A TRIP TO INANGAHUA.

Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 796, 1 April 1871, Page 3

A TRIP TO INANGAHUA.

'(To the Editor of the Weslport Times -and Charleston Argus J. Sib—As a benighted countryman, I beg leave to scrape an acquaintance, in the hope that you may be induced to grant me a small space, (" say half % yard") iu your brilliant summary, bo that I may be enabled to give my particular friends an account of my pleasure trip to the Inangahua and back "to your lovely city?" On one fine morning, I started on my journey under the hallucination that I was to enjoy a jolly week, be blessed with glorious weather, and have a reasonable share of the good things of this life to keep my digestive organs in proper tune, and, as a matter of course, add an additional decade to my life; and so determined was I to enjoy life, •and make " no mistake," that I accompanied a friend, who acted as guide and tried hard to beguile the weariness of the road by descanting on the •magniflce'nt and sublime scenery, expansive rivers, lofty waterfalls, fordable creeks, and a road as near akin •to a tread-mill as any unfortunate pleasure seeker ever had the mi> fortune to travel ove.', for I was perpetually going up and down hill, thinking I never would arrive at the landing, when my guide exclaimed, " Here we are ! within hail of Ross Town ;" and sure enough he did cooey ; and while a cat would be licking her ear, we were ferried across a branch of the Inangahua, and in a few seconds regaling ourselves with our jolly landlord's best cheer, and basking in the smiles and curtsies of the hospitable, worthy, and charming hostess, Mrs Ross, aided and assisted by her no less lovely sister. The following morning, after regaling ourselves with a good breakfast and a tumbler of milk punch, we started for El Dorado or gold-bearing reefs; and here, by the way, myself and my trusty henchman were near having a shindy, for he tried to bounce me, telling me he would represent Charon, and ferry me over the creek on his shoulders. But I swore by the immortal gods and the River Styx that no living man should carry me this side of the grave, so he generously allowed me to paddle my own canoe. Arrived safe on the reefs, I began, seriously, to ask myself the all important question—was it the devil or DoctorEoster that put it into my brainless head to select such a route for a pleasure trip ? for here the elements combined to render further progress impossible, and the echo of the rolling thunder, and the flashing lightning, with one continuous pour down of hail, rain and sleet, made me fancy that the end of the world was at hand.

Onewayoranotherwe managed to get a look at the different reefs, and when I reflect on the quantity of labor, capital and the trouble that has been expended, and must still continue before those reefs can be properly developed and their undoubted richness thoroughly tested, I have no hesitation in stating that the reefers and the reefs are genu ine; and I am borne out by the facts that the only reef properly tested, viz., Kelly's, has given a very good return —3 ozs 5 dwts per ton, after a delay of over four months' which untoward delay not only injured Kelly's line of reef but others as well, for the community got it into their heads that Kelly's reef had proved a " duffer " or the results •of the Melbourne crushing would have long since been known—so much for delay. I strongly advise claim-hold-ers to take avantage of time and circumstances and as quickly as possible get all the available and payable quartz to the surface for it won't make the pot boil or shares rise in the market to be continually telling people *' I have a good show—or the reef." you must bring quartz to the surface so that the most sceptical may be convinced that the precious metal is there, then and not until then will the miner fre rewai'ded for his toil and trouble, or will capitalists be induced to put machinery on the ground. Now, sir, I will briefly point out some of the dfflculties the miner has to eontend against, and thedifficultyhe has in procuring the common necessaries of life. Imprimis (as Paddy Burns formerly taught me), potatoes are £3O per ton, and were £35. Every ton of food leaving the Buller costs the miner, " before he eats a morsel of it," for carriage alone, £35 per ton, "which is exclusive of first cost."

Now I am of opinion that some of this heavy drain upon the miner might be obviated, if there was only a will. I cannot for the life of me see why a tramway could not be constructed from the landing to Boss, or Eeefton, "which would materially cheapen tbe transit of food, and furthermore, make a fortune for the contractors, or owners of such a line. Then again, our river could be rendered more navigable, so that a light steamer could run up to Christy's. If something is not done to assist the mining community

in working those reefs by the "Westport merchants, I fear ere long the greater portion of their trade will pass to the Greymouth people, for it is almost impossible for any place to prosper where the common necessaries of life are so enormously dear. Of my own knowledge, I know miners who had to abandon their claims and future prospects, and go and seek a living where their pound would go further than five would on the Inangahua. The present truck is much neglected from allowing the ferns, lawyers et hoc genus omne to grow across the track impeding both man and beast and saturating the weary pedestrian. Sir, I well know how very little would do away with the nuisance—say a couple of shillings per chain, where it grows on both sides, and one shilling per chaiu for the single side or, at most Is 6d. The nature of the soil between Christy's and Long's renders the track very bad in many places, and if not attended to will be much worse. A drain at one or both sides of the track and a few water-tables are all that it requires with a few chains of corduroying to render it passable for the winter. I beg of you, my dear sir, to accept my apology for thus occupying your valuable time and space. Sir, permit me, with due defforence to subscribe myself Pleasure Seeker.