Page:Tales-of-Banks-Peninsula Jacobson 2ed 1893 cropped.pdf/167

His first arrival in New Zealand was in the year 1839, when he landed in the Bay of Islands. He was then about eighteen years of age, and immediately after running away from his ship he went into the bush, where he followed the occupation of timber splitting for some time. He soon became very expert at this work, but as soon as he got a cheque he used to knock it down, as was the fashion in those days, in one of the neighboring grog shanties, which were common enough even at that early period, being established principally for the benefit (?) of the whalers who used to frequent the coast. After a time he got tired of this life, and went over to Auckland. When he got there he was employed by Sir George Grey as a gardener. The great Proconsul took quite a fancy to this stalwart, good-looking, good-natured young sailor, to whom work seemed only fun, but, alas! those good looks, which stirred the Governor’s sympathy, were the cause of Jimmy’s speedy departure. Amongst Sir George’s household was a very pretty Maori girl, whose susceptible heart softened at the sight of this handsome stranger, and she soon made known to Jimmy, in that unmistakeable way which is common to the sex, be they white, brown, or black, that she loved him. Nor was he slow to return her affection, and the result was that they neglected their work that they might be together. Sir George remonstrated with him, but in vain; the greater the opposition the fiercer burned their love; and, at last, finding all argument useless, he was dismissed. If they thought, however, that by dismissing Master Jimmy they were going to retain the girl, they were much mistaken, for he had no sooner left than his faithful dusky belle followed him. She persuaded him to leave the haunts of civilisation and come to live with her tribe, and the syren’s voice prevailed, and Jimmy went with her, and spent some happy years amongst