OUR HOMELAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20560, 10 May 1930, Page 4 (Supplement)

OUR HOMELAND.

B? ELSIE) K. MORTON.

TO THE COLD LAKES. THROUGH LINDIS GORGE. After leaving the Hormitage, the Silver Piano circled high over tho mountains, and Pixio and Pat had a glorious view of tho Southern Alps from tho air. The towering mountain peaks and crests, mantled in eternal snow, dominated by that monarch of mountains, Mount Cook, rose in stately majestyand tho glaciers were like rivors of silver flowing beneath ice-bound cliffs and rup'god walls of rock. Both children sighed as tho Flano turned eastward and descended to lower levels. Their stay at Mount Cook had boec ono of tho greatest joys of all this magnificent tour of the Homeland, and thoy were reluctant to leave, " Whoro to now 1 " asked Pat, as they glided over tho valley of tho Taaman, and tho blue waters of a lake shone in the distance. " To Pukaki, and then down to Lako Wanaka and Queenstown," was tho reply. "A glimpse of tho Cold Lakes will give you a now idea of tho beauty of your native land." So they flew back over Lake Pukaki, and then turnod southward across a wide expanse of tussock country dotted with tho homesteads of prosperous cattlo and sheep stations. Tho first settlement in leagues of open country was Omarama, a lonely iittle village, very quiot au'd deserted-looking. " Onco upon a time, in tho days of tho great gold-rush," said the guide, " Omarama was a very busy and important stopping-placo for tho coaches which carried tho treasure-seekers to and from tho Otago goldfields and rivers in days gone by. Tho hotels woro always full of travellers in those days, and tho coaching stablqs did a thriving business, but all tho rush and bustle is now a thing of tho past, and Omarama is like many another village which has settled down to a dreamy old ago after tho excitement and hectic life of tho past." Leaving Omarama behind, tho Piano flew on southwards over tho_ Ahuriri River, a turbulent stream flowing between water-worn banks and cliffs, rising like strangely-carved pinnacles and rock-temples. Higher and higher rose tho hills, ever more dcsolato and wild the country over which they were travelling. Great ravines opened up besido tho foaming river, and on a jutting rock peak Pixie and PaS could seq a graceful red deer standing sniffing the air, wondering what a strange bird this might bo speeding by on silver wing! Over Lindis Gorge flew tho Plane, the narrow opening between thq towering cliffs giving a glimpse of tho road winding like a thread besido tho torrent of the river. Hero was desolation indeed; the deer had dashed away to some hiding-place, not a sign of life in all tho landscape savo a motor-car speeding clown the lonely road like ' a tiny mechanical toy in this world of loneliness. Tho river banks beyond the Gorgo wero rent with tho sluicing operations of tho gold days, and - huge piles of rock and debris and rotting sluice-boxes added to tho desolation of the scene. Thero wero no trees, no vegetation of any kind savo the golden spears of tho Spaniard, and a rough, prickly scrub which tho guido told tho children was the " wild Irishman," or matagouri,. Tho ruins of a prospector's lonely hut told a.silent story of tho hopes and feverish activities of early clays. Beyond Lindis, the country changed m character, with beautiful groves of old English trees, and cultivated land instead of tho arid desolation of the mining country over which they had just passed. Over the pastures and stately avenues of Tarras Downs flew tho Plane, over orchards and homes, until the C'lutha River gleamed beneath, and out beyond, tho gloaming waters of Lako Wanaka.