Chapter I: Front Matter

_Shavings
&
Scrapes_

_FROM MANY PARTS_

BY

Jules Joubert

There was a time when meadows, grove, and stream,
The earth, and every common sight, to me did seem
Apparelled in celestial light—
The glory and the freshness of a dream.
It is not now as it has been of yore,
Turn wheresoe’r I may,
By night or day,
The things which I have seen are now no more.

WORDSWORTH’S “_Recollections of Early Childhood_.”

DUNEDIN

J. WILKIE AND CO.

PRINCES STREET

1890

_Dedicated to_

_The Members of the Savage Club_,

_Dunedin, N. Z._,

_1889_,

_BY_

_The Author_.

CONTENTS.

EARLY SCRAPES.

A Stray Shot 1

Peep of Day 4

Chips from an Old Log 9

First Lesson in Finance 15

Robinson Crusoe Realised 20

Maoriland 25

EARLY AUSTRALIAN SHAVINGS.

Sydney in 1839 32

The Gold Fever 37

Some Bushrangers I Have Known 41

How Money Used to be Made 49

NEW CALEDONIA.

Taking Possession: “Tit for Tat” 53

“He who Fights and Runs Away” 56

Another Narrow Squeak 60

A South Sea Trip 63

NEW SOUTH WALES.

A Few Old Identities 69

A Land Speculation 75

A Hard Knock 79

Home, Sweet Home 83

Antipodean Gratitude 88

CEYLON.

Grains of Singalese Sand 92

The Paraherra 96

“Hamlet” Under Difficulties 103

An Elephant Hunt 106

A Matrimonial “Scrape” 113

The Tree of Life 131

A Water Party in the Garden of Eden 145

INDIA.

Madras 155

The Ganges 158

Calcutta 162

The Denizens of the Jungle 169

Sanctimonious 173

The Calcutta Exhibition 180

A Tramp Through India 184

Benares—the Sacred City 196

Through the Central Provinces 200

Princely Hospitality 206

Indian Sports 211

HOME, “DEAR” HOME 224

The Christening.

In one of the first chapters of Charles Dickens’ “Nicholas Nickleby” he gives a very amusing description of the family conclave held to decide upon the name of the newborn infant.

I am now in the same dilemma.

It is very well to say that “A rose will smell quite as sweet,” &c., &c., and that there is nothing in a name. On this point I must agree to differ.

When I wrote this book I had fixed upon “Ups and Downs”—my publisher tells me that there is already in existence a book under that name. “A Random Shot” met with a similar objection. A score more attempts proved equally fruitless—“Too long,” “Too short,” “Won’t do”—until I made up my mind to translate it into French and call it “Sans nom,” which after all would be most appropriate.

Owing no doubt to perplexity, a homicidal fit came upon me. My fire was being lit: my M.S. laid before me. It struck me that after all it would serve admirably to kindle a flame.

My servant entered with the coal scuttle and some shavings. This saved my paper. “SAVED”!! I cried. I had a name at last: “Shavings and Scrapes”—original, though slightly _Barber_ous. “Shavings” it is, and “Shavings” it shall be.

As you see, the christening was a private affair, settled _au coin du feu_.

But for this timely assistance the book would have made a blaze, it is true, and my literary effort would have ended in SMOKE.

J. J.

EARLY SCRAPES.