Preservation Inlet

Southland Times, Issue 13089, 11 December 1894, Page 3

Preservation Inlet

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) As this district is now attracting considerable attention, owing to recent discoveries of gold-bearing reefs in its vicinity, a brief description of the immediate country around may be interesting. Preservation Inlet may be entered by_two passages to the S.W. from the sea, Coal Island being in the centre, and Puysegur Point on the right, while Gulch’s and Cavern Head lies to the left. Puysegur lighthouse is an imposing structure, built on a mgh ledge overlooking the ocean, and the I >£-111 can be seen at a great distance at sea. This lighthouse is well worth a visit, as a grand view can be obtained from the high rock ; the building, with all its internal arrangements, is kept in the most beautiful order, and the lighthouse keepers are most kind and courteous to visitors. After passing this point you come into the Inlet proper, which is surrounded by high ranges. These ranges are covered with the ever varying and beautiful tinted bush for which New Zealand is famed. Proceeding up the Inlet, after crossing a dangerous bar, you arrive at Observation Point at which a store was established: some years ago, but is now deserted for the rising township of Kisbee, now called Cromarty : I think the original name far the best, and it ought to be continued. Here there is a large hotel, known as Sherlock’s, or the Kisbee Bay Hotel; two or three stores, and other buildings, but the township itself is not very inviting, the principal “attractions” being sandflies and peat bog, with the exception of the genial hostess Mrs Sherlock who does all in her power to make one comfortable. “Steamer day” is of course a day of “ high jinks” to many of the diggers, who come down from their claims on the Wilsons River and the reefs to receive their letters and get a fresh supply of “ tucker.” It is then that all the events, such as new finds, since the departure of the previous steamer are discussed, and a lot of busiuess is talked over and got through, after which it is usual to “ have a wine,” and later on the fun begins, as many of the younger diggers —and some of the old ones too —have a dance, singing, etc. Here you may come across the grand old miner (not the G.O. M.) of the past, and perhaps you may be fortunate enough to get him to relate to you his

wonderful find* of geld at Bendigo an" Ballarat in'the sO’«, and how he went dow“ to Melbourne to “ knock it down,” then R v back and make another pilei only to go through .thesamepropCM. After that came the gold discoveries in New ZealandGabriel’s Gully,’ the Thames, and West • Coast ra*h«--*ll of whioh helmll have been; to. The hardships these pioneers went through in search bf gold appears almost incrodible, ,when there was no roads, no “ tucker,*’ except what they could pick up by chance en route, haying, often; to tW Way across/dahger'ous rivers, through swamps, and' up. mountain ranges, which I fear would dsSermany of our young colonmls to think this grand type of men is now fast dying out,, as a . more kindly, open-hearted and generous man . than the true digger or miner is hardtb find, one who was always ready to help,, his fellow man. At the back of Kiabee, some six miles up the new tramway, lies the line of gold-bear-' ing reefs, and they are suppo ed to extend right through the country, acro s the inlet as far out as the Solanders. How far this may be correct has yet to be proved, but there appears .to be little doubt that this will prove a reefing country, as reefs are to be seen in many directions. To the right of Kishes lies Revolver Bay, a most charming picnic resort, the scenery round being very grand, and many beautiful little islands are seen in the Sound, also Long Island, and Crayfish, upon which some grand gold was found, but now it is almo-.t worked out. Beyond Revolver Bay is Long Sound, extending a distance of over 20 miles from the entrance. The scenery, upon a fine calm day is simply delightful-thickly wooded, with alpine ranges running up to a great heighth until they are almost lost in the clouds. Towards the Sea are beautiful little bays and inlets with sandy beaches bo land upon, and those who are fond of fishing can enjoy this sport to their hearts' content, while those whose- hobby is fern-gathering can collect many charming specimens in the buush, or the sportsman can bring down pigeons or kakas, in the season, until he is satisfied. Cuttie Cove, to the west, is a retreat of picturesque beauty, and is sheltered from all winds and rough weather. This is supposed to be the cove which Captain Cook visited in 1779 with the exploring ships Endeavour and Resolution. —1 dofi’t know if Capt. Cuttie did, if so I expect he exclaimed “ When found make a note of it ?” However, I know several other coves have visited here, amongst others the cove who is writing now, and has spent several very pleasant months here. This is the spot tourists should make fo.-, as it is so sheltered, and there is excellent camping ground, with so many places, of interest to visit, more particularly the stalictte caves near Cavern Head, ,in which a petrified man was discovered, but unfortunately broken to “pieces, by a party of whalers some years ago. There is also the old pah of Te W hara, the great warrior who is reported to have slain hundreds; of his enemies by the power of the enchanted mere he possessed, in which the Maoris believed. Te W hara beach is a most lovely stretch of fine sand, with a grand rolling sea, always dashing upon it, about half a mile through the bush from Cuttie Cove, where a delightful day could be spent amidst grand scenery. A wonderful antediluvian fossil has also recently been discovered close to this cove by Messrs Cullen and Clark. This is an interesting find and will require investigation by some of our geologists. AU that is required to make Cuttie Cove one of the most attractive places (it is already one of the most healthy) in New Zealand is a few good tracks cut through the bush so that visitors could get from place to place and obtain a bird’s eye view of the whole Sound, if a good track was cut up to a high point of the range. Some deer and goats should be placed on the ranges and trout and salmon liberated in some of the streams running into this Inlet-. I was informed that a large salmon had been seen in the Inlet, supposed to be f.om some ova said to be deposited by Captain Greig some years back.