TAPANUI.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 418, 19 December 1874, Page 2

TAPANUI.

(From a Correspondent.) It is now some time since I • have had a chance of fulfilling my promise to drop you a line or two. I may commence by recording some travels round Tapanui, and describing scenery witnessed at the same time. Of course everyone has their own ideas of enjoyment, but I must say that I fell a victim to misplaced confidence (in one sense), when hist Sunday I accompanied some gentlemen on their rambles, but was amply repaid by the views obtained, and which I can only describe as magnificent. At 11 o'clock on a very hot day, without almost a breath of wind, we started to ascend the Blue Mountains. After various stoppages for breathing and various "revivers" (not being Good Templars), we succeeded in arriving at the summit of the above-named mountains. And what a sight ! By the aid of a splendid gloss we had with us, we were enabled to see distinctly every object in Balclutha, Tuapeka, and -surrounding districts and stations ; we could also see plainly Stewarts Island and the Bluff. The prettiest sight to bur unanimous idea was that of Balclutha, supported in the rear by Inch Clutha and Kaitangata, also Port Molyneux in the distance ; bat let us come to the objects at hand. On the top of the range are some very large lagoons or lakes, from a quarter of a mile long to 100 [yards ?] wide, and of an unfathomable depth ; but far surpassing these were the waterfalls supplied by the lagoons, The firsb&fall we arrived at had 80 feet of a fall, and as we eat viewing it, we christened it the falls of Bremtower. We now proceeded to visit the second falls below these ; the way was certainly anything but smooth, as we were obliged to let ourselves drop from one tree to another, and hand our dogs, several of which

were with <us, "from one to the other, as tbej were quite unable to pass of themselves ; and if one of these branches had given way with us, we should have fallen at least 100 feet. When we 'did reach the bottom of ttie fall and looked up the descant, it was perfectly perpendicular, but we were amply rewarded for our trouble. We beheld & magnificent water-fall of fully 160 feet, surrounded by scenery grand and wild, and making its way through a splendid well-timbered gully. We here again refreshed our thirst, and named these falls the Cameronianß, after our worthy leader in the expedition. There was also another point dubbed " Neville's Leap ;" and in our return down the creek, which was anything but pleasant travelling, we came to another large chasm, which we called " Strachan's Chasm." Eventually, •after several slight accidents, by following the golly and oreek, surrounded on both sides by heavy bush, we again reached the flat, very tired and wet, and our clothes torn, but much pleased with our expedition and the magnificent I scenery which we had. witnessed. I would advise any gentleman in love with scenery ! really romautic, to spend two or three dayi up here, and explore for themselves. Mr. Teagne, photographer, of Balclutha, has been here for some days, taking somesplendid pictures. He succeeded in taking a very fair view of the transit. I imagine if our American cousins, who went to Queenstown, had chosen the Blue Mountains instead, they would have had much better results, as the sun frequently Bhone — in fact* constantly-jrwhen all around was clouded, There were fully 100 in the Courthouse on Tuesday evening, hearing the alleged great att sault cases. How people do*exaggerate, aa when examined, they turned out cases of simple assault.