PERILS OF EARLY SETTLERS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1858, 27 July 1918, Page 3

PERILS OF EARLY SETTLERS.

The perils of settlers in the neighbourhood of Wellington in the early days were vividly recalled by a statement furnished to the Wellington Early Settlers’ Association, at. Wellington on Wednesday, by .Mrs Occlusion, wife of .Mr J. Orcliiston (late Chief Engineer of Telegraphs). “I thought it might be'of some interest to ■ jot down the following particulars relating to Hie first sheep run in Hie province,” wrote Mrs Orcliiston. “My grandfather, Archibald Anderson, who died eight years ago at the age of 02, arrived in Wellington in the Bengal Merchant, on 30th January, 1840. Shortly afterwards lie took up all the open conn try round Cape Terawhiti, which was then covered with rich native grass. He (hen imported 700 sheep from Sydney, and placed them tinder the care of a Highland shepherd, whom he brought out with him from Scotland. The (lock had increased to over 1,500 when Hie Maori War,of 1845 broke out. Early one morning the shepherd was awakened hy the sound of guns tiring and the barking of dogs. On looking out of his hut, lie saw about 150 Maoris some 200 yards away, across a gully, hunting the sheep. Almost immediately he heard the whistling sound of bullets overhead, and realising that he was being fired at, lie lost no time in making for the bush track en route for Wellington, while Hie bullets continued to whistle round him for the first 100 yards or so. When he arrived in town, without boots, coat, or hat, he bewailed the loss of his old watch, which had been left behind, explaining that the watch had been a faithful friend, and in his fortnightly walks through the bush to Wellington prior to this episode, it enabled him to note what progress he was making at different landmarks along the track. On this occasion, however, he had no great need for it, as he was satisfied that he had broken all his previous records. It was nearly two years after this event before my grandfather ventured out to see whether any sheep had survived. On mustering, he found about the same number as were originally turned out some six years previously. Needless to say, they were a mixed mob of long tails, etc., carrying a heavy coat of long wool. Considering the South Island safer, he chartered two schooners, and had then conveyed to Otago early in 1847, having in the meantime selected all the country lying between the Tokomairiro and Chitlm Rivers for a sheep run.”