Bush Pictures.

Down steep sidings, around sharp rock-hewn corners, swingletrees jingling and the ten pair of ironshod hoofs striking flashes from the stony way; the Buller, brown and headstrong, tearing along over the rocks below.

The sombre beech forest gives place to more attractive and varied timber. The drooping, dull-golden tasselled rimu; tall kahikatea, straight as a gun-barrel, grow thickly on the lower levels and the little flats. The dainty white flowers of the houhere (the lacebark, ribbon-wood or “thousand-jacket”) peep out from the tangled green; sprays of koromiko blossoms, some white, some a delicate pink, festoon the rocky walls and lean down over us so close that they can be plucked from our seats. Tufted bunches of the bright sword-leaved kiekie climb the trees, and silvery-grey and brilliant red mosses and lichens, kept ever damp and cool by the oozing water trickles, coat the rocks.