50lb. bag of flour, and did the distance comfortably, earning thereby 30s. I continued to carry from 50 to 70 lbs. for some days, always increasing little by little the weight of my load. As this was the first time such a thing had been attempted on those diggings, I had to undergo a tremendous fire of ‘Joes’ from every chum I passed. The word ‘Joe’ expresses the derision usually bestowed on new chums on the diggings, or any man acting, or dressing, or speaking in any way considered as outré by the diggers themselves. ‘He laughs who wins,’ and as I knew many who thus jeered were glad to get a pound a-day by even harder work than I was doing for double the money, I could afford to laugh with them. After three weeks’ practice, having become known ‘Charley the Packer,’ I had plenty of orders to carry up every description of store, from tea and gin cases, to soap and salt fish, and seldom after that did I shoulder less than 100 lbs. Times getting dull about the Six-mile, I was joined one by one by many others, several of whom had been among the first to ‘Joe’ me at the beginning. Never having strained myself beyond my powers, I did not feel any ill effects from the heavy labour I underwent, though 100 lbs. was a weight which very few cared to carry on such a track. Two men who had taken to this means of gaining their livelihood fell victims of their ambition, for, instead of commencing with the calf and ending with the bull, as I had done, they staggered under the full weight of 100-lb. bags of flour, sugar, &c., till their strength gave way, and their coffins had to be prepared for them. A day or two after the demise of one of these poor fellows I took a bag of flour to Charlie M‘Leod, the storekeeper, who, being a carpenter by trade, did duty when required as an undertaker.
“As I dropped my load inside the door, Charlie looked up from his hammering, and eyeing it where it lay, said, pointing to his work, ‘Thought one was enough, but I guess I’ll want your measure, old hoss, before long;’ and he believed it too.”
23rd February, 1865.—Purchased an allotment for the bank, and put up a small building thereon; size, 12 by 12.
5th March.—Westland goldfields proclaimed first week in March. W. C. Revell appointed resident magistrate and warden, sworn in at Wellington by Judge Johnstone; also appointed Deputy Commissioner of Customs. Messrs. Seed and Limming came down to arrange matters.
6th March.—Purchased the largest parcel of gold that has as yet been sold on the coast—600 ozs.—from a party of miners, four in number, the result of two months’ work. Two steamers off the bar—Nelson and Stormbird. The Nelson tried the bar, stern first. Finding she could not manage it, steamed on to the Grey, followed by the Stormbird. The rush may now be said to be fairly set in. Finding the place going ahead so
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