your future farm out of them, you are apt to forget the more
distant future, and go at everything before you with axe and fire. You
want to see grass-paddocks and plough-lands. Time enough to think of
planting again, or of saving bits of bush.

Our first operation was to clear some twenty acres or so, as a primary
clearing, wherein our shanty might be built, and a little grass provided
to keep the milch-cows near home. We had two or three weeks chopping,
then, in the height of the dry season, managed a successful burn of the
fallen stuff, letting the fire run among the standing bush where it
would, and which it would not to any great extent, as the undergrowth
always keeps fresh on such rich soil. Thus we had a small clearing ready
to be sown with grass-seed directly the rains should come. And then we
were occupied with the erection of the shanty, as already described.

After that we had our first stockyard to set up. It is a simple
enclosure, measuring a chain or two square; but had to be made of great
strength, in view of the contingency of unruly mobs of charging cattle.
To procure material we went six or eight miles off, to a creek that ran
through heavy bush. There we felled certain giant puriri trees, cut them
into lengths, and split them up with wedges into posts and rails. Puriri
timber is terribly tough stuff to work. It is harder than oak, and very
heavy, too, so that transporting it is serious toil. We groaned over
this job, and spoilt numerous axes; but we did it.

Terrible work it was getting this material on to the ground. After we
had finished cutting, and had split out all the posts and rails we
wanted, it was comparatively easy work to punt the stuff into our own
water. But then the carrying up from the landing-place, a quarter-mile
or so, to the spot selected for the stockyard, was a labour indeed. It
took six of us to lift one of the posts, so solid were they, and so
heavy the timber. Old Colonial said--

"We are giving over work, and taking to humping."

This is a bit of pleasantry that only those who have tried it can
understand, for humping timber is one of the most undesirable
occupations possible; as many a galled shoulder and aching back could
testify.

Puriri timber is the strongest and most durable of any in the country.
We knew that kauri would give us less work, but the result would not be
so lasting or satisfactory. Therefore, we elected to go in for puriri.

The posts stand about e