ASCENT OF MOUNT EGMONT.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 971, 30 March 1870, Page 7 (Supplement)

ASCENT OF MOUNT EGMONT.

Those wbo have a little spare time to enjoy a ramble among the wild and majestic works of nature, would do well to spend a few days upon and about the lofty and beautiful Mount Egraont, which rises to nearly 9,000 feet from its rich, level ibrest-ulad plains. To ascend^ ita lofty cone is a matter of toil, the gradient being very steep, and composed of small etouea aud sand which slip downward with tbe feet. In clear weather, the prospect from the summit is magnificent. With the assistance of a good glass, a largo portion of the Waikato country is visible, also the active volcano Tongariro, vomiting its black smoke ; and the Ruapaho mountain with its snowcovered crest; rising to the height; of 9,195 feet above the sea. On a. very fine day, the country l'ound Wellington and Wanganui, all the Kaikoura mountains, Cook's Straits, from end to end, and round the coast to New Plymouth, also the Nelson, Canterbury aud Otago mountains, in the Middle Island, may be seen. The base of this lovely mountain is rich in. vegetation, — trees, shrubs, ferns, and flowers of every hue. There is, also, a fine waterfall there, which is named after Mr. Dillon Bell (Bell's Falls), having been found by that gentleman many years since. It is on the Hangatahua or Stoney River. This beautiful unbroken sheet of water falls about a hundred feet from a narrow opening in the rocks about six feet wide into a large basin. The cliffs ou each side form a half-circle, and rise to about three hundred feet high, are richly clustered with shrubs, ferns, and flowers even to the highest peak. Near the same locality, exists a spring of warm water which runs from beneath a high cliff into a swift running stream, as cold as the ice itself. Around this place are some valuable interesting trees, cordylines, &c. The Cordyline ludivisa is a -very striking tree, from thirty to fifty feet in bight, and is surrounded with beautiful foliage, its leaves being from five to seven feet in length, and eight or nine inches broad, and is composed of a strong flax fibre. It is free from gum, hardy and fast growiug, and might be planted for its fibre apart from ornament, at the rats of SOO or 900 U'ees per acre. This is considered by Mr. Buchanan to be a distinct species from the one found in Duskey Bay, and is much more ornamental and branching. A very fine sample leaf has been given ns by Mr. Henry, of the Springbank : Nurseries, showing the fibre cleaned. The Senecio elaeagnifolius, a very ornamental shrub, something of the Rhododendron habit, with specks of yollow flowers, and the surface of its leaves covered with a white thread net-work, is also very hardy and fast growing, and is to be found on the tops of the ranges 500 feet above the sea level. In tbe same neighbourhood are to be found the beautiful Ourisia Macrophyla which resembles the Chinese primrose, — besides many of the most lovely and rare ferns that are to be found in New Zealand. We might mention that on the heights of Mount Egmont, plants of the Scotch heather, sown some two years since, and many luxuriant plants, between eight and ten inches high, are lo be seen. They have been planted there for the purpose of gathering the honey, and we hope no one will touch them. We copy from an abstract report on the geological survey of New Zealand, 1866-7, a list of ferns given by J. Buchanan, Esq., when on a short botanical tour to Mount Egmont.

Gleichenia Cunuinghamii ; Cyathea dealbata, medullaris, aud Smithii ; Alsophila Colensoi ; Dicksonia autarctica, and squarrosa ; Hymenophylinun tuubridgense, unilaterale (a rare fern), minimum, bivalve j Hymenophyllum rarum, pulcherrimum, crispatnm, scabrum, aeruginosnm ; Trichomanes venosum, and reniforme ; Davallia novae Zelandiae ; Lindsaea tricbotnauoides; Adiantum hispidulum and affine; Hypolepis tenuifolia, Millefolium, and distans j Pellea rotundifolia j Pteris aquilina, tremula, scaberula, incisa, aud macileuta, Lomaria filiformis, procera (vars), fluviatilis, membranacea, vulcauia (Bell's Falls) ; Lomaria elongata, discolour, Alpina, and Banksii ; Asplenium lucidum, Trichomanes (4,000 feet), falcatum, bulbiferum, and Qacoidum ; Aspidiu.cn cystosregia, 4,000 feet, aud ooriaceum ; Nephrodium veluiinum, decomposiium, hispidum ; Polypodiutn Australe, Grauitmiidis, tenellmn, pennigerum, and rupestre ; Polypodium Cunnighamii, and Billardieri ; Todea africaua ; Leptopteris hymenophylloides, and superba ; Marrattia salicina; Botrychiuoi cicutarium var dissectum ; Lycopodium Billardieri, densutn, scariosmu, and volubilej Tcnesipteris, Forsieri.