TRAGEDY OF RUAPEHU

Southland Times, Issue 17304, 28 March 1913, Page 5

TRAGEDY OF RUAPEHU

-'BUFFERINGS OF THK MOUNTAINEERS. NARROW ESCAPES. (Per United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, March 27. “It's my first and last attempt af mountaineering-.” This was the eraplxatic statement made by the young man Schubert at his home at Devonport to-day. Schubert said that Bingham was physically the weakest of the party. lie was lightly dressed, and on Sunday almost perished with cold. Ho was then practically in a stale of collapse, and he (Schubert) who was the only man who had a flask, gave him a strong nip of brandy, -which pulled him round again. The cold was frightful and quite inconceivable to anyone living in town. Coats and hats were as stiff as boards, and limbs and hands were numbed. A heavy fog lay over the rugged face of the mountain, and obscured the view for any great distance- J The cold continued to increase in in— ‘ tensity, and the sufferings of the party were terrible. No one in the company 1 , had the least idea in which direction the camp lay. but death stared them In th« face. The party worked their way over towards the base of the mountainand camped on a ridge. “I could hav# sworn it was the site of the camp, because it had three pools identical. with? the three pools by the camp,** said: Schubert. “But I was mistaken. It was now quite dark, and we lit a fire* which was soon burning brightly and greatly improved matters. Miss Cocha was very keen on getting an early-start on Monday morning, so At 6 o’clockwhile it was still dark, we again set out, our intention being to go-to the topi of the ridge. At this stage Binghan* and Miss Coche decided to remain behind, It was no use the rest of -theparty doing so, so Waters and I.set out again, hoping we might obtain assistance. Before leaving X gave Bingham nearly all my matches, and told~hJ.ni.-ta_ get a fire going.” Schubert then went on to relate-what happened during the remainder of that terrible journey down the mountain side. With the cold penetrating right through them and with aching limbs they pushed onward. Their boots were soon cut to pieces, but hoping againstt hope they stumbled onward. - It was over 25 hours since either of them hadi tasted food. Water was plentiful—icy cold creek water. The fog had by this 1 time partly lifted, and the mountaineers were delighted to behold a train speeding over Waimarino Plains far down below them. The sight filled them with renewed hope. Stiff with' cold and half famished, the two set off down tile slope. They decided to follow a creek which they knew most lead to level country. The ■ water was up to their knees a great deal of the way, and was . frightfully cold. After a sleepless night they again set off early next morning. The bush was “something frightful,” and progress was painfully slow. For an hour they pushed their way through heavy growth, only to find that they were practically bade in the same place they .started-‘from-Eventually they seemed to get through, and they started out across the plains for Waimarino. A blinding snowt storm came on after they left the mountain, and almost overcame them. It wa» 2.30 o’clock on Tuesday afternoon before Waimarino was reached. A hot bath and some stimulant, followed by a meal provided by the statlomnaster, put a different complexion on matters, however, and they were shortly -afterwards, able to leave for Ohakune. % “Do you think there is any chance of Binghambeing alive?” Schnbert’was asked, “Not the slightest,” was the reply. “I reckon we were the two strongest of the party, and by Tuesday afternoon we were completely done." BINGHAM’S BODY FOUND- ■- '•i v OHAICUNBi f March 27. Word was received from"'the ' searcliparty this afternoon to the effect that: the body" of Bingham had been recovered about 9.15 a.m. The body was found In about five feet of water, about half a, mile above the water fall, and seven, miles up the creek from the viaduct. The stream where the body was found is very rough, and Bingham apparently met his death by falling over the ledge. The body was not badly knocked about, but there was a wound on the forehead ably caused by striking a boulder ia_ falling.