Doggedly pursuing canines of consequence

At the risk of this column further going to the dogs, Civis will indulge in canines and South Island history.

This was prompted by Civis stumbling upon an RNZ Nights interview on March 4 in which folk hero James McKenzie’s dog Friday was prominently featured.

That day was the 170th anniversary of McKenzie’s arrest (1855) in the upper reaches of the Waitaki for stealing 1000 sheep.

McKenzie claimed he had been hired to shift the sheep, escaped and fled. He was recaptured and convicted, and he subsequently escaped at least twice. His case was later re-examined, and McKenzie was pardoned.

He has become an enduring folk hero, and the Mackenzie Basin is named after him.

A 450kg bronze statue of him and his remarkable dog, sculptured by Sam Mahon, was unveiled in Fairlie in 2006. The rock under the statue comes from Mackenzie Pass.

Historian Annette Bulovic, in that RNZ interview, said Friday was a remarkable border collie dearly loved by McKenzie and a true companion. Friday would only respond to McKenzie’s Gaelic instructions.

McKenzie’s bravery and exploits resonated with New Zealanders who resented the power of the wealthy landowners. He was about as different as possible from members of elite Canterbury society.

Little is known about his early life, or what happened to him after he left New Zealand following that pardon.

It’s an intriguing time warp to watch, via NZ on Screen, a four-part 1977 dramatised series The Mackenzie Affair. The credits are littered with famous names in New Zealand television and entertainment.

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Another enigmatic southern figure tied closely to his dogs is Charlie (‘‘Mr Explorer’’) Douglas. He came from a well-off Edinburgh family and was educated in the classics.

Coming to New Zealand, he was soon exploring South Westland, spending 40-plus years there, most of them exploring the valleys, glaciers and mountains of the region.

He worked mostly alone, mapping, sketching, writing and discovering. He was an amateur surveyor caring little for money, possessions or comforts. Later, the Survey Department paid him for extraordinary work.

While few knew him personally and he was shy and reclusive, he was also known as the most popular man in South Westland. Topsy and Betsey (sometimes spelt Betsy) Jane were two cherished companion dogs. An Otago mountain and a West Coast creek are named Betsy Jane. There’s a West Coast Lake Topsy, a Topsy Creek and Topsy Falls. Several landmarks are named after Douglas.

The 1957 book Mr Explorer Douglas, edited by John Pascoe, includes a photograph by A.P. Harper: the caption gives Douglas’ dog the credit she deserves.

Although Douglas ate wildlife to help survive in the wilderness, he disparaged hunting just for sport. He came to lament predation by introduced pests and the collapse of bird populations.

He once wrote, though, that kiwi eggs made excellent fritters, particularly if fried in kakapo oil. It has been claimed he tamed a kiwi, which reportedly liked nothing more than to burrow in Charlie’s blankets for the night.

He was awarded the Royal Geographical Society Gill Memorial Prize in 1897 and died in 1916 aged 75.

civis@odt.co.nz