THE STRATHALLAN.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13803, 14 January 1909, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE STRATHALLAN.

The first, ship to' land immigrants direct from London was the Strath* allan, 551 tons register, W..R.: Williamson master. She left St. Katherine's Docks. London, on the afternoon of Tuesday, October 12th. 1858, with a full complement of passengers, (about 260) only a portion of whom (about 110) were booked for Timaru. Tke ! Deal boatmen sent for came by later ships; the moorings were down among the ballast, to be dug out at Lyttelton and sent to Timaru by a coaster. ■ "...-.■

"We are indebted to Mr -T. L. Morris, of Maori Hill, for the following extracts fmhi a rough diary kept by his father, Mr J. T. Morris, a. passenger by "the Stratballan. Mr Morris went on with the shin to Lvttelton. but presently returned to South Canterbury ;>nd remained here. In after years he became welb-known as a writer of humorous and satirical verses. THE VOYAGE.

Oct. 12.—Started at last." Man overboard.

Oct. 13.—Went ashore at Gravcsend with E . Mustered on the poop. -■" nd was made captain of No. 27 met:;. Praver -meetings- on--board. - • 14.—Towed down to the No re. C'prt anchor off Ramsgatc. Weighed again at 5 p.m. Saw the t^met. 15.T-Off Deal. Up •anchor again 3 a.nu Wet foggy morning. . Poor jirub. Anchored again ,ai 'l2 a.m., Deal. Preserved meat and potatoes.. Plenty of bumboats alongside. Porpoises. French coast in sight. Fino day. Made .sail again at 8 p.m. Passed Foreland.

16.—Bcechy Head at 7 a.m. Isle of Wight in the evening. -Serving out stores all day. 17.—French coast -in the morning. Off Cape la Hogue. All hands making puddings. Dark wintry night; Sea rising. Ship going well. 18-—Sea higher. Ship going well. Commenced serving out water. " nay of Biscay O!" Sick. Pitch and toss. Heavy sea all night. All in motion. 19. —Sea as high as the maintop. Bain and cold. Much sickness on Board. Pig fell down'the main hatch. Chaffinch followed us from Beechy Head. Through the Bay. All right again. _ -

20. —Ship going well. Studding sails set. Shoals of porpoises. 21.—Becalmed all day. Starling came on board, and a hawk. Several whales about the ship. Another pig down the main hatch. 22. —Dead calm still. A woman died this morning. Funeral at halfpast 4. Stiff breeze all night. 23.—Puffy breeze all the morning, then calm. Ship's newspaper read after dinner

24 '(Sunday)—Breeze during the morning. Passed the Joshua and Mary of Loudon. A child died this afternoon.

25.—Funeral this morning. Dull heaw weather. Continually close hauled. 27.27 lat. to-day. 2§.—Close hauled. No progress. Heavy sea all last night, broke the cabin windows. Very heavy weather-; shipping a great deal of water. 27.—Fine morning. Becalmed, looking out for the Trades. A song below at night till 12. Trades expected. 2S. —Fag end of .the trade 'winds. Trades at last! First warmth, of sun.^ 20. —Favourable. Sun warmer, light wind. 30.—Similar weather.

31 (Sunday).—First fine .Sunday. Sun warm; sea smooth; wind fair. Dinner and tea on the forecastle. Very pleasant day altogether. Nov. 1. —Fine day. Wrote for minister. Steward and boy fought. Our steward and boy came sleeping with us.

2. —Fine day. Flying fish seen, also waterspout. Concert on deck in the evening. 3 and 4.—Light winds. No progress. y—The Trades at last, at 2 in the afternoon. Going w,cll. Saw flying fish.

6. —Coins well. Lots of flying fish Dance on deck in the evening.

7 (Sunday).—Splendid weather. Flying fish came on the poop. Several nautilus seen. Ship very lousy. At 4 o'clock in the afternoon passed the "Pierre la Grande" of Dunkeyen from Bordeaux for the_ Brazils. g.—N» sun. Fine breeze. Ship going well. Aired bedding. Dance on deck. 9. —All well. / Squall of wind and rain. Much lightning at night. 10. —Wet. Buckley and Toln'n ff'UfiJit. Becalpied all day. Shoal of fish blowing alongside after dark.

11. —Recalnied. A large shin in sight all day and yesterday. Lunar rainbow at 8 o'clock at night. Brewing o"t stores all day—tlio hottest job that I ever had. 12.—Becalmed ail day. The shin still in sight. A souall of wind and rain»at 7 p.m., and then becalmed airain. Dreadful rain, all night; the shin flooded. 13. —The same sort of weather. T!>« ship in sight still. Fish jumping all round. Becalmed nearly all day. Rain at intervals. 14.—Becalmed still. Shin still in

sight. Very hot. Sharks' finis in tiight. -.A shark came on the port'side and away aft, and niter smelling the bait went away ahead. The .first mate got down on the guys of the martingale, and dropping the bait the shark presently came back and took it. Landed it on the main deck and' cut it up. 'lt. proved to be about a year old. ,10.—-Shark for breakfast fried in butter. Shark for tea 3tcved in vinegar'. Very light winds all day. Ship still in sight. Breeze iu the evening.

16.—Pickles sent to prison for 12 hours. The 30th {lay since wc saw land. Ship going better. Leaping and games on deck. Lay on forecastle at night till rain caused a retreat.

17. —Ship going well at last. Sailing close-hauled. Dancing and singing at night. South-east trades. 18.—Ship going well. School of whales at 2 in the afternoon. Crossed the Line between 2 and 3. " Neptune came aboard in the evening. Pumps rigged; all hands pumped on. Plenty of grog in forecastla with sailors; all singing and jolly. 10.—Ship going well. Ten knots an hour. Fine day and all well. • 20.-T-Mrs Kohn's. child died, this morning. Funeral at half-past 4. ' A thip right ahead of us at half-past li in the morning. We arc in chase of her.

21.—Ship still ahead, but wc have gained pi few miles on her by noon. Forestun'sail set and main top-gallant. Going from 10 to 12 knots.

22. —Lost the ship in. .tlic dark last night, after chasing her between tour and live hundred miles.

23.—Mrs Padget iiaci a child at 3 this morning. Abreast of St. Helena at mid-day. Between 15 and lb' south iat.

24.—4 .doz shirts, 18 pairs of trousers, etc., etc., lost. A general search among the boxes, but no result. 20 degrees south at 12. Looking out all night for Trinidad. 23.—Large shark swimming round the ship. Stiff breeze. '26. —Blowing stiff all the evening and night. Clewed up the royals, etc. First mate knocked a cabin passenger down on the poop. 27.—-Strong breeze. Cius B washed shirts, etc., and the wind blow them all to pieces. 28.—Fine weather.

29.—Two ships in sight, the first since the 21st. Becalmed all day. Whales blowing about the ship. Five mile walking match on the poop. 30.—The "Julia," 52 days out from Ca'llao for Liverpool and Cork, in sight this morning. At 8 a.m. the ship 10 miles off. A boat put off and came alongside a little after 10. Left again a little after 12, with letters, and some tar, twiue, etc. Becalmed all day, the sea as smooth as a sheet of glass. Saw a large sun fish. About the hottest day we have had.

Dec. Ist. —Gentle wind. Bather cooler. Going from four to five knots with the breeze right aft. Shoal of porpoises. The first mate tried to harpoon one but failed. In the latitude of the Cape at last.

2.; —Fresh breeze 'on the. starboard quarter. Ship going 9 to 11 knots. The lacing rope of the forc-topmasj:-stavsail carried awav. 12 o'clock: 36deg. lat. S., 27deg. long. W. Several large albatrosses in sight. 3.—Albatrosses. Cape pigeons, etc., in sight. Fishing for them. No go. Becalmed. all the morning. The "King Phillip" of London, for Bombay with between five and six hundred troops, which was in sight all day yesterday, came alongside of lis in the afternoon, and a race ensued, but she left us before dark. The men cheered us, for several hours, and the bugler played "Home, Sweet Home," and " Cheer Boys, Cheer." Stun'sails below and aloft, hut she left us behind. She sailed three days before us. '

4.——Stiff breeze. Plenty of sail on. Ship .going before the wind from 10 up to 13 knots. The water rising under thfc bows Jike a great plunuf of white feathers. Main-top-gallant yard-arm carried away. 5. —Strong gale, beginning last night at about 10. At twelve the rolling yard of. the broke off at the end, the whole ship giving a tremendous .lurch, and throwing boxes, pots, "etc., i" every direction. At 7 in the morning while hauling in the liaulyards on the poop we shipped a sea up the. whole of the starboard side, the ship lying right over on the water, carrying away everything loose on deck, and flooding the whole of the 'tween decks a foot deep in water. Took in sail and drove before it, the wind Mowing .fearfully and the sea rolling in perfect "ioi'iita>nK.' Ship rolling frightfully, and shipping water every few moments. About 8 it began to abate, and we were again enabled to set the foresail, and thank God the worst of it was over. Driven by it 270 miles, going sometimes nearly 13 knots.

.G.-~Heavy sea still rolling, but-not so much wind. Went, below to -get. things to rights in the hold. All in a mess among the stores. Shoot-

ing'-albatross on the poop in the afternoon. Going over 12 knots all the evening. Splendid sailing. 7. —Fine morning. Ship all right. Sighted the Island of St. Antonio in the night. Concert at night and grand {.'horns in bed. B.—Wot morning. Ship went as high as 13 knots at some time during the past night. Said to have run 324 miles yesterday in the. 24 hours. Doubtful. Started a new band in the evening. Ship rolling very much. About the longitude of the Cape and about 45 south.

f>.—Lirjht winds. Ship rolling dreadfully. Sailor Jack knocked the. boatswain down. Single men's band on deck in the evening. Fiiiht between Clark and .Tim the sailor..

10.—The shin still rolling dreadfully. Wind gradually falling. Supposed to be 6500 miles from port ycsto-J'iy morning.

11.—Mrs Bishop's child died last night. The cabin steward went into the hosnital on Thursday. flow between the captain and the boats v.iin; between the boatswain and hltle Ji*nmy the sailor, and general quarrelling. Child buried between 12 and 1. Heavy seas during '.he servi'-. Dreadful weather :ill day till '"idnight, then it gradually nroke ott". The sepfuid stormy day. Thank <-od for its abatement. '

12 (Sundnv). —Fine dav with good breeze. . Ship goin<.': well. Sermon on the forecastle ladder.

13.—Stiff breeze. Ship going up to 14 knots; over 300 miles in the day. The best sailing since wo started.

14.—Another . day's fine sailing HcKoital cleared nut.

15. —Calm gentl" wind. Shoal nf pornoises alongside. Mrs Abbot's ehild died at 9 p.m. Sliip <•lo.se Untiled ; ritrht over on her side. Strong wind. in p.m., 13.J- knots.

17.—Awful weather all night, the sea breaking right lip the rigging. Rain in 'the morning. Wet. through with hauling ropes on deck." The first "mate going to put Cameron the nailor in irons.

IS.—Wind right aft. Ship rolling heavily all day. Patches of sea weed floating past all day. Porpoises about.

lO(Sundaj').—Fine morning. Ship rcoing-well. Blaekfish about the ship. Cold, rain and snow. Look out for land. Kcrguelcn's Land (or Crozcts) half-past three on the starboard side. There is a doubt as to which it is. Heavy soualls of wind and rain from E. by N. Hard work to keep the shit) off. Waves washing over her and our side under water. Flying jib carried away, off the rocks. Lot of clucks (lew off the island; ragged looking fellows. 2(l.—Getting out a new flying jib. Starboard fore stun'sail boom carried away. Pigged the main ditto in its place. More sea weed. Sleep on the forecastle. Looking out for more land. 21. —The longest day with us. Fine morning, then storm of snow and hail. The boom riiztred yesterday snapped off in the middle. Mended concertina. Band again. 22.—A barrel of flour and box of raisins given to the passengers for their Christmas box on the. quarter deck. Ship going well. 23.—Shin going splendidly, from 10 to -above 14 knots an hour. 72 cast at mitldav. 1

'24.—Another stonny day. Shipping water every moment. One sea filled the' whole belly of the mainsail .and. then plumped down the main hatchway. Mr Double's child died this afternoon and was buried directly afterwards. Wind fell off about 8 p.m. Ship .rolling fearfully. Southern Lights, or Aurora Australia, very plain after dark. 2-5 (Saturday, Christmas Day).—Film day. Splendid weather. Shiny, cool and pleasant. Ship going well. Two children christened this morning. One called William Strathallan Padget and the other Strathallan Hayes. Plenty of plum duffs on board. Sailors ail drunk and fighting. Blue ..murder. Hurrah !

20 (Sunday).—Queer. No how. All wrong. Too soon after Christmas.

97. —fine morning. Another stuivsail boom carried away during last night. Ship rolling very heavily all night and this morning. Snow at midday. Another boom carried away this afternoon. Bough weather. Heavy hail and snow at intervals during the night. Manchester's phot, stolen.

. 28. —Snow this morning. Bitter cold. More heavy snow and hail. The boatswain groggy.

2D. —Clearing out under the forecastle. Snow and cold. 30. Nearly a calm. Curious piece of seaweed floated past. Good breeze in the evening and all night. 31. —Ship going tremendously all day. Half-past C p.m. main-topmast stun'sail carried away. The last day of the old year. At. midnight the ship's bells rang for a. quarter of an hour, after which a concert of pots and pans kept up a chorus until the captain- brought- out the rum bottle." Heavy sea. Water coming over on the drummer.-

Jan. Ist, 1859. : —Strang wind all day. Sea rising. Mrs Brightiubre, the mad woman, brought down to the single men's hospital at night. Mutiny and rebellion. The ladder taken down arid the devil to pay. 2 (Sunday).—Another stormy day. Wind blowing, sea rolling- Main topgallant sheet chain: carried away. Child died this afternoon. Wind fell about 8 p.m. Ship rolling all night. 3.—Beautiful morning. Sunshine. Smooth sea. Very little wind. Child buried this morning. AH hands looking out boxes for Tiniaru. 4.—Light wind all day. Row between old Pickles and young Everett. •f). —Wakeful last night. Went on deck. Curious appearances like balls of firo floating past every moment in the dark. Breeze all dav. '' '

6.—Dreadfully rough day. The wind nearly ahead. ; The sea breaking over every moment from 9 in the. morning until 4 in the morning of the 7th. Mrs Brightmore died in the afternoon, and was buried directly afterwards. Land birds about the ship. Wet through in the afternoon, from two seas that came on board.

7.—Almost a dead calm. Serving out stores. Half the usual quantity fur those going to-' Tiniaru. 8. —Both anchor chains up .-md bent on. ■■ The steward knocked "ff by the captain's orders one dav this . week. Pumping ship in.'the evening.

9 (Sunday).—Light winds. Very little progress, Row between B. and R. It. tried to cut Bl down with a scraper. , A watch kept below all night for fear of R. assaulting B. iri his sleen.

If).- —Light wind. The ship going no how. The cat-fall hove-ready for the anchors. Studding-sail booms all taken in. Looking out for the land. Breeze right ahead. Seven noints off her course. A shoal of large fish in sight extending for more than ten miles, blowing every moment.' No land in sight yet. 11. —Nearly a head wind with heavy fog. No seeing above half, a -mile. Half week's allowance of, rations for Timnru people. Caught a large mohawk, as large as a fine goose, and turned it loose on deck. Got the anchors over the side and not more chain up. Put the ship about at 8 n'.ni.

12.—Cold, mistv, wet morning. Struck the bell at 6 a.m. All hands looking out for land. Faint appearance of land at different times during the day. Wind falling, dead calm in the evening. 13. —Studding sails set again. Land on the port bow about .11 a.m.. between 30' and 40 miles distant. NEW ZEALAND! 35 miles from land at noon'. 2 p.m., mist and light rain, land down again. 3 p.m.. chains of high'mountains on the port-bow. Land continually rising ahead. 4 p.m., more very high mountains just rising. Long, being made fast in the fore rigging, drew his knife and threatened to stab little Jimmy the sailor. 14. —Ten thousand mountains towering far above the clouds, some of them covered with eternal snow, but all barren and desolate, not a sign of human beings or human works. Thousands of little red lobsters the size of shrimps, and jelly star fish. One of each caught. Gnats, butterflies, and dragonflies flying about at 9 a.m. All the studdingsails set at night. G a.m., sailing under close reefed fore and main topsails and standing jib. Half-past eight, more sail again. Halfpast 10, made signal for a pilot. More mountains, the high ones crowned with snow. A point ahead which we are trying to round. . Heavy tide running in-shorc. Our cake, stolen. ' TIMART7 AT LAST ! , Five houses in sight. A boat comes off with six men. They come on board and the boat is smashed against the side. Spanish Joe the. sailor, gets a. ducking in slinging the boat for lifting. Shoals of porpoises round the ship. Ridiug with one anchor and a gale \of wind blowing. Sent down all the royal yards. No accommodation for the immigrants! A queer look out! The water since the morning of the 12th of a brilliant green. Several of the immigrants engaged. One short ale is 2s 6d per bottle, rum 9d a glass, tobacco 4s 6d a lb., a sheep for £1 or £1 ss. 15,—The wind took off in the night and freshened again this morning. Another boat came alongside last night at 12 with seven men to look after the others. -Very cold wind. Ship rolling all day in the ground swell. Served out provisions to-day for foil week for Lyttelt.on; two days for Timaru. Boat left at half past 4 p.m. 16 (Sunday).—Boat came alongside at 6 a.m. with. seven men, bringing off a live sheep, a leg of mutton and some grog. Hove the anchor-chain straight up and down before 8 a.m. Old Jimmy pitched into the black cook and the boatswain followed suit. All in confusion. Beautiful morning. Warm sun. Made sail and stood further in and anchored in 9 fathoms. The boatswain went on to the poop and made a noise and got put into irons. Had fresh mutton for dinner in-the. forecastle: Radishes 'and'""new potatoes brought "--'.on board. Commenced landing passengers.

17.—Finished landing passengers. THE LANDING. The story of the landing is now continued from the notes of a passenger who landed, Mr (now Major) J. A. Young, of Winchester: — .'■'•We arrived off Tiniaru on January 14-th, 1859, and lay, off a good distance from the shore. The first persons to come on board were Mr Woollcombe, Captain Cain, and old Sam Williams. Their boat was made fast so that it got under the stern of our ship and was broken. Mr Woollcombe came into the cabin and asked me where the captain was. I called the captain and lie brought out his papers. I wondered who this man was. 1 saw another (Captain Cain this was) standing outside, and 1 went and asked him who the man inside, was, and he Said it was the Resident Magistrate. Well, I thought to myself, "if that is the Resident Magistrate, we have come to a queer place. It, was his dress that amused mc. He wore a. blue serge jumper, moleskin trousers tied at the knee and turned up at the bottom, and heavy Gookham boots yellow, to the top with clay. I learned afterwards that he had been building a cob whare, and had" been puddling the day by tramping it. ■ The next .boat'brought two •sheep for the cabin from Mr Rhodes. The snokesmau of tlic boat's crew.' Long Bill, came to the cabin and told the . captain of this gift. The captain said, All right. Land Bill said, Ain't you going to shout? The captain said no. On that Bill went forward and cut. the : sheep up and divided them amt>ng the crew and the immigrants. The greater part of the meti about wore sailors, arid the captain said, All right. Long Bill said, bargain l with them as to their charges for taking the passengers and their luggage ashore in the whale boats and surf boats. it was finally settled, and, 110 of us were landed safely, the majority on the 16th, the rest on the 17th. There were plenty of vegetables for those who landed on the first day. Myself, wife and two children landed by the last boat but one, and we found that those who landed before us had had the best of the good - things provided. Strong Work Morrison was the steer-oarsman of the boat we came ashore in. As soon as we landed we looked for quarters and found that the only place unoccupied was Mr Rhodes' shed for storing wool. I went up two or three tiers of bales, arid selected the top' of two bales. We fixed up a screen of shawls and blaukets and made ourselves as comfortable as we could. As soon as a stir was made next morning I looked over the top of our screen at the scene below. What a sight! There wvrc men in from the bush tot welcome us, with buckets of port wine and rum, and they were ladling' it out 'in pannikins to anvone who would partake of it." THE IMMIGRANTS' OUTLOOK. "

When the Strathallan immigrants looked landward at their adopted country, they would find it all one colour, that of the native tussock grass, relieved only by that of a cabbage , treeiherc and there. On inquiry they would .learn that there were patches of growing timber at Arowhenua, Waihi, Mount Horrible, Gcraldine, Peel Forest and Waimatc. They would find that the employers of labour were the squatters, about forty in number,: who held the land between the. Rangitata and the Waitaki Rivers under pastoral leases as sheep runs. There were no boundary fences between them. Boundary shepherds, sleeping in sod huts, and a. few collie dogs, were substitutes for fences. The taking up of the high country for grazing sheep gave a considerable amount' of work for men 'in building sod huts and stone huts, which i\crc thatched with toi toi or snow grass. The occupation of this country proved as risky as Samuel Butler's friends had feared," for' in 186", (as on several occasions since) a snow storm caused very •heavy losses of sheep, and not a few human lives have been lost in <r in consequence of these wintry viotations. The lagoons two miles' to the i orth and two miles to the south of ■ jjc ti.wn, were swarming -with swainp'l:cn, prey duck and teal. The riverbeds farther inland were haunted by paradise dicks. Wild pigs were rooting and -oanviig in the gullies bordering on the crooks. : The inquisitive Maori-hen was marching about everywhere. The comely eels in the verdant mud were plentifully found near where the fresh water mingled with-the tide water. The cockabulla, and the fresh-water spotted Maori i flounders were bin and lumerous. But the m-idc of the bush to the spoiti'inan, to the billy-filler and to the naturalist were the pigeons and the kakns in the timber patches already mentioned. The'.-harvest of the F"<v in tb'">e r1 a->*<! was very, meagre. Few cared about lishin.'i in the briny, and sea fish were a rarity for cooking purooses. But the-fish were in the roadstead all the same.

Probably talkers about uloujihs looked at askance, with just the suspicion of being whatever was the equi-x-nle»<+- for-" "socialists." As for what' the Bluenose skippers of the roadstead called "garden truck," the willing

man liad only "to tickle tlio land with a hoc to make it laugh with a greengrocer's shop."' But whether as a farmer or as a, gardener the Strathallau man speedily had returns for his labour. If he engaged with the squatter he got from 18s to 20s pelweek and his rations, consisting of 10 lbs. of Hour, lOlbs. of mutton, 21bs. of sugar, and i-lb. of tea. He could supplement this once a year with bigger wages at the washpool, as the wool was then washed on the sheep's back The man with foresight would slip up to the shearing shed now and then and gradually qualify as a. shearer. After that he could make a good cheque every year. If he preferred being hia own boss, he would make chums with the very rough hut very genial chaps in the bush, say at Arowbeuun, a»"i learn the way to use an American axe, mauls, and wedges, in splitting posts, rails, shingles, and firewood. Then he would take the lower end of the. long-tailed-griften in the sawpit, and by and by rise to be ton-sawyer. He would then he a contractor.

The only natural drawback in his district was the hot north-west wind. It was bad enough then, but its most injurious effects were not felt until after the tussock was broken up. When the ' Strathallau man had to make an enforced overland business visit to Cbristchureh, the crossing of the liangitata and the Rakaia brought him into a very visible pioneering danger. NEW CHUM EXPERIENCES.

Major J. A. Young, of Winchester, a passenger by the Strathallau, relates ! a few amusing anecdotes of experiences a few days after lauding. First he describes the " Timaru" — Rhodes Town: —There were only four or five houses in the place, which was all covered with native tussock. Sam Williams had an accommodation house on the beach, near the woolshed, and they were then adding to a leari-to which had a license (which is now the Royal Hotel) kept by T. Dunn I think. Captain Cain, was living in a cob house ou the hillside, where Turnbull and Go's, brick store is, at the hack of Mee's office. Dr Butler had a small one-roomed house at the back of what is now the Crown Hotel. With a friend named T. Paterson., Mr Young determined to go for a day's shooting, while their' wives amused themselves with a washing day. T. P. had a gun and ammunition, and they took the north coast for the day, walking round the beach, to the Washdyke lagoon. He noticed that the beach was crowded with whafe bones of all kinds. " AVe had splendid sport, gathered up our birds, tied their legs together, picked up a slender rib of whale about six feet long, strung our birds on it, shouldered them and carried thcui in triumph .to Timaru. As we were passing Captain Cain's house with our load of game Mrs Cain came out and asked what we.were going to do with it. We said, take them round to the immigrants. She said, ni.y good men, they are not fit to eat, they're shajrs. So we mournfully carried them to the top of the cliff and threw them into the sea. When we got home we found our wires in great distress. They had been washing in the sun and their arms were terribly blistered. They wont to old Sam's to get some "cream" to rub on their arrs. and Mrs S«m. a, genuine kind old Irish lady said she had no cream, but she brought something in a pannikin, and told .them to take a little (if it inside and rub a. little outside. They followed half the advice—the latter half " Next th-i.y the two women wished +■" wiucl up their washing, and went round to Cain's store for some starch. Mr Wood, who was serving in the store smiled when they asked for starch; such a. thing was unknown in Timaru. They then asked for some worsted to darn socks with, and Mr Wood, said they never kept it, never used it. They wore their socks till they were quite worn out and then threw them away. He said, " Y r ou will find plenty of thorn n-> the bnr.chi" . Thev say "e----eossity is the mother of invention. Mrs Young got a potato and scraped it, and made her own starch.. Then the two women went to the beach and found a sock, washed it and unravelled it, and got some woi'sted in that way.

"lii tlm meantime my friend P. and I «-alked t" Arovh«iii;a.busJ'. There was only a cattle track then all tl)e way, and tlie only houses between Timaru and the busli were a small whare accommodation house at .the Washdyke, and an accommodation house on the banks of the Arowhenua, kept by -T. Dean. AVc forded the river to the bush, and came out where a Maori was snuatting with a blanket round him. His f:u- avsvs beaut'fullv tatooed. He saidTcnakoc, and we said th" s;"'ie. He took out from under bis blanket a short clav moo with a. large bowl, and showed that it was emntv. I'. fjave him th" wlHe stick of tobacco to take a .fill; he rilled his pipe, said Kapai, and nut the remainder of the stick "tidor bis.blanket. I said to my friend, .Good for the Maori. Further up wc met other Maoris, but P. was a canny Scotchman, and. when asked again for tobacco he.-', cut a small niece off.

"I made arrangements with some men to put a roof on a house they wro building, and two or three days after we loft Timaru for the. bush. Our conveyance was a bullock dray with eight' bullocks, and we had a verv rough ride. Wc arrived at last at our destination, a small clearing at the back of the bush, and were given the use of a. small V hut—door .at one end. bunk down each side, thatched with split cabbage-tree heads; no chimney, cooki'ig till done outside in caimvoven. There were usually several Maori women about .when cooking was going on, each wrapped in a blanket and with a piccaninnv on her back. Our children were timid and rh\ms round their mother, but the Maoris were always very kind and friendlv. When wc returned t<> .Timaru we found that several squatters had been in, and had taken a lot ol immigrants away."

AN EARLIER STRATHALLANITE

The Strathallan had made a previous trip to New Zealand —in 1858. Among the crow was an adventurous youngster, now less lively on his feet than in those days—Mr Jas. Strachan, of Timaru. Ho tells us:— "1 joined tho Strathallan as a boy, when she was on the stocks, was on board when she was launched, worked on her when she was being fitted out, and came out in her to Port Chalmers in 1858 on her maiden trip, with 310 passengers. She took the first load of wool (700 bales) Home from Port Chalmers, and Mr Gillies went Homo in her as a passenger to study for the Ministry. I wanted my discharge, the skipper would not give it, so I ran away from her, and went up country, north, to Bcnmoro St'ation, on the Waitaki. I came on towards Timaru and got a job as cook at Innes's Station." After this Mr Strachan wandered far north, was engaged in conveying troops and supplies for troops in the Maori War; returned south to the "diggings; and came buck to Timaru just before the Strathallan arrived.