The Colour: A NovelJoseph and Harriet Blackstone, and Joseph's mother Lilian, are immigrants from England on the SS Albert into the South Island of New Zealand in 1860s. After settling the two women into accommodation in Christchurch, Joseph travels to the foothills near the Okuku river to build their Cob House. Joseph returns to Christchurch once the house has been built and the three of them set off to start their new lives on their farm. The harsh first winter brings with it problems which threaten the viability of their farm, but Joseph's chance finding of gold in the nearby creek changes the situation. Not telling Harriet about the find, Joseph abandons the farm and travels by boat to Hokitika on the West Coast of the South Island where major gold strikes have occurred. After Lilian's death, Harriet also travels to Hokitika and delivers that news to Joseph. The search for gold, the 'colour', goes on in difficult conditions. Joseph's encounters with Will Sefton, a young man whom he met on the boat bringing them to the West Coast, and Pao Yi, a Chinese gardener befriended by Harriet, add flavour to the dynamics of the searching couple's relationship which has become distant and strained. Joseph's guilt surrounding events in England prior to their emigration impact on this separation. |
Contents
II | 3 |
III | 22 |
IV | 36 |
V | 54 |
VI | 68 |
VII | 88 |
VIII | 105 |
IX | 120 |
XVII | 216 |
XVIII | 232 |
XIX | 245 |
XX | 262 |
XXI | 275 |
XXII | 277 |
XXIII | 291 |
XXIV | 305 |
X | 131 |
XI | 147 |
XII | 149 |
XIII | 164 |
XIV | 175 |
XV | 188 |
XVI | 204 |
XXV | 317 |
XXVI | 329 |
XXVII | 345 |
XXVIII | 356 |
XXIX | 369 |
XXX | |
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Common terms and phrases
arrived asked began birds blancmange boots calico wall cave Chen Chen Lin Christchurch Cob House cold colour creek dark Dillane Dinsdale donkey dreams earth edge Edwin everything eyes face feel feet felt fire Flinty garden gold grass greenstone grey hair hand Harriet saw head hear heard Henry Salt Heron Lake Hokitika horse imagined John-boy Joseph Blackstone Kaniere knew Kokatahi kūmara Lady Lilian looked Maori mind Mister Blackstone Moa Bird mouth moved never night Orchard Run Paak Mei Paak Shui pākehā Pao Yi Pare pond rain Rangiora remembered river Roderick rope ROSE TREMAIN round sacks seemed Sefton sleep smell smile snow stared stones stood taniwha tell tent thing thought Toby Orchard toetoe told took trees tried turned tussock tussock grass waiting walked wall Wallabi wanted wash wind Zealand