Page:Charleston • Irwin Faris • (1941).pdf/47

 fortune might, or might not, await them—if not, they would seek one elsewhere.

The scenes of those first few months of settlement can only be surmised; no participant lives to tell of them, and none has written of them. To-day imagination fails to recreate the atmosphere or picture the drama. One thought occupied all minds, talk had but one topic, gold; gold that meant the fulfilment of many day-dreams, a life of ease, a home in the land of birth, maybe to be shared with one already selected; and much else.

Strangely, no thought was given to the possible existence of hostile natives. This unconcern was justified; no Maoris lived about Charleston either then or later, their nearest village being at Tauranga Bay.

About 1834 Niho and Takerei passed over the pakihi which was eventually the site of Charleston, and rumour has it that human bones have been found along their track, but no clash between Maori and white settler ever occurred on the South-West Coast.

Close to Constant Bay, on its southern side, is Ussher’s Rock, a jutting crag from which a well-known musician of that name lost his life while fishing. To the north of Second Bay, on Point Robertson, were the “Fishing Rocks” or “Cod Rocks,” ledges in the cliffs, from which many fished, and from which several lost their lives; Mr. P. Kilmartin being one of the latter. The fish caught were mostly red cod.

Like other coastal towns of mushroom growth with access to the sea, such as Westport, Greymouth and Hokitika, the first settlement at Charleston was about its port, the bay. On the first survey plan the numbering of sections started from there, those close to the beach and on the flat above it being from 1 to 102, the distinction of holding No. 1 falling to Charles Craddock. Apparently Darkie’s Terrace Road and the old Buller Road were not at first much occupied, as no section numbers were allotted to them on this plan. Later, both were closely occupied. Before long the centre of the town was in Prince’s Street East, then called Main Street, in Camp Street, and in Rotten Row then called Coal Street. A road, Prince’s Street West, the bay end of which was called