Tenting Amongst the Lyell Mountains.

New Zealand Illustrated Magazine, 1 December 1904, Page 163

Tenting Amongst the Lyell Mountains.

By W. TOWNSON.

YELL is a picturesque little digging township with its houses perched on the hill-side, where the Buller Road forms an elbow at the crossing of Lyell Creek. It is distant about thirty-live miles from Westport, and as you approach from that direction you cross a very jine iron bridge, supported on stone piers, spanning the Buller River where it narrows between two opposing bluffs. From the bridge it is but a short distance to "Murderer's Bluff," from which eminence you look down upon the slumbering hamlet across the creek. It is not a place in which to hurry, yourself, repose is the dominant note, and the only excitements, the arrival and departure of the mail coach, and the influx of litigants and their legal advisers on Court day. Mr. Boswell and 1 were bent on exploring the neighbouring mountains, having nearly a month at our disposal for the purpose, and Avith every prospect of spending a pleasant holiday. The country around was a " terra incognita " in a botanical sense, I had, therefore, an excellent chance of making a good collection of plants, as there was promise of the discovery of new species, and of new facts regarding plant distribution. In order to work the ground to the best advantage, it was found necessary to camp out, and we were provided with tent and flics — kindly lent by the County Engineer — and

camp-gear and stores, packed into the smallest possible compass, so as to make convenient loads, for the pack-horses. Mr. Ilasrnussen attended to the transport of our outfit, and did his work well, and at his hotel we were hospitably entertained. We decided to pitch our first camp under the crown of Boundary Peak, and with this object we set out early the next morning, Rasmussen with the pack-horse in the lead, and my companion and I walking behind, loaded with cameras, rifle, butterfly-net and plant-presses, as any one of these necessary parts of our outfit might be called into requisition during the day's march. Our route lay along the Buller road for some miles, and then we turned up the spur, following the prospecting track lately made over the Bruimer Range. It is good travelling for pedestrians, but certainly not for a loaded horse, as the ground in some of the shady gullies is wet and yielding, and our guide anxiously watched his horse as it struggled and plunged through the soft mire. How quickly a horse scents danger. It was interesting to watch our pack-horse sniffing at a bad place, and looking out for the best means of negotiating it. Slowly we wended our way up the sinuous mountain track, stopping at intervals to admire the ever beautiful beech bush with its wealth of glossy foliage and undergrowth of creepers and ferns. Our destination was reached just as the evening shadows were creeping over the mountain's side, for

we had attained an elevation of over 3000 feet, where the roadmakers had formerly camped, at what is known as the five-mile, forty-chain peg. it was only needful to sling our tent and fly over the poles conveniently left standing, make fast the guy-ropes, cut firewood, and fresh birch tops for our bunks, and give it a good sweep out with a bush broom, to render it fit for occupation. Tt proved to be an excellent camp in every respect, and we made it our home for ten days. At the back of the tent a spring of ice-cold water welled out d the bank, and we scooped out a shallow pool below, which did du-jy for a bath. Our iire-iiy was made of oiled calico, and proved of great service during the next few days, as a nor'-easter set in, and tested its qualities thoroughly. Great raking birch-trees towered over us, providing some shelter from the storm, but as the gale increased they bent before the blast, and swayed to and fro, scattering showers of twigs and leaves around, and causing us no small feeling of insecurity in our little calico house at their base. However, on a mountain side the old patriarchs of the forest become inured to that sort of assault, and take a firmer grip of the ground niter each trial of strength with the elements, and we soon gained full confidence in their winning the day, and became indifferent to the battle raging' above. The drain cut around the camp was running a banker, and the rain squalls threshed the undergrowth, whilst great masses of vapour swept over us, and we had to pile the birch logs on the fire to keep up an appearance of cheerfulness as we dodged the clouds of pungent smoke. Fortunately for us the storm abated on the third day, and we set out for a tramp over some of the peaks which constitute the Brunner Range. The track led us through the bush for half a mile, and then brought us out to the clear country,

where finger-posts, planted five chains apart, indicate the line to take to strike the next section of the track. We reached the summit of Boundary Peak at an elevation of 4000 feet, and found there a square mile or more of open country surrounding the mountain top, covered with stunted shrubs and native grasses, to which the County Engineer has given the name of " Flora-dale." An old billy inverted upon a fingerpost marked the highest point. Flora-dale proved subsequently to he rich ground for the plant collector, and 1 secured many specimens which were new to me. Numerous little rills intersect the bare spurs, those on the north-east face ultimately run into tributaries of the Little Deep-dale creek. At the source of each rill there is a mountain bo<i\ ankle-deep in soddon moss, amongst which many varieties of delicate Alpine flowers bloom. Descending :>(>() feet we reached the continuation of the track leading further down-hill to a saddle, where in places the birch-trees stood in such close rank that daylight could barely struggle through. Nature is prodigal in situations where shelter and moisture encourage the growth of the more delicate forms of plant-life, and the whole hill-side was thickly carpeted with many varieties of delicate terns and great cushions of emeraldgreen mosses, while the birch trunks were festooned with lichens and parasitic plants, and mosses of many hues hung pendent from their branches. Bush wrens and creepers were busily pryino 1 amongst the lichens, and into the crevices of the bark in search of material for their morning meal ; native canaries fluttered in the tree- tors, their clear call relieving the stillness of the forest ; yellow-crowned paroquets were calling to us to " give them a bit of bread " ; a pair of tomtits, clinging to a supplejack, seemed to enquire into the reason for our intrusion ;

the bush warbler's sibilant, broken-ofr-short-song was also heard ; and as I was pointing- out some object to Mr. Boswell, a fan-tail lit with all confidence upon my walking stick which I was using as -a pointer, and its mate took up its station upon the camera legs which Mr. Boswell was carrying. Altogether we counted seven varieties of birdsin one patch of olearias and birchtrees. After a stiff climb through the 4 bush, we again, emerged into the

open, where spur after spur had to be patiently surmounted before the top of the next peak was gained, the height of which is 4800 feet. On this first ascent the fog which had ' been hanging about all the morning, closed down upon us and compelled us to beat a retreat, and on our way home we had to be very careful after finding one finger-post not to lose it in our search for the next. Mr. Boswell stood by the last found whilst I made casts round lo'okingjpr the next one, the finding

of which was proclaimed by a " cooee," a signal which soon brought my companion up, and slowly but surely we worked our way back to the track. One of our troubles was the necessity of climbing- over the top of Boundary Teak every day on our return to camp, tired and leg-weary, but there was no escape from it. As we looked through the tree-tops from our camp, Mt. Frederic faced us, and served as a good barometer, for if its top was not enveloped in a

vapoury hood, we might safely conclude that our mountains were clear of fog also. When the wind was favourable, we could plainly hear the Denniston whistle, and we set our watches by it more than once. I had a bee alarm clock hanging from the ridge-pole of the tent, and its tick sounded quite homely in our mountain solitude. As the next morning proved fine, breakfast was prepared by starlight, and our eggs and bacon were discussed just as dawn was faintly

glimmering, and the kakas were heralding its approach with their harsh clamour. We set out on our climb in excellent spirits, and when we reached the point from where the Inangahua Valley could usually be seen, a strange view was presented to us. Tho whole valley was filled with billowy mist, out of which a few of the highest moun-tain-tops rose like islands in a vast sea. The fog-banks extended in wave-like succession far as the eve

could reach, motionless, and enveloping all the lowlands as with a white woollen pall. By ten o'clock the sun had dispelled this accumulated vapour, and the morning became brilliantly clear. We travelled as far as the ten mile peg, crossing some rock-strewn bluffs, which so far are unsurveyed and nameless. The track has been made for twentytwo miles, and when finished will reach the Victoria Range, near Reefton.

Spear-grasses have to be reckoned with on this line of country, and the Government Botanist, in writing to me on the subject, expressed his surprise at the curious varieties growing on our West Coast mountains, which are quite unknown on the East. After crossing one high point, a narrow razor-backed saddle led us to the next, and on several occasions we climbed four or five peaks, ranging in height from between four and five thousand feet,

before getting back to camp. It was all granite country, with stray patches of micaceous schist, and was well watered., although as we had struck the record summer for fine weather known to the coast, the mountain herbage was beginning to show signs of withering, and many of the springs were drying up. Large flowered mountain daisies starred the Alpine meadows, and what are popularly known as mountain primulas- were in great

profusion, and all the water-courses were decked with veronicas and white-flowered " Senecio Lyalli." One morning' I took my Goerz binoculars up with me, and we seated ourselves upon a sunny slope, and had a grand opportunity of observing our surroundings. McKay's hotel at the Junction was plainly seen, and we watched some cattle being driven along the Buller road. The windings of the Inangahua Eiver could be followed almost to Beefton, but a range of low hills intercepted our view of the town. The Grey valley was spread out before us, backed up to the southward by the snow-clad Southern Alps, Mt. Cook standing out white and majestic with its snowfields glittering in the sunlight. To the west the Paparoa range was seen in its entire length, its rugged outline toothed and indented like the edge of an inverted cross-cut saw, the only glimpse of the sea being through the gap at the entrance to the Buller Gorge, near Westport. Seaward the mountain chain, commencing with Mt. Rochfort and running out 'beyond Mt. Glasgow, formed a continuous rampart between us and the coastline, while inland we could trace the well-known outlines of Mt. Arthur and Mt. Owen, with Mts. Newton and Mantell filling the middle distance between the Brunner range and the lofty St. Arnaud chain. Mt. Lyell was carefully studied in its every detail, as our next camp was to be pitched under its slopes. We spent one day on a diverging range which overlooks the Little Deepdale, and in the gully below there is a very fine waterfall, which was running dry during our visit. The crag-fronted bluff in the photograph was a prominent feature in this range, and its rugged scarps, and deeply-scarred face gave it a gloomy and forbidding aspect. I climbed over the top of it, carefully and deliberately, as on its narrow ridges the rocks were loosely piled, and a false step meant a fall of

hundreds of feet. The height to which large timber grew on these mountains surprised us, as lofty trees were found at an altitude of over 3000 feet, whilst on the coast ranges they dwarf at a little more than half that elevation. When we reached camp in the evening, laden with spoil, our first consideration was a bath at the spring, then after lighting a fire, and hanging up our wet clothes to dry and smoke, preparations were made for dining sumptuously and well. That meal was invariably thoroughly enjoyed, and during its progress we discussed our plans for the morrow, after which, in the glow of the blazing logs, the aroma of tobacco rose like incense on the night air. The plants collected during the day had to 'be arranged in the presses before turning in, and the last to bed had to bank up the fire and tie up the door of the tent. A weka caused us considerable amusement as he constituted himself scavenger-in-chief, and would allow no feathered intruders. He evidently considered that lie had pegged out a special claim, and was ever on the watch to see that it wasn't jumped, and if another woodhen so much as peered into a meat tin, or laid beak to a crust of bread or mutton bone, he spread out his wings and sailed for the trespasser, chasing it far down the track, peckinu% and buffeting it vigorously as it fled. Tlie little bush wrens often flitted about under our fire-fly, creeping familiarly about the tentpoles, emitting their sharp, squeaking notes. After further excursions to Floradale, and spendine a day with the 'camera in the higher mountains, we concluded that we would , break camp and go down to Lyell hy the short cut. We packed up our-im-pedimenta ready for the packhorses, shouldered our swags, and came down to the river-bank opposite the Lyell township. The river here is crossed by a chair, and as we pulled on the line to haul it

up to the landing, the rope gave way on the opposite side, and went trailing down into the river, leaving us in rather an awkward predicament. It was too late in the evening to think of effecting repairs, and as there was no other means of crossing that night, we were obliged to camp out in the open, within a few chains of our hotel, but un-» fortunately on the wrong side of the river. We had brought no provisions with us, and were without blankets, but it was a fine night, and sleeping under the canopy of Heaven was no great hardship. We made a frugal supper of three blackberries and a drink of water, and our bed consisted of a narrow bit of

scantling with a 'bad warp in it. We raised a fire 'by breaking up an old fence, but it did not suffice to drive away the mosquitoes which proved a nuisance. I do not remember ever having a better opportunity of studying the stars than on that occasion, and we were glad when daylight enabled us to see our way along the old Lyell track, bringing us, after a seven miles tramp, safely to our desired haven, and breakfast. We warned a Chinaman who was in the habit of using the chair, that the line was adrift, but that morning he disregarded our warning, and loosened the chair which we had made fast, got into it, and was hung up over

the middle of the stream. He was •only rescued by being lassoed and thus hauled in. After a day or two of rest, we set out with a pack load of stores for a camp already pitched under the spurs of Mt. * Lyell. The road follows, the Lyell Creek, zigzagging and winding up the side of the Lyell hill, and is very beautiful, parts of it reminding me of pictures which I have seen of passes amongst the Swiss mountains. We passed the

Alpine Battery and the little settlement of Gibbstown, peopled by miners and their families. Still upward our route lay, and I was pleased to find the mossy watercourses which we crossed beautified by mats of the native calceolaria, which adorned the wet rocks with its purple-spotted flowers. The same season Mr. Cockayne found it growing further south, and these are, so far, the -only records of its toeing a native of

the South Island. I also found a gentian growing" higher up on the side of the track, which is new to the botanical authorities. Our camp was reached about midday, and after parting with our packer, we were once more left to the solitude of the birch forest about ten miles from Lyell. We soon made our tent habitable, but it was not nearly as good a camp as the one we had left. Water had to be carried up out of a deep gully

some chains away, and insects abounded in it. The presiding wood-hen was in this, as in our other camp, a good fighting bird, but could only boast of one feather in its tail, and as it erected this scanty appendage at every step, it presented a very ludicrous appearance. A sheep-track led us to Mt. Lyell, and we met with no special difficulties in climbing- up the western slopes. We had a short saddle to

cross, on one side of which a small stream was running towards Lyell Creek, and on the other was a tributary of the right-hand branch of the Mokihinui, the saddle being the dividing point of the two watersheds. The ridge of the mountain is semi-lunar, with a rocky face to the north, but clear spurs to the south, and the trig station is at an elevation of 4300 feet. There is a lakelet near the summit, and one hot morning we made a dasli for it, as we were terribly thirsty. We lay down on the grassy bank and buried our faces in its tepid water, drinking deep draughts quite regardless of multitudes of beetles which were sculling about in every direction, and an assorted lot of squirming and wriggling aquatic beasts right under our noses. When our thirst was assuaged we discussed the advisability of taking a dose of insect powder on reaching home. While climbing up a steep, stony ridge, 1 found quite a distinct variety of spear-grass, and I have every hope that before long I shall hear that it is another new one. There is a magnificent view from the top of Mt. Lyell, and we made several ascents, but unfortunately there was a considerable amount of burning going on in the valleys, and the smoke obscured the view somewhat. Mt. Glasgow can

be seen very distinctly, and its ragged ridges are very imposing. 1 decided at once that it should be the scene of my next climbing expedition, but that is another story. On the last day of our stay in camp I went over the bush spur behind our tent, and crossed into New Creek to look at a quartz reef which was being opened up there. I was shown over the workings, and was very favourably impressed with its chances of proving a good property. The same afternoon we paid a visit to Zalatown, which was once a busy and populous digging township. It is situated on a hill-top not far from Gibbstown, and there is nothing now to mark the site but a few broken down dwellings, and a great many empty bottles, which 1 rind constitute one of the main features of a decayed mining camp. Goats and wood-hens roamed unmolested through the rank grass with which the place was overgrown. Holidays must come to an end. My companion's time was up, so we journeyed once more to Lyell, collected our traps, and reached town, very brown and thin, but well contented with our sojourn amongst the Lyell Mountains. Mr. Boswell returned to work, while I, having more leisure, selected another companion, and set out for Mokihinui and Mt. Glasgow.