STRATFORD BOY SCOUTS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 24, 28 January 1914, Page 2

STRATFORD BOY SCOUTS.

ON TREK.

(Contributed.)

For several months a number ol the local Scouts have been looking forward to the Trek which had been promised for the Christmas holidays. Accordingly, on Wednesday, 7th .Jannary, a party of ten duly equipped with trek-carts, tents, and other, impedimenta entrained for Waitanj, where tramping was {commenced, ft was understood that the lirst stages were to be easy ones, and so the Iparty made its way quietly to Uremii and pitched camp about a mile beyond that place. Rising before the sun next morning, some of the older hands prepared breakfast, after which nil started to pack up, and then on once more in the direction of TTruti. Still fresh from home, [and soft, the heat in the Valleys was belt very' much, and few were sorry [when tents were pitched about a mile | from the foot of Mount Messenger. [Next day, Friday, just ’as a start was being contemplated, rain came on, and although the oiled tents gave very great satisfaction, the thought of one day on the road being lost was anything but pleasing. However, a very early start was made 'on Saturday, and the mud of Mount Messenger was negotiated soon after 6 a.m. With mud about the tops of the hoots or where the hoots should have been, some of our Scouts successfully performed weird and fantastic steps not oven to he seen in a well-regulated ballroom, but we give the palm for strange contortions to Scout A. 8., who so ably upheld the honor of Flint Road during the course of’ the contest. Passing the Okau Road, Tongaporutn was reached in good time, and all sat down to a meal that probably represented dinner. After this began a weary tramp over a hot dusty road, with little of interest and no water to drink. “How far as Mokau,” a weary thirsty one asked a passer-by. “Nine miles,” was the reply. An hour later the question was asked. Nine miles! It was always nine miles except once, when a Maori thought it was two; nobody seemed to know the exact distance. Still that weary road came to an end at last, and Mokau was readied, a delightful camping spot being found. Sunday having been spent quietly, a trip was taken up the river on Monday to a spot some little distance beyond the coal mines, and we have it from a veteran Scout that the scenery of the Mokau is preferable to that of the Wanganui. One more day was sprint here, occupied chiefly in boating and fishing (real fishing, fish actually [being caught!) while one member of the party tried his hand at smoking fish. The latter certainly were smoked and were afterwards buried—in the ground, not in the Scouts. It is no longer safe to mention smoked fish to the Scout who did' the smoking. ■' Still;-’did' did his best, and—experience teaches. On Wednesday the party doubled back on their tracks as far as Okan Road and next day began their crosscountry journey to the Ohura, having first been greeted with the assurance that they could .not get through. Well, we’ll try, said the Scouts, and they did it, camping that night at Kotare, where they were overwhelmed by the kindness of'the settlers. Leaving Kotare on Friday the fun began. The six-foot track became four, and then three-foot, and then in places even less, and tireless Scouts wielded roadmen’s picks arid shovels, four times did they dig a way for the trek-cart, and four times more did they unload the cart, take it to pieces and carry it over the slips in parts. The little trek cart, known by the name of “Jimmy,” had sat down on its haunches after doing fifty miles soon after leaving Mokau, so the buckled wheels were disposed of, and “James,” the big cart carried “Jimmy.” How thankful wore all when one one occasion the cart turned completely over, load and all, hut no damage was done. And now, as the day wore on, all grew weary, hut not a camping spot could be found, and nine o’clock found ten tired Scouts on a narrow track with cliffs above and below, the ground too damp to lie clown on, the darkness almost pitch. However, all kept cheerful, and two went on to see what could be done, happily to find a sutler’s whare about three hundred yards further op. Coming back with a lantern they were greeted with tiie strains of “The Campbells are Coming,” and soon blankets were got out, the cart left for the night, and soon all were to he found peacefully sleeping off a good supper in a sheep-shearing pen. Some idea of the difficulties that had been encountered during the day may ho gained from the knowledge that it required twelve hours’ hard going to cover nine miles. The next stage of the journey was a short and easy one to Waitaanga school, but after that the road once again became difficult, this time on account of the holes made by the pack horses in wot weather. It was here a wheel eaino off. For three to four hours it was the same tiling. The Scouts strained at the ropes, the trek cart croaked, rose to the top of a lump, and then crashed into a hollow about a font deep. Would it stand:-' that was the question; if not, the Scouts would be in trouble, but it did wtand it, thanks largely to the wheels having been braced with strong wooden battens lashed' to the spokes. The middle of the afternoon brought the travellers to a survey camp, where tea was provided, and then there was straight-forward going right into Ohura. Compared with what had been gone through, the trip from Ohura to Pohokura was uninteresting, although at the latter plaeo a rapidly rising creek, after a wet

night, caused camp to be struck in record time. Amongst relics of the trip are some Jiue specimens of coal found in the Tangarakau Gorge. The kindness of the Mokau people and the settlers along the route was most marked, gilts being made of meat, fish, fruit, eggs, and many other things, all of winch assisted the iinances of the party indirectly. The total distance travelled \Vas 207 miles, 1-12 being on loot and only on twelve days was any walking done. The shortest day’s march was the nine miles in twelve hours on .the “grade.” the longest being twentyone miles and including Alt. Messenger in the mud. The ages of the Scouts range from eleven to sixteen : there were no acciddhts nor cases of sickness of any kind. The total cost, including fares, was about twentythree, shillings. Great praise is due to the hoys who manfully tackled a hard job, and in spite of many difficulties stuck to it till its successful conclusion.