AROUND THE SOUNDS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2409, 3 May 1900, Page 73

AROUND THE SOUNDS.

A CRUISE IN A FORE-AND-AFT

SCHOONER.

(By H. G.)

*iv. \' L ",

On the morning succeeding our arrival from the Sutherland Falls it was decided to devote our final day at the head of Milford Sound to an excursion xrp the Cleddau Valley to the base of Mount Tutoko, an uninterrupted view of whose peak, standing out against the sky at a height of 9500 ft, is considered one of the attractions of this portion of Fiordland. Accordingly, having despatched an early breakfast, the party, loaded

with camej-as and implements of sport, —and not forgetful of the wants of 'the inner man, — jumped into the boats and were rowed away to their landing place. Their route lay in a northerly direction, and, unlike that to the Sutherland Falls, it was not well de-

fined by a good Government-made track. Their terminal point -lay six miles away. At the commencement they had to travel through bush — happily not very dense, — and then along the edge of the rough boulder bed of the Cleddau River. Their journey through the bush was facilitated by the fact that Sutherland had cut a narrow passage through the spreading branches, and this obviated the necessity of making frequent detours to avoid obstacles in the shape of matted creepers. The pro-

gress up tlie river bed, however, was not so It tested the agility and surc-footed-nes's of the wanderers, as, loaded with their various goods, they were compelled to leap from boulder to boulder to traverse the turbulent torrent. Eventually, however, they reached an open flat, studded here and there with manuka scrub, and as they proceeded they were 'able to take a leisured survey of their surroundings. The Cleddau Valley is a fine, wide piece of country, winding in and out between mountainous ranges. The river flows down the centre, and. is mainly composed of swift rapids and foaming torrents. Some distance up the vallay it is divided into two branches, one flowing from "Tutoko, and the other from Homer's Pass, at the head of the valley, where, some &ix

or seven years ago, the unfortunate surveyor Quin lost his life. The head of the valley is blocked up by the mighty Tutoko itself, ancl in the clear, radiant sunshine the party secured a magnificent long-disiance -view of its hoary, serrated summit, with the gleaming snow' and ice lying in the crevices and on its slopes. Some good pictures of it were i secured 'from the Cleddau River, and the party then pushed on through the bush to secure a nearer view of it from the base. When they finally reached the desired point of vantage it was found, much to the chagrin and disappointment of all, that the fog had crept up the mountain side and had enshrouded the summit. ~ Only now and then would_ a peak modestly T>eep out from beneath its mantle, and after waiting in vain for some considerable time in the hopes of securing a photograph, the party started up and retraced their steps to the ship, which they reached at nightfall, without encountering any untoward adventure. On the morning of the sixth day after Our arrival in Milford we lifted anchor and ■slowly drifted out of Fresh Water Basin on our way to the heads. We had decided that we had devoted sufficient time to Milford if we wished to keep to our prevkmsly arranged programme, and accordingly we set sail for THOMPSON'S SOUND.

The morning was bright and sunny, and as we had the advantage of the tide and light airs, the magnificent scenery on either side was soon slipping past. We were favoured with a splendid view of Pembroke and the glacier lying on its topmost slope as we proceeded, and surveyed the famous ; Lion from the particular spot whence its resemblance to the king of beasts is most marked. Schools of porpoises passed us at frequent intervals on their way up the sound, ancl some of our enterprising marksmen tried their skill upon them. The animals proved to be in no danger when sporting around~our ship, although the sportsmen assured us that "those porpoises" bore a charmed life. Midday arrived, when we were yet a long way from the heads, and ,with the afternoon came the usual strong wind blowing down the sound. It was pretty

gusty and heavier than usual, and the task of beating against it was a tedious one. " Its a, long lane that has no turning," however,

and at length, as evening approached, we could descr;y the entrance to the sound. The prospect was not an inviting one. The weather had become bleak and cold, and, through the dusk, we could see, away across to the Ihoiizon, a vista, of grey, foam-clad billows leaping upwards against the leaden-coloured ,sky. Far away in the west a huge bank of

dense black clouds was slowly rising, and •overhead the scud was flym? low in great fleecy masses. As the skipper said, it looked • as if the night would be a particularly dirty one. The question as to whether we should 'put out to tea or anchor in a little inlet on .the south side of the heads, called Anita Bay, swas therefore discussed. Opinion seemed to 'be evenly divided. The bad sailors were -for having a peacefiil niaht's rest in the landlocked little harbour. Those Who were not in the habit of being greatly troubled by •mal -4e mer were desirous of losing no time in getting to Thompson's Sound. As there was no prospect of a mutual agreement being 'arrived at between the contending parties on *the subject, it was decided to refer the matter -to the'final arbitrament of the captain. When •that nautical digriatory was approached the disputants found that they might have saved "their breath. -He had -already decided not to go out. His decision was final. Half an hour • afterwards anchor was dropped in

'ANITA BAY.

When we had time to look round, we found -ourselves. in an indent of circumscribed area. The land rose in a gentle slope to not a very -great height, and fell equally gradually to the isurf ,on the other side. Everywhere the bush -.grew densely to the water's edge. It was evidently the home of countless numbers of feathered songsters, whose evening carols awakened the stillness of the place. The piping and screaching of the birds aroused the 'passion for conquest in the breasts of the Votaries of the gun, and boat parties were .soon landed. It was currently reported, too, ff&sfu on 'the other side of -the Mil there was

a greenstone quarry, where in by-gone days the Maoris were in the habit of getting their supplies of greenstone, and one contingent decided to push their way {notwithstanding that the day was fairly well advanced), through the dense bush, and visit the place. Those left on board, who were not afflicted with any such impulse of energy, produced their fishirg lines, and laid the seine net at a likely spot. The lines were not long over the side when it was found that the waters were literally swarming with fish. We had been in places where, compared with our previous experience, fish was most abundant, but we had never seen anything like what we came across in Anita Bay. The fish were hauled up by the twos and threes as fast as the lines were thrown overboard, and soon the deck was strewn with a great variety of specimens of the finny inhabitants of the deep, principally, however, moki, which when subsequently produced at the festive board was pronounced to be a dish that might be "set before^a king." Some hours after the landing parties arrived. The shooting men brought back w'th them — their guns. They had left behind them their ammunition — and the birds. The greenstone quarry explorers also returned without trophies. In short, the forest was found to be so dense as to be impenetrable. The hours the excursionists were away were devoted to feats thai might afford testimony to their endurance, but afforded nothing to them in the way of sport. The moment they had passed the outskirts they wore crawling underneath the thickly matted trailing plants, climbing over 'slippery moss-covered fallen tree trunks, sinking knee-deep in damp noisome decaying vegetable matter, clambering laboriously up three feet of the bush-clad slope only to slide back the next moment, five or six feel. At every step their ardour for sport or exploration diminished, and eventually, when one man expressed the opmion that it would be better to " chuck it," there was a singular unanimity in regard to the excellence of the suggestion. It was found, however, that the return trip was beset with scarcely less hardship and difficulty than the outward journey.' When they finally stood on the seashore, and hallooed for the boats, they ruefully eyed their toil-stained besmirched clothing, and wearily casting themselves down, expressed the strong conwCtiol^ thafc '" travelli ng in the bush in° these West Coast sounds is not the game it's cracked up to be." Meantime' those on board had hauled up the net, ,and found that the catch was sufficiently large to have kept all hands supplied with food for three or four day*. The ship's company turned in early that night, with the intention of setting sail next morning for Thompson's Sound as soon as there was sufficient light to see the way out of the heads. Before finally bidding

ADIEU TO MILFORD

it is desirable that a few remarks concerning what has bees done for the tourist traffic there should be made. In all the Sounds expeditions on foot to different points of interest is accompanied, owing to the ever-pre-vailing forests, with difficulty and fatigue. Milford is not quite so bad in this respect, and with the, fine track that has been made to Sutherland Falls and to the top of M'Kinnon's Pass, and the clearances that" have been effected by that liardy pioneer Sutherland visitors who can put in a few days at Milford may see a great deal. But at present the ordinary tourist to Milford must confine himself to the trip to the Falls. Certainly he may go up the Cleddau Valley if he be vigorous and enterprising, but the arduous nature of the trip prevents the average wanderer who has not spent an active life from deriving much enjoyment from it. The Cleddau Valley, however, is one of the beauty spots of the place. _ The scenery along it 'is of the finest possible description, including, as above-stated, the noble Mount Tutoko. If a track were cut up the Cleddau Valley from the head of Milford to the base of Mount Tutokc — a distance of_ six or seven miles — the attractions of Milford to tourists woiild be enhanced manifold. The cost of the track, it is said by tho&e competent to judge, would not be much, as the bush, as it is at present, is fairly open. Another place which should be rendered 'accessible to visitors is the stretch of country lying between Harrison Cove to the foot of the glacier on Mount Pembroke. The distance from point to point is only two miles, and the track here again "would run through a fairly open bush. The expense of the undertaking would be comparatively very small, and it would enable tourists to obtain a splendid view of a panorama of snow-clad mountain, glacier, lake, and bush which for magnificence is unrivalled in the world. A few tracks about the head of the Sound, to enable the passengers of steamers to move about freely, would also prove a wise and inexpensive undertaking, for during the last few years the immense amount of debris that the Arthur River has brought down lias had a shoaling effect at the top of the Sound, and at some stages of the tide a difficulty is experienced in getting to and from the boats. There is no doubt that when Milford has thus been opened out a little, and when the track to the head of Lake Te Anau is completed, it will be a favourite place for tourists from all parts of the colonies. During the summer months, people coming over from Australia in the Union Company's boats which call at Milford will doubtless avail themselves in large number of the facilities for travelling overland to Dunedin. The journey may be quickly and easily accomplished, and, combined with the magnificent scenery through which the path will lie from Milford to the Falls, across the M'Kmnon Pass, down the Clinton Valley and over Lake Te Anau, the tour will find favour with those in search of health and Change. The trip should also prove a popular one to Dunodin people. The difficulties lo be met with are so small that even now, although the track is not completed, ladies frequently undertake it. As, moreover, the trip is not an expensive one, and may be accomplished within the period of time covering the holidays people generally take at Christmas, lh«»re is no reason why the gem of the Western Fiords should remain a terra incognita to so many. It need scarcely be added that the accommodation for tourists at Milford is most adequate. The establishment conducted by Mr and Mrs Sutherland is ample in its proportions, ancl the comforts enjoyed by those who have sojourned there is testified to in .terms of unrestricted praise in the pages of the Visitors' Book. It is due to the explorer's hardy coiirage and enterprise that Milford is as accessible as it is now, for had he not spent many solitary years in its fastness, exploring and opening up the place; it would still be a closed book except to the favoured few whose purses enable them to spend their wealthy leisure in yachting cruises to the wonder places of the globe. To-day the visitor may inspect the inscriptions left about the Sound by the owners of luxuriouslyappointed private yachts that in pa&t years intruded on its solitude. On Safcxirday -morning, February 17, jyhile

the sin had not yet risen above the mountainous peaks lying to the eastward of Anita Bay, we lifted anchor, and, di if ting slowly fiom. our moorings, SET SAIL FOR THOMPSON'S SOUND. When we gob out into the sound we found that there was a fresh north-west wind blowing, and that the gale which blew throughout the night had caused a heavy tumultuous sea to roll into the long bight which stretched away from the entrance to Milford. We safely negotiated the leefs and huge boiilders which mark the north side of the narrow entrance, and soon the little schooner war swinging high up on to the green watery hills and sliding down into the depths again with a peculiar oscillating movement well calculated to cast suspicion on its character for sobriety of conducL Notwithstanding the abundance of fLh brought on board when in Anita Bay, the interests of good many in the finny tribe did not seeoi to be in any way diminished. Although it was impossible to capture any while we were thus under way, they devoted a considerable portion of their time to gazing over the vessel's side studying the habits and proclivities of the denizens of the deep. Their interest in the subject was so absorbing that it was not to be distracted for a moment, and others who were, not thus imbued with the instincts of the naturalist were expecting to be subsequently enlightened with njuch valuable information. None was forthcoming, however, and it was concluded from the air of disappointment, if not dejection, that was depicted on the faces of the students of nature that the research was not as fruitful as it was anticipated would be the case.

The north-east breeze brought us down the coast at a fairly good " bat," and then &ucldenly falling light, dropped altogether. . Nothing could be more exasperating. The swell seemed to become heavier than ever. Great blind rollers swept in from the westward and rushed away on the port hand in quick succession to the distant range of headlands. The ve»sel, with her sails idly flapping about the mast, rolled 'in evf>ry possible direction at once. It seemed as if she would divide herself into four equal proportions, each of which would fall away in a different direction. Every big green moving mass of water which approached threatened to overwhelm her, and just at the critical moment would suddenly sink down .and lift the little struggling vessel high on to its shoulders. It would no sooner be- placed on this coign of vantage, whence a fine virfta of gleaming tumultuous waters could be obtained, than with equal lack of ceremony the little schooner would be deposited in a valley flanked by walls of almost transparent water which reoehed nearly half as high as the masts. The scene was wonderful, moving, impressive — so was the sensation. If it were going to last much longer we confidently assured each other we wouldn't. A passing steamer of excursionists would come along some doy and find a fore-and-aft Fchooner sailing over the ocean without any guidinghand at the helm, and a closer inspection would disclose our lifeless bodies stretched out in orderly array on top of the deck cabin — a terrible lesson to those who would venture to go down to the sea in a, fore-and-aft schooner, and run the risk of being becalmed in what our skipper, in his own expre&sive vernacular, called a " lop."' It was called by another name on board, but " lop " will" do here. Happily', all were not asked to endure it much longer, however, for a breeze did spring up. It came from exactly the quarter that we wished to go, and when it made its presence felt it did so with such vehemence that we immediately "up stick" and ran for the nearest shelter. This was George Sound, lying three miles away on the port bow. We ran over there in a remarkably short space of time, and we had no sooner got inside the fine wide entrance than lo use the words of the old song, " the ship was as still as she could be." We fervently hoped that she would never move, again.

(To be continued.)