The weather was delightful; the customary week of heavy rain just after our midsummer Christmas, had cooled the air and laid the dust, besides bringing out a fresh spring-like green tint over the willows and poplars, and causing even the leaves of the gums to lose their leather-like look for a few days.
After much consultation we decided to go by coach as far as Timaru, and then trust to circumstances to decide our future means of transport.

Not only were we obliged to pay a large sum for our places but our luggage was charged for by the pound, so we found it necessary to reduce our kit to the most modest dimensions, and only to take what was absolutely necessary.

The journey was a long and weary one, the only variety being caused by a strong spice of danger at each river.

At some streams we were transferred bodily to a large raft-like ferry boat, and so taken across.

At others the passengers and luggage only were put into the boat, the lumbering coach with its leathern springs left behind, whilst the horses swam in our wake across the wide and rushing river, to be re-harnessed to another coach on the opposite shore.