The purchase and development of the
Halfway Bush property, first as a home and then as a farm, are
detailed in reminiscences of 1870:—
Hearing of a much better
empty house about two miles out of town at a place called "The Halfway
Bush," I walked out one day with the owner to see it, and although
inconveniently too far off I rented it from him for a year, to which place
we soon removed, all the family and traps, and there we still remain ;
eventually we purchased it, including 10 acres of sub. land for £200.
Afterwards we purchased the adjoining 10 acres from Mr. Mosley for £60,
making it one block. Having brought with me from home a N.Z. Company’s
choice for 10 acres of sub. land, I selected a section fully a mile
distant from the house, which I resold many years after to the (first)
Waterworks Company for £200. [Apparently part of the Ross Creek Reservoir
Reserve.] At one period the Provincial Government advertised all the
remaining unsold sub. sections at the low price of 10s. per acre or £5
per section. Fortunately I was advised and persuaded to take up those
near to myself which I did, viz., 8 sections or 80 acres.
My second son, James, not
long after our getting settled at the Halfway Bush, had the offer of a
situation as shepherd to Mr. Lees, West Taieri, which he accepted. He was
sent to an outside station fully two miles from the master’s where he
cooked for himself and slept alone. There he continued two years and gave
satisfaction. Then he made a fresh engagement with Mr. C. Kettle to keep
his sheep on the opposite side of the Taieri Plain at the Kaihiku, with
whom he remained one and a half or two years. [Reminiscences, 1870.]
April 13th,
1857.
Our harvest is all over two
weeks ago. We had a very good crop, averaging about 40 bushels per acre,
both wheat and oats, and we never had finer harvest weather. James came
home from his shepherding in January last, and has remained with us since,
but he and George were occasionally speaking of the necessity of going to
look for another place for themselves and their cattle. Our united stock
now numbers about 60 head, which is a third more than we have a legal
right to run in this district, so they had made up their minds to start
for the south immediately after harvest—that was two weeks ago.
However a few days before
then a gentleman called at our store in town just to do a little business
on his return from the southerd, where he had been seeing a sheeprun of
from five to ten miles square, which he had just got. I simply asked him
if he had sold his estate in the north yet, which had been advertised in
our newspapers for a few weeks, and which you will see by looking at the
papers for March, lately sent you, under the title of "Estate of
Brooklands." He said "No, not yet; would I be a purchaser?" After a very
short conversation I promised to think of it, and would give him an answer
next day. Next day I kept my word and made him a verbal offer for all the
lands, buildings, and fencing thereon, providing everything met with our
approval on inspection. Accordingly we agreed to start for Brooklands on
the following Tuesday, distance 44 miles to the north of this over the
mountains.
The day fixed was fine, so
James, George, and I, together with the gentleman, all set off about 8
o’clock, but we only had two horses, so had to ride and tie in the old
Scotch style. We all reached the place by 6 o’clock evening, quite ready
for our tea. Next morning the gentleman and I saddled our horses and rode
over all the ground, while the boys and the son traversed the bush to
inspect all the cut fencing, etc. We all returned by 12 o’clock, and all
expressed fully satisfied with everything about the place. We there and
then exchanged missives, after which we had dinner. That being done, we
proceeded to take an inventory of all the movables outside, consisting of
a dray, two ploughs, one grub plough, harrows, fanners, grinding stone,
wheat steel mill, etc., etc., some household furniture, all the wheat in
stack (about 200 bushels), half an acre of potatoes, and one riding horse.
The price of everything was left to myself, and by 5 o’clock all was
settled without a word. I agreed to let the family remain in the house for
the winter months, while they agreed to let us have the use of their
bullocks free so long as they were unremoved. It was further agreed that
the boys take possession next morning and proceed to work; it was further
agreed that the old gentleman and I should return to Dunedin next day
(Thursday), which we did, reaching home by 5 o’clock. Next morning
we gave in our agreement to an attorney, and by Saturday night at five I
had the titles complete in my pocket, and he had satisfactory documents
for the full price thereof.
I have thus been minute in
detailing all my movements in this affair to show you how we can do
business here, that is to say, that in one short week we completed the
purchase of an heritable estate of 500 acres, together with all the
buildings erected thereon, and movables, etc., upwards of 40 miles
distance. It was rather a stunner to some of the town inhabitants and
afforded a little gossip, and some speculation about my intentions.
From the enclosed sketch
you can form some idea of its appearance, situated on the banks of the
Pleasant River, from the windings of which you may fancy the flatness of
the land. Three hundred acres stretching along the banks is as level as
the floor and quite dry ; with very little trouble the plough could run
all the length. The river forms a natural fence along the whole length,
the channel being very deep. The soil is deep alluvial, fit for wheat for
many years to come. The narrow part of the triangle contains about 50
acres of heavy bush, which adds greatly to the value of the property, out
of which bush the first proprietor cut 8,000 posts and rails for fencing,
all of which we get. There is already 50 acres fenced in, in three fields
or paddocks as they are called here; also one acre to the left of the
house close fenced for a garden; also a large strong stockyard and
piggery.
There is also a very good
dwelling house, weather boarded and lined, consisting of three rooms below
and four small bedrooms above. There is also a very good clay house at a
little distance for the men servants. Indeed a very great deal of work has
been done during the last two years, the proprietor fancying it to be a
homestead for him and his family. His name is Mr. William Dalrymple, late
merchant in Cupar Angus, and commission agent for Robert Hutchinson and
Co., Kirkaldy. We had done a little business with him before in purchasing
goods he had brought out. He is a thorough business man and lang-heided.
This farm was considered a first-rate choice. He being in favour with the
surveyors was directed to it, but now wishing to become a sheepfarmer he
goes and sells it; so much for men’s changeable nature! I have not seen
any place superior to it since coming to New Zealand.
But I am afraid I have
written too much about this affair. You will be tired reading it. I will
now leave it to the boys to write you their own account of it. I may
merely mention that it is wholly intended for James and George, whose
names are embodied in the title, and by next year will both have a vote
for an M.P. We would have lived long enough in Scotland before I could
have placed them in such a farm of their own. We are very happy in getting
a place for them so near us, only one day’s journey. Had they gone to the
south it might have been three times as far. We only now want men and
money to carry it on to advantage. Suppose George Sinclair and his wife
would come out and take charge of the cattle and milking they would get
£60 to £70 per annum with double rations. William will be rather surprised
when he returns and finds the boys both from the home.
Since William left this the
Provincial Government has sent home a Mr. James Adam as Agent to bring out
as many people as he can get, either friends of the present settlers or
labourers and mechanics and servants. When you hear of him being in
Kirkaldy, I would like you to see him. He is a personal friend of ours;
was a member of the Provincial Council, and one of our elders. You will
find him an independent character, but will be ready to answer all your
queries.
June 4th, 1857.
I have little additional to
say about the boys here, viz., about James and George, but they have now
left the house and are located on their new estate. After spending the
first two or three weeks on it, that I formerly mentioned, they came home
and remained about three weeks plowing our land for the next crop and
finishing up some things. They again left us, taking away all the
cattle—63 head, and of course not all mine—in one mob, only leaving us
three milk cows. For several days before starting they were employed daily
gathering in the dry cattle, which had wandered over the mountains and in
the gullies for ten miles distant. At last the whole were brought into our
stockyard and were counted out that morning they left, so they made a
goodly appearance when they left the Halfway Bush.
We were both grieved and
glad when we saw them depart. Mother remarked with tears in her eyes that
they were better off than Jacob was when he left his father’s house. Well,
with the assistance of only one young man, they managed to drive the whole
herd all the distance without losing a single beast, and the road—or
rather no road—is not like the home country, but over high mountains and
along ridges so narrow that in some places only one can pass at a time.
[The old Maori track over the crest of the Flagstaff range was the usual
route to Waikouaiti until the main road and Cobb’s coaches ended this
uncertainty of travel in the ‘sixties.] About half way they slept a few
hours on the hills in their blankets. Next day they reached their
destination in safety about 5 o’clock. Since then we have had a
visit from George (on his horse Lion) in order to get all their things
packed up and shipped off by vessel round to Waikouaiti, about ten miles
from them, to which they have a good level road, which things have all
gone in safety and George off again, so we are now left with a great blank
in the house, only we have got back Sandy Dickson who, with David, are
jobbing away at leisure keeping the place in order. We have no servants
just now, but we have much need of one. We offered £20 for a servant by
the last ship, but did not get her; she got £2 per month from someone
else.
We are living in hopes that William will bring somebody
to help us. We have had to keep Jessie at home from the school this
quarter to assist, but Rachel is still attending the Misses Dods’
day-boarding school, and Andrew goes daily into Dunedin to the High
School, where he is making wonderful progress, though slow but sure. He is
getting writing, arithmetic, grammar, and geography, and is pretty often
at the top of his class. Now, without any intention when I began, I have
written you a pretty detail of what is going on at the Halfway Bush.
October 30th, 1857.
I wrote in May last with a detailed account of a new
place I bought for James and George called Brooklands, which letter I
presume you will have opened, seeing it was from New Zealand, and that you
will now be in possession of all the particulars. It is now six months
since they left us, and I am happy to inform you of their welfare and of
their succeeding well so far as they have gone. They have ploughed up an
additional ten acres of new land (George is ploughman) with a team of
eight bullocks and a driver carrying a whip 15 feet long. Their cattle are
all doing well. They (James and George) and another young man live
together in the bachelor style, but would be all the better of a
housekeeper. About three weeks ago Sarah went to see them and to put their
house somewhat in order. She went by sea, a voyage which can be
accomplished in five or six hours, but it came on a storm just at sailing,
so after beating about five hours on the river [The whalers’ name for
Otago Harbour.] had to take shelter at Port Chalmers for two nights until
the wind changed. Still she had a rough passage, but reached in safety.
The boys came to meet her at the beach ten miles with their dray. After
staying with them three weeks James and she came home over the mountains
on horseback only last Saturday. That road is both wild and romantic, and
it is rather an event for a young lady. They were 13 hours on the road,
but reached in safety.
January 29th, 1861.
About ten days ago, being slack, Uncle James and I
proposed a jaunt to Brooklands, he never having seen it and I not for
nearly two years; rather I should say Uncle consented to go if I would go
with him—agreed. The day was more than ordinarily fine and hot. The
Geelong steamer sailed at 12 noon (only a three hours’ sail to Waikouaiti).
Off we set, but no sooner were we outside the Heads than we encountered a
heavy sea, reached the landing place by 3 o’clock, but landing was
impossible, the sea and surf being so heavy. There we lay and rolled all
night, until next morning at 6 o’clock the Maoris came off for us in small
boats. We were all safely landed on the beach, five miles off from the
nearest accommodation house, which we had to walk to before getting
breakfast. This we partook of heartily. Then there was nothing for it but
walk another five miles to Brookiands. They knew nothing of our coming, or
they would have had the horses there for us. By the by, little Andrew was
with us too. However, we tramped and took them by surprise just as they
were at dinner (after cutting among the wheat all forenoon). Rested
ourselves all afternoon. Next day we kept walking about the whole day over
all the farm, and in through the thick bush and neighbourhood. Uncle
seemed much pleased with everything he saw. Their crops are excellent, and
the improvements of fencing are first-class. Besides they are building a
new barn of stone and lime 4Oft. by 20. The fine stone and limestone they
get plenty of at the back of the house; burn their own lime, and drive the
driving. Masons’ wages, however, 10s. per day and keep, so it will cost
something; but they could not do without. The following morning I left
Uncle behind and set off for Dunedin, Andrew accompanying me the first
five miles with a horse; then he took it back, and I walked on to the
beach and got a passage back on the same steamer. Reached home about 6
o’clock and found all well.
(The two youths remained happily together for several
years. George, poor man, caught a heavy cold which sat down on his chest
and ultimately cut him off, aged 24 years. David, our fourth son, next
joined James in the farm. It unfortunately happened one day that they were
delivering some fat sheep to the butcher from the yards. One sheep broke
off from the rest. David, poor fellow, jumped on his horse, which was
standing close by, with a view to help the man away with his lot. The
single sheep was fixed on by the strange dog and came among the horse’s
feet on which David rode, causing the horse to fall and roll over David,
thereby crushing him internally so severely that he never spoke after it.
He was carried into the house; a doctor was speedily got, who did all he
could for him. We received a telegram. Mother went off that night; she saw
him still breathing but insensible. He died before I reached by next
morning’s coach. Aged 29 and much regretted.) [Reminiscences, 1870.]
June, 1858.
We have just finished the threshing of our oats at "Wakari"
by a threshing machine which cost us 50s. per day. This year we had ten
acres of oats, the first crop off our new 10s. per acre open land. It got
three furs, lay fallow one year, off which we have 450 bushels oats (at
5s. per bushel), beside a great lot of fine straw, one half of which I
sold for £12 on the spot. The oats I have shipped to Melbourne on my own
account of risk, expecting to realise even better return. (The
Strathfieldsay is loading oats for Melbourne.) Sold our stock of
clover hay for £11, but our potatoes have been a very light crop this
season from the drought. Prices are £10 per ton of 20. |
