DOCHERTY OF THE SOUNDS

Southland Times, Issue 25703, 12 July 1943, Page 3

DOCHERTY OF THE SOUNDS

JJl.—Making inquiries.

Sir, —If an account of the career of the explorer, Docherty, is being compiled I would draw attention to chapter 10 of a small book entitled “The Log of G. M. Hassing,” of which the public library in Invercargill has a copy. This book, published after Mr Hassing’s death, contains personal reminiscences which had previously appeared in The Otago Witness and other journals. The chapter indicated is headed “Exploring the Haast River in 1865.” It gives an interesting description of an adventurous exploration in which Docherty and Hassing, starting from the Makarora Valley, made their strenuous way to regions previously unvisited along the Haast and its main tributaries. The gold fever was still rife in ’65 and their chief quest was gold. How these two hardy pioneers, during their 90 days’ tramping in trackless, precipitous bush country, contrived to provide themselves with food and shelter, extricate themselves from perils and survive hardships is related in Hassing’s graphic narrative, which also adds some references to the after career of his indomitable comrade. OLD TIMER.