THE LOG OF THE PHILIP LAING

Evening Star, Issue 16910, 6 December 1918, Page 3

THE LOG OF THE PHILIP LAING

Being the Diarv of the Rev. Dr Burns, 1847-43, edited from the original MS. by the Rev. Alex. Whyte, Port Chalmers.

PART XI. and FINAL. Monday, 23t'h A ray, 1848.—Accompanied * j Messrs Kettle, Lee,' and John Cargill to \ ; the flat swamp at the head of tho harbor. ' j Levels were taken. First: The fall in 140 j I yards, beginning from high-water mark, ; i spring tides, ana proceeding right into the i j flat, was 0.64 ft. Second : • Tho fall in 140 . yards, beginning at high-water mark, or--1 dinary tides, and going right back into I the swamp, was 1.8 feet. Third: The I blue clay, which is found pretty uniformly at a depth of 18in or upwards, was only 0.16 ft below high-water mark, springtides. It seems quite capable of being drained, and if once drained it will prove very rich soil indeed. Tuesday, 30th May.—Went down with Mr Carnegie to the Philip Laing, Arthur and Mr M'Gill (tho second mate), in _the • | longboat, having preceded me. On Wedi | nesday went with Arthur in the lifeboat . ;to Sawyers Bay to see some suburban seci j tions there. On Thursday Arthur went i up with the second mats in the longboat to Dunedin, with the bulkiest of our remaining luggage. Friday, 2nd June.—Left the Philip Laing ' finally for the manse at Dunedin, along with Clem and the children. Olem, myself, and tho two eldest girls, Captain ' j Elles, Dr Ramsay, and Mr Cutton, in tho ! captain's gig; Jar.o Parnllo, with Annie, Fanny, 'Mid tho baby in tho company's ' beat "(t'entley, master). The morning was ' i so very lovely, still, and sereno'that no ': idea, occurred to us that tho one boat '! would be separated from the other beyond half an hour or so; but by the time we ; got up to tho piiufc that opens into Dun- ; edin Bay it blew so hard that the gig | with four oars with difficulty managed to I get up ; whilst Beniley and his boat was ! obliged to take refuge in a bay below the • said point, baby and tho two ljttlo girls, j with Jane Patullo, sleeping in tho bush all night. Clem and I spent a most unhappy night in the manse. It began to snow, and certainly proved the coldest night wo have spent"in Now Zealand. Tho thermometer on the poop of the Philip Laing was as low as 34deg next morning. The fine snowdrift sifted through the boards down upon our faces as we lay in bed in the manm Our blankets wore all in Bentlev's hiat. Very cold ! Saturday, 3rd June.—Most agreeably .■uirprised by tho arrival, about 11 a.m., of tho children, carried through the bush and ihrouizh the river." on the backs of Bentlev's two men, baby in Jean Patullo's arms. " All four, after proper treatment became quite well, and exhibited no bad effects from the exposure. Baby quite hearty. Tho boat, however, with all our things, remained again another night under the rain. Sundav, 4th June.—Cold morning. Preached at 12 noon fat Mr Kettle's office from Luko xvi., B—Parable of the Unjust Steward. Expounded also Hebrews xi. Mondav, sth June—A very beautiful, clear, calm, sunnv dav. Accompanied Mr Garrick and Dr Itamsay to the Halfway Bush, in< the Kaikorai. Greatly pleased with tho valley and tho river, but want of wood and bud access will prevent sections being chosen there just now. Contracted with Thomas Martin to fence four town sections in Stafford street —viz., Xos. 22, 23, 24, and 25 —at 6s per rod, each section measuring 28 rods. I iiffl to furnish the nails and carry tho timber from tho woods when it is cut to tho sections. Tuesday, 6th June.—Accompanied Mr Garrick to the North-east Valley, but missed our object, reaching only the commencement of the valley. Another fine day. Wednesday, 7th June.—Another _ most beautiful day. Signed Captain Elies's bill of lading. "Accompanied Captain Cargill and Mr Garrick to the opposite side of the harbor, with Thomas Robertson, James Patrick, and George Crawford, to open a quarry. Looked at some of the suburban sections in that quarter, but had only an imperfect inspootion. Thursday, Sth June.—Strong N.'E. wind, but a dry, tine day. Accompanied Mr Blackie over the town soctions in Stafford street. After that went to the flat swamp at the head of the harbor. Anderson's house was this morning burnt to the ground. Some of George TiirnbuH's clothes and a watch and other things belonging to j James Buchanan destroyed. | Friday, 9th June.—Still blowing hard ! from nortih-east, but, xain coming on, tire : wind fell away, till after dark it freshened i up again. Tho selection of the suburban sections came off to-day, when the following were chosen by me, viz. r —f 11 sections specified in town district, Sawyers Bay, and Deborah Bay, four of them being for the Church Trustee?). The remaining selections were deferred by me till I should at my leisure be, able to choose more advisedly, not having been able to visit several of the localities. At i a meeting the trustees for religious and ! educational purposes, No. 10, in block No. | 7, town district, was assigned as tho mini- I ister's glebe. Also, a bill for £l5O in my j favor was drawn by the trustees on Col- ! onel Wakefield. It will cost me 5 por ■ cent., lam told, to get it cashed. The \ half-year's stipend commences the 20th of I May, Saturday, 18th June.—A most lovely j day, clear, calm, mild, sunny ns the very \ finest summer's day in Scotland, only ; without one particle of sultriness. Walked ; with Captain Cargill to examine the road j to Dunedin meadow, Sunday, 11th June.—Another and even still moro lovely clay. Preached from Romans iii., 3 ("What if some did not believe?" etc.), in Mr Kettle, the surveyor's, office—the place quite full. Captain A. J. Elles and my daughter Clementina pro- i claimed in order to marriage; also bap- ; tised the child of James Adam, the precentor, and Margaret Milne by tho r.itne of Alexander. He was born at Dunedin. en tho 26th day of May last. : Monday, 13th June.—Another beautiful j day. _ Arthur and George Tunibull began clearing the section No." 23. Tuesday, 13th June.—Another fir>3 day. Wrote to my hroth<v>* Gilb-rt. Mi- .\hiir Macredie, end Mr Wallace", of Barr. Wednesday, 14th Juno.—Blew fre?h i from _ the north- oast: slight rain -'n the; morning. My daughter Clementina mar- ' ricd to Captain Files, of the Philip Laing. \ They went down to the ship, accompanied j by Arthur. William Woatherburn began. ■ to work along with George Turnbul! and Arthur in clearing the trarden at tfue? shillings a t!ay. Bishop Sehvyn arrived to visit the Episcopalian's of this «ettlsment. Slept at Mr Kettle's last niah.t. T | dined at Captain Cargill's with the Bishop, j Messrs Lee, Garrick, and Cutten. Good ! Christian man. A good deal of disen«=ion i as to the New Zealand Company, the ! Church Missionary Kociotv, and the Wesleyans. Gentlemanly, mild, and reasonable. Bought one ton fourteen pounds of potatoes for seed from Nelson, (if the Dorvvent kind, in 17 bags. Bought tho botjs at Is 6d each and the potatoes at £4 7s 6d.

Thursday, 15th June. —Wind came round to south-west, hut mild. Slight emtrrr came on about' half-past 3 (afternoon). G.T. and W.W. put the seed potatoes on a platform. Arthur brought up the boat, and told tls that the Philip Laing was weighing anchor when bo left about 12 noon. Paid the potatoes to Mr -Anderson. The Bishop _ called and sr.t two hours; extremely friendly. Friday, loth .Tune.—Wind south-west. Rained dnnnsj laet night and this forenoon, but cleared up -at noon. W.W., G.T.. and A. at- the garden all afternoon. A. Anderson cashed my bilU for £l5O for £l4l, being 6 per oent. Saturday. 17th June.—Wind south-west. A hard frost. Thoimometer in the shade at Mr Lee's 3Cde£;. in our bedroom at 7 a.m. 38de>g. Accompanied Captain Carprill, his son. Mr Lee. and Mr Smith to Dunodin meadow, and Mr Peiichet and his men laid off the line between Sections 8 and 9," in order to the ditch being opened and the draining begun. The sections 18.50 chains by 5.50 chains. Called at Mr Anderson's to borrow his mule '» go to the Taieri on Monday; but ho *w»W from home, and Mrs Anderson told me that Mr G'arnecfie had been asking the mule for the some day and the same errand. Called on Mrs Kettle to bomraf her Dobbin, but Mr Strode has

the first -o:.-2:r.k3, no that it seems doubtful if I shall get. After dinner accompanied Captain Cargill, his son, Mr Strode, Dr Ramsay, and Mr Burrell in my boat over to Anderson Bay. Sal the bull, who seems to have improved greatly since ha left tho ship. Very beautiful day all day. Sunday, 18th June.—Wind south-west. Frost, but not so hard as yesterday. Thermometer in our bedroom when we rose, 42dog. Vei-v beautiful day. Preached m Mr Kettle's' office (crowded, so that some went awny) from 1 Thessalonians v -j. :l °* 18, " Rejoice evermore," etc v etc. Baptised the child of Thomas M'Kay and Margaret Torrance by tho namo of Janet Williamson i born' 9th June. Forgot to notice that on my return last night from Anderson Bav I found a parcel which Bishop Selwyn*6ent me from the Heads, containing a quantity of metallic mercury for my barometer,* a copy of the ( Pentateuch in the Maori, and 'three copies of dialogues in the same language; all extremely obliging of the Bishop. ■[The End.]