TOURISTS IN THE UREWERA COUNTRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8540, 14 April 1891, Page 5

TOURISTS IN THE UREWERA COUNTRY.

[B¥ TELKaRAt>H.— ASSOCIATION.] ' P.otOrua, Monday, A party of tourists, including Mr.' and Mrs. Fowles of Honolulu, Count Waehmeister of Sweden, and Mr. Baillon of London, accompanied by . Guide McDonald, reached here yesterday, afber having travelled through the Urewera Country from Wairoa, Hawke'e Bav, which place they loft on Thursday, the 2nd instant, arriving the same evening at Onepoto settlement on the shores of Lake Waikaremoana, where they loft their horses and remained that night. Next morning they crossed the lake in a canoe with a party of six Maoris as guides and to carry provisions. No settlement was reached ao that tents were pitched, and on Saturday a start was made on foot for Ruatahuna, which was reached after a three days' tramp over mountains, through dense bush, part of the way for several miles being up the bed of a river. There was simply no track at all, and the three days' journey was exceedingly trying. Rain fell heavily nearly all the way. place of habitation was seen till Ruutahum* was reached on Monday, the 6th, where one night was spent in a whare. Matatua was reached on Tuesday, and two days spent at this charming settlement, where there is a splendid carved house, just finished, but which none of the party were permitted to enter. No Europeans are supposed to have been at this place since the time of the war, and never until Mrs, Fowler's visit has a European lady been in that part of the country, consequently her presence created no inconsiderable amount of curiosity and commotion amongst the natives, many of them never having seen a white woman before, and on that account the party attribute the success of their trip, as they would never have been allowed to proceed but for Mrs. Fowler being with them. The natives throughout were most hospitable, especially the old people, who were prepared to provide horses and accommodation free of charge, but the younger ones have a thirst for the almighty dollar, so that everything had to be paid for. The party describe the soonory as grand and picturesque, surpassing anything they have yet soon in Now Zealand,, although they have already travelled through nearly every part of interest for tourists in the North and South Islands. From Matatua te Whaite, Galatea, and Waiotapu were passed through in the order named, and Rotorua reached as already described after a journey of ten and a-half days, two of which were only spent in resting. Count Wachmeister is a . nephew of Mr. De Bourbel, Tauranga, whonce he proceeds to-morrow. The other members of the party leave for Auckland on Wednesday.