A NIGHT ON THE GUM-FIELDS.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXXI, Issue 5602, 31 August 1875, Page 2 (Supplement)

A NIGHT ON THE GUM-FIELDS.

The crimson hues of departing day were stretching across the horizon, and night's dark mantle was fast falling upon earth, as 1 emerged from tho shade of the kauri forest ; tired oy a long, wearisome journey through the monotonous bush , it was a pleasing change to find myself ngain on open fern land. Perhaps no travelling is more tedious than New Zealand bush, -the sameness, the silence, and the toughness of the roads, combining to make it dismal and irksome. My lirst thought now was a shelter for the night, but suddenly the bark of a dog broke the stillness, and I at once started in the direction of tho sound. Following the range down I soon reached a small creek, and there found myself in. a gum-diggers' encampment, consisting of some half dozen whares. A kind i hospitality wot at onco given mo, and overything done to make me comfortable. A gum-digger's is a atrango lifo ; a wandering class of men without any settled homes ; wandering hero and there, whercever they think gum is to bo found. Perhaps in no other class of men are there so many reckless, and thoughtless ; few over think of saving for tin evil day ; -they toil on, work long hours, and what is too often the case, only for the benefit of tho publican. Of course there are exceptions, .bub too few ; and yet they are a wojl-orderod lot of men, for ib is seldom any serious offence occurs. To work, they go, perhaps milea away, but they havo no fear of losing anything from their whares. Generous and good naturod, the wearied strangor is sure of a kind hospitality. With his blanket, billy, spado and sp«\u\ tho gum-digger's outfit is complete. Hood humonredly ho tramps on, over ranges, through gullios, thick sciult, wilding crocks, and exposed to tho damp chills of tlie denso b ish, and enduring all kinds of privation ; ragged and torn ho roams along in nis search after gum. Hut it is by the glowing log fire on the wet wintry night the gum-diggor's ' wliare is pleasant; as sitting round the cheery bla/e, their weather-beaten faces, and rough garments illumined by the warm glare, and their eyes fixed on one who is relating somo thrilling story, or hair-breadth escape from tho rivor or tho bush ; they present a wild and picturesque group that would look well on canvas. Strange are some of the stories told ; the following I give in the words of the relator, » fine stronguilt young fellow : — "Well, boys, 1 am not much of a yarnspinner, but as you have called upon me, I will just give you a story about myself, perhaps as strange a yarn as was ever told, or occurred to any man. "It was in the month of February, a bright bonny morning, that with my spade and spear over my shoulder I left my wharo door ; old Sol was just p«eping at this sido of the world, paving the slopes of the ranges with a golden lining, and frightening away by his glorious pretence the white mists dark night had hung over the valleys. Making my way along the dreary fern ranges I directed my course towards a great bush of kauri, sumo three or four milei distant. Many times I had intended to explore the bush, behoving from the character of the timber that it must contain large deposits of gum, and the morning being so fine and feeling in a rambling mood, I thought it a good opportunity of proving my supposition, if correct or not. A good long day before me, I walked slowly along, spearing in any likelylooking place, and I (tare say a couple of hours wero so occupied before reaching the forest. Undor the shadows of the dark bush, and I was soon busily engaged with my spear, wandering from one likely-lookiug spot to another, wit with very little luck, and with no small amount of trouble, for tho supplejacks, vines, aifd fallen timber were •o tiresome as to impede my progress at every step. It is a puzzle to mo how the cattlo inauago to stray about without getting strangled. My word ! did I not heartily wish a supplejack round tho neck of one mo as tor red bull. After much trouble I had succeeded in making my way through a mats of thick scrub, when to my consternation face to face I came with tho biute. For a couple of minutes we scowled at one another. I saw lie meant mischief, and was angry at my intrusion into hi* domain, so prepared for the worst ; next moment down went his head and furiously he charged me ; at the same instant I gave a spring, caught an overhanging bough, and drew myself up out of his reach. For some two hours lie kept me bailed up, roaring and tearing up the ground in his Bpite and rage. You may be sure I was not idle, but at overy opportunity gave him a poke with tho spear he N did not at all like; and at last feeling, I suppose, he wan getting the worst of it, he cleared off, about as glad to go, I fancy, as I was to soo him go. Descending the tree, I looked cautiously around, but all was quiet ; my enemy had fairly retreated. The aggression of tho bull rather damped my prospectingardour, and as tho sun was rapidly descending westward, I sat down, and after a pipe and cogitation, made up my mind to steer homeward ; a resolution oasier made than put into practico. Again on my feet, hour after hour went by, and no sign of the open land showing, the scrub becoming more dense aud tho groundless track-marked; a disagreeable suspicion began to rise iu my mind that I was bushed^ ailn that instead of making for tho clearing I liad boon straying deeper and deeper into the forest. Tho sun had long since bade adieu for tho day, aud given place to the kind and goutlo moon, who, surrounded with millions of bright competitors, now glistened in tho bright canopy of heaven, their rays twinkling through the thick folinge like drops of silvery rain. Having lost mysolf did not much trouble me, for I made aura of finding my way out on tho morrow, but yot it was far from pleasant, for most of my readers will know how wot and damp ib is in tho Now Zealand bush ; the ground strewed with rotten timber, and the trees arid graisos all dripping with heavy dews. Cold and chilly J felt, and a glass of P. B. would have boon uncommonly welcome. However, I had to' make tho best of it, and so determined, as long as the bright moon smiled upon mo, to keep moving a-head, and so hoped soon to roach home, and the oxerci«o would holp to keep warmth in mo. To prevent wandering and describing circles, a common occurrence with travellers when astray—for I well remember .such an occurrence iu Victoria, it was in Gippsland ; t had started ono morning to go to a place 25 miles distant, a bush tiro had obliterated the j track, and at sundown I found myself at my morning's starting place — and now to gnard against going wrong, I set my back toeing the Southern Cross, and resolved to steer right forward. For sotno time X continued to steadily advance in spite of being tripped up' by supplojaoks, torn by rascally lawyers, tumbling headlong over stumps, or floundering into wator holes ; on I groped, wot, aching, aud tired, my life nearly shook out of mo ; crossing a dpep ravino, I had now to ascend a steep range of high, rugged rocks, and so fatigued I felt, that I dotorminod on reaching the summit I would light a tire and camp until morning. Slowly clambering over the stones I had got about two thirds up the range, when sliding down over an immense bouldor, down I went. " Never shall I forget the honor of that , moment. A rapid descent, and I was up to my middle in water. Fortwnate forme, water ' received me, else I must have boon shattered to pieces, for my fall could not have been less than 80 or 100 feet. As soon as the effwts ! of the shook had passed, my first thought was, where am I f Looking up, I could see far above me tho small orevioe through which I hod fallen, the pale moon-light shining through like a far-off star. All round me was thick gloom, and how or where situated I could not conjeoture. Afraid to move, fearing I might slip into some worse prodicament, for a time I was quiet ; but, bye* and-byo, my limbs becoming cramped and cold, and my eyes having becomo inoro accustomed to the darkness, I gently groptd

al<>nj{, carefully feeling #itli uiv fret heforc T ,sr*t my Coot. As I advanced, the water sliallt>v\t'il, ,md sotiu I was en lurd, dry gnund. Taking a piece of kauii t^nm from my lug, with a ni.itoh I litihtod it, and the ulirc of tin 1 lila/t. 1 illumine I an immense cavern, tl-rowingits lurid light on the glistening roof above mo, and on the whining water I had just waded from, but failing to penctrsito to tho limits round me, m here all was dark, and to the eye, impenetrable. Aching aul soie, 1 throw myself down, and in Hpito of the hard ground and my strango position fell into ft sound blosu. How long I Blopt I know not, but m.uiy hours must have passed. Housing myself from my half lothargic stato, 1 set to w ork to aeok for some way of escape from my subterranean prison. The pale light upon tho w ater, shot down through the 01 itico above, told ino it was day-time again in tho busy world above me. My first raovo was to inspect tho shaft I had fallon down, so wading through tho water, I was Boon at the spot where 1 foil, and I now saw how it was I escaped collision in my fall. The shaft was a groat domo or spherical cavity, and tho crovice I slipped through, in the centre at tho top ; tho walla quite smooth, showing mo how utterly impossible escape was by tho way I had eutoral. So accustomed rny oyes had now become to tho gloom, that I conld easily find my way. Leaving the wator, T commenced a closo scrutiny of the walls ; thocavo was immensly lofty, long, and narrow ; from tho roof hung long stalactites of tho strangest fantastic shapes ; the damp walls glutened like marble, and tho fall of water fell upon my hearing hko tho murmuring roll of a distant drum, or tho «woll of a f .\r-otf organ. Along one side of tho cave flowed a narrow, r.vpid stream, clear as crystal, and cold as iec. . Lighting my kauri gum, T awndi'd the stream, believing I would find a w.iy of exit from the cave where tho stream entered. As 1 advanced, tho cavern nai rowed, and soon 1 had to take to the water, which now occupied tho whole of tho floor. A chango was also visible in tho formation around, tho limestone giving way to a grey granite, permeated 1>y veins of white quart/. Louder and louder came tho sound of falling water, nnd I hurried on, full of eagerness to bo in broad day-light once more. A fow Moments and I emerged from tho narrow passage into a small circular chambor. With a cry of anguish, I came to a standstill; there was no outlet. The walla, roof, and floor, were composed of white quartz— a simple.basin in a reef of quartz. Frotnacloftinthewall burst forth a magnificent casoado ; bubbling and foaming it fell to the white shining floor, impetuously trying to ■weep mo off my feet. Put no ! I slowly drew toward* the cascade— even the horror of my iltuation wu for the moment forgotten j T what wm it attracted me? what was it the dull gleam of my gum-fire glittered upon ? Half ■mothered, half drowned by tho teething waters, 1 struggled on; stretching forward my arm, I pressed my hand on the cold, bright yellow mass. Good heavens ! a wall of almost solid gold. A length of fully four feet was exposed to view, the water having worn away the quartz, and, far as my hand could reach up tpe stream, was tho smooth metal tangible. Oh! if only at liberty, what wealth would be mine ! but now, what a bitter mockery. Wading back to the bank, I now made for the lower end of the cave, for it was my onty hop* of a means of rescue $ following the stream down, I carefully noted the walls as I passed, but could find no cleft or aperture ; aa at the upper end, so here, aa I descended, the cave seemed to contract, and soon I came to the end. A blank wall of rock faced me, whilst at its base the rushing water, whirhng and foaming, was gulphed down a whirlpool. A cold chill ran through me ; trembling, 1 sank down, uttering an heart-rending cry 'Buried alive !' Worn and weary, I fell into a feverish sleep. How long I lay, I know not; but 'when I woke, something told me another day Uad passed. The dreary hours slowly fleet by ; hunger is doing its work : I cannot bear this horror longer ; my nerves are so unstrung, I feel I am going mad. I will end this misery by sudden death ; it is preferable to a paiuf ul lingering. Tearing off my upper garments, with one plunge I was in tho boiling vortex.. For a few momenta round and round I was swept ; my busy thoughts ran rapidly back from manhood s life, through boyhood's daya, to childhood's innocence ; then down tho resistless water drew me. My head scorned bursting ; thousands of guns seemed to bp discharged round me ; a ptawut dreary lauguor crept over mo, and oblivion oaine. , •• The hot tun was shining full tiwm me ; raising myself, I looked around. The, sea was before me, the spray from the dashing wave* sprinkling over me ; above was the | shade of a kauri forest ; where was I, and how came I here t Pressing my hands to my aching head, a dim recollection like a horrid dream oame to memory. With difficulty I drew myself from the shore into the shade of the forest treet, and, sinking on tho grass, aleep fell upon my wearied frame. » I must have slept long, for, on waking, another day had dawned. The sun .was just peeping above the homon ; rising to my feet, but weak from hunger and privation, slowly I travelled along a narrow track, and soon arrived at a Maori settlement. With kind hospitality they welcomed mo, and after a fow days' rest I left my hospitablo hosts for i up-country. Many miles away from my I camp, the horrors I had undergone in tho locality determined me never to return to I the spot again. I have kept silence until • now upon the subject, for 1 don't like to I think of it, let alone to speak, and my recollection is so confusad that it appears more like a strange drewn than a reality. To givo yon an idoa of my sufferings, I may tell you that my hair, when I left home that bright, sunny morning, was jotblaok, and, on looking ! at uiysolf in a glass at the Maori settlement, it was as you now ate it, quite groy." ' A silence of some mihntoa followed the conclusion of the story ; then many questions 1 wore asked, but to all onqnirios as to locality the narrator preserved silence. I Tho hours had rolled rapidly by, and it 1 must have been midnight when, after talciug a cup of hot tea, I turtuxl i"*« my l«»" k - By sunriso next morning, I was roused by a ' call to breakfast, and, after a good lieu ty meal, bade farewell to ray hospitable entertainers, and again took to tho road. Waugarei, August, 1875. J.B.