Where does the Rata Come From ?

Pahiatua Star and Eketahuna Advertiser, Volume 5, Issue 411, 11 July 1890, Page 2

Where does the Rata Come From ?

The above question has been put to me by Mr Mekalick. lam unable to answer it, but will describe ns well as 1 can what 1 nave seen of the rata. I first became acquainted with tho rata on the West Coast diggings at Hokitika, where we used it for wedges or gluts, mallet handles, Ac., and it was called iron wood. Here I saw it growing as a vine, large and small, encircling other trees—some green, others dead ; also hangingfrom trees as if having started into life on them. Some showed plainly that they had grown downward, touched the ground, struck root in it, and then grow*n upwards again. Some were growing singly like an ordinary tree, both large and small. This kind we found harder and better than the vine rata. On the sea beaches, just above high water mark, it also grows singly both in swampy as well as sandy situations, and it is not only ex posed to the spray, but often standing in salt sea-water for days after very high tides or storms; it also grows here as a vine.

Up the Hokitika river, whilst prospecting for gold, myselt and a mate cams on a sight of rata trees worth any amount of fatigue to see. On a bit of *slightly enclined table-land of some 20 or 30 acres of rich black soil, at an altitude of about 3000 feet, stood nothing but rata* of immense size, all joined or grown together, and apparently all alike in size, with no undergrowth; but the foliage above was so dense that the sun could not be seen. They were then in full bloom, adding beauty as well as fragrancs to the scenery ; nor were birds wauling to complete in®

picture—overhead the ka ka, parrots, tm, and many others were busy sucking the honey from tiie (lowers, ami chatting ail the while in high glee. Below on lb* ground were wekos as far us the eye could reach, lighting aud cha*mg each other for the flower* us they tell. which they sucked. Nor were ruts wanting ; they also seeui fond of the dowers, but were Very timid.

A* both of us ha<l r*»nd u» several large trees in Africa and other places throwing j branches downwards to the ground, these taking root and becoming another tree aud so covering acres of ground, we con eluded that what we saw had been done by the rata here. Our sensation in tin* natural arboror summer house was such as to wish that w© could live here under this shelter in peace like tlie hermit* and philosophers of old. We camped here for the night. Whilst my mate fixed our lent and got supper ready. I fossicked about for signs of gold. The rocks ex posed in the little brooks looked likely, but that was all I could find. Alter break fast we packed up ami started up hill again, bavuig made up otir minds to get to tlie top of whatever hill the nearest spur should lead us. \\ © clambered upwards all day, ami reached tho top of a very sharp-pointed or razor-backed bill or pinocle of bare-rocks just at sundown. Here we could not comp so had to go back some 600 yards behind some rocks. We found neither wood nor water, so had to turn in without either; we slept little as the cold was too great ; we therefore rose very early, soon found both wood and water, had breakfast, then went back to the pinacle ; after prospecting we concluded to go down again, but hail a good view first. To tho north, south, ami west of us all appeared perfectly level, ns on a map creeks, lakes, and rivers showing plainly. All along the coast could be seen strainers and other vessels ; the diggings were thou ut their best, so made plenty of tr.ide. We were then nearly 7000 feet above the sea, and the lulls to the east of us seemed as much above us and covered with snow. At II o'clock we started downward, but very slowly, feeling fagged for want of sleep; we also wished to examine carefully what we saw, which wo had not time to do the day before. The first vegetation that appeared was litchens; then moss; then moss ami herbs in bloom ; then small shrubs, some in bloom, some in fruit, very pretty to sight and pleasant to taste. Wekas, N.Z. crows, and rats also showed here, picking the berries; the leaves of the shrubs resembled tho rata, so also some of the (lowers, but were much smaller than rata bloom.

From this downwards at about every 100 yards the appearauce of all vegetation seemed different, and getting larger until we found ourselves amongst stunted rata, ake-ake, aud other dwarfed forest trees, so plainly as not to mistake. This low dwarf shrub is very hard to get through ; it will not bend, and is very hard to cut. We got down to the snow lines, and so amongst the familiar forms we had forced our way through upwards. So far our downward journey had been like a scene in a theatre—characters appearing, only to disappear for others. We here found another spur leading southwards, and followed this to the first suitable camping ground, where we had a good feed and a night’s rest, which we much needed. This was our first prospecting tour in New Zealand among tl o snow mountains. We found gold in many places, but in none sufficient to pay for cost of working. I have since that time been on many high bills more or loss in tho winter snow line in search for gold or other minerals. As far as the rata is concerned with tlie same result as described. 1 have only to add that not only the rata but mostotlmi New Zealand fores* trees accompany the traveller as far as the snow Jin* ; from tSiis upwards all forms gradually dwarf down to a mere shrub among the mosses, hut long before tins is reached all resemblance to those below* snow-line has gone; it is by its flowers, berry, hark, or inside wood only that relation diip shows. Under this dwarfed shrub we always found the ground covered with dry, half-rotten leaves, indicating loss of foliage here, as in Europe, America, and other places where winters are long and tho cold severe.

Now, tlie all important question arises, which is the parent or tiio original form of tree or plant-life from which what we aw* had altered to ? Tli it is a poser 1 There can bo no doubt that the forest below snow-line is the direct outcome from seed grow n on top of hills and carried down by wind, rain, and birds. Neither can there be a doubt that birds and wind carry seed from below to tlie top. That in either and both cases the seed so carried grows (as nature wastes nothing); yet in both cases the result is not like its parents. For these reasons I ask for the original form of life or parent, and add where und when was this first seen ? To assume and dogmatize on a beginning, and ascribe this again to u being called an intelligent Creator of ull is to my understanding no satisfactory answer, but an evasion of tho subject. I have not seen rata seed, so do riot know* w hat it is like. G. 11. Kkmpkk.