OTAGO MEN OF NOTE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2170, 26 September 1895, Page 40

OTAGO MEN OF NOTE.

By 1.M.1.

1.-JOHN BUCHANAN, F.L.S. j PATTERN DESIGNER AND BOTANIST. {Concluded.) There are not mauy plants indigenous to the east coast that are not found on the west. Some are there to be found in greater variety, wbile others are not found ia the east. The reason of this cannot positively be given, SB the conditions generally are nearly alike. If transplanted, they do in tbe one looation as well as in the other. In this case the journey was not prolific iv unfolding the abundance which the hitherto unexplored, continually raining West Coast was supposed to contribute. Forests covered a great portion of the land. A continuous account .of the journey to tbe Haast, cr Terrewhatta, as Dr Htctor ascertained its name to be from tho wandering Maoris whom he fell in with duiiog his out-of-the-way expeditions, is* not available for this notice. The spelling may not be in accord with the Maori Lexicon, bat for that I take no responsibility. What is now known as the Matukituki is given as Matakataka by Dr Hector, and the alteration of the vowel may make a wide difference" in the meanIng. Mr Buchanan's "notes," which are sure to be accurate and volumidoup, are at present not available. [n convereation he was free enough in communicating facts, but would not descant on personal feate, having an aversion to drawing attention to hinwK He regularly and faithfully cn'T'* up a" r * al mc "< j n's of Ills event f"l C'.t- <-, »nd in them will si.me day be found that the true test of merit is modesty, not blazening forth " what I have done — the feats I bave performed." The explorers up the Makarori did not peek out the easiest track. That was not their duty. They were not surveyors, but were Mniply out to discover what treasures these fastr-ejsess possessed. Hence it was they did not blaze their way further than to Indicate how they could return to their

camping place. Thoroughly well provided as pioneers with the roughest equipments, they scaled the mountains, dipped into the valleys forded the streams, and returned with the certificate of " duty well performed." Even up to the present day the journey is a very unsafe one, and Mr D. Maofarlane, now R M. at Hokitika, can vouch for the faot that some years ago the writer and himself learned this when crossing the country, indulging in pleating reminiscences, particularly when they came to Stuart's hat, at the junction of the Clark, Lausborougb, and Haast rivers, finding plenty of tea, sugar, flour, and salt in the " f uttee," but on opening the harness cai»k, however, in which we were expecting a nico piece of salt meat, we met with a sad disappointment, the contents beirjg in such an advanced state of decomposition as to drive us out into the open. \ Mr Buchanan was permanently attached to the Geological department in 4P T H 1863, bis firßt position being that of draughtsman. Previous to this he had accompanied Dr Hector in a hurried journey to the West Coast and to the interior, visiting as a oolleotor the Wakatipu and Wanaka Lakes, the former being at the time comparatively unkuown. Oa returning to town be commenced arranging his botanical collection, made from the time of bis arrival in the province until that date, and which comprised over 4500 specimens, embracing about GSO different species of plants. These attracted a great deal of notioe when displayed in the exhibition in 1865, and specimens of those which had not been previously sent were transmitted to Sir Wra Hooker in London for his handbook. In the notes attached to the different varieties described in the handbook, the names of Heotor and Buchanan frequently appear, and in several instances the latter's name appears individually as worthy of special notice. A complete set was also retained to form a herbarium for future reference in connection with the museum, the specimens being so arranged and numbered that the species could be aoourately named from the lists which Dr Hooker bad kindly undertaken to furnish. The following facts will no doubt be of great interest to the numerous amateur botanic students among our readeni:— In the number of species collected by Bachanan (650), the flowering plants numbered 350, and as about 50 of the most common species had not yet been collected, the total number of the flowering plants of the province may be taken at 400 species. As the total number in New Zealand is only about 800 species, it may be concluded that the collection ia nearly complete. The districts around Waikaia and west from Riverton are now the only promising localities that remain for examination, but there is little prospect of these yielding much in the shape of novelty. The number of ferns collected is 80, and there is hardly any chance of future addition? being made to the number. Of mosßes IGO species have been found, many of them new, but there still remains an ample fi-ld for future discovery. Only 60 species of lichens and alga? had been preserved, a large collodion of these plants made at the West Coast having been dsstroyed by damp. Mr Buchanan's attention was not exclusively devoted to his favourite study of botany. Like all othera of his claeo, the kindred branches iv natural science had also a great fascination for him, and the proficiency with the brush and pencil acquired in his early industrial training stood him in good stead in delineating the various objfccts coming under hfs notice. Dr Hector says :—: — f" As part of the work connected with tho 'museum, I may mention that about 200 illustrative drawings and sketches have been prepared, principally by Mr Buchanan, of 'scenery, birds, fi»hes, molluscs, plants, and fossils." So were Buchanan's services utilised, and let it be eaid that never for a moment did be hesitate if his services were to be of account. He was a willing implement in the hands of any one who could wiald it for a legitimate purpose ; otherwise he was " vera dour." It so happened that in 1866 the provincial exchequer became very low. Formerly it bad been flush, cash being no object. The pinoh of poverty is felt even in high place*, co a number of actualities, considered for the moment ornamental, had to be rest ricked or dispensed with. It was no fault of the workers that "notice of leave" was given. The Governor refused to endorse the Superintendent's bills, and so they would not be discounted In the London market — in short, loans would not. (1 >at, so the pruning knife had to be unsparingly used. What had we to do with geology, or what had geology to do with us? became a primary question. Ac first fright in a young bard-up community the answer would naturally be "Very little." An any rate, unless some very practical results flowed from its pnrsuits ; and grumblers not a fpw said Dr Hector's explorations and forecasts had not yielded up a new gold or coal field. So it was arranged between th« two Governments that the services of Dr Hector and his staff should be made colonial, and the department was therefore transferred to Wellington, and certainly this arrangement gave it much greater scope for action, The museum at Wellington was placed under the charge of Dr Hector, and Mr Buchanan was installed as botanist and draughtsman. A very large amount of work had to ba gono through in arranging and classifying the different deposits. Tltia was, needless to say, quite coDgenial to his tastes, and gave ample room for the display of hia talent. So coon as be had got bis house into dotnething like order, he was ib a position to bf gin to look about him to add to his repertory new objects which bad not hitherto come under his observaticn. As previously stated, the North Island had been far better botanised than tbe Routh. Marty amateurs bad been at work collecting, and their labours had not been in vain. Still tbere was room for further woik, and being well provided for, «• d *p*c ; ally engag-d for the service, it wa« B ic'ianan's duty as it was lii« plf-axatifc occupation to roam about in all directions and gather in for hia treasury whatsoever seemed to him calculated to enrich it, Colenao bad been frequently over the ground, and the lively interest ho took in the study of plant life in New Zealand was on many occasions shown, particularly in the very lucid and instructive trea'ise which he published in 18G4, in connection with our Danedin Exhibition, on the botany of New

Zealand, and printed by Messrs Ferguson and Mitchell, of Dunedin. Excursions were made by Buohanan not only as far as practicable over the North Island, but also through the Campbell and Macquarie Islands, iv the southern Beas, where some very interesting new plants were collected ; and on the whole it may be said that the flora of New Zealand has been practically collected and systematically classified. No doubt some new things may subsequently have been brought into notice, but they are comparatively of small account, and in some instances prove to be only sports In 18GS the New Zealand Institute was established, Mr Buchanan's name being among those of the original founders. At its meetings be was a regular attender, contributing valuable papers with finelj-finished illustrations, principally on botanical subjects. So long as he remained in Wellington he was constant in attendance, and for over 20 years, during which time be was in active membership, the journals of the institute were regularly enriched by productions from his pen. He had also under bis charge to a large extent in the museum the preparing and arranging of the bird?, insects, and other natural curiosities which are bo largely shown in the cases on the tables, making himself well acquainted with other branches of scienoe which are fully represented. In addition to the papers contributed to the journals of the institute he also compiled and published a very valuable volume, profusely illustrated, of the gra«B«B indigenous to New Zealand, and which will be alw&ys appreciated as a standard work. For these services rendered, and which were willingly recognised, Buchanan was in 1880 admitted as a Fellow of the Linrjen Society of Britain, and received special notice for the value and abundance of the information which he had collected and communicated. ' His private diaries and notes, which are copious, being regularly and carefully made, are not now available. These, to go with his herbarium and collection of other relics of former times, will no doubt be found to contain valuable data for the scientist, and will prove of great interest to the reflecting community. It is to be hoped they will be placed in tbebands of some oneableauo willing to undertake the duly of placing them in a more available and permanont form than it is posoible for the column of a newspaper to possess. SHADOWS. Towards ths close of the eighties Mr Buchanan began to feel the approach of the close of his earthly career. Age was beginning to tell on his faoulties, and he conscientiously felt be was not so fit for his post as he had been. This was not to be wondered at, for it is the lot of very few men who have passed through nearly seven decades of life to say they ure equal to the hnrry-fcurry of but-in* ss or Hi. for the di*charge triftntHlly of the q tiettr duties imposed on thorn in the seclubii'u of the laboratory. In 1885, after a period of 23 years' service under the General Government, at the age of GG, he was retired on a email {.ension, "-uffioient, however, ; to maintain him duiing the lewainder of his existence. Living a bachelor's Jife, and being frugal in bis habits, it may be supposed that John should have been able to lty a^ide a tidy sum out of his regular, 3teady, fatily remunerative pay to leave behind him. And bo he would have been had he not in an evil hour been induced to risk his pavings in gold-mining speculations on the West Coast, and these cleaned him out completely before he got clear of them. On leaving the service he was able to i sa'isfj an old hungering desire which had a keen hold on him — to come back to end bis days in bis favourite district, Otago, His section in the North-Eist Valley was avail- , able, and there he has since resided with his friends, Mr and Mrs Anderson, who cheerfully give their services in rendering his declining years as comfortable as possible under the circumstances. Though still vigorous enough phytic^lly, considering bis age, the mysterious silver chord by whioh the mental faculties are strung together has been becoming gradually loosened, memory has lost its regal seat, interest in what formerly absorbed bin unfl^g^ing attention is now only a p^sxing erratic emotion, the objects which were wont to be to him of almost paternal solicitude are comparatively unheeded, and recollections of friends and associations are vague. If, when his end arrives, no scu'ptured , epitaph should mark his tomb, hit* memory and hi» works will not be shrouded with a stern, dark pall of forgetfalnesJ. However, hi* doings and merits will ba a partly sealed book, unless some permanent enduring course of action is adopted with a view to perpetuate them. The opportunity ia now at band Sir William Hooker's " Flora of New Zealand " is out of print, and a new publication 1b being prepared in Wellington, in which swveral additions and alterations will be made. It is true that since Hooker's flora was published (in 1864) several new plant! have been dit-covered, and also that the names of some of the varieties, if not pp3Cies, have been altered ; and as Buchanan was the discoveier of many of these new sorts his name should in common fairness be assocUted with them, as well as maintained in the prominence assigned to it by Sir William in the notes to his flora. It is hoped this will neither be overlooked nor treated with indifference. Sir James Hector will no doubt see that the merits of his old afsjeiate and friend are properly rfOfgnised. Before leaviug Wellington the New Zealand Institute voted Buslunan an address, signed by all the members available, expressing their high appreciation of his will-ingly-rendered valuable services to the institute, an illuminated copy of which is now in his possession. A very good likeness of him— half length oil portrait— is also in evidonce on the walls of the Wellington mn'enra alonjz with ilwe <>f odi-r won hies. TIIK SOCIAL hC ENOE GONGRKSS Df Child, of nxford, says :~" '1 here weie certain diseases which it was a disgrace to the country to allow to exist— such as typhus, typhoid, diphtheria, and smillpox, and these might be eradicated with ordinary bfinif avy c*ie and virecwition." All should read a large illustrated sheet given with each bottle of UNO'S "FRUIT SALT " The inf'iniation is invaluable. END'S ".FRUIT SALT" ke-ps the blood pure, and prevents disease and prein vture death. Sold by all Chemists and Stores.