Dalmuir Hill January 13th 1851 My dear Mr McLean Papa told me last night that it is likely Mr Park will start for Ahuriri today or tomorrow. I got up early this morning to write a letter to send by him. I wrote two letters by the Rose which sailed a few days ago and I also sent the last letter. I wrote to Manawatu which was returned. I told you in my last letter that we intended to go as far as Pahatanui. We went on Tuesday last which was a most beautiful day. We had two carts. Papa and Mr Hart went in one, Mama, Miss Kelly, Miss Hart, Miss Redish and myself were in the other. We took provisions with us, and beds in case we should not be able to get them. We spent a very pleasant day about three miles from Porirua. We got up a fire in the bush and had dinner. We then started again and arrived at Pahatanui about seven. We went to Bolton's where we found we could get accommodation. We had not been long there before the mosquitoes began to torment us and as it got dark they increased in number. At last we thought that if they continued to tease us the way they did we would not be able to get any sleep and we soon found this was the case. Poor Mama suffered more than us all for their bites made her face swell so much. They only attacked long hands and feet. Miss Hart and I at last began to feel a little drowsy and we thought we would go and try to sleep so we went to the bedroom and put pillows on the floor, wrapped a blanket round us, put our veils over our heads and lay down. We thought the mosquitoes would not trouble us so much on the floor as they would on the bed but we soon found our mistake for they were worse so we got up again and lay down on one of the beds. All this time the rest were sitting in the other room. We could not persuade them to come and lie down. They said they were sure they could not sleep and they would rather sit up. At last they had a bed made in the cart and they were very comfortable. When it began to rain and they were obliged to come in. Mama had now lost all patience. She said she wished she had not come. Papa agreed with her & after they had sat for some time they had a mattress laid on the floor on which they lay down but Miss Kelly was the only one who could sleep. The gentlemen walked outside. I think I was the most fortunate of them all for I at last went to sleep and I must have slept very soundly for when I awoke I found they had all got up and had gone out and that it was daylight. We had breakfast as soon as possible and started on our way home where we arrived at the place where we had dined the day before we stopped. We thought before dinner we would try and get a sleep so we had the mattress spread on the ground under the trees. We all lay down but Mama. I could not sleep as it was too warm so I got up and Mama and I and the gentlemen walked about the bush till dinner was ready. After we had dinner we set off again and we got home by six o'clock. It is a great pity we were teased by the mosquitoes. Had it not been for them we would have enjoyed our excursion very much. It was too late in the season to go but if we had gone at the time it was first talked of I do not know if it would have been much better as even then there were mosquitoes. Mrs Eyre was here on Friday and she told us that when she was up the coast there were a great many but they did not annoy her much as she had mosquito curtains. I was very much disappointed that I did not hear from you by a vessel which came a few days ago. I suppose you were in the bush at time it left. I trust that before long I shall have a letter from you. When I receive an answer to my last letter I expect a scold from you for grumbling and being discontented. However dear you must forgive me for at the time I wrote I was rather unwell nor in good spirits. I am quite well now. Our excursion, although it was so short, has done me a great deal of good. As Mr Park is going to Ahuriri I suppose there will be some more of those tiresome boundaries to be laid out. I hope they will not take as much time as they did at Rangitikei. If they do I shall lose all patience. Mama sends her kindest regards and desires me to say that she is glad now that she went to Pahatanui as she has seen it but that nothing will persuade her to go again. I must dearest say goodbye and in hopes of having a long letter by the first vessel. Believe me to remain Ever your affectionate Susan Douglas Strang