A THEATRICALS IN THE BACKBLOCKS

Bush Advocate, Volume XVI, Issue 582, 5 December 1904, Page 5

A THEATRICALS IN THE BACKBLOCKS

An Exciting Expeplen.ce,

The Black familyof musicians arrived in Da-n&svirke yesterday afternoon,- after one of the most sensational experiences that it has ever been their fortune or misfortunate tb encounter. The com- . jpany left Pahiitua last Wednesday in '^6f Messrs Prenter and, Vile siourK j»rse drags: They playett at Maktm ik*t nightjand thenr<left ; fqrPongaroa^ where thejarrived safely arid met with :• -an enthusiastic reception. Up- tp^hisr pointy bowe ver, their .experience with the trnci. blocks roads bad- been qn^oicran-, v parative smoothness, but something was for tbem, the like of. which they badiiot met with before nor arethey likely to soon forget it, for such adven*ure^are^aleulatedvto> bang to ones memory wbenotherinoidentsmpreTecent • -*re forgotten. Leaving Pongarea,;on JPridajmornrng with their coach and y yfottr spanking WW th^m^gooA progress along the bard road until they xeacbed Pongaroa: creameyy, where they ulvuged into .-a Sea of mud, y Then was the pride of their horses bumbled, for ; : .tbe wheels, santdown to the axles and puß as they vould tbey could not shilt the vehirie. Afteragpod deal of energy iad been wasted and four hours of time lost, the task -set the horses wasxeahsed as imp6s|ible, and^a team bt bullocks jfffer fcrougnt; -into requisition, and with ■ Iftpaid of these sturdypullers the coach ; " J ffir-gO-- oht and tbe journey resumed -with the- horses.* 5 All went well again <uiitil the J^aituna junction was reached when the mud again ployed master of 4he situation. A swingle-tree broke and dekye^hem so long that tbey could go jw further that .night. 3j^ order. to overcome any prospective difficulties the company was astir eariy f iiext.mornmg, and a start made at 6 a.m. with another 4«am bf bullocks. These animals, how- . y*xet, ,w.ere,not,at all keeuafeput .the job, ■ I ; s^ wer had little or no" control over them . and tbey waddled about Tery much as " they md..Tbb;.poßition^aS; con*fd*red so^urisafe thtf; ytim menv ■■l^\#'-W' t --e^_^< ; £4^W' J? agave v the- cbiach and:walk along the atiilside. Mr Black alone remained to ; aaanage the-braki* Jindfan Sxcitrog time le bad,, as the coaeb swayed vfirom side *to side, ancl buuiped over^tbe ruts and - iiito the bbles; : .bttllocksjn the imteahtime were pulling -insingle ffle one ■ aone way and one ; the other untirthey -finally ran the coaeb right overthe bank, Mr Black, seeing its impendmg fate, lumped ofE the box just as the whole concern' weritoveK>-V fortunately it • '' struck tvrd dead trees on the bank, wbich to some extent broke the fall, And then it fell on to. a , new fence -which held it firmly and prevented it foing into the ', river some 100 ; feet clow. Things were f now iri a pretty pickle, but nothing reinaihed to be done except to get tbe coach; up again. _To end the services yof * Mr -Hed Jobnston were called rupbn_ and be responded most wilUrigly. Being an expert band with bullocks he knew exactly what be bad to do under the f • circumstances, but before, he cpuld do .> it he badv to go five miles for his own • team an* ; five miles bacje. ; Hpyreyey, - *£ta s .,iiMXrsL in due e(^rise . with his iuUocts and his blpck ana tackle. Ke . imt the tackle round the coach, the, Mock on to a tree on tbe bank above, and the bullocks on to the end of the x©pe and walked tbe coaeb up^the bank an the twinkling of an eye. When the vehicle was once more Upon terra firma an examination, of its contents was made, when it was discovered, that by a ■infiraculbus circuiristance everything - escaped; and ribt even a fiddle string was broken; Without further loss ot «■ _ lame the bullocks were yoked ' to the coach and m this way the company was iauled along tbe road for six miles, Twhen Mr Johnson took his leave amidst the profuse thanks bf -the company; who feel dpeplpjgrateful to him. For the, yuest of the journey ' the, horses, did-good -wort,' arid landed' the- popular, entertainers at Weber at 7 p.m.,^24 hours . iate, buOtill in time to givea perform'&y am*, "* fas ysrell aiteMed and. A.- greatly enj^yedi iyv. •; >'- A A . ; -"- ; '"'--'