Page:Tales-of-Banks-Peninsula Jacobson 2ed 1893 cropped.pdf/230

Nearly all the old settlers now in the Bay, and many in different parts of the Peninsula worked for Messrs. Saxton and Williams, thirty hands being employed by the mill. About 50 bullocks were used in dragging the big logs down the hills. The flat, of course, was first cleared, and here forty acres of hay were annually grown for the bullocks. The house of the Pavitts was situated a few yards away from Mr. Saxton’s present dwelling. Daring a bush fire it was burnt, and they had to build a whâre in the bush. The bush fires at times were very severe, and once the whole Bay was in a blaze, the inhabitants having to camp out in the open close to the beach.

Mr. Johnstone was one of the earliest settlers in Robinson’s Bay. Mr. Barnett, of LeBon’s, also lived there before going over the hills. Mr. Piper, of Duvauchelle’s, was in the Bay in the first year of its settlement, and Mr. E. S. Chappell was an early inhabitant. Messrs Whitfield, Duxbury, W. N. McDonald (deceased), Kingston and Tizzard came in a vessel called the Barracouta from the Otago gold fields. Mr. Gundy owned the place now occupied by Dr. Fisher, and was one of the first settlers. Mr. B. DeMalmanche rented a large portion of Messrs. Saxton and Williams’ land, that principally which was cleared. The Currys and many others came soon after the mill was started.

Mr. Johnstone, who was bullock driving for the mill owners, and Mr. L. LeValliant were the first to start dairies. Messrs Saxton and Williams commenced a dairy which they rented to Mr. B. DeMalmanche. On this dairy as many as eighty cows were milked, the buildings being where Mr. Saxton’s house now stands. As the land was cleared, the men in employment in the mill bought it up and started dairying. The first sheep were brought into the Bay about twenty years ago.