THE VALE OF KAI-U.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 6, 27 May 1843, Page 4

THE VALE OF KAI-U.

To the Editor of the Southern Cross. Sir, — In the first number of your paper, you have published a description of the celebrated lakes and hot springs of Rotorua, which I am not only convinced will be read with interest at home, but, which I hope will tend mjj^h to the benefit of New Zealand ; as it wili enable nfanfof our countrymen in India, who are unfortunately compelled to wander from clime to clime, in quest of health, to obtain information on a subject, to them of the utmost importance, viz : a country where the invalid may insure to himself, by means of these extraordinary baths, and mineral springs, the most effectual and certain means of restoring his health, and where the climate and the scenery are so peculiarly fitted for the comfortable enjoyment of that health, and strength of body, and vigour of mind, which the invalid Indian in vain expects to find in other countries. The climate of New Zealand needs only to be known in India, in order to direct to our shores, a tide of the most valuable of all emigration : — that of men of capital in search of health ; and of a home where they may coinfoitably spend the remainder of their years. New Zealand is, above all others, such a country. Your correspondent has given such an account of tho Rotorua springs, as cannot fail to convince any person at all acquainted with such matters, of their decided superiority over all the known mineral springs and baths of England and Europe, as from their varied temperature and chemical composition, they are adapted for almost every form of disease to which the human body is liable. Independent of these springs, the climate of New Zealand is in itself, at once the most pleasant, and the healthiest in the whole world, a fact which must, under all circumstances, form one of the strongest arguments in favour of a country ; for it matters little what we possess in the shape of money or property, if we are unable to enjoy pleasurably our own existence. Of what avail are plantations of sugar, cotton, and coffee, to him who lingers out a miserable j life in our West Indian possession, or his lacks of Rupees, to the inhabitant of the East ; while each of them are denied, in their several countries, that greatest of all blessings, and that most exquisite of all enjoyments, health ; or the joyous sense of existence. This, which the poorest settler in New Zealand can, at least, with care possess ; is a treasure more estimable than the gold of Peru, or the richest of Galconda's gems and jewels. But I am wandering from the subject of this short communication, which was neither meant to be a description of the healing virtues of the Rotorua Baths, nor of the diseases incident to residents of Tropical climes, and the certainty of effecting their cure at these waters ; but, simply an attempt at conveying some slight idea of the beauty of the little valley, the name of which I have placed at the head

of this letter. And, although I cannot claim for it the same right of distinction as your former correspondent has deservedly obtained for the subject of his letter. I have at least, this to say in its favour : that it is so near the 1 capital, that one or two days at most, -will enable any person resident in Auckland, to ijudge of its beauty and loveliness by the perception of his own senses. Indeed, all that I pretend to do, is merely to inform the ad- | rairer of natural scenery, and the lover of the beautiful, that an object so worthy of his notice as the vale of Kai-u, is in existence, and within his reach. I am aware that many of your readers cannot well afford the necessary time, and that some do not possess that keen desire after the beautiful, that would induce them to undertake a journey for the express purpose of visiting this enchanting spot. But as some, like myself, are at times compelled to travel, either by sea, or land, from this to the Bay of Islands and Hokianga, I would strongly recommend them to travel, at loast for once, through the Kaipara district, in which this valley is situated. I need not inform you, who know so much of the various parts of New Zealand, that the district of Kaipara itself, is perhaps the most beautiful, as well as the very richest of any in New Zealand. Jt is traversed by two splendid and navigable rivers for many miles, into the interior, on the banks of which, are to be found, not only the very richest description of alluvial soil, but also the , most available and the largest forests of Cowrie in all New Zealand. The facilities for pro- * curing this valuable timber in the Kaipara district, are so well known, that it would be a waste of your time, and an unnecessary deviation from the objects of this letter, to treat , of that subject j Traveling in a new country like New Zealand, is necessarily uncomfortable and tiresome, and I need not tell you, that to a person coming as I did, in the middle of summer, jfrom Hokianga to Auckland, across mountains, rivers, and vaßies, and along sandy beaches, the country must be indeed interesting to afford any thing like an inducement to travel from the ordinary route, but 1 heard so much about the valley of Kai-u before leaving Hokianga, that I determined, at all events, to visit this celebrated spot, and after much fatigue, I found myself on the evening of a hot summer's day, within sight of the desired object, yea, on the very spot itself, enteringupon the valley of Kai-u, with its clear and crystal river running along, rejoicing in the brightness and purity of its waters ; and its pine-clad mountains enclosing the little paradise with a barrier of beauty, such as might be sufficient in itaelf, to clivest the happy inhabitants of any desire to travel beyond this limited scene. The valley of Kai-u is about five or six miles in length, and from two to three miles in breadth. The Native population is considerable, and. their plantations are, perhaps, the best cultivated, and the most productive in all New Zealand. And, notwithstanding the character of the Kaipara tribes, I must bear my testimony against all contrary statements, to the kind-heartedness and hospitality of the Natives of Kai-u. The young Chief not only received me with hospitality, but with much kindness. A house well matted and clean, was provided for my exclusive use, and food prepared for me in abundance, consisting of the ordinary New Zealand productions ; such as pork, potatoes, cumeras, and melons, together with that most delicious of all native fruit, the tawhare, which was then in season. And after dinner (it will scarcely be believed by those who look upon the New Zealanders as savages) the young and hospitable Chief treated his Pakia guest with a good bottle of Port wine. This was of course, as unexpected as it was welcome, and perhaps, you will say, this tended more than the beauty of the scenery to prejudice me in favour of the va'Uey of Kai-u, but it is nevertheless a truth. My powers of description are indeed, bad, Mr. Editor, else I should be tempted to depict to you the varied beauties of this place, but as I fear that an attempt at being particular, would fail to convey any thing like an accurate idea of this spot, I must leave it to the imagination of your own readers to conceive the effect of neat and cultivated plantations on the banks of an exceedingly beautiful river, interspersed with forests of stately Cowrie, Kaikatia, and other woods ; some of them bearing .the most luxuriant, and greenest foliage, others covered with flowers of every hue and colour ; their tall and stately stems, affording support to every species of vine creeper, and parasite, elegantly twined around their broad cirenmf erence. A quiet and peaceful valley, with cultivated grounds, Native villages, and houses of every size and shape ; completely surrounded with gently undulating hills ; presenting a still greater variety of forest trees, than the plain below; and equally, if not more beautiful because of the distance, and the effect of shade and position. Such, Mr. Editor, is a faint idea of the vale of Kai-u ; and if it interest any of your readers it is much at your service. I am yours, &c, A TRAVELLER. • May 3, 1843.