BIRDS FOR FOOD

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 December 1939, Page 17 (Supplement)

BIRDS FOR FOOD

With the lire going just on dusk, Mundy took the gun in search of something for tea. Jackie and I heard a shot not far away. Then we saw

Mundy coming back with a couple of birds in his hand. It was two moreporks which he had got. at one shot. "What are they like to eat?" I asked. “Good," said Jackie. "I have eaten many young ones." Mundy picked the feathers off them, then cleaned and cut them into small pieces, so they would cook quickly, put them into the billy with the speurgrass roots and the last of the shallots, pepper and salt and soon had them boiling. I noticed that Mundy saved the entrails. These he tied to a pole. Then he got a handle for liis gall. He went to the river and put the bail in. He had not been there long when I heard him sing out: "1 have got one." Jackie went to him ami brought back a four-pound eel. Not long afterwards Mundy came with a little larger one. In the meantime Jackie had been making a poultice for my knee. He had scalded the leaves with boiling water and put. them in one of my large handkerchiefs. 11 always carry two in case of accidents). He put it on my knee just as hot as 1 could bear it. It was not long before I could feel a ' different heal. It was a sort of drawing burn. I have hud mustard plasters on but this was something' awful. Talk about painkiller. It was a painmaker, I thought. Dr Jackie said: “Stick to it Charlie, as Hie longer you can stick to it the sooner it will be well." 1 stuck it a bit longer. The perspiration was pouring oil' me. Then f pulled il oil. "Now into the cold water with it." with the doctor's next order. 1 gave it a good bathe in pure Waingawa water, which was nearly as bad as the hot stull. I limped back to llit' fireside and sat down exhaust- I ed. swearing that I'd never go to the I Tararuas again. I thought of my Old ! Scotch and whacked il up. giving the doctor the largest portion. The cook’ announced that the stew was eatable, so we sat down to it. I came lo the conclusion that stewed morepork and speargruss roots make a very good meal. Aller tea Mundy cleaned the eels in a novel way. lie rolled them in lhe liol ashes. Iwo or three times, then tool; them to the river and rubbed iliem with line gravel. When he brought them back they were snow I white. He hung them to a branch so that tlie rats could not get them.