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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 6, Issue 331, 11 December 1865, Page 1

The Fyke Exploring Party.—Whilst tho Otago and Dunstan Times, and other journals, attach the greatest importance to tho discovery of the new route to tho West Coast, by Mr Pyke the Lake Wakatip Mail expresses doubt of the advantages likely to flow from the discovery. It says:—“ Our contemporary, the Dunstan Times, is quite jubilant on what it calls “tho discovery” by tho Pyke exploring party of a track to the West Coast. This is commendable; and we should be most happy to learn that a new and good track had been discovered via the Wanaka. But the truth is (on the report of our contemporary), Mr Pyke and his well-equipped party have done no more than two or three sturdy diggers could have done. Anyone who has read the description of Dr. Haast’s explorations to tho West Coast two-and-a-half years ago, and published by us some three weeks since, will see at once that Mr Pyke has merely traced that gentleman’s steps. Both proceeded to the head of the Makarora, followed the leading stream running to the north, and then the Burke, until its junction with the Haast, from whence they proceeded along the latter river until the sea was reached. Had Mr Pyke found a pass from the junction of the Burke with the Haast, through the Grey range, oflbri.ig an available route to the Hokitika gold-fields, he would have added to our knowledge. Under tho present circumstances, we doubt whether his observations will throw even so much light on this comparatively terra incognita as Dr Haast’s researches do. The Pyke exploring party also failde in, or neglected, one of its most ostensible objects —the discovery of payable gold.”

A French gentleman who was caressing a dog one day, remarked, “ I love de dogs, do cats, de sheep, de pigs—in short, everything dat is beastly.”

Uancuto mace east.— Drink a bottle of Scotch ■whiskey, and you will be able, without any further instruction, to perform a Scotch reel.