NOTES OF A SUMMER TRIP ROUND THE MIDDLE ISLAND.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume X, Issue 81, 5 April 1875, Page 2

NOTES OF A SUMMER TRIP ROUND THE MIDDLE ISLAND.

i [Communicated.] . As facility for visiting the remarkable Sound, deep inlets of the sea, which, like the fiords of Norway, run far into the mountainous country on the south-western side of this island, has been provided by a steamer making the circuit monthly, a brief account of what is to be seen on the way may prove interesting to those who may contemplate making this tour. In order to understand the relative positions of places described it will be well to refer to a chart of the coast, or to a map of New Zealand. Leaving Nelson Haven towards evening, a calm sea and beautiful sunset view of the lofty mountains that form a deep purple-headed background to the green plains and cultivated fields of Motueka and Riwaka, made an auspicious commencement to our coasting voyage. The excellent flashing light on the Sandspit was passed at 10 p.m., and Cape Farewell rounded soon after midnight. By noon on the following day the steamer crossed the bar at the entrance of the Buller by a straight channel over two fathoms deep at half tide. The town of Westport on the northern or right bank of the river has of late been laid out further up the stream than it was before, and is therefore much less liable to inundation; a long and wide main street runs nearly parallel to the course of the river, and has many good houses, stores, and public buildings on both sides, giving to it an appearance of businesslike activity, and a cheering prospect of future progress when the railway, already far advanced, shall admit of coals being brought at a cheap rate from extensive beds of excellent quality, to the water side for shipment. Having left Westport the same evening we were on the following morning near the entrance of the Grey, but passed it with the intention of returning, and steamed on to Hokitika, about seventy miles south of the Buller. There we experienced some of the stormy weather frequently met with on this coast. At such times crossing a bar through lines of heavy foaming surf, breaking on board and filling the deck fore and aft, into a narrow crooked channel, is a very exciting and dexterous feat of pilotage, but the signals now made at the stations near the entrance of all the Westcoast rivers are sure guides, and once safe inside there is smooth water and convenient wharfage. Considerable quantities of golddust and timber are still shipped at Hokitika, but a marked decrease has taken place in the amount exported, and there is a languid appearance in the business of this formerly flourishing town, which, however, may revive when a supply of water can be brought to work the terraces of the adjacent country which are known to be highly auriferous. The Town Hall, Banks, and Churches are handsome buildings, and there are many neat dwelling houses and gardens in the neighborhood of the town. Instead of waiting for the steamer, which was detained by the state of the bar for a day at Hokitika, we preferred going in a coach which daily makes a circuitous journey by way of the digging towns, Waimea, Stafford, and Greenstone, to Greymouth, through very picturesque forest scenery, by a wonderfully well formed and metalled road. The town of Greymouth is very pleasantly situated on the left bank, or Westland side of the river, facing the almost deserted township of Cobden oo the Nelson side of the Grey. A stone embankment of very imposing appearance protects the upper part of Greymouth from inundation, and wharves at the lower end afford good accommodation fqr shipping. A curving line of hotels, stores, shopa, and public buildings along the quay, faced by verandahs over an asphulte pavement, forms an animated and agreeable promenade by daylight and gaslight. On the hills behind are some tasteful private residences and gardens. Besides coal and gold, the valley of the Grey possesses a considerable extent of arable land. Coaches leave town every morning lor Reefton, passing near the coalmines, which are now being worked by the river side at about seven miles distance from the port of shipment. The largest mine is on the Nelson side of the river, not sunk in, but drives are made into the seam, which is from ten to sixteen feet in thickness, and slopes upwards, bo that the water runs freely out of the passages, and laden trucks descend by gravitation to the barges at the opening. On the Westland side of the river, another mining company has sunk a shaft, from which the coal is raised and the water pumped by steam machinery. A railway is being constructed with much difficulty and delay, caused by land-slips, which, when completed, will greatly lessen the expense of conveying coal to the shipping, but the main difficulty, that of getting large quantities exported, will still remain, for the passage of the bar is safe only for small vessels in moderate weather. In clear weather the magnificent range of the Southern Alps may be seen from the deck soon after leaving the Grey. We had Mount Cook, the highest point at the western end of the chain, in sight nearly all day, and at sunset, soon after passing the little town of Okarita, were abreast of the mountain at a short distance from the Bbore near its base. Viewed from the northward, this lofty mountain appears to have several peaks close together, but when Been from the '

westward, three summits, widely aparf,are observed, the highest in the ceDtre, a sharp pinnacle from which a great avalanche of rock is said to have lately fallen, being about 13,000 feet above the level of the sea. These rugged, snow-capped, precipitous mountains, standing against the sky far above the sombre forest-covered hills of the lower range, have an aspect of stern, majestic gratfdeur, yet without, as in Switzerland, any bright cultivated foregrounds to contrast wi.'-h »nd relieve the wildncsa of the scene, which, however, became pleasingly sou en6(^ as tu6 * U M moonlight, succeeding ne twilight, allowed us to gaze for eever&J hours at

J (For continuation see fourth page.}

these gigantic peaks, and shone upon the bright streak of a great glacier in a ravine forming the' source of the Waiau river. Within a few hours after passing Mount Cook, we anchored close to the shore in Jackson's Bay, where there is shelter from S. Westerly winds. A settlement is made and maintained by the Provincial Government near the anchorage, but the available country is at Borne distance from the landing place. Our next place of call was ot. Big Ray, where a very small party of diggers are located, and then at Martin's Bay, where we anchored for the night. The Otago Government is endeavoring to foster a settlement on the shores of a lake having river communication with the bay, but the difficulty of maintaining intercourse with other parts of the colony has hitherto prevented much progress in cultivation or gold digging. The S. Western sea coast of Olago is cut off from the rich undulating country of the eastern and southern parts of the province by a belt of mountains, through which it is bard to find a pass, but the journey has been accomplished, and a track may hereafter be made practicable from the great centre lakes to the coast. Numerous arms of the sea admit vessels far into the gloomy, uninhabited recesses of the mountain barrier, where silence is broken only by the dash ot waterfalls and the sweet songs of native birds, which are fast disappearing from the neighborhood of European settlements, but still find an undisturbed retreat in the uncient groves of these remote shores. By far the most remarkable and interesting of the inlets is Milford Sound, easily distinguished by the sight of Mount Pembroke, 6,700 feet in height, near the entrance, which is so narrow and crooked that our steamer appeared to be rushing towards the eea beaten base of a rocky mountain, steep as a wall, whose summit was hidden by dark clouds. We were running before a heavy westerly gale, accompanied by torrents of rain, and a rolling sea, but once enclosed within the almost awful barriers rising precipitously to the height of five and six thousand feet on both sides of the confined lake-like space of water two hundred fathoms deep, we were in perfect shelter, and steamed between the mountain walls, streaked by numerous temporary waterfalls, to the upper part of the Sound, where the only anchorage is in ten fathoms, near the embouchure of a river, and at a short distance from a magnificent permanent cascade, falling from a ravine at least 500 feet above the surface of the water below. On the following morning the storm bad ceaeed, the clouds gradually rose from the mountains, unveiling their lofty enow streaked peaks, around our diminutive vessel on every side, forming a most imposing spectacle, which is probably unequalled by any other maritime scenery in the world. We steamed out of the sound with most favoiable weather, which, however, with the variableness common on the West Coast, soon became misty and rainy ,• the Maori was therefore anchored in a cove of Thomson's Sonnd, and next day wo passed through the intricate channels of Break Sea Sound ioto Dusky Bay, and again anchored for the night in Preservation Inlet, where we caught a quantity of fine fish, especially rock cod and trumpeter, which abound in those waters. The captain was desirous of giving us time to see as much as possible, but in such unsettled weather we could not fully eDjoy the otherwise charming novelty of exchanging from time to time the rolling swell of the ocean for smooth water, studded with green islands amidst lofty foreet-covered mountains. Like the fiords of Norway, which they greatly resemble, these sounds may become the resort of fishermen and timber hewers, but at present they are void of any sign of human habitation, or any trace of the wild aboriginal natives said to have taken refuge in Hub impenetrable portion of New Zealand. We arrived at the Blufl on the eleventh day after leaving Nelson, From thence tourists pressed for time may reiurn without much delay by steamer along the East Coast to Nelson; but for those who have leisure there are several routes to choose from. Spacious wharves have been constructed at the Bluff Harbor, and several large ships were loading wool there for England. Goods and passengers are conveyed to and from the port by an excellent railway, through a dreary tract of country to Invercargill, formerly the Seat of Government ia Southland, and reputed to be in a state of torpid decay, but now its wide and handsome streets present an appearance of active life and pros•perify, arising from substantial progress in the neighboring very extensive agricultural and sheep farming country. Railroads are already open for traffic in several directions to some distance, and one line is nearly completed as far as the Mataura River, intended to meet another in course of construction from Dunedin southwards. From Invercargill to the prettily situated settlement of Riverton on Jacob's River to the westward, also to Kingston, at the south end of Lake Wakatip, to the northward', there are excellent coach roads in use, and railway lines in progress through a vast extent of fl*t and available country, already occupied for Bheep ruos and homesteads. Thuß a traveller may reach Dunedin by sea from the Bluff, by land through the Mataura Plains, Balclutba, and Tokomuriro, or round by the more romantic scenery of Lakes Wakatip and Wanaka, seeing at the same time signs of improvement, and difficulties overcome, which afford a most cheering

prospect of present and future wealth to this fertile part of the colony. The shores of Dunedin harbor, which in the year 1847 presented the appearance of a naturally beautiful basin amidst forest-covered hills, inhabited only by a few natives living near the Heads, are now enlivened by green fields, and dotted with nest houses and cottages from the water side to the summits of the swelling hills. Lovely scenes that gladden the hearts of immigronts from Europe, wearied with long gazing on a waste of ocean. Port Chalmers, at which the larger vessels lie, about nine miles from the city, is now closely connected with it by a railway which terminates at the wharves lately built, where we saw many nohle ships and numerous small craft and steamers loading and diacharging cargo from and into the trucks alongside. Dunedin has the aspect of a closely-built substantial town of stone and brick, overtopped by the steeples and towers of churches and public edifices. The hills behind are covered by numerous elegant villas and gardens, forming a scene of advancement by human energy and skill, under Divine guidance, which to thope of us who distinctly remember the original condition of the site seems like the magical creation of a Genius, or the changing picture of a diorama. From Dunedin there are steamers every week going direct to to LytteltOD, and others calling at the thriving towns of Oamaru, Timaru, and Akaroa; also coaches daily by good roads through populous and cultivated districts. The coach journey will shortly be superseded by railway trains, the lino already being in use at several sections, and in a year or two will completely connect all the coast settlements from the Hurunui river in the north to Riverton at the southern end of the island, with branch lines 1o stations inland. Christchuroh, begun in the year 1851 by the erection of a few houses in the middle of a vast bleak and almost naked plain, very difficult of access from the port, is now an extensive city, containing many handsome public buildings and recreation grounds, so sheltered and adorned by tall trees, that to strangers it seems to have been planted amidst a forest. The city and the port are united by a railroad through a long tunnel, and extensive woiks are being constructed to protect the harbor nnd to bring the largest ships alongside railway piers. The immense number of wool bales and sacks of corn brought in for shipment to Europe at the ports of Otago and Canterbury amply testify to the fertility of the soil and the extent of the pasture lands in those favored provinces. But the energies and enterprise of the settler in New Zealand are not confined to objects of material advancement. Moßt praiseworthy attention is paid both by the government and inhabitants of all the provinces to the establishment and maintenance of churches, readingrooms, nnd Farmers' Clubs ia the rural districts. In the towuß some of the places of worship, colleges, nnd public offices are vory handsome and cosily edifices, nnd museums, scientific and literary associations, clubs, theatres, and musical societies show that matters of taste and refiuement are not forgotten, while excellent hospitals, lunatic and benevolent asylums, orphanages, and industrial schools prove that charitable and philanthropic institutions are provided at most of the centres of population. Intelligent travellers from Europe are now frequently met with in this country, and, doubtless, with increasing rapidity and ease of communication, mirny persons will visit our shores, for New Zealand possesses in climate, scenery, wouderful hot springs, lakes, rivers, harbors, mountuins, valleys, and plains, a greater combination of attractions than is to be found in any other country, at least under British rule. It is very gratifying to fiod that Nelson id everywhere spoken of as a beautiful and agreeable place of residence. If our Municipal authorities and the Provincial Government were in a position to make ornamental walks and gardens, and to provide proper accommodation for sea bathing, and if, in addition to our excellent College and schools for boys, a well appointed College for the higher education of girls were' established, many more families might be induced to make this city their home, thus greatly augmenting the prosperity and social happiness of this settlement.

To support the State prisons of New York, 600,000 dollars had to be raised by tax last year. Ohio has a State prison which, instead of costing her 600,000 dollcr3 per annum, yields her au iacome of 25,000 dollars. " Mamma, where do cows get the milk ?" asked Willie, looking up from tho foaming pan of milk, which he had been intently regarding. " Where do yeu get your tears?'' was the answer. After a thoughtful silence, he broke out, " Mamma, do the cows ever get spanked ?'