A First Year in Canterbury Settlement

{1} Project Gutenberg note:  the edition of the book from which this eText was transcribed contained a number of other, unrelated, pieces.  These have been transcribed and are available as separate eTexts.  The pieces on Darwin are in the eText “Pieces on Darwin” and the minor pieces written whilst Butler was at Cambridge University, England, are in the eText “Cambridge Pieces”.—­DP.

{2} See Preface.

{3} August, 1862.—­Since writing the above, matters have somewhat changed.  Firstly, Ewes are fully worth 30s. a head, and are not to be had under.  Secondly, The diggings in Otago have caused the value of wethers to rise, and as they are now selling at 33s. on the runs of the Otago station (I quote the Lyttelton Times, which may be depended upon), and those runs are only very partially stocked, the supply there must in all probability fall short of the demand.  The price of sheep in this settlement is therefore raised also, and likely to continue high.  All depends upon what this next spring may bring forth upon the Otago gold-fields.  If they keep up the reputation which they sustained until the winter caused the diggers to retreat, the price will be high for some few years longer; if they turn out a failure, it must fall before very long.  Still, there is a large and increasing population in Canterbury, and as its sheep-feeding area is as nothing compared with that of Australia, we do not expect sheep here ever to fall as low as they did there before the diggings.  Indeed, they hardly can do so; for our sheep are larger than the Australian, and clip a much heavier fleece, so that their fleece, and skins, and tallow must be of greater value.  Should means be found of converting the meat into portable soup, the carcase of the sheep ought, even at its lowest value, to be considerably higher than 10s.  Nothing is heard about this yet, for the country is not nearly stocked, so that the thing is not needed; but one would, a priori, be under the impression that there should ultimately be no insuperable difficulty in rescuing the meat from waste.  It is a matter which might well attract the attention of scientific men in England.  We should all be exceedingly obliged to them if they would kindly cause sheep to be as high as 15s. or 17s. seven years hence, and I can see no reason why, if the meat could be made use of, they should fall lower.  In other respects, what I have written about sheep on terms is true to the present day.

{4} The above is true to the present day (August, 1862), save that a higher price must be given for the goodwill of a run, and that sheep are fully 30s. a head.  Say 8000 pounds instead of 6000 pounds, and the rest will stand. 8000 pounds should do the thing handsomely.