INTERVIEW WITH MR LONG DEN.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12711, 25 January 1907, Page 7

INTERVIEW WITH MR LONG DEN.

—. + Mr A. A. Longden, British Art RearaatnUtivs at ths Exhibition, has just returned from a trip to tho Southern __.___, in company with Mr W. A. Bowring. They started on tho 11th and tint to Glenorchy via Kingston and Qostnstown, where they were met by ||y. Aitksn. of the accommodation house t f Paradise, and driven straight through. "What struck you most?'' a Nporter asked Mr Longden. "Well," _• said, "I think it was the free and iv* manner of tho people travelling, fj.rrone seemed on friendly terms ftth everyone else, and peoplo readfly fell into conversation with «_» another. The trains seemed f_rf slow after travelling in England »M in America, but thoy had the merit of being up to time." Mr Longden iai_ that he and Mr Bowring made Paradise their headnuartens, making <|ajlj excursions on horseback to suitablrlietching grounds, varied by occasional climbs. Generally speaking he tbou_jfat the tour a very exceptional on., snd tho scenery almost e<iual to anyhe bad seen in Europe or America. Tk grandeur of the Remarkables, the ajtoaishing effect of the glacier formation OB Mt. Earnslaw, and tbe view, from the valley of tho Dart, of the Knox snd Cosmos Forbes mountains vers alone worth travelling all the way to sas. The change of colour in the hills that is constantly occurring durj&g tb« day is exceptionally fine, and Mr Longden thought exceeded the bisuty of tho Rocky Mountains, brilliant though the latter are. Tlie scenery appealed to an artist exceedingly, lad teemed capable of endless rendering!. "What struck mc most," said Mr Longden, "on entering Lake Wakatipu, was the great similarity to tho jjeoteh lakes t both in colouring and .oU-ation, except that everything was to a much larger scale. The chief •kar-cteristics erf all the scenery are hit the uncommonly massive lines .mid* by the bush running along the hillside, which give an absolutely distinctive charm to the scenery, and seWpiij the coloring of the hill formation (bore the bush line, which always has shloom upon it like that on a purple Sips. It is this, I think, that makes if Zealand mountain scenery so diff.prJt to render. We made about a dosed sketches each from which we bobs to make interesting pioturvjs. I_r#» of Mr Bowring's sketches, indttdlna Diamond Lnko, and tho valley of the Dart, were uncommonly succ;_,sftll works. . "The pleasure of trying tops int what had nev«r welly been treated properly on paper or canvas was very groat, and the difueulty Was equally so. When next { attempt to picture this part oF the country, I intend to try pastel as a medium, or better still pastel and water colour, as this is the only combination which wiiM give the desired effect. Il would be interesting to see fflr Ernest Waterlow or Eyro Walker, or Edward Davis tackle these hills. I tkiok thny. might translate the colourjog aa bo one had done it before; _yet I isatare to think that no one could •Jf»fll without being steeped in tho lomoolouiing. The natural history of <m neighbourhood is most interesting, wjto study is, perhaps, easier to an •rtjsJ than to any one else, as lie re5»{J» stationary for a greater lenirth •rtime than the average individual, jmwrt moving more than a finger or »*% though I am bound to admit that sand fly causes fingers and **W|jo fly in all directions. ~ _"H. wWoh are said to be quite "■Wind retiring, came quite close to &S?n J*, I**1**" 1 th " M " ki "«*' and •••Ml bird quite close by. It seemed •£•** «ty to mc that these birds 2*» mt more numerous, andi the pos*"W pf extinction seemed great. __?_!___**" glad to hw,r th * t mwtt of __Li___f wero now Protected, and the "2«ftt sporteraan has no longer the TOfWmty of shooting them for nffi 1 rS" . Tbe rid * ■ crow the ™«*fof the Dart irp to the Route- "£*•» Harris saddle was the most •JlgSbla time we spent. We rode <«m rnilea, every yard of which was _^__L" t *__ Bi ! n K' I eoHeetrd fourteen ■"Wat kinds of small ferns without ■"?**«* of tbe saddle in the bnsfi, f*2i_"*_ iO " 7 timo did not permit nnv botarrv. I foe! sure that peoofe r*«_N«w Zealand 1 have little idea of JM*w*me interest, artistic and other-