OVERLAND TO MILFORD SOUND.

Otago Witness, Issue 2298, 17 March 1898, Page 54

OVERLAND TO MILFORD SOUND.

By Tamati Patene.

KO. HI. Monday, January 17, 1393.— We were all astir very early for breakfast, as the coach had to get away to table time. The coach was a packed one, the day was fine, and fcLe company all that could be desired — we had one passenger too many. He was a little sprung and occupied a rail alongside me. He was slightly obtrusive, yielded a well-seasoned respiration, but was in the best of humour. We dropped him early at a wayside station. I felt thankful and breathed freely. This passing incident led, as by a natural gradation, to the drink question. My friend is a staunch teetotaller and eopoused thai cause, while the city medico protected the moderate interest. Feeling that I still cheeriully survive on a moderate supply cf good ale, this secured for the doctor undue weight and flattened the discussion somewhat, when it sooa oied out and was replaced by topics much more congenial and interesting. We lunched on tbe way and teached Luassdea to coach tiaau, after a very pleasant journey. Notwithstanding ouc New Year's opening experience, we soon found that Crosbie's was an exceedingly comfortable hotel to be quartered af. The food, accommodation, and attention were excellent. We dined sumptuously, and in the evening we rounded up our travelling companions, who bad fixed at the hotel below, and spent the evening at euchre.

Tuesday, January 18, 1898. — We wprs served with a liberal supply of fine trout for breakfast, after which we prepared for homing. "When my preparations were complete I strolled to the front door. Mrs Crosbio stood by, and while I looked leisurely about the train bell rang, which did not arrest my attention till Mrs Crosbie queried : " Are you net going by this tram ? That's the bell and you have no time to spare. " I made a rush upstairs and called oub to my friend, who was still arranging his toilet, that the train was moving. Never previou* 1 ? did he complete bis fixings with suofa exped»,on. In a second both of us were rushing for me train breathes. On arrival we found we had still one minute and two seconds to spare, when H. discovered he had left behind some toilet requisite, valued ab 6d. A porter stooii by, whom he feed with la to rush for its recovery. He returned with the trophy just as tte train was moving away.

We bad a few hours to spare at Gore, which we spent in doing that thriving but windy inland toWD. We lunched at Gore, and ou arrival of the express from InvercargiK we transferred our bslongings thereto, and reaebed Dunedin at 7.5 p.m.

Thus ended our exceedingly enjoyable and pleasant overland trip to Miiford Sound and back.

THE FAUNA OF THE DISTRICT.

Tui, orTarson Bird (Pi'Oßthemadera, Ncvae Zelandiae). — This beautiful bird ia decidedly on the increase, being met ,* with in great numbers throughout the entire difctrict. He has a note peculiar to this district, which I have nGt her.rd attempted in any ctner locality — probably the result of environment;. I mistook the note for that of some stranger with which I was unfamiliar, till I espied him early one morning perched on the top twig of a tall birch tree. He was then piping this deep, rich, musical bas? note. They are now breeding in the valleys and are exceedingly iama. At this season of the year they procure much of their food on the wing, continually darting after months and other insects. As the district is now redolent with bloom they will also have a full supply of honey.

Saddieback (Creadion carunculatus). — I ssw but oLe of these rare birds — denizens of tha mountain forests. I sighted him on the return journey in the bush near the top of the Pass. I ■can scarcely think he is being depleted — probably away breeding a little remote from the track. Crow, orange wattled (Glaucopis cinerea). — I saw two of these birds, caught sight of them, going on the Clinton side near the cop of cthe Pass. They were happing about the track, then darting info the margin of the bush, prying curiously, with their glossy sable plumage glinting in the s un.

Thrush (Turnagra crapirostris). — This beautiful speckled songster, with his gorgeous terra cotta tail, is fatrly plentiful, and was met with throughout both valley and in the Sound. I think he is holding his own. He has a s weet ( ocg. I saw one on a pine tree near Suth'erbna'a giving forth a sweefc and long-sustained Bong.

Many other varieties of birds, bufc to be met with all over New Zealand, were plentiful all alocg the route. The kea screeched on tha mountain heights.

DOOMED BIHDS.

Ground Parrot (Ktk&po). — These birds s\re breeding thitf season, and their strange grunting boom could be heard throughout the iiight at every camp we quartered at. At mid-c-.mp I heard a dog giving mouth in fche bush a little behind the camp. I suspected the cause acd made for the barking. The dog had bailed up a fine bird in good plumage. The poor creature had partly backed into a hole for prolection, but the hole being too small he could back in no further. It was facing the dog, with a stupid, half-dazed, owl-iike expression that betokened its utter helplessness. I picked it up by the wings and took ib for inspection to the camp party, none of whom had previously seen this etrange bird. After undergoiug a minute inspection ib was escorted into the bush some distance and again liberated. We carefully watched and protected it till it slowly beaked and clawed its way up the trunk of the tree on which we placrd it to a positiou of safety — for the time being. Hunger would in time necsssitate its descent to seek for its natural food, when it would again be a.t the mercy of every passing dog or fall a ready prey to the imported vermin now penetrating the primeval home of this helpless creature — the home of the wingless.

Woodhen (Weka). — 1 saw bub two apeciniens of this bird — one the light brown, along the Clinton track ; the other the dark, noarly black variety, near the Sutherland Falls. Their shrill and sharp whistle was occasionally heard en route, but their numbers are rapidly declining.

Kiwi (Apieryx Anatralis). — We neither heard nor saw any signs of this rare and peculiar wingless bird. Ib is unlikely to be met with along the track agair, except at wide intervals. Passing dogs in a very short time will effectually clear the immediata neighbourhood of the through track of these rare, neJp'.es?, winglees creatures. The steady encroachment of the imposed vermin will complete their destruction further in, Nothing that I--ean think of or suggest can possibly says them. They are aa doomed "as the mog^a'ad notornie. A century hence will probably find them esfcinct, unless in spots set apart for their suecial protection*

I THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE DISTRICT. The track is very much improved to what it was three years B go. Much of the track on tho Arthur side is of a permanent character, and is being extended. The present necessity for the boating stage on the Lower Arthur and Lake Ada is expected to bs obviated this season. There is only a short distance of a bluff to be dealt with and a we suspension foobbridge thrown across the Arthur, when the boating stage can be dispensed with. This will not enbance the pleasuie of the journey, "for, the boating is the cream of it ; but it will prevenfcthe possibility of anyone beiug stuck en route. Mi" D. Eohs has now got the huts well provisioned with a good variety of tinned meats. The assortment might bs extended by adding thereto a variety of tinned fish. He had a good supply of potatoes and onions ; he bakes excellent bread and scones, and provides all that is reasonable to expect in a place so remote and where everything has tj be humped on his back and protected during the winter. He has not yet bedded the huts, their condition is not encouraging, but he speaks of doing so next season. But even now his improvising faculties and willing disposition are equal to all reasonable emergencies. None of the party I " throughed " with had provided bedding — myself and friend borrowed a blanket each from Mr Garvey, bub it was wonderful to see how comfortably he fixed, us pll up with the limited means at command. The huts are wretched in the extreme, ni-re especially the Beech Jiuts. They are .positively not fit for human 'habitation — they are so decayed, open, and exposed to the weather. We have now excellent accommodation at both ends of the route — Garvey's " Glade House " ab the head of Te Ansu Lake on the Clinton River and Sutherland's commodious and comfortable house ah Milford Souud. It is merely the intermediate stages that require attention, and this is pressing. Considering the great importance of our tourist traffic to the colony aa a, whole it is the duty of the Government to ttep in and provide proper accommodation at such stages in main routes, as they offer private enterprise no inducement sufficient to justify a venture in the meantime. The tourist traffic is destined to be a profitable and growiug asset to the colony, and should be fostered and looked after in such place 3 as must attract the tomist, but where the individual could not live by merely catering for his comforts and tbe places referred to offer no other means of adding to his profits. With theaa intermediate stage huts in good condition and properly fitted up, and Itoss'a food and bidding arrangements continued, the journey through the-'ft valleys and Gver the high mountain passes would cffer eucli attractions that streams of tourists wcuid f,UDualiy reGorfc thereto. LAKE STE&3E SERVICE. The steamer Ripple, at present doing the lake traffic, is positively uiififc for the service, and if continued musk do great injury to the traffic and ultimately suspend it entirely. The aooner this is recognised by those interested in the tourist trsffic of this charming district the better it will be for them, individually and collectively, for what affects enf affects all. They must combine and be united in their efforts to aecure on efficient, effective, and ■ up-to-date steamer for the lake service. The success of the district depands entirely upon this contingency. A steamer sufficient to meet the requirements of the service will cost not leas than £2500, possibly more. She should bs comfortably fitted and properly equipped, and capable of 10 to 12 knots an hour. But a sum like this few would care to venture for such a purpose. Catering for the comfort and convenieuce of a tourist traffic in new and remote districts is no philosopher's stone. I speak advi«edly, for I know most of them south. They have an exceeuiogly hard struggle, and mest of theaa come to grief, bub the bauefib the colony indirectly derives from their pioneering ventures is considerable. It is the duty of everyone to discourage State expenditure in every form where it is impossible for tae Stata to dsriva any benefiL therefrom, directly or iadirecfcly. It would tax the combined efforts of all the caterera of the district to provide a suitab'e steamer for the service, and then ib ■would leave them crippled, possibly ruined. It is an undertaking suited for a company only, and no compauy could be formed for that purpose unless largely subsidised by the Government, and it is the duty of the Government to do this should it be called upon for that purpose, for it has already spent large sums of money in opening up the district for tourist trsffic, which will be mostly lost if the present inefficient steam service is permitted to continue and cripple the traffic cut of existence. The present deserving and worthy proprietor is doing all fee can to keep faith with the public. The man is positively working day and night, to the detriment ,of his health, and it can be nothing but his faith in Ihe future of the place that keeps him struggling along. A proper steamer on the lake would so increase the tourist traffic of the district that all his time would be taken up at his hotel attending to tha wants and conveniencea of his trade. Then tha success of his dreams might be realised, bub never under present tircamstance?. Such a steamer as I suggest would be capable of a daily journey to the head of the lake and back, thus enabling those who have but little time to spare to at least get a day's outing and a sight of the magnificent scenery which the district affords, for it must ba borne in mind that the scenery of the district does not begin till the head of the lake is reached or its fiords explored. This tourist traffic is a kind of industry that in many remote districts can only be successfully established by the liberal assistance of a fostering Government, and as toe colony must undoubtedly receive considerable indirect benefib therefrom, it is the clear duty of any Govern- j ment to foster it.