17

been here idle for some months and all dead broke. But he
said there is a man belonging to Leith, a billiard marker at this
Shamrock Hotel. But he did not know him, so he never liked
to speak to him, and he never frequented that hotel. Anyhow
if you go up McClagan Street you will see it. And just have
a look in at the Billiard Room and see if you know him
so I went up and had a look in at the door and saw him
and upon my word, I could hardly believe my own eyes
and who should it be but an old apprentice mate of
mine, that bolted from our ship in Port Adelaide in the
year 1865 and both of us done our month in Adelaide
jail together. His name was Bill McIntire and when
we both shook hands I said I never thought for a moment
of ever finding you here after seven years. and he just
thought the same about me. Anyhow it was a joy full
meeting and after I told him how I came to Dunedin
in the ship Helenslie from Glasgow and got paid of with
four shillings and sixpence. Just as much as paid our
fare up. Anyhow that was the means of one getting a
few shillings so I thanked him and said good bye
as some of his customers arrived to play billiards. So
talking a walk at night I met a passenger that came
out with with us from Glasgow. And I asked him if he
could put us on to a job anywhere as he was an old hand
in Otago, and was only home for a trip, and his name
was John Irwin, and after telling him about the
amount we was paid of with he said to me if I liked
I could come out to his farm as he had one hundred
acres under crop of oats and while his crop was
Growing he used to fell trees of Black pine and split
posts and rails for the Gov'nt in the Gov'nt Bush
and he would give me ten shillings a week and
Found. His farm was twenty eight miles from Dun-
edin, at a place called Waikawiati [Waikouaiti] He said he
had no house on the farm, only a Hut as there was
only him and his brother and both single men.