EXPLORATION OF WHITCOMBE VALLEY AND PASS.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 9128, 12 June 1895, Page 2

EXPLORATION OF WHITCOMBE VALLEY AND PASS.

A NATURAL TOtJBIST AND STOCK BOUTB BETWEEN CANTEBBTJBY AND WESTLAND.-

By Jauss Pabk, N.Z.A.C.

«' Weekly Press and Referee." (Concluded) On each aide of the canyon rose overhanging and precipitous cliffs of rock to the height of one hundred feet or more, at the bottom sixty or seventy feat apart, bat near the top not above half that distance, and clothed with treesV whose branches and

foliage formed a natural arch. Looking through this arch the sun shone on a background of foaming water, rock and hill, mountain and snowfield, bash and grass, the whole forming a picture whose strangeness and beauty oould scarce be imagined. Four good negatives of this were secured to bring back more vividly, by our own fireside, one of those charms of Nature with which she recompenses the hardy explorer of her mountain fastnesses. The sinking sun and oar guide warn as that we cannot stay all afternoon gazing at this one spot, so shouldering oar swags we are soon at the never-ending climbing, sliding, jumping, crawling, hanging, swinging, and pushing busi ness again. It seemed to take six steps to progress one. Hard as it was we were well rewarded by what we saw. Another two hours' work and we called a halt. Wβ felt inclined to strike, despite the fact that our guides pointed that " just round the corner it would be easy going." They made us a cup of afternoon tea, and then pushed on for the " cave camp," our next halting place. Soon we reached "better going," and the son having sunk behind a friendly mountain, in the cool of the evening we approached the cave. About half a mile from it, as we were plodding our weary way, there suddenly appeared before as the particular view we had come so many miles to see. Every swag was thrown down, bonnets taken off, and three cheers given. There —there before us—lay the icefall of the Wilkinson Glacier. About half a mile of icebed, from two to three hundred feet thick, falling in avalanches over perpendicular cliffs from one thousand to fourteen hundred feet high. Waterfalls every few feet falling down in shimmering spray, almost dissolving before reaching the ice below. A noble mountain, with snowbeds in every hollow. On either side of the mountain an ice slope, one smooth, the other broken. A glacier with ice pyramids at the foot. In front of us the Wilkinson joining the Whitcombe, and between the glaoier and it the mountain Eawhaka towering above the ribbonwood, like solemn pines on Norway's slopes. Totaras, covered with long festoons of moss, growing on the mountains. The river itself leaping in cascades from five to ten feet high, all formed a scene most sublime. We knew we should get a nearer view from our oave camp, so picked up our swags, and with grateful hearts went on our way. So rejoiced were we that we felt not our weariness or the weight of our swags. Shortly we dropped oar loads in the. oave camp, and while tea was being made reclined on our beds of the sweet-smelling holly, and gazed to satisfaction on the picture before us. We were in a fine limestone cave, almost directly opposite the junction of the Wilkinson with the Whitoombe. Even during the thunderstorm of the next day we were perfectly dry. There was plenty of room for the seven of us and all our camp dunnage. It will be of great service as a camping place, obviating, as it does, the necessity of carrying tents. As night settled down the camp fire flickered up the cavern and soon all were enjoying that balmy sleep which follows healthy toil. j

Sunday, 23rd.—Wβ were not early up, our programme being to rest in the cave all day, and to make an early start to explore the Wilkinson glacier early on Monday. In the afternoon our guides brought us the grave intelligence that oar stock of provisions would not last over the day; that we wowld need to send over to the Louper stream for some of what we had sent up from Ashburton. Two of the guides and one of our party decided to go. They were to bring back the greater part of the pro. visions the next morning, And only took with them a fly, billy and a little tea and sugar. After they set oat we settled down to enjoy the luxury of the dolce far niente, our picturesque position that less than easy. Shortly after we were treated to an alpine thunder shower, which cleared off in half an hour, and the evening only seemed the fairer, the trees to shine with brighter green and the snow to glisten the whiter for the watering the clouds had given them.

Our next consideration was about the food supply. There was enough for supper and breakfast but if the relief party did not come back in the forenoon, what were we to do ? One of the party had caught an aquatic sreature the evening before. It was suggested that this be put on to cook. It was objected that as we only had one billy left it must be kept for tea. The difficulty was overcome by sutting the duck up and putting it into two meat tins and placing these before the fire where it stewed away for several hours. It was a little bit tough but the rarefied atmosphere of these higher latitudes makes one oblivious of trifles.

Monday, 24th.—We waited at the cave camp till about nine for the relief party's return. As they did not come back we set off to explore the Wilkinson. Nobody so far as we know had ever been up this stream—consequently we were on the gui vive as to what we might find. We easily croesed the Whitcombe and walked through open bush to meet the Wilkinson where its bed was open. Soon we oame upon it. A surprise awaited as. Looking back towards our camp the galaxy of snow peaks on the divide appeared to be just above. Often havo I looked from Hokitika and admired these very peake and wondered if ever I would be near them. I often tried to photograph them from some point of vantage, the result nothing like the reality, the distance being too great. Here they were quite near to us. Looking at them we almost forgot the ieefall and glacier of oar quest. A little farther on we came to a grand water tumble and moraine several hundred feet high. What gigantic power the ice plough must have used to move so many millions of tons of boulders and of such a size. Having clambered over this we were just in front of the ieefall and glaoier. The glacier is very small, but the broken ieefall is inexpressibly beautiful. The stream flowed from underneath the big toe of the glacier, the glacier being a huge block of ice resting on the smooth shingle. At two places the snow falls from a great height and builds itself up in pyramidal domes. Almost continually the ice is crashing down, making literal icefalls. The noise is tremendous, and as the fall often lasts for a few minutes we had plenty of time to observe it. The rock wall was reckoned at least 800 to 1000 { feet high. The distance cannot be more than a mile from the cave camp. Anxious about the return of oar relief party and the demands of appetite being somewhat persistent, we retraced our steps, taking care to pick up a weka knocked over on the way up. Arrived at'the camp oar anxiety increased: the relief party had not come in. We felt sure the provisions had not been sent to the place agreed upon. Nevertheless, as there was a Christmas padding, some preserved meat and scone left, we set the Diuy and pudding on to boil and made a very fair meal. It seemed sacrilege to eat the padding a day too soon, but what were we to do? We praised the deft hands that had made it, and wished their owner a very merry Christmas to-morrow. Towards evening the murmuring of distant voices warned us that our friends were approaching, and we all turned oat to meet them with a glad welcome and eager to know the cause of the delay. Soon there were some luscious chops frizzling over the fire, and the following account was given of the party's adventures - "*We left here yesterday afternoon, and having nothing to carry were soon through the Pass. About half a mile on the other side we came to the rock under which the provisions were to be placed. We found it . easily. No provisions were there. We held

a council, and determined to Btay all night, set up our billy, made some tea, tightened our belts, and made ourselves as comfortable as we could. This morning we had another look round, and arranged that one should go back to the cave camp and report, the other two to go down the Rakaia and get what was necessary from one of the stations. Even as we were speaking the .well known bleat of sheep was heard. We looked at one another and then at the slopes of Louper's Peak, and again at one another. Each look meant mutton. Three half-starved men, and sheep in these wilds. Well, we oould make it up in some other way. Soon we were scaling the slopes and a woolly was caught, and in less time than it takes to tell some juicy mutton steaks were spitted and grilling over the embers. Never mutton tasted like this. While we were thus enjoying ourselves we noticed a horse with a pack and its driver coming up the valley. Surely this was the provisions at last. We advanced to meet them, and it proved as we supposed. Mr Duncan, the part owner of the run, had packed them up. He thought we would not be there till Christmas day, and so had not troubled to bring them up sooner. We offered him the value of hie sheep, but he was too much of a gentleman to receive it. With thankful hearts we made up our packs, including a side of mutton, and here we are."

"What sort of scenery is there by the way?" we asked.

"Oh! it' 3 just magnificent, the Otira Gorge is nowhere beside it."

Rejoiced were we at this happy termination of what at one time appeared an awkward fix.

Tuesday, 25th.—After rather a late breakfast we set off for the last few hoars' tramp over the pass. Soon we were oat of the bash and among the mountain lilies and other alpine flowers. Beautiful were they in their loveliness, looking " pure as an icicle curdled from whitest snow that hangs in Dian's temple." One of oar members decks himself as if he were going that very evening to see his own true love. About two hoars brings as to the head of the Whitcombe and the Sale glaoier from which it flows. Another beautiful icefall—such a sight for the dwellers of the plains t Could it be got at by riding or driving, surely there is not one in New Zealand who would not go to see it. Moantain peaks in endless variety all around as. The pass itself in front—how easy, wide and open; we photograph it, the icefall and glacier, give three cheers, and down the other side we go, following the Louper stream towards the Bakaia. The Lonper flows from under the Martin's glaoier, another lovely icefall within a hundred feet of the valley. We go down just low enough to get wood for baking and camping. How different the bare slopes of the hills here from oar side where the bash in all its western luxuriance clothes the mountains for 3000 feet up.

26th.—Next morning we have an early breakfast. Two of our party go on intending to cross the Bakaia and so reach Mount Somers. The other five of us retrace oar steps, thoroughly pleased with our trip. We were unanimous that this was the proper track from central and southern Westland into Canterbury.

The pass is as easy as it is possible to imagine, open and wide, lying as it does almost due north and south snow will never be on it for any length of time. The warm northerly winds sweep through it and, the midday eon shines upon it for hours even in winter. The pass is twenty-two miles from Diedrich's upper station, to which we drove in a summer's evening after six o'clock. Thus it would only be a ride of about twenty-five miles from the settled districts near Hokitika into Canterbury. Whereas from the Kokatahi, which is far and away our most important farming district, it is over seventy to the Otira Gorge, and then theie are forty milea of mountain country before reaching the plains of Canterbury. By the Whitcombe the grade is gradual although the height is greater. A road could be made almost to the pass without the neoesaity of bridging more than three or four streams of any consequence. Not until the Wilkinson is reached would there be any necessity for a bridge. Then one of about forty feet span with a like one for the Whitcombe would be necessary.

Compared with the Otira Gorge the scenery j is far finer, the mountains nobler and as tourists rode or drove up or down the Whit-j combe valley some of the highest peaks would be constantly in sight. In fact from the time of leaving the Bakaia till nearing the Kokatabi one would without any stretch of imagination believe he was in Switzerland. There cannot be less than eight or ten beautiful icefalls quite close to the track. Some half dozen small glaciers on the shingle too by way of variation are within a few hundred feet. Three streams, the Loaper, the Wilkinson and the Whitcombe, all ran from glaciers. The Bakaia too runs from the Great Lyell and Ramsay glaciers. These are about three miles from the mouth of the Louper. Louper'speak and Mount Martins guarding the pass on either side with their icefalls and glaciers are well worth a visit. The great wonder to us was why this pass had not been made available years ago as a near transnsular tourist and stook route into Canterbury from central and southern "Westland. It is a week's less driving for sheep and would have «aved thousands of sounds to our

Kokatahi settlers in getting their store cattle over, besides opening up the country to our miners. The return was much the same as the trip over. We made capital progress, arriving at our horses about midday on the 28th. Even through the bush without a track the j twenty-two miles from the Pass to Diedrich's could be done in a long day's journey. With fine weather, and suoh grand scenery, it U needless to say we enjoyed ourselves as only true explorers can. and our Whitoombe Past Christmas holidays will long remain g pleasing memory, more especially as we have many fine pictures to recall more vividly thi scenes amongst whioh we spent them. Before long we hope to see a riding track over this Pass, and there can be no doubt the more it is known the more it will be appreciated. To show how easily it can be got a) from Christohurch Mr and Mrs Weatland not long ago spent a pleasant Easter holidaj about the Louper stream, having taken, if 1 remember rightly, their camp dunnage in a vehicle almost to the Pass. What 8 splendid ride it would be from Christohurch to Hokitika by the Whitoombe, returning by the Otira. I have no doubt this is the tourist route of the future. Hokitika, March 4th, 1894.