I feared that our applications would be simultaneous,or that we should have an indecorous scuffle for the book in the Land Office itself.In this case,there would only have remained the unsatisfactory alternative of drawing lots for precedence.There was nothing for it but to go on,and see how matters would turn up.Before midday,and whilst still sixty miles from town,my horse knocked-up completely,and would not go another step.G-'s horse,only two months before,had gone a hundred miles in less than fifteen hours,and was now pitted against mine,which was thoroughly done-up.Rather anticipating this,I had determined on keeping the tracks,thus passing stations where I might have a chance of getting a fresh mount.G-took a short cut,saving fully ten miles in distance,but travelling over a very stony country,with no track.Atrack is a great comfort to a horse.
I shall never forget my relief when,at a station where I had already received great kindness,I obtained the loan of a horse that had been taken up that morning from a three-months'spell.No greater service could,at the time,have been rendered me,and I felt that I had indeed met with a friend in need.
The prospect was now brilliant,save that the Rakaia was said to be very heavily freshed.Fearing I might have to swim for it,I left my watch at M-'s,and went on with the satisfactory reflection that,at any rate,if I could not cross,G-could not do so either.To my delight,however,the river was very low,and I forded it without the smallest difficulty a little before sunset.A few hours afterwards,down it came.I heard that G-was an hour ahead of me,but this was of no consequence.Riding ten miles farther,and now only twenty-five miles from Christ Church,I called at an accommodation-house,and heard that G-was within,so went on,and determined to camp and rest my horse.
The night was again intensely dark,and it soon came on to rain so heavily that there was nothing for it but to start again for the next accommodation-house,twelve miles from town.I slept there a few hours,and by seven o'clock next morning was in Christ Church.So was G-.We could neither of us do anything till the Land Office opened at ten o'clock.At twenty minutes before ten I repaired thither,expecting to find G-in waiting,and anticipating a row.If it came to fists,Ishould get the worst of it--that was a moral certainty--and I really half-feared something of the kind.To my surprise,the office-doors were open--all the rooms were open--and on reaching that in which the application-book was kept,I found it already upon the table.I opened it with trembling fingers,and saw my adversary's name written in bold handwriting,defying me,as it were,to do my worst.