THE COMPENSATIONS OF WINTER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2660, 8 March 1905, Page 87

THE COMPENSATIONS OF WINTER.

By a Banker.

Probably the great majority of the inhabitants of temperate climes prefer the genial seasons of spring and summer -. to the active and robust, however, the glacial rigour 3 and the iron heel of winter present many compensating advantages.

Perhaps of all the varied recreations available — not excluding even golf! — skating, that delightful pastime of the English and (heir descendants since the days when the aborig na! savages fixed deer horns or bones to il'ei'r sandals and disported themselves upon the frozen rivers and lake 3, has ever held one of the first places in their regard. We are skating on a frozen lake, a\o h of the water Avhereof has run off owing to the stream which replenishes it having become frozen to the bottom. The banks art a succession of undulating hillocks, and the thick sheet of ics is now resting on this long series of natural montagnes Russes. Ascending one of these icy knolls, swift as an arrow Aye glide down the steep escarpment, hurtle across the intervening level, and, impelled by the impetus of the descent, career up to the summit of the next acclivity. Pausing here for a moment Aye now swoop down the hill diagonally with a delicious plunge, as though on tht a cry wings of the wind, the momentum, propel 'hi* us, as though volleyed from a ballister, an osfc to the centre of the lake, where we curvet and disport, thrilled through and through with a bounding exhilaration and a "buoyant, blithesome zest. (JCote: In order successfullr to perform this feat it is imperative to have si^arp hollow-ground skates, otherwise the descent will probably be made in a far less dio ni fi»a and heroic fashion). And then there is the recentiy-adooie-i diversion of ski-ing— the Norwegian's metnod ox over the snow— which fron- all accounts appears to he more exhilarating even than skating, for not only can, it is c-aid, tie speed of an ordinary train be exceeded, i>i-,t vaulting jumps can be performed which any kangaroo might envy. And lugeiug— or tobogganing— too ! How it causes the blood to course through the a. 'ins, to luge down, for instance, the steep, A-inriiJi"' snow-covered round from Caux, 3000 ft up m the mountain, right down almost to Montreux, on the Lake of Geneva. As swift as an osrpey swooping on its prey the frail little sedge scours along, sweeping round the corners, bounding over obstructing accumulations of snow, and speeding in it 3 impetuous down .-,- ti-Jl career at the pace almost of a rolliaoavalanche. °

But though the galid cold of winter pro-A-ides all these recreations, yet those able lo enjoy them should not forget that its ri o'oiuso 'oius at the same time are the cause of suffering ar.<l grinding, blighting hardships upon man} ; and following the behests of Him who, 1o s-. ,-c i.s from the realms of black remorse, gave H ; s life for us on the dread and bitter cross, F.1.(a.1d according to their several, ability, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, arM liberally succour those less faA-oured than themselves."