Five Years in New Zealand | Page 3

by health and will. For the artisan and the professional
who can only work at their own trade or profession, the openings
naturally are not so plentiful, but there is abundance of employment for

them until openings occur, if they choose to occupy their time
otherwise in the meanwhile.
For the young man who can afford the time, and many can, a few years'
fling in the Colonies would be the best of educations, but he should
determine to see all that was to be seen on the spot, and take part in all
that was doing, and not rest content only with a few days' sojourn in an
hotel here and there, or joining in the gaieties and dissipations of the
towns.
CHAPTER I.
HOW I CAME TO EMIGRATE.
I was one of a family of nine, of which four were sons. My eldest
brother was destined for the Church; the second had entered a
mercantile house in Liverpool; and I, who was third on the list, it was
my father's intention, should be educated for the Royal Engineers, and
at the time my story opens I was prosecuting my studies for admission
to the Academy at Woolwich, and had attained the age of sixteen, when
my health failed, and I was sent home for rest and change. I did not
again resume my studies, because it was soon after decided that I
should emigrate to New Zealand.
The decision was principally, if not entirely, due to my own wishes. I
had long entertained a strong bent to seeing the world for myself, and
the idea was congenial to my boyish and quixotic notions of being the
arbiter of my own fortunes. I recollect I was much given to reading
tales of wild life in America and elsewhere; they contained a peculiar
attraction for me, and influenced my mind in no small degree
detrimental to continuing my studies for the Army or any specified
profession at home.
When I first proposed what was in my mind it created somewhat of a
sensation in the old home, and my father would not hear of any such
madness as to throw up my studies after having advanced so far, and go
away to the antipodes on a mere wild-goose chase, etc. On consulting
his friends, however, many advised him to let me have my will; others

(more wisely perhaps) expressed their opinions that I should be forced
to resume my work, and that the ill-health was imagination, or foxing!
(I have often since been inclined to agree with the latter supposition.)
The final decision, however, was that I should emigrate to Canterbury,
New Zealand, in the following April. This colony was at that time
about fourteen years' old, and was highly thought of as a field for
youthful enterprise, and it was then the fashion to consider such
tendencies as I expressed to be an omen of future success which should
not be baulked.
A young friend, C----, son of a neighbouring squire, offered to
accompany me as my chum and partner. He was six years my senior,
and had had considerable experience in farming, so was considered
very suitable for a colonial life; whereas I knew literally nothing of
farming or anything else beyond my school work.
Our preparations were put in hand, and our passages booked by the
good ship "Mary Anne," to sail from St. Katherine's Docks, London, on
April 29th, 1859.
When all was finally settled my elation was supreme. The feeling that
school grind was past and gone, that the world was open to me, and that
I was free to do and act as I would was exhilarating. I felt that I had
already attained to manhood, and that the world was at my feet, and a
glorious life before me; well, I suppose most boys prematurely let loose
would think the same, and I don't know that it is any harm to start under
the circumstances with a hopeful and happy heart.
The day of parting at length arrived. It was a bright and lovely morning,
about the middle of April, when I said goodbye to all my playmates at
the old home, took a last look at the guns and fishing-rods, visited the
various animals in the stables, gave a loving embrace to the great
Newfoundland Juno, whom I could not hope to see again, submitted to
be blessed and kissed by the servants and labourers, who had
assembled to see me off, and took my seat on the car with my father,
mother, and eldest brother, for the railway station, where C---- was to
meet us.

C---- and I went direct to Liverpool from Drogheda, to which place my
eldest brother accompanied us. My father and mother, having business
_en route_, were to meet us