A Trip to the Back Country

Feilding Star, Volume XIV, Issue 67, 24 November 1892, Page 2

A Trip to the Back Country

w Our correspondent recently started from Feilding on a trip through to Birmingham on a rising road, thence to " Peep'-o'-Day," where a splendid view of the country for twenty miles rouud can be obtained. Passing along through a lovely gully three miles long, clad with heavy bush, when we come on a a place aptly named " Beef Creek," by reason of cattle being bogged there. Coming upon this spot suddenly, the horse shied, and nearly landed our traveller down a gully more than a hundred feet deep. After getting off, and leading the horse for Borne distance, the Pemberton coach was observed embedded in the mire, with Beven benighted passengers m a very trying predicament. After using their united efforts by means of screw jacks and five horses, all their endeavours to move the coach were unavailing, and the passengers had to tramp into.Pemberton, a distance of over three, miles. Our- traveller; continued on his journey, when Pemberton came in view, a splendid prospect of heavy bush land stretched for five miles before him. When coming out of the heavy bush, a magnificent panorama unfolded itself to our traveller's astonished gaze, viz, a natural clearing without either scrub or bush, some 150 acres in extent. Here is situated the new hotel, : which is fast approaching completion. - This road when completed, will connect with tbe mam trunk line through to Hawke's Bay. Doubling back again to host Lay's Accommodation House, a pleasant night is put in. Off again the next day, and after travelling some two miles oyer <a grand sheep country, a lovely little spot named Marshallville is reached, which is within eight miles of Ohmgaiti, over r a fairly good track, which crosses the Rangitikei close to the latter settlement; Returning to Pemberton another night was spent there.; Starting the next morning over a pack track of four miles. Malcolm's run is reached, and gomg another mile further, Malcolm's tmck to the riyer comes in sight, Where a grand view of the cliffs some hundreds of feet high, rise up perpendicularly from the bed of the Oroua riyer, also a splendid waterfall with a sheer drop of 200 feet, pours a considerable body of water over at this point. Our traveller is here informed that an energetic young business man .of Feilding had passed on towards Apiti. Our correspondent returned to Pemberton for the night. The next morning he was told that the above mentioned gentleman had lost his horse, which .he had tethered owing to his having missed ''the track. Whilst searching for the right path, he not only lost himself but his horse also, when he bad to call in the aid of two men, and after seven hours search, they at last recovered the animal and picked up the right trail, which was a fairly good road. Our traveller made for his back track to Apiti, and when seven miles out from Pemberton. he struck the Jubilee track which falls gradually to the riverbed. Crossing the river, Miller's place is reached, thence over the hills for two miles Apiti comes in sight where a magnificent piece of fiat country often miles in extent stretches out its pastures up to the banks of the river. .Going to the extreme boundaries of Apiti, our friend was entertained in a right royal manner by Mr Nix on Saturday night. The return journey was commenced early the next morning, when nothing ef- special interest happened to call for particular mention. Our correspondent travelled over 2oo miles in the five days, haft a most interesting and enjoyable outing, and speaks in terms of the highest praise bf the hosmtable welcome, extended to him wherever he went, and strongly ad" vises anyone who wishes to see the country, and view some grand bush and river scenery, to venture on a similar trnv