This delightful collection of short stories is a wonderful summary of the main events and characters who built the West Coast during its gold rush days. From explorers like Thomas Brunner to prospectors including Little Biddy of the Buller, a cast of colourful and resourceful pioneers stride across the pages of history. This is one of the most popular collections of West Coast history ever published, written at a time when the author knew many of these characters personally.
Excerpt: When the Kumara rush occurred, there was a rush between the Hokitika and Greymouth merchants to secure the trade. Hokitika had the main road, and Greymouth, out of self-defence, had to run a tramway to keep pace with Hokitika. This tramway was in every way successful until the railway from the Grey to Hokitika was opened some years after — engineered through the House by the member for Kumara, in spite of his detractors saying, “It wouldn’t pay for axle grease.”
188 pages
B&W illustrations and map.
145 x 210