TRAPPERS’ EXPERIENCE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume LI, Issue 4506, 18 September 1930, Page 1

TRAPPERS’ EXPERIENCE.

To bo snowed in in tlio dense Westland bush, without shelter, and short of food, was the lot of two young Christchurch opossum I rappers, says the “Christchurch Times.” Surrounded by deep snow which had obliterated all t.radks and landmarks, they were forced to stay in their camp for nearly three weeks before they managed to find their way to civilisation. Worse still was the plight of another opossum trapper, who was discovered by the two Christchurch men. He was found in a lean-to constructed of trunks and branches of trees, and the intense cold had reduced him to a state of almost complete exhaustion. ITis hands were so cold that he could not: build it lire, and he had been existing for days on raw opossum meat. He could hardly walk, and had he not been found, lie would probably have succumbed to the cold. The camping site sedccled by the two Christchurch opossum trappers was in the hush til Ikamatda. They had no lent:, so they erected a temporary shelter which they constructed from the trunks of tree ferns. I*’or a fortnight this sufficed; then camp a. snow-storm. The roof leaked, snow piled up thick outside. Blankets were saturated; but so bitter was the cold that they sllcpt in them wet. They could not escape from their camp; tracks were covered over, landmarks erased. They could not go far from camp without danger of being lost. Then came a. shortage of food. Clour and opossum carcases were the only provisions they had. Several attempts were, made to get out of the bush, but each met with failure. “Damper/’ made of Hour and water, and opossum meat was their diet. Firewood, which had to be dug out of the snow, was sittnfilled when it was dug out.