69

CHAPTER XIV.

Leave for Mesopotamia--Road-making--Sheep Mustering--Death
of Dr. Sinclair--Contracts on the Ashburton, etc. 73

CHAPTER XV.

Winter under the Southern Alps--Frost Bite--Seeking Sheep
in the Snow--The Runaway 80

CHAPTER XVI.

Start on Exploring Expedition to the Wanaka Lake 85

CHAPTER XVII.

Exploration Trip continued--Weekas--Inspection of New
Country--Escape from Fire 89

CHAPTER XVIII.

Death of Parker--Royal Mail robbed by a Cat--Meet with
Accident fording River 94

CHAPTER XIX.

The Ghost Story--Benighted in the Snow 99

CHAPTER XX.

Decide to go to India--Visit Melbourne, etc.--Arrival at Bombay 106

List of Illustrations.

SEE PAGE

Harpooning a Shark 7

The Arrival of Lapworth 16

Pat and His Mail Bag Dislodged by a Cat 96

Killing the Wild Sow 34

Encounter with Wild Boar 44

The Baked Steers 49

Seeking Sheep in the Snow 81

The Gold Diggings 67

Peddlars at the Diggings 67

Mesopotamia Station 73

Upper Gorge of the Rangitata 75

Glent Hills Station 97

Introduction.

The islands of New Zealand, discovered by the Dutch navigator, Tasman,
in 1642, and surveyed and explored by Captain Cooke in 1769, remained
unnoticed until 1814, when the first Christian Missionaries landed, and
commenced the work of converting the inhabitants, who, up to that time
had been cannibals.

The Missionaries had been unusually successful, and prepared the way for
the first emigrants, who landed at Wellington in the North Island in
1839. A year later the Maori Chiefs signed a treaty acknowledging the
Sovereignty of Queen Victoria, and the colonisation of the country
quickly followed.

The seat of Government was first placed at Auckland, where resided the
Governor, and there were formed ten provinces under the jurisdiction of
superintendents. The head of the Government was subsequently transferred
to Wellington, the provincial system abolished, and their pow