New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, Novevber 24, 1849.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VI, Issue 450, 24 November 1849, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, Novevber 24, 1849.

His Excellency the Lieutenant- Governor returned on Tuesday night from Cloudy Bay, his journey to the southward having unfortunately been interrupted by a fatal accident which occurred to one of the natives attached to his party. After leaving the Wairau, having traversed the Kaparatehau district his Excellency and his attendants reached the snowy mountains to the southward, aboutfour short days journey from the Wairau, and encamped at the foot of the Tapuaenuko Mountain which they ascended. The ascent, from the steep and abrupt nature of the ground, was very laborious and attended with considerable danger, the sides of themountain, particularly towards the summit, being broken into almost per- ! pendicular precipices of several hundred feet in height, divided from each other by narrow projecting ledges of rock, while the difficulty of ascent was still further increased by the' great depth of snow which lay on the ground and the loose nature of the soil, which gave way beneath the tread, rendering the footing of the travellers very precarious. The ascent occupied thirteen hours, and the party having overcome the, principal obstacles to their progress had very nearly reached the summit of the mountain, in another quarter-of-an-hour it would have been gained, when they were reluctantly obliged to return, there being barely sufficient daylight left to allow them to descend below the line of snow to a spot where they might pass the night, sheltered from the effects of the weather. In the descent William Hoeta, a native of this district, unfortunately missed his footing and fell down one of the precipices we have described and, from the force and height of the fall bounding over the projecting ledge of rocks was precipitated to the bottom of the abyss, a height of at least sixteen hundred feet. The deceased was a very intelligent, well-disposed maori, and was among the friendly natives who joined the attacking party against Rangihaeata at Horokiwi, where he was wounded, the ball passing through his neck. In the descent the Lieutenant- Governor had a very narrow escape Having lost his footing, but fortunately he saved himself by thrusting his staff in the snow, and clinging to it until he could regain his feet. The party ascended^ the eastern side of the mountain ; on the east side, about two thousand feet below the summit is a fine valley with plenty of timber and water, offering great facilities to any future attempt to reach the summit of the mountain which would be attended with much less difficulty and danger at a more advanced season of the year after the melting of the snows; The principal rocks observed in

the range were granite, porphyry, gneis, white limestone, and blue mountain limestone. It is believed that no serious obstacles exists to a communication overland from Wairau to Port Cooper ; the country is free from timber and though in the neighbourhood of the range of the snowy mountains the country is hilly and broken by ravines it would not be difficult to find a pass between the lower ranges ; the natives say there is a good road. Two very singular facts were observed ; towards the summit of the range, at an elevation of 6000 feet above the sea, were found remains of large totara trees 'many of them charred)some of which belonged tp trees originally five feet in diameter, affording proof of the former existence of extensive forests before the upheaval of those mountains, which must have taken place at si comparatively recent period. No vegetation now exists on, this. spot save a few mosses and lichens. On the lower ranges also are sharp pinnacles of conglomerate gravel which have the appearance of being forced through the surrounding gravel by the mighty agencies which have upheaved them from their original position. In the district of Kaparetehau traces were everywhere met with of the earthquakes which occurred last year, and which appear to have expended their greatest vio* lence in that district. Numerous deep rents and chasms existed in different parts of the district ; one rent was between eleven and twelve miles long, extending in a direction from North East to South West. A considerable area also, about two hundred yards in length and several yards in breadth in the district, was sunk to a depth of between three and four feet. Some of the hills two j hundred feet in elevation were rent vertically and large portions dislodged, and even on some of the main ridges connected with the range of snowy mountains chasms were noted which showed the violence of the agencies that had been in operation. The few particulars we have been able to offer our readers of this interesting expedition will, we are sure, have the effect of further stimulating their curiosity, and of making them feel desirous of receiving a more full and detailed account from the most authentic source.

A meeting of the subscribers to the WeFlington New Zealand Flax Company whs held at the Wellington Hotel on Wednesday evening last. The meeting was nu* merously attended, and after an interesting discussion on the best means of carrying out the objects of the Company, a sub-commit-tee was appointed to collect further information, and to arrange details to be submitted to a future meeting.

The Indian climate, says the Cornwall Chronicle, does not agree with the officers, &c, of the 96th regt., who reached Calcutta from these colonies. By letters received in Launceston, it appears Lieutenant Lloyd died fifteen days after his arrival. Lieut.- Colonel Cumberland will sell out, and intends to return with his family to this colony. Major Cheape has sold out also, and other changes consequent on the unhealthy nature .of the climate are spoken of. The Mahommed Shah, with 246 emigrants arrived at Melbourne October 4th. The following is an extract from the journal kept by the Surgeon Superintendent : — * " September 3rd, Lat. 40*28 S., lon. 63* 45 E., ther. 56, bar. 28"82. A dreadful disaster occurred this afternoon : all hands wwre aloft, they had been close reefing the foretopsail ; some of them were reefing the foresail, and the remainder on their way down to assist on the foreyard, in all twenty-five men aloft, when suddenly a tremendous squall or whirlwind struck the ship nearly dead aft, carrying away the three masts, when the whole twenty-five men were precipitated into the sea. Seventeen were rescued, but tbe remaining eight perished, viz., the carpenter, five able seamen, and two apprentices ; of those saved, eleven were disabled, two severely, one receiving a fracture in the inferior third of the left femur, the other a fracture of one of the bones of the left foot. The mass of the cordage and spars fell to the starboard. The foremast went about 15 feet above tbe deck, the mainmast by the eyes of the rigging, and the mizen topmast by the cap. Saved nothing of consequence but tbe mtinyard, obliged to cut away everything else, for the safety of tbe vessel. The bull sustained some slight injuries, but does not make much more water than before tbe accident. A good deal of consternation amongst the emigrants, but most of tbe men assisting in whatever way they could make themselves useful. The whole afternoon was occupied in clearing away the wreck. The ship bove to under the mizen, the only sail left, while she stiaitoed and rolled fearfully. The night closed in gloomily, heavy squalls and ■ rain. None of

the emigrants were injured by any of these disasters. — Melbourne Daily News, October 5.