Page:Old Westland (1939).pdf/127

Rh of his sterling worth. In April, 1864, Whitcombe’s body was removed from the place where Lauper had buried it, and interred in the Karoro Cemetery, Greymouth.

Whitcombe Pass, and Whitcombe Quay, Blaketown, Greymouth, perpetuate the name of this unfortunate explorer.

Apart from the interest shown by the Canterbury and Nelson Provincial Governments in the West Coast, the Otago Provincial Government was also alive to its potentialities, and after the discovery of gold at the Shotover, Arrowtown and Wakatipu, many attempts were made to discover a practicable route. In January, 1863, a wonderful effort was made by Mr. Q. Caples, afterwards well known in Reefton as one of the most enterprising and successful miners in New Zealand. This daring man set out alone, without gun or map, and crossed the mountains at the head of the Dart River, cutting steps in the glaciers with a shovel, and descending the western watershed to a river which he called the Hollyford. Want of provisions compelled him to retreat, and while so doing he was forced to live upon native rats which were very plentiful. Re-equipping, he again set out and succeeded in crossing the ranges near the source of the Greenstone River, proceeding along the Hollyford to Martin’s Bay. The creeks and river beaches in that locality