The Pioneer Women of Early Otago

Otago Witness, Issue 2298, 17 March 1898, Page 49

The Pioneer Women of Early Otago

H\ .lAVrc liAXNERMAN

" Not as the conqueror comes They the truehearted came. Not with the roll of the stirring drums Or the trumpet that sounds of fame.'

(^^■/fc I ih worthy of record when so much of the past history of #■11 tbe province of Otago is being reviewed that when the P ftr^ Y °f settlers arrived, there were a few families $[w/k settled here who mostly came with the first surveyors and were living in comparative comfort, and who were \v \v,v vV able to help and counsel the new arrivals. They showed much kindness to the immigrants, and it should not be forgottenhowwillingly they gave their hospitality and shared their homes, limited though the accommodation was, likewise assisting with advice gained in the earlier days of the other settlements, whose hardships and privations were greater than those experienced in Otago. They especially could guide others, as the mode of housekeeping was new to many, and made kindly well-timed suggestions as to making the best of things and taking comfort oiit of the material that came to hand. The making of bread was new to the immigrant women, themanagement of wood fires and many other things which would have been more slowly learnt but for the kindness of those friendly women. Notably the chief surveyor and his young wife threw open their doors to the strangers, and though their house was small it seemed to be elastic, and they shared their bread and all else with the new arrivals as far as they could reach. The writer gladly takes this opportunity to bear testimony to the kindness of those whom the early settlers found living here when they came, and would send back a loving remembrance to their unselfish, generous conduct, which went far in many an instaice to gladden the hearts of

lonely andl 'homesick women, who might otherwise have sunk under difficulties. For indeed these difficulties were neither few nor small, and might well have crushed women of less nerve than those who came in the earlj^ times. When it is considered what a wilderness country really is, and what it means to win a home and livelihood from it, no thoughtful mind will doubt that the task was a stupendous undertaking, and will most surely give the brave and noble band of pioneer women an honourable place in the early history of the colony. They wore as a rule women of no mediocre stamp ; many were of what is understood as good family, well educated, and brouarht into the ■

roughness of their new surroundings the culture and refinement of the life t ley had left behind in the old home land, taking up the work that lay to their hand to do, deeming it no degridation, however distasteful, but considering all work honourable, though the hand might sometimes become weary and the heart faint, for the work was slow and long patience was needed to await its development. The true history of the work done by those noble women can never be written, but the foundation they helped to lay in the formingof this country can be traced in the many homes that are scattered over the length and breadth of the land, andj where their influence is still felt and their example is treasured as an honoured inheritance. While the women of the early days gave the best of thenlife and strength for the domestic comfort of their families, they ever took a deep interest in all that concerned the public good, and felt that much depended for the future welfare of the country on those who were intrusted to guide the colony through the initial stages of its political life. There were wise and skilful men at the helm, who had difficulties and obstacles to contend with that cannot easily be understood in the present day. But the

majority of the settlers Mood shoulder to shoulder, and fought their battles and conquered, and thoughtful women watched with keen interest the progress of public events. The first fruit trees in the colony were brought by a little vessel from Tasmania. The women were diligent gardeners. The late Mrs. Cargill set a most praise v\ orthy example ; her love of flowers led her to cultivate in her garden many varieties, as well as fruit and vegetables. Hers were the first grapes seen in Dunedin, and many were assisted by her in their first attempts from the abundance her garden produced. Perhaps it may interest some to know that the first scarlet geranium was brought from Home to Otago by a lady, who kept the plant safely during her long voyage. When the far south was opened for occupation in 1856 and immigration was steadily setting in, the settlers near Dunedin turned their thoughts to wider fields and began to take up land in Southland. The journey to that land of promise was a long one. The men went overland with their cattle : the women mostly went round by sea. It is not in the line of this paper to write of the maritime service of the early days, but a little may be said of the Star, which was built in Dunedin, and all the residents turned out to see her launched near where the gaol now stands. The Star was not the first vessel built in Otago; another small schooner, the Endeavour, was built and launched in Anderson's Bay. Both these vessels were closely woven with the history of the early settlers, and should have a place in the records of these times. They did splendid work, if we may judge by the time they took to do it in. The Knrieavour once took six months between Dunedin and the mouth of the Clutha. The Star was, needless to say, a larger vessel, and had some cabin accommodation, and a white flag with her name in blue letters. The settlers were very thankful for both these vessels, if that expression can ever be applied to the appreciation they had of their service. When provisions ran short, and neighbours divided their tea and shared the last of their flour and sugar with each other, and when stores did arrive, and they found one-half eaten by the way and the remainder had boen submerged in landing, it is not surprising that the disappointed country settlers sometimes desired an audience with the captain and crew. The patient, heroic women, however, had many resources. Sometimes "tea" was made from an infusion of the small leaves of the manuka or the more succulent shoots or the bid-a-bid, and wheat was roasted and ground as a substitute for coffee.

\juu iciu.v wno was among me nrst party who tooK up jana in km'nland and sailed south round the coiist deserves mention. ' We left Dunedin,"shc says, "in November, 1856, in the historic -tar, three other ladies and their children and myself ; the men ook the cattle overland. We were three weeks on the way. The ,-essel put into Waikawa and staved there some days. We ran short of provisions, and had to fall back on the cargo, which consisted chiefly of flour. The sailors went to hunt for wild pigs. We sailed again, and after beating about in a most wearisome way, were at last landed at the Bluff, only to be driven back to ;he vessel by the tormenting sandflies— there was no welcome for is there. Again wo set sail with weary hearts, wondering if we would ever see our de&tination, thinking that the shelter of a hut jver so small on terra ftrma would be luxurious compared to this jomfortless vessel. However, we once more set out in the Star, entered the estuary of the Oreti (Xcw River), and slowly made our way in a small boat up the Puni Creek, landing lust where the Bank of NewZcaland now stands, thankful that we had been preserved thus far and our exceedingly uncomfortable and tedious voyage was over. What of Inyercargill was visible at that time was a small tent and a rudimentary hotel, where we and the children were put for the night. The men did the best they could for themselves outside. Next day we moved to a ilace three miles from Invercargill, and two ladies, myself and the children lodged in a little sod hut, the men having a tent beside the hut. My husband and I set to work to build our first home in the

uusn, a sou nui> , wiiiun ior some nme consisueu 01 a ■ iuul and walls to the north and west, while the shelter of the bush served as walls to .the south and cast. Still though very small and unfinished it was a home all our own, and we were bright with hope for the future and brave to face our difficulties. By and bye the sod hut gave place to a comfortable dwelling, and year by year our surroundings improved, and as population increased the comforts and conveniences of life were more easily obtained. Our family grew up around us to gladden our hearts, and the story of our early experience and struggles and triumphs will be remembered by them and. recounted in turn to their children." Another lady gives an account of landing in Dunedin in 1850, with her husband and family by the Moot tan, sixteen of whose passengers died of cholera on the voyage. The passengers were detained a week in quarantine and landed on New Yeai"'s Day. They were carried on shoi-e from the boats on the backs of boatmen and set down on the beach where the Colonial Bank now stands. It was very difficult in those days to get accommodation of any kind, and when an immigrant ship arrived the barracks provided for the immigrants and every other available place was filled up. This lady and her family were fortunate enough to secure a wooden building of exceedingly limited accommodation at the corner of Princes and Kattray Streets, where the new Government Insurance offices now stand. Here they managed to live doing their best with the means that came to their hand, till they settled on suburban land at Gavcrsham where they erected a comfortable and commodious house. But it was here that this brave lady began colonial life in earnest, and very laborious it must often have been. Besides the cares of her house and family there were the fowls and garden, and the labours of a considerable dairy early and late, but she brought in brave spirit to the Avork and it, prospered in her hands. But further effort was yet in store for her. The land in Mataura was thrown open for occupation, and nothing daunted, this heroic woman prepared to accompany her husband and with her family begin pioneer life anew, undertaking the journey overland. In 1858 she and her husband arranged their affairs, gathered together their cattle, put the fowls in crates and packed up all their household goods, and one bright morning bid adieu lo the home which had sheltered them for eight happy year . Not without some heartaches did this brave woman lock the door of the now empty house, homo no more, with so many fond memories of hopes and fears, struggles and hardships, times of rejoicing and times of sickness all crowding on her memory. The last look w ( as taken of the tireless and deserted house, and stepping into the waggon beside her children they started, the forncr was turned, the old life was a thing of the past, and she set a brave heart to the long weary journey which stretched away before her— a weary journey of three fatiguing weeks. Slowly they made their way over the hills and along the sidings, resting awhile at midday and pushing on till evening. At night the mother and little children slept in a tent they carried with them, her husband and young son "camped" beneath the dray. There were no tracks to guide them on the way, and they jhad to .mark carefully the leading

ridges, for to take the wrong spur would certainly have caused much trouble and loss of time. Between Dunedin and Mataura there were no bridges, the cattle and horses had to swim the larger rivers, the passengers crossed in a boat. The smaller streams were forded, the travellers had often to cut the banks to allow a dray to get safely through the fords. The little party of pioneers bravely held on their way, sometimes Tinder a hot sun sometimes faint with a hot wind, till at last one evening they came in sight of their new home, not another habitation within tens of miles, the wide plain with its winding river lying before them, with difficulties which might well have discouraged a less brave spirit than this lady carried to her new home. This is but a representative sketch of the pioneer women of Otago, each one of whom could write a more deeply interesting history of enduring and patient enterprise than this very imperfect paper can give. One other lady who has not long since passed away, the writer would affectionately remember, whose bright and beautiful example, devotion to flowers and all things pure and lovely, stands out prominently in those early days. V — . came with her parents in early life, and she gave herself willingly and unsparingly to whatever lay to her hand. The garden was her delight.'and what had once been nothing but wild grass and tussock soon became, under her skilful hands, a smiling garden sheltered by trees and shrubs. But V—. is best desci-ibed by what she was to others. "Wherever there was sickness, sorrow or bereavement there V — . was to be found offering gentle words of love and comfort. Many a fevered sick one was refreshed by her gifts of sweet flowers, which she would herself place beside them. Her gentle affectionate way won the love of little children, as indeed that if all who knew her. Yoimg girls sought heradviceand counsel, and if a heedless one made a remark that "V—. was too faithful to pass by unnoticed, the reproof (if anything so gentle could be so sailed) was spoken =>o affectionately that the thoughtless one was readyto kiss her feet. Her kindness to the poor was so silent that her own right hand knew not what her

loft had done. The heart 'lingers affectionately over the "Saint in her fair white stole," and loving^thoughts follow her into the unseen. We see not, we see not, but this we know, — She hath bowed her head with its honours low. " Not mine, not mine," is her whisper meet, As she cast her crown at her Saviour's feet. A few special remarks are due to the wife of the Rev. Dr. Burns. Mrs. Burns was born in Edinburgh, October, 1803. Her father, Rev. James Francis Grant, son of Sir Archibald Grant, Monymenk, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, was minister of the Episcopal Church. Broughton Place, Edinburgh, though soon

afterwards he became Rector of the parish 01 Wrabness in Essex, England. Her mother was Miss Oughterstone, the daughter of a long line of Presbyterian ministers in the parishes oi Cumbernauld, West and East Kilbride, in Renfrewshire, Scotland. Mrs. Burns' girlhood was passed in her father's sunny rectory till she went to school. Thence she went to make a home with a widowed and childless uncle, the Rev. John Steel Oughterstone, minister of Monckton, Ayreshire, the last minister of that family who had for nearly two hundred years held ministerial office in the Church of Scotland. On the death of her

uncle Miss Grant became the wife of the Rev. Thos. Burns, •md the manse of Ballantrae became her home. Near this was a small fishing village on a very bold sea shore, the parish extending over a beautiful pastoral country through which flowed a noble mountain stream. From Ballantrae Mr. and Mrs. Burns removed to Monckton Manse, four miles from the town of Ayr, where they spent, thirteen very happy years till the Disruption of 1843. Her life as a pioneer was very full of incident, her work rough and.distasteful, such as she had not before experienced; but like her family she possessed an indomitable spirit nothing could co n qtic r. She

brought culture and refinement to bear on her household and work. " Cleanliness,, in its essence, purity" reigned supreme. An accomplished musician, even at this day her voice in singing would be considered above the average for sweetness and melody which she retained to her last year. Mrs. Burns had ever an affectionate and hearty sympathy for the poor ; it was known to few even of her own family how she helped those in need. Her death took place on the 19th July, 1878. Loving hands laid her gently beside the husband she so truly loved and so nobly helped, in the Southern Cemetery- " God's love has set her at his side again." -