PENCILLINGS BY THE WAY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 93, 4 March 1862, Page 6

PENCILLINGS BY THE WAY.

FliOM nUSEDIN TO AUCKI.AKD. ' (liy our own Correspondent.) No. If. \VEr.L,isc:Tox, Picrox, asd Nnr.soir. The impressions produced by the appearance of .he coast; .is you approach Wellington, are not favorable—dark, sterile-looking hills, with little ar no vegetation upon them, stretch on either side Fort Nicholson Heads ; not a glimpse can bo seen of the country behind, and the prospect i 3 unrelieved by the presence of any habitation, excepting the lighthon.se, which stands like a solitary sentinel on the summit of the clifi" at the east entrance of the harbour. Detached rocks and low reefs are scattered in the centre of the channel, conveying an appearance of danger, which, however, from the depth of water on either side, and the admirable survey that has been made, is quite obviated. As you proceed up the harbour and gradually near the town the view is decidedly pleasing. The town extends /along the harbour for about a mile, and the hills behind are dotted over with pretty villas and well laid out grounds. It is to be regretted that nearly the whole of the hills behind the town are denuded of timber, presenting a naked appearance, which detracts much from tlie beauty of the town. Wellington consists principally of one long street, running along the edge of the" harbour, with branch streets at either end. There are many large and substantial iron warehouses and good shops, but there is not much evidence of any considerable business, the streets being unusually quiet, and affording an immense contrast to the busy thoroughfare of Dunedin. The Government Buildings are a handsome pile, in the Gothic style, anil spacious and convenient, and are surrounded by an open space of garden. The Odd Fellows (lull is a spacious building, with a handsome portico supported by a row of pillars. This building, from its interior decorations and general arravgement, is probably the best public building in New Zealand. It contains a very nice organ, built by a resident in Wellington, and the instrument reflects great credit upon its constructor. Considerable improvements have been effected by the reclaiming a portion of the harbor, and the land so acquired is about being offered for sale for building purposes. There is not as yet any jetty at which large vessels can lay alongside, but I believe such are in contemplation. Wellington! is subject to high winds, which rush down from the Kiniutaka Mountain and along the Hutt valley, fewhieh* acts as a funnel, and.'" render the Harbor somewhat dangerous for boats ;in fact, :i<-vi;)ents from this cause are not unfrequent. Wellington has suffered much commercially from the native war, the disturbed state of the Province having checked settlement. A considerable quantity of wool is shipped from this port, and an increasing trade is taking place in cattle for the supply of Otngo,—large herds ofi which are produced in the Province. Strenuous efforts are being made by the Provincial Government for the discovery of a payable gold-field,— the presence of the precious metal having been demonstrated in various parts of the Province, but as yet not in any quantity. The Government have applied to Sir K. Murcliison to send them out an experienced geologist, and his arrival is looked for immediately, when extensive and complete prospecting parties will be organised. The people of Wellirgton are quite alive to the advantages of constant and rapid communication! with Otago, and are anxious to be more intimatelvj connected-commercially with'the Southern Metro-! polis. About B_miles frcm Wellington, is the township of the I-Intfc, the road to which extends along the base of the cliffs on the West side of the Harbor. The River Hntr, a rapid and deep stream, is crossed at the entrance to the settlement, by a large and substantial bridge, which, along with the extensive artificial banks at this point, have cost an enormous amount of money. The river is liable to sudden and extensive inundations, and the town and surrounding district are not unfrequently covered some feet deep with water, in spite of the costly engineering appliances. These floods will always be a great drawback to the prosperity of the place. The township of the tints is tolerably extensive, and contains good shops and an hotel. The Valley of the Hntt is exceedingly fertile, and lmt for'the inundations would bo much more valuable than it is. Fine farms exist for several miles up the valley, and in the immediate vicinity arc the remains "of an extensivo Maori Pah, which must have originally accommodated some hundreds of natives^ The site of the Pah is marked by a number of high posts, carved at the top with grotesque heads, &c. At present there arc only a few tumble-down whnres, and but few natives reside there. The high ranges of the Mountains bound the horizon at the end of this valley, and the surrounding hills on cither side are densely covered with bush. The roads are exceedingly good, no visitor to Wellington would regret a ride to the Hutt. A line of steamers run at intervals to Picton and Nelson, and availing myself of the comfortable little steamer Storm I'ird, I proceeded to Picton. After about 24 hours sail across the Straits, we entered Queen Charlotte's Sound by the Tory Channel, from which Picton is distant about 15 miles. The sailj: from the entrance of the sound to Picton is as de-l lightful as one can well conceive, the complete pro- . tcctioii of the harbor rendering the water as calm ' and glassy as a lake. The varied scenery, now ; abrupt cliffs', now wooded hills, with vegetation ■ down to the water's edge, and anon, snug little coves, form a picture which, for beauty, is not to be ' surpassed in New Zealand. Deep "water exists 1 almost eio.-e to the banks, and at the wharf at ' Picton, which is only about 60 feet long, there is , 17 feet water at low title. Picton, the capital of j the new Province of Marlborough, is as ypt, of , course, in its infancy, but considering its extreme ( youth, about two jeurs, is more extensive than : would Le supposed, and contains about 300 inhubi- i rants, liy the erection of a wharf, alongside which large ships can be moored, and the construction of a large receiving warehouse, it is hoped to ] make this place the port of .shipment for the wool produced on the extensive runs in the interior. . Great efforts are being made to connect Picton with the country, behind, by means of good roads. and about .£20,000 was expended on publio works of this character last year. Twenty miles from Picton; is a large plain called the Wairar on thc|c banks of the river of that name, but the value of J the land is much deteriorated by the constant in- i imitations of the river, which frequently overflow. ' the country for miles. The voyage from Picton to Nelson is, unquestionably, one" of the most inter- s esting in the colony. An inspection of the map j will shew I that Queen Charlotte's Sound is a v perfect Archipelago, and the constant variety ol c the scenery, the still blue waters, and the sinuous p course of the channel, no-v skirting close to wooded J banks, and again between rugged masses of rock, ' constitute a tout ensemble unequalled in its peculiar P character in these seas. h v, Before us spread v A spacious bay, whose deep blue waters laved B The verdant shores, which, grateful for the boon, w Did kiss the rippling stream with dainty lips, h Making sweet liquid music to the ear. S Around us rose in silent majesty, w High pine crowned hills, and rocky cUffs, sr Which tow'ring upwards, shoot their rugged crests li Deep in the flaky clouds, whose vapoury "palls Ik Did wrap them as a garment of the skj. ■g; Gently glide me on, and as ire spec:l, n Scenes fresh and varied strike tlis raptured eye; " High hills and fertile dales, and lonely coves, 're lit resting place for the spirits of our loves. P Alter threading the maze of islands and pro- ™c nontories, we came up again on the North coast, „ kirting which for a while, we steer to the south- fj yard of D'Urvillc Island, which is separated from si he mainland by a narrow pass at the entrance pc if Blind Bay. This pass is one of the " sights "Ft >f New Zealand, the tide rushins through at an th normous rate, causing large eddies and whirl- wt ools, dangerous for small vessels. Some idea WI f the rapidity and force of this stream may be an armed, when it is estimated that there is a fall al] f three feet at certain times of tide when the JS olume of water from Blind BayjE'rushes through ith immense velocity. The channel here is p c j ily about a ship's length wide, but jdeep water f or cists almost to the shore. and