A TRIP TO MILFORD SOUND.

Otago Witness, Issue 2666, 19 April 1905, Page 73

A TRIP TO MILFORD SOUND.

THE NE PLUS ULTRA OF NEW ZEA-

LAND SCENERY

By G. A. R.

i. *arly in the month of Mar, nearly a decade ago, my brother and I left the port of Westport m the Government steaiaer Hinemoa, bound for Milford Sound. It being necessary to leave on the full tide, on account of the vessel's draught, we cast oS from the wharf punctually at 1 o'clock en the afternoon of a glorious, v arm, «nd

cloudless day, and steaming a few miles outside the bar, we anchored until about 5 o'clock, awaiting the arrival of the Mawhera from the north. On board the latter -was Mr E., whom the Government had sent from Wellington to accompany its in order to pay the workmen engaged on the construction of the road from the head of Lake Te Anau to Milford Sound. About 4 o'clock the Mawhera put in an appearance, passed us, and- entered Westport. Leaving again for Greymouth almost immediately, she was soon abreast of tis, and heaving-to,

awaited the arrival of the boat that had

been lowered from the Hinemca. The boat soon returned, with Mr E. in the stern sheets, and directly it had be,?n hoisted aboard, we proceeded on our voyage. A slight swell was experienced during the night, but the weather continued fine and clear. The following morning, however, a- heavy westerly swell was rolling in; black, ominous clouds chased each other •cross the sky, and altogether the barometrical indications were none toa reassuring. It was about 6 o'clock that morning, T^hen vhe Hinemoa was some 15 miles off ihe land, that Captain Fairchild entered our cabin, and after the usual preliminary .greetings, told us to get dressad and go Tip on dsck to see Mount Cook. An adequate description of *■

— The Magnificent Spectacle That — Greeted Us —

on reaching the deck is beyond my powers to set forth, but the following attempt may enable the reader to form some slight con-

ception of the surpassing grandeur of the scene. .The sea was running high, and was of a dull leaden hue, capped every here and there with whito crests of foam, and, as if resenting our intrusion upon its heaving bosom, surged angrily against the vessel's sides, only to fall back into the wake with a baffled moan. The sky was overcast and

stormy, and the seagulls, uttering piercing - and mournful cries, as if they, too, reseated our appearance in their solitary dominions, circled round the ship, every now and then

rtiving into the tumbled waters that seemed to cha&e us. Carrying our gaze landwards,

■we perceived a wild and forbidding coast Bjlc-oming up, and sharply defined in the cold grey light, lieyond, a rugged 1 range of mountains, stretching as far as the eye

could see in either direction, met our astonished eyei. The whole range was covered with snow from top to base, and

resembled a vast glittering wall of white-

ness. Many a lofty peak, soaring above its companions raised its snow-clad and stormresisting summit far above the clouds into the ethereal regions of eternal silence. Conspicuous above its neighbours, and seeming to rear its snowy crest to the very heavens, Mount Cook loomed forth huge

said majestic in the early morning light.

background" of inky clouds, by their striking contrast to the glittering white range, materially added to the general effect produced, and contributed to the scene a j.-eculiarly dazzling whiteness. Moreover, in addition to all this, the first golden beams of the dawn, rising above the cloud

bank, kissed the summit of Mount Cook

and the adjacent peaks. The combined effects of this scene, coupled with an overTrhelming sense of — The Loneliness and the Desolation of These Vast Solitudes, —

-were indeed awe-inspiring, and well calculated to have an effect on the most casual and prosaic observer. It is the privilege of very few to -witness a grander spectacle presented by mountain, sea, and sky, and by the pleased smile noticeable on the genial captain's features the warmth of our silent admiration must have been clearly visible to him. When our enthusiasm had somewhat subsided, and breakfast was duly announced, for the first time we weie aware

that the lively oscillations of the vessel trere not altogether conducive to enjoyment, and having certain inwardjnisgivings about successfully satisfying the cravings of the inner man, vre wisely decided to forego having any breakfast that morning. Our resohtion was further strengthened by certain odoriferous breezes emanating from the direction of the galley, a predorninat-

ing smell of onions, intermingled with a

less pronounced odour of fried steak, appeared to form the chief ingredients ,of this refreshing and savoury zephyr. All day the sea continued choppy, and occasionally rough, and both of us felt veiy miserable in consequence, and) were frequently victims to that most distressing snalady, mal de mer. As the purity of the atmosphere in the cabin was not altogetfkei irarranted to relieve our misery, we crawled up on deck, and, reclining on the hard, wooden seats, remained there, dejected and •wretched', most of that long, weary day. Towards midday we were accorded a temporary relief from our sufferings by

— A SLort Stoppage at Jackson's Bay,—

wi©re a boat was lowered and some stores landed for a few miners who eke out a precarious living by washing for gold on the beach. Jackson's Bay is a charming little inlet, where picturesque wooded hills slope cjown almost to the water's edgo. It is slightly protected from tbe open sea, but the few moments we enjoyed in comparatively calm water were all 100 fcliort,,

and once more the rough swell of the open ocean tossed us on its heaving bo^om. That bold and striking cuff, Cascade Point, was passed during the .-'fternoon, and. towards evening, to our intense deiight, we were informed that Milford Sound was close at hand. Soon aftciwaid^ the hitherto rough bea gave place to fairly smooth water, which cccunence considerably augmented our joy. About 6 o'clock the* vessel's head was turned towdrd«s the towering wall of mountains on our left, and the ship appeared to be steeling straight for the beetling cliffs, whklh at this point rise almo&t perpendicularly Iron-- ihc ocrm. Not until we were right upon it could we discern lhe entrance. Then, to our r^ton^hment, the wall of rock seemed to part abiinder, and the vessel pussed in between mountains rising sheer from the water's edge in some instances to a height of over 5000 ft. One experiences an indescribable sensation, almost amounting to awe, oa first entering this region of surpassing beauty. What with the impressive stillness and ihe vastness and solitude of the- surroundings, one is almost afraid to speak above a whisper. Compared with the stupendous magnitude of all things near us, we appeared very punj beings indeed. Milford Sound is, in my humble judgment, and according to the verdict of many far more competent to pronounce an opinion, if not the grandest, certainly

— One of the Grandest Sights the World Can Produce ; —

rivalling, I believe, the far-famed fjords of Norway. At the time of our visit the winter was well advanced, and the mountains wore a mantle of snow and ice T\hich covered ! ,hem almost to their base. They towered upwards almost perpendicularly f?om the still and glassy surface of the water around them. Owing to then- proximity, their great height and magnitude, and, indeed, a'l distances, are most deceptive, and the sound itself has the app&aranoe of being much narrower than it is in reality.

As the steamer slowly winds its way upwards, and as each bend is rounded, and mile after mile of superb scenery unfolds itself before the enraptured gaze, what a truly glorious spectacle is presetted for the traveller to feast his bewildered eyes upon ! What a wealth of variegated floral shades, interspersed here and there by foaming mountain torrents, like streams of molten silver running in and out among the dark foliage, is there for the brush of an artist to depict ! What magnificent and ever-changing hues are reflected ngain and again in the deep, clear, and mirror-like v. ater, and what a superb sight is a sunset on those great sncwrclad peaks, that rear their icy pinnacies to the very heavens, like gmtrdian sentinels endowed with preternatural lustre, silently keeping watch on the world below! No pen can ever attempt to successfully describe the transcendent grandeur of such, a scene. T!he most vivid and glowing effusions from the pen of man are but poor substitutes for the reality. Even a. Ruskin would fail to do such a s>eene full justice. This blending of hiies, now biood red, orange and cold, reflected on the snows, water, and clouds; now deep purple on the bush far below ; at this moment sharply defined, at the next merging into one another even as the colours of the rainbow ; now rapidly changing, as saffron, amethyst, t deep crimson, and royal purple diffuse and wildly chase each other across dark ravine and glowing peak ; and ever becoming darker a_nd more sombre as the sun sets lower in the heavens, until they f&de into oblivion altogether — this exquisite blending would baffle description. And now Ponto nox incubat atra, and the stars shine brightly forth. Soon the moon rises, and floods with hei soft silver radio nee the giant mountains aud the silent waters far below. The whole glorious landscape is steeped in slumber, and, feeling secure under the silent guardianship of the cold and glittering peaks, scintillating like myriads of diamonds far above us, and completely subdued by the impre&ssiveness of the scene, we shortly retire to test. It is at such moments as these, and under similar circiunsiEinces, that Nature herself appears to walk and reign, supreme in such an earthly paradise, and hold silent communion with us mortals.

The impressive solemnity of the scene we have just witnessed has made us unduly silent and thoughtful, and, each occupied for the most part with his own thoughts, we gradually drift from this earthly fairyland into the land of nod. Milford Sound is, so the captain informed us, very deep in nearly every part, and even at the head of the sound, where the ships are moored to a buoy a cable's length from the shore, the depth is 40 fathoms.

Soon after entering the sound. Captain Fairchild asked me to blow the whistle. The effect was most startling. The wonderful echoes which resulted lasted for what seemed to us a very long time, and, shrieking from mountain to mountain, it appeared as if the spirits of that vast solitude were loudly bewailing our intrusion, and, finding such lamentations were of no avail, were gradually desisting, for the cries became fainter and fainter, and finally died away in one last, long wail of anguish.

At the head of the sound is a small piece of flat ground, formed by the deposits from the mountain torrents, and partly covered with low scrub. On this ground Mr Sutherland, the discoverer of lhe world-famous falls which bear his name, has erected an accommodation house, where tourists may obtain food and shelter. The Hinemoa was moored nearly ■opposite

—The Beautiful Bowen Falls,— which descend in two leaps a distance of 550 odd feet. For the first 150 ft the water falls in a solid column on to a shelf of rock ; thence it spreads out, and tumbles in innumerable rivulets and cascades down the cliff into a great basin it has worn 112 the rock, from which a stream conveys the surplus water into the sound. The falls are fed by the melting snows on Mount Perubrokej a

gigantic, rugged peak nearly 7000 ft high, and capped with eternal snow. For tvo days the Hinemoa remained at anchor in Millord Sound. The weather, which on our arrival had given fair promise of a fine day to follow, changed shortly alter midnight. The rain poured down in torrents, and continued incessantly dm ing our stay inside the sound. The 'd.iv following our arrival Mr E. visited the Sutherland Falls, which arc about 14 miles distant from Milford Sound. They are over 1900 ft in height, and in three huge leaps they roar down a lofty precipitous chit. As it was raining hard, my hi other and I decided to remain on board vuth the captain.-" Lake Ada, an extremely picturesque sheet of water not far from tho head of the sound, lies on the route to the falls, and rait of the journey is accomplished in boats on its crystal waters. Mr E. returned the same evening, accompanied by all the men ongaged on the road, as, owing to the tremendous rainfall, work is impossible in those regions during the winter months. These men were quartered on board, and conveyed back to Greymouth. During the previous night the thunderous roar of the Bowen Falls made sleep impossible for some time. On arising next morning, we perceived a great quantity of water tumbling down in wild confusion, and raising a dense cloud of spray. This increased volume of water was accounted for by the warm rain melting the snow on the heights of Mount Pembroke.

— The Famous Mitre Peak — was on the opposite side, but further down towards the entrance. Toweringskyward to a height of -5600 ft, it reared its solitary peak in a glittering pinnacle far above the snow line, and standing out ill bold relief like a sharp pointed and burnished weapon against the murky background of clouds. On account of its close proximity also its height is most deceptive. On one side it is so precipitous that only a few shrubs can with difficulty find a foothold on its "beetling crags. That afternoon the chief steward, the brass-boy, the cook's boy, and myself, enveloping" ourselves in oilskins, manned the boat which was alongside, and, after rowing about two miles from the ship, cast out our lines close under Mitre Peak. At first we could feel no bottom, but after rowing closer inshore we managed to reach bottom on a jutting ledge of rock some 40ft below us. The water was of such crystalline purity that the hooks and the fish swimming about and bitinpc at the baits were clearly discernible. The rain poured down unceasingly, but we perse\ered under these adverse circumstances, and in less than an hour our industry v»<is rewarded by obtaining nearly half a boat full of blue cod and "soldiers" (a <-mall, bright scarlet fish, in shape like a schnapper), besides several other varieties whose names I forget. Wo reiunifd to the ship, fully prepared to do ample justice to the hot tea that was awaiting us. We. arrived on board drenched through, for, as Captain Faircliild truly remarked. "Xo oilskin will keep out Milford Sound rain." Daring the evening we remained till a late hour sitting round iho cosy fire in the saloon listening to the marvellous tales of adventures in many lands that the genial captain seemed to Lave an inexhaustible stock of, and which he took great pleasure in relating to U3. Finally, retiring to rest, rm^ dreams were interspersed with fearful and sanguinary encounters with grizzly Hears in the dizzy passes of the Rockies, or fierce engagements with wild Indians on the rolling prairies. (To be continued.)