1835. 



HOUSE BAKN WATER-WHEEL. 



603 



structed a house of similar size. A little room, used' by Mr. 

 Davis, pleased me much ; for, in addition to clever contrivances 

 and good carpentry, it contained a collection of excellent books, 

 and a frame on which an unfinished plan of the Society's farm 

 bore testimony to the nature of the in-door occupations of our 

 host. I did not expect to see much indication of reading, 

 certainly none of drawing, in a newly-built house, standing in 

 the midst of a tract of New Zealand, which two years previously 

 was covered with fern. 



In the garden, European vegetables seemed to thrive, and 

 the farm-yard was quite English ; a large barn, built entirely 

 by natives, under Mr. Davis''s direction ; a blacksmith''s shop ; 

 carts and farming implements, successively engaged our atten- 

 tion. In the barn, a surprising work for the New Zealanderp, 

 two natives were thrashing, and a winnowing machine was 

 attended by a third. The mill and mill-dam were well worth 

 examination, as good works of their kind, independent of the 

 interest occasioned by their locality. An embankment (made 

 entirely by natives) had changed the upper part of a small 

 valley into a large pond ; and on the middle of the pond-head, 

 or embankment, stood the mill. 



A powerful water-wheel, equal to the performance of far 

 more work than the mill required, seemed to be easily turned 

 by only a part of the stream admitted through the mill-dam 

 or sluice. In answer to a remark upon the surplus power, Mr. 

 Davis said that the Society contemplated erecting a thrashing 

 machine, and that Mr. Coates* had encouraged him to anti- 

 cipate its arrival. A thrashing-machine might be worked easily, 

 in addition to the mill, and yet there would be power to 

 spare.-f- When embanking the pond, an unfortunate accident 

 occurred, which almost stopped the work : one of the natives, 

 incautiously digging under an overhanging mass of earth, was 

 smothered by its sudden fall. Superstitious and easily excited, 

 the natives abandoned their allotted tasks, and not without 



* Secretary to the Church Missionary Society. 



+ The Church Missionary Society have sent out the thrashing- machine, 

 and probably it is now in full operation. 



