Page:Tales-of-Banks-Peninsula Jacobson 2ed 1893 cropped.pdf/262

Harry Head that Mr V. V. Masefield first explored the valley. Harry Head then lived at Waikerikikeri, and at that place the Messrs. Masefield bought some sections. Harry Head’s wonderful powers of finding his way through the bush made him a splendid companion, and on exploring Gough’s Bay Valley, and finding how fertile it was, Mr. Masefield determined to have it, and the brothers then commenced purchasing it. They exchanged the sections at Waikerikikeri with Mr. John Smith, for some land he had purchased in Gough’s Bay, and the owners of the sections bought by M. Guin and Boirreau disposed of them, so that gradually an estate of 1200 acres was formed, containing some of the best land on the Peninsula. This land is divided into four paddocks of about 300 acres each, and there are several smaller enclosures for working the sheep easily.

Besides an excellent dwelling house, there is a large woolshed, excellent yards, and all the other usual appliances of successful sheep farming. Of course there is a dairy; and speaking of this, when the Messrs. Masefield first went to the bay they had cattle on the place, and a nice job they used to have with them, for the Bay was then of course all bush, and it was a terrible worry to get the cattle out, for horses could not be used in such country. To hear the marvellous adventures of one snail-horned bullock that would persist in preferring Gough’s Bay to the West Coast, is enough to make one’s hair stand on end; but it is satisfactory to know that after all his extraordinary capers he eventually gladdened the hearts and stomachs of the Hokitika miners. The house is a comparatively new one, the former erection, in which the mysterious noises used to be so prevalent, having been burnt down. This fire had very nearly a fatal termination. The origin was unknown, but Mr. Valentine Masefield, awaking