Page:The journal of the Royal Geographic Society of London. Volume 34, 1864. (IA s572id13663720).pdf/315

Rh, there would be little danger in a vessel anchoring in it for a short time in fine weather, to wait the proper time in taking the bar, as, if a northerly gale sprang up, she could easily reach Milford Sound with the first of it.

The dangers, however, which are incurred in entering the Kaduku River, are very great in its present condition, arising from the narrowness of the channel, the strength of the outsetting current (excepting at high water), and the exposed nature of the coast, on which there is nearly always a heavy swell rolling. Still, however, I believe it could be greatly improved, and would form at least quite as good a port as many which are freely entered by sailing vessels and steamers of small size on other parts of the New Zealand coast. If, however, an easy line of route be discovered to the interior of the Province from this point, this district—which is in itself of great interest—will obviously acquire a still higher importance, from its being the nearest part of New Zealand to the Australian and Tasmanian ports, so that in future times it may not improbably be a terminus of mail and telegraphic communication. In that case, for the convenience of large vessels, it would be necessary to have communication with Milford Sound, either by a system of lighterage, or overland, by road or railway, and thus render useful one of the most excellent harbours on the coast; the only defect of which arises from its great depth of water and small extent of available land on its shores.

A previous examination of the structure of the country between Kaduku River and Lake Wakatipu, left no doubt on my mind that the Southern Alps were traversed in this longitude by a depressed valley, similar in all probability to that recently described by Dr. Haast as leading from the head of the Wanaka Lake, and through which I might certainly expect to find an easy route between the east and west slopes of the island. This impression I communicated verbally at the time to his Honour the Superintendent, my only doubt being as to the exact place at which such a route would terminate on the coast. A statement, which I had heard, that Messrs. kellar and Gun had seen the waters of Milford Sound, inclined me, though it was rather against my own theoretical views, to expect it to lead towards that point; but my examination of the valley of the Cleddau River, at the head of Milford Sound, had quite precluded any hope of a low pass in that direction. However, the view I had from Skipper's Range, above the east shore of Kakapo Lake, enabled me at once to recognise the proper line of route as lying up the valley of the Kakapo (or Hollyford) River; and further, from the Maoris we met on the coast, I learnt that, by travelling in that direction, several parties of natives had in former days migrated to the