RATIONING FOOD

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

RATIONING FOOD

In the morning, on waking up. I found my knee very sore and stiff, so I told Mundy to get a lookout to the mountain tops toward the ridge and running in a direct line to the IVlitre. He reported that there were only a few clouds on the top, and there was a long spur not far away and the snow line came close down. So we decided that that would be the easiest way for a cripple to get out. I asked if we would breakfast before we left, but Jackie reckoned that it would be better to leave our half scone till dinner time, as it would then help us in the afternoon, and that was what we did. Jackie cut me a nice toko (alpenstock) which was of great use to me for many years. We travelled a short way down the bank of the river, then turned up a spur to the right, which was very good going up to the snow line, where we had a spell. My leg was swelling and painful, so thinking of my "Old Scotch” 1 pulled

out my flask and showed it to my mates and gave them a wee taste. Instead of drinking my drop I rubbed it on my knee, and it gave me instant. relief. We had good going up this spur till 11 o’clock. On seeing a little turn we decided (hat it was time to finish our last scone and did we enjoy it! And there was no doubt of its lusting qualities. We washed it down with some of the water from lhe tarn. On going round the tarn Mundy exclaimed: "Look at this. Here are some cows’ foot marks!" But Jackie said: "Not much good to eat. but 1 would like the cow which made them.’’ At last we reached the top of the mountain. Just before us was the steep back of the Mitre. I wondered if I could manage it. On looking over to Mount Bannister wc saw heavy clouds coming from the north. In a few minutes we were enveloped in a thick fog. As I had taken my hearings I decided not to tackle the Milre but to go down lhe spur between the North Milre Creek and the Waingawa. After (he first clouds had passed they seemed to get thinner towards the east and so they did until we got below them altogether. We found this a very good spur to travel on and we noticed that the cattle tracks were tresner as we proceeded. About 2 o'clock we came to a little saddle. There we noticed

that lhe entile had been feeding on the roots of (lie Tararnea. or spear grass. These are good eating when boiled willi moat. As it was a soft spot m.v mate:; dug a few with my toko, after which they cut off the tops. We were getting along famously. We sal down and I gave my knee a touch up with "Old Scotch."