THE CRUISE OF THE "CIDER BARRELS."

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 3040, 9 January 1892, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE CRUISE OF THE "CIDER BARRELS."

FKOM OAMBBIDGE TO AUCKLAND IN A CANVAS CANOE. An Englishman's chief characteristic is " cuasedness." He takes a positive delight in getting into difficulties for the fun of getting out of them again. It is liis " cuasedness " which makes him throw up comfortable billets in the Old Country to become a struggling colonist; it is " cuasedness" which makes the newfledged divinity student long to convert tjood savages into bad Christians, and to pave the way in savage lands for civilising whisky and tobacco; it is " cussedness " which makes the Englishman, on holiday-making intent, look out for some trip never made, some river never navigated, or some mountain never climbed ; and it was inherited " cussedness " which made me, for a holiday trip, attempt to go from Cambridge to Auckland in h Rob Roy canoe, dragging my boat on wheels over the short distances separating the Waikato from the Waiuku, and Otahuhu from the Tamaki.

The resolution arrived at, I began in spare moments to construct my canoe. Economy being a necessity to me at the time, I had to be sparing in expense. In a few days, mainly with timber lying around the mill, I had put the batten frame together, and then proceeded to cover it with bed ticking for canvas. This I painted with a nv'xturo of pitch and tar. The canoe, I may say, was twelve feet long, two feet nine inches broad, and nine inches deep, decked all over except the w.ll where one sat, which was provided with a flap coming close to the body, with similar bed ticking, painted white. She was rigged with a mast about five feet high, with a tolerably large French lug. Tiiia sail was made from two scraps of bed ticking left over irom the deck. It was not " a thing of

bfciuty" or "a joy for evur," but harmonised perfectly with her skipper. I tbeu made for her a pair of woodea wheel), about fifteen inches high, aud a manuka axle, light hut strong, having two chocka to keep the keel in its place in the centre; then a piece of line made fast to each end of the axle, inside tin; wheels, carried fore and aft to screws in the gunwale, kept the boat upright and steady. With all equipment, she weighed about lcwt, and cost perhaps, for material, fifteen shillings. It must, of course, be understood that the wheels were only used in transporting the canoe by land ; all other times being shipped and carried inside. On Tuesday, the 2ud, all preparations completed, I decided to start. At 3 a.m., in the dead of the night, I dragged my canoe from my mill, somo two miles, to the landing at Cambridge. Without much trouble I hauled her through the sleeping township, arousing all the dogs n my passive, and arrived safely at the booms, which atreteh across the Waikato River just above Cambridge. Once at the bank, I tried to guide her gently into the water, but, in some way, she got the better of me, and hitting me in the stomach, knocked me neatly over the bank. The water was only waist deep, and I managed to scramble out without difficulty. Had anyone been near ho might possibly have heard me B>iy " dear me," or words to that efioet, very emphatically.

However, I Roon had the wheels unshipped, and getting everything on board, started down the river with the breaking day. The water here ruus about four miles an hour, through banks some 200 feet high, clothed with fern and occasional bush, and is somewhat monotonous. In a few minutes, I pass the inclined tramway of the Waikato Shipping Company, and soon after Chambers' flour mill; a most romantic spot, well worth a visit, with its great water wheel and wire tramway to the opposite bank of the river. After this, there is little of interest on the way down to my home at Tamahere. except the fine bridge whi<:h spans the Waikato at " The Narrows," some eight miles from Cambridge. Having business to attend to, I went no

further that day, but on the morrow, at 7 p.m., I made my real start, provisioned With nine bottles of cider and a packet of sandwiches. The amount of liquid seems somewhat out of proportion to the solid re-

freshment, but it was intended to be used as samples at the various hotels passed on my way. I had also a shift of clothes, altogether a cargo quite heavy enough for my craft.

Down to Hamilton, the scenery is much the same; high fern-covered banks, pretty enough, but apt to become wearisome I soon passed under the Hamilton traffic bridge, by Messrs Coates and Metcalfe's Sax mill, shrieking like a socialistic state nursery for teething babes, on through the ffne iron railway bridge reaching Ngaruawhia by noon, encountering a .strong headwind all the way, which considerably impeded my progress onwards. Before reaching the Ngaruawahia bridge, I pass Bayly's fellmongery, with its tanks, boilera and washing punts, and, after parsing the bridge, Lamb's old flour-mill, silent and deserted ; one more instance of the blight which almost invariably afflicts any local industry planted in the Waikato, On the opposite bank lie wrecks of old steamers and barges, reminiscences of the days when the paddle-wheel occupied the place now usurped by the locomotive's tire.

Then I paddled into the middle of the stream, and, sheltered by the high hills which here lie north of the river, eat my lunch while driftiug with the swift current. The really beautiful part of the river begins here and lasts to the Heads without a forbidding oi , an ugly reach. On the left hand the hills rise to considerable height, clothed with dark-greeu bush, varied with the sober russet of the fern ; while the bank of the river is bright emerald, with willows bathing their slender branches in the crystal stream. On the right hand, willows still, their possible monotony broken with jutting sandstone or a Rravelly beach. Right ahead, Taupiri mountain, treeclad, stands apart in solitary state, separated from its fellows by the river. All this makes a picture, framed in blue, cloud-flecked sky, and brightened by the noonday sun, to delight the heart of any canoeist floating along in his tiny craft.

The breeze is here in my favour, and for the first time I hoist my striped, bed ticking , sail, and bowl along a fair pace, till Taupii'i is reached. This is not a very important place, iti fact is chiefly remarkable for a church with an exaggerated candle extinguisher for a steeple. Tho sublime become ridiculous. The river here returns to its northerly coarse, obliging me to haul down my Hail again, and take to the paddle. Passing through similar charming eoenery, I eoon sight Huntly, th 6 great Wailcato mining town. Here again the wind favours me, and the " cider barrel" heels to the breeze, spanking along by the rather unbeatniful township. However, the brisk mines, hauling np their load* of coal, more than mako up for any lack of beauty to my mind, alwaye more in sympathy with the busy hum of human industry than with the quiet beauty of slumberous nature. The township is soon passed, and I find myself approaching a large, low island, and decide to take the light hand passage, noticing that tho river was, though much broader, becoming , very shallow. Juat as I enter the passage I ground on a sand bank I immediately let go my halliards, for there is a certain amount of risk to a canvas canon, cvon oa a sandbank. -She is soon shoved over that obstruct ion, end my sail hoisted again I bowl along pnet inland and swamp, the land being very low on both sides. The numerous islands, willow and cabbage tree adorned,-still keop np the river's reputation for beauty. About four p.m., without mishap, I arrive at Raugiriri iu front of which there is a amell creek, very handy for mooring a boat. I land, haul her up and make for the Rangiriri Hotel, close at hand. Unpretentous in appearance this hotel is as clean, plosant and homelike as any one could wish, while it would be dfficult to find more kindly and obliging hosts than Mr and Mrs Reed. There I had a heartly welcome and a heartly supper, which harmonise excellently, and after supper We discuss the canoe and its projected voyage and sample my eider. Some time before seven, I was afloat again on a river, beantiful beyond my power of description.

The river lay like a jjreat mirror, reflecting the blue sV.y and the massive white clouds. Tho willows, mingled with their images, and their reflected banks made their many islands, flouting on the polished surface, seem to rise to twice their height, while Maori whares, with their gay-clud figures and curling smoke, lent a human interest to the scene, half obicnrod by a feathery mist, which heightened the beauty of the viow, as a brides' white veil, half concealing, sujrgeets u beauty perchance not there. I whs naking , those reflections, whew I ran heavily on u Hand hauls, I said " dear me," and ;is I w;n hard and fast tjot out, beiug b-tre-f rioted, and dragged her for some distance till tho water deepened again. Tho river is, from Huntly to some distauce past Runjru'iri, very shallow. I could almost always nee the bottom, although probably t.ljOTo is a dsuper chauuiil, but with a liirht draught uauoo it is hardly necessary to seek it;. I p.tsswl a pretty little settlement, with » slircekm.', whining flaxmill, I put it dovrn as

Churchill ; got a fair wiud noon ufl'Twurds, by a kaliikatea bush growiutr by the edfc'o of tlic river, aud sooii after siybted Menvr 1 reached there ;it uoou and hauled to buy hero a loaf o{ brciid aud some butter, and embarked again ou the "Cider Barrel,"aud paddled ilonn thr river. By this time a stiff breeze v>us blowing, as usual dead against rnc ; the water, too, was very choppy, making my little craft plunge her bows into it as I forced her down the stream. IVo Maori canoes passed me, sailing up against the stream in fine stylo. How the narrow coffins stand up under sail is a puzzle to me. "Kapai the little boat," sings out the Slaori in the lending canoe, as the little "Cider Barrel " plunges by him on the choppy sea. I wave my fuddle and grind my tceih as I paddle with all my might against the tearing breeze aud the ohopoy waves.

Passing that reach, I got somewhat sheltered from the wind, and managed to put away some bread and butter, and wash it down with river water. I paddled away all the afternoon agains-t a very strong breeze, through beautiful aud varied 3oeuery, passing several large islands. (To he continued, j