MARTIN'S BAY.

West Coast Times, Issue 2211, 31 October 1872, Page 2

MARTIN'S BAY.

(from an occasional correspondent.) October 26. Agreeably to my promise I embrace this, the first opportunity which has presented itself, to forward you a brief report of our state and surroundings in this isolated, and much neglected portion of Ofcago. I could wish for something more favorable to' communicate, but though the tale be unpleasant to the ear, I will not suppress the ' truth, for, like murder, " it will out." Much has been said, and written, alas to no purpose, about Otago's culpable neglect of her little helpless settlement, planted not long since in this out-of-the-way localit}'. So let a few simple facts suffice for a thousand arguments. Some of your readers, no doubt, wonder why we are here at all under such trying cireunistauces. I answer, because we cannot help ourselves. There are families here to-day peuniless, who were lured away from pleasant, profitable employments, in Victoria and elsewhere, by the flattering prospects held out to them of making happy, independent homes for themselves in this lovely Martin's Bay. At first we were promised a bridle- track to Lake Wakatip, and were actually made to believe that in a very short time this would be a highway for traffic from the sea to the very heart of Otago's goklfields. This enterprise appeared very feasible, and might indeed have been very soon made to realise all our anticipations, but instead of its completion being attempted, we are still separated from civilisation by dense forests, almost trackless and stupendous mountain ranges, which in winter are almost inaccessible. Indeed, the toil and danger now involved in a tramp to Queenstown are scaieely conceivable to a stranger. Here is an extract from the WaJtatip Mail, 16 th October :—": — " The cry of starvation at our West Coast settlement was again repeated in Queenstown, wheu three other settlers and two Maoris arrived on Saturday night, foot-sore and weary." Now, the distance from lake to lake is not over fifty miles, and these strong men, well used to the tramp, left Martin's Bay on the previous Monday. Next, the Government promised us a steamer from Dunedin once in four months, which pleased us very much, and we went to work with a will. But, alas! far blighted hopes, by which we seem doomed to be crushed, after coming a few times at irregular intervals, the visits of the steamer lapsed entirely, and we were left in the most distressing perplexities of want and uncertainty ; but for an occasional visit of the Waipara, it is painful to think what we must have suffered. At length the dark cloud seemed to have broken and we were cheered by a prospect of a brighter day, when one of our settlers received a message from the Superintendent of Otago that he had completed arrangements 'to have a steamer call of? Martin's Bay, monthly, — and stating that supplies had been voted to finish a bridletrack over the saddle to Lake M'Kerrow. This was as much as we could have reasonably wished for at the time, we were all very glad and immediately commenced our farming operations on a much larger scale than before. This was about eight months ago, and things began at once to look up. Prosperous days seemed to be before us Several absentees returned' to fulfill their term and redeem their sections, and more came over the saddle to take up land. These last were so anxious to settle that even the knowledge of the shameful fact that" to procure a fifty acre section, they must return to Queenstown to make their application, did not deter them. But whereare these plucky young men to day? I blush ibr our Government to tell you that two months ago a famine came like the ancient deluge and swept them all away. Poor fellows ! they wrought as long as they had anything to eat, and then they said, " We cannot work, we dare not tackle the saddle now while the snow is so deep, purely there will be a steamer in a few days — we will hold on and fossick for I tucker." Thus they existed for weeks, those at Big Bay living on mussels and mutton-fish, and at Martin's Bay on the same with the addition of PikaPika, which is the tender shoots of the common ground fern. But no relief came and they were forced at last, some of them only last week, to attempt that dreaded saddle, with nothing in their swags to eat but dried muttonfish, which are nearly as tough and indigestible as india-rubber. I will tell you now about this famine. Ten weeks ago there was only one man here who had any provisions (save two families that had still a few seed potatoes left) and he could only spare what would feed the inhabitants three weeks. The single men from Big Bay made the first rußh. He then asked all the families tocome in for their share, and divided among the single men what was left. On this I bare three weeks' supply we have subsisted ten weeks, but the looks of some around me tell truly that they have suffered a | living death. Birds have been unusually scarce, for though there are a good many paradise ducks in the river, they are ahy, I and without ammunition will not come to hand, so the eight of them has been only an aggravation. There are fish in the bay, but, from rough weather and other causes we have been able to catch but very few. Mussels and mutton-fish can only be got at spring-tides, and then they have been devoured eagerly enough. But enough, our case had become desperate. Hunger i? a terrible thing, and lam sure, Mr Editor,- penguins and ferns have tasted sweeter to us than well buttered beef steak ever did to most of your readers. Yesterday the Wallace came, and, thank Gfpd, we have food again.

Now, I fear you will think this letter is too long, and, I will only add a few words to show why we have suffered this famine to surprise us. Some seven months ago the Charles Edward called off our har and landed goods hy boat in the river. We were then given to understand that another •would visit us in three mpnths, and arrangements were being made to get sup plies wholesale from Nelson. A little over lour months ago the Waipara came in. We were at that lime so confidently expecting the Otago subsidised steamer presently, that no one bought from the Waipara, notwithstanding there were not more than six weeks' supplies in the place. This, no doubt, has been our great mistake, and one for which we have paid dearly enough.

The crops are looking well, that is what little was got in before the seed was eaten. Fall wheat is about a foot high, and Bpring sown is coming on nicely, vegetables bid fair to be abundant. Grass is heading, and is very luxuriant.