MURIHIKU

Otago Witness, Issue 3593, 23 January 1923, Page 8

MURIHIKU

A VISIT TO DUSKY SOUND. HISTORICAL SPOTS VISITED By W. A. Thomson. A party of twenty, voyaging in the ketch Water Lilv, commanded by Captain Cross, left the Bluff for the various Sounds of the West Coast. Milford Sound was to be the great attraction, but the weather proved to be the deciding factor, ar a stiff north-west wind kept steadily blowing into the Sounds. Once inside the land-locked arms peace prevailed. We left Bluff on the 23rd, and next day at 1 p.m. arrived at Pnysegur Point, where we were enthusiastically received by the lighthouse-keepers and their wives. They were very disappointed at not receiving any mails. We were shown over the lighthouse, and then nospitably entertained by the keepers. We left next morning at 4 a.m., and after beating up in the face of a good north-west wind we arrived in the entrance of Dusky. This Sound, viewed from the sea, makes a very fine picture, with its magnificent mountains lying behind its spacious waters. At 1 p.m w T e arrived at Luncheon Wove, a place in which interest centres through its association with Captain James Cook This Sound bristles with points, of interest made famous by the great navigator, and surely here is a place that New Zealanders should cherish in their hearts It was here that Captain Cook, in 1770, sighted the entrance, and named it Dusky Bay. He never entered it. but on his second vovage, in the year 1773, he surveyed th’ Sound. In his search for a good anchorage he decided on Pickersgill Harbour discovered by one of his lieutenants, and named in his honour. It was in this harbour that Cook decided to recuperate his men The dreaded scurvy, which in Cook s time is credited with accounting for over 10,000 mariners in a single year, he successfully combated, with a beer brewed from the leaves of the rimu tree (red pine), which, along with other members of the Dacrydium family, abounds in this bound. In Queen Charlotte Sound he used the plant called by him scurvy grass (Lepiduim Oleraceum) for brewing his beer. v\ hen at Pickersgill Harbour Captain Cook had a space more than an acre cleared in the forest. The blacksmiths were set to work, the coopers made the necessary casks, and a brewery was established. Here there was brewed a beer that evidently found favour with all. The result was that Captain Cook lost only one man from scurvy. An observatory was erected, and the place wore the appearance of a busy village. Cook stayed here for several months, and his charts are regarded as a magnificent work. Through his work here, he made known to the world the advantages of a splendid harbour of refuge, which has been taken advantage of by many a seaman in distress. The water in this Sound is very deep, and Cook discovered several excellent anchorages, several of which we took advantage. Fish are found in plenty, and we enjoyed many fish meals, which testified to the excellent quality of the fish, and cast lustre on the capabilities of our cook. At Luncheon Cove was a small hut. evidently built by the people of the Waikare when she was wrecked there.

We next visited Duck Cove, another point touched by Cook. We spent a morning here, and then moved on to Acheron Passage. This passage is very fine. It lies behind Resolution Island, and affords access to Wet Jacket and Broughton Arms and Breaksea Sound. We eventually arrived at the entrance to Wet Jacket, and after steaming for several hours reached the head of the arm. Tile party rockoned it was the best they had so far seen. Acheron passage certainly takes a lot of beating: the walls run sheer down into the water, and it will give one an idea how close the deep water is to the land when some of the party were able to pluck the flowers of the rata from the deck. Celmesias (mountain daisies) clothed the wet open spots, and were resplendent with their beautiful white blooms. This particular variety (Celmesia holoserica) seemed to luxuriate here. Here and there 1 lie rata appeared in full bloom, and relieved the ap parent gloom of the surrounding forest. Hie new growth of Nothofagus Solandri, against the deeper colours beyond, gave a nice elect. Broughton Arm and Breaksea were also visited, and after three separate attempts to break out to sea, en route for Milford, we had reluctantly to give up the attempt, much to the disappointment of most of the party. However, the weather proving sunny inside the sound, the captain decided that we would now visit more of the historical spots; and we eventually anchored in Facile Harbour. This spot is famous as containing the wreck of the Endeavour, or what remains of it. This vessel was sunk, and lies in 20ft of water at low tide. Very little now remains of it. We secured several mementoes, and it is worthy of note that a piece of the coppersheathed bottom, secured by one of the party-—the engineer, I believe—actually caught fire, a lighted match coming in contact with the tar and canvas beneath the copper lining. This, after 128 years’ immersion under water, the wreck having taken place in 1795, surely testifies to the work and material put into vessels in those days. OakwooJ and teak comprised the samples secured, and most of it is in a wonderful state of preservation. Brass bolts and iron bolts also were secured, the iron ones almost gone, with 4in of rust all round, leaving only a nucleus of thin iron. Pickersgill Harbour proved a great fascina tion for most of us, for it was here that we came across the old original stumps of the trees which Captain Cook had caused to be cut down. It was .not long before we located the spot, and there before us stoo-a what remains of those old historical stumps, silent witnesses of Cook and his hardy men, covered with kidney ferns (Trichoma ties renifonne) and small plants of Nothofagus Solandri, called after Dr Solander, of Cook’o expedition, and moss. Some of the stumps could easily be pushed over, but others were fairly rigid, although gone in the centie. I photographed two of the stumps, and trust they will prove good pictures. Many inter esting photos were taken in this harbour. This spot should remain in the hearts of New Zealanders for all time, interwoven with the memory of Captain James Cook, tlie greatest navigator of History—a man who through his discoveries, both as a sailor and as a humanitarian, in looking after the health of his men, ranks in the first line of great British seamen. I trust that this spot will never be destroyed by the hand of the vandal. Perhaps its remoteness will to some extent protect it; but it behoves New Zealanders, and Otago people especially, that this spot should remain inviolate.

As botanists, my friend Mr Poppelwell. of Gore, and self never missed a chance when it presented itself of searching this interesting country. This sound, visited as it was by such botanists and naturalists as John Remold Forster and his son, George Forster, Dr Sparrman, Archibald Menzies (surgeon), and Dr Lyall, would naturally offer very little that was new, nevertheless there are probably two new plants discovered and several interesting finds recorded. Besides there is the importance of procuring firsthand plants from the families of which the original descriptions were made. This has once ana for all settled several arguments and cleared up many misunderstandings. ’The subject of our endeavours will form a paper for the Transactions of the New Zealand Institute. There were two gentlemen among the party who were taking kineina pictures for the purpose of advertising our beautiful country, and some excellent pictures were the result. Cameras were in great evidence on board, and the photographer had the chance of a lifetime and took full advantage of the opportunities offered. Though bird life was plentiful in Preservation, it was comparatively scarce in Dusky. Two seals only were seen, and they disappeared smartly. Also a penguin or two, a few swans, and an occasional pigeon and kaka, together with now and again a pair of red bills, a tomtit, and once or twice a fantail. Slugs were not plentiful. In Preservation a few parakeet and the longtailed cuckoo were heard. Where the Miro tree was found the pigeon was fairly plentiful, but not in the numbers one would have expected. \Ye called in at Chalky on our return, and also visited the keepers of the Puysegur Point light, and what with a dance and the other festivities they will not soon forget the year 1923. We made a fast trip to the Bluff, thanks to the capabilities of our genial captain and his engineer. We were sorry to leave behind us so many beautiful spots. I am sure the memory of them will not dim with the passing years. And thus ended a never-to-be-forgotten holiday.