Five Years in New Zealand | Page 9

news of our whereabouts
we rowed over and found that the white object was the carcase of a
whale which had been washed on shore, and on which several men
were engaged cutting it up. These speedily discovered our "new chum"
appearance, but with true Colonial hospitality at once offered us a nip
of rum, at the same moment somewhat disturbing our equanimity by
telling us that if we went on to the Port we would be put in choky for
leaving the ship before the Medical Officer examined her.
It was strange and very pleasant to feel the solid ground under our feet
after 94 days at sea, and we sat awhile with the whale men before
resuming our boat. Then we proceeded quietly down the Bay, which
was very beautiful, the dense and variegated primeval forests clothing
the lower portions of the hills and fringing the ravines and gullies to the
shore, the pretty caves and bays lying in sheltered nooks, with a
mountain stream or cascade to complete the picture, and all undefiled
by the hand of man. The bold outline of the bare rocky summits, the
deep blue of the silent calm bay, and the distant view of the little Port
of Lyttelton picturesquely sloping up the hillside.
Seeing no sign of the ship, and fearing to approach the town, we rowed
into a little sandy cove, where we fastened the boat and proceeded to
ascend the hill to endeavour to discover the ship's whereabouts. About
half-way we came upon a neat shepherd's cottage in one of the most
picturesque localities imaginable, and commanding a magnificent view
of the bay and harbour. On calling we found the cottage occupied by
the shepherd's wife, a pleasant buxom Scots-woman, who immediately
proffered us food, an offer too tempting to be declined, and we
presently sat down to our first Colonial meal of excellent home-made
bread, mutton, and tea, and how delighted we were to taste the fine
fresh mutton after many weeks of salt junk and leathery fowls on board
the "Mary Anne"!
We had finished our hearty dinner, and were giving our loquacious
hostess all the news we could of the old country, when the ship hove in

sight, towed by a little tug steamer. We ran for our boat and gave chase,
but only reached her side as the anchor was being dropped in Lyttelton
Harbour. We received from the Captain and Lapworth a sound but
good-humoured rating, but there would be no opportunity of further
"larks" from the "Mary Anne"! The voyage was over, and a most
pleasant one it had been, especially for our small party, and I am sure
that no voyagers to the New World ever had the luck to travel with
kinder or more sympathetic captain and officers, or with abler seamen,
than those in command of the good ship "Mary Anne."
Poor Mrs. Kelson was in sore distress about her husband, whom she
persisted in giving up for lost, and doubtless she looked pretty sharply
after his movements for a while.
CHAPTER III.
LYTTELTON AND CHRISTCHURCH.--CALL ON OUR
FRIENDS.--VISIT MALVERN HILL.
Port Lyttelton at the time was but an insignificant town in comparison
with what it has since become, although from its confined situation it is
unlikely ever to attain to any great size. It is the port of the capital of
the province, Christchurch, from which it is separated by a chain of
hills. A rough and somewhat dangerous cart road led from it to the
capital, along and around the hill side, which was twelve miles in
length, but there was also a bridle track direct across the hills, by which
the distance was reduced by one-half. This path, however, could be
used only by pedestrians, or on horseback with difficulty. In 1862 it
was decided to connect the port with Christchurch by a railway, cutting
a tunnel through the hill, and the project was completed in 1866. In
1859 Port Lyttelton was built entirely of wood, the houses being for the
most part single-storeyed. There was a main street running parallel to
the beach, with two or three branch streets, running up the hill
therefrom; there were a few shops, several stores, stables, and small
inns. The harbour was an open roadstead, and possessed but a primitive
sort of quay or landing place for boats and vessels of small tonnage.

We were invited on shore by the Leach's sheep-farming cousin, who
had come to meet them, but we returned on board to sleep. The
following morning, getting our luggage together, we all four started for
Christchurch on hired horses, sending our kit round the hill by cart. The
climb up the bridle path (we had to lead the horses) was a stiff pull for
fellows just out of a