SOUTH ISLAND HOLIDAY

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 99, 29 April 1939, Page 2 (Supplement)

SOUTH ISLAND HOLIDAY

By Bonjon ; f r

(See pictures on front page) W A LL seats please on the West Coast train," New Year's Day—the day long looked forward to had arrived, and it was fine. As we took our seats we wondered what the mountains would have in store for us. Four hours later found us following the Waimakariri River to its headwaters. The river wanders from side to side of the valley, breaks into small streams, rejoins, here wide and shallow, there narrow, swift and deep. River shingle does not make the best walking surface, but this is the main highway to Carrington Hut. Eight miles to go, the same number of river foldings, and a head wind, but the optimists went on. Optimists we were, for the December weather had been most unkind. We were lucky, however, and our optimism was justified. Half-way up we boiled the billy and incidentally emptied a little surplus water from our boots. Presently the river turned sharply to the right and before long we see Carrington Hut, built by S:he Canterbury Mountaineering Club in 1928 and named in memory of <i. X. Carrington, who first started packing the material for the hut in 192(5, and who was later drowned in the river. On arrival at the hut a cup of tea was soon forthcoming. Dinner followed. r "Hjivt* von ever been so Imnffrv that vol!

J-lave you ever been so Hungry tnat you could eat half raw steak .and salted chocolate rice and enjoy them? They were the specials on the menu. There was no lack of sincerity in declaiming this a wonderful dinner. We had one day to climb Mount A. P. Harper, and that day was fine —a miracle considering the weather we had liad in December. The conditions were not ideal —the snow was fresh and soft. We started lip the bed of a small mountain stream and 011 to the Camp Spur ridge. Mountain streams are delightful. Sometimes small trickles and burbling cascades, quickly changing to raging torrents. Large and small boulders, rounded hollows in the rocks, pools where the water eddies, tumbling cataracts, and then more pools. Daring little plants cling on to the rocks and hang over the cool waters, tiny native flowers brave the extremes of heat and cold, providing a wealth of enjoyment for the climber. Urge—And Reward We were soon aliove the bush line, out af the tussock, and here we had our first spell. On again and we were trudging through soft snow, which was easy though hot work. The most interesting part of the climb came after lunch when

we scaled rock faces and traversed snow ridges. Whatever it is that urges one up mountain slopes here is the reward. A sense of achievement and satisfaction, of exhilaration and of joy. To see familiar peaks all around is like greeting old friends. We Si.w Mount* Murchison and Davie on the other side of the valley and a great view of the Waiinakariri River bed, where we had been the day before. But the wind was keen, a few photos, a snack of chocolate and we moved 011. deciding to descend to the White Coll and down the White River. We traversed along snow ridges and slopes, where care was required as the snow was in an avalanching condition—a matter of perturbation to the climber. Safely past these slo]>es we reached the tussock grass and the boulders again. At dusk we saw some deer. We chased one to the edge of a small precipice and it disappeared. We followed more slowly and saw her 50 feet below speeding \ip a couloir at the rate which would have done credit to the Flying Scotsman. What legs!

— retorted that he would cheerfully attend my funeral. With these compliments our little talk ceased. Soon there was a commotion at the door, and in came "Prussian Charlie'' with a few of his own kidney. I took no notice of him. He swaggered up to the counter and ordered drinks for himself and his mates. He took no notice of me for the moment but, seeing mv glass on the counter, he took it up and spat into it. I took no notice, so he backed into me and trod on my toes with his heels. Knowing that the time had come, I kicked him savagely on the ankle and lie turned round with an oath. He had a knife in his hand (and wa«i he slick with it!), but as he turned I drew my "bulldog" and had it pointed at the place where he stowed his "tucker." A murmur of astonishment went up. Never before had anyone ever got it on to "Prussian Charlie." We glared at each other, thfca I told him things. I told him he was a boykiller, also that he was a dog and that his mother ought to have been slaughtered for fetching such a dirty, cowardly cur as him into the world. The crowd moved away from us and were watching. He was nonplussed. I saw fear in his eyes, so I insulted him more. "I kill you!" he spluttered. "I knife you! I murder you, you dirty Engender! I fight you!" I told him I was a Maori and I would love to eat his liver and heart. Right happily I abused him. There was a diversion and half a dozen soldiers grabbed the pair of us and disarmed us. One soldier said: "What are you fellows going to do? Are you going to fight it out?" '"Fight it out?" yelled Charlie. "I kill him!" "Yes, yes." soothed the soldier, "but what with?" "That's my pitch-in, I think," said 1, "and I say revolvers."

It was dark 'when we reached the hut again, but the first climb of 1939 had been a good one. Xext morning we headed for Arthur's Pass and the train to Christchureh to enjoy a few hours of civilisation before ieaving the same iii*rlit for Palmerston en route to the Haast Pass. As we travelled across Central Otago, the sun shone brightly and the air was still, giving just some small indication of what a summer's day can be in that unusual district. Geologists call it a desert. Where irrigated it proves very fertile. We reached Pembroke in the evening and camped in the Showgrounds, j The lake was calm when we arrived, but after dinner the wind grew stronger. We went to the lake side to wash and our towels were blown away. We were excited at the thought of 0 seeing the Haast before the road would s be right through to the coast and tramping spoilt by the incessant toot of the motorist. We had an interesting drive c by bus and lorry to the Saddle Camp, a passing on the way the boundary between Otago and Westland. At the camp we heard of the immense rainfall of s the district, and to this fact the bush ii of Westland owes its beauty. f We arose fairly early on January 6, but it was nearly 11 a.m. before we set Z off. The road continued for' two miles, y Then we picked up the track leading to h DuoL-n Pnt Tlia u - fl a siilpil- S

(lid. Here tlie Haast River is a rushing mountain torrent, with huge boulders, j tumbling water, deep green pools and L steep bush-clad hills on either side. The rata scarcely flowered this year, > hut the mistletoe was a glorious sight. . On we went, forgetting the weight of our packs as we enjoyed the river, mountains, bush, ferns, colours, the solitude and the noise of running water. One insecure poking bridge of the swing type bore the notice. "One at a time, please." We willingly complied with ' this request. [ It is always exciting when tramping to . reach a hut, to boil the billy and go , down to the stream and have a refreshr ing wash. The Burke Hut was no excep- . tion. We left there next morning and followed a deer track on the eastern [ side of the river to where it is joined by the Landsborough River. Not so [ much travelling through bush this<*day [ as the river valley had broadened, and . at the junction there is an extensive glassy flat. From here we could see L the Westland Air Travel, Limited, hut, r four miles away. This was our destina- ' tion. We flew over Haast River, following it down to the mouth and thence up the coast to Waiho. At 10 o'clock on Wednesday morning we were on the road again, but not for long. After three miles the road ended and we waited for our guide before we started up the Franz Josef Glacier. We were going over Graham's Saddle to the Ball Hut. Our trip to the Aimer Hut was not without excitement. Just before we entered the ice-fall we saw a huge serac of ice topple and crash with a roar. How thankful we were to reach the Aimer Ridge and start scrambling over the loose rocks up the last 1000 ft "to the hut. After a nic ' -d; and what a bed. Owing to there being two other parties in the hut wo were compelled to sleep in a bunk in which the canvas had split. The blankets were few and snow was falling outside. Although the alarm went off at 2 a.m. no preparations were made to leave as the weather was very bad. We spent the day playing cards, testing the cooking ability of our guides and trying to make up for a little lost sleep.

"I fight you with anything. Give me a revolver! I finish him," snarled Charlie. ■Ah well, that s all right," answered the soldier. "We've got to do it decently and in order.. Come on, we will go down to the Point." It was a lovely night with a clear sky and a beautiful full moon. The smaller stars twinkled beautifully and the larger stars and planets hung like polished balls of silver in the azure dome. As we walked through the palms and coconut trees the unmistakable perfumes of tropical flowers came to me. I wondered if I was seeing it all for the last time, but I did not wish to turn back. I was determined if possible to make an end of that foul liend who had killed and wounded so many fine young boys. When I thought of what I was going to do, I felt elated and my spirits rose and I threw my head up and laughed. Duelling Mode "That's right, Cocky," said the soldier alongside me. "That's the way to take it. You'll get him all right." "I will." I answered. We were placed 20 yards apart, told to stay still and not advance under any circumstances, then tire at the command and continue firing until one or both ceased. He was armed with a heavy service revolver and I had my own gun, an English "bulldog," .38 "calibre. Each man had a second and there was a master of ceremonies to give the command. We stood ready to fire and when "Fire!" roared the soldier, and we both fired. He got me in the right leg and down I went. I knew I was crippled for the time being, so I rolled over to get another shot. I was numbed with the entrance of the bullet into the leg but 1 determined to get him yet.

When the alarm went off next morning at 2 a.m. we contemplated another day in the hut. However, at 4 a.m. the guides reconsidered the weather conditions and we set off at 7 a.m. for the trip over the saddle. The route leads past Teiehelmann'g Corner and over the snowfield at the head of the Franz Josef Glacier. experienced all types of weather. At times the sun shone brightly, only to h» followed by sflow and a keen wind. The snow was very soft, making it hard work for the guide. The last pull up to the saddle was icy and steps had to be cut, but we progressed slowly and finall v peeped over the top into Canterbury. The .sun shone brightly as we looked down the Tasman. that extensive valley more than a mile wide. Our way led down the Rudolf Glacier to the De la Bech corner, then seven miles down the Tasman Glacier to the Ball Hut. The Rudolf Glacier was in a treacherous condition with a few inches of soft snow on the top of hard ice, necessitating steps being made in the hard ice beneath the snow. The sunset colours as we came d< wn the Tasman were beautiful and dinner at the Ball Hut was a grand end'rg to a most enjoyable day. t tlie Ball Hut we replenished our sto.es and next afternoon wj were heading up the Tasman once more, this time for the De la Beche Memorial Hut. The Tasman is the biggest of Xew Zealand's glaciers. For thousands of years the Tasman and its tributaries have been carrying down boulders of all sizes, denositimr them in long ridses. To

the right of the valley is the Malte Brun Range, with Mount Aiguille Rouge near the centre. This was the peak we hoped to climb. The red rock of this peak is distinctive, hence its name. On the left is the main divide with Tasman, Haidinjrer nnd other peaks looking very majestic. Straight ahead of us looking towards the head of the Tasman Glacier we saw Mounts Green, Walter, Elie de Beaumont and the Hochstetter Dom. De la Bfeche Hut is behind a V-shaped ridge of moraine. It was built by the friends and relatives of the four girls and a guide who perished in a storm in 1930. Next morning proved to be a rather cloudy one, so we decided on a tour of exploration to the head of the Tasman Glacier. We travelled up the Tasman till we reached its junction with the Darwin Glacier, where we were rewarded by a great improvement in the weather. The clouds rolled away disclosing an unforgettable spectacle. Mounts Cook and Tasman were revealed in all their glory. In front of us Mount Darwin, with a light coating of fresh snow, made an impressive picture. On our return we observed a single cloud poised right over the ice cap of Mount Cook—a hog's back. We knew what this meant —probably a nor'-wester within 24 hours. Everything was planned for an early start in the morning, the alarm set and high climbing packs put ready. But, alas! The hog's back was true to its reputation. Wind and snow greeted us in the morning. How thankful we were that the hut was firmly secured with wire stays. We were snowed up for three days. Somehow or other the snow got through the crevices round the windows and through the cracks in the roof lining. The result when the stove was lit was most disconcerting. While the blizzard raged the hut literature, consisting of the hut book and the shilling novels of the Edgar Wallace type, was read. Wednesday the weather cleared, but we had to return to the Hermitage. On Thursday we looked back from the bus which was taking us to Timaru to get our last glimpse of the mountains, hoping it would not be long before we could return and find conditions favourable for climbing Aiguille Rouge.

— Seeing I was down he held his heavy revolver in his right hand and steadying his right hand with his left hand, he coolly aimed at me. I threw my gun up and fired and caught him, and my ball went . through both hands, completely crippling him. I fired again, this time taking him in the right elbow and he fell. I did not know that he had dropped his gun so I made to fire again when the coward in Jiim came to the surface and he yelled for mercy. That s enough, bloke," said the soldier. "\ou've got him." Thinking I hn .1 finished him, I handed the soldier my gun. The others rushed me away to the barracks, where a doctor examined me ani ordered me into hospital. I was examined by a surgeon, who decided that t!'c ball could not be extracted, it remain-? in me to the present day. I stayed at the hospital till I was hotter and my friend Dave spent most nf his time with me. When he met me afttvthe bout he threw his arms round me end kissed me. Mv ship, in the me.intim.-. had arrived, the officer and I changed over again and when I recovered I rejoined my ship. I still have a slight limp, especially when the wind is from the northeast "Prussian Charlie" recovered. X"t much good, he was given a tip to o'.»; r out of Port Louis. These little affairs often occurred in those days, for the island, though belonging to the British, was ruled under the old "Code Napoleon." "Prussian Charlie" shipped on a Ger man ship bound for Adelaide, and in an argument on the upper topsail yard at sea he either fell or was pushed overboard and was never seen again. Surh was the end of a vicious, cowardly killer who had not one good point to recommend him.