Thc "Acheron's" Late Surveying Cruise. [From the "Wellington Spectator," April 2.]

New Zealander, Volume 7, Issue 526, 30 April 1851, Page 3

The " Acheron's" Late Surveying Cruise. [From the " Wellington Spectator," April 2.]

On the Acheron's return from the Southward we gave a brief account of the progress of her Surrey of the West Const of the Middle Island; we are periuaded that (he folloTOitip particulars, which we have since been able to collect,' — though somewhat detached — will he caused with mtere>>t by our readers :— The Acher >n's survey of the South and WeJtern Coasts of New ZenUnd commenced, during her late cruise, in the ucmity of Foveanx Strait to where she had completed on a former occasion. It iucluded an examination of the extensive sounds or inlets of the sea. beginning at Preservation Harbour terminate af the Milford Haven ot the present published maps of New Zeal md ; from thence northwards towards Cape Farewell her examinution was more partial, but included a visit to Jackson's or the Open Bay of Arrowsmith'i map, which is the only anchorage for vessels in this long range of coast. Of the numerous sounds which came under the observation of the Acheron and her hired tender we were only thoroughly acquainted with one, the Dusky Bay of Cook, that illustrious navigator having dcfciwibed it in the fulle-t manner, and we undentand his desciiption has been corroborated in every particular by the officers of the Acheron. Preservation and Chalky Harbours have appeared in the charts ; but several remarkable inlets between Dusky Bay and Milfoid Haven were only known to the few whaler* and sealers who frequented that coast. We learn that the description by Cook of Dusky Bay applies gen- < rally to a'l these inlets : narrow arms of the sea running from ten to twenty and thirty miles inland, with vcy deep water, one hundred to two hundred fathoms having occasionally been obtained, and very few anrhorages foy shipping, and those of the most confined character, while in the words of Cook, " inland, nothing was to be seen but barren mountains with huge criggy precipices, disjoined by Tallies, or rather chasms frightful to behold." In the vicinity of Milford Haven the stupendous featuics of this mountainous character increased, and we are informed that the entrance of this sound, for it ill deserves the name of a huvrn, is a short half mile in width, with perpcndicnlar cliffs on either §ide attaining tin altitude of five thousand feet. The natural productions of this remarkable tract of country appear to be limited, though we learn that a great addition has been mm\e to our knowledge of the habits of the kiwi and ground parrot (kakapo) peculiar to New Zealand, as also of the plants and geological character of the coun« t'y No natives were seen between Foveaux Straits and Open or Jackson's Bay, but there is reason to attach some credit to the assertions of the natives of die MiJde Island that a tribe or tribes foreign in nirinnera and customs to our friends the Maories exist in these wild regions From Open or Jackson's Bay northward the coun« Iry assumes a different character; these stupendous mountain ranges recede further from the tea coast, and w« come upon the countries described by Messrs. Heaphy and Brunner : between Jackson Bay and the river Grey, bordeiing the sea coast, we are informed the loftiest mountain in New Zealand presented iiself to the A' heron's crew, attaining an elevation of twelve thousand feet. The country recently suiveyed by the Acheron ba» been the teira incogniti ot New Zealand, the accounts we have hitheito received of it having been of a very vague and general nature. Tlie labours of this surveying expedition will, in this respect, prove of incalculable advantage to the colony in supplying information, where it was noost desired, in making known tbe general feoturps of the coun'ry, and in putting the sett!en, at length, m possession of an elaborate and most accurate survey ot the coists of these islands, supplying all the information requisite for the development of the future coasting Wade of the colony. We may in conclusion add, that the observations tha have been made either by the officers of the Acheron or by pr<"ceilin< voyagers, all tend to confirm the general Hccu'acy of the surveys and descriptions of that illustrious navigator, Captnu Cook, whose fame is so intimately coancctcd with New Zealand*