was rewarded by the discovery of the unclaimed piece of mountain land he now occupied near the upper gorge of the Rangitata.  The run, which comprised about 8,000 acres, formed a series of spurs and slopes leading from the foot of the great range and ending in a broad strip of flat land bounded by the Rangitata.  Upon two other sides were smaller streams, tributaries of the latter—­hence the name Mesopotamia (between the rivers) given to it by its energetic possessor.  Mr. Butler had been established upon the run about a year, and had already about 3,000 sheep on it.  The homestead was built upon a little plateau on the edge of the downs approached by a cutting from the flat, and was most comfortably situated and well sheltered, as it needed to be, the weather being often exceedingly severe in that elevated locality.

Butler was a literary man, and his snug sitting-room was fitted with books and easy chairs—­a piano also, upon which he was no mean performer.

The station hands comprised a shepherd, bullock driver, hutkeeper, and two station hands employed in fencing in paddocks, which with Cook, the overseer, Butler, and myself made up the total.

At daybreak we all assembled in the common kitchen for breakfast, after which we separated for our different employments.

At 12 noon we met again for dinner, and again about 7 p.m. for supper, which meal being over, Butler, Cook, and I would repair to the sitting room, and round a glorious fire smoked or read or listened to Butler’s piano.  It was the most civilised experience I had had of up-country life since I left Highfield and was very enjoyable.  I did not, however, remain very long at Mesopotamia at that time.

There was a proposal on foot to improve the track leading from the Ashburton to the Rangitata on which some heavy cuttings were required to be made.  I applied for the contract and obtained it at rates which paid me very well.  My supervisor was a man called Denny, who had been a sailor, and I knew him to be a capable and handy fellow, as most sailors are.  He was quite illiterate—­could not even read or write, but he was clever and intelligent and had seen a great deal of colonial life and some hard times.  Every night when supper was over and we sat by the fire in our little hut, I read aloud, to his great delectation, and his remarks, pert questions, and wonderful memory were remarkable.

This work paid well, and I was soon in a position to make my first investment of L100 in sheep, which I placed on terms on Butler’s run.  To explain this transaction:  I purchased one hundred two tooth ewes at a pound each, upon these I was to receive 45 per cent. increase yearly in lambs, half male and half female, and a similar rate of percentage of course on the female increase as they attained to breeding age.  In addition I was to receive L12 10s. per hundred sheep for wool annually.  It was a good commencement, and I decided to stick to contract work if possible, and increase my stock till I had sufficient to enable me to obtain a small partnership on a run.