EARLY GOLD DISCOVERY

Hokitika Guardian, 15 October 1921, Page 1

EARLY GOLD DISCOVERY

MUST RUSH TO THE (OAST. A R.O.M ANTIC ACCOUNT. (Kjoin the Reports of sSir Julius von F.H.S. to tl:o Canterbury Provincial Government). (Confinued.) IX.

Having made a nuniher of Imroineirienl ohservalinns, we descended about, a thousand ieet to the camp of Mr Wright, tin' contractor for the work on the northern side of the Pass. In descending several conspicuous additions to the vegetation observed on the southern face of the pass were met with, of which the raia 1 Metrosideros l.m-ida Menzie-) forms Hie grisliest ornament to the landscape, principally about Christmas time, when the whole mountain side, as -eon from above, appears as one moss of bright scarlet flowers. In this camp we also met Dr Stcdman, who had been sent here by the Provincial Government to attend professionally, in ease of accident or illness, amongst tin* nume:niis nil'll a' work upon these large and, extensive works. I was now obliged to leave my dog-earl, the first which had ever crossed the Southern Alps, behind me. and continued my journey next day, pocking my provisions and camp uleiisiU. Descending into the gorge ot the (Him, a wild alpine torrent, where vi.|is,(‘:| over several newly constructed bridges. Ihe magniliceni scenery around us could hot fail to make the deepest impression upon me. and which lost nothing of its glorious character by my having travelled shortly beture amongst the highest mountains ol the Southern Alps. The steepness oi the mountains on both sides tunning the gorge, the constant alternation horn, cn rocky precipice.- and luxuriant forest, large trees growing amongst perpendieulai dills, wherever thin

runts could peiiel rate, numerous small hut charming cascades descendillg from both sides. Below, the roniing mountain torrent, in-diing down amongst huge blocks of lock, by which its passage was impeded, and above all, flic deep blue sky of New Zealand the ■.hole forming a pietuie of inde-crib-:i!i]i• grandeii] and beauty. Numerous gangs ot workmen were lice occupied „irk blasting and road making and a few shanties, where provisions, fresh meal, and even ( hristelsuieli baked bp-ad could be boilglu. bad already I built bet we -a tbe re k;. .-puis. \\ C w "I e \ cry lort onate in ! he w eat he nlieu crossing, a- tic- Pa-s. like all deep degressions in om alpine chain', is pai t t(*n hi rly subject to rain. Ihe observation' made during die in'ugn".- ~| da- wink show, d that, during Hi" whole time tl.cu' were scarcely three dais in the week in v. list'll the it ct eolllll proceed ui'li (lie v, oik. "hi!'! m some months, the rainy weather was

sii 1-11111 miinlls. t till! Jill JivW’Jljir til nM ‘‘ dav and a halt only in a week was obtained. Ai'tei four miles ol this i-haiming s,cie-r\. the valley opened, and we ion- , iioii'd olir journey over IlnC. rnvrird ~ nil A lea i ia. Nilida. and Hi, it ola. v, r nnea, S leilolia l.eptieperiiiiim. line species of ('opro-ina. Haims. anil other. Here I had the pleasure of neeling his Honor, the Supei inleiidim I Mi Samuel Henley, an 1 Mi htlwnrd lollie. the I’liiviueinl S.-e: clary. win had come over from Christclmtch to make themselves pet - vitally a-o uain'e-1 with the progress of the mail. Airiw,| at the iumtion el the Ot ira with the Teiemakau. I seal my hoises hack to meet me at the eastern loot "i l-'.iou nine's Pass, and emit iliued my journey with aiinth-'i -• t m hm-r., w hieh had come up from llokit ika to meet me here, noil to convey my luggage to the wes'ertt approaches ol that last-ment timed Pass. tor 'Cveial ,la\s .1 ... . 1 1 ... \ rant at 11,

Taipo, aml moleovei well' compelled lo travel slov.lv, owing to the v . ■’ slate of the mails, wide!. were only partly formed. In mam deco pin. s - they' were nothing more than deep channels of mire, intei laced with iunnmeralile loots, in amt above wliie.; a numher ol stems ol trees and almre.s----,.(■!,1 i..tits wete lying, and amongst which the liorsi s had ia pick tin i" wav. On the I 111: II tola r we a 1 live I ■;1 Vie Waimca. v.laiieo .lie mad Iwads across the downs to the Kawhaka. a tri hut ary ol the A, a hit ia . t lie whole c-ol 1111 l-y h mg the whole Will covered with most luxuriant finest, eonsislmg gi-m-tally ni pines, amongst. n I teh nuuiefiTiis inn lno - . o i-e 1 I graeeful crowns. This ■» el 'lt • tii-, -st port ions ol the \V e-. t oast road. and on a t a vmi ra hie day. the travelle, who passes through this loioly eom.tiy i-auimt liml terms adoij.iate to expies-s ins delight. However in iho-e days. vorv arduous task imle il. In .i y wher • old patties ate at wink eleatiug a 1,l oad hell 111 l ores, wa v. and a- Ci ■ ,-aiiiy weather eotitinued. it was olteii .nth’ some dilfieiiii x I hat we manage ! . I- I

On the I St I, of Del, we reached Hokitika, whcie. in my old i|iiai'.ers m tin* (Jnvr j 11111**11 t ('simp. I ;i huspitahle w oleum,'. Aft. I having pant ■ visit to the T* it a ra Diggings and to Lake Ma-liinapiia. s- ulh ol Hokitika, which owes its origin to nioiaiine :u----rtimulut ions on its western shines. I iircpa red mvself I'm the letu.n joitt ney In li.ow mug's Hass. We left Hokitika oil file 2otll 111 Oetoher. eln.-'eii the river in a punt, and follnwe.l me mail In, nea.ly seven miles along the left hank, tiavelling mesllv on allmial terraces of uuarletuary origin, geneially eovered with AUe-ake hushes -ciearia Nilida). 11l older to t i'll the -mid workings at and lie;,- Kanier. Township. 1 crossed the river mm Woodwork, si in! ilfStMMnloil sovi'r:\\ "» the shafts, which ollered a g"<"* sight into the geological sun, lute 111 tin- aiirilenms heds, a siihjeei n> w m -i I shall return in Hie ehapier on ' geologv ol (ho West C„n>:. Host' el Woodstock a small mining t o v'tisli ip the mad traverses a line fine finest, which presented s doh- . ,-.1l i for passage ol the paek-!-,,,ses. We mossed the river at what was railed I he "loll" ford" easily p:,s-e.| hy horses, a boat being m read,If. S* I’ll I* loot pSl'iSlMlL'i'J s. I ' fell iweil the river lo I lie iHin t ion "I . j.'nkiii alii, passin ovc low sandy gfoimil. either llood channels nr low let races eovered with f leai ia, \ i iI oniea, Coriaria, l.vptospermii similar sliiuh vegetation growing alon g i fiver heds. here to Hi • pm. turn of the Styx the track passes for a hunt eight miles IlirnUidi level eountrv; railed Sherrill’s Him. “vet the whole, small groves of shrubs of the same character grow, with numerous patches ol grass between them, intersected hy

small water-courses. A nuniher of New Zealand quail (Coturniz Novae Zen In niliae) rose before us, having till then been very little disturbed, hut I understand they have long since become exterminated in lliat locality, as well as almost everywhere else in X v /.inland.

The mumc cvoiiin;*; wo cam|H‘d mojis the entrance of the Siyx valley int< the Hokitika plains, and had a magiiilieen; view of the high ranges before ns of which the summits were s'i!! doopß covered with snow, whilst ;hc mimr-nm stigarlonf-like hills in the fori giuitim told distinctly the history of the district. Entering next morning the valley of the Styx, now flowing 1.. tween

th" ranges, mtineious natiirid section.' nia.lt; me well aequaiulcl with t'e geo logy of the district. The path load for several miles along or in the river bed, where we had to cross and re cross, which was rather unpleasant owing to the large boulders and th swift current. We then ■■oncl.cd bridle path, cut on the Hit hani, through the forest, wlieie tiavclliii was comparatively easy. W ■ no" crossed a huge moraine, stietchii" across the valley, and consisting principally of enormous blocks, represent ing all the locks which form I lie sum mils of Ihe Southern Alps. Aider ;

few miles, we had r: pent, iP; to eri.-s t lie river, now assuming the charawlc! of a mountain torrent. The fords wen deep and rocky, with large blocks B pass over. The evening setting in, we camped in a small gully, where, owing to the altitude now reached, tile black beech fh’agus h'usea ilotrk. I.) wallow the predominant ran. Starling with fine weather from the Hokitika plains, after advancing a few miles into the valley, tain and sleet began to fall, and continued with little inter-i-'Ssion till next morning, when we Started again to rein-h the “Wooded Saddle.'’ The valley gi initially lost its gorge-like eharaider. and opened up. leading us to a small grassy |hu, IAI)t) feel above the son level, on which Ranunculus Lyalii stood in full flower. I had ill,' pleasilio of meeting Mi Malcolm Eraser, one ol the Government District Surveyors (now Surveyor (leocral of West I'm Australia) who had charge of the road parly working from here in both directions, and who kindlv returned with me to hi- rump.

A gentle ascent of about ■'-lit* led thioiigli dense forest, changing towards tho summit into thick silli-a ipinc -, ruh brought us to the top d that first saddle. Tin- road frt.ni the foot to the summit under the direction ol Mr M. I'bns,o' was nearly lini'lied. ami db-r"d lair 11 a veiling ground The -iiU'iidt ot the wooded saddle exhibits Hm -an," i-haruep'i jslie Us A i thill'- ,n limiter's Pass, and although I use the exj ressintr “I'oodcl saddle” I t’.iTils it verv inaop.,,print,', as it v, ill coin ey n cool molls impression. The go and i covered with Stphagiinini tswainp mo.") gra-s and other li.-i haceous plants liking moist s'lili-aloine In alilies. Here and lhere small gloves ol -nli-alpine shrubs , 'on si si ing oi several -p.ries ol Draeophylhiin, Clearii Panax. du-

'oiliest, etc., have sprung up on t! 1 drier spots, and cover lugli 'ides ol lh' mountain slopes with a luxuriant gtowih, a (tract'nig the eye hy the variOtts and t it ill tints of their rirli foliage Some Sit lei't helow the summit ol this lirst saddle Mr Km.set's camp tv a < situated, where t e fmmd a kind and hearty reception. Mr Kraser having among his road party sttiil <■ mi - who, four weeks Imfore my arrival, ha ! mine over Hrnwning’s Pass, I etideavoitred to prevail on some of them m letuni with me. to enrrv swags and pmvisions. hut they all dreaded so nitli.i the iourney that I could only o’dai.i the assistance of one of them, and llir i-,.st of my party had to he inaih' up ht some volunteers fimu his read gang Starting the 2sth of Oetoher. ki’P* for ahoiit a mife on Ml I'ra Tr s line, and deseetided ai'tei wards into tin heil of the A rah lira to examine some am i-

jVrolls gniuml near • •',* iiinei mn Ci itlit h's creek w ith (■ n'er river. When stalling Irom llokilika. I w ;) s informed that lhe liver, taking its rise j on the western side of Hrowning s . Hass, was the Taipo. hv which name it i was also designated hv the discoverers ' of Ihe Hass, !mt even then 1 w'as al f,. :l dv under the impression that it would him nut to Ik* tin' Arulmrn. :ui<l | now, stsunlinix oil its l>:inks. I w«>s qiuto j rortuin I was riglit in my I ; | L .,,| the npport unil vof taking several hearings towards the head waters ol iji,, on my various ioimu'vs. j mid from tlu*m I «-mu llml tliis five; had its sourees mine inwards south-east than the maps in my possession in,Heated, and (hat it over! . oped the sources of the northern hraiiih ol the K oka ta hi -Styx), from the hanks „r 1.!,,. Aralmra, near the ium-tmii ot ,1,0 Kawhaka. I oonld ol.setve t hat this tiver, after having passed the hake Kanieri ranges, eiiteis into a *>.'••" amongst high I" wl„--e. nil " out ilouht. its course is detleetcl mU ;,fds east-north-east. and then, tunijjf, , ; i -harp angle, will ulliteal -H i,.,v0 msirly noriherly eotiise. 11.-ul I mil hecn so much pressed lor lime. I should oeiiainly have devoieil a I'y dnvs to delerminilig this fat. ■>.'■' ho lo'vine the 1 iver in guest ion far eimugli I oonviuee myself of its ultimate ,: (ml se. However, altlem -h m eoiichisions were liiueli otmoseil at the lime. |„ r I iter explorations have shown I hat inv deduetioiis were oorieel and that n is not, tlio Tnipo, l>ui 11 u* Animn.i, i ‘ p.inoipMl snircos r.f wliiuli inv siluatiul mi Kt nu nino’s PiISS.

11 a vine followed for a few hundred yard- along the hanks of the river, clothed with grass, we had again In take to the mountain side eovered with such a dense vegetal ion, that t ravelling became slow ami laborious. We passed several mountain torrcnls coming from Mount Sale, mostly in deep rnrliv forming :> sut-oossioii of vaseades. Some of them were tilled with avalanches, over which we had to I'md our way. After three Imuis ol this laborious work we arrived at a laieer mountain torrent, lulling ore; a succession of often vertical elills, ml then ilea rl v Idled with a laige avalanche, where, owing to the great steepness of the talus of snow, and the smnoll, surface of the highly inclined , ~,-kv hanks, we expel ienee.l some ihlheulty in bringing the men over. rlus the. 'miner who had previously been over tin- ground, pointed out to me as the Harman stream, and. as I expressed some doubts, lie assured me ol the correctness of his statement, hy telling me that before crossing the Hnss, Mr Green In w had kindly furnished them with a tracing of the road, anil * l '' was the most important river all the way they had crossed. Advancing more up I lie main valley, the vegetation became more stunted nml gnarled, and eoiisecpicntly pur progress was still slower. Towards evening we arrived at t lie reviles mount minces t i2axtlv_ei>vejjM^

lly old moraines which stretch below tlie junction of the Harman with the Arahura, across the valley. The rain, which had lasted without interruption the whole day, did not cease during the night. Fortunately there were many shrubs of Dracophyllum Longifolium growing in this locality, whirl even in llieir green stale burn li-c-ly, and which enable the traveller in those regions, so lfnieh exposed to rain, to light a lire with comparative taw.

plant had needle-shaped leaves, generally of a brownish tint, and small hel:slinped white flowers. It is generally called a native heath hy the Europeans. As some of the hushes grow to a height often feet with thick bianchcx it oilers wood enough to keep up a cheerio! fire. (To he continued).