Page:Old Westland (1939).pdf/129

Rh was found. Even the beaches were reported to be very poor, and were calculated to yield a return of only 7s. 6d. a day, per man, which was not a payable proposition when mining was carried out by the primitive methods then pertaining. After remaining some considerable time at and around the bay, this party, in December, 1864, sailed north and duly reached the Grey.

The most important expedition from Otago, however, was carried out by Vincent Pyke and a mining surveyor named Coates, who had in attendance three experienced men. This party was indeed well equipped, and had as beasts of burden two mules and two horses. They set out from the Dunstan on August 28th, 1865, with a view to finding a practicable road-line to the West Coast via Lake Wanaka. Two days after starting they met Hai Monare Weti (generally known on the Otago goldfields as Maori Jack), who was engaged to accompany the expedition. At the outset very bad weather prevailed and it rained incessantly for several days. When the explorers reached the Haast their progress was barred by an almost unbroken series of rocky gorges, through which the river foamed in a succession of cascades and rapids for a distance of from ten to twelve miles.

As they were afraid their provisions would not hold out while a road was being made for