NOTES OF A RECENT JOURNEY TO RAGLAN AND RUAPUKE.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 560, 21 December 1875, Page 2

NOTES OF A RECENT JOURNEY TO RAGLAN AND RUAPUKE.

Sib, — Last Monday week I started from Hamilton on a visit to Raglan and Bvupuke. lhe way down to Whata Whata is safe, though rough and dreary. Whata Whata itself is a cheering and picturesque district, and evidently has a prosperous future before it. The Waipa river 13 crossed by means of a punt, which is inaiinged by a native of civil and kindly manners Owing to the want of a platform or wharf, it is rathur difficult to get a h >rse aboard. About three miles along an easy track and pleasant country up the opposite bank, and you meet the down track ffom Alexandra. At the junction of the two the way strikes off to the right for Raglan. Another mile from the Waipa, and tho traveller begns to climb the steep ascent of the bush clad ranges Over these the way is both tiresome and dangerous. Beautiful virgin bush and splendid \iews over the great Waikato plain relieve the dead monotony of a tract ieplete with difficulties in the ahape of slushy ruts, craggy rooks, and perilous Bleeps, Jorrents of rain dime down when i had arcomplisbed about half the distance auiws these ranges. The dowa-pour never ceased till I had reached Mr Moon's residence in the Waitetuna valley, about twelve miles from the Waipa m&I 8 from Raglan. Here I found Bhelter for the night, and all manner of care and attention. Towards Mr Moon and his family I feel very grate f ul indeed. All that night and next morning till a late hour it raiued very heavily. About eleven o'clock on Tuesday the Atmosphere being now dear, I started for Ruapuke taking a track in the back ground by the ranges aa being the shortest route. Very soon a swollen creek crossed ray path, and I got quite drenched in iordinQ niy horse through ; there was no bridge or culvert. The next creek 1 had to encounter was far laiger, more flooded too and .rapid. But a lo f ty foot l>ri !ge — Vit i steep ladders like on either side — spans it. As the stream looked rather dangeious I swa.n the horse, but having no rope to him he «sc I his freedom by pcunpering away as sooh as he found himself on " terra h'rma." It cost me neirly an hour's careful and anxious nunceuvering to catch my " Little B y," for such is his name. The way from this to Ruapuke I found pleasant and interesting. It lay through all kinds of country — cleared valleys with a few good farm-houses, bushy hills, pateh 'S of fern land, &c. I arrived at Ruapuke early that evering. No rain had fallen up there ; the 1 roads were dry and the creeks clear. A heavy mist was ail they had. Ruapuke is fiee from bush, but the ranges, being densely clad with it, attracted the storm from the sea. Ruapuke is a fine open and lofty country. There are splendid views out over the vast ocean, nlong the coast via Kawhia to Mount Egmont, then again inland towards Hikurangi, the broad range of i*iron_'ia, and over the ranges to Rjglan harbour. The land is high *hd dry, but of splendid quality, lhe chief settlers up here are Messrs Hill, Swan, Johustone, and Mrs Charleton. There are others whose namea 1 have not asceitained. I stayed at Kuapuke that night, and made my way down to Raglan on Wednesdaj'. These plai; s are distant from each other about 16 or 18 mi'es, and the road is good all along. On the left coming down is a huge hill, which looks very like our neighbour Pirongia Its outward base is washed by the sea, and the way by water to Aotea, Kawhia, &,c, is just outside it. Raglan. Bay runs in along its northern base, and the view it p esents from the township is beautiful indeedWell, Raglau is surely a charming site for a township ; but owing to the shameful neglect of the Goverement the place is in a most languid condition. The settlement is quite isolated How the few people there manage to subsist Is rather <* mysteiy to strangers. The Goverunient, at a cost of nearly £2,000 erected ten cottages in the township, over twelve mouths ago, but not an immigrant has since been sent to tho place, nor has any public work been started. Idle and shut up for more than a year they look so many monuments of folly and useless expenditure. Well, at Raglan, I fell in with some people from the Waiktito, who had gone down " to have a look " at the land which tho Government have thrown open for free selection. The rain carae down again on Wednesday evening, just as 1 had arrived from Ruapuke and they from Waikatc From this till Friday afternoon, it never ceased, and all became weather-bouud. I made an attempt to come home on Friday, but after a great deal of fruitless toil, I found it quite 'impossible to make any more than 13 miles of the way. Thirteen miles back again, wet and weary and with reluctant mind, and I found myself in the place whence I bad staitod, The rauii man did rhe B.nn\ Oa in.ir'nn^ abjur 7 30,

Waikato visitors, and myself started with mind a fully determined to make the journey through to the Waikato, if at all possible. To tell which of the littfeytand was the most determined and anxious to get home, would be difficult indeed The mail-man bad failed the previous day, to had I. He wanted to carry the mails, I would be home at all hazards to bare service in Hamilton next day, which was Sunday 12th inst. As for the others, they had got quite tired of waiting to see the Agent and the land, which the ram had hitherto prevented them from doing, and home by all means th<y would come. Well we fonndibte way far better flan is was the preriotia day. The creeks had now gone dowa Tew considerably, and what were raging torrent* yesterday had subsided to the level of ordinary flooded streams. The bridge* all aloog for about 12 miles we found passable, but they look very •haky and dilapidated. But here is the very creek where the mail-earner had near being drowned yesterday, but which I got ojer safely a few hours latex in the day, when the fresh had fallen beneath the stringers, the only portion !of the old bridge, that escaped the raging tide. Yet, I crossed there yesterday and forced the "Little Boy to swim it. The same is to be done by all hands to-day also. And very dangerous that creek undoubtedly is for hor*es to encounter, as the banks on either side are steep and muddy, and the stream deep. However, we find ourselves on the road for the next, the Weitetuna. Ibis is the largest and most rapid in tha valley. Ihe previous day I came just so far, but finding no trace of the large black bridge, and th« nver being swollen over its banks, 1 was compelled to beat a quick retreat to Baglan. Now, however, we found the bridge, but * distance down the stream and thrown high and dry upon a steep bank. In vain we endeavoured to shove the uuwieldy mass into the water in order to effect a safe passage. There we bad to leave the 1 ' Black Bridge "iv its di lapidated glory. Just simultaneously with ourselves am? ed another small party on the opposite side. It was Mr McMmn on his way to Raglan and Mr Hamilton » he lather of our sturdy companion the mailcarrier, besides tome native boys and girls. Thi s Mr Hamilton is an Hibernico-lndian, a man of fine aoihtiee, extensive reading, and large experience. He is married t© a native woman, lives on the wayside in a whare, and runs the mails from Whata Whata to Kaglan. Well, Mr McMinn and thia gentleman quickly felled a •lurdy forest tree about a mile higher up the stream, threw it across aad thus improvised » bridge, Hut here again there was considerable I difficulty in getting the poor horses safely across that tui bid and dangerous stream. The way baok-tlie opposite sido to the old track was aiuiplv abominable. And the way from that Waitetuna river to the foot of the ranges, over thea», and -down to the valley on the Waikat© side des.rv. a the bardesi epithet! that the nioafc abundttut vocubulury can supply. As I havft escaped with hie, and limb unbroken, I prefer to let somebody cisc inveigh against those brulgeless creeks and ateep and slushy hills. On« should get his life insured before encountering thtm. Bushmen on this side the raugei gave us rather alarming news -that tho bridge on the creek before us was standing erect on its side, and quite unapproachable, with a vast lake of back water from the Waipa, that wo should make our way to the right up the steep ranges, ilien through bush interwoven with supple jack, beating our way round almoit to the point whence ne started, aud then make duect tor the Waipa, which, they assured us, we should never be able to cross. Well, all that circuitous route we made with good heart, for this was neither the time nor place to despond. Arrived at length on the bank of the mer r we shouted aceross to a native who dwells ©n the opposite side. At once he ran to the rescue with hi» canoe, voluotejred l«ke a man to tub down a mile lower and meet us at tbe creeks, and t iei c to puddle us over the back water which could not be less than twenty ieet deep and nearly a quarter of a nule wide. There weie two vt these, and we swaru tbe horses. The native was *ell worthy of hid hire. I thought him a brave man ; but water seemed to be bis proper element. The coast is clear now down to Whata Whata. Here the puutiuan informs Us mat we should have hoi*fa behind, tlut* the pirnt would have beea lost had they not pulled it high up the bank where we perceived it, — that all the »tur«s on opposite eide were gone with the flood,— and that the river had risen abont forty ieet from low wtuer mark. Ihe Waipa looked terrible at Whata Whatu, but most majestic withal, We saiLd iv a canoe oitr the peutbgrove on the lower terrace, where stood tke stores and M>me other houses a few days belore, But we made tor the accommodation house at once, aod I aua quite within bouuds ot truth in saviug that tor ! over 12 hours we had eaku nothing, except perchance a hard biscuit or so. Of these, we had a lair supply, but the excitement, the anxiety, the perspiration of thejouruoy look away all thoughts of food. Well, «c made up for lost time at the Whata Whata hotel. Taauka to Mrs Daweon, who had a most comfortable dinner for us without the least delay ; we soon felt greatly regaled. My friends from Te Awamutu, Air Weal, his sturdy son Tommy, and Mr Mason, all remained there that night. They would have me staj also, but Hamilton and Sunday were on the brain, As I had come so for without accident, I thought I should be able for tbe entire journey. .Remonstrance with me was in vain. 8o leaving my brave aud kind-hearted fellow-travel-lers to eijoy some repose, I started on foot with saddle-bags on my shoulders. Soon, however, I lost my way in tke bush, floundering about a great deal amidst bogs and »nud and deep water, returned for a guide, who put me on the right track, and then pursued my way quickly up the hill to Mr McCutcheon's. Here again other lriends in then kindness would have me stay, but having found my elf on a good horse, which they very kindly supplied me with, I hurried away over the ranges to Hamilton. No 1 bridge leading into the township, I found rather dangerous ; but it was passable. Just close at hand lay what at first sight appeared to be a river steamer, but I soou learned that it was Cambridge bridge, arrested here in its flight by the townspeople aud the A C Force. A torry picture 100 it presentee?, and sorely I thought will tbe Cambridge people feel its loss. Having stabled nay horse in Hamilton West, I hastened to the river and got across in a boat. The fresh was exceedingly high and great damage had been done on both sides of the river. I reached home at about a quarter to twelve, having been on the road and working hard since 7.30 am of the same day. To sleep was out of tbe question, till late next morning, so I was quite un- ' equal for early mass, but was at my post at the II o'clock service. This is but a rough and hasty description of what I am bold to call a most tedious., tiresome, and perilous journey. There was danger all along the line for man and beast. My lellow-travellers and I shall not quickly forget the many acts of kind»e*s we experienced at Eaglan. by the way, and at What* Whata. Assuredly it is time, now at least, for the Government to open communication with llag'an. That township is most shamefully neglected. An extensive and valuable tract of confiscated territory lies beyond the Waipa ranges and out of reach of civilization too. Easy communication with the Waikato would not Jail to prove an incalculable blessing to that isolated township aDd country. — I am &c, J. GOLDEN. Hamiiten, Dec. 16th, 1875.

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