North-South Matthews Saddles

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NORTH-SOUTH MATTHEWS SADDLES It was the same semi-organised pleasant. The brew, however, proved shambles going in, that seems to mark an excellent moral booster and we set every Orongorongo trip. Bods. all over off for the coast with a push-drive that the place, not quite knowing where was remarkable. Suddenly the sea, and they were going to sleep or what to oh horrors, civilisation. Houses, cars do, but who cared? Some of us had and peasants, brr. We made a hasty gone by train, bus and taxi, while others retreat down the beach, heading South had private transport. I lost touch with towards the Mukamuka stream, where the main party after only travelling we camped for the night. A roaring across the farmland; so it looked like fire illuminated the spot and burnt the another solo trip for me. However, I stew, while the monotonous sound of did overtake several T.&M.s on their the waves washing the sand, was like way to a party, before reaching the dream-music. The vicious patter of river. The reasons for the party I rain on tent and cover transformed it was told, a birthday, and an engage- into a nightmare. ment. Well, the best of luck to them. It was still raining when we left the It was a perfect night for sleeping out, next morning, not too early, for the so after a brew at Wai-iti I spread my South saddle. Once again I was appalled bag under the moonlit sky. Some by the sorry sight of the hills, for the 'possums called enquiringly, but left pigs and goats had really had themselves their nameksake's gear in peace. Early a ball, causing gigantic slips all around. next morning a highly annoyed fantail Canyons, to compare with those famed woke me in a most rude manner, and let in the Colorado, had been worn into me know in no uncertain terms what the soft clay by streams, hardly deservit thought of me. With that crude ing that name. Just below the saddle, but effective alarm clock, I cursed, got Bruce, who had been leading us very up, and started packing. well up until now, took the wrong fork, While going up-river, I wondered how and for the first time during the trip, many of the trampers I'd seen the pre- Bill Drake was able to act in his vious evening, would be on the club capacity of tripleader. We hit the trip. When I reached Baines hut, I saddle right in the centre, and it's only found it to be eight, by counting heads; about 40 feet wide at the base. Once made possible by reason of their per- again Bruce took a false track, and sons still being hidden in their sleeping once again Bill came to the rescue, but bags. After the inevitable brew, they now we were going down, and this was started packing under the watchful eye more to my liking than going up. of some Onslow College girls. Of So, challenging Bruce's lead, we raced course we completely ignored these down to Baines hut, and I must conpeasants (or I at least tried to), and fess to being beaten by Bruce, but his we were soon on our way. nose is longer than mine. As Baines Up Matthews stream we went, with was still occupied by the Onslow College, the weather deteriorating with every foot we adjourned to Baine-iti, where we of height that we gained. In a sur- were entertained by two of the party prisingly short while we reached the doing an imitation of Flannigan and North saddle, and I began to appreciate Allen, but blamed their inferior copy and understand the meaning looks of on our somewhat cramped quarters. some of the boys when I used to talk Another race was held, this time from scornfully of the Orongo' range. The Baine-iti to Jacobs ladder, with the saddle, a thin razor-edged clay wall, grimmer opponent of a swiftly rising separating the river from the coast with river. Yet another race was in proits impressive pinnacles, is awe-inspiring gress further downstream, where a land- (which is a fancy way of saying "it was rover of the S.A.R. was battling damned frightening"). stream in answer to an emergency cali The weather was bad up there, so we The river lost both races. It was not didn't waste much time dropping into the until later that evening, that I learnt Wharekauhau stream, and had lunch at I'd been posted "missing", because I'd a suitable spot. A strong wind made failed to appear at the party. So waiting for the billy to boil, very un- sorry. -THE 'POSSUM.