A CROSSING-OVER PLACE

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

A CROSSING-OVER PLACE

We were up early next morning. There were plenty of birds crossing the saddle, mostly kakas. This seemed to be their crossing place. I noticed that their flight was from the Waingawa to Mangatarara Whakatu in the evening. In the morning the flight was in the opposite direction. Jackie, as we called Akiln, said that they were going home lo roost. Their food supply was at the Waingawa flats. After breakfast we started tip the spur and it was steep too, "soon after breakfast," said Mundy. At last we had to have a good spell. Around us were a lot of fine ferns, some of the best I have ever seen, especially those called Todea intermedia. We soon reached the snow-line on old Baldhead. This mountain was called Baldhead on account of its being nearly always clear of clouds and fog. Sometimes for weeks the others would be covered with clouds, but Baldhead would be clear. The clouds would come over the Three Kings and disappear, some to one river and some to the other. This makes Baldhead a good getaway for trampers when they are blocked with clouds. As this was the first time my mates had been on the mountains, they had a good look round. V/e then went on to the lop of the South King. Here we sal down, and I explained where I intended to try to go down the spur lo the creek at the bottom and work out those creeks and make to the source of the Waiohine. then up on to the saddle of