RURAL RAMBLES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2356, 20 April 1899, Page 45

RURAL RAMBLES.

A TRIP TO LAKE WATKAREMOANA, OR THE SEA OF RIPPLING WATERS. Having four days' holiday at Easter, two friends and myself set out foi a trip to Lake Waikaremoana, which -is 2000 ft above the sea level a hundred miles from Gisborne. On the Thursday night we made teady tc start, .and after a good deal ot trouble to secure good horses (which turned out to be very bad) we made a start at 9 o'clock, intending tc ride to a place called Waerenga-o-Kuri, which is 18 miles from Gisborne, and put up for the night. After three hours' ride we saw the hotel in the distance, and were not soiry when we were talking things over behind a good glass of Host Long's best whisky. Aftci having fed our horses we turned in, and at daylight next morning were again on the road, as, having a long way to g< and only a short space of time to do the journey in, we had to make the best of our time.

Having had a good breakfast, we mounted our fiery mustangs and set sail for Maru Maru. about 50 miles from Waerenga-o-Kuri, the whole way being most interesting. About half way you come upon the Te Reinga falls, and magnificent falls they are, a huge volume of water rushing over a perpendicular cliff, forming a seething mass of foam and spray below. We saw it at a most favourable time, as there was a fresh in the river and the water. was rushing down in torrents- We climbed down to the bottojn of the falls, and gazed on the beautiful sight, but as our time was limited wo had lo push on, only wishing we could afford to put in a day there.

Once more mounting, we made a start for Maru Maru, reaching there about 7 p.m., hungry, thirsty, and bad-tempered, as it was a case of working your passage the whole way. After having had a good tea, a smoke, and a yarn, we wished Host Fletcher goodnight, and. again sought our, bods, turning^ out again at daybreak and getting ready for' another start. From here to the Lake is a little over 30 miles. We reached our destination about midday o» Saturday, and what a glorious sight it was. You are going uphill the whole way from Gisborne, and when 2000 ft above the sea level, you come upon this beautiful lake, rook-bcumd and densely wooded all round. We at once turned our nags out, and started to explore as far, as we could before the sun went down. On all sides your gaze encounters magnificent scenery. So far as I could see the lake is shaped like an octopus — a large body of watet with arms running into the moxintains all round. Some or these arms are from ton to fifteen miles long, and in rough weather it is likea ragincs sea. The night wo arrived at the lake largfe numbers of Maoris were coming across in huge canoes from the Urewero, country to the head of the lake, where some 500 of them were meeting to discuses their land affairs. Of course the Maoris from the Urewera are almost in their natural state, not being able to speak English, and their dress is composed of a piece of blanket tied round their loins. During the afternoon a large canoe with about 40 Natives in it was seen to go out of sight, and the Maoris on shore getting frightened, the Government boat on the lake was sent out to see if anything had fjone wrong\ One of our party, being a rowing man — he is well known in Otago, being a son of Mr M'Leod, of Palmerslon South — volunteered to take an oar. The rest of the crew being Natives who could not speak a word of English, I am afraid the genial Mac must have felt rather like a fish out ot water . but for all that ho enjoj'ed his trip, and came back delighted — especially as he was sitting between a couple of very pretty Maori maidens. As it happened, the canoe wa? all right, and after transhipping some ten or a dozen Natives into the Government boat, they pulled for the, head of the lake, where the majority of the Natives were camped. We naturally tried to got up a conversation with some of Ihe Maori damsels, but beyond staring at us in rather an amazed sort of way, we could get nothing out of them, so we returned to our lent and prepared tea, and we were all ready for it, as the air at the lake is most refreshing and soon works up a good appetite. Next morning we were up early to see the sun riße over the lake. This is a beautiful sight, and we were only Forry we had not brought a camera with us, as one of our number (Frod Fuller) was a hi" of an amateur photogiapher, and could have taken a good many views had we thought of it. After breakfast we got a boat and cruised round for a while. One of the most wonderful things about Wjukatemoana is the great depth you can see under water — indeed, they Fay you can see the bottom, at 200 ft. I am certain if you throw sixpence in you could sco it on tho bottom at 60ft, which will give the reader some idea of the clearness of the water. When you row along and look over the side of the boat you can see huge rocks, almost lik.o small hills, at the bottom, and it gives you a very curious feeling when you think of what a. frail craft is between you and this great depth of water. There if a largo mountainous point overlooking the lake on the eastern f=kle palled Panikiri, and at the foot of this Ihey have taken Founding! at 800 ft. The deepest sounding they have obtained if. 1500 ft, and in many part they cannot touch bottom. In other parts you look down and can see a forest of dead troeF standing fathoms under the water, forming a very strange sight.

.Jusl nt the foot of Panikiri is the place whero Te Kooti swam his hordes across the lake when the whites were in pursuit ol him. He had a large number of them with him, and those he could not lake lie slaughtered, and their bones are still to be seen on the shoie. Another thing of intere-t is the Maori war canoes which the Natives sunk sc that the whites should not get them. If you row out to where they ere and look down you can fgc these huge war canoes still lying on the bottom, also the remains of the -Government boats that were eeuttled during the time of the war to prevent the Maoris from getting them. Returning to our camp, we made prepara-

I tions to start for Gisborne, and reached Mara j Maru that night on our homeward journey. • Next morning we went t. see some "new . caves that have only recently been discovered, and having Mr Fletcher, who keeps the hotel at Maru Maru, to act as our guide, we were soon on the spot. These ca^es g< into the mountain for about a mile at least, sc our guide told us, but as we had not much time j to spare wg only went in about half the distance. Each armed with a candle, we entered j the mouth of the cavo and soon lost sight , of daylight. When we were a considerable t distance in we blew out oui lights, and as the roof, which is from 30ft to 50ft high, is col vered with glow-worms, i f looked as though 1 you. were out in a starry night. A stream , runs, along the bottom of the cave, and th« I light from the glow-worms reflecting in tht , water forms a very pretty sight. This is indeed a wonderful part of the country, and I am sure the tim© is not very fai distant when it will be a great tourist resort, I intend making another trip at some future date, when I hope to be able to put in more time at tho lake, and I shall send you an account of my observations. R. E. B.