FIORD EXPLORATION

Southland Times, Issue 17934, 27 January 1917, Page 7

FIORD EXPLORATION

Those who take note of tlie opening of our fiordland lakes and valleys will he interested to learn that a party of local residents has just returned a£/er traversing that part of the country lying between Alanuponri and the South Fiord of Te Anau. It is quite a number of years, 1539 to he exact, since a party from Winton travelled from Manapouri up the Freeman valley to its source, discovering a comparatively low pass at its head leading apparently to either the Delta Burn or the Gorge Burn, both of which run nearly parallel into To Anau. At the same time 51r W. Y. H. Hall, of this town, was doing some exploring work in the latter valley, discovering quite a number of lakes which are now shown on our maps. Various attempts were subsequently made to continue these explorations, without any finality being arrived at. A fortnight ago. however, a party consisting of Messrs .las. Fowler, Branxholm, F. Martin and D. Scott, Invercargill Loco. Department. and H. and A. Fowler, Kennington, commenced from Lake Te Anau, and reached the Freeman Pass in the second day from the lake, finding their previous cairn intact and building a new one on an eminence overlooking the Te Anau side. The course taken was from the mouth of the Gorge Burn at the head of South Fiord, following the course of this stream and passing Die four lakes dis*covercd hy Mr Hall up to Lake Cecil. At this point Mr Hall, who was working on the north bank, left the main valley and followed a branch to the northward. This party, aiming southward, followed the south bank to another lake, apparently unknown, where they camped. In the morning they left the main valley and followed a branch continuing in a westerly direction, which led directly to the Freeman Pass, where they arrived at noon. The party climbed slount Baird twice in the endeavour to see Bradshaw Sound at Oauer Arm, hut the weather was so thick that all their efforts in this direction were in vain, although a passing glimpse of Hall's Ann, Smith Sound, was obtained. Much speculation was indulged in and many bearings taken by prismatic compass to endeavour to make 51r Hall's work and their own agree, but it was proved that while Mr Hail was quite exact in detail, he had quite exaggerated the length and breadth of country he had covered —not a very remarkable mistake for any one, particularly a city man, to make. However, they quite satisfied themselves as to the whole position and meantime the country lying between Lakes Cecil and Hall and Gaiter Arm is yet unexplored. The country has now been covered all the way between "Manapouri and Te Anau. The whole distance is no more than perhaps 14 miles, say 3 0 of the Freeman and 4 of the Gorge Burn, although the actual track will of course bo a little longer. The scenery is of the finest and quite equal to any present tourist route. Tlie bush on the Te Anau side, some 3 miles or so, is open and easily traversed, while the Freeman Valley has much denser bush and will take more clearing to render it passable. In any case a track like the Te Anau-Mil-ford one is not required, simply a bush track that people can follow and three well pitched tents, say, one at or near the top of the bush .line in the Gorge Burn, one at Lake Freeman, and the third probably at the Gilmour Burn. These, with a hut at either lake, would fill the requirements for some years to come. Grant that even these must wait for happier times, but we live in hope that better days are in store for the world and the country, and till then we can wait. The weather throughout the tour was unfortunate, every day being wet, while one day on Mount Baird the wind attained terrific velocity, so much so that it was unsafe to attempt to stand against it. Water was lifted bodily from the Arms and flung in sheets on the rocks, while tlie cold was intense. This however was at 5000 feet elevation, in the valleys it was not cold. 51nch work that the party had proposed was perforce left undone, but they managed to roughly explore the Delta Burn, discovering at least one very fine frail. The Fall at the mouth of Gorge Burn, the Aranoa, is a very fine one, and was much admired, carrying as it does an enormous body of water. Ihe party cut a track from the lake to this track, a distance often chains, and cleared an opening on tlie bank so that it could bo seen to advantage.

The trip, when it can bo made availaide to tourists, will bo the most unique in New Zealand ,'and even now docs not entail a greater expenditure of energy than the normal individual possesses.