CAMPBELLS AND CLOUDLAND.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 321, 14 January 1874, Page 3

CAMPBELLS AND CLOUDLAND.

(Communicated.) > A description of the singularly beautiful cloud-scenery ofteii Visible' near the summit of the Old, Man Range, at this season of the year, may not be without interest to aome of your numerous readers dwelling in the more prosaic flats and ' gullies 'of the low country. On the track to Potters, Campbells, and the Waikaia, at an altitude of about 4000 -feet above the sea level, the highest part of the range is reached ; the range to the northern, or Manuherikia side, rises rather abruptly to a further height of several hundred feet ; while towards the southern, or Mount Benger end, the slope -is more gradual, and the height attained not so considerable. The saddle itself, even in summer, is a veritable "dismal swamp," with here and there enormous snow-wreaths, moulded by the magic agency of sun and wind into various fantastic shapes of suddenly-frozen breakers ; while at the head of several snowfilled gullies, which drain the gwamp towards the south, are snow-caverns curiously fashioned by the same potent magicians, having in their cold depths a strange, almost weird-looking blue light, as if at some time gone bye a portion of the azure " lift " high overhead had been -here imprisoned. This peculiar light seems to be similar to tlat so frequently described by mountaineers as occurring in the crevices of Alpine glaciers. This ia the last point on the route from which a view of the eastern watershed is visible, and although an extensive enough panorama, yet, from its treeless, waterless aspect, is singularly destitute of interest. The Enobbies look like a roughly furrowed field or slightly elevated table land, and no longer mountains ; while even the Lammerlaw, from its gradual rise, looks comparatively insignificant. With the Dunstan Range, Cairn Muir, and Leaning Rock, we feel on a footing of perfect equality, and being no longer impressed by their greatness, quickly turn our faces southwards, towards Potters Gully — perhaps the most elevated gold diggings in Otago, if not in the world. We pass on our left the head waters of the Pomahaka river, here a tiny snow-fed rill, containing not half a head of water. After traversing about a couple of miles of soft spongy soil, covered for the most part with sad-colored mosses and interesting Alpine-looking plants and lichens, with here and there an oasis of firmer ground, giving sustenance to gigantic snow-grass tussocks, we reach Potters Gully, and receive a kindly welcome from the hospitable, sojourners in that elevated locality. From a hill at the back of Potters (near Deadmans) , one of perhaps the grandest ' views in the Southern Island may be obtained. In the distance, the lofty Remarkable Range, with its anew -clad summit, and the deep fissures in its sides partly filled with never-melting snow and ice, forms a truly magnificent background, agairst which are seen the innumerable " peaks and passes" of tlie lesser, although still giant moxin tains, which seem to occupj r , without an intervening foot of level land, the whole landscape as far as the eye can see in this direction. Turning to the south-east, is the extensive valley of the Waikaia, into \vhich, by a hundred different mountain torrents, pours the drainage of this extensive region ; and it is with no little satisfaction that, turning still further to the eastward, the eye, almost fatigued with gazing on the wild and desolate grandeur of the mountains, rests on the splendid forests of birch that occupy so considerable an area of the Upper Waikaia basin. Beyond, in the hazy distance, towards Switzers, which is dimly discernable, upon out the Waikaia Plains, covered with white tussoeky grass, that almost makes one believe that there

" the fields are already ripe towards harvest." Looking at the configuration of the country in the more immediate neighborhood of our stand-point, we could easily comprehend the reasons for the sanguine estimate formed by the miners (your true practical geologists) as to the rich future in store for Waikaia when efficient means are brought to bear to overcome the undoubted difficulties arising from floods and other causes at present experienced in extracting the precious metal. The day of our visit was a lovely one — bright sunshine and a light breeze blowing from the north. The difference in temperature between where we stood and the arid and dusty valley below might be about ten degrees ; but in the deep gullies, where the rays of the sun seemed to accumulate, the heat was greater andj more oppressive than we ever remember to have experienced. While still gazing on the pleasant dark-green of the forest, and meditating a plunge into the delightful depth of its cool shade, a slight cloud of mist suddenly appeared low down the valley. With a rapidity which we have never seen equalled, it speedily blotted out the more distant portion of the landscape, acquiring force aud density as it travelled upwards towards Potters. Thinking it might be a forerunner of one of the sudden snow storms common here at all seasons, we gradually beat a retreat towards the comfortable huts of our friends. On turning round and looking towards the Dunstan end of the saddle, we were surprised to sec another cloud, of a lighter and-niore fleecy nature than the f ormer , lightly touching the mountain, and slowly making for the direction in which the cloud i from the south was ascending. Looking back,' I we observed that the dark cloud had attained the top of tbe gully at the back of Potters, where we had previously been standing, and both appeared to be making steadily for the middle of the saddle. For a few minutes each seemed at a standstill^ but this was only temporary. The leaden-hued cloud from the south /was becoming rapidly piled up, although still not advancing. The. fleecy cloud from the north, which was not half the size of- its opponent, again commenced a forward march. Like two combatants, who, having come unexpectedly upon each other, both now seemed to adopt more careful movements; and it was with a feeling of the most genuine, almost breathless curiosity, that we awaited the result. It is beyond our power to describe the marching and counter-marching, the wheeling about and re-forming, the apparent attempt at a flank movement and the corresponding movement by the opposing force (as if the clouds were in reality sentient), which we watched with ever increasing interest for about an hour. We now felt for the first time that the wind had changed. The chilling southerly breeze, kWith gradually increasing force, swept laterally Across the saddle, but without appearing to retard the advance of the light cloud. • The grey cloud now seemed accumulating its masses for a final attack. . Its advanced guard stealthily ciept up, literally crawling along the earth, pausing from tune to ftime as if 'to make sure of every inch of ground. When within a short distance of tha other it .halted, and seemed to consolidate its mass rs still more firmly. Suddenly there was a hurried forward movement (the white cloud still continuing to Taold its ground), when, having,' reacted the highest peak of the saddle, and almost X contact with its antagonist, it shot its leading columns high up in air, falling afterwards iv broken masses to the rear. During this timt the white cloud seemed to be strongly agitated within itself, whirling round as if on a pivot,; but not moving an inch backwards or forwards. " N^>r a time, the victory was with the graceful chttd of the mountains— the moody son of thevhUeys retiring discomfited andjbroken. It was OhW for a time, however. Tho southerly wind «ontinued to freshen, and blacker and bigger giw the dark cloud, now almost encmshng the point of vantage whence our imperfect obf* rvat i om were taken, and after going through'^ cB di eBB Ber i e s of apparently very pufposeles>x rr iatlO3llTreß)i atlO3llTreB) wfth ev<* increasing rapidity, the g* n ii approa ched each other for perhapß the tw^tieth time. The light cloud now retifeS with Marked timidity, which seemed to give its advenary increasing Dpldnesß, until at last, the suiv completely

obscured, We 1 "found ourselves^enveloped in the cold penetrating embrace of the miserable snow-breeding black fog so' well known and dreaded by all frequenters of those high-lying gullies. Who can doubt but that our light and volatile friend was ultimately overwhelmed by his persevering and relentless enemy,! Finding our way down to the claims as best we could in the Bemi-darkness which prevailed, we soon discovered we were not the only interested spectators of the cloud battles. It appears that though of frequent occurrence in this locality, they are always watched with eager interest, and we were not a little amused to find that the "French and Prussians," with which the cloudy combatantß have somehow come to be identified, have each their partizans, who sometimes adopt the truly British expedient of betting on the event. Two to one on the southern burster was the current betting on this occasion ; but as the judge very properly observed, he could not decide as to the victor unless his box was made a trifle higher, the bets were declared off. Those battles, however, as wo subsequently learned from our entertainers, are not always decided in favor of the " Prussian " side, although, taking the average, the southerner, who is 60 named, is most frequently victorious. Sometimes the brilliant and vigorous onslaught of-- the '"French" overcomes the stolid masses of the methodical " Ga*mans," and not seldom the "Prussian" steals a march into the enemy's country without meeting any opposition. At other times the battle is carried on with great fury and varying success, when the enemy on the north side is evidently present and active, but invisible, from the circumstance of his having omitted to clothe himself in his usual fleecy habiliments. In fact, from what we could gather from constant spectators of those oerial combats, the appearances presented are of endless variety, and the interest always well sustained, as the victory, though perhaps more frequently on the side of the Waikaia 2Eoluß, is by no means invariably so. We need scarcely add that we look forward with great pleasure to our next visit to Campbells saddle— "the battle' field of the clouds." Until then we must reserve our description of the more purely muudane aspect of that locality-

If we might venture a guess at a solution of those strange phenomena of the opposing cloud-banks,' it might be pointed out that at the saddle is the lowest gap in the huge mountain wall dividing two extensive vallies running almost parallel with each other for about seventy miles — one, that of the "Waikaia, widening out into the great Southland plain, ever open to the cold gales of the south ; the other, that of the Molyneux valley, almost entirely sheltered by the Mount Benger and other minor ranges. Each valley possesses an essentially different climate — the former cold and humid, the latter hot and dry- It seems at least a plausible solution of the difficult)' that on a change of wind, say from north to south, the change should be experienced at the head of the Wailsnia valley suveral hours before it is felt (if felt at all) in the valley of the Molyneux. Such, indeed, is the fact, aud as a consequence it is only reasonable Io suppose that the opposing currents, meeting at the comparatively low gap or saddle above described, from their different force and temperature, produce those singular mist-clouds, as well as guide and control their apparently eccentric evolutions. Wo are aware that the foregoing very imperfect description of the cloud phenomena at Campbells may appear to some rather fanciful, if not incredible ; but there are scores of witnesses residing in the locality who, summer afler summer, perceive even more extraordinary appearances than those above related. •