ACCOUNT OF AN EXPLORING EXPEDITION TO THE S.W. OF NELSON.

[.Concluded from page S.J

10th. — We this morning commenced our exploration, having been until now upon a known route. At our last night's encampment we left thirty-five pounds of flour, with other provisions, for our return, and for the first time had our loads materially lightened. To outwit his old enemies, the rats, E Kehu buried the provisions, nicely lining the bole with bark, and covering the place over with ashes; a proceeding which we certainly should not have decided upon for security against burrowing animals, but which he knew was effective.

We proceeded up the bed and shingle banks of the Howard, taking its right branch, travelling- -.itnong some highly picturesque grass and manuka ridges on a course to the S.S.W. for the Roturoa lake, between which and our dining place our guide informed us was a very high hill, which we must ascend that afternoon or the next morning, and the clambering of which would cause us to be matemoi, or " kilt " with the fatigue of carrying such loads as we still had. The better to make us understand his m«ir.ing, and for the purpose of illustration, he would, in mimicry of one of us, pretend to take « few steps up a steep acclivity, then suddenly ■top to take breath, and supporting himself with hia hands on his knees in a stooping attitude, wou'd look with mo«t rueful countenance up-

ward, gasp a little, make a desperate rush onward for a few steps, and fall as if exhausted, saying in conclusion that the mountain was " no good!" "too much!" With this pleasant prospect before us we left the stream at about three miles from our last encampment, having made an early dinner in consequence of being assured that we should meet with no water on the mountain, and commenced the ascent of the wooded mountain to our right, still keeping much the same bearing of S.S.W. The forest. was of black birch, almost the only timber in these high elevations, nearly devoid of underbrush, and the ascent steep only in places occasionally, but still long and wearisome, still upward and upward ! But this was not E Kehu's " big hill," only a little one in comparison to it. " By-and-by, you see," was the consoling answer to all our interrogatives as to when the ascent of the main ridge was to be commenced, until at length, when we appeared to have reached the elevation of the highest bills around, our guide told us to halt ; he had circumvented the " big hill," and we would have no farther to ascend. He had, in fact, found a new ridge by which to gain the summit of the mountain-range, and, by heading a deep ravine, had avoided the necessity of descending into the hollow and reascending its opposite side. The distance travelled this day from the grass plains was about eight miles, and the path one along which pack mules might be taken without much difficulty. 11th. — After walking about a mile this morning we perceived that the greatest elevation bad been attained ; and the native, pointing downward, showed us the lake of the Roturoa, which appeared indistinctly through the foliage, far beneath us. We hurried down the steep ridge to the lake, occasionally catching glances of various parts of the long expanse of water through the birch forest as we descended.

Similar to the Rotuiti, the hills at the large lake descend steeply to the water's edge on both its sides, leaving but occasional shingle beaches along its margin. The lake appeared about twelve miles long, with an average breadth of one mile. The point at which we had come upon it was about a mile and a-half from its north-western extremity, whence flows the river Gowan to its junction with the Buller, or large western river, which descends through the Devil's Grip and grass valley from the Rotuiti lake. After receiving the waters of the Gowan the large river keeps a mean course of W.S.W., and having been augmented by the waters of the Tiraumea, Matin, and Otawpawa, must meet the sea to the 6outh of Cape Foulweather.

Just at the spot at which we had come upon the lake, and under some bushes, was a small canoe, which had been constructed by the natives when at the Roturoa last year. It was speedily launched, and, with ourselves and our packs, was so loaded as to render it doubtful whether we could cross the lake in it without its swamping. Away, however, we paddled, being obliged to observe the greatest nicety of balance to prevent oversetting; for the canoe being a tiwai, or one without top-sides, took in the slight ripple to windward; and as we looked down and caught sight of the rocky bottom of the lake, some forty feet below, which we could see through the transparent water, thoughts arose concerning the impropriety, not to say inconvenience, of leaving our bones in such a locality.

Certainly it was a new method of exploring, and we enjoyed tbe ease of it exceedingly. As we left the shore the whole expanse of the lake became visible, with its densely wooded shores, and the high snowy mountain-range at its head, in its wild grandeur, closing the view. Grebes and divers, with other water-birds, were floating about on the surface, nor did the instability of our shallop deter us from getting a shot at them. Then away would rattle a flock of wildfowl, their noise being the next moment followed by the various echoes of the report reflected back from the hills.

The native now allowed the canoe to glide down with the waters of the Gowan where they left the lake, and we passed rapidly beneath a handsome white pine forest on the river-bank : immediately after which the canoe was put in towards the northern bank, and we landed on a grassy opening of about thirty acres, surrounded by black birch wood and manuka. Here the natives had formerly built a house, and endeavoured to grow some potatoes on a small patch of cleared ground, where, however, the rats soon ate the seed. It was one of their favourite eelfishingr stations, and we had every prospect of an abundance of excellent provision from the lake and river, during our stay at the Roturoa.

We encamped on the immediate edge of the river ; and as soon as dark two of the party, with E Kehu, took the canoe to the opposite side of the river, where, mooring it to a flax bush, they commenced fishing, or, more properly, endeavouring to fish, for between the two they found a wide difference. The Maori watched the eels at the bottom, and putting the

bait in their way, had them the next moment in the canoe, splashing the more unfortunate sportsmen who stUl had nothing but nibbles. After supper, when we had relinquished the sport, he recrossed the river, and, to dispel all feelings of lonesomeness, commenced chanting his Wesleyan missionary service, mixing with the translated version of the ritual special incantations to the taipo of the lake and river for propitious weather and easy fords, together with request to the eels to bite quickly, and not keep him longer in the cold. Then, as he caught ope which would not die quick enough to please him, would he introduce some decidedly uncomplimentary language which he had learnt at a whaling station, and again subside into the recitation of his Wesleyan catechism and hmynbook, bringing in our various names in the versification. He did not leave off until long after we were asleep; and in the morning when we awoke, four fine eels were roasting for breakfast, and other four were hanging from an adjacent tree. 12th. Having determined to spend a day at the Roturoa, we commenced equipping our canoe for the intended trip along the lake. Three paddles were quickly cut out of a tree, and we started for a day's pleasuring on the " large lake," or, as we named it, Lake Howick. Forcing the canoe briskly against /the strong current of the river, we were soon past its influence and on the still water of the lake. Landing the native on a fern-hill, near the Gowan, for the purpose of shooting pigeons, we proceeded in the canoe along the southern side of the Howick, paddling close to the overhanging forest of birch and ritnu which covered the adjacent hill-sides and reflected its beautiful foliage in the still lake. The motion of a canoe is not unsuitable to the proper enjoyment of such a scene, nor is the labour of paddling such as to cause fatigue. Occasionally would we dash along to the time of some animating chorus, and then, withdrawing our paddles, suffer the canoe to glide silently past a point beyond which we should obtain a new and more extended view of the lake. At other times we would steer out into the middle of the lake, endeavouring to near a grebe, or seeking for a fresh point of view for sketching the surrounding shores, discussing the while the practicability of ascending at some future time the great chain of the " Southern Alps," which tower over the eastern end of the Howick and divides it from the Rotuiti and Port Cooper countries.

At a small beach, about six miles from our morning's encampment, we landed for the purpose of cooking our dinner, which consisted of a pigeon and some damper. Discussed the probability of the Howick becoming the future resort of East Indian diseased-liver invalids ; of ths propriety of having pleasure-boats on the lake, with a tontine hotel at the Gowan, and mules for excursions to the surrounding mountains and points of view. Spirit of Picnics, here should thy temple be. Before our dinner was well over the heavy clouds gathering over the lower end of the lake warned us to hasten our return ; and before we had paddled a mile on our way back, the wind had increased to such a degree that, with our heavily laden canoe, the " sea " which arose added neither to our pleasure nor safety. We, however, crept along close in shore, putting her bow on whenever the waves were threatening, and at length reached our new encampment, which we had formed on the southern shore, in order to be ready to proceed at once on our way to the Tiraumea on the next morning. On our way back we landed for E Kehu, whom we had left on a fern-hill to shoot pigeons, and who had killed six and a woodhen. In the course of a day and a-half we obtained at the Roturoa, without any trouble, 6 pigeons, 4 blue ducks, 10 eels, and 4 wekas, or woodhens, the last being snared by the native. The method of catching these birds is singular and amusing. The native, when in a locality which he thinks likely to be frequented by woodhens, imitates, with a whistle made of a flax-leaf, the cry of the bird, which somewhat resembles the call of a partridge. If one be within hearing it will answer, or more generally several will respond to the cry, and the native, listening for a moment attentively, informs you of their number and position. Breakfast or dinner may then be cooked and disposed of, the wekas, saving tbe trouble, being as good as caught, and forming an exception to the rule contained in the old proverb of " a bird in the hand," &c. When at leisure, the Maori provides himself with two slight sticks or canes, of the lengths of about four and six feet. To the end of the shorter he attaches a bunch of feathers, or even leaves, and to the longer a small running noose of flax, and with these proceeds in the direction whence the sound came. When he considers himself near enough he stops, and crouching down amongst the underwood, but without caring to be concealed, imitates the more familiar call of the bird by a peculiar grunting sound made in the throat. In a short time the woodhen appears, and the native rustles the feathers at the end of

his stick, making a chirping noise in wife™*, and the weka, mistaking the moving object for a bird, is led by the pugnacity of Us disposition to attack it, in advancing to do which the noose is quietly put over its head, and with a jerk upward it is caught alive. An amusement with which were the editor of Punch acquainted, he would not fail to recommend for ariatocratical diversion in the royal preserves and poultryyards. 13th. Laundry work disposed of; fine "drying weather." Proceeded from our encampment on the Roturoa for about three miles in a S.S.W. direction, through a pass towards the Tiraumea valley, which was the next locality to be visited, when we were obliged to encamp by a change in ths weather. Put up a blankethouse, which we subsequently considerably enlarged and improved by adding to it walls and back of bark stripped from the surrounding birch trees. Amused ourselves with the pursuit of comfort under difficulties.

14th. Fine. After ascending slightly for about a mile, found the water flowing to the southward, and proceeded down a ravine to the S.W., walking in the bed of the stream, or through tangled underbrush, for about six miles, at which distance we emerged upon a grassy valley of inconsiderable extent. Walked ont hrough deep swamp-grass ard m tbe riverbed for two miles more and encamped; the principal valley of the Tiraumea being about two miles and a-half to the southward, and a high, bare-topped mountain, called by the natives Tahuatao, visible through an opening due north. From this mountain the Rotuiti and Nelson countries can be seen, and it immediately overlooks the course of the Buller, or " large western river," through the Devil's Grin and its continuous gorges. 15th. Walked two miles and e-half down the bed of the stream to the open part of the Tiraumea. This valley, or rather series of valleys, was the first open or available country which we had seen since leaving the Rotuiti plain; the intervening country being, ia the more elevated situations, covered with black birch forest, and lower down, as on the i horee of the Roturoa, with that wood; manuka, aad the various pines ; the whole extent being of such a hilly nature as to render it unfit for cultivation.

The principal valley of the Tiraumea is covered with grass for about six miles above the confluence of the three streams which form the river of that name; beyond that distance it becomes wooded, and continues winding between the hills in a direction S.E., towards the Otapawa valley of the Matukituki, with which it probably communicates. The other valleys, which diverge to the east and north, are inconsiderable in extent, but, uniting as they do at a common point, form a pretty gras& flat of capital pasturage ground, of about 4,000 acres, with some good bush land exclusive. The sides of the valley display similar terraces to those in ths Motupika and Rotuiti valleys, and which appear to have been formed by the subsidence of fenner lakes, the waters of which have found aa outlet by the gorges of the Matukituki. 16th. The Tiraumea river, flowing to the west, enters a narrow wooded valley about two miles below the junction of the minor valleys. on the grass flat. Our route lay down tkii. rocky bed of the stream, which had to be^ crossed every 200 or 300 yards, the depth of the water at the fords . being from two to four feet, with a rapid current. Great quantities of blue ducks, apparently a 6pecies of spoveller,. are to be met with on this stream, and would afford excellent sport to retrieving waterspaniels, as some of the party can testify from practical experience. In the afternoon passed the " Mai." a very pretty waterfall, formed by a tributary stream from the southward fulling into the Ti. auinea over two ledges or rock steps from out a beautiful wooded glen. Up this stream the bush natives used to go for the kakapo, now nearly or quite extinct. This bird, of which no perfect remains are extant, appears to have been a ground parrot of a larger size than the kaka, and with beautiful green and white plumage. It was formerly to be met with abundantly in this district, as also in other parts of the island, and the natives attribute its extinction to the, wild dogs. The European rat, which has spread' over the whole of the country, in my opinion vs. more likely to have been the causa, destroying 1 as it would the eggs and young in the lowljr situated nests of the kakapo and kiwi, and, in all probability, of the raoa also. ' Slept on a sandy beach on the northern bank of the Tiraumea. Dibtance, six miles. J

17th. Followed the river down in a general' westerly course, the stream becoming coiwider-d ably increased by the accession ol tributaries^. and the fording more difficult. At live mJW"> and a-balf came upon its. junction with th*i River Duller, which flows down from the laltea, receiving the waters of the Gowan an 1 the river formerly denominated the Fox. About the lower - part of the Tiraumca, between the Ijentls of the

river and the mountain, are some good flats of forest land, containing. each an avaragtt.of perhaps* 30 acres, the ,'s^ Undoubtedly "gooff, and the timber, not what is usually called heavy. It must be included, however, in thflvMatukituki country, and the valley; with the Upper or grass valleys, does not naturally belong to the Nelson district.

The appearance of the River Buller, at the point at which we came upon it, is singular and remarkable. It flows through a wooded valley of about half-a-mile in width, down the bottom of which it has hollowed its course amid high and uncouthly shapen masses and piles of rock, divided as if by some earthquake force, and worn smooth by the mighty and ceaseless action of .the river. Twenty miles above this spot the rapidity of the current is such that to ford it would be not only impossible^ but either man or other animal that might venture within its influence would be immediately dashed to atoms; while here in its deep channel the river slowly moves along, a dark mass of water sixty feet from the bottom to the surface. 1 Encamped among the rocks about half a mile below the junction of the Tiraumea, or the Mangles, as we named it, with the Buller; the opening of the Matukituki appearing about a quarter of a mile lower down the course of the river. •

18th. — Below our encampment about a quarter of a mile the gorge terminated, and the valley of the Matukituki commenced in an expanse of open manuka country, with pine-forests and fern-flats on either side of the Buller; several wooded valleys appeared to join the main opening a mile or two down the plain. The scenery exceedingly picturesque. The "big river" was now to be crossed: from the wooded terrace above it appeared but a couple of feet deep, and its fording seemed easily practicable, but from its beach the appearance of the large body of water which rushed down became more formidable, and each instinctively hesitated before advancing into the ptreara. For about thirty yards from either shore the water glides smoothly along, with a current one might undoubtedly bear up against; but in the centre it rushed with impetuosity in a deep, hollow wave to its greater velocity below the ford, where it became a race crested with a high and broken ripple. The native looked at the river, made one of his comical grimaces, and entered the stream, the depth of which now became apparent, and ere he had reached ths centre of the river the ■water was up to his waist. One or two of the party now ran down the side of the river, in order tj be able to afford assistance should he be carried down ; but with once or twice staggering when exposed to the greatest pressure, and a spring downward with the current as he nearer 1 the further bank, he reached the opposite side in safety, not forgetting to evince his contempt for the river and exultation at having crassest, in a series 6"f grotesque gesticulations and vehement abuse of the river and all its tributaries.

Mr. Fox now followed into the stream, and attained its centre without much difficulty, but the pole which he used bent under him while bearing against the heaviest rush, and it was a matter of critical uncertainty as to whether he would attain the bank which he was approaching; a few steps more, and he would be past the worst of the current, when he appeared for an instant to totter, and the next moment was swept down ths race entangled with his load. Fortunately ths river was deep, or the consequences would have been fatal. Recovering a swimming position, he swam to the further shore, and was in a short time across, which, however, wert not the remaining two of the pan}', who&e spirits were not at all elevated by the fortune of those v/ho hud gone before them. Mr. Bruuner determined to follow down the river to a better fort], where the water became more expanded upon the plain, and I swam over above the ford, where the current was less rapid. During the remainder of the day proceeding down the open valley, crossing the river three times, at long but fair fords, at one of which' ■we were found by Mr. Brunner from the south side. Slept in a totara wood on the left bank.

19th. Proceeded down the Matukituki, or Aglionby valley, to near the point at which it again narrowed to a gorge and flowed to the westward among high mountains, which we were not at s'ich a distance from the settlement eastward to traverse, more especially from the worn state of our shoes, which, with so much river walking, were in a very precarious condition. At this point, I believe we must have been about twenty miles from the west coast, and from the distance travelled to the south-west, it appears that we musr have been even with the embouchure of the "Rapid River" of Cook, and which is most probably the Buller. The level land reported by Toms, the sealer, is in thin latitude, and the river which he proceeded up for threo miles is perhaps the same as the one we had followed from the lake. 20th. Returning along the course of the Matukituki, crossing the main river twice. 21st, Returning up the Tiraumea, and, during the 22d, by the upper valley of the Tirauuaea. 23d. Continuing up the bed of the Tiraumea, being our eleventh day of river wading. 24th and 25th. Between the Tiraumea and the Rotuiti valley nothing of importance occurred, except the finding of half a bottle of whis- J key, in good order, at our depot at the latter place, and drinking; the same. The flour and other provisions which we bad buried we found in excellent order ; and although we had all the time hi<i a plentiful sufficiency of provisions, we now had actually more than we could consume on our way to Nelson. 80th. — Crossed the Rotuiti river.

27th. — Were guided, by -the native along hia old, track through the*big^wopd to the Motufiika'valley, avoiding the MtSngatawai valley at the W&irau pass; the new track saving a distance of ten miles in the journey- ', " 28tb>>-l)owti the Motupika to Mr. Stafford's sheep station in the Motuaka valley, where we were most kindly entertained by Mr. Frazer. March Ist.-— Walked into Nelson.

The Matukituki, or Aglionby district, is formed by the junction of two considerable valleys with that of the Buller, at a point where the gorge of that river terminates and its waters expand in a fine fern and pine-covered valley, which in five or six miles again becomes a gorge, and winds with the river flowing down it to the western coast.

The main openings or that on the immediate banks of the Buller, is about two miles wide, and consists of fern flats, manuka scrubs, and pine forests, in which the totara and kahikatea seem to predominate. Midway between the two gorges of the Buller, the Otepawa valley joins it from the south-east, and almost opposite is the junction of the Matiri from the north : both wooded valleys of considerable extent.

The Otapawa appears to contain a strip of land of about a mile in width between the hills, and which appears to extend for about twelve miles. The valley, however, at that distance, apparently does not close in, but seems to continue to the foot of a high snowy range some twenty miles off to the S.E. In a like manner the opposite valley of the Matiri seems, in its lower portion, to average three-quarters of a mile in breadth, with a length of eight miles, but without any hills in its upper, portion obscuring a view of the Warepapa range, at the back of the Motuaka.

The close gorges of the Buller, both above and below the Matukituki, afford no view of distant mountains along their course, although the one descends from the Rotuiti plain, and the other, we have good reason to believe, expands upon the coast into a large and level country reported to exist by several authorities. The future examination of the two valleys of the Otapawa and Matiri cannot, therefore, be deemed unimportant. From the irregular shape of the Matukituki, as also from our imperfect exploration, it is difficult to form an estimate of the quantity of available land which it may comprise : without the Tiraumea and gorges, 14,000 acres would not I believe, be in excess of the quantity, and all that apparently excellently land, neither subject to floods nor in the least too steep for cultivation.

The Aglionby country, or Matukituki, being a wooded and not a pasturage country, is not at present available in any way for settlement. It is situated at too great a distance from the present district of Nelson to allow of its future produce being conveyed with profit to any but harbours on the western coast of the island;' but should the country to the southward of Cape Foulweather be of the superior description which is reported, it will undoubtedly become an important and valuable inland district for some settlement which may hereafter be established in that direction, between which and Nelson will exist such a quantity of valuable grazing land as to cause the communication to be highly important, and render the route easily practicable. Charles Heaphy.