PERILOUS RIVER JOURNEY.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12708, 20 March 1911, Page 5

PERILOUS RIVER JOURNEY.

■Received March 19, 5 p.m

MELBOURNE,' March 13. Staniford Smith, in a message to Mr Batchelqr, states that in the early part of tfoo journey li 3 crccssd th-si high mountain range and pushed down, expecting to reach alluvial country drained by the Turn ari and Mamu Rivers. On January 24th, he reached what he bolisvcd as the upper waters of the Strickland river. He continues: "We. had walked 2-54 miles through exceedingly rough jungle scrub, through which we had to cut ova* way, and found tii« river impassable, with rapids limning through gorges 1200 feet high. It was impcssiblo to cross. Proceeding a!o:ig the banks, we made a raft and started down the river. The rapids became worsn, and the raft was dashed to pieces. Seme of the 'carpi-ci-s: were killed and we lost our food supplies, tents and "baggage. After five days, the expedition* who wer3 scattered on both sides of tli3 Tiver, got together, but after that were foodkss. We decided to travel the river bank until the rapids ceased and continued to travel, DOING 120 MILES IN 34 DAYS. There were frequent stoppages, which were necessary as ths supplies of sago were very precarious. We then made rafts and reached the coast, finding that the river was the' Kikori, which we followed for 300 miles. Owing to the privations, I could not have got through without the splendid co-operation of Bell and Pratt."