A TRIP TO THE TOP OF THE PIRONGIA.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 652, 25 July 1876, Page 2

A TRIP TO THE TOP OF THE PIRONGIA.

Aq comparatively few of the resi dents in W,iikato have been to the tip of this mountain, perhaps a short sketch of a trip np there, may not be without interest. On Saturday tho 15th, at 9 a m, our party numbering l±, arrived at the ioot of the mountain, about three rnil«s from Alexandra. Tiie track winds up ono of the main rid yes and outers the forest 010-o to the spot where < l»oor Todd was shot. Tlaere is a f ii'in house np here, hut it has evidoa'ly been deserted for along time, probably througb the abov« occurtencei, and the panics we used to have so regularly. Upon entering the forest the horses had to be left behind, and now commenced a long climb, of course in single file. For about a mile the track is good, and the gradient easy, but after that, progress becomes more difficult, the path is not so well defined and trees have fallen across it, so that occasional rests were very acceptable, especia'ly to the ladies, (five of them bye the bye). We reached the first peat after having travelled three' hours through dense forest, so dense that scircely a glimpse could be obtained of the country beneath- The

view from here was certainly goo(\ but our pioneer, a gentleman who li«\d been up before, was determined upon reaching a higher peak, more to the Sonth, Before making- another start, however, we attended to the wants of the inner man, and with very decent appetites, but we had forgotten to bring water with ns. This was a great oversight, and E advise excursionists in future to carry a bottle or two with them. They can be filled halt way up the mountain, from a clear cold stream a little to the right going up. It took us only) * about twenty minutes hard climbing to reach the highest peak on the eastern side of the mountain, and the panorama spread out before us was something: never to forgotten. lam afraid my pen cannot describe it, but, it was simply grand. To the eas% from the Lower Piiiko, up to tho Mata Mata run, and the ranges beyond, the conntry was as plain as a field. To the west, we cohM see the inland waters of the Raglan Harbour, with Karioi Mountain looming in the distance, as also the main ocean, near Aotea Harbsur^ bat, to the south was the view most grand. Mount Egmont was clear and distinct and, had the ranges been lower round it, we could have seen New Plymouth. Huapahaa Mountain lookefl like a vast .field of snow, ending in two peaks, and, more to the east, Tongariro stood oat with its mantle of snow, in respe<Wfc) this mountain, we notioed tbat\pund tihe tij> of the .crater, the mountain, was dark, the snow .bad melted, which indicates internal heat, and corresponds with the report of its recent eruption. From the peak we were upon, the observer looks down upon the whole of Waikato, and csm .hardly believe the statements occasionally made, that tlie Waikato is filling np rapidly, and that land is becoming scaree — not a third of the j country is cultivated, and the farms are dotted here and there, like plums in a pudding, and with a largo percentage of swamp. It has been said that a lake exists somewhere in the P iron go, hut, as a deep ravine leaves the bed ef the crater, and opens a way for all waters to the Waipa .River, it is difficult to credit this. If it dues exist, it most be on the western side. Turning from (thoughts like these to things common, we discover a bottle, and in it a paper, upon which was written the magic words : " Wonderful efficacy of King's Worm Powders, to be had e-f King, Chemist, Auckland." This is advertising with a vengeance. I j believe we leFt fhe bottle and contents behind not that we wish to try the wonderful efficacy, but out of respect to tho genius that could hit «pou such an ide u We al«o found upon the top of this peak, a stio iggrowth of the d mdelion h»rb or weoJ, how it cime there -is probHniaticril. It h a proof, however, that this plaut, which ii spreading over the Waikato pasture.-*, ha*, amongst ita bad, thegoOtl quality of beiny hauly. At 2 p m, we started for the lowyr peak, Mid joined the rest of tl)9 party. I may mention, incidentally, tlmt wt» L id some vocal music, the latter part of which was extremely good, ih» Immiin ■« oice,at thdt elev it ion, sounding very .clear and distinct. Ou. the way down, two of the party managed to lose themselves, but, happily, turned up all right. It took only one hour and a-half 10 descend, so, that we were in Alexandra in good .timn. Excursionists to the i'irougii should start early in the day, snd a s view from the an mm it is aw j»mple reward for any 'exertion .ami fatigue. — CoXffIUKICATED.