THE HISTORY retold here as Maggie’s diary did indeed take place at Port William, Stewart Island, in 1872–1873. My version of events is based on official historical records and some reminiscences from descendants of the original Shetland settlers. In my portrayal of life at Port William, I have stuck closely to what actually happened, but the characteristics, motivations, and interactions attributed to my characters are fictional and are in no way intended as portrayals of any of the real people historically involved. Maggie and her family are wholly fictional. Thomas’s violin and its fate are true; the instrument belonged to Lawrence Young.
In researching the background to this book I owe a debt of gratitude to many people. First and foremost, Chris Ingram of Tauranga had independently researched the Shetlanders’ story and generously shared his research material and enthusiasm with me, saving me many hours of detective work. Joan Buxton (nee Gilbertson) of Stewart Island allowed me to use family anecdotes that give colour and authenticity to Maggie’s story. Historians and writers John McCraw of Hamilton and Sheila Natusch of Wellington both contributed other research sources and ideas. Staff at the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Archives (Wellington and Dunedin), and the Invercargill Library in particular helped with exploration of official documents, immigrant diaries, and historical newspaper reports. Ron Tindall of Stewart Island provided direction and stimulus for my trip to Port William, where my daughter Kate joined me in successfully finding traces of the long-gone settlement. I would not have been able to pursue this research to such an extent without the financial support of a Creative New Zealand grant in 2000. I also thank Vanda McKerchar of Christchurch for psychological insights and for arranging the two groups of senior students at Papanui High School, who cheerfully answered my impertinently personal questions as contributions to Jaz’s story. Finally, as always, I thank John, Sally, and Kate for their support and encouragement, without which my writing would never come to anything.