WEST COAST EXPLORATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2207, 18 June 1896, Page 48

WEST COAST EXPLORATION.

B? Thos. Mackenzie.

On the following morning we entered Doubtful Sound and steered for Hall's Arm and Deep Cove. These parts "ere seldom visited, and it is many years since the Tarawera entered Hall's Arm. There is a rook at its entrance on whioh the Tarawera was said to have struck in 1882 ( and since then that arm, one of the grandest we have, has practioally been abandoned. Captain Fairchild sees no reason whatsrer for not going in. ' Milford is said to be the finest of our sounds. Hall's Arm is different in character, not so abrupt, but for wildness, grandeur, and infinite variety, I prefer it to Milford. Oar western fiords require the psn of a William Blaok to do them justioe. Any attempt on the part of an ordinary -mortal to convey an adequate impression-of their magnificence, of their roaring cataraots, leaping waterfalls, beetling crags, and vast mountains, with their huge walls of rook rising thousands of feet high, must end in failure. In the forest olothing the lower puts every variety of tint is seen, the blazing rata, the fringing rimu, and the feathery kowhai. The heights offer infinite variety. It was from those heights that we looked down when, searching for the l»te Professor Mainwaring Brown. (The Hinemoa was then lying in the sound just three miles below where we were. Had we known of her presence what toil it would have saved us !) Yonder is the crag on whioh we were sitting when we were suddenly enveloped in a black fog. Mr Malcolm Boss had on that occasion gone a few hundred yards beyond to obtain a better view of the sound, and we had considerable difficulty in getting, him safely bapk. We then began our descent, and so confusing was the fog that in retraoing our steps through the snow we were almost certain we were going in a wrong direction. After iabout an hour of that work, during whioh gome glissading was done, we got below the fog lino, and were safe. For the information of some ef the readers of these notes it may be necessary to give a brief sketch of the circumstances attending the loss of Professor Brown, and as I am very frequently asked what I think beoamo of the poor fellow, and also as I have never yet placed on record my. opinion, on the subject, I feel sure my using this opportunity for that purpose will not be thought out of place. In December 1888 Professor Brown, Major Gudgeon, and Mr John White attempted to find a pass between Lake Manapouri and Doubtful Sound. For some seasons Professor Brown and bis companions had endeavoured to find a way over the Matterhorn Mountains, but were unsuccessful. The season of 1888 was a very bad one— snowfalls continued right up to Christmas. This increased the danger enormously, because now and again a very hot day. would be experienced, when the mountain*' surface became warm and great slips of mow would come down in quite unexpected places. 1° met Professor Brown in Dunedin about a month before he set out on his fatal expedition, and endeavoured to dissuade him from venturing ip such aseason. He replied, " Well, you and Pillans abd' M'Einnon goo over from Milford all right— a much worse oountry. Surely we can manage over to Doubtful Sound." I toldtlm ■plainly that Providence had a great deal to do with our safely coming through — that over and over again we were placed in such perilous positions that our lives could not be valued at much — and added : "My advice to you is don't attempt it this season." And I would here add parenthetically that if any person should poisess a superabundance of conceit I would strongly recommend him, if he wish to obtain a correct estimate of bis actual helplessness and nothingness, to go out into these trackless wilds, depending on what he can carry for his daily bread, raiment, and shelter, and if he does not get his vanity taken out of him in a month's tune his must be a bad case indeed. ' Professor Brown was anxious to have a fuller talk with me, but I was then making for the train and could not stay. The next I heard of poor Brown was from Malcolm Boss. I was at the theatre, hearing Barrett and Tom Bracken doing Othello and lago, whea Mr Boss stepped quietly down and told me the sad news that Brown was misting, adding : " T^hft Daily Times Company are sending out a relief party, and are ' anxious that you should join it and take charge." We left Dunedin the following morning, Mr Q. M'Ktnnon coming on by a special. We were greatly delayed at Msntpouri by head winds, and the boat we had being a perfect basket we could nob tack. With some difficulty we found his camping ground— a miserably pitched tent in one of the most dismal regions it was ever my lot to visit. During the whole time we were there we never heard the song of a bird nor saw life in any form. After a most painstaking searoh, we retraced our steps without finding any sign of the missing man. We searched from his tent— which was boated about six miles from Manapouri at an' altitude of about 2500ft— right over' the saddle or range, called on the maps the Matterhorn Mountains, and down to the bash lerel on the wesc side. And now it may bs aiked, " What became of the poornrofassor ? " - The ciroumttances of his disappearance are these 1 Bad weather had kept the party confined to camp, and for a change he said he Would take a stroll up the valley. The valley was a narrow gorge, flattening out a little about a mile abpve the camp, but still confined within high walls. B»yond that a wall of rook rose a few hundred feet high', over whioh a branch of the oreek or river came spreading out in many falls. The scrub was so dense that he was almost sure not to go into it. He would, therefore, follow the oreek— a wild mountain torrent, in whioh were huge junks of rook. To cross the oreek the traveller would require to jump from rook to rook. They were tery "cogley," to use • Biotch word, and the , least thing* would overturn one, 'and in the event of that occurring to a person. He might get stunned and be very quickly carried down or lodged in some foaming bailn, where the continually'shifting dihru would very soon cover him. About half a mile from the camp the creek had out through a big deposit of avalanche dibris, the sides of whioh were quite perpendicular. There was no day or binding Substance pf any kind, and in goiog past such a place the greatest vigilanoe mutt be observed, so that no hand touoh the sides, otherwise tons of stuff might suddenly come down and completely covet the traveller. About a mile further on was a great snow slip or avalanohe, on to whioh fresh avalanches were almost continually falling.' No one with any knowledge of the work would venture there except when the weather was extremely cold. To these three dangers poor Brown was exposed. I am inclined to think; that he fell into the oreek in crossing. Whatever occurred I think took place quickly, and there is very little probability that his death was a lingering one, The avalanche theory was held by some, but I hardly think Brown would have gone so far, as it would* take quite an hour to reaoh the place, and when ho. left the camp ho had dntybis pyjamas oti. It wm quite impossible, fof

him \o lose himself, the valley being narrow. Had he reached the top of the rocks' at the head of that part of valley, whioh we did by going round a sho.uldef of the mountain, a long valley led on from that, again between high mountains. After walking for about a mile a lake was discovered | it took us fully an hour to walk that distance. After passing the avalanche, the snow being very deep and soft, we sank every step, almost to the knees. We named the lake Lake Mainwaring, after the late professor, as also a high mountain over-, ■looking it. Another 1 hour's stiff climb took us to the top of the dividing range, and it was from a point a little beyond that we observed the arm of the sound in which the Hinemoa was now lying. - . - The men who thus lose their lives are New Zealand heroes. They m almost every instance have met death alone and unaided. They were not inspired and stimulated by all the pomp and circumstance of. war, by the excitement of battle, whioh makes death when met with, under such circumstances glorious. The work of our hardy pioneer explorers will last for ever ; their names should therefore be entered on our scroll of fame. Many of those with whom I have been' associated have gone from us for ever. Young ' Raymond was drowned in Pyke's river* shortly after I last saw him. Good, true-hearted' Quintin _ M'Einnon has found a grave in the ice • fed waters of Te Anau — his tomb, the glaoier-hewn lake; his monument, his work and the snow-capped mountains. Young Quill, that intrepid mountaineer, fell over the Homer Saddle. His death <was singularly sad. Alone he was sent to plaoe a flag on the saddle, and being anxious to find a way over into Milford, ventured too mnoh and,' slipping his foot; was preoipitated 2000 ft over that solid wall of rock. All that was found of him by his brothers after their 42 days' long and, weary search was a smallportion of. his skull. Quill's name will J^e' remembered as being the climber who scaled the precipitous 1 height of J rock over whioh the great Sutherland fall comes. Many others have also loit their lives in these wild regions.

I took a very careful note of Doubtful Sound and the valleys running inland. I give a few. particulars, whioh may come in useful to persons exploring from Manapouri. At the head of Hall's Arm there 1b an open valley, running south-east. About three and a-half miles down the sound thera is a river ooming in behind Elizabeth Island. The valley rune east and west ; about eight miles east there is a large dome-shaped mountain. In coming from Manapouri the mountain should be on the left. The mountains about that part are high,' with sloping grassy sides, and should be about the head waters of the Etveburn— running into Lake Manapouri. The next afternoon we landed at Transit Beach Mr Fitzgerald, and party (comprising Messrs Young and Clapoott and Captain Malcolm), Mr Ross from our party joining them. Milford Sound was entered, and as usual' with strangers they wore delighted with its wild grandeur. Early on Monday morning we are off Martin's Bay, What old associations it stirs up f James Maoandrew had high hopes of this settlement, bub disaster followed misfortune, aad now only two families remain. We go ashore at 7, and watch a chanoe between the breakers to land. The bar is not J often taken, uowadays-^-wbat with' the snagged Chas. Edward, the wrecked Esther Ann, and that last sad fatality 'when Brebner (of J Porb 1 Chalmers) and- Walter Riohardsun (of Outram) were with < their two mates- drowned there. At Martin's we lose our poetess, much to cur regret. Mr Webb and his family are to coma away with us. They have been camped at the bsaoh for weeks, awaiting the arrival of the Hinemoa, After jumping ashore I meet Webb and ask after his wife. He has a sad tale to tell. a fortnight before be lost his only son, a fine young fellow of 14. The food was nearly done ; "only potatoes left. His wife was in a very low state, tgo into the hat. She is almost too faint to speak. She shakes my hand fervently and gays in almost inaudible ! tones, " I am glad you are hare, Mr Maokenzie.'-' I During the time the boat, is going »nd ooming I walk along 'to see Mr D. Mackenzie, who greatly deplores the want of communication. Orr my way back to the boat I meet Mr and Mrs Cumpbell, who kave taken Mr Webb's farm, and who, with 1 stout hearts, sro baginning » hard life. Soon Mr Webb's little all is put on board, then he carries his wife in bis arms to the boat. The waves swirl round ; he is wet to the waist, and the water splashes over her. Then there is a waving from tne beach, a few hurried good-byes to the half-doaen who remain behind, and we arc off. The old folks look wistfully back, while the young onoi are. fall of anticipation. Soon the steamer is reached and Mrs Webb ie kindly' helped on board, thera to reaeive the best Captiin Fairohild oan provide. Wnat a change from when I last saw the Webbs, now 15 ye»» ago, when I first crossed the mountains to the West Coast 1 We then received freitr kindness from them. Mr Webb has ipent 5 years of his.lifs exploring, prospecting, farming, and is now glad to get away. He has still | faith in the Bay, if communication were estab- 1 lished. He says some g_ ood 200-acre farms could be cleared up the Hoflyford Valley and profitably worked by men with money. Bat he added, " Where wHlyougeb them now P" Soon we sail away again-, and the haunts of Pat Kelly (or Maori Bill) are pointed oat, and a history of his strange career is given. jaokeon's Bay is soon reached— a « deserted looking plaoe, not a soul there now. The wharf is wrecked, boats rotting, bridges broken, and dwellings decaying. The largest house has a notice: " Registrar of Births, Dealha, and Marriages." What irony ! * Jackson's was to j have been a great place. Money was launched j there. A piece of coal was pioked up on the beach, put into a matchbox, and sent to Dr Hector. Great ooal companies ware to be ! floated and great fortunes, but Dr Hector deolared the ' ooal 'to be Newcastle. " washed ashore." Grapes for all New j Zealand were- to be grown there 1 Mokimoki and tutu usurp the country now. Caicade Point we steam quite close to. There fire grand waterfalls drop hundred* of feofc in i one leap into the ocean. About 30 seals are j sunning themselves on the rocks — the only place where seals are to be found in any number, which i« due to iti inaccessibility^ Wil- j Hamson, the explorer, walked all the way from Inveroargill to the Cascades. How a history of his adventures would astonish those who dwell in oltiesl Poor fellow, he, with four others, were all drowned at | Jackson's Bay. Bruce Bay we call at» and pass Mokoreti. '' W« are fortuaate in getting a view of the peaks of Mounts Cook and Tanman as they rise .above a sea of fog, 16 , was here that Tasman first sighted, New Zealand, and Mounts Cook and Tasman were probably ■ the first land he saw. Muoh might be written In connection with our western country, but I must now draw to a close. .-, My notethavi attained a much greater length than I anticipated, but if my readers have not wearied then lam amply repaid. ■".' . . ;

(T$ be eentmuei.)

-r» Afleotatlon Is trying to msfw brass pasi