THE OLD PROSPECTOR.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 255, 27 October 1928, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE OLD PROSPECTOR.

IN THE WAITEKAUfi! HILLS.

RAKING THE GREEKS AND

SPURS.

adventure: in the gullies.

# (By W. S. C. NICHOLLS.)

After my fight for life In the hills between Wharekeraupunga and Waihi, as related in the last chapter, I found when my food supplies were replenished that I was none the worse for my experience, and started out to prospect the two outcrops I found on the track to Waihi. . I sampled and burnt the mineral and pounded and washed it for three days along the line of reef without raising a trace of gold or silver. My bread wan about done and I had to get a fresh supply of food to prospect the country further down the stream towards the coast, so I started next morning across the range for home, arriving in Waitekauri before dark the next day. I ordered a month's grub to start out with. I had a day's rest and got Basil Robinson to help me carry my pack to the top of the range; when we got there we had a smoke, and I took the swag and; started for camp and the boy for homa.-

No Trail to Follow. After spending a month in raking the creeks and getting no trail to follow I decided to start in from Waihi, so I struck camp at daylight in the morning, and started-for home in Waitekauri. I had about twenty miles to reach home through dense bush. I had started about half an hour when the rain came down in torrents, and before I got two miles along I was soaked to the skin. After I had been going for about four hours I struck the top of the range and made along it towards the Wharekeraupunga track. The rain and mist were bo dense that I could not see where I was going, and I got off the top of the range into tame deep gullies, and I was getting dead beat with my heavy swag and the weight of my wet clothes, and was going to lie down and let the ranges take their toll of my life, 'but I thought better of it and struggled to the top of the spur and found some tawa branches that had been broken down with the

wind. It was blowing and raining hard, and I had a . hard job to pitch my tent. I had matches afd a bit of candle and paper in a tin in the breast of my shirt, tfb I managed to get a fire going. What I got enough wood cut for the night and the fire going good I put up a rack at each side of the fire, wrung the water out of my wet clothes and hung them to dry, and put my wet coat on my bare pelt till my flannel and ehirt got dry. The fire was M totof ft# tar Sf£6s tent/and

what I suffered that night .from the smoke I have no wish to go- through again. When the fire had .burned out my -overcoat and clothes were dry, -so I folded Up my tent fly andput it on the wet ground and put them on, and went to sleep for. about if our hours. When I awoke I could see the sun like a dim red coal of-fire. I could only keep my eyes open for asecond at a time. After I had groped my way along for about, ten chains I struck the trade. I dumped my swag down on the track and started along it to Waitekauri. I had eight miles to go to reach home and four miles to "reach the nearest squatter's house. The track was badly grown over with blackberries and scrub. I had had a rough time,getting along it, but I managed to get to Mr. Hodge's in about six hours.

A Fallen Tunnel. After I had rested for half an hour I started for home at a good pace. I could see the road dimly, and the thought of home and getting a good Bleep livened nM up. I kept up the pace for two miles and started to knock up, and I could not have reached home only for getting some tea and cake from Mrs. Gordon. When I got home my eyes were still aching, and I felt as if they were fuHof gravel. I turned into bunk and did not want any rocking to send, me to sleep. I, slept till 10 o'clock next day, and seemed to be recovered, only for the blindness and the pain of my eyes. It took three days before my sight got back to normal. Then, feeling fit, I set off from my house and brought my swag home.

Next morning I started off for the head of the Golden Cross Creek to find an old tunnel that the Waitekauri Company had driven some years before. I got on to a trail of gold and traced it up the creek for a mile. It ended at the dump of the tunnel, and I thought if I could get into the tunnel I could locate its source. I found the tunnel, but unfortunately it Jiad fallen in for about 300 ft, and it was beyond my strength to pick it up. The gold must have been broken out of this tunnel, as there is no gold shed from either side of the creek or higher up the creek. When I got home I had tea and went to bed quite fresh, and I thought I was over my bush trip all right, but that night I decided to get a' horse and ride out to Maratoto and find a place to camp to start to prospect the eastern fln-nir of the range from Waihi to where I had knocked off in the Waiharakeke stream. I borrowed a horse next mo'ning and started off for Maratoto. I looted a place to camp, and started for home, and ordered the goods to start out with next morning. That night, after I went to bed, I was awakened with violent pains all through my body, head, and legs. I was suffering all night and up to four o'clock next day before I could get anyone to send for the doctor. When the doctor came he told me that I would have to take six months' rest. I have a big trip planned for next summer; whether I can tee it through, that remains to be sees.