A BACK COUNTRY JOURNEY

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31339, 8 April 1967, Page 9

A BACK COUNTRY JOURNEY

QUR journey, began from Harimer, our four horses having been trucked there the day before.

The boys, Stephen, aged 13 years, Tommy, aged 12, and Christopher, sged 10, were very keen to make the trip and were delighted when we were able to get away.

Leaving Hanmer, we rode up Jacks Pass to the St James homestead following the Clarence for a mile or two before crossing to ride up the Leader Dale. This we followed only briefly as we were heading for Bush Gully. John Morrison, Molesworth boundary rider, and his mate were expecting us, and we spent a pleasant evening after Inspecting the very extensive and excellent set of cattle yards and outstation buildings.

From here we rode out to the Clarence past the old accommodation house and up the Acheron following the old coach route from Canterbury to Nelson. Near the junction of the two rivers IS an old stock bridge used in the St Helens days for moving sheep. It is in remarkable repair and the boys enjoyed scrambling around the large rock formation on whichitis built

At the Five Mile we turned inland and after passing over a fairly high saddle dropped down to the Yarrow hut We

From the Yarrow hut onwards we ran across mobs of cows and calves all in excellent order. After joining the Alma we followed its steadily widening valley for some two hours before coming on to a wide, tussock-covered flat overlooking the extensive Tarndale flats themselves and beyond the valley leading to the Wairau with the Rainbow country in the far distance. As we approached from this wide expanse of country we passed through large mobs of cows and calves. These made an impressive sight and bore ample testimony to the productivity of thia much improved country.

Our stay at Tarndale was one of the highlights of the trip. Bin Chisholm and several stockmen were there at the time in preparation for the autumn muster. This homestead has the distinction of being the highest in the South island and one eon well imagine the severity of conditions in winter. It was built by the Saxton brothers in 1867 and Tarndale was farmed as a separate run until 1883 when it was joined to Molesworth. The boys re-

veiled in the atmosphere of the old house with Its thick sod walls and rough hewn log beams in the ceiling. The whole establishment is in excellent repair and is a tribute to its administrator.

In the evening we all sat round the large kitchen table to a meal cooked on the open fire while Bill entertained the boys with tales of the Stetten's early history. The morning saw us awsy up the valley leading to the Wairau toward the terns which gave the original station Its name. From Sedgemere we turned on to the hydro rood which we followed into the Island Gully, over Island saddle into the valley of the Serpentine and so to the shores of Lake Tennyson. From here it was a short ride to the little hut which nestles in a clump of birch bush on the far side of the lake.

It was raining from the north-west when we left in the morning, riding back round the lake edge to the old rabbit fence which we followed to the new hydro road again, and at Fowlers Hut followed the old pack track over the pass and headed for the famous Ada.

The ride over the pass was in driving rain and a strong heed wind—wintery conditions for the time erf the year. The boys stood up to it well and fortunately the rain eased as we dropped down into the steep rocky valley that leads to the Stanley

river. This was different country and we had not gone very far down the narrow winding valley, when to everyone’s surprise and delight a large chamois jumped up and in a matter of seconds Was over a ridge and out of sight Our way lay through the Stanley Vale, past attractive Lake Guyon and eventually to the Ada where Jim Stevenson and his men were preparing their horses for the sale at the station yards the following week.

I was very interested and pleased to see the numbers of ducks and Canadian geese on Guyon. The paradise, particularly, were numerous and it was obvious that the lake offered sanctuary still to these birds. It was the only place on the whole journey where we saw ducks'ln any numbers.

The Ada, which is the St. James outstation, is on a wide fertile flat at the junction of the Ada and Waiau rivers under the shadow of the Faerie Queene. The house and bunkhouse are made of pit sawn timber with mud in the walls for warmth and these are lined with skrim and wallpaper. The extensive flats stretching up the Ada river with birch covered ridges on either side make an impressive setting.

The station yards are here also and before we left in the morning on the last leg erf our journey we saw the final cutting out and drafting of the sale horses. It is a sight in these mechanical days to see a hundred and more unbroken

horses moving at a canter up the wide flats with two mounted horsemen as outriders.

From the Ada we followed the Waiau a short distance and turned up the Henry as far as the junction of the Anne where we crossed and returned to the Waiau, which we followed to its junction With-the Edwards.

There is an old fence along a terrace running down the Waiau. This must have been built many years ago when the station carried a large flock of sheep. This runs from an old stock bridge, which crosses the Waiau, and it was here that Stephen shot a very presentable 10 point stag. We had seen very few deer up to that stage and getting this one near the end certainly made the boys* day.

We spent out last night in the Edwards hut and on our last ride followed the widening Edwards river to the head of Peters Valley, which leads from a high, rather broad saddle down to the station buildings.

It had been a long and interesting journey. As we stood on Jacks pass the ride nearly over it was obvious that the boys had enjoyed the experience to the full—a change from motor cars, utility vehicles and the like.

Lessons had been learned in horsemanship and how to cross rivers and, perhaps, in addition an appreciation gained of the extensiveness

The accompamrtne story woe

written by thwaite.

C. B.

Softer-

had left the briar behind in the Five Mile and the country through to the Alma was high, well-covered tops with an abundance of feed in the gullies.

and beauty of our high country.