FROM GISBORNE TO WAIKAREMOANA.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13431, 23 March 1907, Page 7

FROM GISBORNE TO WAIKAREMOANA.

No. 2. [by tkaveller.] ■

There are several interesting places

which are well worth a,3*isit near the coast line -between Gisborne and, the Wairoa. A route which is now frequently taken, by travellers leads to the Nuhalia, or Mofere, hot springs. This is a locality comparatively new to tourists, but is rapidly gaining in popular^ ty. A coach leaves Gisborne for Nuhaka on Tuesday mornings, reaching the hotel there "the same evening. A short ride ; through beautiful bush takes visi-tors-'tothe springs,- which are salt and of varying temperature, from boiling to lukewarm. JBaths liave been formed and the bush around preserved, so that the district is very attractive and the curative and healthful properties of the springs are becoming recognised. A visit -to Nuhaka' makes a very pleasant excursion from the town of Gisborne, and as the distance is not great it is an easy journey, often arranged by residents and visitors. The Mahia Penin5*i.1%, with Portland .Island, divides Hawke's Bay from Poverty Bay. There is an opening between the island arid the mainland through which vessels may pass, although, the. route is seldom taken. The Mahia was the scene of the wreck of' the, fine steamer Tasmania, which belonged to the Hudtjart-Parker Company, a few years back. Several

lives were lost, and the coast was strewn with wreckage far and near: Many of the passengers and crew escaped in the ship's boats,, which were steefed to Gisborne, and long lay in the river there as reminders of the sad occurrence. . The gale which wrecked the, Tasmania continued for. several -days, making the work of exploration and of rescue very difficult. Exhausted mariners were picked up, having clung to the wreckage and drifted far. Several of the drowned sailors and a little cabin boy were inte.ryed in the Gisborne cemetefy, the sad ceremony being very largely attended. On the Poverty Bay side of the, Mahia Peninsula; the Hon. J. D. Ormond has a great extent -of country occupied by a sheep station, for which the sheltered land is admirably suited. THE TOWN OF WAIROA

is on the banks of the river Clyde, which presents a fine appearance at high tide. There is a shifting bar, however, which causes great difficulty in navigation, only small -craft being able to enter. This locality is the home <of the Hon. Jas. Carroll, Native Minister, who was born and spent his childhood there. Wairoa shared in the exciting times of the Maori war, and was occupied as a military station. It is now a centre of pastoral interests^ the whole country side, being occupied a,B v sheep runs. The main street -of the tow.n' extends along the river side. There -is a fine bridge, and the 'scenery i? Very' pretty..'- \; -The district is noted for the growth'oj? ijfait, especially of cherries, which at one time grew ail along the river banks and overhung the village street. From Wairoa to Waikaremoana there is a good coach i v oad and delightful - excursions can be arranged. The scenery is magnificent ; "there is a great deal of native bush untouched by the destroyer's hand. , Oh the charm of the New Zealand forest in all its primeval beauty ! "What a fairy land of wonder and romance was opened up to our pioneers in the study of the multitudinous growths of novel vegetation. The varieties in the lighi bush alone growing on the outskirts of the forest are numerous and rare; the tree ferns; the sweet-scented veronicas; the elegant titofci, and beautiful specimens of young puriri form but a few of these. The rangiora is one of the most charming of trees from the delicate scent which pervades the summer air given forth from its blossoms, while the large leaves are a beautiful rich green, /with serrated edges and are silvery on the underside. The flowers grow in drooping yellowish-green clusters anict the fragrance is somewhat like that which proceeds from masses of violdts. The karaka tree is abundant in the forest with its broad, dark green leaves of shining surface, thick straight stem and fascinating crop of aromatic yellow berries. The berries are the size of an acor;n and are composed of a large kernel covered when ripe with a, 'thick scented yellow flesh. Europeans do not care for the taste, but the used it for food. I met an. interesting Maori woman in the, forest j She had toarriod an Englishman, land1 and had brought up and'isetit' cf/tt" several^of her children $o take part in the world's work. Her husband had left her for other spheres, an 4 her long period of pakoha life seemed to her almost a dream that had flown.t She was sad in spirits and ailing in health, and her people &»d kindly taken, h^r tp^the Maori haunts of her girlhood,' trying to revive in her the

love of life. She sat under, the forest trees among the ferns, and her friends had brought to her feet many old-fash-ioned dolicarins which the Maoris loved. There were littlo delicately plaited flax kits filled with th<* yellow knrnka berry, others with shellfish and the koura, a

small fresh-water crayfish, scarlet whet, boiled and esteemed a great delicacy. She showed mo' the different things they brought. There was a berry of the nature of a small tree tomato, which grows upon a bush with a pretty little purple flower, the flower and the ripened fruit existing" on the same plant. There was a long finger-shaped berry of an astringent and piquant flavour. My Maori friend seemed pleased with the attention she received, but she gave me to understand that nothing could lift the abiding sadness' from her soul. The ground of the forest was strewn with the fruit of the kahikatea, which is a pretty little berry with a scarlet button like the tip of a" purple vase. It is the favourite food of the native wild pigeon, which is plentiful in the forest anjl affords excellent sport to thbse who care to shoot it. The bird flutters above us and perches on the topmost boughs seeking its food, and is an easy mark, as it does not show much alarm. ' The Maoris found it a very useful article of food and used to snare the pigeons in large quantities and preserve them in their own fat in calabashes prepared for the purpose.

The forest is full of beautiful climbing plants i the hardy supplejack swings from every bough and is capablo of affording much amusement. It makes a strong tough swing, very tempting to young people. Some of our party amused themselves by swinging on the supplejack stems, clinging to, the strong rope-like , vino and swinging back and [forth Across a ferny gulch. An accident occurred here, and one. of, our number becoming unnerved loosened her hold and fell with some force into a bed of thick fern. A sprain was the consequence, and there was some little difficulty in dealing ,with the case, far from home comforts. However, bandages were applied, and beyond some discomfort for a few days there were no serious

results.

There are most beautiful ferns in the forest of many varieties, from the lovely maidenhair with tfts- fairy-like sprays to •the huge tree fern and the nikau palm. Every running brook is overhung with rich greenery, a study for a naturalist. We talked of Darwin and anecdotes were told heard from our grandmothers of his visit to New Zealand in early, days. The forest had a fascination for him, and he would remain motionless for hours hidden in. its cool green depths watching the ferns and native trees and observing their habits and methods of reproduction. It is astonishing to observe the instinct of climbing plants, which bend from a distance towards a possible support, appearing to exhibit a sense of sight a$ well as of feeling.

The clematis is. perhaps, the most beautiful of the New Zealand forest climbers ;' it creeps from tree to tree and is covered with ivory starry blossoms. There are several varieties of clematis; a kind which is very common grows out in the open fern land ; it is very hardy, likes the hot dry^soil, and has a rich green -foliage l and>a- small starry ivory blossom which gives forth a strong fragrance. A plant?, however, which appears to me to have the greatest claim to become the national flower of New Zealand is the common convolvulus. It is a hardy, ineradicable, yet harmless, thing of beauty, 1 which creeps everywhere in all localities from river bank to" dusty roadside, and lifts its cheerful fade to ihe light in. circumstances of great difficulty. The pink and the white blossoms are alike pure and' beautiful. The Hon. W. P. Reeyes has written some pretty verses' about the flower, which one of our/ number recalled and recited as we were partaking of our luncheon by the side of a sweet fresh pool:— ' ,\ , "The milk-white *nower from side to side Swung like a bell o'er the cool green tide ; /. LeaAing and dreaming we listened low For the clear bejl music 'that seemed to flow ". „ '-; ; From the cup 'of ' aerial beauty made; Touched by no, tarnish of earth it j sw.ayed.' 1 ? * , • ."'...