Page:Rambles on the Golden Coast of New Zealand.djvu/57

Rh half-way up the hill-side. An hour afterwards another smoke was visible still higher, and then a third; and as it was close to the highest level of the forest, the figures of the three mountaineers were looked for eagerly by the aid of the glass. Another half-hour, and a smoke and the party themselves were distinguished, about 500 ft. from the summit, or where the forest ceased; and in a few minutes more the mountain-top was ablaze, and we on board the “Geelong” did what they on the hill were, no doubt, also doing—we breathed freely. The ascent occupied five hours, and involved a considerable use of the hands as well as of the feet. The descent did not occupy half of that time, but it was revealed, by the appearance of the habiliments of the party, that it had been accompanied by more than merely the exercise of the pedal and digital extremities. It was confessed by the Secretary for Land and Works that though, physically, he presented no peculiar adaptation for the performance of acrobatic feats, he did on this occasion accomplish some evolutions of a rotatory character which were quite unexpected on his part, and not a little astounding to himself, as well as to the two privileged spectators.

The ascent of this particular hill, I have already explained, had been undertaken for the purpose of setting at rest a suspicion as to the existence of some available land, in continuation of the comparatively level country which skirts the coast between Chalky Inlet and Dusky Sound. The day was favourable for an uninterrupted view, and a large extent of territory was visible in all directions from the point where the party stood; but it was found to form more a subject for graphic description, or a panoramic painting, than for entry on the Survey maps as country capable of settlement. There was a steep descent on the landward side of the hill, and a narrow but deep ravine intervening between it and the nearest range. The next range was, in fact, almost within gunshot, and beyond it there was a continuation of similar ranges, with steep sides, strangely serrated summits, and scarcely a vestige of vegetation. Utterly impracticable as the country is, it is not, however, without interest. Its general appearance, and especially the indications of the slips, so far as they could be seen, led to the belief that a great part of the district, both to the southward and eastward, is of gold-bearing slates. The hill which the party ascended was found to be of granite, but of granite different from what had been seen in the other Sounds, being both micaceous and felspathic. Occasional fragments of gneiss were picked up, and on the summit it was got in situ; the gneiss also containing a considerable proportion of mica and felspar. Two lakes were seen—one at the extremity of the ravine, which extended southward from Dusky Sound for a distance of fourteen or fifteen miles, and another within a mile or two of the head of the Sound. Such parts of the country as were timbered did not appear to be heavily wooded, and even the seaward front of the mountain, up which the party had climbed, was found to be much more than its aspect, as seen from the deck of the steamer, would lead one to suppose. At one place the trees were so far apart and regularly disposed as to resemble an artificially-formed avenue, and there were numerous tracks similar to those of sheep, and which were, probably, the tracks of the kiwi or kakapo. A slight addition was made by the party to the botanical collections, some obtained from the very