March 1866

Thursday 1st  We had several showers during the day.  Continued to dig Potatoes.  Went over to Mrs Kirkbrides in the evening to get some butter, but she had not churned, brought my clean clothes home from Mrs Porters and called in at the Andersons on my way home.

Friday 2nd  Very showery all day, Tom Wyatt went to Pakiri in the afternoon , there were no letters there for me, so I shall have to wait until next mail arrives.

Saturday 3rd  The weather was a little bit finer today; but the wind was very strong.  I gathered some Pea seed in, also some French Beans.

Sunday 4th  It was a beautiful day, so calm and serene, yet not too hot, as there was a nice breeze.  I went over to the Andersons in the afternoon, Jim & I went up to Mrs Kirkbrides where we staid for tea and spent a very pleasant evening, Jim put me across the harbour in McKenzie’s boat.

Monday 5th  The “Stag” called in here on her way to Auckland, Mrs Wyatt & Joe went down by her.
I went over to Mrs Andersons in the afternoon where I staid for tea & Jim returned with me in the evening.

Tuesday 6th  I continued to dig Potatoes.  Mathew Kirkbride came over in the afternoon to return some books I had lent him.

Wednesday 7th  Continued digging Potatoes.  The “Stag” arrived in harbour from Auckland in the evening, she brought several passengers, Mrs Picken came up, also Joe Wyatt but not Mrs W.

Thursday 8th  McKenzie brought a letter for me from Auckland from Mr Combes, Mr Foster is gone to Ceylon and has appointed Combes & Duldy his Agents in town, therefore Mr Combes opened my letter and was kind enough to call at the Post Office to enquire for letters for me, & he enclosed on that he had obtained, it was from Sarah – they are all well at home.

Friday 9th  Went over to Mrs Kirkbrides in the evening to get my allowance of butter, I called in on the Andersons on my way home, they lent me a Weekly News.  The “Stag” went out of Great Omaha in the afternoon

Saturday 10th  Continued digging Potatoes.  Tom Wyatt and I went over to Mr Porters in the evening, I took some soiled clothes.

Sunday 11th  It was a beautiful day.  Jim & Tom Anderson came over in the morning to have a look round.  I went to Mr Wyatts for tea to celebrate Joe’s birthday which happened last week.

Monday 12th  Continued digging Potatoes.  Nothing particular occurred.

Tuesday 13th  Continued digging Potatoes.  A pig got inside my fence & ate a great many pumpkins, vegetable marrows, cucumber, maize etc,  I sent over for Kiri to come and look at the havoc it had done, he came over & promised to fasten it up.

Wednesday 14th  Continued digging Potatoes, they turn out very bad & will not even pay for the labour of digging them up.  There has been a maori schooner in the harbour for the last two days called the “Mavis“.

Thursday 15th  I agreed to give the Wyatts  £1  if they would fall a strip of bush for me on my land next to where they have fell theirs, so that mine will burn off at the same time as theirs.
I cut a large Rock Melon, its dimensions are as follows,  length 9 in,  Girth of length 1ft 11¼in,  Diameter of length  9in,  Girth of breadth 1ft 5½in,  Diameter of breadth 6in.

Friday 16th  I went over to Mrs Kirkbride’s in the afternoon to get some butter and persuaded Mathew & Jim Anderson to come over & have tea with me,  Tom Wyatt came over in the evening & we had a rubber of Whist, they did not leave until a late hour.

Saturday 17th  I went over to Mrs Kirkbrides to tea by invitation , Jim Anderson was also there, Mrs Pickens played on the piano for us & we sang songs.  I spent a very pleasant evening.

Sunday 18th  It was a beautiful day.  I went over to Mrs Andersons in the afternoon, Jim & Tom had gone to Mrs Monkhouse’s to borrow some books, they returned while I was there, I staid for tea.

 Monday 19th  The “Stag” arrived in port in the morning from Auckland,  Sidney Anderson came up with her also a friend of Mr Porters.
I gathered some French Beans from the flat, they have only been planted seven weeks last Friday,  I also gathered all my Broad bean seed from the flat, I got a kit full of sea weed and put it on the dung heap.
I gathered a large Rock Melon, its dimensions are as follows, Diameter of length 7½ inches, Diameter of Breadth 6¼ inches, circumference of length  1 ft 9½ inches, circumference of breadth 1ft 7 inches.
Mr Wyatt, Tom and Joe came over in the evening to have a chat.

Tuesday 20th  It was showery all day.  I gathered some Broad Beans for dinner, they are the second crop.  I fetched up two loads of sea weed.

Wednesday 21st  The “Stag” came in here from Great Omaha en route for Auckland.  The Captain of her called in here for 60 bushels of Maize he had bought of the Maoris to take to town.  My Wyatt, Joe & Mr Porter’s friend went down with him.
I went over to the Andersons in the afternoon, Jim came over here in the evening to get some eggs for Sid who is very ill from dysantry.

Thursday 22nd  I got sea weed up from the beach and made a large dung heap, pulled all the pea-sticks up on the flat, also all the broad beans & weed ready for digging up the ground.

Friday 23rd  Went over to Mrs Kirkbrides in the afternoon for butter, called in at Mrs Porters for my clean clothes, I went to look at their field of Maize at the point, it is the best crop I have seen in New Zealand.  Jim Anderson came over in the evening.

Saturday 24th   The “Stag” arrived in port from Auckland early this morning.  Mr & Mrs Wyatt and Joe came up by her.

Sunday 25th  It was a beautiful day.  Sid Anderson came over here in the morning  & staid for dinner with me.
The “Stag” went round to Great Omaha in the afternoon.
I went over the other side of the harbour in the evening, I called for Jim & we went up to Mrs Kirkbrides & spent a very pleasant evening in conversation.

Monday 26th  I finished making a pig sty next to the duck place.
Jim Anderson came over in the evening.

Tuesday 27th  I gathered in some pea seed and did other odd jobs.
The “Stag” went out of Great Omaha in the morning.  It was a fine day.

Wednesday 28th  I went to Pakiri to see if there were any letters for me, but there were none.  The mail arrived there this morning, but the English mail had not yet arrived in Auckland.
Went over to the Andersons in the evening we had a game of three handed Whist.

Thursday 29th  I was so fatigued with yesterday’s journey that I could do little work.
It looked very thick and lowering all day & we had a few light showers.

Friday 30th  We had a few showers during the day, it looks as though we should have some rough weather.
Gathered in seeds and did other odd jobs.

Saturday 31st  It blew a hurricane last night and all today with driving rain, there is a great sea outside and the waves rise mountains high, and even in the harbour it is very rough for it dragged the anchor of the “Ida  Zeigler” and drover her on the rocks against the ship yard & started one of her planks.
The wind is from the east so that it drives in at the mouth of the harbour.