Letter from Robert Clapham Barstow to his family in England
Written at Tamaki, but refers to Great Barrier Island, the struggles of farming, staff, and his being restrained by the French authorities at Tahiti for a year.
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BEVIS [?] Ridgemount, Tamaki,
Auckland, New Zealand
1st April 1847
My dear Lizzie,
Many thanks for your letter, my own dear sister. You see instead of dating mine from a “Hill”, I begin with a “mount”: I named the place from the land dividing from a ‘mount’ into four distant ‘ridges’ just where my present house and farm building are situate: looking from the low land it presents something of this appearance:
>Small simple sketch of property<
the higher line being the mount at the north end of my land, the lower one being a section about a quarter of a mile to the southward: on No 1 are sown some of the grass seeds my dear Mother sent me : at one time I feel from the long continuance of drought that I should have lost them all, but the late wet weather has revived some; on No 2 my house, mens house, kitchen, barn, granary, stable, pig styes, poultry house, carpenter’s shop, dairy etc, etc,; No 3 and the hollows on each side of it are covered with wood, and my garden and orchard are situate there; no 4 was a wheat field last year — about a quarter of a mile lower the land becomes flat,and a little stream crosses the farm, so far my land is fenced in and under cultivation, except the wood, which I reserve both for ornament and use, firewood being by no means plentiful (for this is not a forest district), and coals are too dear, about £2.10 a ton. This year I shall have in this fence about 40 acres of grass land and 20 acres of oats, wood, garden and homestead about 10 acres, in all 70. I have another field of 40 acres end at a short distance, but as yet only half of it is ploughed: I shall sow my wheat the next week if we have fine weather.
You ask me whether the haws have grown: none of them came up, but nevertheless I have some hedge planted, and intend to set much more this winter: as I can manage to prune them without gloves, I gave them to my little wife, who sends her love to you [and] them, and says that she will think of you every time she cuts a rose bush.
I think my poultry yard is larger than yours. I have 10 geese, 7 turkeys, 2 guinea fowl and 5 young ones, about 60 ducks, and I am afraid to say how many cocks and hens, perhaps nearly 200, and I must not forget to add 6 pairs of pigeons. I can’t tell you how many pigs I have sometimes only one or two, at other times 20 or 30, at present I kill one every week for my people and ourselves. I have not many cattle at this place 2 or 3 cows for milk and 10 bullocks to work, but at an island, about sixty miles from this I have 150 bulls, cows, calves etc.
Robert and Jane (nee Hulme) Barstow circa 1846
Photo Roger and Ann Beament Collection- copyright
I think I have told you all the news of the live animals, no not quite: We have 4 dogs and 2 puppies, Rodney, a large Newfoundland dog, Lion a large dog for catching pigs or driving cattle, Grace, a little Scotch terrier, a great ratcatcher, and Mouche, a black Spaniel, and her 2 puppies. Cats, Pinkie, a tortoiseshell lady with a family, Tib, a grey lady, Tittence, a grey and white and Mister Dick, a beautiful black and white gentleman, generally to be found on an evening on his master’s lap, besides at the cattle station dogs and cats without end. But for these useful animals the rats and mice would pull us out of bed.
Now for my garden; the rain has made everything green again, and I have plenty of cabbage, vegetable marrows, which thrive here beautifully, cucumbers and melons, an orchard full of trees but too young to bear: all the same fruits grow here that you have, but have not been brought to the same perfection yet: how is the orchard that was made by the gardener’s house? Are you more fond of gardening than you used to be?
Mushrooms are very plentiful in this country, I have been feasting on them to a great extent and made a good deal of Ketsup.
In case, my dear Lizzie, this letter to you should reach you before any [?] other others answering receipt of the box kindly brought me by Captain Stanley, you must thank my dear Mother and Annie for me for their very acceptable presents: tell my Mam that my old slippers are even yet in good condition so that these last are laid up for holidays and bonfire night: many thanks too for the books, I have just finished reading one, Kohl’s travel in Ireland (?) I am much interested by it.
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April 12, 1847. My dear Mother. I much regret that my letters should have miscarried, particularly that detailing my adventures in Tahiti, since from the lapse of time, I shall not now be able to give you so lucid an account, as when all the events, from their recentness, were more vivid in my recollection. Such however from the remarkableness of their nature are more deeply impressed I will hereafter endeavour to narrate. That you may less wonder at the non-arrival of my letters, I will tell you how many from you have reached me, since the packet brought out by Mr Smith and dated on May 10th until the arrival of the box brought by Captain Stanley. I from you June 19th - 1 from Wm Septr 2nd? 1 from Tom not dated. Nor, I am sure from the references in these, that others were written; besides 3 in 5 months is so much below the general number. I arrived at Tahiti in October (?) shortly after the battle of Lahaina, in which the French had decidedly the worst, and at a time when the greatest jealousy existed towards the English, both from the French and the natives; the former dreading the interference of our government, the latter mistrusting the ill-advised promises made by Pritchard
George Pritchard
to them. I reported myself to the authorities, and requested leave to reside on shore until I could find an opportunity of proceeding thither. I also called on Miller (a general in the Chilian service, the British Consul General for the west coast of South America and the South Sea Islands, and who throughout his sojourn proved a most kind friend. To this call it was, and the friendship subsequent to it, that I was in great measure indebted to the indignities offered me by the French authorities; for not daring to wreak their vengeance on him, they redoubled their endeavours to annoy him thro’ me. The main cause of the obstacles thrown in the way of my return to this place, I did not discover til some time after I had made my escape from Tahiti. This was it. A vessel (brig Diana) arrived a day or two after that in which I had come, from New Zealand, and brought a report that Pomare, the Chief of the Bay of Islands, had written to Pomaciette [Queen Pomare of Tahiti-dja] offering..[to come?]....with all his warriors and exterminate the French.
Chief Pomare
It was known that I had been in N.Zd, and had expressed my intention of returning. I was the friend of the consul, thro’ whom the communication, to give it weight, would have been made. It was an easy way for the English to give the promised assistance, and yet not embroil them with the French, at the same time getting rid of a troublesome subject: there could be no doubt therefore that I was the organ of this intrigue. A report of my having been an artillery officer ..[served?]..to confirm it. What should they do? Prevent me by all means from returning hither, and how could it be done better than by retaining me there. But three vessels only left Tahiti for either Sidney or N.Zd during my years sojourn there, the almost invariable route for those arriving being to proceed to the Sandwich Isles, and return thence, owing to the course of the trade winds. I was unwilling to go by this route at first, tho’ could I have found a vessel in which I could have engaged a passage thro to Sidney, I should have embraced the opportunity; but no Captain would say for certain that he might take a charter for some other place. Of these 3 chances, one I did not hear of until too late (being then in Eimeo) the 2nd on my giving notice at the police office of my intention, which you must do eight days before you leave, I was summoned as a witness in a case of which I knew nothing, and had never be in the neighbourhood of the alleged locale. In vain I declared my ignorance of the matter, I must find security for my appearance and when I demurred, they confined me in the Guard House till the ship sailed. The third would not take any passenger (besides which I had the rheumatism so badly, as to be unable to move from bed) to prevent the trade becoming known. I had no opportunity of getting away. Even when I left at last it was only by taking a canoe from the beach and paddling out, after gunfire (5 o’clock) by before daylight to a vessel which had gone out the night before and hove to during the night for me. I had endeavoured by the kindness of the Captn.who brought me from Valparaiso, to find some vessel at the Sandwich Islands for Sidney, he giving me a passenger cap(?) for my company’s sake, but there being no chance there, I returned with him, not being aware then of “the down” the French had upon me. Again as to letters, since every Captn was obliged to deliver all his letters to the Police (who did not even respect the American seal) and under a heavy penalty received none but such as were sent thence. French ships occasionally, for the sake of the …[?]. .bribing so to do and afterwards informing) and every letter forwarded being required to be sent open, of course only such as they pleased were forwarded.
Apr.15th. After my letter had advanced to this stage, the Missionary Brig ‘Wesley’ brought me letters from Tom, my Father and yourself. I rejoice that one at least of the missing letters has turned up, and as the account of my Tahitian adventure was written much about the same time, and to the best of my recollection sent by the same opportunity, I don’t
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doubt but that long ere this, you are in possession of them. I shall therefore change my subject; many thanks for the slippers, I have tried them on and they fit beautifully: for the towels and socks too I suppose I am indebted to you; many, many thanks for them. You kindly offer to send out anything I may want. I tell you what I am much in need of, a good servant or servants. Mrs Lockwood who cooks become too idle, fat and impertinent; yet such is the scarcity of maids here I am obliged to put up with it. My wife’s damsel, a girl of 14, has £12 a year, and thinks it too little. I have mentioned it to my father; but as the women, for a cook is more what I want than anything else, I should not care, provided her husband was sober and honest, what he might be fit for; in a country like this you can always find some occupation; milker, bullock driver, besides in another year, I must have horse and vehicle; I think an outside car.
A very serious fever has broken out at the college; they have 15 or 16 sick; the rest have been sent away: but one death as yet, but more are despaired, bad water is said to have been one of the causes; their wells having failed, this dry summer. Should this letter reach you in time, could you send me out some time or other some acorns, chestnuts, sycamore and ash seeds, holly berries as such are scarce and valuable here. I should like to try the larch and scotch fir, tho’ only for variety and ornament, the cowrie being so much superior for timber. All my old English friends are marrying. Are Polly and Lizzie to be old maids? I have broken the ice.
You seem anxious to know what has become of Willy Lockwood. I endeavoured for some time to teach him, but found him so idle and inattentive, and that my even speaking crossly to him, was such a sore subject to his Mother (tho’ she thrashes him unmercifully) that I gave it up. Mrs L is a shocking bad butter maker, and can’t or won’t cure bacon, or even salt pork, unless I stand by and see it done. I do think her now the most self-willed, perverse woman I ever saw, yet still in a country like this, fidelity is a great thing, and on that point I can speak highly of her.
My dear Father, many thanks for your long letter, and all the news contained there to answer it, I will begin at the end and work backwards. How strange that I should have come to the same conclusion with regard to matrimony that pervades all the letters I have of late received from home, and that while you were all suggesting I should be carrying into effect your wishes. May I live as long and prosperously both in the eyes of God and Man with my dear little wife, as you and our dear Mother have done. I don’t see any immediate probability of my making a grandfather of you. The next matter of importance is that of sending one of my brothers out as this is a measure not likely to be carried into instant effect, I shall take a longer time to give you a full opinion, mentioning these leading considerations that if he is to reside with me at all, he should neither be too old nor too young say 15 or 16 on arrival: older he would not be so ready to follow advice, or attend to directions: younger, would not be attended to by those whom he might superintend. 2nd disposition and constitution must be considered; for if intended for stock-keeping or farming, he must not dread exposure to weather, nor dread a good day work. Wm. would be too fond of the chimney corner in wet weather) next, as to pro?
I cannot say much has been made by anyone farming; but even on the face of very high wages, most are beginning to make. Until this year we have had no good mills, our grain being exported to Sidney, and thence returned as flour. The price of wheat has been in April ‘45, 3/6 pr bl. ‘46, 4/6; this year 5/6. I do not doubt when we have another good mill, so as to cause competition, that the price will be still higher. Since the establishment of breweries here and the importation and use of horses, barley and oats have advanced even more in proportion than wheat. Maoris labour is daily becoming cheaper and better; that is, tho’ the wages are higher, you now get more work for your money. I cut all my crops and dug my potatoes with native labour last year, and may employ them to thresh, which they do as well as whites. I do not look forward to fortune making here, but from the higher rate of interest here, and the greater profit in every way in which you employ capital, combined with the cheapness of living, a man can live here as well upon £100 pr an, as in England on £500. You make some sad mistakes in your letter when you say you have not cattle enough. There will always be a fair market for beef from whalers. I have not, for the last 6 months ever had less than 150 head of
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cattle, and but 11 whalers have ever visited Auckland. I have not yet enquired from the ..?... the exact consumption of these vessels, but I suspect that neither beef nor mutton found their way into one half of them; pork is their food, and the maoris supply that cheaper than we can. One other observation I must correct. You don’t blame the company, and advice the concentration of their settlements. You are perhaps not aware that the population of both Wellington and Nelson are on the decrease. Why? there is not sufficiency available land to support the places. At former, the much talked of Hutt valley commences at a distance of 10 miles and in extent is not half the size of the parish of Fulford; besides the river floods itself annually, destroying not the crops only but the houses of the settlers. The
Wairapapa and Widerib valleys are fine districts for grazing, but belong to the natives and are upwards of 50 miles distant. How would you like to be concentrated at York and farm at Masham, with no road to get there? Many of the allotments sold by the N.Zd. Company are not more adapted for farming than the cliffs of Flamborough. There are many allotments on which a man could scarcely stand without holding on! At Nelson, many of the occupation and all the country sections are above 30 miles without either roads or water carriage. - I should have thought the name of Wakefield would have been sufficient to make you distrust the book he has published. I know the man well and a nice lively fellow he is, with plenty of sense which he endeavours turn to his own advantage — talk to him about “town allotments” and you would so know why he wrote. As I am starting tomorrow to my cattle station and may remain there some time. I might as well mention that should you think of one of my brothers coming out, I should not recommend his studying farming at home beyond the manual part. We have had so many out here and they think they know so much that, for the first two or three years, they will adopt English methods, which will not answer here. We the earlier (there were very few on their farms when I came) farmers have learnt by experience, and those who are conscious of their own ignorance are always more ready to learn than the self conceited.
Lockwood has always been an excellent servant, but of his wife I cannot say much, had it not been for his sake I should not have endured her so long, the end of this year will certainly see us separated. If Geo Lockwood is not coming out to me, am I asking too much of you to engage a married couple for me. The man as ploughman and head farm servant, his wife for the dairy. I would give house and £60 per ann. besides paying their passage if they would stay three years. And now my dear father, with my best love to all, my dear relations and friends etc.
This letter is one of several dozen that includes some written from Great Barrier Island and found very recently. The letters are from the Roger and Ann Beament Collection and permission to copy this material must be obtained from them.
I appreciate the assistance of Roger Beament. - Don Armitage October 2008.
Barstow escaped from Tahiti on the Star of China, master Howard Douker
You will hear much more about the Barstows over time. - DJA.
