eared sufficiently satisfactory and encouraging to justify
our making immediate arrangements for transporting ourselves thither.

CHAPTER XI.

OUR EVENTFUL JOURNEY TO THE LINDIS GOLD DIGGINGS.

The Lindis was one hundred and twenty miles inland from Dunedin. There
was no road, and but for a portion of the way up the valley of the
Waitaki only a rough bullock dray track leading to some isolated sheep
and cattle stations, beyond which there was literally no track at all.
The country was mountainous, and early winter having set in, it was
supposed that much of the higher latitudes would be covered with snow,
but beyond the fact that numbers of pedestrians had during the past
fortnight proceeded towards the Lindis, and that a ship-load of diggers
had arrived from Victoria and were hourly leaving the town, we had
nothing reliable to guide us. We heard that the few sheep-farmers on the
route were much opposed to the influx of diggers, and had publicly
notified that they would not encourage or give them any accommodation on
their stations. This was alarming for the time, but fortunately the
information proved correct in only one instance. It led us, however, to
make such preparation for our journey as would render us to a great
extent independent of assistance on the way.

We purchased a strong one-horse dray which we loaded with about 10 cwt.
of provisions, in the form of flour, tea, sugar, salt, ship biscuits, a
small quantity of spirits for medicinal use and tobacco. Also two small
calico tents, some cooking utensils and blankets, with bush tools,
spades, picks, and axes.

Legge's horse had been broken to harness, and mine was an excellent
draught horse. I omitted to mention that at Timaru I had exchanged my
mare for a strong gelding which had previously run in the mail cart,
getting L10 boot. The swap proved a fortunate one for us, as neither
Smith's nor Fowler's animals had ever been in harness, and "Jack the
Devil" was out of the question. Legge's horse and mine therefore were
destined for the dray, tandem fashion, and upon trial they pulled
splendidly.

When the dray was loaded and covered over with a large waterproof
tarpaulin, and our two fine horses yoked thereto, it looked a very
business-like turn-out. Two of us took it in turn to walk beside the
horses and conduct the team, while the other two rode, accompanied by
"Jack," his pack-saddle laden with our needs for the day and night
halts.

One