SLEPT IN DEER SKIN TO KEEP WARM

Grey River Argus, 3 April 1948, Page 2

SLEPT IN DEER SKIN TO KEEP WARM

Ex-Coaster’s Ordeal While Lost In Poverty Bay Bush

[Special to Argusl WAIROA, April 2. Frank Leach, the former Blackball resident, who was lost in the bush for a couple of days, while on a deer stalking expedition three clays ago, in the region of Lake Waikaretaheke, is now not greatly the worst for his trying experience. The search party which set out alter him yesterday, had to cross Lake Waikaremoana, a distance of over. nine miles, in order to reach the stalker s camp at Lake Waikaretaheke, whither two others had gone with Leach, and where they had decided to separate, Leach going off on his own, while the other two went in a different direction. It was not very long after the search there began when the missing man was found, in close proximity to the camp, he having found hi's way back. Leach, however, had had a particularly trying time, he having been out in the open under atrocious weather conditions for two days and nights, and he was wearing only his shirt and pants. The conditions were extremely bad, he said, clue to incessant rain, whilst the visibility was very poor,. due to heavy fog. He did not believe, at any time, that he was very far from the camp, but owing to unfavourable elements, he could not find his way back. When he reached the search party, Leach was in a bad way, and he showed signs of having suffered from exposure to the elements, his first words being: “I have never been so pleased to see anyone in my life ” The searchers gave him first aid. They also had to massage Leach in order to restore his circulation after which he was able to take food, and later he was brought back to the main highway, reaching there at 6.30 last night. Describing his experiences, Leach said that he suffered so much from extreme cold on the first night out that he had to shoot a deer and use the skin as a sleeping bag . in order to gain warmth.