DR. HECTOR'S EXPEDITION TO THE WEST COAST.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Volume II, Issue 60, 25 November 1863, Page 1 (Supplement)

DR. HECTOR'S EXPEDITION TO THE WEST COAST.

[concluded.]

Next morning (the 27th August) there was a fine southerly breeze, and we were on the lookout for the schooner, but she was not in sight. However, at 8 a.m. we heard her gun fire round the point to the north, and immediately put out across the bar, it being then almost the turn of high water. When they picked us up after a pull of a couple of miles from the land, I learnt that the skipper, misled by the chart, had been sweeping the northmost bay all the morning in search of the entrance of the Awarau river, where he expected to communicate with me. He describes the bay as being very deep, with a bold boulder beach, without any appearance of a river, and complained of the great risk he had run in being led to sweep so close in shore in search of the river, through the error of the chart, as, if a nor'wester had sprung up, Tie never could have beat out against it. As the weather looked very threatening in that direction, the skipper was afraid that unless he got into the river with this tide he would have to run back to Milford Sound, and therefore we determined to try it at once, even though the best time was already past before she was able to beat up to the entrance. However, I did not anticipate that the ebb current would acquire such velocity in such a short time, as we afterwards found that it did, or the attempt would never have been made. When within a cable's length of the entrance, the anchor was dropped in five fathoms water, while the first kedge and line was run out. This brought her right abreast the sandspit, and in the worst part of the channel, having a group of sharp rocks within a few yards of her stern. The second kedge did not take her out of danger, for the current had now acquired the velocity of five or six knots an hour, so that we could hardly stem it with the boat to lay kedges. The sea had also increased, and made it wild and dangerous work, as immense rollers were breaking twenty feet to our left, the break just ceasing at the edge of the deep water in the channel. Twice the boat was nearly swamped in attempting to fetch back the line from the next kedge. At this time a part of the windlass gave way, owing to the violent jerking on the chain—for the anchor had to be dropped each time the kedges were shifted—so that the position of the craft became very critical, and if any of the kedging lines had snapped, nothing could have saved her. However, thanks to the judgment and care exercised by Captain Thomson before our starting, all our gear was of first-rate quality, and the next kedge brought her behind the shelter of the sandspit, where she was tolerably safe. It was more than two hours' hard work to get her in so far— : a distance of barely 500 yards—during which all hands were taxed to the utmost, and I cannot praise too highly the skill and coolness displayed by the skipper and crew on this trying occasion. When the tide slackened a little the yacht was tracked up for a short distance farther, and moored in a very snug place behind a rocky islet, on the right side of the river.

Early on the morning of the 28th I proceeded up the river, accompanied by the skipper, to see how far up it would be advisable to take the yacht. We had the advantage of the flood tide, which carried us rapidly up, and after a distance of four miles we were surprised and delighted to find that it flows out of a lake, one to two miles in width, and extending in a southerly direction for ten or twelve miles. We had a fair wind up this lake, so that by noon we reached its upper extremity, where a considerable stream enters it from the S.SJ2., and up which we were able to take the boat for nearly a mile. The lower part of this lake is comparatively shallow, varying from six to ten fathoms, and surrounded by a large extent of level land, which is continuous with the flat through which the river winds, and is bounded on either hand by low sloping hills.

Abtut five miles from its lower end it however acquires all the characters of one of the Sounds, being bounded by steep mountains that rise out of deep water. At the head of the lake there is a large flat, covered with thicket of the tutu, fuschia, and other shrubs, where we found tracks of wild pigs—the progeny, Henry learned from the old Maori, of a pair that had been turned loose a few years since. After finding the only safe mooring place near the head of the lake, which is a little projecting headland on the east shore, which will afford shelter from the N.W. gales, we returned next day to the schooner. For some time after this we had stormy and changeable weather, which caused some loss of time, and nearly a fortnight elapsed before I had completed the survey and examination of the lower part of the river and coast, and was able to proceed up to the lake with the schooner. This river is called by the Maories the Wakatipukaduka, or the river that leads up to the Wakatip Lake ; by which they mean, not the Wakatip Lake of the east side of the mountains, but the lake I had just discovered, and which, in order to avoid contusion, I propose to name the Kakapo Lake, in order to preserve the name of that rare and interesting bird, which will in all probability soon become extinct: and preserving part of the Maori name, I would name the river Kaduka. The Maories describe this stream as of very small size; and further, that it is impossible to land with a boat at its mouth, or indeed in any other part of that bay, which I may mention is know n to the whalers as the Big Bay. Martin's Bay, into which the ILaduku River flows, is four miles across, between the two headlands, and rather less than a mile in depth. The best weather for entering the Kaduku is after a few days of light N.N.E. or S.E. winds,

or with a light S.W. wind, if there has not been previously a gale from that quarter, as in that case there is sure to be a heavy swell, especially if the barometer is low. The most severe gales on the coast are from between N.N.E. and N.N.W., and not often from N.W., as is the case farther south, and on the whole these were the prevailing winds during the month's experience we had of the place. As the bay is open and the current sets strongly off shore to the southward, there would be little danger in a vessel anchoring in it for a short time in fine weather, to wait the proper time in taking the bar, as, if a northerly gale sprang up, she could easily reach Milford Sound with the first of it.

The dangers, however, which are incurred in entering the Kaduku River, are very great in its i present condition, arising from the narrowness of the channel, the strength of the outset ting current (excepting at high water), and the exposed nature of the coast, on which there is nearly always a heavy swell rolling. Still, however, I believe it could be greatly improved, and would form at least quite as good a port as many which are freely entered by sailing vessels and steamers of small size on other parts of the New Zealand coast. If, however, an easy line of route be discovered to the interior of the Province from this point, this district—which is in itself of great interest—will obviously acquire a still higher importance, from its being the nearest part of New Zealand to the Australian and Tasmanian ports, so that in future times it may not improbably be a terminus of mail and telegraphic communication. In that case, for the convenience of large vessels, it would be necessary to have communication with Milford Sound, either by a system of lighterage, or overland, i>y road or railway, and thus render useful one of the excellent harbors on the coast; the only defect of which arises from its great depth of water and small extent of available land on its shores. The distance from the Kaduku River to Milford Sound is only 11 miles, and the intervening countrv, though rough and hilly, is yet traversed by valleys which could doubtless be taken advantage of in the construction of a road; but having only seen this country from mountain tops and from seaward, I cannot speak positively on this point. The best anchorage ground, which is at the head of Milford Sound, could not, however, be reached by a road, as some parts of the shores of the Sound are absolutely precipitous ; while Anita Bay, which is the only other anchorage, and situated on the south side, and close to its entrance, is not only on the wrong side, but is also too much exposed to N.W. gales, so that it would be difficult to find a good site for unloading. However, just within Dale Point, which could easily be reached by land, and where there would be perfect shelter, I believe, by blasting and quarrying, a a sufficient extent of wharf frontage might be obtained, where vessels might be safely moored, although the water is too deep for anchorage. Milford Sound is one of the most easily entered of all the Inlets on the coast, for, al though surrounded by high mountains, the wind draws through it very steadily, and in moderate weather there is a marked land breeze during the forenoon, and a sea breeze during the afternoon, while the influence of the tide is not at all felt. The Kaduku River makes three reaches between where it leaves the lake and enters the sea. The lowest or Kaiyk Reach, is a mile and a half in length, and is only separated from the sea by the sandspit, which is 100 yards in width and 50 to 70 feet in height. This part of the rivei averages a quarter of a mile in width, and has a wide channel with no where less than 10 feet of water. A sunken reef of rock, however, extends nearly half-way across it from the split rocks which lie on its eastern side, and again at the upper end of the reach opposite to an old Maori kaiyk, a bank formed of snags buried in gravel nearly crosses the river, and is almost dry at low water; but along its eastern side, however, there is a channel 30 fathoms in width, in which there is not less than 11 feet at high water. From the bend of the river a narrow creek navigable for boats extends for half a mile farther along the back of the sandspit, penetrating through dense scrubby thickets, and flowing from a small lake near which the Natives have their present kaiyk and potato garden. Above the Kaiyk Reach the River narrows considerably, its average width being 180 yards. It is deep from side to side, but out of the line of swiftest current there are a few snags, which narrows the channel to some extent. The proper channel varies from twelve to twenty-five feet, and above the bend at the Kaiyk there are no obstacles of any kind to prevent its navigation. The land is elevated considerably above the highest floods, excepting in a few places, where there are swampy recesses extending back into the woods. The banks consist of stratified gravel and sand, with a stratum of clay, full of marine shells of the same species as those inhabiting the the present mud flats, but elevated thirty feet above the sea level, the whole being covered with a thick deposit of loam. This deposit proves that there has been an elevation of the land at least to that extent, and that the Kakapo Lake is, in its nature, the same as the upper part of one of the Sounds farther south, but only being cut off from direct communication with the sea by the elevation of the shallow bar which formerly extended across its entrance. There is at least 4000 acres of alluvial land bordering the river and the lower part of the Kakapo Lake. It is covered with timber of finer quality and of greater variety than I have seen elsewhere on the West Coast, comprising white, red, and black pines, totara, miro, ironwood, moka, birch, ghoa, and others—all of luxuriant and healthy growth. At the angle between the two upper reaches, named White Pine Reach

and Lake Reach, are the Alleys, which are two small coves that have an average depth of 18 feet, and form snug little harbours, secure from all winds and currents. Excepting at the entrance of the river, where the channel that is free from dangers is only 110 feet wide, and at the two obstructions which I have mentioned as lying opposite to the kaiyk and the spit-rocks, the river has a clear channel for navigation from the lake to the sea that is not less than 40 fathoms in width, and 12 feet in width, and 12 feet in average depth of water. The proper time for taking the bar is after three quarters flood, when, unless there be a freshet in the river, the current generally ceases to flow out. At half flood the average soundings are from 15 to 20 feet, which was probably on the top of a rock. Besides the group of sharp rocks at the entrance, about a cable's length within the bar there is a dangerous rock nearly in midchannel, and generally a wash at high water; but the water being quite smooth around it, it can easily be avoided. With regard to the currents and tides within the river, they vary so much, according to the state of the weather, that it would require a few months' experience of the river before a correct account could be given of them From what has been observed, however, it appears that after a few days' rain the current runs out very stongly, and the effect of flood tides is hardly at all felt, so that there is a constant outset. After fine weather the current in the river does not run stronger than between Dunedin and the Heads, which is from two to two and a half knots per hour during the ebb tide. The influence of the flood in ordinary weather is felt within the river about an hour and a half before, and half an hour after, it is high water outside. But after a few days' fine weather and southerly winds, when the level of the lake becomes lowered, the flood tide commences to run up the river fully two and a half hours before high water, at the rate of nearly two knots an hour. On the bar, however, the current never makes stronger than at the rate of one knot an hour. Within the entrance of the river the rise and fall of the tide is from four to eight feet, being full tide at the change of the moon at 11.40. The range, however, decreases on ascending the river, and in the lake it certainly does not exceed six inches. By keeping in line the marks which I put up to guide the yacht over the bar, and which I intend to place in a permanent form before I leave the river, a vessel will pass safely between tbc point of the spit and the sunken rocks ; but after opening up the bend of the river she must keep close to the back of the sandspit, where there is the deepest water within a couple of fathoms from the edge of the bank, the exact position of which can always be easily known by the tide-rip, which the rollers give rise to on breaking over the spit into deep water. In the present state of the entrance no vessel drawing more than seven feet should attempt to enter this river, and then only under very favourable circumstances, with a high barometer and light S.E. wind. For a quarter of a mile within the lake the water is shallow, excepting in the proper channel, which lies to the eastern shore, in which there is from two to five fathoms; but when over this bank there is everywhere from 10 to twenty fathoms, with steep gravelly shores, and further up the lake, where the shores become mountainous, the depth increases to 70 fathoms. When the lake is very low the water is slightly brackish just within the entrance, but elsewhere it is at all times perfectly fresh. In the lower part of the rivei tie water is fresh only during the latter half of the flood tide, but then only on the surface. On the 10th of September we left our mooring at the Split Rocks, at 6*30 a.m., just as the tide was beginning to run up the river. We got on very well as far as the Kaiyk Rapid, where the bank I have mentioned crosses the river, but there a gust of wind off the eastern shore caused the schooner to take the ground, and before she was got off, the up-current was nearly spent. However, she was hedged up during the day against the current, and in the afternoon was anchored in Gravel Cove, which is a pretty little bay on the east side of the lake, with six fathoms water, and so steep a beach that the stern of the yacht was hauled in and made fast to the trees without touching the ground, so that we could jump ashore. The gravel beach which surrounds the lake rises to feet above the ordinary water level, which indicates the extent to which it is occasionally flooded, and it was delightful to have such a pleasant promenade after the bold and rocky shore we had been accustomed to on the other parts of the coast. The Maori family had accompanied us, and had established a picturesque camp in the woods close to the mooring place. For the next few days we had splendid weather, so that I was able to ascend several of the mountains. Towards the Sara Hills, which lie to the N.W. of the Lake, the land slopes gently back for three quarters of a mile, forming a succession of terraces rising to a height of 270 feet, and covered with fine open woods of noble growth. At the base of the hills these terraces become broken and cut up by gullies, but there is no rock exposed, as they appear to consist, to a height of 400 feet of imper- i fectly stratified clay and sub-angular shingle. It is in this broken ground that the Maories catch the Kiwis and Kakapoes, but although they accompanied us one day for that purpose they procured none, as their dogs were too shy to hunt before strangers. They are always able to catch them when they are alone, however. Only the small Kiwi is to be found here, the larger species, or Takawika, being found only in the Sounds further south.

The slopes of the hills are very steep, but still are covered with trees of large size ; some of the

iron-wood trees, (Rata), at an elevation of 2,000 feet having a girth of from 20 to 30 feet.

South of Gravel Cove a considerable stream enters the lake from the eastward, which the Natives call the Hokuri, and south of which the high mountains commence to bound the lake. From Cairn Hill, one of the low peaks on Skipper's Range, which lies along the east side of the lake, a splendid view of the mountains and surrounding country was obtained from a height of 4,000 feet. The ascent was very steep, but not difficult; no view was obtained until we were clear of the woods, which ceased at 3,400 feet, at which elevation they have their upper limit, as all the mountains in this district. As they give way to the open grassy top of the hill, the birch, which is always the highest tree, becomes scrubby and stunted, and covered with dry crisp lichen. Shrubs not seen lower down also appear, some of which I had only previously remarked on the Pigeon Hill on Jackson's River. The bush is replaced by coarse grass and large tussocks, with scattered bushes of stunted shrub heath (Dracophylum), several species of Calmisia, and other sub-alpine plants. The sky being without a cloud, the view from the summit was magnificent. To the westward the sea bounded the horizon from below Milford Sound to the north of the Awarau Bay, but the shore line was concealed by low wooded ranges, so that its form could not be observed excepting at a few points. The Awarau Valley was very distinctly seen at a distance of six miles trending to the S.E., and from two to four miles in width. It has a level bottom partly occupied by a lake, and partly open and grassy ; but there it is probably swampy. No large river could be seen, but a considerable quantity of water must, I should think, be discharged through the valley from the snowy mountains, where it originates. This lake, I afterwards learned, is known to the Maoris as the Waihuna Lake, and the stream flowing from it to the sea, the Awarau of the chart, by the same name; the only Awarau which they know being, as I have previously mentioned, a river flowing into the north end of Jackson's Bay. From the Waihuna Lake, a valley two miles in width, tolerably level, and not elevated more than a few hundred feet, leads through to the Kakapo Lake, so that the two larger valleys are connected by a tract of available land. Turning towards the interior, the large groups of snowy mountains could be distinguished, separated by the great valley which runs to the S.S.E., and is partly occupied by the Kakapo Lake. The Darran Mountains, which are the group to the west of this valley, are those that cluster round Milford Sound, of which Pembroke Peak is the most remarkable from the seaward. It is not, however, the highest, as Tutoko Peak, which is a lofty conical mountain, having a shape similar to Mount Aspiring, and occupying a central position between Milford Sound and Kakapo Lake, is higher by probably 1000 feet. These mountains extend to the south for at least 20 miles, bounding the valley of the Kakapo Lake by a straight abrupt slope which, however, is not precipitous. The Bryneira mountains, to the east of the valley of the lake, constitute a much larger group, extending as far as the sources of the Jackson River, Matakitaki, which flows to the Wanaka Lake and the Dart River, which flows to the Wakatip. Two ranges belonging to these mountains, both of them at this season covered with snow, lie between the Awarua Valley and the Kakapo Lake, from between which the Hokuri stream flows to the north, and separated by a low saddle from a third large lake which as yet I only know of by report, and termed by the Maoris the Waiwaihiwuk Lake, the drainage of which is effected through the Kakapo River that flows into the upper extremity of the Kakapo Lake. Before leaving the summit of the mountains; we put up a pile of stones for the purpose of afterwards ascertaining its exact position. The lower part of the mountain bordering the lake is composed of porphyritic greenstone, like that at Milford Sound, but overlaid by granitic gneiss, consisting of lamina of felspar and quartz, with flakes of pearly mica irregularly dispersed. The rock sometimes passes into a rose-tinted or white quartzite, with layers of mica and felspar arranged in very fine laminse. They are the same rocks as are met with on Black Peak, near the Wanaka Lake. On the 18th we sailed to the upper end of the lake, and made the schooner fast in Warp Cove. The upper end of the lake is in latitude 44 deg. 31 min. 41 sec; that of Gravel Cove, where we were last anchored, 44 deg. 23 min. 40 sec, and the lake is about miles in length. About the 15th the barometer fell as low as 29.08, but without any remarkable change in the weather following. In the course of a few days it rose to 30 inches, when a violent storm set in on the night of the 18th, accompanied by a rainfall of 6 inches in the thirty-six hours that succeeded, but during which time the barometer continued to rise steadily. The frequency with which this anomaly occurred shows how little bhe indications of the barometer are to be trusted in these deep mountain valleys. James Hector, Provincial Geologist. Dunedin, 19th Oct., 1863.

A rather singular case of identification took place in the Resident Magistrate's Court the other day. Few persons would imagine that oysters had their peculiarities so distinctly marked as to be capable of being claimed, but a dredger swore positively to a parcel as having been denizens of a particular bank near the Heads, and there appeared no reason to doubt the truth of his Times,