April Fools (Ruamahanga)

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APRIL FOOLS. "The distant mountains that upraar, Thoir solid bastions to the skies, Are crossed by pathwa.ys that appear As we to higher levels rise" : Longfellow. Ruama.hanga : April 2-4 WE SET OFF from the station in good time and were going nieely on our way when the truck came to a. sudden stop on the Hutt Road, just by Trentham. The truck had been stopped by a "who goes home" type of man, swinging a lamp from his hande "I won't be long if you like to wait while I change and pack" he said to the driver in broad Irish accent. "I won't be more than half an hour." That was for many of us our first introduction to Terry, although I did not know it, I was to hear his name more times that week end than I care to remember. However, when Terry invited us to help him pack we were so delighted that we agreed to wait for him. So in jumped Terry and we drove to his quarters in the truck, ready to practically dress and pack him within five minutes at the most. But, alas, when he got to his door he found that he had left his keys at the stables where he was feeding his three horses. His door WO.S very obstinate despite the fact that while Terry borrowed a bicyele (with only the bicycle's leave) to go back to the stable, some very intrigued trampers tried to persuade it to "open Sesame" with their boots and shoulders, and, although it gave way four inches at the top and bottom edges, the middle remained unmoved even after a few hints that it was reconciledto opening at the hinges side. Therefore we had to go back and sit in the Truck until Terry returned, which he did, and in returning the bicycle thanked the owner for his prompt co-operation. He theh almost had us all fooled for he did not go back to the previous hnt but into another whre he opened the door with a key and began to burglar like ransack the place in order to get his tramping gear together. Then we realised that our apparently carefree companion had previously tried to enter the wrong room. We colleeted his stuff from its door step and marched into his abode and within the five minutes specified had him packed and changed. I must admit though that in going through his pack I tossed out a bottle of Janola and a large sized packet of Porsil, I took great care, however, to leave a half pound of tea in, to ensure his popularity after the delay he caused. Once again we got under way, or should I say, on top of the mattress. The night you see, was a. little chillsome, enough to make a. brass monkey complain anyway - and even the trainee Health Inspector (Owen Roberts) who vas with us, whole heartedly condoned ten of us sleeping on the one mattress. Naturally everyone could not sleep in the middle ofit, but that is where I am wrong, because they did, and whilst this was going on Terry repacked and adjusted his dress i.e. he took out his deerstalking hat and laced and tied his boots.

In due course on a wet, windy and cold night, we arrived at the road bridge. It was just like the year before and one or two of us got lost all over again. I must say that Ted and Owen were very good at leading me astray!!! In the morning, we in the wool shed got up and after breakfast played at being sheep, that is a running through the various pens, making a. bleating noise, which incidentally kopt the sheep well away from the place, while one of us pretended to be the shearer. I think he must have been doing 400 a day too, from the number of times my head told me I had been going round. Eventually we grew sick (and/or dizzy) of that game or the others got siek of us playing it because the next thing we knew was that we were sallying forth (I I was fourth) to the other hut and guess what we saw there?? Terry, the Chief Guide and Cecelia sitting up in bed - not the sa.me one ofcourse, let's be hygienic, but BEDS! I did not know they had those horribly lovely civilised things in there otherwise I would not have thought of not sleeping there! (z A I B Well, the shock at seeing beds on a tramping trip wa's too much for me so I rushed outside again, thought about washing,ffelt refreshed immediately and went back in. Well what I saw this time you will never guess and I could hardly believe my own eyes. The Chief Guide serving breakfast in bed to Cecelia?????? Why one would not have thought they were only tramperst Soon we filed out along the track, heading for the bush on the steep open hillsides, with the shooters going ahead. It was heavy going up to Cleft Creek, where we had turned back the year before. The only happenings of interest being a More Pork which could be studied at liesure as it was sitting low in a tree and the other a gigantic jet black boar which cameehnrging at me from the rear. He was really a monster and his white tusks stood out clenrly against the ba.ck ground of his skin, as he came leaping over tree trunks until he saw us when he dashed even faster and at right angles to the track, showing himself quite plainly to everybody. Apparently most of us had passed it undisturbed until Peter came face to face with it busily feeding. Unfortunately for him but fortunately for the pig when he brought his rifle up to his shoulder he remembered he was sharing it with Leon and that was where it was. He next felt for his knife butconsidering the size of the pig he then thought about exploring the topmost branches of the nearest tree. However, it was at this moment that the pig decided to run away, since I suppose it could not climb a tree, though pigs might fly. After Cleft Creek we climbed round some slipsoPp the river bank. About four o'clock we had a. bite and Terry elected to pop/for a few minutes to do a spot of shooting. ie continued up river until five, where we pitched camp on a delightful river flat and in a sufficiently prominent place so that Terry might spot us. However, as the sun disappeared and Terry had not shown up "Nuts" and I decided to look for him. ie were later joined by Peter who fired several shots and although we retraced our steps to the point where Terry had left us we did not encounter him, nor get any shots in reply and see any lights in the bush. The three of us thon stood in silence for one minute, with heads hung, listening very hard, but not a bird stirred. ie made our way back, reported our findings, or lack of, to the Chief Guide who said that he would sleep on it. When morning came he said that he had a scheme for Terry's salvation and produced an Oliver Twist set of straws in one fist. Everyone had to pick one and those lucky two who picked short straws would have to go back ALL THE WAY to look for Terry. As luck would have it "Nuts" and I drew the short strawso.. were we pleased about that, were we heck! He was NO cobber of ours and if we were to save him from the bush and himself, who was going to save him from us? "Nuts" said that if he had gone wandering off by himself to do a spot of shooting without telling anybody, then he would tear him to pieces limb by limb, when he eaught him up, and I said that I would bash his head in. Anyway, the outcome of all this was that the Chief Guide agreed to our continuing with the trip and being put off the truck if there was no news of Terry at the road bridge, when we reached it in the truck that afternoon. We then went further up river encountering beautiful scenery until we reached the Ruama.hanga Forks. In fact we walked past the Forks and our progress was only halted by the scenery and the river becoming too gorgeous and so, the main party retraced their steps, while "Nuts" and I climbed up the opposite bank, where a small stream tumbled down into the river. We were going to look for a bush lake which was shown on the map. As luck would have it the lake WO.S only about twenty feet from the riverbank. It wa.s a charming spot, the lake being surrounded by bush, with a small island plumb in the middle and a couple of duck swimming around. Soon, we were on the Ruapai, where the others joined us. Also a couple of deer stalkers who were busy trying to jump across the river to keep their feet dry - they did not succeed. The rest of the day passed pleasantly and in due course we were on the truck with the news that Terry had got out safely and just before Featherston the truck overtook him. "Nutst and I were so pleased to see him that we could have patted him on the back. For his part he told us how he had shot a pig and then met a man with a dozen beer - in the bush! Ah, the luck of the Irish or maybe a it was the blarney. The Party Graeme Hall, "Nuts" Bolt, Owen Roberts, Leon Sondej, Ted Dakin, Peter Davis, Lloyd Wilkin Tom Meyer, Dave Borley, Terry ?? and Cecelia Little. -Dave -