Annoyed the Acting-Governor.

When Sam roared "Gee up, Shortland, or I'll cut your —— tail off, you brute!" the passing magistrate haughtily inquired if he was referring to him. Amidst shouts of the bystanders' laughter Sam replied, "I wasn't speaking to you; I was only speaking to my bullock." The christening was such a success that the names of Sam's bullocks were continually being changed to the names of the last magistrate who fined him and the last policeman who arrested him.

Sam started his first day's work in Nelson by earning £11 before dinner by carting a Mr. Cottrell's goods and chattels, but the afternoon found him under his dray oblivious to the world. Later, competition arrived in the shape of a dray with a black horse, which not only worked all day, but was handier in going into the water to the ship's boats, and, as Sam said, "spoilt the business." The black horse was very vicious, and had an antipathy to Maoris. Many an astonished native was glad to find himself naked with a whole skin and only his blanket in the horse's teeth.