Redcliff Station,

arriving there about 11 o'clock. Just before reaching the station rain has again commenced, and we are perforce obliged to stop for the excellent lunch pressed upon us by the most hospitable of hostesses. Heavy rain continues for several hours, and we spend the afternoon pleasantly in converse on new books, music, and other congenial topics, very reluctantly bidding our kind entertainers leave about 3 o'clock as the rain has ceased and we are anxious to push on a further stage. We had, indeed, hoped to reach Manapouri Lake in one day from Blackmount, but the statements as to distances from stage to stage varied so much that we had doubts about our ability to do so, We finally settled the total distance at about 41 miles, and our delay at Redcliff, from which point Manapouri was distant 32 miles, indicated that we could not hope to get right through.

It may here be convenient to mention that by a comparatively small expenditure a short route to Manapouri Lake from the Waiau Valley could easily be made practicable. A short distance from Redcliff the Mararoa River enters the