New Track to the West Coast: A Correction.

Otago Witness, Volume 02, Issue 2420, 2 August 1900, Page 32

Ne w Track to the West Coast : A Correction.

TO THE SDITOE. _ SIE; — On the 12th inst. you published a papei read by me at a meeting of the Otago Institute, describing a new track to the West Coast. I have since learned that I was very far astray as to Mr Wilmot's* connection .■vrith the pass to Deep Cove, and failed to do 'iustiee to his persevering and successful ex3>lo: ations in this neighbourhood. An ac.count of these in the annual repor f of the Lands and Survey department, j 896-97 (p.p. 119-22), will bo found very interesting, and is accompanied hy a map and reproductions of some excellent photographs taken by Mr Wilmot from mountain peaks and pasica m the henrt of the southern ranges. He speir.* nearly three months in this most magnificent, but particularly uncomfortable* region^ dur-

ing which time he mads a topographical survey oi about 200,000 acres of tho country between Lake Manapouri, Smith Sound, and Dusky Bay, cut and blazed tracks up the Spey River, over Murrell's and Mackenzie's tracks, and down the Seal orth River to Supper Covij, Dusky Bay, with various branch lines, visiting md building cairns on many mountain, tops.

Ke went up the Grebe River, from the south arm 6f Manapouri, and also up the Takahe (Dashwood) Creek, over the pass described by me, which, I find, is known as ""Wilmot's Pass," and thence down to Deep Cove. He estimates the height, of the pass to be under 2100 ft, and, says: "I have been very confid eni; that this will be ultimately tlio_lourisfc route." A few extracts from Mr \Vilmot's diary will bo to the point: —

"1837, January 23. . . Went up Leaning Peaks. . . . Could see the ocean to W. or N.W., probably through Doubtful Sound, and saw what may prove to be a pass from the Dashwood Stream to the Lyvia River, lunning into HalTs Arm. (Note. — This is judging by old maps. 1 found the riper to run into Smith Sound.) This is to the N.E. of Queen of Sheba's Breast."

"January 30. — Started for the top of the hill (Pahirhi Peak), to the liortli of our Dashwood camp. . . . Were rewarded by a fine clear sight all round. Our supposition of last Saturday, as to a pass at the head of the right v branch of the Dashwood, or Takahe Stream, proved to be correct. There is a pass there some 400 ft or 500 ft below bush level, and very easy of access from this side.'' . . . "February 1. — This morning being fine, all hands started for the pa?s. . . . Reached the saddle a little after *[..., The pass is narrow — perhaps 100 yards wide — and nearly level for about a quarter of a mile." . . .

"February 2. ... Dense fog. Started at 8 a.m., taking a tent-fly, just enough blankets to do us, and tucker for two Ascys. . . . Found the scrub very hard to get through. The fog was so dense that we could scarcely see where we were going, and I had several times to refer to the corapas?. ... A little after 1 we struck the Lyvia River, -just at the junction of a large creek, which I suppose comes from Disaster Burn Saddle (the place were IMurrell crossed). . . . We continued down the river nearly a mile, and then a river flat opened out, and half a mile brought us to the sound." . . .

It thus appears that although this psM had been seen by many persons from the west &lde (I believe it was ilie objective point of iTainwaring "Rrown and party), and slso by Murrell and Barber, from the mountain top iusi above it, no one had reached it. or fixed its position from the cast side, until ~Sh Wilmofc took his party un the Dashwood Stream, over the pass, and thence down to the sea, in February. 1897 V

My apologies are due to Mr Wilmot for the misleading references to him in my paper. Being, ns I have, already said, a mere amateur, and, therefore, plentifully ignorant of my subject, I was not aware of Us explorations raid ieuort. Had I been, ] douY.t if I phould have ventured to retell a. story h^ had told so well, and §g much earlier. — I am, etc.,

C. W. Ceajibetstaix.

.Dunediii. July 21,

"Mr E. H. Wilmofc, District Surveyor, Queenstown.