SEVEN DAYS’ HARD

Southland Times, Issue 19771, 20 February 1923, Page 7

SEVEN DAYS’ HARD

ON THE ELECTRIC RIVER. A HOLIDAY VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY. (By G.J.) Sitting on the top of Cleugheam Peak 5000 ft. up on a clear summer’s day in January, 1914, I looked west over Lake Monowai at the serried ranks of Peaks in the distant blue haze. The map showed nothing save the words "Unexplored.” There and then a resolution was made that at the first opportunity I would make a closer acquaintance with this mysterious region. Holidays come but once a year and much water has flowed down the Electric River, then called the Delta Burn, before the opportunity came. On Wednesday, January 17, it needed no Mr Bates to prophesy change with rain probable and, as we got on to the Riverton road, we were greeted with a royal salute from Jovian artillery and a torrential downpour which lasted to Otautau. Lizzie swam on through the water and ruts and, after breasting the Longwoocls, we ran out of the rain. My recollections of the Otahii flat were not very pleasant; the last time I pushbiked over it the wool waggon tracks were sinuous and deep, and more often than not it was quicker to carry one’s wheels shoulder high, than attempt to carry yourself on them. Now a straight ribbon of fine road stretches out to the distant hills at the Wairaki—as good as most roads round town and a good deal better than some. This good road ran right to the Monowai Depot, passing en route a fine suspension bridge over the Waiau set in picturesque surroundings. This bridge was built in a few weeks by the Board’s engineers, a very creditable performance indeed. We stopped at the Depot to send wires. This depot, by the way, is no relation to those to be found near the Waihopai. At it are kept all the varied wants of the engineer and navvy in the field, the contents being more solid than liquid. Running out to the lake control dam we were billeted in the staff hut. This hut possessed among other things our last link with civilisation—a telephone. Before turninig in we conned the stores to find to our dismay that the sugar had been omitted. Our leader suggested we should play the Spartan and do without sugar, but having once tried the experiment for ten days, this deponent put up a protest. Some of the workmen kindly furnished us with enough of this necessary to see us through. I was called long before the milkman was due, to breakfast and take my pack and depart. We left the dam at 6.15 in a stout 14ft. craft, the morning being beautifully calm and fine. Distances on the lake are deceptive. A point seems but a few chains away, but you never seem to get there. We landed at a point near Walker’s River for the purpose of investigating certain mysterious foot marks which had been reported. Marks of a bird’s foot with claws about four inches in length were seen. The distance between marks amounting to three or four feet were apparently caused by the bird jumping, thus making a rather peculiar double imprint on the sand. Resuming, we next passed a shag rookery. We were afterwards informed that the rookery is in a cave and an ingenious member of the Board’s staff tried to effect the capture of the birds with a gaff as they dodged out. We arrived at the Delta of the river at 11.15, being four hours pulling and, after securing the boat, changing clothes, and enjoying a meal, we started at 1.30 for the top. Just here we made the initial mistake of taking the easy walking, in the river, we missed the deer track and this cost us a good deal of time and labour in bad country. Soon the river banks rose abruptly and perforce we had to rise with them. In a short time the river was in a deep gorge with steep bluffs above. The usual method in a case like this is to cross to the other side of the river, but every attempt at a descent was met with a sheer cliff over 100 feet high, with the water boiling below. It was evident that the going was quite as bad on the other side, and, with upwards of forty | pounds of a swag, there was no inducement to clamber down the face even if it had been possible. Sometimes these faces look impossible, but with care can be negotiated. The bad walking along these steep bluffs arises largely from the difficulty in keeping a footing, and in getting ovet fallen timber, usually a common feature of a bluff. At 3 p.m. a welcome halt for afternoon tea, then some more bluff slogging till 6 p.m. Camp and a meal followed in due course. Tree moss was scarce. We were about a couple of chains from the edge of the precipice, ferns made our bed and we went early to it. Darkness falls much sooner in the bush than in the open. The barometer showed 750 ft. above the Lake.

On Friday we broke camp at 7.20, later than we intended. The going was still the same, but spurs running down assured us that the end of the bluff was in sight. Morning tea at 10, and we were at it again and before dinner were on a deer track. Stopping at 1 p.m. for dinner close to the end of the gorge, the banks being lower, we had a look into the river. It apparently came out of a hole in the wall in front, bubbling out of what appeared to be the darkness of night. Perhaps the hole is but a rift covered in wit' -1 trees. We duly registered the unique spot with the camera, though deep water prevented a close approach. Faster time was now made on the dee? tracks and soon a valley opened up and we came to a sphagnum bog. Afternoon tea at 4.10 p.m. and we were on the road again in thirty m nutes. The walking was fine on a good track close to the river, which still contained about the same amount of water. Then a large valley opened out to the right and the stream branched into 1 about equal portions. We followed the main stream west. The country now began to rise rapidly and wc camped at 6 p.m., 1200 ft. above the lake, on a steep slope at the entrance to a small gorge. In order to get a fairly level bed we built the bottom with thin branches and some moas covered with snow tussock i<ade a fine bed. Alas, for our anticipations of a good sleep! The branches Bank down, the smooth sheets on the polished tussock made a good tobogan and we spent the n ; ght tobnganning slowly down the bed. Needless to say wc arose early, and while my two companions made a preliminary survey of the ground ahead the deputy-assistant cook’s mate prepared the breakfast The report said tint the way looked all right. After taking pictures of th“ falls at 7.45 a.m.. we were going again. Negotiating the small gorge across which ran a strike of schists we were on a fairly wide flat, and here the river bends to the south-west fpr hftlf a mile. We pitched at 9.10 a.m.. Baro Camp, 1420 ft. above the lake. An ideal place for a camp, in young beech bush on the edge of the river with tussock in plentv for beddin", dry wood and ! rood water. We left at 11.10 for prei ’iminary observations, but wc found we ■ould see the end of the valley nearly due

'.vest (magnetic). We pushed on, following he track of a deer with a fawn, which rore just in front of us. The valley rose with a steep slope and, in little over an hour, wc came to a very wet sphagnum bog st 2000't. The mud goes to unknown ’epths, at least wc were unable to bottom it, as witness the state of our nether gar-

ments, which were a rich chocolate colour. From the conformation of the country rhead we anticipated finding a lake in the south fork of the river, which breaks at its source. This we duly found and, later on •limbing higher, saw one in the other branch. A fairly big hill is between the two lak*-. These lakes arc usually deep, and angular in shap overhung by precipices of rock someHines hundreds of feet in height. They have a sombre, severe beauty quite different from any other type of lake. At the head of the valley there were three low places in the range; one could scarcely call them saddles. None of them looked oversafe, but it was finally decided to try the middle one. This consisted of a senes of shelves rising at steep angles, covered with snow grass and fronted by almost vertical smooth iceworn rock faces. A stoutpointed stick is a considerable help in this sort of work, and the snow-grass affords a good hold. The slopes are so steep that

progress is as often as not made on all fours. The ledges not looking over-nice, the party kept getting a little higher and higher until at last it was decided to go straight up to the highest point, which was in the vicinity of 4800. Once over the top what a vista opened before us. Peak on peak as far as the eye could reach; some with small snowfields on top. But what interested us most was the fact that at a distance due South of about a mile—my companions estimated half a mile—lay Lake Hauroko. The Hauroko Burn was at our feet and stretched away into the North, and a branch joined it directly beneath us. This branch came . from the north-east, and is quite a considerable river. The Hauroko Burn is only dotted in on the map. The next river, the mouth only of which is shown on the map, went a considerable distance north, and then turned away to the north-west, apparently through a little strip of unexplored territory. It ended in a lake or tussock flat —the distance was so great that we could not be sure whether it was water or not. It Occupies a wide valley flanked with great mountains, and must be of a fair size. We saw water to the S.W. and west, and it was thought that either of these points might be the end of one of the Sounds. A base line was laid out preparatory to making some accurate observations, but the usual thing happened. Heavy clouds descended, and to be caught on such a place in a heavy mist might have meant spending the night on top; so much to my regret we made a hurried departure at 5.15. On coming down an animal of some sort dodged under a rock. It was probably a bird, but time did not permit of an extended investigation. We pressed on rapidly as the light was failing, and managed to keep the track through the bush till we were almost back to camp; after losing it for a short time we saw the white of the tent showing through the trees and soon were discussing our finds round the camp fire. We had rice with condensed milk for tea, and it was more appreciated than many a more elaborate meal eaten in town that night. The next day we started at 8 to explore a valley which opened just above our base camp and running towards the N.W. The going was fairly good though steep with falls. Above the falls we found a beautiful little take some 500 yards across. Several photographs were taken of what was declared to be the prettiest lake so far. We lunched on the far side and then, commenced to cilmb another steep face. Three lakes or tarns were found in the head. We climbed a low place on the north side and looked down a valley which seemed to end at a bend. This latter valley had little bush in it, and seemed to be mostly sphagnum bog. Climbing another place on the south side of the head our outlook was again over the Hauroko Burn, but more to the north. A heavy rain commenced and we left at 3.10, got well wet, and arrived home at 5.45. The rain kept on and we went to bed.

Behind our base camp there was a very fine peak which was a most prominent mark. This was afterwards identified as White Peak, on the main divide between the Electric River and Hauroko. (To be Continued.)