RECONNAISSANCE SURVEY

Otago Witness, Issue 556, 26 July 1862, Page 3

RECONNAISSANCE SURVEY

THE WANAKA AND HAWEA LAKE

DISTRICT. (From the Otago Provincial Government Gazette, July 23rd.) Dunedin, 17th Feb., 1802. To J. T. Thomson, Esq., Chief Surveyor. Sir,— l have the honor to submit for your inspection the result of observations for latitude, longitude, and true meridian, obtained at Lindis Peak ; at Mount Nicholas (west side of Wakatip Lake) ; and at Mount York (situate about four miles east of where the Waiau River issues from the lower Te Anau Lake). In reference to the longitudes, it will be necessary to mention, that daily convoarison of the chronometers showed, that not only have they a different rate when carried from what'they have when let alone, but also that that rate is not uniform, varying backwards and forwards from one to two seconds per day. It appeared to me that the only way of " detecting the amount of this variation for each chronometer, was, to take observations at the meridians, both going and returning; I accordingly did so, and found that the rate of Barraud's chronometer was fast, but losing, while that of Shepherd's was slow, but gaining. The rate deduced from Ist January to Brd February gives to Shepherd's chronometer a rate differing 1.2 seconds per day from what the interval, 7th to 25th January, gives; whereas the rate of Barraud's chronometer, as deduced from the two intervals, does not show any change of rate till the third decimal place. Again, by deducing the rate from the intervals 18th28th Dec, and 3rd-llth Feb., the rate of Barraud is found to be .75 of a second less per day than during the rest of the journey ; while that of Shepherd, for the same intervals, is intermediate between its other two rates. Considering, then, that Barraud's chronometer has had only two rates differing .75 of a second, while Shepherd's chronometer had 3, with a maximum difference of 1.2 seconds per day, I have used the former chronometer only, in determining the differences of longitude between meridians. Although the chronometers were carried with the utmost care, all the observations obtained with a clear sky, and the rates frequently verified, yet I would not claim any nigher value for the longitudinal determinations than a wear approximation; for the chronometers were always affected more or less when carried over high elevations. This maybe attributed to the zig-zag course one has to take at such places, and also to the change of temperature. The uniformity of rate for different intervals, and the comparatively small change of rate when it did take place, show that compensation of errors takes place to some extent ; but still there will be some error remaining which cannot be eliminated until the chronometers can be got to act independently of such influences. At Mount York I took bearings to Titiroa, Cabbage Tree Hill, and Mount Hamilton : so, if these points have been well ascertained, they will furnish a very good check on the longitude of its meridian. The observations for latitude and true meridian were taken under good circumstances. To obtain a clear sky, I had to wait several days at each meridian, — the weather throughout being broken and cloudy. I will now proceed to the Wakatip Lake and direct my attention to the survey of the country between it and the Wanaka Lake. How much I may accomplish before the end of the season, I cannot estimate, as the country there seems to be almost inaccessible, and the work is new to me; I shall put forward as much as I possibly can. I have the honor to be, Sir, Your most obedient servant, James M'Kerrow, District Surveyor. +> +5 -v ° D=i 03 tn te M o a rf 3 •*> sj ? ? m § * U j s & fe t J -?^ CO CO CO 5 S^ >■ 000 '-g k i« ? ? 5 X ; Jo v? o g -* -* -wt H3 p **-:-:«> I s ? ? •* O Oi rH CO I"*" 3 a « w « -* T3 0000 C§ © a 00 i>» t- wow <o o i I— t t— l r-i »— 1 5 53 55 5 = ■£ o o o g M § X W m «§ g m & fe £» d H " l~l ~ °9 co o: •* -* o m eg 0000 IP 7 " 1 i icj -* ia i*s " - I -* "* "* "« a£■ —;. 0 > : ; : !<i I : i i If c i i I 11 U cS 3O I % i I I ¥' i \ i « 13 1 i I * S 4 •g £ fc * *t $3 a a Dunedin, 9th July, 1802. To J. T. Thomson, Esq., Chief Surveyor. Sir, — I have the honor to forward for your inspection a Map of the Reconnaissance Survey of part of the Wanaka and Hawea Lake District, executed by me during the .months of March, April, and May. The country surveyed includes an area of 1,827 square miles, of which 371 are in the Province of Canterbury, and 1,446 in the Province of Otago : of the latter, as will be seen on reference to subjoined tables, there is, of Pasturage 900 square miles. Forest 40 „ Lake 120 „ Barren 826 „ Of the Canterbury part — Pasturage 10 square jniles. Forest 20 „ Lake 3 „ Barren 838 „ The Bearings of Survey were taken from the meridian of Lindis Peak : Lat. 44° 43' 48,7" $outh; Long. 169° 3,1'- W

East of Greenwich. Height above sea level, 4,051 feet. Reference Bearing to Black Peak, on True Meridian, 288° 10' 26". The distances are from a base of three miles, measured twice on a line bearing 212° 80' from Mount Iron. The heights above sea level are, relative to Mount Pisa, (3,426 feet, one of the elevations, determined by Reconnaissance Survey, 1857-8. The three angles of each triangle, in the centre of Survey, were observed; in ! cases where it was only possible to observe the two angles of a triangle, a bearing from a third position served as check. The character of the country surveyed is mountainous, the ridges rise' from 4,000 to 10,000 feet high. All elevations above 8,000 feet were seen to be covered with perpetual snow, and those between 6,500 and 8,000 were bare, only for a very short time in the year. The time during which the Survey was executed, was favourable for determining the height of the line above which the snow never melts. During the early part of March, elevations of 7,000 feet had snow more or less on their summits: this gradually disappeared, till there was none left. On the 29 th March, the summit of Mount Alta, which attains to an elevation of 7,838 feet, was free of snow, only a few patches remained on its shaded side; all elevations above 8,000 feet, as seen from it, were white. A few days afterwards, a shower, which rained in the valleys, but snowed on the mountains, made Alta appear grey ; this appearance continued till the 18th April, when it and several lesser elevations received their cap for 1862-3; each shower after that brought the snow-line further down, till on the morning of 18th May, the snowfall, which was general throughout the Province, made valley and mountain alike white. The snow-line, in its successive steps down the mountain sides, preserves an outline as even and as well defined as the line of shadow. In different seasons the snow-line will likely vary within the limits of a few hundred feet ; for the latitude of 44-^° S., it rnav be stated in round numbers at B,ooo 'feet. The glaciers, in some instances, appear to be considerably lower than the snowline : on the shaded side of Mount Alta, a little below the summit, there is one about five acres in extent, and three feet in thickness. On the east side of Glacier Dome, and to the north and south respectively of other two glacial domes, there is a sheet- like mass of glacier several square miles in extent, sloping down from these mountains, and stretching across and entirely filling up the ravine enclosed by them ; on the east side, where no eminence opposes, it leaves the ravine and bends over the ledge of the ridge in an easj r curve : here the smooth evenness which it had in its upper part, is supplaced by a sort of frizzled appearance, just as though a great waterfall had been suddenly frozen. The angle of depression from Mount Alta gives its centre elevation at 0,469 feet above sea level; it was viewed from a distance of 12 miles, a ridge transverse to the line of sight hid its terminal face, but its immaculate whiteness and great extent rendered it, even at that distance, a grand, decided, and imposing spectacle ; it was the largest unbroken mass of ice that was seen during the Survey, — it is one of the fountains of the east branch of the Matukituki. The glaciers of Mount Aspiring lie in shelf like masses on the south and east sides of the mountain ; none of them appear to be individually of large extent, though in the aggregate they cover 25 square miles; they lie principally in the ravines formed by four very sharp conical ridges — one running south from the Peak for about eight miles, the other three parting off from it, at about equal distances to the east. Some of these glaciers appear to be as low as 4,000 feet, and as seen from the base of the precipices on which they lie, about 30 feet in thickness. Mount Aspiring is flanked round the east, south, and west sides with precipices, which, to a casual inspection, offer no chance of ascent.

The water of the lakes may all be said to be of glacial origin, for the rivers that flow into them drain a country from 6,000 to 10,000 feet high. These rivers are as follows : —

The Matukituki, which takes its rise in the Southern Alps, by means of two branches — one flows along the west and south sides of Mount Aspiring, and the other along the east side ; they unite below the S.E. corner of that mountain, at an elevation of 1,290 feet above sea level. The river then flows in one main and many smaller channels for 12 miles in a S.E. direction, when it is joined by the Motatapu; after a further course of five miles, in the same general direction, it falls into the S.W. corner of the Wanaka Lake.

The Makarora enters at the head of the Wanaka ; its course for about 16 miles above that, is in a straight line S.S.W. Three miles above its entrance to the Lake, it is joined by a river coming from the west. Both the Makarora ami its tributary are in Canterbury. The Hunter enters at the head of the Ilawea; for 20 miles aWe the Lake, it has a straight course S.S.W., and is therefore parallel to the Makarora, and, like it, is entirely in Canterbury till the last three miles of its course, when it enters Otago. The Motatapu has two branches — one takes its rise on the west side of Mount Motatapu, and the other on the S.W. side of Cardrona Mount ; after each performs a very crooked course of 11 miles through the lanes of the mountains, they unite and form the river, which, after a northerly course of 12 miles, falls into the Matukituki, as already noticed. In size, the Motatapu may be compared to the Waikouaiti River. The Dingle on the north side, and the Timaru on the south side of the mountain ridge terminating- in Corner Peak, flow along deep gorges in a S.W. direction to Hawea Lake, into which they enter on its east side. In size, they are each about two-thirds of the Motatapu. The Matukituki, Makaroha, and Hunter may be classed together as being similar in size, origin, and the formation of their valleys. The latter are from one to one and a-lmlf miles wide ; the shingle bed of the river occupies in general onehalf^ the other half is covered with patches of grass, scrub, swamp, and lagoon. The mountains rise from these valleys either in the form of precipices or very steep slopes $ in tlj© case of the Matukituki and

Makarora these slopes are mostly covered with bush.

All the rivers already mentioned show proof that they undergo great fluctuation.-, in size ; their supply depends, not on what falls, but on what melts: a favourable change of wind, or any other cause that raises the temperature a fi'»v degrees, riisps their volume proportionally. In VaU, effect follows cause so closely and plainly, that the heat of the day might be in the evening by the amount of vl>e in \ the river. Towards the >md of autumn and the beginning of winter, while the cold is increasing, these rivers are very small compared to what they must be during the long days of summer ; in the month of April, the main stream of the Matukituki was about three chains wide and two feet deep; its shingle bod is onehalf mile wide, — the stranded trees and other flood debris showed that all this channel is sometimes covered. The chan- i nels of the Makarora and Hunter gave similar evidence of the freshets that occur in them. The vast amount of water that is suddenly poured down by the rivers I when at their maximum, is shown by the j great rise and fall that takes place on the surface of the Lakes during the year ; the even line of drift wood along- the .shore was evidence > that the Lakes had subsided at least five, feet from the last flood-mark, — the subsidence still continued, and will do so till the temperature changes to the ascending scale. Considering-, then, that the Wanaka covers 75 square miles, the Hawea 48 square miles, and the Wakatip ' as much as both, and that the Clutha \ drains the whole, it may be inferred perhaps that the Lakes, like great reservoirs, are of much value to the country — that, without their broad expanse on Avhich the melted snow might spread and be conserved, to pass away in the steady flow of a great river, the Clutha must have become an intermittent torrent — a Matukituki or a Makarora on a large scale, its valleys shingle and quicksand. Pastures. — The. pastures range from good to very inferior, according' to the lower or higher altitudes on which they grow ; as the qualities occur in scattered localities, and as the ease or difficulty of access to them is another criterion of value, it may be well, in describing them, partly to follow the same routes as the prosecution of the Survey rendered necessary. The Cardrona Valley will have to be noticed, firstly — it lies N.E. and S.W., is 24 miles long, and from two to three | miles broad; its river, for the last three miles of its course, flows through the Clutha Valley, and joins the river of that name one-quarter mile below, where the Wanaka and Hawea rivers unite to form it. The Cardrona Valley Proper consists of a narrow fertile strath, of a general elevation of 1,100 feet; this, together with the steep slopes of Pisa on the one side, and the spurs coming down fVom Middle Peak and Cardrona Mountain on ' the other, make up a piece of well-grassud country. Towards the head of the valley, the mountains close in and form the gorge through which the Cardrona flows for ilic £rst few miles of its course. At the head of this gorge there is a low saddle ; on tlu* ■west side of it, at a horizontal di.-.f fUiCO of one mile, and at a depth of more than 2,000 feet, the Kawarau pursues \U narrow, swift, and tortuous course to th" ! Clutha. On the right bank of the Katvarail, immediately below Double Cone am: Ben Nevis, there is ten or twelve square miles of good pasture ; but this is so hemmed in by precipices that communication with it seems almost impossible, nor does the river aiTord any chance by fording, for, in addition to ito great depth and speed, it flows in a deep rooky rut, from 30 to several hundreds oi'feet in perpendicular depth, below its immediate banks. The country between this- river and the Kirtleburn .consists of steep spurs, covered with coarse grasses-^-the peninsula opposite the confluence of the Nevis is the only exception, three or four square miles there being* of fair quality. The Kawarau, before its junction with the Kirtle, enters a gorge so deep, black, and abrupt, as to seem almost unnatural; after flowing through this gorge for five miles, first in a N.E., and then in a S.E., direction, it enters at the S.W. corner of the Clutha Valley ; and, after a further course of five miles in a S.E., N.E., and E. direction, it joins the Clutha just before that river enters into the Dunstan Mountains. The part of the Clutha Valley included in this Survey extends from two miles south of the Kawarau, to the Wanaka and Hawea Lakes ; in length it is thirtyeight miles, and in breadth from two to twelve miles ; it rises from 674 feet, at the junction of the Kawarau with the Clutha, to 1,562 feet — the elevation of the high terrace immediately above the mouth of the Cardrona. The soil consists of rich alluvial flats and shingle terraces, both well covered with grasses, suitable either for cattle or sheep. A narrow strip along the south side of the Wanaka Lake, of five miles in length and about one in breadth, connects the Clutha Valley with 30 square miles of very fair country, formed by the union of tlie Motatapu and Matukituki Valleys ; this is partly covered with fern and scrub, but the soil being mostly alluvial, the "burnings off" and grass-fostering influence of stock will rapidly improve it. What has been already noticed — together with about five square miles in detached patches at the head of the Hawea Lake, two square miles on the isthmus between the Wanaka and Hawea Lakes, and a choice piece of 16 square miles between Quartz Creek and Hawea river — complete all that can be said to be level or undulating, and permanently free, so far as the safety of stock is concerned, from snow.

What remains may be divided into " good" and " inferior" summer pasture : till below 4,000 feet of jiHiiude may be classed as good, and from 4,000 to 5,500 feet as inferior; all higher than s,soo'fret barren. Under good, there will be included as follows : —

A belt of about two miles in breadth, encircling the lower spurs of Pisa, on the enst and north sides of that mountain ; The greater part of the peninsula between the Wanaka and Hawea Lakes ; The upper part of the Cardrona and Motatapu Valle}^ ;

The greater part of the ridge between the Nevis and the Clutha Valley ; All the spurs coming down from the ridge, of which Breast Hill and Trig Hill are parts. Under inferior, there will be included —

The high table land stretching between Cruffel, Queensberry, and Pisa, and merg.ng into barrenness before it reaches the after summit ;

The higher parts of the ridges already mentioned under good ; All the country along the margin of the west and upper east sides of the" Wanaka L-ike, together with the upper west side of the Ilawea Lake. This country is excesi- iy^ly broken, rugged, and much overrun with fern ; it rises so quickly, and to such height, that an arbitrary lino drawn round die Luke, at a distance of two miles from the margin, would enclose all that is of vegetation ; to the west of this imaginary line there is not a blade of grass to be seen. The stocking of such country as that around the Lakes evinces a spirit of much enterprise, for, unlike the Clutha Valley, it is not at once available : the stockowner must put forth his capital and energies, years before there can be anything like an adequate return ; the difficulties of shepherding there must always be great, and even dangerous ; a full muster at shearing time is never obtained — the heights which to most animals would be a wall and a fence, afford on occasion a retreat to the sheep, free from any interference whatever. Last season, a shepherd, Avhose duty it was to tend a flock on the spurs of' Mount. Alta, went out one morning to see to his flock ; not returning as usual, a search was made for him for some days, without success. 'The conjecture is, that he had been endeavoring' to collect some of the stragglers of his flock, and, in doing so, had missed either his hold or footing, and been precipitated down into some nook among the rock.-;. Of Agricultural Capabilities, it may be affirmed that one-half of the Clutha Valley, including the Lindis part also, is well adapted, as regards climate and soil, for the growing of cereal crops ; the other half, owing to its shingle element, is too dry and hard. Vegetables grow well and arrive at good maturity, as seen in some of the gardens at the stations. A great drawback to agricultural settlement would be the want of bush, the nearest being at the head of the Lakes.

The Bush consists almost entirely of black birch; the stems of the trees are from 12 to 18 inches diameter, they do not taper quickly, split well, and when the posts are charred, make a pretty durable fence. During the Survey, contractors were at work in both the Ilawea and Makarova forests : those in the Makarora report the discovery of a sprinkling of goa, totava, and black pine through it; and there is manuka on both of the wooded islands in the Wanaka Lake. Means of Communication 7 . — In reference to this, it may be proper to mention, that the only outlet at present possible for dray traffic, is by the Lindis Pass, and down the Waitaki Valley to Oamaru. Pack horses can be taken over the Dunstan Mountains at several places, and over the, crown ridge at the head of the Cardrona. The estimated distance from the juncdon of the Wanaka and Hawea rivers to Oamarn, by the dray-track, is 150 miles ; and to Dunedin by the Dunstan and Shag Valley, also 150 miles; to Ree's Station, on the Wakatip Lake, 4o miles. According to information, the Lindis Puss is liable to be shut up by snow, for interval ■> of a few weeks in winter. The bridle-tracks, owing to their elevations, are sure to bo shut for several months in each year : this season, they were open till the 17th May. The Survey party crossed the Dunstan Pass on the 20th of the same month ; there were nine inches of snow on then. The depth of the Clutha renders fording impossible; drays therefore, on lv.it account, can go no further inland than the junction of the Wanaka and Ilawea rivers. Passengers and goods have to be ferried across. It may be added that in midwinter, when the Lakes are low, the Clutha may bo forded on horseback, by first crossing the Ilawea river, and then the Wanaka river, or vice versa. In the month of May, the marks were beginning to appear above water that indicate when this may be ventured by those acquainted with the fords. The only means of communication to the head of either Lake is by boat ; this has hitherto prevented the occupation of 10 square miles of good cattle run at the head of the Wanaka Lake — bub has not done so in regard to the country at the head of the Hawea Lake : for Mr. Jones, of Oamaru, has established a i station there, after much labour and difficulty, — he had to boat his sheep a distance of two miles, so as to round Rocky Point This is the abrupt termination of the mountain ridge between the Dingle and Timaru rivers ; it descends into the depths of the Lake in so precipitous a manner, that to go round it was \itterly impossible, — and to attempt to go over it, just as impossible. Cattle cannot be boated like sheep, and as cattle are best adapted for the swampy pasture of the Hunter Valley, Mr. Jones resolved to have a track cut, so as to drive them round. During the six months previous to the Survey, two contractors had formed one mile of side cutting, on each side of the real difficulties — these are two masses of overhanging rock, through which the track will have to be blasted : this is being done, and it is expected that the work will be completed in October.

In the naming of objects, those already in use in the District were always adopted ; they are generally confined to a few creeks and perhaps a hill or two in the vicinity of the respective stations. The other names, I endeavored to make either descriptive or suggestive : this, in the case of the more prominent peaks, appears to me to be of much consequence to the traveller, for they then- become as so many finger-posts, pointing the way. The great landmarks, Leaning Rock, Double Cone, and Black Peak, 1 found of much service in determining my whereabouts at the beginning of the Survey; their names are legible in characters not to be mistaken.

In conclusion, I would state, on information received from the manager at Messrs. Wilkin and Thomson's station, that g-old has heen obtained in small quantities, several times, at Quartz Creek. The latest was in the month of April : a sawyer, before leaving 1 the district for the winter, dug- a hole on the banks of the Creek, and found fine gold all down through it; the find became richer the further down he went, at 13 feet the water coming in put a stop to further effort. The prospector was a digger of Californian and Australian experience ; he expressed his opinion, that "Quartz Creek would turn out to be a paying gold field, and. that whea the

winter was over, he meant to give it a further trial, with proper equipment," I have the honor to be, Sir, Your most obedient servant, James M-Kerrow, District Surveyor. Estimated Areas of the Natural Divisions of the Otago part of the Country Surveyed : — FORESTS. — . , Sq. Miles. Sq. Miles. Dingle 19 Hawea 5 Matukituki 15 Wanaka Islands 1 — 40 Pasture 900 LAKES. Wanaka , 75 sq. m.-— Otago ) 7O part of Lake j ' " Hawea 48 — 120 BARREN^ The country south of boundary line, and between west branch of Matuki- 156 tuki, and a line 2 miles west of the Wanaka Lake Country between Sentinel ) o. Peak' and boundary line. ) Highest part of ridge be- ) tween Hunter &, Dingle i 8 rivers ) Do. do. Dingle & Timaru \ 1(] rivers ) w Do. do. Fog Peak and) - lv> End Peak f 48 Do. do. Cardrona Mount } -, ~ and Middle Peak \ ll) ! Do. do. Double Cone and ) nt Ben Nevis ) <** Highest part of Pisa 24 — 326 Total 1,440 j Altitude above Sea Level, of the Principal Objects: — ■ Feet. Mount Aspiring , 9949 j Mount Nix 9101 Mount Castor 8588 Mount Pollux 8633 Mount Alba 8208 Mount Alta 7838 Glacier Dome 7810 Double Cone 7688 Ben Nevis . . . , 7650 Oblong Peak 7640 Black' Peak 7566 Minaret Peaks (highest) , 7189 Triplet Mountain ' 7004 Mount Albert 7063 End Peak 6926 Treble Cone 6888 Teat Ridge (highest peak) 0800 Terrace Peak 6800 Cleft Peak 6768 Mount Motatapu. 6720 Double Peak 6691 Mount Pisa 6426 Cardrona Mountain 6344 Middle Peak 6038 Knuckle Peak 5936 The Crown 5673 The Twin Peak, next Lake 5613 Do. do., remote from Lake . 5687 Roy's Peak 5242 Breast Hill 5238 Rock Peak 4917 Isthmus Peak 4732 Grandview Mountain 4729 General height of Ridg-e between 1 .„ 1O I theNevisburn and Clutha Valley j 4b^ I Mount Maude 4368 I Little Cruffel Peak 4187 I Cruffel Peak 4075 I Lindis Peak 4051 I Trig Hill 3725 Mount Barker 1990 Mount Iron 1848 Terrace at mouth of Cardrona .... 1562 1 Junction of the branches of the \ -. onn I Matukituki j UU Hawea Lake 1089 Wanaka Lake • 974 i Clutha Valley, at the Junction of ) the Kawarau river with the > 674 ' Clutha river • I