THE TRAVELLER.

Southern Cross, Volume 19, Issue 24, 23 September 1911, Page 2

THE TRAVELLER.

English Life in the City of Palaces. (BY A.AJL) No. V. DURING another holiday we took a trip to the Australian Colonies. We joined the P. and O. at Colombo, and from there reached Albany in about nine days. This is a very curious place, but as we did not go ashoi-e I can’t say much about it. From here we went to Adelaide, capital of South Australia, a most lovely town, about an hour’s journey from Port Adelaide. In the suburbs, every little cottage has its lovely orange trees, giving a delightfully f’resh and bright effect.- It is, however, very hot, and has a population of about one hundred and forty thousand. Next we reached Melbourne, the largest city in Australia. The climate here is very changeable ; one day you experience extreme heat, the next extreme cold. It has a particularly fine tram service, by steam, on the endless wire system. The streets are broad and the houses massive, the shops being equal to those in London. From this to Sydney, one of tlie most beautiful harbours in the world, being completely landlocked, and interspersed with beautiful islands and-lovely bays.We now took steamer to iSew Zealand. landing at the Empire City (Wellington).- We arrived in the midst of a howling gale, which we are given to understand is the prevailing weather. The streets and roads are either mudholes or covered with rocks they call broken metal. We spent a couple of days here, and hatd a run over the Rimutaka, with its curious centre-rail line of railway. In parts the scenery is very fine—native bush and giant tree-ferns. We had also a drive to Island Bay, and had a talk with a fishy-looking individual (the hermit) living in a cave.

Nov/ we take steamer,to Lyttelton, the port of Christchurch, and on by train to Dunedin, passing the towns of Tima.ru, notorious for its moneyengulfing breakwater, Oamaru, beautiful little white town, built of its own stone. Dunedin is the Scotch town, and in many respects reminds one of Glasgow.- The bush is very beautiful and gives a nice relief to the town.

Returning to Christchurch, which is a city built on a flat plain', over which the nor’-westers blow, we go by train to Springfield, where we join Cobb and Co.’s coach, beginning our journey to the West Coast. The first day we arrive at the Bealey accommodation house. The country so far is not interesting, being mostly tussock land, but, now we enter upon some of the finest scenery it has ever been our lot to see. We cross the Waimakariri River, which comes down like a mountain torrent in wet weather. Fortunately it was low when we passed through. After crossing the Bealey River four or five times we begin the ascent of Arthur’s Pass. Here we see the Rolleston Glacier and waterfalls innumerable, which we saw to advantage, rain having fallen shortly before. Now we begin to descend through the Otira Gorge. This is particularly fine, winding about four miles down a steep mountain side, with precipitous cliffs above us and a roaring torrent hundreds of feet below. Arriving at

the Otira Hotel, we chrange horses and have some “tucker” (Australian for food). From here to Kumara is a lovely drive through avenues of beautiful native bushi Kumara is a mining town, from which many thousands of pounds have been taken. The following day we drive to Hokitiki, where we spend a couple of most enjoyable days, the people being altogether most hospitable. We visit Lake Kanieri, a most lovely lake, surrounded with steep mountains covered with bush, ancl Lake -Mahinapua ; this lake is not so pretty. but the pull of six miles through the hush up the creek to the hake is exquisite, the reflections on the still water being masrvellous.

There is nothing very, much to describe now until we reach the Buller Gorge from Westport, where we arrive by steamer from Greymouth. We take, coach and drive right through to Nelson, a two days’ journey.- For 50 or 60 miles we foMow the wanderings of one of the most beautiful rivers, flowing as it does through deep gorges and forest-clad hills.

From Nelson (Sleepy Hollow 7 ) w 7 e return to Wellington, and here we experience an earthquake —horrible things they are ! It’s a pity so fair a land should he so famous for them. We go by rail, to Wanganui in order to view the river. We go up as high as Pipiriki. This river, in our opinion, beats the Buller, the scenery being more varied. Here, also,. we come in contact with Maoris, a truly splendid-looking race of blacks, both men and women. Their pleasant smile and hearty laugh make people take to them at once. Their homes (whares) are mud huts, lined and carpeted wuth lovely mats, their own work, made from the native flax. Much to our regret we had to forego a; visit to the hot lakes of Auckland, but as the Pink and White Terraces had just been destroyed by an eruption of Tavawera, w-e contented ourselves with the thought that it was not worth while isour grapes).(To be concluded)?