UP THE WANGANUI RIVER TO RUAPEHU.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue XXXXII, 29 January 1900, Page 2

UP THE WANGANUI RIVER TO RUAPEHU.

[contributed.] {Continued from Saturday,) We were up betimes next morning, my friend the volunteer to take the return boat and I to join another friend who had come to meet us with a dogcart. We took the Waiouru coach road (coaches run twice a week from Pipiriki to Lake Taupo), which runs through a magnificent forest country, extending a distance of thirty miles to the Waimarino Plains. All the valleys are most beautifully forest clad, and the dark ever-green of the foliage is relieved by the scarlet flower of the rata. from Pipiriki is the precipice called the " Dress Circle." The road here is cut out of the solid papa rock, and it gives one the shivers driving past these places imagining what might happen here . with a little careless driving. The river runs some hundred feet below in a deep canon, worn by the action of the water for ages. The eleven-mile peg brought us to the Waipuna Saddle, i the watershed of the Wanganui and ; Wangaehu Rivers. The height is 1 1791 ft. A little farther on wo had a very fine view of the Waimarino , Plains with Mt. Ruapehu and the i volcanic cone of Ngaruahoe in the ' back-ground ; the latter was evidently in action, for the • steam was very 1 dense. We enjoyed this forest drive 1 immensely. There were very few clearings on the way, the road being ! for the most part shut in by the dense , forest on either hand. We lunched ! at Raetihi, a bush township 17£ miles from Pipiriki. The place is only five ' years old and is going ahead. There ' is a dairy factory here, with a creamery at Ohakune. A large amount of settlement is going on in this district, and it only needs the Auckland Main Trunk ] Line to be opened up to make the place a valuable centre. At present markets are too far away and carriage, especially in the winter time, when the roads are bad, makes prices very heavy. After lunch we continued the drive for seven miles to Ohakune, which was to be our resting place for awhile. At a farmhouse, situated on the high rising ground with the forest in front and Mt. Ruapehu in the background, we spent many happy days with our friends. On New Year's Day we all went to the annual school picnic.. The buggy being smashed, we had the delightful pleasure of going to the picnic ground in a milk-cart), or a bullock dray—l forget which. All I know is that every bone in my body seemed to be broken on that occasion. The sensations one experienced when driving over the many logs iD the road are beyond description! We started early in the morning and made a day of it. The good folks in this district know how to arrange for a picnic. It was here we had our first experience of bushfalling ; the grotmd having to be cleared to make room for tables, etc. While at the picnic we made arrangements for a trip to Ruapehu. We got up a party of eight, including four ladies, and started from Ohakune late one afternoon, and rode the same evening to Karioi, where wejstopped for the night. Here we were comfortably put up and cheerfully waited upon by the landlady. It was a pleasure to meet the lady of the house : she was so pleasant and obliging. We men were up at 5 o'clock next morning and had the horses in readiness and were ready for breakfast when the ladies came down at 6.30. At 7.30 we were on the way again, and after a leisurely ride arrived at Waiouru at about 9 o'clock. On the way to this place we saw two beautiful waterfalls and we also had a magnificent view of the summit of Mt. Egmont, the Queen of Taranaki. At Waiouru we left the Hunterville Road, and, turning to the left, took the Tokaanu Road across the W aimarino Plains. The road is of pumice formation, and is said to be better for travelling in winter than in summer. While riding along it was difficult to realise that Ruapehu and Ngaruahoe were so far away, for they seemed close on our left. As a matter of fact, they were many miles away. The fine range of Kaimanawa was on our right hand. We continued the road for 12 miles, and then stopped for lunch at the Mamoenui Greek. A fire was soon lit and the billy boiling. We had intended going on for a few miles further, but the people at Waiouru advised us to turn to the mountain at this creek, so we left the dog-cart here and packed the tents, blankets, billies and tucker into swags, and loaded up the horses.. A slow ride of eight miles and we found what we thought a suitable place for camping out the first night. Before dismounting and unpacking we had a 1 photo taken of the groups; another was then taken of the camp. We had a glorious time here. After ; tea we climbed a few hundred feet, and were rewarded by'a fine view of Lake i Taupo and the mountains. There is a ' beautiful legend about this Lake. Something about love in a cottage—-or whare, I should say. During our 1 wanderings that evening one of the J party came across a piece of alleged ' poetry, and it is just possible it may c have some faint connection with the * afore-mentioned legend. The following is a rough translation : 1

The girl of the Waimarino Requires but to be seen—o. For you to fall in love With the little dove, The girl of the Waimarino, The girl of the Waimarino— I know, for I have seen her— She dresses with taste And she uses no paste The girl of the Waimarino. The girl of the Waimarino, Of course she is a Queen, 0, And I hereby proclaim That -you can fill in the name Of the girl of the Waimarino. Thore were several other verses, but we forgot them. It is evident that the Maorilanders had the art of saying nice things. Returning to camp we arranged for a moonlight concert. The audience sat and reclined in more or less picturesque attitudes outside the tents. We had songs, recitations, quartettes, and choruses, and it was very latej when we turned in. Of course, thej ladies had the larger tent, and in the smaller one we fellows had just room enough to lie down side

by side. Some of us had never campe< out before, and didn't go to sleep all a once. One of the party couldn't sleoj at all, so got up about midnight am took a walk. He was afterwards knowi as the " midnight prowler." Somi time during the night strange sound: were heard from the other part of th< j camp. Some thought it was mors porks: it turned out to be nothing worse than a solo and chorus, the ladies not being able to sleep. We fellowi were up by 4.30 - at least, some of us others were pulled out an hour later We found that the horse belonging t( the "parson" had slipped his tethei and got away during the night. Breakfast was over, and we started our climb at ten minutes past six. Wc took things easy and did not hurry, "Dr. Jim" and " Ma" were usually ahead, "Kobert" and the "Baby' ; coming next; ' closely following were the " Midnight Prowler "and " Auntie Mabs," the " Parson " and " Grandma" fittingly bringing up the rear. In a convenient place we had another group taken with the steaming mountain in the background, but we are sorry to say the negative turned out a poor one, After five and a half hour* we reached the glaciers and had lunch. There being no water, we had melted ice. Some of the ladies showed signs of fatigue, and as the "Midnight Prowler" was also hanging out signals of distress, it was decided not to venture any higher. The mountain is 9008 feet high, and we were by no means at the top, but we had some very extensive and grand views. The Waimarino Plain, Lake Taupo, and the mountain ranges were spread out before us, and we were well paid for oar hard work. If we were going again we should take the horses some miles further, as it is quite possible to do »o. We reached the camp again in two hours and threequarters, exactly half the time it took us to go up. After tea we struck camp and started for the main road. Finding a lovely patch of bush and some good tussocks for the horses, we pitched tents once more. " Dr. Jim " and " Kobert" were splendid hands at fixing Up thing?, and if we were going again on the same trip we would desire no better fellows as companions. Another and a better concert followed 1 when the stray couples reached camp 1 after their evening walk. Nine o'clock next morning found us again on the " King's Highway," and we were back at Ohakune in time for tea. We made quite a " state entry " into the little township, all the party being " decorated " with " toi-toi." We received quite a reception by the people, as we were the largest local party who had made the trip. And so ended one of the pleasantest trips we ever had.