MANAPOURI AND TE ANAU TO MILFORD SOUND. A FEW PRACTICAL NOTES FOR HOLIDAY-SEEKERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2244, 4 March 1897, Page 53

MANAPOURI AND TE ANAU TO MILFORD SOUND. A FEW PRACTICAL NOTES FOR HOLIDAY-SEEKERS.

No. VI. - THE BEECH HUTS TO TE AKAU. I It; nined steadily all night, and when we i awoke in the morning there was no appearance of it ceasing. Were it to continue we knew ib would be quite impossible to crosi the creaks in the Clinton Valley even did we succeed in getting over the saddle. We had the comforting assurance of young Ross and Garray, however, that if the rain did stop the creeks would go down as quickly as they had risen. We therefore remained in bed for an hour or two while our clothes were given an additional chance of drying at a freshly built np lire. At 10 o'clock, to oar great joy, the rain ceased, and it was considered that by 12 o'olook we would be safe in making a start. Breakfast was prepared and disposed of, and at 12 we were all ready. Ross deoided to go with us over the saddle to Mintaro and possibly on to one of the worst of tbe creeks in the Clinton Valley to see us safely over, and he insisted on carrying my swag, notwithstanding my remonstrances. Owing to the misty clouds hanging round, we were unable to see the numerous waterfalls in the Arthur Valley mountains as we left the huts. This we regretted very much, as the sight would have bean a magnificent one under' the great rainfall. We made first-rate progress and got through the buth in good time, ficiding ourselves again among the mountain lilies and celmisias shortly after 1 o'clock. Well on towards the top we stopped by a little stream which flowed beside a huge overhanging rook. Here we rested, had a few biscuits, with draughts of the purest water drunk from the cup-shaped j leaves of the mountain lily, and then finished [ our climb, stopping on our way to procure a few celmisia and other plants. We reached the little LAKELBTS ON THE SUMMIT ■*-- about 2 o'clock. Among these is Lake Ella, named after the daughter of Mr O. W. Adams, in recognition of her having been the second lady to cross the saddle. The day was, unfortunately, still misty, and our view of the gceat monntaim surrounding us was therefore spoiled, although near at hand we saw the huge outline of Mount Balloon rising to its great altitude, cold and grim-looking. We begin the descent of the saddle on the Clinton side, making our way cautiously down the precipitous track, and shortly after entering the bush we are fortunate in seeing a fine pair of OEANQE-TVATTLED CHOWS. They are on the branches of a tree quite close to the track, and are so tame that they do not move at our approach. The South Island crow is a plump, well-rounded, attractive-looking bird, and its rich orange-coloured wattles give it a striking appearance. In the early days of Otag« it was plentiful in the Mount Cargill bush, and it was alco to be found in a portion of the bush in tbe Catlins district. Now it is probably almost entirely restricted to the wooded ranges of the Sounds and West Coast districts. Sir W. Buller, in his " Birdi of New Zealand," mentions a very curious circumstance in connection with its habits given on the authority of Mr Buchanan, of the geological survey. Mr Buchanan had frequently observed these birds travelling through the Otago bush "on foot, lodiau faahioD, sometimes as many as 20 of them single file, passing rapidly over the ground by a succession of hops, and following their leader like a nock of »heep ; for if the first bird should have occasion to leap over a stoae or fallen tree in the line of march, every bird in the procession follows suit accordingly ! " This is the first time we have seen this interesting bird, and the pleasure afforded us is correspondingly great. The remainder of the descent to the hut at Lake Mintaro is accomplished in good time and without anything of special interest to attract attention. We reach the lake about 3.30, and every where find evidences of the rainfall of the preceding day and night. The lake is very much higher, and had we not crossed the Clinton on a tree some distance above the hut we should have had some difficulty in getting over at the lower crossing near the lake, as the improvised bridge was completely covered with water. As oar guides considered that the creeks between Mintaro and Qarvey's would have gone down sufficiently to ensure our crossing them without much difficulty, we decided to push on after a. short rest and some refreshment. We left Mintaro between 3 and 4- o'olock ob our 14-mile walk, and all going well we reckoned on reaching our destination by 8 or 8.30 o'clock. Rossand Garvey stayed behind to clear away and make things ship shape, for it is a cardinal rule always to leave things tidy at the huts for the next comers. We retraversed the familiar track we had crossed two days since, and in the bush we came acros* quite a number of NEW ZEALAND THRUSHES. The native thrush is a pretty bird, with plumage of olive-brown, its breatt varied with broad spots of yellowish-white, tail feathers leddiih-brown, and bill and feet of a dark colour. It was in former years very common, but is now rarely met with except in the remoter districts. Sir James Hector, as related in Butler's work, during his explorations on the West Coast iv 1862-63 found it very numerous and very tame, sometimes hopping up to the door of his hut to pick up crumbs. The ca,mp dogs, however, made sad havoc among the numbers by which he was surrounded, and owing to its being such an easy prey he expreised the opinion that in a few years the species would be numbered among the extinct ones. As illustrative of its predaceous habit*, Sir Walter Buller relates tb&t hi* brother while residing in Canterbury

i obtained a live thrush from the woods, and - placed it in a cage with a pair of tame parrai keets. "On the following morning he found, r to his dismay, that the" c^wly-introduced bird ; had slain both of his fellow-i-risoners, and was [ actually engaged in eating off the head of one 1 of them." We push on, and are reaching Pom- . polona Creek when Ross and Garvey overtake us. ' This h the creek where the former anticipated ' we might have difficulty, bub the water has gone down so rapidly that the crossing is effected ' almost as easily as it was on onr up trip ; and here we bid good-bye to Ross, thanking him very warmly for his company, and expressing our regret st the long walk he has given himself in order to be of service to us. 1j He intends to get right back to the Bsech Huts that night, and we don't envy : him his second climb and descent of the saddle the same day. Bub he is young *n<l vigorous, and sets off with a swing which indicates that he will not have much trouble in accomplishing his tank — much less, as it turns out, than we ! had, for he must have reached the hnts long before we succeeded in crossing the Clinton at Carvey^. We bad when passing the ice i caves disonssed the wisdom of spending the half-hour necessary to visit them, and accepted the advice of our guides and decided to push on. It was fortunate that w« did so, for we j had a lot of rough walking between Mintaro and Mid-camp, and were getting tired when we reached the latter. We considered it inadvisable to stop more than a few minuter, as we i were very wet, tbe result of walking through j wet bush and the numerous watercourses, up to '. our knee* in some places. Hastily eating a ■, biscuit or two we therefore push on, the city j members of the trio visibly tiring, yet pegging ; steadily on. A channel of the Clinton has to < be waded at a spot where on our up-trip, as far ( as we conld remember, there had been dry , walking. We find now that it is about 2ft 6iu deep, and it takes some time to get through it, , as we have to follow the stream for a time to i avoid deep places and a swift enrrent. We get ■ through and have a very wet walk over occa- ' sional places in the track where accumulations i of water have lodged ; we cross innumerable ' pieces of corduroy placed in swampy spots, and resoh M'Kinnon'n hut somowhere near 8 o'clock. We h&ve otill two miles to go— for young . Garvie practically admits that it must be two ] mileg — through a sombre beech forest. We j know that the moment we leave the clearing t and strike into the bush we shall be "WALKING IN DABKNESS, for the waning light has no chance of penetrating through the close foliage o|j£the trees. j Garvey suggests that we should go up to tha j hut and get two lanterns which he believes are | there, bat we decide not to delay, and we strike into the track, thinking that, dark aa it is, we may be able to finish our walk by shortly after 9 o'clock. We are quite out in onr calculations, however, for at places we find it exceedingly difficult to keep the track in the total darkness. Our progress is very slow, and, not to mines matters, my friend and I are really " done up." From gakvet's to milfobd sound and back in thhee days has proved just as much as we can stand. It is with inexpressible relief, therefore, when at about 10 30 we have finished our walk, and are standing on the bauk of the Clinton River opposite Garvey's, letting out a wild coo-ec from ; three pairs .of luoga iv the hope that, the people j of the house have net gone to bed. We reiterate the familiar Australian bush cry, and are re- [ lieved to perceive lights moving about. These are seen making their way down to the boat landing, and as conversation can be carried on across the river by shouting;, we soon learn that those who are on the opposite shore are very doubtful about ooraing across for us, as they consider the river is dangerously i high and that there will be great risk in crossing. As a matter of fact tbe river had gone down very mu;h since they had seen it in daylight, and while it is unquestionably very much higher than it was when we had set out three days before, the risk in crossing even in the dark was not great. To go back to M'Kinnon's hut was not to be thought of, cold and wet as we were, and the result of our talk was that the boat came over for us, and we were landed without much trouble and warmly WELCOMED BACK by the whole houiehold, who were unmistakably glad to see us arriving safe and sound. Wet boots were removed with great difficulty — they had performed their last walk, however, j for three days over shingle beds and bunh tracks and through streams, and water channels had worn them out, — and with a change of clothing, quarter of an hour before a cheerful fire, and a welcome supper, we forgot our exhaustion and related cur mutual experiesces. Ours have been told ; those of the party we had left behind comprised a similar tale of a great rainfall, with an accompanying flood in the river, which ran a couple of hundred yards in front of the house. It had steadily risen until it had overflowed its bank, and the flood waters made their way right up to the verandah. This was their limit, however, lot the rain fortunately ceased, and as I have related, when we coo-eed at 10.30 the river had gone down sufficiently to admit of our crossing. We had anticipated leaving by the steamer early the following morning, but we learned that she had not arrived. We therefore retired to bed about midnight -with the comforting knowledge that we need not be up very early. The steamer not being expected before midday, we had a very pleasant morning in exploring the surroundings of Glade House. Some pretty photographs were taken, the bush between the house and M'Kinnon's hut was again visited and a photograph of the old hut secured. Among the botanical specimens obtained were two or three of the orchids first seen on the Lake Hankinson track, some young celery-topped pines (Phyllocladus alpinus), specimens of the Panax simplex (swamp gum), and other treasures, which were brought to town and given to the curator of the Botanical Gardens. There are the makings of a very pretty place in the Glade House surrounding*. As it is, a good deal has already been accomplished in the way of clearing and laying off the gronnd near the house, and in making tracks in the bush. Anyone who has a few days to spare could spend them very pleasantly in boating at the head of tbe lake, landing in the picturesque spots which abouud. There are few people to whom the splendid bush, with its wealth of mosses and ferns, its brilliant flowering rata and other attractions, would not be a source of the very greatest pleasure. With Glade House as a comfortable working centre, the beautiful natural features of the head of the lake, and the Clinton Valley and its inspiring mountain scenery, can all be easily explored, and the locality is certain to become a favourite report. We regret that our lime will not permit us to stay for a few days, and, our packing finished, we bid good-bye to our host and hostess, make our way to the steamer, which' is now awaiting us, and having all got safely on board, we start on our TRIP DOWN THE LAKE shortly before 2 o'clock. The noble forest-clad I mountains which surround us look inexpressibly I grand &&d attractive as we steam onward, and wo or* imureued with tha majesty of. this

[ upper part of the lake. It here transcends Manspauri in its majestic grandeur, and comfortably seated on the little steamer we have : full leisure and opportunity to appreciate to the ; full the handiwork of Nature at her grandest i and best. The afternoon passes eujoyably as we rapidly pass mountain and valley, flowering ratas and foaming waterfalls, with the water of tho lake sometimes an intense green, anon almost inky black as some dark mountain shadow is cast upon its surface. We cross over to the eastern shore as we approach Mr : Melland's Te Anau Lake station, most picturesquely situated in a little bay. We are to stop here to enable Mr Snodgrass to do some business he has with the manager, and making oar way up the jetty we find ourselves right in tha midst of sheep-drafting operations. It is i a scene of busy activity, and we spend an interesting half hour in wandering about the ; homestead and yards. But time is passing, and it is already late in the day, and we hurry on board and push on into the broad waters of the lake, reaching the jetty at the foot of the lake about half-past 10. We havo a late supper — some of our party at Snodgrass's Hotel, some at Mackenz : e's accommodation house — and the Dunedin-Invercargill contingent bid good-bye to the resh, for they are to be astir early to settle down into their trap for a long day's drive to Lumsden. The writer squares accounts with Mr and Mrs Snodgrass for steamer fares and accommodation, and we heve a good all-round talk abont the Te Auau- i Manapouri trip and its manifold attractions. \ '. The uncertainty in the minds of would-be j I visitors from the cities as to what it all costs is ! admitted to operate against a steadier stream • of visitors, and the result of the talk is that I i am empowered to tell any of my friends that to I bring the trip within the reach of people of even ] , only very moderate means the suni of £6 will be fixed — with the concnrrenoe first obtained of , the coach proprietor and those interested at ! Manspouii Lake — to cover coach fare to and ! from Lumsdeu, » week's board and lodging, and ' steamer trips up both lakea. The only addiI tional expense would thus be the train fare to ' Lumsdon and back. The charge fixed as ' stated above is unquestionably very moderate indeed for all the services performed, and ', ! ought to induce m»ny resident* ia the cities to ' ) make a trip which car>nofc fail to give them true ! j and lasting pleasure. Of our early start in the i morning and our drive to Lumsdea I need say but little. It involved a long day's travelling, bub our horses had had five days' spell, find we arrived at Lumßden about 7 in the eveniug, no doubt pleased to be onoa j I more within reach of railway carriages, and j ! knowing that Saturday night would see us in , onr respective homes again. I ahs.ll in * con- ; eluding paper refer to a number of mutters about }" which I think something useful may be said, and meantime, as in one of my previous articles I give a table of distances by the OtaufcauManapouri route, I will now give the distances ' , coverinc tho :

Lumsden-Te Anau Route. '

Milford Sound Track. j

Luninden to Mosshurn Mossburn to The Key The Key to Te Anau Lake Foot of Lake to Head of Lake... Miles. ... 12 ... 25 ... 38 ... 60

Miles. Garvey's to Mid-camp~ 7 Mid-camp to Lake Mintaro ... 7 Miutaro to Beech Huts 3J Beech Huts to Sutherland Tails U Beech Huts to Lake Ada 6 Lake Ada and Arthur River by boat 5 Foot of Lake Ada to boat landing on Arthur River 2i Track to Sutherland's from landing point at hear! of Milfovd ... $ Time j required. ; '.) hours II i. { J n v j i « | i H I (To be continued.)