pable; these classes go to the bad quickest in the Colonies. There
is no place or shelter for them there, where only honest workers are
wanted or tolerated.

For the man who is prepared to put his hand to anything he finds to do,
and can be trusted, there is always employment and promotion waiting;
but for him who is too proud or too lazy to work, or who prefers to
fritter his time in dissipation and amusement, there is nothing but
failure and ruin ahead.

My advice does not apply either to those who have _good_ prospects,
professional or otherwise, in this country, and whose duties call them
to remain, but to the thousands of the middle and lower classes who are
not so circumstanced, and it must be remembered that the men who are
specially and constantly needed in the Colonies are those of the
labouring and farming classes, or who may intend to adopt that life and
are fitted for it by health and will. For the artisan and the
professional who can only work at their own trade or profession, the
openings naturally are not so plentiful, but there is abundance of
employment for them until openings occur, if they choose to occupy their
time otherwise in the meanwhile.

For the young man who can afford the time, and many can, a few years'
fling in the Colonies would be the best of educations, but he should
determine to see all that was to be seen on the spot, and take part in
all that was doing, and not rest content only with a few days' sojourn
in an hotel here and there, or joining in the gaieties and dissipations
of the towns.

CHAPTER I.

HOW I CAME TO EMIGRATE.

I was one of a family of nine, of which four were sons. My eldest
brother was destined for the Church; the second had entered a mercantile
house in Liverpool; and I, who was third on the list, it was my father's
intention, should be educated for the Royal Engineers, and at the time
my story opens I was prosecuting my studies for admission to the Academy
at Woolwich, and had attained the age of sixteen, when my health failed,
and I was sent home for rest and change. I did not again resume my
studies, because it was soon after decided that I should emigrate to New
Zealand.

The decision was principally, if not entirely, due to my own wishes. I
had long entertained a strong bent to seeing the world for myself, and
the idea was congenial to my boyish and quixotic notions of being the
arbiter of my own fortunes. I recollect I was much given to re