1961 - The Richmond-Atkinson Papers Vol I - Chapter 3, A Family Migration, 1852-53, p 106-137

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Chapter 3

A Family Migration

1852-53

As 1852 opened the outlook for the Richmonds still in England was so discouraging that the opinions which the brothers in New Zealand had penned so hesitantly had a decisive effect upon the waverers in the family circle. In April Jane Maria writes: "It is indeed quite settled that we follow the boys. James now begins to send a regular list of the things we are to take out. The whole tone of his letters sets our minds at rest."

William's dilemma was solved by the experience of another winter. His only doubt now rested upon the political situation in New Zealand as expounded to him by James. He was well aware also from parliamentary debates of the resentment felt by the colonists about the delay in granting self-government. He knew that discontent was working up to a crisis, that in half a dozen of the settlements (including the latest foundations at Otago and Canterbury) a lively agitation was proceeding. In London the advocacy of leading colonists, emigration bodies and city merchants was kept alive by Edward Gibbon Wakefield himself. Nevertheless William felt that he would like to see the new constitution enacted by the British parliament before he committed himself and his future to the Colony.

Suddenly, in February 1852 a happy omen appeared. A new government came into office in England led by Lord Derby. He entrusted the Colonial Office to a member till then little known, Sir John Pakington, and it was he who in favourable circumstances introduced the New Zealand Constitution Bill, which became law on 30 Jun.

The letters for this period give a lively picture of preparations in both households for the family migration. The two Atkinson boys (Harry and Arthur) had recast their curriculum to apply themselves

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more intensely to the practical arts of colonisation. The Richmond household at Merton was dissolved, and Jane Maria went to a Cheshire farm to learn cheese and butter making. And so on till the sailing of the Sir Edward Paget in November with eight members of the associated families and two friends. For details of the voyage we have the lively and methodical journals of William Richmond and his sister Jane Maria. On the whole they tell the old tale - discomforts undreamed of, excitements and alarms, quarrels in the cuddy and disputes with the captain. Sordid enough on the whole, but enlivened and sweetened by playful character sketches, descriptions of enchanting scenery and the delight of new surroundings and strange people.

On 25 May 1853, with passengers helping the weakened crew, the ship dropped anchor in the Waitemata and the voyagers set foot thankfully in the new world. From that point the narrative is supported by the letters of Maria Richmond and Jane Maria's series of "general letters."

In Auckland the hopes of the emigrators suffered a slight check. Intelligence was received that land troubles at New Plymouth had brought the settlement almost to a standstill. WTien he learned of this William Richmond, already impressed by the richness of the land about Auckland and its kindly climate, was tempted to establish himself here. He was still undecided when the chance sailing of a small schooner for Taranaki dissipated - for the moment - the doubts of the family. Harry and Arthur Atkinson, Jane Maria Richmond and James Brind took their passages in The Sisters from Manukau, and on 18 Jun reached New Plymouth, to join hands with their relatives. The rest of the party, remaining in the Sir Edward Paget, did not reach their destination till 16 Aug. And so, by the end of 1853, there were settled in and about New Plymouth:

Charles Hursthouse, senior, with his son Charles Flinders and daughter Mary

John and Helen Hursthouse and family

James and Hannah Stephenson Smith and family

Maria Richmond, William and his wife, Jane Maria Richmond, James C. and Henry R. Richmond

Charles and Calvert Wilson

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William, Harry and Arthur Atkinson

James, Hugh and Frank Ronalds (who landed from the Cashmere in July)

Soon all of the newcomers were busily engaged felling the bush, building houses, cooking, bread and butter making, sweeping and cleaning. The Beach Cottage, which was to be the town home of the Richmonds for some years, was building, and a sawmill was in contemplation. In September C. W. Richmond and H. A. Atkinson each bought 200 acres of rural land at ios an acre and a few weeks later Henry Richmond made a like purchase. 1

Jane Maria on 8 Nov wrote triumphantly of the situation: "It seems already as tho' we have lived years in our new country. If you ask me how I like New Plymouth, I like it; I love it. I thank God for it. I am disappointed in no single particular." And a week later: "I consider myself a much more respectable character than I was when I was a fine lady, did nothing for anybody but made a great many people do things for me. I am proud at finding how easy it is to be independent. I feel less a slave now that I can do everything for myself than I ever did before." She was proud also of the adaptability of almost all of the emigrating party to their new conditions. Even William, the delicate intellectual torn from his legal chambers and the companionship of high minds, "seems to have arrived in the very nick of time. He is wanted!"

The explanation was that the constitution, which was passed just before they left England, had been promulgated. In all of the settlements members were being elected for the provincial councils and the General Assembly. Charles Brown, son of Charles Armitage Brown, 2 the friend of Keats, had been elected superintendent of New Plymouth province. The first session of the council had been held, and now in December William Richmond was appointed clerk to the council and attorney for the province. And so, as the year ended, all the members of the associated families in Taranaki felt themselves to be "members of an infant state which will every day become more important."

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Meanwhile, on remote maraes Maori chiefs and tohungas were debating with grave apprehension the dominant question: should the Maori part with his lands to the pakeha? At Manawapou in 1853 their resolution against selling was strongly reaffirmed. News of this menacing decision seeped through slowly to European ears. In the hurly burly of pakeha politics and the rowdy proceedings on provincial hustings it did not seem significant.

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Jane Maria Richmond to Margaret Taylor - - - Wimbledon, 26 Jan 1852

I really see nothing else for William but emigration or remaining in the law, and the latter one cannot wish or ask of him. I believe it is rather a satisfaction to him to feel that he has a fair practice to leave, which certainly is the case now.

What you say of Alice ... is very encouraging; her increased interest in general conversation and above all the right spirit in which she received your exhortations are most satisfactory. To me these things are all important; I neither love or greatly admire women with a large amount of dry intellectual energy, I mean energy springing solely from intellectual power or ambition, not called forth or awakened by the affections or moral causes; such energy to me seems essentially male.

v 3, p 6

C. W. Richmond to Atkinson brothers - - - Wimbledon, 9 Apr 1852

We have received a most stirring budget from N.Z. - latest date 11th November. You will see they are pretty decisive when I say that it is all but settled that I shall start in July, August or at latest September. Whether my mother and Maria will go with me is at present undecided. There are several reasons which induce us to think of varying our original plan of all sailing together . . .

I could make no end of extracts and dont know how to choose amongst various plummy statements. 'A garden' (Jas. says) 'is a most grateful thing here. Everything flourishes . . . Peasticks grow into a hedge of fuschia; loppings of gooseberry bushes ... root themselves as they lie; and one must be very clumsy to lose anything one values.' Again 'one of the best gifts of New Zealand summer is the night showers . . . We have been at work deep-hoeing our land for grass and sowing the grass over each days work . . . We have about 6 acres to hoe (except patches of clover'* and we find 1/4 acre is called a full days work when the thing is done thoroughly ... It is encouraging to see the shoots on the first day's work before the half of the rest is done . . . 'Henry and I are getting much more able-bodied from dealing with logs instead of spirit lamps and squares. When first we looked at some of the rough rubbish and log fences about this place of ours, I felt it was happy for me that they were ready made for us, else we should be a long time wanting them. Now, we have got imperceptibly to pull about lumps as big as our neighbours can tackle, and I fancy myse'f rather a dab-hand at a rough fence, digging post holes, and milking cows - all which accomplishments baffled me very much at first.'

Henry says to his sister: 'I remember making an attempt to state the case in favour of England and Ireland. Now, I feel impelled to wiite in a different spirit . . . I told you throughout that for my own part it was my wish to stop here, but I think that I allowed too little weight to several of the advantages or alleviations here . . . James is 'wonderfully contented here. He as well as myself, is getting very much attached to the place and the occupations here' . . . Notwithstanding, as he says, they have not yet had any leisure for relaxation with their favourite pursuits - Chemistry and

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Drawing. 'This place and its ways I know. I am tired of new things and new places Here everything is simple and straight-forward. In fact I feel somewhat like a Lotos Eater.' - not quite so languid I think, Ar, as a Lotos Eater? But this does not read like newfangleness. It is plain he has found his Home , and please God we shall join him there. I ought to mention that they sadly complain of the want of more land in the market owing to the suspension of land sales. The fear of misgovernment and of consequent embroilments with the Natives is my great and only fear.

Talking of 'the big trees further up Egmont,' James records that Henry (the Munchausen of the Antipodes) measured one on Sunday in his afternoon stroll 40 ft et round at 4 ft. from the ground. 'This is making a reality of Cruikshank's picture of the Emigrant when he sees his work before him.' I fancy I see and hear the Governor sniggering and sniffing at this in his cute way which you know, and congratulating us on the prospect of 'clearing away the timber.'

1852/6

Jane Maria Richmond to Margaret Taylor - - - Wimbledon, 19 Apr 1852

It will be a fortnight tomorrow, dearest Margie, since decisive letters from New Zealand arrived; it is indeed quite settled that we follow the boys . . . James now begins a regular list of the things we are to take out, and the whole tone of his letters sets our minds at rest. . . .

William would like I think to see the political affairs of the Colony set right, and to have the promised Constitution confirmed before removing Lely. We have consulted Uncle Charles Wilson, who was for many years a sea captain ... as to the advisability of our undertaking the voyage without a gentleman to protect us, and no one fears it for us, no one I mean, whose opinion on the point we value.

v 3, p 11

W. Smith to H. A. Atkinson - - - Messina, Italy, 2 Jun 1852

You are both of you now full of occupation and anxiety making preparations for the start. There can however be but little doubt that from the spirit in which you have undertaken it -- and with God's blessing that success will attend you . . .

As the Richmonds will be quite settled down by that time, it will be very pleasant to have them as neighbours and their experience - although I daresay you wish on religious subjects that they thought differently. I suppose New Zealand is very poorly off for churches and chapels. I think you would do well to ask Mother's advice about a few nice books of Sermons etc . . . doctrinal theology is of very little practical use to the Christian, compared with that practical sort, which shows us how vile our nature is, and how ungrateful we are for all our blessings, and how foolish are our wisest thoughts . . .

I daresay you enjoyed your visit to Tom and picked up some notions of Lincolnshire farming - do you intend taking your Cochin China fowls with you? . . .

1852/9

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Jane Maria Richmond to Margaret Taylor - - - Bedford Row, 17 Jun 1852

The Atkinson lads are so intoxicated with happiness at their New Zealand prospects that much as their mother and Emily dread losing them they cannot resist the infection of their high spirits. All the family (except the father) enter into all the preparations of the emigrants with immense zest, and the most jovial rehearsals of hats, serge shirts, 'jumpers' 'jerseys' fustian, velveteen, corduroy, canvas, and in short every imaginable species of colonial garment continually goes forward. The whole party was much delighted by Harry's appearing in cord shorts or knee-breaches one morning at breakfast; . . . His appearance was considered so highly effective that Arthur immediately ordered himself a pair, but although William quite approved of the garments for them they could not persuade him to array his spindle shanks in similar style. . . .

Will you remember to pick up pretty music for James and me; songs where the accompaniments are not too difficult and any light pieces for the pianoforte you may come across. I wish you could get me that waltz we heard so often at the Casino amongst other places, it reminds me so of Dresden days. I should like to have it to play in the bush.

v 3, pp 17-8

A. S. Atkinson, journal - - - M 28 Jun 1832

Went walking with John and Harry in the morning; in the afternoon went to the station to meet Villers and Maddock (two shuffling pink candidates). 3 They went in procession through Strood, 4 Rochester & Chatham, and I with them as far as the Military Road, where I was obliged to haul up to refresh (having been shouting all the while on the blue side). Afterwards I turned back and attended a meeting at the Bull when said shuffling candidates spouted a little, 5 but in just the same style as their Master. The Govr 6 questioned them a little, but thought it prudent not to stay too long . . .

W 30 Jun. In the evening attended a meeting of the Blues, when Bernal, Hodges and Steele spoke very well.

W 7 Jul. Went with Govr in the morning to Chatham to hear the nomination of Admiral Stirling (blue) liberal and Sir F. Smith (pink) humbug, the show of hands was in favour of the former, went bathing in the afternoon with Decy with whom and the Govr I attended a meeting of the Blues on the Common in the evening . . .

Th 8 Jul. Teddo brought up a card of admission to the Hustings for the Govr, but he not feeling strong enough to stand it gave it to me, so directly after breakfast

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Teddo and I went to Rochester . . . till 11 a.m. when I went into the Hustings (at the Guildhall) and sat next William Patten with some rascally old 'pinks' on each side of us, who whenever we shouted loudly (as indeed we did pretty often) protested vehemently, threatening to 'turn us out,' to report us to the Mayor, &c, neither of which they did, however nor even attempted. Bernal made a capital speech & Hodges also, but as for Villiers and Maddock (in whose favour the show of hands was) there were only prevaricating shuffles. The nominations began at 12 and ended at 4 p.m.

F 9 Jul. This being the day of election old Sweet came up to breakfast immediately after which said Sweet, the Govr Harry and I set out to collect some of the electors, which done I stayed at the Strood polling place about 30 mins, and then wandered from one place of polling to another (partly with Teddo, MacDowall and A. Arnold) till 4.30 p.m. when I went into the Guildhall and heard the members elect declared by the Mayor, the numbers he gave out were Hon. F. Villiers 599, Maddock (Sir T. H.) 594, R. Bernal 515, T. T. Hodges 504. This is indeed a disgusting result, but it shows how 'free and independent' the electors of Rochester are from any desire of worth or merit in their representatives.

v 29

J. H. Hutton to C. W. Richmond - - - 6 Wellington Terrace, Grove Place, Norwich, 27 Aug 1852

I must just send you a line to wish you all possible happiness in this new connection. Sometimes one is narrow enough to wish that all one's intimate friends married intimate friends, so that one could love at once (as an old habit) both the newly married people, but this may not always be . . . Emily Atkinson, if I may speak so familiarly of the lady to you, is not an entire stranger to me or any of us, and therefore (her own merits apart) very preferable to some unknown New Zealander. But for my own part ... I have a very high idea of Miss Atkinson. She always seemed to me a remarkable woman - of singular intellectual power, moral earnestness and charming spontaneity of character . . . She is not, I fancy, plagued with that 19th century selfconsciousness, for which you have such a great dislike, I believe. She appeared to me like a living picture (revived from the days of Vandyke) of some of our glorious old Saxon ancestors, though our progenitors of the year 1600 would not be very ancient; some Countess of Somerset of the days of James the 1st . . . May God long preserve your lives and make you mutual preservers of each other's peace and helpers of each other's virtue. This will sound to you rather solemn, and somewhat smack of the pulpit. Only forgive it and believe me ever your loving friend.

1852/1

Maria Richmond to Margaret Taylor - - - Wainscot, 8 Sep 1852

I am very sorry that Maria could not prolong her stay with you. We have a great complication of affairs here, and a multitude of matters large and small to attend to, in which she as 'a strong minded woman' is greatly in request. Emily as you know, is

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anything but a model young lady; I may confess to you that she interests me more than half the girls of my acquaintance who have been shaped into the approved form. There is a raciness and originality about her quite refreshing, and a more frank and generous nature I never saw . . .

You must not be surprised if one of these days 'old Henry' should invite you to share his cabin; he has often avowed to me his great love for and admiration of you. If he should ask you I will take no denial; I shall blot you forever out of my good books if you reject my third and 'best' son as his brothers and sister maintain that I consider him . . .

v 3, p 22

Jane Maria Richmond to Margaret Taylor - - - Broxton, Cheshire, 27 Sep 1852

Everything went off in a most satisfactory style. 7 I have no doubt if any highly polished people had unfortunately been present, such proper people might have been shocked at various improprieties and irregularities, such as the bride and bridegroom persisting in seeing each other before meeting in church, and the groomsman's arranging that the bridegroom's carriage should arrive third instead of first at the church! and the bridesmaids not walking two and two up the church in orthodox fashion . . . Fortunately no one's peace of mind seemed at all disturbed by these enormities. . . . Mr Atkinson and the lads succeeded in making the New Zealand house look extremely pretty. Mr Atkinson sat up with them nearly all night on the 13th having it floored and a large square table constructed to contain six on each side; the inside was tastefully decorated with evergreens ferns, hops and clematis, the two latter wreathed around iron rods that crossed the ceiling. The two Smiths and the two Costers, Emily's cousins, with Kate and Alice Atkinson and myself, made the seven bridesmaids, all very pleasant unaffected girls. . . . There was some bewildering speech making at the breakfast, in which the speakers tied themselves in double knots, but as they were generally laughed out of their difficulties it did not matter. The marriage ceremony was made very short by the Rev. Mr Formby (Vicar of Frindsbury) and Emily conducted herself very properly, though her answers were not very distinct. William looked very handsome and full of feeling; he spoke so that all the church might hear him. Em was dressed in white muslin worked over all very handsomely in a sort of ivy leaf pattern, with a jacket of the same material over a white silk waistcoat. She had a white chip bonnet, very simple looking, with a wreath of clematis outside. . . .

On the 16th and 17th I was very busy packing our things and making arrangements with needlewomen about Em's work . . .

I am certainly fortunate in my cheese school . . . The situation is most beautiful . . . The house is of old greyish stone with two advancing gables at the sides; the front door opens on to a very spacious hall or kitchen with a fine wide fireplace, round one half of which an oak screen and a bench is fixed. In one corner of the kitchen is a broad

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staircase with handsome heavy polished oak banisters leading up to the best bedrooms; this staircase is very ornamental, it gives such a grand look to the kitchen ... I take my meal in the kitchen with the family . . . They seem to be a respectable, sensible, well-to-do yeoman's family ... I already help in the cheese making and shall become quite au fait in a fortnight. I hope to have an insight into brewing and candlemaking too, before I leave . . .

v 2, p 25

R. Hutton to C. W. Richmond - - - Liverpool, 29 Sep 1852

I cannot leave England without writing one line to you. 8 It is hard to bear this sad thought of seeing none of you any more, in this world, as there is little chance indeed that I shall. Oh, one does sometimes feel more fully perhaps than even Tennyson when he wrote them, the force of those words, 'Oh death in life, the days that are no more.' But they are living still in our characters; indeed mine would have been very different I believe, if I had never known you all ... I owe so much to you. Perhaps indeed you may owe something to me, it is a blessing to think it ... I could have said much to you of the strength and moral help you have been to me in times past; indeed you seemed to me to say much that would have been only true from me to you . . .

I am going to study Goethe during my absence, to prepare myself a little for criticising him more fully. He does seem to me to be exercising still more influence over thought in Europe than any one mind of the last half century, and I want to . . . find out what makes his thought at once so powerful over men of genius and apparently so antagonistic to faith and to the whole state of mind that we still reverence as the highest, the impression of the nature of Christ. I have hitherto been able to see nothing fascinating in him: what Stilling calls 'the factitious calm of Art', so conspicuous in his mind, is to me shocking and repulsive.

v 38, pp 155-6 (t.s.)

A. S. Atkinson to C. W. Richmond - - - Frindsbury, 30 Sep 1852

There is to be a grand match today in Rochester 'Town v Gown'. Harry and I play in it. I, of course, as a young schoolman play for the gown ... I have no doubt but that we shall prove to the dissatisfaction of our adversaries that though their wretched sophistry does them good service in disputing it will not save them at cricket. . . .

I want to know your opinion of Mill's Analysis of the Phenomena of the Human Mind and Hobb's Computation or Logic.

1852/3

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A. S. Atkinson to H. A. Atkinson - - - Frindsbury, 20 Oct 1852

Will you ask Mary to call on that worthy man John M. Parker inhabiting in the West Strand and get for me a little book intituled 'No kneelings No praying' and any other pious little work of that tendency.

1852/13

Jane Maria Richmond to Margaret Taylor - - - Stockton, 25 & 31 Oct 1852

Lely, Em, William and I go first cabin on the Sir Edward Paget, the two Atkinsons and Calvert and Charlie Wilson, young Brind and Ted Patten in the intermediate. We might have all gone in the first cabin, but young P's father has just become insolvent, and the young A's are going to lend him money for his passage.

Did I tell you how popular Emily was among our relations? The great frankness and naturalness of manner, together with her cheerful happy looks, take most people by storm. Everyone said that she had the merit of originality . . . The Huttons . . . think Richard's name of the Child of Nature suits her character.

v 3, p 27

Jane Maria Richmond to Margaret Taylor - - - 28 & 29 Nov 1852

It is quite impossible to give you any idea of the hurry and wild confusion in which we have been passing the last fortnight . . .

I must now tell you of our great good luck about cabins. A gentleman who had taken passages for himself and family in the Paget is unable to go . . . and we have got his cabins at a greatly reduced rate. They are poop cabins, and Lely and I have one of the stern cabins which are ten feet by eleven feet . . . quite a little parlour, and so light, of course only in fine weather when the dead-lights are not in. William and Em have the cabin next door; it is eight feet square or more. We each have beautiful little private w.c.'s; in fact the Governor could not go out more luxuriously. Harry and Arthur Atkinson will be the master spirits, and they are lads to give their tone to their companions. Tomorrow we females see the ship for the first time; think of that! We hold a levee there as a great many friends come to see it.

v 3, p 29

C. W. Richmond, journal on board Sir Edward Paget - - - W 8 Dec 1852

Gann having been very positive . . . about the necessity of our joining our ship this morning, it was determined that we should start by the 9-15 train. It was of course raining and continued until we got on board. Mr Atkinson, John and Des, Tom, Sam and Wilson Smith went to Gravesend and on board with us. The whole Smith family in England, . . . had slept at Frindsbury . . . Brind also was asked down ... to share the parting festivities. Mamma and Maria slept on board Tuesday night. There was a babel of a breakfast and then a tearful parting. The mother did not go on board ... I

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am fortunate to be well enough to get on board as last night I had a sharpish attack of the old enemy, beat off by a mustard plaister and stramonium and lying in bed.

Th 9. A fine morning westerly wind. About 7 . . . they were heaving anchor . . . The 3 Smiths and John stopped with us till the ship was in motion ... In the evening we dropped anchor off the North Foreland.

F 10 to 14. All this time waiting for a wind. . . . We have a very pleasant party in the cuddy. Yeeles takes most to us and we to him. Griffiths is gentlemanly . . . The provisions are all good except the tea which is just made to look like dirty water by the addition of a few drops of a liquid termed preserved milk. . . . The plum puddings dangle in a row from the deck beams and the place has a strong omnium gatherum smell. [The intermediate party] are making themselves comfortable . . . Today at tea . . . they had sprats, currant cakes made by the excellent little Cal., cocoa and fresh milk . . . There is a whole fleet of windbound ships lying here, and parties from them were patrolling the town, some . . . were rather fresh and in a state of great excitement ... A good part of every day I have been occupied in the cabins pulling about our boxes and getting things put in the smallest possible compass. Then we have sat on deck in our folding chairs, by the cuddy doors, with our intermediates about us . . . The Captain entertains the pilot and the two mates with wine or toddy . . . Birdie [A. S. Atkinson] has already taken Charlie [Wilson] in hand and we have read the first part of Hume's essay on the necessary connection of cause and effect . . . Last night (Monday) the old Austrian in the intermediate came up with his guitar into the cuddy and strummed away for some time. We behaved very ill to him, sniggering and laughing.

W 15 ... By daylight we were preparing for a start and were off into the first of the outward bound as far as the Downs but alas no further ... A little before we came to an anchor Birdie told me he had seen John in a boat . . . sure enough ... he was not long in coming up the side. Nothing could serve J.S.A. and the boys but we must go ashore ... So we did a party of sixteen in all cuddy and intermediate ... All were ashore but Mamma, Teddo and Charlie . . . Our boatmen were a little anxious to get us on board again before dark. . . . The wind got stronger and stronger and the boat lay over and the water fizzed under her lee. Emily was sadly frightened. We soon reached our ship and endeavoured to grapple her with a boat hook but in vain ... In a couple of minutes we had been carried by the wind and tide hopelessly to leeward and out to sea. We had 20 minutes work at least to fetch the ship again and every minute the wind and sea were rising. At last we only just reached her and this time a rope was thrown. But there was great delay before we could get well alongside and clear of the quarter boat . . . The Captain provided a rope with a noose which was slipped round Maria's waist and she got up cleverly. Poor Emmy's turn was next and she too with a scramble which made my heart beat reached the deck in safety . . .

All Thursday wet and stormy. The great 90-gun ship the London which lay outside us pitched a good deal ... On Friday the Captain . . . wrote for another pilot, and a queer looking one-eyed old gentleman, not a regular pilot but a hobbler, came on

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board, . . . Saturday morning the wind was N.W. So with dawn we heard the welcome click of the windlass. All about us the outward bound were getting ready and the Cyclops had steam blowing off ready to accompany the mighty London . . . John who was still on board now came rapping at our door with intelligence that Mrs Atkinson was alongside! I hurried out and went down to her in the boat as the boatman thought it better she should not go up the ship's side. Emily was obliged to be content with blowing kisses from the deck . . . Meanwhile the men were working away at the windlass but with little effect the chain would not come home. Mr Neagle the 2nd mate was of opinion that somebody's washing bills were unpaid . . . Our two cables had crossed one another and the larboard anchor had to be unshackled before it could be catted . . . We had the mortification of seeing all our fleet getting away, including the London . . .

After breakfast we went to work with a will, men and passengers, and had a tough job to get in 90 fathoms of chain cable. Then again the catting song . . . the boatswain performing the priest's part in the curious litany with various fancy ejaculations as 'Heave up the devil,' 'We'll make him civil,' 'Another pull' 'All with a will' 'That pull will do' whilst the response of 'heigh, oh, cheerily men' followed each . . . The passengers all very merry this afternoon. One of the intermediates plays the flute and cuddy and steerage were jigging away at a great rate - 'Oh then steer my bark for New Zealand shores, for New Zealand is my home' by one of the steeragers and 'Life on the Ocean Wave' by the admirable grocer were among the vocal treats. When off Hastings the wind came back to S.W. and ... we have had a nasty time of it knocking about between Dungeness and Beachy Head light. . . . The bolsters to prevent things slithering away to leeward, made their appearance at breakfast . . . Saturday and Sunday did not take off my clothes . . .

T 21 . . . This evening the discovery was made of the dramatic talent of Mr Nichol an Irishman in the steerage - we had various specimens a la Macready from Macbeth, Richard III and Othello which were received with great applause. At last the Captain interfered alleging that the rest of the watch below was disturbed. The request for silence was by no means well received by our young gentlemen in the cuddy . . .

Su 26. At anchor off Cowes. . . . The cuddy gentlemen had a slight breeze with the Captain the other night about Brind. He had been in the stern cabin and was returning when Griffiths and Yeeles . . . got him to sit down by the cuddy fire. The Captain passed out of his cabin, looked at Brind, and presently comes the steward to request that Brind should retire. Thereupon arose a discussion with the Captain in which the whole subject of his jurisdiction in the cuddy was fully examined. Miss Clinton gets the whole odium of such strictness as the Captain thinks fit to exercise. She has threatened to go ashore at Cowes on account of the noise . . .

31 Jan 1853 . . . Mrs Atkinson arrived at Cowes ... 3 Jan and we took a lodging with her and Mamma and Maria came ashore . . . there we remained 8 days . . . The events of those sleepy Cowes days are few and not worth recording - arrangements

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about lodgings . . . calls at the Post Office for letters, at the Globe . . . slow walks along the beach . . . occasional pull off to the ship, to bring clothes and other articles . . .

On Tuesday the 18th the wind . . . was N.N.E. for a few hours. All Cowes was in commotion, many of the outward bound sailed. The Paget was all in readiness, with blue peter at the main - but by 12 the wind was coming round again to W. Mrs Atkinson and John took leave of us and we all went on board. ... At last on the 24th we actually weighed ... It was a grand sight as we went through the Needles the tide setting us all rapidly out, though the wind was light . . . Looking back we saw most of the fleet following. The sunlight falling brightly on these pillars of white canvas. . . .

M 14 Feb. Lat 4-35 Long 20. This day it fell calm ... a breeze came up with the rain which laid the vessel on her side and, the lee scuppers being plugged, a deep lake soon collected there. Cans, pans, pails, buckets, jugs and mugs were in instant requisition and most of the male passengers and the crew stripped to shirt and trowsers and bare feet. Then when all private vessels were full we stood in line and passed buckets forward to the empty water casks on the deck which were soon filled. . . .

15 Feb. Our unfortunate ducks were today let out to dabble. It seemed they could never have enough. They made some melancholy attempts to swim but the water was not deep enough. . . .

Su 20 ... A barque close to us on the same tack . . . Service as usual. Mr Pope is parson and is attired in a flannel jacket with small pink stripes. We have had a succession of very objectionable chapters from Genesis. . . .

T 22. Mamma, Maria, Em and I all sitting in the stern gratings admiring the moonlight when 8 bells struck and . . . there came a tremendous roar from the bows 'What ship is that'? We were not going to skip past Old Nep . . . The skipper would have nothing to do with the affair - not answering the hail - which greatly offended the man . . . The cook was the barber with a pail of slush and Neptune the Stowaway was first inaugurated, and then two of the hands. From the poop we cod. imperfectly see what was going on, only buckets of water flying about and roars of laughter . . . All our boys (but Brind) . . . went forward to be operated on. Hal in his new flannel cap, sitting calmly in the bulwarks, overlooking operations, and receiving a sluicing every now and then. The barber . . . summoning us by name ... I stripped and went forward. When blindfolded and seated on the board was well lathered with slush but wod not answer the Barber 'what part of Chancery have I hailed from', thinking the brush was as well outside as in. Then capsized backwards in the tub which was only pleasant, and sluiced with a few parting buckets from all sides . . .

S 26 Feb . . . On Wednesday afternoon occurred the first complete quarrel which has made a breach between our party and the Captain. Jimmy had a cake of shorts baking in the passengers oven . . . had shoved Hal's half out. When Hal complained

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to the Captain about it the latter answered, 'A parcel of nonsense, he has no stuff to make a cake of.' Hal asked if he meant to call him a liar, and invited him to look into the oven. The captain flew out at him and walked aft, Hal following, and asking if he meant to right him. When the captain reached the poop steps, he turned and shoved Hal against the bulwarks.

This morning there has been another great row. I heard the captain's voice and Hal's in loud altercation, came out, and saw Hal, neat and clean in his flannel trousers, sitting honey pot fashion on the quarter deck, in the midst of a circle composed of all the crew and passengers. The crew have been discontented with the captain and ship on various points ... A foolish report got about that the men were disposed to mutiny, or would mutiny if the captain did etc, or would have mutinied if the captain had etc. Prating Yeeles repeated this to the captain, and . . . the crew . . . came aft this morning to enquire into it. I . . . understood that the Everetts were publicly exculpated, and the blame left with unfortunate Yeeles. Harry was by Maria on the quarter deck . . . when [Capt.] Chapman suddenly addressing Hal without any previous inculpation said 'Harry Atkinson, if you go spreading any more reports of mutiny about the ship I shall put you in irons'. He also said something about tampering with his men, which may lead to serious consequences as I think it was slander. Hal at once stood forth and dared him to put him in irons, and added 'if you or any other man say that I have spread such reports you tell a lie.' The captain then ordered him to quit his quarter deck which Hal refused, and the captain then ordered his removal ... At this stage Mamma came rushing gasping into my cabin and begged me to come out ... I found crew and all the passengers assembled . . . Hal had just been removed and had jumped forward again when released, the captain was again ordering his removal. Mr Halbert approached and Hal, to avoid being led off sat down, a compact clean nice little figure he made in his flannel trousers and white shirt, with handkerchief tucked into his belt. Then Mr Halbert and the boatswain (the former purple with a suppressed emotion of some kind) took him forward again. Again Hal returned and was again taken forward. Then having sufficiently protested, he agreed with Halbert to go forward no further than the mainmast. The captain, turning towards myself . . . asked me in a sneering way why since I was the guardian of those young men I did not see they behaved themselves. I contented myself with a plain denial that I had said any such thing of my relation to Hal, who was of age . . .

On Wednesday afternoon the captain gave orders to the steward to withhold the supply of ale and porter from my party in the intermediate ... I determined to speak at once on the subject to the captain . . . My experience of his want of temper . . . determined me, to speak before witnesses, and accordingly after tea I walked aft, Pope, Johnstone and the Doctor being by, and had a conversation which resulted in the captain's total refusal to assign a reason for his order. Afterwards he came down, and sitting at the cuddy table with the Doctor, the latter expressed his opinion that the beer was medically necessary for James Brind. The captain said he did not know that Brind was in my party, and then went out and spoke to him, saying he never

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intended to stop the supply to those who were well conducted . . . However today Arthur wanting some porter, he applied by my advice, was refused by the steward, referred himself to the captain . . . who confirmed the refusal. 'Will you tell me why?' Arthur rapidly asked, as the little fellow brushed by. 'No I shall not'. I took counsel . . . whether or not I should order a bottle and give it to Ar, ... I gave the bottle to Ar on the quarter deck, without either secrecy or ostentation; and recommended hint to drink it below, and act just as if he were not opposing the captain. After dinner the captain said he wished to speak with me. I sat down opposite him at the cuddy table. With a face full of rage and spite he stated to me that I had immediately after his orders given a bottle of porter to Arthur Atkinson ... I interrupted him with a very decided 'Yes I did'. 'Then I stop your supply'. I said I quite expected it. ... 'There is but one captain in this ship, Mr Richmond, and not two captains, and but one master, and not two masters', he went on, boiling with rage ... I asked him if his order affected my mother's supply. He said not, but if she did what I had done, her supply should be stopped . . .

Su. Captain today sent for Mr Charles Everett into his cabin and suggested to him that service should be discontinued, alleging that in the way it was conducted it was a mere mockery and that he (the C.) was not in charity with all men. But Everett would by no means fall into this scheme . . . saying he had not felt the service to be a mockery, anything he said but that. So we had service as usual, Miss C. being absent.

W 2 Mar . . . The moon in the last quarter and magnificent starlight. The clouds of Magellan are now very distinct, and Canopus is top gallant high, instead of shining through the lower stun sail. In the cuddy we are but a glum party. The captain never speaks to Pope, Johnstone or myself, and scarcely to my mother, even to invite her to a dish . . .

M 7 . . . No news except that the latitude and longitude are stopped as well as the grog. Mr Halbert has orders to give no one any information as to the position of the ship! I shall amuse myself with a rough reckoning of my own . . . Going on slowly with the geography of Greece - capital answers from all the boys . . .

Th 24 . . . Yesterday at dinner the Captain tried to mystify the company as to our whereabouts, pretending to offer the Doctor a bet of a dozen that we should be at Auckland in a month . . . We are not quite happy about stores - all good things are plainly falling very short. We are 'on' our last cheese, they say . . . but this does not affect us, as we have our own store . . .

Th 7 Apr ... On Sunday the 3rd there was a strong wind and heavy sea getting up. No service in the morning. I had lowered our port, but Em complaining of the want of light and air, I raised it with the outrigger or prop . . . Well she was asleep on the bed and I was dosing on the lee board beside her when the ship lurched heavily and crash came the sea right through the port, breaking two panes of glass and drenching ourselves and our bedding. The cabin was all afloat . . . Notwithstanding the rolling

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of the ship we had evening service in the 'tween decks, and even superadded singing and a sermon - one of Kingsley's which I read, 'Heaven upon Earth' ... A political journal is started, The Cuddy Times and Intermediate Observer, the placards are to come out today . . .

Su 10 Apr . . . The bell was ringing when Mr Neagle informed me by the captain's orders that 'none of the Mr Atkinsons wd. be allowed to enter the cuddy'. In a state of great indignation I spread the news. The little ass was standing sulky looking at the cuddy door ... I entered and told him it was unjustifiable conduct, that he ought to be ashamed of himself, and that he shd. be called to account. 'Call me to account! a thing like you call me to account! my cuddy - my cuddy - my cuddy' ... 'no intermediate passengers allowed in the cuddy', 'disgrace to be associated with such a set of passengers'. To all which I was deaf ... Mr Charles Everett declared he shd. not come into the cuddy if Hal and Ar were excluded, and our party joining in this ... it was determined to have no service this morning. For the 'tween decks were not ready for service. In the evening we had a very full meeting with singing and a sermon as last Sunday - 'the Love of Christ' . . .

S 30 Apr. The Cuddy Times was carried by Mrs Milner (by request) into No 2 cuddy. The forthcoming Times will be far more racy. It is to contain songs to the well known airs of Bobby Shaftoe, Billy Taylor etc . . . In literature we are reduced to the Arabian Nights - so voracious have been our appetites . . .

Su 15 May. Last Wednesday ... in the forenoon land was made out by some of the crew ... I believe the South Cape of Van Diemen's Land . . . Considerable excitement was occasioned amongst us by a conversation between the skipper and Mr C. Everett in which the former intimated that if Mr Everett wished it, he wod. land him at New Plymouth, though he cod. not let him have any of his goods out of the hold . . . Mr Everett could not take advantage of the captain's offer, and . . . there seems no doubt that the captain has given up all thought of calling off Taranaki . . .

Yesterday I wrote the proposed letter about Chapman to Willis and Co and submitted the draft to the Insurrectionary Committee, which sits nightly in Yeeles's cabin. The cuddy is quite abandoned to the Trio. . . . The publication of the Cuddy Gazette has been postponed till Wednesday. The Cape hens and molly hawks or auks or mawks are in great numbers today and very bold . . .

M . . . Last night it came on to blow a gale . . . The Paget as usual taking it very easy under double reefed topsels and forsel. In the intermediate last night we had a very pleasant service, perhaps our last. We sang three hymns. The concluding hymn 'Lord dismiss us with thy blessing' after the sermon, to Haydn's hymn. Sermon, 'Abraham's faith' . . .

W . . . On Monday night about 2 o'clock the gale was so severe that we were all awakened and kept listening to the blows of the seas ... At last came a tremendous thump, thud on the quarter shaking every timber in her; the ship reeled over and we

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heard the rush of water over our heads on the poop . . . then a scuffle overhead and sharp shouts, 'the hatch! where's the hatch?' from the quarter deck. Then as the ship rolled we heard the water swishing backwards and forwards in the cuddy . . . soon after the blows of the carpenter's hammer. Next morning we learnt that a sea had broken over her on the weather quarter and fore chains, dousing little Harvey at the wheel, who cried to Mr Halbert to come and help him, as she was flying round into the wind. Mr Halbert was knocked over but got to the wheel. If she had come round they say the decks would have been swept. But alas for the poor intermediates. The after hatch had not been battened down. It was swept away by the sea and down came the flood right upon them, smashing in the tent pole over which their canvas covering is thrown. Several of our boys were sleeping on the floor and were instantaneously drenched . . . Hal . . . presently collecting his senses he and the two Mr Everetts went on deck in their night shirts to recover the hatch, a nice job with the water waist deep in the lee scuppers. They had succeeded in getting it on and were beginning to bale out their cabins when another sea took it off again and they had to catch it again . . . We are in haste to make the North Cape before the wind gets to the N.

Thursday morning . . . About 8 we heard the joyful sound of the chain cable getting out, and going on deck, saw a row of passengers with smiling countenances hauling away behind Kelly. We are now very short-handed, several hands being laid up with scurvy or something of the kind . . . Yesterday as we were sitting down to dinner a sea struck the ship and at the same moment there was a sound like the report of a gun, . . . the main topsail blown out of the chain . . . There was a good two hours job to get it down and a new sail bent. Since the Intermediate deluge Hal has appeared in long fishing boots and is a remarkable accession to our deck groups, especially when he wears his brown wide-awake . . . The watches are now so weak that the passengers are really useful in working the ship. Whilst the watch and Mr Halbert were on the poop mending the main topsail the passengers braced up the yards and set the mizzen.

Friday evening 8 o'clock. Yesterday afternoon . . . Read with my Greek History class as usual and then finished The Tempest in the stern cabin. Going out for a glass of water saw the Commodore making ready to go on to the poop, which I took for an indubitable sign of land, so alarmed the others. 'Long looked for come at last!' There it lay faint in the moonlight of a delicious night . . .

I have felt it impossible to believe that here at last is New Zealand. Maps and glasses were out, . . . The wind still S. and we shall have to beat up to Auckland. The men holystoning the bulwarks and poop, a great waste of salt water . . . One could put up with weeks of bad weather for one day as perfect as this. Put Emily a chair on the poop where Mamma joined us and began to read Macbeth. It was an ill-chosen amusement for I could take no interest in the play, but was obliged to stop between every scene to take a good long spy at the rugged coast which looks most romantic but desperately brown and barren . . . Hal as usual in his great boots and good spirits talking cheerfully of his approaching contest with the captain. Indeed everyone on board is

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light-hearted and in good humour . . . The able-bodied passengers have volunteered to join the watches to-night as we shall have to beat ... Mr Halbert has Charlie and Cal and Toadie Groser and young Milner, the ex-linen draper's man. Mr Neagle has Pope and Johnston, Hal, Ar, Teddo and Brind. . . .

Su 22 May. Another glorious morning - never have I felt anything more exhilarating and invigorating.

. . . The ship missed stays twice last night in the middle watch (Mr Neagle's) with which I have twitted the starbo'lins. ... I never saw a finer sky than at sundown. The west a perfectly hard clear flame colour sky verging to salmon and reaching quite down to the sharp dark water line without the least haze . . . Perfect, perfect, perfect - one such day a month wod. make up for any kind of weather. . . . We had our last service (I suppose) this evening, Trinity Sunday. Sang 'Forth from the dark and stormy sky', Heber's No 23 of the Liverpool collection and also a sweet little dismissal hymn of, I think, Wesley's which I transcribe.

This morning also it so chanced ... we fell on the 107th Psalm, 'Then are they glad, because they are at rest: and so He bringeth them unto the Haven where they would be'. It will be sad if all his mercies are lost upon us. I shall miss our little services. I read Kingsley's sermon 'Man's Working Day'. . . .

24 May. Tuesday morning. In sight of Rangitoto. ... I turned out at 4 with Mr Neagle's watch ... As the sun rose island after island came into view, and the Hen and Chickens, Tauranga and many other points of the mainland and soon after the great mass of Shoutorou 9 or Many Peaks . . . All day dodging about S.E. by S. on one tack and W. by N. on the other and getting very little to windward . . . This morning at 4 we were weathering Shoutorou having run 30 miles towards our port ... As the sun was rising a little bit of a bird with a flickering jerking flight rose over us crying 'twee twee' with a small sharp voice. It was the first land bird whose note we had heard and we welcomed the little creature with glad hearts . . .

The 24th was the last of our delightful ever to be remembered days in the Shouraki. 10 In the afternoon we were off the romantic looking isle of Kawau and got our first glimpse of the New Zealand bush . . . We got through the Tiri-tiri channel before

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dark getting a good view of the rock called 'the Shearer buoy'. The gannet covered it as thick as cheese mites. Inside Tiri Tiri the anchor was let go and we burnt two blue lights which were answered by the pilot with two or three muskets.

Next morning the 25th we were all early on deck with a pleasure none can understand but those who after a weary voyage have reached a new and romantic land which they are to make their home . . . Soon the pilot cutter was seen approaching. . . . The anchor was got up with hearty good will and we sailed up the Rangitoto channel to the Nth head of the Waitemata. Here we had to let go the 'mud hook' till the tide turned. The Captain and pilot went ashore to the pilot's house. At two they returned. We weighed anchor and soon beat up to our berth opposite the town. The Cashmere lay there, had been in port 16 days - sailed 7 days before us.

v 3, pp 34-38

Jane Maria Richmond, general letter No. 1 - - - Auckland, 25 May 1853

... I am pleasantly disappointed in the country round Auckland, it does not look rich for farming certainly but is anything but uninteresting. . . . There seem many good houses, some very pretty with gabled ends and open galleries on the sides, others ugly, a few of brick much in the style of the Ridgeway Terrace block. Some of those on the bright green clearings . . . away from the town are really tempting outside. In fact it would be no blow to me if I had to stop in Auckland, which is said to be the ugliest place in New Zealand ... A great many small vessels are in the harbour being loaded with provisions for Melbourne and Sydney. The 41b loaf is 1/2 and potatoes that at this time last year were bought for 1/- now cost 5/6 .. .

Th 26 May . . . There has been great excitement on board this afternoon owing to the visit of a Maori canoe, a proper savage canoe with a sort of griffin effigy forming the prow. The Maoris were proper blanketed tatoed specimens, the first few we saw in the boat yesterday were civilised looking in canvas trousers and blouses. Some of these in the canoe had English cloth caps, . . . they seem judiciously fond of rich red shades, which look well near their brown skins . . . One young mother . . . was rather pleasant looking, she was not tatooed, but her costume was complicated ... by having a tobacco pipe thrust thro' her ear. One Maori boatman who came on shore this morning bid William a shilling for a red pocket handkerchief that he saw hanging from W's pocket.

F 27 May. The shore party returned last night . . . The towns folk in general did not seem to have prepossessed them favourably altho' there were one or two they liked very much, more especially an old barrister to whom they were recommended as a proper man to consult about their quarrel with the Captain. After hearing their statement he most disinterestedly advised them not to commence any proceedings . . .

1 Jun . . . The prospects for farmers here are so truly splendid, and such fine new tracts of land are coming into the market near the Manukau harbour that Wm has

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been almost inclined to think that it might be wiser for us to think of this neighbourhood. Government has not yet succeeded in securing the long wished for block at New Plymouth, the natives are so hard to deal with . . . However ... on Sunday Wm saw two N. Plymouthers who were able to give very satisfactory information . . . that there is every reason to believe that the desired block will be purchased shortly . . .

Lely, Em and I went on shore for the first time on Saturday . . . We . . . had to dine with a Mr [T. S.] Forsaith . . . We went far enough, however, to see a most lovely view and a few novelties in the way of vegetation ... 11 I cannot tell you the delight of sniffing the air smelling of earth and plants, after so many months of sea, and the pleasure of putting one's feet in cool grass, and sitting down upon ti which replaces the dear old heath very well . . .

Wm. Ar. and Cal. went with me to church and Mr Pope and Mr Johnstone joined us; we . . . had a level well-meaning sermon from some unknown and ordinary clergyman. The church is a solid stone structure, with a tower curiously topped with red brick, odd and I think not ugly . . . there are no pews and therefore no pew openers ... as it was we had to dodge into places pointed out to us by a compassionate individual. Seats seem to be appropriated to families tho' there are no divisions. The congregation was large, and in style little different from what one sees in an Eng. county town . . . After church ... we took a walk into the country . . . and went up a hill . . . covered with scoria amongst wh. all manner of beautiful little ferns and new greeneries of all sorts sprang up . . . The tree ferns are most exquisitely graceful things. I have seen no large ones yet as there is no bush within reach of Auckland ... It was v. pleasant to see the dear old gorse so completely at home; it grows along the road side looking quite wild and natural, the sprays seem longer . . . than on Wimbledon Common, . . . We were surprised by a visit on board by Howard Hutton; he had ... a v. delightful voyage in the Cresswell (N.B. Capt. Williams, the commander is, he says, a perfect gentleman; this for anyone following us, as a good Capt. is so important) and he formed a friendship with a Major Nixon who on arriving here immediately bought land on Manukau harbour and H.H. has resided with him ever since . . .

Wm. has some idea of making a purchase in an approaching land sale, so that we may have two strings to our bow in case the block at N.P. proves a disappointment. It will be an excellent investment whether we ever want it for ourselves or not . . . H.H. I am glad to say preserves a very neat clean, cared-for and gentlemanly appearance, tho' he has assisted in clearing 40 acres in 9 months, and has been maid of all work besides. I can't say that you meet very many in Auckland who have the same aspect. . . .

Hal came fussing back from shore to tell us that the Sisters, a small schooner, would go to N.P. on Saty. next from Manukau . . . When I heard that there wod. be accommodation on board for one more lady ... it may be guessed what my wishes were. ... I am not yet sure that I shall do so as Mr Parris (the N.P. gentleman who charters the schooner) cd. not be found . . .

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Harry set off . . . with Mr Pope and Mr Brind on a walking expedition into the interior. . . . We have only Calvert and Ed Patten left with us in the vessel. E.P. has taken to shoe making wh. he learned very wisely with the Atkinsons at Frindsbury; he has 5/- a pair for soling shoes.

v 3, p 41 and v 13 (t.s.)

A. S. Atkinson, journal - - - Auckland, M 30 May 1853

In the morning Charley Wilson and I went ashore to look for some (temporary) work. We went to an old fellow 12 we had spoken to before and agreed with him to come to work tomorrow: we next hired two large rooms at 3/- a week and contracted with a man 13 for our food. We went on board to get our things and stayed till 8.30.

T 31 May ... To work at 7, at 8 had our breakfast, began again at 9, went on till 1 then dinner till 2, afterwards worked till 7 . . .

Th 2 Jun . . . Worked the same hours as yesterday. We are at a small steam engine for grinding copper ore in the 'Great Barrier'.

S 4 Jun. Worked from 7 to 8.30, from 9 to 1.30 and from 2 till 6 when (being Saturday) we got our wages; 25/- to each for 5 days work. As this is the first money I have earned in New Zealand I mean to buy a memorial with it.

Th 9 Jun. Maria, Harry, Brind, I, Mr White and Walton went over to Onehunga . . . We put up at Mr George's to wait till the Sisters sails. We waited here till June 14, when we went on board but the wind being light we could only drop down two or three miles with the tide and then anchored.

15 Jun. Maria and I (among other passengers) went ashore and had a very pleasant walk; then went a little further in the schooner and anchored again.

17 Jun . . . About the middle of the day an easterly breeze sprang up and we went out of the harbour at last.

18 Jun. After a 24 hours run we anchored at New Plymouth about noon . . . We had to wait about a couple of hours before the boat (which had been out to the Tory) could come to us . . . We got all right to shore and met James on the beach; we then walked up to their house (about two miles from town) and found Henry. Both the old fellows are looking a great deal better than when we saw them last.

v 28

Jane Maria Richmond, general letter No. 2 - - - Taranaki, 17 Jul 1853

It is now four weeks since I landed from the Sisters, and I have found the daily employments of cooking, washing up, sweeping and straightening the house, together with feeble attempts at mending James' and Henry's clothes so completely fill my time that ... it wd. have been impossible to write a journal letter. . . .

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We landed in pouring rain, and old Jas and I instantly rushed away from the crowd on the beach, taking a foot road to this house ... I did not like to see anyone till I had greeted dear Henry, who had returned home early ... to put the house in order for Harry Atkinson's reception, for our letter from Auckland led them to expect him, but no other member of our party . . . [Mrs Hursthouse] looks older than Mamma, I think her hair is much greyer, but the . . . want of pretty trim caps and other little toilette elegancies of course tells very unfavorably on women at Aunt's time of life . . . After breakfast on Sunday . . . Jas and I went to take tea at Aunt's to meet old Mr Hursthouse, Mary and the Smiths. I find the old gentleman a good deal shrunk and aged, but as energetic and cheerful as ever . . .

In the afternoon ... we made an excursion in our territories as far as the Henui, a stream which divides the 50 acre section wh. Jas and Hy. have purchased . . . The 50 acres are uncleared bush, with the exception of about 5 on this side of the Henui. Henry and Wm Crow felled the timber on the 5 acres, but the burning, (wh. takes place after the felling) was a very bad one owing to the unfavorable weather after it was kindled ... It is considered rather a disadvantage to have your land divided by a stream like the Henui, but I must say I prefer beauty to profits at present not being as yet a practical farmer and I felt great delight in scrambling down to the beautiful stream and feeling that a piece of it was our very own having our estate on both sides . . . The great delight of the bush, and the banks of the stream to me is the exquisite variety and luxuriance of the ferns. All manner of greenery such as one only sees in little patches under steamy glasses in England, grow in the most profuse rich style all over the ground, and on the trunks of trees both living and dead ... I try to pick one of every kind I see, but there seemed no end to the kinds, . . . All are so wonderful to me. . . .

I did not get out till Thursday, when At. Helen accompanied me to the Warra, which is the Smith's place. It is between 2 and 3 miles off . . . The Smith's house and garden have a very civilised and finished air indeed, considering the time they have been at their place, and that the land was quite rough up to the house door . . . they have only cob chimneys, and most of the house is only a patched mended affair. . . .

Su 24 Jul . . . The news that she [the Cashmere] was in sight put us into a little excitement . . . James and Henry set to work improving an outhouse ... in wh. 4 or 5 of the lads will have to sleep when all our party arrive ... A day or two before the Cashmere was in sight . . . Henry with Arthur and Wm Crow went to lodge in town and work on the beach house, on the roofing and wood work that is, the stone work having been done by contracts with a mason . . . Jas came to the Kings with the news that the 3 Ronaldses had landed but that our people were not on board . . .

Harry is the best riser of our party, he is generally up with the first streak of the daylight, and he lights the fire, sets the water on for breakfast, and has the room swept out by the time I am dressed. The week following that in which the Cashmere arrived was one of immense excitement all over the settlement owing to the election of a superintendent taking place. There were three candidates, Mr Wm. Halse (the genteel government man), Mr Wickstead and Mr Chas Brown . . . Jas did not feel anxious to

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support [Mr W.]. Mr Halse, having held a sinecure office here for some time, and being quite pedant on the Governor, besides being a man too timid and cautious for action, shrinking from any personal responsibility, was as little suitable to James's taste; he therefore joined in requesting Mr Chas Brown to come forward and was chairman to a committee formed for promoting his election. ... He [James] is a very warm politician, and makes squibs and satires for his party which are considered 'too clever to be written by anybody in the settlement but one of the Mr Richmonds'. We have come into quite a new world of gossip and politics on a very small scale . . . there are some such droll characters in the place, and the imitation of elections and party tactics on a large scale makes it very amusing.

Chas Brown was elected after a pretty sharp contest, . . . The Halse party . . . are mortally vexed, having spared no expense and neglected no means for securing Halse's return. Yesterday they held a meeting in wh. it was determined to establish a paper in opposition to the liberal party. The present paper (the Taranaki Herald) . . . is very well conducted in a mild impartial spirit by a Mr Pheney, a former law stationer, a sensible little man; but as he is known to be in his heart a member of the liberal and Brown faction, his impartiality and willingness to let all sides be heard is not satisfactory to the 'snobocracy,' as Jas calls the genteel of this place, but they I believe call the Brown party 'the Snobs'. The ridiculous part of the business seems that at present there are no vital questions on wh. the people can differ so as to arrange them into parties. The Snobocracy consist of those who like sinecure offices . . . and a few of the richer people who have a sort of general dread that the new constitution will bring a levelling spirit with it, and not leave enough power to 'the wealth and intellect of the settlement' . . .

It is high time poor Emily should have a settled home as we do not know how soon in September her confinement may take place. A push is being made to prepare the marine villa for her reception at that time, but . . . there is difficulty in getting a sufficient supply of shingles for roofing at once and the internal fittings cannot proceed far till the roof is on . . . The beach house will be lined with red pine wood. I like the appearance of this wood very much. The roof will be open showing the rafters . . .

I think as far as I have seen at present colonial life will suit me very well, provided that I have not more than 3 people besides myself to do for, but a larger family unless I had some regular assistance would spoil all my comfort, as I cd. not keep things in order, nor have time for my needlework, reading, writing or music. We have now 3 cows in milk . . . making butter up I find very pleasant work. A small family and a nice little dairy I could enjoy, and if the out-door part of the work of the dairy farm, looking after the cows, milking etc were done by the males, I see no reason . . . why we shd. be overworked. James has such a thorough horror of servants, that he is delighted to find we have brought none, and I believe there is more comfort without them. The extreme muddiness of the roads brings a good deal of dirt about the house, and the floors need constant sweeping . . . but a good deal of the dirty work one would have to do in an English house without servants is avoided by having no stoves and

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no coals, for saucepans and cooking utensils do not get so unpleasantly dirty on wood fires . . . Lely of course cannot do more than mend socks and rub spoons so that the lads must take it in turn to stop indoors and assist in the domestic work. . . .

v 13 (t.s.)

Jane Maria Richmond, general letter No. 3 - - -Taranaki, 2 Sep 1853

. . . The house is very comfortable indeed quite first rate for New Zealand but then it is only adapted for the accommodation of 5 people with a fair proportion of property, and it now contains 12 with an immoderate amount of property. Indeed we are now 15 in family having acquired 3 additions in the last two days, namely a doctor a nurse and a dear little baby . . .

Little Mary . . . arrived at half past 5 in the morning of the 30th of August just a fortnight after the landing of our party from the Paget. The little doctor Mr Bridges 14. . . having found difficulty in procuring accommodation in town, he had asked Wm to allow him to reside here for a while proposing to give his medical attendance for Em and the family in general in exchange for board and lodging. ... Of course old Wm is at the summit of human satisfaction and Em in bliss. . . . Our child is to be Mary Elizabeth, the latter name partly out of compliment to its Grandmama Atkinson, but we Richmonds all feel a pleasure in the double name as being really the same as that of dearest Meh . . .

I am just now a regular maid of all work having to cook and arrange for 13 people . . . Here the difficulties don't arise from furniture, but from there being 5 or rather 10 times as many clothes as there are drawers or chests to contain them, 10 times as many books as shelves and cupboards, etc etc so that boxes bags sacks cases hampers and bundles embarass you at every turn . . . Unless in desperation we have a grand bonfire or a public auction I don't see how we can ever sit down in comfort.

Then the noise and bustle at meal times is tremendous when all the hungry men turn in from their work and everyone is fetching something and contributing his quota of talk and clatter to the general stock. It is almost too much for Lely at times . . . She was in first rate spirits but she seems rather inclined to despair of our ever getting set to rights ... At present the daily cooking and housework so fill my time that I hardly advance an inch a week towards order . . .

v 3. P 47

A. S. Atkinson, journal - - - M 5 Sep 1853

Calvert and I were getting in firewood most of the day. We were also getting some specimen spiders and beetles. Maria's piano came up.

7 Sep . . . We found a beautiful little scorpion spider - it was under a rata log . . .

19 Sep . . . William bought 200 acres of bush land by Charles Brown's and Gillingham's.

v 28

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Jane Maria Richmond, general letter No. 4 - - - Taranaki, 24 Sep 1853

... I must first notice the arrival of the Jos. Fletcher which has been the great event this week. She had had a capital run of 89 days, and brings many passengers for this place. Some . . . who wished to stop, intend proceeding to Auckland as they are frightened of bush land, and the block containing fern, which will be next opened, is hardly likely to be in the market for 6 months to come . . .

Our splendid cooking stove is fixed in brick work, and has a small brick chimney to it, but a little shed (something like a cook's galley on board ship) wh. is to enclose it, cannot be finished till the timber for it is dry. The cooking operations are carried on rather laboriously for the present; I work hard with very little to show for it as a wood fire on the hearth wants constant watching and blowing . . .

Wm. Em. and their baby will remove to the Beach Cottage as soon as it is ready. Harry and Arthur are erecting a small abode for themselves on the estate . . . just above our orchard and kitchen garden. They will most likely undertake the clearing of some of our bush land at so much an acre for the present and not buy land for a few months, when a great deal more will be on the market . . . The purchase of 200 acres of bush by Wm. and Hy. is a few miles further back ... no road reaches to it yet . . . it is some part of the 50 acre section adjoining us here, wh. will be cleared this spring and summer. Hy. and W. Crow felled 6 acres last summer, and now a party are employed in preparing part for mangel wursel seed. The extreme roughness of all farming operations here wd. quite horrify a good English farmer, ... he wd. as soon think of sowing seed in the middle of a shack of sticks, as of sowing it in our clearing. . . .

27 Oct. My own employments . . . consist of a daily succession of cooking bread and butter making, sweeping, cleaning, interspersed now and then with afternoons of ironing and starching, or a faint attempt at gardening, in wh. department the fowls generally undo in the morning all I have done on the previous afternoon . . . the plans of our party have undergone a great change . . . Henry Arthur and Charlie made a voyage of discovery to examine the recently purchased 200 acres. They slept in the bush without blankets or tent or shelter of any kind, but returned very much pleased with what they saw of the land ... Jas and Harry soon headed another exploring party wh. returned as well pleased as the first. The end of the matter is that Harry and Arthur wish to become landowners at once, and fearing that . . . they might have to pay much dearer for land by waiting for the new block to be opened, bought another 200 acres adjoining our 200 acres. The price be it known is 10/- per acre . . . Some of the newly arrived settlers seem bolder about bush land than the older colonists who seem to shrink from the idea of going off the beaten roads and away from easy communication with town. An Australian heading a party of 5 or 6 who have purchased 500 acres of bush even more inaccessible at present than the 400 of our party, declares the bush is light and easy to clear. After the Atkinson's purchase was made, some little doubt arose as to whether operations were to commence this year on the Richmond half of the 400, because a certain saw mill scheme for Henry was then on the tapis, and

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it was thought it might be desirable to reserve this 200 acres unfelled as food for this mill; however this scheme . . . has been abandoned . . . Henry Charlie and Cal. remain at this farm, with Lely and me, whilst Js. the two Atkinsons, Ed. Patten and Mr. Brind commence operations on the 400 acres at once . . . I believe that Js. will . . . ultimately make his home there, and that Henry will take this place and live with us.

I am v. sorry that this new land is so far back, as we can only see Js. once a week . . . but I prefer Js.'s going to Hy's, as the latter is much less crotchety and a much better finisher of things than the former. From James's way of talking I feel that he is out of love with this place because he has made mistakes here wh. vex him . . . The sudden fall of their cob chimney hurried them into the building of a stone chimney . . . It wd. have been better to have altogether abandoned the old house which was here when they came using it only for a shed and store house . . . The expensive stone chimney of course bound them to this site . . . Henry is conscious of these mistakes but . . . he has not so many bigotries as Js.; he is more disposed to listen to feminine plans for indoors improvements. Js. requires the stimulus of cheerful companionship in his undertaking more than Hy. and I think he is more likely to work happily and steadily with Harry and Arthur's company and a fresh clear field before him than he wd. here if left to complete old works and potter after his cows only.

8 Nov. ... It seems already as tho' we have lived years in our new country . . . We are now in the May of N.Z. and most lovely the weather has been ... It has just occurred to me that I have never distinctly said how I like this country ... I may have failed to express the intensity of satisfaction I feel in this new home. I can quite honestly quote old Mr Richardson's 'if you ask me how I like N. Plymouth, I like it, I love it, I thank God for it'. I can say most emphatically that I am disappointed in no single particular, that as far as I can see we acted most wisely in coming here. At the same time I do not think I should dare to advise or persuade anybody to come out. You find people calling the climate execrable because the sun does not shine perpetually, and because when it does blow or rain it does it in good downright style; you find also people who don't see any beauty in the place because there are not country lanes, hedges, pretty little villages with church spires dotted about. In a perfectly new country you of course miss the finished garden-like appearance that years of cultivation can alone give, . . . but how the absence of these things shd. blind people to the loveliness before their eyes I cannot understand. Sometimes the mountain looks so grand and solemn rising with such a beautiful dazzling summit above the miles on miles of glorious untouched forest at its base. At other times everything is too warm smiling and sunny for even the mountain to look solemn. . . . But I cd. also tell of an afternoon when walking from Aunt's house to ours the scene was ugly, quite ghastly in ugliness, a drizzling rain was falling, or rather one walked in a cloud, hiding all that was more than a hundred yards off, the wide rough road full of deep ruts and with here and there an old giant stump sticking up in it, the clumsy looking fences on each side of the road, and beyond, the fields full of stumps of all sizes and shapes that seem in a dim twylight

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more like neglected churchyards than fields, were the only things I cd. see, except here and there a tall blasted tree killed 10 years ago by the fires made in clearing these fields. Nothing more dreary looking cd. be imagined. Yet the same features seen as foreground to the beauties beyond never struck me before as being ugly.

I am able to enjoy a gt. many scenes here that most women never see because few are so fond of scrambling and climbing about as I am. I have spent 2 or 3 Sundays on a rock in the middle of the Henui reading aloud to Jas whilst he was sketching. I grow fonder and fonder of the Henui every time I go to it . . .

11 Nov. The bush party have now been away a fortnight and some days, foraging parties occasionally sweep down upon us in the course of the week and carry off all the contents of the larder. . . . Hy, and I visited Js. last Sunday, some persons were of opinion I ought not to undertake the long rough walk, but I found it a much less fatiguing day than many I spend in working about the house. . . . Their 'wharre', as it is called, is a most romantic tho' not v. commodious dwelling; it looks outside like a green tent, it is in fact a roof on the ground, thatched with nikau, a palm, the only one in N.Z. The fire is in the middle of the house and the smoke is not annoying as it finds its way out at the top. We spent a most curious day in this gypsy retreat dining on cold boiled beef, bread and cake and boiling a kettle over the fire in the middle of the hut (in the bush no one can dine without tea) and having goat's milk in a jam pot handed round for our tea. They had then two goats with their kids and a third has gone up this week. Js. drove his goats before him to the spot where they are beginning to clear; he looked a complete Robinson Crusoe. . . .

Rata Nui Mr Chas Brown's place, . . . lies just half way between our house and the new land . . . There is what we call a good bush road to Rata Nui but beyond it there are two miles of bush walking along what is called 'a line'; a line is made by cutting the supple jacks and small shrubs with a bill hook . . . time bush walking takes is very surprising to one ... A good walker making all the speed possible cannot get two miles done in less than an hour . . . Hy. and I took tea with Mr and Mrs Batkin at Rata Nui as we returned. Mr Batkin is a gt. friend of Charles Brown and managed a store belonging to the latter in town for some time. The store is now given up and Mr Batkin is now living on C.B's farm as he himself, since his election to the post of Superintendent, cannot reside so far from town. The three young Ronaldses are staying at Rata Nui, I imagine just working for their keep and getting an insight into colonial farming ways . . .

The bold commencement of our party so far back seems to be having its effect and already purchases are being made near them. ... Mr Smith has just been offered nearly 7 times what he gave for Ohe Warra 3 1/2 years ago . . .

So far I have found no leisure gained by the departure of 5 of our family, . . . We have made half the shed wh. was used as a bedroom . . . into a dairy . . . The new one is only a rough affair, but it is roomy and sweet ... I am afraid I have the soul of a maid of all work, and whether I shall ever be anything better seems doubtful. Lely

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seems rather disgusted at seeing me scrub about and look dirty as I do when at dirty work, but I consider myself a much more respectable character than I was when I was a fine lady, did nothing for anybody but made a gt. many people do things for me. The worst part of the life for me is that it makes me fearfully conceited, I am so proud at finding how easy it is to be independent. Lely talks about not being able to bear my being a slave, but I really feel myself less a slave now that I see I can do everything for myself, than I ever did before. When my pantry shelves are scrubbed, and it contains as it will tomorrow afternoon (Saturday) a round of boiled beef, a roast leg of pork, a rhubarb pie, 15 large loaves and 8 pounds of fresh butter ready for Sunday and the bush party, I feel as self-satisfied and proud as mortal can. A little while since I shd. have thought it necessary to have somebody to prepare all these things for me, now I can do it all myself.

No doubt I am a low unrefined person for deriving satisfaction from such performances, but then as I cannot write a piece of poetry or a tale . . . nor play a piece of music that is worth listening to, nor paint a picture, nor sing a song, nor in short do any elegant thing in a satisfactory manner ... I am much more in my element here than I ever was before. I am quite certain that the gt. servant plague in England must go on increasing till people learn that they are much better and happier in body and mind for not having a separate class to do everything for them they are too stupid, lazy or refined to do for themselves. I don't mean to say that I think there is to be no division of labour or distinction of class (the total want of the former here leads to a terrible waste of time), but that things in England are going too far, that there is an unnatural division between the served and the servers, wh. is I verily believe wicked and un-christian. Nine tenths of the women who are so much waited on make no use of the time gained to them ... of course for those who make a noble use of it it is a gain to all the world that they shd. be waited on; but I must say I feel nothing but contempt for dozens of niminy-piminy little dolls of women who do nothing but go about the world shopping and looking smart, and get another maid for every baby that comes to them. ... I daresay you will think that I am a cross democratic old colonist and that I had better go to bed than write such rubbish, so good night. N.B. if anyone can show me that it is right, wholesome and Xtian that one set of human beings shd. do everything commonly called dirty or disagreeable for the sake of keeping the hands of another set white and their heads full of frippery, I will retract all I have said. . . .

13 Nov ... It seems to me to require peculiar people and tastes to be satisfied here, and for women in our rank of life, the change of employment is so gt. that in 9 cases out of 10 they grumble. . . . Two points that give me such gt. satisfaction in the life wd. be utterly worthless to others; these are the stability and freedom you feel. Everything that you see is your very own, the absolute possession of land gives a sort of certainty that with common industry and care, you are in what may be your home till death. If every penny we possess in England was taken from us, we cd. keep ourselves out of the soil in complete independence now; the freedom of the life too arises

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from the possession of land and there being plenty of room for everybody, there is no overlooking or crowding; you discover too that you can do a gt. many, and do without a gt. many things that you are always bothering yourself to get done and procured in England.

At present I cannot see any reason for growing intellectually or morally sleepy in the colonies. I certainly have never felt so wide awake as I have done since I landed in N.Z.; the wonderfulness of the change, the ease and certainty with which one traverses such wastes of water, the suitability of almost all our party to the new situation, the feeling of coming home as it were to a country wanting you, asking for people to enjoy and use it, with a climate to suit you, a beauty to satisfy and delight, and with such capabilities and possibilities for the future, the thinking over all this and a hundred other things of this nature, is enough to make the most sluggish nature 'feel spirited'. Sometimes I am in such a state that I feel convinced nothing short of going up Mt. Egmont can properly relieve me and let off the steam; at present I only explode in the baking of 10 loaves or in making up a dozen pounds of butter and an occasional scramble down a gully tearing my clothes nearly to pieces. . . . But imagine a delicate woman coming out, unable to get a servant to stay with her, half killed with work and unable to tear about thro' the bush as I do, what an utterly different feeling she wd. have; there wd. be no poetry for her in N.Z., all wd. be wearisome horrible prose! . . .

Be it known we call the new part of the house the Giraffe House because inside and out it somewhat resembles the abode of the giraffes in the zoos; the new kitchen over the cooking stove has v. deep eaves and reminds me of a certain Persian goat house once existing in the same gardens; Orchard Cottage, the residence erected by Hal and Ar looks well adapted for buffaloes, bisons or elks. Altogether our premises have a v. zoological aspect. . . .

I have said nothing of Wm who seems to have arrived in the very nick of time. He is wanted and seems to enjoy watching the progress of the baby constitution.

v 13

A. S. Atkinson, journal - - - S 22 Oct 1853

Harry and I went down to the Beach House and opened our tool cask ... we bought a large camp oven 68 lbs at 3 1/2 per lb., 3 English-American axes 7/- each and billhooks 5/-. We have a splendid lot of hammers.

W 26 Oct. James and I went to the site chosen for our new whare, cleared a little more and then began to build it in this shape

v 28

Jane Maria Richmond to Margaret Taylor - - - Taranaki, 30 Oct 1853

James is languid and unsatisfactory tho' at times he is . . . merry for an evening. Henry looks flourishing and is a solid treasure. ... He longs to be done with the Beach House that he may start on improvements in house and farm here . . . When we are

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reduced to 5 in family I shall feel quite the fine lady; on Saturdays we have an influx from the Bush.

Wm. is 'in town' ... he is made clerk of the Council (our Parliament that is) and is proposed as Attorney for the Province by the Superintendent and Council; their recommendation of appointment however must await the Governor's confirmation. The salary is £150, a fine little income here and then the post will make him the chief lawyer in N. Plymouth. I think Wm. is sure to prosper and be happy here. 15

v 3, p 49

A. S. Atkinson, journal - - - T 1 Nov 1853

C.W.R. came up this morning and James and I went down the cross line with him that he might see something of the land. He slept with us. O. Carrington came and cut 30 chains of the boundary line between J.C.R.'s and our land. He tells us the stream our whare is on (the same that our two other whares were on) is called the 'Atua Kahe'. 16 Fine day. Harry 22 today.

W 30 Nov. Harry and I at underbush all day. We cleared round a rimu that had been much frequented by wild pigs; the bark worn off the little trees where they had rubbed themselves and many other signs of a late residence there.

v 28

W. R. Bridges to C. W. Richmond - - - Auckland, 14 Nov 1853

I have arrived safely at Auckland; we had a very disagreeable voyage to Kawhia - Marks and his crew drunk and fighting all night and it blowing hard - we were placed at times in considerable danger. We arrived safely at Kawhia and remained there taking in cargo for 4 days and were hospitably entertained by Mr Joseph - he has a very nice establishment and does a considerable amount of trade amongst the natives. He lives with another young man, formerly a government surveyor, I forget his name. Both of them are married to Maoris and have several children whom they are bringing up very respectably. We also saw a Mr Charlton and his family. He is an old Scotchman who came from Sydney 15 years ago ... he has a very nice place and is doing very well. I amused myself with shooting wild duck and pukeko which are very abundant . . .

At Auckland I fortunately met Johnston who said he had posted a letter for me relative to the appointment of Colonial Surgeon and Resident Magistrate to the Waikato district. I immediately sent in an application to Sir George Grey but have received no answer and the Governor is now gone to Sunday Is. with the Bishop ... If I succeed I shall of course become a fixture in New Zealand and shall not proceed to Australia . . . The land is very good at Waiuku, principally fern and the bush is very inferior to the New Plymouth, but it has the advantage over N.P. in being more accessible. They have cleared about 10 acres . . .

v 3, p 52

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Jane Maria Richmond to Margaret Taylor - - - Taranaki, 4 Dec 1853

. . . Henry can but seldom visit the Beach House, now that James is in the Bush there is so much to be done here. Work people are so easy and 'independent,' as people call it here, that without his constant attention and spurring on, they exert themselves very little to get the house finished. Six Maoris join the bush party tomorrow to aid in felling; they are to be paid three shillings and sixpence per day, but as they are clever at clearing it generally pays to employ them . . .

The Blacketts 17 we have yet seen only once, but they . . . are amongst the very few with whom we shall have any important ideas in common. Our own large party and great home interests will make it impossible to be dull, though from hearing that the likelihood of social intercourse ... is limited to three houses you might conclude we must grow cabbagy; limited I daresay we shall become in some ways, but the extreme sleepiness of an English country town is I think impossible in a colony, particularly one beginning to run alone politically as this is doing. We feel ourselves to be members of an infant state which will every day become more important, and the smallness of our affairs themselves does not make them contemptible when they are felt to be the germs from which great results will grow.

v 38, pp 260-2 (t.s.)

W. R. Bridges to C. W. Richmond - - - Auckland, 10 Dec 1853

... I met our late skipper, Captn. Chapman, the other day ... I hear he does not get on at all with his mates. Neagle has been sent before the mast and Halbert has been confined to his cabin. The Paget bumped 12 times in going into Kaipara only drawing 12 feet of water. What she will do when fully loaded I do not know . . .

v 3, p 53