up to the camp in person and invite my men." I accepted his invitation, but towards the Monday evening a drizzling rain set in and damped my hopes. Before dusk I said to my host I must leave, as I could not make my way in the darkness that was fast gathering. He replied, "Have patience; tea will soon be ready, and the sky may clear when the hour of starting has come." Hill and vale were full of mist and drizzling rain, but on going out I found to my surprise a guard of honour ready to conduct me, each man having in his hand an old brandy bottle with a short lighted candle stuck in it. My guard and guides formed no inconsiderable part of my audience. The lecture met with some acceptance, and the collection amounted to £4, which I laid out in the purchase of a good-sized Bible, hymn books, and additional seats. When I recall my Kingston visit—as I often do—I see the minister of Queenstown sitting in the lonely schoolhouse with five boys around him, praying with them, and showing them pictorial illustrations of good men and wisdom in action; and I see also Mr Blair's men with their colonial lanterns guiding me to the lecture-room, and honouring me by standing a whole hour while I told them as vividly as I could the story of the colonisation of Virginia. I bless the Lord for the pioneer ministers and the pioneer settlers, and for their anxiety to secure for themselves and their children the beneficent institutions of education and religion. Great is our indebtedness to them.[1]
On another occasion I spent ten days at Kinloch, at the upper end of Lake Wakatipu. As I was to be there over the Sabbath, I agreed at the request of the settlers to hold Divine service, mine host offering his dining-room for our accommodation. The weather was exceedingly fine. A young man, some ten days previously, was riding along close to the side of the lake near the sawmill, when the horse suddenly swerved towards the water, and in a minute man and horse
- ↑ A public school was established at Queenstown, Lake Wakatipu, as early as 1864, the zealous and energetic committee having secured a vacant hotel for a schoolhouse, and the services of Mr John Brown, a teacher of more than ordinary ability and skill. When at Queenstown in 1865 I ascertained from an inspection of the school records that the school had been visited by Sir William Fox some months previously, and that he had left an entry in the visitors' book somewhat to the effect that he was greatly pleased to find a school in operation in so remote a locality, and that the scholars were so skilfully and successfully instructed in a number of useful subjects. He added that he was particularly delighted to see that the building had been diverted from its original purpose of a house for the sale of intoxicating drinks to that of a school for the children of the district.—J.H.
