55

We consequently turned our horses’ heads to the southward, set fire to the country behind us, and, passing over Jollie’s Pass, reached Stonyhurst Station, on the Hurunui, on the 11th of April, just before bad weather set in, which covered the mountains with snow.

I have little to add to the foregoing epitome of my journal of the two routes from Tarndale.

That by the Clarence is the shorter by about five miles and the river is the easier to ford; whilst the route by the Acheron is the most perfect level, less stony, and at present has the advantage of having been, for the greater part, cleared by successive fires.

As a pastoral country, I am inclined to prefer the Tarndale and Acheron country to that of the Clarence. There is, however, abundance of excellent grass in either; the soil is everywhere light, and presents more frequently the appearance of pulverized rock, with a remarkable small admixture of vegetable matter.

The mountains throughout the country I traversed seem to be composed of sandstone, clayey slate, or shale, more or less hardened and altered in character by volcanic action. Here and there I saw rocks of basaltic appearance, but I am inclined to believe that the purely volcanic formation rarely exists except in the Kaikōura block.

In general, mountains rising to a height of about 2,000 or 3,000 foot above the valleys, are rounded, bare topped, and covered with beds of broken shingle, through which those of greater altitude rear their peaks of rock, the whole presenting the appearance of a country undergoing physical changes.

As a general rule, the sides of the mountains, the lower hills, and the valleys, are covered with grass; the black birch is found on the Clarence and Waiau to a level of about 3,000 feet (as nearly as I can estimate) above the sea; the mānuka at a somewhat lesser elevation.

I observed no new plants or shrubs which I had not previously noticed, and the season of the year was unfavorable for such research.

No rare or remarkable birds fell under my observation. The blue whistling duck delights in rocky mountain-streams, with the Paradise goose; and an occasional teal or widgeon, formed part of our daily fare; whilst the unsophisticated wood-hen often amused us by pecking and prying, with quaint attitude and curious eye, around our encampments.

Wild dogs appear to abound, especially on the Clarence.

Before I conclude it may not be amiss to mention, that I saw no traces of the earthquakes which have lately been so severely felt in some parts of these islands—another proof of their local nature.

In bringing this report to an end, I may be permitted to express a confident hope, that the easy and direct line of communication now established between Nelson and Canterbury may prove to the advantage of either province.

I have, &c.,

Fred. A. Weld.
Stonyhurst, Hurunui, April 15, 1855.

Provincial Secretary’s Office,
Christchurch, July 3rd, 1855.

HIS HONOR THE SUPERINTENDENT directs the following Reports relative to explorations in search of a New Country in the southern portion of this Province, and a Line of Road between the Waimea and the Wairau, be published for general information.

By His Honor’s command,

T. B. Kelly,
Chief Clerk.

To the Provincial Secretary, Nelson.

Sir,—I beg to report to you, for the information of His Honor the Superintendent, the result of the exploration undertaken by me at His Honor’s request, in order to examine a tract of country reported by the natives to exist between the head of the Wairau and the southern portions of the province.

I started from Nelson, with my brother-in-law, on Saturday morning, the 7th instant, and reached the Top House, in the Wairau, on the Sunday evening, intending to commence the journey up the river on the following day. The natives who were appointed as my guides, and the European (Mr. Robert Strange) whom I had selected to accompany me, had reached the Top House on Saturday afternoon.

On Monday the 9th, we had heavy rain with wind from the south-west, which detained us at the Top House. The weather cleared towards evening, and we started on Tuesday morning, at 8 a.m.

Our loads were rather heavy, those of the natives in particular, which somewhat exceeded 60lbs., in consequence of their taking a stock of useless clothing.

We attempted to enter the bush at the head of the Reserve, but found a deep swampy creek in front of it, after floundering in which for some time, we made for the banks of the river.

These we pursued, without incident of any kind, for about 9 miles, when we camped, the natives feeling fatigued from their day’s work.