THE UPPER CLUTHA AND LAKE DISTRICTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 560, 23 August 1862, Page 6

THE UPPER CLUTHA AND LAKE DISTRICTS.

(From the Daily Truss, Av.gr 21.) A shout time ago we published in full an extremely interesting account of a survey made by Mr.M'Kerrow, District Surveyor, of the interior country in the neighborhood of the Wanaka and Ilawea Lakes. At the time this report was published, we had no idea that there would so soon be the discovery made of a rich gold field in, the Upper Clutha, indeed, the survey was made, and the report prepared, principally with a view to the pastoral and agricultural capabilities of the country. Now, however, that the discoveries of Messrs. Hartley and Riley have been disclosed, and public attention is so earnestly directed to that quarter, it may be interesting to our readers, and useful beside, if we briefly refer to some portions of the report, which will convey a very clear, and, we believe, reliable idea of tho general characteristics of the country of the Upper Clutha and Lake Districts. The survey was made in the months of | March, April aud May. The country surveyed was in extent about 1827 square nalesi and includes the whole of the district around the Wanaka and Hawea lakes, the rivers which flow into those lakes, the mountains ■ from whose snows the rivers take their siurce. and the Clutha River which forms the outlet I of the waters of the lakes. The region is all alpine, that is to say the country may be divided into high hills and deep valleys. Of the whole area about half is put down as pasture land, the rest being either barren mountains or lakes, with the exception of about sixty miles of forest. The mountain ridges rise to a great height, from 4,000 ft. to nearly 10,000 ft., and all above 8,000 ft., are covered with perpetual snow, while those of less elevation are covered for only a portion of the year. It is by the melting of this snow that the rirers Matukituki, Makarora, Hunter Matatapu and Dingle are supplied, and these rivers, are torrents which at one time come tearing down to the lakes in heavy streams, and at another leave the most part of their shingly beJs dry. In this respect they differ altogether from the Clutba, which, drawing its supplies from the great lakes, is more steady in its flow, although considerably j higher after the snows have begun to melt \ than before. But our business is rather with the Clutha Valley than with the lakes. With respect to this, Mr. M'Kerrovv says: — The part of the Glutha Valley included in this Survey extends from two miles south of the Kawarau, to the Wanuka and Hawea Lakei; in length it is thirty-eight miles, and in breadth from two to twelve miles; it rise 3 from (518 feet, and at the junction of the Kuwarau with the" Cluth.i, to 1,3(32 feet — the elevation of the high terrace immediately above the mouth of the Cardrona. The soil consists of rich alluvial flats and shingle terraces, botli well covered with grasses, suitable either for cattle or sheep. A narrow strip along the south side of the Wanaka Lake, of five mile* in length and about one in breadth, connects the Clutha Valley with 30 square miles of very fair country, formed by the union ot the Motatapu and Motukituki Valleys; this is partly covered with fern aud scrub, but the soil beinn mostly alluvial, the " burnings off ' and grass-foster-ng 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 isthuun between the Wanaka aud Hawea Lakes, and a choice piece of 10 square miles between Quartz Creek aud Ilawea 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. It wili be observed that this survey extended only two miles South of the Kawarau River, whereas most of the explorations ot Messrs. Hartley and Riley lay further to the southward. Still their express statement was 4 the rich part of the river where we obtained the gold is between the Manuherikia and the Upper Clutha Valleys," and again they say, "we did not work above the junction of the Kawarau, but there was every indication of rich diggings on the River Clutha Valley, and on the hill side there are numbers of large quartz reefs." It is, therefore not unreasonable to expect that the diggers who have now rushed to the locality will try the upper country, and any information about it must therefore be valuable to them. With respect to the character of the rivers that flow into the lakes, and of the Clutha which flows out of them, Mr. M'Kerrow says : —

All the rivers already inentione.l show proof that they undergo great fluctuations 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 few degrees, raises their volume proporcionably. In this, effect follows cause so closely and plainly, that the heat of the day might bs guaged in the evening by the amount ol rise in the

river. Towards the end of autumn and the beginning of winter, while the cold is increasing, these rivers are very sin ill 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 awl two feet deep; its shingle bed is one halfmile wide, — the stranded trees and other flood debris showed that all this channel is sometimes covered. The channels of the Makarora and Hunter gave similar evidence of the freshes that oicur in them. The vast amount of water that is suddenly poured down by the rivers when 'at their maximum, is shown by the great rise ami fall that takes place on the surface of the Lukes during the year ; the even line of drift wood along the sho-e was evidence that the Lakes had subsided at least five feet from the 1 ist flood-mark,— the subsidence still continued, and will do so till the temperature changes to the ascending scale. Considering, Ihen, that the Wanaka covers 75 square miles, the Hawea 48 square miles, and the Wakatip as much as both, and that the Clufcba 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 which the melted snow miyfit 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. And of the lake country he writes asfollows: — All the ountry along the margin of the west and upper east *ides of the Wanaka Lake, together with the upper west side of the Hiwea Lake, is excessively broken, rugged, and much overrun with fern ; it rises so quickly, and to such height, that an arbitrary line drawn round the Lake at a distance of two miles from the margin would enclose all that i 3 ot vegetation ; to the west of this imaginary line there is not a Male of grass to b? scon. The stocking of such country as that around the Lakes evinces a spirit i of much enterpise. for, unlike the Ulutha Valley, it is not at onoe available ; the stockowner must put forth his capita! and energies years before there can beanything 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 seaso.i, a shepherd, whose duty it was to tend a flock on the spurs of Mount Alta, went out one morning to see bib flock; not returning as usual, a search was made for him for some days, without success. The conjacture is, that he Irvl been endeavoring to collect some of the stragglers of his flock, and in doing so, bad missel either his hold or footing, and been precipitated down into some nook among the rocks. Of the climate of the district it may be said that every variety is to be found, according to the height above the sea level, from a cool temperate climate on the lakes and the river, to a perfectly arctic severity high up in the hills, where the snow and the glaciers stand all the year round. At the time Mr. M'Kerrow was there,he took observations of the weather daily from February 19th to May 24th, and during the whole of time the lowest temperature at 6 o'clock in the morning was 32 degrees, or freezing point, and this ouly on five mornings, the average being 46 degrees, and the highest G2. At 2 o'clock in the Jay he also took observations, and the thermometer varied from 20 degrees to 90 degrees, the average being 64. This of course was during the summer, yet we learn from the report that on the 18th April many of the lesser mountains received their snow cap for the season, and on the 18th May the snow fell alike on mountain and valley, leaving all white. Yef even on this day we find that in the middle of the day the glass stood in the Clutha Valley at 50 degrees. It will be seen by these I figures that the summer weather is by no means inclement, but on the contrary, warm and genial in the lower levels — of the winter we have no observations, but Messrs. Hartley and Hiley speak very favorably of the winter season on the Clutha. J The only allusion to gold in Mr. McKerrow's report is in the following paragraph :—: — In conclusion, T would state, on information re. ccived from the manager at Messrs. Wilkin and Thompson* station, that gold has been obtained in ■jin-ill auantities, several times, at Quartz Creek. Tim latest was in the month, of April : a sawyer, beforeleaving the district for tho winter, dug a hole on the banks of tho Creek, and found tine gold all down through it ; the find became richer the further dow he went, at 13 feet th; water coming in put a stop t< further effort. The prospector was a digger of Californinn and Australian experience ; he expressed hiopinion, th.it " Quartz Crenk would turn out to be a paying gold field, and that when the winter was over lie meant to give it a further trial, with proper equipment." With regard to the means of communication, Mr. Molverrow has some remarks which although not applying exactly to the "present diggings are yet of interest, as showing tlu j general character of the tracks between tlu j upper country and the coast. He says : — j In reference +o this, it ruiy 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 Duu. stan Mountains at several places, and over the crowi. ridge at the head of the Cardrona. The estimated distance from the junction of the Wanaka and Hawea rivers to Oamaru, by the dray- track, is 150 miles ; anil to Dunedin by the Dunston and Shag Valley, also 150 miles ; to Ree's Statioa, on the Wakatip Lfiko, 45 miles. According to information, the Lindis Pass is liable to be shut up by snow, for intervals of a f«w weeks in winter. The bridle-tracks, owing to their elevations, are sure to be 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 th« same month ; there were nine inches of snow on then. The depth of the Clutha renders fording impossible ; drays therefore, on that account, can go no further inland than the junction of the Wanaka and Hawea rivers. Passengers and goodi have to be ferried across. It may be added that in midwinter, when the lakes are low, th» Clutha may . be forded on horseback, by first crossing the Hawea river, and then the Wanakii river, or vice versa. In the month of May, the marks were beginning to appear above the water that indicate when this may be venture! by those uequaiuted w ith the fords. ■ — «fe> _

TARANA.KI. i (From the Daily Times, Aug, 21.) If anything were wanting to prove the absolute necessity of chastising the Taranaki Natives and the neighboring tribes, recent events show that unless something more than the simple official "recognition" of the necessity is shown, the Settlement of Taranaki might as well be abandoned at once. The laissez faire policy of the Government, is bearing the fruit that might have been i anticipated, and the Natives are adding insult to injury, to an extent really deplorable to witness. The I'aranuki Herald of July 19th, gives an account of the doings of the Natives in that locality. A large meeting of the i disaffected Natives, recently took place at Kapoaiaia, at which 600 Maories of different tribes assembled, It must be remarked, that the meeting were composed chiefly of Members of the Taranaki, Ngatiruanui and Wanganui tribes, the murderous and robbing crew, at whose hands the poor unfortunate settlers have suffered so much loss. At this meeting the impudence of the Maories seemed to have reached the culminating point. Among other resolutions arrived at, at this assemblage of rebels, it was determined to consider the carrying of the road making -beyond Waireka, (a short distance to the South of the Town o f

Taranaki) as a casus belli ; they also decided to draw a line round the open land near the town, and any white man crossing it would be treated as a trespasser, and imprisoned until he had paid a certain fine. They have also commenced to warn the settlers off their farmsi threatening them with the sword if they do not obey their behests. The Natives also declare that Tataraimaka, YVaireka Hill, Waiwakaibo Bell Block, and Waitara are no longer the property of the Government but their own* Tt may be mentioned as shewing the kind of feeling actuating the meeting, that one of the speakers in a fit of raging oratory against the Pakeha, dropped down dead. The inhabitants of Taranaki seem to have arrived at that last stage of despondency — indifference. They have suffered so severely, that they feel it is almost impossible to inflict further injuries upon them — their powers of endurance are not exhausted but deadened. Their representations, and appeals for redress, have received so little attention that peace or war is to them a matter of comparative indifference — war to them could hardly be a worse evil than probable that the example afforded at Taranaki will induce similar confidence in their own power, in the minds of other tribes ? Maories reason a good deal by analogy, without enquiring very deeply into exact particulars, and when they see that the very Natives against whom the vengeance of the Government ought to have been directed are permitted to bounce, insult, and threaten without any check, they will come to the very natural conclusion that they also may, without fear of punishment, follow their own ideas — whether these be for establishing a Maori King, or the adoption of the most violent measures for driving the Pakeha from the country.

American Children. — And then the children — babies, I should say if I were speaking of English bairns of their age ; but seeing that they are American, I can hardly dare to call them children. The actual aiie of the«e perfectly civilized and highly educated beings may be from three to four. One will often see five or six such seated at the long dinner table of the hotel, breakfasting and dining with their elders, and going through the ceremony with all the gravity and more than all the decorum of their grandfathers. When I was three years old I had not yet, as I imagine, been promoted beyond a silver *poon of my own wherewith to eat my bread and milk in the nursery, and I feel assured that I was under the immediate care of a nursemaid, as I gobbled up my minced mutton mixed with potatoes and gravy. Bus at hotel life in tha State" the adult infant lisps to the waiter for everything at table, handles his fish with epicurean delicacy, is choice in his selection of pickles, very particular that his beefsteak at breakfast shall be hot-, and is instant in his demand tor fresh ice in his water. But perhaps his, or in this case her, retroat f» om the room when the meat is over, is the chcf-(P<euvre of the whole performance. The little precocious, full-blown beauty of four signifies that .-he has completed her moat, — or is "through" her dinner, — as she would express it, — by carefully extricating herself from the napkin which has been tucked around her. Then the waiter, ever attentive to her movements, draws back the chair on which she w seated, and the young lady glides to the floor. A little girl in Old England would scramble down, but little girls in New England never scramble. Her father and mother, who are no more than her chiet miuistera, walk before her out of the saloon and then >,he — -wims after them. But swimming is not the proper word. Fishes in making their way through the water assist, or vather impede, their motion with no dorsel wriggle. No animal taught to move directly by its Creator, adopts a gait so useless, and at the -ametime so gnceless. Many women, having received their lessons in walking from a lesa eligible instructor, do move in this way, and such women this uufortunate little lady has been instructed to copy. The peculiar step to which I alludpis to be seen often >v the Boulevards in Para. It is to. be seen more often in second-rate French towns, and among fourthrate French women. Of all signs in women betokening vulgarity, bad taste, and aptitude to bad morals, it is the surest. And this is the gait of going which American mothers— snme American mothers, i should wy — love to teach their daughters. As a comedy at an hotel it is very delightful, but in private life I should object to it. I must protest that American babies are an unhappy race. They eat and drink i list as they please ; they are never punished ; they are never banished, snubbed, and kept in the background as children are kept with us ; and yet they •tre wretched and uncomfortable. My heart has bled for them as I have heard them squalling by the hour together in agonies of discontent and dyspepsia. Can it bs, I wonder, that children are happier when they •ire made to obey orders and are sent to bed at six >'clock, than when allowed to regulate their own contlucf; that bread onflmilkisiuoref.ivorfibletolaueb.ter md soft childish ways than beef-steaks and pickles i hree times a day ; that an occasional whipping, even, vvL'l con uce to rosy cheeks 1 It is an idea which I should never dare to broach to an American mother ; but I must confess that after my travels on the western continent my opinions have a tendency in that diieciion. Beef-steiks and pickle 3 certainly produce snart little men and women. Let that be taken for granted. But rosy laughter find winnine childish >vavs are, I fancy, the produce of bread and milk.— " North America." — By Anthony Trollope. Air Collar?'. — Your correspondent " G." may like to kuow that many years ago I tried breast collars made of air cushions. The sweat of the horse destroyed them very speedily, but tliat was before the days of vulcanized india-rubber. My collars were of macintosh cloth. Even vulcanized india rubber, however, appears to contain " the seeds of seif-destruction," but to suffer more from being Bhut up than from being exposed. The " elastic ba ds" on n bundle of old letters or papers generally fall to pieces in the drawer Living in a wet clinvite, I was much rejoiced when, some years ago. I met with a whip thiin^ (plaited in the ordinary way') of vulcanized india-rubber. The seller packed it up very carefully, and it happened to be left unopened for some months and when I went to take it out I do not think any fragment of more than six inches was left together out of a four-horse thong. I agree with you that waterproof collar linings would be the worst possible. No collar is better than one plaited from rushes, or, as I get from the Western Islands, from sea bent grass. If I have a thin skinned horse (which I avoid in general), I give him a collar lined with it Instead of leather. But a false collar is one of the (•l'eatest safeguards to the shoulder. Why does not some enterprising manufacturer make thick felt false collars, blocked to the proper shape— of such felt as I have seen saddle clot 1 s mad.> of? In travelling with my own horsa (which I have done to some extent), I always cirry a breast harness, with two dees for pole-pieces, so that it will work near or offside, and lead or wheM ; and the moment any horse's shoulder complains, or any 9 ot 13 damp under the collar, on noes the breast-collar, instead ot his round or Dutch collar, as they used to b> called, for the next stage or two. If even the breast collar should gall him, it is pretty certain to be in a different place, and probabsy in one which attain will not be touched by tliß ronn I collar when he comes back to that. For leaddera, however, and for single harness, I seldom use anything but the breast-collar, an-1 that without any stuffing or padding, wliieh I consider very injurious. Dutch collars were probably so named, like Dutch toys, Dutch clocks, and " High Dutch," becauaa they were German (D^utsch). Throughout Germany the round collar is used, and often of preposterous weight— l believe up tt> GO lbs. The natives hnvc an idea that, to prevent the collar drawing up at the throat, the homes should be parpo.idicular ; so they make the upper pnrt of the collar a monstrous thickness, and with n peak almost reaching the horse's ears. From the weight of their collars, and their plan of drawing with a soom chain and a set of heavy bars or swingle-trees, to each pair of horses in a team of eight, ten, twelve, fourteen, &c, the withers of many of the p>or animals are in an awful state. In France, on the other hand, moat of the posting work is done with breast-cellars, as I think it used to ba done iv London, and at Hounslow, &c, iv its neighborhood. If " G." must try air collars, he would be most likely to succeed with india-rubber, prepared with hyposulphate ot lead; but even that j does not stand very long. As for a ridge for the names, I have long used bames with a hinge joining them above, sewed into the body of the collar, which opens at the thro.it, aud so is put on the neck as a saddle is on thts btek, and it is a great advantage that this may be done without loosing the horse in his still, or meddling with his bridle it out. A hook then unites the collar at bottom w T th a riug (iv one piece with it) through which the pole pieoo or pole chain (or, in single harness, or in the lead, the martingale) is fastened, which keeps it from working out, as it might otherwise do. I instruct my serrants, on coming in and unharnessing, to sponge the collarlini'ig well the first thing, to wipe the bits the next, and then to take their time about other things. Fixed splinter bars are, no doubt, one great enuse of sore shoulder.s, from the unequal pressure ot the two traces; but it would seem vjvv diffiealt to persuade English coachmen to give them nn ? though all travellers kuow that no foreign postboy will let vis hort work from then. Sir F. Head might have I taken ua'thfe subject, as w.'ll as the bearing reins and | blinkers,' which have their uses as well as their abuses, which ia more than can be said for fixed splinter bars.- J, P. o.— Field.