PAHAUTANUI, BY THE HUTTBELMONT-ROAD.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 4944, 26 January 1877, Page 3

PAHAUTANUI, BY THE HUTT-BELMONT-ROAD.

(contributed.) The want of something new is one of the strongest cravings of the human heart, and is the .probable cause of the complaint we often bear, that there is no place to visit or scenery to be seen out of Wellington. To those imbued with these ideas, we recommend this ride as one from, which, whatever their tastes, they must derive pleasure. A party of us, taking advantage of Monday’s holiday, started for this ride, via the Hutt. The first part of the road was rendered picturesque by picnic-parties scattered here and there on the brows of the hills and in sheltered nooks. Vehicles of every description full of happy faces, some hurrying to the country, others to the town, all seeking change, enlivened the way, till we reached the Belmont-road, which, commencing immediately behind the Hon. Wm. Fitzherbert’s residence, runs through a narrow ravine, winding corkscrew fashion up the hill, with an abundant growth of ngaio, tutu bushes, and ferns on either side. Ascending 400 or 500 feet there is a fine view, the Hutt Valley lying underneath, with Somes and Ward Islands, and away out seaward beyond Pencarrow Head. After enjoying this for a few minutes, onward and upward, to the motto of Excelsior, was the order of the day. Stray patches of original forest formed a pleasant contrast to the furze hedges and rather dry looking pasture of the hillside. Here we passed a lady wearing the characteristic Germanic shawl over the head. Our friend was leading a sleek fat horse, to which she was sprachen Dentche forcibly, with little result as to accelerating its movements. At about 800 or 900 feet the road, now nearly at the tap of the range, affords a grand view. Looking south, cn your right hand away far down beneath you runs a branch of the Kero Koro stream, la the distance Wellington lies embosomed in hills, with the whole stretch of the magnificent- harbor for a foreground. The harbor on this occasion presented an unusually beautiful appearance dotted over with white sails. The coasters especially, as they rounded the huoy off Somes Island all in a cluster, looked splendid. The most marked amongst them being the Transit under a press of canvas, leaving an impression that she would prove the winner. Tearing ourselves away we bade farewell to the regatta of 1877, the harbor becoming hid from sight. The pasture here showed great improvements in quality and quantity, being everywhere beautifully green and luxuriant in growth. Perhaps this may be caused by the fact of bush-covered hills attracting more moisture than what reaches the lower altitudes. Near the top a happy family were engaged in the manufacture of bricks. We would specially bring this establishment under the notice of Government, as they must shortly he large consumers qf_bricks for the Kimutaka tunnel, and these Alpine - bricks might perchance suit that climate better than, any creatioii of the lower regions; they also appeared to be very respectable, properlysbaped bricks, the more so as the lady of the family was devoting her pure aesthetic tastes to their proper development. Among these mountain homesteads, one with a pretty flower garden in front, and native bush for a background, bad a particularly pleasing appearance, its prettihess bringing out what is ageneral fault with our settlers, that after devoting all their energies to getting rid of the original bush they never attempt to shelter or beautify their homes by the growth of either introduced or indigenous trees or plants about their houses. But to proceed with our journey. Almost immediately after arriving at the top of the range—altitude 1100 ft.—the road begins a very gradual descent, leading at once into the virgin fcrest, undisturbed save by the narrow we are' travelling, each turn hanging some new beauty in sight, grand old rata trees meeting overhead and furnishing a grateful shade from the sun. On both sides there is a luxuriant growth of native fuchsias, red-tinted mako mako (Ariatotelia

racemosa), fine-foliaged kohe kohe (Disoxylum spectabile), the light green hange hange (Geuiostoma ligustrifolium), thicktyiutex’spersed with different varieties of tree ferns, viz., Cyathea dealbata and medullaris (the ponga and mamakuof the Maori), and Dicksoniasquarrosa, plentiful of all sizes. The bright green fronds of Hemetelia Smithii standing out as a good contrast to the sombre leaves of the Poro-pora (Solanum aviculare), Panax arboreum, &c. After passing two or three miles through the forest, away to the north we got a vista through the trees of the Pahautanui Small Farm District in the distance. Now the forest began to change its character from the giant old ratas andhinaus,the principal inhabitants of the top of the hill, to the more graceful foliage of thetawa (Nesodaphne tawa), this, with the magnificent heads of the nikau palm (Areca sapida), which were very plentiful, making the pieture quite a tropical scene. A few fine old rimu trees grow along the road, but they are by no means numerous. Other noticeable plants on the road-side were Senecio glastifolius, Brachyglottis repanda, and Olearia Cunninghamii, our handsome New Zealand misletoe (Griselina lucida), &c., &c. Draping the trees were to be seen Ereycinetia Banksii (Ghia ghia), Rhipogonum scandeus, Lomaria filiformis, tufts of Astellas, &c., whilst on the hanks were Pteris incisa and aquilina Lomaria discolor, procera and fluviatilis, Todea hymenophylloides, and various hymenophyllunis constantly caught the eye. Kidney ferns (Trichomanes renifornae) forming such an attraction that some of our party could scarcely be got away from them.

The only drawback to the road was the prevalence of our Scotch friends, the thistles, in many places forcing us to travel in Indian file, the result of contact with them being that, like our American cousins, they can’t be rubbed out. We could also have dispensed with a large share of the music that regiments of cioades favored us with. After travelling for several miles through this beautiful scenery, the road emerged into clearings thick with the burnt stumps of civilization, their appearance causing an angry sigh of regret at the effect on the picture. Another mile and the road, passing Messrs. Jones and Woodman’s sawmill; .lead us out to the Pauhautanui Hotel. Here all the inhabitants seemed to be engaged in some public sports. Turning our horses homewards, we enjoyed a fresh sea breeze from the harbor, and a complete change of scenery, until arriving at Host McGrath’s we found cheer for ourselves and horses. Once more in the saddle a couple of hours’ ride over the well-known Porirua-road brought, us again to Wellington, so thoroughly pleased with our journey that we registered a determination to try it again on some future occasion.