THE MACKENZIE COUNTRY

Temuka Leader, Issue 2870, 19 September 1895, Page 3

THE MACKENZIE COUNTRY

Mr A. P. O'Callaghau, Crown Lands Hanger for South Canterbury, who was accompanied for part of the journey by Mr Adamsou, who is now in charge of the Hermitage, Mount Cook, had a memorably rough journey last week. He left Timarn on Monday, and reached Fairlie that night, being met by Mr Adamsou. A buggy and pair of horses wero taken from Fairlie to Fukaki on the Tuesday, and it was before reaching the Pukaki that their troubles commenced in grim earnest. Tho road from Mary Burn to Simon's Pass was in a fearful state. The country ia flat, and the road had "worked up," so that it tvas well nigh impassable. While doing this stage plenty of dead sheep and rabbitß were seen lying about. The rabbits wero seen iu good numbers, in "camp 3" of 8, 10, and up to 20 each alongside the road. They had congregated about patches of scrub, and had died thero. The party noticed as they passed Balmoral that the snow was clear of tho lowlands, but was still lying on the downs, and iu gullies. They also noticed heavy snow up the Tokapo, on Richmond, Lilybank, and otuer high country. On leaving i'ukaki ou Wednesday they led a spare horse, and it was rather a trouble to thom on such fearfully rough going. They got to Glentannor that night, were most hospitably entertained,and found all well with tho exception that they wore starving for the sight of somo moat. On two stretches of this stage tho road was f.nind to bo very heavy, a piece just beyond I'ukaki ti:l it strikes tho shore of thi 1 lake, and a Ijit about tho now road which was forinod some months ago by co-oporativo labour. The chief obstacles were slips and boul 'era, and hero and thero tho creeks wore a bit troublesome. By dint of great labour tho way was erentually cleared, and from old (jlcutauuor to to tho present homestead the going was splendid. Next day they loft Glontanner and had, with trifling exceptions, a good road t i tho Hermitage, arriving on Thursday night. Tho Hermitage, which had boon shut up since May list, was found to have :suff«rud very little diinnge. On all hands it was reported that tho siui'A fall had been very heavy; at (Jlontai'/jor, taking tho winter all through tho fall had boon nine foot, and by appoa.rauc.es it had boou live

feet at the Hermitage. The loss of stock was found to be severe, but Mr O'Callaghau is not yet able to fully compute it. All vegetation that was now exposed to view looked as though it had been burnt up, mauuka being absolutely brown. The severity of the frost was something to be remembered for many a year, aud there were no signs of a thaw, the high country being still frozen hard. The trip was not altogether a lino weather one, for they drove for miles through sleet and snow. A few live rabbits were seen beyond Glentanner, aud what rabbit fences that were seen were found to be all right. None of the streams were found in flood. The drive back to Fairlie was more quickly accomplished, for tho road having been cleared of the boulders on the way up the track was open.