Page:Discovery of the West Coast Gold-Fields Waite 1869.pdf/8

8 launched his little dingy on the bar, to carry out a kedge. After we had got as close as we could, we hove manfully on the windlass, and worked her over the bar amidst the clamour and cheers of the hungry diggers who were watching us. While we were still in the roll of the sea canoes came alongside; off went the hatches, and out went the flour and other provisions. A line was taken ashore, and lots of eager hands were ready to pull. There had been a whaleboat there, belonging to the Maoris, but she had been started off to Nelson by sea, and a letter forwarded by Mrs. Waite to the Superintendent, praying him to send a steamer at once. The whaleboat reached Nelson without seeing us, which caused some excitement in the town. The Superintendent, Mr. Robinson, promptly replied to the letter, by sending the steamer Storm Bird, with Mr. Burnett in charge, but we had succeeded in getting in before she arrived; nevertheless our small community were truly grateful for the prompt measures taken to render succour in the hour of distress, and it also shewed how different is the course of action pursued by different heads of power, in giving their attention to the welfare of the subject. When I got ashore, I found the baker already making dampers in his oven, for when he saw the vessel so close, he lit his fire for baking. Mrs. Waite had offered a pound to the first man who brought the news that the vessel was in sight. There were eight claimants for the pound, so they got a pound of potatoes each, which was as good to them as a pound note. For a long time there had been nothing but potatoes left, and of these there was a scarcity; money or no money, one man got no more than another, and that was only about a pound a day. Imagine then the luxury it must have been to the half-famished beings to see within their reach the long-looked for objects of their hopes, worth more at the time than all the gold in the district. Imagine the watery mouths, and countless visions of hot dampers and baked potatoes; then at night the peaceful slumbers and dreams of brighter days, after the boundless pleasure of having one good feed in three months. Oh! none can really appreciate the luxury of a good meal, unless they have sorely suffered from the want of it; not merely for a day or so as some of our easy gentlemen may chance to do while sporting—that merely sharpens the appetite—but for weeks and weeks, as often fell to our lot in the early days of the coast. The diggers had scattered themselves along the coast with the Maoris, getting mussels and other native food. The Maoris deserve great praise for the help they gave by bringing in lots of eels, nikau, pipis, &c., which they gave away freely to the pakehas. As soon as the natives along the coast saw the vessel, they all made their way to the port. All my poultry had been killed, and the pigs, goats, and some cows. Some three cows were spared, because there were white women and children on the Buller, and these three cows were left on account of the milk they were giving. There was a lot of damaged flour, which