Five Years in New Zealand / 1859 to 1864

ame to

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 attaine

o my boyish and quixotic notions of being the arbiter of my own fortunes. I recollect I was much given to reading tales of wild life in America and elsewhere; they co

nced so far, and go away to the antipodes on a mere wild-goose chase, etc. On consulting his friends, however, many advised him to let me have my will; others (more wisely perhaps) expre

was at that time about fourteen years' old, and was highly thought of as a field for youthful enterprise, and it was t

as six years my senior, and had had considerable experience in farming, so was considered very suitable

booked by the good ship "Mary Anne," to sail from

nd act as I would was exhilarating. I felt that I had already attained to manhood, and that the world was at my feet, and a glorious life before me; well, I sup

and fishing-rods, visited the various animals in the stables, gave a loving embrace to the great Newfoundland Juno, whom I could not hope to see again, submitted to be blessed and kisse

e my eldest brother accompanied us. My father and mother, havin

a foggy, wet and dismal morning. My mercantile brother, Tom, came on board, and had all our belongings speedily conveyed to the lodgings we were to occupy during our stay. On the following day my father and mother arrived, and we spent a few days pleasantly seeing t

ation, where they were to bid us God-speed. I was in good spirits till then, but when on the railway platform, a few minutes before the train started, my dear mother fairly broke do

ed for the docks, and before bed-time had made acqua

tives, the kissings and blessings and cryings, mingled with the shouting of sailors, hauling in of cargo and luggage, and general noise and

, and when we awoke next morning, off Gravesend, we were disappointed at ha

le breeze, and the pilot left us in view (it might be

and adventures; and although I did not find the fortune at once which I thought was waiting for me to pick up, I found that there is always a fortune, be it great or small