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DUTTON'S TRACK.

Commencing at the junction of the Graham with the Motueka River, the track follows the banks of the Graham for 2 miles, when it reaches the foot of the Loadstone Mountain. It then goes up an undulating spur, which in many places is extremely precipitous, the slope of the spur being in many places 1 in 2, and 1 in 3. The track continues to ascend, with slight dips here and there, to 6 miles 60 chains from the commencement, at which point an elevation of 4,100 feet is attained; then it sides round the mountain, on a level, for 40 chains; then down a steep spur into a branch of Flora's Creek, at 8 miles 10 chains, along the banks of which it runs, crossing the creek (one of the heads of the Takaka), at 8 miles 32 chains (height above sea level 3,092 feet); then up a spur from Mount Arthur, it goes 40 chains; then up a steep hillside, to 11 miles 20 chains, the saddle between Mount Arthur and Gordon's Pyramid (height 4,400 feet); then along the western slopes of Mount Arthur, above the bush, to 12 miles 32 chains; then down a steep, rocky spur, to 12 miles 65 chains; then through rough, broken, limestone rocks and holes, to 13 miles 37 chains, to the Ponds (height 3,192 feet). The Ponds lie in a patch of open ground, about 150 acres in extent, covered with snow grass, and apparently very swampy.

The track then goes up a rising table-land to the commencement of Salisbury Open, at 14 miles 41 chains. Salisbury Open is situated on a high, undulating tableland, which extends from Mount Arthur, on the east, to Mount Peel, on the west. Its being devoid of bush is most probably attributable to its altitude, the greater part of it being over 4,000 feet above the sea. The surface is covered with snow-grass and stunted shrubs.

The track then runs across a part of Salisbury Open, to 15 miles; then down an easy descent, to 15 miles 36 chains, when the bush is entered again; then down a very precipitous and rocky spur to the Peel (the north branch of the Leslie), at 16 miles 70 chains. This spur is in many places very precipitous, and, in 1 mile 44 chains, 2,754 feet are descended. The track then goes along the banks of the Peel, which it crosses three times, to the Leslie, 19 miles; then down the north bank of the Leslie, to the Karamea Bend, 24 miles.

SUMMARY.—It would be the Leslie is a very bad one to make a road on, as many rocky points run out into the river, forming steep cliffs, which would entail a considerable amount of blasting.

SUMMARY.—It would be almost impossible to make a horse track, from this line, not only from the precipitous rises and falls, but also from the great elevation maintained from the 6th to the 15th mile. The track might be blocked with snow almost at any time of the year except the summer months.

The line of this track has been badly selected; the ascent should have commenced at the foot of the Sugar Loaf, on the south bank of the Graham, and carried on by this line, gradient, up the slopes of the Sugar Loaf, and the spur which connects it with the main range to the saddle, at the head of Flora's Creek (height 3,192 feet), then down the same creek, sidling round the various streams which descend from Gordon's Pyramid, then up the stream which flows from the Ponds, which are situated in the lowest point of the watershed between Mount Peel and Mount Arthur (height 3,912 feet); then down the Leslie to the Karamea Bend. The most difficult part of this line would be from the Ponds to the junction of the Peel and Leslie, as both these streams lie at the bottom of deep ravines: but I have no doubt that a very fair line would be obtained by careful search, although a good deal of side-cutting would be necessary.

From the junction of the Peel and Leslie to the Bend the track would follow the south bank of the Leslie on flat river terraces.

The distance from the Motueka river to the Karamea Bend would be about 25 miles by this line, and might probably cost about £50 per mile, taken all through, which is equal to £1,250. The highest point is at the Ponds (6,912 feet); the snow would probably stop horse traffic here occasionally during the winter months, but would not lie very long.

JONES'S TRACK.

Describing this track as I travelled it, it commences at the Karamea Bend, and follows the south bank of the Leslie on river flats for 2 miles 65 chains, then up a steep gorge between limestone cliffs, the track winding amongst large rocks, to 3 miles 60 chains (height, 2,196 feet, having risen 1,243 feet in a mile), then up an easy ascent, to 4 miles 50 chains, then up to 5 miles, where the spur dies out, then up the wide hill-side, which is very steep and precipitous, to 5 miles 20 chains, where the bush is left-behind (height, 4,634 feet), (then up (Excellior)) the steep bare mountain side to the summit, at 5 miles 30 chains (height, 4,881 feet). From the top of the limestone gorge, just described, to the summit, distance 1 mile 40 chains 2,685 feet are ascended.

The track then goes straight down the east side of the mountain, over a flat covered with spear grass and high scrub at 6 miles 10 chains (height, 3,691 feet), having fallen 1,190 feet in 60 chains, the upper 20 chains of this being exceedingly steep.

At 7 miles, the bush is entered; from this point to 12 miles 40 chains the track follows down the banks of the Baton River, occasionally crossing; the hills run down abruptly into the stream, making the ground very steep and sidling for travelling. From 12 miles 40 chains, to 15 miles, is flat hard ground, mostly open. At the fifteenth mile, Taylor's Accommodation house is reached.

SUMMARY.—This line offers no facilities for a horse track, its only recommendation is its extreme shortness; to make a horse road, several miles of zigzag side-cutting in rock would be required on both sides of the mountain, especially on the western side; and from the great elevation attained (4,881 feet) the track would frequently be blocked with snow during the winter months. But this is by far the best line for a foot track; £150 spent in altering the present track, and making a few rock side-cuttings, would make a very fair foot track for a mountainous country.

SNOW'S TRACK BY HOUGH'S SADDLE.

This track, cut by Messrs. Snow and Mackay, commences at the junction of the Skeet with the Baton (close by Taylor's), and follows the valley of the Skeet, occasionally crossing the stream, the track running on flat river terraces to 4 miles 60 chains; here side-cutting commences. At 6 miles 19 chains, the track begins to rise rapidly, but with good gradients, to 7 miles 32 chains (height, 2,665 feet), to the foot of a spur which leads to the saddle, then up a steep spur for 8 chains, rising 216 feet in that distance, then along an undulating spur to 7 miles 73 chains (height, 3,096 feet), then up a steep spur to the saddle, at 8 miles 45 chains (height, 4,290 feet) having risen 1,194 feet in 52 chains.