Page:Tales-of-Banks-Peninsula Jacobson 2ed 1893 cropped.pdf/280

twenty-three horses, which were amongst the first brought to this colony. From Wakaouiti he went to Otago, and was there engaged by Paddy Wood to go fishing at Oashore, and lived at that place some years, working for Price some part of his time.

During this time Bloody Jack’s men killed a North Island boy, but otherwise all was quiet: the whaling being very profitable sometimes, and an exceedingly poor game at others. Went to Port Levy, and from there made a journey to Riccarton for food, getting fifteen bushels of wheat from a store deposited by Gilbert and Harridge. At this time there were only two Maoris at Port Levy and none in Pigeon Bay, but they kept coming in their sea-going canoes, many being from the North Island, and soon there were quite strong settlements at both places.

An old man named Jack Duff sold some bone and had money in his possession about this time, and mysteriously disappeared. His wife last saw him in the company of a Spaniard and a man known as “Flash Harry.” Provisions were very dear at times, twenty-five dollars being sometimes given for a barrel of flour. The Maoris as a whole were very good to the whites, and Bloody Jack himself was a very good fellow indeed. Once he came to White’s house and demanded food. It was given him of course, and a short time after a hog was sent as a present in return.

At Port Levy Mr. White married, and soon began to have a family around him. A tragedy took place when his son Harry was a baby. A Dutch whaling ship put into Port Levy, and the carpenter and several others deserted. The third mate made himself very active in arresting the men; and caught two, and got them back to the ship. The carpenter came to White’s house, and the mate after him. White was on the verandah with Harry the baby,