EARLY GOLD DISCOVERY

Hokitika Guardian, 19 October 1921, Page 4

EARLY GOLD DISCOVERY

FIRST RUSH TO THE COAST. A ROMANTIC ACCOUNT. (From the Reports of Sir .lulius von IJaast, E.R.S. to the Canterbury Provincial Government!. (Continued.) Nil. RIVERS OF WESTLAND. THE GREY.

Of the livers of the West Coast, tlm Grev in many respects is the most important. it forms the northern boundary of Westland, for a few miles only near its mouth, together with its tributary the Arnold, which issues from Lake Hriinnei and Piiherua. Lake Hi tinner (227 feet above the sea level) is a line sheet of water, being four miles I,road and six miles long. It lies in the continuation of the large opening leading from the valley of the Ter<‘maka:i, west of the liolionii range, into the Grey Valley, the former channel of a huge glacier, of which the extensive terminal moraines now form its northern shores. A portion of that glacier branched off five miles south of Hake llmnner, and followed a broaii valley ill a north-east direction ! which the small but charming bake l’olierua (did feet) is now situated. After a few miles in this direction the glacier followed a north and then northeast course, uniting again with the 1 i link glacier near its termination, lietween and above these two branches the highest peak of the isolated Tokinoa range stood an island. In the first part of this publication, I have already pointed out that in comparatively recent times, before the Teremakau bad I’oicod its passage through the ranges snutli of the'Hoiionu range, it bad been flowing by bake Brunner, and discharged itself as an outlet of this lake into the sea more towards the north, somewhere near the mouth of the liver Kakawau (Saltwater Creek). Tlm watershed between the Teremakau and the two lakes is exceedingly low, and if I can trust to some barometrical obsei rations bore made, an unusual rise of 1(1 or l-d feet in the Teremakau would bring its flood waters again towards bake Brunner and its smaller neighbour. THE TEREMAKAU. Following the West Coast in a southerly direction from the Grey,-the next river of inqionniico is the Teremakau. the main sources of which are situated on the llipuiiui or Harper’s Pass, close to those of the Hurutnii river. For the first 2s miles the dircct i, hi of ils course is west by south, after which, lor the remaining 2d miles it runs north-west. Five miles below the saddle the tailcv already widens considerably, the river flowing for a long distance in a broad channel, aml iVfvivinjj; numerous tributaries, mostly rroiii tin* southern side, of which the Otira. ami principally the Taipo. a river of glacier origin, arc the most impoitanl. In tact, the Taipo at ils junction, contains more water than the Teremakau. The sources of the former arc situated on the southern slopes of Mount Harman, in that cluster «>l snow-covered mountains which the Maoris designate as the Kaimatau. Helow the junction of the' Taipo the valley narrows, the liver breaking through the granite-coast- chain, ami only enlarging its hod again near its tnoit t li. TilK A KAHUNA. The Arahura empties itself into tlasi‘a , übout Id miles below tile mouth ol llie Tereiimkiiii. 1 1 < main source issues fidin bake Browning ( lliltj foot above tile sea level) which lies close to the summit of Browning’s Pass. After (lowing for about eight miles in a

noitheilv direction, between high snow covered ranges, with precipitous hanks, it turns to the wesi-north-west, keeping this general course to its mouth. It here Mows through a succession of deep gorges foi a distance of miles, measured in a straight line, its valley hemming more open about nine miles from the coast. The portion ol its bed between the wooded saddle (firiliith’s ihi'S) leading from the upper Arahura into the Styx and the junction of the Kav.haka creek, is unknown to me. However, it has been s'ttrve.'.ed along its whole course by the Westland Survev Hepartment. through which I received the description of its characteristic features. TilK HOKITIKA. The Hokitika is the next river which claims our attention. It drains a <• nsiderablo portion of the Southein Alps, about :!() miles in extent along the divide, nearly of the same size as that drained by the Itakaia branches, to which its sou i ees generally he opposite. It. main branch owes its origin to the

Sale glaciei II I S't feel above the sea level . descending the north-eastern Hopes of Mount Whiteomhe, close to \\ hitmmhe Hass. Koi about Hi miles il has nearly a straight norfu-mu I h east course.' Ilow ing in a deep channel mildest loft v snow-,-fa.l range tils I over iaige him ks aiel afterwaids in a nairo.v shingle bed. then entering the wooded ranges, it hums a succession of w itdlalls and rapids. It Inins then to the mu t li-Ild I h-west, and iceeives miuieroiis affluents from both sides, those 1 1 mil the eastern ranges being t’m

i st. After a course of six miles it enlois the Hokitika plains, hut before rloittg so. it Hows iliioilgh a deep gorge with rieky vertical hanks, the "liter appealing stagnant, being so deep 11 .1 no bottom could he u It with the h-n a es| pole available. Two causes combine lor the formation of this tenia 1 k.thlc corgi-, nearly half a mile in length, l-’jrst. the existence 1 if very hard gneiss granite through which the river had to cut its channels and secondly, t-ho existence of a small mountain tonent la-low the gorge having thrown a large shingle rniio jicross it. In ilit* Hokitika plains tlio river, bowing eight miles in a general north-north-west direction, has formed a broad shingle-hod. It then abuts against morainic accumulations, by which its course is deflected at a tight angle, now flowing for live miles northcast, and becoming, for the last mile, deep and apparently stagnant, the Kokafahi, by which it is joined, batin'' thrown a shingle harrier across the main river, near its junction. At this point, the Hokitika turns again In the north-north-west, which course it maintains for about eight miles to its mouth The Kokatahi is an important affluent of the Hokitika, its sources heiiie situated in the central chain, a lew "miles south of Browning s I ass where a high alpine saddle, north of Mount Chamberlain, leads into one nt the tributaries »f the Wilherlon-e. It Hows, for the greater portion oi its course, in a deep rocky gorge. \ lMr its entrance into the Hokitika plains. The SI vx or Browning river leading by (!„, Wooded Saddle into the Aralmra and to Browning’s Bass, joins il mi its northern hank. The Styx has a remarkably straight course, and is an old channel of the great Arahura glacier, which here sends a branch '"to the Kanieri basin. A mile lower down on the opposite side, the Tonroha. also a wild and rnekv mountain torrent, empties itself. Its Elaeier sun,•ees are situated nit the suillh-wcstern side ol Mount Chamberlain. After the .pntetion of this latter hraneli, the Kokatahi follows a north-westerli course lor six allies across Hie Upper T lokit iKa 1 plains, and then, as before observed, ' the main river. I'ivc miles helo"

this confluence the Knuieri enters it on its northern banks, it issues from bake Knuieri, and is, for nearly its whole length, a mountain stream, except for the last six miles of its course, where it is dammed back by tlie large shingle deposits of the Hokitika. bake Knuieri, a charming piece of water, possessing numerous deep bays, and surrounded by forest-clad mountains, is nine miles long, and on an average one -mile and a bait broad, bike nearly every lake on both slopes of the Southern Alps, it is surrounded at its lower end hv a broad ell cunivtiliation of moraines, through which its outlet lias cut a deep channel. It is fed exclusively from the mountains on both sides. A low and broad pass at •. ... ... ...i i i: i., t.. it,#. (2i < v nr

Drowning river, proves that the former Knuieri 'glacier came by that valley. Finally, the Mahinapua creek joins the Hokitika river near its mouth. Jt is-a sluggish water-course, hut justly celebrated for the luxuriance of the forest vegetation growing along its hanks. Four miles south of the Hokitika bar, it issues from Lake Mahinapua, which lies close to the coast line, hut is separated front it bv a moraine wall about fifty loot high, the lowest remnant belonging to the Hokitika basin. I U shows that a branch of the Hok;n’»: ; glacier during its greatest extension, after passing Koiteraugi, an isolated roche montonnee lying near tin* venire of the Hokitika plains, followed hv a straight course so as to reach with its terminal face the point wheie Lake Mahinapua is now situated. TIIM M IKON FI. Passing over tin* Totara liver, laving its sources in the Coast ranges, we reach the Mikonui. the sources ot which are situated in the big chain bra'nelimg oil from Mount Whit-combe, and aecompativ the left bank ot the Hokitika river in its upper course. IT! 10 WA IT AI! A AND The two next livers, the Wait aba and Wanganui, both containing a large (juantitv of water, take their rise in the central chain, their sources leing formed by gbu-iers descending from Mounts Wiiitcombe a,ml Kannny. TilF. POFUUA. Travelling south along the coast Ibe Poenut is t.bv next river originating from the central elmin. Us ttbu-iei sun revs are derived from large snowfields on tbe western slopes ol tin Mount Tyndall range. Tbe Saltwatoi or I’orrua lagoon, situated In-tween il and the Wataroa, is a fine tidal estuar.r surrounded on three sides by densely wooded moraines, over wbic-li one ol the finest views of the Soiillicin Alin is obtained. It is the m-eptablo ot the drain Hite of these extensive aeeumula-

Tl IF. WATAROA. Tbe river Wntama is abo a true glaeier liver, its main sources issuing from several large glaciers on tbe south western slopes of Mount IVtermann, the Keith Johnstone and Hector ranges. After entering the lower n-e----worit bills, its bed expands const! er..,|,lv and being nearly a mile broad, but after having received tbe outlet ot the small l.ake Rotokino. the river passes through a narrow gorge tor about hall a mile. It then again expands. and retains the character ol a broad shingle river to its mouth. <" tinsame lagoon that this river lias formed at its mouth, the two Wailaogis. the Wnitnngitonna, ami AAaitamnioto. empty themselves. They are ot inconsiderable size, drain a great deal ol swatnpv ground, and tln-ir sources milv m, bark to tbe front ranges which I,ranch off Mount Macmillan. THE OKARITO. Nine miles south of the V ataroa. Dm on'i U-t of tbe Okarito estuary empties itself into tbe sea. 11 i- led bv t Okarito river, lornied hv the continent streams leaving Hakes Mapmtnka and Wahapo. both of winch bikes me stnroimdcd bv huge murames and incites non,,ounces, mill le.l by the western slopes of the Cm.st ranges A low p- ss leads from tbe bead of bake Maputo-,kn into the upper valley n! On- M.ti.ui liver. Tlie Olmrito lagoon is an extensive estuary, seven miles long, and on at. average m-atlv one mile broad. Of its grand scenic lea uros 1 hay trivcit in the Inst p.ttt. The two lake* in eonneetion with it are of small size only, tbe largest one. Hake Mapourikn, being about three miles lotto- and one mile broad(To lie continued).