AUCKLAND FROM THE RANGES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21716, 3 February 1934, Page 4 (Supplement)

AUCKLAND FROM THE RANGES

By GWEN" EVANS, 28 George Street, Dominion Road. (Aged 18 years). Softly, sombrely, night crept- down' over the brooding ranges. She draped these silent hills, not hurriedly, swiftly, with her dark veil, as she was wont to do, the withdrawn city of sound, but lovingly, lingeringly, tucking a soft fold caressingly round a small, sleepy hill, wafting a gossamer gauze o'er the rnonarclis of the bush. Darkness, under a midnight sky, unrelieved by a single star. Our laughing voices hushed as we tramped the winding, climbing road. This peace enveloping the hills was changeless, eternal, not to be broken lightly by carefree youth. The searching beams of our torches alone illumined our way. The road was rough, and clay bogged the unwary, otherwise we would fain havo trusted to our senses rather than our torches, so real was the thought that this friendly dark should not be pierced. Eagerly we took our stand, denying ourselves the least glimpse of that distant vista till the goal was reached. Silent, in the darkness, we gazed. Every torch extinguished, and the only sound breaking that eerio stillness, a morepork's repeated call to its mate, his husky, mournful cry in keeping with his abode. Far below, as it were, stretched a sea of lights, twinkling, glowing, paling, beckoning, charming by their very distance. Fairy lanterns outlined the upper reaches of the harbour, their mirrored reflections in the dark waters enhancing their claim to the ethereal. Softly we indicated- well-known landmarks, holding animated discussions over the position of a certain arc of lights, or a black pool of shadow. In the hollows at the foot of the ranges, blue mists, mystic, mysterious, swirled and eddied, and scarce could I tell which was the more lovely, man's myriad lamps, winking like glow-worms in the cave of night, or these misty wraiths of rnagic movement. Thus I wondered, and worshipping, breathed a silent prayer of thanks to the One above, who had given me the valuable gift of appreciation, and this picture of beauty to cherish forever.