uring my five years' residence in the
country, and this I will endeavour to do in the next chapter.

CHAPTER V.

WORKING OF A SHEEP-RUN--SCAB--C----'S DEPARTURE FOR HOME, ETC.

The intending squatter might either purchase a sheep run outright, if
opportunity offered, or if he was fortunate enough to discover a tract
of unclaimed country, he could occupy it at once by paying the
Provincial Government a nominal rental, something like half a farthing
an acre. This would only be the goodwill of the land, which was liable
to be purchased outright by anybody else direct from Government, at the
upset price fixed, which in Nelson was one pound per acre for hilly
land, and two pounds for flat land suitable for cultivation. Nobody
could purchase outright a run or portion of it while another occupier
held the goodwill of it without first challenging the latter, who
retained the presumptive right to purchase.

To protect themselves as much as possible from land being purchased away
from them, or from being obliged to purchase themselves, goodwill
holders were in the habit of buying up the best flat land, as well as
making the land around their homesteads private property. A run so
divided and cut up would not be so tempting to a rich man, and would
effectually debar the man of small means, as the present occupier would
not sell his private property unless at a price which would reimburse
him for the loss of his interest in the goodwill of the run, and the
new-comer, if he did not possess the scraps of private property as well
as the remainder of the run, would be continually harassed by the
previous owner occupying the best portions, and would be liable to fine
for trespass, etc.

When a tract of country is occupied for the first time, it will usually
be found covered with tussocks of grass scattered far apart and lying
matted and rank on the ground. The first thing to do is to apply the
match and burn all clean to the roots, and after a few showers of rain
the grass will begin to sprout from the burnt stumps. Then the sheep are
turned on to it, and the cropping, tramping, and manuring it receives,
with occasional further burnings, renders it in a couple of years fair
grazing country. An even sod takes the place of the isolated tussock,
and the grass from being wild and unsavoury becomes sweet and tender.

It takes, however, three to five years to transform a wild mountain side
(if the land be moderately good) in