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Among the more extraordinary incidents in Adventures of a Surveyor were his connivance in the downfall of the famous missionary
Later quitting his job and selling his horse because the “bush was too thick to get through” he became the first European to walk cross-country from Rangitikei to the Hawkes Bay, led by a succession of reluctant Maori guides. Rochfort tells of the daily life of a pioneer explorer, bushman, and gold-digger in New Zealand and Australia in a readable and lively style.
Reprint Published By
Capper Press
Christchurch, New Zealand
Printed offset by The Caxton Press, Christchurch
from the copy in the Hocken Library, Dunedin
At a time when so many contradictory reports are in circulation relative to the colonies and the gold diggings, I feel bound to contribute my little gleanings, in the hope that they will at least give the reader some insight into colonial life.
I do not pretend to give advice, in the midst of such an entanglement as the public mind is in at present on this subject,—it would be presumptuous and worse than useless; but I have laid before it a rough sketch of my “comings and goings” since I left England, so that the emigrating reader may judge for himself what it is most probable he will have to undergo; and to the indifferent reader I hope the little anecdotes, which every traveller meets with, will make it amusing.
I must beg the reader to bear with me through the following pages, and pass, without censure, over composition which may be incorrect; he must consider that it is but a journal, written in leisure moments, sometimes under a burning sun, and at others during a storm, with the waves running mountains high and the wind whistling through the rigging.
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It was on that unluckly day, Friday, that the pretty clipper schooner “Marmora” hove to off Gravesend for her passengers; as we pulled alongside, Captain K…y welcomed us from the quarter-deck, at the same moment the pilot gave the order “to brace the fore yard forrard,” and the obedient vessel started down the river at the rate of eight knots an hour.
Several watermen came alongside, evidently thinking it a good opportunity to get towed down the stream; the mate however took an axe and cut them adrift, leaving them cursing and swearing far behind.
Our captain now brought out cigars, and we went below to drink to our better acquaintance. In the cabin everything was in confusion, blocked up with mail-bags, papers, boxes, beds, and “dunnage;” we found it a difficult task to get in: at sunset we brought up in Margate Roads, an anchor watch was set, and we again went below. It is now that a passenger finds time hang heavy on his hands: he has been idle all day, and consequently is not tired: restless and impatient he walks up and down the deck; everything on board is quiet, the “foremast hands” are all “turned in,” except the anchor watch, and the same tantalizing piece of land is still in sight.
The vessel was poorly manned, but the mate, Mr. T…..y, was a pleasant, quiet fellow and a good seaman, unlike many who by blustering and swearing make themselves hated by “all hands” (who never let a safe opportunity pass of taking their revenge); he gave his orders in a firm, quiet manner, which always ensured the cheerful “Ay, ay, sir.”
When a sailor is disobedient or impudent to an officer of the watch, it is usual to send him aloft to grease down the masts or tar the rigging: this is called giving him a “job;” if he refuses he is put in irons.
Next morning we weighed anchor and beat up to the Downs, where we again brought up for the night, and our pilot left us, wishing us a speedy voyage. On awaking in the morning we were disappointed to find a light head wind blowing, and a number of ships of all sorts and sizes, from the noble “East Indiaman” to the clumsy “Billy boy,” wind-bound like ourselves; but our little craft (being only 135 tons register, and in good trim for working to windward) was managed like a yacht, so the word was given to weigh anchor, and we went out, as the sailors say, “to look for a wind.” Arrived off Dover, we “lay to” for our owner, Mr. D .. e, whose boat we soon discovered stealing out from the land: he came on board accompanied by three friends, whom the captain asked down to take some refreshment, but their faces turned white at the bare idea, and one shortly after had his head very suspiciously over the ship’s side. I had a hearty laugh at him, but half an hour afterwards I was wishing the good ship Marmora at the bottom of the sea, and would gladly have been set ashore anywhere, had it not been for shame. Not long after, our owner left us, and Captain K…y saluted him by dipping the ensign three several times in token of submission. Towards dusk we made out Dungeness, and next day had that dread of sailors, a dead calm, but were amply compensated for it by a most magnificent sunset: we lay like a log on the water till morning, when a fine breeze sprang up from the southward and eastward, and we were again bowling along merrily at the rate of eight knots an hour: this put us in high spirits; but as breakfast was not ready at the usual time,
I’m gone astern, so help me G—d!” scrawled on it in pencil. This satisfied the captain that his act was premeditated, so he at once entered it in his official log-book. This event however naturally cast a gloom over our spirits, but the crew did not seem to care much about it, as they had not been shipmates long, and in the afternoon, at the auction of his clothes which ensued, there was a good deal of competition.
Every master of a vessel is obliged to sell by auction the effects of such sailors as die at sea in his ship, and to forward the money to a government office in London, where the nearest relations can have it by applying. This is done to prevent his shipmates from plundering his chest. Captain K… y divided the deceased steward’s wages between the crew (which now consisted of four able seamen), to compensate them for the extra work they had to do, as he did not want to put in for another hand, for, the wind being fair, we should thereby lose a great deal of time. Next day we took our departture from the Lizard, the last English land we were to see for years, perhaps for ever; however, the Marmora was soon out of the “chaps of the Channel” and stood away to the southward. We arrived at the Line without anything worthy of remark. Here we overtook the barque William Hyde, Captain A……..e, bound to the same port as ourselves. X Captain A……e and his chaplain Mr. C…. n boarded us, and kindly asked us to dine with them, and we accepted their invitation. We found many of her passengers still suffering from sea-sickness, and, singularly enough, they had left Gravesend a day after us. This ship had a fine crew of eighteen able seamen. On the Sunday previous, during service, they had experienced a very heavy squall and nearly lost their Reverend gentleman. It happened thus: —Mrs. A……..e was accompanying the Psalms upon the piano. The ship was pitching and tossing about, and Mr. C….n, the parson, was clinging to the said musical instrument to keep himself from falling whilst singing: now, he was a spare lean man, with a very sallow complexion, extremely precise in
sharp with great applause from the company. At the same moment a pack of cards slid out from some unknown shelf, to the great horror of Mr. C…. n. On deck everything was neat and trim. From the poor our little craft looked very picturesque with her long low hull and raking masts, putting one in mind of a slaver. The mate, who had charge of her during the captain’s absence, showed his pride in her better sailing qualities, by running her jibboom into the William Hyde’s stern windows, and sailing round her. One of the passengers had a fawn, which he meant to take to New Zealand; another had a pair of pheasants; and others had entered into partnership in buying a cow, which supplied them with new milk on the passage.
After spending a pleasant afternoon we returned to our own ship, and were greeted with three hearty cheers from the William Hyde. We no sooner touched our own deck than the captain gave orders to make all sail. A sort of tacit understanding existed between the two captains that they were to have a match, and we (the passengers) assisted in trimming sail. The William Hyde was staggering under a heavy press of canvas, but the light wind was more in our favour, because she was a much larger vessel: the wind that would carry us along at the rate of seven miles an hour would scarcely propel her six; consequently, at daylight next morning, we could only just see her royals above the horizon astern of us.
We had tolerably fine weather after this until we rounded the Cape of Good Hope, when a strong breeze sprang up from the westward; during the ensuing night the
Approaching two or three sailors who were gathered together near the fore-rigging, and talking over our late mishap, I overheard one say, “I knew we should be unlucky when we left the docks on a Friday.”—“Why, what do you think I heard when I came home from the East Indies?” says another. “Our owner, thinking he knew as much about salt water as any old sea-dog, turned to and had a craft built expressly, and called her the Friday: the keel was laid on a Friday, and she sailed out on a Friday, and has never since been heard of.” (This really happened in London: a merchant tried to do away with the foolish superstition by disproving it, but unfortunately the ship foundered at sea.) The time now passed heavily: we had been out about eighty-seven days, and were confidently expecting to be in port in a week, when this unfortunate accident occurred; we had lost our headsails, without which a schooner can do nothing when sailing “on a wind.” At the expiration of a week we were under sail once more, and after a run of 108 days we sighted Stewart’s Island, the southernmost island of New Zealand. New Zealand consists of three islands; the most northerly is called Raheinomauwe. This island lies between 34° 20′ and 41° 40′ south latitude, and between 172° 30′ and 178° 40′ east longitude; the lower portion of it is between 38° and 39° south latitude, is more than 150 miles across, and contains about 36,000 square miles; the northern portion is a narrow tongue of land, about forty miles in length, scarcely anywhere
There are two small islands in the straits, called Kapiti and Marna. The former, which is the largest, is about twenty-five miles in circumference. The south island, or Tavai-poenammoo, is not so well known; there are very few natives upon it, and what few there were were all slaves till the white man came. A similar range of mountains appears to run through this as through Raheinomauwe. That part of the island which borders on Cook’s Straits contains some good land. The country is almost entirely covered with wood. The New Zealand Company here laid out the town of Nelson, which is situated at the mouth of a valley. The land is very fertile, and is cultivated, on each side of the river Waimea, for many miles up the country. They have lately found a seam of good coal, and several lodes of copper-ore, one of which was discovered in the following manner:—a few miles inland part of a lofty hill fell away, from some volcanic cause, disclosing the section of the lode. About 100 miles from Nelson is the Wairau district, principally plains—this is a fine country for sheep-farming.
Of the west coast not much is known, on account of the scarcity of harbours. It stretches from 40° 25′ to 46° 37′ south latitude, and lies between 165° 50′ and 174° 40′ east longitude: it probably contains 48,000 square miles. At the back of Massacre Bay rises Mount Arthur; this is about 8000 feet above the level of the sea, and is perpetually covered with snow. We sailed up the eastern side, passing Port Otago, which has a pretty good harbour, and is now well known as a wool-growing district. North of Otago, high well-timbered land, and a bold coast, stretches to Banks’ Peninsula. This is a narrow neck of land, jutting out to sea about forty miles, and is well known from being the subject of
“Cook’s Mistake.” At the extreme end it is very mountainous, while between this and the mainland is a level plain. Sailing down from the north it looks like the sea, and deceived Captain Cook, who attempted to sail through it, and nearly lost his ship—hence it is called “Cook’s Mistake,” or Pegasus Bay.
There are two ports in the peninsula, viz., Akaroa (which is a French settlement) and Port Cooper. The latter is suitable for vessels of any tonnage. On this peninsula is situated the celebrated lake Tarvai Poenammoo, or water of the green stone, from which the island derives its name. Out of this stone, which is of a pale green colour, and semi-transparent, the natives carve (with no other tool than a piece of sharp stone) earrings, weapons of war, and their gods. We put in at Port Cooper, and were surprised to find the William Hyde had arrived four hours before us. Passing up for the harbour, the scenery was magnificent—lofty hills, sloping down to the water, generally covered with timber. We could see, as yet, no signs of cultivation, and thought we must have mistaken the bay; but all at once we opened out Erskine Bay, in the bight of which a number of little log houses met our view, like an oasis in the desert. An American whaler and a mosquitoe fleet were lying at anchor off the town. We no sooner brought up than the editor of the “Lyttleton Times,” and all the tag-rag and bob-tail of the Canterbury Settlement, came off to us; and our little craft was crowded with persons eager for news, smoking their short dudees. This is an universal practice in the colonies. Somebody from the William Hyde had informed them that we had lost one man overboard; and when we came in, only four hours afterwards, it had passed from mouth to mouth, with the usual exaggerations, till they had stretched it to three, just three parts of our crew, and they expected to find the Marmora come in with the captain and passengers lashed to the mainmast, and the crew safely stowed in Mr. Davy Jones’ locker; consequently they were very much disappointed, for the said captain and passengers came into port smoking their cigars, and the crew looking well and healthy.
We restrained our impatience to go ashore till next morning, when we found Lyttleton a very different place from what we had pictured it to ourselves—a colony little more than a twelvemonth old. The town lay in a hollow surrounded with lofty hills 1100 feet in height; the streets were generally well laid out; and the snug little weather-boarded houses, (with chimneys made out of flour-barrels,) each standing in the midst of a neat little English garden, formed a delightful contrast to the wild hills around. There are several good hotels facing the sea, also a custom-house and emigrant barracks. The society in the town is very tolerable, but many people have found out their mistake in going to a Church settlement; they had foolishly bought their land in England at a high price, and when they got out found it a long way off the settlement, and not fit for cultivation of any sort. A hill at the back of the town is so steep that it is impossible to open a communication of traffic with the interior, so goods from the shipping have to be sent round by water to Christchurch, the principal town. At the back of these hills is a level plain, forty miles in width, on which Christchurch is situated, fifteen miles from Lyttleton. There are several sheep-farms here; the owners have to pay fifteen shillings a ton for sending their wool to the port for shipment, which of course greatly reduces the profit; and the channel of the river leading to Christchurch is so shallow and tortuous that only craft of fifteen or sixteen tons can get up it. No doubt in time it will be a fine sheep country, but the
Returning across the range to Lyttleton, you have a beautiful view of the shipping lying at anchor in the bay, and the timber-covered hills on the opposite side. Looking back over Christchurch, you see the base of the centre range rise, at forty miles’ distance, from out the plain: tracing it upwards, you lose its snow-capped summit in the clouds. On going down to the beach, some Maories Maorie, native name of the aborigines.
The next day we got leave to take the ship’s boat, and had a sail up the bay, which is about three miles deep, enclosed by lofty hills. Near the end is Quail Island, which formerly belonged to three brothers: the two eldest were taking a load of fire-wood from the mainland, when the boat in some way upset, and they were both drowned. The Maories are said to have had a hand in this, but it has never been proved. The surviving brother now holds the island, and supports himself by rearing cattle and goats. It contains about 200 acres of land.
We pulled ashore in a little cove, and found a number of oysters. It was now sunset, so we went aboard. The tide-waiter had come off, and the captain, afraid of his men running away, had put this functionary on guard; he was marching up and down the quarter-deck with the captain’s double-barrelled gun on his shoulder, which he verdantly believing to be loaded, was swearing to shoot, in cold blood, and without the slightest compunction,
“Rouse him up cheerily,” whilst nothing was visible of the ladies but a cloud of parasols. Their boat was quickly out of sight.
Here we engaged a new steward to work his passage to Sydney, who I think was a Derwenter, Derwenter, convict; so called from the River Derwent in Van Diemen’s Land.
We were now expecting to have Captain A … … .e’s wife as a fellow-passenger to Wellington; but were disappointed by Mr. L … ’s coming on board in her place. He was a pleasant man, and amused us with an account of the colony.
Being ready for sea again, we set sail. The second day we crossed Lookers-on Bay. The shores are very high and rocky, and there is seldom any beach between the highlands and the sea. Having passed this, we sighted the Kai-Kora range, which rises in some places above the snow-line. The mountains in the interior are visible at sea until they terminate at Cape Campbell. Crossing Cook’s Straits, we made for Baring Head, and passed between it and Cape Terra-witti; the latter is surrounded
The buildings are either timber, or brick and timber blended, the better to stand the shock of an earthquake. Several houses were at first built of brick and stone, but the severe earthquakes which occurred a few years ago destroyed them, burying several persons in the ruins. The two Protestant churches are pretty good specimens of architecture. There are many Roman Catholics, and their cathedral is the finest building in Wellington. The governor’s residence stands well, commanding a fine view of the bay. Not far from it a large hotel is in course of erection; it is four stories high, and built entirely of wood.
Having been furnished with letters of introduction, we lost no time in making use of them: however, it is seldom they are of any service, as people in the colonies have
On the following day we dined with him, accompanied by Captain K …y. We met a pleasant company, consisting of a countryman of the Baron’s and his wife; Mr. W …e, a regimental doctor; Mr. H . .t, and several others, whose names I do not remember. The Baron amused us with a curious anecdote. He began by telling us that the natives were very fond of tattooing their hinder quarters, and, when the ship he came out in arrived in Port Nicholson, several Maorie chiefs came on board and walked round the decks curiously examining everything. Some of the lady passengers naturally enough had the curiosity to look at them: they misinterpreted this, and thought the ladies were admiring their tattoo; so one of the chiefs, willing to gratify them, strutted up to a fair one, and deliberately turned the ornamented portion of his person round for her examination, at the same time shouting Kaupi !! Kaupi !!! (good !! good !!!). We discussed politics over the Baron’s wine (which by the bye he took great pride in having good) till a late hour. When the party broke up, we retired, and tried to wake up some of the sleepy publicans, but without success, and were just thinking of turning ghosts and wandering about till daylight, when we fortunately met a watchman, who volunteered to guide us to what he described as a “remarkably quiet and genteel private boarding-house.” He led the way to a small house, with Sailors’ Home inscribed in large letters over the door. As we preferred sleeping anywhere to
At daylight in the morning we were up and stirring. Going down stairs we paid Mr. Boodle for his excellent accommodation, and were on the point of quitting, when who should come in but the sailor who ran away in Port Cooper? He was coolly smoking his pipe, but, on seeing us, looked quite taken aback; nevertheless before the captain could articulate, “Halloa, Mr. George! I’ve got you now,” the said George was getting out of the back parlour window. “Landlord,” says Captain K …y, “go and fetch a policeman.”—“Couldn’t, sir, at the price; I should lose all my customers,—unless,” he added, pausing, “I had five pounds for my trouble.” In the mean time George was over the garden wall and far way, and six or seven stout sailors barred the passage till our runaway had got a good “offing,” when we were allowed to depart in peace. “Never mind,” says the captain, “I’ll give him three months yet, if it costs me twenty pounds out of my own pocket; I shall catch him when he least expects it.” And so he did, a few months after, when he came into port unexpectedly.
We went aboard to dinner with the captain, and then brought our luggage, which amounted to several tons, ashore. Here let me caution the reader against taking out a large and expensive outfit. I took out one which cost me about £60, and found almost everything was useless to me; nearly the whole is lying untouched in Wellington. Suitable clothes may be bought in the colony for little money, by doing which you save the cost of moving
Mr. H . . t recommended us to a boarding-house in Willis Street, Te ara flat, kept by a Mr. Edwards, where we were “taken in and done for” at a pound per week; we made ourselves at home, and were soon on good terms with our four fellow-boarders. Mr. W… … .h was a young man of about five-and-twenty, studying for a clergyman. He expects to be ordained in two years by the Bishop of New Zealand at Auckland. Mr. S …l was a tall peculiar man, rather too fond of drinking, quite the opposite of Mr. W … … .h; he was noisy and quarrelsome: he held a good appointment under government, but was always in debt, and shortly after ran away to the diggings, leaving his salary heavily mortgaged. The other two were brothers of the name of H . . l, who had just finished their “cadetship,” that is, they had been learning sheep-farming under a settler, and were waiting for a remittance from their friends in England to begin on their own account.
A few days after Captain K … y called to take leave of us; he was now bound to Sydney: he had agreed with the owner to work the schooner between the Australian and New Zealand colonies for three years, and then she was to be sold. We tried to sell our tobacco, and took samples of it to the several stores, but could get no offer equal to the price we had given for it in London, so we gave it into the hands of Messrs. H … . y and J … . . n, auctioneers, to dispose of, and went ourselves up the west coast.
Ascending the steep range on the Porirua road, we had some splendid views of the bay. The little farms and clearings which are scattered here and there on each side add much to the beauty of the country. Arrived at Porirua harbour, we followed the shore up to the barracks, where a singular occurrence is said to have taken place during the late heavy earthquake: the ground on which the building (which is of brick) stands opened, dividing it into two parts, and immediately reclosed, leaving the line of fracture scarcely visible; the building remains to this day. Soon after leaving Porirua we entered the Horikeva valley, which is well known on account of the catastrophe which occurred within it. A company of the regiment which was stationed in Wellington at the time were marching through with their bright red coats and arms glistening in the sun, when an ambuscade of natives fired into them and completely cut them up, while, from the nature of the ground, scarcely a Maorie was killed. The track along the valley is very narrow, so that only two could walk abreast, and on each side rises a steep hill thickly timbered, from the slopes of which the natives picked off the soldiers one by one, whilst the latter could not distinguish their antagonists’ dusky forms from the trees behind which they were sheltered. Only four or five of the soldiers escaped to tell the tale.
At the extreme end of the valley we ascended a steep hill, from whence we obtained a fine view of Cook’s Straits, and about fifty miles along the coast, towards Whanganui: as far as the eye can reach nothing is seen but a succession of sandy plains, with now and then a patch of green, out of which, a short distance inland, the
Whare is the native name for house.
The sandy plains and hills were occasionally relieved by a patch of verdure. At noon we arrived at the Manawatu river. Like most other rivers in New Zealand it has a bar at its mouth, which makes it a dangerous harbour; we were paddled across in a canoe, got some refreshment at a Maorie whare, and again resumed our
We stopped here for the night, and then went on up the river to a station belonging to Mr. H…..n, managed by his overseer, Mr. McDonnel. We dined with him, and continued our march along the river. The land is very flat and swampy towards the mouth, but travelling up you gradually get into a hilly and welltimbered country. In our course we disturbed hundreds of wild ducks and pigs. Hunting the wild boar is one of the principal sports of the country, but is very dangerous, as the wound caused by a gore generally mortifies. I once heard of a man being chased for three miles, and only then escaping by climbing a tree, where he waited till the boar made off at daylight. The sport is followed with two heavy-built dogs (between a bulldog and a mastiff), until a wild boar is brought to bay against a tree, when the dogs approach cautiously on both sides and seize him by each ear; now the hunter rushes up and sticks the animal in the neck with a long hunting knife: the dogs frequently get killed. This sport is the best the country affords. Towards dusk we arrived at Handy Green’s “cabaret,” where we found three drunken sawyers, just come down from the bush to spend their money, helping themselves to what they liked best, without at all consulting Mr. Green, who submitted with a very bad grace; his wife, however, who was the better man of the two, rated them soundly. After supper we retired, scarcely hoping to get any rest; the musquitoes were very numerous, and the noise made by the drunken sawyers entirely dispelled sleep.
When we arose in the morning the ceiling was literally black with musquitoes; they are very similar in appearance to the common gnat. Just as you are settling to sleep, one comes buzzing round your head, and, when you think you have driven him away,
Returning to Captain D……’s station, we were just in time to see his men bailing up some cattle; i. e. the cow is made to put her head between two posts, when a bar slides across the space and catches her by the neck, rendering it impossible to get her head back. A slip knot is then fastened to one of her hind legs, which is drawn up tight in a horizontal position to a strong post. She is then milked with safety.
Next morning we started early, but had not proceeded far before we lost the track, and walked about twenty miles, through long grass, fern, and toi-toi, taking it in turns to be leader; the first man had to lie down every few steps to force a passage through the tangled mass. Suddenly we came on a white man, when H . . l’s dog sprang at him; fortunately he caught the animal on his leg, and flung it several yards. He directed us to a station, where we refreshed ourselves, and then walked on to Turakina.
We stopped for the night at Mr. W … . n’s station,
The missionaries, notwithstanding all the accounts which are sent home of their hardships, lead a comfortable life; most of them are married, and with a wife and family around them, and nearly every luxury that England can boast, they cannot be very unhappy.
The town has a neat appearance, not unlike the old English style. The barracks and inn are built with the upper rooms projecting; again over that a gable juts out. They stand on a hill overlooking the town.
The natives here about are very numerous, and are considered the wildest in the colony. They have a large war pah, and some of the chiefs’ whares are enriched with elaborate carvings, consisting of scrolls and figures of men and animals.
The pah is surrounded by a fence of logs, let into the ground close together: this is done in case of war. The corner and entrance posts are decorated with grotesque and hideous figures of men devouring children—some with their tongues lolling out, and others with their knees drawn up to their chins—and daubed over with very bright colours, for the purpose of frightening the enemy.
The women are handsomer than those in the south island; but as the men make them carry everything
During the freshes, which occur after heavy rains, the natives come down the river in their canoes by hundreds to see their friends. The river has a good harbour. Whanganui, since I left, has been made a port of entry; and part of the regiment being stationed there makes trade better in the town. The surrounding land is generally very poor. A small depth of soil brings you to pumice-stone, much used for building chimneys to the wooden houses. This curious stone floats down the rivers and creeks in large masses, and frequently deceives new comers, who, imagining it to be a firm rock, congratulate themselves on having found out a spot where they can cross the creek without getting wet; when they step upon it, however, it yields, and they are immersed up to their necks in water. The pumice-stone draws all the moisture from the soil, and renders it of but little use for agricultural purposes. The land is worth here from ten to twenty shillings per acre. Another great evil is the immense number of rats, which destroy corn and everything eatable. They are almost a match for a cat; in fact, I have known six cats turned out of a house by them in a single night. At the same house one of my companions missed a woollen stocking on rising in the morning; after a long search, a small portion of it was found sticking out of a rat’s hole in the corner of the room. The officers of the garrison amuse themselves, when indulging in bed in the morning, by practising pistol-shooting on them. They can fancy them to be Maories, by a little stretch of imagination, and practise bush-fighting from behind the bedposts.
Farming here is preposterous. If you buy timbered land, at the price before mentioned, it costs you twenty pounds per acre to clear it. Fern and flax land is also expensive to get into working order; add to this, the suppy of corn, &c., required is small, and the natives grow all kinds of grain and vegetables cheaper than the white man can, because their land and living cost
We did not stay long at Whanganui, and returning made a slight diversion from the usual track to visit Otaki, which is considered the finest native town in the country. It is picturesquely situated in a charming valley, interspersed with clumps of the most varied and beautiful trees, a small stream of water running through it. Two quaint bridges connect the town; and the neat little whares of the natives, with the mission-house, church, parsonage, and schools, contribute to render the place a little paradise. The mission-house and church have been entirely constructed by the natives, superintended by a white man, and shew a good deal of ingenuity. The church is quite original, being about sixty feet in length by thirty feet, and twenty feet in height to the bearings of the rafters; the sides and ends are lined with panels of plaited flax, separated by stout planks, painted Indian red and ornamented with white scrollwork—these are continued as high as the ridge-pole. The ridge is supported by a row of huge pillars, formed of single trees, also painted red; this divides the church into two aisles. The pulpit and altar-rails are elaborately carved. After leaving the church we went over the mission-house, which is built of wood, two stories high;
On leaving the town we soon came to the Otaki. Here it was necessary to ford the river, which is extremely rapid. Fortunately an old native man and woman were in the way, who soon transported us to the other side, high and dry, when our eyes were dazzled by the apparition of a very pretty Maorie girl, more resembling a Spanish beauty than a savage. Her complexion was clear and transparent, with dark sparkling eyes, veiled by hair black as jet, which floated in wavy masses around her well-formed shoulders; her olive features were set off by teeth of surpassing whiteness, while her loose dress, unconfined at the waist and falling just below the knee, served to shew her symmetrical form to great advantage. Pointing to a wedding-ring, she told us, with a pride she could not conceal, that she was married to a white man. The native women are extremely proud of having a white husband. A few days’ retracing our steps brought us to Wellington, where we once more put up at Mrs. Edwards’ select boarding establishment. My brother, finding no opening for an architect in New Zealand, as the buildings were not of sufficient extent to require a professional man, resolved to try Sydney.
One of the H . . Is made up his mind to go with my brother to Sydney; so, most of us being about to separate, we considered it necessary to have a parting dinner; after which, and a few songs, Mr. W…….h proposed a game of chess.
We went into the next room (our bed-room), and there thought to play our game out in peace; but my brother, getting tired of singing, left our fellow-boarders in a state of glorious confusion. S … I was singing The fine old English Gentleman; at the same time the eldest H .. I, who was very fond of reciting, was giving out part of Othello, with the usual theatrical accompaniments, to the positive danger of the chimney ornaments, while his brother’s low unmusical voice was heard shrilly singing, For I am a friar of orders grey, &c., with a rapidity of utterance truly astonishing.
The landlady kept nervously running in to try and quiet them. When silence was proclaimed, she said she was astonished at them! her house had always been considered the quietest and most respect——Here her voice was drowned by—For she’s a jolly good woman! At this point she bounced out of the room and came and knocked at our bed-room door, thinking perhaps we might quiet the noisy party a little, but we had taken the precaution to lock the room door; not wishing to be disturbed, we did not answer. Mrs. Edwards soon lost her patience and temper; finding knocking was of no avail, she began to kick the door, which, however, resisted all her efforts. “Mr. W…….h!” said she, “I am ashamed of you, making all this noise”—(we had scarcely spoken since we sat down to play). By this time her voice had increased to a shriek—” There’s Doctor P……..t and a woman
Mrs. Edwards called her husband and son to assist in breaking open the door. They kindly said they would give us ten minutes’ grace previous to forcing an entrance, during which time, however, the treacherous rascals went round into the street and tried to get in at the window—I say tried, because we had, like good generals, provided against such a contingency.
When our treaty, which had been so shamefully broken, expired, Mr. Edwards ordered his wife to hold her tongue. “Open the door quickly,” said he, “or I’ll burst it open!”—“Capital play that, W…….h!” answered I.
“Hold your tongue!” thundered Mrs. Edwards to her lovely daughters, who had come down stairs in their night-dresses and were asking her if the house was on fire. “The noisy wretches, to take a poo—r woman’s character a—wa—y!” sobbed our poor landlady.
“If you don’t open the door instantly, I’ll break it open!” said Mr. Edwards. “Excellent check-mate, that!”observed W…….h, quietly getting up to obey his mandate. Directly the key was turned Mrs. Edwards rushed in, upset Mr. W…….h over a portmanteau, and ran away with the candle, leaving us in total darkness, thereby giving us a chance to break through the family ranks drawn up in front of the door. They were composed of the landlord, and his body-guard of two sons (who took good care to keep behind their father) and two daughters, who were thrown into confusion by the unexpected retreat of their commanding officer with the candle.
We broke through without stopping to answer any questions, and marched into the dining-room, where we spent the remainder of the evening undisturbed, and next day
My brother and Mr. H . . 1 left us for Sydney, and I obtained an engagement in the government staff, getting one pound per week, out of which I had to keep myself and a horse and pay travelling expenses. Now, as it cost me a pound a week for board and lodging alone while I was in Wellington, it is clear it was not a very profitable concern; however, I persevered, hoping for better success, and made a few surveys in Wellington.
I accompanied Mr. P . . k, principal government surveyor, and Mr. McL . . n, the government land commissioner, to Rangetikei, to pay the last instalment, 2000 All the land of any use is purchased by government, except a sufficient quantity to support the aborigines, which is called a native reserve.l., to the natives for the purchase of their land in the Rangetikei and Manawatu districts, and make a survey of the native reserves.
After three days’ travelling we arrived at our destination, and took up our quarters at Scott’s inn. On the day appointed the natives mustered in the inn yard, where they presented a novel sight, sitting round on their haunches to the number of two hundred. Calling the chiefs in one at a time, Mr. McL . . n distributed the money amongst them. In the mean while we were surprised by the arrival of a deputation from a tribe at Moutoa, thirty miles up the Manawatu, wishing to dispose of another portion of land. We gave them all a feast, to which they did ample justice; and when it was finished, McL . . n advanced into the centre and made a long speech in Maorie, representing, as far as I could understand, that if they sold all their land they would lose all the advantages of trade, &c., and become strangers and beggars in the land of their birth; whereas, if they continued cultivating the land, and improving themselves under the tuition of the missionaries, in time they would become brothers with the white man, and live in houses, with flocks and herds around them. He then sat down, and an old woman of rank
Next day an officer arrived on horseback, who coolly stated that he had left his companion, Dr. F . x, stuck fast in a bog on the other side of the river, also on horseback, very imperfectly representing Patience on a monument. Scott went to the rescue; and when the doctor appeared, his trousers were saturated with blood from his knees to his feet. He was a very tall stout man, and his horse
A short time before we arrived, one of the surveyors had been out shooting kakas, a kind of parrot, which is very much esteemed. Catching a glimpse of one in a tree, the foliage of which was very thick, he fired, when what was his astonishment on seeing a Maorie fall to the ground, crushing the branches in his rapid descent! After some time, recovering from his surprise, he went up to the man, who was hallooing furiously, and found him, fortunately, more frightened than hurt, only two or three shots having struck him on the back. He had gone up the tree with a decoy bird, at which our sportsman had fired. By this time several of his tribe had gathered round him, and our unlucky surveyor would have been tomahawked had it not been for the interference of an old native who understood a little English, and explained to them that it was an accident.
We were surveying the native reserves, when an old chief, who was shewing Mr P . . k the boundary of his land, pointed to an oven built of stone, about six feet wide and seven feet high, tapering off in a conical shape to the top. “There,” said he exultingly, “I have roasted my sixteen at once!” meaning, of course, men; and casting at the same time a sidelong look at the said Mr. P . . k’s evident bon état, he smacked his lips and grinned. It used to be an universal custom amongst them to kill and eat all prisoners taken in war—hence, they never increased much in number.
I began to grow discontented with the bad pay of a stingy government, when favorable accounts from the gold-fields induced me to throw up my engagement.
As my next survey was to have been at the Ahuriri, Hawkes’ Bay, I had previously sent my instruments, &c., on by vessel; now, as I had given up my berth, it became necessary to get them back again. I wished to see that part of the country and the centre of the island, and
The deputation before mentioned being about to return to their pah at Moutoa, which lay in my route, I made up my mind to accompany them. One of these Maories illtreated the chief woman of his tribe, and nearly strangled her, being only prevented from doing so effectually by the opportune arrival of two white men.
It is death by their law for a Maorie to strike a person of rank of his own tribe, so Waikeha had to run for his life, but he escaped.
We started next day. The Maories swore to take the life of the criminal, and carried their arms ready for instant use. The chief took the lead at a trot, the men followed next, and the women brought up the rear. The whole day’s journey, about twenty-five miles, was across a sandy plain. About noon we perceived some smoke ascending from a little hillock, and soon came upon a party of natives camping; we tried to avoid them, but, seeing we could not pass without being observed, we approached, and, finding they were a friendly tribe, we squatted down and discussed some potatoes together.
The natives have not entirely got rid of their party feeling; indeed I have known some old chiefs who were unwilling to go ten miles from their own pah for fear of being murdered, in return for some of the horrid deeds they had committed in former days.
Towards night we arrived at the foot of some hills; entering a defile we soon found ourselves in a region where vegetation abounded: a short walk brought us to Moutoa.
This place is picturesquely situated on the banks of the Manawatu, and completely hemmed in by the bush.
The old chief led me into his whare, where I was received by his wife, and the petty chiefs and women of the tribe. It being supper-time, we squatted around the steaming pot in a circle, and dipping in our hands we pulled out the smoking potatoes. Fancy a young Englishman sitting down to supper with a party of savages! There were three pots, and around each a circle was formed simultaneously, reminding me of a dinner-party where one table will not accommodate all. There is no ceremony observed at these feasts; the instant the pot is taken off the fire and set down, the neuter verb “to fall to” is actively conjugated.
After a smoke a corrobery Conversation.
The smoke having no vent made the place quite suffocating. I was thinking of the continental mode of committing suicide with charcoal, when I became quite feverish; so I jumped up and walked out.
I had not gone far when three young men overtook me, and, shouting all together “Pakeha, pakeha!” White man.
I got into a canoe, followed by the three natives, who paddled me across, and led me through the tangled scrub to a little whare, about a quarter of a mile from the river.
I was surprised to see a white man settled so far from his fellows. He was seated at supper beside a roaring fire, and made me welcome. He earned a scanty living by manufacturing the New Zealand flax, and laying it up in ropes, cords, &c.
The house was literally swarming with mice. The prepared flax was stacked against the sides of the house, covered with a light roof; this formed a cover for the vermin, and I watched them running all over my blankets till I fell asleep.
In the morning I recrossed the river, when the guide I had engaged to continue the journey refused to proceed; so, after a good deal of persuasion, I induced a Maorie and his wife to accompany me as far as Iwhi. The old chief wrote me several letters to enable me to procure guides for short stages, from pah to pah, lying in my route. I insert one to show what the missionaries have done in educating the natives in so short a time:—
“Moutoa,
“ Mei 25, 1852.
“Kia te, “Korene hoe Kore tenara koe, tenei ahau
“kua kite ia te Wiremu raua ko te Harakira kua korero
“ahau kia te Wiremu itaku korero kia koe kua wakaae
“mai ia kia awhei te wi he Hapa eta e Neho tenara koe
“ku tau to te Hapa ki Moutoa Hoana ******* hei
“tae mai ki te********ta tena koe te *******
“ki te wi ka haere ******* ohau kia ki te ia te
“Wiremu karua aku korero tangata ku korero kia ia
“takaae mai ano ia ka ki mai kua rite ane ia raua ko te
“Harakira kei te Wio te kia pa a enei a ka me tene ta
“E Neho tenera koe he rahi ano toku aroha atu kia koe
“eta tena a hau ka kite nga mahi i konei tenei a te
“Harakira kua ma rena tia ki te wahine kua ki te ahua
“ia raua eta tenara koe * * * mai i * * kainga *****
“****** ki Tamariki ka ******** taku korero
“atu **************
“* * * * * * * * * *
“* * * *.”
This writing, however, was a work of time (as they are only beginners), and detained me till noon, when we filled a basket with potatoes and departed. The bush, however, was so thick and so destitute of track, the
Selecting a light canoe, we took our seats—or rather places, as, the canoe not being provided with those conveniences, we were obliged to sit at the bottom. The man took the stern paddle, the woman the bow, and I the midships. The scenery was beautiful, following the river, meandering through a deep ravine, the slopes covered with fine timber; while the supple-jack, creeping along the branches, drops down from their extremities perpendicularly, and takes root in the earth, giving the trees the appearance of being stayed down with ropes.
We had not gone far when it began to rain, which soon increased to a violent storm. I gave the woman some unmanufactured tobacco, which she, acting on the principle that fingers were made before knives, soon cut up with her teeth. They smoke very much; indeed, you frequently see a mother and the child on her back both smoking. When unable to procure tobacco they smoke dry leaves; but now some of the tribes grow and manufacture their own tobacco.
We paddled up the river for about two hours, when we approached some rapids. The current here runs so strong that we were obliged to propel the canoe with poles. Soon after we got up the rapids, which fell probably nine feet, we passed the pah of Puketotara, a small native village on the banks, where I was greeted with shouts of “Pakeha! pakeha!”—the white man! the white man!
Towards night we reached a small deserted whare on the banks, nearly destroyed by the weather. We soon collected some wood and made a fire. The woman baked the potatoes by throwing them in the ashes, and we sat around the fire to take the stifiness out of our limbs, and smoked our pipes; we then lay down, rolled in a blanket, and slept till morning.
We crossed the river betimes, and, having made fast our canoe to the bank with a piece of flax, abandoned it. Striking into the bush, we followed the track for several miles up a tributary creek, sometimes having to cross the stream, at others to walk along its bed. The bush was
à la mode.
We refreshed ourselves with potatoes, as usual, which proved very acceptable after fasting nearly all day. There are some of the handsomest native girls in this pah that I have ever seen: here they had lost that native characteristic, a flat broad nose; and some of their countenances were quite classical.
Getting tired, I went into one of the whares to sleep: it was soon filled with natives of both sexes, to the number, I believe, of seventeen. They closed the door and put more logs on the fire, which, as is customary, was in the centre of the room; we lay round it, but the smoke was so thick as to prevent us from seeing one another.
I did not sleep much that night: the dense air made me feel thirsty and feverish, so I amused myself with adding to the smoke by means of a pipe of tobacco: had it not rained hard all night I should have lain outside.
In the morning, leaving his wife behind, the Maorie went on with me. We followed the river for nine or ten miles till we came to a couple of fishing whares; here it was necessary to cross the river, so we called a halt, and the natives cooked some potatoes for us, and then, to add to the obligation, ferried us across the stream, which was rather rapid. We found the track on the opposite side, and followed it. After crossing a tract of level land we came to the foot of the Rua-hina range (the snowy range of the centre of the island). The travelling here was very toilsome, over a succession of ranges, each one loftier than the last, until we reached the summit. The vegetation is in some places above the snow-line. At the crown my guide called a halt, and whilst he was smoking I ascended a tree, from whence I had one of
At dark we came to a travelling hut—something similar to a lean-to roof, the lowest part starting from the ground, and the highest supported by a pole at each corner. It was situated at the foot of a mountain torrent, and the only noises we could hear were the roaring of the waterfall and the shrieking of the parrots. Here we stopped for the night, made a fire, cooked some potatoes, and turned in. We were up again at dawn, put another log on the fire, and eat our vegetables as usual. We then started on the track, which led through a dense bush, occasionally coming on a small open space covered with grass. After about an hour’s travelling we reached a bend of the river Manawatu, which runs through a gorge in the range; this we forded, and shortly after came in sight of Putukai, where the chief Ihakara met and welcomed us, and took us home with him, where we were soon settled round the pot having our dinner—I “doing in Rome as the Romans do,” sitting on the ground, dipping my hands in the pot and pulling out the potatoes. As soon as the pot is placed on the ground, about a dozen sit round it, a regular scramble ensues, and those who eat slowest get worst off. Ihakara, who volunteered to be my guide, went out, and in about twenty minutes returned with six fine kakas (a kind of parrot), for food on the road. I was in high spirits at the prospect of a meat
I was awoke in the morning before daylight with the parrot’s shrill music, and proceeded north by compass till I found the track of the pigs. I travelled about six miles, hungry enough, through a dense forest—now over a high range, then down a deep ravine—when I came to a plain extending as far as the eye could reach. From the density of the atmosphere in the bush, I now felt
I travelled on till dark, hoping to reach a settlement, when I again lost the track of the pigs, and was obliged to stop and camp. My tinder had become so damp, from exposure, that I could not even get a light for my pipe. I had now walked about forty-five miles without food, and there was no prospect of getting any till the following day.
I had an oilskin bag, the length of my body, which I used to turn into at night, and found it an excellent thing on this occasion, for a sharp frost had set in. When I awoke in the morning. I found my blanket coated with ice: my trousers were as stiff as a board, and before I could get them on I had a dance about in my shirt, for a quarter of an hour, “like a cat on hot bricks,” in order to keep myself warm. My boots being in the same condition, I took them down to the river, thinking to soften them by filling them with water; but, as fast as I poured it out, a coat of ice formed on the inside, so I slung them to my blanket as useless.
After walking about three miles I was rejoiced at seeing smoke, which proved to proceed from a newly formed station. After fording a river about four feet deep, and clambering a steep bank, I arrived at Mr. C…..g’s station, and found him reading service to his men. He received me kindly, and made me take a quantity of mustard to keep me from getting the cramp. I was now so weak as to be scarcely able to stand; nevertheless, in two days I was again able to travel, having about fifty miles farther to go. A native here told me that only nine persons had crossed before me—two of whom died of starvation, and a third went raving mad, from the same cause and the bewilderment of being lost—so mine was a narrow escape.
I was now again afoot; and Mr. C…..g, having occasion to go to the Ahuriri for provision, accompanied me. Turning our backs to the snowy range, the first day’s march brought us to Pukowa, a small native settlement, where we stopped for the night. Here we overtook
In this pah there was a pretty little half-caste girl, as white as any European; her father had been drowned in fording one of the numerous creeks during a heavy fresh, and her mother had returned to her tribe. It was very painful to see her, bearing every resemblance to an English girl, talking an uncouth language, and gnawing a large piece of nearly raw pork, with great avidity. She had a very sweet voice, and tried to pronounce several English words.
Next morning, finding myself unable to travel, I borrowed the queen’s Queen of the Maories, and sister to the celebrated chief Hapuka.
We soon emerged on to the Ahuriri plain. This is a fine plain, and standing in the centre you see a clear horizon all round, such as you would at sea. After crossing several creeks, which were dangerous on account of the quicksands, we rode at full gallop up to Hapuka’s house. He is a fine well-made man, about six feet in height, and of an intellectual cast of countenance. He has lately been made a magistrate, and decides disputes among the natives. I asked him to lend me the mare as far as Ahuriri, and told him of the desertion of my guide, and that I was two days without food. He readily granted my request, saying at the same time, that, if the natives had not lent her to me at the last pah, he would have gone over and stockwhipped them.
The Roman Catholic Mission has a handsome station here. The resident priest invited us to dinner, but, having still a long way to travel before nightfall, we declined his hospitality—a virtue for which the gentlemen of this mission are justly celebrated, whilst the reputation of the Protestant missionary, Mr. C—., is of an opposite character.
After fording an arm of the sea, we arrived at Mr. A…….r’s, where we dined. Mr. A. is married to a native woman, and, through her, possesses great influence with her countrymen, with whom he traffics for maize and pork, buying the pigs alive at a penny per pound, which he cures, and ships his purchases down to Wellington. In this way he carries on an extensive business, his expenses averaging fifteen pounds a day.
In the evening we crossed the river Ahuriri, and put up at McCain’s public-house, just in time to attend the wedding of a half-caste girl to a white man.
The Return schooner, Captain T…..g, was fortunately lying in the river, bound shortly for Wellington, so I secured a passage in her, but by some accident she got aground; all the ballast and cargo were taken out, and an attempt was made to kedge her off, but without success. However, two or three days after, a heavy gale coming on, the captain set all sail, and she glided off into deep water, where she again brought up, without carrying away a ropeyarn. The Rose, a small fore-and-aft schooner of thirty-five tons burthen, with only seven tons of ballast in her, was lying at anchor just outside the river in a heavy seaway, and rolling so heavily that you could only see her hull when she was on the top of a wave. She hoisted a flag of distress, but the men about McCain’s said they would not go out to her unless they saw her in more danger. Darkness came on, and during the night she parted her cable, went out to sea, and was not heard of whilst I was in the country. As she was so light, she most likely turned over.
The morning of the wedding-day set in wet and miserable, and Mr. C—, the Protestant missionary, would not marry the couple at McCain’s, although he had to pass by that very morning; but obliged them to walk
A … t and I each took an oar in the whale-boat to see the fun. As soon as we grounded on the opposite side, which was about twenty yards from the shore, Jack jumped out of the boat, touched his hat, and said “I’ll carry you ashore, Sir.” Mr. C—answered by getting on his back. Jack took about half a dozen steps, when he pretended to fall down, throwing Mr. C—over his head, where he lay at full length like a half-tide rock. The missionary did not trust himself again pick-a-back, but got up and walked ashore, having received a wholesome practical lesson on the folly of putting people to unnecessary trouble.
Well satisfied, we returned, kissed the bride, and had the wedding dinner. At six o’clock, after the bride and bridegroom’s health, and a few more toasts, had been drunk and responded to, a fiddler was engaged from the schooner. A number of natives crowded round the house: we admitted the women, and stationed “Boots” at the door to keep the men out. The fiddler struck up a polka; we each seized a Maorie girl, and joined in the dance.
Captain T … . g, not being a very good judge of feminine agility, had chosen a fat old Maorie woman, who had been vegetating on potatoes for at least half a century. There was a door on one side, at the top of a step leading into a bed-room I owed the captain a grudge for tripping up me and my dusky partner; so, polking past the door, which was locked, I managed to turn the key and leave the door ajar; and when Captain T … . g reached it in the dance, I charged with my partner, who was a light weight, from the other side of the room, carrying our gallant captain, with his fat “lady fair,” against the door, which, of course,
The next two days I was out duck-shooting, had plenty of sport, and then went on board the Return. She sailed with half her cargo on board, and dropped anchor about sixteen miles up the bay to take in the complement; but as there was every appearance of a gale coming on, we got up our anchor, and sailed out without any more cargo. When abreast of Castle Point the gale burst upon us and carried us out to sea. After a good deal of difficulty, having no chronometer on board, in four days we again made the land; and, two or three days after, entered Port Nicholson Heads, where we learnt that the Henry, a small fore-and-aft schooner, had been lost in the gale we had just weathered. Her crew, consisting of four seamen, and a passenger, were lost; and the mutilated bodies were afterwards washed ashore, partly devoured by sharks, which abound here.
Mr. W…….h had taken a small house, and kindly invited me to stay with him, which offer I accepted. I here learnt that Mr. Barney R … . s, whom I had previously known in Wellington, and who I should imagine was between fifty, and sixty years of age, had married a young lady of eighteen. He had formerly been captain of a whaler, and, having realized a little of the needful, had retired to New Zealand to enjoy it. I had once occasion to visit him on business, when he was altering and refitting his house; and his orders to the workmen to “haul this bed out of the way,” and “rouse out that chest of drawers,” amused me considerably. He thought that on entering the holy state of matrimony he ought to have his portrait taken, so he engaged an able artist for the purpose. “Pray, how would you like it taken, sir?” said the artist. “Oh!” said Mr. Barney, scratching his head and considering, “in a group, I think.” The artist had much difficulty in keeping his countenance, but how he succeeded in pleasing the captain I do not know.
I Now took my passage for Melbourne in the barque Napoleon. Passing through Cook’s Straits we put in at Nelson for passengers, where I had the pleasure of meeting some old friends. This is a flourishing town, and in decidedly the best agricultural district in the neighbourhood. We only got two passengers here for the gold-diggings.
We were very unfortunate in the weather, and had to beat about almost all the way; in fact, we were thirty-four days doing 1100 miles: many vessels have made the passage in seven. We had sixty passengers, and with the exception of rice, which tasted as if it had been steeped in turpentine, and sugar, had only thirteen days’ provisions on board. I scarcely tasted anything but rum and sugar for more than a fortnight, and consequently got into Melbourne in a very poor condition. This was in the middle of the year 1852. Entering Hobson’s Bay, which runs inland forty miles, we brought up off William’s Town, in a fleet of about two hundred sail, and soon after a steamer came alongside, when I, with F…….d and W . . t, who had agreed to make a party with me, jumped on board, and we were carried up the Yarra Yarra river to Melbourne. We had no sooner stepped ashore than we were told that three men had been “ “Stuck up” is a colonial expression for being robbed with a pistol at your head.stuck up”
We found the price of lodgings very high: indeed, they considered it a great favour to allow you to “coil up” in your own blankets, and give you very poor board, for thirty-five shillings a week; so we pitched our tent on
The carriage of goods to the diggings was ninety pounds a ton, showing a fall of thirty-five pounds within the last few days; wages for working men were very good; seamen in coasting vessels were getting eleven pounds per month, sawyers one pound per day; port wages fifteen shillings per day, and board; bullock-drivers, with no other training than a seven years’ term of transportation gives them, were getting their five pounds a week; while clerks and others, who have had expensive educations, are obliged to keep up a respectable standing on 150l. or 200l. a year. I myself answered an advertisement in the Argus for a draughtsman, but was too late; indeed, I was informed that within an hour after the paper was printed five-and-twenty applications had been made. Afterwards I could have obtained an engagement in my own profession at 300l. a year, but, finding that I could make more money by “hard graft,” as they call labour in the colonies, I would not take it.
The town was now in a fearful state, robberies and murders occurring every day. The police was badly organized and composed of any persons who chose to apply: they were totally unfit for the unsettled state of society, which was a curious mixture of every grade, compelled to associate from force of circumstances. I never walked out at night without a pistol in each pocket. Coming from town to our camp, which was about a mile out, we carried an open clasp-knife in one hand and a pistol in the other. My mate, a sailor, was passing the police-office in Swanston Street about nine o’clock one fine evening, when several men sprang on him, and “stuck him up,” but, being expert in the use of his clasp-knife, he laid about him, and finally got it under the shoulder-blade of one of the gang, when, finding he could not extricate it, he let go, and ran, as the sailors say, and appeared before us bathed in perspiration, having run the
Swags, colonial word for pack.Disregarding the state of the roads, on the 24th of August, 1852, we strapped on our “swags,”
We camped close to Flemington, a small town about three miles from Melbourne, but which will soon be joined to it, if the present rate of building continues. There are many small houses in the town, mere weather-boarded cottages, which cost only sixty pounds building, now letting for fifty-two pounds per annum.
Next morning turned out wet and drizzling; at daylight we got under way, and after travelling a few miles, came to the Keilor Creek, which now looked more like a river. The current was eddying along at the rate of seven knots an hour; the bridge had been carried away, and there were about five hundred travellers collected at this spot, waiting to get over. One man was foolish enough to attempt crossing on the previous night, with a cart; but horse, cart, and rider were quickly carried down the stream. The cart, with the dead horse still harnessed to it, was found next morning aground on a sand-bank, but the unlucky driver was not seen again.
During the night the creek had fallen six feet and a half; a raft was therefore constructed by some men living on the spot, and in a few hours’ time we were all ferried across, at the rate of a shilling a head. These men made a good harvest: before ten o’clock three hundred had crossed, and during that one day the number of passengers I should think must have reached nine hundred.
We now crossed the Keilor Plains, which are about
Our party was now increased to thirty, travelling together for mutual protection. Passing Aitken’s Gap, we camped beyond it, made a fire, and discharged our pistols; thereby giving due warning to any bushrangers within hearing that we were well armed. This is an universal but very dangerous custom, as “diggers” frequently come home to their tents at night drunk, and the first thing they do is to fire off their pistols, without thinking where the balls will go: I have had them come through my tent, and have found them on my blankets in the morning.
We again took to the road, blessed with a fine day, leaving one man behind, an apparently strong hearty labourer, knocked up with sore feet. We kept on to the edge of the “Black Forest,” and camped about a mile beyond the “BUSH INN,” a noted resort of thieves and vagabonds. The roads were very heavy, and we sank in at every step over our boots, and in many places up to our knees; which renders travelling, in the winter season, very irksome. The draymen suffer most; their drays and carts frequently sink in up to the axle, when they have to unload, and carry all their freight, by hand, beyond the swamp, and there re-load. I have known a dray six weeks travelling fourteen miles, so we may cease to wonder at the enormous charge for carriage.
After we had camped, at dark, four mounted bushrangers rode up to us, under pretence of wanting to sleep in our camp; this however we wisely refused, not that we were afraid of them, but because four men, well armed and fresh, are long odds against thirty asleep, who are tired out with a long day’s march. We took turns all night at keeping watch, two at a time, and after hovering about till daylight our visitors made off.
This forest is infested with a gang of scoundrels, who “stick up” anybody they may come across, without the
One of my “mates,” at a later period, was passing through the forest, when three men, and a little boy of about ten years old, sprang on him, and robbed him of l00l.; they then stripped him, and left him tied to a tree. The boy, whose young ideas had evidently been taught to “shoot,” turned round, cocked his pistol, and, pointing it at the victim, said to one of the rangers,“Father, shall I shoot the old———?” Some of them, however, copy Dick Turpin’s style: after plundering their victims, they politely hand them a glass of rum round, saying at the same time, “There, drink that you ———, and think yourself lucky you didn’t get your———brains knocked out!”
Arriving at the Five-mile Creek, we had dinner at the Wood’s-end inn. This is the end of the Black Forest, and a kind of spot of thanksgiving for having escaped the dangers thereof. No doubt the house pays well.
On the following morning, having walked on to Karlesrue, about forty of us entered a tent to breakfast, where we met with a piece of sharp practice, illustrative of the custom of the road. Our repast being over—the ordinary charge for which, as well as for any other meal, is three shillings—the proprietor of the tent (an old Derwenter) stationed himself at the door to receive payment as we departed. After cheating several of my companions in giving change, he tried it on with me hi my turn, tendering me quickly two sixpences out of a five-shilling piece which I had given him, hoping, no doubt, that I should mistake them for shillings; but in
In the afternoon we reached Kyneton, where we stopped and laid in a supply of provisions for the road, paying fifteen pence per pound for sea biscuits, the same for sugar, and five shillings for the 4lb. loaf. We also treated ourselves to a glass of porter each, at a shilling a glass. Kyneton is a long straggling township, with a most novel kind of streets: on each side is a narrow, firm pathway, but in the road you sink up to your knees in mud.
We had not got very far out of the town when we came to a hollow, which we found it almost impossible to cross. It required a good deal of persuasion at every step to draw one’s feet out of the mud; until, matters getting worse and worse, we were soon literally stuck fast, unable to extricate ourselves, while we still kept sinking till we were up to our thighs.
“Come and give us a hand,” said a little corpulent man, “or I shall drop all the grub!” Wishing something unpleasant to his optics, his dutiful nephew, who had long boots on, exclaimed ’ I’m fast myself!” The old gentleman now led the van, with his arms full of 4lb. loaves; but in spite of his desperate efforts to extricate his feet, which were sucked down by the mud, while he continued to halloo “Help me out! give us a hand!”—he finally succeeded in losing his perpendicular. Letting go the loaves, he put out his arms to save himself, and sank gently and comfortably up to the armpits; then drawing his arms out one at a time, he glided out on his stomach, spluttering and blowing, with his mouth full of mud, and looking more like a slimy monster of the deep than a respectable Sydney landlord.
His nephew, a flash Sydney native, now drew his legs out of his long boots, leaving them stuck fast in the mud, and followed his uncle’s example. The remainder of us succeeded, after an hour’s hard work, in reaching the other side. We did not travel much farther that day, but camped at the River Columbine, and next day, at sunset, arrived within five miles of Forest Creek diggings, where
Arrived at the diggings, we were surprised at the quantity of ground which had been turned up: almost every gully, for five miles, was covered with holes, in many places not a foot apart, varying from five feet to forty in depth; and many of the hills were sunk through as well.
The whole scene, as far as the eye could reach, was covered with tents, the stores and bake tents being distinguished by a flag. The flats and the steep sides of hills were similarly occupied. At night the effect is very peculiar: each tent has a log fire, and the reflection of the light cast on the countenances of the diggers, who stand round it smoking, is very striking; whilst the woods and hills around keep echoing back pistol-shots.
The creek itself was lined with men washing out their stuff. We pitched our tent some distance from the rest, back in the bush, and late at night were startled by the cries of a man, groaning and calling out “Murder! help! you—--wretches, leave me alone.” We did not all agree on going to the rescue, and perhaps we did wisely, as we were only three strong, and these cries were often merely a ruse to draw people out of their tents, and lead them into an ambuscade, when they were shot and robbed. The cry is, Every man for himself, and God for us all! You cannot trust your neighbour, and very few can put confidence in their own mates.
But few of the diggers were speaking of any “good finds,” and all were grumbling at hard work, hard fere, bad health, and no luck, so we determined to go on to the Bendigo.
We walked the intermediate distance, about twentyseven miles, in a day, carrying a heavy pack each, and taking turns with the tent. In the evening we arrived
“Set in,” set to work.
W . . t had sprained his ankle badly, and was consequently obliged to lie up for a few days; but next morning F… … . .d and I went out to try and buy some second-hand tools, for our money was getting short, and it behoved us to be economical. We purchased an old pick and shovel for eighteen shillings, and two tin dishes, about fifteen inches across the rim, and four or five deep, also for eighteen shillings: these latter are for washing the dirt out.
I then went up to the commissioner’s tent to obtain licences. It is situated on a small hill, the whole of which is covered with tents in the form of a square, and occupied by the sub-commissioners, traps, and troopers. At the foot of the hill runs the Bendigo Creek. The camp is capable of being well fortified at a few minutes’ notice.
Many hundreds of people were waiting for the same purpose as myself, and behaved in the most orderly and quiet manner, each taking his turn. I wasted a day in procuring the licences, which cost thirty shillings each per month.
The following is the “form of licence” which every one on the diggings, however engaged, is obliged to carry
“The bearer, having paid to me the sum of One Pound Ten Shillings, on account of the Territorial Revenue, I hereby license him to dig, search for, and remove Gold on and from any such Crown Lands within the
as I shall assign to him for that purpose, during the Month of, 185, not within half-a-mile of any Head Station.
“This Licence is not transferable, and to be produced whenever demanded by me or any person acting under the authority of the Government, and to be returned when another Licence is issued.
(Signed),
Commissioner.“REGULATIONS TO BE OBSERVED BY PERSONS DIGGING FOR GOLD OR OTHERWISE EMPLOYED AT THE GOLD-FIELD.
Every licensed person must always have his Licence with him ready to be produced whenever demanded by a Commissioner, or person acting under his instructions, otherwise he is liable to be proceeded against as an unlicensed person.
Every person digging for Gold, or occupying Land, without a Licence, is liable by law to be fined, for the first offence, not exceeding
51.; for a second offence, not exceeding15l.; and for a subsequent offence, not exceeding 30l.Digging for Gold is not allowed within Ten Feet of the edge of a Public Road, nor are the roads to be undermined.
Tents or Buildings are not to be erected within Twenty Feet of each other, or within Twenty Feet of any Creek.
It is enjoined that all persons at the Gold-Fields maintain and assist in the maintaining a due and proper observance of Sundays.”
Next day we purchased a riddle for nine shillings and sixpence, similar to a common colander. This is filled with dirt and placed inside the tin dish, which is half-full of water. The dirt is then stirred about with the hands till the gold and small pebbles have passed through into the dish. The large stones left in the riddle are then examined, to see if there are any nuggets which would not pass through the holes; the contents of the riddle are then thrown away.
The dish is next washed out: this is done by shaking it and stirring the stones about with the hand, holding it on the slant: the gold, being the heaviest, sinks to the bottom. The digger then takes the dish in both hands and dips up some water; again tilting it, the water runs off, carrying the top layer of stones with it. It is then shaken up again, and the process repeated until nothing is left but the gold.
We obtained this day about two pennyweights, worth there five shillings and threepence. This was not very encouraging, especially as we had to pay fourteen shillings for twelve pounds of flour at night, which reduced our stock of money to two pounds twelve shillings between the three of us.
We next tried surfacing, but found it would not pay; so we sunk a hole in the centre of the gully eleven feet deep. Now, as we could not wash any stuff to pay without a cradle, and we had not much left to protect, I sold my pistols, which cost me eighteen shillings in London, for seven pounds. This set us up again.
We next met with a party about to leave, of whom we bought a cradle, pick, and shovel, for four pounds ten shillings, they giving us their hole into the bargain; upon which F… … .d and W . . t went to work in good spirits, and before night had washed upwards of an ounce out of the hole.
I now bottomed our own hole, tried the stuff, and found there was not a speck of gold in it. The gold usually lies on what is termed the bottom; that is, you sink first through the top soil, then through a layer of shingly gravel, after that through a layer of drift stuff, all stones, probably one or two feet in thickness; you
It is of no use to dig through the pipe-clay, except in the case of what is called a “false bottom.” I have known instances of this: a layer of gravel, impregnated with gold, being found under about six inches of pipe-clay; but it is very seldom the case. I do not say that this formation is invariable; it is only an example of the Sailors’ Gully Forest Creek. I quoted this because the layers are the most distinct.
There are a great many lazy scoundrels here, who make a better living than the diggers by walking about and ascertaining who are most successful; and at night they go into their holes, and fossick out the best stuff, but many deservedly get shot. I have known a digger, who was doing well, to sleep for six weeks in his hole.
There are also a great many disputes. One man who had been in California was working a hole beside an “old hand,” who, thinking he could safely bully his neighbour, drove from his own hole into the Californian’s ground. The latter told him not to drive any farther, or he would shoot him, but his threat was laughed at. However, he always carried a Colt’s revolver, and with that in readiness he returned to his hole, where he could hear the sound of his neighbour’s pick getting nearer and nearer; he therefore went up once more and told the bully that the moment he drove into his hole he would shoot him, and again went down to wait till the pick should come through, which it did a few minutes after. That was the last stroke the old lag ever made with a pick, for, putting the muzzle of his revolver to the breach, the Californian shot him dead on the spot.
About this time I noticed two men working steadily in the creek, taking the bed out with a long Cornish shovel, and running it through the cradle: I knew they must be doing well, by their “paying attintion to it,” as Paddy says; so two of us went and set in alongside them, while the other worked in the gully.
We averaged over an ounce and a half per day for a fortnight, when F … … . d, who had been used to turning creeks in California, proposed to join a larger party, and turn the Bendigo: we agreed to it, and joined a party of eight. We cut a race alongside the creek, about thirty-five yards long and five feet deep, into which we turned the stream, dammed up both ends, and bailed out the intermediate water; but after all our labour we did not earn more between the eleven than we had done before amongst three.
After a few days’ work at this spot I was seized with diarrhoea, and when the disorder had continued eight days I made up my mind to go down to Melbourne. An ulcer also came upon the bottom of my foot, and in this condition I walked a hundred miles in the next three days. The change of air cured the diarrhoea, but the walking inflamed my foot to such a degree, that I was obliged to lie up when I got to Melbourne.
After living in town two weeks I worked on board one of the ships in the bay for about six weeks, earning good wages. One day two of us pulled the captain ashore, where my mate managed to get most awfully drunk; it was blowing very hard, and I had to manage the boat alone, and, as the wind was dead against us, it took a long tune to beat up. When we got alongside, we just fetched the mizen chains, and my mate got up and made a grab at them; however, he missed them, and fell overboard, head first. After a good deal of trouble I hauled him in, brought the boat alongside again, and got him safe on board.
Soon after dark some calashes, who belonged to the brig Marmion, lying alongside us, came off from the shore in the same condition as my mate, and, mistaking our vessel for their own, came aboard. We were down below, and, hearing an awful row overhead, went to see what was the matter. One of the darkies was lying on the deck, and our watch-dog had hold of him by the throat, while the rest stood on the ladder looking over, afraid to venture farther. We had no sooner released the captive than he was over the ship’s side, and into his own boat in a twinkling. It was fortunate that the dog stopped them, otherwise we should have had some
A few days after we had a gale of wind, during which a man and a boy foolishly came off from shore in a boat, and were capsized under our stern. The poor boy was lost, but the man drifted across a ship’s chain and was saved.
About this time a vessel came in, the D—--, of England, with passengers and a large crew. She had no sooner dropped anchor than the captain went ashore to get a force to take his men off to prison, with the intention of keeping them there until she sailed again. I and one of my mates, not having much to do (being evening), took the ship’s boat and pulled alongside to see if any friends of ours were amongst her passengers. When we got under the stern, one of the passengers asked us if we would take some of the crew ashore? We at first refused; but finally, thinking it over, we decided that it was very hard for the poor fellows to be kept on board at two or three pounds per month, when they could earn eleven pounds per month here at coasting. So we agreed to take them off. “Come back, then, at two o’clock in the morning,” said the passenger. “No! no!” we returned; “if they like to go now, we’ll take them.” He went and conferred with the crew, and soon came back, and asked us to pull under the bows, which we had no sooner done than sixteen stout and able seamen came sliding down the chain, one over the other, into our little boat, and nearly sank her. We stowed them under the thwarts, out of sight, and pulled for shore. When about half-way, our hearts were in our throats at seeing the police-boat coming steadily towards us, propelled by eight sturdy oarsmen.
“Tuck your wee noddle in under the thwart,” said my mate to one. “Keep still, and haul your legs inboard,” said I to some half-dozen others, whose legs were dangling in the water for want of room. These two points accomplished, up came the police-boat. “What boat’s that?” sang out the coxswain. “The Napoleon’s
About the end of October emigration to Melbourne was progressing at a fearful rate:—23,000 persons entered the bay in one week, and some of the vessels were fearfully crowded. The Ticonderaga arrived at the beginning of November. She had sailed from England with 814 emigrants on board, had lost ninety-three on the passage out, and seven soon after she brought up; besides which, 300 cases of sickness were reported, principally scarlatina. The doctor and his assistant were among the sick, and all the medicines on board had been consumed during the voyage. The ship was put in quarantine, but I never heard how many died afterwards.
After some time I again went to Melbourne, where I learnt that a brother whom I had not seen for four years had been staying at the house I usually put up at when in town, and had only left that morning for the diggings at Friar’s Creek. I started after him at three o’clock the next morning, and stayed two days at the diggings looking for him, but without success. I then returned with my blankets on my back, walking a distance of eighty-three miles in two days.
I found Melbourne quieter than before, although people were still flocking in. Many had come down from the diggings disappointed, and settled to business in Melbourne. The police force was better organized, still there were some bad among them. I heard of several who had joined the force in a state of destitution, and who in a few months were in possession of house property at Melbourne; which could not have occurred in the regular course of things. It is currently reported that some of them are in connection with bushrangers, and that, when ra robbery is being committed in one part of their beat, they take care to be at another. The town was more crowded than ever; lodging-houses were full, with eight or ten persons sleeping in each room; and I should think that five hundred wood and brick houses had sprung up since my previous visit. The streets had now quite a different appearance, being lined with Jews’ shops, hung out with old clothes, &c.; in front of which stood some of the descendants of Abraham, offering, like the magician, to give you new hats for old ones; whilst others perambulated the streets, with a suspicious dirtylooking bag, shouting “Old clo!” Emigrants who arrive with a large outfit and little money stand in a spot called
There are swarms of public-houses, some of which clear 14,000l. per annum. The diggers, on coming down to town for a “spell,” amuse themselves during the day by taking what they call a walk; that is, they go the round of half the public-houses in Melbourne, and take two or three “nobblers” of raw brandy at each, there being no amusement whatever in the town in the daytime. At night they go to the theatre or one of the circuses, where smoking is allowed; after which they bring home to their lodgings three or four bottles of wine or brandy; and if any unlucky fellow has gone home and got to bed before them, they wake him up, or, if he is unwilling to join them, they pull him out of bed, and make him assist in finishing the liquor: not till that is accomplished do they “turn in;” and if that has not succeeded in making them intoxicated, they fetch in more. When they turn out in the morning, their appetite failing, they go in a body and get a “nobbier,” and then come back to breakfast, when the same routine succeeds; and this is what a digger calls recruiting his health. The government get about 7000l. per annum from drunkards’ fines.
I stayed in town a few days, and then started for Ballarat, with two new “mates,” without a farthing in my pocket, and just provision enough to last me up. We every night rolled ourselves in our blankets, and slept under some tree or bush. On arriving at Ballarat we borrowed tools from some sailors, and found a quarter of an ounce the first day, down a thirty-five feet hole. Next day we got a little more: this gave us a bit of a start, so we must needs purchase a “billy” (a tin pot for boiling tea, coffee, meat, or anything you may have the luck to get), to make our tea in. These diggings were very dull, and one party of “knowing coves” were nicely taken in by three “new chums” who brought out from Birmingham a nugget of brass. They set to work and sank a deep hole, where they pretended to find the said nugget, which two of them carried between them, suspended to a pole, to the Commissioner’s camp, whilst the third walked beside them with a doublebarrelled gun. Large offers were directly made for the hole, which they sold for more than 300l., and then decamped.
We now struck off, by the cross-country road, to Mount Alexander. Fording the river Loddon, we came to a part of the country of a totally different character from that in which we had previously found gold.
Leaving one of our mates behind, we went on to Friar’s Creek, where we bought two licences, and pitched one of our blankets for a tent; but, finding little doing here, we moved on to Forest Creek. On the road I saw a notice nailed to a tree, telling me where to find my brother. I followed the directions and reached his tent, which he had purposely distinguished with two boughs. It was guarded, however, by a large dog, which showed unmistakable
He was working with three mates; and when their hole was worked out he got rid of his companions and joined us. We were now a party of four. Our first hole in Sailors’ Gully, where we “set in,” produced more than a pound of gold; but for the next two months we scarcely earned a living, so F… … r, my original mate, left us for the Ovens. We now bought a large tarpauling, and made a fine tent; so big, in fact, that the first windy day’s trial we expected to find it blown away when we came home from work, and our dogs, looking ridiculously foolish, tethered to the naked posts.
Being summer, the flies were very troublesome. As many as can crowd into the corners of your eyes settle there, and continue biting till they are so sore that you can scarcely see. In a moment one will deposit a maggot inside the eyelid, which causes it to swell till it is almost as large as your fist: this is called the “blight,” and so injurious to the sight is it, that I am still suffering from its effects. I knew a man who lost all his eyelashes, and several who have lost their sight altogether, from this cause.
As we could do nothing here, we made up our minds to change our grounds for “luck,” and I went up to the Bendigo alone to “prospect” as it is called. On the way, the first night I walked till some time after dark, and then turned out of the road about a hundred yards (to camp), to avoid bushrangers or being trampled over by horsemen passing in the night. Rolling myself up in my blanket, I lay down in a low scrub: at dawn I was startled by the report of a double-gun, apparently near me: the first bullet entered the ground close to my head; jumping on my feet, a second tore up the earth a few yards off. I now found that my custom of camping after dark was a dangerous one. I had taken up my quarters, unknowingly, close to another party, who were discharging their fire-arms in the morning. I certainly could not reasonably blame them, although I did so in the heat of the moment.
I then cooked my breakfast and started. Arriving on
I hardly knew the Bendigo again, it was so much cut up. There was a rush to the “back creek,” so I went to see how it turned out; a few holes, and but few, did pretty well. One poor fellow rashly drove his hole all round, without employing supports, and the ground fell in and smothered him. There are a good many Chinese working along this creek. An unlucky store, which stood on the scene of the rush, was surrounded in four days with over a hundred holes twenty-five feet deep.
It is no uncommon thing to see a whole flat turned up in a single day. Some “coon” starts it by finding gold, or, at any rate, saying so, when the news spreads like wildfire. Next morning, at earliest dawn, hundreds are there with picks and shovels, marking out their claims. The knowing ones let a few near them bottom their holes before they commence; if these turn out well, then they go down with their own I have seen two hundred holes sunk in a day, from five to seven feet deep, one of which I sank myself, and not any of them turned out worth working.
There are also some of the “rowdy mob” here, who walk about the diggings with a pick and shovel on their shoulders, pretending to be prospecting. When they see a “new chum” doing well, and by himself, they walk up to him and say, “Come out of that hole, or I’ll drive the —-- pick through your head.” If the “new chum” is frightened, he gets out of his hole and runs off for the commissioner; upon which the other immediately takes his place, fills a sack with the best washing-stuff he can find, and decamps; and when the owner returns he finds he has been robbed.
One of these worthies on an occasion filled a gold-bag with shot and sent it down by the Escort Company; he
On another occasion two brothers went to work in a hole which a couple of Irishmen had left, who however came sneaking round it every day to see how the new tenants were getting on. After a few days’ work they came across a rich pocket of gold; and when the Irishmen learned this, they immediately claimed the hole. Now, by law, if you are away from your hole twenty-four hours you cannot reclaim it; and the brothers naturally refused to give it up. The former owners went away threatening, and their successors loaded their guns up to the muzzle with small pieces of broken bottles, in expectation of an attack. The Paddies soon returned, with nine companions, all armed with shillelahs, and advanced on the brothers, when the latter raised their pieces and fired, killing one and wounding all the rest, who quickly beat a retreat.
I now returned to Forest Creek to report progress, satisfied that there was water enough here for several weeks, and we must trust to Providence for a further supply. Four men who were working in Sailors’ Gully, near us, agreed to accompany us to the Bendigo. They had a dray, which was a convenience to us, as they carried our tools and tent up, which we should otherwise have been obliged to dispose of.
A person of the name of R . . s, evidently a gentleman, also wished to go with us, to which we agreed, as the Bendigo diggings are suitable for persons working singly, being generally very shallow sinking. Such persons are humorously called “hatters.” They live alone, in a tent often not more than six feet long, three feet high, and three feet wide, and in many cases do better than parties of three or four. This Mr. R . . s told us that he had been educated for a Roman Catholic priest, but, falling in love with a young lady who had only her hand and heart to give him, he resolved to marry her. His aunt, who had brought him up, hearing of it, cast him off, and he went out to Australia to seek
At night the doctor came again, and said he would not live two hours: we watched beside him till about eleven, when he breathed his last, uttering the name of his brother. This was Friday night. His dog still kept watch beside him, and growled at us every time we went
On the morrow, being Sunday, we sewed him up in his winding-sheet, cut some sheets of bark and made a rude coffin, dug a grave, and followed him to his last home. We were obliged to tie up his dog to prevent him from following. Next day we put up some neat railings round the grave.
This event made us all miserable, so we changed our quarters, and went up to Napoleon Gully, so called from having been discovered by a Frenchman. Here we worked for two months, but did very little good. This was the most pleasant part of the country we had been in, offering plenty of opportunities for sport when we had time. On Sydney Flat, which was close to us, kangaroos came and fed in the early morning. On the Sundays we went out hunting wild dogs, &c., besides making immense slaughter amongst the opossums, pigeons, parrots, and quails, which formed our Sunday’s dinner.
Whilst we were here another murder occurred. A few tents from us dwelt a poor fellow who had been working with two mates for some time, when, having met with a turn of luck, he made up his mind to turn “hatter.” As the tent was his own, his mates left him, and next morning, being Sunday, they came over to breakfast with him and see how he liked being alone; but on drawing aside the door of the tent they were horrified at finding him dead, with a deep gash in his throat.
On the previous night the gold had been shared: his portion was of course gone, that being the object of the villain who had murdered him. It was observed that a man who had been selling grog on the sly had decamped during the night, and, suspicion instantly falling on him, he was searched for but never found.
A few days after this occurrence I met my former
Some bushrangers, observing his sanguinary genius, kindly offered to supply him with arms and ammunition, a horse and money, provided he would join them. This was certainly a strong temptation to a hard-up sailor, especially as they represented to him the jolly life they led; but he was wise enough to refuse. I was also asked to join in “sticking up” the escort, but of course declined.
Napoleon Gully swarms with snakes of every description, from the beautiful carpet-snake to the whip-snake and death-adder; whilst guanos, lizards, centipedes, and tarantulas abound.
The water is very bad here. Sometimes after washing dirt in a small stagnant water-hole we had to wait till twelve o’clock at night, when it settled a little, and then with a pannikin skim the water, which, though still muddy, was the best we could procure; at other times we had to fetch it a distance of three miles. So eager are the diggers after gold that every drop of water they can find is used for washing the dirt, which soon converts it into slush; and this they are obliged to drink.
Not liking to work for nothing, and seeing little prospect of doing any good without capital, I made up my mind to go to New Zealand; but circumstances afterwards induced me to change my plan and return to England. I found Melbourne in about the same state as when I was there before, only rather more crowded. Immigration was still going on at a fearful rate, and old gentlemen in spectacles, and other new arrivals,
As the barque Emigrant stood first on the departure list, I took my passage in her. On the voyage we suffered a good deal from cold and hunger. The victualling was badly managed. We took thirty sheep on board; but, their hay falling short, seventeen were killed in one day, and much of the meat got putrid before we could eat it. We went down as low as 62° south latitude. Here we sailed between a lot of icebergs, and felt the cold very much after leaving a warm country like Australia.
Whilst hereabouts one of the cabins in the between-decks caught fire. This is an event that shews what kind of stuff a man is made of. It was some tune before we found out where the fire came from; when, however, its locality was discovered, some made themselves useful in fetching water, while others, totally helpless, sank down, sobbing violently.
In about 23° south latitude, when nearly out of provisions, we fortunately fell in with Her Majesty’s store-ship Tyne. From her we got three days’ allowance, which lasted us into Rio Janeiro, where we narrowly escaped being wrecked. Here we recruited ourselves with five days on shore. We went to the English consul, and laid a complaint before him. He said he could do nothing, but would see the ship properly stored before she went to sea again.
The Bombay was lying in this port, repairing damages which she had sustained in fouling an iceberg off Cape Horn about a month before. Since she had been here she had lost thirty passengers by yellow fever, which was still raging in the lower parts of the town and aboard the shipping.
We arrived at Rio de Janeiro on St. John’s eve, a great fěte-day with the Catholics. The town is situated on one side of a large bay, nearly surrounded with. lofty hills:
We left here all well, with the exception of three who were suffering from dysentery, and two with yellow jaundice. We again fell short of food and firing, and had to beg provisions of three other vessels; however, we arrived safely in England in September, 1853, after a tedious voyage of nineteen weeks; and shortly afterwards I addressed the following communication to “The Times” newspaper, in the hope of calling attention to the state of society at the diggings, and to the necessity of further government supervision.
Reminiscences of a Gold-Digger.To the Editor of the Times.Sir, —I find that the gold mania, though partially subsided, has not by any means worn off; allow me, therefore, through the medium of your widely- circulating journal, to offer a few remarks to the public, which I feel bound to do as a returned digger. I think I can make myself better understood by drawing a parallel case.
Imagine a man tenderly nurtured, by birth and education a gentleman; unexpected events have reduced his fortune, and he is left to struggle with the world in poverty. He hears of the gold-fields, and thinks by a few years’ hard toil to put his family for ever above want. If married, he leaves his wife at home, and takes a passage to Melbourne. There he chooses a mate—he cannot work alone; perhaps this mate is a convict or a sailor, or perhaps a government emigrant: in either case he cannot converse with, cannot enter into his refined feelings; every sentence he utters is accompanied by an oath.
They go to the diggings; he must work hard, he must do as much work as the man who has been used to hard
labour from infancy, or his mate will grumble; may be, with all his working, he cannot save enough to pay for his next gold-licence; the last has run out, and he is working in suspense without one; and if he is taken by the “traps,” he will be sent to prison handcuffed to a common felon. He returns from his work dispirited and miserable, eats his supper, and rolls himself in his blanket on the ground, very likely with the rain pouring through on him for a whole night. He ponders on his melancholy situation; thoughts of home crowd into his head. His wife! He has not heard from her; she may be sick, or in poverty; she may be dead. Who knows? He despairs. People are being murdered around him, deaths are occurring, and dysentery has claimed many victims; he has watched them to their graves—nay, there is one close to his very tent. It is his turn now; a low fever is on him; he can eat nothing, his face is deathly white, and he gets paler every day. There is no one to attend on him; his mate thinks he is doing more than most people would if he simply makes him a pannikin of tea on returning from work. He is now reduced to a skeleton; but, hark! there are persons talking outside his tent; they are coldly calculating his chances of recovery—his own mate is one—and he hears them; delirium succeeds, the fever has reached its height. It is night; his lips are parched, but no kind hand is there to give him water; he lies on his back, his tongue swollen and lolling out of his mouth; his breath smells fearfully, his pulse scarcely beats at all.
At this crisis, perhaps, his mate will fetch a so-called doctor, one who has been unable to pass his examination at home, from incapacity; he feels his pulse, says it is so low that nothing but brandy can save him; he gives him brandy, adulterated with vitriol or brimstone. During the night, with the strength of delirium, he gets up and wanders out of his tent; the excitement wears off, and he sinks down on the wet ground, far from his camp. Unable to return, he lies there till morning, exposed to the dew of night and cold raw air, when he is discovered and led tottering back to his tent. His reason has returned;
he knows he is about to die; but how prepared for death? He still hears the oaths and blasphemies of his companions; no man of God is there to lead him to repentance, no ministering angel to comfort him in his dying moments. But, hush! he tries to sit up, and half utters the name of wife; but the death-rattle meets it in his throat. One convulsive struggle and all is over; his spirit has passed into a better land, while none but a convict was present to catch his dying words. Next day his mate buries him; perhaps not more than a foot of earth covers his corpse. Here he lies—no stone to mark his grave. His wife is a widow, but she never hears what has become of him.
I have known several cases of this kind, and also cases of murder, where the various parties have not been known by any other than their Christian names; consequently their friends could never gain any intelligence of them. I think some of your clever correspondents might be able to suggest some means of obviating this. There is a registry in Melbourne, where, by paying a small sum, you can register your name, occupation, &c., and they will answer any inquiries on the payment of a similar small sum by the querist Now, I think a registry ought to be a government concern.
I remain, Sir, yours obediently,
John Rochfort .
1, Bellina Villas, Kentish Town,
Oct. 26.
From the early eighteen-sixties he was involved in many important surveying and engineering works, including surveys on the West Coast, and the Nelson-Canterbury boundary. He produced a report on the Denniston coal fields, and laid out the town of Greymouth. By 1871