PROFESSOR MAINWARING BROWN MISSING.
The following particulars concerning the Lake Manapouri exploring expedition, from which Professor Mainwaring Brown is missing, were forwarded in an urgent telegram to the Otago Daily Times by Mr John White (of the firm of Smith, Chapman, Sinclair, and White) from Lumsden, on Friday night, 14th inst: —
I have just returned from an exploring trip in the country between the south-west arm of Lake Manapouri and Smith Sound, on the West Coast. Major Goring, Professor Mainwaring Brown and self left the lake on the evening of Tuesday, the 4th inst. We camped at the foot of the low saddle leading to Deep Cove, Smith Sound, on Wednesday evening, 5th inst., intending to cross the next day. Thursday morning broke rainy, and it was decided not to leave camp. About noon the rain ceased slightly. Professor Brown left the tent, saying he was going for a stroll up the gorge. As he did not return for some time, and it again began to rain, we became alarmed and turned out and searched for him until evening, without success. We never saw him or heard of him again.
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday were terrible days — rain, hail and snow falling incessantly, and a high wind prevailing. The streams were in high flood in consequence. We made every possible effort to find him or some trace of him, but I regret to say we were entirely unsuccessful. We left the camp on Monday, the provisions being exhausted. At this time there was a foot of snow on the ground. We abandoned the tent, &c, and returned to the lake. A furious gale was blowing on Tuesday and we got down the lake with difficulty on Wednesday. The same terrible weather has prevailed ever since.
There is a depot of provisions at Deep Cove. It is possible Professor Brown may have crossed the saddle, reached the depot at Deep Cove, but found himself unable to return.
A search party of four, headed by Mr Ernest Mitchell and Mr Robert Murrell, junior, is now out. Major Goring remains at Manapouri until Monday. I return to-morrow. Both of us are well, but regret exceedingly tbe circumstance which abruptly terminated the expedition.
The Herald's correspondent, telegraphing from Clinton on Saturday, says: — "I cannot add anything to my telegram to the Times. Brown simply walked away from the camp, and though every effort was made to trace him, it was quite unsuccessful. I think it very improbable that he will be again seen alive. If the men now out do not find him, no others need try. Many in the district volunteered to search, but there is no means of reaching the head of the lake except by the boat now there with Mitchell and party." The Herald adds: — "Those who are best able to form an opinion on account of their knowledge of the country seem to be of opinion that there is very little hope indeed of our ever seeing Professor Brown again. Due search having presumably been made by his two friends as promptly and thoroughly as possible, the conclusion is almost inevitable that be must have met with some accident of a serious kind while taking his solitary stroll. The weather itself was enough to kill a strong man, if exposed to it without shelter, and a week has elapsed between the fatal Thursday when he left his companions and our latest news. It is said that Smith's Cove is wrongly placed on the map by some six miles, so that if Professor Brown made for the provision depot he would hardly be likely to find it."
[By Telegraph.] Dunedin, December 19. Mitchell's party have returned after an unsuccessful search for Professor Brown. They never got over the saddle, as it is still deep in snow. The Daily Times search party met them half way up the Lake, and they decided to continue the search. The Stella left for Smith Sound with Mr White, Mr Begg, and Dr. Roberts, who will search from the deep cone side. -Kumara Times, 20/12/1888.
LAKES TE ANAU AND MANAPOURI. (excerpt)
Written by direction of the Commisioners for New Zealand Railways. By James Richardson.
Passing through a pretty bush glads, near the southern end of the lake, we found the original hut, where Mr George Dore made us welcome in the absence of the owner, Mr Robert Murrell, who is engaged in building a first-rate eight-roomed house for the accommodation of tourists. The site selected, on the terrace, commands a magnificent view of the whole of the lake and surrounding mountains. Mr Murrell has two boats for the use of visitors, and as host and guide will be found most pleasant and obliging, and thoroughly conversant with Manapouri and its countless points of beauty. -Otago Daily Times, 15/10/1891.
Mr T. Mackenzie, M.H.R., and a party of three left in the Tarawera with the intention of landing in Dusky Sound. As already stated, Mr Mackenzie will seek to trace the course of the Seaforth river from Loch Maree, having on a previous trip traced it from its source at Pillan's Pass to the loch in question. He will fix his central camp at Loch Maree. The Southland News states that Mr McKay, Government geologist, and his assistant, Mr Fred Linck, who are now at Preservation, will take a route through the country last year explored by Mr R. Carrick and party from Cuttle Cove through the Neck up Chalky, through the new lake system named by the Mines department Cadman series, and thence over the Granite Wall across the intervening country to Loch Maree. On Monday, Mr Chamberlain, of the Customs department, Dunedin, proceeds to Lake Manapouri, where he will be joined by Mr Robert Murrell, a resident of ths district. Landing at the south arm of Manapouri, they intend following Mackenzie's track up the River Spey, crossing Pillan's Pass, and travelling down the Seaforth river to Loch Maree. In that way it is expected that the tbree parties will join at this spot, where Mr Mackenzie's main camp is to be pitched. Having in their travels obtained a complete knowledge of the country from the head of Chalky, trending along the upper reaches of Duaky, and across to the south arm at Manapouri, they will then proceed into the still unexplored territory to the north-west, towards the Matterhorn. Having achieved this, the general features of the wild west, which so long has remained a terra incognita, will be made known to everyone. -Otago Daily Times, 25/1/1896.
A NEW TRACK TO THE WEST COAST.
At a meeting of the Otago Institute on Tuesday evening last Mr C. W. Chamberlain read a paper in which he gave a description of a new track from Lake Manapouri to the West Coast. The paper was as follows: —
This track has just been cut, and as I was the first "amateur casual" to make use of it — in fact, I went across before it was quite finished — I take upon myself the task of giving some description of it. This is, I believe, the shortest and the lowest pass over the main range between the East and West Coasts, and though it has not the magnificent beauty of the Clinton Valley or the George Sound Pass from Lake Te Anau, it takes first place among the known routes for the humbler and more useful qualities mentioned. Should a road from the southern sounds to Dunedin and Invercargill ever be required, in all probability the Manapouri Deep Cove Pass will be found one of the easiest. The itinerary Dunedin to West Coast is as follows: — Dunedin to Lumsden by rail, 137 miles, one day; Lumsden to Manapouri Township, 52 miles by coach, one day; thence to the Head of the Lake, 22 miles, steamer, three hours; Head of the Lake to head of Deep Cove, Smith Sound, 10 miles 50 chains, six hours on foot. The distance from the lake to the top of the pass is seven miles 10 chains, and thence down to the sound three miles 40 chains. The height I believe to be less than 2000ft above the sea. We had not an aneroid with us, but from the character of the vegetation, the absence of snow, and the appearance of the pass itself from Deep Cove, I do not think this estimate is far out. Looking up from the cove, the deep gap in the high mountains is very noticeable, a narrow notch being cut out of the range to half its depth. The whole of the track, from the landing at the mouth of the Spey River to the beach at Deep Cove, runs through dense and heavy bush, with the exception of a few yards of river bed here and there and a scrubby flat or two high up the eastern slope. On this side, where what one of the road party called "a few divarsions," have been made, to avoid some steep pinches, the route will present no serious difficulties. There is only one creek to cross, and the ascent is gradual; any average walker will be able to "stroll up" comfortably. On the west side the case is different. The whole rise has to be faced in about three miles, and a few hundred feet at the top of the pass will be found very trying. A huge, tumbled heap of rocks, from the size of an ordinary house down to the common boulder no bigger than a dining-table, densely covered with bush and moss, has to be got over or through somehow. This is a very stiff bit, but probably a longer and easier route could be found if necessary. On the other hand, the western valley down which the track runs lies beautifully open to the north, getting plenty of sun and wind; and would probably not be seriously obstructed by snow.
The distances are given from actual measurement; the height is only guesswork, but as the number of miles travelled does not convey much idea of the work done in the bush, I may say that I walked from lake to sound in seven hours, and back in somewhat less time, the track not having been made all the way. I carried a swag, which weighed about 241b when I started (it must have been at least 2cwt when I took it off), but, being fresh from office work, and no longer just in the first bloom of youth — unless it be second childhood — you will see the excursion cannot be a very difficult one.
This pass has some historical interest, for it was while searching for it late in 1888 that poor Mainwaring Brown lost his life. The gap in the mountains before alluded to had been seen from the west at Deep Cove, its position noted, and Professor Brown, Major Goring, and Mr John White left the head of Lake Manapouri on the 4th December, 1888, to try and reach it from the east side. They travelled up the right bank of the Spey River, leaving it at the Mica Burn, which they followed up until bad weather came on and they camped, high up in the mountains, at Disaster Burn. Mainwaring Brown left the camp one morning saying he was going for a stroll, and never returned. His companions searched for him, as did subsequently several other search parties, in vain, and his fate remains to this day unknown. But no one who knows the Manapouri mountains will be surprised at their failure; no more broken, rough, and ruggedly inhospitable bit of country can well be imagined. The present route was found by Mr Robert Murrell, of Manapouri, who, with a companion named Barber, went in search of Professor Brown as soon as the news of his loss reached them. Murrell and Barber pushed on past Disaster Burn, and after a rough and laborious climb reached the top of the mountains overlooking Smith Sound at a point somewhat to the north of the pass. From this point they saw Deep Cove lying 5000 ft below them, and to the left they looked down on the pass of which poor Brown had been in search. Murrell went down to the sound, finding no trace of the professor, and, as the were short of provisions and bad weather came on, he and his companion returned the way they came. Although unable on this trip to explore the pass, Murrel reported to the chief surveyor of Southland that he had no doubt the way to it was up the Dashwood Stream, a creek running into the Spey River about three miles higher up than the Mica Burn. Little more was done until January of this year, when Mr Wilmot, the district surveyor, came up, found Murrell's account to be correct, and laid off roughly the line of the present track to Deep Cove. I believe his party did not go down to the sea; but in April a party of bushmen, under Murrell, went up to cut the track through, and a very tough time they had.
Starting from Lake Manapouri, on the north or right bank of the Spey River, the road keeps close to the river, crossing the Mica Burn, until about four miles from the lake, at the junction of the Spey and Dashwood, where it turns to the right, following up the right bank of the latter creek, which rises close under the saddle. The saddle itself is quite an easy, one, and going down the western side the track, after negotiating the rough rock slides at the top, keeps pretty well on the ridge of a bold spur, until near the foot of the hills, when it drops down something very like a small precipice on to a scrubby flat, and comes out on the sea beach close to the mouth of the Lyvia River. This beach is worthy of notice of a large section of the Otago public. It covers some four or five square miles, is perfectly flat, composed of sand and small shingle, the waters of the cove are always still and calm, there is abundant water power available in the numerous rivers and falls; altogether it seems to embody ones ideal of an electric dredging claim. I have not the slightest idea whether there is any gold in it; but to the earnest and enterprising promoter this should probably be a mere detail.
If I may occupy a few minutes more of your time, I will give some details of my trip, which may possibly be of use or interest.
Early in May last my friend Mr Melland and I went to Manapouri, with the idea of getting some shooting, but the weather was so bad that we had very poor sport, and, finding that Murrell and the road party were up in the ranges, we decided to try and pay them a visit. Twice we went to the head of the lake, and were stopped by bad weather, and at last Mr Melland had to return to Dunedin but my chance came when Murrell had to come down for provisions, and I returned with him. We left the civilisation of Manapouri township — two houses and a stable — early in the forenoon of a fine day, when the sky was clearing after bad weather. The lake under these conditions was a study of beauty and magnificence. I think it is admitted that Manapouri is the most beautiful of our lakes. Anyone seeing it as I saw it that day must own that its claim is just. -Otago Witness, 19/7/1900.
SOUTHLAND LAND BOARD.
Robert Murrell applied for a lease of 20 acres for accommodation house site at terminus of proposed new track to Lake Hauroko, for a term of 21 years, with valuation for improvements. — It was decided that the board had no jurisdiction, the land being in a national park, but to recommend the application for the favourable consideration of the Minister. -Otago Witness, 1/1/1908.
Our correspondent at Manapouri wired yesterday that Mr Robert Murrell travelled by motor launch from Lake Manapouri to Tuatapere, by the Waiau River, a distance of 65 miles, in four and a-half hours. He had an exciting time and narrowly averted disaster at one point. -Mataura Ensign, 31/1/1913.
PERSONAL.
Mr T. E. Y. Seddon, member for Westland, and Mr W. Downie Stewart, member for Dunedin West, have enlisted in the Now Zealand Expeditionary Forces. Both are in Wellington. Mr Robert Murrell, of Manipori, who has eight sons, has no less than five at the front. -Western Star, 15/6/1915.
DISTRICT APPEALS
SPLENDID FAMILY RECORD.
John Robert Murrell and Graham Murrell, Manapouri (Mr Poppelwell) only asked for time. Mr Poppelwell said these men were perfectly willing to go and only asked ior a little time. They already had three brothers at the front and the family record was a splendid one. Only two young brothers were now left at home, one of them 18, and the other still at school. They were granted time until May 31. -Mataura Ensign, 23/3/1917.
IN MEMORIAM.
MURRELL. — John Robert Murrell, dearly beloved eldest son of Robert and Margaret Murrell, Manapouri, killed in France, September 8, 1918. For those he loved and his beloved country. -Southland Times, 8/9/1921.
John Murrell was working as a mountain guide at The Hermitage, Mt Cook when he joined the Rifle Brigade. His remains lie in France.
The wonderland of the west is an asset, the value of which has not yet been realised, but as it becomes more widely known its lure will become irresistible. In the Manipouri district, no one has done more to open up its beauties than Mr Robert Murrell, and the fact that his launch Constance left Riverton for Doubtful Sound a few days ago, to be stationed there for tourist purposes, suggests that the time is opportune for us to direct attention to this new pleasure resort. Manapouri Lake, with its many pretty bush-clad islets, and bordered by the magnificent Cathedral Peaks, is well known. This is reached via Lumsden, by rail and motor, the fare for the return journey from Invercargill being £4. At Manapouri the accommodation tariff is fourteen shillings a day, and a return trip to the head of the lake costs £l. Mr Murrell has cut a track from Manapouri to Doubtful Sound. This is twelve miles long, and runs through virgin bush, in which the pigeon, kaka, weka, kiwi, kakapo and other species of native birds abound, while the deer are so numerous as to be no wilder than many domestic animals. Twelve miles through beautiful mountain scenery is a short walk, and can be done quite leisurely, and for the benefit of those who wish to linger long in. the vicinity, there is what is called the 5-mile hut. At the Sound accommodation is provided at the rate of 15/- a day, or £4 10/- per week. To explore the Sound a launch can be hired for £2 a day, and it is possible to traverse one hundred miles in the Sound without going out to sea. The Doubtful Sound track differs very considerably from the Milford track, and both places have beauties and attractions of their own. Distinguished visitors have written graphically about Milford, and when Doubtful becomes as well known, it will be as much visited as its more famous rival. -Western Star, 3/11/1922.
IS THERE A N.Z. OTTER?
The otter is a genus of quadrupeds of the weasel family differing widely from the rest of the family in their aquatic habits, and, in conformation, adapted to these habits, and in some respects approaching to that of seals.
The body is long and flexible, and is considerably flattened. The head is broad and flat, the eyes and ears are small, the legs short and powerful, the feet, which have each five toes, are completely webbed, the tail is stout and muscular at its base, long, tapering, and horizontally flattened, and the teeth are the same as a weasel's. The fur is very smooth. The common otter is found in almost any part of the British isles. It often attains a weight of twenty-four pounds. Its length is fully two feet, exclusive of the tail, which is about six inches long. The color is a bright rich brown on the upper parts and the outside of the legs. It frequents rivers and lakes, inhabiting some holes in their banks. It also inhabits the sea-shore in many places and swims a considerable distance from the shore in pursuit of its prey. It has long been a subject for discussion whether the otter exists in New Zealand. There are those who hold the belief that it does, but while traces of an otter-like animal have been found and animals resembling otters have been momentarily seen, no one so far, has succeeded in capturing a specimen. Mr Robert Murrell, of Manapouri like Mr W H Y Hall, of Invercargill has collected a great deal of evidence in support of the existence of a native otter, and recently Mr Murrell contributed a interesting paper to the Otago Naturalists' Club on the subject. Many years ago a resident saw a strange animal dive into the Jacob's River but whether a vole or an otter he could not say. He only saw it on the one occasion. Mr Murrell mentioned that the late Capt. Howell, of Riverton, had stated that the Maoris caught and ate aquatic animals, which they called waitoteke, and that when on an eeling expedition with the Maoris, he had eaten a portion of the waitoteke. Mr Murrell supposes that the animal so named was captured in the vicinity of Riverton so that would support the statement of the resident, mentioned above, who said he had seen an aquatic animal. Mr Murrell cites a number of instances in which a strange animal had been seen and one that approximates to what we know of the other tribe. We mention a few. Capt Cook, in his journal, described an animal seen in Dusky Sound, and his description tallies with that of more recent observers. Mr A R Wallace, in his book 'Island Life' mentions the existence of a small otter-like animal in the South Island, and one of Hoch's letters refers to an animal which the natives called waitoteke but no satisfactory explanation can be given of that name. The animals were seen at Lake Heron, in Canterbury, and the late Mr Garvey who was manager of Glade House, Te Anau, reported having seen a stranger swimming in ths backwater of the Clinton River. His son was with him at the time and both were emphatic that it was not a ferret, being much larger, yet in some way similar. Mr Murrell kept a look out during two summers for this elusive animal but was unsuccessful in his watch. Mr Donald Ross, when guide on the Milford Track, informed Mr Murrell that after a fall of snow at Lake Ada he had seen unusual tracks and claw marks, while a son of Mr Geo Black, of Orepuki, reported thirteen years ago that he had shot at and wounded a strange animal in the West Waiau country, but it had escaped into a swamp. He described it as brown in color with a bushy tail. Mr A E Tapper of Invercargill, about ten years ago, while standing on the bank of the Waikiroi Stream, had an indistinct view of an animal swimming below the surface and, eventually he found a burrow leading into the bank from below water level, but he was unable to dig it out owing to the height of the bank. Two years ago, while walking along the bank of the Eglinton River in the Te Anau District, Mr G T Moffet, of Invercargill saw an animal about the size of a cat and of a dark color. He found in the mud two footmarks one slightly in advance of the other, and two other impressions of claw marks. He took an impression of these on paper, and this showed so he stated, three claws on each foot, and was evidently the hind foot of an animal. The impressions were larger than those of rats. Mr McHardy of Te Anau Downs station, had also seen an animal in the same locality, which he said was about the size of a rabbit and mouse colored. It is evident from all this that there is an otter-like animal in existence. If some accurate description of the animal could be obtained it would probably solve the mystery surrounding the animal which has been seen by many observers from time to time, and which has been called the New Zealand otter. -Western Star, 3/8/1926.
OBITUARY
MR ROBERT MURRELL.
Mr Robert Murrell, whose death at the age of 79 occurred on Wednesday last, was a recognised authority on the geography and flora of the Lakes and Fiord districts. Mr Murrell was born at Stag Creek, Dipton, but later lived at the Takitimu Hotel, which his father built, on the Black Mount road, the first road into the Lakes country. In 1891 Mr Murrell built the first accommodation house at Lake Manapouri, and became the first manager of the Milford Track after the Government took it over, and also acquired the Freestone station, disposing of this property in 1937, when he came to live in Dunedin.
During his long residence at Lake Manapouri, Mr Murrell became an acknowledged authority on the region, and he accompanied many parties, official and unofficial, on exploratory trips into the little-known hinterland of the Sounds. In 1893 he led a search party to look for Professor Mannering Brown, who was lost while endeavouring to find a route to Doubtful Sound. In the course of his search Mr Murrell discovered the Wilmot Pass, over which lies the present route to Doubtful. Two years later, in company with Mr Dick Henry, a well-known naturalist, he discovered the pass which leads from the middle fiord of Lake Te Anau to George Sound. These were but two of the important contributions he made to the knowledge of a previously little-known area.
Mr Murrell was twice married. In 1888 he married Miss Margaret Scott, of Castle Rock, and, after her death, Miss Bertha Vincent, of Timaru. He is survived by his wife, a daughter, and six sons. His eldest son, John, who was a guide at Mount Cook, was killed in the 1914-18 war. During his retired life Mr Murrell was an active member of the St. Clair Bowling Club. -Evening Star, 6/10/1945.
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