FROM ALEXANDRA TO WAIKAIA.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 429, 27 January 1875, Page 2

FROM ALEXANDRA TO WAIKAIA.

(By our own Correspondent.)

Accompanied by a fellow explorer, I loft Alexandra on the evening of the 6th instant for the purpose of discovering if a practicable route could be opened upon which timber could be brought from the Waikaia bosh. We put up for the night at Crossan's Hotel at Bald Hill Flat, and started at 5 a.m. js n the following morning, so as to get across thfl range iv good time. As our object was sot so much to discover a route fronrtW 'BgHot road to the top of the range — there being several spnrs that with very little, outlay, would be available for that purpose — but to find out if timber could be brought from the bush to the top of the range, we took the old track by O'Briens spur as the shortest route. As we proceeded up the range, I noticed that the sorrel has spread a long way up theihjjif,

patches of the ground being brown with it. On Teaching the top of the range, the track passes through Messrs. Cargill and Anderson's boundary fence, which runs along the top of the ridge, aud is passed by means of au iron gate, close to which is the upper shelter shed. The ihed is in a good state of repair, but with a rather impracticable door. The place is lined throughout with boards, on which numbers of individuals have endeavored to immortalise themselves by writing their names and addresses. We stayed here a short time to enjoy a smoke and a look at the surrounding econery, and I suppose the proper thing to do on this occasion would be to giro a vivid description of the scenery viewed from the top of what is popularly termed the Old Man Range. I might have described the grandeur of the Lammerlaws and the majestic Blue Mountains — their rugged outlines softened by the distant view — and have fallen into ecstacies over the glimpses of the mighty Molyneui, shining like a ribbon of silver as it winds its way through the dark gorges far beneath us ; but fortunately the atmosphere wa9 rather too hazy to obtain a good view of the scenery — a circumstance for which your readers can never be too grateful. From the upper shed the track runs over hard ground, •with a gentle descent until the Teviot snowpoles are met with, and here the lines of snow-poles diverge- -the one running in the direction of Potters, and the other to the Whitecomb. We followed the latter track, ■which after a time became very boggy — in fact it is difficult to imagine why the snowpoles were placed in their present position,. passing as they do through the very worst portion of the swamps, unless they Were placed on the same principle that beacons are fixed on sunken rocks — as a warning to people to avoid them. A water race has been cut through the heart of the swamps, and derives a 'supply of water from the drainage. The race has been cut down to the reef, and affords an opportunity to observe the depth of the bog, which appears to be from one to i two feet. As we proceeded along the track, it gradually became worse, until my Arab steed, apparently liking the appearance of the country, began prospecting for the main bottom, but being rather pressed for time we ■were reluctantly compelled to interfere with his operations by seeking a better track. Striking off to the right, the ground gradually became firmer, until we reached the brow of the range overlooking the Waikaia, immediately above Fielding's station, while to the left we saw the bush stretching for miles down the valley, and covering the slopes of the ranges for three-fourths of their height. We descended by the nearest spur until we came to Fielding's store, where we were informed that we could have avoided the worst o£ the swamps by keeping some distance to the right of the snow-poles. Reserving this information for future use, we pushed on to Cosgrove's, about oue mile and a half further on, when the rain, which had been threatening for some time, began to fall heavily, and we were glad to put our horses in die stable «nd get under shelter ourselves. As it was hardly noon when we arrived, we were in hopes that the weather might clear sufficiently to pursue our journey, but were doomed to disappointment, as the rain fell steadily until evening, when there was a slight cessation, of which we took ad* antage to explore the bush. Leaving the horses in the stable, we started from Cosgrove's, which is situated on the original boundary of the hush, but a fire which occurred about two years since has almost completely destroyed it for a distance of one mile along the track to Switzers ; yet to louk at the growing timber one would hardly imagine tnat it would easily succumb to the action of fire ; but those who witnessed the destruction of the timber describe the fire to have spread with wonderful rapidity. They tell of apartyof menworkingatasawpit, who finding themselves suddenly surrounded by the flames, took refuge in a swamp, where they remained while the fierce fire slowly closed around them ; till at last, when hope had almost expired within their breasts, something — a change of wind or temporary alteration of the course of the fire — created an opening through the wall of flame and smoke, through which they rushed, glad to escape with their lives, and leaving their hut with its contents to be reduced to ashes. Here and there, in the midst of burnt bush, are strips of growing timber along the bottom of the deep gullies, the tops of some of the highest of the trees being burnt off, showing how the Btorm of fire had swept from ridge to ridge, leaving in its trail a wilderness of blackened stumps, burnt into all kinds of strange fantastic shapes, like spectres hauiiting the outskirts of the forest, foreshawdowing its coming doom. Beyond the limits of the burnt bush is a splendid supply of timber, consisting entirely of birch — fine straight trees, springing from thirty to fifty feet ■without a branch, with very little undergrowth in the portion through which we passed — the sort of place that, had it been more accessible, would have been kept sacred for picnics, and merrymaking. We followed the track as far as the Whitecombe Creek, and as we had seen sufficient to satisfy ourselves as to the plentiful supply of timber we retraced our steps to Cosgrove's arriving just in time to escape another downpour of rain, which continued withfut much intermission during the night. The next morning there was a thick fog with showers of rain occasionally, but as there was no signs of the weather clearup, we started about 9 a.m. on our return journey. At Fielding's we were recommended to try the route via Potters Gully, and received directions to find the track, but the foggy weather caused us to deviate considerably from the direct course, and we were glad when we dropped across a collection of miners huts at the head of Potters. We made for the first of, the huts and received a hearty welcome; I don't known the names of the men, and, probably we were just as unknown to them, but the fact of being strangers travelling " over the range " was sufficient claim upon their hospitality. After a hearty meal we once more started, and the fog and rain still continuing, one of our hosts Toluntered to accompany us as a guide for a short distance, which he liberally interpreted to mean several miles, and just aB we parted from him the weather began to clear up, enabling us to complete our journey back to Alexandra without further trouble. Although j the foggy weather prevented us from making as thorough an examination of the country as we would have wished, yet we saw enough to convince us that a practicable road could be formed from the hush to the top of the range at a comparatively small cost, when the benefits that would occur from it are taken into consideration. From the bush to Fielding's there ii good hard soil, with a considerable ascent, and in the neighbourhood of the bush the country is rather broken by gullies, which would necessitate the formation of a road on a proper gradient in order to reach the level of the hill; timber for culverts across the gullies could be got on the spot. Beyond Fielding's there is a good leading spur with a fair gradient until near the brow of the range, ■where it would be necessary to form a short piece of road. On the top of the range the ground is level but nw'ampy, the only guide we had to their depth being the water race, and we did not observe any place where the depth to the bed rock exceeded two feet. These swamps are spread over a distance of three or four miles/ and perhaps the cheapest way to form a road through them would' be to dig it out to the rock. After reaching Cargill and Anderson's track, the Teviot drays could strike of by the track on which the wire fencing was carted up the range. ' I am not not acquainted witk the spur, but I presume f wire fencing could be carted up the range, - there ought to be no difficulty in conveying ' timber down. The track to Alexandra would keep the top of the range, and would require no outlay until the leading spur at Butchers was reached; when it would be necessary to

form a piece of road from the brow of the range to the slope of the spur. At a rough estimate I believe that a road practicable for bullock teams could be formed from the bush for about £2000, a trivial amount when the interests involved are taken into consideration. At the present time our timber supply is derived almost entirely from Tapanui, and we are cut off from that supply for about six months in the year, and we might cal'-ulate that the road *,o Waikaia would be available for at least as long a period, with the additional advantage that timber could be delivered at the Teviot or Alexandra on the third day after leaving the bush. The project is not one of mere local interest, but would benefit the whole Dunstan district, and timber could be supplied to the different centres of population in the entire length of the Manuherika valley, at a lower rate than it could be procured from any other source. Not the least advantage which would arise from improving the communication with Waikaia would be the benefits derived by the district itself. The Waikaia is a district of far more importance than most people imagine. Forming as it does the common outlet for Campbells, Potters, Nuggetty, and Swineburn, and a number of other rich gullies and creeks, its position is such that any gold miner would at once pronounce that heavy deposits of gold must exist along its course ; but from its inaccessible position, it has not. received that attention that it otherwise would have done. There are several claims which have proved exceedingly rich, besides a quantity of- untried ground which is just as likely to be so, but ■ requiring a considerable amount of capital to work it. "With the formation of a road, the place would become better known, and would receive an influx of fresh capital and enterprise which would soon raise the Waikaia to a very different position. Down in the valley below the bush is said to exists tracts of fertile land ; and with a numerous mining population offering a market foi the produce, agriculture would soon follow in the wake of mining, and the Waikaia, instead o£ being an almost unknown spot on the outskirls of civilisation, would become the nucleus of a thriving settlement. One thing is certain, if steps are not taken to utilize the bush and to settle down a class of people m its vicinity, who would hay interest in preserving it from destruction, it will not be difficult to fortell its ultimate fate. In addition to the liability ; of the bush to take fire by accident with no one near having an interest in arresting the progress of destruction, there is always a source of danger from the method adopted to cultivate native gi*asses — namely, by applying a match to the dry tussocks in order to induce a growth of young grass. The extent of bush already destroyed by a grass fire is evidence that the destruction of the forest would not be difficult, and tho danger is increased fourfold now that the grass is beginning to spring up in the burnt portion of it. There are*thousands of charred logs and stumps scattered along the face of the forest, and which in a year or two will be half buried in the long grass : and once let a fire get a hold of this enormous mas 9of dead timber, and it would require but a breeze down the valley to sweep the Waikaia bush out of existence.

Since our return to Alexandra, a public meeting was held to receive our report, when it was resolved to place the matter in the hands of the Town Council for the purpose of taking steps to get a road formed to Waikaia. I believe it is their intention to communicate with the different places interested, and should the project receive general support, I have no doubt it will be carried to a successful issue.