ROUGHING IT.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 411, 1 February 1890, Page 3

ROUGHING IT.

"A WANDERER’S” EXPERIENCE. It was on a beautiful August morning, which I will never forget as long as I live, that I started for that God-forsaken region known as Panikau, but allow me to inform you that if I had known as much then as I do now there would be a change in that day’s programme. However, without any special consideration of the future, I got oo my old nag and mads tracks along the coast until I arrived at the habitation •beautifully situated on the banks of thePaksrae, an equal distance between the thriving City of Gisborne and the wlll-be bcatiful station, Panikau, My next considers tion was whether to remain here for a short while or proceed farther. However, I tune to th, coaolaaion that my beat plan would be to remain for the night, which I did. I found the old gentleman who was in charge of thia habitation to be very oonversible, end after imbibing for some time in order to while away the time, I retired to my sleeping apartment, where I remained very comfortable until the Mund of the bell aroused me from my slumber at eight o’clock in the morning. After partaking of a hearty breakfast, I made preparations for ths completion of my journey, which I knew to be a difficult teak for a person unaccustomed to the locality. Being ready to start, I bid my old friend the proprietor of ihe habitation good morning, and mounted my Musket. • Now,’ said I, • here goes, and it must be a rough country if you don’t pull me through.’ My mare gently nodded her head and put back one ear. as much as to say, ‘You are quite right, boss.* Alter some rough riding through hills, dales, mountains, and rooks, I found myself to be in the wrong box, tor it was impossible even for a aheap to pass through some of those natural barriers which my Musket managed to get over. I thought of turning back and making a fresh Start, but then on the other hand it seemed a hard task, or rather a great pity to impede the mare’s progress, an I pushed on, and after acme lime found myn?lt in a beautiful golly- or something better, though I could Mpt call it a valley. Things looked a little petier now, fnr here and there was to be soon » iaspy inhabitant of this desoiet* region, to pid me 1 Good day ’as I passed along. And , little further ahead stood an European’s B.bjtation, built in the. shape of a Maori whare j at least, that was Ihe idea I formed n! it, and J found on ply arrival there that I was right, it being occopiad by a ‘ pakeha ‘ and his Maori * waihiiia.’ Here I recrired what I folt fflywlf greatly in need of, and least expected—jatttrißhment of all desuriptiana, and furtberjawre. a guide to lead me on to the right road |p my destination. which position wap kindly liken by the old dame, although the place was fi miles ahead. When I saw I was about to lose my long-haired companion, I thanked her for her noble generosity, and started off rejoining. f had not gone far. however, when I beheld xome trouble ahead, for I had to flght my way through a vast and trackless bupfr, but judging /rom the appearance of my little Musket, I WWPgbt J could surmount the difficulty, and ■o I did after much ado, Again I was on the main read that leads to Panikau homestead—■ >t the time I was not quite sure, but soon I Became convinced, for a short distance ahead i op aid see something in the shape of a build. from wbat I bad gathered from the f waihfina,’ I knew it was a calico acoornmoda; lien boose, beautifully situated and strongly fortified, and as far as I can remember, on the Dear side of the road, being specially built for fbe comfort and convenience of the travelling Public, After vie wi fig the whole concern, I pound there were no inhabitants, but abundance cf refreshments, though deficient in one Important part, there Ifeiog no appearance of drk J*_* After my Musket bad had a subsUn* till ft-«d of cornflour and some horse beans, I made another > shape ’ until I got to a slip pannel, where I beheld a glass ‘ tank,’ quite jmpty, but judging from its appearance, at OM it contained as much Danville’s Irish jrhisky as would be sufficient to drown four pavvies, and from the inscription on a label that was suspended at the neck, I became thoroughly convinced there were some * bullocks ’ belonging to the * British Empire ’ turned out to ‘ grese *on this locality; and on

u another label a little farther on was written, * When shall we three meet attain ?' I started off again at top speed until I came to the foot of a steep precipice that looked almost impassable. Here I saw the evil of being possessed of a good cross country hunter. I knew the mare coaid get over safe enough, but it would take a better horseman than I shall ever be, to here hang on to the saddle, so I got off, and after a little consideration came to the conclusion that the best way of getting to the top of the hill was to let the pony go ahead and to hang on to her tail, and by this means I reached the top in safely, Where I was now I could not tell, so I tied my Musket to a tree and wandered through the bash in order to discover a road of my own, but all in ▼sin—not even the trace of a track coaid be found. Naturally I was somewhat down in the mouth, but my faithful steed was still lively Mid apparently anxious to make more headway. Once more in the saddle, after farther rough and tumble work a track beaten down by the wild inhabitants of the bush was discovered. This led me to an old slip panel, or rather a weather-worn old stump thrown across the track. Further ahead I could discern something in the shape of a hammock, and from the ingenious way in which It had been suspended from the tree I became convinced that there must be some spipwrecked sailors or Yankee cruisers knocking about here, but seeing I had no time Jto spare I proceeded onwards. The next thing that attracted my attention was, as I afterwards discovered, the abode of some prospecting parties. This habitation was built in the most irregular state of Gothic architecture, the walls beautifully decorated here and there with tome totara bark and an occasional branch of. a tree fixed in the innumerable crevices, in order to give protection from the bleak winds j the roof consisting of the deep of the sky in one solid piece. So from the appearance of this old mansion I concluded I must be near the station ; and such proved to be the case, for when I had ascended to the top of the next hill I could see, in the midst of the expansive valley, the beautiful homestead of Panikau, surrounded on all sides by innumerable fruit trees and flowers of all descriptions. I again tied up the Musket, walked along the avenue, from thence into the lawn, along a well constructed footpath, on either side oi which there was a great variety of flowers. In response to my knockat the hall door a gentleman appeared, •nd I informed him I was badly in need of a feed and could also do with a “ shake down ” if that were not asking too much. He at first seemed reluctant in the matter, but after a little while allowed me to have some tucker, on condition that I cooked it myself—l could pat it raw if I liked. Subsequently I discovered that the person referred to was the overseer, and after a little conversation I bpcame convinced that he was a thorough gaptieman and well qualified for the position ng bolds. Returning to the |bove mentioned • mansion ’ I remained for a few days in order to recruP my energies after such a rough journey Getting abroad again I obtained a lob from a bush falling party, as ’ fangabola, l though I afterwards turned out to be & competent scrubber. Talk tbout a job I When I look for a job I am pot like fellows of whom it is said they pray not to find what they arc looking for. I always like to get one put I shall see “ bard up” written in big letters on my shovel before I tackle such a job again. But to continue my narrative. The operation was the erection of a postage, a task which I found difficult, being Inexperienced in the matter. However, material being at hand, suoh as •• rapoo ” and other stuff, the thing wi’ fuly managed, flax being uud to ihe equinoctial gales from taking a loan of the roof, and tossing it across the country, at the mercy of the elements. A comfortable bunk was erected in the corner of the whare and my stock of clothing hung up on the ground. There were then no rage, but after a couple of months’ toiling in this uncivilised region I was soon possessed of a rag shop—toiling from early morning till dark at night for a fey paltry shilling*. In Uie place I remained ink state of acini* barbarism for upwards of three months, At this period I was becoming somewhat discontented, being totally excluded from ths ooter world and unable to peHiaipate in any of those diversions which WtoiMKaftoghmemrabldi Boom fine

morning ‘I thought I would have a tour through the British Empire to see if there were any knocked up bullocks to turn out to the back, and further I knew I would bo in to take part in the cheque-bursting operations which were to take place on the arrival of my “ co-mates ” in Poverty Bay. At some future period I will give you a continuation of my narrative.