days. These stages brought us to the foot of the Dunstan Range, and
near the gold-diggings of that name. I would fain have turned aside
to see them, but we had not time. However, we felt the auriferous
influence of the locality; for a perfect stranger came up to us,
whilst we were baiting at another place, called the Kaiwarara
diggings, and offered to buy our horses from us for 30 pounds each,
and also to purchase our saddles and bridles at a fair price. This
was exactly what we wanted, as we had intended to sell them at
Dunedin; and I was no ways disinclined to part with the Hermit; who
retained the sulky, misanthropical temper which had earned him his
name. He was now pronounced "fit to carry a lady," and purchased to
be sold again at the diggings. Whether there were any ladies there
or not I cannot tell. Of course, before parting with our nags we
ascertained that the ubiquitous "Cobb's coach" started from our
resting place for Dunedin next day, and we made the rest of our
journey in one of that well-known line. Its leathern springs,
whilst not so liable to break by sudden jolts, impart a swinging
rocking motion to the body of the vehicle, which is most
disagreeable; but rough and rude as they are, they deserve to be
looked upon with respect as the pioneers of civilization. All over
America, Australia, and now New Zealand, the moment half-a-dozen
passengers are forthcoming, that moment the enterprising firm starts
a coach, and the vehicle runs until it is ousted by a railway. All
previous tracks which I had journeyed over seemed smooth turnpike
roads, compared to that terrible tussocky track which led to
Dunedin.

But that bright little town was reached at last, the hotel welcomed
us, tired and bruised travellers that we were, and next evening we
started in the _Geelong_ for Port Lyttleton. This little coasting