GRANDMAMA'S STORY.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 2855, 30 October 1890, Page 4

GRANDMAMA'S STORY.

A TRUE TALK OK THE EARLY DAYS. (By a Waikato Lady). CHAi'TER IV.— Landing at Takanakj. " It was a lovely night when we reached Taranaki. We could see no shore, no harbour. The Captain said it was a roadstead, but it did not seem as if we had stopped anywhere, but in the open sea.

" Next morning we were up early, and such a lovely sight met our view. The land along tho caast as far as the eye could reach, seemed to consist of dark woll wooded ranges. But close to us, its top seeming almost over us, was a majestic mountain, its top and sides, half way down, clothed in glittering snow, the first rays of the morning sun turning it all colours and shades of beauty. I had never seen such a grand and impressive sight as Mount Egmont appeared that morning, and the little town nestling at its foot.

" But how to land ? The waves were mountains high, and we could see the whito lino of breakers along the beach. About 11 o'clock the life boat, manned by five or six men, came out, and a gentleman, Mr C. B. handed me a note from my brother-in-law, who was unuble to come for me, so Mr C. B. took his place. That landing was dreadful. The boat was up at the vessel's side one minute, and the next it se«nipd to go down to the bottom of the sea.

" After I had refused to go onco or twice, they dropped ma over into the boat, and my baby after me. Down, down we seemed to go, until the smooth, slippery side of the ship was high above us. How my heart sank. Mr U. B. cheered mo up, and taking a last regretful look ut the noble ship which had safely brought us so many thousands of miles, and which, unlike uk alas ! was going back to Old England again, we headed for the short , . After some heavy seas had nearly drenched us through, wo were hauled up on tho beach, many willing hands pulling us through the surf.

"My sister (the unmarried one) was waiting for me on the beach, and iny brother-in-law (Mr B.) just arrived as wo landed. Ha had only heard the night before of the arrival of our vessel, and lived thrcu miles away, hence the delay. The walk of three miles on a dreadful bush road nearly finished me, it b«int» all mud and deep ruts. I gave up once or twice, but after a rest started again. The bush itself, when seen under more favourable circumstances, was lovely, delicate ferns growing everywhere, creeping vines, covered with flowers could bo seen twined round tho trunks ol immense trees, whose great branches, high overhead, in some places completely shaded the road. Tho singing of birds, which I afterwards learnt were 801 l birds, and Tuis accompanied us all the way and but for the mud. and fatigue I should have enjoyed it. " When we arrived at tho farm where they lived, my brother-in-law uooed, and my sister and her little boy caine out to meet us. How she surprised me, when she loft England she was a slight graceful woman, she was now fat and ruddy.

CHAPTEII V.—Bush Life. "There w;is a pretty house in the eentro of tlio clearing, it was mado of wood, white pino, and looked so cloan and pretty, with a nice garden round it. Mount Kyuiout suomeil to be f[uite close to us. I could scarcely will it a farm at that time, tor it was only an open space witli heavy bstsli all round it, and it was most laborious work clearing it away. I enjoyed the quiet life in the lonely bush, it was rather dull, but my husband wrote every mail. Ho had not left Auckland, and thought he would not. go to California atter all. "On moonlight nights we used to go where we could see the mountain clearly ; it was a lovely sight, the moon shining upon the snow. My brother-in-law was in partnership with Mr 0. B. They have both attained high positions in New Zealand, so Ido not mention their names. One day we were astonished to hear that Mr B. had taken three young ui'jn as cadets, and to my surprise thny were our fellow passengers, the Messrs B. Wo had not liked (hem much on board, but not wishing to discourage my sister, I said nothing, but felt glad that my husband thought of staying in Auckland and fetching me soon. "It was heavy work bush-fall-ing; my sister and I, with the children, used to go out and see Mr B. and the brothers B. logging up, I think they called it, and they made such enormous fires, it was a pretty sight at night. Though such heavy work they seemed to like it. The air was so pure and sweet, and they felt <juite proud to see the giant trees) burnt up. There was one pa - doek that had been out down at first and was now sown iu grass. No need of a plough, the sued was roughly cast, and camo up most abundantly. My hroiher-in-hw said he would rfil.her have one hundred acres of bush lii.ud, after it had boon cleared, (hart live hundred acres of fern land. They worked like labouring men from early morning until dark, and in the evening we used to light fires round the house to keep the mosquitos off. They were terrible, but having curtains round the beds, we were safe from their bites, and I rather liked to hear them singing outside.

" All carting at that time was dono by bullocks, horses would have been useless on those roads. T wont into tlio town once or twice, aiul felt

quite grand in a sledge drawn by bullocks. One day they took us to the township, where a roll of sheet iron had been swallowed up by an earthquake. My unmarried sister who lived in New Plymouth used to come out to see us often, and seemed to think nothing of the walk out and back again, in fact she rather made fun of me and my Bond Street boots, as she called them. Tho unlucky first walks of mine had destroyed one pair, for they had to turn them inside out to get them off at all.

"There was, just about this time, some dispute between the Government and the Maoris, and we all went into Now Plymonth to see a great nativo meeting that was to be held. I felt quite frightened, thousands of Maoris were assembled on the grass above the beach, all decorated with feathers, their faces painted with red and blue ochre. The very ground shook with them, and it really looked as if they wore going to fight. But Mr C. B. said that was only the way they conducted their koreros.^ " One party advanced with their spoors raised and just as you thought they would striko they retreated again, then the other side would advance, and so on. It was a wonderful sight, they were not remarkable for their modesty of dress, but I don't think, bad as it was, that it was much worse than the full dress of our Home ladies. All the shops were shut in the town, for fear of a disturbance, but it all passed off in smoke, as native meetings generally do. " At last your grandpapa wrote that he was coming overland from Auckland with the superintendent of the Wosleyan Mission, Mr Boyce, who had recently arrived from Australia, so I weut into the town to be there to receive them. "The town of New Plymouth was a roost picturesque spot, and possessed many pretty bouses, and some very good shops, even in those early days. When I went to livo thoro for the few weeks prior to the arrival of Mrs S. I walked miles along the beach with my sister, and all round tlio outskirts of the town. I lodgod with a Miami Mrs B, not far from their house was an inlet from the sea, or creek. Mr B used to put a kit in the creek, and get tho most delicious whitebait. There was plenty of fruits in Taranaki, and poaches ad libitum. IE my husband had gone to California, as ho intended, I should have stayed in Taranaki, aud opened a school there. My sister and I used co watch tho b:mts bringing the passengers on shore, and I seemed to feel the same terror in seeing them come through the surf, as I had felt when I landed myself. One day there wa« great excitement. A largo English ship nearly went ashore, and had a narrow escape. The worst thing about it was that many of the passengers had come on shore. Some husbands left their wives on board, some mothers their children, when the gale sprang up, and the captain thinking more of the safety of his vessel than the passengers, put to sea and went on to Auckland, discharged his cargo and then came back again. What a state the deserted passengers were in. Some had money, others had none, but the Taranaki people, always proverbial for hospitality, threw their houses open to them, and they were the heroes of the hour.

(To be continual.)