IN SEARCH OF THE PICTURESQUE.

Evening Star, Issue 4361, 19 February 1877, Page 2

IN SEARCH OF THE PICTURESQUE.

No. 5. On board the Waaaka, February 7,1877. At Hokitika freah tourists wore added to our number. Three gentlemen and two ladies came on board, some of whom had travelled overland from Christchurcb. to meet the Wanaka. Unaware ot the delays, which prevented the advertised route beimr carried out in the stated time, they had prosecuted their overland journey through storm and flood which prevented their enjoying the romantic scenery between the ports of the east and west sides of Canterbury. A week at Hokitika of rain and mist nave them ample opportunity of becoming acquainted with the chances of domestic happiness there. According to their accounts such a state of felicity must depend upon individual temperament and training, for all else is most uninviting. The town and the houses in the town were described as of the poorest, the inn accommodation as of the worst. Part of this picture must be set down to ennui, for it is hard to pass one's days without employment—part is due, no doubt, to the depressing effect of storm, rain and fog—but they were people who seemed to know how to take care of themselves and to make the best of circumstances: so that allowing a percentage of untoward outward in. fluenceß, there iB, no doubt, much truth in what they told.

If ere, also, came on board a passenger of a widely different class. Accustomed to the roughest ot rough, lives, Mr "William Docherty, who joined us with a companion, has played no inconsiderable part in the development of New Zealand's riches Among the earliest of the gold-diggers, Mr Doouerty worked in Otago prior to the discovery of the rich deposits in Gabriel's Gully. He has since taken an active part in the workings on the West Coast, but latterly has applied himself more to prospecting than to mining. His practical knowledge has been rendered the more useful through his having added to it extensive rend, ing bearing upon geology and mineralo/y Mr Docherty is self-educated, and has acquired that best of all attainments, a consciousness of the limits of his knowledge. To a powerful frame, apparently well adapted to the life he has followed for some years, is united a clear and observant mind. No one can spend au hour in his company without being strack with the originality of many of his ideas. No wonder that a man naturally so gifted should have discovered what thousands must have .seen aud passed by as worthless. Mr Docherty is the discoverer of the valuable deposits of litho. graphic stone at Abbey Socks. A company has been formed to work the mine, and a hamdsome sum has been paid by some capitalists who know its value to become shareholders. About twenty tons of the stone have already been cut out from the quarry, in suitable blocks, which are sawn and polished on the surface. The Government litho. grapher at Hokitika is working upon them. Tne quantity obtainable is considered as practically inexhaustible, and it is of different qualities, suitable for different operations. It is expected a very lanre export trade will take place when the stone is fully known in the European markets, and steps have already been taken to introduce it into them. This will be a boou to Art, as increasing difficulty has been experienced for some time back in obtaining a supply from the Bavarian quarries. The stone has already been tested in the various Australian Coionies and highly approved, and it haß also had the approbation ot the Goverrment of this Colony A specimen or this valuable mineral may be seen in Dunedin by those interested, as a sample is in the pos.eanou of Mr M'Qoll, of the Survey Department here, Mr Dooberty has marked out for aimself twelve months of prospecting. He has provided himself with a wualeboat, twelve months' provisions, and a companion. He intends making Dusky B.\y the centre of his operations, and has determined to examine and thoroughly explore the country and to ascertain the character of the mineral deposits, ia the neighborhood of the Coast.

We have not thus fir thought it necessary to refer to any of our passengers by name. There are however, gentlemen whose objeots are not mewlv pleasure, but the ad»noementof science and a*t Captain V. W. Button, F.G.S, the curator of the Otago Museum, and now one of our TTniyereitv Professors, has lost no opportunity of obt-inine specimens of things that live on earth, in air or sea and things whose remains show they have lived of roofs: and stones and woods. His courteous bearing and the unreserved manner in which he gives information concerning strange objects to those who ob. serve thorn contribute much to the pleasure of the voyage. Of artists, amateur and professional, we have aeyem. The formtr need no mention as they may fairly be classed among the pleasure seekers. The latter class is represented by Mr Hoyte of Dunedin. Thus far but little opportunity has offered for sketch, ing. Therehave been pretty peeps but nothing that has not been already represented. We neednotentunerate the pleasuie-seekers. The newspapers told, or will tell, their names as passengers, and as their sayings and doings may be considered equally private as. these of pleasure parties on shore, it is not for us to do more than generally to allude to what by them is repmlsd as ttw mere pastime of a pleasure, trip., At Hokitika flies of papers were received, and to the astonishment of the individuals named in them and the disgrust of all on board, it was found by ex! > c « t^f^ ie ?S nedln . 'Q'wwdian/ published in tb?'WestQcw« Timss.' that most extraordinary twowta of the iOQiOeata of the voyage have been

or passengers and bold them up to .ridicule, either because taey were unable to because of soma alleged freeta©?^toTblck *£ ey WB i? sid5 id totafe ' been ~«*»*tCbutof some of which they were equally Innocent and feno. rant. The pro verb "Yon most go from home to hear news of yourself" was never more aptly illustrated. Each who was implicated looked in amazement on the extraordinary actions attributed to him. From hand to hand the* West Coast Times' was passed, and by every mouth expressions of indignation were uttered. Wo do not suppose the' Guardian's' special expected that his sayings would have reached the Wanaka prior to its passengers separating at Donedin, or he surely would not have aated to Blander so many gentlemen as he had the hardthoed to ridicule in his telegraphic sketches, wnat passed among the passengers whose names were subjected to such coarse caricature we do not snow. Many were the surmises as to how the special "would be treated. Some talked of punishing him after one fashion, some another. The favorite theory was that he would be unceremoniously subjected to a sound ducking in the «hSW*V Luokily for Um ' »rthe «me that indwaation was at its height the tub was empty. Keel-hauling is out of fashion, or had it happened in the days of our forefathers he would have paid a visit to the bottom of the vessel and travelled underneath her from side to side. But the damage was done, and however annoying such petty tale-bearing may be, gentlemen can afford to disregard it as they do the sting of a mosquito er a sandfly. The man was there, he was a passenger, and he had a right to remain among them. The only condemnation was to ostracise him, and let him feel that he was alone, though surrounded by genial spirits. But it was necessary to warn every one what sort of a being was among them, bo the friends of those aggrieved copied out in fair round hand the ridiculous, ill-mannered, and ttl-expreseed report, and fastened the paper to the lining of the staircase leading to tbe saloon, so that it might be seen by every one who choose to read it. There it remained for some time laughed at for its follv bv every passenger on board. For once the •• special ** became an object ot curiosity. The ladies looked at ium inquiringly, the gentlemen found out his mission, and wondered how such a man could have been Bent on such an errand. Thwewere several en board with an object similar to his own, but they attracted noattentum-theylwere gentlemen: but he had made his mark, and became distinguished in coxum. quence. w««o-

«i^T£ 8 w nd 1 d . an i r *» w °4 passengers at Holrffaka,theWanaka's head was turned,to the southward, up to this time the prospects of the trio appeared gloomy, so far as ifchtEeeing; was S oSL of the lan% oouldha obtained. A dense fog overshadowed it, although some bright gleams occasionally shed a haaylSht upon the sea. Oar artist friends were anxfonsto obtain a peep at Mount Cook, but the fates were against them-Mount Cook was not to be wen. l£ portrait was not to be had during ttisVoyaaS ?* no ? only a™£ i*s ***** outttaHraoed through the Jog, and that but for a few minutes: butffw of the excursionists bain, permitted to sw it as many were below at tea. The Wanaka heldon her way, and before daylight left was anchored in,lao£ ££» E! 7, a VJ naU !?*£ sd to *• delivered there. Seen from a distance the little settlement appeared made up of some score of rows—incipient streets. One larger thai understood to be the Awnt who fulfils a variety of pubUc duties/The o «* tlie *s""*«<» «*jde beyond the township as seen from the ocean, and are said to be making a K A . road 7« T Wentlycutthroughthe bush on the Blope of the mountain side, but for what purpose could only be guessed at. It seemed tobe the road from Jackson's Bay settlement^no

rJn^tif 01 ? 0 ? B r ßay *2 Bi * ****** was nothing remarkable but fog and rain-which, by the wa£ is considered not remarkable on the Vest Coast A yo».d view was afforded us of Cascade Pninf Captain Malcolm, very consideratolyVftetmlniS jL%l e V eT *ono an opportunity of viewing this, one of the lions of the West Coast. Cascade Point may be considered the most northerly feature of that range of magnificent scenery endingtowards the south in Preservaaon Inlet. But beyond^seeiS f&SXwir 6 " 1 * butUttl l °i *** watershedthat feads this falling river was visible. There was a dim outline of a towering peak, which of course every, body concluded was snow-topped. It is a very probable guess, but not based on evidence. Bitr B&V where the Ccesarewitch was beached to save her S^Z 0 !™* 0 . 11 !?' Tfa e remains of the vessel were visible-one of the most melanoholy objects that meets a seaman's eye. A wreck is peril, no matter whether it ooours thwEgh stem of weather or through human carelossnessor cupidity. It telle of capital wasted;*iU and labor thrown away. Like a fire-destroyed building on shore a wreck is a national loss. It may not be felt by consumers of goods because of the&ht per centage upoa prices of the few casualties inproportion to the value of the commerce oPa country, and too often men are accustomed to imagine because a vessel is insured but little loss u suffered Bnt ask the underwriters whose incomes suffor, the captain who loses his wardrobe, hw oharte, his nautical instruments, or the seamen who are too often denuded of their all, apart from danger to life, and in most cases absolute loss of companions, and they will tell that awreXfrom whatever cause, is to them suffering, and through them it falson all. The remains of theCtMara. witch in Big Bay teU of national loss. a «»*