A REMINISCENCE

Hokitika Guardian, 9 July 1925, Page 4

A REMINISCENCE

FIRST MOB OF SHEEP. FROM CANTERBURY TO WESTLAND. The death of Mr Charles Avery Cunningham, which occurred tit Rangiora on June 29th. recalls the fact that lie was tbe last of the three pioneers who took tbo first mob of .sheep from Canterbury over tlie hills to the West Coast to cross the great divde, tlie other two being bis father, Air Andrew Hunter Cunningham, and Afr John O’Hallonm, of Gientui. Atr A. 11. Cunningham eatne with his family to Lyttelton by the ship Alerope in July 1859. In England ho followed the profession of a school teacher, but not long after it is arrival he decided that a pastoral life would be alike more congenial and profitable, and having some capital at his disposed lie entered into partnership with tlie late Air T. S. Afannet ing. and they together leaseil Air G. Hart’s iw,> runs, viz.. Birch Hill and Snowdale in tlie Upper Ashley district. Shortly afterwards they added tbo Eentsido run, till then occupied by tlie late Air t. 0. lor-le-se. Mr Cunningham resided on tbo hitter run for many years, and it was there his son. Air Charles A. Cunningham. grew into manhood and acquired bis training in pastoral pursuits. It Wits on this run too that tlie sheep which formed tlie first molt to go 4° tlie “West Coast were pastured.! \mnngst the station hands was All Joint O’lfalloran. in later years so well known in public lite in North Cantorbtirv. who arrived in New Zealand in 1852 and at once entered Air Ctitliiiilgham’s employ. On deciding to make the attempt to reach tlie Coast with a mob of sheep to provide fresh meat for the diggers who in such large numbers had been attracted to the Most Coast goldfields. Air Cunningham selected his son Charles and John O’Htilloran to accompany him. and the story of the journey along the rough track across the plains, and over the snowy mountain pass is told by Air Chailes Cunningham as follows:I think it was in October, 1805, that tnv father knowing that tt. stock truck was being cut from Hokitika to Browning’s Pass decided to take some fat sheep to the .West Coast by way of that pass. Tlie sheep (about Q(H>) were shorn early and my lather, Joint O' flit 1 lorn it and myself toofc them from Ecru side, down the north road to Tiseh’s (now Belfast) and across to Tom plot-oil, AVeedons, and Selwyn Origg's) then, by way of \\ cstellra s, Boaloy’s, Cody’s. Hall’s, Phillip’s, The Wiudwhistie, Snowden, to the Acheron, theme to Oakdoan’s, and Lake Coleridge, C. .1. Harper’s, then across Glenthorne at that time in the occupation of Afaj or Seert. and up tlie Wilber force to the foot of Browning's Puss. The night we wen- camped at Glenthorne. Bishop Harper was holding a service at the station. After crossing the AYilbctTorce on to Nonce's country, now Aloiint Algidus, O Hallornn was left- with the sheep, am: mv father and I rode on to the foot of the pass whore a survey party under Mr Greenlaw was camped. The night we arrived at ibis camp Air J. A oil ]|mist's party came over in proper Alpine style, all of them being roped together and carrying ito axes. Mr A’on ITnast was of the opinion that the track was a dangerous one on account of the frequency of. avalanches. My father arranged with the two men to sec me over the pass to Dobson’s nearest camp where these men came from, as they were in the party under Mr |)i.'son engaged in cutting a track. Tim men and I walked over tlie p;t*s in had weather, the country being all under snow. A\ e walked over Lake Drowning and did not know it. However we all got over all rigid and camped and next day reached one of .Dobson’s camps. Air DoL.srn was away, hut tlie overseer, AlrT. Leatham. kindly lent me a horse belonging in Mr Dolts'ut to go to Hokitika, litis was a great help as the creeks were all in Hood. The next night 1 camped til a roadman’s tent. There bad been a gold rush to a Hat in the lieighhtutrhned a few days before, and no payable gold having been found the people had gone hack very disappointed, and threatening to lynch whoever it was that caused the rush. They sent a packman with a load of spirits and took the lot. The matt whose tent 1 slop! in bad a depot ot Hour and other stores belonging to the road contractors, and lie was expecting a raid front the diggers who had run out of stores. However, they did not seem to know that- tiie .supplies were in ltis tent, and lie was not molested. I went on down to Kokatalii to tlie Long Ford, where I met Air Dobson, who saw me over the river Hokitika to Woodstock. From there I went on to Hokitika, where I stayed with Air G. Buckham. t walked back by the same route, and aftet leaving Dobson’s camp for the Pass it) company with two men who witnt.it! lo go to Canterbury we met John O’Halloran, who had been sent by my father to see what had become of me. We eatne hack over the .Pass together, and, as the bush track to Hokitika was not nearly finished, my Inthci decided to leave the sheep at Goat Hill under the charge of Mr T. Adams and return home, get the shearing over and then take the .sheep to rite Coast and this we did.

After finishing shearing, the sumo party returned to (tout Hill, ami found that Adams liad lot the slicep go on to a mountain near at hand. O’Jfalloran and I mustered the mountain and got all the sheep down, and, finding them in very good eondit ion. we resumed out journey to ihe Coast. Wo got, the sheep over the lhi-- very well. the country being inin-h elearer of snow, I and |,akc .Drowning free from ice, hut during the first night after crossing the I'ass our sheep broke eamp. and in the morning were not to seen. However, we followed their tracks lip a glacier for a very long way. This mountain we called “Skypoknm," hut on the map it is named Mount Harman. As we got higher up the glacier, we found it to become very slot*].) and I hard to negotiate. O'Ualloran, who was leading, had the misfortune to lose his stick, but I fortunately managed to cut eh it. If the stick hud not been recovered. O'Halloran believed he could not have gone oil or returned safely, as we had to eut our steps in the snow for a long way up. At last we got to tiro top and on to clear ground again, and soon found our sheep on the sunny side of Mount Hannan. We went down the face of this mountain for several miles, and got through the bush at ihe foot, and, crossing a branch of the river Taupo, reached the proper road again. We could see a good deal of white quartz on the range which looked as if it should be gold-hearing. After this we got on very well till we came to a [ rocky face where Dobson’s men were at work blasting the rock and making a | track. Our sheep were stringing out very nicely, and the leaders were nearly across, when something startled them. The leaders turned back on the rest of the sheep, and several went tumbling over a rocky face into the gully below. It looked for a while as if all the others would follow, hut we managed to cut them olf, and after a lot of trouble got them on to the track again. Several of the sheep were badly injured. some having their broken. However, my father had sold half of the sheep to Mr Dobson for use of the road parties, and those that were badly hurt were killed for immediate use.

After this unpleasant incident wc went over a saddle and down tlie Ivokatalii and Hokitika Rivers to the town, where the balance of tlie sheep were sold. My father returned to Canterbury by boat, and O’Halloran and I walked back by way of the Pass to Goat Hill, where we got our horses and rode back to Fernsicle. As we were coming over tlie Pass we met the second mob of sheep being taken to tlie Coast by ATr George Harper. Mr Cunningham made no reference to the financial result of tlie venture, lint it may be added that it was entirely satisfactory, tho sheep realising about £5 per head.