Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-07-26
RIOOESTIN The WORLD.
Locating Waterfall in New Zea-
land Which is Stupendous Be-
You'd BELIEF.

You'd BELIEF.
New Zealand can still boast of one
natural celebrity, which will compen-
safe in measure for the loss of those
unique marvels of nature, the pink and
white terraces, which were SO sudden
! ly destroyed by the disastrous earth
quake of 1886. The credit OF the dis
covery OF the stupendous waterfall,
SAYS Chambers's Journal 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 portion of the globe, rests with
| Mr. Sutherland. a well known explorer
of the west coast sounds, who has t.
ken up his abode for many years amid
these surroundings OF solitary grand
eur, far from any inhabited portion OF
the country, in Il part OF New Zealand
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 mis- wander
ings in this picturesque and magniti-
| cent solitude.
A few months ago small party OF
gentlemen Of scientific TASTES started
on an expedition, not free from danger,
with the object Of reaching and, il
! possible measuring ana fixing the po-
/ sitiOn of the Switzerland waterfall. SO
called after its discoverer, who. up TO
then, was the only human being known
to have accomplished the feat. The
first step on their journey, Milford
| Sound, was reached the 9th Of Sep
TENDER, and here were landed all the
necessary swags (the colonial term for
knapsacIl) and provisions, together
with material 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 par
/ ty, Mr.. Mckenzie, NJ II. r., and pub
lished in the Otage Daily Times:
La passing, we must mention that
the grandeur OF this spot can hardly be
realized by those who are not acquaint-
ed 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 unspeakable
charm of its picturesque valleys aud
snow-laden mountains, yet there is an
UNNECESSARILY awe-inspiring grandeur
in this unknown region, where the foot
fall of man is unhcard and the only
sounds are the songs OF strange and
beautiful birds and the ripping or roar
OF waterfalls and courses.
From Milford sound our party pro-
ceeded TO Lake Ada, TO winch stores,
swags, boat, etc, had 10 be carried
! bodily through the bush; no easy un-
dertaking, through its unyielding and
prickly tangle. However, the lake
was reached; and next day saw the
frail canvas craft put together which
was TO carry the adventurers across it,
This trip, says Mr.. Mackenzie, proved
very dangerous one. the whole sur
| face of the lake being "a mass OF snags.
Accounting for this, he says that at
some early period a heavy avalanche
is supposed TO have come down and
! formed a moraine across the mouth of
/ the Arthur river. thus Transforming
/ a comparatively level flat Of high birch
! trees iuto lake Of from ten to forty
/ feet deep. The trees have decayed be-
tween the air and water line the water
preserving the timber. so that now the
/ lake simply bristles with sharp-edged
/ tops OF huge trees, some 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 ripple sufficient
/ to prevent our seeing the submerged
| points. As "a consequence we were
continually getting onto them, but for
tunately none came through, althoug h
the sixteenth of an inch of cotton canvas
was all that was between US and them.
The lake is about four and a half
miles long by a mile TO a mile and
| half wide. On either side huge noun
tains rise almost perpendicularly from
the waters edge, covered with snow
and ice, and waite RAILS come tumbling
down on all sides. On the right Ter
ror peaks and Giants Cats 5000 eD
are the most remarkable featu IS.
/ Ducks of every variety skim upon the
surface OF the 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-surround us,
rising from 5000 TO 1000 feet high, aud
we saw some fine avalanches coming
down the Barron slopes with thun-
dering roar. Several rivers fall into
the head OF the lake. We selected the
center one. which turned out to be the
Poseidon, and after rowing about two
miles up, night coming on, we
~ Yo,,ad -