The Search for David Borthwick - Chapter 1
Chapter One
David was born on the 1st of May 1842 in Lasswade, Edinburghshire, the youngest of five children of James Borthwick an agricultural labourer from Cockpen and his wife Agnes Bunyan from Stow in the same county.
Little is known of David’s childhood though he was classed as a scholar in the 1851 census at the age of eight and was obviously given a reasonable schooling as his hand-writing and his grasp of English show in his letters home from New Zealand.
At the age of eighteen David is shown in the 1861 census as working as a ploughman for Peter Good of Firth Mains, a farm of 500 acres employing 6 labourers 1 boy and 2 women. Three of the men including David, and the boy, lived on site probably in the bothy.
Some three years later David appears to have felt that his prospects would be improved by emigrating to the colonies. He managed to secure a passage, probably government sponsored, on the Clipper ship Viola of the Patrick Henderson Line sailing from Glasgow for Auckland, New Zealand. He arrived in Auckland towards the end of March 1865, a voyage of some three months, and immediately started to look for work.
Perhaps the next part of the story would best come in David’s own words in his letters home. (The spelling is David’s throughout):
Camp Waipp,
13th Agst 1865
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
I am happy to inform you that I am in good health, and I am also happy to inform you if I ever have the good luck to return it will be as a conquering hero, as I have been fiting the Moaries here almost since I arrived. When I came ashore we were all sent up the country to a place called the Wiaroe and we took two days going to it. And we were very badly used their living in tents. So I left and came back to Auckland to see and get a job and I got the offer of a job at 13/- a week with rations. William Ross also came to Town and he was promised a job in a Blacksmiths shop but he did not know what day he would get started. Where we were in the Wiaroa it was only 5/- a day we were getting and counting wett days it was hardly enough to support him and his family. I left my Chest at the Wiaroa in Charge of one of my shipmates, and when I came to Auckland I had no time to go back, but I sent the keys to William Ross and sent word for him to take the Chest into his Tent. When I came to Auckland I seen it advertised in the Paper that their was one hundred men wanted as military settlers and we were to get 2/6 per day counting sabath and clothes and food and likewise 50 acres of land engaged for 3 years and we get 12 Months Rations after we are put on the land and if peace is proclaimed before the 3 years is up we will be put on our land and get the 12 Months Rations. So I think that is a very good start, and if the Government gives us the Land they promised it is first Class. When we joined we were embarked on board of a steamer and sent to Napier and we took 4 days coming. It is about 350 miles from Auckland.
We got our arms their and was then sent to Camp at a place called Pukefapa that is 12 miles from Napier. We were drilled their and I felt very uncomfortable having to get up every morning at 7o’clock to practice extensive motions. We remained their about 6 weeks and were then sent to a place called Clive as the natives were intimidating the settlers their. The natives then broke out with a sort of fanatick Religion called How How and we were sent down here. I was very sorry leaving Clive to come to this place as there is no White people here but ourselves and the Friendly Natives that are fiting with us against the How Hows. We have been a month here and we had 5 skirmishes with them and then they surrounded the Paw we were in and were firing at us incessantly for one whole day and all our loss was one killed and 2 or 3 wounded and we killed about 20 that day forby what we killed at the skirmishing. We then attacked them and rushed their Paw with the Baynot and killed about 30 of them. We gave them no quarter as they give none, but we spared the Women and Children and set fire to their whole Garison. The friendly natives then went round the Coast and took 3 Paws and took their Collours with them Likewise about 30 Prisoners but the friendly natives fight very Harmless. They killed about 10 that day and we had only 5 wounded. They are giving us great praise for the Manner in which we Rushed the Paw. Their was never anything since the New Zealand War Broke out even with the Regular Troopes and so little loss of Lives on our side. It is an awfull Business Charging with the Baynot and the Moaries with their Tomahawks, but they are very Brave people they contest the ground with us very hard and I can assure you my heart sikened to see the first man baynoted. But after a few minutes I thought nothing of it as their was men lying dead all around me and young men in the prime of life.but we had to do it, and the only sensation of thought I felt was of my Friends at Home and 50 notions running through your head about death but after the first death you forget everything but to slaughter anything that comes before you. Their was some of our men that acted very cruel to the natives that morning and actualy baynoted some of their Women and children. but the natives does kill our Women & Children if they come into their hands. We killed one of their Head Cheifs what they call a Rangitera. We have conqured them all with the exception of one Paw and that is their strongest, it is about a mile from where we are and we are expecting every day to be sent to attack it and I Fear we shall lose some of our men at the attack as it is well fortified but we are bound to take it if the half of us are killed. The Natives are fine Tall Hansome men about 6 feet and you would hardly know the Women from the men if it was not for the Tatooing. I and another Scotsman are living in a tent with a Rangitera Chief and the Women along with us. The Women has got no shame, they go about half naked with a Blanket about them and they Fight in the Trenches along with the men.
I have never slept in a House except one night since I left Home. I cannot tell you anything about this Place as we as we cannot go out except there is about 20 of us and armed and we have only one suit of clothes and we are crawling with Lice, and the Natives eat them of one another without the least shame. We have no stokings nor cant get them for love nor money but bits of rags round our feet.
I have sent two letters to William Ross to send my clothes but received no answer. I will write again soon if I am not Knoked over at the taking of this Big Paw and I will send you the Papers about the whole of our proceedings.
Give James Baily my respects and tell him how I am getting on. And tell him I would not advise him to come out at the Present time as things are very unsettled here and nothing but Warr to the Kniffe
......
(The rest of this letter is lost)
Some three months passed before a second letter arrived home. In this letter David seems much happier and contented with his lot.....
Nov.2nd 1865
Dear Brother & Sisters,
I hope this will find you all quite well as it leaves me at present. And I am happy to tell you that I feel happier than when I last wrote to you as the Haw Haws have all given up there Arms so the fighting is all over for the present at this part. And We have shifted out of the Pa from the Moari’s into a camp by ourselves and We have built a nice little Wharie for two of us and are very comfortable. Tell Lizzie now is her chance if she intends to come and take charge of my hut as she used to talk about. I had a letter from Willie Ross the other day they were all quite well but did not say what he was doing. We are getting a shilling a day extra and two tots of Grog since coming here on active service. We now go about hunting Wild pigs and there will be plenty of Peaches here soon as the trees are now in blossom. And there are Plenty of Wild Grape Vines fig trees Quinces and Green Goosberries are now in abundance, what do you think of that for November. And the Potatoes are now fit for digging (howkin). We are living like Gentlemen now, We ride about when We like as there are lots of horses here we have only to go and catch one and ride where We like and We have scarse anything to do.
We get one pound and half meat the same of flour and any amount of potatoes and an allowance of Tea and Coffee a day so We live well here. And We have got a store here so We can get things for money now which is more than We could before, but he knows how to charge, if you give him a pound you must take the worth of it as there is no silver much less Coppers. We have now got rid of the Scotch Grays since leaving the Moari Pa. If James was here he need not bye Pigs and feed them he could go and catch one when he wanted it and could shoot any amount of Wild Pidgeons and Ducks. There are no Gamekeepers here tell Andrew Tait. I went to the Barracks and asked a good few, the Sergeant and several others for Robert Darling and they did not know anyone of that name. If you have heard anything of James Dixon let me know when you write and send me his address. If Johny was out here he need not go shooting sparrows as he used to do. He would find plenty here to shoot besides.
I have written to Willie Ross and asked him to send you a paper every week as we cant get them here. I am sorry I could not see Agnes before I came away, I have been thinking a good deal about her. Tell her I will send something to her when I go to Napier. Ask Alexdr. Penman if he can get my two Couzins address and send to me. So now I must conclude as I have no more to say at present.
From your affectionate
Brother
David Borthwick
Military Settler
Napier, Hawkes Bay
So there the trail petered out. The fighting seems to have stopped, David is happy in his little Wharie. He has money in his pocket and has plenty to eat and drink. In his own words he is living the life of a Gentleman. And yet he has stopped writing home to his family. It really is a puzzle.
