THE STRATFORD ROUTE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8784, 26 January 1892, Page 5

THE STRATFORD ROUTE.

THE START FROM TE KUITI. FROM ONGARUHE TO OHURA. GOOD COUNTRY ON THE LINE. . INCIDENTS AND MISHAPS. EXPECT TO REACH STRATFORD BY WEDNESDAY NIGHT. [BY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER.] Ohijra Valley, Friday Morn ing. As indicated in my last wire, we left Te Kuiti on Wednesday morning, but as we did nob propose to go further than Poro-o-tarao, wo did nob make an early start, and reached our destination at six p.m. Nothing adventurous occurred on the road. A GREAT MAORI WHARE. As we had ample time, we spent a quarter of an hour inspecting the magnificent Maori whare situated about two miles from the Te Kuiti station, erected by Te Kooti and natives he brought from the East Coast on his last visit. The Native Minister did not soe it, but as it is falling into a state of disrepair, and is used as a sleeping place for cattle and pigs, I strongly advised him to endeavour to secure the beautiful carvings for tho colony. . The Minister informed me ho had written asking Taonui to sell it to the Governor, who is collecting Maori works of art, and is desirous to obtain a whare of that description to take with him to England. It being the gift of Te Kooti, the natives declined to soli, and in a few years, by the present process of decay, it will be a thing of the past, though intimately associated with the history of the colony's most troublous times. THE MOKAU SECTION. Wo were also interested in the construction of the Mokau section of the line, the work being carried out on the new principle, and there was some speculation as to the ultimate result of the experiment. The contracting men, however, appeared to be doing the work in a systematic manner. THE DIVERGENCE. We left the tunnel at six o'clock on Wednesday morning, and at eleven o'clock struck the connection of the Stratford route on tho Onguruhe River, progress having been retarded by the slow movements of the pack-horses carrying our supplies on this journey. One pack-horse came to grief in a creek, delaying us an hour. At half-past twelve we camped for lunch two miles down the Stratford route, travelling a road which is well-gradod for a distance of six miles. THE NATURE OF THE COUNTRY. The land on either side the track is exceedingly broken though not containing nearly so much pumice as that on the banks of the Ongoruhe. The fern grows very strongly, and as the land can only be grassed by surface sowing, I fear the fern will be a source of perpetual trouble in keeping ib down. THE OIIURA. About four miles down the track we struck the Ohura Creek, which is a sluggish stream with high banks, and for miles of an uninteresting character. The quality of the land on tho margin is for several miles very poor. On the cuttings on the track you can push a stick a foot into the pumice subsoil as you ride along through the cuttings. Most New Zealand river flats when tho track has been made at once take English grass, but on these flats I did not soe a blade, and wo had to halt about four o'clock on a largo fiat where a little native grass grew, as tho man in charge of the packhorses informed us that this is the only feed for horses obtainable for at least ten miles. I feel very sorry for the poor pack-horses, and think men have been prosecuted by tho Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals for less cruelties than they endure, though this is unavoidable. I am now sitting on the ground outside our fly tent writing, bub half my time is occupied driving away the sandflies and mosquitoes. Tho others are squatting around the torit discussing tho object of our visit, some declaring that they will not travel tho distance again until they ride in Pullman cars. From this it appears they are in no hurry to repeat their journey. It is essentially a temperance party, and I venture to assert that no party headed by a Minister of the Crown over travelled before with such little ostentation. On Thursday morning wo rose from our fern bods at four o'clock, feeling very cold. We had breakfast at five and had the packhorses loaded and started at six. GOOD LAND. About two miles down the river we found a chance in the nature of the country, and here we appeared to have left tho region of puinico. The fern lost its stunted look and the koromiko and flax, growing amongst it, was most luxuriant. Hero also the weed known in the North as Korig's weed, and so common in the grass paddocks at Pukokoho and Bombay, was as tall as our horses, and the thistles and docks equally indicated the character of the soil. Soon after the better country was reached wo enteted the bush country, still following down the Olnira, crossing rich fiats heavily timbered or ascending low ridgos, as tho track led us. But tho high land appeared to be equally as rich as the flats below, and taking a bird's-eye view of tho country from any elevated position ib appeared to partake of the same character as far as the eye can reach. Through the south bank of the river it did not contain so much flat land, and the ridges appeared much higher. THE NEW ZEALAND NETTLE. Passing through the forest about eight miles from our camping ground we came upon a growth of ongaonga or Now Zealand nettle, and some amusement was caused by the effect of one or two of our party handling those plants. But tho most serious results were to our packhorses which led the van, and of course had tho thick of the venom these plants contain. The first pack-horse soon began to dance as though he were possessed of seven evil spirits, and finally fell headlong against a stump, flinging his about in every direction, making it dangerous to go near him for the purpose of taking his pack off. Eventually we succeeded in getting his load off, when he sprang up and rushed through the bush, kicking and making the bush fly in every direction. Of course we had to pub the pack on another horse, and leave the old packer behind. About two miles further on tlie other packhorse was similarly affected, only his symp I cms wero much more acute. The poor brute lay foaming at tho mouth, as though ho k were poisoned by strychnine, and we had to leave him behind, lying in a pool of mud. Two of us had lost our riding horses. I may say that nearly every horse was more or less affected, some of them having lumps as large as eggs over their eyes and shoulders. To-day wo followed the river Ohura to Toitoi, where we crossed ib on a bridge some miles below the proposed railway crossing, having to do so as the river is not fordable at any place. THE LAND FIRST RATE. The land all the way down is first-rate, that along tho river being quite level. From the river bod on one occasion a high hill was ascended, hoping to obtain a view of the country at the back, bub tho fern was fully eight feet high, and tho object could not be obtained. Briefly stated the country from a point about ten miles from tho Stratford connection is much better than we expected to find it. A NEW START. Friday morning, half-past five. —Wo have just finished our breakfast, and are preparing our swags to enter the bush, the weather is beautiful, and the whole of us are in good form. We expect to reach the Stratford end by Wednesday night, meantime your readers can anticipate wo have a hard road to travel. Of course the most important things is to describe to your readers the nature of the country between this and Stratford. This I hope to do in due course. The secretary of the Northern Railways League has received the following telegrams, written on the 22nd instant from the Ohura Valley, and forwarded from Otorohanga, the nearest telegraph station, on the 25th instant: —From C. W. Bursthouso, Government Surveyor, " Start our walk this morning (22nd), all are doing well, weather very line, expect to reach Stratford on 27th in evening, or 28th morning," From Mr. P. Oliphant, member of League, " Ohura magnificent valley ; all is well."