Page:Reminiscences of Earliest Canterbury 1915.pdf/87

 In the year 1862 we had the heaviest fall of snow on record since the advent of the Whites. Three feet of snow lay on the Peninsula ranges up to October 1st. Then followed the driest summer on record, during which there was great destruction of forest throughout the Peninsula. The snow in the first instance broke many branches, which, drying during the hot summer, formed a natural tinder, and increased the spread of fires. This was the year in which so many native birds disappeared by emigration, on account of the destruction of their food. Some idea of the dryness of this 1862-3 summer may be gathered from the fact that from September until March nth there was only one shower of rain, which occurred on December 23rd, 1862, and, being a thunder shower, lasted only for an hour. On March 11th just enough rain fell to check the fires. No heavy rain fell until July.

February, 1863, was the hottest month we have ever had. I can remember at this time driving a team of eight bullocks, pulling a sledge laden with two and a-half cords of split black pine firewood. The runners passed over a piece of rotten wood about six inches long, which immediately took fire