BOY SCOUTS.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 May 1924, Page 4

BOY SCOUTS.

l Contributed)

A party from the 2nd. Hokitika troop retunied on Saturday from a highly successful week’s camping on Mount Greenland. Though hiimlwrs were small—only half-a-dozen all told—the camp deserves to rank .as the most successful expedition yet attempted by the 2nd. Troop. The first night the scouts were lucky enough to gain permission to sleep at the old vicarage at Ross, and this enabled a whole day to lie given to the climb up the nine mile track to the camp. In indifferent weather with a wet track frequently blocked with slips and fallen trees, this proved none too, easy a task tor boys of thirteen swagging five days’ rations a,s well as a full supply of blankets and general kit. However, camp was reached in time to make this snug anil cook a good meal' before dark, and the rest of the week more than made up for the rather strenuous journey.

The views from the top of Alt Greenland in the, exceptionally clear weather were really below description, and breaking the ice for the morning wash is no great hardship in . brilliant sunshine with a cheerful lire hanoy. One good point about the somewhat inaccessible position of the camp was that baker’s bread and other bulky foods had to be left behind, and quite a lot. of cooking experience resulted. Although scones and damper and camp loaves were all cnioyed. “flap-jack.-, were unanimously considered the ii.cai packing for hungry scouts and an amplitude of frying pans made it possible to put into practice the excellent maxim of “Every man bis own linker. There was no difficulty about the cook failing to keep pace with appetites. Visits to the quartz mines and tunnels proved very interesting and a number of scouting games and practices were carried out. Alex Spence passed the tests and was enrolled as a Tenderfoot in camp. Second .). Morpeth successfully completed bis secondclass badge tests, a lid all the rest advanced towards this badge by passing some required tests during the week. In spite of quartz “specimens” in ibc swags, the homeward journey, down-bill and with the live days rations successfully converted into muscle and sinew, proved comparatively easy, and took only half the time that the outward hike had required. Altogether tliis camp will take a lot of beating.

and the mixture of fun. excitement, mountain air and exercise, welded together bv. a real scout-like spirit o. willingness to do more than'one’s share in the routine of camp, and to greet all hardships and mishaps with a grin, leave nothing hut the most pleasant memories behind.

The scoutmaster of the 2nd. is being asked already when another similar expedition will lie possible.