RELIC OF EXPLORER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21578, 24 August 1933, Page 10

RELIC OF EXPLORER

LARGE GREENSTONE ' SLAB THOMAS BRUNNER'S DIARY WEST COAST IN 1847 [by telegraph—own correspondent] NELSON, Wednesday An interesting relic of Thomas Brunner and his historic trip to the West Coast in 1846-47 is at present on view at Murchison. This is a large piece of greonstono, 18in. long, 9in. wide and from lin. to l*in. thick. It was picked up by Mr. William Hunter on the bank of tho Buller River near its old junction with the Matakitaki about years ago. • , , The stone, which weighs about <S4lb., is partially polished and a long groove about half an inch deep on one face and the commencement of another on the opposite face indicate that it was intended to fashion, a mere out of it. It has been supposed that this was tho work of some of tho wahines who used to accompany their men on the trip from Golden Bay to the West Coast as far as Murchison, where they remained to catch pigeons and other birds while the men went on to Pounamu River for tho precious greenstone.' Recently, however,, it occurred to a Murchison resident, Mr. W. Swanney, who is interested in tho early history of the West Coast, that this stono resembled a piece of greonstono mentioned by Brunner in his diary of his travels. Brunner, a Government surveyor, was detailed to explore the wholo of tho West Coast, which he did, making his way as far south as Milford Sound. Reference to tho diary leaves little doubt that the stone is indeed the same piece. The entry runs:—"May 15: We left here (at the old shelter on the Matakitaki River) all our old clothes, none of which I had previously thrown away, also my old pot and two specimens of greenstone (one 16in. long, 6in. broad and lin. thick; the other piece was smaller and both considered valuable by the natives), some pieco of mica slate for polishing the greenstone (an occupation which had afforded me amusement on wet days), and lots of small articles which Ekeliu securely left for his return."

Now, after practically 90 years since these words were written, the stone is back at Murchison. A glance at it is sufficient to conjure up a picture of the emaciated Brunner, held up in his rough shelter by illness and weather lfliles away from his fellow men, relieving the long wait by polishing the stono and listening to tho drip of the rain on tho thatch and tho roar of the Matakitaki rushing down to meet tho Buller.