76 COLLECTOR'S RAMBLES 



efforts to escape. Every evening we returned loaded 

 with monstrous bones, and excited with our discov- 

 eries. 



Early in April we bade good-by to our hospitable 

 friends before starting for Christchurch, where we 

 packed up and shipped our things to Nelson, while we 

 went across the island to the west coast. We travelled 

 by rail to Springfield, where we took the stage. The 

 road was rough, the wind cold, while a drizzling rain 

 completed the wretchedness of the day. The scarcity 

 of trees, and the quantity of brown bunch grass, re- 

 minded me of the worst parts of Nevada. The summits 

 of the steep, rocky mountains were veiled in clouds, 

 and the entire view was barren and desolate. 



About nine o'clock P.M., we arrived at the comfort- 

 able little hotel on the banks of the Bealy River. 

 Here we stood about the large, open fireplace warming 

 ourselves, like turtles in the sunshine. The supper 

 was excellent, the beds comfortable ; but at two o'clock 

 the next morning we were all aroused to continue our 

 journey in the jolting stage. One poor fellow declared 

 he would not get up if his life depended on it, so we 

 drove on, leaving him to his warm bed. 



The road on one side sometimes hugged the moun- 

 tain, while the other overhung a roaring torrent hun- 

 dreds of feet below. We crossed and recrossed rivers, 

 which threatened to overturn us in their mad rush. 

 We climbed hills, and rattled at full speed down steep 



