A BUSH HOLIDAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 185, 6 August 1932, Page 3 (Supplement)

A BUSH HOLIDAY.

(By Robert BatchPlor, Bos 60, Marton, age 14.) Hurrah! Tie holidays had come at last, and we packed up our bags, ready for a long-looked for trip to the King Country. We arrived at On game on a fine summer's morning, to find a small village, the only living things in sight being several men and dogs. A email truck on four wheels, dragged ilong timber rails by a horse, was awaiting us, and we took our seats round it, with our le<rs hanging over the sides,, something like sitting on a table. At intervals we would encounter tall thistles, which pricked our legs as we passed. Our way led over white pumice country, and we were soon covered with thick white dust. There were deep '•avines to be crossed, and we had to unhitch Dobbin, lead him through a gateway, push the loiry over the bridge (which the horse could not negotiate on account of the cattle stops) then lntch up and so on until we arrived, hot and tired, at our journey's end. A pleasant country house, surrounded by masses of luxuriant flowers, stood insolitary state on the brow of a gently sloping hill. A handsome collie gave vent to his disapproval of strangers in loud barks, but we soon made friends with him, and he accompanied us later on our excursions. ... This is a, timber milling district, and it was very interesting to watch the loghauler at work. We walked three miles along the timber rails (which serve as roads) until we came to the log-hauler's camp, cookhouse and all complete. The latter was spick and span, everything in ite place, but there was no afternoon tea in evidence. A stout wjre cable is run from a stationary engine, and attached to a log far out in i.he bush. The engine is started, and the log slowly hauled in, to. take its place alongside of many others. This is a very dangerous job, and there is always a chance of the wire rope breaking and killing some of the men, although, of course, precautions are taken. The logs are jacked on to, timber trucks, and conveyed to the mill some twelve miles distant by a 'Tuning Billy." It was very interesting to watch from the house, the engine going by with its great load, and several men in attendance to help keep the trucks on the rails. The rail-road is very winding, and if care is not taken at the corners the logs are liable to slip off, and once that happens they cannot be recovered from the steep gullies. - Wje went on excursions into the dense bush, and found much of interest. There was a wonderful rock formation, which is called "Temple Rock." Amongst the curiosities we came across was a. wonderful wood flower, which grows underneath the ground, and is covered with a rough root formation. This is found by the plant wlffph grows from it, and the flower of whifh exudes a sickly odour, Also mine host had. jardinieres and vases, which he had made from the stem of a punga fern, and very lovely they were. Many of the magnificent trees, tanakaha, were slowly dying through being ring-barked by people who do this to obtain dye from the bark to tan hides. There are many wild pigs amongst the fern, but hunting them is very hard work and also dangerous. We had wild pork for dinner on several occasions. There were many deep-flowing streams in the ravines, the water of which was icy cold, even in the middle of summer. We fished for eels, but they were too elusive for us. At last our holiday came to an end, so we said farewell to our kind friends, also Jock, the collie, and embarked on the truck on the first stages of our homeward journey.