June
I staid in Auckland six weeks but not having this book there I could not keep my diary. Two English mails arrived whilst I was there.
I spent a few days at Onehunga with Mr Philp. The rest of the time I lodged at Mrs Stewarts, Barrack Street, Mr Foster lodges there also. I went to the theatre once with Mr Foster & altogether I enjoyed my visit very much.
Monday 5th Mr Foster and I left Auckland for little Omaha by the “Ono“, John the Portuguise is Captain of her, Mr Wilson also went down with us.
Tuesday 6th We had a head wind so we had to tack, we went inside the Kawau and saw the Hot Springs, Mahurangi, Matakana etc.
Wednesday 7th We arrived at Little Omaha at one oclock in the morning, Mr Foster and I went ashore, after having some supper we went to bed for a few hours. Mr Foster & Mr Wyatt went out to shoot pigeons, but they could not see any. We went to the Wyatts in the evening.
Thursday 8th I took Mr Foster a walk over by Red Kenneth’s to the sawyers whares & up to the pit. We went over to the Andersons in the evening.
Friday 9th Mr Foster & I went out to shoot pigeons, but the wind was so high there were not any to be seen.
Saturday 10th Mr Foster and the Wyatts went out shooting pigeons, they shot four between them. Mr Foster returned to Auckland by the “Isabella“, he took the four pigeons with him also a collection of ferns for Alice Combes. Mr Wilson also returned to Auckland.
Sunday 11th It rained all day. I went to the Andersons for tea.
Monday 12th Alfred and I got some seed in and weeded the garden on the flat.
Tuesday 13th The “Isabella” arrived from Auckland, Mr Foster sent me up some grass seed & matches. Alfred & I got up the Pork & Potatoes from the rocks. In the afternoon we began to clear down below.
Wednesday 14th Alfred went with the Wyatts to Pakiri to bring their boat home, they shot two goats and brought home a live kid and a kingfisher. I cleared down below and burnt up a great deal of rubbish.
Thursday 15th We cleared down below and burnt up all the rubbish. I shall sow all that hill down in grass, the little flat I shall keep for a garden for the present.
Friday 16th Made some Pie Melon jam in the morning and cleared down below in the afternoon. The little kid is getting on very well, but we have lost the Kingfisher.
Saturday 17th Cleaned the house out and brought the Vegetable Marrows in, I think I have had about a hundred altogether. Went to the Wyatts in the evening.
Sunday 18th Went to see the Porter’s and the Andersons in the afternoon, Jim gave me some French Bean seed and lent me a Weekly News.
Monday 19th Continued to clear down below and burn the rubbish up. I intend to enlarge the garden down there and to plant it with Potatoes and Wheat as soon as possible.
Tuesday 20th Continued to clear down below and burn off. Went to the Wyatts at night.
Wednesday 21st The shortest day. We may now expect the days to lengthen after this. It rained all night but the day was very fine. We continued to clear etc.
Thursday 22nd Continued to clear and burn off down below. We had a few showers during the day.
Friday 23rd Continued to clear and burn off down below. I went over to Mrs Porters in the afternoon & she gave me some Raspberry plants. I also went to the Andersons and they gave me a crown Pumpkin for the seed and they lent me their weighing machine. In the evening Alfred and I weighed my Pie Melons, I have altogether 450½ lbs or 4 Cwt 10½ lbs, I have eaten 6 middle sized ones that I have not recorded. The largest one weighed 42 lbs the second largest 38 lbs & the third 35 lbs. The smallest one that I weighed was 5 lbs. I weighed 22 Pie Melons and if they had weighed ½ lb more between the 22 they would have averaged 20½ lbs all round.
The “Isabella” sailed for Auckland this morning.
Saturday 24th We did not do anything particular making Pies, Bread, Meat etc & a little washing. It was a beautiful day, nice and warm out of doors.
Sunday 25th It was a beautiful day. Jim and Sid Anderson came over to see me in the afternoon. The “Isabella” arrived from Auckland. Mr Foster very kindly sent me up a few oranges & Saturday’s Herald. Both were a great treat.
I had tea at the Wyatts and spent the evening there.
Monday 26th We continued clearing and burning off down below in the morning. In the afternoon it was so wet that we could not work out of doors, it rained all evening and part of the night.
Tuesday 27th It was very showery all day. We continued clearing below. There is a Schooner lying in the harbour now, she has been there ever since Sunday. I saw a Barque going to Auckland.
Wednesday 28th It was very showery all day, we were not able to work out of doors so we had to find something to do in the house. We made some jam in the evening.
The Schooner that is lying in the harbour proves to be the “Helen” bound for Whangaroa. The “Isabella” is also still in the harbour.
Thursday 29th The “Helen” went out of harbour this morning. It was showery as usual, but we were able to clear away down below. I took my cross cut saw over to the Wyatts to get sharpened.
Friday 30th It blew very hard all night and the rain came down in torrents, the house shook very much & I was rather afraid for our safety. The “Dot” had come into harbour during the night for shelter, she had to run from Pakiri without her load on account of the strong wind. The cutter “Henry Havelock” also came in for shelter, she was bound from Auckland to Mangapai with twenty Government emigrants, she had got as far as the Hen & Chickens when the wind came on so strong that she had to run down here for shelter. The immigrants came ashore.
It was very windy and showery all day. We set fire to the large Porticover tree near the slip, it burnt very well and most of the branches fell before we went to bed .