WEST COAST SOUNDS

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 90, 11 January 1926, Page 9

WEST COAST SOUNDS

« TRIP BY WELLINGTON!ANS GOVERNOR-GENERAL IN DEEP COVE Ou the south-west coast of the Middle Island of New Zealand, extending for a distance of some 150 miles of coast-line, are situated tlie seiies o fiords which for magnificent beauty are, it is claimed, unrivalled m any part of the world. .They contain many hundreds of miles of waterways penetrating in some instances inland up to twenty-five miles from the ocean. Studded with countless islets and surrounded by snowcapped mountains, manv of which are over a mile in height, and all bush-clad to the water’s edge, these Sounds present an ever-changing picture of striking beautv. The depth of water varies from thirty fathoms (180 ft. to two hundred and fifty fathoms (1500 ft. roughly four times the depth of the ocean outside. The rainfall is said to range from 150 in. to 250 in. per annum, ar*l this, together with the melting snows, result in hundreds of majestic waterfalls dropping into the Sounds from thousands of feet above, in many cases in rocky faces, but little removed from the perpendicular. Notwithstanding the ever-present snows on the mountain tons and the copious rainfall, the Atmosphere is invariably warm, caused, it is said, by a tropical ocean current flowing down from the Queensland coast. This doubtless accounts for the prolific growth of beech forests which flourish on every hand, clothing the steep granite hillsides, although they apparently lack anything in the nature of soil or clay. Mosses and lichen of many kinds abound on every living and dead tree stem and can he seen hanging sixty or seventy feet from the ground. Last month a party of eight travelled from Dunedin ' - Deep Cove and spent some ten da- in the locality in. connection with water-power available ‘here. ' , ‘l’" n.-rtv was organised by Messrs. J. Orchiston (formerly Govern••"'il pd mmineer' aiid I Hunt, of Wellington, and included a kinematograph operator and his apoaratus and two guides. Mr. Hunt gave t Dominion representative some particulars of the trip. From the railhead at T.umsden, he said, the party were conveyed bv motor to Manapouri, an the eastern side of the lake bearing the same name, and thence across the lake on a trip of three and a halfhours in the little steamer Matntrere to the landing at the head of West Arm. Lake Mananouri, which lias an area or some fiftv square miles, has a tenth of 1100 ft., 600 ft. above .and fiOOft. below sea-level, and is exceedingly beautiful. On three sides the lake is surmounted bv bush-clad and snowtonned mountains, while twentv-thwe verdure-covered islets bedeck its surface. The track from the landing to Deep Love is roughly ten miles, and lies , through Wilmot Pass, 220Cft. high-

Snowstorms during the previous week had felled hundreds of trees across the track, and this, together with the wet »nd rugged nature of the ground, was responsible for a strenuous journey ot eight and a half hours. Ihe snowy rivers had to be forded, except the Spey River, which was bridged with wires. Negotiating this was a real feat of tight-rope balancing. When the hut at Deep Cove was reached it was found to be a comfortable one containing three rooms and accommodating twelve bunks. It is situate on the banks of the beautiful Lyvia River, about a quarter of a mile from the head of the Sound. From the hut the graceful Helena Falls (named after Miss Helena Fels, of Dunedin, the first lady to go there), can be seen half a mile distant, tumbling down 600 ft. of almost sheer cliff. , Ten days were spent in exploring the watershed of the Helena balls, the Lyvia River, Huntleigh Fall, and other water powers, as well as journeying down the Sounds in an oil launch. On the cliffs on the east side of Helena Falls a great seam, probably*soft. in width and a mile or so in length, of white marble was discovered, which responded readily to the application of hydroclone acid, indicating a high percentage of calicum. O.A of the chief disabilities of the various Sounds oil the coast is the absence of any appreciable area of fiat land on which industries could be economically located, but at Deep Cove, , abutting on the waterfront, is an area of some three hundred acres of Hat land. .Some of the territory traversed by the party is marked “unexplored” on the map, and it is probable that they were the 'first white men to move amongst the exceedingly interesting and beautiful hinterland of the Cove. Of the ten days comprising the visit only one was without rain, but notwithstanding this the objects of the . partv were carried through, even to the extent of securing photographic records and a unique moving picture obtained only through the exceptionally able work of the photographer and a camera of the highest power. The nest of a rather rare seabird, the red bill, was discovered, and after many days of “getting used” to visitors an excellent moving picture was taken of the bird on its nest, which contained three spotted eggs. ■ On the ninth morning the Government steamer Tutanekai, with His Excellency the Governor-General (Sir Charles Fergusson), Lady Alice Fergusson, and party, was expected to visit the Cove.' At 9 a.m. the steamer arrived, and sent a boat ashore with an invitation to come aboard. Two pleasant hours were spent with the Vice-Regal parly, who were duly kincmatographed on deck, together with the explorers. Lady Alice was presented with a basket made of the fronds of the graceful riniu, containing handsome specimens of that most charming of New Zealand ferns, the todea superba, or Prince of Wales feather fern. With the consent of Their Excellencies, the designation of “Fergusson Island” was conferred on an unnamed island in the Sound, and that of “Lady Alice” on a pretty waterfall that had been much admired by the several launch parties.