UP THE MOUNTAIN.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 14, 3 September 1914, Page 6

UP THE MOUNTAIN.

NOTES ON A "ROUND TRIP."

I THROUGH THE SCRUB. It was at midday that the party left the railway track en route for the track round the mountain. A zig-zag track led up to the top of the quarry, but after that there was no vestige of a'track. The scrub was very thick, and five to six feet high. It was impossible to walk upright through this kind of stuff, so all had to get down on their hands and knees and

scramble along as best they could. It was not a very cheerful prospect to soe in front about three miles of this terrible scrub, and behind the straight railway route several hundreds of feet below. When for a minute or two the party would make a halt and straighten themselves up, the tops of the bushes made a very pretty sight, owing to the great variety of colours, which gave the idea of a carpet. The mode of progress made this part of the journey very slow, and the scrub played havoc with the clothes. Added to this, the shins and arms of members of the party suffered a good deal in the passage. Every inch of the way had to be contested. Now and again, patches of snow which the sun had not got at were encountered, and this supplied the only drink obtainable. For the greater part of the distance on the ridge, the party was pushing and crawling through high scrub, but when about

a mile from the track the snow became thicker, and soon it was a matter of walking on the soft snow over the tops of the bushes, which, of course had decreased much in height. The snow was at times softer than expected, and now and again a man would stumble through it, up to his knees, getting a good supply of moisture in his boots. Once on the deeper snow, the going became bettor, and the party finally reached the track a little after 3 o'clock. It had taken th'em three hours to accomplish the journey from tho quarry, the distance being roughly three miles. This was, perhaps, the toughest piece of walking on the trip. In summer time the route would be next door to impossible, as the heat would preclude all possibility of. any .reasonable' speed being .attained over the,.tough going except in the case of trained 'athletes,, ' ~,,, ~'...■ ,i; !:'i :•■ >' .<- ; ' ! ■',;•,. , tv \i <To be"continued).' •' i