THE BIDE TO THE PLAIN 77 



descents, which made us hold our breath, almost 

 expecting to be dashed to pieces among the rocks. 

 Morning came at last, and the sun rose clear, brighten- 

 ing up the snow-clad peaks with dazzling splendor. 



After reaching the highest point, the rocks and crags 

 gave place to lofty trees, bushes, shrubs, and ferns in- 

 numerable. Cold, sparkling streams of water dashed 

 in spray over the ledges ; birds sang in their leafy re- 

 treats ; and butterflies flitted about in the warm sun- 

 light. Tree-ferns were here seen in their wildest 

 beauty, their contiguous tops making a roof of living 

 green, while their trunks answered for pillars of sup- 

 port. At one place where the stage stopped a few 

 moments, I collected thirteen kinds of ferns as a me- 

 mento of Otara Gorge and the ride to the plain. 



In the afternoon we reached Hokitika, passing the 

 gold diggings on the road. There had been a "rush" 

 just before we arrived, and many miners were living 

 in tents, in spite of the rainy weather. The gold had 

 been found about twenty feet below the surface, and 

 must have been very difficult to procure, as the ground 

 was saturated with water, and covered with a thick 

 growth of forest. 



It is surprising what these men will endure to obtain 

 gold. One would think, that, after so much toil, they 

 would put it to a better use than they usually do. A 

 man makes a big haul, and away he goes with his 

 friends to Hokitika, where they carouse as long as their 



