FIGHT FOR LIFE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17281, 23 September 1916, Page 9

FIGHT FOR LIFE.

—, TERRIBLE SIXTEEN DAYS. A SOLDIER'S 'WANDERINGS. [PEB PEB33 ASSOCIATION.] ' INVEROARGILL, September 22. The Orepuki correspondent of the "Southland Times" gives a graphic description iof * hard fight for life which R. Cargill has just passed through in an endeavour to get thrpugh on the overland track from Puysegur Point. Cargill is one of the Main Body, returned from Anzac, and sent down six weekß ago in indifferent health, and was returning to offer his services again. He. states that he never had such a for his life, not even on Galiipoli, as he has had to pats through ' lately. He left the ligalhouae on .September, .5 with five days' food, ■winch under ordinary circumstances is ample. All went well the first day anu he was^ rejoicing in £he walk and the . splendid track, which was much improved by the Government last summer. _That night snow came on, making it impossible to start for a couple >t days, and, then when he did start, rybtit a scene! The bush, was down dvery where, the track absolutely covered up, and the telepnone lino down from end to. end. : Asked why he did not turn back at this stage, ,being only one day from tiie point, he ueplied, ri Because I am not the turning back sort, and also 1 did. not know what was ahead or l could not have got back quick enough." After h'is food was done, which was several days bfefore reaching Big River, Cargill seems to have only a hazy idoa of what happened. It was continual climbing ■ over logs and finding means ~ to cross swollen creeks, which had ah become ragiing torrents. Ho can .■einember crossing two by hanging on to the. telephone wire, which was down. He had to' spend night after night under the trees, not being able to reach the linesmen's nuts. At one but he came across some old flour, which the linesmen have since told him wjas crawling. Howover, he made a fefcid on flour and water. At another pface he got a fish and ate it . raw. Aser- this his sufferings were severe aha he has not much recollection of anything until found by lines- ' men Donald: on and Smith. By thia time he was unable to give any clear! statement, as ho lrd been out sixtjaen days and must have plugged /along for days in this state At the time of rescue he was done, but he had managed to get within about fifteen miles of open country at Blue Cliff. . Cargjßl "expresses thanks to Donaldson and Smith for all they did for him, as thf/y had gone through a most trying ' day themselves before coming across, him He says he knows he would not have won through only for them. : ■