A TRIP BY WATER UP THE BULLER.

Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 801, 13 April 1871, Page 2

A TRIP BY WATER UP THE BULLER.

The Harbor Master and your correspondent left Westport on Monday, A.pril 3, at four p.m., in a canoe, accompanied by two Maoris who were to act as guides and boatmen. When starting we intended to proceed some ten or twelve miles before night, but when we reached the Maori Pa our natives intimated that we had arrived at the end of the first day's journey. No persuasion availed, further they would not go ; therefore, making a merit of necessity, we remained for the night at the pa where we soon ascertained that a monster meeting of the aboriginals was to be held that night to consider matters of discipline, and also to determine as to the appointment of a Maori parson to attend to the spiritual welfare of the natives. Both subjects were brought on for discussion at once. Unfortunately your correspondent, having but a very limited knowledge of the Maori language, is unable to give a resume of the speeches given, consequently the learned disquisitions, the grand efforts of Maori eloquence made upon the occasion aro likely to be lost to fame. The place of meeting —a house of two apartments—contained about forty persons of both sexes; the inner apartment seemed crowded with men and women sitting or squatting on the floor, Maori fashion; the outer apartment was provided with two forms, a table, and two camp beds, one of these being along the wall the whole width of the house provided a considerable amount of sleeping accommodation, and was occupied by eight, or nine " human forms divine." The other bunk was occupied by a dignified, elderly Maori, your correspondent and three other Europeans occupying one of the forms. After a considerable pause and total silence, one of the orators began to show some signs of life by drawing imaginary figures upon the table. I imagined that the Westport difficulty— want of a chairman, was the cause of all this delay but afterwards found that for a Maori meeting no chairman is required, and that the ideal sketching was but the premonitory symptom to a further display of intelligence. The sketching Maori having apparently finished his design stood up, and, with dignified step, pro«neded to the middle of the room, then putting his back to the door, he addressed the meeting. He spoke quietly, with ample pause between each sentence, and, finishing, walked to the great bed and lay down. After him, there was another pause, and silence, broken at last by an old fellow in a white blanket, who sat upon the bed, made a few remarks in a weak, sickly voice (scarcely audible), a few apparently depreatory words from Tommy JjYeeman, and he of the white blanket subsided. Then Tommy stood up, took the place, with his back to the door, and spoke fluently, with strong energetic display. He was succeeded by several others, including " Plash Jack," who spoke very well. After Jack, spoke a man who resembles the portraits of Bismarck. Although your correspondent did not understand a word the gentleman said, he pronounced Bismarck's speech to be the speech of the evening, so far. After him came Captain Paul, our guide and boatman; he was got up regardless of expense, for the occasion, and looked grand in his " toga." Captain Paul's flow of eloquence caused a flow of blood to the head, to which a bottle of cold water was gently applied as a cure by his waihena. An elderly gent using the great bed as a platform, succeeded, whose profile resembles that of the late Duke of Wellington. Captain Paul spoke again, and after hearing him, your correspondent retired. The Maoris continued the discussion till an early hour next morning, and came to the conclusion that

he Maori parson should be engaged t a stipulated salary, and that fines 'hould henceforth bo rigorously enbrced against any Maori found drunk absent at nu/ht from the pa, withlUt reasonable excuse. The proceed--g throughout were marked by de,orum and thoughtful neßs, while the 'makers seemed to acquit themselves ,ith an ease and fluency of which some SuropeaHS cannot always boast. The Speak for themselves, and ire highly creditable to the Buller

Ilaoris. The following morning we made an Jarly start, and stopped at the Ohiki or dinner; thence to the top of the jong FaH> where we camped for the liaht. We pitched our " clout house," n d made ourselves as comfortable for he night as circumstances would adnit. The following day we made the unction of the Inangahua. At dinner ;ime, we saw some fine cattle, reared Lon the spot, the property of Mr Christy, Mindermann ; they looked fat Ed tame, and speak volumes for the fattening qualities of the bush hereibout. We did not stop long, as the veather was threatening, and we were uixious to proceed to the Lyell. At light we camped within three milesfrom t at a place where Mr L. Pensini has I cultivation under agricultural lease. The following day, at an early hour, ive arrived at the Lyell. Leaving the Unoe, we ascended to the Alpine township, where we obtained the friendly guidance of an Italian, one of Garibaldi's Volunteers ; he took us to the reef Leaving the township, we proceeded alon lT an excellent track for about half a (nile*; then we came to a slip six yards long,' which completely stops all furiher progress for horses. We manned to scramble over, hoping that the Government would speedily repair he breach, until that is done, the road will be useless. Prom this point, there is a very good track along the hillside for about two and a-half miles, where it most unaccountably stops. Had the road been continued another quarter of a mile, it svould then have come to a comparatively level place ; but ending, as it Joes, on the side of a cliff, all further progress is barred. At this joint, horses are unloaded, and ;he burthens generally transferred to miners' backs. We followed the path mother mile and a-half, which brought is to the Alpine Company's QuartzCrushing machine. The stampers are jrected, and the shoot and water-race ire all but completed. The work unlertaken by this Company is simply ngantic; their machine site is v> ell ihosen, the machine itself well and irmly erected ; the water-wheel is not complete, but the axle is in place.

iThe shoot must have cost at least Beven hundred pounds; it extends |down the hill about half a mile, seems hvell made, and thoroughly adapted to |the purpose for which it is intended. (The water-race is also a heavy undertaking; it is brought a distance ;«f about a mile and a-half over very [difficult ground, and must have ■cost close upon £BOO. Altogether, at a irough calculation, the cash outlay of [the eight men forming the Alpine iCompany cannot be much less than |£4ooo, besides their own labour for jtwo years. They have at the mine sahout fifty tons of very promising [stone ready for crushing, and there is [very little doubt that when their plant jis in complete working order, they will j receive the reward which their extraordinary industry, pluck, and perseve- ; ranee have so well merited. The want ■. of a road has, up to the present time, | been a very great obstacle to persons I working in this direction. It is to be I hoped that the track now made will be | continued at least another mile; indeed, it is too absurd to imagine | that the Government would leave it I in the present useless and unfinished i state. Its completion at an early date | would be a great boon to a highlyI deserving body of men, who merit atI tention to their wants from the pub- ! licly beneficial results which must I attend their labors.

Eeturning to the Lyell township, we had time to observe the several parties at work along the Lyell Biver bank. Many of these expre&sed themselves satisfied with their returns. And now a word about the townsnip. It consists of some dozen nouses, of the usual class—stores, hotels, &c, &c. It certainly is most peculiarly situated (some would call it romantic); perched upon a high range at the confluence of the Lyell and Buller Rivers, it looks to me a more suitable spot for an eyry than a township. But for all that, several of the stores and hotels are well built, and apparently well stocked. Unfortunately we did not hit upon the right dinner hour, for although we tried several places, we found no dinner ready, so we determined to proceed, and trust to our toe de voyage" for dinner. Beiernng to the romantic situation, our empty stomachs, and the steep descent to the river, one of oar company laconically remarked that we would find it easier to break our necks to than choke ourselves at the Lyell." [to be continued.]