Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-03-22
NEW zEALAND's WiLDs.
What an American Tourist Saw In
the Antipodal Wonderland.


When l started from Los Angeles,
about two years ago. says correspon-
dent OF the San Francisco Call, it was
not with the intention OF exploring in
this land of wonders, nor becoming one
of surveying party. What store
house of curiosities New Zealand Is.
Boiling lakes of sulphur OF mud and OF
water, alongside of which. very often
separated by wall OF rock scarcely
foot in thickness, are to be found pools
of ice cold water. Smoking volcanoes,
everyday earthquakes, as the people
here call them snow-clad peaks, mag
niticent waterfalls, great precipitous
mountains, towering thousands OF feet
into the air and nearly covered by
splendid virgin forests OF rare and use
full woods. Rich deposits OF gum
known In the commercial world as a
kauri-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 work.
man.
1t struck me as most singular that
nature should have so magniticently ia
vored the Sc three little islands-thou-
sands of miles from civilization-and
left its immens sc island continent neigh
Dor, Australia, so nearly barren. j had
always believed that my own dear
country, America, was the only place
on earth where these mysteries OF ma
ture reigned supreme, but l have
learned, guessing through telescopes,
the heighth OF Sutherland waterfall,
! al. IL
the last year or more been exciting dis
cussion between the various learned
associations OF Australia and New Tea
land, and in fact the Royal Geographical
! Society of Great Britain had taken a
| hand in the talking and figuring. Sci
entific men journeyed all the way from
old England, France and Australia to
Milford sound situated on the west
| coast of New Xealand-to have guess
ut this remarkable freak OF nature
Guess, | say, for not one Of the many
"wiseacres' could get nearer view Of
the falls than sixteen miles. Well, to
show how good these men of science
were guessing through the telescope
the answers ranged from five hundred
TO five thousand feet. So exciting had
become the solution of its height, and
! so many accidents had occurred TO adj
| venturous spirits in their endeavors TO
solve the mystery, that the New Tea
| land government, either becoming
afraid of an international or intercol-
onal conflict, got In the other day and
spoiled the fun by sending out sur
rveying parry to get the facts and
figures and cut q track to the falls at
all hazards. This was mistake, for
1t lessened the interest taken in New
Iceland which the dispute has kept at
fever heat for over year.
On arrival at Milford sound we were
met by Mr.. Switzerland, the discoverer
of the famous falls. To tourists and
New Zealanders he is known as the
Hermit of Milford sound" Eleven
years ago, accompanied only by his
dogs, he located here, where he has
built three-room cottage, which he
keeps scrupulously clean and in apple
pie order The kitchen occupies the
center room, his bedroom on the right
and tho other always ready for any
wanderer who may happen along.
Around the walls of this curious dwell
ing are some sketches of the mountain
scenery, drawn by himself. Bottles OF
minerals, gold quartz, rabies. etc, are
neatly arranged on shelves. Skins of
rare native birds decorate and hide the
baroness Of the walls, and their beauty
is enough to make lover of zoolatry
envious. Switzerland is Scotchman
and a decidedly eccentric character.
but for all that fund OF information
and dry humor. He has no love for the
city 'chaps," calling them "ashfelters. "
Tourists he has in great contempt, say
ing they will take any thing they can
lift; photographers, who occasionally
visit the sound, are spoken of as
"shadow-catchers."
The first stage Of the journey after
leaving the sound is done by boat up
the Arthur river. For the next two
miles series OF unnavigable rapids
are passed until the fern tree nut at 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 christene
Walhohepa by the chief OF our party,
the other Poseiden by Mr.. Sutherland.
Getting out OF the lake we again en-
countered two miles of rapids up to the
10 by II tent. Here the tack follows
the river for six miles to the birch hut.
Although now but mile from the falls,
it was "a very hard one TO walk. For
the full distance great LANDSLIDE had
come down from the mountain side,
completely celebrating the track. Ice,
snow, earth, stones and fallen trees
many over three feet in diameter, some
OF which had been snapped off and
broken to splinters-bloczed the path
From a point about two miles below
the falls the first glimpse is obtained.
1t Is not until you are close TO it that
the full height and volume can be seen,
great trees and bushes intercepting the
view The water issues from narrow
defile between Mount Sutherland on
the right and Mount Hood on the left.
From a little hill, appropriately named
View Mount, one gets "a comprehensive
view Of the falls. 1t is now seen that
the water dashes over the cliff in three
grand leaps. and constitutes about one
l half of the entire volume OF the Arthur