HUNTERS CAUGHT BY FOG

Taranaki Daily News, 7 July 1931, Page 6

HUNTERS CAUGHT BY FOG

NIGHT SPENT ON OKOKE RIDGE, SEARCH PARTY MET ON RETURN. When driving rain and thick mist enveloped them on a ridge in the bUshclad region behind Okoke, five young men, four from Waitara and one from Napier, gave up their pig-hunting late on Sunday morning. Attempts to find a way from the ridge to the creek belowfailed, and the party decided to make An encampment till the weather cleared. After a night spent under trying conditions the hunters were able to find their way out yesterday morning and returned to the Okoke Road after meeting the party sent out to look for them. The live comprising the party, Messrs. F. Leach, E. Goddard, J. Johnston, J. Keith, Waitara, and Allen, Napier, left Waitara at 6.30 a.m. on Sunday, and at the end of the Piko Road started their pig hunt. Tho dogs found plenty of sport, but when the party was on a ridge about seven miles from/the road, at 11 o’clock, rain and an accompanying fog swept down the gullies. It was decided that to attempt to go back the way they had come would be risky, so attempts were made to descend to the gullies on each side and follow the creek bed to the river and road. Four times, however, virtual precipices blocked the way, and at 3 o’clock attention was turned to constructing a ponga shelter against a tree trunk. The five young men settled down on a communal bed of rata, and when darkness fell contrived to be cheerful, although there was no food, and -all their matches were damp. , The night was very cold and the rain fell “in bucketsful.” Sleep under such conditions was out of the question, but songs and story-telling helped to pass the time.

When day broke yesterday morning the weather had cleared sufficiently for the lost hunters to retrace their steps. The return was easy, and they were well on their way back to civilsation When they met the search party of 14 organised by Mr. Ekdahl, Okoke. The road was reached about 10 o’clock, in time to prevent a second search party going out. After a riight such as they had spend the “rescued” were thankful for baths and hot drinks before returning to Waitara.

None of the adventurers received any serious injuries, although two suffered minor accidents. Johnston fell when’ negotiating a waterfall and bruised hie leg, and Allen' slipped 0:1 the greasy papa clay, spraining his wrist. A mem- * ber of the party stated the night had not been n very pleasant one, but between them they had made it preferable to attempting to return on Sunday, and probably faring worse than thev did-