RETURN TO MIKI MIKI

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

RETURN TO MIKI MIKI

I We left our camp at six a.m. and made straight across the Blue Range to the Miki IVfiki forks. The going was open and fair travelling. My knee was a bit stiff but. with the help of my toko. I could get along. We managed to strike the little saddle just to the south of George Bruce's Hill and then took a spur down to the forks and went on to Rata Root Creek. Going down hill had played up with my knee and it started to swell again. We had dinner at Rata Root Creek. Our hens being well cooked, they were well eaten. We cleaned their bones all right, wishing they were a size larger. After a short spell we started on the last kip. We ijad not gone far when we heard the shrill whistle of a huia. I put my lingers in my mouth and answered it. Mundy put a cartridge in the gun. The huia's whistling was getting much closer. I whistled again anil the huia answered quite close. We stood motionless near some tree trunks. Jackie making a clucking noise. Two huias came into sight, hopping from tree to tree, a male and a femtile. I told Jackie to shoot the female bird first as the male would stop to look for his mate. He shot both of them. We skinned them, being very careful of the tail feathers. These skins were for Repeka Granny. We followed the Miki Miki down on the north side. We knew this part well, as we had often been pig-hunting there. We crossed the river to a nice tint covered with red beeches. We heard chopping and going a bit further we saw a couple of men squaring sleepers for the railway line. They ottered us a drink of tea and a slice of brownie, which we accepted with thanks. After a short I vamp along a sledge track we came

out of the bush on to Mr Pain’s property. As they were old friends of mine we paid them a visit. Mrs Pain had just gone to catch the horse to drive into town. On inquiry if there was a chance of a ride, she said: "Certainly, after dinner. But,” she said. "I have nothing to eat. The boys will kill a sheep this morning and I have just put the bread in the oven. I have a batch of buttermilk scones and ham and eggs if that will do. The ham is home-cured and the pig was led on fernroot and finished off on hinau berries, which makes the finest bacon procurable. Mr Pain arrived with the horse and was only too pleased to give us a lift. We left after a sumptuous dinner. He drove me to my home, and I told him to take a bag of wheat home as a present for Mrs Pain, as I knew he would be offended if I offered to pay him. 1 cured the huia skins. It did one good to see the smile on the old Maori lady’s tattooed face when I handed her the skins. It came from the bottom of her heart. She said: "Kapai Taari. my poy." When I was suffering on the Mitre Flats I said I’d never go on the Tararuas again. The next summer I was on the Totara Flats for a week.