Five years in New Zealand (1859 to 1864) — John Shaqi
Five years in New Zealand (1859 to 1864)Booth, Robert B.
History
Five years in New Zealand (1859 to 1864)
Booth, Robert B.
New Zealand -- Description and travel
After crossing the Hurunui river, the boundary between Canterbury and
Nelson, we soon left the plains behind and entered a fine undulating
country watered by abundant streams and some large rivers, which latter
could be forded only with considerable care and judgment, being
sometimes full of quicksands, and always rapid.
On approaching our destination, which, as its name implies, stood on an
elevated situation, the gorges and river-bed flats, along which our
track ran, narrowed and became more wooded and picturesque, till we at
length passed through the narrow precipitous gorge that led us to the
open plateau upon which the station buildings stood. These comprised the
dwelling house, a long, low, commodious building, furnished most
comfortably in English fashion; the men's huts, comprising three
sleeping rooms, the kitchen and dining-room for the hands, the store,
dairy, etc., with an enclosed yard, formed one group, while at some
distance away stood the woolshed and sheep yards, paddocks, stock yards
for cattle and sheds for cows and working bullocks. In front of the
dwelling was a pretty and rather extensive garden plot, through the
centre of which wound a small stream of pure spring water. The entire
group of buildings, with the garden, paddocks, etc., occupied the centre
of a piece of undulating land, open towards the south, where a fine view
of the country over which we had journeyed was visible, and on all other
sides was bounded by hills, which to the north and west stretched away
to the Alps. It was a grand site to make a home upon, although I could
not help the feeling that it was a somewhat lonely one; the nearest
neighbours were fifteen to twenty miles distant.
Mr. Lee's run comprised about 30,000 acres, principally hills, with
occasional stretches of flat land upon which the cattle and horses
grazed, while the sheep fed on the mountain sides.
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