OTAGO EMERGES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26619, 15 November 1947, Page 6

OTAGO EMERGES

Leading the Way On a hot summer’s day in February, 1846, the thickly-wooded hill slopes of Otepoti rang with the notes of the bell-bird. Flocks of seagull and cormorant rose and swayed over the quiet harbour, as a boat was rowed around the point to bring its occupants a panoramic view of where Dunedin was to be. A high range of hills rose to their right, while at the water’s edge were extensive mud-flats or dangerous rocky inlets. Landing was impossible, except where a little creek came out through flax and fern and swamp. There the surveying party landed. The rough hills made surveying no eitfy task, especially when wiry supplejack tangled their tracks through the bush. But across the harbour, to the south, a family was watching with wonder and delight the approach of the surveyors. James Anderson and his family, sole occupants of the land, had arrived just over a year earlier. They were living in Nelson when word of the new colony reached them. If so much care had been expended on its choice, surely the new site must be worth going to. ~ Accompanied by the McKays, the Andersons took a three weeks* voyage, to arrive at Koputai .on December 30, 1844. There the McKays stayed, but the Andersons pressed on to the head of the harbour, only to find that the flood-tide of colonisation had not yet begun, that there was no prospect of employment, and no arrangements for provisioning. But they decided to stay, having faith in the future. They pitched their tent in the inlet to be known later as Anderson’s Bay. On the strip of clear land between the bqy and the ocean they planned to run sheep and cattle. Some food they had brought from Nelson. Vegetables they grew, and fish, wild pork and quail they found at hand. But they were alone. Little wonder that they watched with delight the arrival of the survey party, for here was company, food and work. But it was to be another two years before they would see the arrival of the emigrant ships they had come expecting to greet. ~G. D.