A TRIP TO WANGAPEKA.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume V, Issue 65, 18 March 1870, Page 2

A TRIP TO WANGAPEKA.

(From a Correspondent.) Having iust returned from a visit to Wangapeka, I wish, Mr. Editor, with your permission, to give your readers ashort account of what I saw on the road aud at the reef. The road to Foxhill is too well known to need remark, so I shall make a start from Wagsiaff's Bellgrove Inn, at the foot of Spooner's range, over which we had to travel. This range is about seven miles long, and one or two sharp C! pinches" are to be found in ascending it, the road, however, is prett3 r fair, aad just now, owing to the long continuauce of dry weather, in capital order. Improvements are vow in progress, aud when some of the rough places are made smooth there will be little cause to complain of this portion of the road. Descending the range on the other side we entered Norris's G-uliy, and, shortly after passing Bray's Pack Horse Inu, we reached the Upper Motueka River, where there is a good ferry-boat for foot passengers. At the present time the river is very low, but the extent of its bed gives one a good idea of what it would be in a flood. There are many good farms in the Upper Motueka Valley, which will, no doubt, profit largely by an influx of population to the Wangapeka, where a good market would at once be opened for their produce. After sighting the valley of Motupiko, we proceeded round the spur into the Tadmor Plain, which consists of heavily timbered land, through which there is a fair road, now being greatly improved by the felling of the trees on either side.- Passing Faweett's we crossed the river and wended our way up the Tadmor Hill, which is covered with bush, and is about 2^- miles in length. The ro d up this hill is being much improved by several cuttings, which will enable one to avoid the steep rises that now have to be surmounted. In climbing this hill I could not help thinking of that idiotic youth who is described by Longfellow as wandering about the Alpine ranges with a huge banner, on which was inscribed the ambitious motto ''Excelsior." My object was similar to his, namel}', to rise higher and higher, but I dou't think I exhibited the same alarming symptoms that are described as beiug visible on his countenance, iv the words "His brow was bent, his eye beneath flashed like a falchion from its sheath." With meou the contrary it was — My back was bent my pack beneaih. !Nor was there anything half so musical in my voice as in his, the accents of whose well-known tongue "like a silver clarion rung," for I found on attempting to address my mate, that my throat was as hard and rough as a blacksmith's rasp. If Mr. "Excelsior" had known what was in store for him when he started off on that meaningless expedition for which some enthusiastic lovers of siDg-song so highly applaud him, I firmly believe that he would not have so rudely declined the iuvitation of that remarkably self-possessed young lady who coolly requested him to "rest his weary head upon her breast," — at least, I know that if I had happened to have met her at the foot of the Tadmor range I should not have been in such a hurry to scale its rugged sides. On the other side of the range, after passing Phillips', we crossed the Sherry river, a little higher up which I learned that a few parties were working alluvial ground with moderate success. The Sherry aud Wangapeka plains are covered with native grass, and appear to contain some excelleut arable laud. A Mr. Gillow has a large farm aud run here, and near his house there are one or two bridges which sadly waut repair, the half of one of them being entiiely broken away, leaving just room for drays to pass with not two inches to spare.

After crossing the Wangapeka plain, we reai- lied- the edge of the bush on the banks of the river, and here the dray road ceases. Here we found a • small camp occupied by a party who are engaged in prospecting the district, and I fancy that this spot will become a depot for the diggings aud will probably, iv the course of a few months, be a busy little place. Starting from here we travelled along a rough bush track about 13 miles in length which is now being improved in places, aud tenders have been called for execuliDg the whole work. The new track is wisely being made on a gradient suitable for a dray road, should the progress of the diggings warrant its construction. Along the banks of the Rolling Eiver, which we soon came to, there exists

abundant evidence of extensive sluiciug operations having at one time been carried on, and one or two parties are still at work. At Chandler's accommodation house I was surprised to find a substantial farm-house and outbuildings, and extensive wellcultivated paddocks. Five" miles beyond this we arrived at Price's where a new house is going up, and four miles more brought us to the new township of Gladstone, which is situated on the junction of Blue Creek and Nugget ty Creek with the Rilling River. At present the population is about 250 or 300. All the business sites are pegged off, aud the township is rapidly being cleared of bush. The Court-house, how in course of erection, is situated on a small terrace at the entrance of the town, from which it is separated by a small creek. There are several stores aud accommodation houses, a skittle alley, and a large number of teuts on the flat land, which is not very extensive, but will probably be sufficient for the requirements of the district for some time to come. The town is pleasantly situated, getting the sun early in the morning and until late in the afternoon, nor have residents there any cause to complain of the price of provisions, good mutton being retailed at sixpence per pound, bread is also made and sold at 9d. the 21b. loaf, and wild pigs are plentiful on the plains. Culliford's reef, which is reached by a rough track along the ridge, is situated on a spur between Blue and Nuggetty creeks, aud from a high bluff near it a good view of the neighboring gullies may be obtained. Work has already been commenced upon it, the reef being uncovered and cleared of roots ; men are also busily employed upon the claims to the north and south of the prospector's ; huts are being erected, and drives made into the hill, and all parties seem sanguine of success. On the opposite side of the spur iv Nuggetty creek, another reef ha 3 been discovered, supposed by some to be a continuation of Cullifords, here too, claims have been pegged off, and work commenced. Other reefs have been discovered in the district and claims taken up on them, and we may soon hope to hear of their value being tested. On tho whole the prospects are encouraging; there id evidently plenty of "stone," but most of the parties in occupation are, from the long delay which has taken place, short of funds, and consequently it may be some time before they are in a position to obtain the machinery necessary to produce auy large returns. Shares may be obtained at present ac a low figure, many parties being willing to sell, not from any want of coufideuce in the richness of the field, but from the absence of funds wherewith to carry on the works. Such are some of my jottings by the way. I may say that I started back iv a return dray, leaving at 5 p.m., travelled all night, and arrived at Foxhill in time to catch the van in the morning. Mr. Fox has lately been lecturing in. Auckland on Total Abstinence. The following h a short extract from his lecture : — When he talked to some of his friends — more especially to his clerical friends — ou the subject' of "strong drink" he heard it sometimes said, "Oh, but wine is God's good gilt, and is to be received with thankfulness." Other people eaid, quoting St. Paul to Timothy, "Take a little wine for your stomach's sake." The argument about its being God's good gift was the greatest absurdity it had been his lot to listen to. God, indeed, gave the vino and its fiuit to mankind, and they knew that, however refreshing, wine was insidious as a beverage. But whoever read that whiskey, gin, and brandy, and tho concoction that was sold for wine, was God's good gift ? These came from differeut quarters. And when they came to some of the wines and spirits that were sold by publicans and others, so far from being the good gifts of God, it would appear as if it were the devil who concocted them.

At a recent prayer-meeting in Troy, an enthusiastic brother prayed that the meeting might be annointed with the "Isle of Patmos." When Haddock's wife kicked him oufc of bed he said, " Look here, now, if you do that again it will be likely to cause a coldness in this family." The young man who sang, "I'm lonely since my mother died," isn't quite so lonely vow. His father has married again, aud his stepmother makes it lively enough for him

The Neio York Herald has entered the lists as an expounder of prophecy. It has an article on the subject of the new heaven and e-i-rth foretold in the book of Revelation. It gives some very striking information on the subject, and concludes by a speculation as to which of the cities ou earth is to be the holy city, the new Jerusalem which St. John saw deceuding from heaven, This sublime vision, the Herald snys, may be explained as meaning that the new Jerusalem will be as new in its moral aspects as if deeeuding directly from heaven.

What city will it be ? The Herald does not think it will be the old Jerusalem, for that, it beautifully says, "is played out." Nor Constantinople, nor Rome, nor Paris, nor London, nor Great Salt Lake City ; but the Her aid thinks it will be New York. It grants that a mighty purification will be needed to make New York the holy city, the new Jerusalem foreshadowed by St. John ; but in the good time coming, the Herald says, "We shall have something better to reign over us than the lings of Tammany Hall, and so nothing better for our instruction than the moral teachings of Beecher." — Pall Mall Gazette.

Here is a "personal" advertisement iv a French newspaper : " Eiiza, you can return to the house. Tlie boil on my nose has gone. 1 '