CHAPTER I. EARLY STRUGGLES.
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CHAPTER I
EARLY STRUGGLES.
AFTER a long and stormy voyage of 130 days the ship Martha Ridgway dropped anchor in Port Nicholson about the latter end of November 1840. Her cargo consisted of general merchandise and she carried between three and four hundred emigrant passengers, including my father, mother, two brothers, and four sisters, also my wife and child, and myself.
My first impression of the land of promise may be inferred from my reply to the query of a fellow-passenger, --"Well," said he, addressing me, "and what sort of a land do you think this is?" "Why," replied I, "if this is the country we are to sow and reap from, it will tire many a poor ploughman." In truth, the prospect seemed anything but inviting, --hill upon hill, and mountain upon mountain, frowned down upon us from their lofty heights until they became lost in their misty mantles. Now this, to the eyes of a Lincolnshire man accustomed to luxuriate and delight in the highly cultivated level expanse of his native country, presented an outline most wild and uncongenial; and I confess, for the moment, to a slight infection of the mal du pays: but my spirit, ever superior to circumstances, speedily rebounded; and I determined, with God's help, to struggle manfully for an honest livelihood in my newly adopted country.
Some cases of small-pox having occurred during the voyage, we were ordered into quarantine for twenty-one days; but at the expiration of four days a party of the male passengers, including myself, obtained permission from Dr. Dorset, the medical inspector under the New Zealand Company, to land and explore the site of our future home; and I planted my foot for the first time upon the soil of New Zealand. My impressions, however, did not improve upon a nearer acquaintance, --everything seemed sterile and rugged in the extreme. Well, thinks I, this land may do very well for cattle and sheep, as pastoral country perchance becomes valuable; but it will require the transition of ages to render it available for plough or harrow. After wandering about the vicinity up hill, through gullies and pathways most devious and difficult, we found ourselves at Evans' Bay; and here, to our great surprise, we discovered wild oats and turnips growing luxuriantly. By whom the seed was first sown God only knows; but as the Maori designates
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the turnip Captain Cook's cabbage, I presume that great circumnavigator had something to do with it. We each gathered an armful of the turnip tops, and returned on board with them; they were then boiled, and proved a most valuable and delicious adjunct to the usual meal, --welcome tenfold after a long voyage.
Our probationary term passed wearily away, but it ended at last, as all earthly troubles must sooner or later; and our ears were assailed by a stentorian voice shouting out, "Now, bundle up your traps; ashore you go!" There was nothing particularly melodious in the voice which emitted these sounds; on the contrary, it forcibly reminded one of a stoker with the ashes in his throat. Nevertheless, it was glorious music to us, and we lost no time in obeying the mandate. The usual exciting scene speedily followed--hauling, bawling, and screaming, from young men and maidens, old men and children, each anxiously looking out for their goods, chattels, and personal safety. The Captain strictly enjoined the men in charge of the boats to land everything on Pipitea beach, at high water mark; instead of which they pitched out the luggage anyhow and anywhere, in spite of remonstrances from the unfortunate owners. My personal property was much too heavy to be removed without assistance, and what to do in this dilemma I knew not. Presently, however, I saw a white man approaching, in company with a native woman. He appeared to be an old settler, and one likely to help a poor devil in his extremity. So I very civilly said, "My friend, will you lend me a hand to place my boxes above high water mark?" His reply was, "Get up your boxes yourself and be d-----." Well, thought I, this must be the free and easy sample of a new country. So instead of praying to Jupiter for assistance, I turned to with renewed energy, and by dint of rolling, parbuckling, and dragging, I eventually placed everything high and dry, --and there they lay for some days; in fact, thousands of pounds worth of property was strewn along the beach, exposed not only to the weather, but also to the depredation of those who might be dishonestly inclined. Still, nothing was lost, each person having quite enough to do to look out for his own.
The next thing to be considered was a place of shelter for the night, which was fast approaching; not a dwelling on the beach was completed. I knew not in what direction I should bend my steps: like Mark Tapley, I felt considerably jolly, and there was some merit in it. Eventually, however, I bargained with a person for a night's lodging for myself and family in a house with half a roof; and there, in company with a motley group of our fellow-passengers, we reposed upon the floor, whilst the moon and stars shone gloriously upon us. For this luxurious accommodation the proprietor's charge was two shillings and sixpence. At the earliest dawn of morn I sallied forth fully resolved to build some-
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thing like a home. My wife was upon the eve of confinement, and no time must be lost. My goods were all safe upon the beach, and with a large stone I broke open a case containing my tools. With these I proceeded to what is now the Karori road, and commenced erecting a temporary dwelling, or rather a gipsey tent, which I covered with blankets. I then went to work with a will, got the frame of a house put together, interlaced the whole with branches of the ti-tree, and it really looked quite snug and tidy. My next consideration was the roof--that was a puzzler! but whilst cogitating upon this matter, a native came running towards me with a crayfish in one hand, and another fish in the other. I commenced to bargain with him for the fish; but the more I talked the more mystified he became. The only words I could make out were "homai te hereni;" and being totally ignorant of the language my ideas were about as foggy as his own. At last he put his hand upon my neckerchief. Perfectly comprehending this bit of pantomime, I took it off and gave it to him. He then threw the fish at my feet. This concluded my first commercial transaction with a dark skin, and each party was well satisfied. It now occurred to me that very possibly this native might afford me some assistance in regard to my roof. Maoris had frequently passed by carrying bundles of long grass, or toe-toe, on their backs, and I wished to ascertain from him where it grew; but so delighted was he with his prize, that he ran off at full speed: in fact, the louder I shouted the faster he ran, until pursuit became useless. In about an hour, however, he returned, bringing with him a basket of potatoes; a mat was thrown over his arm, but otherwise he was completely nude. My good wife was terribly shocked at his primitive and scanty costume, and turned away with signs of the most unmitigated disgust; but it was no use: as she turned he dodged, holding a shilling in his outspread hand, repeating the word hereni with great volubility. We inferred from this that hereni was the native mode of pronouncing shilling; so we tendered him that sum, which appeared to afford our pertinacious costermonger the liveliest satisfaction. I then endeavoured to make him understand that my house required thatching, shewing him a handful of toe-toe. I laid it upon the roof and pointed to a pair of blankets. At once he understood my meaning, --ran off again, and shortly re-appeared, in company with another native, and a woman. The blankets were again exhibited, to their great delight; they threw up their arms and uttered the words "Kapai, kapai, kapai!"--(Good, good, good.) One of the natives then took the toetoe, and bent down, imitating the action of pulling it up; he then took me by the coat as if inviting me to accompany him in search of the material. Accordingly, the four of us started over the hill into a swamp where it was growing profusely. We all set busily to work pulling
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up and tying in bundles, until we became somewhat fatigued. My companions then kindled a fire and roasted some potatoes, cordially inviting me to partake--at least I judged so by their signs, This was my first native banquet in New Zealand. Lashing a bundle of toe-toe on my back, and each of my companions doing the same, we retraced our steps towards my house. The supper was cooked and quite ready, and I could do no less than invite them to join us. My wife placed some well-laden plates upon the ground, the contents of which were very soon demolished, with an accompaniment that reminded one of as many hungry porkers. Supper being concluded, they again requested to see the blankets, and so each day till the work was completed, and the blankets in question duly handed over. Upon that day I had donned a fancy regatta shirt of a most florid pattern. One of the natives fixed his eyes on it with the most intense admiration, threw his blanket at my feet, and taking hold of my shirt, gesticulated in a manner so strangely that I felt rather alarmed, thinking it meant no good; but whilst he was thus performing his uncouth pantomime, a white man came up who appeared to be well acquainted with the people, and I requested he would be good enough to explain the matter to me. After talking with the natives, he said the case was simply this: the man preferred the shirt to the blanket, and would gladly return the one to obtain the other. Of course I acceded to this at once, the blanket being worth 18s. and the shirt 1s. 6d. However, he was satisfied. One donned the shirt, the other the blanket, and away they went, dancing and shouting in high glee. From the white man above referred to I ascertained that my costermongering friend s name was Jack, and by the name of Jack he ever afterwards went. In a few days he came again, bringing another supply of fish and potatoes, receiving the usual remuneration. I then engaged my man to clear away and fence about half an acre of garden ground, without regard to freehold right or ground-rent. He went to fetch his former companions, and they went to work with a will. In fact he became my factotum and sole commissariat, and we were never in want of fish or potatoes. He always came at the right time, and never forgot to hold out his hand for the hereni. All this time I had plenty of work on my hands in fitting up the interior of my house, making tables, stools, and other useful articles within the scope of my humble ability; and Jack was a very useful auxiliary. It is true my furniture was of the most primitive kind, but it answered our purpose well. Four posts driven into the ground, and the lid of a case nailed over the top, formed a very serviceable table; logs of wood sawn Into blocks made stools; pieces of calico were substituted for glass; and a bed-rug became a door; whilst sundry cases and boxes made a tolerable bed, bedstead, and sideboard; in fact, com-
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pleted the furniture of my establishment: and for some time "all went happy as a marriage bell." At last, unfortunately, the toe-toe, which was put on green, began to shrink; and when the rainy season set in, our dwelling was converted into a shower bath. My wife, who had recently given birth to a son, was subject to great discomfort. Upon one occasion she left her bed in the middle of the night and took refuge under it to avoid the pitiless rain-storm which fell fast and thick upon us. She was one well fitted to bear the vicissitudes of life. Upon this occasion, however, her fortitude gave way to ill-humour, affirming that "she could have made a better house herself." I laughed heartily at the misadventure, saying, "Cheer up, my dear, there's a better time coming." Again our factotum was called into requisition to re-thatch the house, and this time it was made waterproof. The garden enclosure was newly repaired, and the ground properly prepared. I sowed vegetable seeds of every useful sort. They came up in due course, to the great delight of Jack, who used to watch day by day for their appearance above the soil. I shall never forget the astonishment and eagerness with which he pointed out to me the taru Pakeha. My garden was the first that had any pretension to be so called in this part of the world. The first fruits were mustard, cress, and radish. My fellow-passengers, one and all, were astonished at the rapidity with which my house and garden were completed. We were beset with visitors from morning to night, and all were anxious to purchase my vegetables; they would have them in fact at any price. The natives also were so eager to buy my white Spanish onions, that they paid me one shilling each for them as they were growing, each native putting a small stick into the ground by the side of his chosen bulb. Thus far all went well. My man Jack was now regularly installed into office, as majordomo of my establishment. I presented him with various articles of apparel, and he strutted about in frock coat, fancy pantaloons, and Wellingtons, as proud as a peacock of his tail. The blanket was utterly discarded in our presence. In the sanctity of his own whare indeed, and in the society of his tatooed cronies, he would occasionally slip on his old skin, roll upon the ground in all the glory of unrestrained freedom, and discuss the merits and demerits of the Pakeha; but with us "Richard was himself again." Of his boots Jack was inordinately vain. On a Sunday morning he would occasionally spend two hours in getting up an extra bright polish; but, alas! he paid dearly for his vanity; rolling about in them like a ship in a gale of wind, he would kick everything he came into contact with. At last his feet became quite excoriated; pride and pain struggled fiercely for the mastery, but pride won it. Jack persisted in wearing the boots. He would grin, --and he did bear it. After this, who need vaunt of Spartan heroism!
