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The Journal of Edward Ward 1850-51

Tuesday, December 17th

Tuesday, December 17th

The confusion beginning. About twelve o'clock went on board the Fly to present a letter from the Council of Colonists to the Governor, praying for his influence with the Custom House officers to have our baggage, intended for personal use, landed free of duty. The Governor being on board the Randolph at prayers, we loitered and gossiped about the deck with the officers who were of the usual stamp in gentleman-like civility and conducted us about the ship. They had just come from the Auckland Islands. The Governor soon came on board with Captain Nugent, and I was introduced to him. He talked with me for a long time, giving advice and his opinion that Canterbury must 'go ahead'. His ideas of the duties of the customs were generous enough, but his powers limited—no control over the customs, and he could only volunteer his advice. After talking some time longer we went off. Meantime the Sir George Seymour came in and anchored abreast of us. She had sailed on Sunday, the eighth, so that we only beat her in point of time by two hours. Some of the emigrants went ashore today and were put in the barracks—Andy and Caughey among the rest. After luncheon Fisher, Howard, Henry, Hamilton & I went on shore to see about a boat to take our things round. We failed in finding anything to suit us, so we started to climb up the mountain to have a look at the Plains. We missed our direction in climbing and got round the harbour side—from which we had to get to a higher and then away further to the westward before we could get a view of the level behind. At last, after a wearisome struggle, we commanded a view. We passed along the west side of the page 88hill. In our way we came upon a little nest of fertility that was delicious to look at. In a sheltered nook, facing the N.E. by the side of a small wood, a house* was built whose situation was well chosen. All round the soil teemed with vegetable productions—wild oats, ripe sowthistle, plantain, groundsel & other plants grew large and strong. There was the track of a running stream hard by, but springs everywhere. I could have wished much to have bought the house and all, just as it stood. It faced the N.E. and the first point of the land where it meets the River Heathcote. Being rather too high upon the hill was its only disadvantage. But I shall certainly have a look at it before the day of sale arrives. We passed on over still fertile land, till we came to the top of the hill which commands the Plain on the N.E. We were tempted to descend—the distance seemed so short. However, we had made a mistake. We had to get down precipices, and when we got to the bottom we found the soil very inferior covered at first with thin grass and perennial flax, and then with New Zealand flax and coarser grass, then with fern growing upon a harsh dry soil, then with bulrushes & swamp plants, the soil really bog & spongy swamp. But here and there there were better spots; and in fact the whole of this little tract which formed a sort of bay between the spurs of the hills, was of most irregular quality. This however, we knew to be no specimen of the soil of the Plains, as we saw easily from the hill the difference of its appearance. We came to the river after a long trudge, occasionally refreshing ourselves with the delicious honey of the flax flower which was distilled in abundance from every blossom; we merely put our mouths to every flower as it stood up along the stalk like the coronet of a tiger lily, but of a crimson colour. This flax flower must be of incalculable value to weary travellers on these weary Plains.

* This cottage, high up on the slopes of Mount Pleasant, overlooking the plains, appears to have been used by a stock-keeper employed by George Rhodes of Purau, some of whose stock grazed the hills behind Lyttelton.