind and rain from the south-west keeps us all +indoors to-day, and gives me time to write my letter for the Panama +mail, which will be made up to-morrow. The post-office is ten miles +off, and rejoices in the appropriate name of "Wind-whistle;" it +stands at the mouth of a deep mountain gorge, and there never was +such a temple of the winds. + +This bad weather comes after a long spell of lovely bright summer +days, and is very welcome to fill up the failing creeks in the lower +ranges of hills. I must tell you how much we have been enjoying our +visit here. F--- knows this part of the country well, but it is +quite new to me, and a great contrast to the other scenery I have +described to you We had long talked of paying Mr. C. H--- a visit at +his bachelor cottage on his station far back among the high ranges +of hills, but no time was fixed, so I was rather taken by surprise +when last week he drove up to Broomielaw in a light American waggon +with a pair of stout horses, and announced that he had come to take +us to his place next day. There was no reason against this plan, +and we agreed at once; the next morning saw us on the road, after an +early breakfast. We had to drive about thirty-five miles round, +whereas it would have been only twenty miles riding across the +hills; but our kind host thought that it would be much more +comfortable for me to be able to take a carpet-bag in the carriage +instead of the usual system of saddle-bags one is obliged to adopt +travelling on horseback. We made our first stage at the +ever-hospitable station of the C---'s, on the Horarata, but we could +not remain to luncheon, as they wished, having to push on further; +and, as it turned out, it was most fortunate we took advantage of +the first part of the day to get over the ground between us and our +destination, for the gentle breeze which had been blowing since we +started gradually freshened into a tremendous "nor'-wester," right +in our teeth all the rest of our way. The poor horses bent their +heads as low as possible and pulled bravely at their collars, up +hill the whole time. Among the mountains the wind rushed with +redoubled fury down the narrow gorges, and became icily cold as we +neared the snowy ranges. It was impossible to see the hills for the +thick mist, though I knew we must have a magnificent view before us. +We took refuge for an hour just to rest the horses, at Windwhistle, +and I certainly expected the house to come down whilst we were +there. I can hardly tell you anything of the rest of the drive, for +I was really frightened at my first experience of a "howling +nor'-wester" out of doors, and Mr. H--- made me sit down at the +bottom of the carriage and heaped over me all the cloaks and shawls +we had brought. It was delightful to find ourselves under shelter +at last in a pretty bright snug room, with lots of books and +arm-chairs, and a blazing fire; _this_, you must remember, in +midsummer. + +The next morning was perfectly calm, and the lake as serene as if no +storm had been dashing its water in huge breakers against the beach +only a few hours before. The view from the sitting-room was lovely: +just beneath the window there was a little lawn, as green as +possible from the spray with which the lake had washed it yesterday; +beyond this a low hedge, an open meadow, a fringe of white pebbly +beach, and then a wide expanse of water within one little wooded +island, and shut in gradually from our view by spurs of hills +running down to the shore, sometimes in bold steep cliffs, and again +in gentle declivities, with little strips of bush or scrub growing +in the steep gullies between them. The lake extends some way beyond +where we lose sight of it, being twelve miles long and four miles +broad. A few yards from the beach it is over six hundred feet deep. +Nothing but a painting could give you any idea of the blue of sky +and water that morning; the violent wind of yesterday seemed to have +blown every cloud below the horizon, for I could not see the least +white film anywhere. Behind the lower hills which surround the lake +rises a splendid snowy range; altogether, you cannot imagine a more +enchanting prospect than the one I stood and looked at; it made me +think of Miss Procter's lines-- + + "My eyes grow dim, + As still I gaze and gaze + Upon that mountain pass, + That leads--or so it seems-- + To some far happy land + Known in a world of dreams." + +All this time, whilst I was looking out of the window in most +unusual idleness, Mr. H--- and F--- were making constant journeys +between the boat-house and the store-room, and at last I was +entreated to go and put on my hat. While doing this I heard +cupboards being opened, and a great bustle; so when I reached the +shore I was not so much surprised as they expected, to see in the +pretty little sailing-boat (which was moored to a primitive sort of +jetty made out of a broken old punt) the materials for at least two +substantial meals, in case of being kept out by a sudden head-wind. +I was especially glad to notice a little kettle among the +_impedimenta_, and there were cloaks and wraps of all kinds to +provide against the worst. Four gentlemen and I made up the crew +and passengers, and a very merry set we were, behaving extremely +like children out for a holiday. The wind was a trifle light for +sailing, so the gentlemen pulled, but very lazily and not at all in +good "form," as the object of each oarsman seemed to be to do as +little work as possible. However, we got on somehow, a light puff +helping us now and then, but our progress was hardly perceptible. I +had been for a long time gazing down into the clear blue depth of +water, every now and then seeing a flash of the white sand shining +at the bottom, when I was half startled by our host standing +suddenly up in the bow of the boat; and then I found that we were a +couple of miles away from our starting-point, and that we had turned +a corner formed by a steep spur, and were running right into what +appeared a grove of rata-trees growing at the water's edge. The +rata only grows in the hills and near water; it is a species of +broad-leaf myrtle, with a flower exactly like a myrtle in character, +but of a brilliant deep scarlet colour, and twice as large. + +When the bowsprit touched the rata-branches, which drooped like a +curtain into the water, Mr. H--- made a signal to lower the mast, +and parting the thick, blossom-covered foliage before us, with both +hands, the way the boat had on her sent us gently through the screen +of scarlet flowers and glossy green leaves into such a lovely fairy +cove! Before us was a little white beach of fine sparkling sand, +against which the water broke in tiny wavelets, and all around a +perfect bower of every variety of fern and moss, kept green by +streams no thicker than a silver thread trickling down here and +there with a subdued tinkling sound. We all sat quite silent, the +boat kept back just inside the entrance by the steersman holding on +to a branch. It was a sudden contrast from the sparkling sunshine +and brightness outside, all life and colour and warmth, to the +tender, green, profound shade and quiet in this "Mossy Hum," as the +people about here call it. Do not fancy anything damp or chilly. +No; it was like a natural temple--perfect repose and refreshment to +the eyes dazzled with the brilliant outside colouring. Centuries +ago there must have been a great landslip here, for the side of the +mountain is quite hollowed out, and Nature has gradually covered the +ugly brown rent with the thickest tapestry of her most delicate +handiwork. I noticed two varieties of the maiden-hair, its slender +black stem making the most exquisite tracery among the vivid greens. +There was no tint of colour except green when once we passed the +red-fringed curtain of rata-branches, only the white and shining +fairy beach and the gleaming threads of water. As we sat there, +perfectly still, and entranced, a sort of delicious mesmeric feeling +stole over me; I thought of the lotus-eater's chant, "There is no +joy but calm," with, for, the first time in my life, a dim +perception of what they meant, perhaps; but it was over all too +quickly: prosaic words of direction to back water called us from +shade to light, and in a moment more we were in front of the +rata-trees, admiring their splendid colouring, and our little boat +was dancing away over the bright waves, with her white wings set and +her bows pointed towards the little toy island in the middle of the +lake; it was no question now of rowing, a nice fresh breeze from the +south (the _cold_ point here) sent us swiftly and steadily through +the water. What a morning it was! The air was positively +intoxicating, making you feel that the mere fact of being a living +creature with lungs to inhale such an atmosphere was a great boon. +We have a good deal of disagreeable weather, and a small proportion +of bad weather, but in no other part of the world, I believe, does +Nature so thoroughly understand how to make a fine day as in New +Zealand. + +A little after mid-day we ran our boat to the lee of the island, +and: whilst she was steadied by the same primitive method of holding +on to branches of manuka and other scrub, I scrambled out and up a +little cliff, where a goat could hardly have found footing, till I +reached a spot big enough to stand on, from whence I anxiously +watched the disembarkation of some of the provisions, and of the +gridiron and kettle. In a few moments we were all safely ashore, +and busy collecting dry fern and brushwood for a fire; it was rather +a trial of patience to wait till the great blaze had subsided before +we attempted to cook our chops, which were all neatly prepared ready +for us. Some large potatoes were put to bake in the ashes; the tin +plates were warmed (it is a great art not to overheat them when you +have to keep them on your lap whilst you eat your chop). We were +all so terribly hungry that we were obliged to have a course of +bread and cheese and sardines _first_; it was really quite +impossible to wait patiently for the chops. The officiating cook +scolded us well for our Vandalism, and the next moment we detected +him in the act of devouring a half-raw potato. The fragments of our +meal must have been a great boon to the colony of wekas who inhabit +the island, for as they increase and multiply prodigiously their +provisions must often fall short in so small a space. No one can +imagine how these birds originally came here, for the island is at +least two miles from the nearest point of land; they can neither +swim nor fly; and as every man's hand is against them, no one would +have thought it worth while to bring them over: but here they are, +in spite of all the apparent impossibilities attending their +arrival, more tame and impudent than ever. It was dangerous to +leave your bread unwatched for an instant, and indeed I saw one +gliding off with an empty sardine tin in its beak; I wonder how it +liked oil and little scales. They considered a cork a great prize, +and carried several off triumphantly. + +After luncheon there was the usual interval of rest, and pipes on +the part of the gentlemen. I explored a little, but there is +nothing very pretty or abundant in the way of wild flowers in the +parts of New Zealand which I have seen. White violets and a ground +clematis are the only ones I have come across in any quantity. The +manuka, a sort of scrub, has a pretty blossom like a diminutive +Michaelmas daisy, white petals and a brown centre, with a very +aromatic odour; and this little flower is succeeded by a berry with +the same strong smell and taste of spice. The shepherds sometimes +make an infusion of these when they are very hard-up for tea; but it +must be like drinking a decoction of cloves. + +About three o'clock we re-embarked, and sailed a little higher up +the lake beyond the point where we lose sight of it from Mr. H---'s +house, every moment opening out fresh and more beautiful glimpses. +Quite the opposite end of the shore is fringed with a thick deep +forest, and another station has been built there, at which, I am +told, the scenery is still more magnificent. At first I was +inclined to wonder where the sheep live amid all this picturesque +but mountainous country: however, I find that between and among +these hills stretch immense valleys (or "flats," as they are called +here), which are warm and sheltered in winter, and afford plenty of +food for them; then, in summer, they go up to the mountains: but it +is very difficult to "muster" these ranges. I am almost ashamed to +confess to another meal before we returned home, but there was a +lovely tempting spot in a little harbour, and so we landed and +boiled some water and had a capital cup of tea. You require to be +out as we were from morning till night in such an air as this to +know what it is to feel either hungry or sleepy in perfection! The +next day we made a similar excursion, exploring the opposite shore +of the lake; but, before we started, our host distrusted the +appearance of certain clouds, and sent round horses to meet us at +the point where we were going to lunch; and it was just as well he +did so, for a stiff breeze sprang up from the south-west, which +would have kept us out all night. So we mounted the horses instead +of re-embarking, having first secured the boat, and cantered home. +We passed several smaller lakes; there is a perfect chain of them +among these hills, and I was much amused at the names bestowed on +them, according to the tastes or caprice of the station-owners whose +runs happen to include them: for instance, two are called +respectively "Geraldine" and "Ida," whilst three, which lie close +together, rejoice in the somewhat extraordinary names of "the +World," "the Flesh," and "the Devil." + + + +Letter XVII: My first and last experience of "camping out." + + +Broomielaw, April 1867. +I have nothing to tell you this mail, except of a rather ridiculous +expedition which we made last week, and which involved our spending +the whole night on the top of the highest hill on our run. You will +probably wonder what put such an idea into our heads, so I must +preface my account by a little explanation. Whenever I meet any +people who came here in the very early days of the colony--only +sixteen years ago, after all!--I delight in persuading them to tell +me about their adventures and hardships during those primitive +times, and these narratives have the greatest fascination for me, as +they always end happily. No one ever seems to have died of his +miseries, or even to have suffered seriously in any way from them, +so I find the greatest delight in listening to the stories of the +Pilgrims. I envy them dreadfully for having gone through so much +with such spirit and cheerfulness, and ever since I came here I have +regretted that the rapid advance of civilization in New Zealand +precludes the possibility of being really uncomfortable; this makes +me feel like an impostor, for I am convinced that my English friends +think of me with the deepest pity, as of one cut off from the +refinements and comforts of life, whereas I really am surrounded by +every necessary, and many of its luxuries, and there is no reason +but that of expense why one should not have all of these. + +One class of narratives is peculiarly attractive to me. I like to +hear of benighted or belated travellers when they have had to "camp +out," as it is technically called; and have lived in constant hope +of meeting with an adventure which would give me a similar +experience. But I am gradually becoming convinced that this is +almost impossible by fair means, so I have been trying for some time +past to excite in the breasts of our home party and of our nearest +neighbours an ardent desire to see the sun rise from the top of +"Flagpole," a hill 3,000 feet above the level of the sea, and only +a: couple of miles from the house. As soon as they were +sufficiently enthusiastic on the subject, I broached my favourite +project of our all going up there over-night, and camping out on the +highest peak. Strange to say, the plan did not meet with any +opposition, even from F---, who has had to camp out many a winter's +night, and with whom, therefore, the novelty may be said to have +worn off. Two gentlemen of the proposed party were "new chums" like +myself, and were strongly in favour of a little roughing; new-chums +always are, I observe. F--- hesitated a little about giving a final +consent on the score of its being rather too late in the year, and +talked of a postponement till next summer, but we would not listen +to such an idea; so he ended by entering so heartily into it, that +when at last the happy day and hour came, an untoward shower had not +the least effect in discouraging him. + +There was a great bustle about the little homestead on that eventful +Tuesday afternoon. Two very steady old horses were saddled, one for +me and the other for one of the "new chums," who was not supposed to +be in good form for a long walk, owing to a weak knee. Everything +which we thought we could possibly want was heaped on and around us +after we had mounted; the rest of the gentlemen, four in number, +walked, and we reached the first stage of our expedition in about an +hour. Here we dismounted, as the horses could go no further in +safety. The first thing done was to see to their comfort and +security; the saddles were carefully deposited under a large +flax-bush in case of rain, and the long tether ropes were arranged +so as to ensure plenty of good feed and water for both horses, +without the possibility of the ropes becoming entangled in each +other or in anything else. Then came a time of great excitement and +laughing and talking, for all the "swags" had to be packed and +apportioned for the very long and steep ascent before us. + +And now I must tell you exactly what we took up. A pair of large +double blankets to make the tent of,--that was one swag, and a very +unwieldy one it was, strapped knapsack fashion, with straps of +flax-leaves, on the back, and the bearer's coat and waistcoat +fastened on the top of the whole. The next load consisted of one +small single blanket for my sole use, inside of which was packed a +cold leg of lamb. I carried the luncheon basket, also strapped on +my shoulders, filled with two large bottles of cream, some tea and +sugar, and, I think, teaspoons. It looked a very insignificant load +by the side of the others, but I assure you I found it frightfully +heavy long before I had gone half-way up the hill. The rest +distributed among them a couple of large heavy axes, a small coil of +rope, some bread, a cake, tin plates and pannikins, knives and +forks, and a fine pigeon-pie. Concerning this pie there were two +abominable propositions; one was to leave it behind, and the other +was to eat it then and there: both of these suggestions were, +however, indignantly rejected. I must not forget to say we included +in the commissariat department two bottles of whisky, and a tiny +bottle of essence of lemon, for the manufacture of toddy. We never +see a real lemon, except two or three times a year when a ship +arrives from the Fiji islands, and then they are sixpence or a +shilling apiece. All these things were divided into two large heavy +"swags," and to poor F--- was assigned the heaviest and most +difficult load of all--the water. He must have suffered great +anxiety all the way, for if any accident had happened to his load, +he would have had to go back again to refill his big kettle; this he +carried in his hand, whilst a large tin vessel with a screw lid over +its mouth was strapped on his back also full of water, but he was +particularly charged not to let a drop escape from the spout of the +kettle; and I may mention here, that though he took a long time +about it, for he could not go as straight up the hill as we did, he +reached the top with the kettle full to the brim--the other vessel +was of course quite safe. All these packings and repackings, and +the comfortable adjustment of the "swags," occupied a long time, so +it was past five when we began our climb, and half-past six when we +reached the top of the hill, and getting so rapidly dark that we had +to hurry our preparations for the night, though we were all so +breathless that a "spell" (do you know that means _rest_?) would +have been most acceptable. The ascent was very steep, and there +were no sheep-tracks to guide us; our way lay through thick high +flax-bushes, and we never could have got on without their help. I +started with a stick, but soon threw it aside and pulled myself up +by the flax, hand over hand. Of course I had to stop every now and +then to rest, and once I chose the same flax-bush where three young +wild pigs had retired for the night, having first made themselves +the most beautiful bed of tussock grass bitten into short lengths; +the tussocks are very much scattered here, so it must have been an +afternoon's work for them; but the shepherds say these wild pigs +make themselves a fresh bed every night. + +The first thing to be done was to pitch the tent on the little flat +at the very top of the hill: it was a very primitive affair; two of +the thinnest and longest pieces of totara, with which Flagpole is +strewed, we used for poles, fastening another piece lengthwise to +these upright sticks as a roof-tree: this frame was then covered +with the large double blanket, whose ends were kept down on the +ground by a row of the heaviest stones to be found. The rope we had +brought up served to tie the poles together at the top, and to +fasten the blanket on them; but as soon as the tent had reached this +stage, it was discovered that the wind blew through it from end to +end, and that it afforded very little protection. We also found it +much colder at the top of this hill than in our valley; so under +these circumstances it became necessary to appropriate my solitary +blanket to block up one end of the tent and make it more comfortable +for the whole party. It was very little shelter before this was +done. The next step was to collect wood for a fire, which was not +difficult, for at some distant time the whole of the hill must have +been covered by a forest of totara trees; it has apparently been +destroyed by fire, for the huge trunks and branches which still +strew the steep sides are charred and half burnt. It is a beautiful +wood, with a strong aromatic odour, and blazed and crackled +splendidly in the clear, cool evening air, as we piled up a huge +bonfire, and put the kettle on to boil. It was quite dusk by this +time, so the gentlemen worked hard at collecting a great supply of +wood, as the night promised to be a very cold one, whilst I remained +to watch the kettle, full of that precious liquid poor F--- had +carried up with such care, and to prevent the wekas from carrying +off our supper, which I had arranged just inside the tent. In this +latter task I was nobly assisted by my little black terrier Dick, of +whose sad fate I must tell you later. + +By eight o'clock a noble pile of firewood had been collected, and we +were very tired and hungry; so we all crept inside the tent, which +did not afford very spacious accommodation, and began our supper. +At this point of the entertainment everybody voted it a great +success; although the wind was slowly rising and blowing from a cold +point, and our blanket-tent did not afford the perfect warmth and +shelter we had fondly credited it with. The gentlemen began to +button up their coats. I had only a light serge jacket on, so I +coaxed Dick to sit at my back and keep it warm; for, whilst our +faces were roasted by the huge beacon-fire, there was a keen and icy +draught behind us. The hot tea was a great comfort, and we enjoyed +it thoroughly, and after it was over the gentlemen lit their pipes, +and I told them a story: presently we had glees, but by ten o'clock +there was no concealing the fact that we were all very sleepy +indeed; however, we still loudly declared that camping out was the +most delightful experiment. F--- and another gentleman (that kind +and most good-natured Mr. U---, who lives with us) went outside the +tent, armed with knives, and cut all the tussocks they could feel in +the darkness, to make me a bed after the fashion of the pigs; they +brought in several armfuls, and the warmest corner in the tent was +heaped with them; I had my luncheon-basket for a pillow, and +announced that I had turned in and was very comfortable, and that +camping out was charming; the gentlemen were still cheery, though +sleepy; and the last thing I remember was seeing preparations being +made for what a Frenchman of my acquaintance always will call a +"grogs." When I awoke, I thought I must have slept several hours. +Though the fire was blazing grandly, the cold was intense: I was so +stiff I could hardly move; all my limbs ached dreadfully, and my +sensations altogether were new and very disagreeable. I sat up with +great difficulty and many groans, and looked round: two figures were +coiled up, like huge dogs, near me; two more, moody and sulky, were +smoking by the fire; with their knees drawn up to their noses and +their hands in their pockets, collars well up round their throats-- +statues of cold and disgust. To my inquiries about the hour, the +answer, given in tones of the deepest despondency, was "Only eleven +o'clock, and the sun doesn't rise till six, and its going to be the +coldest night we've had this year." The speaker added, "If it +wasn't so dark that we'd break our necks on the way, we might go +home." + +Here was a pretty end to our amusement. I slowly let myself down +again, and tried to go to sleep, but that relief was at an end for +the night; the ground seemed to grow harder every moment, or, at all +events, I ached more, and the wind certainly blew higher and keener. +Dick proved himself a most selfish doggie; he would creep round to +leeward of _me_, whilst I wanted. him to let me get leeward of him, +but he would not consent to this arrangement. Whenever I heard a +deeper moan or sigh than usual, I whispered an inquiry as to the +hour, but the usual reply, in the most cynical voice, was, "Oh, you +need not whisper, nobody is asleep." I heard one plaintive murmur +"Think of all our warm beds, and of our coming up here from choice." +I must say I felt dreadfully ashamed of myself for my plan; it was +impossible to express my contrition and remorse, for, always +excepting Mr. U---, they were all too cross to be spoken to. It +certainly was a weary, long night. About one o'clock I pretended +to want some hot tea, and the preparation for that got through half +an hour, and it warmed us a little; but everybody still was deeply +dejected, not to say morose. After an interval of only two hours +more of thorough and intense wretchedness we had a "grogs," but +there was no attempt at conviviality--subdued savageness was the +prevailing state of mind. I tried to infuse a little hope into the +party, by suggestions of a speedy termination to our misery, but my +own private opinion was that we should all be laid up for weeks to +come with illness. I allotted to myself in this imaginary +distribution of ills a severe rheumatic fever; oh! how I ached, and +I felt as if I never could be warm again. The fire was no use; +except to afford occupation in putting on wood; it roasted a little +bit of you at a time, and that bit suffered doubly from the cold +when it was obliged to take its share of exposure to the wind. I +cannot say whether the proverb is true of other nights, but this +particular night, certainly, was both darkest and coldest just +before dawn. + +At last, to our deep joy, and after many false alarms, we really all +agreed that there was a faint streak of grey in the east. My first +impulse was to set off home, and I believe I tried to get up +expressing some such intention, but F--- recalled me to myself by +saying, in great surprise, "Are you not going to stop and see the +sun rise?" I had quite forgotten that this was the avowed object of +the expedition, but I was far too stiff to walk a yard, so I was +obliged to wait to see what effect the sunrise would have on my +frozen limbs, for I could not think of any higher motive. Presently +some one called out "There's the sea," and so it was, as distinct as +though it were not fifty miles off; none of us had seen it since we +landed; to all of us it is associated with the idea of going home +some day: whilst we were feasting our eyes on it a golden line +seemed drawn on its horizon; it spread and spread, and as all the +water became flooded with a light and glory which hardly seemed to +belong to this world, the blessed sun came up to restore us all to +life and warmth again. In a moment, in less than a moment, all our +little privations and sufferings vanished as if they had never +existed, or existed only to be laughed at. Who could think of their +"Ego" in such a glorious presence, and with such a panorama before +them? I did not know which side to turn to first. Behind me rose a +giant forest in the far hills to the west--a deep shadow for miles, +till the dark outline of the pines stood out against the dazzling +snow of the mountains behind it; here the sky was still sheltering +the flying night, and the white outlines looked ghostly against the +dull neutral tints, though every peak was sharply and clearly +defined; then I turned round to see before me such a glow of light +and beauty! For an immense distance I could see the vast Canterbury +plains; to the left the Waimakiriri river, flowing in many streams, +"like a tangled bunch of silver ribbons" (as Mr. Butler calls it in +his charming book on New Zealand), down to the sea; beyond its banks +the sun shone on the windows of the houses at Oxford, thirty miles +off as the crow would fly, and threw its dense bush into strong +relief against the yellow plains. The Port Hills took the most +lovely lights and shadows as we gazed on them; beyond them lay the +hills of Akaroa, beautiful beyond the power of words to describe. +Christchurch looked quite a large place from the great extent of +ground it appeared to cover. We looked onto the south: there was a +slight haze over the great Ellesmere Lake, the water of which is +quite fresh, though only separated from the sea by a slight bar of +sand; the high banks of the Rakaia made a deep dark line extending +right back into the mountains, and beyond it we could see the +Rangitata faintly gleaming in the distance; between us and the coast +were green patches and tiny homesteads, but still few and far +between; close under our feet, and looking like a thread beneath the +shadow of the mountain, ran the Selwyn in a narrow gorge, and on its +bank stood the shepherd's hut that I have told you once afforded us +such a good luncheon; it looked a mere toy, as if it came out of a +child's box of playthings, and yet so snug for all its lonely +position. On the other hand lay our own little home, with the faint +wreath of smoke stealing up through the calm air (for the wind had +dropped at sunrise). Here and there we saw strings of sheep going +down from their high camping-grounds to feed on the sunny slopes and +in the warm valleys. Every moment added to our delight and +enjoyment; but unfortunately it was a sort of happiness which one +can neither speak of at the time, nor write about afterwards: +silence is its most expressive language. Whilst I was drinking in +all the glory and beauty before me, some of the others had been busy +striking the tent, repacking the loads, very much lighter without +the provisions; and we had one more excellent cup of tea before +abandoning the encampment to the wekas, who must have breakfasted +splendidly that morning. Our last act was to collect all the stones +we could move into a huge cairn, which was built round a tall pole +of totara; on the summit of this we tied securely, with flax, the +largest and strongest pocket-handkerchief, and then, after one look +round to the west--now as glowing and bright as the radiant east--we +set off homewards about seven o'clock; but it was long before we +reached the place where we left the horses, for the gentlemen began +rolling huge rocks down the sides of the hills and watching them +crashing and thundering into the valleys, sometimes striking another +rock and then bounding high into the air. They were all as eager +and excited as schoolboys, and I could not go on and leave them, +lest I should get below them and be crushed under a small stone of +twenty tons or so. I was therefore forced to keep well _above_ them +all the time. At last we reached the spur where the horses were +tethered, re-saddled and loaded them, and arrived quite safely at +home, just in time for baths and breakfast. I was amused to see +that no one seemed to remember or allude to the miseries and aches +of that long cold night; all were full of professions of enjoyment. +But I noticed that the day was unusually quiet; the gentlemen +preferred a bask in the verandah to any other amusement, and I have +reason to believe they indulged in a good many naps. + + + +Letter XVIII: A journey "down south." + + +Waimate, May 1867. +In one of my early letters from Heathstock I told you that the +Hurunui, which is the boundary of that run, marks the extreme north +of the Province of Canterbury; and now I am writing to you from the +extreme south. I hope you do not forget to reverse in your own mind +the ordinary ideas of heat and cold, as connected with those points +of the compass. The distance from our house to this is about 160 +miles, and we actually took two days and a half to get here!-- +besides, into these miles was compressed the fatigue of a dozen +English railway journeys of the same length. But, I suppose, as +usual, you will not be satisfied unless I begin at the very +beginning. The first difficulty was to reach the point where we +were to join the coach on the Great South Road. It was less than +thirty miles, so we could easily have ridden the distance; but the +difficulty was to get our clothes all that way. They could not be +carried on horseback, and just then the station-dray was +particularly employed; besides which it would have taken three days +to come and go,--rather a useless expenditure of the man's time, as +well as of the horses' legs, where only two little portmanteaus were +concerned. Fortunately for us, however, this is a country where +each man is ready and willing to help his neighbour, without any +inquiry as to who he is; so the moment our dilemma was known various +plans were suggested for our assistance, of which this was the one +selected:-- + +On a certain bright but cold Wednesday afternoon, F--- and I and our +modest luggage started in a neighbour's "trap" for the station I +have already mentioned on the Horarata, where Mr. C. H--- and I +stopped on our way to Lake Coleridge. It is on the plains at the +foot of a low range of downs, and about twelve miles from us. You +cannot imagine a more charming little cottage _ornee_ than the house +is, capable of holding, apparently, an indefinite number of people, +and with owners whose hospitality always prompts them to try its +capabilities to the utmost. A creek runs near the house, and on its +banks, sloping to the sun, lies a lovely garden, as trim as any +English parterre, and a mass of fruit and flowers. Nothing can be +more picturesque than the mixture of both. For instance, on the +wall of the house is a peach-tree laden every autumn with rosy, +velvet-cheeked fruit; and jasmine and passion-flowers growing +luxuriantly near it. Inside all is bright neatness and such a +welcome! As for our supper, on this particular day it comprised +every dainty you can imagine, and made me think of my housekeeping +with shame and confusion of face. We had a very merry evening, with +round games; but there was a strong prejudice in favour of going to +bed early, as we all had to be up by three o'clock: and so we were, +to find a delicious breakfast prepared for us, which our kind +hostess was quite disappointed to see we could not eat much of. +Coffee and toast was all I could manage at that hour. We started in +the dark, and the first thing we had to cross was a dry river-bed, +in which one of the horses lay deliberately down, and refused to +move. This eccentricity delayed us very much; but we got him into a +better frame of mind, and accomplished our early drive of sixteen +miles in safety, reaching the accommodation-house, or inn, where the +coach from Christchurch to Timaru changes horses for its first +stage, by six o'clock. There we had a good breakfast, and were in +great "form" by the time the coach was ready to start. These +conveyances have a world-wide celebrity as "Cobb's coaches," both in +America and Australia, where they are invariably the pioneers of all +wheeled vehicles, being better adapted to travel on a bad road, or +no road at all, than any other four-wheeled "trap." They are both +strong and light, with leathern springs and a powerful break; but I +cannot conscientiously say they are at all handsome carriages; +indeed I think them extremely ugly and not very comfortable except +on the box-seat next the driver. Fortunately, this is made to hold +three, so F--- and I scrambled up, and off we started with four good +strong horses, bearing less harness about them than any quadrupeds I +ever saw; a small collar, slender traces, and very thin reins +comprised all their accoutrements. The first half of the journey +was slow, but there was no jolting. The road was level, though it +had not been made at all, only the tussocks removed from it; but it +was naturally good--a great exception to New Zealand roads. The +driver was a steady, respectable man, very intelligent; and when F--- +could make him talk of his experiences in Australia in the early +coaching days, I was much interested. + +We crossed the Rakaia and the Rangitata in ferry-boats, and stopped +on the banks of the Ashburton, to dine about one o'clock, having +changed horses twice since we started from "Gigg's," as our place of +junction was elegantly called. Here all my troubles began. When we +came out of the little inn, much comforted and refreshed by a good +dinner, I found to my regret that we were to change drivers as well +as horses, and that a very popular and well known individual was to +be the new coachman. As our former driver very politely assisted me +to clamber up on the box-seat, he recommended F--- to sit on the +outside part of the seat, and to put me next the driver, "where," he +added, "the lady won't be so likely to tumble out." As I had shown +no disposition to fall off the coach hitherto, I was much astonished +by this precaution, but said nothing. So he was emboldened to +whisper, after looking round furtively, "And you jest take and don't +be afraid, marm; _he_ handles the ribbings jest as well when he's +had a drop too much as when he's sober, which ain't often, however." +This last caution alarmed me extremely. The horses were not yet put +in, nor the driver put _up_, so I begged F--- to get down and see if +I could not go inside. But, after a hasty survey, he, said it was +quite impossible: men smoking, children crying, and, in addition, a +policeman with a lunatic in his charge, made the inside worse than +the outside, especially in point of atmosphere; so he repeated the +substance of our ex-driver's farewell speech; and when I saw our new +charioteer emerge at last from the bar, looking only very jovial and +tolerably steady as to gait, I thought perhaps my panic was +premature. But, oh, what a time I had of it for nine hours +afterwards! The moment the grooms let go the horses' heads he stood +up on his seat, shook the reins, flourished his long whip, and with +one wild yell from him we dashed down a steep cutting into the +Ashburton. The water flew in spray far over our heads, and the +plunge wetted me as effectually as if I had fallen into the river. +I expected the front part of the coach to part from the back, on +account of the enormous strain caused by dragging it over the +boulders. We lurched like a boat in a heavy sea; the "insides" +screamed; "Jim" (that was the driver's name) swore and yelled; the +horses reared and plunged. All this time I was holding on like grim +death to a light iron railing above my head, and one glance to my +left showed me F--- thrown off the very small portion of cushion +which fell to his share, and clinging desperately to a rude sort of +lamp-frame. I speculated for an instant whether this would break; +and, if so, what would become of him. But it took all my ideas to +keep myself from being jerked off among the horses' heels. We +dashed through the river; Jim gathered up the reins, and with a +different set of oaths swore he would punish the horses for jibbing +in the water. And he did punish them; he put the break hard down +for some way, flogged them with all his strength, dancing about the +coach-box and yelling like a madman. Every now and then, in the +course of his bounds from place to place, he would come plump down +on my lap; but I was too much frightened to remonstrate; indeed, we +were going at such a pace against the wind, I had very little breath +to spare. + +We got over the first stage of twenty miles at this rate very +quickly, as you may imagine; but, unfortunately, there was an +accommodation-house close to the stables, and Jim had a good deal +more refreshment. Strange to say, this did not make him any wilder +in manner--that he could not be; but after we started again he +became extremely friendly with me, addressing me invariably as "my +dear," and offering to "treat me" at every inn from that to Timaru. +I declined, as briefly as I could, whereupon he became extremely +angry, at my doubting his pecuniary resources apparently, for, +holding the reins carelessly with one hand, though we were still +tearing recklessly along, he searched his pockets with the other +hand, and produced from them a quantity of greasy, dirty one-pound +notes, all of which he laid on my lap, saying, "There, and there, +and there, if you think I'm a beggar!" I fully expected them to +blow away, for I could not spare a hand to hold them; but I watched +my opportunity when he was punishing the unfortunate fresh team, and +pounced on them, thrusting the dirty heap back into his great-coat +pocket. At the next stage a very tidy woman came out, with a rather +large bundle, containing fresh linen, she said, for her son, who was +ill in the hospital at Timaru. She booked this, and paid her +half-crown for its carriage, entreating the drunken wretch to see +that it reached her son that night. He wildly promised he should +have it in half-an-hour, and we set off as if he meant to keep his +word, though we were some forty miles off yet; but he soon changed +his mind, and took a hatred to the parcel, saying it would "sink the +ship," and finally tried to kick it over the splash-board. I seized +it at the risk of losing my balance, and hugged it tight all the way +to Timaru, carrying it off to the hotel, where I induced a waiter to +take it up to the hospital. + +After we had changed horses for the last time, and I was comforting +myself by the reflection that the journey was nearly over, we heard +shouts and screams from the inside passengers. F--- persuaded Jim +with much trouble to pull up, and jumped down to see what was the +matter. A strong smell of burning and a good deal of smoke arose +from inside the coach, caused by the lunatic having taken off both +his boots and lighted a fire in them. It was getting dark and +chilly; the other passengers, including the policeman, had dozed off +and the madman thought that as his feet were very cold, he would +"try and warm them a bit;" so he collected all the newspapers with +which his fellow-travellers had been solacing the tedium of their +journey, tore, them up into shreds, with the addition of the +contents of a poor woman's bundle, and made quite a cheerful blaze +out of these materials. It was some time before the terrified women +could be induced to get into the coach again; and it was only by +Jims asseverations, couched in the strongest language, that if they +were not "all aboard" in half a minute, he would drive on and leave +them in the middle of the plains, that they were persuaded to +clamber in to their places once more. + +How thankful I was when we saw the lights of Timaru! I was stunned +and bewildered, tired beyond the power of words to describe, and +black and blue all over from being jolted about. The road had been +an excellent one, all the way level and wide, with telegraph-poles +by its side. We shaved these very closely often enough, but +certainly, amid all his tipsiness, Jim bore out his predecessors +remark. Whenever we came to a little dip in the road, or a sharp +turn, as we were nearing Timaru, he would get the horses under +control as if by magic, and take us over as safely as the soberest +driver could have done; the moment the obstacle was passed, off we +were again like a whirlwind! + +I was not at all surprised to hear that upsets and accidents were +common on the road, and that the horses lasted but a very short +time. + +We found our host had driven in from his station forty-five miles +distant from Timaru, to meet us, and had ordered nice rooms and a +good dinner; so the next morning I was quite rested, and ready to +laugh over my miseries of the day before. Nothing could be a +greater contrast than this day's journeying to yesterday's. A low, +comfortable phaeton, and one of the most agreeable companions in the +world to drive us, beautiful scenery and a nice luncheon half-way, +at which meal F--- ate something like half a hundred cheese-cakes! +The last part of the road for a dozen miles or so was rather rough; +we had to cross a little river, the Waio, every few hundred yards; +and a New Zealand river has so much shingle about it! The water can +never quite make up its mind where it would like to go, and has +half-a-dozen channels ready to choose from, and then in a heavy +fresh the chances are it will select and make quite a different +course after all. + +This is late autumn with us, remember, so the evenings close in +early and, are very cold indeed. It was quite dark when we reached +the house, and the blazing fires in every room were most welcome. +The house is very unlike the conventional station pattern, being +built of stone, large, very well arranged, and the perfection of +comfort inside. There is no hostess at present; three bachelor +brothers do the honours, and, as far as my experience goes, do them +most efficiently. Our visit has lasted three weeks already, and we +really must bring it to a termination soon. The weather has been +beautiful, and we have made many delightful excursions, all on +horseback, to neighbouring stations, to a fine bush where we had a +picnic, or to some point of view. I can truly say I have enjoyed +every moment of the time, indoors as well as out; I was the only +lady, and was petted and made much of to my heart's content. There +were several other guests, and they were all nice and amusing. One +wet day we had, and only one. I must tell you an incident of it, to +show you what babies grown-up men can be at the Antipodes. We +worked hard all the morning at acrostics, and after my five o'clock +tea I went upstairs to a charming little boudoir prepared for me, to +rest and read; in a short time I heard something like music and +stamping, and, though I was _en peignoir_, I stole softly down to +see what was going on; when I opened the door of the general +sitting-room a most unusual sight presented itself,--eight bearded +men, none of them very young, were dancing a set of quadrilles with +the utmost gravity and decorum to the tunes played by a large +musical-box, which was going at the most prodigious pace, +consequently the dancers were flying through the figures in silence +and breathless haste. They could not stop or speak when I came in, +and seemed quite surprised at my laughing at them; but you have no +idea how ridiculous they looked, especially as their gravity and +earnestness were profound. + +This is one of the very few stations where pheasants have been +introduced, but then, every arrangement has been made for their +comfort, and a beautiful house and yard built for their reception on +a flat, just beneath the high terrace on which the house stands. +More than a hundred young birds were turned out last spring, and +there will probably be three times that number at the end of this +year. We actually had pheasant twice at dinner; the first, and +probably the last time we shall taste game in New Zealand. There is +a good deal of thick scrub in the clefts of the home-terrace, and +this affords excellent shelter for the young. Their greatest +enemies are the hawks, and every variety of trap and cunning device +for the destruction of these latter are in use, but as yet without +doing much execution among them, they are so wonderfully clever and +discerning. + + + +Letter XIX: A Christening gathering.--the fate of Dick. + + +Broomielaw, June 1867. +We reached home quite safely the first week of this month, and I +immediately set to work to prepare for the Bishop's visit. We met +him at a friend's house one day, just as we were starting homewards, +and something led to my telling him about the destitute spiritual +condition of my favourite "nest of Cockatoos." With his usual +energy, as well as goodness, he immediately volunteered to come up +to our little place, hold a service, and christen all the children. +We were only too thankful to accept such an offer, as we well knew +what an inducement it would be to the people, who would take a great +deal of trouble and come from far and near to hear our dear Bishop, +who is universally beloved and respected. + +For a week beforehand the house smelt all day long like a baker's +shop about noon on Sunday, for pies, tarts, cakes, etc., were +perpetually being "drawn" from the oven. I borrowed every pie-dish +for miles round, and, as on another occasion I have mentioned, +plenty of good things which our own resources could not furnish +forth came pouring in on all sides with offers to help. F--- and I +scoured the country for thirty miles round to invite everybody to +come over to us that Sunday; and I think I may truly say everybody +came. When I rode over to my "nest" and made the announcement of +the Bishop's visit, the people were very much delighted; but a great +difficulty arose from the sudden demand for white frocks for all the +babies and older children. I rashly promised each child should find +a clean white garment awaiting it on its arrival at my house, and +took away a memorandum of all the different ages and sizes; the +"order" never could have been accomplished without the aid of my +sewing-machine. I had a few little frocks by me as patterns, and +cut up some very smart white embroidered petticoats which were quite +useless to me, to make into little skirts. In spite of all that was +going on in the kitchen my maids found time to get these up most +beautifully, and by the Saturday night the little bed in the spare +room was a heap of snowy small garments, with a name written on +paper and pinned to each. The Bishop also arrived quite safely, +late that evening, having driven himself up from Christchurch in a +little gig. + +It is impossible for you to imagine a more beautiful winter's +morning than dawned on us that Sunday. A sharp frost over-night +only made the air deliciously crisp, for the sun shone so brightly, +that by nine o'clock the light film of ice over the ponds had +disappeared, and I found the Bishop basking in the verandah when I +came out to breakfast, instead of sitting over the blazing wood-fire +in the dining-room. We got our meal finished as quickly as +possible, and then F--- and Mr. U--- set to work to fill the +verandah with forms extemporised out of empty boxes placed at each +end, and planks laid across them; every red blanket in the house was +pressed into service to cover these rough devices, and the effect at +last was quite tidy. By eleven o'clock the drays began to arrive in +almost a continual stream; as each came up, its occupants were taken +into the kitchen, and given as much as they could eat of cold pies +made of either pork or mutton, bread and hot potatoes, and tea. As +for teapots, they were discarded, and the tea was made in huge +kettles, whilst the milk stood in buckets, into which quart jugs +were dipped every five minutes. I took care of all the women and +children whilst F--- and Mr. U--- looked after the men, showed them +where to put the horses, etc. All this time several gentlemen and +two or three ladies had arrived, but there was no one to attend to +them, so they all very kindly came out and helped. We insisted on +the Bishop keeping quiet in the drawing-room, or he would have +worked as hard as any one. I never could have got the children into +their white frocks by two o'clock if it had not been for the help of +the other ladies; but at last they were all dressed, and the +congregation--not much under a hundred people--fed, and arranged in +their places. There had been a difficulty about finding sufficient +godmothers and godfathers, so F--- and I were sponsors for every +child, and each parent wished me to hand the child to the Bishop; +but I could not lift up many of the bigger ones, and they roared +piteously when I touched their hands. I felt it quite a beautiful +and thrilling scene; the sunburnt faces all around, the chubby, +pretty little group of white-clad children, every one well fed and +comfortably clothed, the dogs lying at their masters feet, the +bright winter sunshine and dazzling sky, and our dear Bishops +commanding figure and clear, penetrating voice! He gave us a most +excellent sermon, short and simple, but so perfectly appropriate; +and after the service was over he went about, talking to all the +various groups such nice, helpful words. + +The truest kindness was now to "speed the parting guest," so each +dray load, beginning with those whose homes were the most distant, +was collected. They were first taken into the kitchen and given a +good meal of hot tea, cake, and bread and butter, for many had four +hours' jolting before them; the red blankets were again called into +requisition to act as wraps, besides every cloak and shawl I +possessed, for the moment the sun sunk, which would be about four +o'clock, the cold was sure to become intense. We lived that day in +the most scrambling fashion ourselves; there was plenty of cold +meat, etc., on the dining-room table, and piles of plates, and +whenever any of the party were hungry they went and helped +themselves, as my two servants were entirely occupied with looking +after the comfort of the congregation; it was such a treat to them +to have, even for a few hours, the society of other women. They +have only one female neighbour, and she is generally too busy to see +much of them; besides which, I think the real reason of the want of +intimacy is that Mrs. M--- is a very superior person, and when she +comes up I generally like to have a chat with her myself. It does +me good to see her bonny Scotch face, and hear the sweet kindly +"Scot's tongue;" besides which she is my great instructress in the +mysteries of knitting socks and stockings, spinning, making really +good butter (not an easy thing, madam), and in all sorts of useful +accomplishments; her husband is the head shepherd on the next +station. They are both very fond of reading, and it was quite +pretty to see the delight they took in the Queen's book about the +Highlands. + +To return, however, to that Sunday. We were all dreadfully tired by +the time the last guest had departed, but we had a delightfully +quiet evening, and a long talk with the Bishop about our favourite +scheme of the church and school among the Cockatoos, and we may feel +certain of his hearty cooperation in any feasible plan for carrying +it out. The next morning, much to our regret, the Bishop left us +for Christchurch, but he had to hold a Confirmation service there, +and could not give us even a few more hours. We were so very +fortunate in our weather. The following Sunday was a pouring wet +day, and we have had wind and rain almost ever since; it is +unusually wet, so I have nothing more to tell you of our doings, +which must seem very eccentric to you, by the way, but I assure you +I enjoy the gipsy unconventional life immensely. + +You must not be critical about a jumble of subjects if I record poor +Dick's tragical fate here; it will serve to fill up my letter, and +if ever you have mourned for a pet dog you will sympathise with me. +I must first explain to you that on a sheep station strange dogs are +regarded with a most unfriendly eye by both master and shepherds. +There are the proper colleys,--generally each shepherd has two,--but +no other dogs are allowed, and I had great trouble to coax F--- to +allow me to accept two. One is a beautiful water-spaniel, jet +black, Brisk by name, but his character is stainless in the matter +of sheep, and though very handsome he is only an amiable idiot, his +one amusement being to chase a weka, which he never catches. The +other dog was, alas! Dick, a small black-and-tan terrier, very well +bred, and full of tricks and play. We never even suspected him of +any wickedness, but as it turned out he must have been a hardened +offender. A few weeks after he came to us, when the lambing season +was at its height, and the low sunny hills near the house were +covered with hundreds of the pretty little white creatures, F--- +used sometimes to come and ask me where Dick was, and, strange to +say, Dick constantly did not answer to my call. An evening or two +later, just as we were starting for our walk, Dick appeared in a +great hurry from the back of the stable. F--- went up immediately +to him, and stooped down to examine his mouth, calling me to see. +Oh, horror! it was all covered with blood and wool. I pleaded all +sorts of extenuating circumstances, but F--- said, with: judicial +sternness, "This cannot be allowed." Dick was more fascinating than +usual, never looking at a sheep whilst we were out walking with him, +and behaving in the most exemplary manner. F--- watched him all the +next day, and at last caught him in the act of killing a new-born +lamb a little way from the house; the culprit was brought to me +hanging his tail with the most guilty air, and F--- said, "I ought +to shoot him, but if you like I will try if a beating can cure him, +but it must be a tremendous one." I was obliged to accept this +alternative, and retreated where I could not hear Dick's howls under +the lash, over the body of his victim. A few hours after I went to +the spot, lifted Dick up, and carried him into my room to nurse him; +for he could not move, he had been beaten so severely. For two +whole days he lay on the soft mat I gave him, only able to lap a +little warm milk; on the third morning he tried to get up, and +crawled into the verandah; I followed to watch him. Imagine my +dismay at seeing him limp to the place where the body of his last +victim lay, and deliberately begin tearing it to pieces. I followed +him with my little horsewhip and gave him a slight beating. I could +not find it in my heart to hit him very hard. I carefully concealed +this incident from F---, and for some days I never let Dick out of +my sight for a moment; but early one fine morning a knock came to +our bed-room door, and a voice said, "Please, sir, come and see +what's the matter with the sheep? there's a large mob of them at the +back of the house being driven, like." Oh, my prophetic soul! I +felt it was Dick. Whilst F--- was huddling on some clothes I +implored him to temper justice with mercy, but never a word did he +say, and sternly took his gun in his hand and went out. I buried my +head in the pillows, but for all my precautions I heard the report +of a shot in the clear morning air, and the echo ringing back from +all the hills; five minutes afterwards F--- came in with a little +blue collar in his hand, and said briefly, "He has worried more than +a dozen lambs this morning alone." What could I say? F---'s only +attempt at consolation was, "he died instantly; I shot him through +the head." But for many days afterwards I felt quite lonely and sad +without my poor little pet--yet what could have been done? No one +would have accepted him as a present, and it flashed on me +afterwards that perhaps this vice of his was the reason of Dick's +former owner being so anxious to give him to me. I have had two +offers of successors to Dick since, but I shall never have another +dog on a sheep station, unless I know what Mr. Dickens' little +dressmaker calls "its tricks and its manners." + + + +Letter XX: the New Zealand snowstorm of 1867. + + +Broomielaw, August 1867. +I have had my first experience of real hardships since I last wrote +to you. Yes, we have all had to endure positive hunger and cold, +and, what I found much harder to bear, great anxiety of mind. I +think I mentioned that the weather towards the end of July had been +unusually disagreeable, but not very cold This wet fortnight had a +great deal to do with our sufferings afterwards, for it came exactly +at the time we were accustomed to send our dray down to Christchurch +for supplies of flour and groceries, and to lay in a good stock of +coals for the winter; these latter had been ordered, and were +expected every day. Just the last few days of July the weather +cleared up, and became like our usual most beautiful winter climate; +so, after waiting a day or two, to allow the roads to dry a little, +the dray was despatched to town, bearing a long list of orders, and +with many injunctions to the driver to return as quickly as +possible, for all the stores were at the lowest ebb. I am obliged +to tell you these domestic details, in order that you may understand +the reason of our privations. I acknowledge, humbly, that it was +not good management, but sometimes accidents _will_ occur. It was +also necessary for F--- to make a journey to Christchurch on +business, and as he probably would be detained there for nearly a +week, it was arranged that one of the young gentlemen from Rockwood +should ride over and escort me back there, to remain during F---'s +absence. I am going to give you all the exact dates, for this +snow-storm will be a matter of history, during the present +generation at all events: there is no tradition among the Maoris of +such a severe one ever having occurred; and what made it more fatal +in its financial consequences to every one was, that the lambing +season had only just commenced or terminated on most of the runs. +Only a few days before he left, F--- had taken me for a ride in the +sheltered valleys, that he might see the state of the lambs, and +pronounced it most satisfactory; thousands of the pretty little +creatures were skipping about by their mothers' side. + +I find, by my Diary, July 29th marked, as the beginning of a +"sou'-wester." F--- had arranged to start that morning, and as his +business was urgent, he did not like to delay his departure, though +the day was most unpromising, a steady, fine drizzle, and raw +atmosphere; however, we hurried breakfast, and he set off, +determining to push on to town as quickly as possible. I never +spent such a dismal day in my life: my mind was disturbed by secret +anxieties about the possibility of the dray being detained by wet +weather, and there was such an extraordinary weight in the air, the +dense mist seemed pressing everything down to the ground; however, I +drew the sofa to the fire, made up a good blaze (the last I saw for +some time), and prepared to pass a lazy day with a book; but I felt +so restless and miserable I did not know what was the matter with +me. I wandered from window to window, and still the same unusual +sight met my eyes; a long procession of ewes and lambs, all +travelling steadily down from the hills towards the large flat in +front of the house; the bleating was incessant, and added to the +intense melancholy of the whole affair. When Mr. U--- came in to +dinner; at one o'clock, he agreed with me that it was most unusual +weather, and said, that on the other ranges the sheep were drifting +before the cold mist and rain just in the same way. Our only +anxiety arose from the certainty that the dray would be delayed at +least a day, and perhaps two; this was a dreadful idea: for some +time past we had been economising our resources to make them last, +and we knew that there was absolutely nothing at the home-station, +nor at our nearest neighbour's, for they had sent to borrow tea and +sugar from us. Just at dusk that evening, two gentlemen rode up, +not knowing F--- was from home, and asked if they might remain for +the night. I knew them both very well; in fact, one was our cousin +T---, and the other an old friend; so they put up their horses, and +housed their dogs (for each had a valuable sheep-dog with him) in a +barrel full of clean straw, and we all tried to spend a cheerful +evening, but everybody confessed to the same extraordinary +depression of spirits that I felt. + +When I awoke the next morning, I was not much surprised to see the +snow falling thick and fast: no sheep were now visible, there was a +great silence, and the oppression in the atmosphere had if possible +increased. We had a very poor breakfast,--no porridge, very little +mutton (for in expectation of the house being nearly empty, the +shepherd had not brought any over the preceding day), and _very_ +weak tea; coffee and cocoa all finished, and about an ounce of tea +in the chest. I don't know how the gentlemen amused themselves that +day; I believe they smoked a good deal; I could only afford a small +fire in the drawing-room, over which I shivered. The snow continued +to fall in dense fine clouds, quite unlike any snow I ever saw +before, and towards night I fancied the garden fence was becoming +very much dwarfed. Still the consolation was, "Oh, it won't last; +New Zealand snow never: does." However, on Wednesday morning things +began to look very serious indeed: the snow covered the ground to a +depth of four feet in the shallowest places, and still continued to +fall steadily; the cows we knew _must_ be in the paddock were not to +be seen anywhere; the fowl-house and pig-styes which stood towards +the weather quarter had entirely disappeared; every scrap of wood +(and several logs were lying about at the back) was quite covered +up; both the verandahs were impassable; in one the snow was six feet +deep, and the only door which could be opened was the back-kitchen +door, as that opened inwards; but here the snow was half-way over +the roof, so it took a good deal of work with the kitchen-shovel, +for no spades could be found, to dig out a passage. Indoors, we +were approaching our last mouthful very rapidly, the tea at +breakfast was merely coloured hot water, and we had some picnic +biscuits with it. For dinner we had the last tin of sardines, the +last pot of apricot jam, and a tin of ratifia biscuits a most +extraordinary mixture, I admit, but there was nothing else. There +were six people to be fed every day, and nothing to feed them with. +Thursday's breakfast was a discovered crust of dry bread, very +stale, and our dinner that day was rice and salt--the last rice in +the store-room. The snow still never ceased falling, and only one +window in the house afforded us any light; every box was broken up +and used for fuel. The gentlemen used to go all together and cut, +or rather dig, a passage through the huge drift in front of the +stable, and with much difficulty get some food for the seven +starving horses outside, who were keeping a few yards clear by +incessantly moving about, the snow making high walls all around +them. + +It was wonderful to see how completely the whole aspect of the +surrounding scenery was changed; the gullies were all filled up, and +nearly level with the downs; sharp-pointed cliffs were now round +bluffs; there was no vestige of a fence or gate or shrub to be seen, +and still the snow came down as if it had only just begun to fall; +out of doors the silence was like death, I was told, for I could +only peep down the tunnel dug every few hours at the back-kitchen +door. My two maids now gave way, and sat clasped in each other's +arms all day, crying piteously, and bewailing their fate, asking me +whenever I came into the kitchen, which was about every half-hour, +for there was no fire elsewhere, "And oh, when do you think we'll be +found, mum?" Of course this only referred to the ultimate discovery +of our bodies. There was a great search to-day for the cows, but it +was useless, the gentlemen sank up to their shoulders in snow. +Friday, the same state of things: a little flour had been discovered +in a discarded flour-bag, and we had a sort of girdle-cake and +water. The only thing remaining in the store-room was some +blacklead, and I was considering seriously how that could be cooked, +or whether it would be better raw: we were all more than half +starved, and quite frozen: very little fire in the kitchen, and none +in any other room. Of course, the constant thought was, "Where are +the sheep?" Not a sign or sound could be heard. The dogs' kennels +were covered several feet deep; so we could not get at them at all. +Saturday morning: the first good news I heard was that the cows had +been found, and dragged by ropes down to the enclosure the horses +had made for them-selves: they were half dead, poor beasts; but +after struggling for four hours to and from a haystack two hundred +yards off, one end of which was unburied, some oaten hay was +procured for them. There was now not a particle of food in the +house. The servants remained in their beds, declining to get up, +and alleging that they might as well "die warm." In the middle of +the day a sort of forlorn-hope was organized by the gentlemen to try +to find the fowl-house, but they could not get through the drift: +however, they dug a passage to the wash-house, and returned in +triumph with about a pound of very rusty bacon they had found +hanging up there; this was useless without fuel, so they dug for a +little gate leading to the garden, fortunately hit its whereabouts, +and soon had it broken up and in the kitchen grate. By dint of +taking all the lead out of the tea-chests, shaking it, and +collecting every pinch of tea-dust, we got enough to make a teapot +of the weakest tea, a cup of which I took to my poor crying maids in +their beds, having first put a spoonful of the last bottle of whisky +which the house possessed into it, for there was neither, sugar nor. +milk to be had. At midnight the snow ceased for a few hours, and a +hard sharp frost set in; this made our position worse, for they +could now make no impression on the snow, and only broke the: +shovels in trying. I began to think seriously of following the +maids example, in order to "die warm." We could do nothing but wait +patiently. I went up to a sort of attic where odds and ends were +stowed away, in search of something to eat, but could find nothing +more tempting than a supply of wax matches. We knew there was a cat +under the house, for we heard her mewing; and it was suggested to +take up the carpets first, then the boards, and have a hunt for the +poor old pussy but we agreed to bear our hunger a little longer, +chiefly, I am afraid, because she was known to be both thin and +aged. + +Towards noon on Sunday the weather suddenly changed, and rain began +to come down heavily and steadily; this cheered us all immensely, as +it would wash the snow away probably, and so it did to some degree; +the highest drifts near the house lessened considerably in a few +hours, and the gentlemen, who by this time were desperately hungry, +made a final attempt in the direction of the fowl-house, found the +roof, tore off some shingles, and returned with a few aged hens, +which were mere bundles of feathers after their week's starvation. +The servants consented to rise and pluck them, whilst the gentlemen +sallied forth once more to the stock-yard, and with great difficulty +got off two of the cap or top rails, so we had a splendid though +transitory blaze, and some hot stewed fowl; it was more of a soup +than anything else, but still we thought it delicious: and then +everybody went to bed again, for the house was quite dark still, and +the oil and candles were running very low. On Monday morning the +snow was washed off the roof a good deal by the deluge of rain which +had never ceased to come steadily down, and the windows were cleared +a little, just at the top; but we were delighted with the +improvement, and some cold weak fowl-soup for breakfast, which we +thought excellent. On getting out of doors, the gentlemen reported +the creeks to be much swollen and rushing in yellow streams down the +sides of the hills over the snow, which was apparently as thick as +ever; but it was now easier to get through at the surface, though +quite solid for many feet from the ground. A window was scraped +clear, through which I could see the desolate landscape out of +doors, and some hay was carried with much trouble to the starving +cows and horses, but this was a work of almost incredible +difficulty. Some more fowls were procured to-day, nearly the last, +for a large hole in the roof showed most of them dead of cold and +hunger. + +We were all in much better spirits on this night, for there were +signs of the wind shifting from south to north-west; and, for the +first time in our lives I suppose, we were anxiously watching and +desiring this change, as it was the only chance of saving the +thousands of sheep and lambs we now knew lay buried under the smooth +white winding-sheet of snow. Before bedtime we heard the fitful +gusts we knew so well, and had never before hailed with such deep +joy and thankfulness. Every time I woke the same welcome sound of +the roaring warm gale met my ears; and we were prepared for the +pleasant sight, on Tuesday morning, of the highest rocks on the +hill-tops standing out gaunt and bare once more. The wind was +blowing the snow off the hills in clouds like spray, and melting it +everywhere so rapidly that we began to have a new anxiety, for the +creeks were rising fast, and running in wide, angry-looking rivers +over the frozen snow on the banks. All immediate apprehension of +starvation, however, was removed, for the gentlemen dug a pig out of +his stye, where he had been warm and comfortable with plenty of +straw, and slaughtered him; and in the loft of the stable was found +a bag of Indian meal for fattening poultry, which made excellent +cakes of bread. It was very nasty having only ice-cold water to +drink at every meal. I especially missed my tea for breakfast; but +felt ashamed to grumble, for my disagreeables were very light +compared to those of the three gentlemen. From morning to night +they were wet through, as the snow of course melted the moment they +came indoors. All the first part of the last week they used to work +out of doors, trying to get food and fuel, or feeding the horses, in +the teeth of a bitter wind, with the snow driving like powdered +glass against their smarting hands and faces; and they were as +cheery and merry as possible through it all, trying hard to pretend +they were neither hungry nor cold, when they must have been both. +Going out of doors at this stage of affairs simply meant plunging up +to their middle in a slush of half-melted snow which wet them +thoroughly in a moment; and they never had dry clothes on again till +they changed after dark, when there was no more possibility of +outdoor work. + +Wednesday morning broke bright and clear for the first time since +Sunday week; we actually saw the sun. Although the "nor-wester" had +done so much good for us, and a light wind still blew softly from +that quarter, the snow was yet very deep; but I felt in such high +spirits that I determined to venture out, and equipped myself in a +huge pair of F---'s riding-boots made of kangaroo-skin, well greased +with weka-oil to keep the wet out, These I put on over my own thick +boots, but my precautions "did nought avail," for the first step I +took sank me deep in the snow over the tops of my enormous boots. +They filled immediately, and then merely served to keep the snow +securely packed round my ankles; however, I struggled bravely on, +every now and then sinking up to my shoulders, and having to be +hauled out by main force. The first thing done was to dig out the +dogs, who assisted the process by vigorously scratching away inside +and tunnelling towards us. Poor things! how thin they looked, but +they were quite warm; and after indulging in a long drink at the +nearest creek, they bounded about, like mad creatures. The only +casualties in the kennels were two little puppies, who were lying +cuddled up as if they were asleep, but proved to be stiff and cold; +and a very old but still valuable collie called "Gipsy." She was +enduring such agonies from rheumatism that it was terrible to hear +her howls; and after trying to relieve her by rubbing, taking her +into the stable-and in fact doing all we could for her--it seemed +better and kinder to shoot her two days afterwards. + +We now agreed to venture into the paddock and see what had happened +to the bathing-place about three hundred yards from the house. I +don't think I have told you that the creek had been here dammed up +with a sod wall twelve feet high, and a fine deep and broad pond +made, which was cleared of weeds and grass, and kept entirely for +the gentlemen to have a plunge and swim at daylight of a summer's +morning; there had been a wide trench cut about two feet from the +top, so as to carry off the water, and hitherto this had answered +perfectly. The first thing we had to do was to walk over the high +five-barred gate leading into the paddock just the topmost bar was +sticking up, but there was not a trace of the little garden-gate or +of the fence, which was quite a low one. We were, however, rejoiced +to see that on the ridges of the sunny downs there were patches, or +rather streaks, of tussocks visible, and they spread in size every +moment, for the sun was quite warm, and the "nor'-wester," had done +much towards softening the snow. It took us a long time to get down +to where the bathing-place _had been_, for the sod wall was quite +carried away, and there was now only a heap of ruin, with a muddy +torrent pouring through the large gap and washing it still more +away. Close to this was a very sunny sheltered down, or rather +hill; and as the snow was rapidly melting off its warm sloping sides +we agreed to climb it and see if any sheep could be discovered, for +up to this time there had been none seen or heard, though we knew +several thousands must be on this flat and the adjoining ones. + +As soon as we got to the top the first glance showed us a small +dusky patch close to the edge of one of the deepest and widest +creeks at the bottom of the pad-dock; experienced eyes saw they were +sheep, but to me they had not the shape of animals at all, though +they were quite near enough to be seen distinctly. I observed the +gentlemen exchange looks of alarm, and they said to each other some +low words, from which I gathered that they feared the worst. Before +we went down to the flat we took a long, careful look round, and +made out another patch, dark by comparison with the snow, some two +hundred yards lower down the creek, but apparently in the water. On +the other side of the little hill the snow seemed to have drifted +even more deeply, for the long narrow valley which lay there +presented, as far as we could see, one smooth, level snow-field. On +the dazzling white surface the least fleck shows, and I can never +forget how beautiful some swamp-hens, with their dark blue plumage, +short, pert, white tails, and long bright legs, looked, as they +searched slowly along the banks of the swollen creek for some traces +of their former haunts; but every tuft of tohi-grass lay bent and +buried deep beneath its heavy covering. The gentlemen wanted me to +go home before they attempted to see the extent of the disaster, +which we all felt must be very great; but I found it impossible to +do anything but accompany them. I am half glad and half sorry now +that I was obstinate; glad because I helped a little at a time when +the least help was precious, and sorry because it was really such a +horrible sight. Even the first glance showed us that, as soon as we +got near the spot we had observed, we were walking on frozen sheep +embedded in the snow one over the other; but at all events their +misery had been over some time. It was more horrible to see the +drowning, or just drowned, huddled-up "mob" (as sheep _en masse_ are +technically called) which had made the dusky patch we had noticed +from the hill. + +No one can ever tell how many hundred ewes and lambs had taken +refuge under the high terrace which forms the bank of the creek. +The snow had soon covered them up, but they probably were quite warm +and dry at first. The terrible mischief was caused by the creek +rising so rapidly, and, filtering through the snow which it +gradually dissolved, drowned them as they stood huddled together. +Those nearest the edge of the water of course went first, but we +were fortunately in time to save a good many, though the living +seemed as nothing compared to the heaps of dead. We did not waste a +moment in regrets or idleness; the most experienced of the gentlemen +said briefly what was to be done, and took his coat off; the other +coats and my little Astrachan jacket were lying by its side in an +instant, and we all set to work, sometimes up to our knees in icy +water, digging at the bank of snow above us--if you can call it +digging when we had nothing but our hands to dig, or rather scratch, +with. Oh, how hot we were in five minutes! the sun beating on us, +and the reflection from the snow making its rays almost blinding. +It was of no use my attempting to rescue the sheep, for I could not +move them, even when I had _scrattled_ the snow away from one. A +sheep, especially with its fleece full of snow, is beyond my small +powers: even the lambs I found a tremendous weight, and it must have +been very absurd, if an idler had been by, to see me, with a little +lamb in my arms, tumbling down at every second step, but still +struggling manfully towards the dry oasis where we put each animal +as it was dug out. The dear doggies helped us beautifully, working +so eagerly and yet so wisely under their master's eye, as patient +and gentle with the poor stiffened creatures as if they could feel +for them. I was astonished at the vitality of some of the +survivors; if they had been very far back and not chilled by the +water, they were quite lively. The strongest sheep were put across +the stream by the dogs, who were obedient to their master's finger, +and not to be induced on any terms to allow the sheep to land a yard +to one side of the place on the opposite bank, but just where they +were to go. A good many were swept away, but after six hours' work +we counted 1,400 rescued ones slowly "trailing" up the low sunny +hill I have mentioned, and nibbling at the tussocks as they went. +The proportion of lambs was, of course, very small, but the only +wonder to me is that there were any alive at all. If I had been +able to stop my scratching but for a moment, I would have had what +the servants call a "good cry" over one little group I laid bare. +Two fine young ewes were standing leaning against each other in a +sloping position, like a tent, frozen and immoveable: between them, +quite dry, and as lively as a kitten, was a dear little lamb of +about a month old belonging to one; the lamb of the other lay curled +up at her feet, dead and cold; I really believe they had hit upon +this way of keeping the other alive. A more pathetic sight I never +beheld. + +It is needless to say that we were all most dreadfully exhausted by +the time the sun went down, and it began to freeze; nothing but the +sheer impossibility of doing anything more in the hardening snow and +approaching darkness made us leave off even then, though we had not +tasted food all day. The gentlemen took an old ewe, who could not +stand, though it was not actually dead, up to the stable and killed +it, to give the poor dogs a good meal, and then they had to get some +more rails off the stock-yard to cook our own supper of pork and +maize. + +The next morning was again bright with a warm wind; so the effect of +the night's frost soon disappeared, and we were hard at work +directly after breakfast. Nothing would induce me to stay at home, +but I armed myself with a coal-scoop to dig, and we made our way to +the other "mob;" but, alas! there was nothing to do in the way of +saving life, for all the sheep were dead. There was a large island +formed at a bend in the creek, where the water had swept with such +fury round a point as to wash the snow and sheep all away together, +till at some little obstacle they began to accumulate in a heap. I +counted ninety-two dead ewes in one spot, but I did not stay to +count the lambs. We returned to the place where we had been digging +the day before, and set the dogs to hunt in the drifts; wherever +they began to scratch we shovelled the snow away, and were sure to +find sheep either dead or nearly so: however, we liberated a good +many more. This sort of work continued till the following Saturday, +when F--- returned, having had a most dangerous journey, as the +roads are still blocked up in places with snow-drifts; but he was +anxious to get back, knowing I must have been going through "hard +times." He was terribly shocked at the state of things among the +sheep; in Christchurch no definite news had reached them from any +quarter: all the coaches were stopped and the telegraph wires broken +down by the snow. He arrived about mid-day, and, directly after the +meal we still called dinner, started off over the hills to my "nest +of Cockatoos," and brought back some of the men with him to help to +search for the sheep, and to skin those that were dead as fast as +possible. He worked himself all day at the skinning,--a horrible +job; but the fleeces were worth something, and soon all the fences, +as they began to emerge from the snow, were tapestried with these +ghastly skins, and walking became most disagreeable, on account of +the evil odours arising every few yards. + +We forgot all our personal sufferings in anxiety about the surviving +sheep, and when the long-expected dray arrived it seemed a small +boon compared to the discovery of a nice little "mob" feeding +tranquilly on a sunny spur. It is impossible to estimate our loss +until the grand muster at shearing, but we may set it down at half +our flock, and _all_ our lambs, or at least 90 per cent. of them. +Our neighbours are all as busy as we are, so no accurate accounts of +their sufferings or losses have reached us; but, to judge by +appearances, the distant "back-country" ranges must have felt the +storm more severely even than we have; and although the snow did not +drift to such a depth on the plains as with us, or lie so long on +the ground, they suffered just as much,--for the sheep took shelter +under the high river-banks, and the tragedy of the creeks was +enacted on a still larger scale; or they drifted along before the +first day's gale till they came to a wire fence, and there they were +soon covered up, and trampled each other to death. Not only were +sheep, but cattle, found dead in hundreds along the fences on the +plains. The newspapers give half a million as a rough estimate of +the loss among the flocks in this province alone. We have no +reliable news from other parts of the island, only vague rumours of +the storm having been still more severe in the Province of Otago, +which lies to the south, and would be right in its track; the only +thing which all are agreed in saying is, that there never has been +such a storm before, for the Maories are strong in weather +traditions, and though they prophesied this one, it is said they +have no legend of anything like it ever having happened. + + + +Letter XXI: Wild cattle hunting in the Kowai Bush. + + +Mount Torlesse, October 1867. +We are staying for a week at a charming little white cottage covered +with roses and honeysuckles, nestled under the shadow of this grand +mountain, to make some expeditions after wild cattle in the great +Kowai Bush. I am afraid that it does not sound a very orderly and +feminine occupation, but I enjoy it thoroughly, and have covered +myself with glory and honour by my powers of walking all day. + +We have already spent three long happy days in the Bush, and +although they have not resulted in much slaughter of our big game, +still I for one am quite as well pleased as if we had returned laden +with as many beeves as used to come in from a border foray. I am +not going to inflict an account of each expedition on you; one will +serve to give an idea of all, for though there is no monotony in +Nature, it may chance that frequent descriptions of her become so, +and this I will not risk. + +Our ride over here was a sufficiently ridiculous affair, owing to +the misbehaviour of the pack-horse, for it was impossible upon this +occasion to manage with as little luggage as usual, so we arranged +to take a good-sized carpet-bag (a most unheard-of luxury), and on +each side of it was to be slung a rifle and a gun, and smaller bags +of bullets, shot, and powder-flasks, disposed to the best advantage +on the pack-saddle. This was all very well in theory, but when it +came to the point, the proper steady old horse who was to bear the +pack was not forthcoming! He had taken it into his head to go on a +visit to a neighbouring run, so the only available beast was a young +chestnut of most uncertain temper. The process of saddling him was +a long one, as he objected to each item of his load as soon as it +was put on, especially to the guns; but F--- was very patient, and +took good care to tie and otherwise fasten everything so that it was +impossible for "Master Tucker" (called, I suppose, after the +immortal Tommy) to get rid of his load by either kicking or +plunging. At last we mounted and rode by a bridle-path among the +hills for some twelve miles or so, then across half-a-dozen miles of +plain, and finally we forded a river. The hill-track was about as +bad as a path could be, with several wide jumps across creeks at the +bottom of the numerous deep ravines, or gullies as we call them. +F--- rode first--for we could only go in single file--with the +detestable Tucker's bridle over his arm; then came the chestnut, +with his ears well back, and his eyes all whites, in his efforts to +look at his especial aversion, the guns; he kicked all the way down +the many hills, and pulled back in the most aggravating manner at +each ascent, and when we came to a creek sat down on his tail, +refusing to stir. My position was a most trying one; the track was +so bad that I would fain have given my mind entirely to my own +safety, but instead of this all my attention was centred on Tucker +the odious. When we first started I expressed to F--- my fear that +Tucker would fairly drag him off his own saddle, and he admitted +that it was very likely, adding, "You must flog him." This made me +feel that it entirely depended on my efforts whether F--- was to be +killed or not, so I provided myself with a small stock-whip in +addition to my own little riding-whip, and we set off. From the +first yard Tucker objected to go, but there were friendly sticks to +urge him on; however, we soon got beyond the reasonable limits of +help, and I tried desperately to impress upon Tucker that I was +going to be very severe: for this purpose I flourished my stock-whip +in a way that drove my own skittish mare nearly frantic, and never +touched Tucker, whom F--- was dragging along by main force. At last +I gave up the stock-whip, with its unmanageable three yards of lash, +and dropped it on the track, to be picked up as we came home. I now +tried to hit Tucker with my horse-whip, but he flung his heels up in +Helen's face the moment I touched him. I was in perfect despair, +very much afraid of a sudden swerve on my mare's part sending us +both down the precipice, and in equal dread of seeing F--- pulled +off his saddle by Tucker's suddenly planting his fore-feet firmly +together: F--- himself, with the expression of a martyr, looking +round every now and then to say, "Can't you make him come on?" and I +hitting wildly and vainly, feeling all the time that I was worse +than useless. At last the bright idea occurred to me to ride nearly +alongside of the fiendish Tucker, but a little above him on the +hill, so as to be able to strike him fairly without fear of his +heels. As far as Tucker was concerned this plan answered perfectly, +for he soon found out he had to go; but Helen objected most +decidedly to being taken off the comparative safety of the track and +made to walk on a slippery, sloping hill, where she could hardly +keep her feet; however, we got on much faster this way. Oh, how +tired I was of striking Tucker! I don't believe I hurt him much, +but I felt quite cruel. When we came to the plain, I begged F--- to +let me lead him; so we changed, and there was no holding back on the +chestnut's part then; it must have been like the grass and the +stones in the fable. I never was more thankful than when that ride +was over, though its disagreeables were soon forgotten in the warm +welcome we received from our bachelor hosts, and the incessant +discussions about the next day's excursion. + +We had finished breakfast by seven o'clock the following morning, +and were ready to start. Of course the gentlemen were very fussy +about their equipments, and hung themselves all over with cartridges +and bags of bullets and powder-flasks; then they had to take care +that their tobacco-pouches and match-boxes were filled; and lastly, +each carried a little flask of brandy or sherry, in case of being +lost and having to camp out. I felt quite unconcerned, having only +my flask with cold tea in it to see about, and a good walking-stick +was easily chosen. My costume may be described as uncompromising, +for it had been explained to me that there were no paths but real +rough bush walking; so I dispensed with all little feminine +adornments even to the dearly-loved chignon, tucked my hair away as +if I was going to put on a bathing-cap, and covered it with a Scotch +bonnet. The rest of my toilette must have been equally shocking to +the eyes of taste, and I have reason to believe the general effect +most hideous; but one great comfort was, no one looked at me, they +were all too much absorbed in preparations for a great slaughter, +and I only came at all upon sufferance; the unexpressed but +prevailing dread, I could plainly see, was that I should knock up +and become a bore, necessitating an early return home; but I knew +better! + +An American waggon and some ponies were waiting to take the whole +party to the entrance of the bush, about four miles off, and, in +spite of having to cross a rough river-bed, which is always a slow +process, it did not take us very long to reach our first point. +Here we dismounted, just at the edge of the great dense forest, and, +with as little delay as possible in fine arrangements, struck into a +path or bullock-track, made for about three miles into the bush for +the convenience of dragging out the felled trees by ropes or chains +attached to bullocks; they are not placed upon a waggon, so you may +easily imagine the state the track was in, ploughed up by huge logs +of timber dragged on the ground, and by the bullocks' hoofs besides. +It was a mere slough with deep holes of mud in it, and we scrambled +along its extreme edge, chiefly trusting to the trees on each side, +which still lay as they had been felled, the men not considering +them good enough to remove. At last we came to a clearing, and I +quite despair of making you understand how romantic and lovely this +open space in the midst of the tall trees looked that beautiful +spring morning. I involuntarily thought of the descriptions in +"Paul and Virginia," for the luxuriance of the growth was quite +tropical. For about two acres the trees had been nearly all felled, +only one or two giants remaining; their stumps were already hidden +by clematis and wild creepers of other kinds, or by a sort of fern +very like the hart's-tongue, which will only grow on the bark of +trees, and its glossy leaves made an exquisite contrast to the rough +old root. The "bushmen"--as the men who have bought twenty-acre +sections and settled in the bush are called--had scattered English +grass-seed all over the rich leafy mould, and the ground was covered +with bright green grass, kept short and thick by a few tame goats +browsing about. Before us was the steep bank of the river +Waimakiriri, and a few yards from its edge stood a picturesque +gable-ended little cottage surrounded by a rustic fence, which +enclosed a strip of garden gay with common English spring flowers, +besides more useful things, potatoes, etc. The river was about two +hundred yards broad just here, and though it foamed below us, we +could also see it stretching away in the distance almost like a +lake, till a great bluff hid it from our eyes. Overhead the trees +were alive with flocks of wild pigeons, ka-kas, parroquets, and +other birds, chattering and twittering incessantly and as we stood +on the steep bank and looked down, I don't think a minute passed +without a brace of wild ducks flying past, grey, blue, and Paradise. +These latter are the most beautiful plumaged birds I ever saw +belonging to the duck tribe, and, when young, are very good eating, +quite as delicate as the famous canvas-back. This sight so excited +our younger sportsmen that they scrambled down the high precipice, +followed by a water-spaniel, and in five minutes had bagged as many +brace. We could not give them any more time, for it was past nine +o'clock, and we were all eager to start on the serious business of +the day; but before we left, the mistress of this charming +"bush-hut" insisted on our having some hot coffee and scones and +wild honey, a most delicious second breakfast. There was a pretty +little girl growing up, and a, younger child, both the picture of +health; the only drawback seemed to be the mosquitoes; it was not +very lonely, for one or two other huts stood in clearings adjoining, +and furnished us with three bushmen as guides and assistants. I +must say, they were the most picturesque of the party, being all +handsome men, dressed in red flannel shirts and leathern +knickerbockers and gaiters; they had fine beards, and wore "diggers' +hats," a head-dress of American origin--a sort of wide-awake made of +plush, capable of being crushed into any shape, and very becoming. +All were armed with either rifle or gun, and one carried an axe and +a coil of rope; another had a gun such as is seldom seen out of an +arsenal; it was an old flint lock, but had been altered to a +percussion; its owner was very proud of it, not so much for its +intrinsic beauty, though it once had been a costly and splendid +weapon and was elaborately inlaid with mother-of-pearl, but because +it had belonged to a former Duke of Devonshire. In spite of its +claims to consideration on this head as well as its own beauty, we +all eyed it with extreme disfavour on account of a peculiarity it +possessed of not going off when it was intended to do so, but about +five minutes afterwards. + +It was suggested to me very politely that I might possibly prefer to +remain behind and spend the day in this picturesque spot, but this +offer I declined steadily; I think the bushmen objected to my +presence more than any one else, as they really meant work, and +dreaded having to turn back for a tired "female" (they never spoke +of me by any other term). At last all the information was collected +about the probable whereabouts of the wild cattle--it was so +contradictory, that it must have been difficult to arrange any plan +by it,--and we started. A few hundred yards took us past the +clearings and into the very heart of the forest. We had left the +sun shining brightly overhead; here it was all a "great green +gloom." I must describe to you the order in which we marched. +First came two of the most experienced "bush-hands," who carried a +tomahawk or light axe with which to clear the most cruel of the +brambles away, and to notch the trees as a guide to us on our +return; and also a compass, for we had to steer for a certain point, +the bearings of which we knew--of course the procession was in +Indian file: next to these pioneers walked, very cautiously, almost +on tiptoe, four of our sportsmen; then I came; and four or five +others, less keen or less well armed, brought up the rear. I may +here confess that I endured in silence agonies of apprehension for +my personal safety all day. It was so dreadful to see a bramble or +wild creeper catch in the lock of the rifle before me, and to +reflect that, unless its owner was very careful, it might "go off of +its own accord," and to know that I was exposed to a similar danger +from those behind. + +We soon got on the fresh tracks of some cows, and proceeded most +cautiously and silently; but it could hardly be called walking, it +was alternately pushing through dense undergrowth, crawling beneath, +or climbing over, high barricades made by fallen trees. These +latter obstacles I found the most difficult, for the bark was so +slippery; and once, when with much difficulty I had scrambled up a +pile of _debris_ at least ten feet high, I incautiously stepped on +some rotten wood at the top, and went through it into a sort of deep +pit, out of which it was very hard to climb. On comparing notes +afterwards, we found, that although we had walked without a moment's +cessation for eleven hours during the day, a pedometer only gave +twenty-two miles as the distance accomplished. Before we had been +in the bush half an hour our faces were terribly scratched and +bleeding, and so were the gentlemen's hands; my wrists also +suffered, as my gauntlets would not do their duty and lie flat. +There were myriads of birds around us, all perfectly tame; many flew +from twig to twig, accompanying us with their little pert heads on +one side full of curiosity; the only animals we saw were some wild +sheep looking very disreputable with their long tails and torn, +trailing fleeces of six or seven years' growth. There are supposed +to be some hundreds of these in the bush who have strayed into it +years ago, when they were lambs, from neighbouring runs. The last +man in the silent procession put a match into a dead tree every here +and there, to serve as a torch to guide us back in the dark; but +this required great judgment for fear of setting the whole forest on +fire: the tree required to be full of damp decay, which would only +smoulder and not blaze. We intended to steer for a station on the +other side of a narrow neck of the Great Bush, ten miles off, as +nearly as we could guess, but we made many detours after fresh +tracks. Once these hoof-marks led us to the brink of such a pretty +creek, exactly like a Scotch burn, wide and noisy, tumbling down +from rock to rock, but not very deep. After a whispered +consultation, it was determined to follow up this creek to a +well-known favourite drinking-place of the cattle, but it was easier +walking in the water than on the densely-grown banks, so all the +gentlemen stepped in one after another. I hesitated a moment with +one's usual cat-like antipathy to wet feet, when a, stalwart bushman +approached, with rather a victimised air and the remark: "Ye're +heavy, nae doot, to carry." I was partly affronted at this +prejudgment of the case, and partly determined to show that I was +equal to the emergency, for I immediately jumped into the water, +frightening myself a good deal by the tremendous splash I made, and +meeting reproving glances; and nine heads were shaken violently at +me. + +Nothing could be more beautiful than the winding banks of this +creek, fringed with large ferns in endless variety; it was +delightful to see the sun and sky once more overhead, but I cannot +say that it was the easiest possible walking, and I soon found out +that the cleverest thing to do was to wade a little way behind the +shortest gentleman of the party, for when he disappeared in a hole I +knew it in time to avoid a similar fate; whereas, as long as I +persisted in stalking solemnly after my own tall natural protector, +I found that I was always getting into difficulties in unexpectedly +deep places. I saw the bushmen whispering together, and examining +the rocks in some places, but I found on inquiry that their thoughts +were occupied at the moment by other ideas than sport; one of them +had been a digger, and was pronouncing an opinion that this creek +was very likely to prove a "home of the gold" some day. There is a +strong feeling prevalent that gold will be found in great quantities +all over the island. At this time of the year the water is very +shallow, but the stream evidently comes down with tremendous force +in the winter; and they talk of having "found the colour" (of gold) +in some places. We proceeded in this way for about three miles, +till we reached a beautiful, clear, deep pool, into which the water +fell from a height in a little cascade; the banks here were well +trodden, and the hoof-prints quite recent; great excitement was +caused by hearing a distant lowing, but after much listening, in +true Indian fashion, with the ear to the ground, everybody was of a +different opinion as to the side from whence the sound proceeded, so +we determined to keep on our original course; the compass was once +more produced, and we struck into a dense wood of black birch. + +Ever since we left the clearing from which the start was made, we +had turned our backs on the river, but about three o'clock in the +afternoon we came suddenly on it again, and stood on the most +beautiful spot I ever saw in my life. We were on the top of a high +precipice, densely wooded to the water's edge. Some explorers in +bygone days must have camped here, for half-a-dozen trees were +felled, and the thick brush-wood had been burnt for a few yards, +just enough to let us take in the magnificent view before and around +us. Below roared and foamed, among great boulders washed down from +the cliff, the Waimakiriri; in the middle of it lay a long narrow +strip of white shingle, covered with water in the winter floods, but +now shining like snow in the bright sunlight. Beyond this the river +flowed as placidly as a lake, in cool green depths, reflecting every +leaf of the forest on the high bank or cliff opposite. To our right +it stretched away, with round headlands covered with timber running +down in soft curves to the water. But on our left was the most +perfect composition for a picture in the foreground a great reach of +smooth water, except just under the bank we stood on, where the +current was strong and rapid; a little sparkling beach, and a vast +forest rising up from its narrow border, extending over chain after +chain of hills, till they rose to the glacial region, and then the +splendid peaks of the snowy range broke the deep blue sky line with +their grand outlines. + +All this beauty would have been almost too oppressive, it was on +such a large scale and the solitude was so intense, if it had not +been for the pretty little touch of life and movement afforded by +the hut belonging to the station we were bound for. It was only a +rough building, made of slabs of wood with cob between; but there +was a bit of fence and the corner of a garden and an English grass +paddock, which looked about as big as a pocket-handkerchief from +where we stood. A horse or two and a couple of cows were tethered +near, and we could hear the bark of a dog. A more complete +hermitage could not have been desired by Diogenes himself, and for +the first time we felt ashamed of invading the recluse in such a +formidable body, but ungrudging, open-handed hospitality is so +universal in New Zealand that we took courage and began our descent. +It really was like walking down the side of a house, and no one +could stir a step without at least one arm round a tree. I had no +gun to carry, so I clung frantically with both arms to each stem in +succession. The steepness of the cliff was the reason we could take +in all the beauty of the scene before us, for the forest was as +thick as ever; but we could see over the tops of the trees, as the +ground dropped sheer down, almost in a straight line from the +plateau we had been travelling on all day. As soon as we reached +the shingle, on which we had to walk for a few hundred yards, we +bethought ourselves of our toilettes; the needle and thread I had +brought did good service in making us more presentable. We +discovered, however, that our faces were a perfect network of fine +scratches, some of which _would_ go on bleeding, in spite of cold- +water applications. Our boots were nearly dry; and my petticoat, +short as it was, proved to be the only damp garment: this was the +fault of my first jump into the water. We put the least scratched +and most respectable-looking member of the party in the van, and +followed him, amid much barking of dogs, to the low porch; and after +hearing a cheery "Come in," answering our modest tap at the door, we +trooped in one after the other till the little room was quite full. +I never saw such astonishment on any human face as on that of the +poor master of the house, who could not stir from his chair by the +fire, on account of a bad wound in his leg from an axe. There he +sat quite helpless, a moment ago so solitary, arid now finding +himself the centre of a large, odd-looking crowd of strangers. He +was a middle-aged Scotchman, probably of not a very elevated +position in life, and had passed many years in this lonely spot, and +yet he showed himself quite equal to the occasion. + +After that first uncontrollable look of amazement he did the honours +of his poor hut with the utmost courtesy and true good-breeding. +His only apology was for being unable to rise from his arm-chair +(made out of half a barrel and an old flour-sack by the way); he +made us perfectly welcome, took it for granted we were hungry-- +hunger is a very mild word to express my appetite, for one--called +by a loud coo-ee to his man Sandy, to whom he gave orders that the +best in the house should be put before us, and then began to inquire +by what road we had come, what sport we had, etc., all in the nicest +way possible. I never felt more awkward in my life than when I +stooped to enter that low doorway, and yet in a minute I was quite +at my ease again; but of the whole party I was naturally the one who +puzzled him the most. In the first place, I strongly suspect that +he had doubts as to my being anything but a boy in a rather long +kilt; and when this point was explained, he could not understand +what a "female," as he also called me, was doing on a rough hunting +expedition. He particularly inquired more than once if I had come +of my own free will, and could not understand what pleasure I found +in walking so far. Indeed he took it so completely for granted that +I must be exhausted, that he immediately began to make plans for +F--- and me to stop there all night, offering to give up his "bunk" +(some slabs of wood made into a shelf, with a tussock mattress and a +blanket), and to sleep himself in his arm-chair. + +In the meantime, Sandy was preparing our meal. There was an open +hearth with a fine fire, and a big black kettle hanging over it by a +hook fastened somewhere up the chimney. As soon as this boiled he +went to a chest, or rather locker, and brought a double-handful of +tea, which he threw into the kettle; then he took from a cupboard +the biggest loaf, of bread I ever saw--a huge thing, which had been +baked in a camp-oven--and flapped it down on the table with a bang; +next he produced a tin milk-pan, and returned to the cupboard to +fetch out by the shank-bone a mutton-ham, which he placed in the +milk-dish: a bottle of capital whisky was forthcoming from the same +place; a little salt on one newspaper, and brown, or rather _black_, +sugar on another, completed the arrangements, and we were politely +told by Sandy to "wire in,"--digger's phraseology for an invitation +to commence, which we did immediately, as soon as we could make an +arrangement about the four tin plates and three pannikins. I had +one all to myself, but the others managed by twos and threes to each +plate. I never had a better luncheon in my life; everything was +excellent in its way, and we all possessed what we are told is the +best sauce. Large as the supplies were, we left hardly anything, +and the more we devoured the more pleased our host seemed. There +were no chairs; we sat on logs of trees rudely chopped into +something like horse-blocks, but to tired limbs which had known no +rest from six hours' walking they seemed delightful. After we had +finished our meal, the gentlemen went outside to have half a pipe +before setting off again; they dared not smoke whilst we were after +the cattle, for fear of their perceiving some unusual smell; and I +remained for ten minutes with Mr---. I found that he was very fond +of reading; his few books were all of a good stamp, but he was +terribly hard-up for anything which he had not read a hundred times +over. I hastily ran over the names of some books of my own, which I +offered to lend him for as long a time as he liked: and we made +elaborate plans for sending them, of my share in which I took a +memorandum. He seemed very grateful at the prospect of having +anything new, especially now that he was likely to be laid up for +some weeks, and I intend to make every effort to give him this great +pleasure as soon as possible. + +We exchanged the most hearty farewells when the time of parting +came, and our host was most earnest in his entreaties to us to +remain; but it was a question of getting out of the bush before +dusk, so we could not delay. He sent Sandy to guide us by a rather +longer but easier way than climbing up the steep cliff to the place +where the little clearing at its edge which I have mentioned had +been made; and we dismissed our guide quite happy with contributions +from all the tobacco-pouches, for no one had any money with him. We +found our way back again by the notches on the trees as long as the +light lasted, and when it got too dark to see them easily, the +smouldering trunks guided us, and we reached the clearing from which +we started in perfect safety. Good Mrs. D--- had a bountiful tea +ready; she was much concerned at our having yet some three miles of +bad walking before we could reach the hut on the outskirts of the +bush, where we had left the trap and the ponies. When we got to +this point there was actually another and still more sumptuous meal +set out for us, to which, alas! we were unable to do any justice; +and then we found our way to the station across the flat, down a +steep cutting, and through the river-bed, all in the dark and cold. +We had supper as soon as we reached home, tumbling into bed as early +as might be afterwards for such a sleep as you Londoners don't know +anything about. + +I have only described one expedition to you, and that the most +unsuccessful, as far as killing anything goes; but my hunting +instincts only lead me to the point of reaching the game; when it +comes to that, I always try to save its life, and if this can't be +done, I retire to a distance and stop my ears; indeed, if very much +over-excited, I can't help crying. Consequently, I enjoy myself +much more when we don't kill anything; and, on the other occasions, +I never could stop and see even the shot fired which was to bring a +fine cow or a dear little calf down, but crept away as far as ever I +could, and muffled my head in my jacket. The bushmen liked this +part of the performance the best, I believe, and acted as butchers +very readily, taking home a large joint each to their huts, a +welcome change after the eternal pigeons, ka-kas, and wild ducks on +which they live. + + + +Letter XXII: The exceeding joy of "burning." + + +Broomielaw, December 1867. +I am quite sorry that the season for setting fire to the long grass, +or, as it is technically called, "burning the run," is fairly over +at last. It has been later than usual this year, on account of the +snow having lain such an unusual time on the ground and kept the +grass damp. Generally September is the earliest month in which it +begins, and November the latest for it to end; but this year the +shady side of "Flagpole" was too moist to take fire until December. + +It is useless to think of setting out on a burning expedition unless +there is a pretty strong nor'-wester blowing; but it must not be +_too_ violent, or the flames will fly over the grass, just scorching +it instead of making "a clean burn." But when F--- pronounces the +wind to be just right, and proposes that we should go to some place +where the grass is of two, or, still better, three years' growth, +then I am indeed happy. I am obliged to be careful not to have on +any inflammable petticoats, even if it is quite a warm day, as they +are very dangerous; the wind will shift suddenly perhaps as, I am in +the very act of setting a tussock a-blaze, and for half a second I +find myself in the middle of the flames. F--- generally gets his +beard well singed, and I have nearly lost my eyelashes more than +once. We each provide ourselves with a good supply of matches, and +on the way we look out for the last year's tall blossom of those +horrid prickly bushes called "Spaniards," or a bundle of +flax-sticks, or, better than all, the top of a dead and dry Ti-ti +palm. As soon as we come to the proper spot, and F--- has +ascertained that no sheep are in danger of being made into roast +mutton before their time, we begin to light our line of fire, +setting one large tussock blazing, lighting our impromptu torches at +it, and then starting from this "head-centre," one to the right and +the other to the left, dragging the blazing sticks along the grass. +It is a very exciting amusement, I assure you, and the effect is +beautiful, especially as it grows dusk and the fires are racing up +the hills all around us. Every now and then they meet with a puff +of wind, which will perhaps strike a great wall of fire rushing +up-hill as straight as a line, and divide it into two fiery horns +like a crescent; then as the breeze changes again, the tips of flame +will gradually approach each other till they meet, and go on again +in a solid mass of fire. + +If the weather has been very dry for some time and the wind is high, +we attempt to burn a great flax swamp, perhaps, in some of the +flats. This makes a magnificent bonfire when once it is fairly +started, but it is more difficult to light in the first instance, as +you have to collect the dead flax-leaves and make a little fire of +them under the big green bush in order to coax it to blaze up: but +it crackles splendidly; indeed it sounds as if small explosions were +going on sometimes. But another disadvantage of burning a swamp is, +that there are deep holes every yard or two, into which I always +tumble in my excitement, or in getting out of the way of a flax-bush +which has flared up just at the wrong moment, and is threatening to +set me on fire also. These holes are quite full of water in the +winter, but now they contain just enough thin mud to come in over +the tops of my boots; so I do not like stepping into one every +moment. We start numerous wild ducks and swamp-hens, and perhaps a +bittern or two, by these conflagrations. On the whole, I like +burning the hill-sides better than the swamp--you get a more +satisfactory blaze with less trouble; but I sigh over these +degenerate days when the grass is kept short and a third part of a +run is burned regularly ever spring, and long for the good old times +of a dozen years ago, when the tussocks were six feet high. What a +blaze they must have made! The immediate results of our expeditions +are vast tracts of perfectly black and barren country, looking +desolate and hideous to a degree hardly to be imagined; but after +the first spring showers a beautiful tender green tint steals over +the bare hill-sides, and by and by they are a mass of delicious +young grass, and the especial favourite feeding-place of the ewes +and lambs. The day after a good burn thousands of sea-gulls flock +to the black ground. Where they spring from I cannot tell, as I +never see one at any other time, and their hoarse, incessant cry is +the first sign you have of their arrival. They hover over the +ground, every moment darting down, for some insect. They cannot +find much else but roasted lizards and, grasshoppers, for I have +never seen a caterpillar in New Zealand. + +In the height of the burning season last month I had Alice S--- to +stay with me for two or three weeks, and to my great delight I found +our tastes about fires agreed exactly, and we both had the same +grievance--that we never were allowed to have half enough of it; so +we organized the most delightful expeditions together. We used to +have a quiet old station-horse saddled, fasten the luncheon-basket +to the pommel with materials for a five o'clock tea, and start off +miles away to the back of the run, about three o'clock in the +afternoon, having previously bribed the shepherd to tell us where +the longest grass was to be found--and this he did very readily, as +our going saved him the trouble of a journey thither, and he was not +at all anxious for more work than he could help. We used to ride +alternately, till we got to a deserted shepherd's hut in such a +lovely gully, quite at the far end of the run! Here we tied up dear +quiet old Jack to the remnants of the fence, leaving him at liberty +to nibble a little grass. We never took off the saddle after the +first time, for upon that occasion we found that our united strength +was insufficient to girth it on again properly, and we made our +appearance at home in the most ignominious fashion--Alice leading +Jack, and I walking by his side holding the saddle _on_. Whenever +we attempted to buckle the girths, this artful old screw swelled +himself out with such a long breath that it was impossible to pull +the strap to the proper hole; we could not even get it tight enough +to stay steady, without slipping under him at every step. However, +this is a digression, and I must take you back to the scene of the +fire, and try to make you understand how delightful it was. Alice +said that what made it so fascinating to her was a certain sense of +its being mischief, and a dim feeling that we might get into a +scrape. I don't think I ever stopped to analyse my sensations; +fright was the only one I was conscious of, and yet I liked it so +much. When after much consultation--in which I always deferred to +Alice's superior wisdom and experience--we determined on our line of +fire, we set to work vigorously, and the great thing was to see who +could make the finest blaze. I used to feel very envious if my fire +got into a bare patch, where there were more rocks than tussocks, +and languished, whilst Alice's was roaring and rushing up a hill. +We always avoided burning where a grove of the pretty Ti-ti palms +grew; but sometimes there would be one or two on a hill-side growing +by themselves, and then it was most beautiful to see them burn. +Even before the flames reached them their long delicate leaves felt +the wind of the fire and shivered piteously; then the dry old ones +at the base of the stem caught the first spark like tinder, and in a +second the whole palm was in a blaze, making a sort of heart to the +furnace, as it had so much more substance than the grass. For a +moment or two the poor palm would bend and sway, tossing its leaves +like fiery plumes in the air, and then it was reduced to a black +stump, and the fire swept on up the hill. + +The worst of it all was that we never knew when to leave off and +come home. We would pause for half an hour and boil our little +kettle, and have some tea and cake, and then go on again till quite +late, getting well scolded when we reached home at last dead-tired +and as black as little chimney-sweeps. One evening F--- was away on +a visit of two nights to a distant friend, and Alice and I +determined on having splendid burns in his absence; so we made our +plans, and everything was favourable, wind and all. We enjoyed +ourselves very much, but if Mr. U--- had not come out to look for us +at ten o'clock at night, and traced us by our blazing track, we +should have had to camp out, for we had no idea where we were, or +that we had wandered so many miles from home; nor had we any +intention of returning just yet. We were very much ashamed of +ourselves upon that occasion, and took care to soften the story +considerably before it reached F---'s ears the next day. + +However much I may rejoice at nor'-westers in the early spring as +aids to burning the run, I find them a great hindrance to my +attempts at a lawn. Twice have we had the ground carefully dug up +and prepared; twice has it been sown with the best English seed for +the purpose, at some considerable expense; then has come much toil +on the part of F--- and Mr. U--- with a heavy garden-roller; and the +end of all the trouble has been that a strong nor'-wester has blown +both seed and soil away, leaving only the hard un-dug (I wonder +whether there is such a word) ground. I could scarcely believe that +it really was all "clean gone," as children say, until a month or +two after the first venture, when I had been straining my eyes and +exercising my imagination all in vain to discover a blade where it +ought to have been, but had remarked in one of my walks an irregular +patch of nice English grass about half a mile from the house down +the flat. I speculated for some time as to how it got there, and at +last F--- was roused from his reverie, and said coolly, "Oh, that's +your lawn!" When this happens twice, it really becomes very +aggravating: there are the croquet things lying idle in the verandah +year after year, and, as far as I can see, they are likely to remain +unused for ever. + +Before I close my letter I must tell you of an adventure I have had +with a wild boar, which was really dangerous. F--- and another +gentleman were riding with me one afternoon in a very lonely gully +at the back of the run, when the dogs (who always accompany us) put +up a large, fierce, black, boar out of some thick flax-bushes. Of +course the hunting instinct, which all young Englishmen possess, was +in full force instantly; and in default of any weapon these two +jumped off their horses and picked up, out of the creek close by, +the largest and heaviest stones they could lift. I disapproved of +the chase under the circumstances, but my timid remonstrances were +not even heard. The light riding-whips which each gentleman carried +were hastily given to me to hold, and in addition F--- thrust an +enormous boulder into my lap, saying, "Now, this is to be my second +gun; so keep close to me." Imagine poor me, therefore, with all +three whips tucked under my left arm, whilst with my right I tried +to keep the big stone on my knee, Miss Helen all the time capering +about, as she always does when there is any excitement; and I +feeling very unequal to holding her back from joining in the chase +too ardently, for she always likes to be first everywhere, which is +not at all my "sentiments." The ground was as rough as possible; +the creek winding about necessitated a good jump every few yards; +and the grass was so long and thick that it was difficult to get +through it, or to see any blind creeks or other pitfalls. _Mem_. +to burn this next spring. + +The pig first turned to bay against a palm-tree, and soon disabled +the dogs. You cannot think what a formidable weapon a wild boar's +tusk is--the least touch of it cuts like a razor; and they are so +swift in their jerks of the head when at bay that in a second they +will rip up both dogs and horses: nor are they the least afraid of +attacking a man on foot in self-defence; but they seldom or ever +strike the first blow. As soon as he had disposed of both the dogs, +who lay howling piteously and bleeding on the ground, the boar made +at full speed for the spur of a hill close by. The pace was too +good to last, especially up-hill; so the gentlemen soon caught him +up, and flung their stones at him, but they dared not bring their +valuable horses too near for fear of a wound which probably would +have lamed them for life; and a heavy, rock or stone is a very +unmanageable weapon. I was not therefore at all surprised to see +that both shots missed, or only very slightly grazed the pig; but +what I confess to being perfectly unprepared for was the boar +charging violently down-hill on poor unoffending me, with his head +on one side ready for the fatal backward jerk, champing and foaming +as he came, with what Mr. Weller would call his "vicked old eye" +twinkling with rage. Helen could not realize the situation at all. +I tried to turn her, and so get out of the infuriated brute's way; +but no, she would press on to meet him and join the other horses at +the top of the hill. I had very little control over her, for I was +so laden with whips and stones that my hands were useless for the +reins. I knew I was in great danger, but at the moment I could only +think of my poor pretty mare lamed for life, or even perhaps killed +on the spot. I heard one wild shout of warning from above, and I +knew the others were galloping to my rescue; but in certainly less +than half a minute from the time the boar turned, he had reached me. +I slipped the reins over my left elbow, so as to leave my hands +free, took my whip in my teeth (I had to drop the others), and +lifting the heavy stone with both my hands waited a second till the +boar was near enough, leaning well over on the right-hand side of +the saddle so as to see what he did. He made for poor Helen's near +fore-leg with his head well down, and I could hear his teeth +gnashing. Just as he touched her with a prick from his tusk like a +stiletto and before he could jerk his head back so as to rip the leg +up, I flung my small rock with all the strength I possessed crash on +his head: but I could not take a good aim; for the moment Helen felt +the stab, she reared straight up on her hind-legs, and as we were +going up-hill, I had some trouble to keep myself from slipping off +over her tail. However, my rock took some effect, for the pig was +so stunned that he dropped on his knees, and before he could recover +himself Helen had turned round, still on her hind-legs, as on a +pivot, and was plunging and jumping madly down the hill. I could +not get back properly into my saddle, nor could I arrange the reins; +so I had to stick on anyhow. It was not a case of fine riding at +all; I merely clung like a monkey, and F---, who was coming as fast +as he could to me, said he expected to see me on the ground every +moment; but, however, I did not come off upon that occasion. Helen +was nearly beside herself with terror. I tried to pat her neck and +soothe her, but the moment she felt my hand she bounded as if I had +struck her, and shivered so much that I thought she must be injured; +so the moment F--- could get near her I begged him to look at her +fetlock. He led her down to the creek, and washed the place, and +examined it carefully, pronouncing, to my great joy, that the tusk +had hardly gone in at all--in fact had merely pricked her--and that +she was not in the least hurt. I could hardly get the gentlemen to +go to the assistance of the poor dogs, one of which was very much +hurt. Both F--- and Mr. B--- evidently thought I must have been +"kilt intirely," for my situation looked so critical at one moment +that they could scarcely be persuaded that neither Helen nor I were +in the least hurt. I coaxed F--- that evening to write me a +doggerel version of the story for the little boys, which I send you +to show them:- + + St. Anne and the pig. + You've heard of St. George and the dragon, + Or seen them; and what can be finer, + In silver or gold on a flagon, + With Garrard or Hancock designer? + + Though we know very little about him + (Saints mostly are shrouded in mystery), + Britannia can't well do without him, + He sets off her shillings and history. + + And from truth let such tales be defended, + Bards at least should bestow them their blessing, + As a rich sort of jewel suspended + On History when she's done dressing. + + Some would have her downstairs to the present, + In plain facts fresh from critical mangle; + But let the nymph make herself pleasant, + Here a bracelet, and there with a bangle + + Such as Bold Robin Hood or Red Riding, + Who peasant and prince have delighted, + Despite of all social dividing, + And the times of their childhood united. + + Shall New Zealand have never a fable, + A rhyme to be sung by the nurses, + A romance of a famous Round Table, + A "Death of Cock Robin" in verses? + + Or shall not a scribe be found gracious + With pen and with parchment, inditing + And setting a-sail down the spacious + Deep day stream some suitable writing; + + Some action, some name so heroic + That its sound shall be death to her foemen, + And make her militia as stoic + As St. George made the Cressy crossbowmen; + + A royal device for her banners, + A reverse for her coinage as splendid, + An example of primitive manners + When all their simplicity's ended? + + Here it is, ye isles Antipodean! + Leave Britain her great Cappadocian; + I'll chant you a latter-day paean, + And sing you a saint for devotion, + + Who on horseback slew also a monster, + Though armed with no sharp lance to stab it, + Though no helmet or hauberk ensconced her, + But only a hat and a habit. + + This dame, for her bravery sainted, + Set up for all times' adoration, + With her picture in poetry painted, + Was a lady who lived on a station. + + Her days--to proceed with the story + In duties domestic dividing, + But, or else she had never won glory, + She now and then went out a-riding. + It chanced, with two knights at her stirrup, + She swept o'er the grass of the valleys, + Heard the brooks run; and heard the birds chirrup, + When a boar from the flax-bushes sallies. + + The cavaliers leaped from their horses; + As for weapons, that day neither bore them; + So they chose from the swift watercourses + Heavy boulders, and held them before them. + + They gave one as well to the lady: + She took it, and placed it undaunted + On the pommel, and balanced it steady, + While they searched where the animal haunted. + + A bowshot beyond her were riding + The knights, each alert with his missile, + But in doubt where the pig went a-hiding, + For they had not kept sight of his bristle. + + When--the tale needs but little enlarging + One turned round by chance on his courser; + To his horror, the monster was charging + At the lady, as if to unhorse her. + + But his fears for her safety were idle, + No heart of a hero beat stouter: + She poised the stone, gathered her bridle-- + A halo, 'tis said, shone about her. + + With his jaws all extended and horrid, + Fierce and foaming, the brute leapt to gore her, + When she dropped the rock full on his forehead, + And lo! he fell dying before her. + + There he lay, bristling, tusky, and savage; + Such a mouth, as was long ago written; + Made Calydon lonely with ravage, + By such teeth young Adonis was bitten. + + Then praise to our new Atalanta, + Of the chase and of song spoils be brought her, + Whose skill and whose strength did not want a + Meleager to finish the slaughter. + + She is sung, and New Zealand shall take her, + Thrice blest to possess such a matron, + And give thanks to its first ballad-maker, + Who found it a saint for a patron. + + + +Letter XXIII: Concerning a great flood. + + +Broomielaw, February 1868. +Since I last wrote to you we have been nearly washed away, by all +the creeks and rivers in the country overflowing their banks! +Christchurch particularly was in great danger from the chance of +the Waimakiriri returning to its old channel, in which case it +would sweep away the town. For several hours half the streets were +under water, the people going about in boats, and the Avon was +spread out like a lake over its banks for miles. The weather had +been unusually sultry for some weeks, and during the last five days +the heat had been far greater, even in the hills, than anyone could +remember. It is often very hot indeed during the mid-day hours in +summer, but a hot night is almost unknown; and, at the elevation we +live, there are few evenings in the year when a wood-fire is not +acceptable after sunset; as for a blanket at night, that is seldom +left off even in the plains, and is certainly necessary in the +hills. Every one was anxiously looking for rain, as the grass was +getting very dry and the creeks low, and people were beginning to +talk of an Australian summer and to prophesy dismal things of a +drought. On a Sunday night about eleven o'clock we were all +sauntering about out of doors, finding it too hot to remain in the +verandah; it was useless to think of going to bed; and F--- and Mr. +U--- agreed that some great change in the weather was near. There +was a strange stillness and oppression in the air; the very animals +had not gone to sleep, but all seemed as restless and wakeful as we +were. I remember we discussed the probability of a severe +earthquake, for the recent wave at St. Thomas's was in everybody's +mind. F--- and I had spent a few days in Christchurch the week +before. There was a regular low-fever epidemic there, and, he had +returned to the station feeling very unwell; but in this country +illness is so rare that one almost forgets that such a thing +exists, and we both attributed his seediness to the extraordinary +heat. + +When we were out of doors that Sunday evening, we noticed immense +banks and masses of clouds, but they were not in the quarter from +whence our usual heavy rain comes; and besides, in New Zealand +clouds are more frequently a sign of high wind than of rain. +However, about midnight F--- felt so ill that he went in to bed, +and we had scarcely got under shelter when, after a very few +premonitory drops, the rain came down literally in sheets. Almost +from the first F--- spoke of the peculiar and different sound on +the roof, but as he had a great deal of fever that night, I was too +anxious to notice anything but the welcome fact that the rain had +come at last, and too glad to hear it to be critical about the +sound it made in falling. I came out to breakfast alone, leaving +F--- still ill, but the fever going off. The atmosphere was much +lightened, but the rain seemed like a solid wall of water falling +fast and furiously; the noise on the wooden roof was so great that +we had to shout to each other to make ourselves heard; and when I +looked out I was astonished to see the dimensions to which the +ponds had. swollen. Down all the hill-sides new creeks and +waterfalls had sprung into existence during the night. As soon as +I had taken F--- his tea and settled down comfortably to breakfast, +I noticed that instead of Mr. U--- looking the picture of bright +good-humour, he wore a troubled and anxious countenance. I +immediately inquired if he had been out of doors that morning? +Yes, he had been to look at the horses in the stable. Well, I did +not feel much interest in them, for they were big enough to take +care of themselves: so I proceeded to ask if he had chanced to see +anything of my fifty young ducks or my numerous broods of chickens. +Upon this question Mr. U--- looked still more unhappy and tried to +turn the conversation, but my suspicions were aroused and I +persisted; so at last he broke to me, with much precaution, that I +was absolutely without a duckling or a chicken in the world! They +had been drowned in the night, and nothing was to be seen but +countless draggled little corpses, what Mr. Mantilini called "moist +unpleasant bodies," floating on the pond or whirling in the eddies +of the creek. That was not even the worst. Every one of my +sitting hens was drowned also, their nests washed away; so were the +half-dozen beautiful ducks, with some twelve or fourteen eggs under +each. I felt angry with the ducks, and thought they might have at +any rate saved their own lives; but nothing could alter the +melancholy returns of the missing and dead. My poultry-yard was, +for all practical purposes, annihilated, just as it was at its +greatest perfection and the pride and joy of my heart. All that +day the rain descended steadily in torrents; there was not the +slightest break or variation in the downpour: it was as heavy as +that of the Jamaica _seasons_ of May and October. F---'s fever +left him at the end of twelve hours, and he got up and came into +the drawing-room; his first glance out of the window, which +commanded a view of the flat for two or three miles, showed him how +much the waters had risen since midnight; and he said that in all +the years he had known those particular creeks he had never seen +them so high: still I thought nothing of it. There was no +cessation in the rain for exactly twenty-four hours; but at +midnight on Monday, just as poor F--- was getting another attack of +fever, it changed into heavy, broken showers, with little pauses of +fine drizzle between, and by morning it showed signs of clearing, +but continued at intervals till midday. The effect was +extraordinary, considering the comparatively short time the real +downpour had lasted. The whole flat was under water, the creeks +were flooded beyond their banks for half a mile or so on each side, +and the river Selwyn, which ran under some hills, bounding our +view, was spread out, forming an enormous lake. A very conspicuous +object on these opposite hills, which are between three and four +miles distant, was a bold cliff known by the name of the "White +Rocks," and serving as a landmark to all the countryside: we could +hardly believe our eyes when we missed the most prominent of these +and could see only a great bare rent in the mountain. The house +was quite surrounded by water and stood on a small island; it was +impossible even to wade for more than a few yards beyond the dry +ground, for the water became quite deep and the current was running +fast. F---'s fever lasted its twelve hours; but I began to be +fidgety at the state of prostration it left him in, and when +Tuesday night brought a third and sharper attack, I determined to +make him go to town and see a doctor during his next interval of +freedom from it. + +Wednesday morning was bright and sunny, but the waters had not much +diminished: however, we knew every hour must lessen them, and I +only waited for F---'s paroxysm of fever to subside about mid-day +to send him off to Christchurch. I had exhausted my simple +remedies, consisting of a spoonful of sweet spirits of nitre and a +little weak brandy and water and did not think it right to let +things go on in this way without advice: he was so weak he could +hardly mount his horse; indeed he had to be fairly lifted on the +old quiet station hack I have before mentioned with such deep +affection, dear old Jack. It was impossible for him to go alone; +so the ever-kind and considerate Mr. U--- offered to accompany him. +This was the greatest comfort to me, though I and my two maids +would be left all alone during their absence: however, that was +much better than poor F--- going by himself in his weak state. Six +hours of sunshine had greatly abated the floods, and as far as we +could see the water was quite shallow now where it had overflowed. +I saw them set off therefore with a good hope of their +accomplishing the journey safely. Judge of my astonishment and +horror when, on going to see what the dogs were barking at, about +two hours later, I beheld F--- and Mr. U--- at the garden gate, +dripping wet up to their shoulders, but laughing very much. Of +course I immediately thought of F---'s fever, and made him come in +and change; and have some hot tea directly; but he would not go to +bed as I suggested, declaring that the shock of his unexpected cold +bath, and the excitement of a swim for his life, had done him all +the good in the world; and I may tell you at once; that it had +completely cured him: he ate well that evening, slept well, and had +no return of his fever, regaining his strength completely in a few +days. So much for kill-or-cure remedies! + +It seems that as soon as they neared the first creek, with very +high banks, about a mile from the house, the water came up to the +horses' fetlocks, then to their knees, but still it was impossible +to tell exactly where the creek began, or rather, where its bank +ended; they went very cautiously, steering as well as they could +for where they imagined the cutting in the steep bank to be; but I +suppose they did not hit it off exactly, for suddenly they went +plump into deep water and found themselves whirling along like +straws down a tremendous current. Jack was, however, quite equal +to the occasion; he never allows himself to be flurried or put out +by anything, and has, I imagine, been in nearly every difficulty +incident to New Zealand travelling. Instead, therefore, of losing +his head as Helen did (Mr. U--- was riding her), and striking out +wildly with her forelegs to the great danger of the other horse, +Jack took it all as a matter of course, and set himself to swim +steadily down the stream, avoiding the eddies as much as possible: +he knew every yard of the bank, and did not therefore waste his +strength by trying to land in impossible places, but kept a +watchful eye for the easiest spot. F--- knew the old horse so well +that he let him have his head and guide himself, only trying to +avoid Helen's forelegs, which were often unpleasantly near; his +only fear was lest they should have to go so far before a landing +was possible that poor old Jack's strength might not hold out, for +there is nothing so fatiguing to a horse as swimming in a strong +current with a rider on his back, especially a heavy man. They +were swept down for a long distance, though it was impossible to +guess exactly how far they had gone, and F--- was getting very +uneasy about a certain wire fence which had been carried across the +creek; they were rapidly approaching it, and the danger was that +the horses might suddenly find themselves entangled in it, in which +case the riders would very likely have been drowned. F--- called +to Mr. U---to get his feet free from the stirrups and loosened his +own; but he told me he was afraid lest Mr. U--- should not hear him +above the roaring of the water, and so perhaps be dragged under +water when the fence was reached. However, Jack, knew all about +it, and was not going to be drowned ignominiously in a creek which +would not have wet his hoofs to cross three days before. A few +yards from the fence he made one rush and a bound towards what +seemed only a clump of Tohi bushes, but they broke the force of the +current and gave him the chance he wanted, and he struggled up the +high crumbling bank more like a cat than a steady old screw. Helen +would not be left behind, and, with a good spur from Mr. U---, she +followed Jack's example, and they stood dripping and shivering in +shallow water. Both the horses were so _done_ that F--- and Mr. U- +-- had to jump off instantly and loose the girths, turning them +with their nostrils to the wind. It was a very narrow escape, and +the disagreeable part of it was that they had scrambled out on the +wrong side of the creek and had to recross it to get home: however, +they rode on to the next stream, which looked so much more swollen +and angry, that they gave up the idea of going on to Christchurch +that night, especially as they were wet through to their chins, for +both horses swam very low in the water, with only their heads to be +seen above it. + +The next thing to be considered was how to get back to the house. +It never would do to risk taking the horses into danger again when +they were so exhausted; so they rode round by the homestead, +crossed the creek higher up, where it was much wider but +comparatively shallow (if anything could be called shallow just +now), and came home over the hills. Good old Jack had an extra +feed of oats that evening, a reward to which he is by no means +insensible; and indeed it probably is the only one he cares for. + +The Fates had determined, apparently, that I also should come in +for my share of watery adventures, for we had an engagement of +rather long standing to ride across the hills, and visit a friend's +station about twelve miles distant, and the day we had promised to +go was rather more than a week after F---'s attempted journey. In +the meantime, the waters had of course gone down considerably, and +there was quite an excitement in riding and walking about our own +run, and seeing the changes the flood had made, and the mischief it +had done to the fencing;--this was in process of being repaired. +We lost very few sheep; they were all up at the tops of the high +hills, their favourite summer pasture. + +I think I have told you that between us and Christchurch there is +but one river, a most peaceable and orderly stream, a perfect +pattern to the eccentric New Zealand rivers, which are so +changeable and restless. Upon this occasion, however, the Selwyn +behaved quite as badly as any of its fellows; it was not only +flooded for miles, carrying away quantities of fencing near its +banks, and drowning confiding sheep suddenly, but at one spot about +four miles from us, just under the White Rocks, it came down +suddenly, like what Miss Ingelow calls "a mighty eygre," and +deserted its old timeworn bed for two new ones: and the worst of +the story is that it has taken a fancy to our road, swept away a +good deal of it, breaking a course for itself in quite a different +place; so now, instead of one nice, wide, generally shallow river +to cross, about which there never has been an evil report, we have +two horrid mountain torrents of which we know nothing: no one has +been in yet to try their depth, or to find out the best place at +which to ford them, and it unfortunately happened that F--- and I +were the pioneers. When we came to the first new channel, F--- +with much care picked out what seemed the best place, and though it +was a most disagreeable bit of water to go through, still we +managed it all right; but when we came to the next curve, it was +far worse. Here the river took a sharp turn, and came tearing +round a corner, the colour and consistency of pea-soup, and making +such a noise we could hardly hear ourselves speak standing close +together on the bank; once in the stream, of course it would be +hopeless to try to catch a word. I am ashamed to say that my fixed +idea was to turn back, and this I proposed without hesitation; but +F--- has the greatest dislike to retracing his steps, and is +disagreeably like Excelsior in this respect; so he merely looked +astonished at my want of spirit, and proceeded very calmly to give +me my directions, and the more he impressed the necessity of +coolness and caution upon me, the more I quaked. He was to go over +first, alone; I was to follow, having first tucked my habit well up +under my arm, and taken care that I was quite free so as not to be +entangled in any way _if_ Helen should be swept away, or if a +boulder should come down with the stream, and knock her feet from +under her: I was not to be at all frightened (!), and I was to keep +my eyes fixed on him, and guide Helen's head exactly by the motion +of his hand. He plunged into the water as soon as he had issued +these encouraging directions; I saw him floundering in and out of +several deep holes, and presently he got safe to land, dripping +wet; then he dismounted, tied Leo to a flax bush, and took off his +coat and big riding-boots,--I thought, very naturally to dry them, +but I should have been still more alarmed, if possible, had I known +that this was to prepare to be ready to swim to my help in case of +danger. As it was, my only hope was that Helen might not like the +look of the angry flood, and would refuse to go in;--how I should +have blessed her for such obstinacy!--but no, she was eager to +rejoin her stable companion, and plunged in without hesitation. I +found it much worse even than I dreaded; the water felt so +resistless, as if it _must_ sweep me right out of the saddle; I +should like to have clutched Helen's mane or anything to have kept +me on, but both hands were wanted to hold the reins quite low down, +one on each side of her withers, so as to guide her exactly +according to F---'s pilot-hand on the opposite bank: steering +implicitly by this I escaped the holes and rocks which he had come +against, and got over safely, but trembling, and with chattering +teeth. F---said, quite disdainfully, "You don't mean to say you're +really frightened?" So then I scolded him, rather incoherently, and +demanded to be praised for coming at all! I wrung my habit out as +well as I could, F--- poured the water out of his boots, and we +proceeded, first over a plain, and then to climb a high steep hill. +I wonder if you have any idea how disagreeable and dangerous it is +to go zigzag up the side of a mountain after such rain as we have +had. The soil was just like soap, nothing for the horses' hoofs to +take hold of, not a pebble or a tuft of grass; all had been washed +away, and only the slippery clay remained. As usual, F--- went +first and I followed, taking care not to keep below him, lest he +and Leo should come "slithering" (that is the only word for it) +down upon me; but, alas, it was Helen and I who slithered! Poor +dear, all her legs seemed to fly from under her at once, and she +came down on her side and on my legs. I felt the leaping-crutch +snap, and found my left shoulder against the ground; I let go the +reins, and thought we had better part company, but found I could +not move for her weight; _she_ struggled to get up, and we both +slipped down, down--down: there was no reason why we should not +have gone on to the bottom of the hill, when a friendly tussock +afforded her an instant's resting-place for her hind hoofs, and she +scrambled to her feet like a cat. I found myself still on her +back; so I picked up my reins and tried to pretend that I had never +thought of getting off. F--- dared not stir from his "bad +eminence;" so Helen and I wended our slippery way up to him, and in +answer to his horrified "Where is your habit?" I found I was torn +to ribbons; in fact, my skirt was little more than a kilt, and a +very short one too! What was to be done? We were only three or +four miles from our destination, so we pushed on, and at the last I +lingered behind, and made F--- go first and borrow a cloak or +shawl. You would have laughed if you had heard my pathetic +adjurations to him to be sure to bring it by himself. I was so +afraid that some one else would politely insist on accompanying +him. But it was all right, though even with this assistance it was +very difficult to arrange matters so as to be tolerably +respectable. My hostess was shocked at my tattered, wet plight, +and dried me, and dressed me up till I was quite smart, and then we +had a very pleasant day, and, best of all, came home by a different +road, so as to avoid the slippery descent and the rivers in the +dark; but I still mourn for my habit!-it was my last. Three have +disappeared, owing to unfortunate accidents, this year, and now I +am reduced to what can be contrived out of a linsey dress. + +Letter XXIV: My only fall from horseback. + + +Broomielaw, June 1868. +The autumn has passed away so quickly that I can hardly believe the +winter has reached us so soon--the last winter we shall spend in +New Zealand. I should like to have been able to boast, on my +return to England, that in three years' constant riding, on all +sorts of horses, good, bad, and indifferent, and over abominable +roads, I had escaped a fall; but not only have I had a very severe +one, but it was from my own favourite Helen, which is very trying +to reflect upon. However, it was not in the least her fault, or +mine either; so she and I are still perfectly good friends. + +We had been spending two days up at Lake Coleridge, as a sort of +farewell visit, and on our way down again to Rockwood, a distance +of about twenty miles, we stopped to lunch, by invitation, at a +station midway. There was so much to be seen at this place that we +loitered much longer than was prudent in the short days, and by the +time we had thoroughly inspected a beautiful new wool-shed with all +the latest improvements (from which F--- could hardly tear himself +away), the fish-ponds elaborately arranged for the reception of the +young trout expected from Tasmania and the charming garden well +sheltered by a grove of large wattle-trees, it was growing dusk, +and we prepared to push on as fast as possible; for nothing is more +disagreeable than being caught in the dark on a New Zealand track, +with its creeks and swamps and wire fences: the last are the most +dangerous obstacles, if you get off the track, or if the gate +through the fence has been placed for convenience a few yards on +one side of it; the horses cannot see the slender wires in the +dark, and so fall over them, injuring themselves and their riders +most seriously sometimes. Having still about eight miles to go, we +were galloping gaily over a wide open plain, our only anxiety +arising from the fast failing daylight; but the horses were still +quite fresh, and, as the French idiom would have it, devoured the +ground at a fine pace; when, in an instant, the ground appeared to +rise up to meet me, and I found myself dragged along on the extreme +point of my right shoulder, still grasping both reins and whip. I +was almost under the feet of the other horse, and I saw Helen's +heels describing frantic circles in the air. F--- shouted to me to +let go, which it had never occurred to me to do previously. I did +so, and jumped up instantly, feeling quite unhurt, and rather +relieved to find that a fall was not so dreadful after all. I then +saw the cause of the accident: the handle of a little travelling- +bag which had been hung over the pommel of my saddle had slipped +over the slight projection, and as it was still further secured by +a strap through the girth, it was dangling under poor Helen, whose +frantic bounds and leaps only increased the liveliness of her +tormentor. I never saw such bucks and jumps high into the air as +she performed receiving a severe blow from the bag at each; it was +impossible to help laughing, though I did not see how it was all to +end. She would not allow F--- to approach her, and was perfectly +mad with terror. At last the girths gave way, and the saddle came +off, with the bag still fastened to it; the moment she found +herself free, she trotted up to me in the most engaging manner, and +stood rubbing her nose against my arm, though she was still +trembling all over, and covered with foam. + +By this time I had made the discovery that I could not raise my +right arm; but still a careful investigation did not tell me it was +broken, for it gave me no pain to touch anywhere, except a very +little just on the point of the shoulder. F--- now went to pick up +the saddle and the reins; it was difficult to find these latter in +the fast gathering darkness and I held his horse for him. To my +horror I found after standing for a moment or two, that I was going +to faint; I could not utter a word; I knew that if my fast-relaxing +fingers let go their hold of the bridle the horse would set off +towards home at a gallop, Helen would assuredly follow him, and we +should be left eight miles from the nearest shelter to find our way +to it, with a deep creek to cross. F--- was fifty yards off, with +his back to me, searching for some indispensable buckle; so there +was no help to be got from him at the moment. I exerted every atom +of my remaining strength to slip the bridle over my left arm, which +I pressed against my waist; then I sat down as quietly as I could, +not to alarm the horse, bent forward so as to keep my left arm +under me lest the bridle should slip off, and fainted away in great +peace and comfort. The cold was becoming so intense that it soon +revived me, and F---, suspecting something was wrong, came to +relieve me of the care of the horse, and contrived to get the +girths repaired with the ever-ready flax, and the bag secured in a +very short time. But when it came to mounting again, that was not +so easy: every time I tried to spring, something jarred horribly in +the socket where the arm fits into the shoulder, and the pain was +so great that I had to lie down on the ground. It was now nearly +seven o'clock, quite dark, and freezing hard; we were most anxious +to get on, and yet what was to be done? I could not mount, +apparently, and there was no stone or bank to stand on and get up +by for an immense way. At last F--- put me up by sheer strength. +I found myself so deadly sick and faint when I was fairly in the +saddle that it was some time before I could allow Helen to move; +and never shall I forget the torture of her first step, for my +shoulder was now stiffening in a most unpleasant way. F--- said it +would be easier to canter; so we set off at full speed, and the +cold air against my face kept me from fainting as we went along, +though I fully expected to fall off every moment; if Helen had +shied, or stumbled, or even capered a little, I should have been on +the ground again. In my torture and despair, I proposed to be left +behind, and for F--- to ride on and get help; but he would not hear +of this, declaring that I should die of cold before he could get +back with a cart, and that it was very doubtful if he should find +me again on the vast plain, with nothing to guide him, and in the +midnight darkness. Whenever we came to a little creek which we +were obliged to jump, Helen's safe arrival on the opposite bank was +announced by a loud yell from me, caused by agony hardly to be +described. The cold appeared to get _into_ the broken joint, and +make it so much worse. + +At last we reached Rockwood, and never was its friendly shelter +more welcome. Everything that could be thought of was done to +alleviate my sufferings; but I resembled Punch with his head on one +side, for I had a well-defined and gigantic hump on my back, and my +shoulder was swollen up to my ear. The habit-body was unpicked, as +it was impossible to get it off any other way. Of course, the +night was one of great agony; but I thought often, as I paced the +room, how much better it was to have a blazing fire to cheer me up, +and some delicious tea to put my lips to "when so dispoged" (like +the immortal Mrs. Gamp), than to be lying on the open plain in a +hard frost, wondering when F--- and his cart would arrive. + +The next day we returned home, much against our host's wish; and I +walked all the way, some six miles of mountain road, for I could +not bear the idea of riding. F--- led the horses, and we arrived +quite safely. His first idea was to take me down to a doctor, but +the motion of driving was greater agony than riding, as the road +was rough; so after the first mile, I entreated to be taken back, +and we turned the horses' heads towards home again; and when we +reached it, I got out all my little books on surgery, medicine, +etc., and from them made out how to set my shoulder in some sort of +fashion, with F---'s help. Of course it is still useless to me, +but I think it is mending itself; and after a week I could do +everything with my left hand, even to writing, after a fashion. +The only thing I could _not_ do was to arrange my hair, or even to +brush it; and though F--- was "willing," he was so exceedingly +awkward, that at last, after going through great anguish and having +it pulled out by handfuls, I got him to cut it off, and it is now +cropped like a small boy's. He cuts up my dinner, etc. for me; but +it is a very trying process, and I don't wonder at children often +leaving the nasty cold mess half eaten. I shall be very glad to be +able to use my own knife again. + + + + +Letter XXV: How We lost our horses and had to walk home. + + +Broomielaw, November 1868. +This will actually be my last letter from the Malvern Hills; and, +in spite of the joy I feel at the hope of seeing all my beloved +ones in England, I am _so_ sorry to leave my dear little happy +valley. We have done nothing but pay farewell visits lately; and I +turn for a final look at each station or cottage as we ride away +with a great tightness at my heart, and moisture in my eyes, to +think I shall never see them again. You must not be jealous at the +lingering regrets I feel, for unless you had been with me here you +can never understand how kind and friendly all our neighbours, high +and low, have been to us from the very first, or how dearly I have +grown to love them. I don't at all know how I am to say good-bye +to my dear Mrs. M---, the shepherd's wife I told you of. I believe +she will miss me more than any one; and I cannot bear to think of +her left to pass her days without the help of books and papers, +which I was always so glad to lend her. I often walk down the +valley to take tea with her of an afternoon and to say good-bye, +but I have not said it yet. I wish you could see her parlour as I +saw it yesterday afternoon--her books in a bookcase of her +husband's manufacture, very nice and pretty; her spinning-wheel in +the comer; the large "beau-pot" of flowers in the window; and such +a tea on the table!--cream like clots of gold, scones, oat-cakes, +all sorts of delicacies! She herself is quite charming--one of +Nature's ladies. I have given her, as a parting gift, a couple of +Scotch views framed; and they hang on the wall as a memento of +places equally dear to both of us. + +It is a sorrow to me to leave the horses and dogs and my pet calves +and poultry; even the trees and creepers I go round to look at, +with the melancholy feeling of other owners not loving them so much +as I have done. However, I must not make my last letter too +dismal, or you will feel that I am not glad enough to return to you +all. My only apology is, I have been so _very_ happy here. + +Now for our latest adventure, as absurd as any, in its way. Have I +ever told you that our post-office is ten miles off, with an +atrocious road between us and it? I know you will throw down this +letter and feel rather disgusted with me for being sorry to leave +such a place, but we don't mind trifles here. Lately, since our +own establishment has been broken up, we have been living in great +discomfort; and among other things we generally, if not always, +have to go for our own letters twice a week. Upon this occasion F- +-- and I had ridden together up the gorge of the Selwyn rather late +in the afternoon, to avoid the extreme heat of the day. When we +reached the shepherd's hut I have before mentioned, and which is +now deserted, I proposed to F--- to go on over the hills alone and +leave me there, as I was very hot and tired, and he could travel +much quicker without me--for I am ashamed to say that I still +object to riding fast up and down slippery hills. I cannot get rid +of the idea that I shall break my neck if I attempt it, whereas F-- +- goes on over the worst road just as if it was perfectly level. +Excuse this digression, for it is a relief to me to be a little +spiteful about his pace whenever I have an opportunity, and it will +probably be my last chance of expressing my entire disapproval of +it. + +Helen was tied up to a post, and F---, after helping me to +dismount, set off at a canter over the adjoining swamp on his way +to cross the chain of hills between the river and the flat where +the great coach-road to the West Coast runs. I had brought the +ingredients for my five o'clock tea (without which I am always a +lost and miserable creature), and I amused myself, during my +solitude, by picking up dry bits of scrub for my fire; but I had to +go down the river-bank for some driftwood to make the old kettle, +belonging to the hut, boil. I could not help wondering how any +human being could endure such solitude for years, as the occupant +of a hut like this is necessarily condemned to. In itself it was +as snug and comfortable as possible, with a little paddock for the +shepherd's horse, an acre or so of garden, now overgrown with +self-sown potatoes, peas, strawberry, raspberry, and gooseberry +plants, the little thatched fowl-house near, and the dog-kennels; +all giving it a thoroughly home-like look. The hoarse roar of the +river over its rocky bed was the only sound; now and then a flock +of wild ducks would come flying down to their roosting-place or +nests among the Tohi grass; and as the evening closed in the +melancholy cry of the bittern and the weka's loud call broke the +stillness, but only to make it appear more profound. On each side +of the ravine in which the hut stands rise lofty hills so steeply +from the water's edge that in places we can find no footing for our +horses, and have to ride in the river. At this time of the year +the sheep are all upon the hills; so you do not hear even a bleat: +but in winter, they come down to the sunny, sheltered flats. + +It appeared to me as if I was alone there for hours, though it +really was less than one hour, when F--- returned with a large +bundle of letters and papers tied to his saddle-bow. Tea was quite +ready now; so he tied up his horse next Helen, and we had tea and +looked at our letters. One of the first I opened told me that some +friends from Christchurch, whom I expected to pay us a visit soon, +were on their way up that very day, and in fact might be expected +to arrive just about that hour. I was filled with blank dismay, +for not only did the party consist of three grown-up people--nay, +four--but three little children. I had made elaborate plans in my +head as to how and where they should all be stowed away for a +fortnight, but had naturally deferred till the last moment to carry +out my arrangements, for they entailed giving up our own bedroom, +and "camping" in the dining-room, besides wonderful substitutes of +big packing-cases for cribs, etc. etc. But, alas! here we were +eight miles from home and nothing done, not even any extra food +ordered or prepared. The obvious thing was to mount our horses and +return as fast as ever we could, and we hastened out of the hut to +the spot where we had left them both securely tied to the only +available post, through which unfortunately five wires ran, as it +was one of the "standards" of a fence which extended for miles. +Just as we came out of the hut in a great bustle, our evil destiny +induced F---'s horse to rub its nose against the top wire of the +fence; and in this process it caught the bar of its snaffle-bit, +and immediately pulled back: this made all the wires jingle. Helen +instantly took alarm, and pulled back too: fresh and increased +vibration, extending up the hill-side and echoing back an appalling +sound, was the result of this movement. In an instant there were +both the horses pulling with all their force against the fence, +terrified to death; and no wonder, for the more they pulled the +more the wires jingled. F--- did all he could to soothe them with +blandishments. I tried to coax Helen, but the nearer we drew the +more frantically they backed and plunged, and the more the noise +increased--till it was a case of "one struggle more and I am free;" +and leaving their bridles still fastened to the fatal fence by the +reins, we had the satisfaction of seeing both our horses careering +wildly about--first celebrating their escape from danger by joyous +and frantic bounds and kicks, and then setting off down the gorge +of the river as hard as they could go. I fairly sat down and +whimpered a little, not only at the thought of our eight miles' +walk over shingle with a deep river to be crossed nine times, but +at the idea of my poor little guests arriving to find no supper, no +beds, "no nothing." + +F--- tried to cheer me up, and said the only thing was to get home +as quick as possible; but he did not expect to find that our +friends had arrived, for it had been very hazy over the plains all +day, and probably had rained hard in Christchurch; so he thought +they would not have started on their journey at all. But I refused +to accept any comfort from this idea, and bemoaned myself, entirely +on their account, incessantly. When we came to the first crossing, +F--- picked me up and carried me over dry-shod, and this he did at +all the fords; but in one we very nearly came to grief, for I was +tilted like a sack over his shoulder, and when we were quite in the +middle, and the water was very deep, up to his waist, he kept +hoisting my feet higher and higher, quite forgetting that there was +plenty more of me on the other side of his shoulder; so it ended in +my arms getting very wet, which he did not seem to think mattered +at all so long as my feet were dry; whereas I rather preferred +having my feet than my head plunged into a surging, deafening +yellow current. At the entrance of the gorge is a large stockyard, +and near to it, at least a mile or two off, a large mob of horses +is generally to be found feeding. We heard great neighing and +galloping about amongst them as we came out of the gorge; it was +much too dark to distinguish anything, but we guessed that our +horses had joined these, and the sounds we heard were probably +those of welcome. But the whole mob set off the moment we came +near, and crossed the river again, entailing a tenth wetting upon +poor F---. I was posted at the entrance of the gorge, with +instructions to shout and otherwise keep them from going up by the +route we had just come; but it was more than an hour before F--- +could get round the wary brutes, so as to turn them with their +heads towards the stockyard. Of course, he had to bring up the +whole mob. My talents in the shouting line were not called out +upon this occasion, for they all trotted into the stockyard of +their own accord, and I had nothing to do but put up the slip-rail +as fast as I could with only one available arm, for though it is +better, I cannot use the other yet. When F--- came up we both went +into the yard, and could soon make out the two horses which had +their saddles on--that was the only way we could distinguish them +in the dark. It was now nearly eleven o'clock, and though warm +enough it was very cloudy, not a star to be seen. We fastened on +the patched up bridles as well as we could by feeling, and mounted, +and rode home, about three miles more, as fast as we could. When +we entered the flat near our own house, we heard loud and prolonged +"coo-ees" from all sides. The servants had made up their minds +that some terrible misfortune had happened to us, and were setting +out to look for us, "coo-eeing" as they came along. F--- pointed +out to me, with a sort of "I-told-you-so" air, that there was no +light in the drawing-room--so it was evident our friends had not +arrived; and when we dismounted I found, to my great joy, that the +house was empty. All our fatigue was forgotten in thankfulness +that the poor travellers had not been exposed to such a cold, +comfortless reception as would have awaited them if they had made +their journey that day. I must tell you, they arrived quite safely +the next evening, but very tired, especially the poor children; +however, everything was ready, and the little boys were +particularly pleased with their box beds, greatly preferring the +difficulties of getting in and out of them to their own pretty +little cribs at home. Such are boys all over the world! + +Next month we leave this for ever, and go down to Christchurch to +make our final arrangements for the long voyage of a hundred days +before us. As the time draws near I realize how strong is the tie +which has grown, even in these few short years, around my heart, +connecting it with this lovely land, and the kind friends I have +found in it. F--- feels the parting more deeply than I do, if +possible, though for different reasons; he has lived so long among +these beautiful hills, and is so accustomed to have before his eyes +their grand outlines. He was telling me this the other day, and +has put the same feelings into the following verses, which I now +send you. + + A farewell. + The seamen shout once and together, + The anchor breaks up from the ground, + And the ship's head swings to the weather, + To the wind and the sea swings round; + With a clamour the great sail steadies, + In extreme of a storm scarce furled; + Already a short wake eddies, + And a furrow is cleft and curled + To the right and left. + + Float out from the harbour and highland + That hides all the region I know, + Let me look a last time on the island + Well seen from the sea to the snow. + The lines of the ranges I follow, + I travel the hills with my eyes, + For I know where they make a deep hollow, + A valley of grass and the rise + Of streams clearer than glass. + + That haunt is too far for me wingless, + And the hills of it sink out of sight, + Yet my thought were but broken and stringless, + And the daylight of song were but night. + If I could not at will a winged dream let + Lift me and take me and set + Me again by the trees and the streamlet; + These leagues make a wide water, yet + The whole world shall not hide. + + Now my days leave the soft silent byway, + Arid clothed in a various sort, + In iron or gold, on life's highway + New feet shall succeed, or stop short + Shod hard these maybe, or made splendid, + Fair and many, or evil and few, + But the going of bare feet has ended, + Of naked feet set in the new + Meadow grass sweet and wet. + + I will long for the ways of soft walking, + Grown tired of the dust and the glare, + And mute in the midst of much talking + Will pine for the silences rare; + Streets of peril and speech full of malice + Will recall me the pastures and peace + Which gardened and guarded those valleys + With grasses as high as the knees, + Calm as high as the sky: + + While the island secure in my spirit + At ease on its own ocean rides, + And Memory, a ship sailing near it, + Shall float in with favouring tides, + Shall enter the harbours and land me + To visit the gorges and heights + Whose aspects seemed once to command me, + As queens by their charms command knights + To achievements of arms. + + And as knights have caught sight of queens' faces + Through the dust of the lists and the din, + So, remembering these holiest places + In the days when I lose or I win, + I will yearn to them, all being over, + Triumphant or trampled beneath, + To this beautiful isle like a lover, + To her evergreen brakes for a wreath, + For a tear to her lakes. + + The last of her now is a brightening + Far fire in the forested hills, + The breeze as the night nears is heightening, + The cordage draws tighter and thrills, + Like a horse that is spurred by the rider + The great vessel quivers and quails, + And passes the billows beside her, + The fair wind is strong in her sails, + She is lifted along. + + THE END. + + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Station Life in New Zealand , by Lady Barker + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK STATION LIFE IN NEW ZEALAND *** + +This file should be named stlnz10.txt or stlnz10.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, stlnz11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, stlnz10a.txt + +Produced by P J Riddick + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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