Geological Survey of Canterbury. 85 



on this plateau is swampy and difficult to travel over, and when one 

 considers that the people who go through it have to carry swags of 

 30 to 501bs., it is easily conceivable that this piece of the road has 

 rightly become notorious. Tipeni, a Native of herculean strength, 

 and one of my former travelling companions in my first great West 

 Coast journey, would not let me carry anything, and had therefore 

 to carry a swag of more than 701bs. weight, which he did with 

 ease. 



As soon as we arrived in the valley of the Greenstone Creek, we 

 came to a broader road, which led to the gold-diggings situated higher 

 up ; it was, however, in no better condition than the part we had 

 already passed. We soon met a great many people, mostly packers, 

 who drove laden horses before them. I could not suppress my 

 astonishment, as I observed the way in which these poor animals with 

 their heavy loads worked themselves through these morass canals full 

 of stems and roots, and it was wonderful to see thetn go up or down 

 indescribably steep places, where we had to climb on our hands and 

 feet and hold on to boughs. Certainly, accidents often occur ; however, 

 the gold-diggers must have provisions, and as the packers receive £2 to 

 £3 per lOOlbs. weight for a carriage of eight to ten miles, it is not an 

 unprofitable business, if they are not too unfortunate with their horses. 

 This explains also the enormous price of provisions on the goldfields, 

 as the diggers working here use not less than £3 worth a week, of 

 bread, bacon, and tea. Everywhere, in the river-bed, and on the 

 terraces, often several hundred feet broad and only a little raised 

 above the present surface of the water, diggers were occupied obtaining 

 gold. The wash gold is fine, scaly, and very much rolled, so that there 

 is no doubt it has come some distance in the great river-bed. The 

 nearer we approach the confluence of the Greenstone Creek into the 

 Teramakau, the greater grew the life in the valley ; we found every- 

 where tents and canvas stores, often comfortably fitted up, and the 

 people hard at work. Here I met my horses, which my man had 

 brought in good condition. He had joined a large travelling party, 

 and had been obliged to swim the river swollen by the rain, several 

 times, in doing which a man and horse had unfortunately been 

 drowned. Here, at the junction, the ground was covered only with 

 forest and shrubs, and as my stock of oats had in the meantime come 

 to an end, I had to buy a bushel, for which I had to pay £4 sterling. 

 I only quote this to show what extravagant prices the traveller has 

 often to pay in newly discovered goldfields, where the carriage causes 



