Wichita eagle., 1889-02-01
NEW ZEAlAND'S WiLDS.
What an American Tourist Saw in Il
Antipodal Wonderland.

What an American Tourist Saw in the
AntipodaI Wonderland.
When ! started from Los Angeles, about
two years ago, says correspondent of the
San Francisco Call, it was not with the in.
tention of exploring in this land of wonders,
nor becoming one of a surveying party.
What a storehouse of curIositles New
Zealand is. Boiling lakes of sulphur. of
mud and of water. alongside of which, very
often separated by wall of rock scarcely a
loot IN thickness, are to be found pools of
ice cold water. Smoking volcanoes, every
day earthquakes, as the people here call
them; snoW-clad peaks, magnificent water
TAILS, great precipltous mountains, tower
ing thousands of feet into the air and
nearly covered by splendid virgin forests
of rare and useful woods. Rich deposits of
a gum-knoWn in the commercial world as
hauri-are scattered over large portions
of the north island; great fields of coal,
iron, copper, gold, silver, etc, are lying
ready for the capitalist and the workman.
Ii struck me as most singular that nature
should have so magnifcently favored these
three little islands-thousands of miles
from civillZation-and left it's immense
island continent neighbor, Australia, so
nearly barren. had always believed that
my own dear country, America, was the
only place on earth where these mysteries
of nature reigned supreme, but have
learned, guessing through telescopes, the
height of the great Sutherland waterfall,
named after the discoverer, has for the last
year or more been exciting discussion
between the various learned associations Of
Australia and New Zealand, and in fact the
p,-r4 n
had taken hand in the talking and fgur-
ing. Scientific men journeyed all the way
from old England, France and Australia to
Milford sound-situated on the west coast
of New 2ealand-to have a guess at this re-
markable freak of nature, Guess, l say,
for not one of the many "wiseacresr could
get nearer view of the falls than sixteen
miles. Wen, to show how good these men
of science were with guessing through the
telescope the answers ranged from five
hundred to five thousand feet So exciting
had become the solution of its height, apd
so many accidents had occurred TO adventur-
Gus spirits N their endeavors to solve the
mystery, that the New Zealand Govern
mert either becoming afraid of an inter
national or intercolonial conflict, got in the
other day and spoiled the fun by sending
out surveying party to get the facts and
figures and cut track to the falls at all
hazards. This was mistake, for it less
ened the interest taken in New Zealand
which the dispute has kept at fever heat
for over year.
On arrival at Milford sound we were met
by MIR. Sutherland. the discoverer of the
famous falls. TO tourists and New Yea
landers he is known as the Hermit of Mil
ford sound" Eleven years ago, accomps-
MED only by his dogs, be located here,
where be has built three-roo,n cottage,
which he keeps scrupulouslv clean and In
apple-pIe order. The kitchen occupies the
center room, his bedroom on the right and
the other always ready for any wanderer
who may happen along. Around the walls
of this curious dwelling are some fair
sketches Of the mountain scenery. drawn
by himself. Bottles Of minerals, gold
quartz. ruoies, etc, are neatly arranged on
shelves. Skins OF rare native birds deco
rate and hide the baroness of the walls and
their beauty is enough 10 make lover OF
zoolatry envious. Sutherland Is a Scotch
man and q decidedly eccentric character.
but tor all that n fund Of information and
dry humor. He has no love for the city
chaps" calling them ''ashfelters.m Tour
lists he has in great contempt, saying they
viii take any thing they can lift; photog-
raphers, who occasionally visit the sound,
are spoken of as shadow -catchers."
The first stage of the journey after leav-
ing the sound is done by boat up the Arthur
river. For the next two miles a series of
unnavlgabie rapids are passed until the
fern tree hut st the foot Of Lake Ada is
reached. Again entering our canvas boat.
we had plain sailing for three miles-the /
length OF the lake-passing through some
OF the most beautiful and grandest of
scenery At the upper end OF this lake
two large rivers enter. One was chris !