DESCRIPTIVE NARRATIVE OF .TOURNEY. 
7 
in company with his father, to explore the valley of ie ovarc, 
which we ascended for six miles, and having reache a pom a 
which it runs towards the mountains in an easterly c n ec ion, vt 
returned, and ascended several spurs on its western ban v, oping 
to find an easy track to Lake Botoroa. It was not wi iou ^uc 
scrambling that we at last succeeded; and, after having azec 
the line for two miles through the hush, we returned to our camp, 
where I found Mr. J. Mackay, who had just got back from his 
exploration of the Devil’s Grip. . 
Notwithstanding it rained heavily, I started next morning 
with the Messrs. Mackay up the valley of the Howard, following 
the track cut the day before. After walking for some miles on 
the rid<>-e we found that it sloped down, which induced us to take 
a in ore 3 westerly course. Following our new line, we reached a 
small valley, partly covered with grass, and partly with deep moss 
and rushes. Here we camped, naming it Camp valley. . 
The following day I was occupied in examining the country m 
a geological point of view, Messrs. Mackay and Burnett ascending 
the mountain in the direction of the Botoroa lake, for the pur¬ 
pose of selecting a good spur and blazing a line, they returnee 
in the evening wet to the skin, and reported that they had seen 
the outlet of the Botoroa through the clouds and mists at their 
feet, and that according to their belief there would be no difficulty 
in reaching the lake. . , . .. 
We held a council of war, after which I determined to continue 
towards Lake Botoroa, by the way which they had explored from 
thence to follow along the course of the Mangles into the Tirau- 
mea plains, and then down the Tutaki river to the Buffer. 
Mr. Alexander Mackay was in the meantime to return to our 
camp at the Howard, follow the Devil’s Grip down cross the 
outlet of the Botoroa, blaze a line to the Tutaki, and there meet 
us with the rest of our men and the pro\isions. 
As from the Howard we had sent back the horses and from 
thence were compelled to carry everything on our backs, i mac e 
a fresh selection of the articles taken with us, and kept on y 
what was strictly necessary in the shape of clothing o as^ us 
until we reached the Grey. I also sent back the botanica , geo¬ 
logical, and other specimens which I had collected, and some o 
my instruments, keeping only such as were absolutely necessary 
for the purposes of my exploration. After this selection, I me 
still left a prismatic compass, a pocket sextant, two aneroids tour 
thermometers, and an apparatus for ascertaining aitituccs y 
p oil in o- water. Mr. Mackay, senior, who, to his great regret, was 
compelled to return to Nelson, was kind enough to take charge of 
the articles sent back. 111 + m, fmm flip 
As I expected two of my party, who had to come up from the 
Howard with provisions, I remained here, while Messrs Mackay 
and Burnett started forward (so as not to lose any time) to blaze 
