MOUNTAINEERING IN NEW ZEALAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 3098, 30 July 1913, Page 7

MOUNTAINEERING IN NEW ZEALAND.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—Recently, while searching through some old Nelson newspaper tiles, I came across an interesting correspondence referring to some important explorations carried out a third of a century ago by a small band of Nelson citizens, and at once my mind recalled the rugged mountains of Western Otago and the splendid scope they offer for similar exploration. The tragic death of Dr Hudson on Spooner’s Range two years ago led Mr John Ward, himself an old Nclsonion, to furnish the press with some information about the doings of these hardy pioneers, mainly gleaned from J. T. Cai.ey. This information 1 could supplement with many details told mo by J. 11. Cock, who became a neighbour of mine, so to speak, after ho settled in Wellington in 1884. The Nelson band of mountaineers included John Moesoii, J. T. Uatley, Bishop Sutcr, Arthur Atkinson, J. H. Cock, James Park, John Gully, W. Curtis, and J. S. Browning; and of these stalwarts, alas but two survive—Professor Park, of Otago University, and W. Curtis, of Nelson. Expeditions Were made to Mount Patriarch, Ben Nevis, Gordon’s Knob, Mount Arthur, head-waters of the Karainea. Wangapoka, Mokihinui, Mount Owen, St. Arnand, and Spencer Ranges, Mount Franklin, etc., and much solid topographical, geological, and botanical work was done. The party usually included from three to seven members, and the loader chosen on each occasion was Park, the geologist. The journeys were made on fcot, and each member of the party carried his own swag and a portion of the camp equipment. At camping time each member cheerily betook himself to Ids allotted task, and at night all slept the sloop of the just tightly packed on a common bed of fern or bush twigs. There wore doubtless many exhausting days, sometimes hardship, and often hazard, met with in scaling rocky peaks, crossing snow-fields, and in fording swollen mountain torrents, but, as Catley was wont to triumphantly to claim when lie became reminiscent, the trips were carried out without accident or mishap of any kind, notwithstanding that they often found themselves in tight places. But the compensations more than balanced all the hardship endured and sometimes personal discomfort; enduring life-long friendships were formed. I can vouch from my own experience that by mutual privation and danger in the open for a few weeks you got to know the true man, often so cowplotely masked by the artificiality of modern convention, better than by years or conventional association. As I road of these old adventurers, the thought that suggested itself was, could not a bund of enterprising citizens of Dunoditi be organised to do among the wide unexplored regions of Western Otago what was so well done in Nelson and Marlborough over 30 years ago? I know of no hobby or pastime that will give the same enduring satisfaction, or that is more invigorating, sane, or health-giving, or that leads to the same good comradeship and lasting friendships. The mountains have a fascination all their own. The gipsy life in the open, with the crackling camp fire, the scent of the woods, the roar of the boulder-strewn torrents, the baffling mist, the call of the weka, the boom of the bittern, the shrill discordant cry of the kakapo, the sweet note of the trustful robin, the driving rain, the blinding snowstorm, the biting wind, the physical hardship, the risk from swollen rivers, from avalanches, from tottering frost-shattered rock, with all the gipsy life possess an irresistible call to the primitive instincts of the average straight-limbed man. With such a land of promise at its back-door it should not be impossible to organise an Otago alpine club, perhaps loss exclusive hut no less useful than the Nelson prototype. I venture to say that few will deny that the life in the open broods stamina and daring, and that it nurtures the strong nerves which enable men to respond with fortitude to the call of duty in moments of emergency and stress. —I am, etc., J. Mac. Wellington, July 11.