AHURIRI.

Otago Witness, Issue 2413, 31 May 1900, Page 30

AHURIRI.

May 16. — The road down the valley is very muddy at this time of the year. If you have a good horse, however, it is just possible to get along. Being of an enterprising turn of mind, we set out one morning on a drive to Owaka, and, indeed, we drove three miles beyond it. Leaving Mackenzie's farm, we soon found ourselves on the valley ropd. Along we drove with the flax bordering the ropd, on each side for part of the way, and the Kororo stream, which at this part is very unpretentious, running parallel with the road. Past M'Coll Smith's fine entrance, and we come at length to M'Lay's, which is the local X3ost office, and here, too, the road branches off to Owaka.. It is uphill for a good way, and then down. You gD on the other side of the hill, passing Hunt's road and the railway tunnel on your right, and the road to Cannibal Bay on your left. Bush to right, of you, bush to the left of you, bushbefore you, and bush behind you for a good way. "We must not forget Bird's brick-kiln, which we pass on the way. Soon we pass the bridge over Owaka, Kiver, and are in the Owaka to-vuiship. I think the number of churches is the first thing one remarks on entering- the township. It is such a scattered" little place that it does not at first occur to a stranger that the population is as large as it really is. I noticed among the buildings we passed, besides Grovemrnent buildups, Craig's store, Vial's Temperance HoteJ, Meder's Coffee Palace, then a sawmill, and leading from it and to it, are wooden tramways along which the timber is drawn Three miles further along the road, which runs alongside of Catlins River, we stopped, took the horse out, had luncheon, and a look round. At first I could rot understand the reason of so many bells — tinkle, tinkle, tinkle, tinkle, almost incessantly; but soon found that the cows had bells round their necks here in the bush. Several huge loe;8 had Leen drawn down to the load side and were ready to be conveyed to the sawmill. The river is very beautiful when the tide is in, and reflects ihe opposite shcre very distinctly. There sejinsd to be a- settlement opposite. Such a number of birds! A kir gfisher on a tcUgraph wife watching intently' something he sa-w in the river, and quite a chorus from the bush, songsters — ttiis, thiushes^ blackbirds, canaries, and other' birds. Quite a variety of vegetation too, -from the 1 enormous trees" to the beautiful stag-Horn moss which grew plentifully by the road side. "We found a few wild blackberries, too, which were rather too ripe, unfortunately. By the time we got back to Ahuriri it xvas nearly dark. At Ahunri. when they hear the ocean roaring fiom Willsher Bay direction, they say it will be fine weather; but if from Cannibal Bay, it will be stormy. I notice am abundance of the tansey weed in this district.