VOYAGE OF THE NOVARA.* NEW ZEALAND.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XXII, Issue 125, 8 December 1863, Page 3

VOYAGE OF THE NOVARA.* NEW ZEALAND.

* Lake Arthur.

[TrtmUted for the Nchon Examiner, by Mrs. Fbane Nai*n.] [Concluded.] " My first field of operations," writes Dr. Hochstetter, M was the Province of Auckland. The ample | meuna which the worthy Superintendent of the province, J. Williamson, Esq , placed at my disposal, j made it possible for me, in tho brief space of five ' mouths, to visit the greater part of this extensive province, which embraces almost the whole northern half of the North Island, and to carry out my labours, in a great measure, according to a fixed plan. " For tho first two months — January and February — Auckland remained tho central point of my excursions, as the time of year was not adapted to long journeys on foot into the interior of the country. For one thing, the heat during the height of summer is too great ; and for another, the mosquitoes, which just in these months s*arm in myriads in the damp forests, are such a horrible, pest as to make travelling almost impossible. One is, however, tolerably free from both these annoyances in the neighbourhood of Auckland. Fresh sea breezeß, which constantly ■weep across the narrow isthmus, temper tho heat of summer, and the unwooded district is also less visited by these bloodthirsty insects. "I therefore endeavoured to complete the report which, during the stay of the Novara, I had already commenced on the brown coal-fields in the neighbourhood of the capital, and on the remarkable volcanoes of Auckland, by means of a detailed geological survey of the volcanic district ; as even the immediate neighbourhood of tbe capital, in spite of some previous explorations by my friend Heaphy, was still, in a geological point of view, as much a terra incognita as the remote districts of the interior. ' "Some topographical sketches of maps (1 inch Euglish=:l geographical mile), with which the Sur-veyor-General's office provided me, served, in a great measure, as a foundation for the geological map of the Auckland district. But, unfortuuately, these ■ketches were almost entirely wanting in delineation of the ground ; they contained only the coast line and the network of rivers; and I must, therefore, in addition to the geological survey, complete that of the country. 11 On closer investigation, the district presented a far greater variety of geological combination than I had anticipated. I occupied myself for the most part, with the remarkable extinct volcanio conea on the Auckland isthmus, which, both as regards their great number in a small space, as well as the peculiarities of their oone and crater formation, and also their lava streams, must be regarded as alone of their kind. I had to delineate no less than sixty-one extinct points of eruption, in a circumference of only ten English miles round Auckland. An excursion in a southerly direction to the Manukau harbour, and to the mouth of the Waikato river on the west coast, led to the discovery of important deposits of petrifactions on the south head of the Waikato river and the west coast, and to the discovery of Belemnites and splendidly preserved fossil ferns. By these was demonstrated for the fii*3t time, tho existence of secondary strata in New Zealand. Farther excursions into the Drury and Papnkura district, as well as to the Wairoa river, served to fix the extent of the brown coal formation, while I extended my investigations in a northerly direction to tho river Waitakere, and to the peninsula of Wangaparoa. "My map, so far as it was ready, at end of February, embraced the whole, country for a circumference of twenty miles round Auckland, and this I handed over to the Government to be used and copied. It preeenled to view a geological district remarkable in the highest degree, with a series of sedimentary formntions from all the geological periods (primary, secondary, tertiary, and recent), together with numerous volcanic formations. My collections likewise included a considerable number of new petrifactions, and numerous interesting species of rock, while the botanical and zoological specimens were richly increased by friendly contributions on all aides. ° Now arose the question, Should I make tho north or south of the province the end and aim of my farther investigations P Both, in the short time I had to remain, I could not do. I did not hesitate to determine in favour of the south, and for various reasons. The southern portions of the province of Auckland are peopled almost exclusively by natives. Only missionaries, a few Government officials and tourists bad hitherto travelled through these remarkable districts. The north of the island, on the contrary, is far better known. Numerous European settlers inhabit the shores of the various bays on the northern part of the island. I could therefore, from the oral and written accounts of the colonists, as well as from the collection of specimens iv natural history which they sent me, gain much information regarding the nature of these districts. "Dieffenbachhad visited all the important points in the North, and had described them well, if not from a geologicial point of view. The renowned American geologist Dana, had, on the great expedition sent by the United States to the South Seas, touched at the Bay of Islands, the largest harbour in (he North, and geologically investigated the surrounding country. Moreover, my friends, the Rev. A. G. Purchaa and O. Heaphy, had, during my stay in Auckland, visited aome of the northern districts and brought me back specimens and notes of every description, so that I was no stranger to the North. On the contrary, the far interior, the southern part of the Province of Auckland, appeared almost unexplored. "Since Dieffen bach's memorable journey in 1840, no naturalist had seen the high volcanic cones in the interior of the island, the beautiful inland sea, the boiling springs, the solfataras, and the jets of vapour. The geological conclusions arrived at in Dieffenbach's » account of his journey through these districts, appeared to me very meagre, and, topographically, the interior was all but unknown. A journey there, promised, therefore, the richest results. "Towards the end of February I concluded the necessary preparations. Captain Drummond Hay, known ad one of the best Maori linguists, was commissioned by the Governor to act as my guide and interpreter. The Provincial Government anticipated my request by adding to the party a photographer, and an assistant, for meteorological observations, as well as farther help in collecting and drawing. The latter was found in the person of a very obliging and Useful young German, Herr Koch, tho former in the photographer Herr Hamel. We took with us besides, a servant, a cook, and fifteen natives to carry the baggage. In company with my friend Haast, equipped in the best manner with everything necessary for a long foot journey in thinly populated districts, and for camping by night in the open air, and provided with letters of recommendation from the Governor to the most influential chiefs, I started, on the Bixth of March, with my numerous company from Auckland, first to Mangatavhiri, on the Waikato, tlio chief river of New Zealand, which takes its rise in the heart of the island. I proceeded in native canoes up the Wnikato; then up its tributary, the Waipa; and turned from the mission station, on the Waipa ri»er, (o the westward, in order to visit the harbours of Whaingaroa, Aoten, and Kawbia, on the West Coast. From Kawhia I again turned inwards, through the Upper Waipa district, to the Mokau district. Thence I came, surmounting numerous belts of forest, to tbe springs whence the Wanganui river takes its rise, in the Tuhua district ; and, on the 14th of April, reached the majestic Taupo lake, surrounded by lofty volcanic cones. Here I was in the heart of the country, at the foot of the steaming volcano of Tongariro, ond of its extinct ne'ghbour, tbe 9,200 feet high Ruapahu, covered with an eternal •now. At tbe southern end of the lake lies a mission house, where I found the most hospitable reception; while my Maoris were received by the great Maori * Voyage of the Auttrian Frigate, Novara, Bound the Earth % during the Yean 1857, 1858, 1859, under ! th* command of Commodore B. yon Wiillerttorf ', Vrbair,

chief, Te Tleuhen, in the neighbouring \\Uago of Pukuwa, and entertained according to the custom of the country. When I had sketched the map of the hike, and had visited the many hut springs along its bulk*, I followed by the couree of the Waikato, from tht» Joke, the most remarkable features— boiling springs, solfutaras, springs of salt, and jets of vapour,* which lie in a north-easterly direction between the. active crutor of Tongariro and the still active volcanic island of Whnkari, or White Island, on the East Const. The 'Luke district,' lung upon this line, .•ifforded occasion for a co»ißiilerjb)e where, on the Rotorua lake, on the Rotoiti, and on f he Rotomahana (or hot lake), the vgawhas and puias of; New Zealand, i.e., the boiling Bpnngs and ge} sers, with irregular silicious strata.t as in Iceland, exhibit their greatest development. I look upon this as the most remarkable and extensive hot-spring district which is known in the world, Iceland itself not pxcopted.

"In the bpginning of May I reached the East Coast, near Maketu, followed the coast to the Timranga harbour, turned thence inwards to the Waihovalley (or valley of the New Zeuland Thames), and came by Maungatautari again to tho Waikato river. I then wandered through the fertile regions of the Middle Waiknto basin, near Bangiawhia, the central point of the Maori settlements, paid a visit to the Maori king, Potatau te Whevo-Whero, in hia residence of Ngarunwahis, at the junction of the Waiknto and Waipa riverß, and, towards the end of May, down the Waikato, and past Mangatawhiri, again returned to Auckland.

"The results of this nearly three months expedition, were in all respects satisfactory to me. Happily the weather had been very favourable, so that I had no insuperable difficulties, although our course led us through many a district rich in Bwamps, rivers, and uncleared vegetation hard to penetrate. As my journey fell exactly in the New Zealand autumn, just after the potatoe and wheat harvest, there was no lack of food. We met with the heartiest welcome at the mission-stations which are scattered through the interior of the country, and even the native chiefs would not be outdone in receiving into their pahs with all honour, Te Bata Hokiteta (as I was called in Maori) and his companions, and entertaining them in the most hospitable manner. My Maoris behaved admirably, they were always ready and willing, and as I was supported in the most zealous manner by my friends Haast, Hay, Koch, and Hamel, the results were in every direction as favourable as Icould possibly expect. I had now in my poßeession considerable geographical, geological, botanical, and zoological materials, and rich opportunities for ethnological study had likewise presented themselves.

"But the subjects on which my eye had been prinripally fixed, were tho geography and geology of the country. In order to obtain geological memoranda, I was at the same time obliged to work topographically, for what was represented on somo of the maps of the interior of the country, did not rest on actual surveys, but were sketched in, either from reports of travelling missionaries and officials, or, at best, were copied from hasty sketches made by some traveller or other. The map outlines which I had received from the Colonial Government at my departure, only gave the stopping places on the coast, and, at a few miles from Auckland, became little better than a piece of white paper. I had therefore adopted from the commencement of the journey, a system of trigonometry ,J by means of azimuth compasses, based on the nautical coast survey of Captain Drury ; and, energetically supported by my companion, Drummond Hay, carried it through from the west to the east coast. The natives, who, from their rooted mistrust of Government land speculations, generally put tho greatest obstacles in the way of English engineers, as soon as they appear with their instruments for measuring and taking observations upon any land not purchased by the Government, allowed me to do as I liked undisturbed. They knew that I was a stranger only remaining for a short time in the country, and even helped in every way, in order that, on my return home, I might relate many fine things about their country. They led me themselves to all the remarkable spots, ascended with me the mountain summits whence I took my observations, told me with great obligingness the names of the different mountains, rivers, valleys, and lakes, and explained after their fashion the geography of the district. I for my part carefully collected all the native designations, and believe myself in this manner to have rescued many a uoblo and characteristic Maori name from oblivion.

" I always sketched down the physical characteristics of tho country upon the spot, and therefore brought back from my journey materials by which, in Auckland itself, I was enabled to lay down, in a great measure, a topographical map of the southern portion of the province, leaving it to the better leisure of later days to subject this temporary plan to a careful revision.

"The barometrical measurements made during the journey, set ved as corresponding data for the observations of the Eoyal Engineers' Observatory in Auckland, with whose table Colonel Mould kindly furnished me. Beyond these, a great number of drawings and photographs must be nu-ntioned, made by the different members of the expedition, as well as many valuable landscapes sketched for mo by Mr. Heaphy. " There now still remained to be investigated a very interesting district in the vicinity of Auckland, viz., the Cape Colville peninsula, on the etistern shore of Hauraki Bay. The discovery of gold in the neighbourhood of the harbour of Coromandel, situated upon this peninsula, had several years previously attracted great attention. I therefore took advantage of some fine days iv the month of June to visit theße goldfields. A farther visit to the copper mines on Great Barrier Island, and on the Island of Kawau, which I had intended, was unfortunately rendered impracticable by bad weather. " My stay in the Province of Auckland now drew near its end. At the desire of the Mechanics'lnstitute, I, before my departure, delivered a lecture in the hall of the society (June 24, 1859), on the geological characteristics of the province, in which I condensed tho leading resultß of my investigations, which I illustrated by means of the maps, plans, drawings, and photographs, so far as they were then finished, and which were exhibited on this occasion. As timo and circumstances did not allow of more elaborate composition, it was this lecture which I at the same time handed to the Colonial and Provincial Governments as a report of my proceedings. Arranging and packing tho specimens, and drawing the maps, delayed my departure for some weeks longer, and after the days ot work, there followed for me some no less memorable days, dedicated to social happiness and festivities, before I finally took leave of the inhabitants of Auckland. Thousands of mementoes of New Zealand were in my hands. My collection contained treasures of every description, wbich should make the mountains and forests of New Zealand never-to-be-forgotten things. But I was still to be indebted to the hospitable inhabitants of Auckland for an especial token of their kindness and generosity. On the 24th of July, on a festive occasion, I wa9 presented, in the name of the inhabitants of the province, with an address, written in only too flattering terms, accompanied by a costly testimonial. Will my friends on the other side of the world allow me once more to return them my hearty thanks for the beautiful gift, and for the honours which they undeservedly heaped upon me ; and may they, in the attempt to present to them the results of my investigations, to which they afforded such generous support, recognise my endeavours to repay a debt of gratitude.

" Unlortunately, wont of time prevented my accepting the cordial invitations to Wellington, New FU - mouth (province of Taranaki), Ahuriii (province of Hawke's Bay), to remain there some time and pursue my investigations through those provinces. So, likewise, I was compelled, thankfully to decline the Governor's gracious invitation to accompany him on a voyage to the southern harbours, on board the English man-of-war Iris, but, instead, complied with a previous invitation from the Superintendent of the Province of Nelson, as a visit to the Middle Island, even were it but a short one, appeared to me of especial importance. "It was not alone the beautiful name of the • Garden of New Zealand,' by which Nelson is t ♦ Solfataren, Salsen, und Fumarolen. t Kietehinter-Abtdtzen. t " TriangulaHont-fjtim."

distinguished, that attracted me, bufc ft ill more the divereity of its mineral treasures, such as copper, gold, and coal, which have gained for thi.- province the name ot being the chief mineral and metallic district of New Zealand. And how could 1 return to E'trope, without huving seen f he mighty chain of the Southern Alps, their summits covered with an eternal snow ? "On the 28'h July I went on board tho steamer Lord Ashley, bound for Cook Struit. The vojage afforded mo opportunity, fls the steamer lay to at iSew Plymouf', and again ut Wellington, before entering Blind liay, to pay a passing vi^it. to thoaw places. Thm I had, on the 30.h Julj, tha glorious ci.'ht of the Tarunnki mountain, Mount Egniuuf, 8,270 feet in height, and, in tho Sugar Lonf Rocks of the Tarauaki coast, an opportunity to study the trachytic lava of this most regular of all the volcanic cones of .New Zealand.

" After a stormy passage through Cook Strait we landed, on the Ist August, at Wellington, and came on to Neleon ou the 3rd. I was received in the most cordial manner by the inhabitants of Neleon, who, while the Novnra was still lying in Auckland harbour, had flohospitably invited the members of the expedition. " The Provincial Government, under the guidance of the excellent Superintendent, J. P. Robinson, Esq., had already made the necessary arrangements to allow of my making the fullest possible u*o of my time for geological investigation, and placed the eteamer Tasmuuian Moid at my disposal, in order to visit, in quick succession, the most important, formations on the coasts ol Blind Bay and Golden Bay. " The geological field which 1 now ontered upon was a thoroughly new one, compared with that of the North. In chains of mountains 5,000, and 0,000 feet high, and covered with snow during tho winter, the Southern Alps send their runners from the district of Nelson out into Cook Strait. Old crystalline rock, granite and gneiss, mica, hornblende, slate, quartz, and old clay slate, compose the western chain of mountains, while sedimentary sandstone, chalk, and slate, in steeply piled strata, form tho eastern chain. Between these older formations, however, lie in basins, in declivities, nnd valleys, more recent strata, introductory to the brown coal. " The most splendid weather fully maintained the renown of the much extolled Nelson climate, und my first excursions opened up to me so extensive and importunt a district for investigation, that I gladly determined to prolong my stay, which had been originally fixed for one month, to the end of September. It thus became possible for me to subject to a closer investigation the different gold and coal-fields in tho neighbourhood of Nelson, as well as the copper mines of the Dun Mountain, and to bring, at any rate, the northern part of the province into a geological map. The result of the investigations wag, in respect of the renowned mineial wealth of this province, on the whole, a very favourable one. It is true I could not corroborate the sanguine belief of some mining speculators in the inexhaustible, but still concealed wealth of copper, of the Dun Mountain, but, on the other hand, beside tho ineugre copper ore, there showed itself such an abundance of chrome ore, as to make the working, to a great extent, remunerative. But, before all, were the gold-fields of the Aorere aud Takaka- valleys, in Golden B»y, whose produce hitherto, and whose nniure, convinced me that, with increased and systematic labour, with larger capital, a rich reward was to be expected, and that the discovery of those first New Zealand gold-lielcis, was only to be regarded as the commencement of farther gold discoveries, along the whole of the mountain chain which traverses the length of the Middle Island, discoveries which, if they did not indicate a wealth in gold wholly equal to California or Australia, must yet creute for New Zealand an important plnce in the ranks o( the gold countries of the world. Finally it proved that, in the Province of Nelson, together with brown coal deposits, similar to those of the North Inland, older coulb of a better quulily were likewise forthcoming. The excellent but BmaJl coal seams of Pakawau afford grounds to hope that larger seams, and more profitable, may perhaps be discovered in other places, and such have, indeed, since been discovered by my friend Haaßt, on the Buller and Grey rivers, on (lie west coast of the Province of Nelson.

"My collections were enriched during my stay in the Province of Nelson in a wholly unexpected manner. In vain had I sought on the Noith Island for remains of the extinct giant bird of New Zealand, for bones of Dinornis ond Palapteryx, ? the Moa of the natives. Tho more richly whs my search rewirdedon the Middle Island. 'Ihe limestone caves of the Aorere valley, opened to us rich depositories of the remains of this rare and remarkable bird. Not only were single bonea brought to light by the exertions of my companion Haast, but even whole skeletons, more or less perfect. Added to these was a present from the Nelson Mu.«euoiofa most valuable skeleton of the palapteryx ingens (Owen), so that the collection ol Moa remains, which I brought back to Vienna, i» hardly inferior to the treasures ot the British Museum in London, in these rare relics of an extinct ornithology.

" I must also mention, with thanks, how my friends Dr. Monro, Captain Rough, Messrs. Travers, Aduuis, Curtis, and many others, contributed, by minerals, plants, and zoological specimens, to the completion of my spoils in natural history. To Messrs. Campbell and Burnett 1 am indebted tor pleasing landscape and other sketches, and to the Provincial Government for a number of interesting photographic views in the neighbourhood of Nelson.

" Unwillingly did I leave a country in which there remained ao much that was new to be discovered, so much that was unknown yet to investigate. Into the higher and more distant regions of the JS'ew Zealand Alps, which have never yet been trodden by human foot, it was not permitted me to penetrate. At a great distance I saw, from the Lake Roloiti,* the southernmost point which I reached on the Middle Island, the summits of the mighty southern ranges, covered with eternal snow and ice, gleaming before me. I might only guess at the magnitude and majesty of those mountains, which my friend and companion, J. Haast, so successfully penetrated in the years 1860 aud 1861, amid unutterable difficulties and deprivations, but to the glory of German perseverance und Germau courage, as well as to the honour of German science.

" My time had now run out to the laßt moment, and I must think of the return journey to Europe. In my lecture on the geology of the province, which 1 delivered in Nelson on the 29th September, I briefly conden-ed the results of my observations. A copy of this lecture, and also one of my geological map, I handed as an introductory report to the Provincial Government of Nelson, and to the Colonial Government at Auckland.

" I must likewise return my heartfelt thanks to the inhabitants of Nelson for numerous attentions and delicate surprise?, but especially for the flattering und friendly words contained in an address which was presented to me at the conclusion of the lecture, and which was accompanied by a considerate and beautiful present of costly specimens from the Nelson goldfields, contained in an artistically executed box, composed of various New Zealand woods. "On the 2nd of October, 1859, I embarked on board the steamer Prince Alfred, for Sydney. Alter a brief stay in the capital of the colony of flew South Wales, I went on to Melbourne, thence vieited the most important gold-fields of (be colony of Victoria, and at length, in the middle of November, commenced the home journey, via the Mauritius, and the Red Sea, to Europe."

The Snoreh. — Good old Deacon A. , having occasion to spend a night at an hotel, was assigned a room in which there were three single beds, two of which already contained occupants. Soon after the light was extinguished a man in one of the other beds began to snore bo loudly at to prevent his falling asleep. The tumult increased as the night wore away, until it became absolutely fearful. Some two or three hours after midnight the snorer turned himself in bed, gave a hideous groun, and became silent. The Deacon ; had supposed the third gentleman asleep until, at this juncture, he heard him exclaim, " He's dead! thank God ! He's dead ["—Harper's New Monthly Magazine. biiLOHs.— A 6»ilor is not a sailor when he is a " board ;" a sailor is not a Bailor when he is a " shore ;" but he must be either a shore or a board j therefore, a sailor ii not a sailor.