Page:Tales-of-Banks-Peninsula Jacobson 2ed 1893 cropped.pdf/126

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Arrival of the First English Ship.
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harbor, we had still an opportunity of escape, when news reached us of the arrival at Wellington by the Lady Nugent of the agent for the ‘Canterbury Association,’ tidings which filled us with a vague hope of better things to come, and so, reluctant to leave a spot which had strangely insinuated itself into our affections, we finally decided to remain. On the 15th of May, 1850, the Monarch, having had a new rudder made and fixed, sailed away without us for her original destination, Auckand. During her stay in harbor, four of her crew were drowned from a small boat, when returning to the ship from ashore, where they had been having a spree, all being more or less intoxicated. We were now left to our own resources, and to shape our course in the best way we could. But, before taking leave of the vessel for good and all, it may be well to add a few particulars about the live stock we were enabled to successfully bring out with us. But few were landed alive out of the original stock. The deer, pheasants (save one brace), partridges, and hares given by Lord Braybrooke died on the passage out. We landed, however, one pure bred bull, two ditto heifers, one pure bred mare, and a brace of pheasants, all belonging to Mr. Smith. As Canterbury was not known in those days, the mare was sent on to Nelson, and was one amongst the first, it not the first, that won a prize in the Colony; the bull and the heifers remained in Akaroa; and the pheasants were let loose in Pigeon Bay. We also brought out vegetable, tree, and farm seeds of all kinds, kindly given us by Lord Mansfield’s gardener. It may also be of interest to mention that Mr. Bruce was our pilot into Akaroa, and Big William the first Native on board.

“There is always, in narratives of this kind, a certain delicacy in mentioning the names of others: but to some extent it is necessary to do so. Only a few, however, need be mentioned. Some soon