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English
Letter from W. Halse. dated 3 January 1847. Taranaki. 3rd. January 1847. My dear Sir, I got your letter of the 28th December; and really have nothing to send you in reply. We are without vessels, or news of any kind; and it is getting dull work to open a glass and continually strain one's eyes in looking along the sea line for the Governor. Our Christmas Day was somewhat damaged by indifferent beef; but, like good Christians, we ate and forgot it. The people laid aside their perpetual plodding for some days, and they finished off on Friday with a pic-nic at Waitara. Webster and his family went down in a carriage and two, early in the morning; and there were, besides 5 or 6 Bullock carts, on the ground. R. Brown and Aubrey started from Town in Cooke's hearse; and it nearly proved an appropriate vehicle for them; for old Sandy backed down the cutting on the North side of the ford at the Henui; and threw passengers, provisions, cart and himself over a precipice of 7 or 8 feet, into the river. Except to the cart of provisions, no damage was done beyond a ducking to Brown and Aubrey; who afterwards reached Waitara on horseback. There was a very decent amateur concert at Davis, on the 30th. Upwards of 120 were asked. To accommodate them an addition was made to the long room on the lawn. I was astonished to see the place so well arranged, and so well occupied. All the women were remarkably well dressed; as were also the men; and for the moment, I could easily fancy myself in some well-appointed house at Home. The singing was very fair; and as a commencement, very creditable to Davis, Newland, Murch, Merchant, Parris, and Harris,- who, I believe, got it up. There were no refreshments; nor could they be expected; so some of the people paired off to a spread at Wicksteed's, and Webster's, while Dorset, myself, and 4 others laid siege to a private supper got up by the eminent,- Monsieur George. The Summer weather appears to have come and left us before its time. The disagreeable S. Westers have set in; but they have brought rain to the parched crops. I hope it is in time. I think I shall finish off just where I am now; for I have no pretext for writing. I could go on in this way to some length; but you could not extract any news from it. Your time is better employed than in reading an idle writer. I presume you are now at Wanganui, as Charles Brown stated you had marched for that place. I should not dislike to be there myself; if only to see a few Redcoats, to remind me of old times. Believe me to remain Yours sincerely, (Signed) W. Halse. To:- D. McLean Esq.
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Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/manuscripts/MCLEAN-1008533.2.1

Bibliographic details

4 pages written 3 Jan 1847 by William Halse in Taranaki Region to Sir Donald McLean, Inward letters - William Halse

Additional information
Key Value
Document date 3 January 1847
Document MCLEAN-1008533
Document title 4 pages written 3 Jan 1847 by William Halse in Taranaki Region to Sir Donald McLean
Document type MANUSCRIPT
Attribution ATL
Author 42068/Halse, William, 1816-1882
Collection McLean Papers
Date 1847-01-03
Decade 1840s
Destination Unknown
Englishorigin ATL
Entityid 2
Format Full Text
Generictitle 4 pages written 3 Jan 1847 by William Halse in Taranaki Region to Sir Donald McLean
Iwihapu Unknown
Language English
Name 42068/Halse, William, 1816-1882
Origin 66394/Taranaki Region
Place 66394/Taranaki Region
Recipient 4809/McLean, Donald (Sir), 1820-1877
Section Manuscripts
Series Series 1 Inward letters (English)
Sortorder 0740-0007
Subarea Manuscripts and Archives Collection
Tapuhigroupref MS-Group-1551
Tapuhiitemcount 33
Tapuhiitemcount 2 14501
Tapuhiitemcount 3 30238
Tapuhiitemdescription 33 letters written from New Plymouth
Tapuhiitemgenre 3 230058/Personal records Reports
Tapuhiitemname 42068/Halse, William, 1816-1882
Tapuhiitemname 3 4809/McLean, Donald (Sir), 1820-1877
Tapuhiitemref MS-Papers-0032-0318
Tapuhiitemref 2 Series 1 Inward letters (English)
Tapuhiitemref 3 MS-Group-1551
Tapuhiitemsubjects 3 1446/New Zealand Wars, 1860-1872
Tapuhiitemtitle Inward letters - William Halse
Tapuhiitemtitle 2 Series 1 Inward letters (English)
Tapuhiitemtitle 3 McLean Papers
Tapuhireelref MS-COPY-MICRO-0535-058
Teiref ms-1309-009
Year 1847

4 pages written 3 Jan 1847 by William Halse in Taranaki Region to Sir Donald McLean Inward letters - William Halse

4 pages written 3 Jan 1847 by William Halse in Taranaki Region to Sir Donald McLean Inward letters - William Halse

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