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In the early days the
opportunities for social entertainment were scanty enough. Hocken says
that an occasional lecture at the Mechanics Institute on some solid
subject, or a tea meeting followed by excellent speeches did much to
liven the community. At such homesteads as that
at Halfway Bush it was considered a
privilege to entertain friends and kindred. Dancing to 5 a.m. and a
reference to prayer in the same paragraph point to a more broadminded
attitude than we are accustomed to associate with this era.
September, 1854.
We are all in the
continuance of the best of health and spirits, and all going on busily at
the Halfway Bush. This is our spring, equal to your March 10th, and on
Saturday last we had the first rhubarb tart for the season. Our young
wheat looks well, and other things budding beautifully. The first early
potatoes are planted, and the garden all in first-rate order. Sandy and
Bill are busy now putting up a new fence along the roadside of the section
of post and four rails morticed very strong, not to be overmatched in the
Colony.
I send you a paper
containing a short account of a harvest home we had some time ago. It was
rather a fine affair for New Zealand, the barn being handsomely decorated
with flags and evergreens. The tables ran the length of the house with a
cross one at the top, covers laid for 60 upwards. Silver plate at the
upper table, viz., candlesticks, bottle, and cruet stands, a large china
punch bowl with silver ladle, a bottle of the best Islay in each brewing,
also plenty wine and brandy, two chandeliers hung from the roof overtopped
with the heart of a spread fern tree. Your humble servant, being in the
chair, of course put his best foot foremost. The evening was spent with
great good humour, and dancing kept up till 5 o’clock morning. Similar
meetings had been previously held in the other districts. I have written
this account very hurriedly as the captain of the Thetis has just come up
from Port Chalmers saying he intends sailing to-morrow, sooner than
expected, so had to finish off in the store. I enclose a pastoral letter
which you will have some pleasure in perusing, and please to circulate it
to Mr. Cameron, etc., etc. Remembering you all often in my prayers, hoping
still to enjoy the same from you, and commending you all to the grace of
God.
The arrival and departure of the Bethunes are
recorded in letters of May and June, 1855. The Rev. Alexander Bethune
was school-teacher at Invercargill and elsewhere in Southland from
1861.
Since the arrival of the
Simlah we have enjoyed the company of Mr. and Mrs. Bethune with us at
Halfway Bush. I brought them home with me on arrival, and they have
remained ever since. We like them very much. Mr. Bethune has been at the
Molyneux and back, and has fixed on a spot about ten miles south of the
river at a place called the Warepa Bush; but as it is unsurveyed he cannot
get possession for want of a Government surveyor. He is waiting the
decision of the Provincial Council. He preached one afternoon for Mr.
Burns very acceptably, but not over bright. I esteem them both good
people.
They have been living with
us since their arrival. Only left us this week to spend the winter months
at the Green Island district, teaching and preaching on Sabbath, until he
gets right possession of his land at the Clutha.
May
15th, 1855.
On Thursday last, William,
Sarah, and I were at a marriage in the North-East Valley, viz., Mr. R.
McKenzie, son of the Rev. Mr. McKenzie of Farr, to a Miss Smith, an Aberdonian.
There were about 50 persons present. The hilarity of the evening was kept
up until about 2 a.m. Plenty of dancing in the barn to the bagpipes. They
(the Smiths) kept Sarah until the Monday following.
The night following the
marriage, mother and I, together with Mr. and Mrs. Bethune, were invited
to tea and supper at our next neighbours, Mr. Marshall’s. [James Marshall
was one of the first deacons of First Church. His daughter Margaret
married William Hepburn.] There were about 20 present, and everyone gaily
dressed, as at a home party, and the tables covered with everything that
is fine. The party being very select, we enjoyed ourselves very much
(never forgetting the Queen and absent friends). We also remained together
until an early hour, so you see we have our friendly enjoyment here as
well as you have. When the addition to our house is finished we intend
having a blow-out here on account of our first-born son, being now 21
years of age. The carpenter expects to be done in two weeks now, the roof
being on and the windows made. He has only the floors to lay and doors to
put on, but more of this after.
March 4th, 1856.
In my letter to Janet I
think I mentioned something of a marriage which was to take place in our
house betwixt Margaret Lindsay, late of Kinghorn, and Mr. Andrew McNeill,
Molyneux. I must give you some account of it, there being some little
novelty attached. I may first state that marriages here are in general
kept up in great style with large parties, so Margaret was resolved not to
be behind; got everything provided in the most sumptuous manner, and every
accommodation provided for a large party. Wednesday was fixed for the
ceremony at 4 o’clock (the law here prohibiting any to marry after that
hour). The feast was all prepared, the company had mostly arrived, the
ladies dressed in white with their kid gloves on, the minister also
appeared at the hour appointed, the bridegroom only was awanting. What
could we do but sit and wait and talk, and try to laugh, but to no
purpose. Five o’clock arrived; the minister took his leave, leaving
Margaret quite in the dumps. I asked if she would give us any dinner. She
answered, "Oh, yes." The tables were soon covered with plenty, of which we
all partook heartily—less the bride. After dinner, as usual, the toasts
and song went round merrily up till 9 o’clock, when I was called out of
the room into the kitchen where, lo and behold, I saw the bridegroom and
bride sitting together !— all right, only sore fatigued and very wet.
However, I soon introduced him to the company which produced three hearty
cheers, raising all our spirits, so that we could not part till "the wee
short hour ayont the twal," and that only after taking a promise from each
one to return next day at the same hour.
Now, if my story is not too
long, I must tell you what detained the bridegroom. He had to come from
the Molyneux, upwards of 60 miles, but the roads and rivers were all
flooded with water with having rained incessantly for several days—indeed
we had not seen such a flood for several years. He, along with two
brothers, left the Molyneux on horses on Monday and reached the
Tokomairiro River that afternoon, but it was impassable. They rode six or
seven miles further up the stream to no purpose. They had to wait there
that night, all Tuesday and Tuesday night, and still it rained. On
Wednesday morning they constructed rafts made of the flax and brushwood,
called by the natives "mugies," [Maori mokihi, a
raft.] and sailed across on them, swimming
their horses, which they accomplished in safety, although not without some
considerable danger. After this they pushed on through mire and swamp, but
the horses got knocked up when they reached the next, the Taieri River,
still 25 miles from Dunedin, but where there is a good ferry. Leaving his
brothers to follow next day, Mr. Andrew got a fresh horse and did his
best, but as I have already said, did not reach until 9 o’clock, so you
perceive that love even in New Zealand is not easy cooled even at the age
of —.
Next day came, and the same
work here was all to do over again. Such a bustle of cooking and brushing
and dressing, etc. Andrew himself set off with two fresh horses to meet
his brothers, which he did some 12 or 15 miles off. They all returned in
good time, but then another difficulty arose. The minister was pre-engaged
to marry another party in town at the same hour. We had to go and treat
with them to get married one hour earlier, which put them also about,
their friends being invited at that hour. However, half an hour was
granted, and a horse got to the minister, which brought him to the Halfway
Bush just at 4 o’clock, where the same party was all waiting, with several
additions. The knot was soon tied, and the minister again took his leave.
The tables were soon spread and again loaded with plenty, and as
tastefully set out as you could wish to see in the Lang Toon. No one could
have known that anything had been touched the day before. We all enjoyed
it with fully more life than the day before, especially those strangers
who had come through such fatigue. At an early hour in the evening the
whole party repaired to the barn, where the dance was kept up till an
early hour. Supper was also set for as many as liked to partake, but all
passed over in great good humour and happiness. Next morning 17 sat down
to breakfast. After 10 the young couple set off on horseback, getting a
volley of old shoes thrown after them by the young folk. Thus ends my long
story, which has grown much longer than I intended, but for want of a
better it will be something for you to read. Our young folks found no
fault with what occurred, thereby they got two marriage dinners and two
sprees instead of one, but you may be sure it caused no small stir in the
house, everything being cooked and baked in the house, and really Margaret
did it in style, sparing no expense.
Sarah had a letter from
them saying that they had reached home safely, sending at the same time an
invitation to her and William to come to his brother’s marriage next week,
to take place at the Waihola Lake; but they are not going at this season.
Referring to another wedding in the
same year, he writes:—
June 28th, 1856.
Our rule here is to stand
three several days calling in church, which they were not very anxious to
submit to; but the days passed over, and the ceremony took place in her
own house at half past three o’clock. After tea almost the whole
number—about 20—moved off to the Halfway Bush, the ladies in a cart, five
of the gents on horseback, and the rest walked. The roads were fine and
the moon beautiful. Our William being best man, he and the bride had
horses, set off at full gallop, never slacking bridle until they reached
the Halfway Bush, leaving Uncle [The bridegroom, James Paterson.] and I to
come at our leisure (he not being a rider). All arrived in safety at 7
o’clock, where a large party of our best neighbours had assembled to meet
them, all very gaily dressed. Thirty-eight, besides children, sat down to
a splendid supper in our parlour. Everything was set out in as good a
style as we could have possibly done at home, and everything was baked and
cooked in our own house except the bride’s cake. The proper one, by the
by, was cut up in Dunedin, was three storeys high and very splendid; but a
receiving one, very large, and ornamented was sent to our house.
The supper consisted of
roast beef, boiled mutton, steak and kaka pies, fowls, tongues, plum
pudding, custards, jellies, etc., port and sherry wines, brandy, Scotch
whisky in abundance. Your humble servant in the chair gave the company no
time to fag. Song and toast went merrily round till 11 o’clock, when the
young folks got up a dance in the new kitchen in which most of us joined
by turn. About 2 a.m. the company broke up, but a few of our youngsters
kept it up till near morning. The next day the young folks walked and rode
about our place, when they went into town quietly in the evening, where a
few friends had met to receive them, and had supper. Thus ended the spree.
In justice to the parties I should have added their liberality to us. In
addition to white kid gloves, Uncle presented Mother and Sarah each with a
splendid new sarcenet gown made in the newest fashion. The bride gave me a
beautiful super black surtout and vest, the same as Uncle got. The bride
was married in a coloured sarcenet and a figured black ditto on Sunday, so
everyone was very gay. Gaiety now is the order of the day in the town at
least, but it is the first new coat for Sabbath that I have got since
leaving home, or gown for Ma either, so it’s an ill wind that does na
good. About a month before the marriage we had another harvest home, fully
more gay than the former one two years before, but we did not print it. I
wanted the chaps to write you the particulars; they took the whole
management.
A Birthday Party, Christmas
and New Year celebrations are also recorded.
December 29th, 1858.
Last Saturday being
Christmas was held as an holiday. Shops all shut. So we had a family party
at Wakari—in all 17 sat at dinner; all very happy, not forgetting absent
friends.
Saturday, 1st, being New
Year’s Day, is another holiday to be kept in Uncle James’s at dinner and a
picnic in the evening at his new grounds. Would you not both wish you were
with us?
Happy to inform you that
William has succeeded in getting his license for his run for 14 years, so
he is now all right. It was a hard push to get his cattle all forward such
a distance in good time. However, he managed it with perseverance. Will
give you a better account some other time.
October 1st, 1860.
Last week our whole family
dined together with all the Patersons in Uncle James’s new house,
"Essequibo," [The Hon. James Paterson
was in business in Georgetown, on the Essequibo River, British Guiana,
before coming to New Zealand. The, High Street School and Mr. E. C.
Hazlett’s residence now occupy the site of "Essequibo," where many family
gatherings were held.] above 20, in celebration of Grandpa’s birth, viz.,
85 years of age, who is still in good health and spirits, on which
occasion he made a fine speech and even sang a song. I gave "Absent
Friends," which I never forget. Mr. James Adam was the only stranger, so
we spent a happy evening. |
