TRACKS TO THE GREENSTONE.

West Coast Times, Issue 970, 31 October 1868, Page 3

TRACKS TO THE GREENSTONE.

(from a correspondent.) (Continued from our last.J So far I have only referred to boats and horses ; now for pedestrians, and those brave and hardy men, the miners, who carry such enormous weights on their backs — sometimes eighty pounds' Aveight, and never less than fifty. Myself and another travelled on foot, from the Junction to the Greenstone, in company with One of these men: At the Junction I couldn't get a horse for love of nidne'y, and io say the truth I.rather preferred Walking, just to test my power of endurance. In the. distance of seven or eight miles we waded creeks twenty-seven times, sometimes knee deep and sometimes hip deej> in water, arid the stream in some crossings runnings ruuning so rapid as to oblige us to lock arms, to prevent being swept down the current, while the rain came down in torrents at the same time. I never before, in the same short time endured so much fatigue, but I solemnly declare that although my own sufferings were great, I felt more for the miner by my side with his weighty burden on his back, than for myself. Heavens ! how he used to jostle and struggle with the current when he stumbled against a stone here and another large stone there — every moment ih danger of being thrown down, while he swayed tp irid fi.Oj abd, sometimes, trembled with the weight of his- load! in this manner, we arrived at the Greenstone, wearied and of course soaking wet, after a few hours walk, when I made the comfortable and hospitable hut of a miner, my friend, Mr G who gave me a change of clothes, sent for a little cognac, and made me a something, which, whatever it was, was, at any rate, screeching hot, and, in justice^ to. myself, . j must !jay that I felt hale knd ifouhd as ever aftef ail the jostling aud struggling with current-! and slipping stones. How the poor miner with the great weight on his back got on I don't know. I suppose, poor fellow, wet and all as he was, he put up his tent, lighted his fire from wet wood, boiled his billy, spread his blankets on the wet i ground, and went to sleep. This sort of work may do for a while with men who are young and very strong, but the day cannot be far distant when they must feel its. effects: . , „ . lii a day or so I returned, Mr J. sending a horse and boy with me to the Junction. Here I was flood-l}ound for two days, staying .at Mr Scott's, a good honest (Scotchmen, . from- whom I received every attention and kindnessi On. the first night of my staying in his house, he brought two bags of chaff and placed them on a sofa, spreading over alia plentiful supply of blankets. While engaged at this operation, he slyly asked me if I was not used to sheets, meaning, of course, that I must rough it, now that I was abroad. This elicited a quiet laugh at my expense from some half-dozen in the house, who were, like myself, travelling and flood-bound, and entertained by the hospitable Scot. I thought I should be even with him, and replied that -I should dispense with sheets a£ the junction until Mrs Scott eaine home, Mr Scott being a bachelor the hit told, and he had not all the laughter on his side. When the river was sufficiently low, Mr Scott lent me his horse, Avalking himself all the while, to take me to the nearest ferry. Here I bade this generous young man good-bye, and travelled on foot over the right-hand terraces to the beach. Of all passes, this one by the ten aces is the very worst on this wild coast. This is not my opinion only, put that of experienced miners, .who have travelled over every part of the West Coast. Noav, in the interest of a hard-working •community of miners and of a highly auriferous district, I would urge upon the Government of Westland the necessity of reakirg tracks to the Greenstone. I believe the Government is not overburdened with money at present, but when they do get money, let the Greenstone be the first district which will reap the benefit of its monetary acquisitions. I assure the Government they have in the Greenstone a permanent and valuable gold-field, which only needspopulation for its development, and population cannot of course approach it in sufficient numbers to do good either to themselves or the country without traversable tracks. I am much » mistaken if this does not turn out the best gold-field on the Coast before the end of this summer, and at a time when our miners are about returning from Auckland in great numbers, every available opportunity should be given them to prosecute their search, and by this means retain them on the Coast.