at this moment, but really I hardly know how we reached the house.
I recollect that the next day there was a great demand for
gold-beater's skin, and court-plaster, and that whenever F--- and
Mr. U--- had a spare moment during the ensuing week, they devoted
themselves to performing surgical operations on each other with a
needle; and that I felt very subdued and tired for a day or two.
But there was no question of fever or cold, and I was stared at when
I inquired whether it was not dangerous to be out all night in heavy
dew after a broiling day.

We had the eels made into a pie by our shepherd, who assured me that
if I entrusted them to my cook she would send me up such an oily
dish that I should never be able to endure an eel again. He
declared that the Maoris, who seem to have rather a horror of
grease, had taught him how to cook both eels and wekas in such a way
as to eliminate every particle of fat from both. I had no
experience of the latter dish, but he certainly kept his word about
the eels, for they were excellent.



Chapter III: Pig-stalking.


It was much too hot in summer to go after wild pigs. That was our
winter's amusement, and very good sport it afforded us, besides the
pleasure of knowing that we were really doing good service to the
pastoral interest, by ridding the hills around us of almost the only
enemies which the sheep have. If the squatter goes to look after
his mob of ewes and lambs in the sheltered slopes at the back of his