BY COACH.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 27 September 1924, Page 7

BY COACH.

CHRISTCHURCH TO DUNEDIN IN 1864. The following interesting extract is taken from Crawford’s ‘’Travels in Australia and New Zealand” : ‘‘On Monday, Ma-rcli 1, 1864, I got Upon Cobb’s coach, at 8 a.m., at the Christchurch Post Office. It was a wonderful machine, remarkably easy in its motion, and hung upon leather straps. Its easy swinging movement, however, is apt to produce upon some persons a' feeling akin to sea-sickness. \Ve had five horses, driven by Mr Baker, a veteran American coachman, who handled his reins with the skill of long practice. He thinks' the Americans speak better English than the English do, which may be true enough, taking ail classes into consideration; the nasal, twang may be balanced against the misplacement of the letter !! h.”

‘‘The morning was clear and blight as we'started over the plains and left the spires and Gothic roofs of Christchurch behind us; afterwards, however, the wind got up, with much dust. We travelled over the treeless olain until we reached Rakaia, where we dined, and crossed the river in a. punt. From this there was a long stretch of waterless and open country for twenty miles to the Ashburton, with not ‘ a single house between rivers, the mountains in view on our right and the, ocean on our left, and the soil gravelly. Much wire fencing was in course of erection to separate and subdivide the sheep-runs. HEAVY CHARGES.

“We fc.und a large hotel at the Ashburton, kept by a Mr Turton. This is the place of junction for the conches. The charges at the inns on ibis road were then very heavy-three shillings for each meal and one shilling '■or a glass of liquor. The difficulties of crossing the rivers and the absence cf tin.ber of any description, either for fuel or for building purposes, no doubt caused the heavy charges aid showed the necessity for railways. “Cm March 22 we started in another coach, driven by one John Xucx, also, an American: I have always found the American drivers in New Zealand very civil and intelligent. Indeed, tic only uncivil driver 1 nave nipt, with was an Australian. Our course lav ever a level, and stony plain. We changed ’horses at Rogers’s, on the Hinds Eivpr. ferried the Rangitata, and again changed coaches. Here Sir Cracroft Wilson’s homestead is seen below the bank, and the late Mr F. Jollie’s on the south side of the river, apparently a pretty place, the run extending into the lower ranges. The wind now got up wjth great force from the southwest ; the dust was.- dreadful, and the temperature cold. The country improved, and, indeed, became very fine. We dined at Orari. passed '\rownenu, and readied Tima«;u at 5 pan., where [ found a good betel. Old volcanic rocks appeared a mile or two before reaching Timaru, and from low undulations, one can scarcely call them hills. Here there is a roadstead, but very poor shelter. A steamer was at anchor in the effing. “A FINE COUNTRY.”

“On March 22 we left JTma-ru at 9 a.m., driving over a volcanic soifo reached Pareora in six miles. The road now passes over line flats, running gent-1 v no to the hills inland, and the gravel had nearly or quite disappeared. Altogether it is a fine country. At 3 p.m. we reached where there is a large bush, and the country becomes more hilly. Here I met Mr Studholme. and went with him to, h.is picturesque residence, where I passed the night. It is one of the nicest pAces in the Canterbury Province. On the following morning I rode away early to catch the coach at Waihe. We reached the Waitangi, or in the southern phrase the Waitaki, River at 9.30 a vn. The land continued fine until we approached the river, when gravel reappeared. “The Waitaki has an immense breadth of shingle bed, and the river is divided into many streams. Tt must have been very nervous and dangerous work fording it. The Kair.m Mountains. with Mount Domett, ilrun the interior background on the OLago side. The view is fine and grand, but bare from the absence of forest. Thi.-: want checks very much the settlement of the country. The low country is a series of terraces. We dined at Brown’s accommodation bouse, and „hon crossed the river. We bad first a long walk over shingle and small streams, and then crossed in a punt. It is a de-

testable river. On the south side we were met by a trap with a jijbing horse, which was with difficulty forced to drag us to Oamaru, where we f-.tnd an excellent colonial hotel—‘The Northern.’ ■ “.Oamaru is pretty; it is Unit round a bay, which commands a large l.r..de, although it is dangerous as being very deficient in shelter. The surrounding country is hilly and bare, but the. sod is good. There, is much tertiary [Milestone, and the geological situation ainteresting. From Oamaru the valley of the Waitaki, as far as l.indis’ Pass, -s supplied - the immediate surrounding country being good, the trade of the port is sure to increase unless carried off by the railway direct to Dunedin. “On March .26 we left Oamaru with a full coach. We breakfasted at Hampden, the upper township of Moeraki. Here there is a good bay. We passed through a gorge which rut one in mind cf the gorge of Olliules, between Marseilles and Toulon. The rocks are calcareous sandstone and conglomerate, in which are caves. In the neighbourhood or Moeraki, J think, Mr MantelL first discovered mon bones in the South Island, associated with human elements. W'e crossed the Shag Valley and dined at Waikcuaite, a pretty soot. After a long ascent of the Blueskin Range we reached the summit, and as the horses went spanking downhill we enjoyed fine views ever Port Chalmers and the harbour of Dunedin, the hills covered by rich forests, the harbour picturesquely broken by cape, promontory and island, and Dunedin lying in a fine position at the head of navigation.