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RICHARDSON'S

CHRISTCHURCH.

In Opening the New Hotel, I have much pleasure in
drawing the attention of

COMMERCIALS AND TOURISTS

to its many advantages. Built of Brick and Stone, with all
modern improvements, aod

BRICK SAMPLE ROOMS

attached, it affords comfort and security not to be found in
the antiquated structures that exist in many places.

Centrally situated, commanding easy accebs to Post and
Telegraph Offices, Banks, and Cab Stand, having entrances
from three leading thoroughfares, viz.,

HIGH, CASHEL, & HEREFORD STREETS,

makes it the Commercial Rendezvous of Christchurch.

The Cuisine is under the able chars/e of Mons. Dumalb
(late chef to His Excellency Sir William Jervois). The
general arrangements being in keeping, I confidently solicit
your patronage.

Comments from the Christchurch Licensing Bench : —

"As a Commercial House, the hotel and general management
would be a credit to any city in the colonies."

The reputation of my Cellar is too well known to need
comment.

p. RICHARDSON. Proprietor.

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HEAD OFFICE UNION STEAM SHIP COMPANY OF N.Z., Limited, DUNEDIN.
From a Photograph by Burton Bros., Dunedin.

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MAO

i^la1^

ILLUSTRATED HANDBOOK

NEW ZEALAND.

-WSUED BY THE-

(LIMITED)

GEORGE ROBERTSON AND CO. (LIMITED).

MELBOURNE, SYDNEY, ADELAIDE, AND BRISBANE.

^>\\

MDCCC^XXXIV,

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Union (Stea#Sjt

Capital

SUBSGI^IBBD

APR'
OP N^M^N^^J^

.ompang

Uted).

£500,000^

£359,42a

^ The Company's Fleet oonsiBtB of the following FIRST-CLASS
STEAMEBS employed in the Intercolonial and Coasting
Trade of the Colony :—

OrosB

ReiF I H P

ROTOMAHANA .. ..1727 2000 '

TARAWERA .. .. 2003 1750

WAIHORA 200J' 1750

WAIRARAPA .. .. 1786 1750

MANAPOURI .. .. 1783 1750

TEKAPO 2350 1500

HAUROTO 1988

TE ANAU 1652

WAKATIPU

ARAWATA

RINGAROOMA .. .. 1096 1250

TAKAPUNA .. .. 930 2000

ROTORUA 926 900

1500
1500
1797 1250
1098 1250

OroBg.

Heg. LH.P.

HERO

.. 985 750

PENGUlK ..

.. 749 900

HAWEA ..

.. 721-860

WANAKA ..

.. 493 600

OHAU

.. 766 SOD

TAUPO

.. 766 600

OMAPERE ..

.. 601 500

TAIAROA ..

.. 438 5C0

MAHINAPUA

.. 423 50O

SUVA

.. 293 260

SOUTHERN CaElOSS

.. 282 250

BEAUTIFUL STAR

.. 177 150

WAIHI

.. 92 100

BRANCHES AND AGENCIES.

NEW ZEALAND— Akaroa, Auckland, Blenheim, BluflF, ChrLErt-
church, Gisbome, Greymouth, Hokitika, Invercargill, Lyttel-
ton, Napier, Nelson, Oamaru, Picton, Port Chalmers, Russell,
Taranaki, Tauranga, Timaru, Wellington and Westport.

VICTORIA— Melbourne.

NEW SOUTH WALES— Newcastle, Sydney.

TASMANIA— Hobart.

FIJI— Levuka, Suva.

LONDON OFFICB

18 Waaiirook,S.a

HEAD OFFICE— DUNEDIN. ^^

JAMES MILLS, MAMAG/NG DIRECTOR. ^A x^

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SERVICES.

The following are the legalar services in which the Company's
steamers are engaged :—

INTERCOLONIAL SKRYICES.

The steamers of the Company leave Melboome weekly for all
New Zealand ports, calling at Hobart every alternate trip. They also
make weekly departures from Sydney for New Zealand, via Auckland
and East Coast Ports, and fortnightly via Cook Strait and Wellington.
In addition, a steamer is despatched from Melbourne once a month
for Suva and Levuka (Fiji), and another from Auckland (New
Zealand) for the same ports.

COASTAL SERVICES.

The Coastal Services include weekly steamers from Dunedin
(Port Chalmers) to Auckland via East Coast Port", and vice versa ;
and to Manukau via intermediate ports, and vice versa ; four times a
week between Wellington and Nelson, and four times a week between
Wellington and Lyttelton each way. In addition to these, there are
services twice a week between Dunedin and Timaru each way,
between Dunedin and Oamaru each way, weekly between Dunedin
and West Coast of Middle Island, and twice a week between
Wellington and Blenheim ; while a special steamer runs regularly
between Wellington and Auckland via Gisbome and Napier, leaving
each terminal port on alternate Tuesdays.

INTERINSVLAR SERYICE.-FIJI.

The Company's steamer " Suva " plies regularly between the
principal islands of the Fiji gronp.

Passengers should obtain copies of the Company *s Monthly
Pocket Guide, which contains time-table and all information regarding
the movements of the steamers. These are to be had on application
at any of the Company's offices, and on board the boats.

AGENTS IN NEW ZEALAND

FOB THB

ORIENT STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY. LIMITED.

Passengers booked for London at through rates, covering Inter-
colonial &re8, and securing special advantages.

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OOnSTTEITTS.

INTRODUCTORY.

PAGE.

Colonization of New Zealand — Attractions to
Tourists — Means of Communication — Pro-
gress of Union Steam Ship Company - 1-9*

CHAPTER I.
General characteristics of scenery of Middle or

South Island— The Lake District - 13-19

CHAPTER II.

Blufp-Invercargill. Invercargill to Lakes Te

Anau and Manapouri - . * _ 20-31

CHAPTER IIL
Lake Wakatipu — Kingston — Queenstown —
Glenorchy — Kinloch. The Remarkables —
Arrowtown — Lake Hayes — Frankton —
View from Ben Lomond — Mount Bowen —
Paradise Flat — Diamond Lake — Sylvan
Lake — Ascent of Mount Eamslaw — Lennox
Falls— Lake Harris— Rere Lake - - 32-58

CHAPTER IV.
liAKES Wanaka and Hawea— Cardroua—Kawarau
River — Roaring Meg — Pembroke — ^Various
excursions from Pembroke- — Glendhu — Matu-
kituki Valley — Scenery round Lake Wanaka
— Pigeon Island and its Lakelet — Sunrises
and Sunsets in Lake District - - 59-76*

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CHAPTER V.
Pembroke to Dunedin : — Cromwell — Clyde — pagk.
Alexandra — Roxburgh — Lawrence - - 77-79

CHAPTER VI.
BuNEDiN : — Early History — Excursions in neigh-
bourhood — Nichol's Creek — Blueskin — Port
Chalmers — Portobello — Mosgiel — Taieri
Beach - . . . . 80-89'

CHAPTER VII.
Dunedin to Mount Cook and Lakes Tekapo,
PuKAKi, AND Ohau. Palmerston — Oamaru
— Timaru — Ashburton — Glaciers of Mount
Cook - - . - - 90-104

CHAPTER VIII.
Christchurch : — Early History — Excursions in
neighbourhood — Sumner — Kaiapoi — Lincoln
— Lyttelton — Hanmer Springs — Akaroa - 105-115

CHAPTER IX.
Christchurch to Otira Gorge — Rolleston
Glaciers — West Coast Road — Porter's Pass —
The Bealey — Kumara — Hokitika — Francis
Joseph Glacier — Greymouth — Westport - 116-128

CHAPTER X.
Christchurch to Nelson — Pictonand Blenheim.
Excursions in the neighbourhood of Nelson
— Wairau massacre - - _ 129-134

CHAPTER XL
West Coast Sounds: — General Description —
Annual Excursions — Preservation Inlet —
Long Sound — Cuttle Cove — Dusky Sound —
Smith Sound — George Sound — Milford Sound 13&-151

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CHAPTER XII.
Auckland: — Early History and general descrip- PAdR.
tion — Excursions in neighbourhood — Mount
Eden— The Three Kings— North Shore - 155-169^

CHAPTER XIIL
Waiwera and Kawau — Whangarei — Coromandel 170-181

CHAPTER XIV.
Bay op Islands : — Early History — Kororareka
— Russell — ^Treaty of Waitangi — Rebellion
of Hone Heke— Keri-Keri— Kawa-Kawa - 182-199'

CHAPTER XV.
The Waikato : — Scenes of the War — Capture of
Koheroa — Attack on Rangiriri — Alexandra
— Hamilton — Cambridge — Te Awamutu —
Capture of Orakau — Routes to Hot Lake
District - - - - - 200-213^

CHAPTER XVI.
The Thames : — Great Kauri Tree— Cold Mines —
Overland to Tauranga — Capture of Totara
Pah by Hongi— Puriri— Paeroa— Kati-Kati 214-223

CHAPTER XVII.
Tauranga : — Massacre of Ngaiterangi Tribe-
Battle of the Gate Pah — Capture of Te Ranga
—Tauranga Cemetery— White Island - 224-22^

CHAPTER XVIII.
Tauranga to Ohinemutu : — The Oropi Bush —

Mangarewa Gorge - - - - 230-235'

CHAPTER XIX.
Ohinemutu : — Choice of an Hotel — Boiling
Springs — Native life and customs — a whare-
pimi — Sulphur Point — Rotorua township —

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The Priest's Bath— Madame Rachel's Bath—
Titikere — Whakarewarewa — Rotokawau —
Mokoia — Legend of Hinemoa - - 236-260

CHAPTER XX.
Wairoa: — ^The.old mission station — Lake Tarar

wera — A Maori haka - - - 261-273

CHAPTER XXL
Tabaweba : — Wairoa to Lake Rotomahana —
Different routes — hoosing a guide — Te

Ariki 274-281

CHAPTER XXIL
Rotomahana and the Pink and White Ter-
races .... - 282-299
CHAPTER XXIII.
Orakei-Korako : — Routes Ohinemutu to Taupo —

A boiling river— The Alum Cave — Karapiti 300-308

CHAPTER XXIV.

Taupo :— Glen Lofley— The Waikato River—

^ Crow's Nest geyser — The Witches' Cauldron
— Big Ben — Huka Falls — Wairakei geysers —
Lake Rotokawa— Tokano - - - 309-319

CHAPTER XXV.

Hawke's Bay — Napier — Gisborne : — Route
Taupo to Napier — Attractions of Napier and
neighbourhood— Gisborne— Te Kooti massacre
— Overland route Napier to Wanganui — The
70-mile Bush — Woodville — Manawatu Gorge
— Palmerston ... - 320-330

CHAPTER XXVI.

Wanganui and Neighbourhood : — Description
of town — Battle of Moutoa — Wanganui to
Hawera—Patea— Capture of Wereroa Pah - 331-334

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CHAPTER XXVII.
Taranaki : — Hawera to New Plymouth — Different
routes — Waimate Plains — Opunake — Pari-
haka — Pungarehu — Hau-hau religion — Inci-
dents of Taranaki War — New Plymouth —
Waitara— Mount Egmont - - - 335-344

CHAPTER XXVIII.
Wellington : — Overland route New Plymouth to
Wellington — Early history of Province —
Description of the City — Excursions in neigh-
ijourhood — the Hutt — McNab's Gardens —
Wairarapa Valley — Rimutaka Railway —
Masterton . - - - . 345-355

Appendix . . - . . i.-v.

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PREFACE.

The facilities for communication between the Old
World and the Colonies have increased so rapidly of late
years that journeys which were at one time looked forward
to with dread, and undertaken with misgiving, are now
made, not only under circumstances that recall the comforts
aud luxuries at the command of the traveller on shore, but
with a rapidity which barely allows him time to become
accustomed to his new surroundings before his destination
is reached. Tourists are already looking further afield, and
the dark places of the earth are having the light of
exploration thrown upon them. The Grand Tour is not
now limited to the round of the European Continent-— its
boundaries have been extended until they embrace almost
the entire globe.

The enterprise of the New Zealand Shipping Compcmy
and the Shaw, Savill and Albion Company.in establishing a
direct service between Great Britain and New Zealand, and
carrying it on by steamers unsurpassed for speed and
appointments by any afloat, has drawn more closely the tie
that binds this Colony to the Mother Country, and afforded
opportunities to English people to become acquainted with
the attractions of a country which but for this they might
have left unvisited.

Already English tourists are wandering from the
beaten track and seeking in New Zealand life and scenery
that change which is the charm of all travel

The sister colonies have not been slow to show their
appreciation of the proximity of a country, the bracing
summer climate of which offers a welcome relief to the

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enervating atmosphere of their own, and season after season
the increasing number of visitors that cross over from
Australia by the splendid boats that carry on the inter-
colonial trade testify to the growing popularity of New
Zealand as a tourist country.

Recognising that without a guide to the various
attractions of a new country the traveller's pleasure in his
visit is very much diminished, the Directors of the Union
Steam Ship Company of New Zealand have on two
previous occasions issued publications of this nature, which
have served their purpose and met with the appreciation of
the public. The rapidity with which the Colony has
progressed, and the opening up of new routes of travel,
however, has made the issue of a Handbook on a more
extended basis than their previous publications a matter of
necessity.

With a view to supplying this want the Directors of
the Company entrusted the preparation of a work, such as
was required, to three gentlemen who have made themselves
familiar with the characteristic features of the parts of the
Colony which they have respectively described. The
present volume is the result of their joint labours. The
description of the North Island has been written by Mr.
Alex. Wilson, M.A., and that of the Middle Island by
Mr. Rutherford Waddell, M.A, while the account of the
West Coast Sounds is pontributed by Mr. T. W. Whitson.

Every place described has been visited by the writers,
and reliable information collected on the spot ; and while
keeping its primary object as a Guide Book to the Colony
prominently in view, the compilers have aimed at making
the work one of interest to the general reader.

DUNEDIN, NBW ZbALAND,

l8t October, im.

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INTRODUCTORY.

The object of the present work is twofold : first, to
enable the visitor to New Zealand to understand what
places and things are most worth seeing, and how best to see
them ; and secondly, to supply the visitor who has seen the
most noteworthy sights of the Colony with a description
which it is hoped may be faithful enough in its details to
recall to his mind those places with which he has been most
impressed, and to revive his impressions. With this object
in view the writers have spared no pains to make the
various routes clear and intelligible, and to give a faithful
record of their own impressions of the many noteworthy
sights which are to be seen in the course of a tour through
New Zealand. It may be objected to a book of this kind
that the record of any single individual's impressions is
useless either as a preparation for what is to be seen, or as
a reminder of what has been seen; because no two persons
see the same object with the same eyes. On the other hand
it may be said that, as regards at least the reviving of old
impressions, a record from which you dissent is as effective
as a record with which you agree. In reading a description
of any scene as a preparation for seeing it, the danger lies
in over-colouring. To the accusation of over-colouring
most descriptions are more or less liable, according to the
angle at which the various readers see the thing described.
The writers of this work hope they may be accused rather
of subduing than of heightening colour.

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According to native tradition, the ancestors of the
Maori race reached New Zealand many ages ago in canoes
from a distant island called Hawaiki Where Hawaiki
was the tradition does not say, but that it lay somewhere
in the Pacific is certain, from the close affinity of the Maori
language to the languages of some of the Pacific islands.
Possibly it was Hawaii, the language and traditions of the
Sandwich group having much in common with those of
New Zealand. The first canoe to arrive was the Arawa,
commanded by the great ancestor of the Rotorua tribes,
Tama te Kapua. Other canoes followed, the various detach-
ments of immigrants appropriating to themselves on their
arrival certain districts of the North Island. The most
celebrated of the canoes were the Aotea, Tainui, Kuruhaupo,
Takifcumu, Tokomaru, Matatua, Mahuhu, Mamari, and
Moekakara. The Shaw, Savill and Albion Company have very
appropriately named the steamers of their fleet after the
primeval canoes, as the New Zealand Shipping Company
have given to their steamers the native names of New Zealand
mountains, and the Union Steam Ship Company to theirs
the native names of New Zealand lakes.

It is just 115 years since Captain Cook first landed on
the shores of New Zealand. Since that time, in little more
than a century, the face of the country has changed more
than Cook could have conceived possible in his wildest
visions of colonization and settlement. The formidable
native population, which swarmed along the shores wherever
he attempted a landing, has dwindled down to a com-
paratively insignificant remnant of 44,000, whilst the white
population which has displaced* the natives numbers about
half-a-million. Except in the untravelled fastnesses of the
King Country, there is no considerable area of agricultural
or pastoral land that has not its fields of com or its

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thousands of cattle and sheep. Stations, farm-steadings,
townships, and cities have sprung up where, in the beginning
of the century, nothing was to be seen but endless tracts of
tussock, fern, swamp- land, or stretches of trackless bush.
To-day New Zealand can hold her own among British
Colonies which are considerably older than herself. The
Colony is fast being opened up by a vein-system of rail-
ways, and the natural products of the country ai*e thus
being brought within reach of the markets. Increased
facilities of communication both by sea and land, not only
between the various parts of the Colony, but also with
other colonies, have naturally led to increased activity in
commercial and industrial centi'es. New industries are
springing yearly into existence, and industries already
established are being rapidly extended and improved.

The regular colonization of New Zealand may be said
to date from the year 1839, in which year the New Zealand
Company sent out a party of settlers under Colonel Wake-
field, who established themselves on the shores of Port
Nicholson, founding the city which they called Wellington.
Up to this time New Zealand, so far as it had been
governed at all, had been imder the jurisdiction of New
South Wales. In JMay, 1841, however, New Zealand was
constituted an independent Colony, and in the same month
the first Legislative Council was held at Auckland. From
this time till 1852 special settlements were made in various
parts of the C^olony. The settlement of Nelson and Taranaki
followed hard upon that of Wellington. In 1848 a band of
Presbyterian emigrants established themselves in Otago, and
founded the City of Dunedin ; and shortly after this the
settlement of Canterbury — the centre of which was Christ-
church — was established, also on a religious basis, the settlers
in this instance belonging exclusively to the Church of England.

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In 1852 an Act was passed in the Imperial Parliament
granting to the people of New Zealand a charter of Self-
Govemment. By this Act the sovereign power was vested
in a General Assembly, consisting of a Governor appointed
by the Crown, and two Houses — a Legislative Council, or
Upper House, the members of which are nominated by the
Government, and a House of Representatives, chosen by the
people. To provide for local government the Colony was
divided into six provinces — Auckland, Taranaki, Wellington,
Nelson, Canterbury and Otago — the affairs of each province
to be managed by a Superintendent and Provincial Council.
Subsequently four additional provinces were created —
Hawke's Bay, Marlborough, Southland, and Westland. In
1875 this system of provinces was abolished, and the whole
Government of the Colony was vested in the General
Assembly. At the same time New Zealand was divided
into 62 Counties, the affairs of each County being managed
by a County Council.

Of late years the increasing facility and speed of
communication between New Zealand and the sister
colonies, as well as between New Zealand and the Mother
Country, have been bringing to the Colony a class of
visitors quite distinct from that which business enterprise
draws to our shores. New Zealand is now becoming
known as a land of the picturesque and the wonderful.
Those who may be said to have " done " Europe and
America find on this side of the world sights which are
novel and charming even to travellers familiar with the
magnificence of Switzerland and Norway, and with the
wonderful volcanic phenomena of Iceland. To the various
Australian Colonies, as they grow in wealth and population,
the existence of New Zealand within easy distance must
prove a natural advantage of inestimable value. Apart

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from all consideration of the beautj? of New Zealand
scenery, it seems hardly possible to over-estimate the
blessing, to a continent possessing the hot and exhausting
climate of Australia, of having within practicable distance^
a climate which, by comparison with its own, may be called
vigorous and bracing. But the difference in the climates
of Australia and New Zealand is not more marked than the
diffei-ence in their scenery. Beautiful as much of the
Australian scenery is, it is very different in the character of
its beauty from that of New Zealand. A slight knowledge
of the physical conditions of the two countries must make
it sufficiently clear that the contrast between the scenery of
Australia and New Zealand is not less marked than the
contrast between the scenery of the Australian Colonies
generally and that of Europe.

And what does New Zealand offer by way of attraction
to the traveller in search of the picturesque ? Kather, what
does she not offer ? Let him commence with a visit to the
West Coast of Otago, where he will lose himself in
admiration of the sublimity and beauty of the Sounds ; let
him proceed along the chain of lakes that stretches north-
east from Lake Manapcuri in Otago to Lake Tekapo in
Canterbury — colossal mountain-tarns lying under the
shadow of magnificent snow-capped ranges ; thence let
him visit the glaciers that hang on the sides of Mount
Cook and his satellites ; let him cross by the Otira Gorge
from Canterbury to Westland ; let him visit the enormous
forests and plains, and the beautiful rivers and harbours of
both islands ; let him finish his round with one of the most
wonderful experiences to be had in the Old World or the
New — a visit to the fumaroles, boiling cauldrons, geysers,
and terraces of the Auckland hot-lake district; and then

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let him say whether New Zealand does not offer attractions
to the lover of the woDderful and picturesque.

Tn considering the question as to how far any country
may offer itself as an attractive field for travellers who are
in search of health or recreation, one of the most important
points to be considered is the means of locomotion. This is
a question that nearly concerns the most robust — ^how much
more nearly the invalid? By all reasonable travellers it
will be allowed that, considering the youth of the Colony,
the speed and comfort of its means of locomotion are such
as reflect upon it no discredit. On March 31st, 1884, the
total length of railway open, for traffic was 1450 miles, the
total amount of money expended on railways up to that
date being over £12,000,000. Since that time the work of
extending the railways has been steadily pushed forward, so
that in a few years we may expect to see an unbroken line
running the whole length of each island.

The opening of the Waimea Plains railway has
brought the magnificent lake-district of Otago within easy
reach of Dunedin ; and we may confidently look forward to
seeing the hot-lake district ot Auckland made equally easy
of access to those who wish to see its wonders, or to try the
healing power of its waters. Tn those places of interest nofe
yet penetrated by railways there are well-conducted coach
services ; and though travelling by coach is neither so fast
nor so comfortable as by rail, yet in bowling along through
the crisp New Zealand air, seated on the box-seat of a
coach, there is a pleasure which is wanting to the most
improved style of railway travelling.

The comfort of visitors to New Zealand will, of coui*se,
to a great extent depend on the completeness of the steam
service which runs between New Zealand and the various
other colonies, and along the coasts of the two islands.

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Fully alive to this, the Union Steam Ship Company of New
Zealand has exerted itself to the utmost to provide for the
comfort and convenience of those who travel by sea, either
along the coasts of this Colony itself or to the neighbouring
colonies of Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales.

The Company was grafted on the older Harbour Steam
Company which was started by Mr. John Jones, in
Dunedin, some twenty-three years ago ; and one of the chief
causes of its success and of its present pre-eminence amongst
Australian shipping companies lies in the fact that —
beginning with small things — it has so adapted itself, under
careful management, to the growing needs of the Colony,
that the growth and prosperity of the Company have kept
pace with the advance of the Colony itself

The Harbour Steam Company began its existence in
1861 with the small paddle steamer, "Golden Age." The
increased trade consequent upon the opening of the Otago
Goldfields soon induced the proprietary to purchase five
additional steamers, and to extend its operations, hitherto
confined to the local trade in the neighbourhood of Dunedin,
to the more distant New Zealand ports. On Mr. Jones's
death in 1869, Mr. James Mills became a large proprietor,
and undertook the active management of the Company.
This marked an epoch in its history, and this period may
be looked upon as the starting point of the Company
which, in 1875, developed into what is now the extensive
Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand, Limited.
The necessity for providing increased freight and passenger
accommodation to meet the demand arising for it, induced
Mr. Mills to visit Great Britain in 1874, and while there he
arranged for the building of two new steamers, the Hawea
and Taupo.

By this time the trade of the Company had grown so

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considerable that it was felt that, in order to give it full
scope for the possible development that lay before it, the
proprietary must be so extended as to enlist the interest of
the more influential men in the community ; and accordingly
in 1875 the Harbour Steam Company was merged into the
Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand, Limited,
with a powerful proprietary and an influential directory.

Until 1878, the operations of the Company were con-
fined to the carrying out of services between the coastal
ports of New Zealand and New Zealand and Sydney;
but in November of that year the inter-colonial fleet of
Messrs. McMeckan, Blackwood, and Co. was purchased, and
the entire inter-colonial and New Zealand coastal trade thus
passed into the hands of the Company. Since that time
the progress of the Company has been continuous
and steady. Steamer after steamer — all constructed
from the designs and under the supervision of Mr.
John Darling, who as Marine Superintendent of the
Company had been associated with Mr. James Mills since
its initiation — each more luxuriously fitted up than its pre-
decessor, has been added to the fleet. Every scientific
improvement, either in the machinery or the fittings of
vessels, has been brought into requisition for their con-
struction, until, from small beginnings, the fleet of the
Union Steam Ship Company ot New Zealand has grown
to be the largest and most powerful in the Southern
Hemisphere. It comprises 28 steamers of an aggregate
tonnage of 28,000 tons and 26,330 ih.p. As further showing
the magnitude of the Company's operations it may be
interesting to mention that, in the course of the past year
(1883-84), the steamers travelled in their regular services
853,218 miles, entailing a consumption of 94,574 tons of coal.
The ordiaaj'y services of the Company include weekly boats

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from Melbourne and from Sydney to New Ze^iland and vice
versdy and almost daily communication is carried on between
the pf-incipal New Zealand ports. In addition^ there is a
monthly service between Melbourne and Fiji, and between
Auckland and Fiji, while in the latter Colony one of the
Company's steamers plies regularly between different islands
of the group. During the summer season supplementary
services are run over all the Company's lines, and special
excursions are made to the West Coast Sounds of New
Zealand. A new feature has been the initiation this year
(1884) of mid- winter excursions to the South Sea Islands,
including visits to Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga ; and in future
seasons it is contemplated embracing in the programme
Tahiti and other groups of the South Pacific.

It only remains to add that in describing the country,
the writers have followed the routes that would probably
be taken by tourists ; those arriving from Melbourne,
working the South Island from Invercargill and the Lake
District, northwards to Wellington ; and arrivals from
Sydney making Auckland their starting point, and working
southwards through the North Island to Wellington.

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THE SOUTH OR Mn)DLE IS!

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CHAPTER I.

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS.

The South or Middle Island (as it is indifferently called;
of New Zealand comprises the Provinces of Southland,
Otago, Canterbury, Westland, Marlborough, and Nelson. The
scenery of the South Island differs largely from that of the
North. In the latter, volcanic forces have been stronger, or
perhai)8 more recent in their action, and, as a consequence, the
North Island is the home of burning mountains and boiling
springs and lakes. These of course are very remarkable,
and hitherto have chiefly attracted the attention of travellers
who have visited New Zealand ; but recently it has been
found that the South or Middle Island possesses attractions,
if somewhat different in kind, not inferior in degree.

The South Island is the " land of the mountain and
the flood." It is the chosen home of the ice king — of lakes
of enormous depth, and of surpassing beauty — of mountains,
whose passes are as high as the famous peaks of Scotland — and
of glaciers unequalled almost outside the region of Polar
snow. The lakes in the South Island are sometimes called
thoNCold lakes of New Zealand in order to distinguish them
from the hot lakes of the North Island. They are very
numerous, somewhere about sixty can be counted. Many
of them are of course not only of small dimensions, but of
comparatively little interest.

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There are twelve large lakes, and the country in which
they lie is usually called " The Lake District." K the render
will look at a map, he will see that a line drawn north-
east, from Preservation Inlet to the Rangitata River, would
pass through these twelve lakes. They are divided into five
groups. The southern groups includes Pouteriteri, Hakapoua,
and Hauroto. The south-western group comprises Monowai,
Manapouri, and Te Anau, and is drained by the Waiau
River, The central group consists of Wakatipu, Hawea,
and Wanaka, drained by the Olutha River. All of these
are in Otago ; the only group outside Otago Is the northern
one, which comprises Ohau, Pukaki, and Tekapo, and is
drained by the Waitaki River. This group is in Canterbury.
Now, the ultimate route of tourists will lie along this line,
beginning with the group of lakes in the extreme south, and
^oing right through to those in the north. As yet,
however, with the exception of the lakes in the south-wesjbern
and central group, the journey is not such as every visitor
would care to undertake. If one is willing to undergo some
fatigue, it is possible to make the journey right through
from south to north ; but in order to do this the distance,
from the southern to south-western group, i.e., from Monowai
to Manapouri, and again from the central group to the
northern, i.e., from "Wanaka and Hawea to Ohau, must be
covered either on foot or on horseback. To accomplish this
the southern group would have to be reached either from
Preservation Inlet, or by the railway from Riverton to Otautau
or Nightcaps, thence across the Waiau, and thence northward
to Monowai, and thence up the valley of the Waiau to
Manapouri and Te Anau. From here, joining the railway
at the Elbow, and then on to Wakatipu ; or else going from
the northern arm of Te Anau dciwn the Greenstone Valley ;
or, better still, up the Mararoa River, past the two Mavora

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lakes, and down the Von River to Wakatipn. Then on from
Wakatipu hy coach to Cromwell, thence to Wanaka; or
Wanaka may be reached, on foot or horse, by going over the
Crown Ranges, and down the Cardrona Valley. From
Wanaka there is a track down the Haast Valley, which leads
to the West Coast. But the road to the northern group
branches off at Alberton, about four miles from Pembroke,
up the Lindis Pass to Lakes Ohau, Pukaki, and Tekapo,
and from this last the coach is cauglit to Fairlie Creek,
thence by train to Timaru. This is what will ultimately be
the tourist's route, but meantime it only exists, at least
the greater part of it, as an ideaL The track is already
formed; but with the exception of the distance between
Wakatipu, and Wanaka, and Hawea, there are no coaches,
and the only means of locomotion is on foot or on horseback.
Ihis journey therefore, meantime, cannot be recommended
to tourists unless they are willing to undergo some little
difficulty and fatigue. The route laid down in the following
pages will be found the most practicable for seeing the
scenery of this wondrous region. We say wondrous, for that
is the unanimous verdict of those who know it best, and are
the best qualified to form an opinion regarding it There is
just one thing in which the scenery of this region is distinctly
inferior to that of older countries — it has no human or
historic background.

There is a story told of Robert Bums, that he stood with
Dugald Stewart one day on the Braid Hills, looking out on
the fair morning world. ** Beneath were cottages, early
sparrows, doubtless noisy in the thatch, pillars of blue smoke,
telling of preparation of breakfast for labourers afield, curling
in the calm air. Bums took in the whole scene, and declared
that in his view the worthiest object it contained was the
cluster of smoking cots. Poetry for Mm lay in the cottage

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rather than in the tree that overshadowed it, or the stream
that sparkled past." This element of enjoyment will be
absent from the greater portion of the scenery of these lake
districts. In the more remote parts, Wordsworth's lines are
almost literally correct : —

No habitation can be seen ; but they

Who journey thither find themselves alone

With a few sheep, with rocks, and stones, and kites.

That overhead are sailing in the sky ;

It is in truth an utter solitude.
And yet we are not sure if that is not in some respects
desirable ; the presence of man rather detracts from the
charm of these regions — the real live being is a little jarring
amid the sublimities of these solitudes We do not greatly
miss the acttcal thing, but we do miss the ideal human back-
ground, for, if Dot in reality, yet in imagination, the human
historic element adds an immense charm to Nature's scenes.
In proof of this one has only to think of what the Cumber-
land Lakes, the Yarrow, the Scottish Highlands, the European
Alps, would be without their historic associations. In his
** Seven lamps of Architecture," Ruskin touches upon this
point. After describing, as he only can, the charm of a pine
forest in the Jura, above the village of Champagnoli, and
the impression it made upon him, he goes on to remark that
** it would be difficult to conceive a scene less dependent upon
any other interest than that of its own secluded and serious
beauty ; but the writer well remembers the sudden blankness
and chill which were cast upon it when he endeavoured, in
order more strictly to arrive at the sources of its impressive-
ness, to imagine it for a moment a scene in some aboriginal
forest of the New Continent. The flowers in an instant lost
their light, the river its music ; the hills became oppressively
desolate, a heaviness in the boughs of the darkened forest
showed how much of their former power had been depen-

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^ent on a life that was not theirs, how much of the glory of
-the imperishable, or continually renewed creation is reflected
from things more precious in their memories, than it in its
renewing. Those ever springing flowers, and ever growing
streams, had been dyed by the deep colors of human en-
^iurance, valor, and virtue ; and the crests of the sable hills
that rose against the evening sky received a deeper worship
because their far-shadows fell eastward over the iron wall
vof Joux and the four-square Keep of Granson."

This is all very true, and the traveller who visits this
aiew country will be able to verify it to the letter.

The mountains, lakes, rivers here are almost entirely
destitute of any human history. True, indeed, there are
some traces here and there of man. His bleaching bones
have been picked up amid the brown tussocks of the
lonely plains, and the hills and hollows bear traces of his
efforts to wring from the hard clasp of nature, the yellow
^old. These tell the story of a time that was, a time in which
human passion and pathos played their parts in the history
of the vanished Past. But it is a Past, for the most part,
unhistoric if not unheroic. Doubtless this may be because it
is so near to the present. It does not recede far enough from
-our view to lose its commonplace details, and gather round
its pathos and its passion, that ideal mellowing light, with
^hich the setting sun smooths out the shadows westward,
^nd bathes the far hills in a soft purple glory. As yet no
Ariosto of the south has arisen to do for these mountains and
lakes, what the " Ariosto of the north " hsip done for those
of Scotland.

But, indeed, the task of the former will be much more
difficult, for he will have to create the very materials which
the latter found ready to his hand. Wakatipu and Wanaka
iiave no Lady of the Lake, no story of beauty and anguish

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walking hand in hand to death. Manapouri or Te Anaui
has no Liiusanne or Femey — no Rydal Mount or Rotha ,
Stream that

"have been the abodes
Of men that unto them bequeathed a name."

The mountains and valleys are vacant, all, of those heroic -
records that weave their deathless memories round the
Highlands of Scotland, or the Alpine passes of Switzerland.
Nor have the woods and rivers here any of thos'e histories-
and legends that give such charms to those of older
lands. The Clutha, the Waiau, and the Waitaki
may have much to attract, but they have no Coblentz or
Ehrenbreitstein on their banks ; no Byron or Scott or
Wordsworth has yet immortalised them in song. What a
recent writer in the Melbourne Review has well said of one
of these rivers is equally true of all : " they are rivers
without a history, they want that sanctification which others,
less sublime, have acquired after centuries of contact with
human life ; of grandeur they have enough, but they lack
pathos. Hunaan beliefs and passions have not consecrated
their waters, nor has any human struggle glorified their-
banks ; superstition has not peopled them with those em-
bodiments of protective or destructive forces which haunt
other streams — river gods and nymphs, water- wraiths,,
brownies and kelpies ; no one in whom the world has had
any interest has ever lived upon the shores, or even visited
the rivers; they have no association, no romance, no
tragedy, no poA." It will not therefore be denied that
that soft and mellowing light with which the historic
imagination invests the Past of older countries, and in.
which that Past lies bathed in a " glory that never was on
sea or land,'* is absent from New Zealand, or at least from-
that part of it to which we now particularly refer. But.

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^hen this is said all is said ; when this abatement from the
attractions of these districts is made there is no more to be
-done.

In everything else the scenery stands unique and alone.
As if to make up for the lack of human history, nature has
been specially painstaking with these regions, and has
adorned them with a beauty and a grandeur all their own.
Soiae day, no doubt, they will gather round them, like all the
others, the passion and pathos of human history, and " after
the chemist, the geologist, the ethnologist, shall come the
poet worthy that name — the true son of God shall come
.singing his songs ;" but, meantime, they ground their appeal
to the mind and heart of man solely on their own inherent
charms — on the surpassing grandeur of their mountain
xanges, on the witching loveliness of their woods and waters.

How the visitor may best become acquainted with
ithem — by what means of travelling, and at what expense of
4ime and mouQy, we shall now proceed to indicate.

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CHAPTER II.

BLUFF-INVERCARGILL : INVERCARGILL TO LAKES TE ANAIT
AND MANAPOURI.

The first point in New Zealand at which the TJnioik.
St«am Ship Company's steamers from Melbourne and
Hobart touch is The Bluff. The township built on the^
harbour is named Campbelltown, but it ip generally spoken
of as The Bluff. The visitor will not be greatly impressed
by his first view of New Zealand, as the Bluff presents rather
a bleak appearance, but his attention will be attracted by a-
remarkable hill or headland which rises immediately over
the entrance of the harbour, and from the summit of whichi
(855 feet) a magnificent view of the surrounding country is-
obtained. Here, too, is to be found a large variety o£'
Botanical treasures, there being no less than one-fourth of'
the Phanerogamic and Fern Flora of the Colony to be
gathered on this hill by the diligent collector. If the
tourist is not proceeding to Dunedin in the steamer, but
means first to visit the Lake District, he will proceed by
rail to

INVERCARGILL.

Hotels. — Southland Club, Albion, Prince of Wales, Crescent,,
and Commercial.

Banks. — New Zealand, Union, Bank of Australasia, Colonial,.
National Bank of New Zealand, Bank of New South Wales.

Newspapers. — " Southland Times " (morning), " Southland*
News" (evening).

Athenaeum and Beading Room.

Invercargill is 18 miles distant from the Bluff (trains,
leave each end four times daily), and is the chief town ot
the Provincial District of Southland. It is the outlet of a.

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Tery rich and extensive agricultural district, and the town
is growing lapidly. Twenty-five years ago it had scarcely
50 inhabitants, now it has nearly 5000. Those who laid
out the town are much to be commended for their taste and
foresight. It is distinguished above all other towns by the
width of its streets, and the liberal provision which has
been made for its prospective expansion into a large and
populous city. It possesses already several fine buildings,
and these are being constantly added to. Although being
built on a plain detracts from the picturesqueness of its
appearance, the great width of the public thoroughfares
offers great facilities for the planting of trees, and the day
is looked forward to when one of the attractions of Inver-
cargill will be its length of shady boulevardes. The town
is at present somewhat scattered, but the services of cabs
and tram-cars overcome this drawback.

There is an excellent Athenteum and Reading Room,
to which visitors are admitted on being introduced.

An excursion may be made by train to Biverton, a
picturesque little place, and a rising summer resort, about
21 miles from Invercargill. So far as scenery is concerned,
Invercargill need not detain the visitor long, and he may
start as soon as he wishes for the Lake District

INVERCARGILL TO TE ANAU AND MANAPOURI.

iRouTE. — Train to Elbow : Thence by buggy or horse to
Takitimos Hotel, thence to the Lakes.

Distances.— Elbow to Takitimos Hotel, 40 miles ; Takitimos to
Lake Manaponri, 10 miles ; to Te Anau, 18 miles.

Hotel charges at Elbow and Takitimos Hotels, 8s. to lOs. per
day.

Two trains run from Invercargill to Elbow every day, Sunday
excepted : one leaves in the morning between six and seven o'clock,
and goes right through to Kingston, on the shores of Lake Wakatipu,
and if the visitor does not wish to go to Manapouri or Te Anau, he must
travel by this train, as it catches the steamboat to Qaeenstown. The

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other train leaves in the afternoon at 4.30 p.m., and reaches the
Elbow about 8 p.m., and stops there for the night.*

The visitor may select the train that suits him best. Should
time be an object, if he takes the morning train, he may, by hiring
horses at the Elbow, go right through to Takitimos Hotel that same
day. If he travels by the afternoon train he must stay at the Elbow-
all night, and start the next morning.

The Railway line from Invercargill to the Elbow-
passes through some magnificent agricultural country. It
will be a pleasant change from the watery waste to the
green fertile slopes and meads along which the train runs.

If the visitor should chance to come from the inner
and hotter parts of Australia, where the vegetation in
summer is scanty, and the fields parched and arid, his eye
■will be charmed with the different scene that meets him
hei^e. Verdant fields, richly wooded downs, rivers and
rippling streams, cosy homesteads and thriving villages —
all these he will see as the train sweeps on, and the first
view of New Zealand, if it be indeed the first, cannot
fail to win his admiration.

A smart run of about four hours brings the visitor to
the Elbow, and here he will find comfortable hotel quarters.

It has been mostly the custom of visitors to go on
from Invercargill to Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu, and
not visit Manapouri and Te Anau at all. This is a very
great mistake, and has arisen partly from ignorance of these
lakes, and partly from the difficulty of reaching them. It
is, indeed, a matter of great regret that better facilities do
not exist for seeing them.

Anthony TroUope said of Wakatipu when he visited
it many years ago, "it is the most beautiful lake in New

•Note.— As the hours at which trains leave are liable to frequent alteration,
travellers should not depend on those given in the guide, but should refer to th^r
Bradshaw, or to the handy little time-table published by the U.S.S. Company,
which may be had gratis at any of their agencies.

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Zealand." In his book, "Tlie High Alps of New Zealand,"
published in 1883, Mr. Green, of Alpine fame, writes thus
of the same lake, " it is amazingly beautiful, the only lake
which can surpass it is Lucerne." Neither of these
gentlemen ever saw Te Anau or Manapouri ; if they had,
we are quite certain Trollope would have changed his mind,
and Mr. Green would have been compelled to admit that if
Lucerne excels, it excels, not because of its own inherent
charms, but because of the historic memories that are
associated with it.

If tourists, therefore, wish to see the most beautiful

•of the New Zealand lakes — perhaps, indeed, two of the
loveliest lakes in the world — they should visit Manapouii
and Te Anau. There are no great hardships to be endured,
the road from the Elbow to Takitimos hotel is very good
indeed, and they will find the hotel plain but comfortable.

Arrived there, horses can be hired, and a short ride of
about ten miles brings them to the shores of Manapouri,
and five more up the valley of the Waiau to Te Anau.
Tents, blankets, etc., for camping out, and guides may be
obtained at the hotel, but the proprietor contemplates
building a cottage beside Manapouri, for the convenience
of tourists, which will probably be ready soon.

Manapouri. — ** This lake is of indescribable shape and
indefinite dimensions, being so cut up into bays, gulfs, and

. arms as to make it impossible to determine what is length
and what is breadth. It covers an area of Pome 50 square
miles." The lake is almost entirely surrounded by moun-
tains, except half-a-mile on its eastern edge — Surprise Cove
— where it makes its exit by the Waiau. Climbing a little
eminence here, called View Hill, a capital view of the lake is
obtained. No more charming scene could be imagined— the

.mountains sweep round in the form of an amphitheatre,

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stepping back from the water's edge in tier after tier or
beautifully wooded terraces. On the left the Hunter moun-^
tains run up some 6000 feet ; on the right the white towera-
of the Spire Peaks (7587) look down over the snowy heads-
of the Cathedral Peaks and the lower summits of the Kepler-
ranges, while far away, between the west and north arms,
Leaning Peak and Steep Peak watch the lake and guard the^
pass to the West Coast Sounds. These mountains are covered
with timber, and ridged all round above with snow, and below
them, in sylvan beauty, Manapouri wanders in and out in the
most promiscuous manner among the jutting heads. There^
are four distinctly marked fiords or arms, and in the lake
itself there are five beautifully wooded islands : —

'* Whose beauty so enamoured bath the lake,
It clasps them ever in its summer arms,
And wastes itself away on them in kisses."

It is these islands which lend so great a charm to the^
witching loveliness of Manapouri They are of convex
shape, thickly wooded, and not very high, and in their light ^
green robes they look like emeralds in the calm of a silver
sea.

Not hours but days may be spent in climbing these-
islands and exploring the creeks and coves of the lake.
These are almost without number and of endless variety.
Hardly any two are alike, and no greater delight is conceiv-
able than to sail in and out and around these " all a summer's-
day," or to lie in the boat and gaze at the water-fowl — teal
and paradise ducks, and the curious white crested grebe,
" most beautiful of birds,"— disporting themselves upon the
lake ; or, as evening descends, to watch the shadows lengthen-
ing from the west, the solemn soft stillness, broken only by the
twitter of a bird, the whish of water-fowl on the wing, the =
double-croak of the crested grebe, or from the heart of the^

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wood the hoarse cough of the kakapo, and the shiill cry of
the weka and the kiwi.

" And still the light is changing. High above
Float soft pink clouds ; others with deeper flush
Stretch like flamingoes bending toward the south.
Comes a more solemn brilliance o'er the sky,
A meaning more intense upon the air,
The inspiration of the dying day.

Day is dying —

Pierced by shafts of Time he bleeds,

Melted rubies sending
Through the water and the sky,
Elarth and Heaven blending.

All the long-drawn ** wooded slopes"

Up to cloudland lifting.
Slow between them drifts the swan,

Twixt two heavens drifting."

A Slimmer evening sail around the islands and arms of ^
Manapouri, like that of one down Wanaka, of which we shall ^
speak again, is an experience never to be forgotten.*

*' Earth and heaven seem one.
Life a glad trembling on the outer edge
Of unknown rapture."

Te Anau. — From Manapouri the tourist may return,
to the hotel, and go from there to Te Anau. This is a ride
of about 16 miles. The path is good and veil-defined^
leading across the Mararoa River and Lynwood Downs to-
the Te Anau Plains.

Te Anau may also be reached from Manapouri. "We
recommend this as the shorter route, the distance being only^
about seven miles. The path is good, but is a little difficult
to follow without a guide. The tourist, leaving View Hill

* As yet there is no boat that can be obtained for hire on this lake. The one
that is there at present is the property of one or two of the station-holders of the
district, and their permission to use her has to be sought.

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behind him, strikes off into the plain, keeping about haK a
mile from the bush on his left hand side. Riding on, midway
across the plain, he turns sharp to the left, and soon comes
to a deserted station and woolshed. Here he strikes upon a
path which he follows for about three miles, skirting the
banks of the Waiau. At the end of that distance he will
find the ruins of rabbiters' huts. Passing through a wire
fence he rides straight on, crossing a dry riverbed, and he
shortly meets a swamp. He keeps this on his right hand
till he is past it, when he will see a narrow opening in the
low tussock ridges a little to his right. He rides through
this, keeping straight on, and in a short time he emerges
within sight of the Te Anau Lake,

Te Anau is the largest lake in the Middle Island. It
is about 38 miles long, varies in breadth from 1 to 6
miles, and covers an area of 132 square miles. It has
three great arms, or fiords, these again being broken up
into smaller ones, ranging from 10 to 18 miles long, and
from 1 to 3 miles broad. This lake is the least known of
all, parts of the country adjacent to it having never yet been
explored. The first view of Te Anau is a little disappointing,
the shore on the eastern side, for about 28 miles, being flat,
shingly, and scrubby, but after that the timber begins,
mountains rise, and the whole northern and western side is
surrounded by a rampart of high ranges, covered with dense
forests, and crowned with perpetual snow. These mountains
are not nearly so imposing as those of Wakatipu or Wanaka,
the average height not being more than about 5,000 feet.
But what they lack in rugged grandeur is far more than
compensated by their beauty. With the exception of these
twenty-eight miles on the eastern side, the whole of Te
Anau is surrounded with densely wooded mountains, and
• the green sheen of the forest, crowned with the gleaming

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snow above, makes up a picture which, for extent and'
loveliness, is unsurpassed. It is greatly to be regretted
that better facilities for exploring the beauties of this lake
do not at present exist. There is one boat upon the lake,
belonging to Messrs. Melland and Williams, who own the
Te Anau station, and whose picturesque homestead is on the
eastern shore of the lake. Mr. Henry, the guide, also owns
a smaU boat, and handles her with consummate skill, but
the uncertainty of the weather sometimes makes excursions
tedious. There is every probability, however, that in*
a short time visitors to this lake will be able to explore
its beauties with comfort and despatch. It has all the
charms of Manapouri, but on a much more extensive
scale. The scenery of the fiords and arms is of the
most varied and beautiful character, resembling not a
little that of the West Coast Sounds. From one of them
— ^the south-west arm of the middle fiord — it is possible to
reach Caswell Sound on the West Coast. The distance is
only about 15 miles, but it necessitates some very difficult
climbing. Dr. Roberts, of Dunedin, with some friends,
made the journey in three days. Like Manapouri, Te Anau
has numerous islands — ten in all. Some of them stand
within the fiords, and they are all wooded, and afford endless
enioyment to the seeker after pleasure and knowledge. A
portion of the north-western side of Te Anau has never yet
been explored, and as ignorance gives a wide range of^
probabilities, it is conjectured that Moas and Maoris — the
latter the remnants of the Ngatimamoe tribe — are concealed
in 'those dense and trackless forests.

The valleys of these lakes were once well known to the
Maoris. Those from the West Coast finding their way
down through the Haast Pass at the head of Wanaka to
Wakatipu ; and those from the north up the Kawarau River^

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^he meeting place being, it is conjectured, in the neighbour-
hood of Lake Hayes. A brisk trade was carried on, chiefly in
greenstone, which they used for axes and chisels ; and in
these valleys, especially about Arrowtown, many Maori
implements, chisels, porphyry, mere-mere, ifec, have been
found. A curious legend is current among the Maoris
regarding the discovery of greenstone by the residents on
the East Coast of the Island. The tribe occupying the West
Coast were shut out from communication with the others by
the impassable barrieis of the Southern Alps. But what
natural wisdom could not find out, a mad woman discovered.
Wandering from her home about the year 1700, this woAian,
Raureka by name, made her way up the bed of the Hokitika
River, an- 1 then across what is known as Browny Pass, and
thence down to the East Coast. There, in the neighbourhood
of Horowhenua, between the Opihi and Rangitata river-sheds,
** she came upon some men engaged in shaping a canoe, and
taking notice of their tools remarked how very blunt they
were. The men asked her if she knew any better. She
replied by taking a little packet from her bosom and displaying
a sharp fragment of greenstone. This was the first the
natives there had ever seen, and they were so delighted with
the discovery that they sent a party over the ranges to fetch
some, and it subsequently came into general use for tools and
weapons." Bat the discovery which brought joy to the one
brought death to the other, for it led to a series of conflicts
between the East and West Coast tribes, result'ng at last in
the total destruction of the latter. Elated by their successes,
the East Coast tribe resolved to continue their conquests and
subdue the Ngatimamoe, the earlier possessors of the South.
Orossing the Waitaki, they divided into two divisions — one
going inland and the other along the sea coast. A series of
•conflicts occuiTed on the banks of the Aparima River, in one

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of which — that .at Waitaramea — an incident occurred
■similar to the one recorded as having taken place between
Menelaus and Paris, on the Plains of Troy. The final stand
was made at Teihoka, and after a desperate resistance the
Ngatimamoe were defeated with great slaughter, the bleach-
ing bones, till quite recently, witnessing to the number of the
slain. The few who escaped fled into the forests, towards
the west, across Lake Te Anau. Of this remnant, most
were either gradually destroyed or absorbed into the con-
quering tribes. There is a tradition, however, that the last
relics, under the leadership of a celebrated chieftain named
Te Uira, " The Lightning," from the dexterity with which
lie wielded the battle-axe, withdrew into the forest recesses
between Te Anau and the West Coast, and are living there
jet. They were in possession of a " mere punamu," named
by them Ton go, which they regarded as the last symbol of
■their tribe. As the scattered partridge covey, that has outlived
the spprtman's gun, call to each other and gather together
^gain when the twilight deepens, so the last relics of the
Ngatimamoe tribe gather round Te Uira, their great leader,
and bearing with them the " mere punamu," the symbol of
their former glory, withdraw into the forest depths and are
seen no more.

This unconquered band, or their descendants, are said
to be living in the unexplored fastnesses between the head of
Lake Te Anau and the West Goast, traces of their existence
having been seen not many years ago.

(See Hochstetter's ** New Zealand ;" also, paper on "The
Traditional History of the South Island Maoris," by Rev. J.
W. Stack, in Transactions and Proceedings of New Zealand
Institute, vol x.)

There is thus a certain human and historic interest
about Te Anau and the district arouad, and it may perhaps

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have had something to do with the name given to Manapouri^
which in Maori means " sorrow producing," a name that has-
no apparent sanction from its natural surroundings. Thia
tract of unexplored territory, with vague probabilities of
Maori and Moa, adds to the other interests of these districts-
a sort of mysterious charm. Many days may be spent around
Te Anau, and if the visitor happens to go when the sheep-
shearing is in progress — about February and March — he may^
by the courtesy of Messrs. Williams and Melland, secure a
passage in their boat which brings down the wool from th&
station to the foot of the lake.

Byron sang of the Northern Lake : —

** Lake Leman woos me with its crystal face,
The mirror where the stars and mountains view
The stillness of their aspect in each trace
Its clear depth yields of their far height and hue ;
There is too much of man here to look through
With a fit mind the might which I behold." <

Had he been privileged to visit Te Anau, he would have had
all the beauties of Lake Leman, and been freed from the
disturbing presence of man. Te Anau is far away from the
hum of cities and the wrath of human life, and he who
wishes to escape these and be alone with nature in her love-
liest solitude should visit Manapouri and Te Anau, and we
are sure that in regard to each of them, Whittier's words-
regarding Like Kenoza, will well express his feelings : —

. ** 0*er no sweeter lakes
Shall morning break or noon cloud sail ;
No fairer face than theirs shall take
The sunset's golden veil.

Long be it ere the tide of trade

Shall break with harsh resounding din
The quiet of their banks of shade,

And hills that fold them in."

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The visitor having spent as long time as he wishes
around Manapouri and Te Anao, returns to the Takitimos
Hotel Before he leaves he should climb Excelsior Peak,
right behind the hot.el, from which he will have a splendid
view of Te Anau and Manapouri, of Lake Hauroto in the
southern group, and of the whole country around.

Manapouri to Wakatipu. — A choice of two ways.
One by Lake Mavora. This is recommended to those only
who wish to walk or ride. The distance is about 53 miles,
and takes three days. The tourist has thus the opportunity
of seeing the two Mavora Lakes, which possess many
attractions, and if time be not a consideration, are well
worth a visit. He may hire horses at the hotel, 7s. 6d. per day ;
or he may walk. The first stage is to Mr. Hodge*s station,
which is close to South Mavora Lake. The path leads past
Burwood on up the banks of the Mararoa River, and from
thence the tourist will be directed past the South and North
Mavora Lakes till he reaches the north branch of the Von
River. Following this down he comes to Fern Hill station
on the shores of Wakatipu, where the steamer calls twice a
week.

The usual and easiest route to Wakatipu, however, is
to return to the Elbow, and take the train to Kingston.
This way only takes about a day and a half, and is the one
tourists are recommended to take if they wish to save time
and avoid fatigue.

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CHAPTER III.
LAKE WAKATIPU.

KINGSTON-QUBBNSTOWN, GLBNORCHY AND KINLOCH.

The visitor to Lakes Te Anau and Manapouri returns to the
Elbow, and from there he starts for Kingston ; the train leaves
every morning, Sunday excepted, at 10.40 a.m.

Elbow to Queenstown, via Kingston. — A short run
of about three hours along the skirt of the plains of the
Five Rivers, through the mountain gorge of the Dome Pa,ss,
and down a narrow strip of mountain girt valley, and the
train pulls up at Kingston on the shore of Lake Wakatipu.
Comfortable accommodation can be had here, but there is not
much to detain the pleasure-seeker, and we should therefore
recommend him to push on at once to Queenstown.

Kingston to Queenstown. — Tourists will find the
" Mountaineer " awaiting the arrival of the train. After the
experience of Manapouri and Te Anau, if they have been
there, they will be surprised at the completeness of the
" Mountaineer." The comfort of passengers is secured, not
only in the sailing capabilities of the lx)at, but in her whole
equipment. They will find a comfortable cabin, and
excellent cuisine arrangements.

The sail up the Lake to Queenstown is not so impressive
as from the latter place to the head of the Lake ; still,
tourists will find much to occupy their attention. Those
who have come from Manapouri and Te Anau will be struck
at once with the altered appearance of the mountains. The
dark green coverings of the birchen foi^ests are gone^ and

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they are face to face with that stern, rugged, desolate
grandeur that is characteristic of Wakatipu. As the steamer
moves away, the tourist finds himself hemmed in between
precipitous rocks, which frown down upon him on every
side. On his left are the advanced peaks of the Eyre
Mountains— Mount Dirk, Bayonet Peaks, names which
sufficiently indicate their appearance ; and just on the bend
of the Lake facing Queenstown, Walter and Cecil Peaks hide
themselves high in the clouds. On the right runs the range
of the Hector Mountains, beginning with the Devil's Stair-
case, and culminating in what is called ** The Remarkables."
The bare desolate grandeur of these mountain ranges, fills
the spectator with a sense of loneliness and awe. Nature
does her best to clothe their nakedness, and she has been
able to weave over their lower parts a carpet of bracken, and
cover their heads with clouds or snow. Here and there too,
she has scattered little clumps of trees and scrub, but she has
not succeeded well in softening the gloomy and forbidding
aspect of these giant children of hen. With one she seems
to have failed entirely. As the steamboat glides on its way
beyond Staircase Peak, tourists will notice on their right
hand a range of bare rugged rocks culminating in a peak
7,688 feet higL This he will be told is the Double Cone,
and these haggard jagged rooks are named ^* The Bemark-
ables." The name is appropriate, for certainly they are the
most extraordinary creations that are to be seen even in this
region of wonders. They are truly a lusiis natv/rce, and
nature herself hardly knows what to do with them. Some-
times she wreathes them in a cloud as if ashamed to let
them be seen. At other times she tries to cover them above
with a mantle of snow, but it does not care to stay — it slips
down their precipitous sides. What Ruskin says in his
Modem Painters of the Rochers des Fys, above the Col

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d'Anterne, almost exactly describes ** The Remarkables :"
" In many spots inaccessible with safety, dark in colour,
robed with everlasting mourning, for ever seeming to totter
like a great fortress shaken by war, fearful as much in their
weakness as their strength, and yet gathered after every slide
into darker frown and unhumiliated threatening ; for ever
incapable of comfort or healing from herb or flower,
nourishing no root in their crevices, touched by no hue of
life on buttress or ledge ; knowing no shaking of leaves in
the wind, nor of grass beside the stream — no motion except
that of the shivering shale and the deathful crumbling of
atom from atom in their corrupting stone."

They remind one irresistibly of Scott's picture of Coolin,
in " The Lord of the Isles "—

Nor tree, nor shrub, nor plant, nor flower,
Nor aught of vegetative power

The weary eye iray ken.
For all is rooks at random thrown,
Black waves, bare crags, and banks of stone,

As if were here denied
The summer sun, the spring's sweet dew
That clothe with many a varied hue

The bleakest mountain side.

Such is " The Remarkables " — a waste of weary jagged
precipices frowning down upon the blue depth of the water,
and darkening nigh 8000 feet of the blue depth of heaven.
But while we have been musing, the steamer has glided
round Jack's Point and Peninsula Head, and in a few
minutes more we are moored to the little jetty at

QUBENSTOWN.

Hotel. — Eichardt's. Charges, IDs. per day.

Private rooms, single person, one week £5

„ „ „ „ two or more weeks .. jS4 10

„ „ two or more persons dB4

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Bai^k. — Bank of New Zealand.

Newspaper.— Wakatipu Mail

Fares by Mountaineer :— From Queecstown to Head of Lake,
10s. single : ISs. return ; from Queenstown to Kingston, 10s. single ;
15s. return.

Walks, drives, &c., in or close to the town — The Park,
Esplanade, Rowell's Graidens, &c.

Miles. Miles.

Queenstown — Shotover Gorge 2
„ to Arrowtown, via

Miller's Flat, or via Frank-
ton and Lake Hayes ... 12

Queenstown to Skippers ... 20

„ to Ben Lomond

and Mount Bowen ... 6

Travellers will find plenty of hotel accommodation in
Queenstown. Eichardt's is the chief resort of tourists.
The arrangements are excellent in every respect, indeed the
hotel is surpassed by few in the Colony.

Having selected where he will stay, the visitor may
wish to take a look round. He will find Queenstown to be
a little village of some 600 inhabitants. Its situation is
very picturesque. Lake Wakatipu is shaped like the letter S,
and Queenstown stands on the bend about half-way between
Kingston and the head of the Lake. It nestles under
the shadow of high hills, and steps down gentle terraces
left and rights to meet the deep blue waters of the Lake.
Looked at as the little steamer glides up the bay, the
town is the very picture of health and happiness, and
it is no surprise to be told that its death-rate is one
of the lowest in the world. But tourists will form their
own opinions regarding Queenstown, and as probably their
time is limited, we shall say nothing more of the town
itself, but proceed at once to tell them how to make the best
use of their opportunities. The places of interest about
Queenstown itseK can be seen in a very short time. Five
minutes walk from Eichardt's Hotel will bring them to

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THE PARK.

It is a pleasant resort with walks and seats, and commands
a fine view of the Lake. The walk may be extended to the

ESPLANADE,

which runs along the shore of Queenstown Bay. The return
from this may be made by " RowelFs garden, where the
visitor will gather some idea of the capabilities of the
soil and district as evidenced by the flowers, vegetables, and
trees growing there." Those who wish to meditate among
the tombs will find not far off from here the cemetery, while,
returning to the town, the Reading-room and Athenaeum
with its 3000 volumes, will furnish additional food for
thought. Having spent as long time as he may desire about
the town itself, the tourist will wish for longer excursions.
These will be supplied to him by a walk or ride to Shotover
Gorge, to Frankton, the Hospital and Kawarau Falls, or a
drive to Arrowtown via the Shotover and Lake Hayes,
returning by Miller's Flat. As this last would include all
the others just mentioned, we should strongly recommend it
to be made, and we shall give a note or two regarding the
points of interest on the road.

Queenstown to Arrowtown and back via Miller's
Flat and Lake Hayes. — Taking the Miller's Flat road, the
tourist plunges at once into a deep mountain gorge ; on both
sides high peaks tower up hundreds of feet with numerous
caves in their base. In one of these " a shepherd is said to
have found the fleshly remains of a moa with the feathers
adhering." The precious relic is now in the Kensington
Museum, London. About four miles on, the Suspension
Bridge that spans the Shotover is reached, and tourists will
be arrested here by a magnificent scene. Standing on the
narrow bridge, the Shotover comes tearing down through the
rugged breast of the mountains, and rushes in a wild volume

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of seething waters at a depth of 100 feet below the bridge.
Steep precipices hem the river in on both aides, and the
raging mass of waters lashes and foams in ineffectual bat
unhumiliated wrath against its rock-bound barriers. The
remainder of the road is comparatively tame. It runs along
a wide belt of splendid agricultural land, and in about an
hour Arrowtown is reached. A short stay for refreshments
and the return journey may be undertaken. Less than three
miles out of Arrowtown, the road skirts the shore of

LAKE HATBS,

a very beautiful sheet of water about one mile long and one
mile broad. It has not the stern grandeur of Wakatipu, nor
yet the surpassing loveliness of Manapouri ; still, it has a
quiet beauty of its own. In the season, on the Arrowtown
side, green slopes and yellow fields of wheat and com spread
along its shores. Away beyond, the " Remarkables " are
becoming visible, while away as far as the eye can reach, the
high ridges of Walter and Cecil Peaks cut the blue horizon.
Lake Hayes is said to be the paradise of fishes. Fabulous
stories are told of their size and numbers. In the Irishman's
poetic phraseology, it is just "stiff" with them. A run of
four miles along a splendid road, and through magniQcent
agricultural land, and the long bridge across the Shotover is
reached. Crossing this, and ascending a steep hill, the visitor
will come upon another delightful view. Behind him the
Shotover wanders over a broad shingly bed. Following its
course a little way down it joins the Kawarau, and pollutes
with its muddy waters the clear blue volumes which the
latter brings down from Wakatipu. From this point, too,
there is obtained a very striking view of the eastern face of
the ** Bemarkables " of which we have already spoken. A
little further on the eye is relieved by the clear placid waters
of Wakatipu, and in a tew minutes we reach

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PRANKTON.

Close by stands the Hospital, and across the water is seen the
charming residence of Mr. Boyes, beside which are the
Kawarau Falls, formed by the outgoing waters of the Lake
falling into the Kawarau River. If the visitor has time to
turn aside, a look at these will well repay the trouble. K not,
he can continue on his course to Queenstown. The scenery
along this last stage is very beautiful, and one arrives at the
end of the journey with a feeling of pleasure and an appetite
for dinner. The whole journey need not occupy more than
a day. It is a capital road all the way, and there are hotels
every few miles.

Two more excursions are open to the visitor before
he quits Queenstown, one is

QUEENSTOWN TO SKIPPERS.

This drive is one of very great attraction, not only for the
scenery obtainable, but because it introduces the visitor to
the great gold mining industries of the Colony. The road
runs, for the most part, through the valley of the Shotover.
A magnificent view of the surrounding country is obtained
from the saddle; indeed with the exception of Ben Lomond,
there is nothing to equal it about Queenstown. The drive
to Skipper's itself is about twenty miles, and takes two days
to do it properly ; but the drive to the saddle is only about
nine miles, and is, of course, easily done in a day.

Queenstown to Ben Lomond and Mount Bowen. —
Whatever other excursions tourists omit, let them not on
any consideration leave Queenstown without ascending Ben
Lomond, or, at any rate, Mount Bowen. They will possibly
read the Visitors' Book at the hotel, and if they do, they
will just as possibly be puzzled as to where Ben Lomond is
and how the ascent can best be made. This information we
shall try to give. Starting from the hotel and catching up

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the bridle-track, wliicli anyone will point out to Mid, the
tourist follows this path, which is distincily enough marked,
some three miles up, till he reaches a wire fence that bars
his further progress. He will observe on his right hand a
long, low spur running out towards the lake. This is
Wedge Peak, from which a very good view is obtained
of Wakatipu and the Kawarau Valley. Going on through
the gate the tourist continues his upward climb till he
reaches what is called the Saddle. He will easily recognise
this by the circling sweep of snow-clad mountain ranges that
bound the entire horizon in front of him. He will see
on his right and left hand two high peaks. The former is
Mount Bo wen, the latter is Ben Lomond. He can elect to
climb either or both ; but if he only cares to negotiate one,
let him by all means choose Ben Lomond. Mount Bowen is
much easier of ascent, and the view from it is undoubtedly
very line ; but Ben Lomond is to be preferred. The tourist
will notice close on his left hand another wire fence If he
has a horse, this is the place to fasten him, as the rest of the
journey must be done on foot. Here also he should deposit
all superfluous clothing, for the climb becomes steep and
difficult. Passing through the gate, which he will see in the
fence, he begins the ascent, and^ if he be a tolerable
" mountaineer,^' he will gain the summit in about three-
quarters of an hour. The view from the top will be an
ample reward for all the toil. No description of ours could
convey any adequate concepticm of its sublime grandeur. It
is possible, perhaps, to describe details, but the power to
paint in words that unity which we call a *' bird Veye view,"
that consummate vision which the swallow and eagle see far off
as they lean upon the viewless wind, is given to none but a
very few of the sons of men. It is such power that is
needed to sketch the scene from the summit of Ben Lomond,

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and WB have it not ; all we can do is to indicate some of
the geograpliical points, and for the rest leave the tourist in
that silence which doubtless will be most congenial to his
o\?n feelings. Turning his face to the east, his eye will
catch Frankton and the long range of the Hector Mountains.
The forward peaks of the range, with their jagged edges, we
know at a glance. They are the ** Remarkables," which
seem to haunt us everywhere. At their base sweeps round
the Kawarau River, which a little way down is joined by the
Shotover, then by the Arrow, and hurries on through the
Carrick Ranges with its mass of dirty waters to meet and
contaminate the Clutha at Cromwell. On the left bank of
the river are spread out the wide plains of the Arrow. Lake
Hayes glasses itself in the midst, sun-ounded with green
fields, and flanked on the far hoiizon by the Oown Terraces,
rich with their ripening wheat and com. Travelling north-
wards the eye rests on the southern peaks of the Harris
Mountains and the long stretches of the Richardson Ranges.
Nothing can be more magnificent than the view in this
direction. At the foot of Ben Lomond, westward from the
Shotover Valley, there are multitudes of low, round hills,
covered with bracken and shrub. They gradually increase
in height as they inciease in distance. They lie in sloping
ridges, ** rounded by old glaciers into long, dark, billowy
swellings, like the backs of plunging dolphins." In the
ravines there are dense timber forests, and here and there
birch, pine, and manuka climb their sides like scattered
armies in broad, green battalions, and at last, in the far
horizon, the high summits crown themselves — peak after
peak — in one long glory of eternal snow. Further westward,
at the head of the lake, lie the Forbes Mountains, and on its
further side the Humboldt and Thomson Mountains.

Right at the foot of Ben Lomond sleeps a quiet little tarn,

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called Moke Lake, near which is the copper mine of that
name. The best view of Lake Wakatipu is obtained from Ben
Lomond, all except the Head and the Kingston end of it can
be seen. Nothing can be lovelier than the vision. It is a
relief to take the eye from the torn and tumbled peaks and
let it rest at last upon the placid waters of Wakatipu, as
they wind like a deep blue vein far hidden within the still
bosom of Nature. But we may not linger ; the descent has
to be made ; it does not occupy so long a time as coming up,
and we reach our hotel a little tired perhaps, but with the
feeling that the good wine has been kept to the last.

The best time to ascend Ben Lomond is in the eariy
morning, before the sun's heat has become great. Ladies
who are fairly good walkers can easily enough accomplish
the climb, but those who have doubts of their ability had
better take horses (which can be obtained at the hotel) to
the saddle, and from thence the ascent is easy.

Having " done " Queenstown and its surroundings,
tourists should set out at once for

THE HEAD OF THE LAKE.

It is possible that some at Queenstown may seek to
dissuade them from going to the Head of tho Lake, or at any
rate from spending any time there. Let them pay no heed
to such, on the contrary we should recommend tourists to
give as much time as they possibly can to this excursion, as
the scenery here is by far the finest about Wakatipu, and
the means of seeing it, as well as the hotel accommodation,
are all that can be desired. Two routes to the Head of the
Lake are open to tourists — one by land and one by water.
The former lies up the eastern side of Watatipu, but unless
tourists are prepared to spend at least three days and sleep
under canvas at night, this way cannot be chosen. The
usual course is by steamer. There is a daily service, and the

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tourist is recommended, if possible, to select the " Moun-
taineer," as being tbe most comfortable boat by which to
travel.

While the steamer is making its way round the bend of
White Point, tourists will have time, if they choose, to take a
note or two regarding the lake.

Lake Wakatipu is 52 miles long, and from one to three
miles broad, covering an area of about 114 square miles.
It lies 1070 feet above the sea level, and is of enormous
depth. Dr. Hector says " it has been found by soundings to
vary from 1170 feet to 1240 feet, the bottom of the lake
being nearly level from side to side and from end to end."
The glacier origin of Wakatipu is apparent on every hand ;
" the mountain slopes," writes Mr. W, N. Blair (Engineer
in charge of Middle Island), generally consist of small ledges,
smooth and round, suggestive of the work of a machine that
had a downward and forward motion. There are several
glacier deposits along the shores, and the terminal moraine
at Kingston, through which the railway runs, is probably the
most perfect in Otago. " Those who have visited the Conti-
nental Lakes, will notice one very marked difference between
them and these southern ones of New Zealand. In the former
they nearly all lie outside the mountain ranges, but " the lakes
ill the Southern Alps wind themselves closely round their
bases, presenting scenery unsurpassed probably in the world
— showing glorious views, to which Lucerne and Brienz
cannot aspire."— (Capt. F. W. Hutton, F.G.S.) The sail to
-the head of the lake is very grand, growing more and more
impressive as Queenstown recedes. You are shut in on all
sides by huge walls of rock, towering away up from five to
ten thousand feet There are seven peaks over 8000 feet
high. " The snow line of the district (Descriptive Guide to
Soutliern Alps) may be drawn at a little over 7000 feet,

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while the forest line reaches 3,500 feet above sea level. It
will thus be seen what an ample margin is left for the display
of bare rocks,'' crowned with snow fields and glaciei's.
Wakatipu stands unique in the consummate grandeur of its
mountain walls^ and in the awe, almost oppressive, with
which they fill the spectator as he looks up at them from
the deck of the little steamer. But the attention of the
tourist will be already attracted to the passing scenery, and
we may give a note or two regarding the principal points of
interest on the way up from

QUEENSTOWN TO THE HEAD OP THE LAKE.

As the steamer moves out of the little bay at Queens-
town the tourist leaves behind him on his left Cecil and
then Afton Peaks ; on his right, some twelve miles up, is
Bob's Cove, a favourite spot for pic-nic parties. It abounds
in beautiful views, while the limestone quarries and the
peculiar rock formation may engage the attention of the
scientifically inclined. Rounding White Point, and nearly
opposite to it is Mount Nicholas (4827), and further up
Mount Turnbull (6283). Between these flows down the
Von River which is the outlet for tourists who have
come up by the Movora Lakes The steamer calls here once
or twice a week. Both these peaks are black and desolate
looking, forming a decided contrast to Mount Crichton
(6189), on the right, clothed as it is with bracken, and
dotted with clumps of manuka and pine.

A little further up, and nearly opposite the curious
Toothpick Peaks, the steamer passes three islands, the only
ones in the lake ; One Tree Island, a very small affair, Pig
Island, much larger, and Pigeon Island, the largest of all.
The last-named is very beautiful, though not possessing the
attractions of the Manapouri or some of the Wanaka ones.
It shares with its comrades the high distinction of being the

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only place in the whole Lake country that is free from
rabbits ; there are however some hares upon it. It contains
about 600 acres, and is rented as a sheep run. Pigeon
Island is a favourite resort of pic-nic parties. It is covered
with fern and clumps of trees variegated with the pale
purple flush of the veronica, and the white blossoms of the
convolvulus, while it commands a splendid view of the whole
head of the lake. Rounding Pigeon Island the grandest
scenery of Wakatipu opens full upon our view; a little
behind us on our left, the Greenstone River (which flows in
and out through a beautiful little lakelet — Rere Lake) cuts
its way by the southern base of the Ailsa and Humboldt
Mountains into the lake. Facing the Head of the Lake the
scenery is varied and magnificent. On the right the Richard-
son Moiuitains — ^bare and desolate looking — weary the eye.
But on the left the contrast is complete. The Humboldt
Ranges gleam green in the sunlight. Immense forests of
timber clothe their sides down to the very water's edge, and
climb away upwards until they reach the region of perpetual
snow. Bald Peak and Mount Boapland (8102) look down
upon us from their white thrones. Right in front, at the
head of the lake, the Forbes Mountains send down Mount
Alfred like a wedge, between the Humboldt and Richardson
ranges ; while far away behind. Cosmos Peak (8000), Mount
Earnslaw, and Mount Anstead, lift their white gleaming
heads into the azure heavens. While we stand and gaze at
the majestic scene the steamer has reached

GLENORCHY,

and Mr. Birley is waiting to convey tourists to his hotel.
Hotel charges —

One person, per day ... 8s. to 10s.
One person, per week ... 2 to 3 guineas.
Single horses, per day., 10s.
Horse and gaide „ ... 30s.

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It is usual for tourists to come up the lake one day and
return the next No mistake could be greater. The real
scenery of Wakatipu is at the head of the lake, and the
district adjacent. Visitors, therefore, should by all means
spend a day or two at the very least, either at Glenorchy or
Eanloch, or at both if possible.

K they elect to stay at Glenorchy they will find a very
comfortable hotel, and see some of the best views that can
be obtained about Wakatipu. We shall briefly indicate the
more important of these.

Glenorchy to Paradise Flat, via Diamond Lake. —
This is a distance of about twelve miles, and can be done
easily in a day. The ride follows for a few miles the vaUey
of the Rees River, then up the Diamond Creek, a swift
deep current overhung with trees and shrubs, and flowing
round the base of Mount Alfred. The track then skirts the
shores of Diamond Lake, and the scenery here is most
beautiful. You ride for about a mile through the ** forest
primeval" Huge trees over 100 feet high stand like
sentinels along the path. Grey grim faces of rocks, hundreds
of feet high, half hidden behind tangled brushwood,
frown down upon you. Some of these giants of the forest
primeval have fallen across the path, and lie far out into the
lake. Numerous birds flit around and peer at you with
curious eyes. The clear notes of the tui ring liquid through
the silence. Here and there you come across patches, some-
times 100 yards broad, where a flood, rushing down from the
snow-hills above, has dragged away the earth from the roots
of the trees, and has smothered them in its fatal embrace.
They still stand, but are dead, their giant leafless, ragged
branches forming a strange contrast to the dense foliage of
their brethren, and fretting the blue sky overhead.

In a short time the path runs into Paradise Flat On

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the left hand is the picturesque house of Mr. Mason, and on
the right that of Mr. Fens. The tourist rides forward for a
little and he is close to the banks of the Daiii River. Here
he is face to face with a scene of surprising loveliness. The
tourist will not wonder that the place is named Paradise
Flat, for if any spot on earth might be the image of that
region this would surely serve.

Standing with our back to Mount Alfred, in from and
on the entire right, a huge amphitheatre of snow-clad
mountains bounds our view. Immense forests co-ver their
sides. The tourist stands on a wide plateau, level almost as
a billiard table, its brilliant green grass flecked with sheep,
and losing itself in the long shadows where the pine and
birch trees " lay their dark arms about the field." Through
an enormous ravine, clad with deep green forests of
timber, the Dart River brings its waters down from
Cosmos Peak, and wanders away over its white sand to
meet Lake Wakatipu. Across the river, the bed of which
here is about a mile wide, and nestling cosily at the base of
Upper Peak sleeps a little lakelet, about two and a-half
miles in circumference, called Sylvan Lake. Far away from
the rubbish and wrath of the world, it gathers into its
bosom nothing but the snowy glories of the mountains, and
the solemn shadows of the embattled pines that guard its
sacred beauty, and as the tourist turns his face homewards
again his eye rests on Mount Alfred, sending down its deep
green bush to meet the deeper green of Diamond Lake.

Glbnorchy to Mount Earnslaw and Lennox
Faxls. — ^There are two routes to the celebrated glaciers of
Mount Earnslaw : one is to ride up the Rees Valley for
about eight miles till you strike upoa the first spur of Mount
Earnslaw, and make the ascent from there. This was the
route Mr. Green, member of the English Alpine Club,

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•selected when he made the attempt in 1882 ', but, partly
from want of good weather, he failed to reach the glacier
fields. It is a long, difficult climb, this, and requires at
least two days to accomplish it.

The alternative route will be found comparatively easy.
It necessitates a ride of about twenty-five miles up the Rees
Yalley ; but this ride is full of interest and varied scenes of
l)eauty. The path, after some eight miles, runs along the
base of the Richardson Mountains. About twelve miles on
the tourist will see on his right the drive of The Invincible
<3uartz Mining Company. The path pursues its way, now-
past gullies where the flood has torn down and rii)ped open
the sides of the mountains; now through long stretches of
tall, slender birch trees, now into little open glades of
luxuriant grass, flecked with innumerable bells, and skirted
with the white-flowered ribbon tree; while on the left,
Iblinking between its timbered banks, the ice green waters of
the Rees River tear and tumble and hurry on to the lake. «
Soon a wide open plateau is reached, bounded on left and
in front by high forest-clad mountains, and crowned on the
•summits with everlasting snow. The one on the left is
Eamslaw ; those away in the front are Mount Anstead and
Mount Tyndal. A short ride on and the spot to make the
ascent to the saddle of Mount Eamslaw is gained. The
following account of the ascent of Mount Earnslaw made by
Mr. G. M. Marshall, of Dunedin, last year, under the
superintendence of Mr. Birley, the guide, may be read with,
interest : —

" Fixing the bridles of our horses to the stirrup-irons,
we commenced to divest ourselves of the greater part of our
clothing, till we were reduced to shirt, trousers, and Cook-
hams — which latter, by the way, were well studded with large
hob-nails. Only on condition that some such garb ia

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adopted will our mountain guide be induced to try the
ascent, and so I have perforce to comply. Grasping our
alpenstocks we start. Three-quarters of an hour's hard
work through the fern brought us to an almost perpendicular-
wall of rock, which frowned down defiantly on us. A small
stream trickled over it; the surface was consequently
exceedingly slippery, but the mountain vegetation stood
us in good stead, and clutching the silvery tussocks known
as snowgrass, we made our way up, up, up. It was a hard'
climb. We had, however, surmounted another barrier, and=
determined to push on. For about 500ft. we passed through?
a belt of large birch trees. Beneath our feet lay the leaves
of centuries, the uppermost stratum being composed of
leaves recently blown from the trees and not yet withered, the
whole forming a beautiful springy carpet, quite a treat
to walk on after about a couple of hours' toiling over rough*
surface through fern and snowgrass. Such a path was,
however, too good to last long, and our shady belt of birch
trees came to an abrupt termination right under a high
ledge of rock, which appeared more difficult to climb than
the one we had previously encountered. For some time we
were greatly puzzled to find a way over it, but Birley at last
proved himself equal to the occasion. Jack, a fine specimen?
of a black collie, had been quietly trotting by our sides, and
all at once it occurred to his master that he might be able to
help us out of the dilemma. * Jack,' said he, * away for'ard,'
and Jack, obedient to his master's command, climbed a
small ledge about six or eight feet high. This ledge had
been hidden by a large birch tree, and so we had not noticed
it. Following our trusty canine friend, we climbed the-
ledge, and were led through an easy pass. We traversed a
dried-up water-bed for some 800ft, avoiding the prickly
spear-grass — ^which proved a great source of annoyance— as.

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much as possible. Here we got our first view of the
beautiful mountain lily, with its saucer-shaped leaves, which
make very suitable drinking- vessels. The mountain at this
part was so thickly covered with the lilies that it looked for
all the world like a large cabbage-garden — rather an un-
poetical comparison no doubt, but one which is nevertheless
forcibly impressed on the mind of the tourist. We were
still a long way from the top, though it seemed somewhat
near. Eefreshing ourselves with a long drink from the lily
leaves, we made another start. Our pace had become by
this time somewhat slower than it was at the commencement,
and we each vowed that this fihould be our kst mountain
climb. A glance at the barometer showed us to be 3500ft.
above the level of the lake Climbing round a steep ledge
of rock which thoroughly tested the * gripping * powers of
the Cookhams, we reached a comparatively easy slope,
thickly covered with the ever-present snowgrass ; then over
two gullies, the sides of which were plentifully bestrewn
with slaty rocks, which rolling -down the declivities at every
Btep, made it particularly lively for the man below. Then
we scaled a grassy saddle, and fondly hoped we were near
our destination. Such, however, was not the case, though a
glimpse of the snow 500ft. or 600ft. above urged us to
redoubled efforts up an almost perpendicular incline. After
half-an-hour's really hard climbing we reached the snow. It
was plentifully covered with the red lichen, which at the
distance made it appear as if besmeared with blood. Here
we cried a short halt, and indulged in a mild form of
Hnowballing, so that we might be able to say we had
snowballed in the middle of summer. A small lagoon in
the vicinity we duly christened, but without the orthodox
l)0ttle of ' fizz.' And now came the real tug-of-war. Eight
ahead towered the white dazzling peak of old Eamslaw*

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No man's foot had ever trodden his snow-capped summit,
and to all appearance no man is ever likely to do so unless
he reach it in a balloon. But we had not much time to
muse on the beauties of this scene, so we plodded along, and
at length reached the saddle right under the huge glacier
itself. And what a sight ! Miles and miles of solid ice
towering up hundreds and hundreds of feet above us, while
every few minutes masses of detached ice many tons in
weight went thundering and crashing down the mountain
slopes into the valley below. It was indeed a grand and
awful scene, and its impressiveness came home to our minds
with full force, removed as we were * far from the madding
crowd's ignoble strife,' where never man had trod before.
We had reached a point 6700ft. high, and the cold was
intense, so we began to have serious thoughts of starting for
lower and more congenial climes. Two thousand feet below
us the guide pointed to the spot where the Rev. Mr. Green,
the Swiss guides, and himself were overtaken in a snowstorm
last year and forced to return. Content with having
reached the highest point scaled by any tourist, we com-
menced the descent. Climbing down was almost as bad
as climbing up, though of course we got over the ground
much more quickly. Half-way down we came across a flock
of keas — a bird very destructive to sheep, killing them by
the score just for the sake of the kidney-fat. Some of the
runholders give as much as 2s. 6d. per head for these
destructive birds ; and as they are pretty easily shot, the
shepherds, one would think, should find it profitable to
carry a gun on their every-day rounds. The guide called
the birds down by imitating the bleating of a sheep and
their own peculiar cry. Birds were here in plenty.
The inquisitive weka, otherwise called Maori hen, came
round us iu dozens, and we had the good fortune to capture

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a fine specimen of that nearly extinct species of wingless
birds the kiwi. But there was little time to study the
fauna of the locality. Already *the western waves of
ebbing day rolled o'er the glen their level ray,* and we knew
if we were to reach the foot before dark we should have to
do some smart work. So, hurrying on, we came to the fern,
and after a lot of scrambling and rough walking at last got
through it, and reached the botton just at dusk — 11 hours
from the time we started in the morning."

Should the tourist not wish to make the ascent, a ride
of some two miles further brings him to the Lennox Falls,
called after Lord Walter Lennox, who had recently visited
them.

The waterfall is formed by the melting snow trom the
back of Mount Earnslaw, and it is a very strange spectacle,
looking away up thousands of feet to see the streams, like
long silver bars, converging together, and then, having
united, gliding like a great white' serpent into the sombre
green of the foiest. Here its course is partially hidden from
fcight, except that here and there it dashes over rocks. These
rocks form the waterfalls, of which there are three. The
first is a very short distance up the mountain, and can be
reached by any person. To one of these falls has been given
the humorous and suggestive title of ** The Widow's Tear,'
so called because it usually disappears six weeks after the
snow begins to melt on the sides of Earnslaw.

The falls range from about 15 to 40 feet in breadth, and
from 100 to 300 feet in height. The volume of waters varies
according to the state of the weather. Waterfalls, though
common enough among the Northern Alps, are comparatively
rare among the mountains of New Zealand, and the Lennox
Falls are therefore of special interest, and in themselves are
certainly well worth a visit.

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Glenorchy to Mount Alfred and Mount Judah. —
Having seen Paradise Flat, Mount Earnslaw, and the
Lennox Falls, the tourist may take some shorter excui-sions
if he pleases. One of the pleasantest of these is to the top of
Mount Alfred. He can either walk or ride — as he chooses,
the distance from the hotel being only some 10 miles. A
splendid view is had from the summit, embracing all the
high glacier peaks and no less than ^ve lakes — viz.,
Wakatipu, Rere, Sylvan, Diamond, and Reid ; or the visitor
may amuse himself by climbing Mount Judah, a short
distance from the hotel, and exploring the cliffs above
Buckler Bum and Stony Burn. This was once a busy
mining centre, and enormous nuggets of gold were found in
these localities. Rough gullies, deep shafts, and the remains
of old camps still bear witness to the past.

If the tourist wishes to take life easier, he will find
provision made for that. A lawn tennis ground is attached
to the hotel, and there is afeo a boat on the lake for those
who wish for a sail. The Diamond Creek abounds in trout,
and rabbits may be had to any extent close to the hotel. The
comfort of guests is studied by Mr. and Mrs. Birley, while
their son is the most courteous and competent of guides.

Having spent as long time as he wishes at Glenorchy,
the tourist should cross over and visit

KINLOCH.

He will find here, also, a very comfortable hotel, and the rate
of charges similar to that at Glenorchy. On this side the
lake scenery is perhaps not quite so romantic as that
around Glenorchy, but it has special attractions of its own.
It is the point of departure for exploring the valley of the
Dart River and the magnificent scenery around Lake Harris,
and down the HoUyford Yalley to Martin's Bay on the
West Coast.

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KiNLOcH HP iHB Dart River to the Routeburn. —
'This is a splendid ride, the scenery being something similar
-to that up the Rees Valley. " The glacier creek abounds
in lovely views, and the Routeburn Valley in an endless
Tariety of waterfalls." " There is a glacier here (says the
* Vagabond') not published on any of the maps. It ia
-comparatively easy of access ; the visitors' book records that
ladies ascend it."

KiNLOCH to Lake Harris and Martin's Bay. —
Lake Harris is about 18 miles from Kinloch, and for the
Ifirst 15 miles there is a fair bridle-track, the remainder must
'he done on foot. The path follows, ibr about 8 miles, the
west bank of the Dart River, and then turns up the Route-
burn Valley. The scenery here is simply magnificent.
•** Turning a bend in the valley, a singular spectacle presents
itself. An apparently perpendicular cliflf of horseshoe form
aises to a height of about 2000 feet. About 400 feet from
the summit and from the face of the precipice, issues a
waterfall without any indication of stream or watercourse, as
if the mountain had burst a blood vessel from which issued
its very life current. The fall descends in one clear leap
-about 300 feet, but presently reappears, and after another
leap of about 200 feet, disappears as mysteriously as it had
appeared." — (Descriptive Guide to the Otago Lakes).

A short journey brings the tourist to the " Hut," a
•deserted whare, where the traveller to Lake Harris leaves
his horse and usually stays for the night. The rest of the
road has not been formed, but anyone following the stream
-across a mossy kind of swamp cannot go far wrong. Most
•^of the glades into which the tourist emerges every now and
again as he rides up the Routeburn Valley, and the mossy
i-swamps, are covered with mountain lilies, gentians, and
small varieties of rare alpine plants.

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Lake Harris lies 4000 feet above the sea, and a mag^
nificent view is had from a knoll beside it of the glaciers or
Tutoko and Christina, the long stretch of the Hollyford
Valley, and on a clear day, the waves of the Pacific Ocean.,
may be seen breaking on the beach at Martin's Bay.

The following sketch of a journey to Lake Harris, made -
recently by a Dunedin gentleman (Mr. T. Brown), may be •
read with interest, and may be of assistance to those who -
imdertake the journey without a guide : —

" Having arranged for our journey the evening before,
we jnounted our horses and started from Bryant's Hotel
about 7 o'clock on a bright JSJarch morning. Turning our -
back on the placid lake we were soon on the bush track
which led us to the south branch of the Dart River. Keeping
to the shingly river bed for some distance we had a mag-
nificent view of the Bryant Glacier on our left, with Mount
Alfred rearing its shapely form on the right, and in front
the mysterious looking vista of the Yalley of the Dart, and
thjB snowy peaks and rugged outline of Earnslaw.

Bearing to the left we joined the track ninning along
the fern-clothed terraces and through cultivated paddocks-
to Routeburn Station, which we reached before 9 o'clock,
where without dismounting we enjoyed our " morning " of '
new milk fresh from the cow. Accepting a kindly invitation
to call on our return we pushed on, and soon left the cheery
open for the sombre shadows of the birch forest, through
which the track leads into the lovely valley of the Routeburn.
The remainder of the equestrian journey to the foot of the •
saddle is about 8 miles, and leads through most diversified
and charming scenery.

Passing through the thick forest of straight-stemmed
birches, where even the shade loving ferns seem gladdened
by the shafts of sunlight which here and there manage ta-

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penetrate the leafy canopy, we come out on one of the*
terraces of a beautiful valley, part of which is clothed with,
bush of every shade of green, with here and there an opening
which revealed glimpses of water far down below. The
opposite mountain is clothed with bush from base to
summit. Passing along the edge of the upper ten-ace,
the track led through a thicket of beautiful shrubs into-
an open grassy space of several acres, studded here and.
there with noble trees, and completely surrounded withj
a natural hedge of dense bush. This lovely spot, with
a precipitous mountain at least a thousand feet high, rocks
and trees for a background, and half -circled with a murmur-
ing stream, was like a fairy sc^ne. No English park could
be planted with better taste, and certainly not one is
situated amidst scenes so fair.

Turning reluct:uitly away we dip into a ferny gully
and cross the streams knee deep and clear as crystal; then^
up through the heavy bush, across a slender wooden bridge
high over a roaring cataract, round a narrow siding with the
foaming river roaring and fretting in its confined channel
hundreds of feet below, while above us on either side tower
the almost perpendicular mountains close enough to diminish
materially the daylight. As the track gradually descends,
again, we once more see the river, and our eyes are feasted
on a succession of linns and falls, natural bridges, and
seething rushing waters, a tithe of which would make
Scotland's fortune over again.

Before noon we enter an open space where the streana
makes a graceful bend, and before us on the opposite bank
half hidden by trees is the hut at the foot of the saddle. The
view from here is unquestionably the finest we have ever
beheld, and requires to be seen. I cannot attempt to>*
describe it.

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Having tethered our horses and fortified the inner man
with sandwiches and pure water, we soon found the track at
the back of the hut, and started the pedestrian part of our
journey. For some distance the track is very good, only here
And there a heavy land-slip or fallen tree increases the labour.
The only dangerous place is at the top of the bush-line
where you have to crawl round some rather smooth rocks.
A couple of men and a few pounds of powder would remove
this difficulty in a few hours. From several points the view
below is very fine. After a sweating pull we came in sight
of Lake Harris Falls, which consist of a succession of leaps
and bounds over rugged rocky terraces.

Striking a bee-line through wet grass and rushes over
the knees, and up over the face of the rocks on the left of
the falls, we reached the lake at its outlet in about two hours
from the camp. Lake Harris cannot be beautiful at any
time, as it is almost surrounded by bare black walls of rock
which rise sheer up from the water's edge ; but to us the
whole scene was weird and ghostly. A thick mist had been
gathering over the mountain tops and came creeping down
the black precipitous margin to within a few hundred feet
of the lake which lay dark and silent and motionless. It seemed
as if the spirit of silence and death brooded over the black
still waters. One almost expected to see some fearful
unearthly monster appear from its hidden depths.

After about half-an-hour's contemplation of this fascina-
ting though death-like scene, we retrace our steps and reach
Kinloch again about 10 p.m."

This excursion can be made without a guide, but we
•would recommend that one be taken. Mr. and Mrs. Gregg,
;who know the track, are always on the spot, and can be
a*elied on. Mrs. Gregg is a splendid horsewoman, and
.invaluable when ladies are of the party, but even no man

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need feel ashamed to be piloted by one so lithe of foot and
iearless on horseback."

To HOLLYFOBD VaLLEY AND MaRTIN*S BaY. — IhlS

i&kes at least two days, and can scarcely be done in that
time— certainly not as far as Martin's Bay.

It would not be possible to give an outline of the
journey that would be of much service. Those who under-
take it must armnge for a guide.

Tourists who may not wish to go so far even as Lake
Harris, ought by all means to ride up the Dart River as far
-iw the Routebum Valley. The scenery will far more than
repay them for any slight fatigue they may have to undergo.

Shorter excursions may be made up the mountain
behind Kinloch. The face of the mountain is covered with
forests of red and white birch, and the summit is crowned
far down with perpetual snow. Pleasant days may be spent
here. The Kinloch side is the side for ferns and shrubs of
-aU kinds, and those so inclined can increase their store by
many rare and beautiful .specimens.

Kinloch to Rerb Lake, — This is reached by boat.
It is a few miles down the shore of the lake, where the
Greenstone River flows into it. It is a charming little lake,
not perhaps possessing the quiet loveliness of Sylvan Lake,
but yet having a beauty of its own. It is a favourite
resort for pic-nic parties.

The tourist having satisfied himself with the scenery
'. here, may embark again and return to Queenstown. If he
be one who knows the Swiss lakes, he will probably agree
with Mr. Green that " Wakatipu is amazingly beautifiiL
The only lake in Europe which can surpass it is Lucerne ;
but to see no more of Wakatipu than can be seen by a trip
to Queenstown and back, is to see Lucerne and omit the Bay
-of Uri."

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The sail down Lake Wakatipu, whether made in early
morning, when the sun is rising beyond the snowy crowns^
or at eve, when he gilds them with a solemn glory, is a fitting
close to the pleasures of these excursions. And as the boat-
glides over the deep blue waters, tourists may perhaps think
of Byron's words with a kindred feeling. Substituting;
Wakatipu for Lucerne, he may say : —

" Clear, placid " Wakatipu, " thy . . . lake

is a thing

Which warns me with its stillness to forsake
Earth's troubled waters for a purer spring ;
This quiet sail Is as a noiseless wing
To waft me from distraction."

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CHAPTER IV.

LAKES WANAKA AND HAWEA.

Route. — Qaeenstown to Pembroke (by coach) via Arrowtown
:and Cromwell, or (on horseback) via Arrowtown and Cardrona
VaUey.

Hitherto it has been largely the custom with tourists,
on returning to Queenstown, to set out at once for Dunedin.
They have no more time, perhaps, to spend, or oftener they
are told that there is nothing more to be seen. Let them
not listen to any such talk, or at least pay no heed to it,
l)ut at once make up their minds to go on to Lake Wanaka.
We can promise them that, in some respects, the loveliest
of all the lakes remains to be seen. If, however, they
xesolve to go on straight to Dunedin, they take steamer
to Kingston, thence by train to the Elbow. Here
they stay for the night, and next morning they start by the
Waimea Plains Railway for Gore. The WaimesrGore
service connects with the northern express from Invercargill,
and the tourists reach Dunedin by this about 7 p.m.
This gives an opportunity of seeing some magnificent
agricultural land. The railway line from the Elbow to
Oore runs through what is called the Waimea Plains, which,
belongs to the New Zealand Agricultural Company. This
is a splendid estate, consisting of some 310,000 acres, more
than half of which is freehold. On the estate there are
3000 horses, a large number of thoroughbred cattle, and
•300,000 sheep. Last summer was to be seen here the

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singular spectacle of a thousand-acre paddock of wheat.
The quality of the soil may be judged from the fact that the-
average yield of oats is 50 bushels, and in some places over
70. In one field of 1200 acres the yield of wheat was 52
bushels to the acre. The estate is being cut up into smaller
holdings, and the settlement of tenants upon the land is
steadily going forward.

The tourist may take another route to Dunedin, viz., by
coach from Queenstown via Arrowtown and Cromwell, con-
necting with the train at Lawrence, and thence to Dunedin.
The coach leaves Queenstown every Monday, Wednesday,
and Friday, arriving in Lawrence next day in time for the
afternoon train to Dunedin. The advantage of this latter
route is that it takes the tourist through an entirely different-
kind of country. The road passes through the famous-
goldfield districts of Cromwell, Clyde, Gabriel's Gully, <fec.>
and also through some very wild and striking scenery. If he^
does not object to the fatigue of coaching, we should recom-
mend him to take this route. The fare from Queenstown
to Lawrence is £3 10s. But we would strongly urge upon
tourists to reserve to themselves sufficient time to enable^
them to pay a visit to Lake Wanaka, the route to which
we shall now describa The first stage reached is

ARROWTOWN.

Arrowtown is a very pretty little village, the centre of
It fine agricultural district, and the outlet for some of the
richest quartz mines of Otago. If the tourist has time he
can spend a day or two here with pleasure and profit. He
may visit Macetown, about ten miles from Arrowtown, and
inspect the quartz mines of that famous district. From
iyere he can ride up Advance Peak (5740 feet), and he will
have a view of the surrounding country, hardly less exten-^
sive or less striking than that from Ben Lomond. He caxk

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also spend a pleasant forenoon in visiting the Kawarau.
Falls, eight miles from Arrowtown — scenery on a some-
what grander scale than that of the Shotover Gorge, on the-
Miller's Flat Road; or he can ascend Arrow River, oih
horseback, and he will see scenery as wild and weird as^
is to be met with anywhere.

A writer in the " Otago Daily Times " says that " the
road through the Otira Gorge, between Christchurch and
Hokitika, has nothing to compare with this Macetown dray
road, either in the daring of its design, or the efficacy of its^
erection. Running for a short distance up the bed of the
Arrow River, it emerges therefrom at a grade, the steepest
part of which is 1 in 9," until an elevation of 400 feet is
reached. So steep is this vale of rock that you have to lean
well over the parapet to see its foot, " while away in the far
depths 400 feet below frets and foams the Arrow River iii
its rocky bed with ceaseless roar."

Arrowtown to Pembroke, via Cromwell, or via Car*
DRONA. — Pembroke is a little village on the shore of Lake
Wanaka, standing in the same relation to Wanaka that
Queenstown does to Wakatipu. To reach it from Arrow-
town the visitor has a choice of two ways, each of which has
its own attractions. He can go via Cardrona, this will take
him across the famous Crown Ranges. Here he will see
some of the richest land in New Zealand, producing some-
times over 100 bushels of wheat to the acre. The saddle is.
some 3000 feet above the level of the sea, and commands a
magnificent view of the whole sweep of the Shotover and
Arrow Valley, and the far snow-crowned summits of Cecit
and Walter Peaks, closing in the horizon.

Up to the saddle it is a continuous ascent of some eight
miles, and the path then winds down the Cardrona Valley.
This portion of the way is a little uninteresting. It used to

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he the scene of busy and tumultuous life, but it is now
almost abandoned to the Chinese. Numbers of these are
passed busily engaged in sluicing, and the whole bed of the
river is tortured and torn with tail races. About ten miles
and Cardrona is reached, and here the tourist will have the
opportunity of seeing a mining village in the last stages of
decay. Nineteen miles more, partly down the bed of the
Oardrona River, and along a fairly good road, and Pembroke
is reached. If the tourist selects this route he must either
walk or hire horses at Arrowtown. There is a dray road in
course of formation, but from the saddle of the Crown
Range to Cardrona there is meantime only a bridle track.
It is possible to ride through to Pembroke in a day ; or, by
starting early, to ride to Cardrona and walk the remainder.
The only hotel on the way is at Cardrona, and it is as good
as could be expected in such a place.

Arrowtown to Pembroke, via Cromwell, 59 miles. —
This is the road the coach goes, and the road which, unless the
tourist is prepared to do some walking or riding, he too should
go. It is much longer, and takes at least two days. The scenery
is in many places wild and romantia For twenty-five miles
the road runs along the side of a gorge, through which flows
the Kawarau River. The " Vagabond," Mr. Julian Thomas,
says : — " It is the most lovely stretch I have seen in the
Colonies. One to two hundred feet below the track, on the
left bank, the river (already joined by the Shotover and
Arrow), flows in a channel so steep and precipitous that one
could just step out of the coach and be at the bottom in the
water. It changes its shape at every turn, now swift, strong,
and fierce, boiling over rocks, resistless in its wrath, the
waters churned into snowy foam, fretting with fury at the
impediments ; anon flowing in a broad rush round patches
of sandy shore at the bottom of the cliflfe ; everywhere the

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rocks shaped into a thousand fantastic forms with a weird-
ness of outline which man could never design." Twenty miles
from Queenstown "Roaring Meg" is reached. This, continues
the same writer, " is a thing unsurpassed in my experience.
When the waters of Wakatipu first sought their outlet
through the canyon, which forms the bed of the river, and
were stopped here by a mass of rock, a considerable disturb-
ance took place. Kawarau must find its level at the sea,
and so it fumed and fretted, and whirled round and worked
underneath the barrier, till it got out on the other sida The
subterranean canal is small, and so Roaring Meg is formed.
Round and round the waters go. Sticks and trees and bodies
of dead animals are often weeks before being at last sucked
down." This locality has been immortalised in one of B. L.
Farjeon's mining stories, and is a sight worth travelling
many miles to see. Arrived at Cromwell the tourist will
find comfortable quarters at the Commercial Hotel The
coach for Pembroke leaves twice a week, Wednesday and
Saturday, at 12.30 p.m., arriving there the same evening.

LAKES WANAKA AND HAWEA.

PEMBROKE.
Hotels. — Russell's Wanaka, 10s. per day ; £2 10s. per week.
Places op Interest, with Distances from Hotel:—-

Miles. Miles.

Glendhu ... ... 10

Up Matukituki River to

Mount AspiriDg ... 30

Lake Hawea ... ... 10

The steamboat " Theodore" makes tours every week right round
Lake Wanaka, calling at all places of interest. Round trip usually
occupies 2 days. (Possible to ride also.) Steamboat fares— Round
tour, £2. Shorter trips can be arranged for. Horses, 10s. per day,
single. Single buggies, 15s. ; double buggies, £1 10s., with driver,
58. to 10s. extra.

Post and Telegraph Office, bi-weekly mails.

Outlet of Lake into Clutha
River ... ... 4

Mount Iron ... ... 4

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Pembroke stands on the shore of Lake Wanaka, and
consists of only a. few houses. Tourists will find the hotel,
kept by Mrs. Russell, to be one of the most comfortable on
the route. It is not so large, nor so well equipped in some
respects as are the City hotels, but for quiet, cleanliness,
and attention to the wants of guests it is unsurpassed.
Attached to the hotel is a splendid garden, in which fruit of
all kind flourishes. The garden is at the disposal of
visitors to the hotel, and contributes not a little to the
atmosphere of homeliness that pervades the whole place.
Tourists will find Lake Wanaka, while in some respects
resembling Wakatipu and Manapouri, to have beauties and
charms of its own, but without dwelling on these at present
we shall proceed to describe briefly the places of interest.
We shall take first those that can be reached on foot or
horseback.

Pembroke to Glendhu, 10 miles. This tour can be
easily made on foot, on horseback, or by buggy, and intro-
duces the tourist to some of the finest scenery about the
lake. The road skirts the lake shore, and runs round past
Wanaka Station. A little way on "you come in view of
one of those fairy landscapes, that upon the stage looks
impossible, but here is not only verified but excelled. The
ground at a gentle slope dips towards the lake, but rises at
its border in low billows of regular and wave-like form,
through the depressions of which the limpid waters of the
lake glint at regularly repeated intervals, as if through
filigree work. At a little distance in the centre of the
scene, mountains rise in sharply serrated and fantastically
cut outlines, while to right and left, richly carved and
deeply furrowed mountains in blue remoteness close in the
view." (Descriptive Guide to the Otago Lakes.) This ride
may be extended up the

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Matukituki Valley, to foot op Mount Aspiring.
This takes the tourist up the valley of the Matukituki River,
to the base of one of the four highest, and probably the
most extensive snow mountain in Australasia, except Mount
Cook. It is only about 30 miles from Pembroke. It is
possible, by starting early, to make this journey in one day,
but it is less fatiguing to take two, and a longer opportunity
will thus be given to explore the wonders of Mount
Aspiring. There are no accommodation houses on the way,
but there are stations where travellers will be made welcome
for the night. This excursion is strongly recommended.
The ride up the Matukituki Valley is most delightful ; the
path winds along the slopes of high piled, thickly timbered
mountains, and through valleys of charmingly diversified
scenery, till at length the roar of the avalanche hurtles in
the air,

'* Aod thro' the golden valleys winding streams
Ripple in glancing silver, and above,
The blue hills rise, and over all a peak
White: awfnl with a constant fleece of cloud
Veilmg its summit towers."

The tourist has reached Mount Aspiring, and, as is fitting
in the presence of such scenes, may be left in silence to
behold them.

Pembroke to Mounts Iron and Grandview. — Mount
Iron is only about four miles from Pembroke, on the east
shore of the lake. It is only a few hundred feet high, and
is comparatively easy of ascent. It commands, however,
splendid views of both sides of the lake and of the mountains
which enclose them. Those who care for a longer excursion
may clinib Grandview, the scene from which is sufficiently
indicated by its name. It takes a full day to accomplish
this journey. It had better be done on horseback.

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Pembroke to Brown's Bay and Head op Olutha
River. — This is an easy journey of four miles. Lake
"Wanaka is drained by the Clutha River, and this is the
point of outlet of the water from this lake. One of the best
views of the mountain range on the western shore of
Wanaka is obtained from this point.

Pembroke to Lake Hawea. — The tourist may ride or
drive or walk to Lake Hawea. It is only some six miles to
the Hawea Hotel, which is close to the shores of the lake.
The scenery around Hawea, at least on its eastern side, is
comparatively tame and uninteresting. Hawea is the
smallest of all the lakes which the tourist has yet met on
his course. It is about fifteen miles long, three broad,
and its general depth is from nine to twelve hundred feet,
and about four hundred and fifty near the ends. On its
eastern side lie the Hawea Flats, a wide extent of capital
agricultural land. The terminus of the Otago Central
Railway is to be at Gladstone, on the shores of the lake ;
but this town has no existence yet except on paper. The
finest scenery of this lake, like Wakatipu, is at the head, on
its eastern side. A bridle-track runs round bot^ sides, and
the head of the lake is not unlike that of Wakatipu. It is
enclosed by a high mountain wall, steep, wooded, and
crowned with snow. The Hunter River flows into the lake
at the top and is difficult to ford. There is a station,
however, on its banks — Mr. Macgregor's — and the boat is
available. There is also a small schooner on the lake, used
for bringing down timber, which may be chartered by tourists,
or they can get a passage by her at a very nominal fare
whenever she goes on her usual trips. The best plan, how-
ever, for seeing Lake Hawea or reaching the head of the
lake will be to go up Lake Wanaka in the steamboat to
what is called the Neck, then a walk of two miles brings

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you to the edge of Hawea, and by climbing a hill there a
full view of the head of the lake can be obtained.

Round Lake Wanaka by Steamboat. — ^This is the
trip for tourists ; and if they wish to see the real beauties of
this charming lake, must not be omitted. It is only within
the last year that the trip could be undertaken with any great
pleasure or accomplished in any very reasonable time. The
little steamer, " Theodore," by which the tourists will travel,
is not perhaps quite so comfortably fitted up, but is equally
as swift as the " Mountaineer " of Wakatipu. She is a
curiosity in her way — a monument to the pluck and
perseverance of her owners. She is a local production,
with the exception of her engine and boilers, which were
brought from Dunedin, a distance of 110 miles. She was
built by the shores of the lake on which she sails, the ship
carpenter (an old sea skipper), assisted by an engineer from
Dunedin and a labourer, doing all the work. Taking wi^
him some provisions from the hotel, for as yet the cuisine
comforts of t^e " Theodore " are not first-class, the tourist
embarks, and as the little boat glides out on the clear placid
waters he will have time to take a note or two regarding
Lake Wanaka. Li many respects Wanaka is an entire
contrast to anything he has yet seen. The mountains,
though as high as those of Wakatipu, have not their
gloomy, desolate grandeur, nor yet the quiet charms of
ManapourL "From the shore of Lake Wanaka," says
Mr. W. N. Blair, C.E., "it is possible to see about thirty
named and measured peaks, from 4000 to nearly 10,000
feet high, and a countless number that have been neither
named nor measured" The general height is from 5000 to
7000 feet. Mount Aspiring — ^the Matterhom of New Zea-
land — ^towering up 9940 feet. There is less wood on t^eir
sides than on the mountains round Manapouri or those at

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the head of Wakatipu, fern, bracken, and manuka taking
the place of birch and pine. But while we are thinking on
these things the " "nieodore " has been plunging on, and we
are alongside Glendhu, of which we have already spoken.
A little further and we glide in through Hurricane Bay,
whose name explains itself, between Crescent Island and a
peninsula jutting out between Glendhu and the mouth of
the Matukituki River. We land in a quiet little alcove on
the left of the latter. Here the steamer usually goes for a
cargo of timber. Coals are not to be had in this district,
and wood takes their place, the motive power of the steamer
being supplied in this way.

Here for more than a mile the shore is strewn thick
with chips, and blocks, and saplings that have been uprooted
by storms or drifted down from the Matukituki Saw-mills.
The timber trade is an important element of the district.
It is brought down the Matukituki and Makarora Rivers in
small crafts, formed into rafts on the shores of the lake, and
thence by the outlet down the Clutha to Cromwell. While
the steamer is here, the tourist should climb a low-lying
mountain close to the shore, from whence a magnificent
view is obtained. Standing with his back to the lake, and
looking up the Matukituki River, a wide wooded valley
opens before him. On the left run the lofty ranges of the
Harris Mountains, culminating in Black Peak and Fox Peak,
nearly 8000 feet high ; and on the right the Buchanan
Peaks, flanked by Mount Alta of nearly equal height, bound
the view. These lofty summits approach each other in ihe
far horizon, but are prevented from meeting by another
mountain mass of high glittering whiteness that inserts itself
between them. This is the celebrated Mount Aspiring.
Behind it, over a stoop in its shoulder, peeps, like a shy
white bride, the Glacier Dome, In front, Mount Aspiring

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opens its miles of blue-white bosom to receive the golden
shafts of light, and kiss the foe that smites. Glittering clear
it lies, save when now and again light puff-like clouds nestle
lovingly on its snow-cold breast, or creep and cling around
its gleaming head in misty adoration. Far down at its base
the valley opens, and "between dark green slopes of " forest
primeval," jutting peaks and crags towering thousands of
feet above, the Matukituki wanders down over its miles of
white sand to meet anl mingle with the lake. The whole
scene is beautiful beyond description, and one might linger
long ; but the whistle of the steamer warns us that time
is up, and we embark and are off again, on up the laka As
our little boat forges its way towards the head of the lake
the scenery is different to anytliing that the tourist has yet
seen. On his left are towering mountain peaks as high as
the Wakatipu ranges. Nature, however, is in a more
genial mood here, and she has clothed their sides, if not
with gay, at least with decent dress. On the steep, .stony
faces, bracken abounds ; in the ravines, and here and there
along the sides, clumps of manuka and the curious-looking
cabbage-tree are scattered, while tussock and fern and grass
seem to weave a bright green carpet, till it loses itself far
away up in the snow-clad summits above. On the right the
boat passes two of the three islands in the laka The first,
Orescent Island, is a high brown hump that heaves itself
some 200 or 300 feet up out of the lake, and is clad down to
the water's edge with tussock and fern and grass. Manuka, or
Pigeon Island as it is also called, is a very remarkable spot,
on which we shall land by and by. Beyond these, on our
right, on the further shore of the lake, a long high ridge of
mountains rises straight up' from the water's edge. Passing
Manuka Island, we see Mount Alta nearly opposite on our

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left, wrapping itself in verdure till far away up, nigh 8000
feet,

** It claps a white cape on its mantle green.''

Rounding the Twin Peaks, between which and Mount Alta
the Rumbling and Minaret Bums come brawling down, we
come in sight, on our left hand, of the curious-looking
Minaret Peaks. Their name explains their appearance.
They step back in sloping terraces from the water, gradually
rising, till at last they crown their split and towering
pinnacles, nearly 7000 feet above, in perpetual snow.
Right at the foot of these is Minaret Peaks Station,
belonging to Messra Cargill and Anderson, where the boat
calls and usually stays for a little. If the tourist has not
time to go to the Hawea Lake he can obtain an excellent
view of the most interesting part of it by climbing one of
the spurs of the Minaret Peaks. From this he will see a
good portion of the upper part of the lake and also the
further side, where the mountains, clothed with wood, rise
straight up from the water's edge. The peak visible is
called the Devil's Elbow. Once a mob of cattle turned
upon their driver as he was taking them along this precipice,
and to save himself he jumped sheer down into the lake,
over 50 feet, and escaped miraculously. The fuller view of
the Hawea is obtained by landing at the Neck, which is
almost opposite the station, and walking across. It is only
two miles, and by climbing a spur of Isthmus Peak, on the
shore of Lake Hawea, a view is obtained of almost the whole
head of the lake. While the boat stays at Minaret Peaks
Station the tourist, by climbing Dromedary Hill, which is
about seven miles distant, may also have one of the finest
views of Mount Aspiring that is to be had anywhere about
the lake. From the spur which he ascends to view Hawea
he will also see the head of Lake "Wanaka This part of

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Wanaka is an entire contrast to Wakatipu and Hawea.
It is flat and marshy, and through the low-lying swampy
ground the Makarora River enters the lake. On right and
left of the river there are high mountains, the most remark-
able being strange-shaped peaks called Turret Peaka The
low-lying ground is thickly wooded, and large quantities of
timber are rafted down from the mouth of Makarora River
to Brown Bay, the outlet of the lake, into the Clutha River.
The boat usually takes tourists on to the head of the lake,
landing those, however, who do not care to go further, at
the Neck. This gives them time to see Lake Hawea, and
the boat picks them up on the journey back. The sail
down the lake gives some magnificent views. As he turns
to say farewell, the tourist cannot help being struck with
the strange appearance of the Turret and Minaret Peaks>
more especially if it be in the early morning or as evening
is drawing on. They remind one not a little of Scott's
description of the scenes in the Western Trossachs of Loch
Katrine, through which the hunter passed on his homeward
journey and after he had lost his " gallant grey." True,
you do not catch the stag-hounds* bay, nor does any hunts-
man's bugle-note wake the echoes. No antlered deer crouch
in any thicket, but only the everlasting rabbit bunting amid
the bracken. Nor does any owlet or eagle wing the air .
nothing but a very different bird, the hated Kea, haunts the
silences of those high and lonely peaks ; but, for the rest,
this description will apply : —

" The rocky summits split and rent,

Formed turret, dome, or battlement,

Or seemed fantastically set

With cupola, or minaret ;

Wild crests as pagod ever decked,

Or mosque of Eastern architect.

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72
where white peaks glanced,

The wanderer's eye could barely view
The summer heavens' delicious blue,
So wondrous wild the whole might seem
The scenery of a fairy dream.*'

But already as we gaze, the steamer is in sight of
Pigeon Island, and here awaits the tourist the strangest
and most lovely sight he has yet witnessed.

Very near the crown of this island— some 500 feet
above ike lake, and 2000 above the sea level — ^is a little
lakelet. It is nearly circular, and covers about 10 acres
of ground. Its depth is unknown, so also it keeps the
secret of its origin. Its bed is evidently the crater of an
extinct volcano. One little stream runs out of it, but how
the lakelet is fed is a mystery. " Its clear blue waters
show that it is not shallow, indeed, the natives have a
theory that it is as deep as Wanaka itself, and that it rises
and falls with the larger lake from which it is fed." Land-
ing on the shore there is an easy well-trodden path up
to it, and the tourist who leaves Wanaka without visiting
this little lakelet, loses the opportunity of seeing one of the
most delightful sights he is ever likely to look on.

The tourist follows the path that winds up through the
wooded side of the island, and after a short climb he
emerges upon a cliff that

" Heaves like a long swept wave about to break,
And on the curl hangs pausing."
From this point of vantage he looks down upon the little
lakelet below, and he must be strangely constituted if he is
not impressed by the wondrous beauty of the scene. Like
" lone St Mary's "—

'* nor fen nor sedge

Pollute the pure lake's crystal edge,"

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Round its banks, however, runs a fringe of trees and shrubs;
the manuka, in its pinkish bloom, the New Zealand figtree,
and the pale purple veronica, keep watch above ihe
sleeping tarn. The scene everywhere around is of surpass-
ing loveliness ; the high mountains with their hoary heads
impress us, as when we stand in the presence of some

''Most potent, grave, and reverend seigneurs."
" There is every variety of shade and outline and colour
culminating in these peaks of perpetual snow, while away
for down 600 feet Wanaka winds, like a broad strip of the
azure heavens, round the bases of its everlasting hills.'
With a trifling change of a word or so, the description
of Loch Katrine would stand equally for this scene here —
''Mildly and soft the western breeze,

Just kissed the lake, just stirred the trees,

And the pleased lake like maiden coy,

Trembled, but dimpled not for joy ;

The mountain shadows on her breast

Were neither broken nor at rest.

In bright uncertainty they lie

Like future joys to fancy's eye."

One might linger long beside these scenes. It is no
wonder that this island is a favourite resort of pic-nic
parties. It affords unlimited scope for pleasure excursions.
Besides this Ivmi^ naturce of a lakelet the tourists will find
other abundant sources of instruction and amusement. The
view of Wanaka and its surroundings from the top of the
island is unequalled ; the bush affords ample scope for the
botanist, and the undergrowth abounds in shrubs, mosses,
flowers, and ferns of endless variety. On the shore of the
island there is a vacant hut, where the " billy " may be
boiled, and those whom " the hum of cities tortures " may
escape for a time the vexing restraints of civilization and
make merry round the mimic camp fire.

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The sail down the lake to Pembroke suggests one
other feature of these lakes which has not yet been touched,
but which is unquestionably the loveliest of the many
lovely sights which the tourist will behold, that is :

THE SUNRISES AND SUNSETS ABOUT THE LAKES.

Wanaka excels all the others perhaps in the enchanting
beauty of these We should certainly recommend the
tourist to make a point of witnessing, if he can, a sunrise
upon some of the lakes. It is a sight he is never likely to
forget But, if it were possible, the sunsets are even more
magnificent, probably because

« Immanence of change makes sense more floe,
And light seems holier in its grand decline."

Nothing can exceed the witching beauty of a sail down
Wanaka as "day is dying." John Buskin says "that no
gorgeousness of the palette can reach the effects of daylight
on ordinary colours. But it is a widely different thing
when nature herself takes a colouring fit and does some-
thing extraordinary, something really to exhibit her
powers." That is just what she does in these sunsets of the
lakes. She occasionally takes a " colouring fit," and then
eye hath not seen, neither hath ifc entered into the heart of
man to conceive the splendours of such a scene. The soft
dreamy haze that steeps the mountains, the extraordinary
changing colours above the peaks where the sun has gone
down — shadowless, crimson, and purple and scarlet, melting
into green and opal and sapphire, into shades and tints for
which " there are really no words in the language and no
ideas in the mind — colours that can only be conceived while
they are visible." Byron speaks somewhere of parting day
dying

*' Like the dolphin, whom each pang imbues
With a new colour as it gasps away."

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How supremely inadequate — ^we had almost said how
.vulgar — is this simile when one would apply it to sunsets
on these lakes. And then to add to the inconceivable
beauty, just as the soft flush on the western horizon begins
to pale, a single star of dazzling brilliancy steps forth and
stands "tip toe on the mountain top." One realizes then
as never before the full force of Wordsworth's lines —

" Fair as a star when only one
Is shining in the sky."

No words could convey any adequate idea of these sunsets ;
indeed, one feels that the attempt to describe them had
better not be made, because to those who have not seen
them, such description would seem exaggeration, and to those
who have it would only vulgarise memories divina The
sail down Lake Wanaka in the deepening twilight, is
certainly one of those scenes of which George Eliot says in
the Spanish Gipsy —

" with the whisper of a word

Our souls must shrink, get poorer, more apart."

But as we muse our boat has glided down near our journey's
end, and we take a last lingering and loving look at the
waning light and deepening shadows on lake and mountain,
and return to our hotel.

The tourist has now completed the tour of the Southern
Lakes, and if he does not wish to spend longer time in
these regions, he can take the coach which starts every
Monday, at 5 a.m., and Thursday, at 10 a. m., for Cromwell,
thence via Lawrence to Dunedin. But we are sure, as he
starts by the morning coach and turns his back on these lakes,
and as he thinks of all that he has seen and heard, the
words of Whittier, as he bade adieu to his great Northern
lake, will not inaptly express his feelings —

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* Fair scenes, whereto the day and night
Make rival love, I leave you soon ;
What time before the Eastern light,
The pale ghost of the setting moon,

Shall hide behind yon rocky spines,
And the yoimg archer. Mom, shall break

His arrows on the mountain pines,
And golden sandalled walk the lake.

Farewell, aroimd this smiling bay.
Gay-hearted health and life in bloom,

With lighter steps than mine may stray,
In radiant summers yet to come.

But none shall more regretful leave
These waters and these hills than I ;

Or distant, fonder dream how eve
Or dawn is painting wave and sky;

How rising moons shine sad and mild
On wooded isle and silvering bay ;■

Or setting suns beyond the piled
And purple mountains lead the day.

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CHAPTER V.

PEMBROKE TO DUKEDIN.

Starting by the coach, which leaves RusseU's Hotel
every Monday and Thursday morning, a run of some 38 miles
along a capital road brings the visitor to

GBOMWELL.

Cromwell is a little tree-girt township, not without
some pretensions to beauty. Its life depends largely
upon gold mining. Should the visitor wish to spend
a day here, he will find comfortable quarters at
R. Mounteney's Commercial Hotel; but unless he is
interested in mining matters there is not much else to
detain him, and he had better continue his journey. A
splendid bridge spans the Clutha River here, and a little
way down, on the right, the Clutha is joined by the
Kawarau River. The latter, on its course from Lake
Wakatipu, has become contaminated, and it is a strange
spectacle to see it rolling its dirty brown mass of water into
the splendid green volumes of the Clutha, and gradually
changing the latter to its o\^n complexion. The road runs
along the side of the Clutha River, or as it is usually called
after its junction with the Kawarau, the Molyneux, and a
more dreary and desolate region than here meets the eye it
is scarcely possible to conceive. The visitor has entered the
feimous goldfields districts. This valley was once the scene
of busy and tumultuous life, and the sides of the hills and
the bed and banks of the river bear mournful witness to the
eager quest for gold. On right and left bare and shaly

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rocks lift their mouldering summits high into the air, and at
their base the Molyneux tumbles its mass of clay-coloured
waters over rock and boulder. Here and there you see
sluicers at work, their dress looking as if it too had taken
on the prevailing colour of the region. The whole road
from Cromwell to Clyde might stand for a|Jpicture of '* the
abomination of desolation." Ten miles from Cromwell

CLYDE

is reached. Here in this neighbourhood was one of the
richest rushes in the early gold days. The climate in this
locality is charming ; fruit of every kind grows in rich
profusion, and the inhabitants have a tradition, that so
healthy is the spot no one ever dies here. A spin of a few
miles across a level plain and

ALEXANDRA

is passed, and then the road winds up thiough the Knobby
Eanges to Roxburgh. The scenery for a good part of the
way is wild and weird, the rocks and boulders bruised into
all sorts of shapes, and the hills, for the most part, are bare
and desolate. It is the paradise of rabbits, and the visitor
will have some idea of what is called the " rabbit pest," as in
all directions

'* Twinkles the innamerable ear and tail."
Towards evening the coach reaches

ROXBURGH,

and the visitors stay here for the night. The surroundings
of Roxburgh are pleasant and the goldfields are adjacent ;
but if the visitor desires to inspect them he will find it
better to stay at Lawrence, for the accommodation at
Roxburgh is not by any means equal to the requirements of
the place. The coach leaves at 5 a.m., and a spin of a few
hours along a rich belt of agricultuml country brings us to

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LAWRENCE.

Lawrence is a flourishing township, the outlet for the
goldfields to Dunedin. The visitor will find capital accom-
modation at the Commercial Hotel, where the coach stops.
If he has time he may inspect the mines of the district,
especially the famous Blue Spur and Gabriers Gully, the
latter of which played such a prominent part in the early
goldfield days. It was the discovery of gold in these
districts, and along the banks of the Clutha, that first
started Otago on the road of progress. Some idea may be
formed of the richness of the gold mines of New Zealand,
when we recollect that within the last 23 years, the value
of gold exports reaches the extraordinary total of over
£40,000,000, almost the whole of which has been obtained
from the Otago and West Coast mines. If the visitor
does not wish to make himself acquainted with the gold-
mining industry, the coach arrives in time to catch the
train, and he can at once set out for Dunedin. The
railway runs through the splendid agricultural plains of
Tokomairiro and Taieri, passing Milton, where there are
pottery works, and Mosgiel, the seat of the now celebrated
Mosgiel Woollen Factory, and in a brief time the train
draws up at the Dunedin station.

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CHAPTER VI.

DUNBDIN.

Hotels. — The Grand Hotel, Wain's, The City, Criterion,
Imperial, CoflFee Palace.

Clubs. — Dunedin (resident), Southern (non-resident). Working
Men's (non-resident). Strangers have the privilege of residing at
the Dunedin Club on being introduced by a member.

Places of Amusement.— Princess Theatre (Stafford Street),
Queen's Theatre (Princes Street).

Places of Interest and Public Buildings in and around
THE City. — The Athenceum (Library and Reading Room), Chamber
of Commerce, University, Museum, High School, Hospital, Benevolent
Institution, Industrial School, Post Office and Ooverwmeni Buildings,
Union Steam Ship Coy.'s Offices, Young Men's and Young Women's
Christian Association Booms, Tovm Hall, tkc.

Banks — Colonial, New Zealand, National, Union Bank of
Australia, Bank of Australasia, Bank of New South Wales.

Newspapers. — (Daily) The Otago Daily Times, The Evening
Herald, The Evening Star ; (weekly) The New Zealand Public
Opinion, The Otago Witness, The Tablet, The Christian Record.

Walks and Drives. — The Town Belt, The Botanical Gardens,
The Ocean Beach, The Water Works and Niohol's Creek. Maori
Kaik, Blueskin, Port Chalmers, Seacliff, Portobello, Mosgiel,
Henley and the Taieri River, Kaikorai Valley, Flagstaff Hill.

In March and April, 1848, two vessels arrived in
what is now Port Chalmers. These vessels contained 326
emigrants, who were the founders of the City of Dunedin
and the Province of Otago. The pioneers were under the
charge of Captain Wm. Cargill (whose monument now
stands in Princes Street), and Rev. Thomas Burns, a nephew
of the illustrious bard of Scotland. The real beginning

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of Dunedin, however, dates from 1861, when gold was
first discovered in GabrieUs Gully. Since then it has grown
^with more or less rapidity till now it is one of the most
prosperous and picturesque towns of New Zealand. It
contains within the city proper, a population of some
24,000, and, if the surrounding townships are jLncluded,
nearly double that number. Its public buildings are the
finest in the Colony, and some of them will compare favour-
ably with any in the Southern Hemisphere. Its situation
is charming; seen on a clear day from the bay, or from some
of the hills around, it is scarcely possible to find a more
picturesque sight, and the stranger will surely share some-
vrhat the enthusiasm of the poet, when he says —
" Go trav'ler, unto others boast,
Of Venice and of Rome,
Of Saintly Mark's majestic pile,

And Peter's lofty dome ;
Of Naples and her trellised bowers.

Of Rhineland far away —
These may be grand, but give to me
Dunedin from the Bay. "
However, we must not waste time in describing what the
visitor will see for himself. We shall proceed to give him
some directions as to how he may make the most of his stay.
One of the characteristic features of Dunedin is that you
cannot get what we call a " bird's-eye view " of it. It is
hidden away in nooks and corners, behind clumps of trees,
and under green hill crests. Though this is, in one sense, a
drawback, yet in another it is a decided gain, for it adds
almost indefinite possibilities to the pleasures of sight seeing.
Hence, there are very few towns indeed, that hold so many
surprises for the visitor. Every hill top gives a new view ;
every turn in the road an ever varying picture of loveliness
or of gi-andeur.

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WALES AND DRIVES :
DUNBDIN TO MUSBUM, UNIVERSITY, AND BOTANICAL

Gardens; — ^The visitor will find tram-cars which run every
few minutes, starting from opposite Cargill's Monument in
Princes Street. Fare, 3d.

DUNEDIN, UP THE LeITH VaLLEY TO THE WATERWORKS

AND Nicholas Creek and Waterfall. — Taking the tram-
car opposite CargilFs Monument the visitor alights at the
north end of King Street, and turning to the left takes
the road to Woodhaugh. Passing this latter place, with its
mill and paper works, he strikes up a little side valley to
the left, and he soon comes to the reservoirs, forming the
first supply of water to the city. Returning again to the
main road, he walks up the valley for about two miles till
he reaches NichoFs Creek on his left-hand. Following this
creek up for a little way, he comes to a linn or waterfall.
The scenery all the way is very beautiful. The valley and
hill-sides are thickly wooded, and the various greens of the
New Zealand foliage, starred with the white flowers of the
convolvulus, and alive with the music of birds make the
excursion delightful. The walk up Nicholas Creek itself is
even more so. Mr. Bracken in his new Book of Poems,
* Lays of the Land of the Maori and Moa " sings of it thus :

" Ferns of every shade
Border'd and scollop'd, 'yond the power of art,
In tens of thousands deck the rocky walls
That hold the mountains back against the sky,
And give the fluent stream an open course
To bring its sweetness to the lands below.
And now with admiration I behold
A shower of molten silver falling down
An em'rald, moss-clad precipice of rock
That stands a buttress to the central steep
Where range links range in strong volcanic chain

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WATERFALL, NICHOL'S CREEK, DUNEDIN.

From Photograph by Burton Bro»., Diinedin.

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1
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Forged in the olden times : and as I gaze
Up through the argent spray-mist and the leayes,
My spirit listens to the cascade's song :
Falling, falling,
Streaming, teeming,
I am the child of the sun and the snow.
Falling, falling,
Ocean is calling,
Boiling along to his bosom I go."

If the visitor be on foot, he will possibly find this journey
sufficient for one day ; but if he rides or drives, he may
continue it up to the summit of the hUl, whence a
splendid view is obtained, and return to town by the old
main road leading past the Junction Hotel. The excursion
up the Leith Valley to Nicholas Creek and Waterfall is a
very favourite one for pic-nic and fern hunting parties.
" Nowhere in New Zealand," it is said, " can so large a
representation of certain genera be found as on Mount
Cargill (which is not far from Nichol's Creek), there having
been collected there fourteen species of hymenophyllv/m ferns
out of fifteen known in the Colony, and thirteen species
of hookeria moss out of sixteen known in New Zealand."
(" Illustrated Guide to Dunedin and its Industries.")

DuNEDiN TO Blueskin. — This divides with the drive
round the Peninsula the honour of being the most delightful
excursion about Dunedin. Blueskin is a small township
some ten miles from Dunedin, and the drive to it and back
introduces the visitor to scenery almost as romantic as any
he has yet met with in this favoured country. Horses and
buggies may be obtained from any of the livery stables
at the usual rates — 10s. per day, saddle horse; 15s.
single buggy ; and 25s. double. The visitor will find com-
fortable quarters in Blueskin at Saratoga House.

Dunedin to Port Chalmers. — This trip will enable

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the visitor to inspect the harbour and shipping. He will
see here the largest dredge in the world, which was built for
removing the bar at the entrance to Port Chalmers, and
among the forests of masts the red funnels of the boats of
the Union Steam Ship Company, whose headquarters are in
Dunedin, and a number of whose boats is always at the
wharves, give colour and animation to the busy life of the
Port. (Hotels — Provincial and Port Chalmers.)

Dunedin to Portobello — ^This drive, about ten
miles, as well as the one to Blueskin, should on no account
be omitted. There are two roads — one over the crest of the
Peninsula Hills, and one round the edge of the Bay. The
best plan is to go by the former, and return by the latter.
On the high road the visitor will obtain glimpses of cliff
and wood and ocean scenery that will be a "joy for ever."
Before returning, the drive may be continued from Portobello
to the Maori Kaik, one of the few Maori settlements in
Orago. There are not many native residents, and their
educational wants are supplied by a school and church. The
road back to town skirts the Bay, and some of the
prettiest villas of Dunedin are to be seen along this route,
conspicuous amongst them being those of Mr. George Gray
Russell, and Mr. James Macandrew, M.H.R., a former
Superintendent of the Province of Otago ; while away on
the highest crest of the hill is " The Camp," the residence of
Mr. W. J. M. Lamach, M.H.R.

Dunedin to Ocean Beach, Tomahawk Bay, and the
Cliffs. — This is a shorter excursion. Taking the tram-car
to St. Kilda or St. Clair (fare, 3d.), the visitor reaches the
Ocean Beach. It is a wide sweep of sand, extending fiilly
a mile from the Cliffs to Lawyer's Head. Public Baths
are in course of erection at St. Clair, and the level field of
sand gives a splendid scope for a bracing gallop on horse-
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back. High u}) on the southern side is the picturesque
residence of Mr. E. B. Cargill, one of the sons of the
founder of Otago, and on the northern side is Lawyer's
Head, where it is proposed to erect a battery to protect
Dunedin from her enemies. Thei-e are at present two
guns in position, but — and may it be long so ! — the cobweb
is woven across the cannon's " throat," and " shakes its
threaded tears in the wind." A very pleasant day may be
spent at the Ocean Beach, exploring the adjoining cliffs and
caves, or wandering among the sand-hills, and listening to
the long low boom of the gi*eat Pacific rollers,

''Dashing downward on the sand,
With a stamp, with a rush, with a roar."

Dunedin to Mosgiel, Henley, and the Taieri
Mouth. — This journey is accomplishe 1 by train, and can be
done in one day, although it would be better to take two.
The visitor should go to Mosgiel (to which he can also
drive if he chooses), about 10 miles south of Dunedin, and
inspect the Mosgiel Woollen Factory. The goods manu-
factured are tweeds, shawls, rugs, flannels, blankets, hosiery,
and yams, all of excellent quality, and in great demand.
There are 300 hands employed by the Company at Mosgiel,
at the Kaikorai Mill (leased by the Company), and. at
Dunedin. Nearly 500,0001bs. of wool were used in 1882.
As many as ten million yards of woollen thread, or yam,
can be manufactured in a day. The Company was awarded
a gold medal at the Melbourne Exhibition, and narrowly
escaped carrying off the plate presented by the Emperor of
Germany for the most prosperous colonial industry. —
(Illustrated Guide to Dunedin and its Industries.). The
Factory is open for the inspection of visitors on Mondays,
but special permission to view it on other days can be

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obtained on application at the Company's offices, High
Street, Dunedin.

This excursion may be continued to Henley, Taieri
Beach, and Waihola Lake.

Taking the early morning train, 8 a.m., to Henley, a walk of
ten minutes brings the visitor to the hotel, from whence the steam
launch, Waiau, conveys parties down the river to the beach. The
Waiau runs regularly every Saturday during the summer
months, returning in time for the evening train to Dunedin. Steam-
boat fares, 3s. 6d. (return). The launch is also open for engage-
ment on other days — for a party not exceeding 20, £3 ; over that
number, 3s. each — starting and returning at any hour desired.
Telegrams or letters to Amos McKegg, Henley, will be punctually
attended to.

This excursion is strongly recommended ; for a day's
pic-nicking it is unsurpassed. The sail down the river to
the Ocean Beach is delightful, and the scenery is, in some
parts, of the most picturesque and romantic description. A
short way down, the Taieri River is joined by the stream
from the Waipori and Waihola — or more properly Waihora
Lakes, and soon after it enters a deep gorge, through which
no outlet on either side is visible The high overhanging
rocks are clothed with timber and fern, and the white
flowers of the convolvulus spread a light of laughing flowers
over the deep green foliage of the hills. At the end of this
gorge the launch shoots round a curve to the right, into
Humbug Reach, so called from the baffling winds that are
common here. Before the roads were made, all the supplies
from Dunedin for the interior were brought by sea to the
mouth of the Taieri River, and then up the river by boats.
The neighbourhood of this river, and of Waihora Lake,
were once the favourite haunts of the Maoris. To the latter
they were attracted by the immense number of eels which
it contained — hence its name — " Wai-ora," the living water.

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Many Maori legends are intertwined with the natural
scenery along the banks of the Taieri ; one of the best
known of these is that connect,ed with what is known as the
Maori's Leap. Mr. Stack, in his " Traditional History of
the South Island Maoris," thus narrates the tradition : —

A son of the chief, whose pah was close to the Waihora
Lake — Koroki Whiti — " made the acquaintance of Haki Te
Kura, the daughter of the chief whose pah stood at the
mouth of the Taieri. The maiden, unknown to her friends,
used to meet her lover on the sands when the tide was low."
These clandestine meetings were long continued, but by and
by the tribe to which Koroki belonged resolved to remove
further south. Korori of course accompanied his tribe.
As they were passing below her father's pah, " Haki Te
Kura, eager to join her lover, jumped off the cliff into the
water, but in doing so, either fell upon a rock, or upon the
edge of her lover's canoe, and was killed." Hence the
name ** The Maori's Leap."

DUNEDIN AND SUBURBS, ToWN BeLT AND FLAGSTAFF

Hill. — Dunedin and its Suburbs comprise nine Munici-
palities : — Dunedin City, Dunedin South, Caversham, St.
Kilda, Mornington, Roslyn, Maori Hill, North-east Valley,
and West Harbour. All these can be reached by the
tram-car service except West Harbour, which is accessible
by rail. The visitor should make the trip by the
cable- trams up High Street and Rattray Street. The
former conducts him to Mornington, one of the most
flourishing suburbs of Dunedin ; the latter to Roslyn, one
of the most picturesque. The visitor, if he chooses, may
continue this latter excursion on foot down the hill from where
the cars stop to Kaikorai, the seat of several manufactories ;
and, if he is not afraid of a climb, he may ascend Flagstaff
Hill about two miles on, from whence he will obtain a

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magnificent view of the surrounding country. One other
walk or drive yet remains — the Town Belt. This is a strip
of unoccupied land, about a quarter of a mile wide, which
runs right round the city. It is intended some day to lay
it out in gardens and walks. Meantime there is a road
constructed, and a pleasant hour or two may be spent in a
walk or drive round the Belt. There are also seats here
and there on the more picturesque points, and some very
charming views of the city and its surroundings are
obtainable. It was from a point on the Belt, somewhere
between Roslyn and Maori Hill, that the following
sketch of Dunedin and its surroundings by a well-
known colonial author was made : — '* Yonder rolled old
ocean, bluer than the sky it reflected, white-tipped here
and there with the feathery crests of waves, petulantly
foaming near the obstinate rocky islet that lay in by the
beach and was indifferent alike to storms and smiles ; and
yonder stood the fair high hills of the Peninsula, tinted and
beautified by the warm bright sunlight. Westward lay the
pretty villa - built townships of Melrose, Nevada, and
Roslyn, rendered picturesque by frequent patches of dark
green foliage ; and nearer, and all aroimd, fair Duriedin
City itself, with its manifold slender spires and myriad
bright-looking buildings — Knox Church here and First
Church over yonder, suggestive in their graceful delicate
architecture of fairy work rather than the labor of man.
Right below beamed Pelichet Bay, smooth and azure, with
tiny white-sailed crafts skimming its surface like birds.
North-east was Manuka Hill, clothed in dense luxuriance of
bush, and a little beyond, lo ! God's acre, with its narrow
green mounds and pale stone record. Further east the
picturesque, diminutive township of Opoho. Below that,
pretty North-east Valley. Nearer ran the Water of Leith

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musically over its pebbly bed, much hidden by bridges and
tall buildings, till it won away down by the Botanical
Gardens. Quite close stood forest-clad Pine Hill, and from
there the eye glanced instinctively over to Flag-staff, a
group of mountains about whose bleak and unresponsive
peaks amorous white clouds continually creep and cling and
nestle in misty adoration.*'

This fitly sums up Dunedin, and the visitor, having
spent as long a time as he wishes in " doing " this attractive
city, may then pursue his further journey.

The next stage for the tourist is Mount Cook, and the
lakes adjoining.

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CHAPTER VII.

DUNEDIN TO MOUNT COOK AND LAKES TEKAPO, PUKAKI,
AND OHAU,

Route . — By rail to Fairlie Creek, thence by coach or buggy :
or by steamboat to Timaru, rail Timaru to Fairlie Creek, thence by
coach or buggy.

To reach Mount Cook the visitor may either go by
one of the Union Steam Ship Company's boats to
Timaru and then take the train to Fairlie Creek, and
thence by horse as he may arrange; or he may go
right through by rail to Fairlie Creek and thence as
before. The latter alternative gives him the opportunity
of seeing the country and some of the more flourishing
towns of Otago and Canterbury. We shall give a
brief note or two on the points of interest along this
latter route. Starting by train from Dunedin, the visitor
leaves behind him Port Chalmers, and the line begins
gradually to ascend along the slopes of a densely-wooded
hiQ. As the ascent proceeds a grand view is obtained of
Port Chalmers and of the ocean. The train winds on and
up, now through a tunnel, now twisting round rocky out-
crops, and now along the edges of precipitous cliffs, at a
rate a little alarming sometimes to nervous people. As the
top of the ascent is gained the sight is of the most romantic
description. Hundreds of feet sheer down you see the deep
green ocean and hear the long swell and solemn boom of the
breakers leaping up against their rocky walls. The white
gulls " that wing the mid-way air show scarce so gross as

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beetles," and as the train creeps along the verge of the
precipice one feels like Edgar in " King Lear ": —

" ni look no more,
Lest my brain turn, and the deficient sight
Topple down headlong."

But the evident carefulness to avoid the possibility of an
accident is re-assuring, and we breathe freely as the iron
horse rushes down the incline and draws up at Waikouaiti.
Continuing the course, Goodwood, a favourite seaside
resort, is parsed and Palmerston is reached. Palmerston
used to be a busy place in the early goldfield days.
Coaches still run from here to Naseby and the Dunstan
diggings. Time is allowed here to get a cup of coffee, and
then the journey is resumed. The train proceeds psist Shag
Point, where there is an extensive coal mine, and on
through a rich tract of agricultural land, increasing in
fertility till, after a run of some two hours,

OAMARU

is gained. Unquestionably Oamaru, architecturally con-
sidered, is one of the handsomest towns in New Zealand.
This is largely owing to the peculiar character of its
building material. The stone used is almost white,
"containing 90*15 hundredth part of carbonate of lime,
and its colour has won for Oamaru the name of the * White
City.' It is said to be exactly similar to the limestone of
Malta, of which the town of Valetta is built." The supply
of this stone is practically unlimited and it is a large
element in the export trade of Oamaru. The town itself is
a place of some 6000 inhabitants who bear a reputation
for enterprise and industry ; an evidence of this is to be
seen not only in the fine buildings, but in the harbour
works, which are on the point of completion. The visitor,
if he has time, should spend a day or two in Oamaru ; he

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will find all the cab arrangements excellent, and hotel
accommodation equal to the requirements of the place — the
Star and Garter being the chief. He will be interested in
inspecting the breakwater, " 1850 feet long and enclosing a
basin of some 60 acres. It is built of Portland cement
concrete blocks of the sectional dimensions of 36 feet in
width and 32 feet in height, and weighing from 20 to 25
tons each ; these are capped with masses of solid concrete,
each section weighing from 150 to 200 tons."

The visitor will also find much else to interest him.
Oamaru is the centre of the wheat and flour industry, and
the mills of Messrs. J . and T. Meek are the largest in the
Colony. " The proprietors have recently built a very large
five or six storied grain elevator, 75 feet high, for the pur-
pose of dressing and grading the grain according to the
American system." The town possesses also a capital
athenaeum, a fine High School, a theatre, and the chief
denominations are well represented in churches, some of them
handsome and commodious structures. Oamaru is the outlet
for one of the richest agricultural districts of the Colony, the
celebrated holdings of Mr. John Reid of Elderslio, Mr.
Menlove of Windsor Park, and the Hon. Robert Campbell,
being in the neighbourhood.

Should the visitor decide not to stay at Oamaru he
can proceed on his journey. The train continues its way
northwards to Timaru. The line for a good part of the
way runs close to the sea shore, away back from which is a
great stretch of splendid agricultural land. For grazing
and wheat growing it is unsurpassed. A few miles beyond
Oamaru the line crosses the Waitaki River, which brings
its waters down from Mount Cook, and is the boundary
between the provinces of Otago and Canterbury. Like all
the snow-fed rivers its floods are in summer, and its bed is

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continually changing. A run of about two hours brings the
tourist to

TIMARU.

This is the point of divergence for Mount Oook.
Timaru is an important and flourishing town. Architec-
turally it is an entire contrast to Oamaru. It has quarries
of its own ; but the Timaru stone is a very dark blue, and
the town has a somewhat gloomy but very solid appearance.
It has a population of about 6000. Timaru hsis a great
future before it, inasmuch as it is the- outlet of a vast and
fertile agricultural district. To prepare for this, its
inhabitants, like those of Oamaru, are constructing a harbour
Heavy seas always run here, which makes it exceedingly
dangerous to vessels. One of the saddest shipwrecks in New
Zealand records occurred here not long since, when many
valuable lives were lost. The Timaru Harbour Board is
therefore constructing a breakwater, and has already ex-
pended <£! 30,000 on the undertaking. It is something after
the same style as the Oamaru one, and will also well repay a
visit. The buidings about Timaru, if not exactly hand-
some, are at any rate very substantial, and some of them
are of striking proportions. The New Zealand Loan and
Mercantile Agency Co. and the National Mortgage and
Agency Co. are well represented in this respect. The
public schools and the new High School are a credit to the
town. There are also an excellent athenseum, a theatre,
and churches representative of the various denominations.

The visitor would find much to interest him in and
around Timaru ; but if he desires to post on quickly he will
get a train at 4.30 p.m. that will take him to Fairlie Creek
that same evening. It is about 35 miles from Timaru to
Fairlie Creek. The scenery along the route is much the
same as that which has been left behind. There are the

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same wide reaches of agricultural land, and towards the
end of the journey the line runs along close to the shores of
the Opihi River. There is just one hotel at Fairlie Creek,
the accommodation at which is fairly good. Arrangements
must be made here with Messrs. Manaton and Burgess for
conveyance to the lakes and Mount Cook.

FAIRLIE CREEK TO LAKES TEKAPO, PUKAKI, AND OHAU,
AND FOOT OF MOUNT COOK.

Fairlie Creek to Lake Tekapo ... 26 miles

Lake Tekapo to Lake Pukaki ... 30 „

Lake Pukaki to Lake Ohau .. 20 „

Lake Tekapo to " Governor's Camp" 30 „

Excursions to Lakes Tekapo and Pukaki via Braemar, Mount
Cook, Birch Hill and Dart's Station, or vice versa^ take about four
days.

Saddle horses, Ts. 6d. per day ; single buggy, 12s. 6d. ; double
do., £1, or per week, 15s. per day.

If desired, Messrs. Manaton and Burpress will take charge of
parties, conducting them to and from Mount Cook. Visitors may
also go by mail coach, which runs bi-weekly to Lake Tekapo Hotel ;
saddle horses only, and of a limited number, may be obtained
here at 10s. per day.

Fairlie Creek to Lake Tekapo. — This is the first
stage of the journey towards Mount Cook. The road is
excellent and the drive or ride most enjoyable.

Five miles from Fairlie creek you psiss through
Silverstream, famous for its trout ; seven more and Burke's
Pass, a thriving looking township with a comfortable hotel,
is reached. A steep ascent of some 2500 feet is negotiated
and the rolling plains of the Mackenzie country meet the
eye. He who gives the name to all this vast tract, which
is scores of miles in extent, inherited much of the old
marauding spirit ; like Rob Roy he believed in

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...«.,." the good old rule,

. the simple plan,

That they should take who had the power
And they should keep who can."
-And so this New Zealand freebooter " stole sheep in all
•directions, and gradually accumulated large mobs which he
sold in other parts of the island."

As you proceed civilization falls into the rear ; there is

nothing to be seen now but the brown tussock and

innumerable clumps of sword grass. A quick spin along what

was once a lake bed, and then strange tiers of terraces, " the

most complete," says Mr Green, " that ever came under my

-observation," are passed. These terraces are characteristic

of New Zealand scenery and are met with again on the

south-west side of the Tasman river. "They owe their

•existence to two causes — changes of level brought about

by upheavals and depressions of the entire land area

alternately with periods of rest, which would account for

the phenomena in the river valleys by the consequent

increase or decrease in the rapidity and eroding capabilities

•of the torrents. The second cause, which is connected

with the first was the undoubted existence of large lakes at

the close of the great glacier period when water filled

wide areas that had been previously covered by the ice, and

formed the terraced moraines which remain to this day." —

(High Alps of New Zealand). Driving on past these and

rounding a hill, which turns out to be a moraine that dams

the waters back. Lake Tekapo suddenly bursts upon the

sight. The view of the lake from here is very pleasant ;

the horizon is ridged with snowy peaks amongst which, far

away on the right. Mount Sefton stands out prominent.

Mr. Green says " that the view of this giant peak was more

striking from this place than from any other spot in the

iow country from which we saw it. From this point of

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view it reminded us in form of the Dent Blanche whe»
seen from the direction of Mount Blanc." Crossing a
splendid suspension bridge which spans the Tekapo river,
the visitor draws up at Mr. MacMillan's hotel on the shores
of the lake. Although so far away from many of the con^
veniences of cities, the traveller will find Lake Tekapo
hotel both comfortable and commodious. Mr. and Mrs.
MacMillan study the wants and wishes of their guests, and
leave nothing undone to make their stay enjoyable.

The Attractions of this Region. — The three lakes,
Tekapo, Pukaki and Ohau form the northern group of the
South Island Lakes. They do not possess in themselves,
the attractions of those of Otago ; they have not the
rugged, romantic beauties of Wakatipu or Wanaka. Lake
Tekapo, which the visitor first reaches, is perhaps the least
attractive of this group. It lies 2468 feet above sea level,
and is 15 miles long and about three broad. Its waters,
like those of Pukaki, have a dirty greenish hue, which con-
trasts unfavourably with the lakes of the Otago group, and
yet, seen on a clear day, when the mountains mirror
themselves in the lake, the sight is not easily forgotten.
The ridges round Tekapo are not very imposing, being
comparatively low and covered with common brown grass ;
but towards the west they increase in height, and away in
the far horizon the white summits of the Southern Alps
lend grandeur to the scene.

Mount Cook is not visible from Lake Tekapo Hotel,
but close by there is a detached hill — Mount John — which,
if the visitor climbs, he will have a splendid view.

On the south-western side of Tekapo, and about 12
miles from the hotel, there is another lake of much smaller
proportions and connected with Tekapo, called Lake
Alexandrina. Pukaki lake is fed by rivers from the Grodly

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and Cass Glaciers, the latter about 20 miles from the head
of the lake. Dr. Hochstetter calls the former the Mer de
Glace of New Zealand, and the view from its middle
moraine Dr. Haast describes as " equal to the grandest
scenery he ever beheld in the Alps." Red snow is said to
be a very frequent occurrence in these snow-fields

Lake Pukaki is 30 miled from Tekapo. There is a good
road nearly all the way. The Lake measures 10 miles in
length and about four in breadth. In its general features
it is much the same as Tekapo, but in many respects it
resembles Wanaka. Like Tekapo, its waters have the
same dirty, greenish tinge ; but the mountains, especially
on its southern and western side, are far grander and more
imposing. There is an accommodation house, kept by Mr.
Wm. Low, at the outlet of the lake, and visitors will find
the accommodation as good as could be expected, and Mr.
Low, a well-informed and obliging host. From here,
if the day is clear, there is a splendid view of Mount Cook.
On one side of the lake runs the Mary Range, and on the
other the Ben Ohau, the latter high and crested with snow,
while between them, and blocking up the head of the lake,
the Southern Alps, culminating in Mount Cook, loom up in
all their white, glittering grandeur. Seen in the clear,
early morning, when the sun is rising and gilding it with
his rosy light, it is exquisitely beautiful But it is even
more so when the setting sun touches it with his departing
glories. " It looks like an enormous intensely-illuminated
crimson flower held up in nature's white fingers for the
sun's dying blessing ; while the sky overhead wears a soft
violet hue, blendins: away towards the zenith, by the most
delicate gradations, into zones of orange red and primrose
yellow."

The head of the lake is a swamp formed by the waters

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of the Tasman River, which flows into it. At the lower
end of the lake, and not far from its outlet into the Pukaki
River, stands an island, the only one in any of these lakes,
partly wooded, and some 60 acres in extent.

The Ben Ohau Lake is 20 miles further on, and there
is a fairly good road to it. This lake, in itself, is the most
attractive of the three. It is smaller in extent, being about
12 miles long hy 2^ broad, and its waters clearer and purer.
It is partly surrounded by bush, of which there is none
about Tekapo or Pukaki, and the scenery up the valley of
the Dobson River is very fine indeed. The glaciers here,
however, are very much smaller, which accounts for the
purity of the waters of Ohau. There is no accommodation-
house at Ohau, but it can be easily reached from Pukaki
Hotel in a day. On an open glade near the top of the lake is
Mr. Stronach's station, where, doubtless, visitors would find
lodging for the night. The road up from Lake Wanaka, by
the Lindis Pass, comes out at Ohau.

Lakes Tekapo and Pukaki have been formed and are
chiefly fed by the Godly and Tasman Glaciers respectively,
and it is evident that at no very remote date these glaciers
extended close down to the lakes. The rivers which now bear
the names of the glaciers spring direct from them full-grown.
" They have no childhood or youth, no struggle for existence.
They are bom with the full vigour of manhood and at once
proceed in a bee-line to their destination, defying every
obstacle. The whole course of the Tasman River, from the
glaciers to Lake Pukaki, a distance of 22 miles, is perfectly
straight, and there is only one slight bend in the Godly,
which is much the same in length. These rivers are
divided into numerous channels, looped and interlaced in an
extraordinary manner. Seen from the neighbouring heights
they resemble those curiously reticulated pieces of organic

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fibre we sometimes see under a microscope." — ("Cold Lakes
of New Zealand." W. N. Blair, O.E.)

The Tekapo, Pukaki, and Ohau lakes are drained by
rivers bearing respectively the same names as the lakes.
They flow out in a swift, deep current ;
" Now with a clear rush on, and now recoiling again,
To whirl rcand the barriers huge each has hammered for ages in vain,
Only denting deep holes in their ribs and chafing itself into foam,
Then whirling away to the bank to bite at the softer loam." .
A few miles down they unite together and form the
Waitaki, a river five times as large as the Thames.

Of course the one great attraction of this region is

MOUNT COOK.

The visitor is here face to face with the grandest peaks in
that great range to which Captain Cook gave the name of
the Southern Alps. For extent and height this range is
unequalled outside the regions of Polar snow. From the
Rangitata to the Waitaki rivers there stretches an unbroken
chain of nearly 100 miles, " possessing no col or pass free
from eternal snow and ice." And not only in extent but
in height does this chain stand alone in the glory that
excelleth. Some of the individual glaciers are of enormous
size. The Tasman Range is 18 miles long by three broad,
being thus larger than any in the Northern Alps, and
surpassed only by the union of the glaciers in the Mustagh
Range of the Himalaya Mountains. — (Green. " High
Alps of New Zealand.")

It is absolutely impossible to convey by description
any adequate idea of the grandeur of these snow-clad
ranges, and of Mount Cook, their monarch.

Our forefathers used to regard high mountains with
dread and terror. In their imagination they were associated
with sounds and shapes of eviL But '* the thoughts of men
are widened with the process of the suns," and now we

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100

witnessed two years ago an English clergyman, with two com-
panions, voyaging over 12,000 miles of ocean to scale Mount
Cook. Similarly as indicating the change that has come
over the spirit of man, Mr. Ruskin, in his "Modem Painters,"
undertakes to demonstrate " that the slope of a great Alp is
the best image that the world can fgive of Paradise, and
that, so far from its suggesting dread or Death, it is the
sublimest Revelation of the Giver of Life. "Watch at
evening," says he, "as the east becomes purple, and the
heaving mountains, rolling against it in darkness like waves
of a wild sea, are drowned one by one in the glory of its
burning; watch the white glaciers blaze in their winding
paths about the mountains, like mighty serpents with
scales of fire ; watch the column or peaks of solitary snow,
kindling downwards, chasm by chasm, each in itself a new
morning, their long avalanches cast down in keen streams,
brighter than the lightning, sending each his tribute of
driven snow like altar smoke up to heaven ; the rose light
of their silent domes flushing that heaven about them and
above them, piercing with purer light through its purple
lines of lifted clouds, casting a new glory on every wreath
as it passes by, until the whole heaven, one scarlet canopy,
is interwoven with a roof of waving fiame, and tossing,
vault beyond vault, with the drifted wings of many com-
panies of angels ; and then, when you can look no more ,
for gladness, and when you are bowed down with fear and
love of the Maker and Doer of this, tell me who has best
delivered His message unto men.** We quote this fragment
because Ruskin is perhaps the only man that one much
cares to heed when the higher scenes of nature are to be
interpreted, and also because those who visit Mount Cook
will verify it all to the very letter, as well as much else
beside.

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101

We mention only one other point of interest, viz.,
ihe Geological attractions of Mount Cook. As the visitor
drives along from Burke's Pass to Lake Tekapo and
Pukaki he v^rould have abundant evidence in support of
Professor Von Haast's contention that the whole of the
Mackenzie Country was omce the bed of a huge glacier ;
-and up among the peaks and glaciers of Mount Cook he
will see still going on the process by which the country
was formed. ** There is established one of nature's
grandest workshops, a regular succession of machines,
^rost, sunshine, torrent,, avalanche, and glacier, are
incessantly at work converting the raw material extracted
from the clouds and quarried from the mountain's scarfs
into the floods that swell the Waitaki and the shingle and
•soil that make the Canterbury Plains. * The mills of the
:^ods grind slowly' is not true of the factory in Mount
"Cook, for the operations are carried on with an activity
.and a clamour unattainable by human agency." — (" Cold
Xakes of New Zealand," by W. N. Blair, C.E.)

ExcuESiON TO Mount Cook. — We do not propose to
give directions as to the ascent of any of the glaciers, only
to indicate how the foot of the glacier may be approached.
The great difficulty in the way is the Tasman Eiver. The
visitor must ascertain (which he can do at Tekapo Hotel)
whether or not the river is fordable. If it is not, then he
must go round by Lake Pukaki, keeping the west side of
the lake, past Mr. Dart's station, in order to get near the
glacier ; but if it be fordable, then he may follow the
•ordinary way. The usual route is to go to what is called
-** Governor's Camp," so called because one of the
.governors of New Zealand once pitched his tent there.
This is a distance of some 30 miles, and can be reached
•either by horse or buggy. Unfortunately there is at

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preeent no hotel in this regioD, and the traveller has to*
trust to the hospitality of the station holders on the route*
We understand, however, that the Government is contem-^
plating building a small house here for the accommodation
of travellers. Leaving Lake Tekapo Hotel, the road some
three miles on branches off to, the right. This course i*
followed, and passing Balmoral Station on the left yoo-
drive through rolling downs till you reach the last high
ridge, below which the Tasman valley spreads out before^
you. In this valley is Braemar Station, and some ten
miles further up and just across the Jollie Eiver is Mount
Cook Station. From here the visitor can be directed to-
the easiest fords of the Tasman, on the further side of which
is Birch Hill Station, the last human habitation in the
neighbourhood of Mount Cook. After passing Balmoral,.
Mount Cook is visible for the remainder of the way, ancfe
as the tourist proceeds peak after peak lengthens out-
its solemn glories before the gazer's eye. But Mount-
CJook toWers above them all in high and awful grandeur^
and one feels that the Maoris were right when they namedi
it Ao-rangi, the ** Cloud Piercer.*'

In this region one feels indeed in presence of
" The palaces of nature, whose vast walls

Have pinnacled in snow their snowy scalps

And throned eternity in icy halls

Of cold sublimity, where forms and falls

The avalanche — the thunderbolt of snow.

All that expands the spirit, yet appals, •

Gather round their summits, as if to show

How earth may pierce to heaven yet leave vain man below." "

It was from Birch Hill Station that Mr. Green started
to make his ascent of the great Tasman Glacier and Mount
Cook, and last year Dr. Yon Lendenfield and his wife,,
with three porters, made the ascent of the Hochstettec^

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103

Dome, 600 feet above the Tasman Glacier and 11,500 above-
the sea.

If the visitor does Dot wish to try the climbing he may
either return back as he came or continue his course down
the south-western side of the Pukaki Lake. About half
way down he will reach Mr. Dart's station, and by climbing
the peak behind (8700) he will get a magnificent view of
Mount Sef ton and Mount Cook. At the lower end of the
lake, about 15 miles on, he will reach the Pukaki Hotel,,
from whence he may either return to Tekapo, or go on to-
explore Lake Ohau.

Possibly the most satisfactory method of making this-
excursion is to form a party, take a tent, provisions, &0.,.
and camp here and there along the course. This gives-
ample time to explore as the visitor feels inclined, and he
in a measure is prepared for, changes of weather, and escapes^
the possibility of being benighted on the road.

Having " done " Mount Cook, or as muqh of it as he
cares for, the visitor returns to Timaru and continues his..
journey to Christchurch.

TiMABU TO Christchurch. — Two trains in the day
run from Timaru to Christchurch. The line passes through
Temuka, a flourishing township, then Winchester, four
miles westward of which the pretty little village of
Geraldine is seen. Beyond Orari, the train slows a little as-
it crosses the long bridge that spans the treacherous Rangi;-
tata» River. A run of less than an hour and a-half brings
the train to

ASHBURTON.

This is one of the largest and most flourishing of the-
inland towns of Canterbury. In its early days — it is not
much more than a dozen years old — it used to be a most
impleasant spot, being swept by the hot nor'- westers, whose

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^rching winds scorch the Canterbury Plains. It is now-
finding shelter, however, among the trees which have been
planted around it, and bids fair to become an important
•<^ntre of business. There are already several factories — a
woollen, and a butter and cheese factory being among the
principal. It is the centre of a large and fertile agricultural
^district, and is rapidly growing in population and wealth.
Being about half-way between Christchurch and Timaru,
the train stops for about ten minutes, and refreshments
may be obtained at the station. Leaving Ashburton, the
aspect of the country does not improve. A short distance
-on and the train crosses the Ilakaia, one of the five
snow rivers of New Zealand, the other four being the
Clutha, the Waitaki (which divides Canterbury from
Otago), the Rangitata, and the Waimakariri. Beyond the
Bakaia the country is shingly and the soil light and thin ;
but closer in towards the hills, or towards the sea shore on
iihe right, it is fertile and rich.

Far away in the horizon, to the west, is seen the long
-chain of the Southern Alps, many of the peaks covered with
^snow and looking smooth and soft in the light blue haze.
About an hour's run beyond the Bakaia, Burnham is
reached. Here is situated the Industrial School for the
Province of Canterbury, and in a few minutes more the
train is at

ROLLESTON JUNCTION.

If the visitor wishes to go to the West Coast by^the
Otira Gorge before going to Christchurch, he must stop here
over night, and take the train in the morning to Spring-
field. It will probably be the better course, however, to go
•on to Christchurch and see it first, and a short hour's run
brings him there.

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CHAPTER VIII.

CHRISTCHURCH.

HOT£LS. — Coker's, Royal, Terminus, Warner's Commercial,
Clarendon, Oxford, Queen's, White Hart, Richardson's Empire.

Clubs. — Christchurch, Canterbury (both resident and open to
^sitors on being introduced by a member.)

Public Buildings. — Post and Telegraph Offices, Provincial
Buildings, Museum, Christ's College, Canterbury College, Girls' and
Boys' High Schools, Normal School, Hospital, Asylum (Sunnyside),
Cathedral.

Places op Amusement. — Theatre Royal, Gaiety, New Public
Hall, Tuam Street ; Masonic and Oddfellows' Halls.

Walks, Dbives, &c., in or close to the town. — ^Botanic
Gardens, Agricultural College (Lincoln, 13 miles by train) ; Sumner^
New Brighton, Port Lyttelton ; also boating on the Avon (boats at
*he various boat sheds. Is. per hour).

Tn December (the New Zealand midsummer), of the
year 1850, a company of immigrants might have been seen
disembarking from a vessel in what is now Poi*i Lyttelton,
and climbing the rampart of hills that surrounds the Port.
These were the first arrivals of what are now known in
history as the *' Canterbury Pilgrims." They had come
from afar, to make for themselves a new home. As they
stood upon the summit of the Port hills, and looked down
upon the land of which they had heard so much, some of
them were a little disappointed. There was nothing to be
seen save a vast expanse of plain. Scarcely a tree or
shrub, and not even a hillock of any dimensions relieved
the monotony of the prospect. • Nothing met the eye save
Jong level reaches of country, covered with brown tussock

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and dotted here and there with clumps of native flax an(fi
cabbage trees. Flanking the far horizon, and folded in a.
soft purple haze slept the Southern Alps, while over all, that
fleckless, pellucid blue sky that still wins the wonder of the
visitor to Canterbury, dreamed the silent hours away.

A little more than thirty years have passed, and to one-
who now stands on the same spot, and looks out over the-
same prospect, a very different scene presents itself. Where-
once were nothing but unoccupied plains, brown tussocks^
and silence, there are now to be seen smiling homesteads,.-
smoking factories, and busy and tumultuous life. And as the
centre and outlet of it all stands Christchurch, the City of the-
Plains. Canterbury was originally intended as a settlement-
of the Church of England, and its inhabitants being almost
entirely English, it acquired the reputation of a certain*
aristocratic exclusiveness. Mr. Cox, in his " Recollections,'*
tells a very good story of Edward Jerningham Wakefield, one-
of the founders of the Canterbury Settlement. In reply to
the question put to him by an Australian recently arrived as-
to the class of colonists to be encountered in Canterbury, he
said : " I perceive, sir, by your question, you are a stranger^
Understand then, that the great and obvious distinction
between the population of Canterbury and of the other-
provinces of New Zealand is, that Canterbury is peopled by^
repi*esentatives of every class and section of English society,,
from the peer to the peasant, while Ihe population of the other
provinces is neither more nor less than a struggling, straggling
mob — an undistinguished herd, made up of mere men and
women." Whether or not this was the case in early times,
it can scarcely be very true now. As in Otago, so in
Canterbury, the original design has not been fully carried
out, and perhaps the most prominent evidence of that
design now, is to be found not so much in the people as vel

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"the institutions founded in early times. Christchurch is
the chief seat of the Church of England in New Zealand,
It has a magnificent cathedral, and the original design of
the founders of the Province is still evident, amongst other
things, in the names given to the streets. These diverge
from the cathedral as a centre, and are named after the
principal sees in the United Kingdom, such as Durham
^Street, Lichfield Street, &c.

Christchurch is not by any means a picturesque town.
There is no place near where one can get a view. The
visitor feels shut in, and the long level streets tend to
produce a feeling of weariness and monotony. But it is a
-growing and prosperous town. It is the outlet for the
Agricultural produce of the Canterbury plains ; and on
^turday, which is the market day, the streets are crowded
with farmers and their wives.

Its annual Agricultural and Pastoral Exhibition is
:among the finest in the Southern Hemisphere, and on the
occasion of the last exhibition, as many as 20,000 people
visited the grounds in one day.

The population of the city proper is about 15,000, and
if the suburbs be added, it brings it up to over 30,000.

Christchurch itself does not present as many attractions
AS Dunedin to the visitor. Its public buildings are not 'so
fine, and its situation does not admit of the variety of
charming views of which the southern city can boast.

We shall indicate the more important of the places of
interest in and around Christchurch.

The Museum and Botanic Gardens, Haoley Park,
Ohrist's College, Canterbury College, <fec. — These are
in the east end of the City, and are all close together. The
^rdens are beautifully laid out and well kept, and with,
perhaps the exception of Auckland, are the finest in New-
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108

Zealand. Adjoining the gardens is Hagley Park, a favourite^
place of resort. The Acclimatisation Society^s grounds are
located here, and also the grounds of the premier cricket
clubs.

The Museum owes its origin to William Sefton Moor-^
house, one of the former Superintendents of the Province,
and its excellence to Dr. Von Haast, whose name in.
connection with the geology and exploration of Kew Zealand,,
is a household word. It is unequalled in the Australasian
Colonies, and contains one of the most complete collections-
of Moas to be seen anywhere. Visitors should not fail to
inspect the Canterbury Museum.

Close to the Museum stands the Christchurch College
(a Church of England Institution), Canterbury College;
also the Girls' and Boys' High Schools.

Boating on the Avon. — The Avon is a stream flow-
ing down past the gardens and through the town, and one
of the most pleasant attractions of Christchurch is a sail on
this river. It is a most delightful way of spending a few
hours. The Avon is lined with willows, and to float down
the stream past gardens and villas, under rustic bridges, and
leafy branches of over-arching trees, is an experience not
easily forgotten. Christchurch may be pardoned its pride
of tlie Avon.

The PROviNCiAii Buildings and Cathedral. — The
former of these are close to the Avon. It was here that
the Local Parliament used to meet before the abolition of
the Provinces.

The Cathedral stands in the centre of the city, and is
a very noble building. It is said to be an exact copy of the
one in Caen, Normandy, and is certainly one of the finest in
the Southern Hemisphere. It has already cost over £40,000,
and is not completed yet. Services are held in. it daily, and

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:^

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109

fix)m its spire which is 200 feet high, there is a magnificent
view. Visitors are admitted to the tower from 10 a.m. to-
5 p.m., on payment of Is, and if they wish to have the best
view not only of Christchurch, but of the surrounding
country, this is the place from which to obtain it.

Christchurch to Sumner and New Brighton. —
New Brighton is one of the seaside resorts of Christchurch.
It is reached by coach twice daily. Sumner is also another
of the seaside resorts patronized by the Christchurch people.
It is a pretty little place — more interesting and picturesque
than the other. Here is located the Deaf and Dumb
Institution, the only one of its kind in the colonies ; and
near the village is a cave where Dr. Von Haast discovered
a large quantity of Moa remains. There is a good hotel
and bathing accommodation at Sumner. It is reached by
tram and coach; fare, 2s.

Christchurch to Kaiapoi. — Kaiapoi is reached by
train, and is about an hour's run from Christchurch. It is
one of those towns that has a past rather than a future ;
once a flourishing place, the railway came and now most of
its trade and commerce has been carried away to
Christchurch. It stands in the midst of a splendid agri-
cultural country, but is chiefly interesting to the visitor on
account of its Maori history and traditions. Kaiapoi is
closely associated with the history of the South Island
Maoris. It still contains a large Maori population, and
visitors may see there the remains of one of the strongest
pahs in New Zealand. Kaiapoi was the scene of one oi the
most ferocious massacres in Maori history. Te Rauparaha,
a chief of one of the Northern tribes, after conquering and
killing the greater portion of the Maori tribes in the
"Wellington districts, shaped his course southward. Crossing^
over to the Middle Island, he swept down upon Kaiapoi^

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^hich, after a protracted seige, he captured. Then followed
a scene of unparalleled horror and savagery. The conquerors

•cooked and ate their victims, and for weeks roasting and
revelry went on. The extent of this feast may be judged
from the fact, that very recently cart loads of bones were
gathered up around the pah, and even yet a diligent
investigator may pick up not a few i^elics of that dreadful
time. Some old Maoris who escaped the massacre are said
to be still living at Kaiapoi, and the visitor may spend a
few hours very pleasantly in exploring the town and neigh-
bourhood. He should specially make a point of visiting
the Kaiapoi Woollen Factory, a kindred industry to that at
Mosgiel. A large number of hands are employed, and the

. goods manufactured have obtained a high reputation. And
this reputation is not confined to the Colony only, for
recently a firm in Scotland sent out a large order for
Kaiapoi tweeds and flannels.

Christchurch to Agricultural College (Lincoln)
AND Lyttelton. — ^The visitor should go out and inspect the
Agricultural College at Lincoln. Lincoln is a small town-

iship about 13 miles south of Christchurch and is reached
by train. Close by stands the Agricultural College, which
is intended to give to those who wish to become farmers a
thorough knowledge of the art and science of agriculture.
There are lectures on agriculture, chemistry, botany and

- Zoology, mathematics, physics, veterinary science, physical
geogi-aphy, meteorology, <fec. A farm of 600 acres in extent
is attached to the College^ and the buildings are of the
.most complete and substantial kind. The College was
opened in 1880, and a considerable number of studentR are
^availing themselves of the opportunities offered.

Lyttelton is the Port of Christchurch, standing in the
• same relation to it that Port Chalmers does to Dunedin.

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lyttSBpo]

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HARBOUR. Engraved by Wilsons <fc Horton, Auckland,

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Taking train to Port the visitor will have an opportunity
of seeing, not only some of the prettier of the Christchurch
suburbs, but also the tunnel. This tunnel is a triumph of
perseverance and architectural skill. It is due very largely
to the pluck and prescience of the late Mr. Moorhouse.
There was no way of reaching Lyttelton except over the
hills, which was a long and difficult road. Ab Canterbury
grew, and its produce poured into Christchurch, some more
expeditious way must be found to get it to the sea. Mr.
Moorhouse brought forward the plasji of forming a tunnel
through the hill. The plan was opposed as utterly
impracticable, and as far too big an undertaking for the
young province. But Mr. Moorhouse continued to press
the scheme in season and out of season, and at length
succeeded in obtaining the necessary authority to enable
him to proceed with it. Mr. Edward Dobson was the
engineer. The total length of the tunnel "is in round
numbers 2,870 yards, and the cost, according to the ieontract,
was £1 95,000." The Port of Lyttelton is one of the best in
the Colony. It is formed by two breakwaters — Naval Point,
or western breakwater, 1,400 feet long ; and Officers* Point,
2,010 feet long. These breakwaters enclose an area of about
100 acres, with an average depth of 23 feet of water at low tide.
Vessels of 2,700 tons can be safely berthed at the wharves,
and the graving dock is capable of receiviog a first-class
ironclad. Like Port Chalmers, Lyttelton occupies a very
picturesque position, and a few hours may be very pleasantly
spent in inspecting the harbour or climbing the hills behind
the town, from whence a magnificent view is obtained, not
only of the harbour, but of the whole wide plateau of the
Canterbury Plains. — (Hotel, Grantham's).

Christchurch to Hanmer Springs. — Route : by
train to Waikari, thence by coach or buggy. The Hanmer

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Springs are very much the same as those in the North
Island. They are hot and sulphurous, and possess curative
properties similar to those at Rotorua. It is only recently,
however, that they have become known, there being no
good means of communication with them. The railway,
however, brings them now within an easy day's journey of
Christchurch. The Government has built baths, and there
is very good hotel accommodation. There are ten springs
in all, ranging in fcerapeVature from 90 to 120 degrees, and
they are likely to become a favourite place of resort,
especially for those suffering from rheumatism and nervous
complaint's. If the visitor has a day or two to spare, and
does not intend going to Kotorua and Rotomahana, he
ought certainly to visit the Hanmer Springs.

Christchurch to Akaroa via Pigeon Bay or via
BiRDLiNGS Flat and Little River. — There is one other
place that the visitor should not fSsiil to see — Akaroa. This
may be reached by three routes ; by the U.S. 8. Company's
steamers which call r^^ularly at Akaroa : by steamer
from Lyttelton every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday to
Pigeon Bay, thence by coach over the hills to Akaroa ; or
visitors may take the train from Christchurch to Birdlings
Flat, and coach from there. We should recommend them to
go via Pigeon Bay and return by Little River and Birdlings
or vice verad. This will give opportunity for seeing the Flat,
magnificent scenery between Pigeon Bay and Akaroa which
is equal to any in New Zealand. Akaroa itself, com-
mercially, is not of much importance, but as a place of
retreat from the huiTy and stir of Ufe it is unequalled. Its
situation is very picturesque, nestling at the foot of high
green hills covered with ferns, and grass, and gardens, and
its summer heat is cooled to a delicious temperature by the
sea breezes that fan it firom the bay. Akaix>a is interesting

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too, from its historical associations. It was founded
originally as a French colony, and with a design very
similar to that which France is now seeking to carry out in
regard to some of the other Islands in the Pacific. The
story of how the design was frustrated is worth telling and
remembenng as an instance of British cleverness and
foresight. A certain Captain L'Anglois, an adventurous
whaler, had visited New Zealand some time before the
first English representative had taken up his residence
there. He was especially charmed with Akaroa. He
purchased a latge estate from the natives, and went home
to organize a company of colonists. He received the
encouragement of the French Ctovemment, which lent him
an old ship of war, under the command of Commodore
Lavaud, to protect the colonists on their arrival. Lavaud
was to precede the colonists and have everything ready for
them when they came. On the 17th of August, 1840, after a
voyage of some five months, L'Anglois and his colonists
cast anchor in Akai*oa Bay, and slept that night where the
'^ Akaroa Mail '* office now stands. ** A strange circum-
stance had been noticed by the new arrivals in coming up
the harbour. When their vessel — ^the Comte de Paris — ^was
towed past Green's Point, near where Mr. W. B. Tosswill's
residence now stands, all on board saw a small group of
men surrounding a flagstaff from which flew gaily in the
morning breeze the Union Jack of old England. Such a
sight naturally surprised and disturbed the new comers,
but they were told it meant nothing; it was merely
a piece of vain glory on the part of two or three
Englishmen who happened to be whaling in the vicinity.
But the real facts of the case were different. It appears
that Commodore Lavaud, on his way out, had touched at
Auckland, and that while his vessel was lying in the calm

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waters of the Waitemata, Captain Hobson, who then
represented British interests in the North (though New
Zealand had not yet been made an English colony), enter-
tained him right royally. In an nngnaixled moment the
Commodore let out the secret of his mission and spoke
with injudicious rapture of the beauty of Akaroa Harbour
and of the fertility of the adjoining country. Hobson was
a man of foresight and of action. He saw that New
Zealand had a great future before it, and was anxious that
when it was made a jewel of the British Crown it should be
without a flaw. And so, while these gay Frenchmen were
making merry ashore, Hobson secretly despatched a small
brig of war — the Britomart — ^with orders to make its way
to Akaroa, and, if possible, hoist the English flag there
before the French arrived." The stratafgem succeeded, and
when Lavaud leisurely made his way to Akaroa he found
that he was just a little late. The very day before, the
country had been claimed for the British Crown, and when
L Anglois and his colonists arrived they saw the Union Jack
floating on the hill above them. (" Stories of Banks
Peninsula." Edited by H. C. Jacobson.) Thus Akaroa,
and indeed one may say New Zealand itself, were preserved
to England. The visitor to Akaroa will be well rewarded
for his trouble. The scenery from Pigeon Bay is of the
most charming and diversified kind, and the little village
itself, with its fruitful orchards and vine clad houses, is a
delightful retreat. There is good hotel accommodation —
Grange's Hotel, WagstaflTs, and the Criterion being the
principal.

This completes the more important of the places of
interest in and around Christchurch.

There are two other places the tourist ought to visit
before he says farewell to the South or Middle Island.

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One of these is Nelson^ the capital of the provincial
district of that name ; the other is the West Coast of the
island, the overland route to which is through scenery
unsurpassed for its grandeur and romantic picturesqueness.
The latter of these we shall now proceed to describe.

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CHAPTER IX.

CHRISTCHUBCH TO OTIRA GORGE, ROLLESTON GLACIERS, WEST
COAST ROAD, AND HOKITIKA.

Route. — Train to Springfield: thence by coach to Hokitika.
Coach leaves Springfield Hotel, Tuesdays and Fridays, on arrival of
8.10 a.m. train from Christcharch, returning from Hokitika every
Tuesday and Friday.

Fare — Single, £4 lOs. ; return (available one month), £7.
Bxcursion tickets at reduced fares are usually issued during the
summer months.

Passengers should book early at Cobb and Co.'s office, in
Christchurch, and, if possible, secure a box seat, and so be enabled
to see the scenery to best advantage.

The coach leaves Springfield at 12 noon, and reaches Hokitika
the next evening, between 5 and 6 o'clock.

The scenery along the route of this excursion is not
only one of the sights of New Zealand, it is one of the sights
of the world. Mr. Archibald Forbes, in an article in a
recent issue of The English Uluatrated Magazine, speaks in
glowing terms of the scenery of this journey. He says —
'^Between the inhabited portions of the two provinces
(Canterbury and Westland), there stretches a lofty range of
rugged precipitous mountains, with snow- covered summits and
glacier-clad sides. Through the ravines of these there has been
made a road, compared with which in dizzy boldness of
engineering and road-making, those of which I have had
experience — whether in the Alps, the Carpathians, the
Balkans, or the Himalayas, are tame and prosaic."

The Otira Gorge and the West Coast Road present
views entirely different from anything the visitor has yet

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seen, or can aee in New Zealand, and we should strongly
urge him not to leave the country without seeing the wonders
of this excursion.

He takes the train to Springfield at 8.10 a.ni., changes
at Rolleston, and after a run of some three hours, Springfield
hotel is reached. Time is allowed for dinner, and the coach
starts and proceeds to what is called the Bealey, the first
stage of the journey, that same evening.

SPKINOFIELn TO THE BEALET.

Nothing very striking is met with till Porter's Pass,
so called after a surveyor of that name, is reached. Here is
the first marvel of the way. The road is cut out of the
rocky mountain side, round which it winds, up and up till
the top is gained. On the top of the hill the visitor may
note with interest the highest telegraph post in the Colony,
standing over 3000 feet above sea level. Descending the
hill on the other side. Lake Linden on the left, and some
miles further Lake Pearson on the right, are passed. The
visitor will be struck with the peculiar appearance of these
mountain tops around him. They stand some 7000 feet
high, some of them crested with snow, but nearly all of
them covered with crumbling and sliding shale. The same
features were noticeable in the Takitimos Mountains, beside
Manapouri, and also on the road from Cromwell to Clyde,
but these here are especially remarkable, and have rather a
depressing influence upon the mind They recall Ruskin*s
remarks in his '^ Modern Painters,'' regarding some of the
inferior ridges of the Alps : ** There are some spots," says
he, ** such as the Col de Ferret, and the Col d'Anteme,
which, though commanding prospects of great nobleness, are
yery nearly types of all that is most painful to the human
mind. Yast wastes of mountain ground, breaking contin-
ually into black hm^s of shattered slate, all glistening and

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sodden with slow trickliiu^ of clogged incapable streams,
the snow water oozing through them in a cold sweat, and
spreading itself in creeping stains above their dust. Ever
and anon a shaking here and there, and a handful or two of
their particles or flakes trembling down, one sees not why,
into more total dissolution, leaving a few jagged teeth like
the edges of knives eaten away by vinegar, projecting through
the half-dislodged mass from the rock, keen enough to
cut the hand or foot that rests on them, yet crumbling as
they wound, and soon sinking again into the smooth, slippery,
glutinous heap, looking like a beach of black scales of dead
fish cast ashore from a poisonous sea, and sloping away into
foul ravines, branched down immeasurable slopes of barren-
ness, where the winds howl and wander continually, and the
snow lies in wasted and sorrowful fields."

The Bealey is reached about 6 p.m., and here at the
" Glacier Hotel " the tourist stops for the night. He will find
excellent lodgings, and Mr. O'Malley the most obliging
of hosts. If he has time he should stay for a day or two here,
and visit the Rolleston Glaciers. These are at the source of
the Waimakariri, and about fourteen miles distant from the
hotel

The road to the glaciers lies for a good distance up the bed
of the river, which has frequently to be crossed, and then there
is a good bridle track right up to within less than two miles of
the ice fields. The Melbourne Correspondent of the London
Globe who recently visited them, thus describes them : " As
you ride up in some places, the mountains rise sheer above
you, and you can gaze sheer down a thousand feet or more
into the torrent below. To the right above you lies one
glacier of pure blue ice, as pure as that in the Bosenlain
Glacier, but this is supported from falling by three huge
tower-like projections of rock between which run huge

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Couloirs, down which stones are being constantly precipitated.
One can, if a fair climber, get up to the foot of the glacier,
but it would require ropes and ice axes to venture upon it,
as the front is very precipitous, and there are large crevasses
on the surface. The broken and castellated peaks which
rise from the glacier above the rock wall, and prevent it from
slipping down, are magnificent, and quite unlike anything
else I have ever seen. Those at the top of the valley are more
covered with snow, and therefore less striking ; but the long
stretches of snow-clad ice are, from their vastness, an object
of sufficient wonder."

There is not much difficulty in finding out the way, but
Mr. O'Malley, if necessary, will either go himself or supply
competent guides. Gk>od shooting and fishing are also to be
obtained in the neighbourhood. Hotel charges, 8a per day.
Horses, 6s. per day. Private rooms may be secured by
letter or telegram.

If the tourist goes on by the coach he must be astir
early, as it leaves at 4 a.m. The real scenery now begins.
Crossing the Waimakariri, which is about one mile wide, the
road enters the bush which continues more or less to the end
of the journey. A little further on the shingly bed of the
Bealey is crossed, and the ascent of Arthur's Pass is begun.
This is a long pull of upwards of 1000 feet. The scenery is
striking and romantic. The whole pass is densely wooded,
and on the left the Rolleston Ranges, mantled in their capes
of snow, gleam rosy in the ruddy dawn.

The top of the pass is about three thousand feet above
sea level, and on its summit is the stake that marks the
boundary line between the Provinces of Canterbury and
Westland. Here, also, there is a little tarn or mere like
that weird one which Gareth saw —

*' Round as the red eye of an eagle,"

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and popularly known as '^ Lake Lonely." When the summit
is gained, the descent into the famous

OTIBA GOBQE

begins. The sceneiy here is by far the most magnificent on
the road ; indeed, it is doubtful, at least in some respects,
if there is anything in the world to surpass it. The road
zig-zags down the mountain side to a depth of nearly 1500
feet Li some places it is cut out of the solid rock, and in
others it is carried over ravines on embankments faced with
walls made of timber cribbing, filled with blocks of stone.

The mountains on both sides rise to a height of some
7000 feet, and are densely wooded. The road winds down
to the right of the gorge, and at every turn reveals some new
point of interest that wins our admiration.

The mountain face on the left-hand side is one vast
forest, crested on the top by crowns of snow. Seen from the
head of the pass, when distance smooths out details, the far
wooded slopes look like the moveless wavelets of a deep
green sea. On the right as you descend, there is every
possible variety of scenery. Here it is a mass of sliding
shale and stones, that, loosened from the high rocks above,
threaten to overflow the road. There it is an ascending slope
of shrubs, and trees, and ferns — the dark green manuka, the
curious cabbage-like nemea, the light grey leaves of the mica-
mica, the pale purple veronica, and the flashing crimson of
the rata. Now you look up a lichen bedded wall of rock rising
sheer a hundred feet from the road, and sweet with perpetual
streamlets '^that seem always to have chosen the steepest
places to come down for the sake of the leap." Again it is
a broad upward stretch of stately birch climbing the rocky
slopes to kiss the snow ^.bav^.

On the other side of th^ road you g^e down into a great
ravine with it^ hundreds of ^ory uof}k» hidden beneath

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umbrageous ferns, and festooned with garlands that only
nature herself could weave, while away in the far depths of
tlie gorge the streamlet, struggling out from the moraine
that blocks the pass, tortures itself round rock and boulder,
and frets and foams and leaps downward to the plains.

In short, in whatever direction the eye wanders, it rests
upon some new feature of beauty or of gi-andeur, and
taken as a whole, the Otira Gorge leaves an impression upon
the mind as abiding as the mfnd itseH.

At the foot of the gorge is the '* Otira Gorge Hotel,"
where breakfast is obtained, and horses are changed. The
rest of the road is somewhat similar in character to that
already passed, and if the visitor does not wish to visit the
West Coast, or go by this route to Nelson, he may stay
here and return by the next coach. The distance between
the Bealey and the Otira Gorge Hotel is about 17 miles, and
the coach travels over the ground so quickly that it is
impossible to do more than just tal^e a swift glance at
some parts of the scenery. If the tourist hab time, it would
weU repay him either to ride or walk the distance between
the Bealey and the Otira Gorge. In this way he could take
his own time, and explore the wonders of this wonderful
road. The Otira Gorge Hotel (though much smaller than the
Bealey), is comfortable, and some days could be delightfully
spent in exploring the scenery in the neighbourhood.

A brief pause and the coach starts again. The next
run is from

OTIRA GORGE TO TAUPO HOTBL,

a distance of 23 miles. The scenery along this stage
resembles in most respects that through which the visitor
has just passed. The road skirts the Otira River, and is
as level almost as a line of Ught ; on right and left loom up
in their green glory, '^ the mountain'^ bosky brows wooded to

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the lips." Here and there little streamlets sweat themselves
down over sable rocks, or gleam like diamonds on their mossy
faces, while now and again the silver sheen of waterfalls
streaks the deep green garment of the hills, hiding for a
little beneath leafy bowers, and then glinting out again ^* in
startled gushes, and laughing hurries as if they had suddenly
remembered that the day was too short for them to get
down the hilL"

The long drive through such scenes as these helps to
confirm Emerson's words : ** In the 'woods a man casts off
his years as a snake his slough, and what period soever of
life is always a child. In the woods is perpetual youth.
Within these plantations of God a decorum and sanctity
reign, and perennial festival is dressed, and the guest sees
not how he should tire of them in a thousand years ; " or,
as Bryant says —

*' The calm shade
Shall bring a kindred calm, and the sweet breeze
That makes the green leaves dance shall waft a balm
lo the sick heart."

As the coach rattles along, the visitor will be able to
gain some idea of the difficulty of travelling through a New
Zealand forest. The undergrowth is so thick and prickly,
that it presents in many places an impenetrable barrier to
the advance of man. Countless numbers of parasitical,
weeds, ferns, and creepers cover the ground as with a
netting, coil round every stem and entwine the topmost
branches in gordian knots. Chief amongst these are the
rope-like " supplejack " and the " bush lawyer," whose
acquaintance must perforce be intimately made by any who
penetrate the New Zealand forests, But the drive along
this road is charming. One could wish, indeed, to see a
little more life, but the absence of rich flowers and birds or

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animals from the bush, is one of the characteristics of New
Zealand woods. Umbrageous tree-ferns overshadow the
road. Now and again the white blossoms of the ** supple-
jack," and the crimson-crowned rata vary the scene. You
hear betimes the soft coo of the wood pigeon, and the
clear ringing note of the parson bird ; or you see a wren
or tit flitting across the road before you. But for the most
part there is silence in the bush, and the sylvan beauty is
undisturbed by any sounds of life. Nothing is heard save
the river hurrying down the gorge, or the gentler ripple of
the streamlets and creeks that come down from the hills to
feed it. These streamlets and creeks, when not in flood,
*'sencl forth glad sounds, and tripping o*er their beds of
pebbly sand or leaping down the rocks, seem, with continuous
laughter, to rejoice in their own being." But when they are
in flood, they are full of all treachery and danger, and are
more dreaded by the coach-driver than the roaring torrents
of the Bealey or the Waimakariri.

The Otira joins the Teremakau, and the road turning to
the left runs down the valley of the latter river. The mountains
seem to increase in height, and take on deeper crowns of
snow, and one can well believe that in the winter season
when the tiers of branches are covered with pure unsullied
wreaths of snow, sculptured by the winds into curves of
exquisite grace, the scene is of surpassing loveliness.

The Taupo Hotel stands on the banks of the Taupo
river, near its junction with the Teremakau. Horses are
changed here and time given for refreshments. The scenery
around here is equally grand. The Taupo is a swift dangerous
river, flowing round the base of the lofty mountain peak of
Turiwhati.

The next stage of the journey is from

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THB TAUPO HOTBL TO KUMARA,

about 18 miles. The general features of tlie road are much
the same, except that now lofty pine trees begin to take the
place of the birchei^ forests, through which the path has
hitherto led. Some of these pines are of enormous height,
and at one part of the road the scenery is indescribably grand.
As they stand up tier behind tier, their over-arching
pyramidal tops fretting the blue vault above, one comes to
understand how man, in his diviner moments, associated the
forest with the dwelling place of his deities, and how later
on he borrowed from it his sublimest designs of worship-
ping temples. '^I do not wonder," says Dr. Macmillan,
*' that the northern imagination in heathen times should
have invested it (the pine forest) with awe and fear, as the
favourite haunt of Odin and of Thor ; or that in after times
its long rows of trunks, vanishing in the dim perspectivQ,
should have furnished designs for the aisles of Christian
temples, and the sunset burning among its fretted branches
should have suggested the gorgeous painted window of the
cathedral It looks like a place made for worship, all its
sentiments and associations seem of a sacred and solemn
character. Nature, with folded hands, as Longfellow says,
seems kneeling there in prayer." The truth of these words
will be verified as the visitor drives through the long pine
groves between Taupo and Kumara. It seems a deplorable
thing that reckless and indiscriminate clearing threatens to
seriously curtail, if not totally destroy the beauty and the
grandeur of these pine woods. Nay, it is not only beauty
and grandeur that would thus be destroyed, those who can-
not see the use of either should learn that the indiscriminate
cutting down of forests, is an irreparable injury to any
country. The history of older lands— of the Papal States, of
Greece with its classic rivers, fountains, and lakes, nearly all

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gone ; of Palestine, a parched and sterile land on account
of the destruction of its forests, should be a warning against
the ruthless deforesting of the country.

As the coach nears Kumara, the visitor soon becomes
aware that he is entering the goldfields again. Kumara
itself owes its origin to its gold-mining, and when a rush
takes place, these townships spring up like mushrooms.
Man's hand does not help to improve the face of nature ; the
tortured river banks, the heaps of red stones glaring at the
hot sun, and the tail-races with their streams of dirty water,
form a strange and painful contrast to the soft green forest
glory, and the silver currents slipping from the wooded hills.
Horses are changed at Kumara, and the journey is resumed,
and a run of about 16 miles, passing Stafford, a digging
township on the way, and

HOKITIKA

is reached. Hokitika has a past, if not a future. It used
to be the centre of life in the early goldfield days, but since
the decline of the mining industries its prosperity has been
somewhat stagnant. Its inhabitants, however, still believe
that its golden age is not behind, but before, and that the
future will far surpass the palmiest days of the past.

The West Coast of the island possesses many attractions
for travellers. If they are interested in gold-mining, they
may visit the gold districts. They should go to Ross (about
20 miles from Hokitika, daily coach), and inspect the
elaborate and costly mining machinery at work and in
progress of construction there. These are on a most exten-
sive scale, and well reward a visit.

There are many other attractions in and around
Hokitika. A short distance from it are two lakes, Mahin-
apua and Kanieri, the latter of which especially is very
beautiful. We have already pointed out that the discovery

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of greenstone led to communication being opened up between
the Etist and West Coast Maoris, which was followed in the
usual course by bloodshed. In the neighbourhood of these
lakes several conflicts took place between the East and West
Coast tribes, till, at the battle of Paporoa, the latter were
completely annihilated.

A drive of nine miles brings you to Kanieri, and boats
run daily to Mahinapua. If visitors can spare the time,
they should also visit the

GLACIERS ON THE WEST SIDE OF MOUNT OOOK.

These are distant from Hokitika about 60 miles. Visitors
take the coach to Ross, thence by horse (40 miles) to
Okarito, from which a ride of about 12 miles up the Waiau
brings you to them. There is a good bridle track all the
way, and accommodation houses at convenient stages.

The principal of these glaciers is the one to which Dr.
Yon Haast gave the name Francis Joseph, in honour of the
Emperor of Austria and of the Novara expedition, which
had been sent out by his Majesty. The peculiarity of these
glaciers is their proximity to the sea level, the terminal face
of the Francis Joseph being only 705 feet above it. " In the
European Alps, says Dr. Hochstetter, the average altitude of
the terminal face of the large glaciers is about 4000 feet." It
will thus be seen that not only are the New Zealand glaciers
much easier of access, but they are also much larger in
proportion to the height of the mountains than those of the
European Alps.

The Francis Joseph Glacier is hardly less imposing than
those of its brethren on the East Coast. It comes down
from the great snow-fields of Mount Tasman and Mount de
la Beche, and feeds the Waiau River. The road from
Okarito lies up the bed of this river, and the scenery is very
fine. We take the following description from Dr. Von

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Haast, who explored these regions in 1865, and discovered
and named the glaciers : " The view from the Waiau River
is m(»st magnilicent, as the valley being sti^aight and nearly
two miles broad, allows us to gaze at the S^^uthem Alps from
foot to summit, having in the foreground the enormous ice
masses of the Francis Joseph Glacier appearing between a
rich forest vegetation." Eleven miles up, and the foot of the
mountain is reached. " Here the main river turns south,
and an important branch joins it from the south-east, coming
also from a large glacier which I named after Professor
Agassiz, the illustrious Naturalist. The valley of the
main river narrows here considerably, and rocky points are
wabhed by its waters on the right side, consisting of micaslate
full of garnets. The vegetation consisted of the same low-
land character. Turning a rocky point we had at once the
white unsullied face of the ice before us, broken up in a
thousand turrets, needles, and other fantastic forms, the
terminal face of the glacier beiog still hidden by a grove of
pines, ratas, bircbes, and arborescei^t ferns in the foreground
which gave to the picture a still stranger appearance." You
can ride up close to the glaciers, and Dr. Haast describes the
sight as * magnificent,' the glacial cove at the southern
extremity of the Francis Joseph forming * an azure roof of
indescribable beauty.' If, therefore, tourists are not afraid
of a little riding, this excursion will amply repay them for
all theii toil.

While on the West Coast the tourist will find it well
worth his while to pay a visit to

GREYMOUTH AND WESTPORT,

with both of which there is frequent communication by
coach or steamer from Hokitika.

The valleys between the Rivers Grey and Buller form
one vast gold-field, but it is in connection with its great coal

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deposits that this region is most widely known, and to the
development of the coal industry it looks for its present and
future prosperity. Greymouth, as its name would indicate,
is situated on the River Grey, and is a pretty little township.
It exports a very fine coal much prized for gas purposes, and
is connected by rail with the coal mines, which are about
seven miles up the river. Westport is situated at the mouth
of the Buller — the second largest river in New Zealand, and
the best sheltered and most easily navigable of all the
numerous streams on the West Coast. It is here that the
Westport Coal Company carries on its operations. 'J'his
Company was formed for the purpose of amalgamating and
working the different coal leases in the district, and its
operations have given a great impetus to trade in the
neighbourhood. The coal is one of the best for steaming
purposes in the world, and the supply is almost limitless.
The works of the Company are well worth inspecting, and
the visitor will be struck by the remarkable incline, a mile
long, down which trucks each carrying seven tons of coal
rush at lightning speed, the gradient being in some places
one in one and a-quarter,

A day or two can be spent very pleasantly at Westport
in boating excursions up the river, and a run along the
railway line to Ngakawau, adjoining which are very
charming bits of forest scenery.

The next point that should be visited is the cosy English
settlement of Nelson. This can be reached either by small
coasting steamer from any of the West Coast ports, or by
retracing our steps to Hokitika, visiting en route the gold
districts of Keefton, Lyell, &c., and returning overland to
Christchurch. The latter plan gives another opportunity of
seeing the West Coast road, and of reaching Nelson by some
of the larger and more comfortable of the Union Company's
boats, and on the whole is parhaps the best thing to do.

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CHAPTER X.

CHRISTCHURCH TO NELSON, PICTON AND BLENHEIM.

Route.— Steamer (U.S.S.) from Lyttleton,

Hotels. — Masomc, Trafalgar, Panama House (private boarding^
•establishment).

Club. — Nelson Club (non-resident), available for visitors
introduced by a member.

Places of Interest.— Colleges (Boys' and Girls'), St. Mary's
Orphanage and Industrial Schools, Hospital, Asylum, Institute
<combining Museum, Reading Room, and Library).

To reach Nelson the traveller takes the steamer from
Lyttelton. One of the U.S.S. Co.'s steam era leaves Lyttelton.
•every Tuesday and Saturday night on arrival of the express
train from Dunedin, and reaches Nelson via Wellington
on the mornings of the following Friday and Tuesday.

Nelson has been described very appropriately as a
place " where everlasting spring abides, and never withering
flowers." The first view of it, however, does not give the
visitor this impression. The steamer usually arrives early
in the morning, and the traveller going up on deck sees
nothing but a few straggling houses, appearing as if they
had been thrown promiscuously against a clayey-looking
bank, and had not quite made up their mind as to whether
they would settle there or down below, on what does
duty for a street. Signs of life appear and a small
stream of people begins to flow round the corner of the
street. By and by a tram car comes, and the visitor learns
that for 3d. he can ride to Nelson proper. The tram-line
seems to be shy of the street and affects the footpath to a

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degree which is sometimes inconvenient for the ordinary*
foot passenger. On one side of the street small shops, and
flome private houses shelter themselves under the hill ; on
the other the view is unobstructed. What will one day
become a verv pleasant walk is just struggling into existence.
A pathway runs along the edge of the bay. This is planted
with trees that, in spite of the adverse influences of slop
land and sea, are doing as well as could be expected. If
the tide" happens to be out when the visitor arrives the view
in til is direction is decidedly not interesting ; but if the
tide be in, it acts like that charity ** that covers a multitude
of sins." As the tram proceeds things improve, the houses
get more numerous and more social ; they soon approach
each other quite familiarly on both sides of the street, and
after a few minutes run, the tramcar stops close to the
Masonic hotel, in the centre of Nelson. The visitor finda
Nelson to be a place of between six and seven thousand
inhabitants. The province of Nelson is not so favorably cir-
cumstanced as Otago or Canterbury. It has not the same
extent of agricultural land, being chiefly mountainous and
adapted principally for sheep-farming. The nature of the
country prevents the establishment of railway communi-
cation, there being only one short line to Bellgrove, a few
miles from Nelson. But what the town may lack in com-
mercial activity it makes up for in salubrity of climate and
picturesque situation. The first unfavorable impression is
soon removed when the visitor gets into the town and
takes a walk through its streets, or among the hills that
surround it. It has one of the finest climates in the world,
and, for a place to spend a short holiday, Nelson haa
numerous and decided attractions. The beauty of the town
itself impresses every visitor ; it i8 the great centre of the
hop industry, and the excellence of its hops is recognized^

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•even in the Home markets. Hop gardens are met in all
•directions, and in the season these give an indescribable
•charm to the attractions of Nelson. Some of the streets are
lined with trees, and thioiigh the town flows a little stream
•called the Matai River, the banks of which are lined with
willows, which bend down lovingly over tlie water as if to
guard its sacred ness from the too curious eye.

One of the pleasantest excuraions about Nelson is a
walk or drive to the waterworks. They are about an
hour's drive from the town (cabs, 5s. per hour). The road
runs along by the side of this Matai stream and nothing
can be lovelier. It is lined for a long way with willows ;
here and there rustic bridges span the brook, which, as it
" winds about and in and out," may recall the more famous
one that " flowed by Philip's farm." Charming mansions
and quaint little cottages hide themselves amid the ho^
gardens and willows, and the blackbird's song, and the
liquid notes of the tui make voca) the hedgerows and the
copses. Some of these cottages are very pretty ; a few are
painted in gay colours, covered now and again with scarlet
creepers and white convolvulus, with odd old-fashioned win
dows and doorways, and set in the midst of hop and of fruit
and flower gardens. Nature and art have agreed for once to do
the best they can together ; after a short distance art gives
up the business and nature is left to herself. The road still
•continues up the stream ; on the left are the Dun mountains
along the side of which is a delightful walk. If the visitor
makes the journey on foot he should go up the Dvufi
mountains, which are said to be rich in iron ore and othejr
minerals, and if he does not care to ascend right to the
top he can diverge and come down by the waterworks.
Another very pleasant excursion is to go up what is called
*the Zig-zag hill. From here he will get one of the best

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views of Nelson, and see it in all its beauty. This walk:
may be continued to the cemetery, about two miles or so-
from town. It is placed on an eminence, is nicely laid out,
and commands an excellent view of the harbour and the
bay.

Shorter walks may be taken in and and about the
town. Church hill, close to Trafalgar square, may be
visited, and beyond it • a little way stand Nelson colleges^
(Girls' and Boys'). These are good commodious buildings,
and well equipped for their purposes. The excellence of
the teaching given in these colleges is attested by the high
place which the students take in the civil service and
university examinations. The principal of the Boys''
college (which is affiliated to the New Zealand university)
is Rev. J. C. Andrew, M.A., and of the Girls' college. Miss
Kate Edgar, M.A. A pleasant hour may be also spent in
a pull across to the lighthouse. An inspection of this aod^
also of the curious Boulder bank, which extends some teven
miles across the bay will prove interesting. The boat fare
is is. 6d.

If Nelson has not contributed greatly to the commercial
fame of New Zealand, it has given more than its share of
men who have held a high place in developing the country.
As Mr. Cox lias pointed out in his " Recollections," Sir
BJdward Stafford, Sir Frederick Weld the present Governor
of the Straits J^'ettlement ; Major Richmond, Sir Dillon
Bell the present Agent General of New Zealand in London ;.
Mr. Alfred Domett, a former Prime Minister and still
more famous as a poet ; all these and others belong more or
less tf> Nelson.

The tourist should, if possible, reserve a day or two for^
Nelson, and we are sure, if he does, he will find it realising,
even Wordsworth's thought of Yarrow: —

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Fair scenes for childhood's opening hours,

For sportive youth to stray in ;
For manhood to enjoy his strength,

And age to wear away in.

On tlie way back to Wellington, as indeed on the way to
Nelson also, the steamer goes through what is called " The
French Pass." This is a narrow strait between the southern
part of D'Urville Island and the main-land, and affords com-
munication between Admiralty and Blind Bays. It is a
somewhat dangerous place. There is only a straight clear
channel of about 117 yards bt-oad, and the current is very
strong and swift, running at the rate of eight or ten miles
per hour.

The steamer calls at Picfcon en route to and
from Nelson and Wellington. As yet Picton is a very
small place, but not without some pretentions to beauty.
It is the outlet meantime for Marlborough and the
agricultural produce of the Wairau plains. It will be an
important place by-and-by, as it is contemplated to connect
Marlborough with Canterbury by rail, and it will thus form
the terminus of the Main Trunk Railway -line of the Middle
Island. The Wairau plains are famous in New Zealand
history as the scene of a very cruel ma^-sacre of Europeans
by the Natives. The New Zealand Company had planted
colonies at Wellington, Wanganui, New Plymouth, and
elsewhere. Extending their operations to Nelson and
Marlborough, they acquired from the Natives, amongst other
possessions, that of the Wairau plains. Te Eauparaha, a
soit of Maoii Ishmael, of whom we have spoken in. connec-
tion with Kaiapoi, is the principal figure in this tragedy also.
Some dispute arose between the Colonial office and the New
Zealand Company, regarding the legality of the latter's
purchase. A land court was appointed to enquire into the

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matter, and Te Rauparaha resolved to dispute the possession
of Wairau by the company. He had already destroyed
several of the families who had been settled there Crossing
over from Waikanae, he drove the surveyors off the ground.
A warrant was issued for his apprehension, and Captain
Wakefield, with some other gentlemen and a number of
special constables, went to execute it A collision took
place; twenty-six white men were killed, but after the
affair was over, Wakefield and the Queen's Magistrate were
murdered in cold blood. A fine monument has been erected
in commemoration of those who lost their lives here, and if
the tourist visits Blenheim, which is reached by rail
from Picton, he may also visit the scene of the Wairau
massacre. The steamer only stays for a short time at Picton,
and a few hours run brings the traveller back again to
Wellington, and here ends, unless he means to visit the
famous Sounds on the West Coast, bis tour of the Southern
or Middle Island.

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CHAPTER XI.

WEST COAST SOUNDS.

Whoever examines a map of New Zealand cannot fail
to be struck by the break in the uniformity of the coast
line which the south-west corner of the Middle Island
presents. Within a stretch of about 100 miles between the
parallels of 44** and 46** south latitude the coast is broken up
by a series of inlets that penetrate the shore to a distance
varying from 6 to 20 miles. These inlets are the famous
West Coast Sounds of New Zealand, and are the only places
of shelter for shipping along the whole extent of the west
coast of the Middle Island — a distance of some 500 miles.
They are thirteen in number, and in character and features
closely resemble each other. The larger are divided into
several arms which run inland for a distance of 20 miles in
some cases, and are generally about one mile in width*
The smaller sounds range from 6 to 8 miles in length, and
ffarely exceed half a mile in width. Surrounded on all sides
by densely wooded mountains which rise almost perpendicu-
larly from the water's edge, and approached through entrances
which appear little more than cracks in the frowning and pre-
cipitous rocks that form the coast line, the existence of these
sounds might well have remained one of Nature's secrets
— ^their presence undreamed of by the voyager who skirts
the coast, or the dweller on the land beyond the mountain
. sides. To Captain Cook is due the honor of their discovery.
During his second voyage round the world (1773) Captain
Cook made a close examination of this part of the coast,
and his vivid description of one of the largest sounds — to

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which he gave the name of Dusky — remained the only
record of this region until its careful survey in 1851 by
Commander Richards in H. M.S. "Acheron."

The most remarkable feature of these land-locked lakes.
or sounds, and one common to all, is the great depth and
perfect stillness of the water. Soundings can rarely be ob-
tained under 80 or 100 fathoms, and frequently at much
greater depths, and as the mountain sides rise almost straight
from the water's edge, anchorage is seldom found except at
the inner extreme, where a narrow shelf of beach affords a
landing place from which the dense and tangled bush and
forest can be explored.

In most of the sounds, reposing on the surface of the
water, are islets of varying sizes and shapes — some rising
conical and inaccessible, others flat and inviting, but all alike
covered with the richest vegetation, the dark green of the
fern-trees or the crimson blossom of the rata mirrored in
the placid waters below.

The rainfall in a region so mountainous and thickly
wooded is naturally considerable, and it supplies the sounds-
with one of their most picturesque and striking features.
On every side are seen waterfalls making their way down
the mountain slopes — some, rushing torrents leaping and
bounding over the rocks and carrying before them all that seek
to bar their progress ; others, winding like a silver thread in
and out of the bush, here hidden from sight, and there re-
appearing where their course is open ; while others again
spread out in " great sheets of gossamer that become
dissipated in mist before they reach the bottom."

Save to the stray whaler or sealer who may have run
into one or other of them for shelter, the West Coast Sounds
remained until recently a sealed book to the tourist and
traveller since their discovery by Captain Cook. Of late-

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years, however, the intercolonial steamers have, during the-
summer season, called at one or otherof the sounds — generally
Milford — en route to and from Melbourne and New Zealand,,
but in 1877 the Union Steam Ship Company ran a special
excursion from Port Chalmers (Dunedin) to the West Coast
Sounds, and this has been continued each year since. The
opportunity thus afforded of visiting these wonderful Fiords.
has been largely availed of, so much so that the Company now
despatch two excursions during January of each year. The
trip is a very popular and enjoyable one, taking the form
more of an extended pic-nic than anything else, and attracts^
traveUers from all parts of the Colonies, and even from
Europe and America. During an absence of eight or nine
days from Port Chalmers the steamer visits the most attrac-
tive of the sounds, and excellent arrangements are made for
seeing them under favorable circumstances. The sounds^
being almost equidistant (about eight miles) from one another,
the steamer is very little at sea, and the greater part of each
day is spent in the quiet of these inland lakes ; while
anchored at their head, each night is passed in social enjoy-
ment of the most pleasant character, strangely heightened by
the grandeur and novelty of the surroundings.

Sportsmen will find in the West Coast Sounds plenty
to occupy their attention, although the excessive tameness
of the game consequent on the rarity of man's visits some-
what detracts from the zest of the chase. Of birds, the
kakapo or owl parrot, the beautiful wood-pigeon, the
orange-wattled crow, the weka, the curious kiwi, and the-
stupid-looking penguin are all to be met with here, while
the fisherman will find the waters of some of the sounds a
perfect paradise, where fish in infinite variety— groper,
flounder, trumpeter, cod, mullet, and numberless others,
only wait the dropping of the bait to swallow it with.

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unsuspecting avidity. Those who are botanically inclined
•can revel in unbounded wealth of ferns and shrubs of the
rarest descriptions, while couches of the softest down are
rivalled by the moss-banks of many centuries' growth, that
woo the explorer to rest on their yielding beds.

The oiily drawback to the comfort of the traveller is the
number of sandflies that infest a few of the sounds, and the
bites of which leave painful memories to those of tender
skin. These frequent the edges of the shore, but happily
•do not penetrate the bush, nor follow the passenger on
board. Many remedies and specifics are recommended to
tourists, but the most eflectual are veils to cover the face,
and gloves to hide the hands and wrists. With these the
fiercest attack may be repulsed, and we strongly advise all
who visit the Sounds to supply themselves 'with these
simple preventives.

The Sounds running direct from the sea number
thirteen in all, and, beginning with the most southerly and
working northwards, the following is their order : —
•(1) Preservation Inlet (principal arm. Long Sound) ; (2)
Ohalky or Dark Cloud Inlet (principal arms, Ounaris Sound
and Edwardson Sound) ; (3) Dusky Sound ; (4) Bre^ksea
Sound (connecting this is Acheron Passage with its deep
indentation. Wet Jacket Arm, while from Breaksea Sound
Tun Broughton and Vancouver Arms) ; (5) Daggs Sound ;
<(6) Doubtful Inlet (principal arms — Smith Sound, Crooked
Arm and Halls Arm) ; (7) Thompson Sound (principal
arms — Bradshaw Sound and Gaer Arm) ; (8) Nancy Sound ;
(9) Charles Sound; (10) Caswell Sound; (11) George
Sound ; (12) Bligh Sound ; (13) Milford Sound.

The resemblance which the sounds bear to each other
— differing mostly in the height of the mountains which
surround them, and which seem to increase in loftiness and

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grandeur as we get further north — is so striking that
we feel it would be uninteresting to describe each in detail ;
we shall therefore not weary the reader by repetition of
description, but merely take as types of the whole one or
two which, while they resemble one another in general
features, present a few points of difference which distinguish
them from each other.

The steamer leaves Port Chalmers in the afternoon, and
about noon of the following day, having passed Stewart
Island in the early morning, she turns her head shorewards,
and passing between Puysegur Point and Gulchen Head,
enters the most southerly of the West Coast Sounds —
Preservation Inlet. The change effected in a few minutea
is marvellous. From rolling seas to still waters we have
passed as if by magic. The forecastle head is soon crowded
with passengers, all intently gazing on the scene before
them, and, in silence at first, slowly drinking in the beauty
that is being gradually unfolded to their eyes. " Islanda
and islands are here glittering and shimmering in youngest
and freshest looking of verdure, never a leafless branch
nor branchless stem is to be anywhere seen. Nothing else
but thickly-growing ferns of all kinds, known and unknown^
stretching away downwards to within a foot of the water's
edge. They have there left to our view the sight of a
rocky basement as straightly and regularly cut by the
incessant lavement of the waters as could be done by
mason's chisel-work." Threading our way in and out the
intricacies of the passage, we enter Long Sound, an arm of
Preservation Inlet, which extends to a distance of 14 milea
narrowing from a mile to half-a-mile in width as the top
is approached, and terminating in a narrow slip at the head
of which there is a fine waterfall " Every turn and
winding of the 14 miles of the enchanted waters into which

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-we have wandered, show other features of the picturesque,
^nd all of a nature equally new to our now excited vision."
On each side of the sound the hills rise, almost perpendio-
•ularly, to a great height, and are densely wooded to the
ivater's edge, occasional spits of sand seen at intepprals
affording a pleasing variety to the verdure-clad wall that
hems us in on either side. Immediately behind these well-
clad hills appear the tops of sterile mountains, towering
skywards in awful grandeur. We have already grown so
much accustomed to the vastness of everything around us,
that we have lost an exact appreciation of measurements,
and it is almost with incredulity that we hear it when told
rthat Needle Peak we see on one side is 4100 feet high, or
Forgotten Peak on the other, 3682 feet. The silence and
stillness of everything, the absence of every sign of other
than vegetable life, is quite bewildering, and in reverent
silence we retrace our steps and come to an anchor for the
night in Cuttle Cove. And a more lovely spot to spend the
time in it would be difficult to imagine. Almost a circular-
shaped sheet of glistening water, surrounded on all sides by
heavily timbered slopes, behind which rise ranges of
mountains— here for miles showing a straight line of gleaming
snow, forming a delicate lace-like fringe ; there, broken
into solitary peaks, some snow-covered and some bare, in
varying irregularity — cloud-capped some of them, and these
tiffording an impressive sight as the clouds slowly clear off
and drift away, disclosing their summits in all their lonely
grandeur. Away to the westward we see Treble Mountain
^th its three-peaked summits, each over 3000 feet high,
'while on the eastern side towers Overseen Peak, 3550 feet
in height

DUSKY SOUND.

Fifteen miles further north than Preservation we come

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to Dusky Sound, a sound which possesses more historical
interest than any on the coast. Away as we are out of the
world, so to speak, amongst regions which have been seen
by tew of the world's inhabitants, our hearts appear to be
more easily touched by such records of human interest as
these lonely spots can sliow ; and when we are told that
Dusky Sound was explored by Captain Cook in 1773, and
are pointed out the haven in which Vancouver's ship
(" Discovery ") rode out a heavy gale, we seem to be drawn
more closely towards these great navigators, and to feel
great.er sympathy and aduuration for the work they j>er-
iormed. The r ntrance to Dusky Sound is of greater width
than the entrances to other sounds on the coast, and the
islands which lie in the way of our passage are of larger
size and more numerous than are to be found elsewhere.
To our left we recognise Five Fingers Peninsula, a point of
Resolution Island which separates Dusky from Breaksea
Sound, and which received its curious name from Captain
•Cook on account of the resemblance to the five fingers of a
man's hand which several high pointed rocks at its extremity
presented. Anchor Island, which rises to an elevation of
1,360 feet, lies immediately within the entrance, and is
itself surrounded by a labyrinth of small islets, many of
which are named, but more not yet christened. Indian
Island (IJ miles long). Long Island (7 miles), and Cooper
Island (3i miles), together form a continuous chain nearly
io the head of the sound. These islands ai*e all thickly
wooded, and in appearance differ only from each other in
«ize and shape. Dusky Sound is rich in the possession of
«nug coves, rejoicing in curious names. On our right we
pass Shelter Cove, Cascade Cove, which sufficiently explain
themselves ; but on the other side of Anchor Island to that
which we pass, and indenting Resolution Island, already

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mentioned, are coves bearing the odd names of Woodhen^
Goose, Cormorant, Duck, etc., no doubt conferred by their
hardy explorers in commemoration of the birds first found
there. The character of the scenery in Dusky Sound is
very different to that in Long Sound and Preservation
Inlet. There, except where snow-covered, the mountain
sides are entirely overgrown with rich and verdant foliage ;.
but here the heavy timber Ls missing, and sterile rock pi-e^
SBiits its bare front on either side of us, covered In patches
here and there with ordinary scrub or bush. Occasionally
a wooded slope intercepts the rocky wall, making by its
presence, however, the surrounding nakedness only more^
obtrusive. The rocky walling rises to a great height, but
the absence of snow on its summit is noticeable, and the few
waterfalls that are seen trickling down the face of the cliffs,
at intervals are, in conbequence, small and unimportant.
Overtopping these immediate hills, however, are seen the
snowy peaks of greater rivals — Mount Pinder on the left,,
towering 4,000 feet ; and on the right Mount Evans, 4,120
feet ; Mount Sparrman, 3,290 feet ; Mount Bradshaw,
3,300 feet ; while away behind these again, the Stopper,
3650 feet, Mount Inaccessible and other summits of
the Kakapo Kange form a background of indescribable
grandeur. Amidst all this wildness and sterility it is with a
curious feeling that we notice on the way up the sound a
small clearing at the edge of the water, on which stand two
huts. Dazed by the magnitude of everything around us, it
is difficult at first to understand that these are real habita-
tions, and that there are men to be found content to bury
themselves in this awful solitude. Inquiry elicits the fact
that two miners make this their home, and that *' monarchs
of all they survey," they devote their time to prospecting
their sovereignty for precious metals. They have already dis.

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<JOverecI a copper lode, and also near it a vein of asbestoa,
Mr. JDocherty, the senior, is a hardy and intelligent pioneer,
and freely places his rich store of botanical and mineral-
ogical information at the disposal of his visitors. He has
been settled here since 1877, and, an enthusiast at his work,
<ioes not find time heavy on his hands. We cannot keep
ourselves from wondering, however, at the power that can
make two men thus banish themselves from all communion
with their kind ; and picture to oui-selves the horror of the
situation, were one or both to be struck down with illness,
and no one near to help them ; or jierhaps to die without a
friend at hand to close their eyes.

SMITH SOUND.

The junction of Doubtful, Thompson, Bradshaw, and*
"Smith Sounds affords a view somewhat different to any
which can be had elsewhere. The leading features of the
sounds are common to all ; and here, as elsewhere, we are
'enclosed within rocky walls, down whose faces trickle or
rush, according to their volume, numerous pretty waterfalls.
The scene, however, is more open and the long vistas of
water which the intersecting islands form lend a variety to
the picture which is refreshing from its novelty. As we
pass up Smith Sound, the morning sun scintillating upon
the rippling water gives the steamer the appearance of
threading its way through myriads of electric sparks. When
nearing the head of x\ie sound the vessel gradually comes to
a standstill, and we are given the opportunity of feasting our
eyes upon a scene of indescribable loveliness. We have
stopped just where the sound branches off into two arms.
On either hand, winding away from us in opposite direc*
tions, run two channels, their sides formed of sloping hills
covered to the base with rich green foliage. The wooded
margins overhang the still water beneath, and are mirrored

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in its glassy surface, every leaf and bi'anch showing clear-
and distinct in the motionless depths below. All Nature is
perfectly still, and, save for a stray gull which silently
glides over the water, there is no sign of life in all the space
around us. In the foreground reposes Rolla Island, one mass
of crimson rata —a ruby set in a silver sea ; while before,
behind, and on each side of us, overtopping the nearer hills,,
rise the silent mountains, their solitary peaks approached
by stairways of snow-clad ridges. In the sounds already
visited a certain similarity in the shape and contour of the
mountains has been noticeable ; but here variety is imported,,
and curious effects are produced by the irregularity of the
mountain sides. Here a massive rock juts out almost at right
angles ; there a mound protrudes like a hump on a giant V
back ; in another place a crag appears to have been stopped
in its course down the mountain steep, and hangs as if sus-
pended in mid-air j while here and there are scattered
patches of snow that mark ravines which the sun's rays caa
never penetrate.

GEORGE SOUND.

The distinguishing feature of this sound is a very fine^
waterfall, which tumbles down a wide and precipitous defile-
between the mountains at the head of the sound, and is fed
by a lake hidden in the bush 200 feet above the level of
the sea. Early in the morning on which the writer entered
this sound a light shower of rain was falling, giving an
opportunity of seeing the hills under a new phase. The
mountain sides were half hidden in the mist, the summits^
only being seen rising dimly out of the sea of cloud. Wooded
slopes alternate with bare rock, the green foliage standing
out in bold relief against the dark mountain side. As we
wind our way up the sounds the peaks seem to increase in
number until we appear enclosed in a sea of mountains..

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Sloping from the summits until they meet on lower ground,
they form great gullies, and these are intersected again by
other mountains tops that stand like sentinels in the back
ground. Like vertebrae, the ridges run in regular waves,
broken here and there by rocks of most fantastic shape ;
while down their sides stream numerous waterfalls, their
foaming currents contrasting boldly with the dark slopes
that form their beds. As we progress the rain clears
off, and the rising sun striking the opposite side of the
sound lights up the wooded slope ; the rain drops trembling
on the dark green foliage become a sea of sparkling diamonds;
the waterfalls, gleaming threads of silver winding in and
out amongst the straggling rocks ; while the eastern bank,
thrown into shadow, frowns gloomy and sombre by strong
contrast. The islets are less numerous here, and make the
basins appear larger by their absence. As we turn bend
after bend in our winding course up the sound each lakelet
seems to mark the boundary of our way, but another and
still another comer is passed, and we are still progressing.
The last comer is turned at length, however, and we drop
anchor just where a waterfall of grand proportions comes
rushing down the mountain side almost to our feet. We
are told this is fed by a lake accessible by a little rougli
climbing, and as soon as the boats are alongside most make
for the spot The top of the waterfall is approached by
making our way for a considerable height up a dry water-
course alongside, after which we penetrate the bush, and
overcoming the difficulties of threading a trackless path
through the brushwood we come upon a beautiful silent lake
buried in the recesses of the mountain bush. The lake
widens and narrows, forming several little bays, and a fine
effect is produced by the trees meeting overhead at the
narrowest parts, forming an arch through which is seen a

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long vista of lake beyond. Guided by the sound of the
rushing water we plunge into the bush again, and against
many difficulties make our way to the other end, from which,
in a noi-^y torrent, issues the waterfall we have seen from
below. Standing at its head, watching it bounding and
leaping from rock to rock, we are impressed with the
grandeur of the scene, while at the foot of the ravine the
ship is seen reposing on the face of the pfeicid water — an.
effective contrast to the rushing torrent beside us.

MILFORD SOUND.

This, the most northerly of the West Coast Sounds,
though comparatively inconsiderable in extent, in magnifi-
cence of scenery and grandeur of design, far surpasses them
alL " The mountains by which it is surrounded are, with
the exception of Mount Cook, the highest on the coast, and
its narrow entrance apparently still more contracted by the
stupendous cliffs which rise perpendicular as a wall from
the water's edge to a height of several thousand feet, invests
Milford Sound with a character of solemnity and grandeur
which description can barely realise.''

This is the language of the official report of the survey
of this sound, and no part of it follows the truth more
closely than that which says that description must fail in
any attempt to convey an adequate idea of the extraordinary
grandeur of Milford Sound.

It was through a misty half fog, the conditions under
which the scenery of Milford Sound is most impressive, that
the writer first saw the wonders of this region. Obscured
by rain and mist, little of the rugged coast line was .to be
seen, and it looked as if it would be impossible to pick up
the entrance to the sound. Presently, however, the steamer
turned shorewards, and rounding a small islet we found our-
selves in the shelter of Anita Bay. Involuntarily rose to

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our lips the exclamation — "this cannot be our journey's
end !" and yet there seemed no way of further progress. In
front of us rises a mass of cloud-capped rock, but surely the
river crack we dimly see does not mark a channel through
which a boat can pass. On we steam however, and our
hearts almost stand still as the vessel speeds on to seemingly
inevitable destruction. To right and left and overhead
nothing is visible but stupendous bulk. We are told that
on the right rises the Mitre Peak 5,560 feet, and on the
left Pembroke Peak 6,710 feet, but names or heights have
no signification to us as yet. We are only oppressed with
the feeling of the vastness of everything, and the haze which
hangs over all intensifies it fourfold. Away up the mass a
belt of clouds bars for a moment our line of vision, but
raising our eyes still higher we see the clouds mark only a
break, and that away soaring above them loom dark and
terrible mountain heights, their summits hidden in the
lowering sky. The fissure in the rock widens at our nearer
approach and slowing down, the air darkening as we pass,
we enter with bated breath the narrow gateway, and find
ourselves in Milford Sound. We have seen nothing like
this before ! The sounds already visited have in their turn
impressed us with their beauty and grandeur, and we have
come to look upon lofty mountains and grand surroundings
with the tranquillity of an accustomed eye ; but nothing like
this have we seen, and our past experience sinks into
nothingness as we pass the awful portals and enter the
cavern — Milford Sound. On each side rise perpendicular
maspes of rock, down whose bare and precipitous fronts fall
numberless streams of water, none, as we have seen them
heretofore, pursuing a winding course down the mountain
side, their tracks marked by the wooded walls enclosing
them, but falling in a straight, unbroken line through many

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thousand feet of space into the dark waters beneath. In
some cases the falls, as if tired with their long and stageless
journey, give way when half-way down the cliff, and
disappear in mist and spray. Slowly and silently passing
up the sound a turn of the channel brings to view the
largest fall we have yet seen. Issuing from the rock in
three springs they meet 400 feet from the base and descend
in an unbroken fall on the surface of the water, throwing
back volumes of foam and spray in the rebound. The
immensity of rock around us, however, dwarfs the propor-
tions of the Stirling Falls; and, while we cannot help
admiring their beauty, their actual magnitude fails to
affect us. Winding our way slowly onwards, the air
darkens perceptibly as we pass the rocky shoulder of Mount
Kimberley, a precipitous wall rising 2,500 feet sheer from
the water's edge, unbroken by shelf of any kind, but seeming
as if formed by one clean cut of a giant knife, through
which the water sprang that bears us now between the clefts.
Still gliding on, we mark the strong resemblance which
suggested the name of Lion Rock to the terminal spur of
Kimberley, and turning its tail, as it were, we are in
Harrison Oove, where the steamer comes slowly to a stop.
The rain has moderated considerably, and as the clouds rise
upwards we can see more and more of the scene around us.
The cove in which we are lies at the foot of a precipitous
ravine, formed by the back of the lion and the ascent to
Pembroke, upon whose massive sides repose vast glaciers,
the clear whiteness of the snow merging into the dark shade
of the solid ice. Precipices of ice and snow rise one above
the other until the clouds stop further vision, and we can
only see in spirit the silent everlasting glacier that, many
thousand feet above us, forms the summit of mighty
Pembroke. Held between the rocky walls that grip themj

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tthese masses of ice and snow, threatening the lower space,
seem

** Torrents, methinks, that heard a mighty voice,
And stopped at once amid their maddest plunge.'*

All round us, marshalled in grim array, rise towering heights
whose tops are mostly hid from view. The divided summits
of Mitre Peak, untrodden as yet by human foot ; its lofty
neighbours, Mount Phillips and the Lawrenny Peak, rising
shelf after shelf — each paved with ice — until a field of snow
is reached 6,700 feet above us. Directly in front, and
forming the head of the sound, rising in one huge solid
block of perpendicular wall 4,000 feet overhead, stands
Sheerdown Hill, aptly so named, and parting by its
•enormous bulk the valleys of the rivers Oleddau and
Arthur. Adjoining it the Barren Ranges rear their lofty
heads 5,125 feet into the sky, and from a lower ledge of
these, fed by glaciers hid from view, descend the glorious
Bowen Falls, Not like ordinary falls are these, descending
in unbroken line, or winding round obstructing crag. Not
seen until shooting over a rocky ledge, high up the moun-
tain side, the rushing stream falls on a projecting crag some
70 feet below, from which, hurled back with awful force>
it seems to gather greater strength —

** To spring at once, with sudden leap,
Down from the immeasurable steep,"

and falls into the water 470 feet below, an awful mass of
seething foam and spray.

Grand as the Bowen Falls are even to our eyes prepared
ior them by the previous sight of the Stirling Falls, they
are dwarfed by their mighty surroundings. Removed from,
their present location and placed where Nature in more
smiling mood had been less lavish of her gifts of mountain
and of peak, the Bowen Falls would strike us more with

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awe and wonder ; but here, where everything is on a Titanie
scale, they lose their majesty, and seem little more than &
rushing turbulent stream. Hemmed in by everlasting hills^
scarce half a mile separating one shore from the other, we
seem shut out from all sympathy with the world we have-
left, and in the awful solitude of the place the sense of
man's littleness and insignificance becomes almost oppressive.
As if to crush us more utterly and intensify our feeling of
helplessness, a lightning flash gleams vivid across our eyes,,
and the roar of the crashing thunder reverberating among;
the mountains and waking echo after echo, almost cowes us.
by its violence. Yet even in this solitude men have made
a home. On a small strip of level land, just past the
Bowen Falls, we can distinguish three huts. This, the
" City of Milford," as the huts are pretentiously called, is.
inhabited by two miners, one of whom, Donald Sutherland
by name, has been located here since 1877. We gaze with
special interest upon the two hermits, and, as in Dusky
Sound, marvel at the power that can make these men isolate
themselves from their fellow creatures to follow the
uncertain calling of "prospectors." We wonder how a resi-
dence of six years in this awful place has affected them.
Man possesses a wonderful faculty for adapting himself to
his environments, and we are buoyed with hope that in the
present instance daily companionship with Nature in its
grandest and mightiest aspect has inspired these men with
reverence for its works, and given to their lives a colouring
of simple faith and truth in unison with their great
surroundings.

After spending a few hours exploring the marvels of this
wonderful place the steamer turns her head down the sound
again. Steaming slowly through the narrow channel, we are
soon out at sea once more — let us confess it, almost with a

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sense of relief— and as we turn and look back at the gloomy^
portal through which we have just passed, the Mitre and
Pembroke standing guard at either side, there involuntarily^
rises to our lips Dante*s awful inscription over the gateways
of Avemus : —

" Through me you pass into the city of Woe ;
Through me you pass into eternal pain ;
Through me among the people lost for aye.

To rear me was the task of power divine,
Supremest wisdom, and primeval love ;
Before me things create were none, save things
Eternal, and eternal I endure ;
All hope abandon ye who enter here."

From Milford Sound the steamer returns to Port Chalmers^
calling at Bluff en route to disembark tourists proceed-^
ing to Melbourne, or meaning to visit the Otago Lake
District. Port Chalmers is reached twelve hours later, and
here ends an excursion the experiences of which will long-
live in tlie memories of those who take part in it.

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CHAPTER XII.
AUCKLAND.

133 miles from Tauranga, and 301 miles from Gisbome direct.
Population, including suburbs, 30,952.

Principal Hotels— Albert, Star, Royal Mail, Clarendon,
Nevada, Governor Browne.

Clubs — Northern, Auckland, (both resident and available for
.strangers on introduction by a iiiember). Commercial, Working
Men's Club.

Public Buildings— Free Public Library (with accommodation
for 120 readers), Museum (good collection natural history subjects,
and some fine paintings). Supreme Court House, €k>vemment House.

Places of Amusement — Theatre Royal, Abbott's Opera House,
•Choral Hall.

Conveyances — Street Tramways are being laid down, and
when completed will connect the City with Ponsonby and Newton
on the West, and Newmarket and Khyber Pass on the East.
Hackney Carriages within radius of three miles from Post Office —
one horse. Is. 6d. per quarter-hour, 4s. per hour; two horse, 28.
per quarter-hour, 5s. per hour. Outside radius three miles — one
horse, 5s. per hour ; two horses, 6s. per hour.

There are several good livery stables in Auckland, the principal
hemg Crowther's in Wellesley Street.

Places of Interest in oe neab Auckland — Albert Park, (three
minutes* walk from Queen Street by Victoria Street)— /)oma»» (in
valley between Auckland and Pamell — ^fine grounds) — Mount Eden
•Xthree miles from Post Office — carriage road to top) — The Three
Kings (five miles from Post Office — ^interesting volcanic caves) —
Horth Shore (steamers every half-hour, fare 6d. — ^fine view from
Flagstaff Hill).

The Province of Auckland, extending from the 34th
to the 39th parallel of latitude, and covering an area more
rthan one fourth that of the whole Colony, some 17,000,000

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acres, is undoubtedly the part of New Zealand which
possesses greatest interest, whether we regard its natural
conformation or its history. It was in Auckland that the-
first emigrants from Hawaiki landed. Auckland was the
home of the most powerful of the tribes. In Auckland
were carried on the most disastrous cannibal wars, in which
tribe tried to exterminate tribe. Auckland was the first
theatre of missionary enterprise, when Samuel Marsden in
1814 trusted himself to the un tender mercies of the Tepuna
cannibals. The British flag was first set up in Auckland,
and the chief city of the province was for some time the
capital of the Colony. Her shores are fretted into a
labyrinth of lovely land-locked bays, studded with myriads^
of islands, and there is hardly an inlet from Poverty Bay to
Kawhia but is rich in associations connected either with
the early navigators, or with the internecine wars of the-
Natives. Auckland is a province of gigantic forests,
extensive plains, and large and majestic rivers. But that
in which Auckland is a wonder, not to the sister provinces
only, but to the civilised world, is her region of hot springs-
and geysers, as endless in variety as they are countless in
number.

What first drew to New Zealand the notice of
European traders was the supply of excellent spars to be
got in the forests of Auckland ; and as one of the features,
most interesting to the traveller in New Zealand is the
beauty and variety of her timber-trees, it may be
well to enumerate a few of the most valuable and striking.
It was in order to obtain a supply of the kauri spars
known to be plentiful in the northern part of the North
Island that the ill-fated Boyd in the year 1809 put
into the Whangaroa Harbour, when every soul on board,
except a woman and two children, were brutally murdered

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by the vindictive George and his tribe. Kauri timber-
has not lost the reputation it thus early acquired. No
New Zealand wood is of such general use for all kinds,
of work from ship-building to cabinet-making. For the
last-named purpose a peculiar mottled variety, capable of
taking on a high polish, is in particular request, a single
tree of this variety having been known to realise as
much as £500 for the 22,000 feet of timber it contained.
Indeed, there is a colossal tree, probably the largest in
New Zealand, standing at the head of the Tararu Creek at
the Thames, the timber of which is estimated at J&1000.
The southern limit of the kauri pine is latitude 37° 30', so-
that to Auckland belongs the whole supply. Unfortunately
the extravagant rate at which the kauri forests are being
despoiled of their timber, points to the probability of this
noble tree becoming as extinct as the Moa, and that at no
very distant date. The kauri is not at first sight readily
recognised as a pine, the branches having, instead of the
needle leaves so characteristic of conifers, a lance-shaped
tapering leaf somewhat resembling that of a small-leafed
gum. At some former period the kauri must have covered
enormous tracts of country now denuded of all vegetation
except poor fern and manuka scrub. Those tracts, notorious
for their sterility, are now indicated by large deposits of a
fine resin resembling amber, the export of which forms
no inconsiderable part of Auckland commerce.

Another interesting and characteristic tree confined to
the province of Auckland is the pohutukawa (Metrosideros
tomentosaj or Christmas tree of the settlers, so called from
its blooming at the Christmas season and taking the place,
in household decoration, of the berried mistletoe and holly..
The pohutukawa is essentially a sea-board plant, being
seldom found at any great distance from the coast, though

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occasionally growing far inland, as, for instance, on the
shores of Lake Tarawera. The lover of trees will be
charmed on first making the acquaintance of this glorious
tree. The downy silkiness of the leaves, the picturesque
irregularity of trunk and branches, the gnarled and fantastic
wreathings of its roots, and its dense masses of gorgeous
•crimson blossoms make the pohutukawa a picture of
arborescent beauty not easily forgotten. But whoever
would see this tree in its full glory must not be satisfied
with the shabby specimens to be seen in the immediate
neighbourhood of the city of Auckland. He must cruise
along the shore and amongst the islands of the Hauraki
Gulf, by the cliffs and coves of the Kawau, the Bay of Islands,
•or the Ooromandel Peninsula. The pohutukawa is useful
as well as ornamental. The stem, being full of natural
bends and very firm and hard in the grain, is in great
•demand for the knees of vessels ; and no doubt this has led
to the destruction of many a noble tree along the shores of
the Waitemata. The renovation of the tree is, however,
only a question of time, as the stump soon emits vigorous
young shoots which quickly form a new crown. Anyone
wishing to carry away a pohutukawa to plant elsewhere,
must remember that young plants fit for transplanting in no
way resemble the parent tree, having, instead of the soft
-downy foliage of the adult, a smooth polished leaf like a
myrtle.

Amongst other trees of economical value in the Auck-
land forests are the kahikatea or white pine, the rimu or
red pine, and the totara, all of them coniferous trees. The
kahikatea grows usually in low-lying swampy situations,
and, after a little experience of Auckland travelling, one
^ets to associate its long straight branchless pillars with
all that is dreary and rheumatic. The wood is by no

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means equal to kauri, being soft and white, and fit only for
inside work. The rimu is a beautiful wood, with a warm
<;edar-like grain, and very suitable for the manufacture of
furniture. It is, however, difficult to work, for which
reason furniture made from it is almost as expensive as
that made from imported cedar. In travelling through
New Zealand forest no one can mistake the rimu; the
jstraightness and symmetry of its trunk and the graceful
•droop of its pendent foliage distinguish it from all other
trees. From the young branches of the rimu Captain Cook
is said to have made spruce beer.

Of all the New Zealand woods the totara is the most
durable, and therefore it is greatly valued for piles, the
anore so that it resists the ravages of sea-worms better than
other timbers. The totara is a most majestic tree, the
column rising from the ground like a massive pillar, often
supported by huge buttresses, and crowned a-top with
dense masses of yew-like foliage. Besides those trees the
puriri is extensively used for posts and rails, and, of late,
ior railway sleepers.

The largest area of agricultural land belonging to the
province of Auckland lies towards the centre of the
province, along the banks of the Thames, Waikato, and
Waipa, the land to the north of the isthmus being much
broken and, generally speaking, of poor quality. The Mata-
mata estate alone comprises some 60,000 acres of agricultural
land, varying in quality from light fern land to the rich
iiumus, many feet in depth, of reclaimed swamp-land. The
Waikato Land Association owns some 90,000 acres available
for cultivation. A large portion of this enormous area ift
laid down under grass and other crops, and is already
43tocked with well-bred sheep and cattle. The settlers in
^he Waikato are now becoming alive to the importance of

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utilizing to the full the dairy produce of this vast agri-
cultural district. A cheese factory has been started at Te
Awamutu, the railway terminus, and the success of this,
establishment is likely to induce the farmers in other parts
of the Waikato to follow this example.

The mineral resources of Auckland are very consider-^
able. A gold-bearing ridge of hills runs north along the
east bank of the river Thames, ending in Cape Colville at
the north end of the Coromandel Peninsula. Coal, generally
of excellent quality, crops out in various parts of the pro*
vince, notably at Bay of Islands, Whangarei, Waikato, and
the Mokau. The seam at Kawa Kawa, averaging 12^ feet
in thickness, has produced an enormous quantity of coal,
and though it is now showing signs of giving out, there is
probably a large area of payable coal-bearing country lying
between KAwa-Kawa and Whangarei. Copper has been
found both at Kawau and the Great Barrier Island ; but
so far as it has yet been worked the result has not been
encouraging. Manganese ore of good quality is worked in
the Bay of Islands. Petroleum, said to be of good quality,
has been found at Poverty Bay on the east coast. Building
stones are represented by lavas and scorias near Auckland ;
and clays of various kinds are found in the Waikato district
and elsewhere.

The capital of Auckland, bearing the same name as
the province, stands on the north side of the isthmus where
the Waitemata Harbour on the east and the Manukau on
the west almost meet and cut the North Island in two*
The Waitemata, on which the city of Auckland is
immediately situated, stretches west, branching into many
arms, into which usually fall one or more fresh-water creeks.
One of those arms turning south comes to within two miles.
of Manukau Harbour ; whilst the Tamaki Estuary, lying

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east of the city, comes within a mile and a-half of the
Manukau at Otahuhu. Auckland is thus unique in its
situation, having on each side of the island a port into
which the largest vessels may enter with safety. It is not
to be wondered at that Captain Hobson, finding the
position of Russell unsuitable for a capital, should have
selected this spot before all others as the most convenient
seat of Government. Having made arrangements with the
native owners of the soil by which he was put in possession
of 30,000 acres on and near the isthmus, Hobson hoisted
the British flag on the Waitemata in September, 1 840, and
in the following year moved the Grovemment Establish-
ments to the young city which he called Auckland.

The isthmus on which Auckland stands must, at no very
remote time, have been occupied by a very dense population
of natives. The remarkable volcanic cones with which it is
studded were natural fortresses of which the natives were
not slow to avail themselves, whilst the fertile levels
afforded them rich potato grounds, and the numerous creeks
and coves made harbourage for their fleets of canoes.
Mount Eden and other cones bear, to this day, traces of
Maori occupation in their terraced and pitted sides. An
enormous pah covered Mount Wellington sometime in
the 18th century ; and not many generations ago the Ngati-
whatua who lived in the isthmus are said to have
numbered about 30,000. So dense, indeed, was the
population of the isthmus, that its inhabitants were knowi^
by pre-eminence as Nga Iwi, i,e, — " The Tribes" In his
invasion of the Waikato in 1822, Hongi, the Ngapuhi
chief, sailed his canoes up the Tamaki, drawing them over
the isthmus at Otahuhu. Coming to one bend in the river
too sharp to allow of his largest canoes rounding it, the
wily savage overcame this difficulty by cutting a canal.

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which may yet be seen. On the banks of the Tamaki
River, where the village of Panmure now stands, he laid
siege to Mauinena and Makoia, two populous pahs of the
Ngatiwhatua, leaving behind him when he went away
nothing of the inhabitants but their bones. Of the large
Maori population which once covered this isthmus none now
remain but one small hapu living at Orakei, on the east side
of Hobson Bay.

The City of Auckland in respect of its position may
well be called the Naples of New Zealand, no other town
in the Colony being able to approach it in the beauty of its
many sea views. It stands on the southern side of the
Waitemata, and occupies a series of^hills, divided by valleys
trending in the direction of the harbour. The town, as
seen from a vessel sailing into the river, presents a very
picturesque appearance. The many beautiful houses and
gardens that cover the slopes and nestle in cosy nooks
along the bays, the green lawns and clumps of trees, all
well visible from the harbour, give a most agreeable first
impression of the town. On landing and exploring the
different parts of the City, the beauty of its situation
unfolds itself at every step. The town itself, that is, the
brick and mortar part of the town, is not imposing, the
public buildings being neither numerous nor particularly
handsome. The main thoroughfare. Queen Street, runs in
a straight line from the wharf up the hill on which the
town is placed — at first by an almost imperceptible ascent,
but, towards its upper end, rising on to the ridge in a pretty
stiff gradient. On reaching the top of the incline, a walk
to either hand will open up remarkably fine views. By
turning to the right along the Karangahape road, you may
reach Ponsonby, one of the prettiest suburban spots about
Auckland ; or you may continue your walk amongst farma

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and green fields towards the Whau village. By turning to
the left you may take a number of pleasant walks along
Symonds Street, Khyber Pass, Grafton Road, the Domain,
and so on to Pamell — a peaceful and old-fashioned suburb
reaching down to the bay, — and along the cliffs, by a
labyrinth of pretty zig-zag lanes, shady with hedgerows or
overhung with willows. Many a time you will stop to
look down from some vantage-point on the beauty of the
bay below. It would be hard to find anywhere a more
charming sight than is presented on a sunny holiday
morning, Christmas morning for instance, to anyone
standing on the hill overlooking the harbour. Away to
the right the triple volcanic peak of Rangitoto rises, a
regular wooded cone, from the sparkling blue water of
the Hauraki Gulf, which rolls away till it is lost in the
distance towards Tiri-Tiri and Kawau. The irregular line
of the North Shore advances and retires in innumerable
promontories and bays, running out to meet Rangitoto
in two rounded volcanic knobs— Mounts Victoria and
Takapuna. Beyond the outline of the shore comfortable
homesteads lie bathed in a quivering mist of heat, sur-
rounded by fields and tree-clumps, presenting every shade
of green. And down below, just under the eye, lies the
harbour, with its glistening beaches of shell and sand, and
its water of pale sea-green streaming out to the Bean Rock
and Orakei, or away towards the Riverhead. At the
wharf the Union Company's huge steamers are almost
hidden in pennons of gaily coloured bunting. A trim
man-of-war, broadside on to the town, lies out in mid-
stream ; smaller craft of all degrees, sloops, steamers,
barges, yachts, all are making holiday and flying their
gayest colours. Small, white-sailed boats are tacking and
veering in the most capricious manner, skimming about

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like swallows on the surface of the water. The ferry-
boat, the only thing visible not making holiday, takes
its slanting course, crowded with passengers, from the
wharf to the North Shore, churning the green water into
foam and leaving in its wake a train of light. Such is
one of the peeps to be seen from the high ground in
Auckland. If you advance or recede a hundred yards, you
will probably come upon the same landscape ingredients
differently combined — a picture much like the last, but yet
with a difference.

Of special walks within the city two may be mentioned
— ^the Albert Park and the Domain. Albert Park occupies
a side of the hill that overlooks Queen Street. It fills the
curve formed by Bowen Street and Coburg Sti-eet, and is
reached in two or three minutes from the centre of the
town by way of Victoria Street. A few years ago what is
now the park was a rather unsightly piece of ground
known as Barrack Hill. Here, peaceful as it now looks,
a good deal of serious soldiering went on in the early
days of the Waikato "War, when the Auckland citizens
were in daily expectation of an attack. Hither the settlers
from outlying districts crowded in for protection, leaving
their property, animate and inanimate, to look after itself ;
and the young city was, for the time being, turned into a
military station. Barrack Hill, or rather Albert Park, has
put on a very different appearance nowadays. Trim beds
of flowers, luxuriant shrubs, grass lawns, and broad winding
walks now occupy the quondam parade-ground.

The Domain is, however, the chief recreation ground
of the city. Albert Park is yet uncomfortably new. It
wants mellowing. The Domain is a long-established pleasure
ground, with shady walks, and is planted with a choice
and well-grown collection of trees, native and foreign. It

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is bounded on one side by the city, and on the other by
Pamell, so that it is conveniently situated for both places.
A part of the several hundred acres, of which the Domain
consists, has been set apart for a cricket and football
ground, and in both games the Aucklanders have shown
that they can hold their own when they try their strength
against the sister provinces. The Domain is the habitat of
^ large variety of ferns which find conditions to suit them
in the moist and shady gullies amidst the native bush.

The principal public buildings in Auckland are the Post
Office, Supreme Court, Government House and the Hospital.
Churches are numerous, most of the denominations being
represented ; but the churches, like the hotels, are by no
means worthy of the city. An attempt has been made by
the Presbyterian body to adorn St. Andrew's Church, a
plain black scoria building, by the addition of a large tower ;
but the general effect is not all that might be desired.
Very soon Auckland will receive a handsome addition to
her public buildings in the new public library. This free
public library is one of the things for which Auckland is
to be envied by the other New Zealand cities. Containing
st present some 6000 volumes, it will receive from
Sir George Grey, whenever the new building is finished,
a most valuable donation — no less than his own collection
•of books and manuscripts, some of which are unique, and
•all of great value. In the library which is attached to the
Auckland Institute, there is a very complete set of such
works on New Zealand as have been published within the
last forty years.

The educational wants of Auckland are well provided
for. In addition to her large and comfortable primary
schools, provision is made for secondary education in a
•college for boys and a high school for girls. A university

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has also been lately established and equipped with a staflT
of professors specially selected in England.

The possible excursions from Auckland are both
interesting and numerous. In discussing them it will^
perhaps, be best to take those first that may be done on.
foot from town. F^t of all, there is the walk to Mount
Eden, which, if one walk only is possible, ought to be the one-
chosen. Mount Eden lies close to the town in the direction
of Newmarket and the Khyber Pass, within easy distance of
the centre of Auckland, and does not present a formidable
climb, a road ascending by a tolerably easy gradient to the
top. On the way up, the peculiar terraced and pitted sidea
of the Mount at once arrest attention. These terraces,
were at one time strongly fortified with native palisade
work, and now, except the half-buried heaps of pipi shells fast
crumbling into lime, are the only marks to show that Mount
Eden was at one time a Maori pah. On reaching the top
(644 feet), the first thing to engage the attention is the
crater. A hollow inverted cone in shape, it descends to a
considerable depth, its sides being covered with grass and
creeping fern, and thickly strewn with scoria fragments.
The view from the top of the hill is bewildering in its.
extent and variety. The whole of the remarkable volcanic
isthmus lies at the foot, and in no direction is the line of
vision bounded before the horizon has become dim and faint
with distance. Stretching away from the foot of the
mountain is the level land of the isthmus, studded with
comfortable cottages and with ornate and luxurious villas,
embedded in the sub-tropical luxuriance of rich gardens,
where the chocolate soil has only to be tickled with a hoe
to smile with a harvest of fruit and flowers; fruit —
loquats, peaches, nectarines, plums, and grapes; flowers —
roses, camellias, brugmansias, heliotrope, palms, and passion-
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flowers, each after its kind and in its due season. As tl\e

suburbs spread into the country, suburban villas and

cottages are succeeded by neat and thriving farms, with

flelds of rich grass well fenced and sub-divided, where

troops of healthy stock are busy converting the grass and

clover into milk. To the north the view ranges away

tovrards the Barrier Islands, and along the faint line of the-

Coromandel and Whangaparoa Peninsulas, past the Hauraki

Cyclades — Ponui, Waiheke, Motutapu, and Kangitoto,

Mountain of the Bloody Sky. The stalk of the lighthouse

gleams white on Tiri-Tiri. Nearer at hand the Waitemata-

runs its sinuous course from Lucas Creek, its northern

shore scalloped into bay and promontory — Takapuna, Shoal

Bay, Stokes* Point, and Kauri Point. To the east the

isthmus is fretted by the Tamaki River and Hobson Bay ;

and the water of the Gulf sweeps round the channel to the

Thames, between Waiheke and the mainland. To the south

and west the prospect is hardly less varied, stretching down

from Onehunga along the wooded Manukau hills to the-

AVhau. One most striking feature about the Auckland

isthmus is the great number of cones like Mount Eden in

appearance, and ranging in height from 300 to 920 feet,

this last being the height of Rangitoto. Within a radius of

10 miles round Auckland, Hochstetter counted no fewer

than 63 points of eruption, so that at one time this.

neighbourhood must have had a very lively appearance^

Although the volcanic activity of this district belongs to a

very recent geological period, there is no tradition amongst

the natives of any actual eruption ; yet, from the name

Bangitoto (Bloody Sky) it must be supposed that an

eruption has taken place, at least in this mountain, within

Maori times.

At the foot of Mount Eden lies the suburb of Remuera.

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^'here many of the wealthier residents of Auckland have built
themselves tasteful and comfortable houses. A drive to
this beautiful suburb is a pleasure that should not be
-omitted by those who make any stay in Auckland.

In a southerly direction from Mount Eden, and about
:five miles from the town, lies a group of volcanic hills called
the Three Kings. There is a good road all the way, and
therefore those not inclined to walk may drive or ride. The
interesting feature of the Three Kings is the series of curioug
'Caves which honeycomb the ground in this neighbourhood, at
one time evidently a very active centre of volcanic activity.
Hochstetter supposes them to have been occasioned by the
generation of gases, as the hot masses of lava rolled over
marshy ground. They are, in short, the result of great
bubbles in the lava. The broken and crumbling bones
lying still thick upon the floors, show that those caves (some
•of which are very capacious) must have been at some time
the scene of fearful Maori orgies. The largest cave is of
very considerable length, and consists of two floors. The
first or entrance level goes in so far that the daylight is lost,
and then suddenly sinks to a lower level, on to which the
visitor has carefully to drop. Here, of course, all is utter
•darkness, and the recesses of the lower cave are to be
-explored only with the help of a lantern. A visit to the
Three Kings would make an exceedingly pleasant day^s
outing. Luncheon might be taken, and there are hundreds
of pleasant grassy spots on which to pic-nic. The botanist
will find many interesting plants, chiefly ferns, which hang
in graceful drapery about the mouths of the caves. To the
geologist, an extraordinary opportunity offers itself of
studying various volcanic phenomena ; and for him who
has no hobby at all, the mystery of the caves must still
have an attraction. By driving or riding out, if time is a

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matter of importance, the Three Kings may be visited
in half a day.

Of course anyone who visits Auckland will cross in the
ferry-boat to the North Shore. This is a trip which may
be made as long or as short as you like. Two hours will
^suffice to visit the township and have a dish of strawberries
-and cream, but a whole day is not too long to enable you
to visit Mount Victoria, once a volcano, subsequently a pah,
and now a signal station. While at the North Shore, those
interested in such things might inspect the dock at Calliope
Point. An exceedingly agreeable afternoon may be spent
-either in Walking and scrambling along the North Shore
' westward in the direction of Stoke's Point, or in exploring
its numerous coves in a boat.

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CHAPTER XIII.
WAIWERA AND KAWAU.

Waivfera (Two routes— steamer every Tuesday, Thursday, and
Saturday ; returns Monday, Wednesday, and Friday ; fare, single:
7s. 6d. ; return lis. Or by coach from North Shore, Monday, Wed-
nesday, and Friday, at 9.30 a.m. ; returns Tuesday, Thursday, and
Saturday, at 8.30 a.m. ; fare each way 8s. There is an excellent
hotel at Waiwera (proprietor Mr. R. Graham), with spacious baths-
at service of visitors. Hotel expenses — for adults, first 2 days, 12s.
per day : after that, 10s. 6d., exclusive of wines. For children under
12, half above rates. )

Kawau (29 miles ; steamer every Tuesday at 11 a.m. Fare,,
return 15s.)

helensville (38 miles ; railway fares, return 14s. 3d. and 9s. 6d,
first and second class respectively. For intermediate stations see^
Bradshaw.)

Coromandd (40 miles; steamer Monday, Wednesday, and
Friday. Fare, return 20s.)

Whangarei (75 miles; steamer Monday and Friday. Fare^
return 28s.)

The Thames (50 miles 5 steamer daily at low water. Fare,
return, 20s.)

Tauranga (133 miles ; steamer. Northern Steamship Company,
Monday and Thursday, at 5 p.m.; returning from Tauranga,
Wednesday and Friday, at 4 p.m. Fare, return, 50s.)

Of the excursions that lie some distance from Auck-
land, the first to claim notice is, of course, that to Waiwera,,
hot-water springs lying about 20 miles north of Auckland,
on the west shore of the Hauraki Gulf. There are two-
ways of access to Waiwera — one by sea and one by land.
A steamer leaves Auckland every Tuesday, Thursday, and

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Saturday, returning on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday ;
the coach from the North Shore reverses the order of
departure and return. The sea route goes along a very fine
piece of water. On first entering the channel between
Rangitoto and the mainland, an excellent view may be had
of the triple-peaked volcano to the right. The jagged reefs
of scoria run out from the base of the island in a very
formidable way ; but there is ample breadth, and the
channel is perfectly safe. After passing Rangitoto the
fiteamer sails in open water for some considerable distance
till it nears Tiri-Tiri — a long narrow island, on the south
ond of which stands a lighthouse, just under which is the
reef on to which the Triu/niph ran in such an extraordinary
way. Instead of steering its proper course towards the
passage between Cape Oolville and Great Barrier Island,
this vessel, in some unaccountable way, whilst the captain
nodded on the bridge, steered straight for the lighthouse
And on to the reef. Passing between Tiri-Tiri and the
Whangaparoa Peninsula which runs out to meet the island,
the steamer crosses the Whangaparoa Bay and comes to
Anchor at a safe distance from the Waiwera Beach. The
passengers are conyeyed in boats from the vessel to a
oart, which comes out into the water to meet them.
The whole process of embarking and disembarking is some-
what amusing, and not so formidable as it might at
£rst sight appear to be.

If it is thought preferable to take the coach journey
{and it has the advantage of affording a glimpse of inland
jscenery), one must leave Auckland by the 9 o'clock ferry-
boat on a Monday, Wednesday, or Friday morning. The
•coach will be found waiting the arrival of the ferry-boat at
the North Shore. The route lies after this by Lake
Takapuna, Lucas Creek, Dairy Flat, Puhoi, and Orewa.

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Takapuna is a considerable body of fresh water, and is said
to occupy the submerged crater of an extinct volcano. At
Pukeatua the coach stops twenty minutes to allow passengers,
to have lunch. From Dairy Flat the road continues through
partially cultivated country to Wade, a township with some
timber trade, situated on the Wade River. From Wade
the coach crosses the neck of the Whangaparoa Peninsula
to the Orewa River, which is bridged with a turn-table
bridge to allow the local trading craft to pass up and down
the river. The road from Orewa lies along a beautiful
stretch of beach for about two and a half miles to the
Otanerua River. Thence it proceeds for a few miles
through bush, and finally descends into the Waiwera Valley,
where are the Hot Springs.

The little sanatorium of Waiwera is situated on an
alluvial spit on the right bank of Waiwera stream where
it enters the sea. Here the stream is tidal, the salt water
ascending twice a day far past the hotel. Like so many
New Zealand streams, the Waiwera has hollowed out for
itself a deep channel, which, at the place where it enters,
the sea, lies between high and densely wooded banks. On
a spit to the right of the stream, and under the lee of the
southern bank, stand the hotel and the baths. It is a
pretty spot whether you look down upon it from above,
where the coach first comes in sight of it, or view it from
the front, where the steamer comes to anchor. The
hotel, a lai^e and rambling, but comfortable building, faces,
the sea, and looks out upon a fine prospect — the bay and
Mahurangi Island in the foreground, Tiri Tiri in the middle
distance, and dim on the far horizon. Cape Oolville and the
Coromandel Peninsula. The hotel is surrounded with very
pretty grounds. The garden in front is planted with varioua
shrubs and trees, under the shadow of which visitors are

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invited to sit down by comfortable seats placed there for the-
purpose. One part of the lawn is reserved for lawn tennis ;
in another a fountain showers its water into a basin filled
with aquatics. To the side of the hotel are green paddocks,
and, at the back, a garden well-stocked with vegetables and
fruits.

Inside, the hotel is fitted up with every comfort.
Besides a large number of bedrooms, it contains a spacious,
drawing-room and dining-room, a billiard-room, smoking-
room, a large dancing-hall, and a public bar. The hotel
and baths are the property of Mr. Robert Graham, and are
under the able management of the proprietor s sister. Miss
Oraham, who is indefatigable in her efforts to make visitors
comfortable. A generous table is kept, the resources of the
place providing an unstinted supply of fresh vegetables and
fruit. Closely adjoining the hotel are a post and money
order office, a Government life insurance office, a savings
bank, and telegraph station. Mails are received and
despatched daily.

Even if there were no hot springs, Waiwera would be
a pleasant place in which to sojourn for a time ; but of
course it is the hot water that is the chief attraction.
The springs, which give their name to the locality,
Wai Wera (hot water), lie immediately under the wooded
hill to the right of the hotel. You may pass out at the
front gate, and walk along the pretty white beach of shell
and sand that curves round the edge of the bay, and so
reach the baths in two minutes; or you may walk along the
avenue of Calif omian pines that leads from the hotel to the
baths. There are three distinct mineral springs, lying only a
few feet above high-water mark. The water from one spring
has been led into a covered swimming bath of considerable
dimensions, so ihs.t here the visitor may have the rare

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experience of a swim in hot water. He will find, however,
that, though it is a delightful sensation to paddle about in
the liquid warmth, swimming in it is by no means an easy
matter, owing probably to the rarity of the water. Other
covered baths of the ordinary kind are also provided — one
•set being reserved for ladies. The temperature of the water
ranges from 102 to 106 degrees Fahrenheit.

The reputation of the Waiwera Springs dates far back
into ante-European times. Their curative properties were
well-known throughout ancient Maoridom, and natives used
to come from great distances to bathe in the waters — their
l)ath consisting of a hole dug in the sand, into which they
led the warm water. Naturally the possession of the
Waiwera was eagerly desired by surrounding tribes, and
this led occasionally to very deadly conflicts between the
owners of the springs and those who envied their possession^
On thos6 occasions the Mahurangi Rock, strongly fortified
as it is by nature, and then larger than it is now, afforded
the Waiwera natives an impregnable place of retreat.

The waters at Waiwera may be used externally and
internally, and are said to possess highly curative properties
— ^more especially in the case of rheumatism and cutaneous
diseases. The following are the suggestions to invalids
published by Mr. Graham : — " Take a bath before break-
fast, a second in the afternoon, and a third before going to
rest at night. Drink a cupful of the mineral water, both
before and after each bath, according to the nature of the
<lisease and the strength of the patient. The number of
l)aths per day can be increased or reduced, according to the
effects produced. From five to fifteen minutes in ordinary
cases is about the usual time to remain in, but patients will
soon learn by their own instincts the time best suited to
their constitution. A bath taken in the afternoon or

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•evening is almost invariably followed by a sound and
refreshing sleep. In this way they have frequently been
found to succeed where sedatives and opiates have failed.'*
As to the time of remaining in the water, invalids would do
well to " beware of instinct," and rather consult a doctor.

For those who make any long stay at Waiwera, there
are various amusements possible — ^boating on the river and
bay, riding into the interior, walking through the bush
roads and paths in the neighbourhood, and botanising, the
vegetation on the banks of the stream being rich and varied.
Along the coast, about a mile south of Waiwera, are some
-<»ves which may be visited. Towards the north, over the
ridge which forms the left bank of the Waiwera, is a
•Oerman settlement called Puhoi, on a river of the same
name. Here, too, is a native kainga, where Hemera, the
*chief of the district resides. Hemera is a Maori of the old
school. His mother, who died about twenty years ago, and
who was 100 years old at her death, remembered Captain
Cook's visit to New Zealand, and used to tell how the Thames
natives, on receiving some soap from Cook, thought it was
something to eat and ate it. North from Puhoi is Mahur-
angi River and harbour ; and further north still, facing the
Island of Kawau, is Matakana, a Maori stronghold of old
.renown.

KAWAU.

In visiting Kawau, there is of course no avoid-
ing the water— but even by water there are various
ways of going. First, for the visitor staying at Waiwera^
it is possible to cross in a boat, the distance between that
place and Bon Accord Harbour, in Kawau, being about 11
miles as the crow flies. This, however, if the gulf is not
•exceedingly smooth, is not a plan to be recommended. A
steamer leaves Auckland for the Island every Tuesday at

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11 a.m. Anyone who likes yachting and can get an oppor
tunity of running down from Auckland to Kawau in a good
yacht, will acknowledge that this is the pearl of yachting^
grounds — fine deep channels, steady winds, beautiful and
varied islands, and safe harbours everywhere.

Kawau, that is, Shag Island, lies about 29 miles north
of Auckland, and measures about four miles from north to-
south and three from east to west. In outline on the map it
looks like a miniature England. On the east the coast has
but few indentations, but on the west three well-marked
inlets cut into the Island, on the middle and largest o£
which — Bon Accord Harbour — is situated the residence of
the proprietor. Sir George Grey. In sailing up to this
harbour you pass two remarkable rocks, the Bee Hive and
the Martello rock, the names of which sufficiently indicate
their appearance. On rounding a promontory called
Momona Point — of which more anon — the vessel glides
into Bon Accord Harbour and you find yourself in front of
Sir George Grey's residence. The house, which has the air
of an old English mansion, lies in a sheltered valley at the
head of the cove, embowered in trees and creepers of every
kind and climate. A low fence, hidden with scarlet passion
flower, shuts off the house from the bay, and a gate com-
municates between the lawn of the house and the little jetty
which runs out from the beach in front. Here Sir George
Grey, after having done the State some service, spends,,
amongst his books and trees and flowers, such time as is
not taken up with parliamentary duties. He is not
unwilling, however, that others should derive pleasure
from the beauty of his island, and therefore he makes
all visitors welcome, according a ready permission that
they should visit his grounds. The grounds which surround
the house are laid off with great taste, though with little-
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stiffiiess or formality ; glades, lawns, clumps of shrubbery,
isolated specimen trees, tangled masses of creeper, and trees
of luscious fruit, constantly recurring in fresh and sur-
prising combination. Araucarias from Chili grow side by
side with palms from the South Seas, natives of New Zealand
next to strangers from Japan. Rare plants are here from all
quarters of the world, and the climate of Kawau seems to
suit them all. English stpne fruits — plums, peaches^
apricots, grow in profusion. Oranges and lemons, loquats
and bananas, thrive side by side with the fruits of Northern
Europe. Flowers which in other less genial lands flaunt
their beauties under glass flourish here in the open air, and
light up the garden with dashes of brilliant colour ; whilst
the air is sweet with the fragrance of such home favourites
as roses, sweet-peas, honeysuckle, mignonette, and jessamine.
Perhaps, however, the loveliest spot in all Kawau is
Momona, a wooded hill and piomontory that runs out into
the sea, forming one head of Bon Accord Bay, and
sheltering Sir George Grey's house from the south-west
wind. Walks le^ out by small wicket-gates from the
garden on to the hill, and wind about and in and out
amongst the rich vegetation, aflording at every step some
new view of wood and rock and water. The steep sides of
the hill where it skirts the sea, are covered with magnifi-
cent pohutukawas which stretch their fantastic arms over
the oyster-beds at the foot, revelling as much as the oysters
themselves in the spray of the salt water. The pohutuka-
was on this island are perhaps the finest on the shores of
the Hauraki Gulf, having been saved from the ruthless
destruction dealt to this tree elsewhere. The top of the
hill of Momona is a broad plateau covered with soft grass,
and studded with handsome conifers, some large specimens
of which grow out of old Maori pits, for it is hardly necessary

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to say that a place so easily defended was once a Maori
stronghold. Provided with a perennial spring of water
(now filled up), defended on the landward side by a deep
ditch, and palisaded at every possible point of attack, it is
not surprising that the tribe of Momona should have made
themselves a terror to their neighbours north and south on
the mainland. The tribes at Whangaparoa, Waiwera,
Mahurangi, Matakana, and Whangarei were in succession
the victims of a raid from these insolent pirates, strong in
their numbers and position. From the giddy verge of
the cliff in which the peninsula ends, the Momonites could
scan the gulf far to the north and south, and watch the
expeditions of their neighbours on the mainland opposite,
from the very moment the canoes issued from their
harbourage. Nothing the size of a walnut shell could
escape their notice. But the reprisals which the injured
tribes individually could not effect, they made collectively.
A grand alliance was formed amongst the continental
powei's. The united force of Matakana, Mahurangi, and
Whangaparoa, joined by a contingent from the Great
Barrier^ which also had its injuries to avenge, hurled itself
against the Momona Pah, which, strong as it was,
could not resist the united attack. The pah wias taker.
Two thousand are said to have fallen in the fray; anc',
after having feasted on the slain, the allies returned to their
homes, taking with them into captivity such women and
children as they had not devoured.

Those who have the time to spare, will find themselves
amply repaid for any expenditure of trouble, or loss of time,
by a walk into the interior of the island. The fresh and
invigorating air that sweeps over the breezy uplands ; the
rich landscape — a succession of grassy downs, leafy glades,
stretches of blue water, and distant peaks; the abundant

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animal life — ^larks caroUing overhead, lost to sight in the
blue, pheasants whirring, cattle grazing, sheep bleating,
j)ossibly a flock of wallabies hopping through the grass, or a
group of fallow deer — these are the agreeable incidents of a
walk through Kawau. And if you find yourself by chance
on the shore of some bay, you may sit down under the shade
of a pohutukawa, stone in hand, and regale yourself with a
delicious feast of oysters.

In the south-west of the Island on Dispute Cove there
is a tolerably rich vein of copper. The lode was at one time
worked, but the mining had to be discontinued chiefly on
account of the high price of coal and labour. The lode at
first produced 16 per cent, of copper, but fell off at the
bottom of the workings to about five per cent.

The interior of Sir George Grey's residence is equally
interesting with the island on which it stands. The large
entrance-hall is a museum of Maori curios—grotesquely carved
panels, weapons of all kinds, moa remains, and implements
and ornaments of greenstone. Perhaps the most interesting
object in the collection is the rude image of a man carved in
a reddish sort of stone, and said to have been brought to
New Zealand by one of the canoes from Hawaiki. Some
confirmation of this story is found in the fact that no stone
of the same kind is known to exist in any of the New
Zealand formations.

To any visitor of scholarly instincts, the chief interest
in a visit to Kawau will centre in Sir George Grey's
library. His fine collection of manuscripts, blackletter
copies, and rare editions, the finest in the southern hemis-
phere, has been presented by Sir George to the Auck-
land Public Library, with only this condition attached,
that Auckland must first build a suitable place to receive
them. Some of the manuscripts dating back to the time of

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the commonwealth, and throwing important light on certain
incidents in Cromweirs career, are in a very tender state,
and will require very careful custody to preserve them.
Many of the manuscripts will be of importance to the future
historian of this Colony, whilst others, again, possess consider^
able literary interest. Some of the old devotional works are
interesting, not only for the written matter, but for the
exquisite illuminations with which they are so lavishly
ornamented. Caxton, Wynkyn de Worde, Pynson, and
other pioneers of printing are well represented, whilst the
early editions of Chaucer, Spenser, and Shakespeare must
delight anyone who knows how rightly to value such
treasures. The collection of Old Testament and New
Testament editions alone, would be a munificent and
magnificent gift to any library.

The various excursions that have been described, do

not by any means exhaust the possible excursions round

Auckland. Anyone who chooses to hire a suitable vessel

may cruise round Eangitoto, Motutapu, and Waiheke, or

explore the recesses of Great and Little Barrier Islands.

A trip by train from Auckland to Helensville, at the

southern end of the Kaipara Harbour — a distance of 38

miles — will open up the country that lies to the west of the

Waitemata. The train passes through Avondale, as the

Whau District is now called, and Henderson — a settlement

owing its existence to the timber trade, and from which

a road leads to the Waitakerei Falls. At Helensville the

traveller finds himself fairly in the timber district. Steamers

ply regularly between Helensville and other settlements

further north on the Kaipara. The Northern Wairoa,

entering the harbour at the north end, is the second largest

river in the province, and on its banks is carried on the

most extensive tim ber and gum trade in the Colony.

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About 75 miles north of Auckland, by sea, is

WHANGARBI,

A prosperous settlement, placed amidst beautiful sur-
roundings. The river scenery, after entering the heads,
is said to resemble some of the sounds on the West Coast
-of Otago. The township is situated about 15 miles from
the Heads, on the Hoteo River. There are two large water-
falls and line limestone caves in the neighbourhood.
The township of Kamo, where coal-mining is extensively
carried on, is connected with Whangarei by rail.

Those who are interested in gold-mining will find time
well spent in a visit to

COROMANDEL

-or the Thames. The Coromandel Peninsula is a long nar-
row strip of land running north, and forming the eastern
side of the Hauraki Gulf. It is really a mountain
ridge throughout its entire length, and contains a large
amount of gold-bearing quartz. Coromandel township
lies on a pretty land-locked harbour, on the west side
-of the peninsula. There are several 'interesting mines
in the neighbourhood, though gold-mining here is not
what it once was. The wooded ridge behind the township
makes an excellent bush scramble — not too difficult, and yet
giving enough labour to make it pleasant. This bush is one
•of the finest f eming grounds in New Zealand ; nearly all
the filmy ferns, including the much-admired kidney fern
are found in the shady gullies which channel the sides of
the ridge. On the crest of the ridge a magnificent view is
obtained, extending to both sides of the peninsula.

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CHAPTER XIV.

BAY OF ISLANDS.

Union Steam Ship Company's and Northern Company's steamers*
from Auckland to Russell. Distance, 128 miles. Fare, single £1
10s.

Hotels— The Marlborough and The Pacific, 10s. per day , or,,
HI 2s. per week.

Population— Bay of Islands, 2184 ; Russell, 250.

Places of Interest — Public Sail and Library — Old Church
and Churchyard— Flagstaff Hill — Waitangi Hall and Waterfall
(boat from Russell, Is. 6d. per head). Keri-Keri 2J»>gr— Waterfall
and Old Mission Station (S.S. Ida leaves Russell every Saturday^
and returns same day ; fare, 7s. 6d. return). Kawa Kawa Township
and Coal-mine by steamer (fare, 2s. 6d. each way) and rail (single,
2s. ) twice a day. Manganese Mines — ^whence a magnificent panor-
amic view of the Bay, about 8 miles from Russell — ^by horse, 10s..
Whangaroa — 35 miles by water from Russell — Northern Coy.'s
steamer Tuesday evenings, returning on Thursdays (fare, 16s.
return).

A ten hours' sail of 128 miles northward from Auck-
land brings you to one of the fairest spots in the whole of
New Zealand, and one of the loveliest perhaps on earth..
The Bay of Islands is reached by the Union Coy.'s vessels
which call to take in coal at the Kawa Kawa River,
touching at Kororareka to put down such passengers as
choose to land there. The boats of the Northern Steam-
ship Company also call weekly at Russell and ports further
north. The passage from Auckland, through the beautiful
Hauraki Gulf, carries one past Rangitoto, Tiri-tiri, Kawau,.
and the Barrier Islands ; past the Hen and Chickens Group*

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and Whangarei Heads ; and along many a bold bluff till at
last a stretch of iron-bound coast terminates in the precipice-
headland of Cape Brett, which forms the southern head of ^
the Bay of Islands. Off this point, from which it has been
rent by some great natural force, is a remarkable outlying -
rock, in one place forming an arch, through which the sea
rushes sometimes with great violence. Bounding this,
island rock the vessel enters the Bay of Islands. The Cape-
which forms the northern head is called Wiwiki Point.
Between Capes Brett and Wiwiki the bay runs into the
land, dividing into many arms and washing round number-
less islands and peninsulas. It has been well named Bay
of Islands, for, as the vessel makes along the south side foir-
Kororareka, it passes through an archipelago. By and by
rounding a charming wooded peninsula, with rocky shores,,
the steamer puffs up to the snug little township of Koror-
areka, or Russell, as it is now more commonly, but less,
correctly, called. In the early morning while the air is.
still fresh and dewy, and the water of the bay is unruffled,
by the breezes which invariably set in later in the day^
Kororareka, with its crescent of pebbly beach, its white
houses and its green hills, is an ideal picture of beauty and
peace. The only thing that disturbs the general air of
tranquillity and restfulness is the noi§y bustle of the steamer;,
and when it has deposited its passengers and its bales upon
the jetty, and puffs on its way to the coaling-station at
Kawa Kawa, you feel yourself isolated for a time at least
from the push and bustle of the world — a feeling not likely
to be disturbed as long as you remain at Kororareka. If it
is not yet breakfast time, you cannot do better than walk
to the headland that lies to your left as you face the bay.
A walk of a few minutes along the beach will bring you to*
the end of the parade, where the hill projects into the water

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forming one horn of the crescent in which the little town is
placed. The hill is steep but not high. On the top are
many traces of previous Maori occupation, for on such a
projecting plateau as this the Maori of a past generation
loved to build his pah — ^near his patches of kumeras and
potatoes, and his supplies of pipi-shells and fish ; whilst at
the same time his position was easily fortified, and protected
Jiim from surprises by giving him a wide outlook over the
approaches of the enemy. And such an outlook ! Below,
A smooth sheet of green water, lazily washing its dark fleeces
of kelp, so transparent that the king-fishes may be seen
■darting hither aQd thither in pursuit of the smaller fry.
Winding in and out amongst a hundred coves the water
-defines itself against the sinuous beach by a waving thread
of white foam — now lost behind some jutting peninsula and
Again re-appearing to play its game of hide-and-seek in the
mazy intricacies of the coast.

The ^t forenoon may well be spent in a walk to the
top of the peninsula under lee of which Kororareka lies.
This is the hill on which was reared the famous flagstaff,
-cause of dire ills to the early settlers of the bay. The hill
is 336 feet high, and is approached by a comparatively easy
^ig-zag bridle-track from the township. This pleasant path
along a pretty dell covered with manuka and fern brings
you out on the crest of the hill close to the foot of the flag-
staff. Seated on the closely-cropped turf you may choose
your view on which side of the peninsula you will. Looking
down on the inner side towards the village, you have below
you the bay, a stretch of curiously mottled and marbled
water — ^lapis lazuli veined with the delicate green of the
chrysoprase — forming a wonderful setting for its many
islands. Extraordinary water effects may be watched
from this hill, produced by a combination of causes,

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•cloud-shadows, wind-ripples, and the transparent light
greens and dark blues of the bay. Away in the far distance
the vision is bounded by a bold irregular mountain outline, so
indistinct from extreme distance that one can hardly tell
where it merges into the grey clouds that lie in banks on
the horizon. The hills as they approach, range by range,
show more and more distinct iii outline, their faces glowing
in sunshine or mottled with cloud shadows, showing here a
patch of bush and there a stretch of fern, here a winding
mountain track, and there the clay face of a landslip. Away
on the opposite side of the bay is the peaceful little village
of Paihia — a quiet cluster of houses lying amongst its
gardens and orchards under the lee of a sheltering hill ;
whilst to the right, separated from Paihia by a projecting
headland, are the yeUow sands of Waitangi, where the
river runs down from amongst its hills, till its broad estuary
merges into the waters of the bay. The white hall and the
Treaty obelisk gleam white in the sunshine, monuments of
the important deed which made New Zealand a part of the
British Empire. Further to the right the eye rests
pleasantly on the undulating green sward, rounded knolls,
and comfortable looking homestead of Busby's farm, which
runs in a long grassy spit down to the Waitangi estuary ;
and the clumps of lombardy poplars and orchard trees give
that suggestion of European cultivation which always adds
interest to a New Zealand landscape. The coastline winds
in irregular curves along the north side of the bay, between
Toke-Toke Point and the island of Moturoa, towards the
Keri-Keri River, and on to Wikiwi Head. Some distance
inside the bay from Wikiwi is Te Puna, a spot of some
interest as the first mission station established in New
Zealand. Here on Christmas Day, in the year 1814, the
courageous Samuel Marsden preached his first sermon to

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part of the numerous population which then inhabited those*
parts. Now the mission station of Te Puna is deserted^
and the large population assembled here seventy-four years-
ago have left but a scanty sprinkling of natives to succeed
them.

Sweep the eye round to the other side of the flag-^
stafif peninsula and an equally magnificent sea view meet*,
it — the broad entrance of the bay stretching from Wiwiki
Head to Cape Brett over an archipelago of rocky or wooded
islands, where the waves curl with larger crests than on the^
leeward side, and dash themselves in jets of spray among
the black reefs of Moturoa, or lick the long precipice that
lines the coast ; and beyond all, out in the ocean, is the dim
line where sea and sky join.

From the hill on which you are sitting you look
directly down on the township of Kororareka. Gullies of
white blossomed manuka, of puriris and fern trees, run down
the hill side towards the beach. You see every house in the-
township, and might draw the plan of every garden. A
dozing, lotus-eating, beautiful spot it is, with its white houses,
facing the sea, its beach of shingle and shells, its rough
cricket ground, its weeping willows, its Catholic church,
whose unfrequented precincts have been invaded by
colonies of native shrubs, its picturesque English church
and churchyard, its Maori raupo-thatched whares, and the
straight and stately pyramids of its Norfolk Island pines
Groups of half-clothed Maoris lounge about the jetty ; boys
chase each other in the water under the piles; you see^
though you cannot hear, the rhythmic play of the oars, as the
boat of a trawling holiday-making scientist flashes out and
rounds the point into the open bay, to grub the bottom of
the deep for molluscous and crustacean treasures. Who-
could believe that this Eden, basking its life away so»

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peacefully in the sun, had ever been the " New Zealand
Hell"; that that white beach had been tlie scene of
infamous orgies and nefarious crime; that the crescent
-where those houses stand had once been a blaze of
Tuined homes; that round the quaint little churchyard, with
its trees and flowers, a deadly battle had been fought, and
that its very fence had been painted with the blood of English
:fiailors ! The only reminder now of this state of things is
a spiked cannon half-sunk in the shingle of the beach ; but
it is only some forty years since those things happened in
peaceful Kororareka.

In the early days, before the regular colonization of
New Zealand, the Bay of Islands was a very populous
district and a favourite haunt of whalers. Here, after a
successful season, they would bring their booty to be boiled
down. They mixed freely with the natives, in most cases
marrying native wives. As a rule those whalers were not
^11 that they ought to be ; many of them were runaway
•convicts or deserters from ships, and the life they led on
shore was often one continued orgie. There was no
government or authority of any kind to hold those evil
spirits in check, and they were constantly being recruited
i)y the scum of society from other places, Kororareka being
A sort of Alsatia or City of Refuge where the most
depraved criminals might find an asylum. It was hardly
ix> be wondered at that there should be antagonism between
41 white population such as this and the early missionaries,
the Rev. Samuel Marsden and his successors, who saw that
the natives were being debauched by depraved Europeans.

Such was the state of things whenr in 1835 the
Imperial Government, with the object of maintaining some
ssort of order, appointed Mr. Busby British Resident at
i&ororareka. As Mr. Busby had little force to back up his

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authority, except the force of moral suasion, matters were-
not much improved by his appointment; and, as the^
French were suspected of designs upon the Islands, and
" The New Zealand Company " had commenced in 1839 a.
system of colonizing on an extensive scale, the Imperial
Government saw fit in 1840 to annex New Zealand. In.
that year, accordingly, just in time to anticipate the
French, Captain Hobson arrived in H.M.S. Rattlesnake
and hoisted the British standard in Kororareka — the
standard which now rises from the hill overlooking the
township. On the 6th of March, 1840, on Mr. Busby's,
farm, was signed the famous treaty of Waitangi by which
the most influential chiefs in New Zealand ceded the
sovereignty of the islands to Queen Victoria, in return for
which Queen Victoria "extended to the natives of New
Zealand her royal protection, and imparted to them all the
rights and privileges of British subjects."

The first seat of government was established on a
green promontory which may be seen as you sail up to-
Kawa Kawa. It was called Russell in honour of Lord
John Russell, but the place was found unsuitable for a
capital ; and, accordingly, a short time after the signing of
the treaty, the seat of government was moved to the banks
of the Waitemata, where now stands the City of Auckland ►
On the site of the original Russelltown not a single house
now exists.

But though the seat of Grovemment was removed from
the Bay of Islands, the British standard still stood on the
hill above Kororareka, just at the spot where we are now
sitting, looking down on the town. Now that a fixed
Government had been established in the country the
turbulent spirits of Kororareka took themselves off else-
where, and the little town settled down into something.

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like decency and order. But with its turbulent spirits
departed also its trade and material prosperity ; and
it need not appear strange if the native mind connected
the raising of the British standard with the increasing
deamess and scarcity of tobacco and calico.

The Ngapuhi — the " Loyal Ngapuhi " as they used to-
call themselves — is the tribe that holds sway across the breadth
of the island from Little Barrier to Doubtless Bay. Tall^
straight, swarthy, and soft-eyed, the Ngapuhi were a race
of warriors, proud of their great chiefs and of their prestige
in battle. The tribes of the south trembled at their name,,
for Hongi, their most renowned leader, had slain his
thousands on the Thames and Waikato. Hongi was now
dead, but there was a young Ngapuhi chief who, as a boy,,
had learnt from him the art and love of war, and had heard
him recount his feats of arms. This was the young chief. Hone
Heke — a youth of the most generous and chivalrous instincts^
albeit a savage. Heke had received some education, knew
somewhat of history, and had, therefore, sufficient political
knowledge to enable him to measure the situation of his
tribe by the standard of other nations.

In the year 1844 Hone Heke paid a visit to Kororareka,.
and no doubt found it a very different place from what it
used to be in the days of the roystering whalers. The
advantages of Pakeha trade were now with the tribes of the
Waitemata ; and the brave Ngapuhi, who had always,
treated the white stranger so weU, found all necessary
commodities growing uncommonly dear. If those were the
first fruits of Quini Wikitoria's Government, then down
with the treaty of Waitangi ! Were they not free Maoris %
And should they be governed by a woman ?

Some of the more mischievously disposed spirits o£
Elororareka— probably not anticipating anything serious —

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fanned the flame of Heke's discontent by hinting to him
that the prestige of the great Ngapuhi was gone, that they
had now surrendered their freedom and henceforth would
be merely the slaves of the English Queen — a thought
bitter to the' Maori mind. And there was the outward and
visible sign of this subjection — the British flagstaff on the
hill of Kororareka. With great deliberation Heke
proceeded to cut down the obnoxious flagstafi^, the supposed
. signal to warn off* British ships from the Bay of Islands, so
that the natives should be able neither to obtain British
^commodities, nor to sell their native produce. It was,
however, again erected by the settlers. A second time
Heke cut it down ; this time, however, with some exhibition
«of anger, and with the threat that if any attempt were made
to fly the British flag again on the hill of Kororareka, he
'twould burn down the settlement.

Matters were beginning to look serious. A British
war-ship, the " Hazard," was despatched to the Bay of
Islands under command of Captain Robertson. The flagstaflT
^was a third time erected on the hill over Kororareka, and
protected by a blockhouse of thick planks, manned with a
.garrison of twenty soldiers. Further down, half way
•between the crest of the hill and the beach, another block-
house was erected and two guns were mounted in front.
As a refuge for the women and children, a large house on
the beach just under the hill, belonging to one of the
European residents, was fortified with palisading.

On a low hill over-against Flagstaff* Hill, on the other
- side of the hollow in which the township lies, and overlooking
the little English church, was placed another gun, intended
♦to cover the small valley which forms the only approach to
-the township by land. This little valley, which is only a
lew hundred yards in length, leads from the township to

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Matavai Bay — a beautiful little inlet which runs in behind
Kororareka, and serves to make it a peninsula. By this
bay and valley the native malcontents might be ex*
pected to come, and therefore the gun was placed on the
little hill above the church to command the approach.

Hone Heke made no great secret of his intentions.
He had allied himself with Kawiti, a spirit more ferocious,
if not more turbulent, than himself; for Heke, though a
determined opponent of English rule in New Zealand, was
distinguished by a lofty magnanimity and a high-souled
generosity rare in the history of savage warfare. Monday,
the tenth of March, 1845, was the day which Heke fixed
for his attack on the flagstaff; but the tenth passed, and
nothing came of it. The residents of the township, however,
were in hourly expectation of an outbreak. The followers
of Heke and Kawiti were massing in the neighbourhood to
the number of 700. The war-sloop " Hazard " lay in the
bay in readiness — anchored head and stem, with her broad-
side to the beach ; and Bishop Selwyn's vessel, the " Flying
Fish," with the Bishop on board stood out in the bay.

The tenth had passed, but Heke had not forgotten his
threat. On the evening of that day, followed by 200 of his
men, he crept by a circuitous route almost to the crest of the
hill, and, favoured by the dense growth of fern and manuka,
placed his followers in ambush in a dell not a hundred yards
from the block-houSe. Here through the long night-watch
he kept his men awake and interested by narrating to them
bible stories. Just before sunrise a disturbance in the town-
ship below attracted the attention of the block-house guard.
Old residents will tell you that thk was part of an organised
plan to lure the garrison from their post. Whatever the
reason, the soldiers on guard advanced some distance in front
of the block-house. In the twinkling of an eye Heke and

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kis men were inside and the block-house was taken; whilst the
discomfited guard had to retreat to the lower block-house.
The sentinels were killed and the signal-man at the flagstaff
severely wounded. The wife and daughter of the signal-man
were taken prisoner and conducted before Beke, who sent
them under escort with a flag of truce to the nearest British
post.

Whilst all this was taking place on the height, a fierce
battle was going on round the little English Church in
the valley below. In the early morning before daylight,
Captain Robertson of the " Hazard," going forward to recon-
noitre the little valley which has already been mentioned as
leading by the church to Matavai Bay, came upon a large
body of Kawiti's men who were advancing to attack the
township. At first the natives were repulsed, but an ambush
ivhich they had stationed near the church succeeded in
cutting off Captain Bobertson from the main body. To this
day the sword-hacks in the comer-post of the church
fence witness the struggle for life, against fearful odds,
made by those gallant English sailors. A native, coming
within a few yards of Captain Robertson, fired a shot which
shattered his thigh. The Maoris surrounded him, but his
men rallied to his rescue, and bore him off to his ship. It
was determined that the gun placed on the hill above the
church should be abandoned, as it was exposed to the
enemy's fire from the brushwood, and a seaman was ordered
to spike the gun. Amidst an incessant fire of musketry the
brave fellow discharged his duty and then fell dead. This
is probably the spiked gun which still lies half-buried on the
beach.

When it became Qvident that the Maoris would soon be
in possession of the whole township, it was thought advisable
to transfer the women and children from the beach stockade

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to the vessels in the harbour, a measure to which the nativoB
offered no opposition. This was not done much too soon;
for, two hours afterwards, the powder magazine exploded, and
shattered the house to pieces. Then followed the looting of
the houses, and on the following day, when the work of
looting was completed, the whole township was burnt to the
ground, with the exception of the two churches and the
house of the Roman Catholic Bishop, Pompallier, which
remains in all its primitive quaintness to this day. The
iLomeless settlers, robbed of all they possessed, were carried
by the ships then in the bay to Auckland, where they were
received with much sympathy and kindness. The little
•church and churchyard of Kororareka contain some interest-
ing reminders of those troubled times. Bullets that went
wide of their aim struck the church, and have left their
marks upon its walls. A tombstone erected to the memory
of the slain, and renovated from time to time by the war-
ships that have entered the Bay of Islands, shows where
those " who fell in the defence of Kororareka " lie buried.
Beneath the names of the dead is written a poetical tribute: —

The warlike of the Isles,

The men of field and wave,

Are not the rocks their funeral piles,

The sea and shore their grave ? *

Go, stranger, track the deep ;
Free, free, the white sail spread ;
Wave may not foam nor wild wind sweep.
Where rest not EngUsh dead.

In this little cemetery also is erected another interesting
monument — that placed there by the New Zealand Govern-
ment in honour of Tamati Waka None, in recognition of
bis consistent life-long friendliness to British settlers and
the British Government.

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A two hours' sail across the bay from Kororareka-
brings one to Waitangi (Water of Wailing), of such historical
interest in connection with the early colonization of N«w
Zealand. Here, on February 5th, 1840, was signed the-
title-deed of British sovereignty over this country. A grand
assembly of chiefs, superior and inferior, had met to discuss-
the question of ceding the sovereignty of the islands U>
Queen Victoria. Tents, gay with flags, had been erected
round a central space, on which a spacious platform had been
erected. At 12 o'clock Captain Hobson, supported by the-
chief European residents, moved in procession and took
their places on the platform. The terms of the treaty were-
read, and there followed a stormy discussion, some of the
chiefs opposing with great violence the signing of the treaty ;.
then Tamati Waka Nene stepped forward and swept away
all objections in a torrent of Maori eloquence, and the treaty
was duly signed.

To commemorate this event two monuments now exist
on the Waitangi shore. One is a white stone obelisk
with a Maori inscription commemorating the event. Th&^
other is a large and spacious assembly hall where the chiefs^
yearly meet to discuss matters affecting the Maori conmion-
wealth. At the end of the hall and communicating with it^
are two rooms, one occupied with 'a printing press where
Maori proclamations are printed, the other containing-
valuable mats and greenstone implements and ornaments.
Near the assembly hall is a long narrow shed which serves-
as a dining-hall for the Maori lords when they are in
session ; and, still further on, a most comfortable Maori
homestead embowered amongst flowers and fruit trees, the
paddocks sweet with the smell of white clover and musical
with the hum of bees. Opposite the hall, on the other side
of the river, are the green knolls and plateaux of BusbyV

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farm. Under a clump of orchard trees, moss-grown pears
-and gnarled fig-trees, festooned with the rampant growth of
'** gadding" vines, may be, or might have been, seen. an
excellent specimen of the native canoe of length for fifty
paddles. The Lake Omapere (as the canoe is called, after the
lake where was cut the kauri log out of which it was hollowed)
is not elaborately decorated, its only ornament being a sort
•of white scroll work ; but its lines are graceful and it has
^tinguished itself at Auckland by carrying off the prize
from all competitors. A short row up the river brings one
•to the picturesque, though not large, Waitangi Falls. If
the Falls are visited, the excursion will occupy the best part
•of a day.

No one who visits the Bay of Islands should fail to see the
Keri-Keri River with its old Mission Station and its beautir
iul falls. The little steamer ** Ida " goes up every Saturday,
T^tuming the same day ; but boats are always available,
^although the distance (12 miles from Kororareka) is some-
-what long for a row. The mouth of the river is entered
after passing Moturoa Island. At first it is broad and hardly
i)o be taken for a river, but as you ascend it narrows between
its banks. Low hills rise from its sides and stretch away
into the distance in brown ferny undulations. Close to the
water, however, the banks are fringed with a luxuriant and
Taried vegetation. The graceful kowhai, the New Zealand
laburnum, dips its green tresses into the water. Ferns and
.grasses and flowering shrubs fill every niche and coigne upon
the banks. Where the water is still, rows of mangroves rise
from the surface, doubled by reflection in the glassy mirror.
Occasionally on an island, or in some sheltered comer on the
'banks, a Maori woman appears, hoeing her kumeras or
potatoes. In many a wind and bout the river descends, now
making a circular sweep round a promontory, and again

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gliding in long reaches under its overhanging trees. At the
Keri-Keri settlement the tidal part of the river ends where
the water descends in a sort of weir. All who are interested
in the history of the early missions, more particularly in the-
career of the first Bishop of New Zealand, will find much to*
interest them here. Here is the oldest house in New
Zealand (now in possession of Mr. Kemp, son of the early^
missionary of that name) with its old garden and its gigantic-
pear-trees. Not a plank of it but is as sound as on the day
it was built, thanks to the enduring properties of its totara
timbers. Next to it is a large and remarkable two-storied
blue-stone building, 40 by 30 feet, now used as a gum store-
Its walls, over two feet in thicknef*s, were evidently built for
strength. This was the old mission store from which
supplies were served out to the various stations. One hand-
some apartment in the second story — 27 feet by 17 — where-
you may now sometimes see the beauty and chivalry of the
surrounding district " tripping the light fantastic toe," was-
the cathedral library of Bishop Selwyn. Here on five kaurm
shelves ininning the whole length of the room were arranged
the Bishop's books, " the central shelf being occupied by a
brilliant row for which he was indebted to Eton alone;:
beginning with a line of bright octavos reaching to the centre^,
where St. Augustine stood like a tower, between the light
bindings of the Eton books and the deeper shades of W. E.
Gladstone's goodly store of English divinity." Here, after a
walk of nine miles from Waimate, Selwyn, soothed by the
sound of the distant waterfall, used to bury himself for aa
hour or two in his books, returning home again his nine
miles as he came, on foot. ^

About two miles up the river from the settlement are
the Keri-Keri falls. The river here, about 20 yards broad,,
falls in a sheet over an escarpment of basalt 95 feet higlu.-

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The softer rock behind the fall has been washed away by the
violent action of the water, so as to leave a sort of cave or
vault into which it is possible to walk. A very rich vegetation
clothes the precipitous banks below the fall , and the spot is
said to have been a favourite haunt of Cunningham, the
botanist. " There is, indeed," says Dieffenbach, " a grenter
assemblage of the flora of New Zealand in this neighbourhood
than in any other place so near a shipping place." Amongst
other plants to be found here, the same naturalist mentions
the beautiful crimson parrot's- bill — {Kowhai ngutTi-kaha)^
this being its only known habitat in New Zealand.

The banks of the Keri-Keri River must at one time
have had a large Maori population. Near the mission station
was the rendezvous of the great Ngapuhi tribe. Here the
forces of Hongi met before he set out on that memorable
expedition so disastrous to the tribes of Thames and
Waikato; and hither they returned laden with booty to
celebrate their victories. Uongi's pah was within bow-shot
of the mission station ; and in the early and unregenerate
days of cannibalism, Mrs. Kemp, the mother of the present
proprietor of the mission house, then the only European
woman in the settlement, used to have to close her ears to
shut out the cries of the Hongi butcheries.

Two days may well be spent by anyone who has the
time to spare in a visit to Kawa Kawa, a township which
lies on a river of the same name flowing from the south into
the most southerly arm of the Bay of Islands. The sail up
the river is delightful, the banks being full of indentations,
and covered with characteristic vegetation. On the way up,
the site of the first seat of Government at Russelltown may
be seen. The railway has now been extended from Kawa
Kawa to deep water at Opua or Newport. On the opposite
side of the river from Opua, marked by a pohutukawa tree

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ablaze with its ciimson flowers, are two green tablelands
divided by a sort of fosse. This is the site of the famous
pah of Pomare, a chief much concerned in the early troubles
<rf the Bay of Islands.

The township of Kawa Kawa has not •much to recom-
mend it to the lover of the picturesque. It is, however, the
largest township north of Auckland, and has up till recently
had a large industrial importance on account of the coal
mines in its neighbourhood, which aflfbrd a supply of
excellent coal. The mine that has been worked heretofore
now shows some signs of giving out ; but those residents in
Kawa Kawa who may be presumed to know something
of the subject maintain that there is an inexhaustible supply
of coal in the neighbourhood, waiting only ,the expenditure of
capital to bring it to the surface. Kawa Kawa carries on
also a considerable trade in kauri gum, this being the centre
to which the workers in the surrounding gum fields bring their
harvest. One of the most interesting features about Kawa
Kawa is the Maori element. On certain days large cavalcades
of Maoris may be seen riding into the township — the women
to do their shopping, and the men to play billiards and
to drink, in both of which accomplishments they excel.

There is no doubt that the Bay of Islands will one day
acquire that reputation, as a seaside summer resort, which
it so well deserves. . No more delightful spot for a family
to spend a month's holiday can be imagined. It has
certainly two drawbacks. I'he hotels are not, in point of
comfort, all that could be desired, though no doubt if more
strangers visited the place, the hotels would respond to the
encouragement. Further, there are no wheel-vehicles of any
kind, and no roads to drive them on if there were any. But
then, in compensation, there are wonderful facilities for

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travelling by water ; and horses may be had by negotiating
with some of the settlers.

Only the nearest and most accessible places of interest
in the Bay of Islands have been mentioned. Many other
places would repay a visit from those making a stay of any
length. From the manganese mines at the top of a range
Ijdng south-west of Kororareka, an extensive panoramic view
of the bay is to be had. A ride of some 30 miles or so takes
one across country, past the old mission station at Waimate,
to Hokianga, a beautiful wooded river and estuary on the
West Coast. A Northern Company's steamer leaves Russell
•every Tuesday for Whangaroa, a magnificent fiord lying 35
miles north of the Bay of Islands. Whangaroa will always
possess an interest independently of its beauty, as the scene
•of the massacre of the Boyd, in the early years of this
•century. Buapekapeka, an easy ride from Eawa Kawa, is
the scene of the la&t resistance of Heke's followers, and is
43aid to have been a marvel of Maori ingenuity.

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CHAPTER XV.

THE WAIKATO.

Auckland to Hamilton Junction, 84 miles. Kailway fares, first*
class, single, 17s. 6d. ; second, lis. 8d.

Hamilton Junction to Te Awamutu — First, 3s. 4d. ; second,
2s. 3d.

Bus from Hamilton Junction Station to Hamilton, Is.

Coach daily from Hamilton to Cambridge meets the 2.35 p.m.
train from Auckland at Hamilton Junction. Fare, 6s. each way.

Those who desire to proceed to Rotorua by Cambridge can
arrange for a buggy at Mr. Carter's livery stables, Hamilton.

Coach for Te Aroha leaves Gwynne's Hotel, Hamilton, on
Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays on arrival of 2.35 p.m. train
from Auckland. Distance, 40 miles. Coach fare, 12s. 6d. each way*

Hotels. — Hamilton, Mrs. Gwynne's ; Cambridge, Duke of
Edinburgh Hotel ; Te Awamutu, Lewis's ; Te Aroha, Walker's.

After exhausting the various excursions which may be
made from Auckland as the centre, the traveller will next
wish to know how the Waikato district may most conveniently
be seen. If you wish to explore the Waikato district and
no further, of course there is no feasible plan except after
doing so to return to Auckland ; if, however, you wish to go-
afterwards to the Hot Lakes, undoubtedly the best way is to-
go via W^aikato. If this plan has no other advantage, it
has, at least, thL<» — that yo\i have not to return upon your
steps, which is always a gain where there is so much fresh
ground to break. Suppose it then determined that the route
to be chosen to the Lakes is the one by Waikato, you have again
to make your choice between two possible Waikato routes —
both attractive. After seeing the Waikato you may either

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strike away for the Lakes from Hamilton by way of
Cambridge ; or you may strike down from Hamilton towards
Te Aroha, on the Waihou or Thames River, take steamer
down the river to the Tiiames township at the mouth, and
thence go overland, part of the way on horseback, and part
by coach, through the Kati Kati settlement to Tauranga and
the Lakes. It will be best to consider both routes, and to*
commence with a description of 'that part which is common
to both, viz., the journey from Auckland to Hamilton.

If you intend going by Cambridge to Rotorua it does
not matter on what day you leave Auckland, since the
Cambridge coach is daily in waiting for the arrival of the
Auckland train at Hamilton, to carry on passengers at once
to Cambridge. But if you intend going by Te Aroha and
Thames, it must be remembered that the Te Aroha coach
leaves Hamilton on three days a week only, Monday,
Wednesday, and Friday, the coach starting, not from the
Hamilton Junction Station, but from the township itself,
which is some two miles from the station. Vehicles are in
waiting, however, on the arrival of the train, to take
passengers on to the township. Suppose now that yoa
have made up your mind to choose the Te Aroha route, and
that you intend going by the coach that leaves Hamilton for
Te Aroha, say on Wednesday; then it will be advisable
to leave Auckland on Tuesday by the 9 a.m. train. You
-will reach Hamilton Junction that day about 2.35 p.m.,.
and, as the coach for Te Aroha does not leave Hamilton
till next day at the same hour, you will thus have twenty-four
hours before you to visit Te Awamutu, the railway
terminus, and Hamilton. Instead of getting out at Ham-^
ilton Junction, you go straight on the whole length to
Te Awamutu, returning by the early morning train to
Hamilton, where you may spend the forenoon, and set out

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-with the coach for Te Aroha in the afternoon. Or if,
instead of going on to Te Awamutu, you prefer to visii
Cambridge, you may get out at Hamilton Junction, mount
the coach in waiting, and go on to Cambridge, returning by
the 8.15 morning coach to Hamilton.

You take your seat, then, in the train which is leaving
the Auckland Station, on a Tuesday morning, for Waikato.
The train is soon out of ihe town puffing through the pretty
suburbs that lie in the direction of Mount Eden. The
Mount its*^ If is a conspicuous landmark, and no one can fail
to admire the many beautiful residences nestling in the
^recii fields that stretch away from its foot. At Green
Lane Station one comes in sight of the Racecourse of the
Auckland Jockey Club and the premises of the Auckland
Agricultural and Pastoral Society. Penrose Station is the
junction for Waikato and Onehunga trains. To the east of
the station lies the establishment of the New Zealand Stud
•and Pedigree Company. " The buildings have an imposing^
appearance," says Brett's excellent handbook, "and, with^
the bold range in the immediate background, afford a fine
subject for the artist. Sylvia Park comprises 740 acreSy
most of it splendid land, fenced and grassed, with a con-
siderable amount under cultivation. In addition to the
■original buildings a new twenty-five-stall stable bas just been
•erected, with every appliance that could be desired, and two
other buildings, one for young cattle, the other for horses.
The arrangements on this fine estate are admirable ; water
is pumped into a reservoir by means of a windmill, and
conducted in pipes to the various paddocks. Drinking
troughs are supplied with ball-valves, keeping the water at
a uniform height. Of the stud of horses owned by thia
Company too much cannot be said in the way of praise ; it
is regarded as the best in the Australasian Colonies. Here

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are located Musket and Sylvia, the sire and dam of Martini-
Henri, the now celebrated racehorse, who recently won the
Melbourne Cup and V.R.C. Derby, both events in the
quickest time on record. Major Walmsley is the manager-
and resides at Sylvia Park."

By-and-by the train reaches Otahuhu, a quiet township^
on the Manukau, where its waters come within a short
distance of the Tamaki. So narrow is the isthmus at this point-
that a proposal was once made to connect the Manukau
waters with the Waitemata by means of a canal. After
passing Drury, the route lies through interminable stretches
of undulating fem-land intersected and divided by cre**ks,
showing no trace of water for the dense growth of rushes and
raupo that covers them. The dark and sombre green of the
rushes and dwarf manuka growing in those swampy creeks
is very prettily relieved by blotches, streaks, and ribbons of
the most lovely emerald green — the green of the beech when
it first bursts into leaf in early spring. The plant which
thus relieves the dull monotony of the swamp is the^
Gleichenia circhiata, a fern which the collector coaxes into-
growth with much trouble, but which, here and on the^
Waikato wilds, grows luxuriantly by the acre.

After passing Pukekohe with its clumps of puriri,
Tuakau with its flax industry, and Pukeno, we enter the-
battle-ground of the Waikato war of 1863. Just where the
Waikato makes a rectangular bend to the west, about forty
miles from the sea, it is joined by the Maungatawhiri, a
sluggish creek running so languidly amongst its sedges that
it is difficult to tell which way it flows. At the outbreak of
the Waikato war the Maungatawhiri and the right bank of
the Waikato formed the boundary line between the
King Country and the European settlements of Auckland.
The Maungatawhiri was the Eubicon, to cross which waa

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tantamount to a declaration of war. But in truth war had
been implicitly declared by the natives themselves, whose
actions abundantly manifested that they meant war, and
that they intended, on the first convenient opportunity, to
attack Auckland. In order to check any intended advance
upon the Auckland settlements, the Governor, then Sir
George Grey, determined to push forward into their own
country and call them to account on their own giound. As
s, base of operations, the Queea's Redoubt was thrown up on
the right or north bank of the Maungatawhiri creek, and aa
^vance post was thrown across the creek and stationed at
Koheroa, a spot about half way between the Queen's Redoubt
«,nd Mercer. As the train passes on towards Mercer a low
range of hills may be seen to the left extending in a narrow
ridge to the Maramarua stream, which runs parallel to the
Maungatawhiri, and enters the Waikato at Mercer. One
morning in July, Colonel Austin observed a large party of
natives collected on this range. This was indeed one of two
detachments of natives sent down from Ngaruawahia to
attack Auckland. Colonel Austin, getting his men under
arms, proceeded to dislodge the enemy, and was presently
joined by General Cameron, and reinforced by troops from
the other side of the creek. The natives from their strong^
position were able to pour a harassing fire upon the English
troops ; but ultimately they were driven along the ridge to
the Maramarua creek where the pursuit had to be stayed, the
natives escaping — some swimming the creek, and others
ascending the Waikato in canoes.

After being worsted at Koheroa, the Maoris entrenched
themselves strongly at a place called Mere-Mere, which the
railway passes a mile or two beyond Mercer. No fewer'than
a thousand natives are supposied to have been assembled at
Mere-Mere, and their trenches and rifle pits covered a space

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of 100 acres. A few months after the engagement at
Koheroa, General Cameron laid his plans for taking this
pah in rear, but when all was ready for executing the plan,
the English troops had the mortification of seeing the enemy
■evacuate their pah and escape in their canoes along the
£ooded creeks.

About seven miles past Mere-Mere the I'ailway runs along
a narrow neck of land which divides the Waikato from a
reedy mere called Waikare Lake — to the light the river, to
the left the lake. This shallow lake, stretching away for a
considerable distance, is bounded on the east side by a low
range of hills, and is so densely covered with bulrushes as to
resemble rather a field of btanding corn than a sheet of
water. Myriads of waterfowl make this mere their foraging
ground, and the lover of sport might pleasantly pass a week
in its neighbourhood. The narrow neck of land, covered
with manuka and cabbage-tree, which separates Waikare
from the Waikato is called Rangiriri, and was the scene of
one of the most desperate engagements in the Waikato war.
After evacuating the Mere-Mere Pah, the Maoris concentrated
their forces on Rangiriri, fortifying their position by throwing
up a strong central redoubt, and drawing a line of entrench-
ments across the isthmus. The position was exceedingly
strong, but, in event of hard pressure, offered but little facility
for escape, the lake intercepting flight in one direction, the
river in another. On the 20th November, 770 men under
Oeneral Cameron marched by land to attack the pah,
while 500 men were conveyed up the river to make an
■attack in lear. From three in the afternoon assault after
.assault was made on the pah; but, thf^ugh the outworks were
taken, the central redoubt defied all, attempts to storm it,
^80 that when darkness set in the atto^^k had to be discon-
tinued, and a cordon disposed round the pah to cut olf

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retreat should it be attempted under cover of night. Never-
theless many did contiive to escape by the swamp and lake,
helped no doubt by their intimate knowledge of the ground.
In the morning) after making night hideous with defiant
yells, the natives made an unconditional surrender; 185
prisoners were taken, and 175 stand of arms. At the
request of Sir George Grey, the prisoners were conveyed
to the island of Kawau, and liberated on parole, being
allowed the run of the island without restriction of their
movements. Alas for Maori parole ! In six weeks they
made their escape to the mainland, and entrenching them-
selves at the top of a hill, refused to give up their position
until they at last received permission to return to the
Waikato.

After passing Huntley, with its coal mines, we enter
the first really picturesque or romantic scenery in the
Waikato. Heretofore the river, which always serves to
attract and rest the eye, has been seen only by snatches.
But at Taupiri the Waikato sweeps down between its hills,
with majestic stateliness, amidst surroundings appropriate
to such a river. Through a magnificent gorge, the sides of
which recede upwards in steeply sloping walls, the watt* r
sweeps swiftly down to the lower reaches, where it joins the
sea. Mount Taupiri, the highest peak of the range through
which the river bursts, is 800 feet in height, and almost
throws its shadow on the water. At the foot of Taupiri is
the ancieut burying ground of the lower Waikato tribes —
a spot long defended from the profane footsteps of European,
intruders ; but the persistent European has brought his iron
road to the very verge of the sacred precincts, and the pious-
Maoris have carried the bones of their fathers to another
resting place. On the opposite side of the river the site of
the old mission station may be seen from the carriage

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windows, marked, as all old mission stations are, by the soft
jgreen of its peach trees and prickly acacias. The township
of Taupiri lies on an oasis of green at the confluence of the
Waikato with the Mangawara and Komakarau, sluggish
creeks crawling from their swamps of flax and raupo. The
journey onward from this point to Ngaruawahia is relieved
by the constant sight of the beautiful wooded range which
runs parallel to the Waikato on the further side.

Ngaruawahia is a place of no mean importance, since it
is no less than the capital of the great Ngatimaniopoto tribe,
and the last resting place of the founder of tlie Te Whero-
Whero dynasty, King Potatau the First Ngaruawahia lies at
the junction of the Waipa with the main river, " where," says
Bishop Selwyn, ** the Waikato comes rushing in like an
arrow, reminding one of the confluence of the Rhone with
the Saone at Lyons — the quiet Saone answering to the Waipa,
the Rhone to the Waikato." Here the train crosses the Wai-
kato, and enters the large triangular plain which lies in the
fork of the Waipa and Waikato Rivers. The Waipa, which
forms the western boundary of this Mesopotamia, is a
sluggish stream, navigable for vessels of considerable tonnage
for fifty miles above the junction. Away in the distance,
towards the sources of the Waipa, is Pirongia, a most
striking isolated mountain and a landmark never lost to
the eye on any part of the plain. Under the shadow of
Pirongia lies the township of Alexandra, situated on the site
of the old Matakitaki Pah, where the wretched Ngatimanio-
poto, attacked in front by the dreaded Hongi, and attempting
to escape by leaping a rampart at the back of the pah, were
crushed, those who went first by those who followed, till
the victorious Hongi and his braves, pressing upon them
from behind, shot down all who were likely to escape
sufibcation.

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The eastern boundary of the plain is the Waikato. On
this river, about twelve miles from its junction with the
Waipa, lies Hamilton, and about twelve miles further up still is
Cambridge. The third side of the plain, which is an isosceles
triangle, is the Mangapiko River, which, rising in the slopes
of Maungatautari, near the Waikato, flows west, across the
whole southern frontier of the plain, to join the Waipa, thus
forming the base-line of the triangle. About the middle
point of this base-line is Te Awamutu, the present terminus
of the Waikato railway. After the train has travelled 12
miles of this interfluvial triangle, it arrives at Hamilton
Junction, where, if your coach is starting on that day (as
explained before), you must get out, and drive up to
Hamilton, some two miles, in one of the public vehicles
waiting at the station. If, however, your coach does not
leave Hamilton for Te Aroha till the following day, you
cannot do better than go on with the train to Te Awamutu,
which, let us suppose, it is your intention to do.

From Ngaruawahia, along the plain to some distance
past Hamilton, the prospect on either hand is not by any
means cheering. Swamp follows swamp, or rather it is all
one great swamp, where on either side stretches an infinity
of flax and manuka, the only break in the monotony of the
landscape being the glimpse of distant hills where the misly
outline of Pirongia or Maungatautari attracts the eye away
to the horizon. At Ohaupo, however, the country b^;ins to
look fresher : fields of rich grass carrying fine stock — ^both
sheep and cattle — make you think that at last you have come
into the land of Goshen, the much vaunted pastures of the
Waikato.

By-and-by the train arrives at the terminus^ Te
Awamutu, a few years ago an isolated mission station, now
the active centre of a thriving agricultural district. The

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1)edt way to understand the importance of Te Awamutu as a
*dairy*fanning centre is to pay an early morning visit to the
-cheese factory, which is about ten minutes' walk from Mrs.
Lewis's Hotel. As you take your walk past the picturesque
little church and churchyard, you see milk-carts converging
from all points of the compass to one central point, the
•cheese factory. You have only to follow a cart and enter
the factory premises,- where you will be courteously received
and shown round. There you will see the milk, as it arrives,
1>eing measured and emptied outside into a trough, from
'which it flows inside into a large circular vat of 1200 gallons
<»pacity, where it undergoes the curdling process. Round
iihe building are ranged rows of presses; whilst in the curing
qroom close at hand are some thirty tons of cheese undergoing
the process of being dried for the market. The out-put of
4his factory is about half-a-ton a-day. On the whey and
^ther refuse fr(»m the factory about 200 porkers are fed, so
that in addition to cheese-making a considerable business is
"done in bacon.

Within the radius of a few miles from Te Awamutu,
4/here are many places of great interest in connection with
-the Anglo-Maori war. At Te Awamutu itself, General
Cameron had a brush with the hostile natives; and at
Rangiawhia they were completely routed by a detachment of
ithe 50th Eegiment But undoubtedly the most stirring
event of the war in this quarter was the siege and capture
of Orakau, a strong pah lying some five miles to the
south-east of Te Awamutu. Here three hundred of the
Ureweras, fiercest and most indomitable of the tribes, were
•collected uuder the command of the Ngatimaniopoto brave,
KewL At the end of March, 1864, Brigadier-Greneral Carey>
with a force of 1000 men surrounded the pah, and after
« few ineffectual attempts to cany it by storm, determined

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to approach the defences by sap. For three days the siega
went on. Native reinforcements from Taupo were seeiu
hovering at a safe distance from the English troops j but
finding it impossible to relieve the beleaguered inmates of the-
pah, they were fain to encourage their friends by shoutings
and dancing the war dance. Knowing that there were-
women and children inside the pah, Carey sent an interpreter
under the white flag to tell the enemy that if they^
surrendered, their lives would be spared. To this they
returned the memorable and heroic reply — " This is the*
word of the Maori : " We will fight for ever, and ever, and
ever." (Ka whawhai tonu : AkI, ak^, ak^). When urgeA
to send out at least their women and children, they replied
like Spartans — " The women will fight as well as we." On
the third day, however, having exhausted their store of food
and water, those brave savages left their pah, and in some-
way (how, has never been satLsfactori]y explained) passed
through a double line of the 4-Oth, who were supposed to have
been stationed with a view to prevent their escape. The-
unfortunates were, however, intercepted by a company of
the Forest Hangers, who did great execution upon the-
fugitives. Rewi escaped unhurt. In the churchyard that
surrounds the Mission Church at Te Awamutu, the bodiea-
of those who fell in Orakau and the various engagements in
the neighbourhood are buried ; but it cannot be said that they
have yet received any monument of thanks from their
grateful country.

Those places about Te Awamutu cannot of course be-
visited and inspected in the course of one afternoon, but they
are mentioned in case any visitor might be charmed by the
pretty rural township into staying a few days in the neigh-
bourhood. In the course of one afternoon, however, it is
possible to walk out to Kihi-Kihi, a scattered village on the:

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<edge of a great swamp some three miles beyond T<> Awamutu.
Here, if the land-court happens to be sitting, or if races are
going on, a large and interesting concourse of natives may
^ seen. The old chief Rewi — he of Orakau — resides here
dn a house built for him by the Government, and receives
with courtesy the visits of any Europeans who are inclined
(to call upon him.

By returning with the morning train from Te Awamutu
'to Hamilton, a whole forenoon may be pleasantly spent in
.ti leisurely walk of inspection round this pleasant country
iiown. At Mrs. Gwynne*s Hamilton Hotel, one could im-
agine oneself in an hostelrie of y® olden time, so plain and
•homely is the exterior, so clean and comfortable the interior.
.Should anyone wish to spend a few days or weeks in the
-delightful climate and invigorating air of Hamilton, let him
*by all means bespeak apartments in Mrs. G Wynne's Garden
■Cottage. Here amongst bees and flowers, within view of the
^magnificent river, he may enjoy all the pleasures of seclusion
without foregoing the conveniences of hotel-life.

Let no one with even a few minutes to spare in Hamil-
tton fail to see the view of the river from the passenger
'bridge. Looking down from this point towards the fine
»Tailway bridge, the eye follows a noble stretch of river, the
•olive-green water — embodiment of quiet and irresistible
vforce — moving with a smooth and silent flow between
*banks soft with a varied drapery of grass, fern, and willow.
Look up the river and you see the water sweeping round in
^ magnificent curve with an onward movement, so slow and
^stately as to seem not so much motion as repose. The
beauty of this scene is not lessened by the houses nestling in
^eir flowers high up on the river banks, the little wooden
•church perched on its promontory, the lickety boat-houses

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by the water's edge, and the live stock that browse con-
tentedly on the grassy slopes.

If it be determined to go on from Hamilton to the-
Lakes by way of Cambridge — a route which is very direct
and very comfortable — ^the first stage of the journey will be-
from Hamilton to Cambridge (distance 14 miles), by the*
coach which leaves the Hamilton Junction Station every^
day on the arrival of the train from Auckland. From
Cambridge to Ohinemutu (55 miles) the road, with the*
exception of some 12 miles, is good. Mr. Carter, who has a
coaching establishment at Cambridge, runs a codch to^
Ohinemutu, leaving Cambridge on Tuesday and Thursday^
and returning on Wednesday and Friday. A party
travelling this way will find it the best plan to make special
arrangements with Mr. Carter for a buggy to carry them<
through — which will cost very little over ordinary coachi
fare. By choosing this route, those interested in the^
agricultural aspect of the Waikato will have an opportunity^
of seeing the finest farms in the district.

If, however, the route chosen is that by Te Aroha and)
the Thames, the coach for the former place leaves Gwynne's-
Hotel every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, on the
arrival of the Auckland train. The journey to Te Aroha ia-
not one of much interest for the general traveller. The
greater part of the route lies through the territory of the^
Waikato Land Association — the celebrated Piako Swamp-
Estate. This enormous estate of 88,000 acres was acquired
partly by purchase from private owners, but mostly (to the^
extent of some 86,000 acres) direct from the Crown, at the^
low figure of 2a 6d. per acre. This transaction on the part
of the Crown was the subject of much debate in the
New Zealand Parliament, and a parliamentary committee
was appointed to inquire into the matter. As a set oft*

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against this ridiculously low price it must be remembered
that the land before purchase was in a very useless state,
and that only by a very large expenditure of money could
it be made available for agricultural purposes.

Almost from the time of setting out from Hamilton,
the peak of Te Aroha — 40 miles away — marks the goal to
be reached in the aftemoon*s ride, and the progress of the
coach is indicated by the gradually increasing distinctness
with which the mountain looms up in front. Making a short
stoppage at Morrinsville to change horses, and fdlow passengers
to have tea, the coach reaches the punt at Te Aroha some
time after dark, and lands its freight at Walker's Hotel — a
comfortable place, considering that Te Aroha is a rough
mining township only a few yeara old. On reaching the
hotel the first inquiry to be made is about the boat which
goes down the river to the Thames. The departure of the
steamer depends on the state of the tide, so that you must
be prepared to start at an uncomfortably early hour if the
tide demands it. However, the landlord of the hotel will
make arrangements to have you called at the proper time ;
and as breakfast is served on board the little steamer in case
of an early start, and as it is possible to resume the thread of
your sleep on board, there is no occasion to be uneasy.

Te Aroha is not a very lively place to stay at. Gold
is found in payable quantity, but is, nevertheless, not found
in rich patches, as it often is at the Thames. The chief
features of interest about the township, to the ordinsgy
visitor, is the mountain which towers over it, with its cap of
cloud and its sides scored with deep wooded gullies. In
the township there is also a hot spring which has
been covered in and converted into a bath — an excellent
refresher after 40 miles of coaching.

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CHAPTER XVI.

THE THAMES.

Steamboat from Te Aroha to the Thames. Time of starting
depends on the state of the tide. Fare, 5s.

Objects of Interest at the Thames — Gold Mines^ Battery,
Tota/ra Pah, Kauaeranga Valley, the Great Kauri, the Soda Springs
at Puriri, (eight miles from township).

Saddle-horse to Kati Kati by Paeroa (52 miles) — ^horse-hire,
about 10s. per day. Arrangements to be made at the Thames for
bringing back horse.

Coach from Kati Kati to Tauranga (30 miles) — fare, 7s. 6d.

Hotels — The Thames, Pacific, Paeroa, Criterion.

If it should seem desirable to make straight for Tau-
ranga without going down to the Thames, saddle hoises may
be obtained at Te Aroha, at the usual hire of 10s. per day.
Of course a groom and horse would have to be taken to
bring back the horses. There is a fair road to Kati-Kati —
at present 8 feet wide and in course of being widened to
14 feet ; from Kati-Kati to Tauranga the road is excellent

It is unlikely, however, that anyone would choose the
Te Aroha route, except with the intention of going down
the Waihou (or Thames) and visiting the gold-mining
township at the mouth. The trip down the river from Te
Aroha is, in fine weather, one of the most delightful of river
trips. The first part of the journey is perhaps a little
monotonous, the river lying low between its clay banks, and
so not allowing any distant prospect on either hand. The
flax and toi-toi may be here seen in great luxuriance, spread-

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ing away on the alluvial levels right and left, and dipping
over the verge of the channel into the water. Clumps of
native bush, interwoven to one impenetrable mass by rampant
^growths of creeper, are seen at intervals along the stream.
The land on each side of the river is mostly in the hands of
natives, but little native life is visible from the deck of the
steamer. Occasionally a group of raupo huts appears in
^ight, with a half-starved looking family group squatting in
-sad silence on the bank ; or a stolid-faced Maori glides past
in his canoe on an eel-catching expedition, for the eel-weirs
of the Thames were celebrated in ante-European times, and
their grotesquely carved stakes still remain standing in
various spots on the river. Along the whole journey the
fine Coromandel range stretches to the right, running north-
ward to terminate in Cape Colville. On nearing Ohinemuri,
the river, with its groups of peach and cherry trees, its ample
weeping willows sweeping the water, its groves of kahikatea
drooping with a weight of parasites, and the rich under-
growth of ferns and shrubs that feather its banks, somewhat
justifies its assumption of the name of " Thames," which, as
applied to other parts of the stream, is decidedly a misnomer.
In early spring time, when the peach trees are in blossom,
and the briar is putting out its tender green, the banks of
'this river must be a very paradise of colour and fragrance ;
but late summer also, when clusters of ripe peaches overarch
the water and dangle overhead as the vessel glides with the
stream, has its compensations.

Not the least part of the pleasure of this trip is the
interest of watching the navigation of the little steamer.
The river is very tortuous in its course, in some places
deflecting almost at a right angle, and is very unequal in its
depth, being deep enough here to float a frigate, and there
^shoaling to the depth of a canoe. Besides this, it is contin-

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ually shifting its soundings ; every flood that comes down
scooping out some channels and filling up others. Under
these conditions the navigation of a steamer along the river
is a work involving much clever manoeuvring and nicety of
calculation. Where there is a fine straight stretch of water
the second mate is equal to the occasion ; but when the river
indulges in its " quips and cranks," the skipper himself must
take the helm and steer his craft with what dexterity he
may. But the most dexterous of steering cannot avoid
certain amusing little casualties. Sometimes the nose of
the steamer ploughs into the soft bottom of a mud-shallow^
and she can only right herself by waltzing out into mid-
stream till she again gets a fair start in deep water. Occas-
ionally, when the turns are more than ordinarily sudden, she
grazes the curve of the bank, and must be pushed off with
poles ; and anon, in skimming off with much cleverness, she-
glides to the opposite side, runs her bow full tilt into the-
clay bank, and there sticks fast. Here the services of both
passengers and crew are brought into requisition. First they^
rush with a simultaneous rush across the deck of the steamer,,
hanging with their full weight now over one taffrail, now
over the other. This is an attempt to *' roll " hor offl IT
this does not answer, a hawser is towed ashore and made
fast to some tree, when the engine is reversed and all hands,
take to the ropes, some there pulling that never pulled before.
Thus by dint of alternate pushing, steaming, " rolling," and
pulling, the Despatch is once moi-e afloat, after giving the
passengers and crew an hour's vigorous exercise. Without
interruptions of this kind, the passage from Te Aroha to "The^
Thames " ought to take six or seven hours.

" The Thames,'* as the united townships of Grahams-^
town and Shortland are called, is not seen to best advantage
from the water side. As at Wellington, the great hills that

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ascend behind it have been denuded of their trees, and
jnresent now but a bald surface of grass or fern, disfigured*
by clay faces, the remains of old workings. But at one time^
when the river had not yet taken on its tawny colour, and
the hills were clothed with bush to the water's edge, this must
have been an exceedingly beautiful spot. Even now you have-
only to tate half an hour's walk back into the valleys and
gullies behind the town to come upon unspoiled nature, a»
charming in its exuberant loveliness as any spot in New
Zealand. It will be sufficient to specify one or two of the-
easiest and most beautiful walks.

First, there is the walk up the Kauaeranga Creek
towards the Orphanage, where, in addition to the almost
idyllic beauty of the valley itself, you will see what is locally
called "the Booms" — a chaotic mass of enormous tree-
trunks, apparently hurled one on the other by the action of
some colossal force. They are, however, only the trees,
cut further up the valley, and floated down here with the-
flood as the best means of transport. A pretty little bridge,
called the " Josephine " (not after the discarded Empress of
the first Napoleon, but after the heroine of " Pinafore," an
amateur performance of this opera having provided the funds,
for construction), spans the creek, and leads, by a gradually
winding ascent, to the Orphanage — a neat building occupying-
the prettiest site on the Thame?. The internal arrangements,
and management of the Orphanage will repay inspection. The-
cleanliness and comfort of the rooms, and the blooming and
contented faces of the well-clothed and evidently well-fed
children are to the credit both of the Thames ladies who-
interest themselves in this institution, and of the able master
and mistress who personally superintend it.

A sight that most visitors to the Thames go to see is
the " Great Kauri Tree," which is said to be the monarch of

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^ew Zealand forests. It measures 46 feet in girdi, 130
feet in height, and its lowest branch is 60 feet from the
^ound. It is well-worthy of a visit, even if the walk there
and back were not one of wonderful beauty. The tree lies ou
i;he top of the range that backs the town, and the best way to
reach it is by the Waiotahi Gully, up which a perfectly good
borse-road ascends to the top. On reaching the summit of this
«j8cent a magnificent view opens up of the Hauraki Gulf and
the islands and promontories beyond. On reaching the bush
-a very good track is entered, following, with many a
bout and winding, along the crest of a ridge, through mag-
nificent trees, shrubs, and ferns, unequalled for their g'orious
symmetry and shade. Such a ferning ground as this you
may perhaps find elsewhere, as at Ooromandel, further north;
but, if at all elsewhere, only in a few places. The most delicate
sfilmy ferns, the Tunbridge Hymenophyllum and the veined
TrichomaneSy the characteristic diaphanous frond of the ^
kidney fern, the miniature Corinthian column of Frasers'
Xomaria, with its elegantly carved capital, the umbrella
i ern, with its little parachute of green, and many other gems,
iich and rare, are found growing beside the giants of the fern
world. Whoever, for the first time, sees the black-fern
^{Cyatliea medullar is) growing, as it grows here, will not
-easily forget it. As you pass the many openings, where the
ground falls rapidly off from the footpath, you cannot but
halt to look with admiration upon this noble tree. Its
trunk, shaggy with the frond-bases of past years, rises
to a height of 20 or 30 feet (sometimes more) not in a
straight column, but with a graceful curving sweep, and
^supports an ample dome of fronds, each of which reaches out,
with its own curvature and at its own angle, with a pleasing
irregularity very different from the monotonous symmetry of
jnost tree-ferns; from the centre of which dome of green.

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the brown crosiers of the undeveloped fronds rise like huge-
interrogation points.

The Great Kauri Tree lies but a few yards oflf the path^
It is certainly a monster, containing, it is said, £1000 worth
of timber. It is not by any means, however, a handsome
tree, the head of foliage, though of considerable size, being:
contemptible as compared with the trunk. Nor is the^
height of the tree at all in proportion to its girth, so that
altogether the trunk looks somewhat plethoric.

Instead of returning by the same way, a better plan is.
to strike down for the town by the bed of the Tararu creek,
which affords a specimen of the finest New Zealand bush
scenery. It is, of course, needless to say that this is a walk
to be taken only under the guidance of someone who has a
good knowledge of the locality. It may be done in the course
of an afternoon, though, if there is the time to spare, one
might very well spend a whole day in such a pleasant walk.

The town of " The Thames " itself presents no architec-
tural features of much importance. It possesses several very
creditable banks ; indeed the banks and churches are the
first buildings in colonial towns to make pretensions to the
beautiful. What most visitors will be interested in will be
the gold mines. To leave the Thames without descending a
gold mine would be to leave Egypt without seeing the
pyramids. Any one who can persuade the courteous and able
manager of the New Prince Imperial to descend with him into
the bowels of the earth, will add a new experience to his life.
As he traverses the long galleries — miles of them it will
seem to him— and sees a population digging out ribs of gold
by candle-light, and as he looks over a chest of specimens,
sparkling with the *' precious bane," he will acknowledge
that one might have done worse than invest in New Prince
Imperial shares. From the mine to the battery is the most

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fiatural of transitions. Here he will see the stampers
•crushing the quartz to fine powder, and the mercury
gathering the gold to itself, and, under persuasive pressure,
jdelding it up again.

From the Thames the next question will be how to get
to Tauranga. You may go back to Auckland by one of the
iregular Thames-Auckland boats, and thence by boat to
Tauranga ; or, if you wish to see more of the interior, you
anay proceed overland from the Thames direct to Tauranga.
In point of time the one route is as short as the other. As
ijhere is little to be said about the sea route vid Auckland,
beyond mentioning it, it will be better to follow the land
route vid Kati-KatL

There used to be a coach which ran regularly three
times a-week between Thames and Tauranga, returning on
alternate days ; but on account of the bad state into which
the roads fell, owing to floods, the coach ceased running
between Thames and Kati-Eati ; that is, about two thirds of
the way. This part of the way has to be done, therefore, on
liorseback or by buggy. In making arrangements at the Thames
for saddle-horses, it must be remembered that the horseb
have to be brought back. This may be managed by arrang-
ing with the boys who carry the mails to lead back the
horse or horaes on the return journey. Horae-hire may be
calctdated at about 10s. per day till the horse is back in its
stable, and in addition to this there will be a gratuity to each
of the two mail-boys (say 5s.) and the expense of horse-feed
on the way.

The distance from the Thames to Eati-Eati may be
reckoned at 52 miles — that from Eati-Eati to Tauranga
about 30 miles, in all 82 miles. To anyone unaccustomed to
travelling long distances, 52 miles of riding followed by 30
of coaching would be a very arduous day's work. It will

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be better, therefore, on all accounts, to take two days to
cover the distance. As the coach leaves Kati-Kati every
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, it will accordingly be
necessary to leave the Thames on Saturday, Tuesday, or
Thursday. The first day's stage will be an easy one — from
Thames to Faeroa, 22 miles. Leaving the Thames at about
3 p.m., one reaches Faeroa before dark. The road is a good
one all the way, very soft and level- just the thing for a
canter. Besides the fertile stretch of country along the
Thames valley, two interesting features of this road call for
notice. Soon after leaving The Thames at the south end, just
beyond Kauaeranga, the road skirts on the left a very
remarkable plateau or steep terrace, the conformation of
which is evidently due to fluvial action. The sides of the
terrace are clothed with a dense cover of karaka trees and
pohutukawas of exceptional beauty. On the top of this
terrace in the early decades of this century stood a very
powerful pah of the Ngatimaru, the most powerful tribe of
the Thames. One day in the year 1821, the Ngatimaru saw
from their stronghold many canoes of warriors decked in
their feathers and war-paint, paddling up the estuary of the
Waihou. This was no other than a war party of the terrible
Ngapuhi, led by their redoubted chief, Hongi, who had
«wom to wreak vengeance on the Thames natives for some
insult done his tribe at a previous time — ^ho w long before
was a matter of small importance. Hongi had just returned
from his visit to England where he had professed himself a
devout Christian, and had received many valuable presents
from King George, which presents he afterwards in Sydney
exchanged for muskets with which he armed his tribe. On
reaching Totara, the stronghold of the Ngatimaru, they found
l^e pah so strongly manned that even Hongi hesitated to
attack it at once, thinking it better at firat rather to simulate

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friendship until he was able to reconnoitre, and gauge the
strength of the enemy. The unsuspecting Ngstimaru^
received the perfidious Ngapuhi with a warm hospitality,
glad to find that what they had at first taken for a war party
was only a mission of peace. The day was devoted to talk
and fnendly trade, and as evening fell the Ngapuhi retired
from the pah to their own quarters. One old Ngapuhi chief,
touched with remorse for the perfidy of his tribe, lingered
behind the others and whispered a friendly " kai tupato " (be
careful). The caution was not unneeded. That night Hongi
attacked and took the Totara pah and slew a thousand of his
enemies. The Ngatimaru were not only killed but eaten,
and to this day their bones may be seen bleaching in the
valley of the Waihou. Rauroha, the greatest chief of the
Ngatimaru, was amongst the slain ; whilst his daughter,
Urimahia, pined for years, a captive, in the Bay of Islands,
far from her own people.

About six miles beyond Totara are the soda springs-
of Puriri. It is not on every journey that soda-water is to
be found welling ap by the road side ; and therefore it is
worth while to dismount and cross the stile which
leads to these springs. At one time the water was
extensively bottled for sale, but it evidently could not com-
pete with the manufactured article. The taste is by no
means unpleasant, though just a little medicinal, and
probably for mixing with spirits the soda-water of these
springs is all that can be desired.

Paeroa, at which the night is spent, is a wretched,
dilapidated little place, sadly in need of a coat of paint. The
Criterion gives fair entertainment for man and beast, and
if a change of horses should be required, a good strong nag
can be procured here. It is advisable to make an early
start in the morning from Paeroa, because by doing so a

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Qarge part of the ride to Kati-Kati is got over before the
-sun becomes oppressive, and you thus arrive at Kati-
Kati before the mail-boy, and so have a little time for rest
^nd refreshment before mounting the coach for Tauranga. If,
ihowever, there is any doubt felt about the way, which is
lunmistakable enough, it will perhaps be best to accompany
the mail-boy. With the exception of three miles of exquisite
bush at Owharoa, there is little that is of much interest in
the second day's ride until you come to the Vesey Stewart
Settlements. After crossing the wide and waste Waihi Flat,
you pass along an undulating road through the Hikurangi
'Oorge, and past Captain Stewart's Settlement to Kati-KatL
At Kati-Kati, a pleasant little village in the middle of green
.fields, you wiJl find Robertson's Coach waiting the arrival
of the mail to set out for Tauranga. The drive is exceedingly
.pleasant — through open fern country with little or no settle-
onent, and along a shell road equal to any in the Colony.
Numerous creeks are to be crossed, and very pretty peeps of
i^e sea are to be had from the various rises. On nearing
Tauranga, cultivation gradually increases^ until the coach
reaches the suburbs of the town, when the road lies between
tthe rich clover fields of dairy farms, where the fine sleek
iierds of large-uddered kine show what the soil of Tauranga
xan produce. Night is falling as you reach the doors of one
•of the excellent hotels of the quiet little town.

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CHAPTER XVII.

TAURANGA,

206 miles from Gisbome, is not a regular port of call of the Unioo'
Ck>mpany's steamers, but there is regular communication twice 'a
week (Mondays and Thursdays, 5 p.m.) from Auckland (133 miles)-
by the boats of the Northern Steamship Co., returning from
Tauranga on Wednesdays and Fridays at 4 p.m. (Fares, return
saloon, 50s.)

Population — 1 000.

Principal Hotels — Tauranga, Menzies*, Star, Commercial,.
Masonic, Belle View (private family hotel).

Public Buildings — Public Hall, Mechanics' Institute.

Tauranga is rich in mementos of the war between the Maoris •
and the English troops. About 3 miles out of town is the site of
the Gate Pah, the scene of the disastrous battle fought in 1864,
and in the cemetery are many monuments to those who fell in that
and other engagements. Tauranga is the principal point of departure-
for the famous Hot Lakes District. Private conveyances with
experienced drivers can always be had at Robertson's, Kelly's, or-
Gordon's stables.

A coach leaves every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday (and
daily during Summer season if necessary) at 8 a.m. for Ohinemuta
(40 miles), skirting Lake Rotorua for 6 miles, arriving there the-
same day at 6 p.m. ; returning every Monday, Wednesday, and
Friday at 8 a.m., and reaching Tauranga at 6 p.m. Single fare, 208.

The pretty little town of Tauranga may well detain tbe
traveller for a day or two. It is a pleasant place in itself,
and it is a place full of the associations of times near and.
remote. Tauranga lies on a very remarkable land-locked
harbour running off from the Bay of Plenty, the chief street^

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the Strand, skirting the beach of the little peninsula
on which th^ town is situated. Outside this peninsula a
long narrow tongue of land sweeps round into the Bay of
Plenty, ending just in front of the town in a most extra-
ordinary mound or conical rock, 860 feet high, known locally
as the " Mount," but whose proper Maori name is MaunganuL
To meet this tongue of land, a long narrow island stretches
down from the north, and between the end of the island and
the " Mount " is the entrance to the harbour. Once inside
a vessel is sheltered from every wind that blows.

Undoubtedly the first thing in Tauranga to attract
attention is the east head of the harbour, Maunganui,
conspicuous as it is, not only from the town, but for miles
inland and seaward. The Mount is intimately connected with
the history of the tribe now settled round Tauranga — the
Ngaiterangi. Another powerful tribe once held possession,
but the Ngaiterangi, who lived at Maketu, coveted possession
of the fertile lands round the harbour, and determined to
carry Maunganui, the key to the position, by a coup de
^nain.

Choosing a pitch dark night, when a ternble thunder-
8t8rm swept across the Bay of Plenty, a ad the noise of the
hurricane drowned all ordinary sounds, the fleet of the
Ngaiterangi, under cover of the darkness and the storm,
rowed towards the Maunganui Pah. Arrived at the mount,
they began their work by scuttling all the canoes upon the
beach. Moved with the spirit of prophecy, the priestess of
the doomed tribe stood on the edge of the cliff, in the midst
of the storm, and cried : " Heaven and Earth are rent —
men next." Even then the Ngaiterangi were scaling the
sides of the mount. The inmates of the pah, taken by
surprise, fell without resistance beneath the meres of their
assailants. A few wretches, who escaped the massacre, fled

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to the beach, and ptished their canoes into the water with
the intention of rowing to the mainland ; but no sooner
were the canoes launched than they filled and sank. From
that time to this the Ngaiterangi have held Tauranga.

About three miles from Tauranga on the way to
Kotorua, the road, here running through fields bordered with
strong furze hedges, passes by a gentle rise over a narrow
ridge, which falls on either hand into a morass. On this
ridge, exactly twenty years ago, was fought an engagement
more disastrous to the British troops than any other encounter
in the history of Anglo-Maori warfare. Here in the early
months of 1864, the hostile Maoris, under the leadership of
Rawiri, built a strong pah, fortifying it according to the
most approved Maori methods. On the highest point of the
ridge, which rises to a height of about thirty feet by a very
easy gradient from the Tauranga side, and descends by an
equally easy gradient on the other, an oblong redoubt had
been constructed, some seventy yards wide by thirty deep,
strongly palisaded and enclosed by a post and rail fence.
This central redoubt was furnished with three tiers of rifle-
pits, roofed over with manuka scrub and fern — the eaves of
the roof being so raised as to afford loop-holes for the
muskets of the garrison ; and in addition, as a further pro-
tection, the ground outside the redoubt, where the hill falls
off into the swamps, was defended by lines of rifle-pits. The
name of this Maori strono;hold was Pukehinahina, but it is
now better known as the ''Gate Pah," from its having
served as the passage from European to Maori laad.

The British forces, under command of General Cameron,
were at this time at Te Papa, near the Church Mission
Station, a distance of three miles from the pah. On the
28th of April, after reconnoitring the position of the enemy
General Cameron advanced with a force of 1695 men and

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^th 15 pieces of ordnance, and invested the " Gate Pah/*
which is supposed to have been manned with some 300
Maoris. In front of the pah were placed detachments of
the 43rd, and 70th, and 371 men of the Naval Brigade, the
Artillery being planted in four batteries at varying distances.
Under cover of a feigned attack in front, the 68th i-egiment,
commanded by Colonel Gireer, was cleverly conveyed along
the edge of the swamp on the enemy*s right, to the renr of
the pah, so as to cut off from the Maoris all chance of escape.
At daybreak the British guns began to play upon the enemy's
position, but from being directed at a white flag which the
Maoris had cunningly placed about 100 yards to their rear,
the shot flew over the pah and did damage only to the 68th,
who were behind. At last, however, about four in the
afternoon, a breach was made in the left angle of the redoubt^
large enough to tempt an assault. A rocket was sent up as
a signal of attack to the 68th. The storming party — four
abreast, two soldiers and two sailors — rushed at the double
into the breach. The 68th meanwhile closed in on the rear, to
4nit off escape. With little loss the storming column gained
the breach, and entered the main redoubt; and all seemed
over with the Maoris, who rushed to the rear only to meet
the bayonets of the 68th. Finding themselves trapped, the
natives turned back to the redoubt with the courage of
despair. But now, when the pah seemed to be in the hands
of the storming party, a panic seized the troops, who rushed
headlpng from the breach in terrified fiight, yelling out
*' There's thousands of them, there's thousands of them ! '*
In vain did Captain Hamilton, with the Naval Brigade
reserve, try to stem the tide. As he reached the breach he
fell, pierced with a bullet through the brain, and the whole
force — storming party and reserve — retired beyond reach
of the enemy's fire.

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Not thinking it advisable to renew the assault, General
Cameron threw up a breastwork about 100 yards in front of
the pah, intending to renew the attack in the morning.
During the night, however, the Maoris evacuated the pah,
stealing through the lines of the 68th, who were stationed in
rear to prevent their escape.

In the morning, on entering the pah, a shocking sight
presented itself. The officers of the 43rd and of the Naval
Brigade lay dead or dying on the ground. Four Captains
of the 43rd lay dead within a few square yards. Lieutenant
Hill, one of the few who had escaped the wreck of the
Orpheus on the Manukau Bar, had been shot in the neck
and through both cheeks, and had lived long enough to bind
his handkerchief over his wounds. Lieutenant Glover, one
of a family of heroes, lay dead, shot in the attempt to
recover the body of his brother, Captain Glover. The
gallant Colonel Booth, who led the storming party, was
carried to the camp moHally wounded in the spine. The
General went to him; but poor Booth felt the repulse too
keenly, and he turned away his face, saying — " General, I
cannot look at you. T tried to carry out your orders, but
we failed." It is said that on this occasion the 43rd lost
more officers than any English regiment at Waterloo.

It is to the everlasting honour of the Maori race that in
this engagement, when their angriest passions must have
been aroused, no mutilation of the dead took place. The
bodies were neither stripped nor injured. The watches,
rings, and money of the dead were untouched. When one
of the English wounded, in his dying agonies, thirsted for a
a drop of water, Henare Taratoa, with a tender courtesy
worthy of a Christian knight, stole his way in the dark
through the English sentries, and returned with water to
relieve his enemy's thirst.

In the little cemetery of Tauranga, on the tongue of lau^

229

that faces the mount, the soldiers and sailors who fell at the
<xate Pah were buried by their shamed and grieving comrades,
'who burned to wipe out the disgrace of their disastrous panic.
The spot where the dead of the Gate Pah lie, is railed off from
•the rest of the burial ground, and the obelisk and headstones
which record their deaths are carefully tended by the
successive men-of-war that touch at Tauranga.

About two months after the engagement at the Gate
Pah, the 43rd and 68th, under command of Colonel Greer,
wiped out the disgrace of their repulse by a most successful
Attack on Te Ranga, a pah about four miles beyond the
"''Gate," mustering it is said 600 natives. The British
soldiers took the pah by a brilliant charge. Rawiri, with
€7 of his braves, lay duad in their rifle-pits — graves which
they had dug for themselves ; whilst the loss of the enemy,
^1 told, amounted to more than 120 men.

In the Bay of Plenty, about 60 miles out from Tauranga
Harbour, stands the remarkable island, called by Cook
White Island from the enormous volume of cloud that
perpetually envelopes it, making its position visible frequently
At a distance of 70 or 80 miles. White Island has an
Altitude of about 900 feet, and an area of something under
itwo square miles. In the centre is a huge crater, the
precipitous sides of which vary in height from 400 to 800
feet, and have a circumference of a mile and a half. From the
undulating floor of the crater, which is covered with sulphur,
gypsum, alum, and other minerals, there rises a column of
«team varying in density according to the weather, and
reaching a height often of 10,000 feet, and never less than
2000. As the little vessel that trades between Tauranga
And White Island makes its visits at uncertain intervals, a
trip to the island is practicable only for those who make a
«omewhat protracted stay at Tauranga, or who happen to be
4;here just as the vessel sets out on one of her trips. t

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230

CHAPTER XVIII.
TAURANGA TO OHINEHUTU.

THE OROPI BUSH.

Anyone who arrives at Tauranga by vessel fron»
Auckland will, unless lie wishes to spend some time at
Tauranga, which he may very pleasantly and profitably do,
proceed with the coach which is waiting for the arrival of
the steamer in order to set out for Ohinemutu. There ia-
ample time, however, to have a comfortable breakfast, and
travellers should provide themselves with a packet of sand-
wiches and fruit, there being as yet no half-way house in the-
bush at which they can be served with a good lunch.

Several services of coaches run between Tauranga and.
Ohinemutu. The mail service, which may be looked upon,
as the only regular service of coaches, is at present in bhe-
hands of Mr. Edwin Robertson, who is extremely obliging,
and attentive to the comfort of his passengers. Mr. William^
Kelly also runs a coach in connection with his hotel at
Ohinemutu. A party consisting of four or five could not da-
better than bespeak a trap of Mr. Charles Gordon, who has
one of the best posting studs in the Colony, as well as
comfortable vehicles and careful drivers. The comfort of"
travelhng in a light springy vehicle, and with such cattle-
as Mr. Gordon supplies, is well worth the few shillinga*
a head which it costs above the ordinary coach fare of £1.

There are two routes which may be chosen from^-
Tauranga to Ohinemutu, each of which has its advantages.
The route by Oropi and the 18-mile bush is the shorter audi

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the more picturesque, but infinitely the rougher. The route-
by Te Puke is longer and less picturesque, but the road is.
much easier than the other, and the district through which it
passes shows a much finer stretch of country from the
settler's point of view. Visitors to New Zealand will there-
fore choose what they most desire to see- -the character and
progress of its settlement, or the natural beauty of its- bush.
Anyone not intending to proceed further than Ohinemutu
and Rotomahana might go by one route and return by the
other. Those familiar with the beauties of the New Zealand
bush will have met with scenery finer than the Oropi bush,
and therefore the Te Puke road might possibly interest
them more. Visitors from neighbouring colonies, however,
or from Europe, had better not let this opportunity slip of
seeing a long stretch of New Zealand forest^ for, though they
may see small areas of greater beauty, they will not be
likely to see anything on such a large scale. Strangers to
New Zealand invariably express themselves as charmed with
the beauty of the Oropi Bush.

The driver will be ready, in the matter of the route, to
consult the wishes of his passengers, though if left to himself
he would probably choose the Te Puke road. To take this
route the coach leaves Tauranga by the Hairini bridge and
continues along the Government road running parallel with,
the coast to Te Puke, where it strikes the Maketu and
Rotorua road almost at right angles. The Rotorua road at
this point makes a direct track inland for Rotorua, following
closely the course of the Kaituna river to its source in Lake-
Rotoiti, and passing over the low piece of ground which
separates Rotoiti from Rotorua. For eleven miles or so past
this point the road lies along the margin of Rotorua, past Te
Ngae Mission Station to Ohinemutu, which lies at the
southern extremity of the lake. Much interesting agri-^

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'Cultural country is passed on this route ; and on reaching
Rotor ua you at once commence your acquaintance with the
region of hot s])rings, for columns of steam rise in this

-direction and in that, and occasionally the breeze brings
^ith it very perceptible whiffs of sulphur vapour.

The Te Puke road may be somewhere about 52 miles
long, and there are two relays of horses for the distance.
The Oropi, or 18-mile-bush, road is only about forty miles in
length, but there is no opportunity of changing horses,
though the way is very rough and heavy upon cattle. For
the first thirteen miles — between Tauranga and Oropi —
the road is excellent. About three miles from the town the

' coach passes through the Gate Pah, and shortly afterwards,
turning sharp to the left, continues to wind its way between
fresh, if somewhat monotonous, fern-hills — now near the
level of the Waimapu, and again looking down from the
height upon its glancing water. To the right, if you ask him,
the driver will point out the spot where the battle of Te Ranga
was fought, when the 43rd and 68th Regiments took ample
vengeance on the Ngaiterangi for the disaster of the Gate
Pah. As the coach nears Oropi and gets on to elevated
ground it commands a fine view of plains, valleys, and hills
bearing a rich crop of tutu and bracken. Some of the hills
bear very evident marks of having at one time been occupied
by Maoris, and the steep and regular escarpments that

•crown the summits suggest the labor and skill which the
natives in days gone by brought to bear upon their fortifica-
tions, before Hongi revolutionized the art of war.

At Oropi the coach enters tne 18-mile bush. The road
is one of the roughest ; the hills are numerous and steep ;
xuts are plentiful ; and occasional stumps and stones add to
the general unpleasantness. With a good carriage and
"horses, however, and a careful driver, those discomforts may

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\)e reduced to such a degree as to make the journey quite
l>earable, at least to anyone in fairly sound health. Invalids
Are strongly advised by Dr. Lewis to travel with an
^ir cushion. " Ladies would do well," says Dr. Lewis, " to
biing a pillow, as the back rail of a coach is not comfortable
for a lady's back to lean against." Those who are not
^familiar with bush scenery will find the discomfort of travel-
ling by this route more than counter-balanced by the novelty
And beauty of the sceneiy through which they pass. The mas-
sive outline and drooping tassels of the rimu, the picturesque
beauty of the birches, the rata with its scarlet blossoms and its
rugged, twisted trunk, the graceful parachutes of the tree
ferns, the soft luxuriance of the underwood and grasses by
t)ie roadside, and other pretty and attractive features of our
woodland scenery will delight the eye that sees them for the
first time, and divert the attention, in some measure, from
ihe unpleasantness of ruts and corduroy. Bush scenery is
never seen at its best from a level road. It is when they
hang on a steep slope high overhead, or pave with their tops
ihe depths of some mvine, that forest trees are seen to most
advantage. On reaching the Mangarewa Gk)rge we find all
the conditions for Seeing New Zealand forest at its best.
Elsewhere in the Oropi Bush there is monotony, the road
1>eing shut in on each side as if by a hedge of lofty trees —
-each tree beautiful in itself, but presented at exactly the same
Angle as its neighbour. But the Gorge is superb — what
there is of it : unfortunately it is too soon passed. As the
liorses take their way down the steep track, cut in places out
•of the solid rock, the eye ranges with delight over the sea of
rich and varied foliage that rolls in waves of loveliest green
for miles along the opposite slopes. As we descend to the
^bottom of the ravine where the bridge spans a creek, bound
fdth its tribute of cool water to jr»in the Kaituna, the rocky

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sides of the gorge close in like a towered gateway. The creek
loiters in dark pools, shaded by the thick leaves of the^
fingered aralia, and fringed with filmy ferns that love the
darkness. By and by we wind along the edge of a torrent
that makes music among its boulders ; whilst on our right-
rises the sheer wall of a cliff, giving foothold to shrubs and
feins and mosses innumerable.

It will be a kindness to the horses to alight at the little
bridge which spans this stream where the ascent begins, and
take the way on foot up the long hill to the summit. In
this way you will have an opportunity of observing at your
leisure the wonderful beauty of a ravine, covered, as to its
sides, with that loveliest of New Zealand trees — the Birch,
or more properly, the Beech, for it is a fcigus, not a betula^
The young bark has something of the nut-brown varnish, and
its leaves have something of the form, of the European birch;
but here the resemblance ceases. Instead of the pliant,
lissome, and generally feminine look of the English tree, the
New Zealand birch is rigid, stately, sombre, and masculine in
appearance. The column of the trunk shoots up like a mast^
sending out branches which carry massive loads of dark
foliage, and which have a tabular or shelf-like shape, like
those of a Lebanon cedar. Sometimes, very often indeed at
this spot, an additional charm is added to the birch, when th&-
small myrtle-leaved rata clings to the trunk, and clothes it^
with a coat finer in its weft than the finest cut ivy. If the-
sunlight is playing hide-and-seek in the ravine below, and
you are tired with the ascent, you may lay yourself
down beneath the shade of a wide-spreading beech and
watch the shadows — till the coach overtakes you. After-
this the interest in the bush is likely to flag. It is with a
sense of relief that one finds one's self leaving the last stunted
outposts behind, after being confined so long between two-
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green walls; and the first glimpse of Rotorua and of the steep
terrace of Ngongotaha is welcome. Ohinemutu is visible in
the distance at the south end of the lake, a good ten miles
-away ; but as the road is level, this part of the way should
480on be covered, if the horses are at all fit for their work.
"The peculiar nature of the region into which we now enter
is indicated by the steam clouds which appear in the distance.
A small Maoii village and a few isolated w hares lie on the left.
Springs of the clearest water seem plentiful near the lake ;
and a creek is crossed about eight miles from Ohinemutu,
the water of which has quite an extraordinary transparency.
As the coach nears the township of Ohinemutu, and drives
past the post-office, up towards the hotels, it passes between
steaming pools in which the copper urchins of the place, all
innocent of the decencies, are disporting themselves. If a
tolerably early start has been made from Tauranga, the coach
ought to arrive in time for six o'clock dinner ; and the 18-mile
bush will have failed in one of its special functions i£ it has
mot given a wholesome fillip to the appetite.

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CHAPTER XIX.
OHINEHUTU.

Hotels. — Lake House, 12s. per day, or £4 per week ; private
ritting-room, SOs. per week. Palace Hotel and Morrison's Hotel, 10s.
per day.

Baths. — At Sulphur Point : single baths, 6d. : if a dozen are
taken, 4d. each. At Lake House : ordinary mineral bath, 6d, each ;.
sulphur bath. Is.

Carriage and Horse-hire.- -Saddle Horse, 10s. per day ;
Double buggy and driver, £2 p«r day ; Single (driving self), £1 ; or
with driver, 30s. per day.

Service of Boats.— I^arge boat to hold eight, manned, £2 ;.
smaller boat, 2os. If an excursion were made to Rotoiti and other
smaller lakes, a party of eight would pay probably about 158. per
head per day. This would not include rations.

Places of Interest. — Ohinemutu Pah and Boiling Springs^
Sulphur Point (many wonderful boiling springs), Tikitere, Whak^
arewarewa (mud cauldrons and sulphur springs), Lake Rotokawau^
Jfokoia Island and Hinemoa's Bath^ The Ngae Mission Station,

In choosing an hotel at Ohinemutu, the traveller will be-
guided by his own wants. All three hotels are fairly good-
Jf the visitor attaches much importance to the situation of
the hotel, Lake House is the one to choose. It commands a
most enchanting view of Rotorua and the Island of Mokoia.
On a still night when a great fan of moonlight quivers oil
the water, away towards the island, the view from the
drawing-room verandah is one of the loveliest. The baths^
too, are better here than at the other hotels. There are
several enclosed hot baths with cold showers ; and, besides the^
ordinary hot baths, there is a sulphur bath of extra strengUi^

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the water for which is derived from an exceedingly dirty and.
unctuous boiling spring at the bottom of the garden. Every-^
thing is clean and comfortable inside the house. The-
drawing-room is an unusually spacious and airy room, with»
an exceedingly beautiful outlook. The table is fairly good,„
the only noticeable deficiency being a want of fresh fruit.
The liquors supplied are good. The greatest drawback to-
the comfort of Lake House is the smallness of the bedrooms^,
which are just large enough to turn in. If Mr. Kelly's house-
has not the excellent situation of Lake House, it has the-
advantage of being cheaper, and of having roomier bedrooms.
What has been said as to the internal economy of Lake-
House applies also here. Belonging to the hotel there is a
hot bath which the guests are free to use; and visitors are-
driven down, if they desire it, to the government baths. In
addition to his hotel business, Mr. Kelly keeps a livery-stable,
so that buggies or saddle horses are generally obtainable.
He has also boats on the lake, and so can accommodate
those desirous of visiting Mokoia or Rotoiti. Mrs. Morri-
son's Hotel is a well conducted house, having this advantage
over the others, that it is quieter and generally less crowded.
Having determined upon your hotel, and dined,.,
advantage may be taken, if time is an object, of the remain-
ing day-light to examine the very interesting vicinity of the
township. If you put up at Lake House, a walk to the foot
of the garden will at once introduce you to the wonderful
phenomena of this district. The bubbling and gurgling and
hissing that go on inside and outside the fence are at first ^
somewhat confusing. You hardly know where to stand ta»
be safe; but very soon you learn to distinguish the firm from
the treacherous earth. Go through the little side gate, and.
a few steps warily taken over the boiling ground, will lead
you on to the native pah, situated on a narrow tongue of landu

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mmning out into Rotorua. Cauldrons lie on each side of the
path — sometimes on the very edge of it. Some are bubbling
and boilin|{, some gently simmering, some rushing suddenly
above ground and then sinking, with a swish and gurgle, back
again into the steaming orifice. From some of the boiling
springs the water is led in ducts to form reservoirs for
various purposes — washing, bathing, and so on. You see a
party of squaws approach, with the swinging gait which
Maori women affect ; they make for a row of flagstones in
front of a whare, and flop. This is their warming-pan ; the
genial nether heat makes its way up through the stones, and
they are sitting on a gridiron, where they pass away the
hom-s in the pleasures of conversation and tobecco. As you
advance, you turn your head in the direction whence proceed
sounds of animated talkii^ and merriment, and you see a
steaming pool with two or three copper heads floating on the
surface, a pipe in each mouth — another social gathering where
warmth, conversation, and tobacco supply at once comfort and
amusement. By-and-by you are in the narrow lanes, three
or four feet wide, which are the streets of this Maori town,
leading on to the public square in front of the whare-puni or
•carved house of the settlement. The whare-puni, (literally^
the "sleeping-house"), is the public hall of the liapu or sub-
•tribe, where visitors from other tribes are entertained, and
where important meetings of all kinds are held. Most
Maori villages, however small, have a whare-puni of some
kind more or less pretentious, distinguished from the
ordinary whare by its greater size and by the wood-carvings
sometimes highly elaborated, sometimes rude and on*
finished, which invariably adorns the beams and supports
The whare-pu/ni at Ohinemutu is perhaps one of the best to
be found in the more easily accessible parts of Maoridonu
It is a building of some 40 by 20 feet,# built of weathtt^

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239

boarding and roofed with zinc, by no means so picturesque
in appearance as some ruder buildings in le^ populous pahs,
where the sides are of raupo lined with toi-toi, and the i-oof
of raupo or rushes. The front elevation, however, of the
building at Ohinemutu is an interesting example of Maori
architecture and carving. The whare is an oblong span-
roof shed, the roof and sides being carried some ten feet or
so beyond the gable, in which is placed the door. This
projection serves as a sort of verandah or portico, and is
fenced in from the ground in front by a wooden wall, some
three feet high, running across from side to side. There is
no gate to this wooden barrier; but a breadth ot a few feet
on the right of the doorway is made sufficiently low to admit
of its being easily stepped over. A post rises from the
middle of this barrier to support the ridge-pole, having for
its base one of those grotesque Maori images which are
endlessly repeated, with slight variations, in all Maori
carvings — the head large, with lolling tongue, and with
goggle-eyes made from the iridescent mutton-shell (Ilaliotis),
the body long and narrow, the arms bent, with the elbows
projecting at a sharp angle, the three-fingered hands placidly
folded on the stomach with a ludicrous suggestion of
** ka-pai," the thighs knobby and ill-shaped, and the nether
extremities generally, vague and undefined. Such an effigy
forms the base of the pillar which supports the ridge-pole of
the Ohinemutu wliare-puni, and another still more grotesque
surmounts the pole, taking the place of the little pinnacle
-with which Europeans finish off the gables of their wooden
houses. The two broad and massive slabs of wood which
form the two uprights on which rest the beams whidi
8lo|>e from the ridgepole to the walls, as well as the
beams themselves, and the low wooden wall forming
a barricade in front, are lavishly ornamented with

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240

carving of a fantastic Arabesque pattern. Korrib'e goggle-
eyed monsters — the ancestors of the tribes — writhe and
twine amongst each other with bewildering intricacy o£
design ; whilst in odd juxtaposition with such uncouth
conceptions, may be seen a simple and tasteful scroll-border,
rivallincj in design and execution the delicate ti'acery of an
Etruscan vase. Every beam, indeed every available wooden
surface, is rich with massive carving or intricate tattooing.

If you step over the low wooden barricade in front and
enter the whare — which you may do without let or hindrance
— what you see inside will depend on the time of your visit.
At no time does the interior present a very cleanly
appearance. Visiting it in the evening you may possibly
find family groups of the interesting population gathered ia
festive circles round the family tin-basin and black kettle.
The tin-basin contains an unsavoury looking mess o! pipis or
.whitebait; the kettle is filled with weak tea, which the
family party drink from tin mugs (two or three drinking
from one mug) to the accompaniment of thick slices of bread
and great gobbets of cured fish. Their food, such as it is,
seems plentiful enough, for the viands lie scattered about in
profusion over the earthy floor — though the fragments are
carefully gathered at the end of the meal and put away for
another time. In the interior of the whare is more carving,
the walls being decorated at regular intervals with slabs of
carved " ancestors."

The open space in front of this H6tei-de-ville is the
fashionable rendezvous and promenade of the pah ; and,
seated on the low barricade of the portico, you may watch
for hours the curious life of this intercbting people. In
distinctiveness of physiognomy and character, even the
stranger, ignorant of their language, soon perceives that they
are^o whit inferior to their Aryan invaders. The belle and

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241

woman of fashion is a tall stalwart woman, with a massive,
iheavy face and the shoulders of a grenadier. The plentiful
blue-black hair, carefully combed, falls down over her neck
in heavy masses, or, if it is wiry and irrepressible, radiates
in a frizzy glory round the head. The lady of distinction is
•careful of her dignity, moves with a stately stride, holds her
head well back, and swings the arms with an easy rhythmical
motion, somewhat manly perhaps, but not ungraceful in a
Maori woman. In dress, no less than in pose, she is im-
pressive. It may be a scarlet tunic aud black skirt that she
wear8, or a black tunic and scarlet skirt, or it may be &
striped plaid of many colours, thrown back from the shoulders
and falling down to the heel in easy folds — but, whatever it
is, it is something distinguished, and the envy of her more
plebeian sistei-s. Some of the women have a worn and
slatternly appearance, more especially the older women, their
one consolation in life seeming to be tobacco. The men seem
less lively than the women. Octogenarians, with faces like
a bit of the carved wood on the front of the whare-puni,
Bquat down in the forum, rolled up in the folds of a
blanket, looking stolidly before them or watching the pranks
of the youngsters. Those old Maoris are unpleasantly fond
of shaking hands with the white stranger. Whether it is.
the helplessness and loneliness of old age, which amongst the
Maoris is very unlovely, that makes them thankful for the
notice even of an alien, or whether it is from the garrulous-
ness of second childhood, those aged Maoris are much
more affable and courteous than the younger men of the '
tribe, who are often shy and reserved, and sometimes sullen.
Most of those lack-lustre and passive old fellows who sit
like heathen idols in the public places of the pah, will nod
their mahogany heads on your approach, shout a friendly'
*' tena-koe " ("here you are ! ") and, if you choose to come to

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close quarters, will proceed to chatter to you as if you under-
stood all they said. Not the least interesting features of a
Maori village are the youths and children. Their animal
spirits are as exuberant as those of the most robust Aryans.
They are full of fun, as indeed are their elders, and chase
and tease each other good-naturedly with much shouting and
laughter.

Opposite the public hall is a curious carved flag-staff,
fenced off with a circular paling. From the open space in*
front of the whare-puni, various small lanes lead in between
the whares. Each whare is surrounded by a garden,,
carefully cultivated, stocked with vegetables, and fenced in,
with a high mauuka palisade, the entrance being in most
cases a low stile. As you head your way along these lanes-
you will see many family parties squatting, each in front of
its own particular residence, and if the weather is warm, in
most unblushing nJ^glige, Here also you will form acquaint-
ance with the Maori dog — ^an animal sui generis ; not that
he is of a different genus or even of a different species
from the European dog, for he is all European dogs in one.
Tlie real old Maori dog — the dog which was so plentiful in
Cook's time, and which, during his convalescence, he enjoyed
so much as fresh meat — is extinct, or at any rate so diluted
with infusion of European blood as not to be recognizable.
But in his stead has aiisen a certain non-descript animal —
a mixture of all conceivable breeds — mangy, starved,,
depressed, and sullen. No two of these dogs are alike in size, .
shape, or colour — each differing from the other in proportion
as mastiff, greyhound, terrier, or collie preponderates in his
composition, but all having a common something, the result
ef similar conditions —cruelty and starvation. Sometimes
you may come across one of those- miserable brutes so-
emaciated as not to be able to stand*.

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By taking the path to the left and skirting the little
peninsula, you come to the general cooking place of the
village — a shallow square tank of clear toiling water, the
bottom paved with pipi shells. Possibly you may find one
• or two Maoris cooking their food, which in this wonderful
community is a very simple matter. The kit of pipis or
potatoes is hung in the boiling water in one comer of the
tank, and, when suificiently cooked, is discussed on the
edge of the spring or elsewhere; ^whilst a kettle in the same
way is soon brought to the boil by being set in the boiling
water. Should anyone be curious to taste the classic pipi,
any Maori who happens to be cooking will be delighted to
share the dainty with hinu

By continuing along the shore, through some manuka
scrub, the point of the peninsula is soon reached. Here one
is forcibly reminded of the danger of walking on this very
treacherous ground, by the sight of a little grave-stone
erected to the memory of Ellen Hinemoa Wilson, a child
who met her death by falling into a boiling hole in her
father's garden. Tradition has it that this peninsula was a^
one time much larger than at present, and that it subsided
into the lake in the course of a single night, carrying with it
the whares built on it. Even now a number of posts, with
rudely outlined human faces, are standing, and have stood
time out of mind — the only remains of what must at one
time have been the fortifications of an extensive pah. The
whole of the peninsula is very evidently a thin crust
covering a mass of boiling water, the lake on each side being
raised to a high temperature by the water that runs from
the ^ttlement or rises from the numerous springs at its
own bottom.

To see the native settlement will be an agreeable
evening or morning's saunter; and the walk may be

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244

repeated whenever a spare hour falls heavily on one's hands^
Or if a survey of the settlement without exertion is desired^
an excellent view of it, from the most picturesque point oF
view, may be had from the balcony of Lake House. On
a soft sunny morning, for instance, after the relaxing
pleasure of the baths, there is no better spot than this
balcony on which to lounge and enjoy the "sweet-do-
nothing." The settlement below is swarming with a lazy
«ort of life — Maori gentlemen sauntering about in morning
undress (a modestly long cotton shirt); naked brown-skinned
urchins chasing each other on the sandy beach; women in*
resplendent colours shouting to each other across the pah ;•
Maori washerwomen, waist-high, lathering in Kuapeka-
Bay; a mother pig, with a dozen piganinnis in her train^
industriously foraging and getting little; skulking dogs;
basking cats — such are the animal elements of the picture
seen from Lake House. The blue lake is seldom without its
ripples; and craft of some kind are generally in sight, either-
a white-sailed sloop, carrying a freight of timber or of
pleasure-seekers, or a canoe making from one point of the-
shore to another. In the middle distance rises the island ot
Mokoia, just a little dimmed by a thin film of haze ; and'
far beyond, behind the long reaches of the Take which
appear on either side of the island, the yellow Muff of the-
northern shore gleams in sharp relief against die bank of
brown hills. To the left, on the west of the lake and beyond-
the XJtuhina stream, Ngongotaha Mountain rises to a height
of 2554 feet, and is crowned with luxuriant bush. On the-
other hand, away towards Tikitere and Botoiti, stretches
another chain — ^Whakapoungakau, 2524 feet in he^ht^
The outline of the shore, though on the whole very un-
broken, has yet its little forelands — ^regular and rounded in
outline — ^with all the appearance of artificial mounds. To.

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the left is the prominent Kawaha foreland, and a little
distance north of Ohinemutu, on the west shore of the lake,
is Ouhata, whence Hinemoa took her plunge into the water ;
and indeed the stone from which she jumped is there to
this day to witness to the truth of the story.

Sulphur Point, where is situated the Government
township of Kotorua, lies about half a mile south-east of
Ohinemutu. It is a flat point of land running out into the
lake, covered, where it has not been reclaimed, by a scrubby
growth of manuka. This tongue of land is the sanatorium
ground of what will one day probably be a very consider-
able town. The flat land at the neck of the peninsula has
been carefully surveyed and measured off into blocks of
J and J-acre sections, the blocks being separated by streets,
cutting one another at right angles. The town land
embraces an area of some 600 acres, a trifle less than the
acreage of Auckland ; but, so far, only 125 acres have been
subdivided for sale, the rest being reserved for subdivision
as the growth of the city demands it. Ample provision has
been made for the amusement and education of the town-
ship. The ground sloping back to the Pukeroa hill — some
100 feet above the lake level — has been set apart as a
recreation reserve, and commands a full view of Ohinemutu,.
Kotorua, Mokoia, and other points of interest in the neigh-
bourhood. The Government intends some day improving
this reserve for the recreation of the Rotorua citizens, by
making extensive plantations and laying it out in drives.
Further reserves have been set apart for a Museum and
Public Library, College, Grammar School, Government
School, Post and Telegraph Office, Railway Station,
Cemetery, and Hospital. Most of the sections are quarter-
acres, but a few half-acre sections have been set aside for
Tilla residences in the neighbourhood of the proposed

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Pukeroa Park. In the plans of Rotorua, even the suburbs
have not been overlooked. Immediately adjoining the
township a few- suburban sections of 5 and 10 acres
have been laid off; whilst outside these again provision
has been made for farms of 40 and 60 acres. The land
is not freehold, but is let on leases for ninety-nine years,
under arrangements made by the Government with the
native proprietors of the soil. The Government has
appointed an able medical officer, Dr. Lewis, as Sanitary
Superintendent, whose duty it will be to superintend the
management of the baths, to give advice at the usual charges
to visitors who may desire it, to record cases in his experience
for the information of those who may contemplate trying
the baths, and generally to make such observations as will
lead to a more certain knowledge of the therapeutic proper-
ties of the various springs. A hospital, with accommodation
for about twenty patients, is now in course of erection for
the reception of such as may wish to be close to the springs
and under the immediate care of the medical attendant. It
is intended also by the Government that gratuitous medical
attendance should be given to such patients as may be sent
here at the expense of hospitals and other charitable institu-
tions in the various parts of the Colony. The Government
hospital will be divided into various parts, for paying and
non-paying patients, men and women. The charges are not
yet fixed ; but they will be as low as is found remunerative,
A dispensary and consulting-room have also been opened
close to the baths where, at stated hours, the medical officer
will be in attendance to dispense medicines and give
advice.

, It will be seen that the plan of Botorua has been made
with great foresight and attention to detail So far the
scheme has not prospered so much as it deserves, the only

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"buildings as yet erected being the residence of the medical
attendant, the baths, and the hospital. Whether the town-
jship will ever rea^h the dimensions contemplated ly the
(jrovemment is very doubtful. It will require much more
than the resources to be derived from even the largest
possible influx of visitors in search of health to maintain a
town of the proposed size of Rotorua ; and it is diflicult at
present to see to what other resources a town pitched in
this locality can look.

There is no doubt, however, that under energetic and
skilful management Botorua ought to become a very
prosperous sanatorium, drawing a revenue from all comers
of the world. The powerful smell of sulphur that pervades
its atmosphere will probably prevent its ever becoming the
resort of mere pleasure-seekers; but invalids who derive
benefit from its springs will make very light of this
inconvenience, associated as it is with the delight of
returning health. In order to make Rotorua a success
three things are essential — easy access, good accommodation
for invalid travellers, and wide and well-sanctioned
4uivertisement of the curative properties of its springs.
When the railway from Waikato by Morrinsville to
Rotorua is formed, the first of those three conditions
will be met. The question of accommodation for invalids
has already to some extent been met by the erection
of a hospital close to the most famous springs, and of very
•convenient and comfortable covered baths. The famous
spring known as The Priest's Bath has been enclosed and
furnished with comfortable dressing-rooms. Besides the
^l fresco basins — one for each sex — a handsome pavilion
has been erected, containing twelve baths, with attendants'
room and waiting-rooms. One side has been specially
reserved for women — the apartments on this side being

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furnished with two baths, so that the pleasures of society
and conversation can be combined with the luxury of
immersion in hot mineral water. Next in importance to
The Priest's Bath (so called from the complete cure effected
by its waters on a Boman Catholic priest who sojourned for
some time in its neighbourhood) comes that known b&
Madame RacheFs Bath, from the notion that those who>
wash in it are made beautiful for ever. This is an immense-
cauldron of blue water, gently boiling and fearful to look
down into, for its very transparency impresses you with its-
tremendous depth. The water is led off by a duct into a.
bath at some distance from the spring, having time to cool
to the proper temperature before it reaches its destination^
In a short time, no doubt, the same comforts and con-^
veniences will be arranged round Madame Rachers Bath as^
round the Priest's. At present the cauldron is carefully
fenced round ; but admission to see it may be obtained by
application to Dr. Lewis. Oruawhata is another clear
boiling cauldron whose waters have their peculiar properties..
Indeed the whole of Sulphur Point is full of boiling and
steaming holes, differing as much in appearance as in;
chemical composition. For instance, here in an open space-
amidst the scrub, the centre of a small flat of saponaceous
mud, is the muddy-looking pond called the White Sulphur
Bath, giving out, it is said, a peculiar ansesthetic gas which
produces on certain constitutions an effect much the same-
as that of laughing-gas. " The Pain-killer " is one of those^
fanciful names which have been lavishly given to the springs,
of this point — a name bestowed in this instance probably on
account of the colour, the water being very dusky — or, it may^
be, on account of the efficacy it is said to have in curing^
rheumatism. Round by the shore of Arikiroa Bay are-
those curious cup-shaped sulphur eminences, some of which.

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have been called by visitors the "Sulphur Cups," others the-
"Cream Cups." Altogether, the examination of the wonders
of Sulphur Point would occupy a whole day, if one happens
to have that amount of time to give it.

It will be interesting and useful to have the opinion of
Dr. Lewis on some of the Sulphur Point Baths. Dr. Lewis,
has had ample opportunities of studying the effects of the
springs on various diseases, and therefore his opinion must
necessarily carry great weight. Of Te Pepunitanga (Priest^s-
Bath) Dr. Lewis says : —

'* It has a most powerful action on the skin, causiDg redness of the-
whole surface immersed, and in some cases causing a small vesicular
eruption of the skin. A curious fact that patients have observed is-
its astringent action on the skin, which is quite contrary to the effect
of an ordinary warm bath. As before observed, sulphuretted
hydrogen is given off by this water, and some cases have come under
my notice in which fainting has been caused by its inhalation. That
sulphur is absorbed into the system by the use of this water is proved
by the fact that after removal from the locality silver worn on the
person is still blackened. On few has it a purgative effect, but there
are cases on record in which some diarrhoea has resulted. 1 appre-
hend this is the result of an increased flow of bile, which I am led to
believe is the case from the benefit that bilious and dyspeptic patients-
have received from bathing in this water, and also from the change-
produced in the colour of the stools. In a case of locomotor ataxy,,
which was treated by this bath and one of the hepatic snlphuronS'
ones for a course of six weeks, a crop of boils was induced. Of one
fact I am assured : that is, that it acts as a tonic and alterative
generally, and it has an eminently stimulating effect oa that organ,.
80 often at fault with obscure symptoms, the liver. This water has
the power of destroying the Aca/rm scabiei with rapidity. I have
seen in a short time a most severe case of scabies in a Maori com<^
pletely cured by repeated bathing in this spring. That the vegetable
parasitic affections of the skin will be benefited by the use of these
waters I also hope to be able to prove soon. This water, as will be
seen from the analysis, is not fitted for taking internally on account
of the amount of free sulphuric acid it contains. One very similar

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"wa^er was taken by a carious tourist, who, to his pain, discoyered its
astringent qualities. It was beneficial, however, in a case of relaxed
£Ore-throat, when employed as a gargle."

Of Whangapipiro (RacheFs Bath) Dr. Lewis says : —

" It has received its name from tue fact of its rendering the
cuticle so soft and pliable as to resemble to some the enamelling
process of the celebrated * beautifier.' The luxury, for it is such, of
4>athing in this water is due to its softness, and to the amount of
«iliclc acid and silicates that it contains. When the body is
immersed a gloss is given to the skin which is most characteristic of
the alkaline silicious waters in the district. As the water flows from
the spring, which is a deep, clear cauldron, at a temperature of about
174** Fahr., it deposits a steel-grey coating of silica on the bed of the
stream in the form of a rock. By this process the beautiful terraces
at Rotomahana have been formed, one of which is white, the other
being slightly tinged pink, due to a small amount of iron oxide in
solution. This class of water, of which Whangapipiro is a typical
example, has been employed principally in the treatment of gout,
gouty arthritis, chronic rheumatism, rheumatoid arthritis, and forms
of myalgia, especially lumbago of a rheumatic kind ; also sciatica.
For these complaints, and many others too numerous to mention,
invalids have alternated the use of the alkaline waters with the
hepatic sulphurous, of one of which I append an analysis as a type;

" The cases which seem most benefited by their use are those
semi-convalescent from the acute forms of rheumatism and gout.
These, as a rule, rapidly improve after a few days, and make good
recoveries ; but the chronic cases take a far longer time than patients
will or can give to their treatment, as a rule, so far. It is only due
to these waters to state that, though they have not removed synovial
fringes, nor relaxed anchylosed joints, to my knowledge, still they
appear in many cases to reduce fluid in joints, and they certainly
•eradicate that wearing pain which is so harassing at times to the
rheumatic and gouty, when their use is persevered in. Of the action
of this water when taken internally I cannot yet speak with certainty.
Several cases of lumbar and sciatic myalgia produced in miners who
have been employed in the damp mines on the west coast of the
South Island of New Zealand have been cured by the use of a strongly
«ilicious water in the form of a heavy douche.*'
*^ It is ridiculous," adds Dr. Lewis, "to state that one bath

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will cure one thing, and one another. With care almost
any bath may be used with safety; but I strongly deprecate
persons bathing alone."

TIEITERB, WHAEAREWAREWA, AND MOKOIA.

The order in which the various places of interest round
Ohinemutu should be examined admits of variation. Much
will depend on incidental circumstances, such as the
possibility of making up a party, broken weather, and so or^
A visit to Tikitere and Whakarewarewa will make an
excellent day's work. The necessary vehicle to convey the
party may be had at one of the various livery stables, and
had better be bespoken at least the day before. A good lunch
will be prepared and suitably packed at the hotel, and a com-
fortable start can be made after breakfast, so as to allow
of being back in time for six o'clock dinner. The best plan
will be to drive first to Tikitere and take Whakarewarewa.
on the way back, when the buggy may be sent on at once
to Ohinemutu, leaving the party to walk back from
Whakarewarewa to the hotel. The way to Tikitere lies
along the south shore of the lake past the Government
baths at Sulphur Point, and then along the east shore by
the Maketu road. Whakarewarewa may be seen steaming,
away to the right, distant from Ohinemutu about three
miles. No road can be easier to follow than that to
Tikitere. It keeps along the shore of the lake, f6r about
seven miles, till the interesting old mission station Te Ngae
is reached. Up to this point the features of the road are
interesting only because a bold rajige lies to the right and
the waters of the lake roll away to the left — the plateau
which stretches along the shore being a monotonous stietch
of manuka scrub and bracken. On this account the lovely
soft greenery of the old Mission Station is only the more
pleasant, the wilderness of sweetbriar, and the shady arches^

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of the acacia avenue, beautiful in themselves, having their
beauty enhanced by the sombre and inhospitable appearance
of the surrounding country. In this peaceful and still
lovely spot, reminding one of that other deserted village*
where " many a garden flower grew wild," the Rev. Thomas
•Chapman for forty years laboured as a missionary.

Some little distance past Te Ngae, after crossing a
somewhat difficult creek, the buggy leaves the main road
and turns off to the right up a very pleasant valley towards
the Tikitere springs. With the exception of one or two
breakneck hills, this is a pleasant part of the drive, and by
and by the Tikitere valley is reached, about three miles
from the point where the track diverges from the main road.
It is well to see Tikitere ; no other spot in the hot-water
region of New Zealand is at all like it. In its Dantesque
horror and sublime desolation it is unapproached. It is not
that the whole valley is blasted and abominable. The
neighbouring hills are softly rounded and covered with
ferns ; on one side stands a tract of magnificent bush ; and
in the distance a cascade of hot water falls over a ledge of
rock. But any beauty in the surroundings only emphasises
the Stygian blackness of the fierce boiling waters that surge
And whirl in countless cauldrons over the bottom of the
valley.

The Tikitere springs may be said to occupy three
levels. On the first and lowest is Huritini, which might be
called a lake rather than a spring. This is the most dreadful
of many dreadful springs in this valley. A sulphifrous
cloud hovers over the surface, but blows aside now and then,
allowing the swirling water to be seen. The colour is that
of muddy coffee. The crater in which Huiitini rises is
irregular in shape, the silicious deposit and sulphur crust
which form its sides projecting at places into, or ovw.

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the boiling water. Roughly estimated, the diameter may
be from 50 to 60 feet. Over its whole surface it is
violently agitated. When the steam-clouds clear off for a
moment, the water is seen rising towards the centre of the
crater in a boiling cone which rushes this way and that,
lashing the sides with appalling fury. The ground round
this and other mud-boilers is of an extremely treacherous
character. A thin crust of pumice, mixed with sulphur, and
occasionally overlaid with black mud, is all that separates
the upper air from untold horrors down below, so that it is
anything but safe to attempt the exploration of this locality
without the services of a guide.

In the neighbourhood of Huritini are one or two raupo
whares, one of which, under the management of Mr.
McOrory, is of considerable size, and is let out at a reason-
able figure to such invalids as may wish to benefit by the
mineral waters of Tikitere. Mr. McCrory provides sleeping
accommodation,' and attends to the cooking ; but visitors
must supply thsir own provisions. Tlie sulphur water of
Huritini is led into a whare-bath, which visitors may use at
the charge of Is. per bath. Some invalids who have visited
Kotorua for the sake of their health have declared the
Tikitere waters to possess quite exceptional curative pro-
perties — more particularly in the case of rheumatic com-
plaints.

On a level slightly above the Huritini spring is a
plateau of mud boilers of a very horrible appearance. The
ebullition in those springs is as violent as that of Huritini,
but they are of much smaller diameter. They have deep
sides of unwholesome-looking mud, and smell as only
Tikitere can smell.

A path running along a low ridge of manuka lying to
the west side of this plateau of solfataras leads to the third

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level of the valley, or rather into a second valley on a
higher level. The entrance to this second valley is over a
perpendicular wall of pumice, some twelve feet high, down
which a hot stream descends in a divided cascade from one
level to the other. This is the shower-bath of the place. A
rough dressing-place of manuka, with a couch of ferns, has
been run up beside it. Here the rheumatic patient in
search of health may undress, and with one step place him-
self under the hot stream that pours, like dirty dish-water,
over the pumice rock. On scaling this pumice wall, which
is easily done, you find yourself in a second steaming valley,
dismal enough in appearance, but not so Tartarean as the
one below. Indeed the chain of solfataras continues, with
more or less interruption, to Rotoiti, where the last of the
series, Ruahine, has its crater on the sloping shore of this,
lake.

Retracing his steps to McCrory's whare, the visitor to-
Tikitere will now proceed to visit a scene of rare loveliness
— ^not more than half an hour's walk from the horrors of
Huritini. A path leading eastward, past the whares and
through the short scrub, soon enters the piece of dense bush
formerly mentioned, and, after following a winding and
uneven course for something less than a mile, conducts one to
the crest of a hill overlooking and surrounding Rotokawau^
or Shag Lake — a small circular sheet of blue water deep
down in its bed amongst the hills — ^the resort of all sorts of
water-fowl, which seem here to find a retreat, undisturbed
by gun or retriever. The path which leads to this beautiful
little lake is an ideal bush-path. The tawa and rata trees
which overshadow it admit only a few chequered gleams of
sunlight ; vines, and supplejacks, and parasitic ferns of
many kinds choke the gnarled branches with their weight of
green ; the mouldering trunks of fallen trees give foot-hold

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-to myriads of hepaticas, marchantias, fungi, and mosses ;
the filmy ferns that cover the ground luxuriate in the still
moisture of perpetual twilight; and the cool water of a
forest creek babbles along its sinuous bed, hidden from the
-eye by the tangle of creeping things that luxuriate on its
banks. The path is thickly corded with the stout roots
of various trees, which form, in places where the ground
rises or falls, a kind of irregular staircase. About half
way to the lake, on the right side of the path, may be seen
a very remarkable specimen of the rata, in the very act of
strangling its victim. This extraordinary tree commences
life ad a slender vine, clinging to the trunk of some other
tree, something after the manner of ivy. As it gathers
strength it throws out great arm-like roots, which hug the
tree in a close embrace. The parasite goes on increasing in
size, and slowly but surely chokes its nurse by growing round
it, till at last the trunk of the foster-parent is completely
-enveloped by the rata, which stands now, self-supported,
one of the largest and grandest of forest trees. The
specimen in the Eotokawau bush is just at that stage
when the parasite and its prey are about equal in size, and
•even to the least imaginative mind they cannot but suggest
a struggle between some gigantic reptile and its victim.
There is a strangely animate look about the murderous rata,
and one almost shudders to see it twist its fatal coils round
the limbs of its hapless Laocoon. Near the Tikitere side of
the bush, close to a pleasant creek of good drinking water,
is the usual lunchiug-spot, and a pleasant spot it is. The
spreading parachutes of two silver ferns give a most
refreshing shade ; and after the hot and sulphui*ou8
experiences of the solfataras, one would like to linger long
in this cool retreat. If the visit to Tikitere form the day's
programme there is ample time to loiter ; but if Whaka*

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256

rewarewa is also to be yisited the horses must be again pufc
to^ and a start made on the return journey.

On reaching Whakarewarewa the conveyance may
either wait until the geysers are inspected, or it may be
sent on to Ohinemutu at once, and the return journey from
Whakarewarewa (three miles) be made on foot. Whaka-
rewarewa is a district of geysers, occupying the side of a.
hill which forms the right bank of the Puarenga Creek..
On entering the settlement visitors are met by a native
youth, who collects the dues (apparently a variable-
quantity, ranging from one shilling to half-a-crown a.
head) and points out the more remarkable springs. The
number of the springs is very great. On entering the
settlement the appearance it presents is that of a disused,
quarry, where hollows at various levels have been filled
with muddy water. Following the guide through this-
series of sulphur baths to the rising ground, where stands
the native village, we come to the general cooking-pot of
the community — a clear blue boiling spring of enormous
depth, with sides which serve as shelves on which to stand'
kettles or other cooking apparatus. Thence the path-
winds round under the hill amidst an infinite variety of
strange sights, the enumeration and description of which
would be tedious, as they are most of them similar to the
hot-water phenomena at Ohinemutu, Sulphur Pointy or
Tikitere. It may be said, however, that next to Rotoma-
hana and Wairakei, Whakarewarewa gives the most com-
plete example of the various processes which characterise
the hot- water district generally — silicious deposits like
thone at Rotomahana and Wairakei, mud cones, sulphur-
wells, boiling sprin|2;s, and fumaroles. The great sight of
this locality is the mound, or series of mounds, of sulphur
and silica incrustations^ of which the great geyser Waikiti*

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forms the centre. The greatness of Waikiti must^ how-
ever, generally be taken on trust, few being so fortunate
as to see this geyser in operation. It is very shy —
preferring early morning and the month of January
for its time of exercise. It has now been quiescent for a
long time, and most visitors will have to be satisfied with
seeing the cleft from which the column of water rises
when it deigns to play, and with hearing a certain ominous
grumbling down in the depths, which, however, never
comes to anything more. There is one g^^yser, however, to
be seen rising from the top of a mound of silica and
sending a considerable column of water up to the distance
of four or five feet. The slabs of yellowiBh silica, tinged
here and there more deeply with masses of sulphur crystals,
are very beautiful, assuming many fantastic forms and
presenting curious convolutions on the surface like a piece
of madrepore coral. From the top of the Waikiti cone
the best view may be had of the settlement, and of the
Puarenga creek making its way along its deep bed by the
west side of the village to Rotorua.

If the conveyance has been kept waiting visitors
must retrace their steps back through the settlement to \
the point where they entered ; but if a walk is preferred,
there is, after crossing the creek by a plank, a short-cut
' which leads almost in a bee-line to Ohinemutu, and which
the native guide will point out.

There is, as yet, no hotel at Whakarewarewa where
invalids can stay to benefit by the baths, which are said to
be very effective in the cure of rheumatic and cutaneous
diseases. It is possible, however, to rent a whare from the
Maoris at a few shillings a week ; and those who do not
object to cater for themselves may take advantage of the
baths without having to andergo very great discomfort.

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A good many Europeans are found making a sojourn of
this kind at Whakarewarewa in the summer months.

The only other trip from Ohinemutu that requires
particular mention is that to Mokoia — ^the romantic island
of t"he Hinemoa myth. The best plan is to make up a
party of eight and hire a boat either from Mr. Taylor or
Mr. Kelly. A boat to contain this number comfortably,
with two men to manage it, costs about £2 the trip, or 5s.
per head. For one person the fare is SOs. If the
weather is at all fine — and the trip should not be
undertaken in bad weather — the sail across Rotorua will
be most enjoyable. The boat will put into a sheltered
and most romantic coye at the south-east corner of the
island. Here on the turf, in the shade of coprosma trees
and flax bushes, under lee of a rock which gives foothold
to many pretty ferns, is the best spot for luncheon,
which had better be deferred till after the island has been
explored. Of course the place of greatest interest in
Mokoia is Hinemoa's Bath, which lies but a short distance
from the landing-place, the way leading by a well-trodden
path to the left. There are properly two baths, enclosed
with upright slabs — the one tepid, the other hot. Here
the boatman will relate to you the well-worn legend of
Hinemoa, ancestress of the Ohinemutu natives — how the
princess was the pride and beauty of her tribe on the
opposite shore— how her love declined on the low-bom
Tutanekai, foster-son of Whakane, a chief of Mokoia ;
how she agreed to leave her home and fly to her lover ;
how, on hearing Tutanekai's flate, the signal for her flight,
she found the canoes drawn high and dry upon the shore ;
how, supporting herself on gourds, she swam to the island
through the cold waters of the lake ; how she warmed
herself by bathing in the hot spring by the sh jre ; how

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she frightened Tutanekai's slaye by breaking bis pitcber
when be came to fetcb water for bis master ; bow
Tutanekai, enraged at the insolence of a stranger, rushed
to the spring, club in band, to punish the offeuder ; how,
on bearing her lover's voice, Hinemoa rose from the water
*^ graceful as a heron *' ; and how Tutanekai spread his mat
over her and took her home to be his wife — all these
things the boatman will narrate, with suitable embellish-
ments, as you stand by Hinemoa's bath*

The bath stands on the very edge of the lake at the
foot of an open gully, pleasantly broken by clumps of
karaka and other trees. A scramble to the top of the
island — for it i« really a hill rising out of the lake
— will be rewarded with a magnificent view of the
surrounding country. Away to the south-west is the
dark ridge of Horo-boro, from the end of which, well-
defined against tie sky, stands out a sharp pinnacle of
rock, believed to be the spirit of Hinemoa. To the north-
east may be seen Eoto-iti meandering amongst its many
headlands ; to the east, the little lake Rotomauiahia — its
waters tinged to the brightest sulphur ; whilst Ohinemutu,
Sulphur Point, Te Ngae, and other features of the
landscape lie all mapped out below. In walking along
the terraces of the eastern shore, where the Maori whares
and plantations lie thickest, you will come to a remarkably
handsome young totara tree — ^that is, young in vigour — ^for
it was brought from Taupo and planted here a sapling
more than a century ago. The boatman, if he accompanies
the party, will probably also point out a certain karaka,
into the trunk of which some human bones have grown.

It should not be forgotten, in visiting Mokoia, that
the island was the scene of one of the bloodiest invabions
of the blood-thirsty Hongi. Thinking themselves secure

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in their fortress from an enemy wbo, they conceived,
could haye no yessels with which to reach the island, the
natives of Mokoia rowed up and down the lake in the
magnificently carved canoes for which they were famous,
taunting the Ngapuhi on the further shore. But the
indomitable Hongi had his canoes hauled up from Maketa
and made the Mokoians pay dearly for their mocking;.
Sowing over to the island he shot down the defeoceless
natives, as in his ruthless slaughter at the Matakitaki
pah. Taking the pah at the top of the hill, he killed and
ate many of the natives, and when he left the island but
few of its inhabitants remained alive.

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CHAPTER XX.
WAIROA.

Coach leaves Ohinemutu daily in the season for Wairoa (11
miiles). Return fare, 158. If it is desired, coach will drop passengers
to visit Whakarewarewa en route,

HOTBL& — McBae's Rotomahana Hotel ; MoncriefTs Terrace
Boarding-hoQse (no spirit license), 128. per day.

From Wairoa the risitor proceeds to Tarawera Beach (I mile),
and taking a boat is rowed to Te Ariki (9 miles), fare 40s. for one
person and at a sliding scale for every additional passenger — the
boat hire for a party of eight being £5 10s. A tariff of 2s. 6d. per
head is charged for the right to inspect the Terraces. For crossiog
Botomahana in canoe from White to Pink Terrace and back ^o
Tarawera, lOs. each. Return by the same route to Wairoa. Thence
the coach conveys visitors back to Ohinemutu, and thence to
Tauranga.

The wonders round Ohinemutu exhausted, the nei^t
trip to be thought about is that to Wairoa and tl^
Terraces — the sight of the Hot Lake Country by pre-
-eminence. Here again it is better to make up a party before
leaving the hotel at Ohinemutu, since to form one of a
party makes the visit to the Terraces not only cheaper
but more enjoyable. Eight is the proper number, this
making one comfortable coach and boat load. Both
Itobertson's and Kelly's coaches ply to Wairoa, a coach
being always available when there is a sufficiently large
party bound for the Terraces ; but generally, in the
reason, a coach runs from Ohinemutu to Wairoa daily.
Of course, as the distance is only 11 miles, it may be
<;overed either on horseback or on foot — those means

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of locomotion baying this advantage, that they allow or
leaving the road aod exploring pretty spots off the main
track. The road to Wairoa lies in a southerly direction
from Eotorua. Skirting the Lake and passing Whakare-
warewa on the right, the coach enters a winding cleft through*
the Whakarewarewa range, and, after passing through*
an exquisite piece of native forest, which forms an
avenue of most grateful shade^ comes out in full yiew^
oE Tikitapu Lake — bluest of all the blue lakes of this
district. Tikitapu is said to be always blue, whatever the
weather may be — but this is probably exaggeration. At
any rate in fine weather it is a fine sheet of water, banked*
round with high fern-covered or wooded hills. The coach*
keeps along the eastern edge of Tikitapu, and no sooner
loses sight of that lake than it comes upon Eotokakahi,.
separated from Tikitapu by a long, low, and narrow ridge,,
over which it almost seems as if one might throw a atone -
from one lake to another. Eotokakahi is an oblong lake of
a dull greenish colour, much less pleasant to look at thaO'
its sister lake, Tikitapu. At its further end is situated the*
island of Motutawa, covered with a green grove of karaka>
trees, whilst at the near end, along which the road lies, its-
surplus waters are carried down to Tarawera by the-
Wairoa stream. About a quarter of a mile from Eoto-
kakahi the coach enters the Wairoa Settlement. There are-
two fairly comfortable houses in Wairoa at which strangers
may put up — Moncrieff's Terrace Boarding-house and'
McEae*s Eotomahana Hotel. Moncrieff*s house has no-
license to sell spirits, and will be preferred by some on
that account. McEae's house, however, is the larger and*
more frequented. The accommodation is good and the-
landlord very attentive to the wants of his guests, the
great drawback to the house being the noise consequent OQ'

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the crowds of Maoris that swarm about its doors and
windows.

Anyone who makes the distance from Ohinemutu on
horseback or on foot would do well to leave the main road
and visit the beautiful little lake Okareka. The bush-track
that leads to this lake leaves the main road just at the-
corner where it begins to skirt the eastern side of Lake
Tikitapu, that is a few hundred yards from the spot where-
you first sight that lake. Anyone riding had better
dismount, and lead his horse along the bush path. After
emerging from the bush on to the lake he may re-mount and
(if he has made an early start) follow the south shore of
Okareka to the Waitangi Falls, where the surplus water of
the lake, after running underground for some distance^
falls into Lake Tarawera. Thence a track leads along the
shores of Tarawera to Wairoa. It may interest some to
know that in the season cherries may be had by the-
hundredweight on the banks of this lake, and are available
for all who choose to gather them.

A few minutes' walk from eithei- of the Wairoa hotels,
brings one to a singularly lovely spot — one of those places
that owe their quaint and picturesque beauty to the efforta
of the missionaries in bygone times to establish a comfortable-
home amongst the population they wished to christianize
and civilize. Turning off to the left from the main road and
passing through a thicket of the pseud-acacia, with its.
tremulous soft green foliage, a rough gate admits the
traveller to a field in which stands the old mission church, a
modest and homely enough building, covered, from base to
belfry, with a luxuriant growth of ivy. The first sight of
the ivy-covered building is a most agreeable surprise. Apart
from its charm as a picture, one receives the impression —
rare in the colonies— derived from the sight of an object

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sanctified by age : and the mind is carried back to the times
•of the pioneers, when life in New Zealand was not the tame
•affair it now is. On crossing the green paddock that
surrounds the church, and entering another gate, you find
yourself in the cabbage-tree avenue leading to the old
parsonage, with its shingle roof and pointed gables and hop-
covered porch — a fit counter-picture to the venerable church.
Both parsonage and church are placed amidst surroundings
•of unspeakable loveliness and grandeur. The sheltering
^slopes of a wood-covered hill stretch away from behind ;
bold fern hills rise up in front and enclose the peaceful
«pot, except where, down below, Lake Tarawera rolls its
broadening expanse of waters away to the far north, where
Mount Edgcumbe looms in the misty distance. Large oaks
4ind other English trees of fair dimensions stand here and
there in the old-fashioned garden, which slopes down in
unkempt luxuriance into a cherry grove, loaded in the
season with bushels .of ruddy fruit By the courtesy of
Oaptain Way, who resides at the parsonage, those who feel
interested may see what the interior of an old mission-church
is like. There is a beautiful view of the lake from the north
window ; and a very curious effect is produced by viewing
the scene through the variously coloured glass.

The settlement of Wairoa has seen many vicissitudes
during the last forty years. It was in 1845 that the
veteran missionary, the Rev. G. M. Spencer, first took up
mission work amongst the natives of this district at Kariri
(Galilee), a strongly fortified settlement on the west shore of
Tarawera Lake. In 1850 he commenced the present settle-
ment of Wairoa, where, with the assistance of an old
•carpenter, he put up the parsonage already mentioned,
utilizing for the purpose the best of the rimu timber which
had been killed by the Maori cultivation fires. Te Wairoa

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■was considered quite a model settlement. The land was liid

off in half-acre fenced lots, each lot being occupied by one

family. Mr Spencer instructed them in all useful

industries, helping them to erect a church, school-house and

mill, and encouraged them to plant English trees. At

iihat time the Maoris grew a considerable quantity of wheat

— two of their own people serving as millers. Wairoa saw

its best days between 1856 and 1864, when the Maori war

broke out and disturbed the peace of the settlement. In

1867 the native population retired to the more easily

-defended pah of Kariri, and did not return to Wairoa till

1873. During the war Mr. Spencer's family had to move

"three times ; but the missionary himself, true to his colours

remained throughout at his post. Mrs. Way, the present

mistress of the parsonage, is Mr. Spencer's daughter, and is

"therefore well versed in the traditions and hintory of W^airoa.

Since the war Wairoa has never recovered itself.

The Native School at Wairoa has been for the last seven
jrears under the management of Mr. C. A. Hazard, who
•expresses himself in hopeful terms of the good being wrought
■amongst the native population by the native schools. There
are at present over 60 children on the roll, many of whom
•come a considerable distance to attend school.

A path that diverges to the left from the gate of the
church enclosure, leads out again on to the main road, which
runs from the hotels to the shore of the lake. By crossing
this road and mounting over a stile — the approach to a native
whare — one reaches the brow of the hill looking down on
Tarawera, from which point undoubtedly the best view of
the lake is to be obtained. There it stretches away below,
-from the cluster of boat-houses where the Wairoa joins it,
winding at first in a narrow bed between high wooded banks,
-here rounding a promontory, there receding into a bay.

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and at last expanding into a wide sea, bounded in the far
distance by fern-covered hills, or cliffs feathered to the edge of
the lake with clumps of massive foliage. The huge buttresses-
of the hills run sloping down to the water, breaking the
shore into numerous bays, and concealing from the eye
long reaches of the lake. This splendid sheet of water is.
changeable in expression us the human face. When all is
clear overhead the lake shimmers and glistens in the sunlight^
or reflects from its motionless depths the cloud-flecked blue
of the skies. Every breath of wind sets the surface dimpling
into a thousand ripples, and the tiny wavelets break upon
the shore or on the outstanding boulders with a gentle
lapping cadence very pleasant to the ear. If clouds float
in the sky, the play upon the surface of the lake, as cloud
chases cloud, is like the play of the wind on a barley-
field. In close and sultry weather, when the clouds hang^
low, the water, still responding to the influence of sky
and air, takes on a leaden colour and becomes dull, placid,,
and heavy. Large tracts, smooth and unctuous, like a-
surface of oil, are curiously broken by ruffled patches, which^
for no perceptible reason, quiver and shiver as if with some
agitation from beneath. In this smooth state the water
gives back very perfect reflections of objects on its banks-
or floating on its surface ; every rush and rted, every bunch
of toi and bush of flax are seen double, and the floating shag^
— like the swan on sweet St. Mary's LAke — ** floats double^
shag and shadow." Repose like this is apt to be followed by
a veiy ungentle mood. Beautiful as the lake is in sunshine
it is yet more beautiful in storm. The Taniwha is angry, and
Tarawera from end to end trembles with his wrath. Cloud
drifts gather about the jagged trunk of Tarawera mountain^
and angry gusts sweep down from above upon the lake, llie
waves curvet and fret, and run hissing to the shore, lashinj^

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the rocky bluffs and spouting their spray amongst the
branches of the over-arching pohutukawas. This is very fine
when seen from a point of vantage on the shore, though no
doubt for boating purposes one prefers a placid surface and
a fair breeze.

Standing on the brow of the hill down which is the
descent, to the boat-house and landing-place, one gets a most
commanding bird^s-eye view of this magnificent sheet of
water. We are really standing on a ledge in the gully
through which the Wairoa stream flows from Rotokakahi into
Tarawera. At our standpoint this gully, or valley, naiTows,
and m ^kes a very sudden descent to the end of the lake. The
consequence of this sudden change in the gradient is that
the water of the Wairoa is precipitated over a ledge of
rocks about eighty feet high, and thence, for some hundreds
of yards, by a series of smaller leaps over boulders,
finds its way, along rough and steep inclines, to Tara-
wera lak**, where its impetuous course is checked by
luxuriant beds of raupo and rushes. Along this succession
of falls and rapids the vegetation is rich and beautiful —
forest trees, creepers, tree ferns, and mosses, overarching,
climbing, creeping, hanging, and altogether forming a
perfect arcade of greenery. By a somewhat steep path —
which works out and in, now under an overhanging rock,
now along a staircase of tree roots, and again past a spring
of water, deliciously clear and cool, welling from a fissure in
the rock — we at length get below and in front of the chief
fall, where the Wairoa shoots down from its ledge of rock in
a white block of water, dashing and breaking amongst the
boulders, and rushing on to its destination in the lake in a
succession of bounds and runs. A scramble down the course
of the stream reveals many a pretty bit of water-play. By
descending a short distance below the main fall and rounding

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a large rock that rises up from the edge of the stream, a
good view may be had of a small but pretty rapid which,
many consider as well worth seeing as the water-fall itself.

By reaching Wairoa from Ohinemutu early in the
afternoon, there will be time duiing the afternoon and
evening for inspecting the various beauties of the neigh-
bourhood, though it is interesting enough to repay a
wuek of leisurely investigation. Few of those who are out
for a holiday, however, have unlimited time at their disposal,
and those who must economise their time will probably find
one afternoon all they can spare for Wairoa. In this-
case the time will be well spent in visiting the old Mission
Station and the waterfall, and in watching native life in thw
village itself. To those who have not seen much of Maori
life, this settlement will be of great interest. The native
population is not large, but for its size it displays great
activity of a certain kind. On the arrival of a batch of
visitors, the native population of both sexes and of all age&
find themselves attracted to the hotel dooir as inevitably as
steel to the magnet. Young men are lounging near the bar;
boys and girls — their bodies half in at the parlour windows —
coolly examine the newly-arrived " pakehas " who recline on
easy chairs or sofas; and by-and-by, when the edge of
strangeness has worn off, they will probably proceed to ask
impertinent questions in their monosyllabic Maori-English.
A gruff " Haere ! " may disperse them for a moment, but
they soon return to the charge ; and when one detachment is-
tired, another eager batch is ready to take its place. A grass
bank opposite the hotel door on the other side of the road is the
spot where the ladies of the hapu hold their "afternoons.*'
There in a semicircle, dressed in all the varied costumes of the
fashion-plates, they sit in a posture peculiarly their own,
knitting, sewing, nursing their babies, or doing nothing, just

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as inclination prompts them. Talk — apparently for the
most part of a critical kind — is kept up without intermission^
the subject of criticism being the pakehas, as long as^
a pakeha is within reach. An unusually bright sally of
wit is indicated by a chorus of guffaws of various intonations,
from the rippling laugh of the young wahine, to the
toothless cachinnation of the aged squaw. The strange
pakeha is necessarily the subject of curiosity and speculation.
One pakeha is assumed to be equally wealthy with another,
the presumption being that only people with abundance of
money in their pockets would think of going so far for mere
sight-seeing. The only consideration that remains — in itself,
however, a very important one — is to what extent the
pakeha may be induced to part with his cash, or to stand
treat for beer, it being well apparent to the intelligent Maori
that individuals differ in this respect.

The staple amusement for visitors to Wairoa is the
haka dance, performed by the natives of the village for a
certain remuneration. It is very open to question whether
the haka, even in its ordinary form, is a thing to be
encouraged amongst the natives. If it could only be
disassociated from the beer-drinking which, almost invariably,
more or less accompanies it, it would do little haim either to
the visitor who looks on, or to the native who takes part in
it, whilst it is undoubtedly a most curious and interesting
sight to the European who sees it for the first time. There
is, however, an extraordinary form of the dance which the
natives are not unwilling to perform for a more substantial
remuneration, but which, to judge from certain hints dropped
as to its character, must be of a very gross and demoralising
nature.

One of the first questions, then, asked by the native
loungers is whether the pakehas will have a haka. If the

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^hite visitors will have a haka of course they must pay for
it, the price being thirty shillings, and refreshments for the
performers. When the haka is announced, there is quite a
l>ustle amongst the young folks, whilst the old tattooed men
and women crouch in the gathering dusk before their whares,
«moking their pipes and chatting or looking wisely silent.
The young men and women retira to their toilet, and come
forth by-and-by arrayed in evening costume — the women
■dressed, as a rule, in white, with a shawl or sash of some
gay colour wrapped artistically round them, and the young
men in tweed trousers and cotton or woollen shirts. Tlie
Master of the Ceremonies is a powerful and athletic young
fellow of twenty-six or thereabouts, who makes all arrange-
ments for the dance, assigns the dancers their places,
indicates the proper gestures, and conducts the music.

When all is in readiness for the dance, a young man
with good lung-power stands in the street and, in a loud
chanting voice, summons the performers to their work. The
pakehas saunter down to the village, escorted by the full
force of the population — a perfect Babel of chattering and
laughter — cross a Maori stile and enter the whare-puni
(literally " the sleeping-hut "), which is the assembly hall of
the hapu, and is decorated with all the skill and wealth at their
•command. The carving on the Wairoa whare-puni is not so
lavish as in some which may be seen in the lake district ;
but the natives point with considerable complacency and
pride to the carved three-fingered monsters with lolling
tongues, whose eyes glare — not with the nacreous iridescence
of the mutton-fish shell, as in ordinary whares — ^but with the
genuine metallic lustre of half-sovereigns, florins, shillings,
and sixpences.

Enter the whare and take up the easiest position you
can invent on the mats which are spread for you over tho

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clay floor. A crowd of urcliins of both sexes tumble in
before and after you, and the elderly and aged, in all stages
of decrepitude, crawl in and crouch together along the side
of the building, as close as they can conveniently pack them-
selves, leaving, however, ample room for their white guests
to sit either tailor-fashion or in a reclining attitude, as they
feel most comfortable. The inside of a whare-puni, at the best
of times, is neither cheerful, clean, nor well ventilated ; but at
night, when the dull raupo lining is lighted up by the dim
gleam of two sputtering candles, which serve but to make the
darkness visible, and you see crouching beside you dark forms
grotesquely tattooed and hideous with age, or restless black-
haired imps with eyes that flash like diamonds in
the dark, you might be excused if you fancied yourself
for a moment in some circle of the damned. Presently
the dancers, thirty men and thirty women, troop in and
arrange themselves in two rows along the vacant side
of the building — the women in front, the men behind.
They seem to be arranged pretty much in order of merit —
the best dancers being towards the top of the whare, so that
their virtues are brought well under the eyes of the visitors,
the row tailing off towards the door, where the worst
dancers are out of the direct line of vision and veiled in a
judicious gloom. The dancers in tneir places, a short time
of preliminary chatter follows ; and, whilst the women are
adjusting a scarf or putting some other flnJshiug touch to
their toilet, one has time to observe the extraordinary variety
of physiognomy in the row of brown beauties. Some are of
large and masculine build, but often comely, tattooed on the
nether lip, and, were it not for the laughter in the face,
looking somewhat fierce — such women, one would think, as
in bygone times might have taken or held a pah, when pahs
were worth the taking. Some are more delicately formed —

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some even fragile and approaching the European standard of
beauty, wearing a look of sadness in the rare moments when
the face is in repose — but for the most part seeming to enter
into the work of the evening with zest and spirit. Towards
the tail-end the beauties are very decidedly passed, appearing
to be worn out with family cares and to find but little joy in
their mirth. Some of the dancers look self-conscious and
modest, some look arch, some have the brazen look begotten,
of many hakas, whilst some are so absorbed in the business
of the evening as to be oblivious of everything else.

The M.C. straightens himself up — all eyes look to him :
he raises a low whining chant in monotone : bodies aod
limbs and facial muscles begin to move in a series of
rhythmical contortions. Ever and anon the chant of the
leader swells into a hoarse and guttui*al chorus, ending in a
series of indescribable sounds, which seem to come from far
down the throat, half sighs, half grunts. Gradually the
motions quicken. The bodies of the dancers turned now to
this side now to that, but always in a state of intense agitatioii,
seem to be animated by one spirit, so perfectly simultaneous are
their gestures. The arms, moving in rhythmic motion to the
chant, go through a variety of pantomines. At one time thejr
move in a succession of clawing or clutching motions, at
if something were being violently drawn towards the body ; at
another they move as if working a pair of oars ; now the anna
work as if holding the reins of a galloping horse, and again
they are held rigid as a bar of iron — only the fingers
quivering so rapidly that their outHne becomes blurred. As
the dancers warm to their work the gestures become more
violent, till at la&t Fitte the First is ended, and the ladies sink
upon their knees to indulge in an interval of gossip and
refreshment, having probably hinted the necessity for some-
thing of the kind by an unmistakeable bibulous pantomina.

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The beer is at this part of the proceedings brought in
in a bucket. One of the white visitors meets the demands
of Maori etiquette by advancing to the beer-bucket, dipping
a glass, and taking the first drink, when the beverage is
served out, beginning with the dancers — the elders of the
kapu also in due time receiving their share. For those who
do not drink beer (and there are abstainers amongst them),
raspberry vinegar is provided. When all have had a little
irest and refreshment, the dance is resumed in much the same
style as before, except that this time the men are in front and
the women behind : and so ends Fitte the Second, for another
interval of relaxation and refreshment. Again the women
come to the front. The Master of the Ceremonies addresses
them, stimulating them to still greater efforts, and chaffing
some of them unmercifully, to judge by their shamefaced
looks and the hearty roars of laughter from the company
generally. The third and last dance begins. New attitudes
and gestures are resorted to ; now they are standing, now on
their knees, now bent to this side, now to that ; their voices
become louder, harsher, and fiill of a fierce glee ; their heads
wag violently ; their tongues loll from their mouths ; nothing
of the eye but the white is visible ; and the whole face has a
look truly diabolical. The impish boys and girls have
•caught the enthusiasm, and are having a private haka of
their own at the door of the whare. The old men and
women are squatting or reclining like unhappy shades of &
lost world. One of the candles flickers and goes out : and
this extraordinary dance comes to an end with a rapid and
telling pas de deux between the leader and the premiere
danseuse. Then you pay your shillings and return to your
hotel, escorted by the noisy Maori retinue with which you.
oame.

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CHAPTER XXI.

TARAWERA.

The time and manner of setting out from Wairoa to
.Botomahaua will depend upon circumstances. If it is
necessary to be back at the Wairoa Hotel the same day, to
catch the coach for Ohinemutu, an early start must be made.
If the night is to be spent at Wairoa, the start may be made
an hour or two later, as it will be quite sufficient if the
return journey is made before darkness sets in. It must be
kept in mind, however, that the earlier the start the longer
time there will be to examine the wonders of Kotomahana.
If the intention is to camp out a day or two at the Terraces,
it matters little what time the start is made so that there is
daylight for the journey.

There are two ways of reaching Botomahana from tho
Wairoa settlement — one by a bridle-track over the hills to
the Terraces, the other by boat over Tarawera. In case
that rough weather sets in and that one cannot wait for
a change, it may be necessary to take the first route;
or if one has already crossed Tarawera by boat he may
prefer taking the bridle route for the sake of variety.
Most visitors, however, not haviog time to try both routes^
will probably prefer going by boat over Tarawera, especially
if they have done much riding in this locality, where there
ia a certain monotony of resemblauce between all bridle
tracks, up this hill, down that, over this flax swamp,
through that manuka gully, and so on c^ capo. In case^

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liowever, of this route being chosen, horses and guides may
be procured at the Rotomahana Hotel at Wairoa. There
are no regular liveiy stables, but the landlord of the hotel,
Mr. J. McHae, will probably be able either to supply horses
himself or to negotiate for them with the Maoris — whose
iiorses,* however, are not comfortable to ride, except for the
Maoris themselves. It should always be kept in mind that
those who ride to the terraces have not the same facilities
f(»r moving about which those have who go by boat, and who
Are fei-ried over from one side of Rotomahana to the other in
a canoe. Those who go on horseback must first dispose of
their horses and then prepare themselves for some rough
walking, the distance from the White Terrace to the Pink
involviag a walk of two miles over ground by no means easy
to travel.

Anyone who wishes to go by Tarawera to Rotomahana
And return the same day to Wairoa in time to catch the
•evening coach for Ohinemutu, would do well to be up
betimes and make an early start. Indeed in every case this
is good advice, for Tarawera is far more lovely seen in early
morning than at any other time in the twenty-four hours.
Arrangements having b^en made, then, for an early start, you
Are roused at the proper hour in the morning, and, after
having had breakfast, you set out, alone or with your party,
AS the case may be, and with your native contingent, one
guide, one steersman, and six rowers. The landlord takes
•care to provide a proper luncheon (with whatever beverage
you may order), towels for bathing, food for the attendant
Maoris, and so on. It is to be hoped that you have brought
A pair, of old shoes or slippers for walking on the terraces —
for if you have omitted to do so the hot water on the terraces
will make sad havoc with your boots. Those who have
forgotten to bring slippers with them may rent a pair for the

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day at the hotel It will be as well for the party to settle^
all money matters with the Maoris before starting. This
can be done through the landlord, who speaks Maori, is.
well acquainted with the variojis charges, and will after-
wards give each one of the party a written account of
the various items, thus obviating the necessity for having any
money dealings whatever with the Maoris on the lake, and
leaving no room for extortion of any kind. This plan
will save a good deal of trouble, and possibly some annoyance,,
especially if the members of the party are strangers to ono
another.

Amongst other matters whicli should be settled the
night before is the choice of a guide. There are two well-
known guides, Sophia and Kate, both thoroughly reliable,
careful women. Kate carries one recommendation on her
breast, for she wears the Humane Society's Medal for
having saved life in Tarawera Lake. She is a familiar-
figure at the Wairoa Hotel, as she rustles about in her
black silk made in the extreme of fashion, a little jaunty hat
perked on her head which, on the least approach to courtesy,
she doffs with the air of a 16th-century gallant. Kate is an
exceedingly robust specimen of the Maori woman, shrill-
tongued, and able to protect any party to whom she acts as-
cicerone. Sophia is a woman of quite another mould. You
eee at once that Sophia is not an Arawa. She has the soft-
eyes and gentle manner of the northern Ngapuhi tribe, to
which, as she will teU you, she belongs. Among her early
recollections are the disturbances at Kororareka when Hone
Heke burned down the English settlement in the Bay of'
Islands. Having married an Arawa, she has thrown in hw lot
with her husband's tribe, in hopes, however, when she dies, to*
be gathered to her fathers in the far north. One recommenda-
tion which Sophia has as a guide, in addition to her pleasant-

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SOPHIA, Maori Guide.
Fr(yi)i a Photograph by J. Martin^ Auckland.

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KATE, Maori Glide.
From a Photograph by J. Martin^ Aitckland.

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277

and gentle manner, is the command she has of English.
She speaks the language fluently, though with an unusual
number of ellipses, and her accent and pronunciation might
be envied by many an English wouian. Too much must not
be left, however, to the guides. They take you to the
terraces and to the various geysers and steam holes, but are
apt to omit certain points of interest unless specially asked
about them. They omit to point out some of the more
remarkable features even of the terraces, and as the time for
staying at each terrace is comparatively short, some visitors
actually leave them without seeing the most magnificent of
the buttresses. It is well to know beforehand what is
best worth seeing, and to ask the guide to point out any
places of interest omitted.

All is now ready for the start. Lunch is packed up
and shouldered by the attendant natives. Throwing your
waterproof over your aim (it is always well to take a water-
proof as it costs no trouble, and the weather is often
capricious) you saunter down the zig-zag that Jeads to the
boat-house at Tarawera. In the descent a fine view may be
had of the lake, stretching away to the east for miles,
where the shores are dimmed by distance, and where the
Tarawera river leaves the lake to carry its surplus water to
the Bay of Plenty. Further away still, in the soft distance,
looms the blue dome of Mount Edgecumbe, whilst near at
hand the scarred and blasted battlements of Mount Tarawera
keep ward over the waters of the lake and seem almost to
darken it with their shadow. And now the boat is pushing
its way amongst the sedges and rushes in the shallow waier
at the boat-house, where the lake is narrowed between its
Kteep banks to the size of an ordinary stream. Some of the
boatmen wade by the side and push, until the boat is well
into deep water, when they all settle to their oars and

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pull for two hours over one of the most lovely lakes ia
New Zealand. The expanse of water widens, the boat
hugs the southern shore^ and nook after nook of surpassing
beauty reveals itself, as the banks open up in a succession
of wooded forelands, receding bays, and stretches of rocky
bluffs, fringed and feathered with masses of drooping foliage.
The toi-grass bends over its long grassy arches till the tipEi
touch the surface of the lake, and its tawny silken bannerets
wave in the wind and coquette with their own shadows in the
water. A j6ax bush here and there sends up its sturdy spikes
of dusky blooms, and its lithe and supple blades cross and
clash in fantastic sword-play. A blotch of scarlet crowning
a bluff or headland marks the position of some floriferous
rata, whilst side by side with the rata are masses of the richer
blood-crimson flowers of the pohutukawa — a tree which
usually consents to flourish only in the dash of sea-spray.
Behind the narrow fringe of verdure that lines the shore
rise the long fern-covered slopes of the surrounding
mountains, sinking here into gullies, swelling there into
domes and buttresses, and occasionally capped by an
out-cropping minaret of rock. One conspicuous boulder
that rises like a colossus from the shoulder of a hill is the
reputed ancestress of the Arawa tribe — or, at least, of the
Wairoa hapu of that tribe ; but what petrified this general
mother of the Arawas, tradition does not say. If the eye
leaves the southern shore, close to which the boat is running,
and scans the mure distant bank to the left and west, it
rests on a landscape which, though it does not allow you to
take in minute details of leaf and branch, has, in compen-
sation, that attractive softness which only distance gives.
The western shore-line is formed by the low ridge, partly
wooded, partly fern-covered, which divides Tarawera from
liakes Rotokakahi, likitapu, and Okareka. From the plaee

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.of embarkation at Wairoa the coast curves outwards towards
the north in a rough semicircle, the north end of the curve
l^ending in to Waitangi, where the water from Lake
Okareka, after running underground for some distance and
forming a fine waterfall at the point where it emerges, falls
into Tarawera. At the culminating point of this curved
-coast-line is a little peninsula covered with that soft and
exquisite green which one recognises, even in the distance,
for the colour of the prickly acacia. This is the once
impregnable Kariri pah, fortified on three sides by nature
herself. Kariri afterwards became the seat of the first
mission to this district, Mr. Chapman and Mr. Spencer
having introduced Christianity amongst the inhabitants of
the pah when it held a considerable population.

About half-way along the southern shore of Tarawera,
i;he lake shoots towards the south in a long narrow arm
<ialled Te Ariki, and it is down this bay that the boat turns
to make for Botomahana; but whilst rowing in the main
body of the lake this arm is concealed from view by a spur
which slopes down towards the water and, terminating in a

-sharp cape, forms the western head of the bay. Before
rounding this point the boat puts in at a small native settle-
ment, consisting of a few huts, with maize and potato

-enclosures, to give the pakehas the opportunity of investing
in fruit, and in the inevitable ^o^6ra, a fresh- water crustacean,
halfway between a shrimp and a crayfish. If the wea^]^^

^at all genial, the patriarch of the settleHlftit is probably
walking about the village plantation, invested in the light

-and airy costume of a cotton shirt. The women stand on
the shore and shout high-pitched greetings to the Maori crew,
responding affably to the " Tena Koe " of their white visitors.
Presently a matron with blue-black dishevelled hair, who

A^night stand for the picture of the Cumsean Sibyl, steps on to

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the canoe along which we have run the boat, bringing withi
her one kit of kouras and another of fruit (cherries or-
peaches), for each of which she charges two shillings. Look
well to the fruit before paying for it, for it is apt sometimes
not to be fresh.

This little transaction finished, the boat resumes it».
way, rounds the headland, and shoots into the pretty Te Ariki
arm, and so straight to the landing place. On the left rises^
the remarkable Mount Tarawera, its three summits (Tara-
wera, Ruawahia, and Wahanga), rising to a height of nearly
2000 feet. There is a strange fascination about this curious
truncated mountain. It looks bare and scarred, its steep
walls rising up black and terrible as if blasted with lightning
— the very sublimity of desolation. No wonder that the-
Maori imagination invests this spot with a sacred horror.
It is to them a city of the dead, and may not lightly be
approached ; and when clouds gather round its summits, and
roll in heavy masses along its sides, driven by the fierce-
winds that play about the crest, it requires no active -
imagination to people it with weird and spiritual terrors.
Opposite the mountain, on the right side of the Te Ariki
arm, is a remarkable hill, readily recognised as the
site of a former pah — a position of great strength when the-
tomahawk and spear were the war weapons. This is Puke-
kiore (Rat Mountain), and, as the name indicates, must have
been the resort of the only mammal member of the New^
Zealand fauna — the kiore or native rat, long since exter-
minated by its Norwegian congener. But the attention ia-
withdrawn alike from Pukekiore and the fascinations of
Tarawera as the boat reaches the native village of Ariki, and
begins to ascend the hot stream of Kaiwaka, by which the-
water of Rotomahana finds its way to Tarawera. A few
chains up this stream the boat comes to the landing place ;.

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and provisions, waterproofs, and such things are transferred to-
a canoe, whilst the party lands and finds its way on foot for
about a mile and a half to Botomahana, by a path which
winds along through manuka and fern, over a carpet of curiouB.
and pretty white moss, which retains its colour and purity
when gathered. By and by, on coming to the crest of %■
small hill, the White Terrace is seen for the first time,
trending down, like a slope of compact and somewhat dirty
snow, to Botomahana. At this point the hot ci*eek has to be-
crossed ; the canoe is there to ferry you over, and you are
presently on the other side, where you t^ke off your boots-
and put on your slippers, preparatory to a scramble over the
Terrace. It is much less sloppy and more comfortable to
wear no stockings ; but of course, if stockings be worn, it is
necessary to be provided with a dry pair to put on when th»
exploration of the terraces is over.

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CHAPTER XXII.
ROTOMAHANA AND THE TERRACES.

To anyone who has been creating a White Terrace of
his own from the written descriptions of travellers who have
been themselves much impressed with the sight, the genernl
Tiew of Te Tarata obtained from Kaiwaka Creek is by no
means prepossessing. First of all he discovers that it is not
white ; and then as he views it in profile the terraced formation
does not fully reveal itself. Afterwards, when he descends
the lake in a canoe and gets well in front of the buttresses,
he will look with wonder at the great slope of silica, rising,
tier above tier, to the boiling fountain out of whose gorge has
spouted the water which held in suspension this wonderful
incrustation of flint. But what is any distant and bird*s-eye
view of the White Terrace to the revelation of beauty that
strikes one dumb when he ascends the steps of this magnifi-
cent staircase 1 Could Eastern fabulist in his wildest flights
imagine any work of the Genii to equal the exquisite work-
'•^,^ manship of this range of sculptured fountains? One might
talk of snow wreaths, of alabaster, of Parian marble, of any
Bubstance pure and rare, but all such comparisons would but
mislead. The whiteness of the terrace is not the whiteness
of snow or marble, nor has it the bluish transparency of
alabaster. It has a soft warm flush which may sometimes
be seen in certain madrepores, and which, possibly, might be
auccessfuUy reproduced in porcelain.

What is called Eotomahana (that is " Hot Lake ") is a

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rushy mere lying in a hollow surrounded with somewhat-
broken, scrub-covered hills. The White Terrace is at the
north-east comer of the lake, just where the Kaiwaka leayes.
it to join Tarawera. The terrace covers the hill-slope^
ascending fiom the lake-level to a height of perhaps 150 feet^
and contracting in breadth as it ascends, until the cauldron
is reached from which the flint water rises, where the final
platfoiTD is perhaps fifty feet broad ; so that the general out-
line is that of a huge half-open fan. The surface, however^
is not a plane, but rather a large convex, the terraces running
in variously sized curves, dipping down to each side, where
the silica of the terrace touches the setting of manuka that
fringes it.

On reaching the foot of the terrace a short walk over a
glistening surface of rippling silica, hard as a pavement of
marble, brings one to the lower basins where the water,,
having had time to cool in its slow, trickling descent, has
lost the fierce heat of the cauldron and become merely tepid.
The walls of the basins are massive and rounded, running
into an infinite variety of scallop and curvature, the lower
part of the wall receding, and the upper edge overhanging
and forming a thick, rounded lip, over which the water
trickles in its descent from one basin to another, to make its
way finally to the lake. The water which fills these cold
water reservoirs is no less wonderful and exquisite in its
beauty than the basins which hold it. It is blue, but such
a blue as is seen nowhere else in nature — more delicate than
the shade of the sky — a milky, pellucid blue, with a gem-like
iridescence like the shifting light of an opal. The basins rise
one above the other in unbroken succession, the sur£eu^
level of one basin forming the base for the wall of the next.
Hundreds of these lovely reservoirs, of the most bewildering
variety^ go to form the terrace— no one the exact pattern of

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its neighbour — the irregular sweeping curve of one being
abruptly intersected or broken by the arc of another, but
'each in shape more exquisite than any curve that could be
•drawn with compass. As you ascend, the steps become purer
in tint and more richly chased and fretted. Their infinite
variety of size and form and their exquisite beauty produce
4tt first an impression akin to bewilderment. But when the
first bewildering flush of surprise has passed, there is a
placidity and repose in this petrified torrent — a hushed
•stillness and mighty enduring strength which fills one's mind
with a sense of the Eternal. Talk becomes painful ; and the
flippant sounds of tourist chatter jar upon the nerves like a
<liscordant break in solemn music. And yet in a presence
such as this some think of writing their names.

The terraces vary in breadth as well as in height One
terrace consists of a comparatively narrow ledge, whilst
another has a breadth of many feet. Some are only a few
inches in height ; others rise in massive walls, ten or twelve
feet high. About half-way up the ascent the buttresses
become formidable walls which have to be surmounted by
choosing a break, where the wall is approached by a series of
smaller steps. But the beauty of those buttresses ! The
silica hangs over the ledge like rich falls of lace. It seems
•as if foaming cascades were mesmerized into marble in their
descent, before the water could reach the ground ; and on
more closely examining this stony drapery, its texture is a
marvel of delicate tracery and chamfered fretwork, down
whose fluted furrows the blue water of the upper basin falls
in little ropes of foam. Below this flowing crust of silica the
wall of the terrace recedes into a shallow alcove, of a sufficient
•depth in some places to allow a child to sit under it protected
from the small cascades of water that fall from the domed
upper surfaces of the terrace, whence those particular

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walls have been called the '* Umbrella Buttresses." Under-
neath in those recesses, the creamy white, which is the colour
of the silica on the more exposed faces, is overlaid by films
of the most brilliant colours — rich green and orange chromes,
:and ochrous browns and reds.

Those who would see all the beauty and wonder of this
terrace must not trust to the services of the guide, but
•explore the whole surface as fully as the time at their
disposal will allow. More particularly must the right side
going up not be overlooked ; for there the buttresses are
larger, bolder, and more imposing than anywhere else ; and
as the ascent is usually made on the left side, many visit this
1;errace and leave it without really seeing what is most
43triking and beautiful.

Hardly less beautiful than the lacy fretwork of the
buttresses are the slopes of silica that trend downwards
towards each side at every angle, from the almost perpen-
dicular to the easy gradient of 20 or 30 degrees. Those
sometimes roughly corrugated slopes run generally towards
the growth of dark green scrub, which forms the lateral
boundary of the terrace ; and sometimes, more particularly
on the left side as one looks up the terrace, the stream of
silica runs into the manuka, so that patches of dark green
bush stand insulated in a sea of flint, thrown out into high
relief against their light surroundings. It is to be
•deplored that the Maoris fail to see the excellent assist-
ance lent by those islands of scrub in acting as foils
to increase by contrast the purity of colour in the
terrace. Under the impression that patches of manuka
rising up from any part of the surface interfere with the
.grand effect which the terrace should have in the eyes of
Tisitors, they have burned off a clump of manuka on one
side, leaving, instead of the fresh living green, a rough.

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unsightly surface, covered with charred branches and stumps.
It is to be hoped that they will at any rate not interfere
with the clump of manuka on the north side — one of the
features of the terrace which most impress themselves on the
eye on first beholding it from the Kaiwaka Creek.

As you ascend the terrace, not only do the buttresses
become purer in colour and more massive, but the water
becomes very perceptibly hotter, and, if that were possible,
more exquisite in tint. At the bottom you dip your
feet into the tepid water, and would willingly dip them
there for ever, were it not that you are drawn from one
level by the more enchanting beauty of the next above it.
As you ascend you feel less inclined to draw your foot from
your slipper and dip it in the pools; rather do you avoid the
water, whose heat has become unbearable, and pick your way
along the delicate lips of the basins, afraid at first to press
your foot on the delicate tracery, but gaining confidence as
you find that here you have to do with flint. As you near
the top, the silica work becomes even more delicate and
fairy-like than below — cup rising from cup, in number
countless, and in variety infioite — till at last you rise to the
top platform, which spreads out in a sea of marble waves,
just as if the crested surface of a lake had been struck by
enchantment into stone.

Arrived at the top, you cross the marble flooring, ascend
a small insular hillock covered with lycopodium and fern,
and then look down into the fountain and origin of all this
wonder — a semi-circular hollow in the hill, with steep walls
of clay, crowned at top with the ubiquitous scrub, and
bearing that peculiar reddish and soapy appearance so
characteristic of soil which has been subjected to the action
of internal steam heat. At the bottom of this semi-circular
wall is the great cauldron, measuring perhaps 30 to 40 feei

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5 t
as ?

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in diameter, and going down to depths unknown. How you
see it depends upon the wind. When the wind is in certain
directions this cauldroQ sends up a magnificent jet of water —
being in its active state one of the finest geysers in the lake
district. During the intermissions of the geyser the water
sinks down into the funnel, leaving the outer basin dry, so
that it is even possible for those who choose to run the risk,
to descend into the crater. Usually, however, the crater is
full to the brim of the most limpid blue water, through
which the coral sides appear with extraordinary distinctness
and delicacy of outline. When the cup is thus full to the
brim and flowing over, you have to watch your opportunity
to obtaia a proper sight of the water, for a column of steam
rises over the cauldron, only blowing off and revealing the
boiling surface as some current of air stronger than usual
passes over it. In very hot sunny weather, however, there
is little or no steam; but anyone who misses the cloud of
steam misses something curious and well worth seeing, for
the lower part of the column catches the amethyst colour of
the water, and, as the soft violet fades into the greyish white
of the upper cloud, it is very lovely. When the cloud does
rise from the surface, it reveals a lakelet of blue water, slightly
agitated at the edges, but rising towards the centre into a
shifting cone in a state of violent ebullition. The over-
flow runs out at the open side of the crater, in a
thin stream, and, descending to the lake from terrace to
terrace, deposits its silica as it goes, and produces this wonder-
ful natural flight of stairs, beside which the most exquisite
work of architectural art would appear rough. On its way the
water encrusts every object it meets with a fine coat of silica
— a month or two, or even a less time, serving to cover twigs
with a tolerably thick coating. Some of the objects one
sees thus encased are very pretty, such as dragonflies, which

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show the reticulations of the wings through the silica ; dead
birds, feathers, ferns, and even shreds of cloth. Sometimes
a number of twigs and branches appear to lie loosely one on
the other. You bend to pick one up and find it has become
part of the rock on which it lies, firmly cemented by the
silicious water. Visitors to the terraces would willingly carry
with them as souvenirs of their visit some of the encrusted
objects that lie loose on the surface. This, however, is
strictly forbidden, A native policeman accompanies every
party to watch that the terraces are in no way mutilated or
defaced, and that nothing is carried away ; any offence of
this kind being punishable by fine. The natives have taken
this precaution not before time, for, although the appro-
priation of loose twigs and other such objects by visitors
would not perceptibly diminish the beauty of the spot, there
is, unfortunately, in the disfigurement of the pink terrace,
ample evidence of the gothic destructiveness of the travelling
Briton. It might be well if the Maoris were to include in
their restrictions the appropriation of the ferns that grow in
the neighbourhood. The semi-circular wall behind the
cauldron of the White Terrace is a picture of beauty to the
eye of the fern-collector, being draped with the luxuriant
light-green parachutes of one of the umbrella ferns (Gleichenia
dicarpa)^ whilst the little island of Puhoto, which stands
on the edge and overlooks the cauldron, is green with
gleichenia, pteris incisay and a very beautiful lycopodivjm.

Should the visitor to the terraces feel inclined to indulge
in two hot baths in one day, let him by all means undress
and plunge into the cerulean deeps of Te Tarata. But if
one bath is sufficient let him defer the luxury till he comes to
the Pink Terrace, where the baths are even more luxurious
than those of the White, the pink silica being smooth and
soapy to the touch, whereas the white is fluted and therefore

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rougher. If he will bathe, however, there are baths such as
Capri never saw in its most effeminate and voluptuous days
— liquid turquoise in gigantic clam-shells, shading off in a
series of finely graduated temperatures. He may parboil
himself at the top and gradually cool himself by a succession
of plunges till he reaches the bottom, when he will probably
fancy himself in cold water.

But guides are inexorable, and one must tear one's self
even from the charms of the White Terrace. By a winding
path through the scrub we follow Sophia along the east shore
of the lake, past two very fearful geysers, Ngahutu and
Ngahapu. At times they are said to rise to a considerable
height, but generally they spout intermittently to the height
of only a few feet. But even in thfeir quietest mood one
shudders to look down the seething throats of those fierce
pools, where the water is constantly struggling as if some-
thing infernal were trying to escape. Sometimes, especially
in cold and dull weather, the surface is covered with a dense
steam, and the only indications of the fearful agitation
beneath are the hideous gurglings and plungings of the
ebullient water. By-and-by, however, the steam blows
aside, and the surface is seen in one spot to rise into a mound
of water which careers madly from one side of the cauldron
to the other, dying down to begin its dance anew in some
other quarter. Occasionally the motive power from beneath
concentrates its strength into an extraordinary effort, and the
water is sent spouting up in a geyser some ten or twelve feet
in height. One should not be too ready to hurry on from
Ngahapu, as very often, by staying a little time beside the
cauldron, an opportunity may be had of seeing the geyser at
its best.

After passing Ngahutu and Ngahapu the track,
which has been winding amongst the scrub up one ascent

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and down another, at varying elevations above the lake, and
in dangerous proximity to the boiling water, descends to the
level of the lake and comes out on a small open platform to
which, with the numerous hot springs in its neighbourhood,
has been given the general name of Te Tekapo. At some
former time, wheu this part of the lake was occupied by
natives, full advantage had been taken of the natural
advantages of this spot. On the edge of the lake square
shallow baths had been constructed, the sides being formed
of large stone slabs set upright, edge to edge, and the water
led into them by ducts from the various springs that
bubble up everywhere from the ground. A curious platform,
intended for the drying of karaka and tawa berries, has been
made by laying broad stone slabs over a spring, which keeps
the stones heated to the temperature necessary for drying
purposes. Now, however, there is not a whare within sight
of the lake, and this pretty spot has become the lunching
place of visitors to the terraces; and no prettier or more
curious lunching spot could well be imagined. The canoe
with the provisions and baggage is waiting amongst the
bulrushes. A kit of potatoes and another of crayfish are
pulled out from the spring in which they have been steaming.
The lunch-basket is opened, the " tucker " spread out, the
bottles uncorked, and we lunch amidst surroundings which
are unique in the experience of most. Who that has been
to Rotomahana does not pleasantly remember Te Tekapo?
The pleasant sound of the bubbling water, the aromatic scent
of the manuka, the soft sky, the rushy lake, the steam of the
hot potatoes, and the delicious flavour of the scarlet kov/raa
— may they often strike the senses in our dreams !

Te Tekapo is the starting point for the opposite side of
the lake, where lies the Pink Tersace ; but, before crossing,
there are more wonders to be seen on the eastern side. If

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you have soon finished lunch and are not yet tired of seething
cauldrons, take a few steps back into the scrub and you come
upon a gently boiling pool ; but such wonders are probably
becoming monotonous and you desire some fresh and startling
novelty.

The guide again marshals her company and leads the
way over a small hill through high manuka to the wonderful
little valley of Rotokanapanapa. On reaching the proper
level, you step on to a broad mud flat, dotted here and there
with small mud cones varying from one to two feet high, and
pitted in places with boiling mud holes. The ground is
treacherous and must not be carelessly trodden upon, for to
slip on the edge of one of those witches' cauldrons would be
certain death. One mud cauldron is very like another. The
mud is generally of a slate-grey colour, though it is some-
times found of a pink, blue, or almost black colour. Owing
to its consistency, mud boils with a slow, upheaving motion,
very different from the violent action of water. By constant
churning it is reduced to a state of great fineness ; and, as it
gurgles and sputters, great flakes are ejected from the crater,
so that it is always well to stand at a safe distance from the
edge.

The mud flat covers the whole bottom of the gully, and
it is well closely to follow the guide who pilots the way
along the firmer ground. Some of the cones that dot the
surface have ceased for the time to eject matter, and the
mud that has been thrown up nas dried and cracked into
innumerable fissures. From the edge of the mud flat, the
low hills rise up with steep sides, shaggy with manuka, from
which igneous boulders project, giving the sides- a very rough
and broken appearance, in harmonious contrast with the dull,
dead grey of the valley bottom. The path leads along the
right side of the flat, round and among fumaroles living and

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dead, and at length diverges to the right into a recess of the
valley which looks as if all Pandemonium had been let loose,
such is the chaos of rocks and debris that lie piled in hideous
confusion — the infernal character of the whole scene being
intensified by the jets and columns of sulphurous steam that
issue from yawning holes and crevices, and the diabolical noise
of what has been, not without reason, named the Devil's Hole.
This feaiful din issues from a narrow funnel in this chaos of
shattered rocks, from which, without the slightest inter-
mission, the steam issues with a roar which in its near
neighbourhood absolutely stuns you. Owing to tbe size of
the funnel, the sound, though deafening near at hand, is not
penetrating, and consequently ceases to be heard distinctly
when you remove some distance and put a hill between
yourself and it. Turning away, not unwillingly, to the left
from the Devil's fog-horn, we approach tbe end of tho small
valley and come to Rotopounamu, a pool of water of the
most vivid green colour. The scrubby hill which forms its
backgroimd is blotched with spots of red soil, through which
jets of steam innumerable rise and float away along the hill-
side ; but, strange to say, though in such close proximity to
boiling water and steam, the water of Kotopounamu is
not even tepid. Returning at length along tbe left side of
Rotokanapanapa we come to the Porridge-pot (Te Huka),
where, in a comparatively shallow cauldron, a " gruel thick
and slab " of an ashen grey colour rises with regular
palpitations in unctuous bubbles. This is the edible mud
of which the natives readily eat when they have the
opportunity. It is quite tasteless, like new-made starch,
and is probably liked by the Maories because of its pleasant
oily smoothness, though possibly, too, it has some nutritive
properties.

There are other steam holes and geysers which may be

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seen on this shore of the lake, but a description of which would
be wearisome, inasmuch as any description must necessarily
be to a large extent a repetition of what has been already
described. There is the Koingo {i.e., the fretting geyser)>
associated by tradition with the death of a slave who fell in
whilst cooking. Its edges are rounded into beautiful mam-
millary incrustations. The geyser Te Whatapohu, which
has also round its mouth fine blocks of silicious incrustations,
is said to mean " Pain-in-the-stomach," though that is a
complaint from which so many geysers seem to suffer that it
was hardly necessary to particularize. Near here is a small
cave, Ngawhanga, quite hot inside, which was at one time
used as a whare, and in whioh eight generations of chiefs are
said to have been born. Ruakiwi is a boiling spring where,
at some former time, a Maori girl, whilst cooking potatoes,
allowed her child to slip from her back into the water, and
in a paroxysm of grief leaped in after it. But it is impossible
to make individual mention of all the steam holes and
boiling pools on this wonderful hill side. We must now
return to Te Tekapo, where the canoe is waiting to ferry us
over to the Pink Terrace.

Crossing Rotoraahana in a canoe, one has leisure and
opportunity to observe the features of the lake, which, if they
are not precisely of that type of beauty we associate with
ordinary lake scenery, have yet a picturesqueness and in-
dividuality of their own. Rotomahana is a rushy mere of
small dimensions, being probably not more than four miles
and a-half in circumference. The surface is broken here and
there by sheets of rush and sedge, which are particularly
dense towards the lower end, where the Kai^^^ka leaves the
lake. This thick rushy jungle forms excellent cover for
the myriads of waterfowl that make the lake their haunt.
As the canoe passes on its way across the lake, it is interest-
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ing to observe the motions and evolutions of these pretty
creatures, which become so tame from the protection of a
long close season, that only near approach to their cover
makes them take wing. The most distinguished figure
amongst them is that of the pukeko, or swamp hen (Por-
phyrio melanotusj, with black back, and breast of a rich
metallic blue, in striking contrast with the orange-red of the
legs and bill. Alarmed at our approach it retires hastily into
its raupo covert, and presently, as we come still nearer, it raises
itself clumsily on its wings, dangling its great red legs help-
lessly in the air, and slowly flaps a short distance away to
the nearest available cover of rushes. This rail is one of the
few New Zealand birds that seem to hold their ground even
in settled districts, perhaps owing to the fact that the con-
ditions necessary for its existence are less easily interfered
with than in the case of forest birds. There is a tradition
indeed amongst the Maoris that tame pukekos were brought
to New Zealand by the original immigrants from Hawaiki.
Ducks and teal move about in the water with very lively and
sprightly motions, a mother duck occasionally heaving in
sight followed by a flotilla of little fluffy ducklings. The
ornithologist would see much in Rotomahana to interest him,
and would find unusual facilities for observing the habits of
various waterfowl, since, owing to the jealous preservation
of the lake by the Maoris, the birds have here a trustfulness
which is not to be found in those of other waters. They
are probably attracted to this lake by the warmth and
shallowness of the water, and by the abundance of vegetable
food which they are able to grub up on the reedy margins.

The canoe from Te Tekapo takes a slanting direction
towards the Pink Terrace, by a path quite clear from any
obstruction by reeds or rushes. Presently it shoots into a
pretty little circular bay, and is in full view of Otukapuarangi

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(Cloudy Heavens) as this magnificent flight of pink steps is
called. This terrace as a whole is, at first sight, perhaps
more striking than the White. It is considerably smaller ;
but then you scan it at one view from top to bottom. The
colour is a soft salmon-pink; and the terrace formation is
fully revealed in all its wonderful regularity as soon as the
canoe glides into the little bay at its foot. Examined in
detail, however, the Pink Terrace, though lovely past
description, is yet not so exquisitely beautiful as its white
sister. The warm and faint coralline flush of the one, how
much more chaste and delicate than the ruddy glow of the
other! The broad and massive steps of the Pink Terrace,
wonderful as they are, lack the infinitely varied reticulation
and tracery so characteristic of the White. But after all it is
vain disputing about tastes, for there are some who prefer
the Pink Terrace to the White. The Pink Terrace, like the
White, has its origin in a geyser raised a considerable
distance above the level of the lake. Like a stream of
lava from a volcano, this stream of silica descends from
the geyser along the hill-slope that trends to the water's
edge. It is flanked on each side by a somewhat steep
hill, covered, though not densely, with a growth of manuka
trees. Full advantage must be taken of the rising ground
on each side to get the best view of the terrace. First,
however, it will be well to examine the surface of the
terrace in detail The easiest ascent is on the left-hand side
as you face the hill. Here the silica forms a straight slope
without steps, which gives the firmest footing — one very
agreeable feature about both terraces being that the surfaces,
however smooth and polished they may look, are not in the
least slippery. As you ascend, the various steps are seen
to be broad, level platforms, not cupped and lipped as
in the White Terrace, but faced with beautifully curved

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masses of pink stalactite. TowapcU the top, however, several
of the ledges form basins four or five feet deep, and filled
with water of the deepest blue — not the wonderful opalescent
colour of the white basins, but a clear sapphire blue matching
the colour of the sky overhead, Here is probably the most
delightful bath in the whole world. Nature has supplied a
dressing-room within a few yards of the baths — a recess
amongst the green scrub — sheltered from wind or sun by a
screen of tall manuka. Undressing here, you are in the
water in two seconds. You may choose your basin ; but
it is safest to go low down and work gradually up, since
in this way you can rise from a bath of a comfortable and
luxurious blood-heat to water almost on the boil ; and when
the flesh is sufficiently red and tender you may tumble back
from one basin to the next lowest, till at last you taper off
with a gently warm bath which, after yonr experience nearer
the cauldron, seems almost cold. Such a bath ! The smooth
and rounded edges on which you rest your hands or head as
on a cushion ; the polished sides soft and tender to the limbs
as walls of alabaster ; the finely powdered silica on which
the foot rests as on the finest silver sand ; and the warm
blue water lapping the body in Elysium — a sensuous heaven
equal to this was never dreamt of by Mahomet or Nero. It
is well, however, nob to give one's self too long to this sensuous
pleasure, for much of it is very weakening, and the canoe is
waiting.

After a refresher in the basins, the various fine views
from the high ground beside the terrace will repay a little
climbing. At the top of the flight is the broad platform,
level with the cauldron which supplies the water. The
irregular edges of the vast cauldron — 40 to 50 feet in diameter
— ^shine through the pellucid water, and mark the dividing
line where the boiling orifice sinks down to unknown depths.

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From this edge the water gradually shoals out to the first
step of the terrace, passing from a deep and intense blue just
above the cauldron, to a light blue outside the lip, and
thence expanding on the outer shallow edges to a sheet of
primrose yellow. The background to this remarkable pool
of water is a steep semicircular ridge of reddish earth,
thoroughly decomposed and rotten through the action of
internal steam, and affording a soft and treacherous footing.
In descending, the left-hand side should be very carefully
inspected, as here, hidden away from the general view, are
undoubtedly the most magnificent buttresses of the terrace.
A special word of caution on this point is necessary, as the
guides sometimes fail to direct attention to this side,
preferring to take visitors up the other and easier ascent.
The best place from which to see the full magnificence of the
largest buttresses, is from the small eminence that divides
the terrace from the Solfatara Te Whakataratara, a crater
or pool of sulphur water close to the Pink Terrace and
communicating with Lake Eotomahana. From the little
dividing ridge, the top of which may be reached in two
minutes, a most impressive view is obtained of the huge
circular tables, like truncated domes of pink soap, rising one
behind the other, the silicious water falling from slab to slab
in fairy cascades. The evident cause of the large size of the
buttresses at this point is that the terrace slope dips in two
directions, from the cauldron to the lake, and also from the
south side to the north; so that the silicious matter has
gravitated towards the north side, and formed those magni-
ficent tables, so much grander than anything on the south
side.

On the other hand, if a view of the general shape and
flowing lines of the Terrace is desired, the place from which to
get such a view is the hill that skirts the south side. Here the

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grandeur of the individual buttresses is Mdden from the
view; but in compensation the whole stream of silica from top
to bottom is seen with one sweep of the eye, and is a sight
not suon to be forgotten.

A close and microscopic inspection of the various sur-*
faces is rendered somewhat painful by the array of badly
written names which defaces the smoother spaces. One
cannot be thankful enough that such defacement is impossible
in the case of the White Terrace, from the rough and fluted
character of the surface, and that the Maoris have awaked
at last to a sense of the offensiveness of this kind of vandalism,
and have taken steps effectually to stop it. The worst of it
is that the water, instead of washing off such writing, has
coated it with a film of silica, like thin glass, and so rendered
it indelible for a long time to come.

From the various vantage points round the Pink
Terrace good views may be obtained of Eotomahana and the
geysers opposite. The reedy lake, with its sombre back-
ground of rounded hills, broken into rough hollows, and
emitting steam in countless pillars ; a glimpse of the White
Terrace gleaming beyond; and the rugged sierra ot Tarawera,
softened now with a film of distance, make up a landscape
which, if it is not exactly beautiful, is at any rate interesting
and unique. As the canoe takes its way down the lake, and
passes in front of the White Terrace towards the outlet stream,
an opportunity is given of seeing Te Tarata from the best
point for a general view. Details are ignored, and the
grandeur of the frozen torrent, arrested there amongst the
silence of the hills, fills one with that sense of awe inspired
by everything in nature which has the majesty of power and
repose.

And now the skiff glides into the " Canoe Destroyer "
(Kaiwaka), as the stream running from Rotomahana to

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Tai-awera is called, from the wear and tear of the canoes
that shoot its rapid waters. It is a narrow sinuous stream,
shut in by a luxuriant growth of native plants, which
seem to revel in its hot water. The manuka grows high on
each side, and graceful clumps of sedge and cyperus bend
over and dip into the stream, whilst the rare fern Neph-
rodiwm unitum sends its roots foraging deep down into the
nether warmth. This stream receives a cold tributary from
Kotomakiriri (Cold Lake), a small body of water lying east of
Kotomahana, a view of which may be had from the bills in
the neighbourhood. By and by the canoe, guided by the
practised paddle, reaches the mouth of the Eaiwaka, where
the boat and boatmen are awaiting its return. Passengers
and baggage are speedily transferred from the canoe to
the boat, which is soon answering to the lusty strokes of the
Maori rowers, and spinning along the Te Ariki arm of
Tarawera to Wairoa. The battlements of Tarawera mountain
loom up in majesty on the right, if he does not hide his head
amongst the rolling clouds. It is pleasant after a day of
strange sights to rest in the boat and listen to the melancholy
monotone of the boatmen's song — a wailing chant answering
to the rhythmic measure of the oars, and, at intervals,
interrupted by the sudden shipping of the oars and a variety
of gestures and guttural sounds, all executed in the most
perfect time and with exact accord. Between five and six
o'clock the boat will reach Wairoa, in time to allow of a
comfortable dinner before setting out with the coach for
Ohinemutu, which will be reached about dusk.

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CHAPTER XXIII.
ORAKEI-KORAKO.

After seeing the wonders of the Terraces the visitor
to the Hot Lakes may either return by way of Tauranga, or
by Cambridge and Waikato ; or, if his appetite for wonders
be not yet satisfied, he may continue his way to Taupo
and see things equally wonderful with those he has left
behind. There are two ways of going to Taupo. The
usual route is by the coach which plies weekly between
Ohinemutu and Taupo, leaving Ohinemutu every Wednes-
day morning and returning from Taupo on Thursday. The
coach-road runs almost due south from Botorua for 56
miles to Taupo, and does not possess many features of
interest to the generality of travellers. After passing the
Hamu Gorge, the road sweeps on past the remarkable
mountain called Horo-Horo (about 2500 feet), the long
level ridge of which, presenting here patches of bush, there
bare faces of clay, absorbs the attention during a large
part of the journey, to the exclusion of everything else.
At Ateamuri, where the Waikato rushes through a gorge
in a series of rapids, the coach crosses the river, and, after
a run of some 27 miles over somewhat bare and uninterest-
ing country, at length reaches Tapuwaeharura, or, as the
township is more frequently and more easily called,
Taupo.

This is the ordinary route ; but to anyone who does
not object to a long ride and a night's camping out, a
mucb more int<*resting route is that by way of Orakei-

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Korako, which may be done in two days— first day,
Ohinemutn to Orakei-Eorako, 30 miles ; second day,
Orakei-Korako to Taupo, 22 miles. Anyone who has
his wits well about him has no need of a guide, as the
path closely follows the telegraph line from Ohinemutu to
Taupo. It is certainly a wild and lonely track, the
probability being that between Ohinemutu and Orakei-
Eorako, and again between the last-named place and
Taupo, the rider will not meet a soul, unless it be some
stray Maori. The track from Ohinemutu lies over the
range behind Whakarewarewa, and so on to Paeroa.
Instead, however, of setting out for Ohinemutu one may
go by Wairoa, taking the Terraces on the way. If it is
thought desirable to take a guide, one may be procured
readily at Wairoa ; but as guides are not in much request
for this route the natives will probably charge an
exorbitant price for their services. Perhaps it would be
well, in case o£ setting out from Wairoa, to take a guide at
least part of the way, as far as what is called Hot
Water Creek. This is the more necessary as the track
from Wairoa does not strike the telegraph route for some
five or six miles after leaving the settlement. Suppose
then it is intended to make a start for Taupo vid Wairoa.
The first consideration is a good nag. This may be pro-
cured from one of the livery- stables at Ohinemutu. The
question then arises how it is to be brought back from
Taupo in case of your wishing to go on from that place to
Napier. Of course a groom, on an extra horse, may be
employed to bring back one or more horses. In the case of
a single rider arrangements might be made with Mr.
Mcllroy, driver of the Ohinemutu-Taupo coach, to lead the
horse back on his return trip. The general charge for a
horse is about lOs. per day for every day it is out of the

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stable. The next consideration is baggage — bow much to
take. The best plan will be to take as little as you possibly
can, sending portmanteaus and such things on by coach to
Taupo. A rug, a waterproof coat, and a change of linen
strapped in a waterproof sheet to the saddle, is all that
should be necessary. Of course, if the weather looks
threatening, it would be advisable to take a complete
change of clothing. The third consideration is food-
provision for Ihe journey. All that may be said on this
head is that the only provisions obtainable between Wairoa
and Taupo are potatoes, and that the journey occupies
about two days.

Starting then from Wairoa, the track leaves the main
road just as it skirts the end of Eotokakahi, and keeps to
the eastern edge of this lake along its whole length, till it
reaches a small native settlement at the southern end^
called Kaiteriria, near which it is joined by the track from
Ohinemutu. At Kaiteriria the road turns to the left,
winding along the side of a bare gully till it reaches the top
of the ridge, near some forsaken clearings, where it strikes
the telegraph line. Now, after this, by simply keeping
the telegraph line always in sight, it is impossible to lose
the way till jou reach Taupo. Sometimes the path is to this
side, sometimes to that, but always within sight of the wires.
Where one is most apt to lose the way is where the track
divides, some four miles beyond Kaiteriria, into three,
leading to Galatea, Paeroa, and Orakei-Korako respectively.
The last-named is the faintest track of the three, and
continues to follow the telegraph line. After threading a
deep narrow gully with bush growing far up at the top of
the slope, we come in full sight of the Paeroa Eange, and
presently arrive at the Otumakokore, which is perhaps the
only instance of a boiling river in the world. The stream

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is spanned by a narrow rustic bridge, on the hither side of
which a rich plot of sweet clover turf invites the horse to
halt, and a fine broad pool of Hot water tempts the rider
to dismount for a bath ; and a most attractive bath it is.
The water is of the clearest, and the banks are draped all
round with nephrolepis cordifolia, a rare hot- water fern
found only here and at the Wairakei Springs near Taupo.
Beyond this river, which has its sources in boiling springs
some distance up from the bathing pool, the track continues
along two extensive plains, having on the left, comparatively
near at hand, that most remarkable mountain range called
Paeroa. This mountain seems literally to be undergoing
the process of boiling down. Along the foot of the range
where it rises abruptly from the plain, the ground is thickly
pitted with boiling mud pools, fumaroles, hot springs, and
Bolfataras; and a most fatal error would it be here at
night to wander from the track, from which it is almost
possible to jump into some of the cauldrons. But the
range itself, almost through its entire length, presents a
perpendicular side which is scarred, and calcined, and
deprived for the most part of vegetation by the force of
its internal heat. The reddish patches on the sides show
where sulphuric acid and sulphuretted hydrogen are
escaping from the heart of the mountain to the surface.
Neverthelesp, it has its clumps of bush, the most
conspicuous of which occurs where the opposite range
closes in and terminates the first large plain. Here, it may
be said, the best marked path leads up the wrong valley ;
therefore it is well to keep the telegraph line in sight, and
to keep close in to Paeroa. Passing over a rising ground
wHicH forms a sort of defile between the hills, you reach the
second plain — a long dreary stretch of swampy ground,
covered with flax and dwarf manuka. At the end of this

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plain the track diverges from the Paeroa Bange to the
right, and enters a narrow gully which threads its way
amongst the hills for fire or six miles, to debouehe at
length upon the river Waikato at Orakei-Korako.

The settlement of Orakei-Eorako lies on the further
(that is the left) side of the Waikato, and as there is no
bridge, horses must swim the river. On reaching the
river it will be the best plan to reconnoitre from some
commanding stand-point; and the best stand-point for this
purpose is undoubtedly the hill on which stands the last
telegraph post before the line spans the river, and which
for convenience of reference may be called Telegraph Hill.
Here you will get a good view of the native settlement oa
the opposite bank ; and very picturesque it is, nestling
down by the side of the turbulent river amongst its hot
springs and geysers, with the dark summit of the Tutukaa
Mountain looming up among the mists to the north. From
Telegraph Hill you will be able to judge of the best point
from which to hail the Maori who acts as ferryman, and
who lives on the further side. In reply to your ** coo-ee **
he will come down and ferry you across in his canoe, after-
wards returning to swim your horse across the river, for
which service he charges 2s. If you arrive at the Waikato
in the afternoon, it might be as well to make the ferryman,
before you cross the river, take you to the sight of Orakei-
Eorako — Waiwhakata — better known as the Alum Cave,
otherwise you will have to re-cross the river in the morning
to see this lion.

The alum cave lies on the right bank, about a mile up
the river from Telegraph Hill. A mazy and sometimes
not very well-defined path leads to it from the ferry — up
this hill and down that, through high manuka scrub, by
boiling mud-holes, which are sometimes only about two

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inches from the path. This path lies across a broad
terrace of silica in course of disintegration, the gejser
which supplied the water for its formation having ceased
to emit water in suflBcient quantity to renew the silicioug
<5oating; and here may be seen that process of decay
which the great white and pink terraces of Eotomahana
may have one day to undergo when their cauldrons cease
to be active geysers.

At length you come to the cave and look down, and
very disappointing the first sight of it is. The name leads
-one to expect a fairy grotto hanging with alum stalactites,
glittering with innumerable crystal facets, and breaking
the light into a glory of prismatic iridescence. To those
who expect anything like this the alum cave will be a
grievous disappointment ; but, such as it is, it has a beauty
of its own, which will commend itself to some quite as
much as if it glittered with brilliants. The cave appears
to have been caused by the falling of the surface crust
into a subterranean hollow. It is entered by a short
flight of steps roughly hewn in the rock, the angles and
sides of the steps forming a foothold for the most delicate
seedling ferns. At the bottom of the steps is a clump of
fine tree-ferns — the chief ornament of the cave. Going
forward and standing between two fine specimens of the
silver tree-fern (Gyathea dedlhata), you look down the
cave, which is simply a hole some 30 to 40 feet deep,
sloping down at a very sharp angle, over blocks of stone,
to a pool of clear blue water at the bottom. The back of
this excavation, from which the boulders have fallen that
pave the bottom, is scooped out into a sort of arch, the
walls of which, as well as the loose boulders below, are
coated with a pearly inflorescence, which, on tasting, you
find to be of pure alum. In the clear blue pool at the

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bottom you may ba^e a hot bath, the temperature of the
water being suflSciently low to be endurable. It is not
improbable that this water may have some peenliarlj
curative properties, being so strongly impregnated with
alum and other mineral substances that it is with great
difficulty that one can keep the limbs from floating on the
surface. Owing to this buoyancy of the body and to the
uneven stony nature of the bottom, bathing in the alum
cave is not a very comfortable proceeding — the best plan
being to make for one of the submerged boulders, and
there to remain seated as long as inclination prompts. It
18 really only the bather that sees the alum cave to the
best advantage. The green light transmitted through the
water quivers on the particoloured arch above, and the
vegetation at the mouth of the cave forms a delicate
lace-work of foliage against the blue background of the
sky. It may interest some to know that one of the ferns
that drape the sides of the cave is the delicate Lindsay a
trichomenoidea.

Having examined the wonders on the right bank of
the river, and seen your horse swum across and
tethered on the best available piece of pasture, the next
consideration will be how you are to spend the night. If
it Is fine weather a bed of fern in some sheltered spot in
the open air is to be recommended. If, however, rain sets
in and you have no tent, you must needs avail yourself of
the hospitality of the Maoris, who will gladly put a spare
whare at your disposal, and supply you with such provisions
as they have. Should fate oblige you to shelter in a whare
you will have a busy night, and will rise in the morning
much subdued with loss of blood ; therefore, if possible,
choose a bed of sweet fern in the open air.

In the morning, before setting out for Taupo, it would

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he well to devote a few hours to an examination of the
wonderful geyser and hot-spring phenomena on the left bank.
The native settlement is placed under the lee of a sloping
bank, on a platform just above the river — a situation romantic
and picturesque in the extreme. Down below, the noble
Waikato rushes in a white-crested torrent, awful in its
impetuosity, widening out into a reach of placid water at
the ferry, about a mile below the settlement. The plateau
on which the village stands is thickly perforated down to
the river's edge with all manner of hot springs, gently
boiling pools, active geysers spouting their jets high into
the air, cauldrons of seething mud, and steaming fumaroles.
On the further side of the river columns of steam are seen
rising from the hills in all directions, and the silica streams
roll down the incline to the edge of the river like petrified
cataracts. From one commanding point Hochstetter
•counted seventy-six spots where clouds of steam indicated
the existence of boiling water. It would only be wearisome
to attempt any enumeration even of the larger springs,
since they resemble so closely those described in other
portions of this work. The chief spring, that which gives
its name to the settlement, is a large geyser lying at the foot
•of the sloping hill that backs the village. Sometimes it
spouts (according to the natives) to a height of a hundred
feet ; but in its usual state it boils continuously, sending its
water up in the centre of the cauldron to a height of two or
three feet. Near the river there are basins used by the
natives as baths, and said to possess highly curative
properties.

Before leaving Orakei-Korako all visitors should walk
•or ride about a mile and a-half down the river bank where
the river gathers itself together and forms a fine rapid,
iiardly less magnificent than the more celebrated Huka Falls.

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The road from Orakei-Korako to Taupo is still aloncr
the telegraph-line, over very rough and not particularly
luterestiDg country. On ascending the height behind the
pahy a fine view opens up of the settlement and the river.
About thirteen miles from Taupo the bridle track joins the-
coach road. A few miles beyond this point the native
village of Oruanui is reached. About two miles from
Taupo a vast column of steam may be seen rising to the
left, a short distance from the main road. This is the
famous Karapiti fumarole. The ground in front of it —
between the fumarole and the road — many acres in extent^
is a quaking bog of boiling water, presenting here and there-
patches of firm foothold, but exceedingly difficult and
dangerous to cross. The only practicable approach to this^
fumarole is from behind, and it is most conveniently visited
at the same time with the Wairakei Geysers and the Huka^
Falls. A short distance past Karapiti and the tourist
finds himself at the Taupo township.

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CHAPTER XXIV.

TAOPO.

HOTBLS.— Gallagher's Lake Hotel and Noble's Hotel.

WAIRAKEI.--Mr. Robert Graham's Kstablishment, 6 miles from
Taupo.

LoFLEY's Baths, 1 J miles from Taupo— £2 lOs. to £3 3s. per
week — ^iDclnding baths.

Places op Intebest. — Olen Lofley — visiting on way Crorn'M
NeH Qeyser^ Witch's Cauldron, Biff Ben, and other springs, ffuka
Falls, Wairakei Geysers (most remarkable in Hot Lake district next
to Botomahana) and Karapiti, Tauhara (3000 ft.) 4 miles from
Taupo. EotoJcawa, a small lake 8 miles N.E. of Taupo— large
sulphur deposits. Toifcafw— Settlement at south end of Lake Taupo —
about 50 miles from Taupo township — large number of hot water
springs and fumaroles.

A canter of about two miles past E^arapiti, across the
Waikato bridge, brings one into the Taupo township.
There are two hotels, known as Gallagher's and Noble's —
Gallagher's being the most frequented. The bedrooms are
very comfortable, but not very much can be said for the
the comfort of the Taupo hotels in other respects. Any
visitor putting up here would do well to arrange for having
a different table from the general table d^hdte of the hotel.

The first and most pleasant feeling that strikes the
new arrival at Taupo is a sense of boundless openness and
freedom. There is little that is absolutely beautiful in the
landscape, the pervading colour of which is a dull barren
brown, mellowed, however, in the distance where the
8oft outline of the hills meets the sky. The object
which the eye is ever seeking and on which it always

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rests with delight, is the green crest of Tauhara, an
isolated, wood-covered mountain that stands about four
miles from the township. Then there is the sinuous
loveliness of the green river, the ever-changing face of
the lake, and away beyond, where the water of the lake
vanishes from sight, the majesty of the snow-crested
Tongariro and Ruapehu — a majesty frequently rather
hinted than expressed, for their summits are often covered
for days with a veil of cloud.

The township of Taupo lies on the right bank of the
Waikato, on the angle formed by the lake and the river.
It contains from twenty to thirty houses besides the
Armed Constabulary Station (under command of Major
Scannell). On the Government ground there is a redoubt
built of fascines, with ditch and angles. Near the redoubt
is a fine large wooden hall, fitted up with a stage, on which
the amateur talent of the station occasionally displays itself
for the amusement of the Taupo public ; and to the north
of the hall stands a neat Post and Telegraph Office.

The prettiest walk in the township of Taupo is
certainly along the bank of the river, from the point where
it leaves the lake, to the bridge. Standing on the bank,
you may watch the nver stealing from the lake and
gliding over its green weeds in a slow and stately current,
until, a few hundred yards from the outlet, it broadens
oul into a wide sheet of water, of great depth about the
middle, but shoaling off about the edges into little sandy
coves, or beds of raupo and rushes. On the further bank
is a small Maori settlement, which maintains frequent com-
munication with the township by means of canoes — this
being a readier means of transit than going round by the
bridge.

The first day at Taupo should be devoted to visiting

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Lofley's baths and the various points of interest on the
way thither. There is a carriage road all the way from
the township to Glen Lofley, branching off to the right
from the main coach road, a few hundred yards from the
hotel door. An easy walk of half-an-hour will cover the
<listaQce, and therefore walking is better than riding or
•driving, as it allows of your making various detours to
examine places lying off the main road. About a mile out
from Taupo, where the road comes very near the bank of
the river, you may, by stepping a few paces from the road,
see one of the loveliest bits of river scenery it is possible
to imagine. The Waikato at this point describes a sharp
•curve something like the half of a rough ellipse. Standing
AS it were at the middle point of the arc, you see, away to
the right, the river sailing slowly and grandly down from
the lake — a broad expanse of glassy water, bordered with
grass and sedge, and breaking on the " aits " that divide
it in mid-stream. On approaching the spot where you
«tand, it narrows, to flow through a gorge formed by
•cliffs projecting from either side, and, after boiling softly
through the defile, again expands into its former placidity
and continues its course towards the sea. Beyond a few
•dwarf native shrubs the banks have no foliage to grace them;
but the soft green fern slopes, rising and falling in irregular
swellings and depressions, and broken here and there by an
•outcropping rock, seem the most appropriate of settings f q|E
the beautiful river. The water in the narrows, fifty feet
below, is very deep — but such is its transparency that you
^an see every stone that lies at the bottom. As the sun
shines on the surface of the river the play of colour is
wonderful; the green ot the water varying in intensity,
4iccording to the character of the bottom or the depth of
49hade on its surface — dark in some places almost to black-
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Dess, and in others dashed with blotches of verdigris green^
so that the smooth surface of the river looks like a slab of
polished malachite. The clifPs and boulders seem, in the
distance, to have their faces stained with a brilliant red^
which on closer inspection you find to be a peculiar lichen,
encrusting not only the rock faces but also the stems
of such plants as grow in the neighbourhood. To anyone-
who has seen the rival of the Waikato, the Clutha, rush
from the Otago Lakes in its headlong and troubled course^
never to run smoothly or loiter on its way till it nears the
sea, will be much impressed by the contrast between the-
two rivers. The character of the Clutha is a constant
unrest and fury, subdued only when the river merges inta
the greater power of the sea: the Waikato, though it
occasionally rouses itself into ungovernable fury when any
considerable obstacle chafes its waters, is characterised for
the most part by a slowness and stateliness of flow — the-
very embodiment of river majesty. Perhaps the Clutha is-
the more impressive; but the Waikato is the stream to*
wauder by and watch — a river superlatively beautiful.

Sitting on the cliff overhanging the Gorge, and looking-
down the stream, you will see on the right hand bank,
nearly on a level with the water, a number of steam-
columns, indicating the presence of hot springs. Presently,
from a raised funnel, a column of water will shoot up inta
trie air to a height of fifty or sixty feet, and descend in.
a magnificent parabola of foam. This is the celebrated
Crow's Nest Geyser ; and it will be well to walk down the-
bank a little and descend to its level, taking good care to
find the beaten path, for the surrounding ground is of the
most treacherous nature, and careless walking may lead to
a most painful scalding. The Crow's Nest is a raised
funnel of silica, about 10 feet high, presenting the appear-

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ance as if sticks had been arranged as in a bird's nest^ and
bad been afterwards cemented by some substance which left;
the outline of the sticks still visible.

Near the Nest is a large spring boiling up ftrom under
an overhanging arch of rock, and covered with so dense a
cloud of steam that it is only at fitful intervals that a
glimpse of the horrid pool can be obtained. This gate to
Tartarus has been suggestively named "The Witches"
Cauldron." There are numerous other springs and boiling
mud-holes at this part of the river's bank.

Be-ascending the bank and crossing the road you will
see a dense column of steam a few hundred yards before you
in the manuka scrub. This is Big Ben, certainly one of the
most extraordinary mud-springs in the lake district. The-
funnel — the sides of which are composed of moist red clay
— sinks about 15 feet into the ground. In the orifice at
the bottom of this funnel the clay is boiling up with a
regular pulsation, the beats resembling the thuds of the
stampers in a quartz battery. That the ground hereabouts-
must have been at one time densely perforated with suck
mud-holes is witnessed by the number of craters now over-
grown with moss and scrub.

A few hundred yards from Big Ben over the barrea
scrubby ground w ill bring you to the edge of the plateau,,
where it suddenly dips into what you will at first sight
conceive to be the " Happy Valley " of Basselas, so peaceftil
and prosperous does it look, and so little suspected is its-
existence. Cottages peep here and there from encircling
trees — all grouped round a central large building with a
Gothic cast of features which you take to be the church ;
though the Abyssinian and un-Christian complexion of the
valfey is not belied by the appearance, in its high places, of
certain grim idols, which grin, and loll their tongues at youi

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"with a malignant and devilish defiance. Descend into the
■valley and jou will probably meet the genius loci, Mr. Lofley,
-who will be glad to lead you through the groves and arborous
walks of his little paradise, called Tapapakuao, or, in the
vulgar. Glen Lofley. First he will show you his baths of every
kind — douche, plunge, swimming, vapour-baths. A stream
of cold water and a stream of hot run down the valley, and
at their confluence form one of those polar-equatorial
baths so much appreciated by folks in search of new sensa-
tions. Having seen the various cottages in which Mr.
Lofley makes his guests comfortable, you ask to be shown the
<;hapel, only to find that what seemed a chapel is a dining-room
— its table spread with a tempting lunch of scones and fresh
butter, cheese, crisp lettuce, and lush onions ; whilst a few
yards from the door the tea-kettle is simmering in a hot
spring. Surely this valley is the spot to restore the jaded
energies ; it breathes the very spirit of repose.

Another day may be devoted to visiting Wairakei and
the Huka Falls. Many visitors to Taupo appear to visit Mr.
Graham's establishment at Wairakei, and to return without
seeing anything more; and so they miss the group of geysers
which undoubtedly comes next in importance to the
!Rotomahana Geysers, being, if not more extensive, infinitely
more interesting than the Whakarewarewa group. It will
be necessary, therefore, to take a guide ; and one cannot do
better than employ Taylor, who now lives in the township,
4tnd, having at one time managed Wairakei for Mr. Graham,
has a competent knowledge of the locality. One had better
walk or ride to Wairakei, there being no good buggy
track ; and it is better to ride than walk, in order to husband
strength for an examination of the geysers. Having then
procured horses and a guide, you will be taken first by a
'track winding through the scrub to the Huka Falls, a

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distance of about three miles from Taupo. Here the^
Waikato, becoming suddenly contracted, has its water forced
in between two perpendicular walls of stone so closely-
approaching each other that it almost seems as if a good
jumper might leap across. This narrow trough which is of
considerable length, dips down at a sharp angle, so that tch
anyone standing on its edge the water swirls past with an
almost sickening velocity. About half way down the rapid
there is a sort of recess or small cave, down into which it
is possible to scramble, so as to be on a level with the
rushing water. This alcove is a bower of pretty ferns of
the most delicate growth and texture, including maidenhairs
and several varieties of filmy ferns. Overhead, great masses^
»uch as are rarely seen elsewhere, of the sweet-scented New
Zealand orchid (Earina autumnalis) hang their pretty amber
blossoms. The rapid ends in a waterfall, the whole body of
water leaping down over a ledge, some twenty or thirty feet,,
into a pool of white foam which boils off in a soft whitish
green, as the river expands to its usual breadth and resumes
its former leisure and majesty of flow between scalloped
cliffs fringed with a wealth of handsome shrubs.

Looking at the terrible force of the rapids and fall, one^
thinks with horror of the fate of Tamateapokaiwhenua
and his 68 Wanganuis, who, according to Taupo tradition^
once tried, in fulfilment of a vain-glorious boast, to shoot
the Huka rapids. The Taupo natives had dared their visitors,,
who were renowned canoe-men, to navigate the Waikato at
this point ; and the strangers, accepting the challenge, were
swallowed up in the vortex below the fall — all except one
chief who, as the canoe entered the rapids, leaped on to a
boulder and so escaped ; and the boulder is there to this
day.

A ride of about five miles brings one to the Wairakei

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Oejsers — after passing on the way Mr. S. G-raliam*s
establishment^ consisting of a raupo cottage partitioned ofE
into comfortable bedrooms, and a wooden building just now
in course of erection to supplement the cottage. The
surrounding ground looks at present somewhat bleak and
barren, the trees that have been planted presenting rather a
«tunted appearance, and the grass refusing to take kindlj
to the inhospitable pumice soil.

About two miles beyond Mr. Graham's homestead, and
across a pretty high range of hills is the geyser valley. The
geysers lie on both sides of the Wairakei, a stream which is
largely fed by the water from their springs and which makes
its way down the valley to join the Waikato. So numerous
are the boiling springs of this locality that a particular
description of each would only be tedious ; but perhaps a
few of the principal may be enumerated. The descent
down the steep bank is made by a zig-zag path round an
escarpment which forms the edge of a huge boiling cauldron
called Tuhuatahi. The basin is nearly circular and the
water is in a constant state of violent ebullition. A little
down the stream lies the Terekereke G-eyser ; and further
down still, where the creek expands into a pool edged with
l)oiling sand, is the wonderful Steam Hammer. You seat
yourself upon the bank, and presently you feel a heavy thud
below you, repeated at regular intervals, and like nothing
l)ut the sound of a heavy hammer muffled by the intervening
ground. Ascending the stream above Tuhuatahi, you reach
the Wairakei Geyser proper. It lies in a circular recess
in the bank, and has an irregularly formed funnel of
mammillary incrustations resembling coral, from which a
little runnel with similarly encrusted sides leads off the
ejected water to the creek. It is wise to keep at a safe
distance from Wairakei whilst watching its operations. A

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premonitory gurgling and gushing deep down in the funnel
warn you when to look for a display of water-works.
Presently the water reaches the top of the basin, struggles
for a little to rise above the edge, and then shoots up into
a fine column, the whole display lasting about a minute
and a-half .

Crossing the stream, you come, in succession, upon
A boiling pot of pink porridge, a pond of blue milk,
and messes of mud of every possible complexion and
consistency. Presently, going down the stream you reach
what without doubt is the sight of Wairakei, a spot which
might well be called Q-eyser Hollow. Only a small part of
the creek is visible, the place where it enters and where it
disappears being hidden by a mass of boulders and a tangle
of ferns and other greenery. The opposite bank of reddish
clay, close to the foot of which the stream runs, is draped
with luxuriant moss, manuka, and the rare hot-water fern
Nephrolepis cordi/olia. The side on which you stand is a
broken slope, every inch of which is thickly encrusted with
silica. It contains two geysers playing large volumes of
water, and seeming to act alternately. The incrustations
at the mouth of these geysers are exquisitely and
fantastically shaped, like huge mushrooms and sponges —
the colour, a warm drabbish pink. Every branch and twig
that have come under the influence of the water have
been coated over with silica. One tree stump, standing
still in its natural position, with its roots coiling like so
many snakes, has been turned into stone, and shows
every crease and scar in its gnarled and corrugated bark ;
and a manuka tree which has fallen headlong down the
terrace within reach of the spray has been covered, to
the smallest twig, with a flint-sheath of dazzling white.
These are a few of the many wonders to be seen in this

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place of wonders. There can be no doubt that next to
Rotomahana, Wairakei is the place that presents the most
varied and the most interesting group of hot-water pprings.

In returning to Taupo, after ascending the hill beside-
Mr. Graham's house, it is advisable to make a detour to
the right in order to visit Karapiti, the famous fumarole
already mentioned. It is rather difficult of access, but tho
approach from this direction is easier and safer than fron*
any other.

There are several other interesting excursions which
niav be made from Taupo. Tauhara (3000 feet) may be
easily ascended, three-fourths of the way being practicable
on horseback ; and from the summit a most extensive view
may be obtained, reaching as far as White Island in the
Bay of Plenty. Then there is Eotokawa (Bitter Lake^
lying eight miles north-east from Taupo. This makes a.
plpasant ride, and may comfortably be done in half a day.
Rotokawa is a small lake fringed with thick beds of bul-
rushes, and swarming with water-fowl. The chief point of
interest is at the north end of the lake where there are
extensive sulphur deposits. Here beautiful specimens of
sulphur crystals may be obtained by those who come with
some iron instrument, a tomahawk or spade, to dig them
up. Those who wish to secure specimens must, of course^
provide themselves with something in which to carry their
finds. Magnificent slabs of sulphur glittering with crystals
may be dug up anywhere at the north end of the lake, but
they are exceedingly brittle and require careful packing ia
sawdust if they are to be carried any great distance.

The lake of Taupo itself will be a never-failing source
of delight to the visitor staying at the township. Especially
towards evening, when the skies in the west begin to take
on those tints of red and yellow, amber, steel blue, and

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«affron, which make a sunset on Taupo so glorious, is it
pleasant to walk along the pumice beach, and watch the
•«well of the lake reflecting the colours of the sky, till the
light fades and darkness gathers slowly in on the sullen
heaving of the water. It is but a small portion of the lake
that is visible from the township, the great body of water
stretching away beyond the headlands that shut in the
Tapuwaeharuru Bay, and branching away to the west into
^n arm called Western Bay, which would of itself make no
«mean lake. Taupb Moana, as the lake is properly called
(Moana meaning "sea"), measures about 24 miles along
its greatest length, from Taupo township, where the
Waikato leaves the lake, to Tokano, at the southern end,
where the same river enters it. Its greatest breadth is
about 18 miles, and its elevation about 1250 feet above
sea level. At Tokano, a settlement at the southern end,
there is another extensive region of hot-water springs,
geysers, and fumaroles, which anyone making a lorxfi stay
at Taupo would do well to visit, riding the distance, some
^fty miles along the east shore of the lake.

A day's ride further on still would give one a near
view of Tongariro ind Ruapehu. Tongariro (6500 feet),
lying about twelve miles south of the lake, is a volcano,
not yet extinct, although it has been quiescent for a good
many years. Huapehu, which lies about sixteen miles
further south, is 9000 feet high.

A small schooner plies on Lake Taupo, trading
l)etween the township and various points on the lake. By
taking a trip with this little vessel one would have an
excellent opportunity of seeing the lake to advantage. To
■do this, however, one would require to have abundance of
time, as the schooner is very uncertain in her movements,
and is often wind-bound for days at certain points at which.
a long sojourn would be undesirable.

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CHAPTER XXV.

HAWKE'S BAY-NAPIER AND GISBORNE.

Taupo to Napier, 99 milcF.

Coach leaving Taupo for Napier at 6 a.m. on Thursday reaches^
Tarawera (the half-way point) same evening at 6 ; leaving Tarawera
at 6 a.m. on Friday, reaches Napier at 6 p.m. ; fare, £2 10s. Return
coach leaves Masonic Hotel, Napier, every Tuesday at 6 a.m., arrives-
at Tarawera at 6 p.m.; leaves Tarawera at 6 a.m. on Wednesday, and
reaches Taupo at 6 p.m. ; fare, £2 10s. Coach leaves Taupo on
Thursday, at 5.30 a.m., reaching Ohinemutu same day at 5.30 p.m. ;
fare, 30s.; Leaves Ohinemutu on Friday morning and reaches
Tauranga same day at 6 p.m. ; fare, £l. Through fare from Napier
to Tauranga (or reverse journey), £5.

Napier to Wellington.— Leave Napier by 7.25 am. train oa
Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, for Makatuku. Thence coach
to Palmerston ; thence 8.30 p. m. train to Foxton, remain night, and
leave next morning at 4.45 a.m. by coach for Wellington. Fare
(including train), first class, £4 Is. ; second class, £3 12s. 8d. ; or,
instead of going by Foxton, take coach from Makatuku to £ketahuna
(changing coach at Woodville), where remain night ; leave Eketabuna
following morning at 7 by coach for Masterton, whence train to-
Wellington, where arrive at 6 p.m. Fare (including train), first
Glass, £3 17s. 9d. ; second class, £3 6s.

Also by the U. S. S. Co.'s steamers (203 miles), which make the
passage in about 18 hours. Fares, single saloon, £3 ; steerage, £2 ;.
Tetum, £4 16s.; £3 4s.

For return journey see Wellington.

Population of Napieb^-5756.

Principal Hotels.— Masonic, Clarendon, Criterion, Empire,.
and Exchange.

Clubs.— Hawke's Bay, Clarendon (both resident), stranger*
admitted on introduction — ^Working Men's Club.

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Public Buildings. — Government Builaings, Town all,
AtheDseum (admission free to strangers).

Place op Amusement.— Theatre Royal.

GISBOHNB (PovEBTY Bat, Auckland Province).

Eighty miles north-east of Napier.

U . S. S. Co.s vessels twice- weekly. Fares, single saloon. £1 15s. ;
steerage, £1 5s.; return, £2 16s.; £2.

Principal Hotels.— Albion Club Hotel, Masonic, Argyle.

At Gisborne Captain Cook is said to have first landed in New
Zealand. A short walk from the town is the cemetery, in which is
erected a monument to those who fell in the massacre by Te Kooti in
1868.

The ?isitor to Taupo, on exhausting the sights in that
neighbourhood, will^ if not bent on retracing his steps, take
the coach from Taupo to Napier, a two days' journey.
The distance between the two places is about 100 miles,
the half-way point being at Tarawera. The coach leaves
Taupo at 7 o'clock on Thursday morning and reaches
Tarawera at 6 p.m., leaving the latter place for Napier
at the same hour on the following morning, and arriving
at Napier in time for 6 o'clock dinner. The country
between Taupo and Napier is in some parts of the
grandest possible description^ the bush and mountain
scenery on each side of Tarawera being infinitely
more impressive than the much vaunted route from
Tauranga to Ohinemutu. Fur the first 24 miles, from
Taupo across the Bangitaiki to Eunanga, the journey is
oyer bleak and uninteresting country ; but at Eunanga the
road strikes the Waipunga Hiver and enters upon the most
enchanting forest scenery, up this hill and down that, with
the constant company of the cheering mountain stream,
which puts forth for your amusement all the arts and
blandishments of which a mountain stream is capable—
now playing hide-and-seek amongst the trees^ or scamper-
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ing away among its boulders; now disappearing down
the valley in a mere silver thread, and agaiQ reappear-
ing at some tarn where you least expect it ; anon washing
the wheels of the coach, and by and by turning somer-
saults down the face of a cliff iu the snowiest of waterfalls.
It is impossible to weary in the company of a lively and
versatile stream like the Waipun'ga. The vegetation, loo,
along this route is of the most varied description — amongst
other forms being conspicuous the broad metallic swords of
the Cordyline indivisa and the green plush fronds of the
Todea superba.

At Tarawera a halt is made for the night at an hotel
which, for its old-fashioned homeliness, might have been
transported — hostess, bill of fare, and rooms — frcm the
middle of England in the 18th century. At seven next
morning, after an early breakfast, a start is made for Napier.
For about four miles the Waipunga still keeps the coach
company, and then turns off to join the Mohaka. As you
ascend the Luranga-kuma range by a winding zig-zag, the
distant prospect of hill and valley and wood is indescribably
lovely. After crossing Turanga-kuma the road passes the
Te Harato native settlement^ and descends into the valley
of the Mohaka river, which is crossed by a bridge near a
pretty cascade. Crossing the river, whose bed, by the
way, is paved with fossils, the coach ascends the break-neck
slopes of the Titiokura Sange, the summit of which is 2750
feet above sea level. The view from this hill is also very
extensive, but lacks the charming variety of that from
Turanga-kuma. A short stay is made at a wayside house
at Pohui, where travellers may have a cup of tea whilst
horses are being changed. The journey from Pohui to the
Esk river is somewhat uninteresting. About 14 miles
from Napier the road enters the bed of the Esk, which it

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crosses in all no fewer than 45 times, so that passengers are
glad when at length they enter the Petane valley, from
which a good carriage road leads into Napier through
Petane and over the Spit, a long strip or bar of shingle
which divides the inner harbour at Napier from the open
sea. However much one may have enjoyed the wild and
barren beauty of Taupo, it is with a pleasant sense of
contrast that he passes into the quiet and cultivated loveli-
ness of the Petane valley and village, and rests in the
luxurious ease of a Napier hotel.

The Province of Hawke*s Bay, originally part of
Wellington Province, extends over two and a-half degrees of
latitude on the east coast of the North Island. The common
boundary of this Province and Auckland on the north, is
latitude 39 degrees. On the west, Hawke's Bay is separated
from Wellington by the Euahine Range, and extends as far
south as the Manawatu River. The bay which gives its
name to the Province is a magnificent semicircular bight,
the two horns of which are the Mahia Peninsula to the
north, and Cape Kidnappers to the south. Off Mahia lies
the little island of Portland which, with the names
<* Hawke's Bay " and " Kidnappers " carries one back to the
year 1769, when Captain Cook in his ship " Endeavour "
landed the first Europeans on New Zealand shores. On
the 12th of October Cook first sighted the little island which
he named from a fancied resemblance to Portland Island, in
tbe English Channel. The bay he named in honour of Sir
Edward Hawke, though as you look at the stately gyrations
of the hawks above the bed of the Esk River, the driver of
the Taupo coach will assure you that the bay was named from
its being a favourite haunt of this bird. Cape Kidnappers
commemorates the well-known incident of the theft by
Maoris of the little Tahitian boy^ Taiyota, 'who succeeded.

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however, in escaping from the canoe of the kidnappers and
swimming back to the ship. There was no special settlement
in Hawke's Bay as in the case of Wellington, Canterbury,
and Otago. Its settlement was rather a gradual growth, as
the extraordinary fertility of its soil, and the excellence of
its climate came to be known and appreciated in other
parts of the Colony.

In 1855 the township of Napier was laid out ; and in
1858, the European population having considerably increased,
Hawke's Bay was constituted a Province, having its own
Superintendent aid Provincial Council. The town of
Napier is situated on Scinde Island, which, however insular
it may at one time have been, is now a peninsula, lying
about seven miles north of Cape Kidnappers. Scinde Island
runs northward to meet the '* Spit " which runs south from
Petane, the two being connected by a bridge, and shutting in
what is called the Inner Harbour, a large sheet of water
unfortunately not available for harbour purposes. At present
all largo steamers have to lie out in the Ahuriri roadstead,
passengers and freight being brought off in tenders to the
wharf at Port Ahuriri, which lies on the north side of the
island. By-and-by, however, Napier expects to have a
harbour at which vessels of the largest burden can load and
unload in safety.

In the town of Napier itself there is not much to detain
the visitor. Although a prosperous and pretty town it is
not large, and has few fine public buildings, the best being
the Government Buildings, Town Hall, and Athenaeum.
The hills which lie to the north of Scinde Island are
covered with the houses of the wealthier citizens^ and the
gardens, with their beds of flowers and their fine collections
of trees, sufficiently attest the virtues of the climate and soil*
By climbing Prospect Hill and taking a seat near the light*

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/house, an exteasive view may be obtained of the bay, where
it curves in a fine regular sweep away to Cape Kidnappers.
From this point also there is a good bird's-eye view of the
business part of the town, which lies to the south side of

ithe peninsula towards the isthmus ; whilst away in the
distance, beyond the marsh formed by the Tutae Kuri River,
may be seen the rich pastoral and agricultural districts round
Meanee, Taradale, and Puketapu.

A drive through Napier on a fine sunny day is very en-
joyable. One of the most pleasant drives is up Milton road
to the Hospital, where you get an excellent view o{ the
Tutae Kuri and the Inner Harbour, away along the Spit to
Petane. From Milton Road you turn and descend by

•Chaucer Road into Carlyle Street, which runs between
Tennyson Street and Dickens Street, and paralkl with
Browning Street, into Shakespeare Road. The nomen-

'Clature of their streets is sufficient guarantee that the
citizens of Napier will always be familiar with the great
names in our literature.

Napier is well supplied with comfortable hotels,
amongst which may be mentioned the Masonic, Criterion,

•Clarendon, Empire, and Exchange. There are always also a
number of very clean and comfortable public conveyances

■on the stand, with attentive drivers, ready to show visitors
whatever there is to be seen. Anyone having a few days
to spare cannot do better than drive out into the surround-
ing country towards Meanee and Taradale, or north in the
direction of Petane.

Napier is a good point of departure from which to
visit GiSBOKNE, a pretty little township lying 80 miles to
the north, in the Auckland province, on Poverty Bay. The
Union Steam Ship Company's steamers run twice-weekly

f bet ween the two places. Gisborne lies on a semicircular bay

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which looks like a miniature copy of Hawke's Ray. The
southern horn is remarkable as being the first land sighted by-
Cook, and received the name of Young Nick's Head^in honour
of the lad who first sighted it. Eound the whole length ot
Poverty Bay there stretches a narrow crescent of flat and
fertile land, backed by tier upon tier of ranges, so that the-
settlement seems as if it were cut off from all communica^
tion with the world except by sea. This settlement, now
the very picture of peace and plenty, was the scene of the-
most painful incident of the late Maori war, when in
November, 1868, Te Kooti surprised the inhabitants and
massacred 33 European settlers and 37 friendly natives..
The particulars of this massacre are of the most horrible
description ; women and children — even babies — were-
murdered without pity: and instances are related of the
most wonderful escapes and of the most heroic endurance.
In the cemetery, which stands at the northern end of the
crescent, three miles from Gisborne, a monument erected to
the victims of the massacre gives the names and ages ob
those who were murdered.

There are two ways by which one may leave Napier.
If it is desired to proceed by sea to some other New-
Zealand port, passage may be taken in one of the UnioU'
Company's steamers which call four times a week at
Napier — twice going down, and twice up the coast. In.
order, however, to get some idea of the resources of HawkeV
Bay one cannot do better than take the overland journey^
either to Wellington or Wanganui, by way of Woodville.
Whether bound to Wellington or Wanganui one must go-
first of all to Woodville, a township in the extreme south
of Hawke's Bay on the Manawatu Eiver ; so that this
part of the journey must first be discussed. The journey,,
then, from Napier to Woodville, consists of 68 miles of

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railway (Napier to Makatuku) and 32 of coach (Makatukir
to Woodville). Fhe days on which the coach meets the-
train at Makatuku are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Thus, by petting out from Napier in the afternoon of
Saturday, Tuesday, or Thursday, a break mijiht be made in
the journey by stopping a night at Makatuku ; but as the-
hotel accommodation at that place is not of the best
description, this course is not to be recommended.

Setting out then on a Monday, Wednesday, or Friday
from Napier at 7.25 a.m., the train runs almost the
whole length of the Hawke's Bay Province ; and a finer
stretch of country it would be difBcult to see in either
hemisphere. The railway passes through many small,,
prosperous townships, and by hundreds of well cultivated
farms. The stock which one sees grazing, up to the knees-
in grass and clover — sheep, cattle, and horses— is sufficient
evidence of the pastoral pre-eminence of this province ;
whilsi the fields of grain — oats and wheat bearing fine
heads on strong, elastic, and even hulms — show the grit of
the soil for agricultural purposes. As the train passes in.
succession such places as Hastings, with its poplars and it»
pines, its churches and its homesteads, its flats of white-
clover and its flocks of long-woolled sheep, you might fancy
yourself in one of the most fertile of the eastern counties of
England. And Hastings is only one such spot. Following
it are Te Ante, with its native school ; Kaikora, a village-
in a large agricultural plain, bounded on each side by soEt,.
undulating downs, and subdivided into fields, stocked with
thoroughbred sheep and cattle ; Waipawa, with its wealth
of Kahikatea timber ; Waipukurau, the ideal of a country
township ; Takapau, with its comfortable station in the-
midst of parks of cabbage-tree^ — the Euataniwha Plain
stretching away to the west as far as the eje can reach ^

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At Ormondville the railway enters the TO-mile bush — and
as the name indicates, the route from this point lies
through a very extensive tract of forest. A coach will be in
waiting when the train reaches Makatuku, the terminus, at
11.30 a.m. and an immediate start is made on the onward
journey to Woodville. This part of the route is of the
most varied description— a succesoion of beautiful stretches
of forest, stump-clearing8, and homesteads. The two chief
townships are the Norwegian settlement of Norsewood and
the Danish i-ettlement of Dannevirke, at which last an
excellent lunch is served up to the passengers by coach.

On arrival at Woodville you mut<t make up your mind
which route to choose, for at this point the routes diverge.
If your chief object be to reach Wellington, there is a
choice of two routes. You may change copch at Woodville
and go on the same evening to Ekatahuna, where you
remain the night, taking coach at Fcven next morning for
Masterton, and thence rail to Wellington, where you arrive
at 6 p.m. ; or you may continue in the same coach and
proceed from Woodville to Palmerston, and thence to
Foxton the same night, leaving Foxton next morning by
the 4.45 coach, and arriving at Wellington about 6 p.m.

Both routes are interesting ; but if the object be not
80 much to reach Wellington at once as to see the country,
it will be better to talie the last-mentioned route, turning
north at Palmerston to visit Wanganui and the Taranaki
Pi evince. The Wairarapa Valley can very easily be visited
from Wellington. Assuming the Palmerston, Wanganui,
and Taranaki route to be the one chosen, we continue on
the coach that has brought us to Woodville, and proceed,
two miles beyond that township, to enter the Manawatu
•Gorge, a cleft in the Kuahine Mountains by which the river
Manawatu, on leaving Hawke's Bay, enters the Wellingtcm.

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Province. A gently sloping and winding avenue leads
-down to the entrance of the gorge, where the river is
spanned by a fine bridge, over which the coach proceeds to
the southern side, and thence along a narrow shelf which is
-cut out on the face of the mountain, and which follows, with
many a sharp bend and curve, all the sinuosities of the river.
Fifty feet below rolls the " drumlie " stream ; on the further
jside of which the buttresses of the hills slope sharply back,
•covered from the water's edge to their summits with a dense
and varied vegetation — tree-ferns, nikau-palms, creepers,
pines — whatever in New Zealand forest life is rich and beauti-
ful ; whilst overhead, from the narrow shelf of road, ihe hills
ascend for many hundred feet with an ascent so steep that
it strains the eyes to follow them to the top. Every here
and there the sides of the gorge are seamed with deep
ravines, darkened to perpetual twilight by the overspread-
ing green of shrubs and ferns that luxuriate in their dank
recesses, down which the cool pellucid runnels tumble from
the hills to mix with the yellow water of the river. Owing
to the windings of the gorge, its^ full magnificence is not at
once revealed; and there is something delightful in the
feeling of expectation with which one looks for fresh revela
tions at each successive turn of the road. After passing
several pretty cascades that tumble down the hillside and
rush through culverts underneath the road, to the river, the
gorge gradually widens, and presently the coach is out in the
open.

On emerging from the gorge, the coach crosses the
Manawatu on a punt, and bowls over the level road between
fields of rich grass covered with excellent stock, to Palmers-
ton, where it arrives about 7 ^ the evening. Palmerston
north, originally founded by a Colony of Norwegians and
Danes, is a town of growing importance. Placed as it is at

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the junction of several important highways, it bids fair to-
become one of the most thriving inland towns in the Colony^
In the centre of the township is a large square which
has been laid out as a park, and which will one day, when
the trees grow, be a great ornament to the place. The hotels,
here are very comfortable, the best being the Royal
Clarendon, Commercial, and Club Hotels.

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CHAPTER XXVI.

WANGANUI AND NEIGHBOURHOOD.

Distance, overland from Wellington, 157 miles.

Coasting steamers run at short intervals between Wellington and
"Wanginui.

Population, 4500.

The Wanganui river is navisrable by canoes for 70 miles ; and
ior steamers of light draught, 35 miles.

Hotels : Kutland, Criterion, Provincial.

A train leaves Wanganui at 8.35 a.m., and reaches New Plymouth
at 6.40 p.m. of same day. The distance between Manutahi and
Hawera (12 miles) must be done by coach.

The train for South leaves Wanganui at 8 a.m., reaching Foxton
at 2 p.m. ; or, leaves Wanganui at 4.15 p.m., reaching Foxton at
S.56 p.m.

The traveller who wishes to proceed from Wanganui at
once to Wellington will, after having tea at one of the
Palmerston hotels, take the 8.30 p.m. train to Foxton,
where he will remain the night, leaving for Wellington next
morning by the 4.45 coach.

Anyone, however, wishing to see something of Taranaki,
will spend the night at Palmerston, and set out next
morning by the 6.45 train for Wanganui, which he will
Teach about 11.20 the same forenoon. The passenger by
train from Palmerston to Wanganui (62 miles) passes
through an exceedingly fine stretch of country, brought to a
bigh state of cultivation, and carrying first-rate stock.
Within a comparatively short time a chain of towns has

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sprung into existence on this route, some of which, such as-
Feilding and Marton, contain a large population, and are-
active centres of business. Before reaching Wanganui three-
considerable rivers are crossed — the Rangitikei, Turakina,
and Whangaehu — all of which run through scenery more^
or less picturesque.

Whoever can spare the time would do well to spend
a few days in the pretty little town of Wanganui Lying
on a fertile alluvial flat, sheltered from every wind by the
high river banks, it is the picture of sunny, prosperous,
contentment. The town itself, which numbers about 4500
inhabitants, contains some handsome wooden buildings, and
, the neighbourhood offers a number of pleasant walks and
rides along both sides of the river, up towards the pointy
down in the direction of the Heads, or out towards St.
John's Hill and Virginia Lake. A fine view of Wanganui
and its surroundings may be had from the sandhills in the
centre of the town, on one of which stands the Rutland'
Stockade, originally built as a protection against the natives
who threatened a descent upon the town, and now used as.
a gaol. An interesting memorial of the war may be seen in
the handsome monument erected by the river side to*
commemorate the heroism of " those brave men who fell at
Moutoa, 14th May, 1864, in defence of Law and Order
against Fanaticism and Barbarism." At that time the^
citizens of Wanganui were in daily expectation of a descent
upon the town by the Hau-haus, who were mustering strong^
about 70 miles up the river. It was tlien that the friendly
Wanganuis, who lived within the settlement, determined to-
oppose the threatened invasion, and sent a challenge to the-
Hau-hau fanatics proposing that they should join battle
next day on the Island of Moutoa. Accepting the challenge
the Hau-haus swept down the river in their canoes, and

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landed without opposition on tho shingle spit of the island^
-where the friendlies were waiting to receive them. Jumping^
on to the shingle, the rebel Maoris kept up their horrid
incantations for two hours, making mystic passes with their
hands and shouting "Hau ! Hau ! " under the impression that
they were in some mysterious way destroying ihe strength
of their enemies. Then they joined in a hand-to-hand
battle. The frendlies were retreating, and the day seemed
to be lost, when Haimona Hiroti, shouting " I will go no-
further," rallied his men and drove the Hau-haus back into
the river, whence but few of them escaped.

The chief places of business in Wanganui are on Taupa
Quay and in Victoria Avenue, the principal street, which
is continued across the river by a very fine iron bridge,,
nearly 600 feet long — provided with a swing which admits,
the passage of vessels up and down the river. From the
north end of this bridge, as the sun is setting over the-
Heads, the citizens of Wanganui can enjoy a picture which,
for brilliant colour and richness of effect, it would be
difficult to surpass in New Zealand or elsewhere. The
brilliant yellow glow of the sky reflected in the quivering^
water, the distinct reflection of the jetty-piles and of the
sloops on the river, the ripple of oars, the long lines of
tremulous light, and, behind all, the low background of hills,
towards the mouth of the river, make up an exceedingly
lovely picture — as full of colour as the sunset afterglow
under which painters love to paint the Scheldt or the Dutch
Rhine.

The train for New Plymouth leaves Wanganui at
8.35 a.m., and reaches Manutahi at 12.20 p.m. At
Manutahi there is a break in the line of railway, the next
twelve miles being done by coaches which are in waiting
daily at the station to convey passengers on to Hawera^

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ivhence ihey may proceed by the 3.15 train and reach New
Plymouth the same evening at 6.55. This break in the
railway from Manutahi to Hawera will in a short time be
bridged over, and then passengers will be able to pass right
through by train from Wanganui to New Plymouth.

Between Wanganui and Manutahi the train passes over
very fine agricultural country and by several thriving town-
ships, chief amongst which are Waverley (23 miles from
Wanganui) with a population of about 700, and Patea, a
seaport town, situated upon a piece of high ground at the
mouth of the Patea river. Patea numbers about 1300
inhabitants, and possesses four hotels and a few considerable
places of business. It is distant from Wanganui 35 miles,
and about 130 by sea from Wellington, with which it holds
more or less communication by vessel. Patea is further an
interesting landmark in the journey, inasmuch as it is the
entrance to tl^e Province of Taranaki, the river here forming
the boundary between that province and Wellington.
Besides those two, other places on the route to Manutahi
are of interest in connection with the Maori war, amongst
others Kai Iwi, Nukumaru, and Waitotara. At Waitotara,
on an elevation visible from the railway station, was the
celebrated Wereroa Pah, which General jOameron considered
so strong that he would not venture to attack it with his
force of 1100 men — estimating the fores required to take
it at 2000. The Governor, however. Sir George Grey,
succeeded in capturing the pah with a force not larger than
473 all told.

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CHAPTER XXVII.

TARANAKI.

From Hawera to New Plymouth two routes may be chosen — the
direct route by rail, the train leaving Hawera at 3.10 p.m. and
reaching New Plymouth at 6.40 the same evening ; or the coast route
by coach, which leaves Hawera about 3 p.m., reaching Opunake
<28 miles) the same night ; leaving Opunake the next morning at
seven o'clock, the coach reaches New Plymouth (40 miles) same day
-at 4 p.m. Through fare, 18s.

Parihaka may be visited from Opunake.

NEW PLYMOUTH.

Population— 3310.

Hotels. — Criterion, Imperial, and Coomber's.

Places of Amusement.— Alexandra and Masonic HalU.

The visitor should ascend Marsland Hill, on which stand the old
Imperial Barracks, now occupied by a detachment of the Armed
Constabulary, inspecting on the way quaint old St. Mary*s Anglican
Church, in whose cemetery lie the remains of many settlers and
-soldiers who fell fighting in the protracted Taranaki war. A further
walk through Mitchinson's garden at the Henui, and a ramble
through the cemetery adjoining, which also contains many mementos
•of the war, will prove interesting ; while the breakwater, new in course
■of construction, with its concrete wall to be carried 2200 feet sea-
ward, should be inspected before leaving.

The return journey from New Plymouth to Wellington may be
made in two days. First day by rail and coach through Wanganui
to Foxton ; second day, by coach to Wellington, Through fare
(including coach and railway fare), first class, £3 Is. lid.; second,
i62 12s. lid.

There is also regular communication with other New Zealand
ports by means of U.S.S. Co.*s steamers.

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The distance from Manutahi to Hawera by coach takes-
about two hours, so that there is only time for dinner at the
latter place before the train sets out for New Plymouth. At
Hawera it will be well to consider what route to choose in
going to New Plymouth. The railway Continues in an
almost straight line inside and east of Mount Egmont, and
New Plymouth is reached the same night There is a
coach, however, that runs from Hawera to New Plymouth,
following the coast line west of Mount Egmont, and taking
part of two days for the journey. Leaving Hawera about
3 p.m. it reaches Opunake (28 miles) the same night A
start is made from Opunake next morning at 7 a.m., and the
coach reaches New Plymouth the same day about 4 p.m.,
the distance covered being about 40 miles. By choosing the
coach route along the coast in going to New Plymouth, and
the railway on the return journey, an excellent opportunity-
is given of seeing the Taranaki Province.

Taranaki is the smallest province of the North Islands
Its northern boundary, the Mokau River, is in latitude
38° 40 ' ; and the southern boundary, the Patea, about
latitude 39° 40'. The eastern boundary runs along the
Wanganui River for the first half of its course. The coast
line stretching from the Mokau to the Patea describes a
rough semicircle, the centre of the circle being the con-
spicuous volcanic cone Mount Egmont (8,270 feet), which is
visible in fine weather from the deck of a vessel 100 miles
out at sea. The base of Mount Egmont, from which the
mountain ascends at first by a very easy gradient, may
measure about 30 miles in diameter. Between the coast
line and tlie base of the mountain there runs a belt of very
fertile country, averaging in breadth about 15 miles. The
outer ring of this belt, that next the coast, is mostly open
flax or fern country, and is very level until you pass Opunake

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•ilk
ik

inii
it,

tabs

t. i

Id tlif

.lie

and approach New Plymouth. The inner ring, that next
the foot of the mountain, is densely wooded. The whole of
this belt is thickly ribbed with rivers, mostly rising in the
Egmont slopes. From New Plymouth to the Patea there
are in all 97 streams, great and small.
^ It is along the edge of this semicircle of well-drained

and well-watered plain, known in colonial history under
the general name of the Waimate Plains, that the coach
road from Hawera to New Plymouth runs. The first day's
coaching (to Opunake) is a somewhat monotonous drive
through budding townships and rich but uninteresting fields
and flax swamps. The sea, though within a mile or two of
l"-^' the road, ia seldom visible, owing to the dead level of the

land and the height of the clijffs that form the coast line.
The one relieving feature in the landscape is the glorious
majesty of Mount Egmont. If he condescends to show his
head it is difficult to feel monotony in his presence, but he
anil is shy of revealing his features to the vulgar eye.

tii'^^ At Opunake the question will arise whether Parihaka

oot is to be visited or not It is certainly well worth a visit,

tk being at present the most considerable native settlement left

xLi in the Island. Parihaka lies along the coach road from

s a Opunake about 1 2 miles. At this point a branch road turns

to the right to the settlement, which lies about a mile from
lis the main road. If economy of time is no object, the

\^i traveller may of course remain a day at Opunake, visit

lie Parihaka, and go on the following day with the coach. But

1} if a day cannot be spared, the only plan is to set out in a

»^ ^^ggy from Opunake some hours before the coach which

V starts at 7 a.m., and, after visiting Parihaka, to get picked

e up by the coach when it passes the settlement about

II 10 am. If arrangements are made with the proprietor

e of the Empire Hotel in the evening, on the arrival of the

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338

coach from Hawera,, he will have you called at the
proper time, and provide a buggy and driver to take you
to Parihaka. If a start is made from Opunake at 5 a.m.,
you will reach Parihaka probably about 7. This will leave
two hours to explore the settlement, and ample time after-
wards to walk down and meet the coach at the main road.

At Parihaka, besides the native pah, there is a
Constabulary Station of considerable size, under the com-
mand of Major Goring. The quarters of the Constabulary
occupy two hills and some flat ground at their foot, the
redoubt, mess-room, and some of the men's cottages
occupying the larger. Major Goring's quarters the smaller
hilL On a flat at the foot of the smaller hill are cricket
and lawn-tennis grounds, covered with a smooth turf of fine
grass. Some natural bush closes in the cricket ground
on one side, whilst a little stream, filled with water-cresses
and edged with ferns, bounds it on another. The whole
Station, from whatever point you look at it, is exceedingly
picturesque, seeming rather the work of a skilful landscape
gardener than the quarters of armed constables. The huts
of the force, neatly built of raupo and thatched with cyperus
and rushes, are constructed after the native pattern ; only in
learning the art of whare-building from the Maoris, the
men have "bettered their instruction." The men of
the force evidently take a pride in the neatness of their
whares and the sweetness of their surroundings. Look
wherever you will your eye rests on the old-fashioned
flowers of English gardens, sweet peas, pansies, mignonette
and such fragrant favourites. The cottage and garden of
the Sergt -major, with its ornamental porch of fanciful
lattice-work, its little garden fenced in with fern-tree and
gay with sweet peas and scarlet runners, its miniature grass
plots, and its runnel of clear water, matted with cress, is a

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home for a poet. And such cottages are perched wherever
the character of the ground makes it evident that nature
intended a cottage to be.

Separated from the A. C. Station by a stream and
gully, is the native pah — ^but how different from the trim
and airy neatness of the constabulary settlement ! It
stands on a clearing in a hollow, surrounded by low hills, from *
which the once plentiful bush is now fast disappearing. The
best point of vantage from which to see the pah is Fort
RoUeston, a small hill in front, which the Volunteers, during
the celebrated "raid," entrenched and mounted with a
6-pound Armstrong gun, to overawe the natives.

. The Waitotaroa river flows through the middle of
the pah, dividing the main village from the quarters
appropriated by visitors from other tribes, chiefly from
Wanganui and Taupo. Immediately in the foreground, on
a small rising ground — the only wholesome situation in this
Maori city — is the Necropolis of the pah, the graves, which
are fenced off with rails of treo-fem, lying thick together,
and overgrown with a tangled mass of broom, fern, and
willows. Bound the whole pah there runs a palisade composed
of upright posts with cross pieces woven in and bound with
flax. The whares, some of which are of a considerable size,
. are arranged in rows, the gable end which contains the
door facing the street In the centre of the village is the
public square, provided with a sort of rude dais or platform
from which Te Whiti used to harangue and teach the
people. The prophet's house is conspicuous by its European
appearance, having been built to receive the Governor when
he proposed to visit the settlement, and handed over to
Te Whiti when it had served that purpose. Anyone who
^ takes a walk through the streets — or, more properly
passages — of the pah will see the usual sights to be seen in

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a large Maori village, old men and women basking in the
sun, children rushing about in a state of nudity, and
swarms of mangy, half-starved curs.; and he will no doubt
regret that nature has not provided hot baths for Parihaka
as for Ohinemutu, so that the citizens might be induced
occasionally to wash. At the doors of some of the whares
•bags or mats may be seen covered with a grey fungus of
gelatinous appearance ; this is the fungus which is so largely
collected by the Taranaki natives and which, after being
dried, is sold for exportation to China.

After inspecting Parihaka the visitor will make his
way back to the main road, taking care not to be late for
the coach, which will take him up at Pungarehu — the spot
which was the beginning of all the Parihaka troubles. It
was here that the natives, acting under Te Whiti's instruc-
tions, were so obstructive when the present coach-road was
being laid off — a course of action which led, in November
1881, to the march on Parihaka, when Te Whiti, Tohu, and
the murderer, Hiroki, were taken prisoners.

The journey from Opunake to New Pljrmoath is of a
much more varied and pleasant character than that from
Hawera to Opunake. The country is greatly diversified with
hill, valley, and bush ; whilst on approaching New Plymouth
the Kaitaki Ranges on the right, and frequent glimpses of
the Pacific on the left, at all times give the eye something
pleasant to rest upon. This part of Taranaki is interesting
as being the cradle of the Hau-hau religion — the fanatical
superstition afterwards so disastrous to the country. The
founder of the faith, Te XJa, lived near Opunake at that part
of the coast where the "Lord Worsley " was wrecked, and
exerted himself to prevent his tribe from looting that vessel.
A short time after the vessel was wrecked, Te Ua begun to
have visions, in which the Angel Gabriel played an impor-

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tant part, telling him to proclaim the new faith, the believers
in which were to be known as the "Pai Marire," the "good
^nd gentle." But the " Pai Marire " religion soon assumed
characteristics and proportions unlooked for by Te XJa, and
became, under such savage prophets as Hepanaia and
Kereopa, a murderous and bloodthirsty fanaticism. It was
at Ahu-Ahu on the New Plymouth road, a few miles south
of Oakura, that the first skirmish took place, in April 1864,
between Europeans and Hau-haus. A detachment of the
•57th and about 100 settlers under Captain Lloyd were
'destroying crops on the Kaitaki Ranges, when a band of
Maoris rushed upon them, barking like dogs, and appearing
to have no fear of death. After a faint resistance the troops
and settlers fled, but Captain Lloyd, who stood his ground
and refused to retreat, was killed. His head was cut off,
and, preserved in the Maori fashion, was thenceforward
•carried throughout the tribes by the propagandists of the
new faith, under the belief that through its mouth their
divinity spoke his oracles.

When the remarkable Sugar-loaves heave in sight, it is
a sign that New Plymouth is not very far away ; and
presently, after passing to the left the Waireka Hill where
a hot engagement with the Maoris took place in 1860, the
coach is rolling past the sharp cone of Paritutu into the
town.

The town of New Plymouth lies about 1 J miles east of
the Sugar-loaf Islands, on a fine sweep of the North
Taranaki Bight, the shore of which glitters with the metallic
lustre of its iron-sand. Of the Sugar-loaf Islands or
Ngamotu, as they are called by the Maoris, the most striking,
Paritutu (which is properly no island, being on the main-
land),, rises in a sharp cone to a height of 503 feet Moturoa,
which is also conical, is 266 feet high, whilst Motumahanga

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(Twin Island) is saddle-backed, the highest cone being 190
feet At present vessels visiting Taranaki lie out in the
roadstead, but a fine harbour, now in course of construction,,
will enable large vessels to come into deep water close to the
town.

There is not much in the town of New Plymouth itself'
to detain the visitor long. It is not a large town — the
population probably not exceeding 3,500 ; but it is pleasantly^
situated at the foot of its green hills, one of which, Marsland
Hill, is worth climbing for the view from the top. Through
the middle of the town a river called the Huatoki flows ; and
further to the east another, the Henui, near which are the-
Cemetery, a pretty spot with several interesting monuments.
of the Taranaki wars, and Mitchinson's fine nursery
gardens, both well worthy of a visit.

Before leaving New Plymouth on the return journey, a
pleasant ride by train may be taken to the township of*
Waitara (sometimes called Raleigh) about 12 miles east of
New Plymouth on the Waitara River. The country on both
sides of the river is extremely fertile, and the whole river-
basin is intimately associated ^ith the inter-tribal native
wars and the outbreaks between Europeans and Natives.
Beyond the Waitara, and about 36 miles from New
Plymouth, are the White Cliffs, at which the Rev. John
Whiteley, with Lieutenant Gascoigne, his wife, and three-
children, were so treacherously and brutally murdered by
some Mokau Maoris.

If the coast route has been taken in coming to New
Plymouth, the railway route will naturally be taken going
back. The distance from New Pljrmouth to Wellington
may be done in two days. By leaving New Plymouth the
first day by the 7.15 a.m. train, Foxton may be reached at
9.55 p.m. the same night; and from Foxton to Wellington

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makes one day's coaching. The train on leaving New
Plymouth runs east for 8 miles to Sentry Hill, where the
distinct lines of a redoubt may be traced, in a mad attempt
to storm which Titokowaru lost an eye. From Sentry Hill
the train turns south, running behind Mount Egmont, in a
straight line to Hawera, almost along the track cut through
the bush by General Chute in January 1866. There are
many rising settlements along the line of railway, the most
flourishing of which are perhaps Inglewood and Normanby,
each with a population of about 400.

From the train, if the weather is fine, an excellent
view may be had of Mount Egmont Seen on a clear,,
sunny day, when the snows on its top are unobscured by
mists or cloud, the appearance of this mountain is most
majestic ; but, if you would see it at its best, it must be-
when the clouds are driving about its summit, not in
massive shrouds, but in long sun-lit flakes and wreaths, now^
creeping down the mountain buttresses into the dark
ravines that seam its face, now moving like a gauze curtain
across the side, or floating away from the shoulder of the
mountain to be dissipated into invisible vapour in the blue
sky. Occasionally the very apex of the mountain is seen to
emerge from the massive sea of cloud that floats upon its
sides ; and this appearance of the crest towering above the
clouds gives one a sense of enormous height. As the sun
rounds towards the west, and the cone looms up black
against the brightness of the sky, the violence of con-
trast between the light, where the sun shoots back from a
sloping buttress of snow, and the shade where the sunless
ravines are almost already in the darkness of twilight, is.
very impressive. Anyone fond of mountain climbing will
find Mount Egmont quite practicable. But a spell of fin&

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344

weather must be chosen for the climb, and a reliable guide
must be obtained to point out the track.

At Normanby, if you choose to stay a day or two, you
may see several places of great interest in connection with
the Taranaki War. At Turu-Turu-Mokai, about half-way
between Normanby and Hawera, a terrible attack was made
•on a garrison of 25 men occupying the redoubt, Captain
George Ross and nine of his men being killed, and most
of the others wounded. About seven miles north of
Normanby, across the Waingongoro river, is Te Ngutu-o-te
Manu, which will always have sad associations for colonists,
from the disastrous fat« of the expedition sent to attack it
in 1868, when Von Tempsky and many other brave men
fell in the bush in an attempt to carry the pah by storm
A grassy clearing, surrounded by dense bush, marks the
position of the pah, but the only relics left of this disastrous
engagement are the charred trunks of the gigantic ratas
from which the Maoris poured such a deadly fusilade upon
Von Tempsky and his rangers.

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345

CHAPTER XXVIII.

WELLINGTON.

The Capital of New Zealand and Seat of Government.

Population, including suburbs, 20,563.

Principal Hotels. — Occidental, Empire, Albert.

Clubs. — Wellington (resident). Central (non-resident). Admis-
rfiion to both granted on member's introduction.

Public Buildings. — Houses of Parliament, Government House,
Government Buildings, Post and Telegraph OMces, Supreme Court-
house, New Hospital, Colonial Museum (in which is a perfect
specimen of a Maori house), Athenaeum (reading-room open to
strangers).

Place op Amusement.— Theatre Royal.

Conveyances. — Steam and horse tram-cars run along the main
routes at frequent intervals to Newton (fare 3d.), and cabs ply in the
principal thoroughfares (fare 6d.), while hackney carriages (2-horse)
• can be hired at 5s. per hour.

Places of Intebest. — A walk of less than a mile from the
terminus of the tram-line brings one to Island Bay. By ascending
Mount Victoria — Signal Station — or by walking along Wellington
Terrace to the R. C. Cemetery, a line view of the harbour and city
is obtained. The Botanical Gardens^ situated in the hills behind the
. city, deserve a visit A visit should also be paid to WNeib's Gardens at
the Hutt (9 miles), an hour's pleasant drive from town, or by rail
.(fares — first class. Is. 9d. ; second class, Is. 2d. ; return, 2s. 3d. and
Is. 6d.). The gardens cover an area of eight acres, and are rich in
the possession of horticultural rarities.

The railway which connects Wellington with the rich Wairarapa
•district is a triumph of engineering skill. Visitors should not fail to
-lake a run en this line at least as far as Cross Creek, the station
at the foot of the hill on the Wairarapa side. (43 miles. Fares —
First class, single, 8s. Id. ; second class, 5s. 6d. ; return, Saturday

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346

and Sunday, lOs. 9d. and Ts. 2d.) During the journey the traveller-
passes through scenery of the most varied and picturesque descrip-
tion.

Wellington to Napief.— Coach leaves the booking-office,
Lambton Quay, at 4.30 a.m., for Foxton, Mondays, Wednesdays, and
Fridays ; leave Foxton 4.25 p m. train to Palmerstou, remain nighty
thence following morning at 5.30 a.m. by coach to Makatuku
(distance 49 miles) and thence by 2 p.m. train, arriving at Napier
6.30 p.m. Fares (including train) — First class, £4 Is. ; second
class, £3 12s. 8d.

Also by 7.20 a.m. train from Wellington, Mondays, Wednesdays,
and Fridays, to Masterton ; • from Masterton by coach at 1.20 p.m..
for Eketahuna (distance 30 miles), remain night; leave Eketahuna.
following morning at 4.30 a.m. for Makatuku; thence by 2 p.m -
train, and arrive at Napier at 6.30 p.m. Fares (including train)
— First class, £3 17s. 9d. ; second clast, £3 68.

Also by the U.S.S. Co.'s steamers (203 miles), which make the
passage in about 18 hours, landing passengers at the Spit, whence
cabs ply frequently to the town, a distance of two miles (fare. Is.).

For return journey, see Napier.

The train from New iPlymouth and Wanganui reaches.
Foxton at 9.55 p.m., and the coach for Wellington sets out
from the latter place about 4.45 next morning. The coach
makes its way through loose sand from Foxton down
towards the mouth of the Manawatu (which is crossed in a.
punt) till it reaches the firm beach, along which it proceeds-
for about 38 miles to Paikakariki. The hard clean sand
which the horses' feet hardly indent, and which sends up-
no unpleasant dust, the fresh saline breeze blowing from the
sea, which sometimes washes in about the wheels of the
coach, the sight of the well-wooded Tararua ranges away to
the left, behind the sea-board plain, all go to make this part
of the journey particularly delightful This part of the
country is interesting, too, as that over which the victorious.
Bauparaha passed in his march of conquest from Kawhia
to Cook Strait ; and the island of Kapiti, the goal of his.

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347

longings, lies before you throughout the whole journey, till
it is left behind on entering the hills abreast of Paikakariki
The route crosses in succession the Horowhenua, Ohau,
Otaki, and Waikanae rivers. At the village of Otaki,
where there was for many years a mission station, may be
3een a marble bust of Rauparaha, set up in the public
square of the township, near a wooden obelisk of a
mysterious character erected by the Maoris. An excellent
lunch is provided at the Paikakariki Hotel, which is reached
about 2 p.m.

The ascent of the hill above Paikakariki is undoubtedly
iihe finest part of the journey from Foxton to Wellington.
By a zig-zag, the coach reaches a height of something like
1000 feet above sea level, from which the Pacific is seen
jstretching away below, following the line of sandy beach
in a sort of a double curve towards the north, and extending
^southwards into Cook Strait, till it washes amongst the
peninsulas and promontories of the Middle Island : whilst
the oblong Elapiti and the tabular island of Mana lie
mapped out on the water with peculiar distinctness. No
long time, however, is allowed to look at this beautiful
sight ; for the coach crosses the hill and descends to the
Porirua Harbour, passing, on the way, Horokiwi, where a
desperate engagement took place in 1846, when a detach-
ment of the 99th Regiment and a contingent of blue-jackets
attempted to storm a strong pah held by Rangihaeta.
Porirua is associated with the history of early mission
•enterprise, as well as with the later history of Rauparaha —
this being the place where that warrior was " kidnapped" by
Sir George Grey and carried on board the " Calliope." The
road skirts the edge of the harbour, which is eight miles in
length, and, after leaving the water's edge, ascends through
3, fine valley to Johnsonville, whence it descends by the

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348

Ngahauranga Gorge to Wellington, the last three miles oF
the road being along the Wellington Harbour.

There are various reasons why the City of Wellington
should have a special interest for the visitor to New Zealand.
It possesses considerable natural beauty. It has a magnifi-
cent harbour from which is exported the varied and valuable
produce of the province of which this is the chief city ; and
finally it is the seat of government and the capital of the
Colony. The Province of Wellington, covering on area of
something like 7,200,000 acres, stretches from Port Nicholson
north almost to Lake Taupo, a distance of about 150 miles.
From Pencarrow Head, on the right as you enter the harbour^
the well wooded and not very lofty Tararua Range runs north
through the province like a backbone, dividing it into two
great plains — on the west, the long, littoral plain that follows
the shore of the South Taranaki Bjght to Patea ; on the east
the remarkable Wairarapa Plain, which is again hedged in
on the eastward by broken ranges, of which the most distinct
is the Puketoi Range. The continuity of the Tararua Range
is broken by the Manawatu River, which flows through it
to the West Coast. But beyond the gorge the range i&
continued under the name of the Ruahine, and forms the
boundary between the Provinces of Wellington and Hawke'a
Bay.

It is to be expected that the city which is the outlet for
a large province abounding in rich pasture and in almost
every kind of valuable native timber, should take a foremost
place amongst New Zealand cities. Wellington has, besides^
the honour of seniority amongst her sister cities. It was in
the year 1839, before New Zealand had yet become an
independent Colony, that the " Tory," commanded by
Captain Chaffers, cast anchor in Port Nicholson. This was
a preliminary expedition sent out by the New Zealand

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349

Company; and in the following year, January 22nd, the
" Aurora " reached Port Nicholson with the first party of
settlers. Under the new Constitution Act, the first
.Superintendent of the Province of Wellington was elected
in 1853; and in 1865 the seat of government was shifted to-
Wellington, and this city became the capital of the Colony.

Undoubtedly that of which the citizens of Wellington
are most proud is their harbour ; and indeed it is something
of which to be proud. Entered by a narrow entrance, where
a few jagged reefs show their teeth, leaving a deep and safe
channel in the middle, the harbour opens up into a magnifi-
cent sheet of water, some 19,000 acres in extent, where the
largest ships can ride in perfect safety, and advance to load
or unload at the very streets of the town. Anyone who
walks along the curved line of Lambton Quay — the chief
business thoroughfare of Wellington — will hardly require to
be told that he is walking on what was once the strand.
Since the time when this was the coast line, however, the
burghers of Wellington have driven back the sea, and so
have obtained that of which they stood much in need, a con-
siderable extent of level land to form the business part of
the city ; and still further reclamations between the Queen's
Wharf and Te Aro are in contemplation.

In order to get a good view of the whole city, one can-
not do better than ascend the hill behind it. By walking
along Wellington Terrace, which leads by a very gradual
ascent to the hill on which lies the Koman Catholic
Cemetery, it is possible to command an excellent view of the
Te Aro flat — the most populous part of Wellington — stretch-
ing away to the south and evidently fast extending its
limits. In this part of the city are the Asylum, Hospital^
College, Armed Constabulary Barracks, and the Sussex
Square Recreation Ground. Beyond Te Aro the Signal

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350

^Station on Mount Victoria is a prominent object ; and on.
the further side of the mount lies Evans' Bay, with its pretty
township of Kilbimie, which may be reached by a pleasant
drive round by Oriental Bay and past the Patent Slip.
Looking down in another direction, north from the Cemetery,
you get a view of Thomdon and the Botanical Gardens.
In Thomdon are many fine wooden buildings, amongst
others Government House, the Parliament Buildings, and
the Roman Catholic Cathedral. Behind the Cathedral is the
Museum, and on the southern side of Lambton Quay are the
•Government Offices — said to.be the largest wooden building
in the world. An inspection of the excellent library in the
Parliament Buildings will delight the lover of books ; and
the Maori House in the Museum is one of the sights of the
Oolony. This house, which is 43 feet 8 inches long, and 18
feet broad, was* built by the Ngatikaipoho, a tribe resident
-on the shores of the Bay of Plenty, and famous for their
skill in carving. Along the sides and ends are slabs of
Totara elaborately carved in the most approved Maori style,
while the interspaces are filled with wooden panels, fluted
in imitation of the toi-toi grass (Arundo conspicuaj which
usually lines the better class of Maori buildings. The
house, besides being itself a perfect specimen of Maori art,
•contains a very large collection of Maori curios, every sort
of weapon and household appliance being numerously
represented.

The Botanical Gardens, which cover about a hundred
acres of hilly ground behind the city, lie half-a-mile up the
Tinakori road, about half-an-hour's easy walk from Lambton
Quay. It is a well-kept garden and, from the nature of the
ground, presents many varied features — ^trim beds, winding
walks, smooth grass banks, and fine groups of specimen-trees.
But the great feature of the gardens is the gully, where, in

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.ts ib Horton, Auckland.

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STISET, WELLINGTON. Engraved by WiUom iC* Horton, Auckland.

(^rup/i by Jas. Bragge.

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351

the dense shade of the natural bush, ferns and kindred
plants flourish as they are rarely found to flourish in the
neighbourhood of cities.

The great sight of Wellington is undoubtedly the
harbour. Seen from Waterloo Quay in a bright calm day,
when the water is smooth, and the gulls are floating in the
air er dipping into the water, the secure peacefulness and
capacious roominess of this harbour are very striking.
Soames' Island — the quarantine station — lies in front about
four miles from the city : away to the left lie Petone and the
liower Hutt ; to the right is Mount Victoria, with pleasant
villas clustering near its foot, upon the shore of the bay ;
and the distant ranges descend and lock the harbour in an
amphitheatre of dimpled hills — baked and browned with
sun and weather. Beautiful as this harbour is now, how
much more beautiful must it have been when those hills
were feathered with foliage to the water's edge !

No one thinks of leaving Wellington without seeing
the Hutt — the pleasant village that lies where the Hutt
river enters the bay. Here is the Wellington racecourse ;
and here, too, are McNab's Gardens, one of the lions of
Wellington. The visitor, going from Wellington to the Hutt,
may either drive along the pleasant road which skirts the
western side of the bay, or he may go by rail HaK-a-mile
from the Hutt Station, by a pretty road bordered with
trees and gardens, will bring him to McNab's Gardens,
where, on payment of a shilling, he may spend a few hours
on pleasant lawns and amongst beds of beautiful and
fragrant flowers. On entering the gate, an avenue, some
seventy yards long, bordered with handsome tree-ferns, leads
up to the house, a quaint gabled building, smothered in
Cloth of Gold roses. In front of the house is a smooth-
cropped lawn, dotted over with some of the finest specimen

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352

conifers in the Colony. A labjninth of walks conducts^
one through the flower garden, and nothing could better-
illustrate the accommodating geniality of the New Zealand
climate than the magnificent collection of plants that Mr.
McNab has gathered round him from every latitude and
longitude. In addition to excellent specimens of native trees
and shrubs, there are fine single specimens of cedar, abies,
pine, and picea, some of them very rare in this Colony :
orange, lemon, a nd loquat trees : araucarias and palm trees.
The long coralline racemes of the erythrina, and the lacy
sprays of the jacaranda, grow side by side with the old-
fashioned sweet-smelling favourites of British gardens —
stocks and mignonette, roses and lilies. Pic-nic parties >
wishing to spend the day amidst the leafy beauties of the
Hutt, will find Mr. McNab a most attentive and courteous
host. They may make sure of abundant fruit in season, of
excellent cream and fresh butter, and of cut flowers to their
hearts' desire.

If the visitor's time at Wellington admits of it, let him
by all means take a trip up the Wairarapa Valley. Not
only will he t hus extend his knowledge of the Colony by
the sight of one of its most famous valleys, but he will see
in the railway over the E-imutaka, a piece of engineering
well worthy his inspection, and some forest scenery of
unsurpassed grandeur.

A day will do for the trip. Leaving Wellington by
the 7.20 a.m. train, you reach Masterton at 12.10 p.m.
After dining at Masterton you leave by the 2.5 p.m. train,,
reaching Wellington again at 6.55 p.m. On leaving the
Hutt village the train, after passing along a rich alluvial
valley, reaches Silver-Stream where the valley expands and
runs away on either side to the foot of a well-wooded range.
Passing further up the flat, through birch woods and stump*

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numbered 44,097, being 24,368 males, and 19,729 females ; and the^
Chinese, 5,033, of whom 16 were females. At the 30th June, 1884^
the population of the Colony was estimated at 552,507 persons,,
exclusive of Maoris and Chinese.

VITAL STATISTICS.

A recent return gives the following : —

Birth-rate, 37*95 per 1000 of the population.
Marriage-rate, 13*28 „ „ „ „

Death-rate, 23*8 „ „

^IMPORTS AND EXPORTS.

Customs Revenue Returns for the year ended 31st March^.
1884 :—
Total value of Imports into New Zealand £7,477,287

Total value of Exports 6,863,583

Total amoimt of Duty 1,548,304

GOLD EXPORTED.

Return of gold exported from 1 st April, 1857, to 31st December,
1883 :—

Total quantity for New Zealand ... 10,322,333 ozs.

Of the value of £40,457,495

WOOL SHIPMENTS.

Total quantity of wool exported from New Zea-
land for the season 1883-84 77,174,676 lbs.-

Of the value of £3,136,699

EXPORT OP FROZEN MEAT.

Return showing the total number of sheep exported from New
Zealand since commencement in February, 1882, to 31st August^
1884.

Shipped from the following Provincial Districts :

Auckland 7,549

32,970

10,132

91,267

130,412

136,892

409,222

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Hawke*s Bay

Marlborough

Wellington

Canterbury

Otago

.Ul.

AOBICULTUBAL STATISTICS.
Average yield per acre in New Zealand, 1884, wheat 26J bushels
» i> it oats 35 „

„ „ „ barley 30 „

„ ,i „ potatoes 5^ tons

ESTIMATE OF SHEEP I» NEW ZSALAIO), 1884.

Estimated number of sheep in Colony on 3l8t May, 1884, 13,980,000.

PEOPEETY TAX RETUBNS

For the year ending 31st December, 1883.
Assessment capital value of real property under the Pro-
perty Assessment Act

Keal Estate £101,000,000-.

Personal Property 64,000,000

£165,000,000

Mortgages (Foreign Capital) ,. 16,018,904

Do (Colonial) 14,997,557

£30,016,461

Exclusive of railways, telegraphs, and other public works.

FBEBHOLD ESTATE.

30,684 persons and 80 companies own 18,511,350 acres freehold
land outside boroughs and townships, of the value of £53,350,812.

Of these, two companies hold areas over 150,000 acres, two over
100,000, one over 75,000, and three over 50,000. The total number
of freeholders in the Colony is 71,240, of whom 30,764 own 5 acres-
and upwards of country land.

THE NATIONAL DEBT OP NEW ZEALAND.

Gross Public Debt, 31st March, 1884 ... £32,367,711

Less Sinking Fund Accrued 2,792,808>

£29,574,903

Cash balance in hand 31st March, 1884 877,912

remaining to be expended out of the Five Million Loan

Deducting cost of construction of railways, £11,251,633, from
the total indebtedness of £29,574,903, leaves £18,323,270, as the
National Debt of the Colony at the present time apart fronv
railways.

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Amount of Public Debt per head, less Sinking Fund accrued,
£53 198. 9d.

MINERAL SPBINGS.

The following are the analyses of five types of the mineral

waters in the Hot Lake and Waiwera Districts :—

Te Tarata (White Terrace).

Grains

per gallon.

68-48

1-62

•63

•51

7 84

2-57

62-61

traces

Silicate of Soda

Mono Silicate Lime

,, Magnesia

„ Iron ...

Sulphate of Soda ...

Chloride of Potassium
,, Sodium...

Phosphate of Alumina

Lithium

Temperature, 210*

144-16

OtukapuarAngi (Pink Terrace).
Silicate Lime

Grains
per gallon.

1-91

„ Magnesia

... ... .

1-16

Chloride Potassium ...

••• ... .

1-05

„ Sodium

••• ... •

93-56

Sulphate Lime

••• ... .

10*96

Alumina as a phosphate

,,,

-64

SiUca, free

43-95

Lron Oxides

...

traces

Temperature, 204° to 208*" ... ... ... 15312

Tb Pupunitanga (The Priest's Bath).

Sulphate of Soda ... ... ... ... 19-24

Po-ash ... ... ... ... traces

Lime ... ... ... ... 7-41

Magnesia ... ... ... 3-03

Alumina ... ,„ ,., 21-67

Iron ... ... ... ,,, 1.24

Sulphuric Acid ... ... ... .,. 22-12

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Hydrochloric Acid ...
Silica

Solphoretted Hydrogen ...
Carbonic-acid G^
Temperature, 94* to 110°

Whangapipibo C* Madame Bachers Bath*')*

74-711
3-65

18 41

96-7r
2-98
2- 16.

Chloride of Sodium ...

yy Potassium

„ Lithium
Sulphate of Soda ...
Silicate of Soda

„ Lime

ff Magnesia
Iron and Alumina Oxides
Silica ...

Carbonic-acid Gas
Temperature, 170*" to 210°

Waiwb&a.

Chloride of Sodium ...
„ Potassium
„ Lithium...
Iodide of Magnesium
Sulphate of Soda
Bicarbonate of Soda
,, Lime

Iron .

Alumina...
-Silica

Temperature, 110*

Grains

per gallon..

69-43

3-41

traces*

11-80

18-21

4-2^

l-0»

2-41

5-87-

116-46
3-7^

Grains

per gallon.

116-715.

•091

traces-

traces>

-38,^

87-515

10-692

•954

-683

traces.

2-464

219-495.

;

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aottepmcnt Ji)[^ IttSttitan^n J^artmcnt.

The GoTemment Insurance Department is the only Vew
Zealand Life Insurance Office.

No business is transacted out of the Colony : the full benefit of the low rate of
mortality in New Zealand being thus secured, the extra risks of inferior climates
4ure avoided, and the entire funds of the Department retained in the Ck}lony for
investment.

Government Security for the Pasrment of every Poller*

The all-important consideration for insurers is the security for ptmnent of the
sum assured. Policy-holders in this Department obtain THE SECUHITY OF THE
<X)LONY, in addition to that of a Mutual Insurance Ofllce.

Policy-holders are entitled by Law to the whole of the Profits

The surplus Profits for the ten years ended 30th June, 1880, amounted to
£77,000, of which £56,000 was divided amongst policy-holders, with usual
bonus options.

Prospective or Intermediate Bonus

Has the same object in view as an Annual Division op Profits, without the cow
of a yearly investigation.

Moderate Premiums.

This Department alone combines the advantages of MLiTUAL ASSURANCE
with MODERATE PREMIUMS and GOVERNMENT SECURITY. A poUcy for as
much as £1,200 to £l,250 may be secured from the first in this office for the
same yearly premium as would elsewhere purchase only filOOO- In addition to
this advantage, which is equivalent to an IMMEDIATE BONUS of £200 or
more, all surplus profits that may arise belong entirely to the Assured.

Liberal Regulations.

POLICY-HOLDERS have an absolute right to a surrender value defined bt
LAW, and not subject to the discretion of Directors,

POLICIES CANNOT BE FORFEITED FOR NON-PAYMENT OF PREMIUMS
when entitled to a Surrender value, ana unencumbered by a loan, for a period not
less ♦han one-half their age at the date of non-pagment.

POLICY-HOLDERS CAN BORROW ON SECURITY OF THEIR POLICIES,
4kt 6 per cent, interest, to the extent of 90 per cent, of the cash surrender value.

POLICY-HOLDERS MAY TRAVEL or reside m any part of the world without
license or extra charge.

POLICY-HOLDERS may engage in any occupation without license or extra
•charge.

POLICIES AFTER FIVE YEARS' DURATION are, if age has been admitted,
indisputable and unchallengeable, on any grounds whatever, except fraud or
suicide of the insured within the first twelve months.

POLICIES ARE PROTECTED FROM BANKRUPTCY after two years to the
■extent of £200 ; after five years, to £500 ; after seven years, to £1,000 ; after ten
years, to £2,000.

PROPOSERS NEED NOT PAY AN INCREASED PREMIUM, but may have
in lieu of the loading an equivalent debt indorsed on policy, which will be satisfied
should the assured attain the average duration of life.

PROOF OF AGE MADE EASY on application to the Head Officce or any
Agent of the department.

For TOTAL ABSTAINERS there is a SPECIAL SECTION, in which PROFITS
are ALLOCATED SEPARATELY.

Forms and full information at awy Money O^de^
the Colony, <^^

D. M. LUCKIF Jfei^er.

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