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Letters from Early New Zealand

Wellington. October 24th, 1850

page 117
Wellington. October 24th, 1850.

My Dear Mother,

This morning, very early, sailed the Hoogly, to Sydney, with a regular pamphlet to you. It was what we call a chance ship, that is, it only called in passing, and did not come with any cargo. I don't know when this can go, we have no ship at present "laid-on" for Sydney, and the English ships direct will not sail yet; not till the sheep shearing is over, and some of the wool ready to be sent to the London Market.

I mentioned in finishing my letter yesterday that we were going to a pic-nic, given by Mrs. Petre and another lady. It was in a very pretty spot, of course, in the bush, and. the day quite lovely; even the wind kept quiet, and everything went off very successfully. We had a very extensive dinner, more than we (twenty-four people) could have eaten in two whole days, and then we had a very pretty walk in the bush, then coffee al fresco, and then we came home, and the rest of the party stayed a good deal longer. We arrived at seven, just as it was getting dark, and found that the Government brig had come in from Nelson, and a brigantine from Hobart town, bringing English news to the end of June. The death of Sir Robert Peel, and the shameful attack on the Queen by Mr. Pate. It is so dreadfully tantalizing getting bits of news in this way, and then no more, for months perhaps. The June ship has not yet been heard of, and when she does come, all her news must be about a month older than this. There is something so sad in Sir Robert's end that we "cannot choose but grieve", and what a difference it will make in parties, &c.; but I spare you reflections, and "retrospections on the future", as it is, in one sense, with us. I wish I had the man here who said "that as soon as you were out of England, even in Wales, you might as well be in N.Z., as in France or Italy, or even Wales!" I do in many ways, for indeed it was Charles.

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Yesterday, at breakfast, we were surprised by a very early visir from Thompson, our dear Maori chief, from Otaki, who came to tell us that, as Archdeacon Williams was going home to England for two years, he had suddenly made up his mind to go with him, and see all that he can, and to come back by a Port Cooper ship, and see that too. He leaves his wife behind, as he says he cannot afford to pay for her too, and it would be very expensive for him; but the poor woman is so sad, she almost cried as soon as she saw me, expecting me to allude to it. The Government brig is going to Auckland, and will take him and Mrs. Williams (the daughter-in-law of the Archdeacon), who is going there to see her friends, and then he expects to go on by a ship, direct to England, about December. So that I hope he will arrive while you are in London. I should be so glad that you should see him, and talk to him about us. 1 have shewn him my picture of you and said that he must go and try to see you, and I am sure you would like him, and he assures us that he will try to learn to speak English well, before the voyage is over. He and his wife have been dining with us to-day, and Dr. Fitzgerald came too, to talk Maori for us, so we gave, for us, quite a grand banquet. Arthur and I spent a very hot hour in picking gooseberries for a large tart. (Fancy their being quite ready on the 24th April, which October 24th answers to). Then we had roast beef, and a coursed rabbit, the finest I ever saw; a present from Captain Stokes whose dogs caught it at a place about ten miles off, where some tame ones were once turned out. This was quite a new dish to them, and so were some artichokes that Colonel McCleverty had sent us; they were much amused at nibbling the leaves. Thompson, in putting pepper on them, upset some over his plate, on which Mrs. Thompson burst out laughing, and said, in Maori of course, that if he did that in England, the "pakehas" would laugh, and think him very vulgar; and then she went on to say that she had told him he must try to eat very little or they would wonder at his appetite. But a sweet arrowroot pudding was their great delight, mixed with the tart; they could not help remarking that it was "Kapai" (called "carpye") "very good". Mr. Wodehouse called, just before dinner, and page 119stayed to see them; and as soon as we had done we all went off to hear the band playing on Thornden flat which it now does once a week from two till four. It is a sort of réunion, so many people come to walk up and down, or sit in a corner to get out of the wind, and Thompson kept walking about, and making the most enlightened bows to all his friends. Most of the gentlemen there had been up the coast and entertained at his house. He told us, too, that Mr. Hadfield was very stingy, and would not spare us for a day, or he would have got us to dine with him and given us "whitebait". It appears that there is a little fish just like it, often caught at Otaki, and elsewhere, in great numbers, but we have never seen any.

October 25th. We have got home such a nice new table to-day, a sort of library shape, 3 feet by 3 feet 8 inches, with two drawers, beautifully polished, and made of "remu" one of their best woods here, like a light rosewood, but much prettier I think. The Government brig has brought us back Mr. Domett, who has been spending six weeks at Nelson. He brings us news of our fellow passenger, Mr. Elliot who has set up two mills there, and is a very good colonist, he says, but we do not hear that he is yet married. I told you that he had been softened, on the passage, by the charms of "Ann", Mr. Tollemache's housemaid, and proposed to her soon after landing there. The two other attendant damsels are also engaged, or at least said to be, which has I fancy put Mr. Tollemache out of humour, for we hear of his behaving very crossly about two town acres of his there, which had been left unoccupied as a sort of common, and was the only possible cricket-ground about the place. These he has not only ploughed up and fenced, but let, with a special condition, that they are not to be allowed to revert to their old purpose. Of course, they are quite his own, but after saying that he didn't want money and should give his whole £20,000 worth of property here to the Church and other public benefits, one is disappointed to find him. obstinately refusing to hear reason on a point which, if he chose even to give the land, would be so small to him, and. so great to the town. The Governor and Mrs. Eyre are gone up the coast, and Mrs. McCleverty and child, and Mrs. page 120St. Hill and Mr. and Mrs. Petre and three children have all been, since we came back, as far as Otaki. They say I set the fashion, but I suppose I did help to shew how perfectly easy it is. However, Mrs. Eyre has tried to do too much riding in a day, and knocked herself up by the time she got to Otaki, where they stayed with Thompson. Mr. Hadfield was away.

November 1st. Still no news of the June ship, but we have been thrown into a disagreeable state of excitement, by the news in the Sydney papers a day or two ago. For, excellent as it all is as to the success and well-being of Canterbury, yet for the moment, we are much afraid that the emigrants1 may arrive before we can get down there, and that they must arrive before the funds are forthcoming for some desirable preparations. We are to go down (D.V.) by the first ship. My husband had even thoughts of chartering one himself. The Barbara Gordon, which sailed about the 1st of May is due here now, en route to Lyttelton, and by her we expect to get on. I would say hope if I could, but I dread the sea again so much, and am besides sorry to leave Wellington, and the people there who have been, one and all, as kind to us as they could. We hear, by all sorts of side-winds, how much is thought of Canterbury. "2,000 people to be sent out in the first two months", and so on. The people here talk of nothing else; everybody wants either to go there, or to buy a bit of land. I believe the love of roaming must grow upon indulgence, for they seem to think nothing of moving. As for me, my 16,000 miles have only made me more cat-like than ever, and given me a positive enjoyment in being still at all. My husband is sending home (by a ship advertized for January) four boxes of plants. One of them is for Uncle Robert, and will you kindly undertake to tell him, about the contents; that he must remember that they are all from "the bush", and are therefore accustomed to a place thoroughly well sheltered from cold, and sun, to a great degree; the ferns, especially, will not bear a great light on their crowns, and fade down directly. We are told that they do admirably in green-

1 Four emigrant ships were shortly expected; the first to arrive at Lyttelton direct from England.

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with light only at the side, in fact, a room with only enough fire to keep out frost. There is an understanding man, a few miles from here, who collects plants, and fills cases to send home, and he is to do it for us directly, as the season has just begun for getting the different specimens. The Kaori (cowry) tree, is not to be had here. The fuchsia tree grows all about, but the flower is small, and faded-looking, compared to "our English fuchsias". The Rata, red myrtle, tree is, I hear, magnificent, when it is in flower, but I have not seen it here yet; what we found in flower, when we came here, was a creeper, or rather a parasite tree, of which species there are immense numbers in the bush, many trees having three or four stems, half as thick as themselves, running up to the highest branches. A smaller kind is a clematis, about ten times the size of one's at home, and that looks quite lovely now, about the woods, with garlands and crowns of large white flowers among the dark green leaves. I thought it would look so well at the back of the Stokesley conservatory, and I hear a cool greenhouse would suit it exactly. Most people kill N.Z. plants by giving them too much heat, which they can no more bear than they can frost. The smaller clematis is not so handsome, but has a very sweet smell. Then there is a species of cineraria (as the man tells me, who is employed about it, and who makes quite a profession of preparing these cases, for parties wishing to send home plants) which is again very sweet, and grows here into a small tree. The cases have to be made with the boards grooved into each other, painted and glazed, and the openings filled carefully with putty to exclude the air entirely. The first English ship is advertized to sail on January 20th, the Lord William Bentinck having been "taken up for England", as the saying goes, and, either by her or the next, I hope they will go. Mr. Weld and Mr. Fox are both going home (D.V.) in the summer, and one of them will, I am sure, take charge of them.

November 11th. On Saturday, 9th, came our letters from home by the June ship (the Eden), only the letters, though, by an overland mail from New Plymouth, where she first touched, and so much news, and though it is not all good, still with so many well we have a great deal to be thankful for.

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November 16th. The Phæbe Dunbar (July ship) has at last come in, and on my birthday, the 14th, so that I felt something like home getting so many home letters. Arthur had a tea-party for me, out in the garden, and while we were at it, the letters arrived and all good (private) news, and we read letters till bed-time. I am quite filled with admiration, and still more with gratitude, at you all for going on writing so well, only how could anyone tell you to expect letters at the end of June! We thought ourselves so lucky for finding the Woodstock just going to sail in May, (6th) when we arrived here; and we are now most anxious to hear whether you got those, our first letters, before the Association ships sailed, which we now see advertized from Plymouth, on September 10th. So perhaps we may have one, at least, in by Christmas Day, which would be pleasant for us, even if the works, road, etc., are not quite ready for them. There are funds, however, now, for going on, and no time will be lost in setting to work. We go down (D.V.) by the next ship, the Eden, which is daily expected from New Plymouth and Nelson. I must go back to November 6th when H.M.S. Fly (sloop-of-war 14 guns) arrived, with the Governor, Sir George and Lady Grey on board, and bringing down from Auckland the Barbara Gordon's (May ship's) mail, by which John had several letters, and I had one from Mrs. Rogers, and from little Charlotte P. who is quite a princess about writing. Your Eden letters came only two days later, and so we had quite a feast of news, and must now make up our minds to wait patiently for the next. I cannot say how glad I am that our Epistles en route by the Maid and Persia arrived safely. I quite long to hear of the next long pamphlet from here, May 6th, having done the same. I thought it best, at the time, to write down everything in one, so that I might tell everything, as it were; and now I feel ungrateful for not having written separately to everyone who has written to me, but it is not for want of thinking of them; that is all I can say.

On November 7th, the Governor and Lady landed, received by a guard of honour, band playing "God save the Queen", and salute of nineteen guns from the Fly; which I heard, but did not see, being occupied with a sick headache, page 123without any sickness, though, and only about two hours long, which is, I suppose, the way of having such things here, the other symptons were all perfect. Anyhow, I was quite forthcoming in the afternoon, and went out to tea. On the evening before, we had been out also, to Mrs. Fox's, where we were asked "for a little music " and I went, attired in my most stately silk morning gown, which I had found always before to be the general thing here. Even in a muslin with high-body, I was unlike other people. We arrived nearly the first, and found only Mr. Dillon, the Auckland Colonial Secretary, who had come on shore, with a new constitution, of Sir George's own drawing up, in his pocket. This was, of course, a great piece of news, and occupied the elder gentlemen all the evening. Then arrived a number of ladies in white dresses, short sleeves, white shoes, and bouquets; and before we retired, which was at a very early hour, the round table had disappeared from the middle of the room, and they were all dancing. N.B. six of the bouquets, including my own, were presented by Dr. Prendergast, the doctor of the 65th Regiment; a somewhat absurd and unpleasant individual, who is by way of being enlightened on all subjects, and very fond of flowers, but does it all badly, and his fun is to present ladies with bouquets, more especially Miss Halcomb, Mrs. Fox's sister. Report says, however, without reciprocity on the lady's part; and indeed her passage too is taken with Mr. and Mrs. Fox, by the Lord William Bentinck for London, in January. They go home because, the N.Z. Co. being defunct, so is his Office out here of Chief Agent thereunto, with £1000 a year; and so, having been here eight years, and no children to hinder their. movements, they go back, and will return again, or not, as they like best.

When Sir G. and Lady Grey landed, they went straight to the McCleverty's house, and lived there for two days. They cannot bear Mr. Eyre, and as he and his wife did not return from "up the coast" till three days after, they made that a good excuse for not going to Government House; and when they left Colonel McCleverty's, they went to Mr. Domett's, the Colonial Secretary here, who gave up his house to them, and dwelt with Mr. Thomas, Sir George's page 124half-brother. We went to make a state call the morning after their arrival, and found My lady extremely gracious, and far cleverer than Mrs. Eyre, but with a very satirical expression, and way of talking about every body, which is evidently the reason of her being so little liked. She has beautiful black hair, and still better brown eyes, and a very good forehead and complexion; but her nose is too long and peaky, and her mouth twists about in rather an ugly way. In the evening, we went there to meet them, and saw Sir George, whom we do not love much better. He is tall and plain, with a rather a red tip to a rather long nose, and rather expressive eyes. His manner is supposed here to be perfect, and fascinating, because he can generally talk anyone over to his own opinion; but we both thought him very stiff, and not very agreeable, though you see at once that he is quite a clever man. I need not tell you how he has been lately convicted of something very like a falsehood, in full council, and other things not quite likeable, in spite of all his undoubted ability. What is much more to the purpose for us, is that he forthwith engaged my husband in conversation, and told him that, rather than the works on the road at Lyttelton should be stopped any longer, he would "presently" advance £2,400, from the local treasury, to set them going, now, during the summer, while they can work best. I rather wonder that my husband could avoid thinking him perfection, after such a volunteer as that, for of course he was much pleased. To me he said that he used to know Tom Cocks, and that he and Mr. O. Biddulph used to tell him he was too fond of late parties, and altogether "too fashionable". The Captain of the Fly is a clever, agreeable sort of man, and a beautiful artist; figures, landscapes, portraits, anything you please, but he doesn't look much like a sailor; name, Captain Oliver. Mr. and Mrs. Eyre returned on Saturday, and on the Tuesday we went to a party at Government House, and met all the élite of Wellington. It was stiff, hot, work, sitting as I did in a very hot room, inventing conversation, opposite the two Lady Governors, who don't love each other at all, but were both very civil to us, and when Mrs. Eyre went to sing, and Mr. Eyre took his usual place at her side, Lady Grey not page 125only smiled herself, rather wickedly, but tried to incite us to do the same. In short, we think her somewhat ill-natured, and not much to be trusted, though she took what I suppose she thought the straight road to my heart by being very much devoted to Arthur. She begged me to let him pay her a visit, as "Mr. Thomas was always writing in such raptures about him to Auckland" and when she did see him, at the band-playing, she spent all the afternoon in talking to him, and telling me how charming he was. The next day they all went off to the Auckland Islands, where Sir George is to assert his supremacy over Mr. Enderby, and they have struck awe into our hearts by promising on their return to stop at all the settlements, and to pay us a very long visit at Lyttelton. The new Constitution was a private piece of Legislation of Sir G's; proposed, as they cannot get on any longer with the present state of things, to last till the representative institutions, now promised, can be first concocted in the House of Commons at home, and then set a-going out here. I can assure you on my husband's authority, that it is a very bad bill and a sham, and accordingly, the Constitutional Settlers had a meeting last week, and firmly, if not respectfully, declined to accept or have anything to say to it. I suppose Sir George will be very angry when he hears that, out of at least 350, (only 900 "male adults" in the settlement) only one person voted for the bill; for he had done everything to talk people over while here. The meeting took place the day after he went, and my husband was at it; proposed the first resolution, and spoke for ten or twelve minutes. From this you may believe he is much better. I am quite afraid to write it for fear of a drawback to-morrow, but at least I may say that he has gained eleven pounds since May; he now weighs eleven stone five pounds, and looks as fresh as a daisy. I hear his speech was immensely admired, the people here all think him something rather wonderful.

November 20th. We find that a mail goes off to-day to Sydney, and must therefore close in a hurry. I hoped we should have been able to go on writing till our departure from Wellington, which is now, I believe, to be in a few days. The Eden is still expected every day, but not come, page 126and my husband is getting into a great fuss about getting down to his work, now there are funds to go on with it; and so we are (D.V.) to go down in the Acheron, about Saturday next, without any servants, and with just as much furniture as will enable us to carry on till the Eden does come, with Powles, William, horses, and goods; which will, I suppose, be about a fortnight. Captain Stokes has been exceedingly civil about taking us, offering to wait for us if required, and to take any amount of furniture, etc.; but we don't wish to trespass too far; and besides, it is no small business for Powles and William to pack up everything in the house, and they will be very glad, I think, to have us out of the way. For it is a great move when you have to take with you every shelf, etc. that you want, I hope that, with steam, we shall not be more than sixteen hours doing the 150 miles, which is a great matter as we are all sure to be very ill. I am quite sorry to go. Also I am sorry, too, that I cannot tell you of the little portraits arriving, and of Frances' books for Arthur, which he is looking forward to with great delight. He was beginning to write to her, and then he said of his own accord he would wait till he got the books. He is now writing to you. You would laugh if you could hear him keeping us au fait in the shipping line. There is a flag staff at Government House, where they signal every vessel coming in, that is visible from the Heads, and his business, and great ambition, is to be the first to tell us when anything is put up, and he knows them all now, and comes in "it's a topsail schooner, Father" or whatever it may be, and he hardly ever makes a mistake. He has got back to white frocks again, as trowsers are too hot for this weather. About ten days ago real summer began, and I am only afraid now of its being too hot. So far it has been delightful, and much less wind. My husband, even, thinks it perfect; we sleep with our window wide open, and have only a little fire sometimes in the evening. The gardens are all looking lovely, and the things grow too quickly. I mean that vegetables, for instance, have run to seed before you know where you are. Yesterday, in Mrs. St. Hill's garden, which is much the best here, we saw one or two little wood-strawberries ripe, and one cherry nearly so. page 127The flowers were beautiful, roses of all kinds in perfection. To-morrow there is to be a flower show in the Theatre, band-playing, and next day "Colonel Gold and the Officers of the 65th" give a sort of early "eight o'clock" ball. We were very glad to find there too, at Mrs. St. Hill's, which is his town house, Mr. Hadfield, looking pretty much as usual. He had, nearly a month ago, a very bad fall from his horse, and was a good deal hurt, which was very alarming for such a delicate person. By the by, no one mentions what poor Lady T. Finch died of; we saw in the papers that it was in Tilney Street. I am so sorry about it, and for poor Lord Aylesford. Now will be Lady Bateman's time, I think, if ever. I saw some weeks ago, in a Sydney newspaper a death that must be Mary and Charlotte Finch's brother, of whom they never spoke, except as a child. It said "Heneage Finch, Esqre., son of the Honble. Admiral E. Finch, at his seat Hoxton Park, Liverpool" (in Australia); with a long paragraph to say it was from the injuries inflicted the day before by a savage bull, and how, with his usual benevolence, his last moments were occupied in soothing the affliction of his family. Perhaps it has appeared in the English papers, by this time, but I mention it in case you should not hear of it in any other way, as they never spoke of him. I am delighted with the accounts of Sara's baby. I wrote to her about a fortnight ago by a sudden chance we had, and now shall only thank her in this way for her letters. I cannot write to you about John,1 I know you will be so very sorry. Frances, too, seems well by her letter. Poor Louisa, to have another tooth out "on Saturday, with Chloroform". I think I must have three or four ditto, as soon as I get back, (if we ever do). I am looking forward to her notices on fashions. What fun it will be for her, too, if aforesaid event comes off, laughing at all my gowns and bonnets that may survive the journey. I cannot resist giving you commissions, in hopes of inducing a box, and we can well afford now to pay for such things. I did ask for a gown, stockings, gloves, and boots, and now will you send me a bonnet? shall we say, something of a strawy

1 Her brother, John, Wynne.

page 128nature, with a nice trimming. You know that my head is of a good size. All this only when quite convenient, as patience is a virtue of necessary acquirement here, in matters from England, and a month or two more makes no difference (alas). I am afraid, too, that our letters may not arrive according to their dates, but that we cannot help, and you must remember that I would much rather not get the things than give you much trouble about them. Arthur says "I send my love and I'm picking gooseberries"; with such a hot little face, and nothing on but his stays and a smock frock, it is so hot still, though very pleasant. Only, I am obliged to curtail my walking a little. We are in an abundance of flowers just now, the room is quite like a nosegay. Please give my great love to all, and to Aunt Ann and to Stokesley, and to everyone, and now I must stop as some visitors have stayed till the mail is just going to close. I fully meant to have sent a note to thank Laura herself for her very "valuable journal", it is so very good of her to write so beautifully, and now Addio, God bless you all.

Yours very affectionately,

Charlotte.

Miss Sigel, too, I fully meant to send a note to.

November 21st.