Page:Tales-of-Banks-Peninsula Jacobson 2ed 1893 cropped.pdf/203

an acquaintance with Baron Von Muller, with whom he used to correspond upon botanical subjects After a time he came across to New Zealand, and walked over the North Island, and then came across to Nelson, and from there continued his pedestrian expedition to Christchurch. He was one of the first men to cross the range. He afterwards came to the Peninsula, to Le Bon’s Bay, and saw Mr. Cuff there, and wanted to get some land; but Mr. Cuff told him it was all his. He then went Home again, and after a short stay came again to New Zealand, and was at the Otago diggings, being one of the first at Gabriel’s Gully, and did well there. He had, however, been so charmed with the Peninsula, that it was not long before he came back to it to get some land and settle.

He bought a piece of land where Mr. Lelievre’s house now stands, at Fisherman’s Bay. He sold it after some time to Mr. Lelievre, and bought a place in Paua Bay. He had a wharê there, and locked it up one day to go to Christchurch. When he got to Christchurch, however, he made up his mind to go to England, and when he came back to his wharê, long after, he found the place was broken open, and his things gone. He then sold the land to Mr. Narbey, and went on to Mr. Townsend’s survey party, and helped to cut the present line from Barry’s Bay to Little River. He then bought land in Waikerakikari.

He was a splendid hand in the bush. Unlike an ordinary mortal, it was his practice to go in a beeline from one place to another, utterly regardless of tracks. He never lost his way, and used to accomplish long distances in a wonderfully brief period. He once started to carry a tub from Barry’s Bay to Waikerakikari, through the bush. He had it on his head, and it struck against the branches of a tree, hitting him so smartly on the head that he