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pests such as sandflies and mosquitoes, 58 it is not surprising to find a passage which dwells on the
misery of being caught alone in the bush in New Zealand’s temperamental weather: 59
We had pitched our tent about a mile from the lake, but, as we had no water near us, we had to
send the natives to the lake for it. On their return we found, to our great annoyance, that the water
was strongly impregnated with alum; but we were obliged to use it, as the rain-water which was
washed down the tent had a smoky taste still more disgusting. This was the most miserable night I
ever passed in New Zealand. My friend [Captain William Cornwallis] Symonds was very ill, and
the only medicine I could give him was a tea from the aromatic leaves of the Leptospermum, but
made with alum-water. We had not found any fern, and were obliged to sleep upon the hard and
wet bushes of the same plant, which served us, therefore, for tea, medicine, bedding, and firewood.
We could only venture to distribute a small allowance of pork, as we did not know how
long it might be before we fell in with any other provisions. It rained during the whole night, and
drenched all our clothes and blankets. (I:376f.)
In spite of the numerous scenes of beautiful nature that exist in New Zealand, Dieffenbach
admonishes the actions of a “great many colonists who are not farmers” who believe that
“burning the vegetation which covers the land, whether consisting of fern, bushes, or forest,
improves its condition” (I:367), which in itself reflects to a degree the Company’s criteria for
choosing the prospective immigrants and the lack of reliable knowledge imparted to them.
However, this is only the case for true alluvial soil, not for New Zealand as a whole: “If this
vegetation be burnt down, the wind carries away the light ashes – another vegetation springs up,
but less vigorous than the first, until by repeated conflagrations the land becomes perfectly
exhausted” (I:368). Furthermore, when forests are destroyed in a like manner many trees and
shrubs also disappear as the conditions change (I:297f.). Thus: “Large districts in New Zealand
have in this manner been rendered very poor” (I:368). 60 The worst example of waste and
negligence by these colonists-cum-farmers is the destruction of the kauri forests:
A melancholy scene of waste and destruction presented itself to me when I went up to see this
forest. Several square miles of it were burning, having been fired in order to make room for the
conveyance of logs down to the creek. Noble trees, which had required ages for their perfection,
were thus recklessly destroyed in great numbers, as, in consequence of the great quantity of resin
around this pine, the fire always spread rapidly. The cupidity of new settlers too often occasions
the destruction of the forests, to the irreparable injury of subsequent colonists. A great many of
these first settlers, doubtful of being able to maintain their claims to their immense purchases,
58 “During the day a sandfly (ngamu), a tipula, is very troublesome in New Zealand, especially near the sea-shore;
and, diminutive as they are, they are perhaps the most bloodthirsty animals that exist, attacking all the exposed parts
of the body. With the last ray of the sun they all disappear, but are immediately replaced by the mosquittos [sic],
which, however, are numerous only in particular spots, such as the cleared places of the forest” (I:145).
59 Interestingly, Dieffenbach states that the “sudden alternations of rain and sunshine”, through the constant winds,
“follow each other in far more rapid succession than is ever experienced in England, which has been so unjustly
accused of having the most changeable weather in the world” (I:175).
60 Cf. I:201.
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