PEDESTRIANS 289 



"east coast" runs. The difference between the north and south, then 

 so strongly marked, still holds, though in a lesser degree ; the majority, 

 consequently, of pedestrian plants have reached Tutira from the south. 

 Almost all of these wayfarers, moreover, are comparatively recent 

 arrivals, the construction of the coach-road, up which most of them have 

 tramped, being itself a modern event. 



A short description of the way by which alone, before and during 

 the 'eighties, the run could have been reached, will show the almost 

 insuperable difficulties pioneer pedestrians had then to surmount. 



We can take Napier, the port of the province, as the main centre 

 of weed liberation. Immediately after leaving its streets an estuary 

 of several hundred yards in width lay athwart the route. Over it sheep 

 could be ferried, though horses towed behind had to swim the distance. 

 Thus at the outset of the journey any weeds lodged in hoofs, or about 

 the mud of pasterns, were destroyed. The feet and legs of sheep, too, 

 were saturated with salt water, both in the leaky punt and in landing 

 operations. Then came several miles of barren shingle ; furthermore, 

 a considerable river had to be negotiated, sometimes by swimming, 

 sometimes by deep wading, in either event the sheeps' legs, feet, and 

 belly-wool being washed clean. Then again, the road followed the 

 coast-line for several miles, sometimes over hard, sometimes over soft 

 shingle and sand. The hoofs and legs of all manner of stock were in 

 fact thoroughly well cleansed before reaching Tangoio ; for this purpose, 

 perhaps, the long, dry, barren stretches of loose shingle and sand proving 

 as effective as water itself. Droving, a tardy process at the best of 

 times, became under these untoward conditions even slower, stages even 

 shorter ; more ample time still was afforded for sheep, cattle, and horses 

 alike to empty themselves. Moreover, in such going there was but 

 little chance of picking up new weed supplies. By the time Tangoio 

 was reached the likelihood was gone, thenceforward the way lay over 

 closely-nibbled hill-tops. 



A more unpropitious track, in fact, for the perambulation of weeds 

 could scarcely have been selected. It would almost seem as if the 

 road, like some great beast, had consciously attempted to free itself of 

 parasites by washing and dust-baths. 



Under these conditions it is not surprising that travelling plants 

 should in early times have been few and far between. Only a fraction 

 of the whole length of road had been properly formed ; from Napier 



