The Happy Wanderers

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: THE HAPPY WANDERERS In the Waimakariri Xmas 1954. "I love to go a-wandering Along the mountain track And as I go I love to sing My knap-sack on my back. # It was Christmas day, and, instead of hanging up our stocking to be filled with presents by Santa Claus we hung up our packs to be filled with de-hy by Leader Trev." Walsh, We met aboard the good ship "Hinemoa" and some us us quickly took advantage of the chairs in the smoke room whereupon a Xmas parcel was delivered after all. It appeared to be rather bulky and after seven wrappings had been removed it was feared that it might eventually be a pin fn a cut down match box I but after the cighth wrapper came a cardboard box, which when opened displayed a wee bottle of spirits, attached to which were some very appropriate verses - the beginni-sletters of the lines spelling "Good Luck, Less Grog" ending with - Dose I One drop per person per day and to facilitate the accuracy of the dosage an eye dropper was enclosed, About half-way through the evening when the ship began to roll a few of the band retired to their cabins and I spoke a few kindly words to Dud about his peculiar greenish colour - and he afterwards unkindly wished me the same way on the trip home. A few moments later curiosity got the better of me and I explored the cabino Unfortunately I pressed the buzzer for the Steward instead of switching on the light - he did not take kindly to this : simply disregarded my apology and threatened to take our ice-axes away to the Purser's Officed However, after collecting three axes and realising that all of them would be quite a weight he replaced them saying to me - "You were educated in England, were you not?" I very proudly acknowledged the correctness of his question, thinking now for a friendly little talk I but came the reply "Well, this word here" pointing to Steward #" does NOT read 'switch on lightt" : and with that he stalked out - very nearly with an ice axes In the morning we duly prepared to disembark at Lyttelton, but here the Chief Guide discovered that his BOOTS were missing and a large scale search and rescue was immediately organised, We were very thorough - but alas no boots at ailo There now remained only one thing to do and that was to buy a pair at Arthur Passo

We travelled to the Pass by chartered bus, in the distinguished company of the Manawatus I they had three "chookies" with them. After the two clubs had separated we decided to start a "swear box" to control the language - and to everyones astonishment Dudley qualified as the first contributor! Eventually we started to plod up the Waimakariri River to Carrington Hut. Our packs were heavy and grew more so the longer and farther we carried them. After two hours we reached Anti Crow Hut and decided to make that our base camp for a few days. Next day the weather still held good so we decided to climb Mto Stewart 6310'. This was my first visit to Canterbury and I noted that the bush consisted entirely of beach forest and had the characteristics of pine forests. Nothing grew on the forest floor, which was covered with twigs and dead leaves, instead of pine needles, and where trees had fallen to provide a clearing lawyer grew. Bluffs were freqient and at times we went straight up. Where the bush ended, in the case of Mt,Stewart, there was no sub-alpine or secondary growth, just bare, rotten rock. The tops were simply stacks of rock rubble. After we reached the summit ridge I decided that I had seen enough and the others continued on to the top. From the number of times I heard folk shout "rock" and heand it crash down, they were having an interesting climb. Hori and Dudley chose to come down another way, which took fifty minutes longer. At one stage Dud jumped onto a ledge out of Hori's sight I Hori remarked later that he almost had a heart attack. later Hori was standing on a rock one moment and the next it was not there. This he said almost made him have kittens ( although after two days on dehy I think that they would have been little pole cats!) During this time I had plenty of time to think about the country I was in and decided that the Tararua Tops were much nicer and the bush more varied and alive, as it were. Howeyer this sceneréy was in a way spectacular and beautiful on an enormous scale. Presntly the sun began to sink and the lengthening shadows depicted an old river course in the river bed, This reminded me of how ancient British Villages had been found through showing up in this way, on aerial photographs after a land survey from the air, Jack "Whatsit" ( in a sudden burst of energy ??) chopped up some of the wood we had collected. One piece was extremely tough and it was discovered that Hori in his good natured way ( trying to bring in as much as possible) had included a deer antler. Bad luck for the Irish! Next day Hori, Rod and I believe Tom, went off to climb Gizeh but as their day included a five hour restbin the sun the attempt had to be abandoned - the reason given for this was simply that "breakfast was 45 minutes late. 1 Phil Barton discovered them at one stage, whilst making a movie of "A Christmas Trip midst Wonderful Scenery ". No doubt his commentary will be very enlightening - even though the characters will be shady. Now this trip seemed to be famous for people with "phobias". Mine wassaid to be getting killed and/or drowing", therefore after crossing the Waimak twice on our way up to Carrington Memorial Hut I decided not to cross it any more than was absolutely necessary. I had heard of a chap being drowned the previous year in the White River and so began to study seriously the only book I considered worth taking on the trip - "Safety In The Mountains". On the whole I doubt if story books are really good on a trip, one is liable to become too engrossed in the tale and to neglect tramping! I can well remember one fine morning when I was cook and everyone had had breakfast at some unearthly hour and Rod (the climbing leader) talked his three companions into believing it MIGHT rain in order that he could finish his love novel, Whilst at Carrington, Phil, Jack and myself spent half a day exploring the banks of the White River, searching for a ford, and building cairns up the Taipo-iti to mark the best route, when we returned and put a rope over the White, ata very good ford, where the water did not rise above the knees, whom should we see but Dud and Teev returning from the attempt at Carrington Peako Dud was about to plunge waist deep into a very rough current - he said that it was very deep just in front of him and Trev said that was becaase Dud was standing on his booti Dud had ieen particularly sceptical of my readings of "Safety In the Mountains" but I believe his being here today is partly due to our ford finding efforto He himself remarked I I suppose I won't live this down, # and then went on " if the river does not get you a falling rock on the pass wili!" Oddly enough it very nearly did as I will relate later, Now "Sherpa" Barton had a "phobia"- about things being contaminated and/or a germ getting him, All our water had to be carried up from a creek to Carrington Hut, in big heavy tins and on the morning of the White River expedition Jack had just poured a tin of water in the tanks when Phil espied a hair - two pieces of sand and a bit of moss in the bottom of the tank, and forthwith emptied the contents through the doorway! This was against my reminding him that people might be able to subsist on moss! When it rained (which id did for almost half the trip) we played cards 1 much to Dud's disgust 1 he always landed the same partner - and this partner, in Dud's opinion made all the mistakes under the sun I or should I say rain? Dud informed him in no uncertain terms that he was a "drongo" studying to be an "idiot" I however, he must have made good progress hefore the day was out because he became an "idiot" studying to be a "lunatic". It is also interesting to note that not only did he progress in insanity but also at cards - for - after one game of cut throat "500" partner scored with plus 310, whilst Dud lost minus 750. Still we must bear in mind that the expert had bad luck, The party now became divided into two groups of four - which was perhaps the most tactful way of avoiding certain clashes... even I became somewhat frayedo You see, and "Nuts" will commend me, I am not a drinker of the evil oriental drug and had taken along some cocoa, which I had little inclination to partake of at the start of the trip, although I remarked that I would willingly share it with anyone interested towards the end of the trip, sooner than carry it outo However the last evening we were all together at Carrington Hut and two members of the pagty threatened me with violence and since they had temporarily revolted against their adiction relieved me forcibly (without resistence) of my precious cocoa. I was extremely annoyedo I had paid for it myself, carried it as personal gear, had helped to pay for and carry their hotrible tea and because during the last march I had included it as party food they claimed the right to usé it. As stated I was extremely annoyed, but was outnumbered so I abided my time, and my opportunity presented itself when the drink was poured out into the mugs. There must have been two opportunists as' there were now four mugs ftll, I hopped out of my bag and dashed around the table, grabbed the mugs and heaved the contents through the doorway:

One evening, whilst at Carrington Hut a climber from another party produced a very interesting guide of the National Park area in which we were tramping. I was so taken with it that I think I read the whole volume in half an hour and read some passages to the boys. In order to reach the Harman Pass from where we were, we had to cross the White River and go up the Taipo-iti, According to the book the Europeans oe lled the river by this name as they thought it was the Maori one 1 the Maoris, on the other hand used it as they thought it the European name, When I returned to Wellington I looked up my book on Maori place names to find that Taipo-iti consists of"Taipo"-Devil and"iti" I little. The river bed is one mass of waterfalls and I can imagine what a little devil this river could be in flood so whoever named it was justified, There was another name too, the history of which is worth repeating. A little farther up the White River from the Taipo-iti, and on the same side are some large falls,called "Kilmarnock)j falling at least 200 feet. Apparently an old Guide used to take parties to see the falls, and in case of emergency kept a bottle of spirits hidden near the falls. As far as is known the bottle of spirits, now many years old is still there, and the falls have taken their name from that particular brand, I read this to the boys, thinking they would start an intense search but Dud was far too busy abusing someone to take much notice. Just by Arthur Pass there is a Peak called B' Limit and we all know the translation of that one, It received its name in this wayo There used to be an old timer who was very fond of telling yarns when he sat down for a rest along with his party. When they were climbing this particular bump he related how three friends bought all the best fishing gear and bait that was possible and set off to catch trout. It was a very hot and tiring day and they had no luck wha bouever but Just before they packed up a little girl came upon the scene, with a bont nail attaghed to a piece of string. She dug in the ground and baited"her hook" with a worm! Her line had not been in the water a moment before she hauled out a big trout as long as your cuhiie Well, one of the fishermen, gazing with as tonishment said "That's the B' Timit." The little girl, having a good memory repeated this information to her mother when she asked the name of the fish her daughter had brought home. Afterwards the party referred to this hitherto unnamed peak as the"B'limit # story Peak and eventually as the tale became known the mountain associated so closely with it took the name of "B' Limit," Next morning a Kea appeared outside the huto It was the first one I had sighted but, before I could take a snap, that great Hunter (Tom Cody Meyer) was on the scene with a piece of wood, Fortunately, as he is equally as good with a piece of timber as he is with a rifle, the bird to our knowledge is alive and well. Next day we split into two parties and the food andgear was suitably divided. Ynfortunately the brains could not be equally divided., "arly that morning Phil, Trev, ack and myself wound our way up the Taipo-iti to the Harman Pass. The only place a party could go wrong would be if they were doing the trip in reverse - no I don't mean walking backwards but coming from the other direction - as near the top, by a waterfall in the main stream the route follows a small tributary and then back again to avoid the bluffs. A few years back, on the 12th,Jammary, two bods wandered onto the bluffs in misty weather and one of them died of exposures

=24- We saw Aerial Tarn, which is crystal clear and deep and surrounded by large boulders, The Harman Pass (4310') consists of tussock and is flat - just like the Tararua Tops in summer time, From it the Whitehorn Pass (5728+) which is some 1400' higher and mainly snow covered appears in very deceptive proportions. It appears to be only 500' higher, especially when the difference in height of the peaks either side is compared with the difference between the passes. On one side is Mt. Rosamond (7179') and the other Mt.Isobel (6575') and the difference in height between them and Whitehorn Pass appears to be twice as much as that between the passes, whereas in one case it is practically the same. Anyway I know I expected that we would be at the top in ten minutes and it took something like ten times as longo (Ed; Note - I feel quite tired myself). The snow surface was good, steps having been plugged for us by Bob and Stan or Bill, who were attempting Rosamond, It was, however pitted with rocks and it would be extremely unsafe to sleep up there wi.thout a suit of armour ono We experienced no trouble in going down the other side of the Whitehorn and from the top took photos of the Cronin Ice Fall, "It is not in any way spectacular" I remarked (never ever having seen any others) and when well past we looked back and it appeared to have doubled its size, The sides of the Cronin stream itself are strewn with large and little boulders, thus making progress quite torturous. The gorge at the bottom cannot be mistaken, but the track could. It is not well marked and goes straight up the side of a little scree slide for about 50 feet. After that it keeps fairly well to the same level, through the scrub, but is never-the-less still not well defined. Park Morpeth Hut at the forks, with the Wilberforce is hidden below a bluff and it is necessary to cross a flat studed with many little lakelets, before it can be spotted, The next day was very wet so we decided to play "500". The other party "B" - had both packs of cards, which they were entitled to since they were personal gear and carried as such. However we were not to be outdone and proceeded to manufacture a set of our own of exquisite design on J -'s flat packed top. For those keenly interested, one sheet will produce four cards and to save unnecessary anxiety it is a good idea to make it the rule that the donator may exercise his or her right of ownership should circumstances become intolerablee To begin with Phil had to be taught the game and the slowness of sorting the cards out in dealing and in playing ensued that his tuition would not be rushed. In fact one game of approximately 12 calls took one day with 10 free points being given to any successful dealer. After half a day Phil could spontaneously follow suit in his turn! I know that this does not sound a wonderful achievement, but taking into account the transparency of our cards if players threw away it was at times impossible to know what suit led or of what denomination the card was. One did not have to be very crafty to be a master cheat but let me hasten to say that the winner played magnificently and in a most unpeachable manner, furthermore, let it be understood that his retention of a beard has nothing to do with that game. The following day, before leaving we cut out a cartoon, from a magazine portraying a character named "Dudley" being associated with jail, At the top we hung a big rusty old chain finished with a note - "Leg Irons for Dudley" and as it will be later related he may have got that way too.

Our next objective was to pass the Browning Pass which could be seen from just putside the hut. This pass is historically important in that it was the first pass to be used by the Maoris. A Chieftainess named Raureka discovered it at the head of the Arahura River in 1700. One cannot help wondering if the name Hokitika, Hoki - return, and tika - direct, has any bearing on the pass which was the direct route of return from the east side. The old goldminers constructed a track nearly over the pass, the zig zag route of which can be seen wending its way up through the lower grass slopes where it continues on to the bluffs where it stops. Trev followed it round here and found a few of the miners rusty tools where they had left them leaning against the cliff face. From the steep grass slopes we plodded up onto the even steeper bare soree, and we found it easier to keep to the left, I found myself wandering off the shingle in favour of a course through the bluffs, accompanied by keas which began to dislodge stones on to me and I thought 1 I wish I too could fly." When I was up I made my way round to the top of the scree slide to get a glimpse of the others and to take photos of them coming up with ropes. Trev was assisting Phil and then he left Phil to commence climbing a steep rock face and Phil, meanwhile was making himself at home by the big rock by scraping away some of the loose stuff in order to gain a standing positione He, Phil, then put his hand onto a rock at least 7 X 6 xl, to steady himself and to his surprise it began to move and before he could say "Trev Walsh" there was an almighty avalanche of rock down the scree slope. It was most fortunate that no one was below us, also that Phil managed to retain his footing as Trev was not in a position to hold him. I then made a move to go down to assist them but dislodged some rock and very nearly assisted them to eternity! (Ednote, I think this calls for an A,I.Course Chief Guide). However, the big strongxtra curley ones got to the top. It would not be advisable spend a night at the Browning Hut as it is suitable only as a rough shelter. 42.8E9 Browning is quite large - both the Lake and the Hut are at the top, on the west side. We then went on around the left hand bank of the Lake and followed the track until it crossed the upper Arahura. We crossed again by Pyramid Rock which the "B" party had missed (they later said that they had spent three hours mucking about before climbing out of the "B" Gorge!"), Next site of note was Pyramid Hut, a sight for sore eyes and just below the Hut, after crossing a creek, the track goes very high above the rivero In due course we arrived at Arahura Huto It did not look very accommodating and Phil informed us that HE would not sleep in such a brovel (I think he meant hovel,) but, never the less he was enticed to double bunk with meo The last occupants had thoughtfully left both kindling and larger fire wood already cut. This hut must have been very cosy in its day, as the interior showed unmistakable signs of having been covered with sacking; but now one of the window panes is broken and the guttering above the fire place leaks. The furniture consists of a sacking covered deck chair, a form, one table and a proper candle-stick holder, which stands off the floor being some three feet higho There are two double bunks, one above the other sacking curtains off the ends so that there is only one open side. In fact it might pass for a sort of four poster bedt

The following day proved to be wet and eventually someone would suggest playing "500" in an anxious sort of tone - but it was perfectly all right because nobody wanted to do soi The day was partly taken up with photographing the keas wath their almost human curiosity. "It is very wicked to even think about aiming missiles at them" I declared but this was before one thoughi that my big toe and the sole of my sandshoe were detachable! After a day's rest we went over the Styx Saddle to Grassy Flats Hut. One would almost think we were back in the Tararuas so much did the scenery resemble our own beautiful hills and mountains, the only exception being the large amount of slate everywhereo Our next stop was at Sandfly Eat, which the map describes as being "in a very bad condition" and but for a few more "verys" it is onily too true. Our last stop was by Lake Kaniere to make camp for a night and is truly a charming spot for a camp. In the morning we decided to walk around the lake edge by track, "even" as Trev said "if we spend till mid-day finding the track". At 11.59 am we found the track after many fruitless attempts, the main reason for this baing that the map showed two houses, whereas there were three. We were searching between the first and the second, instead of the second and third. It must be admitted too that we missed Geology Creek, which by the way, yields interesting specimens of slate containing a deep yellow coloured mineral, Trev made this discovery but Phil perked the largest piece and left me with two small pieces only, which I disdained to carry out ( I noticed Phil carefully packed his up, not for nothing is he called "Sherpa"). If Phil can only invent a machine to crush the rock and extract the yellow particles he may become a very rich mano Once on the track we made good time to Dorothy Falls, nothing spectacular but wotth a visit if in that areas It was here the "B" party caught us up and said that they had reached the Lake the previous evening - how they came not to see our camp fire and several lily-white individuals swimming around we are at a loss to understand. We foraght it rather strange that they caught up after we had found the track and/ protested against our suspicions stating it was merely coincidence, but rather profitable as the three of them dashed ahead and took the only free lift into Hokitika, leaving us to go by tai I 29/- faret Tom volunteered to stay behind when he found his friends inside the caro However we are grateful to them for sending the taxi out, thereby saving a toll callo At Hokitika we stayed at an Hotel and the order of the bath was the next itemo I think that the effect of civilisation after two weeks in the bush are just as much a part of a Xmas trip to some as the trip itself, judging by the behaviour of our friend Dudley (*nuff sed). Whilst at Hokitika I decided to weigh myself and found that I had lost 5 lbs. When searching for the penny my friend?? "Nuts n Bolt came up and presented me with a bent one. However I really appreciated his generosity and hope that he does as much for our simple ski-ers hut and/or mountain hute Peak bagging was done mainly by the "B" party who climbed Harper and Murchison in the same day.

In conclusion it must be said that the arrangements went very smoothly apart from the voyage out as "Dud-ane" will tell youe On behalf of the members of the party allow me to take this opportunity of voicing our appreciation of the good work done by Trev and his assistants who so carefully packed our food. Just one little request however, next time would they mind carrying these various bundles also. -Daves