STALKERS ISOLATED.

Otago Witness, Issue 3868, 1 May 1928, Page 32

STALKERS ISOLATED.

STORMBOUND IN THE HILLS. AN UNENVIABLE EXPERIENCE. Mr E. P. V. Sealy returned to Tiniaru on Thursday from a deer-stalking expedition at the head of the Rangitata Gorge, where he went in company with Mr James Bland, of Ashburton. The Timaru Herald states that they pitched their tent in a gorge about 30 miles above Mesopotamia Station, at the head waters of the Rangitata River, and had a most unenviable experience, in that after they had had about two days and a-half stalking, rain commenced to fall in torrents, and continued without cessation, for four days and a-half. The stalkers were due home a week ago, and their continued absence was causing some concern—concern which was added to by the fact that it was impossible to get in touch with them. They had only a small 6xB tent, and as it had no fly, they had to improvise one, using sacks and a blanket for the purpose. The wind at times reached gale force, and it became necessary to erect some shelter for their frail canvas home. Th'is they did by building a protecting wall of logs and branches, which they got from the bush. As soon as it became evident that they were likely to be storm-bound, the stalkers put themselves on half-rations, and in this way they made their food supply last until they were able to get back to civilisation. In the course of conversation with a reporter Mr Sealy stated that the country where he was camped is carrying an abundance of feed, and that it is not overstocked with deer. There are two types of deer there—the heavy-headed Austrian, and the lighter-timbered red deer. The story of tho expedition is best told in Mr Sealy’s own words: — V o motored as far as Mesopotamia homestead, and packed in from there. The real rain came on April 10, and fell continuously for four days and a-half, an estimate of the fall being 30:n to Win. As giving an idea of the deluge, a sixinch billy left out overnight was overflowing in the morning. Our camp was pitched on tho highest, ground of a small ridge close to some timber. We had no fly for our tent, so we made one from three sacks and a blanket, which wc cut up and fastened together. The Forbes and Havelock Rivers, close to which wo were camped, became swollen, so that they were running bank and bank, tho Havelock a quarter of a mile wide. We crossed the Forbes River about a milo above our camp, making the crossing with arms linked. After crossing the Forbes, it took us three days to get back, on foot, to Mesopotamia, owing to the necessity of keeping to the high country and avoiding impassable streams. The Mesopotamia people had made two attempts to reach us without success. On one occasion tho pack horse, with swags and food, swam tho Havelock River and got over to the Erewhon side, and has not been seen since. This necessitated the relief party returning to Mesopotamia. Finally, on* Tuesday morning last, when about eight miles from Mesopotamia, we met the manager and ono of the shepherds setting out on another effort to reach iis. As we had onlv taken provisions for eight days, we made these last out for the time we were stormbound by going on half rations. The manager of Mesopotamia told us that it was nine years since he had seen the headwaters of the Rancitata in such heavy flood. When we left our camp we had to leave behind everything except a light pack and one rifle. We left three heads, one of which was a very nice royal. We were fortunate in finding a dead totara tree within 50 yards of our camp, so that we had an ample supply of firewood; nevertheless it was very monotonous having to prepare meals in the rain day after day. We were able to keep one dry suit of clothes, and after becoming drenched whenever we went outside to light a fire, we changed immediately into the dry suits or got into bed. “ Although not a great many deer were actually seen, evidences of large numbers in the locality were not lacking in the form of weH-trodden tracks and innumerable wallows. We saw a great many keas. as many as 16 being outside our tent one night. We regretted very much to notice that the much-prized ribbonwood tree is doomed in deer country, as everything in the form of tender vegetation within reach of the deer is eaten, and consequently no young growth of ribbonwood is coining on, while, owing to the stripping and barking of older trees, they are dying in every direction. The variety of Alpine flora in that locality is infinite and specially attractive to us was the ’mountain lily—ranunculus lyallii—which was growing in abundance everywhere. Of native game we did not see a great lot. Paradise ducks, which three years ago were there in very considerable numbers. are now very nearly extinct, only half a dozen pair being seen on the 30mile trip in from Mesopotamia. The musterers say that the weasel and the stoat are responsible for this diminution, although there are possibly other contributing causes. Though we did not actually see any thar or chamois, the musterere told us that they had seen them within the last 12 months. We saw some magnificent wild cattle, which, owing to the abundance of feed, were in great condition, but wilder, if anything, than the deer.”