LOST IN THE BUSH

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 9 May 1925, Page 7

LOST IN THE BUSH

ORDEAL OF TWO THAMPERS

TERRI RLE NIGHTS IN OPEN DRENCHED BY HEAVY RAIN REACH SAFETY EXHAUSTED Shivering with cold, their clothes drenched and torn, and hearing on their hacks U]> to the weights of 501 b., two voting men, the picture of abject misery, knocked at the door of Hiss Card’s cot(airr. on ihc outskirts of the bush at the foot of Pouakai Ranges, on the upper Carrington Road the other morniiv. says the New Plymouth corrcspon, dent of the Now Zealand Herald. They requested a cup of cocoa. 11 was almost, mi effort for them to speak a word or (wo, hut after a hot drink, a warm by the'lire, and a .meal, they were sufficient I v recovered to explain that they had been “bushed” on the ranges for two days, had had practically nothing to cat 'during that time, and bad ex perienced a storm. They are both residents of New Plymouth.' The two young men entered the bush carlv on Wednesday afternoon, with the intention of making Bells Falls hut, before nightfall. Each carried a pack containing 0 blankets and five day’s supply of food, weighing approximately 351 b. 'Hie fine weather that prevailed at the beginning of the journey turned to drizzling rain ns the pair proceeded up the wclf defined bush track, which leads from Mangorci Road towards the high es t peak on the extreme east of the ranges bevond which lies the swamp antf'-flife BeHs Falls bufe

WIND-SWEPT WASTES Tiie appearance of the Hampers in the short, stubbly scrub that clothes the upper parts of the ranges was tho signal for a downpour of heavy rain, accompanied bv an icy blast that swept round the peaks with biting lorcc. No >ne who has not been on the top of the uinges in such weather can possibly imagine tin* bleakness of those windswept wastes,” said one of the men. “The very bareness of the torn and stunted shrubs is but an indication of (lie withering cold the rain, hail, and gale combine to bring. On the top of iiie ridge the track merges into nothing, and here our misfortunes began. Spurred to increased speed by the lowering f.kv, the heavy mantle of fog, and the increasing ferocity of the wind, WO hastened In peer for a glimpse of the liut. There is no track, and only bv sighting our destination was it possible to proceed in the rig'll direction. Down the ridge on the far side of the range this one glimpse was denied us and night fell. “The only possible shelter was a clump of light wind-torn trees at the bottom of a precipitous gully. Down this we rolled, tumbled, nr slipped, and reached the bottom to find ourselves on fhe brink of a watercourse. The agony of the hitter cold had, by this time almost overcome us. To light a- fire was out of the question, although we tried to do so with the sodden wood. W ATEROOITRSE BECOMES TORRENT

Con tinning his narrative, the traveller stated that he. and his companion were sdzed witb , rfotet ©bfvejiag»

which will-power could not stop. One lit a, candle and the other attempted for some time to, light a piece of newspaper from the candle, but without success. Four loaves of bread were* so sodden that, they had to be thrown away, and having no appetite the pair made their meal on half a flask 6i brandy. A rough bed was made by throwing down a few light branches and send) tops, and wrapped in their wet blankets they tried to obtain warmth bv huddling lightly together. Rain fell heavily throughout the night, and to the discomfort of this wet, and the cold, was added the danger of being drowned for the watercourse became a rushing torrent'. and soon both were lying in inches nl water. To shift camp at that stage in the dark was out of the question, and it was a ease of waiting wearily for dawn. With extreme difficulty, when at last dav did come, the pair crawled on hands and knees tail of tho wet. I'lie reaching of the top brought no relief, for by Ibis time a gale was raging. Hail. rain, and fog were sweeping oh the ridges with violent fury. Then they wore weakened by the previous exposure, arid the unequal battle against the elements. For half of Thursday morning fhe wanderers moved along ridges in Hie storm in an attempt, to locate the track leading to Mangnroi Road. They went for nearly half a mile along a* rough track before finding they were struggling along the top of the range, and alter retracing their steps were almost, completely exhausted. Then fate for the first time was kind.

As if by a miracle the storm ceased, and the fog lifted for just a moment, aitd in that moment they caught a fleet*

mg glimpse of the track winding down the side of the range. Instantly the storm sprang up again, but the chance had been given, and was taken. Ihe middle of the afternoon found the two .men in the corner ol an extensive and impenetrable clearing, which was as unfamiliar as it was impassable, on account oi the dense undergrowth, rearing itself up among the bush lawv.rs, rating logs, and supplejacks. Thev had taken a wrong turning comi.A down the ridge slid clambered up am. down innumerable gullies and ridges. SECOND NIGHT IX OBEX At dusk they were face to face with lie aherna*i r i.nt to spend another night in the bush. Their “housing” was bettor on Thursday nig'lit, for°a iU;i" search dis.lused the presence of a large fallen rata log. .under which was ,t cavity used by goats as a sleeping p'ne< The goats wore forced to '“id another bed that night-, and hudwed tog '! her in their sodden blankets, chattering and shivering with cold the night through, flic pair at las! had tho comfort of bring sheltered from the rain that fell continually. Exposure was exacting its toll, for the travellers were racked with pain in every joint, and constant rubbing was necessary to alleviate the aching. An hour’s travel on Friday morning brought the men jo a disused tram track, and by following this they finally emerged from the hush in close proximity to Miss C : ard’§ cottago on Carrington Road.