The claim of Mr. Thomas Jones having been disallowed, Willsher and Russell were in a grave difficulty.

Included in some early official correspondence, there is a note attached to a letter to D. Wakefield, dated Otago, 13 June, 1844, in which Mr. Tuckett says:

“Immediately South of the Mouth of the Kunesoo (Karoro), Molineux Bay, on the seashore, three or four good houses have been erected, two of which are occupied, the one by Mr. Wilshire, the other by Mr. Russell, the former the agent of some party in Sydney, the latter as proprietor of land which he purchased of the same party in Sydney. Mr Wiltshire has cleared and partially cultivated about 10 acres of land; Russell less than half that quantity. They have no acknowledged claim.”

Magistrate Recommends Willsher's Claim.

(There is no mention here of any land claimed by Russell.)

Grants of Land Made.

Although Willsher and Russell settled on their areas in 1840, and Tuckett in June, 1844, records them as having built houses, it was not till September, 1844, that Willsher's claim is recommended by Symonds.

Eventually Willsher's grant is dated February 10, 1854, ten years after the recommendation, while Russell's grant is dated 1867, and documents in Wellington show that by this time Russell's was a deceased's estate.

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In the old files of the “Bruce Herald” appears a Death Notice: “Thomas Russell, died at Dowling Street, Dunedin, on September 10, 1866; aged 78.”

The Definite Areas Granted.

The following letter from the Commissioner of Crown Lands, Dunedin, defines the grants made:

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“I have been able to trace grants of land to Messrs. George Willsher and Thomas Russell as follows:—

George Willsher.—A search shows that the above–named selected an area of 20 acres at Willsher Bay, the grant being dated 10th February, 1854. The area was later numbered as Section 16, Block VII, South Molyneux S.D. Some years later the section was subdivided as follows:—

• 1 of 16, area 1:1:30p.

• 2 of 16, area 3:0:33p.

• 3 of 16, area 6:3:27p.

• 4 of 16, area 3:3:30p.

• Road, area 2:0:22p.

In 1902 Sections 1, 3 and 4 of 16 were acquired by His Majesty the King, and they now comprise the Willsher Bay Domain.

Thomas Russell.—The records in this office show that the above–named selected Sections 1 and 2, Block VII, South Molyneux, area 103:1:07p. The grant was dated 1867.

I have been unable to trace any grants to either William Bessant or Robert Conning.”

We know, of course, that Bessant and Conning left after a few months, and there is some grounds for believing that Bessant, the writer of the letter on page 11, was killed by natives in the South Sea Islands in 1841.

Where did Willsher and Russell Build?

Willsher built his house on the edge of the Karoro Creek, about 400 yards from the present concrete bridge. On the space between the present road and the creek, this little house stood. Fruit trees, apples, cherries and gooseberries were planted, and the old boys of the district well remember the apples that grew there; Emma Potiki, one of the daughters of Ihaia Potiki, confirms this story. This old apple tree survived until recently, but picnic parties chopped away at it. In a last effort to protect this historic apple tree, lovers of old Port Molyneux put a barb wire fence around the mutilated tree. But the vandals triumphed, and the tree is no more.

Russell constructed his wattle and daub house out on the terrace, between Rowley's and the Erlstoke dwelling, and on a site which is now occupied by the road to the Nuggets. This was a terrace one hundred years ago, and covered with very heavy manuka, but, owing to the sea cutting in, the distance from the site of Russell's house to the sea is to–day much less than it was.

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Pen Picture of Willsher.

In his book, “Early Days in Otago,” Mr. William Ayson gives his personal experience of Willsher:

“When we arrived in Dunedin in 1853 I heard that Willsher had about 40 head of cattle. He did not return to Sydney, but lived with the Maoris at Willsher Bay. He took to himself a Maori wife, a Chieftainess named Makariri. Russell never spoke to him after that…

“Some time in the late 1850's Willsher cleared off to England and never returned. He did not take with him his Maori wife, who was left to mourn his loss…

“As I have never seen a photo of Willsher, and I do not think there is any in existence, a description of him may be of interest. He was a man of about 40 years of age as I remember him, and would be about 5 feet 10 inches in height. He had clear–cut features, and was of good appearance. His eyes were blue, and his beard was inclined to be fair, but not ginger. Willsher was a very gentlemanly, well–educated Englishman, and was a man with a ready wit.”

What Happened to Willsher.

Mr. Wilson, in his “Reminiscences,” said that about 1859 Willsher sold his cattle and left the colony. This is probably the source of Mr. Ayson's information, Mr. Wilson says further:

“In 1880 a lady well known in Otago, Mrs Joseph Maitland, was on a visit to the Old Country, and was making some purchases in a shop in London when she remarked to the shopman that the goods were for exportation to Otago. “Pardon me, madam,” said a well–dressed, gentlemanly–looking man, “I overheard you say you came from Otago; do you know the Clutha?” On being answered in the affirmative, and names being exchanged, the man turned out to be Mr. Willsher. His land was afterwards purchased by the Hon. page 24 Thomas Mackenzie, who sold part of it to the people of Clutha as a recreation ground.”

Willsher's Cattle.

Edward Hunt stated that the cattle put on board the “Portenia” were 27 cows, 1 bull and 6 working bullocks; apparently they all died except the famous cow.

Here is one account of the development of the herd:

“Shortly after landing she gave birth to a calf. It was a bull calf, and no other cattle being imported into that locality for many years, these two formed the nucleus of what became a herd of 500 head in 1863. These were then taken by Wilshire to the newly discovered goldfields of Gabriel's Gully and the Dunstan, and sold as fat cattle at £10 a head.”

William Ayson has stated that he heard that Willsher had about 40 head of cattle in 1853. If anyone interested in breeding cares to take a pencil and a large sheet of paper, and starts with an adult cow and a bull calf in the year 1840, it will be found possible to have 40 head of cattle by 1853—so long as there were few deaths of breeding cows and plenty of heifer calves.

But Willsher could not have taken a herd of 500 to Gabriel's Gully goldfield in 1863 if he had previously left for England in 1859.

There is a record of Willsher selling 50 head of cattle in the year 1859 at Balclutha. This sale of Willsher's cattle in 1859 may have been his clearing sale before he left for the Old Country. It is fairly obvious that some statements made about the large number of cattle must be taken with reserve, and that after the year 1850 many other settlers brought cattle into the district.