A MOTOR RIDE.

Colonist, Volume LII, Issue 12748, 21 March 1910, Page 4

A MOTOR RIDE.

A TRAVELLER'S EXPERIENCES. Mr Fritz Kurtzhalss, who hails from Bangkok, Siam, and has travelled over many parts of the globe is at present making^ motor tpm of New Zealand, and last week arrived in Dunedin. , ln coming to New Zealand Mr Kurtzhalss's main desire was to make an ascent of Mount Cook; but by a combination of unforeseen circuMstances he was unfortunately prevented irom carrying out this object. However, his experiences prior and subsequent to abandoning the trip proved particularly thrilling, and as given to en "Otago Daily Times" renorter, they provide interesting readme;. He says of the rabuni journey:— "l decided to motor right through to Chnstchureh, but I had not the slightest conception of what I was about to encounter. "We left the Hermitage at 4.30 a.m. After going two miles we got the i &rst taste of what was to come. What had formerly beeai only a small stream was , now a raging torrenVand every second S "looked i as if we were to be engulfed or swept away. It was impossible to cross until some men who were otitrev pairing bridges came along with three draught horses, and, after a great struggle, managed to pull the car out of the-water. A. 40 horse-power car, containing six lady passence,rs, caught up to us. and in company we forded successfully through 12 other streams. To our dismay and disappointment we found that the bridge over one river had been swept clean, away. We then gave up all hope of getting through to the north that day. and accordingly turned the cars and started back tor the Hermitage. The streams were increasing in .volume, and to have gone on would have meant disaster. It took eight hours to cover two miles on the return Journey, and we were rt™*.^/times in different riverbeds. The Jig 40 horse-power car was in front ot us, 'and on one occasion' it almost disappeared from our view. It was alarminii There was a splash, and suddenly there was nothing but the- hood m sight. As for the ladies, it was marvellous how they escaped with the r lives. They declined the offer of the guide. to carry them ashore, and clambIred to the bank along a line made fast to the car, the water being up to their waists, while they were wet from head to foot. My expedience m crossing the same riverwas ]ustas ,startlino-, and I, was glad when I had pulled through. We reached the .Hermitage at 4 pm. We had had nothing to* at t for 12 hours, arid w.e were, wet to the at the. Hermitage overnight we kffc at 6 o'clock next mornnf to jg et The raui had moderated, and we regarded oS chances as more hopeful. More by i good luck than anything else we Negotiated roads that were partially or entirely washed away, and no less than 16 & treams,.down which rushed water and broken ice.. One stream too much for us, but by standing in the water up-to our^hould-e-rs.and pulling and shoving alter ately our combined energies eventually ™|ff sensations of our journey, however, were not at an end; -_ We had *esolVed to get through to Cbristehurch that night. We reached Lake Pukaki S^clock, and pushed on to Pjjiriie bywayofTekapo. We covered the 40 miles in an hour and a-quarter, and, having telephoned to Tekapo to preJarTf ham P per for three, we merely slowed down there in OTder-to allow it to 1)8 thrown into the, car- Tb<m we sped on again. Fairlie, a distance of 28 miles from Tekapo, we re ached at 2 30 p.m., and there we had a forced stoppage owing to running short ot benzine and having to effect^soine repairs. We got away at 3.15 p.m. Realising that it was impossible to reach Chrlstchurch that night, we decided to catch the north express at Timaru. That allowed us less than an hour to cover the 40 miles, and there was a heavy head wind anda bad road. Our next— and final— decision was to make for Temuka, 38 miles away, which would give us until i.dß p.m. There was an'air of more certainty about that plan, and ott we sped. But fate was against us. Before we had gone five miles we were stuck up for about ten minutefi.Off we went again at a speed of 45 miles an hour, but at different places we encountered no fewer than 26 mobs of sheep. This all meant lost time. It was a mad race all the way, and every second counted. Coats and hats flew out of,, the car, and some parts came adrift/ bat there was no stop--ping. ; Them a spring broke, but on we flew, and dashed into Temuka with only 30 seconds to spare. It was the most thrilling ride I have ever experienced." \