GENERAL ITEMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1928, 2 November 1888, Page 17

GENERAL ITEMS.

Daring his stay at Milford Sound Mr Adams took observations with the view of ascertaining the height of the Bowen Fall's. These falls had been measared by the Admiralty, and their height was given as 540 ft. Looking at the falls from the steamer or from Sutherland's hut they do not seem to bo so high, but the reason of this is no doubt owing to their gigantic surroundings, and the fact that the rock over which the water cornea tumbling down though apparently almost perpendicular is a good deal from being so. Mr Adams in going hurriedly over his data found that the height given by Captain Stokes is about correct. At present, though he has not checked his calculations, he believes the falls to be about 530 ft high. During his stay at the sound he cut a new track to the foot of the falls from Sutherland's landing. In connection with the discovery of the overland route from Te Anau, it may be mentioned thftCsome time ago the Wallace County Council offered a reward of £300 to anyone who would discover a practicable route. This reward it is now Mr M'Kinnon's intention to apply for. Mr Fred Muir left again on Tuesday morning with his camera and a number of plates to get other photographs of scenes in the Clinton valley j which had to be passed by on the first trip. Mr Muir will join M'Kinnon at Te Anau and go as far as the Clinton saddle. In connection with the heights of the great falls of the world the information given in encyclopaedias seems anything but reliable. For instance, in the Globe Encyclopaedia it is stated that the Yosemite Falls have one unbroken leap of 5500 ft, and that the total height of the fall is 6600 ft. This is evidently an absurd statement. Chambers' Encyclopedia again states that there are three falls of a total height of 2500 ft. The Globe Encyclopaedia also mentions that in Europe the highest falls are the Monte Rosa Falls, their height being 2400 ft. A good deal of information is also given about the height of falls in a work entitled "The Gallery of Nature," by the Rev. Thomas Milner, M.A., F.R.G S. British Guiana and -California, he says, are rival claimants to the possession of the highest waterfalls in the world at present known. In the remote wilds of the former region on a mountainous pass rises Rosarina, a four-sided mass of red sandstone, with a flat summit of great extent and wail* as perpendicular in places as if they had been formed with a plumb-line. The periodical rains fall in deluges on the tablo land, and leap down its precipitous sides in cataracts, accomplishing descents ranging from 1500 ft to 2000 ft. In California the highest waterfalls are ia the Yosemifce Valley. This is a cleft about eight miles long, but rarely exceeding one in width, walled in by perpendicular cliffs on each hand, from which the streams descend. The most important is called after the name of the valley — the Yosemite Fall. Ifc descends in two unbroken sheets — the upper one 1600 ft in height and the lower 600 ft, with intervening rapids of 437ffc, making the total height 2634 ft. The Ribbon Fall— called by the Indians Lung-00-too-koo-ya (the long and slender fall) — has a descent of 3300 ft, but it is only a thin thread of water. The Niagara Falls, which are by far the largest in the world, are not very high. The river at the Horseshoe Fall — so called from its shape — is more than a third of a mile broad, ami the fall is 153 ft high. Tho other fall on the American side is 600 ft broad and 164 ft high. The following letter appearod in Tuesday's Daily Times :— THE SUTHERLAND FALLS, &c. Sm, — The naming of the natural wonders being brought to light on the west coast of this island may seem a small matter, but I earnestly hope that in doing so an attempt will be made to use many of the euphonious and appropriate Maori words. Without detracting from the honours due to the discoverers, we can easily improve on 11 Sutherland Falls," " Ernest river," or " Lake M'Kinnon.'' As a suggestion, I would like to propose the following, from which a name might be found for " the highest falls iv the world " \-Waiteitei or wairewa (high water), hvu/a-nui (large fall), or, say, nuinga (greatness). — I am, &c , Dunedin, October 29. A Pakbha. Maori.