The "Cavalier" in the West Coast Sounds N.Z.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIV, Issue XX, 19 May 1900, Page 929

The "Cavalier" in the West Coast Sounds N.Z.

The writer with a brother artist in the photographic line, proceeded up the Arthur river to the level of the waters of the Sound. Between us and the eold waters on the further bank of the river, the cliffs rise high, the bush being here and there relieved by the baregranite rocks that higher up culminate in the Devil's Armchair and other irregular peaks. Reaching Dake Ada, a boat left here by the desire of the Government for tourists’ use, was baled out, and by means of her we were able to row out and obtain an exquisite view of the mountains on either side of the lake. The waters were somewhat relieved of their gloom by means of sunlight, and the presence of quite a large number of ducks playfully sailing about, which on our approach Happed off to some retreat near shore. The energy of man has made the passage of this lake by boat unnecessary now. for a track has been cut along the western margin by the Govern ment, enabling the tourist to lake and its dangerous snags. This track is very devious, and is eontinu-

ally dodging* in and out ..round the spurs, crossing- below the Giant’s Gate Falls, and under Terror Peaks, culminating-. so far as the difficulties of construction are concerned, in a pass around high and almost perpendicular rocky cliff. This was made by blasting* away the granite faces, and with the assistance of the pick and a longperiod of labour—some forty men being employed—a permanent way of about eight feet wide on a grade of one in six, has been constructed. This new route around the lake makes the Falls excursion more direct, and a mile further on another Government hut is reached, where shelter may be obtained from the continued rain or thunder storms so quickly developed in this region. The track follows on to the Beech Hut. a resting- place for visitors to or from the Sutherland Falls, or those who desire to pass over McKinnon’s Saddle, to the Clinton Valley, thereafter following- the river to Te Anau Lake. From here the difficulties of travel are at an end. as the new steamer “Tawera” plies down the lake

t ; the comfortable hotel near its foot. The coach from Te Anau runs to Lumsden to meet the train for either Invercargill or Dunedin. We spent some four and a half days in this Sound, with many rambles and excursions. including* repeated visits to the Hermit Sutherland, and his most agreeable wife. On rowing- up the longer arm of George Sound, which we next visited, the hut lately built by the Government was descried with enthusialsm. This con v-;* alienee enables the tourist of alpine ambitions, to climb the backbone of the country crossing

lesser heights, and three lakes, rn route to Lake 'Te* Anau. The head of Middle Fiord is reached at the end of a day’s work. Boats are placed on the lakes to facilitate the trip. It was i itended to visit the hut. but a hrax.y drizzle setting in. and the fart that we would have had to row for al out five miles, proved too much for our areloiH. so we let it go for the present. The following morning was bright with a pleasant breeze, so we had another op port unity to examine the* place. A lint* watterfall augmtenteel by the qrrint rain, was tihe first thing to claim particular attention, and a gentleman <>r tin* medical profession, ardently Jr voted to photography. enrollraged us to visit the locality. hr ha\ ing seen it years before informed us that tin* source* of th** fall was a lake Lake Alice which

existed over a spur in a deep basin, he quickly clinilied the side of the fall, and quite unexpectedly discovered a ••flatty,” as the flat bottomed boat is known to hushmen. by the help of which three of the party rowed upon its (piiet deep waters* to the further limit. This lake, like others, surrounded by high mountains and shut in from the winds, presented a dark and melancholy appearance, mirroring the different varieties of foliage everywhere growing round its shores. The whole effect was depressing as well as remarkable, and as in a number of other experiences ot tin* writer in lonely places a feeling of insecurity seems to limit the delight anticipated. The following day proved very miserable, a mist setting over the mountains. followed by pouring* rain, which lasted the whole day. and it was only by a series of short tacks, beating to and fro all day. that old ocean was again spread before us. our craft standing out on her course fqr 'Thomson Sound. On Saturday. February 24th. we arrived late in the afternoon at Blanket Bay. near the entrance of 'Thomson Sound. Quite an exciting- experience was met with during our passage, the “whiriwhiri.” or churning of the wateis. being seen in the distance. The scenery here is of greater interest than any we had yet experienced, saving- Milford. 'The next day lx*ing Sunday we spent a quiet day near the entrance of Doubtful Sound, amidst mountains, woods, and waters. On the following morning the wind had changed to a favourable direction, so two hours after breakfast w c were making our way out of this remarkable arm of the sea. 'To the tourist

visiting this locality the name ‘ Doubt fill” i> easily ac counted for. the entrance being blocked by a large island Banza Island while nearer seaward, quite a labyrinth of lesser islets and outlying rocks re strain the impulse* of tin* ocean, at this time appearing with perhaps more than usual energy and throwing up immense masses of foam, yvhich was yy hisked off in thin spray , in some cases hilling the* shore. Surely this would delight Hit* marine painter this iron bound roast of the* yvestern Sounds. No ordinary lens could portray these* waye* masses dashing high against the* head la mis. \ half-plate* I-’ Hi <*q-foe*iis took in yery little*, pro baldy a le*le*ph<»to attachment yyouhl lune proveul effect iye» tee e*ate*h pieces Imre and there, hut the* distance required for the* safety of emr craft

rendered the scene impossible to delim ate with our limited apparatus. The remainder of the day was spent in gaining- an ofting, and running for Breaksea Sound, with a fine wind right aft, driving us along the heavy swell. Later in the day we entered the S< und, passing Entry Island, and following on passed up the Acheron passage. Running up Wet Jacket Arm we anchored in a quiet cove some miles up the Arm. More than usually fine scenery is found here, which seems to become more imposing towards the head of the Arm, the peaks in view being probably identical with those seen from the western limit of Lake Te Anau. As the sun ■. i bsided. the whole of the southern side of the long array of peaked hills was lit up with a warm light, which changed the usual colour of the vegetation into a warm cadmium. The rock masses on their summits were bathed in the richest burnt sienna,

while the water, still and cold, added something to the colour effect by its deep purple gray colour, reflecting in the wavelets the greenish tint of the zenith, flow different the scene appeared in the early morning following when the woolly clouds were drifting past the extreme distance, and heavy rain was approaching, accompanied by stiff squalls m wind. A iter breakfast i t was decided to set sail for Dusky Sound. Beating up tne Acheron Passage the rain increased, and the wind blew almost to a gale: little was seen but an occasional shoal of porpoise s, and the freshen., g ol the wind and consequent lurching of the vessel, accompanied by the shrieking of the wind amongst the ropes, and the taking of I he seas over the weather bow, ,ed most of our excursionists to seek the quiet of their bunks below. After a heavy rain-fall, lasting all night, which we found a day later, on meeting with Mr Henry, curator on Resolution Head, had been registered by him as 5 8-10iti. in 24 hours the heaviest experienced here the night settled down very dark, ami some considerable difficulty was experienced in entering our retreat Duck Cove. The following morning being line, the scenery evoked tin* usual expressions of approval. i> was indeed a pretty place, with Mount Phillips dominating the scene. A few hours after breakfast we sailed on to Pick ersgill Harbour, picking up quite unexpectedly Mr Henry in his fine sailing boat, who was extremely glad to see our vessel, and at once ehanged his course and bore down on us. We meanwhile hoisted our ensign, and tiring off an old Snider rifle ns a salute, thus removing any fear in his mind Hint we were Boers. We now bored to hear some details of the Transvaal campaign, not having heard of the experiences of our countrymen since the sail story of Spionkop. some three weeks before.

Rut Mr Henry was unable to communicate anything new. Coming aboard, he settled down with us to a good dinner at 7 p.m. The following morning proving fine, a party exploited a high peak, returning with the much valued mountain lily (Ranunculus Lyalli), same fine specimens of daisies, and other rare botanical forms. Another party was away photographing the archipelago of islands, while yet a third party visited Indian Island. Facile Harbour, and revelled in the associations of the early visit of Captain Cook, exploring the garden made by ms men. and now grown over with high scrub. It will lie remembered by the reader that Cook reached here in H.M.S. Resolution in 1773, on his second voyage, lie anchored in Facile Harbour, but subsequently his lieutenant induced him to go into a cove near by, and quite land locked. Cook chartered this as Pickersgill Harbour. We an-

chored here for some time. The writer and others visited Captain Cook's luncheon cove, and Mr Henry, who had gladly offered to show us some of his discoveries, pointed out in turn huts used by the Maoris, made of fern stumps crossed and covered with vegetation, a secure place to crawl into during the frequent rains. He also showed us another group of better arranged huts, with floors corduroyed with tree fern trunks, marking the period of whaling ex-

peditions and the trying-out of the oil. This enterprise was at its best, the years 1820 and 11330. sealing being carried on at the same time with great activity. It, was arranged that we should proceed to Mr Henry’s rendezvous,

on Pigeon Head. so we got under weigh at about 8 a.ni.. followed by Mr. Henry in his yacht. After proceeding- some five miles the wind rose suddenly, ami so violently that Mr Henry advised us that we could not make our way among the" intervening islands, and after one or two tacks the wind came down in a heavy squall, and the loud; call of the captain was heard crying to lower the foresail. Our captain soon put the vessel about with fore and main-sail already reefed, and we ran back to Pickersgill Harbour, to spend the remainder of what, perhaps, was the most miserable day experienced during the trip. The day following was scarcely an improvement. and having in memory the loss of the Grafton in a harbour at the Auckla.nds by the breaking of an unsound cable, the lower anchor was let go to prevent the vessel drifting during the night. The following morning was fine, so we again set sail for

Pigeon Island, where Mr Henry has established his quarters. From him we were enabled to learn much of interest to the naturalist and the botanist, for although his work is supposed to be confined to the study of bird life, fishes, etc., yet he has made

a. complete study of the flora of the district, and the Government have certainly been most fortunate in seen, ing -such a man for the post which lie occupies,. He encouraged us to visit the wreck of the Endeavour—not to be confused with Cook’s vessel of the same name. This vessel would appear to have been in Sydney, then Botany Bay, about the year 1795. A number of convicts, said to be fifty or over, seized the vessel, and compelled, the captain to come down on the West Coast of New Zealand on a whalingcruise. Arriving in Dusky Bay. as it was then called, they concluded the place was little short of an earthly paradise, and scuttled the ship in Facile Harbour. A few fragments of the vessel still remain, seen at low water, around a long mound of broken stones—Sydney freestone, forming her ballast. From the knowledge one has now of this part of the colony, the misery endured by a number of human

creatures striving to live here, and their ultimate despair and miserable death, recalls the warning words of the immortal poet—'Tis better to bear the ills we have Than flee to others that we know not of. Mr Henry’s hospitality was cordially extended to us, and we spent two days verv pleasantly rowing about among the' islands, used his kitchen to make new bread, rowed to and from our vessel in his boat, photographers availed themselves of the use of his dark room for picture work, and our culinary department was increased by a present from him of smoked trumpeter ami rhubarb grown from his garden. A good deal of photographing was done here, and as this was. our last port of call a collection of interesting plants was made. When at last, noon of Tuesday, 6th March, was reached, the hour fixed for our departure, Mr. Henry was brought on board to say-good-bye, and I believe we were all sorry indeed 1 to break off from such a personality. Mr. Ferris, the commodore of our vessel, packed up a goodlysized box of good things, together with a bag of flour and some drinkables. These were placed in our friend’s boat, and after ’.much hand-shaking and many good - byes. the familiar “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow,” etc., was sung with ' enthusiasm. Sailing on we soon reached the entrance to the Sound, and with a fine breeze sped on our way home, passing in succession West Cape, Chalky, and Preservation Inlets, and were off the Green Islets as the twilight dimmed into night.

Quite unexpectedly, a ealm ensued, and we again experienced the horrors of a windless night, the vessel rolling and pitching on the long ocean swell, the noisy jerking of the booms, rolling from side to side, and the noise of the block taekle of the main sheets running over the traveller; this continued till nearly midday following, but thereafter dull clouds closed in and over us, and a heavy drizzle, but, with favourable breeze, helped the craft to reach Howell’s Point, at Riverton, after dark.

The morning following enabled the bar to be negotiated, and. with the Cavalier made fast to the wharf, the trip had come to an end. It was a matter for congratulation that we were able to leave the vessel without serious accident of any kind having happened. When we reached Howell's Point, at Riverton, we were all sorry indeed to part company with the genial skipper. A few small discomforts had been encountered, but the pleasure experienced in looking for nearly five weeks into places probably never before visited by man. or. as one gentleman remarked, “the pleasure of putting his hand so frequently on places where the foot of man had never trod,” had been experienced byus all. and the happy- memory of associations and genial companionship experienced will linger long within our

On our return we were made aware of the splendid results achieved by the British troops in the Transvaal—the relief -of Ladysmith and Kimberley—with success all along the British lines. We had wondered long as to the results that would follow the maddening reverse at Spion Kop, the last news received immediately- before our departure, and, after four and a-half weeks of anxiety, these grand results had been obtained, which made our hearts leap with joy. Our party- had no Boer sympathisers, or, if any one existed, he dared not show it, for surely- he would have been roughly handled on board the Cavalier. W. DEVER ELL.