LAKE OHAU HOLIDAY

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22507, 15 September 1938, Page 4 (Supplement)

LAKE OHAU HOLIDAY

(By Edith Burgess, Kimbell)

I was invited by my uncle and aunt to spend the last school holidays with them' at Lake Ohau. The trip from Kimbell was made to Simon’s Pass, where I stayed overnight, and then on to Lake Ohau next day. . ... The first day I-was there was fine and the lake glittered in the .sun. The following three days were fine, but we were too busy to go anywhere. At last Saturday came, and the men had brought the sheep in to dip, so my cousin and I went up and helped them. I saw a big bird with long legs, a black band across its white chest, and a long red bill. When I described it to my cousin she told me it mi- «• red bill, or oyster

catcher. Next day when I went for a walk I again saw some very pretty birds. They had grey backs and wings, - and- a - band of black, where all the rest is white. 1 was told these were called sandmartins.

Monday, was very dull, and in. the afternoon it rained, and didn’t stop until the following Saturday.

On Sunday we went out to collect plants. . '

As soon as we bad scrambled out of the car wc divided forces, three of us going up one side of the stream while the other two took the other side. With my cousin as guide wo went to sec a beautiful waterfall. On the way we discovered a sheep caught in 'the bracken and bush lawyer. We re-leased-it after a good deal of effort. Later we were joined by the other party, and together went off down

the''.lake-side to collect, kohuhu plants which were growing among the manuka. A few minutes later we came to a big birch tree overgrown with mistletoe, a large piece of which I was given to take home to try to grow. A short while after this wo had collected 12 small plants, so we made back to the car, which was on the side of the road. We packed the plants securely, so as .not to bump them about too much, and then we started for home. Half way home we saw a bird dive in the lake and come up a few chains away. I was told it had queer ear shapes on its head. My teacher told me it would be a crested grebe. ; r That night when we arrived home <1 had to pack my clothes to come that long Journey home to Kimbeli ag&in.