TEN-MILE TRAMP

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22004, 10 January 1935, Page 11

TEN-MILE TRAMP

OBSTACLES IGNOKED SCENERY PHOTOGRAPHED PRINCE DRINKS BILLY TEA RESPITE IN MOUNTAIN HUT [BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] WAIHO GORGE, Wednesday Clad in heavy mountaineering boots Prince Henry strode up the glacier track to-day in company with the Hon. ,T. A. Young, Major-General Howard Vyse, Mrs. Howard Vyse and Captain Curtis, piloted by the Graham brothers. The stepping-stones of the creeks that spring suddenly to life in this region were sometimes awash, but His Royal Highness splashed across like a happy schoolboy. On foot or on horseback he is a good cross-country man. The party went up the right side of the glacier as far as the pinnacles, then crossed, and on the way entered a marvellous ice arch of blue, through which was seen the red rata of the slope. It was an extraordinary experience and it was recorded on the Duke's cinema camera. His Royal Highness was loth to leave, and but for the time schedule that controls him would have gone further up the sharp ice ridges.

Two Hours on Ice

In all the Duke spent two hours on the ice, covering a mile and a-half of the beautiful broken glacier. From one point he saw Lake Mapourika, a jewel of calm loveliness on this perfect day. The route taken involved some stepcutting, and the Duke made his ascents like a skilful mountaineer. No roping was, however, required. The descent was made on the left side of the glacier and the Duke saw the outlet of the river that gushes from below the frozen reservoir. The terminal face, which is more treacherous than any other, because the ice that is protected from the heat of the sun by crushed rock is much more slippery than that which granulates, was negotiated without difficulty, and the party then walked round the bottom of the morrain, viewing the ice cave that has developed

Visit Paid to Church

Under the influences of rain during the last two days slabs of the glacier had broken off and lay scattered about the shingle. Others were ready to fall. At it was, crushed rock was constantly falling from above and, to quote an inspired novelist, "God was going on with his world." Here His Royal Highness took several cinema shots. Then a return was made to the hut, where the Duke enjoyed a cup of billv tea squatting in his short-sleeved shirt like an old campaigner. The return was made via the swing bridge at Peter's Pool. To the north bank of the stream the surface was broken and the reflection of the glacier could not be seen.

Horses had been taken to the hut for the return journey, but the Duke declined to ride. In his four-pound boots he walked back, covering in all 10 miles. On the way up he visited St. James' Church, situated in the bush, and saw the glacier through the broad window behind the altar, the cross of which was silhouetted against the white of the ice.