AN ACCOUNT OF A DATS RIDE ROUND THE WESTERN SIDE OF KASIOI.

Waikato Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1503, 21 February 1882, Page 2

AN ACCOUNT OF A DATS RIDE ROUND THE WESTERN SIDE OF KASIOI.

Anticipating that an account of a trip which I have just made round the western side of Mount Karioi may prove interesting, writes our Raglan correspondent, I shall endeavour to give a brief review of my day's experience. A portion of the country through which I travelled being, comparatively, speaking, almost unknown, affords me additional inducement to fulfil my proposed intention. Before proceeding further, I may state that my object was to reach Ruapuke from Raglan by a new route round the base of Karioi, keeping close to the sea-line all the way. The present road to Ruapuke goes inland and leaves Karioi to the westward ; I left it eastward. It had been thought that a more direct and better road could be made to Ruapuke by the coast, and to see and judge for myself I undertook the journey. At an early hour on the 14th inst., while hopeful maids and bachelors were still sweetly dreaming of a visit from St. Valentine, accompanied by Captain Swarm, I left Raglan and was ferried across the Opoturu river, which brought us to the Kopua flat, which has been used as a racecourse by the Raglan people. It belongs to the Maoris, and is of considerable extent. Rabbits appear in great numbers. Considering the character of the soil, which is of a soft sandy nature, I could not help thinking that the Raglan Jockey Club had acted wisely in deciding to form a new racecourse at Waitetuna. At the end of the flat we reached a native settlement where was pointed out to us a whare of large dimensions, which had been built for the accomodation of King Tawhiao and his people on the occasion of his last visit. A great many cabbage trees had been used in its construction, and it was amusing to find that the larger portion of them had taken root, and gave me the impression that before long they would form a living wall round the entire bxiilding. Close to here is the Pilot Station Reserve, which appears to be an excellent piece of land, and which is to be vested m the Raglan Harbour Board as soon aa such a body comes into existence. To our left was the Wesleyan Mission Station, which has remained in its present unoccupied state since the decease of the Rev. Mr Schnackenberg. It is a pretty place, and reflects great credit upon the taste and energy of its former occupier. The orchard is splendid. Being now for lease, I presume it will soon outlive its deserted appearance. Adjacent to the Mission Station is the Maori cemetary, which seems to be well cared for. A short time since a difficulty arose with regard to the road leading to the European settlement of Karioi, going through the native land. This however has been partly overcome, although the right has not yet been secured by the Europeans. It is a pity the Government do not attend to this matter, as I should imagine the longer it is left in its present unsatisfactory state the more trouble will ultimately be experienced in its settlement. It is absolutely necessary for the convenience and comfort of the settlers in Karioi, that it should be attended to, and I have hopes that the end of the next session of Parliament will see also the end of this trouble. In a short time we reached, by a good I'oad, the farm of Mr T. Mitchell. His land appears to be of the best quality, and bears the marks of systematic cultivation. His house at once attracted our attention. It has been built by himself and is substantial, and comfortable. His grass looks extremely well. The milking ot the cows was being proceeded with when avc arrived, and some of the cows I saw in the farm-yard would be a credit to any in the district. The cow-shed and stable are first-class buildings, and altogether this farm presents a comfortable and prosperous cippearance. He has also a flaxmill on his property, which is one of the best here. Continuing our journey we paid a visit to Mr Pegler, who was at one time the Raglan schoolmaster, but who, thinking that farming would be more congenial to his taste, has now settled on a fawn of three-hundred acres. He has been on it for over a year, and during that time has effected many of improvements. The aspect from his dwellinghouse is much to be admired. The building stands on high ground, and one here gets a fine view of Raglan and the surrounding country. The prospect seawards is delightful. In the distance can be seen Waikato, and the Manakau Heads while immediately behind rises in solemn grandeur the mountain of Karioi. After having refreshed the inner man with a snmptous breakfast, which had been provided for us, Mr Savage, and his farm received our next attention. This farm immediately adjoins Mr Pegler's, and is of equal quality. He has in course of erection a new house, which gives promise of being when finished a comfortable residence. His garden gives evidence of much labour and judgment. I measured maize growing on the farm, and found it twelve feet six inches in height. His crops of onions was the finest I ever ca<*t eyes on. I have omitted to mention that from one stalk of maize, he has reaped three pounds weight of grain. We had no time a visit to pay Mr Vercoe, who has .also a holding here ; so faecuring the services of Mr Savage's son as guide we now started to go through country which has hitherto been almost a terra incognita to the white man. It was with much trouble we could get our horses along, there being no road worth speaking of. We &oon made the Maori settlement of Ewhitahi, and shortly afterward the village of Pokopo. At both places a considerable amount of cultivation appears to be done by the natives. Tho country is here very broken, but the soil is good. Closer to the sea are the settlements of Tuhikaramea- and Tauranga. The natives here are evidently industrious, for at the first named place I saw a paddock of a hundred acres well fenced, the greater part of it being in cultivation. The land here is poorer, but not so broken. Before we reach Te Whanga it commences to improve. Although there are not many Maoris living here now, it was lormerly the largest settlement in this part of the country. There is a little bay, in which vessels of small burthen would find a safe anchorage, and which I have no doubt will some day be used for that purpose. I observed a number of canoes sailing about, and on enquiry found that the occupants were busy fishing for dog-fish, which are numerous here, and are preserved by the natives for winter use. Journeying on we suddenly came upon a house built by Mr F. Savage, who, with his bi other, has had the hardihood to buy a piece of land here and settle on it. The site of his house is all that could be desired, its romantic situation and the splendid view to be had from it being worthy of admiration. His land is good, as the appearance of his crops testify, and he has a fine run for his stock, which fully compensates him for any other faults which may be found with his selection. There were a large number of wild goats and pigs when he first settled here, and this circumstance, in connection the extent of < country over which- be has the right; made him appear^ second Alexan* der Selkirk. ' Hewr _ «' *" , -> .. - ' J Monarch of. all heitiiyeVs", '• ' ' • ' * . „ ' His right thenUSfcWflb'disp'utc. jOn 'starting again „we>had -~ to encounter .the w.orkjpf^crbssinff^tfie^To.td'/gorger^ perhaps -fcaUy^rpgil WiJ^woW goiieofc

term. If nil the remainder of the way were good, the experience which I had of this part of it would at once dispel from my mind, however sanguine, the idea that a road fit for ordinary traffic could ever be got from Raglan to Ruapuke by this route. The gully is 500 feet, if not more in dopth, and so steep that several times while making the descent we had no little difficulty in preventing our horses from taking a header to the bottom. The ascent was equally bad, and I was gratified to find that when we had duly made it, we had not hurt any of our animals or even ourselves, and made it what its name indicates a bloody (Toto) gully. The country now continues very broken and rough till we reach Papanui, a distance of five miles. There is no settlement. One thing is, however, worth relating. About half-way between Toto and Papanui, Captaiu Swanu, who had been there once before, pointed out to me a block of basalt on which was deeply embedded a humau footprint. I took the measurement of it and found it to be nine and three quarter inches in length ami three and a half inches across the sole. There is a Maori legend in connection with it to the following effect : — At one time they maintain that the mountain of Karioi was peopled by beings of whom they had no knowledge beyond the fact that they believed them to belong to the spiritual world. One night a quarrel arose amongst them, and one of the women determined to abscond. In doing s»o she placed her foot upon this pieco of basalt and honoe the footniatk. The King of Karioi being dptormined to punish her for this conduct caught her ami cast her into the sea, and she has now grown into Gannet Island (Kareka), which lies directly off from here. I have told the tale as it was told to me. We reached Captain Swarm's home late in the afternoon, fully convinced that for years to come travellers to Ruapuke must content themselves with the inland route for their use, for the one we came on the 14th inst. is, to say the least of it, almost impracticable.