OF INTEREST TO SCOUTS

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 47, 18 May 1927, Page 14

OF INTEREST TO SCOUTS

A 118-MILE TREK The following article has been contributed to the Wigwam page by our good Chief Beaver Hunter, who, it will be remembered, won the last competition with his fine essay on “Camp Life.” —Redfeather. On the morning of December 31, 1926, the den of the Second New Plymouth Troop presented a scene of unusual activity. Eager scouts were hurrying about with burdens of every description—tents and poles, swags, cooking-gear, coils of rope, and all the oddities so necessary in camp. Three trek-carts, resplendent in a new coat of bright paint, were drawn up in the yard, while interested spectators inspected these* silent tributes to the industry of the boys. A hasty roll-call revealed that 30 representatives of the four New Plymouth troops were present, and these were then divided into a team for each cart. Scouter Hopkins, with scouts from the Ist and 2nd New Plymouth Troops, was in charge of the cart containing our tents and cooking-gear. Scouter manned the cart containing all his Mills, with his stli New Plymouth boys, gear, while the old “Wild Duck” cart, veteran of over a thousand miles, was placed in the trust of two Patrol Leaders, who, with scrupulous care as to balance and packing, loaded the Ist, 2nd and 3rd New Plymouth Troops' kits. STARTING OUT At length Major Sandford —who, besides being the organiser and commander of the trek, was the S.M. in charge of the Arawa Patrol at Wembley—announced our early lunch ready and we settled down to our repast. By 12.30 all was in readiness for our departure, and with a hearty cheer we pulled out on our long journey. In the next few hours we learnt much. An early discovery was that laughing and singing required a considerable amount of wind, and on that hot afternoon we had little enough to spare. From New Plymouth access to the interior lies over a particularly hilly district for the first eight or nine miles, so consequently we were rather the worse for wear when a halt was made for tea at Egmont Village. It was our intention to reach Inglewood that evening, which feat, aided by the opportune rest and the cool evening breeze, we were able to accomplish, ;ind, rumbling proudly through the streets at a good three miles per hour, we pitched our five tents in the Domain as dusk fell. Dead-tired we sought an early refreshing sleep at the end of our first glorious day, having trekked thirteen miles in just over five hours. The cam pwas astir at the dawn of the New Year, and while some packed swags or tents, others busied themselves preparing breakfast. By 8.30 we were again jogging merrily along the King’s highway, determined to make good progress before the heat of the mid-day sun should check our pace. Race traffic now began to speed by, and, far from a discouragement as Major feared, it proved an incentive to our progress. Car after car was cheered enthusiastically and some youthful statistician calculated that one hundred and forty vehicles passed us during the busiest hour. In a twohour rest at noon many of us took the opportunity to seek new vigour in an icy river which proved cool and refreshing to dusty, heated bodies. Stratford was reached as the sun, a golden orb of fire, sank to rest, and camp was pitched under the interested gaze of a knt of onlookers. Having accomplished this further 20 miles without undue strain, the performance was considered sufficiently deserving of merit to warrant a granting of leave, which favour the boys were not slow to use most advantageously, many visiting the town and, incidentally, the cinema or sweet shop. A DAY IN THE TENTS To our great disappointment, the clemency of the weather now failed us, compelling the eager Scouts to while away the greater part of the next day in the tents. A break in the rain occurred in the afternoon, thus relieving a part of the Scouters’ anxiety; and all the weather wisdom at their disposal was utilised in an endeavour to prophesy the conditions of the morrow. With commendable forethought one day had been allowed for any delay of this nature, but in the event of a second wet day we would Fortunately the fates seemed to have have arrived at the camp late, granted us a fair day, for when we hauled out at 6.30 a.m. on Monday the sky appeared quite serene. As we clattered through the streets of Stratford our spirits were further raised by the generous gift of a biscuit-tinful of sweets from some kindly storekeeper, whose thoughtfulness we applauded with three cheers. Good haste was now made to get the remaining eighteen miles behind us, for the malignant hand of the weather—god—in the form of a black and everapproaching cloud—seemed against us. Several light showers heralded the wet weather, and it was deemed necessary to erect several tent-flies as a canopy for our mid-day meal. During the lunch hour we took the precaution of lashing the tents and flies over our loads in place of the usual coats and oilsheets, which, besides being inadequate in a real storm, seemed likely to be needed to protect us from the elements. The rain caught us still ten miles from our destination, but for a time we pushed doggedly on at a reduced speed. A leaders’ meeting decided to continue on when it was suggested that the trek be broken, and as by this time we were pretty wet, a I Tl? re m il es seemed immaterial, btill, they were the longest miles we ever trekked, even the gayest lapsing into thoughtful silence or calm resignation. THE CAMP IN SIGHT At length, a sudden bend in the road revealed the camp below us, and the sight of that little group of tents spurred us on. Cheer after cheer we sent across the valley, while our speed doubled, and, sometimes, risking the danger of capsizing, we burst into a sharp trot. Considerable difficulty was experienced in safely negotiating the slippery track over the Maori pa which commanded the entrance, but at last we stood on the plateau beyond, ruefully surveying the space allotted for our tents, for the wet grass was at least two feet high. In a short time, however, we had all in order, and the grass of our “floor” having been cut oft close, some warm straw put down and our beds and packs arranged, we took the opportunity to change into dry clothes.

fepace does not permit a detailed account of the camp. Suffice it is to sav that we enjoyed good weather, an excellent routine, and several interesting visits to neighbouring pas. A short description of the camp site would not be amiss. Surrounded on three sides by a winding river, a fertile, grasscovered plateau was protected on the remaining side by a practically impregnable pa, which, rising sheer on three sides, and sloping to the plateau on the fourth, made an ideal fortress in the Maori Wars. Nestling under the protection of the hill were three neat streets of canvas, while the rest of the plateau formed our “happy hunting-ground.” A daily tent inspection was one of the features of the camp and as a handsome banner was offered for the best-kept tent, competition was keen. Finally it was carried off by the 2nd New Plymouth Troop tent, with Ist New Plymouth but one point behind.

On Monday, January 10, the camp came to an end, and our little cavalcade, now of only two carts (since the sth New Plymouth boys had been forced to return on Sunday by the same route jfis we came by) again stood to the *popes. With good weather and per-

fect road conditions we set Opunake. twenty-five miles away, as our goal. This proved to be beyond our capabil-

ities without strenuous exertion, so we were content to break the trek four miles out, when the Opunake racecourse offered a good camp site, and so tranquil did the night appear that we decided to erect only the tent flies above us as a shelter from the heavy dew.

The next morning presented the most beautiful sunrise I have ever seen. Up before dawn we had breakfast in full swing when the rosy sun first peeped shyly up into the cool clear atmosphere. The snowy slopes of Mt. Egmont changed from pale grev to a delicate pink tinder the soft light of the blushing sun, while with one accord, hundreds of birds hailed his appearance with bursts of wild, unrestrained music. The beauty of the scene was not lost on many of us, who, I fear, somewhat rashly vowed to arise and witness a like sight every morning when home was reached. At Opunake half-an-hour was allowed to visit the town while provisions were bought, and money being plentiful and our youthful stomach just craving for those alluring sweets, it was not surprising that our pace should have decreased considerably and many indiscreet youths be seized with violent and remorseless stomachaches. By 10.30 we w r ere utterly done and a halt had to be called till the heat abated and -we were fortified with plain, wholesome food. After dinner we resolved to make good the deficiencies of the morning’s march, so dusk found us snugly encamped at area with a record distance, twentytwo miles, traversed. Home was now' but twenty-five miles off, but of that, the last fifteen included the steepest hills in the district. This fact, coupled with the disquieting news that blisters were becoming prevalent, caused Major Sandford to arrange for a carrier going to New Plymouth to relieve us of the heavier tents and poles, so that we might reach home the next night. The morrow proved very hot, but though we could not afford too long a rest at mid-day, a refreshing bathe in the I*atea River revived our energv. While still some ten or tw'elve miles out we caught a glimpse of Paritutu, New Plymouth’s 500 ft. high rock landmark, and the knowledge that civilisation was near cheered us greatly. Footsore and weary w r e pulled up many a steep gradient, till at last the town ‘lay stretched below r us, and in triumph we hauled energetically through the streets.

We broke up at about six o’clock, and twenty-one bronzed and hardened Scouts wended their way to their respective homes, happy in the knowledge that they had trekked a complete circuit of Mt. Egmont—nearly a hundred and twenty miles—in six actual marching days.

—Beaver Hunter (Denis Glover Leader St. David’s Troop. Khyber Pass. Aged 14).