A LEAF FROM THE JOURNAL OF A BUSH TRAVELLER. THE RIVER WHANGANUI—SCENERY, DESCRIPTION, &C. (From a Correspondent.)

New Zealander, Issue 502, 5 February 1851, Page 3

A LEAF FROM THE JOURNAL OF A BUSH TRAVELLER. THE RIVER WHANGANUI— SCENERY, DESCRIPTION, &C. (From a Correspondent.)

The general character of the scenery of the Whanganui is wild, gloomy and monotonous. The upper part of the river, for nearly one hundied miles, runs through a contiuous series of deep, narrow, winding ravines, flanked on either side by steep ridges, rising to a height of about four hundred feet, and covered down to the water's edge with loiest trees and brushwood of eveiy variety ot lorm and color; the tree fern and the crimson blossom ot the rata adding not a little to the beauty of the woodland scenery. Here and there bold masses of rock, rising almost perpendicularly to a height of some \ hundred feet, wall in the river The Whanganui itself, in the dry season, is a narrow, shallow stream, abound ing with lapi'ls, .But for a distance of several hundred yards, at the head of every rapid, the rivei is as smooth as glass, and reflects its wooded banks as in a miiror. At requent iniervals, cascades of vanous heights pour their foaming waters into the stream below. At da>break the silence of the woods is broken by the song of a variety of birds ; but in the early morning the scenery is dark and gloomy ; and until the banks ot the rivei have been overtopped by the rising sun, masses of white fleecy mist float lightly about the tops and in the hollows of the hills. Not a patch of cultivation or sign of habitation is to be seen ; but here and there there aie small native settlements on the summits of the heights, invisible to the traveller below; the only sign of occupation bring a solitary canoe, moored by the side of the stream, and the lower end of a rope ladder descend ing fiom the cliff above. Owing to the shallowness and rapidity of the current, the rugged character of the surtounding country, and the precipitous face of both banks of the river, these small settlements, scattered along the heights, form a seiies of inaccessible fast nesses. So steep, broken, and dense y wooded, indeed is the country, that the natives of the vaiious settlements can communicate with each other only by means of their canoes ; and so difficult of ascent are the banks of the river, that, in many instances, they can only reach their habitations, perched upon the heights above, by means of a long flax ladder. It would be almost impossible for an enemy, however numerous or well ' armed, to force its passage up the river. The character , of the CuUntry on the lower part of the river, for about fifty miles above the town, undergoes a inaiked change; the banks are less steep, the country is moie open, the population appears to be moie numerous, and the native cultivations more extensive. I The navigation of the Wbanganui, at certain leasons, is not unattended with danger; and should not he attempted without the ussistance of native* acquainted with the Sate of the river, and practised in guiding a canoe through the rapids. The shooting of theee rapids (upwards of fifty m number), relieves the monotony uf the voyage; and now and then it quite as exciting at is agreeable. The danger unses not so much tiom the strength of tlie current, ai from the rocks and snags which not uulrequcntly obstruct its course. The frantic cries and wild gestures ot the steersman,— the violent txeitions of the creve,— the pace ol the canoe itself, " awitt ai an arrow from a Tartar's bow," — ihe boiling of the water over its gun v» ale, and the roaring of the foaming torrtnt, can tcurcely full to cau-e to t lie inexperienced voyager, a momenta) y ftehi>gof lively excitement. Not unfruquently canoes and their cargoes are wrecked in the passage. In two or three instances, w lie re the rapid* are unusually ttroiig, the passengers are landed, while a few ot the crew skilfully guide the light bark through the foaming tonent. With u good crew the descent 01 the river can be accomplished iv three days ; but to ascend it from the sea, uearly a fortnight is required. Going up stream, the natives, instead of paudliug, \ use poles tor propelling their canoes. Pigeons, duck., tual, and other water fowl abound : and it Ihe traveller be furnished with a gun, lie will find no difficulty in procuring an ample stoic »f food.