PIONEERING IN OTAGO
The following appears as an addenda to the history of the Brooksdale estate, and was written by Mr Watson Shennan, and is an account of the first years he spent in New Zealand: —
I arrived in New Zealand in the year 1857, accompanied by a brother (Alexander), I having left Scotland for the purpose of engaging in sheep farming in New Zealand, which was then an almost unknown country. It was reported, however, to be well grassed and suitable for growing wool. A country that took five to six months to reach by sailing ship looked like going to another world, and I did not like the idea of spending so long at sea. Steamers going to Australia were very few and far between, but after waiting for some time I heard of a steamer sailing from Liverpool to Melbourne, so secured a passage in her (The Emu). The voyage was 58 days, one of the fastest made at that time! I had to wait ten days in Melbourne before a sailing craft left for New Zealand, and was fortunate in not having to wait much longer. The only communication between the two countries was by sailing craft of from 200 to 300 tons, and as it took about a fortnight to make the voyage from Port Chalmers to Melbourne it can be seen that very few trips could be made in a year. There were only one or two regular traders at that time. Arrived at Port Chalmers in October, 1857. There were no seagoing ships in the harbour then, and the only way of getting from the port to Dunedin was by whaleboat. The country on the harbour looked very beautiful at that time; the bush growing down to the water's edge, and only a very few small patches had been cleared to make room for a cottage. The harbour and surroundings were practically as nature made them.
Dunedin at that time was only a village of some few hundred inhabitants, scattered all about — no roads or streets formed; very little, to recommend the place except the people. They were very kind, and gave newcomers a hearty welcome. After a short residence in Dunedin, I found that very little was known about the interior of the country, so I made up my mind to do some exploring. A difficulty, however, stood in the way. Horses were necessary, but there were none to be got, and it was only after a small shipment came from Sydney that I was able to procure the hacks required, and at very high prices. As soon as the equipment necessary for an exploring expedition was ready, I went south as far as the Molyneux. Then returned to the Tokomairiro plain. Early in December I left Meadowbank for the interior, going north, and making for the valley of the Molyneux River. I found the country between the Tokomairiro plain and the Waitahuna River occupied by the late Mr James Smith and Mr John Cargill, but beyond that it was no man's land. After crossing the Waitahuna River, I found some yery good sheep country, but much of it was very scrubby. Going on over the ridges there was some nice open country between the branches of Tuapeka River, and I pitched camp one night in the gully afterwards called Gabriel's Gully, little thinking of the wealth that was buried only a few feet under the ground. Had I suspected the presence of gold, I might have given up searching for sheep country. Later I found the country too rough to get any nearer the Molyneux River, so kept pretty well up the ridges on the open country until the Beaumont Station was reached. After crossing that stream the country was still scrubby and difficult to travel over, and there was much the same description of land between the Beaumont and the Teviot River. Most of the Country had a beautiful cover of good grasses. After crossing the Teviot River, the country got much more open, and the cover of grass not so good. Towards the Molyneux River the country still continued scrubby, and therefore I did not make any attempt to get to the bank of the river, so continued on the higher ground to the top of the Knobby ridges. These ridges are well named, as they are closely covered with rocks. At. this stage I had country now known as Waitahuna, Tuapeka, Beaumont, Ormaglade, Teviot, Long Valley and Knobby Ranges. From the top of the Knobbys I had a splendid view of the Manuherikia valley, presenting a most beautiful landscape — quite a change from the country previously traversed. I exclaimed to my brother: "Here is the country we are looking for; a land well grassed and watered — a very land of promise. Here we will pitch our tent, and here we will stay; and make our home for good." Things do not often turn out as expected, nor can the future be looked into. That night I camped on the banks of .the Manuherikia River. It was an ideal camping place, with plenty of green grass for the horses, scrub for fuel, and a river of the purest water to drink. During my stay at that camp I explored the surrounding country. Went over to the banks of the Molyneux River, and as far up as where Clyde now stands. .Found the country all open, well grassed and watered, sufficient scrub for fuel for many years, but no bush or timber. I found game very numerous — all kinds of native duck, quail, pukaki, wild pigs, wild dogs, and also a wild white horse. I can hardly class dogs and horses in a game list; still I can say that the horse was "game." Rats and mice swarmed, so the wild dogs found abundance of food, and they often caught a duck asleep at night. Afterwards they found mutton was more to their liking. After leaving this camp I rode up the valley as far as Blackstone Hill; then went over the Ruggedy ridges into Ida Valley, and found the country all well grassed and watered, and suitable for sheep. Then I wanted to see the country lying to the east of the Rough Ridge, so went over the top of this ridge — it may be called a mountain, as some of the highest points are over 4000ft, From the Rough Ridge there was a good view of. the Maniototo plain. Did not go down into the plain, but could see that it was very extensive. By this time I had been out in an unexplored country for a fortnight, and the supply of provisions was running out, so turned the horses towards where I started from. I kept on the high country for a long distance, but on the high ground it was difficult to find good camping places, so I tried the lower flats. But that, was a mistake, for swampy ground was met with and was very unpleasant for camping. It was a most uncomfortable situation — not a stick to boil the billy and nothing but big snow tussocks for the horses to eat. Choosing the largest snow tussock, my companion and I crawled under, finding this not quite equal to a feather, bed Disgusted with the place, we called it "Dismal Swamp," (now Lake Onslow) a name it still retains to this day. I may mention that my party were the first white men that had visited the large tract of country now described. No hill, valley or river had a name except the Manuherikia River. The Manuherikia River was shown on the Maori map, or drawn from the description of the country given by the Maoris. The natives used to go inland for the purpose of catching eels and wild pigs. saw many traces of their visits to the interior of the country. The Maoris have since given up their excursions to the interior, as it was not necessary to go inland to procure food. To continue the return journey from Dismal Swamp, we climbed the Lammerlaw mountain, and had — a very extensive view of the country, and arrived back to Tokomairiro after a journey of three weeks.
Exploring an unknown country is rough work, but very interesting. One is always looking for something new, and finding something of special interest The expedition was taken for a special purpose, and that was to find a block of good grazing land for sheep. In this we succeeded, and the next thing to do was to secure a piece of the country inspected. Application was made for two blocks one on each side of the Manuherikia; and we called one "Galloway" (after our native country in Scotland), and the other "Moutere," the Maori name for a block of land almost surrounded by water. The application to the Land Office was for about 100,000 acres. My brother and I might have had nearly all the land explored, but more country than one could stock with sheep or cattle had no value in those days. The country was unoccupied from a few miles inland from Palmerston South to the West Coast. Some time in 1858 a Government survey party went up the Waitaki River, and returned via the Upper Clutha Valley, Manuherikia, Maniototo plain, and thence to the sea coast, surveying and mapping the country, naming the mountains, rivers and burns. After the surveyors had given in their report a great rush set in for runs, and the whole of the inland country was taken The work of forming a station and stocking, etc. was the next undertaking, so after a short visit to Dunedin, and finding, no difficulty in a 14 years' lease of the runs, preparations were made for the occupation of the country. To comply with the conditions of the lease or license, runs had to be stocked within six months from the date of issue — so many sheep to the thousand acres. The period named gave ample time to secure sheep, working bullocks, etc,,
Sheep were not plentiful, and there were very few for sale. The owners had an abundance of grass, and plenty of room for an increase in the number of their flocks, so they found it profitable to keep all the young sheep; and sheep did not get old fast in those days. I managed to secure a good line of ewes and lambs from a runholder in the Clutha district (Mr Anderson, who died recently) for delivery in March, 1858, and fixed upon the last week of that month for a start for the Galloway run. When exploring I examined the country carefully for the purpose of getting a route that a bullock dray would traverse, and decided to take that form of conveyance instead of sledges; but this proved a great mistake. The ground that was hard and dry in summer got soft in autumn, and would not carry a dray; and this led to great trouble when on the journey with the sheep. After a week's droving with the sheep, the dray accompanying them, it was found impossible to take the vehicle further than the ridges leading to the Lammerlaw mountains. It had, to be taken back to Tokomairiro, and procured, thus losing two weeks; and that turned out to be a serious matter. Concluded on page 3. -Mt Ida Chronicle, 28/7/1911.
PIONEERING IN OTAGO.
MR WATSON SHENNAN'S EXPERIENCES.
The following is the second portion of the pioneering experiences of Mr Watson Shennan in the early days, published by the request of the correspondent who desired to show the hardships which had to be encountered by those who did much to make the country suitable for settlers — men who worked hard when those who came after them, and now describe them as social pests, were in their infancy: —
The sheep journeyed on, with provisions carried on packhorses, but progress was very slow on account of the rough nature of the country. They had to go over the highest part of the Lammerlaws, when one of the severest snowstorms imaginable caught them. What happened during the following three or four weeks would take more time and space to describe than the. writer can afford. I will only say that I do not think it possible to experience greater hardship, and live — especially that suffered by the party with the sheep; and having to change the dray for sledges caused much of the trouble. The sheep (with my brother in charge) and the bullock teams, personally driven, got separated some 40 miles by a mountain. The Lammerlaws were covered with snow from 4ft to 30ft deep. The team could not face this, and there was no way round. The party with the sheep, I knew, would be getting short of provisions, and that made me very anxious, as it was impossible to say what had happened to them if caught in the snow. It was necessary to push on, and I made two attempts, both times getting a long way up the mountain, but was driven back to lower ground by fresh snowstorms. The third try was successful. Where the snow was deep it got frozen hand, and carried the bullocks and sledges, and so my charge managed to get over. My party had nothing hot to eat or drink for three days, and the bullocks were not out of the yokes for the same time, and had hardly any food. When I picked up the party with the sheep in Ida Valley, they were out of provisions, and had had only mutton to eat for some days, and had lost a man and horse. The missing man had been sent back to bring up some stores that had been left behind, but he did not find the provisions, and lost himself. After three days' search my brother managed to pick him up. He had had very little food, and I have never seen a man so hungry as he was; but we restricted him to small quantities of food for some days. The party with the sheep had a terrible experience in the snow, and for over a week the mob could not be moved. They were practically under the snow, and were in deep snow for three weeks. The horses had to be moved from one big snow tussock to another, that being the only food they could get. The party could only find enough sticks to boil the billy and cook a chop — not sufficient for a fire to warm them. A journey to the South Pole is nothing to a trip like that. The storm described was quite an exceptional occurrence, coming so early in the season as the beginning of April, and 1 have never seen anything like it since. However, I never used the same road again, and there was no necessity for doing so, for in the following spring a fire passed over all the area between the Tuapeka River and the Teviot River, thus opening up the country so that it was possible to travel through near to the banks of the Molyneux River. I also found that the outlet for the Manuherikia district was to the east coast, via Maniototo and Shag Valley, on to Waikouaiti; thence by sea to Dunedin. That was the only way of getting stores from Dunedin or sending wool to Port Chalmers for shipment, the distance being something like 160 miles. As much of the country was not suitable for dray traffic, everything had to be carried on sledges. The teams were employed nearly all the year taking up stores and carting wool away. The usual time taken to a trip was three weeks. The cost of carting stores and wool was a very serious matter, and what often added greatly to the expense was the loss of a bullock, killed by eating tutu. Working bullocks cost £20 each, and I thought myself lucky when the team returned to the station, without the loss of an animal. Tutu did not grow on the Otago Central country, but down towards the sea coast there was a great quantity all over the land. Thousands of sheep and cattle died from eating it every year.
But to return to the work of forming a station. I went on to the run rather late in the autumn to be able to do much in house-building, especially as the only material for the walls was clay and stones; so had to be content with a tent to live in, and a stone and clay chimney for cooking. One of the greatest hindrances in the way of forming a station was the absence of timber. Not a stick could be found fit for anything but firewood. The nearest bush was over 160 miles away, and the material had to be carried all that distance on sledges. The first thing to do was to put up something in the way of sheep yards, and this was managed with green scrub; but it took a long time. I have mentioned that wild dogs were numerous, and I had reason to fear that they would get amongst the sheep; and they did so very soon, killing some and scattering the others. This necessitated tailing the flocks during the day and watching them at night. The sheep were camped on a small flat in front of the tents, and the shepherds took them away in the morning and brought them to their camp at night. The night watch was kept by myself for over a year. After the wild dogs had tasted mutton they would come right to the camp after the sheep. I got staghounds and halfbred bull dogs, and found them very good for hunting the wild ones. The staghound could overtake the dog, and the bulldog, as soon as he got up to the fugitive held him, the man who was first in at the death getting the brush. The sport was almost as good as fox-hunting, and much safer, as there were no fences in the way. We often had two or three miles of a run, and the chase proved most enjoyable if the country was not very broken. We managed to kill a great many of the dogs during the first year, and afterwards destroyed others by shooting and poisoning. The dogs seemed to frequent the banks of the river for the purpose of catching their food. They had well-beaten tracks along each bank of the river, and their principal food was rats and mice; but they often managed to catch a paradise duck asleep. I frequently found duck bones and feathers on the river bank. The first settlers in a district always had the most trouble with dogs, and I suppose the sheep attracted them. The New Zealand wild dog was not indigenous to the country, but was supposed to have been brought out by whalers and given to .the Maoris, and then got away from them. The dog was quite as wild as any animal could be.
When spring came the work of building yards and huts was carried on with as much vigour as the circumstances allowed, till shearing time. I often think of the first shearing (in 1858). It was a primitive affair. Everyone on the station was turned on to shear. No professional employed! I doubt if the class of shearing done would take a prize at a shearing contest. However, the work was got through without trouble or strike, and no award of the court to work under; and the pay was not 20s per hundred sheep. In shearing sheds where shearers were employed in 1858 the pay was 15s per day of eight hours, and three glasses of rum. Shearing sheep at 15s per day was rather expensive — still, not more so than at present. Sheep were much easier to shear in those days than they are now, as a big percentage of them carried very light fleeces, partly on account of the poor class of sheep and partly on account of the country being covered with fern and scrub. Plenty of bare bellies in those days!
It was a big job getting the wool to Waikouaiti, as only four bales could be carried on a sledge, and thus two teams could only take eight bales; and as it took three wests to make a trip, it occupied the whole summer in getting the wool down and stores up. After two years, however, some road-making was done — sufficient to allow drays to be used. Much of the country was taken up for runs in the years 1858 and 1859, and consequently there was a big demand for sheep to stock them. On Galloway and Moutere the grass was going to waste, and it was necessary to get more sheep. None could be bought in Otago except at a very high price, so arrangements were made to ship a few thousand from Wellington in 1860-1. The sheep were landed at Oamaru, Moeraki, and Port Chalmers, and driven to the station. The work of forming the station had by this time been pretty well accomplished, and I thought it was time to do something towards improving the breed of the sheep. No good stud sheep were procurable in the colony, so it was deemed best to get some out from Germany. My brother went Home in 1862 to purchase tho sheep required, and be procured 15 rams and 27 ewes, and shipped them out. The cost landed was about £2000. These were the first stud merino sheep ever imported into Otago. The progeny of these sheep were afterwards used in the Puketoi flock, thus giving the Puketoi sheep of to-day a very long pedigree. I also claim to be the first to bring out long wool-sheep to Otago, two Leicester rams being imported in 1860. These animals were sold, and the purchaser used them to form a long-wool flock, and was very successful. My brother never returned to New Zealand, having died of rheumatic fever at Edinburgh in 1863. The few years of hard work in New Zealand — exposed to all kinds of weather — often spending the night without tent or other kind of shelter — proved too much for him, and brought to a close a short life, but a very good and useful one.
In the spring of 1863 the great Dunstan gold rush started on the banks of the Upper Molyneux River.
As Moutere Run was on the river where the gold was found, it had the full force of the rush. It was a terrible affair. Thousands of miners and would-be miners rushed from all parts of New Zealand and Australia, and very few of them took any food with them; consequently the sheep stations were rushed for provisions. There were only a few stations anywhere near where the gold was found, and the few there were had but a small quantity of stores on hand. The bullock teams did not travel in the winter, so the supply was getting exhausted. Thousands of men came to the station wanting to buy food, and they were supplied in very small quantities; but the supply was nothing like equal to the demand. When it was found that no stores could be bought, those who suffered from hunger most took to begging, and when it became known that small supplies could be got in that way, the rush made a fresh start, and could not be stopped till every pound of flour, sugar, etc., had been given away. This sort of thing went on for about 10 days. Then the first drays arrived with stores — flour and sugar were bought and sold at 2s 6d per pound, and these high prices continued for some time. Cartage from Dunedin to the diggings went as high as £100 per ton. Flour at that time in Dunedin was selling as high as £30 per ton. Potatoes were sold on the diggings up to £100 per ton; butcher meat, although scarce, was not sold at a very high price. The sheep on the runs were mostly ewes, and near the lambing, so could not be killed for mutton. The price of mutton did not exceed 1s a pound. One reason I may give for the moderate price was that the squatters' sheep were looked upon as common property, and disappeared in a marvellous way and at a much faster rate than it was possible for their legs to carry them. The wild dogs were never in the race for mutton with the two-legged animals. At this time the life of the squatter was not a happy one. The arduous task he had undertaken to carve out a home in the wilds of a new country had almost been crowned with success; now all his hopes had vanished like a transformation scene. When I look back to those days I feel quite sure that no good ever followed that "gold find," but very much evil. It may have been a Godsend; if it was, I am sure it was sent as a punishment. Anyone visiting that part of the country now has only to open his eyes to see the ruin and desolation brought upon the land through the hunt for gold. A great crime has been committed. "Gold! gold! price of many a crime untold!" may well be said. I am not trying to give a description of the Dunstan rush and what followed on the goldfields within the following few months. It would take a book as large as a three- volume novel to hold anything like a full account, and then it would be a failure. I have only to add that I continued to live on the station for two years, sold the run. and went to the Old Country. On mv return I bought the Puketoi Station, which I still retain. The stud sheep that were imported in 1863 are represented in the Puketoi flock until this day and also in nearly every merino flock in New Zealand. -Otago Witness, 25/10/1911.
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