WANAKA WANDERINGS

Otago Witness, Issue 3754, 23 February 1926, Page 10

WANAKA WANDERINGS

By Robert Gilkisox. (For tub Witness.) (See Illustrated Pages in this Issue—•‘Giants of Wanaka” and “Another View of Rob Roy Glacier.”) There is no way of seeing the beauties €>f any country so excellent or enjoyable as the old way of walking through it. Travelling thus, one may visit, many places quite unapproachable to the motor car, and have the delightful experience of seeing Nature in the loneliest parts in her grandest and most awful moods, and of wandering with absolute liberty through her wildest recesses Many will agree with me on this, and desire a tramp in the Lake Country, but do not know how to carry it out, so 1 think a few notes of a three weeks’ walking trip round Wanaka and some notes on the history of the district may be of use. Three general rules I would suggest to proposing pedestrians: 1. Travel light. 2. Avoid ordinary dusty highways. 3. Don’t waste time in tramping the less interesting country away from the lakes. We were only two in number. We generally carried two or three days’ provisions, and arranged to replenish our stock at various places on the way. We sent beforehand to meet us a bag of clothes 'to Queenstown, and a parcel by post to Makarora. Our journey began by train to Cromwell, thence by motor to Hawea, a district so well known little need be said of it. A fine bridle-track runs beside the lake up its west side from the foot, and this we followed to the Neck, a point where Wanaka and Hawea come very close indeed. The track here runs through the picturesque Long Gully, thence over to Wanaka. The second day we reached Makarora House, and arranged fey a horse for the Ifaast Pass. The difficulty of the track up the Makarora is that it is liable to be swept away by rising rivers, and the fords change so frequently it is to take a horseThe scenery proved very beautiful, magnificent bush gathering in around us, while above great snow-covered peaks made a grand background. This part of the journey was greatly enlivened by the numerous deer winch bounded about in all directions. At one point we had forded the Makarora and emerged on an open fiat surrounded by bush, and were surprised to find the deer literally swarming. One herd evidently composed of the older animals struck for the bush, but a large body of younger ones cantered round us at about 50 yards distance, and eventual !y made for the river. On the fiats are many skeletons of deer and countless antlers, the remains of those slain in the thinning-out process. It is sad but true that these graceful animals have now become a nuiswe, and are being killed Out as are raobits in nearer parts. We spout two nights at the Haast, in Westland, Jbut unfortunately it rained all the. time. We were quite comfortable in a tent, but got soaked when we tried to climb a mountain to get the view, and had to retreat. So next day we returned to the pleasures of civilisation at Makarora House.

After recuperating there, and enjoying the sniokcd trout, wild pig, and other delicacies provided, we entered on the second part of our journey, and took the Wanaka launch down the lake, and landed at Minaret Station on the west bank of the lake. The track from here on to the Matnkituki proved to be heavily overgrown with fern and tutu, and it took us one and a-half days to do 20 miles. We saw not a soul on this part of the trip, but the scenery was very beautiful. The lake sparkled in the sun and glistened in the moonlight, and the bush looked very green and fresh. On the way we passed the old Wanaka West homestead, now deserted. Some 25 years ago the writer called there and found it an attractive and most beautiful home. The buildings are now falling to pieces, and the deer roam round the door. Some notes on the Maori traditions and history of the Otago lakes will, I think, here prove of interest. The Otago lakes and the mountains and passes around them were well known to the Maori's long before the advent of the European, yet they were sufficiently far away from most of the tribes to furnish favourable surrbundings for uncanny tales. For instance, it was generally believed there was on Lake Hawea a floating island, which changed its position with the wind. Also on the eastern shores, just about where Timaru station now lies, was the abode of a tipua or Maori ogre. One may conjecture that the floating island was caused by dead trees brought down the rivers in flood time: while the tipua was very likely some outcast Maori who sought a home for himself in the wildest parts, and to protect himself from time to time played on the superstitious fears of the others. wimii about the year 1835, Te Raupmbu’s men. 40 in number, armed with the d’eaded musket, swept down on Otago it v. s bv tlie Haast Pass they came. Thev surprised the Wanaka Natives at a point, near the top of the lake on the west of the Makarora Mouth, probably

no .here Mount Albert Station now is. Ti.on they proceeded bv the west bank to the Matnkituki Ford, which they crossed close to tbe place where the sheep bvid :e now stands, and here they record they slow Te Mchcne. who must have been n man cf note, seeing his name is

preserved. Their route from Wanaka to Southland hi disputed. Sir Frederick Chapman, who b n well-known authority on the subject, and linn made n careful study

of this portion of Maori history, believes they went bv Nevis and the Remar tables, this being the track which the southern Maoris thought they went by. Sn Frederick, many years after the event, visited the Maoris at Ruapuke, and there interviewed an old man who claimed to have shot Te Pueho, the leader of the 1 northerners. However, on the other hand, 1 point out that the invasion was a complete «uiprise to the southern men. They never knew it had commenced until they heard of the capture of the pah at Tuturau, Southland, and therefore they did not know how they came. Shortland got his information in 1844 not very long after the event from Huruhuru, a most intelligent and wise chief whom he met at Waitaki. Huruhuru knew the whole of the interior of Otago, and supplied Shortland with a map of the lakes and rivers of that district, which is reproduced in Shortland’s “Southern Districts of New Zealand,” and which showed a wonderful acquaintance with the geography of the interior. He also must have personally known the Hawea survivors who, warned by the son of their chief, fled over Mount Grandview, and thence by the Lindis to the Waitaki. Huruhuru says the northerners made roakihi or rafts of flax stalks, and on these went down the Matau (or Molyneux) to tbe coast. He added there was only one place all the way where they had to leave the river and carry their rafts, and that place he marked on the map about the Clyde-Cromwell Gorge. It was truly a wonderful performance, but considering the skill with which the ancient Maoris could manage these rafts as shown by Shortland’s own experience, and considering the general trustworthiness of Hurururu I have no hesitation personally in accepting his story. From the Molyneux the war party advanced to Tuturau without being seen, and surprised and captured a pah there. However, a survivor carried a message to Ruapuke, where Tuhawaiki, the chief of the southern Maoris, known *o the whalers as “Bloody Jack,” and Taiaroa, the Otakou chief, had combined their forces, evidently expecting an attack by sea. These crossed quickly by boat and canoe to the mainland, marched overland to Tuturau, and after a fierce fight destroyed the invading force. 'fhoss who desire more information on this interesting chapter of Maori history should read Shortland’s “Southern Districts of New Zealand,” page 208; also White’s “History of the Maori,” volume vi, page 11G; Sir F. R. Chapman in “Transactions of the New Zealand Institute,” 1891, and “Pioneer Recollections” (second series), bv H. Beattie, page seven, where the traditions are carefully collected. Passing along the western shores of Wanaka in the track of Te Pueho we had to cross the Minaret, Pyke’s Creek, and other creeks, but fortunately there are shceo bridges over the Grumbling Burn and ‘the Matukituki near its mouth. Near this point we struck the road used by motor cars from Pembroke, and followed -same to the Niger Hut, which lies in a sheltered valley near Mount Avalanche. This point we made our headquarters for the following week. Near Niger lies Mount Aspiring cattle station, one of the loneliest and most isolated habitations in New Zealand. The great mountain ramparts lie behind it with their impenetrable fastnesses; while approach from the front is cut off by the two branches of the Matukituki River. The fords over these rivers can tell sad tales of tragedies in the past. Here, the wife of a former owner, returning from voting at a general election, was carried away and drowned. Here, too, another of the same family lost his life. These glacier-fed rivers are always treacherous, rising on wet days, but still higher on hot days, when the snow melts. They frequently change their courses; they carry deposit which easily forms quicksands; and the water is always icily cold. . In ascending the West Matukituki there are two ways. One is to ford the river twice, and so avoid a rocky bluff which acts as the portals to this beautiful valley, the other is to climb the rock itself. If some person who loves his fellows would spend half an hour at the rock with an iron chisel making one or two hand grips it would make this ap proach very much easier to the average tourist. But when one pets past the rock into the valley he is well rewarded. It is truly a valley of waterfalls of all sizes and shapes ” The Wishing Bone Fall is formed by a stream which at the top of a rock divides into t./o falls which come tumbling down, making an excellent representation of the bone from which they are named. A few miles above those falls on the other side of the river is the magnificent Rob Roy glacier, lying on the side of Mount Avalanche. This glacier is in appearance rather like the Hochstetter Ice Falls. It seems to cover the whole side of the mountain, and comes far below the ordinary snow level. At its foot is a great precipice, and standing on the top of the cliff is a ghostly form of a Highlander. No doubt it is from this the glacier was named. The figure must be hundreds of feet high. It is dark, and stands out well with the ice and snow behind. Rob Roy’s .kilt is very distinct. In his arms he has a bagpipe or perhaps a weapon. At his side is a sword, and on his head a Prussian one-spiked helmet. He looks like the spirit of the mountains protecting hi« icy fastness. The magnificent view of this glacier is one of the finest sights we have seen. There are other fine falls and peaks in this valley. We spent one day climbing Glenflnnan Peak, from which we had a glorious view of Aspiring, Earnslaw. and the other giants around. Another day we went up the range opposite Rob Roy. and after going through

alpine flowers, tine clumps of the Ranun cuius Lyalli, and celmisias of all sizes, an a passing over fields of snow we reached the top, and saw below the pass which gives access to the Shotover, and away below could see the valley of that river coursing its way towards Skippers. Altogether our six days in the wonderful Matukituki country went all too soon; for the best of holidays must coine to an end.

Returning to Cattle Flat Station we then left the road, and struck up for the Motutapu Valley. This river presents a singular example of one which has changed its course. Its old valley down to Glendhu is very clearly marked, but is now left completely dry, and the stream runs through a narrow cut in the r*>cks, and eventually gets into the Matukituki Valley. At the rocky gorge it is tremend ously deep, and seems only a few feetwide, while in other places it is three or four times as wide. The walk up the Motutapu Valley is a fine one. Some ten miles of it are through bush and very picturesque scenery: then the country gets open, and becomes destitute of timber. The pass is an easy and low one, and the track then follows the Roaring Billy Creek down to the Macetown-Arrow road. The crossings of the Arrow River can be avoided by taking a footbridge, and following an old race which, taking s line high above the level of the river, eventually brings us out at Arrow. We were very glad to get a drive over the last twelve miles to Queenstown, which, being over a hard and dusty road, was not at all enticing. And so at last we reached our journey's end, having w ?lked about 250 miles, climbed two mountains over 6000 feet, and having viewed some of the grandest scenery m New Zealand. Of 18 nights we spent six in houses with beds, six in huts, two in tents, and four in the open. The summer weather in the Wanaka district was delightful, and the people we met were all most hospitable and friendly.