experience, and one which we would have been sorry to have missed.

I found home letters awaiting me, with renewed requests from my father
to return while there was time to resume my studies, and offering me
further assistance if I needed it. I declined all, feeling that I could
not now renounce the life I had chosen, and it would not be right of me,
in opposition to his opinion, to accept any financial assistance even
had I needed it, which was not the case. I had tried most phases of a
colonial life, had gained a great deal of experience, and knew that I
could always obtain remunerative employment, and after I had enjoyed a
little more rambling and freedom I could decide on some fixed line to
settle down upon. In the meantime there was no immediate hurry, and I
was very young.

CHAPTER XIV.

LEAVE FOR MESOPOTAMIA--ROAD MAKING--SHEEP MUSTERING--DEATH OF
DR. SINCLAIR--ROAD CONTRACTS ON THE ASHBURTON--WASHED DOWN STREAM.

I had only been a few days in Christchurch when I met a Mr. Butler whom
I had once before seen up-country. He immediately offered me a post on
his run at L60 a year, with all expenses paid, which I could hold for as
long or short time as I needed. This exactly suited me in my present
circumstances. I accepted his offer and started the following day for
Mesopotamia, as he had quaintly named his station; it lay between two
rivers.

[Illustration: MESOPOTAMIA STATION.]

Mr. Samuel Butler was a grandson of the late famous Bishop Butler. He
had come to New Zealand about a year previously with a small fortune
which, as he said, he intended to double and then return home, and he
did so in a remarkably short time. Immediately he landed he made himself
acquainted with the maps and districts taken up, and rode many hundreds
of miles prospecting for new country. His energy was rewarded by the
discovery of the unclaimed piece of mountain land he now occupied near
the upper gorge of the Rangitata. The run, which comprised about 8,000
acres, formed a series of spurs and slopes leading from the foot of the
great range and ending in a broad strip of flat land bounded by the
Rangitata. Upon two other sides were smaller streams, tributaries of the
latter--hence the name Mesopotamia (between the rivers) given to it by
its energetic possessor. Mr. Butler had been established upon the run
about a year, and had already about 3,000 sheep on it. The homestead was
built upon a little plateau on the edg