A bit of bush poetry

by Lyn Johnston, Albertland Museum

In 1897, Edward (Ted) and Walter Witheford, Harold Marsh, Ben Blackburn and his elderly father had a fencing contract on Okahukura (Tapora). Their accommodation was a nikau thatched whare, sadly in need of repair. Ted Witheford wrote the following verse (abridged) about their experience. ‘Ross’ was well-known Kaiwaka drover, ‘Big’ Bob Ross.

‘We had a good time and I wish as recorder
To acknowledge the beef that comes in without order
A change in the weather one morning discloses
As proved by the rain dropping onto our noses
And additional proof if we wanted some more
Lay in puddles of water about on the floor
So we had to get up, put some clothes on our back
And bundle the others all into a sack
The billy is boiled and the table is set
What a pity said table, is dripping and wet
Mr Blackburn and I, by the drippings kept cool
Sat meek, like two turtle doves on the same stool
But this stool had a knack, like the board of renown
When one of us rose, why the other went down

Soon the rain it blew off but the wind it blew on
And we feared that our roof would be scattered and gone
And the darkness set in with it blowing a gale
With the canvas on top bulging out like a sail
And the sounds like a pistol its flapping would make
And kept more than one of the chaps wide awake
Mr Blackburn declared, perhaps he was dreaming
‘The wind in the hedge sounds like twenty cats screaming’
While Ross’s’ wild cattle in the Stockyard nearby
Must keep up a concert as if in reply
This is the sum total of what I recall
Because I slept soundly almost through it all’

At this year’s Albertland 29 May celebrations, a slide show of Okahukura (Tapora) history will be featured.

Image: Edward Witheford.