THE LATE FLOODS.

Waikato Argus, Volume II, Issue 130, 6 May 1897, Page 2

THE LATE FLOODS.

THRILLING EXPERIENCES. TO THE KDITOR. Silt, —You will no doubt have received full accounts of the disastrous floods in Hawke's Hay, but nevertheless some persoutil experiences in this Taupo district may be of interest to your numerous readers ill Waikato. Messrs A. 15, Stubbing and Alf. Clayton, who were surveying ou the Upper Mohaka, had an execedinaly narrow escape. On the memorable Friday evening these gentlemen wore camped iu some heavy ti-trre about fifty yards from the bank of the Mohaka, which was theu in full Hood, and were congratulating themselves on bc'ng iu a place of comparative safety, as on the other side of the Mohaka, where the precipitous banks run up to the height of some hundreds of feet, avalanches of earth, rocks and trees were being washed down with a continuous deafening rear, when suddenly is 11 immense mass of earth and pumice came down, crossed the Mohaka, which was there about forty yards broad, overwhclrac i them both, and swept them away—stunned, bruised, and almost unconscious—with resistless force. As the mass settled Stubbing, although entirely buried, found that he could s'.ill breathe, and managed to struggle out without a thread of clothing left on him. His first in pulse was naturally to call out for Clayton, ami to his inexpressible joyhoard Alf (who was badly cut about the face and had his mouth half full of stones) assuring him in guttural tones that he was not dead. Clayton still re tained as clothing about half a flannel singlet. Their camp with all its contents had, of course, entirely vanished, and as there was nothing to be gained by remaining where they were, and immense rocks and boulders were still flying across the river, they started to run up a gully inland from the river until, after covering about a mile, darkness overtook them. Then they coiled up with Clayton's retriever dog as a warming pan and passed a miserable night in the drenching rain. The next morning they returned to where their camp had stood, but found everything obliterated and immense rocks—sonic over a ton in weight— covcrhg the spot. They then started—naked, shoeless, hungry, and without either matches or tobacco—to endeavour to reach a shepherd's hut about tifteen miles distant. Owing to the heavily flooded creeks they had to make a great detour, and passed two more dreadful nights before reaching the haven they were making for. They were fortunate enough to find matches there and also a sheep bogged, which they killed ar.d ate. They then set to work to manufacture clothes out of some scrim lining and old sacks, and made rough mocassins out of some sheep skins. After recuperating at the hut for two or three days they sturtad for Taupo, Mac's place, and on their way met my friend, Mr Luck, of the New Zealand Exploration Company, who had also had a rough experience, but nothing to compare with theirs. On asking dear old Dick what his sensations were, he assures me they did not suffer so much from hunger. Their hands and feet were swollen and almost black, and Dif.k also assures me that on arrival at the hut it would have been very bird to tell of what sex they were. Stubbing has, of course, lost a valuable theodolite, all his camp equipage, his field books with mouths of hard woik in their, and lust, but not least, the ever memorable white bc'.ltopper which has done yeoman service on many a survey and at many a joyous meeting of right good men and ttue, some of whose faces we shall not see again in this world. 1 have since received a telegram from the 1 ower W'airua ho the effect that a Maori nearly lost his life in attempting to save this venerable relic as it was drilling out to sea. Weoi Ami Na Tk Muxf. Taupo, May Ist, IS'JT.