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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 75

The Return up the Arthur Value

The Return up the Arthur Value

Under ordinary circumstances our [unclear: walk] Arthur Valley would have been a [unclear: very] able one, but we had hardly started [unclear: w] commenced to rain. The weather [unclear: had] threatening for some time, and we [unclear: w] afraid we should have a wet trip up [unclear: the] Our anticipations were more than [unclear: real] the showers became heavier and [unclear: m] quent, and finally a steady rain set [unclear: in] ing without coats or vests we were [unclear: q] saturated, but we should not have [unclear: miod] very much were it not that the [unclear: cree] to rise, leaving us in some [unclear: appreh] to what we might have to [unclear: encounter] we reached our deatination. [unclear: However] steadily plodded on, making good [unclear: prog] we were well on the track in the [unclear: last] bush before reaching Roaring Creek—[unclear: P] couple of miles, or less, from the [unclear: huts] thing was by this time soakiog [unclear: wet;] tinued to rain heavily and steadily, [unclear: a] watercourses eterywhere sprang into [unclear: er] and poured additional supplies into [unclear: the] creek to our right. About 6 [unclear: o'clock,] the bush, a calamity befell us—we [unclear: got] track ! The reader may think very [unclear: little] statement; but the cirumstance [unclear: caused] writer and bis companion a very [unclear: anx] hoar, for it must be remembered that [unclear: n] approaching and it was quite [unclear: evident] it had set in to rain probably [unclear: for] we stood a fair chance, unless we [unclear: quickly] our bearings, of having to spend [unclear: the] the bush We knew that unless we got [unclear: the] again very quickly, and made rapid [unclear: po] page 15 Roaring Creek would in all probability be im-[unclear: able], even if we succeeded in reaching it. We had fallowed a track which had been [unclear: rtly] cleared—or, I should say, indicated by the cutting down of occasional saplings and trees—and after following this for a considerable distance it suddenly stopped, and there was nothing ahead but the untouched bush. It was decided that I should remain at the point we had reached, while my companion went back [unclear: g] the track we had followed and endeavoured [unclear: pick] up the track we had [unclear: d verged] from. [unclear: He]accordingly left me on this mission. I [unclear: ed] for a considerable time with as much [unclear: nce] as I Could command, but finally [unclear: began] to get apprehensive that my [unclear: nd] was straying into the buah, I accurdingly coo-red loudly and repeatedly, but failed [unclear: get] any response. As a matter of fact it was [unclear: impossible] to hear anyone 20 yards off, owing to [unclear: the] roar of the creek to our left, and the rushing of waters in all directions. Finally, however, [unclear: made] his appearance, with the disturbing [unclear: ation] that be had failed to find the track. [unclear: We] hurriedly discussed the situation, and it, was [unclear: ded] that we should push straight ahead, as [unclear: felt] certain we would reach one of the small [unclear: ks] we had crossed in the morning, and [unclear: ld] have a chance of finding the crossing [unclear: place] up the stream. We knew it could [unclear: not] the down stream, for the big creek into [unclear: which] the smaller one ran was but a short [unclear: distance] below us. Carrying out our determination, we pushed on through the bush as [unclear: well] as could, and soon reached the bank of [unclear: small] stream which came down from the [unclear: tians] at our left. Following its course [unclear: For] a short distance, we were delighted to [unclear: ise] our crowing place of the morning, [unclear: may] well be imagined we were intensely [unclear: d.] In about half an hour we had reached [unclear: ing] Creek at its crossing place, and not a [unclear: te] before it was time, for the creek was [unclear: g] rapidly, and our tree bridge would very [unclear: be] impassable. The creek crossed, we [unclear: ged] into the flat below the Beech Huts [unclear: 7] o'clock; but here, again, it was impossible to find any track, as the water was rushing down everywhere. We walked through [unclear: up] to our middles, pushing our way against [unclear: stream] that was flowing down a channel [unclear: supposed] to be the track, and after a few [unclear: tes] of this to our great delight we saw [unclear: d] of us Ross's younger brother, whom we had t on our way down. He had come out to [unclear: k] for us, and was no less relieved than we [unclear: to] find that we had got through all right. We made our way up to the huts, and after [unclear: e] vigorous rubbing with towels, got to bed, [unclear: we] had supper. Wood was piled on the [unclear: and] our saturated clothes spread before it [unclear: dry], although our chance of being able to [unclear: for] Garvery's on the morrow seemed very [unclear: te.] The mountains were streaming with water, and it is no exaggeration to say that during the latter part of our trip up the valley we had seen dozens of waterfalls pouring down the mountain sides from height of 500ft to 1000ft. Notwithstanding the steady downpour on the roof of the hut and the roaring of the creek below we soon forgot our afternoon's experience, and dropped off to sleep.