FROM .GISBORNE TO WAIROA.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 118, 29 May 1901, Page 2

FROM .GISBORNE TO WAIROA.

(Times Travelling Correspondent.)

At eleven o’clock on ths following I morning, wo resumed our journey to j Wairoa, and the first difiiculty that confronted us was tho crossing of the Nuhaka river. The river being backed up from the mouth there was over five foot six of water at Stewart’s crossing. The only chance of getting the buggy through was to make tho horses swim the river, and this we decided to do. Mr Cooper, licensee of tho Springs Hotel, who was also driving to Wairoa, preceded us and obtained the services of several Maoris and a canoe. All luggage, cushions, etc., were placed in the canoe, and Mr Cooper, standing on the scat of his courtland waggon, swam tho horses and vehicle, -the water coming over the top railing of tho trap. Our buggy was much smaller, and the horses not being accustomed to this style of crossing rivers, made us think twice before we resolved to follow suit. My friend, who had up to this part of the journey done all tho driving, suggested that I should now tako a turn, but I endeavoured to put him of! s by telling him that I did not like driving | strange horses, and that ho understood '* them better than I did. Tie did not, however, take this view of the matter, and pointed out to mo that lie was a married man with a family, whilst I was single, | furthermore, that ho suffered greatly from rheumatism, and if he got wet ho would probably catch his death of cold, whilst j I was proof against such things. He was j' also fully persuaded that I had icd a good f religious life, and was prepared for all contingencies. Whilst we wo arguing the matter our friend from the opposite bank, • getting impatient, demanded to know who ' was going to drive the buggy through. My companion anticipated mo by replying that I would do it, and having previously boasted that I would, go wherever our host went there was no way of getting out of it. I divested myself of coat, ■ waistcoat, hat and boots, and rolling my trousers well up above my knees, stood up on the buggy seat. A minute later wo were in the water. Tiic horses swam \ciy well at first, but being heavily harnessed they did not make good progress when fairly in the stream. About two thirds of the way across the horse under the whip commenced to plunge, ' y ~ several times ducking his head under the water. The buggy all this timo was out of sight, whilst I myself was over tho I knees in water. The second horse took i more kindly to the work, and, making a straight lino for tho opposite crossing, he ■; half dragged and led his companion to the bank, much to the delight of mv friend in the canoe, who had visions of a broken trap and drowned horses. 'He congratulated me on the skill I had shown in driving tho horses across, remarking that “he thought it was all up''-';-, when tho horses began to plunge.” I ae- *" r ceptcd his congratulations, for I fdt that I fully deserved them. Wo replaced baggage and cushions, and proceeded on our journey. '• W

(To bo continued.)