SKETCHES FROM THE LAKE DISTRICT.

Cromwell Argus, 18 May 1870, Page 5

SKETCHES FROM THE LAKE DISTRICT.

BY A VISITOR.-(No. ll.) . “ Temperament, sanguine ; disposition, cheerful ; language, emphatic ; habits, lively and mor* curial,” would, I think, be the verdict of one of those mysterious personages who roam the country periodically, calling themselves .professors, feeling people’s crauiums, and guessing at thoir character, as well as the fubiess of their pockets, upon the QueenatoWU portion of the Lake public. lam not a professor of phrenology, biology, or any other ology, good, bad, or indifferent. I have not cheek enough for that kind of business, though I should much like to get on in the world, rather than bo eternally carrying my swag on the everlasting Wallaby track. They do tell me that some of these perambulating professors lived amongst the good peeple of this celebrated City of the Lakes, and “ had them pretty atiffish. ” My heat grins and shakes his leg when you mention the name of one of these wouldbe professors, who found out that there was corn in Egypt, and enjoyed a short but merry time of it one Christmas here. The landlady, tall and buxom, looked askance at me with suspicion, and, I think, wondered whether I was one of the mysterious brotherhood from my enquiries). “ Swagsman, madam,” said I, “and 1 wish I wasn't.”—“Magsman? what is that?” asked the yet suspicious landlady ; “ I know the travellers who come from Dunedin call themselves bagsmen.” Off she went, and I believe still thinks 1 represent some eminent firm or another in the soft goods lino. However, my mutton chop was carefully cooked, and my cup of bohaa properly brewed ; what more could I want? I think I was relating the mania of the people to get more agricultural laud opened. Next day the subject seemed ignored. “ No, they are not in earnest,” I said to myself; “I have given them credit for a character too cheap; that piano and the whisky of the Queen’s Arms played me false. Yes, once a fool, always a fool. What a nice correspondent I will make by-and-hye at this rate. “ Faith, I have commenced well with my pen, and put my foot' into it beautifully,” I said. I was quite disconsolate for a couple of days. I thought of button-holing the facetious editor. I was afraid of the other one. Of all human things I dislike, the worst are bears with sore heads : they are worse than men crossed in love. I did get hold of the facetious gentleman once, but could never see him at night time, when my courage is well screwed-up. But the persuasive nobbier was refused, and I saw he knew at once I was a swagsmau. “ Bad time of the year for going on the wallaby,” said he, “ But what can Ido ?” said I; and I was very near telling him then what a mess I had got into. “Do!” said he; “do as they do in France—the best they can. They used one time to have snug quarters at the Camp : chickens, eggs, ahd would not look at a steak unless it was a rump one : arc you in debt ?”—“ No one will trust me,” said I; and he looked as if lie thought' they vere qiTr*o rights “The Camp dodge tTOp’fe do, then,” said ho ; and off ho walked, tboJafid.-’ lord laughing at me. “ Confounded assurance,”, said 1. 1 found out what he meant, and that some real jovial souls Lad passed a month or two in the aristocratic regions of the Camp, and had lived happy and free from care, while the snip and the ticker-maker in Dunedin believed they were fretting away behind bars and bolts, and chewing the cud of remorse, vowing never more to try any such little swindles. They say the drum and concertina, the laugh and song, went far into the night, and that one even the public awoke to the fact that they had an excellent amateur Christy Minstrel company, whose chief rehearsals had been perfected in Donne’s hotel. But although I was among so free and easygoing a community, reminding me of some of the Irish scenes depicted by Lover’s facile pencil, I could not got rid of that everlasting incubus which was threatening to cut my career as a correspondent short so suddenly. Happy relief when itcame, “and will ever pray,”'as theysayat the end of petitions to mayors and corporations. A dapper little man in a white Caroline, and who ■was from early morn till late at night catching the early as well as the late worms, brought me peace by day and rest in my blanket at night. Fool that I am ! I supposed him always after a worm, while more than half the time ho_was probably studying public interests. I confess 1 listened to a conversation not addressed to me, and I heard something to my own good for once. After the conversation, a long telegram was read —thirty shillings’ worth of it—and so valuable to me. Half of it was about opening more land, and the other half about getting money spent in the district. I was about to modestly tender my “ colonial robert” in the shape of a whisky for my invaluable new friend and for a cup of consolation for myself. However, I was saved that piece of extravagance by a surly individual who v/anted to know, you know, what the ratepayers would say. “ Rather hot,” said the facetious individual; “ but it' will take—they believe in telegrams.” The surly one couldn’t exactly see it. Not likely—[l found out that he belonged to an opposition shop, and could not catch as many worms.] “Cheap investment,” said my dapper little friend, “for the ratepayers. ” j And so it has proved. They are getting nearly everything they asked for. I struck up an acquaintance with my new friend, and though he told me all about wool, and corn, and the road to the West Coast, and how the place was sure to go ahead, anil how he wanted to erect brick buildings, and gave me a knowing wrinkle or two, 1 never, I am ashamed to nay, invested the “colonial.” It is this spirit of confidence that animates this people which gives them that determined character I mentioned in the letter you have printed so well. 1 sent it [the paper, I mean] marked to thrift I people in tbe cabin at home ; and, faith, worn they give a hullaballoo when they see how Irnave improved my style, am] particularly myjspelling ! Yes, it is tbac i spirit which makes aneumfifill go ahead, I believe they are • .''think the / grand pi 3o c,

about it beats Bauagbur. baa Ud A good effect upon the people, j It took away from them, I should aay, the rovu'g, the restless, the disinterested; and it loft those behind vim would not flinch and were deji'mdned to succted, . And succeed they h&va done I attended two of their public mooting#, and if I don’t get too proud to write, I will tell you Something about thorn and the people wlio wore there, and how fond they are of hyliiliyii. Swaosjus. .