THIS HAWEA EXCURSION TO THE WEST COAST SOUNDS.

Inangahua Times, Volume V, Issue 21, 16 January 1878, Page 2

THIS HA WEA EXCURSION TO THE WEST COAST SOUNDS.

(CANTRHnURT IMIE<B.) Ono of tho excursionists to tho Wo*t Const Sounds by tho Ha wen, Mr T. 1). Dnle of Cathedral squnro, hns kindly furnished as with tho following dosoriptiro outline of tho experiences of the party and of tho character of tho wondorful country visited :— Sunday, 23rd December, 4, p.m., left Port Chalmers in tho Union steamship Hiiwcn, in charpjo cf Captain Malcolm. Tho pusscngors numbored about sovonty, Ibo orcw about twonty, osclusivo of oili*

C?r?. Tho airnngemenl3 for the comfort nnd convenioneo of the excursionists wero vory comploto. Tho victualling was first class, nnd tho urbanity nnd attention of officers nil ihnt could be desired. We had n milch cow on board, four extra boats wero provided for tho uso of tho passengers, nnd temporary baths for the gontlemon woro placod on deck. Shortly nfler starting a progrnmmo of tho tour, containing also details and information for tho passenger.", also wilh a pnsscnger list and map of tho Sounds, wero handed to each tourist. Nearly half the excursionists woro from Dunedin, tlio rcmnindor from Auckland, Clirislehurch, Wellington, Nnpior. Oamnrnn, Timaru, Melbourne, Sydney, nnd China. A lit'lo cliqueism and exclusivoness wero shown, but on tl o wholo mnttors wero vory agrconble. The captain wnsn " brick "— " rough ns a bear, but willing ns a brother" Erery reasonoblo concession was mndo by him, and your slightest wish nnticlpatoJ. Tho purser seemed to b<J in a constant study how best to nmuso yon, and render tho trip agreeable. * Arrived'nt Preservation In'ct on Mondny afternoon and nnchored in Cuttle Cove. Next morning stenmed up tho Sound to Cascade Basin nnd there remained somo hours to allow tho pnssenr gors to go ashore nnd visit Iho watoifall A few of tho tourists managed to scramble through tho thick bush to Ret n front view of the cascade, which \» very fino. , Thoso who romnincd on the rocks below* a short distanco oft', missed a treat, ns, although tho view was lovely from their point, they could only soo two-thirds of tho fall, tho other portion seen from the front falling in a groat body on to n plat* lOin of rock wilh n tremendous roar, nnd tho spray rising to a grent height. Hooks iibout here chit fly schist. Lower down tho Sound tho scenery is beautiful, being of n soft nnd varied charecter— -islands eovere.l with bush, round which you pull, fishing tho «hilo—hill sides nblnzo with rata in full bloom— tbo water in somo places of n deep wpphiro blno, and in others of a bright emerald. Arrived at Chalky Sound Hamoovoning. More loch seeneiy. Spent the next morning in boating, (hooting, fern gathering or pulling round those charming little i.-dnnds. As I sit in tho bout indulging in tho dolco fur nicnte, Hogg's lines on mo into my mind ;— • " O'er mountains inverted tlio bluo waters o'irled, And rooked them on skies of a ar nether world." Certain, in ibis inlet, the r<(l-etion in tho wntec of tho clouds an I wooded mountains was very bonti ill. flirted sdnv dny lor .Duiky S-mnd. Passed Seal islund »tnl east. «nohor in Supper , Cove at the head of tho Sound. Tho a -curry no\r merges into tho grand nnd mns.sivo. S'arled curly next morning, went through Achnron passage, nnd Wet Jiiuket Arm ; buck n^iin to Acheron nnd "into Hrenksei Sonn 1, whero wo nnoliorel in Heac'i Tf-irlior, Broughton nn, for the night. Kurly i ext nurniuij mado for T)-mhtfiil 'Soun'l, tho\ up SmiihN Sound, and into Tfii.Ts Arms. The scenery now becomes rugged, sombre, nnd mrjestic. As tho vessel jjlides alonir, it is liko a moving pnnoiiiDii — now vno.l-erownod heights— anon, pnornv>ns cinnt ernas of cninito almost/ perpendicular, and bare of timber, but bnn«.» nnd festooned with mosses of tho most, ravishing shades in orange, green, rod nnd brown— then cliffs scooped out, in strange fashion, precipices sheer down to tlio water, ribbon cascades on all sides, gignniio masses of hard rock, standing nlone rising to a height of from 3000 to <*'):>) feet. Tiio effect on tho pnssengers '"s silence; all nro fontcm* |}iting tho awful grandeur of tho scone. Skotchers nre now h.ird at work (by tho bye, T forgot to mention that we hnd on board several professional nrtists nnd n number of amateurs). Up Hrnndshaw Sound to Preefpieo Covp, then back imd in to Thompson's Sound, a^nd anchored in Dens Covo. It is impossible to describe tho great bc&uly of tbo last threo sounds. They «ro from ten to twenly^four miles long, nnd hnvo deep water to the head (in somo places no bottom at 250 fathoms,) As you stenra " easy n-hcad" along theso watery high ways, tho views thtit open nut " striko nwo n.id terror to your nching sight." Mountains in succession sweep in grnccfnl outlines from conical poaks. Occiisionnlly a moro extended viow is disclosed, with hills fading away in mist, whilo thoso nearer aro robed in purplo tints. Still tho views opon and shut ns yon chango your courso into another arm ; then suddenly sturt ont wooded promontorios, bnckod by cnslolatcd crags. Wow follow contorted mnsscs of gneiss ond schis f ,and mountains of grnnito thnt flecm os if hurled into one vast indescribable and bonutiful confusion. I will pnss over Casswell George, nnd flligh Sounds, whioh, with tho exooption of ono really pretty cascade, tumbling from a lako at tho head of George Sound, (si\id Inko 200 ft. above sea level), aro tnino in comparison with tho othors. nnd como to tho far-famed Milford. This is considored tho fiord pnr excellence A glorious morning ushered in our entrance to Milford. Tho sccnory now becomes gloomy nnd somite, nnd, wilh less of tho bnsh prtmevnl, it loses its mellowness and gains in Alpino ebarnctir. Passed Stirling Falls nnd Mitro Peak, rounded tho Liou's Head, and a magniilceut view

was disclose.!. To Mio left, snow-covered Pembroke glistened in Iho beams of nn unclouded sun; to thariftht, rocky rnngefl nnrl moro snow-capped peak*. Another poht rounded nnd Bo wen Palls appear. Thin cataract (540f1.) falls orer r nearly | norpcndieularclilF.and whofher you ar IJ just in front to the right or left of it, cm> ]x prosents a most charming view. Tin.' scenery in Milford is sublime. Wo seem transported to anollior world, whore tho profound silonco (broken only by tlio Palls), tho towering mnsscs of granite, gneiss, schist, and quartz, the thick bush from tho snow lino to the shore, and I In* abyss of water, nil tend to strike you with womW ami awe. Wo stayed tw<> days in Milford, nnd had boat racim:. sm arming the greasy polo, duck hunt and other such so-isonnblo but incongruous amusement. Somo wont nshoro and climbed to the, snew (appnrcntly very near, but proved to bo distant a three) hours' toilsomo nnd perilous journey. > Others went fern Bothering, collecting rock specimens, all more or less enjoying themselves. h\ Chnlky Sound, ono gentleman wont nshoro to get some sport in shooting, nnd managed to loso himself. Ho wns out nil night, nnd was found by n soarch party in (ho morning on bench, out of sight of the vessel, in a very exhausted, conditisn, barms; hod somo hair breadth oscnpes. 110 wns terribly knocked about Nearly every person suffered from sandflios, which wero veryth'ok up tho Sounds. ]Jod bills nnd a New Zealand crow wero tho birds shot: ttluo cod, trumpeter, butler fish, parrot Tub, devil fish, an I enyrtsh represented tho piscatorial re* suits.As a mere index <o tho mngnftconoeof the scenery, it may bo mentioned that Mount IVmbroko is (1710 ft Inch, nlwnys snow- capped. lWren Peak 5 105 ft. Mount, Kimberley .f2ot)fr, Mitro Peak fififJO, and' Llnwrer.y <>.">' h.)l I, all prominent, features n some of the most powerful scenery iiv tlio world.