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.