LURE OF GOLD

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22108, 14 May 1935, Page 11

LURE OF GOLD

PICTURESQUE PROSPECTOR FOSSICKER AND FERRYMAN SOUTHLAND'S " ARAWATA BILL " Many New Zealanders have heard of "Arawata Bill," although very few have seen him. In fact he is almost a legendary figure. Yet in spite of his 74 years William O'Learv, to give him his correct name, is very much alive. When he comes out from the back country of South Westland with his hair touching his shoulders and his beard brushing his chest, he may look like an old man of the mountains; but his legs are more nimble than those of most young men, his eyesight is still keen and his wits are ever on the alert.

"Arawata Bill" was for many years ferryman on the river which gave him his nickname. But at heart he is a fossicker for gold, a lone adventurer, a contradiction of the contention that man is a gregarious animal. All he requires for company is his devoted old mare; and even the mare is turned loose once he reaches his favourite haunts among the Red Hills which lie well to the north of Martin's Bay.

The few whose ways have lain through the regions over which "Arawata Bill" has roamed have come across shelters in most unexpected places. In these crude camps the recluse has perhaps spent the greater part of a year, existing where most men would die of exposure. No one knows the secrets of the Red Hills as does "Arawata Bill." He knows exactly where a ruby mine is located, where colours will appear in a dish, and where many substances less valuable than gold, but with a distinct market price, are to be found. Gumboot Full of Gold But there is one secret he has not probed. The story runs that many years ago a party of foreigners who had been prospecting in northern Fiordland struck gold in rich quantity. After they had secured a fair amount they were forced to return to civilisation in a starving condition. Only one survived the journey—and he had to cache the gold in a gumboot belonging to one of the dead members of the party. He reached civilisation in such a debilitated condition that he preferred to take ship for his own country rather than face a journey into the forest again. If the tale be true, the gumboot filled with gold is still in Fiordland—and "Arawata Bill" hopes he is the man who is going to find it. Through living alone in the bush for so many years he has abnormally developed the senses of sight, hearing and smell. Once when he had gone to a South Westland township for supplies some smart gentlemen jumped to the conclusion that he had found a rich mine; so one of them followed him back. The tracker proved most efficient and trailed his man without detection until the old fossicker set to work in a small clearing. From a vantage point away up in the bush the watcher gazed at the old man. Then he felt the need of a smoke and lit his pipe. Senses Remarkably Developed Twice did "Arawata Bill" pause in his work and look round suspiciously. The next time he straightened himself to look about him he shouted out: "Come out of that wherever you are. I can smell you." In spite of the distance separating him from the smoker the old man's sense of smell had conveyed a warning message to him. "Arawata Bill" has an amazing store of knowledge of bird and animal life; and has seen that rarity a whiti kiwi. Having well passed man's allotted span he now finds that wintering alone in Fiordland is rather arduous. Until spring returns he is content to live in that pretty spot on the shore of Lake Wakatipu, Elfin Bay. But with his faithful old mare he will no. doubt make for the Red Hills when the days lengthen again. Perhaps he will reach the goal of his ambition —a gumboot worth many times its weight in gold.