Extracts.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VIII, Issue 513, 3 October 1857, Page 3

Extracts.

NOTES, of a JOURNEY feom PAKAWAU, MASSACRE BAY, to the MAWERA, cm GREY RIVER, on; the WEST COAST, Febbitaey and, Maecb:, 1857. (From the * Nelson Examiner.') Saturday, February 14.-rStarted from Paka--wuu on a journey down the West Coast, accom-panied.by-a. native named Po Arama; as guide. We got to West Wanganui inthe evening: late at night we were joined by another native, Win. King, of Pakawau, who informed us that he was going after some green stone. Sunday, February 15.—Remained at Wanganui. Monday, February le.—Left West Wanganui, and on reaching Te, Hapu, had to wait there till the tide turned: got away from there in the afternoon, and afterwards crossed the Patu Ra river,'and camped at Punipawa for the night. There is some level land from Wanganui inland, but the coast is hilly and •rocky. From a point to the north of Pakawau, Kaihoka Point bore N.E., Nateka Point, S.W., .distant 15 miles; Tuesday, February 17.—Started early; passed a bluff to the - north of the Anatori river, .called Punehu: there is another bluff on the cgoutli side, by which lies a,large flat rock. The natives have a tradition' that' this rock was Punehu's canoe, which he left "there one night, and on his return to it in the morning found itinto stone; when, it is said, he was so frightened that he ran across the Anatori river,, ;a'nd turned into the bluff which bears his name. Walked on to .the Turi Mawiwi, where there is a little level land in the valley on either side of the river, and had to stop till the tide went out; at ebb tide we walked on and crossed the Anaweka, and got to the Ruatohu river. These two rivers would admit coasting vessels, as they have from 12 feet to 14 feet of water over their bars. Not being able to cross the Ruatohu, we camped on the north bank. Wednesday, February 18.—Crossed the Euatohu breast high; passed Nateka Point, where there is an opening through the outer reaf of rocks, entrance N. and S. Guard and Thorns, two whalers,- have lain inside this reef with their sealing boats. Otukoroiti Point bore S.S.W., distant 5 miles. About one mile past Natoka, got to the end of the sandy beach, and had to ascend the Konranga Bluff. After crossing a stream of that name, the granite formation takes the place of the limestone, fossiliferous marl, conglomerate, and sandstone, continued on from Cape Farewell. We had a very dihi«ulfc descent to the beach, which was nothing but a confused heap of rocks. Passed Otukoroiti Point, and camped. Tapangutu Point bore S.S.W., about 6 miles. From our restingplace I could see a fearful day's work before us for the next day. Old William King and Po Arama had talked a great deal about the bad beach beyond Otukoroiti, so I was not much surprised at seeing it. This place is called Tauparikaka. Thursday, February 19.—0n starting, after breakfast, found Tauparikaka nothing to laugh at; enormous blocks of rock, with deep fissures in them, and the sea rolling underneath—with -the certainty that if one made a false step, or slipped in jumping from rock to rock, that he would be drowned—made it, added to a load of provisions, &c, of 80 lbs. weight, anything but & pleasant walk. In some places points jut out into the sea, at which you have either to clamber over, or run by &b soon as you see a wave receding; at two of those places we had to let our loads down, and then descend by clinging to little knobs of rocks. At the second of these places I was standing on a rock below, and William King had lowered his load to me, when, in springing to a rock about 6 feet distant, I was caught by a wave and thrown over it on my' back, where I lay in rather a comical manner, holding William's load out of the water till relieved by Po Arama. Proceeding on, we passed Moutere Point, crossed a stream called the Hohonu, got dinner, and afterwards passed Tapangutu Point, from which Waimaori Point bears S. by W. % passed it, and got to Toropuhi. Te-taura-o-te-Weka, or Rocky Point, bore S.S.W. Remained here for the night.

Friday, February 20.—1t rained hard all day, so we had to remain in camp. The natives killed a seal, of which I saw several on the rocks. This place was formerly a station of Thorns and Guard's; there is no boat-hai*bour. The back country here is nothing but perpendicular cliffs.

Saturday, February 21.—Started from Toropuhi in the morning,, and soon left Rocky Point behind us. At Papaki Rua, in endeavouring to round the point, we got drenched to the skin in the sea, and after all had to abandon the beach and climb up a precipice. Passed Te Haro Point; got to Wakapoai Bluff, and ascending it, then descended to the Wakapoai, or Heaphy River, which we crossed in about 4i feet of water. I went up the valley a little ■way, but heavy rain setting in, I returned to catnp. We caught 5 woodhens and 20 eels. Entrance to Wakaoai river S.S.W. and N.N.E.: this is also about the bearings of the valley, which contains from 13,000 to 14,000 acres of land, chiefly bush: Sunday, February 22.—Left Wakapoai, from which I could see some of my old Aorere acquaintances, in the shape of Brown Hill, &c. J am of opinion that a road could be made through the Wakapoai Pass to the Aorere Valley. Part of our journey, the beach, called the Kararoha, bore S.S.E., and Haihai Point stands out .about S. from there. About two miles south. of Wakapoai, passed a pretty ■wooded valley containing about 200 acres of level land, with a small river running- through

it; and two miles further on passed another httle wooded valley of 100 acres. On reaching Haihai Hoint, climbed up the bluff, and walked through a mile and a-half of bush, when we came out on a sandy beach called the Paroha : this, as far as Karamea, bore S. The geological nature of the country again alters here from granite "to the Cape Farewell formation. We walked along the beach as far as Oparara, where we had to stop till low water: we then walked on to Karamea, and camped for the night. The country, level bush, looked well, and it was five or six miles back to the hills. We passed about seven miles of the valley frontage this day. Named the river Karamea after myself. Monday, February 23.—Surveyed' the river thenrst in the morning whilst the natives were collecting flax-stalks to make a moki (raft) to cross over on. I took the bearings of all the passes I could see in the mountains at the same time., Crossed the river on the mold; and finding the natives pretty well knocked up, did not proceed more than two or three miles further to Ofcumana, which afforded me an opportunity of going a little way inland, when I found some fine level country covered with timber. The guide informed me that we could get no water between our camp and Wanganui. ;# Tuesday, February 24.—Proceeded on our journey along a beach called the Kairiki, about nine miles to Wanginui river. The beach was beautifully, hard, and there seemed alavgequan tity of level country between the coast and hills, which, with what had been seen the two previous days, amounted to 75,000 acres. We had to stop here till'low water, and when the tide suited we crossed over, and found the hills bound the beach. Shortly after leaving the river, Po Arama picked up a blanket, and afterwards we saw a canoe turned bottom upwards on the beach; close alongside of it we found a basket, containing a small box with somethings in it; this I opened, and recognized some books, &c, as the property of a man named Stephen Etwell, who left Massacre Bay for the West Coast about the commencement of January last. We walked on to Tunupohu, when we found tracks of a man and dog; they appeared to have been there three days before. Soon, after we found a small dog, which we supposed had remained behind in the bush when the man left. There were plenty of signs of some person having been here, viz., fire-place, wood cut, &c. We looked about for some time, called "cooey," but got no answer. So we proceeded on our journey, hoping the party had returned to Kawatiri; the natives declaring it could not be maories, but some mad Pakeha, as no native would go out in a canoe to make a voyage to West Wanganui. We gained the summit of Otahu -Bluff about four p.m., then descended to |he beach, and camped at Kongahu Point.

- Wednesday, February' 25.—Marched before daylight, and came on to Mold ZSTui. TII3 tide being out, surveyed the river whilst the natives got, breakfast ready. From this river Rocky Point bears due pST. The river comes from the E.S.E; there are about 6,500 acres level land up it, and some fine white pine bush. The natives having wade a moki (raft), which we crossed the river in, we then proceeded on our way. There is a little level bush land between the beach and the hills to Porangi Point. Passed Motorea, and a lai'ge stream callled the Kawau; crossed another, Tepuru. Here we may say the valley of the Kawatiri commences. We walked on to Paroawaha Point, and remained for the night. Thursday, February 26.—We early crossed a stream, the Mangaroha, also the Wareatea and Tititara; stopped to dinner at Orowaiti. Walked on to the Kawatiri, or Buller, which I found to be a noble river, and in some places one-third of a mile in width; a fine white pine bush stood on the north bank ; on the south the timber was not so good. A native happened to be crossing the river at the time in a canoe; so he ferried us over, and on landing immediately raised a cry of " Terawiti, Terawiti," and "Tobacco, tobacco." , We found only this native, another and his wife, thef sole survivors of the inhabitants—they had all died of the measles and influenza. 1 now inquired about Stephen Etwell. The natives informed me that he had left there the Friday night previous to my arrival. He asked them to give him a canoe, but they refused him one, as they said he was mad to think of going to Wanganui in a canoe without sideboards. During the night he stole one, and several tools, and made ofTwith them.

Friday, February 27.—Taking a canoe at flood-tide went oat and took soundings. We found 12 feet of water over the bar—this was going straight out; outside 3§ fathoms; inside 3 fathoms; up at the old pah, 7 fathoms. On my return, made further inquiry of the natives about the channel, as I was not quite satisfied about it. They told uae that had we gone more to the} northward we should have found a passage through the bar. As a westerly breeze had set in, I did not think it advisable to go out again, the canoe not being safe, and minus an end —in fact she was only about two inches out of water at the place where she was cut off. Remained at the pah till low water, washing my clothes; then walked down beside the channel to the bar, and felt satisfied that there were from 6 to 8 feet of water in the passage over the bar (then low water); the sea was breaking on either sidej but the opening was tolerably smooth. From the point below the old pah on ths south side, the channel bore N.N.E.; Black Reef, W., distant 6to 7 miles; Wakapoai Point N. by E.; Omau Point, W.S.W.; Otahu Bluff, N.N.E. | E. Black Reef, or ,the Steeples, would, I imagine, form an excellent place of refuge for vessels caught inbad weather on this coast. Saturday, February 28.—Having heard of-a plain above the Tewarawara, a branch of the Bulleiy engaged the native Kotuku to take us up

the river. Went for about half-a-mile in a south-easterly direction, then turned up a branch and went ashore, and walked through about half-a-mile of bush, and came out on a platn of rushes and creeping fern. This plain bears about N. and S. Prom the commencement of it, the pass from which the Bailer river issues bears a little to the E. of E.S E. Tuinu bore S.S.W. We travelled over the plain till about twelve o'clock, when we came to where the Okari river divides it; turning down it, we walked as fast as we could, and although we had light loads, dia not reach the beach, that night. There was some fine timber on the banks of the river.

Sunday, March I—Marching at daylight we got to the beach, and having to make the most of our time on account of the tide at Totara river, did not wait to get breakfast. Got there about half-past ten, where we refreshed, and remained till about five p.m., when we walked to the Waitakere. This is the extremity of the Kawatiri valley, which may be estimated as containing 120,000 acres of level land, mostly bush^ We walked about a mile up the bed of this river and camped.. I found coal here. Monday, March 2.—Left the banks of the Waitakere, and walked over a quantity of open land covered with rushes and creeping fern (Raurai Taranahi): it is mostly hilly land; we travelled over about ten miles of it. The beach lay about 3 miles on our right; it is impracticable, therefore the natives go inland. This place is called Tuinu; from about the centre of it Tauranga or Cape Foulwind bears N. by W.; about half-a-mile further on we could see Patakana Point bearing S.S.W. Got to the Ana Matukn (cave of Matuku, one of the fabulous Tanewho of the natives), and took up our quarters there. It is a magnificent cave'of granite rock, about 80 feet in length, 30 in height, and the same in width, and has three entrances.

: . Thursday, March 3.—Left our cave in the morning, and walked on as far as the celebrated Miko cliff. Here we had to climb up a ladder of decayed wood, which we could not replace or repair, for want of materials. The cliff is about 2OQ feet in height. It is mounted by a succession of ladders; the first, about forty feet in length is made of small sticks tied in a bundle, with cross pieces about one inch in diameter, on which you can just stick one toe; at the base, it is about four or five feet from the rock, bui about twenty-five feet up it goes against the rock, and then hangs at an obtuse angle out like the branches of a tree. I did not care much about the lower part, but did not appreciate hanging on to rotten sticks; when higher up they cracked as if parting, but there was no alternative, it was equally-dangerous to retreat as to advance; it reminded me of going up the rigging to a vessel's top, but there was no lubber's hole to escape by. The other ladders were passable, as there was a little hand hold to flax, &c. About a quarter of a mile further, we met a party of natives on their way to Kawatiri; two of them accompanied us, the others promised to cut some wood and repair the ladder. After crossing the Pororari, we marched to a river and cave called Punungari, and remained there for the night.

' Wednesday, March 4.—Started from Punungari, and on ascending a hill walked along in the bush for a mile; we then descended to the beach, and soon after came to a small deserted pah called Kararoha, by a stream of the same name. To-day I picked up several small pieces of greenstone on the beach. It having come on to rain about noon, we stopped h era for the rest of the day. *

Thursday, March 5. —Walked along the beach to the Waimatulcu river. This comes out of the Mawera valley, and is about the end of the dividing range between the' Buller and Grey valleys. I |named this range the Cheviot hills. 'We got to the Grey in the afternoon, and crossed it in a canoe. Found from the natives that it was correct there were plains here", and having come to an arrangement with them to take me up, they said it was not worth while starting till Monday. As I had hurt one of my feet against a root. I thought it prudent to rest till then. I was at this time wearing Parairai (flax shoes), having worn out two pairs of boots between West Wanganui and Karamea. I.found flax shoes preferable to European ones in travelling over slippery rocks, and crossing rivers, as one "may jump any distance with them on, and be sure of good footing, as they do not slip like boots. Friday March 6.—Went out in a canoe and took soundings in the river. From the native pah on the south side, the ehtranc3 of Grey river bears exactly W.JST.W.; and from the entrance, the pah bears E.SJS. . Over the bar there are four fathoms of water; inside, six fathoms at high water. The. river is not so wide as the Buller, but nearly as much run of water in it; this accounts for its .being; deeper than the latter. From' the pah, the pass to the upper valley bears E.N.E. Saturday, March 7.— Had a long conversation with the natives to-day, when they stated that they would not allow white people to settle on the land till they were paid for it, and on my telling them that the land had been sold, they said that the Ngatitoa tribe had no right to sell it; some of them proposed that I should not be allowed to go any farther, but this was not agreed to. They asked me if I would take a letter to Mr. McLean for them. I said I would, but at the same time assured them that they might save themselves the trouble of writing, as they would get nothing from him for the land., . . Sunday, March B.—Wet all day. Monday, March 9.—After being recruited by resting for the last two days, and had nui nui fee korero with the natives respecting the land, &c, at noon, agreeably to my previous arrangement

with them to take me to the plains, we started-1 in a canoe, and got up to the pass between the upper and lower valleys. This is distant about seven or eight miles from the mouth of the river. On the North, or Nelson side of the stream I found an excellent seam of coal, fully five feet in thickness/cropping out about twenty feet above the river, which has but little fall in it, in fact barges could easily be. taken up to the coal. There are one or two rapids, mere trifles, over which a barge could be dragged by a rope on shore. The river being very deep, we had to pole the canoe close to the bank all the way. The formation above the coal is mica slate. The lower valley has a good deal of level land in it, chiefly covered with scrub by the banks of the river; with heavy bush behind. Hauling our canoe ashore, when nearly through the pass, we camped for the night. Tuesday, March 10.—We started early in the morning, and soon, after clearing the pass came to a large branch of the Grey, running from a south-easterly direction, called the Kotukuwakaho, which rises in a lake of that name or Brunner. I was here much gratified by seeing before me, on both sides of the river Grey, an almost, xinlimited extent of level land, covered with splendid timber; the largest amount of land lies on the south side. Here the old native chief, William King, holding up his hands, exclaimed, in Maori: — " Katahi te wenua pai ko Mawera! E kainga pai tenei mo nga Maori kia rumeni ai ratou katoa kikonei nobo ai. I nga wahi rakau c ngakinga ma [ ratou, katahi te^ wenua nui ko tenei wenua." Which translated is:—" What a beautiful place Mawera is! What a fine place it would be for all the natives to come and settle on, where there is so much bush for them to cultivate. What an extraordinary large place it is." Owinc to the river being flooded, from the rain which had fallen during the night, we did not mal: c much progress, only getting about eight miles further up the valley, where we camped. Wednesday, March 11.—Poled the canoe up the river about four miles, when we came to a large tributary called by the natives Ahaura. It takes its rise in the chain of mountains which divide the island; its source the natives informed me is close to that of the Wai-au-ua, which is well known runs to th& eastern shore. There was formerly a native road across the mountains to that river, but now abandoned for the present route by the Taramakau, and Hurunui, to the Port Cooper plains. Continuing our course about a mile further, we landed on a plain of fern and grass, called Tv Tuitaki, which I went over; it is about three miles in length, and one and a-half in width. The natives pitched my tent here for the night; and on my., returning to them in the evening, they commenced by asking me if I meant to go further. I said of course I intended doing so. Old William King then became spokesman for himself and the .others...'. He commenced by by demanding £10 for himself, and £5 each, for the other men, or they would not allow me to go any further. I told them I should not ask their leave where I should go; and having previously made an arrangement with the two who had brought me so far in the canoe, if a lot of them chose to follow me in another, I had nothing to do with it; and as to old William, I could not understand what he had to do or say in the matter at all, he being a stranger there himself, and had. come without my soliciting him, for the purpose of getting greenstone; therefore he, of all others, had no right to expecb me to pay him anything. They then commenced threatening me what they would do if I went further. I said I should pay the men I had agreed with, and no more; and as to their stopping me, I would give them leave to do so if they could catch me, believing that none of them were able to do that. Tarapuhi, the chief whom I had agreed with to take me up the river, now came forward and told them that if they did not like me to go, they might return to the pah, and take the canoes with them; that he would take nic wherever I wanted to go, and that he would make a moki (raft) to return by. They bounced a little longer. Old William King threatening what he would do when we got back to Massacre Bay, I put my fingers in my ears, and made grimaces at them till they gave in. [TO BE CORTINTTED.]