elegancies for a colonial life, but a few pretty little trifles will
greatly improve the look of even a New Zealand up-country
drawing-room.

You have asked me also about our wardrobes. Gentlemen wear just
what they would on a Scotch or English farm; in summer they require
perhaps a lighter hat, and long rides are always taken in boots and
breeches. A lady wears exactly what would be suitable in the
country in England, except that I should advise her to eschew
muslin; the country outside the home paddock is too rough for thin
material; she also wants thick boots if she is a good walker, and I
find nails or little screws in the soles a great help for
hill-walking. A hat is my only difficulty: you really want a shady
hat for a protection against the sun, but there are very few days in
the year on which you can ride in anything but a close, small hat,
with hardly any brim at all, and even this must have capabilities of
being firmly fastened on the head. My nice, wide-brimmed Leghorn
hangs idly in the hall: there is hardly a morning still enough to
induce me to put it on even to go and feed my chickens or potter
about the garden. This being winter, I live in a short linsey
dress, which is just right as to warmth, and not heavy. It is a
mistake to bring too much: a year's supply will be quite enough;
fresh material can easily be procured in Christchurch or any of the
large towns, or sent out by friends. I find my sewing-machine the
greatest possible comfort, and as time passes on and my clothes need
remodelling it will be still more use ful. Hitherto I have used it
chiefly for my friends' benefit; whilst I was in town I constantly
had little frocks brought to me to tuck, and here I employ it in
making quilted cloth hats for my gentlemen neighbours.