ALONG THE MAIN TRUNK RAILWAY LINE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13537, 7 September 1907, Page 1 (Supplement)

ALONG THE MAIN TRUNK RAILWAY LINE.

♦ ■ TO THE MAKETOTE., BT A LADY RAMBLER. TrtlS way to the Maketote! Time will not wait. One may mount this coach, visit the Viaduct, and returning in the evening, with good luck, catch the Departmental train and return to Taumarunni. I only ascertained this possibility five minutes before I found myself swung up on to the box-seat of the coach. Six horses, coupled by traces, are prancing about under my nose; newspapers are piled all around about me. I sit on a huge pile of the familiar New Zkai.and Ilr.iur.n. The circumstance sustains me in more senses than one. and gives me quite a homelike sensation. 1 am a mere island surrounded and enveloped by .the paper'. Up goes the road by many a windin? curve. The coach behind me is filled with a motley collection of passenger?, whose agonised squeaks till the sweet morning air, us jolt or rut jumble all together. lam lucky to bo on the boxseat—but am I ? Just then the driver jumped down, and casually throwing me the reins all in a knotted tangle, disappeared into a roadside hovel, with " Herald Agency" scrawled all over it. We were on the edpe of a sharp incline. The horses began prancing about. For the first time I sincerely wished I had never left my home', and envied the blissful ignorance, of the inside passengers, whose squeals had subsided with the temporary stoppage. Wondering what course I had better pursue, I had just decided to scream loudly, when the driver re-appear-ed, and casting a scornful glance at me, clambered again to his seat. He cracks his whip, and with some subdued exclamations, which I did not quite catch, whacks.up his team, and away we prance, joggling up and down the steep and rut.ted road leading upwards out of Railrimu.

A distance of over fifteen miles, a- great deal of it up a very steep grade, separates Raurimu and Maketote, and with good horses, and in fine weather, the drive would present no difficulties. We had several narrow escapes from accident, however. Coming round a narrow cutting at a fairly smart pace, we met a bullock team just round the corner. Our horses really "bumped noses with those bullocks, and," for "a moment, horns and heads seemed intermingled. By-and-by, the same thing happened again, and yet again. There are many sharp bends and turns, and there was" no indication of an approaching team until we were upon it. There is very little human habitation along the lone "bush road. Sometimes a Government hut or shelter is seen nestling among the greenery; sometimes two or three cluster together. There is very little animal life ; a few dogs run out and follow our coach, but they are. as silent as the bush itself. . " What ! don't the dogs even bark up here, ' a-ks someone. •' People are all so friendly that the dogs have forgotten how to bark," replied another. . ~ "They arc afraid of their own voices, said a third. ' And no wonder ! For the fcilence and loneliness began to depress us also, and we became silent as we toiled upwards by that dark and shadowy road. The horses flagged terribly, and the efforts of the driver were sometimes quite painful. He excited himself so much that I feared he might lose his seat. He seemed to be, desperately struggling with suppressed emotions-. Broken exclamations and incomplete sentences, conveying an impression of' intense feeling, • certninlv fell fiom his lips; the drops gathered on his brow and endowed the air. ■ "Whatever is the matter with him? I whispered to my neighbour, a Southern gentleman, between whom and the driver I was closely wedged, parcels and all

" He wants to swear," replied my companion. " I fear that the consequences nay be serious if he cannot do so. There nnst bo an explosion of some kind. Perlaps it, had better be verbal." "I am certain that he is," replied my would be both wicked and unseemly; but s he really suppressing strong language, aecausc of me?" : 'I am certain that he is,' replied •my companion. % . The thought worried me, especially ss I was assured that the horses really understood swear words, and would not go on without their application. _ 3 We had not been unaccompanied upon this upward drive. A tax-cart, driven by i Government agent, had left Raurimu at the same time that we did. A bullock dray, also with a long team. We had quickly outstiipped the bullock dray, but the tax-cart was constantly in sight. Beside the driver sat the policeman, who exercises so great an influence in these out of the wav regions. I have myself a particular fancy for policemen. They appear to me so strong, reliable, and law abiding, and their immense size gives one a sense of security and protection. Secretly during this drive I was clinging to the presence of the policeman as to a tower of strength." " If it is really necessary for our driver to use swear words I might be transferred to tho tax-cart," I murmured, "and sit beside the policeman." "What's that?" exclaimed our driver, having overhead, "We can't have you coming into Makatote sitting beside the policeman." " I thought it might be some relief to you," I said, gently. " Never you mind," he exclaimed, " I can hold out.by the holy Moses the ten thousand saints! By old Nick himself ! by the soul of that Government gent. ! by the head of the policeman himself, I'll hold out—if he don't get into Maketote before me— !"

At last we were on the higher level. A plant which I have never seen before grows plentifully here. It is generally called the indiarubber plant; the leaves are said to be very elastic, as well as offering a strpng thread, used in many ways, and which someone described as strong enough "to mend a Chinaman's boots'." The plant appears to be something between a flax and a cabbage palm, the leaves being much broader and stronger, as well as lighter in colour, than flax, while the whole plant is a standard, growing well up on a stout stem, and reaching a height of over 20ft. It is the forerunner of the snow gress, with which we presently become familiar.

All along our route we distributed the newspaper, and anxious faces greeted the coach, enquiring for news of the outside world. The bread and meat carts were overtaken, and I was amused at the curious receptacles left by the wayside for the reception of the household necessaries. Such a receptacle would be in view where no abode was to be discovered by any scrutiny of the landscape. Letters, papers, meat, and bread were crammed into a box on the top of a post, and on we went to repeat the process a little further on. Sometimes we delivered a" solitary paper, and often a dozen or so were flung into a clump of greenery for general distribution.

We who read the paper comfortably over our morning fare, little realise its importance in the back country. It is eagerly watched for, torn open and ere the coach moves, three and four heads are bent over the columns, to get a peep at the headlines.

What section of the neivs interests them so much? Probably, each has his own absorbing topic. Of one thing I am certain —a little fun will please them all. Placards, fingerposts, signboards, and notices in charcoal on calico streamers supply the place of advertisements. Here and there roads diverge. A big signpost woints the way "To Kaiteratakahi," which I am assured is a flourishing farming district. Possibly, when the' bush "is

all burnt off, there may be soil to work upon. Every her© and there we came oat upon the cuttings forming for the new railway line; and the men are busily at work, cutting, hewing, levelling, and tunnelling through obstacles in the way. Some of the cuttings in the higher country appear vast clefts, and in many places huge gulches are crossed by building up the soil for the railway line. A great many workmen are busily employed, and all"kinds of people are represented. We met one very curious group making their way along the muddy road. They had very long picks and shovels over" their shoulders, and did not look at all happy. But it .was their costume which engaged my attention. They had on tan boots, leggings, knickerbockers, and caps—what I should describe as tourist suits, I took them for collegians, students, or some other young gentlemen on a holiday tour. My companions, however, assured me that these were genuine workmen, engaged to ply pick and shovel. " Why else should they carry the implements?" said one. " They are new chums ; that is all," said another. "All sorts of fellows come up here to try their luck and take a spell at the work. These have not dropped down to it yet— they will soon." . '

"But their clothes," I said, " so unsuitable ! so absurd looking I I can't imagine they are settling seriously to work in such clothes!"

"I suppose they have not got any others," said the driver, who was now. in a calmer mood, as we were driving on the loved ahead of the tax-cart. I was left to ponder over the circumstances which may have led these young men to undertake work "evidently so new to them.

We were now crossing the Waimarino Plains, which extended from the base of the Tongariro group of volcanic mountains. The plain is covered with tussock or snow grass. Tin? appearance of distance is very deceptive, as the mountains appear quite near, although about fifteen miles distant. The view of. Mount Ruapehu was very beautiful, tho mountain being snow-clad, . and showing exquisite purple tints, partially veiled by driving mists, which also concealed the summit of Tongariro. Snow lay in drifts along our road ; a few days before the whole of the plain had been covered with a thick, white mantle, making the way in parts impassable. The air was pure, clear, and exhilirating. We are now, near to the highest point in the North Island, possibly to its origin, if, as has been suggested, formed originally by the gradual boiling over of the great volcanic group. After about three miles, the plain dips, and continues on a lower level. The forest is again entered, and through a grand vista of gigantic forest growth, our road leads us to the Makatote. A cold drizzle had set in, and no one was sorry when our coach pulled un at the bush settlement this side of the gorge. We were cold and wet, and very hungry, with appetites sharpened by the keen atmosphere. It is to be feared that our first eager glances were directed in search of food and shelter, and, spying an enormous placard with Accommodation and refreshments supplied," we all sprang from the coach, and in about three accords a draggled procession was trailing towards the offered shelter. Real luxury! A splendid fire of logs, tables set with knives, . forks, and spoons; wooden benches, and beafsteak pic, and potatoes, with steaming tea, which seemed the nectar of the gods. We were all smiles, while the merry clatter of knives 1 and forks told of tho disposal of a. feast fit to set before a king. I scarcely allowed myself a, moment.in which to shake off the little of the rain before the tempting blaze, but was out again w,ith the driving mist, to pick a way through the thick" mud -towards the great Maketote Viaduct, visions of which had haunted my dreams. . I must hope for another opportunity of describing my subsequent : adventures, although solemnly warned against making my tale too long. One more effort, if permitted, will bring me to the end of my journey.