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Great Writing - Home > Extended > More from New Zealand - Chapter 17 Scoundrel or Saint
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| More from New Zealand - Chapter 17 Scoundrel or Saint | |
| By jean.day | ||||||||||
| 08 January 2008 | ||||||||||
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January, 1864 Still no reply from Teddy, and yet I am very hopeful that he will answer my very specific questions about his father. He says he finds it hard to do so, but with persuasion, I am hoping that he will provide me with a great deal more information. Here is another of my favourite sections of Chapter 1 of his book. “I had a large herd of swine running in the swamps and fern-ridges at the back of the settlement. For a long while I had turned out all those which I bought young or in bad condition from the natives, after branding them over the tail. They got very fat as they grew, the feed being excellent about here. The succulent root of the Raupo or bulrush is a very favourite food of the hog, and the fern was also of good quality. When I wanted to catch a number to send to Wellington, or to kill and salt down, a grand hunt took place. I had bought one or two good dogs, and bred them to the sport. They soon learn to beat the ground, and follow the scent of a pig; and take great delight in the chase. If large and strong, and found in open ground, a hog will often give a run of some miles, and you follow the dogs on foot through high fern, reeds, wood scrub, and swamp, til their barking and the snorting of the “porker” give notice that he is at bay. The pig-dogs are of rather a mongrel breed, partaking largely of the bull-dog, but mixed with the cross of mastiff and greyhound which forms the New South Wales kangaroo-dog. The great nurseries for good dogs have been the whaling stations, where they bred them for fighting. It soon became a fashion for travelling settlers like myself to have a pack of pit-dogs, known for their strength, skill and courage, whether in fighting or hunting. At a rude settlement such as Wanganui, they served also to protect the house from the depredations of the wandering loose adventurers who were getting daring in their undertakings and from the annoyance of a few among the natives who began to breed quarrels by rude and insulting behavior. On one occasion during my absence, the savages had laid a plan for the forcible entry and plunder of my house and several others; but one of their own party betrayed them, and my agent and a few other took the due precautions, and sallied out upon the gang before they were prepared, and gave the a good licking with their fists. Thus we were living under club-law ; and a good watch-dog or two were no despicable guardians of a house, and were very desirable companions out-of- doors at night. But the return to the hunt. The hog once at bay as bold and unskilled dogs rush straight in for his nose, are often severely wounded by his long tusks or his hoofs. An experienced dog, without allowing him to escape, watches his opportunity to seize the jowl or the root of the ear. A dog that persists in seizing the legs, or any other part, is generally shot by his owner, as the practice spoils the hams, and is considered contrary to rules. When the dogs are fast, no struggle of the hog, no dragging of the dogs through bushes or swamp, succeeds in shaking them off; and the native lads run up and fasten thongs of the flax-leaf round the hind-legs. If the animal is very wild, they also bind the fore-legs and even the muzzle and the weight of the dogs, and fatigue, prevents much resistance. The pig is rarely killed in the field as it is considered more sportsmanlike to bring him in and show him off alive; so that the hunting-knife or rifle, although sometimes carried in case of necessity, is rarely made use of.” I do so enjoy reading about his adventures. I must remember that he was only nineteen when he went to New Zealand. Here is the next letter from Edward to Father. “December 10, 1836 Dear Daniel Having decided against moving to Australia, I am now turning my attention to New Zealand and last May was successful in forming the New Zealand Association for the systematic colonization of the country. Our first approach to the Colonial Office was unsuccessful, but now the Government has consented to the incorporation of a company by royal charter. The Association, however, rejected the terms they offered and interest in the project has now waned. However, my expertise has now been required to help solve a problem in another of the colonies, Canada. There is a rebellion in Lower Canada, which I am sure you know is the most populated part near the East Coast. A great friend of mine, Lord Durham, with whom I worked closely on the New Zealand colonization plan, has been approached to go there and try to sort it out. He says he will only go if I accompany him as Commissioner of Crown Lands. But because we both know that the British government of Lord Melbourne will not sanction my appointment, Lord Durham will only announce it once we have arrived. If I go, I will take Teddy with me as my secretary and helper. So my next letter to you might well be from Canada. Christmas good wishes from your friend Edward Gibbon”
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