PENCILINGS BY THE WAY.

Otago Daily Times, 25 February 1862, Page 5 (Supplement)

PENCILINGS BY THE WAY.

FROM DTJXEDTN- TO AUCKLAND. (Jl;i our special Reporter.) It is i'.nprv^lbk- v/hrn visiting I'ort Chn'mors .".'trill lapse of n fisw months to fail being struck -with the immra'c alteration ii! th? v* peet of the harbour since the discovery of thetrold fields Six shrirf months ago the avi'iviil of n large ship from Rjig'mid, or perr.dwitjn-e a stray steamer from Australia, was quite an event.: now we may see some of tie finest and largest nicrchantmen .'sflnnf, and a whole il°nt of smaller craft crowding tiie Port. Steamers are rushing: panting about, crowded with the living Ptreism that V-onrs unceasingly to our shores : and the boatmen of the Port nuist be reaping ric!i harvests, as they are all busiiy employed truing to and from the various vessels. The town itself does not exhibit any material chancre, except a few recently-erected building*, and here nn<! there some scattered tents. On looking at the number of va!nal>!e ships which are anchored here, one cannot help thinking lion- easily they might be t-iken or destroyed by any hostile force—a single frigate could .sink or burn tho whole fleet with impunity. ' In the event of war with any maritime nation, it is absolutely necessary that some'defensive works should be erected to protect the immense amount of valuable property which woiilrl be so tempting a bait to on enemy. A fort might bo erected so as to command the passage from the Heads, and if similar works were established on the island at. the entrance of the harbor of Diinedin, the safety of the port would be established, as any attack upon Dunedih itself would have to be attempted by boats. I hear considerable uneasiness is felt by the captains of the numerous American vessels which are in the port, and they are anxiously waiting for further intelligence. In steaming out to sen, I saw the wreck of the Genevieve lying on the sand-spit at the entrance of the harbor.* I hear she is rapidly breaking up. There seems a want of sufficient protection in the way of baacons and lights at the entrance of the harbor ; I am not aware that any extra precautions have been adopted to meet the immense increase of vessels arriving here. The coast for some distance frpin Port Chalmers Heads presents high and precipitous cliffs, shutting out from view the country liehind, and investing the immediate vicinity of the* city of our El Dorado with a dreary forbidding aspect. Here and there as, you skirt along the coast, you espy a spot of bright, green denoting the existence of cultivation—now the coast recedes in some deep Im.V, sloping down in rugged broken hills and sand banks to the beach. The first place we touch at is Wmkouaiti, a sma!]| bay open to the heavy swell which sursres in gigantic rollers until lost in a cloud of surf. There is no landing place here, passengers and goods have to be disembarked in boats under the charge of Maories, who act very independently, coming 6ft" or not as it suits them. We arrived here in the afternoon, and saw the boatsjsnusrly moored in a small creek which here empties itself into the sea, but Messieurs les Maorins did not choose to make their appearance that day, consequently a large steamer and nwnv passengers, whose time was money, had to wait until the natives should deign to come oft". The appearance of the township of Wnikouaiti, and the country adjacent,- is ' not very prepossessing : although some little distance behind, I am informed, there is some fine agricultural country. The settlement itself is on thejnorth side of the bay, and seems to consist of about a score of houses and a church. Goods are landed and stored in a small wooden building on the beach, and thence conveyed by bullock drays along the beach to the town. The bay here abounds in fish; several passengers, to berruile the time, cast lines over t the side and "pulled fish out almost as fast as they could heave them in. In the morning the boats came off, whpn we found that the cause of detention was that nearly all the male natives were away from the settlement, and the boat was " manned" principally by women, who certainly nlied the oar most lustily. They were remarkably vigorous looking females, and as their garb was neither too redundant, nor arranged with too scrupulous nicity, they revealed limbs as stalwart as those of a man. and in their muscular development not a whit behind that of many. After abundance of noise and confusion we discharged what cargo and passengers we had, and off we steamed again. After leaving Wnikouaiti the coast loses its abrupt character, and is for some distance low and uninteresting, and the country gradually assumes n pastoral character—not much bush being visible, and the appearance somewhat barren. Sloerati the next place of call is also an open bay, and possessing no means of landing except in boats: only one or two houses are visible, although the districts behind h tolerably well settled. From this the eoost lies low and flat; although further inland the country presents the aspect of a perfect jumble of j hills rising in regular terraces entirely devoid of timber, and covered with the yellow tussocks of native grass which glisten in the rays of the suu, giving the whole country a yellow aspect. At Oatnara, the next port, the appearance of the country is more pleasing, and looks more of an agricultural character. This is! a place rising in improvement and extent; it possesses! several large stores, and being the port of shipment' for wool., of which considerable quantities come down from the interior, and the depot for a large district of country behind, it must become a place of eonBiderable importance. The greatest drawback is that the so-called harbour is nearly an open roadstead, open to the swell of the sea, and in certain seasons not safe for vessels to ride; wool and produce has to be shippfil and discharged in boats, and as at times a heavy surf breaks on the beach it is often dangerous. From the conformation of the coast, a breakwater to protect the harbour from the haavy sea always occasioned by a south east wind, might bs constructed at no very'extravagant cost. If that portion of our revenues which is mulcted for. the expensive and unsatisfactory warlike amusements of our Northern neighbors, vv-ns applied to the execution of work of tin's character, it would tend much to the development and improvement of the colony. I made enquiries of a gentleman who embarked here respecting the Lindis diggings. He informed me there were a few parties of miners at work who were sup.plkd with stores by some of the people here, but that, they were just barely making wages. The Oamaru folks are very anxious to develops the existence of the extensive auriferous deposits they arc sanguine enough to believe_ are in the neighborhood. From this, the last port in the Otago province, to Timirti the coastis of a similar character: here and there a break in the rising ground gives you a glimpse of extensive |>laisis, •which from Timaru extend for many miles until lost at the base of a range of mountains whose still white crests_ pierce the clouds in the horizon. Timaru owes its importance to being an outlet fur the ■wool produced on the extensive runs in the interior ; here alii, there is no harbour, and a heavy surf on t)it beach. It is in this neighbourhood that some purchases have been made, that have formed a coasilderable portion of the late lnrge revenue for land sales in the Canterbury Province ; one gentleman having bought 10,000 awes in the district. How is it that when tho purchaser could on the ether side of the border have procured '20. 000 acres for the same money, he sboiuMhave chosen the other Province'! Our land is quite as good and only half the price. lam told that the regulations reapseting land purchase in Canterbury, are so much superior to those of Otago, thr.t they cannot fail to obtain a preference. Certain it is that it would appear, some sue.! consideration existed, for no small number of the purchasers at the late gole3 are returned successful diggers. Why could we not have retained these men 1 . . Prom Timaru. there stretches a long line of shore known as the Ninety-Mile Beach ; the country extends itself into an immense plain for scores of miles, terminating at the shore, in low sand banks and grassy bluffs, bounded in the far. distance by a range of mountains, mingling with the vapours which embrace their summits, and shooting their ragged crests through the various stratified clouds. Akaroa is without exception the most lovely harbour in New Zealand, that I have yet witnessed. At the entrance, which is about three-quarters of a mile in width, the cliffs rise precipitously and almost perpendicularly to *'great height; the rocks which bear the evidence of extensive'volcanic and igneous formation assume'the most varied hues; the whole being invested with the deep purple tint the pencil of Stanfield loves so well to paint. Masses of detached rock rer.r their grotesque forms, amid the surf which unceasingly breaks over them, and dashing on is lostin acloudof spray. Sailing ■jjp the harbour—which extends for about six miles —-you gaze on a cqup d'apl of itnpara!!clpd beauty— Steep and rugged cliffs!, grassy slopes, and bills clothed ■ffich forest,'encircle the favoured spot which lies perfectly embosomed in their embrace : tranquilly snd musically the deep blue waters ripple on the pebbly beach, and scarce a sound breaks the solitude ef the goeae except the shriek of the gull, or the distant tinkle of cattle bells. The settlement of Akaroa is one of the earliest in New Zealand, originally founded by Frenchmen, whose_ descendants still preserve their language and peculiarities. It bears at present, a decayed and half deserted appearance, contains but fewhouses, andhasnotrade of any importance. Fruitgrows here luxuriantly, and some time ago the vine was successfully cultivated by the French settlers. It is a atrange fact that this place, possessing as it does, the finest harbour in the colony—abundance of timber— good land—and the qualifications of a prosperous settlement—should have remained so comparatively isolated and unknown. The coast for some distance from Akaroa is of the same iron-bound character : here and there the unceasing dash of the waves has excavated numerous caverns, which occasionally collapse and create a rent in the cliff. At the point a few inlles north of Akaroa Heads, there is a series of eaves hollowed by the sea at regular distances from each other, their fretted roofs and rugged pillars resembling the ruined crrpb of soineancient abbey—you can fancy

ithem as the resting place of the ocean deities whose' spirits still float on the sea, which, heaving in long low waves, seems to utter complaining cries as it enters their gloomy depths, and the winds chant a tilting requiem, now in wild bursts of sorrow, and anon dying away in moans and sobbing sighs. As ->vo skirt along the coast, we pass numerous little bays or caves with" their liny u^jmnse of glittering sondy beach, sheltered by a back ground of dense bush, i and the fir»t curl of smoke from tl ; e cottat;o of some

solitary settler may now and then be traced slowl, ascending above the trees.

Lyttelton. or Port Cooper, possesi-.es a good harbor, accessible to the largest ships, and is tolerably well sheltered. The town of Littleton is situated at the

base of the high range of hills which encircle the whole

harbor, entirely shutting out from view the surrounding country, and giving the bay the appearance of one of our English mountain lakes. Tlie appearance of the town and the panorama of mountains, islands,'and indented coves, is exceedingly pleasing. Numerous little bays, whose shores are fringed with luxuriant gardens, and tastefully built villas, skirt the harbor, which at its extremity stretches out into a sort of lagoon, at the base of a high mountain. The town itself is a thriving place, possessing several spacious warehouses and'good .'hops. There are some buildings erected of a kind of red sandstone, that is got in the neighbourhood, and is considered durable. The railway, which is to connect Lytteltou with Christcimrch, is being rapidly proceeded with, and it is expected to be completed in about 3 years. £000,000 seems an enormous amount for a young colony to expend on a railway of only 8 or 9 miles in length, but after seeing how utterly the two towns are isolated, by the precipitous range of hills, under which the railway is to pass, it is no longer a matter of surprise, for it is almost incredible to what an extent this want of communication retards business, audit must have been a great drawback to the prosperity of the district. Leaving Lvttelton for (,'hristcliurch, you ascend the range by a bridle path, cut along the side of the mountain, and in some places quite precipitous, suggesting

unpleasant reflections, in ease your are mounted on a restive or buck-jumping steed. The view from the summit of the hill is most magnificent, and for its peculiar diameter, unrivalled in New Zealand. Before you, deep clown in the valley, lie stretched the far famed Canterbury Plains, extending to the west as far as the ej-e can reach, and at the north terminated by lofty ranges of mountains, whose tops ascend, peak above peak, until' lost in the clouds in the far distance. Rich fields of waving corn, and fragrant hay, are dotted all over these fertile plains, and well-stocked farm-yards, aud snug homesteads, carry one back to Fatherland. The general appearance of the country, leaviir-; out the mountains, is very similar to the flats of Lincolnshire .and Norfolk. After descending the sida of the hi!l, a. good metal road exists ail the way to Christehurch, crossing a small tidal river by means of a punt. When.once on the plains, the excessive flatness of the surrounding country, and the entire absence of trees, becomes exceedingly wearisome, and a closer observance dissipates many of the impressions created at the first view, rfave here and there a few well cultivated farms, the evidences of slovenly fanning are abundant, bad and broken fences, and fields rank with noxious weeds, exist on every hand. Chrisjchurcli is a well laid out city, and occupies an extensive site. The streets are broad and well metalled, and there are .several extensive and handsome shojjs. Tha houses and buildings are from the extent of the boundaries of the city, considerably scattered, and exce2)t in the central'portion, the streets do not bear a very lively appearance, the principal bulk of the trade of the province being centred at Lyttelton. The general aspect of Ouristclnirch is decidedly ecclesiastical, the Gothic stylo of architecture.preponderating in nil the public buildings. The Government offices arc an extensive but somewhat jumbled afliiir, highly euviched with Gothic CHrviDgs and ornaments. A deliciously clean aud deep river intersects the town, crossed in various places by good substantial bridges. The good folks-of Canterbury are highly elate at "the immense success which has attended their new land regulations, and the lar<re revenue derived from the sales of land, and expect to draw thither a pood proportion of the capital of neighboring Provinces. The Government are laudably and busily employed in developing the mineral resources of the Province Coal has beon found in large quantities, and a company is i:i course of formation for working a large field recently discovered. Mr. Haast, the Government Geologist, has just gone with a prospecting party to the Mackenzie c ountiy to look for gold, and the old colonists are very sanguine as to the results.

Canterbury is decidedly the most aristocratic settlement in the colony, members of many of the best English families being located in thi-i Province.' It is somewhat amusing, however, to find numbers of j highly educated men, many who have taken honors at the Universities, acting as shepherds, bullock drivers, &c. Just fancy two men busy splitting rails, clad in moleskin and blue jumper, nngrily criticising false Greek quantities, perpetrated by a worthy divine on the previous Sunday. There are many young" men of this class, who can never rise to any position here, who seem quite content to live ou from year to year without any care or ambition for the future. Many of them could have obtained good situations in Otago at the outsat of the diggings,but I suppose trade is somewhat infra dig for such highly educated youths.

There is an almost unanimous expression of the necessity for a separate Government for the Middle island. It is conceded that Otago must become the commercial metropolis of New Zealand, and the initiative in the momentous question is looked for from \u-i. The great difficulty will be in the choice of the scat of Government. Jlauy urge that it would be desirable to place it in some*situation not immediately connected with any large town—in fact, to form a sort of Naw Zealand Washington, at some port easily and readiiy accessible. Akaroii is the place that would seem to be most in favor, as it is thought such a selection would silence the jealousy of the rival towns of Nelson, Christehurch, and Diinedin.

Temuble Struggle for Life.—Twelve HounS Jjr this Water.—Hugh Sutherland, a fisherman residing in Lunnasting, Zetland, with the intention of visiting his daughter in Whalsay, left his house at six o'clock in the evening with a small boat. Whan he had proceeded about half-way across the sound, which |is five miles broad, the bout suddenly capsized, and he was thrown into the sea. After a struggle'or two he succeeded in getting hold of the boat, but it continued for some time to roll over among the waves, so that ha was often under water, and always rose up again on the lee side. At the time the accident happened the tide to going south, and consequently it carried the boat along with it, the man at the same time holding by the keel, which was only 10 feet <j inches in length. For three hours the action of the wind and tide made her move in a south-west direction, towards Nesting, and ~>vhen she was within half a mile of the Nesting shore, the tide then turned, and she was carried in a northern" direction towards the east point, Lunnasting, the wind blowing1 all that night a sti if breeze from 15.5. E. About six o'clock on Sunday 'morning the boat was driven ashore, two miles to the north of Sutherland's house. When witliin a few yards of the land she struck against a stnnj, and went to pieces, ai:d with the assistance o!" one of the broken boards, the poor fellow was able to reach the shore. But here another almost, insurmountable difficulty still presented itself. The cove, or narrow creek into which be had been driven by the wind'and waves was surrounded by hir;h and perpendicular rocks', the lowest part of theru being fifty feet high. There is just one place where it is possible to climb the steep ascent. As he viewed with anxious eye.s his perilous position, a melancholy thought oanie into his mind, that though he had been delivered from the devouring deep; it seemed as if he w::s still doomed to perish. Cold, dreuched, ben urn bed, jiiu! exhausted an he was, after struggling between life and death for twelve hours among tiie foaming billows, he must try to find his way to the summit of tho precipitous rocks. Twice ho made the attempt, and on each trial was unsuccessful. The third time !ie managed—he knows not how —to reaeli the top ofj the rocky wall, and having then faltered, thanks toj Heaven for his extraordinary deliverance, he went toi a house that was near, where some dry clothes and i some cordials were given to him. The poor innn,| besides being partially 'broken down in'health from I the eifcfit-11 'of the accident, is now without a boat, bylmeans of whio.h ho supported his wife and family. A| generous pubiie will, m>. doubt, bo willing to a-«ist to: bi'uvo and excellent a fisherman in procuring fbr him! a now boat, and we are authorised to state that any! sum -.riven ibr this purpiwe will be thankfully received by the liisv. Andrew lunofhrlane, Lunna. A corns-: pemdeut vliu visited the place, shortly afterwards,' stivs : —" I vUited the spot-where th'j boat w.iS'lrivcuj on' shore. ' saw the rocks which surrountled Sutherland. I was afraid to come within a yard of the dangerous precipice, up the face of which lie had to climb. A fveh mnn mii-ht attempt it, but for a man scarcely able to move hi* limbs, it was next to an impossibility. It was the E.S.E. wind driving the boat gradually towards the west and north-west that saved him. It was this that prevented him from drifting: out into the open ocean, where he soon must have perished. He wa3 twelve hours in the water, and the distance the boat was driven backwards and forwards during that time must have been at least eight miles—that is allowing an hour and a half for each mile. The wind being1 rather contrary to the tide,! kept her from going far to the south. He is able to! walk about, but he feels a- stisness' in his joints' $n,dj pains in his breast. It is to be feared that he will not get over it for a long time.— John o1 Groat Journal, October 2fi

ise rjpllE following Form of' Application, &c, is ng JL published for genera! information. The it claim must be lodged with John Gilwhs, Esq., '•* Returning Officer, on or before 31st March 1862— TO THE REGISTRATION OFFICER OF THE le ELECTORAL DISTRICT OF | '■' I Herein- Give you Notice, that I claim to ha\;c! i" B my name inserted in tbo List of Voters for the said I O' Electoral District, and that the particulars of ray j' place of abode and qualification are truly stated in I r. the column below. •'' Claimant's signature ■■ — je BAttestcd by—— — ; ; of the colony ,^ PBJTAW.S" OK £l>o FOR MAKING A FAJ.SK j CLAIM.

A—The words " City of Dunedin," or " Bruce," or " Hampdcn," to be inserted here. B—The claimant's signature must bn attested by a Freeholder or a Householder of the colony, who j must sisni his name after the words "attested by," adding to his signature the word " Freeholder" or " Householder." C—The words " Freehold," " Household," or " Leasehold," or "Holder of a Miner's Right, dated 186 ," to be inserted here. D—Describe the property distinctly, but as shortly as possible; and particularly state the Provincial District in which it is situated, by inserting the _ words " City of Dunedin," Eastern, Western, - Port Chambers, Central, Tokomairiro, Clutha, Northern, Maniototo, Oainuru, or Tuapeka .= "District." The following1 are the Qualification of Voters : — Every man of the age of 21 years or upwards. 1. Having- a Freehold Estate" in possession situate M within the District for which the vote is claimed of J the clear value of £-50 above all charges and incnnibi'iinees and of or to which he has bean seised or entitled either at Law or in Equity for at least, six calendar months before the. 30th of April; or 2. Having a Leasehold Estate in possession situate sr within such District of the clear an mi al value often pounds, held upon a Lease, wliieh ori 30th April shall ],ot have less than 3 years to run, or of which hi; has c-een in possession for 3 years or upwards next before iJUth April; or ~ 3. Being a Householder within such District occupyinga Tenement and residing therein six calendar H months previous to the 30th April', if within the limits -J of Dunedin, of the clear annual value of ten pnimds, ■•' and if without the limits of Dunedin of the clear ?,'■ annual value of live pounds : 4. Being the holder of a Miner's right not le«s than three months before the 30th of April, in any goMfield duly constituted under the Gold Fields Act." • _ Must be sent to the Rejistrar's Ofliee before the ~~ 31st March. n

of id is £ - tS ! PJncc of • Abode. Jill >f n IS'atiii-o of Qunlificnticm. C. l"; is 1f I