and), down to the sea; beyond
its banks the sun shone on the windows of the houses at Oxford, thirty
miles off as the crow would fly, and threw its dense bush into strong
relief against the yellow plains. The Port Hills took the most lovely
lights and shadows as we gazed on them; beyond them lay the hills of
Akaroa, beautiful beyond the power of words to describe. Christchurch
looked quite a large place from the great extent of ground it appeared
to cover. We looked onto the south: there was a slight haze over the
great Ellesmere Lake, the water of which is quite fresh, though only
separated from the sea by a slight bar of sand; the high banks of the
Rakaia made a deep dark line extending right back into the mountains,
and beyond it we could see the Rangitata faintly gleaming in the
distance; between us and the coast were green patches and tiny
homesteads, but still few and far between; close under our feet, and
looking like a thread beneath the shadow of the mountain, ran the Selwyn
in a narrow gorge, and on its bank stood the shepherd's hut that I have
told you once afforded us such a good luncheon; it looked a mere toy, as
if it came out of a child's box of playthings, and yet so snug for all
its lonely position. On the other hand lay our own little home, with the
faint wreath of smoke stealing up through the calm air (for the wind had
dropped at sunrise). Here and there we saw strings of sheep going down
from their high camping-grounds to feed on the sunny slopes and in
the warm valleys. Every moment added to our delight and enjoyment; but
unfortunately it was a sort of happiness which one can neither speak of
at the time, nor write about afterwards: silence is its most expressive
language. Whilst I was drinking in all the glory and beauty before me,
some of the others had been busy striking the tent, repacking the loads,
very much lighter without the provisions; and we had one more excellent
cup of tea before abandoning the encampment to the wekas, who must have
breakfasted splendidly that morning. Our last act was to collect all
the stones we could move into a huge cairn, which was built round a tall
pole of totara; on the summit of this we tied securely, with flax, the
largest and strongest pocket-handkerchief, and then, after one look
round to the west--now as glowing and bright as the radiant east--we set
off homewards about seven o'clock; but it was long before we reached
the place where we left the horses, for