THE HIGHEST WATER-FALL IN THE WORLD.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1974, 19 October 1888, Page 2

THE HIGHEST WATER-FALL IN THE WORLD.

The following la Mr MaokeDzle's account of the Sutherland Waterfall :— "The first hearing obtained of the fall was at a distance of two miles, and then we oould only ice the upper portion, trees and hills intercepting the vlew t bat from what we observed we eonoladed there was a great treat In store for as. Another hoar enabled as to cross the hill and brought as la full view, and after about a quarter of an houc's scrambling over stones and rooks we reached the fall. The fall conslsts of three leaps la an almost 'direct line, bat whoa standing about a quartet of a mile away it has the appearance of a straight leap, with two breaks. The two upper leaps are about equal distances, and the lower one shorter. The fall mast be between 2000 ft and 3000 ft high, with qnlte double the vo'ame of water of the Botren falls. It Isaacs from a perpendicular wall of rook, with a horiiontal line to the left, whilst on the right is a sharp peak rising f ally 7000 ft high, whiqh Sqfcherland has named the Maokeosie mountain. I The fall is fed by a great glaoier beyond. Standing even at a great distance from the foot of the fall we got thoroughly soaked with spray. Stones, and debris of all kinds are projected over In times of flood, forming a great mound about the basin which is hewn out by the great fall of water. The whole surroundings are grand m the extreme, peak rising on peak < upon every side, covered with perpetual enow and ice. The most prominont are Mount Balloon, at the baok of Castle Mountain, Moun,t # a \\ t Mount Pillans (another mountain so named by Sutherland.) We camped at the foot of a bare wall, free from snow owing to its steepness, and consequently clear of avalanches; bit opposite tney csme down to within 300 yards of u», and during the night the noite of falling avalanches was almost continuous. The lower portions of the •mountains were not tqo precipitous, and are clothed with bush up to about 3000 ft, chiefly birch, with numberless varieties of uncommon ferns and plants. Birds are not so numerous aa might be expected. The scarlet wattie crow (a lovely bird), the Now Zealand thrußb, and saddlebacks are very numerous Kiwis and kakapos (the ground parrot) are fairly plentiful,"