AN ADVENTUROUS JOURNEY

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21708, 15 February 1936, Page 14

AN ADVENTUROUS JOURNEY

PERILOUS TRIP BY LAKE AND RIVER

BLIGH SOUND TO GEORGE SOUND

(PKISS ASSOCIATION TBLBGEAM.J INVERCARGILL, February 14. On a large-scale map of the South Island, Bligh Sound is separated, from George Sound by less than half an inch. It took two men five days and four nights to cross from one sound- to the other, and to accomplish this they had to build a raft and paddle the length of Lake Alice, had to camp at 5000 feet in heavy rain and a howling gale, ahd had to walk along precipitous gorges in dense fog. Mr E. J. Herrick, of Hastings, widely known as-a successful moose. and wapiti hunter, and his guide, Mr J. Muir, were, the adventurers. They joined H.M.S. Wellington at Wellington and on Tuesday, February 4, were landed _ at Wild Native river at the *head of Bligh Sound. Their intention was to make their way to George Sound by way of the Henry saddle, linking up with the ship on the Saturday. They travelled along Wild Native river until they reached a tributary branching to the right, and followed this up. When darkness fell they made a flying camp at a height of 3000 feet. Next morning, m thick fog. they walked along the top of the range to the head of the Worsley, where they camped at 5000 feet. : In search of moose and wapitiMr Herrick has spent many unpleasant nights on the heights of the fiordland, but this was the worst in his experience. It was blowing a howling gale and was raining heavily. So thick was it next morning that they decided to change the route. It was realised that to go by way of the Henry saddle would almost certainly result in the sloop being missed. The alter 1 ' native was to T travel down the Edith river, cross Lake Alice by raft, and emerge upon George Sound by the narrow neck connecting it with -the* lake. On reaching Lake Alice they built a raft, tying the equipment which they desired to keep dry to long poles which were made to, stand vertically from the. deck, v Driven Ashore By Wind The pair took their courage in both hands and launched-the raft on the storm-tossed lake. The wind, fortunately, Was behind rather than against them, or the . progress they would have made with crude beech paddles would . have been negligible. As it was, they , travelled the length of the lake (four miles) in seven houfs. Several times the, wind took-.them rocky shore of the" lake, and one man had to stand waist-deep in water while the craft was pushed out. When an effort was made to use the tent as a sail, the winjl took charge and robbed the navigators of any semblance of control. To make matters worse, the logs, as they absorbed more wafer, grew heavier, and the raft, gradually settled further into the water. In fact, most of the journey was made with the men kneeling in the water. But before dusk the head of the lake was sighted, and a safe landing was made. It was only a short distance to George Sound, where they found the Wellington awaiting them. ” They were late by only a quarter of an hour.