STOUT BOOTS AND STOUT HEART NEEDED ON HEAPHY TRACK.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18646, 27 December 1928, Page 8

STOUT BOOTS AND STOUT HEART NEEDED ON HEAPHY TRACK.

Commencing from Bainham, near Collingwood, is a little-used track go’ug for a distance of over fifty miles to the mouth of the Heaphy River. From thence, by way of the sea-beach, to. Karamea is a distance of twenty miles. This old track is shown in Keith Johnston’s Royal Atlas published in 1877. At the Heaphy, we were shown a tree with the date 1893 cut in it, being the date the track was finished. Leaving Christchurch on a Saturday, we started on this walk, and arrived at Bainham the following Monday. Early next morning, before full daylight, and with cheery good-byes, we set off. For several miles the track is well defined, and there pretty glimpses of the Clark and Brown Rivers’, the latter of which has to be crossed further along. There is much blackberry here, to be circumnavigated, and the track, too, is ill-defined and not at all easy to keep to; but Mr Clouston’s instructions proved a sure guide for us. Now there commences a wonderful piece of surveying. There are survey pegs showing up every few chains, and the grade is so slight that one does not realise the steepness. In the nine hours* walk to the Government hut there is a rise of 3000 feet. At three o’clock in the afternoon we arrived at the hut, easily recognisable by the number of holes in it, and the inscription above the door, as follows, “Gouland Downs Hotel. All meals and bed on tick.” Whilst gathering the wood, my son saw two deer here quite close at hand; but viewing him, they quickly fled further afield. Knowing there was a lons’ walk ahead of us on the following day, we went to bed early, with the lonely cries of the morepork and the kiwi keeping us company. A quarter to five on Wednesday morning saw us on our way. There was never such dew. In a few minutes we were wet to the skin from the waist downwards. The tussocks round about are high and hamper the view. Mist further hindered our progress, and made the going unpleasant. Even after six weeks’ fine weather the Gouland Downs were swampy in places, and the mud was above our boot tops. The track, too, is not W’ell defined; but with one of us keeping still and the other fossicking around, we were able to keep to it. One strange thing I noticed was quite a number of small crabs that were bleaching on the path. Whether they were land crabs or brought there by the birds, from the beach I do not know; but there they were. Another feature of the Downs is an outcrop of slate. From here the descent commences and this portion of the track has not been touched for six years, with the result that the second growth has come well away, making the going exceedingly difficult. For manji miles the way is impeded with bush-lawyer, bramble, cutty-grass, bidi-bidi, pig-fern and fallen trees. For 4he most part, the growth is over one’s head; but an occasional view of bush stretching as far as the eye can see is very fine.

Our anxiety now’ was the condition of the rivers we would shortly have to cross. We had heard various tales of experienced bushmen being held up by these rivers for days, and nearly starved, being neither able to go forward nor backwards. Since, however, the weather recently had been good, we did not entertain a great deal of apprehension on this score. We came first to the Lewis, happily quite low, and then to the Heaphy, which in no part was above our knees. Here we bathed our feet and rested, pleased there were only five miles to the Heaphy Hut. Off again, over a long five miles. The track now was boggy, with many creeks to be crossed and deviations to be made. We were somewhat surprised to observe many cattle tracks. Hello, there was a dog barking, and here a horse fully bridled. And there’s the man. “ Hello! The Heaphy hut near here?”

“ Yes. Am just going there.” It was not long before we reached the hut with our newly made acquaintance, Mr A. J. Harvey, who lit the fire and was very good to us. This was about 7 p.m., after we had been walking eleven hours. We enjoyed that hut. It was one of the most beautiful sights we had seen that day. Our friend had rebuilt it for the Buller County Council, had pit-sawn the timber with one man to help him, had packed the galvanised iron from Karamea, and in general had made an excellent job. Inside it is quite roomy and accommodated with five bunks. The next day we rested and saw many beautiful groves of pungas and nikau palms. There is a marvellous luxuriance of tropical growth in the vicinity. The beach affords good bathing, and this we enjoyed to the full. Being tired of our ship’s biscuits, we tried some fishing; but were unfortunate, especially since the morrow was Friday. The next day we considerably lightened our swags by leaving our surplus food behind us in the hut. Our friend was going to Karamea to bring back stores, and lent us each a horse, he leading the way bareback. (My son brought up the rear.) The going here along the beach in the soft sand is very hard. The scenery is wonderful, dense bush coming right down to the beach. Shortly after this the way turns inland, and several streams, all with more boulders than water in them, have to be crossed. When we came to the first one my horse turned round and didn’t want to go. Then a call came from the other side, “ Kick him.” We reached the middle all right, and the horse started a hornpipe. Our friend came to the rescue. “Any more rivers like this?” “Worse ones.” A silent praj-er went up. The track passed on through mud—mud as deep as the horses’ bellies, and stinging nettle higher than our heads. It was here we came to a hut and had lunch, after which we set off, ruck sacks on our backs, to walk the last twelve miles. Crossing a bluff, we came to the Nine Mile River, which was easily forded, and, once more tr-udging along the beach, began scanning the distance for Karamea. Our friend, who had remained behind at the hut, now overtook us and relieved us of both our swags. Shortly afterwards we ar-

rived in Karamea. It was a hot, thirsty day and past six o’clock. We were fortunate with such dry weather and low rivers. There should be another hut between the Heaphy and the Gouland Downs. The track, too, requires attention. Tourists would welcome a chance of seeing New Zealand at its best. Six y r ears ago Mr Coates and party went from Bainham to the Heaphy’ in a day’ (history does not record how many men cleared the track first), arriving at the Heaphy hut by candle light at eleven o’clock. A man sent out to meet the party, and seeing a horseman, asked whether anything had been seen of Coates and party’. “ I’m Coates,” was the reply. Now, then, Tourist Department, tramping clubs, service car companies and hotel proprietors, is this track to remain as it is? If any aspiring trampers wish to take on the trip, start from the Karamea end, and once you are over the Heaphy’ and Lewis Rivers you will be safe. Take good, stout boots, a stouter heart and God be with you! J. L, MARTIN.