A LONG TREK

Southland Times, Issue 23208, 25 May 1937, Page 8

A LONG TREK

CATTLE FOR MARKET JOURNEY OF 300 MILES After being driven from the West Coast, a journey that occupied exactly six weeks, a line of about 170 head of station-bred bullocks entered the store cattle pens at the Burnside saleyards. The cattle were reared on a station at Haast and were recently purchased by Mr D. C. Aubrey and brought to the Dunedin market to be sold, the demand for well-bred cattle being superior to that on the West Coast. A party of six drovers, including Messrs D. C. Aubrey and Jack Aubrey, set out on their long journey of 300 miles on the Tuesday after Easter. At the start bad weather was experienced, 14in. of rain falling during the first fortnight. Floods were a source of trouble, the drovers experiencing some difficulty in negotiating rivers with their stock. About 10 head of cattle were lost as the party crossed Haast Pass. The animals fell from the track and were either killed or drowned. Swept Away In Flood The drovers themselves were fortunate that they escaped with their lives. Mr Jack Aubrey and his horse at one time were caught in flood waters and washed downstream. Mr Aubrey was separated from the other drovers all night, but made his way back in the morning. The crossing of the Haast River presented another difficulty and before the cattle could be taken across the men remained camped at the Burke Hut for a week. Coming over the pass the men slept at night in nuts, shifts of two men taking turns to guard the cattle. When they eventually reached Makarora three of the drovers turned back, leaving three to carry on under greatly improved conditions. Supplies from Aeroplane

Mr D. C. Aubrey came as far as Pembroke, and there left Mr Jack Aubrey and one companion to finish the journey together. From there on the cattle were accommodated at night in pad-

docks, while the men slept in hotels along the route. After the party had been away from the station for a few weeks and nothing had been heard of them on the other side of the pass fears were entertained fir their safety and an aeroplane was sent to try to locate them. In the meantime the men had become short of food, but fresh supplies were received from Captain Mercer, who piloted the search aeroplane.