LOST ON THE RANGES.

Otaki Mail, 16 June 1922, Page 3

LOST ON THE RANGES.

- EOLLON'S STOBY OF HIS MISADVENTURE. KIME FOUND. "We went right on to Alpha hut. We stayed Friday night al the hut, and started out again at 7 o'clock on Saturday morning. We intended to go -tniight over Mount Hector so that we could reach Otaki in the evening, and if possible catch the a o'clock tram back 10 Wellington, For live hours we i walked on after leaving Alpha hut. l! j was hard going, with snow on the. i ground, and ive gradually got into fog. . For about an hour we kepi on the re- I turn track together. After proceeding t a little I'm titer Kime, v. ho is a good i stayer but not ti fast walker, wanted I me to go on ahead and get help. 1 re- K fused to leave him for a time, but a little later I agreed to cut along to the ' Alpha hut and get a lire going while he ; followed on. .Shortly after leaving • him the t'og became so thick that I could not see my way. The truck bends ' somewhere there, and I must have taken the wrong spur. When i found 1 was wrong I continued to the bottom of the valley until I struck the river, i It was getting late then, so I rolled myself up in the blankets and laid down J by the riverside for the night. On • Sunday morning I tried to follow the ' course of the river, and went on lot ' three or four hours until I struck a '..lace that I could not pass. I turned back and went on till I reached the ' -pi" where I stayed the previous nigh!. J I stayed there for the next night. I ' bat! practically no food, having lettf the wain supplies with Kime. All I had was a little milk in a buttle, and a small quantity of bovril, and a little j brandy, I stayed there for the Sunday night, and on Monday it was still pret- j ty thick with fog. I thought the best . thing would be to try and get back on , tliw track again, so about 1) o'clock I began to push my way up through ; three or tour hundred feet of thick bush. I reached the old track at noon, t and from there I made my way back ] to Mount, Alpha hut, reaching it in the j afternoon. As the afternoon was well advanced, and it was very cold, 1 de- ; eided to staj at Alpha hut for the Mon- 1 day night. I had a few matches, but they were wet, no food and no blankets, for it was hard work climbing through ( the bush, and I was very exhausted and could nut carry them. I had uo slept 1 any of these nights by myself, although I had rested. It took rue over three ] hours to elimV> that spur, and my feet ' were very sore J started at 9 o'clock • on Tuesday morning'from Alpha hut, and after a very slow walk, and not ' feeling too good, I reached Taulierenikau hut in the evening. "In the hut I found some emergency rations which are kept there, and I had a meal of . sardines and spiced beef. I then got into a bunk and wrapped myself in an old sail-cloth, which was damp and cold. It was about 11.-10 p.m. on Tuesday when the rescue party arrived, including Mr Vosseler, Mr Wilson, and a r hap from the office. Two of the party remained with me while the others vent off again to look for Kime. We left Tauherenikau hut at 7 o'clock in the morning, and reached the farmhouse near Bassett 'a hut about 1 o'clock. KIME FOTOTD ALIVE. BUT IN AN EXHAUSTED CONDITION. Word was received from Gieytown at about 1 p.m. to-day to state that Kime was found alive by Mr Vosseler 's party, and that he was being taken to Woadside. Kirne was very exhausted but otherwise there was nothing serious to worry about. He was in a sheltered spot alongside the track on Mt. Alpha (4467 ft.)