Milford chronicle., 1889-07-05
HIGHEST m THE WORLD.
THE GREAT SUTHERLAND WATER
FALL OF NEW ZEALAND.
It Covers 1904 Feet in Three Leaps-A
Lake Surrounded by Mountains 1000
Feet High-The wild Country Where
Abides a Wen Known Explorer.


Lake Surrounded by Mountains 1000
Feet High-The wild Country Where
Abides a Well Known Explorer.
New Zealand can still boast Of one natural
celebrity, which will compensate in meas
ure for the loss Of those unique marvels Of
nature, the pink and white terraces, which
were so Suddenly destroyed by the disastrous
earthquake Of 1886 The credit Of the dis
covery of the stupendous waterfall, which
IS still unknown to the world at large, but
which is now found to be the highest of any
hitherto brought to Light in any other por-
ton of the globe. rests with a Mr.. Suther-
land. a well known explorer Of the west coast
sounds who has taken up his abode for
many years amid these surroundings Of soil
tarv grandeur far from any inhabited por-
ton Of the country, in part Of New Zea-
land still inaccessible except from the coast.
Here he lives alone with nature in all her
pristine splendor, receiving news only from
an occasional passing ship, unless, perchance,
another pioneering spirit come across him in
his wanderings in this picturesque region of
magnificent solitude
A small party Of gentlemen Of scientific
tastes started on an expedition not free from
danger. with the object of reaching and, if
possible, measuring and fixing the position Of
the Sutherland waterfall so called after its
discOverer, who up to then was the only hui
man being known to have accomplished the
feat The first step on their journey, Milford
sound. was reached, and here were landed all
the necessary swags Cthe colonial term for a
knapsack) and provisions, together with ma
terial for a canvas boat for use inland in
crossing Lake Ada The following account
Of their adventure is taken from notes by one
of the party, Mr.. Mackenzie, NJ Fl. R., and
published in The Otago Daily Times:
In passing, we must mention that the gran
deur of this sport can hardly be realized by
those who are not acquainted with the New
Zealand bays. Lovely as is the peculiar
beauty of the Swiss Alps, and reminded, as
one constantly Is in this country, OF the I'M
speakable charm Of its picturesque valleys
and snow laden mountains, yet there is an
immeasurably awe inspiring grandeur in This
unknown region, where the football Of man is
unhesrd. and the only sounds are tho songs
Of strange and beautiful birds, and tho rip
pling or rom Of waterfalls and courses
From Milford sound our party proceeded to
Lake Ada, to which stores, se g. boat etc,
had to be carried bodily through the bush; no
Easy undertaking, thro8gh its uuyial'ling and
pricl.ly tangie. However, the lake was
reached and next day saw the fsail canvas
crafs put together which was to carry TIE al
yanturers across it. This trip, says 1ir. 33ac-
kenzie, proved G very dang rous one, the
whole surface of the lake being a mass Of
snags
Accounting for this 40 says that at some
early period heavy avalanche is supposed to
have come dOwa and formed a nloraine
Transforming comparatively level fat Of
high birch trees iutoa lake Of from ten to forty
feet deep The trees have decayed between
the air and tho water line, the water pre-
serving the timber, so that now tho lake
simply bristles with sharp edged tops Of huge
trees, some a foot above water, others six
inches; some just tipping the surface, and
others at all depths. The wind was blowing
a little fresh, just causing a ripple sufficient
to prevent our seeing the submerged points.
As a consequence, we were continually get
ting on to them; but fortunately none came
through, although the sixteenth of an inch
of cotton canvas was all that was between us
and them.
DESCRIPTION OF THE LAKE.
The lake is about four and a half miles
long by a mile to a mile and half wide On
either hand huge mountains riso almost per-
pendicularly from the waters edge, covered
with snow and ice, and waterfalls come tum-
bling down on all sides. On the right, Ter
'ror's Peaks and Giants Gates 1900 feet
are the most remarkable feature. Ducks of
every variety skim upon the surface of the 1
lake, such as paradise, blue mountain, gray
and teal These abound and pay little heed |
to strangers. Several gigantic mountains
among them the Castle, the Danger, Mount |
Hall and Mount Daniel-suIround us, rising |
from six to seven thousand feet high, and we /
saw some fine avalauches coming down the 1
Barron slopes with a laundering roar Sow /
eral rivers fall into the head of the lake Wei
selected the center one, which turned out to |
be the Poseidon, and after rowing about two 4
miles UP, night coming on, we camped.
81 must leave 10 some able writer" Mr.. /
Mackenzie says, 'the work Of picturing to /
the world in suitable language the grandeur
of what viii soon be known as the highest
waterfall in tine world. 1t consists of three
leaps in an almost direct line; but when
standing about q quarter Of mile away, it
has the appearance Of a straight leap with
two breaks. Tho two upper leaps are equi-
distant, and the lower one shorter"
From more detailed account we take the
following: THE water issues from a narrow
utlAo HI TIC TUCK at uul OF INC Ifee lDlces
it then makes one grand leap of SIS feetinto
a rocky basin on the face Of the cliff; issuing
forth once more, it makes another fine leap
of Isl feet; and then goes tumbiing headlong
in one wild dash of 335 feet into the pool
right at the foot Of the precipice It viii
thus be seen that tie total height Of the fall
is 1904 feet, thus making it the highest
waterfall that has yet been discovered
in the world Proceeding right ON &c
the pool at the foot-hewn out, we
are told, by the heavy fall Of water from the
mound of stones and debris projected over in
times Of aood-Gt tho expense, however, Of
getting drenehed with the spray, a splendid
view Of the whole IS obtained and when the
sun IS shining the effect is enhanced by
beautiful rainbow of colors Of the most brill
liant kind conceivable. This bow is nearly 9
full circle; and the closer you get to it the
smaller it grows, TIL it is right in front Of
your face-a brilliant hued ring a yard in
diameter"
Many uncommon ferns end plants as we'll
as rare birds wee met with in lhis solitary
resioni among tie latter was lovely bird
tie scarlet waatLscrow also tho Nsw Zealand
thrush and the saddiebaok Kiwis, rowas
the wingless birds aud kakapo che ground
parrot wcF, fairly plentiful, we are told
Chambers Journal