THE WEST COAST.

Colonist, Issue 18, 22 December 1857, Page 3

THE WEST COAST.

Journal of an Expedition to explore the interior of the Middle Island of New Zealand, by Thomas Brunner. (Continued.) January 20th. This morning opened our oven, which smelt like a sugar boiling establishment. Found it excellent, but rather too sweet for a diet; however, this and the fish make a five meal. 21st. Collecting fern-root. Collecting fernroot is very difficult, there being but a very small quantity eatable, and that the oldest or deepest growth. Unfortunately my spade broke, so we had no tool but a pointed stick. Day showery. 22nd. Drying our fern-root, and making straps and baskets for the better carrying our loads; . . 23rd. We have caughi about 150 fish this week with our net, a great portion of which we have salted and dried for our future subsistence. Sunday, 24th. Kept as a Sunday. Exceedingly warm. 25th. Having thus by a week's halt laid in a store of provisions, we packed our stores and kits and crossed the river again in the manner I have before described.,. We got our kits wet," re-dried them, aad/walked about three miles down the northern* bank of the river. From this point the country was quite new both.to myself and my companions, and I found the river assume an entirely different character, being deep and still, flowing over and between large granite rocks, and through a black birch country. Before it abounded in eels, but we found none amongst the granite rocks, or anything else fit to eatin the black birch forest; neither were there any ducks, and but few other birds. 26th. This morning the day looked dirty, and we almost determined to return to our old quarters in the, Matukituki; but the general opinion was in favour of proceeding, and we therefore commenced climbing along our granite path. Towards the afternoon we had occasional showers, but we kept pushing on, and just before dusk reached a large ana, or hole in the rocks, where we put up for thenight. The rain soon began to fall so heavily that we were all afraid of being drowned in our shelter before morning by the rising of the rivers 27th. This morning at daybreak we had to turn out of our cave, it being no longer safe, the fresh having risen to the threshold. We then built a bark'house; and moved into it. C.ontintial heavy rain. Having selected a dry spot for a house, we could find no materials for roofing it excSpt the Mrk of the tawai, or black birch; this being heavy requires d strong framework. To break the bark Ekehu cuts it all round,, and. then with a chisel-pointed stick, liSfififinH it. find ■hroaira it'nflP ntViS-nVi ' Tnn «««,™nll,.

good roof when tiew, but soon> curls with the heat of fire or a few dry days. 28thi Steady rain throughout the day. 29th. Heavy rain.: Great fresh in river. 30th.. Rain all day. 31st.-Towards eve the wind changed, and gave U3 once more a peep of the1 sun. February. Ist. This morning the natives told me that the rain had So exhausted arid spoilt our provisions, that/as the country afforded none, it was necessary to return to the Matukituki station to replenish; so, after the wind had dried the bush) we started. . 2nd. Retracing our steps towards Matulrituki, which the fresh in the river rendered difficult. 3rd. Crossed the river to our old house in tha Matukituki.. . ...... . .4th. Collected and made an oven of ti. The native Epikewati had a dream, which foretold the death of his wife by drowning while crossing.the Kawatiri, and he took frigHt, crying and wishing to return toi Wainiesfc, to which I gave consent Readily, but Epike would'ridt agree. . sth. Rdm nearly all day. 6 fch. Collected a little fern-rodt. ,".•■,.■ 7t'i. The weather seemed inclined to Mr. ' Bih. All working at the fern-root. 9th. Getting fern-root. . , , :;. r,' 10th. Raiiiing all day. Repaired the House. lith. We had to-day one .of the heaviest storms of thunder I have ever seen., with a deluge of rain^ and a tremendous fresh in the river. •; . ■ 12thi Showery all.day. . , . 13th:,^o4^ately' fine.;^Collecting wekas. ~ .■'l4'th.'r j'inal warm /day. 15t.!i'.:' Seeking for wood to construct a raft, but fourid none that would float. 16th. The day showery. Made an oven of the ti. 17th.' Anniversary of the day Mr. Fox was washed off his footing, and had to swim the Matukituki with his- load on his back. Drying timber and.constructing raft. The day dull and showery. ' : _, ■ The fruit of the, kotukutuku, palled koriini, is a pleasant, tasted berry, and is ripe about this month. . .: .. ■ I &m sorely disappointed in ihe appearance^ of the river during a fresh. I expected something majestic, instead of which I see nothing but a duil, ditty-looking stream running steadily along, with every now and thenl a large tree or quant:ty of brushwood floating on its surface. The natives tells me that the best time'for working a canoe up or down the river is during a high flood. : 18th: Placed our kits of provisions on raft, ani again crossed the river ■ and proceeded onwards. Fiiie day; In order to cross the river we had to resort to a new method. The fresh prevented us from fording, and we could not find en oigh timber for a raft to carry us, and the river runs too. rapidly to admit of rafts recrossing, so we made a small one, on which we, placed all our- clothes, &c. The two fastest swimmers attached a small flax line to the raft and comm3nced swim ni tg across; the remaining three swam behind, pushing the raft forward with one hand. For this method you must choose a reach of at least a mile long to cross the Buller when swollen. 19th. Proceeded on our journey, and once ag.iin . reachei our ana, or Jbrmer sleepingplace, when, to our sorrow, we were again visited with a deluge, and frightened to our old shed. . .;'.'.. 20th. /Repairing house. , Rainy day. 21st. Moileratsly fine day.. Nothing done. ; 22tld. ■Packecriip our "huge loads, triine consisting of a" ;gun,! 7 lbs. shot, 8 lbs.'tobacco, 2 tomahawks, 2 pair boots, 5 shirts, 4 pair trowsers, a rug, and a blanket, besides at -least 30 lbs. fern-root:. We made about two miles of very b>,l walking— granite rocks covered with tutu and brush wool. A shower at night. 23rd. Showers of rain frightened us on. About a mile of fearful walking to an ana, wliere we founi diy but most unomfortable lodgings on an uneven surface of granite rock* 24th. The appearance of the day was so far from fine that we mutually agreed tj stay in our dry quarters on account of our provisims, as fern-root once wet is spoiled > loiiug its flavour and becoming mouldy. -^ 25th. A shower of rain this morning prevented us from starting until midday, when we accomplished about one mile, and encamped at an apparently good eel-station* My back very sore. 26th. We had a little better walking part of the day, passing over about a mile of very good pine forest, but again came to black birch country—precipices and granite rocks. I find in some parts of this at a fresh the river rises upwards of 30 feet. I am getting so sick of this exploring, the walking and the diet being both so bad, that were it not for the shame of the thing I would return to the more comfortable quarters of the Riwaka Valley. 27th. Worse and worse walking, the rocks being more steep and rugged, and covered with underbrush and quantities of brier, the bush almost impassible from the quantity of dead timber and moss. The evening showing for rain. 28th. Built a bark hut just in time to escape a heavy thunderstorm. Raining at night. March Ist. Morning fair. A heavy fresh in the river. The day soon, changed into a regular soaking wot clay. Consumed our last handful of flour to thicken a pot of soup. 2nd. Steady regular, rain all day, with the wind riorthr east.-- . ;•-■ ' 3rd. Continued rain without any abatement until evening, when the weather appeared inclined to clear. Diet, fern-root served out in small quantities twice a-day. This is without exception, the very worst country in New Zealand ; not a bird to be had or seen; and the few fish there are in the river will not bite during rain or during a fresh. We tried a species of the fern-tree called kakote, but it is far from being palatable, and exceedingly indigesti•ble. /:. 4th. Long showers of rain with short intervals of sunshine. sth. The weather on the change it is to be hoped, but not fine enough to venture forward. ' 6th. Again made a start. One of the women so ill that Ekelm and self had to share her load between us. We had the worst walking I have yet seen, on the side of steep precipices thickly covered with brier and underbrush. Sunday, 7th. Passed the' day in a bla^k birch woodJn company with thousands of sand flies. I endeavoured to ascend a hill, but found it so sleep and rugged that I relinquished t rhe attempt. The banks of the river ara so very perpendicu'ar that it is impossible to reach the water's edge; and the rocks affording do shelter for eels, we are badly off for provisions. lam resolved to' pass the day a3 a Sunday, although i much against the natives' wish. \ Bth. Came along the river' bank about onethird of a mile, which distance took at least

think ten paces of y the whole distance were passed without securing a good hand-hold. The river then became impassable, and we had to ascend a ridge, which took the remainder of the day. Slept on the summit of the hill, which we found very cold lodgings. From this elevation I looked for a pass to the south or east, but there is none obsei'vable; An op'eniDg or break in the mountain-range to the &outh-west is observable, which I imagine to be the Tnakaiona, Oweka, or pass to the Mawera, from its position ' corresponding with the opening Mr. Heapy and myself observed from the Arahura, and from , the description given me last year by the natives, . 9th. This morning I suffered about two hours of the most excruciating pain I ever expeiienc.ed. TJhe natives ascribe it to the fernroot diet. Feeling better, we all started, and walked a short distance along the summit, and then descended a spur to the river, where we put up for the night. I really believe two or three'miles is the utmost that, could be accomplished under the most favourable circumstances on these short days in such Large granite rocks heaped confusedly. together all ove? the surface, with a thick growth of underbrush and briers, an immense quantityof dead and rotten timber, and all these on the steep and brdkeo declivities of a range of high mountains interspersed with;perpendicular walls, of rocks, precipices, and deep ravines, form a cdtnbination of difficulties which must be encountered to be adequately understood or/ alloWett fi»T.>^>- - ..-=-■: -■- ' :~.,..-."r-.. l w.*..v. < >i3.<i •10th. \.The illrtess, I fear is catching;" fo£!tlns' ; morning my female companions declared their inability to • proceed. I believe it is a species of influenza:.however, be it what it, may. they tried a novel kind of wire—cutting themselves all about the painful parts with a sharp stone, and then bathing in the river. We caught enough eels-for a mealj and hope for better luck on the {borrow- . 11th; Natives worse' instead of better, but we managed tq accomplish ..about a quarter of a mile to a fresh eel-station. . ■. " ... ,12th. The illness ofoneofthe women has settled in her leg, and she can onjy bring her toe to the ground. , A dirty showery day, and we lay under the nominal shelter of a large birch-tree. : . , . 13th. Contrary to my experience on all previous days, the natives packed up for a .start during a shower of rain, and we came on about half a mile, when it began to pour down, and the sick woman was not within hail; so Ekehu had to return and seek her, while Epike and self erepted a shelter of the .fern-tree.;. Ekehu and wife arrived just at dark, :and the, wind changing its quarter, blew a gale, driving; the rain and smoke of our fire under our shelter. We all passed , a most miserable night, not having room to lie down or sit up, and the women moaning with pain. • . •, : 14th. Increased our shelter, which, but for the wind' and rain, would be comparatively comfortable. Our fern-root almost exhausted, and no food to be found. ■. ~' 15th. Proposed starting, but the natives refused, stating that the women could not accomplish above half a mile a day; that the weather showed;•■ for rain ; and that it was too much work building houses at such short distances. Showery;", '.. . . : . 16 tlii I suppose the same arguments serve for to-day, as we are here still, and I am tired of urging our onward progress, fqr I only, breed disebntentand do not carry "my pdint^so-FanT determined, come what may, to become passive in urging them forward, although I do not re T lish gradual starvation on one meal of fern-root in twenty-four hours. lam afraid to quarrel with the natives, for I am told to look out for myself if I choose, and they will do the same. 17th. No altiiration in the appearance of the weather or any apparent abatement of_ the illness of the native women, yet they prepared for a start; so we all packed up, and,: I think, managed to pass over rather a long mile of ground and damped. Caught a meal of eels. The woman did not arrive until about midnight. I began to fear her illness wili cause us many days' hunger if not real starvation, and I will not hear of the natives' suggestion of leaving her to her fate* . 18th. Rain drives us about a quarter of a mile. 19th. Under shelter all day. Heavy rain. : 20th. Continual rain. - 21st. Rain continuing, dietary shorter, strength decreasing, spirits failing, prospects fearful. 22nd. A slight change in the weather, but none among us except for the worse. 23rd. Again made a start and completed a fair day's work. Tbe walking and genera"! appearance of the country the satile,as usual. A shower of rain at sunset, and another about the middle of the night, but not add to our comfort. The only interesting part of my trip on the banks, of the Buller is from the Rotuiti to the Matukituki Valley, which I had formerly travelled in the company of Mr. Fox. After leaving the Matukituki the river is quite worthless, and offers no room for a journal, saving many days' hunger, the danger of crossing its tributary streams, and the apparently iutermi-. nable labour of making our way through so, frightful.'. a. country, and in continual heavy raios v 24th. Bat news; Epike taken ill, and not able to move about. A heavy shower about midday. Cabbage Blight.—Soft soapissaidtobean effectual remedy. Dissolve about two ounces in half a ; gallon of warm water and apply it with a syringe. The cost and trouble are slight, and the plant is not injured—Zawwcestara Examiner.