A PERILOUS JOURNEY.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 12517, 12 June 1906, Page 10

A PERILOUS JOURNEY.

EXCITING ADVENTURE ON LAKE WAIKAREMOANA.

In March, 1904, Mr Seddon, accompanied by the Horn Jas. Carroll, Mr Gerhard Mueller, Commissioner of Crown Lands and Chief Surveyor for the Auckland district, Messrs T. H. Hauler, and J. F. Andrews, private secretaries, and two Press representatives, mado an extended tour through the native districts of tho North Island. On the return journey, while travelling from the UreAvera Country to WaU roa, an exciting incident occurred, which is thus described in the official narrative of the trip:— "On the following morning a start was made on foot for Lake Waikaremoana. This was a most trying journey, it being over the roughest part of the country they had travelled, the party having literally to crawl over masses of slippery clay and rocks, besides fording several streams. At one timo they would have to ascend to a height of 2000 ft, ami at another descend to the same depth. These gigantio undulations conlinuud until about 3 p.m., when, upon ascending the last range, one of the most beautiful sights it is possible to imagine met tho gaze. The Like was then viewed in all its picture-tqiu-iiess, fringed by ono of tho grandest forests to be seen in any part of New Zealand. A wild hurrah burst from the Avhole party, not so much perhaps.-on account of the view, but because thoy imagined thoy were nearing their destination. This was not 60, hoAvever, for several hours of weary travelling lav betAveen them and their destination. " Suddenly tho track—it track it could be called— turned sharp off to the left, and a large sandstone bank, some 300 ft high, met the gaze, and the party descended floundering, slipping, and rolling to the bottom. '"Then commenced an especially difficult jaunt through a sandstone "creekbed. The Premier led the way. The whole party commenced to climb over huge stones for some hundred yards, und would then drop 12ft over l\ terrace: travel another hundred yards- or co, thou drop again, and so on for about sca-ou miles. The Maori packers declared it was a moral impossibility to reach the lake that night, and advised camping, but the Premier and Air Carroll were determined to go on. Night came on, and to keep tho track iv tho dark re-

quired a good deal of caution. The lake was reached at about seven o'clock. Here there Avas a dilnculty. A Maori had been sent on the day befcre to get the natives at Onepoto—the other side of the lake—to bring a canoe to convey tho party thither, but there aa-;is no sign of any one having been near the lake. There avus an old canoe, Avhich had a split in the side and was haif-ftill ot AAater, and that was the oniy means of conveying the voyagers across the lake, so iar as could be seen. Therefore the party resigned themselves to their fate and camped for the night, deciding to AAait to see; Avhat the morroAV Avould bring forth. The Premiers secretaiy, Avhen proceeding to the edge of the lake next morning to perform liis ablutions, may a sped; of Avlutc paper lying in the mud. Picking it up, ho saw '-'Timi Kara" written on the top, and took it at once to Air Carroll. "Tho Avhole matter Avas then explained. The natives liad been there Avith a canoe, and had AA-aited, but, thinking the party Avould not arrive till next morning—for (as they said Avhen they ultimately came) they never imagined the journey could have been done on foot in one day—they had returned homo, intending to oouie again later on. Before this paper Avas picked up, however, the native guide arid Air Biddlo*, fh Ruatoki, liad A-olunteorod to go in the split canoe to endeavour to hail the k-;----tlenient at Onepoto. This they did, anel were nearly drowned for their temerity, for the canoe Avas almost in a sinking condition before they returned to camp at 3 p.m. Suddenly a European hurrah avos heard, and a large canoe hove insight, manned by five stahvart natives. Camp was struck, and all were on board in no time. Sad Avas set, anel the Avaters lay hushed like a sleeping child—but not for long. Far aAvay in the distance could be seen "Avhite horses" coining out of the various arms of the hike, and many predicted tough times liefore the travellers in their frail bin quo reached tho haA-en they sought. The captain ot this 'dug-out'" hoAVCA-er, assured the Premier that it Avas too rough at the landing-place, and he aaoulcl not attempt to take tho canoe in. But, unfortunately, he wnn himself taken in, Avhether ho liked it or not, for he AA-as in the break before he knew Avhere ho AA-as. But, once in it, ho exercised the most conj summate skill in bringing his charges I sale to land. I "It is enough to say that the party j Aiero in imminent dangerd/or an hour and a half, and, to make matters Avorse, the List tAA-enty minutes of, the perilous journey was traA-ersed in the dark. But, | alter bring half dnnvned by the lingo ! seas which continually broke OA-er the canoe, the party A-.-ere safely landed and heartily Avdcomed by Mr Robson, Air Lambert, and Mr Johnston, of Wairoa, Avho Avero in waiting. The party then proceeded on hoi-seback to the native settlement, a distance of three miles, Avhere a splendid dinner and welcome, and. wlint they urgently a gigantic fire aAA-aitcd them. Wet through to the flannel as he was, and without a change of clothing, the Premier addressed a large and enthusiastic i meeting of the natives, which lasted from 9 p.m. till 1 a.m. the next day."