A PIONEER SETTLER.

Colonist, Volume LII, Issue 12718, 14 February 1910, Page 2

A PIONEER SETTLER.

To-morrow, February 15th, the ship Lloyds arrived at Nelson from Londoiij sixty-eight years ago. Few indeed remain to tell the story of that eventful voyage. Mrs Crisp, the widow of the late Mr Benjamin Crisp, the well remembered "Children's Friend," is among that number, ami she has remained in Nelson ever since, living in Trafalgar and Hardy streets, the two spots of her long residence being within a stone's throw of each other. ' The passage of the ' Lloyds occupied five and a half months, and she called in at St. Jago, where she remained for a week, next she put a week in at the Cape, and one day at lenoritfe. Those stoppages were made in order to get tresh supplies of food and water. At the Cape, the passengers were allowed to go ashore, and Mrs Crisp spent two days and a night there. The Lloyds had. a large number of women and children on board, being the wives and children of the expedition men, who sailed with Captain Wakeheld some months betoro. Mrs. Crisp's father was named K-oberfc Jiui-nebfc, and lie was selected by Captain WaKeneld as the butcher, and came out in the sdiip Whitby. During the passage of the .Lloyds, no less than sixty-live children died, and ifc was indeed most depressing to ail 011 board to see so many little ones committed to the deep, and the grief of the bereaved mothers. Sixty-throe years ago last Christmas Mrs Crisp was married, the Rev. John Aldred, Methodist minister, performing the ceremony. Mir Aldretl was succeeded by the Itev. Samuel Ironside, who conducted the burial service at the graves of the victims of the \\'airau massacre. Mrs Crisp has witnessedthe gradual growth of the city, of Nelson and the surrounding settlements. She well remembers seeing oats growing from what is known as Dee's cor r ncr to the Hardy street corner, and from whpre Messrs liuxton and Co.'s store is. now situated, as far as the site of Mr Savage's shop in Hardy street, Mr Crisp planting and reaping the oats for feed for Jiis bullocK teams. Mr Crisp placed the first building in Trafalgar street ; it was a bachelor's whare, about eight feet by twelve feet. He bought it of some one in the Wood, and.Jie paid six men to convey it across the Maitai river, and deposit it in, Trafalgar street. Prior to his marriage, Mr Crisp enlarged the whare. There was a dispute about placing the wharo where it was, and a letter was sent to Mr Crisp about it, but he told the bearer to take it back, and inform the writer to light his cigar with it. Mrs Crisp also has a lively recollection of the thrilling and anxious times experienced when the Wairau massacre took place, and the New Zealand Company ceased to employ the workmen. She says only those who passed through those times could realise how near to starvation the settlers were brought. It was quite true the seed potatoes were, dug up and used for food, and the children used to go into the bush and gather thistles and sell them to the Company, thus augmenting their parents' means by a few pence, in order to procure food. Tixe .Company * used to feed their pigs on the thistles. It was in those times of adversity and scarcity that the settlers discovered that the Maoris possessed kindly dispositions. For an. apron, a roundabout, a. skirt, or a hat the Maoris would supply a kit of potatoes or fish. They also brought cabbages, found growing on the banks of the rivers, they stating Captain Cook had sown the iirst cabbage seed. By the way, " it may be mentioned that before leaving England, Mrs Crisp had seen. Captain Cook's home at Hull. Mrs Crisp, says visiting friends in the country in the early days was quite an undertaking. A trip to "Wakefield occupied three days, one day going (skirting the bottom of the hills), one day to rest the bullocks, and the third day for iho return journey, and the return fare was £1 each. The travelling was by no means good, and the passengers needed some days of rest to recover from the effects. She- says domestic help was oheapjin those days. A woman would engage to wash clothes for a: family rfrbm 8 a.m. till 5 p.m. for one shilling per day and her beer, and if no beer, eighteen pence per day. Good and strong nurse' girls could be procured for one shilling per week, and monthly, nurses never charged more than one guinea, however long their services were required. Mrs Crisp is 80 I years of age; she possesses good health/and enjoys the use of all her faculties. She has five sons and five [ daughters living.