140 TUTIRA 



every outbreak of barking, kept to the upper slopes and hill-tops. 

 In winter, when eaten out by sheep, body and soul could still be held 

 together on rank sedges and giant grasses like toe-toe (Arundo con- 

 spicud), yet, when forced by hunger into dangerous places, horses too 

 perished in numbers. 



The station bullocks in one way were less well off than the horses : 

 a horse can bite as close as a sheep, a beast requires a ranker growth. 

 On the other hand, there was ample scrub for cattle. When not in 

 work they were indeed expected to wander and fend for themselves. 

 Risks had to be taken in any case ; if kept in hand about the alluvial 

 lands they ran the risk of bogging ; if allowed to wander in the scrub 

 a proportion poisoned themselves on the shoots and fruit of the tutu. 

 There were, moreover, in those days herds of wild cattle, more or less 

 "salted" to tutu, roaming everywhere on the hills, and although sober 

 team bullocks as a rule held aloof from these unbranded beasts, yet an odd 

 worker would occasionally join them. When that happened he was lost 

 to Tutira. Though the jangling of the bullock-bell worn may have re- 

 vealed his whereabouts, it was usually impossible to follow on horseback 

 into scrub through which heavy cattle could scarcely burst their way. 



When not in use these bullocks, and others bought to supple- 

 ment the team, were for ever straying. Though from time to time 

 rounded up and driven back to the lake as headquarters, they were 

 perpetual wanderers. I find by Kiernan's diary that on one occasion they 

 got away from Tutira, crossed Dolbel's Kaiwaka run of 30,000 acres, and 

 were discovered " on Trouibeck's near the coast" They had been bred 

 on that station, and having nothing particular to do had walked home, 

 tinkling and jangling their rouce through three runs, no doubt smashing 

 down and lumbering over the single fence between them and the coast. 

 Other diary entries prove them to have been almost as great a nuisance 

 at home as abroad. Attempting no doubt to remedy the shortage of 

 winter horse -feed, a single - furrow plough had been packed into the 

 place and a patch of crop sown for oaten hay, sufficient for the one or 

 two horses kept handy to run in the scattered team. This bit of 

 delightful green must have been highly appreciated by the bullocks, 

 led probably by "Dan," who would take bread from the hand and 

 allow himself to be packed. I find many entries such as " keeping cattle 

 out of oats," "turned them out twice" "at nightfall found four back 



