A BIT OF HISTORY

Stratford Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 221, 15 April 1933, Page 3

A BIT OF HISTORY

Wisdom of Birds

RIVAL EXPLORERS

McKinnon Pass

The current issue of Ihe New Zealand Railways. Magazine, Which is brought out. on a bigger scale than hitherto, preserves and extends its railway interest, and also its leaning towards New Zealand open-air life, ihe call of the wild, and Maori and pakeha records. Under the heading of "Famous New Zealanders," •').(!." begins a series with Fiordlnnd, and the names of Donald Sutherland and Quiaton McKinuoii. There is roonii here for something about (lie latter, who walked in October, ISSB, from To Anna to Milford Sound over the pass that bears his name.

A High Quest ]t seems that while Quinloif McKinnon was trying from the To A nail side to find a way to Milford Sound, at least one other pathfinder had his eye on this high quest—high ui every sense. Mr. (afterwards Sir) r i howas Mackenzie "was an enthusiastic 1 anil courageous amateur explorer in those days. He, too, was ambitious to discover a pass to connect To Auau with the coast." On the suggestion of the chief surveyor of Otago (Mr. 0. VV. Adams) he tried a creek that was found to offer no route. Later, following the observed flight of biros (black swans), Mr. Adams suggesf-d another creek, but his advice fell (> '' deat ears. Yet Mr. Adams maintained (as is evidenced in a letter primed below) that adoption of the second suggestion would have placed Mackenzie over the pass before McKinnon. In 18SS Mackenzie, went with Adams to Milford Sound. Mackenzie had exploring interests, and the chief surveyor had various interests. Donald Sutherland, another noted OX pi over and discoverer of Sutherland Falls, had contracted wilh the Government to cut a track along the Arthur River from the head of. Milford Sound. The chief inspector's duties included the inspection of that track, and the measuring of the height of Sutherland Falls "JO." states: "The rest of the story is told in a narrative which the late Mr. C. W. Adams (he was the father of the present Government astronomer, Dr. C. E. Adams) wrote for me in the form of a letter, dated May 31, 1906." Here is the narrative: A Little Friction

"I may state that there was a little friction between Tom Mackenzie and myself. He wanted to monopolise Donald Sutherland altogether to hell) him in his exploration. Now, 1 had to inspect Sutherland's contract. In cutting the track to the Falls, and only a limited time to do it in so it WW necessary that Sutherland should accompany mo, as a good dea of hib work was not up to the mark. Mackenzie used to express Ins contempt for surveyors as explorers. He said they were all right with a theodolite and chain, but when it came to exploring they were not in it. And nc lost no opportunity of ridiculing my faith in McKinnon, as I said it there was a pass I was sure McKinnon would tm "Aad what made Tom Mackenzie more savage was the fact that if ho had followed my advice he would have been the first over the pass. It was true that I advised him to try Joe a River (at the head of the Arthur), but it was found to head in the wrong direction. But one morning, one ol the roadmen told me that, he had seen 'three explorers' come over the pass, and he pointed up towards where McKinnon's Pass is. So I said: What do you mean?' 'Well,' he said, I was up this morning by daybreak, and l looked up and saw three black swans c-oming over lo this side from the other, and as birds generally fly over the lowest gaps in a range, I should not be surprised if that is where the pass it.' , Theodoliter's Rejected Advice "I told Tom. Mackenzie of 11ns, and strongly urged him to explore up in the direction of Roaring Creek—only it had not been so christened at that time. He refused point-blank, as he said he had taken my advice once and gone up Joe's Creek, and he saw cough then to convince him theie was no pass in that direction except what birds could fly over. But instead of trying where I advised,.he explored the head waters of the creek that, flows past the foot of the Sutherland Falls. I told him if he did find a pass, in that direction it would not lead him into To Anau, but rather into one of the West Coast sounds. "Yoh may perhaps ask why T did not take a hand in the search for a pass, but I had iny hands more than full 'of my own work. I had to make a. sketch survey of the, track and the vallev of the Arthur and tops of all the countrv in sight, and measure the and get back to Milford Sound in time height, of the Sutherland Falls as well, for the coal steamer which was to call for us, by a certain day, and we just managed'to get through in time." A few days after that (October. 1888) McKinnon came down the valley from the direction where the black swans had flown. He had penetrated the Clinton Valley, climbed the watershed between that gorge and the Arthur and crossed the saddle that is now known as McKinnon's Pass. He was all alone. So he was the first man to find a way from Lake To Anan to Milford Sound.