OVERLAND ROUTE TO THE WEST COAST.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2117, 17 February 1870, Page 2

OVERLAND ROUTE TO THE WEST COAST.

The following is the report of Mr M ‘Kerrow, chief of the survey party which recently proceeded from Lake Wakatip to the West Coast. We have only to point out that the track which Mr M'Kerrow claims to have discovered was traversed many years ago by one of our earliest explorers, Mr J. T. Caples ; “ Survey Office, “ Queenstown, Feb. 9th, 1870. “ J. T. Thomson, Esq,, Chief Surveyor. “Sir, —I had the honor, this day, of forwarding a telegram to you to the effect that a practicable bridle track from Lake Wakatipu to Hollyford Valley can be made via the Dart River, Route Bum, and Lake Harris, The altitude of the saddle is 4,500 ft, above sea level. The distance from the head of Lake Wakatipu to Lake M‘Kerrow by this route will be about 35 miles. “ t The difficulties requiring to be overcome in the constsuction of a bridle track are :—lst. The rounding of the end of a rocky spur opposite the lower falls on the Route Bum. 2nd. The steep ascent at the falls near Lake Harris. 3rd. The rounding of a rocky bluff at Lake Harris. 4th. A side cutting part of the way from the saddle dowm to the bed of the Hollyford Valley. A sum of, say, L 2,000 would remove these hindrances. The other parts of the track runs through either grass land or open birch forest, that would require but little clearing.

“ To moke the track easy for travellers on foot, all that is requisite is to blaze the trees on the line, and remove the dead timber, so as to allow of a free step. If this were done, a man could walk the through distance of 35 miles in one day. “The advantages of the track are :—lst. That for the first 13 or 14 miles, from Lake Wakatip, it passes through a belt of good agricultural laud, varying from one-half to one mile wide. 2nd. It oj)ens up a considerable area of pasture land around Lake Harris and up the north branch of the Route Burn. 3rd. Its short distance, being only one-half the distance of the route hitherto traversed via Greenstone, Mararoa, and Bon rivers ; and the height of the saddle between the Mararoa and Bon rivers, is not much lower than the saddle at Lake Harris. , “In this investigation, I had the assistance of Mr Wilson and his men. We carried on a reconnaissance survey of the country travelled over, and from several commanding points had a view of the Hollyford river and and valley from its source to the where the river enters the sea. We also went down into the Hollyford valley, crossed the river, and made a short examination of part of the country there. “The main points of the reconnaissance were determined on true meridian. From the bearings taken a considerable addition will be made to the detail and accuracy of the map of the country around Lake Harris. Observations have also been taken to determine the differences of level on the proposed track, where the changes are most sudden. On my return to the Head Office, a map can be constructed containing those particulars, the outline of the forest, and the other features of the country.—l have the honor to be, Sir, your most obedient 'Servant, “James M'Kerrow, “ Geological and Inspecting Surveyor.* 4